Chapter Summaries

Zhelan Wudi defeated the court eunuch Zhongbao with one punch, leaving the Great Qian martial artists stunned. When Jia Huan arrived at the tournament, Zhelan tried to provoke him into a fight, but the Hunchbacked Old Man stepped in to speak with him.

• Zhongbao forced Tuoba Li to concede, then accepted Zhelan Wudi’s challenge and was sent flying by a single punch.
• Zhelan Wudi declared that Zhongbao would have died if he were not from the Inner Court, and the assembled martial artists fell silent before his strength.
• Lin Daiyu and the other women worried when they spotted Jia Huan approaching the Martial Platform.
• Zhelan Wudi taunted Jia Huan, warning that a defeat would ruin his prestige while urging him to withdraw.
• The Hunchbacked Old Man stopped Jia Huan and respectfully asked to speak with him.

Jia Huan arrived at the Peach Blossom Island martial tournament and effortlessly killed Zhelan Wudi with a single slap, then slaughtered Grasslands fighters who tried to power up three more prodigies. After asserting the Qi'an Office's authority, he ordered his subordinates to collect the Misty Rain Tower's promised payment and hunt Demon Sect members before heading north.

• Jia Huan ignored the Hunchbacked Old Man's request to discuss tournament matters and accepted Zhelan Wudi's challenge.
• Jia Huan killed Zhelan Wudi with one slap, using no inner qi, and ordered the Embroidered Uniform Guard to remove and burn the corpse.
• Grasslands experts challenged Jia Huan again and began a secret power-transmission ritual for three young prodigies.
• Jia Huan drew his Embroidered Spring Saber and killed eleven Grasslands experts, including the elders transmitting power, in less than ten breaths.
• Jia Huan declared that the Qi'an Office's Guard Station would supervise the tournament and threatened to destroy any sect that defied the court's laws.
• Jia Huan ordered Twin Whips to collect the Misty Rain Tower's promised payment and Scholar to capture Demon Sect evildoers, then said they would head north after two days.

After Jia Huan agreed to take An Xuan'er into his household, Misty Rain Tower offered him intelligence about a corrupt case in Huguang as his reward. He executed captured Demon Sect criminals, gained a new martial art, and set out with his subordinates to investigate the Huguang Governor.

• Jia Huan agreed to let An Xuan'er settle in his household and study martial arts under him.
• The Hunchbacked Old Man told Jia Huan that the Blood Bone Sect had murdered Registrar Yan and his family, and that the sect leader served the Huguang Governor’s son-in-law, the Jindong Tusi Pacification Commissioner.
• After reviewing the captured Demon Sect criminals’ confessions, Jia Huan killed them and gained the quasi-supreme martial art Eighteen-Petal Peach Blossom.
• Jia Huan told Scholar, Twin Whips, and the others that they would go to Huguang to investigate a case involving the governor, then ordered them to set out immediately.

Jia Huan used a fragment of a secret claw manual to lure the Blood Bone Old Man into a trap, capture him, and interrogate him about Registrar Yan’s murder. The old man revealed that Tan Sheng, the governor’s son-in-law, ordered the killings to conceal a secret arms depot in the mountain forests.

• Jia Huan asked the Misty Rain Tower steward to help lure out the Blood Bone Old Man and wrote half of the Nine Yin White Bone Claw manual as bait.
• After three days, the Blood Bone Old Man arrived at the Misty Rain Tower to bargain for the manual, and Jia Huan pursued and defeated him with a saber strike.
• Jia Huan’s allies subdued the Blood Bone Sect disciples while Jia Huan dragged the injured Blood Bone Old Man into a secret chamber.
• Under interrogation, the Blood Bone Old Man confessed that his sect killed Registrar Yan and his family of seven with Blood Bone Needles and staged their deaths as hangings.
• The Blood Bone Old Man named Tan Sheng, Tusi Pacification Commissioner of Jindong, as the man who ordered the killings because Yan was extorting him.
• The Blood Bone Old Man revealed that Tan secretly manufactured weapons and armor in a mountain arms depot and was the Huguang Governor’s son-in-law.

Jia Huan captured Tan Sheng after surrounding the Jindong Pacification Commissioner's Office, uncovering his plan to rebel and Governor Chen's role in covering for him. After the Embroidered Uniform Guard seized Tan Sheng's weapons and Gu Insects, Jia Huan set out for Wuchang to arrest Huguang's provincial governor.

• Blood Bone Old Man confessed that Tan Sheng had ordered the Registrar Yan family's murder after the registrar blackmailed him over his secret arms production.
• Tan Sheng tried to flee into Mist Mountain when the Embroidered Uniform Guard surrounded his compound, but Jia Huan stopped him and captured him.
• Tan Sheng revealed his ambition to seize the Southwest and challenge the dynasty, while Blood Bone Old Man implicated Governor Chen in protecting Tan Sheng's operations.
• Scholar and Twin Whips returned with seized armor, crossbows, weapons, treasure, mining documents, and a chest of labeled Gu Insects.
• Jia Huan ordered his men to store the Gu Insects in the Qi'an Office treasury and left for Wuchang to arrest Huguang's provincial governor.

Jia Huan arrested Governor Chen for shielding his treasonous son-in-law, then received an imperial order to execute the principal offenders and was promoted to Fifth Python Stripe. He prepared to head north to confront the Beiliang Governor-General and uncover evidence against Wang Ziteng.

• Jia Huan arrested Governor Chen after securing his confession and ordered his men to avoid relay stations on their journey toward Liangzhou.
• Jia Huan presented the evidence against Governor Chen to Associate Commissioner Xie and Commissioner Ouyang upon reaching the Capital.
• The court ordered the execution of the principal offenders, and Jia Huan killed more than twenty of them at the Imperial Prison.
• Jia Huan received a promotion to Thousand-Household Commander and a new Red Flying Fish Uniform bearing the Fifth Python Stripe.
• Jia Huan resolved to travel north and bring down the Beiliang Governor-General to obtain evidence of Wang Ziteng's crimes.

After discovering that the Princess Consort of Liang was supposedly dead, Jia Huan infiltrated the Prince of Liang’s Mansion and uncovered two impostors wearing skin masks. Their testimony linked the governor-general to the couple’s deaths and pointed Jia Huan toward surviving witnesses in the Western Regions.

• Water Skimmer reported seeing the Princess Consort of Liang alive, though Jia Huan knew she had died half a year earlier.
• Jia Huan checked the Imperial Clan Court’s records and learned the real princess consort had a mole on her left arm and a protruding tailbone.
• Jia Huan entered the Prince of Liang’s Mansion at night, found that the woman lacked both identifying marks, and forced her and the Prince to reveal their skin masks.
• Under interrogation, the impostors said the Beiliang Governor-General had ordered them to impersonate the dead couple and that a confidant used the mansion to send messages.
• Jia Huan learned that a surviving Skin-Painting Master and an attendant had fled to the Western Regions, and decided to search for the master beyond Jade Gate Pass.

Wang Ziteng learned that Jia Huan was investigating in Liangzhou and urgently warned Wei Yuan, while Jia Huan found a surviving Skin-Painting Master in the Western Regions. The witness implicated Wei Yuan in the Prince of Liang and his wife’s murder and revealed that a palace eunuch had escaped, prompting Jia Huan to enlist the Misty Rain Tower to find him.

• Wang Ziteng persuaded Dugu Ao to check Jia Huan’s whereabouts, then learned he had gone to Liangzhou and sent an urgent warning to Wei Yuan.
• Jia Huan asked the Misty Rain Tower’s Western Regions branch to find the surviving Skin-Painting Master and located him after two days.
• The Skin-Painting Master testified that he had disguised the corpses of the Prince of Liang and his wife and described Wei Yuan’s men searching for a fleeing eunuch.
• The Skin-Painting Master signed his statement, refused Jia Huan’s payment, and offered to serve him in exchange for vengeance for his junior brothers.
• Jia Huan gave the Misty Rain Tower seven martial arts manuals and urged it to search the Western Regions for the eunuch, whom the steward vowed to find.

Wei Yuan learned that Jia Huan had arrived in Liangzhou to investigate military payroll embezzlement and, fearing exposure, ordered his forces to abandon the frontier to pressure the court into recalling Jia. He left the story preparing urgent petitions and a campaign to blame Jia, while the pass stood on the brink of being left undefended.

• Wei Yuan received a warning from Wang Ziteng that Jia Huan had come to Liangzhou, and summoned his confidants to discuss the threat.
• Wei Yuan’s men reported that the two impostors had disappeared, convincing him that they had been exposed.
• Wei Yuan rejected his advisers’ objections and ordered the garrison to abandon the frontier that night.
• Wei Yuan planned to blame Jia Huan’s investigation for the soldiers’ unrest and force the court to recall him with a command token.
• Wei Yuan ordered his officers to explain the withdrawal to the troops and wrote urgent letters while concealing his motives from Wang Ziteng.

After the Tatars broke through the three passes, the court blamed Jia Huan for the border crisis and ordered him back to the Capital while sending reinforcements north. Wang Ziteng saw Jia Huan’s forced recall as a chance to ruin him, while the Southern Office feared Wei Yuan would escape blame.

• The Tatars swept through the three abandoned passes, leaving Qi Shanguo and Wei Long to defend the frontier with forty thousand troops as urgent reports reached the Capital.
• Emperor Jingde and the ministers blamed Jia Huan’s investigation of stolen military pay for the mutiny, then issued five royal Command Tokens to send the Three Garrisons north, recall Jia Huan, and order Wei Yuan to hold the passes.
• Commissioner Ouyang argued that Jia Huan had been framed, but Emperor Jingde still ordered the Southern Office to dispatch a recall notice.
• Commissioner Ouyang and Associate Commissioner Xie feared Jia Huan would be punished and that Wei Yuan’s actions would leave Liangzhou exposed.
• Wang Ziteng celebrated Jia Huan’s impending disgrace and planned to use the border disaster against him, while his adviser worried the war could worsen.

Jia Huan received an imperial order to return to the Capital before finishing his investigation, so he faked his death to keep pursuing Wei Yuan. Wei Yuan believed Jia Huan and two of his subordinates had been killed and rejoiced, unaware that Jia Huan remained alive.

• Jia Huan learned that the emperor had ordered him back to the Capital and decided to fake his death rather than abandon his investigation into Wei Yuan.
• Jia Huan arranged for three criminals disguised as him and his subordinates to be killed, then had their bodies sent toward the Capital.
• Wei Yuan heard that Jia Huan, Yan, and Zhang had died and ordered a subordinate to examine their bodies for signs of disguise.
• The subordinate reported that the bodies had no neck scars and that Zhang's chin mole matched, convincing Wei Yuan that the men were dead.
• Wei Yuan celebrated Jia Huan's supposed death and turned his attention to fighting the Tatar cavalry and seeking leniency from the Retired Emperor.

After news arrived that Jia Huan had died in the Western Regions, Wang Ziteng, Madam Wang, and Jia Baoyu celebrated and discussed who could inherit the dead commander’s title. Jia Zheng appeared stricken with grief, while Wang Ziteng urged the family to wait until after the funeral before acting against Jia Huan’s allies.

• Officials in the capital received reports that Jia Huan had died in the Western Regions, and the Southern Commandant Office struggled to believe the news.
• Wang Ziteng told Madam Wang and Jia Baoyu that Jia Huan was dead, and both celebrated the news with delight.
• Madam Wang asked Wang Ziteng to punish Zhao and Xifeng after the funeral, but he warned her to wait until the Embroidered Uniform Guard Office’s anger had passed.
• Wang Ziteng explained that Jia Huan’s offspring could inherit a noble title, and suggested Jia Baoyu might receive one because Jia Huan had no son.
• Jia Baoyu tried to rehearse mourning for Jia Huan but repeatedly burst into laughter, while Wang Ziteng left and encountered a grief-stricken Jia Zheng.

Jia Huan received evidence that Wei Yuan murdered the Prince of Liang and Princess Consort and secretly aided the enemy, but the Tatar invasion made arresting him too dangerous. To keep Wei Yuan from emerging as a celebrated hero after the war, Jia Huan decided to seize the Northern Mang prince despite the ten thousand heavy cavalry guarding him.

• Jia Huan learned that the Tatars had overrun the pass, devastated Northern Liang, and faced a counterattack led by Wei Yuan.
• Scholar brought the old eunuch, who identified Wei Yuan as the murderer of the Prince of Liang and Princess Consort and revealed evidence of his treasonous trade with the Grasslands.
• Jia Huan and his followers realized arresting Wei Yuan during the invasion could destroy the border army’s morale and turn Jia Huan into a scapegoat.
• After learning that a Northern Mang prince was stationed behind the Tatar forces with ten thousand heavy cavalry, Jia Huan decided to abduct him and force the Tatars to withdraw.
• Jia Huan ordered his men to remain behind and obtain a military map while Scholar and Twin Whips feared he would not survive the mission.

Jia Huan fought his way into the Northern Mang camp and captured Prince Ashina, escaping the pursuing Tatar army despite being gravely wounded. He reunited with his nine followers near Jade Gate Pass and ordered them to summon Deputy Commander Qi Shanguo.

• Jia Huan rode north from Jade Gate Pass, killing Tatar cavalry along the way and changing horses to preserve his strength.
• Jia Huan infiltrated the Northern Mang camp, then fought through its elite soldiers and endured a storm of crossbow bolts.
• Jia Huan spotted Prince Ashina, broke through the guards, and captured him before fleeing the camp with the prince.
• Jia Huan's nine followers, who had waited a day and night, met him on the steppe and helped him dismount.
• Jia Huan took a medicinal pill and ordered his followers to bring Deputy Commander Qi Shanguo and his men immediately.

Jia Huan survived his solo raid on the Tatar camp and captured Northern Mang's third prince, Ashina Silu, giving Qi Shanguo leverage to negotiate the Tatars' withdrawal. Wei Yuan took credit for their retreat while Jia's secret letter revealed his survival and a world-shaking achievement to Commissioner Ouyang in the Divine Capital.

• Jia Huan revealed himself to Qi Shanguo, who learned that Jia had captured Ashina Silu by attacking a camp of more than ten thousand soldiers alone.
• Qi Shanguo agreed to negotiate with the Tatars over Ashina Silu and keep Jia's capture secret for now.
• The Tatars ordered their eighty thousand cavalry in Liangzhou to withdraw, and Wei Yuan claimed credit for driving them away.
• Wei Yuan told his advisers to petition the court for permission to march beyond the pass and fight the Tatars.
• Commissioner Ouyang received Jia Huan's secret letter, recognized the mark from his waist token, and rejoiced at his survival and achievement.

Emperor Jingde learned that Jia Huan had survived and captured Northern Mang’s Third Prince, and he planned to reward him while keeping the feat secret until Bandit Wei was arrested. At Rongguo Mansion, Jia Huan’s family received a court edict granting Concubine Zhao a title, but she remained convinced her son was dead as Jia Baoyu anticipated inheriting his honors.

• Associate Commissioner Xie told Emperor Jingde that Jia Huan had feigned his death and captured Ashina Silu after storming the Tatar camp alone.
• Emperor Jingde read reports from Xie Ye and Qi Shanguo, praised Jia Huan’s loyalty, and ordered his feat kept secret until Bandit Wei was arrested.
• At Rongguo Mansion, Concubine Zhao refused medicine and insisted she had to see Jia Huan’s body, while An Xuan'er tried to reassure her.
• The court’s edict granted Concubine Zhao the title of Third-Rank Worthy Lady, but the Eunuch gave her no news of Jia Huan.
• Madam Wang gloated over Concubine Zhao’s grief, while Jia Baoyu learned he was expected to inherit Jia Huan’s title.

Jia Huan joined the Three Garrisons’ commanders to arrest Wei Yuan, exposing his betrayal and claiming responsibility for capturing the Northern Mang imperial prince. After Jia Huan quelled the twenty thousand soldiers surrounding the Governor’s Residence, Wei Yuan and his eight aides were taken away.

• Wei Yuan went to the Governor’s Residence for a military council, believing the three garrison commanders planned to question him about the lost passes.
• Jia Huan arrived, and the Three Garrisons’ commanders revealed imperial orders authorizing the arrest of Wei Yuan and his eight aides.
• Qi Shanguo accused Wei Yuan of taking false credit and told the assembled generals that Jia Huan had raided the Tatar rear camp alone and captured the Northern Mang imperial prince.
• A report arrived that twenty thousand Northern Liang border soldiers had surrounded the residence, and Qi Shanguo went out to confront them.
• Qi Shanguo told the soldiers about Jia Huan’s feat and Wei Yuan’s crimes, while Jia Huan demonstrated his power and warned them not to join the traitors.
• The soldiers backed away, and Jia Huan ordered Wei Yuan and his eight aides taken away.

Wang Ziteng learned that Jia Huan had captured Governor-General Wei and accomplished a daring raid against the Tatars, while Jia Baoyu prepared to receive a court edict of rewards for Jia Huan’s family. In the mansion, Concubine Zhao and Lin Daiyu remained overwhelmed by grief, and Concubine Zhao refused to receive the edict.

• Vice Minister Qiu told Wang Ziteng that Jia Zheng’s family would receive a hereditary viscountcy, but reported that Jia Huan’s name had been removed from the funeral rites list.
• Wang Ziteng’s confidant revealed that Jia Huan had arrested Governor-General Wei, rescued the Northern Mang Imperial Prince from the Tatars’ rear camp, and ended the fighting at the pass.
• Wang Ziteng panicked and destroyed his study, blaming Wei Yuan and suspecting that the Tatars had deliberately let Jia Huan take their Imperial Prince.
• Eunuchs and officials arrived at Rongguo Mansion with an edict of rewards, and Jia Baoyu led them inside while weeping as instructed.
• An Xuan'er urged Concubine Zhao and Lin Daiyu to take care of themselves, but Concubine Zhao refused to receive the court’s edict.

The court revealed that Huan'er had survived and single-handedly seized the Northern Mang prince, saving Liangzhou, while the news stunned Rongguo Mansion. Concubine Zhao received an Iron Certificate of Pardon and a Second-Rank title, and by evening exaggerated accounts of Huan'er's feat were spreading through the Divine Capital.

• The eunuch told Jia Zheng that Huan'er had feigned death while carrying out his orders, and Jia Zheng hurried to share the news at Huan'er's residence.
• The eunuch announced that Huan'er had abducted the Northern Mang prince from a Tatar camp of ten thousand soldiers, leaving Rongguo Mansion stunned and Madam Wang and Jia Baoyu despairing.
• The Hanlin Academy scholar said Huan'er had been riddled with wounds while saving the frontier, and Concubine Zhao wept over his suffering.
• The eunuch granted Concubine Zhao an Iron Certificate of Pardon and a Second-Rank title, then said Huan'er's future son could be made an Earl.
• An Xuan'er reassured Concubine Zhao that Medicine King Valley could heal Huan'er, and the household returned to the residence in joy.
• By evening, citizens and Jianghu fighters in the Divine Capital traded increasingly exaggerated stories about Huan'er's battle against the Tatars.

Jia Huan forced Wei Yuan to confess that Wang Ziteng had demanded a 400,000-tael bribe, secured letters as evidence, and returned to the Capital with Wei Yuan. After receiving the Emperor’s order to execute Wei Yuan, Jia Huan prepared to arrest Wang Ziteng as soon as he appeared.

• Jia Huan tortured Wei Yuan’s sons and threatened to visit Wei Yuan’s elderly mother, breaking Wei Yuan’s resistance.
• Wei Yuan confessed that Wang Ziteng demanded 400,000 silver taels and sent Song Xiong to deliver them in exchange for transferring Northern Liang’s garrison commanders.
• Wei Yuan revealed that letters from Wang Ziteng were hidden in a sealed black box in his study, and Jia Huan sent Twin Whips to retrieve them.
• Jia Huan ordered his men to keep a low profile as they returned to the Capital with Wei Yuan and the evidence.
• At the Imperial Prison, Jia Huan handed over Wei Yuan’s confession and evidence, received the Emperor’s execution order, and learned that the Emperor would summon him to dine.
• Jia Huan ordered elite men to watch Wang Ziteng’s residence and those of the Three Princes and Eight Dukes, telling them to arrest Wang Ziteng if he appeared.