Recaps

Chen Yi visited Old Marquis Xiao and learned how Duke Zhang’s old feud with Chen Xuanji began, while the elders schemed to obtain a poem from him. After returning to Chunhe Garden, Chen Yi spotted Uncle Gui leaving Jiaoxing Garden and suspected the old servant had received a reply to the Hidden Guard’s secret letter.

• Chen Yi heard Wang Lixing explain that Uncle Gui was a wounded Dingyuan Army veteran whose military merits had been overlooked, and suspected he might resent the Xiao Family.
• Chen Yi met Old Marquis Xiao, Duke Zhang, and Sun Fu, then calmly answered Zhang Xuan’s hostile remarks about his late father.
• Old Marquis Xiao told Chen Yi that Chen Xuanji and Zhang Xuan had fallen out over delayed food supplies to Jiaozhou six years earlier.
• After Chen Yi left, Zhang Xuan revealed that he wanted a poem from Chen Yi, and Old Marquis Xiao said Chen Yi had agreed to write one.
• Chen Yi returned to Chunhe Garden, saw Uncle Gui coming out of Jiaoxing Garden, and suspected the Hidden Guard’s secret letter had received a reply.

Chen Yi arranged an outing with Xiao Wuge and secretly retrieved a coded letter before sending Pei Guanli to investigate Liu Si'er’s quarters. Pei Guanli disguised herself as a maid and reached his room without raising suspicion, but the chapter ended before she searched it.

• Chen Yi left Chunhe Garden, retrieved a coded paper hidden in Jiaxing Garden, memorized its cipher groups, and returned it to its hiding place.
• Chen Yi asked Pei Guanli to investigate Liu Si'er’s room while he took Xiao Wuge and Xiao Die out of the manor, warning her to avoid the hunchbacked accomplice and not cause a scene.
• Pei Guanli disguised herself as a maid and slipped through the mansion, while Zhang Heng arrived at the emptied Chunhe Garden calling for Xiao Wuge.
• Pei Guanli reached the stable-side rooms, told two grooms that she was looking for something in Liu Si'er’s room, and persuaded them to lead her there.

Chen Yi rode through Shuzhou City with Xiao Die and Xiao Wuge, observing the local people and hearing about a Third Place Scholar’s parade. As they reached the crowded road, a smiling young master in red rode by on a white horse.

• Chen Yi saw enslaved barbarians being driven toward the East Market and listened to onlookers discuss their sale.
• Xiao Wuge told Chen Yi about the Third Place Scholar’s parade, and Chen Yi said he only wanted to watch the festivities.
• Xiao Wuge offered to arrange Chen Yi a military post through his sister, but Chen Yi firmly refused.
• Liu Si'er and Ge Laosan discussed the crowds of scholars and maidens gathering along the road.
• Chen Yi looked out at the procession and saw a young master in red riding a white horse while thanking the crowd.

Chen Yi watched Li Huaigu return to Shuzhou as Tanhua and wondered why the court had sent several high-ranking exam graduates there. After Chen Yi’s literary reputation silenced two mocking scholars, he observed Li Huaigu exchanging glances with a plainly dressed maiden and wondered whether he would choose her over his family’s expectations.

• Chen Yi stopped his carriage to watch Li Huaigu’s procession and questioned why the Zhuangyuan and Tanhua were both heading to Shuzhou for office.
• Xiao Wuge praised Chen Yi’s ability, prompting two scholars to mock him until they recognized the Xiao Family banner and Xu Nian identified Chen Yi as the author of a celebrated Birthday Ode.
• Chen Yi told Xiao Wuge that a true man of letters possessed both talent and virtue, then joked that he wanted to avoid being sent to the military camp.
• Li Huaigu completed the procession through Shuzhou and exchanged congratulations with the scholars who had followed him.
• Chen Yi noticed a plainly dressed maiden watching Li Huaigu and wondered whether Li Huaigu would choose his childhood sweetheart or obey his family’s expectations.

Chen Yi attended a gathering with Xiao Wuge and met the newly named Tanhua, Li Huaigu, who took them to witness his reunion with his childhood sweetheart Yunxiang. After Li Huaigu’s mother rejected Yunxiang and the two parted, Chen Yi resolved to find out whether a hunter had truly offered betrothal gifts and help them.

• Chen Yi impressed Li Huaigu and Prefect Liu Si with his insight into the Metropolitan Examination question, while learning that Chen Yunfan’s Zhuangyuan placement had hidden circumstances.
• Li Huaigu brought Chen Yi, Xiao Wuge, Xiao Die, and their companions to his home and introduced Yunxiang as his unwed bride.
• Li’s mother rejected Yunxiang because she was uneducated and beneath Li Huaigu’s new status, and Yunxiang ran away with Li Huaigu chasing after her.
• Yunxiang told Li Huaigu that a neighboring hunter had proposed with a betrothal gift, urged him to find a suitable match, and left him holding her jade.
• After witnessing Li Huaigu and Yunxiang’s separation, Chen Yi declared that man could conquer nature and asked Xiao Die to investigate whether the hunter had truly offered betrothal gifts.

Chen Yi staged a mock abduction of Yunxiang to provoke Li Huaigu into overcoming his hesitation and rescuing her. Li Huaigu reunited with Yunxiang, announced their coming wedding, and Chen Yi returned to the Xiao Manor unsure whether they would stay together.

• Chen Yi enlisted Liu Si'er, Xiao Die, and Ge Laosan to stage Yunxiang's abduction and draw Li Huaigu out of his home.
• Ge Laosan raised an alarm outside Li Huaigu's house, and Li Huaigu defied his mother's objections and rushed to find Yunxiang.
• Chen Yi, Xiao Die, and Liu Si'er released Yunxiang and fled when Li Huaigu and the neighbors approached.
• Yunxiang showed Li Huaigu Chen Yi's note urging him not to regret failing to act, and Li Huaigu announced that he and Yunxiang would marry soon.
• Chen Yi and his group returned to the Xiao Manor, while Xiao Wuge asked whether Li Huaigu and Yunxiang would end up together.

The Xiao family debated punishing Chen Yi for his intervention in Li Huaigu's affairs and confined him to the estate pending Jinghong's return. Liu Si'er discovered orders warning that he had been exposed, while Chen Yi used Pei Guanli's copies of hidden letters to identify the playscript needed to decipher them.

• Xiao Wang demanded fifty strokes and banishment for Chen Yi, while Sun Fu argued that helping Li Huaigu had gained the Xiao family a useful connection.
• Old Marquis Xiao deferred the final decision until Jinghong returned and ordered Chen Yi to remain in the estate with guards outside Chunhe Garden.
• Liu Si'er learned that a maidservant had visited his room and hurried back to check his hidden secret letters.
• Liu Si'er decoded a message ordering him to kill whoever had exposed him and informing him that the fledgling had been taken over by another.
• Pei Guanli told Chen Yi that she had searched Liu Si'er's room, copied the hidden papers, and returned them to their original places.
• Chen Yi checked the copied information against books in the study and identified a volume of Huangmei opera scripts as the cipher source.

After decoding three secret letters that concerned him, Chen Yi learned that hidden guards in the Xiao Manor had exposed his identity and planned to kill him, but he chose to watch them while he and Pei Guanli grew stronger. Training in the Purple Bamboo Grove, Chen Yi broke through to Ninth Rank · Upper, stunning Pei Guanli.

• Chen Yi decoded three secret letters identifying him as the “fledgeling,” questioning who had caused his aborted marriage, and warning that he had been exposed and should be killed.
• Pei Guanli realized the letters concerned Chen Yi and proposed attacking the hidden guard, but Chen Yi decided to wait and uncover the guards’ purpose while keeping their advantage of knowing the guards’ identities.
• Chen Yi led Pei Guanli to the Purple Bamboo Grove to train, checked his status panel, and practiced the Great Spear Stance Cultivation.
• Chen Yi broke through to Ninth Rank · Upper and learned how qi circulated through the two qi seas at that stage.
• Pei Guanli said her cultivation was nearing a breakthrough to Eighth Rank, then reacted with disbelief when Chen Yi revealed that he had already advanced.

Chen Yi continued studying medicine while Shuzhou’s rumors about his supposed attempt to abduct Yunxiang upset Xiao Die, though he calmed her with jokes. After defeating Pei Guanli in their daily sparring, he received an intelligence notice about Duchess of Qian Xiao Qiuyun disciplining Zhang Heng, then encountered Liu Si'er late at night.

• Shuzhou’s people spread rumors that Chen Yi had tried to abduct Yunxiang, despite Li Huaigu and Yunxiang clarifying what happened.
• Chen Yi reassured the tearful Xiao Die and continued advancing his medical knowledge by studying the Treatise on Cold Damage Disorders.
• Chen Yi expanded his medical dao to minor accomplishment by spending eleven points of fortune.
• Chen Yi defeated Pei Guanli in two sparring matches, using his ability to read her moves and Qi.
• Chen Yi received intelligence that Duchess of Qian Xiao Qiuyun would discipline Zhang Heng, then met Liu Si'er at Chunhe Garden’s entrance.

Chen Yi deflected Liu Si'er’s suspicion after he intruded into Chunhe Garden, then realized Liu Si'er might be tracking Pei Guanli and warned her in writing. Pei Guanli read the note and became convinced Chen Yi had seen her while she was barely dressed.

• Liu Si'er entered Chunhe Garden at night to investigate a noise, and Chen Yi claimed he had been practicing; Wang Lixing arrived and reprimanded Liu Si'er for breaking the rules.
• Chen Yi offered to have Liu Si'er rewarded, then sent him and Wang Lixing back to guard the gate; Liu Si'er later accepted Wang Lixing’s explanation that Chen Yi practiced at night.
• Chen Yi suspected Liu Si'er had followed Pei Guanli’s movements and decided to warn her, while also wondering who the Hidden Guard planned to send in Liu Si'er’s place.
• The next morning, Chen Yi told Wang Lixing he would excuse Liu Si'er’s intrusion but warned him to prevent a repeat, then declined Wang Lixing’s offer to watch his training.
• Chen Yi slipped Pei Guanli a note warning her to be careful around Liu Si'er; after reading and burning it, she realized she had opened the door wearing only undergarments and feared Chen Yi had seen her.

After reaching the Ninth Rank, Upper Stage, Chen Yi accompanied Xiao Wuge around the marquis’s mansion and heard servants gossip about his scandalous reputation. He secretly watched Xiao Qiuyun punish Zhang Heng for breaking a cup, then learned Xiao Jinghong was returning with the Old Marquis’s birthday gift.

• Chen Yi showed off his increased strength, brushed aside Liu Si'er’s apology, and went with Xiao Wuge to look for Zhang Heng.
• Ge Laosan told Chen Yi that Zhang Heng was kneeling in Qingjing Residence, so Chen Yi and Xiao Wuge went there.
• Chen Yi overheard Zhang Heng falsely blame him for breaking a cup, then watched Xiao Qiuyun beat Zhang Heng after the lie was exposed.
• Chen Yi left Qingjing Residence with Xiao Wuge, judging Xiao Wang eager to find his weaknesses and Xiao Qiuyun harsh in her discipline.
• Yan Hong told Chen Yi that Xiao Jinghong was returning to the mansion and had sent ahead the birthday gift for the Old Marquis.

Chen Yi continued his quiet days in Chunhe Garden as Xiao Jinghong approached Shuzhou, while a secret message about her return and Chen Yi’s growing connections reached a masked figure in the Capital Prefecture. The figure ordered that Chen Yi be offered a taste of power and wondered why he showed no hatred after being suppressed for five years.

• Yan Hong delivered Xiao Jinghong’s elaborate tortoise-shell birthday gift, and Chen Yi asked Xiao Die to check on the progress of the birthday ode before returning to fish with Xiao Wuge.
• Yan Hong and Wang Lixing discussed how Chen Yi had changed, recalling his escape from the wedding procession and his later misadventures outside the manor.
• Liu Si’er secretly passed a message to Uncle Gui, who copied and destroyed it before sending the information onward by carrier pigeon and harrier eagle.
• A masked figure in the Capital Prefecture received a report that Xiao Jinghong would return for Marquis Dingyuan’s birthday, that the emperor’s bestowed cup had shattered, and that Chen Yi had met Li Huaigu.
• The masked figure ordered his agents to offer Chen Yi a taste of power and ask the palace whether the emperor would bestow a seven-colored glass cup on Marquis Dingyuan.
• After praising Chen Yi’s calligraphy, the masked figure wondered why Chen Yi did not hate him after being suppressed for five years.

Chen Yi discovered that the mounted birthday ode was a poor imitation, so he rewrote it with a spiritual Artistic Conception and sent it back to be mounted under guard. Xiao Jinghong returned to Shuzhou and heard rumors accusing Chen Yi of abducting a woman and visiting brothels, leaving her suspicious of him.

• Chen Yi learned the original birthday ode had disappeared and that the mounting shop had replaced it with calligraphy by Mr. Yue Ming; Xiao Die angrily confronted the shop owner but could not recover the original.
• Chen Yi rewrote "Yongyu Le: Ode to Marquis Xiao" in running script, infusing the characters with a pearly Artistic Conception that Xiao Die saw glowing.
• Chen Yi sent Xiao Die to the mounting shop with armored soldiers to guard the new calligraphy.
• Xiao Wan'er met Xiao Jinghong outside Shuzhou City, and the sisters rode back together in a carriage driven by Shen Huatang.
• Xiao Jinghong overheard rumors that Chen Yi had forcibly seized a woman and patronized brothels, and she judged him the most shameless husband in history.

Xiao Jinghong returned to Shuzhou with Xiao Wan'er and heard the city gossip about Chen Yi’s poetry and reputation. At a roadside mounting shop, they found Mr. Yue Ming arguing with Xiao Die over a calligraphy copybook, and Xiao Wan'er recognized its extraordinary calligraphic artistic conception.

• Xiao Jinghong listened to scholars praise Chen Yi’s poetry while condemning his conduct, then asked Xiao Wan'er whether he had changed for the better.
• Xiao Wan'er told Xiao Jinghong that Chen Yi had obediently copied family rules and read books after she left the Marquis's mansion.
• Shen Huatang stopped the carriage when Xiao Jinghong spotted Mr. Yue Ming trying to obtain the birthday calligraphy from Xiao Die.
• Xiao Die told Mr. Yue Ming that Chen Yi had written the calligraphy, and Xiao Wan'er confirmed that it was her brother-in-law’s work.
• Xiao Wan'er began unfolding the calligraphy and saw its characters emit a jade-like glow, realizing it displayed Calligraphy Artistic Conception.

Xiao Wan'er and Xiao Jinghong returned to the Marquis's mansion after seeing the extraordinary calligraphy Chen Yi had written, and Xiao Jinghong grew curious about how he had changed. When she finally met him again in Chunhe Garden, their first long gaze left her flustered and Chen Yi admiring her beauty.

• Mr. Yue Ming questioned whether Chen Yi had written the calligraphy, and Xiao Jinghong promised the Xiao Family would answer him later.
• Wang Lixing confirmed that Chen Yi wrote the characters, while Xiao Die recounted his recent deeds to the two Xiao sisters on their way back.
• Xiao Wan'er and Xiao Jinghong studied the glowing calligraphy, and Xiao Jinghong glimpsed a gentle, leisurely figure that reminded her of Chen Yi.
• The Xiao sisters returned to the Marquis's mansion, where the old marquis welcomed Xiao Jinghong's return and discussed the family's future with Zhang Xuan and Sun Fu.
• Xiao Jinghong and Xiao Wan'er entered Chunhe Garden and found Chen Yi joking with Zhang Heng and Xiao Wuge while digging for earthworms.
• Chen Yi and Xiao Jinghong gazed at each other until she looked away and said she would change clothes, while he silently admired her.

Xiao Jinghong returned to the Wooden Tower and questioned Pei Guanli about her secret time with Chen Yi, while Pei Guanli kept his secrets. Chen Yi then learned that Xiao Wan'er and Xiao Wuge had praised his talents to Xiao Jinghong, and Xiao Wan'er warned that his calligraphy could bring many visitors to his door.

• Xiao Jinghong caught Pei Guanli sneaking out of the study and questioned her about what she had been doing with Chen Yi.
• Pei Guanli admitted that Chen Yi knew she was staying there and had been bringing her food, but promised not to reveal his secrets.
• Chen Yi overheard Xiao Wuge praising his poems, calligraphy, and opinions to Xiao Jinghong, then sent Xiao Wuge off to fish.
• Xiao Wan'er told Chen Yi about Mr. Yue Ming's interest in his Birthday Ode and asked whether he had written it.
• Chen Yi confirmed that he had written the calligraphy, and Xiao Wan'er predicted that his reputation would attract people seeking his work.

Xiao Wan'er discovered Chen Yi's poem describing Xiao Jinghong, mistook its meaning for a possible declaration of love, and secretly took it along with one of his calligraphy copybooks. The chapter ended with Xiao Wan'er concealing her confusion from Xiao Jinghong as they headed to visit their grandfather.

• Chen Yi told Xiao Wan'er that his poem should be kept safe as a birthday gift for the Old Master, and she carried it to his study.
• Xiao Wan'er found Chen Yi's poem "Graceful Spirit Ode," suspected it described Xiao Jinghong, and grew troubled by what it might reveal about Chen Yi's feelings.
• Xiao Wan'er took the poem and a running-script copybook, leaving Chen Yi a note asking him not to entertain wild thoughts.
• Xiao Jinghong told Chen Yi she and Xiao Wan'er were going to visit their grandfather, while Chen Yi and Zhang Heng relaxed after she left.
• Chen Yi found Xiao Wan'er's note and realized she had taken the poem, while Pei Guanli assured him she had not revealed his secrets.
• Xiao Jinghong noticed Xiao Wan'er seemed troubled on their way to Qingjing Residence, but Xiao Wan'er hid her concern and continued with her.

Xiao Jinghong and Xiao Wan'er visited Old Marquis Xiao and discussed the Dingyuan Army’s shortages and plans for retired veterans. After confronting relatives who wanted to discipline or appoint Chen Yi, Xiao Jinghong suggested that he help Xiao Wan'er instead, leaving her alarmed.

• Zhang Xuan tried to persuade Sun Fu to return to Jiaozhou, but Sun Fu refused and criticized Zhang Xuan’s heir, Shao Jie.
• Xiao Jinghong told Old Marquis Xiao that the Dingyuan Army lacked funds, supplies, weapons, and horses, and proposed placing retired veterans in a mutual market with the Mountain Tribe.
• Xiao Wan'er reported that the family’s medicinal herb business was thriving, and Old Marquis Xiao approved of Xiao Jinghong’s marriage to Chen Yi.
• Li Changqing greeted Xiao Jinghong and Xiao Wan'er, but Xiao Jinghong brushed him off and left with her sister.
• Xiao Wang demanded that Xiao Jinghong severely punish Chen Yi, while Xiao Qiuyun proposed finding him a Registrar post; Xiao Jinghong rejected both suggestions.
• Xiao Jinghong proposed that Chen Yi help Xiao Wan'er instead, leaving Xiao Wan'er protesting, “Second Sister, you mustn't.”

Xiao Jinghong and Chen Yi spoke privately for the first time about their past choices and the lives they wanted, growing more at ease with each other. They parted after introducing themselves anew as husband and wife, leaving Xiao Jinghong quietly watching Chen Yi return to his room.

• Xiao Wan'er asked Xiao Jinghong to consult Chen Yi about helping her, and Xiao Jinghong decided to find him something to do while she handled family and military affairs.
• Chen Yi shared lunch with the Xiao sisters, Xiao Wuge, and Zhang Heng, while Xiao Wan'er remained unusually quiet around him.
• After a busy afternoon at Chunhe Garden, Chen Yi reviewed his progress in calligraphy and martial techniques and reflected on the difficulty of advancing his Medical Dao.
• Chen Yi found Xiao Jinghong sitting by the pond and asked why she had fled their wedding and why she wore a mask; she explained that a barbarian had wounded her during a patrol and that the mask was practical in the army.
• Xiao Jinghong and Chen Yi spoke comfortably for an hour, then introduced themselves anew as husband and wife and wished each other good night.

Xiao Jinghong prepared for the day and invited Chen Yi to accompany her and Xiao Qiuyun on visits to various residences. She then asked him to help Xiao Qiuyun manage the family’s businesses, leaving Chen Yi wary of being put to work.

• Xiao Jinghong reviewed her schedule with Su Zhenyue, dismissed General Changqing’s afternoon appointment, and asked that extra meat be prepared for Pei Guanli.
• Xiao Jinghong surprised Su Zhenyue by deciding to ask Chen Yi whether he wanted to join the visits to various residences.
• Chen Yi woke late, waited for Xiao Jinghong, and listened as Xiao Die recounted the previous day’s encounters with Yue Ming and Li Changqing.
• Xiao Jinghong returned, and she and Chen Yi headed to Jiaxing Garden together.
• Xiao Jinghong invited Chen Yi to visit the residences with her and Xiao Qiuyun, then asked him to assist Xiao Qiuyun with the family’s medicine halls, fields, and shops.

Chen Yi accompanied Xiao Jinghong and Xiao Wan'er around the Xiao family estate while avoiding Xiao Jinghong’s request that he help her sister. As the Old Marquis’s birthday approached, Chen Yi continued his martial training and received Li Huaigu and Yunxiang, who invited him to their wedding and to a poetry gathering.

• Chen Yi resisted Xiao Jinghong’s request to help Xiao Wan'er, while Xiao Wan'er remained embarrassed by his poem and calligraphy.
• Chen Yi accompanied Xiao Jinghong and Xiao Wan'er on visits to the Xiao family branches and learned more about the family’s main and second branches.
• Chen Yi asked Xiao Jinghong to let Xiao Wan'er decide about his assistance after the Old Master’s birthday, and Xiao Jinghong agreed.
• During three days of rain, Chen Yi practiced martial arts and brought several techniques to complete mastery at the practiced level.
• As the Old Marquis’s birthday neared, visitors came to Xiao Manor, and Chen Yi trained while Xiao Jinghong handled official and military affairs.
• Li Huaigu and Yunxiang visited Chen Yi, thanked him for helping them, invited him to their wedding, and offered him an invitation to a poetry gathering; Chen Yi accepted the wedding invitation and refused the gathering.

At Guiyun Academy, Mr. Yue Ming learned that Chen Yi had written the remarkable calligraphy he admired and decided to visit him personally. Back at Chunhe Garden, Chen Yi received a message from his elder brother, Chen Yunfan, summoning him to welcome him in Shu Prefecture, and dismissed the expectation with scorn.

• Mr. Yue Ming told Li Huaigu that he had invited Chen Yi to a poetry gathering to see the calligraphy copybook, but Li Huaigu explained Chen Yi had refused to avoid comparisons with his Zhuangyuan brother, Chen Yunfan.
• Li Huaigu showed Mr. Yue Ming a poem written in Chen Yi's hand, and Mr. Yue Ming recognized it as the same extraordinary calligraphy as the Ode to Marquis Xiao and admitted he had wrongly doubted Chen Yi's maidservant.
• Mr. Yue Ming decided to seek a calligraphy copybook from Chen Yi himself, while keeping the poetry gathering scheduled to welcome Li Huaigu.
• Chen Yi continued his quiet routine at Chunhe Garden as Xiao Jinghong handled visitors, and Liu Si'er delivered a name card from Chen Yunfan.
• Chen Yi read Chen Yunfan's request that he meet him at the North City Official Road the next morning and scoffed at the idea that he should go welcome him.

Chen Yi learned that Chen Yunfan was arriving in Shuzhou and prepared to meet him with Xiao Wuge at his side. Meanwhile, Xiao Wan'er and Xiao Jinghong discussed the estate's finances and their family plans, leaving Xiao Wan'er uneasy about Chen Yi.

• Chen Yi received intelligence that Chen Yunfan would arrive on the North City Official Road and decided to go meet him for the fortune it promised.
• Xiao Wan'er and Xiao Jinghong finished reviewing the estate's accounts and a memorial requesting funds and provisions for the Dingyuan Army.
• Xiao Jinghong told Xiao Wan'er that she and Chen Yi were getting along, then proposed having him help with the estate's affairs, which flustered Xiao Wan'er.
• Chen Yi dressed carefully, informed Xiao Jinghong, and set out with Xiao Wuge, Xiao Die, Wang Lixing, and Yan Hong to meet Chen Yunfan.
• Chen Yi asked Xiao Wuge how to deal with someone who provoked him, and Xiao Wuge suggested having the person flogged before Chen Yi recommended a surprise blow with a club.

Chen Yi traveled with Xiao Wuge and Xiao Die to the Post Station to meet his elder brother, Chen Yunfan, the newly appointed Zhuangyuan and Counselor. After learning Chen Yunfan might become a senior provincial official soon, Chen Yi was warned to act cautiously, but he remained ambiguous about his relationship with his brother.

• Chen Yi's carriage reached the Post Station, where Shuzhou Prefect Liu Si and other officials were waiting for Chen Yunfan.
• Xiao Wuge learned that Chen Yi had come to meet his elder brother, Chen Yunfan, and asked whether they were on bad terms.
• Liu Si praised Chen Yunfan's rank and position, while Chen Yi pointedly compared him with Li Huaigu, souring Liu Si's expression.
• Xiao Dongchen warned Chen Yi that the aging Right Envoy of the Shu Provincial Administration would retire within two years and urged him to be cautious.
• Chen Yi showed Xiao Dongchen the Name Card summoning him, then ended the exchange by saying he did not know whether Chen Yunfan got along with him.

Chen Yi watched his elder brother Chen Yunfan arrive in Shu as the new Zhuangyuan and provincial counselor, and the two traded barbed remarks before parting on strained terms. After receiving a cultivation technique reward, Chen Yi suspected Chen Yunfan concealed his abilities, while Chen Yunfan privately learned that Chen Yi had practiced the Martial Path.

• Chen Yunfan arrived at the post station in an extravagant carriage, and officials welcomed him as Chen Yi and Xiao Wuge watched.
• Chen Yunfan greeted Chen Yi as Yun Fan, and the two exchanged pointed remarks about their past and Chen Yunfan’s romantic reputation.
• Chen Yi introduced Xiao Wuge as the Young Marquis, and Xiao Wuge criticized Chen Yunfan for stepping on a maidservant to leave his carriage.
• Chen Yunfan departed for Shuzhou City after a tense exchange, and Chen Yi received the Mysterious Turtle Breath Concealment Art as a reward for witnessing his arrival.
• Chunying told Chen Yunfan that Chen Yi had practiced the Martial Path, and Chen Yunfan remarked that his brother had changed and learned to hide his abilities.