Recaps

Yang Qing told Jiang Zhizhou he planned to investigate Northern Liang’s designs at Yan Pass, and Jiang agreed to help despite fearing for his friend. After Bu Er ordered food for Yang Qing at the First Pavilion, Murong Qian recognized the dishes and reacted with sudden shock.

• Yang Qing explained that Northern Liang had been involved in the bandit campaign and said he would go to Yan Pass to protect Western Chu.
• Jiang Zhizhou warned Yang Qing against risking his life, then promised to help when Yang Qing needed him before leaving with Tiger’s corpse.
• Bu Er returned, learned Tiger was dead, and went with Yang Qing to arrange food from the First Pavilion.
• Bu Er paid for Yang Qing’s requested dishes and refused the restaurant’s extra food as a gift.
• Murong Qian arrived at the First Pavilion, ordered the same dishes as Yang Qing, and abruptly stood when she saw them.

Yang Qing traveled to Yan Pass and found tension between the deputy generals over his presence and Chen Lin’s condition. During a drill, soldiers fought over a rumor that they would never be allowed to return home if Chen Lin died, and Yang Qing ordered an investigation into who spread it.

• Murong Qian came to the County Office seeking Yang Qing, but Dai Sheng told her he had left for Yan Pass without a set return date.
• Wei Li and Zou Donghai welcomed Yang Qing at Yan Pass, but Zou said Chen Lin was too unwell to receive visitors.
• Yang Qing chose to stay in a tent and agreed to visit Chen Lin when the general could see him.
• The next day, soldiers began fighting during drills, and Zou Donghai rushed to stop them.
• A soldier told Wei Li that the troops had heard they would be kept at Yan Pass if Chen Lin died, and Yang Qing demanded to know who had started the rumor.

Yang Qing and Zou Donghai investigated rumors that General Chen was dying, and Old Du claimed Chen had told him so himself. After Old Du was found dead, Wei Li accused Zou Donghai’s guard of murdering him and demanded that Zou answer for it.

• Yang Qing and Zou Donghai sealed off the drill ground and questioned the soldiers about who had spread the rumors.
• The soldiers named Old Du, who said General Chen had privately told him he was dying and wanted the old soldiers to stay nearby.
• Yang Qing stopped Zou Donghai from striking Old Du, and Zou went to check on the unconscious Chen Lin.
• Yang Qing learned Chen Lin had remained unconscious after taking a Detoxification Pill, and Zou Donghai reported that Old Du had died.
• Wei Li arrived with Zou Donghai’s bloodied guard, accused him of murdering Old Du and destroying evidence, and demanded an explanation from Zou.

Wei Li accused Zou Donghai of plotting to replace the ailing general and restricted him to his tent while Yang Qing kept the dispute from escalating. Jiang Zhizhou warned Yang Qing that Northern Liang planned to attack Yan Pass, then revealed he was born in Northern Liang; Yang Qing ended their bond and ordered him to leave.

• Wei Li accused Zou Donghai of trying to replace the general, named Zou Donghai’s guard as a witness, and ordered him to remain in his tent pending a memorial to the Emperor.
• Yang Qing joined Wei Li for tea, heard his argument for peace with Northern Liang, and gave no commitment to support it.
• Yang Qing told Bu Er to watch Wei Li and warn Zou Donghai not to act rashly, then learned that their preparations were ready.
• Jiang Zhizhou warned Yang Qing that Northern Liang would soon move against Yan Pass and revealed that he had been born in Northern Liang.
• After seeing Jiang Zhizhou’s tattoo and realizing his possible lineage, Yang Qing said their bond was over and ordered him to leave.

Yang Qing investigated the fires at Yan Pass and stopped Wei Li from immediately blaming Zou Donghai, whom Bu Er found wounded after capturing one of the attackers. Yang Qing threatened the captive with the extermination of his clan, making the man falter.

• Yang Qing activated Northern Hawk to investigate Northern Liang’s imperial family and the Marquis of An's Residence, while Bu Er failed to keep Jiang Zhizhou in sight.
• Multiple fires broke out at the provisions storage area, and an inventory revealed that a jar of fire oil was missing.
• Wei Li suspected Zou Donghai of stealing the fire oil and setting the fires, but Yang Qing urged him to find Zou before deciding he was guilty.
• A soldier reported that the two guards at Zou Donghai’s tent were dead, and Wei Li ordered a search for Zou.
• Bu Er returned with the wounded, unconscious Zou Donghai and a captured attacker who had fire oil; Yang Qing threatened the captive’s clan, and the man began to waver.

Yang Qing exposed the false accusation against Zou Donghai and took the wounded deputy general into his care. After Jiang Zhizhou warned him that Northern Liang would soon attack Yan Pass and had shifted its target to Yang Qing, Yang Qing sent Bu Er to summon Physician Yan.

• Yang Qing caught the wounded soldier contradicting himself about the lamp oil and ordered him to receive two hundred strokes for falsely accusing Zou Donghai.
• Yang Qing took Zou Donghai from Wei Li's tent, and Bu Er reported that the deputy general would have died without timely help.
• Over the following days, Yang Qing stayed in his tent while Zou Donghai remained unconscious and his condition stabilized.
• Jiang Zhizhou arrived at night with intelligence that Northern Liang had targeted Yang Qing and would reach Yan Pass within days.
• Yang Qing sent Bu Er to fetch Physician Yan and stayed awake, gripping Jiang Zhizhou's scroll.

Chen Lin returned to duty at Yan Pass as Yang Qing prepared a trap after a spy stole the defense map. When Northern Liang attacked, Wei Li challenged its vanguard commander Wan Li and knocked his saber away.

• Chen Lin questioned Wei Li about Northern Liang’s silence, then went to inspect the walls despite Yan Ming’s warning that he had not fully recovered.
• A spy drugged Chen Lin’s guard, stole the real defense map, and replaced it with a near-identical fake; Bu Er later reported the intrusion to Yang Qing.
• Yang Qing ordered troops to ambush the gates and, after receiving a message, told Bu Er to prepare the wine and dishes.
• Northern Liang attacked Yan Pass at night, and Chen Lin and Wei Li confronted Wan Li from the gate tower.
• Wei Li rode out to fight Wan Li, held his own, and knocked Wan Li’s saber away.

Wan Li wounded Wei Li and battled Zou Donghai as Northern Liang launched an attack on Yan Pass, including an assault through the Secret Passage. Yang Qing rode to reinforce the West Corner Tower while ordering his hidden troops to wait for the enemy boats to unload before striking.

• Wan Li knocked Wei Li's saber aside, wounded him with a sleeve dart, and forced his guards to carry him back inside Yan Pass.
• Zou Donghai rode out to fight Wan Li with his Heaven-Shaking Thunder and briefly gained the advantage despite his old wounds.
• Wan Li saw flames rise near the West Corner Tower, and Zou Donghai and Chen Lin realized Northern Liang troops had entered through the Secret Passage.
• Wan Li ordered the siege troops to attack Yan Pass while Chen Mu led soldiers to reinforce the West Corner Tower and Yang Qing sent Bu Er to assist Zou Donghai.
• Yang Qing learned that Northern Liang had gathered thousands of troops near the West Corner Tower and ordered his ambushers to wait until the boats had unloaded before seizing them.

Northern Liang breached the West Corner Tower, and Liang Qifeng fought desperately against the invading soldiers until Chen Lin arrived to confront their commanding general, Gao Yue. As the battle continued, Western Chu troops secretly repaired the breach, leaving Gao Yue’s forces trapped inside the tower as Chen Lin struck him.

• Northern Liang blasted a breach in the West Corner Tower, and Liang Qifeng returned from leave to defend it with his dwindling troops.
• Wounded and surrounded, Liang Qifeng refused Gao Yue’s offer to surrender and prepared to die rather than betray Western Chu.
• Chen Lin arrived at the West Corner Tower, rallied Liang Qifeng, and charged Gao Yue as their armies fought.
• Western Chu soldiers secretly repaired the breach, cutting off Northern Liang’s reinforcements and filling the tower with defenders.
• Gao Yue realized his troops were trapped, and Chen Lin took advantage of his distraction to slash his back.

Gao Yue’s plan to seize Yan Pass failed when Yang Qing and Chen Lin turned the breached wall against him, and the Western Chu forces captured him. After Gao Yue killed himself, Bu Er reported that the Northern Liang troops had broken, though Wan Li escaped.

• Gao Yue reopened the breach at the West Corner Tower with gunpowder and demanded that Chen Lin surrender to Northern Liang.
• Yang Qing revealed that Western Chu soldiers, not Northern Liang reinforcements, were pouring through the breach, and Chen Lin ordered Gao Yue seized.
• Gao Yue was overwhelmed, acknowledged Yang Qing’s strategy, and killed himself with a stolen saber.
• Chen Lin draped his cloak over Liang Qifeng’s body and promised that Yan Pass would stand as long as he lived.
• Bu Er reported that the Northern Liang forces to the east had fled after seeing Gao Yue’s corpse, but Wan Li had escaped.
• Chen Lin praised Yang Qing and promised to submit a memorial to His Majesty honoring him.

After the battle at Yan Pass, Yang Qing learned that Northern Liang death warriors were pursuing Jiang Zhizhou and sent Bu Er and Phantom Shadow to rescue him. They reached Soulbreak Valley after Jiang Zhizhou was stabbed, and the chapter left him unconscious and gravely wounded in Phantom Shadow’s care.

• Yang Qing learned from Phantom Shadow that Northern Liang had tracked Jiang Zhizhou to Soulbreak Valley and sent Bu Er and Phantom Shadow to bring him back safely.
• Jiang Zhizhou, weakened by a poisoned arrow wound, was surrounded by Northern Liang death warriors in Soulbreak Valley.
• Jiang Zhizhou refused to repent for warning Western Chu about the planned attack, and the death warrior leader stabbed him in the chest.
• Bu Er and Phantom Shadow arrived, and Bu Er killed the leader while Phantom Shadow fought the other death warriors.
• Bu Er treated Jiang Zhizhou’s wound, left him with Phantom Shadow, and went to report to Yang Qing as Phantom Shadow arranged for help.

Yang Qing returned to Yan Prefecture City after helping defend Yan Pass and was welcomed by its magistrate and citizens. After a victory banquet, Murong Qian approached him outside his residence, revealing that she had taken something from his sleeve and noticing his unease.

• Dai Sheng and the citizens gathered at Yan Prefecture City's gates to welcome Yang Qing home after the defense of Yan Pass.
• Yang Qing thanked the people and urged them to remember the soldiers who had fought at the pass.
• The city's Lineage heads hosted Yang Qing at a welcoming banquet, where he noticed a woman in pale pink watching him.
• Yang Qing left the First Pavilion alone and headed for the Yang Residence in Little Willow Lane.
• Murong Qian darted out, took an object from Yang Qing's sleeve, and asked him to invite her into his residence.
• Murong Qian circled Yang Qing with her paper lantern and remarked that he seemed unable to compose himself.

Murong Qian tested Yang Qing by pointing out how his habits resembled those of her missing relative, but Yang Qing insisted the dead could not return and spoke of fulfilling the Yang Family's unfinished aspirations. After she left, Wei Li, furious that Yang Qing had ruined his plan at Yan Pass, sent a sealed letter to his uncle and resolved to remove him.

• Murong Qian wrung wine from Yang Qing's handkerchief and cited their shared tastes as evidence of his resemblance to her relative, who had supposedly died ten years earlier.
• Yang Qing denied Murong Qian's hope that her relative might still be alive and said he lived in the old Yang Residence to fulfill the Yang Family's unfinished aspirations.
• Murong Qian took her leave, and Yang Qing returned to the Yang Residence after Bu Er found him waiting alone in the alley.
• At the Yan Prefecture Post Station, Wei Li angrily refused his medicine and ordered his guard to bring him writing materials.
• Wei Li sealed a letter and ordered his guard to deliver it by express courier directly to his uncle.
• Wei Li blamed Yang Qing for disrupting his plan at Yan Pass and decided he would have to remove him.

Jiang Zhizhou recovered at Yang Qing’s residence after Yang Qing rescued him, and the two discussed the danger surrounding him and Wei Li’s likely plans. At Pearl Lake, Murong Qian confronted Jiang Zhizhou about his return and his relationship with Lord Yang, and he insisted he had come only to help Yan Prefecture.

• Yang Qing teased Jiang Zhizhou for avoiding his gaze, then explained that the Northern Liang emperor had protected Jiang’s clansmen despite publicly censuring him.
• Yang Qing told Jiang Zhizhou that Wei Li was recuperating in Yan Prefecture, and the two agreed to wait and see what the deputy general intended.
• Yang Qing said he would remain nothing more than Lord Yang, then left Jiang Zhizhou to recover.
• After more than half a month, Jiang Zhizhou went fishing at Pearl Lake and encountered Murong Qian.
• Murong Qian questioned why Jiang Zhizhou had returned and asked whether his dealings with Lord Yang meant anything more; Jiang Zhizhou denied it.

Yang Qing learned that Emperor Chu Jinghui had sent Suotu to Yan Prefecture with a secret message, while an imperial envoy arrived to deliver a decree about the victory at Yan Pass. The decree denied Yang Chengming and the other defenders any reward or punishment, leaving Yang Qing to face the court’s judgment.

• Jiang Zhizhou told Yang Qing that Murong Qian had visited him, and Yang Qing refused to acknowledge his former identity because he did not want her drawn into the Yang Family’s troubles.
• Phantom Shadow reported that Suotu was secretly traveling to Yan Prefecture and might be carrying a letter from Chu Jinghui, so Yang Qing ordered covert protection for him.
• A county soldier told Yang Qing that the imperial envoy had come because of the victory at Yan Pass, but the prime minister had persuaded the emperor to change his decision about rewarding the defenders.
• At the County Office, the imperial envoy read a decree declaring that Yang Chengming, Chen Mu, and the others had earned neither reward nor punishment because their victory had involved a risky gamble.

Yang Qing learned that Northern Liang would send envoys to Yan Prefecture for peace negotiations and received a secret imperial order. As he and Jiang Zhizhou prepared for interference, Wei Li made plans of his own and was approached by a mysterious man offering to discuss Yang Qing and the negotiations.

• The imperial envoy appointed Yang Qing to oversee Northern Liang's peace negotiations in Yan Prefecture, and Yang Qing received a secret letter from Guard Suotu later that night.
• Yang Qing told Jiang Zhizhou that the Northern Liang Regent King and Western Chu conspirators might disrupt the negotiations, and they agreed that Yang Qing should play along with their plans.
• Wei Li learned that Yang Chengming would manage the negotiations, then read a letter from Chancellor Wei and gave his guard instructions.
• A mysterious man entered Wei Li's room unseen and offered to discuss the person and matter troubling him.

Northern Liang envoys Liu Mengde and Du Liangcai arrived in Yan Prefecture City to negotiate peace and proposed opening trade routes and establishing a horse ranch on Yan Mountain. Yang Qing welcomed their proposals but said the ranch required careful discussion, leaving Du Liangcai angry at what he saw as a delay.

• Liu Mengde and Du Liangcai arrived at the Yan Prefecture County Office, where Yang Qing greeted them.
• Du Liangcai insulted Yang Qing, who answered with a defense of his wartime tactics and mocked Du Liangcai’s rise to office.
• Dai Sheng ushered the envoys inside after Du Liangcai complained about being kept waiting.
• Liu Mengde proposed opening trade routes and establishing a Northern Liang horse ranch at the northern foot of Yan Mountain.
• Yang Qing said trade should be straightforward but the horse ranch needed further discussion and urged the envoys to rest.
• Du Liangcai angrily demanded an immediate answer, and Yang Qing insisted the matter required caution.

Yang Qing suspected Northern Liang’s demand for a horse ranch concealed a scheme and watched Du Liangcai and Liu Mengde’s maneuvering. When assassins attacked during a storm at the Official Post Station, Bu Er fought them off, and Yang Qing waited for someone to arrive.

• Du Liangcai accused Liu Mengde of yielding to Yang Qing and secretly agreed to a plan proposed by an unnamed man.
• At a banquet, Du Liangcai left early, and Yang Qing told Dai Sheng that Northern Liang’s horse-ranch demand was likely a pretense to delay or carry out a hidden scheme.
• Yang Qing and Dai Sheng left the guesthouse as a storm gathered, and Yang Qing redirected his sedan chair to the Official Post Station for shelter.
• Assassins tried to break into Yang Qing’s room during the downpour, and Bu Er killed the attackers who reached the window and door.
• After the fighting stopped, Bu Er said the attackers should have succeeded, and Yang Qing watched outside, expecting someone to arrive.

Assassins attacked Yang Qing and Wei Li at the Posthouse during a heavy rain, leaving Wei Li mortally wounded. After Wei Li died, Yang Qing ordered the truth reported to the throne and Chancellor Wei.

• Yang Qing reprimanded Posthouse Deputy Fan for failing to secure the Posthouse and ordered him to check for casualties.
• A guard reported that an assassin had wounded Wei Li and that Wei Li's life was in danger, so Yang Qing went to see him.
• A doctor said Wei Li's heart and lungs were wounded and could not be saved.
• Wei Li died in the guard's arms after coughing up blood.
• Yang Qing told Dai Sheng to report the attack and Wei Li's death to the throne and notify Chancellor Wei.

Du Liangcai learned that Wei Li had died and Yang Qing had survived an assassination attempt, then visited Yang Qing and warned that Chancellor Liu could not wait much longer for the peace talks. At the guesthouse, Liu Mengde coughed up blood, collapsed, and called out to the emperor.

• A subordinate told Du Liangcai that the Official Post Station was surrounded, Wei Li had died of his injuries, and Yang Qing was unharmed.
• A Shadow Envoy warned Du Liangcai that the prince would hold him responsible if he failed again, and Du Liangcai set out for the Official Post Station.
• Du Liangcai told Yang Qing that Chancellor Liu could not wait long for the peace negotiations to conclude, and Yang Qing promised to discuss them the next day.
• Liu Mengde coughed up blood, collapsed, and struggled to call for help before crying out to the emperor.

After Liu Mengde died of poisoning in the Yan Prefecture Guesthouse, Yang Qing called for an investigation to answer Northern Liang’s accusations. Yan Ming traced the poison to a combination of xiao fruit, Spirit-Calming Flower, and tea, but his final examination of Liu Mengde revealed a new clue.

• Yang Qing arrived to find Liu Mengde dead, while Du Liangcai accused Western Chu of murdering the Northern Liang chancellor.
• The coroner found that Liu Mengde had been poisoned but could not identify the poison’s source, so Yang Qing summoned Yan Ming.
• Yan Ming questioned the guesthouse cook and learned that Liu Mengde regularly ate xiao fruit and drank tea.
• Yan Ming explained that xiao fruit combined with Spirit-Calming Flower and tea could create a slow-acting poison, and Du Liangcai blamed Western Chu.
• Yang Qing urged Du Liangcai to wait while they sought the true culprit, and Yan Ming discovered a further clue while examining Liu Mengde’s eyes and topknot.

Yang Qing was stripped of his office and imprisoned by imperial decree while Chancellor Wei was assigned to take over the Northern Liang envoy case. In his cell, he warned Yan Ming to leave for Yan Pass and discovered a possible hidden message in the edict.

• Suotu delivered an imperial decree stripping Yang Qing of his official rank and ordering him to await judgment over the Northern Liang envoy case.
• Yang Qing stopped Bu Er from resisting arrest, handed over his official clothes and hat, and was escorted to prison.
• The people of Yan Prefecture protested Yang Qing's punishment, while the jailers gave him a clean cell and meals he preferred.
• Yan Ming told Yang Qing what he had found during his second examination of Liu Mengde's body, and Yang Qing warned him to keep quiet and return to Yan Pass.
• Yang Qing studied the edict and focused on the character "cheng" in its wording.

Yang Qing discovered a hidden instruction in the Imperial Edict to investigate personally and learned that his imprisonment was meant to reassure someone in the capital. The chapter ended with Murong Qian visiting him in prison and expressing her concern.

• Yang Qing found irregularities in the Imperial Edict that spelled out an order to investigate personally.
• Suotu told Yang Qing that the Emperor had spared him prison after Chancellor Wei intervened, and Yang Qing sent Bu Er to watch the capital and delay someone's journey if possible.
• Phantom Shadow attacked Bu Er over Yang Qing's imprisonment, then accepted that Yang Qing had planned it and promised to protect his undertaking.
• Phantom Shadow told Bu Er that a woman had been asking about Yang Qing, and Bu Er warned him not to act rashly toward Miss Murong.
• Murong Qian brought food to Yang Qing's cell, and she reddened with emotion as she told him he had suffered so much.

Murong Qian visited the imprisoned Yang Qing and then agreed to help him despite Jiang Zhizhou’s warning. Yang Qing learned that Fu Bonian was coming to Yan Prefecture in place of Wei Sizhong and ordered an investigation as a carriage set out from the Capital City.

• Murong Qian brought food to Yang Qing in prison, and he asked Jiang Zhizhou to visit her after she left.
• Murong Qian confronted Jiang Zhizhou at Bright Jade Lake and insisted on helping Yang Qing; Jiang warned her to be careful.
• Jiang Zhizhou told Yang Qing about Murong Qian’s intentions, and Yang Qing chose to watch over her secretly rather than stop her.
• Bu Er reported that Fu Bonian, chief minister of the Court of Judicial Review, would come in Wei Sizhong’s place.
• Yang Qing ordered someone sent to Jiang Prefecture to verify something, while a plain carriage left the Capital City for Yan Prefecture.

Wei Sizhong secretly recalled Fu Bonian to the Chancellor's Residence, warning that enemies had targeted him because of his ties to the chancellor. After learning that attackers had killed his steward, Fu Bonian believed Wei Sizhong had saved his life and wondered whether the attack was motivated by his position as Wei's pupil.

• Wei Sizhong privately questioned Fu Bonian about his family and explained that he had secretly brought him back to Capital City.
• Wei Sizhong said that people who had killed his nephew Wei Li had now turned their attention to Fu Bonian, one of the officials he had raised.
• Wei Sizhong's men reported that attackers had ambushed Fu Bonian's carriage and killed his steward.
• Fu Bonian realized the attack might have killed him too and kowtowed to Wei Sizhong, thanking him for saving his life.
• Fu Bonian asked whether the attackers had targeted him simply because he was Wei Sizhong's pupil.