Ka Clan

The Ka Clan is the Imperial Family (皇族, Kōzoku^?) of Li. With their base of operations being the Imperial Palace where much of The Apothecary Diaries series takes place, the clan is highly relevant to the plot.

History

According to the founding myth of Li, a foreign-born noblewoman, known as the Mother Royal,^[1] arrived with three warriors. She married the local chief of the land and later gave birth to the first emperor of Li, who was able to rule after passing the test of the Shrine of Choosing. This was possible through the genetic trait of red-green colorblindness, which was preserved down the generations until the former emperor took the throne.^[2]

The former emperor at the time was the youngest son of the imperial family, and only ascended after his older half-brothers passed away in an epidemic. Due to his incompetence, his mother ruled in his stead, with efficiency and ruthlessness. He did not acknowledge his daughter with a maidservant of a high consort, and she was banished her along with a court physician accused of being her biological father. Eventually, he asked his prime minister to marry her and they had a daughter. The former emperor later had a son with the lady-in-waiting of a middle consort, who he acknowledged.

The then crown prince took his milk sister as a consort, who gave birth to his firstborn son, at the same time when his mother also gave birth to her second son. Tragically, according to the palace's records, the crown prince's firstborn died during infancy due to having been fed honey, which is poisonous to children. When the former emperor died, the so-called-imperial brother became the new crown prince, but also became 'Jinshi', the eunuch administrator of the inner palace, after winning a game of Go against the Emperor.^[3]

The Emperor ascended the throne five years prior to the start of The Apothecary Diaries. Although three of his infant children born from his consorts died due to a toxic face powder used in the inner palace, he currently has a daughter and a son with the former Precious Consort and a son with the Wise Consort. The title of crown prince has officially since passed to the former Precious Consort's son.

Members

• Former Emperor^†
• Banished Princess^†
• Emperor
• Imperial Brother^†
• Suirei (unofficially)
• Jinshi
• Three unnamed infants^†
• Lingli
• Crown Prince
• Second Prince

^† = Deceased

Family Tree

Empress Regnant†

Taihou†

Former Emperor†

Anshi

Suirei's Mother†

Imperial Brother†

Emperor

Gyokuyou

Ah-Duo

Lihua

Suirei

Lingli

Crown Prince

Jinshi

Prince†

Prince

Trivia

• The character 華 means flower, and is considered feminine in names.^[4]
• It is considered taboo for non-family members to speak the personal names of male members of the Imperial Family.^[5]
• Designs and imagery of dragons with four claws are solely allowed to be owned by the Imperial Family.^[6]
• The reddish-gold hue of massicot is only allowed to be worn by the emperor.^[6]

References