This time, we'd like to introduce you to Lü Buwei, the central character in the fourth season of the anime.
Who is Lü Buwei?
Lü Buwei was a former merchant who rose to the ranks of prime minister and chancellor through his wealth and intelligence. A prosperous merchant, he offered a huge bribe to Ying Zheng's father, who was not expected to inherit the throne, and had him ascend to the throne as King Zhuangxiang, becoming his prime minister. After King Zhuangxiang's death and the young Ying Zheng's accession to the throne, he continued to hold real power. The Lü clan dominated the imperial court, and Zheng's only allies in the early days were Changwenjun and his soldiers.
About the Lü Clan
Lü Buwei was a former merchant, and had subordinates who assisted him in battles and politics. The four pillars of the Lü clan—general Meng Wu, tactician Changping Jun, law maker Li Si, and prime minister Cai Ze during the reign of King Zhao—each supported the Lü clan in a different capacity.
Appearances and Background
Lü Buwei's first appearance is in Volume 10 of the manga, immediately after the failed assassination attempt on Ying Zheng. It's the scene where the mastermind behind the plot to assassinate the king appears before Ying Zheng. This is where Lü Buwei, a man of well-built build and a fearsome presence whose true nature is unclear, first appears. Volume 39 of the manga briefly depicts Lü Buwei in his younger years, revealing his deep knowledge of money and its uses even as an arms dealer.
Negotiations with Li Mu
Although initially portrayed as a villain, Lü Buwei was a key figure in negotiations with other nations as the prime minister of the Qin state. First, he used a strategy to summon Zhao's prime minister, Li Mu, to the royal capital, Xianyang. After negotiations, he secured the Qin-Zhao alliance and even received a free city. This scene showed a glimpse of Lü Buwei's power as a merchant, including his ability to negotiate face-to-face and use his eloquence to probe each other's intentions.
Past Relationship with the Beautiful Princess
Lü Buwei gave large bribes to King Zhuangxiang, but he also gave his own woman to King Zhuangxiang in the past. The current Empress Dowager and mother of Ying Zheng, she was originally so beautiful that she was known as the "Jewel of Handan" and was nicknamed "Biki (Beautiful Princess)." Lü Buwei fell in love with her at first sight, and the two fell in love with each other, becoming so close that they even promised to spend their futures together. However, Lü Buwei assigned her to King Zhuangxiang and used her as a tool to advance his own career. The Empress Dowager's anger at this and the feud between the two would later cause an incident that would have a huge impact on the country.
About the Anime Cast
Lu Buwei's voice actor is Tesshō Genda. Genda is known for his roles as Umibozu in "City Hunter," Action Kamen in "Crayon Shin-chan," and Hedoro in "Gintama." Lu Buwei's overwhelming strength and fearless personality are portrayed even more captivatingly in the anime. Also, while this is a live-action version, we're excited to see if Lü Buwei will appear in the theatrical version, scheduled for release in July 2022.
Historical Position ①
He served as prime minister for a long time, and the creation of a book titled "The Biography of Lü Buwei" demonstrates his historical influence. He is famous for saying, "This is a rare opportunity. I must stay here," when he met Zheng's father, King Zhuangxiang, and there is an anecdote about how graciously he treated the Zhao hostage.
Historical Position ②
Also, while it appears briefly in the manga, Lü Buwei compiled the "Lüshi Chunqiu," a collection of academic and philosophical writings. The book, compiled by 3,000 scholars at the time, was a collection of their wisdom. Anyone who added or deleted even one character from it was awarded a huge sum of money. The phrase "One character is worth a thousand gold coins" is so famous that it's still used as an idiom today. Lü Buwei's foresight, business acumen, and achievements as a civil servant suggest he was a man of exceptional talent.
Summary
So, what did you think? This time, we've covered Lü Buwei, the archenemy of King Ying Zheng of Qin. His historical portrayal seems largely similar to his portrayal in "Kingdom." I'm sure you're now curious to learn more about Lü Buwei.
