Jiao Waner (simplified: 焦宛儿, traditional: 焦宛兒, pinyin: Jiāo Wǎn’ér, jyutping: ziu1 jyun2 ji4) was the intelligent and capable daughter of Jiao Gongli, the leader of the Golden Dragon Gang (金龙帮 — Jīnlóng Bāng) in Nanjing. She was known for her resourcefulness, intelligence, and sense of justice, and played an important role in avenging her father’s death and supporting Yuan Chengzhi in his adventures.
Biography
Early life
Jiao Waner was born in Nanjing as the daughter of Jiao Gongli, the leader of the Golden Dragon Gang. She was around sixteen or seventeen years old when her father was murdered. Despite her youth, she was known for her intelligence and capability, often assisting her father in managing the gang’s affairs.
She had a younger brother, around seven or eight years old, and the family was close-knit. Jiao Waner was described as beautiful, intelligent, and capable, with a strong sense of responsibility and justice.
The conflict with Min Zihua
When Min Zihua (闵子华) gathered a large group of martial artists to seek revenge against her father, Jiao Gongli, believing that he might not survive the confrontation, sent Jiao Waner and her younger brother away for their safety. However, Jiao Waner did not simply flee; she remained involved in trying to help her father.
Jiao Gongli had mentioned that only the Golden Serpent Gentleman could save him, and when Yuan Chengzhi intervened to help resolve the conflict, Jiao Waner worked closely with him to prove her father’s innocence.
Working with Yuan Chengzhi
Yuan Chengzhi asked Jiao Waner to retrieve evidence from his inn, but Jiao Waner, recognising the importance of the task, did not simply take the evidence and leave. Instead, she went to the inn’s main hall, identified herself using the Golden Dragon Gang’s secret codes (切口 — qiēkǒu), and ordered the innkeeper to send for her senior martial brothers to protect her. Only after they arrived did she take the evidence and return home under their protection.
This demonstrated Jiao Waner’s intelligence and caution: she understood the importance of the evidence and took steps to ensure her safety, rather than rushing back alone.
When Yuan Chengzhi fought against Min Zihua and his partner, Jiao Waner showed her support by betting her precious bracelet (宝石镯子 — bǎoshí zhuózǐ) on Yuan Chengzhi’s victory. This demonstrated both her gratitude to Yuan Chengzhi and her confidence in his abilities. The island leader Zheng Qiyun (郑起云), recognising the bracelet’s value, added six thousand taels of silver to the bet to make it fair.
Her father’s death and revenge
Despite Yuan Chengzhi’s intervention, which successfully resolved the conflict between Jiao Gongli and Min Zihua, Jiao Gongli was later murdered by the Tai Bai San Ying (太白三英), who used Min Zihua’s assassination knife to frame him.
Jiao Waner was devastated by her father’s death but did not act rashly. Instead, she led her martial brothers to track down the perpetrators, but before taking action, she first found Yuan Chengzhi, who had become the leader of the seven-province jianghu alliance, and asked him to help investigate and ensure justice was done.
This decision demonstrated Jiao Waner’s wisdom and understanding of proper procedures. Rather than simply seeking revenge, she wanted to ensure that the truth was uncovered and that justice was served properly. Her careful approach paid off: when Yuan Chengzhi investigated, he discovered that Min Zihua was innocent and that the real perpetrators were the Tai Bai San Ying.
Jiao Waner then worked with Yuan Chengzhi to track down the Tai Bai San Ying. In a dramatic confrontation, she personally killed them to avenge her father’s death, demonstrating her determination and courage.
Relationship with Yuan Chengzhi
Jiao Waner developed feelings for Yuan Chengzhi, though she never explicitly expressed them. She was intelligent enough to recognise that Xia Qingqing, Yuan Chengzhi’s lover, was jealous and suspicious of her, and she took steps to avoid causing problems.
When Xia Qingqing became jealous after seeing Yuan Chengzhi and Jiao Waner hiding together under a bed while investigating He Tieshou, Jiao Waner, understanding the situation, quickly found her senior martial brother Luo Liru and asked Yuan Chengzhi to arrange her marriage to him.
This decision demonstrated Jiao Waner’s selflessness and intelligence. She recognised that her feelings for Yuan Chengzhi could not be fulfilled, and rather than causing conflict, she made the pragmatic decision to marry Luo Liru, whom she respected and who had feelings for her. When Xia Qingqing apologised to her, Jiao Waner was moved to tears, revealing the depth of her suppressed feelings.
Marriage to Luo Liru
Jiao Waner married Luo Liru, who had been her father’s disciple and her senior martial brother. Despite the circumstances of their marriage, Jiao Waner respected Luo Liru and recognised his good character. Luo Liru had admired Jiao Waner for years but had never dared to express his feelings, as she was both beautiful and capable, and had an authoritative presence when helping her father manage the gang.
The marriage was arranged by Yuan Chengzhi, and though it was not based on romantic love from Jiao Waner’s side, it was a pragmatic and respectful union.
Assisting Yuan Chengzhi
Jiao Waner continued to assist Yuan Chengzhi in his adventures, demonstrating her loyalty and gratitude. She helped investigate and track down enemies, and her intelligence and resourcefulness made her a valuable ally.
In one instance, she hid under He Tieshou’s sedan chair to track the Five Poisons Order leader, demonstrating her courage and determination. She was willing to endure discomfort and danger to help Yuan Chengzhi achieve his goals.
Personality and character
Jiao Waner was described as “an intelligent and capable good girl” (聪明能干的好姑娘 — cōngmíng nénggàn de hǎo gūniáng). She was known for her intelligence, resourcefulness, and strong sense of justice. Despite her youth, she demonstrated maturity and wisdom beyond her years.
She was also known for her selflessness and ability to put the greater good above her personal feelings. Her decision to marry Luo Liru to avoid causing problems between Yuan Chengzhi and Xia Qingqing demonstrated her pragmatic and considerate nature.
Jiao Waner was brave and determined, as demonstrated by her willingness to track down her father’s killers and personally avenge his death. However, she was also cautious and methodical, taking proper steps to ensure that justice was served correctly rather than acting on emotion alone.
Her ability to work effectively with others, particularly Yuan Chengzhi, demonstrated her intelligence and adaptability. She understood the importance of proper procedures and was willing to seek help when needed, rather than trying to handle everything on her own.
Relationships
Family
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Jiao Gongli — Jiao Waner’s father and the leader of the Golden Dragon Gang. She was deeply devoted to him and worked tirelessly to avenge his death.
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Luo Liru — Jiao Waner’s husband, who had been her father’s disciple and her senior martial brother. Despite the circumstances of their marriage, she respected him and recognised his good character.
Friends and allies
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Yuan Chengzhi — The protagonist of Sword Stained with Royal Blood, who helped Jiao Waner resolve the conflict with Min Zihua and uncover the truth about her father’s murder. Jiao Waner developed unrequited feelings for him but chose to suppress them to avoid causing problems.
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Xia Qingqing — Yuan Chengzhi’s lover, who was jealous of Jiao Waner. Jiao Waner took steps to avoid causing conflict and was understanding when Xia Qingqing apologised.
Legacy
Jiao Waner represented the ideal of an intelligent and capable woman in the jianghu. Her combination of intelligence, courage, and selflessness made her a memorable character, and her ability to navigate complex situations demonstrated her maturity and wisdom.
Her story highlighted the challenges faced by women in the jianghu, particularly the need to balance personal feelings with practical considerations. Her decision to marry Luo Liru, while pragmatic, also demonstrated her ability to make difficult choices for the greater good.
Jiao Waner’s role in avenging her father’s death demonstrated her loyalty and determination, while her assistance to Yuan Chengzhi showed her gratitude and sense of justice. Her character exemplified the values of intelligence, courage, and selflessness that were admired in the jianghu.