The second cousin of Xu Yue, two years older and described as the most studious of the three boys. He is a son of a concubine from a collateral branch of the family, making him acutely aware of his precarious future status. He admires Xu Yue's heavenly-favored qualities and decides not to take the current year's Imperial Examination, planning to attempt it next year instead. He feels ashamed of his own inadequacy compared to Xu Yue.
