Chapter Summaries

Abaddon sought peace talks with Great Liang as the Great West Empire came under mounting pressure, but Lin Rusong rejected the offer and ordered a final assault. The chapter left Great Liang preparing to break through the enemy defenses and crush the empire.

• Abaddon learned that Amur might bear a grudge over his affair with Amur's wife, so he ordered Delin to replace him at the east gate.
• Abaddon told Delin to contact Lin Rusong and offer peace talks, submission, and a meeting with Lin Yi to buy time.
• Lin Rusong dismissed the peace offer, and Wang Ziwen explained that Abaddon was trying to delay Great Liang's offensive.
• Wang Ziwen reported that Great Liang had replenished its gunpowder and explosives and was ready to smash through the Great West Empire's defenses.
• Lin Rusong ordered Wang Yue to have the Net coordinate Huo Qubing and Zhou Yu with the main force and send Aksu's new legion into an all-out assault.

The Great Liang Empire launched a coordinated invasion that shattered the Great West Empire’s defenses on every front. Abaddon tried to flee to the Hengduan Mountains, but Amur blocked the city gate and faced his soldiers.

• Lin Rusong rejected the Great West Empire’s plea for peace and ordered the Great Liang Empire to advance.
• Gan Ning, Huo Qubing, Xue Rengui, Qi Jiguang, Zhao Yun, and Lin Rusong drove back the Great West Empire’s forces across the western, northern, southern, and eastern fronts.
• Huo Qubing and Xue Rengui routed Adolf’s million-strong army, prompting Adolf to accept that his forces could not stop Great Liang.
• Abaddon ordered Delin and several officials to evacuate to the Hengduan Mountains as enemy forces surrounded the Great West Empire.
• Amur stopped Abaddon’s party at the city gate, accused them of fleeing, and fought back when Abaddon ordered his soldiers to kill him.

Abaddon tried to escape as Great West forces fought among themselves, but commoners followed him and Amur exposed his plan and accused him of sleeping with Amur’s wife. The soldiers’ loyalty crumbled, and Zhao Yun of the Hundred Riders Legion appeared outside the city.

• Great West soldiers attacked one another, while commoners learned Abaddon planned to flee and hurried after him with their families and belongings.
• Abaddon claimed he was taking them to attack Lin Rusong’s camp, but a commoner questioned his excuse and Amur accused him of abandoning the people.
• Amur revealed that Hill, the woman beside Abaddon, was his wife and said Abaddon had sent him to guard the city gate so he could sleep with her.
• A crowd member recognized Hill, and Great West soldiers lost their will to fight, with some laying down their weapons and leaving the army.
• A rider on a white horse appeared outside, and Abaddon identified him as Zhao Yun of the Hundred Riders Legion.

The Great West Empire’s army collapsed as the Hundred Riders Legion and Qi Jiguang’s firearm battalion closed in, leaving Abaddon surrounded. After Lin Rusong mocked him, Abaddon killed himself, and Great Liang took control of the empire’s remaining territories.

• Abaddon learned that the Hundred Riders Legion had reached his position and ordered his troops to prepare for a final battle.
• The Great West army lost morale and surrendered as Amur opened the city gates to reveal Qi Jiguang’s firearm battalion and the Great Liang army.
• Qi Jiguang demanded Abaddon’s surrender, and Lin Rusong offered to spare his life if he knelt.
• Abaddon argued with Lin Rusong, then slit his own throat rather than surrender.
• Lin Rusong ordered Abaddon buried, and Great Liang’s army occupied Great West’s remaining territories.

After unifying the continent, Lin Yi received major system rewards, including Zhuge Liang, large armies, two tripod cauldrons, and an advanced steelmaking method. He teased Guo Jia and Tian Feng for speculating about his happiness, then threatened to give them more work.

• Lin Yi received rewards for unifying the continent and defeating or subduing several states, including Zhuge Liang, Li Bai, Du Fu, more than a million soldiers, two tripod cauldrons, and advanced steelmaking techniques.
• Lin Yi assessed how the steelmaking method, cauldrons, renowned figures, and Tiger Step Army could strengthen the Great Liang Empire.
• Tian Feng wondered whether Lin Yi was smiling because a consort might be expecting a child, and Guo Jia dismissed the idea.
• Tian Feng reflected that Lin Yi's long life might outlast his own service, while Guo Jia explained that Lin Yi was not concerned about producing an heir.
• Lin Yi interrupted their conversation and threatened to increase their workload, prompting Guo Jia to insist they had only been curious.

Lin Yi assigned Zhuge Liang to the Palace Library to learn Great Liang’s affairs, while Guo Jia and Tian Feng sized up their new colleague. An urgent report then revealed that nearly a million Moses Empire troops were moving south, and Lin Yi suspected the Xinma Empire was their target.

• Lin Yi introduced Zhuge Liang as a helper for Guo Jia and Tian Feng in the Palace Library.
• Guo Jia welcomed Zhuge Liang, but Lin Yi warned him not to lead Zhuge Liang astray and said he might become chancellor one day.
• A messenger reported that nearly a million Moses Empire troops had been sighted at sea and were advancing south.
• Lin Yi identified the Xinma Empire as the likely target, and Guo Jia warned that the Moses Empire might seek to conquer it before confronting Great Liang.

Lin Yi learned that the Moses Empire was preparing to attack the Xinma Empire and ordered Zhou Yu and Gan Ning to help seize its colonies while Great Liang waited to exploit the war. He revealed that the Great West Empire had already fallen, leaving Great Liang in control of the continent, and Tian Feng began proposing new territorial divisions.

• Lin Yi studied the updated nautical chart, and Zhuge Liang and the other advisers concluded that the Moses Empire planned to destroy the Xinma Empire.
• Lin Yi ordered Zhou Yu and Gan Ning to join Lu Kang and seize the Moses Empire’s colonies while its forces were occupied.
• Lin Yi told Zhuge Liang that the campaign against the Great West Empire had ended and Great Liang had unified the continent.
• Tian Feng urged Lin Yi to revise Great Liang’s laws and redraw its territorial divisions by east, south, west, and north.
• Lin Yi asked Tian Feng whether his proposed divisions would include Great Liang’s homeland.

After Great Liang completed its western campaign and occupied the Great West Empire, Lin Yi celebrated unifying the continent with his consorts. He left plans for reorganizing the empire’s administration with his officials, then turned his celebration toward the inner palace.

• Tian Feng proposed dividing Great Liang into eastern, southern, western, and northern regions and reshaping the former territories of conquered nations.
• Lin Yi agreed to discuss new administrative divisions and left the Palace Library to develop a plan with the officials.
• Lin Yi went to the inner palace and invited Cai Yan, Shenle, Anne, and the other consorts to guess why he was happy.
• Cai Yan and Shenle guessed that the western campaign had ended, and Lin Yi announced that Great Liang had occupied the Great West Empire and unified the continent.
• The consorts celebrated Lin Yi’s victory, and he declared that he would now unify the inner palace.

After the Great Liang Empire conquered the Great West Empire, its victory report announced that the entire continent had been unified, and the capital erupted in celebration. Jiang Li, proud of being remembered as Great Liang’s sole surviving enemy, showed Li Siyuan his approved autobiography and then proposed honoring the emperor with divine statues.

• A victory report announced that Great Liang had destroyed the Great West Empire and claimed the entire continent, prompting the capital’s people to celebrate.
• A young man explained that the continent was ten times larger than Great Liang’s homeland, and merchants from the Great West Empire mourned their country’s fall.
• Jiang Li boasted to Li Siyuan about surviving Great Liang’s conquest and presented his autobiography, “A Perfect Life Begins with Joining Great Emperor Zhenwu.”
• Jiang Li credited Yang Xiu with helping the book pass review and said foreigners were buying it, while Li Siyuan warned him to keep a lower profile.
• Li Siyuan and Jiang Li discussed celebrating the emperor’s continental conquest, but Jiang Tao said the Ministry of Rites would handle the official event.
• Jiang Li proposed erecting divine statues of Great Emperor Zhenwu, and Li Siyuan agreed that deification suited the emperor’s stature.

After Great Liang unified the continent, Lin Yi celebrated with a seven-day imperial feast while allowing Jiang Li to plan a statue of Great Emperor Zhenwu under Zhang Jiao’s review. Princess Dada arrived from Xinma seeking Great Liang’s help against Moses, only to learn the empire had already conquered the Great West Empire and begin doubting whether it would still form an alliance.

• Lin Yi allowed Jiang Li to plan a statue of Great Emperor Zhenwu, provided Zhang Jiao reviewed it.
• Lin Yi declared a seven-day feast to celebrate Great Liang’s unification of the continent.
• Princess Dada and Xinier fled the looming conflict with Moses and reached Great Liang’s coast to seek military aid.
• A local woman told Princess Dada that Great Liang had destroyed the Great West Empire and become the continent’s only country.
• Xinier questioned whether Great Liang would still ally with Xinma now that it ruled the continent.

Princess Dada and Xinier worried that Great Liang’s victories could leave the Xinma Empire vulnerable, but continued toward Yong'an City to negotiate a trade. Meanwhile, Abide Leier learned that Great Liang had destroyed the Great West Empire and realized he and his men had been abandoned and cut off from escape.

• Princess Dada and Xinier feared Great Liang might eventually turn against the Xinma Empire, so they decided to reach Yong'an City and negotiate rather than panic.
• Xu Chu welcomed Princess Dada’s delegation, ordered the cotton seeds protected, and arranged for the supplies to be counted and sent to the capital.
• Abide Leier learned that the Great West Empire had fallen and that Great Liang was preparing to take control of the continent.
• Abide Leier told James he believed the Moses Empire had abandoned them, leaving them to find their own way out past Great Liang’s naval blockade.

Abide Leier and James’s forces were discovered hiding in the mountains by Great Liang’s aerial scouts, and their attempt to shoot down the aircraft caused casualties among their own men. Chen Dao and Wang Ping led their mountain-warfare legions in pursuit, and fighting began as they caught up with the fleeing force.

• James urged Abide Leier and the others to stop hiding and fight rather than die in the mountains.
• Abide Leier spotted aerial scouts overhead and feared Great Liang had found their position.
• The enemy’s aircraft approached with red markers pointing toward the hidden troops, and James ordered his men to shoot at them.
• The arrows fell back among the soldiers, killing many, and Abide Leier ordered a retreat deeper into the mountains.
• Chen Dao’s White Feather Soldiers and Wang Ping’s Wudang Flying Army raced after Abide Leier’s force and challenged each other to compete in the pursuit.
• Chen Dao and Wang Ping caught up with the enemy, and fighting broke out.

Chen Dao and Wang Ping’s forces overwhelmed Abide Leier’s starving army in the dense forest, rejecting its attempt to surrender and killing nearly all of its hundred thousand soldiers. Abide Leier remained pinned to a tree, asking for death as Chen Dao condemned the Moses Empire’s invasions.

• Great Liang’s vanguard caught Abide Leier’s men in the forest and routed them while they fled hungry and exhausted.
• Abide Leier and James agreed to pretend to surrender so the soldiers could eat, and James announced their surrender.
• Wang Ping refused to accept the surrender, and Chen Dao ordered his troops to keep attacking.
• Abide Leier’s soldiers fought back but were soon overwhelmed; James and the rest of the army died, while Chen Dao pinned Abide Leier to a tree with a spear.
• Abide Leier asked Chen Dao to kill him, and Chen Dao denounced him and the Moses Empire as invaders.

Abide Leier learned that Great Liang and the Xinma Empire had joined forces against the Moses Empire, while Great Liang completed its conquest of the Central Continent. Emperor Moshili and Chief Elder Amu then considered sending the Judgment Legion to assassinate Lin Yi.

• Chen Dao told Abide Leier that Great Liang and the Xinma Empire were preparing to destroy the Moses Empire, and Abide Leier feared for his country's safety.
• News spread that Great Liang had wiped out the Moses Empire's hundred-thousand-strong army and unified the Central Continent.
• Moses citizens demanded revenge, but Emperor Moshili said the Great Liang Empire was too powerful to attack safely.
• Emperor Moshili confirmed to Chief Elder Amu that Great Liang had conquered the Central Continent and was building coastal docks and bases.
• Amu proposed using the five-thousand-strong Judgment Legion to assassinate Lin Yi while Moses forces remained committed to the Xinma Empire.

Emperor Moshili’s council planned to disguise the Judgment Legion as overseas merchants and send it to Great Liang to assassinate Lin Yi, while preparing for a possible Great Liang counterattack. After the Legion mobilized, Net operatives in the Moses Empire learned of the plot and resolved to strike back.

• Emperor Moshili and his council decided the Judgment Legion would infiltrate Great Liang in disguise and target Lin Yi.
• Ashan warned that Great Liang operatives had entered the Moses Empire, prompting Moshili to strengthen palace security and screen the Palace Legion.
• Moshili ordered the military to destroy the Xinma Empire quickly before Great Liang could send support.
• The Judgment Legion mobilized toward Great Liang, alerting the Net operatives who had infiltrated the Moses Empire.
• A Net leader and his deputy agreed to retaliate against the Moses Empire for planning to assassinate Lin Yi.

The Net’s attacks and Abide William’s defection enraged Moshili Chaer, while Lin Yi ordered Great Liang to investigate the Judgment Legion and seize the Moses Empire’s colonies. After confirming the Xinma Empire’s cotton had arrived, Lin Yi prepared to meet Princess Dada at the Court of Diplomatic Reception.

• The Net set off explosions across Kunsi City and other cities, and Moshili Chaer vowed revenge against Lin Yi.
• A messenger reported that Abide William had defected to Great Liang and seized a Moses Empire colony, prompting Moshili Chaer to order the Abide Family to deal with him.
• Lin Yi ordered Sun Shangxiang to have Wang Yue investigate the Judgment Legion and commanded Great Liang’s forces at sea to seize the Moses Empire’s colonies.
• Dun Ruo told Lin Yi that Xu Chu had received the Xinma Empire’s cotton, and Lin Yi agreed to meet Princess Dada at the Court of Diplomatic Reception.

Lin Yi ordered cotton cultivation to begin and met Princess Dada, who asked for Great Liang’s help against the Moses Empire. He left the decision to intervene unresolved, as he weighed what the Xinma Empire could offer in return.

• Lin Yi ordered specialists to study cotton, prepare planting sites, and arrange for its harvest and processing, then dismissed court.
• Lin Yi went to the Court of Diplomatic Reception with Dun Ruo and saw Princess Dada waiting for him.
• Lin Yi gave Princess Dada a diamond, then noticed she was reading Jiang Li’s flattering book about his rise.
• Princess Dada praised Lin Yi’s victories and explained that the book was popular among foreign envoys and translated into several languages.
• Princess Dada told Lin Yi that the Moses Empire had attacked the Xinma Empire and asked him to lend aid.

Princess Dada offered the Xinma Empire to Lin Yi in exchange for Great Liang’s help against the Moses Empire, and Lin Yi demanded concrete guarantees before agreeing. He then took Dada out to a restaurant, where patrons recognized her as a princess and one young man fantasized about marrying her.

• Princess Dada told Lin Yi that more than two million Moses Empire troops threatened the Xinma Empire.
• Lin Yi explained that helping the Xinma Empire did not serve Great Liang’s interests without sufficient benefits.
• Princess Dada offered the Xinma Empire to Lin Yi if Great Liang intervened, and he said he needed concrete guarantees.
• Dada promised to persuade her mother to provide Great Liang with satisfactory assurances.
• Lin Yi took Dada to a restaurant, where patrons recognized her and a young man imagined becoming the Xinma Empire’s imperial son-in-law.

Lin Yi promised Princess Dada that Great Liang would treat the Xinma Empire well if it submitted and revealed that Great Liang had attacked Moses Empire colonies. Meanwhile, Moses forces launched a massive invasion of Xinma, leaving Empress Mary An Da worried that her island nation could not defend multiple fronts.

• Lin Yi had Dun Ruo’s men beat a man who insulted Princess Dada, then shared a meal with her.
• Princess Dada decided to persuade her mother to submit to Great Liang, and Lin Yi promised to treat Xinma’s people well and ease pressure by attacking Moses colonies.
• The Moses Empire transported millions of troops to Xinma’s outskirts, where the two sides fought a fierce battle along the coast.
• Empress Mary An Da suspected Moses was trying to destroy Xinma before it could ally with Great Liang and ordered her forces to resist.
• Anxi Niao warned Mary An Da that gathering all Xinma’s troops at the main front would leave other parts of the island nation vulnerable to attack.

Mary An Da planned to seek Great Liang’s intervention by offering Princess Dada and potentially Xinma as a dowry, while Xinma prepared to resist the Moses Empire. Elsewhere, Abide William and Guan Yu continued conquering Moses colonies and began establishing a Great Liang military base.

• Mary An Da explained that Xinma’s nearby position and her reserved navy could help counter the Moses Empire, but she needed Great Liang to intervene.
• Anxi Niao warned that Great Liang might benefit from the war and have little reason to help without substantial rewards.
• Mary An Da ordered envoys to support Princess Dada with Black Gold Steel and publicly announced her as Xinma’s next empress, offering the country as her dowry if necessary.
• Anxi Niao accepted the plan, and Mary An Da hoped Xinma could survive the coming assault by holding off the Moses Empire.
• Abide William and Guan Yu swept through the Moses Empire’s colonies, where frightened natives worshiped Great Emperor Zhenwu after seeing Great Liang’s firepower.
• Guan Yu ordered troops to gather supplies, build an overseas military base, and continue clearing the next colony.