Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “The Palace Gates Open”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhao Eunuch works late at a secluded residence that secretly serves as one of the Imperial City Office’s most important intelligence strongholds.
• While reviewing routine reports, he discovers that both Prince Qi and Prince Shu have begun refining elixirs and have specifically investigated Blood Osmanthus, a key ingredient in the highly sensitive Great Restoration Elixir.
• Zhao Eunuch immediately realizes this cannot be a coincidence. Because the princes are connected to the elixir’s production, their actions may expose a plot of enormous political significance.
• He summons the Imperial City Office’s leading eunuchs and orders them to secretly arrest everyone on lists of palace eunuchs who frequently leave the palace. Their captives are to be interrogated before dawn.
• The order risks angering numerous chief eunuchs, since many of the targeted eunuchs are involved in their masters’ private financial dealings. Zhao Eunuch nevertheless threatens severe punishment for anyone who hesitates or deliberately releases a suspect.
• He decides to report the matter directly to the emperor. Although the palace gates have already been locked for the night, Zhao Eunuch uses an undisclosed method to have them reopened and enters the palace.

Character Developments

• Zhao Eunuch is shown as cautious, disciplined, and deeply aware of the emperor’s unforgiving nature. His vigilance keeps him working despite exhaustion.
• His calm professionalism vanishes when he discovers the connection between the two princes and the Great Restoration Elixir, revealing how seriously he views the threat.
• He demonstrates strong authority by immediately organizing a covert investigation and intimidating his subordinates into obeying, even when the order threatens powerful allies.
• The junior eunuchs appear competent but fearful, especially when faced with orders that could provoke conflict throughout the palace.

Significant Themes

• Political surveillance and hidden power: The Imperial City Office operates as an invisible mechanism of imperial control, gathering information from across the empire.
• The emperor’s absolute authority: Eunuchs, regardless of rank or favor, remain disposable servants whose lives depend entirely on imperial approval.
• Loyalty versus personal interests: Zhao Eunuch must risk offending other eunuchs and disrupting their wealth networks to protect the emperor and uncover the truth.
• Secrets and conspiracy: The shared use of Blood Osmanthus by Prince Qi and Prince Shu suggests a concealed connection to a potentially catastrophic political scheme.
• Urgency and impending danger: The night-time arrests and reopening of the sealed palace gates create a sense that a major crisis is about to unfold.

Important Character Interactions

• Zhao Eunuch accepts tea from a young attendant before returning to his reports, emphasizing his demanding work routine.
• He reacts with sarcasm to a report about Marquis Xu, showing his sharp and contemptuous wit.
• After discovering the princes’ activities, he commands the young eunuch to summon the Imperial City Office’s senior personnel.
• A younger eunuch questions the danger of arresting servants belonging to other chief eunuchs. Zhao Eunuch dismisses the concern and threatens anyone who fails to carry out the order.
• When reminded that the palace gates are locked, Zhao Eunuch refuses to explain himself and proceeds to force their reopening, underscoring both his authority and the gravity of the situation.

Summary of “Arrow on the String”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Near the Imperial Palace, a clerk secretly monitors the palace gates from a nearby shop. He notices the gates suddenly opening and a large group of armed palace guards rushing out.
• Sensing that something serious has happened—and fearing that the guards may be coming for the watchers—he decides to warn the Prince. Before he can escape, however, armed men ambush him in the darkened shop and drag him away.
• At Faraway Inn, Eunuch Sun arrives late after dining with and accepting bribes from a restaurant steward. He assures the steward that he can influence the Imperial Kitchen and preserve the steward’s business.
• Eunuch Sun notices a white cat in the street but dismisses it as ordinary. After entering his room, he examines the banknotes he received and discovers a mysterious note marked “Blood Osmanthus?”
• Before he can determine its meaning, Imperial Guard Corps officers break into his room. Realizing that he may be under arrest, Eunuch Sun panics and invokes his connection to Eunuch Qin, declaring himself Qin’s godson in an attempt to protect himself.

Character Developments

• The palace-gate clerk is presented as cautious and perceptive. His instincts warn him that the palace guards’ sudden movement signals danger, and he understands the importance of escaping before he and his fellow watchers are captured. Despite his fear, he acts decisively, though his caution cannot save him from the ambush.
• Eunuch Sun is revealed as corrupt, ambitious, and dependent on powerful connections. He accepts bribes and uses his influence over the Imperial Kitchen for personal gain. His confidence comes from his association with Eunuch Qin, but the sudden raid exposes his vulnerability and fear.
• The Imperial Guard Corps appear organized, forceful, and determined. Their violent, immediate intervention suggests that the authorities are carrying out a coordinated investigation or purge.
• The steward is established as a bribing businessman who relies on Eunuch Sun’s influence to maintain his position as a supplier.

Significant Themes

• Political surveillance and secrecy: The clerk’s hidden observation post and the palace’s concern with preventing outsiders from looking inside emphasize the secretive nature of imperial power.
• Corruption and influence: Eunuch Sun’s bribery and reliance on patronage show how official authority is intertwined with personal profit and connections.
• Instinct versus apparent normality: Both the clerk’s unease and Eunuch Sun’s dismissal of the white cat suggest that danger can hide beneath ordinary circumstances.
• The loss of control: The title’s imagery is reflected in Eunuch Sun’s realization that once the authorities act, events may become irreversible. His invocation of Eunuch Qin shows his desperate attempt to halt a process already set in motion.
• Hidden networks and coded messages: The unexplained “Blood Osmanthus?” note hints at a larger conspiracy or intelligence network connecting the palace, the captured watchers, and Eunuch Sun.

Character Interactions

• The clerk does not directly interact with the palace guards but reacts to their movements and attempts to report the danger. His confrontation with the ambushing men is brief and one-sided.
• Eunuch Sun negotiates with the steward, accepting benefits in exchange for promising influence over the Imperial Kitchen.
• The Imperial Guards abruptly interrupt Eunuch Sun’s private examination of the mysterious note. His appeal to Eunuch Qin demonstrates how deeply he depends on personal connections when confronted by official power.

Eunuch Zhao arrested Li Guan after finding incriminating evidence among the banknotes he had taken, and sent him back to the palace for the emperor to judge. Meanwhile, Ye Buhui faced Mr. Wu Qinian in the Chess Sage final.

• Eunuch Zhao recalled the emperor’s cold reaction and rejected Li Guan’s attempt to rely on Eunuch Qin’s protection.
• A guard took the banknotes and slip of paper from Li Guan, and Eunuch Zhao ordered him seized and returned to the palace.
• Li Guan recognized the tortured steward who had bribed him and realized the case involved something beyond accepting bribes.
• At Chess Hall Headquarters, Ye Buhui entered the hall and knelt at the central chessboard opposite Mr. Wu Qinian.
• Spectators discussed Wu Qinian’s chance to become a Lifetime Chess Sage and doubted whether the young Ye Buhui could defeat him.

Chapter Summary: “Taking Several More Concubines”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Buhui begins the chess tournament determined to win first place and claim the title of Chess Sage. She steadies herself despite the attention and pressure from the spectators.
• The tournament proceeds in silence, with the participants and chess enthusiasts watching the matches respectfully.
• At Duke of Dai’s Residence, Wild Daoist visits Su Ziji in Plum Hall, where Su is watching music and several maids perform sword dances.
• It is revealed that Luo Jiang, a skilled swordswoman and Dao cultivator, has been ordered to teach the maids sword dancing rather than practical combat. She feels that her abilities are being wasted but must obey because she is working under orders from the Imperial City Office.
• Su Ziji dismisses Luo Jiang and the maids after the lesson. Wild Daoist then informs him that the Princes of Qi and Shu have recently stopped openly attacking and insulting each other, suggesting they may be secretly reconciling.
• Su Ziji remains confident that he understands the situation and is not worried.
• Cheers from the main hall indicate that Ye Buhui has defeated Mr. Wu, the Chess Sage of the previous two tournaments. Su Ziji immediately goes to observe her, believing that winning the title and fulfilling her long-held wish may cause her to break through spiritually and eliminate her Heart Demon.
• Su worries that the spiritual surge accompanying Ye Buhui’s breakthrough may be dangerous, though he trusts that his Blackwood Bracelet can suppress it.
• Wild Daoist follows him and privately considers urging Su Ziji to take more wives and concubines. He believes that exclusive affection for one woman could allow her excessive influence over a ruler, whereas a larger inner court would dilute that influence and preserve political balance.
• Wild Daoist notices Luo Jiang and considers her unsuitable as a concubine because women trained in martial or Daoist arts are viewed as dangerous during moments of vulnerability.
• Luo Jiang is unsettled by Wild Daoist’s predatory, watchful manner and begins forming a negative impression of him.
• The chapter ends with Luo Jiang, the maids, and others heading toward the main hall to see Ye Buhui, the newly recognized Chess Sage.

Character Developments

• Ye Buhui: Shows strong determination and emotional control. Her victory over Mr. Wu brings her closer to fulfilling her ambition and potentially achieving spiritual enlightenment.
• Su Ziji: Reveals deep concern for Ye Buhui’s safety and spiritual transformation. His immediate reaction demonstrates that his feelings for her may be stronger than purely political or strategic interests.
• Wild Daoist: Continues to display unwavering trust in Su Ziji, but also reveals a strongly traditional and politically calculating view of marriage, concubinage, and court stability.
• Luo Jiang: Becomes increasingly frustrated by being reduced from a capable swordswoman to a teacher of decorative sword dances. She also grows wary of Wild Daoist and remains suspicious of the strange circumstances within Duke of Dai’s Residence.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and spiritual transformation: Ye Buhui’s chess victory is tied to overcoming her Heart Demon and progressing toward a higher Daoist state.
• Power and emotional attachment: Su Ziji’s concern for Ye Buhui suggests that personal affection may complicate his otherwise controlled political calculations.
• Political balance: The rivalry between the Princes of Qi and Shu—and Su Ziji’s desire to benefit from their conflict—reflects the importance of maintaining divisions among powerful factions.
• Gender, marriage, and political influence: Wild Daoist’s thoughts present concubinage as a tool for controlling influence within a ruling household, while also exposing the restrictive attitudes toward women who possess martial or spiritual power.
• Appearance versus reality: The sword lessons appear martial but are actually designed for graceful performances, just as the apparent peace between the princes may conceal deeper political maneuvering.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Wild Daoist: Wild Daoist reports the princes’ unusual cooperation, while Su reassures him that the situation is under control.
• Su Ziji and Luo Jiang: Su treats her as an ordinary servant despite her high abilities, reinforcing her sense that her talents are being disregarded.
• Wild Daoist and Luo Jiang: His scrutinizing gaze and thoughts about her suitability as a concubine make her uncomfortable and cause her to distrust him.
• Su Ziji and Ye Buhui: Though they do not directly meet in the chapter, Su’s urgent response to her victory reveals his concern and emotional investment in her fate.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Ye Buhui defeats Wu Qinian in the final match of the Chess Sage tournament. Although Wu had held the title for two consecutive years and was pursuing the prestigious Lifetime Chess Sage title, he is forced to admit, “I lost.”
• The crowd discusses the consequences of Wu’s defeat: he can no longer achieve the honor of three consecutive Chess Sage titles, though he may still receive the lesser title of Chess Attendant.
• Ye Buhui is officially awarded the Chess Sage title and presented with a white jade chessboard and chess pieces.
• Su Ziji and Wild Daoist observe the victory with relief, especially because Ye Buhui shows no signs of sudden enlightenment or “Entering the Dao” during the match.
• Ju Yuanhua, a Hundred-Household Commander of the Imperial City Office, uses the prize presentation to investigate whether Ye Buhui has recently Entered the Dao. He determines that she has not, disappointing the hidden observers monitoring potential Dao entrants.
• Luo Jiang recognizes Ju Yuanhua and realizes the Imperial City Office is urgently investigating people who have recently Entered the Dao. She follows the Duke and Duchess of Dai back toward their residence and decides that remaining there as a guest retainer is a safe and comfortable choice, despite a faint sense of disappointment.
• The narrative then shifts to the Imperial Palace during an unusually cold spell. The palace is tense because people are periodically being taken away, though no one dares discuss it.
• A young eunuch appears to hear a scream while passing through the inner palace. His senior companion orders him to keep moving, and both pretend they heard nothing, illustrating the palace’s harsh survival rules.

Character Developments

• Ye Buhui proves herself an exceptional chess player, defeating a highly accomplished senior opponent while remaining calm and modest. Her victory establishes her as the new Chess Sage.
• Wu Qinian responds to defeat with dignity. Though devastated at losing his chance to become a Lifetime Chess Sage, he sincerely admires Ye Buhui and accepts that her victory was deserved.
• Su Ziji shows deep concern for Ye Buhui’s safety, relieved that the match does not cause her to Enter the Dao unexpectedly.
• Wild Daoist remains observant and restrained, sensing the importance of Ye Buhui’s spiritual condition.
• Luo Jiang demonstrates her awareness of political and supernatural tensions. She recognizes the Imperial City Office’s investigation and chooses to remain quietly at the Duke of Dai’s residence.
• Ju Yuanhua acts cautiously because investigating the Duchess of Dai could provoke the powerful Duke of Dai. His findings reassure him that she is not a newly awakened Dao practitioner.
• The young eunuch begins to understand the danger of the palace and learns that silence and conformity are essential to survival.

Significant Themes

• Victory and humility: Ye Buhui wins the highest chess honor but refuses to boast, attributing her success to luck.
• The rise of the younger generation: Wu Qinian’s defeat reflects the changing of an era, as extraordinary new talent surpasses established masters.
• The limits of honor: The distinction between consecutive and accumulated titles emphasizes how prestige and status are carefully ranked.
• Hidden power and political danger: The Imperial City Office’s investigation suggests a larger, concealed struggle involving those who Enter the Dao.
• Fear and enforced silence: The palace scenes portray a world where disappearances and violence are common, but everyone survives by pretending not to notice.
• Fate and uncertainty: Ye Buhui’s proximity to Entering the Dao, combined with the investigators’ interest in her, hints that her true potential may still become important later.

Character Interactions

• Ye Buhui and Wu Qinian share a respectful final exchange when he openly concedes defeat and acknowledges her talent.
• Su Ziji and Wild Daoist silently observe the match and discuss their relief that Ye Buhui has not experienced a dangerous breakthrough.
• Ju Yuanhua interacts formally with Ye Buhui while secretly examining her condition during the prize presentation.
• Luo Jiang watches Ju Yuanhua and the Imperial City Office’s agents from within the crowd, then discreetly follows the Duke and Duchess of Dai.
• In the palace, the senior eunuch instructs the younger one to ignore the possible scream, reinforcing the institution’s culture of fear and silence.

After discovering that several princes had planted agents in the palace, the emperor ordered Ji Zizong to command the Imperial Feather Guards and sent an edict to the Duke of Dai’s Residence. There, Su Ziji and Ye Buhui hosted a banquet celebrating her Chess Sage title.

• Eunuch Zhao reported that Chen Dou of the Imperial Estates Directorate had been found with a bloodstained slip, confirming the princes’ agents had infiltrated the palace.
• The emperor raged over Prince Qi, Prince Shu, and Prince Lu’s interference in confidential affairs, but restrained himself from punishing them all.
• The emperor ordered an edict appointing Ji Zizong to command the Imperial Feather Guards, and Eunuch Zhao prepared it for immediate delivery.
• At a small banquet in the Duke of Dai’s Residence, Ye Buhui received congratulations from officials’ families, nobles, and chess-playing scholars.
• Su Ziji watched the scholars admire Ye Buhui as Chess Sage and reflected that he had fulfilled Ye Weihan’s trust.

Ye Buhui fulfilled her late father’s wish by becoming Chess Sage, while Su Ziji received an imperial decree appointing him Commander of the Imperial Feather Guards. The appointment alarmed Prince Qi, whose palace informants had been exposed during the investigation into the Great Restoration Elixir.

• Ye Buhui told Su Ziji that becoming Chess Sage had fulfilled her late father’s wish, and he reassured her that supporting her had never been a burden.
• The steward announced that Eunuch Zhao had arrived from the palace with an imperial decree.
• Eunuch Zhao proclaimed that Su Ziji would command the Imperial Feather Guards, shocking the gathered officials’ wives and raising speculation about his prospects as Imperial Grandson.
• Sun Bolan told Prince Qi that more than half of his informants in the palace had been arrested and killed, and warned him to lie low after the investigation into the Great Restoration Elixir.

Prince Qi and Prince Shu reacted to the emperor appointing the Duke of Dai Commander of the Imperial Feather Guards, fearing the appointment signaled that he was being prepared to inherit the throne. Prince Shu then learned that the emperor also suspected him of investigating the inner palace, and protested that the accusation was unjust.

• Prince Qi heard that the Duke of Dai had been appointed Commander of the Imperial Feather Guards and feared his father was building the Duke's power and paving his way to the throne.
• Prince Qi smashed a teacup, cut his hand, and ordered his advisers to gather so they could discuss what to do.
• Prince Shu smashed his cherished teapot after learning of the Duke of Dai's appointment and dismissed the servants who brought him ginseng soup.
• Prince Shu's advisers disagreed over whether he should receive Prince Qi, but Prince Shu ordered the visitor brought in.
• Prince Shu learned that the emperor suspected him of prying into the inner palace and cried, "This is an injustice!"

The empress learned that the emperor had appointed her grandson Commanding Officer of the Imperial Feather Guards and suspected the move was both a test and a trap. She decided to gather her sisters to help secure support for him among the guards’ noble-born young men.

• A palace maid told the empress that the emperor had sent her grandson to the Capital Garrison, prompting rumors that he might be named Imperial Grandson.
• The maid revealed that her grandson had been assigned to the Imperial Feather Guards, and the empress worried that the unruly unit would reject or undermine him.
• The empress concluded that her grandson needed support from the guards’ families and ordered a tea gathering with her sisters.

Congratulatory guests crowded the Duke of Dai's Residence after Su Ziji became Commander of the Imperial Feather Guards, but he refused all gifts to avoid trouble. Yu Han delivered the empress's message and assessed Su Ziji, who promised to thank her in person when he entered the palace on the fifteenth.

• Fang Zhen arrived at the Duke of Dai's Residence and remarked on the dangers hidden beneath its sudden splendor.
• The residence's retainers, including Wild Daoist and Jian Qu, refused every congratulatory gift and welcomed guests inside for tea.
• Yu Han arrived on the empress's behalf, conveyed her decree, and bowed to Su Ziji as the crown prince's son.
• Su Ziji helped Yu Han rise and asked him to tell the empress that he would thank her in person when he entered the palace on the fifteenth.
• Yu Han left reassured by Su Ziji's composure and gratitude, while Su Ziji considered the empress a potential ally.

After his appointment as Commander of the Imperial Feather Guards drew congratulations from across the court, Su Ziji questioned Fang Zhen about the unit and how to manage it. Fang Zhen offered cautious, general advice, and Su Ziji concluded that the marquis was capable but constrained by his status and faction.

• Su Ziji reflected that the emperor’s decree had forced officials and relatives to reveal their support for him.
• Su Ziji asked Fang Zhen what he knew about the Imperial Feather Guards and how to command them.
• Fang Zhen cautiously described the guards as a unit filled with younger sons of noble families, many of them arrogant and difficult to discipline.
• Fang Zhen offered general military advice, then left after feeling uneasy about the conversation.
• Su Ziji gained 1,300 points in the Way of Governance and judged that Fang Zhen’s prospects were limited by his hereditary rank and the court’s political constraints.

After gaining experience and reaching level fifteen in the Way of Governance, Su Ziji realized the emperor had made him Commander of the Imperial Feather Guards as expendable bait, not as a favored grandson. He accepted that refusing the post was no longer possible and called his retainers together to turn the dangerous appointment into an opportunity.

• Su Ziji gathered intelligence about noble scions in the Imperial Feather Guards and gained modest experience by asking officials for advice.
• Su Ziji reached level fifteen in the Way of Governance and concluded that the emperor did not truly regard him as a grandson or intend to make him the Imperial Grandson.
• Su Ziji told the Wild Daoist that his new post would make him a target for Prince Qi, Prince Shu, and possibly all three princes.
• Su Ziji decided to keep the command and use the poisoned appointment to his advantage.
• Su Ziji ordered the Wild Daoist to summon the residence's retainers and Zhang Sui for a discussion.

Su Ziji convened his advisers to discuss how to control the Imperial Feather Guards, whose ranks were filled with powerful nobles’ unruly descendants. After reviewing the guards’ official register, they identified more than a dozen men who could cause trouble for him.

• Su Ziji asked Wild Daoist, Jian Qu, Cen Rubai, and Zhang Sui for advice on bringing the six thousand Imperial Feather Guards under his control.
• Jian Qu proposed seeking the Empress’s help, Cen Rubai suggested contacting former guards and their younger relatives, and Wild Daoist recommended identifying factions and their leaders.
• Su Ziji assigned Wild Daoist to investigate prominent guards, and Wild Daoist produced the official register he had already obtained.
• The group examined the register and identified Peng Lie, Yuan Sizhu, Xu Wei, and others as likely troublemakers.
• Su Ziji and his advisers drew up a list of more than a dozen guards who might resist his discipline.

Su Ziji privately considered the dangers of taking command of the Imperial Feather Guards while reassuring Ye Buhui that he could handle them. Meanwhile, Xu Wei agreed to help undermine Su Ziji by planting a problem in the camp’s account books.

• Su Ziji wrote down the names of a dozen young nobles and told the Wild Daoist to watch their households’ servants.
• Ye Buhui brought Su Ziji homemade pastries and asked whether his appointment as Commanding Officer had caused trouble, but he concealed his worries.
• A shadowed messenger asked Xu Wei to prevent Su Ziji from gaining a firm foothold in the Imperial Feather Guards.
• Xu Wei agreed to falsify the account books so responsibility for their irregularities would fall on Su Ziji.
• Xu Wei assured his household retainer that he could avoid blame and find other ways to obstruct Su Ziji if necessary.

Su Ziji took command of the Imperial Feather Guards and uncovered a thirteen-thousand-tael shortfall while reviewing the accounts. He had the implicated clerks arrested, while Xu Wei’s involvement remained unresolved.

• Su Ziji accepted the command seal from Wei Xiang and absorbed the Wei Clan Military Treatise while hearing the officers’ advice.
• Xu Wei gave Su Ziji perfunctory advice, and Su Ziji sensed malicious intent connected to a shortfall in the accounts.
• Su Ziji asked Wei Xiang to hand over the account books, and Wei Xiang ordered the clerks to produce them.
• Su Ziji examined the ledgers and accused Sun Ti, Shi Shiying, and several other clerks of embezzling a total of thirteen thousand taels.
• Su Ziji ordered his household guards to strip the accused clerks of their official robes and take them to prison, while Xu Wei silenced two who protested.

Chapter Summary: “Defying Orders”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During the handover of the Imperial Feather Guards, several corrupt clerks are arrested over a 13,000-tael deficit.
• Former Commanding Officer Wei Xiang privately approaches Su Ziji, Duke of Dai, claiming he was deceived by the clerks and asking him to conceal the matter.
• Wei Xiang invokes the influence of his uncle, Marquis of Wuding, implying that Su Ziji should show them both some consideration.
• Su Ziji refuses to ignore the deficit unless Wei Xiang can repay the entire amount that very day. Instead, he proposes that they jointly submit a memorial requesting a formal investigation, which would clear both their names.
• Wei Xiang rejects the proposal and leaves angrily, revealing that his offer of a private settlement was likely intended only to pacify or intimidate Su Ziji.
• Su Ziji concludes that Wei Xiang either participated in the embezzlement or helped frame someone else.
• Wei Xiang summons three of his close associates—Peng Lie, Yuan Sizhu, and Jiang Zhongping—and attempts to take them away.
• Su Ziji stops them, reminding the three officers that they remain members of the Imperial Feather Guards and are still subject to his orders. Leaving would constitute military disobedience.
• When Wei Xiang reacts aggressively and reaches toward his sword, Su Ziji summons ten armed household guards, many of them veteran soldiers connected to the former Crown Prince.
• Su Ziji accuses Wei Xiang and the three officers of defying orders, resisting authority, and potentially attempting rebellion, causing all four men to react with alarm.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji demonstrates political intelligence, firmness, and courage. He refuses to be intimidated by Wei Xiang’s powerful family connections and uses proper procedure to protect himself and expose possible corruption.
• Wei Xiang’s apparent concern for fairness disappears once his personal interests are threatened. His attempt to negotiate privately reveals his arrogance, entitlement, and possible involvement in the deficit.
• The three subordinate officers are shown to be loyal to Wei Xiang, but they hesitate when Su Ziji invokes military law, suggesting that their loyalty may be weaker than their fear of official consequences.
• Su Ziji’s household troops are revealed to be experienced and dangerous veterans rather than a financial burden, validating his decision to retain them.

Significant Themes

• Authority versus entrenched privilege: Su Ziji challenges Wei Xiang’s belief that family status and military connections place him beyond accountability.
• Corruption and responsibility: The deficit raises questions about whether Wei Xiang merely failed in supervision or actively participated in embezzlement.
• Law versus personal influence: Su Ziji insists that official procedures and investigation are preferable to private settlements.
• Appearance versus reality: Wei Xiang presents himself as cooperative but quickly exposes his true hostility when Su Ziji refuses to yield.
• The dangers of defying authority: The confrontation escalates from a bureaucratic dispute into a potential military and political crisis.

Character Interactions

• Wei Xiang attempts to persuade and subtly threaten Su Ziji by appealing to Marquis of Wuding’s influence.
• Su Ziji counters with a practical demand for repayment and then offers a formal joint investigation, placing the burden of proof and accountability on Wei Xiang.
• Wei Xiang’s angry departure and recruitment of his allies directly challenge Su Ziji’s authority.
• Su Ziji confronts Wei Xiang publicly, using military law and the presence of veteran guards to prevent the officers from leaving and to assert control over the Imperial Feather Guards.

Su Ziji asserted his authority over the Imperial Feather Guards by punishing three officers who had defied military discipline and replacing them with men from the neutral faction. The chapter ended with the officers and onlookers stunned by his bold demotions and promotions.

• Su Ziji accused Wei Xiang of treating the Imperial Feather Guards as private troops, and Wei Xiang left after ordering his household soldiers to let him pass.
• Su Ziji seized Peng Lie, Yuan Sizhu, and Jiang Zhongping, then ordered each to receive thirty strokes of the military rod.
• After the three officers passed out, Su Ziji had them examined by a military physician and demoted each by one rank.
• Su Ziji promoted Wan Qiao and Lou Yuanbai to Thousand-Household Commander and Bi Xin to Assistant Commander.
• The officers and onlookers wondered at Su Ziji's decisions as they noted that the three new appointees belonged to the neutral faction.

Su Ziji reshaped the Imperial Feather Guards by promoting Wan Qiao, Lou Yuanbai, and Bi Xin, then explained why Bi Xin was the one he hoped to win over. Bi Xin accepted the post but faced hostility from his fellow guards and worried about how his family would react.

• Su Ziji promoted Wan Qiao, Lou Yuanbai, and Bi Xin, breaking up the Imperial Feather Guards’ existing power blocs as Xu Wei held back from objecting.
• Su Ziji told the Wild Daoist that Bi Xin’s hesitation made him more open to being won over, and learned that Bi Xin had been mistreated by his elder brother after his mother died.
• Su Ziji said he already had a plan to separate Bi Xin from the Kangle Earl’s Residence.
• Bi Xin endured injuries from fellow guards who resented his promotion and returned home worrying about his family’s response, though he wanted to keep the Assistant Commander post.

Chapter Summary: “Resign from Office”

Key plot points and events

• Bi Xin reflects on the declining military influence of noble families under the dynasty’s policy of suppressing military commanders. Although noble sons may enter office at a high rank, few advance far enough to gain real authority.
• His elder brother confronts him angrily over his acceptance of a position from the Duke of Dai. He orders Bi Xin to resign immediately, insisting this is also their father’s wish.
• Bi Xin explains that resigning after accepting the post would offend the Duke of Dai and could force him out of the Imperial Feather Guards. His brother coldly tells him to leave the Guards anyway, offering no alternative.
• Returning to his neglected quarters in the Kangle Earl’s Residence, Bi Xin struggles with humiliation and anger. His isolated courtyard reflects his low standing within his own family.
• Bi Xin’s personal maid, Yuzhu, happily tells him she found five taels of silver. He urges her to keep it and buy the charcoal she needs, concealing his own distress so as not to ruin her happiness.
• He considers how vulnerable Yuzhu would be to his elder brother’s abuse and why he has deliberately avoided taking her as a concubine.
• After noticing what may be a white cat, Bi Xin encounters servants who either pity him, ignore him, or mock him, showing that news of his brother’s confrontation has already spread.
• Bound by filial duty and his father’s authority, Bi Xin cannot separate from the family while his father is alive. With no safe way to express his anger, he decides to drink at a modest tavern where no one knows his identity.

Character developments

• Bi Xin: Revealed as politically constrained, financially strained, and deeply resentful of his family’s treatment. Though humiliated, he remains cautious and self-controlled, understanding the consequences of defying family hierarchy. His concern for Yuzhu shows his generosity and protectiveness.
• Bi Xin’s elder brother: Demonstrates his contempt for Bi Xin by treating him like a subordinate and attempting to control his career. He acts with the authority of the family heir and appears determined to deny Bi Xin independence.
• Yuzhu: Shown as loyal and emotionally dependent on Bi Xin. Her happiness over finding five taels highlights her poverty, while Bi Xin’s willingness to let her keep it reinforces their mutual reliance.
• The father/family household: Though absent directly, the father’s wishes and the family’s rigid hierarchy exert powerful control over Bi Xin’s choices.

Significant themes

• Decline of aristocratic power: Noble birth no longer guarantees military influence or advancement.
• Family hierarchy and oppression: Birth status offers Bi Xin little protection because his elder brother and father control the family’s resources.
• Filial duty versus personal freedom: Bi Xin cannot leave the household without being branded unfilial, even though remaining there is degrading.
• Poverty beneath outward nobility: The contrast between the residence’s polished areas and Bi Xin’s ruined courtyard exposes the unequal realities within noble households.
• Dignity and endurance: Bi Xin suppresses his anger to survive, maintaining restraint despite repeated humiliation.
• Loyalty and mutual dependence: Bi Xin and Yuzhu rely on one another emotionally and materially in an otherwise hostile household.

Important character interactions

• The confrontation between Bi Xin and his elder brother establishes the central conflict over Bi Xin’s official position and independence.
• Bi Xin’s gentle exchange with Yuzhu contrasts sharply with his brother’s cruelty and reveals the trust between them.
• His encounters with the household servants emphasize his declining status and the spread of gossip.
• His decision to visit an anonymous tavern shows his need for a space free from family judgment and social identity.

Bi Xin learned a tavern rumor that his mother had been poisoned by his elder brother and that he might be in danger. He confronted Count Kangle about his mother’s death, but his father struck him and ordered him to resign from the Imperial Feather Guards.

• Bi Xin overheard two men claim that his elder brother had poisoned his mother and that the Earl's Residence planned to kill him.
• Bi Xin beat the speaker and demanded to know who had told him the story, but the man fled and called it a widespread rumor.
• Bi Xin returned to the Kangle Earl's Residence and struck a servant who told him to kneel outside the main courtyard.
• Bi Xin asked Count Kangle how his mother had died, and Count Kangle slapped him, called him unfilial, and ordered him to resign from the Imperial Feather Guards.