House Ji

House Ji (纪) is one of the oldest houses of Xuyan, having once been the royal house for which the Ji Kingdom was named. Since their kingdom's annexation into Xuyan following the Unification of the San Ren, they have been reduced from royalty to distinguished nobility within the Xuyanese Imperial Court.

History
House Ji founded and established the Ji Kingdom to the southern coast of what is now Xuyan. Their capital, and only city, was Haiyang. The kingdom was notable for its architecture, particularly of the Circle Walls, and brilliant its scholars. The kingdom later was unified with the other two kingdoms by Xu Yan. The Ji saw this agreement as quite favorable due to the additional military support and later supported the founding of Xuyan, as their Queen was the wife of the first emperor, putting them in a very powerful and favorable position.

This didn’t last, however, as the leadership of Xuyan gradually drifted further and further away from the sitting imperial family until their relations were regarded as nothing more than a historical footnote, one to be largely ignored by the court. Seeking to branch out from their previous role as scholars, increasing their involvement in the military starting in the late Wang Dynasty.

Any attempts to marry into or regain their lost status have been in vain, though they still remain a wealthy and influential name, though nowhere near to the extent they once were.

Legacy
House Ji is often seen as a reminder of the days long past and how greatly standing in the court can change by no fault of one’s own.

Relations
House Ji, being an ancient house from before the Unification, has developed longstanding relationships with various other houses, most notably the other royal houses.

House Wu and House Ji had quite a rivalry right up to the days of the Unification, as their Kingdoms were often at war. A peace was forged between the two kingdoms upon the marriage of Wu Ling I and Ji Lei III, each a prince and princess of their respective kingdoms, later to become the first Emperor and Empress of Xuyan. Their houses were regarded to be close-as-kin for the duration of the Wu Dynasty and were considered an extended part of the royal family for a good part of the Wang Dynasty. This royal status was revoked during the Xu Dynasty. It remains unrestored for the Yi Dynasty, despite House Ji's best efforts.

House Yi and House Ji have a complicated history thanks in part to their historical status as kingdoms of the San Ren, althouth the two had no real notable relations compared to their interactions with the Wu. It is noted, however, that Empress Yi Nao chose to decline their requests for a royal title.