Shao Jun

"I have traveled a long time, followed many roads and suffered much grief to find him. To learn his secrets before our enemies find us."

- Shao Jun regarding her search for Ezio Auditore.

Shao Jun (1505 - unknown) was an Assassin from the Chinese branch of the Order. A former concubine of Emperor Zhengde, she was rescued by the Assassins after the emperor's death, and devoted her life to the Order as a result.

After some time, Zhengde's successor, Jiajing, ordered a purge of those who opposed him, which included the Assassins. Following the Order's decline in China, Jun and her Mentor fled west to seek out the Italian Assassin Mentor, Ezio Auditore da Firenze.

Early life
"I was born a concubine, but my Mentor freed me when I was young."

- Shao Jun.

Jun was born into royal captivity during China's Ming Dynasty, under the lackluster rule of Emperor Zhengde.

Zhengde, known for his childish disposition and lack of interest in the urgent matters that concerned his country, regarded Jun highly among his concubines after she had reached her teenage years. Living a decade of her life under Zhengde, Jun traveled with him to various places and met many foreigners.

However, after Zhengde's death in April of 1521, the royal ministers fell into disarray, and bickered over who should succeed the heir-less Zhengde. It was during this chaotic time that Jun came into contact with the Assassin Order, and was rescued along with several other concubines, after the Assassins broke into the royal palace.

Loyal immediately to those who rescued her, Jun dedicated her first years of freedom to serving the Brotherhood that saved her, training in their ways.

Decline of her Order
Years after her rescue, Jun and her Mentor decided to rescue the remaining concubines whom she had grown up with. After breaking into the Imperial Palace, Jun discovered that most of her friends had been tortured and killed through the use of Ling Chi ("slow slicing," or death by a thousand cuts), by order of Zhengde's nephew and successor, Jiajing. Jun and her Mentor then fled the palace.

Jiajing, who possessed the worst traits of Zhengde, yet harbored none of his best, sought to detain and execute any opposition or possible threats against his rule. The Assassins were some of the purge's most high-profile targets, and on Jiajing's orders, a majority of the Assassins in China were killed. The few who survived either went into hiding or fled westward.

Jun and her Mentor were included in those who left China, though they escaped farther than most of their brothers. Heading for Italy, the two sought to find the legendary Mentor Ezio Auditore for help, hoping that he might know how to restore their Order.

Time in Italy
By 1524, Jun and her Mentor were able to arrive as far as Venice. However, Imperial soldiers sent by Jiajing to detain the two were able to follow them, and caught up to the pair in the city.

While her Mentor fought off the soldiers to ensure Jun's safety and escape, they died in the ensuing battle. Continuing onward, Jun arrived at Ezio Auditore's Tuscan villa.

There, Jun first encountered Ezio's young daughter Flavia, and began speaking with her. Though Ezio initially saw Jun as a threat, and fervently restrained her to protect his child, he released her after recognizing the Assassin insignia on the necklace she wore.

Later that day, Ezio and his wife Sofia confronted Jun, who asked him for aid in restoring her Order. Ezio, who had retired from his life as an Assassin, refused to associate himself with the Order again, and asked her to leave.

However, Sofia, knowing that Jun had come a long way to meet Ezio, asked her to stay, welcoming her into their home. Jun thanked Sofia, and accepted her offer.

The next day, Jun came across Ezio's study and looked through some of the writings he had left on his desk. However, when Ezio discovered her, he furiously told her to leave, which Jun hastily obeyed.

Afterwards, Ezio approached Jun to demand she leave Italy entirely, stating that she had wasted her time looking for him. Jun, reciting a portion of Ezio's writing, responded that all she wanted was to understand her Order as he did.

Ezio finally admitted why he was so reluctant to help her, and invited her to accompany him to Florence, where she could assist him with the grape harvest of his vineyard.

There, Jun observed the crowd as Ezio attended to his business. Afterwards, Ezio took Jun to the Palazzo della Signoria, where half of his family had been hung in 1476. Ezio then taught Jun how the Assassins lived their lives; through pain, in order to end pain.

After the brief discussion, Ezio and Jun prepared to leave Florence. On the way back however, the two were intercepted by one of the Imperial soldiers in an obscure alleyway. Jun managed to kill the soldier, and quickly fled the city with Ezio afterwards.

On the way to Ezio's villa, Jun explained her plight, and informed him about those who were after her. Afterwards, Ezio told Sofia to bring their children to Niccolò Machiavelli's home, as he suspected that the soldiers would pursue Jun to the villa.

That night, Ezio lectured Jun on how he had defeated the Borgia family through fraternity and love, and how he had reformed the Brotherhood in both Rome and Constantinople. Afterwards, Shao Jun rested for the night, while Ezio kept watch from the living room.

Soon enough, the villa was invaded by the Imperial soldiers. The two Assassins fended off most of the attackers, with Ezio saving Jun from the shot of a hand cannon held by a brutish soldier. Fleeing outside to avoid the devastating weapon, both Jun and Ezio worked together to deal with the last foe.

Though the soldier charged Ezio and pinned him to a tree, the elder Assassin managed to stab the enemy with his sword, to which Jun then helped Ezio recuperate from the unexpected exertion.

Departure
The following morning, Jun, with a renewed resolve, looked on to the horizon as Ezio approached her. Ezio stated that the trip back to China would be long, but Jun replied that it would be worthwhile, with so much to see along the way.

Before Jun left, Ezio gave her a small chest that contained something which could aid her in the future, stating that she should only open it if she were to lose her way. As government guards came into view on horseback, Ezio bade that Jun leave before they arrived. Jun then left Ezio's villa to return home to China.

Legacy
Some time following her encounter with Ezio Auditore, Shao Jun created the rope dart, a weapon that allowed its user to hang foes from horizontal objects such as tree branches, as well as to yank those caught by it from their feet or horse. Rope darts would eventually be used by Assassins during the American Revolutionary War, most notably by Ratonhnhaké:ton.

Personality and characteristics
"I want to understand, like you do. To help my people."

- Jun speaking with Ezio.

Shao Jun had the desire to learn, specifically about how the Assassin Order functioned and lived their lives. She often searched for information when none was given to her, even going against the wishes of others just to learn, as evidenced by her invading Ezio's study. She was sincere about wanting to understand her Order, and took Ezio's lessons and lectures to heart.

She remained on-guard at all times, keeping a close eye on her surroundings for any possible threats. Because of this, she was somewhat restless, often staying up at night and preparing for an attack instead of sleeping.

She also loved to meet and learn from new cultures and societies, often excited about the opportunity to understand people with different nationalities from her own.

Equipment and skills
Shao Jun wielded a Chinese as her primary weapon, and while she had no Hidden Blade, she did have a total of six throwing needles tucked under her bracers as secondary weapons. Accompanying this, Jun also had a concealed blade under her right foot, which she used in tandem with her acrobatic skills against enemies.

She was extensively trained in combat by the Order, and was an adept and agile fighter, with her fighting style being heavily reminiscent of the Chinese martial art of, which involved ample flexibility and knowledge in both unarmed and sword combat.

Jun's arsenal of weapons were also fitted for her style of combat, as they were light yet deadly. To lower suspicion in public areas, she concealed her weapons in her attire, save for the jian, which she kept sheathed across her back.

Trivia

 * The Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia stated that Shao Jun met Ezio in Florence. However, in Assassin's Creed: Embers, Ezio's villa was located in the Tuscan countryside.
 * Shao Jun had at least a basic grasp of Italian, being able to say "grazie" to Sofia after she was allowed to stay, and was also able to understand Ezio even if he spoke in the language.
 * The "Jun" in Shao Jun's name was pronounced as "yoon" in Embers. This was incorrect, as the correct pronunciation in Mandarin was roughly "joon."
 * A replica of Shao Jun's necklace could be bought from Ubiworkshop for 24.99 US dollars. Some time after its release, red and black versions have been added for purchase.
 * Shao Jun was voiced by Angela Galuppo, who also provided the voice of both Flavia and Claudia Auditore.
 * Achilles mentions Shao Jun briefly when Connor receives the Rope Dart.
 * She has an entry in the Animus database featured in Assassin's Creed III.