Chapter Summaries

Yang Qing exposed Master Deng as an impostor who had worn another man’s face while serving Dai Sheng for nearly ten years. After Master Deng was taken away, soldiers reported tattoos suggesting he belonged to Northern Liang, leaving Dai Sheng stunned and awaiting a decision.

• Master Deng claimed he had deceived Dai Sheng only to visit his mistress Hui Niang, but Yang Qing rejected his story and had Bu Er pin him down.
• Yang Qing asked Dai Sheng to leave Master Deng in his hands, and Dai Sheng agreed.
• Bu Er pulled out one of Master Deng’s teeth, and Yang Qing revealed that he had worn someone else’s facial skin as a mask for nearly ten years.
• Dai Sheng realized the man had replaced his original adviser the day after he took office and kicked him, demanding to know who he was.
• Master Deng warned Yang Qing that betrayal was coming before guards dragged him away for questioning.
• Prefectural Soldiers reported that Master Deng had tattoos resembling those of Northern Liang, shocking Dai Sheng.

Chu Yifeng and Yang Qing exposed Master Deng as a Northern Liang sleeper agent, but he killed himself with a poisoned tooth before they could interrogate him. Yang Qing then urged a campaign against the remaining bandits, and Yan Prefecture's people eagerly volunteered to help.

• Chu Yifeng arrived and accompanied Dai Sheng and Yang Qing to inspect the tattoo on Master Deng, confirming he was likely from Northern Liang.
• Yang Qing threatened to bring Master Deng's elderly mother to Yan Prefecture, and Master Deng revealed his hatred of Yang Qing and his loyalty to Northern Liang.
• Master Deng died after biting down on a hidden poisoned tooth, and Chu Yifeng ordered his corpse sent to Yan Pass as a warning.
• Yang Qing advised Chu Yifeng to strike the remaining bandits while they were demoralized and to involve Yan Prefecture's people in the campaign.
• Yan Prefecture's residents flocked to the County Office to volunteer, provide rations, and support the families of anyone killed fighting bandits.

At Yan Pass, Chen Lin learned that Yang Qing had crushed the bandits in Yan Prefecture City and captured a Northern Liang sleeper agent. Wei Li urged him to ignore Prince Duan’s order to display the agent’s body, but Chen Lin chose to follow it and put the garrison on alert.

• A soldier told Chen Lin that Yang Qing had suppressed the Yan Prefecture City bandits and captured a Northern Liang sleeper agent.
• Chen Lin praised Yang Qing and ordered the sleeper agent’s corpse and a list of his crimes displayed outside Yan Pass.
• Wei Li objected, warning Chen Lin that publicizing the capture could provoke Northern Liang and bring the emperor’s anger.
• After Wei Li stormed out, Chen Lin reaffirmed his order and canceled the soldiers’ leave, directing them to watch Northern Liang closely.

At Yan Pass, Wan Li attacked Chen Lin with a poisoned arrow after demanding an answer over the Northern Liang spy's corpse. Chen Lin secretly prepared to use the incident against a scheming enemy and summoned Wei Li to discuss Yan Pass's future.

• Chen Lin taunted Wan Li from Yan Pass's gate tower and accused Northern Liang of using the proposed alliance to conceal its schemes.
• Wan Li shot Chen Lin with a poisoned arrow, and Chen Lin cut the wound to drain the black blood while stopping his soldiers from pursuing Wan Li.
• Yan Ming told Chen Lin and Zou Donghai that the arrow carried the supposedly incurable Hundred-Day Drunk poison, and Chen Lin ordered Zou Donghai to fetch Wei Li.
• Chen Lin privately told Yan Ming to visit Lord Yang in Yan Prefecture and revealed that he had exposed himself to create an opportunity to move against a schemer.
• Yan Ming gave Chen Lin a pill to protect him from the poison, and Wei Li arrived at the command tent.

Chen Lin temporarily entrusted Yan Pass to Wei Li while Yan Ming refused to fully commit to Wei. Chu Yifeng ordered Yang Qing to inspect Yan Pass on the emperor’s behalf, and Tiger’s attempt to kill Yang Qing ended with Jiang Zhizhou intervening.

• Chen Lin told Wei Li to manage Yan Pass while he recovered, and Wei Li accepted the temporary responsibility.
• Wei Li tried to recruit Yan Ming, who said he would serve him after his promotion while remaining by Chen Lin’s side for now.
• Chu Yifeng praised Yang Qing and Dai Sheng for eradicating the bandits, then ordered Yang Qing to inspect Yan Pass and investigate Northern Liang’s movements.
• Bu Er told Yang Qing that Tiger had escaped, and Yang Qing ordered him to search discreetly and kill Tiger if found.
• Tiger ambushed Yang Qing with a sharpened bamboo pole, but Jiang Zhizhou stabbed Tiger before he could strike.

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.