Recaps

Dagu inspected the New Continent, exposed corruption, and brought the colony’s military forces under imperial authority while encouraging Good and the Silver Gentlemen to pursue a place in the Empire. Back in the capital, Derek rejected the great nobles’ marriage schemes for Qin and considered candidates from more modest families.

• Tiona rebuked Knight Mihal for exploiting her and Qin’s connections, while Derek’s decree made Baronet Perez Jr. a Count with a New Continent fief.
• Dagu accepted gifts with Derek’s permission, then departed for the New Continent to inspect its officials and industries.
• Dagu exposed an unreported shipyard dock and had the factory director arrested for embezzlement before continuing his inspection.
• Dagu toured the mines and learned that Brack’s Mining Group maintained two divisions of armed personnel, then arrested General Robert and took temporary command of the Royal First Legion.
• Derek investigated Qin’s marriage prospects, rejected Virut and Count Little Jefferies’s offers, and favored a virtuous bride from a modest background.
• Dagu advised Good to study and advance through proper channels, then accepted the Silver Gentlemen’s collective overtures without taking their money.
• Dagu inspected the Colonial Fleet and watched it sink target ships with concentrated gunfire before setting out for home.
• Tiona compared the nobles’ long list of candidates for Qin with Derek’s shorter list from officials’ families, and Derek explained his standards and plans for the future Crown Prince and Crown Princess.

Claire built the Relief Society into a funded enterprise while Qin revealed his identity to her and met her parents. Meanwhile, Good and the Silver Gentlemen expanded their influence through trade and construction in Pulan City, where Qin and Claire arrived to inspect the new city project.

• Claire launched a poverty-relief activity with Jos, Haman, and Qin, who donated one thousand Gold Coins and grew more aware of ordinary people's hardships.
• Jos and Haman returned to the Lionheart Kingdom as Dagu brought colonial representatives home, and Good used Dagu's favor to make a more confident return to his family.
• Claire renamed the Relief Society the Perez Relief Association and secured school printing work, while Qin wrestled with whether his family would accept her.
• Qin confronted Franz over pressuring Claire, revealed that he was the future ruler and intended to marry her, then sent Franz to build a business using the Investigation Department's channels.
• Qin donated Franz's earnings to Claire's association and visited her parents as Charlie, winning their approval and receiving Director Smith's revolver as a gift.
• Good and the Silver Gentlemen formed a partnership with Franz to legalize colonial slave shipments, invested in Pulan City, and opened the Silver Grain Guild, whose low prices drew customers despite Sir John's attempt to undermine it.
• Dagu became mayor of Pulan City, secured approval for plans to build a new city, and gave the Silver Gentlemen construction work while encouraging them to develop industry.
• Qin allowed Franz to organize a Slave-Hunting Team but barred him from the new city project, then brought Claire to inspect the construction site, where they entered with municipal credentials.

Qin and Claire deepen their relationship as Claire builds Times Magazine into a major publication and uses it to publicize Haman’s revolt. The Lionheart Kingdom retaliates, while Qin takes on responsibility for expanding the Empire’s air infrastructure.

• Qin toured the new city with Claire, then brought her to the palace, where Derek and Tiona welcomed her and Tiona gave her antique bridal jewelry as a blessing for their marriage.
• Franz led slave-hunting teams against a Holy Cross settlement, survived attacks from its defenders, and was rescued by the Royal First Legion before leaving to settle matters with his old connections.
• Claire launched Times Entertainment Magazine with a blurry cover hinting at her relationship with Qin, and its success helped Smith become the first Minister of Electricity.
• Minister Smith and Count Little Jefferies investigated Charlie Perez, discovered he was First Imperial Prince Qin, and agreed to keep his identity secret.
• Qin supported Haman’s revolt in the Lionheart Kingdom with weapons, while Claire planned to publish Haman’s story and use the proceeds to support the poor and establish the International Industrial Party.
• Claire published a special issue about Haman’s uprising, prompting the Lionheart Ambassador to offer money and then attack Times Magazine’s staff, distribution, and supplies.
• Frank identified photographs of atrocities by the Lionheart army as material for Times Magazine’s counterattack, while Qin toured the Royal Air Force and accepted responsibility for coordinating its infrastructure expansion.

Qin strengthened ties with Claire and Simon’s family while Great Xia prepared to use Franz’s dealings with Haman as leverage in the Lionheart Kingdom. Prince Charlie’s intelligence led the Lionheart Queen to destroy Haman’s heavy-artillery production line, leaving the Revolutionary Army’s weapons program in ruins.

• Derek toured Dagu’s new city with Qin and Claire, while Franz expanded his criminal businesses and Old Tom arrested him after uncovering the crimes tied to his gambling dens.
• Qin had Frank launch Times Legal Newspaper and left Franz in custody, while Derek welcomed Simon and Albert back and gave Albert a title and a post in the Royal Guard.
• Virut met Claire and was impressed by her media expertise, then Frank reorganized the military’s newspapers as Qin continued to pressure Franz to confront the evidence against him.
• Qin received Prince Charlie’s delegation in Digen Port and showed Charlie Great Xia’s industrial power, while Princess Mary Dajia chose to travel separately from her brother.
• Old Jack told Charlie that Franz had supplied weapons to Haman, and Mary Dajia brought Charlie documents from Count Little Jefferies that revealed the scale and location of the weapons production lines.
• Qin released Franz and ordered him to recover Great Xia’s investment in the production lines, then Franz arranged for a heavy-artillery line to reach Haman’s forces.
• Haman inspected the first completed artillery piece, but the Lionheart Queen sent the Royal Assault Battalion to destroy the factory and its production line before the Revolutionary Army could stop them.