Chapter Summaries

Gao Cheng confessed to killing Du Zhen and Du Xian to protect Gao San, whom he had abandoned as a baby but still loved. Zi Shou decided Gao San and Gao Cheng would not be held accountable, while Gao Cheng accepted the punishment prescribed by law.

• Gao Cheng recounted abandoning Gao San, finding her again as a famous general, and deciding he had to protect her from the King of Shu’s plot.
• Shang Rong reflected on his love for Shang Qingjun, while Li Jing thought of his efforts to let Nezha choose his own life.
• Zi Shou concluded that Du Zhen had killed Du Zhong and Gao Cheng had killed Du Zhen and Du Xian, and decided Gao San and Gao Cheng would not be held accountable.
• Ouyang Tianlu asked Gao Cheng whether he would submit to the punishment prescribed by law, and Gao Cheng answered that he would.

After Gao Cheng died from Wufeng Bee Venom, Du Yu demanded Gao San’s execution and pressed Zi Shou for weapons and an alliance. Zi Shou rejected his demands and declared war on Shu for the next day, leaving the ministers stunned and the Marquis of Hu trusting that Zi Shou had a deeper purpose.

• Gao Cheng collapsed and died after Ouyang Tianlu found a Wufeng Bee on his chest and identified the poison.
• Du Yu accused Gao San of killing Du Zhong and demanded that she be arrested and executed.
• Du Yu threatened Shang with Shu’s military strength and demanded iron weapons, pottery craftsmen, and an alliance.
• Zi Shou declared war on the Shu Kingdom for the next day and hurled a pottery jar at Du Yu.
• Du Yu left the hall, while the Marquis of Hu held Zhen Yu’s hand and chose to trust Zi Shou’s decision.

Gao San learned more about why Gao Cheng had abandoned her and returned to face arrest rather than flee, believing her sacrifice would protect Great Shang and those who had supported her. Meanwhile, Zi Shou argued with his ministers and demanded war against Shu, leaving Gao San’s fate unresolved as she arrived at the Ministry of Punishments.

• Gao Jieneng told Gao San that their mother had died after a Wufeng Bee took him away, and that Gao Cheng had claimed to kill his wife to conceal the truth and protect Gao San.
• Gao San realized Gao Cheng had cared for her despite abandoning her, while Gao Jieneng naively expected the matter to be cleared up once the truth emerged.
• Zhang Da arrived with Zi Shou’s order to find Gao San, and she understood that the King of Shu’s denial had made her a scapegoat in Great Shang’s political crisis.
• Gao San chose not to flee and surrendered to Zhang Da; Gao Jieneng insisted on going with her.
• Zi Shou argued with Shang Rong, Bo Yi, and Li Jing, insisted on declaring war against Shu, and was told that Gao San had arrived.

Zi Shou appointed Gao Lanying Pacify Shu General, expecting to provoke a war, but Du Yu unexpectedly surrendered Shu to Shang. Zi Shou questioned Du Yu about his motives, and Du Yu claimed he was happy in Chaoge and did not miss Shu.

• Zi Shou silenced Ouyang Tianlu, appointed Gao San Pacify Shu General, and gave her the Dark Phoenix Jade Pendant while declaring that Shang would soon attack Shu.
• Gao San accepted the decree as Gao Lanying, recognized Gao Cheng’s final gift and the name he had given her, and mourned his death.
• At court the next day, Zi Shou learned that Du Yu had declared himself a subject of Shang, so the planned declaration of war fell through.
• Fei Zhong suggested that Du Yu submitted because he admired Zi Shou’s care for the people, leaving Zi Shou uneasy about Shu’s real motives.
• Zi Shou summoned Du Yu and asked whether he missed Shu; Du Yu replied that he was happy in Chaoge and gave no thought to Shu.

Zi Shou reflected on Great Shang’s fate, scolded the newly submitted Du Yu, and chose to leave the southern campaign in Wen Zhong’s hands. He assigned Gao Lanying to oversee the Lady Army’s grounds, while Peng Zun arrived there and misread the sheep pen as evidence of King Zhou’s debauchery.

• Zi Shou concluded that Great Shang could only fall to Zhou and rebuked Du Yu for enjoying needlework and forgetting Shu, then ordered the guards to paddle him.
• After Du Yu was taken away, Yang Ren reported that early winter in Baiyue had left the southern army short of winter uniforms and at risk of defeat.
• Zi Shou considered withdrawing the army but kept Wen Zhong in the south because the troops might encounter the Feudal Lords battling near E City.
• With Shu submitted, Zi Shou canceled the post of Pacify Shu General and assigned Gao Lanying to oversee the Women's Federation and its grounds in Chaoge.
• Peng Zun visited the Lady Army's camp and, seeing its sheep pen, assumed Zi Shou had made the grounds an outer palace for women he kept for his pleasure.

Peng Zun visited the Women's Federation and discovered that Gao Lanying and the women there had developed a way to turn sheep's wool into warm, lightweight yarn. He left impressed by the craft's commercial potential and the prospect of supplying winter clothing to the south.

• Peng Zun assumed King Zhou had established the Women's Federation as a cover for keeping women out of the palace.
• Gao Lanying told Peng Zun how noblemen had harmed and abducted women, then explained that King Zhou had given them a place to live and work.
• Qiongxiao showed Peng Zun the scissors she had modeled on her Golden Flood Dragon Scissors, and Gao Lanying explained that the women used them to shear sheep.
• Gao Lanying showed Peng Zun how the women washed and combed the wool, then spun it into yarn with a Hand-Pattern Loom.
• Peng Zun recognized that the yarn could be made into winter clothing for the south, and Gao Lanying pointed out that it was warmer and lighter than pelts.

Gao Lanying proposed large-scale woolen clothing production, drawing Peng Zun into investing in the enterprise and giving idle women in the northern tribes work. Zi Shou saw Gao demonstrate knitting at the Lady Army’s camp and recognized the warmth of the new garments, but worried about what had inspired her.

• Gao Lanying told Peng Zun that woolen clothing could be produced cheaply at scale, and he considered employing women in the northern tribes to make it.
• Peng Zun realized nobles and the army would buy the garments, then decided the Peng family should invest and dominate the woolen clothing trade.
• Gao Lanying organized the Women's Federation to knit more than a hundred woolen garments, and You Hun reported that merchants were driving up wool prices.
• Zi Shou learned that Gao Lanying had developed woolen clothing and hurried to the Lady Army’s camp to see it for himself.
• Gao Lanying demonstrated knitting, and Zi Shou watched You Hun try on a garment and found it warm enough to feel like a divine creation.

Gao Lanying showed Zi Shou woolen garments and the Can Cong Spinning Machine, which King Du Yu had given her, and explained how nobles were investing in wool production. Zi Shou realized that the new industry could lead nobles to seize farmland for sheep pastures, but he accepted that opposing them would make him their enemy.

• Gao Lanying told Zi Shou that the Peng family was establishing northern sheep ranches and hiring women to produce woolen garments for the southern army.
• Gao Lanying showed Zi Shou the Can Cong Spinning Machine, which King Du Yu had given her, and said she had arranged for copies to be made.
• Gao Lanying reported that nobles were investing in wool production, and Zi Shou recognized that the machine could shift textile production into noble-led workshops.
• Zi Shou feared that rising demand for wool would drive nobles to seize farmland for sheep pasture, reducing grain production and provoking popular resentment.
• Zi Shou decided he would accept becoming an enemy of the noble class rather than let fear keep him from confronting the consequences.

Zi Shou approved Gao Lanying’s wool sweaters but delayed deciding how they would be priced, while Shang Rong discovered how cheaply they could be made and realized they could transform winter work and women’s livelihoods. Convinced Zi Shou was withholding a decision to suppress the nobles, Shang Rong led the ministers to the racecourse to confront him, unaware that Zi Shou had left to attend the horse racing.

• You Hun praised the warmth of Gao Lanying’s wool sweater, and Zi Shou told Gao Lanying he would consider how the sweaters should be priced.
• Shang Qingjun gave Shang Rong a sweater she had knitted, and he learned that it cost less than a hundred copper coins to make.
• Shang Rong realized sweaters could keep people warm outdoors, extend winter activity, and give women a source of income, so he urged Shang Qingjun to support Gao Lanying and the Women's Federation.
• Shang Rong told the ministers that the sweaters were cheap and effective, and You Hun confirmed that the Can Cong Loom could support large-scale production.
• The ministers feared Zi Shou would exclude the nobles from producing sweaters, but You Hun reported that Zi Shou had postponed court to attend the horse racing.
• Shang Rong led the ministers toward the racecourse to urge Zi Shou to expand sweater production for the people.

Zi Shou turned a ministers’ remonstrance about wool sweaters into a public push for practical clothing and mounted archery, while encouraging nobles to expand sweater production. He left the racecourse with a plan to promote riding among the people and returned to the Epang Palace with his ministers, postponing state business.

• Zi Shou met the ministers at the racecourse, where Shang Rong urged him to cooperate with the nobles and spread affordable wool sweaters to protect the people from winter cold.
• Zi Shou proposed subsidizing Can Cong Looms and selling cheap plain sweaters alongside expensive patterned ones, winning the ministers’ approval.
• When nobles objected to abandoning traditional dress, Zi Shou defended short garments and wool clothing as practical for riding and mounted archery, then mounted a horse to demonstrate.
• Zi Shou ordered the racecourse opened for a day and promised one hundred gold to anyone who could subdue and ride a horse; Tai Dian mounted successfully and received the reward.
• The crowd tried to ride horses, while Tongtian approved of Zi Shou’s embrace of different customs; Zi Shou then brought the ministers to the Epang Palace to rest before discussing state affairs.

Zi Shou introduced massage, cupping, and scraping at Epang Palace and ordered Qian Bao to train rescued former witches to provide treatments at Anqiao Clinics. The officials resisted the strange and socially suspect therapies but were compelled to try them, and the chapter ended with Zi Shou turning to Chaoge’s expansion plans.

• Zi Shou arrived at Epang Palace with a few officials after many others went to the wrong building, then received a massage from Qian Bao.
• Zi Shou ordered Qian Bao’s female apprentices, rescued former witches, to massage the officials and defended teaching them a trade.
• Zi Shou proposed Anqiao Clinics offering massage, cupping, scraping, and other treatments, while Qian Bao demonstrated cupping and scraping on Wan Nian.
• Zi Shou ordered the women to use foot pressure massage on Lu Xiong and the other officials, prompting Shang Rong and newly arrived dignitaries to protest.
• Zi Shou made Shang Rong, Li Jing, and Bo Yi undergo treatment, then asked Wan Nian about preparations to expand Chaoge.

Zi Shou ordered unruly refugees conscripted to build roads and bridges without wages, then proposed taxing nobles’ fields to replenish Great Shang’s empty treasury. Shang Rong agreed to oversee the land-tax reform, while Zi Shou arranged more treatments for the ministers who opposed him.

• Wan Nian proposed expanding Chaoge northward, but Zi Shou chose to extend it east across the Qi River and use troublesome refugees as conscripted laborers without pay.
• Wan Nian and the ministers warned that unpaid labor would fuel resentment, but Zi Shou insisted on his plan and said he would teach the refugees to respect the law.
• Shang Rong argued that the refugees should be paid and offered his family wealth, but Zi Shou refused wages and called for land taxes on the nobles instead of higher taxes on commoners.
• Bo Yi and Yang Ren explained that nobles’ fields had long been exempt from land tax, but Zi Shou pressed the ministers to support the reform.
• Shang Rong agreed to oversee the land-tax reform, and Zi Shou ordered Qian Bao to give him a cupping treatment.

King Zhou faced noble resistance to land tax and growing refugee resentment after conscripting refugees as unpaid laborers, while he welcomed the criticism as a source of foolishness value. When Xiqi refugees and Northern Territory herding slaves erupted into a deadly mass brawl at the Qi River, he went to inspect the scene before deciding their punishment.

• Fu Yan and Gan Pen opposed King Zhou’s land tax plans, but he refused to meet them and proceeded with conscripting refugees as unpaid laborers.
• Noble-backed newspapers spread both praise and criticism of King Zhou, and he allowed the papers to circulate while postponing a decision on the controversy.
• Fu Yan and Gan Pen agreed to inflame refugee resentment to force King Zhou to confront the nobles’ opposition.
• Xiqi refugees and Northern Territory herding slaves fought at the Qi River, and the brawl left many dead and injured before officials could stop it.
• Li Jing said the New Law called for beheading the ringleaders, but King Zhou went to the Qi River to assess the situation before ruling.

Zi Shou interrupted the executions of the Qi River rioters, then learned that Zhang Shan had brought 130,000 people from the south to Chaoge. A commoner named Wang Laowu explained that they had come seeking safety and shelter, leaving the refugees from Xiqi to reconsider their complaints about working without wages.

• Ao Lie exposed a group of disguised refugees as assassins when they knelt to salute officials, and their female leader transformed into a white snake and escaped.
• Li Jing recommended punishing the rioters and assassins according to law, but Zi Shou stopped the executions and threw the prisoners into the Qi River when they attacked him.
• Jin Cheng reported that more than 100,000 people were approaching Chaoge, and Zhang Shan arrived with 130,000 people from E City and the surrounding south.
• Zi Shou and the ministers questioned commoners brought from the arriving group, and Wang Laowu said they had fled war and come to Chaoge because it accepted refugees.
• Wang Laowu explained that the people expected food and shelter in return for their labor, prompting the Xiqi refugees to reflect on Chaoge's past kindness.

Wang Laowu’s words reminded Chaoge’s people of King Zhou’s kindness, prompting the would-be assassins and Fu Yan to repent and die. After Bi'an judged the rioters and Li Jing reconsidered the purpose of the new law, Zi Shou tried to order the divine beast captured.

• Wang Laowu’s words stirred the crowd, and Shang Rong rebuked the nobles and refugees for forgetting King Zhou’s kindness.
• Two brothers who had tried to assassinate Zi Shou declared their gratitude to King Zhou and leaped into the Qi River.
• Fu Yan recalled his ancestor Fu Yue’s rise through the Shang king’s favor, apologized, and killed himself with a wooden skewer.
• A waterspout brought Bi'an out of the Qi River, and the remorseful prisoners confessed their guilt and went willingly to their deaths.
• Li Jing realized the law should improve people’s conduct as well as punish them, while officials and onlookers praised Zi Shou.
• Zi Shou ordered the Imperial Preceptor summoned and demanded that Bi'an be captured for taking over the officials’ duties.

Zi Shou faced the problem of settling more than a hundred thousand refugees who had arrived in Chaoge and proposed disbanding Great Shang’s regular forces to make room for them. The ministers strongly opposed the plan, but Zi Shou remained determined to cut the army.

• Bi'an withdrew from Zi Shou’s palace, then entered the Ministry of Punishments under the name Bi An with Bi Gan’s help.
• Zi Shou attended court and asked the ministers how they would settle the more than a hundred thousand refugees who had arrived from the south.
• Zhang Shan suggested enlisting the refugees, but Lu Xiong and an official from the Ministry of Revenue warned that this would strain the treasury and burden the army.
• Zi Shou decided to disband Chaoge’s existing forces except for the Lady Army and Slave Army, then enlist the refugees.
• Lu Xiong and the military officers condemned Zi Shou’s plan as a threat to Great Shang’s safety, but Zi Shou refused to back down.

Zi Shou tried to persuade the court to reduce Chaoge’s standing army and enlist displaced people, but the ministers objected until Chong Houhu argued that veteran soldiers deserved the chance to leave the army and start families. Zi Shou secured support for replacing dismissed troops with recruits, then proposed raising money by taxing nobles across the realm, leaving the ministers unsure how he would enforce it.

• The civil and military officials protested Zi Shou’s proposal to reduce the army, and Yang Ren and Lu Xiong explained the risks to Great Shang’s defenses and military strength.
• Yang Ren recognized that the Hall of Worthies had taught officials military matters, while Lu Xiong argued that the army could still be supported by improved harvests and future tax revenue.
• Chong Houhu supported reducing the army, saying veteran soldiers deserved to return to ordinary life and have families, and marquises from foreign tribes backed him.
• Zi Shou proposed replacing every ten thousand dismissed regular soldiers with twenty thousand displaced people, drawing further objections from Lu Xiong over the cost.
• Zi Shou proposed taxing nobles under the other Feudal Lords to fund the plan, leaving the ministers uncertain whether those nobles would comply.

Zi Shou won approval for an Ancestral Temple where nobles could secure statues and status for their ancestors by donating money. The chapter ended with the Peng and Cao family heads competing to outbid each other for the best place for their ancestors.

• Zi Shou explained that the Ancestral Temple would honor the ancestors of the ministers and nobles as well as the kings of Shang.
• Zi Shou proposed ranking ancestral statues according to each descendant's contributions, and argued that paying demonstrated respect for one's ancestors.
• The ministers approved the Ancestral Temple and military demobilization after debating the proposals.
• The Peng and Cao family heads learned of the plan and complained that it tainted their ancestors' virtue with money.
• The Cao family head offered fifty thousand strings of coins, and the Peng family head raised him to sixty thousand.
• The two family heads repeatedly raised their bids, with the Cao family head reaching one hundred and twenty thousand strings.

After receiving Chong Houhu’s letter, Su Hu realized King Zhou was demobilizing ordinary troops to focus on training elite Dao Soldiers, especially from the Great Wall Guards. Zheng Lun reached the Northern Territory and saw Su Quanzhong’s troops drill in a highly coordinated formation, while his thoughts turned to Chaoge’s land tax and the next installment of King Zhou’s Little Liu Bei.

• Su Hu received Chong Houhu’s letter about demobilizing Chaoge’s standing army and inferred that King Zhou intended to train elite Dao Soldiers.
• Su Hu connected the plan to the Great Wall Guards and ordered Zheng Lun to go to the Northern Territory and study the troops with Su Quanzhong.
• Zheng Lun got lost on the way but eventually found Su Quanzhong leading the Great Wall Guards through a coordinated weapons drill.
• Zheng Lun concluded that the Great Wall Guards needed no instruction and could become stronger than the Crow Troops with an opportunity to fight.
• Zheng Lun worried that collecting the land tax from the nobles would prove difficult and looked forward to the next installment of King Zhou’s Little Liu Bei.

Zi Shou, unable to collect land tax from the nobles, ordered court ministers and feudal lords to work in the fields and summoned farmers to publicly deliberate on the decree. As the ministers protested, Zhang San and Li Si welcomed the prospect of their help.

• Zi Shou proposed visiting the fields, but Bo Yi argued that farming was beneath the ruler and ministers.
• Zi Shou ordered high ministers, nobles, and feudal lords to work in the fields on their days off, and said he would release the Marquis of the West to farm in Shanglin Garden.
• Zi Shou scheduled a public deliberation with farmers at the Ancestral Temple, claiming their opinions should decide whether ministers entered the fields.
• The ministers warned that their poor farming skills could disrupt the harvest, but Zi Shou dismissed their objections.
• Li Si told Zhang San about the planned gathering, and both farmers complained that ministers were too high and mighty to help with farmwork.