Bao Xiruo (包惜弱) was the wife of Yang Tiexin and mother of Yang Kang, the main antagonist of The Legend of the Condor Heroes.
Wanyan Honglie[]
One day she came upon a severely injured man and saved his life. This man was Wanyan Honglie (完顏洪烈), a prince of Jin. Bao Xiruo's beauty enchanted him, so to obtain her, Wanyan Honglie ordered the murder of her whole family, leading to the death of Guo Xiaotian. Wanyan Honglie later took her with him back to his kingdom. Bao Xiruo was deceived into believing that her husband was dead and that Wanyan Honglie was her savior. In her gratitude, she agreed to marry him, but did not live with him, choosing instead to live alone in a simple cottage. Her son, Yang Kang grew up in the palace and was treated by Wanyan Honglie like his own flesh and blood.
Husband back from the dead[]
Unknown to his family, Yang Tiexin actually survived Wanyan Honglie's massacre and was now traveling through the lands disguised as a martial arts performer by the name of Mu Yi (穆易). His adopted daughter, Mu Nianci (穆念慈), accompanied him. It was during one of their travels through Jin country that Mu Yi first met Guo Jing and his son, Yang Kang who went by the name Wanyan Kang, 完顏康, at the time.
Mu Yi wanted to marry his daughter off to whoever won at a martial arts contest against her. Yang Kang came upon the contest, defeated Mu Nianci, but refused to marry her, taking her shoe with him as a souvenir. Guo Jing fought with Yang Kang to retrieve the shoe and the girl's honour. The fight only ended after Bao Xiruo came to the scene, and Yang Kang still refused to return the shoe to Mu Nianci. Mu Yi immediately recognised Yang Kang's mother, his own wife but did not reveal his identity.
Later, Yang Kang imprisoned Mu Yi and Mu Nianci. Bao Xiruo came to free them both, and Mu Yi went to visit her later on that night to reveal his true identity to her. Yang Kang ran into them and his mother told him, that Yang Tiexin was his true father, but he didn't want to believe it.
Death[]
Wanyan Honglie found out about this meeting and Bao Xiruo's plans to flee together with her old husband. He chased them down with his army. He knelt in front of her and begged her to stay, but she refused. She wanted Yang Kang, who was making progress on accepting his true father and fell in love with Mu Nianci to come with them, but he stayed with his stepfather. Both Yang Tiexin and Bao Xiruo committed suicide, as they had no hope to escape from the capital of Jin alive.
Appearance[]
Bao Xiruo was described to be as beautiful as jade or fresh flowers, with a face as lovely as a cotton rose hibiscus, rosy cheeks, and eyes like twinkling stars.