Chu Ji's earliest memory is waking up with a migraine and recalling nothing about himself. The elderly gnome couple who found the strangely dressed half-orc in their vegetable patch initially thought he was a thief and almost chased him out. When the misunderstanding is cleared, they decide to shelter him. Their daughter Menglai even takes it upon herself to teach the clueless Chu Ji the ways of the world.

A year later, an aasimar child by the name of Yueling will point at Chu Ji and tell her father, "He sounds different." A short but insightful conversation between Chu Ji and Yan Jinlang follows. The next day, Chu Ji gets a job offer.

After the resolution of Yan Qianyu's inheritance dilemma, Chu Ji spends a few years exploring the realm. While his primary goal is to learn more about the Night Parade, he also takes time to acquire new skills and practice greater mastery over his magic. His visits in Zhiyuan town over the years become longer and more frequent. Eventually, Chu Ji proposes to his ex-employer.

The events of the Sea of Calamities will bring a lot of grief in Chu Ji's life. News of the first major yao incursion breaks out only a few weeks after his marriage. Jinlang makes the difficult decision to escape to the Winter Palace with Yueling, with Chu Ji promising to catch up after bringing his sister along. Sadly, Menglai becomes one of the many victims of a particularly brutal targeted attack. While initially Chu Ji only participated in evacuations, Menglai's death drives Chu Ji to exact vengeance. His encounters with the yao end with him exhibiting a violence that is vindictive and personal. After an injury that would have him suffering from third degree burns and a lifelong condition of tinnitus, Chu Ji remembers his commitments to his living family. He resolves to stay alive for as long as he can.

The third act of Chu Ji's life is focused on his efforts to revitalize the House of Strings. He spearheads various restoration projects and earns himself a seat in the Yuefu Music Bureau. In a strange turn of events, Jinlang briefly returns to the Bureau to work on a joint project with the Winter Palace. It seems fate conspired to make them proper work colleagues, finally establishing the two as equals in their field.

Chu Ji's health only starts deteriorating once he reaches his 90s. By that time, he is finally unafraid to share to his remaining loved ones that he has always wondered about his origin. He tells them the circumstances of his arrival and how he sometimes doubts his place in the world.

Perhaps his spirit would be appeased if he could read what will later be inscribed in his memorial tablet. To others it is a tad simple, but it sums up who he is:

Yan Chu Ji
A man of the Autumn Palace