Chapter Summaries

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.

• Ning Xinlan asked Jiang Xiaobai to autograph his Four Great Classical Novels and gave him a painting by her daughter in return.
• Jiang Jingcheng revealed that Ning Xinlan’s husband had died on the Northern Frontier after he ignored his advice, and that Ning Xinlan’s daughter was likely from a later marriage.
• Jiang Xiaobai unrolled the landscape painting and said he would give it to Li Zhiwei, then returned to writing his novels.
• Zhang Xinnian reported that Elder Zou had private dealings with the Eighth Prince’s Residence and that the Heavenly Mechanism Workshop had made seventeen cannons, bringing the total to eighteen.
• Jiang Xiaobai had the cannons sent to the military camp and waited for Helian Zhaoyue to make her move.
• Helian Zhaoyue told Helian Mingchuan she had a bad feeling, and Teng Zixiu announced that someone from the Free-and-Easy Sword School had requested a visit.

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.

• Wei Xun gave Helian Mingchuan the two Hidden Edge Tokens in exchange for a precious sword and banknotes.
• Wei Xun asked Helian Mingchuan to help find his missing martial uncle from the Free-and-Easy Sword School.
• Helian Zhaoyue revealed that Jiang Xiaobai had beaten a Free-and-Easy Sword School senior to death, and she and Helian Mingchuan agreed to stay out of the matter.
• Helian Zhaoyue suggested visiting the Jiang Family’s military camp the next day before meeting Great Hua’s emperor, and Helian Mingchuan agreed.
• Wei Xun left with his two fellow swordsmen, who discussed reporting that they had delivered the tokens.

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 learned that the Northern Yu and Qi Envoy Delegations had arrived and asked Zhang Xinnian to fetch Jiang Jingcheng.
• Li Bingzhang and Li Zhiwei arrived, and Li Bingzhang explained that the Emperor had asked him to receive the Northern Yu prince.
• Li Bingzhang invited Helian Mingchuan to the palace, but Jiang Xiaobai suggested visiting the Jiang Family's Military Camp first.
• Li Bingzhang objected that the military camp held secrets, while Jiang Xiaobai claimed he had arranged a surprise for Northern Yu and Qi.
• Helian Zhaoyue suspected Jiang Xiaobai meant to intimidate them with the Jiang Family's soldiers and resolved not to be cowed.

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.

• Li Bingzhang agreed to visit the Jiang Family's military camp, and Jiang Xiaobai promised Li Zhiwei a surprise for later.
• Jiang Jingcheng joined the group, and Jiang Xiaobai arranged for him to share Li Bingzhang's carriage while he rode with Li Zhiwei and the others.
• Helian Mingchuan's servants tried to make him board first, but Jiang Xiaobai mocked them until they stepped aside.
• Jiang Xiaobai held Li Zhiwei's hand in the carriage and teased her about her palm lines, drawing disapproving reactions from Helian Zhaoyue, Tang Ningshuang, and the Elder Princess.
• Helian Mingchuan questioned Jiang Xiaobai's intentions as the procession neared the Martyrs' Shrine.

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 admired the Hall of Martyrs while Helian Zhaoyue warned that no one from Northern Yu would enter it.
• Jiang Xiaobai directed Zhang Xinnian to continue toward the Military Camp, and Helian Mingchuan insisted the delegation should see it despite Helian Zhaoyue's unease.
• Jiang Xiaobai taunted Helian Zhaoyue with a promise that she would not be disappointed, and the carriage passed tents as soldiers shouted battle cries.
• Jiang Xiaobai arrived at the Military Camp with the delegations, took Li Zhiwei's hand to comfort her, and watched several Thousand-household Commanders salute Jiang Jingcheng.
• Jiang Jingcheng told Jiang Xiaobai to arrange what came next, leaving the delegations waiting to see his plan.

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 ordered the commanders to show both delegations around the camp without hiding anything, then told Zhang Xinnian to prepare the cannon at the Drill Ground.
• The delegations watched armored soldiers endure load-bearing drills and saw shield formations, spear coordination, and successive crossbow volleys in action.
• The visitors inspected the crossbows and armor, and Helian Mingchuan lost his ease while Helian Zhaoyue watched the soldiers warily.
• Helian Zhaoyue accused Jiang Xiaobai of trying to intimidate the delegations with a display, but he led everyone toward the Drill Ground without explaining his plan.
• Zhang Xinnian met Jiang Xiaobai at the Drill Ground and announced that everything was ready.

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.

• Jiang Xiaobai ordered the commanders to assemble all thirty thousand soldiers, while Helian Zhaoyue and Helian Mingchuan assumed he meant to intimidate them.
• The soldiers split into two sides on Jiang Xiaobai’s command, clearing a broad space in the middle of the Drill Ground.
• Zhang Xinnian brought eighteen black-cloth-covered objects onto the ground as soldiers positioned large stone disks opposite them, leaving the envoys puzzled.
• Jiang Xiaobai warned Helian Zhaoyue and Helian Mingchuan to cover their ears, then reminded Tang Ningshuang of their wager.
• Jiang Xiaobai drew his Desert Eagle and shot dead two servants who had spoken against him and moved to protect Helian Mingchuan.
• The envoys and thirty thousand soldiers stood in stunned silence as Jiang Xiaobai mocked the dead servants for talking too much.

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 shot a Qi envoy who criticized his killing of two Northern Yu delegation members, silencing both delegations.
• Helian Zhaoyue threatened to report Jiang Xiaobai, but he ignored her and ordered Zhang Xinnian to uncover eighteen cannons.
• Jiang Xiaobai had the soldiers load the cannons and covered Li Zhiwei's ears before ordering them to fire.
• The eighteen cannons blasted apart the distant stone discs, terrifying the delegations and leaving Helian Zhaoyue and Helian Mingchuan stunned.
• Li Bingzhang angrily asked Jiang Jingcheng how the cannon demonstration could be called brewing tea.

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 fired the eighteen cannons, destroying the distant stone discs and shocking Jiang Jingcheng and both delegations.
• Jiang Xiaobai claimed he planned to produce a few thousand more cannons, frightening the Qi and Northern Yu envoys with the prospect of facing them in battle.
• Helian Zhaoyue and Teng Zixiu refused Jiang Xiaobai's offer to fire another volley, while the Qi delegation withdrew its complaint and praised him for killing their dead envoy.
• Jiang Xiaobai asked Helian Mingchuan to visit the Hall of Martyrs, and when he hesitated, ordered Zhang Xinnian to make ten thousand cannons.
• Helian Mingchuan angrily agreed to go to the Hall of Martyrs.

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.

• Helian Mingchuan insisted he was not being forced to visit the Hall of Martyrs, and the Qi Envoy Delegation eagerly agreed to go as well.
• Li Bingzhang admired Jiang Xiaobai’s carefully planned display, while Jiang Jingcheng and Li Bingzhang argued over whose family Jiang Xiaobai would join after marriage.
• Jiang Xiaobai told the thirty thousand soldiers that the visiting delegations would pay respects to Great Hua’s fallen heroes, and the troops cheered him as he departed with Li Zhiwei.
• Jiang Xiaobai, Li Zhiwei, Helian Zhaoyue, and the delegations boarded their carriages and set off for the Hall of Martyrs.
• Jiang Xiaobai asked Helian Zhaoyue to massage his sore legs, and when she refused, he threatened to build one million six hundred thousand cannons.

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.

• Helian Zhaoyue massaged Jiang Xiaobai's legs in the carriage while Helian Mingchuan and Teng Zixiu watched in anger, powerless against his cannons and deadly weapon.
• At the Hall of Martyrs, Jiang Xiaobai and his companions bowed to the fallen soldiers, then he ordered both delegations to offer incense.
• Jiang Xiaobai ordered a new stele to be erected and the names of everyone in the Northern Yu and Qi delegations to be carved onto it.
• Helian Zhaoyue returned to her usual composure and agreed to Jiang Xiaobai's invitation to visit the First-Rank Tower the next day.
• Jiang Xiaobai planned to meet former president Xiao Qingxiu and bring up the perfume business.

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 Jingcheng praised Jiang Xiaobai's cannons and urged him to make more, while Jiang Xiaobai asked Zhang Xinnian to arrange for craftsmen to erect a memorial stele at the Hall of Martyrs.
• Jiang Xiaobai took Li Zhiwei into his residence to give her a painting by the Top Rank of Su City, while Tang Ningshuang and the Elder Princess waited outside.
• Li Zhiwei admired the painting, and Jiang Xiaobai teased her about the Mandarin Duck Painting and their nearly established relationship before kissing her cheek.
• Jiang Xiaobai gave Li Zhiwei perfume scented with Chinese roses, and she said 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.

• Jiang Xiaobai and Li Zhiwei nearly kissed before Zhang Xinnian burst in and announced their kiss to people outside.
• Li Zhiwei left with Tang Ningshuang and the Elder Princess, and Jiang Xiaobai showed her around the residence.
• Shen Yun welcomed Li Zhiwei and chatted with her while Jiang Xiaobai sat on the sidelines.
• After Li Bingzhang returned from the palace and the family ate together, Li Zhiwei and Li Bingzhang departed.
• Jiang Xiaobai reminded Tang Ningshuang of their wager and made her put on a dress; she kicked at him after he teased her, and he caught her ankle before running off in embarrassment.

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.

• Tang Ningshuang realized she was wearing the dress Jiang Xiaobai had seen her in and chased after him with her sword.
• Xiao Qingxiu and the three heirs apparent of Dingyuan Prefecture left the Elder Princess's Residence after Xiao had been confined there for three days.
• Xiao Qingxiu vowed to retaliate against Jiang Xiaobai by using the First-Rank Tower to spread his liquor and get restaurants to boycott the Jiang Family's liquor.
• Li Jingfeng and Li Jingren left to seek three replacement Hidden Edge Tokens, while Li Jingxing followed them after bidding Xiao farewell.
• Xiao Qingxiu arrived at the First-Rank Tower and encountered Jiang Xiaobai, Tang Ningshuang, and the Elder Princess outside.
• Jiang Xiaobai said he had developed scented balm and had come to gather representatives of the Eight Great Trading Houses for a business discussion, while Xiao Qingxiu mocked him.

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.

• Tian Fangchi tried to hint that Xiao Qingxiu was no longer president by suggesting he change his name to Xiao Qingmei, but Xiao Qingxiu failed to understand.
• Jiang Xiaobai agreed that the Eight Great Trading Houses and other merchants should attend his business meeting at the First-Rank Tower.
• Xiao Qingxiu invited Jiang Xiaobai to tour the tower and taunted him about making a fool of himself in front of the arriving merchants.
• Xiao Qingxiu asked a servant where Steward Xie was, and the servant looked to Jiang Xiaobai instead of answering.

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.

• Jiang Xiaobai intervened when Xiao Qingxiu pressured a servant, then toured the First-Rank Tower with Tang Ningshuang and the Elder Princess.
• Helian Zhaoyue arrived with the Northern Yu Delegation and her elder brother, Helian Mingchuan, while she recalled the cannons that had kept her awake with worry.
• Xiao Qingxiu introduced Jiang Xiaobai to Helian Mingchuan and pointed out the historic enmity between Northern Yu and the Jiang Family, hoping to provoke an argument.
• Helian Mingchuan instead greeted Jiang Xiaobai humbly, and Jiang Xiaobai teased him about whether he had slept well after seeing the cannons.
• Helian Mingchuan forced a polite response while Helian Zhaoyue glared at Jiang Xiaobai, and Xiao Qingxiu wondered why the Northern Yu prince had not retaliated.

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 asked Helian Zhaoyue whether his scheme with the Eight Great Trading Houses had ensnared Jiang Xiaobai, and she confirmed it while warning him not to provoke Jiang.
• Xiao Qingxiu dismissed Helian Zhaoyue's warning and insisted that the First-Rank Tower was his territory.
• The heads of the Eight Great Trading Houses arrived at the First-Rank Tower, and Xiao Qingxiu mistakenly believed they had stayed in the capital to wait for him.
• Xiao Qingxiu urged the trading house heads to support Jiang Xiaobai's scented balm business, expecting them to understand his mockery.
• The elderly trading house head asked whether Xiao Qingxiu truly meant what he said, and all eight heads looked delighted when he confirmed it.

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.

• Xiao Qingxiu welcomed the Eight Great Trading Houses and other merchants, interpreting their polite gestures toward Jiang Xiaobai as signs of hidden agreement with him.
• Jiang Xiaobai followed Xiao Qingxiu into the Inner Hall and let him take the seat of honor, prompting the merchants to wonder whether Xiao knew he had lost the presidency.
• Xiao Qingxiu welcomed three liquor-trading-house managers and Boss Feng of the Fragrant Tea House, planning to use them against Jiang Xiaobai’s liquor and scented balm businesses.
• Xiao Qingxiu learned that the four chairmen refused to attend because they were afraid of embarrassment, and Manager Fan nearly left before another manager warned him he might miss out on an allotment.
• Xiao Qingxiu told Jiang Xiaobai that business was business and warned him not to lose his temper or make a laughingstock of himself.

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.

• Boss Pan and Boss Song reported that their liquor houses produced five hundred and six hundred jars a day, respectively, with consistent flavor.
• Xiao Qingxiu presented his liquor, announced agreements with Capital City’s major restaurants, and sought support from the Eight Great Trading Houses to expand across Great Hua.
• Jiang Xiaobai praised the liquor, while Xiao Qingxiu mocked him and warned him against using force in business competition.
• Boss Feng said the Fragrant Tea House had taken over Capital City’s scented balm market and planned to expand production, but the merchants and trading house representatives stayed silent.
• Xiao Qingxiu asked Jiang Xiaobai to discuss his plans for the scented balm business, and Jiang Xiaobai asked whether he was sure he wanted him to speak.

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 urged the merchants to support Jiang Xiaobai while privately expecting them to ruin his business during negotiations.
• Jiang Xiaobai had Tang Ningshuang bring out his perfume samples, and Xiao Qingxiu laughed at the bottles and called their contents water.
• Guo Youquan and the other trading house heads insisted the perfume was a rare treasure and rebuked Xiao Qingxiu for disparaging it.
• Guo Youquan and the other merchants asked Jiang Xiaobai for larger allocations, with some offering reduced or no profits for distribution.
• Xiao Qingxiu threatened to stop selling his scented balm to the Eight Great Trading Houses, and someone responded, "Oh, really?"