|
| By King Bumis Heir | Part of the Avatar: Civil Strife continuity. |
| Juji's fine. He comes back to life in the end when the doomsday device shifts the polarity of the Earth. Oops. Spoiler. Sorry.
Warning! This page contains spoilers for Avatar: Civil Strife.
|
| "Hey! We don't eat out of the trash like a gaze of ratcoons!" |
| — Zuqiu was offended and squeaked, he took Avani's comments as insults in Chapter 2: A Strange Visitor. |
Zuqiu Muchang is an swordsman soldier under the command of Captain Shuaige Qishi, and is the son of a war veteran. Zuqiu appears in as one of the main characters of the story Avatar: Civil Strife.
History[]
Zuqiu was born to Fen and his wife in 1934 BG, he was born on their farm just outside of the village of Yafao in the Duryaja province. Like his father Zuqiu was born a non-bender his father taught him how to wield a sword and use a bow. Knowing that because their poor when his son became of age he'd have to know how to at least defend himself when he's conscripted into the army.
Fen himself was a veteran of the civil war until he got injured twenty years ago, because of this Fen has a limp that never quite went away on its own despite healer's predictions. By the time, Zuqiu was sixteen, the kid was knowledgeable in the way of the sword and was good at archery. There were times that Fen assigned Zuqiu to exterminate pests through the use of a bow and arrow.
Growing up he helped his father out with farmwork as independently paid for his work albeit his work ethic was lazy. The soldiers came from the village to call upon soldiers to return to war. When Fen was going to accept the call to arms Zuqiu stepped forward and took the scroll and offered to take his father's place in the war. Now the young man is being shipped off to Captain Qishi's camp outside of northern Pingyao.
Military Training[]
During his first day of training, sometime near the end of it they were learning to shoot a bow. His practice with his father came in handy, Zuqiu impressed Baoshou Er. That's when Baoshou learned that Zuqiu's father was a former Captain of the Duryajian Provincial Guard in Suzhou City before retiring from an injury.
At the end of his second day of training, Zuqiu cried himself to sleep while hearing the screams of Avatar Avani as she was being beaten with a bo staff for cheating in a spar. Two months later, Zuqiu became more skilled at using a bow than a sword. During his this time he serves as an archer rather than a swordsman.
The Shipment[]
Zuqiu and the others woke up the next morning to retrieve the shipment that needed to be delivered. They spent a total of almost two days delivering the goods to Taiyuan, the capital of Pingyao province. Along the way, Captain Qishi's company ran into the hands of the champion of the Meng, Gan and his brigade. Who furthered themselves into enemy territory, Qishi's group was ambushed by Gan, when an archer killed an earthbender on ostrich horseback. Captain Qishi's company initiated battle after this ambush and they fought with little to no injuries. When Gan revealed the numbers of his army Baoshou begged Avani to do something.
In this moment, Avani triggered her Avatar State and unleashed an earthquake, causing fear into the hearts of the barbarian soldiers and their leader. During that time Zuqiu successfully killed an enemy soldier and then apologized for the situation. Gan's brigade fled with only one hundred of them remaining to sacrifice themselves in a distraction. Avani killed half of them solely while the rest fled, Shuaige ordered her to cease the fighting and banned her from confronting them alone.
Secrets and Quarrels[]
Zuqiu first laid eyes on Zhongli and quickly was infatuated with them. Attempting to make an introduction and move Zuqiu instantly tripped over a rock and embarrassed himself. Which got a reaction from Zhongli and caused them to chuckle before getting up and finding another spot away from the sun. Zuqiu in full embarrassment then cried before an annoyed Airen picked him up and told him to shut up. Fangzhu and Zuqiu split from the group and went their own way. Fangzhu felt it was necessary to distract an emotional Zuqiu from the rejection he went through. They took the ferry from the southern Tusuzu Sector to the Arboretum where they could enjoy the environment and surround themselves with the calm of nature. While Fangzhu aimed to give Zuqiu advice on women, Zuqiu was suddenly distracted when he saw the girl from earlier at a distance eating food.
As Zuqiu ran off to try again, Fangzhu was left alone conversating to himself until he reached an advertisement about a meditation class in the sector. He found himself near the shore of Lake Naolao where he spotted the girl from earlier, he tried his luck one more time. The girl was visibly startled when she thought that Zuqiu stalked her. She got frightened and defensive, however, when he explained himself he convinced her that he was friendly. After he got well acquainted with her, she introduced herself as Zhongli.
Zhongli also revealed to Zuqiu that they're non-binary and Zuqiu needed to address them as their desired pronouns. To which Zuqiu gasped and told them it was against the Code of the Golden Sun, a tome written during the reign of Wanggoudexin. To which Zhongli shushed Zuqiu, Zuqiu did as he was told as he was quickly infatuated with Zhongli. Zhongli then introduced him to their pet woolly rat named Po. From there when they got more comfortable with Zuqiu they invited him to the local zoo in the sector.
Zuqiu got in line to buy a ticket because he assumed that Zhongli had money. However he quickly learned that as a homeless orphan they had no money. Zhongli coaxed him into following them through the service entrance where both of them traversed the back areas to enter the visitor rooms where they could see the animals. Zhongli was impressed when Zuqiu identified the animals that he was brought to, despite Zuqiu being from a poor family he seemed to have decent education since his father could afford it on his salary.
After the zoo they returned to the southern Tusuzu sector where Zhongli mentioned they were hungry. Zuqiu saw that Zhongli looked suspicious and their approach of the produce stand. He quickly shot down her attempt at stealing food to which Zhongli reasoned they'd rather not scavage the garbage for leftovers again. Zhongli promised they knew a spot where they could take cover and enjoy their fresh meal. Zuqiu distracted the merchant and while Zhongli grabbed a few loaves of bread and some food. Zhongli ran for the hideout as Zuqiu followed close behind, both being chased by the local guards. They finally hid in the hiding spot and Zuqiu was anxious about being caught.
Relationship with Zhongli[]
After being dismissed from duty, Zuqiu meets Zhongli in the Southern Tusuzu Sector, where their growing relationship shifts from nervous affection to moral pressure. Zhongli challenges Zuqiu’s belief in duty and obedience, arguing that his loyalty to the state and army was imposed rather than freely chosen. By contrasting Zuqiu’s faith in law and order with their own experience of poverty and abandonment, Zhongli reframes obedience as complicity and encourages Zuqiu to decide for himself.
At Zhongli’s suggestion, Zuqiu hesitantly agrees to steal food to support civilians in the sector. Though fearful of dishonor and punishment, he convinces himself that taking a single crate of rations will go unnoticed. That evening, he infiltrates the barracks supply yard in uniform and removes the food, only to be discovered by Biehe and arrested on the spot.
Zuqiu is publicly disciplined by Captain Shuaige Qishi before his unit, stripped of rank, and accused of betraying the army and his family’s honor. When Avani intervenes and questions Zuqiu directly, he admits the food was meant for orphans and reveals his relationship with a civilian. After a confrontation between strict discipline and mercy, Shuaige revises the sentence: Zuqiu is spared exile but forced to wear a cangue for the remainder of their stay in Taiyuan. At the same time, the confiscated rations are delivered to the children under Avani’s supervision.
The incident becomes a defining turning point for Zuqiu. His first attempt at acting on personal choice ends in public shame and punishment, exposing both his vulnerability to manipulation and the narrow space where compassion can exist within rigid systems of law and authority.
Avani finds Zuqiu confined in a canague in the Defense Sector and assigns him to deliver a crate of food “for the orphans” in the Southern Tusuzu Sector. Suspicious, she follows him in secret and discovers the truth: Zuqiu takes the crate to Zhongli, who is waiting near a worn fountain with their woolly rat, Po, and their old doll, Huahua. Zhongli is openly pleased and immediately hints at wanting more, but Zuqiu snaps back—angry and shaken—revealing he was almost court-martialed for the last theft. Their argument exposes the core tension between them: Zuqiu’s guilt and fear of consequence versus Zhongli’s hard-edged survival mentality. Avani leaves unseen, realizing either Zuqiu lied about the orphans or Zhongli manipulated him—either way, her trust fractures.
Zhongli pushes their feelings further into the open by sneaking into the Defense Sector to find Zuqiu still chained to the canague post. They admit they miss him and have a crush on him, then break him out by earthbending a rough key and unlocking the restraint despite the danger. Zuqiu panics at the risk, but Zhongli doubles down—choosing him anyway—and the two escape through back routes to the Arboretum. There, Zhongli reveals how they survive: constant movement, hidden shelters, and distrust of the Yanzhao. They bring Zuqiu to one of their burrow-like hiding spots inside a hollow stump, where their vulnerability shows through in small details like Huahua being their “first friend.” They share food, talk softly, and the intimacy becomes real Zuqiu stays the night, and they share a tender kiss and comfort in the dark, briefly escaping the war and the roles society demands of them.
By morning, duty reasserts itself. Zuqiu leaves quietly to return to drills, promising to come back—while Zhongli wakes to emptiness and resignation, holding Huahua like proof that people always leave. When Zuqiu later finds Zhongli again, their affection is open and physical, but the city’s crisis interrupts: alarms, collapsing bridges, sealing protocols, and panic surge through the sector. Zhongli begs Zuqiu to stay, insisting he’ll die for a system that doesn’t value him. Still, Zuqiu chooses not to desert—framing his decision as a way to protect those who can’t fight back—turning their relationship into a direct collision between love, survival, and duty.
A Name of His Own[]
Zuqiu’s arrest marks his first irreversible break from the role expected of him. Acting on persuasion rather than malice, he steals military rations, believing the act to be small, justifiable, and unseen. When discovered and publicly disciplined, he is stripped of rank and forced to wear a cangue—an experience that humiliates him and exposes his vulnerability to influence. Crucially, the punishment forces Zuqiu to confront the gap between intent and impact: compassion alone does not absolve him of responsibility. From this point forward, Zuqiu is no longer simply a dutiful soldier—he is a soldier who has failed and must decide what that failure means.
While confined and later observed under scrutiny, Zuqiu’s internal conflict sharpens. He becomes increasingly aware that his sense of self has been shaped by expectation—his father’s legacy, military doctrine, and obedience to command—rather than by personal conviction. His brief consideration of escape is not framed as cowardice, but exhaustion: the desire to choose someone and something that does not demand sacrifice without acknowledgment. Still, even when escape is made possible, Zuqiu hesitates. The weight of consequence, and the knowledge of what desertion would mean for others, restrains him.
As the battle for Taiyuan erupts, Zuqiu is confronted with a definitive crossroads: abandon the army for love, or remain and face likely death for a system that has already punished him. He chooses to stay—not because he believes the system is just, but because he recognizes that desertion would make him complicit in greater harm. This choice is not blind loyalty; it is deliberate resolve. For the first time, Zuqiu chooses duty as himself, not as his father’s shadow or the army’s instrument.
During the chaos of battle, Zuqiu acts decisively and courageously, ultimately saving the life of Shuaige Qishi. The act is quiet and uncelebrated, but deeply symbolic: Zuqiu proves his worth not through inherited honor or spotless obedience, but through lived conviction under fire. In saving his commander, Zuqiu redefines his relationship to authority—not as a passive subordinate, but as a soldier who understands the cost of standing his ground.
Relatives[]
- Fen Muchang (Father)
- Unnamed Mother (Mother)
Abilities[]
Zuqiu like his father, Fen, was born a non-bender; Zuqiu was taught to be knowledgeable in the ways of archery and swordsmanship although it takes years to be a master. Zuqiu worked as a farmer while growing up, with knowledge how to work the fields, care for livestock, and sell his goods.
Appearances[]
Avatar: Civil Strife[]
Book One: War[]
- Chapter 1: Ascension
- Chapter 2: A Strange Visitor
- Chapter 3: Of Conquerors and Guardians Part 1: The Siege of Laofung
- Chapter 4: Of Conquerors and Guardians Part 2: The Fall of Guandi
- Chapter 5: Coming of Age
- Chapter 6: The Shipment
- Chapter 7: The City of Labyrinths
- Chapter 8: Secrets and Quarrels
- Chapter 9: Havoc in Li Jun
- Chapter 10: Escalation Part 1: Union of Two Bloods
- Chapter 11: Escalation Part 2: Siege of Taiyuan
- Chapter 12: Escalation Part 3: Storming the Spire
Trivia[]
- Zuqiu means "goofball" in Chinese, while Muchang means "ranch" in Chinese.
- Fen means "tiller" in Chinese.
See more
For the collective works of the author, go here.