Chapter Summaries

Net assassins attacked the Moses Empire’s palace from a hot-air balloon, wounding Emperor Moshili Chaer and destroying the statue of his wife, Kunsi. Moshili abandoned negotiations and ordered the empire’s plan to proceed while vowing revenge against Lin Yi.

• Amu and the elders decided to negotiate with both sides to buy time, but a blast at the palace gates killed and injured several elders.
• Net assassins dropped an explosive on Moshili Chaer, wounding him before guards could protect him.
• Amu identified the attackers as Great Liang assassins and ordered guards to pursue them and investigate their route.
• Luo Xiaohu rejected another attack on the palace and ordered the balloon crew to destroy Kunsi’s statue instead.
• Luo Xiaohu’s men blasted the statue, killing nearby commoners, and Moshili abandoned negotiations and ordered the Moses Empire’s plan to proceed.

After carrying out an attack on the Moses emperor, Luo Xiaohu joined Wang Yue as they traveled to the Xinma Empire to assess its empress and prepare for Great Liang's takeover. They reached the capital amid ongoing war and widespread noble indifference, then were challenged as they approached the crowd.

• Luo Xiaohu reported to Wang Yue that he had wounded the Moses emperor, blown off three of his fingers, and destroyed a statue and several elders.
• Wang Yue told Luo Xiaohu that His Majesty had ordered them to investigate the Xinma Empress and Xinma Empire, and sent a blue messenger pigeon with a report.
• Wang Yue and Luo Xiaohu sailed for Xinma, detoured around the fierce fighting, and secretly landed on an island where the rear had few people.
• Wang Yue investigated the city and found the Xinma Empress's residence, while Luo Xiaohu questioned whether the empire's nobles truly intended to submit to Great Liang.
• Wang Yue explained that Xinma's nobles lived comfortably while commoners fought, and he and Luo Xiaohu headed toward the crowd to meet the empress.
• Xinma's guards noticed Wang Yue's group and stopped them.

Wang Yue, commander of the Net, arrived in the Xinma Empire, and Empress Mary An Da ordered her subordinates to hide the country’s wartime hardships from him. She rejected a proposal to kill him and instead prepared to receive him as an honored guest.

• Wang Yue presented the Net’s command token, and Xinma officials recognized him and agreed to report his arrival to the empress.
• Mary An Da learned Wang Yue had come and warned that Great Liang must not discover Xinma’s weakened condition.
• Mary An Da explained that Great Liang would likely purge Xinma’s ruling class if it took control, despite improving ordinary people’s lives.
• A subordinate proposed killing Wang Yue and blaming the Moses Empire, but Mary An Da refused, warning that Great Liang had other agents in Xinma and could retaliate.
• Mary An Da ordered her subordinate to bring Wang Yue to her respectfully and greeted the prospect of meeting him with a smile.

Wang Yue met Empress Mary An Da at the Xinma palace, where she sought Great Liang’s help against the Moses Empire. After he challenged her account of the war and threatened a minister who interrupted, Mary had the minister killed and Wang Yue asked to explore Xinma, leaving her worried that he was avoiding alliance talks and would uncover her empire’s weaknesses.

• Wang Yue and his men were escorted into the Xinma palace, where Mary An Da welcomed him and asked when Great Liang would send troops against the Moses Empire.
• Wang Yue questioned Mary’s claim that Xinma was holding its own, prompting a military officer to angrily defend her.
• Wang Yue warned the officer about the Net, and Mary ordered him killed as a supposed Moses spy after he nearly provoked a diplomatic crisis.
• Wang Yue asked Mary for permission to explore Xinma and learn about its people, while she worried he would expose the empire’s true condition.
• Mary asked Wang Yue whether he disliked her so much, as he continued to avoid discussing an alliance.

Wang Yue used Great Liang’s military victories to deflate the Xinma Empire’s hopes of allying with Moses, then made clear that Great Liang’s willingness to help depended on Princess Dada and the promised marriage. Mary An Da learned that Great Liang might send troops against Moses, but the Xinma Empire’s promised handover remained a point of tension.

• Mary An Da realized Wang Yue wanted to assess the Xinma Empire, while Wang Yue insisted he could leave unless she needed Great Liang’s help.
• A scout reported that Moses Empire envoys had arrived seeking an alliance, and a Xinma minister boasted that the two empires could challenge Great Liang together.
• Wang Yue revealed that Great Liang had seized Moses’s colonies and crippled Emperor Moshili’s fingers, making the Xinma ministers reconsider an alliance.
• Mary An Da asked about Princess Dada, and Wang Yue said she loved Lin Yi and wanted to offer the Xinma Empire as her dowry.
• Mary An Da promised the Xinma Empire to Great Liang if Princess Dada married Lin Yi, and Wang Yue warned that Great Liang’s support depended on that promise.
• Mary An Da inferred that Great Liang was preparing to send troops to help attack Moses.

Wang Yue presented the Xinma Empire with Great Liang’s costly demands for military aid, leaving Mary An Da to weigh her options as the Moses Empire prepared to invade. She rejected an alliance with Moses and favored Great Liang despite its demands, citing its food, strength, and terrifying weapons.

• Wang Yue told Mary An Da that Great Liang would help only if Xinma showed sufficient sincerity, then handed her the emperor’s list of demands and said Great Liang would survey the country.
• Mary An Da and her ministers protested that the list would strip Xinma of much of its wealth, and she asked to discuss whether the empire could meet the demands.
• After Wang Yue left, Mary An Da lamented that Great Liang had rejected her assumptions about the benevolence of Central Continent powers and that her marriage-alliance plan might fail.
• A minister proposed that Xinma ally with the Moses Empire against Great Liang, but Mary An Da warned that Moses would likely attack Xinma afterward.
• Mary An Da argued that Great Liang offered valuable crops and vegetables and had formidable forces and weapons, so she preferred an alliance with Great Liang over Moses.

Mary An Da weighed the Xinma Empire’s options against the Moses Empire and Great Liang, while Great Liang completed its harsh unification of the Central Continent. Lin Yi celebrated the reforms and learned that Sun Shangxiang’s Net had successfully carried out revenge against the Moses Empire.

• Mary An Da’s ministers argued that an alliance with the Moses Empire was risky, so she decided to wait and see how the Xinma Empire’s war went before choosing a course.
• Mary An Da quietly told Anxi Niao to contact the Moses Empire and learn its terms as a safeguard.
• Great Liang redrew the Central Continent’s divisions, absorbed conquered territories, and enforced its language and culture across them.
• Lin Yi and Xun Yu praised the unification, and Lin Yi declared that the other continents would eventually join Great Liang as well.
• Sun Shangxiang reported that the Net had killed four Moses Empire elders, blasted three fingers off Emperor Moshili, and destroyed a statue of his wife.

Lin Yi ordered an offensive against the Moses Empire after learning that it was considering an alliance with the Xinma Empire. With the Great Liang fleet ready and its forces advancing through the Moses Empire’s colonies, he prepared to strike the enemy’s homeland.

• Lin Yi praised the Net’s attack on Emperor Moshili, while Sun Shangxiang reported that their people had withdrawn or hidden in the forests.
• Tian Feng reported that the Moses Empire seemed intent on joining forces with the Xinma Empire, and Lin Yi warned his advisers not to underestimate the Xinma Empire’s mysterious inheritance.
• Zhuge Liang reported that the expeditionary army had seized six Moses Empire colonies and was attacking the seventh, with more than a million auxiliary troops supporting it.
• Lin Yi ordered Guan Yu, Lü Bu, and the others to launch an all-out offensive and attack the Moses Empire’s homeland if necessary.
• Zhuge Liang and the other officials welcomed the order, while Xun Yu assured Lin Yi that Great Liang’s shipyards could replace any warship losses.

Lin Yi learned that Ma Jun had completed Great Liang’s first steam-powered warship and prepared to attend its trial voyage with the court. As crowds gathered in Yong’an City to witness the new vessel, the chapter ended with the emperor arriving to a fervent welcome.

• Ma Jun told Lin Yi that the first steam-powered warship was assembled and would soon undergo a trial voyage.
• Lin Yi decided to attend the trial with his ministers and summoned the retired emperor, elders, empress, and noble consorts.
• Word of the warship spread through Yong’an City, and crowds gathered by the river to see it.
• Lin Yi arrived in his imperial dragon carriage as the people knelt and hailed him, while Princess Dada watched with complicated feelings.

The Great Liang Empire unveiled a massive iron steam-powered warship, leaving witnesses convinced that Xinma could not resist its strength. Lin Yi welcomed the warship as a major step toward extending Great Liang’s power overseas.

• Princess Dada and Xinier feared that the Xinma Empire would be helpless against Great Liang’s steam-powered warships, and Dada urged her mother to surrender rather than resist.
• Li Siyuan and Li Yifeng watched as a huge warship bearing golden dragon flags sailed into view, its iron hull and weapons astonishing the crowd.
• The commoners cheered for Great Liang and Lin Yi after realizing the ship was made of iron and could overwhelm wooden warships.
• Dada and Xinier agreed to warn the Xinma empress to complete the handover ceremony before Great Liang attacked.
• Lin Yi watched the steam-powered warship with excitement, while Lin Rusong and Wang Ziwen praised it as a formidable weapon at sea.

Lin Yi and the court witnessed the Pangu, a steam-powered ironclad warship that promised to transform Great Liang's military and technology. Ma Jun demonstrated its strength by sending it through an old Great Ning warship, leaving the Pangu undamaged.

• Bai Zizai and Lin Rusong praised the Pangu's speed and strength, while Lin Yi reflected on how steam technology could spur an industrial revolution in Great Liang.
• Lin Yi praised Ma Jun for completing the warship, and Ma Jun asked him to give it a name.
• Lin Yi named the warship Pangu after the primordial god, and Shenle and the others approved of the name.
• At Lin Yi's request, Ma Jun arranged a weapons demonstration, and the Pangu accelerated toward an old Great Ning warship.
• The Pangu smashed the old warship into fragments and continued forward without suffering any damage.

Lin Yi watched Ma Jun demonstrate the Pangu’s reinforced ramming bow and devastating cannons, leaving Princess Dada convinced that the Xinma Empire could not resist Great Liang. She decided to return home, overthrow her mother’s course, and seek friendship with Great Liang.

• Ma Jun explained that the Pangu’s bow and stern used exceptionally thick iron plating, and Lin Yi recognized that the ship had been designed for ramming.
• Ma Jun ordered the Pangu to fire on empty boats and a dilapidated warship, and its cannons destroyed them in two volleys.
• Princess Dada and Xinier realized the Xinma Empire could not withstand Great Liang’s naval power, and Xinier urged her to stop the empress from provoking Great Liang.
• Princess Dada decided to return to the Xinma Empire, seize control from her mother, and submit to Great Liang; Xinier pledged to support her.

Lin Yi praised Great Liang’s new ironclad warships and ordered the technology shared with shipyards so they could build a hundred. The foreign envoys and Li Siyuan and Li Yifeng recognized Great Liang’s overwhelming power, while Ma Jun reported that mass production was near.

• Xinier and the other envoys agreed they must prevent their homeland from provoking Great Liang or plotting against its emperor.
• Li Yifeng and Li Siyuan marveled at the ironclad’s power, and Li Yifeng resolved that his descendants would need to join Great Liang’s camp.
• Lin Yi ordered Minister Ma to distribute the ironclad technology to shipyards and build a hundred ships as quickly as possible.
• Ma Jun said the technology had matured and could soon be mass-produced with the Royal Academy of Sciences’ support.
• Lin Yi rewarded the academy’s staff with salary increases and promotions, and Bai Zizai lamented that his health prevented him from seeing the future fleet in battle.

Lin Yi and Lin Rusong toured the Pangu, whose steel hull and steam power impressed them despite its limited seven-to-eight-year lifespan. Lin Yi said newer warships would replace it in time and ordered research into foreign scientific materials as Ma Jun pursued better alloys and coatings.

• Lin Rusong praised Lin Yi and Ma Jun after the Pangu completed its circuit and docked.
• Lin Yi took Lin Rusong and the unpregnant consorts aboard the Pangu, while Cai Yan stayed behind to protect her unborn child.
• Ma Jun explained that the warship's alloy hull and anticorrosive lacquer lasted only seven or eight years, so its deck used seawater-resistant steelwood.
• Lin Yi reassured Lin Rusong that future generations of warships would replace the first-generation vessel and said Great Liang would gather scientific materials from East and West.
• Ma Jun welcomed the research order, while Lin Rusong and the others examined the Pangu's enormous cannons.

Lin Yi showed Lin Rusong and the others a massive cannon and the steam engine powering the warship. Zhuge Liang inferred that boiling water generated the force, and Ma Jun confirmed his explanation.

• Bai Zizai, Lin Rusong, and Wang Ziwen admired the cannon and discussed its power and limitations.
• Ma Jun explained that stronger gunpowder could improve the cannon, then mentioned a bomb that could destroy a commandery; Lin Yi said he could not make it.
• Lin Yi and Ma Ling'er joked about using such a weapon against the Moses Empire.
• Lin Rusong and the others watched coal being burned to power the steam engine but could not understand how it worked.
• Zhuge Liang guessed that boiling water produced force to propel the warship, and Ma Jun confirmed he was right.

Lin Yi praised Ma Jun for his achievements in developing Great Liang’s weapons and promised him a place in Lingyan Pavilion. Princess Dada then told Lin Yi she planned to return to the Xinma Empire, seize the throne, and come back to marry him with the empire as her dowry; Lin Yi agreed.

• Lin Yi and the ministers praised Ma Jun’s contributions aboard the Pangu, and Lin Yi promised him a place in Lingyan Pavilion.
• The Pangu continued sailing along the river as crowds of common people cheered, while Lin Yi returned to the imperial palace.
• Princess Dada greeted Lin Yi’s consorts warmly, and they chatted with her at the palace gates.
• Lin Yi sent the consorts away and asked Princess Dada why she looked sad as they walked toward the great hall.
• Princess Dada said she would return to the Xinma Empire, seize the position of empress, and come back to marry Lin Yi with the empire as her dowry.
• Lin Yi embraced Princess Dada and promised that he would marry her.

Princess Dada returned to the Xinma Empire as Lin Yi ordered Wang Yue to help her stage a coup and authorized military support if needed. Lin Yi also sent Guan Yu to strike the Moses Empire, where Emperor Moshili ordered a force to destroy the attackers.

• Princess Dada and her party left the capital for the Xinma Empire after spending the night with Lin Yi.
• Lin Yi ordered Sun Shangxiang to have Wang Yue cooperate with Princess Dada in a coup and to kill the empress of Xinma if she resisted.
• Lin Yi told Zhao Gao to order Guan Yu and the others to attack the Moses Empire and punish it for its plots against Great Liang.
• Emperor Moshili learned that Guan Yu's forces had seized several colonies and blamed Lin Yi and the Great Liang Empire.
• Emperor Moshili ordered his troops to intercept and kill Guan Yu's force, despite ministers warning that the enemy was dangerous.

Lü Bu led the Great Liang Empire’s attack on Sangjie, crushing the Moses Empire’s forces and scattering the primitive tribespeople with Red-Coat Cannons, Zhuge Repeating Crossbows, and his own charge. Asang Quinton fled toward the interior, and Lü Bu ordered his troops to pursue and kill the defenders.

• Great Liang’s soldiers landed on Sangjie and used Red-Coat Cannons to devastate the Moses Empire’s defenders.
• Asang Quinton ordered signal fires lit, summoning soldiers and a vast force of primitive tribespeople to attack the invaders.
• Lü Bu ordered the cannons and Zhuge Repeating Crossbows to fire, then charged into the enemy with the Sky Piercer.
• The tribespeople panicked and fled as Lü Bu cut through them and advanced toward Asang Quinton and his men.
• Asang Quinton learned that reinforcements had been requested from the homeland, but fled when Lü Bu charged toward him.
• Lü Bu ordered scouts to search the area and led his troops in pursuit, commanding them to kill everyone without exception.

Lü Bu caught up with Asang Quinton and his fleeing men, then overwhelmed their counterattack with the Sky Piercer. After Lü Bu sent Asang Quinton crashing to the ground, the survivors fled in terror.

• Lü Bu pursued Asang Quinton’s forces on a warhorse and cut off their escape.
• Asang Quinton rallied his men with a promotion and gold reward for killing Lü Bu, and a hammer wielder charged first.
• Lü Bu broke the hammer wielder’s arm with the Sky Piercer and killed many of the attackers as he advanced.
• Lü Bu struck Asang Quinton and sent him crashing to the ground, leaving him barely able to breathe.
• The remaining men abandoned their attack and ran from Lü Bu.

Xiao Yefu surrendered to Lü Bu and offered Great Liang the mines under his control. Lü Bu took command of the territory and began preparing it as a military base, anticipating a Moses Empire counterattack.

• Xiao Yefu and his men knelt before Lü Bu and asked to surrender.
• Lü Bu told Xiao Yefu through an interpreter that he needed to prove his worth to join Great Liang.
• Xiao Yefu offered his gold, silver, and iron mines, and Lü Bu ordered men to verify the resources.
• Lü Bu ordered the local people taken to build a Great Liang military base and summoned specialists to organize construction.
• Lü Bu ordered defenses established because the enemy was expected to arrive soon.