Kurou Kou, youngest brother of Shoka and Reishin in the Kou clan, temporarily assumed its proxy leadership. Stern and disciplined, he is deeply committed to family loyalty and tradition. He endorsed Reishin as clan leader over Shoka, believing her unfit for leadership, yet later punished thieves who preyed on Shoka’s grief after Shoukun’s death, enforcing harsh penalties to uphold the clan’s reputation. Politically pragmatic, he championed his niece Shuurei’s imperial career. When Reishin was accused of rigging her exam results, Kurou orchestrated a nationwide strike by halting half the country’s operations through the clan’s networks, pressuring the court to retract the claims. He reinforced her status by issuing her Sa Province travel pass marked with the Kou clan’s signature seven-colored ink as a protective emblem. To ensure the clan’s longevity, Kurou prioritized strategic marital alliances. He pursued a union between Shuurei and his adopted nephew, Li Kouyuu, envisioning their combined leadership as vital to the clan’s strength. After Reishin dismissed his son Hakuyuu as a suitor, Kurou focused on preparing Hakuyuu to underpin Kouyuu’s authority, emphasizing mentorship to cultivate competent heirs. Married to Kyuuka, he fathers Hakuyuu, groomed to support Kouyuu, and Sera. His decisions consistently prioritize the clan’s stability, merging uncompromising tradition with discreet advocacy for relatives entangled in political strife. Though rigid in enforcing duty, his maneuvers reveal a calculated balance between upholding authority and safeguarding those under the clan’s guardianship.