Chapter Summaries

The Jiang Family drove Shen Tao and his brothers away when they tried to stop Shen Miaomiao's marriage to the Nie Family, and Shen Tao learned that soldiers had arrested his father and seized the Shen household. Zhou Wanwan assured him she had arranged help for his family, and Shen Tao decided to marry Shen Miaomiao instead, with the wedding planned for the next day.

• The Nie Family sent eighty-eight sets of betrothal gifts for Shen Miaomiao, while Qin Shuang dismissed her objections and Shen Tao arrived to oppose the marriage.
• Jiang Ce and the Jiang Lineage confronted Shen Tao, Shen Bin, and Shen Yi, then drove them out after rejecting the brothers' taunts about joining the Jiang Family.
• A steward told Shen Tao that soldiers had arrested the Shen family's men and might sell its women into slavery; Shen Tao learned his father had been accused of misusing famine-relief funds.
• Shen Tao begged Zhou Wanwan to save his family, and she said she had already made arrangements in the capital but warned that Shen Miaomiao's impending marriage was a problem.
• Shen Tao chose to marry Shen Miaomiao, and Zhou Wanwan arranged for the bride to leave the Jiang Family the next day and be brought directly to them.

Zhou Wanwan’s trees prepared the wedding by taking decorations from the Jiang estate and betrothal gifts from the Nie Family. Qin Shuang woke up in the Nie residence after somehow taking Shen Miaomiao’s place as the bride, then confronted Shen Tao at his home, where he had married Shen Miaomiao.

• Zhou Wanwan praised the trees for decorating her residence, then learned they had taken the decorations from the Jiang estate and the Nie Family’s betrothal gifts.
• Shen Miaomiao told Qin Shuang that their ties were severed before leaving for the Nie residence in a bridal sedan.
• Qin Shuang fainted and woke in the Nie residence beside a strange man, where Madam Nie demanded to know where Shen Miaomiao was.
• Qin Shuang learned Shen Tao had married someone and rushed to the Shen residence, where the steward told her she was no longer welcome.
• Shen Tao left Shen Miaomiao to confront Qin Shuang, who accused him of secretly seeing another woman and pointed at Zhou Wanwan.

Shen Miaomiao revealed that she had married Shen Tao, while Qin Shuang and the Nie Family confronted her over the betrothal gifts. The Jiang Family then faced public accusations of fraud and abuse as Chu Yanran brought Jiang Ce’s many deceived partners and their children to confront him.

• Qin Shuang and the Nie Family demanded Shen Miaomiao return after Qin Shuang had taken her place in the wedding, but Shen Miaomiao said she had married Shen Tao and never agreed to marry into the Nie Family.
• Qin Shuang and Jiang Ce objected to Shen Miaomiao’s marriage, while Shen Miaomiao rejected Jiang Ce’s claim to be her father and Shen Bin defended Shen Tao.
• The Jiang Lineage patriarch demanded betrothal gifts from Shen Tao and threatened to make trouble, but Shen Tao refused to be intimidated.
• Chu Yanran arrived with more than a dozen women and over sixty children who accused Jiang Ce of deceiving them and taking their money and property.
• Chu Yanran demanded that Jiang Ce return what he had taken and warned that more victims would arrive, then revealed that the Jiang Lineage men’s misconduct had also come to light.

Shen Tao and Zhou Wanwan confronted the Jiang Family over its fraud against hundreds of women, while Jiang Family officials denied responsibility and threatened the victims. As the families argued over stolen property and betrothal gifts, Qin Shuang and Jiang Ce suffered a series of mishaps beside Zhou Wanwan’s lunch.

• Shen Tao and Zhou Wanwan registered the women’s losses, including hundreds of shops and estates, while the Jiang Lineage patriarch summoned powerful relatives.
• The prefect and the Jiang Lineage patriarch claimed the women had given their property willingly, and Chu Yanran challenged their threats.
• Regional Commander Jiang arrived with thousands of soldiers, mocked Shen Tao, and defended the Jiang Family’s dealings with the women.
• Jiang Ce denied promising to marry Chu Yanran, and Qin Shuang confronted him over her lost property as the Nie Family demanded its betrothal gifts back.
• Shen Tao, Shen Miaomiao, and the Nie Family disputed who should return the missing gifts, while Zhou Wanwan invited Shen Miaomiao to eat.
• Qin Shuang fell when her stool was pulled away, Jiang Ce was drenched by a basin of ice water, and Qin Shuang fell again when the stool toppled over.

After the Jiang Lineage sold its properties and fled by ship, the trees stole its vessel and left the family adrift with only wooden doors. Zhou Wanwan recovered the family’s remaining treasures and offered verified victims twenty percent of their losses, leaving Chu Yanran to decide whether to accept.

• The Jiang Lineage patriarch and Jiang Ce decided to sell the family’s properties cheaply and retreat to their island, while Zhou Wanwan bought the land and buildings.
• The Jiang Family boarded a ship and celebrated, boasting that they could kidnap cooks and women once they reached their island.
• A peach tree took control of the ship, and the Jiang Family woke stranded at sea on doors nailed together.
• The trees brought the Jiang Lineage’s remaining gold, silver, and treasures back to Zhou Wanwan, while the family paddled toward its island.
• Zhou Wanwan had the trees verify which women were genuine victims, then Shen Tao offered them twenty percent of their losses; Chu Yanran asked what would happen if they refused.

Shen Tao distributed Zhou Wanwan’s compensation to the Jiang Family’s victims, then accompanied her to see the island she had already stripped bare. The Jiang Family blamed the Black Shark Gang and raided its island, where Zhou Wanwan’s trees prepared to seize the gang’s hidden stores and befriended the ancient trees guarding them.

• Shen Tao gave the victims two tenths of what they were owed, and Chu Yanran and the other women accepted the money after learning the Jiang Family had fled.
• Zhou Wanwan told Shen Tao that the Jiang Lineage should have reached its island, and Old Scholar Tree and Old Ancestor took them there.
• The Jiang Lineage’s clan leader returned on floating planks to find the island’s homes, valuables, supplies, and workers gone, then fainted.
• Jiang Ce blamed the Black Shark Gang and led more than a hundred Jiang Family members to raid its nearby island for supplies.
• Old Scholar Tree woke Zhou Wanwan as the Jiang Family arrived, and she learned the Black Shark Gang had captured women and operated gold mines.
• Old Ancestor recruited the ancient trees around the Black Shark Gang’s hidden warehouse as tree bandits, and the trees were startled to see Zhou Wanwan.

Zhou Wanwan and her tree companions defeated the mutated trees guarding the Black Shark Gang’s gold mine, rescued the miners, and loaded the island’s wealth onto ships. As they sailed away, Old Ancestor brought Zhou Wanwan a bottle of pearls, and the group enjoyed a feast.

• Zhou Wanwan gave the trees spiritual energy, allowing them to uproot themselves and race around the island; one tree knocked Jiang Ce and the Jiang Family members unconscious.
• The trees loaded the Black Shark Gang’s possessions onto two ships and led Zhou Wanwan and her companions to the gang’s gold mine, where thousands of miners were imprisoned.
• Old Ancestor and Old Scholar Tree fought the mutated, resentment-filled trees, then absorbed their red energy with Zhou Wanwan’s help and grew much stronger.
• The trees freed the miners, loaded the gold and other supplies onto the ships, and rowed away while gathering salt and seafood.
• Old Scholar Tree and Old Ancestor prepared seafood for Zhou Wanwan, and Old Ancestor collected pearl oysters and gave her a bottle of pearls.
• Zhou Wanwan said she loved the pearls, then Shen Tao enjoyed the meal and joked that the trip felt like a vacation.

Zhou Wanwan rescued thousands of miners and planned to put them to work farming, while the Black Shark Gang and Jiang Lineage discovered that their ships, stores, and much of their property had vanished. The chapter left both groups bewildered and blaming each other, as Jiang Ce and his patriarch insisted they had suffered the same losses.

• Zhou Wanwan fed the miners and offered them farm work, which they accepted in exchange for food.
• The Black Shark Gang leader discovered his warehouse and its contents were gone, then ordered his men to investigate.
• The Black Shark Gang found Jiang Ce and accused the Jiang Lineage of stealing their warehouse and ships.
• Jiang Ce brought the Black Shark Gang leader to the Jiang Lineage island, where they found its ships, houses, and bluestone roads missing too.
• The Jiang Lineage patriarch wept over the losses, and the Black Shark Gang leader asked how his family had ended up so destitute.

The Jiang Lineage patriarch and the Black Shark Gang's leader blamed Zhou Wanwan for their losses and set out to confront her at Yanmen Pass, where its towering walls unnerved them. Meanwhile, Zhou Wanwan managed Yanmen Pass's growing crowds and prosperous businesses, then urged visitors from foreign armies to request provisions and silver from home.

• The Black Shark Gang's leader learned that his gold mine had vanished, and Jiang Ce traced the pair's misfortunes to meeting Zhou Wanwan.
• The Jiang Lineage patriarch and the Black Shark Gang's leader decided to confront Zhou Wanwan and arrived at Yanmen Pass with more than two hundred men.
• The two men gaped at Yanmen Pass's enormous walls, then dismissed rumors that Zhou Wanwan was really its city lord.
• Zhou Wanwan arranged more residences for the hundreds of visitors crowding Yanmen Pass and reviewed the success of its businesses and security with her companions.
• Zhou Wanwan told visitors from several countries to write home with grim reports and ask their rulers to send grain, supplies, and silver.

Zhou Wanwan brought generals to War God Hall to arrange for urgently needed supplies, then encountered Princess Jianing and others boasting about their finds and business. Old Madam Zhou and the old Princess Consort of Dai confronted Zhou Wanwan over the Prince of Dai’s six cities, but the Prince of Dai revealed that he was no longer a fool.

• Zhou Wanwan told Xie Cheng'en that requesting supplies from the generals was natural, and the generals sent messages to their countries for support.
• Zhou Wanwan brought the generals to War God Hall, where visitors discussed valuable treasures found on its second level and in the War God's Tomb.
• Princess Jianing bragged about her businesses and mocked Zhou Wanwan, while Shangguan Wan'er and Zhou Lan disparaged her.
• Zhou Min told Zhou Wanwan that Old Madam Zhou wanted to see her, but Zhou Wanwan refused until Old Madam Zhou arrived with the old Princess Consort of Dai.
• The old Princess Consort of Dai accused Zhou Wanwan of tricking the Prince of Dai into giving her six cities, and Shangguan Wan'er called him a fool.
• The Prince of Dai insulted Shangguan Wan'er and addressed his mother as “Mother,” revealing that he was no longer a fool.

The Prince of Dai defended his agreement to give Zhou Wanwan control of his six cities in exchange for a share of the profits, while his mother settled into a residence Zhou Wanwan had prepared. Old Madam Zhou opposed the arrangement and revealed an empress dowager’s token as she began to state what she wanted.

• The Prince of Dai told his mother he had willingly sold the six cities to Zhou Wanwan and would receive ten percent of their profits.
• Zhou Wanwan arranged for the old princess consort of Dai to stay at a spacious residence, and she reassured her that she could return to the Prince of Dai’s residence later.
• The old princess consort of Dai admired the flowers and greenhouse, agreed to receive her share of the profits once a year, and asked Zhou Wanwan to ensure the people in the cities had enough to eat.
• Old Madam Zhou warned the old princess consort of Dai against trusting Zhou Wanwan and revealed that she had a token from the empress dowager.
• Old Madam Zhou told Zhou Wanwan that she wanted something, but the chapter ended before she said what it was.

Zhou Wanwan watched Old Madam Zhou try to claim control of Yanmen Pass, but the gate guards rejected her and made clear that Zhou Wanwan was no longer city lord. After Old Madam Zhou left in disgrace, Zhou Wanwan entered the city and learned she had amassed wealth in Qingxi City.

• Old Madam Zhou's imperial token melted in her hand, and Zhou Wanwan and the trees discussed the strange fire energy inside them.
• The Old Scholar Tree told Zhou Wanwan that Old Madam Zhou lived in Qingxi City and that Zhou Fuyu had fled there after getting into trouble in the capital.
• Old Madam Zhou took Zhou Wanwan to Yanmen Pass and demanded the guards open its gate, but they defeated her attendants and killed reinforcements.
• The gate guards demanded ten taels from Old Madam Zhou's group to enter and said Zhou Wanwan was no longer city lord, while the crowd mocked Old Madam Zhou's attempt to claim the city's businesses.
• Old Madam Zhou led her group away, and Zhou Wanwan entered Yanmen Pass as the Old Ancestor said Old Madam Zhou had bought a large residence, shops, and estates in Qingxi City.

Old Madam Zhou’s family planned to seize Zhou Wanwan’s businesses, but woke to find their house gone and were unable to get help from the county yamen. Meanwhile, the Jiang Lineage patriarch and the Black Shark Gang heard about the War God’s Tomb and rented rooms in Yanmen Pass.

• Old Madam Zhou and her family discussed taking Zhou Wanwan’s businesses after deciding they could not claim Yanmen Pass.
• Old Madam Zhou, Zhou Fuyu, Zhou Min, and Zhou Lan woke in a pigpen and discovered their five-courtyard house had disappeared.
• Old Madam Zhou reported the missing house to Chen Ankang, who found no evidence and privately called off the investigation.
• The Jiang Lineage patriarch and the Black Shark Gang learned that visitors to the War God’s Tomb could find treasures and weapons for a small admission fee.
• The Jiang Lineage patriarch agreed to rent five rooms for his group at one tael of silver per room.

The Jiang Lineage patriarch and Jiang Ce discovered that their rented house matched their stolen home, but the beam that proved it was replaced overnight. The next morning, the Black Shark Gang leader browsed the inn’s expensive food, clothing, armor, and weapons, delaying their planned visit to the county yamen.

• The Jiang Lineage patriarch and Jiang Ce recognized their house and found a scratch that Jiang Ce had made on a beam as proof.
• The Black Shark Gang leader urged the Jiang Lineage patriarch to report the stolen houses at the county yamen the next morning.
• The trees replaced the scratched beam overnight, removing the evidence.
• The Black Shark Gang leader ordered an expensive seafood breakfast and examined menus for clothing, armor, and weapons.
• The Black Shark Gang leader asked to inspect several suits of armor and an engraved crescent blade, while the Jiang Lineage patriarch reminded him they had planned to visit the county yamen.

The Jiang Lineage and Black Shark Gang leader investigated Yanmen Pass and entered the War God Hall, while Zhou Wanwan learned that the Zhou Family was heading into the War God's Tomb. The visitors found the tomb’s interior far stranger than expected, and Zhou Wanwan planned to raise the difficulty for them.

• The Black Shark Gang leader bought armor and a saber after testing the saber’s sharpness, while the Jiang Lineage patriarch led his people to claim a house they believed had been stolen from them.
• The county magistrate sent yamen runners to inspect the Jiang Lineage’s alleged house, but they could not find the scratch the patriarch claimed was on a beam.
• Zhou Wanwan asked Old Scholar Tree about the War God Hall’s dangers, then decided to make the Jiang Lineage and Black Shark Gang leader’s visit more difficult.
• A treant told Zhou Wanwan that Old Madam Zhou had taken a job to locate the third level of the War God's Tomb, and Zhou Wanwan decided to go there too.
• Inside the crowded War God Hall, a visitor sold a fifty-year-old ginseng root for fifty taels, surprising the Jiang Lineage patriarch.
• The Black Shark Gang leader and the Jiang Lineage patriarch entered the tomb and found that its first level contained a vast, grassy interior despite having no sunlight.