Chapter Summaries

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.

During a heavy storm, Xiao Wuge went to Chunhe Garden for breakfast with Chen Yi, while Xiao Wan'er struggled to smooth over her awkwardness with her brother-in-law. Chen Yi left for Guiyun Academy, and Xiao Wan'er resolved to try again to mend their relationship later.

• Xiao Wuge woke in Jiaxing Garden and asked Xiao Wan'er to take him to Chunhe Garden to eat with Chen Yi before he left for Guiyun Academy.
• Xiao Wan'er reflected on her earlier remarks to Chen Yi, wondered if she had overreacted, and asked Xiao Wuge whether she looked unwell.
• At breakfast, Chen Yi offered to arrange a meeting with Shopkeeper Wang, and Xiao Wan'er decided to write a reply to her Second Sister.
• Xiao Wan'er told Xiao Wuge to dress formally for his etiquette teacher, then watched Chen Yi leave and resolved to make peace with him another time.
• Chen Yi went to the front courtyard and found Ge Laosan being teased by the Armored Soldiers before he set out for Guiyun Academy.

Chen Yi learned that Liu Jing’s death had nearly driven the Xiao and Liu families into conflict, then went to Guiyun Academy amid the growing fame of Ma Guan’s calligraphy achievement. He discovered that a crowd had gathered for his lesson and tried to leave rather than face them.

• Chen Yi heard that the Wan Family might have arranged Liu Jing’s death to set the Xiao and Liu families against each other, and Ge Laosan explained the Liu Family of Jingzhou’s extensive influence.
• Ge Laosan told Chen Yi that Ma Guan’s achievement in the Way of Calligraphy had made Chen Yi famous across Shuzhou and beyond.
• Chen Yi arrived at Guiyun Academy, where students praised his casual manner as a mark of his character as a teacher.
• Ma Guan told Chen Yi that the calligraphy lesson had been moved, then led him to a study hall filled with one hundred people.
• Chen Yi cursed Mr. Yue Ming for letting the crowd gather and told He Ming to ask the dean for leave, claiming he had forgotten clothes at home.

Chen Yi stopped the influx of students into his calligraphy lessons by setting rules with Mr. Yue Ming, including a limit of one hundred students and a requirement that those accomplished in the Way of Calligraphy benefit Shuzhou. After Mr. Yue Ming and Mr. Zhuo Ying also became accomplished, Chen Yi went to Hundred Herbs Hall to prepare for a meeting with the Xiao Family’s Eldest Miss and plan the hall’s expansion.

• Chen Yi confronted Mr. Yue Ming for admitting students without his approval, then secured agreement to cap the study hall at one hundred, review future applicants, and require accomplished students to benefit Shuzhou.
• Mr. Yue Ming announced the rules to the study hall, and Chen Yi continued teaching without slowing down for the new students.
• After attending Chen Yi’s lesson, Mr. Yue Ming and Mr. Zhuo Ying understood the flaws in their calligraphy and became accomplished in the Way of Calligraphy through practice.
• Chen Yi told Mr. Yue Ming and Mr. Zhuo Ying that they also had to benefit Shuzhou, and Mr. Yue Ming agreed to do one hundred good deeds while Mr. Zhuo Ying promised two.
• Word spread through Guiyun Academy about the two gentlemen’s accomplishments, and the other gentlemen discussed how Chen Yi’s students might build his reputation among the people of Shuzhou.
• At Hundred Herbs Hall, Chen Yi told Wang Ji to prepare accounts and an expansion plan before his meeting with the Xiao Family’s Eldest Miss in five days, then asked Wang Ji to summon Liu Lang.

Chen Yi learned from Liu Lang that someone had offered Black Tooth a fortune to burn the Three Towns, and he ordered Liu Lang to investigate the mastermind and secretly warn the Xiao Family. After returning to Chunhe Garden, Chen Yi tried to turn away visitors asking him to help with the academy, but Xiao Wan'er arrived after hearing he was ill.

• Chen Yi considered the Liu Family's probing and the Xiao Family's need to keep Hundred Herbs Hall open while staying hidden elsewhere.
• Liu Lang told Chen Yi that an unidentified party had offered Black Tooth at least ten thousand taels of gold to burn the Three Towns, and that Black Tooth had invited him into the scheme.
• Chen Yi told Liu Lang to accept Black Tooth's offer long enough to discover who was behind it, and to pass the warning to the Xiao Family.
• Liu Lang explained that Granny Shan's presence kept powerful outsiders from causing trouble in Shuzhou, then left after Chen Yi gave him further instructions.
• Chen Yi returned to the Xiao Family and told Xiao Die to say he was ill so he could avoid visitors seeking his help with the academy.
• Xiao Wan'er came to Chunhe Garden with medicinal soup and asked Chen Yi if he was sick.

Chen Yi prepared medicines and went out in disguise to listen in on a secret meeting near a tailor shop, while several groups searched West Market for him. He hid nearby and watched two black-clothed figures arrive, recognizing Ge Laosan as one of them.

• Xiao Wan'er mistook Chen Yi's hunger for an illness, so he drank ginger tea and ate porridge before asking Xiao Die to bring him more food.
• Chen Yi wrote a letter to Xiao Jinghong, prepared four bottles of Immortal's Draught and a new paralyzing powder called Qingfeng Zui, then disguised himself and left Chunhe Garden.
• Chen Yi overheard Fang Hongxiu and the Judicial Department group questioning the official verdict about Liu Jing's murder, then spotted Huan'er and two martial wanderers searching for a man matching his build.
• Ning Yu recognized Chen Yi's build and pursued him, but Chen Yi avoided the group and hid beneath the eaves near the Tailor Shop to observe the meeting.
• After waiting through the rainy night, Chen Yi saw two black-clothed figures approach the Tailor Shop, including Ge Laosan, an armored soldier of Xiao Manor.

Chen Yi eavesdropped on Ge Laosan and Female Tiger discussing a plan to destabilize Shuzhou, then learned more about the Hidden Guards’ identities and schemes. As he headed toward Xiao Manor, Fang Hongxiu and three Judicial Officers confronted him in the rain.

• Chen Yi recognized the woman meeting Ge Laosan at the Tailor Shop as Female Tiger and secretly listened to their conversation.
• Female Tiger explained that the Xiao Family’s preparations threatened their plans, while Ge Laosan agreed to help Gray Wolf burn the Three Towns’ Summer Grain and proposed taking a thirty-thousand-tael contract from Black Tooth.
• Ge Laosan told Female Tiger that Luanfeng had come to Shuzhou with the Pavilion Master’s White Tiger Token and had promised Gray Wolf she would blame Liu Jing’s death on the Xiao Family.
• After Ge Laosan and Female Tiger left, Chen Yi identified Gray Wolf as Xiao Dongchen, Harrier Eagle as Ge Laosan, and Luanfeng as Cui Qingwu, while noting that Female Tiger’s identity remained unknown.
• Chen Yi encountered Fang Hongxiu and three Judicial Officers on his way toward Xiao Manor, and Fang Hongxiu recognized him and drew her saber.

Chen Yi escaped Fang Hongxiu and her Judicial Officers by poisoning them, then plotted to use the Burning of Three Towns' Summer Grain to deal with Liu Lang and the Xiao Family’s internal threats. Two days later, as his reputation for calligraphy spread through Shu Prefecture, Wang Ji visited him at Chunhe Garden.

• Chen Yi lured Fang Hongxiu and three Judicial Officers into a dead-end alley, where Qingfeng Zui left them unable to move, then taunted them and escaped into the rain.
• After returning to Chunhe Garden, Chen Yi mapped out the Xiao Family’s threats and decided to use the Burning of Three Towns' Summer Grain to get rid of Liu Lang.
• Chen Yi burned his notes, and two days passed as the rain eased over Shu Prefecture City.
• Wang Ji brought account books to Xiao Manor and then visited Chen Yi, reflecting on the public praise for Chen Qingzhou and the restrictions keeping people from seeking his instruction.

Chen Yi advised Wang Ji to focus on expanding Hundred Herbs Hall, while Xiao Wan'er discussed the business’s profits and a possible gift for its incoming boss. After reading Liu Lang’s warning that other people planned to join Black Tooth’s operation, Chen Yi prepared to investigate and deal with the threat, then began cultivating for a breakthrough into the Middle Three Grades.

• Chen Yi told Wang Ji that expanding Hundred Herbs Hall mattered more than worrying about a seasonal dip in tea sales, and Wang Ji delivered Liu Yun’s letter saying his injuries had healed.
• Xiao Wan'er reviewed the accounts and considered gifts for Hundred Herbs Hall’s arriving boss; Chen Yi described the costly fishing set A Touch of Cold Plum, which he wanted for himself.
• Xiao Wan'er asked Chen Yi to meet Chen Yu, Hundred Herbs Hall’s boss, but Chen Yi said he would be at the academy and planned to find an excuse to stay away from the mansion.
• Chen Yi read Liu Lang’s letter saying Black Stones expected other participants in the operation and that Blackie wanted Liu to meet someone the next night; Chen Yi suspected the Hidden Guard or a powerful employer and decided to visit Hundred Herbs Hall.
• Xiao Wuge told Chen Yi that her cultivation had reached the middle eighth rank, and Chen Yi returned to his room that night to cultivate the Four Symbols Technique and break through into the Middle Three Grades.

Chen Yi opened the Four Symbols Technique’s four Divine Seats and advanced to the Lower Sixth Rank, while Xie Tingyun sensed a brief disturbance in the spiritual energy. The Xiao Family’s Old Master learned that the Shadow Guards near the Black Market had been eliminated and ordered preparations for the arrival of the Liu Family of Jingzhou.

• Chen Yi completed the Four Symbols Technique’s circulation, opened four Divine Seats, and reached the Lower Sixth Rank.
• Xie Tingyun sensed what seemed like a breakthrough in the surrounding spiritual energy but could not identify its source.
• The Black-clad Man told the Old Master that the Shadow Guards near the Black Market had been removed, and the Old Master ordered him to investigate Black Tooth and the other families.
• The Black-clad Man reported that Cui Qingwu stayed in Tingyu Pavilion when Chen Yunfan was away and that the Xiao Family’s unknown helper was likely near West Market.
• The Black-clad Man reported that Liu Yu, Liu Wen, and Liu Zhaoxue would soon arrive in the Prefectural City, and the Old Master ordered close surveillance of them and Liu Hong.
• The Old Master warned that the Liu Family might challenge the grain-tax settlement and said the Xiao Family might have to answer with force.

After advancing his cultivation, Chen Yi went out with Xiao Wan'er and the others to shop for gifts for Chen Yu. He planned to visit Jishi Pharmacy in East Market to see Ma Liangcai receive a divine physician plaque, and the group headed there after finishing their shopping.

• Chen Yi broke through his Cultivation Base and used Fortune to raise his Spear Dao to the Great Accomplishment Realm.
• Xiao Die told Chen Yi that the Xiao family’s masters had begun praising him after his calligraphy teaching at Guiyun Academy drew visitors.
• Chen Yi agreed to accompany Xiao Wan'er to shop for gifts for Chen Yu, and Xiao Wuge joined them while Pei Guanli stayed home.
• Xiao Wan'er chose gifts for Chen Yu, and Chen Yi suggested adding a qin because he had heard Boss Chen enjoyed playing the qin and using Blade Technique.
• Xiao Wan'er told Chen Yi that visitors were flocking to Guiyun Academy and that Mr. Yue Ming had refused offers of gold for student places.
• After shopping on Kanning Street, Chen Yi suggested visiting Jishi Pharmacy, and Xiao Wan'er agreed to stop at a restaurant in East Market as well.