Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Zhang Dai Is Dismissed from Office”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Fang Xi proposes investigating the Seven Granaries secretly, arguing that an open investigation would alert corrupt officials and allow them to conceal evidence.
• Wen Xunpeng sharply dismisses the idea of the Imperial Grandson traveling incognito, comparing it to unrealistic stage-play stories. Yu Lü becomes angry at Wen’s criticism, but eventually suggests that he and Fang Xi investigate discreetly while Su Ziji travels openly.
• Su Ziji agrees that a preliminary investigation may be useful but warns that the officials involved have likely prepared defenses. He insists that the original granary records held by the Ministry of Revenue must be obtained first, since they would provide authoritative evidence and legitimate grounds for action.
• After arriving near the inn, Su Ziji privately orders Wild Daoist to acquire the Ministry of Revenue’s original archives and immediately obtain Zhang Dai’s personnel file from the Ministry of Personnel.
• The group returns to the Crown Grandson’s Residence and gathers in the flower hall to examine Zhang Dai’s private dossier. They discover that the residence already possesses a rough intelligence file on him, demonstrating the growing effectiveness of Su Ziji’s network.
• Zhang Dai is revealed to be the true deputy imperial commissioner for the investigation, while Yu Lü and Fang Xi are mainly entourage officials with investigative authority granted by imperial decree.
• The dossier and Jian Qu’s account establish Zhang Dai’s reputation as an uncompromising, incorruptible official. As a young special envoy, he impeached all five of his senior colleagues for accepting bribes, despite being the lowest-ranking member of the group.
• Although the other officials merely lost their stipends, Zhang Dai was later impeached for mishandling a matter and dismissed from office—the first of several punishments.
• Zhang Dai was eventually dismissed twice and imprisoned once. His second dismissal occurred after he opened government granaries to distribute relief grain during a disaster without first obtaining an imperial decree, shocking everyone present.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji demonstrates caution, strategic planning, and growing authority. Rather than rushing into an investigation, he seeks documentary evidence and prepares to use Zhang Dai’s history and official records to strengthen his case.
• Wild Daoist and Wen Xunpeng show that they understand Su Ziji’s intentions and are capable of anticipating his plans. Their discussion also reveals that Su’s organization has developed a reliable intelligence-gathering system.
• Fang Xi displays initiative and idealism by proposing a covert investigation, though his plan is somewhat naïve. He is eager to act against corruption but has not yet fully grasped the political dangers involved.
• Wen Xunpeng is blunt, skeptical, and politically realistic. His criticism of Fang Xi creates tension but emphasizes the difference between youthful enthusiasm and seasoned official judgment.
• Yu Lü is easily provoked by Wen’s sharp remarks but remains practical and willing to adjust his proposal.
• Zhang Dai, though absent, emerges as a formidable and morally rigid figure whose integrity and boldness have repeatedly brought him into conflict with the bureaucracy.

Significant Themes

• Idealism versus political realism: Fang Xi’s romantic notion of undercover investigation contrasts with Wen Xunpeng’s practical understanding of bureaucratic danger.
• Evidence and legitimate authority: Su Ziji emphasizes that action must be supported by official records and proper procedure, not merely suspicion.
• Integrity versus institutional obedience: Zhang Dai’s willingness to impeach corrupt superiors and open granaries without authorization presents personal moral duty as potentially opposed to bureaucratic rules.
• The costs of incorruptibility: Zhang Dai’s honesty earns him a reputation but also leads to repeated dismissal and imprisonment.
• The growth of political power: Su Ziji’s expanding intelligence network and ability to obtain hidden files show that his residence is becoming a serious political force.

Character Interactions

• Su Ziji calmly moderates the disagreement between Fang Xi, Yu Lü, and Wen Xunpeng, acknowledging the value in Fang Xi’s proposal while stressing caution.
• Wen Xunpeng’s sarcasm provokes Yu Lü, creating friction between the younger officials and the more experienced court insider.
• Wild Daoist and Wen Xunpeng silently recognize Su Ziji’s deeper intentions and support his strategy.
• In the flower hall, the group collectively studies Zhang Dai’s dossier, with Jian Qu providing historical context and the others reacting with admiration and alarm.
• The revelation that Zhang Dai once opened the granaries without imperial permission unites the group in shock and establishes him as an unusually bold—and potentially dangerous—ally for the investigation.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Jian Qu explains Zhang Dai’s history to Wen Xunpeng, Su Ziji, and the others. Zhang Dai was once imprisoned for opening a granary without imperial authorization during a famine, then dismissed again after clashing with colleagues. He remained unemployed for seven years before being reinstated.
• Despite his poor political relationships and lack of influential patrons, Zhang Dai gained a reputation for incorruptibility. He rejected recruitment by Prince Qi and Prince Shu, returned gifts from friends and relatives, took no public funds, and even repaid a minor overpayment in his salary.
• Jian Qu argues that Zhang Dai’s uprightness and loyalty could strengthen Su Ziji’s investigative mission as deputy commissioner for the Seven Granaries case.
• Wen Xunpeng strongly disagrees. He reveals that Zhang Dai’s judicial decisions were not based on law or truth but on automatically favoring whichever party seemed socially weaker. This encouraged false accusations, disorder, and abuses of power, eventually leading to Zhang Dai’s dismissal.
• Wen further argues that Zhang Dai’s spotless reputation is his only real source of influence. Although he is personally incorruptible, he has produced no meaningful administrative achievements and cannot serve as a dependable pillar of the state.
• The discussion shifts when Wen questions why the emperor suddenly recalled Zhang Dai from a distant investigation and appointed him to Su Ziji’s mission, especially after the emperor had already shown hostility toward Su during the Imperial Examination Case.
• Jian Qu initially suspects Zhang Dai may be an imperial agent sent to frame Su Ziji, but Wen clarifies that the danger is more sophisticated: Zhang Dai is not necessarily knowingly working for the emperor, nor are Su’s friends Yu Lü and Fang Xi likely traitors.
• Wen identifies the emperor’s strategy as one of setting three forces into motion at once—the “three horses galloping side by side.” Their conflicting principles and actions will accelerate the investigation toward disaster, potentially destroying the entire group.

2. Character Developments

• Zhang Dai: Emerges as a deeply contradictory figure. He is courageous, incorruptible, and immune to political bribery, but also rigid, self-righteous, and incapable of applying law impartially. His integrity may be genuine, yet it functions as both a moral strength and a political shield.
• Wen Xunpeng: Demonstrates sharp political insight and skepticism. He distinguishes personal honesty from actual competence and recognizes the emperor’s broader strategic design rather than focusing only on Zhang Dai’s intentions.
• Jian Qu: Initially admires Zhang Dai’s purity and believes he could be useful to Su Ziji. Wen’s arguments force him to reconsider both Zhang Dai and the emperor’s motives, leaving him alarmed and uncertain.
• Su Ziji: Remains calm and observant, apparently recognizing the danger before the others do. His furrowed brow signals that Wen’s interpretation confirms his own suspicions.
• The Wild Daoist: Finally grasps the hidden pattern in the emperor’s arrangements after hearing Wen’s explanation, realizing that the apparent irregularities are part of a deliberate scheme.

3. Significant Themes

• Integrity versus usefulness: The chapter questions whether personal incorruptibility is enough to make someone a good official. Zhang Dai is morally clean but lacks judgment, flexibility, and practical accomplishments.
• Law versus moral absolutism: Zhang Dai’s instinct to favor the weaker party appears compassionate, yet his refusal to investigate facts undermines justice and creates social disorder.
• Reputation as political capital: Zhang Dai’s reputation for honesty protects him, but Wen suggests that reputation without achievement can become a self-serving façade.
• Imperial manipulation: The emperor does not need direct agents or obvious villains. By placing strong-willed, incompatible people together, he can cause them to destroy one another.
• The danger of rigid virtue: Zhang Dai’s uncompromising character makes him admirable in principle but dangerous in administration and easily exploitable within a larger political scheme.

4. Character Interactions

• Jian Qu and Wen Xunpeng: Their debate drives the chapter. Jian defends Zhang Dai’s loyalty and purity, while Wen attacks his biased governance and lack of practical achievement.
• Wen Xunpeng and Su Ziji: Wen looks to Su and realizes that his lord likely already understands the central danger. His analysis helps articulate the threat facing them.
• Jian Qu and Su Ziji: Jian’s confidence weakens when he notices Su’s concern over the emperor’s motives, making him reconsider his own assumptions.
• The group and the emperor: Although the emperor is absent, his influence dominates the conversation. His decision to combine Su Ziji, Zhang Dai, Yu Lü, and Fang Xi is presented as a calculated trap designed to make their differing loyalties and principles collide.

Chapter Summary: “Why Would I Need Evidence?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wild Daoist explains the Emperor’s strategy as a dangerous “three horses racing” scheme. The three horses are Zhang Dai, Fang Xi, and Yu Lü, all appointed to investigate the Capital City granaries alongside Su Ziji.
• Zhang Dai is described as uncompromising and reckless. If he uncovers corruption, he may pursue the matter so aggressively that he disrupts the grain supply or causes widespread executions.
• Fang Xi and Yu Lü are similarly young, zealous, and willing to act boldly. Together, the three investigators could create chaos, including a manufactured mutiny.
• Any resulting disorder would be blamed on Su Ziji, the chief envoy, allowing the Emperor to condemn him politically even if Su Ziji had no direct role in causing the crisis.
• Su Ziji recognizes that the Emperor is deliberately placing him in a situation where every possible response carries danger. He considers investigating the Emperor’s secret actions but rejects the idea, realizing that doing so could expose the Empress, Princess Xinping, and his other hidden allies.
• Instead, Su Ziji decides that he must seize the initiative rather than continue reacting to the Emperor’s moves. He concludes that, like the Emperor, he does not need conventional evidence to act.
• He orders the Foxes to monitor several princely residences in the capital and report any suspicious activity.
• He also sends money to two unnamed individuals through the Fox network, apparently to activate additional plans or contacts.
• In secret, he instructs Little Fox to find Zeng Nianzhen and tell him to mobilize all available soldiers toward Zhili and the Capital City in separate groups, while ensuring that the movement remains concealed.
• The chapter ends during a thunderstorm, with Su Ziji reassuring Little Fox that his destiny is in his own hands and hinting that he will eventually give her an answer or fulfill a promise.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Demonstrates a major shift from defensive calculation to decisive action. He recognizes that waiting for proof will leave him trapped by the Emperor’s larger political game, so he prepares for a direct and potentially violent confrontation. His confidence becomes more ruthless, reflected in his willingness to accept that “the wrong person” might be killed.
• Wen Xunpeng: Establishes himself as an exceptionally capable strategist. His analysis reveals the Emperor’s layered political trap, and Su Ziji openly acknowledges that his abilities surpass those of Lu Fengyun.
• Wild Daoist/Lu Fengyun: Experiences jealousy toward Wen Xunpeng but nevertheless contributes to the analysis. His pride in his own strategic ability is challenged by Wen Xunpeng’s sharper political understanding.
• Cen Rubai and Jian Qu: Both are stunned by the complexity of the scheme. Their reactions emphasize how far beyond ordinary political thinking Su Ziji and his advisers are operating.
• The Foxes: Their loyalty and usefulness to Su Ziji become more apparent. Big Fox handles surveillance and covert payments, while Little Fox is entrusted with a highly sensitive military message.
• Zeng Nianzhen: Though absent, he is shown to be an important military ally whose forces may become essential to Su Ziji’s response.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and layered schemes: The Emperor’s appointments are not intended simply to uncover corruption; they are designed to create a crisis that can be blamed on Su Ziji.
• Initiative versus passivity: Su Ziji realizes that trying to discover the Emperor’s intentions would keep him reacting. True initiative requires deciding what he himself can do and acting before the Emperor’s trap closes.
• Evidence versus power: The title reflects Su Ziji’s rejection of conventional proof. He recognizes that the Emperor can act through authority and suspicion alone, so relying on evidence would leave him at a disadvantage.
• Risk, morality, and ruthless leadership: Su Ziji accepts that pursuing his goals may result in killing the wrong person. The chapter presents this as the mindset of someone willing to enter a life-or-death struggle rather than remain bound by hesitation.
• Fate versus self-determination: The storm and Su Ziji’s final words reinforce the conflict between heavenly omens and human will. He insists that his fate is controlled by his own decisions, not by Heaven.

Important Character Interactions

• Wen Xunpeng respectfully asks Wild Daoist to explain the political situation, allowing him to demonstrate his insight while temporarily setting aside personal rivalry.
• Wild Daoist and Wen Xunpeng jointly analyze how the Emperor’s “three horses” could cause a grain crisis or rebellion.
• Su Ziji listens to their reasoning, validates Wen Xunpeng’s abilities, and privately extends the analysis to the Emperor’s deeper motives.
• Su Ziji dismisses his advisers after ordering them to devise possible responses, keeping his most sensitive plans secret.
• He then gives Big Fox surveillance and financial assignments before privately entrusting Little Fox with the military mobilization message for Zeng Nianzhen.
• His final reassurance to Little Fox shows both his authority and his protective concern, while also underscoring the gravity of the operation ahead.

Xie Hongdao investigated scholars’ opinions of the Imperial Grandson at Four Seasons Fresh, then went to a noodle shop to listen to ordinary townsfolk. He saw the Imperial Grandson’s unusual procession pass and wondered whether something had happened.

• Xie Hongdao listened to provincial graduates discuss the Imperial Grandson and recorded their views, finding that most of the 107 people he had surveyed spoke favorably of him.
• Xie Hongdao left Four Seasons Fresh and went to a busy noodle shop to investigate ordinary townsfolk’s opinions.
• Xie Hongdao heard the Imperial Grandson’s procession being announced and saw its guards, banners, carriage, servants, and maids pass by.
• Xie Hongdao noticed something unusual about the procession and wondered whether something had happened.

Chapter Summary: “The Name of the Urgent Dispatch”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Imperial Grandson leaves the capital in an extraordinarily elaborate procession, accompanied by elite guards, ceremonial banners, musicians, servants, and widespread public homage.
• Xie Hongdao watches from a distance and becomes suspicious of the procession’s excessive scale and the sudden enthusiasm surrounding the Imperial Grandson.
• Commoners praise the Imperial Grandson as a talented scholar, compassionate heir, and defender of honest provincial graduates. They credit him with exposing imperial examination fraud and speculate that he is traveling to investigate corruption in the granaries.
• Xie notices that the public praise seems unusually widespread and coordinated, especially since the Imperial Grandson has only recently gained prominence.
• A middle-aged grain-shop owner, Shopkeeper Zhang, voices skepticism about the young Imperial Grandson’s ability to resolve the granary abuses. His unease and possible connection to the grain trade draw Xie’s attention.
• Xie tests whether the Imperial Grandson’s popularity is being artificially manipulated through magic or influence. Using a minor spell, he investigates a poor young scholar who genuinely admires the Imperial Grandson and finds no evidence of magical control.
• The scholar praises the Imperial Grandson’s loyalty to friends, particularly his efforts to encourage Fang Xi and Yu Lü through a written Book of Documents.
• Unable to explain the Imperial Grandson’s sudden and overwhelming popularity, Xie grows increasingly troubled and leaves the area.
• In Liu Garden, Xie deliberately—or apparently deliberately—drops a letter. A plain-looking youth follows, retrieves it, and secretly places it in his sleeve, suggesting that Xie is initiating contact with an intelligence network or testing whether he is being watched.

Character Developments

• Xie Hongdao: Becomes increasingly wary and analytical. Though proud that the Imperial Grandson is admired, he suspects the sudden acclaim may be a political trap or the result of hidden manipulation. His actions reveal his experience as an intelligence gatherer: he investigates public opinion, tests for magical influence, identifies suspicious figures, and uses a dropped letter to communicate covertly.
• The Imperial Grandson: Although he never appears directly, he is portrayed as an unusually popular and benevolent political figure. His reputation rests on literary talent, concern for ordinary people, opposition to examination fraud, and loyalty to friends.
• Shopkeeper Zhang: Emerges as a potentially suspicious figure because of his skepticism toward the Imperial Grandson and his involvement in the grain business, which may connect him to the granary abuses.
• The young scholar: Provides evidence that at least some admiration for the Imperial Grandson is genuine rather than magically imposed. His praise emphasizes the Imperial Grandson’s personal kindness and support for struggling scholars.
• The plain-looking youth: Appears to be part of a covert network. By retrieving Xie’s letter, he responds to Xie’s apparent signal without any direct conversation.

Significant Themes

• Public opinion and political legitimacy: The chapter explores how rulers gain popular support and whether public enthusiasm is spontaneous, manufactured, or politically engineered.
• Appearance versus reality: The Imperial Grandson’s grand procession and glowing reputation may indicate genuine virtue, propaganda, or an attempt to set him up for failure.
• Surveillance and hidden power: Xie constantly evaluates who is watching, who is speaking sincerely, and who may be connected to corruption or political schemes.
• Trust and loyalty: The Imperial Grandson’s treatment of friends and scholars contributes strongly to his reputation, while Xie’s own loyalty makes him both pleased by the praise and anxious about possible danger.
• Reputation as a weapon: Excessive praise may strengthen the Imperial Grandson—or create expectations and vulnerabilities that enemies can exploit.

Character Interactions

• The public collectively praises the Imperial Grandson, while Shopkeeper Zhang challenges the prevailing enthusiasm.
• Xie silently observes Zhang and later tests the sincerity of a young scholar who has praised the Imperial Grandson.
• The young scholar discusses the Imperial Grandson’s friendship with Yu Lü and Fang Xi, highlighting the ruler’s personal generosity.
• Xie communicates indirectly with the plain-looking youth by dropping a letter, establishing a covert exchange without openly acknowledging their relationship.

Chapter Summary — The Imperial Gate Guard

Key Plot Points and Events

• In April, the Imperial Grandson’s fleet travels slowly along the newly repaired canal. The procession consists of thirteen ships: three central warships and ten escort vessels filled with heavily armed soldiers.
• The unusually large military escort and the fleet’s slow progress make the officials accompanying the journey uneasy. The Imperial Grandson is traveling to inspect granaries shortly after a major imperial examination corruption scandal, suggesting that the mission may have political implications.
• On a rear ship, young official Jiang Shen discusses the situation with Cao Zhi, a senior Fifth-Rank official and fellow disciple of their mentor. They note that two investigators, Fang Xi and Yu Lü, were sent ahead under the supposed guise of a secret inspection.
• Cao Zhi points out that their movements and destination are already common knowledge, implying that the “secret investigation” is deliberately publicized or manipulated. He warns Jiang Shen that investigating the scandal may be dangerous and advises both of them to focus only on ceremonial duties and avoid involvement in political affairs.
• Meanwhile, an unidentified gray-clad messenger secretly swims beneath the fleet and boards the central warship. He delivers a sealed, waterproof dispatch marked “Class A, Number 5.”
• The messenger is admitted into the cabin of Su Ziji, accompanied by Wen Xunpeng. After verifying the seals, Wen hands the report to Su Ziji, who dismisses the messenger.
• Wen remarks that the emperor has dispatched six hundred Qimen Guards, ostensibly to protect Su Ziji. Both men recognize that the guards also function as surveillance and could overpower Su Ziji’s own forces if ordered.
• Su Ziji remains unconcerned, believing the imperial escort may actually benefit him. He opens the dispatch, which contains intelligence from Xie Hongdao.

Character Developments

• Jiang Shen: Revealed as a young, capable official who is intelligent but inexperienced in political maneuvering. His anxiety and questioning show that he is beginning to recognize the dangers of imperial politics.
• Cao Zhi: Acts as Jiang Shen’s cautious mentor and offers practical guidance. He understands the risks of the investigation and urges Jiang Shen to remain uninvolved, emphasizing survival over ambition.
• Su Ziji: Demonstrates composure, confidence, and political insight. He understands that the emperor’s protection is also a form of control but believes he can turn the situation to his advantage.
• Wen Xunpeng: Serves as Su Ziji’s observant and trusted companion. His comment about the Qimen Guards highlights his awareness of the tension between imperial favor and imperial surveillance.
• The gray-clad messenger: Shows secrecy, skill, and loyalty by swimming through the canal and delivering the report without detection.

Significant Themes

• Protection versus surveillance: The emperor’s massive military escort protects Su Ziji while simultaneously restricting and monitoring him.
• The dangers of officialdom: The chapter portrays the bureaucracy as a place where appearances, rumors, and political traps matter as much as official duties.
• Public secrecy and manipulation: The supposedly secret mission of Fang Xi and Yu Lü is widely known, suggesting that secrecy itself may be part of a political strategy.
• Caution and self-preservation: Cao Zhi’s advice reflects the need for officials to avoid becoming entangled in power struggles.
• Human schemes versus fate: Su Ziji believes that the emperor’s attempt to control him may unintentionally create opportunities, expressing the idea that “human calculations cannot surpass heaven’s will.”

Character Interactions

• Jiang Shen and Cao Zhi speak privately about the suspicious pace of the fleet and the risks surrounding the investigation. Their exchange establishes Cao Zhi as a cautious guide and Jiang Shen as a thoughtful but inexperienced subordinate.
• The gray-clad messenger interacts formally with the guards and Su Ziji, emphasizing the rigid hierarchy surrounding the Imperial Grandson.
• Wen Xunpeng and Su Ziji discuss the significance of the Qimen Guards. Their relaxed conversation reveals mutual understanding and Su Ziji’s confidence in navigating the emperor’s surveillance.
• The chapter ends with Su Ziji reading Xie Hongdao’s intelligence report, setting up the next stage of the political investigation.

Su Ziji received a survey showing that fifty-eight percent of respondents supported him and decided that was enough to risk his planned upheaval. He learned that Zeng Nianzhen could bring troops to the capital within a month, then tasked Little Fox with gathering intelligence and protecting Fang Xi and Yu Lü.

• Su Ziji read Xie Hongdao’s survey and judged that public support was sufficient for his plans, though he knew it could not replace strength.
• Little Fox told Su Ziji that Zeng Nianzhen could transport troops to the capital within a month using routes preserved from the previous troop movement.
• Su Ziji asked Little Fox to gather foxes, secretly enter Chencang, and determine how much grain was there.
• Su Ziji predicted that Fang Xi and Yu Lü would be helped toward exposing a bloody truth that could provoke an uprising and draw him into it.
• Su Ziji asked Little Fox to watch over Fang Xi and Yu Lü and save them if they faced a dead end, and she agreed while pointing out her grievances in the dictionary.

Chapter Summary: “The Old Covenant Must Not Be Forgotten”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Little Fox finishes helping Su Ziji search through a dictionary. Su Ziji praises its efforts and promises that all the foxes who assisted will be credited for their merit.
• Half of the Rosewood Pendant suddenly activates, causing Little Fox to become dazed and mechanically search the dictionary again. It finds the phrase “The old covenant must not be forgotten” and insistently presents it to Su Ziji.
• Su Ziji humorously corrects Little Fox, explaining that it has mistaken “new covenant” for “old covenant.” Despite not understanding its true request, he agrees to honor it because of Little Fox’s service.
• Satisfied, Little Fox leaves through the window and plunges into the water. At the bottom, it experiences confusing but powerful emotions: sorrow, fulfillment, and the joy of finally meeting someone after a long separation.
• The scene shifts to the Dragon Palace at Coiling Dragon Lake. A young girl arrives and discovers that the palace has regained much of its former grandeur.
• Shell Maiden recognizes and welcomes her as the Dragon Lord. Her arrival causes the surrounding water vapor, rain, clouds, and lightning to respond to her presence, demonstrating her immense authority.
• Shell Maiden tearfully recounts how the Dragon Palace and the young master suffered after the Dragon Lord’s departure. The young master nearly died, while hostile demons and Water Gods took advantage of the Dragon Lord’s absence.
• The Dragon Lord reveals that she already knows the palace’s history through divine perception. She realizes that her awakening is connected to the return of an important person—presumably Su Ziji.
• She finds the young master, actually a white dragon, undergoing her final metamorphosis. The Dragon Lord decides not to awaken her and reflects that her daughter has successfully become a true dragon.
• The Dragon Lord vows to punish those who exploited her absence, particularly Xie Zhenqing, whom she suspects of stealing her bloodline and fortune to gain control over the demons.
• The chapter ends when the Dragon Lord suddenly senses something and angrily accuses a fox of committing an offense.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Shows increasing fondness for Little Fox, treating its childish behavior with amusement and affection. His promise establishes that he is willing to honor bonds even when he does not fully understand them.
• Little Fox: Demonstrates loyalty, persistence, and a mysterious connection to the Rosewood Pendant. Its reaction after leaving suggests memories or emotions from a much older relationship may be awakening.
• The Dragon Lord: Reenters the story as a powerful, composed, and authoritative figure. Beneath her dignity, she carries regret for failing to awaken sooner and sorrow over the suffering endured by her daughter and followers.
• Shell Maiden: Her restrained loyalty finally gives way to grief and anger. She is relieved by the Dragon Lord’s return and trusts that past wrongs will now be avenged.
• The Young Master: Is revealed to be a white dragon in the final stage of metamorphosis, indicating significant growth and the restoration of the Dragon bloodline.
• Xie Zhenqing: Becomes the Dragon Lord’s principal suspected enemy, accused of usurping her bloodline, fortune, and influence.

Significant Themes

• Promises and covenants: The title reflects Little Fox’s insistence that an old promise must be remembered. Su Ziji’s casual agreement may carry greater significance than he realizes.
• Loyalty and repayment: Su Ziji promises to reward Little Fox’s service, while the Dragon Lord returns to repay both those who remained loyal and those who caused harm.
• Rebirth and restoration: The Dragon Lord’s awakening, the revived Dragon Palace, and the young master’s transformation all signal the return of an ancient power.
• Hidden identities and buried memories: Little Fox’s inexplicable emotions and the Dragon Lord’s recognition of Su Ziji’s return suggest that past lives, divine connections, and forgotten relationships are resurfacing.
• Power and legitimacy: The chapter contrasts rightful authority—the Dragon Lord’s command over water and demons—with those who exploited her absence to seize power illegitimately.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Little Fox share a playful but meaningful exchange over the wording of the “covenant,” revealing affection and trust between them.
• Shell Maiden emotionally confronts the Dragon Lord with the suffering of the Dragon Palace, while the Dragon Lord reassures her that justice will follow.
• The Dragon Lord observes her sleeping daughter with a mixture of pride, sorrow, and protectiveness.
• The final confrontation is foreshadowed when the Dragon Lord detects a fox and reacts with sudden fury, linking the Dragon Palace plot directly to Little Fox and suggesting an unresolved conflict between them.

Chapter Summary: “Stinking to High Heaven”

Key Plot Points and Events

• During a rainy journey, Su Ziji receives a delayed message from Zhang Dai, the appointed secondary imperial envoy. Zhang claims that an imperial decree required him to remain in Jielu Prefecture while awaiting the Imperial Grandson’s arrival.
• Su Ziji and Wen Xunpeng recognize this as an excuse. Zhang Dai has deliberately avoided paying his respects and intends to investigate matters independently.
• Rumors suggest Zhang Dai is seriously ill and coughing blood. Su Ziji concludes that Zhang may be deliberately risking his life in official service to secure a final reputation for loyalty and integrity.
• Su Ziji explains that Zhang’s extreme uprightness has trapped him. After decades of poverty and antagonizing others in the name of purity, Zhang can no longer retreat into an ordinary official life without destroying the reputation that has sustained him.
• Su predicts that Zhang will inevitably cause trouble during the investigation, not merely because of stubbornness, but because he appears determined to die in the line of duty and leave behind an untarnished legacy.
• Wen Xunpeng warns that Zhang cannot be left unchecked, especially because the Emperor deliberately placed him beside Su Ziji. Su agrees to monitor him but declares that Zhang will not be allowed to implicate him or use him to enhance his own posthumous reputation.
• Su harshly condemns officials who turn “loyalty” into self-righteous schemes that harm both the sovereign and innocent colleagues. However, he rejects the idea of executing Zhang’s entire family, observing that they may have suffered from Zhang’s choices without sharing his ambitions.
• After Wen Xunpeng leaves to make arrangements, Su Ziji is mysteriously transported from the ship to the spectral Crown Prince’s Residence.
• The residence is surrounded by blood-red energy, mist, corpses, and overwhelming resentment. Su realizes he has been summoned or guided there once again.
• He notices that he is wearing the ceremonial robes of the Imperial Grandson. When he enters, the corpses rise and greet him as though he were the returning Crown Prince.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Demonstrates sharp political insight, recognizing Zhang Dai’s psychological state and the danger posed by a man who no longer fears death. He is compassionate toward Zhang’s impoverished family but ruthless toward Zhang’s potential schemes. His authority and confidence are growing, while his understanding of imperial politics becomes increasingly sophisticated.
• Zhang Dai: Although absent from the chapter, he is portrayed as a tragic, rigid, and potentially dangerous figure. His lifelong poverty and uncompromising reputation have left him with no acceptable way to change course. He appears prepared to sacrifice himself for a final act of “upright” service.
• Wen Xunpeng: Initially amused by Zhang’s evasiveness, Wen becomes unsettled by Su’s penetrating analysis and cold judgment. His fear reflects his growing awareness of Su’s formidable political instincts.
• Zhang Dai’s family: They are indirectly characterized as innocent victims of his obsession with moral purity, having endured poverty without benefiting from his official position.
• The corpses at the Crown Prince’s Residence: Their behavior suggests that Su Ziji’s spiritual identity is connected to the Crown Prince and that the dead recognize him as their former master.

Significant Themes

• The danger of absolute moral purity: The chapter questions whether uncompromising integrity can become another form of selfishness or destructive pride.
• Reputation versus genuine loyalty: Zhang’s desire for an immaculate legacy may cause him to manipulate events and harm others, revealing how public virtue can conceal personal ambition.
• Poverty and moral extremity: Years of deprivation can push even an honest person toward desperate, self-destructive choices.
• Political insight and power: Su understands that talent, reputation, survival, and official morality rarely coexist cleanly in government.
• Compassion amid ruthlessness: Su is willing to condemn Zhang’s actions while distinguishing Zhang himself from his innocent family.
• Death and posthumous legacy: Zhang’s possible wish to die honorably parallels the eerie world of the Crown Prince’s Residence, where the dead continue to recognize and serve their former ruler.
• Identity and succession: Su’s ceremonial dress and the corpses’ greeting suggest that he is increasingly being treated—or transformed—into the Crown Prince’s successor or spiritual continuation.

Important Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and Wen Xunpeng: Their conversation moves from humor about Zhang Dai’s evasiveness to a serious analysis of his character and political threat. Wen advises caution, while Su asserts control over the situation.
• Su Ziji and Zhang Dai: Though they do not meet directly, Su expresses both understanding and hostility toward Zhang, sympathizing with his suffering while refusing to tolerate any attempt to exploit Su for personal glory.
• Su Ziji and Zhang Dai’s family: Su shows unusual empathy toward family members who endured Zhang’s choices without sharing responsibility for them.
• Su Ziji and the supernatural corpses: Upon entering the Crown Prince’s Residence, the corpses rise and formally welcome him, reinforcing the mysterious connection between Su and the dead Crown Prince.

Chapter Summary: “You Also Have This Day”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Su Ziji enters the Crown Prince’s residence in the underworld. The ghosts there mistake him for the Crown Prince because of his newly conferred status as Imperial Grandson.
• The grotesque spirits hurriedly reassemble their bodies and respectfully welcome him, revealing that titles and heavenly authority appear more important to them than physical identity.
• Su Ziji reaches an elegant pavilion where music is being played. The refined surroundings contrast sharply with the bloody, ruined ghosts outside.
• He meets the deceased Crown Prince, who resembles him closely and is accompanied by ghostly consorts and attendants.
• The Crown Prince recognizes that Su Ziji has successfully “stolen the day and changed the sun” by becoming Imperial Grandson, effectively placing himself on the path to the throne.
• He questions Su Ziji about whether he intends to launch an uprising against the Emperor.
• Su Ziji explains that rebellion is necessary because waiting for succession would allow the Emperor to eliminate him first. He plans to strike while everyone still believes he has room to maneuver, giving him the best chance of success.
• The Crown Prince struggles between his desire for revenge and his lingering filial attachment to the Emperor, who murdered him to seize his lifespan and Heavenly Mandate.
• Though the Crown Prince initially welcomed Su Ziji’s rise and revenge, memories of his childhood with the Emperor cause him to hesitate.
• Fearing that the Crown Prince might reveal Su Ziji’s plans despite the danger of violating Heavenly Law, Su Ziji faces a new threat. At the chapter’s end, a mysterious female voice declares that the Crown Prince cannot leak the Heavenly Secret.

Character Developments

• Su Ziji: Remains calm and observant despite the supernatural setting. He gains a clearer understanding of how the underworld perceives his authority and demonstrates firm resolve to overthrow the Emperor. His political strategy is practical and ruthless: he rejects sentimental hesitation and accepts that victory requires decisive action.
• The Crown Prince: Revealed as emotionally conflicted. He once hated the Emperor intensely and supported Su Ziji’s revenge, but his memories of the Emperor as a loving father weaken his resolve. His former hatred has become mixed with grief, filial affection, regret, and helplessness.
• The Emperor: Though absent, he dominates the chapter. He is portrayed as both a powerful ruler and a deeply flawed father who murdered the Crown Prince for personal gain and now poses a serious political threat to Su Ziji.
• The mysterious female voice: Introduced at the end as a force connected to Heavenly Law, apparently preventing the Crown Prince from exposing Su Ziji’s plans.

Significant Themes

• Filial loyalty versus justice and revenge: The Crown Prince cannot fully abandon his love for the father who destroyed him, even after learning the true motive behind his murder.
• Fate and political legitimacy: Titles such as Crown Prince and Imperial Grandson carry supernatural weight, suggesting that authority and destiny can influence how ghosts perceive reality.
• Necessity versus morality: Su Ziji argues that rebellion is not a matter of personal preference but a strategic necessity. He rejects moral hesitation because the struggle for the throne allows no safe compromise.
• Memory and emotional conflict: The Crown Prince’s childhood memories undermine his desire for revenge, showing how personal history can survive betrayal and death.
• Heavenly Law and forbidden knowledge: The chapter emphasizes that supernatural beings cannot freely interfere in worldly succession or reveal major secrets without risking destruction.

Character Interactions

• The ghosts show exaggerated reverence toward Su Ziji, bowing and welcoming him as though he were the Crown Prince.
• The ghostly women guide him to the pavilion but treat him as an invited visitor rather than the residence’s master.
• Su Ziji and the Crown Prince engage in a tense philosophical and political discussion. The Crown Prince urges patience and warns against regicide, while Su Ziji argues that delay would guarantee failure.
• Su Ziji directly criticizes the Crown Prince’s gentleness and hesitation, forcing him to confront his inability to act decisively against the Emperor.
• Their exchange exposes the Crown Prince’s lingering affection for his father and Su Ziji’s complete lack of filial attachment to the Emperor.
• The chapter ends with the intervention of an unknown woman, shifting the confrontation from a personal dispute to a supernatural struggle over whether Heavenly Secrets can be revealed.

Su Ziji encountered a mysterious dragon girl who recognized him as someone from her past, while the crown prince sensed her immense power. She recalled meeting a young emperor four hundred years earlier, leaving Su Ziji's connection to that emperor unexplained.

• A watery link appeared between the Crown Prince's Residence and the Dragon Palace, and the Shell Maiden arrived with a mysterious girl.
• Su Ziji sensed the girl’s dragon form and a strange resonance with his Coiling Dragon Heart Method, while the crown prince felt her fierce aura.
• The girl told Su Ziji that he might have forgotten her but she still recognized him, and she approached as the palaces trembled.
• The girl remembered meeting a nine-year-old emperor who explained how he would sabotage state affairs to keep powerful ministers from gaining authority.
• She recalled that five years later the emperor had defeated the grand general and grand tutor, exiling the tutor’s family.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The young emperor reflects on a court proposal urging him to personally lead military campaigns and unify the realm. He rejects the idea for now, recognizing that his authority is still fragile because he is young, descended from a collateral branch, and politically constrained by the empress dowager and court officials.
• He explains that successful conquest requires extensive preparation: preventing enemy states from forming alliances, assembling overwhelming forces, and defeating them decisively.
• He envisions eventually touring the realm, unifying the world under his rule, controlling religious and supernatural powers, and eliminating any spirits or faiths that oppose him.
• The narrative recalls the emperor’s long travels and campaigns with the young woman, including their experiences across rivers, mountains, grasslands, and the changing seasons. Their shared memories reveal a deep but increasingly painful bond.
• The woman enters the Dragon Palace with Su Ziji and the crown prince, formally addressing Su Ziji as “Your Majesty.” The crown prince realizes that she is the legendary Dragon Lord, a female figure connected to the former dynasty’s Emperor Shizu.
• The crown prince becomes horrified, suspecting that Su Ziji may be connected to Emperor Shizu and that his own past actions might have damaged the rightful imperial succession.
• The Dragon Lord declares that Su Ziji’s authority is legitimate, arguing that Heaven’s Mandate and the realm properly belong to him regardless of the dynasty’s name.
• She offers to assist Su Ziji’s planned seizure of power. Her daughter’s imminent dragon transformation and passage near the capital will provide clouds and rain to conceal his military operation, while she can also control or mobilize the Demon Race.
• Su Ziji hesitates, explaining that he is not Emperor Shizu’s reincarnation. The Dragon Lord insists that she has not mistaken him and that others will recognize him regardless of his memories.
• She asks for two rewards: the young dragon’s formal restoration as a female Dragon Lord after Su Ziji takes the throne, and permission to remain beside him permanently without another unexplained separation.
• Su Ziji accepts her request, recognizing that her support significantly increases his chances of success.

2. Character Developments

• Su Ziji / the young emperor: Reveals himself as politically cautious, strategically intelligent, and increasingly ruthless. Though he dreams of conquest and absolute authority, he understands that his position is not yet secure. He also shows emotional restraint when confronted with the Dragon Lord’s attachment, accepting her request despite the complicated implications.
• The Dragon Lord: Evolves from a once-naive companion into a powerful, dignified supernatural ruler. She remains deeply devoted to Su Ziji, preserves their shared memories, and is willing to risk her political and supernatural influence to support him. Her greatest personal desire is not wealth or power, but the ability to remain with him.
• The crown prince: Experiences shock, fear, jealousy, and regret after recognizing the Dragon Lord and understanding her connection to Su Ziji. His confidence collapses as he realizes that his efforts may have opposed the rightful recipient of Heaven’s Mandate.
• The young dragon: Though absent from the immediate scene, her impending transformation and possible restoration as Dragon Lord become politically important.

3. Significant Themes

• Legitimacy versus actual power: Su Ziji possesses the symbols of imperial legitimacy but has not yet gained unquestioned control over the court, military, or supernatural forces.
• Heaven’s Mandate and rightful rule: The Dragon Lord argues that authority belongs to Su Ziji regardless of dynastic labels, framing his rise as restoration rather than deception or usurpation.
• Ambition and preparation: The emperor’s grand vision of unification is tempered by his awareness that conquest requires timing, alliances, overwhelming force, and secure domestic authority.
• Love, memory, and separation: The Dragon Lord’s devotion is rooted in years of shared experiences, while the possibility of another separation causes her profound pain. Her request reflects a desire to preserve their relationship against political and supernatural divisions.
• Human and supernatural politics: The coming coup is not merely a human succession struggle; dragons, demons, imperial qi, and divine authority all influence the balance of power.
• Identity and reincarnation: Su Ziji denies being Emperor Shizu reborn, but the Dragon Lord and the crown prince both perceive a deeper continuity linking him to the former emperor.

4. Character Interactions

• Su Ziji and the Dragon Lord share a relationship marked by mutual reliance, emotional history, and unresolved identity. She offers him powerful political and supernatural aid, while he agrees to protect her status and allow her companionship.
• The Dragon Lord confronts the crown prince’s accusations directly, defending Su Ziji’s legitimacy and rejecting the idea that he has deceived anyone.
• The crown prince reacts to the Dragon Lord with suspicion and alarm, recognizing that her support could recreate the supernatural forces that contributed to the former dynasty’s rise and fall.
• Su Ziji and the Dragon Lord’s final exchange is restrained but emotionally significant: she asks not for power, but never to be abandoned again, and he quietly agrees.

Su Ziji explained his plans to the former Crown Prince and arranged for the girl to help him undermine the Capital City. The Crown Prince tried to stop the girl from leaving, but she trapped him behind invisible walls, and he finally accepted that Great Zheng’s fate was beyond his control.

• Su Ziji asked the girl to help him disrupt the Capital City, and she agreed to act on his behalf.
• Su Ziji told the Crown Prince he intended to kill the emperor and dismissed the Crown Prince’s threat to reclaim his dragon aura.
• The girl asked to borrow the princess for their plans, and Su Ziji began to disappear.
• The Crown Prince charged at the girl to stop her, but invisible walls trapped him inside the Crown Prince’s Residence.
• After repeatedly striking the walls and weakening, the Crown Prince took human form and laughed that Great Zheng’s fate was heaven’s decree.

Su Ziji reflected on the emperor’s trap and the need to protect Fang Xi and Yu Lü while secretly preparing a way out. In Nantong Commandery, the two men’s undercover inquiry at a rice shop drew the attention of Third Master Shen, who dismissed their methods and worried about the state of the investigation.

• Su Ziji considered how the emperor had placed Fang Xi and Yu Lü in danger and resolved to hide his plans while carrying out the assignment convincingly.
• Yu Lü and Fang Xi arrived in Nantong Commandery disguised as ordinary cultivated talents and decided to inspect a rice shop incognito.
• Fang Xi and Yu Lü questioned the shopkeeper about rice prices and supplies, but he mocked them and drove them out without giving useful information.
• Third Master Shen arrived at the shop and demanded to hear what the two cultivated talents had asked.
• After hearing the shopkeeper’s account, Third Master Shen dismissed their approach and worried about the investigation.

Yu Lü and Fang Xi investigated rice prices but failed to uncover any clues about their case. Their unseen enemies judged them incompetent and arranged for a man to pose as a righteous scholar and steer them toward a deadly plan involving Zhang Dai.

• Yu Lü and Fang Xi visited the commandery's rice shops and recorded grain prices, learning that relief shipments had raised the price of new wheat.
• Yu Lü reflected that suppressing grain prices could harm farmers, recalling that Zhang Dai had driven prices too low and earned the resentment of farming households.
• The two reviewed their notes at the inn and admitted they had found no clues, resolving to continue investigating the next day.
• A man in the adjoining room listened to Yu Lü and Fang Xi through a copper tube and reported their lack of progress to his leader and companions.
• The leader ordered a subordinate to pose as a Cultivated Talent and guide Yu Lü and Fang Xi into a trap, while declaring that Zhang Dai would also be made to die in his service.

Yu Lü and Fang Xi struggled to uncover the source of suspicious rice sales until a drunken Cultivated Talent accused the authorities of taking grain from a granary and reselling it. They arranged to speak with him after he sobered up, hoping his allegations would provide a lead in their investigation.

• Yu Lü and Fang Xi concluded that questioning rice-shop owners about their suppliers would reveal little and that involving local officials might alert the people they suspected.
• They overheard a drunken Cultivated Talent complain that corrupt officials had taken rice from a granary and resold it.
• Fang Xi and Yu Lü invited the scholar to eat and drink with them, but he repeated his accusations without revealing which official was involved.
• Yu Lü learned from the waiter that the scholar was the eldest son of the Shang Family in East City Ward, a frustrated examination candidate known for drunken complaints.
• Yu Lü arranged a room for the scholar so they could question him after he sobered up.

Zhang Dai arrived in Jielu Prefecture as an imperial commissioner and reflected on inequality and the failure of his past land-reclamation policy. Prefect Xu visited him under the pretense of old ties while privately resolving to have him killed.

• Zhang Dai listened as two men discussed using a local power broker to uncover evidence, then spat after they left.
• On the way to Jielu Prefecture, Zhang Dai recalled how his land-reclamation order had ended in disaster for farmers and considered condemning merchants.
• Prefect Xu and a Provincial Graduate discussed Zhang Dai and the Imperial Grandson’s paintings, then Xu decided to visit Zhang Dai with a box of silver.
• Prefect Xu met Zhang Dai at the post station and feigned concern for his health while deciding to kill him for the court’s sake.

Summary

Key plot points and events

• Prefect Xu visits Zhang Dai, an assistant imperial envoy sent to inspect grain shipments and granaries in Jielu Prefecture.
• Xu politely offers to cooperate and presents Zhang with one hundred liang of silver, claiming it is clean money from his official salary meant to cover Zhang’s travel expenses.
• Zhang, offended by what he sees as an attempted bribe, refuses the silver and immediately asks for the prefecture’s grain records, specifically the documents accounting for its annual dispatch of one hundred thousand shi of grain.
• Xu avoids handing over the records, claiming they consist only of unwieldy original account books and cannot legally be removed. He says copies will take time and that official matters should be discussed later.
• Xu then warns Zhang not to investigate too aggressively, urging him to consider the “overall situation,” the Emperor, and the Imperial Grandson’s reputation.
• Zhang loses patience, asserts his authority as an assistant imperial envoy, dismisses Xu, and orders him to take the silver back.
• Xu leaves apparently furious, creating the impression at the post station that the two officials have completely broken relations.
• Once outside, however, Xu reveals that his anger was staged. He intended the visit as a calculated scheme to provoke Zhang into pursuing the investigation more stubbornly.
• Xu orders his retainer to spread news of the confrontation, believing public discussion will intensify Zhang’s suspicion and pride, causing him to “butt heads” with Xu and refuse to back down.

Character developments

• Zhang Dai is portrayed as uncompromising, incorruptible, and highly sensitive to any suggestion that he can be bought or influenced. His commitment to strict investigation overrides personal ties and political caution. His anger also makes him predictable and vulnerable to manipulation.
• Prefect Xu emerges as outwardly courteous but deeply calculating. He uses polite kinship, plausible legal objections, moral language, and a modest monetary gift to construct an apparently defensible position. His staged anger and plan to manipulate public opinion reveal his strategic intelligence and confidence.
• Xu’s retainer functions as the cautious observer, worrying that other imperial envoys may discover the scheme. His concerns allow Xu to explain how carefully he has made his actions appear legitimate.

Significant themes

• Integrity versus corruption: Zhang’s refusal of the silver contrasts with Xu’s ambiguous attempt to influence him while preserving deniability.
• Manipulation through moral rhetoric: Xu shields himself by invoking loyalty to the Emperor, the Imperial Grandson, and the “overall situation,” making opposition appear almost treasonous.
• Appearance versus reality: Xu’s apparent rage is an act, and his supposedly generous gift is part of a broader political strategy.
• Bureaucratic obstruction and plausible deniability: Xu does not openly refuse cooperation; instead, he hides behind archival procedures, legal technicalities, and socially acceptable explanations.
• The danger of rigid righteousness: Zhang’s uprightness is admirable, but his predictable refusal to compromise allows Xu to steer his reactions.
• Public opinion as a political weapon: Xu plans to circulate the confrontation so that social pressure will provoke Zhang into acting more aggressively.

Character interactions

• Zhang and Xu’s formal “senior” and “junior” relationship masks a tense confrontation between an investigator and a potentially compromised local official.
• Xu initially attempts to establish personal trust through shared schooling and a gift, but Zhang interprets the gesture as an insult.
• Zhang’s direct demands clash with Xu’s evasive politeness and warnings about political consequences.
• Their conversation shifts from courteous cooperation to open hostility, ending with Zhang dismissing Xu.
• Although they appear to sever ties, Xu has deliberately engineered the quarrel, turning Zhang’s moral certainty and anger into tools that may serve Xu’s interests.

Chapter Summary

• Xu Yu’s background and role: Xu Yu, once born a household servant, has been freed but remains barred from the Imperial Examinations for three generations under the law. Despite his low status, he is highly educated and serves as Prefect Xu’s trusted reader and strategist. His position allows Prefect Xu to speak candidly in front of him.
• The Imperial Grandson’s arrival: While Prefect Xu and Xu Yu are traveling to the docks, they receive word that the Imperial Grandson’s fleet is less than fifty li away. Prefect Xu immediately orders the local officials to gather and welcome him, and summons Vice Imperial Commissioner Zhang Dai to attend. Rather than returning home, Xu directs everyone straight to the docks.
• Prefect Xu’s political philosophy: Xu Yu questions why his master became involved in the dangerous affair surrounding the Imperial Grandson. Prefect Xu explains that he deliberately spent many years in provincial posts to avoid rising too quickly. Based on historical examples, he believes officials who attain high rank too young are eventually destroyed by imperial suspicion, disgrace, or political rivalry. His goal was a long life of wealth, honor, and safety, but remaining in local office too long left him unable to advance, forcing him to pledge allegiance to a powerful faction and accept the current assignment.
• Xu’s lack of freedom: Prefect Xu admits that targeting the Imperial Grandson was not entirely his own decision. His examination patron belongs to the Emperor’s faction, and the order came from above. Xu can only perform his assigned role while preserving some possibility of survival should the Imperial Grandson eventually become emperor.
• The welcoming ceremony: At the docks, most of the commandery’s officials assemble in full ceremony. The preparations had begun ten days earlier, and Prefect Xu is reassured that everything is in order. The Imperial Grandson’s fleet arrives in impressive fashion, led by warships and armored soldiers, followed by a large procession of vessels.
• Tension with Zhang Dai: Prefect Xu and Zhang Dai stand together in formal dress, but their hostility is obvious. Xu appears calm and satisfied, while Zhang Dai is visibly furious and refuses to speak or acknowledge him. Their shared examination patron makes their conflict especially notable to the other officials.
• Rumors among the officials: Lower-ranking officials gossip about the dispute. They claim that Prefect Xu offered Zhang Dai one hundred taels out of concern for his poverty, but Zhang Dai refused the money and angrily rejected Xu’s attempts to persuade him to follow official protocol. The story is exaggerated, portraying Zhang Dai as cold, rigid, and socially impossible to associate with. An assistant prefect, Sun Dewen, deliberately repeats this criticism loudly, seemingly to insult Zhang Dai in public.
• Cliffhanger: Zhang Dai hears Sun Dewen’s remark and, though he continues facing the approaching fleet, angrily calls out his name. The chapter ends with the crowd falling silent, anticipating Zhang Dai’s response.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Prefect Xu is revealed as a cautious, highly calculating official who prioritizes survival and long-term political positioning. His refined calm masks anxiety about the dangerous assignment.
• Xu Yu gains a deeper understanding of his master’s intelligence and political strategy, recognizing how limited his own perspective has been because of his low birth.
• Zhang Dai is presented as uncompromising, poor, proud, and fiercely upright. His refusal of Xu’s money and political advice intensifies the conflict between them.
• Sun Dewen emerges as a reckless or politically opportunistic official who publicly attacks Zhang Dai, perhaps hoping to curry favor with Prefect Xu.
• Prefect Xu and Zhang Dai maintain a facade of official decorum while their mutual hostility is visible to everyone.
• Zhang Dai and Sun Dewen’s confrontation begins when Zhang Dai calls Sun by name, creating the chapter’s final moment of suspense.

Significant Themes

• Political survival versus integrity: Prefect Xu calculates every stage of his career, while Zhang Dai refuses compromises that violate his principles.
• The dangers of ambition: Rising too quickly can provoke imperial suspicion, while remaining cautious can permanently limit advancement.
• Social hierarchy and exclusion: Xu Yu’s intelligence cannot overcome the legal barriers imposed by his former status, emphasizing the rigidity of the examination and bureaucratic systems.
• Rumor and public reputation: The officials reshape events through gossip, showing how political reputations can be manufactured and weaponized.
• Power beneath ceremony: The welcoming ritual appears orderly and respectful, but hidden rivalries and factional struggles dominate the scene.

Chapter Summary: “Have You Lost Your Mind?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Deputy Imperial Commissioner Zhang Dai retaliates against Tongzhi Sun Dewen after Sun indirectly insults him. Zhang publicly questions Sun’s sudden wealth, including his purchase of two hundred mu of farmland and a new concubine, implying corruption and violations of imperial law.
• Sun is humiliated and furious, accusing Zhang of violating civility and official dignity. Zhang, already enraged and physically unwell, appears ready to continue the confrontation.
• Prefect Xu interrupts the quarrel when the Imperial Grandson’s fleet arrives. Officials organize a formal reception with music, soldiers, and cannon fire.
• Su Ziji, the Imperial Grandson, disembarks and receives the officials’ ritual greetings. His imposing escort and dignified appearance make a strong impression.
• Prefect Xu invites Su Ziji to Riverside Tower, explaining that the Emperor has ordered the prefectures to care for him during his journey. Su agrees to attend a banquet and discuss the grain depots, balancing official courtesy with his investigative purpose.
• At Riverside Tower, the officials observe the awkward distance between Su Ziji and Zhang Dai. They speculate that Zhang’s strange silence and rigid expression may mean he has “lost his mind.”

Character Developments

• Zhang Dai: Demonstrates a sharp temper and willingness to retaliate publicly when insulted. Though often viewed as crude and inflexible, he proves politically aggressive and unafraid to expose another official’s possible corruption. His coughing blood and blurred vision reveal serious physical strain beneath his anger.
• Tongzhi Sun Dewen: His apparent wealth and illegal acquisition of a local concubine make him vulnerable to investigation. He is caught off guard by Zhang’s direct attack and becomes embarrassed and enraged.
• Prefect Xu: Shows himself to be observant and politically cautious. He allows the dispute to unfold until Su Ziji arrives, then intervenes decisively to preserve order and the prefecture’s dignity.
• Su Ziji: Appears youthful, elegant, composed, and politically perceptive. He understands that the Emperor’s instructions to care for him may also be intended to constrain him, but he chooses to cooperate outwardly while pursuing the grain investigation.
• The local officials: Their awe of Su’s authority quickly turns into anxious speculation about his relationship with Zhang Dai and the political implications of Zhang’s behavior.

Significant Themes

• Official corruption and accountability: Zhang’s accusations highlight the danger of unexplained wealth and illegal conduct among officials.
• Power and political etiquette: The reception emphasizes rigid imperial hierarchy, ritual greetings, military ceremony, and the importance of proper deference.
• Public image versus private motives: Su’s gracious acceptance of the banquet conceals his awareness that the Emperor’s “concern” may also be surveillance or control.
• Restraint and confrontation: Su maintains diplomatic composure, while Zhang and Sun embody the dangers of anger, insult, and direct retaliation within official politics.
• Appearance and perception: Su’s elegant appearance creates admiration, while Zhang’s bloodied handkerchief and strange demeanor lead others to question his sanity rather than understand his physical and emotional distress.

Character Interactions

• Zhang and Sun engage in a tense public clash, with Zhang attacking Sun’s wealth and conduct after feeling insulted.
• Prefect Xu intervenes only when Su’s arrival demands order, redirecting everyone’s attention from personal conflict to imperial ceremony.
• Su formally acknowledges the assembled officials but noticeably passes over Zhang, creating speculation about their relationship.
• Xu attempts to reassure and flatter Su by invoking the Emperor’s concern and inviting him to a banquet. Su accepts politely while steering the gathering toward the grain-depot investigation.
• The officials privately discuss Zhang’s silence and Su’s failure to greet him, interpreting Zhang’s behavior as possible madness.