Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Fish on the Chopping Block”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji’s formal departure as Imperial Grandson is celebrated with an elaborate procession through the capital. The Grand Secretariat, Ministry of Rites, and Shuntian Prefecture organize the ceremony and tightly control the crowds.
• Citizens kneel and proclaim blessings for Su Ziji’s long life. When someone also shouts blessings for the Crown Prince, the crowd joins in, deeply affecting Su Ziji inside the carriage.
• As the procession passes Prince Qi’s Residence, Prince Qi—having realized that his political ambitions have been destroyed—breaks down in rage and despair. He draws his sword and attacks those nearby, killing Xu Shi and terrifying his household.
• The princess consort shields the young heir apparent from the violence and understands that Prince Qi and his family are now vulnerable. Once the succession is secure, even a blood prince can be treated as powerless and expendable.
• The procession continues through areas crowded with Provincial Graduates and commoners. Officials occupy elevated positions and patrol the streets to prevent any assassination attempt against Su Ziji.
• Yu Lü and Fang Xi watch Su Ziji pass in imperial robes. Yu Lü remembers their former friendship and concludes that their relationship has ended: Su Ziji is now the ruler, while they are merely subjects.
• Cao Yiyan secretly observes the procession. Enraged that Su Ziji—once beneath him—has risen to become heir to the throne, Cao becomes convinced that Su Ziji is his destined rival in the struggle for Heaven’s Mandate.
• Rather than return immediately to the Kingdom of Ying as planned, Cao decides to remain in the capital, convene a meeting, and place a hidden “nail” in the capital before leaving.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Publicly appears calm, dignified, and perfectly suited to imperial authority. Hearing the people bless the Crown Prince reveals that he is emotionally affected by the political transition and its implications.
• Prince Qi: Suffers a complete psychological collapse when confronted with Su Ziji’s triumph. His violence shows that his ambitions, hopes, and schemes have been crushed.
• Princess Consort: Becomes more politically aware and protective. She recognizes that her family’s security has drastically changed and focuses on shielding her child from both physical and political danger.
• Yu Lü: Accepts that his old friendship with Su Ziji cannot survive the new political hierarchy. His reaction reflects sorrow and resignation rather than hostility.
• Fang Xi: Shares Yu Lü’s melancholy and recognizes the painful reversal of their former circumstances.
• Cao Yiyan: Moves from resentment to active strategic opposition. He interprets Su Ziji as a celestial and political rival and resolves to obstruct his path to the throne.
• Liu Danai: Acts as Cao Yiyan’s practical adviser, urging him to leave the capital before it becomes too dangerous.

Significant Themes

• The instability of political power: The chapter contrasts Su Ziji’s sudden elevation with Prince Qi’s rapid collapse, showing how quickly status can change in a succession struggle.
• Public legitimacy and spectacle: The procession is designed not merely as a ceremony but as a way to make the people witness and acknowledge Su Ziji as the rightful imperial figure.
• The loss of personal relationships to hierarchy: Yu Lü’s realization that there can now be only “ruler and subject” highlights how political power destroys or transforms former friendships.
• Fate and Heaven’s Mandate: Cao Yiyan interprets the conflict through astrology and destiny, viewing himself and Su Ziji as twin stars competing for imperial legitimacy.
• Vulnerability after victory: Although Su Ziji appears secure, the heavy security surrounding him and Cao’s plotting show that political triumph still leaves him threatened.
• The dehumanizing nature of power: The metaphor of a prince becoming “fish on the chopping block” emphasizes how even members of the imperial family can become helpless once authority shifts.

Important Character Interactions

• The ceremonial officials and Tan Ping publicly reinforce Su Ziji’s authority by escorting him through the capital.
• Prince Qi’s household witnesses his violent collapse, while the princess consort protects their son and silently confronts the family’s uncertain future.
• Yu Lü and Fang Xi watch Su Ziji together, sharing nostalgia and grief over the end of their former relationship with him.
• Cao Yiyan and Liu Danai debate their next move: Liu urges withdrawal, but Cao insists on remaining in the capital to undermine Su Ziji’s position.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• At the Earl’s Residence, Xie Zhenqing watches the Imperial Grandson’s ceremonial procession pass through the capital after the investiture ceremony. The procession includes Prince Zhong, Duke Sheng, Tan Ping, the Prefect of Shuntian, and the Marquis of Pacifying the South.
• The household views the Marquis’s participation as a great honor, but Xie privately recognizes the changing political hierarchy: even a powerful marquis now feels privileged merely to escort the newly appointed Imperial Grandson.
• Xie coughs blood, realizing that the “backlash” from his actions is gradually destroying his body. Despite this, he believes he has succeeded in influencing the Emperor to support the Imperial Grandson.
• Xie reveals his hidden motives and history. He is connected to the Demon Race and deliberately gave Daoist Huai Hui the method for refining medicine from the Crown Prince’s heart, hoping to make the Emperor defy Heaven’s Mandate.
• He believes the Emperor’s pursuit of immortality has caused Great Zheng to incur increasing heavenly punishment. Xie intends for Great Zheng to fall at the height of its prosperity so that the Demon Race can seize its fortune.
• Xie plans to support the Imperial Grandson’s rise while retaining the ability to destroy him. He also considers investing in Prince Qi as a second potential successor, hoping to see whether Prince Qi possesses the resolve of Great Zheng’s founding emperor.
• In Prince Qi’s Residence, the weakened prince dreams of a rain-soaked night when more than a thousand armored soldiers invade his estate.
• The Jinwu Guard commander Miao Xuwen and the favored eunuch Ma Deshun announce that, by imperial decree, Prince Qi is accused of treason. His residence is to be confiscated and his entire clan exterminated.

Character Developments

• Xie Zhenqing: Revealed as a calculating, long-term antagonist with ties to the Demon Race. Though physically dying from backlash, he remains politically ambitious and intends to manipulate both the Imperial Grandson and Prince Qi. His hatred of the Emperor is rooted in betrayal: the Emperor used the Demon Race’s fortune to gain power, then suppressed and executed its leaders.
• The Emperor: Portrayed as dangerously obsessed with immortality. He is willing to repeatedly defy Heaven and risk national disaster to extend his life, even though he understands the consequences.
• The Imperial Grandson: His investiture confirms his elevated political status and the Emperor’s strong support. However, Xie’s thoughts suggest that the Grandson may be part of a larger scheme involving his eventual sacrifice.
• Prince Qi: Shown as physically ill and politically vulnerable. His dream anticipates his imminent downfall, as the imperial forces arrive to confiscate his estate and destroy his family.
• Miao Xuwen and Ma Deshun: They act as direct agents of imperial authority. Their calm delivery of the extermination order emphasizes the absolute power of the Emperor’s decree.

Significant Themes

• Power and political succession: The Imperial Grandson’s appointment reshapes the balance among the imperial princes and aristocratic families.
• Immortality and corruption: The Emperor’s desire for eternal life drives him to violate Heaven’s Will and sacrifice others, suggesting that the pursuit of immortality corrupts both individuals and the state.
• Heavenly retribution and fate: Xie believes Great Zheng’s repeated attempts to defy destiny will eventually provoke catastrophic punishment.
• Manipulation and betrayal: Xie has influenced events for years, while the Emperor has betrayed the Demon Race after using its power. Political alliances are presented as temporary and transactional.
• National fortune: The fate of Great Zheng, Great Wei, the Demon Race, and the imperial contenders is tied to the transfer and exhaustion of dynastic fortune.
• The cost of ambition: Xie’s body is collapsing, Prince Qi faces annihilation, and the entire empire risks destruction because powerful figures pursue control, immortality, and revenge.

Character Interactions

• Xie speaks with the Earl’s household servants and observes their admiration for the Marquis, contrasting their superficial celebration with his private calculations.
• His thoughts establish a hostile relationship with the Emperor, whom he sees as a former ally and betrayer.
• Xie mentally positions himself as both supporter and destroyer of the Imperial Grandson, revealing a manipulative relationship that has not yet become openly confrontational.
• Xie also considers backing Prince Qi, treating him as another political instrument rather than an ally.
• In the closing scene, Miao Xuwen and Ma Deshun confront Prince Qi in his dreamlike vision and deliver the Emperor’s order: his estate will be confiscated and his clan exterminated.

Summary: “Ruler and Subject, Father and Son”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Prince Qi experiences a terrifying vision in which imperial soldiers, led by the eunuch Ma Shunde, massacre everyone in his residence.
• His favored secondary consort is executed, followed by his other concubines. His principal consort and young heir are also targeted.
• Prince Qi initially remains paralyzed by fear, but he regains his courage when his consort and son are threatened. He attempts to protect them by invoking his status as an imperial prince and the emperor’s grandson.
• Ma Shunde coldly dismisses his claims, arguing that Prince Qi and his heir cannot compare with the deceased Crown Prince and Imperial Grandson. This reveals how completely Prince Qi’s political protection has collapsed.
• Prince Qi’s consort is strangled, and his son is killed by being smashed headfirst onto the stone floor. Their deaths drive Prince Qi into a violent rage.
• He attacks the soldiers but is quickly subdued. Ma Shunde then presents him with poisoned wine, supposedly to preserve the dignity of his execution.
• Prince Qi refuses to drink, insisting that he has been wronged and that the emperor bears greater responsibility for his downfall. The palace servants forcibly restrain him and pour the poison down his throat.
• Prince Qi awakens from the nightmare to discover that he had been trying to strangle himself in his sleep. Relieved that the massacre has not yet occurred, he realizes he still has an opportunity to alter his fate.
• His relief turns into grim insight: imperial status offers no real protection once political power is lost. He reflects bitterly on the relationship between ruler and subject, and between father and son.
• As he laughs at the absurdity of his former hopes, the scene suddenly changes again, suggesting that he may still be trapped in another dream or supernatural experience.

Character Development

• Prince Qi: He changes from a proud, complacent prince into someone traumatized and politically awakened. The vision strips away his assumptions about imperial privilege and reveals how vulnerable he, his family, and his household are. His grief and rage briefly make him attack the soldiers, but afterward his fear becomes cold determination. He begins thinking seriously about changing his future.
• Ma Shunde: He is portrayed as a ruthless executor of imperial authority. His calm contempt emphasizes that Prince Qi’s former rank no longer commands respect. He also represents the palace’s ability to preserve an appearance of dignity while committing extreme brutality.
• Prince Qi’s consort and heir: Their deaths expose Prince Qi’s emotional attachments and show the devastating consequences of his political failure. The heir’s death is especially significant because Prince Qi believes his status as the emperor’s grandson should protect him, only to discover that lineage is meaningless without political power.
• The emperor: Although he does not appear directly, he becomes central to Prince Qi’s thoughts. Prince Qi recognizes that the emperor’s indulgence may have helped create his current weakness and that imperial “fatherly” affection cannot be relied upon.

Significant Themes

• The fragility of power: Noble birth and imperial titles protect Prince Qi only while he remains politically useful or favored.
• Ruler and subject, father and son: The chapter questions whether an emperor can truly be both a father and an impartial ruler. Political authority ultimately overrides family bonds.
• Political survival and foresight: The nightmare functions as a warning, forcing Prince Qi to confront the consequences of complacency and failure before they occur.
• Dignity versus reality: The poisoned wine is presented as a dignified death, but the coercion behind it reveals that such dignity is merely an outward performance.
• Family and emotional vulnerability: Prince Qi’s composure collapses when his consort and son are threatened, showing that personal attachments can become both sources of courage and instruments of political punishment.
• Awakening through trauma: The nightmare gives Prince Qi painful but valuable clarity, replacing naïve hope with a determination to change his fate.

Character Interactions

• Prince Qi initially pleads with the soldiers through his imperial status, but Ma Shunde directly humiliates him by comparing him unfavorably with the deceased Crown Prince and Imperial Grandson.
• His consort and heir appeal to him for protection, forcing him to confront his inability to save those closest to him.
• Ma Shunde and the palace servants treat Prince Qi as powerless once his political standing has declined, physically restraining and poisoning him despite his rank.
• Prince Qi’s interaction with the frightened eunuch after awakening highlights the contrast between his former nightmare and present reality. Instead of punishing the servant, he controls his anger, showing the beginning of a more calculated temperament.
• His imagined confrontation with the emperor—whom he blames for encouraging his weakness—marks a growing rejection of blind filial loyalty and unquestioning faith in imperial protection.

Chapter Summary: “Refuse a Toast Only to Drink a Forfeit”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Prince Qi finds himself in a dreamlike palace that gradually becomes solid and familiar. He realizes this is not an ordinary dream, especially when he discovers he is dressed in his sleeping clothes and cannot access his sword.
• A terrifying Monster enters the palace: a humanoid figure in royal robes with a dragon’s head. It reveals that Prince Qi’s earlier nightmare—showing his household being destroyed—is connected to it.
• The dragon-headed Monster tells Prince Qi that the Imperial Grandson has already been chosen, though the situation could still be reversed. It offers to “lend” him fortune.
• The offered fortune appears as a cup of red liquid filled with anguished faces. Prince Qi identifies it as mostly Baleful Intent, mixed with a smaller portion of fortune. The Monster explains that such killing intent can be used to break fate.
• The Monster reveals that Prince Qi’s ancestor, the Founding Ancestor, once drank a similar substance in exchange for assistance from the Demon Race, but later betrayed and broke the agreement. The current cup is therefore a repayment of that debt.
• Prince Qi recognizes that if the Imperial Grandson becomes emperor, both he and Prince Shu—especially Prince Qi, who has offended the future ruler more deeply—will likely be eliminated along with their families.
• Concluding that surrender would mean certain death, Prince Qi accepts the bargain. He drinks the cup in one gulp, despite knowing it contains Baleful Intent.
• As the dream collapses, Prince Qi demands to know how the Monster could violate the protection normally granted to nobles and drag him into the dream. The Monster answers that this power is justified by what the Ji Clan owes it.

Character Developments

• Prince Qi: Begins frightened and suspicious but quickly regains his composure. He analyzes the situation politically and recognizes that waiting passively would lead to his household’s destruction. His decision to drink the Baleful Intent shows his ambition, desperation, and willingness to risk corruption or danger rather than accept defeat.
• The dragon-headed Monster: Establishes itself as powerful, informed, and connected to the Demon Race. It speaks as both a negotiator and an avenger, presenting the drink as repayment for an ancestral betrayal rather than a simple gift.
• The Founding Ancestor: Though absent, he becomes important through the revelation that the Ji Clan’s rise was aided by the Demon Race and followed by a broken promise, creating the debt now imposed on Prince Qi.

Significant Themes

• Fate versus agency: Prince Qi is shown a possible future in which his family is destroyed, but he attempts to alter that fate by accepting dangerous power.
• Political succession and survival: The imperial succession is treated as a life-and-death struggle. Once the Imperial Grandson is chosen, rival princes and their families become obstacles to be removed.
• Inherited consequences: The sins and broken promises of the Founding Ancestor continue to affect later generations, demonstrating that political debts and supernatural bargains do not end with the original participants.
• Ambition and desperation: Prince Qi chooses a morally and spiritually dangerous path because surrender would mean certain death. The chapter questions whether fighting for power is preferable to preserving one’s integrity.
• Betrayal and retribution: The Monster frames the bargain as justice for the Ji Clan’s betrayal, suggesting that the current generation must pay for the actions of its ancestor.

Character Interactions

• Prince Qi and the dragon-headed Monster: Their exchange is tense and adversarial. Prince Qi remains wary, challenges the Monster’s claims, and identifies the cup’s true nature, while the Monster pressures him into accepting the bargain.
• The Monster uses Prince Qi’s fear of his family’s future to force a choice between a dangerous “toast” and the “forfeit” of certain destruction.
• Their final interaction is unresolved but threatening: after Prince Qi drinks, he demands an explanation for the Monster’s power, and it replies that the Ji Clan’s debt gives it the right to interfere.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Prince Qi awakens from a disturbing dream in which he was attended by only one maid—the same maid he had recently killed in a fit of rage. Seeing his normal attendants convinces him that the experience was only a dream.
• He reflects on the “penalty wine,” realizing it may contain a curse connected to the Ji Clan’s unresolved Demonic Fortune. The curse is powerful enough to influence dreams and potentially threaten Great Zheng’s destiny.
• Although Prince Qi recognizes the danger, he concludes that he has no choice but to drink the wine, since refusing it could have even worse consequences.
• He then discovers that his previous physical incapacity has disappeared. Overjoyed, he summons his attendants and orders Consort Huang to come to his bed, while also calling for his trusted aides Zhao Buwei and Zhang Bolai.
• Consort Huang arrives frightened, since the Prince had previously reacted violently to women after his injury. Instead, Prince Qi eagerly pulls her into bed, proving that he has regained his virility.
• Zhao Buwei and Zhang Bolai arrive while Prince Qi is with Consort Huang. They wait outside and deliberately listen, understanding that the Prince wants them—and likely the entire residence—to confirm that he is no longer physically impaired.
• Afterward, Prince Qi emerges looking healthy, confident, and authoritative, seemingly restored to his former position and presence.

Character Developments

• Prince Qi: Moves from confusion and fear to grim understanding, then to intense relief and confidence after discovering his recovery. His former composure, dignity, and authority return.
• Consort Huang: Initially terrified that the Prince may kill her, she becomes the first visible proof of his recovery and may regain favor within the residence.
• Zhao Buwei and Zhang Bolai: Demonstrate loyalty and political awareness by treating the Prince’s condition as a matter of succession and state, rather than a private issue.
• Servants and eunuchs: Remain fearful because of Prince Qi’s unpredictable temper, but feel relieved when his apparent recovery suggests greater stability.

Significant Themes

• Power and succession: Prince Qi’s physical condition affects whether he can plausibly compete for the throne, making his recovery politically important.
• Curses and hidden dangers: The penalty wine and Demonic Fortune suggest that supernatural forces may threaten both the Prince and Great Zheng.
• Appearance and public proof: Because rumors about Prince Qi’s impotence could undermine him, his recovery must be demonstrated and spread through witnesses.
• Fear under absolute authority: The servants’ terror reflects the danger of serving a volatile ruler whose moods can determine life or death.
• Restoration of identity: Prince Qi’s physical recovery symbolizes the return of his confidence, authority, and former political stature.

Character Interactions

• Prince Qi reassures himself through his attendants’ presence, then abruptly commands them to summon Consort Huang and his advisers.
• Consort Huang approaches him with fear and uncertainty, but Prince Qi treats her with urgent enthusiasm rather than hostility.
• Zhao Buwei and Zhang Bolai silently observe from outside, recognizing that their eavesdropping is intentional and politically necessary.
• The servants exchange relieved glances, understanding that the Prince’s restored virility may stabilize the residence and strengthen his position in the struggle for the throne.

Prince Qi ordered a humble confession to the emperor and asked his advisers to investigate whether new dragons had appeared among the demon race. At Prince Shu’s residence, Ma Youliang urged the dispirited prince to exploit the people’s “A youthful Son of Heaven!” cry against the Imperial Grandson, then asked whether he would risk a dangerous chance to change the situation.

• Prince Qi told Zhao Buwei and Zhang Bolai to help write a sincere memorial confessing his offenses and asked what they knew about the Dragon Lord.
• After learning that the current Young Dragon was said to be a princess, Prince Qi ordered an investigation into whether new dragons had appeared among the demon race.
• Zhao Buwei privately wondered whether Prince Qi had seen a dragon and questioned whether he should continue backing Prince Shu or support the Imperial Grandson.
• Prince Shu told Ma Youliang that the Imperial Grandson’s investiture had won the officials and the people, leaving the succession settled.
• Ma Youliang pointed out that the people had called the Imperial Grandson “a youthful Son of Heaven” and suggested that the phrase could turn the emperor against Prince Dai.
• Ma Youliang asked Prince Shu whether he would risk a dangerous opportunity to change the situation.

Prince Shu accepted Cao Yiyan’s offer of support through Ma Youliang, hoping to use the former dynasty’s remnants to break the emperor’s control over his household and eliminate a threat to Great Zheng. The envoy Liu Danai revealed that he had taken poison to ensure he could not be forced to betray his cause, leaving Prince Shu impressed and wary.

• Prince Shu learned from Ma Youliang that Cao Yiyan had offered him troops, intelligence, and insiders, and that Cao might have ties to the Kingdom of Ying.
• Ma Youliang argued that Prince Shu needed outside strength and framed Cao Yiyan’s offer as a chance to destroy Former Wei’s remaining foundations.
• Prince Shu agreed to accept the offer, saying his imperial father’s spies left him unable to act freely with the men in his own household.
• Ma Youliang brought in the envoy Liu Danai, who introduced himself as a subject of another realm and faced Prince Shu’s threats without fear.
• Liu Danai explained that he had hidden poison in a tooth and swallowed more poison so he would die within a day if he did not return for an antidote.

Third Night — Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Liu Danai, acting as Cao Yiyan’s envoy, meets Prince Shu and presents him with a parchment containing a map and a list of names. The document is carefully inspected before Prince Shu receives it, since Liu Danai could have concealed a dagger.
• Cao Yiyan offers the information without asking for anything in return, apparently hoping to provoke chaos within Great Zheng’s succession struggle.
• Prince Shu acknowledges Cao Yiyan’s “sincerity” and orders Ma Youliang to quietly investigate the situation and encourage officials to submit memorials. Ma reveals that they have influence over several young officials who can act without exposing the prince’s faction.
• After Liu Danai leaves, Prince Shu is disturbed by the list, which reveals that former Wei loyalists and informants remain embedded within the Imperial Palace. He suspects the Kingdom of Ying may be supporting them and vows to destroy Ying if he becomes emperor.
• In the capital, the Crown Grandson’s Residence is overflowing with officials and scholars celebrating the Imperial Grandson’s investiture and the temporary lifting of the curfew. The residence appears more vibrant and politically important than the Imperial Palace itself.
• Grand Secretary Qian Wei is summoned to the palace at night by Zhao Eunuch and led to the neglected Diligent Splendor Hall. Along the way, he senses an unusual emptiness and decay within the palace.
• Qian discovers that the emperor has become severely ill and physically weakened, attended by several imperial physicians. The emperor summons Qian not to discuss official business, but to speak privately with an old and trusted companion.

2. Character Developments

• Prince Shu shows increasing political ambition and suspicion. Though he accepts Cao Yiyan’s assistance, he immediately begins drawing his own conclusions and considers retaliating against the Kingdom of Ying.
• Liu Danai remains composed and fearless despite being in danger, presenting himself as a disposable envoy while effectively demonstrating Cao Yiyan’s confidence and sincerity.
• Ma Youliang is revealed to be an experienced political operator with a network of officials capable of influencing court debate indirectly.
• Qian Wei appears deeply loyal to the emperor. The emperor’s decline affects him emotionally, forcing him to confront their shared age, changing fortunes, and the possibility that the emperor’s power is fading.
• The emperor is portrayed as frail, isolated, and emotionally vulnerable. His summons suggests that he now values personal trust and companionship more than formal political counsel.

3. Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and hidden loyalties: Secret informants, former Wei loyalists, and indirect influence shape the succession struggle.
• The fragility of power: The Crown Grandson’s popularity contrasts sharply with the emperor’s declining health and the palace’s lifeless atmosphere.
• Loyalty and betrayal: Cao Yiyan’s support may serve destructive purposes, while Prince Shu’s alliances are built on suspicion and self-interest.
• The passage of time and aging: Qian Wei and the emperor reflect on their long history together and the loss of their former vitality.
• Public favor versus imperial authority: The crowds around the Crown Grandson’s Residence suggest that political legitimacy is already shifting away from the emperor.

4. Character Interactions

• Prince Shu and Liu Danai: Their tense negotiation is marked by veiled threats, with Liu remaining calm while Prince Shu tests his resolve.
• Prince Shu and Ma Youliang: The prince relies on Ma to activate their political network, showing a relationship based on strategic trust.
• Cao Yiyan and Prince Shu: Though Cao never appears, his influence is central; his information gives Prince Shu both an advantage and a new target for suspicion.
• Qian Wei and Zhao Eunuch: Zhao discreetly escorts Qian through the palace, emphasizing the secrecy of the emperor’s summons.
• Qian Wei and the emperor: Their reunion is deeply emotional. The emperor seeks comfort and honest conversation from a longtime subordinate, while Qian responds with intense devotion and sympathy.

Chapter Summary: “Heaven’s Net”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Emperor confides in Grand Secretariat Minister Qian Wei about his lifelong regret over the Crown Prince’s downfall.
• He says that appointing Prince Dai as Imperial Grandson has eased his conscience and may allow him to face the Founding Ancestor without shame.
• Qian Wei recognizes the Emperor’s remorse but firmly pledges loyalty to the throne. He vows that, even if the Imperial Grandson were to rebel, he would defend the Emperor to the death.
• The Emperor entrusts Qian Wei with a sealed imperial decree to be proclaimed if anything happens to him. Qian Wei accepts it solemnly, understanding that the document may determine the succession or justify the Emperor’s future actions.
• After Qian Wei leaves, the Emperor reveals that his apparent weakness was partly an act. He has summoned Qian Wei because of the minister’s influence among upright scholars and officials.
• The Emperor believes Qian Wei may be needed to defend his reputation if the mysterious elixir causes disastrous consequences.
• The Emperor then approaches the Nine-Dragon Instrument and watches the Dragon Pearl continue to fill with light. He declares that he will “lay down this net of Heaven and Earth,” suggesting a hidden plan aimed at controlling or trapping the Imperial Grandson and possibly the wider court.
• Zhao Eunuch begins to suspect that the current scheme may resemble whatever caused the Crown Prince’s destruction years earlier. He recalls Xu Zhong, a former trusted eunuch who vanished after the Crown Prince’s downfall, and fears he may suffer the same fate.

Character Developments

• Qian Wei: Demonstrates unwavering loyalty to imperial authority despite sympathizing with the disgraced Crown Prince. His moral principles and reputation among scholars make him valuable to the Emperor.
• The Emperor: Appears frail and remorseful, but later reveals greater vitality and deliberate calculation. He is burdened by guilt yet remains determined to pursue a dangerous plan, even if it conflicts with the Founding Ancestor’s wishes.
• Zhao Eunuch: Shifts from passive observer to deeply alarmed investigator. His memories connect the Emperor’s present actions to the Crown Prince’s past downfall, making him fearful for his own survival.
• Xu Zhong: Though absent, he becomes important as a possible precedent for the fate of palace servants who know too much.
• Prince Dai/Imperial Grandson: Does not appear directly, but his rise has already changed the political atmosphere. Officials and courtiers are beginning to gravitate toward him rather than the aging Emperor.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty versus personal sympathy: Qian Wei pities the Crown Prince and supports Prince Dai, but refuses to compromise his duty to the reigning Emperor.
• Political succession and shifting power: The court’s attention is already turning toward the young Imperial Grandson, weakening the Emperor’s authority even before his death.
• Guilt and attempted redemption: The Emperor hopes that elevating Prince Dai will partly atone for the Crown Prince’s fate, but his continued scheming suggests that remorse has not overcome his ambition.
• Secrecy and manipulation: The sealed decree, the staged weakness, the elixir, and the Nine-Dragon Instrument all point to a concealed plan.
• The repetition of history: Zhao Eunuch fears that the Emperor’s current “net” is another version of the scheme that destroyed the Crown Prince.
• Mortality and legacy: The Emperor worries about how he will be judged by the Founding Ancestor and by future generations.

Character Interactions

• The Emperor and Qian Wei: Their conversation is intimate but politically charged. The Emperor seeks reassurance and recruits Qian Wei as a potential defender of his legacy; Qian Wei responds with an oath of absolute loyalty.
• Qian Wei and Zhao Eunuch: Zhao Eunuch silently evaluates Qian Wei and recognizes his uncompromising righteousness.
• The Emperor and Zhao Eunuch: Although the Emperor does not openly explain his plan, Zhao Eunuch overhears enough to infer that a major conspiracy is underway.
• The Emperor and Meng Lin: The Emperor speaks of seeing the Founding Ancestor and his determination to proceed, using Meng Lin as the apparent listener while revealing his inner conflict.
• Zhao Eunuch and the memory of Xu Zhong: Zhao Eunuch privately compares his position with Xu Zhong’s disappearance, realizing that palace loyalty offers little protection when one becomes a liability.

Jian Qu and Wen Xunpeng recruited Zhou Licheng and Liang Yuyin to publish the Imperial Grandson’s writings and a tale recounting his rise. Liang concluded that the collection would reinforce the Imperial Grandson’s dynastic legitimacy, and both men agreed to help.

• Jian Qu asked Zhou Licheng to publish a collection of the Imperial Grandson’s poems and essays, and Zhou agreed after reviewing the manuscripts.
• Wen Xunpeng gave Liang Yuyin a manuscript recounting the Imperial Grandson’s life and asked him to help publish it.
• Liang read the story of the Imperial Grandson’s rise and considered seeking posthumous honors for his foster fathers.
• Liang inferred that the tale was meant to affirm the Imperial Grandson’s origins and legitimate claim to the throne.
• Liang agreed to help Wen publish the manuscript.

As fireworks marked the end of Su Ziji’s investiture celebrations, he and Daoist Master Hui Dao sensed an ominous portent, while Su Ziji ordered Bianxuan kept under house arrest and rewarded despite his offense. After hearing reports from Jian Qu and Wen Xunpeng, Su Ziji focused on using the Imperial Academy’s teachings and his divine ability to win the people’s support before the emperor denied him time to grow influential.

• Hui Dao warned Su Ziji that the fireworks felt like an ill omen, and Su Ziji privately admitted he had sensed a vast net closing over the Crown Grandson’s Residence.
• The Wild Daoist asked how to deal with Bianxuan, and Su Ziji ordered him confined while preserving his provisions and granting him the reward for his merit.
• Jian Qu reported that Zhou Licheng would lead the publication of the collection, and Wen Xunpeng reported Liang Yuyin’s response.
• Su Ziji listened as his followers discussed how he should conduct himself in the imperial court, but he reflected that winning popular support was his most urgent task.

Chapter Summary: Green Hill Lord

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji directs Jian Qu and Wen Xunpeng to publish and distribute a collection of stories widely, ensuring it reaches common people, scholars, officials, examination candidates, and even the Imperial Feather Guards. This unusual order suggests he is pursuing a hidden political or strategic objective.
• He then uses the celebration of his elevation as Imperial Grandson to reward his supporters and formalize the structure of his household:
  • Lu Fengyun is appointed a Subordinate Seventh Rank Registrar.
  • Jian Qu is officially placed in charge of food, drink, rites, and music.
  • Wen Xunpeng is appointed to oversee finance.
  • Cen Rubai is made commander of the three hundred guards protecting the residence.
• These appointments give several former retainers, strategists, or martial figures legitimate official status and strengthen Su Ziji’s institutional and military base.
• While Su Ziji is conferring offices, Little Fox experiences a supernatural reaction. The half of the Rosewood Pendant she carries activates and reveals a mysterious vision.
• Through the pendant, Little Fox is transported—or spiritually connected—to a scene from the past. She finds herself in human form, dressed in ceremonial robes, leading a group of foxes in kneeling before an imperial decree.
• The decree invests her as the Green Hill Lord, granting the foxes a territory extending one hundred li in every direction. Little Fox realizes she is witnessing the historic moment when the Green Hill Foxes were elevated to noble status under the previous dynasty.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji demonstrates patience, foresight, and political authority. His insistence on distributing the stories to influential groups, especially the Imperial Feather Guards, reveals that he is planning something beyond simple publication.
• He also shows loyalty toward his followers by giving them official positions and a recognized place within the court system. His actions transform them from informal retainers or commoners into legitimate officials.
• Lu Fengyun, formerly associated with the martial world or a prince’s residence, gains official rank and becomes formally tied to Su Ziji.
• Jian Qu and Wen Xunpeng are deeply moved by their appointments. Wen Xunpeng in particular feels that his transition from an unofficial strategist to a recognized official changes his entire social standing.
• Cen Rubai accepts responsibility for the residence’s security, while implicitly understanding that Zeng Nianzhen has been assigned a more secret mission.
• Little Fox undergoes the most significant revelation. Her connection to the Rosewood Pendant exposes her ancestral history and suggests that she may be directly linked to the Green Hill Foxes’ former nobility.

Significant Themes

• Political consolidation and legitimacy: Su Ziji strengthens his position not merely through influence but by building an organized household with official appointments, finances, administration, and security.
• The value of official status: The chapter emphasizes that talent and loyalty are not enough in the imperial system; a recognized official origin determines whether someone can truly rise or remains vulnerable.
• Hidden strategies and political messaging: The widespread publication of the stories appears to be a covert maneuver aimed at shaping public opinion or reaching powerful institutions.
• Ancestry and lost glory: Little Fox’s vision connects the present to the glorious past of the Green Hill Foxes, introducing the theme of a fallen lineage and the possibility of its restoration.
• The relationship between humans, demons, and imperial authority: The historical investiture of the foxes shows that supernatural beings once possessed recognized political status within the imperial and Dragon Court order.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji guides the meeting and directs Jian Qu and Wen Xunpeng, revealing both his authority and his trust in their abilities.
• The gathered retainers gradually recognize that his publishing order has a deeper purpose, while Wild Daoist and Hui Dao independently sense that something unusual is occurring.
• Su Ziji publicly rewards his followers, and each man responds with solemn loyalty, reinforcing the bond between lord and retainers.
• Little Fox remains physically in Su Ziji’s arms during the appointments, unintentionally sharing in the symbolic authority of the occasion. Her discomfort turns into stillness when the Rosewood Pendant activates.
• In the vision, Little Fox occupies a position of leadership over the foxes, kneeling first before the imperial decree and revealing that she may inherit the Green Hill Foxes’ ancient status.

Chapter Summary: “Revival”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Little Fox is drawn into a supernatural reenactment of the Green Hill Ceremony, the ancient ritual in which the Wei Dynasty enfeoffed her as the Green Hill Fox. She can only observe and follow the events as they unfold.
• After the imperial decree is handed to her, the officiating figure disappears, leaving behind a highly detailed proclamation bearing both the Seal of Imperial Proclamations and the seal of the Master of Jin Yuan.
• Little Fox notices that the former imperial seal has dimmed, while the Master of Jin Yuan’s seal remains vivid, suggesting that the ceremony may have significance beyond a simple historical memory.
• She discovers that her Primordial Spirit is wearing the full ceremonial robes and crown of a lord. This is normally possible only after formal enfeoffment, leading her to wonder whether she has genuinely been restored as the Green Hill Lord, despite the destruction of the former dynasty and its Heaven’s Mandate.
• She returns briefly to reality, where she is lying in the Imperial Grandson’s arms. Pretending that the matter has nothing to do with her, she settles more comfortably against him.
• The setting shifts to a banquet in the Dragon Palace at Coiling Dragon Lake, hosted by the Young Dragon for a gathering of regional water gods and Demon Gods.
• The banquet reveals a divided Divine Path:
  • Human-aligned water gods remain polite but distant.
  • Some Water Tribe Demon Gods support the Young Dragon’s claim to become Dragon Lord.
  • Others resent her and view her as a threat.
• The Spring Willow River water god privately expresses deep hatred for the Demon Gods and fear of the Young Dragon’s potential. When the Young Dragon senses his malice, he uses a golden Sanskrit-inscribed leaf to conceal his thoughts and presence.
• A sudden burst of overwhelming dragon pressure erupts from the Young Dragon. A massive dragon phantom appears behind her, forcing the assembled water gods to kneel.
• The Shell Maiden witnesses the scene and realizes that the event may signify the revival of the True Dragon line.

Character Developments

• Little Fox becomes increasingly aware that the Green Hill enfeoffment may be more than a memory. Her Primordial Spirit’s ceremonial clothing suggests that the ancient title has been truly restored, possibly through an unknown connection to the Imperial Grandson or the surviving imperial authority.
• She remains outwardly playful and evasive, hiding her shock behind jokes and pretending to be merely a food-loving fox. However, inwardly she is deeply shaken by the possibility that she has regained divine legitimacy.
• The Young Dragon is shown to be young, impulsive, and somewhat blunt—she believes reluctant subjects can simply be forced into submission—but she is also powerful enough to command the entire gathering through the aura of a True Dragon.
• The Spring Willow River water god is characterized as a former human official elevated after death. Though loyal to humanity and hostile toward demons, he is weaker than the Water Tribe Demon Gods and becomes frightened when the Young Dragon detects his hostility.
• The Shell Maiden shifts from serving as a performer to becoming an astonished witness to a potentially world-changing event.

Significant Themes

• Revival and restoration: Both Little Fox’s Green Hill title and the Young Dragon’s dragon lineage suggest that powers thought to have vanished may be returning.
• The legitimacy of authority: The chapter questions whether old imperial seals, noble titles, and divine mandates can survive the fall of the dynasties that created them.
• Memory versus reality: Little Fox initially believes she is only reliving a past scene, but physical evidence within the vision suggests that the past may be actively reasserting itself in the present.
• Human and demon tensions: The banquet exposes longstanding prejudice and political division between human-aligned gods and Demon Gods, especially over who deserves authority within the Divine Path.
• Latent power: The Young Dragon’s accidental manifestation of the dragon phantom reveals that her true strength and status may be far greater than she understands.

Character Interactions

• Little Fox interacts indirectly with the ancient imperial authority during the Green Hill Ceremony and later physically relies on the Imperial Grandson, whose embrace provides a contrast to her inner turmoil.
• The Young Dragon hosts the water gods in an attempt to win or compel their allegiance, though many remain skeptical of her succession.
• The Spring Willow River water god silently judges and resents the Demon Gods, while the Young Dragon senses his malice, creating a tense, unspoken confrontation.
• The sudden appearance of the dragon phantom overwhelms everyone at the banquet, forcing even hostile or doubtful water gods to kneel before the Young Dragon.
• The Shell Maiden’s shocked reaction frames the event as an apparent turning point: the possible revival of the Dragon Lord and the True Dragon’s authority.

Zhou Licheng asked Liu Zhan to examine his changed daughter, Zhou Yao, whose transformation and calm demeanor left the Daoist unable to see through her, though he sensed auspicious phoenix aura. At the Crown Grandson's Residence, Su Ziji told Zeng Nianzhen to keep secretly building a loyal force while publicly recruiting martial arts masters and retainers to conceal his plans.

• Zhou Licheng brought Liu Zhan to the Zhou Residence and asked him to assess Zhou Yao after her unexplained disappearance and striking transformation.
• Zhou Yao recognized Su Ziji's poems and essays, accepted the manuscripts from her father, and left the study with composed indifference.
• Liu Zhan told Zhou Licheng he could not see through Zhou Yao and sensed auspicious phoenix aura surrounding her.
• Su Ziji noticed that his unease had eased, then asked Zeng Nianzhen how many men he could recruit and train within a year.
• Zeng Nianzhen pledged to continue secretly training soldiers overseas and to publicly recruit martial arts masters and retainers as a cover.

Chapter Summary: “Gathering Ships into Soldiers”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji travels from the Crown Grandson’s Residence to the Imperial Palace in the Imperial Grandson’s official golden carriage, deliberately maintaining a modest retinue rather than displaying excessive pomp.
• At the palace gates, Eunuch Chen Xu greets him warmly on the Emperor’s orders and offers him an eight-man sedan chair—an honor normally reserved for the highest members of the imperial family.
• As Su Ziji is carried through the palace, the chapter explains the dynasty’s policy of restricting sedan chairs. The policy encourages households to raise oxen and horses, strengthening agriculture and ensuring military resources during mobilization.
• Su Ziji arrives at the front court and is admitted directly into the Emperor’s presence. The Emperor orders him to sit and listen to an ongoing discussion among the ruler, Grand Secretaries, and Tiger Guard Commander Sun Linzhao.
• The officials debate whether grain transportation should rely more heavily on maritime routes rather than the increasingly expensive and inefficient canal system.
• Cui Zhaoqian outlines the dangers of sea transport: storms, losses concealed by corrupt shipowners, smuggling, and the possibility that organized merchants could become pirates.
• Su Ziji recognizes the deeper military danger: ships gathered for commercial transport could easily be converted into a naval force. He remains silent, choosing to observe rather than reveal his understanding.
• Sun Linzhao studies Su Ziji’s restrained behavior, wondering whether his silence reflects wisdom and caution or a lack of ambition.

2. Character Developments

• Su Ziji demonstrates political maturity and self-control. Though he feels pride at his elevated status, he keeps his expression and behavior composed, understanding that any mistake could endanger him.
• He continues his strategy of maintaining courtesy without excessive submission, treating Eunuch Chen kindly because palace relationships may become useful later.
• Su Ziji shows strategic intelligence by immediately recognizing that maritime grain transport has implications beyond economics and could create a military fleet.
• Eunuch Chen Xu is introduced as a pleasant, capable palace attendant who flatters Su Ziji and carefully fulfills the Emperor’s instructions.
• The Emperor appears pleased with Su Ziji and gives him unusual access and respect, suggesting that he favors or is testing him.
• Sun Linzhao, despite being a reputedly fierce general, is revealed to be observant and thoughtful. He begins forming an assessment of Su Ziji while remaining cautious about interfering in matters concerning the Imperial Grandson.
• The Grand Secretaries behave with practiced political caution, avoiding any obvious reaction to Su Ziji’s presence.

3. Significant Themes

• Power and public image: Su Ziji must accept the ceremonial privileges of his rank without appearing vain or careless.
• Political caution and observation: Silence can be a strategic choice. Su Ziji gains information by listening rather than rushing to display his knowledge.
• Economic policy and national strength: The discussion of oxen, horses, canals, and maritime transport shows how logistical decisions affect agriculture, military preparedness, and state power.
• The dual-use nature of technology and commerce: Ships intended for grain transport can become instruments of war, making economic reform a potential security threat.
• Hidden dangers behind prosperity: Sea transport promises efficiency but also creates opportunities for corruption, smuggling, piracy, and rebellion.
• The burden of status: Su Ziji’s new position brings honor but also intense scrutiny from the Emperor, officials, and military leaders.

4. Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Eunuch Chen interact with mutual courtesy: Chen flatters and serves him, while Su Ziji responds warmly but remains politically alert.
• The Emperor publicly welcomes Su Ziji and grants him a prominent place in the court discussion, signaling his interest in the young Imperial Grandson.
• Su Ziji observes the Emperor, the Grand Secretaries, Cui Zhaoqian, and Sun Linzhao without speaking, carefully judging the political atmosphere.
• Cui Zhaoqian presents the practical objections to maritime transport, while Su Ziji silently recognizes the larger military consequences.
• Sun Linzhao watches Su Ziji closely and begins questioning his personality, ambition, and true capabilities.

The emperor recalled Luo Pei to the capital, arranged grand celebrations for Su Ziji’s investiture, and appointed Luo Pei chief examiner for the spring examinations. After leaving court, Su Ziji disguised himself to visit Mao’er Lane and told Wild Daoist that he believed the emperor intended to harm him.

• Qian Wei asked whether Luo Pei should return from the Southwestern Province, and the emperor ordered Luo Pei to return as Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince.
• The emperor declared that Su Ziji’s investiture would receive grand New Year celebrations and tasked Tan Ping and Sun Linzhao with maintaining public order in the capital.
• The emperor named Luo Pei chief examiner for the spring examinations, then set one examination question; Zhao Xu and Xie Zhi supplied two more, and Su Ziji wrote them out for the emperor to seal.
• The emperor warned the ministers not to leak the examination questions and dismissed them when he grew tired.
• Su Ziji left the palace in an ox carriage, changed into a scholar’s clothes, and headed for Mao’er Lane in Nanluo Hutong.
• Su Ziji told Wild Daoist that the emperor’s reception had left him feeling endangered, then declared that the emperor wanted to harm him.

Chapter Summary: “Who Is Deceived, Only the Loyal”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji and the Wild Daoist discuss the Emperor’s warning about the upcoming Spring Examination. They conclude that the warning is likely a trap intended to implicate Su Ziji in leaked examination questions.
• If the questions were leaked, the blame would likely fall on Su Ziji, since the successful candidates could become his political supporters. The scandal would destroy his reputation, alienate the scholars and populace, and give the Emperor grounds to depose or weaken him.
• Su Ziji believes the Emperor may not intend to remove him immediately, but rather to damage his reputation and isolate him politically. The chief examiner, Luo Pei, would probably be executed as a scapegoat for supporting Su Ziji.
• The Emperor’s strategy would therefore achieve several goals: harm Su Ziji’s virtue and public standing, eliminate Luo Pei, and frighten other officials away from joining Su Ziji’s faction.
• Su Ziji reflects that loyalty itself can make people vulnerable. Loyal officials tend to interpret the Emperor’s actions charitably, allowing themselves to be deceived; those without loyalty are more likely to recognize danger immediately.
• He insists that, although he understands the Emperor’s ruthlessness, he will not abandon his own principles or become equally calculating. His conduct reflects the virtue of a junzi—someone who remains humane and morally restrained despite understanding political cruelty.
• The Wild Daoist asks what evidence might be used against Su Ziji. He suspects that Su Ziji’s old companions, Yu Lü and Fang Xi, may be framed for examination fraud.
• Su Ziji and the Wild Daoist arrive at Mao’er Lane, where they unexpectedly see Yu Lü and Fang Xi outside a bookstore.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Demonstrates exceptional political insight, recognizing that the Emperor’s warning is a calculated attempt to undermine him. Despite his awareness of betrayal and manipulation, he remains committed to compassion, restraint, and moral conduct. His power rests not only on bloodline but also on his reputation for virtue and public trust.
• The Wild Daoist: Initially shocked by the Emperor’s scheme, he comes to understand Su Ziji’s deeper philosophy of loyalty and deception. His respect and emotional loyalty toward Su Ziji deepen as he recalls Su Ziji’s past mercy toward former retainers and servants.
• The Emperor: Is portrayed as suspicious, calculating, and ruthless. He uses indirect political schemes rather than openly confronting Su Ziji, aiming to weaken him while preserving plausible justification.
• Luo Pei: Though not present, he becomes an example of the danger faced by officials who support Su Ziji. His accomplishments offer him no protection from political punishment.
• Yu Lü and Fang Xi: Their sudden appearance establishes them as possible targets of the Emperor’s plot and creates suspense about whether they will be framed.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty as vulnerability: The chapter’s central idea is that loyal people are the easiest to deceive because they instinctively interpret authority in the best possible light.
• Political virtue and legitimacy: Su Ziji’s position depends not only on imperial blood but on maintaining the people’s trust and moral legitimacy. A single scandal could destroy his claim to rule.
• The cruelty of imperial politics: The Emperor is willing to sacrifice loyal and accomplished officials, such as Luo Pei, to weaken a potential rival.
• Moral restraint amid corruption: Su Ziji understands treachery but refuses to adopt it as his own way of life. His willingness to preserve mercy and “the final margin of sentiment” distinguishes him from the Emperor.
• Trust versus suspicion: The chapter contrasts loyal trust, which can invite deception, with suspicion, which offers protection but may also lead to cynicism and treachery.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and the Wild Daoist engage in a strategic conversation that gradually becomes a philosophical discussion about loyalty, trust, and virtue.
• Su Ziji reassures the Wild Daoist that his failure to trust the Emperor is not a personal weakness but an unavoidable consequence of their political position.
• The Wild Daoist’s memories of Su Ziji’s mercy toward former retainers reinforce his admiration and emotional commitment.
• Their discussion ends with the unexpected sight of Yu Lü and Fang Xi, suggesting that the political danger they have been analyzing may soon involve Su Ziji’s closest friends.

Su Ziji visited a bookshop and learned how Sun’s mistress had built a successful business serving examination candidates. While exploring the shop, he overheard scholars debate his poetry and saw that his published collection had already influenced how they judged him.

• Su Ziji recognized Cui’er and learned that Sun’s mistress had opened a cloth shop and a profitable laundry service for Provincial Graduates.
• Su Ziji explored the bookshop’s garden, reading areas, and tea stalls, then asked the Wild Daoist to investigate its proprietor.
• Su Ziji overheard Zhang Modong compare his poetry unfavorably with Qin Fengyu’s, while another scholar defended Su Ziji’s talent and background.
• The defending scholar angrily ended his conversation with Zhang Modong, and Su Ziji concluded that his poetry collection was successfully shaping scholars’ opinions.

Su Ziji instructed Yu Lü and Fang Xi to monitor examination candidates, Qin Fengyu, Zhang Modong, and anyone selling exam questions, while Zhou Yao investigated his unusual essence and the influence of his story in the Capital Gazette. At Princess Xinping’s residence, Consort Wu urged her to reconnect with the Imperial Grandson, but Xinping decided to return to the Daoist temple before being interrupted by news that Zhou Yao had come to see her.

• Su Ziji told Yu Lü and Fang Xi to watch reactions to his writings, monitor Qin Fengyu and Zhang Modong, and report anyone offering examination questions; he then sent Little Fox to follow them and collect messages.
• Zhou Yao watched Su Ziji leave and wondered whether he possessed the supernatural ability that had helped Emperor Shizu of Great Wei rise to power.
• Liang Yuyin learned that the Capital Gazette had sold over six thousand three hundred additional copies because of its coverage of the Imperial Grandson, and Zhou Yao read the newspaper and considered its possible supernatural influence.
• Consort Wu visited Princess Xinping and urged her to leave her confinement, meet old friends, and consider her future, hinting that she should spend time with the Imperial Grandson.
• Princess Xinping resented her mother’s changing advice and ordered a carriage to take her back to the Daoist temple, but a maid announced that Miss Zhou had requested an audience.

Chapter Summary: “Eye Twitching”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Yao visits Princess Xinping after being absent for more than half a year.
• Xinping, whose residence has noticeably declined in status and quality, allows Zhou Yao to meet her privately.
• Zhou Yao’s transformed appearance shocks Xinping. Although her facial features have changed little, her beauty, poise, and mysterious elegance have improved dramatically.
• Xinping reveals that her mother, Consort Wu, recently left the palace in disguise to persuade her to reconnect with the Imperial Grandson, formerly Prince Dai.
• Xinping is bitter because Consort Wu once opposed her relationship with Prince Dai, but now supports it because Prince Dai has become the Imperial Grandson and the emperor’s health is failing.
• Xinping complains that her own treatment has deteriorated: her residence receives inferior water, stale tea, and potentially lower-quality provisions, despite her still being a princess.
• Zhou Yao explains that Consort Wu is trying to secure protection and influence for herself and Xinping before the emperor dies. She argues that affection alone cannot guarantee a person’s future position; merit, usefulness, and political value are also necessary.
• Zhou Yao compares the imperial harem and royal households to rural families, where resources are distributed according to practical contribution. She maintains that unequal treatment is often tied to survival and productivity rather than simple fairness.
• She encourages Xinping to cooperate with Consort Wu, use her former friendship with the Imperial Grandson, and establish merit in the coming dynasty.
• Xinping begins to reconsider her resistance and recognizes that she cannot rely forever on her father’s affection or on relationships with future brothers and nephews.
• After Zhou Yao leaves, Xinping summons Shi Hua and asks about her elder sister, an Eighth Rank female official in the palace, implying that she is preparing to take practical action.
• Shi Hua senses trouble, symbolized by her nervous “eye twitching.”

Character Developments

• Princess Xinping: Moves from resentment and emotional hurt toward political awareness. She realizes that her privileged treatment depends largely on her father’s favor and may disappear after his death. By the end, she appears ready to build influence and seek useful connections.
• Zhou Yao: Has undergone a striking transformation in beauty, demeanor, and sophistication. She is calm, persuasive, and politically perceptive. Her conversation suggests past emotional attachment and loss, particularly when she recalls the person who taught her these ideas.
• Consort Wu: Although absent from the scene, she is shown as pragmatic and anxious about the future. Her change in attitude toward the Imperial Grandson reflects both maternal concern and political self-preservation.
• The Imperial Grandson: His rise from Prince Dai to heir apparent has altered how others view him, including Consort Wu and Xinping. His past loyalty and friendship with Xinping may still provide her with political leverage.
• Shi Hua: Remains obedient but becomes uneasy when Xinping asks about her sister, sensing that the princess may involve her in a significant plan.

Significant Themes

• Affection versus merit: Personal love and loyalty provide warmth but cannot replace practical achievement or political usefulness.
• The insecurity of women’s status: Women’s positions depend heavily on male relatives, marriage, childbirth, family favor, and political circumstances.
• Changing fortunes in the palace: Privilege can vanish gradually through reduced supplies, neglect, and loss of influence.
• Political pragmatism: Survival requires adapting to changing power structures instead of clinging to past grievances or ideals.
• Unequal distribution and social function: The chapter examines whether unequal treatment can be justified when resources and rewards are tied to labor, contribution, or political value.
• The coming dynastic transition: The emperor’s declining health creates uncertainty, making alliances and usefulness increasingly important.

Important Character Interactions

• Xinping and Zhou Yao: Their reunion begins with mutual admiration but becomes a serious political conversation. Zhou Yao gently challenges Xinping’s emotional resistance and persuades her to think strategically.
• Xinping and Consort Wu: Though Consort Wu never appears, Xinping’s anger reveals a strained mother-daughter relationship. Xinping feels her mother is sacrificing her emotionally for political security, while Zhou Yao reframes Consort Wu’s actions as both self-protection and maternal concern.
• Zhou Yao and the Imperial Grandson: Their past conversations shape Zhou Yao’s worldview, and her recollections carry traces of admiration and unresolved melancholy.
• Xinping and Shi Hua: Xinping’s final question indicates that she is beginning to investigate palace connections and possibly prepare a new strategy for securing her future.