Wiki & Encyclopedia: Daming: I Was Delayed At The Beginning, Lao Zhu Begged Me Not To Die

The protagonist, a transmigrator who finds himself in the body of an adopted son of Lan Yu during the Lan Yu incident. He survives his execution by using a 'Identity Editor System' to fabricate a secret undercover identity within the Jinyiwei.

A prominent Ming dynasty general accused of treason, leading to his execution and the mass slaughter of his associates and adoptive family.

The Commander of the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard), overseeing the purge of Lan Yu and his associates.

The former Commander of the Jinyiwei. Fabricated as the handler for the protagonist's secret identity.

The founding Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. A cunning and ruthless ruler who is deeply disillusioned by his current successors and the lack of competent heirs.

The Imperial Grandson and designated heir. Adept at Confucian rhetoric but naive regarding realpolitik and the brutality of ruling.

A lean and efficient officer of the Jinyiwei tasked with searching archives by Jiang Huan.

The late Crown Prince, widely regarded as the ideal successor who understood the balance of power.

The deceased eldest grandson of Zhu Yuanzhang, whose death leaves a void in the Emperor's heart.

A figure at the center of a historical political purge that led to mass executions within the capital.

A scholar and advisor to the Imperial Grandson, criticized by the Emperor for teaching empty Confucian ideals.

A scholar and advisor to the Imperial Grandson, criticized by the Emperor for teaching empty Confucian ideals.

Lan Yu's sister and the biological mother of the Imperial Grandson. Her facial resemblance to her son provided the protagonist with the logic required to link himself to the Lan family.

A greedy prison guard at the Imperial Prison who is manipulated by the protagonist into retrieving the fake jade pendant, unknowingly acting as the courier to expose the fake identity.

A skilled master of the Qingfengxiang Pawnshop. Upon inspecting the jade pendant, he immediately recognizes its imperial origin, realizing it is a dangerous item that could lead to the execution of his entire clan.

A high-ranking official who has explicitly ordered the death of Zhu Xiongying, serving as a primary antagonist and the reason Liu San must conspire to circumvent official execution orders.

The authoritative figure within the Zhao Prison. Liu San views him as the key decision-maker whom he must bribe or influence to save the protagonist from execution.

The Duke of Cao and son of the renowned general Li Wenzhong. He is a high-ranking noble known for his flamboyant lifestyle, arrogance, and obsession with collecting rare imperial treasures.

The Duke of Wei and son of the late General Xu Da, known for his cautious and low-key nature in the political sphere.

The Duke of Song, an aging veteran official currently embroiled in political peril due to his suspected connections to the Lan Yu treason case.

A loyal bodyguard and subordinate to Li Jinglong, tasked with the secret detention of the pawnshop appraiser.

The late, highly revered wife of Zhu Yuanzhang, whose memory is deeply cherished by the Emperor.

The late Duke of Cao and nephew of the Emperor. A distinguished founding general who served with honor, now deceased.

An enigmatic and elusive figure, supposedly buried for over a decade, whose existence has become a source of profound torment and nightmares for the Emperor.

A veteran eunuch who has served Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang since his early rebellions. Highly experienced and intuitive, he is deeply disturbed by the sudden reappearance of the jade pendant associated with the deceased Little Master.

A palace attendant serving Zhu Yuanzhang. He is terrified by the Emperor's sudden emotional volatility and physical intimidation.

The deceased Imperial Grandson and Zhu Yuanzhang's beloved descendant, whose supposed death 11 years ago is now under severe suspicion due to the discovery of his personal jade pendant in a pawnshop.

A senior officer of the Imperial Guard, responsible for registering assets confiscated during the purge. He is terrified of Jiang Huan's authority and ruthless scrutiny.

A pale, frantic personal servant of the Emperor, serving as a messenger to deliver an urgent, top-secret imperial directive to the Northern Division of the Imperial Guard.

The official in charge of the Xiaoling Mausoleum security, currently facing the Emperor's wrath due to corruption and the theft of funerary goods.

The deceased scion of the Ming royal family, whose tomb is being opened. He is remembered by the Emperor through murals depicting his childhood.

The lead artisan who supervised the construction of the tomb. He is forced to perform the sacrilegious act of unsealing the stone casket.

An associate and accomplice of the corrupt jailers, he acts as a crude enforcer. He is killed by the protagonist during a desperate escape attempt.

A subordinate accomplice responsible for guarding the protagonist. He is rendered unconscious by the protagonist during the escape.

A prison guard at the Zhao Prison who was killed by the protagonist during the escape.

The eldest daughter of Censor-in-chief Wang Jian. She is composed, decisive, and acts as a protector, deciding to harbor Zhu Xiongying in their residence.

The younger daughter of Wang Jian. She is curious and sympathetic towards the guest, Zhu Xiongying.

The head of the household and a Censor-in-chief at the Censorate. He is a seasoned and calculating official who returns from the palace carrying the heavy, tense atmosphere of the ongoing political purges.

The middle-aged gatekeeper of the Wang residence who manages admissions and is initially wary of strangers.

The senior steward of the Wang residence. He is shrewd, experienced in housekeeping, and deeply suspicious of Zhu Xiongying's background.

The neglected heir to the throne who, as a child, endured harsh winters and ridicule while living under the roof of the man who is now destined to serve his rise.

Minister of Personnel, an ambitious scholar-official attempting to secure power for the Confucian faction by pushing the Imperial Grandson to take the throne.

Minister of Revenue, a cautious official entangled in the political maneuvers of his peers.

A mysterious youth who appears to have profound insight into imperial internal politics and is currently the subject of an empire-wide manhunt.

Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and maternal grandfather to the Crown Prince. A cold, calculating politician who views the destruction of official factions as a move to secure his grandson's ascension.

The Crown Princess and mother of Zhu Yunwen. She is haunted by a past conspiracy involving a fatal dose of medicine and is deathly afraid of the return of an individual she presumed dead.

A low-ranking flag officer within the Jinyiwei. He is opportunistic, cunning, and deeply resentful of his superior, Zhang Gui, who has repeatedly stolen credit for his hard work. He sees the search for Zhu Xiongying as his golden opportunity for promotion.

A Hundred-household official (Baihu) of the Jinyiwei. He is characterized by his greed, loud demeanor, and abusive leadership style. He is known for taking credit for the meritorious deeds of his subordinates.

Two sisters hiding in the house, currently caught in the conflict surrounding the Jinyiwei standoff.

One of the older flag officers loyal to Chen Wu, currently holed up in the house and anxious about the impending attack.