Shi Clan

The Shi Clan (子の一族, Shi no Ichizoku^?) were formerly the overseers of the Northern Province. Due to their supposed plans to ruin the country, they were antagonists of The Apothecary Diaries. Following their revolt, all members of the clan were thought to be put to death; however, Suirei and the children of the Shi clan survived due to Loulan and Suirei's schemes.

History

The Shi clan were one of the three clans from the founding of Li.^[1] They settled to the north, which was later named after them as Shihoku Province.

During the Former Emperor's reign, the Shi clan continued to export slaves out of the country despite it being forbidden.^[2] When the Empress Regnant took notice, she put a stop to the slave exports by forcing the then Shi clan head to hand over his daughter, Shenmei, to the Inner Court as a high consort. Shishou, who was adopted as the Shi clan heir from a branch family and engaged to Shenmei, worked with the Empress Regnant to hold the slaves within the Inner Court as maidservants and eunuchs. This allowed Shishou to gain her favor and restore the Shi clan's reputation. Sometime later, Shishou was made Prime Minister of Li and became the Shi clan head.

When the Former Emperor banished his illegitimate daughter and a physician, Shishou took them in. He later married the daughter on the Former Emperor's request, who gave birth to a daughter.

After 20 years inside the Inner Court, Shenmei was given to Shishou as a favor from the Former Emperor. Though Shishou still loved her, Shenmei's personality had changed. She stripped Shishou's first daughter of her name and gave it to her daughter Loulan. Shenmei would treat Suirei and her mother cruelly due to their relation to the imperial family, which eventually led to the latter's death. As Loulan grew up, she became her mother's puppet, but grew close to Suirei as well.

Five years into the Emperor's reign, Shishou's faction was able to force Ah-Duo out of her position as the Pure Consort in favor of Loulan, under the direction of Shenmei. Around the same time, Suirei also entered the outer court as a court lady.

Members

• Shenmei's father (previous clan head)^†
• Shenmei^†
• Shishou^†
• Shirou (Kyou-u's father)^†
• Shisui
• Loulan
• Kyou-u
• Four unnamed children

^† = deceased

Family Tree

Former emperor

Taihou

Shirou

Daughter

Shishou

Shenmei

Kyou-u

Suirei

Loulan

Trivia

• Their name corresponds to the rat of the zodiac.

References