Wei Xiaobao

Wei Xiaobao is the lazy, uncouth, trouble-making ne'er-do-well son of a prostitute who does nothing but hang around all day making questionable friends. One day, he smooth talks his way into the palace and befriends a young boy named Xuan Luo...then, to Xiaobao's surprise, he discovers that Xuan Luo is the current Emperor.

So begin Wei Xiaobao's life as a reluctant pawn of the Emperor, trying to stay alive as he constantly finds himself the target of innumerable attempts to kill him. Meanwhile, he travels China in search of great treasure and adds more and more women to his growing harem.

Wei Xiaobao, because he's nothing like Jin Yong's previous protagonists (and nothing like conventional Wu Xia heroes, either), has been the subject of multiple character interpretations. Is he a completely selfish, self-serving bastard, or does he also have his own (albeit twisted) sense of honor and morality? Does he serve the Emperor out of fear or friendship? Does he love any of his wives or is he just collecting them for bragging rights? And so on. Jing Yong enthusiasts have written entire books discussing Wei Xiaobao's character.