I decided to make a list of characters and place names to help keep everyone’s names and titles straight in my head @_@ I include a short description of each position based on my very informal knowledge of the ancient setting.

I aim to keep the titles, names, and place names consistent with Clam’s translations for Chp 1-26 and use her guide to harem hierarchy as an outline for this list.

Please feel free to refer back to it. I hope that it’s helpful! 🙂 JSYK, I will update this list as new characters are introduced.

List of Characters and Place Names For
{Why Harem Intrigue When You Can Just Raise A Dog Instead}

Updated until: Chapter 63

[Top Dog]

• 皇上 / 周武帝 Emperor Zhou’Wu (ZW) / 古邵泽 Gu Shao’ze / 阿宝 A’Bao [dog form] lives in Qian’qing Palace
  • Main protagonist (ML)
  • Our doggy Emperor <3
  • Soul gets transferred to a dog’s body
  • Previously treated MSY terribly due to prejudice and misunderstandings. Now knows his wrongs.
  • Also goes by Han Hai
  • Related Locations: Imperial Study, Imperial Court, Imperial Gardens, Taming Enclosure

• 假皇帝 Fake Emperor
  • Originally a secret guard for the Emperor; Poisoned by Shen Hui’ru and forced to do her bidding
  • Casanova in the harem~ Slept with nine women in one night!

[Imperial Harem]

Please check out Pavillion’s page. Clam wrote an excellent summary of all the harem rankings and their translations from the Ming dynasty. Below are the characters by rank:

Tier 0 – Empress Dowager (太后 Tai Hou)

• 太后蒋氏 Empress Dowager Jiang
  • Currently living outside the palace in Pudu Temple on Thousand Buddha Mountain (Introduced in Chp 34)
  • Adopted mother of Emperor ZW (Third Prince at the time) and birth mother to the previous Ninth Prince
  • Similar background to MSY – Her elder brother was the previous Jian’wei Great General
    • Her maternal clan was destroyed in the battle for the throne between Emperor ZW and his younger brother (Ninth Prince)
  • Also goes by Wang Chen (See Chp 36‘s TL Notes for an explanation of the name)
  • Servants:
    • Nurse Jin – Loyal elderly maid
    • Nian’ci – Betrays the Empress Dowager for SHR

Tier 1 – Empress (皇后 Huang Hou)

• Deceased prior to the start of the novel – apparently due to MSY (?)
  • Mother of the Fourth Princess

Tier 2 – Imperial Noble Consort (皇贵妃 Huang Gui Fei)

• 淑惠皇贵妃 Pure and Gracious Imperial Noble Consort/孟桑榆 Meng Sangyu (MSY) lives in Bi’xiao Palace
  • Main protagonist (FL), transmigrator
  • Owner of Er’Bao (the original A’Bao’s brother)
  • Currently the most favoured of the Imperial Harem, candidate for Empress
  • Daughter of Great General Meng
  • Servants: Nurse Feng, Bi’shui, Yin’cui

Tier 3 – Noble Consort (贵妃 Gui Fei)

• 李贵妃 Noble Consort Li lives in Feng’luan Palace
  • Mother of the Second Prince and Third Princess
  • Manages the Inner Harem
  • Daughter of Left Chancellor Li

Tier 4 – Consorts (妃 Fei)

• (Pre-promotion) 德妃 Virtuous Consort / 孟桑榆 Meng Sangyu (MSY) lives in Bi’xiao Palace
  • Main protagonist (FL), transmigrator
  • Owner of A’Bao (Emperor Zhou’wu)
  • Currently the ‘most favoured’ of the Imperial Harem, head of the Consorts
  • Daughter of Great General Meng
  • Servants: Nurse Feng, Bi’shui, Yin’cui
  • Servants under suspicion (as of Chp 31): Xia’dong, Lan’xin, Hui’xin

• 良妃 Gracious Consort / 沈慧茹 Shen Hui’ru (SHR) lives in Zhong’cui Palace
  • Main antagonist
  • Second ‘most favoured’ of the Imperial Harem after Emperor Zhou’wu is unconscious
  • Slept with the Fake Emperor (snu snu here)
  • Daughter of Imperial Preceptor Shen
  • Jealous of MSY because she was always one step ahead of her in the harem, receiving the power and position that she sees as hers
  • Servants: Wan’qing

• 贤妃 Worthy Consort lives in Jiang’zi Palace
  • First concubine to sleep with the Fake Emperor
  • Mother of the Fifth Prince (who dies in Chp 34)

• 宸妃 Imperial Consort lives in Zhao’chun Palace
  • Mother of the Eighth Prince
  • Involved in the death of Jie’yu Su
  • Relatives:
    • 赵老封君 Elder Lord Zhao – Likely Imperial Consort’s grandfather
    • 赵吴氏 Mrs Zhao, Madame Wu – Imperial Consort’s mother
    • 永安侯 Marquis Yong’an – Imperial Consort’s father
      • Marquis of Everlasting Tranquility
      • His wife seems to have a close relationship with Lady Meng
• 丽妃 Beautiful Consort

Tier 5 – Imperial Concubines (嫔 Pin)

• None mentioned so far

Others (Will be kept in pinyin)

• Lady of Handsome Fairness (婕妤 Jie’yu)
  • 苏婕妤 Jie’yu Su – Introduced in Chp 33; Lower-ranked concubine that died by the hand of her own maidservant.

• Lady of Bright Deportment (昭仪 Zhao’yi)
  • Noble Consort Li’s rank after being demoted.
• Lady of Bright Countenance (昭容 Zhao’rong)
• Noble Ladies (贵人 Gui’ren)
• Beautiful Ladies (美人 Mei’ren)
• Talented Ladies (才人 Cai’ren)
  • 安才人 Cai’ren An – Mentioned in Chp 54; Lower-ranked concubine that adopted the other French Poodle puppy.
• First-Class Female Attendant (选侍 Xuan’shi)
• Second-Class Female Attendant (答应 Da’ying)

[Other Characters Related to the Harem]

太医 Imperial Physicians

• 温太医 Imperial Physician Wen
  • Kind-hearted imperial physician who treats A’Bao’s injuries
  • Likes animals <3
• 杜太医 Imperial Physician Du
  • The Empress Dowager’s exclusive imperial physician

太监 Eunuchs

• 总管太监, 常喜 Head Manager Eunuch, Chang’xi
  • Former trusted aid of the Emperor, Betrays him for SHR

[Wangyes]

• 淮南王 Huai’nan Wang – antagonistic to ZW
• 湘北王 Xian’bei Wang – antagonistic to ZW

[Court Ministers]

Civil Faction

国师 National Preceptor / State Teacher – Granted to scholars or religious leaders of the state religion by the monarch for their high morals and ethics. A figurehead position with no real power; Cannot interfere with state politics.

• 太清真人 National Preceptor mentioned in Chp 32 – Head priest of the Taoist religion

太师 Grand Preceptor / Imperial Tutor – Most of the time, it’s someone who educated the Emperor when he was young. The highest official position in Ancient China.

• 沈太师 Grand Preceptor Shen / 沈忠良 Shen Zhongliang (SZL) – Shen Hui’ru’s father; Main antagonist
  • Other Family Members:
    • 沈熙言 Shen Xi’yan – SZL’s son who he’s trying to groom for the position of Crown Prince; Previously fought with Meng Yan’zhou over a woman.

丞相 Prime Minister, 右丞相 Right Chancellor. and 左丞相 Left Chancellor (Usually replace the position of Prime Minister or may assist them, depending on the dynasty)

• 李左丞相 Left Chancellor Li – Noble Consort Li’s father
  • Holds actual power in Court

Military Faction

大将军 Great General – There may be several. Most are responsible for guarding the borders from foreign invaders. Lead large armies.

• 建威大将军 Jian’wei Great General / 孟长雄 Meng Chang’xiong
  • MSY’s father, currently at the frontier, controls 100,000 troops
  • Also has the title of 镇国公 Duke of Protection (hereditary) or 孟国公 Imperial Duke Meng
  • Other Family Members:
    • 孟国公夫人, 林氏 Imperial Duchess Meng/Lady Meng, Madame Lin – MSY’s mother
    • 孟炎洲 Meng Yan’zhou – MSY’s elder brother
      • Pretends to be dumb to protect his family
      • Got into a fight with SHR’s brother, wrongly punished
    • 文姨娘 Aunt Wen – Duke Meng’s concubine
      • 孟宇达 Meng Yu’da – Aunt Wen’s son, MSW’s half-brother
      • 孟瑞珠 Meng Rui’zhu – Aunt Wen’s daughter, MSY’s half-sister
    • They live in the 国公府 Imperial Duke’s Manor
  • Retainers
    • 王华山 Wang Hua’shan
      • The person MSY entrusts her family to in the event that something happens to her
  • Subordinates
    • 孟亮 Meng Liang – Duke of Protection Meng’s right-hand man
    • 韩昌平 Han Chang’ping 
      • Emperor Zhou’wu’s trusted aid
      • Best choice to succeed General Meng as the Jian’wei Great General
      • Disciple of strategist Ping Fuzi
      • Was immediately demoted to a Captain from a Right Hand General after joining the army so that he could rise up in the ranks and earn the position through his own merit

九门提督 Commander the Nine Gates – In charge of security for the nine gates of the capital city; Usually also in charge of the city garrison.

• Previously: Commander Luo – the Emperor’s close confidant
• Presently as of Chp 29: Commander Rong
  • Previous Xi’an Great General
  • Relative of Left Chancellor Li through his principal wife

提督 Provincial Commander

• 谢正豪 Xie Zheng’hao – Provincial Commander of Gansu Province
• Related Place Names: Jade Dragon City, Coiling Dragon Mountain

[The Emperor’s Hidden Guards & The Embroidered Uniform Guard]

• 暗卫统领, 闫俊伟 Commander of the Hidden Guards, Yan Jun’wei (YJW)
  • Loyal subordinate and childhood friend of Emperor ZW
  • Also Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard
  • Birth name: Qi Dong’lei, legitimate son of Imperial Duke Qi (Chp 37)
  • Subordinates: Tao Hong

[‘Barbarians’]

• 耶律汗王 Yeluhan Wang – A Khan of the Grasslands
  • 安扎达 An Zha’da – Top general under Yeluhan Wang’s command.
• Related Place Names: 泥水滩 The Muddy Shores

[Thousand Buddha Mountain’s Pudu Temple]

• 玄空法师 Master Xuan Kong – Head monk of Pudu Temple; Counsel to the Empress Dowager

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