Chapter Summaries

The chapter centers on the aftermath of Gang Feng’s death. Gang Feng was a Fourth Rank Literary Cultivator, a famously upright official who died by bashing his head against the imperial court pillar during a remonstration—leaving behind no money, but a fearsome reputation. His funeral is thrown into chaos when his coffin begins clanging and rattling furiously, as if his spirit is enraged from beyond the grave. The target of this ghostly fury appears to be Li Qingxian, nicknamed “Sunshine Boy,” who has apparently joined an evil sect. His only sheepish defense is: “I was forced…”

1. Key Plot Points

• Gang Feng, a poor but righteous official, dies in a dramatic act of remonstration against the court.
• His coffin violently rattles, signaling supernatural outrage or protest.
• Li Qingxian is revealed to be connected to an evil sect, causing the disturbance.
• Li Qingxian claims he was coerced into joining.

2. Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Introduced as a seemingly cheerful “Sunshine Boy,” but now tied to an evil sect—suggesting hidden depths, pressure, or a dark path he did not willingly choose.
• Gang Feng: Though dead, his personality remains loud and forceful; his coffin’s reaction shows his fierce moral spirit refuses to rest quietly.

3. Significant Themes

• Filial piety vs. rebellion: A martyr’s son (or successor) aligning with an evil sect clashes with the father’s Confucian ideals.
• Hypocrisy and coercion: Li Qingxian’s “I was forced” hints at circumstances beyond his control.
• Moral legacy: The dead patriarch’s influence literally haunts the present.

4. Character Interactions

• The only direct interaction is between Li Qingxian and the rattling coffin of Gang Feng—a comedic, supernatural confrontation.
• Li Qingxian’s excuse (“I was forced...”) is addressed to the coffin, implying he feels guilt or is being held accountable by the dead man’s spirit.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After a night of rain, Li Qingxian wakes in the Night Guard’s Street Patrol Office in Divine Capital.
• He has recently recovered from a serious illness and prepares to resume patrol duty with Captain Zheng Hui and his fellow guards.
• While looking in the mirror, Li Qingxian reflects on his unusual identity: he is a modern man who died of illness in his original world and reincarnated into the body of another Li Qingxian.
• He recalls that this new world, Qi Kingdom, is filled with powerful martial artists, Confucian officials, cultivators, demons, puppets, and other supernatural forces.
• Li Qingxian has inherited knowledge of Fate Arts from his maternal grandfather and possesses the mysterious Heaven’s Mandate Instrument, though he died soon after beginning to cultivate its Qi-Gazing Technique.
• Captain Zheng Hui explains the political decline of the Night Guard. Once a powerful organization known as the “Little Cabinet,” it has been weakened after the Crown Prince was accused of rebellion and imperial misconduct.
• Li Qingxian’s father, Li Gangfeng, a righteous censor, defended the Crown Prince and demanded evidence. When the court ignored him, he killed himself by striking his head against a court pillar.
• The Crown Prince later died from rage, and the Night Guard narrowly avoided disbandment because officials remembered Li Gangfeng’s sacrifice. However, members continue to be transferred away.
• Li Qingxian joins the others in the courtyard, where the guards train and prepare to patrol. Zheng Hui warns him not to take risks, recalling an earlier incident in which Li Qingxian acted recklessly.
• Yu Ping gives Li Qingxian an orange as a friendly gesture, showing the camaraderie among the guards.

2. Character Developments

• Li Qingxian is established as a reincarnated protagonist adapting to a dangerous supernatural world. Though physically weak and recently ill, he is observant, witty, and determined to survive.
• He recognizes that he must investigate his new surroundings, find a safe path, and strengthen himself through cultivation.
• His personality combines a sharp mind with playful confidence. He banters easily with Zheng Hui despite his low status and poor reputation.
• Li Qingxian’s background is complicated: he was once a street delinquent, failed at scholarship, martial cultivation, and orthodox Daoist cultivation, and was eventually placed in the Night Guard through his father’s connections.
• His relationship with his late father is indirectly deepened through the discussion of Li Gangfeng’s integrity and sacrifice.
• Zheng Hui is shown as a protective, outspoken captain. He treats Li Qingxian like family, worries about his health, and tries to restrain his recklessness.
• Yu Ping demonstrates the informal kindness and brotherhood among the Night Guard members by bringing Li Qingxian fruit.
• The Night Guard personnel are portrayed as loyal to one another despite their organization’s political decline.

3. Significant Themes

• Rebirth and survival: Li Qingxian has been given a second life but understands that this world is far more dangerous than his former one.
• Power and cultivation: Strength determines survival, and Li Qingxian must find a way to cultivate despite his poor aptitude in conventional paths.
• Political corruption and injustice: The Night Guard’s decline results from treacherous officials manipulating the emperor and suppressing institutions that once held the court accountable.
• Righteousness and sacrifice: Li Gangfeng’s death represents uncompromising loyalty to truth and due process, even when his actions cannot change the political outcome.
• Decline of institutions: The once-feared Night Guard has been reduced to a weakened, understaffed organization struggling to survive.
• Camaraderie and family: The guards’ teasing, concern, and generosity provide Li Qingxian with a sense of belonging amid political instability and personal uncertainty.
• Identity and reputation: Li Qingxian’s present self differs from his former life and the body’s original reputation, suggesting that he may redefine himself.

4. Character Interactions

• Zheng Hui wakes the room by promising mutton soup, immediately creating a lively and familiar atmosphere among the guards.
• He helps Li Qingxian prepare, gives him water, checks on his health, and offers support regarding his family and future.
• Zheng Hui and Li Qingxian discuss Li Gangfeng, the Crown Prince’s downfall, and the Night Guard’s weakened position, revealing both shared grief and political frustration.
• Their conversation shifts into teasing when Zheng Hui mocks Li Qingxian’s failed academic, martial, and Daoist pursuits, while Li Qingxian responds with sarcastic confidence.
• Zheng Hui jokingly calls him reckless and warns him to obey orders during patrol.
• Yu Ping joins the interaction by giving Li Qingxian an orange and recalling how fiercely Li Qingxian behaved during a previous incident.
• Overall, the chapter introduces Li Qingxian’s new life, his precarious political environment, and the loyal but declining community of the Night Guard.

Chapter Summary: “Qi-Gazing Technique”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Deputy Team Leader Han Anbo and Team Leader Zheng Hui recount how Zheng saved Li Qingxian from a Tenth Rank bandit, suffering a serious abdominal injury in the process. Zheng jokingly demands gratitude while boasting about his ambitions and admiring Li Qingxian’s late father, Lord Li.
• Zheng, Han, Yu Ping, and Li patrol Wanping Street. Zheng gives instructions amid rumors that the Devil Sect and Evil Sects are seizing businesses and fighting over establishments such as Changle Restaurant. The Night Guard appears increasingly weakened and intimidated by powerful factions.
• Li notices that many people now ignore him because his father died disgraced, though Zheng, Han, Yu, and several relatives and old friends continue to support him.
• The team discusses Lord Zhou Chunfeng, a powerful and celebrated Night Guard official who has apparently protected Li in the past, despite Li having no memory of any connection between Zhou and his father.
• Dong Ying, the Street Patrol Office instructor, intercepts the group and pressures Zheng to transfer from Wanping Street to the dangerous docks. Zheng and the others resist because the docks are chaotic and deadly.
• Li secretly uses the Qi-Gazing Technique on Dong Ying. He sees a withered yellow tree above Dong Ying, accompanied by visions of family grief, mourning, and a bloodied tomb. He concludes that Dong Ying’s mother is about to suffer a catastrophe.
• Li privately tells Dong Ying that his mother will face great danger that day. Dong Ying initially dismisses the warning, insisting that his mother is healthy.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Becomes more observant and suspicious of the political and social conditions around him. He recognizes the loyalty of Zheng Hui, Han Anbo, and Yu Ping, and begins to appreciate the hidden support he has received from Lord Zhou. His use of the Qi-Gazing Technique marks an important step in developing his abilities, though the vision leaves him physically dizzy.
• Zheng Hui: Is established as loud, boastful, affectionate, and deeply loyal. He genuinely regards Li as family and remains protective of his team, refusing to accept a dangerous transfer despite the potential profits.
• Han Anbo: Continues to act as a calm, perceptive deputy. He supports Li physically after the Qi-Gazing Technique overwhelms him and subtly confirms that Lord Zhou has protected Li.
• Yu Ping: Provides comic relief but also shows concern for the team, helping argue against the transfer to the docks.
• Dong Ying: Appears outwardly friendly and confident but is revealed through Li’s vision to carry deep personal grief and strong attachment to his mother. His past rivalry with Zheng and his pressure to transfer the team create tension.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty amid social decline: Li’s father’s death caused former acquaintances to abandon him, emphasizing how quickly status and reputation can alter relationships. The Night Guard team’s continued loyalty stands in contrast.
• Corruption and institutional weakness: The Evil Sects and Devil Sect openly interfere in commerce and public life, while the Night Guard fears confronting them, suggesting that the kingdom’s authority is compromised.
• Hidden connections and political protection: Lord Zhou’s unexplained concern for Li hints at concealed ties involving Li’s father and the wider power structure.
• Fate and responsibility: Li’s ability to perceive impending disaster raises the question of whether foreknowledge creates an obligation to intervene, even when the prediction may be doubted.
• Appearance versus reality: Zheng’s crude humor hides genuine courage; Dong Ying’s casual smile conceals grief; and the apparently powerful Night Guard is internally vulnerable.

Character Interactions

• Zheng’s exaggerated speech contrasts with Li’s quiet restraint, creating a warm but comedic mentor-like relationship.
• Han and Yu support Zheng’s refusal to transfer, presenting the team as a close-knit group that values safety and solidarity over profit.
• Han’s comments about Lord Zhou prompt Li to reconsider his past and recognize that some people may have protected him without his knowledge.
• Dong Ying’s confrontation with Zheng exposes their old rivalry, while Li’s private warning shifts the interaction from administrative conflict to a personal matter involving Dong Ying’s mother.

Chapter Summary: “Mutton Offal Soup”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian uses the Qi-Gazing/Fate Reading technique to determine that Dong Ying’s mother has eaten mold-contaminated corn cake and is likely suffering severe food poisoning.
• He warns Dong Ying to hurry home and take her to Life-Preserving Hall, offering True Essence to support the doctor’s treatment. Dong Ying promises lifelong gratitude if Li is telling the truth, but threatens him if he is lying.
• Li reflects on the dangers of using Qi-Gazing before reaching Entry Rank. The technique leaves him dizzy, and he worries that repeated use could make him faint. He also remains puzzled by the symbolic image of a withered tree and his incomplete memories of Fate Arts.
• Li, Zheng Hui, Han Anbo, and Yu Ping go to Zhang’s restaurant on Happiness Street for their usual meal.
• They eat mutton offal soup, crumbled white-flour buns, salted duck eggs, and—thanks to Yu Ping’s secret purchase—beef-and-radish shumai. The meal is filled with teasing, generosity, and camaraderie.
• After eating, Zheng Hui notices a swaggering Military and Horse Bureau officer receiving an unusually large serving of mutton. His displeasure suggests a past grudge or conflict, though the matter is not explained.
• The group begins their street patrol. Zheng Hui pairs himself with the recovering Li, while Han Anbo patrols with Yu Ping.
• Li admits that his illness and recent experiences have made him realize he must change how he lives rather than continue drifting aimlessly. Zheng Hui and Han Anbo encourage him, praising his renewed spirit.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Demonstrates growing confidence in his Fate Arts by helping Dong Ying, but also recognizes his current limitations. His recovery prompts serious self-reflection and a desire to abandon his previous careless way of life.
• Dong Ying: Reveals strong devotion to his mother and immediate willingness to act. His gratitude and loyalty toward Li become evident, though he remains blunt and suspicious.
• Zheng Hui: Appears generous, righteous, and protective. He treats the group to food, supports Li’s recovery, and responds warmly to Li’s decision to reform. His sudden anger at the well-fed officer hints at unresolved resentment.
• Han Anbo: Acts considerate and dependable, helping with the meal and warning Li not to eat spicy food while recovering. His giving Li’s leftover buns to Yu Ping shows quiet kindness.
• Yu Ping: Provides comic relief through his gluttony and bargaining, but also reveals genuine affection. Despite pretending to be miserly, he gives Li extra shumai, showing that his friendship is sincere.

Significant Themes

• Compassion and responsibility: Li risks exhaustion to save Dong Ying’s mother, while the group’s meal highlights everyday acts of care and generosity.
• Friendship expressed through food: Teasing, sharing dishes, paying for meals, and giving away leftovers reveal the close bonds among the patrolmen.
• Personal renewal: Li’s illness becomes a turning point, encouraging him to pursue a more purposeful life.
• Limits and consequences of power: The strain caused by Qi-Gazing reminds Li that extraordinary abilities require restraint and greater cultivation.
• Social inequality and fairness: The contrast between ordinary diners’ modest portions and the officer’s excessive serving hints at privilege, resentment, and possible corruption.
• Ordinary life amid danger: The lively street, inexpensive food, patrol duties, and familiar routines ground the characters in common human experiences despite their supernatural abilities and official roles.

Character Interactions

• Li and Dong Ying share a tense but meaningful exchange centered on Dong Ying’s mother, establishing trust and potential indebtedness.
• Zheng Hui and Yu Ping engage in affectionate bickering over food, especially salted duck eggs, buns, and soup.
• Han Anbo’s quiet generosity balances Yu Ping’s selfish joking and reinforces the group’s familial dynamic.
• The meal brings the four men closer, with Yu Ping’s reluctant sharing of shumai becoming a particularly sincere moment.
• Zheng Hui and Han Anbo respond positively to Li’s desire to change, treating his self-realization as evidence of maturity and renewed honor.

Chapter Summary: “Demon-Devils, Ghosts, and Scholar-Officials Shared the Realm”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zheng Hui, Li Qingxian, Han Anbo, and Yu Ping patrol Wanping Street, a wealthy and politically dangerous district where the Night Guards now exercise little authority.
• They notice signs of the Devil Sect’s influence, including a blood-red rose stamped on Liu’s Fengxiang Silk Shop, suggesting that its owner has suffered under the sect’s control.
• At Flower Sea Tower, Zheng Hui reminds Li Qingxian of his promise to buy him expensive strong liquor once either of them advances in rank.
• Before beginning their patrol, the group checks their weapons and prepares emergency whistles.
• Chief Pang Mingjing of the Night Guard’s Finance Office arrives and orders Li Qingxian to accompany him to Ministry of Revenue Street. His true intentions seem suspicious, especially because the assignment involves the powerful Ministry of Revenue.
• Zheng Hui attempts to protect Li Qingxian by offering himself instead. Pang humiliates Zheng by destroying his clothing with a powerful technique, then produces a Gold-Character Command Token capable of forcing obedience or executing lower-ranked officials.
• Yu Ping blows the emergency whistle, but Pang’s soldiers disarm the entire group. Pang then cancels the alarm, showing that he has carefully prepared and controls the situation.
• Li Qingxian ultimately agrees to go with Pang to protect Zheng Hui, Han Anbo, and Yu Ping. His friends immediately begin seeking help: Zheng races to the Night Guard headquarters, Yu Ping follows him, and Han Anbo secretly trails Pang’s carriage.
• During the journey, Pang discusses Li Qingxian’s father, Li Gangfeng, the famed “Flood-Cleaving Sword,” revealing that he once witnessed Li Gangfeng’s achievements during the South River disaster.
• Pang assigns Li Qingxian an impossible-sounding task: recover eight thousand taels owed to the Night Guard by the Ministry of Revenue within one hour, or face military punishment and expulsion.
• Upon reaching the Ministry of Revenue, Li Qingxian sees five enormous statues. The nearest is a terrifying thousand-armed, thousand-eyed Evil God.
• His memories return enough for him to understand the political reality of the world: following the Four Calamities of Taikang, Emperor Taining brought the Devil Sect, Netherworld, and Evil Sects into the imperial government to oppose the Demon Race.
• The Ministry of Revenue is controlled jointly by five Evil Sects, forcing Li Qingxian to confront the horrifying truth that demons, undead beings, evil sects, and human officials openly share power in Great Qi.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates composure and courage under coercion. Though frightened and suspicious, he willingly accepts Pang’s summons to spare his comrades. His growing awareness of his father’s legacy and his own dangerous position deepens his determination to survive.
• Zheng Hui reveals strong loyalty and self-sacrifice. He willingly offers himself in Li Qingxian’s place and endures public humiliation rather than allow the younger Night Guard to be taken.
• Han Anbo proves himself highly perceptive and practical. He recognizes the political danger of Pang’s order, understands that normal authority may not be enough, and organizes efforts to seek help from Zhou Chunfeng or the Night Guard Alarm Drum.
• Yu Ping displays surprising courage despite his comic, food-loving personality. He raises the alarm, knowingly risking punishment, and later joins the effort to rescue Li Qingxian.
• Pang Mingjing emerges as a powerful, calculating official. He uses intimidation, rank, physical force, and legal authority to isolate Li Qingxian. His remarks about Li Gangfeng suggest a mixture of admiration, regret, and political cynicism.

Significant Themes

• Political corruption and diminished authority: The Night Guard, once feared even by high officials, has become vulnerable to factional struggles and internal power games.
• Loyalty and sacrifice: Zheng Hui, Han Anbo, and Yu Ping risk themselves to protect Li Qingxian, emphasizing the bonds formed among the Night Guards.
• Power concealed beneath bureaucracy: Official commands, financial disputes, and court assignments mask struggles involving sects, demons, and supernatural forces.
• The collapse of moral order: Evil beings are not merely enemies outside society; they have been incorporated into the imperial government and control major institutions.
• Legacy and political danger: Li Qingxian’s identity as Li Gangfeng’s son gives him both protection and peril. His father’s reputation inspires admiration but also makes him a target.
• Loss of innocence and worldview: Li Qingxian’s discovery of the Evil God statues shatters his assumptions about the world and reveals the immense danger of the political realm he has entered.

Important Character Interactions

• Zheng Hui and Li Qingxian share a warm, brotherly relationship, seen in their discussion of wine and Zheng’s willingness to take Li’s place.
• Zheng, Han, and Yu collectively resist Pang’s attempt to isolate Li Qingxian, demonstrating their unity.
• Pang repeatedly asserts dominance over Zheng through humiliation and the command token, exposing the Night Guard’s internal hierarchy and political weakness.
• Pang’s conversation with Li about Li Gangfeng is more personal than his earlier threats, suggesting that he respects Li’s father while believing Li Qingxian is destined to fail.
• Han Anbo’s final warning—“At the Ministry of Revenue, propriety comes first”—foreshadows the supernatural and political dangers Li Qingxian is about to face.
• The chapter ends with Li Qingxian isolated before the Ministry of Revenue and its Evil God statues, marking his entry into the truly dangerous center of Great Qi’s power structure.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian refuses to enter the Ministry of Revenue when ordered by Pang Mingjing. He threatens to publicly accuse Pang and the Night Guard of desecrating Evil God temples, even spitting on Pang’s carriage to show his defiance.
• Though outwardly reckless, Li realizes that Pang’s demand is likely a trap: either to provoke the Evil Sect disciples inside the Ministry or to make him disobey military orders and lose his position in the Night Guard.
• Li decides to stall for time, hoping reinforcements from the Night Guard yamen and Lord Zhou Chunfeng will arrive, while desperately searching for a way to protect himself from Pang.
• He reasons that the Evil Sects’ power is closely tied to wealth and offerings. Since they control the Ministry of Revenue, their strength likely comes from their ability to accumulate money and provide offerings to their gods.
• A massive supernatural battle erupts over the Imperial Palace. An Upper Three Ranks expert manifests Sun and Moon phenomena alongside a gigantic demonic beast, but Emperor Taining’s Gold-Inlaid White Jade Seal suppresses the conflict and restores order.
• This display reminds Li that the Night Guard’s authority comes directly from the emperor. Without the emperor’s support, even powerful factions could crush it.
• Pang, frustrated by Li’s continued refusal and provocative remarks, calls him a madman and withdraws. The soldiers avoid involvement while Li continues trying to devise a survival strategy.
• The carriage eventually moves farther down Ministry of Revenue Street. The chapter ends as a green-robed official and a heavily armed black-clad man approach, causing the Night Guard soldiers to bow respectfully.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Initially driven by anger and apparent madness, he gradually regains his composure and begins thinking strategically. His bold insults and threats are deliberate stalling tactics rather than pure recklessness. He draws on his modern-world experience with media, propaganda, marketing, and political commentary to analyze the situation and exploit weaknesses in the Evil Sects.
• Pang Mingjing: Revealed as confident and intimidating but unwilling to confront Li openly when Li threatens to expose him publicly. His frustration becomes apparent, and he retreats after dismissing Li as insane.
• Night Guard soldiers: Though initially attempting to force Li into the Ministry, they become helpless and cautious. Their respect and fear toward higher-ranking officials show the rigid hierarchy within the Night Guard.
• Emperor Taining: Though absent in person, he is portrayed as the ultimate source of authority in Divine Capital. His imperial seal is powerful enough to suppress clashes between terrifying supernatural forces.

Significant Themes

• Defiance versus institutional power: Li cannot overpower Pang directly, so he resists through public threats, shamelessness, and psychological pressure.
• Money as a form of power: The chapter presents the Evil Sects’ financial influence as central to their religious and political strength. Wealth enables offerings, followers, divine gifts, and greater cultivation.
• Political maneuvering and survival: Li recognizes that apparent orders may conceal factional traps. Survival depends on reading motives, buying time, and using information rather than relying only on force.
• The emperor’s fragile supremacy: The imperial seal establishes that the emperor remains the highest authority, yet the repeated conflicts among powerful factions suggest that this authority is constantly tested.
• Madness as a strategy: Li’s apparent insanity makes him unpredictable and difficult to control, allowing him to intimidate people who would otherwise hold overwhelming power over him.

Character Interactions

• Li confronts the four Night Guard soldiers and refuses to obey their order, threatening to expose Pang Mingjing and the Night Guard.
• He insults Pang directly, spits on his carriage, and challenges him to provoke the Ministry’s divine sons.
• Pang responds by calling Li a madman and withdrawing rather than escalating the confrontation.
• The soldiers remain caught between obedience to Pang and fear of Li’s threats, ultimately avoiding action.
• The approaching green-robed official and armed attendant receive immediate deference from the soldiers, signaling that they possess considerable status and likely represent a new danger or turning point.

Chapter Summary: “Soy Sauce Tech”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian is stopped on Ministry of Revenue Street by Luo Jing, a Principal Eighth Rank official who appears to be a believer in an Evil God. Luo notices Li’s lack of formal headwear and questions why he is there.
• Li identifies himself as a Night Guard sent by Zhou Chunfeng and claims he has come to negotiate a major business deal between the Divine Capital Office, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Evil Sects.
• He boldly promises profits of several hundred thousand taels annually, suggesting the income could help Luo advance into the Middle Three Ranks.
• Luo agrees to take Li inside for a private discussion, despite the objections of his saber-wielding guard, who suspects Li of boasting or deception.
• Li invokes his deceased father, the respected Fourth Rank literary cultivator and Fifth Rank Censor Li Gangfeng, to lend credibility to his claims. The guard apologizes for speaking disrespectfully about Li Gangfeng.
• Li presents his proposed business: producing strong liquor through an improved distillation method. He explains that existing liquor is expensive and inefficient to produce, while his method could yield enormous profits.
• He estimates annual net earnings between two hundred thousand and one million taels, though Luo initially laughs at the comparison between Li’s projected income and the Ministry’s Inner Transport Treasury.
• Li privately recognizes that distilled liquor could have an even more important use: producing medical alcohol for sterilization and disinfection. He considers using azeotropic alcohol and dilution to achieve roughly seventy-five percent concentration.
• By the end of the chapter, Li has successfully gained access to the Ministry and identified its key motivations: its officials genuinely believe in their gods and need money to make offerings.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates quick thinking, confidence, and opportunism. He realizes that the Ministry’s religious devotion and financial needs make it vulnerable to a commercially powerful proposal.
• He uses his father’s reputation strategically, even while admitting internally that his relationship with his father was poor and that he is primarily motivated by profit.
• Li also reveals practical modern knowledge, applying concepts of industrial distillation, market pricing, alcohol concentration, and medical sterilization.
• Luo Jing is introduced as an intelligent, cautious, and ambitious official. Although skeptical, he is intrigued by Li’s proposal and willing to investigate it rather than dismissing him outright.
• The saber-wielding guard begins openly hostile and suspicious but becomes respectful after learning that Li is Li Gangfeng’s son.
• Li Gangfeng, though deceased, continues to influence events through his reputation as a model Confucian official and heroic figure.

Significant Themes

• Modern knowledge as a source of power: Li uses technical knowledge from another world to gain leverage over people with greater official status and religious authority.
• Money and belief: The Ministry’s members sincerely worship their gods, but their religious activities depend on substantial financial resources. Li recognizes that profit can serve as a bridge between competing factions.
• Inheritance and reputation: Li benefits from his father’s name despite their strained relationship, showing how political and moral reputations survive death.
• Ambition and social advancement: Luo’s interest in profits is tied not merely to wealth but also to advancement through the official ranks.
• Truth mixed with manipulation: Li’s claims are fundamentally based on real possibilities, but he exaggerates projected profits and conceals the full extent of his modern knowledge.
• Science and practical medicine: The discussion of strong liquor hints at future applications beyond commerce, particularly disinfection and public health.

Character Interactions

• Luo initially reprimands Li but quickly shifts to a businesslike, curious attitude once Li mentions the potential profits.
• Li carefully balances respect and boldness, saluting Luo while speaking with enough confidence to establish himself as a serious negotiator.
• The guard challenges Li’s credibility, but Li counters by invoking his father’s status and achievements.
• Luo identifies Li as Li Gangfeng’s son, while the guard apologizes for insulting or underestimating him.
• As they walk toward the Ministry offices, Luo begins questioning Li about the business, signaling that Li has successfully moved from an outsider on the street to a potential partner in a major financial venture.

Chapter Summary: “Brocade Uniforms, Mounted Patrols Ride Out”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian explains to Luo Jing why he does not want to run a business independently. Because the Devil Sect has destroyed wealthy merchants before, he believes his profits can only be protected through a broad alliance involving the Night Guard, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Works, and the Emperor’s Inner Transport Treasury.
• Li’s reasoning impresses Luo Jing and Duan Heng, a saber-bearing Night Guard officer from the outer district. While waiting for Luo’s response, Li casually questions Duan Heng and gathers more information.
• At the Night Guard’s Divine Capital Office, Zheng Hui arrives exhausted and with his uniform torn after learning that Pang Mingjing has forcibly taken Li Qingxian to the Ministry of Revenue. He urgently reports that Li may be in danger.
• Zhou Hen informs Zhou Chunfeng, who immediately becomes enraged. Though Zhou Hen warns him not to let concern cloud his judgment, Zhou Chunfeng authorizes a direct rescue.
• Zhou Chunfeng orders Zhou Hen to retrieve Li personally and commands the Night Guard to “wear brocade uniforms, hang red silk, bind red belts, and send out the Mounted Patrol.”
• Fifty mounted Night Guard officers ride through the capital in a striking red formation toward the Ministry of Revenue. Their deployment shocks onlookers because the Mounted Patrol has not ridden out since the Crown Prince’s death six months earlier.
• Zheng Hui celebrates the rescue effort, proudly repeating the Night Guard’s rallying phrase. Witnessing the procession, Yu Ping is deeply moved and recognizes the return of the Night Guard’s former authority and spirit.
• Zhou Chunfeng separately dispatches a Gray Falcon agent to investigate who is secretly targeting Li Qingxian. The chapter ends as Zhou Chunfeng retrieves a large, talisman-covered disk from his seemingly small Luck Silver-Fish Pouch, suggesting he is preparing further action.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates political intelligence, caution, and ambition. Although he claims to desire only a quiet life, he understands that power and interconnected interests are necessary for his survival. His approach resembles his late father’s strategic insight.
• Luo Jing shifts from testing Li to recognizing his sophistication. He appears impressed by Li’s ability to build a protective alliance without openly revealing all his plans.
• Duan Heng establishes an easy rapport with Li after they discover they come from the same district, giving Li another potential ally and source of information.
• Zheng Hui shows fierce loyalty and emotional investment in Li. His desperate report and delighted reaction to the Mounted Patrol’s deployment reveal how much he trusts Zhou Chunfeng to protect Li.
• Zhou Chunfeng is revealed to care deeply about Li Qingxian. His initial anger is intense, but he restrains himself enough to respond through decisive official action rather than acting recklessly. He also orders a broader investigation, showing that he suspects a hidden conspiracy.
• Zhou Hen acts as Zhou Chunfeng’s powerful and disciplined enforcer. Though intimidating in appearance, he is obedient and responsive to his lord’s commands.
• Yu Ping gains renewed admiration for the Night Guard after witnessing its dramatic return to the streets.

Significant Themes

• Power through alliances: Li recognizes that wealth and personal ability are insufficient protection; survival depends on creating shared interests among powerful factions.
• Political maneuvering and hidden threats: The danger to Li is not merely a personal dispute but part of a larger struggle involving government offices, factional interests, and possibly covert enemies.
• Loyalty and protection: Zhou Chunfeng’s rapid mobilization emphasizes the bonds of loyalty within the Night Guard and his personal commitment to Li.
• The return of authority: The Mounted Patrol’s deployment symbolizes the Night Guard reclaiming its former prestige after a period of inactivity and decline.
• Public symbolism: The red silk, red belts, brocade uniforms, and thunderous procession transform a rescue mission into a public declaration of power.
• Contrasting appearances and intentions: Li presents himself as an ordinary man who wants peace, while quietly thinking strategically; Zhou Chunfeng appears elegant and controlled but responds with formidable force when Li is threatened.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Luo Jing: Their conversation centers on business, factional protection, and political strategy. Luo tests Li’s motives, while Li answers carefully without exposing his full plan.
• Li Qingxian and Duan Heng: Their informal discussion establishes common ground and allows Li to gather intelligence.
• Zheng Hui and Zhou Hen: Zheng urgently conveys the threat to Li, relying on Zhou Hen to act.
• Zhou Hen and Zhou Chunfeng: Zhou Hen restrains his lord’s initial impulse, after which Zhou Chunfeng gives him direct authority to launch the rescue.
• Zheng Hui and the Mounted Patrol: Zheng’s emotional enthusiasm reflects the group’s renewed morale as they ride to save Li.
• Zhou Chunfeng and the Gray Falcon agent: Zhou Chunfeng expands the response beyond rescue, ordering an investigation into the forces behind the attack on Li.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Chunfeng creates a magical communication array using Light-Shadow Brass Pillars, disks, and Red-Curse Yellow Talismans. After transmitting a message, one talisman transforms into a Scarlet Bird and flies away.
• At the Ministry of Revenue, Li Qingxian attempts to persuade Luo Jing to cooperate with the Night Guards. The proposed arrangement involves profitable liquor-making and other business methods, while also offering Luo Jing a possible path toward the Middle Three Ranks—and perhaps even the Upper Three Ranks.
• Luo Jing initially refuses to commit, suspecting the proposal may be connected to political conflict between the Ministry of Revenue and the Divine Capital Office. Li Qingxian reveals that Pang Mingjing, a higher-ranked official from the Finance Office, appears to be targeting him in order to embarrass Zhou Chunfeng.
• Li Qingxian prepares to leave and threatens to seek assistance from one of the Ministry’s five great Evil Sects. This pressure, combined with Duan Heng’s persuasion, finally convinces Luo Jing to agree to escort Li safely to the Night Guard Yamen.
• Duan Heng is sent to retrieve Old Hu, others, and the Divine Tablet. Li Qingxian secretly relaxes when he hears this, knowing that the Tablet grants its bearer extraordinary religious and social authority.
• Luo Jing discreetly warns Li that the kraft-paper bag contains incense. Li realizes that visitors to the Ministry of Revenue are expected to bring nine one-foot incense sticks to worship its gods; failing to do so could lead to humiliation, extortion, or accusations of desecration.
• The chapter ends with Li and Luo discussing Fate Arts. Li reveals his connection to the Deer-and-Crane Jade Pendant and claims a basic understanding of Fate Arts, while the narration explains the special historical and political status of Fate Arts Masters and the imperial family’s allegiance to Heaven’s Mandate Sect.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates political intelligence, confidence, and calculated persuasion. He uses flattery, veiled threats, and knowledge of Luo Jing’s ambitions to force a favorable decision.
• Li also shows growing awareness of bureaucratic and religious traps, though he still depends on more experienced figures like Luo Jing to recognize hidden rules.
• Luo Jing shifts from suspicion and hesitation to cooperation. Although cautious and concerned about his lower rank compared with Pang Mingjing, he is ambitious enough to seize a possible opportunity for advancement.
• Luo proves to be both shrewd and honorable: he warns Li about the incense requirement and agrees to protect him despite the personal risks.
• Duan Heng acts as an enthusiastic intermediary. He openly pressures Luo to accept the deal and repeatedly praises Li, though Luo regards his behavior as overly revealing and tactless.
• Zhou Chunfeng remains offstage but exerts major influence. His reputation and relationship with Li persuade Luo to take the proposal seriously, while his apparent intention to “temper” Li places responsibility for the mission on Li’s shoulders.

Significant Themes

• Political maneuvering and factional conflict: Li’s predicament reflects tensions between the Night Guards, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Finance Office. Pang Mingjing’s attempt to exploit Li shows how personal advancement and institutional rivalry overlap.
• Trust and calculated cooperation: Neither Li nor Luo fully trusts the other at first, but both recognize mutual benefit. Their alliance develops through negotiation, testing, and the exchange of favors.
• Religion intertwined with bureaucracy: The Ministry of Revenue is simultaneously a court institution and the domain of powerful Evil Sects. Worship, incense, and divine authority are treated as practical political realities.
• Ambition and social advancement: The promise of reaching the Middle or Upper Three Ranks motivates Luo, while Li’s bold claim that his future reputation may surpass his father’s reveals his own ambition.
• Fate Arts and inherited power: Li’s maternal jade pendant and his connection to Fate Arts suggest an important family legacy. The historical importance of Heaven’s Mandate Sect establishes Fate Arts as a force closely tied to the founding and legitimacy of Great Qi.

Character Interactions

• Li and Luo engage in a tense but increasingly respectful negotiation. Li repeatedly tests Luo’s resolve, while Luo probes Li’s background and motives.
• Luo questions the origin of Li’s jade pendant, revealing that it resembles an artifact associated with the Fate Measuring Sect.
• Li and Luo exchange playful sarcasm, calling each other an “upright young man” and a “Sunshine Boy,” signaling the beginning of mutual recognition.
• Luo’s warning about the incense creates a subtle debt between them, reinforcing their developing alliance.
• Duan Heng’s eager intervention helps bring the two sides together, though his bluntness earns him Luo’s irritation.

Chapter Summary: “Southern Star God”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian reflects on his limited prospects in literature, martial arts, and orthodox Dao cultivation. He concludes that becoming a Fate Arts Master may be his best route to advancement and survival in Great Qi.
• While discussing Fate Arts with Luo Jing, Li recalls that he memorized scriptures and chants from the Fate Measuring Sect as a child, though he never understood them. These memories make him suspect that the Heaven’s Mandate Instrument from his recurring dreams is extraordinary.
• Duan Heng arrives with a group of armed men and a red-silk-wrapped wooden box. Luo Jing orders everyone to proceed to the Night Guard Yamen, intending to take Li to Chief Administrator Zhou Chunfeng.
• On the way, Pang Mingjing, a high-ranking official of the Ministry of Revenue’s Night Guard Finance Office, blocks their path and claims authority over Li. He insists that Li was brought to the Ministry of Revenue and cannot be taken away.
• Luo Jing counters that Li was summoned under Zhou Chunfeng’s secret order. Pang attempts to pressure him through rank, political connections, and offers of future introductions to powerful Ministry officials.
• When Luo refuses to yield, Pang’s tone hardens. Luo reveals his connection to the Southern Star Sect and invokes the sect’s intimidating divine authority, causing Pang to hesitate.
• Duan Heng warns Pang not to force Luo to open the Divine Tablet, while Pang prepares his own power by transforming his hands purple-black.
• Li recognizes that Pang is probably trying to provoke a confrontation between the Night Guard and the Ministry of Revenue rather than actually arrest him. He openly challenges Pang, warning that forcing him into the Southern Star Sect would create a serious political crisis because of Li’s Confucian family background.
• Luo jokingly suggests that Li might be the Southern Star God’s lost illegitimate Divine Son. This further unsettles Pang, who realizes the consequences of harming Li could extend far beyond the immediate dispute.
• The standoff continues, while Han Anbo secretly signals Li to keep delaying the confrontation.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Becomes more conscious of Fate Arts as a possible path to power. He also demonstrates growing political awareness, correctly identifying Pang’s provocative strategy and using his own heritage and possible connection to the Southern Star Sect as leverage.
• Luo Jing: Shows both restraint and firmness. He initially attempts to resolve the dispute diplomatically, but reveals an imposing and mysterious connection to the Southern Star Sect when negotiations fail. His confidence suggests considerable hidden power.
• Pang Mingjing: Emerges as calculating, aggressive, and politically ambitious. He tries to intimidate Luo through official hierarchy and connections, but becomes increasingly cautious when faced with the Southern Star Sect’s influence and Li’s sensitive identity.
• Duan Heng: Acts as a loyal escort and reinforces Luo’s authority by warning Pang about the Divine Tablet.
• Han Anbo: Quietly supports Li’s side and encourages him to prolong the standoff, implying that others are preparing or waiting for an opportunity.

Significant Themes

• Fate and hidden destiny: Li’s childhood memorization of Fate Arts scriptures and recurring dreams of the Heaven’s Mandate Instrument suggest that his true potential may be concealed rather than absent.
• Political power and institutional conflict: The confrontation reflects rivalry between the Ministry of Revenue, the Night Guard, and the Southern Star Sect. Authority depends not only on official rank but also on sect affiliations and hidden influence.
• Identity and allegiance: Li’s possible association with the Southern Star Sect threatens to overturn the political balance, especially because he is linked to a prominent Confucian family.
• Bluffing and psychological warfare: Neither side immediately attacks. Both use threats, reputations, rank, and implied consequences to pressure the other into backing down.
• The limits of official hierarchy: Pang outranks Luo in formal office, but Luo’s sect status and the Divine Tablet give him power that cannot be measured by bureaucratic rank alone.

Important Character Interactions

• Li and Luo Jing: Discuss Fate Arts, with Luo encouraging Li not to abandon the path. Later, they cooperate closely against Pang, with Li providing sharp political analysis and Luo supplying authority and protection.
• Luo Jing and Pang Mingjing: Engage in a tense verbal and spiritual confrontation. Pang attempts to assert bureaucratic superiority, while Luo refuses to be intimidated and invokes the Southern Star Sect.
• Li and Pang Mingjing: Li directly challenges Pang’s motives and warns him of the consequences of provoking a conflict or forcing Li into an Evil Sect.
• Duan Heng and Pang Mingjing: Duan reinforces Luo’s threat by warning Pang against forcing the opening of the Divine Tablet.
• Li and Han Anbo: Communicate indirectly across the street; Han’s gestures urge Li to stall, indicating coordinated resistance to Pang’s scheme.

Chapter Summary: “Who Gave You the Nerve?!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Night Guard’s Mounted Patrol suddenly arrives on Ministry of Revenue Street, led by the imposing Zhou Hen, after hearing that Li Qingxian is in danger.
• Zhou Hen orders everyone to retreat. When one of Pang Mingjing’s guards refuses, Zhou Hen’s horse crushes the man’s chest, killing him instantly.
• Zhou Hen then lashes Pang Mingjing across the face with his riding crop and demands to know who gave him the authority to harm someone from the Divine Capital Office.
• Pang Mingjing argues that the Finance Office was conducting legitimate business and claims Zhou Hen is the one acting unlawfully.
• Li Qingxian reveals that the document Pang Mingjing gave him—apparently intended to implicate or trap him—is still in its original paper bag and can serve as evidence.
• Luo Jing examines the document and confirms that its official seal, Night Guard markings, and other details are forged. Using it at the Ministry of Revenue would likely have gotten Li Qingxian imprisoned.
• Pang Mingjing claims Li Qingxian must have switched the document and framed him, but Li Qingxian turns the accusation against him by pointing out that the forgery was discovered on Ministry of Revenue Street, beneath the gaze of the Five Gods. He implies that such an act would amount to blasphemy.
• Luo Jing supports Li Qingxian’s argument, forcing Pang Mingjing into silence. Pang Mingjing retreats to the excuse that a subordinate must have taken the wrong document.
• Li Qingxian sarcastically suggests sending Pang Mingjing to the Divine Prison for interrogation, publicly humiliating him and exposing the danger of his actions.
• A senior Ministry of Revenue official, Xie Ming, arrives and announces that Vice Minister Feng sent him to welcome Li Qingxian. This further alarms Pang Mingjing, who realizes Li Qingxian has powerful support within the Ministry.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates exceptional alertness, confidence, and rhetorical skill. He preserves the suspicious document as evidence, calmly exposes Pang Mingjing’s scheme, and uses the Ministry of Revenue’s religious and political setting to corner him.
• Zhou Hen is established as fiercely protective of Li Qingxian and willing to use overwhelming force against anyone who threatens a Divine Capital Office colleague. His authority and reputation intimidate both the Evil Sects and Pang Mingjing’s men.
• Pang Mingjing shifts from arrogant aggressor to frightened and defensive official. His attempt to use institutional power against Li Qingxian collapses once the document is proven forged, leaving him isolated and humiliated.
• Luo Jing acts as an impartial but ultimately supportive witness, verifying the forgery and recognizing the seriousness of the crime.
• Zheng Hui and the ordinary Night Guard soldiers become openly hostile toward Pang Mingjing after witnessing his attempt to harm Li Qingxian.
• Xie Ming’s arrival reveals that Li Qingxian has drawn the attention and favor of higher-ranking Ministry officials, significantly strengthening his position.

Significant Themes

• Institutional power versus truth: Pang Mingjing relies on official authority and rank, but Li Qingxian defeats him through evidence and public scrutiny.
• Justice and accountability: The chapter emphasizes that even powerful officials can be challenged when their misconduct is exposed.
• Political maneuvering: Li Qingxian uses the location, witnesses, religious symbolism, and bureaucratic rivalries to turn Pang Mingjing’s own tactics against him.
• Protection and loyalty: Zhou Hen’s violent intervention shows the Night Guard’s willingness to defend its members, while the Mounted Patrol’s arrival shifts the balance of power.
• Public humiliation as a weapon: Li Qingxian repeatedly forces Pang Mingjing to answer before witnesses, making it impossible for him to quietly suppress the incident.

Important Character Interactions

• Zhou Hen and Pang Mingjing: Zhou Hen confronts and physically humiliates Pang Mingjing, demanding accountability for attacking Li Qingxian.
• Li Qingxian and Zhou Hen: Li Qingxian thanks Zhou Hen while confidently presenting the evidence that justifies the rescue.
• Li Qingxian and Pang Mingjing: Their exchange becomes a battle of wits, with Li Qingxian using sarcasm and legal reasoning to expose Pang’s malicious intent.
• Li Qingxian and Luo Jing: Li Qingxian entrusts Luo Jing with examining the document, turning a Ministry official into an objective witness against Pang.
• Pang Mingjing and Xie Ming: Pang tries to appeal to Xie Ming for support, but Xie instead approaches Li Qingxian on Vice Minister Feng’s orders, leaving Pang feeling politically abandoned.

Chapter Summary: “Chive Minister”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Ministry of Revenue’s support for Pang Mingjing collapses, leaving him vulnerable to the Night Guard.
• Zhou Hen confronts Pang and produces his official sash and seal, giving him the authority to arrest Pang without further documentation.
• Li Qingxian cleverly argues that Pang may have acted alone rather than being part of a larger conspiracy. Faced with the possibility of harsher investigation, Pang confesses to forging documents against Li in retaliation for his conflict with Li Gangfeng.
• Pang is arrested and taken to the Imperial Prison. At Li’s insistence, Zhou Hen orders the guards to strip Pang of his Night Guard uniform, publicly humiliating him and symbolically severing his official status.
• Li privately warns Pang that anyone who tries to kill him must be prepared to die by his hand.
• Xie Ming praises Li’s courage but dismisses him as merely a commoner. He also orders Luo Jing to collect the customary “incense money” and “tea money” from Li.
• Li returns toward the yamen with Zhou Hen’s group. Zheng Hui celebrates Li’s victory, while Han Anbo restrains him and keeps the group moving.
• Luo Jing explains that the Ministry of Revenue charges visitors even when they have not actually burned incense or drunk tea. Li pays the initial two cash, while Luo is expected to submit the remaining amount on his behalf.
• Li learns that the practice was established by Xue Ziliao, nicknamed the “Chive Minister.”
• Luo recounts how Xue rose from an insignificant official to the notice of Lin Zhaokong, the leader of the Evil Illumination Sect and former Minister of Revenue: during their first meeting, Xue smiled foolishly because three strips of chives were stuck between his teeth, making Lin laugh and remember him favorably.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates strategic intelligence, political awareness, and ruthlessness. He protects himself by encouraging Pang to confess while also ensuring Pang suffers public humiliation. His warning to Pang reveals his willingness to retaliate against future threats.
• Pang Mingjing shifts from arrogant resistance to helpless submission. His confession saves him from further suspicion but costs him his position, dignity, and uniform. He finally recognizes Li as a dangerous opponent.
• Zhou Hen acts decisively as the Night Guard’s authority, backing Li’s strategy and enforcing Pang’s arrest and punishment.
• Zheng Hui becomes openly admiring of Li, seeing him as someone who has brought honor to the Street Patrol Office.
• Han Anbo remains practical and restrained, preventing Zheng Hui from becoming too excited or asking dangerous questions.
• Luo Jing is portrayed as cynical and resigned to corrupt bureaucratic customs, though he becomes more open and friendly with Li during their private conversation.
• Xue Ziliao is introduced indirectly as a powerful, unconventional official whose rise began through an embarrassing but fortunate encounter.

Significant Themes

• Power and political authority: Official seals, ranks, and institutional backing determine who can act with impunity.
• Strategic survival: Li succeeds not through brute force but by manipulating the situation so Pang incriminates himself.
• Justice versus revenge: Li frames Pang’s punishment as lawful justice, but his insistence on stripping Pang also reveals a personal desire for revenge.
• Humiliation as political punishment: Removing Pang’s uniform publicly destroys his authority and reputation before his imprisonment.
• Corruption and bureaucratic absurdity: The Ministry of Revenue’s invented fees expose how normalized petty extortion has become.
• The role of chance in advancement: Xue’s rise begins from an embarrassing accident, showing how humor, timing, and the favor of powerful people can shape political careers.
• Class and social status: Despite his talent and bravery, Li is still dismissed as a commoner by Xie Ming.

Important Character Interactions

• Li and Pang: Li outmaneuvers Pang, forces him into a confession, and warns him not to attempt murder unless he is prepared for retaliation.
• Li and Zhou Hen: Their cooperation shows growing trust; Zhou supports Li’s judgment and carries out his requests.
• Li and Zheng Hui: Zheng praises Li enthusiastically and treats him as a source of pride for the Street Patrol Office.
• Li and Luo Jing: Their argument over “incense and tea money” leads to a private discussion about the Chive Minister and the Ministry of Revenue’s customs.
• Luo Jing and Xue Ziliao: Luo’s story reveals how Xue’s comical first impression of Lin Zhaokong became the turning point in his career.

Chapter Summary: “Sons of God”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian and Luo Jing discuss the mysterious “Chive Minister,” a young Second Rank Heretical Cultivator serving as Minister of Revenue. They also discuss Lord Xue’s distant connection to the South Xue Family and his reliance on School Leader Lin.
• Luo Jing explains the hierarchy and origins of the evil sects. The sects developed from the Other Shore Sect and the Snowfield People, eventually forming five major sects and numerous smaller branches.
• He reveals that all members of the evil sects are symbolically considered “sons of God,” but their titles vary by rank:
  • Leaders of the five great sects call themselves God’s “eldest legitimate sons.”
  • Upper Three Ranks are “eldest legitimate sons of the main branch.”
  • Middle Three Ranks are “eldest sons of collateral branches.”
  • Lower Four Ranks are “illegitimate sons of collateral branches.”
  • Ordinary disciples and unaffiliated individuals valued by the sects are simply “illegitimate sons.”
• Li Qingxian is astonished by the strange terminology and jokes that their god should be offended. Luo Jing warns him not to speak too freely about their god.
• Luo Jing questions Li Qingxian about his connection to Zhou Chunfeng. Li Qingxian claims Zhou Chunfeng was a close associate of his father, Li Gangfeng, and secretly protected him. However, Luo Jing remains skeptical because Li Qingxian’s story about his official documents has repeatedly changed.
• At the Night Guard Yamen, Li Qingxian, Luo Jing, and Zhou Hen meet Zhou Chunfeng. Zheng Hui, Han Anbo, and Yu Ping wait outside, joking that Li Qingxian is about to rise rapidly and that they will soon be able to celebrate with lamb soup.
• In Zhou Chunfeng’s study, Zhou Hen reports the entire incident. Zhou Chunfeng recognizes that Li Qingxian resembles his father and thanks Luo Jing for assisting him.
• Zhou Chunfeng challenges Li Qingxian to explain how he persuaded a high-ranking Ministry of Revenue official without possessing an official seal or document.
• Li Qingxian boldly claims that he and Zhou Chunfeng had already agreed to establish a nationally distributed spirits industry based on the Spirits Distillation Method. He proposes dividing ownership into ten shares, with the Imperial Treasury, Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of Works, Night Guard Department, and Li Qingxian each receiving two.
• Zhou Chunfeng silently scrutinizes this elaborate explanation, while Luo Jing laughs at Li Qingxian’s audacity. Luo Jing admits that although he did not fully believe Li Qingxian, the young man was so persuasive—and potentially talented enough to rise highly within the evil sects—that he chose to help him.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian continues to demonstrate extraordinary confidence, improvisational skill, and political cunning. He confidently invents a grand explanation for the distillery project, attempting to make his actions appear sanctioned by Zhou Chunfeng and beneficial to the entire court.
• Luo Jing becomes more open about his background in the evil sects and reveals their unusual internal hierarchy. He is increasingly amused and impressed by Li Qingxian’s ability to manipulate situations, even while recognizing the danger of trusting him.
• Zhou Chunfeng is established as elegant, charismatic, powerful, and perceptive. Despite his youthful appearance and calm manner, he quickly sees through Li Qingxian’s claims and directly tests his credibility.
• Zhou Hen acts as a respectful intermediary, reporting the incident to Zhou Chunfeng.
• Li Gangfeng, though absent, is portrayed as an influential and upright figure whose relationship with Zhou Chunfeng remains partly mysterious.

Significant Themes

• Political maneuvering and deception: Li Qingxian relies on rhetoric, confidence, and carefully constructed lies to gain influence and survive bureaucratic conflicts.
• Legitimacy and authority: The dispute over documents, seals, and official backing highlights how power depends on both formal authorization and personal reputation.
• Hierarchy and identity: The evil sects’ elaborate “sons of God” titles reflect rigid rank systems and the human tendency to reshape spiritual beliefs around status and ambition.
• Talent versus morality: Luo Jing recognizes Li Qingxian’s dangerous persuasive ability as a form of talent, suggesting that brilliance can be admired even when it is used deceptively.
• Hidden relationships and inherited influence: Li Qingxian’s connection to his father and Zhou Chunfeng hints at deeper political networks and unresolved truths about Li Gangfeng’s past.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Luo Jing converse with increasing familiarity, trading jokes while also probing each other’s secrets.
• Luo Jing exposes the strange customs of the evil sects, while Li Qingxian responds with skepticism and humor.
• Li Qingxian invokes his supposed relationship with Zhou Chunfeng to justify his actions, but Luo Jing openly challenges the inconsistencies in his story.
• Zhou Chunfeng treats Li Qingxian with a mixture of scrutiny, recognition, and restrained amusement. He acknowledges Li Qingxian’s resemblance to his father but refuses to accept his fabricated explanation without question.
• Luo Jing’s final admission—that Li Qingxian could rise high even within the evil sects—confirms that both his enemies and potential allies recognize his exceptional persuasive power.

Chapter Summary: “Brewing Spirits”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian explains to Zhou Chunfeng, Luo Jing, and another official that he has successfully developed the Spirits Distillation Method, a technique for producing strong liquor.
• He describes the process: heat wine so that alcohol evaporates before water, channel the vapor through pipes, and cool it so it condenses into concentrated alcohol. By adjusting the concentration and adding floral or fruit flavors, various kinds of liquor could be produced.
• Li claims the method could transform the liquor industry and generate enormous revenue for both the Night Guard and the imperial treasury.
• Zhou Chunfeng decides the method must remain secret until it is fully tested. He proposes cooperation among the Ministry of Revenue, Inner Transport Treasury, Night Guard, and Ministry of Works.
• The group chooses the Imperial Prison Bureau as the secret production site because it is secure, heavily guarded, and currently underused.
• Luo Jing agrees to contact the Ministry of Revenue and Inner Transport Treasury through his family connections.
• Zhou Chunfeng assigns Li an additional identity as a clerk of the Imperial Prison Bureau, allowing him to enter and leave the facility freely.
• Li then jokingly—or opportunistically—asks for a Gold-Character Command Token, arguing that protecting a project worth one million taels annually justifies the request. Zhou reacts angrily, calling him outrageous.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates his intelligence, creativity, and talent for presenting modern scientific knowledge in terms understandable to people of this world. He also shows considerable political awareness by emphasizing the method’s financial and national importance.
• Li cleverly attributes his discovery partly to his deceased father, Gang Feng, which emotionally affects Zhou Chunfeng and helps establish trust.
• Zhou Chunfeng shifts from skepticism to serious approval. He recognizes the method’s economic importance but insists on secrecy, careful testing, and institutional cooperation. His brief coughing fit reveals that he suffers from an old illness, adding vulnerability to his otherwise stern authority.
• Luo Jing becomes increasingly impressed by Li and participates in the practical arrangements. He also notices that Zhou treats Li almost like a favored junior or family member.
• Zhou’s attitude toward Li combines mentorship, encouragement, and discipline. He praises Li’s achievement while warning him not to glorify shortcuts or rely on inspiration without hard work.

Significant Themes

• Innovation and accumulated effort: Li argues that major breakthroughs require both long-term work and moments of inspiration. Zhou accepts this after Li clarifies that the distillation method came from sustained experimentation rather than effortless cleverness.
• Science explained through familiar experience: Li uses boiling wine, steam, condensation, and ice carts to explain distillation in accessible terms.
• Knowledge as power and wealth: The method is not merely a technical invention; it could reshape the liquor trade, strengthen state finances, and attract political or criminal interference.
• Secrecy and institutional control: Because the technique could generate immense profits, the officials emphasize confidentiality, security, and government oversight.
• Trust and mentorship: Zhou’s treatment of Li reveals a growing bond, while Li’s use of his father’s memory shows how personal history can influence political relationships.
• Humor amid serious affairs: Li’s exaggerated logic and brazen request for a command token lighten the discussion, even as they underline his confidence and opportunism.

Important Character Interactions

• Li and Zhou establish mutual trust through Li’s reference to Gang Feng and Zhou’s recognition of the method’s value.
• Zhou admonishes Li for suggesting that great achievements can be gained through shortcuts, prompting Li to defend the importance of both effort and inspiration.
• Luo questions whether the distillation method is really as simple as Li claims, allowing Li to explain the difficulty of turning a basic idea into a practical technology.
• Zhou delegates responsibilities: Luo handles the financial ministries, while Zhou manages the Ministry of Works and Night Guard.
• Li’s request for a Gold-Character Command Token ends the chapter on a comic confrontation, with Zhou rejecting what he sees as an absurdly bold demand.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Luo Jing warns Zhou Chunfeng that giving Li Qingxian the Gold-Character Command Token will encourage his already reckless behavior. Li Qingxian pretends to be deeply hurt, while Zhou Hen proposes delaying the token’s retrieval until the new brewing business is established.
• During lunch at the Night Guard Yamen, Zhou Chunfeng asks Li Qingxian for ideas on marketing the proposed strong liquor.
• Li Qingxian suggests inventing a sensational story that the liquor is a secret royal formula stolen from the palace by the Ministry of Revenue’s Evil Sects. He proposes having the Night Guard’s Mounted Patrol publicly investigate the tavern for several days, then leave secretly, creating the illusion that the liquor is genuinely forbidden and imperial in origin. Storytellers would spread the rumor afterward.
• The group continues discussing distillation and brewing. Luo Jing cautions Li Qingxian to keep his twenty-percent ownership stake secret, warning that revealing it could attract powerful enemies.
• Zhou Chunfeng drafts a formal cooperation document for Luo Jing, whose household will likely treasure the document because of Chunfeng’s celebrated calligraphy.
• Near evening, Li Qingxian reveals that, if the brewing venture succeeds, he intends to offer his twenty-percent share to the Emperor as a sixtieth-birthday gift.
• Zhou Chunfeng and Luo Jing recognize that this apparent act of loyalty is actually a sophisticated strategy. By placing the shares under imperial attention, Li Qingxian can gain protection from anyone seeking to seize or harm him.
• Luo Jing publicly criticizes Li Qingxian for “fawning,” while Zhou Chunfeng explains that the Emperor will likely reward him and use the gesture to demonstrate reconciliation with Li Qingxian’s disgraced family.
• Li Qingxian maintains an expression of righteous innocence, claiming he understands only loyalty to the sovereign and love of country. Zhou Hen finally realizes the depth of the political maneuvering.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates extraordinary cunning, shameless creativity, and political intelligence. His humorous business ideas and apparently patriotic gift conceal carefully calculated methods of increasing his wealth and securing imperial protection.
• Zhou Chunfeng shifts from suspicion and irritation to admiration and amusement. He recognizes Li Qingxian’s strategy and is willing to help present it in a politically acceptable way.
• Luo Jing acts as both adviser and accomplice. He warns Li Qingxian about the dangers of publicity, helps criticize him publicly so the plan appears natural, and acknowledges that the scheme is probably his best means of survival.
• Zhou Hen, initially wary of Li Qingxian and confused by the others’ behavior, gradually realizes that the older officials are using layered political tactics.
• Li Qingxian’s reputation changes in the eyes of the others: rather than being merely a reckless or foolish son who damaged his father’s legacy, he begins to appear as a capable and unusually strategic heir.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty as political strategy: Li Qingxian frames his business gift as devotion to the Emperor, but the gesture is also a calculated act of self-preservation.
• The power of appearances and rumors: The proposed liquor marketing scheme relies entirely on fabricated stories, staged investigations, and public belief rather than objective truth.
• Politics and survival: In the dangerous capital, wealth alone is insufficient protection. Li Qingxian must place himself under imperial favor to deter rivals.
• The contrast between innocence and cunning: Li Qingxian repeatedly presents himself as naive and righteous while manipulating events with remarkable sophistication.
• Public image and family reputation: The plan may help repair the damaged relationship between the Emperor and Li Qingxian’s family while transforming him from a disgraced heir into a model loyal subject.

Character Interactions

• Luo Jing and Zhou Chunfeng spar over whether Li Qingxian should receive the Gold-Character Command Token, with Li Qingxian inserting himself into the exchange.
• Zhou Chunfeng questions Li Qingxian about liquor production, leading to an entertaining but revealing discussion of commercial deception and state authority.
• Luo Jing and Zhou Chunfeng cooperate in exposing Li Qingxian’s apparent generosity as a political maneuver, with Luo Jing acting as the critic and Zhou Chunfeng explaining the likely imperial response.
• Li Qingxian maintains his façade of patriotic sincerity throughout, while the others increasingly recognize that he is using loyalty, commerce, and imperial politics to protect himself.

Chapter Summary: A Letter on the Pillow

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian, Zhou Chunfeng, and Luo Jing agree to create two secret documents recording the brewing method Li Qingxian intends to present as a birthday gift to the emperor. One document will remain with Luo Jing and the other with Zhou Chunfeng. They agree that no one outside their small circle may know of them.
• After Luo Jing leaves, Zhou Chunfeng privately questions Li Qingxian about his true motives. Li insists that he has no ulterior intentions beyond protecting himself from accusations of currying favor.
• Zhou Chunfeng gives Li a Gold-Character Command Token and warns him to keep it hidden.
• Li lightheartedly asks Zhou about several famous legends concerning his extraordinary beauty. Zhou confirms the stories, though he becomes irritated by Li’s teasing and orders Zhou Hen to see him out.
• After Li leaves, Zhou and Zhou Hen discuss Li’s fearless, overly familiar personality. Zhou Chunfeng views Li’s boldness as potentially valuable rather than simply reckless.
• A falcon messenger reports that Ye Han and the former Heir of Prince Yuan plotted against Li Qingxian. Ye Han got Li drunk, after which a subordinate of the former heir attacked him with the nearly undetectable fifth form of the Heart-Shattering Palm. Li survived only because the attacker’s strength was insufficient.
• The report also reveals the political background: Li Gangfeng had once impeached the Heir of Prince Yuan, who was later disgraced but has recently regained influence and may soon command the Two Guard Capital Camps.
• Angered by the assassination attempt and aware of the political danger, Zhou Chunfeng orders a calling card bearing his name to be placed on Prince Yuan’s pillow—a bold, threatening warning that he knows what happened.
• Zhou also summons Ye Han. As Ye Han approaches, he is already shaken by witnessing public praise for Li Qingxian and the downfall of official Pang Mingjing. Zhou Chunfeng’s cold summons leaves him physically tense.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian remains calm, clever, and politically cautious while presenting himself as carefree. His insistence on secret documentation shows that he anticipates future accusations and understands the dangers of court politics. His teasing familiarity with Zhou Chunfeng also demonstrates his confidence and lack of fear.
• Zhou Chunfeng reveals both political sophistication and genuine concern for Li. He probes Li’s motives, gives him a valuable command token, and reacts decisively upon learning of the assassination attempt. His normally composed manner hardens into quiet menace.
• Luo Jing shows trust in Li and accepts responsibility for safeguarding one of the documents. His gratitude toward Duan Heng suggests that he recognizes the significance of their meeting with Li.
• Zhou Hen acts as Zhou Chunfeng’s practical adviser and occasionally voices concern about provoking the increasingly influential Prince Yuan.
• Ye Han is presented as anxious and internally shaken. Although he had participated in the plot against Li, he now faces the consequences as Zhou Chunfeng prepares to confront him.

Significant Themes

• Political caution and self-protection: The secret documents and Li’s insistence on limiting knowledge of them reflect the constant threat of false accusations and factional conflict.
• Power and retaliation: Zhou Chunfeng’s decision to place his calling card on Prince Yuan’s pillow symbolizes a direct warning and a willingness to confront powerful figures despite the risks.
• Friendship and loyalty: Zhou Chunfeng’s memories of Li Gangfeng reveal how rare genuine loyalty has been in his life. This history helps explain why he responds so strongly to threats against Li Qingxian.
• Appearance versus reality: Zhou’s legendary beauty contrasts with his hardened political experience, while Li’s playful, reckless exterior conceals considerable intelligence and strategic awareness.
• Changing political fortunes: The former Heir of Prince Yuan has risen from disgrace toward renewed influence, showing how unstable status and power are within the court.

Character Interactions

• Li and Zhou Chunfeng develop a relationship marked by mutual testing, trust, and teasing. Zhou questions Li’s intentions, while Li responds with composure and playful irreverence.
• Luo Jing and Li cooperate on the brewing-method plan, with Luo demonstrating confidence in Li’s reliability.
• Zhou Chunfeng and Zhou Hen discuss Li’s character, with Zhou defending Li’s fearless nature.
• The falcon messenger provides Zhou with the evidence linking Ye Han and Prince Yuan’s faction to the attack on Li.
• Zhou Chunfeng’s final summons places Ye Han in a tense confrontation that is about to begin, closing the chapter on a threatening cliffhanger.

Chapter Summary: “Twelve Longevity Stages”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Han is summoned by Zhou Chunfeng and confesses that he helped the Heir of Prince Yuan plot against Li Qingxian. Ye Han claims he believed the goal was only to humiliate Li, not kill him, but later discovered the heir’s true intentions.
• Zhou Chunfeng rebukes Ye Han for presuming to call himself a Night Guard subordinate despite lacking an official rank. Though deeply disappointed, Zhou spares him because Li Qingxian survived and orders him to apologize to Li and make amends.
• Zhou privately mourns Ye Han’s betrayal and declares that the favor he once owed Ye Han’s father is now ended.
• Li Qingxian leaves Zhou’s study determined that the matter cannot simply be dismissed. He begins considering how to respond rather than accepting the outcome passively.
• At the Street Patrol Office, Li encounters Zheng Hui entertaining the Night Guards with an exaggerated account of Zhou Hen’s confrontation with Pang Mingjing. Li listens as Zheng proudly displays his ruined clothing as proof of the event.
• A vision or activation of the Heaven’s Mandate Instrument appears before Li. The enormous armillary-sphere-like artifact contains twelve rotating rings and responds to a mysterious white mist identified as Fortune.
• Li recalls and organizes his understanding of Fate Arts, especially the system of the Twelve Longevity Stages. He realizes that the withered tree he saw when examining Dong Ying represented “Decline,” one of the neutral stages, indicating that Dong Ying’s Fortune would gradually weaken during the year.
• When the other Night Guards notice Li, Zheng Hui, Han Anbo, and Yu Ping welcome him. Li reveals that Zhou Chunfeng has assigned him additional duties as a clerk at the Imperial Prison Bureau.
• Li states that Pang Mingjing must be punished according to public law for betraying the Night Guard. The chapter ends with Chief He arriving and asking whether Li was injured.

Character Development

• Ye Han: Revealed as morally weak and easily pressured by political power. His fear and regret lead him to beg for forgiveness, but Zhou’s decision marks the end of their personal connection. Ye Han is now expected to prove his remorse through actions.
• Zhou Chunfeng: Shows both authority and personal disappointment. He refuses to excuse Ye Han’s betrayal, yet chooses leniency because Li survived. His grief over the failure of someone he intended to nurture reveals a more vulnerable side.
• Li Qingxian: Becomes more politically aware and determined to pursue justice. Rather than allowing the conspiracy to end with Ye Han’s apology, he begins planning his next move. His understanding of Fate Arts also deepens considerably.
• Zheng Hui: Continues to provide comic relief through boastful storytelling, but his admiration and concern for Li are genuine.
• Pang Mingjing: Though absent, he is established as a traitor whose actions will lead to formal punishment.
• Chief He: His arrival emphasizes his authority within the Night Guard and suggests concern for Li’s safety.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and broken trust: Zhou’s treatment of Ye Han demonstrates that betrayal can permanently destroy personal bonds, even when punishment is avoided.
• Justice versus personal favor: Zhou balances his disappointment and friendship with formal responsibility, while Li insists that Pang Mingjing must be judged by public rules.
• Political danger and hidden power: The Night Guard’s covert network illustrates how thoroughly the state monitors both officials and powerful nobles.
• Fate and Fortune: The chapter introduces the distinction between fixed destiny and fluctuating Fortune. Fate Arts attempt to interpret a person’s broader destiny, while Fortune affects changing circumstances, particularly the coming year.
• Knowledge and interpretation: Li’s ability to recognize the meaning of Dong Ying’s “Decline” stage shows his growing mastery of the setting’s supernatural system.
• Consequences and redemption: Ye Han is given a chance to make amends, but forgiveness is conditional and does not restore his former relationship with Zhou.

Important Character Interactions

• Zhou Chunfeng and Ye Han: A tense interrogation in which Ye Han confesses, begs for mercy, and receives a chance to redeem himself—but loses Zhou’s trust permanently.
• Li Qingxian and Zheng Hui: A friendly reunion that contrasts with the chapter’s earlier political tension. Zheng’s excitement and concern reinforce Li’s acceptance among the Night Guards.
• Li Qingxian and the Night Guards: Li informs them of his new appointment and supports the punishment of Pang Mingjing, strengthening his public stance as a defender of Night Guard principles.
• Li Qingxian and Chief He: Their brief exchange establishes Chief He’s concern and authority, setting up the next development in Li’s situation.

Summary: “Grateful for a Great Kindness”

Key plot points and events

Chief He Lei visits the Street Patrol Office and praises Zheng Hui and the Jia-Nine Office for standing up to Pang Mingjing’s interference. He also checks on Li Qingxian’s health and offers him personal support. Soon afterward, Instructor Dong Ying arrives and publicly kneels to thank Li for saving his mother. Dong explains that Li’s earlier Fate Arts prediction led them to Life-Preserving Hall, where Dong and a doctor were able to rescue her from a life-threatening illness. The Night Guard members are astonished that Li predicted both the location and timing of the crisis.

Consequences for the characters

Li’s reputation rises sharply. Although he insists that the prediction was only luck, Dong and the others become convinced that he is a genuine master of Fate Arts. Dong promises to host a banquet at Drunken Retreat, while Chief He jokingly prevents him from taking the young Li to the disreputable Red Sleeve Tower. Chief He also rewards Zheng Hui’s group: they will no longer be assigned to the dangerous docks, and Zheng Hui may remain on Wanping Street. He even hints that he will help Zheng Hui’s family member enter the Night Guard. Li modestly asks that his entire Jia-Nine Office be invited to the feast, recognizing their assistance.

Character interactions and relationships

He Lei treats Li warmly, calling the Street Patrol Office a family and showing that he now values Li highly. Dong Ying’s earlier hostility is replaced by profound gratitude and humility; his public kowtow demonstrates how greatly Li’s action affected him. Zheng Hui, Han Anbo, and Yu Ping support Li and celebrate the group’s improved circumstances. Zheng reveals that Chief He’s protection was granted largely because of Li, strengthening Li’s position within the office. The group also realizes that small signs of respect—such as Chef Wang sending tangerines—reflect Li’s growing standing.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes gratitude and reciprocity, showing that a single act of kindness can transform relationships and earn lasting loyalty. It also explores reputation and social influence: Li’s successful prediction changes how superiors and colleagues perceive him, producing both admiration and practical benefits. Team solidarity is another central theme, as Li shares credit with his comrades rather than accepting praise alone. Finally, the chapter marks a transition from hardship to relative security; the group’s dangerous assignments end, and Li concludes that their “hardest days” may finally be over.

Please provide the chapter text or excerpt you’d like summarized. The title and character reaction alone aren’t enough to accurately cover the plot, character development, themes, and interactions.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian and his teammates begin another day of street patrol after eating the Night Guard Department’s notoriously terrible “pig slop” breakfast.
• Team Jia-Nine patrols Wanping Street, performing routine civic duties such as settling merchant disputes, helping the elderly cross roads, and keeping children safe. They encounter no serious criminals or supernatural threats.
• After a tiring morning and a leisurely afternoon involving storytelling and tea, the team completes its patrol and returns to the Night Guard Department.
• Li Qingxian receives another faint influx of Fortune after going off duty. Over the following days, this happens repeatedly, leading him to suspect that his Fortune is connected to faithfully performing his official duties.
• Zhou Chunfeng’s guard informs Li that the distillery project is being prepared and that officials from the Ministry of Works will visit within ten days. Li’s companions warn him to remain cautious and avoid giving opponents an excuse to interfere.
• Li studies basic books on Fate Arts and begins forming a theory about Fortune. He learns that individuals, nations, and major factions all possess or benefit from Fortune, and he wonders whether he is unknowingly drawing upon the Qi Kingdom’s national Fortune.
• Since he cannot yet actively use either Fortune or the Heaven’s Mandate Instrument, Li decides to keep the matter secret and wait until he reaches Entry Rank.
• Zhou Chunfeng summons Li to Chunfeng Residence. There, Li meets Jiang Youfei, an extraordinarily beautiful and mysterious young woman accompanied by an ancient sword. The chapter ends with Li asking Zhou Chunfeng to introduce her properly.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Adjusts to the mundane reality of Night Guard work, enduring exhausting patrols despite his lack of cultivation strength. He becomes increasingly observant and cautious about Fortune, recognizing that his abilities may involve national power or secrets dangerous to reveal. His confident, humorous personality remains evident in his exchanges with his teammates.
• Zheng Hui: Continues acting as a responsible senior teammate, looking after Li’s health and reducing his patrol burden. He also provides comic discipline when Yu Ping jokingly asks Li to bring back pastries from the meeting.
• Yu Ping and Han Anbo: Remain supportive and humorous companions. They are impressed by Li’s connection to the Imperial Prison Bureau and encourage him to be careful while benefiting from Zhou Chunfeng’s protection.
• Zhou Chunfeng: Uses his authority to protect Li and advance the distillery project. His summons suggests that further developments involving Li—and possibly Jiang Youfei—are imminent.
• Jiang Youfei: Is introduced as graceful, enigmatic, and seemingly connected to nature. Her controlled manner, ancient sword, and faint heroic aura imply considerable strength and an important background.

Significant Themes

• The contrast between appearance and reality: The Night Guards sound powerful, but Li discovers that street patrol is mostly ordinary public service. Likewise, the magnificent stories told during the lunch break contrast with the team’s uneventful daily work.
• Fortune and power: The chapter expands the concept of Fortune from a personal gift into a force possessed by people, nations, factions, and the imperial court. Li’s possible ability to absorb national Fortune introduces both opportunity and danger.
• Caution and secrecy: Li realizes that his unusual abilities must remain hidden. His strategy is to grow quietly rather than attract attention before he understands his powers.
• Friendship and camaraderie: The team’s teasing, meals, conversations, and mutual concern provide Li with emotional support while he navigates political and supernatural dangers.
• Ordinary duty as a source of reward: Li’s repeated Fortune gains suggest that seemingly mundane service may have deeper political or metaphysical significance.

Character Interactions

• Zheng Hui and Li patrol together, with Zheng Hui encouraging Li to admit when he is tired and offering to shorten the afternoon shift.
• Li discusses the distillery project with Yu Ping and Han Anbo, who show both envy and concern over his growing connection to powerful institutions.
• Li jokes with his teammates before leaving to meet Zhou Chunfeng; Yu Ping’s request for pastries and his imitation of a pig create a lighthearted moment.
• At Chunfeng Residence, Li meets Jiang Youfei and introduces himself. She responds briefly and politely, but her reserved demeanor gives little away.
• Zhou Chunfeng’s knowing half-smile after Li notices Jiang Youfei suggests that Li’s reaction to her may be amusing—or that he understands more about her identity and significance than Li does.