Yueying

Yueying (onyomi: Getsuei) is one of the romanticized names for Zhuge Liang's wife. Not much is known about her historically, but folklore often describes her to be as intelligent and well studied as her husband. There are many stories of her being considered an ugly woman.

Prior to her playable Dynasty Warriors appearance, she is alluded as a default name for a bodyguard. This series accredits her as the inventor of the Juggernaut and wooden oxen. Yueying ranked forty-seventh place with fans in Gamecity's Dynasty Warriors 7 character popularity poll and fifty-seventh in the Shin Sangoku Musou 7: Moushouden poll.

Her character's height in Kessen II is 165 cm (5'5").

Before 2012, Koei titles separated the Chinese characters for her character's name and called her "Yue Ying". Her contemporary nickname is now properly localized in the games.

Role in Games

 * "A most impressive young woman."
 * "Yes, so she is."
 * ―Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang.

Dynasty Warriors
In Dynasty Warriors 4 and its Xtreme Legends expansion, Yue Ying is introduced as Zhuge Liang's wife. Her husband's Legend mode depicts their first meeting and manner of courtship. Her own Legend mode shows her inventing the Juggernaut. In order to test its effectiveness, she and a group of her Juggernauts duel the Five Tiger Generals. The five generals are defeated due to her ingenuity and Yue Ying succeeds in creating her own legacy.

Before her marriage to Zhuge Liang in Dynasty Warriors 5, she was a puppeteer whose wooden-puppet shows were amazingly lifelike. Her in-story monologue explains that, although she may have been unattractive, her husband chose her as his wife due to her well-known intelligence. Her experience in her craft assists her contributions for Shu. In the Nanman Campaign, she opposes the beast units with her Juggernauts. At Tian Shui, she personally tests and confirms Zhuge Liang's suspicions concerning Jiang Wei's greatness. In Wu Zhang Plains, she opposes the enemy front lines with her wooden oxen and secures the ally supply line. Her husband survives the final campaign in her ending and they enjoy the new era of peace.

Yue Ying has a minor role in Dynasty Warriors 6 as she participates in a small number of battles (most notably, Han Zhong and Wu Zhang Plains).

In her own story mode in Special, Yue Ying and her father notice Liu Bei struggling to escape at Chang Ban. Though told by her father that she may "find something there", Yue Ying volunteers to aid them out of good will. She leaves after her deed is done and has an arranged marriage with Zhuge Liang prior to Chi Bi. Though it was her father's decision, she admits that she didn't protest. When her husband explains his goal to shield Liu Bei from criticism, she willingly decides to share his burden. In subsequent battles, the couple become closer and more intimate. She becomes worried when she notices her husband straining himself and increases her efforts to support him. When the land is under Shu's reign, her husband laments not doing more; she assures that he has done more than enough for their home and bids him to rest. Pleased with her reply, Zhuge Liang shares his belief that they were fated to be together since their first meeting.

She makes minor appearances during the Three Kingdoms Story Modes in Dynasty Warriors 7. Yue Ying often brings an invention to aid her allies in battle. Her first chronological appearance in the Shu ranks would be Mt. Dingjun during Wei's Story Mode. She follows her husband to Yiling and Wuzhang Plains. To honor the memory of her husband, she continues to defend Shu during Jin's Story Mode. Like other defenders for Shu's later years, Yue Ying dies in battle during their final defense at Chengdu.

Her marriage to Zhuge Liang is noted to have happened sometime during his time of hermitage in her first Legendary Mode. However, she is irked by the three men who are persistent in gaining her husband's service. To test their skills and alleviate her own irritation, Yue Ying decides to challenge the oath brothers herself. Her second Legendary Mode takes place at the Wuzhang Plains. Her ailing husband has collapsed and cannot lead the troops. Therefore, Yue Ying commands in her husband's stead.

The Xtreme Legends expansion adds a Hero Scenario detailing Yue Ying's participation at Jieting. She escorts her husband's favored disciple, Ma Su, to the mountain camp. Since Ma Su lacks the tact and patience of his mentor, the battle quickly turns south against the Wei forces. With the ally main camp under attack, Ma Su orders the troops to withdraw. Yue Ying assists his retreat.

Ma Su may have survived his foolishness at Jieting, but unneeded deaths caused by his rash behavior leads to his execution. Yue Ying is worried by the pain it causes her husband to issue the command, but he assures her that it is necessary to disregard one's feelings. Stating that he has chosen a path of bloodshed, Yue Ying swears to be beside him no matter what choices he makes.

In Dynasty Warriors 8, Yueying guards her husband at Xingye, not allowing anyone suspicious near him. When Liu Bei and Xu Shu approach for an audience with Zhuge Liang, she fights them to test their resolve. After they pass, she allows them to see her husband. Afterwards, she reprises her role from the previous installment.

Warriors Orochi
In Warriors Orochi, Yue Ying joins the resistance movement against Orochi with Ma Chao, Jiang Wei and Ranmaru. She is captured and held prisoner within a wooden carriage. While her transport was passing through Hasedo, Zhao Yun's army and Magoichi hurry to her rescue. Once she is freed, Da Ji notices them and orders a pursuit. During their flight, Zhuge Liang attempts to stop them by force and confuses his wife with his new allegiance. She continues to act as the voice of reason for many of Shu's battles.

While Liu Bei chases Da Ji in Warriors Orochi 2, she and her husband defend Shu in their lord's absence. However, as Taigong Wang and Lu Xun chase Da Ji and Himiko at Odani Castle, the couple appear to aid them. Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, they agree to help with the front lines. In her dream mode, she teams up with Ling Tong and Mitsuhide to calmly defend Ieyasu at Shikoku.

Though she followed her husband after the second title, Yueying was separated from him after Shu's defeat to the serpent forces. Isolated from her allies she uses her wit and inventions to defend herself throughout the years of war. By the time Benkei and his party search Tedorigawa for potential allies, she is being hunted by Sun Wukong and his forces. When her location is finally discovered by the coalition members, Yueying vents her frustrations on them for destroying her beloved inventions. Apologizing for her lost composure as she joins them, she half jests at the prospect of dismantling Benkei's weapon to satisfy her curiosity regarding the mechanism.

Kessen
Huang Yue Ying is Zhuge Liang's peppy and upbeat wife in Kessen II. Although she never personally takes to the field, she is often presenting several inventions for Liu Bei's consideration. She dances, poses, and practically sings whilst she talks which sometimes embarrasses her husband. She usually ends her sentence with "yeah".

Personality
Yueying is a mature and collected individual. Intelligent and elegant, she appreciates the value of patience and planning. Though their marriage was arranged, she genuinely loves her husband and will do everything in her power to help shoulder his burden. To her friends and loved ones, she is quite generous and can be quite nurturing to younger people. Despite her composure, Yueying has been shown to be quite sarcastic at times and will openly chastise those whom act selfishly or insensitively. She also has little patience for those whom underestimate her and chauvinistic attitudes in general. Yueying takes great pride in her skills and learned abilities.

Within the Warriors Orochi series, she shares special conversations with Oichi, Magoichi, Nene, Gracia, Ieyasu, Ina, Xu Huang, Hanbei, and Benkei.

Character Symbolism
In the Japanese version of Dynasty Warriors 4: Empires, Yue Ying is given the nickname of "Mrs. Moonlight" while the English version changes it to "The Wind that Rises with the Dragon". As a dominant ruler in Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires, she calls her five greatest warriors the "Five Wise Generals".

Most of Yue Ying's weapons in the Dynasty Warriors series are named after a moon motif, likely due to her name meaning "Flower Moon" (alternatively "Heroic Moon"). The original name for her level 11 weapon depicts an image of a drifting moon, which may be tied to a moon's reflection from a body of water. It may also relate to the archaic belief of the sun and moon following preset paths in the sky. When a period of absolute chaos emerges, these astronomical objects are often said to veer "off course" in Chinese legends.

Her third weapon and Skill weapon in Special are named after the blue/pale moon, which is considered a somewhat new feature in East Asian symbolism and mythology due to the gradual introduction of the solar calendar. Its meanings is similar to its Western counterpart as a symbol for rarity and uniqueness. The original names to her other weapons in Special depict a crimson moon (Strength) and jade moon (Standard).

Yue Ying's fourth weapon is literally translated as "Water Bottom Pale Moon". Within Chinese mythology, dragons are often said to dwell within bodies of water. Some are eternally bound to live in their underwater dwellings and are never destined to rise to the heavens. The idea of looking up at the moon has been romanticized throughout Chinese literature as an act of appreciating beauty, the moon being a soothing presence in most tales. Legends of Houyi and Chang'e also have femininity tied with the moon. Taking these ideas into account, the weapon's name is a probable allusion to Zhuge Liang (the Sleeping Dragon) gazing at Yue Ying (the extraordinary blue moon).

Her skill chart in Dynasty Warriors 6 is roughly shaped in the form of a wooden ox, an invention that Zhuge Liang is said to have used in his Northern Campaigns. Yue Ying's personal item in Warriors Orochi may refer to the same creation or Yue Ying's origins as a crafty inventor in several legends and folklore.

Voice Actors

 * Christina Martini - Dynasty Warriors 4 (English-uncredited)
 * Lara Cody - Dynasty Warriors 5~6, Warriors Orochi series (English-uncredited)
 * Laura Bailey - Dynasty Warriors 7~8 (English-uncredited)
 * Melissa Fahn - Kessen II (English-uncredited)
 * Yang Jeong Hwa - Dynasty Warriors 4~5 (Korean)
 * Rumi Kasahara - Dynasty Warriors and Warriors Orochi series (Japanese)
 * Junko Noda - Kessen II (Japanese)

Quotes

 * See also: Yueying/Quotes


 * "Our marriage was my father's decision, but... I could not say it was entirely against my will. In this battle, I will watch over Shu... no, I will watch over you, yourself."
 * "I do not understand it myself. But I know that he is a great man. There is a good reason for everything that he does. His behavior on this battlefield must have a convincing explanation too, I am sure."
 * "I'll make you wish you never stood in my husband's way!"
 * "Useless wench! Very soon both of you will be dead!"
 * Yue Ying and Sima Yi; Dynasty Warriors 5


 * "I have finished development on some new weapons. A tiger tank that breathes fire and a wooden ox to carry supplies."
 * "Ah... Impressive work indeed, Yue Ying."
 * "I was just hoping to build something useful for you."
 * "Your inventions will surely alter the course of the battle. What do you say we go and give them a try?"
 * Yue Ying and Zhuge Liang; Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires


 * "You know that you can't win. Perhaps you should surrender?"
 * "I will not surrender so long as my husband is here. It is my duty as his wife."
 * Wang Yuanji and Yue Ying; Dynasty Warriors 7: Xtreme Legends


 * "Your husband is always so composed. It seems like he knows everything about everything."
 * "I could say the same for your husband as well. He seems to be able to make calm, careful decisions."
 * "Yes, that is true. No one is better than my lord."
 * "No one can match Lord Zhuge Liang either."
 * "Haha... we both feel the same about the ones we love."
 * "Then let's do our best to serve as their source of strength."
 * Zhenji and Yueying; Dynasty Warriors 8


 * "Your husband's abandoned you, and now you've lost the will to live, is that it?"
 * "Oh, you just crossed the line, lady!"
 * Da Ji and Yue Ying; Warriors Orochi


 * "I apologize for getting flustered the other day. It's true, I do enjoy inventing things. Could I see your weapon? I promise to improve it for you."
 * "Now you're talking. I'm glad we can see eye to eye now."
 * Yueying and Benkei; Warriors Orochi 3


 * "Do you really wish to marry me? I'm just a strange girl who likes playing around with inventions. Am I really a worthy match for Zhuge Liang?"
 * "I should ask that question of you. I'm just a strange man who likes tinkering with inventions. Please marry me."
 * "Y-Yes, of course I will marry you!"
 * Yue Ying and Zhuge Liang; Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI


 * "Yue Ying, won't you stop with the 'yeah?'"
 * "I'll try be more careful and not embarrass you in public anymore, I swear. I promise, yeah."
 * Zhuge Liang and Yue Ying, Kessen II

Gameplay

 * See also: Yueying/Movesets

Dynasty Warriors Next
For this title, Yue Ying uses the dagger-axe as her weapon. It was previously only available as downloadable content in Dynasty Warriors 7.


 * EX Attack:, , , , , undefined, undefined: Summon powerful bolts of lighting.
 * EX Attack (Dynasty Warriors 7 Empires only):, , , undefined, undefined: Unleashes several green fireballs to rain down below the ground.


 * Warriors Orochi 3
 * , undefined: Drives weapon unto the ground, sending out a traveling shockwave forward.
 * R1: Calls forth miniature juggernauts that explode upon contact or after a few seconds.
 * , R1 (Ultimate only): Hooks a single foe and hurls them away by releasing a large energy wave.

Dynasty Warriors 8
Yueying keeps the same moveset from the previous title with the following additions.


 * EX Attack 2 (Xtreme Legends only): undefined, undefined: Does a quick horizontal slash to the right, then another one to the left. Causes foes to fall on the ground.
 * Aerial Musou - Bombardier (爆落陣):, : Summons several mechanical hawks that drop bombs below the vicinity.
 * Awakening Musou: Performs a series of quick swipes from left to right. The last part of the attack is a wide slash that blows away nearby enemies. The extension causes the user to spin around and pull in opponents before hurling weapon to launch them up in the air for the final phase.

Weapons

 * See also: Yueying/Weapons

Dynasty Warriors 8
Yueying still uses the dagger axe as her default weapon in this title.

Historical Information
Huang Yueying was Zhuge Liang's wife and is believed to be Huang Chengyan's daughter. "Huang Yueying" is one of her popularized names; her real name is unknown. She is also called Huang Furen (黄夫人), Huang Wanzhen (黄婉貞), or Huang Shou (黃綬). According to Record of Three Kingdoms, her father approached Zhuge Liang when he wanted to marry. He said, "I have an ugly daughter yet I heard you were looking for a wife. She is marred with red hair and dark skin, but I think her wit is well matched with yours." Zhuge Liang agreed to see her and married her.

Shortly after their meeting, her father made the light-hearted proverb, "Do not berate Zhuge Liang's wife or you'll make Chengyan's ugly daughter get you." The message of the statement is to "strive to wed a homely woman" regardless of their looks. Through their marriage, Zhuge Liang became Liu Qi and Liu Cong's cousin, due to Huang Chengyan's brotherly relation with Liu Biao. While Zhuge Liang is documented to have sons of his own, it's not clear if he had them with his wife.

Chinese Fiction
In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Yueying is briefly mentioned in chapter 117. She was Zhuge Zhan's unnamed mother and was described as plain yet talented. An educated scholar, she studied everything she could, such as literature, strategy, and magic. Zhuge Liang sought to marry her for her good heart and they frequently studied together. She survived her husband for a short time and died soon after the Battle of Wuzhang Plains. Her last words to her son were "Be loyal and filial".

A popular story depicts that Yueying challenged her suitors to personally visit her by claiming that she was ugly. In the possibility that a suitor would visit, she would hide herself under viels as a quiet dare to test their resolve. When Zhuge Liang came to her, her figure was silouetted by the yellow full moon and her head was covered with two red veils. Unlike other men, he entered alone and didn't hesitate to remove her disguises. As he removed the first cloth from her face, he calmly stated that her ugliness was a misunderstanding by her father. He was rewarded by Yueying's joyful visage and gratification.

There are several folktales regarding their life and marriage but most sources indicate that she was intelligent in some manner. One such tale states that she was a talented inventor whose well made wooden puppets impressed Zhuge Liang enough to marry her. A few suggest that she was actually quite beautiful and that her tanned skin and red hair was actually dyed; the disguise was made to test Zhuge Liang's perceptive nature. Even more tales speculate that Yueying wasn't actually Chinese but from a different part of the world, such as Europe or Indonesia.

Gallery
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