Chapter Summaries

Shen Yangge and his companions escaped Lu Guangchen’s burning estate and reunited with the townspeople, but learned that a much larger force was fighting its way into the city. As two townspeople stayed behind to delay the attackers, Su Shang led Shen Yangge toward the rear gate.

• Lu Guangchen’s death sworn guards abandoned him after discovering that the room had burned and the letters were stolen.
• Shen Yangge and Liang Yu escaped the estate, and Su Shang told Liang Yu that Shen Yangge had saved him.
• Shen Yangge returned to the rendezvous point, told the townspeople he had burned Lu Guangchen’s estate, and reassured them that Lu Guangchen could not attack them soon.
• Two gravely injured townspeople returned and warned Shen Yangge that a much larger group was fighting its way into the city and killing everyone it saw.
• One wounded man gave Shen Yangge a jade hairpin for Su Huaihuan, then he and a middle-aged man went back to delay the attackers.
• Su Shang pulled Shen Yangge toward the rear gate as the townspeople prepared to flee.

Shen Yangge escaped the burning city with Su Shang and the civilians, but grieved for those left behind. Chu Xuanzhen arrived and rode back into the city to fight and search for Physician Liu, leaving Shen Yangge waiting for his safe return.

• Su Shang fought the soldiers guarding the rear gate so Shen Yangge and the civilians could escape, while Shen Yangge learned that Physician Liu had stayed behind.
• Shen Yangge and the survivors reached safety and mourned the loved ones they had lost as flames spread through the city.
• Chu Xuanzhen arrived, comforted Shen Yangge, and let him drink his blood.
• Shen Yangge asked Chu Xuanzhen to bring Physician Liu out if he found him, and Chu Xuanzhen rode back toward the city with soldiers and deathsworn warriors.
• Shen Yangge watched Chu Xuanzhen leave and hoped he would return alive.

Chu Xuanzhen arrived in time to help his forces defeat the Seventh Prince’s rebels, but Physician Liu died before he could be rescued. After returning to Shen Yangge, Chu Xuanzhen embraced and kissed him, and the two withdrew beneath a tree.

• Chu Xuanzhen arrived at the rear city gate and ordered his soldiers to kill every rebel and traitor.
• Chu Xuanzhen followed an old man to Physician Liu, who died clutching a child’s pellet drum, and ordered that he be given a proper burial.
• The battle ended in victory, with more than a thousand people dead and the rebels’ retreating forces pursued.
• Shen Yangge saw Chu Xuanzhen return covered in blood, and Chu Xuanzhen embraced and kissed him.
• Chu Xuanzhen told Shen Yangge he was not wounded and invited him to drink, but Shen Yangge declined, so Chu Xuanzhen led him beneath a tree.

Shen Yangge cared for the exhausted Chu Xuanzhen and realized his feelings for him ran deep as Chu recounted surviving an ambush and a leap from a cliff. After they shared a tender moment, Shen Yangge learned that Physician Liu had died clutching a keepsake meant for his apprentice.

• Shen Yangge let Chu Xuanzhen sleep, then fed him congee after he woke in fresh clothes.
• Chu Xuanzhen recounted how pursuers drove him to a cliff, how he jumped into the river, and how Little Eight later helped him defeat them.
• Shen Yangge urged Chu Xuanzhen to preserve his life, and Chu Xuanzhen caught his hand and called him a little liar.
• A child brought them a pellet drum found in Chu Xuanzhen's clothes, and Chu Xuanzhen explained that it had belonged to Physician Liu.
• Chu Xuanzhen told Shen Yangge that Physician Liu had died while carrying the drum, which belonged to his apprentice, and Shen Yangge quietly accepted the news.

Shen Yangge grieved Physician Liu and finally embraced Chu Xuanzhen, acknowledging his feelings for him. After Lingnan’s plague was brought under control and the Seventh Prince’s faction was defeated, Chu Xuanzhen returned to Shen Yangge, while the emperor reacted furiously to the conflict.

• Chu Xuanzhen comforted Shen Yangge by telling him he had killed Physician Liu’s murderers, and Shen Yangge hugged him back for the first time.
• Chu Xuanzhen asked whether Shen Yangge would grieve if he died, then kissed him and held him as Shen Yangge let out his grief.
• The surviving civilians buried their dead, and some chose to leave Lingnan to help treat plague victims elsewhere.
• Chu Xuanzhen and the Eighth Prince defeated the Seventh Prince’s remaining faction in Lingnan.
• As Chu Xuanzhen returned in the rain, Shen Yangge waited at the city gates, and Chu Xuanzhen greeted him by asking if he wanted to drink blood.
• After peace returned to Lingnan, Chu Xuanzhen sent news of the victory to the emperor, who was furious about the fighting.

Chu Xuanzhen returned to Capital City with Shen Yangge, where Shen Yangge presented evidence against the Seventh Prince and helped bring about his downfall. The Seventh Prince was stripped of his title and banished, while Shen Yangge’s punishment ended and he learned more about the mystery surrounding his family.

• Chu Xuanzhen ignored the emperor’s urgent summons until he finished discussing the matter with the Eighth Prince, then prepared to leave for Capital City the next morning.
• The people of Lingnan sent the departing soldiers off with food and heartfelt blessings, and Shen Yangge reflected on Shen Rongfei’s farewell and their unresolved family secrets.
• The Database lifted Shen Yangge’s Vampire punishment, but Chu Xuanzhen still told him to put his black veiled hat back on after seeing his face.
• In the Golden Throne Hall, Chu Xuanzhen accused the Seventh Prince of building a faction and secretly maintaining troops, and Shen Yangge presented letters proving his collusion with Lingnan officials.
• The Seventh Prince lunged at Shen Yangge, who kicked him away; Chu Xuanzhen then struck the prince and warned him not to touch his man.
• The emperor stripped the Seventh Prince of his title, reduced him to a commoner, and banished him from Capital City, while the prince wondered who had betrayed him.

Shen Yangge helped expose the Seventh Prince’s secret army, but the emperor gave him no reward and counted his efforts as making amends. After court, Shen Yangge returned to the Shen Residence, where a young woman greeted him as her brother.

• Shen Yangge urged the emperor to verify the evidence against the Seventh Prince, and Chu Xuanzhen presented the Sovereign Tiger Tally, Azure Dragon Military Banner, and Black Tortoise Token.
• The Seventh Prince denied the charges and accused the First Prince, who denied framing him and demanded evidence.
• The emperor ordered the Seventh Prince taken away for questioning, rewarded Chu Xuanzhen, and gave Shen Yangge no reward.
• Shen Yangge took leave to visit the Shen Residence and found Shen Mother happily talking with a young woman.
• The young woman spotted Shen Yangge, stood up, and stammered, “Brother, you're back.”

Shen Yangge reunited with Shen Heqian and learned that she had returned to live with their mother. After hearing that Shen Yangge had accepted a woman’s advances and then seen him holding hands with a young woman, Chu Xuanzhen went to the Shen Residence and demanded to know who she was.

• Shen Mother introduced Shen Heqian as Shen Yangge’s younger sister, and the siblings apologized and reconciled.
• Su Shang reported that Shen Yangge had not refused a woman’s offer and had held hands with a young woman, angering Chu Xuanzhen.
• Shen Yangge, Shen Heqian, and Shen Mother shared a cheerful meal until a servant announced an honored guest.
• Chu Xuanzhen arrived at the Shen Residence and overheard Shen Yangge talking with Shen Heqian.
• Chu Xuanzhen demanded that Shen Yangge tell him who Shen Heqian was.

Chu Xuanzhen mistakenly accused Shen Yangge of keeping a sweetheart, but learned Shen Heqian was his younger sister. After dinner, he took Shen Yangge for a walk and asked whether he liked women.

• Chu Xuanzhen confronted Shen Yangge and demanded to know who his sweetheart was, alarming Shen Mother and Shen Heqian.
• Shen Yangge explained that Shen Heqian was his younger sister, and Chu Xuanzhen allowed her to stand after the misunderstanding was cleared up.
• Chu Xuanzhen complimented Shen Yangge’s looks and joined the family for dinner, leaving the household too afraid to speak freely.
• After dinner, Chu Xuanzhen walked ahead of Shen Yangge in the rear courtyard and asked whether he liked women.

Shen Yangge triggered another Database punishment after nearly admitting he liked Chu Xuanzhen, and he hid from the coming transformation while Chu Xuanzhen stayed in his quarters. The punishment turned him into a child-sized Little Dragon, and Chu Xuanzhen found his hiding place just as the cabinet door was about to open.

• Shen Yangge stopped himself from admitting he liked women, but System 615 warned that his earlier kick at the Seventh Prince had still broken character and triggered a punishment.
• Chu Xuanzhen took Shen Yangge back to his quarters, where Shen Yangge made the bed and tried to find a reason to leave before the punishment began.
• Shen Yangge hid in an empty room, and Database transformed him into a child-sized Little Dragon with tiny hands and a childish voice.
• Chu Xuanzhen entered the room, found Shen Yangge hiding in a cabinet, and began opening its door.

After Shen Yangge suddenly shrank and grew Dragon Horns, Chu Xuanzhen caught him and questioned whether he was a demon. Shen Yangge asked for help, and Chu Xuanzhen agreed on the condition that Shen Yangge kiss him for an hour every day after he returned to normal.

• Shen Yangge discovered he had shrunk and grown Dragon Horns, then fell out of the wardrobe into Chu Xuanzhen's arms.
• Chu Xuanzhen touched Shen Yangge's sensitive Dragon Horns, while System 615 warned that no one should touch them and promptly went offline.
• Shen Yangge told Chu Xuanzhen his unusual condition caused occasional changes and insisted he was human, not a demon.
• Chu Xuanzhen asked when Shen Yangge would recover, and Shen Yangge said it would probably take ten days.
• Shen Yangge asked Chu Xuanzhen for a favor, and Chu Xuanzhen demanded an hour of kissing every day once Shen Yangge returned to normal.

Shen Yangge resisted Chu Xuanzhen’s advances while asking him to find clothes for his shrunken body. After Shen Yangge’s transformation took a sudden turn, he passed out and woke coiled around someone.

• Shen Yangge refused Chu Xuanzhen’s demand for daily hour-long kisses, and Chu Xuanzhen lifted him into his arms.
• Shen Yangge tried to persuade Chu Xuanzhen to find clothes that fit, and Chu Xuanzhen eventually agreed to take him to get some.
• Su Shang entered with an urgent message, saw Shen Yangge in Chu Xuanzhen’s arms, and mistook him for Chu Xuanzhen’s child.
• Shen Yangge called Chu Xuanzhen “Daddy” to keep his identity hidden, and Chu Xuanzhen ordered Su Shang to buy him clothes.
• After Chu Xuanzhen squeezed his dragon horn, Shen Yangge felt a surge of heat, passed out, and later woke up tightly coiled around someone.

Shen Yangge woke in dragon form, coiled around Chu Xuanzhen, and struggled to control his body while Chu Xuanzhen untangled him. After Su Shang brought clothes into the brightly lit room, he glimpsed something golden protruding from beneath the bedding.

• Shen Yangge woke as a little golden dragon wrapped around Chu Xuanzhen and learned from System 615 that he would need Chu Xuanzhen to squeeze his horns to turn back.
• Shen Yangge examined his golden dragon form in the bronze mirror and considered pulling off scales to fund his eventual escape.
• Chu Xuanzhen questioned Shen Yangge about becoming a dragon and gradually unwound him from his body.
• Shen Yangge hid beneath the bedding when Su Shang knocked and announced that the young master's clothes were ready.
• Su Shang entered the brightly lit room, caught sight of something golden beneath the bedding, and wondered if he had seen a tail.

Su Shang discovered that Shen Yangge had transformed into a dragon, and Chu Xuanzhen kept the little dragon in his grasp. After Shen Yangge struck Chu Xuanzhen with his tail, Chu Xuanzhen used the wounds on his neck to insist that Shen Yangge heal him with dragon saliva.

• Su Shang glimpsed Shen Yangge's tail before leaving Chu Xuanzhen's room in shock.
• Shen Yangge crawled out of the bedding, discovered he could fly, and was caught and held by Chu Xuanzhen.
• Shen Yangge lashed Chu Xuanzhen with his tail, then worried that he had hurt him.
• System 615 told Shen Yangge that dragon saliva could heal other people and prolong life.
• Chu Xuanzhen exposed the puncture wounds on his neck and pressed Shen Yangge to take responsibility by healing them.
• Shen Yangge reluctantly agreed to treat Chu Xuanzhen's wounds, and Chu Xuanzhen showed his pleasure.

Shen Yangge treated Chu Xuanzhen’s neck wounds with dragon saliva, unaware that it caused a strong sexual response. After Chu Xuanzhen faked a collapse to lure him within reach, Shen Yangge ended the chapter back in Little Dragon form, sitting dejectedly beneath the moon.

• Shen Yangge licked Chu Xuanzhen’s neck wounds, and Chu Xuanzhen grew warmer before suddenly collapsing.
• Shen Yangge checked Chu Xuanzhen’s faint breathing and asked System 615 whether his saliva had caused the collapse.
• Chu Xuanzhen grabbed Shen Yangge by the tail and carried him to the bed after pretending to pass out.
• System 615 explained that the saliva caused a strong sexual response, and Shen Yangge realized Chu Xuanzhen had tricked him into coming close.
• Chu Xuanzhen pinned Shen Yangge down and made censored demands while Shen Yangge struggled to escape.
• Shen Yangge later returned to Little Dragon form and sat in the courtyard, staring at the moon in despair.

Shen Yangge stayed disguised as a little dragon after Chu Xuanzhen passed out, and Chu Xuanzhen cared for him the next morning. At breakfast, Chu Xuanzhen told Shen Mother that Shen Zhuanxie had left on an assignment, while Shen Mother stared in shock as the Crown Prince waited on the child.

• Shen Yangge decided to remain beside the unconscious Chu Xuanzhen for ten days to avoid another dangerous mishap.
• The next morning, Chu Xuanzhen woke and carried Shen Yangge around, washing him and asking whether he could conceal his dragon horns and eye color.
• With System 615's help, Shen Yangge concealed his horns and eye color before they entered the main hall.
• When Shen Mother sent a servant to fetch Young Master Shen, Chu Xuanzhen said Shen Zhuanxie had left the Shen Residence on a task.
• Chu Xuanzhen served porridge to Shen Yangge, leaving Shen Mother astonished that the Crown Prince was waiting on a child.

Chu Xuanzhen took Shen Yangge back to the palace, where Shen saw the disgraced Seventh Prince being sent into exile and learned the Crown Prince had arranged for him to witness it. That night, Chu Xuanzhen dressed Shen in finery, gave him a dagger, and brought him before the emperor, claiming he had found the child in Lingnan and planned to find him a kind family.

• Chu Xuanzhen waited in the carriage so Shen Yangge could see the Seventh Prince being transported in chains to exile in Lingnan.
• Chu Xuanzhen invited Shen Yangge to sit with him, but Shen refused and thanked him for letting him see the Seventh Prince's fate.
• Chu Xuanzhen carried Shen Yangge into the Eastern Palace, where a guard silenced palace maids gossiping about the child.
• After the emperor summoned Chu Xuanzhen to meet Shen Yangge, Chu Xuanzhen dressed him in luxurious clothes and gave him a dagger.
• Chu Xuanzhen led Shen Yangge before the emperor and said he had found the orphan in Lingnan and intended to place him with a kind family.

At a palace banquet, Shen Yangge was questioned by the emperor, then caught in an assassination attempt while Su Shang tried to get him to safety. A sword knocked off Shen Yangge’s hat, exposing his golden dragon horns and leaving Su Shang and the nearby assassins stunned.

• The emperor questioned Chu Xuanzhen about Shen Yangge and then asked the child his name, but Shen Yangge claimed he could not remember.
• Assassins attacked the palace banquet, and Chu Xuanzhen hid Shen Yangge before sending Su Shang to carry him out.
• Chu Xuanzhen stayed behind to investigate the Curse-Head Sorcery and the emperor’s hidden death sworn guards.
• Su Shang fought through the assassins with Shen Yangge in his arms, but one of them struck off the child’s hat.
• The assassins and Su Shang saw Shen Yangge’s golden dragon horns, and Su Shang blurted out that he might be a dragon’s son.

Shen Yangge’s Dragon Horns were exposed during an assassination attempt at the palace banquet, and Su Shang carried him out while the Violet-Clad Men stopped the attackers. After the emperor was poisoned, Shen Yangge escaped the pursuing Imperial Guards with a deathsworn guard and found a vent to hide in.

• Su Shang covered Shen Yangge’s exposed Dragon Horns and fled the hall with him as assassins pursued them.
• Chu Xuanzhen knocked down a concealed weapon aimed at the emperor, and the Violet-Clad Men captured the assassins who attacked the hall.
• A restrained assassin spat silver needles at the emperor; Chu Xuanzhen blocked two, but the third poisoned the emperor.
• Su Shang handed Shen Yangge to a deathsworn guard, then used a bundle of clothing as a decoy to draw the pursuers away.
• The deathsworn guard took Shen Yangge to the Imperial Medical Bureau, where Shen Yangge asked him to lure away the Imperial Guards and opened a vent grille to hide.

Shen Yangge escaped through a vent and met Little Bamboo Shoot, whom he comforted about his dead master before hiding from pursuers. Chu Xuanzhen rushed to find the missing Shen Yangge, while Shen Yangge prepared to flee and left Little Bamboo Shoot to misdirect the search.

• Shen Yangge crawled out of the vent and told the frightened Little Bamboo Shoot that his master had sent him, reassuring him that he would meet his master again in another life.
• Little Bamboo Shoot retrieved his master's Rattle Drum and helped Shen Yangge disguise himself when people searched the room.
• Chu Xuanzhen learned that Shen Yangge had disappeared from the Imperial Medical Bureau and rushed to find him.
• Shen Yangge hid in the vent as more people arrived, and Little Bamboo Shoot told the Crown Prince that a dancing girl had taken him away.