Chapter Summaries

Yang Zhengshan agreed to trade with Snow Spirit Palace after learning about Xue Qiao'er and the palace’s leadership. He then rejected Zhang Suinian’s appeal and offered Chongshan’s merchant families a chance to sell glass products.

• Yang Zhengshan agreed to do business with Snow Spirit Palace if it maintained peaceful relations, and Xue Qiao'er revealed that she was its palace master.
• Yang Zhengshan gave Xue Zhongjin an official document directing him to meet Yang Mingzhi in Fuzhou City.
• Yang Zhengshan met with several merchant families, but ordered his attendant to drive Zhang Suinian out of Chongshan Pass.
• Yang Zhengshan introduced glass products to the merchants, named their prices, and asked whether they would take up the trade.

Yang Zhengshan arranged for six families to sell glass across Da Rong while Chongshan Town advanced its construction and trade. Emperor Chengping died, and Yang Zhengshan received the posthumous edict and Crown Prince Chen Jianzhi’s accession edict, then ordered three days of mourning.

• Yang Zhengshan offered Wang Zhenze, Zhang Qingsong, and the other merchants regional glass-agency rights, and they agreed to the deal.
• The five merchants left Chongshan Pass with glass ornaments, then returned less than half a month later with large caravans to buy more.
• Laborers built Heiyun City and dredged the Yinghe river channel as Chongshan Town entered a busy summer season.
• Emperor Chengping readied his succession arrangements, heard his posthumous edict read aloud, and died in Yangxin Hall.
• Yang Zhengshan received Emperor Chengping’s posthumous edict and Crown Prince Chen Jianzhi’s accession edict, discussed the late emperor with Pang Tang, and ordered mourning for three days.

Yang Zhengshan oversaw Chongshan Town’s growing reserves and security as the new era began, while the Yang Family prospered. After returning to his mansion near year’s end, he learned that Liang Xiu had come to see him.

• Crown Prince Chen Jianzhi ascended the throne as Emperor Yanping, and Yang Zhengshan and the Yang Family entered a new stage of prosperity.
• Yu Qingyi advanced to the Half-Step Innate Realm, Lin Zhan passed the imperial examination, Yang Mingzhi was promoted, and Yang Chengye’s marriage was arranged.
• Zhou Ren reported the Regional Military Commission’s grain harvest, and Yang Zhengshan agreed to leave its share untouched while assuring Zhou Ren he would provide funds as needed.
• After reviewing Xie Yuan’s report, Yang Zhengshan ordered him to monitor the Wuliang Hu Tribe and scout its movements rather than risk war.
• Yang Zhengshan told his personal attendants they would receive holiday gifts and wine, then learned that Liang Xiu was waiting to see him.

Yang Zhengshan rejected Liang Xiu’s plan to enter the glass trade and offered him a clerk position under Yang Minghao instead. As the New Year began, Yang Zhengshan sensed a devastating drought approaching Liaoyuan and Pingyuan and resolved to prepare for it.

• Liang Xiu brought Yang Zhengshan a lynx-fur coat from Third Master Liang and asked permission to enter the glass business.
• Yang Zhengshan advised Liang Xiu against trading glass and offered him a clerk position under Yang Minghao, which Liang Xiu gladly accepted.
• Yang Zhengshan spent the days before the New Year receiving visitors and festival gifts while Yang Mingcheng and Yang Chengye prepared to return to Yang Family Village.
• On New Year’s Eve, Yang Zhengshan sensed that Liaoyuan and Pingyuan would suffer a severe drought from February through October, with Chongshan Town also facing little rain.
• Yang Zhengshan told Yu Qingyi that he would handle the looming crisis and began planning preparations, starting with grain.

Yang Zhengshan prepared Chongshan Town to resettle refugees by arranging grain purchases and expanding Chongshan Bank to raise funds. At a meeting of Chongshan’s leaders, he predicted a devastating drought in Liaoyuan and Pingyuan, prompting Garrison Eunuch Zhang Mingzhong to warn that the prediction could be seen as an accusation against the newly enthroned Emperor Yanping.

• Yang Zhengshan ordered the Assistant Regional Commanders to gather and began planning relief for a possible influx of refugees, estimating that a million people could require three million dan of grain.
• Yang Zhengshan rejected issuing more debt bonds because of the looming repayments and instead established a Bank Department to expand Chongshan Bank, appointing Zhao Dong, Li Hai, and Wang Xie to oversee its operations and guards.
• Yang Zhengshan summoned Chongshan’s six route assistant regional commanders and senior officials, including Pang Tang and Zhang Mingzhong, to discuss preparations for a possible disaster.
• Yang Zhengshan announced that the Regional Commander’s Mansion would buy three million shi of grain before August and said Liaoyuan and Pingyuan were likely to suffer a severe drought, citing the lack of snow.
• Zhang Mingzhong challenged Yang Zhengshan’s prediction, warning that declaring a disaster so soon after Emperor Yanping’s accession could be taken as saying the emperor lacked virtue.

Yang Zhengshan ordered Chongshan Town to stockpile grain, accelerate construction, prepare for possible Wuliang Hu Tribe attacks, and expand Chongshan Bank. He then directed the Six Major Merchants and Tenglong Guard to help secure massive grain reserves, warning Wu Chongzhe that the order had to be carried out.

• Yang Zhengshan ordered the offices and assistant generals to buy grain, speed up Heiyun City and official-road construction, and prepare settlements for refugees.
• Yang Zhengshan instructed Xie Yuan to watch the Wuliang Hu Tribe and promised to send the Front Battalion to Guan Shankou to reinforce the West Route.
• Yang Zhengshan ordered shops and guarded silver vaults for Chongshan Bank across the prefectures and counties, warning Yang Mingzhi and the other officials against mishandling its funds.
• Yang Zhengshan met the Six Major Merchants and Wu Chongzhe, asking them to purchase grain and support Chongshan Bank.
• Yang Zhengshan told Wu Chongzhe that he expected drought and ordered the Tenglong Guard to store five hundred thousand shi of grain and supply another five hundred thousand shi to the Regional Commander's Mansion.
• Wu Chongzhe said he could provide only three hundred thousand taels himself, and Yang Zhengshan ordered him to make the other commanders comply.

Yang Zhengshan agreed to let Datong Bank and Chongshan Bank exchange and remit each other’s banknotes, promising Zhang Qingsong that Chongshan Bank would not cause the Zhang family excessive losses if it expanded into Liaodong. Chongshan Bank reopened with new services, and a customer’s exchange of Datong Bank notes demonstrated the arrangement in practice.

• Zhang Qingsong proposed mutual exchange and remittance between Datong Bank and Chongshan Bank, and Yang Zhengshan agreed while promising to consider the Zhang family’s interests.
• Yang Zhengshan called Li Hai to discuss the cooperation’s details with Zhang Qingsong.
• Chongshan Bank reopened on the twentieth day of the first lunar month, offering free silver exchanges and interest on deposits.
• A middle-aged man exchanged three thousand taels in Datong Bank notes for silver at Chongshan Bank after the bank verified the notes and escorted him to its vault.
• The middle-aged man returned that afternoon to exchange his silver for Chongshan Bank notes.

Yang Zhengshan used Chongshan Bank and the glass trade to build up silver reserves while preparing Chongshan Town for drought and spring construction. At court, Li Siyuan retired and Emperor Yanping reshaped the Grand Secretariat and key offices, leaving Yang Zhengshan worried about how the capital would handle the coming drought.

• Merchants exchanged silver and Datong Bank notes for Chongshan Bank notes because the Luo Family and the glass trade accepted only Chongshan Bank notes.
• Yang Zhengshan reviewed the bank’s opening-day accounts, and Chongshan Bank later accumulated more than three million taels in deposits and other funds.
• Yang Zhengshan expanded grain storage, recruitment, road repairs, and construction across Chongshan Town as spring arrived.
• Yang Zhengshan received news that Li Siyuan had repeatedly requested retirement and feared the Imperial Court would be less prepared for drought relief without him.
• Emperor Yanping accepted Li Siyuan’s retirement, appointed Song Yunge and Zhou Yunsong to the Grand Secretariat, and made further changes to court and military offices.
• Yang Zhengshan concluded that the Duke Ning Mansion’s loss of power was expected and that its peaceful withdrawal from court politics was a blessing.

Yang Zhengshan welcomed Yu Yuanzan and his family to Chongshan Pass for Yang Chengye’s wedding, and the two families grew closer as they prepared for the marriage. The wedding procession returned with the bride and her dowry, and the ceremony proceeded smoothly.

• Yang Zhengshan greeted Yu Yuanzan at Chongshan Pass and hosted a banquet to welcome the Yu Family.
• Yang Mingcheng got Yu Mingzhou drunk on Hundred Herb Brew, while Yang Zhengshan apologized to Yu Yuanzan.
• Yang Zhengshan and his family prepared for Yang Chengye’s wedding, with the Yu Family staying at its own courtyard in the city.
• Yang Chengye left the Marquis Mansion for the Yu Family’s courtyard to fetch his bride.
• Yang Chengye’s wedding procession returned with the bride and her dowry, and Yang Zhengshan and Yu Qingyi witnessed the ceremony.

Yang Chengye and Yu Zijin completed the wedding’s household rituals, and Yang Zhengshan welcomed his new granddaughter-in-law while urging her to continue martial training. After Yu Zijin visited her family and paid respects at the Yang Family ancestral shrine, Yang Zhengshan returned his attention to official duties.

• Yang Zhengshan and Yu Qingyi received Yang Chengye and Yu Zijin on the morning after the wedding as the couple offered tea and served breakfast to their elders.
• Yang Zhengshan praised Yu Zijin’s dedication to training and told her not to neglect the Martial Dao after marriage.
• Yang Chengye encouraged Yu Zijin to keep training and revealed he was one step away from the Postnatal Realm.
• Yu Zijin discovered that the maids in Yang Chengye’s courtyard were all Martial Artists and resolved to train harder.
• Two days later, Yang Chengye took Yu Zijin to visit her family, and she later paid respects at the Yang Family ancestral shrine to be entered in the clan genealogy.
• With the wedding rituals complete, Yang Zhengshan returned to his official duties at the Yamen.

As drought threatened crops and river transport in Chongshan Town, Yang Zhengshan ordered grain shipments to switch to land routes. He then learned that Ning Dongsheng had impeached him before Emperor Yanping, leaving him uncertain whether the new emperor would protect him.

• Yang Zhengshan inspected three grain ships stranded on the Yinghe and learned that falling water levels had blocked the channel.
• Yang Zhengshan ordered the river closed to large ships and redirected grain transport from Tenglong Guard to the land route.
• Ding Qiu delivered Wu Zheng's letter reporting Ning Dongsheng's impeachment of Yang Zhengshan and several of his associates.
• Yang Zhengshan sent Ding Qiu to investigate Ning Dongsheng's connections in Pingyuan and warned him to be careful.
• Yang Zhengshan burned the letter and decided to wait for Emperor Yanping's response while watching events in the Imperial Court.

Emperor Yanping investigated Yang Zhengshan after Ning Dongsheng accused him of misconduct and questioned whether his large grain purchases signaled disloyalty. Yang Zhengshan received a chance to defend himself and explained that he had prepared for a drought in Liaodong, leaving the matter in the court’s hands.

• Emperor Yanping reviewed Yang Zhengshan’s old memorials and found that the Tenglong Guard’s salt fields, navy, and maritime trade had all been approved by Emperor Chengping.
• Emperor Yanping asked Lü Hua whether Yang Zhengshan was disloyal, and Lü Hua argued that Yang Zhengshan had been utterly loyal to the Late Emperor.
• Lü Hua concealed that he knew why Yang Zhengshan was buying grain because his memorial on the subject had not reached Emperor Yanping.
• Wang Zhongzhi and Lü Hua suspected Nan Sheng had intercepted Lü Hua’s memorial, and Wang Zhongzhi told Lü Hua to submit it again in a few days.
• Yang Zhengshan received an inquiry from the Capital and wrote a defense explaining his past actions and his preparations for Liaodong’s drought, including plans to move disaster victims to the Northern Territory.

Yang Zhengshan inspected the completed Heiyun City and reviewed plans to settle refugees across the Northern Territory. After learning that salt and grain merchants had organized an impeachment effort against him, he summoned Luo Shang and Zhen Yang Shi, while Luo Shang confronted the head of the Jizhou Luo Clan over its involvement.

• Yang Zhengshan and Pang Tang inspected Heiyun City and discussed plans to build towns and villages that could help settle refugees.
• Yang Zhengshan returned to Chongshan Pass, where Ding Qiu reported that Ning Dongsheng had allied with dissatisfied salt and grain merchants.
• Ding Qiu identified the Lu, Yu, Zhen, Ning, Yi, Ma, and Jizhou Luo families as participants in the merchants’ effort against Yang Zhengshan.
• Yang Zhengshan ordered Ding Qiu to summon Luo Shang and Zhen Yang Shi.
• Luo Shang angrily confronted Luo Changsheng, head of the Jizhou Luo Clan, for targeting Yang Zhengshan and risking the Luo Family’s relationship with him.

Yang Zhengshan warned Luo Shang about the Jizhou Luo Clan’s interference in his grain purchases and decided to use official channels to deal with Pingyuan’s merchants. The chapter ends with Ding Qiu and Luo Jinsong setting out undercover to gather evidence against Ning Dongsheng and the salt and grain merchants.

• Luo Shang rebuked Luo Changsheng for underestimating the danger of opposing Yang Zhengshan, then went to the Marquis Mansion when summoned.
• Yang Zhengshan wrote a threatening piece of calligraphy for the Jizhou Luo Clan and told Luo Shang to deliver it as a warning.
• Yang Zhengshan decided to have Pingyuan Surveillance Censor An Ruhui pursue the case against Ning Dongsheng and the merchants, and ordered Ding Qiu to gather evidence with Luo Jinsong and Elite Guard Battalion soldiers.
• Ding Qiu and Luo Jinsong led their men out of Chongshan Pass in disguise to conceal their mission.

Emperor Yanping learned from Yang Zhengshan’s memorial that a severe drought threatened Liaodong and came to trust the Marquis of Jing'an’s preparations. As news spread that he had allocated silver to Yang Zhengshan, Yanping faced demands from officials and appointed Nan Sheng to lead the Imperial Guard Division.

• Emperor Yanping summoned Lü Hua, who confirmed that rainfall in Liaoyuan and Pingyuan had been scarce since spring and that Yang Zhengshan’s grain purchases had been investigated.
• Emperor Yanping recognized Yang Zhengshan as a worthy minister preparing for the drought and summoned Wang An to ask about the Glass Workshop’s profits.
• Wang An reported that the Glass Workshop held 2,830,000 taels in ready silver and explained that Yang Zhengshan’s agents already sold glass products outside the Capital, so Yanping decided to consult Yang Zhengshan before expanding sales.
• Emperor Yanping ordered one million taels sent to Yang Zhengshan, but news of the allocation spread through the Capital and officials flooded him with requests for silver.
• Minister of Revenue Qian Xingwen pleaded that the Imperial Court was broke, so Emperor Yanping gave him one million taels to handle the memorials requesting funds.
• Emperor Yanping ordered Nan Sheng to investigate the leak, then appointed him Regional Commander of the Imperial Guard Division after Nan Sheng suggested the division should handle the investigation.

Luo Changsheng and the Jizhou Luo Clan elders refused to abandon their plan to drive the Tenglong Guard out of Jizhou, while Ji Zhen decided the Hengdao Sect would intervene without warning the Marquis of Jing'an. That night, the Hengdao Sect and the Maritime Trade Office seized a Luo Family fleet, leaving Luo Cai captive and the conflict openly underway.

• Luo Changsheng panicked over Yang Zhengshan’s threatening calligraphy, but Luo Jiangqiu insisted the Luo Clan could not withdraw from its plan to cut off the Tenglong Guard’s influence over maritime trade.
• After learning the Luo Family would not back down, Ji Zhen ordered Ji Hai to act and said the Hengdao Sect would openly make its move to earn the Marquis of Jing'an’s gratitude.
• Jiang Cheng led Maritime Trade Office constables to intercept a Luo Family fleet on the canal at night and ordered Luo Cai and the crew detained.
• Hengdao Sect fighters revealed their identity and killed a Luo Family guard who resisted, while Jiang Cheng’s men took the captured ship toward Jizhou Wharf.

The Hengdao Sect coordinated a crackdown on the Luo Family in Jizhou while masked intruders stole account books from the Lu Family and attacked the Zhen Family. The Zhen Family’s defender Yan Huichun survived the raid, and the identity and purpose of the attackers remained unknown.

• Li Guangyao led Jizhou Guard soldiers into the Luo residence and arrested Luo Jiangqiu and his household.
• Prefect Zhang Mo learned that yamen constables and Jizhou Guard soldiers were arresting people across Jizhou, then agreed to let the Hengdao Sect target the Luo Family without further disturbance.
• Masked figures searched the Lu Family estate, killed a servant, and took account books hidden beneath Lu Yan’s bed.
• Masked Elite Guard Battalion soldiers and Yang Family guards raided the Zhen Family, but Yan Huichun fought them and Luo Jinsong helped the attackers escape.
• Yan Huichun told Zhen Shicheng he would report the raid to his master, then left the Zhen Family.

Luo Jinsong’s team failed to infiltrate the Zhen Family but learned it had an unknown Ninth Layer Postnatal expert, while Ding Qiu gathered evidence of officials and merchants conspiring in Pingyuan. Yang Zhengshan proposed an Imperial Merchant Bureau to Emperor Yanping, and Ding Qiu delivered the evidence to An Ruhui, who suspected the alleged grain-price plot was fabricated.

• Luo Jinsong reported that the Zhen Family had an unknown Ninth Layer Postnatal expert, while Ding Qiu said Ning Dongsheng had confessed enough to establish evidence against the corrupt officials and merchants.
• Yang Zhengshan read Emperor Yanping’s letter about the glass trade and drafted a proposal for an Imperial Merchant Bureau to manage imperial businesses and profits.
• Yang Zhengshan sent his proposal to the Capital, and Ding Qiu brought account books and Ning Dongsheng’s confession to An Ruhui.
• Ding Qiu told An Ruhui that eighteen officials and wealthy merchants planned to double grain prices, incite unrest, and pressure the Imperial Court for disaster relief.
• An Ruhui questioned whether the grain-price conspiracy was real, and Ding Qiu admitted that the evidence was real while leaving him astonished.

Ding Qiu and An Ruhui exposed Zhao Yunxing’s corruption and sent evidence to the Capital, while a young outsider ordered Yan Huichun to eliminate those who knew of his plans. After Zhao Yunxing and Zhen Shicheng were assassinated, Ding Qiu left Dongyang, and Yang Zhengshan continued building Chongshan Town’s forces.

• Ding Qiu persuaded An Ruhui to submit a memorial accusing Zhao Yunxing’s circle of corruption and disaster profiteering, and An Ruhui sent the evidence to the Capital.
• Zhao Yunxing suspected Yang Zhengshan’s Elite Guard Battalion, but Yan Huichun refused to help him and urged him to make Pingyuan descend into chaos.
• Yan Huichun reported to his young master, who said their effort had been a test and ordered Zhao Yunxing and Zhen Shicheng killed before they left.
• Zhao Yunxing and Zhen Shicheng were assassinated in their studies, and Ding Qiu told An Ruhui that an unknown Ninth Layer of Postnatal Realm expert was likely responsible.
• Ding Qiu revealed that Ning Dongsheng had been released and that his group would return to Chongshan Pass, leaving the case to the Imperial Court.
• Yang Zhengshan returned to the Regional Commander’s Mansion and continued training the Zhenbiao Five Battalions, whose ranks had reached thirty thousand soldiers.

Yang Zhengshan learned that Zhao Yunxing had been killed and that the Hengdao Sect had moved against the Jizhou Luo Clan, then prepared to receive Ji Hai while a million taels of silver arrived from the capital. Ji Hai visited the Yang Family to request Hundred Herb Brew, and Yang Zhengshan invited Senior Ji to Chongshan Pass.

• Yang Zhengshan brushed Red Cloud and heard from Ding Qiu that Zhao Yunxing had been killed, Ning Dongsheng had been released, and the killer remained unknown.
• Ding Qiu reported that the Hengdao Sect had imprisoned the Jizhou Luo Clan, while Ji Hai was traveling to Chongshan Pass; Yang Zhengshan guessed Ji Zhen wanted to collect on a favor.
• Yang Zhengshan received a million taels of silver escorted by five hundred Soldiers of the Jinwu Guard and left Yang Mingcheng to receive Ji Hai.
• Ji Hai asked Yang Mingcheng for Hundred Herb Brew, and Yang Mingcheng told him Yang Zhengshan had already prepared thirty jars.
• Yang Mingcheng passed on Yang Zhengshan's invitation for Senior Ji to visit Chongshan Pass, and Ji Hai agreed to inform his master.