Recaps

Chen Yi arranged for Ma Liangcai to diagnose and awaken Chen Yunfan, while Cui Qingwu watched and questioned the physician about his prescription and background. After Chen Yunfan woke, Chen Yi left for the Xiao Family and found Xiao Wan'er waiting outside Chunhe Garden.

• Cui Qingwu warned Chunying to guard Chen Yunfan and then left, while Chen Yi and Li Huaigu waited to examine him.
• Ma Liangcai diagnosed Chen Yunfan with a nonfatal sleeping poison and prescribed common herbs; Cui Qingwu had Chang Chengbi examine the prescription and ordered Huan'er to investigate Ma Liangcai.
• Cui Qingwu returned to the guest room, questioned Ma Liangcai about his training, and personally fed Chen Yunfan the medicine.
• Chen Yunfan woke after drinking several mouthfuls, learned he had been drugged, and thanked Chen Yi for saving him; Chen Yi teased him and left with Li Huaigu.
• On the carriage ride back, Chen Yi explained that he had used the encounter with Xinglin Zhai to test whether the Liu Family had ties to the Qinghe Cui Family.
• Chen Yi returned to the Xiao Family and found Xiao Wan'er waiting outside Chunhe Garden.

Xiao Wan'er warned Chen Yi that the Liu Family of Jingzhou might target the Xiao Family, and Chen Yi arranged for Ma Liangcai to ease her cold affliction with a medicine that worked. Meanwhile, Li Huaigu learned he had to collect a heavy grain tax from the Dingyuan Army within a month, a task Yang Ye suspected was tied to the Liu Family’s plans against the Xiao Family.

• Xiao Wan'er told Chen Yi that Linglan Pavilion had acted on the Liu Family of Jingzhou’s orders and warned him to stay cautious after the Liu family’s Sixth Young Master died.
• Chen Yi agreed to visit Guiyun Academy and later had Ma Liangcai examine Xiao Wan'er and prescribe medicine to alleviate her cold affliction.
• Xiao Wan'er drank Ma Liangcai’s medicine, felt warmth return to her body, and rejoiced when her condition improved.
• Li Huaigu learned that Left Envoy Liu had ordered him to collect the Dingyuan Army’s grain tax at the maximum rate within one month.
• Yang Ye suspected the tax order was connected to the death of the Liu Family’s Sixth Young Master and warned Li Huaigu to proceed carefully; Li Huaigu asked to consult Yue Ming.

On a stormy afternoon, Chen Yi taught Xiao Wuge Go and considered the Xiao Family’s response to Liu Jing’s death, while new intelligence suggested Hidden Guards would meet at Fengchun Tower. The next morning, after confirming Xiao Dongchen and Ge Laosan planned to meet there, Chen Yi headed to Guiyun Academy and unexpectedly encountered Fang Gui.

• Chen Yi taught Xiao Wuge Go and cautiously answered his question about whether Xiao Wan’er’s illness could be cured.
• Chen Yi reasoned that the Xiao Family would investigate Liu Jing’s death and received intelligence that Hidden Guards would discuss important matters at Fengchun Tower.
• Chen Yi deduced that Xiao Dongchen was the likeliest Hidden Guard to attend the meeting and decided he would go investigate.
• Chen Yi visited Xiao Wan’er before leaving for Guiyun Academy, and she said medicinal broth had made her feel warm enough to go without her cloak.
• Chen Yi overheard that Xiao Dongchen had arranged for Ge Laosan to meet him at Fengchun Tower, then headed alone toward Guiyun Academy.
• Fang Gui called out to Chen Yi on the way, and Chen Yi greeted him in surprise.

Chen Yi accompanied Li Huaigu to Guiyun Academy, where he agreed to teach calligraphy after reading Master Juyi’s approval. Li Huaigu sought advice about a grain-tax assignment tied to tensions between the Xiao and Liu families, and Chen Yi stayed at the academy as Mr. Yue Ming immediately asked him to produce a calligraphic masterpiece.

• Chen Yi joined Li Huaigu on the way to Guiyun Academy and learned that Liu Hong had ordered Li Huaigu to collect two-tenths of the summer grain tax from the Three Towns within a month.
• Chen Yi advised Li Huaigu not to rush the journey, since the contest between the Xiao and Liu families would determine what happened and the assignment’s deadline might be impossible to meet.
• Li Huaigu and Chen Yi arrived at Guiyun Academy, where Mr. Yue Ming gave Chen Yi a letter from Master Juyi approving his teaching appointment.
• Mr. Yue Ming advised Li Huaigu not to act rashly, and Li Huaigu prepared to leave for the Three Towns while Chen Yi stayed at the academy.
• Mr. Yue Ming took Chen Yi into a study room and asked him to leave behind a calligraphic masterpiece before they had even signed his instructor contract.

Chen Yi toured Guiyun Academy, became its calligraphy instructor, and headed to Fengchun Tower after learning Ge Laosan was waiting to collect Master Dongchen. A Light Screen warned him that an unseen person had arrived, so he changed his mind about riding back with Ge Laosan and went inside instead.

• After Li Huaigu left, Chen Yi wrote two calligraphy copybooks, which Mr. Yue Ming hid away to keep the other academy gentlemen from claiming them.
• Mr. Yue Ming showed Chen Yi around Guiyun Academy, introduced him to its bickering gentlemen, and announced Chen Yi’s appointment as an instructor.
• Chen Yi visited several Study Halls, where some students recognized him from Li Huaigu’s wedding banquet and reacted with suspicion or dislike.
• Chen Yi signed an employment contract for one tael of Silver Coins per month and learned his first class would be in three days.
• Chen Yi left the academy and went to Fengchun Tower, where he found Ge Laosan waiting to pick up Master Dongchen.
• When Chen Yi considered asking Ge Laosan to take him back, the Light Screen awarded him Fortune +10 and warned that someone had arrived unseen; Chen Yi instead went into Fengchun Tower to buy Ice Ciba for Wu Ge.

Chen Yi entered Fengchun Tower to investigate the Hidden Guards but learned little beyond overhearing a conversation about Ma Liangcai and finding Chen Yunfan there. After Chen Yi left, Chen Yunfan resumed dinner with Cui Qingwu, who stayed in Shuzhou to investigate the powder that had knocked him unconscious and find the person responsible.

• Chen Yi ordered Ice Ciba at Fengchun Tower and used the Mysterious Turtle Breath Concealment Art to listen to the private rooms, where he heard Xiao Dongchen, Chen Yunfan, Cui Qingwu, and her maid discussing Ma Liangcai.
• Cui Qingwu's maid spotted Chen Yi, and Chen Yunfan came downstairs to greet him and offer to pay for his pastries.
• Chen Yi declined Chen Yunfan's invitation to join the meal and left for the Xiao Family residence, still unsure which Hidden Guard had met Xiao Dongchen.
• Ge Laosan watched Chen Yunfan return upstairs and wondered whether the Zhuangyuan's warmth toward Fledgling might be useful.
• Chen Yunfan discussed his official assignment and his concern for Chen Yi with Cui Qingwu, who insisted on remaining in Shuzhou to investigate the powder and find the culprit.
• Cui Qingwu traveled behind Chen Yunfan's carriage, then slapped her maid for questioning her decision to stay.

Chen Yi deduced that Xiao Dongchen was plotting to exploit the Xiao-Liu family conflict, then advanced his Fist Dao to Great Accomplishment. The Light Screen warned that the Judicial Department would capture Liu Jing’s supposed murderer outside Huixian Tower, leading Chen Yi to suspect a Xiao Family scheme and decide to investigate.

• Chen Yi replayed the fragments he had overheard at Fengchun Tower and concluded that Xiao Dongchen intended to use the Xiao-Liu family conflict to help the Second Branch seize control of the Xiao Family.
• Ge Laosan brought Xiao Dongchen back to Xiao Manor, where Chen Yi overheard the two Hidden Guards discussing people who would be sent out the next day.
• Chen Yi returned to Chunhe Garden, shared Ice Ciba with Xiao Die, Pei Guanli, and Xiao Wuge, and said he would soon teach writing at Guiyun Academy.
• Chen Yi spent Fortune to raise Martial Dao Fist to the Great Accomplishment Realm, then continued cultivating the Four Symbols Technique.
• The Light Screen reported that the Shuzhou Judicial Department would capture Liu Jing’s murderer outside Huixian Tower, and Chen Yi suspected the supposed murderer would be impersonating someone connected to the Xiao Family.

Chen Yi cultivated, discussed his new teaching work and pharmacy duties with Xiao Wan'er, then went to Hundred Herbs Hall to pursue a plan related to Liu Jing's death and the Xiao Family. Wang Ji told him that there had been progress on the task Chen Yi had assigned him.

• Pei Guanli tried chilies with Xiao Wuge, then enjoyed Strawberry Tea before heading to Jiaxing Garden.
• Chen Yi trained in the Purple Bamboo Grove, displaying the power of his mastered Martial Dao Fist.
• Chen Yi ate with Xiao Wan'er and said he planned to continue working at Jishi Pharmacy while teaching at Guiyun Academy.
• Xiao Wan'er warned Chen Yi to be careful outside the manor, and Chen Yi left for Hundred Herbs Hall without a guard.
• Chen Yi surveyed the alleys near Huixian Tower, then noticed Liu Lang's injuries remained severe when he entered Hundred Herbs Hall.
• Wang Ji took Chen Yi to a quiet room and reported progress on the matter Chen Yi had assigned him.

Chen Yi suspected that the injured Liu Lang had come to Hundred Herbs Hall for a reason and decided to use bait to test him. That night, while secretly heading toward Huixian Tower, Chen Yi overheard a Hundred-Household Commander investigating where the Liu Family guards had gathered.

• Chen Yi arranged for Wang Ji to relocate a disguised martial artist, asked him to look after Ma Liangcai and the other physicians, and probed Liu Lang about his strength and health.
• Liu Lang wondered whether Chen Yi had recognized his injuries and decided to visit Ma Liangcai at Jishi Pharmacy.
• Chen Yi spent the afternoon at Chunhe Garden, then prepared a disguise and slipped out that night without alerting the others.
• Chen Yi headed toward Huixian Tower and overheard a Hundred-Household Commander order a subordinate to take him to a witness who had seen the Liu Family guards gathering there.

Chen Yi followed the Judicial Department’s investigation into a witness whose testimony implicated the Xiao Family, then uncovered a plot involving a staged witness and a deadly attack. After killing the witness and escaping the pursuing officers, he concluded that a spear-wielding man was from the Xiao Family and sensed someone following him as he headed home.

• Chen Yi followed Fang Hongxiu and the Judicial Officers as Sun Erhu claimed he had seen men connected to the Xiao Family near Huixian Tower.
• A flying dart killed Sun Erhu, and Chen Yi knocked out the officer left behind before pursuing Fang Hongxiu toward West Market.
• Chen Yi watched the Judicial Officers capture an old black-clad man, then recognized that the man was likely meant to frame the Xiao Family.
• A second black-clad man with a spear attacked the Judicial Officers, and Chen Yi killed the captured old man before fleeing and drawing Fang Hongxiu after him.
• Chen Yi knocked out Fang Hongxiu and the other pursuing officers, then headed back toward the Xiao Family and called out to someone following him.

Chen Yi fought off two Hidden Guard women after discovering they had been watching him, then escaped to Hundred Herbs Hall to treat his injuries. There, Liu Lang recognized Chen Yi’s needlework and asked which renowned Medical Saint Hand he was.

• Chen Yi called out the hidden watcher, learned that a Sixth Rank Realm woman and her companion were Hidden Guard officers, and fled toward the Great Dao.
• The Sixth Rank Realm woman pursued Chen Yi and attacked him with darts and a flexible sword, but Chen Yi struck her with his great-mastery Collapsing Mountain Fist Intent and damaged her hand.
• Chen Yi taunted the woman with knowledge of her meeting with Xiao Dongchen, then struck her flexible sword with a porcelain bottle containing pink fluorescence and escaped as she collapsed.
• Chen Yi recognized the women as Cui Qingwu and her maidservant Huan'er, warned Huan'er that Cui Qingwu owed him a life, and left before tending his wounds at Hundred Herbs Hall.
• Liu Lang found Chen Yi treating himself with Silver Needles and herbs, and asked whether he was a Medical Saint Hand after recognizing his Qi to Control Needles.

Chen Yi repaired his injuries with Using Qi to Control Needles and agreed to treat Liu Lang in exchange for thirty tasks, discovering that Liu Lang had been defeated by Xiao Jinghong. Chen Yi returned to the Xiao Family, where Xiao Die panicked because she thought the Son-in-law had disappeared again.

• Chen Yi repaired his meridians and wounds, and Liu Lang asked him to treat his injuries despite being unable to afford a fee.
• Chen Yi accepted Liu Lang's Five-Fold Spear as part of the consultation fee and required him to perform thirty tasks, warning that they could be dangerous.
• Chen Yi arranged to treat Liu Lang at Hundred Herbs Hall the following night, and Liu Lang realized Chen Yi was the hall's mysterious owner.
• Liu Lang explained that he had robbed the Xiao Family's Medicinal Herbs at another's request and that Xiao Jinghong had defeated him with two fingers.
• Chen Yi returned to the Xiao Family before midnight, where Xiao Die rushed out and feared that the Son-in-law had run away again.

After returning from his dangerous trip, Chen Yi concealed his injuries and reflected on the fortune he had earned, while Xiao Die worried that he would laugh at her. At the Xiao Family residence, the Old Master concluded that someone was trying to provoke conflict with the Liu Family and ordered a cautious response.

• Chen Yi pretended to have just woken up when Xiao Die searched for him, and she ran back to the wooden house in embarrassment after noticing her unfastened buttons.
• Xie Tingyun saw Chen Yi and Xiao Die from the wall, then told Shen Huatang that they had been playing hide-and-seek.
• Chen Yi cleaned his wounds, checked his reward for disrupting the Hidden Guard's scheme, and chose to cultivate rather than investigate a low-grade intelligence report.
• The Xiao Family Old Master told a black-clad subordinate that someone was trying to stir conflict between the Xiao and Liu Families and ordered him to find an unrelated scapegoat.
• The Old Master ordered the Shadow Guard to watch Cui Qingwu and told the subordinate to identify and later reward the person who had helped the Xiao Family.

Chen Yunfan and Cui Qingwu discovered that the attacker who had knocked them unconscious was likely connected to the Xiao Family and agreed to find him. Meanwhile, Chen Yi spent the morning with Xiao Wuge and Xiao Die, then hurried to Jiaxing Garden after learning Xiao Wan'er had fallen ill.

• Chen Yunfan learned Cui Qingwu had been carried back injured and went to visit her, where she admitted the person who attacked her was likely connected to the Xiao Family.
• Chen Yunfan and Cui Qingwu realized they had both been attacked by the same person and agreed to search for him.
• Chen Yi buried his bloodstained clothes, ate breakfast with Xiao Wuge, Pei Guanli, and Xiao Die, and arranged beef for lunch.
• Pei Guanli said she planned to visit North City and buy Mid-Autumn Festival supplies rather than return to the Mountain Tribe.
• Chen Yi fished with Xiao Wuge while Xiao Die served tea, but Cui'er arrived to report that Xiao Wan'er had a fever and a cough.
• Chen Yi went to check on Xiao Wan'er and told Xiao Wuge and Xiao Die to stay behind to avoid catching her illness.

Chen Yi treated Xiao Wan'er’s life-threatening cold with acupuncture, then left her to recover while he waited for her medicine. After waking, Xiao Wan'er learned he had lifted her quilt and remembered him saying that his poem was written for her, leaving her embarrassed and wondering whether he truly had only been treating her.

• Chen Yi found Xiao Wan'er unconscious and used acupuncture to stabilize her failing aura, telling Cui'er and Juan'er that she had an ordinary cold.
• While Xiao Wan'er briefly regained consciousness, she asked Chen Yi whether his poem had been written about her, and he confirmed that it had before she fainted again.
• Juan'er caught Chen Yi beside Xiao Wan'er with her quilt lifted, but he claimed he had uncovered her because her soaked clothes were worsening her illness.
• Xiao Wan'er woke later, overheard Cui'er and Juan'er discussing Chen Yi lifting her quilt, and recalled a hazy memory of him saying the poem was written for her.
• Xiao Wan'er asked what had happened while she was unconscious, learned Chen Yi had returned to prepare for teaching at Guiyun Academy, and privately hoped he truly knew medicine.

Chen Yi reviewed calligraphy practice books sent by Yue Ming and left candid annotations before setting out to delay a task at Hundred Herbs Hall. On his way out, he learned that the Liu Jing investigation had implicated the Xiao Family and that Ge Laosan’s promise to redeem a girl was tied to a scheme involving Xiao Dongchen.

• Ma Guan delivered nearly fifty calligraphy practice books and a roster to Chen Yi, who crossed out Yue Ming’s and Zhuo Ying’s names before agreeing to review the books.
• Chen Yi gave Yue Ming and the other gentlemen personal critiques, then judged the students’ calligraphy and effort harshly.
• Cui’er told Chen Yi that Xiao Wan’er had invited Xiao Wuge to dinner but excluded Chen Yi, who understood she was reacting to his treatment of her that morning.
• Chen Yi heard that the Judicial Department suspected someone from Xiao Manor had murdered Liu Jing, but decided to wait and see how the Xiao Family responded.
• Liu Si’er told Chen Yi that Ge Laosan had promised to redeem a girl in South of the City but lacked the money, and Chen Yi realized the incident was connected to the Three Towns Granary scheme with Xiao Dongchen.

Chen Yi disguised himself as Chen Yu and visited Hundred Herbs Hall, where he healed Liu Lang’s meridians. He then asked Liu Lang to burn the summer grain stored in Shuzhou’s three military towns, leaving Liu Lang shocked and questioning whether Chen Yi had gone mad.

• Chen Yi used Zhang Dabao’s disguise skills to change his appearance and adopted the public identity Chen Yu, with only Wang Ji, Yan Hai, and Zhang Dabao knowing the truth.
• Chen Yi arrived at Hundred Herbs Hall as its Boss, and the staff and customers watched and discussed his appearance.
• Chen Yi took Liu Lang to a quiet room and used silver needles and True Essence to repair his damaged meridians.
• Chen Yi told Liu Lang to follow a three-day prescription and avoid fighting while he recovered.
• After Liu Lang reaffirmed his promise to repay Chen Yi, Chen Yi ordered him to find people to burn the summer grain in Shuzhou’s three military towns, and Liu Lang was stunned.

Chen Yi persuaded Liu Lang to spread a convincing rumor that the Three Towns’ Summer Grain would be burned, warning the Xiao Family while muddying the situation around the real plot. Later, he crossed paths with Chen Yunfan and Cui Qingwu in West Market, where their shared resentment of him gave way to memories of their childhood bond.

• Chen Yi told Liu Lang to publicize a fabricated plan to burn the Three Towns’ Summer Grain so the Xiao Family would prepare for the threat.
• Liu Lang agreed and considered recruiting Black Tooth to make the rumor convincing.
• Chen Yi shook off people following him, changed his disguise, and returned to West Market for food.
• Chen Yi overheard Chen Yunfan and Cui Qingwu discussing the Hundred Herbs Hall boss and realized they had become allies after Cui Qingwu used his prescription for Immortal's Draught.
• Ning Yu told Chen Yunfan that Chen Yi had seen them, but Chen Yunfan did not pursue him and instead reminisced with Cui Qingwu about defending Chen Yi as a child.

Chen Yi returned to the Xiao Family, learned that Ge Laosan had been punished, and considered the schemes surrounding Shuzhou before cultivating and receiving intelligence about Prefect Liu’s planned visit to Xiao Yuan. The next morning, Ma Guan arrived at Guiyun Academy and discovered that the study hall had been prepared for Chen Yi to teach calligraphy on expensive Yunsong Paper.

• Chen Yi returned to Xiao Manor, shared the food Xiao Wan'er had saved with Pei Guanli and Xiao Die, and heard that Ge Laosan had been taken to the Disciplinary Hall and ordered to resolve his affair.
• Chen Yi considered the Liu Family case, the plan to burn the Three Towns, and the motives of Xiao Dongchen and Cui Qingwu before cultivating the Four Symbols Technique.
• Chen Yi received daily intelligence that Prefect Liu and Judicial Department officials would visit Marquis Dingyuan's Estate to meet Xiao Yuan, and he speculated that they would report Liu Jing's death.
• Ma Guan went to Guiyun Academy, ignored fellow students who disparaged Chen Yi, and entered the study hall to find Yunsong Paper set up where the sand table usually stood.
• The students concluded that the headmaster had prepared the expensive paper for Chen Yi's calligraphy lesson, though they wondered whether he was really so generous.

Chen Yi traveled to Guiyun Academy to begin teaching calligraphy, intending to guide the students toward the Way of Calligraphy. After arriving, he noticed the study hall had sand tables despite the academy apparently switching to Yunsong Paper, leaving him puzzled.

• Chen Yi dressed for his visit to Guiyun Academy and ate breakfast with Xiao Wuge and Pei Guanli, who learned that he had reached the Seventh Rank Realm.
• Xiao Wan'er brought writing supplies for Chen Yi to deliver to Mr. Yue Ming and Mr. Zhuo Ying, then watched him leave and kept herself busy with manor affairs.
• On the carriage ride, Chen Yi resolved to teach the students the Way of Calligraphy as well as calligraphy itself.
• Chen Yi arrived at Guiyun Academy and let Ma Guan help carry the calligraphy practice booklets to the study hall.
• The forty-five students greeted Chen Yi, and he noticed that their desks held sand tables rather than Yunsong Paper.

Chen Yi taught the students at Guiyun Academy the foundations of writing and the Way of Calligraphy, then gave them individual guidance and practice. The lesson ended with news that Ma Guan had written characters showing faint brilliance, convincing the academy’s teachers that Chen Yi could teach students to achieve success in calligraphy.

• Chen Yi asked the students what characters, writing, calligraphy, and the Way of Calligraphy meant, then demonstrated his mastery by writing three radiant characters.
• Ma Guan and the other students realized Chen Yi intended to teach them the Way of Calligraphy and asked him to instruct them.
• Chen Yi explained the foundations of calligraphy, distributed practice booklets, evaluated the students’ writing, and guided them through practice.
• Mr. Yue Ming and Mr. Zhuo Ying discussed Chen Yi’s booklet on the Way of Calligraphy and considered trying his approach themselves.
• A guard reported that Ma Guan’s writing had shown faint brilliance, and the teachers hurried to confirm that a student had achieved success under Chen Yi’s instruction.

Ma Guan reached minor accomplishment in the Way of Calligraphy during Chen Yi’s first lesson, prompting Guiyun Academy’s elders to ask Chen Yi for a commemorative piece. Meanwhile, the Judicial Department accused the Xiao Family of links to Liu Jing’s murder, and Old Master Xiao demanded to know what gave Huang Zhuo the gall to confront them.

• Ma Guan wrote glowing characters in the sand tray, and Mr. Yue Ming and the other elders congratulated him on his calligraphy.
• Chen Yi ended Ma Guan’s exhausting practice, then wrote “Excellence is forged through diligence and wasted in play. Achievement comes from thought and is ruined by careless conformity” for the study hall.
• Mr. Yue Ming carefully kept Chen Yi’s calligraphy, while students who had missed registration rushed to seek a place in his class.
• Fang Hongxiu and Liu Si discussed the West Market murder at Marquis Dingyuan’s Estate, and Huang Zhuo said the available clues pointed to the Xiao Family.
• Huang Zhuo faltered while explaining the clues, and Old Master Xiao challenged him for bringing such ambiguous accusations to the Xiao Family.

Old Master Xiao reprimanded Liu Si and Huang Zhuo over their botched investigation, then dismissed them to uncover the truth, while making clear that Wu Ge alone would succeed him. The Judicial Department found a guard from the Wan Family as Liu Jing’s killer, and Chen Yi suspected Old Master had arranged the discovery to ease tensions; back at Chunhe Garden, he was introduced to Xiao Wan’er’s older guests as the famed calligraphy instructor.

• Old Master Xiao questioned Liu Si, Huang Zhuo, and Fang Hongxiu about the investigation, then ordered them to return after uncovering the truth.
• Old Master Xiao told Xiao Wang that he could not support the Xiao Family and named Wu Ge as its only successor.
• A Judicial Department officer reported that a guard from the Wan Family had been captured for Liu Jing’s murder, and Liu Si ordered him interrogated before a court hearing.
• Fang Hongxiu wondered whether the Wan Family guard had been used to frame the Xiao Family, while Chen Yi concluded that Old Master had arranged the discovery as a compromise.
• Chen Yi returned to Chunhe Garden, where Xiao Wan’er introduced him to her older guests as the academy instructor renowned for calligraphy.

Chen Yi received several powerful women at Chunhe Garden, teased Xiao Wan'er into avoiding him, and promised to help Pei Guanli improve after her defeat. As August approached, the Xiao Family’s troubles eased and its business prospered; Chen Yi reached the upper stage of Seventh Rank, then learned that the Hidden Guard was meeting in West Market.

• Madam Zhang asked Chen Yi to guide Tang Ye, Madam Sun sought a place for Bai Yutang in his study hall, and Wan Rourou said nothing about her family’s Nianlin Hall.
• Xiao Wan'er confronted Chen Yi about watching Wan Rourou, and he explained that he suspected her connection to Liu Jing’s murder; she left and avoided him at dinner.
• Pei Guanli told Chen Yi she had lost a technique-only spar against Shen Huatang and Xie Tingyun, and he told her to train before he helped her.
• As August neared, the Xiao and Liu Families’ dispute eased, the Xiao Family received profits from Hundred Herbs Hall, and Xiao Jinghong reported that Mutual Market construction would soon begin.
• Chen Yi reached the upper stage of Seventh Rank and decided to visit Hundred Herbs Hall to ask Liu Lang about his recovery and progress.
• Chen Yi received Earth Grade Intelligence that the Hidden Guard would discuss an important matter at a tailor shop in West Market.

Chen Yi suspected that his success teaching calligraphy at Guiyun Academy fit the Hidden Guard’s plans to build his reputation, and he decided to use the attention as cover. Meanwhile, Liu Lang sought Black Tooth to arrange the burning of the Three Towns’ summer grain, only to learn that someone else had already paid for the job.

• Chen Yi reasoned that the Hidden Guard might have arranged for him to gain prestige at Guiyun Academy, and he resumed cultivating the Four Symbols Technique before the planned operation.
• Liu Lang reflected on his defeat by Xiao Jinghong, then left Hundred Herbs Hall in the rain to seek Black Tooth in Yanhuaxiang.
• Liu Lang followed Bright Moon Tower’s rules to request an audience with Black Tooth and met him in a hidden room at Chunyu Tower.
• Liu Lang asked Black Tooth to burn the Three Towns’ summer grain, but Black Tooth said another client had already paid for the same operation.
• Black Tooth asked Liu Lang whether he was willing to take part in the job.