Lie Zhanying

Lie Zhanying is a character from the novel The Langya List, the show Nirvana in Fire and the manhua.

Novel
He appears for the first time in chapter 49 of the webnovel.

Show
He appears for the first time in episode 2 of the show. He is a speaking character in episodes 2, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 28, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 39, 41, 42, 45, 46, 49 and 52.

His rank is Lieutenant-General (副将) instead of 中郎将.

In episode 2, Lie Zhanying and Qi Meng stand behind Prince Jing while they wait to enter the Imperial Palace. When Qi Meng complains that they've been waiting for over an hour, Lie Zhanying tells the other that the last time they returned home before coming to the palace, Prince Jing was punished to kneel in front of the imperial tombs for three months.

In episode 9, Lie Zhanying introduces himself to the Censorate Office as Prince Jing ordered him to escort the plaintiffs of the Duke of Qing case to the Jing manor. When Sir Su visits the Jing manor, Prince Jing introduces Sir Su to his personnel and afterwards tells Lie Zhanying to chair the rest of the meeting.

In episode 10, after Prince Jing's meeting with Sir Su, Lie Zhanying accompanies them both to the drilling field where Feiliu is. Along the way, Sir Su enquires about the military issue Lie Zhanying was handling, which turns out to be the strange beast from Lantai County that the capital magistrate wanted help in capturing. When Qi Meng embarrasses Prince Jing due to his impulsive spar with Feiliu, Lie Zhanying pleads with Prince Jing to not be angry. He is ordered to supervise Qi Meng's punishment.

In episode 15, Lie Zhanying escorts Minister Shen Zhui home after the latter visits Prince Jing at the Jing manor for the new year.

In episode 16, Lie Zhanying interrupts the first attempted assassination of Minister Shen by Zhuo Dingfeng and Zhuo Qingyao, right after Zhuo Dingfeng accidentally stabs Xiao Jingrui in the shoulder. Later, he teams up with Zhen Ping to ambush the second attempted assassination of Minister Shen at the Shen manor. Zhuo Qingyao is wounded by a crossbow after this encounter.

In episode 17, Lie Zhanying receives Sir Su at the Illegal Fireworks Factory explosion site. Commandery Princess Nihuang arrives a moment later and orders him to distribute the supplies she had brought along. Afterwards, he and Qi Meng approach Prince Jing to ask if they should report that they used army supplies for relief aid to the Ministry of War.

In episodes 18 and 19, Lie Zhanying accompanies Grand Commander Meng Zhi to see a bow in Prince Jing's private study, where Meng Zhi inadvertently ‘discovers’ the secret passage.

In episode 28, Lie Zhanying opens the secret tunnel door for Prince Jing, who decides not to bring the travelogue with him as they visit Sir Su. Later, he reports to Prince Jing that the Tianzi Battalion has reorganised their ranks, and queries if they should report it to the Ministry of War. Seeing that Prince Jing is still studying the travelogue, Lie Zhanying asks Prince Jing what is so special about the book. He also comments that Consort Jing sending them two sets of pastries seems to be the standard when they get a delivery. Eventually, Prince Jing gives Lie Zhanying the travelogue to return it to Grand Commander Meng's place. As Lie Zhanying is about to leave, he scolds a hurried Jing personnel for rushing in, who reports that Eunuch Gao Zhan has come to deliver the edict promoting Prince Jing to Noble Prince (亲王, qīnwáng). When Prince Jing finishes a late meeting with his trusted men, Lie Zhanying stays back to chat with the prince. Prince Jing mentions Lie Zhanying was the first to know the prince was vying for the throne, and questions if Lie Zhanying thought he was crazy to do so. Although Lie Zhanying did feel it was impossible in the beginning, he explains he will follow Prince Jing's lead nonetheless. Prince Jing affirms that why he only told Lie Zhanying about it. Prince Jing thinks it is time to tell the rest of his men of his ambition, and Lie Zhanying affirms their loyalty. They are interrupted when Minister Shen visits Prince Jing to beg him to handle the disaster relief effort instead of leaving it to Prince Yu.

In episode 31, he receives Consort Jing's handmaiden, xiao-Xin, who had escaped the palace to inform him that Consort Jing is in trouble, having been confined by the Empress. He tells Qi Meng to go with xiao-Xin to report this to the Emperor and Grand Commander Meng at the imperial tombs. Lie Zhanying goes to the Su Residence to ask for help, but is turned away by Zhen Ping who says he should simply wait as Consort Jing will only suffer some difficulties and will be saved when the Emperor receives the news.

In episode 32, he visits the Xuanjing Bureau, to ask Officer Xia Qiu about the commotion at the capital West gates where a failed rescue mission had occurred to save a convict. Xia Qiu tells him the Chiyan Lieutenant-General Wei Zheng is the convict in question. Later, he scolds Qi Meng for going missing the past few days when the latter finally returns to the Jing manor after being knocked unconscious by Prince Yu's man. He leaves hastily to the Su Residence to ask for help in saving Wei Zheng, but is turned away again after being told Sir Su is still sick. On the day Prince Jing is due to return to the capital, he heads to the North gate to wait for the other. But before he can tell Prince Jing about Wei Zheng, Prince Yu intercepts to accompany Prince Jing to the palace.

In episode 33, he waits for Prince Jing at the palace gates and finally tells him about Wei Zheng. He relates that he tried to approach the Su Residence but people in the Su Residence were behaving strangely. Yet he encourages Prince Jing to still try to ask Sir Su for help. When they return to Prince Jing's study, he tells the other more about Wei Zheng's predicament. When Sir Su rings the bell from the secret tunnel for Prince Jing, Prince Jing ignores it until Lie Zhanying suggests he should answer it. Prince Jing ignores Sir Su when they meet, so Lie Zhanying tells Sir Su about Wei Zheng and asks for help to save him. He asks what they should do about Wei Zheng after Sir Su insists they cannot do so without implicating Prince Jing. Lie Zhanying then summarises that Sir Su means that he will not help in saving Wei Zheng. As Prince Jing turns to leave, he takes Lie Zhanying's sword to cut off the bell of the secret tunnel. Prince Jing orders Lie Zhanying to leave with him and they lock the secret tunnel door behind them. He tries to console Prince Jing about Sir Su and says they cannot save Wei Zheng without Sir Su's help and that the other had a valid point to decline. He says Sir Su may have refused because he does not understand their loyalty to Wei Zheng and therefore they should still try to discuss it with him. When Sir Su visits Prince Jing via the front entrance of the Jing manor, Lie Zhanying tells Sir Su that Prince Jing is busy and that he should return. He asks again if Sir Su really meant that he won't help save Wei Zheng, to which Sir Su says he will explain it directly to Prince Jing. An hour later, just as Grand Commander Meng almost rushes in to get Prince Jing, Lie Zhanying follows behind Prince Jing who has come out to tell Sir Su that he understands there is no advantage to saving Wei Zheng but he must be saved no matter what. Lie Zhanying, along with Zheng Ping and Grand Commander Meng, watches Sir Su yell at Prince Jing for having loyalty but no brains. When indoors, he and Zheng Ping stand as Sir Su, Prince Jing and Grand Commander Meng discuss how to save Wei Zheng. Lie Zhanying reveals he was friends with Wei Zheng and asks Sir Su to use him as he sees fit, but Sir Su shoots down the idea as his connection to Prince Jing will implicate Prince Jing in the rescue mission.

In episode 34, he is next to Prince Jing as they receive the imperial edict promoting Prince Jing to a seven pearl Prince.

In episode 35, he reports to Prince Jing they have finished their preparations for Wei Zheng's rescue mission.

In episode 36, Qi Meng tells Lie Zhanying that he's been keeping watch on Xuanjing Bureau but nothing has happened yet, and the latter tells him to get their men ready. After the mission, Lie Zhanying enters with Li Gang to report to Sir Su and Prince Jing in the Su Residence that they've succeed in saving Wei Zheng. He praises Sir Su for his excellent planning. When Prince Jing says it's his time to enter his battlefield, Lie Zhanying asks what is he talking about. He and Li Gang kneel behind Prince Jing as Sir Su explains the situation. Lie Zhanying asks if the Emperor would rashly deal with the case harshly upon hearing Xia Jiang's accusations, to which Sir Su reminds Prince Jing that he has to keep his cool and vehmently deny that he has nothing to do with the rescue mission.

In episode 37, he updates Prince Jing that Sir Su was taken to the Xuanjing Bureau, with no one from the manor interferring, and thus they must have been prepared for it. Prince Jing realises Sir Su had already predicted this in their earlier conversation. Lie Zhanying asks if Sir Su can handle the interrogation, to which Prince Jing worries and declares that he needs to go to Xuanjing Bureau. However, Lie Zhanying halts Prince Jing and argues that he cannot go as the prince is confined to his quarters by the Emperor and is not allowed to step out without an edict. He reminds Prince Jing that they should trust Sir Su to carry out his plan. Prince Jing says that is not worried about Sir Su's intelligence, but his health.

In episode 39, he tells Prince Jing, who is still confined in his quarters, that everything has been settled; Sir Su has returned to the Su Residence and that he will send someone over tonight to ask about Sir Su's condition. Lie Zhanying praises Sir Su as a brillant strategist and Prince Jing agrees. He mentions Xia Jiang being sent to prison and comments on how easy it was for even Xia Jiang to lose the Emperor's favour so quickly with just one incident. Prince Jing replies that Xia Jiang's case is nothing in comparsion to how favoured Prince Qi and the Lin family were in the past, and yet how quickly they fell.

In episode 41, he rides beside Prince Jing and they meet Commandery Prince Mu Qing who had just left the Su Residence. After Prince Jing's conversation with Mu Qing, Lie Zhanying asks Prince Jing what the other wanted to ask Mu Qing as the other looks disatisfied. Prince Jing shares that he wanted to ask if Wei Zheng is being hidden in the Mu manor, but Mu Qing deliberately changed topics quickly. As they continue on their route, Prince Jing directs Lie Zhanying to have people invite Ministers Cai Quan and Shen Zhui to the Su Residence.

Manhua
He appears for the first time in chapter 79 of the manhua.