Chapter Summaries

Su Ziji visited Liu Zhan at the Yin Temple Sect, discussed why a crown prince was not a True Dragon, and gained permission to study the temple’s alchemical texts. After Liu Zhan brought him into the Daoist Canon Pavilion, Su Ziji’s Rosewood Pendant reacted when he was allowed to learn its books.

• Liu Zhan explained that only one True Dragon could hold Heaven’s Mandate in each generation and that the uncrowned crown prince was a Hidden Dragon, not a True Dragon.
• Su Ziji asked to read the Yin Temple Sect’s Daoist Canon, and Liu Zhan agreed to let him study its texts inside the temple.
• Su Ziji resolved to gain more power and draw Liu Zhan to his side so he could protect Bu Hui and their child.
• Liu Zhan led Su Ziji to the heavily guarded Daoist Canon Pavilion and told Bo Yan to wait outside.
• Su Ziji found about a hundred alchemical texts and asked whether he could learn them all; Liu Zhan agreed, and half of the Rosewood Pendant appeared before Su Ziji’s eyes.

Su Ziji absorbed the Yin Temple Sect’s alchemical knowledge by touching its books, rapidly advancing his alchemy skills while pretending to choose a volume to study. As Liu Zhan relaxed, a distant bell rang and drew his attention.

• Su Ziji absorbed knowledge from the Yin Temple Sect’s books, advancing External Alchemy and his Crimson Palace True Inscription Elixir Method.
• Su Ziji moved from the foundational shelf to more advanced volumes and absorbed enough knowledge to reach level 13 in his elixir method and level 9 in External Alchemy.
• Su Ziji concealed his unusual way of learning by telling Liu Zhan he would choose one or two books to study slowly.
• Su Ziji touched the remaining volumes, chose the third-ranked Ninefold Water-Washing, and pretended to read it carefully.
• Liu Zhan relaxed after believing Su Ziji had found a book he liked, then heard a resonant bell and wondered where it was ringing.

Prince Dai’s visit to the Yin Temple Sect triggered the Supreme Unity Bell and a radiant manifestation, leading Liu Zhan’s sect members to wonder whether Prince Dai was the prophesied True King. Bo Yan overheard their suspicions and, while reflecting on the danger of opposing Prince Dai, was suddenly thrown into the quiet room’s door.

• The Supreme Unity Bell rang as rosy clouds appeared around Prince Dai in the Daoist Canon Pavilion, but he dismissed the light as refraction.
• Liu Zhan led Prince Dai to a quiet room to read a scripture while Bo Yan stood guard outside.
• Bo Yan overheard Liu Zhan and a junior disciple discuss the bell’s resonance and the prophecy that the True King would emerge when it rang.
• Bo Yan feared that opposing Prince Dai might mean opposing the future emperor, while Prince Dai told Liu Zhan he had already gained some understanding of the scripture.
• A tremendous boom sounded, and a force hurled Bo Yan into the quiet room’s door.

Chapter Summary: “The Earth Dragon Stirs”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Eternal Peace Palace is undergoing extensive repairs ordered by the Empress. Hundreds of court craftsmen work under intense supervision from Imperial Guard soldiers and eunuchs.
• The Empress has promised rewards, meat for lunch, and extra silver if the craftsmen complete the front hall’s roof before sunset. Encouraged by this, the workers happily praise her.
• Female official Zhaoxia explains that the Empress’s improved mood is connected to the imperial grandson’s recent appointment as Prince Dai. The Empress had previously refused repairs to the palace, even when the Emperor requested them.
• Without warning, a gigantic red fireball appears in the clear sky and explodes, causing a blinding flash, a thunderous blast, and a mushroom cloud. Those present interpret it as a terrifying supernatural or apocalyptic event.
• The explosion triggers violent ground tremors—described as the “earth dragon stirring.” Workers on the scaffolding are thrown to the ground, while falling roof tiles and stones kill or injure craftsmen, guards, and eunuchs.
• Zhaoxia is knocked unconscious by a roof tile. When she awakens, she sees widespread devastation and immediately worries about the Empress, who is inside the palace inspecting the repairs.
• Zhaoxia rushes into the damaged hall and finds cracks in the walls, holes in the roof, and collapsed tiles. She begins searching for the Empress, already fearing the consequences if anything has happened to her.
• The chapter ends with Zhaoxia discovering a palace maid crushed by a falling tile, intensifying her terror.

Character Developments

• Zhaoxia is shown as loyal, responsible, and deeply fearful for the Empress’s safety. Despite her own injury and the continuing tremors, she forces herself to enter the damaged palace to search for her mistress.
• The young palace maid, Qiufang, is presented as youthful and easily delighted by the lively repair work, but she becomes one of the many victims of the disaster, collapsing unconscious.
• The Empress is portrayed indirectly as more cheerful and receptive than before, largely because of the imperial grandson’s elevation to Prince Dai. Her decision to repair the palace suggests renewed energy or optimism, though her presence inside the damaged hall creates immediate danger.
• The craftsmen are depicted as hardworking people from hereditary artisan families. Their happiness at receiving rewards highlights their modest circumstances and dependence on official compensation.
• The Imperial Guard and eunuchs maintain strict control over the construction site, but the sudden disaster reveals how powerless they are against the explosion and tremors.

Significant Themes

• The fragility of human life and order: A peaceful, carefully controlled palace scene turns into mass death within moments.
• The contrast between prosperity and catastrophe: The workers are celebrating the Empress’s generosity and hoping for rewards when disaster strikes without warning.
• Political and emotional dependence: The craftsmen rely on imperial favor for extra income, while palace servants’ lives and safety are tied to the Empress through the system of collective punishment.
• Portents and upheaval: The unnatural fireball, mushroom cloud, and earthquake-like tremors suggest a major change or crisis affecting both the physical world and the imperial order.
• Loyalty and duty: Zhaoxia’s first concern after recovering is the Empress, showing how devotion and fear of responsibility shape palace relationships.

Character Interactions

• The returning young eunuch is redirected by another eunuch, revealing the strict organization and heightened security surrounding the palace.
• Eunuchs supervise and encourage the craftsmen, promising rewards and relaying the Empress’s orders.
• Zhaoxia and the young palace maid observe the repairs together and discuss the Empress’s improved mood and the imperial grandson’s promotion.
• The craftsmen respond collectively to the Empress’s generosity by praising her and working harder.
• After the explosion, Zhaoxia calls desperately for Qiufang, then abandons her search when she realizes the Empress may be in greater danger, emphasizing the palace hierarchy and her loyalty to her mistress.

The empress escaped a palace earthquake with a minor injury and learned that panicked elephants were rampaging through the palace. Meanwhile, the emperor discussed unrest in the southwest with Luo Pei and reflected that his trusted adviser had grown distant, just as an earthquake struck their hall.

• The empress and Zhaoxia escaped the damaged palace hall, and the empress treated her forehead scrape as a minor injury.
• A eunuch reported that three elephants had escaped the Imperial Beast Garden during the earthquake, killing people and damaging palace grounds.
• The empress ordered the injured moved to safety and hurried toward the emperor's location.
• Luo Pei advised the emperor to gradually assimilate the southwest through farming and Han settlement rather than forcefully abolish native chieftains.
• After Luo Pei left, the emperor praised the bird's nest soup and told Eunuch Zhao that Luo Pei had grown distant from him.
• An earthquake shook the Hall of Peaceful Governance, and a roof tile crashed down.

Chapter Summary: “I Was Not Wrong”

Key Plot Points and Events

• An earthquake violently strikes the palace while the Emperor is inside the great hall.
• Zhao Eunuch shields the Emperor from a falling roof tile, injuring his own hand, then helps him escape.
• The great hall collapses, burying nearly a hundred attendants and officials. A young eunuch narrowly escapes the first collapse but is killed when a massive supporting beam falls on him.
• The beam continues toward the Emperor, who is paralyzed with fear and unable to move. Zhao Eunuch pushes him aside and bravely places himself in the beam’s path, though the beam ultimately misses them.
• The Emperor suffers a severe physical and emotional shock, triggering chest tightness and difficulty breathing. Zhao Eunuch gives him a Lesser Restoration Elixir, which stabilizes him.
• From a nearby pavilion, the Emperor surveys the destruction and reflects on the disasters that have marked his reign: rebellions, floods, locust plagues, and now the earthquake.
• He worries that he has grown old and that Heaven’s favor—or his destiny—may be running out.
• Zhao Eunuch reassures him, arguing that disasters are part of the natural cycle of Heaven and Earth and do not prove the Emperor has failed.
• Encouraged, the Emperor recalls his two decades of diligent rule and concludes emphatically that he has served his ancestors, state, and people faithfully: “I was not wrong!”

Character Developments

• The Emperor: Initially terrified and helpless in the face of death, he experiences a crisis of confidence after the disaster. He questions his age, legitimacy, and moral record as ruler, but ultimately regains conviction in his own worth and accomplishments.
• Zhao Eunuch: His loyalty is demonstrated through repeated acts of self-sacrifice. He protects the Emperor despite his own injuries and fear, treats him during his attack, and provides emotional reassurance when the Emperor begins to doubt himself.
• The Young Eunuch: His quick instincts allow him to escape the initial collapse, but he is tragically killed moments later, emphasizing the earthquake’s randomness and brutality.
• Palace attendants and officials: Their deaths reveal the scale of the disaster and contrast the Emperor’s survival with the devastation surrounding him.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and sacrifice: Zhao Eunuch’s willingness to risk death for the Emperor represents absolute personal devotion.
• Mortality and vulnerability: Even the Son of Heaven is powerless before nature; the Emperor’s status cannot protect him from sudden death.
• Rulership and self-doubt: The earthquake prompts the Emperor to interpret natural disasters as possible signs of Heaven’s displeasure, reflecting the traditional connection between morality and imperial legitimacy.
• Resilience and self-affirmation: After nearly breaking down, the Emperor reasserts his belief that he has governed conscientiously and has not betrayed his responsibilities.
• The unpredictability of fate: Survival and death occur within moments and often depend on chance, as shown by the young eunuch’s death and the Emperor’s narrow escape.

Character Interactions

• Zhao Eunuch repeatedly protects and supports the Emperor physically, first by blocking debris and then by pushing him away from the falling beam.
• The Emperor recognizes Zhao Eunuch’s loyalty and expresses gratitude, while also urging him to tend to his wounds.
• Zhao Eunuch responds to the Emperor’s despair with a respectful but passionate defense of his reign, reminding him of his diligence, restraint, and concern for the people.
• Their exchange strengthens their bond and helps the Emperor move from panic and self-doubt toward renewed confidence.

Chapter Summary: Heaven’s Will Condemns Me

Key Plot Points and Events

• After a devastating earthquake collapses the main hall, the Emperor briefly stands alone, overcome with emotion and shedding a tear. He quickly composes himself and orders his attendants to assess the damage.
• Eunuch Liu, who narrowly escaped the disaster, investigates the ruined hall and discovers that every eunuch inside has died. The devastation includes collapsed roofs and pillars, overturned imperial furniture, and widespread bloodshed.
• The Emperor orders an investigation into the earthquake, questioning whether it was a natural disaster or the result of human interference. He is especially worried that the catastrophe may be interpreted as Heaven punishing his rule.
• Plans are made to obtain clean clothing, food, tents, and security for the Emperor, since the palace and nearby residences are unsafe. The court remains in disorder, and the Emperor cannot safely relocate yet.
• The Empress arrives hurriedly with only two attendants. She has minor injuries and blood on her face and clothing but prioritizes checking on the Emperor.
• Before the situation can stabilize, three elephants escape from the Imperial Beast House. One is killed, while the other two rampage through the area, injuring dozens. The Emperor orders the guards to kill them.
• A massive explosion creates a terrifying mushroom cloud in the distance. The Emperor is stunned and begins to wonder whether Heaven truly condemns him.

Character Developments

• The Emperor: Reveals hidden vulnerability through his tears but quickly resumes his authoritative demeanor. He is deeply concerned about public interpretation, his legitimacy, and the possibility that the disasters signify Heaven’s displeasure. His fear and confusion intensify after the explosion.
• Eunuch Liu: Demonstrates courage and loyalty by entering the unstable ruins despite the danger. Though the dead eunuchs were his rivals, he is still shaken by their deaths. His frantic efforts to organize aid highlight his sense of duty.
• Zhao Eunuch: Remains attentive and practical, protecting the Emperor, arranging supplies, and noticing the Empress’s arrival. His actions help maintain order amid the chaos.
• The Empress: Shows concern and loyalty by rushing to the Emperor despite her own injury. Her instinct to ask about his safety before discussing herself strengthens the emotional bond between them.
• Young eunuchs: Show fear and physical revulsion while helping inspect the ruins, emphasizing the horror of the disaster and their inexperience.

Significant Themes

• Heavenly mandate and political legitimacy: The Emperor fears that natural disasters may be read as evidence that Heaven rejects his rule.
• Order versus chaos: The earthquake destroys the palace’s physical and political order, forcing the court to improvise while facing further disasters.
• Duty and loyalty: Eunuch Liu and the Empress act despite danger, demonstrating different forms of devotion to the Emperor.
• Human vulnerability beneath authority: The Emperor’s tears, worry, and bewilderment reveal the person behind the imperial image.
• Disaster as an omen: The earthquake, mass deaths, escaped elephants, and distant explosion build the sense that something beyond ordinary explanation is unfolding.

Character Interactions

• The Emperor commands Eunuch Liu to investigate the ruined hall and determine the cause of the disaster.
• Zhao Eunuch quietly supports the Emperor and organizes practical preparations while remaining constantly at his side.
• The Empress and Emperor exchange mutual concern: he worries over her injury, while she immediately asks whether he is safe.
• The Emperor responds harshly to the escaped elephants, ordering their destruction as another threat to public safety.
• The Emperor and Empress silently witness the distant explosion together, ending the chapter on a moment of shared shock and dread.

Chapter Summary: “Shouting and Yelling”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After leaving the quiet chamber, Su Ziji witnesses the aftermath of a powerful explosion near the Capital City. A towering black mushroom cloud rises in the distance, accompanied by earthquakes and widespread panic.
• The Daoist Canon Pavilion suffers little damage because of its protective array, though several Daoists are thrown to the ground. Su Ziji and Liu Zhan are unharmed.
• Everyone is bewildered by the event. Since the Capital City suppresses supernatural arts and is heavily protected, the explosion seems impossible to attribute to either demons or humans. Liu Zhan wonders whether a Great Demon—or even several—might have infiltrated the city.
• Su Ziji recognizes the event from his prophetic dream. He recalls that the explosion will kill thousands, destroy over ten thousand homes, damage the Imperial Palace, and cause hundreds of casualties among the imperial household and officials. The Empress survives, while the Emperor remains largely unharmed.
• Su Ziji regrets not having been able to warn the Empress, since his dream revealed the event but not its exact timing. He also reflects that the Emperor’s survival may lead him to intensify his cruel efforts to refine pills using people’s hearts.
• Bo Yan urges Su Ziji to return home because the situation is unsafe. Su Ziji asks Liu Zhan to secure the alchemy scripture and then departs with his men.
• At the residence, the newly recruited soldiers are panicking and behaving chaotically. Wei Hai steps forward to restore order, reminding them that they now represent the Prince’s Residence.
• Impressed by Wei Hai’s composure and initiative, Su Ziji appoints him squad leader and places several reliable recruits under his command.
• The others immediately become more disciplined, while Zheng Huai secretly regrets failing to act first. He continues calculating how to gain Su Ziji’s trust while carrying out his master’s hidden assignment.
• Liu Zhan remains behind, speculating about the explosion and whether Zhou Xuan or other Great Demons may have returned to the Capital City. The chapter ends as hurried footsteps and shouting approach.

Character Development

• Su Ziji: Demonstrates calm judgment amid disaster and uses his prophetic knowledge to interpret the explosion. He remains concerned for the Empress but keeps his knowledge secret. He also shows practical leadership by recognizing and rewarding Wei Hai’s initiative.
• Liu Zhan: Despite being a True Person, he is deeply shaken and unable to explain the explosion. His suspicion turns toward demonic involvement, especially the possible return of Zhou Xuan.
• Wei Hai: Establishes himself as capable, disciplined, and ambitious by taking responsibility when the other soldiers panic. His conduct earns him an immediate promotion.
• Zheng Huai: Reveals his opportunistic nature. He is less concerned with the crisis itself than with how to use it to gain Su Ziji’s favor and fulfill his master’s orders.
• Bo Yan: Acts protectively and practically, urging Su Ziji to leave the dangerous area.
• The Emperor and Empress: Though not present, their contrasting fates shape Su Ziji’s reflections: the Empress is endangered but survives, while the Emperor escapes serious harm and may become even more ruthless.

Significant Themes

• Prophecy and helplessness: Su Ziji knows the disaster’s consequences but cannot fully prevent it because his dream gave him no precise timing.
• Power concealed within mystery: The explosion challenges the established understanding of the Capital City’s defenses and suggests that unknown forces may be operating beyond human comprehension.
• Leadership under pressure: Wei Hai’s promotion shows that crisis reveals character and that calm initiative is more valuable than rank or strength.
• Ambition and loyalty: The recruits seek wealth and status, while Zheng Huai’s apparent loyalty masks an ulterior mission.
• Political and moral corruption: The Emperor’s survival is portrayed ominously, since Su Ziji expects him to intensify his human sacrifice and pill-making practices.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Liu Zhan discuss the unexplained disaster, with Liu Zhan voicing theories about demons while Su Ziji silently compares it to his prophetic dream.
• Bo Yan advises Su Ziji to return to safety, prompting Su Ziji’s departure from the Daoist temple.
• Su Ziji confronts the panicked residence soldiers and publicly supports Wei Hai’s attempt to restore order.
• Su Ziji rewards Wei Hai with authority, causing the other recruits to fall into line and provoking Zheng Huai’s private jealousy.
• Liu Zhan remains behind, continuing to question the explosion’s cause just as new shouting signals another development.

Chapter Summary: The Divine General Revealed His Presence

Key Plot Points and Events

• A Daoist urgently summons Liu Zhan to the temple’s side hall, where the statue of the Cai Spirit General suddenly emits a powerful crimson glow.
• Liu Zhan witnesses the manifestation himself, ruling out ordinary explanations such as sunlight, candlelight, or visual illusion.
• The phenomenon lasts only a few moments, but it deeply alarms Liu Zhan because it occurs shortly after a mysterious fireball, earthquake, thunder, and mushroom-shaped black clouds.
• Liu Zhan orders the temple elders to assemble immediately and privately worries that these omens may be connected to Prince Dai’s arrival.
• Shi Lingxiu and another senior Daoist inspect the statue. They confirm that genuine spiritual traces remain on it, proving that the deity truly manifested.
• The elders identify the statue as Cai Bushan, the Yin Temple Sect’s guardian divine general and protector of its mountain gates.
• Shi Lingxiu warns that divine manifestation may signal danger rather than blessing. Guardian deities can change after death and may no longer remain loyal to the sect.
• Liu Zhan orders the sect’s Grotto-Heaven to investigate Cai Spirit General for abnormalities, with permission to imprison or even destroy the deity if necessary.
• The elders agree that Prince Dai and the recent supernatural events represent a potentially catastrophic upheaval. They decide that the entire sect must determine how to deal with Prince Dai—by opposing him, supporting him, or maintaining cautious neutrality.

Character Developments

• Liu Zhan: Initially skeptical and concerned with decorum, he becomes intensely alarmed once he recognizes the spiritual significance of the manifestation. His responsibility as sect leader emerges as he quickly organizes an investigation and broader emergency deliberation. He also reveals his fear that the Yin Temple Sect could be destroyed.
• Shi Lingxiu: Demonstrates extreme caution and mistrust, refusing to enter the hall until another elder arrives. His past betrayal and lost opportunity within the sect explain his guarded behavior toward Liu Zhan. He also shows deep knowledge of divine beings and takes the threat of divine backlash seriously.
• The Daoist attendants: Though initially flustered, they recognize the seriousness of the event and carry out Liu Zhan’s orders.
• Cai Spirit General/Cai Bushan: Though not physically active, the deity becomes a central figure through his unexplained manifestation, raising questions about his intentions and loyalty.
• Prince Dai: He does not appear directly, but his presence continues to influence events. The sect increasingly views him as the possible center of the ominous changes.

Significant Themes

• Divine power and danger: A deity revealing itself is not automatically a blessing; spiritual power may indicate rebellion, corruption, or a loss of control.
• The consequences of death: The elders fear that death changes a guardian deity’s nature, making former loyalty unreliable.
• Institutional paranoia and mistrust: Liu Zhan and Shi Lingxiu cooperate, but their relationship remains marked by old betrayal and suspicion.
• Political manipulation of religion: The chapter explains how the sect uses fabricated or exaggerated divine titles in hopes that future courts will make them official.
• Impending upheaval: The earthquake, fireball, thunder, black clouds, prophecy, and self-ringing bell form a pattern of ominous signs suggesting that the sect’s established order is threatened.
• Leadership under crisis: Liu Zhan must decide how to protect the sect while determining whether Prince Dai is an ally, enemy, or unavoidable force.

Important Character Interactions

• A frightened Daoist alerts Liu Zhan to the glowing statue, prompting the initial investigation.
• Liu Zhan consults Shi Lingxiu, who insists on bringing another elder before entering, revealing lingering distrust between them.
• Shi Lingxiu challenges the assumption that the deity’s official title caused the manifestation and instead focuses on the spiritual danger involved.
• Liu Zhan accepts Shi Lingxiu’s warning and proposes a formal investigation, demonstrating cooperation despite their strained history.
• The elders agree that Prince Dai’s arrival must be addressed collectively, since the sect is already entangled in events that may determine its survival.

Chapter Summary: “Ten Thousand Household Lights”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji travels toward the Capital City by ox cart, troubled by the chaotic situation and worried about whether Bu Hui can survive the year.
• During the journey, he mysteriously separates from his body and finds himself attached to a bird flying above the Capital.
• From the sky, he witnesses an extraordinary phenomenon: Daoist temples and Divine Shrines across the city suddenly erupt with brilliant spiritual light. The radiance spreads outward like waves, eventually reaching beyond the Capital and throughout Zhili.
• Su Ziji realizes the event may signify the awakening or return of the gods.
• A Giant Eagle carrying Zhou Yao flies past. Zhou Yao also observes the phenomenon, while a voice in her mind explains that the gods’ return was inevitable after the beginning of the Spiritual Revival.
• Zhou Yao recognizes that humanity is unprepared for the gods to become genuinely present. Though people have worshipped them for centuries, their actual manifestation will likely cause fear rather than joy.
• The mysterious voice tells Zhou Yao that human beings can neither stop nor accelerate the gods’ return and urges her to continue cultivating her Daoist arts.
• Su Ziji suddenly loses control and falls into a distant Divine Shrine in He Family Bay, more than a hundred li from the Capital.
• A local farmer, Han, enters the shrine to burn incense and pray for a good harvest. The statues unexpectedly begin speaking, revealing that the gods have finally returned after centuries of suppression.
• The awakened entities mention Emperor Shizu of Great Wei, who severed Heaven from Earth and made divine manifestation increasingly difficult. They also call for someone named Fan Li, apparently another deity who has not yet awakened.
• Terrified by the talking statues, Han flees the shrine screaming that there are monsters.

2. Character Developments

• Su Ziji: His strange spiritual condition deepens. He can detach from his body and inhabit or attach himself to animals, allowing him to witness events from above. His ability appears unstable, however, as he is suddenly pulled into a distant shrine without control.
• Zhou Yao: She demonstrates increased supernatural awareness and status, riding a spiritually awakened Giant Eagle. The voice guiding her declares that she is “no longer a mortal woman,” emphasizing her transformation and growing distance from ordinary humanity.
• Han: A simple, hardworking farmer whose ordinary faith is immediately shattered when the gods he worships begin speaking. His panic illustrates how terrifying the divine return is to common people.
• The gods in the shrine: They awaken with uncertainty, relief, and fear. Their fragmented conversation suggests they remember a long period of suppression and remain wary of Emperor Shizu’s legacy.
• Emperor Shizu of Great Wei: Though absent, he becomes more significant through the gods’ fearful references to him and his role in separating Heaven from Earth.

3. Significant Themes

• The return of the divine: The chapter marks a major turning point as dormant gods begin manifesting through temples and shrines across the land.
• Faith versus reality: People have long prayed to gods without truly believing in them. Their actual appearance exposes the difference between comfortable religious tradition and the frightening reality of divine power.
• Human helplessness before cosmic change: Neither humans nor individual cultivators can control the gods’ awakening. The event is portrayed as part of Heaven’s will and a force beyond political or mortal intervention.
• Transformation and loss of humanity: Zhou Yao’s declaration that she is no longer mortal, along with Su Ziji’s separation from his body, shows characters crossing boundaries between human, spirit, monster, and deity.
• Fear of the unknown: The gods themselves fear the name of Emperor Shizu, while ordinary people fear the gods. The chapter presents fear as shared by humans and supernatural beings alike.
• The spread of revelation: The lights moving from shrine to shrine symbolize an expanding, irreversible awakening that will eventually affect the entire world.

4. Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Zhou Yao: They do not directly speak, but Su Ziji briefly recognizes Zhou Yao while attached to the bird she passes on the Giant Eagle. Neither she nor the eagle notices him.
• Zhou Yao and the guiding voice: Their exchange establishes that Zhou Yao is being instructed or mentored by a powerful supernatural presence. The voice treats the gods’ return as inevitable and directs her toward further cultivation.
• Han and the shrine statues: Han’s sincere prayer is answered in the most terrifying way possible when the statues begin speaking. His interaction demonstrates the gulf between human expectations of worship and the reality of awakened gods.
• The awakened gods: Their conversation reveals their shared history, their fear of Emperor Shizu, and their uncertainty over which divine beings—including Fan Li—have yet to awaken.

Temple Keeper Jiang dismissed Zhang Sanlang’s report of a divine manifestation until a statue of Fan Li smiled at him. As Su Ziji reached the Dragon Palace, prayers from believers formed a rainbow-like road descending into it.

• Zhang Sanlang told Temple Keeper Jiang that voices were coming from inside the temple, and Jiang saw a statue of Fan Li smile at him.
• Su Ziji entered Coiling Dragon Lake and found the Dragon Palace expanded, with Green Hill Foxes directing its restoration.
• A snake demon questioned Shell Maiden’s trust in the Green Hill Foxes, and she rebuked it for rejecting demons from outside.
• The earth shook briefly, and countless prayers descended from above as rays of light that gathered into a rainbow leading to the Dragon Palace.

Summary

Key plot points and events

• A rare rainbow appears over the Dragon Palace, startling the Shell Maiden. She assumes it may signal Su Ziji’s return and goes to check on the sleeping Young Dragon.
• The Young Dragon is peacefully dreaming and calls out for “Big Brother Master,” suggesting a deep bond with Su Ziji. The Shell Maiden decides not to wake him, believing that Su Ziji must also be safe.
• The rainbow suddenly disappears, while Su Ziji—traveling in an ox cart—experiences another strange soul transition. He finds himself transformed into a small flood dragon and descending through darkness.
• Su Ziji arrives in an unfamiliar, gloomy realm containing a heavily guarded and unusually grand residence. He identifies it as a Crown Prince’s Residence.
• Inside, he witnesses a scene in which a Crown Prince sits before a desperate crowd begging him for salvation. The Crown Prince explains that he cannot save them and reveals that only a low-status woman named Xiao Ling, who is secretly pregnant, may escape.
• Su Ziji suspects the scene is not occurring in the present but may be a memory or replay of the past. He begins to recognize that the Crown Prince may be connected to a recent historical event.

Character developments

• Su Ziji remains cautious and analytical. He examines his flood-dragon form, reasons through the unfamiliar environment, and chooses to enter the residence despite sensing danger.
• The Shell Maiden demonstrates her affection and protectiveness toward the Young Dragon. She interprets the rainbow and Su Ziji’s fate through their apparent spiritual connection.
• The Young Dragon appears innocent and content in sleep, but his dreamlike call for Su Ziji emphasizes their close emotional relationship.
• The Crown Prince is revealed as outwardly composed but inwardly devastated. His apparent indifference is actually resignation, born from knowing that he cannot prevent the disaster overtaking him and those around him.
• Xiao Ling is introduced as a vulnerable but important figure: despite her low status, her hidden pregnancy may allow her and her unborn child to survive.

Significant themes

• Fate versus appearance: The Crown Prince’s noble physiognomy supposedly indicates supreme fortune, yet he is facing destruction, leading Su Ziji to reject physiognomy as a reliable measure of destiny.
• Memory and hidden history: Su Ziji’s journey appears to expose a past event or preserved memory, hinting that important truths lie beneath the surface of current events.
• Powerlessness and resignation: The Crown Prince’s inability to save the pleading crowd highlights the limits of status and authority.
• Spiritual connection: The rainbow, Su Ziji’s soul journey, and the Young Dragon’s dream suggest an unseen bond linking Su Ziji and the Dragon Palace.

Character interactions

• The Shell Maiden tends to the sleeping Young Dragon and chooses not to disturb him, while the Young Dragon unconsciously calls for Su Ziji.
• The Crown Prince interacts with the desperate crowd, acknowledging their suffering but admitting he cannot help them.
• He privately discusses Xiao Ling’s chance of escape and expresses hope that her unborn child is a boy.
• Su Ziji remains an unseen observer, interpreting the scene and questioning its connection to the past.

Chapter Summary: “Oath”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Over a thousand armored soldiers storm the Crown Prince’s residence, smashing through the gates and massacring everyone inside.
• The Crown Prince, realizing that the Emperor has ordered his death, calmly drinks poisoned wine and dies rather than face humiliation.
• His Crown Princess follows him in death, while the other women hesitate until the soldiers arrive and slaughter them.
• The Imperial Grandson is discovered hiding with an elderly eunuch and several guards. Despite the eunuch’s desperate declaration of the child’s identity, the soldiers kill them all.
• The commanding general orders that the corpses not be dishonored or looted, emphasizing that everything in the residence belongs to the Crown Prince.
• After the soldiers leave, the residence is completely silent and filled with corpses. Su Ziji remains trapped as a spirit-like dragon within the scene.
• Su Ziji promises to avenge the Crown Prince, but realizes revenge alone is not what the dead prince desires. He then vows to posthumously honor the Crown Prince as Emperor if he gains the throne.
• When that oath is insufficient, Su Ziji swears that he will pass the throne to Bu Hui’s child. The Crown Prince finally responds, warning him to remember his words.
• The Crown Prince’s residence vanishes, and a small golden dragon merges with Su Ziji, causing his dragon form to expand dramatically.
• Meanwhile, at the Yin Temple Sect’s Daoist temple, Liu Zhan leads over a hundred Daoists in a ritual formation intended to identify Prince Dai. The ritual fails violently, injuring everyone and causing Liu Zhan to question whether Prince Dai truly possesses the Mandate of Heaven.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji moves from confusion to understanding. He recognizes that the Crown Prince seeks not merely vengeance but restoration of his rightful status through posthumous enthronement and a pledge concerning succession.
• The Crown Prince is portrayed as dignified and resolute, choosing suicide over submission. Even after death, he remains capable of judging Su Ziji’s sincerity and binding him to his oath.
• The Crown Princess demonstrates loyalty by following the Crown Prince in death.
• The old eunuch shows absolute devotion, sacrificing himself to protect the Imperial Grandson.
• Liu Zhan suffers a major setback. His failed ritual suggests that Prince Dai’s destiny may be protected by an overwhelming supernatural force and causes him to doubt his own assumptions.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and sacrifice: The Crown Prince, Crown Princess, eunuch, guards, and consorts respond to catastrophe according to their varying degrees of loyalty and courage.
• Political violence and imperial succession: The massacre reveals the ruthless nature of the imperial struggle, where even children and entire households are eliminated to secure power.
• Oaths and legitimacy: Su Ziji’s promises are treated as spiritually consequential. Political succession is tied to moral responsibility, filial duty, and supernatural judgment.
• Fate and the Mandate of Heaven: The merging dragons and the failed ritual imply that Su Ziji’s—or Prince Dai’s—destiny is supported by forces beyond ordinary human control.
• Honor amid brutality: The general’s prohibition against looting or dishonoring the dead contrasts with the otherwise total destruction of the residence.

Character Interactions

• The Crown Prince and his household share their final moments in an atmosphere of grief, loyalty, and terror.
• The old eunuch confronts the soldiers directly, trying to protect the Imperial Grandson through his own body.
• Su Ziji addresses the dead Crown Prince, first offering revenge and then making increasingly significant vows.
• The Crown Prince responds only after Su Ziji promises to preserve the succession through Bu Hui’s child, creating a binding spiritual connection.
• Liu Zhan and the Daoists collectively attempt to identify Prince Dai, but the resulting backlash leaves them defeated and shaken.

After absorbing the late crown prince’s seed of humanity, Su Ziji advanced in the Coiling Dragon Heart Method and acquired the Way of Utmost Sincerity, but his appearance changed to resemble the crown prince. He returned to Prince Dai’s Residence, where Ye Buhui and his attendants briefed him on the earthquake’s damage and the state of the capital.

• Su Ziji absorbed the late crown prince’s seed of humanity, advanced to level 19, and acquired the Way of Utmost Sincerity as a violent storm broke over the capital.
• Su Ziji learned from a senior maid that Prince Dai’s Residence had no casualties and that Ye Buhui was making soup for him.
• Ye Buhui served Su Ziji Sand-Pushing Star-Gazing Soup and noticed a red mole between his brows and a subtle change in his appearance.
• Su Ziji examined his reflection and realized that he now resembled the late crown prince, whose red mole he had inherited.
• Wild Daoist reported that the emperor and empress were safe at Qingchun Garden, while Jian Qu told Su Ziji that Young Marquis Fang’s residence had been damaged and Lord Luo had asked after him.

Summary: “Way of Utmost Sincerity”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji reflects on the upgraded Literary Heart Carving Dragon and the meaning of the Way of Utmost Sincerity. Although he knows it can grant foreknowledge, he suspects it may possess a deeper ability.
• He is suddenly summoned by imperial decree to the temporary Grand Secretariat at Qingchun Garden. The timing alarms him, since the Imperial City has only just suffered an earthquake and a devastating celestial fireball.
• On the journey, Su Ziji notices unusually heavy military security throughout the city, suggesting that an even greater crisis may be imminent.
• Liu Zhan unexpectedly intercepts Su Ziji and gives him intelligence proving that Yu Qianzhi secretly serves Prince Lu. Yu had previously tried to discredit Su Ziji, even accusing him of colluding with the Demon Race.
• Liu Zhan apologizes on behalf of the Yin Temple Sect, acknowledging that Su Ziji is innocent and has earned merit by killing a Great Demon. He also warns Su Ziji about the newly begun Hundred Shrines Revival, in which deities may return to the mortal world and cause widespread chaos.
• Liu’s visit is revealed to be both a warning and an attempt to align the Yin Temple Sect with Su Ziji. Su accepts the goodwill while remaining cautious about the sudden change in attitude.
• Liu notices a mysterious red mole that appeared on Su Ziji after he slept following his visit to the temple. Su Ziji has no explanation for it, and Liu treats the phenomenon seriously.
• Su Ziji arrives at Qingchun Garden and enters the Grand Secretariat, where he finds more than thirty high-ranking ministers assembled. The gathering appears almost like a small court session, confirming that the matter is of exceptional importance.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji becomes more wary and humble regarding imperial power. He recognizes that he has underestimated the authority of an Emperor who has ruled effectively for decades, even if that Emperor is now old, ill, and obsessed with survival.
• His confidence remains intact, but he begins reassessing his previous arrogance and realizes that political power can easily overwhelm individual strength.
• Su also demonstrates growing strategic caution: he accepts Liu Zhan’s alliance but intends to investigate the Yin Temple Sect’s sudden shift before fully trusting it.
• Liu Zhan changes from a suspicious or hostile religious figure into a potential ally. His apology and warning show that he now regards Su Ziji favorably and is willing to risk offending others to protect him.
• Yu Qianzhi is exposed as an active political enemy working for Prince Lu, strengthening the conflict surrounding Su Ziji.
• The Emperor remains an unseen but powerful presence. His summons and the city’s militarization emphasize his continued control and the danger posed by his decisions.

Significant Themes

• The nature of sincerity and truth: The chapter explores whether Su Ziji’s Way of Utmost Sincerity involves more than foreknowledge, especially as others perceive his words as completely genuine.
• Political power and humility: Su Ziji confronts the overwhelming authority of imperial rule and realizes that even a weakened Emperor remains capable of determining life and death.
• Changing alliances and hidden motives: Liu Zhan’s abrupt change in attitude illustrates how new information can overturn political relationships, while Yu Qianzhi’s betrayal reveals the dangers of concealed loyalties.
• Impending supernatural upheaval: The Hundred Shrines Revival introduces the threat of returning deities and connects the political crisis to a larger spiritual transformation.
• Foreshadowing and uncertainty: The unexplained red mole, the heavy military presence, the prophetic dream, and the gathering of senior ministers all suggest that major revelations and dangers are approaching.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Wild Daoist: Wild Daoist efficiently conveys the imperial summons and prepares the journey, while Su trusts him enough to request veteran guards rather than inexperienced recruits.
• Su Ziji and Liu Zhan: Their meeting shifts from surprise to cautious cooperation. Liu provides evidence against Yu Qianzhi, apologizes for past hostility, warns Su about the Hundred Shrines Revival, and offers future allegiance. Su responds politely but keeps his suspicions.
• Su Ziji and Yu Qianzhi: Though Yu does not appear directly, the intelligence reveals that he has worked against Su Ziji and attempted to manipulate the Yin Temple Sect and court politics.
• Su Ziji and the Emperor: They do not meet in the chapter, but the imperial summons creates tension. Su approaches the Grand Secretariat knowing that the Emperor’s intentions may be dangerous or unpredictable.
• Su Ziji and the court officials: The chapter ends as Su enters an extraordinary gathering of senior ministers, setting up a major political confrontation or revelation.

Chapter Summary: “Panic”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji attends an emergency meeting in the Grand Secretariat alongside the other adult imperial princes: Prince Qi, Prince Shu, and Prince Lu.
• The meeting is held without the Emperor, so First Grand Secretary Zhao Xu presides.
• Su Ziji notices that Prince Qi reacts with alarm to the mysterious red mole that has suddenly appeared between Su Ziji’s brows. Prince Shu also nearly mistakes Su Ziji for someone else before Prince Qi stops him, suggesting the mole resembles a distinctive mark associated with the Crown Prince.
• Zhao Xu reveals the crisis behind the summons: of the seventy-nine shrines in the Capital City, sixty-seven have manifested supernatural signs in a single day. Reports indicate that shrines in surrounding counties and prefectures have done the same.
• The phenomenon may extend across all of Zhili—or even the entire realm—making it a threat potentially greater than the southwest crisis and comparable to the establishment of the Crown Prince.
• Su Ziji realizes that the court is facing the emergence of a powerful new force or “player.” Although princes normally remain silent and serve only as ceremonial figures at such meetings, he decides to intervene.
• He rises and announces that he has something to say, shocking the ministers and confusing the other princes.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Remains observant and strategically minded. He studies the court’s hierarchy and recognizes his nominal status as a ceremonial imperial prince. However, the widespread divine manifestations inspire him to abandon passivity and seek an opportunity to gain influence, improve his “Way of Governance,” and potentially exploit the ministers’ need for solutions.
• Prince Qi: Reacts strongly to Su Ziji’s red mole, becoming visibly nervous and sweating. He appears to recognize its connection to the Crown Prince or fears what it may signify. Su Ziji’s unexpected decision to speak reassures him slightly, as he interprets it as evidence that Su Ziji is immature and politically unstable.
• Prince Shu: Nearly cries out “Crown—” upon seeing Su Ziji, implying that Su Ziji’s appearance now strongly resembles the Crown Prince. He is visibly shaken and frightened after being silenced by Prince Qi.
• Prince Lu: Displays less obvious emotion but becomes attentive when the gravity of the crisis is announced.
• Luo Pei: Is present in official robes and exchanges a silent glance with Su Ziji, suggesting their awareness of one another and the seriousness of the meeting.
• Zhao Xu: Acts as a composed but deeply concerned leader. He controls the meeting and reveals the scale of the supernatural crisis without disclosing his own interpretation of it.

Significant Themes

• Political power and hierarchy: The seating arrangements and rituals emphasize the elevated but largely symbolic status of imperial princes and the dominance of the court bureaucracy.
• The return of the past: Su Ziji’s red mole evokes the long-absent Crown Prince, creating fear that history—or a figure connected to it—is resurfacing.
• Supernatural disruption of political order: The divine manifestations represent a force beyond the Emperor’s control, threatening the established structure of the realm.
• Panic versus composure: The ministers and princes struggle to remain calm as familiar political logic becomes inadequate. Zhao Xu maintains an outwardly controlled manner, while Prince Qi and Prince Shu reveal genuine fear.
• Agency and opportunity: Su Ziji recognizes that crises can create openings. Rather than remaining a passive ornament, he chooses to act and test whether he can turn the emergency to his advantage.
• Knowledge and interpretation: Su Ziji’s prior warning allows him to remain calmer than the others, highlighting the importance of information and preparation in both court politics and supernatural conflicts.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Prince Qi: They exchange a cold glance before Prince Qi questions Su Ziji about the red mole. Their interaction reveals mutual suspicion, with Prince Qi visibly disturbed by the mark.
• Su Ziji and Prince Shu: Prince Shu’s near-reference to the Crown Prince shows that Su Ziji’s appearance has triggered a powerful recognition or association.
• Prince Qi and Prince Shu: Prince Qi interrupts and silences Prince Shu before he can reveal what he is thinking, demonstrating Qi’s awareness of the danger surrounding the Crown Prince’s identity.
• Su Ziji and the ministers: By speaking without being formally invited to do so, Su Ziji breaks court convention and forces the entire assembly to acknowledge him.
• Su Ziji and Zhao Xu: Su Ziji listens closely to Zhao Xu’s announcement, then chooses the pause in his speech to intervene, signaling that he intends to engage directly with the Grand Secretariat and its political elite.

Chapter Summary: “In Sacrifice, In War”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Prince Dai (Su Ziji) interrupts a discussion among Chief Grand Secretary Zhao Xu and three other Grand Secretariat elders about a large-scale divine manifestation.
• He asks why the manifestation is being treated as a grave political issue when divine signs are usually considered auspicious.
• The ministers explain Great Zheng’s governing principle of “sacrifice and war”:
  • Sacrifice represents Heaven’s Mandate, political legitimacy, and the Emperor’s divine right to rule.
  • War represents military force and the state’s ability to enforce authority.
• A few gods displaying divine power can reinforce the Emperor’s legitimacy, but widespread divine manifestations threaten to create a competing source of authority. If the gods gain influence over the people, the Emperor could be reduced from Son of Heaven to servant of religious powers.
• Su Ziji compares the situation to historical conflicts between secular rulers and religious institutions, recognizing that the core issue is whether the court or the gods possess ultimate authority.
• His discussion with the ministers grants him large amounts of experience, raising [Way of Governance] to Level 16.
• He gains a deeper understanding of political legitimacy, factionalism, and why rulers fear organized groups more than powerful individuals.
• Minister of Rites Han Fanliang, aligned with Prince Shu and hostile toward Su Ziji, attempts to provoke him into giving an opinion on the matter. Su Ziji avoids the trap by humbly claiming he came only to learn.
• The scene ends when the Emperor’s arrival is announced.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji / Prince Dai: Demonstrates strategic restraint and intellectual growth. Though he presents himself as inexperienced, he carefully absorbs the ministers’ explanation and draws sophisticated conclusions about legitimacy, divine authority, factional politics, and imperial power. His humility proves to be a protective political strategy rather than genuine helplessness.
• Luo Pei: Shows loyalty and concern for Prince Dai. He initially wants to intervene when Su Ziji speaks out, but trusts that Dai has a deliberate reason for doing so and remains silent.
• Zhao Xu and the Grand Secretariat elders: Treat Prince Dai with patience because of his limited experience in the capital. They educate him on the political importance of sacrifice and war rather than interpreting his question as insolence.
• Han Fanliang: Reveals his hostility and political allegiance to Prince Shu by trying to force Su Ziji into expressing an opinion that could be used against him. He is frustrated when Su Ziji refuses to take the bait.
• Prince Qi: Is disappointed that Su Ziji’s interruption is merely a request for information, suggesting he may have hoped Dai would overstep or expose himself.

Significant Themes

• Legitimacy and the Mandate of Heaven: Political authority depends not only on power but on accepted legitimacy. Divine signs can strengthen or undermine the dynasty depending on how they are interpreted.
• Religion versus Imperial Authority: The court fears that large-scale divine manifestations could create a rival power structure capable of challenging the Emperor’s claim to rule.
• Power of Groups and Factions: A powerful individual can be eliminated, but an organized faction is much harder to destroy. The chapter explores why officials form alliances despite the danger of imperial retaliation.
• Political Survival and Strategic Humility: Su Ziji’s modesty allows him to ask questions without appearing threatening and prevents hostile officials from trapping him.
• History and Human Behavior: Su Ziji reflects that people repeatedly form factions despite historical examples of their disastrous consequences—not because they fail to understand the danger, but because isolation leaves them defenseless.
• The Limits of Imperial Power: Even an Emperor may struggle to control an entire body of officials, just as individual ministers are powerless without collective support.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and the Grand Secretariat: Their exchange is both an instructional conversation and a subtle political assessment. The ministers explain state doctrine while judging Dai’s maturity, and Su Ziji learns while concealing how much he understands.
• Su Ziji and Luo Pei: Luo Pei’s silent support reflects his allegiance and growing trust in Dai’s judgment.
• Su Ziji and Han Fanliang: Han attempts to draw Dai into a politically dangerous statement, but Dai’s controlled humility neutralizes the challenge.
• Su Ziji and the Emperor: The Emperor has not yet appeared directly, but the entire discussion revolves around his authority. His imminent arrival raises the political stakes of the meeting.

After the earthquake, Su Ziji reassured the emperor and discovered that [Literary Heart Carving Dragon] could make others perceive his performed feelings as sincere. He left the hall planning to use the Way of Utmost Sincerity to build public trust.

• The emperor entered the hall looking weakened, and Su Ziji knelt with the princes and ministers.
• Su Ziji told the emperor he had worried for his safety and urged him to protect his health for the realm.
• The emperor was moved by Su Ziji's words but kept his response restrained, while the princes and ministers believed his filial concern was sincere.
• Su Ziji realized that using [Literary Heart Carving Dragon] on himself let him convey chosen feelings without backlash.
• Su Ziji reflected on Wang Mang's reputation and resolved to use the Way of Utmost Sincerity to win the realm's trust.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji reflects that his mastery of governance has reached an extraordinary level. Had he been a legitimate imperial prince rather than the Crown Prince’s son, he might have had a strong chance of becoming heir.
• He concludes that, for the sake of the common people, he must unite the court and build influence without openly forming a faction. He hopes his completed Daoist Canons and the Way of Utmost Sincerity will help him reach the final realm of the Literary Heart Carving Dragon.
• His immediate obstacle is advancing the Coiling Dragon Heart Method, which requires a “Seed of Humanity.”
• During a Grand Secretariat meeting, Vice Minister of War Zhou Yongfu warns that the many Divine Shrines displaying miracles—sixty-seven in the capital alone—could gather wealth, followers, and eventually inspire rebellion.
• Xie Zhi supports abolishing shrines that violate ritual standards, but offers no comprehensive policy.
• Asked for his opinion, Su Ziji proposes a gradual approach: distinguish legitimate shrines from “licentious” ones, suppress blood-sacrifice and deceptive cults, and establish rules rather than attempting a destructive purge.
• The Emperor immediately assigns Su Ziji responsibility for regulating the Divine Shrines.
• Su Ziji warns that he lacks authority, personnel, and local connections, but this is partly a test of the Emperor’s intentions. The Emperor grants him broad powers, including use of the Imperial Feather Guards, an imperial decree, the Royal Command Token, and the Son of Heaven’s sword.
• Su Ziji accepts the assignment and requests authority to reassign relevant Daoist and Buddhist personnel, including Bianxuan of Clear Garden Temple and Xu, who may redeem himself through service.
• The Emperor is pleased, interpreting Su Ziji’s acceptance as evidence of obedience and political maturity.
• Princes Qi and Shu privately rejoice at Su Ziji’s dangerous assignment, while Prince Lu becomes suspicious that the situation is not as simple as it appears.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Demonstrates exceptional political judgment, strategic restraint, and courage. He understands the danger of challenging religious institutions but accepts the task anyway, while carefully securing the authority and personnel necessary to carry it out. His proposal reveals a preference for gradual reform over reckless suppression.
• The Emperor: Remains wary of Su Ziji but is impressed by his composure and willingness to shoulder responsibility. He tests Su Ziji by assigning him a politically and spiritually dangerous mission, then rewards his acceptance with extensive powers. He appears to value obedience and practical usefulness above all.
• Zhou Yongfu: Represents the hardline position, advocating strict supervision and exemplary punishment to prevent the shrines from becoming centers of rebellion.
• Xie Zhi: Takes a cautious but limited position, supporting the removal of improper shrines without proposing a broader strategy.
• Luo Pei: Recognizes the enormous danger Su Ziji faces, worrying that both believers and manifested gods may retaliate against him.
• Prince Lu: Displays political insight by sensing that the Emperor’s apparent support of Su Ziji may conceal another motive.
• Princes Qi and Shu: View Su Ziji’s assignment as an opportunity to watch him risk public and supernatural opposition.

Significant Themes

• Governance and the common people: Religious policy is presented as a matter of public stability, not merely doctrine. The state must protect society without provoking widespread unrest.
• Gradual reform versus violent suppression: Su Ziji argues that complex institutions rooted in popular belief cannot be destroyed all at once; reform must distinguish legitimate practices from dangerous abuses.
• Power and responsibility: Authority is inseparable from danger. By accepting the mission, Su Ziji gains political power but also exposes himself to enemies among officials, believers, and supernatural beings.
• Obedience and hidden ambition: The Emperor interprets Su Ziji’s willingness to serve as loyalty, while Su Ziji privately pursues his own strategic goals. Their relationship is built on mutual testing and incomplete trust.
• Factional politics: The ideal of “gathering with others without forming a faction” contrasts with the court’s constant rivalry and suspicion.
• Human and divine authority: The chapter raises the question of whether the imperial government can control forces that possess both popular support and genuine supernatural power.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and the Emperor: The central exchange of the chapter. Su Ziji offers a measured policy, and the Emperor responds by placing him in charge of shrine regulation. Their dialogue is outwardly respectful but functions as a political test on both sides.
• Su Ziji and the court officials: His moderate proposal earns their respect, leading them to view him as unusually brave and capable among the princes.
• Luo Pei and Su Ziji’s situation: Luo Pei internally recognizes that the assignment could endanger Su Ziji far beyond ordinary political disputes.
• The Emperor and the princes: The Emperor deliberately asks Prince Dai for an opinion, while Princes Qi, Shu, and Lu react according to their own political calculations.
• Su Ziji and Daoist/Buddhist figures: His request to employ Bianxuan and allow Xu to redeem himself shows that he intends to build a capable administrative network rather than handle the shrine crisis through force alone.

Chapter Summary: “Governor-General of the Southwest”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Prince Qi and Prince Shu privately analyze Prince Dai’s decision to accept the Emperor’s command. They conclude that Prince Dai is being used as a political pawn and that Imperial favor alone cannot protect him from the anger of religious believers, powerful gods, and court factions.
• Both princes calm down after realizing that Prince Dai still has vulnerabilities. Since they believe the succession struggle remains open, they abandon thoughts of desperate action and decide to wait for a better opportunity.
• Prince Lu views the situation differently. He suspects Prince Dai may be planning to obey publicly while resisting secretly, which could give Prince Lu leverage against him.
• Minister Luo Pei remains outwardly calm because he trusts Prince Dai’s judgment, though he intends to question him privately about his plans.
• Censor Gui Feiyang unexpectedly steps forward and impeaches Chu Sui, the Governor-General of the Southwest. He accuses Chu Sui of mishandling the region after tribal chieftains rebelled again:
  • More than a thousand people attacked government offices.
  • Thirteen constables were killed.
  • A county magistrate was beaten to death.
• Another minister supports the impeachment, criticizing Chu Sui for wasting Imperial grain and military funding and failing to relieve famine or stabilize the Southwest.
• The Emperor raises the possibility of replacing Chu Sui and asks the ministers whom they would recommend.
• Prince Qi and Prince Shu immediately recognize the political importance of the Southwest. Whoever controls the province could gain influence over its large military forces, resources, and strategically important frontier.
• Although they suspect the Emperor’s question may be a trap, the potential reward is too valuable for them to ignore. Before they can recommend their own candidates, another official steps forward.

Character Developments

• Prince Qi and Prince Shu: Their temporary anxiety eases. They become more cautious, recognizing that neither Imperial favor nor coercion alone will determine the succession. Their interest shifts toward exploiting political opportunities, especially control of the Southwest.
• Prince Lu: Demonstrates greater suspicion and strategic patience. Rather than focusing only on Prince Dai’s apparent loss of favor, he looks for hidden weaknesses he can use against him.
• Prince Dai: Remains unreadable and politically mysterious. His willingness to accept the Emperor’s command causes others to speculate about a concealed plan.
• The Emperor: Appears to be manipulating the princes and ministers through carefully timed political moves. His question about replacing Chu Sui seems designed to expose their ambitions or provoke them into taking sides.
• Luo Pei: Shows continued confidence in Prince Dai, although he privately worries about the consequences.
• Gui Feiyang: Establishes himself as an active and potentially dangerous censor by launching a major impeachment at a strategically important moment.

Significant Themes

• Imperial favor versus political reality: Serving the Emperor does not guarantee protection. A minister who becomes too unpopular or dangerous may eventually be sacrificed to preserve the dynasty’s stability.
• The succession struggle: The princes understand that the Emperor’s decisions are only one part of a larger contest involving military forces, court factions, public opinion, and religious powers.
• Political patience and survival: The princes choose to wait rather than rebel because even a small possibility of success makes reckless action unnecessary.
• Power behind official accusations: The impeachment of Chu Sui shows how administrative failure can become a pretext for reshaping military and political control.
• Strategic manipulation: The Emperor appears to use crises and appointments to test the princes, reveal their ambitions, and keep them competing against one another.

Important Character Interactions

• Prince Qi and Prince Shu privately share similar judgments about Prince Dai and the Emperor’s motives, though both remain outwardly composed.
• Prince Lu observes his brothers and Prince Dai, mentally positioning himself to exploit any hidden weakness.
• Gui Feiyang’s accusation changes the focus of the entire court from religious and succession matters to control of the Southwest.
• The Emperor’s direct question forces the ministers and princes to confront the opportunity—and possible trap—created by Chu Sui’s impeachment.
• Qian Wei attempts to respond cautiously, but Chief Minister Zhao Xu silently warns him not to act, indicating that senior officials recognize the Emperor’s question as politically dangerous.