Chapter Summaries

Zhang Xing helped Xu Dalang evade the Jing'an Directorate’s horse investigation, rejected plans to join Li Shu and Xu Dalang in rebellion, and returned to the imperial army. As the army reached Dengzhou and prepared to campaign against Dongyi, desertion and unrest continued while the emperor’s confidence revived.

• Zhang Xing warned Xu Dalang that the missing imperial horses could bring the Jing'an Directorate down on his family, then urged him to abandon his local foundations and take greater risks.
• Li Shu admitted he had considered rising against Wei, but Zhang Xing explained why he, Li Shu, and Xu Dalang each hesitated to rebel; Zhang Xing then left, and Xiong Bonan followed him.
• Bai Yousi stopped Xiong Bonan from following Zhang Xing, while Zhang Xing returned to the military city and told Qian Tang he had tried but failed to bring back a deserter.
• As desertions continued and the small military cities collapsed, the army reached Dengzhou, where generals from four garrisons urged the emperor to attack Dongyi.
• A folk ballad about a rebel near the Yimeng Mountains reached the emperor, but Zhang Han dismissed it as Dongyi spy work, and the emperor turned back to discussing the campaign.
• Sima Zheng arrived with supplies and was appointed Tiger Ben Gentleman of the Palace General as the emperor and his officials prepared to advance.

Zhang Xing and his companions watched the Dengzhou army prepare to invade Dongyi amid rumors, unrest, and a failing supply line. After the emperor sent the central army east, the vanguard crossed Fallen Dragon Shoal without encountering the Sea-Averting Lord, but laborers began fleeing in large numbers.

• Qin Bao told Zhang Xing that Aunt Liu had died and said his mother planned to go to the Eastern Capital; Zhang Xing also asked Qin Bao about a mountain village he had visited.
• Laborers in the Dengzhou camp rebelled rather than risk being sent across Fallen Dragon Shoal, and Zhang Xing questioned whether the emperor had deliberately squandered lives during his previous Dongyi campaign.
• Zhou Xingfan explained that the central army would lead the attack while the northern and southern armies took supporting routes, and Zhang Xing recognized that the plan depended on the emperor avoiding mistakes and the army keeping its morale.
• A Dongyi envoy offered surrender, but the emperor demanded that Grand Commander Li Ziqi surrender in person and ordered Sima Changying and Yu Shuwen to march east with 120,000 elite troops.
• Wang Daiji told Zhang Xing that the vanguard had crossed Fallen Dragon Shoal without the Sea-Averting Lord appearing, while laborers were fleeing; he offered to pay for supplies for the Crouching Dragon Guard and its horses.

Zhang Xing helped Xu Dalang avoid immediate danger over the missing imperial horses, then returned to the army and warned the Crouching Dragon Guards that being near the emperor might not keep them safe. As the campaign against Dongyi resumed, a rebel ballad spread near the Dengzhou camp, and Sima Zheng arrived with supplies, signaling that the army was preparing to advance.

• Zhang Xing explained that the Jing'an Directorate’s patrol leaders were unlikely to spare Xu Dalang, urged him to abandon his local magnate’s caution, and left without joining Li Shu and Xu Dalang’s rebellion.
• Xiong Bonan followed Zhang Xing, but Bai Yousi intercepted him and told him to return; Zhang Xing then slipped back into the army city before dawn and claimed he had tried to retrieve a Jinwu Guard deserter.
• At breakfast, Zhang Xing could not reassure the Crouching Dragon Guards that serving beside the emperor made them safe, until Qian Tang reminded them of Bai Yousi and the Crouching Dragon Seal.
• After repeated desertions weakened the army, it reached Dengzhou, where commanders from four garrisons urged a renewed campaign against Dongyi and restored the emperor’s confidence.
• A ballad from the Yimeng Mountains urged people not to die in Dongyi, but Zhang Han dismissed it as a Dongyi spy’s trick while the emperor discussed the advance.
• Sima Zheng arrived at the rear with supplies and was appointed Tiger Ben Gentleman of the Palace General as the court and army prepared to march.

Zhang Xing warned that the court’s hesitation over Li Ziqi’s apparent surrender would expose Great Wei’s weakness, but the emperor’s commanders delayed sending an effective force. Li Ziqi left Yu Shuwen’s army and abandoned Sangdong City, drawing Yu onward toward Xindeng while asking whether the other armies were advancing.

• Zhang Xing returned to camp, told Qin Bao and Zhou Xingfan to prepare for retreat, and explained that the court’s political divisions would prevent it from restraining Li Ziqi.
• Zhou Xingfan asked Lai Zhan'er to remonstrate with the emperor, but Lai defended his loyalty to the sovereign and told him to return to his duties.
• After days of debate, the court allowed Sima Zheng to lead a small group of experts toward the front, but Li Ziqi departed Yu Shuwen’s camp that same evening.
• Li Ziqi escaped Yu Shuwen’s attack and warned him that pursuing the war could destroy his army and reputation.
• Yu Shuwen reached Sangdong City and found it deserted, with a letter from Li Ziqi inviting him to pursue him to Xindeng City and asking whether the other armies were advancing.

The Wei army’s eastern campaign collapsed after the troops fled before Dongyi’s counterattack, and Sima Changying stayed behind to die so his son and grandson might survive. In the retreating imperial camp, Zhang Xing killed an official who had overheard Zhou Xingfan’s outburst, then concealed the incident with a story about auspicious cranes and was rewarded with a commandery governorship.

• Sima Changying sent Sima Huada west while advancing to join Yu Shuwen, and ordered his son to blame Yu if the campaign failed.
• After the forces reached Dragon Mountain City short of supplies, Wei troops broke and fled when they learned Li Ziqi and Dongyi’s four armies were ahead.
• Yu Shuwen attacked the Dongyi banner but was overwhelmed by Li Ziqi’s Longevity True Qi, while Zhao Guang’s golden qi briefly helped him escape.
• Sima Zheng returned to the battlefield, but Sima Changying sent him west with the fleeing army and remained behind to face Li Ziqi, who killed him.
• After the Sage rejected Sima Zheng’s request to lead a rescue force, Zhou Xingfan accused the court of abandoning his father, and Zhang Xing killed a clerk who overheard him.
• Zhang Xing claimed that immortal cranes had appeared before the emperor, and the Sage rewarded him with the governorship of Wuan Commandery.

Zhang Xing left Dengzhou Garrison Camp to take the Dragon-Awakening Sword away from the Sage, but the Compass led him back to the village where Du Meng had died. After returning to camp, he witnessed the Sage force the court into a southern tour, while a tower collapsed again in the Eastern Capital on the day the procession departed.

• Zhang Xing explained how his appointment as governor of Wuan was validated, then told Qin Bao he would honor his promise to lead the party to Dengzhou before taking up the post.
• Bai Yousi warned Zhang Xing that the Sage might use the Dragon-Awakening Sword, so Zhang Xing left camp that night with the sword and travel supplies.
• Restless on the road, Zhang Xing followed his Compass into the mountains and found the abandoned village where he had first entered civilized society and where Du Meng had died; he cleared part of the village before riding back.
• Zhang Xing returned to Dengzhou as reports arrived of Dongyi's surrender request, the army's heavy losses, and Yu Shuwen's execution, then refused to leave his comrades while the expedition continued.
• The Sage ordered the court to tour Jiangdu; after Lai Zhan'er and the two chancellors changed their positions, the imperial procession departed south on May 28.
• Cao Lin sensed a disturbance in the Eastern Capital as the procession left, and Niu Hong identified the ensuing crash as another tower collapse.

After a brutal march and a storm sparked unrest among the secret-police forces, Zhang Xing killed Chancellor Zhang Han before the gathered troops and crossed the Gu River with a few followers. Beneath the twin moons, he and Bai Yousi spoke honestly about his choice and their feelings, and Zhang Xing set out with a lighter heart.

• Lai Zhan'er had more than eight hundred soldiers executed to restore order, while Zhang Xing quietly arranged for members of the Jing'an Directorate and Crouching Dragon Guard to return to the Eastern Capital.
• Heat, exhaustion, and a thunderstorm left the army trapped beside the Gu River, where Brocade-clad Patrol Cavalry and Crouching Dragon Guard members demanded permission to leave.
• Bai Yousi arrived and promised that the Patrol Cavalry could leave at Langya and that Crouching Dragon Guard members with families could return after reaching Jiangdu.
• Zhou Xingfan confronted Zhang Han over the eastern expedition, and Zhang Han threatened the crowd before Zhang Xing beheaded him and declared that he had killed a petty villain.
• Zhang Xing crossed the Gu River with Zhou Xingfan and Wang Zhen, while Bai Yousi led the other Patrol Cavalry and Crouching Dragon Guard back across the river.
• Bai Yousi met Zhang Xing beneath the moon, praised his decision to act, and asked what she meant to him; Zhang Xing called her his heroine, and they spent the night together.

Ma Sheng and Ma Ping'er, Huaiyou Alliance members traveling incognito, met Zhang Xing and his companions at an abandoned temple, where Zhang revealed his plans to gather allies and eventually overthrow Great Wei. The Wang Family’s Fifth Wang arrived seeking a meeting with Zhang, while Ma Sheng held his daughter back from joining the encounter.

• Ma Sheng and Ma Ping'er traveled into Jiyin Commandery and took shelter from the rain in an abandoned Daoist temple.
• Zhang Xing, Wang Zhen, and Zhou Xingfan arrived at the temple, shared a fire and food with the pair, and discussed the emperor, the defeated southern army, and local powers.
• Zhang Xing explained that he meant to study and unite the realm’s factions before raising a rebellion, and Wang Zhen asked to gather men for him at Mount Mangdang.
• Ma Sheng admitted that he belonged to the Huaiyou Alliance, and Zhang asked him to tell Du Pozhen to support his brothers at Mount Mangdang.
• Fifth Wang of Jiyang surrounded the temple and called for a meeting with Zhang Xing, who went outside to greet him.
• Ma Ping'er wanted to follow Zhang, but Ma Sheng stopped her and urged her to wait for a safer time.

Ma Sheng and Ma Ping'er sheltered from the rain in an abandoned temple, where they met Zhang Xing and his companions and learned of Zhang Xing's plans to unite forces against Great Wei. When Wang Shuyong arrived seeking a meeting with Zhang Xing, Zhang Xing went out to meet him while Ma Sheng kept Ma Ping'er inside.

• Ma Sheng and Ma Ping'er entered Jiyin Commandery in disguise and left the main road to shelter in an abandoned Daoist temple during the rain.
• Zhang Xing, Wang Zhen, and Zhou Xingfan arrived at the temple, shared a fire and food with Ma Sheng and Ma Ping'er, and questioned them about the emperor, the southern army, and local powers.
• Ma Sheng described the Wang Family and Xu Dalang, while Zhang Xing explained that he wanted to assess and unite potential allies before raising a rebellion against Great Wei.
• Wang Zhen asked Zhang Xing to assign him a separate role, and Zhang Xing directed him to establish a base at Mount Mangdang.
• Ma Sheng revealed that he belonged to the Huaiyou Alliance, and Zhang Xing asked him to tell Du Pozhen to look after his brothers at Mount Mangdang.
• Wang Shuyong arrived with dozens of riders to meet Zhang Xing, who went outside to greet him while Ma Sheng stopped Ma Ping'er from following.

Zhang Xing established the Exorcising the Dragon Gang, setting its leadership structure and discussing which allies to recruit or reject. The gang began its work the next day, while Zhang Xing headed north and then downstream toward River Mouth.

• Zhang Xing explained the gang’s name and established rules that placed him, Li Shu, and Daoist Wei at the top, with Dan Tonghai, Wang Shuyong, and Xu Shiying as senior leaders.
• Zhang Xing and Li Shu secured senior positions for Du Pozhen, Fu Boshi, and Xiong Bonan, while agreeing that Zhang Jincheng should be barred from the gang’s territory.
• Ma Sheng and Ma Ping'er prepared to leave with Wang Zhen, and Zhang Xing warned them and Wang Zhen to remain wary of the Huaiyou Alliance.
• Xu Shiying told Zhang Xing that he had pushed bandits west and south and proposed pretending to suppress them for Great Wei in exchange for weapons and equipment; Zhang Xing authorized him to consult Li Shu.
• The gang’s members dispersed to recruit allies and deal with bandits, while Zhang Xing crossed the river with Daoist Wei, Li Shu, and others, then traveled downstream toward River Mouth.

Zhang Xing traveled through a collapsing Hebei and met Li Ding, who had built a defended refuge at Putai. After arguing that rebellion required new rules and disciplined forces, Zhang Xing persuaded Li Ding to help absorb Zhang Jincheng’s army, beginning with a plan to contact Cheng Dalang.

• Zhang Xing and his companions crossed into Hebei, where armed bandit and rebel forces controlled the countryside and besieged settlements defended themselves.
• At a Putai checkpoint, Zhang Xing claimed ties to Li Ding’s family and persuaded the guards to let him pass without surrendering his weapons.
• Zhang Xing met Li Ding on the Putai terrace, invited him to join the Exorcising the Dragon Gang, and asked him to help defeat Zhang Jincheng and absorb his troops.
• Zhang Xing and Li Ding debated whether rebellion could bring peace, and Zhang Xing argued that rebel forces needed new rules and restraints to avoid becoming destructive bandits.
• After Little Zhou questioned why Zhang Xing would not take shortcuts, Li Ding agreed to help absorb Zhang Jincheng’s forces if Zhang Xing provided a comprehensive strategy.
• Zhang Xing proposed contacting Cheng Dalang across the river and using his organization as cover for their plan.

Zhang Xing and the other leaders established the Exorcising the Dragon Gang, set its rules and appointments, and debated which allies to recruit. After warning the Huaiyou Alliance to be cautious, Zhang Xing headed north with his companions while the gang’s leaders pursued separate missions.

• Zhang Xing persuaded the assembled leaders to name their organization the Exorcising the Dragon Gang and set out its leadership structure, rules, and local appointments.
• The leaders agreed to recruit Du Pozhen, Fu Boshi, and Xiong Bonan as senior leaders, discussed other potential allies, and rejected Zhang Jincheng.
• Ma Sheng and Ma Ping'er prepared to leave with Wang Zhen, and Zhang Xing warned them to be wary of the Huaiyou Alliance.
• Xu Shiying explained his dispute with the Huaiyou Alliance and proposed posing as Great Wei officials to suppress bandits and obtain military supplies; Zhang Xing told him to present the idea to Li Shu.
• The gang’s leaders split up on their assignments, and Zhang Xing crossed the river north with Wei Daoist, Li Shu, and their companions before heading downstream with Little Zhou.

At Wang Shuyong’s estate, Zhang Xing explained his plan to unite the heroes of the Eastern Territories and Hebei against Great Wei, while Daoist Wei Xuanding helped clarify the strategy. Zhang Xing and Wang Shuyong began organizing a gathering of allies, and Niu Da arrived seeking news of Zhang Xing.

• Wang Shuyong hosted Zhang Xing and his companions at a banquet and pledged his household’s protection.
• Zhang Xing declared that Great Wei must be overthrown and discussed the realm’s political situation with Wang Shuyong and the guests.
• Wei Xuanding argued that the rebels should build alliances and wait for Great Wei to weaken, while Zhang Xing warned that disasters and shifting circumstances might force an earlier uprising.
• Zhang Xing proposed contacting heroes across the Eastern Territories and Hebei, and Wang Shuyong and Wei Xuanding agreed to support his effort.
• A warrior reported that Niu Da had arrived from Puyang asking whether Zhang Xing had been found, and Zhang Xing suggested inviting Xu Dalang to join them.

Guo Jingke joined Zhang Jincheng’s march while secretly cooperating with Niu Da’s forces, but he warned Zhang about dangers ahead instead of revealing the ambush. The fighting began at Deer Antler Pass, where Zhang’s vanguard was defeated and his rearguard was attacked.

• Guo Jingke watched Zhang Jincheng’s army struggle through its march and realized Zhang relied on spectacle, executions, and subordinate chiefs to maintain control.
• Zhang Jincheng ordered the chiefs to keep to the official road and threatened death for anyone who trampled crops.
• Niu Da told Guo Jingke to leave Zhang’s main force at Deer Antler Pass and lure the other cavalry unit into an ambush.
• Guo Jingke saw Zhang’s conveyance had crushed crops, then warned Zhang that Bean Ridge ahead held marshes and possible bandits; Zhang ordered his vanguard to screen the area and chose the northern road.
• Guo Jingke led his cavalry into Bean Ridge and joined Niu Da’s army, while Wang Daba La followed and was ambushed by Cheng Mingqi, whose forces defeated his band and took many prisoners.
• Cheng Zhili’s eight hundred cavalry then attacked Zhang Jincheng’s rearguard and burned its camp supplies, prompting Zhang to realize the road ahead would be difficult.

Cheng Zhili’s cavalry repeatedly routed Zhang Jincheng’s scattered troops before the commanders planned a night assault on the rebel camp using fire and confusion. As Zhang Xing led roughly four thousand men toward the vastly larger camp, Zhang Jincheng woke to a crow landing on his couch.

• Cheng Zhili’s cavalry scattered two bands of Zhang Jincheng’s men and killed Zhang Xiaoyi when he challenged Cheng to single combat.
• Zhang Xing and Li Ding warned their officers not to underestimate Zhang Jincheng and agreed to force a decisive battle that night with fires around the camp.
• Zhang Jincheng ordered Wang Er to attack Bean Ridge as a diversion while the chief prepared to withdraw north if the assault failed.
• Fang Yanshi urged Li Ding to remain and build an independent force, but Li Ding praised Zhang Sanlang’s abilities and reaffirmed his intention to return to the Eastern Capital.
• Li Ding had Fang Yanshi’s preparations set in motion, and Zhang Xing led about four thousand cavalry and infantry toward Zhang Jincheng’s camp.
• A crow landed on Zhang Jincheng’s wooden couch and woke him.

Ma Sheng and Ma Ping'er met Zhang Xing and his companions while sheltering from the rain, and learned that the wanted Dragon-Slaying Saber planned to gather forces to overthrow Great Wei. When Fifth Wang surrounded the temple seeking Zhang Xing, Zhang went out to meet him while Ma Sheng kept his daughter behind.

• Ma Sheng and Ma Ping'er traveled in disguise through Jiyin Commandery and took shelter in an abandoned Daoist temple during heavy rain.
• Zhang Xing, Wang Zhen, and Zhou Xingfan joined them, and Ma Sheng shared news about the emperor's journey and the Southern Route Army's defeat.
• Zhang Xing explained that he wanted to study and recruit forces across the realm before raising a banner, and he planned to establish a hidden base on Mount Mangdang.
• Ma Sheng revealed his Huaiyou Alliance ties, and Zhang Xing asked him to tell Du Pozhen he understood the alliance leader's position and to care for Zhang's brothers on Mount Mangdang.
• Fifth Wang of Jiyang surrounded the temple and called for Zhang Xing, who went out to meet him; Ma Sheng stopped Ma Ping'er from following.

At Wang Shuyong’s estate, Zhang Xing discussed how to overthrow Great Wei and won the support of Wang Shuyong and Wei Xuanding for organizing the heroes of Hebei and the Eastern Territories. Niu Da’s arrival prompted Zhang Xing to count him among their allies and propose inviting Xu Dalang to join them.

• Wang Shuyong welcomed Zhang Xing and his companions, praised Zhang Xing’s actions, and promised his protection.
• When Fifth Wang Lang asked how they should overthrow Great Wei, Zhang Xing explained that they should build ties and make preparations before rising when circumstances demanded it.
• Wei Xuanding outlined the strategic reasons to wait, and Zhang Xing agreed while warning that disasters, worsening conditions, and the ambitions of other rebels could force an earlier uprising.
• Zhang Xing proposed gathering heroes under one banner, and Wang Shuyong and Wei Xuanding agreed to join his effort.
• A warrior reported that Niu Da had arrived looking for Zhang Xing, and Zhang Xing suggested inviting Xu Dalang to join them as well.

Cao Lin secured the Eastern Capital council’s agreement to raise a hundred-thousand-man army and take sole authority over its affairs, despite Gu Yi warning him against opposing the Emperor. Bai Yousi then confronted Cao Lin in the Black Tower and won agreement to transfer Li Ding for a fair hearing in exchange for returning the Crouching Dragon Seal.

• Su Wei listed the empire’s external threats and internal crises, including rebel armies, famine, the Emperor’s orders to move palace personnel and southern revenues to Jiangdu, and the Eastern Capital’s lack of troops.
• Cao Lin argued that the Eastern Capital should set aside distant threats, address immediate needs, and raise at least a hundred thousand troops; Duan Wei objected that recruits, weapons, and iron were scarce.
• Gu Yi challenged Cao Lin’s plan and warned him not to use his authority to contend with the Emperor, but Cao Lin declared that he would do whatever he believed necessary to preserve Great Wei.
• Cao Lin won the council’s agreement to exercise sole authority over Eastern Capital affairs, while Su Wei, Niu Hong, and Zhang Shiben openly supported him and Qian Shiying, Duan Wei, and Bai Hengjin remained silent.
• Bai Yousi demanded that Li Ding be transferred to the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Justice for a fair hearing, then challenged Xue Liang with the Crouching Dragon Seal when he defended Cao Lin’s authority.
• Cao Lin agreed to transfer Li Ding in exchange for the Crouching Dragon Seal, and Bai Yousi said she would return it after taking Li Ding to the Ministry of Justice.

Zhang Xing and the other leaders established the Exorcising the Dragon Gang, set its hierarchy, and debated which heroes to recruit. After the leaders dispersed to begin their assignments, Zhang Xing traveled north toward River Mouth, where an official was still waiting for a reply from the Eastern Capital.

• Zhang Xing persuaded the assembled leaders to name their organization the Exorcising the Dragon Gang and established rules for its chiefs, senior leaders, and local leaders.
• Zhang Xing and Li Shu proposed senior positions for Du Pozhen, Fu Boshi, and Xiong Bonan, while the leaders rejected Zhang Jincheng and discussed other potential recruits.
• Ma Sheng and Ma Ping'er prepared to leave with Wang Zhen, and Zhang Xing warned them to stay wary of the Huaiyou Alliance.
• Xu Shiying told Zhang Xing that Alliance Leader Du suspected him of inciting bandits; Xu admitted he had meant to drive them west and south, then proposed using a court campaign against the bandits to obtain military equipment.
• The gang's members dispersed to their assignments, and Zhang Xing crossed the river with his companions before heading downstream toward River Mouth.

Zhang Xing tried to build trust and rebellious resolve among Niu Da’s new troops, then discussed the Exorcising the Dragon Gang’s growing ties with Hebei’s clans and local leaders. The chapter ended with reports of two rebel armies converging on Dengzhou and Zhang Xing asking whether Cheng Dalang should join the fighting.

• Zhang Xing held discussion meetings with Niu Da’s soldiers, but their accounts initially failed to produce the unity he hoped for.
• Huang Erpizi described how officials and their henchmen had seized him and his uncle for the army, and Zhang Xing led the men to discuss their hatred of the Great Wei court and why they had fought Zhang Jincheng.
• Zhang Xing questioned Zhou Jiu about his family, prompting Zhou Jiu to realize that his cousin had likely died and to break down in tears.
• Wei Daoist and Xiong Bonan praised Zhang Xing’s efforts, while Wei Daoist explained that Master Li had built connections with the Fang and Cui families in Qinghe.
• Wei Daoist described the Qinghe Cui Clan’s influence and its history with Yang Shen, and Zhang Xing reflected on the practical strengths of local magnates.
• Zhang Xing read that Gao Shitong and Sun Xuanzhi had crossed the river with 150,000 men while Wang Hou marched north with 100,000, and asked whether Cheng Dalang should go to Dengzhou.