Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Fetal Movement”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hui Dao senses unusual spiritual energy coming from Prince Dai’s Residence but immediately suppresses his reaction under Su Ziji’s intimidating gaze.
• Upon arriving home, Su Ziji learns that Ye Buhui, who is nearly at full term, has suddenly experienced fetal movement and pain.
• The residence physician, Yuan Jiashan, examines Ye Buhui and confirms that both she and the unborn child are healthy. He finds no problem with the food or incense and attributes her discomfort to ordinary fetal movement.
• Su Ziji orders that no incense be used in Ye Buhui’s courtyard and instructs Yuan Jiashan to visit daily, monitor her pulse, and remain on standby until the birth.
• While checking Ye Buhui, Su Ziji secretly uses spiritual power and discovers that the dangerous aura of “Entering the Dao” has leaked from her body again, despite the Blackwood Bracelet’s protection.
• Su Ziji realizes the timing is ominous: Ye Buhui’s pregnancy is nearing its end, and the one-year deadline connected to her Entering the Dao is approaching. He fears the leakage may bring disaster and wonders whether it is controlled by an unavoidable supernatural force.
• He conceals the true danger from Ye Buhui, claiming that his anxiety is merely the result of becoming a father for the first time.
• Before leaving to handle other matters, Su Ziji orders the household staff to care for Ye Buhui meticulously, doubling their stipends while threatening severe punishment for negligence.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: His outward calm and affectionate concern conceal deep fear. He becomes increasingly aware that Ye Buhui’s spiritual transformation cannot be fully suppressed, and his protectiveness intensifies as the birth approaches. He struggles to balance honesty with his desire to shield her from fear.
• Ye Buhui: She remains optimistic and trusting, accepting the physician’s explanation that the fetal movement is normal. She notices Su Ziji’s concealed anxiety and comforts him, demonstrating emotional sensitivity and affection.
• Yuan Jiashan: He is established as a capable, loyal physician who takes his position seriously. Although he cannot detect the supernatural cause of Ye Buhui’s symptoms, he earns Su Ziji’s confidence and is rewarded for his service.
• Hui Dao: His brief reaction suggests that he can sense the unusual spiritual energy surrounding the residence, hinting that the phenomenon may soon attract wider attention.

Significant Themes

• Hidden supernatural danger: An apparently normal pregnancy symptom masks the more serious leakage of spiritual energy.
• Protective love and concealment: Su Ziji hides the truth to protect Ye Buhui, but his secrecy also isolates him with the burden of fear.
• Fate versus human control: Su Ziji questions whether Ye Buhui’s Entering the Dao is governed by an unavoidable cosmic arrangement that cannot be restrained.
• The vulnerability of impending childbirth: The approaching birth heightens both emotional tension and the threat posed by the spiritual phenomenon.
• Duty and loyalty: The physician and household servants are bound to the prince’s family through professional duty, rewards, and fear of punishment.

Character Interactions

• Hui Dao’s fearful response to Su Ziji establishes Su Ziji’s authority and the secrecy surrounding the spiritual energy.
• Su Ziji and Yuan Jiashan interact professionally, with Su Ziji seeking reassurance and then giving clear orders for continued medical supervision.
• Su Ziji and Ye Buhui share a tender but emotionally unequal exchange: she offers reassurance based on ordinary medical concerns, while he silently fears the supernatural consequences.
• Su Ziji’s final instructions to the servants reflect both his concern for Ye Buhui and his demanding authority over the household.

After Bu Hui’s aura of entering the Dao spilled beyond the Prince’s Residence, Su Ziji feared the emperor would target his pregnant consort and child. He concluded that only greater authority could protect them and tried to uncover whether the crown prince’s death was connected to the Great Zheng Divine Artifact.

• Su Ziji left the main courtyard in anger and worried that Bu Hui and their unborn child were in danger.
• Hui Dao sensed that Bu Hui had entered the Dao, recognized Su Ziji’s knowledge of it, and left without confronting him.
• Su Ziji considered whether the emperor’s or other princes’ men had noticed the spiritual energy and feared the emperor might demand Bu Hui’s heart.
• Su Ziji weighed resisting imperial authority against sacrificing Bu Hui and their child, then declared that he needed power to protect them.
• Su Ziji wrote “crown prince” in blood, suspected the Great Zheng Divine Artifact had caused the disturbance, and lay down hoping to learn the reason.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji descends through darkness and arrives at a spectral version of the Crown Prince’s Residence, surrounded by gray mist and the sound of unseen flowing water, suggesting the Yellow Springs or an underworld realm.
• The residence has been transformed into a gruesome scene: corpses of servants, warriors, and attendants cover the grounds, and their eyes eerily follow Su Ziji as he passes.
• Su Ziji enters the courtyard where the Crown Prince once poisoned himself and finds the Crown Prince standing before the steps.
• Su Ziji explains that Ye Buhui has suddenly gone into labor, releasing the aura of Entering the Dao. Because the Emperor seeks a Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart to create an immortality elixir, Ye Buhui and her unborn child have become targets of a deadly crisis.
• He questions whether the Crown Prince has abandoned his promise to support him and wonders if the Zheng Dynasty’s destiny itself is rejecting him.
• The Crown Prince warns Su Ziji against anxiety and impatience, arguing that emotional turmoil will prevent him from surviving long enough to fulfill his ambitions.
• He then challenges Su Ziji’s belief that the nation’s “sacred vessel”—the fate and legitimacy of the dynasty—can be easily transferred or exchanged.
• The Crown Prince conjures a vast battlefield around them. Su Ziji witnesses armies clashing, arrows falling, soldiers dying, cities burning, and blood flowing across the earth.
• The battle includes the heroic charge of Zhang Wenzhong, a founding general who sacrificed himself during the Battle of Nanping. The Crown Prince recounts Zhang’s later posthumous honors.
• Su Ziji also observes loyal Wei commanders and soldiers fighting to the death for their collapsing state, as well as the suffering of ordinary people whose lives are consumed by war.
• Above the battlefield appear the spiritual images of officials from different eras and factions—men who sacrificed their families, careers, and lives for their rulers and causes.
• The Crown Prince tells Su Ziji to follow him and leads him onward through this vision.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: His concern for Ye Buhui and their unborn child reveals his deepening attachment and sense of responsibility. Although he remains composed externally, his questions show growing anxiety, frustration, and uncertainty about destiny, political power, and whether his preparations can overcome forces beyond his control.
• The Crown Prince: He is revealed in his living or idealized form as calm, refined, politically perceptive, and stern. He acts both as Su Ziji’s father-in-law and as a former Crown Prince concerned with the fate of the dynasty. Rather than offering immediate reassurance, he tests Su Ziji’s understanding of power, legitimacy, and historical destiny.
• Ye Buhui: She does not appear directly, but her labor and the aura of Entering the Dao place her at the center of the current crisis. Her importance—as the Crown Prince’s daughter, Su Ziji’s wife, and the mother of a potentially extraordinary child—is emphasized.
• Historical generals, soldiers, officials, and commoners: Their sacrifices broaden the chapter’s focus from Su Ziji’s personal crisis to the collective suffering and devotion underlying dynastic change.

Significant Themes

• The burden of rulership: The chapter presents kingship as inseparable from war, sacrifice, bloodshed, and responsibility for countless lives.
• Destiny versus human effort: Su Ziji’s preparations may be insufficient against forces such as dynastic fate, imperial ambition, and mysterious accidents. The Crown Prince suggests that political legitimacy cannot simply be manipulated.
• The cost of national power: The battlefield demonstrates that dynasties are built and preserved through the deaths of soldiers, officials, and civilians.
• Historical sacrifice and loyalty: Even defeated or doomed figures may act with courage and devotion. The chapter treats loyalty not as belonging solely to the victor, but as something shared by people serving opposing causes.
• Patience and emotional control: The Crown Prince warns that anxiety and impatience are fatal weaknesses for anyone seeking power or survival.
• The dead and the living: The corpse-filled residence and spectral battlefield blur the boundary between history, memory, and the afterlife, suggesting that the past continues to judge and instruct the present.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji confronts the Crown Prince about his broken or delayed promise of support.
• The Crown Prince responds as both a father concerned for Ye Buhui and a political ruler unwilling to excuse Su Ziji’s impatience.
• Their exchange shifts from a personal discussion about Ye Buhui’s danger to a larger lesson about dynastic legitimacy and the impossibility of treating a nation’s destiny as a replaceable object.
• The Crown Prince then teaches Su Ziji through a vision of historical warfare, guiding him from personal fear toward an understanding of the sacrifices and burdens inherent in the path of kingship.

Chapter Summary: “Succeed or Die”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji follows the dead Crown Prince through a terrifying battlefield filled with lifelike violence and slaughter.
• The Crown Prince explains that the battlefield represents the founding war in which Great Zheng replaced the Wei Dynasty. The conflict caused approximately 4.7 million military deaths and the deaths of more than half the common population.
• A rain of arrows falls toward them, but the Crown Prince creates a barrier that protects them. He uses the scene to reveal that Great Zheng’s national fortune was built upon the bones, deaths, and lingering obsessions of countless soldiers and civilians.
• The Crown Prince reveals that Su Ziji’s attempt to challenge Great Xu is far more difficult than a simple political substitution or assassination. Great Zheng is still a young, rising dynasty, and its Dragon Aura actively resists attempts to alter its succession and destiny.
• Su Ziji realizes that Great Zheng’s rejection affects every aspect of his life. His recent successes were possible only because of several advantages: his own hidden trump cards, assistance from the Dragon Palace, and the dynasty’s connection to the Demon Race, which allowed him to obscure part of the Heavenly Secret.
• The scene shifts to Coiling Dragon Lake, where the Young Dragon defeats and subdues local deities. Their submission strengthens the Young Dragon and also benefits Su Ziji, showing their fortunes are connected.
• The Crown Prince warns that the Heavenly Secret can only be hidden temporarily. The struggle between dragons is a life-or-death contest: Su Ziji must succeed, or both he and the Crown Prince will be destroyed.
• Suddenly, the battlefield and Water Palace transform into black chains. The chains bind and imprison the Crown Prince, while the Crown Prince’s Residence is consumed by flames.
• A chain attacks Su Ziji, causing him to awaken abruptly in the study of Prince Dai’s Residence. The supernatural vision ends, but its warning remains.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Gains a deeper understanding of the forces opposing him. He realizes that dynastic fortune is not merely political power but a massive supernatural foundation created through war, sacrifice, and collective resentment. His confidence is shaken as he recognizes that human planning alone may not overcome Great Zheng’s resistance.
• The Crown Prince: Reveals more of his knowledge and sorrow. Though he remains cold and skeptical, he explains the true nature of Great Zheng’s power and acknowledges that Su Ziji may be supported by Heaven’s Will. His fate is also shown to be directly tied to Su Ziji’s success.
• The Young Dragon: Demonstrates growing authority by forcing the river deities to submit. Its increased strength reinforces its development into a genuine Dragon Lord and strengthens Su Ziji through their shared connection.
• Bu Hui: Though not present directly, is identified as another person whose survival or destruction is connected to the coming struggle.

Significant Themes

• The cost of founding a dynasty: Great Zheng’s power rests on enormous human sacrifice, showing that political greatness is built through suffering as well as ambition.
• Fate versus human effort: Su Ziji may possess Heaven’s favor, but destiny cannot automatically overcome established national fortune.
• National fortune as a living force: The dynasty’s Dragon Aura is formed from the deaths, hopes, and lingering obsessions of its people, making the state itself an active supernatural opponent.
• The limits of individual power: Su Ziji’s schemes and abilities are insufficient by themselves; he depends on alliances, hidden advantages, and forces beyond ordinary human control.
• Life-or-death succession struggle: The conflict between dragons is presented as absolute—there is no compromise, retreat, or coexistence. One side must prevail while the other is annihilated.
• The temporary nature of concealment: Secrets and Heavenly Mysteries may be obscured, but they cannot remain hidden forever.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and the Crown Prince: Travel together through the battlefield, with Su Ziji observing the Crown Prince closely and the Crown Prince explaining the historical and supernatural significance of what they see. Their relationship combines mutual dependence, distrust, and shared danger.
• The Young Dragon and the river deities: The Young Dragon commands them to submit, and their surrender visibly increases its power, demonstrating its authority and the consequences of resistance.
• Su Ziji and the Young Dragon: Though not physically together, Su Ziji receives strength when the Young Dragon gains the deities’ submission, proving that their fortunes are linked.
• The Crown Prince and the attacking force: The mysterious black chains suddenly seize and imprison him, marking a violent interruption of his revelation and suggesting that powerful forces are monitoring or punishing their actions.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji receives the Crown Prince’s memories along with his experience, causing him to relive the brutal struggle for the dragon throne. He learns that the Crown Prince once had extensive political support but was ultimately destroyed after losing, with nearly his entire household massacred.
• After absorbing the memories, Su Ziji evaluates which former Crown Prince supporters remain useful. Of the hundred or more officials who once followed the Crown Prince, he believes only around ten still retain hope or loyalty.
• He is particularly surprised to discover that Zhao Zhenhai, the emperor’s trusted eunuch, had once received the Crown Prince’s favor.
• Reflecting on the dynastic conflict, Su Ziji realizes that his own failure would likely lead to the destruction of himself, the Dragon Palace, and the Crown Prince’s remaining legacy.
• Su Ziji explains that his child with Bu Hui would unite the imperial bloodlines and fortunes of the former Great Wei and current Great Zheng dynasties. This child is essential to relieving the backlash of Great Zheng’s fortune against him.
• Convinced that the emperor will not willingly choose him as successor, Su Ziji decides that he must force the situation by eliminating his rivals. He plans to deal with Prince Qi or Prince Shu first, then remove the other.
• He also considers using the empress and Zhao Eunuch as potential allies or tools. He blames the empress for previously allowing the Crown Prince to die and identifies Cao Yiyan, who plotted against him, as another enemy who must be killed.
• At the Marquis of Pacifying the South’s Residence, Xie Zhenqing, whose health and bearing have improved, goes out into the rain with Hong Dao. He observes that the Capital City is filled with battling Dragon Aura, recognizing it as the visible sign of the struggle for succession.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji becomes more politically aware and emotionally hardened after inheriting the Crown Prince’s memories. He gains a clearer understanding of the stakes and the consequences of losing.
• His fear and unease gradually transform into ruthless determination. Rather than waiting for the emperor’s decision, he resolves to create a situation in which he is the only viable choice.
• Bu Hui’s importance increases, as her surviving bloodline and future child with Su Ziji are revealed to be central to merging the fortunes of the two dynasties.
• Xie Zhenqing appears increasingly confident and composed as his health improves. He understands the danger of the succession struggle but seems willing to observe it from the sidelines.
• Hong Dao remains cautious and distrustful of political intrigue, refusing to involve himself in the dangerous “excitement” unfolding in the Capital.

Significant Themes

• The deadly nature of political succession: Losing the struggle for the throne means not merely personal failure, but the annihilation of one’s family and supporters.
• Destiny versus determination: Su Ziji believes fate and imperial fortune oppose him, yet he chooses to challenge them through calculated violence and bold action.
• The burden of inherited memory: The Crown Prince’s memories give Su Ziji knowledge and power, but also force him to carry another man’s trauma and understand the true cost of failure.
• Bloodline and dynastic legitimacy: The future child of Su Ziji and Bu Hui symbolizes the merging of rival imperial lineages and may influence the survival of both dynasties’ fortunes.
• The necessity of courage in desperate circumstances: The chapter’s central idea is that when opponents are forced onto a narrow path, the person willing to risk everything may prevail.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji’s interaction with the Crown Prince is indirect but profound: by accepting his memories, he acknowledges the Crown Prince’s sacrifice and inherits his political burdens.
• Su Ziji mentally weighs the usefulness of Zhao Zhenhai, the empress, and other former allies, showing that relationships in the court are primarily political resources.
• His thoughts about Bu Hui reveal that their relationship has consequences extending beyond romance or family, directly affecting imperial legitimacy.
• Xie Zhenqing and Hong Dao display contrasting attitudes toward the succession struggle: Xie is intrigued and observant, while Hong Dao is wary and wants no involvement.

Xie Zhenqing arranged for Yu Qianzhi to find an elixir formula buried in the Long'an Emperor's Mausoleum while checking on his agents in Prince Qi's Residence. At a Daoist temple, Liu Zhan and Huo Wuyong discussed the emperor's search for a final ingredient for the Great Restoration Elixir and abruptly sensed something nearby.

• Xie Zhenqing learned that Hong Dao had buried the elixir formula too deeply in the Long'an Emperor's Mausoleum and ordered him to send Yu Qianzhi there to discover it.
• Hong Dao reported that their people had risen to positions in Prince Qi's Residence where they could approach Prince Qi.
• Xie Zhenqing asked about Prince Qi's Residence, then noticed something in the distance and stood up.
• Liu Zhan and Huo Wuyong discussed Yu Qianzhi's departure and the candidates being watched as possible ingredients for the emperor's Great Restoration Elixir.
• Liu Zhan told Huo Wuyong that he had received the emperor's permission to help Prince Dai's Residence.
• Liu Zhan and Huo Wuyong both sensed something nearby and turned toward it.

Huo Wuyong and Liu Zhan sensed an aura of entering the Dao and feared that the Great Restoration Elixir would soon draw the princes into a struggle. At the Lu Family Inn, Cao Yiyan questioned his agents about Prince Dai’s investigation but remained uneasy as he heard of another force operating in Capital City.

• Huo Wuyong left Liu Zhan after they sensed an aura that seemed to belong to someone who had entered the Dao.
• Liu Zhan suspected the aura came from Prince Dai’s Residence or someone nearby, but an unseen force blocked his attempt to divine its source.
• Ge Sheng arrived at the Lu Family Inn, where Cao Yiyan questioned agents who had been interrogated by Prince Dai.
• Cao Yiyan grew suspicious of Prince Dai’s seemingly routine questions, though his adviser argued that the prince could not have found them.
• Cao Yiyan asked about another force in Capital City, and his adviser said that signs of a hidden plot had appeared before the former emperor of Wei withdrew.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Cao Yiyan receives a report about a mysterious force that has been secretly stirring up trouble and now wishes to join forces with him.
• The force appears to have a vague connection to the former Crown Prince, making Cao Yiyan cautious. He orders his men to wait and observe Prince Dai’s Residence before deciding whether to cooperate.
• At Prince Dai’s Residence, the guards have become highly trained after a year of martial instruction. Zheng Huai, an infiltrator, serves among them but resents being overlooked compared with the other trusted advisers.
• When Wild Daoist, Jian Qu, Cen Rubai, and Wen Xunpeng enter the flower hall together, Zheng Huai suspects an important meeting is taking place.
• Two foxes belonging to Prince Dai and the Princess Consort pass by. The smaller fox drops a piece of silver, which Zheng Huai secretly retrieves.
• Motivated by greed, ambition, and fear that Prince Dai’s eventual downfall will leave him useless, Zheng Huai risks spying on the meeting.
• He overhears that Prince Dai’s destruction of sixteen Divine Shrines has forced many remaining shrines to seek surrender. The advisers plan to shift from military domination to benevolent governance and incorporate the shrines’ enormous influence.
• Zheng Huai realizes that winning over the shrines, whose followers include powerful figures, could transform Prince Dai’s Residence into the strongest princely faction in the capital.
• The meeting also raises a warning: even if Prince Dai has secured the overall victory, he must prevent rival powers from taking advantage of the situation at the final moment—“picking the peaches when the fruit ripens.”
• Zheng Huai nearly arouses suspicion by standing too close to the flower hall and quickly returns to his assigned position.

Character Developments

• Cao Yiyan: Becomes increasingly wary and politically cautious after learning of the mysterious force’s connection to the former Crown Prince. Rather than act rashly, he chooses to observe Prince Dai’s response.
• Zheng Huai: His resentment toward Prince Dai’s favored subordinates grows, but his cautious nature begins to give way to desperation and ambition. He decides to take a dangerous chance by spying, hoping to regain his standing and earn significant merit.
• Prince Dai and his advisers: Their strategy evolves from forceful suppression to political consolidation. After weakening the Divine Shrines, they now intend to win their submission and convert their influence into lasting power.
• Wen Xunpeng: Appears to be a key adviser who reports on the Divine Shrines’ surrender and helps articulate the new strategy.
• The foxes: Though minor figures, they provide the accidental opportunity that leads Zheng Huai to retrieve the silver and intensify his thoughts about inequality, ambition, and opportunity.

Significant Themes

• Political intrigue and hidden alliances: Both Cao Yiyan’s mysterious contact and Zheng Huai’s espionage reveal a world shaped by concealed loyalties and uncertain factions.
• Ambition versus caution: Zheng Huai has survived by avoiding risks, but fear of becoming irrelevant pushes him toward dangerous action.
• Power through both force and legitimacy: Prince Dai’s Residence first uses destruction and intimidation, then seeks to rule through submission, alliance, and the appearance of benevolent governance.
• The danger of temporary victory: The warning about others “picking the peaches” emphasizes that winning a struggle is not enough; rivals may seize the benefits once the hard work is complete.
• Class and status resentment: Zheng Huai’s bitterness over being less valued than others fuels his desire to prove himself, while the fox’s ability to possess silver deepens his sense of humiliation.

Character Interactions

• Cao Yiyan consults with his subordinate about the mysterious force and rejects immediate cooperation.
• Zheng Huai observes the favored advisers entering the flower hall and feels excluded from Prince Dai’s inner circle.
• He secretly takes the silver dropped by the smaller fox, turning the accidental encounter into a personal symbol of resentment.
• Zheng Huai eavesdrops on Wen Xunpeng and the other advisers as they discuss the Divine Shrines’ surrender and the need to guard against rival factions.
• A squad leader notices Zheng Huai lingering suspiciously, forcing him to abandon his spying position and return to the guard line.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zheng Huai, secretly spying within Prince Dai’s Residence, overhears Jian Qu mention that “capable men from distant lands” have come to pledge allegiance and that an heir is soon to be born—signs that the ruler’s power and fortune are flourishing.
• Though eager to transmit this important intelligence, Zheng Huai remains cautious while surrounded by guards. After his shift ends, he invents an excuse about settling a tavern debt to avoid drinking with his fellow guards.
• He returns briefly to his quarters, writes the information in tiny script on a scrap of paper, conceals it in a pouch of silver, and leaves in ordinary clothing. To avoid suspicion, he strolls through the streets and buys several items before going to a restaurant.
• At the restaurant, Zheng Huai discreetly passes the coded message to a young attendant disguised as a waiter by slipping it into the exchange of silver. The meeting succeeds, and Zheng Huai feels relieved and pleased, believing the intelligence will earn him recognition and perhaps recall or promotion.
• Meanwhile, at Prince Dai’s Residence, Su Ziji learns that Gui Junxi—formerly strategist to the executed Prince Ninghe—is connected to the supernatural disturbances at the Old Vice Minister’s Residence.
• Gui Junxi escaped the purge of Prince Ninghe’s household and is believed to harbor deep hatred toward Su Ziji. He allegedly helped organize the “ghosts and gods” and collaborated with Prince Qi and Prince Shu.
• Su Ziji orders further investigation, specifically directing Wild Daoist to uncover evidence linking Gui Junxi to Prince Shu—even if that evidence must be fabricated—to implicate Prince Qi through a borrowed hand.

Character Developments

• Zheng Huai demonstrates discipline, caution, and resourcefulness as a spy. He maintains a convincing public persona, carefully avoids surveillance, encodes the message, and delivers it through an established secret channel.
• Despite his skill, Zheng Huai is somewhat self-satisfied and motivated by hopes of promotion, reward, and release from the dangerous assignment.
• Su Ziji appears perceptive, politically calculating, and ruthless. He quickly recognizes the potential uses of Gui Junxi’s connections and turns the investigation into a tool for manipulating rival princes.
• Wild Daoist continues serving Su Ziji loyally, understanding that the order is not merely to investigate but to manufacture politically useful evidence.
• Gui Junxi, though not physically present, is characterized as intelligent, vigilant, loyal to Prince Ninghe, and motivated by revenge against Su Ziji.

Significant Themes

• Espionage and deception: Zheng Huai’s entire routine depends on disguises, coded messages, misdirection, and concealed loyalties.
• Political manipulation: Su Ziji treats accusations and evidence as weapons, using Gui Junxi’s suspected alliances to pit Prince Qi against Prince Shu.
• Loyalty and vengeance: Gui Junxi’s continued resistance reflects loyalty to the fallen Prince Ninghe and hatred toward Su Ziji.
• Appearance versus reality: Ordinary actions—guard duty, settling a restaurant bill, exchanging silver—conceal secret political operations.
• Power and legitimacy: The birth of an heir and the arrival of talented supporters are interpreted as signs of growing royal authority, while rival factions seek to undermine that strength.

Character Interactions

• Zheng Huai overhears Jian Qu, Cen Rubai, and Wen Xunpeng discussing the ruler’s growing fortune but does not interact with them directly.
• He maintains friendly, ordinary exchanges with fellow guards and acquaintances to conceal his true mission.
• At the restaurant, Zheng Huai and the disguised messenger communicate indirectly through the payment and delivery of food, successfully exchanging intelligence without openly acknowledging one another.
• Su Ziji questions Wild Daoist about Gui Junxi’s background and directs him to pursue—or construct—evidence that can be used against Prince Qi and Prince Shu.

Chapter Summary: “A Greater Calamity”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji and Wild Daoist discuss secretly bringing General Zeng Nianzhen and several hundred trained soldiers back toward the Capital. Because the capital and surrounding counties are heavily monitored, Wild Daoist suggests dispersing the troops to avoid suspicion.
• Su Ziji orders Wild Daoist to manage the operation personally and summon Wen Xunpeng.
• Wen Xunpeng waits anxiously in a courtyard, reflecting on the earlier discussion about the Divine Shrine. He suspects Su Ziji may have deliberately prevented him from speaking because he is pursuing a separate plan.
• Wen fears that failing to summon him would indicate that he is no longer trusted. When a guard finally arrives, he is relieved, interpreting the summons as proof that Prince Dai still values him.
• Su Ziji asks Wen for his assessment of how Prince Qi will respond to the Divine Shrine crisis.
• Wen explains that Su Ziji’s recent successes have placed both Prince Shu and Prince Qi under growing pressure. Since Su Ziji’s forces destroyed seventeen Divine Shrines and forced others to submit, his residence has gained considerable influence and legitimacy.
• Wen predicts that Prince Shu and Prince Qi, along with many court officials, will attempt to seize the benefits Su Ziji created—“plucking the peach” after he endured the danger and resentment.
• He warns that directly opposing this political tide could lead not merely to failure but to an even greater calamity.
• Wen advises Su Ziji to resist only while resistance is practical, then surrender the Divine Shrine gains when necessary. He suggests allowing rival princes to take responsibility for the consequences, thereby turning the crisis against them.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Demonstrates strategic caution by preparing military support while carefully considering the political consequences of the Divine Shrine affair. He tests Wen’s judgment and listens without revealing his own intentions.
• Wild Daoist: Shows loyalty and competence. He immediately understands the seriousness of moving troops into the capital region and accepts personal responsibility for concealing the operation.
• Wen Xunpeng: Reveals both political intelligence and deep insecurity. His past service under Prince Qi makes him uniquely qualified to predict Qi’s behavior, but his fear of being discarded shows how precarious his position remains. He ultimately proves his value through a bold and strategically nuanced warning.
• Wen’s servant: Acts as a trusted confidant and observes his master’s anxiety, reflecting Wen’s need for discreet support after leaving Prince Qi.

Significant Themes

• Political trust and loyalty: Wen’s relief at being summoned shows that recognition by a powerful ruler is essential to a minister’s survival and future.
• Power and suspicion: Su Ziji’s growing strength attracts not only enemies but also the Emperor’s suspicion and the fear of court officials.
• The dangers of success: Victories can create new threats. The Divine Shrine triumph strengthens Su Ziji but also makes others eager to seize his gains and blame him for the resentment created.
• Strategic restraint: Wen argues that survival may require temporary resistance followed by calculated surrender, rather than pursuing victory at any cost.
• Shifting responsibility: The suggestion to let rivals “pluck the peach” reflects the importance of making enemies bear the political and spiritual consequences of an action.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Wild Daoist establish a covert military plan, with Su relying on Wild Daoist’s discretion.
• Wen Xunpeng’s conversation with his servant exposes his private anxiety, though he refuses to discuss it openly.
• When summoned, Wen’s interaction with Su Ziji becomes a test of political insight. Su prompts him to analyze Prince Qi’s likely response, while Wen carefully presents his warning.
• Their exchange shows a relationship of growing trust: Su gives Wen access to sensitive strategic matters, and Wen responds with frank advice despite the personal risk involved.

Chapter Summary: “Across Ages, Hear the Alchemical Canon”

Plot Points and Events

• Wen Xunpeng presents Su Ziji with a strategic proposal, which Su approves. Su orders him to prepare a detailed plan and leaves him feeling hopeful about finally gaining his lord’s trust.
• After Wen departs, Su privately reflects on the political situation. He believes the struggle for the throne is unfairly controlled by hidden forces and that passivity will lead to defeat.
• Su decides it is time to recall Zeng Nianzhen and writes a stern military order. He entrusts the message to the Big Fox, who departs for the distant island.
• Two alchemical canons arrive from True Person Mystic Sincerity and True Person Hui Dao. Su immediately begins studying them because advancing his alchemical knowledge is essential to protecting Ye Buhui.
• By absorbing the contents of the canons, Su rapidly gains experience in the Crimson Palace True Inscription Elixir Method and External Alchemy.
• Hui Dao’s final canon contains the crucial formula Su needs. It pushes his External Alchemy to Level 15, marking his advancement into the master realm.
• With his new understanding, Su realizes he can refine an elixir capable of concealing Ye Buhui’s Entering the Dao aura. This could prevent her identity and cultivation from being exposed and buy them time against political enemies.
• Su also senses that the backlash connected to his confrontation with the Crown Prince is intensifying. His breakthrough in alchemy suppresses much of that danger, but he concludes that he still needs greater personal strength and calls for assistance.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji grows increasingly decisive and politically alert. He recognizes that the contest for power is rigged and begins actively preparing for open conflict rather than waiting for circumstances to change.
• His mastery of alchemy advances dramatically from Level 14 to Level 15. This is not merely an increase in skill but a qualitative transformation: scattered knowledge becomes unified understanding, allowing him to perceive the deeper principles of alchemy.
• Su also becomes more protective of Ye Buhui, prioritizing the concealment of her cultivation and seeking ways to shield her from investigation.
• Wen Xunpeng becomes more loyal and optimistic after receiving Su’s approval. He views Su as an enlightened ruler and believes serving him offers a chance to fulfill his own ambitions.
• Ye Buhui, though absent from the chapter, remains central to Su’s plans because her exposed aura of Entering the Dao threatens their position.
• Zeng Nianzhen is positioned to return and take part in the coming military struggle.
• The Big Fox continues its role as a trusted messenger, showing the practical and almost affectionate bond between the foxes and Su.

Significant Themes

• Preparation versus passivity: Su concludes that war rewards initiative and that waiting within an unfair system is futile.
• Power and hidden manipulation: The image of a player favoring one side of a chessboard reflects Su’s belief that political rules are controlled by unseen powers.
• Knowledge as power: The alchemical canons provide Su with a decisive advantage. His ability to absorb and synthesize knowledge turns inherited secrets into personal strength.
• Loyalty and enlightened leadership: Wen’s renewed devotion suggests that Su gains followers not only through authority but through intelligence and vision.
• Protection amid political danger: Su’s efforts to conceal Ye Buhui’s cultivation emphasize the vulnerability of personal relationships within a dangerous struggle for power.
• Accumulation leading to breakthrough: The chapter portrays mastery as the result of gathering fragments over time until they suddenly merge into a complete understanding.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Wen Xunpeng: Su accepts Wen’s plan and entrusts him with its development, strengthening Wen’s loyalty and confidence.
• Su Ziji and the Big Fox: Su gives the fox a dangerous but important message, treating it warmly while relying on its reliability as a messenger.
• Su Ziji and True Persons Mystic Sincerity and Hui Dao: Although they do not appear directly, their submitted canons become the means through which Su reaches alchemical mastery. Hui Dao’s contribution proves especially valuable.
• Su Ziji and Ye Buhui: Their interaction is indirect, but Su’s breakthrough is motivated largely by the need to hide her aura and protect her from scrutiny.
• Su Ziji and the Crown Prince: Their earlier conversation continues to shape events, as Su senses the Crown Prince’s influence and the backlash from their confrontation.

Su Ziji began refining pills, while Hui Dao sensed a dangerous upheaval connected to Prince Dai and himself. At Prince Qi’s Residence, Jiang Yu urged Prince Qi to impeach Prince Dai, and Prince Qi realized the succession could soon slip beyond his reach.

• Su Ziji ordered the residence guards to bring every pill in the medicine storehouse to the alchemy chamber so he could refine pills.
• Hui Dao and his attendant sensed calamity around Prince Dai’s Residence and its inner quarters, and Hui Dao realized an unforeseen change had drawn him into a dangerous struggle.
• Prince Qi’s advisers debated how to stop Prince Dai from gaining further power, and Jiang Yu proposed impeaching him for refining pills and keeping books taken from the Divine Shrine.
• A guard reported that Prince Dai had fired up his furnace, and Jiang Yu pressed Prince Qi to act before Prince Dai could become Imperial Grandson.
• Prince Qi felt a chill of alarm as he considered how difficult it would be to challenge Prince Dai once the succession was settled.

Prince Qi decided to involve Prince Shu in a plan to secure a court proposal, while Prince Shu discussed Prince Dai’s growing popularity among commoners with Ma Youliang. The chapter ended when Prince Shu received a letter from Prince Qi.

• Prince Qi put Jiang Yu in charge of arranging court support for the proposal and ordered him to coordinate with Prince Shu, but refused to contact Prince Ninghe’s advisers.
• Prince Shu asked Ma Youliang how to keep Prince Dai in check, and Ma Youliang reported that commoners near the capital praised Prince Dai for confronting the Capital City Divine Shrine.
• Prince Shu concluded that Prince Dai’s popular reputation was only a minor stir because officials and scholars had not rallied behind him.
• A guard told Prince Shu that Prince Qi had sent a letter, and Prince Shu ordered him to bring it.

Chapter Summary: “Wariness”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Prince Qi sends Prince Shu a sarcastic letter, apparently setting aside their usual hostility to propose an alliance against Prince Dai.
• Prince Shu is surprised by the letter and burns it immediately after reading it, ensuring its contents leave no evidence.
• He concludes that Prince Qi has become afraid of Prince Dai’s rapidly increasing power and recognizes this as a sign that his elder brother has finally learned from past mistakes.
• Prince Shu admits that he shares Prince Qi’s concerns. If Prince Dai gains control of the Capital City Divine Shrine, his previously weak political foundations will be strengthened, potentially leaving only the Emperor capable of restraining him.
• Prince Shu reveals that Prince Qi has offered to divide the Divine Shrine equally if they cooperate. Adviser Ma Youliang considers this an excellent opportunity, arguing that Prince Dai is still vulnerable and that defeating him now should be achievable.
• Prince Shu orders Ma Youliang to visit Chief Minister Zhao Xu under the pretext of discussing the officials’ Mid-Autumn Festival gifts. He gives Ma a jade pendant as proof of their connection.
• Ma is shocked by the apparent relationship between Prince Shu and Zhao Xu, recognizing that the chief minister’s support could have major political significance.
• Alone, Prince Shu enters a secret chamber and reflects on a mysterious Daoist he met twenty years earlier. The Daoist cured his childhood illness, gave him the painting of a flood dragon, and predicted that Prince Shu could become a true dragon if he schemed carefully.
• Prince Shu wonders whether the Daoist foresaw the Crown Prince’s downfall and Prince Dai’s later rise. He remains unable to understand the painting’s hidden meaning.
• The chapter ends with Prince Shu’s growing distrust of supernatural figures and his belief that, although such people may be dangerous, they might first be exploited for political advantage.

2. Character Developments

• Prince Qi: His willingness to seek cooperation marks a major change from his normally proud and hot-tempered behavior. Fear of Prince Dai forces him to recognize the seriousness of the threat and temporarily suppress his arrogance.
• Prince Shu: He appears calm, strategic, and increasingly cautious. Rather than celebrating Prince Qi’s submission, he evaluates the broader danger posed by Prince Dai. His past ambitions have given way to suspicion and defensive political calculation.
• Ma Youliang: He demonstrates political insight by immediately identifying the alliance as advantageous. He is also deeply surprised to learn that Prince Shu may have connections with Chief Minister Zhao Xu.
• Prince Dai: Though absent, he becomes the central threat. His growing influence and possible control of the Divine Shrine make him dangerous enough to unite previously rival princes.
• The mysterious Daoist: His earlier prophecy continues to shape Prince Shu’s understanding of his own fate, suggesting that supernatural forces may be influencing the imperial succession.

3. Significant Themes

• Political rivalry and temporary alliances: Former enemies may cooperate when confronted by a greater threat.
• Fear as a catalyst for change: Prince Qi’s fear forces him to abandon pride, while Prince Shu’s fear produces caution and long-term planning.
• Power and balance: Control of the Divine Shrine could radically alter the political balance, making Prince Dai nearly unstoppable.
• Secrecy and hidden influence: Burned letters, coded missions, secret chambers, and concealed ties with Zhao Xu emphasize the importance of information and covert alliances.
• Fate versus political strategy: The Daoist’s prophecy raises questions about destiny, divine mandate, and whether Prince Shu’s rise is predetermined or achieved through careful scheming.
• Wariness born from age and experience: Prince Shu’s youthful ambition has evolved into suspicion, restraint, and a willingness to use dangerous forces before eliminating them.

4. Character Interactions

• Prince Qi and Prince Shu: Their relationship remains antagonistic, but Prince Qi’s letter creates the possibility of cooperation. Prince Shu interprets the gesture as both a sign of fear and evidence of personal growth.
• Prince Shu and Ma Youliang: Prince Shu trusts Ma with sensitive political instructions, including contact with Zhao Xu. Their exchange shows Ma’s role as a trusted adviser and Prince Shu’s ability to test or surprise him.
• Prince Shu and Chief Minister Zhao Xu: Their exact relationship is not explained, but Prince Shu’s jade pendant implies an established connection or secret channel of communication.
• Prince Shu and the mysterious Daoist: Their brief encounter in Prince Shu’s youth continues to influence him decades later. The Daoist’s prophecy and painting remain unresolved mysteries tied to Prince Shu’s possible destiny.

Prince Shu interpreted Zhao Xu's cryptic message about Ju Ling's death and planned to use Prince Dai's growing popularity to test the emperor's intentions. The chapter ended with the emperor noticing a phrase in a memorial as Ma Shunde read aloud.

• Zhang Min warned Prince Shu that the new ruler of Ying had conquered neighboring kingdoms and expanded his power.
• Ma Youliang returned Zhao Xu's broken jade pendant and a letter asking whether Ju Ling had died for his merits or his faults.
• Prince Shu studied Ju Ling's history and realized Zhao Xu was warning him that the emperor already knew of Prince Dai's rise.
• Prince Shu ordered supporters to praise Prince Dai among the people and planned to build support at court before submitting memorials.
• At the Imperial Study, the emperor opened his eyes after hearing Ma Shunde read the words, "Share my burdens?"

The emperor received memorials from Prince Qi and Prince Shu seeking Prince Dai’s assignment, then heard a secret report from Huo Wuyong about Wanglu Ward. After considering the news, he ordered Prince Dai punished and gave the assignment to Prince Qi.

• The emperor condemned Prince Qi and Prince Shu for trying to claim credit while Prince Dai handled his assignment.
• Huo Wuyong presented the emperor with a secret slip and prevented Ma Shunde from seeing it.
• Ma Shunde overheard the emperor ask whether the matter was truly in Wanglu Ward, and Huo Wuyong confirmed it.
• The emperor ordered Ma Shunde to rebuke Prince Dai, confine him to his residence for a month, and transfer his assignment to Prince Qi.

Chapter Summary: “The Grandson-Subject Is Terrified”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Emperor abruptly changes his attitude toward Princes Qi and Shu, deciding not to rebuke them. He orders Chief Eunuch Ma Shunde to assist Huo Wuyong, who is investigating Wanglu Ward.
• Huo Wuyong requests the cooperation of the Imperial City Office’s local agents. Ma Shunde realizes the investigation likely concerns Prince Dai’s Residence, the most prominent household in Wanglu Ward.
• Huo warns Ma not to learn too much about the matter, irritating Ma and prompting him to privately resent Huo’s arrogance.
• Ma Shunde travels to Prince Dai’s Residence to deliver the Emperor’s verbal decree.
• Prince Dai is reprimanded for bringing confiscated items—specifically, Book of Documents volumes—into his residence. He is ordered to shut himself away and reflect for a month, while his official duties are transferred to Prince Qi.
• Prince Dai responds submissively, declaring that this “grandson-subject is terrified” and accepting the order without visible resentment.
• Ma shifts from a stern official manner to exaggerated warmth, reassuring Prince Dai that the offense is minor and unlikely to damage the Emperor’s trust.
• Prince Dai immediately agrees to surrender the Book of Documents to the Inner Treasury and personally leads Ma to his private library.
• Seeing the elegant library, Ma begins to suspect that the books may conceal an important secret, since the Emperor specifically ordered them returned despite the Inner Treasury already possessing countless volumes.

Character Developments

• Ma Shunde: Demonstrates political cunning, outward obedience, and inward ambition. He resents Huo Wuyong’s condescension but recognizes the danger of opposing someone favored by the Emperor. His suspicions intensify when he sees Prince Dai’s book collection.
• Huo Wuyong: Remains stern, guarded, and emotionally unreadable. He receives the Emperor’s apparent trust but shows no pleasure, suggesting that his assignment is troubling or dangerous. His refusal to explain the investigation reinforces his secretive nature.
• Prince Dai / Su Ziji: Maintains impressive composure and humility under reprimand. He neither openly resents the Emperor nor resists surrendering the books, leaving Ma uncertain whether his submission is sincere or calculated.
• The Emperor: Acts unpredictably and strategically, simultaneously protecting certain princes, empowering Huo Wuyong, and restricting Prince Dai. His decision to retrieve the books implies that they may be connected to a larger hidden matter.

Significant Themes

• Political suspicion and hidden motives: Nearly every character conceals their true thoughts, and ordinary orders appear to carry deeper political significance.
• Power and hierarchy: Ma enjoys forcing officials to defer to him, yet he must submit to Huo and the Emperor’s authority. Social status and official power constantly shift depending on context.
• Appearance versus reality: Prince Dai’s terrified acceptance may be genuine or an act; Ma’s polite smile masks resentment; Huo’s grim expression hides his true concerns.
• Knowledge as power: The Book of Documents are treated as more than ordinary texts. Their seizure and return to the Inner Treasury suggest that information, records, or hidden contents may be politically dangerous.

Character Interactions

• Emperor and Ma Shunde: The Emperor commands Ma to support Huo, placing him in a subordinate role despite his influence.
• Ma Shunde and Huo Wuyong: Their exchange is outwardly cooperative but filled with mistrust. Ma probes for information, while Huo firmly shuts him out.
• Ma Shunde and Prince Dai: Ma delivers a harsh decree, then immediately softens to flatter and reassure Prince Dai. Prince Dai responds with controlled humility and cooperation.
• Ma Shunde and the court officials: Ma takes pleasure in their deference, highlighting both his pride and his awareness of his elevated position.
• Prince Dai and the Emperor: Prince Dai accepts the Emperor’s punishment without protest, but the scene leaves open whether his loyalty is genuine or strategic.

Chapter Summary — “Plan One”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ma Shunde arrives at Prince Dai’s Residence with imperial orders to collect every copy of the Book of Documents from the Daoist library.
• Prince Dai, Su Ziji, cooperates without resistance. While appearing to inspect the books, he secretly extracts the remaining experience from them:
  • Crimson Palace True Inscription Elixir Method improves.
  • External Alchemy advances to Level 15.
• Once Su Ziji has finished absorbing their value, all the books are packed and removed by palace eunuchs. Ma Shunde considers his mission complete and leaves immediately.
• The Wild Daoist reports that Wanglu Ward has been surrounded by checkpoints. Authorities claim they are searching for a thief who stole an imperial object, but the measures suggest a possible imperial attack on Prince Dai’s residence.
• Su Ziji remains uncertain whether the Emperor intends a direct assault, but recognizes that imperial favor is unpredictable and decides to prepare for the worst.
• Su Ziji orders the Wild Daoist to gather materials for refining elixirs while he remains under house arrest.
• He asks True Person Hui Dao to assess the consequences of his previous destruction of mountains and temples. Hui Dao explains that Su Ziji has accumulated some karmic blame, largely connected to the millions of believers affected.
• Su Ziji asks Hui Dao, Liu Zhan, and Bianxuan to cleanse the residence’s baleful aura. Hui Dao says the problem cannot be permanently removed unless its root is destroyed, but agrees that it can be suppressed for three months.
• Hui Dao realizes the three-month period is meant to protect the pregnant Princess Consort and ensure the safe birth of the heir.
• Su Ziji also orders Hui Dao to complete the demon-sealing formation at Locust Bridge Ward.
• Finally, Su Ziji commands the Wild Daoist to activate “Plan One”: if the situation deteriorates, the residence’s first priority is to evacuate the Princess Consort and unborn heir.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji demonstrates strategic patience and calculated foresight. He willingly surrenders the books because he has already gained everything useful from them, while concealing his true objective from Ma Shunde.
• He becomes increasingly aware that the Emperor may be preparing a larger move against him. Though he avoids panic, he adopts a cautious, defensive strategy.
• Su Ziji also shows concern for the people under his protection, especially the Princess Consort and unborn heir, prioritizing their safety over the residence itself.
• Ma Shunde remains efficient and cautious. He completes his imperial assignment without provoking conflict or pressing too deeply into Prince Dai’s private possessions.
• True Person Hui Dao shifts from uncertainty to active commitment. He recognizes that helping Su Ziji is dangerous but sees it as necessary to secure merit and preserve their relationship.
• The Wild Daoist moves from suspicion and fear to disciplined obedience. His alarm reveals how seriously he views the Emperor’s actions, and he accepts responsibility for carrying out the emergency evacuation plan.
• The unseen Emperor becomes a growing threat: his motives remain unclear, but his use of checkpoints and an official pretext creates an atmosphere of impending danger.

Significant Themes

• Preparation versus complacency: Su Ziji follows the principle that preparation ensures success, even while claiming the crisis may not yet be severe.
• Imperial power and uncertainty: The Emperor’s authority is presented as unpredictable and potentially ruthless, forcing others to interpret indirect signs and prepare for hidden intentions.
• Karma and consequence: Su Ziji’s destruction of temples and mountains may have served the public good, but it still carries spiritual consequences through the suffering and disruption experienced by believers.
• Protection of family and succession: The unborn heir becomes the central practical concern, symbolizing the future continuity of Prince Dai’s faction.
• Pragmatism and hidden advantage: Su Ziji turns an apparent loss—the seizure of his books—into a gain by extracting their knowledge first.
• Risk and obligation: Hui Dao accepts danger because meaningful rewards and spiritual merit require him to act despite uncertainty.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Ma Shunde: Their polite exchange masks mutual calculation. Su Ziji cooperates while ensuring Ma Shunde receives only what is no longer valuable to him.
• Su Ziji and the Wild Daoist: The Wild Daoist reports the checkpoints and fears an impending attack. Su Ziji reassures him but then reveals the seriousness of the situation by ordering Plan One.
• Su Ziji and Hui Dao: Su Ziji seeks both spiritual judgment and practical aid. Hui Dao acknowledges the karmic danger surrounding him but agrees to suppress the residence’s baleful aura for three months.
• Hui Dao and the other Daoists: Hui Dao undertakes the ritual work with Liu Zhan and Bianxuan, accepting the burden despite the danger.
• Su Ziji and the unborn heir: Though the child is not yet born, Su Ziji’s decisions are increasingly shaped by the need to protect the heir and Princess Consort from the approaching imperial threat.

Chapter Summary: “Prince Ninghe Has Arrived”

Key Plot Points and Events

• At Prince Dai’s Residence, Su Ziji and the Wild Daoist prepare for the possibility of political downfall and forced retreat. The Wild Daoist vows to protect the Princess Consort and Heir and to execute anyone who betrays them.
• Su Ziji rejects indiscriminate killing, acknowledging that he has implicated the household staff in his troubles. He orders that loyal followers be properly supported, while those who wish to leave should be paid and sent home. However, anyone who betrays them during their retreat must be killed.
• Reflecting on the residence’s wealth and beauty, Su Ziji regrets that he has not had enough time to develop his power. He believes another three to five years would have changed his position significantly, but remains confident that his enemies will not defeat him easily.
• Su Ziji plans to counter Prince Qi by exposing possible wrongdoing by Cao Yiyan of the Kingdom of Ying. He instructs the Wild Daoist to uncover limited evidence and pass it to the Imperial City Office, thereby suggesting that Ying intends harm toward both Prince Dai and Prince Qi.
• Su Ziji sends Little Fox to assist the Wild Daoist and prepares to enter the Imperial Palace.
• At Prince Qi’s Residence, Eunuch Ma delivers the Emperor’s oral decree: Prince Qi receives the important assignment previously held by Prince Dai, particularly the task of handling the Divine Shrine affair.
• Prince Qi is ecstatic, interpreting the decree as proof that the Emperor favors him over both Prince Dai and Prince Shu. He generously gives Eunuch Ma five hundred taels in banknotes.
• Prince Qi’s retainers congratulate him, reinforcing his belief that he has surpassed Prince Shu in the Emperor’s estimation.
• At Prince Shu’s Residence, the normally lively household is subdued because Prince Shu is furious and humiliated. He realizes that although he helped undermine Prince Dai, Prince Qi has gained the greater advantage.
• Prince Shu’s mood changes when he learns that Prince Ninghe has arrived. He chooses to welcome his younger brother personally, suggesting that the visit may have political importance.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji demonstrates both strategic ruthlessness and moral restraint. He accepts that betrayal must be punished but refuses to destroy innocent or reluctant servants. His reflections also reveal frustration over his limited cultivation time and determination to resist his political enemies.
• Wild Daoist proves fiercely loyal and devoted to Su Ziji. He favors decisive, uncompromising action, but ultimately accepts Su Ziji’s more measured approach.
• Little Fox is treated as a trusted assistant and is assigned to help execute Su Ziji’s plan.
• Prince Qi becomes increasingly confident and ambitious after receiving the Emperor’s decree. His willingness to reward Eunuch Ma shows his practical generosity, while his inflated interpretation of the decree reveals his pride and desire for imperial validation.
• Prince Shu suffers a serious blow to his confidence. Though he had expected to benefit from Prince Dai’s troubles, he feels bitter that Prince Qi has taken the reward. His decision to personally greet Prince Ninghe shows that he remains politically alert despite his frustration.
• Eunuch Ma adjusts his attitude according to political power. He treats Prince Qi with exceptional warmth because Qi is currently favored and accepts the large reward without hesitation.

Significant Themes

• Political rivalry and imperial favor: The Emperor’s choice of Prince Qi over Prince Shu transforms a struggle against Prince Dai into a new contest between Qi and Shu.
• Loyalty versus betrayal: Su Ziji’s discussion with the Wild Daoist explores the obligations of servants, the cost of political allegiance, and the harsh consequences of treachery.
• Power and timing: Su Ziji recognizes that power depends not only on ability but also on having enough time to prepare. His incomplete cultivation contrasts with the immediate political maneuvers of his rivals.
• Manipulation and indirect warfare: Rather than confronting Prince Qi openly, Su Ziji plans to redirect suspicion toward the Kingdom of Ying and use official institutions against his enemies.
• Pride and misinterpretation: Prince Qi reads the Emperor’s decision as proof of absolute superiority, while Prince Shu sees it as confirmation of his own disadvantage. Both interpret the decree through their personal ambitions.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and the Wild Daoist debate how to deal with servants who may flee, balancing mercy against the need for security.
• Su Ziji instructs the Wild Daoist and Little Fox to cooperate in carrying out a political counterattack.
• Prince Qi and Eunuch Ma exchange mutual flattery and practical favors, revealing how political service and financial reward reinforce one another.
• Prince Qi’s retainers praise him excessively, strengthening his confidence and encouraging his belief that the Emperor prefers him to both Prince Dai and Prince Shu.
• Prince Shu’s household withdraws from him because of his anger, but the arrival of Prince Ninghe interrupts his isolation and introduces a potentially significant new alliance or complication.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Prince Ninghe visits Prince Shu and appears noticeably thinner and physically weakened, though his spirit has improved.
• In private, Ninghe discusses the political situation surrounding Third Prince and Prince Dai, warning Prince Shu that Prince Dai may have used an unknown scheme to bring about Ninghe’s complete downfall.
• Ninghe urges Prince Shu to watch Prince Dai closely now that Prince Qi has taken over Prince Dai’s former assignment.
• Ninghe presents two possibilities:
  • Prince Dai possesses hidden methods and will clash with Prince Qi.
  • Prince Dai does nothing, yet Prince Qi still fails—suggesting that Prince Dai possesses “Heaven’s Mandate,” or extraordinary divine fortune.
• Prince Shu is initially unsettled by this idea, but Ninghe reminds him that the Emperor, as the Son of Heaven, alone has the authority to determine or overturn Heaven’s Mandate. Prince Dai’s supposed heavenly favor could become a political weakness if the Emperor believes it threatens his own legitimacy.
• Ninghe claims he has abandoned all ambitions and seeks only justice for his disgraced mother, Consort Wei. He offers his loyalty to Prince Shu if Shu helps clear her name and restore Ninghe’s rank.
• Prince Shu emotionally promises to aid him and even restore him to princely status.
• After Ninghe leaves, Prince Shu learns that Prince Dai has entered the palace. He interprets this as a sign that Dai may also be anxious about the developing political situation.

Character Developments

• Prince Ninghe: Though physically frail and politically ruined, Ninghe demonstrates renewed sharpness and strategic ability. He skillfully presents himself as harmless and broken while planting doubts about Prince Dai and gaining Prince Shu’s support.
• Prince Shu: He begins the meeting cautiously, believing Ninghe is no longer a serious political threat. Ninghe’s arguments awaken his suspicions about Prince Dai and strengthen his willingness to form an alliance with Ninghe.
• Prince Dai: He does not appear directly, but his reputation for inexplicable success and his mysterious involvement—or lack of involvement—in political disasters make him the chapter’s central unseen threat.
• Prince Qi: His new assignment places him in potential conflict with Prince Dai, making him a test case for Ninghe’s theory.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and alliance-building: Ninghe disguises a calculated political appeal as a plea for justice and familial support.
• Fate versus human power: The concept of “Heaven’s Mandate” raises the possibility that Prince Dai’s success is more than skill or strategy.
• Imperial legitimacy: Even divine favor is portrayed as dangerous if it challenges the Emperor’s authority.
• Grief and ambition: Ninghe claims to have abandoned succession ambitions, but his words still influence the succession struggle.
• Appearances versus reality: Ninghe appears weak and defeated, while Prince Shu’s outward sympathy masks growing political calculation.

Character Interactions

• Ninghe and Shu exchange a formal but emotionally charged reunion, with Shu expressing concern over Ninghe’s deteriorated condition.
• In private, Ninghe subtly appeals to Shu’s fears and ambitions, encouraging him to investigate Prince Dai.
• Ninghe kneels and pledges loyalty, prompting Shu to promise both justice for Consort Wei and restoration of Ninghe’s rank.
• Their tearful farewell creates the appearance of genuine brotherly reconciliation, though the exchange is also clearly politically motivated.
• Afterward, Shu immediately turns his attention back to Prince Dai, showing that Ninghe’s warning has successfully redirected his suspicions.