Daiqisi (simplified: 黛绮丝, traditional: 黛綺絲, pinyin: Dài Qǐsī, jyutping: daai6 ji2 si1), also known as the Purple Mantle Dragon King (紫衫龙王) and Golden Flower Matriarch (金花婆婆), was the foremost of the Ming Order’s Four Guardian Kings. She was a Persian Ming Order Virgin Saint who married Han Qianye and bore Xiaozhao. In her youth she was renowned as the finest beauty in the jianghu; in later years she disguised herself as an elderly woman to avoid Persian persecution.
Biography
Origins and Bright Summit
Daiqisi was of mixed Chinese and Persian ancestry. Her father was a Pure Goodness Messenger of the Persian Ming Order. She was chosen as one of three Persian Ming Order Virgin Saints and sent to the Central Plains Ming Order to recover the lost Great Shift of Heaven and Earth manual. Yang Dingtian adopted her as his foster daughter.
When Han Qianye came to Bright Summit to challenge Yang Dingtian to a duel in the Cold Water Pool, Yang Dingtian could not fight in water. Daiqisi took his place and defeated Han Qianye. The other three Guardian Kings yielded precedence to her, and she was honoured as the Purple Mantle Dragon King. She and Han Qianye fell in love during the duel. She violated her Virgin Saint vows and left the Ming Order to marry him.
Golden Flower Matriarch
To evade Persian pursuit for breaking her vows, Daiqisi disguised herself as the Golden Flower Matriarch—an old woman who coughed frequently due to lung damage from the Cold Water Pool. She and Han Qianye, as the Silver Leaf Gentleman, lived on Spirit Snake Island and had a daughter, Xiaozhao.
Conflict with Hu Qingniu
Hu Qingniu refused to treat Han Qianye because Daiqisi had left the Ming Order. Han Qianye eventually died. Daiqisi held a grudge and later laid a trap in Fengyang, wounding fifteen people from nine sects to force Hu Qingniu to treat non-Ming Order patients. Hu Qingniu and Wang Nangu faked their deaths. When Daiqisi discovered the ruse, she killed them and hung their bodies from a tree.
Quest for the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth
Daiqisi sent Xiaozhao to Bright Summit to steal the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth manual. Xiaozhao failed to obtain it but met Zhang Wuji and assisted him in learning the skill.
Spirit Snake Island
Daiqisi learned from her disciple Yin Li that Xie Xun was on Spirit Snake Island. Seeking revenge for her earlier defeat by Miejue, she plotted to kill Xie Xun and seize the Dragon Sabre. She set a trap with silver needles. When Yin Li revealed the trap, Daiqisi tried to kill her, but Zhang Wuji saved both Xie Xun and Yin Li.
Return to Persia
Persian Ming Order envoys captured Daiqisi and prepared to execute her. Zhang Wuji and his companions intervened. To secure everyone’s safety, Xiaozhao agreed to become the Persian Ming Order patriarch. Daiqisi accompanied her daughter back to Persia.
Behind the scenes
Source
Character information was drawn from docs/fetched-data/HSDS_20251027_082242/人物/黛绮丝_20251027_010801.json and the novel.
See also
- Han Qianye — Husband
- Xiaozhao — Daughter
- Ming Order
- Persian Ming Order
- Yin Li — Disciple
- Xie Xun — Former Ming Order colleague
- The Heavenly Sword and the Dragon Sabre