Chapter Summaries

Suotu reported that the three thousand men in the Capital Outskirts were not the loyal force Wei Sizhong had claimed, and Chu Jinghui decided to inspect them himself. As Chu Jinghui and Suotu prepared to leave, a heavy thud sounded outside the hall.

• Suotu arrived to report on the men in the Capital Outskirts, but Chu Jinghui said Wei Sizhong had described them as an elite force secretly trained for the emperor.
• Chu Jinghui praised Wei Sizhong, ordered his shackles removed, and promised him a banquet before sending him out with guards.
• Suotu told Chu Jinghui that the men had set the mountain ablaze to conceal their escape and that his soldiers had contained the fire and blocked the exits.
• Chu Jinghui grew angry at Suotu's report but insisted on seeing the men in the Secret Chamber despite Suotu's warning that the journey was dangerous.
• A heavy thud sounded outside the hall, and Suotu sprang up to investigate.

Chu Jinghui went with Suotu and Wei Sizhong to inspect the burned Taoist Temple and the hidden underground palace containing three thousand troops. At the entrance, Suotu hinted that Wei Sizhong had been deceived and ordered something brought forward.

• Suotu reported that Wei Sizhong had collapsed outside the hall, but Chu Jinghui decided to visit the Capital Outskirts anyway.
• Chu Jinghui ordered Wei Sizhong to accompany him, and the emperor’s procession left the palace for the Taoist Temple.
• At the mountain, Chu Jinghui saw the fire damage and learned that hidden men had set the blaze while escaping.
• Suotu led Chu Jinghui and Wei Sizhong through a concealed entrance to the underground palace, explaining that the temple entrance had been destroyed.
• Wei Sizhong insisted he knew the men’s backgrounds, but Suotu warned him that people’s hearts could change and ordered his men to bring something forward.

Suotu presented intelligence accusing some of Wei Sizhong’s Shadow Guards of loyalty to the prime minister, and Wei Sizhong pleaded that he had been framed. Suotu then delivered a second Memorial that shocked Chu Jinghui, leaving him shaken as Yang Chengming requested an audience.

• Suotu gave Chu Jinghui a Memorial describing disloyal beliefs among Wei Sizhong’s Shadow Guards.
• Chu Jinghui confronted Wei Sizhong, who denied knowing about the men and begged for forgiveness.
• Wei Sizhong argued that the accusations were fabricated to undermine the emperor’s trust in him and urged a thorough investigation.
• Suotu presented a second Memorial despite Chu Jinghui’s threats and said the matter required a swift decision.
• Chu Jinghui read the second Memorial, dropped it in shock, and heard that Yang Chengming, the Yan Prefecture Military Commissioner, requested an audience.

Yang Qing accused Wei Sizhong of secretly colluding with Scarface to arrange the ambush that nearly killed Chu Jinghui, and presented evidence linking Wei to the bandits through Li Yi. Chu Jinghui turned against Wei, who collapsed and asked to present a memorial.

• Yang Qing entered the Taoist Temple and argued that Wei Sizhong had overstepped by concealing the three thousand Shadow Guards from Chu Jinghui.
• Yang Qing submitted a memorial, prompting Chu Jinghui to question Wei about Tang Jixian and Scarface.
• Yang Qing accused Wei of informing Scarface of Chu Jinghui’s journey and enabling the ambush in Yan Prefecture.
• Yang Qing explained that his investigation uncovered Wei’s connection to Li Yi, who had preserved Wei’s calligraphy and had ties to the bandits.
• Chu Jinghui kicked Wei Sizhong to the ground, and Wei cried that he had a memorial to present.

Yang Qing dismantled Wei Sizhong’s defense by linking the imperial robes found in Wei’s residence to his control of the Three Thousand Shadow Guards and Princess Nazhen. Chu Jinghui ordered the palace guarded and prepared to go to the Dingguo Marquis Residence, while Wei Sizhong still pleaded that he had once saved the emperor.

• Wei Sizhong claimed that he had corresponded with Li Yi to infiltrate Yan Prefecture’s bandits and uncover the truth about the attack on Chu Jinghui.
• Yang Qing rejected Wei Sizhong’s account and pointed out that the prohibited imperial robes found in Wei’s residence were made in the style Chu Jinghui wore as crown prince.
• Yang Qing explained that the robes’ patterns dated back more than a decade and accused Wei Sizhong of placing the Three Thousand Shadow Guards under Princess Nazhen’s control with treacherous intentions.
• Chu Jinghui demanded that Wei Sizhong explain himself, and Wei repeatedly insisted that he was innocent.
• Chu Jinghui told Suotu to guard the area so no one could escape and ordered his procession prepared for the Dingguo Marquis Residence.

Princess Nazhen sent a confidential letter to Emperor Chu Jinghui through Wu Liang, then took her own life before she could meet the emperor. Chu Jinghui ordered her death buried with a lavish funeral and the matter ended, just as an urgent report arrived from the border.

• Princess Nazhen told Wu Liang that their marriage had been one of expediency and asked him to deliver her sealed letter to Chu Jinghui.
• Wu Liang set out for the palace, but Chu Jinghui arrived at the Dingguo Marquis Residence and received the letter.
• Chu Jinghui asked Wu Liang to bring Princess Nazhen to the front hall, but Wu Liang found her dead in their bedchamber, dressed in Northern Liang robes.
• Wu Liang reported Nazhen's suicide, and Chu Jinghui ordered that she receive a lavish burial and that the matter end there.
• As Chu Jinghui left the residence, a messenger arrived shouting that there was an emergency at the border.

A dying Courier warned Chu Jinghui that the border was in peril, and Yang Qing recognized that Northern Liang had attacked Yan Pass after learning of General Chen Lin’s death. Chu Jinghui appointed Yang Qing Acting Marshal and approved his secret plan, leaving Yang Qing to depart for the border as his health suddenly failed.

• The Courier delivered an urgent border warning to Chu Jinghui, then died, and Chu Jinghui ordered him buried with honor and his family compensated.
• Yang Qing ordered the Dark Alliance to assemble and return to Yan Prefecture, then went to the palace with Jiang Zhizhou.
• Yang Qing told Chu Jinghui that Northern Liang had attacked Yan Pass because General Chen Lin had died, and Chu Jinghui confirmed the urgent dispatch matched his analysis.
• Chu Jinghui granted Yang Qing the Acting Marshal’s Command and approved a plan Yang Qing said would eliminate the threat from Northern Liang, despite its cost to him.
• Yang Qing warned Chu Jinghui to take care of himself, then collapsed after coughing blood, and Jiang Zhizhou carried him back to the Yang Residence.

After Yang Qing collapsed from an old ailment, Jiang Zhizhou learned that he had secretly secured permission to help Jiang Zhizhou confront Duan Hongzhuo after the crisis at Yan Pass. Yang Qing and Jiang Zhizhou agreed to return to Yan Prefecture, but Guard Suotu arrived before they could leave.

• Jiang Zhizhou rushed Yang Qing home, and Bu Er gave Yang Qing a pill that steadied his breathing.
• Yang Qing woke and told Jiang Zhizhou that his collapse came from surging blood and vital energy, while the pills were meant to restore his health.
• Yang Qing explained how the Regent King had used Jiang Zhizhou as a hostage and revealed that he planned to return with Jiang Zhizhou to Northern Liang to help deal with Duan Hongzhuo.
• Jiang Zhizhou objected that Northern Liang was too dangerous, but Yang Qing said the plan had the Emperor's approval and was known only to them.
• Yang Qing and Jiang Zhizhou agreed to return to Yan Prefecture that day, and Bu Er announced that Guard Suotu had arrived.

Yang Qing and Suotu agreed to travel together to Yan Pass, where Yang Qing intended to take up its defense. As they departed Capital City, Bu Er reported that several people of unknown origins had appeared ahead.

• Suotu visited Yang Qing and promised to follow his instructions in Yan Pass, then agreed to leave with him the next morning.
• Yang Qing and Jiang Zhizhou reflected on their plans, and Jiang Zhizhou urged Yang Qing to keep resting while their preparations were completed.
• Yang Qing left Capital City with Bu Er, while Jiang Zhizhou and the Dark Alliance followed in concealment.
• Eunuch Zhang saw Yang Qing off at the northern gate, and Yang Qing set out with Suotu.
• Bu Er warned Yang Qing that several people of unknown origins were waiting ahead, and Yang Qing ordered him to continue toward them.

Yang Qing left the capital for Yan Pass as Chu Jinghui ordered a purge of the exiled Wei clan and confined Wei Sizhong. On the road, Yang Qing and Jiang Zhizhou discussed Northern Liang’s possible attack on Yan Pass, but their journey was interrupted by an arrow shot at their carriage.

• Yang Qing bade farewell to officials outside the capital, then set out for Yan Prefecture with Jiang Zhizhou.
• Chu Jinghui ordered the secret execution of the exiled members of the Wei clan and the confinement of Wei Sizhong in Heaven-Class Cell Two until his death.
• Yang Qing asked Jiang Zhizhou how Northern Liang might exploit the early winter to attack Yan Pass.
• Jiang Zhizhou warned that Northern Liang might use the cold to undermine Yan Pass’s defenses while Zou Donghai was in command.
• Yang Qing chose not to send a warning ahead, reasoning that Northern Liang might be watching them and that they could respond after reaching Yan Pass.
• An arrow whistled into Yang Qing’s carriage as Jiang Zhizhou warned that Northern Liang might obstruct their return.

Yang Qing and Jiang Zhizhou came under attack from Northern Liang agents while traveling back to Yan Prefecture, but Suotu and his men defeated the ambushers. Yang Qing explained why he had let the attackers follow them and anticipated further danger on the road, then wondered how things were in Yan Prefecture.

• Jiang Zhizhou shielded Yang Qing as poisoned arrows struck their carriage, and Yang Qing deduced that the attackers were from Northern Liang.
• Yang Qing told Jiang Zhizhou that their force was too small to fight directly and expected Suotu to act with the military tally entrusted to him.
• Suotu and his men engaged the attackers and soon reported that they had dealt with all the bandits.
• Yang Qing identified the attackers as Northern Liang agents who had watched him after Princess Nazhen's death.
• Yang Qing explained that he had avoided arresting the agents in Capital City to prevent them from harming civilians or threatening the emperor.
• Suotu resumed the journey, while Yang Qing and Jiang Zhizhou discussed his judgment and the ten days remaining before they reached Yan Prefecture.

Yang Qing returned to Yan Prefecture and learned from Dai Sheng that a new deputy magistrate had arrived and was difficult to read. At the County Office, Yang Qing confronted the deputy magistrate after he ordered Bu Er's carriage driven away.

• Dai Sheng welcomed Yang Qing outside Yan Prefecture City and gave him a fur cloak against the cold.
• Dai Sheng told Yang Qing that a new deputy magistrate had arrived and warned him to be cautious because the man was hard to fathom.
• Yang Qing and Dai Sheng discussed the crisis at Yan Pass and agreed to hear the deputy magistrate's views.
• At the County Office, the burly deputy magistrate ordered Bu Er to move his carriage and threatened him with a beating.
• Yang Qing spoke from inside his carriage and rebuked the deputy magistrate for abusing his official authority.

Yang Qing returned to Yan Prefecture and learned that Dai Sheng was due to be replaced as county magistrate by Wu Tianyong, who had already taken control of the County Office. Suspecting irregularities in the secret transfer order, Yang Qing asked Dai Sheng to find the Court Gazette without Wu Tianyong’s knowledge.

• Yang Qing arrived in Yan Prefecture and saw Wu Tianyong challenge Dai Sheng while asserting his authority at the County Office.
• Dai Sheng told Yang Qing that Wu Tianyong had been appointed to replace him in half a month by a secret imperial order.
• Yang Qing went to the Yang Residence with Dai Sheng and asked why Wu Tianyong was taking over the post.
• Dai Sheng explained that the Court Gazette had ordered his replacement without naming his next posting, and that Wu Tianyong had arrived posing as a county deputy.
• Yang Qing asked Dai Sheng to retrieve the Court Gazette and keep the request secret from Wu Tianyong.
• Dai Sheng helped Yang Qing and his companions clean the Yang Residence before returning home.

Yang Qing suspected Wu Tianyong was an impostor from Northern Liang and sent Dai Sheng to find the Court Gazette while Bu Er secretly followed him. When the Gazette could not be found, Dai Sheng planned to report the matter to Yang Qing, but disturbances by displaced people delayed him.

• Yang Qing told Jiang Zhizhou he suspected Wu Tianyong was an impostor and sent Bu Er to follow Dai Sheng in secret.
• Dai Sheng asked Secretary Dou to retrieve the Court Gazette concerning his transfer, but Secretary Dou could not find it.
• Dai Sheng warned Secretary Dou not to let Deputy County Magistrate Wu learn about his request.
• Dai Sheng decided to tell Yang Qing the truth and headed toward the Yang Residence.
• Dai Sheng was called away to deal with displaced people causing disturbances around the city.

Yang Qing and Dai Sheng investigated unrest in Yan Prefecture caused by wounded and disabled soldiers withdrawn from Yan Pass, whose growing hardship had set them against local residents. As Dai Sheng prepared to seek Yang Qing’s help, reports arrived of trouble breaking out in several places across the city.

• Yang Qing learned that refugees were causing trouble and went with Jiang Zhizhou to investigate, suspecting the unrest was aimed at him and Dai Sheng.
• Yang Qing arranged for Guard Suotu’s men to wait nearby in case the situation escalated, then traveled to the disturbance.
• Dai Sheng found wounded and disabled soldiers surrounding a grain shop because its proprietor refused to sell them grain at a very low price.
• Dai Sheng listened to the shopkeeper and the soldiers, who said they needed food to survive the winter, and considered how to resolve their dispute.
• Dai Sheng privately told Secretary Dou to keep his orders from Deputy County Magistrate Wu and decided he would have to tell Yang Qing the truth.
• Dai Sheng received word that trouble was occurring in several parts of the city and headed to another scene with the Prefectural Soldiers.

Yang Qing arranged for the starving soldiers from Yan Pass to register and seek work in Yan Prefecture City while secretly warning Dai Sheng that two men among them were suspicious. He discussed the threat of Northern Liang and planned to visit Yan Pass the next day, then encountered a familiar veiled figure.

• Yang Qing told the displaced soldiers to register at the County Office, obtain Name Certificates, and find work under Dai Sheng’s supervision.
• Yang Qing signaled Dai Sheng to watch the soldiers and arranged for them to receive food, then warned Jiang Zhizhou that two men had questionable backgrounds.
• Yang Qing and Jiang Zhizhou suspected the men might be connected to Wu Tianyong and Northern Liang’s plans to seize Yan Prefecture.
• Yang Qing decided to visit Yan Pass the next day because the fighting was dire and Suotu might not be able to manage the situation.
• Yang Qing stepped from his sedan chair and heard a familiar veiled figure greet him.

Yang Qing rejected Murong Qian’s plea to leave Yan Prefecture with her, insisting he had to uncover the truth about his family’s deaths and protect Western Chu. After Murong Qian left in tears, a crash from the inner room sent Bu Er and Jiang Zhizhou rushing to Yang Qing.

• Yang Qing welcomed Murong Qian into the cold Yang Residence and explained that he had returned because his heart found peace there.
• Murong Qian urged Yang Qing to leave Yan Prefecture, but he said he could not abandon the danger at Yan Pass or the unanswered deaths of more than two hundred members of the Yang Family.
• Murong Qian begged Yang Qing to leave with her and make up for their ten lost years, but he told her to stop clinging to the past.
• Yang Qing turned away from Murong Qian, and Bu Er escorted her out of the residence as she left in tears.
• Jiang Zhizhou explained to Bu Er that Yang Qing had reasons to keep Murong Qian at a distance, especially with Wu Tianyong’s unknown origins and the precarious situation in Yan Prefecture.
• A heavy crash sounded from the inner room, and Bu Er and Jiang Zhizhou rushed inside.

Yang Qing and his attendants caught an intruder who had broken into the residence, then tortured him into revealing that Wu Tianyong had sent him to sound Yang Qing out and deliver an invitation. Yang Qing refused the invitation and sent the man back with a pointed message for Wu Tianyong.

• A noise from Yang Qing's room brought Bu Er and Jiang Zhizhou running, where they found an intruder trapped by a mechanism at the window.
• Bu Er threatened the intruder while Jiang Zhizhou forced a pill on him and inflicted further pain until he agreed to answer their questions.
• The intruder confessed that Wu Tianyong had sent him to make Yang Qing's acquaintance and invite him to a gathering.
• Yang Qing rejected the invitation because the messenger had broken in through a window and his origins were unclear.
• Yang Qing wrote a message for the intruder to deliver to Wu Tianyong, warning him to take care in the bitter cold and thanking him for his hospitality.

Yang Qing discussed Yan Prefecture City's instability, the looming war at Yan Pass, and Northern Hawk's unexplained silence with Bu Er and Jiang Zhizhou. A Northern Liang visitor arrived on a snowy night to persuade Yang Qing to defect, and Yang Qing asked what benefits he would receive.

• Bu Er warned Yang Qing that releasing the injured man could provoke Wu Tianyong and more visitors from the north, but Yang Qing believed Wu Tianyong would understand his reasons.
• Yang Qing said they had to resolve trouble in Yan Prefecture City before fighting Northern Liang, while Bu Er reported that Northern Hawk had not sent word.
• Yang Qing reassured Bu Er that Northern Hawk was likely detained and would eventually make contact.
• A black-clad Northern Liang visitor arrived at Yang Qing's residence, and Yang Qing invited him inside for tea.
• The visitor urged Yang Qing to abandon Western Chu and serve Northern Liang, and Yang Qing asked what benefits he would receive.

Yang Qing detained a Northern Liang persuader and learned that Duan Hongzhuo had sent agents into Yan Pass and Yan Prefecture, prompting a plan to draw out Wu Tianyong. At the county office the next morning, Yang Qing told Dai Sheng to prepare to accompany him to Yan Pass.

• Yang Qing ordered Bu Er to lock up the uncredentialed Northern Liang persuader and arranged to keep him from sleeping so he would reveal what he knew.
• Yang Qing concluded that Duan Hongzhuo had bypassed Northern Liang’s sovereign and sent numerous agents into Yan Pass and Yan Prefecture.
• Yang Qing and Jiang Zhizhou planned to leak news of the prisoner to lure Wu Tianyong out and help Dai Sheng remain in Yan Prefecture.
• Yang Qing arrived at the Yan Prefecture County Office and told Dai Sheng to prepare to travel with him to Yan Pass.