Arc 17Chapters 401–425
No recap yet.
No recap yet.
Jiang Xiaobai learned why Ning Xinlan resented his family, accepted her daughter’s painting, and discovered that a Heavenly Mechanism Workshop supervisor had leaked secrets to the Eighth Prince’s Residence. With eighteen cannons moved to the military camp, he awaited Helian Zhaoyue, while a visitor from the Free-and-Easy Sword School arrived to see her.
Wei Xun delivered two Hidden Edge Tokens to Helian Mingchuan and asked for help finding his missing martial uncle, whom Helian Zhaoyue believed Jiang Xiaobai had beaten to death. The Helian siblings chose not to involve themselves and planned to visit the Jiang Family’s military camp the next day.
Jiang Xiaobai welcomed the Northern Yu and Qi Envoy Delegations and urged them to visit the Jiang Family's Military Camp before going to the palace. Helian Zhaoyue grew wary of the surprise he had prepared as the group considered his proposal.
Jiang Xiaobai took the Northern Yu and Qi envoys to the Jiang Family's military camp, teasing Li Zhiwei and mocking Helian Mingchuan's servants along the way. As the procession approached the Martyrs' Shrine, Helian Mingchuan remained wary of Jiang Xiaobai's motives.
Jiang Xiaobai brought the Northern Yu and Qi delegations to the Jiang Family's Military Camp, promising Helian Zhaoyue a surprise. After the group arrived and the commanders saluted Jiang Jingcheng, Jiang Jingcheng left the next steps to Jiang Xiaobai.
Jiang Xiaobai let the Northern Yu and Qi delegations tour the Jiang Family’s military camp before leading them to the Drill Ground, where Zhang Xinnian had prepared his surprise. The delegations were impressed by the soldiers’ training and equipment, while Jiang Jingcheng and Li Bingzhang wondered why Jiang Xiaobai had revealed so much.
Jiang Xiaobai gathered the Jiang Family’s thirty thousand soldiers to show Helian Zhaoyue and Helian Mingchuan a surprise, then shot two of Helian Mingchuan’s servants dead after they challenged him. The Drill Ground fell silent as the envoys stared at Jiang Xiaobai and the bodies.
After killing three members of the Northern Yu and Qi delegations, Jiang Xiaobai unveiled eighteen cannons and demonstrated their destructive power at the Drill Ground. The stunned delegations and Jiang Jingcheng realized that the supposed tea-brewing display was a terrifying weapon demonstration.
Jiang Xiaobai demonstrated the terrifying power of eighteen cannons to the Qi and Northern Yu delegations, then used the threat of producing thousands more to force Helian Mingchuan to agree to visit the Hall of Martyrs. The chapter ended with Helian Mingchuan angrily agreeing to go.
Jiang Xiaobai forced the Northern Yu and Qi delegations to agree to pay respects at Great Hua’s Hall of Martyrs after displaying the power of eighteen cannons. As the delegations traveled there, he tried to make Helian Zhaoyue massage his legs and threatened to build even more cannons when she refused.
Jiang Xiaobai forced Helian Zhaoyue and the visiting delegations to honor Great Hua’s fallen soldiers, then arranged for their names to be carved at the Hall of Martyrs. On the return journey, he invited Helian Zhaoyue to visit the Capital Merchants' Guild's First-Rank Tower the next day, where he planned to meet Xiao Qingxiu.
After displaying the cannons and forcing the Northern Yu and Qi delegations to pay their respects at the Hall of Martyrs, Jiang Xiaobai returned to the Duke of the State's Estate. He gave Li Zhiwei a famous painting and perfume, and she confessed that she chose him over the perfume.
Jiang Xiaobai’s interrupted kiss with Li Zhiwei gave way to a family visit, then he made Tang Ningshuang wear a dress to settle their wager. The chapter ended with Jiang Xiaobai catching Tang Ningshuang’s kick and fleeing in embarrassment when her skirt slipped.
After being released from the Elder Princess's Residence, Xiao Qingxiu went to the First-Rank Tower planning to use its influence to ruin Jiang Xiaobai's liquor business. He ran into Jiang Xiaobai, who had come to discuss his newly developed scented balm, and assumed the meeting would end in Jiang Xiaobai's humiliation.
Jiang Xiaobai arrived at the First-Rank Tower to negotiate a deal for his scented balm while Xiao Qingxiu mocked him and summoned merchants to watch. As Xiao Qingxiu toured the tower, a servant hesitated when asked about Steward Xie and looked to Jiang Xiaobai for help.
At the First-Rank Tower, Jiang Xiaobai encountered Helian Zhaoyue and Northern Yu Prince Helian Mingchuan, whose delegation was shaken by the power of Great Hua’s cannons. Xiao Qingxiu tried to provoke a clash between Helian Mingchuan and Jiang Xiaobai, but the prince remained courteous, leaving Xiao Qingxiu bewildered.
Xiao Qingxiu believed his scheme had defeated Jiang Xiaobai and expected the Eight Great Trading Houses to help him embarrass Jiang at the First-Rank Tower. He did not realize the trading house heads had already sided with Jiang, and their pleased reaction to his challenge left his confidence misplaced.
Xiao Qingxiu welcomed the merchants to the First-Rank Tower, unaware that Jiang Xiaobai had taken his position as president and believing the trading houses would help him undermine Jiang’s businesses. The chapter left Xiao Qingxiu warning Jiang not to lose his temper, while the gathered merchants sensed trouble and feared embarrassment.
At a trading meeting, Xiao Qingxiu boasted that his liquor houses were challenging Jiang Xiaobai’s business and that the Fragrant Tea House had captured Capital City’s scented balm market. Jiang Xiaobai stayed calm and asked Xiao Qingxiu whether he was sure he wanted him to speak about scented balm.
Jiang Xiaobai presented his bottled perfume to the merchants, and the Eight Great Trading Houses eagerly praised it and competed for larger allocations. Xiao Qingxiu, who had expected them to undermine Jiang, threatened to stop selling them his own scented balm, only for someone to answer with delighted interest.
Xiao Qingxiu discovered that the Eight Great Trading Houses had already embraced Jiang Xiaobai’s perfume and that he had lost his position as President. Jiang Xiaobai revealed that he had taken over permanently, leaving Xiao Qingxiu stunned.
Jiang Xiaobai drove Xiao Qingxiu out of the First-Rank Tower after exposing his collusion with Northern Yu, then set terms for the Eight Great Trading Houses to compete for perfume allocations. Outside, Xiao Qingxiu lamented losing his presidency and regretted provoking Jiang Xiaobai.
Jiang Xiaobai confirmed the Fang Family would handle the first perfume release, then went to the Heavenly Mechanism Workshop to investigate how Xiao Qingxiu had obtained the brewing equipment plans. He arrived at Mo Li’s residence and saw a mysterious woman dart into the inner room.
Jiang Xiaobai mistook the woman hidden in Mo Li’s room for a secret lover and then joined Mo Li’s investigation of the equipment leak. At the secret chamber, he threatened Elder Zou with a series of gruesome tortures, leaving the captive panicked and about to speak up.
Jiang Xiaobai questioned Elder Zou about betraying the Heavenly Mechanism Workshop, then asked Mo Li to have the workshop build equipment for making perfume. The chapter ended with Jiang Xiaobai asking to meet Mo Li’s wife, who was still in the inner room.