Recaps

Chen Caozhi helped suppress Lu Song’s palace rebellion, then supported Huan Wen’s deposition of Sima Yi and Sima Yu’s accession while advancing plans to rebuild the Beifu Army. The arc ended with Chen Caozhi acknowledging his love for Xie Daoyun and his wish to marry both her and Lu Weiwei, as he prepared for the army’s future campaign north.

• Chen Caozhi gave Xi Chao Huan Wen’s confidential letter and helped devise a plan to accuse Lu Song and his allies, while also securing Sima Yu’s support for rebuilding the Beifu Army.
• Chen Caozhi treated Xie Daoyun’s illness and invited her to advise him, as plans advanced to appoint Huan Xi over the army and Xi Yin to a provincial post.
• Lu Song’s followers attacked Taicheng, but Chen Caozhi, Xi Chao, Ran Sheng, Su Qi, Mao Anzhi, and Huan Mi helped defeat the rebels and protect the emperor and princes.
• Chen Caozhi presided over Lu Song’s case, restrained his accusations, and helped Huan Wen limit punishment of Lu Shi and Lu Qin after Lu Qin confessed his role in Xu Long’s scheme.
• Chen Caozhi advised Huan Wen to postpone claiming the throne and to build a legitimate succession and military base, while resolving to strengthen his own clan and avoid a bloody transition.
• Huan Wen marched on Jiankang, where Sima Yu deposed Sima Yi and became emperor, and the court banished Sima Xi, rewarded Chen Caozhi, and appointed Huan Xi and Chen Caozhi to rebuild the Beifu Army.
• Xie Daoyun admitted that she loved Chen Caozhi, and Chen Caozhi confessed that he loved her while also wishing to marry Lu Weiwei, and he promised to speak to Wei Rui himself.
• Chen Caozhi examined Xie Daoyun and advised her to rest, then heard that Ji Pi was too frail to travel south and told Jing Nu to wait before recruiting former Qihuo Army soldiers.

Chen Caozhi’s double marriage was arranged as he returned to Qiantang and Jiankang, while Huan Wen and his allies moved to rebuild the Beifu Army. After Yu Xi’s revolt was crushed, Chen Caozhi recruited powerful northern clans, leaving Su Hui’s unspoken feelings and an unknown pursuer behind.

• Xie An and Lu Na persuaded Emperor Sima Yu to approve Chen Caozhi’s marriages to Xie Daoyun and Lu Weiwei, and Empress Dowager Chu made Lu Weiwei the Left Wife and Xie Daoyun the Right Wife.
• Chen Caozhi accepted the double marriage while balancing his ties to both women, then left Jiankang and reunited with Lu Weiwei and his family in Wu Commandery before returning to Qiantang.
• Chen Caozhi recruited Fan Ning, Liu Laozhi, and Sun Wuzhong for the North Mansion Army, arranged the two weddings for the same day, and traveled with Huan Wen’s forces to Gushu and Jingkou.
• After Yu Xi’s forces seized Jingkou, Huan Xi fled, Shen Chiqian fought to protect him, and Chen Caozhi returned from recruiting in the Two Huai Regions to help besiege the city.
• Yu Xi’s men fled Jingkou and Yu Xi was captured, while Huan Wen ordered him and several others executed and Chen Caozhi persuaded Huan Xi to bring many surrendered rebels into the North Mansion Army.
• Chen Caozhi urged Tian Luo to join the resistance, then gathered Dai Xun, Guo Quan, and other refugee leaders, who agreed to recruit troops and assemble at Guangling.
• Su Hui learned that her family was considering a marriage to Cai Tao or a concubine arrangement with Chen Caozhi, and she resolved not to become a concubine despite her feelings for Chen.
• Chen Caozhi secured Cai Feng’s support and three thousand private soldiers for the North Mansion Army, promised to seek restoration of the Cai Clan’s gentry status, and saw someone pursuing his party as they traveled northeast.

Chen Caozhi married Lu Weiwei and Xie Daoyun, then led the Beifu army through victories against Yan and Qin and captured Ye City. After Yan’s royal family fell into Jin hands, Chen Caozhi defied Huan Xi’s demands and escorted the empress dowager and Princess Qinghe from Longgang Temple.

• Chen Caozhi organized the North Mansion Army, returned to Jiankang, and married Lu Weiwei and Xie Daoyun, while Murong Chong threatened to destroy the city.
• Chen Caozhi returned to Chen Family Cove for ancestral rites, took Xiao Chan as his concubine, and learned that Murong Ke’s death had plunged Yan into a succession crisis.
• Chen Caozhi helped Huan Wen plan the Northern Expedition and sent a deceptive letter to deepen Yan’s suspicions of Murong Chui, who fled Yan for Luoyang.
• Chen Caozhi and Huan Shixiu captured Peixian, Huangxu, and Junyi, while Jin forces fought Xiluo Teng’s army and Ran Sheng killed Xiluo Teng.
• Chen Caozhi defeated Qin’s forces near Luoyang, then crossed the Yellow River with a small force and routed Murong Miao’s cavalry at Wen County.
• Chen Caozhi and Huan Wen defeated Murong Ping’s army and advanced on Ye City, where Yu Wei opened the gates and Murong Wei was captured after fleeing.
• Huan Xi pursued the Yan royals to Longgang Temple and ordered the Bamboo Grove Retreat destroyed after Murong Qinchen refused his private offer.
• Chen Caozhi stopped Huan Xi’s soldiers from binding the Yan royals, rejected his demand for Princess Qinghe, and escorted her and the empress dowager down the mountain.

Chen Caozhi helped secure Jin’s conquest of Yan, became Inspector of Ji Province, and took Murong Qinchen as his concubine while governing Ye City. His return south brought family reunions and a failed ambush by Huan Xi before Huan Wen ordered him back to Hebei.

• Huan Wen accepted Murong Wei’s surrender and appointed Chen Caozhi Inspector of Ji Province while sending the former Yan imperial households to Jiankang.
• Chen Caozhi protected Murong Qinchen from marriage to Huan Xi, took her as his concubine, and captured Jinyang before defeating Dugu Bailang’s army.
• Chen Caozhi recovered gold beneath Eternal Longevity Hall and carried out administrative reforms with help from Xie Daoyun, who joined him in Ye City.
• Xie Daoyun gave birth to Chen Feiyu, and Chen Caozhi returned to Jiankang with her and the pregnant Murong Qinchen after completing Ji Province’s household inspection.
• Chen Caozhi secured Huan Wen’s permission to leave Ji Province and warned him against allowing Murong Chui to command troops.
• Huan Xi planned an ambush against Chen Caozhi, but Murong Ling exposed the plot and Huan Wen confined Huan Xi.
• Chen Caozhi returned to Qiantang, attended Chen Xian’s funeral, and assigned Xie Daoyun to oversee land clearance, waterways, and harbor construction.
• Huan Wen ordered Chen Caozhi back to Hebei, and Chen Caozhi later received family letters in Ye City reporting Murong Qinchen’s birth of Zhongyu.