Chapter Summaries

Key events

• Fox Mother orders the Qingqiu Fox Tribe to evacuate Green Hill, but their secret passage has already been sealed, trapping them inside a military and Daoist encirclement.
• The foxes realize the assault was carefully planned. Fox Mother identifies the likely cause: a young man outside possesses kingly aura, and she connects him to the unusual “emperor stars” recently seen in the sky.
• She pleads with the attackers, insisting that her tribe has never harmed ordinary people and threatening to fight to the death. Cao Yiyan, acting under Prince Qi’s command, rejects her appeal and orders the foxes exterminated, with Fox Mother to be taken alive.
• Soldiers storm the mansion with crossbows. The foxes resist with supernatural powers, inflicting heavy casualties, but the Daoists’ formation and demon-suppressing weapons restrict their strength. Fighting turns the courtyard into a massacre.
• A large fox sacrifices himself trying to help Fox Mother escape. She retaliates fiercely, then realizes the attackers are targeting her because she may hold one of the tribe’s two secret treasures. Determined to protect it, she looks for a way to escape.

Character developments and interactions

• Fox Mother moves from anxious leadership to grief and fury, then regains her composure when she recognizes the attack’s purpose. Her priority becomes protecting the tribe’s treasure, even at the cost of her life.
• Cao Yiyan is cold and ruthless, treating the foxes as threats to be eliminated and the soldiers’ deaths as an acceptable cost.
• The Qingqiu foxes shift from panic and despair to desperate resistance. One large fox gives his life to shield Fox Mother.
• The unnamed young man is surrounded by the attackers and appears to possess kingly aura; Fox Mother suspects he is connected to the campaign, though his role is not fully explained here.
• The exchange between Fox Mother and Cao Yiyan establishes a sharp divide: she appeals to her tribe’s restraint and innocence, while he treats its demonic nature alone as grounds for destruction.

Significant themes

• Prejudice and collective punishment: The foxes are condemned as demons despite Fox Mother’s claim that they have kept apart from human affairs.
• Power and state violence: The government’s resources, numbers, and willingness to sacrifice soldiers make resistance brutally unequal.
• Betrayal and entrapment: The sealed passage and prepared formation suggest the foxes were deliberately cornered.
• Sacrifice and survival: The foxes fight to protect one another, while Fox Mother’s resolve centers on preventing their secret treasure from being seized.

Chapter Summary: “Died a Miserable Death”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hu Xiyan and Hu Aiying return to the mountain and discover the Fox Tribe’s home engulfed in flames. They immediately dive into the battle.
• Fox Mother, transformed into her fox form, fights desperately against Cao Yiyan’s soldiers and Daoists. Although she kills or injures many enemies, the soldiers’ numbers and willingness to sacrifice themselves gradually wear her down.
• Cao Yiyan observes the battle from a distance, using his authority and supernatural power to command others to fight in his place. He reflects on how powerful figures can destroy heroes through repeated attrition, forcing them to die “miserable deaths” despite their talent or courage.
• A Little Fox unexpectedly ambushes several Daoists, tearing out their throats before they can react. Cao Yiyan responds by immobilizing her with a powerful spell.
• The spell traps the Little Fox in an illusion of a filthy prison and torture chamber. She is restrained on a torture bed while a guard approaches with a branding iron, and the illusion threatens to crush her with spikes.
• The Little Fox concentrates her spiritual power and manages to escape the illusion. At the same moment, Cao Yiyan is mysteriously injured and spits blood, suggesting that she possesses an unusual ability, treasure, or hidden secret.
• Realizing that the Little Fox is extraordinary, Cao Yiyan sends up a signal flare to summon more than two hundred soldiers, hunting dogs, and Daoists.
• The fleeing Fox is pursued through the mountain forests. She repeatedly evades capture by using the dense woodland and her cunning to conceal her trail.

Character Developments

• Fox Mother demonstrates courage and ferocity, fighting despite being badly weakened. Her escape shows her determination to protect herself and the other Foxes.
• Hu Xiyan and Hu Aiying shift from relaxed hunters to urgent rescuers when they see the destruction of their home. Their return strengthens the Foxes’ resistance.
• The Little Fox is revealed to be exceptionally powerful and resourceful. She can kill trained Daoists by surprise, resist Cao Yiyan’s spell, and even injure him indirectly through his own magic.
• Cao Yiyan is established as a detached and calculating antagonist. He treats soldiers as expendable tools and views the Foxes’ resistance as a game. His surprise at being injured also reveals that the Little Fox may be a greater threat than he expected.
• Dou Fengming openly praises Cao Yiyan’s cultivation, emphasizing his confidence in Cao’s abilities and his growing reputation.

Significant Themes

• Power and expendability: Cao Yiyan’s command over soldiers allows him to win through overwhelming numbers while avoiding personal danger. The chapter contrasts this with heroes who possess only one life and can eventually be worn down.
• The cost of attrition: Even strong opponents may fall when forced to endure endless attacks. The Fox Mother’s weakening illustrates how courage and ability can be overcome by relentless pressure.
• Hidden strength and mystery: The Little Fox’s ability to escape Cao Yiyan’s spell and injure him suggests secret powers, a rare treasure, or an unknown lineage.
• Cruelty and dehumanization: The burning settlement, slaughtered soldiers, torture imagery, and Cao Yiyan’s indifferent attitude reinforce the brutality of the conflict.
• Cunning versus force: While the soldiers rely on numbers, formations, hunting dogs, and spells, the Foxes survive through speed, surprise attacks, stealth, and knowledge of the terrain.

Character Interactions

• Fox Mother clashes directly with the armored soldiers and Daoists, killing several while attempting to escape.
• Hu Xiyan and Hu Aiying return to support the Foxes after witnessing the attack.
• Cao Yiyan commands the soldiers and Daoists, using his magical abilities to trap the Little Fox and control the battlefield from a distance.
• The Little Fox directly challenges Cao Yiyan by ambushing his Daoists, resisting his illusion, and causing him physical harm.
• Dou Fengming praises Cao Yiyan’s cultivation and reinforces his confidence in Cao’s capabilities.
• The soldiers, Daoists, and hunting dogs cooperate under Cao Yiyan’s signal to pursue the fleeing Fox through the mountains.

Chapter Summary

• The foxes’ escape and pursuit: Cao Yiyan’s Daoists and soldiers track the wounded foxes by following bloodstains. Despite the foxes’ head start, the pursuers steadily close the distance, driven by their desire to prove themselves and regain status under Prince Qi.
• Big Fox’s sacrifice: Little White carries the unconscious, arrow-wounded Fox Mother, while Little Fox helps them flee. Big Fox, weakened from having eaten fewer Golden Olives, realizes that his declining strength is slowing the others. He decides to lure the pursuers away so Little White and Little Fox can escape with Fox Mother. When Little Fox refuses to abandon him, Big Fox forcibly knocks her aside and turns back.
• The illusion and cliff jump: Using his natural illusion abilities as a Green Hill fox, Big Fox creates two false foxes to make it appear that all three fugitives are still together. The pursuing Daoists are fooled and follow him to a cliff. With no visible route left, Big Fox leaps from the precipice, maintaining the illusion so the pursuers believe all three foxes have jumped to their deaths. His fate remains uncertain, though he intends to buy the others time rather than surrender.
• Cao Yiyan’s reaction: The failed capture enrages Cao Yiyan. He is not motivated by hatred of demons but by the Fox Tribe’s secret treasure, so the deaths of many foxes and soldiers mean little compared with losing the key fugitives. Refusing to believe the foxes are dead without seeing their bodies, he orders a wider search involving archers, hunters, wandering martial artists, and Daoists capable of tracking their aura.
• News about Su Ziji: Cao Yiyan receives word that the Great Zheng Emperor is ill and has discovered the surviving son of the late Crown Prince, summoning him to the capital. He immediately identifies the young man as Su Ziji, confirming a suspicion he had formed earlier. Rather than being surprised, Cao Yiyan feels reassured that his deductions were correct and regains confidence while considering the implications of the celestial signs he previously observed.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Big Fox displays courage, loyalty, and self-sacrifice, choosing to risk his life to protect Fox Mother and the younger foxes.
• Little Fox shows deep concern for Big Fox and refuses to accept his sacrifice, but is forced to continue carrying Fox Mother after he pushes her away.
• Little White’s superior training and repeated consumption of Golden Olives allow him to endure the escape, though he remains burdened by Fox Mother’s weight.
• Cao Yiyan becomes increasingly frustrated and ruthless, expanding the hunt rather than accepting defeat. His interest in Su Ziji also reveals his political awareness and long-standing suspicion of Su’s identity.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and familial loyalty: Big Fox values the survival of the others over his own safety.
• Cunning versus force: The foxes survive through illusion and strategy, while Cao Yiyan relies on overwhelming manpower and relentless pursuit.
• Political destiny: Su Ziji’s hidden royal lineage is confirmed, suggesting that his personal fate is becoming tied to the restoration or succession of the Zheng Dynasty.
• Uncertainty and survival: Big Fox’s cliff jump leaves his fate unresolved, emphasizing that apparent death may be another form of escape.

Key plot points and events

• Cao Yiyan interprets the appearance of two new stars as a sign of coming political upheaval. He believes the Zheng Dynasty is still fated to fall, suspects one star may represent a surviving member of the Great Wei imperial clan, and plans to replenish his lost fortune by slaughtering the Green Hill foxes and seizing their secret treasure.
• After the massacre, Fox Mother tells Little Fox Xiyan that her decision not to pledge the Qingqiu Fox Tribe’s allegiance to the Dragon Lord helped bring disaster upon them. She passes Xiyan the Divine Seal and the leadership of Green Hill, then dies and disappears beneath the river.
• Xiyan mourns the dead and resolves to find Su Ziji for help avenging the tribe. She discovers Aiying alive but nearly drowned, revives her, and takes her along.
• On the Tortoise-Snake River, Su Ziji approaches the capital with the imperial commissioner, Luo Pei. He reflects that returning means entering a dangerous political struggle, but that staying powerless would leave him vulnerable to forces beyond his control. He chooses to fight for influence and his own survival.
• Su Ziji asks Luo Pei about a historical poem and its political meaning. Luo, though troubled, is touched that Su continues to seek his advice and associate with him.

Character developments

• Cao Yiyan shifts from confidence in his protection by dragon aura to renewed concern about rival claimants and the changing political order. He turns his attention to the fox tribe’s treasure.
• Fox Mother accepts responsibility for the tribe’s destruction and entrusts its future to Xiyan before dying.
• Xiyan changes from a follower into Green Hill’s new leader. Grief and fear give way to determination to protect the survivors and seek vengeance.
• Su Ziji embraces the risks of political participation, deciding that becoming a player is safer than remaining a powerless pawn. His respect for learning remains evident in his continued questions to Luo.
• Luo Pei, despite his low spirits, responds warmly to Su’s loyalty and scholarly curiosity.

Significant themes

• Power and survival: In a dangerous political world, remaining outside the struggle offers no real safety.
• Duty and succession: Fox Mother’s final act transfers both responsibility and a sacred inheritance to Xiyan.
• Fate and political change: Celestial signs suggest that dynasties and fortunes shift beyond any one person’s control.
• Loyalty and integrity: Su’s continued respect for Luo, even when Luo is troubled, demonstrates the “true colors” of a scholar.
• Grief and vengeance: Xiyan’s loss becomes a resolve to seek justice for her people.

Character interactions

• Fox Mother and Xiyan: Fox Mother confesses her mistake, gives Xiyan the Divine Seal, and appoints her Lady of Green Hill; Xiyan desperately tries to save her.
• Xiyan and Aiying: Xiyan rescues and revives Aiying, then brings her along as they flee.
• Su Ziji and Luo Pei: Su seeks Luo’s historical and political guidance, while Luo recognizes Su’s sincerity and treats him with growing warmth.
• Cao Yiyan and the fox tribe: Cao’s plans to seize their treasure set him against the survivors and foreshadow further conflict.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Luo Pei explains the importance of rituals, institutions, and official ceremonies, arguing that office assemblies are not useless even when no practical business is discussed. Repeated ceremonies reinforce hierarchy, authority, and social order.
• Su Ziji receives profound instruction from Luo Pei, gaining a clearer understanding of governance and the relationship between formal institutions and political stability. His [Way of Governance] increases to Level 7, bringing him close to Level 9.
• As the party reaches the provincial capital, a hawk delivers an imperial letter. The Emperor has confirmed that Su Ziji is the late Crown Prince’s son, and the Clan Court has selected his name. He is ordered to enter the capital immediately.
• Luo Pei and Governor-General Zhao Misong kneel before Su Ziji and formally address him as the Imperial Grandson, demonstrating the enormous power of status and lineage over scholarly achievement or official rank.
• Su Ziji humbly helps them rise, insisting that he still regards them as teachers despite his newly confirmed identity.
• Cen Rubai overhears the revelation and reacts with overwhelming grief and joy. He cries that “Heaven has eyes,” revealing that he once served the former Crown Prince.
• Cen Rubai finally acknowledges Su Ziji as his true master, identifying himself as the Eastern Palace Eastern Director of Justice and performing the formal rite of a household retainer greeting the Crown Prince’s heir.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Gains a deeper understanding of how ritual and hierarchy sustain political authority. His identity shifts dramatically from successful scholar and official to Imperial Grandson, though he remains modest and respectful toward his elders.
• Luo Pei: Acts as Su Ziji’s mentor, teaching him that political order depends on more than military conquest or personal virtue. He immediately submits to Su Ziji once the imperial decree confirms his bloodline.
• Governor Zhao Misong: Like Luo Pei, he recognizes the authority of Su Ziji’s imperial status and kneels before him despite his own immense military and civil power.
• Cen Rubai: His mysterious loyalty is finally explained. He had served the late Crown Prince and refused to truly acknowledge Lin Yuqing or Su Ziji because he remained devoted to his former master. He now joyfully accepts Su Ziji as the Crown Prince’s legitimate heir.

Significant Themes

• Ritual as political power: Ceremonies and formal institutions preserve hierarchy and authority by repeatedly teaching people their place within the state.
• Status versus achievement: Su Ziji’s scholarly success and official rank become insignificant compared with the authority granted by imperial blood.
• Legitimacy and recognition: The Emperor’s confirmation transforms Su Ziji’s position and forces powerful officials to recognize him publicly.
• Loyalty across generations: Cen Rubai’s devotion to the late Crown Prince survives years of uncertainty and is transferred to the Crown Prince’s son.
• Heavenly justice and restoration: Cen Rubai’s cry that “Heaven has eyes” suggests that Su Ziji’s emergence represents the restoration of a wronged lineage and the fulfillment of divine or historical justice.

Important Character Interactions

• Luo Pei instructs Su Ziji in the philosophy of governance, and Su Ziji accepts the lesson, gaining both knowledge and respect for his mentor.
• The imperial message reverses the relationship between Su Ziji and the two senior officials: those who previously outranked him now kneel as subjects.
• Su Ziji responds to their submission with humility, trying to preserve their teacher-student relationship despite the new political hierarchy.
• Cen Rubai’s emotional reaction reveals his hidden past and creates a personal bond between him and Su Ziji as heir to the former Crown Prince.

Chapter Summary: “A Prefect’s Calling Card”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji’s identity as the surviving descendant of the late Crown Prince is revealed to Cen Rubai, a former Eastern Palace official who has remained loyal for nearly twenty years.
• Cen Rubai emotionally acknowledges Su Ziji, explaining that he endured hardship while waiting to see whether the Crown Prince’s line had survived.
• Luo Pei and Governor-General Zhao witness the reunion and reflect on the rarity of such unwavering loyalty. They also consider the painful circumstances—the Crown Prince’s downfall—that made this reunion possible.
• To protect Su Ziji’s identity, officials are instructed not to formally greet him. He remains aboard the imperial vessel while Luo Pei and others disembark.
• At the dock, officials kneel and formally welcome the imperial envoy. Zhang Sui, who has just learned Su Ziji’s true identity, struggles over whether to act.
• Zhang Sui eventually kneels before Su Ziji and offers his allegiance, hoping to secure a better future by supporting the Crown Prince’s surviving son. Su Ziji warns him that the future is uncertain but accepts his submission.
• A guard delivers several calling cards, including one from the local prefect and another associated with an Assistant General. Their arrival suggests that officials already know or suspect Su Ziji’s identity and are seeking ties with him.
• Zhang Sui advises caution, warning that meeting local officials could be interpreted as forming factions and anger the Emperor.
• Cen Rubai argues that Su Ziji must begin building a power base, especially because Prince Qi and Prince Shu are dangerous rivals. Refusing all contact could make Su Ziji appear weak or without ambition.
• Su Ziji chooses a compromise: he will meet only the prefect personally, while the other officials may attend a banquet overseen by the imperial envoy. This preserves propriety while allowing him to observe their loyalties and intentions.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Begins to assume the authority and political awareness expected of a royal heir. He remains cautious but demonstrates strategic judgment by balancing visibility with restraint.
• Cen Rubai: Is revealed as a deeply loyal former retainer of the Crown Prince. His emotional reunion with Su Ziji confirms his enduring devotion and establishes him as a potential adviser and supporter.
• Zhang Sui: Makes a major political decision by pledging himself to Su Ziji. His ambition and willingness to take risks become clear, as he seeks advancement through loyalty to a potentially powerful patron.
• Luo Pei: Develops sympathy and goodwill toward Su Ziji. He admires the reunion between ruler and subject but also recognizes the suffering and political tragedy behind it.
• Governor-General Zhao: Shares Luo Pei’s astonishment at the continued loyalty of the Crown Prince’s former retainers.
• The local officials: Their calling cards indicate that they are already maneuvering around Su Ziji’s emerging status, likely seeking either to support him or secure their own futures.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty across time: Cen Rubai’s perseverance presents loyalty as rare, admirable, and costly.
• Political danger and ambition: Su Ziji must expand his influence without appearing to form an illicit faction against the Emperor.
• The burden of legacy: Su Ziji inherits not only royal blood but also the expectations, enemies, and unresolved conflicts surrounding the fallen Crown Prince.
• Risk versus security: Zhang Sui’s decision reflects the idea that political advancement requires taking dangerous chances.
• Appearance and perception: Su Ziji’s conduct must communicate both ambition and restraint; how others interpret his actions may determine his future.
• The human cost of political legends: Luo Pei reflects that people admire stories of loyal ministers and reunited rulers, but few would willingly endure the tragedies that create such stories.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Cen Rubai: Their reunion is emotional and establishes a bond between the young heir and his father’s loyal former servant.
• Luo Pei and Governor-General Zhao: They discuss the significance of Cen Rubai’s loyalty and the political implications of the Crown Prince’s continued influence.
• Su Ziji and Zhang Sui: Zhang Sui offers formal allegiance, while Su Ziji tests whether his decision is sincere and considered.
• Zhang Sui and Cen Rubai: Their opposing advice frames the central political dilemma: avoid suspicious connections or actively build support.
• Su Ziji and the visiting officials: Though he does not meet them all directly, Su Ziji uses their calling cards as an opportunity to assess their motives and establish a careful political strategy.

Chapter Summary: “Foxes Seeking Revenge”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After receiving the imperial envoy, the prefect retreats to a private courtyard, where his servant reports that the envoy met with the newly revealed imperial grandson, Su Ziji.
• The prefect reads a secret letter from Misty Glow True Person Yu Qianzhi, who urged him to visit Su Ziji. Learning that Su Ziji is the Crown Prince’s son and has been officially recognized by the Emperor, the prefect decides to meet him.
• When his adviser questions the wisdom of approaching an imperial grandson whose position is still uncertain, the prefect explains the political importance of orthodox succession. Since the Emperor has ordered Su Ziji’s name to be entered into the imperial genealogy, Su Ziji now possesses a legitimate claim that could rival or surpass those of the established princes.
• The prefect argues that the Emperor still controls the court’s real authority. If Su Ziji gains imperial favor, his current lack of power can quickly be overcome. He also praises Su Ziji’s clever decision to appear alongside the imperial envoy, allowing him to make an impression without seeming to overstep.
• The prefect and his adviser therefore set out to pay their respects to Su Ziji.
• Meanwhile, Su Ziji remains aboard the official ship with Luo Pei and Governor-General Zhao, who have upgraded his accommodations and provided him with noble clothing after his identity became known.
• While reading in his cabin, Su Ziji is visited by the Big Fox and Little Fox, who secretly enter using illusion arts. Both appear thin, exhausted, and distressed.
• Through a dictionary, the Little Fox reveals that they belong to the Qingqiu/Green Hill Fox Tribe. Most of the foxes who left earlier, along with those who recently emerged, have been killed—including their hill lord.
• The foxes identify the apparent perpetrator as the person Su Ziji previously encountered near the Yu Residence, whom he suspects is Cao Yiyan.
• The foxes declare their intention to seek revenge. Su Ziji believes they are innocent and cannot understand why Cao Yiyan would attack them.

Character Developments

• The prefect demonstrates sharp political insight and quickly recognizes Su Ziji as a serious contender for the throne. His initial hesitation changes into enthusiasm, and he decisively chooses to establish contact with Su Ziji.
• The adviser is shown to understand practical criminal matters but lacks insight into high-level imperial politics. The prefect teaches him how legitimacy, imperial recognition, and orthodoxy can outweigh existing military or political strength.
• Su Ziji receives increasingly respectful treatment as his imperial identity becomes public. He remains calm and studious, but his compassion is evident when he sees the foxes’ suffering. He also begins investigating the larger mystery surrounding Cao Yiyan.
• The Big Fox and Little Fox are revealed to be survivors of a massacre rather than merely mysterious companions. Their grief turns into anger and a desire for revenge, showing a more vulnerable and emotionally intense side to them.
• Cao Yiyan becomes increasingly suspicious. His possible involvement in the slaughter of the fox tribe suggests that his ambitions and actions extend beyond the struggle for power at the Dragon Palace.

Significant Themes

• Legitimacy and political power: The chapter emphasizes that orthodox succession and official recognition can be more powerful than military strength. Su Ziji’s legal status gives him political potential despite his weak current position.
• The importance of public perception: By accompanying the imperial envoy, Su Ziji carefully establishes his presence in the minds of officials without openly claiming authority.
• Status and treatment: The improvements to Su Ziji’s ship, clothing, and attendants demonstrate how quickly social treatment changes once his imperial identity is acknowledged.
• Injustice and revenge: The fox tribe’s destruction introduces a conflict driven by grief and retaliation. The chapter raises questions about whether revenge can be justified when the victims were peaceful and innocent.
• Hidden motives: Cao Yiyan’s suspected attack on the foxes creates a new mystery, suggesting that his plans may be broader and more sinister than previously understood.

Character Interactions

• The prefect and his adviser debate whether meeting Su Ziji is politically wise; the prefect uses the principles of succession and imperial legitimacy to persuade him.
• The prefect reflects on Su Ziji’s resemblance in conduct to the former Crown Prince and admires his decisiveness.
• Luo Pei and Governor-General Zhao show increased deference to Su Ziji by improving his living conditions and providing clothing suited to his noble status.
• Su Ziji comforts the grieving Little Fox, provides food, and uses the dictionary to communicate with both foxes.
• The foxes tell Su Ziji about the massacre and ask, through their gestures, for revenge, drawing him into their conflict and prompting him to question Cao Yiyan’s motives.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji concludes that the Green Hill Foxes were likely targeted by Cao Yiyan because they possessed a secret treasure or Fox Tribe manual. He agrees to devise a long-term plan to avenge them.
• Big Fox reacts furiously, while Little Fox reassures him that Su Ziji genuinely intends to kill Cao Yiyan. Su Ziji writes Cao Yiyan’s name on a screen, symbolically marking him as a future target.
• Prefect Liu Chaolin requests an audience with Su Ziji aboard the official ship. Upon seeing him, Liu is astonished by his resemblance to the late Crown Prince and recognizes him as the Crown Prince’s son.
• Su Ziji considers the political dangers of returning to the imperial clan register and competing for succession. He reflects on the need to strengthen his cultivation, scholarship, and political influence.
• He attempts to use Literary Heart Carving Dragon on Liu, but the technique technically fails. Nevertheless, it stirs Liu’s emotions, making him feel as though he is seeing the Crown Prince himself.
• Liu dismisses the servants and privately advises Su Ziji to avoid haste, conceal his brilliance, and wait patiently for the right opportunity. He explains that his own father had once served as a lecturer to the Crown Prince and remained deeply loyal to him.
• After Liu departs, Su Ziji realizes that the Crown Prince’s influence has survived for twenty years and may be both an advantage and a danger.
• The Rosewood Pendant reveals that Liu has imparted the art of “hiding one’s brilliance and biding one’s time,” increasing Su Ziji’s Way of Governance.
• Su Ziji understands that openly gathering supporters would alarm the Emperor. He decides that securing the imperial-grandson title and maintaining legitimacy are more important than aggressively recruiting followers.
• He orders Zhang Sui to request an additional game at the next day’s banquet, suggesting that he is preparing to use the event for political purposes.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji becomes more politically cautious and strategic. He recognizes that power depends not only on ability but also on timing, legitimacy, and managing the Emperor’s suspicions.
• He also begins to appreciate the scope of the Crown Prince’s lingering influence and the burden of resembling him so closely.
• Prefect Liu Chaolin is revealed as sympathetic to the Crown Prince’s legacy. His advice shows both loyalty and political wisdom, while his reaction to Su Ziji suggests that emotional memory may influence his future support.
• Big Fox and Little Fox continue to differ in temperament: Big Fox is passionate and distrustful, while Little Fox is calmer and more confident in Su Ziji’s intentions.
• Zhang Sui remains a loyal aide who carries out Su Ziji’s instructions despite not always understanding the deeper strategy.

Significant Themes

• Legacy and political inheritance: The Crown Prince’s reputation continues to shape events long after his death, making Su Ziji both heir to a powerful legacy and a target because of it.
• Patience versus ambition: Su Ziji learns that moving too quickly can expose him to danger, while quiet influence may allow him to gain power safely.
• Legitimacy and public loyalty: Holding the imperial-grandson title naturally attracts support, but openly building a faction could provoke the Emperor.
• Appearance and identity: Su Ziji’s resemblance to the Crown Prince affects how others perceive and emotionally respond to him, blurring the line between his own identity and his father’s memory.
• Revenge and long-term planning: The foxes’ desire for vengeance contrasts with Su Ziji’s more measured approach, reinforcing the chapter’s emphasis on strategic patience.

Important Character Interactions

• The foxes argue over whether Su Ziji truly intends to avenge them, with Little Fox persuading Big Fox that his written name for Cao Yiyan proves his resolve.
• Liu’s first sight of Su Ziji triggers memories of the Crown Prince and immediately establishes an emotional and political connection.
• Su Ziji and Liu exchange indirect advice, each testing the other’s intentions. Liu encourages restraint rather than openly offering allegiance.
• Su Ziji’s failed technique subtly deepens Liu’s emotional identification of him with the Crown Prince, strengthening the impression that the old Crown Prince’s influence remains alive through his son.

Chapter Summary: “Finally Here”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Luo Pei returns to his cabin troubled by several political uncertainties: how the Emperor will respond to the astrologer’s prophecy, what Prince Shu thinks of him, and why Su Ziji has been summoned back to the capital.
• Zhang Sui brings Luo Pei two requests from Su Ziji concerning the upcoming farewell banquet:
  • Guests should wear casual clothes rather than official robes to create a more relaxed atmosphere.
  • A question-and-answer competition on rites and regulations should be held, with a prize for the winner.
• Luo Pei agrees to both requests, though he privately becomes suspicious that Zhang Sui has begun currying favor with Su Ziji.
• The next evening, the banquet is held at a requisitioned lakeside residence. Despite threatening autumn weather, the rain holds off.
• More than a hundred officials attend. The grounds are carefully prepared with awnings, tables, food, lanterns, and heavy security because both Luo Pei and Governor-General Zhao are present.
• Su Ziji overhears officials speculating about his unusual career path: despite being the year’s Top Scorer, he was sent away from the Hanlin Academy to serve as a commandery deputy and is now being urgently recalled to the capital.
• Luo Pei arrives as the Emperor’s representative and receives the officials’ formal salute. Seating arrangements reveal Su Ziji’s elevated political status: although only Sixth Rank, he is placed in the foremost seat on the left because he is being treated as equivalent to a Circuit Inspector.
• A noble host provides a troupe of dancers to enliven the banquet. The performance relaxes the initially tense atmosphere.
• Luo Pei then announces that the gathering should include more than food, wine, and entertainment. He proposes a competition and discussion on rites and regulations, with a reward for the winner and the additional purpose of guiding younger officials.
• Su Ziji reacts with immediate interest, recognizing that the opportunity he has been waiting for has finally arrived.

2. Character Developments

• Luo Pei: Becomes increasingly anxious and suspicious. He feels burdened by official responsibilities and uncertain about his political future, especially his imminent return to the capital. His suspicion that even Zhang Sui is shifting allegiance toward Su Ziji highlights his insecurity.
• Su Ziji: Demonstrates strategic intelligence and social awareness. His requests for informal clothing and a scholarly competition are designed to reshape the banquet into a more relaxed, useful gathering where he can acquire knowledge and influence others. He remains composed despite being the subject of gossip and scrutiny.
• Zhang Sui: Acts as Su Ziji’s intermediary, respectfully conveying his proposals to Luo Pei. His behavior causes Luo Pei to suspect that he is beginning to flatter or support Su Ziji.
• Governor-General Zhao: Appears comparatively relaxed and unburdened, chatting with others while Luo Pei remains troubled by political matters.
• The attending officials: Their curiosity about Su Ziji’s appointment and recall reveals that his career is considered unusual and politically significant.

3. Significant Themes

• Political uncertainty and suspicion: Luo Pei’s anxiety reflects the unstable nature of court politics, where appointments, prophecies, and personal loyalties can carry serious consequences.
• Status versus official rank: Su Ziji’s prestigious seating demonstrates that practical influence and political expectations may outweigh his formal Sixth Rank position.
• Knowledge as power: Su Ziji seeks to use the banquet not merely for entertainment but as an opportunity to learn rites and regulations, suggesting that intellectual preparation is essential for survival and advancement.
• Public image and hidden motives: The officials’ gossip, Su Ziji’s calm demeanor, and Luo Pei’s concealed suspicions all show how characters must carefully manage appearances.
• Adaptation and cultural comparison: Su Ziji compares the dancers to performances from the Gu era, revealing his unusual perspective and tendency to interpret unfamiliar customs through knowledge from another time or culture.
• Entertainment versus governance: The chapter contrasts lavish dancing and feasting with the more serious discussion of rites, regulations, and political education.

4. Character Interactions

• Luo Pei and Zhang Sui: Zhang Sui reports Su Ziji’s requests, while Luo Pei approves them but grows suspicious of Zhang Sui’s loyalty.
• Luo Pei and Su Ziji: They do not have an extended direct exchange in the chapter, but their relationship is central. Luo Pei views Su Ziji as a troublesome political unknown, while Su Ziji uses Luo Pei’s banquet as an opportunity to advance his own goals.
• Su Ziji and the officials: Su Ziji overhears their discussion of his career and remains composed under their scrutiny. His presence and elevated seating provoke admiration, curiosity, and unease.
• Luo Pei and the banquet guests: As the Emperor’s representative, Luo Pei presides over the event, receives their formal salute, and later directs the banquet toward a scholarly competition.
• The noble host and Luo Pei: The host offers his dancers as entertainment, and Luo Pei accepts, allowing the banquet to become more relaxed before introducing the intellectual contest.

Key plot points and events

• Su Ziji presents himself to the assembled officials and offers a landscape painting as a prize for a debate.
• Officials argue over whether ceremonial escorts for government officials are wasteful extravagance or necessary displays of state authority. One side stresses the burden on the people; the other argues that official dignity and fear help maintain order.
• A seventh-rank official makes the debate’s most striking point: direct acts of benevolence cannot reach everyone, while public displays of authority can help deter disorder. Su Ziji gains a major burst of experience and recognizes the force of the argument.
• Luo Pei ends the increasingly heated discussion, awards the painting to Lord Xun, and brings the banquet to a close.
• As Su Ziji leaves, he overhears the name of Yin Huai, the magistrate of Sea Cliff County, and quietly remembers it.
• A fifth-rank general, Wu Bianlu, approaches Su Ziji privately to pledge his loyalty. Su Ziji firmly rejects the offer, warning him not to violate the court’s institutions or demean his official position.

Character developments

• Su Ziji uses the debate both to learn from experienced officials and to test the Rosewood Pendant, which grants him experience from their remarks. He becomes newly alert to the practical limits of benevolent governance and the role of authority in keeping order.
• Wu Bianlu reveals his ambition—or eagerness to attach himself to Su Ziji—by offering his loyalty, family, wealth, and life. His surprise at the rejection suggests he expected the offer to be welcomed.
• Luo Pei acts as a tactful host, stepping in to defuse the debate once it grows tense.

Significant themes

• Benevolence and authority: Good government requires both care for the people and enough authority to prevent defiance.
• Limits of governance: Public funds cannot provide direct benefits to every person, making visible institutions of power one means of maintaining order.
• Experience and learning: Su Ziji’s advancement depends on observing seasoned officials, while the Rosewood Pendant turns their insights into measurable growth.
• Institutional loyalty: Su Ziji insists that personal allegiance must not override the rules and offices established by the court.

Character interactions

• Su Ziji invites the officials’ guidance, then listens as they debate and learns from their competing arguments.
• Luo Pei praises both sides, awards the prize, and restores a convivial atmosphere.
• Su Ziji silently notes Yin Huai’s identity rather than approaching him.
• Wu Bianlu makes a personal appeal to Su Ziji, who responds coldly and decisively, refusing to encourage a private loyalty bond.

Key plot points and events

• Su Ziji rejects Mobile Corps General Wu Bianlu’s sudden offer to pledge allegiance. He suspects the offer is bait intended to implicate him in seeking military support before being entered into the imperial clan register.
• Rather than investigate Wu himself, Su reports the encounter to Luo Pei and urges the fleet to sail for the capital sooner. Luo orders the departure.
• Luo learns the officer’s identity and recognizes how serious the trap could have been. He is impressed by Su’s quick refusal and report, though he wonders whether Su’s judgment was deliberate or simply fortunate.
• The scene shifts to Long Hill Ridge, where Zeng Nianzhen is escorting A Xiu toward Ning County. He has arranged a small house for her near her sister’s in-laws and plans to introduce her to his companions.
• A Xiu tells Zeng she is happy he came to rescue her after ten years of waiting. Zeng admits he has wronged her but offers no clear promise of a life together.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Ziji shows political caution and self-preservation: he identifies the danger in Wu’s offer, refuses it outright, and promptly reports it to distance himself from suspicion.
• Luo Pei becomes more wary of the forces operating around Su. Though he recognizes Su’s appeal and sound judgment, he knows Su’s emergence may disrupt Prince Shu’s plans.
• Zeng Nianzhen reveals regret and emotional vulnerability beneath his long-standing discipline and ambition. He acknowledges A Xiu’s devotion but responds by arranging practical support rather than committing to a shared future.
• A Xiu remains tender and hopeful, but understands Zeng’s reluctance. His brief emotional opening brings her both happiness and sorrow.

Significant themes

• Political traps and accountability: In court politics, even hesitation can be dangerous; refusing questionable offers and reporting them quickly can prevent blame.
• Duty versus personal feeling: Su must protect his political position, while Zeng’s ambitions and past burdens complicate his relationship with A Xiu.
• Longing, regret, and imperfect hope: A Xiu’s decade of devotion has finally softened Zeng, but his response remains uncertain and restrained.

Key plot points and events

• In Ning County, Liu Bengeng eagerly welcomes his old benefactor, Zeng Nianzhen, who once protected him from local bandits.
• At a banquet in Zeng’s newly purchased home, Zeng announces that he intends to leave the martial world, settle in the county, buy farmland, and open a martial arts school.
• The gathering celebrates his reunion with Ding Xiu, who has waited for him for ten years. Zeng’s friends tease him about finally marrying and starting a family.
• A late-arriving friend brings Zeng a letter from Mr. Cen. Zeng reads it, abruptly leaves the banquet, and drives away in an ox cart without explaining.
• Ding Xiu follows but cannot catch him. Her younger sister urges her to stop sacrificing her life for a man who keeps leaving. Ding Xiu decides to give him one more chance.

Character developments and interactions

• Zeng Nianzhen appears ready to exchange a dangerous, unsettled life for domestic stability with Ding Xiu, but the letter triggers an urgent departure. His apology suggests he knows he is hurting her, though he offers no explanation.
• Ding Xiu moves from cautious hope to renewed heartbreak, yet remains unwilling to give up completely. Her resolve is tempered by her sister’s blunt concern.
• Liu Bengeng expresses lasting gratitude to Zeng, showing how deeply Zeng’s past intervention earned his loyalty.
• Zeng’s brothers and friends support his decision to settle down and warmly welcome Ding Xiu as his prospective wife. Their lighthearted celebration turns into alarm when Zeng leaves.

Significant themes

• Hope and disappointment: Ding Xiu has endured repeated uncertainty, and Zeng’s sudden departure threatens to repeat that painful pattern.
• Duty versus personal happiness: Zeng’s plans for a peaceful home are overturned by an unknown obligation or crisis.
• Loyalty and gratitude: Liu and Zeng’s friends show enduring allegiance, while Ding Xiu’s long wait reflects her devotion.
• The cost of waiting: Ding Xiu’s sister warns that loyalty may consume her youth and future, setting up the question of whether one final attempt will bring closure or more pain.

Chapter Summary: “Breaking Out in a Cold Sweat”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The imperial envoy arrives in Dongluan Commandery while preparing to travel to the capital by sea. Local officials host a banquet, supplies are gathered, and members of the party are allowed to explore the dockside market.
• Su Ziji strolls through the market with his guards, buying trinkets for Ye Buhui and reflecting on the political experience he has gained during the journey.
• He checks his progress in the Way of Governance, now at Level 9 with limited experience remaining to gain.
• Su Ziji senses unusual moisture and demonic aura in the wind and seawater, wondering whether an approaching storm is natural or caused by a sea beast.
• Naval Commander Rui Xin approaches and makes politically suggestive remarks about the coming storm and the instability of the realm.
• Su Ziji probes Rui Xin by asking who he believes is the “pillar that props up the heavens and the needle that steadies the sea,” suspecting that Rui may serve one of the princes or court factions.
• Rui Xin denies representing another faction and instead advocates reopening maritime trade. He argues that the sea ban has damaged the economy, harmed the southeastern population, encouraged piracy and smuggling, and weakened the state.
• He asks Su Ziji to remember the matter and eventually persuade the emperor to lift the ban. Su Ziji does not commit, although the proposal matches his own views.
• A violent thunderstorm suddenly begins. Taking shelter, Su Ziji realizes why the sea ban is so difficult to change: powerful southeastern officials and scholarly clans already profit from smuggling and will resist any attempt to reopen legal trade.
• He also recognizes the political danger of acting too soon. As an imperial clansman who has not yet formally entered the imperial register, organizing such a major reform could make the emperor suspect his ambitions.
• Understanding the hidden dangers, Su Ziji becomes frightened and breaks into a cold sweat.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji demonstrates growing political insight. He moves beyond simply supporting the idea of maritime trade and considers the entrenched interests, factional resistance, and imperial suspicion surrounding it.
• His caution deepens. Although Rui Xin’s proposal aligns with Su Ziji’s beliefs, he refuses to give an immediate promise, recognizing that reform must be gradual and carefully timed.
• Su Ziji also shows strategic awareness by testing Rui Xin’s loyalties before responding to his request.
• Rui Xin is revealed as an influential naval commander concerned with the economic and social damage caused by the sea ban. He presents himself as an advocate for the southeastern people rather than a representative of a prince, though his true political position remains uncertain.
• Su Ziji’s thoughts about Ye Buhui briefly reveal his continuing personal affection and consideration for her.

Significant Themes

• Political reform versus entrenched interests: Opening maritime trade may benefit the country, but officials and powerful clans already profit from illegal trade and therefore oppose reform.
• The danger of premature ambition: Even a righteous policy can become politically fatal if pursued before one has sufficient authority or before the emperor’s trust is secured.
• The limits of idealism: Su Ziji agrees that maritime trade would strengthen the state and improve livelihoods, but he understands that good intentions cannot overcome political realities by themselves.
• Information and national isolation: The sea ban restricts not only trade but also contact with foreign powers, potentially causing Great Zheng to fall behind the wider world.
• Storm imagery and political foreshadowing: The sudden thunderstorm reflects the unstable political climate. Rui Xin’s warning that the realm is not peaceful and the changing weather both suggest imminent danger and upheaval.
• Hidden power structures: Official policy is shaped less by public welfare than by the private wealth and influence of court officials, gentry, and smuggling networks.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Rui Xin: Rui Xin approaches Su Ziji with unusual familiarity and attempts to recruit his support for maritime reform. Su Ziji listens cautiously, questions Rui Xin’s affiliations, and avoids making a firm commitment.
• Su Ziji and his guards: His guards accompany him through the market and shelter him during the storm, emphasizing his protected status as an important imperial figure.
• Su Ziji and Ye Buhui: Though absent, Ye Buhui remains in his thoughts when he buys gifts for her, showing his personal attachment amid political concerns.

Chapter Summary: “Still Refusing”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Admiral Rui Xin pressures Su Ziji to support lifting the maritime ban, presenting the policy as beneficial to the nation and its people. Su recognizes that this patriotic appeal conceals a political trap and carefully refuses to make any commitment.
• Su explains internally that Rui Xin’s words are filled with “ghostly schemes” and that any careless statement could later be used against him. Although his Level 8 Way of Governance allows him to perceive some of the deception, he believes he must grow stronger—ideally to Level 15 or 17—to see through such plots completely.
• Rui Xin leaves disappointed after Su gives only a vague response: if the opportunity arises in the future, they can discuss it again.
• Returning to his ship in the cold rain, Su is met by Cen Rubai, who worries over his health, gives him dry clothing, and insists that he drink ginger soup.
• Su’s fox, Little White, greets him but remains unusually thin despite being fed Xu chicken. Their brief exchange provides a lighter, affectionate moment.
• Cen Rubai explains that Zhang Sui is still purchasing and supervising supplies to prevent tampering before the voyage. He also reveals that he has summoned Zeng Nianzhen, a former Eastern Palace military officer who can provide martial protection, train troops, and bring a group of capable men.
• Su welcomes Zeng’s possible return, recognizing that his current trusted companions—Cen Rubai, Wild Daoist, Jian Qu, and Zhang Sui—lack military strength, leaving him vulnerable despite his own abilities.
• Zhang Sui returns with the supplies just as the fleet departs. Cen Rubai’s remarks subtly tease Zhang for having fled during an earlier assassination attempt.
• As the fleet sails away, Su continues wondering who truly controls Rui Xin.
• At a tavern, Rui Xin meets secretly with a bamboo-hatted man and reports that Su refused to make any promise regarding maritime policy. The visitor concludes that Su is extremely cautious and leaves.
• Rui Xin laments that Su would not sacrifice himself for what Rui believes would benefit the nation and the people, revealing his continued frustration and possibly his own involvement in the conspiracy.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Becomes more wary and politically cautious. He understands that patriotic rhetoric can be weaponized and refuses to give Rui Xin even an ambiguous commitment. His desire to increase his governing ability shows both ambition and anxiety about the hidden political forces around him.
• Rui Xin: Is shown to be an active persuader rather than a neutral official. Though he claims to support national welfare, his disappointment and secret meeting suggest he is participating in a broader scheme.
• Cen Rubai: Demonstrates deep personal concern for Su’s health and safety. He also acts strategically by recruiting Zeng Nianzhen and planning for stronger protection.
• Zhang Sui: Continues to prove useful and reliable in practical matters, though he remains under observation. His earlier fearfulness makes him the subject of Cen Rubai’s mild sarcasm.
• Zeng Nianzhen: Though absent, he is established as a potentially important ally with military experience, leadership ability, and former ties to the Eastern Palace.
• The bamboo-hatted man: Appears to be an agent of the hidden faction promoting the maritime-ban proposal. His reaction confirms that Su’s refusal disrupted their plans.
• Little White: Adds warmth to Su’s otherwise tense life and highlights the domestic trust and familiarity among Su’s followers.

Significant Themes

• Patriotism as political coercion: Appeals to “the nation and the people” are used to pressure Su into accepting a dangerous policy, turning refusal into an accusation of selfishness.
• Caution versus idealistic sacrifice: Su prioritizes survival and political prudence, while Rui Xin criticizes those unwilling to sacrifice themselves for an alleged public good.
• Hidden conspiracies and incomplete knowledge: Su knows that words can be twisted and that unseen factions are manipulating events. His limited ability to perceive the truth reinforces the danger of political intrigue.
• The importance of power and preparation: Su’s lack of military personnel leaves him exposed. Recruiting Zeng Nianzhen and building a reliable force become essential to his future security.
• Trust and suspicion: Even allies such as Zhang Sui remain under scrutiny, while former relationships with Eastern Palace retainers may provide both protection and political legitimacy.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Rui Xin: Their conversation is a restrained political struggle. Rui Xin applies moral pressure, while Su avoids committing himself and recognizes the hidden danger.
• Su Ziji and Cen Rubai: Cen’s concern over Su’s health contrasts with the surrounding political threats and reinforces their loyal, almost familial relationship.
• Su Ziji and Little White: Their playful exchange offers a brief emotional respite and shows Su’s gentler side.
• Cen Rubai and Su Ziji: They discuss the shortage of trustworthy martial forces and the strategic value of Zeng Nianzhen’s return.
• Cen Rubai and Zhang Sui: Cen indirectly mocks Zhang’s earlier retreat, while Zhang remains focused on proving his usefulness.
• Rui Xin and the bamboo-hatted man: Their secret meeting confirms that Rui Xin’s proposal was part of a larger operation and that Su’s refusal prevented the conspirators from obtaining the commitment they wanted.

Plot points and events

• During the final half-day of their canal journey toward the capital, Su Ziji discusses the Spring and Autumn Annals with imperial envoy Luo Pei, who has spent the past half-month tutoring him.
• Su concludes that history must be interpreted in light of the recorder’s perspective, the interpreter’s circumstances, and the wider course of events. People in power should form their own judgments while considering other viewpoints.
• His insight triggers a major advance: his mastery of the Four Books and Five Classics reaches Level 20, his Intelligence rises permanently to 20, and he gains the title “Sage.” His progress in the Way of Governance has also slowed, suggesting he has exhausted what Luo Pei can teach him.
• Su thanks Luo Pei, but as he bows, he receives a brief vision of Luo Pei being seized by armored soldiers and looking like a convicted criminal. Su hides his alarm, unsure what the image means.
• The ship reaches Dragon Gate Wharf, near the capital. Luo Pei orders it to dock, but notices the arrival area is strangely quiet and only about a hundred people are waiting ashore.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Ziji shows growing intellectual maturity and confidence, applying historical study to questions of judgment and political perspective. His study milestone confirms his exceptional advancement, while the sudden vision leaves him unsettled.
• Luo Pei has grown fond of their discussions, which offer relief from his anxiety about returning to the capital. He modestly downplays his role in Su’s progress, but his unease resurfaces as their journey ends.
• Their teacher–student relationship is warm and mutually beneficial: Su gains knowledge and Luo finds companionship and respite, though Su recognizes he has learned nearly all he can from Luo in governance.

Significant themes

• Perspective and judgment: The same historical event can yield different interpretations depending on a person’s position, experience, and state of mind.
• History as a guide: The past can serve as a mirror, but sound judgment requires considering present circumstances and broader patterns.
• Knowledge and mentorship: Learning transforms both the student’s understanding and the teacher’s own reflections.
• Foreboding and uncertainty: Su’s vision and the suspiciously quiet wharf foreshadow danger surrounding Luo Pei and the arrival in the capital.

Chapter Summary: “Calling to Account”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Luo Pei’s ship arrives at the Capital City, where he finds more than a hundred armored soldiers waiting under Ministry of Rites official Liu Guangqi.
• The soldiers’ grim presence immediately suggests that Luo Pei is in serious trouble. Rather than being welcomed, he is formally questioned on the Emperor’s orders.
• Liu Guangqi asks why Luo Pei took six months to return after delivering the imperial decree. Luo explains that he spent three months inspecting waterworks in three provinces, as he had also been instructed to do.
• He is then accused of wasting time, visiting brothels, and indulging in immoral behavior. Luo firmly denies the charges and points to official records and witnesses proving his itinerary.
• Despite his defense, the Emperor’s verbal decree strips Luo Pei of his office and orders him to be imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison pending judgment.
• Soldiers publicly remove Luo’s official hat and robe, humiliating him and reducing a powerful third-rank official to a prisoner.
• Liu Guangqi offers Luo hypocritical reassurance, but Luo is taken away in a prison cart without responding.
• Liu then reveals that the Emperor has granted Su Ziji a residence and escorts him there instead of taking him directly to the palace.
• Su reflects on the customs governing imperial sons and understands that, as the Top Scorer and a nearly eighteen-year-old imperial descendant, he is expected to leave the palace and establish his own household.

Character Developments

• Luo Pei: Initially maintains the dignity expected of a senior official, but the sight of the soldiers reveals his fear and helplessness. He accepts that resistance is impossible, asks Su Ziji to care for his family, and faces imprisonment despite believing himself innocent.
• Su Ziji: Becomes increasingly cautious and politically aware. He recognizes that Luo’s downfall may be connected to his own circumstances and suspects that one of the “twin stars” in the ominous vision may represent him. Though sympathetic, he realizes he lacks the power to save Luo.
• Liu Guangqi: Displays a sharp contrast in behavior. He is cold and severe while carrying out the Emperor’s order against Luo, yet becomes polite and smiling when addressing Su, showing how carefully he adjusts his attitude according to status and imperial favor.
• The Emperor: Never appears directly, but his authority dominates the chapter. His decree demonstrates both his absolute power and his willingness to punish officials without giving Luo a meaningful opportunity to defend himself.

Significant Themes

• The fragility of political power: Luo Pei falls from a respected third-rank official to a prisoner almost instantly, emphasizing that status depends entirely on imperial favor.
• Justice versus political authority: Although Luo offers evidence of his innocence, the Emperor’s decision is already final, suggesting that official “investigations” may serve political purposes rather than truth.
• Helplessness within the imperial system: Luo, despite his rank and former authority, cannot flee, delay, or resist. Su likewise understands that personal sympathy cannot overcome the Emperor’s power.
• Appearance and hidden motives: The formal reception disguises an arrest, while the gift of a residence may conceal the Emperor’s reluctance to meet Su personally.
• Imperial family and controlled succession: Su’s residence marks his gradual movement from palace life toward an official princely identity, but the process remains entirely controlled by the Emperor.

Character Interactions

• Luo Pei and Su Ziji: Luo entrusts Su with concern for his wife and children, revealing both his fear and his trust in Su. Su silently sympathizes but chooses not to intervene, knowing that doing so would endanger his own position.
• Luo Pei and Liu Guangqi: Their exchange shifts from formal questioning to public humiliation. Liu performs the Emperor’s will coldly, then offers empty consolation after Luo has been disgraced.
• Liu Guangqi and Su Ziji: Liu treats Su with courtesy and respect, sharply contrasting with his treatment of Luo. This difference highlights Su’s current favor and uncertain but promising status.
• Su Ziji and the Emperor: Though they do not meet, Su’s thoughts focus on interpreting the Emperor’s intentions. He questions whether the residence is a generous reward or a way for the Emperor to avoid seeing him directly.

Chapter Summary: “Bestowed a Residence”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Imperial power is dramatically demonstrated when Luo Pei, a third-rank official and imperial envoy, is stripped of his rank and arrested by a single imperial decree.
• Su Ziji remains calm, reassuring Zhang Sui and showing that he is not implicated in Luo Pei’s downfall.
• Su Ziji reunites with Ye Buhui, Wild Daoist, and Jian Qu, who have come to meet him after witnessing Luo Pei’s arrest.
• The Emperor has ordered Su Ziji and his household to move immediately into a newly bestowed residence. Liu Guangqi escorts them and provides ox carts for the entire group.
• They travel from Dragon Gate Wharf to Wanglu Ward, an elite district inhabited by nobles and high-ranking officials.
• Su Ziji arrives at a magnificent, expansive estate with numerous courtyards, gardens, pavilions, and more than a hundred rooms. Its size and prestigious location reveal the extraordinary favor the Emperor has shown him.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji displays composure and authority despite the alarming political circumstances. His calm presence reassures Zhang Sui and Ye Buhui, while his position is visibly elevated by the imperial residence.
• Zhang Sui is deeply frightened by Luo Pei’s sudden fall but regains confidence after seeing Su Ziji’s calm reaction.
• Ye Buhui is relieved and emotional after Su Ziji’s return. Her concern and fear reveal how deeply she depends on him, while her immediate focus on obeying the imperial order shows her anxiety over his safety.
• Wild Daoist reflects on how fortunate he was to become Su Ziji’s servant. He realizes that Su Ziji’s hidden identity as the Crown Prince’s son has transformed his own fate, though he remains worried about the dangers connected to the Clan Court.
• Jian Qu is reminded of past events involving the Marshal and reflects melancholically on old debts, obligations, and relationships.
• Liu Guangqi acts courteously toward Su Ziji, giving the group time to reunite and arranging transportation, even while carrying out the Emperor’s orders and arresting Luo Pei.
• Zhao Zhu, the estate’s steward, formally receives Su Ziji and his household.

Significant Themes

• The terrifying reach of imperial authority: Luo Pei’s instant transformation from powerful official to prisoner demonstrates how fragile status is under the Emperor.
• Political danger and uncertainty: Although Su Ziji has been favored with a residence, the group suspects the gift may be connected to the Clan Court and could conceal future threats.
• Fate and changing fortunes: Wild Daoist recognizes that serving Su Ziji has completely altered his destiny, emphasizing how chance and historical circumstances shape people’s lives.
• Loyalty and emotional dependence: Ye Buhui’s relief at Su Ziji’s return shows the strength of their bond and her belief that his presence gives her security.
• Social hierarchy and privilege: The luxurious residence, located among the homes of powerful officials, symbolizes Su Ziji’s rising status and his entry into the highest levels of society.
• The contrast between comfort and danger: The grand estate appears generous and auspicious, yet its imperial origin and the surrounding political turmoil make it feel both like a reward and a possible trap.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji steadies Zhang Sui with a reassuring touch and calm gaze.
• He reunites warmly with Ye Buhui, who embraces him and admits how much she missed him. He comforts her by insisting that the Emperor’s favor means he is safe.
• Wild Daoist and Jian Qu kneel to greet Su Ziji, but he quickly helps them rise, emphasizing familiarity over formal ceremony.
• Liu Guangqi balances official duty with polite consideration, allowing the reunion before urging them to enter the imperial residence.
• Zhao Zhu begins his service by formally welcoming Su Ziji at the gates, marking the household’s transition into its new, elevated position.

Key plot points and events

• Su Ziji arrives at his newly granted residence, once the former Duke Xu’s estate. Liu Guangqi explains that the emperor had it refurbished and stocked for immediate use, emphasizing the favor shown to Su.
• Su thanks the emperor and asks what will happen to Luo Pei, who helped him on the journey. Liu says Luo has been taken into custody and his fate remains uncertain.
• Liu Guangqi notices an unexpected personal attraction to Su, despite his intention to remain neutral in the struggle over succession. He reports to the emperor that Su seems humble and courteous.
• The emperor meets with Marquis Su of the Clan Court to approve Su Ziji’s imperial clan name. After reflecting on the dwindling imperial family and his own doubts, he writes “Zong”—making Su Ji Zizong.
• Immediately after finalizing the name, the emperor coughs up blood. Though outwardly composed, he is shaken by the realization that age, illness, and pain make even an emperor powerless.

Character developments

• Su Ziji presents himself as respectful and grateful, while showing concern for Luo Pei’s fate.
• Liu Guangqi finds himself drawn to Su despite his political resolve to stay neutral, leaving him unsettled and unable to explain the feeling.
• The emperor struggles between lingering reluctance and political necessity before naming Su. His sudden illness brings his mortality sharply into focus and makes him understand why a previous emperor sought immortality.

Significant themes

• Power versus mortality: The emperor commands an empire but cannot control aging, illness, or pain.
• Succession and dynastic fragility: The emperor reflects on how few imperial descendants remain, underscoring the stakes of Su’s recognition.
• Duty versus emotion: The emperor follows what he considers the most advantageous and proper decision, despite his private aversion.
• The limits of understanding: The emperor recognizes that some experiences—especially aging and suffering—can only be understood firsthand.

Character interactions

• Liu guides Su through the residence and discusses Luo Pei’s uncertain situation; Su responds with gratitude and concern.
• Liu reports Su’s demeanor to the emperor, who asks for his impression before dismissing him.
• Marquis Su presents the Clan Court’s register and witnesses the emperor’s decision—and collapse—without being able to intervene.
• The emperor’s reflections on his predecessors connect his own experience of frailty to the earlier Long’an Emperor’s pursuit of immortality.

The emperor, gravely weakened, summoned Liu Zhan, Yu Qianzhi, Xue Ming, and Huo Wuyong to the Imperial Study and ordered them to prepare the Great Restoration Elixir. Xue Ming warned that its formula was still unfinished.

• The emperor dismissed Marquis Su and summoned Huo Wuyong, Xue Ming, Liu Zhan, and Yu Qianzhi.
• Marquis Su hurried out of the palace, while Liu Zhan suspected that his preparations in the Long'an Emperor's tomb were taking effect.
• Liu Zhan and Yu Qianzhi entered the Imperial Study with Xue Ming and Huo Wuyong, each recognizing that the emperor's condition was serious.
• The emperor ordered the four men to prepare the Great Restoration Elixir.
• Xue Ming objected that the elixir's formula had not yet been perfected.

The emperor ordered Xue Ming and the others to perfect the Great Restoration Elixir Formula and took another Lesser Restoration Elixir despite Huo Wuyong’s warning. At the Duke’s residence, Su Ziji recounted his dangerous journey to Ye Buhui, who admitted she regretted urging him to seek a noble title.

• The emperor ordered Xue Ming and the others to investigate the Long'an Emperor’s tomb and other legendary sites, perfect the formula, and produce the Great Restoration Elixir quickly.
• The emperor demanded another Lesser Restoration Elixir, ignored Huo Wuyong’s warning, and regained his vigor after taking the pill.
• Ye Buhui inspected the residence’s main gate and kept busy while waiting for Su Ziji.
• Su Ziji told Ye Buhui about the ambush, disasters, and political challenges he faced in Shunan Prefecture, as well as his return to the capital.
• Ye Buhui said Su Ziji should not have hidden his hardships from her and confessed that she regretted urging him to seek a noble title.