Senka Shi

Senka Shi is the previous Emperor of Saiunkoku, and father to Ryuuki, Seiran, and the other four princes. During his lifetime, he loved only one woman but was unable to marry her. For political reasons, he ended up with six simultaneous concubines, each of whom bore him a son but whom he never visited again. The Sixth Consort was especially bitter about this abandonment and took out her anger on her son, Ryūki.

Senka fell sick in his youth, causing chaos in the royal court, and died almost a decade later. During his reign, he used the Wolves of the Wind to assassinate some of the lesser noble clans for their misdeeds, but allowed the families of the Eight Colored Clans to remain unpunished for much worse crimes. He also came up with the Official Exam system to minimize the nobles' political influence and admit other social classes to participate in the government. For that reason, he was deeply disliked by the survivors of the minor noble families, but also highly respected and feared. Three men accompanied Senka from the start of his coronation: Yosei Sho-Taishi (Advisor Sho), Sou-Taifu, and Enjun Sa-Taiho, all of whom bore the title of 'Choutei Sanshi' (three royal advisors) and later serve Ryuuki as his designated successor.



(Source: Wikipedia)