Madame Chu's father, a scholar who placed in the top three of the imperial examinations. He is a master of painting, calligraphy, and the zither, reaching the rank of Doctorate at the Imperial Academy. Due to suppression from Duke Qi of Jingxuan's estate, he had not been promoted for thirteen years. At the age of fifty-four, he retired and returned home. He came from a commoner background but married into Earl Xuanzhong's family after excelling in the imperial examinations.
