Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “A Common Man’s Resolve”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji visits the gravely ill Qi Hongxin, who briefly regains consciousness but mistakes Su for someone else before lapsing back into delirium.
• Qi Hongxin’s wife, Qi Zhou-shi, gives Su a collection of manuscripts containing her husband’s political and administrative insights. Before losing consciousness, Qi Hongxin had instructed her to pass them to Su, believing he might one day become chief minister.
• Su accepts the manuscripts despite feeling conflicted about benefiting from Qi Hongxin’s favor while the older man lies incapacitated.
• After returning to the construction site, Zeng Nianzhen unexpectedly announces that he wishes to leave Su’s service.
• Su tries to persuade him to stay, even offering to help him obtain a military post. Zeng reveals that his departure is not due to dissatisfaction with Su, but because he once swore never to serve anyone except his deceased master or that master’s descendants.
• Zeng also admits that he had considered killing Qi Hongxin because of an old grudge. However, seeing Qi’s aged and weakened state causes him to reconsider, especially after reflecting on Qi’s past actions and the possibility that Qi had been forced to betray the Crown Prince.
• Believing Su is now established and no longer needs his protection, Zeng departs without taking belongings. Su watches him leave, recognizing that Zeng’s resolve cannot be swayed.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji shows compassion, political awareness, and practical judgment. He recognizes the value of Qi Hongxin’s manuscripts but feels morally burdened by accepting them. His sincere effort to retain Zeng also reveals that he values loyalty and talent, not merely personal utility.
• Qi Hongxin is presented as physically broken and mentally deteriorating, a stark contrast to his former authority and ability. Despite his condition, he still demonstrates faith in Su’s future.
• Qi Zhou-shi acts devotedly toward her husband and faithfully carries out his final instruction by giving Su the manuscripts.
• Zeng Nianzhen reveals the depth of his loyalty and personal history. Though he had initially concealed his motives and harbored resentment toward Qi Hongxin, he ultimately chooses restraint and honors his old oath rather than pursuing revenge.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and personal oaths: Zeng’s decision reflects the power of promises and the lasting influence of a deceased master.
• The burden of the past: Qi Hongxin’s connection to the Crown Prince and Zeng’s old grievance continue to shape the present, even after twenty years.
• Forgiveness and restraint: Zeng’s desire for revenge weakens when he sees Qi’s suffering and considers the circumstances behind his past actions.
• The decline of power and aging: Qi Hongxin’s frailty emphasizes how political status and former greatness cannot prevent physical deterioration.
• Talent versus moral obligation: Su wants to retain Zeng because of his abilities, but recognizes that personal conviction is stronger than practical advantage.

Character Interactions

• Su’s encounter with Qi Hongxin is brief but emotionally significant: Qi’s confusion and illness leave Su troubled, while Qi’s gift expresses trust in Su’s future.
• Qi Zhou-shi and Su interact through the transfer of the manuscripts, creating a bond of obligation between Su and the Qi family.
• Su and Zeng have an earnest farewell conversation. Su attempts to keep Zeng by offering him advancement and acknowledging his abilities, while Zeng responds with honesty about his oath, his hidden resentment, and his reason for leaving.
• The chapter ends with Su admiring Zeng’s unshakable will, quoting the idea that even a common man’s resolve cannot be taken from him.

Key plot points and events

• Zeng Nianzhen leaves, and Cen Rubai explains that he has always refused offers to join powerful patrons. Cen subtly asks Su Ziji not to take the departure as an insult.
• Su tells Cen that Prefect Qi Hongxin is seriously ill and may not recover soon. He will spend more time handling the prefectural government, so he authorizes Cen to call on the Patrol Inspectorate—and, if necessary, act before reporting—when urgent trouble arises at the construction site.
• Clerks report that work on the Yangshui Canal is nearly finished, with the Yixing and Shuiling Canals also progressing well. Thanks to Su’s organization, the workers’ enthusiasm, and the Dragon Lord’s flood-control plan, the waterworks are expected to finish ten days ahead of schedule.
• Cen describes how Shunan’s locust relief, seed-grain assistance, and paid canal work have eased the people’s hardship compared with other regions. Su gives workers meat and wine as a reward and promises favorable evaluations to the supervising clerks.
• Su declines invitations to join the celebration and returns to work, where he reads Qi Hongxin’s notes on governing. He realizes they reveal not only practical lessons but also Qi’s fears, disappointments, hopes, and search for a way forward.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Ziji shows practical leadership, generosity, and growing responsibility: he delegates authority to Cen, credits others rather than claiming success, and rewards both workers and clerks. Though pleased by the people’s gratitude, he remains focused on completing the urgent flood defenses.
• Cen Rubai demonstrates loyalty and political tact. He protects Zeng’s reputation, welcomes Su’s trust, and recognizes that Su seems troubled by recent events.
• Zeng Nianzhen is characterized through others’ accounts as principled and stubbornly independent; his departure may carry political consequences.
• Qi Hongxin remains absent because of illness, but his personal and professional struggles emerge through his notes, deepening Su’s understanding of him.
• The workers and clerks respond enthusiastically to Su’s recognition, while Cen and Su share a relationship of increasing trust and mutual respect.

Significant themes

• Public service and practical governance: coordinated planning, relief measures, and infrastructure work directly improve people’s lives.
• Trust and responsibility: Su empowers Cen to act independently during a crisis.
• Recognition and morale: material rewards and career prospects motivate collective effort.
• Reputation and gratitude: Su does not seek praise, but learning that people appreciate the officials’ work renews his spirits.
• The personal cost of service: Qi’s notes suggest that governing entails private pain, frustration, and persistent hope.

• Su Ziji weighs Qi Hongxin’s fate. After reading the manuscripts Qi Hongxin’s wife gave him, Su Ziji reflects on Qi’s apparent hopes for him despite their mutual wariness and very different ways of working. He reviews a list of Qi’s offenses, including killing fifty-three people without imperial approval, mistreating subordinates, and misusing provincial funds. He recognizes that a charge of killing rebels might be politically difficult to pursue, while financial misconduct could more readily destroy Qi’s career.
• He chooses not to bring Qi down. Though Su Ziji knows Qi has outlived his usefulness and that reporting him could advance Su’s revenge for the crown prince, he cannot make himself strike a man he does not truly regard as an enemy—especially one now gravely weakened. He burns the list as a personal sign of his decision.
• Su submits a plea for Qi instead. He writes a confidential memorial honestly describing Qi’s conduct, relief efforts, and waterworks, but frames the account to emphasize Qi’s loyalty and sacrifice. He asks the emperor to decide whether Qi deserves commendation. After steadying himself by practicing calligraphy, Su entrusts the locked memorial to Inspector Xi for delivery to the capital.
• Character developments and interactions: Su shows growing political sophistication, understanding how evidence and framing can shape an official’s fate, but ultimately chooses conscience over revenge. He admits that his choice may be sentimental and naïve, yet believes harming a worthy official solely for vengeance would make him no better than his enemies. Qi’s gesture of passing on his family’s manuscripts—and his apparent faith in Su—deepens Su’s respect for him. Inspector Xi, acting in his official capacity, accepts and forwards the memorial.
• Themes: The chapter explores the tension between vengeance and moral integrity, the complicated nature of loyalty, and the power of political judgment and written records. Su’s final remark—“we’re even now”—suggests he sees his decision as repaying Qi’s trust, even as he accepts that he can no longer carry out his original revenge.

Plot points and events

• During the oppressive August heat, Consort Wu remains confined and out of favor. Fragrance Palace receives only its basic, sometimes poor-quality supplies, and no extra ice. Consort Wu hides this from Princess Xinping to prevent her daughter from upsetting the emperor again.
• Others secretly tell Xinping anyway. Furious that she cannot see her mother and that the palace is being neglected, she goes to the Imperial Study to complain.
• The emperor orders that she be sent away. Eunuch Zhao respectfully explains that the emperor is still angry and warns that another confrontation could worsen Consort Wu’s position. Xinping restrains herself and leaves, choosing to consider her mother’s welfare.
• Zhao reports her response. The emperor says that if Xinping continues to behave sensibly, he will lift the restrictions on Fragrance Palace.
• Three confidential memorials arrive from Shunan Prefecture, all concerning the same matter. The emperor initially dismisses them as competing reports, but after reading them all, becomes grave. He asks Zhao—whom he calls Dexi—to examine them and give his view.

Character development and interactions

• Princess Xinping shows growing restraint: though angry and accustomed to her father’s affection, she heeds Zhao’s warning rather than forcing her way into the study.
• Consort Wu tries to protect her daughter from provoking the emperor, even while enduring the consequences of Xinping’s earlier actions.
• Eunuch Zhao treats Xinping respectfully despite her loss of favor, advises her candidly, and reports her behavior without embellishment. He recognizes that the emperor’s anger does not erase his love for his daughter.
• The emperor remains displeased with Xinping and Consort Wu, yet his promise to ease Fragrance Palace’s restrictions reveals lingering affection. His shift from irritation to silence over the memorials signals that the provincial matter is serious.
• Xinping and Zhao’s exchange is the chapter’s central interaction: his warning helps her put her mother’s interests ahead of her own anger.

Significant themes

• Adversity and maturity: Xinping begins to learn restraint through hardship.
• Favor, power, and vulnerability: A change in imperial favor quickly affects the daily lives of those in the palace.
• Parental affection mixed with authority: The emperor’s love for Xinping persists, but he expresses it through conditional discipline.
• Confidential information and political tension: The three memorials introduce a serious unresolved matter in Shunan Prefecture.

Summary of “Unable to Let Go”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Emperor Zhao receives three memorials from Shunan Prefecture concerning Su Ziji, including Su’s recommendation of Prefect Qi Hongxin.
• The Emperor asks Zhao Eunuch to read and evaluate them, alarming the eunuch because the matter touches on the politically sensitive Crown Prince Case.
• Zhao Eunuch cautiously praises Qi Hongxin’s handling of the drought and locust plague while criticizing Su Ziji for beginning waterworks construction before the locust crisis was completely resolved.
• The Emperor agrees that Su acted somewhat rashly but defends the decision as ambitious and potentially wise: the waterworks could either produce merit or demonstrate foresight if heavy rains came.
• The Emperor identifies Su’s real mistake as his public dispute with Qi Hongxin. If the project failed, political enemies—especially Prince Qi and Prince Shu—could use the disagreement to impeach him.
• The Emperor examines Su’s memorial and is surprised by the improvement in Su’s calligraphy, noting that the young man resembles him in his own youth.
• He questions Zhao Eunuch about Su’s decision to praise Qi Hongxin, who was connected to the Crown Prince Case and whose career might seem politically compromised.
• The Emperor confirms that Su’s praise is justified and reveals that Qi Hongxin had an outstanding record as a magistrate. In every post, he governed effectively and was deeply loved by the common people.
• The chapter ends with Zhao Eunuch recognizing that the Emperor has never emotionally let go of the Crown Prince Case or the people connected to it, despite the passage of twenty years.

Character Developments

• The Emperor: Revealed as politically cautious but emotionally haunted. He understands Su Ziji’s risks and deliberately gives him opportunities because Su is connected to the imperial line. His continued interest in Qi Hongxin shows that his feelings about the Crown Prince Case remain unresolved.
• Zhao Eunuch: Demonstrates his survival instincts and political subtlety. He speaks carefully, balancing praise and criticism so as not to provoke the Emperor, while privately perceiving the Emperor’s hidden emotional pain.
• Su Ziji: Shown as ambitious, capable, and unusually farsighted, but still young and impetuous. His willingness to praise Qi Hongxin despite their political history suggests fairness, confidence, or a deeper desire to uncover the truth.
• Qi Hongxin: His reputation is expanded beyond the current locust crisis. He is portrayed as an exceptionally capable and benevolent official whose popularity with ordinary people contrasts with his lack of advancement at court.

Significant Themes

• Political danger and surveillance: Su Ziji’s every action is watched by powerful enemies, making even constructive disagreements potentially fatal.
• Merit versus political loyalty: Qi Hongxin’s excellent record does not guarantee promotion because political circumstances matter more than administrative ability.
• Youthful ambition and prudence: Su’s initiative is admirable, but his failure to manage his conflict with Qi Hongxin exposes his inexperience.
• The burden of memory: The title reflects the Emperor’s inability to release the past, particularly the Crown Prince Case and the people tied to it.
• Emotional attachment as weakness: The Emperor’s enduring feelings make him more human but also leave him vulnerable to regret, indecision, and continued political entanglement.

Character Interactions

• The Emperor and Zhao Eunuch interact through cautious, indirect dialogue. The Emperor presses him for honest opinions, while Zhao carefully avoids saying anything that might endanger him.
• The Emperor initially invites criticism of Su Ziji but ultimately reveals sympathy for Su’s intentions.
• Su Ziji and Qi Hongxin do not appear directly together, but Su’s memorial praising Qi creates the chapter’s central political tension.
• The Emperor’s discussion of Qi Hongxin links the present political situation to the unresolved relationship between the imperial family and the former Crown Prince’s supporters.

Key plot points and events

• Emperor Xuande revisits two memorials concerning Su Ziji and asks Eunuch Zhao for more information.
• Zhao reports that Su wrote a poem in Shunan Prefecture about a lone goose separated from its flock. The emperor praises its depth and calls Su a poet, referring to him as part of “my family.”
• The emperor writes an edict promoting Qi Hongxin, Shunan’s prefect, to Subordinate Third Rank. Though Qi had asked to retire, this honorary rank could improve his standing and funeral rites without assigning him a new post.
• The emperor orders the edict sent to Shunan and the relevant ministries notified, then goes to the empress’s palace.
• Finding the empress with little appetite, he arranges to dine with her and recites Su’s poem, asking her to identify its author.

Character developments and interactions

• Emperor Xuande shifts from considering Su’s case to showing warmth and pride in him. His decision to honor Qi suggests approval of Su’s choice not to punish the prefect, though the emperor’s precise motives remain uncertain.
• Eunuch Zhao demonstrates his skill at anticipating the emperor’s needs by having gathered intelligence on Su in advance. He privately speculates that the emperor may be considering Su’s place in the imperial family and the succession struggle, but checks himself before his thoughts become dangerous.
• The empress appears to recognize that the poem is Su’s and feels quiet joy, though she lets the emperor lead her to the answer.
• The emperor and empress share a private, gentle exchange: he brings the poem to her as a conversation about Su, and she responds warmly.

Significant themes

• Family recognition and belonging: The emperor’s phrase “my family” hints at a possible change in how he regards Su.
• Poetry as political expression: The solitary goose suggests separation, longing, and pride, while the contrast with noisy crows gives the poem an edge.
• Power expressed through honors: Qi’s promotion may be both a practical kindness and an indirect message of imperial approval.
• Aging and reflection: Zhao wonders whether the emperor’s age and the deaths surrounding Su’s revenge have prompted him to reconsider the past.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Emperor and Empress discuss several poems from Su Ziji’s Book of Songs. The Empress recites verses expressing deep love and longing, while the Emperor recalls that Su Ziji once wrote a poem for his friend Shao Sisen on his deathbed.
• The Emperor also mentions a popular poem favored by Princess Xinping. Realizing that Xinping may still be emotionally attached to Su Ziji, he becomes visibly displeased and changes the subject.
• The discussion turns to Guanchang Princess’s financial difficulties. The Empress explains that, despite her income and imperial allowances, the costs of maintaining a princess’s household leave her with an annual deficit. The Emperor agrees to grant her another pawnshop but refuses to give her additional land or excessive rewards.
• The Emperor then reveals that he will make a formal arrangement for Su Ziji when the latter returns. The Empress immediately understands that he intends to clarify Su Ziji’s status, likely in relation to Princess Xinping, and thanks him.
• Eunuch Zhao reflects that Su Ziji’s decision not to kill Qi Hongxin has benefited him politically. His restraint made him appear soft-hearted rather than dangerously ruthless, thereby preserving the Emperor’s trust.
• In Prince Qi’s residence, Prince Qi and his advisers discuss Prince Shu’s recent schemes and seek a way to retaliate.
• A subordinate reports that Cao Yiyan, a disciple of Liu Zhan, wishes to pledge allegiance to Prince Qi. Although Cao may be useful because of his connection to Liu Zhan, Prince Qi instinctively dislikes him, partly because Cao’s surname was the imperial surname of the previous dynasty.
• Before Prince Qi can decide whether to meet Cao Yiyan, another palace message arrives. Its contents leave everyone stunned and make Prince Qi furious and humiliated in front of his advisers. The chapter ends as he demands that the frightened eunuch repeat the message.

Character Developments

• The Emperor: His concern over Xinping’s lingering feelings for Su Ziji grows stronger. He decides that merely separating them is insufficient and plans to establish Su Ziji’s position formally. His reaction also reveals his possessiveness and anxiety about his daughter’s attachment.
• The Empress: She remains perceptive and tactful, understanding the Emperor’s intentions without openly questioning his emotional reaction. She also offers a practical defense of Guanchang Princess’s finances.
• Su Ziji: Though absent, he gains political advantage from his earlier restraint in dealing with Qi Hongxin. His refusal to act with excessive ruthlessness reassures the Emperor and improves his standing.
• Princess Xinping: Her repeated interest in Su Ziji’s poem suggests that she continues to miss him and has not accepted their separation.
• Prince Qi: His anger toward Prince Shu and his instinctive dislike of Cao Yiyan reveal a volatile, suspicious temperament. The palace message severely unsettles him and leaves him feeling publicly embarrassed.
• Cao Yiyan: He emerges as a potentially important political player by seeking Prince Qi’s protection, though his motives and usefulness remain uncertain.
• Eunuch Zhao: He demonstrates political insight, correctly interpreting Su Ziji’s restraint as the reason for the Emperor’s favorable change in attitude.

Significant Themes

• Love versus political control: Xinping’s feelings for Su Ziji persist despite imperial efforts to separate them, suggesting that emotional bonds cannot easily be managed through authority.
• Restraint as political wisdom: Su Ziji’s apparent softness becomes a strength, showing that mercy can protect one’s position more effectively than revenge.
• Family and imperial authority: The Emperor attempts to control both his daughter’s romantic future and the political status of the man she loves.
• Prejudice and inherited history: Prince Qi’s dislike of Cao Yiyan is irrationally tied to Cao’s surname and its association with the previous dynasty, showing how historical resentment shapes present politics.
• Public dignity and humiliation: Prince Qi’s reaction to the palace message emphasizes how political setbacks become especially painful when witnessed by one’s supporters.

Character Interactions

• The Emperor and Empress share a seemingly casual meal conversation that shifts from poetry to finances and finally to Su Ziji’s future. Their exchange shows mutual understanding, with the Empress recognizing the Emperor’s intentions before he states them openly.
• The Emperor’s recollection of Su Ziji’s friendship with Shao Sisen contrasts with his discomfort over Xinping’s continued attachment to Su Ziji.
• Eunuch Zhao privately interprets the Emperor’s response, highlighting the gap between the ruler’s spoken explanations and his underlying motives.
• Prince Qi’s advisers encourage him to accept Cao Yiyan, emphasizing the practical value of Liu Zhan’s influence, while Prince Qi relies more on personal instinct than political calculation.
• The chapter closes with Prince Qi confronting the palace messenger, whose fearful hesitation underscores the severity of the news and Prince Qi’s increasingly unstable anger.

Chapter Summary: “This Wasn’t the First Time”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A eunuch reports to Prince Qi that Emperor Cheng personally promised Empress Su an “explanation” concerning Su Ziji upon his return.
• Prince Qi reacts with fury and jealousy, fearing the Emperor may formally recognize Su Ziji as a descendant of the former Crown Prince and enter his name into the imperial genealogy.
• He struggles to understand why Su Ziji, only seventeen and holding a relatively minor official rank, receives privileges and consideration that legitimate imperial princes—including Prince Qi himself—have been denied.
• Prince Qi reflects bitterly on his status: although the Emperor’s son, he has always been treated primarily as a political subject or chess piece rather than as a beloved child.
• Adviser Wen Xunpeng proposes using a spy planted in Prince Shu’s residence to sabotage the dam Su Ziji is repairing. The resulting disaster could allow Prince Qi to punish Su Ziji while also damaging Prince Shu’s political standing.
• Prince Qi is tempted by the plan but hesitates because carrying it out would expose and sacrifice a valuable long-term agent in Prince Shu’s faction.
• Court discussions reveal that Prince Qi’s influence is weakening. After the Emperor publicly rebuked him and praised officials aligned with Prince Shu, neutral officials and even some of Prince Qi’s followers began wavering.
• The chapter ends with Prince Qi recognizing a recurring pattern: whenever he gains an advantage over Prince Shu, the Emperor intervenes to restore balance. Now, by elevating Su Ziji, the Emperor appears ready to introduce another major player into the political struggle.

Character Developments

• Prince Qi: His hatred, insecurity, and resentment toward Su Ziji become more pronounced. He feels humiliated by the Emperor’s favoritism and trapped by the obligations of being both son and subject. Although ruthless, he is cautious when deciding whether to sacrifice an important spy.
• Su Ziji: He does not appear directly, but his growing political importance is emphasized. His successful return, imperial mission, waterworks project, and possible recognition as Crown Prince bloodline make him a serious threat to Prince Qi.
• Emperor Cheng: His political strategy becomes clearer. Rather than openly supporting one prince, he manipulates the balance of power by suppressing Prince Qi, encouraging Prince Shu, and potentially elevating Su Ziji.
• Wen Xunpeng: Seeking to regain influence, he offers an aggressive plan to eliminate two rivals at once. His advice reflects both political calculation and personal frustration at having been marginalized.
• Prince Shu: Though absent, he is shown to be Prince Qi’s chief political rival and a beneficiary of the Emperor’s recent actions.

Significant Themes

• Imperial politics as a chess game: Princes and officials are treated as pieces maneuvered by the Emperor to preserve balance.
• Jealousy and unequal recognition: Prince Qi’s anger comes from believing that Su Ziji receives privileges denied to him as a legitimate imperial son.
• Power versus family: The Emperor’s relationship with Prince Qi is defined more by political utility than affection, making the distinction between ruler and father painfully clear.
• Strategic sacrifice: Political advancement requires deciding when valuable assets—such as a deeply embedded spy—are worth sacrificing.
• Cycles of rise and suppression: Prince Qi realizes that his rivalry with Prince Shu has repeatedly been manipulated so that neither side can gain lasting dominance.

Character Interactions

• The eunuch delivers the news to Prince Qi and suffers his explosive reaction, illustrating Prince Qi’s volatile temper and the fear he inspires.
• Prince Qi and Wen Xunpeng discuss the threat posed by Su Ziji and Prince Shu. Wen proposes sabotage through a spy, while Prince Qi weighs the potential gains against the loss of his agent.
• Prince Qi’s internal reflections reveal his unresolved resentment toward the Emperor and his belief that he has never been treated as a true son.

Plot points

• Prince Qi fears that Su Ziji, once recognized as the dead crown prince’s son, could claim the throne and attract support from those who favor proper succession. Since his father controls the political and military “board,” Qi decides he needs an indirect move beyond ordinary court politics.
• He links the Heavenly Secret Monster’s plan with Wen Xunpeng’s existing scheme: lowering Coiling Dragon Lake’s water by destroying its dam could help monsters intercept the Dragon Maiden and let Qi blame Prince Shu.
• To keep his involvement concealed, Qi arranges modest sixth-rank appointments for men connected to the plot, then authorizes Wen’s plan and sends a token and code phrase to contact the hidden agent Yi Three.
• A half-monster hawk carries Qi’s authorization to the Heavenly Secret Monster, who is meditating at a Locust Shrine. The message delights him: he believes Qi’s backing puts the plan in place both publicly and secretly.
• The Heavenly Secret Monster asks whether Xiong Fei and Zhu Sheng still want the Dragon Maiden as a ceremonial leader while keeping control of monster affairs. They do, so he summons them to discuss the matter.

Character developments and interactions

• Prince Qi moves from anxious deliberation to a cold, decisive commitment, choosing a covert conspiracy over direct confrontation with his father or Su Ziji. He also keeps Wen Xunpeng at a distance by concealing the full scope of the plan.
• Wen Xunpeng finally receives the trust he has long wanted, but it brings him an uneasy sense of foreboding. He agrees to carry out the plan regardless.
• The Heavenly Secret Monster is increasingly affected by his Heart Demon, which clouds his judgment and darkens his temperament. Nonetheless, Qi’s approval revives his confidence.
• Xiong Fei and Zhu Sheng remain loyal to the former Dragon Lord’s legacy and want the Dragon Maiden to lead only symbolically. Their position reflects a tension between honoring the old ruler and preserving monster self-rule.

Significant themes

• Legitimacy and power: Su Ziji’s claim threatens Prince Qi because it rests on lawful succession, not merely political strength.
• Strategy and hidden moves: Qi sees himself as a piece controlled by his father and turns to covert alliances, deception, and monsters to change the game.
• Loyalty versus self-rule: The monsters’ disagreement over the Dragon Maiden reveals competing ideas of duty, tradition, and political independence.
• Cultural influence: The Heavenly Secret Monster observes that monsters have absorbed human concepts of loyalty and orderly rule, raising the question of whether this change was intended by the former Dragon Lord.

Chapter Summary: “Screams”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Heavenly Secret Monster summons Xiong Fei, Zhu Sheng, and other monster representatives to the Locust Shrine to discuss the Dragon Maiden’s fate.
• A dog demon assumes the Heavenly Secret Monster may have reconsidered its extreme position and intends to compromise.
• The dog demon finds Xiong Fei and Zhu Sheng drinking at the Liu Family Tavern and delivers the summons. The two monsters, who serve the great demon Zhou Xuan, agree to return.
• Other monsters who support removing the Dragon Maiden from power—but not killing her—also arrive at the shrine. Their presence reassures them that the Heavenly Secret Monster must be seeking a compromise.
• Inside the main hall, the monsters criticize the Heavenly Secret Monster’s plan, warning that killing or removing the Dragon Maiden would fracture the Demon Race.
• Instead of responding, the Heavenly Secret Monster suddenly attacks. The hall fills with screams from monsters invoking their powerful backers, including Zhou Xuan, Mulberry Maiden, and King Nanshan.
• Blood and the sounds of mutilation emerge from the sealed hall. The dog demon realizes that the Heavenly Secret Monster has killed or brutally dealt with the summoned monsters, including representatives backed by influential great demons.
• The Heavenly Secret Monster finally exits the hall in a black robe, showing no fear of the powerful enemies it has provoked.

Character Developments

• Heavenly Secret Monster: Reveals a dramatic shift from political maneuvering to ruthless action. Rather than compromise, it decisively eliminates opposition, demonstrating confidence, desperation, or both.
• Dog demon: Remains a frightened, subservient observer. Its initial optimism turns to horror as it realizes the Heavenly Secret Monster has committed an act that could trigger major retaliation.
• Xiong Fei and Zhu Sheng: Their connection to Zhou Xuan makes them politically significant, but their confidence and indulgent lifestyle leave them vulnerable. Their fate appears to be sealed once they enter the shrine.
• Other monster factions: Their belief that backing from powerful demons protects them proves dangerously mistaken.

Significant Themes

• Political violence and betrayal: Apparent negotiations conceal a purge, showing how quickly factional disputes can become lethal.
• Power and impunity: The Heavenly Secret Monster acts despite the authority of Zhou Xuan and other great demons, suggesting it believes its plan—or its power—justifies defying the existing hierarchy.
• False security: The monsters trust their patrons and assume the Heavenly Secret Monster will not dare attack them, but their alliances fail to protect them.
• Fear and obedience: The dog demon’s behavior illustrates the strict hierarchy among monsters and the terror inspired by powerful leaders.
• Escalating factional conflict: The Dragon Maiden’s fate is no longer merely a political disagreement; it has become a crisis threatening to divide the entire Demon Race.

Character Interactions

• The dog demon approaches Xiong Fei and Zhu Sheng deferentially, reflecting the hierarchy between ordinary servants and powerful monsters.
• Xiong Fei and Zhu Sheng initially treat the summons with suspicion but agree to attend once they believe the Heavenly Secret Monster has softened its position.
• The gathered monsters confront and verbally challenge the Heavenly Secret Monster, arguing that its plan would splinter the Demon Race.
• The Heavenly Secret Monster does not debate them and instead answers their opposition with violence, while the dog demon witnesses the aftermath from outside the hall.

Summary

• The Heavenly Secret Monster returns from a killing exhilarated, with the dog monster visibly afraid of him. He orders the dog monster to clean up the bodies and declares that no monster can now oppose him.
• In Shunan Prefecture, Su Ziji has effectively taken charge while Prefect Qi Hongxin is ill. The staff treat Su as their leader, and he keeps government business orderly while overseeing the near-completion of the locust eradication.
• Su asks about Qi’s condition. Though he has been distant from Qi, he has reconsidered their relationship and decides to visit him. The records clerk seems uneasy, but Su does not notice.
• At Qi’s residence, Su hears an argument and finds the servant Fan San attempting to leave with paintings and calligraphy. Qi’s son tries to stop him, insisting the possessions belong to the family. Fan complains that Qi’s strict honesty and habit of offending people have left the servants unable to profit from their position.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Ziji is becoming a capable, respected administrator. He is pragmatic about retaining experienced staff and shows growing restraint and compassion toward Qi, choosing to visit despite their complicated past.
• Fan San reveals resentment toward Qi’s integrity, viewing the lack of illicit or informal earnings as unfair to the servants. He threatens to use force against Qi’s son.
• Qi’s son stands up to Fan and tries to protect his father’s property.
• The records clerk remains loyal and useful to Su, but his unease when Qi’s condition is discussed hints at trouble in the rear residence.
• The dog monster fears the Heavenly Secret Monster but obediently serves him, underscoring the monster’s growing power.

Significant themes

• Power and fear: The Heavenly Secret Monster’s confidence contrasts with the dog monster’s terror; in the prefectural office, Su’s authority is established through competence and order.
• Integrity and corruption: Fan’s complaint exposes the tension between Qi’s honest governance and servants’ expectations of personal gain.
• Duty and compassion: Su balances administrative responsibility with a willingness to reconsider his attitude toward Qi.
• Unrest beneath appearances: The office seems orderly, but conflict and possible misconduct are unfolding in the residence behind it.

Key plot points and events

• Su Ziji arrives at Qi Hongxin’s residence and finds Qi Hongxin’s son, Qi Jianjun, confronting Fan San, a longtime servant who is trying to leave with household valuables.
• Fan San argues that he served the Qi family for wages, not loyalty, and that the other servants also want to leave now that Qi Hongxin has fallen ill and lost influence. Their silence suggests they agree with him.
• Yu Zhilin intervenes, striking Fan San and stopping his outburst.
• Su asks Qi Jianjun what has happened. Jianjun explains that his father is gravely ill and needs medicine, but the family’s requests for help were repeatedly dismissed. Household supplies and food were cut, and Qi Hongxin’s official allowances—including summer ice—were withheld.
• With the family’s savings nearly exhausted, Jianjun sent Fan San to collect what was owed. Instead, Fan San tried to abscond with the money and some paintings.
• Su realizes that clerks under his authority have neglected and mistreated the Qi family, apparently assuming Qi Hongxin will not recover and hoping to win favor with Su. He feels responsible because he failed to notice.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Ziji moves from surprise and anger to shame and self-reproach as he recognizes that his inattention enabled the abuse. He resists the clerk’s attempt to excuse the neglect and deflect responsibility.
• Qi Jianjun, previously dismissive of Su, is now strained and wary. Despite humiliation and hardship, he explains the family’s circumstances plainly and shows how quickly he has been forced to mature.
• Fan San reveals his self-interest and contempt for the Qi family, using the servants’ grievances to justify abandoning them while concealing his theft.
• Yu Zhilin acts protectively toward Qi Jianjun and forcefully silences Fan San.
• Madam Zhou appears exhausted and ashamed, believing Su’s administration knowingly allowed the family’s suffering.
• The clerk tries to shield Su from blame by calling the matter trivial, but Su sees him as a likely participant in the wrongdoing.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and self-interest: Fan San treats service as a financial arrangement, while the servants’ departure reflects how quickly loyalty fades when a household loses power.
• Abuse of authority and neglect: Petty officials exploit a vulnerable family through small, deniable acts of deprivation.
• Responsibility of leadership: Su’s failure to oversee his subordinates has real consequences, even without his direct order.
• The precariousness of status: The Qi family’s respectability offers little protection once its head becomes ill and politically weakened.

Key plot points and events

• Su Ziji confronts the clerk responsible for managing Qi Hongxin’s household. The clerk had blocked Madam Zhou’s people from reaching Su and withheld the family’s “ice silver,” money owed to them.
• Su slaps and dismisses the clerk, while Yu Zhilin’s drawn sword prevents him from arguing. Su apologizes to Madam Zhou and promises a trustworthy replacement and payment of everything owed.
• Su asks whether Fan San, the household servant who took what belonged to the family, should also be punished. Qi Zhou-shi remembers Fan San’s years of service and his wife’s loyalty, so she orders him to return the stolen items and leave rather than face harsher punishment.
• Over tea, Qi Zhou-shi expresses sorrow that her household’s servants gained little from years of service. Su reflects on how people who retire from public life can become vulnerable without family, followers, or influence to protect them.
• Su tries to reassure her that Qi Hongxin may recover and could receive an imperial reward. Zhou-shi says she no longer expects recognition; she only hopes her husband will survive.
• Su is summoned to meet Doctor Li, head of the provincial Waterworks Bureau. Li has arrived with more than thirty chests. Since the bureau has previously borrowed money and refused Qi Hongxin’s demands for repayment, Su suspects the chests may contain the debt—but finds the timing puzzling.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Ziji acts decisively against corruption and neglect, accepts responsibility for failing to notice the mistreatment, and shows concern for Qi Hongxin and his family. His reflections reveal a growing awareness of how precarious retirement and loss of influence can be.
• Qi Zhou-shi is forgiving toward longtime servants but deeply disillusioned with official recognition. Her chief concern is her husband’s health.
• The clerk is exposed as self-serving and loses his position. Fan San pleads for mercy and is dismissed after returning what he took.
• Doctor Li arrives with an unexplained shipment and admires Su’s youth and presence. Their meeting sets up a possible repayment from the Waterworks Bureau.

Significant themes

• Power and accountability: Su uses his authority to protect the Qi family and punish those abusing their positions.
• Loyalty, service, and mercy: Zhou-shi distinguishes between wrongdoing and a servant’s long record of service, choosing dismissal over vengeance.
• The vulnerability of retirement: Su recognizes that those who relinquish power may be mistreated unless protected by strong ties or lasting influence.
• Disillusionment with recognition: Zhou-shi no longer trusts that years of service will bring fair reward, valuing her husband’s survival above imperial honors.

Key plot points and events

• Doctor Li arrives at the Shunan Prefectural Yamen with thirty-plus chests containing the 170,000 taels the Waterworks Bureau had borrowed for flood control. Su Ziji has the money counted, recorded, and placed in the treasury, closing the prefecture’s deficit.
• Doctor Li then visits the gravely ill Prefect Qi Hongxin and behaves with conspicuous deference toward Qi’s wife, Madam Zhou. His unusual courtesy makes Su suspect important news is imminent.
• Su quietly asks Cen Rubai to watch for word from the capital.
• Back at the Waterworks Bureau, Doctor Zhao questions Doctor Li about the sudden repayment. Doctor Li reveals that the emperor is pleased with Shunan’s work on locusts and floods. Qi, despite years without promotion, is to retain his post and receive the title Grand Academician of the Fu Literature Pavilion—a prestigious, largely honorific rank that signals potential advancement toward the chancellorship.
• Doctor Li warns that Qi’s severe illness may prevent him from living long enough to receive the honor. He had to repay the loan anyway, given the court’s order, and sees no harm in earning Su’s goodwill.

Character developments

• Su Ziji proves diligent and cautious: he promptly secures the repayment and records it properly, while recognizing that Doctor Li’s behavior hints at a major political change.
• Qi Hongxin is revealed to have gained the emperor’s favor after years of stagnation. His prospects have transformed dramatically, though his health may thwart them.
• Doctor Li emerges as politically perceptive and pragmatic. He repays the debt while cultivating Su, whose own future looks promising.
• Doctor Zhao is surprised to learn that Qi’s standing has changed. His earlier disregard for the prefect reflects his cautious ambition and preference for safe political relationships.

Significant themes

• Fortune and political reversal: Qi’s long career of obscurity suddenly gives way to a possible rise toward the highest office.
• Duty and recognition: Shunan’s work against locusts and floods earns imperial approval, but its rewards arrive when Qi is gravely ill.
• Official pragmatism: Repayment and courtesy are shaped not only by obligation but by calculations about power, reputation, and future influence.
• The fragility of success: Qi’s newfound prospects are shadowed by the possibility that he may not survive to enjoy them.

Character interactions

• Su and Doctor Li maintain formal courtesy over the repayment, while Su watches for clues to Li’s unusual eagerness.
• Doctor Li respectfully greets Madam Zhou and visits Qi, signaling that his deference extends beyond routine protocol.
• Su confides his suspicions to Cen Rubai and asks him to monitor news from the capital.
• Doctor Zhao probes Doctor Li for an explanation; Li shares the news of Qi’s elevation and cautions that illness may make the honor moot.

Key plot points and events

• At the prefectural yamen, Su Ziji learns that Qi Hongxin is near death. A medical officer says he has exhausted his remedies and can do no more.
• Cen Rubai reports that an imperial envoy is traveling to Shunan with a decree promoting Qi to grand secretary. Knowing Qi may not survive until the envoy arrives, Su orders officials to meet the party and hurry it back.
• Cen also reports that three junior clerks provoked unrest at the dam by driving laborers too hard and having them whipped. He has treated the injured workers and raised their pay, settling the immediate disturbance.
• Su gives the clerks ten light strokes each, warns them against pursuing speed at the people’s expense, and then orders them back to finish the waterworks. He accompanies them to the worksite.
• That night, two clerks hear a sinister voice in their sleep, urging them to resent Su and sabotage the dam. One clerk appears to be freed from its influence by a sudden scream and falls back asleep. Tan Yi wakes, suspects a Monster has bewitched them, and stays inside rather than investigate.

Character developments

• Su Ziji remains conscientious but burdened: he cares about Qi’s fate, weighs fairness toward the clerks, and prioritizes both public welfare and completion of the waterworks. He also detects a faint Monster aura on the clerks.
• Cen Rubai proves practical and decisive, resolving the laborers’ injuries and unrest before reporting the incident.
• The three clerks show remorse and accept punishment, but their anxiety and ambition leave them vulnerable to malicious whispers.
• Tan Yi becomes alert to the possibility of supernatural interference, though fear keeps him from acting.

Significant themes

• Duty and compassion: Officials must balance urgent public projects with the well-being of workers.
• Justice and merit: Su punishes misconduct while promising to recognize the clerks’ useful work.
• Ambition and resentment: The whispers exploit fears of being denied credit and losing status.
• Supernatural manipulation: A hidden Monster presence turns ordinary grievances into a possible threat to the dam.

Character interactions

• Su speaks respectfully but firmly with the medical officer, then responds to Cen’s reports with practical orders.
• He reprimands the clerks and punishes them, but gives them another chance and personally returns with them to the worksite.
• The unseen voice targets the clerks’ resentment of Su, encouraging them to see themselves as exploited and to destroy the project.

Plot and events

• Su Ziji works late at the river embankment, reviewing official papers. Gao Mo, a junior clerk who was beaten earlier, brings him essays by past Presented Scholars.
• Su explains that he punished the clerks to keep a dangerous construction project moving and to protect them from harsher consequences. Gao accepts the punishment and understands Su’s intentions.
• After Gao leaves, Su uses the essays to improve his “Way of Governance,” then recites Confucian texts until his “Four Books and Five Classics” skill levels up. The increase grants him “Way of Utmost Sincerity +1.”
• Su experiences a stormlike vision in which a familiar Young Dragon falls from the sky. He wakes to find the night mostly calm, but senses demonic activity nearby.
• He discovers a civet-like monster channeling black energy into the junior clerks’ work shed. Su points at it and says “Boom,” sending it into a ruined Dragon Palace—apparently a space connected to him or his powers.
• The Young Dragon appears, swallows the monster, and greets Su as her teacher. Su asks why monsters have been unusually active, seeking an explanation for the danger.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Ziji shows both political judgment and compassion: he accepts responsibility for disciplining the clerks while recognizing the unfair limits placed on talented people like Gao. His new “Way of Utmost Sincerity” ability appears to coincide with an uncanny storm vision and a powerful new response to the monster.
• Gao Mo remains humble and perceptive. He understands that Su’s punishment was partly intended to shield the clerks, and his intelligence and character stand out despite his low status.
• The Young Dragon is powerful, eager to feed, and deferential toward Su, calling him “Teacher.” Her arrival suggests a close link between Su’s unusual powers and the Dragon Palace.
• Su and the Young Dragon cooperate in dealing with the monster, though Su is more concerned with uncovering the cause of the recent attacks than with fighting.

Significant themes

• Merit versus social status: Gao may be exceptionally capable, yet the bureaucratic system sharply limits a clerk’s advancement.
• Duty and protective authority: Su’s harsh-looking decision is framed as an attempt to protect both the workforce and the wider project.
• Learning and self-cultivation: Su’s daily recitation produces tangible advancement, blending scholarly discipline with supernatural power.
• The supernatural intrudes on public life: Demonic forces target workers, while Su’s emerging abilities and the Young Dragon offer a defense—but the wider threat remains unexplained.

Chapter Summary: “Heaven and Earth Stir”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Shell Maiden explains to Su Ziji that the Dragon Palace’s power over the Demon Race has weakened after suffering mysterious Thunder Tribulations. New thunderclouds suggest another major disturbance may be approaching.
• The Demon Race is deeply divided over its relationship with humanity:
  • Some demons want reconciliation, especially because Dragon Lord Ji Jun is preparing to accept a human title.
  • Others seek unity against humanity, whose Daoist sects slaughter demons and use their bodies and Demon Cores in alchemy.
  • With Ji Jun absent or unwilling to lead, rival Great Demons have failed to unite, causing disorder and violence throughout the Demon Race.
• Su Ziji advises Young Dragon to avoid acting aggressively. Since the demons are divided, she should remain still and let their internal conflict occupy them. He tells her to focus on increasing her cultivation and completing Dragon Transformation.
• Young Dragon records the principle “Suppress it with stillness” and promises to follow it.
• Su Ziji returns from the dreamlike encounter to discover a violent thunderstorm raging outside his work shed. He worries that the storm may be connected to Young Dragon’s fate or impending breakthrough.
• At White Cloud Daoist Temple, Liu Zhan observes the storm and concludes that it is not ordinary weather. He believes the Dragon Maiden is nearing a breakthrough, causing her unstable authority to provoke a response from heaven and earth.
• Liu Zhan recognizes that the Dragon Maiden’s breakthrough will affect the Demon Race, the Daoist sects, and the imperial court. All factions must now act carefully, since their decisions may determine the outcome of the larger struggle.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji becomes more aware of his possible connection to the Dragon Palace’s Thunder Tribulations and grows increasingly concerned for Young Dragon’s safety. Though troubled by the moral complexity of the conflict, he assumes his role as teacher and offers cautious strategic guidance.
• Young Dragon/Dragon Maiden shows unusual discipline and willingness to learn. Despite her usual impatience, she takes Su Ziji’s advice seriously and uses the written phrase “Suppress it with stillness” to restrain herself.
• The Shell Maiden provides a clear account of the Demon Race’s political crisis and demonstrates loyalty to Young Dragon and the Dragon Palace.
• Liu Zhan proves perceptive and politically cautious. He recognizes that the storm signals a potentially decisive breakthrough and understands that the Daoist sect cannot afford to act recklessly.
• The temple master represents ordinary, practical thinking: he sees the rain as beneficial for crops and locust control, unlike Liu Zhan, who perceives its supernatural significance.

Significant Themes

• Political division and instability: The Demon Race’s inability to unite leaves it vulnerable, while opposing factions debate coexistence with or resistance to humanity.
• Moral ambiguity: Su Ziji realizes that neither side can be easily labeled wholly right or wrong; both humans and demons have committed serious acts of violence.
• Stillness versus action: Su Ziji’s strategy is to avoid provoking enemies and allow internal divisions to weaken them, emphasizing patience and restraint over impulsive action.
• Heaven’s response to power: The thunderstorm symbolizes the connection between supernatural breakthroughs and changes in the natural world. Young Dragon’s cultivation affects not only herself but the surrounding world.
• Destiny as a political game: Liu Zhan compares the situation to a chess match in which heaven and earth form the board. Every faction’s decision may have irreversible consequences.

Character Interactions

• Young Dragon directs Su Ziji’s questions to the Shell Maiden, showing both familiarity and dependence.
• The Shell Maiden explains the Demon Race’s crisis while Young Dragon becomes restless and circles Su Ziji in dragon form.
• Su Ziji gently but firmly teaches Young Dragon to restrain herself and prioritize cultivation.
• Young Dragon demonstrates her trust by writing down and following Su Ziji’s advice.
• At White Cloud Daoist Temple, Liu Zhan’s interpretation of the storm contrasts with the temple master’s ordinary view, highlighting the difference between practical observation and supernatural insight.

Chapter Summary: “Madness”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• In the Locust Shrine’s main hall, the Heavenly Secret Monster meditates while the dog Monster guards the bloodstained shrine.
• During a thunderstorm, the Heavenly Secret Monster suddenly leaves and returns with several captured Monsters. They have been magically restrained and cannot return to their true forms.
• The prisoners reveal that they serve figures such as Mulberry Maiden, King Nanshan, and Zhou Xuan. One of them realizes that a summons used to lure them out was likely fabricated by the Heavenly Secret Monster.
• The Heavenly Secret Monster confirms that Xiong Fei did not betray Zhou Xuan; instead, he was killed and his flesh and blood were used for the Monster’s plans.
• One captive attempts to threaten the Heavenly Secret Monster by claiming that Zhou Xuan has been informed of their capture. The Heavenly Secret Monster mocks the threat before brutally killing him by tearing off his head.
• It then massacres the remaining prisoners, placing their severed body parts and organs on the shrine’s offering table.
• After lighting incense and bowing to the Locust God statue, the Heavenly Secret Monster causes black-red vapor to emerge from the offerings. The statue absorbs the vapor, then releases it through its mouth, allowing the Heavenly Secret Monster to consume it.
• Empowered and increasingly deranged, the Heavenly Secret Monster reveals that the entire situation surrounding the Dragon Maiden’s tribulation was part of its own plan. It intends to seize the Dragon Core and absorb the Dragon Maiden’s authority if her transformation fails.
• The dog Monster realizes that its master has become completely mad.

2. Character Developments

• The Heavenly Secret Monster: Descends further into brutality, paranoia, and megalomania. It demonstrates that its calm, calculating nature has become fused with bloodlust and obsession. It believes every major event has been manipulated by it and that only it is capable of claiming the Dragon Maiden’s power.
• The dog Monster: Becomes increasingly terrified and disillusioned. Although still loyal and trapped by its position as a subordinate, it recognizes that the Heavenly Secret Monster’s true nature is monstrous and that witnessing the shrine’s secret may place its own life in danger.
• The captured Monsters: Shift from anger and defiance to terror when they realize that threats and appeals to powerful allies cannot restrain the Heavenly Secret Monster.

3. Significant Themes

• Madness and corruption: The chapter shows the Heavenly Secret Monster’s transformation from controlled intelligence into self-deluded insanity.
• Power and manipulation: The Monster has secretly engineered events and withheld information from Zhou Xuan and others to preserve its opportunity to seize the Dragon Maiden’s authority.
• Betrayal and mistrust: The false message used to lure the prisoners, the killing of Xiong Fei, and the Monster’s hidden agenda emphasize how alliances have collapsed.
• Sacrifice and forbidden power: The ritual uses the corpses of captured Monsters to generate supernatural energy, suggesting that power is gained through desecration and murder.
• Helplessness before violence: The captives’ status, threats, and affiliations offer no protection; once restrained, they are completely powerless.

4. Character Interactions

• The dog Monster silently observes the Heavenly Secret Monster and avoids questioning its actions out of fear.
• The captives curse and confront the Heavenly Secret Monster, invoking their ties to Mulberry Maiden, King Nanshan, and Zhou Xuan.
• One prisoner attempts to negotiate by warning that Zhou Xuan has been notified, but the Heavenly Secret Monster ridicules the threat and kills him instantly.
• The Heavenly Secret Monster’s final outburst is directed toward the absent Zhou Xuan and the other Monsters, whom it views as ignorant pawns.
• The dog Monster serves as the chapter’s horrified witness, recognizing that the master it once trusted has been replaced by a dangerous madman.

Chapter Summary: “Critical Point”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Heavenly Secret Monster reveals his madness and orders the dog demon to spread rumors blaming the Dragon Maiden for the locust plague, torrential rain, and resulting destruction. He also instructs the dog demon to kill a human witness who overheard the demons’ actions.
• The witness, Yang Laosan, a poor villager, hears screams and smells blood coming from the Locust Shrine. Believing a murder has occurred, he decides to report it to the authorities in hopes of saving himself and earning a reward.
• While fleeing through the storm, Yang Laosan takes shelter in an abandoned Land God Temple. The dog demon tracks him down, threatens him, and kills him brutally after he admits he heard what happened.
• Before the dog demon can consume Yang Laosan’s corpse, an extraordinarily powerful thunderstorm strikes. The heavenly thunder terrifies the demon and ultimately kills it inside a hollow tree.
• At the Dragon Palace beneath Coiling Dragon Lake, the Dragon Maiden struggles through the painful process of Dragon Transformation. Her horns and claws are beginning to emerge, but each change causes severe pain.
• The Shell Maiden realizes that the Dragon Maiden has reached a critical stage in her transformation. She cannot intervene because only a fellow dragon trained in the Coiling Dragon Heart Method could assist.
• Dark qi, carrying hostile voices and accusations from humans, attempts to surround and contaminate the Dragon Maiden’s aura. The Shell Maiden identifies this as a demonic scheme intended to exploit the disasters and turn public resentment against the Dragon Maiden.
• The Dragon Maiden’s transformation has disturbed the Heavenly Secret and triggered a tribulation, causing the storm to intensify. The spectacle risks attracting even more demons from distant regions.

Character Developments

• Heavenly Secret Monster fully exposes his ruthless and manipulative nature. He deliberately manufactures public hatred toward the Dragon Maiden and eliminates anyone who might expose his crimes.
• The dog demon is shown to be cruel toward humans but cowardly before superior supernatural forces. Although it obeys Heavenly Secret Monster, it is helpless against the intensified heavenly thunder and dies from fright and shock.
• Yang Laosan shifts from an impoverished, self-interested villager to an accidental witness attempting to seek justice. His decision to report the shrine’s murder leads directly to his death.
• The Dragon Maiden is approaching a major transformation and appears physically vulnerable, enduring intense pain while unable to assume human form.
• The Shell Maiden becomes increasingly protective and worried. Though powerless to interfere directly, she understands the danger surrounding the Dragon Maiden and recognizes the larger demonic conspiracy.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and scapegoating: Heavenly Secret Monster exploits natural disasters to blame the Dragon Maiden and turn humans against her.
• The vulnerability of truth: Yang Laosan discovers the truth but is killed before he can reveal it, showing how easily testimony can be silenced.
• Natural and supernatural catastrophe: The storm is both a physical disaster and a sign of the Dragon Maiden’s transformation and heavenly tribulation.
• Transformation through suffering: The Dragon Maiden’s painful Dragon Transformation represents a crucial stage of growth and power, but also leaves her exposed to attack.
• Fear and power: Demons may terrorize humans, yet even they fear the authority of Heaven, as demonstrated by the dog demon’s death beneath the thunder.
• Isolation and protection: The Dragon Maiden lacks the support of her own kind, leaving the Shell Maiden to watch helplessly while external enemies close in.

Character Interactions

• Heavenly Secret Monster gives the dog demon explicit orders regarding propaganda, surveillance, and murder, establishing a hierarchy based on fear.
• The dog demon confronts Yang Laosan, who tries to defend himself but is completely overpowered.
• The Shell Maiden observes and analyzes the Dragon Maiden’s transformation, recognizing both its importance and its dangers.
• The Dragon Maiden is indirectly attacked by the demons’ rumors and dark qi, while the Shell Maiden attempts to protect her through the golden defensive light available to her.
• Human accusations and demonic influence converge around the Dragon Maiden, creating a growing threat as her transformation nears completion.

Chapter Summary: “Dam Blasting”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji inspects the nearly completed diversion canal dam during a night of torrential rain. Although the dam appears stable, he remains uneasy, sensing that the storm may bring further danger.
• After Su Ziji and the workers leave, a group of black-clad deathsworn secretly approaches the dam. They have been ordered to destroy it and flood the surrounding land.
• Their leader has secretly switched allegiance from Prince Shu to Prince Qi. He deceives the men under his command, partly because Prince Qi is holding their families hostage and has prepared scapegoats for the attack.
• The assassins place gunpowder beneath the dam’s weak points and detonate it. Several explosions destroy the dam, allowing the swollen river to burst through. Because the rain continues, the flooding threatens to worsen dramatically.
• As the saboteurs flee, Shell Maiden arrives while searching for Su Ziji. She recognizes the smell of gunpowder and realizes that these men are responsible for destroying the dam.
• The saboteurs identify Shell Maiden as a Monster and attack her. Although she evades their initial assault, the storm weakens her powers, leaving her unable to defeat them easily.
• Shell Maiden calls for help. The leader orders some men to hold her back while the others escape.
• A tremendous supernatural thunderclap strikes, overwhelming Shell Maiden and nearly causing her to collapse, leaving the immediate outcome uncertain.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji remains cautious and perceptive. Even though he finds no visible problem with the dam, his instinct warns him that the disaster is not over.
• The black-clad leader is shown as a conflicted but ruthless figure. He knows that the attack will cause widespread suffering and likely cost him his life, yet fear for his family and loyalty to the powerful Prince Qi drive him to proceed.
• Shell Maiden demonstrates determination and loyalty. She leaves the Dragon Palace to seek Su Ziji’s help for Ji Jun, but upon encountering the saboteurs, she immediately prioritizes stopping those who threaten both Su Ziji and the Dragon Palace. Her weakened condition reveals the limitations of her powers in the storm.

Significant Themes

• Political betrayal and manipulation: The leader betrays Prince Shu while pretending to serve him, illustrating how princes use fear, family hostages, and expendable agents in their power struggles.
• Human suffering as a political weapon: The dam’s destruction is not merely sabotage; it is a deliberate attempt to flood the land and harm civilians for political advantage.
• Conflict between supernatural and political forces: The Dragon Palace, Monsters, and rival princes are drawn into the same struggle, showing that human schemes and supernatural interests increasingly overlap.
• Duty versus survival: The saboteurs obey orders despite knowing the consequences, while Shell Maiden risks herself to defend those and the causes she values.
• Nature and catastrophe: The torrential rain magnifies the effects of the bombing, turning a planned act of destruction into a potentially uncontrollable disaster.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji reassures and praises the canal workers before sending them away, unknowingly leaving the dam vulnerable.
• The saboteur leader commands his men while internally wrestling with guilt and fear, revealing the coercive power Prince Qi holds over them.
• Shell Maiden confronts the saboteurs and is immediately treated as an enemy because of her demonic identity and suspicious appearance.
• The leader orders his men to kill Shell Maiden, then sacrifices a small group to delay her while the rest escape.
• Shell Maiden’s call for help is answered not by an ally but by a devastating thunderclap, which abruptly shifts the balance of power and ends the chapter on a cliffhanger.