"The Pleiades in the Blue"
Adapted from "The Pleiades in the Blue" by Jiro Asada (published by Kodansha Ltd.)
"The Pleiades in the Blue"
"Liang Wenxiu, you will be allowed to enter the Forbidden City when you grow up and will eventually become the emperor’s trusted confidant in running the country. You are destined to engage in learning, spread knowledge, and support the emperor." ──
The story starts in Hebei, China, during the end of the Qing dynasty in the late 19th century.
Wenxiu, the second son of the landowner of Liangjiatun village, who has fallen asleep after drinking at a tavern at the edge of the village, is awakened by what he hears as he slumbers. It is the prophecy that was once given to him by an old Tartar fortune-teller Bai Tai Tai, and it has been stuck in his head ever since. Being teased by his friends for passing the entry-level exam for the imperial examination, Wenxiu decides to pass the final exam at any cost. At the very moment, a destitute boy Li Chun’er makes an appearance, whom Wenxiu once made a pledge of brotherhood with. Chun’er, too, believes the prophecy he received from Bai Tai Tai that he would gain treasure beyond his wildest dreams.
Not long after, Wenxiu passes the cutthroat final imperial examination with the top score, followed by Shungui and Wang Yi who come second and third respectively. They pay a courtesy call to Emperor Guangxu and his aunt Empress Dowager Cixi, the de facto ruler of the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City, where archaic customs are still practiced, immediately confronts Wenxiu with the current reality in the Qing dynasty. At this rate, the country will fall prey to the Western powers ──. Wenxiu and his capable colleagues vow to fulfill their missions. But would it be so easy to achieve the transfer of power to Emperor Guangxu? It is obvious that the emperor needs strong backing to match Empress Dowager Cixi. The great scholar Yang Xizhen, who is a teacher of Wenxiu and his colleagues, intends to entrust the role to General Li Hongzhang, the Governor-General of Tianjin.
Meanwhile, Chun’er, who came to Beijing to accompany Wenxiu for his examination but fell out with him after a quarrel, is wandering around the town at night, where he comes across a blind "erhu" fiddle player. The encounter with the man leads Chun’er to the conclusion that the only way for him to make a living is to become a eunuch.
Returning to his hometown, Wenxiu meets Lingling who is the younger sister of Chun’er. He learns from Lingling that her mother died and Chun’er has become a eunuch. Just when Wenxiu decides to bring her with him to Beijing, Bai Tai Tai appears to give him another mysterious prophecy: "You two are connected by a strange thread of fate." Then the fortune-teller disappears...
"The Pleiades in the Blue"
Liang Wenxiu:
Sakina Ayakaze
Li Lingling:
Kiwa Asazuki
Li Chun'er:
Li Hongzhang:
Shungui:
Sora Kazuki
Emperor Guangxu (Zaitian):
Mrs. Zhang:
Bai Tai Tai:
Ito Hirobumi:
Empress Dowager Cixi:
Yang Xizhen:
Ronglu:
Kang Youwei:
Deling:
Karen Chikaze
Li Lianying:
Yuan Shikai:
Oka Keinosuke :
Court lady to the Empress Dowager Cixi:
Court lady to the Empress Dowager Cixi:
Chang Lianzhong:
An Dehai:
Court lady to the Empress Dowager Cixi:
Yuri Shiramine
Court lady to the Empress Dowager Cixi:
Consort Jin:
Anna Sara
Prince Chun / Shiba Goro:
Tan Sitong:
Empress Longyu:
Himari Nonoka
Court lady to the Empress Dowager Cixi:
Umi Kirara
Rongling:
Yuka Haori
Hei Mudan:
Master Zhao (Leader of the theater group):
Rian Seika
Prince Gong:
Haruma Hiyori
Court lady to the Empress Dowager Cixi:
Riri Kotohane
Cui Yugui:
Wang Yi:
Ao Ichika
Grace Defender Duke Zaize:
Zhou Mazi:
Rea Mayuzuki
Jin Ba:
Lanqin:
Yu Seimi
Thomas Burton:
Consort Zhen:
Lin Xu:
Liu Guangdi:
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