Chapter Summaries

Lu Wenyuan took third place in the Palace Examination and began preparing to serve in the Hanlin Academy. As Yang Mingcheng returned home, he offered Lu a courtyard and then realized too late that he had forgotten to leave him money.

• Lu Wenyuan finished the Palace Examination confidently and submitted his paper at sunset.
• The results named Liu Shiyan first, Wang Chonggu second, and Lu Wenyuan third; Lu guessed he had been chosen as Tanhua for being younger and more handsome.
• Liu Shiyan, Wang Chonggu, and Lu Wenyuan received Hanlin Academy posts, and Lu prepared to take office after seeing off friends from his cohort.
• Yang Mingcheng offered Lu Wenyuan the courtyard as a gift and promised to deliver his letter to Grandfather before leaving the capital.
• After Yang Mingcheng departed, Lu Wenyuan told Zhang Lin they could not afford servants, while Yang realized he had forgotten to leave Lu money and sent Wu Da back with banknotes.
• Yang Mingcheng continued north with his guards, unaware that a group was following him.

Yang Zhengshan worked to strengthen Tenglong Guard’s soldiers and celebrated Lu Wenyuan’s success in the imperial examination. Meanwhile, Yang Mingcheng stopped in Xinping Town, where armed intruders approached his room, leaving him ready to face his first real fight.

• Yang Zhengshan inspected the soldiers’ training and ordered Song Dashan to arrange for meat and other food to improve their strength.
• Yang Zhengshan learned that Lu Wenyuan had become the third-place scholar and joined the Hanlin Academy, then arranged a congratulatory gift and a family celebration.
• Yang Mingcheng and his party lodged at Xinfu Inn in Xinping Town, whose signboard bore a broken blade.
• More than a dozen armed figures crept into the inn at night, and Yang Mingcheng woke, armed himself with a spear, and realized they were approaching his room.
• Yang Mingcheng recalled Yang Zhengshan’s advice on fighting enemies and braced himself behind the door.

Yang Mingcheng fought off an ambush at an inn until Ji Hai and Ning Qingqing joined the battle and helped him defeat the attackers. He learned his rescuers were Hengdao Sect members who intervened partly to avoid angering his father, Yang Zhengshan.

• Masked attackers stormed Yang Mingcheng's room, and he fought their strongest man before leaping through a window into the street.
• Yang Mingcheng battled roughly twenty black-clad attackers until Ji Hai recognized him as the master of the Jing'an Yang Family and joined the fight with Ning Qingqing.
• Wu Da and the guards fought their way out of the inn, helping turn the battle against the attackers; one black-clad man escaped after Yang Mingcheng ordered the others not to pursue.
• Yang Mingcheng thanked Ji Hai and Ning Qingqing, and Ning Qingqing teased him by claiming he should call her Aunt.
• Ji Hai's intervention was motivated in part by fear that Yang Zhengshan would blame the Hengdao Sect if Yang Mingcheng died at its inn.

Yang Mingcheng survived an attack and left Xinping Town for Tenglong Guard, while Ji Hai learned that the assassins came from Shuntian Prefecture. At Tenglong Guard, Zheng Xiao asked Yang Zhengshan for soldiers to protect him as he investigated officials who had secretly sold next year's salt permits.

• Ning Qingqing introduced Yang Mingcheng as her nephew, and Ji Hai led him inside after promising to investigate the attackers.
• Yang Mingcheng reviewed his mistakes in his first real battle, then Ji Hai told him the captured assassin had revealed nothing and the men seemed to be from Shuntian Prefecture.
• Yang Mingcheng thanked Ji Hai and left Xinping Town, intending to return to Tenglong Guard quickly.
• Zheng Xiao asked Yang Zhengshan for soldiers to protect him while he investigated Luo Fu and Zhao Mingsheng for bribery and secretly preselling salt permits.
• Zheng Xiao explained that Luo Fu and Zhao Mingsheng had sold all of the following year's salt permits and left the Salt Transport Commission treasury empty.

Yang Zhengshan and Liu Zhe helped Zheng Xiao plan how to expose Luo Fu and Zhao Mingsheng’s illegal salt-certificate scheme while keeping Luo Fu unsuspecting. After Yang Mingcheng returned from an attack in Xinping Town, Yang Zhengshan suspected Marquis Jingyuan, Su Gan, but set aside investigating him because sending letters to the Capital could endanger Zheng Xiao.

• Zheng Xiao told Yang Zhengshan and Liu Zhe that Luo Fu and Zhao Mingsheng had begun pre-selling salt certificates three years earlier and were monitoring his movements and memorials.
• Liu Zhe advised Zheng Xiao to feign cooperation by asking Luo Fu to make the Luo Family salt merchants and obtain salt certificates, so he could lull Luo Fu before sending a memorial to the Capital.
• Zheng Xiao wrote a memorial and entrusted it to Yang Zhengshan, while Liu Zhe warned him to conceal his intentions and Yang Zhengshan abandoned the idea of assigning soldiers to escort him.
• Wu Hai reported that Yang Mingcheng had returned with Xiaoliu and Stone injured, and Yang Zhengshan learned that Ji Hai and Ning Qingqing of the Hengdao Sect had saved his son.
• Yang Zhengshan suspected Marquis Jingyuan, Su Gan, had ordered the attack, but he stopped himself from writing to Wu Zheng because a letter to the Capital could compromise Zheng Xiao.

Yang Zhengshan arranged for the Luo Family to take over Jing'an Prefecture’s salt trade and set rules for its profits and prices. As Tenglong Guard’s infrastructure projects advanced, he established an engineering corps, while steady wages and military training inspired the guard’s households and soldiers to work and train harder.

• Zheng Xiao sent word that the Luo Family had secured three thousand Salt Permits for Jing'an Prefecture, and Luo Shang visited Yang Zhengshan to discuss the arrangement.
• Yang Zhengshan told Luo Shang to sell salt initially at previous prices, cap the Luo Family’s profit at five wen per catty, and lower prices as production increased.
• With housing construction nearly complete, Yang Zhengshan ordered major infrastructure work and formed a thousand-man engineering corps to repair Guard City’s walls and handle future construction projects.
• On the sixth day of the sixth month, Tenglong Guard’s first engineering corps was established with laborers selected from the guard stations, including young men chosen to learn skilled trades.
• Tenglong Guard’s salt field began hiring workers for its first drying fields, and the engineering corps and salt field offered military households stable monthly wages.
• After soldiers returned from basic training with stories of full pay, daily meat, and rewards for good performance, more registered soldiers began training eagerly and reviving their families’ martial skills.

Yang Zhengshan and Liu Zhe weighed when to send Zheng Xiao’s memorial while Luo Fu continued testing Zheng Xiao with lavish gifts and temptations. Zheng Xiao finally sent for help, but Liao'an Forward Guard soldiers arrived at his residence under the claim that they had been ordered to protect him.

• Yang Zhengshan and Liu Zhe decided to wait until the watchers outside Tenglong Guard left before sending Zheng Xiao’s memorial.
• Luo Fu hosted Zheng Xiao with fine food, wine, gold, and dancing girls, but Zheng Xiao refused to accept Miss Zi Xia.
• Zheng Xiao grew convinced that Luo Fu was about to act and sent two men to Tenglong Guard to ask Yang Zhengshan for help.
• Soldiers entered Zheng Xiao’s residence, and Xu Huazhen of Liao'an Forward Guard claimed the Regional Military Commission had sent them to protect Zheng Xiao.

After Luo Fu's men confined Zheng Xiao and killed a servant to enforce the house arrest, two guards escaped to ask Yang Zhengshan for help. Yang Zhengshan decided to ride to Liao'an Prefecture with troops, sent memorials to the Capital, and ordered his sons to carry them at full speed.

• Xu Huazhen blocked Zheng Xiao from leaving his residence, killed a servant, and forced Zheng Xiao to retreat to his study.
• Jiang He gave Yang Zhengshan the salt field's accounts, and Yang Zhengshan reviewed the expanding salt and weapons operations in Tenglong Guard.
• Two guards from the Zheng Family told Yang Zhengshan that official troops had entered Zheng Xiao's residence and begged him to intervene.
• Yang Zhengshan decided to go to Liao'an Prefecture to rescue Zheng Xiao and wrote memorials explaining that he would take troops despite lacking authority.
• Yang Zhengshan ordered Song Dashan to assemble the men and sent Yang Mingzhi and Yang Minghao to deliver the memorials to the Capital at full speed.

Yang Zhengshan mobilized troops and hurried toward Liao'an Prefecture to aid Zheng Xiao, leaving Xie Yuan in charge of Tenglong Guard. Yang Mingzhi and Yang Minghao raced ahead by horseback, while Yang Zhengshan ordered Song Dashan to bring the soldiers to Liao'an City before noon.

• Yang Zhengshan told Xie Yuan he was going to Liao'an Prefecture and placed the yamen in his hands.
• Yang Zhengshan selected over a thousand trained soldiers, arranged for Xie Yuan to keep order, and led the column out of camp.
• Yang Mingzhi and Yang Minghao rode south by a shortcut, stopped at a relay station in Pingyuan, and continued their journey through the night.
• Yang Zhengshan led his personal attendants into Liao'an Prefecture and camped overnight while Song Dashan followed with the soldiers.
• At dawn, Yang Zhengshan ordered Song Dashan to reach Liao'an City before noon and kill anyone who tried to block him, then rode ahead.

Yang Zhengshan approached Liao'an Prefecture City after learning that Zheng Xiao had been placed under house arrest, then seized the West City Gate to let Song Dashan’s troops enter. Luo Fu ordered the Liao'an Forward Guard and officials to stop him as they gathered at the gate.

• Yang Zhengshan sent attendants to scout the city and learned that government troops had cordoned off Zheng Xiao’s residence, though its gate remained open.
• Yang Zhengshan waited for Song Dashan’s force, then learned that the city gate was preparing to close after reports of approaching soldiers.
• Yang Zhengshan rode to the West City Gate and forced Chen Qia and the guards to stand aside, taking control of the entrance while he waited for reinforcements.
• Chen Qia reported the seizure to Xu Huazhen and Dong Yanhe, who realized Yang Zhengshan had come because Zheng Xiao was under house arrest.
• Xu Huazhen informed Luo Fu, who ordered troops to stop Yang Zhengshan from entering the city, and officials and soldiers gathered at the West City Gate.

Yang Zhengshan confronted Luo Fu and the officials who had gathered to block him in Liao'an Prefecture, while suspecting that powerful figures stood behind the Salt Transport Commissioner. The arrival of Tenglong Guard cavalry strengthened his position, and he revealed that he had already sent reports to the Capital, forcing the officials to choose whether to resist or submit.

• Xu Huazhen and Luo Fu arrived at the west city gate with hundreds of soldiers, and Yang Zhengshan intimidated Xu Huazhen into silence.
• Luo Fu tried to bargain with Yang Zhengshan over the salt field and warned him not to ruin his future, but Yang pressed him to reveal who was backing him.
• Pang Tang, Dong Yanhe, Tang Bo, and other officials arrived, and Yang challenged Tang Bo's authority over military affairs.
• Two hundred Tenglong Guard cavalry rode up to the gate, and Song Dashan reported that the Infantry Battalion would arrive shortly.
• Yang Zhengshan told Luo Fu and the assembled officials that he had already sent Official Zheng's memorial and his own petition of guilt to the Capital.

Yang Zhengshan captured Luo Fu and Xu Huazhen, took control of Liao'an Prefecture, and ordered the Salt Transport Commission and Zhang Family businesses sealed. He then discussed the Zhang Family’s influence with Zheng Xiao before setting out to inspect the family’s estate.

• Pang Tang and the other officials left after Yang Zhengshan assured them he would not harm innocents, and Dong Yanhe ordered the Liao'an Forward Guard soldiers back to camp.
• Yang Zhengshan stopped Luo Fu and Xu Huazhen from leaving, arrested them, and had the remaining loyal soldiers disarmed and captured.
• Yang Zhengshan ordered Song Dashan to take over the city gates, seal the Salt Transport Commission, and close Datong Pawnshop and the Zhang Family’s businesses.
• Yang Zhengshan met Zheng Xiao at the Zheng Family estate, where they discussed possible princely backing for Luo Fu and the Zhang Family’s widespread influence.
• Yang Zhengshan decided the Zhang Family posed the greatest problem and left to inspect it, with Zheng Xiao following.

As Tenglong Guard seized control of Prefecture City, Zhang Maosheng prepared to surrender the Zhang Family’s silver and records rather than resist. Yang Zhengshan arrived to find the family cooperating, and Zhang Maosheng offered detailed accounts of the Salt Transport Commission officials’ dealings with them.

• After learning that Luo Fu had been captured, Zhang Maosheng ordered his sons to bring out the family’s ready silver and Lord Luo’s account books.
• Song Dashan arrived with soldiers and began sealing the Zhang Family’s properties, refusing to hear Zhang Maosheng’s explanation.
• Zhang Maosheng opened the chests to reveal a vast amount of silver, while Song Dashan ordered his men to search the estate and gather the family.
• Zhang Maosheng stopped his household from resisting as Yang Zhengshan and Zheng Xiao arrived.
• Zhang Maosheng handed Yang Zhengshan account books recording the Salt Transport Commission officials’ deposits and loans, and offered to provide more records and pay compensation.

Yang Zhengshan sealed the Zhang Family’s residence and explained why they would not resist, while messages and people slipped out of Liao'an Prefecture. In the Capital, Yang Mingzhi and Yang Minghao delivered memorials, and Emperor Chengping learned that Luo Fu’s corruption involved a powerful figure behind him.

• Yang Zhengshan ordered Song Dashan to confine the Zhang Family to its home, and Zhang Maosheng promised they would await the court’s investigation.
• Yang Zhengshan told Zheng Xiao that the Zhang Family had kept records of Luo Fu’s dealings so it could abandon him, while Song Dashan’s soldiers shot down some of the carrier pigeons leaving Liao'an Prefecture.
• Yang Zhengshan and Zheng Xiao inspected the sealed Salt Transport Commission yamen, where Luo Fu, his family, officials, and clerks were being held.
• Yang Mingzhi and Yang Minghao delivered memorials from Zheng Xiao and Yang Zhengshan to the Outer Memorial Office in the Capital.
• Emperor Chengping read the memorials, grew furious at the corruption behind Luo Fu, and summoned senior judicial and censorial officials.

Prince Xin ordered Luo Fu killed to conceal their connection, but Emperor Chengping summoned him and punished him after the scandal reached the Capital. In Liao'an Prefecture, Yang Zhengshan received the emperor’s decree and reflected on his progress toward the Innate Realm, leaving the case awaiting the arrival of the judicial officials.

• Prince Xin learned Luo Fu was in danger and ordered A'da to kill him, following Ji Zhonghuai's advice.
• Eunuch Zhang arrived with Emperor Chengping's summons, and Prince Xin was taken to the palace; Emperor Chengping later fined him one year's salary and confined him for half a year.
• Yang Zhengshan received Emperor Chengping's decree to seal off the Salt Transport Commission, imprison Luo Fu, and await the three judicial Yamens.
• Yang Zhengshan and Zheng Xiao discussed the danger from Luo Fu's allies and the mystery of Innate Martial Artists.
• Yang Zhengshan assessed himself as Half-Step Innate Realm because he could condense Innate true qi, though his cultivation remained at the eighth layer of the Post-Heaven Realm.

Yang Zhengshan waited at the Salt Transport Commission as a group of masked intruders entered the yamen. The intruders reached the guarded courtyard, where Yang Zhengshan confronted their leader.

• Yang Zhengshan chatted and ate with Wang Xie while the soldiers guarded the imprisoned officials and Luo Fu’s family.
• A lantern signal appeared on the city gate, and Wang Xie gathered the soldiers as masked figures moved through South City.
• Yang Zhengshan armed himself with his Mysterious Iron Spear and hid ordinary soldiers inside to avoid needless casualties.
• The masked intruders entered the Salt Transport Commission and searched the quiet yamen for the prisoners.
• The intruders reached the side-chamber courtyard, where Yang Zhengshan and his men stood waiting, and Yang Zhengshan called on their leader to come out.

Yang Zhengshan fought A'da and Prince Xin’s black-clad men after they came searching for Luo Fu. He overwhelmed A'da, revealed that he had reached the Ninth Layer of Postnatal Realm, and stopped A'da’s blade with Yi Wood Everlasting True Qi.

• Yang Zhengshan revealed that he knew the black-clad attackers’ number and positions, then told A'da that Luo Fu might be in a room behind him.
• A'da drew his saber and attacked Yang Zhengshan, while the other black-clad men charged the soldiers.
• Yang Zhengshan and his soldiers fought back; the soldiers’ coordinated spear formation killed more than a dozen attackers and trapped the rest.
• Yang Zhengshan struck A'da through a wall, and A'da recognized that Yang Zhengshan was stronger than an Eighth Layer martial artist.
• Yang Zhengshan asked A'da whom he served, but A'da attacked again instead of answering.
• Yang Zhengshan caught A'da’s saber with his hand, using Yi Wood Everlasting True Qi, and named the technique.

Yang Zhengshan defeated A'da and guarded the Salt Transport Commission yamen until Imperial Guards arrived to take over the case. He handed A'da to Marquis Nanyang Lu Baishu, who learned the captive served Prince Xin and decided to report the matter to Emperor Chengping, while Yang Zhengshan left Liao'an Prefecture feeling relieved.

• Yang Zhengshan overwhelmed A'da in combat, captured him alive, and ordered the attackers' bodies buried after his soldiers defeated them.
• Yang Zhengshan kept Luo Fu hidden in a well and guarded the yamen until eight hundred Imperial Guards and judicial runners arrived on the sixth day of the seventh month.
• Yang Zhengshan handed Luo Fu, Xu Huazhen, and the other detained Salt Transport Commission suspects to Lu Baishu.
• Yang Zhengshan introduced the captured A'da to Lu Baishu, who recognized him as an attendant of Prince Xin.
• Lu Baishu said he would report A'da and Prince Xin to Emperor Chengping, then departed Liao'an Prefecture as Yang Zhengshan left the case to Zheng Xiao.

Yang Zhengshan returned to Tenglong Guard, learned that Emperor Chengping had punished Prince Xin while ordering a strict investigation of the Liaodong Salt Transport Commission, and resumed organizing the guard’s troops. He arranged for a large warhorse purchase and considered building a horse farm as the salt field continued to expand its production.

• Yang Zhengshan returned to Tenglong Guard, checked that affairs were stable, and reunited with Yu Qingyi and Xiao Mingzhao.
• Yang Mingzhi told Yang Zhengshan that Emperor Chengping had ordered a strict investigation into the Liaodong Salt Transport Commission and fined Prince Xin one year’s salary and confined him for half a year.
• Yang Zhengshan restarted troop training and poured spirit spring water into wells at the barracks, his home, and the yamen.
• Lu Wenhua reported that the Guard Division Office had reserved 1,342 warhorses and 10,000 dan of fodder, and Yang Zhengshan ordered strict inspections and a search for a site for a horse farm.
• Zhou Ren told Yang Zhengshan that the salt field’s second batch had sold for 380 taels and that the third batch was being dried.

Yang Zhengshan inspected Guard City's repairs and revised plans for its future residential and commercial districts. He then pushed to establish maritime trade and a Naval Force, but as his memorial went to the Capital, punishment from the Central Military Governor's Office arrived.

• Yang Zhengshan inspected the wall repairs and reviewed the Engineering Department's plan for the city.
• Yang Zhengshan replaced the plan for eight hundred large courtyards with a mix of larger homes, detached courtyards, and low-rent housing.
• After the wall repairs were nearly complete, Yang Zhengshan began preparations for maritime trade and sent Luo Shang to seek skilled sailors in Jiangnan and the southeast.
• Yang Zhengshan drafted a memorial asking to establish a Naval Force and sent it to the Capital.
• The Central Military Governor's Office delivered its punishment to Yang Zhengshan.