Chapter Summaries

During the palace examination, Lin Yi asked the ten scholars how they would govern Great Liang, and Huang Longsi volunteered to answer first. Huang Longsi warned that distant governor-generals could grow too powerful, leaving the court weighing his bold criticism and its consequences.

• Lin Yi ended the scholars’ timed preparation and invited them to volunteer to answer first.
• Huang Longsi stepped forward and began by warning that Great Liang faced a fatal crisis beneath its prosperity.
• Huang Longsi argued that expanding territory and distant governor-general administrations could weaken the capital’s control and let unrest spread.
• The officials were shocked that Huang Longsi had openly challenged the power of the emperor’s trusted regional governor-generals.
• Zhang Zizai admired Huang Longsi’s audacity, while Li Yuanlong worried it would isolate him.
• Zhang Fengfan argued that Huang Longsi had strategically served Lin Yi by exposing a threat to imperial authority.

Huang Longsi warned Lin Yi that Great Liang’s military governors could become a threat and proposed reforms to limit their power. Lin Yi also learned that his enhanced genes made conception extremely unlikely, then invited Huang Longsi to continue explaining his solution.

• Chen Qun, Xun Yu, and Li Si recognized the danger Huang Longsi had raised but judged that Great Liang could not confront its military governors while its expansion wars continued.
• Lin Yi wondered why none of the empresses or Princess Anne had become pregnant, and the system told him that his enhanced genes gave ordinary women only a one-in-one-hundred-thousand chance of conceiving.
• Lin Yi reassured the nervous Huang Longsi and asked how he would address the military governors’ power.
• Huang Longsi proposed separating military and civil authority, rotating the governors irregularly, and switching the armies under their command.
• Lin Yi praised Huang Longsi’s practical suggestions and asked whether he had anything else to add.

Zhang Zizai explained that he had discovered a sea route to the Great West Empire and helped Gan Ning’s navy capture a fleet carrying stolen riches and slaves from a resource-rich continent. Lin Yi recognized that Zhang Zizai’s discovery could bring Great Liang enormous wealth and help reveal the continent’s location.

• Huang Longsi modestly stopped listing national problems, and Lin Yi approved of his restraint.
• Lin Yi asked Zhang Zizai for his answer, and Zhang began by praising the emperor and Great Liang.
• Zhang Zizai revealed a nautical chart and said he had found a sea route to the Great West Empire while seeking a gift for Lin Yi.
• Zhang explained that he had tracked a transport fleet carrying riches and slaves, then alerted Gan Ning’s navy, which captured the ships and rescued the captives.
• Lin Yi realized Zhang’s report had led Gan Ning to the Land of the Far West and saw the discovery as a potential source of vast wealth for Great Liang.

At court, the ministers urged Lin Yi to claim a distant colony rich in resources, and Zhang Zizai proposed the Great Liang Central Nation Plan as a righteous-sounding way to take it over. Lin Yi approved the idea for further study and heard additional proposals from the assembled officials.

• Cao Cao and other ministers argued that Great Liang should intervene in the Land of the Far West’s colony and claim authority over it.
• Lin Yi asked Zhang Zizai for his opinion on the newly discovered continent.
• Zhang Zizai proposed taking over the inhabited land, ending its people’s enslavement, and using their labor under the Great Liang Central Nation Plan.
• Lin Yi praised Zhang Zizai’s proposal but said it required careful study.
• Lin Yi invited the other officials to offer ideas, and they presented suggestions on the economy, livelihoods, and military equipment.

Lin Yi announced Huang Longsi, Zhang Zizai, and Zhang Fengfan as the top three scholars and awarded Huang Longsi an exceptional appointment. When Huang Longsi pledged his allegiance, Lin Yi received Sun Fujia and an entire Court of Judicial Review from the system.

• Lin Yi announced Huang Longsi as first, Zhang Zizai as second, and Zhang Fengfan as third after the ministers approved the rankings.
• Lin Yi awarded Huang Longsi one hundred taels of gold and a direct appointment as a county magistrate, while promising him a chance for exceptional promotion.
• Huang Longsi knelt and pledged to serve Lin Yi and benefit the people under his governance.
• The system rewarded Lin Yi with Sun Fujia and the Court of Judicial Review after Huang Longsi declared his allegiance.
• Lin Yi examined the reward and learned that the Court of Judicial Review would hear cases and deliver judgments, complementing the Ministry of Justice and the Censorate.

Lin Yi assigned posts and rewards to the palace examination’s top candidates, placing Huang Longsi in charge of the Court of Judicial Review and giving Zhang Zizai a choice of career paths. The chapter ended with Zhang Fengfan appointed to the Ministry of Commerce and the other seven candidates reassured that they would still receive important duties.

• Lin Yi appointed Huang Longsi chief minister of the Court of Judicial Review and urged him to remain loyal.
• Lin Yi offered Zhang Zizai a seventh-rank military post or a guest reception officer position in the Court of Diplomatic Reception, and Zhang chose the latter after Xu You urged him to join.
• Lin Yi appointed Zhang Fengfan as a market inspector in the Ministry of Commerce under the Ministry of Revenue.
• Lin Yi told the other seven top-ten candidates that the court would entrust them with important duties despite their lower starting positions.

After the palace examination, Lin Yi announced that the successful candidates would undergo Imperial Academy training before taking office. He then dismissed court to review system rewards, including the arrival of Guo Xin and the Anxi Army following Xue Rengui’s western campaign.

• Li Yuanlong accepted that Zhang Fengfan had surpassed him because Zhang’s merchant-family experience helped him answer the emperor’s question about commerce.
• Li Yu warned the candidates that their appointment was not guaranteed and revealed that he would teach them during their training.
• Lin Yi issued an imperial edict requiring the candidates to train at the Imperial Academy, where their performance would determine when they took office.
• Chen Qun explained the training’s purpose, and the candidates thanked Lin Yi before Wen Tianxiang took charge of the remaining arrangements.
• Lin Yi dismissed court and reviewed system rewards for Xue Rengui’s western victories, which included Guo Xin and ten thousand Anxi Army troops.

Lin Yi received Guo Xin and the last Anxi Army, strategist Tian Feng, and the accomplished Wang Xuance as rewards. After learning of Guo Xin’s grim future, Guo Xin accepted it without regret and pledged to fight for Great Liang.

• Lin Yi was moved by the reward of Guo Xin and the last Anxi Army, whose ten thousand soldiers had defended Anxi for over forty years until only white-haired survivors remained.
• Lin Yi welcomed Tian Feng and Wang Xuance, recognizing Tian Feng’s strategic talent and Wang Xuance’s feat of destroying a country single-handedly.
• Lin Yi summoned Guo Xin, Tian Feng, and Wang Xuance, then told Guo Xin about his future stand in Anxi.
• Guo Xin grieved for his brothers but said their choice to fight had left them with no regrets, and pledged himself to Lin Yi and Great Liang.

Lin Yi assigned Guo Xin, Tian Feng, and Wang Xuance roles in Great Liang’s expanding government and military, promising further advancement to capable officials. The three left excited by their prospects and Great Liang’s plans to expand.

• Lin Yi welcomed Guo Xin and the Anxi Army into Great Liang’s forces, expecting them to become a formidable part of the army.
• Lin Yi appointed Tian Feng as his personal adviser in the imperial study, and Tian Feng accepted.
• Lin Yi told Wang Xuance he intended for him to lead the Court of Diplomatic Reception; Wang Xuance agreed to familiarize himself with its work first.
• Lin Yi promised the three men more opportunities as Great Liang expanded, prompting them to express their ambition and eagerness to serve.

Newspaper coverage of the Imperial Examination results made scholars and commoners celebrate the new opportunities in Great Liang, while a report about Ashina Tiandu killing Bill III turned the crowd’s excitement into fury. The chapter left the people demanding that Great Liang punish Ashina Tiandu for threatening Princess Anne and defying the emperor.

• Newspapers announced the Imperial Examination results, and scholars who placed in the top hundred celebrated their chance to enter Great Liang’s talent reserve.
• Commoners praised top scholar Huang Longsi, second-place scholar Zhang Zizai, and third-place scholar Zhang Fengfan, whose success gave them hope that the examination could change their own fortunes.
• Three old men argued over whether they could have become top scholars and began brawling after one exposed their youthful habit of reading erotic books.
• A young man read the newspaper’s report that Ashina Tiandu had killed his father, Bill III, and might threaten Princess Anne.
• The crowd read the report and angrily called Ashina Tiandu a traitor, insisting that Great Liang should punish him for targeting the emperor’s consort.

After a newspaper reported that Ashina Tiandu’s Frostwest Empire planned to invade Great Liang, Yong'an’s people turned against the Frostwest delegation. Abucha sought an audience with the Emperor to save his group, while Xu You revealed that Cha’er’s father had died in the coup.

• Great Liang’s commoners read that Frostwest planned to join forces against Great Liang and rushed toward the Court of Diplomatic Reception, demanding the envoys be handed over.
• Abucha and Cha’er feared the angry crowd would kill them and decided to ask the Emperor for an audience.
• Xu You told Abucha that the Frostwest Empire was courting disaster and dismissed his claim that he would return home to investigate.
• Xu You told Cha’er that Ashina Tiandu had killed his father during the coup, shocking Cha’er.

After learning that Ashina Tiandu had likely killed his father, Cha’er agreed to help Great Liang use Princess Anne’s proclamation to challenge the Frostwest ruler. Lin Yi approved the plan and sent Wang Xuance with him, while Bill IV continued forcibly expanding Frostwest’s army in preparation for war.

• Xu You told Cha’er that his father had been a loyal confidant of Bill III and had died resisting the rebels, and Cha’er swore revenge on Ashina Tiandu.
• Xu You offered Cha’er Princess Anne’s proclamation and protection in exchange for carrying it back to Frostwest, and Cha’er agreed to become Frostwest’s gravedigger.
• Cha’er killed Abucha and the other Frostwest guards, then asked Xu You to let him avenge his father.
• Xu You reported the events to Lin Yi, who approved Cha’er’s mission and ordered Wang Xuance to accompany him.
• Bill IV raised Frostwest’s troop numbers by over a million through forced expansion and planned to unite remaining powers and attack Great Liang.

The Frostwest Empire's court agreed to expand the army in response to threats from Great Liang, the Great West Empire, and the Land of the Far West. Ashina Tiandu recruited Xiaoniu to help Aksu and asked Ashley for advice, who urged strengthening ties with neighboring countries and placating Great Liang while the new troops trained.

• Aksu argued that Frostwest had to expand its army to survive threats from Great Liang, the Great West Empire, and the Land of the Far West.
• The officials supported expanding the army despite concerns that the people would suffer, and Ashley privately recognized Aksu's interest in recruiting a million new troops.
• Ashley prompted Xiaoniu to praise Ashina Tiandu's ambitions, and the emperor ordered Xiaoniu to assist Aksu with recruitment and select some troops for himself.
• Ashina Tiandu asked Ashley how to revive the empire, and Ashley advised strengthening ties with neighboring countries and placating Great Liang while the recruits trained.

Ashina Tiandu sought to appease Great Liang and establish ties with Great Tang after learning that Great Tang rejected Frostwest’s alliance request. Meanwhile, Xue Rengui reported to Lin Rusong that Great Tang had conquered five countries and weakened Ashina Tiandu’s Western Alliance.

• Ashina Tiandu and his ministers discussed Great Liang’s hostile rumors and the threat posed by the powerful Great Tang bordering Frostwest.
• Aksu revealed that Great Tang had rejected Frostwest’s alliance request and treated its envoy arrogantly.
• Ashina Tiandu rejected a proposed attack on Great Tang because Great Liang could exploit the conflict, and ordered envoys to approach Great Tang with luxury goods.
• Ashina Tiandu ordered lavish gifts sent to Great Liang under the pretext of visiting his younger sister Anne, while Frostwest strengthened its border defenses.
• Xue Rengui reported to Lin Rusong that Great Tang had conquered five countries and brought several former Great Liang allies under its control.

Lin Rusong praised Xue Rengui for wiping out Frostwest's neighboring allies and promised to petition for his reward after Frostwest fell. Jia Xu then revealed that Lin Yi had already sent another army to strike, leaving everyone stunned to learn there was a Great Han as well.

• Lin Rusong admired Xue Rengui's victory and contrasted Great Liang's strength with Frostwest's weakened position.
• Xue Rengui credited Lin Yi's weapons and support for the campaign's success, earning Lin Rusong's praise and a promise of reward.
• Lin Rusong asked Jia Xu whether Great Liang should begin its attack on Frostwest.
• Jia Xu revealed that Great Liang had already made its move, prompting Bai Zizai and the others to wonder which army had struck.
• Jia Xu clarified that Xue Rengui was not responsible and said Lin Yi had dispatched a fierce general who had driven a wedge between Frostwest and the Great West Empire.
• Everyone was astonished to hear that a Great Han army had appeared as well.

Jia Xu prepared a propaganda campaign to undermine the Frostwest Empire before Great Liang invaded, while Huo Qubing’s identity as the Marquis Champion surprised the generals. The chapter ended with news that the Frostwest Empire was sending supplies into Great Tang-controlled territory to seek an alliance with Xue Rengui.

• Xue Rengui identified Huo Qubing as the Great Han general stationed at the western borders and revealed that he was the Marquis Champion.
• Jia Xu led Lin Rusong and the others to a Net secret base where craftsmen printed stories accusing Ashina Tiandu of murdering his father and seizing the throne.
• Jia Xu explained that weakening the Frostwest Empire’s people and soldiers would make Great Liang’s invasion easier, and revealed that Cha’er had pledged allegiance and would bring a letter from Princess Anne.
• A guard reported that the Frostwest Empire was moving large quantities of supplies into Great Tang-controlled territory to form an alliance with Xue Rengui.

Xue Rengui and Lin Rusong agreed to accept Ashina Tiandu’s lavish gifts without promising an alliance, while Jia Xu interpreted Frostwest’s repeated offers as a sign of panic. Xue delayed meeting Sang Mo by claiming he was taking a bath, leaving the envoy worried that Great Tang was preparing for war against Frostwest.

• Xue Rengui reprimanded his guard for bringing up the Frostwest gifts, but Lin Rusong approved accepting them without helping Ashina Tiandu.
• Jia Xu said Frostwest’s eagerness to court Great Tang showed that it feared Great Liang, and Lin Rusong agreed.
• Xue Rengui returned to Great Tang’s temporary encampment and found Sang Mo urgently requesting talks again.
• Xue Rengui told his guard to keep Sang Mo waiting by saying he was taking a bath.
• Sang Mo realized Xue Rengui was deliberately delaying him, while his deputy warned that Great Tang’s troop movements suggested preparations for war.

Sang Mo met with Xue Rengui to propose a western alliance against Great Liang, but learned that a powerful new force called Great Han had appeared and threatened Great Tang. Xue Rengui agreed to an alliance with the Frostwest Empire, while Sang Mo worried about how to handle Great Han.

• Sang Mo waited through the night while Xue Rengui took a six-hour bath, then met him at daybreak and concealed his resentment.
• Xue Rengui accepted Sang Mo’s gifts and heard his proposal to form the Grand Western Alliance against Great Liang.
• Xue Rengui claimed a powerful army called Great Han had destroyed the Black Skull Army, taken its territory and a seaport, and now threatened Great Tang’s borders.
• Sang Mo realized the Frostwest Empire faced threats from Great Liang and two powerful factions from the Land of the Far West, and proposed an alliance with Great Tang.
• Xue Rengui agreed to ally with the Frostwest Empire, and Sang Mo celebrated while deciding that Great Han would need to be dealt with.

Huo Qubing reached the Frostwest Empire’s border and vowed to punish Ashina Tiandu for plotting against Great Liang and killing His Majesty’s father-in-law. He ordered the defeated Black Skull Army to prove its usefulness by attacking the empire, and Mo Er volunteered to lead the charge even at the cost of his life.

• Huo Qubing confirmed with A Si that Ashina Tiandu had killed His Majesty’s father-in-law and plotted to attack Great Liang with the western nations.
• Huo Qubing rejected the idea of forgiving the Frostwest Empire and vowed to make its people pay for their aggression.
• The Black Skull Army’s leaders, including Mo Yi, begged Huo Qubing not to kill them after his glare frightened them.
• A Si recalled how Huo Qubing’s three hundred thousand Feathered Forest Army had routed the Black Skull Army’s nearly four hundred thousand troops and forced them to submit.
• Huo Qubing ordered Mo Yi’s surviving Black Skull Army to put itself to use against the Frostwest Empire.
• Mo Er volunteered to lead the attack and tear open the enemy lines, even if it cost him his life.

Huo Qubing sent the Black Skull Army to attack Great Jade River while the Feathered Forest Army bypassed the pass to threaten the Frostwest Empire’s capital. At Great Jade River, Akeshang learned the attack was stronger than expected and considered calling for reinforcements.

• Mo Er and Mo Yi agreed to lead the Black Skull Army into the Frostwest Empire, and the soldiers charged toward Great Jade River.
• Huo Qubing told A Si that he planned to bypass Great Jade River and strike toward the Frostwest Empire’s heartland and capital.
• Akeshang, guarding Great Jade River, learned that the Black Skull Army had overrun forward positions and appeared to have reinforcements.
• Akeshang’s deputy general asked whether they should light the beacon fires to protect Great Jade River.