Chapter Summaries

Hu Xiaotian saved Li Xiangzhi from a blocked airway with an emergency cricothyrotomy and tracheotomy, earning Zhou Wenju’s respect and apology. At dinner, Wan Boping told Hu Xiaotian that six of the nine incense burners had been knocked over, and Hu agreed to inspect them later.

• Hu Xiaotian made an emergency incision in Li Xiangzhi’s neck and inserted a sterilized reed stalk, allowing her to breathe and regain consciousness.
• Hu Xiaotian performed a tracheotomy, removed a piece of beef from Li Xiangzhi’s windpipe, and taught her attendants how to care for her.
• Zhou Wenju apologized to Hu Xiaotian, praised his treatment, and asked what he called the method; Hu Xiaotian said his school called it surgery.
• Wan Boping invited Hu Xiaotian and Zhou Wenju to dinner, where they set aside their earlier dispute and shared wine.
• Wan Boping told Hu Xiaotian that six of the nine incense burners had been knocked over, and Hu said he would inspect them later.

Hu Xiaotian persuaded Zhou Wenju that his talisman ritual could treat the Wan Family’s fear, then agreed to draw talismans after securing Wan Boping’s promise to hold a Charity Auction. Murong Feiyan reported that Liu Baoju had secretly told Xu Qinglian Hu Xiaotian’s information and that they had accused him before the Xiezhou Prefecture authorities.

• Hu Xiaotian explained the power of belief and emergency treatment to Zhou Wenju, who recognized Hu’s skill and asked him questions about medicine.
• Wan Boping asked Hu Xiaotian to draw talismans, apologized, and handed him talismans marked with bloody fingerprints; Hu suspected someone in the household had made them.
• Hu Xiaotian confronted Wan Boping over his lack of trust and secured his agreement to hold the Charity Auction the day after tomorrow.
• Hu Xiaotian drew talismans while privately insulting Wan Boping and Wan Changchun, then welcomed Murong Feiyan and learned she had followed Liu Baoju to Xu Qinglian.
• Murong Feiyan reported that Liu Baoju had revealed Hu Xiaotian’s information to Xu Qinglian and that they had sent someone to accuse Hu of imposing taxes, taking bribes, and perverting the law.

Hu Xiaotian investigated the Wan Family’s supposed haunting with Murong Feiyan while questioning Le Yao’s sudden request to leave and her apparent fainting. He and Murong Feiyan stayed overnight in the rear courtyard to catch the person behind the ghostly disturbances.

• Murong Feiyan told Hu Xiaotian she would uncover who was behind the staged disturbances, while Hu Xiaotian replaced the incense and posted English-language talismans.
• Le Yao told Hu Xiaotian that a man had called her “Sister” from outside and begged him to take her away before fainting into his arms.
• Hu Xiaotian noticed Le Yao’s heartbeat had quickened, suspected she was pretending, and startled her awake by touching her lips with his finger.
• Wan Changchun told Hu Xiaotian that the ghostly voice had said, “I died such a horrible death,” and Hu Xiaotian decided to stay at the Wan Residence with Murong Feiyan.
• Wan Changchun arranged for Hu Xiaotian and Murong Feiyan to stay in Green Bamboo Garden, where Hu Xiaotian hoped to catch the supposed ghost.

Hu Xiaotian and Murong Feiyan kept watch over Le Yao’s courtyard and caught a masked intruder trying to abduct her. Murong Feiyan fought him off, but he escaped after releasing poisonous smoke, while Le Yao remained in the sack nearby.

• Hu Xiaotian and Murong Feiyan argued over their patrol duties, and Murong Feiyan later woke him to watch Le Yao’s lit courtyard from a tree.
• A masked intruder entered the Wan Residence by scaling a wall and used a white-lime mark to find Le Yao’s door.
• The intruder blew drugged smoke into Le Yao’s room, then carried her away in a sack.
• Murong Feiyan attacked the intruder and kicked the sack clear of the fight before engaging him with her sword.
• Murong Feiyan unmasked the intruder and struck his lower abdomen after he released pink poisonous smoke, forcing him to flee.

After a burglar’s drug left Le Yao and Murong Feiyan unconscious, Hu Xiaotian brought them to Le Yao’s room and tried to care for them. The women awoke in a drugged, confused state and attacked him, leaving him struggling to protect himself and his reputation.

• Hu Xiaotian found Le Yao and Murong Feiyan unconscious in the rain and carried them to Le Yao’s room.
• Hu Xiaotian kissed Le Yao’s cheek, then reconsidered taking liberties with Murong Feiyan because she was a renowned Female Constable.
• Le Yao and Murong Feiyan stirred under the drug’s influence, clung to Hu Xiaotian, and tore his shirt as he tried to escape them.
• Hu Xiaotian refused to call for help when he heard the night watch, fearing a scandal would ruin the women’s reputations.
• Le Yao bit Hu Xiaotian’s thigh, and Murong Feiyan bit his chest as he screamed in pain.

After Murong Feiyan and Le Yao recovered from the cat burglar’s drug, they realized they had beaten and bitten Hu Xiaotian, who pretended to be unconscious. Murong Feiyan concealed their part in his injuries, and the women hid him just before Madam Wan arrived.

• Hu Xiaotian kicked Le Yao away and seized Murong Feiyan, who punched him in the nose and sent him crashing to the floor.
• Murong Feiyan returned to Hu Xiaotian after realizing the drug had affected her, examined his injuries, and deduced that she and Le Yao had attacked him.
• Murong Feiyan woke Le Yao with cold water and claimed a cat burglar had drugged her, while Hu Xiaotian kept pretending to be unconscious.
• Le Yao believed Murong Feiyan’s explanation and cleaned Hu Xiaotian’s face, while Murong Feiyan concealed that they had caused his injuries.
• Hearing people approach, Murong Feiyan and Le Yao hid Hu Xiaotian beneath the bedding, and Murong Feiyan told Madam Wan that Le Yao was ill.

Madam Wan confronted Le Yao and ordered her to leave the Wan Residence for the Mercy Convent, while Hu Xiaotian hid beneath Le Yao’s covers. After Madam Wan left, Hu Xiaotian comforted Le Yao and escaped with Murong Feiyan, leaving their complicated feelings and injuries unspoken.

• Murong Feiyan tried to keep Madam Wan and her servants from entering Le Yao’s room, but Madam Wan went in and asked to speak with Le Yao alone.
• Madam Wan accused Le Yao of bringing trouble to the Wan Family and told her to leave for the Mercy Convent, where she could devote herself to Buddhist cultivation.
• Hu Xiaotian heard Madam Wan’s threats from beneath the covers while Le Yao agreed to go to the convent.
• After Madam Wan and Ziling left, Hu Xiaotian woke and embraced the grieving Le Yao, then told her he had to go and promised to protect her.
• Murong Feiyan signaled that the way was clear, and she led Hu Xiaotian back to the Green Bamboo Garden, where he discovered his body was covered in wounds.

After the drugged encounter, Hu Xiaotian and Murong Feiyan concealed what they remembered and tried to spare each other embarrassment. The chapter ended with Hu Xiaotian teasing her about taking responsibility, leaving Murong Feiyan flustered.

• Hu Xiaotian examined his shallow thigh bite and swollen nose, then went to Murong Feiyan's room after she invited him for pastries.
• Murong Feiyan asked what happened, and Hu Xiaotian claimed the burglar's drug had left him with no memory of the incident.
• Murong Feiyan said the drug was Peach Blossom Miasma and falsely claimed Hu Xiaotian had torn at his clothes until she stopped him.
• Hu Xiaotian pretended to feel ashamed and accepted Murong Feiyan's explanation, while privately realizing she was lying.
• Hu Xiaotian asked whether he had wronged Murong Feiyan and joked that he would take responsibility; she blushed and rebuked him.

Hu Xiaotian and Murong Feiyan discussed the flaws in their cover story about Le Yao, then Hu Xiaotian met with Wan Boping after the Wan Residence suffered another haunting. He claimed the haunting was more dangerous than they had thought and asked Wan Boping whether he truly wanted to know the truth.

• Hu Xiaotian pointed out the flaws in Murong Feiyan’s explanation for why she had visited Le Yao, and Murong Feiyan admitted inwardly that he was right.
• Wan Changchun told Hu Xiaotian that the Wan Residence had been haunted again, with all nine incense burners overturned and every talisman torn away.
• Hu Xiaotian changed into Wan Tingsheng’s robe, exchanged teasing remarks with Murong Feiyan, and went to breakfast with Wan Boping.
• Hu Xiaotian told Wan Boping he would return the three hundred gold and abandon the Nine Cauldrons Suppress Evil arrangement.
• Hu Xiaotian warned Wan Boping that the trouble at the residence was more than a matter of driving away a wronged spirit, then asked whether he wanted to hear the truth.

Hu Xiaotian and Murong Feiyan exposed five Wan Residence night guards for overturning the incense burners, and the guards revealed that Wan Boping’s eldest son had ordered them. Wan Boping tried to persuade Hu Xiaotian to protect his son by renewing his offer of sworn brotherhood, but Hu Xiaotian refused and warned that Wan Boping’s fortune brought doom to his siblings.

• Hu Xiaotian ordered the Wan household gathered while Murong Feiyan prepared basins of treated water to identify whoever had handled the incense burners.
• Murong Feiyan caught one servant whose hands turned red, then subdued two others who tried to slip away; Hu Xiaotian used the water to expose the remaining suspects.
• The five culprits confessed they were night guards, and Xu Shen said Wan Boping’s eldest son had ordered them to overturn the incense burners because he thought Hu Xiaotian had bewitched Wan Boping.
• Xu Shen revealed that Wan Boping’s eldest son was hiding at the Green-and-Red Pavilion, and Wan Boping began to order the guards beaten before Hu Xiaotian asked to take them for questioning.
• Wan Boping privately pleaded with Hu Xiaotian to spare his eldest son and proposed becoming sworn brothers, but Hu Xiaotian rejected the offer, saying Wan Boping’s fortune foretold doom for his siblings.

Hu Xiaotian pressured Wan Boping to donate to the Charity Auction and persuaded him to send Le Yao away from the Wan Residence. After arranging for Murong Feiyan to help protect Le Yao, Hu Xiaotian inspected the flood damage and found a suitable site for the auction.

• Hu Xiaotian let Wan Boping keep the servants in exchange for organizing the Charity Auction and donating a hundred gold pieces, then frightened him with a tale about a wronged spirit and urged him to send Le Yao away.
• Zhou Wenju asked Hu Xiaotian for medical advice, and Hu Xiaotian invited him to visit the next evening.
• Hu Xiaotian found the notice establishing his innocence posted at the county office and ordered bailiffs to display copies throughout town.
• Hu Xiaotian asked Murong Feiyan to help Le Yao leave the Wan Residence safely, and she agreed to help one last time.
• Hu Xiaotian sent the exhausted Liu Kuohai home, ordered the bailiffs to seek replacements, and chose an open area by the Tongji River as the Charity Auction site.

Hu Xiaotian faced down County Magistrate Xu Qinglian’s attempt to reprimand him over the embankment and won the yamen runners’ support with a silver reward. He returned home to find Hu Tianxiong waiting for him.

• Xu Qinglian accused Hu Xiaotian of neglecting the embankment, but Hu Xiaotian challenged him over his absence during the storm and hinted he could expose what happened at Xu’s residence.
• Xing Shan tried to charge Hu Xiaotian with disrespect and dereliction, but Xu Qinglian backed down after Hu Xiaotian threatened to reveal what he had witnessed.
• Xu Qinglian left, and Hu Xiaotian accepted the relief runners without blaming them for their delay.
• Hu Xiaotian gave Li Er silver to buy food for the runners and promised them generous rewards if they protected the embankment.
• Hu Xiaotian returned to his residence and was greeted by Hu Tianxiong, who apologized for arriving late.

Hu Xiaotian reunited with Hu Tianxiong and learned that the Li Family marriage alliance remained a priority for his father. He discovered that Li Tianheng had sent him a rare dagger and a calligraphy scroll bearing a couplet from his journey, suggesting Li Tianheng already knew he was in Azure Cloud.

• Hu Tianxiong told Hu Xiaotian that Hu Buwei had sent him to check on his welfare after explaining the abduction rumors to Li Tianheng.
• Hu Xiaotian asked about Li Wuyou and complained about being expected to marry a woman who was pockmarked and paralyzed.
• Hu Tianxiong presented Hu Xiaotian with a rare dagger and a scroll of calligraphy sent by Li Tianheng.
• Hu Xiaotian recognized the scroll's couplet as the one he had exchanged with the fisherman at the Tongji River and realized Li Tianheng might have been tracking his movements.
• Hu Xiaotian considered that Li Tianheng's knowledge of his arrival might mean the Duke of Xichuan would support him in Azure Cloud.

Hu Xiaotian treated Hu Tianxiong to a meal and arranged for Xing Shan to be beaten, while Le Yao left the Wan Residence for the Mercy Convent despite her fever. Her carriage suddenly stopped on the road, leaving her and Ziling thrown forward inside.

• Wan Changchun told Hu Xiaotian that Wan Tingchang had left and that Le Yao was being sent to the Mercy Convent, mistakenly crediting Hu Xiaotian with the plan.
• Hu Xiaotian paid for the meal at the Wild Goose Tower and told Hu Tianxiong to remember Xing Shan so he could be beaten later.
• Liang Dazhuang investigated Xing Shan, who left the restaurant and headed home, giving Hu Xiaotian’s men an opportunity to act.
• Le Yao rode toward the Mercy Convent with Ziling and two Wan servants, feeling relieved to leave the Wan household despite her fever.
• The carriage abruptly stopped, throwing Le Yao and Ziling forward inside.

Murong Feiyan rescued Le Yao from an ambush arranged by Madam Wan and uncovered the Wan Family’s plot to kill her. After hearing Murong Feiyan’s report, Hu Xiaotian went with her to the woods and began punishing the captured servants.

• The coachman and servants abandoned Le Yao, and Ziling fled with them as three disguised bandits surrounded her.
• Murong Feiyan arrived and defeated the bandits, then learned they were Wan Residence servants acting on Madam Wan’s orders.
• Murong Feiyan brought the unconscious Le Yao to safety and reported the ambush to Hu Xiaotian at Wild Goose Tower.
• Hu Xiaotian followed Murong Feiyan to the woods, recognized the captured servants, and kicked one of them in anger.

Hu Xiaotian spared the three servants who had been sent to kill Le Yao, forced them to take fake Three-Corpse Brain Spirit Pills, and learned that Madam Wan planned to fake Le Yao’s abduction by bandits. Murong Feiyan took the feverish Le Yao to Fork River Town, where her delirious words hinted at a hidden desire for revenge, while Hu Xiaotian returned to town and encountered Liu Baoju at the county office.

• Hu Xiaotian learned from Ma Qiao that Madam Wan had ordered the attack on Le Yao and planned to report her as abducted by Heavenly Wolf Mountain bandits.
• Hu Xiaotian made the three servants swallow ordinary cold remedies disguised as Three-Corpse Brain Spirit Pills, then sent them back as his informants and gave them silver.
• Murong Feiyan found Le Yao unconscious with a high fever and agreed to take her to Fork River Town while Hu Xiaotian gave her medicine instructions.
• Hu Xiaotian noticed Le Yao still held the Coiled Dragon Jade Pendant, and she deliriously spoke of her parents and being unable to avenge them.
• Hu Xiaotian returned to town, heard that Le Yao had supposedly been abducted, and met Liu Baoju at the county office.

After Le Yao was abducted near Azure Cloud City, Xu Qinglian assigned Liu Baoju to search for her and sent Hu Xiaotian to persuade Master Wan not to blame the county officials. The chapter ended with Xing Shan and Guo Shouguang accusing Hu Xiaotian of beating them, while Xu Qinglian refused to act without evidence.

• Hu Xiaotian arrived at the county yamen and learned from Liu Baoju that Xu Qinglian had called a meeting; he mocked the badly beaten Xing Shan when he saw him.
• Xu Qinglian told the assembled officials that Master Wan's third daughter-in-law, Le Yao, had been abducted near the city, and warned Hu Xiaotian and Liu Baoju that the prefect might hold them responsible.
• Xu Qinglian ordered Liu Baoju to search Azure Cloud County and asked Hu Xiaotian to persuade Master Wan not to pursue the matter; Hu Xiaotian agreed after Xu reassigned the embankment duty.
• After Hu Xiaotian left, Liu Baoju questioned whether the Horse Bandits of Heavenly Wolf Mountain were responsible, but Xu Qinglian focused on finding Le Yao and avoided assigning Hu the investigation.
• Xing Shan and Guo Shouguang accused Hu Xiaotian of beating them and asked Xu Qinglian to punish him, but Xu dismissed their claims for lack of proof.

Hu Xiaotian reassured Wan Boping about Le Yao’s disappearance while the authorities searched for her, then turned to organizing a Charity Auction with Song Shaofu. The search remained unresolved, and Hu Xiaotian prepared to discuss the auction with Song Shaofu.

• Guo Shouguang and Xing Shan left Xu Qinglian’s office without evidence against Hu Xiaotian, then resolved to use their local connections to retaliate.
• Hu Xiaotian visited Wan Boping, urged patience while the county searched for Le Yao, and claimed the wronged spirit would not return.
• Hu Xiaotian examined Wan Tingsheng and removed Li Xiangzhi’s tube, then learned Zhou Wenju was away gathering herbs.
• Constables found Le Yao’s wrecked carriage and bloodstained dress in Emerald Screen Valley but failed to find her body.
• Hu Tianxiong departed Azure Cloud, while Hu Xiaotian waited for Zhou Wenju and received Song Shaofu, who came to discuss the Charity Auction for repairing Azure Cloud Bridge.

Hu Xiaotian agreed to let Song Shaofu organize a charity auction, then followed Zhou Wenju’s apothecary boy to a supposed medical emergency. Hu Xiaotian realized it was a trap, but he and Liang Dazhuang were caught in a net and taken prisoner.

• Song Shaofu offered to host a charity auction at Wild Goose Tower and cover its expenses, while Hu Xiaotian considered recruiting him.
• Zhou Wenju failed to arrive for dinner, and Song Shaofu stayed to dine with Hu Xiaotian instead.
• After the banquet, Zhou Wenju’s apothecary boy asked Hu Xiaotian to help treat a critically ill patient in Sage Alley.
• Hu Xiaotian grew suspicious of the apothecary boy, demanded that Zhou Wenju come out, and decided to leave.
• A black net trapped Hu Xiaotian and Liang Dazhuang, and two armed men threatened them with swords.
• The apothecary boy confessed that he had lured them there, and one of the captors struck Liang Dazhuang’s mute pressure point.

Hu Xiaotian was abducted by outlaws who forced him to treat their gravely injured young master. When he recognized the patient as the man who had tried to abduct Le Yao, he had to find a way to survive while deciding what to do.

• A middle-aged scholar and his companions abducted Hu Xiaotian and Liang Dazhuang, then brought them to Zhou Wenju.
• Hu Xiaotian learned that Zhou Xing had revealed his medical skills to the outlaws, who threatened their captives unless he treated their young master.
• Hu Xiaotian challenged the stout man’s threats, and the outlaws took Liang Dazhuang and Zhou Xing hostage while asking Hu Xiaotian to help.
• The middle-aged scholar admitted the outlaws had abducted Hu Xiaotian because Zhou Wenju could not save their young master.
• Hu Xiaotian examined the unconscious, bleeding patient and recognized him as the intruder who had tried to abduct Le Yao at the Wan Residence.