[ svsss. pidw-era wife number 444 and 445. ]
fourth princess: lingling is the precious jewel of her family. lingling has always been the precious jewel of her family. when lingling falls ill her family spares no expense and wastes no manpower in trying to find the cure. unfortunately, that manpower was pledged to the emperor for the purpose of keeping the peace on the border between the demon realm and the eastern waterways. when he arrives to adress the issue it quickly becomes clear that lingling's illness is not a natural one. with the entire pavillion tainted by demonic energy, he'll have to investigate everyone still within the walls to find out who could possibly have a reason to hurt the princess of the lǐ family. is this related to the death of the general? how does an entire home come to smell of demons without the trail going anywhere? who is hiding in the back hills? and what happens when cinderella has to become her own fairy godmother if she wants to survive in this new world?
drusilla: lǐ líng-zǐ. the original precious jewel of her family, her shine was already waning as she turned down advantageous marriage prospects to men who would expect her to pretend to want nothing and know even less. evidence of her existence has been burned, but traces remain for anyone willing to dig.
cinderella: lǐ xuě-ling. the poor girl being poisoned, and lady lǐ jīng's most precious cabbage. actually a type of changeling who crossed the border and inserted herself into the family to survive. cruel but not malicious, she fundamentally does not understand the complex motives and feelings of the rest of the lǐ family. the real killer of the general, but not intentionally. she didn't even know she could do that to a man!
anastasia: lǐ shī-yǔ. the other one. married to a local merchant with a good heart, currently expecting her second child with him. saw what way the wind was blowing and put her head the fuck down. ends up being the watson to the emperor's investigation, and a rare female connection he doesn't rawdog (outside of paid subscriber requests) because of her homely face and bursting belly.
lady tremaine: lǐ jīng. the matriarch. under her guidance the town her husband pledged his life to defend has maintained one of the few outposts still holding the border down. views lingling as the answer to her desperate prayers for one daughter who is beautiful and pliant. spoiled her rotten and considers her disownment of língzi to a nameless servant to be the merciful alternative to a forced marriage. because of her sentimental heart, you see.
governess: ming ā-yí. originally língzi's handmaid, now reclaimed by lady lǐ. the official story is that she taught xuěling and shīyǔ how to dance and paint and read as young girls before being reassigned. she remembers none of her past regardless of the truth. xuěling was very young and very powerful when she began practising her mental influence, and ming sōngyàn was the unfortunate victim of that lack of control.
handmaid: xiao yan. the handmaiden ostensibly assigned to shīyǔ before her departure to her husband's home, she was not re-assigned when shīyǔ moved back in for help with a difficult pregnancy. almost never seen unless burdened with a horrible chore. actually lǐ língzi forced into a servile role after xuěling usurped her position. turned to experimenting with demonic beetles and poisonous roots in the border hills in an attempt to kill the creature she believes is brainwashing her family and stole her happy life away from her.
handmaid: xiao tao. the handmaiden bought for xuěling when it became clear she needed a fresh slate. she likes her new clothes and the food and she has fun! :) yay :) deeply suspicious because of how silly and naive she seems, but she's genuinely just very happy to not be dirt poor and unwashed any more. whatever the rich people are doing to one another is none of her business! you won't trick her into becoming an accessory to a crime!