Shi Seiran, first presented as Shurei Hong’s adoptive brother, is later unmasked as Shi Seien—the exiled second prince and elder sibling of Emperor Ryuki Shi. His early years were steeped in imperial turmoil when maternal relatives schemed to install him on the throne. After their plot collapsed, he fled with his mother, only for her to be slain by assassins from rival concubines. Exile led him to the Satsujinzoku bandits, where his lethal prowess earned him the moniker "The Little Whirlwind." With ally Ro Ensei, he orchestrated the group’s downfall from within. Thirteen years before the main events, injured and alone, he was rescued by Shurei’s parents, Shoka and Shokun Hong, who welcomed him as their son. Renamed Seiran ("Silent Orchid"), he labored tirelessly to sustain their struggling household, masking his royal lineage—though figures like Ran Shuuei and Ryuki eventually unraveled his truth. Serving as Ryuki’s bodyguard and strategist, Seiran navigated court machinations and defused threats. His bandit-forged skills encompassed swordsmanship, archery, and poison detection, wielding the symbolic blade Bakuya gifted by Ryuki. While steadfastly loyal to the emperor, he covertly shielded Shurei, leveraging his financial shrewdness to siphon funds from affluent contacts like Ran Shuuei under the pretense of aiding her ambitions. During Shurei’s governorship in Sa Province, he faced former tormentor Sa Sakujun, who once forced him into banditry. Duty later barred him from joining her second mission, prompting him to entrust her safety to Ensei and the sword Kanshou. As Shurei ascended to the Censorate, their paths diverged. Seiran’s journey culminated in guarding Prime Minister Tei Yushun during Ryuki’s absence, anchoring his pledge to the empire’s security. His bonds intertwined loyalty and friction. Childhood rival Ran Shuuei bore the sting of Seiran’s humiliation in a duel and later faced his reproach over perceived betrayal. With Ryuki, mutual respect and a shared vision for governance deepened their kinship, spurring the emperor’s growth. For Shurei, he harbored a blend of familial duty and silent devotion, steadfastly championing her independence over his own heart.