Kou Shuurei

Kou Shuurei (紅 秀麗 Kō Shūrei) was the daughter of Kou Shouka, the first female Imperial Court Official and Shi Ryuuki's consort (a wife, husband or companion, in particular the spouse of a reigning monarch).

Appearance
Shuurei is a beautiful young woman who is said to have a strong resemblance to Hyou Shoukun with long black hair that she usually fixes her hair into two loops on the back on her head using a pink piece of cloth where she also has two ponytails made by doubling up her hair and tying it in place by using a length of red string, walnut-brown eyes and she is very petite as she only stands at 151 cm (4'11").

As a noble of the Crimson Clan, she is most usually dressed in a red hanfu with a yellow sash tied around her waist.

Personality & Characteristics
Shuurei is an optimistic and idealistic young woman, who dreams of becoming a government official so she can help change the country of Saiunkoku into a better place for all. Because women are not permitted to serve in public office, Shuurei dedicates herself to bettering the country by teaching young children. She possesses a practical mind and sense of resourcefulness towards her every day circumstances. She has shown incredible modesty and humility and considers herself plain and unremarkable but knows that she can work hard to accomplish her dreams and help her precious people. She is also assertive and unafraid to speak her mind, but has also demonstrated good situational awareness of what to say and when to say it.

Unbeknownst to Shuurei, she is the daughter of the Red Immortal and Kou Shouka (Shuurei's father), was the Black Wolf, a legendary assassin. As the daughter of the Red Immortal, her birth is regarded as miraculous, as birth of a child between an ordinary human and an Immortal was regarded as impossible. As the Red Immortal had been using the body of a daughter of the Hyou clan as a vessel, Shuurei was born sickly due to her body being incompatible with an environment outside of the Hyou clan's lands. To save her daughter, the Red Immortal sealed her spirit within her daughter's body to increase her lifespan; as a result, Shuurei serves as the vessel of the Red Immortal and her body will be taken over by the Red Immortal when Shuurei dies.

It is later mentioned by Hyou Ruka that it was Shuurei's unavoidable fate to attract men, although whether it was meant seriously or as sarcasm is unclear.

Plot
Despite the high social status of her clan, Shuurei grew up in relatively impoverished circumstances. Her father's job brought little income, and most of his personal wealth was given to the needy during the devastating fight for the imperial succession eight years ago.

Because women are not permitted to take the imperial examinations, she teaches young children in hopes they can achieve her dream of changing the country. When Grand Official Sho offers 500 gold pieces as a reward for becoming an imperial concubine for six months, Shuurei accepts, hoping to encourage the immature young emperor to take more responsibility.

Shuurei's earnest behavior and desire to help her country successfully incites the emperor, Shi Ryuuki to become a respectable ruler. During this time, the Emperor of Saiunkoku fell deeply in love with her, but is constantly rejected.

So that Shuurei will be able to fulfill her dream, Ryuuki opens admission for women to take imperial examinations to become officials. She becomes the first woman in the history of Saiunkoku to take the Imperial Exams and passes with the third highest score, allowing her to obtain the title of "Tanka".

She is first assigned as the governor of Sa province alongside To Eigetsu. She had to go through much ordeal to get into the capital of Sa province. The acting head of the Sa Clan, Sa Chuushou tried to force her into marrying his grandson Sa Sakujun so that she will quit as the governor. However, Sakujun in the end chose to end his life and allow her to continue on her path. Shuurei and Eigetsu together put an end to the unrest in the Sa province.

Soon afterwards, a plague spread across the Sa province wiping out villages after villages. Eigetsu recognized the plague as the one that destroyed his home and left only to be captured by Hyou Ren in the body of Ka Shin. Shuurei contacted Dr. You Shikou and found a remedy for the plague, gathered many doctors and headed for the Sa province. She then heard about the Jyasenkyou occult led by 'Senya'. She went to confront them and had Ensei arrest them. Afterwards she was relieved of her duty for overstepping her boundaries.

After a month of being a supernumerary officer, Ki Kouki reluctantly allows her to join the Censorate. She remains a Censorate Official for the rest of her career.

In the epilogue of the series, in the 18th novel, Shuurei will eventually marry Ryuuki. The next year it reads that she will die in childbirth; she was only 30 years old. However, because her life was very short, she became one of the most famed women during Ryuuki's reign for her accomplishments.

Domestic Chores
Without domestic servants, Shuurei became adept at household chores such as needlework, cooking and cleaning, traits unusual in a lady of her social rank.

Work
Due to her impoverished household, Shuurei often performed various odd jobs to earn money. These jobs included performing as a professional erhu player, working as an accountant at Kochou's brothel in the red light district, and working as a teacher for young children at a local temple.

Erhu
Shuurei is known as a talented erhu player which was taught to her by her mother. Shin Suou even comments that he knows she is gifted even to his untrained ears. Ironically, Shuurei's daughter is a very poor erhu player.

Healing powers
Due to the Red Immortal being trapped inside her, she sometimes accidentally triggers her healing powers. But using it shortens her lifespan. She triggered it only once when Riku Seiga was mortally wounded causing his wound to heal although he remained asleep for 10 days and she herself was left unconscious for 3 days.

High Alcohol tolerance
Just like her mother she has a high tolerance for alcohol. She caused all the guards at the gate of Kiyou to fall unconscious in a drinking match though she herself was just fine. She also defeated Kan Hishou and Ouyou Gyoku in a drinking game.

Gambling
She has the luck of the devil in gambling like her mother.

Kou Shouka  and Hyou Shoukun
Shouka and Shoukun were her parents whom she deeply loves them, but Shoukun's premature 'death' had devastated Shuurei a lot. And it was for that reason, she grew up to be a hardworking girl and she has stated that her father is her most favorite person in the world. Though she is mostly annoyed with Shouka due to his laziness and openly criticizes his dangerous tea which according to her can be passed for a murder weapon nonetheless she loves him deeply.

Kochou
After the death of Shuurei's mother and becoming impoverished a young Shuurei sought work as an accountant at Kochou's establishment. Kochou decided to take young Shuurei under her wing and becomes an avid supporter and friend to Shuurei. Shouka and Seiran both entrusted Shuurei to Kochou and she becomes almost like a surrogate mother to her. As a powerful woman in a man's world Kochou sympathizes with Shuurei and tells her that she doesn't need to pretend to be a man and even gifts her an elaborate makeup box and tells Shuurei that makeup is a woman's war paint and she mustn't let a man make her cry.

Shi Ryuuki & Shi Seiran
Despite her reluctance to allow room for any romantic feelings, she attracts the affection of both Ryuuki and his brother Seien (known as Seiran). This is clearly demonstrated by the fluster and jealousy Ryuuki displays when Shuurei is approached by any man at all. Ryuuki is shown to be rather awkward and obvious but well meaning towards Shuurei, while Seiran is the protector who watches from the shadows or from around corners, secretly worrying for Shuurei's safety. It is more likely that Seiran sees Shuurei as a younger sister and his feeling of gratitude for the family that took him in is primary before anything else.

At the start of the series, Shuurei was asked to be a consort and a tutor for Ryuuki at the request of Sho Taishi. It is during this period, Ryuuki opened up to Shuurei and decided to be a king for her. She became his strength and helped him conquer his fear for the darkness and childhood through her unyielding support for him.

Both of them is seen growing individually throughout the story- Ryuuki as the king and Shuurei, pursuing her dream as a government official. Ryuuki declared his love for Shuurei in the gardens after he appointed her and Eigetsu as the co-governers of Sa province. He told her,"'The truth is I wanted you to be by my side.'"that, it was difficult for him to make the decision because no one would want to keep their beloved far from reach. But she replied he no longer needed her by his side as he is more than capable (as a king). And said,"'While I hate to admit it, right now, you really don't need me'"He denies it and tells her she is very dear to him and he wants her by his side and not below him. Yet Shuurei says right now, it is impossible and her wish is to fully be in a position to capably support him from below. Ryuuki admits he knows of it and declared"'.. please remember that I have no intention of taking anyone other than you as my wife.'"And he is willing to wait for her like he did this whole year long. He asked her if she loves and cares for him. She replied I do, but it's probably different from what you feel for me. He said it was sufficient for now. Although she said right now, she took the national exams to be below him as his support and not his wife, she did promise him that she won't distance herself from him, kneel beneath him and see him as a king but as just Ryuuki when they are alone. And that she will not run away with the excuse that he is king after she made him king.

Shuurei's meeting with Sa Sakujun was a turning point for her. He was a hedonistic, cruel, manipulative person of antisocial personality (exploiting others for their own gain or pleasure and frequently manipulate and deceive other people, achieving this through wit and a façade of superficial charm). It was a marked contrast with all the other characters she has been associated with, especially Ryuuki. Although Sakujun was initially interested in Shuurei as his toy because she seems 'unbreakable and well-loved', he eventually fell in love with her and manipulated her to feed him poison. It was noted by Shuurei that although he said the same words to her as Ryuuki did, claiming of his love for her, she realised how different the words were by the emotions they are able to elicit in her. It was during this period she starts to discover what 'love' is and can be for different people. He manipulated Shuurei to the end because of his obsession and 'love' for her and made an impression on her through his death. Shuurei has thoroughly been shaken in fear but also pity during their meeting and his last moments, but has come out of it more conscious of her own and others' feeling of what 'love' is.

During the series, especially in the novel and manga, Shuurei's feelings for Ryuuki seem to have evolved over time as she becomes more aware of them. Especially when Ryuuki confronted her much later that as a king, he can no longer hide and it is his duty to marry. That he will take in Jyuusan-hime if she does not wish to accept his offer. She did not seem to notice her reaction, but it seems to have made Ryuuki happy that his chances are not non-existent. "“A king must marry.”" ''Shuurei’s heart pounded at these slowly punctuated words. Today the conversation had shifted to an unexpected topic.''

“….Th-that’s right.” “I will admit Jyuusan-hime into the Inner Palace.” "Shuurei herself did not really know what kind of expression she was making. She was only certain that Ryuuki was extremely quiet, and had a calm look on his face.' "... "Shuurei was, rather, in a state of shock. Strange. This shouldn’t be. This was the opposite of usual. She should have just laughed, hohoho, and said “Ah, so you’ve finally prepared for the worst.” But why couldn’t those words come out? She definitely had a feeling that Ryuuki was preparing for the worst, but she felt that she had expected a different kind of preparation."'' In the end, Ryuuki proposes a 'match' with a timeframe that is "neither too short or too long". That if he is able to make Shuurei agree, she would have to marry him, and if she wins, he will marry Jyuusan-hime. Shuurei accepted it and with a note of self-realisation that something has changed.

Shuurei is shown in the epilogue of the last light novel with Ryuuki. It is revealed that she finally agreed to marry him. Shuurei also has a daughter, but later on dies during childbirth.

To Eigetsu
She meets Eigetsu when they start working at the palace. Since they are both considered inferior by the rest of the palace workers, and as such are targets for ridicule and harassment, they help each other out and become good friends. They even become co-governors of Sa Province and work well as a team. Together, they become Ran Ryuuren's soul friend #1 and soul friend #2.

Ran Ryuuren
The eccentric Ran Ryuuren became fond of her and has dubbed her his soul friend #1. He sends her a wedding proposal and comforts her after the death of Sa Sakujun. Shuurei is often confounded by Ryuuren's actions, but learns to accept his eccentricities, which he appreciates. She is one of the first to treat Ryuuren as a person and as such gains his interest which eventually leads to becoming his first friend.

Ki Kouki
Her superior Ki Kouki, who is quite an austere person who is sometimes called ogre-like himself began to develop a soft side for her as time passed.

Riku Seiga
Seiga is Shuurei's rival and senior in the Censorate. He has a tendency of harassing her every chance he gets, sometimes verbally and sometimes physically. Apparently, Seiga has a view that every woman are backstabbers of some sort and doesn't trust them for this reason. However, he begins to realize Shuurei is different.

Shin Suou
Shin Suou, at first, didn't care about her and only proposed to her because his father asks him to but when he gets to know her (and after following her around against his will), he realises that he can't leave her alone. He has vowed to show her that the world isn't the great place she believes it is and neither are the people. In the latter parts of the novel, he demonstrates deep loyalty towards her and even though he says that he could never marry someone like her, he has promised to stand by her during her time as an official.

Joukan
All of all the supernumerary officers developed deep loyalty for her as they began to support the current king who they didn't care about for her sake.

Trivia

 * Her birthday is on March 3.