Nirvana in Fire 2: The Wind Blows in Chang Lin Recap, Plot, Synopsis

> Nirvana in Fire 2: The Wind Blows in Chang Lin

Nirvana in Fire 2: The Wind Blows in Chang Lin Synopsis

The Liang dynasty was stable, but there were constant battles at the border. The Changlin army, which guarded the northern border of Liang, had won many military achievements.

As the Emperor was kind and weak and the Crown Prince was young, Empress Xun and her brother Xun Baishui were afraid that the Changlin royal family would threaten the monarch by their success.

They were used by Puyang Ying, a spy from Ye Qin who had infiltrated the court, to frame the Changlin Royal Family.

They had not only interrupted the front-line supplies in a battle in the north, causing the son of the Changlin Royal Family, Xiao Pingzhang, to be seriously injured, but also created a large-scale epidemic in the capital.

In the course of the investigation, Pingzhang and his little brother Xiao Pingjing were poisoning.

At this very moment, the north was in danger, Pingzhang gave up treatment and went to support the border. After that, he died because of the poison.

In order to keep the country safe, Pingjing was stationed at the border immediately after his eldest brother’s death.

After the death of Emperor Liang, Lord Changlin Xiao Tingsheng was asked to assist the court. Xun Baishui helped Xiao Yuanqi to take control of the military power to fight against the Changlin royal family.

Under their trickery, Pingjing was in the crime of resisting the decree. After Xiao Tingsheng died, Changlin House closed, Changlin army’s Military units and formations were withdrawn.

Xiao Yuanqi secretly colluded with his uncle who had become the Lord of the Donghai Kingdom to betray his country.

Pingjing, who had been living in seclusion for many years, saved the country in a crisis and successfully foiled Xiao Yuanqi’s conspiracy.

When the borders of Great Liang were settled, Pingjing returned to seclusion again.

Nirvana in Fire 2: The Wind Blows in Chang Lin Recap

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Episode 1 Recap

Under the vast sky, thick smoke billowed, and a lonely city stood in the wilderness. The once sturdy city walls had long since become dilapidated under the ravages of days of war, and the Liang army soldiers stubbornly defending the city ramparts were also scarred and exhausted. Yet, the banner of the Great Liang's Changlin Army still stood tall against the fierce northern wind, unyielding.

Xiao Pingzhang, the heir apparent of the Changlin Royal Manor of the Great Liang Dynasty, gazed at the vast enemy forces below the city, his face filled with worry. He had commanded this remnant army, defending the isolated city of Ganzhou on the northern front for many days. The situation was critical; even as commander, he was as bruised and battered as any soldier, and coughed softly without ceasing.

Deputy Commander Dong Qing reported to him that there were no signs of reinforcements from either the left, right, or rear, and supplies had been cut off for dozens of days. As Xiao Pingzhang's personal guard, he pleaded with Xiao Pingzhang, as the royal heir, to immediately withdraw from Ganzhou. However, Xiao Pingzhang stated firmly, "Under the banner of the Changlin Army, how can one flee out of fear of battle?

Even if the city falls and I perish, fortunately, the Changlin King still has his second son, Xiao Pingjing." Upon mentioning his younger brother, Xiao Pingzhang couldn't help but recall the last time he saw his brother three months ago, when he was at Langya Pavilion. Langya Pavilion, nestled amidst green mountains and clear waters in Langya Mountain, was hidden from the mundane world, yet it commanded all information under heaven.

Three months ago, when embarking on his campaign, Xiao Pingzhang had detoured to Langya Pavilion, seeking an answer to a question and also to see his younger brother who was studying there. A green-robed attendant handed a brocade pouch to Xiao Pingzhang; the answer was within it. Xiao Pingzhang reached out to take it, but then paused mid-air. He asked the Old Pavilion Master if he truly intended to tell him the answer.

The attendant told him that as long as the price was paid, the answer would naturally be given. Xiao Pingzhang hesitated for a moment before opening the pouch. In another room, Lin Jiu, the Young Pavilion Master of Langya Pavilion, asked the Old Pavilion Master why he so easily told Xiao Pingzhang everything. The white-haired Old Pavilion Master calmly replied that since Xiao Pingzhang had already begun to investigate, he would find out sooner or later.

His urgency for the answer now was likely due to the grim prospects of the northern war. Xiao Pingjing, the second son of the Changlin King, was naturally carefree and active. He had been punished for playing a trick on the Old Pavilion Master, ordered to find cold crystal stones in the icy pond. For him, known as the "Little Prince of the Cold Pond," this was a trivial matter.

Upon hearing that his elder brother had arrived at the Pavilion, he rushed to see Xiao Pingzhang. Full of worries, Xiao Pingzhang quickly hid the paper slip when he saw his younger brother arrive. The two brothers embraced tightly. Xiao Pingjing urged his elder brother to stay one more day. However, Xiao Pingzhang had already deduced with the Changlin King that the enemy army was about to invade the northern territories, and a major war was imminent.

He had to immediately rush to Ganzhou to secure the left flank. He advised his younger brother to quickly return to Jinling to start a family and a career, and not to continue living so idly. The two brothers had just met but were already about to bid farewell. Xiao Pingjing saw that the northern war would certainly be difficult, but he believed his elder brother was a divine strategist in warfare and would surely be victorious in every battle.

Meanwhile, in the imperial court of Jinling, the capital of Great Liang, a fierce verbal battle erupted. The Changlin King reported to Emperor Liang that the enemy nation had amassed a large quantity of provisions and fodder at the border, clearly intending a major invasion. He hoped Emperor Liang would bestow upon him the imperial military tally. Song Fu, the Grand Secretary, strongly opposed this, advising that it was inappropriate to urgently dispatch the military tally based solely on conjecture.

Emperor Liang, accustomed to trusting the Changlin King, directly bestowed the military tally upon him. The Changlin King, having received the military tally, rushed to the northern front without delay. After the officials dispersed, Song Fu approached Xun Baishui, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, and questioned him why he had remained silent in court.

Xun Baishui calmly replied that Emperor Liang had great trust in the Changlin King and granted his every request, so he saw no point in wasting words. Song Fu, under the guise of loyalty to the emperor, expressed concern that Emperor Liang favored the Changlin King too much. Grand Secretary Xun Baishui also frankly stated that Emperor Liang was frail, the Crown Prince was young, and the Changlin King's merits overshadowed the sovereign.

Song Fu stated that he was responsible for the provisions and supplies for this northern war, and he actually intended to cut off the Changlin Army's supplies. The timeline returns to the present. Xiao Pingjing was jolted awake by a nightmare, anxiously wanting to know news of his elder brother. However, Lin Jiu claimed that Langya Pavilion was outside the mundane world, viewing it like a flowing stream, merely observing without participating.

At this moment, news from the northern front arrived. The Old Pavilion Master learned that the Liang army's supply ships had unexpectedly sunk in Datong Prefecture. The Liang army was now surely in dire straits; the key to victory lay only in whether Xiao Pingzhang could hold the isolated city of Ganzhou. Upon hearing the news, Xiao Pingjing immediately and anxiously set off for Ganzhou alone on horseback. Below Ganzhou city, the roar of battle shook the heavens.

The Dayu army surged forward like a rainbow; large shields stood like walls at the front of their formation, longbows were positioned behind, raining down arrows like a downpour. Flaming stone projectiles, propelled by the immense power of catapults, flew across the sky, pounding the dilapidated city walls. The Changlin King's personally led cavalry reinforcements were still rushing forward, but the enemy's scaling ladders had already been set against the city walls.

The Liang army fought fiercely with the enemy on the walls, having just used fire oil to destroy the Dayu army's battering ram assaulting the city gate, when another section of the wall collapsed with a roar under the impact of catapulted stones. The tide of battle hung in the balance. Xiao Pingzhang, alone with his sword, leaped down into the breach in the city wall, like a god of war descended, blocking a large host of enemies before him.

Blood stained his entire body red, making it impossible to distinguish whether it was his own or the enemy's. The enemy was driven back by Xiao Pingzhang's divine bravery, but an arrow rain immediately followed. Xiao Pingzhang, his strength exhausted, had no time to dodge and was pierced by two long arrows in his chest. He fell into a pile of corpses and a sea of blood. At this moment, all the soldiers stared intently at their commander.

Xiao Pingzhang knew that he absolutely could not fall now, otherwise Ganzhou would surely be lost. He suddenly opened his eyes, disregarded the blood gushing from his body, and struggled to stand. Encouraged by his roar, the Liang army's morale soared, finally driving back the enemy and saving Ganzhou city. After the bloody battle, the Changlin King's reinforcements arrived, and Ganzhou city was temporarily out of danger.

However, the severely wounded Xiao Pingzhang had lost too much blood and was unconscious. As the arrows were too close to his vital organs, the army medics were helpless. The Changlin King could only anxiously await the arrival of Old Master Li, the head of Jifeng Tang, to save his eldest son's life. Unexpectedly, the one who arrived was a young girl of pleasant appearance and calm demeanor, Lin Xi.

Lin Xi spoke few words and immediately began to treat Xiao Pingzhang, her medical practice professional and efficient. At this moment, Xiao Pingjing, having ridden hard, also arrived in Ganzhou. Seeing his elder brother's life hanging by a thread, he was greatly agitated. Upon seeing that a young girl was performing the treatment, in a fit of anger, he was about to complain about how such an important matter of life could be entrusted to a mere girl.

However, before he could finish his words, Lin Xi had already swiftly removed the arrows. Lin Xi found Xiao Pingjing's noisy fussing too annoying and asked the Changlin King to have him removed.

Episode 2 Recap

Xiao Pingzhang desperately guarded Ganzhou and was severely wounded. Although he narrowly escaped death thanks to Lin Xi's clever techniques, he was not yet out of danger. Lin Xi told Prince Changlin Xiao Tingsheng that whether his heir could survive depended on tonight. Xiao Pingjing was chased out by Lin Xi and could only pace anxiously outside the door. Lin Xi meticulously cared for Xiao Pingzhang's body and volunteered to stay and guard him for the night.

Old Master Li of Jifeng Hall finally arrived in Ganzhou, looking travel-worn. After taking Xiao Pingzhang's pulse, he sighed slightly, saying, "This arrow wound is exactly like Lin Shen's back then." He couldn't help but recall the past when he tried his best but failed to save Lin Shen's life.

Prince Changlin Xiao Tingsheng comforted him, saying that it wasn't Old Master Li's fault that he couldn't save Lin Shen back then, and that he completely trusted Old Master Li's medical skills. However, Old Master Li looked at the busy Lin Xi nearby and confessed that Lin Xi was the most talented among all his disciples, having already surpassed his younger self. As night deepened, Xiao Pingzhang's fever finally subsided, and his body temperature gradually stabilized.

Lin Xi, whose expression was usually cold, also rarely showed a slight smile. When she went out to get medicine, Xiao Pingjing, who had been waiting outside the door, immediately stepped forward, stopped her, and eagerly asked about Xiao Pingzhang's condition. Lin Xi, however, merely told him coldly, "I don't know." This angered Xiao Pingjing, who roared. Lin Xi continued to process the medicine methodically.

She calmly said, "The biggest misunderstanding people have about doctors is probably believing that all healers are immortals, and if someone cannot be saved, it must mean they didn't try their best. I originally thought that the Second Young Master Changlin, who studied at Langya Pavilion, would be an extraordinary and unconventional person, but upon meeting him, he's just mediocre." Her words, combined with her unique detached tone, left the usually eloquent Xiao Pingjing speechless.

The warm sun rose high, and the sky brightened considerably. After taking Xiao Pingzhang's pulse, Old Master Li excitedly told Xiao Tingsheng that Xiao Pingzhang's life was no longer in danger, and the scene from twenty years ago would not be replayed. Xiao Tingsheng let out a long sigh of relief. After receiving the news, Xiao Pingjing rushed into the sickroom. Xiao Tingsheng, now in a calm mood, remembered to ask him how he also ended up in Ganzhou.

Xiao Pingjing frankly stated that it was because the grain ship from Datong Prefecture sank, and Dayu was fiercely attacking Ganzhou, leading to a desperate situation where the army would run out of food. Xiao Tingsheng smiled and said, "What good is it for Xiao Pingjing to be back?" leaving Xiao Pingjing speechless. Xiao Tingsheng was occupied with military affairs, and time was pressing.

Advisor Ning from the army reported that Dayu had retreated, but Xiao Tingsheng understood that Dayu's main forces were unharmed, and there would undoubtedly be continuous conflicts in the northern border in the future, thus he urgently needed to write a memorial to report the situation there. Xiao Pingjing knelt before his elder brother, taking care of him. He looked at the arrowheads removed from his brother's body, his eyes glinting with a cold light.

Old Master Li and Lin Xi talked about Xiao Pingjing, asking her if he was as she had expected. It seemed that Xiao Pingjing's title, Second Young Master Changlin, was already known to everyone. However, Lin Xi was simply not interested in the Second Young Master Changlin, nor had she anticipated what he would look like. Old Master Li hesitated to speak, then stopped, leaving Lin Xi somewhat confused.

Many doctors from Jifeng Hall were busy treating the wounded and sick. Xiao Pingjing proactively came to apologize to Lin Xi, thanking her for her miraculous healing skills that saved his elder brother, and then struck up a conversation with her. However, Lin Xi had a cold disposition and showed no interest in Xiao Pingjing. But Xiao Pingjing clung to her relentlessly, annoying her greatly. Old Master Li witnessed all this, a faint look of worry in his eyes.

Xiao Pingzhang had already woken up, and the first thing he did upon opening his eyes was to read the military report of this battle. Xiao Tingsheng looked at his eldest son, who had just recovered from near death, and advised him not to exhaust himself further. Xiao Pingzhang held his father's hand and frankly stated that five or six out of ten of Dayu's attacking forces were concentrated on their Ganzuo line, which was truly too strange.

Both father and son grew suspicious of internal affairs at the imperial court. However, since Xiao Pingzhang had just recovered, Xiao Tingsheng didn't want to burden his mind with these matters, so he talked to him about his previous journey to Langya Pavilion, traveling day and night and taking a detour.

Xiao Pingzhang handed his father the answer given by Langya Pavilion, but his father clearly knew the truth of the matter, so he only asked Xiao Pingzhang how he felt after seeing the answer. Xiao Pingzhang threw the answer into the charcoal fire. After experiencing life and death, he had realized his true feelings for his family, and what happened in the past no longer mattered to him.

The pouch containing the answer was ignited by the high heat, and the raging flames consumed the pouch, burning the mysterious past into ashes. After the father and two sons exchanged a few words in the sickroom, Xiao Tingsheng hurried off to attend to military matters. Xiao Pingjing secretly read his father's memorial and told his elder brother that the memorial mentioned suspicions regarding the Datong shipwreck and requested a special envoy to investigate.

He did not place much trust in the imperial court's investigation. At the Daliang imperial court, the Emperor questioned responsibility for the grain shortage in Ganzhou. Song Fu dodged the blame, claiming it was an accidental shipwreck due to weather and river conditions, and that the official primarily responsible had already perished with the ship. The Emperor was furious and reprimanded Song Fu, asking how he could conclude it was an accident without even conducting an investigation.

Song Fu, frightened, immediately knelt down. The Emperor claimed that his health was declining and that he had indeed been less diligent in managing state affairs, thus this incident was his fault. Upon hearing this, the officials knew that the Emperor was subtly reprimanding them for deceiving their superiors and concealing information from subordinates, so they hastily knelt down en masse, begging the Emperor to quell his anger. Xiao Tingsheng and Old Master Li reminisced.

They hadn't seen each other for many years, but unexpectedly reunited in Ganzhou in such a manner. Xiao Tingsheng expressed gratitude to Old Master Li for saving his elder brother Lu Yuan, himself, and his third brother Lin Shen from Yeting back then. Unfortunately, of the three brothers who later joined the army, only he remained alive today. Back then, on Lin Shen's deathbed, he had promised a marriage between Pingjing and Lin Shen's daughter.

Sadly, Lin Shen's wife took their daughter away, which left him with some regret. The Emperor now only allowed Xiao Pingjing to uphold the engagement for another year. Old Master Li seemed to be concealing something, only comforting him not to be too self-reproachful. The two discussed the Datong shipwreck. Xiao Tingsheng intended to send Xiao Pingjing to investigate, and Old Master Li took the opportunity to recommend Lin Xi to accompany and protect him.

Lin Xi examined Xiao Pingzhang's physical condition, maintaining a cold attitude towards Xiao Pingjing. Xiao Pingjing hastily continued to apologize, but Lin Xi calmly departed. Xiao Pingjing, unaware that his father had already made a decision, still wanted his elder brother to put in a good word for him regarding the investigation in Datong. Xiao Pingzhang only agreed after setting two conditions with him.

That night, Old Master Li assigned Lin Xi to Datong Prefecture to stabilize the situation and cooperate with Changlin Mansion in investigating the shipwreck. When Xiao Pingjing received his father's orders and was on his way to Datong, he arrived at an inn to rest and saw Lin Xi there, which greatly piqued his curiosity. Grand Secretariat Xun Baishui reprimanded Song Fu for going too far with his actions. Song Fu claimed he had only made minor adjustments and left no evidence. For caution's sake, Xun Baishui ordered him to clean everything up thoroughly.

Episode 3 Recap

Inside the Great Liang imperial palace, there were numerous divine banners and talismans. It turned out that the Crown Prince was ill, and Empress Xun invited Grand Master Pu Yangying to exorcise evil spirits for the Crown Prince. Grand Master Pu Yangying performed the ritual holding a censer, and his spiritual power seemed quite profound. After the ceremony, the Crown Prince's condition had slightly improved.

As Grand Master Pu Yangying was leaving the palace, he encountered Xun Baishui and Song Fu. The Grand Master directly stated that Song Fu's complexion was dark, indicating a sign of declining fortune, and bad luck coming from the north. This startled Song Fu, but the Grand Master said no more and left. Song Fu was furious; he had little belief in such supernatural matters.

He angrily denounced the Grand Master to his retreating back, saying he was nothing more than a sorcerer from the White God Cult. Xun Baishui seemed to have some belief in the White God Cult, arguing that after Pu Yangying entered the palace, both the Emperor and the Crown Prince's health had shown slight recovery, and the effect was obvious. In Datong Prefecture, Duan Tongzhou, Song Fu's dispatched strategist, had already arrived.

The Prefect of Datong, Prefect Zhang, was Song Fu's disciple; their relationship was too obvious to bother with avoiding suspicion. Prefect Zhang told Duan Tongzhou that on the day of the shipwreck, a small passenger boat happened to be following the supply ship, and there were also doctors from Jifeng Hall on board who saved many people. Therefore, dealing with the aftermath and sealing off information about the shipwreck was quite troublesome.

He originally didn't want to leave any survivors, but although the people he sent sank the small passenger boat, a boatman escaped with the three doctors. Duan Tongzhou angrily said that since they knew they were doctors from Jifeng Hall, why didn't they just go directly to their door to arrest them? Prefect Zhang was wary of Jifeng Hall's reputation and influence, and dared not act rashly.

Duan Tongzhou, however, paid no mind to these concerns and immediately ordered Prefect Zhang to conduct a search. What Duan Tongzhou didn't know was that the reason Prefect Zhang couldn't find the four escapees was because the doctors had fled to the residence of Xiao Yuanqi, the Marquis of Laiyang, a member of the imperial clan. Xiao Yuanqi enjoyed traveling and sightseeing, and happened to be passing through the area.

He saw that the Datong Prefectural Yamen dared to commit such an act of silencing witnesses, felt the matter was serious, and as an imperial clan member, he absolutely could not stand idly by. The doctors declared that long-term hiding was not a solution and intended to escape and expose the crimes of those people.

Although Xiao Yuanqi did not involve himself in political affairs, he knew that with such a major incident, the power behind it must be very deep. He advised the doctors not to fantasize idly, as rash action would only increase casualties. Such a significant matter involved interconnected links within officialdom, and the doctors couldn't even find a place to report it.

On the way to Datong Prefecture, Xiao Pingjing was followed by Lin Xi, who kept a steady pace behind him. Xiao Pingjing couldn't hold back any longer and went to talk to Lin Xi. He admitted that he had offended her, but he had also apologized many times, and he asked if Lin Xi was planning to follow him to Datong Prefecture.

Lin Xi argued that on the night of the Datong shipwreck, several doctors from Jifeng Hall had also gone missing, and she was merely going there to investigate. The two traveled together and arrived in Datong Prefecture city. They found that Jifeng Hall was already closed. It turned out that the authorities had falsely claimed a murderer had broken in, and a fight inside had trashed the medical hall.

Xiao Pingjing noticed that Jifeng Hall was under strict surveillance, so he pulled Lin Xi to the back door of the medical hall. Eager to show off, he used his qinggong (lightness skill), leaping over the wall to open the door for Lin Xi. Lin Xi knew his thoughts, pursed her lips, and showed a slight hint of disdain.

Xiao Pingjing realized that the Datong Prefecture city was under strict investigation, with fifth-rank military officials mobilized for a massive search, and the Prefect must be involved. He then invited Lin Xi to join him for a night investigation of the Yamen, taking advantage of the moonlit night. Lin Xi coldly refused, stating that it was the first day of the lunar month, so there would be no moonlit night. Xiao Pingjing was momentarily speechless and had to act alone.

Dressed in black night attire, he moved with exceptional agility, flitting and soaring among the rooftops like a cloud swift, easily entering the heavily guarded Yamen as if it were an unpopulated area. He easily found his way outside the room where Prefect Zhang and Duan Tongzhou were secretly conversing. Duan Tongzhou's senses were keen. As soon as Xiao Pingjing arrived, he heard movement outside the window and immediately flew out to engage Xiao Pingjing in combat.

The two highly skilled martial artists fought from the courtyard to the rooftop, while the Yamen soldiers could only stand on the ground in awe, completely unable to intervene. Duan Tongzhou's martial arts were exquisite, and he steadily gained the upper hand. Xiao Pingjing was suppressed within a few moves, facing extreme danger. Fortunately, Lin Xi arrived and fired several arrows, forcing Duan Tongzhou back, thus rescuing Xiao Pingjing.

Duan Tongzhou was unable to pursue them and sighed, remarking that their movement techniques were truly elegant and extraordinary, guessing that they must be from the Changlin Royal Manor. Xiao Pingjing and Lin Xi escaped back to the medical hall. Lin Xi noticed Xiao Pingjing's clothes were damaged. Xiao Pingjing recalled that he hadn't been directly hit, but merely felt the opponent's palm wind, and his clothes had already succumbed as if burned.

Lin Xi was uncharacteristically flustered; she recognized such a technique: "Ghost Domain Shadowless," "Netherworld Ghost Fire," which belonged to only one person. The two exchanged glances and simultaneously uttered the three words: Duan Tongzhou. Xiao Pingjing was greatly alarmed. Duan Tongzhou was indeed the fourth-ranked super expert on the Langya List, whose origins were unknown to anyone; even Langya Pavilion did not know his background.

He hadn't expected this incident to attract such a master, indicating that the hidden scheme was far deeper than he had imagined. Just as the two were worried, Xiao Yuanqi, who had been secretly observing in the Yamen earlier, came to their door, which greatly surprised Xiao Pingjing. Inside the Yamen, Duan Tongzhou, disguised as Strategist Qin, asked Commander Qian if he had noticed any suspicious individuals during the day.

Commander Qian naturally hadn't found anything, but he recalled encountering Xiao Yuanqi earlier that day and mentioned it. Duan Tongzhou felt that there was something strange about the matter. After a moment's thought, he decided to bring people to visit Xiao Yuanqi, the Marquis of Laiyang, the next day. Early the next morning, the Marquis of Laiyang, dressed in white, questioned Commander Qian about why he brought such a large force to his doorstep.

Under Duan Tongzhou's instruction, Commander Qian led the government troops, on the pretext of arresting criminals, to storm into the manor and conduct a thorough search. However, Xiao Yuanqi had already moved the doctors away, so the government troops naturally found nothing. Duan Tongzhou, left with no choice, had to lead his troops back. Prefect Zhang felt that the matter had reached such a stage that the involvement was too great, and he didn't know how to resolve it.

After Duan Tongzhou's troops retreated, Xiao Yuanqi came to the secret room where the doctors were hiding. Lin Xi and Xiao Pingjing were also there. Xiao Pingjing revealed his identity as the second young master of the Changlin Royal Manor, persuading the boatman, who had been rescued by the doctors, to tell the truth.

The boatman hesitated repeatedly, weighing his options for a long time, and finally told the truth: his son had accumulated gambling debts, and for money, he had tampered with the boats while passing through Tiger Bend Gorge, causing three ships to sink. The people from Jifeng Hall recalled that the salvaged boat was still on the shore, but by the time Xiao Pingjing arrived, it had already been burned and destroyed by Duan Tongzhou, erasing all traces.

Now the physical evidence only existed underwater. Xiao Pingjing was unfazed. He mentioned his nickname, "Little Divine Dragon of the Cold Pool," which made Xiao Yuanqi laugh heartily, and even the "Ice Beauty" Lin Xi slightly curved her lips, making Xiao Pingjing happy. The Changlin King (Xiao Tingsheng) and his son remained in Ganzhou. Worried about Xiao Pingjing's safety, they sent a messenger to a confidant in Qizhou's Shanliu Camp, instructing him to secretly assist Xiao Pingjing.

Episode 4 Recap

Between green mountains, upon the clear waves, a lone boat drifted from afar. Lin Xi and Xiao Pingjing on the boat followed the map and found the sunken ship's location in the middle of the river. Lin Xi caringly reminded Xiao Pingjing that the old boatman had said the current here was swift, telling him to be careful. Xiao Pingjing, the 'Little Dragon of the Cold Pool,' smiled confidently, reassuring her.

Then he took off his clothes and agilely leaped into the water. Lin Xi, however, saw the longevity silver lock Xiao Pingjing carefully took off, and her heart stirred. She recalled that the one her mother held in her hand when she was gravely ill as a child was an identical silver lock. She remembered her ailing mother's advice that marrying a military man would only lead to daily anxiety and unease.

The so-called wealth of a prince's mansion was ultimately like smoke and clouds. She only hoped her daughter could have a beloved person to stay with forever and grow old together, which made Lin Xi's thoughts drift far and wide. She snapped out of her memories, only to see the surface of the water calm. Xiao Pingjing had been in the water for a long time without resurfacing, and she couldn't help but worry.

Xiao Pingjing suddenly popped his head out of the water from the side of the boat, telling her he would be diving for even longer soon. Xiao Pingjing appeared carefree, but he was actually meticulous. He understood that although Lin Xi seemed aloof, she was soft-hearted, so he specifically told her, fearing she would worry. Xiao Pingjing, using his diving skills, finally found a piece of boat wood as physical evidence.

The entire underwater hull was covered by a very strong gel mixed from black chalk powder and silkworm glue. It would only dissolve after soaking in the water for several days, but if it were struck, it would be very fragile. Xiao Yuanqi was furious. Those who did this treated the nation's fate as a game, and the lives of soldiers at the front and civilians in the rear as grass; it was utterly insane.

Duan Tongzhou was not only highly skilled in martial arts but also very eloquent. Seeing Magistrate Zhang's fear that he might botch things, he intimidated and enticed Commander Qian, bribing him to find the letters Magistrate Zhang kept regarding his communications with the capital. The Jifeng Hall in Datong reopened, but it remained under strict surveillance. Xiao Pingjing and Xiao Yuanqi discussed how to protect the witnesses and physical evidence.

They could send the witnesses and physical evidence to neighboring prefectures before taking them to the capital, but the dark curtain behind this matter was so vast that it was difficult to decide whom to trust. Therefore, it was better to wait quietly in Datong, as the emperor's special envoy was already on the way. What Xiao Pingjing worried about more was the safety of Magistrate Zhang, another witness most deeply connected to this case.

Duan Tongzhou had already found Magistrate Zhang. He went straight to the letters Magistrate Zhang had hidden, warning Magistrate Zhang that following Song Fu was the only way to survive. Otherwise, just like the letters in his hand, under his palm strike, the letters instantly turned into flying ash and scattered. The 'Nether Ghost Fire' truly lived up to its name, scaring Magistrate Zhang pale.

The spies from Datong Prefecture Office followed Sister Yun and found the abandoned winery highly suspicious. Duan Tongzhou immediately led men to search. At the same time, he had a premonition that Magistrate Zhang would cause trouble, so he ordered his subordinates to kill Magistrate Zhang. Sister Yun noticed a large number of soldiers rushing towards the winery and immediately reported it to Lin Xi.

Xiao Yuanqi acted decisively, telling his butler to gather his personal guards to resist for a while at the winery, and at the same time, asked Lin Xi to quickly find Xiao Pingjing to save the people. Xiao Pingjing came alone to Datong Prefecture Office to pay a visit in his capacity as the second young master of Changlin, but after waiting for a long time, Magistrate Zhang did not appear.

By this time, the backyard of the yamen was covered with dead and wounded. Duan Tongzhou's subordinates were hanging Magistrate Zhang from a beam, intending to strangle him. Fortunately, Xiao Pingjing's flying sword cut the white silk, saving his life. Lin Xi arrived just then. The two of them tied up Magistrate Zhang and rode quickly to the winery. Duan Tongzhou and Commander Qian led men to search all around the winery.

Before they found anything, Xiao Yuanqi rushed in with his men. He revealed his imperial clan bloodline, declaring that he had bought the winery and that it was imperial property, so others had no right to search. Duan Tongzhou, however, stated that newly acquired property was not an imperial fief and could not prevent local authorities from searching for wanted criminals.

In desperation, Xiao Yuanqi stabbed a soldier to death with his sword, resolving to fight a bloody battle to protect the witness. Commander Qian, mindful of his imperial blood and noble status as a Marquis, hesitated. At this moment, Xiao Pingjing and Lin Xi finally arrived. Xiao Pingjing also showed his Changlin Royal Mansion waist token and held Magistrate Zhang hostage, threatening everyone not to act rashly.

Commander Qian had already wavered, but under Duan Tongzhou's intimidation, he still made a move to attack Xiao Pingjing and the others. A bloody battle seemed unavoidable. Fortunately, Uncle Yuan, Xiao Tingsheng's confidant from Changlin, along with Ji Chen, leading numerous soldiers from Qizhou's Shanliu Camp, arrived in time to control the situation. Duan Tongzhou, as a Langya master, would naturally not surrender.

He suddenly launched an attack, using silver needles hidden under his robe as hidden weapons, repeatedly striking Lin Xi. This forced Xiao Pingjing to protect Lin Xi, distracting him. Then, with a sudden needle, he pierced Commander Qian's throat, instantly taking his life. Afterward, he displayed his qinggong (lightness skill), effortlessly drifting away amidst the army's encirclement, vanishing without a trace in an instant. A volley of arrows could not harm him in the slightest.

The Datong matter had temporarily settled, but Xiao Pingjing couldn't be happy. He complained to Uncle Yuan that his father and elder brother sending Ji Chen with troops was clearly a sign of distrust towards him. Uncle Yuan smiled and enlightened him, saying that after all, he was still young, and the situation was dangerous, so both the Prince of Changlin and the Heir were worried about his safety.

Ji Chen searched all night but found no trace of Duan Tongzhou. Xiao Pingjing was not surprised; after all, Langya masters were extraordinary individuals and naturally not easily captured. The most pressing matter was for everyone to lead the army, escorting Magistrate Zhang of Datong, and rush grandly back to the capital. Sister Yun saw that Lin Xi intended to follow Xiao Pingjing to the capital, and she too was filled with anticipation for the capital.

She asked Lin Xi to take her along, and Lin Xi gladly agreed. During their rest at night, Xiao Yuanqi had not yet overcome his inner turmoil from killing someone for the first time. At Lin Xi's reminder, Xiao Pingjing took a bottle of wine and properly consoled him. The army had traveled without danger so far, and Ji Chen, seeing that they were nearing the capital, inevitably became somewhat lax.

Xiao Pingjing reminded him that the forces behind the scenes near the capital should be far superior to those in Datong Prefecture, and they should be even more vigilant. Ji Chen strongly agreed. Magistrate Zhang had spoken little since being imprisoned, only showing a slight abnormality when Lin Xi's name was heard. Xiao Pingjing had always been puzzled why Duan Tongzhou killed Commander Qian instead of Magistrate Zhang. It seemed there was another hidden reason for this matter.

Inside the imperial palace in the capital, the Crown Prince's health had improved. The Emperor urged him to practice calligraphy diligently. The Empress proactively brought up the contributions of Master Pu Yangying. The Emperor, slightly impatient, told the Empress that she should properly pray for the fallen soldiers instead. The Empress stated that the prayer arrangements were ready, and the Emperor subsequently approved.

As Xiao Pingjing followed the army through a valley, everyone felt that the enemy would surely act there. Inside the Changlin Royal Mansion, Xiao Pingzhang, who had returned to the capital earlier, was worried about his younger brother's safety under the care of his consort, Meng Qianxue. He knew that Xiao Pingjing's journey would certainly not be peaceful.

Episode 5 Recap

Xiao Pingzhang lay on the couch, examining a map to deduce strategy. Meng Qianxue impatiently held up the map, complaining that if he was so worried about his younger brother, he should send more people to meet him. Xiao Pingzhang calculated that his younger brother's campsite on the last night before entering the capital should be at Qizhuxi. Ji Chen, as expected, also chose Qizhuxi.

They had four hundred elite soldiers, so the enemy would not dare to launch a frontal assault, only a surprise attack. Qizhuxi had cliffs on two sides, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. Even if facing a Langya master as the vanguard, the opponent would find it hard to break through. Xiao Pingjing, however, only expressed regret that he couldn't capture Duan Tongzhou before entering the capital. After the army settled down, Magistrate Zhang still remained silent.

Ji Chen ordered several carriages to be covered with black cloth to confuse perception and prevent an ambush by masters. Xiao Pingjing asked Uncle Yuan to rest, saying he would be responsible for the night watch. However, before night deepened, Duan Tongzhou arrived, stepping on bamboo, like a night eagle in the air, seeing the four hundred elite soldiers as nothing in his quest to kill one person.

Despite the black cloth covering, he accurately pounced on the prison cart where Magistrate Zhang was located. His unique silver needle hidden weapons rained down, piercing into the black cloth prison cart. The person inside the cart must have been riddled with them. When Duan Tongzhou landed, he was surrounded by many soldiers but showed no fear, still chatting and laughing.

He was certain that Magistrate Zhang was dead and chuckled, saying that the Second Young Master Changlin, Xiao Pingjing, probably hadn't expected it. Xiao Pingjing confidently declared that he had actually already thought of it, then uncovered the black cloth, only to find the prison cart empty. Ji Chen was greatly surprised; he hadn't known when Xiao Pingjing had moved the person.

Xiao Pingjing frankly stated that he had figured out why Duan Tongzhou had killed Qian Canling first at that time: because Qian Canling had no family background, was alone, was difficult to control, and was one of only two people who knew the identity of the mastermind. Once caught, he would certainly expose the mastermind. But Magistrate Zhang's family had already been controlled.

To protect his family, he would certainly not confess immediately, which was why he was left alive by Duan Tongzhou to be handled by his accomplice, and that accomplice was General Ji Chen. Ji Chen did not defend himself against Xiao Pingjing's accusation, merely believing that his actions were flawless and not understanding when Xiao Pingjing had seen through him.

Xiao Pingjing had originally had deep trust in Ji Chen, only deducing his identity through many details, such as Ji Chen's deliberate inquiries about whether Magistrate Zhang had confessed. The witness had not been given a chance to be harmed because of Uncle Yuan's close protection throughout the journey. Seeing the matter exposed, Ji Chen simply decided to kill everyone to silence them.

It was then that Xiao Pingjing realized why Ji Chen would collude with Duan Tongzhou: because Qizhou was deep within Daliang territory. If Ganzhou had fallen at that time, there would have been no more fortresses to defend, and the Dayu army would inevitably have driven straight into Qizhou.

By then, the Dayu army would have been at the end of their tether, while Ji Chen, a good commander, and the Liuying forces, which had good combat strength, could have then emerged victoriously, utterly defeating the Dayu army and protecting Daliang. Ji Chen could then seize a great deal of military merit and instantly become a hero of Daliang.

Xiao Yuanqi angrily exclaimed that the land of Wuzhou, with hundreds of thousands of soldiers and common people, were merely pawns in Ji Chen's eyes, scolding him for being utterly insane. Uncle Yuan also stepped forward and said that Prince Changlin and the Heir Apparent had long seen through Ji Chen's scheme. Ji Chen, however, showed no remorse, stating bluntly that a true man, while alive, should strive for great achievements.

Xiao Pingjing angrily declared that the Changlin Prince's Manor protected the northern border not just for "achievements." Seeing that the situation had come to this, Ji Chen intended to join forces with Duan Tongzhou to kill everyone and silence them. However, Duan Tongzhou had his own plans. His martial arts were exceptionally high, and he could leave whenever he wished, unwilling to fight fiercely with others here.

Xiao Pingjing, seeing him about to escape, quickly chased after him, but he alone could not stop Duan Tongzhou from leaving. The Heir Apparent's Consort, Meng Qianxue, arrived in time. With the two of them working together in an entangled fight, Duan Tongzhou could not gain an advantage and was forced back to his original position. Meng Qianxue led the army to completely surround Qizhuxi. Holding the Changlin token, she ordered Ji Chen's arrest.

Seeing that the tide had turned, Ji Chen threw down his sword, admitted defeat, and surrendered. Duan Tongzhou was still unwilling, but it was just futile resistance. Xiao Pingjing became unhappy again, because all of this was within his father and elder brother's calculations.

It was only because they weren't sure if Ji Chen was truly involved and didn't want to jump to conclusions that they specifically sent him here to test him, having already devised a way to deal with it. He complained that his father and elder brother always tested his abilities, making him very unhappy. The Heir Apparent's Consort, Meng Qianxue, noticed Xiao Pingjing and Lin Xi often chatting and laughing together, secretly discerning a hint of something between the two.

After Xiao Pingjing returned home, Xiao Tingsheng, who had always been strict with him, gave him another good lecture. Fortunately, Xiao Pingzhang came to his rescue, ending the torment. Xiao Pingjing complained about his father, saying he gave not a single word of praise, only endless lectures, which made Xiao Tingsheng angry and leave. Xiao Pingzhang invited his younger brother to eat together in the evening. Xiao Yuanqi also returned to his manor.

His mother, hearing about Xiao Yuanqi's experiences and actions along the way, angrily rebuked him for not listening to her teachings and advised him that since he couldn't match the capabilities of the Changlin Prince's Manor, it was best to act prudently to protect himself. Xiao Yuanqi reluctantly agreed. Lin Xi arrived at the Jifeng Hall branch in the Imperial Capital, eager to see her master.

However, Old Hall Master Li had just left the Capital City two days prior, only leaving a message instructing Lin Xi to manage the Capital branch and also telling her to visit the Changlin Prince's Manor often to look after Xiao Pingzhang's injuries. Song Fu knew his power was gone, so he tidied his appearance, sat upright in the hall, and waited for the Imperial Edict to arrive.

The Grand Court of Judicial Review came with the edict to arrest him. He neither resisted nor panicked, simply calmly blew out the candle, removed his official hat, and entered the prison. It was considered somewhat dignified. He and Duan Tongzhou met in prison, exchanged a look, and remained silent. After the Crown Prince recovered from his illness, he regained his lively boyish nature. He was clamoring to play with his Elder Brother Pingjing.

Xiao Pingjing was currently in Xiao Pingzhang's room enjoying delicious food. Xiao Pingzhang was worried about the outcome of Song Fu's trial tomorrow. Seeing that his injuries had not yet healed, Xiao Pingjing mentioned that Lin Xi had returned to the capital with him. Xiao Pingzhang chuckled, saying he had only learned frivolousness at Langya Pavilion.

He, in turn, accused his elder brother, who had gone to the Emperor at fourteen to propose marriage to Meng Qianxue, of being even more frivolous, and was immediately besieged by his elder brother and sister-in-law. Grand Master Pu Yangying reported to Empress Xun that the prayer ritual was already prepared.

He brought up the major case stirred up by the Changlin Prince's Manor, reminding Empress Xun that Grand Secretary Xun Baishui had many protégés and former subordinates, and it would be best not to get him implicated. In court, Grand Commandant Wu reported to the Emperor that Song Fu had confessed to the Datong Shipwreck Case but vehemently denied colluding with Ji Chen to seize military merits.

Ji Chen, on the other hand, claimed that everything was orchestrated by Song Fu. There were still contradictions between the two parties. Grand Commandant Wu intended to first question Duan Tongzhou, who had assumed the alias Master Qin, to roughly clarify the situation before having the two confront each other. At the same time, he produced a list of accomplices confessed by Song Fu, and Xun Baishui's expression changed unpredictably as he looked at the list.

Episode 6 Recap

The Emperor held the list provided by Song Fu and pondered for a while, feeling that Song Fu might be falsely accusing people and that the list was not entirely trustworthy. He decided it needed further investigation, so he handed it to Xun Baishui, ordering him to take up the responsibility of the chief assistant and carefully verify it. Xun Baishui let out a long breath.

Afterwards, the Emperor ordered Wu Tingwei to send Song Fu's confession to the Changlin King. After the Xiao brothers learned of the confessions of Song Fu and Ji Chen, Xiao Pingjing felt something was amiss. Why didn't Song Fu admit to conspiring with Ji Chen regarding military achievements? Xiao Pingzhang reminded him that perhaps both of them were telling the truth.

Although Ji Chen believed he was allied with Song Fu, all communications were actually transmitted by Duan Tongzhou, disguised as an aide. He and Song Fu were separated by vast distances, and such matters were difficult to verify from multiple sources, so everything might have been Duan Tongzhou's mischief. Xiao Pingjing also thought so. After all, Duan Tongzhou was a formidable master, ranked fourth on the Langya List; it wasn't worth his life just for Song Fu.

There might be someone else behind him. Xiao Pingzhang felt that Wu Tingwei should also be made aware of this line of thought. Meng Qianxue, the Crown Prince Consort, felt that there was a subtle romantic undercurrent between Xiao Pingjing and Lin Xi, so she proactively came to Jifeng Hall to invite Lin Xi to the manor to re-examine Xiao Pingzhang.

Leveraging the deep friendship between the Changlin King and Lin Xi's master, Old Master Li, she also grew closer to Lin Xi, telling Lin Xi to simply call her older sister. Lin Xi hesitated slightly. On their way back to the manor, their carriage collided with Pu Yangying's carriage. Pu Yangying quickly stepped forward to apologize. At this moment, Xun Feizhan, the Commander of the Imperial Guards, led his men through.

It turned out that Duan Tongzhou, the Langya List master, had escaped from the Heavenly Prison. Because his martial arts were too high, ordinary people couldn't capture him, so the Emperor had sent Xun Feizhan, the Commander of the Imperial Guards, to assist. Lin Xi found it a little strange to hear Meng Qianxue address Xun Feizhan as her senior martial brother.

Meng Qianxue explained that Xun Feizhan was personally trained by her grand-uncle, but because he was too young, he was nominally placed under her father's tutelage and they addressed each other as siblings. Now that she was married and Xun Feizhan was busy with military affairs, opportunities to meet had gradually decreased, and they had become more estranged. Empress Xun met her brother, Chief Assistant Xun Baishui, in the inner palace.

The two spoke of the major incident caused by the return of the Second Young Master of Changlin to the capital. The Empress asked Xun Baishui if there was anything he needed to explain to her. Xun Baishui assured his sister, the Empress, to relax, claiming that he had always been extremely cautious in his actions and had absolutely no involvement with the major case.

When Xun Baishui returned home, he was greatly startled to see Duan Tongzhou brazenly seated in his courtyard. He directly exclaimed that Duan Tongzhou was far too daring. Xun Baishui, eager to distance himself from this major case, claimed he had never intervened in the matter. Duan Tongzhou stated that Song Fu had instructed him that if anything unforeseen happened, he should obey Xun Baishui.

Xun Baishui drove Duan Tongzhou away, but before leaving, Duan Tongzhou left four dark fingerprints on Xun Baishui's desk. He then opened the window and, in the instant Xun Baishui was distracted, disappeared. Coincidentally, Xun Feizhan returned home at this moment. He noticed the fingerprints on the desk but said nothing. Xiao Pingjing was furious upon hearing that Duan Tongzhou had escaped from the Heavenly Prison, and he heavily criticized the Tingwei Office for its incompetence.

Xiao Tingsheng blamed him for not knowing his place and speaking without restraint, and Xiao Pingzhang also advised him not to rush to conclusions. Xiao Pingjing could only lower his head and admit his mistake. Xiao Pingzhang was very confident in Xun Feizhan, believing that with him handling the matter, Duan Tongzhou would not dare to be too presumptuous, and success was almost guaranteed.

According to Xun Baishui's investigation, although the details varied in depth and reasons, everyone on the list provided by Song Fu was indeed connected to him. The Emperor was furious and exhausted, so he ordered Xun Baishui and the Tingwei Office to jointly draft a plan for handling the matter. It was then to be sent to the Changlin King's manor to hear the opinions of Xiao Tingsheng and Xiao Pingzhang before making a final decision.

The Emperor was greatly angered and coughed violently, immediately summoning an Imperial Physician for treatment. High Master Pu Yangying was also invited by the Empress to dispel evil for the Emperor. Pu Yangying comforted the Empress, stating that His Majesty's illness was not serious. As for the Changlin King's manor, after Lin Xi's follow-up examination, Xiao Pingzhang was also recovering well, but still needed rest. Xiao Pingzhang, feigning praise for Lin Xi's composure, asked her age.

Lin Xi was slightly taken aback and ignored him. Meng Qianxue wanted to keep Lin Xi for dinner, but Lin Xi politely declined. Meng Qianxue questioned her husband why he intentionally asked the young lady's age. Xiao Pingzhang admitted that he was just testing her. Xiao Pingjing received a pigeon post from Langya Pavilion, but before he could read the content closely, Xiao Pingzhang called him to accompany him into the palace to have an audience with the Emperor.

Xun Feizhan happened to encounter the two on the road and inquired about Xiao Pingzhang's injury with concern. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Xun Feizhan, having military duties, left in a hurry. The Emperor was very pleased to see Xiao Pingzhang, and holding his hand, instructed him to be extra careful. However, when facing Xiao Pingjing, he changed to a different expression, reprimanding him for lounging around outside all day.

Xiao Pingjing quickly changed the subject by talking about the details of Datong Prefecture. He also took the opportunity to complain that his father was too strict, but the Emperor, as always, sided with the Changlin King. Xiao Pingzhang, using the excuse that Xiao Pingjing had not yet congratulated the Crown Prince on moving into the Eastern Palace, sent Xiao Pingjing away. After he left, the Emperor asked about his trip to Langya Pavilion to seek answers.

He said that if Xiao Pingzhang just asked his father, he could actually get the answers. Xiao Pingzhang merely wanted to look at things through the eyes of an outsider. The Emperor frankly stated that he had strongly opposed Xiao Pingzhang being established as the heir apparent.

Now, seeing Xiao Pingzhang's composure, he understood the Changlin King's ability to discern people, believing that Xiao Pingjing was not capable of taking on great responsibilities, and sighed that he could only entrust the Crown Prince to Xiao Pingzhang to feel at ease. Xiao Pingjing unexpectedly met Pu Yangying and did not want to speak much with this mysterious High Master, so he used the Crown Prince's name as an excuse to avoid him.

However, having not been in the palace for a long time, he couldn't find the Eastern Palace, so he simply employed his lightness skill. He was then spotted by Xiao Pingzhang, who was also coming to see the Crown Prince, and inevitably received another reprimand. Result, when the two brothers came to see the Crown Prince, Xiao Pingjing still disregarded palace etiquette, playing with Crown Prince Yuanshi without even bowing, which greatly displeased the Empress.

Xiao Pingzhang, despite his injuries, knelt to apologize to the Empress. Xiao Pingjing was dissatisfied with the Empress being too strict with the Crown Prince and even brought up the late Emperor's teachings. The Empress had no choice but to agree to let him take the Crown Prince out to play. Lin Xi came to the manor to re-examine Xiao Pingzhang but could not find him. Meng Qianxue offered her some tea and pastries as an apology.

Lin Xi was very interested in Meng Qianxue's exquisite makeup box and asked where it was made. Meng Qianxue didn't quite know, only that it was gifted by the Empress, so it was likely made by the Department of Internal Affairs. She then wanted to have another set made and give it to Lin Xi. Lin Xi explained that there was just an older sister at Jifeng Hall who liked patterns and wanted to take it back to let her sketch it.

Episode 7 Recap

The Commander of the Imperial Guards Xun Feizhan led the soldiers of the Patrol Camp in a widespread search, successfully cornering Duan Tongzhou in a small, dead-end area. The Imperial Guards were indeed not comparable to ordinary soldiers; though they were no match for Duan Tongzhou, they were able to entangle him. They followed his every move, leaping onto roofs and vaulting over walls, preventing Duan Tongzhou from easily escaping.

After Xun Feizhan arrived, he leapt up and drew his sword like lightning. Even with Duan Tongzhou's formidable martial arts, his forearm armor was sliced off by a single strike. Duan Tongzhou dared not continue fighting him. He forcefully used his internal energy to send several people flying, slowing down the pursuit, then executed a movement technique and disappeared without a trace in an instant.

Xun Feizhan glanced at the back wall of the Marquis of Laiyang's manor, concluding that Duan Tongzhou must have hidden inside. Duan Tongzhou cautiously searched all around in the Marquis of Laiyang's manor. Inadvertently, he discovered witchcraft objects in the Marquis of Laiyang's mother's room, learning the secret that the Marquis of Laiyang's mother was using witchcraft to curse the Emperor.

Xun Feizhan led his men in pursuit, searching the Marquis of Laiyang's manor, and then requested to search her inner chambers. When the Marquis of Laiyang's mother opened her wardrobe, she found Duan Tongzhou hiding inside. He shook the voodoo doll in his hand, and under his coercion, the Marquis of Laiyang's mother could only claim that the cabinet only contained personal clothing and nothing unusual, thus fooling Xun Feizhan.

After the Xiao brothers left the imperial palace, Xiao Pingzhang educated his younger brother Pingjing, telling him not to be too reckless and willful in the imperial palace, and to always adhere to proper etiquette. Xiao Pingjing perfunctorily agreed. As they passed by the Marquis of Laiyang's manor, they saw Xun Feizhan leading the Imperial Guards and the Patrol Camp guarding outside the manor.

Xiao Pingjing realized that they must be searching for Duan Tongzhou, and immediately got out of the carriage to help Xun Feizhan. The soldiers found nothing in the Marquis of Laiyang's manor and left helplessly. Duan Tongzhou returned the voodoo doll to the Marquis of Laiyang's mother and then departed. Before leaving, he sarcastically remarked that hiding in her room sticking a few needles wouldn't resolve her deep-seated resentment from years of widowhood.

The Marquis of Laiyang's mother threw the doll and painfully collapsed to the ground. Xun Feizhan gazed at the deep palm print Duan Tongzhou had left on a pillar during the earlier fight, deep in thought. Meng Qianxue secretly knelt at home, worshipping the Goddess of Fertility (Guanyin), praying with tears to get pregnant soon. Upon hearing Xiao Pingzhang's return to the manor, she hastily hid the Guanyin statue.

Seeing her anxious expression and eyes brimming with tears, and noticing the cabinet she had hastily closed but not locked, Xiao Pingzhang guessed her thoughts. He embraced her and comforted her not to push too hard. However, Meng Qianxue said that she had been married to Pingzhang for seven years and only hoped to give birth to a child for him soon.

Xiao Pingzhang joked that she would be married to him for a lifetime, so there was plenty of time. If not, there was no need to worry too much. Lin Xi sent someone to call Xiao Pingjing to Jifeng Hall at night. Xiao Pingjing joked that it was Lin Xi's first time actively seeking him out. Lin Xi ignored him and closed all the doors.

Xiao Pingjing jokingly remarked that while Langya Pavilion was relatively casual, Changlin Prince's Manor had rules and couldn't be trifled with. Lin Xi wasn't angry; she simply took out the rouge box she had borrowed from Meng Qianxue and handed it to Xiao Pingjing to examine. Xiao Pingjing couldn't make sense of it, so Lin Xi told him that the interlayer of the rouge box contained East Sea Vermillion Glue.

This medicine was extremely rare and difficult to find; not only was it extremely cold in nature, but even if prevented from moving, it would still spread contamination. Meng Qianxue had been using this powder box for years, and her long-term infertility was very likely related to this medicine. However, Lin Xi had only seen Vermillion Glue once several years ago and was not entirely certain.

Xiao Pingjing thought that since it wasn't certain, it would be best not to rush to tell his elder brother and sister-in-law, to avoid adding unnecessary worry. It wouldn't be too late to tell them after Lin Xi was certain in two or three days. He just couldn't figure out who had used such malicious means to harm his sister-in-law.

After Xun Feizhan witnessed Duan Tongzhou's unique Netherworld Ghost Fire palm print earlier that day, he recalled the marks on the table at his uncle Xun Baishui's house. He went to Xun Baishui's house and directly questioned him. After all, the characteristics of Netherworld Ghost Fire were too obvious: where the palm force reached, it didn't look like human work, but rather like it had been crushed by a red-hot branding iron.

Let alone within the small imperial capital, even looking across the entire pugilistic world, no second person could achieve this. Xun Baishui lied, claiming he was merely a civil official, knew nothing about martial arts, and was unclear how the palm print appeared. He argued that he had no connection with Duan Tongzhou. Xun Feizhan, however, said he only believed the truth he saw with his own eyes.

He made many assumptions: perhaps Xun Baishui had not conspired with Song Fu or Duan Tongzhou, or perhaps the power Duan Tongzhou relied on in the capital was not just Song Fu, but someone else behind him. Xun Baishui then played the emotional card, mentioning that Xun Feizhan's parents died when he was young, and he raised Xun Feizhan as his own son, even personally helping him find a master to learn martial arts.

In a fit of rage, Xun Feizhan shattered the small table with a palm strike, stopping Xun Baishui from speaking further. After he slightly calmed down, he honestly stated that he simply didn't understand why the Emperor had always treated the Xun family well. Crown Prince, Empress, Grand Secretary, Commander of the Imperial Guards – one title after another, it could be said to be the pinnacle of glory and favor.

Why did his uncle Xun Baishui do these things that deceived the emperor and hid from subordinates? Seeing that he couldn't deflect any longer, Xun Baishui simply burst into a rage. He frankly stated that the Emperor protected the Changlin Prince's Manor too much, but had not made early plans for the Crown Prince.

By then, if the Changlin Prince's Manor became too powerful for the ruler, relying on their control over all military affairs and asserting their own power with their troops. Xun Feizhan firmly believed that the Changlin Prince's Manor was definitely not such petty people. However, Xun Baishui accused him of being too naive in his thinking. The throne of the Great Liang Emperor could absolutely not be determined solely by the good or bad conduct of the Changlin Prince's Manor.

If they were righteous, the country would be stable; if they were wicked, the country would be in turmoil. This in itself was a huge destabilizing factor. In his fury, Xun Feizhan questioned Xun Baishui: "Just for your own selfish gain, can you gamble with the lives of the soldiers on the northern front? If the northern cavalry were to ride south, wouldn't they trample the land of Great Liang?"

He left in a rage, but was stopped by Xun Baishui's wife. Xun Baishui reminded him that the more than one hundred members of the Xun family were his true relatives. Helplessly, Xun Feizhan could only say that he had not yet caught Duan Tongzhou, and hoped his uncle would rein in his actions in the future. Xiao Pingjing really couldn't hold back and told Xiao Pingzhang about the poisoned powder box. Xiao Pingzhang was heartbroken upon learning of it.

He asked Lin Xi to thoroughly investigate Meng Qianxue's belongings while she was at Qinglian Temple. Lin Xi found that the East Sea Vermillion Glue was only hidden inside the powder box. Xiao Pingzhang looked at this item, bestowed by the Empress, and couldn't help but feel suspicious. Meanwhile, Xun Feizhan, by following the faint fragrance emanating from Duan Tongzhou's wrist guard, also traced him to Qinglian Temple.

Episode 8 Recap

Xun Feizhan discovered a hidden fragrance on Duan Tongzhou's wrist. Through the identification by Master Wei of the Imperial Household Department, it was learned that this fragrance originated from the emperor's bestowed lamp oil, which was only available in Pu Yangying's Qiantian Court and Qinglian Temple. He first went to Qinglian Temple to investigate. He coincidentally met Meng Qianxue, who was returning to her residence after praying for blessings.

Through the abbot of Qinglian Temple, he learned that Meng Qianxue had come to pray for flourishing offspring, so he prayed before the Guanyin statue for Meng Qianxue to have her wish granted. Xun Feizhan found nothing at Qinglian Temple, so he concluded that Duan Tongzhou's only opportunity to access the lamp oil was at Pu Yangying's former Qiantian Court. At this moment, Duan Tongzhou indeed appeared in Pu Yangying's Qiantian Court.

He told Pu Yangying that Xun Feizhan would surely misunderstand that he had a connection with Xun Baishui. Pu Yangying saw that he had successfully instigated a rift between the Xun family uncle and nephew, and concluded that Xun Feizhan would definitely be drawn into the situation. However, unexpectedly, Xun Feizhan suddenly arrived with troops and surrounded the Qiantian Court. Pu Yangying quickly hid Duan Tongzhou in a secret room with a mechanism.

Xun Feizhan asserted that Duan Tongzhou must have hidden inside the Qiantian Court. He insisted on a large-scale search, which Pu Yangying could not well obstruct. Although Xun Feizhan discovered the location of the secret room through his investigation, Pu Yangying blocked him, claiming that the secret room required a mechanism to open, unknown to outsiders, and that insisting on searching the secret room would imply suspicion of his connection with Duan Tongzhou.

Xun Feizhan, however, remained unmoved and insisted on opening the secret room. But after a careful search, no trace of Duan Tongzhou was found. Xun Feizhan had no choice but to apologize to Pu Yangying and returned empty-handed. It turned out that Duan Tongzhou had long since used his qinggong to hide in a well, thus evading the search. Xun Baishui entered the palace to meet the Empress.

He spoke of Xun Feizhan's suspicion of his connection with Duan Tongzhou and reminded the Empress that Xun Feizhan would not act impulsively and go to extremes, so she need not worry too much. However, the Crown Prince would eventually grow up, and he advised her to make plans early so that the Crown Prince would not be controlled by the successor of the Changlin Royal Mansion, Xiao Pingzhang, in the future. Afterwards, he came to the imperial court.

The Emperor saw that most of the shipwreck case had been investigated, and although there were still fugitives, the year-end was approaching, so he decided to close the case for now and deal with the fugitives later once they were caught. Changlin King Xiao Tingsheng mentioned Xun Feizhan's search at Qiantian Court, expressing great puzzlement.

He couldn't understand why Pu Yangying, despite being known as a guru and enjoying the Empress's trust, yet holding no official court position and not interfering in court affairs, would also be implicated in this matter. Xiao Pingzhang knew that Xun Feizhan would not rashly search without any signs. Song Fu and Ji Chen's testimonies were seriously contradictory, implying that there must be other forces behind Duan Tongzhou.

He felt that this matter was not only far from over but seemed to be just the tip of the iceberg, perhaps only just beginning. Lin Xi concluded that the medicine hidden in the cosmetic box was East Sea Cinnabar Glue. Xiao Pingjing was furious, but he couldn't understand why Meng Qianxue, with her excellent martial arts, hadn't noticed the changes in her body. Lin Xi told him that this injury didn't have much connection with noticeable physical changes.

Although she would do her best to help her recover, she hoped that Xiao Pingjing would not tell Xiao Pingzhang and his wife about the possibility of treating such an injury until she was ready. When Xiao Pingzhang learned that the bestowed cosmetic box indeed contained poison, he felt a chill to his heart, and the entire capital seemed to grow cold.

However, he firmly stated that the Changlin Royal Mansion, having weathered many storms, would never fear any difficult circumstances. Xiao Pingzhang understood that things were very complicated now, so he went to the Imperial Prison to meet Song Fu. He wanted to know what Song Fu was really thinking. Song Fu was confined in the Imperial Prison, bound by chains, and looked much older.

Xiao Pingzhang took out a copy of Song Fu's resume, praising that in his youth, Song Fu still had passion and a heart for his country. Why would he now commit such treasonous acts? Song Fu excitedly declared that everything he did was for the Daliang empire. Although Xiao Tingsheng was indeed a brilliant strategist, asking the Emperor for a military tally based solely on intuition was too casual.

If this precedent were set, Daliang's military system would inevitably fall into chaos, which would be extremely detrimental to the stability of the court. Xiao Pingzhang questioned him, asking if he therefore intended to use the lives of the soldiers on the Ganzhou front and the fortunes of the people of the five prefectures as sacrifices to warn future generations. Song Fu expressed his shame, stating that he had not foreseen the seriousness of the situation.

He had not expected Dayu to truly launch a full-scale attack on Ganzhou, and he had only intended to delay the military rations for a few days, preventing the Changlin Army from taking the initiative to attack, suffering a minor defeat, and curbing the Changlin Royal Mansion's vigor. He hadn't expected the military rations to sink, leading to the bloody battle in Ganzhou, which almost resulted in a collapse of the entire front line.

But he still reminded Xiao Pingzhang that the Changlin Royal Mansion now wielded immense power, overshadowing the monarch, and the Changlin Army looked down upon all others, consolidating their military strength, which had become a fait accompli. Even if the current generation of Changlin King could still abide by their duty, how could one guarantee that future generations would not be corrupted by power and usurp the throne?

However, he insisted that although Duan Tongzhou worked for him, he had never sent anyone to contact Ji Chen, nor had he ever thought of silencing people in Datong Prefecture. Xiao Pingzhang pondered with a cold expression for a moment; he had come to believe Song Fu's words.

After leaving the prison, Xiao Pingzhang immediately rushed to the imperial palace to report to the Empress about the poison hidden in the cosmetic box, hoping that she would approve his thorough investigation of the matter. Empress Xun believed that Xiao Pingzhang dared to suspect her, and angrily defended herself, stating that it was absolutely not her doing.

Xiao Pingzhang, however, did not back down, declaring that he would not give up even if he had to report it to the Emperor. Empress Xun was angered by his use of the Emperor to threaten her. Xiao Pingzhang solemnly announced that his father, his brother, and his wife were his bottom line, and once someone touched it, he would never silently endure it.

Empress Xun saw that his old injury had recurred due to his anger, so she said that someone had manipulated things around her, and she would not tolerate such a breach either. She agreed to Xiao Pingzhang's thorough investigation of the matter. Xiao Pingjing, seeing his elder brother's unhealed injury and his continuous hard work, felt heartbroken. He proactively requested to follow up on this matter, to share his elder brother's burden, and help investigate the cosmetic box incident.

Northern Yan and Eastern Sea sent state letters, requesting to dispatch envoys to the court. Xun Baishui believed that Eastern Sea and Daliang were allied nations through marriage, so they should be immediately granted permission. As for Northern Yan, it was currently in a period of internal strife, so they should be told to come next year. The Emperor ordered him to draft a reply letter for submission.

Xiao Pingzhang noticed that the Crown Prince had already come of age, yet in the sacrificial rites, his father, the Changlin King, was still given precedence. He felt this was highly inappropriate, so he went to the Ministry of Rites and requested them to properly revise the sacrificial etiquette.

He had already learned from Song Fu about the danger of widespread rumors, and he absolutely dared not overstep his bounds in any minor detail to avoid giving others cause for gossip and inviting trouble.

Episode 9 Recap

Lin Xi needed Xiao Pingjing to gather a medicinal herb growing in Chouyun Jian to regulate Meng Qianxue's body. However, Xiao Tingsheng issued a strict order forbidding him from running around during the New Year. Xiao Pingjing had to ask his elder brother Xiao Pingzhang for permission to leave the city for two days to help him block their father.

Xiao Pingzhang learned that he wanted to go to Chouyun Jian, guessed it must be for Meng Qianxue's matter, was touched, and gladly let him leave. The mother of Marquis of Laiyang secretly came to Pu Yangying's alchemy room to see him, bringing up the matter of the cosmetic box gifted to Meng Qianxue years ago, which the Empress was now strictly investigating. She was surprised that Pu Yangying was not anxious.

It turned out that back then, it was she who received this set of cosmetic boxes, secretly containing East Sea Zhujiao, from Pu Yangying. Now that the Empress was investigating, she feared that the craftsmen who made the box back then would be caught and confess. However, Pu Yangying calmly told her not to worry; the craftsmen from that year had been dead for seven years, and the Empress would never find anything.

On her way back to the mansion, the mother of Marquis of Laiyang finally had something on her mind. She recalled secretly meeting Pu Yangying in a market full of strange people and wonders years ago, and asking Pu Yangying to perform witchcraft on someone using their birthdate and time. Thinking of Pu Yangying's warning that performing witchcraft would lead to a backlash, her mood became increasingly uneasy.

Inside Jifeng Hall, Sister Yun intentionally mentioned that Xiao Pingjing hadn't been there for two days. Lin Xi focused on sorting medicinal herbs and didn't respond to her. Then she asked Sister Yun to be her experimental subject for practicing acupuncture, making Sister Yun scream. This cold and beautiful divine doctor's revenge was indeed quick and ruthless.

At this time, Xiao Pingjing was using his movement techniques, climbing up and down the steep and dangerous cliffs of Chouyun Jian to collect medicine. He climbed cliffs and flew over streams, working hard for a day, finally filling a bamboo basket with medicinal plants. Thinking of being able to solve his elder brother and sister-in-law's worries, he felt happy. That night, the wind was cold and heavy, as if it were about to snow.

Meng Qianxue couldn't help but worry about her younger brother sleeping in the wilderness. Xiao Pingzhang comforted her, saying that Xiao Pingjing always claimed to be a Jianghu person and should experience wind and snow. Meng Qianxue happily brought up the matter of the East Sea envoy delegation entering the capital after the New Year.

It turned out that this delegation was entering the capital to discuss a marriage alliance, and a princess from Northern Yan would also be marrying next year. She wondered if the Emperor would assign her to Xiao Pingjing. Xiao Pingzhang asserted that although the Emperor always wanted Xiao Pingjing to marry soon, King Changlin was blocking it by adhering to an old engagement.

Furthermore, the Emperor might not agree to the conditions proposed by Northern Yan, so this Northern Yan princess would naturally not get involved with Xiao Pingjing. Moreover, given Xiao Pingjing's personality, he would surely treat the so-called "command of his lord and father" as idle talk and marry according to his own will. Meng Qianxue stated clearly that she had already picked a girl for Xiao Pingjing, but due to an old agreement, she dared not mention it.

Early the next morning, Xiao Pingjing galloped happily on a fast horse across the plains, rushing back to the imperial capital. He saw Lin Xi standing in a pavilion, waiting against the wind, and thought she was waiting for him. Unexpectedly, Lin Xi was actually waiting for the last medicinal ingredient to be delivered, which greatly embarrassed him. The medicinal ingredients personally prepared by Old Hall Master Li were subsequently delivered.

Lin Xi then took the herbs Xiao Pingjing had collected and told him that once everything was ready, she would give him an update after the New Year. Xiao Pingjing felt disappointed seeing Lin Xi's business-like expression, so he also put on a formal look of gratitude. After Lin Xi got into her carriage, she gave him a water bottle, which made him happy again.

People say that infatuated women become foolish, but they don't know that men in love become even more childlike. Lanterns shone brightly, fireworks rose, and the New Year arrived amidst the sound of firecrackers. On the night of the New Year's Eve, people in Jinling visited relatives and friends, exchanging good wishes. The imperial capital was a scene of peace and prosperity.

Inside the Changlin Royal Mansion, the two Xiao brothers changed into festive attire, waiting for their father to lead them into the palace to celebrate the New Year. Xiao Pingzhang took the opportunity to ask his younger brother what he thought about the old engagement he was bound by.

Xiao Pingjing frankly stated that ever since he could remember, his mother had told him about a girl tied to him by an engagement, leaving him no choice, and his father's promise was a responsibility to him. He had thought many times about that girl he had never met, but she had long lost contact, and even if they met, no one would recognize each other; it was merely a thought of Xiao Tingsheng.

In the grand hall of the Imperial Palace, melodious music flowed, and singing and dancing continued. All royal relatives gathered to celebrate the New Year. During the feast, Xiao Pingjing secretly took out cakes homemade by Meng Qianxue for the Crown Prince to taste. The Empress, who was nearby, saw this scene and was so startled she wanted to stand up.

Xiao Pingzhang observed the Empress's reaction, quickly pretended to play with the Crown Prince, snatched a cake, and put it in his own mouth to prove it was not poisoned, thus appeasing the Empress. Xiao Yuanqi, standing to the side and slightly behind, saw that even among relatives, one had to be cautious at every step and guard at all times. He sighed slightly, feeling frustrated.

Being born into the imperial family was simply full of crises everywhere, unlike ordinary people who could freely visit relatives and friends and enjoy peace. After the banquet, King Changlin led his two sons home to observe New Year's Eve and offer incense to their ancestors. What was enshrined in the royal mansion was a wordless memorial tablet, a gift from the late Emperor.

There are countless heroic spirits in the world, not all of whom can leave their names in history. Although this tablet has no words, the sentiment is in the heart. Anyone wishing to mourn someone in their heart can pay respects before this tablet to express their sorrowful thoughts. After the New Year, Xiao Pingjing brought New Year's gifts from Meng Qianxue to visit Lin Xi.

Lin Xi told him that the treatment preparations were ready, but Meng Qianxue needed to cooperate. The truth needed to be told to Meng Qianxue. Xiao Pingjing mentioned that the mastermind might never be found, which made him feel blocked in his heart. Lin Xi comforted him, saying that Meng Qianxue had a broad and open mind and would surely be able to get through this difficult period.

On his way back to the mansion, Xiao Pingjing accidentally encountered Xiao Yuanqi and his friends having drinks. He was bothered by his sister-in-law's matter and wanted to join them to relieve his boredom. However, he overheard Xiao Yuanqi's friend saying that there was a rumor in the capital that Meng Qianxue's infertility was due to King Changlin's excessive killings. Enraged, he immediately taught the person a lesson. Xun Feizhan passed by and stopped him.

Xiao Pingjing fought him to a draw and explained that the person he was hitting had spoken nonsense about the female members of the Changlin Royal Mansion. Upon hearing someone slander Meng Qianxue, Xun Feizhan angrily took the person who had spoken nonsense away. Back home, Xiao Pingjing said that the truth must be told to Meng Qianxue. Xiao Pingzhang had no choice but to tell his wife all the truth.

Meng Qianxue was in great pain upon learning the truth. Xiao Pingzhang comforted her, saying that Lin Xi could treat her, so there must be hope for recovery. He told her not to overthink, but to follow medical advice and cooperate with the treatment. Moreover, no matter the outcome, Xiao Pingzhang would share it with her.

Seeing the Crown Prince playing with plum blossoms in the courtyard, the Emperor couldn't help but think of Consort Shu, who loved red plum blossoms the most, and was filled with sadness. The Emperor mentioned that the envoy delegation was entering the capital and would offer sacrifices to Consort Shu, and he also instructed the Empress to preside over it. The Empress was unwilling in her heart but dared not disobey.

She could only vent her anger on her elder brother Xun Baishui for not informing her in advance. Xun Baishui comforted the Empress, saying that Consort Shu had been dead for a long time, so why be angry and worried about this.

Episode 10 Recap

The East Sea envoy delegation is about to arrive in the capital. On the list of the delegation, the name of Mo Zihou of the East Sea, the top master on the Langya List, was prominently listed, which greatly surprised Meng Qianxue and Xiao Pingjing. Meng Qianxue estimated that Mo Zihou's arrival in the capital this time should be related to Consort Shu from back then.

The East Sea official letter also clearly stated that Consort Shu would be commemorated with East Sea rituals. The East Sea and Great Liang have long had marital alliances. Twenty years ago, the East Sea sent two princesses to marry into Great Liang, and the one sent to the Eastern Palace was later Consort Shu. And the other princess, who was betrothed by the late emperor to the second prince, was none other than Xiao Yuanqi's mother, Lady of Laiyang.

Although Mo Zihou's reputation was illustrious, he was actually a recluse who had long lived far from the hustle and bustle of the world. His sudden arrival in Great Liang to commemorate Consort Shu only then made people realize that he was actually Consort Shu's biological elder brother. Xiao Tingsheng felt that Consort Shu had passed away seven years ago, yet Mo Zihou was only now suddenly coming to commemorate her.

The Emperor also believed that Mo Zihou, whose martial arts were regarded as the best in the world, seemed to have another motive for his visit this time. Xiao Pingzhang also treated the entry of Mo Zihou, the top master from Langya, as a formidable enemy, not daring to take him lightly.

However, he said with relief that although Mo Zihou was powerful, Great Liang also had many talents, and in the capital, Xun Feizhan and Xiao Pingjing could hold their ground for a while. Although neither of them was on the Langya List, both were top masters. Xiao Pingzhang confidently believed that if the two joined forces, though they might not be invincible, they would be close.

Now that Mo Zihou's purpose for this trip was unclear, it would be better to let Feizhan and Pingjing handle him. Xiao Tingsheng also felt it could be left to the children to handle, and the Emperor agreed. Xiao Yuanqi recalled that his mother was from the East Sea.

He excitedly told her the news that the East Sea envoy delegation would arrive in the capital at the end of next month and that they had proposed to commemorate Consort Shu. Xiao Yuanqi originally thought his mother would be very happy about the arrival of people from her maternal family; however, Lady of Laiyang appeared flustered, her expression constantly changing.

It turned out that Lady of Laiyang believed the Prince of Changlin had killed her husband back then, so she obtained a cosmetic box containing East Sea Vermillion Glue from Pu Yangying. However, she didn't expect to be witnessed by Consort Shu while secretly swapping it.

Consort Shu knew that by doing this, Lady of Laiyang intended to wipe out the lineage of the Prince of Changlin's mansion, and once exposed, Consort Shu, also from the East Sea, would not be able to escape implication. So Consort Shu gave Lady of Laiyang ten days to secretly swap the cosmetic box back, otherwise she would surely expose her. This was the greatest favor she could offer her.

Lady of Laiyang could only pretend to admit her mistake, thanking Consort Shu for giving her a way out, to first appease Consort Shu. After recalling this past event, Lady of Laiyang felt mentally exhausted. However, she did not know that Mo Zihou, the top master from Langya, dressed in black, was quietly standing on the tall building behind her, his gaze cold, holding his sword tightly, staring intently at her and Xiao Yuanqi, mother and son.

Empress Xun summoned Pu Yangying to the palace. She heard that Consort Shu's elder brother, Mo Zihou, was a renowned and capable figure, so she inquired with Pu Yangying for details. Pu Yangying understood her intention and assured the Empress that he would immediately report any news from the court to her. Speaking of Consort Shu, Pu Yangying also recalled the situation back then. After Lady of Laiyang swapped the box, she came to him again.

He claimed to have observed the night sky and seen an omen of siblings harming each other, and seeing that Lady of Laiyang's forehead was dark, he deliberately claimed that another clan sister of Lady of Laiyang intended to kill her. At night, Mo Zihou moved like a shadow, without a sound, traversing between eaves like wisps of smoke.

He silently glided into the Great Liang Imperial Palace above the heads of countless imperial guards; even Xun Feizhan only heard a faint sound and saw no trace of him. Xiao Pingjing asked Lin Xi if the East Sea Vermillion Glue's circulation was restricted and if there was a way to find the person who harmed Meng Qianxue through this item.

Lin Xi stated that although East Sea Vermillion Glue had an extremely low yield and was expensive, it could circulate freely throughout the world, and there were many vendors in the East Sea, making it impossible to trace. However, Lin Xi judged that the person who used this method likely did not have the opportunity to harm the Prince of Changlin's mansion directly, probably didn't have many chances to go out, and it was disguised as a cosmetic box.

Therefore, it should be a female relative from an imperial clan living in a secluded residence, who held a grudge against the Prince of Changlin's mansion. Xiao Pingjing felt that if this matter was done by a female relative, it would be very difficult for him to investigate further. Xun Feizhan came to the Prince of Changlin's mansion. He and Xiao Pingjing had a fight, and neither of them looked pleased.

Xiao Pingzhang knew that Xun Feizhan's obstruction of his younger brother was well-intentioned, so he brought up the task of the two of them joining forces to block Mo Zihou. Upon hearing that they could meet the current top master on the Langya List, both indeed became interested.

Xiao Pingzhang also mentioned Mo Zihou's famous Black Crystal Sword, renowned throughout the world, which was neither gold nor jade, neither iron nor copper, but formed from the essence of the East Sea, and he was very curious about it. He asked Xiao Pingjing about his knowledge of Mo Zihou's martial arts. However, information on Mo Zihou was extremely scarce, and there were few records in Langya Pavilion. But Xiao Pingjing didn't mind.

Xun Feizhan said with concern that he felt Mo Zihou should have already arrived in Jinling City. Mo Zihou coerced the imperial physician on duty back then to elaborate on Consort Shu's cause of death. But he did not believe the imperial physician's claim that Consort Shu died from dystocia due to an abnormal fetal position, and he ordered the imperial physician to write down the names of everyone involved in the incident that year.

The next day, a sudden murder occurred in Jinling City. Among the six victims were three imperial physicians, one midwife, and the rest were the imperial physicians' family members. Xiao Pingjing saw the fierce sword marks on the wounds and knew that Mo Zihou had indeed arrived. But Xun Feizhan felt that there must be another hidden reason for Consort Shu's death.

Xiao Pingzhang judged that Mo Zihou openly placed his name on the envoy delegation list and wantonly committed murders. His purpose was to declare to the world that he was the invincible top master, that he came for Consort Shu, and that he killed without hesitation, regardless of whether the victims were innocent. In this way, the prime culprit, fearing Mo Zihou's reputation as the world's top master, must be in a state of panic, trembling with fear.

Lady of Laiyang dreamt back to the process of Consort Shu giving birth back then; it was she who personally administered the poison to Consort Shu, which led to Consort Shu's death. Now that Mo Zihou had come for revenge, she was so frightened that she could neither eat nor sleep peacefully. She could only relieve her stress by pricking the Emperor's voodoo doll. Pu Yangying praised Mo Zihou's swift and ruthless actions.

It turned out that it was he who sent a letter from a thousand miles away to invite Mo Zihou to come out of seclusion. Now Xun Feizhan and Xiao Pingjing were investigating this case, and he guessed it was Xiao Pingzhang's suggestion. He notified Mo Zihou to keep a close eye on the Marquis of Laiyang's mansion.

Through analysis, Xiao Pingzhang discovered that Mo Zihou was re-interrogating those present back then, one by one, according to the order on the list from that year. The next one was Master Zheng. However, Xiao Pingzhang found Lady of Laiyang's name on the list. Pu Yangying told the Empress about Mo Zihou's revenge actions, using this to induce the Empress to reveal whether she had assassinated Consort Shu. The Empress explicitly stated that it had nothing to do with her.

However, the Empress knew about Lady of Laiyang's East Sea Vermillion Glue incident from back then, and she coerced and enticed her into forming an alliance, and condoned her secretly harming the Prince of Changlin's mansion.

Episode 11 Recap

Lady Laiyang repeatedly stabbed the Emperor's voodoo doll at home to vent her anger. The arrival of Marquis Mozi gave her too great a fright. She could only ease her mind in this way. Xiao Yuanqi also noticed the abnormality; when greeting his mother, he was overly cautious. Xiao Yuanqi reported to his mother that the capital was restless and Marquis Mozi had already killed six people. He would absolutely not leave his mother at this time.

Lady Laiyang grew even more fearful upon hearing of Marquis Mozi's insane killings. Pu Yangying was tinkering with his pile of strange things in his Qiantian Court when Marquis Mozi suddenly appeared behind him, drawing his sword and pointing it straight at his heart. Pu Yangying was not afraid; instead, he started to negotiate with Marquis Mozi. Marquis Mozi coldly stated that Pu Yangying's life depended on the value of this transaction. Xiao Pingjing came to find his elder brother.

The Zhu Jiao case had made little progress, and he knew Xiao Pingzhang must be uncomfortable about it. Xiao Pingzhang found the craftsman who made the makeup box, but the craftsman had died seven years ago. He could not understand how this imperial artifact, which would undergo multiple rounds of specialized scrutiny before entering the palace, managed to enter the inner palace with such a nefarious conspiracy.

Xiao Pingjing believed it would be absolutely impossible and too dangerous to bribe all the inspectors. Xiao Pingzhang speculated that the item might have been swapped after entering Zhengyang Palace, but then it would have nothing to do with the craftsman, so why did the craftsman die? Just as Xiao Pingzhang was making some progress in his thoughts, Meng Qianxue suddenly returned home, and the two brothers hastily hid the makeup box.

Pu Yangying faced the sword edge of the foremost master in the land without fear, simply because he saw through the long-hidden Marquis Mozi's heart, which held grand ambitions encompassing the whole world. He first reminded Marquis Mozi that while the primary culprit who murdered his sister, Consort Shu, was most detestable, the Great Liang imperial family, who failed to protect Consort Shu, was by no means absolved of responsibility.

Subsequently, he declared that Marquis Mozi harbored grand ambitions, and he had already devised a complete plan to help Marquis Mozi achieve his heart's desire. This would allow him to both exact revenge and accomplish great endeavors. He slowly pushed away Marquis Mozi's sword edge, stating directly that Marquis Mozi harbored great aspirations for the East Sea, and he could help Marquis Mozi realize his ideals.

Pu Yangying waved his hands, and blazing flames burst forth from his palms, like divine magic, surprising even the knowledgeable and experienced Marquis Mozi slightly. Pu Yangying declared that the White God he worshipped had granted him divine prophecy, and only Marquis Mozi could change the current situation in the East Sea where people were serving different masters and their hearts were unstable.

He prophesied that Marquis Mozi would surely become the King of the East Sea within three years, and within ten years, the East Sea would dominate the world. Marquis Mozi, enticed by Pu Yangying and astonished by his seemingly divine magic, questioned who he really was and what purpose he had in planning all this for Marquis Mozi.

Pu Yangying said mysteriously that he was merely someone who could help Marquis Mozi achieve his goals, and his own purpose did not conflict with Marquis Mozi's. He brought up Changlin Manor to Marquis Mozi, stating that Xiao Pingzhang was currently the person in charge. He implied that Marquis Mozi should eliminate Xiao Pingzhang.

Marquis Mozi considered the matter easy, believing that Meng Qianxue and Xun Feizhan were no match for the discerning eye of the foremost master in the land. But Pu Yangying then brought up Xiao Pingjing, praising his unparalleled martial arts, saying that if he were to join forces with Meng Qianxue, Marquis Mozi might not be able to escape easily. Marquis Mozi was indeed provoked by him and became interested in Changlin Manor, wanting to witness it for himself.

After nightfall, Marquis Mozi indeed arrived at Changlin Manor to probe. Xiao Pingjing and Meng Qianxue successively sensed his arrival and drew their swords to confront him. However, Marquis Mozi acted meticulously and did not force his way in; he merely showed himself once, then moved like lightning, vanishing into the darkness without a trace. Changlin Manor's defenses exceeded Marquis Mozi's estimation. He had no opportunity to approach Xiao Pingzhang, so he returned to find Pu Yangying.

He speculated that Pu Yangying's intense focus on Xiao Pingzhang must stem from an enmity with Changlin Manor. Pu Yangying was reluctant to say more, merely stating that to dismantle Great Liang, Changlin Manor must be destroyed. And he had already found allies for Marquis Mozi to eliminate Changlin Manor. Pu Yangying entered the palace to meet the Empress.

The Empress frankly stated that Marquis Mozi's appearance had stirred up the Emperor's nostalgia for Consort Shu, and the Emperor was currently cold towards her and unwilling to see her. Pu Yangying asked the Empress to rest assured, guaranteeing that within a few days, Consort Shu's case would surely reach a true resolution, delighting the Empress. The Xiao brothers were investigating Consort Shu's case.

While reviewing the statements, they discovered that Lady Laiyang was clearly present at the time, yet no one had taken her statement. Xiao Pingzhang deduced from this that the mystery of the makeup box must be related to Consort Shu's death, being a continuation and development of the same event. At this point, Meng Qianxue again came to the brothers' room. Xiao Pingjing quickly declared that he was hungry to stop her and distract her.

After brushing her off, Xiao Pingjing went to find Xun Feizhan, telling him that Lady Laiyang seemed suspicious, and pulling him along to Laiyang Marquis Manor to investigate and inquire. At this time, Lady Laiyang was enjoying family bliss with her son, Xiao Yuanqi. She felt that her end was near and only wished to spend a little more time with her son. After nightfall, she watched her son return to his room step by step, tears in her eyes.

Marquis Mozi was quietly waiting for her in the room. Lady Laiyang respectfully called Marquis Mozi "Fourth Brother." Marquis Mozi did not intend to listen to her explanations. Lady Laiyang was greatly shocked and turned pale when she discovered Pu Yangying suddenly appeared behind her, understanding that Pu Yangying must have betrayed her, and collapsed onto the floor in fear.

She hysterically complained, asking why Consort Shu could enter the palace as a consort, protected and favored by the Emperor, while she, also a daughter of the imperial clan, was left a lonely orphan and a widowed mother, living her days relying on obedience. She insisted that even if she hadn't made a move, others would have.

Pu Yangying, however, stated that Lady Laiyang had screamed and cried, but Marquis Mozi would certainly not spare her life; he only wished to discuss what to do with Xiao Yuanqi. Upon hearing about her son, Lady Laiyang immediately panicked and begged Marquis Mozi to spare the innocent Yuanqi. Marquis Mozi did not care whether she was innocent, saying with a cold face, "What good would it do him to leave Xiao Yuanqi alive?"

Pu Yangying stated that keeping Xiao Yuanqi alive would be of great use. Ever since Marquis Mozi visited Changlin Manor last night, Meng Qianxue had decided to hold her sword and stand guard through the night. Xiao Pingzhang, however, concluded that Marquis Mozi had merely intended to test something last night and had already gotten his answer.

Episode 12 Recap

Pu Yangying consoled Lady Laiyang, saying that the word "utilize" was not so terrible. In life, one must first be useful to have opportunities. He asked Lady Laiyang to leave a will for Xiao Yuanqi, writing down the death of King Laiyang that year, and Lady Laiyang's hatred for the Former Emperor, the current Emperor, and King Changlin, to tell Xiao Yuanqi the origins of his father's vendetta and mother's hatred.

Mo Zihou claimed that as long as Lady Laiyang died, Consort Shu's revenge would be exacted. Furthermore, Marquis Laiyang, Xiao Yuanqi, was his nephew, and he would use the power of the East Sea Kingdom to help Xiao Yuanqi achieve great deeds. Lady Laiyang, having received Mo Zihou's assurance, had no choice but to pick up the brush.

Early the next morning, Xun Feizhan and Xiao Pingjing arrived at Marquis Laiyang's Residence, intending to interrogate Lady Laiyang about Consort Shu's matter. However, Lady Laiyang's room door could not be opened despite repeated knocking. Seeing that something was wrong, Xiao Yuanqi pushed open the door and saw blood splattered everywhere in the room. He looked up and saw his mother's corpse, pierced through the heart by a sword, hanging from the beam.

Xiao Yuanqi instinctively froze, then cried out heartbrokenly. Xiao Pingjing quickly stepped forward and embraced him, fearing his impulsiveness. Xun Feizhan took two steps forward and clearly saw the note Mo Zihou had nailed to the wooden frame, which read: "Resentment settled, time to return to the East Sea." The Emperor asked if Lady Laiyang was confirmed to have died by Mo Zihou's hand.

Xiao Pingjing asserted that Mo Zihou's note could be faked, but the world's sharpest sword edge would not be. The Emperor knew this meant Consort Shu's death was at the hands of Lady Laiyang, but he truly couldn't understand why Lady Laiyang would harm her own relative. The Emperor slumped into his seat, then suddenly commanded Xun Feizhan and Xiao Pingjing to lead a team to search Marquis Laiyang's Residence.

Xiao Pingjing asked Xun Feizhan to handle the search on his behalf, as he wanted to visit Xiao Yuanqi. However, he saw inner court officials carrying Lady Laiyang's body past. After questioning, he learned that the Emperor had ordered Lady Laiyang's body to be collected for examination in the palace before further disposal. This made him slightly angry. Having lost his mother, Xiao Yuanqi sat disconsolately on the ground, utterly devastated by his mother's death.

He couldn't understand how his mother, who was fine yesterday, had become a corpse overnight. Xiao Pingjing told him that the Imperial Guards were carrying out royal orders within the Marquis's Residence, and that he would not slander Lady Laiyang. Xiao Yuanqi, however, asked what "carrying out royal orders" entailed besides searching the residence. Xiao Pingjing had no choice but to tell him truthfully that it depended on the outcome of the search.

Xiao Yuanqi pleaded to be able to perform the "breaking the basin" ritual for his mother's burial, but Lady Laiyang's body had already been taken away by the inner court officials from the palace. Xiao Pingjing could only comfort him, saying he would try to find a way and beg the Emperor for mercy. Xun Feizhan discovered King Laiyang's memorial tablet and a witchcraft doll used by Lady Laiyang to curse the Emperor. He quickly called Xiao Pingjing over.

The cosmetic box that Lady Laiyang had swapped, which belonged to Xiao Pingjing, was also among the findings, leaving him unsettled. The imperial concubines gathered together. The Empress excitedly wanted to see the young Second Prince and the Third Prince, but at this moment, the Emperor called her to Yangju Hall. The Empress entered the great hall and saw the Xiao brothers and Xun Feizhan present, while the Emperor sat with his head bowed, his face grim.

The Empress was unsure of the situation until she heard the Emperor ask her to take a seat, which made her slightly relieved. However, the Emperor did not let her sit on the dragon throne, but instead ordered someone to bring a small couch for her. She became nervous again. Xun Feizhan presented the items found in Marquis Laiyang's Residence. The Emperor was startled when he saw the witchcraft doll.

He angrily declared that Lady Laiyang was incorrigibly stubborn, having wasted the Former Emperor's mercy on her and her son back then. Xun Feizhan then recounted the case of the cosmetic box, in which the Empress was naturally implicated. The Emperor learned that Lady Laiyang had privately swapped the cosmetic box and applied East Sea Vermillion Glue to it.

Xiao Pingzhang admitted that East Sea Vermillion Glue was an extremely cold substance, and anyone who came into contact with it would become infertile. King Changlin was greatly alarmed, and the Emperor was also enraged, coughing incessantly. Xiao Pingzhang quickly said that Meng Qianxue was recovering after treatment, which calmed the Emperor and King Changlin. Xun Feizhan presented the will, stating directly that it contained the reason for Consort Shu's death.

The Empress was terrified and only dared to close her eyes, waiting for the outcome. The Emperor read the contents of the will in detail, becoming more alarmed with each line. He handed the will to the Empress and questioned, "Is this Lady Laiyang's [handwriting]?" This frightened the Empress, who knelt down and repeatedly exclaimed she didn't know. In fact, the Emperor was only asking if the will was written in Lady Laiyang's own hand.

The Empress confirmed Lady Laiyang's handwriting. Seeing that the will did not mention her, she finally let out a sigh of relief. Xun Feizhan concluded that all matters were done by Lady Laiyang alone. The Emperor tentatively believed him. He looked forlorn and dejected, exhausted and unable to bear it, and dismissed all his officials. He then apologized for suspecting the Empress for so many years, and the Empress shed tears of emotion.

Upon learning that the Imperial Guards had sealed off Marquis Laiyang's Residence early that morning, Pu Yangying inquired about the actions of Xun Feizhan and Xiao Pingjing. He planned to bring this matter to a close. Xiao Pingjing believed that Xiao Yuanqi must be innocent and certainly not involved in his mother's conspiracy, so he asked his elder brother to approve his request to inform His Majesty and plead for Xiao Yuanqi.

Xiao Pingzhang, however, said that it was not the right time and instead told him to worry about his own matters. At this moment, King Changlin called Xiao Pingzhang over for discussion. Xiao Pingjing knew that his Royal Father must be angry about being kept in the dark about Meng Qianxue's matter. He shrewdly stepped back, distanced himself from Xiao Pingzhang, and cleared his own name. This earned him a glare from Xiao Pingzhang.

As a result, King Changlin also called Xiao Pingjing, making it impossible for him to escape. Xiao Tingsheng indeed flew into a rage. Xiao Pingjing informed him that Lin Xi already had a way to treat Meng Qianxue's body, but he was driven out by Xiao Tingsheng. Meng Qianxue was anxiously pacing outside the door at this moment, worried that Xiao Tingsheng was scolding her husband.

However, Xiao Tingsheng said to Xiao Pingzhang that he had transferred the miscellaneous affairs of the heir's residence from Steward Zhou of the Prince's Residence to his deputy general. He asked if Xiao Pingzhang, knowing his own origins, no longer wanted to confide in his Royal Father. Xiao Pingzhang quickly knelt on the ground and kowtowed, repeatedly saying he wouldn't dare. It turned out that Steward Zhou had a granddaughter who was Meng Qianxue's maid.

She had once accidentally broken the cosmetic box, so she secretly took it to Steward Zhou to find someone to repair it. Xiao Pingzhang asserted that Steward Zhou could not have failed to discover what was hidden inside the box, but he still returned it in the end. Xiao Tingsheng understood that Steward Zhou knew Xiao Pingzhang's character and that he would never marry anyone else, so he did this to prevent Xiao Pingzhang from having an heir.

Steward Zhou had entered the Prince's Residence with Xiao Pingjing's mother, so he deliberately favored Xiao Pingjing. Xiao Tingsheng was extremely enraged. After Xiao Pingzhang came out of the room, he did not reveal the truth. The next day, Steward Zhou was exiled and imprisoned. Under Xiao Pingjing's interrogation, Xiao Pingzhang had no choice but to reveal the truth that they were not born of the same mother. Xiao Pingjing was deeply pained upon learning the truth.

Episode 13 Recap

Meng Qianxue arrived at Jifeng Hall for treatment, dressed in light purple, elegant and dignified. Lin Xi brought up the matter of the Marquise Dowager of Laiyang. Meng Qianxue felt that people's hearts were unpredictable; she never expected that while the Marquise Dowager of Laiyang appeared submissive, deep hatred actually flowed within her. Lin Xi didn't understand where the Marquise Dowager of Laiyang's hatred came from and asked about the grievances between her and the Changlin Royal Mansion.

Meng Qianxue slowly recalled past events, telling Lin Xi that the case committed by Prince Laiyang back then was first detected by Prince Changlin, then handled by the current Emperor, and finally adjudicated by the Former Emperor. That's why the Marquise Dowager of Laiyang harbored resentment towards everyone, but she was unable to harm the Emperor, so she could only vent her resentment on the Changlin Royal Mansion.

After Meng Qianxue left, Lin Xi suddenly found Xiao Pingjing standing in the corridor of her inner courtyard, his face gloomy. Xiao Pingjing told Lin Xi that Meng Qianxue's suffering from this undeserved disaster was entirely due to him. After nightfall, Xiao Pingjing's heart was filled with unbearable sorrow, and he desperately practiced martial arts in Jifeng Hall to vent. The force of his sword destroyed flowers and broke wood. The more he practiced, the more agitated he became.

Lin Xi saw his pitiful state but didn't know how to advise him. The once proper Laiyang Marquis Manor was completely confiscated. Xiao Yuanqi sat alone, his figure desolate, in the now empty room, staring blankly at the bloodstains left by his mother on the floor, unmoving. Xun Feizhan stood outside the door, his expression grave. At this moment, the Patrol Camp arrived under imperial edict to take over the Laiyang Marquis Manor.

Xun Feizhan solemnly reminded them that the Marquis of Laiyang was merely awaiting the imperial decree and must not be treated disrespectfully. Xiao Yuanqi wandered through the Marquis Manor, swaying and disoriented. The Laiyang Marquis Manor had been sealed by the Patrol Camp; he had no freedom to leave, nor could anyone enter to see him, which made him sigh deeply. Yet, he was helpless and could only bear everything alone.

Xiao Pingjing, who had vented all night, woke up in the medical hall. Lin Xi thoughtfully brought him hangover soup. Xiao Pingjing admitted he dared not go home, unsure how to face his elder brother and sister-in-law. However, Lin Xi provoked him, saying that hiding wouldn't make things unhappen. Xiao Pingjing helped Lin Xi process medicinal herbs, alleviating his worries. He had done this kind of work often on Langya Mountain, so he was quite adept at it.

Xiao Pingzhang suddenly came to Jifeng Hall and persuaded him to go home. Xiao Pingjing confessed that he was actually afraid of Xiao Pingzhang getting angry. Xiao Pingzhang laughed, saying how could he be angry with his younger brother, and pulled him back home. Inside Qiantian Court, Marquis Mozi's face was cold as he questioned Pu Yangying on how much longer it would take to be ready.

Pu Yangying asked him to calm down, explaining that the deeper the fuse was buried, the better the effect would be. When the time was ripe, he would surely use the will left by the Marquise Dowager of Laiyang to turn Xiao Yuanqi into a hidden poisonous blade within Daliang. In the imperial palace, Prince Changlin Xiao Tingsheng and the Emperor discussed how to handle Xiao Yuanqi.

Xiao Tingsheng judged that Xiao Yuanqi was unaware of his mother's crimes, and the Emperor agreed, thinking that Xiao Yuanqi was still young and had potential. However, Xiao Tingsheng still reminded the Emperor about Xiao Yuanqi's father's matter. The Emperor believed that Xiao Yuanqi should have no way of knowing the inside story. The East Sea Envoy Delegation was now approaching the Imperial Capital.

The Emperor was greatly troubled by Marquis Mozi's ruckus and felt some misplaced anger towards the delegation, asking Prince Changlin if Marquis Mozi would still dare to appear before him. Prince Changlin believed that the East Sea envoys would likely not dare to admit that Marquis Mozi had been to Daliang. Everything was as he judged; when the East Sea Envoy Delegation entered the Imperial Capital, there was no trace of Marquis Mozi.

However, Xiao Pingzhang grew suspicious of the note Marquis Mozi left behind. Since Marquis Mozi had intended to leave, why would he leave a note? He judged that Marquis Mozi deliberately did this to cover up the fact that he had not actually left Daliang. Xiao Pingjing suggested that there were not many places in the Imperial Capital that would interest the world's top master; they only needed to strengthen their defenses.

Xiao Pingzhang reminded him that Xiao Yuanqi's Laiyang Marquis Manor should also be wary. Xiao Pingzhang's judgment had always been extremely accurate, and this time was no exception. Marquis Mozi, as expected, arrived alone at the Laiyang Marquis Manor. The ordinary soldiers of the Patrol Camp naturally remained oblivious. Xiao Yuanqi, seeing a stranger suddenly appear in the manor, immediately engaged him in combat.

However, Marquis Mozi's martial arts were so superior that he played with Xiao Yuanqi as if he were a child. Xiao Yuanqi, knowing he was no match, questioned who he was. Pu Yangying suddenly appeared, stating that Marquis Mozi was someone who could help Xiao Yuanqi achieve his dreams. In the imperial court, hundreds of officials stood. The East Sea Envoy entered the court to meet the Emperor and presented the state letter.

The Emperor deliberately asked who the renowned Marquis Mozi of Langya was. The East Sea Envoy indeed lied, claiming that Marquis Mozi had suffered from acclimatization issues and had returned to his country first, without setting foot in Daliang. The Emperor was slightly angered, secretly scolding Marquis Mozi of East Sea for being too presumptuous. The East Sea Envoy could only admit to their indulgence, stating that the Lord of East Sea would surely discipline him strictly in the future.

After the court session, the East Sea envoy, according to the state letter and East Sea customs, paid respects to the memorial tablet of Consort Shu. Xun Baishui entered the imperial harem to comfort his sister, Empress Xun, saying that the East Sea envoy had merely paid respects to Consort Shu's memorial tablet according to etiquette and built a small shrine, so the Empress need not be surprised.

The Empress was also in good spirits; a phantom who had been dead for seven years could finally be put out of her mind. However, in reality, things had only just begun. Pu Yangying had already given the Marquise Dowager of Laiyang's will to Xiao Yuanqi. Xiao Yuanqi knew that Pu Yangying's action was merely to force him down the same path as his mother.

Yet, Pu Yangying's eloquent tongue easily breached his psychological defenses, successfully stirring the anger and desires in Xiao Yuanqi's heart. Spiritually, he manipulated Xiao Yuanqi at will. The seeds of hatred and lust for power deeply rooted themselves in Xiao Yuanqi's heart. Xiao Pingjing came to see Xiao Yuanqi. Xiao Yuanqi hid his mother's will and led Xiao Pingjing into the hall to offer incense to the Marquise Dowager of Laiyang.

Xiao Pingjing confessed that he had originally intended to help Xiao Yuanqi retrieve his mother's remains, but family matters had caused a delay. Xiao Yuanqi's heart had already been twisted by Pu Yangying, and he coldly complained about being underestimated. Xiao Pingjing reminded him that evil causes lead to evil consequences. The Marquise Dowager of Laiyang was not innocent, and the Emperor's handling was not inappropriate.

Xiao Yuanqi sarcastically said that he had no fortune to enjoy the glory of the Imperial Capital, and it would have been better if he had been exiled to a distant place back then, to have a good end. Xiao Pingjing painstakingly tried to persuade him, but it only brought out Xiao Yuanqi's anger. The two had a big argument. Xiao Yuanqi blamed the current Emperor for leaving no room for his father's death.

Xiao Pingjing was greatly shocked, finding that the current Xiao Yuanqi was unlike the one he had known before. He loudly reprimanded Xiao Yuanqi for being deluded and treating a long-settled old case as a power struggle. Xiao Yuanqi was startled, realizing he had misspoken. He didn't know what was wrong with him, but he felt that Xiao Pingjing couldn't understand his loneliness and pain. At this moment, an imperial attendant delivered an oral decree, ordering Xiao Yuanqi to have an audience.

Episode 14 Recap

Xiao Yuanqi entered the palace to meet the Emperor. The Emperor ordered someone to show Xiao Yuanqi the imperial edict from the former Emperor concerning the handling of the Prince of Laiyang. Xiao Yuanqi did not dare to be presumptuous in front of the Emperor and did not defend his mother. However, as a son, he still pleaded with the Emperor to show mercy and allow him to retrieve his mother's body for burial.

Seeing the Emperor's anger, Prince Changlin quickly signaled him to calm down, then reminded Xiao Yuanqi that his mother had harmed imperial concubines and endangered the imperial heirs, and her crimes were unforgivable. Imperial clan members, according to etiquette, could not lay the spirit of a guilty person to rest. If he insisted on burying his mother, he must sever ties with the imperial clan and abandon his position as a member of the imperial family.

Xiao Yuanqi did not know how to choose, so the Emperor made the decision for him. The Grand Madam of Laiyang could only be lightly buried in the outskirts, and Xiao Yuanqi's noble rank was reduced to a third-rank marquis. He was allowed to mourn for three months, which was considered a compromise for both sides. The Emperor showed extra mercy, yet Xiao Yuanqi's resentment in his heart grew stronger. Mo Zihou arrived at the Laiyang Marquisate Mansion.

Xiao Yuanqi thought he was there to kill him, but Mo Zihou said that Xiao Yuanqi's life was very precious as he was crucial to the future situation of Daliang. Xiao Yuanqi questioned what the East Sea Kingdom wanted from him. Mo Zihou, however, proudly stated that the current Xiao Yuanqi was not qualified to be treated as his equal and question his purpose.

Xiao Yuanqi remembered that Mo Zihou had commented that his martial arts had much room for improvement, so he sought guidance from Mo Zihou. The gap between Xiao Yuanqi and Mo Zihou could be described as vast as heaven and earth. With his back to Xiao Yuanqi, Mo Zihou still kicked Xiao Yuanqi flying with one kick. Mo Zihou provoked Xiao Yuanqi with words, saying that both his parents were criminals and he had no place to stand in Daliang.

His only hope was to follow Mo Zihou and diligently practice martial arts. Xiao Yuanqi, fueled by the resentment in his heart, desperately learned martial arts. Xiao Pingjing and Xun Feizhan talked about Xiao Yuanqi's changes. Xun Feizhan advised him not to think too much, saying that Xiao Yuanqi had suddenly encountered such a misfortune, and whether he could overcome it depended solely on himself.

Time would naturally smooth everything over, and he believed Xiao Yuanqi would surely emerge from the quagmire of hatred. If Xiao Yuanqi thought things through himself, he would be able to adjust his mindset. However, with Pu Yangying and Mo Zihou's instigation at this time, Xiao Yuanqi's heart had already plunged deep into an ocean of hatred. The Emperor of Daliang sent envoys to revisit East Sea.

Mo Zihou knew he would have to meet them then, so he had to leave the Laiyang Marquisate Mansion. Xiao Yuanqi, following the kinship customs of East Sea, addressed Mo Zihou as his maternal uncle. And he assured Mo Zihou that he would diligently practice martial arts. He felt what Pu Yangying said was very true; what he needed most now was strength and patience.

However, Mo Zihou, having traveled the world for many years, could naturally see that Pu Yangying's intentions were absolutely not as he claimed, and he reminded Xiao Yuanqi to understand that Pu Yangying and the two of them were not on the same path. The Cabinet sent the imperial dispatch to Prince Changlin's Mansion, which greatly surprised Xiao Tingsheng.

It turned out that the dispatch contained the list of the Northern Yan envoy delegation, and the Fifth Prince of Northern Yan, Prince Hui, was prominently listed. The accompanying guard was Tuoba Yu, the third son of Prince Hanhai of Northern Yan. As the successor of the Hanhai Sword, he was ranked fifth on the Langya List. Xiao Tingsheng knew that the Fifth Prince of Northern Yan was the legitimate son of the Northern Yan Emperor.

From this, he judged that the situation of the Northern Yan civil war was even more severe than he had estimated. Langya masters were also appearing one after another, as if someone was fanning the flames from behind. Xiao Pingzhang deeply agreed and wanted to call Xiao Pingjing to arrange tasks, but Xiao Pingjing was not in the mansion. After the East Sea affair ended, Xiao Pingjing spent all day by Lin Xi's side.

He suddenly received a message from Langya Pavilion, learning that Tuoba Yu, the successor of the Hanhai Sword, was about to enter Daliang. However, he didn't care much, after all, he had already seen Mo Zihou, the greatest master in the world, and the fifth rank could hardly surprise him anymore.

Lin Xi felt that martial arts masters were naturally intertwined with the imperial court, and if Langya Pavilion only wanted to answer questions about jianghu affairs, it would be difficult to cleanly separate itself. Pu Yangying also learned that Prince Hui of Northern Yan and Tuoba Yu were about to arrive in Daliang, and similarly concluded that Northern Yan was very anxious. He called Duan Tongzhou back to the capital to await orders.

The Emperor was happily practicing archery with the Crown Prince, having a good time. Xun Baishui, however, requested an audience in the imperial court. Seeing the full spring beauty of the garden, the Emperor felt joyous and reluctant to leave, so he called Xun Baishui to meet him in the imperial harem. Xun Baishui brought up the matter of the Northern Yan envoy delegation.

Because the Fifth Prince of Northern Yan had been elevated to Prince Hui, they wanted the Crown Prince to also participate in the peace talks with Northern Yan to gain experience. But the Emperor refused, citing the Crown Prince's young age, instead ordering Prince Changlin's heir, Xiao Pingzhang, to receive them on his behalf. The Cabinet sent the final conditions for the peace talks and alliance between Yan and Liang to Prince Changlin's Mansion.

Xiao Tingsheng was not very satisfied with them. Xiao Pingzhang reminded him that the current opportunity was rare and should not be missed, and he could freely express what he wanted. People from the seven major horse farms outside the pass would return inside the pass once a year to deliver New Year's gifts. However, they were all secretly in contact with Pu Yangying.

Pu Yangying felt that the capital's direction was uncertain and told them to wait secretly for now. The next day, in the imperial court, Xun Baishui was relatively satisfied with Northern Yan's conditions for troop withdrawal and marriage alliance, but Prince Changlin Xiao Tingsheng spoke out, feeling they were inappropriate. Xiao Pingzhang explained to Xun Baishui that the southern ridge of Chenwu Mountain actually had a very gentle slope, offering no strategic defenses.

Therefore, Northern Yan's troops were already in the northern ridge and had not actually withdrawn. The Emperor knew Northern Yan merely wanted a marriage alliance, so he said an additional condition could be added. Xiao Pingzhang opportunely proposed that Daliang's warhorses were not robust and could only rely on private horse farms to import horses for military supplies.

Therefore, he intended to demand five hundred excellent breeding horses from Northern Yan and establish a government-run horse farm in Lanzhou, to be managed by the Changlin Army. Xun Baishui had strong objections to the warhorses being managed by the Changlin Army. The Emperor, however, directly gave his final approval on the matter. Pu Yangying learned of this matter and found Xun Baishui, feigning a discussion about astrology.

He claimed that the 'general star' was too bright and its light infringed upon the 'Emperor star'. In reality, he was using the opportunity to imply to Xun Baishui that Prince Changlin's achievements overshadowed the Emperor, and he would usurp the throne sooner or later. Xun Baishui believed him and hastily asked Pu Yangying for a solution. Pu Yangying took the opportunity to invite Xun Baishui for a secret talk on another day.

The brothers Xiao Pingzhang and Xiao Pingjing, by checking records, discovered secret dealings between the Cabinet and the seven major horse farms outside the pass. Only then did they realize that the Cabinet had been, through the buying and selling of warhorses, either fabricating information or falsely reporting numbers, and taking the opportunity to line their own pockets.

However, it was Daliang's rule that military officials do not participate in investigations, so Xiao Pingzhang told Xiao Pingjing not to act rashly. Prince Changlin's Mansion must restrain themselves and not leave room for gossip. Seeing that he was not allowed to investigate under the name of Prince Changlin's Mansion, Xiao Pingjing decided to secretly investigate under his own jianghu identity. Xun Baishui indeed secretly met with Pu Yangying.

Pu Yangying, using the stability of the Crown Prince's future situation as a pretext, hinted to Xun Baishui to act privately to prevent the demand for excellent horses from Northern Yan. He suggested pretending that the contents of the peace talks had been leaked, allowing people from the seven major horse farms to use the reason that their business had been exposed to obstruct the Northern Yan envoy delegation.

Xun Baishui worried about renewed conflict between Northern Yan and Daliang, but Pu Yangying assured him that Northern Yan was currently preoccupied with its own affairs and could not possibly become an enemy of Daliang.

Episode 15 Recap

Xiao Pingjing was called to the patrol camp early in the morning. He learned that the heads of five of the seven major horse farms had a secret meeting last night, but the content of the meeting was unknown. This had never happened before, and these people didn't reach an agreement and were planning to meet again. Xiao Pingjing told his elder brother Xiao Pingzhang about this. Xiao Pingzhang angrily told him not to meddle in this matter anymore.

Xiao Pingjing said that he would definitely not do anything out of line, and that listening to the horse farm people's conversation at night was not too much. Xiao Pingzhang tacitly agreed. At night, Pu Yangying learned the result of the seven major horse farms' discussion. The horse farm managers decided to seek victory in danger and ambush the Northern Yan envoy delegation in the suburbs.

They believed that as long as Northern Yan Prince Hui was injured, the two countries would fall out, and peace talks would naturally fail. Pu Yangying disdained these managers, considering them a group of simple-minded fools. He didn't care if the horse farm people succeeded or not, but he planned to make good use of it.

He also learned that Xiao Pingjing had eavesdropped on the content of the horse farm managers' meeting and ordered his subordinates to plan a way to make the interception happen an hour earlier. Pu Yangying informed Xiao Yuanqi of the location of Grand Lady Laiyang's tomb. After learning this, Xiao Yuanqi, dressed in military attire, immediately went out with his sword, disregarding his butler's attempts to stop him.

In fact, this was merely Pu Yangying's method to lure him to the location of the Northern Yan envoy delegation. Xiao Pingjing set off with his troops behind him, preparing to rescue the Northern Yan envoy delegation. However, he was actually an hour late. Xiao Yuanqi was in great pain in front of his mother's tomb when Duan Tongzhou suddenly appeared. Pu Yangying deliberately brought up the ambush of the Northern Yan envoy delegation and Xiao Pingjing to him.

Xiao Yuanqi guessed that Pu Yangying deliberately told him this, certainly having a scheme. Pu Yangying, however, claimed that he wanted Xiao Yuanqi to deliver a message to Xiao Pingzhang, doing him a favor. Xiao Yuanqi hurriedly left. He rushed all the way to Changlin Manor, where Xun Feizhan happened to be, also worried about Xiao Pingjing. The Northern Yan envoy delegation's convoy, escorted by a small contingent of troops, grandly set off towards Jinling City.

Princess Chonghua, who was to marry into Great Liang this time, was also among them, appearing quite impatient. In front of the guards of Han Hai Sword, Tuoba Yu, they suddenly discovered a group of people blocking their way; it was the people from the seven major horse farms. The people from the seven major horse farms revealed their identities, asking Prince Hui to return, and urged their horses forward to challenge.

However, the fifth expert of Langya was not someone these mere rabble could contend with. With a flash of sword light in front of Tuoba Yu, the person who had urged his horse forward to challenge had already lost his sword-wielding arm. The others didn't even see him draw his sword. Xiao Pingjing arrived with a large contingent of troops at this moment.

The people from the seven major horse farms scattered immediately upon seeing the government soldiers and threw darts towards Prince Hui's carriage. Xiao Pingjing and Tuoba Yu were both startled and immediately went to investigate. They saw the cold-faced Princess Chonghua calmly lift the curtain and, having caught all the darts, threw them to the ground. It turned out that this cold-faced princess was secretly skilled, with impressive martial arts.

She met Xiao Pingjing's gaze for a moment, her face stern, revealing a provocative expression. Xiao Yuanqi finally rushed to Changlin Manor in a great hurry, telling Xiao Pingzhang and Xun Feizhan about seeing Duan Tongzhou and believing he was targeting Xiao Pingjing. The three immediately rushed to the scene of the incident. At the location of the Northern Yan envoy delegation, Duan Tongzhou indeed appeared at this moment, but he did not attack Prince Hui's carriage.

Instead, after injuring a few soldiers, he turned and left. Xiao Pingjing indeed fell into the trap, sending others to escort the Northern Yan carriage while he pursued. Duan Tongzhou led Xiao Pingjing deep into the mountains and forests. As the two shuttled back and forth among giant trees and withered branches, locked in a fierce battle, Duan Tongzhou suddenly revealed his long-ambushed troops, completely surrounding Xiao Pingjing.

After Xiao Pingzhang arrived at the Northern Yan envoy delegation with Xiao Yuanqi and Xun Feizhan, he immediately went alone to search for Xiao Pingjing, leaving only Xun Feizhan and Xiao Yuanqi to protect Prince Hui. Prince Hui heard that it was the second young master of Changlin who had just rescued him and praised his exceptional intelligence. Xun Feizhan was puzzled, but Prince Hui reminded him that someone was missing from the Northern Yan contingent.

As Xiao Pingjing was trapped in the encirclement, two fists were no match for four hands, and he was in great peril. He falsely claimed to have fallen into a trap and could not escape death, trying to trick Duan Tongzhou into revealing the mastermind behind it. Duan Tongzhou, however, coldly stated that Xiao Pingjing shouldn't even dream of extracting information before he breathed his last.

Duan Tongzhou wielded his "Netherworld Ghost Fire" palm force, striking an empty blow that broke a tall tree. Xiao Pingjing was attacked from front and back, besieged by multiple attackers, but he fought with increasing bravery, slaying many enemies. Just as Duan Tongzhou was about to deliver the final blow, Tuoba Yu suddenly burst out from mid-air, killing several assassins and standing back-to-back with Xiao Pingjing, causing Duan Tongzhou's pressure to sharply increase, forcing him to fight with utmost concentration.

Duan Tongzhou was only one rank higher than Tuoba Yu on the Langya List, which ignited Tuoba Yu's competitive spirit, leading to a fierce and inseparable battle with Duan Tongzhou. Xiao Pingzhang and Xiao Yuanqi finally arrived with cavalry. Xun Feizhan also followed soon after. The five men combined to encircle and suppress Duan Tongzhou. Duan Tongzhou, in his panic, was cornered at the edge of a cliff.

Tuoba Yu, seeing a rare opportunity, proactively challenged Duan Tongzhou to a one-on-one duel, hoping for a change in the Langya List rankings. The two were evenly matched and fought for a long time without a clear winner. Ultimately, while dodging Tuoba Yu's sword edge, Duan Tongzhou lost his footing and fell off the cliff. Xiao Pingjing sustained minor injuries and sought Lin Xi for bandaging. Xiao Pingzhang criticized him for being too reckless.

Xiao Pingjing explained that he had long ago enticed Tuoba Yu to follow him by explaining Duan Tongzhou's palm prints, believing himself to be in no danger. Meng Qianxue, however, deliberately brought up Xiao Pingjing's old engagement to Lin Xi. Unaware of the true situation, she explained to Lin Xi that the engagement period had passed, and Prince Changlin would find Xiao Pingjing another marriage next year, using this to test Lin Xi.

Lin Xi softly said that the matter had nothing to do with her and stood up to leave. Meng Qianxue blamed Xiao Pingjing for not speaking up, calling him too foolish. Pu Yangying learned of Duan Tongzhou's death. Although he didn't show much on his face, he was greatly shocked internally.

Xiao Yuanqi, after being enlightened by Xiao Pingzhang at Changlin Manor, returned home, took out his cherished mother's last letter, thought long and hard, hesitated for a long time, and finally burned it.

Episode 16 Recap

Xun Baishui suddenly came to the Imperial Guards to find Xun Feizhan. Upon being informed, Xun Feizhan quickly thought of getting up to greet him. But after a slight hesitation, he did not actively welcome him, instead coldly ordering someone to let Xun Baishui in. He knew Xun Baishui must have learned of Duan Tongzhou's death. Xun Baishui, as he expected, asked if Duan Tongzhou was truly dead.

Xun Feizhan, however, believed that yesterday's ambush was arranged by Xun Baishui and was very disappointed with him. Xun Baishui knew that Xun Feizhan had always considered him the most suspicious. Yet, he had indeed done nothing, but Xun Feizhan was stubborn and did not believe his uncle. Xun Baishui frankly admitted that although he and the Changlin Royal Mansion had always had disagreements, it was absolutely not to the extent of ambushing Xiao Pingjing.

Seeing his sincere tone, Xun Feizhan finally trusted his uncle a little, and confessed that Duan Tongzhou had committed suicide by jumping off a cliff, asking Xun Baishui if he had any clues about the person behind Duan Tongzhou. Xun Baishui thought for a moment and remembered Pu Yangying, but he lied, claiming he had no clues, and did not speak of him. Before leaving, he secretly sent someone to tell the Jingzhao Prefecture to secretly monitor Qiantianyuan.

Pu Yangying inquired about Duan Tongzhou's cause of death, but his secret agent could not tell him the full details of Duan Tongzhou's experience before his death, because when Duan Tongzhou died, he was far from the crowd, with only a few people around him. However, he said he could find another person to ask about the situation at the time. This person was Xiao Yuanqi. Pu Yangying angrily arrived at Xiao Yuanqi's Laiyang Hou Mansion.

Xiao Yuanqi had already guessed that he would come to question him. Xiao Yuanqi's strength had greatly increased since he studied martial arts with Marquis Mo Zibo, and he was able to remain calm even when facing Pu Yangying directly. He stated that he knew everything he saw yesterday was deliberately orchestrated by Pu Yangying.

The Grand Madam of Laiyang had once made a move against Meng Qianxue, and Pu Yangying's intention was to make Xiao Pingzhang eliminate his aversion to Xiao Yuanqi, and rescuing Xiao Pingjing, his younger brother, was the best opportunity. Unexpectedly, not only did Xiao Pingjing escape with his life, but Duan Tongzhou was also lost, resulting in the loss of a major asset. Xun Feizhan and Xiao Pingjing examined Duan Tongzhou's corpse together.

Xun Feizhan knew that everything Duan Tongzhou did was definitely not for fame or fortune. What made him willing to sacrifice his life for it baffled Xun Feizhan. While investigating Duan Tongzhou's corpse, the two accidentally discovered an embroidery on his body. Xiao Pingjing felt it looked familiar. The Emperor inquired about the Northern Yan envoy delegation being robbed.

Prince Changlin felt that the seven major horse farms had made contributions in the past and should not be eradicated all at once. Xiao Pingzhang also believed that the court's official management of military horses could not be achieved overnight, and the seven major horse farms from the old system still needed to be retained. As for how to balance them, it could be discussed further. The Emperor agreed.

The Emperor and his officials then talked about Old Prince Ning's health. The Emperor remembered that if the peace talks succeeded, there would be a marriage alliance. The Princess of Northern Yan had already arrived and was originally, at Old Prince Ning's suggestion, to be betrothed to Marquis of Laiyang Xiao Yuanqi. However, the current situation made it impossible for the Emperor to make such a decision, so he asked Prince Changlin to whom she should be betrothed.

Prince Changlin, however, pretended to be foolish, displeasing the Emperor. Xiao Pingjing came to find Lin Xi, falsely claiming that his wound was numb and itchy, suspecting that Duan Tongzhou had poison on his palm. Lin Xi nervously wanted to examine the wound, then put on a worried expression, which startled Xiao Pingjing, making him think there was truly some hidden complication with his injury.

Unexpectedly, Lin Xi coldly stated that she hadn't expected Xiao Pingjing's wound to heal so quickly. Xiao Pingjing saw that Lin Xi had played a trick on him but was still acting as if nothing happened, and directly said that Lin Xi had really become naughty and wondered who she had learned it from. Xiao Pingzhang replaced the Crown Prince in hosting the envoy delegation, so he brought Xiao Pingjing along to visit.

The group toured Dongyuan together and got along well. After the Empress received the news, she was displeased and admitted that now all the civil and military officials in the court and foreign envoys only knew of the Heir of Changlin and not the Crown Prince. At this time, the Crown Prince had also caught a cold, which was not getting better.

Xiao Pingjing was quite interested in the Northern Yan Princess, simply because this Princess had extraordinary martial arts skills, similar to Meng Qianxue. At this time, within the Northern Yan envoy delegation, Prince Hui was admonishing Princess Chonghua not to be too willful. After all, she was a Princess to be married tomorrow. Chonghua, however, recalled her childhood when she won first place in the hunting ground and was praised by her father.

Now, not long after, the royal family had declined, and the rebel army was growing. She lamented that the iron-blooded spirit of her ancestors no longer existed, and she could only become a pawn in a marriage alliance. However, thinking of the chaos in her country, she was still willing to go through with the marriage alliance, merely expressing a slight sigh.

She asked Prince Hui, if the peace talks succeeded and he became the Crown Prince, how he planned for the future military and political situation. Prince Hui had profound insights, knowing that addressing people's livelihoods and corruption could absolutely not be done by iron-fisted means alone. Chonghua smiled brightly, knowing that with Prince Hui in charge, Northern Yan would surely rise again, and wished him success in his endeavors. The peace talks were initially settled.

Northern Yan was willing to offer five hundred breeding horses, but they would be delivered over five years. Xiao Pingzhang quickly told this good news to his father. Xiao Pingjing again lingered by Lin Xi's side, telling her about the marriage alliance between Princess Chonghua and Prince Tingshan's Heir from the Great Liang royal family, but Lin Xi showed no interest.

Xiao Pingjing mentioned that Prince Changlin had asked him to attend the banquet to entertain the Northern Yan envoy delegation. He deliberately stated that he was not the one marrying the Princess, using this to test Lin Xi's attitude, but Lin Xi naturally would not fall for it. Xiao Yuanqi secretly monitored the movements at Qiantianyuan, seeing many people continuously arriving there.

Pu Yangying was burning incense and talismans in the courtyard, performing a grand ritual to pray for Duan Tongzhou's soul. He had gathered many White God Cult followers and knew that his Qiantianyuan was being closely monitored. So, he ordered his followers to tightly guard his manor outside the city, as he seemed to be planning an operation that could not fail. It turned out he was secretly raising a group of sick people, preparing to plot a plague.

The palace banquet was held as scheduled, with graceful singing and dancing, prompting Prince Hui of Northern Yan to praise it repeatedly. The two sides of the peace talks raised their cups and conversed joyfully, presenting a scene of peace and closeness. Xun Feizhan was very interested in rare masters like Tuoba Yu and actively sought to spar with him. The Empress was very dissatisfied that no one came to invite the Crown Prince to the palace banquet. The eunuch stated that the Emperor probably pitied the Crown Prince, whose cold had not yet recovered, and thus wanted him to rest. This angered the Empress greatly.

Episode 17 Recap

The Hanhai Sword successor Tuoba Yu, ranked fifth on the Langya List, was a master of martial arts, and with his visit, Xun Feizhan could not suppress his desire to spar. The Emperor of Da Liang gladly agreed to his request, ordering the two to have a match at the palace banquet to entertain. After the two exchanged salutes with their swords, Tuoba Yu made the first move, his figure like the wind.

Xun Feizhan was as steady as a mountain, responding calmly. For a moment, sword light flashed like lightning in the great hall, illuminating all directions. The two moved erratically, their swordplay swift and fierce; they could be described as evenly matched. However, they were only sparring, not fighting to the death, and after a few moves, they simultaneously stopped. This stumped the Emperor of Da Liang; as a layman in martial arts, how could he distinguish victory from defeat?

Princess Chonghua, however, suddenly stood up and impudently requested to fight, also wishing to spar. But she did not intend to take advantage of Xun Feizhan's fatigue from continuous fighting; instead, she designated Xiao Pingjing as her opponent. The Emperor was pleased and granted her permission. Princess Chonghua, confident in her martial arts, provocatively claimed she would not harm Xiao Pingjing. This ignited Xiao Pingjing's competitive spirit. He smiled slightly, rose, and entered the arena.

Princess Chonghua's martial arts were indeed extraordinary, her swordplay fluid and artistic. However, Xiao Pingjing was clearly superior, gradually taking control of the situation. Their steps were graceful, their bodies like swirling dancers, sword blades clashing with sounds like elegant music. Though they were sparring with sharp blades, it gave observers the feeling of watching a beautiful musical dance. The refined steel longswords bore countless nicks from their clash, demonstrating the immense power of their confrontation.

The two fought more and more fiercely. The longswords finally could not withstand the force and suddenly broke in their last clash. However, Xiao Pingjing's broken blade, without deviating, plunged straight into the chest of Prince Hui of Beiyan, leaving everyone stunned on the spot. Xiao Pingjing looked at the broken sword in his hand, unable to believe it.

Princess Chonghua rushed to Prince Hui's side, stating that Prince Hui had come for peace talks, and slandered the Changlin Manor, claiming they were unwilling to negotiate peace and deliberately resorted to such a vicious attack. Tuoba Yu angrily immediately wanted to settle scores with Xiao Pingjing. Fortunately, he was stopped by Xiao Pingzhang, who reminded him to calm down.

Tuoba Yu turned and pleaded with the Emperor to uphold justice, claiming that Beiyan would never forget this blood feud for generations. Xun Baishui suggested that it would be best for the Emperor to pacify them first. The Emperor had no choice but to order Xiao Pingjing, who had caused such a disaster, to be imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice's Heavenly Prison for later detailed investigation. Princess Chonghua, however, was relentless.

Xiao Pingzhang could only pacify her and Tuoba Yu, stating that the top priority should be to attend to Prince Hui. Tuoba Yu scanned the people of Da Liang, then looked at Prince Hui, overcome with grief, and burst into tears. When the Empress received the news that Xiao Pingjing had accidentally killed Prince Hui, she was startled. She had originally complained that the Crown Prince couldn't attend the palace banquet, but at this moment, she immediately felt fortunate.

Pu Yangying also learned of the matter immediately. Even he, who was usually confident in his schemes, frankly admitted that he had never expected such a thing to happen. The incident was sudden, so he chose to instruct his subordinates to act cautiously, first gathering information without acting rashly. Xun Feizhan led the army to surround the residence of the Beiyan envoy delegation, preventing them from entering or leaving.

In the imperial court, some, having heard Princess Chonghua's words, thought that the Prince of Changlin truly opposed peace talks. The Emperor sternly reprimanded them. He determined that today's incident was merely an accident. The sudden incident left all ministers in a panic, without any idea how to handle it. Xiao Pingzhang could only apologize to the ministers. However, he believed that this incident was not an accident.

Xiao Pingjing, in the Heavenly Prison, continuously recalled the sparring process with Princess Chonghua. Suddenly, he realized that Princess Chonghua had intentionally guided his moves, causing his broken sword to kill Prince Hui. What he couldn't understand, though, was Princess Chonghua's motive. At this moment, he remembered the message from Langya Pavilion that he hadn't had time to read before.

Seeing the reminder on it that the Beiyan envoy delegation was not united, he regretted why he hadn't checked it earlier, leading to this grave mistake. Xiao Pingzhang came to visit Xiao Pingjing and affirmed Xiao Pingjing's deduction about Princess Chonghua. However, Princess Chonghua's actions were secretive, and even those present would find it hard to believe she acted intentionally.

Xiao Pingzhang felt that the death of Prince Hui would definitely benefit his political enemies at home, and that political enemy would certainly make a big issue out of this matter later. With Prince Hui dead, the peace talks had failed. However, Xiao Pingzhang still comforted his younger brother, telling him not to blame himself too much; after all, no one could have foreseen this. He planned to first appease Beiyan, settle this matter down, and then make further plans.

Xun Baishui came to find Pu Yangying, remarking that Pu Yangying could casually command even a master like Duan Tongzhou. He concluded that Pu Yangying was even more extraordinary than he had imagined, and judged that his involvement in court disputes surely had ulterior motives. He demanded Pu Yangying openly state his purpose, or their cooperation would be severed. Pu Yangying declared that he did this to showcase his talents.

Since the Emperor did not believe in the Bai Shenjiao, he chose the path of supporting a new monarch to achieve his grand ambitions. Xun Baishui speculated that his goal was the position of Imperial Advisor. Pu Yangying did not refute this, and also stated that the Prince of Changlin, not being a believer, would become an obstacle for him, which was why he was opposing him.

Pu Yangying judged that regarding today's incident, although Xiao Pingjing would be protected under the Emperor and the Prince of Changlin's compromise with Beiyan, the losses incurred and potential future wars would all be attributed to Xiao Pingjing, making it difficult for him to recover. However, Xun Baishui believed that Xiao Pingjing was not a cause for concern, because he felt that the future of the Changlin Manor rested on Xiao Pingzhang.

Pu Yangying said cryptically that they could deal with them one by one, slowly. At night, Xiao Pingzhang returned home and told his father that Prince Hui's death, as they had judged, was not an accident, but they could find no evidence. However, Xiao Pingzhang disagreed with the Emperor's rash concession to Beiyan merely to protect Xiao Pingjing, because this would be tantamount to admitting guilt. He also saw that this incident would leave a lifelong mark on Xiao Pingjing. If they simply retreated now and sought peace, it would not be the best strategy.

Episode 18 Recap

Xiao Pingzhang felt that although the truth behind Prince Hui's death was not important in the eyes of the various interested parties, not everyone would be indifferent. Within Northern Yan, there were always loyal people to Prince Hui who wished to seek out the truth, and Tuobayu was one of them. So he brought Xiao Pingjing out of the heavenly prison, and they went to find Tuobayu together. At this time, Tuobayu was kneeling before Prince Hui's remains, keeping vigil.

When he saw Xiao Pingjing, his eyes turned red with anger, and he immediately began to fight him. Xiao Pingzhang not only did not stop them, but even handed them long swords. Xiao Pingjing immediately used the move that Princess Chonghua had used to deliberately cut the long sword in his hand. The confrontation between the two was like a reappearance of the battle between Chonghua and Xiao Pingjing.

The sword in Tuobayu's hand was also broken by Xiao Pingjing and flew out. As the fifth-ranked master on the Langya List, how could he not discern the truth? Tuobayu confirmed that Xiao Pingjing could prove Chonghua's deliberate murder and that it would also be written in Da Liang's state letter. He then solemnly swore that his Han Hai Tuoba clan would not let Prince Hui die in vain.

In the imperial court, Prince Changlin announced to the Emperor and the ministers that Prince Hui's death was not an accident but a deliberate assassination by Princess Chonghua, which greatly shocked everyone, and they asked him if he had any evidence. Prince Changlin only stated that he trusted his son's judgment.

Xun Baishui took advantage of this, saying that Northern Yan's internal strife would not be overly pursued, and Da Liang's court had also made compensation, so the matter could already be concluded properly. Prince Changlin should not delve deeper and make the situation uncontrollable. Prince Changlin reported to the Emperor that Northern Yan's court was divided into two factions. Prince Hui's death should have caused huge turmoil in their court.

However, if Da Liang conceded, although it could temporarily calm the situation, it would actually give Northern Yan a common external target, thus helping to stabilize their situation. If Chonghua's deliberate murder was written in the state letter, it would certainly cause some in Northern Yan to believe and some not to believe, leading to chaos in their court. The Emperor dismissed all the ministers, leaving only Prince Changlin to discuss. He understood Xiao Pingzhang's meaning.

After Prince Hui of Northern Yan died, his political opponents would definitely not reconcile with Da Liang again. Therefore, he decided that the state letter could state that Chonghua was a deliberate murderer. He knew Prince Changlin would surely have a request to go to the Northern Yan border, but he did not intend to grant it. Prince Changlin reassured the Emperor, saying that Northern Yan was definitely incapable of moving south for the time being.

He was just adjusting military preparations, and there was no danger. The Emperor could not refuse him and had to agree. After leaving the imperial court, Xun Baishui told Pu Yangying, who had been waiting for a long time, about Prince Changlin's opposition to backing down, and admitted that he actually believed and supported Prince Changlin's judgment, as the northern border's warfare concerned the nation's safety.

Pu Yangying continued to incite Xun Baishui to eliminate the Changlin Royal Manor under the pretext of considering the Crown Prince's long-term interests. However, Xun Baishui was not an easily fooled person. He declared that he only wanted to keep the Changlin Royal Manor, whose achievements overshadowed the master, in check, but never intended to eliminate it. News spread from the palace that Xiao Pingjing was no longer imprisoned.

Xiao Pingzhang reminded his younger brother that although the matter had passed, there would certainly still be voices of doubt and opposition against him in the imperial court, advising him to act cautiously after Xiao Pingzhang and Prince Changlin left Jinling. Xiao Pingjing was displeased to learn that his father and elder brother were leaving the capital again because of him.

He went to Jifeng Hall to confide in Lin Xi, resenting himself for not taking the imperial banquet competition seriously, which led to a disaster. He stated that he wanted to stay in the capital to face everything. He finally understood that no matter how much he wanted to be an unrestrained wanderer, it was impossible, because his birth determined that he would ultimately not get what he wished for.

Tuobayu returned to Northern Yan with Prince Hui's coffin and Princess Chonghua. Xiao Yuanqi stood on the city wall, watching them depart, lamenting how unpredictable life's encounters were and that no one could foresee the next moment's change. He was grateful that Butler Tai remained loyal to him regardless of any changes that occurred in their household. At night, Xun Baishui pondered secretly at home.

He confessed to his wife that ever since forming an alliance with Pu Yangying, he had felt uneasy, but his sister, the Empress Dowager, trusted him greatly and would not listen to his advice, which made him feel quite helpless. Pu Yangying learned that Prince Changlin and Xiao Pingzhang were about to embark on a long journey, and that the Emperor was also leaving the capital.

He mysteriously smiled, saying that when they returned to the capital, what they would see would surely be an uncontrollable chaotic situation. His apprentice became curious and peeked at his medicinal ingredients. After Pu Yangying discovered this, he poured the powdered medicine into a jar. Immediately, endless frosty white mist emerged from the jar. Pu Yangying introduced it, saying that this was precisely the potent poison invented by the sages of Ye Qin, known as Frost Bone.

Prince Changlin and his son were ready to depart when they suddenly received a white-bound funeral letter, which informed them that Prince Mu of the Southern Territory had passed away. Prince Changlin sighed, lamenting that besides Langya Pavilion, there were few left in the world who still remembered Prince Mu. However, this was not a time for sorrow. Prince Changlin only reminisced for a moment before setting off from his manor.

Before leaving, he exhorted Xiao Pingjing to bear the heavy responsibility of the Changlin Royal Manor and to cultivate his temperament well. The physicians of Jifeng Hall noticed the strange phenomenon of people extensively purchasing Baiyin grass in the counties surrounding the capital, so they reported it to Lin Xi, which also greatly puzzled her. Xiao Yuanqi had been secretly monitoring every move of Qiantian Court. At this time, he followed Pu Yangying's disciple to a secret mountain cave.

It turned out that Pu Yangying had been secretly commissioning people there to use poison to create a venomous person carrying an infectious disease, whose blood could soon be harvested and released into the capital.

Episode 19 Recap

The imperial palace was in chaos, with flames soaring into the sky. The Crown Prince's Eastern Palace was engulfed by the raging fire, and the night sky was dyed crimson. Empress Xun, worried about the Crown Prince, rushed towards the Eastern Palace without even dressing properly. Fortunately, Xun Feizhan carried the Crown Prince out of the fire. Although the Crown Prince was frightened, he was unharmed. Xiao Pingjing also noticed the fire and rushed to the palace in a hurry.

Xun Feizhan told him that the Crown Prince was safe, which allowed him to somewhat relax. However, Xun Feizhan questioned him on how he entered the palace so late at night. It turned out that the late emperor had granted the Changlin Prince's Manor a golden token that allowed them to enter the palace freely without reporting. Xiao Pingjing dared to enter the palace grounds precisely by relying on this golden token, which his father had never used.

But Xun Feizhan reprimanded him for misusing the golden token. He said such a token was merely a symbol of honor and should not be actually used, otherwise entering the palace late at night without reporting would inherently lead to various suspicions. Xun Feizhan told Xiao Pingjing to leave quickly while no one was watching, to avoid causing a major disaster. Xiao Pingjing left the imperial palace looking dejected. Imperial officials knelt all over the floor in the Empress's palace.

Empress Xun loved her son more than her own life, and such an incident enraged her. Upon hearing officials report that the fire might have been caused by night duty drowsiness, she sternly decreed that all palace maids on night duty should be cruelly beaten to death. She ignored all dissuasion and acted stubbornly, also ordering that the matter not be reported to the Crown Prince.

The next morning, Xiao Pingjing requested an audience with the Emperor to plead for those on night duty. Upon learning of the matter, the Emperor was slightly surprised and stated that he would send someone to stop the Empress's foolish actions. Xun Feizhan was currently suggesting to the Empress that the Crown Prince be moved to Taiqing Palace for temporary residence.

Just then, the Emperor's decree arrived, ordering the Empress to send those on duty to the imperial internal affairs department for legal punishment. The Empress guessed that someone must have reported this to the Emperor. Xun Feizhan knew it must have been Xiao Pingjing, and reluctantly admitted that he was the one who spoke out about it. Just as the Empress was about to get angry, Pu Yangying arrived. In her agitated state, the Empress allowed Xun Feizhan to leave.

Pu Yangying, looking flustered, prostrated himself before the Empress, proclaiming that something terrible had happened. He claimed that he had observed the celestial phenomena at night and had seen ominous signs, using his set of supernatural theories to tell the Empress that the Crown Prince would face a great calamity. The Empress already believed in white gods, and with the Eastern Palace just burned to ashes, she was even more distraught. Upon hearing Pu Yangying's words, she was instantly terrified.

However, she couldn't understand the heap of mystical nonsense Pu Yangying was spouting, so she asked Pu Yangying to directly state what would happen. Pu Yangying actually said that the imperial dragon vein would be severed, and the Crown Prince's life would be in danger. The Empress was furious upon hearing this, and slapped Pu Yangying hard, scolding him for cursing the Crown Prince.

Pu Yangying quickly claimed that a ritual could be performed to transfer the Crown Prince's tribulation to others, but if ordinary people were used as sacrifices, it would require hundreds or thousands. The Empress hesitated somewhat, but ultimately agreed to the matter under Pu Yangying's eloquent persuasion. Xiao Yuanqi discovered the person he had tracked last time and followed him all the way to Qiantian Courtyard, but he still couldn't figure out what Pu Yangying was plotting.

Pu Yangying secretly met with that person and learned that Chixia Town in Jingxi, with a population of over a thousand, was the most suitable place. However, that person reminded Pu Yangying that no matter whether their plan went smoothly or not, it would be easy to investigate, and then Pu Yangying would not be able to stay in the imperial capital of Daliang.

But Pu Yangying, with a sinister expression, stated that he had never come to Jinling City for a splendid future, but for revenge. Lin Xi came to the Changlin Prince's Manor, but saw Xiao Pingjing studying at his desk. Meng Qianxue then talked to her about her concerns for the Changlin Prince and Xiao Pingzhang. Xiao Pingjing suddenly interjected, making Lin Xi very unhappy that her conversation was overheard. Xiao Pingjing deliberately teased her, saying she wasn't confessing her admiration.

Lin Xi angrily turned away, her face flushing. Xiao Pingjing apologized to her, but she walked straight out of the manor, leaving Xiao Pingjing bewildered. Meng Qianxue accused him of being too foolish. Xiao Yuanqi came again to monitor the activities of Qiantian Courtyard. Pu Yangying suddenly appeared directly behind Xiao Yuanqi. He questioned Xiao Yuanqi about what he wanted to know.

He called Xiao Yuanqi into the courtyard for tea, bringing up how the current tragic state of the Laiyang Marquis Manor was triggered by the death of Xiao Yuanqi's father back then, and asked if he harbored hatred for Xiao Pingzhang's father. However, Xiao Yuanqi stated that he would not be easily swayed by Pu Yangying's words. Although he held resentment in his heart, he would not resent the Changlin Prince who investigated the case by imperial decree.

But Pu Yangying told him that the so-called "Xiao Pingzhang's father" did not refer to the Changlin Prince, which greatly astonished Xiao Yuanqi. It turned out that Lu Yuan was the Grand General of the Left Camp of the Changlin Army back then, commanding the military forces of eleven prefectures. And the Laiyang Prince's fief was within these eleven prefectures. It was precisely with Lu Yuan's support that the Laiyang Prince was able to commit such a major crime.

The Changlin Prince and his son Xiao Pingzhang would part ways in Yuanzhou. The Changlin Prince led him to an extremely simple grave, stating that it was Lu Yuan's tomb, and Xiao Pingzhang actually knelt before the small mound. It turned out that the Changlin Prince was one of the three children selected by Mei Changsu from Yeyou Court to practice sword formations back then, and Lu Yuan was the eldest among them.

When the Changlin Army was just founded, all three joined the military, campaigned across the northern battlefields, supporting each other, which led to everything they have today. However, Lu Yuan supported the Laiyang Prince and was overly greedy for power, which ultimately led to him having a grave but no tombstone.

But the Changlin Prince comforted Xiao Pingzhang, saying that Lu Yuan had ultimately saved seventeen witnesses whom the Laiyang Prince tried to silence, and to preserve physical evidence, he did not hesitate to surrender and atone for his sins. Facing the grave of his biological father, Xiao Pingzhang burst into tears. After he finished crying, he kowtowed to the grave. He asked the Changlin Prince why he still designated him as the Prince's heir, knowing what Lu Yuan had done.

The Changlin Prince comforted him, saying that the spirit of the Changlin Army lay not in bloodline but in spirit. Watching the Changlin Prince's receding figure, Xiao Pingzhang felt a mix of emotions, unable to tell if he was happy or sad. Meanwhile, under Pu Yangying's deliberate guidance, seeds of hatred were again sown in Xiao Yuanqi. Immediately, he sent people to collect blood used to create human "medicine" and dispersed it into Chixia Town.

He also planned to intervene through official court channels to prevent the authorities from knowing about this as much as possible before they could control the epidemic. At night, in the peaceful Chixia Town, Pu Yangying's subordinates poured the blood into the water wells.

Episode 20 Recap

Chixia Town was originally a peaceful and bustling scene, but many people suddenly fainted on the streets. There was only one medical hall in the small town. The doctor, seeing so many people fainting with fever, all showing the same symptoms, hurried as per custom to the Jingzhao Yin's office to present a document and report. Afterwards, he came to Jifeng Hall in the capital for help.

Lin Xi, dressed in a light blue long gown, heard about multiple concurrent cases with the same symptoms and felt that the matter was no small one, so she decided to personally go to Chixia Town to check the situation. The number of patients in Chixia Town was increasing, making Lin Xi a little flustered. The Jingzhao Yin received the document from the doctor reporting the plague, but after the doctor left, he directly tore the document into pieces.

It turned out that Jingzhao Yin Master Li was a protégé of Xun Baishui. Pu Yangying had already told the Empress about the plan. Coincidentally, the Emperor was not in the capital but at Wei Mountain, so the Empress used her own decree to greet the Jingzhao Yin and threatened Jingzhao Yin Master Li's future, making him turn a deaf ear to the matter.

To prevent the matter from being exposed, Master Li ordered Commander Wu to lead men and tightly blockade all roads into and out of Chixia Town. Seven days later, Pu Yangying was holed up in his Qiantian Courtyard, manufacturing his disgusting and dangerous plague blood. He made a blood-soaked handkerchief and had his disciple deliver it to the hand of a female official in the palace.

Xiao Pingjing had not seen any trace of Lin Xi for seven whole days, so he pressed the doctor at Jifeng Hall about where Lin Xi had gone. After he learned that Lin Xi was in Chixia Town, worried about her safety, he galloped on horseback and rushed into Chixia Town. Pu Yangying was a bit surprised to receive the news that Lin Xi was in Chixia Town. He then asked his subordinate, "Have the Xuan Chi been delivered?"

His subordinate told him that all the Xuan Chi had been delivered to Xuanling Cave and would not delay his healing. The so-called Xuan Chi was actually a spiritual snake unique to Ye Qin. The Frost Bone poison refined by Pu Yangying, when taken with Xuan Chi gall, became a sacred medicine for healing and could also increase a person's cultivation by ten years.

When Xiao Pingjing arrived in Chixia Town, the authorities had already lifted the blockade on Chixia Town. Lin Xi tried her best to stop this act of lifting the blockade and allowing people to move freely after everyone might have been carrying the plague, but it was useless.

After she saw Xiao Pingjing, she told him that the plague had broken out in Chixia Town seven days ago, that it was blockaded when the Jingzhao Yin's office was most needed, and that the roadblocks were then removed when the plague fully broke out, allowing everyone to move freely. Xiao Pingjing was not in the mood to listen to all this; he only cared about Lin Xi's safety and wanted to pull her away.

Lin Xi stated that the source of this plague was unknown and there was insufficient medicine, so she could not leave. Just as the two were speaking, another patient collapsed on the ground. Lin Xi went up to check, but Xiao Pingjing saw that the disease was truly terrible and pulled Lin Xi, wanting to leave. Lin Xi solemnly said that she was a doctor, and helping the world was her duty; she would absolutely not leave at this time.

She also told Xiao Pingjing that the government's handling of this matter was very abnormal, and urged him to quickly return to the capital to report and send more people. Seeing that Lin Xi was determined not to leave, Xiao Pingjing stated that he would directly report to the Grand Secretariat. On his way back to the capital by galloping horse, Xiao Pingjing suddenly saw his elder brother, who was also hurrying back to the capital.

He then told Xiao Pingzhang about the plague in Chixia Town, west of the capital. After the two returned to the capital, Xiao Pingjing directly half-dragged, half-pulled Jingzhao Yin Master Li into the Grand Secretariat. Xun Baishui was greatly shocked and reprimanded Xiao Pingjing for daring to treat a court official like that.

Xiao Pingzhang slowly stepped into the Grand Secretariat from outside the door, questioning Xun Baishui whether he knew about the plague outbreak in Chixia Town, west of the capital, where thousands of lives hung in the balance. Xun Baishui genuinely did not know about this, his face full of surprise. He questioned Jingzhao Yin Master Li about what exactly happened, stating that such a major crisis could never be casually brushed aside.

Master Li, however, insisted that he was unaware and had not received any reports from folk doctors. Xun Baishui dared not delay and immediately ordered the Imperial Medical Bureau to rush to Chixia Town to investigate the epidemic situation and report back to the Grand Secretariat. He also instructed the Patrol Camp to strengthen vigilance in the capital.

As the Grand Secretary, he was no ordinary person and deeply knew that the key at this moment was to control the overall situation. The Jingzhao Yin's matter could be dealt with after the situation was clarified later. After Xiao Pingzhang left, Xun Baishui said to Jingzhao Yin Master Li, "It's time to tell the truth now, isn't it?" Master Li was surprised that Empress Xun had not reported this matter to Xun Baishui.

Sister Yun suddenly appeared in Qiantian Courtyard. Pu Yangying also gave her a short sword, ordering her to act as opportunity arose and to choose the right moment to act. He himself said that trouble was brewing and he should lie low and leave the capital. After Xun Baishui learned about the plague, he went to the imperial harem to question the Empress. The Empress stammered and was unwilling to say much.

Under Xun Baishui's insistent questioning, she reluctantly stated that this matter was Pu Yangying performing a ritual for the Crown Prince to overcome a calamity, and asked Xun Baishui not to interfere. When Xun Baishui heard that the Empress had done such an absurd thing, he was furious and reprimanded her for being too foolish. The Empress, however, insisted with a strong attitude that everything was for the Crown Prince's sake.

Xun Baishui was helpless and advised her that even if both of them held high positions and power this time, it would be difficult to say if they could escape. He questioned the Empress whether only Jingzhao Yin Li Gu was aware of this. After receiving an affirmative answer, he left the imperial harem in distress. However, news then came that the Crown Prince had fainted, and the Empress, unable to bear the shock, also fainted.

Pu Yangying calmly strolled along the streets of the capital. He declared that this plague could not only consume Daliang's manpower and resources but also make them experience what hell was like. He ordered his subordinates to freely cast the plague poison into the wells of the capital. Xun Baishui, in the name of the Grand Secretariat, ordered the Patrol Camp to rush into Qiantian Courtyard to search for and arrest Pu Yangying.

However, Pu Yangying and his party had already left, leaving the courtyard empty. Xun Baishui was currently holding a meeting in the Grand Secretariat to discuss the plague. The Imperial Physician and Xiao Pingzhang warned him that Chixia Town was already out of control, and they feared the plague would spread from Chixia Town to the capital. At this time, the capital already had suspected cases.

If it were allowed to develop further, it was feared that the public sentiment within the capital could not be suppressed, and the entire city would flee in panic. Xun Baishui was in a splitting headache and could only first send a letter to notify the Emperor not to return to the capital for the time being.

Lin Xi heard that the plague situation in the capital and the palace was getting increasingly severe, and she herself was also struggling to hold on. So she urgently asked Xiao Pingjing to take her back to the capital. In the capital, in the palace, the Crown Prince also contracted the plague, critically ill and unconscious. The Empress learned that Pu Yangying had fled; her heart sank, and she was full of self-reproach.

Old Hall Master Li of Jifeng Hall returned to the capital and discovered that the epidemic situation in the capital was identical to the plague that led to the downfall of Ye Qin twenty-five years ago. After Xun Baishui learned of this situation, he could only discuss with Xiao Pingzhang and decide to order the city's lockdown.

Episode 21 Recap

After the imperial capital Jinling was sealed off, many panicked citizens began to charge the city gates, nearly causing serious civil unrest in their clashes with the officers and soldiers.

Xun Baishui quickly ascended the high platform and loudly advised the people that although the plague was rampant in the capital, the current Crown Prince was still in the Eastern Palace, and the Crown Prince of Changlin and he, the chief grand secretary of the cabinet, and their entire families remained in the city. As the imperial capital, Jinling would surely receive heaven's mercy, and he hoped the people could wait patiently and trust the court's measures.

A passionate speech finally suppressed the public resentment for the time being. However, inside Jinling City, the plague was getting increasingly severe. The number of sick people every day was countless. Lin Xi thoroughly explained to Xiao Pingjing the necessity of establishing isolation zones and expressed a slight admiration for the cabinet's courage in making the decision to seal off the city. However, her own body gradually couldn't bear it anymore.

Xiao Pingjing saw it but knew that no matter what he said, Lin Xi would not stop to rest. Lin Xi's body became weaker and weaker until she finally overexerted herself and fainted. In fact, she had already been infected with the plague. Pu Yangying was hiding in a cave outside the city. Upon learning that Jinling was sealed off, the Da Liang court's actions were faster than he had imagined.

He had thought that the court would shirk responsibility and hesitate to make a decision, but this was also the only method the Da Liang court could come up with. He also stated that the Changlin Army had treated them this way back then, and this time, he would let Da Liang taste despair as well. The number of deceased in Taiqing Palace was increasing.

Even if the capital could be saved, if something happened to the Crown Prince, the consequences would be even more severe. Xun Feizhan couldn't help but worry about Xun Baishui. Xun Baishui knew the consequences better than him, but as the chief grand secretary of the cabinet, his duty to the court must come first. He absolutely could not worry or be timid at this moment. Lin Xi slowly woke up.

After Old Master Li took her pulse, Xiao Pingjing quickly asked about her condition. However, Lin Xi was more concerned about the patients who had taken Old Master Li's medicine. Old Master Li told her that only a few people had stopped coughing up blood, but they still had persistent high fevers. He then instructed Lin Xi to rest well and not overthink things for now.

Lin Xi, however, stubbornly pleaded with Old Master Li that it was not the time to seek stability, and she was willing to test the medicine for him. Seeing the plague raging, Old Master Li finally decided to take a risky move and prescribed a strong medicine. His other students found the prescription too dangerous, but they had no choice but to follow it. Xun Baishui was exhausted by the epidemic and dozed off at his desk.

The imperial physician woke him up and brought him the files he had requested about Ye Qin from back then. In Ye Ling City, the most severely affected area of the Ye Qin Kingdom back then, only 30% of the population survived. Xun Baishui found that most of the survivors were young children and teenagers, which greatly surprised him.

The imperial physician told him that people under the age of fifteen back then were less likely to get sick and were also very easy to treat, but the reason was unknown. Xun Baishui claimed to the imperial physician that he was merely preparing for the development of the epidemic. But in reality, what he was looking for was Pu Yangying's name. He had vaguely guessed Pu Yangying's true origin and his real purpose.

Old Master Li experimented with his new medicine on Lin Xi, frankly stating that if her fever subsided by the next day, she might survive this calamity. Xiao Pingzhang brought up why Lin Xi had always hidden her true identity. Seeing that Xiao Pingzhang had already guessed, Old Master Li frankly admitted that Lin Xi was the girl engaged to Xiao Pingjing.

It turned out that after the mother and daughter secretly left back then, it was Old Master Li who took them in. It was just that Lady Lin Shen had fallen into an obsession and couldn't withstand any stimulation, which was why Old Master Li didn't report it. And after Lady Lin Shen passed away, Lin Xi herself was unwilling to bring up the old engagement again. Xiao Pingzhang pondered for a moment.

He only hoped that heaven would take pity on the destiny Xiao Pingjing and Lin Xi had shared since birth, and even if it were to break, he hoped it wouldn't be at this moment. Lin Xi knew her life hung by a thread at this moment. She couldn't help but shed two lines of clear tears and spoke her true feelings to Xiao Pingjing, who was standing by.

She said she had often imagined what Xiao Pingjing looked like and stated that no matter what the future held, she was very happy to have met him. Xiao Pingjing, unaware of the truth, could only comfort Lin Xi that she would be fine. Seeing Lin Xi's condition not improving and her suffering unbearable, he rummaged through the pharmacy, found a medicinal herb, and boiled some water for Lin Xi to drink.

The next day, after Old Master Li took Lin Xi's pulse, he remained silent, which greatly worried Xiao Pingjing. However, Xiao Pingzhang heard that Xun Baishui had visited his residence looking for him, so he immediately went to the cabinet to meet Xun Baishui. Xun Baishui handed Magistrate Li of Jingzhao's confession to Xiao Pingzhang. Xiao Pingzhang was not surprised to see that Pu Yangying had planned this matter.

Xun Baishui told him that intentionally fabricating an epidemic in Jinling City almost identical to the one in Ye Ling City back then, without seeking profit or caring about consequences, could only be explained as revenge. He deduced that Pu Yangying must be a surviving descendant of the Ye Qin Kingdom, which was why he sought revenge against Da Liang.

But Xiao Pingzhang asked why the Magistrate of Jingzhao would help Pu Yangying, as he was not a Ye Qin person. This hit the nail on the head. Xun Baishui lied, claiming that Magistrate Li of Jingzhao had accepted a large bribe from Pu Yangying, which led to this great disaster. Xiao Pingzhang naturally didn't quite believe Xun Baishui's explanation. Xun Baishui could only brush it off as minor details.

He instructed Xiao Pingzhang to properly oversee the imperial capital's defenses, stating that since it was revenge, Pu Yangying certainly wouldn't be acting alone. Pu Yangying was hiding in his cave, but because Jinling City was sealed off too quickly, two of his subordinates, Wuliang and Wubing, did not manage to withdraw in time. Pu Yangying was deeply worried because he knew these two had once been seen by Xiao Yuanqi.

At this moment, Xiao Yuanqi was investigating the plague alone. He had already noticed the abnormality of the wells and was checking them one by one when he suddenly saw two of Pu Yangying's subordinates. He followed them and found out where they were staying. After Old Master Li adjusted the prescription, the patients initially improved, but then suddenly deteriorated and died for an unknown reason. Upon hearing this, Xiao Pingjing was greatly alarmed.

He immediately rushed to visit Lin Xi. He burst into Lin Xi's room as if flying, seeing Lin Xi still lying peacefully on the sickbed. After taking her pulse, Old Master Li noticed that Lin Xi's pulse differed from those of the patients in the front hall. Lin Xi's condition showed significant improvement, which baffled both her and Old Master Li.

Xiao Pingjing took the opportunity to tell them that he had once steeped a medicinal herb in water for Lin Xi to drink. Old Master Li saw what Xiao Pingjing had steeped in water and suddenly realized. The reason the prescription initially showed improvement before worsening was because the lung heat had not been resolved, and Xiao Pingjing had accidentally helped a great deal.

Episode 22 Recap

Elder Master Li administered a strong medicine to treat the plague, but a slight oversight in relieving the lung heat rendered the new prescription ineffective. Xiao Pingjing, by a stroke of accidental luck, boiled water for Lin Xi to quench her thirst and used small red berries steeped in water to relieve the lung heat. This not only saved Lin Xi's life but also made the new prescription finally complete.

With this revised medicine, patients in Jifeng Hall began to recover one after another. Upon hearing the news, the Imperial Medical Institute immediately sought out Elder Master Li. The Elder Master judged from experience that the new prescription was remarkably effective, and nine out of ten patients, except those too weak or critically ill, could recover. The imperial physicians were overjoyed, swiftly took the prescription, and began to promote it.

A plague crisis that had almost destroyed the entire imperial capital thus found a turning point thanks to Xiao Pingjing's unintentional act. Xiao Yuanqi sat in his Marquis's manor, clutching his mother's will. He secretly swore that he would never be manipulated like a chess piece and live his life in confusion. He decided to embark on a path his mother had never even imagined. So, he first decided to seek out Xiao Pingzhang.

Although the epidemic was under control, Xiao Pingzhang still reminded the patrol camp not to relax their vigilance and to strictly guard all critical areas in the capital. He was quite surprised to see Xiao Yuanqi coming to him, knowing that Xiao Yuanqi must have something special to discuss. Xiao Yuanqi then stated that he had something to show Xiao Pingzhang.

Lin Xi's body gradually recovered, greatly reassuring Xiao Pingjing, though he still did not want Lin Xi to overexert herself. Lin Xi, however, knew that the most important ingredient in the new prescription was Baiyin grass. She suddenly remembered that someone had previously acquired large quantities of Baiyin grass, and it was likely that pharmacies and medical halls had not yet replenished their stock.

Xiao Pingjing heard Lin Xi explain that this herb was neither rare nor commonly used, and had no value for hoarding. Together with Lin Xi, he sensed that there must be something suspicious behind it. Xiao Yuanqi had shown Xiao Pingzhang his mother's will. He explicitly stated that the will was handed over by Pu Yangying, and that his mother's actions back then were all instigated and incited by Pu Yangying.

He choked up, saying that if Pu Yangying's Qiantian Court hadn't been sealed, he wouldn't have dared to approach the Changlin Royal Manor until now. He confessed that Pu Yangying gave him this will hoping to manipulate him further by inciting hatred in his heart, just as he had manipulated his mother. Xiao Pingzhang observed that the will Xiao Yuanqi showed him was not complete, but rather an excerpt.

Xiao Yuanqi claimed that what he didn't show were his mother's complaints, which he didn't want to read a second time, so he burned them all. He continued, stating that today he wasn't trying to excuse his mother with Pu Yangying, but had another reason. He then told Xiao Pingzhang that he had tracked and remembered several of Pu Yangying's subordinates, and two of them were in the city.

At this point, Xiao Pingjing also reported the matter of the Baiyin grass to his brother. After Xiao Pingzhang briefly arranged a plan of action, he instructed Xiao Pingjing and Xiao Yuanqi to go together and apprehend those two subordinates of Pu Yangying. The two arrived at the subordinates' hideout, blocking their escape routes. The two subordinates attempted to flee but were easily captured alive by Xiao Pingjing and Xiao Yuanqi.

However, before they could question them, the two subordinates committed suicide. Nevertheless, Xiao Pingjing keenly noticed secret tattoos on their bodies. The Imperial Hospital, after testing, confirmed the effectiveness of Elder Master Li's new prescription before daring to send it to the palace. An inner court official jogged all the way to deliver the prescription into Xun Baishui's hands. He and Xun Feizhan were exceptionally excited upon hearing that the Crown Prince was saved.

The Empress sat by the Crown Prince's bed, praying to unknown deities, but her devotion was undoubtedly profound. Under the treatment of the new prescription, the Crown Prince finally showed improvement and slowly awoke. The matter of Baiyin grass was indeed very tricky. Xun Baishui summoned the Imperial Medical Institute and Elder Master Li to a discussion. Everyone calculated that the current stock of Baiyin grass could only maintain control of the plague.

To completely eradicate it, twice the amount of Baiyin grass would need to be procured and brought into the city within half a month. However, how to seek help from outside the city became a problem, because anyone could be infected with the plague without showing symptoms, and if they left the city, bringing the plague outside, all previous efforts would be in vain.

At this point, Elder Master Li recommended his disciple, Manager Du, and frankly stated that those who had contracted and recovered from this plague would not get it again and would not be carriers. Manager Du was precisely one of the survivors from Ye Qin back then. The more Xiao Pingjing looked at the tattoos on Pu Yangying's subordinates, the more familiar they seemed.

Remembering he had seen the same pattern on Duan Tongzhou, he immediately sought out Xun Feizhan and Xiao Pingzhang to discuss. However, Xiao Pingzhang believed that it couldn't be inferred that all of Pu Yangying's close associates had this tattoo, but it could be concluded that anyone with this tattoo was definitely connected to Pu Yangying. But since the tattoos were under clothing, they were difficult to trace.

Xun Feizhan and Xiao Pingjing also felt that they had vaguely seen this tattoo even before Duan Tongzhou, but couldn't recall where. Xiao Pingzhang advised them to prioritize the epidemic for now, and to note down other matters until more discoveries were made. Someone entered the imperial prison to assassinate the Jingzhao Prefect Li Gu. Xun Feizhan also arrived at this time to investigate Li Gu, and the assassin hid next door.

Although Xun Feizhan noticed Li Gu's peculiar expression, he didn't discern any further clues. As he pondered, he heard news of the Crown Prince's awakening and hastily returned to the imperial palace. Li Gu was thus strangled to death by the assassin, who then staged it to look like he committed suicide by hanging due to fear of punishment.

Ge Peng, the Deputy Commander of the Weishan Imperial Guard Camp, escorted five carts of medicinal herbs back to Jinling for relief. The patrol camp lowered ropes and pulled the herbs into the city. Hiding in a cave, Pu Yangying was furious because his plan had failed. He had expected the city to only discover the shortage of Baiyin grass at this time and wondered why the first batch of supplies arrived so quickly.

He could only fantasize that his subordinates in the city would be smarter and act sooner, unaware that those two had died a long time ago. With the arrival of the medicinal herbs, the plague in the city was finally effectively controlled. All medical halls were frantically busy, especially Jifeng Hall. Xiao Pingjing was very interested in the tattoos on Pu Yangying's subordinates and first asked Lin Xi to help identify them. However, she coldly refused, citing being too busy.

Xiao Pingzhang found in a book that those tattoos were originally patterns of Ink Magnolia flowers. After Xun Feizhan received the news of Li Gu's death, he felt deep suspicion about the matter and went to the imperial prison for a detailed investigation, but found no trace. The third batch of medicinal herbs arrived, but Jinling city remained tightly sealed.

Pu Yangying received no news, but what he cared about most now was Sister Yun in Jifeng Hall, stating that if she didn't succeed, the next step would be difficult. He recalled things from his childhood, realizing that the Ink Magnolia flower tattoo was precisely the mark of Yelang Academy.

Episode 23 Recap

Laiyang Marquis Manor's butler A Tai had been with Xiao Yuanqi since childhood, arguably the closest person Xiao Yuanqi had left in this world. However, Xiao Yuanqi always vaguely felt that despite A Tai's outward respect, he was actually monitoring him. This was because he had tracked the two people Pu Yangying left in Jinling City for many days without being noticed, yet Pu Yangying still clearly knew his mind was unsettled.

So, he set up a scheme, pretending to drop a jade bracelet into the water. As expected, A Tai stripped and jumped into the water to retrieve it for him. Xiao Yuanqi originally thought A Tai could be trusted, but when he pulled A Tai out of the water, he still discovered the hidden Mozhen flower embroidery on A Tai's body.

He never expected that the people around him for so many years harbored so many secrets, none of whom he truly knew. Though heartbroken to death, he still hardened his heart, pulled out a dagger, and stabbed it into A Tai's back. Xiao Pingjing came to find Lin Xi, wanting her to identify the embroidery pattern of Pu Yangying's dead warriors, but Lin Xi had just gone to the pharmacy to fetch medicine.

At this moment, Yun Jie called out to Xiao Pingjing, saying she had something to tell him. Xiao Pingjing had no choice but to leave the embroidery pattern. Yun Jie secretly picked up the dagger Pu Yangying gave him, hid it in her sleeve, and tricked Xiao Pingjing, claiming she had seen Pu Yangying in the city. Unaware of the trap, Xiao Pingjing followed her to the supposed location where Pu Yangying had appeared.

After Lin Xi returned and saw the embroidery pattern, she pondered for a moment and immediately thought of Yun Jie. Realizing Yun Jie had called Xiao Pingjing away, she silently cursed and quickly chased after them. However, she was a step too late. Xiao Pingjing followed Yun Jie to an alley. He was anxious to find Pu Yangying, momentarily distracted and not highly vigilant. Yun Jie seized the opportunity, pulled out the dagger, and fiercely stabbed towards Xiao Pingjing's back.

However, Yun Jie's meticulous planning could not match fate's plan. Just as she stabbed at Xiao Pingjing, Xiao Pingzhang and Meng Qianxue happened to pass by. Xiao Pingjing reacted swiftly, dodging the fatal blow, only suffering a scratch on his arm. Meng Qianxue raised her hand and threw a dart, striking Yun Jie's dagger out of her hand. Then, she leaped from her horse and subdued Yun Jie with one kick.

It was at this moment that Lin Xi hurriedly arrived. She pulled open Yun Jie's collar, revealing the Mozhen flower embroidery on the back of Yun Jie's neck. She speculated that Yun Jie was anxious to act because after Xiao Pingjing brought the embroidery pattern, Lin Xi would definitely directly identify her. She questioned Yun Jie about her true target.

Yun Jie declared that Ye Lingzi were clear about gratitude and resentment, and since the medical practitioners had shown them kindness, they would never harm doctors. Xiao Pingjing heard Yun Jie call herself a Ye Lingzi, recalling that the two people who previously committed suicide also called themselves that, and he couldn't help but question what Ye Lingzi truly meant. Everyone tied Yun Jie up and escorted her back to Jifeng Hall to bandage Xiao Pingjing's wound.

Li Laotangzhu questioned Yun Jie, saying that no matter her past identity, after so many years in Jifeng Hall, she should know right from wrong and good from evil, asking why she refused to turn back. Yun Jie, however, stated that as long as she was a Ye Lingzi, she would serve her lord and obey the venerable master, and right and wrong, good and evil, were not for her to consider.

Although Xiao Pingzhang had found that the embroidery was a Mozhen flower pattern, he did not know its specific meaning. Li Laotangzhu explained that every generation of Ye Qin kings would establish a separate palace in the imperial city as the location for the Ye Ling Imperial Academy. Every seven years, Ye Qin would select gifted young children and send them to the academy to study.

Each person would only be tattooed with a single Mozhen flower upon entering the academy for the first time, and only those who passed through layers of selection and remained would be tattooed with twin flowers, though the pass rate is very low. Everyone tattooed with twin flowers was a Ye Lingzi. After further training, they could directly serve as trusted royal guards, which was a great honor in the Kingdom of Ye Qin.

During the great plague disaster in the Kingdom of Ye Qin back then, a new batch of Ye Lingzi had just graduated. Unfortunately, the royal lineage was severed during the disaster. Without a country to depend on, the Ye Lingzi could only, like ordinary survivors, wander rootless and jobless across various places.

Lin Xi felt that even though their country was lost, the qualifications and talents of the Ye Lingzi would allow them to thrive anywhere, so why would they still engage in such activities? At this moment, Yun Jie stated solemnly, "Though our lord is dead, the great vendetta remains. The venerable master left behind a golden token of revenge."

However, Li Laotangzhu had known the venerable master of the Ye Ling Academy for a long time and believed he would never leave such an absurd command. Upon hearing this, Yun Jie excitedly claimed that the Kingdom of Ye Qin had fallen precisely because Da Liang's heavy troops had sealed the border. Xiao Pingzhang deduced that the golden token should be in Pu Yangying's hands.

Li Laotangzhu recalled the old venerable master as wise and benevolent and could not understand why he would entrust the golden token to someone as paranoid and mad as Imperial Physician Pu Yangying. At this moment, Pu Yangying was hiding in his cave, lost in thought. He gently wiped the twin flower embroidery, which symbolized his Ye Lingzi identity, with a cloth soaked in medicine, and half of it was surprisingly wiped away.

It turned out that he and his younger brother were simultaneously selected into the academy back then. However, due to the venerable master's obstruction, Pu Yangying at that time was not qualified to become a Ye Lingzi, so he actually only had one Mozhen flower. However, when the great disaster struck, his parents and grandfather were claimed by the plague. At this time, the venerable master handed the golden token to Pu Yangying's younger brother.

Pu Yangying's younger brother was mature in temperament and unwilling to seek revenge on Da Liang, but Pu Yangying, whose eyes were blinded by hatred, heartlessly stabbed his own brother to death and seized the venerable master's golden token. Unfortunately, the successor to the venerable master's golden token whom Yun Jie believed in, Pu Yangying, was an impostor.

People from the Imperial Medical Institute found Li Laotangzhu and Xiao Pingzhang, joyfully announcing that the epidemic had been controlled and they could seize the opportunity to lift the lockdown order on Jinling City. However, Xiao Pingzhang wondered why the Crown Prince, who was meticulously cared for, would be the first person in the Eastern Palace to fall ill.

Xiao Pingjing, by examining Yun Jie's Mozhen flower embroidery, finally remembered that he had seen it on a female official who served the Crown Prince. Yun Jie, however, claimed she had already warned that female official, and that official should now be trying every means to act. Xiao Pingjing and Xiao Pingzhang galloped towards the imperial palace. Fortunately, there were many people serving the Crown Prince, so the female official had not yet found an opportunity to act.

Xun Feizhan, upon learning that Pu Yangying had an accomplice in the Eastern Palace, immediately rushed towards the Crown Prince's location. Fortunately, as the female official was about to strike, eunuchs and palace maids blocked her, standing in front of the Crown Prince, gaining a little time for Xun Feizhan at the cost of their lives.

Xun Feizhan leaped into the air, drew his sword mid-air, and with one swift motion, stabbed the female official to death in front of the Crown Prince. Pu Yangying's subordinates deduced from the activities in the Eastern Palace and Changlin Manor that none of their operations had succeeded. Pu Yangying, however, claimed that Yun Jie's operation might not have failed. As expected, Xiao Pingjing fainted in Changlin Manor. Lin Xi and Li Laotangzhu, through examining the dagger, learned that it contained Frost Bone Poison.

Episode 24 Recap

Xiao Pingjing was cut by Sister Yun, thus poisoned by Frost Bone, and this highly potent poison would lie dormant in the human body for three days before obvious symptoms erupted. When Xiao Pingjing's poison flared up in the Prince Changlin Mansion, he was immediately sent to Jifeng Hall. Elder Hall Master Li personally tried, but could only stabilize the poison. He solemnly told Xiao Pingzhang that Xiao Pingjing had been poisoned for three days and there was no cure.

Lin Xi heard this and staggered in shock, unable to stand steady. Xiao Pingzhang was even more stunned by his younger brother's condition. He begged Elder Hall Master Li to save Xiao Pingjing's life. However, Elder Hall Master Li told him that once Frost Bone took effect, there was no cure; this was a fact. All they could do now was do their best and leave the rest to fate, and he advised Xiao Pingzhang to prepare himself mentally.

At this moment, Pu Yangying was hiding in his cave, preparing to use Frost Bone poisonous water and the Gallbladder of Xuan Chi to treat his heart meridian injury. It turned out that before the Frost Bone poison flared up, taking the Gallbladder of Xuan Chi for seven cycles could detoxify it. However, it was only detoxification and could not directly increase one's power.

To treat his heart meridian injury, Pu Yangying's disciple must consume the Frost Bone water and then detoxify it with the Gallbladder of Xuan Chi. After the medicinal blood in the disciple's body merged into one, transferring the blood to Pu Yangying would cure his heart meridian damage. However, in doing so, Pu Yangying's disciple would die within a few months due to vital energy and blood depletion.

Pu Yangying's disciple still wanted to beg him to spare his life, but Pu Yangying claimed that this disciple was precisely chosen by him, whose bone structure was most suitable for transferring blood to him, and was merely a vessel for treating his illness.

Lin Xi surprisingly also knew about this method used by Pu Yangying, but Elder Hall Master Li stated that such a method, forcibly plundering others' vital energy and blood, was clearly a wicked art that medical practitioners must never use. Lin Xi turned back in disappointment, only to see Xiao Pingzhang standing behind him. Xiao Pingzhang had clearly overheard the conversation between the two master and disciple.

He questioned Lin Xi about what the Gallbladder of Xuan Chi was, and Lin Xi then thoroughly explained the entire treatment process and its consequences to him. Xiao Pingzhang listened clearly, couldn't help but take two steps back, and then coldly assured Lin Xi that Xiao Pingjing would definitely recover, before turning and leaving. Pu Yangying sacrificed his disciple and successfully cured his heart meridian injury of many years.

His subordinate asked him what to do with the spare Xuan Chi. Pu Yangying gleefully stated that the most terrifying thing for the Young Master of Changlin was that Xiao Pingzhang clearly knew there was an antidote, but the antidote was in Pu Yangying's hands. He then sinisterly smiled and said that his target had never been Xiao Pingjing, but rather the Young Master of Changlin, Xiao Pingzhang.

At this moment, Xiao Pingzhang was coldly staring at Sister Yun in the imperial prison. He judged that even a Langya master like Duan Tongzhou would commit suicide the first moment they were captured, but Sister Yun had not. He presumed she must have information to tell him.

And indeed, as he expected, Sister Yun was deliberately left behind by Pu Yangying to let him know all the treatment details, and she also told him that Xiao Yuanqi knew Pu Yangying's location. She urged Xiao Pingzhang to secretly meet with Pu Yangying. Xiao Pingzhang informed Jifeng Hall about this, while also going to Xiao Yuanqi to understand the situation.

Xiao Yuanqi told Xiao Pingzhang the direction and approximate location, and reminded him that since Pu Yangying had set up such a large scheme and deliberately told Xiao Pingzhang about the antidote, he must have a plot. Xiao Pingzhang decided to bring Xun Feizhan and the Imperial Guards to converge and proceed. The three of them arrived together in the mountain forest outside the city.

Xiao Yuanqi knew that finding Xuanling Cave was not difficult, but Pu Yangying had other motives and would never risk his own life, so Xuanling Cave must have an escape route. Xun Feizhan suggested surrounding the mountain completely. Xiao Pingzhang said that Pu Yangying would definitely have some monitoring capabilities over the surrounding situation and environment. If he discovered a large army surrounding the mountain, he would certainly escape before the encirclement was complete.

In that case, Xiao Pingjing's last glimmer of hope for survival would be shattered. Therefore, Pu Yangying absolutely could not be allowed to escape. An encirclement was necessary, but they needed to consider how to do it. To avoid alarming Pu Yangying, they needed to surround him at twice the distance of his line of sight. As their troops were insufficient, Xiao Pingzhang brought up the Cuifeng Imperial Guards.

Xun Feizhan reminded him that the Cuifeng Imperial Guards were the Royal Imperial Guard camp, and with the emperor's carriage currently away, they could not be mobilized without an imperial decree. Xiao Pingzhang first signaled Xiao Yuanqi to step aside, then mentioned to Xun Feizhan that there was an imperial token bestowed by the late emperor in the Prince Changlin Mansion. Mobilizing the Imperial Guards was a power granted by the late emperor.

Xiao Pingzhang prepared to personally rush to Cuifeng overnight to lead the Royal Imperial Guard troops to surround the mountain, and temporarily entrusted the operation outside the city to Xun Feizhan. Xiao Pingzhang returned to the mansion to retrieve the imperial token bestowed by the late emperor, preparing to set off alone. Meanwhile, Xun Feizhan, as Xiao Pingzhang expected, voluntarily wrote a memorial to the emperor to report this matter.

He knew that using the late emperor's token was a serious matter and that the emperor must be informed first. Before departing, Xiao Pingzhang went to see his younger brother Pingjing one last time. He reluctantly bid farewell to Meng Qianxue, assuring her that this time he would definitely bring justice to the victims of the capital and Chixia Town, and would absolutely not let Pu Yangying escape again.

However, he also deduced that Pu Yangying had used all his pawns this time, forcibly taking Xiao Pingjing's life into his hands, surely for another plot, such as greater benefits or a more important person. And Xiao Pingzhang was very likely Pu Yangying's ultimate target. The fated showdown between the two, a direct confrontation, was about to unfold in the mountain forest outside the capital.

Episode 25 Recap

Xiao Pingjing was poisoned by the Frost Bone Poison and fell unconscious. Fortunately, with the treatment of Elder Li, the hall master, and Lin Xi, the poison's effects were temporarily stabilized. Meng Qianxue was deeply worried. Xun Feizhan came to visit Pingjing. Seeing Meng Qianxue looking gaunt and dispirited, he couldn't bear it and advised her not to worry too much. He assured her that he would definitely capture Pu Yangying alive with Xiao Pingzhang and save Xiao Pingjing's life.

He seemed afraid to be alone with Meng Qianxue and quickly left. Meng Qianxue returned to the room and looked at the busy Lin Xi, wanting to speak but hesitating. Lin Xi noticed her unusual behavior, and Meng Qianxue eagerly asked if the Mysterious Chi Serpent Gallbladder could truly save Xiao Pingjing's life. Lin Xi firmly guaranteed that as long as the Mysterious Chi Serpent Gallbladder could be found, she would definitely be able to save Xiao Pingjing.

However, Meng Qianxue worried that Xiao Pingjing couldn't even drink water now, so even if the Mysterious Chi Serpent Gallbladder was found, how would it be administered. Lin Xi stated that there was still a way, but in fact, her method was exactly the same as Pu Yangying's: let another living person take the gallbladder, and then transfuse that person's blood to Xiao Pingjing.

Of course, the result would also be the same; the person undergoing the blood transfusion would certainly die. When Meng Qianxue learned of this, she was so shocked she sat down on the ground and said that last night, when Xiao Pingzhang told her he was going to find Pu Yangying, she already felt Xiao Pingzhang drifting further and further away from her, as if she was about to lose him at any moment.

Lin Xi thought for a moment and was shocked to guess that Xiao Pingzhang intended to take the medicine and undergo the blood transfusion himself to save Xiao Pingjing's life. Elder Li, the hall master, reprimanded Lin Xi, saying she should have considered such a possibility when she told Xiao Pingzhang about the Mysterious Chi method.

Lin Xi's eyes flickered, and she immediately stated that she would definitely persuade Xiao Pingzhang, and that she would exchange her own life for Xiao Pingjing's. Meng Qianxue, understanding her intention, quickly stopped her. She knelt before Elder Li, the hall master, and tearfully begged him to think of another way, as she didn't want to lose anyone. A soft, continuous drizzle began to fall silently in the capital.

Xiao Pingjing's condition remained relatively stable, and Lin Xi meticulously cared for him, staying by his side constantly. Seeing Lin Xi's tearful eyes, Elder Li, the hall master, felt a pang of pity and reluctantly said that although he had his own principles as a physician, right and wrong in the world were inherently difficult to define. If what Lin Xi did did not go against her true intentions, he would not obstruct her actions.

The Emperor was originally resting in the wilderness, enjoying himself freely, but suddenly received a letter from Xun Feizhan, learning about the events in the capital, and immediately decided to rush back to the capital at full speed. However, the Emperor was still two days' journey from the capital, while Xiao Pingzhang had already begun his operation, commanding and coordinating the army to completely blockade the area where Pu Yangying was located.

He met up with Xun Feizhan and Xiao Yuanqi and meticulously formulated the blockade plan. Xiao Yuanqi volunteered to seal a gap, and Xiao Pingzhang immediately agreed. Pu Yangying, however, remained leisurely and comfortably in his cave; the commotion at the foot of the mountain was originally within his plan. Now that Xiao Pingzhang had ascended the mountain, he had fallen right into his trap.

He frankly admitted that although he had been in Jinling City for a long time, this was his first direct confrontation with Xiao Pingzhang, but fortunately, everything was still within his control. However, his informants had not sent any warnings, making him believe his judgment that Xiao Pingzhang would not dare to surround the mountain was correct. He was unaware that Xiao Pingzhang had not only surrounded the mountain but had also forcibly expanded the encirclement significantly, deceiving his informants.

In Jinling City, Physician Du suddenly had a new idea. Before the Frost Bone Poison manifested, one only needed to consume the Mysterious Chi Serpent Gallbladder to detoxify. The reason why a blood transfusion from another person was needed after the poison manifested was simply because the patient was unconscious and unable to activate the medicinal power. The Frost Bone Poison caused cold stagnation.

Although all methods failed to stimulate the circulation of vital energy and blood throughout the body, it might be possible to consider only stimulating the vital energy and blood around the heart meridian to eliminate the cold stagnation there. Elder Li, the hall master, Lin Xi, and Physician Du discussed methods from a pharmacological perspective. Meng Qianxue naturally couldn't understand these things. She couldn't help but look at the unconscious Xiao Pingjing, feeling desolate in her heart.

Suddenly, she heard the three of them seemed to have found some clues. She saw Lin Xi hurriedly bring out a medical book and frantically search for something. Elder Li, the hall master, excitedly declared that it was perfectly suitable and worth a try. Meng Qianxue's heart was slightly pleased, and she quickly asked if there was hope of salvation. However, the most important thing of all was whether Xiao Pingzhang could bring back the Mysterious Chi Serpent Gallbladder.

Xiao Pingzhang successfully found the cave where Pu Yangying was hiding. After investigating the front part of the cave, he discovered the medicine boy who performed the blood transfusion for Pu Yangying. The medicine boy, knowing his life wouldn't last much longer, spoke frankly that the person Pu Yangying had always wanted to kill was Xiao Pingzhang. Xiao Pingzhang had already guessed this.

Through the medicine boy's experience, he also understood that Pu Yangying simply wanted to exchange Xiao Pingjing's life for his. This was precisely Pu Yangying's objective. He couldn't help but recall his experience during the Ye Qin Plague. It turned out that when he fell ill back then, his mother, worried about his more talented younger brother, left his last dose of medicine for his brother.

It was precisely such an experience that left an indelible scar on Pu Yangying's young mind at the time. That was why today he had set up such a life-and-death struggle between brothers for Xiao Pingzhang. The only way to break the situation was for Xiao Pingzhang to turn and leave. Xiao Pingzhang led his men and rushed into the place where Pu Yangying was located, and the two finally began their face-to-face confrontation.

Pu Yangying took out the serpent gallbladder in front of Xiao Pingzhang and placed it into an alchemy furnace. The furnace was filled with sharp blades and hidden mechanisms, and the blades were coated with Frost Bone Poison. The ground around the alchemy furnace also had grooves filled with highly flammable oil. Once the oil was ignited, the flames would spread towards the furnace.

Once fire started under the furnace, the Mysterious Chi Serpent Gallbladder would immediately be incinerated into ashes. Pu Yangying's subordinates remained on one side of the furnace, and if Xiao Pingzhang made any unusual moves, they could immediately burn the gallbladder. Xiao Pingzhang understood that Pu Yangying meant for him to personally take the gallbladder, risking poisoning. Due to the presence of the flammable oil grooves, he did not have much time to consider.

Pu Yangying did not waste words, and with a flick of his finger, he ignited the flammable oil. Raging flames instantly erupted and spread along the grooves. Xiao Pingzhang had no other choice. Disregarding his guards' attempts to stop him, he walked step by step towards the alchemy furnace. Flames burned beneath his feet, and he fearlessly approached the furnace.

Even though Pu Yangying on the side tried every means to coerce and mislead him with words, attempting to tempt him into giving up, he still unhesitatingly reached his hand into the furnace and picked up the serpent gallbladder. At this moment, the mechanism sprung up, and a sharp blade pierced Xiao Pingzhang's arm. To save his brother, he had already been poisoned by the Frost Bone Poison.

Seeing this scene, Pu Yangying was quite shocked and repeatedly exclaimed "interesting," then escaped from the scene through a secret passage with mechanisms. However, Xun Feizhan immediately led his men to tightly cordon off and search the mountain. Pu Yangying was quickly discovered, and although his escape speed was quite fast, Xun Feizhan still stopped him. Xiao Pingzhang rode at top speed, returning to the capital with the serpent gallbladder. Meng Qianxue discovered that he had also been poisoned by the Frost Bone Poison and cried uncontrollably.

Episode 26 Recap

Pu Yangying, though captured, seemed to have prepared in advance. He set up an ambush on the road while being escorted back to the capital, quickly untied his ropes, and escaped into the mountains. Seeing him flee, Xiao Yuanqi pursued him alone and intercepted Pu Yangying by a puddle. The two stood across the water. Pu Yangying, seeing only Xiao Yuanqi, started talking again, claiming he would exchange a huge secret for his freedom.

He then told Xiao Yuanqi that he had another accomplice in causing the Jinling plague. Pu Yangying took a confession from his embrace and gave it to Xiao Yuanqi, but Xiao Yuanqi did not intend to believe what was written on it. Pu Yangying then revealed that it was the Empress who ordered him to cast the spell.

It turned out that Pu Yangying had deceived the Empress, claiming he needed to burn an imperial edict as an offering to heaven, which was why the Empress nervously wrote the edict. Pu Yangying also took out the imperial edict. After reading it, Xiao Yuanqi said that the Empress was high and mighty, and had Xun Baishui, her elder brother and a chief assistant, so the edict would be of little use, better than nothing.

Pu Yangying then tested Xiao Yuanqi again, asking if he was willing to let him go. Xiao Yuanqi hesitated for a moment but eventually cleared the way. Pu Yangying thought he had succeeded, but as they brushed past each other, Xiao Yuanqi suddenly stabbed him in the back. Xiao Yuanqi confessed that only those with weaknesses would be defeated.

He had no secrets from the Changlin Manor, and the only thing he could not let others know was his agreement with Marquis Mo Zi. The only other person who knew about this agreement was Pu Yangying, so he would never let Pu Yangying go. Pu Yangying, despite all his calculations, ultimately fell under Xiao Yuanqi's sword. Before closing his eyes, he admonished Xiao Yuanqi to be worse, to be more ruthless, in order to achieve great things.

Xiao Pingzhang was also poisoned at this time, but there was only one Black-Scaled Dragon Gallbladder. Everyone was in a dilemma.

Lin Xi had a flash of inspiration and thought of a solution: only by taking anticoagulant medicine and the snake gallbladder simultaneously, supplemented by a physician needling to seal off other meridians and only activating the heart meridian, could the cold coagulation of the heart meridian be first resolved, and by doing so, move throughout the body to dispel the Frost Bone Poison.

However, the problem was that Xiao Pingjing had been poisoned for a long time, so if both of them took one snake gallbladder, the potency of the medicine for Xiao Pingzhang would inevitably be slightly insufficient. Just as everyone was discussing, a person in a black cloak suddenly arrived at the Changlin Manor to see Xiao Pingzhang. It turned out to be Tuoba Yu, the Hanhai Sword of Northern Yan.

After Prince Hui was killed, Prince Chen presided over the government of Northern Yan, facing continuous defeats against the rebel army. In desperation, Prince Chen even instigated the Emperor of Northern Yan to make a secret agreement with Da Yu. Da Yu promised to help Northern Yan attack the rebels and transport supplies, and the condition they demanded was for Northern Yan to open the Yinshan Pass. Xiao Pingzhang was greatly alarmed when he heard this.

He knew that Da Yu must have been preparing for this for a long time and would definitely attack Da Liang through the Yinshan Pass. The secret agreement was signed last month. And at this time, Xiao Tingsheng, the Prince Changlin who was in the northern frontier, was undoubtedly in great danger. Da Yu's army, borrowing passage through the Yinshan Pass to move south, had formed a scimitar-like shape, which would surely cut off Xiao Tingsheng's retreat.

Once Xiao Tingsheng was surrounded, military orders would certainly be unable to be transmitted. At this moment, only Xiao Pingzhang could gather the troops and confront the enemy head-on, and he would certainly not stand by and watch Prince Changlin fall into a desperate crisis without saving him. He had just been poisoned, and it had not yet taken effect. If he were to take the Black-Scaled Dragon Gallbladder now, he would immediately recover.

However, if that happened, Xiao Pingjing would have no chance of survival. Facing such a desperate dilemma, Xiao Pingzhang thought of the herbal boy who had undergone the blood transfusion for Pu Yangying. Although his body was somewhat weak, his mind was very clear. Meng Qianxue knew that he had again entertained the thought of sacrificing his life for Xiao Pingjing and could not help but cry and run out the door.

She knelt before Xiao Pingzhang, who had followed her out, pleading with him not to abandon her. Xiao Pingzhang had no choice but to kneel down as well. Meng Qianxue and Xiao Pingzhang had been childhood sweethearts, and she naturally knew Xiao Pingzhang's character. Even if Xiao Pingzhang agreed to her today, he would only regret it more and more in the future, until he faced her and himself.

Xiao Pingzhang bowed silently to the ground, letting Meng Qianxue pound his body. All he could say was "I'm sorry." Xiao Pingzhang, having made up his mind and persuaded his wife, began preparations for the blood transfusion. He brought up the old marriage arrangement with Lin Xi, confessing that it was merely an order from their parents, and that the various events Lin Xi and Xiao Pingjing had experienced since they met were the true basis of their fate.

Lin Xi, however, stated directly that if Xiao Pingjing knew what she did today, he would probably never forgive her. Xiao Pingzhang advised Lin Xi that it would be best for Xiao Pingjing to never know about this matter. He then swallowed the snake gallbladder in one gulp, asking Lin Xi to perform a blood transfusion for him and Xiao Pingjing, exchanging one life for another. After learning of this, Xun Feizhan came to see Meng Qianxue.

He blamed her for letting Xiao Pingzhang give up his life. He declared that he must stop Xiao Pingzhang, but Meng Qianxue suddenly drew her sword against him and drove him out of the Changlin Manor. After the Emperor returned to court, Xiao Pingzhang, who had successfully undergone the blood transfusion but whose life was soon to end, immediately submitted a memorial, requesting to lead a large army to rescue his father, the King.

The Emperor bestowed upon him a golden seal and jade talisman, granting him the power to act at his discretion. However, the Emperor reminded Xiao Pingzhang that his suggested surprise counter-encirclement was an excellent strategy, but very perilous, and he hoped that Xiao Pingzhang and Xiao Tingsheng, the Prince Changlin, would return safely together. Xiao Pingzhang received the imperial decree for his expedition.

Before leaving, he handed the late Emperor's imperial order to Xun Feizhan, asking him to give it to the Emperor when he was brought back. Then he saw Meng Qianxue, clad in iron armor, with a jade pendant and a precious sword, standing heroically at the foot of the palace steps, ready to go to the battlefield with Xiao Pingzhang. The army set out.

Xiao Pingzhang, dragging his body with not much time left, embarked with his wife on the long journey to rescue his father, the King. Xiao Yuanqi stood on the city wall, taking everything in, his mind filled with countless thoughts. Meanwhile, Xiao Pingjing, after the blood transfusion, finally woke up. However, upon opening his eyes, he heard the news that Prince Changlin was in a desperate situation and that Xiao Pingzhang had set out for the rescue.

Although his body was extremely weak from being bedridden for many days and he couldn't even walk, he disregarded Lin Xi's attempts to stop him and wanted to follow Xiao Pingzhang. Fortunately, Xun Feizhan arrived in time and stopped him.

Episode 27 Recap

Da Yu troops exited Yinshan Pass, and the "March Scimitar" formation was already complete. Ningzhou, where the Changlin King was located, was the first to be completely surrounded. The Liang army on the city walls could only hold on desperately. The Changlin King heard reports from his subordinates that all retreat routes were cut off, and even military orders to mobilize reinforcements could not be sent out.

He initially thought it was Bei Yan's doing, but his general reported that it was precisely the Da Yu Imperial Army that appeared in the rear. The Changlin King pondered for a moment and immediately understood the crux of the matter. With a resolute expression, he decided that even if the entire main camp were to perish, Da Yu must never be allowed to recreate the "March Scimitar" of that year in the northern border.

The so-called "March Scimitar" military formation was a battle example from nearly a hundred years ago. At that time, the allied forces of Da Yu, Bei Yan, and Donghai intended to jointly attack Daliang. Da Yu attacked the northern front, Bei Yan crossed Yinshan, and the battle lines connected north and south, resembling a scimitar, and it happened in early spring, hence earning the name "March Scimitar".

The outcome of that year's battle was that Daliang's northern defense line was completely shattered, and the flames of war penetrated deep into the heartland, approaching the imperial capital. Fortunately, the envoy sent by the imperial court that year entered the enemy camp alone, showing extraordinary wisdom and bravery.

He exploited the inherent internal conflicts of the allied forces, which prioritized self-interest, and with his eloquent tongue, he repelled a million soldiers, ultimately allowing Daliang to defeat the enemy forces one by one. Even so, it took Daliang a full ten years to recover from the scorched earth left by the "Scimitar" offensive. Xun Feizhan listened to Xiao Pingjing's explanation above and still felt a shiver down his spine, even after a hundred years.

However, Xiao Pingjing judged that although the "March Scimitar" was indeed formidable, its offense, rhythm, and coordination were difficult to command without a heaven-sent genius, and it also required the participation of skilled generals from both Yan and Yu to form. Therefore, that battle was a unique masterpiece, impossible to recreate. Xiao Pingjing deduced that Da Yu thought they had surrounded Ningzhou, but they didn't expect Xiao Pingzhang's reinforcements to arrive so quickly.

Therefore, the key to this battle should be Lusai. After he recovered, he immediately rushed to the front line with Lin Xi. Xiao Yuanqi caught up and expressed his willingness to go with them. Xiao Pingjing gladly agreed, and the three galloped on horseback, heading straight for Daliang's northern border. The army led by Xiao Pingzhang had already departed.

He judged that although the Bei Yan court was now dealing with the devil, giving Da Yu the chance to recreate the "Scimitar" offensive, the Da Yu Imperial Army was wielding the blade alone; though its form resembled the original, its momentum was insufficient. The Changlin King's main camp forces should be able to hold out for another month.

He also felt that since the enemy's intention had been determined, they should not rush directly to Ningzhou but instead march towards Lusai. Beneath the vast sky, iron cavalry resembled a sea, and spearheads formed a forest. Xiao Pingzhang galloped to the front of his army, shouting that the victory or defeat of this battle depended on this single engagement. The Changlin cavalry cheered continuously, their battle cries shaking the heavens.

As the horses charged and galloped, dust obscured the sun. At the same time, the Ningzhou defenders also surged out of the city gates like a bloody flood, attacking from two sides. The Changlin King sat atop a high vantage point, overlooking the battlefield. The Da Yu Imperial Army possessed extraordinary combat strength, and their spear and shield formations were skillfully trained, causing heavy losses to the Liang army.

For a time, the fighting was inseparable, and corpses lay strewn across the battlefield. At this moment, the Changlin army flag suddenly rose from the flank; it was precisely Xiao Pingzhang's elite cavalry that had arrived. Their neat cavalry formation charged into the Da Yu army array, sweeping everything before them, piercing the Da Yu army's rear like a blood-red blade.

Xiao Pingzhang, in golden armor and wielding a silver spear, urged his warhorse to charge left and right, slaying generals and enemies as easily as taking something from his pocket. With just his spear and a single horse, he cut through the Da Yu army array until he was not far from the Changlin King's front line. However, this fierce struggle also exhausted all the meager strength he had left after his blood transfusion.

He gazed at his father from horseback, and finally, unable to hold on, he fell from his horse. Xiao Pingjing, who was camping in the wilderness, suddenly awoke from a nightmare, feeling restless, and gazed into the distance alone. Xiao Yuanqi woke up and walked over to him, comforting him not to worry too much.

Not long ago, they had encountered General Jin, who was ordered to clear out the remnants of the intercepted Da Yu vanguard, so presumably, the battle in Ningzhou was not as bad as imagined. The three arrived at the battlefield, but what met their eyes were only corpses strewn everywhere after the great battle. In the Daliang military camp, Xiao Pingzhang lay flat in the main tent, his life hanging by a thread.

The Changlin King did not understand why, during the Battle of Ganzhou years ago, Xiao Pingzhang's injuries were several times more severe than now, yet he wasn't as despairing as he was currently. Xiao Pingzhang temporarily woke up and bid farewell to his father and wife. Meng Qianxue's tears fell like rain as she held Xiao Pingzhang, unwilling to let go for a long time. Xiao Pingzhang passed away in his wife's embrace.

For his father and younger brother, he finally gave his all, his life extinguished only when it had completely burned out. He died a worthy death for his country and family. Xiao Pingjing finally arrived at the military camp, only to find the entire camp filled with grieving soldiers. He questioned Dongqing why he was sobbing uncontrollably, but in his heart, he already knew the answer.

Xiao Pingzhang's body lay in the main tent, and the Changlin King sat beside him, his gaze blank, silent in his grief. Xiao Pingjing embraced his elder brother's body, his mind replaying Xiao Pingzhang's voice, appearance, and smiles from the past. He buried his head and wept bitterly. The sharp pain went straight to his heart, as if his heart had been dug out. Lin Xi knew the truth of the matter, and her tears flowed uncontrollably.

Grief is not eternal; sorrow ferments in the heart, ultimately transforming into boundless motivation. Xiao Pingjing took his elder brother's spear and led all the Changlin army soldiers, who were wearing mourning attire, in a loud farewell chant of "Yi Xing" for his elder brother. Ten thousand people chanted in unison, their voices shaking the wilderness. At this moment, Xiao Pingjing's figure merged with Xiao Pingzhang's.

The pain made him grow, made him follow in his elder brother's footsteps, and made him take on the heavy burden on his elder brother's shoulders. In the imperial capital, the Emperor received the report of Xiao Pingzhang's death in battle, trembling as he took it, and wept uncontrollably. Xun Feizhan, as entrusted by Xiao Pingzhang before his death, returned the late Emperor's imperial decree to the Emperor. Empress Xun met with Xun Baishui.

Xun Baishui told the Empress to forget about the plague. But seeing the Crown Prince crying while copying a eulogy for Xiao Pingzhang in a bright red robe, he reminded the Empress to change the Crown Prince into a more subdued everyday attire. However, the Empress was reluctant. Xun Baishui blamed the Empress, asking why she had to displease His Majesty right after the Changlin Heir's recent passing. The Empress reluctantly complied.

Xiao Pingzhang's coffin, escorted by the Changlin army, returned to Jinling for burial. Xiao Pingjing kept vigil for another seven days and seven nights after the burial, becoming significantly thinner. Xiao Yuanqi deliberately waited for him on his way back to the capital, asking about the Changlin King's situation. He then said that Xiao Pingzhang's death in battle was merely a more acceptable explanation for the Changlin King.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Pingjing was instantly enraged, pointing at Xiao Yuanqi and demanding he explain clearly, or he would never be done with him. Xiao Yuanqi stammered, bringing up Xiao Pingzhang's mountain encirclement and the Xuanchi snake gall, and deliberately mentioned that Lin Xi knew more. Xiao Pingjing immediately turned his horse around to find Lin Xi. Lin Xi had been waiting for him for a long time.

Although Xiao Pingzhang had told her not to speak, Lin Xi decided to tell Xiao Pingjing the truth. Upon learning the truth, Xiao Pingjing blamed Lin Xi, saying that if she had done nothing, Xiao Pingzhang might not have died. Lin Xi guessed that Xiao Pingjing might never forgive her.

Episode 28 Recap

The gloomy rain was dreary. Meng Qianxue, dressed in plain white mourning clothes, held her hand to her abdomen. Xiao Pingzhang's passing caused her to shed endless tears. However, it was gratifying that she eventually conceived Xiao Pingzhang's flesh and blood, preserving his lineage. Sitting alone in her room, she could only find solace for her grief by embracing Xiao Pingzhang's clothes. The Langlin King and the Emperor agreed to send Meng Qianxue away from the manor for recuperation.

After much thought, only Langya Pavilion was deemed the safest. Meng Qianxue herself was also willing. Xun Feizhan came to the Langlin Royal Manor, wanting to send the mother and son away with Xiao Pingjing. However, Xiao Pingjing saw Lin Xi, also dressed in plain clothes, had packed her bags and was waiting outside the manor gate, carrying a medicine chest. After a moment of thought, he still walked towards Lin Xi.

Lin Xi wanted to accompany Meng Qianxue to Langya Pavilion, as she had always been the one caring for Meng Qianxue's health. Xiao Pingjing's expression was heavy, and he said nothing. It wasn't until Lin Xi brushed past him that he finally spoke his mind. He knew Lin Xi had done nothing wrong, but every time he saw Lin Xi, he couldn't help but wonder if things could have had a different outcome, so they couldn't face Lin Xi anymore.

Lin Xi had already guessed his feelings, and with a soft sigh, she slowly walked away. Meng Qianxue bid farewell to Xun Feizhan and set off on the journey to Langya Mountain with Lin Xi. She consoled Lin Xi, saying that Xiao Pingjing had always been like this since childhood; when he couldn't accept something, he would bury his head and hide, unwilling to face it. She told Lin Xi not to blame him.

Lin Xi asked Meng Qianxue if she had also wondered if there could have been another outcome. Meng Qianxue admitted that although she secretly hoped for it, ultimately, it was Xiao Pingzhang's own choice. Fireworks lit up the sky, and firecrackers roared; another New Year had arrived. However, this year, when the Langlin King and his son worshipped before the nameless memorial tablets, Xiao Pingzhang was absent, and the scene brought profound sorrow.

Xiao Pingjing petitioned the Langlin King to go to the northern front and take up the heavy burden that Xiao Pingzhang had always carried. The Langlin King's expression was grave, and he dispatched him to the Ganzhou camp for training. Xiao Pingjing bid farewell to the Emperor's imperial carriage outside the grand hall. With a resolute expression, he strode out of the hall, heading directly for the northern border.

However, Xiao Yuanqi caught up with him, wanting to go to the northern border with him. Xiao Pingjing advised Xiao Yuanqi to think carefully; he was different from himself, not born into a military family. The border region was harsh and cold, and Xiao Yuanqi might not be able to endure it. Xiao Yuanqi chuckled, saying that even if he temporarily became a deserter, Xiao Pingjing would probably not send anyone to arrest him.

This brought a rare smile to Xiao Pingjing's usually tense face. He gladly took Xiao Yuanqi with him to Ganzhou. In Langya, with mountains covered in verdant leaves, Lin Xi stood quietly among the mountains and forests. She was as delicate and graceful as a fine brush painting, yet as ethereal and extraordinary as an ink wash painting. However, her facial expression held an unutterable, unresolvable sorrow.

In the military camp, Xiao Pingjing blended in with the soldiers and was deeply beloved by them. He received a pigeon message from Langya Pavilion, only to find that it actually delivered two tiny footprints to him. Xiao Pingjing was overjoyed, but his subordinate suddenly told him that the pigeon was injured. They found Doctor Du to examine the pigeon. A year later, the Crown Prince had gradually grown more sensible and could already handle state affairs for the Emperor.

However, the Emperor's health was deteriorating day by day. The Langlin King received the Emperor's latest prescriptions from the Imperial Medical Office and asked Grandmaster Li to review them on his behalf. Grandmaster Li thoroughly examined each prescription and believed that the imperial physicians had done everything they could, and even he could not do better. The Langlin King, however, worried, "Why hasn't the Emperor's condition improved despite taking so much medicine?"

Grandmaster Li pondered for a long time, and under the Langlin King's intense gaze, could only say that he couldn't make a rash conclusion without a personal diagnosis, but he did tell the Langlin King that the Emperor would probably only last until after the New Year. This made the Langlin King's heart sink as if into an ice cellar. Xun Baishui intercepted Master Jin, who had been summoned by the Emperor, to inquire about the reason for the summons.

Master Jin frankly stated that the Emperor had conferred upon Xiao Pingjing the title of Third Rank Huaiguai General, concurrently serving as the commander of the Ganzhou Camp. The Langlin King entered the palace to meet the Emperor and blamed the Emperor for not informing him beforehand about Xiao Pingjing's enfeoffment. He believed it was too hasty, even compared to Xiao Pingzhang's enfeoffment back then. The Emperor, however, suddenly said sternly, "Xiao Pingzhang's situation back then was different.

At that time, both the monarch and his subject were in their prime. But now, I know my time is limited, so I have no choice but to be anxious." The imperial edict of enfeoffment soon reached Xiao Pingjing's hands. Xiao Pingjing inquired about the Emperor's condition. However, even the official who delivered the edict told him that the Emperor's health was still manageable.

This showed that all the court officials had already guessed that the Emperor's health was deteriorating and his life was in peril. The Emperor's illness worsened, making it difficult for him even to stand up. At this time, all matters were conveyed by the Langlin King, and even the Empress found it difficult to see the Emperor. The Emperor summoned Prince Ning to the palace again, and the Empress inwardly suspected what these imperial relatives were discussing.

Xun Baishui comforted the Empress, saying that the Crown Prince had always been by the Emperor's side. However, the Empress felt that the Crown Prince was still young and understood nothing. The two summoned Xun Feizhan as well. Xun Baishui stated bluntly, "Once the Emperor can no longer hold on, it will be a fact that a young ruler ascends the throne. The four characters 'lord young, state suspicious' are built upon countless bones in historical records.

Learning from past mistakes, we had to be on guard now." Therefore, they planned to have the Langlin King retire to Weishan for a comfortable old age. Xun Feizhan asked, "What if the Langlin King is unwilling to go?" At this point, the Empress interjected, "Xun Baishui is in charge of the Grand Secretariat, and Xun Feizhan controls the imperial guards. The Xun family is powerful.

After the Crown Prince ascends the throne, if the Langlin King is asked to retire comfortably, he will not fail to consider it." Xun Feizhan knew that the Empress and Xun Baishui intended to monopolize court affairs, so he flatly declared to them that his duty was to obey the Emperor directly, and he would not follow anyone else's opinions.

The reason the Emperor summoned the elderly and frail Prince Ning to the palace was actually because the one he was most worried about was the Langlin King. Prince Ning assured the Emperor that the Langlin King harbored no disloyalty towards the Emperor and the Crown Prince, but the Emperor merely smiled faintly. Only then did Prince Ning understand that what the Emperor truly worried about was the Langlin King's safety, not his threat.

The Emperor understood that the Langlin King had lived a life of military service and, as a martial general, could not participate in politics, thus he knew little about the court affairs in the capital. Previously, Xiao Pingzhang was still at court, but now the Langlin King had lost his most important aide, and his spirit was gradually declining, while Xiao Pingjing was far away at the border.

The Emperor knew his time was short, and it was hard to predict how the Crown Prince's temperament would change in the future. When a young lord presides over court, the Crown Prince should be the most concerned, but the Emperor knew that the Langlin King was the one he was most uneasy about. The Langlin King's position was extremely high, and he could not afford to yield.

Therefore, the Emperor issued a secret edict into Prince Ning's ear, which was his final arrangement. Not long after, the Emperor could no longer hold on. He publicly entrusted his heir to the Langlin King to assist him in governing, in front of all the court officials and imperial concubines. Subsequently, the Emperor finally passed away.

Episode 29 Recap

On the majestic grand hall, civil and military officials stood on both sides, the young emperor's expression was solemn, wearing a trailing dragon robe, he slowly walked towards the high throne accompanied by Changlin King, but hesitated for a moment before the throne. He looked back at Changlin King with a hint of trepidation. Changlin King nodded slightly. This small gesture seemed to give him immense strength.

He turned back, no longer hesitant, and sat down before the throne with his head held high. The officials, led by Changlin King, knelt before the young emperor, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" A new monarch formally ascended the throne, also heralding the arrival of a new era for the Great Liang Dynasty. The emperor of the previous day had become the late emperor. The notification of the young emperor's ascension quickly spread throughout the dynasty.

Xiao Pingjing and Xiao Yuanqi also received the notification. Xiao Yuanqi said that the late emperor entrusting his son to Changlin King was a sign of trust in the Changlin King's Manor. But Xiao Pingjing knew that it meant more to protect the Changlin King's Manor. He explained to Xiao Yuanqi, "Changlin King doesn't know much about court affairs, so the late emperor didn't really intend for him to assist in governance.

It was merely a tactical advance to retreat, giving Changlin King the status of a crucial minister entrusted with the emperor's son, one who could not be easily touched." Xiao Pingjing sighed that Changlin King was old and highly meritorious, yet simply because his elder brother Xiao Pingzhang was no longer in court, even the late emperor felt uneasy. He also felt it was time to return to the capital, to make preparations early.

A round trip to the imperial capital, Jinling, would take over four months. In preparation for his return to the capital, Xiao Pingjing seized the time to inspect all areas of the Northern Frontier defense line. Xiao Yuanqi felt that the entire Northern Frontier was very quiet now, and Xiao Pingjing didn't need to overexert himself. However, Xiao Pingjing reminded him that the Northern Frontier was too quiet, unusually quiet.

He instructed Xiao Yuanqi that the Ganzhou camp should also raise its vigilance, and pay attention to small details. After everything was arranged properly, Xiao Pingjing finally embarked on his long journey back to Jinling. Xun Baishui was urgently summoned to the inner palace by the former empress, now the empress dowager. On the way, he met his niece, Xun Anru, who had delicate features and an elegant demeanor.

Xun Anru was Empress Dowager Xun's favorite child in the Xun clan, which was why she was summoned to stay in the palace for a short time. Xun Baishui also felt quite relieved about this niece, only instructing her to prioritize the empress dowager in everything. Empress Dowager Xun, however, looked displeased. It turned out that when the young emperor paid his respects to her, he mentioned Xiao Pingjing's return to the capital, which made her feel depressed.

So she discussed with Xun Baishui how to deal with the Changlin King's Manor. Xun Baishui frankly stated that the late emperor's act of entrusting his son to Changlin King indeed disrupted his plans. To deal with Changlin King, at the very least, an imperial decree under the emperor's name would be needed.

However, Great Liang was founded on benevolence and filial piety, and it would be unwise to immediately move against an old minister entrusted with the emperor's son right after ascension. He advised the empress dowager to consider the emperor's reputation. Between clear streams and verdant mountains, two beautiful ladies slowly descended the mountain. Lin Xi was finally leaving Langya Mountain. Meng Qianxue asked Lin Xi about her plans after descending the mountain.

Lin Xi replied that since childhood she had the ambition of Shennong, intending to travel through various countries, taste all kinds of herbs, and compile medical texts and pharmacopoeias, hinting that she did not wish to discuss matters of love and marriage anymore. Meng Qianxue sighed that a free-spirited person like Xiao Pingjing was originally a perfect match for Lin Xi. Unfortunately, life was unpredictable, and the two already had a knot in their hearts.

At this moment, she didn't know what to say, and could only let Lin Xi leave. She watched Lin Xi's lonely and desolate figure, feeling much pity in her heart. Xiao Pingjing finally returned to the imperial capital. But when he looked towards Jifeng Hall, Lin Xi's figure was no longer there. He scrunched his nose, stubbornly refusing to look again.

After returning to the capital, he still had military affairs to handle, and only returned to the manor to pay respects to Changlin King at night. In Ganzhou of the Northern Frontier, thousands of miles away, Xiao Yuanqi gazed at the dark distance under the moonlight. A figure suddenly appeared behind him, it was the elusive Mo Zihou, the greatest martial artist under heaven.

Xiao Yuanqi had been working hard on the border for over a year, winning over several trusted aides, and his martial arts had also greatly improved. When he exchanged blows with Mo Zihou, his sword strikes were fast and varied, creating an illusion of flashing sword light, dreamlike and ethereal. However, these improvements were still child's play in the eyes of the greatest martial artist under heaven.

A flash of sword light from Mo Zihou's palm struck Xiao Yuanqi's Qingfeng sword out of his hand, and guided it to embed itself deeply into a pillar behind Xiao Yuanqi, scraping his cheek, piercing three inches deep into the wood. Xiao Yuanqi did not give up. Mo Zihou then displayed the essence of his unique martial arts. As he moved, he seemed to split into several figures, instantly covering the entire city wall.

Then he brushed past Xiao Yuanqi, took the sharp sword from his hand, and returned it to its sheath. During the time all this happened, Xiao Yuanqi had only just drawn his sword and taken one step forward to thrust, not even knowing how the sword returned to its sheath. The gap between the two was immeasurable. Mo Zihou frankly stated that although Xiao Yuanqi worked hard, the gap in his talent compared to Xiao Pingjing was too great.

Xiao Yuanqi also knew his talent was not high, admitting that the so-called revenge was just self-deception. However, Mo Zihou stated that Xiao Yuanqi had many strengths compared to Xiao Pingjing, but that the frontier army camp was not where his future lay. He advised him to find an opportunity to return to Jinling, as the new emperor had ascended, and Jinling was now full of opportunities. Xiao Yuanqi, however, was unwilling to return quietly.

Xiao Pingjing had judged before his departure that the Northern Frontier was not peaceful, so he decided to stay at the frontier to await opportunity. Mo Zihou then said he could wait and see. Xiao Yuanqi was surprised that he wanted to stay. What would happen in the Northern Frontier, this was also something that Xiao Pingjing and Changlin King, father and son, were considering.

With the new monarch's ascension, it was truly surprising that there had been no probes from the Dayu side. Xiao Pingjing mentioned that the current Dayu was also embroiled in internal strife. Prince Kang, Tan Lingshuo, had recently taken over as the commander of the Dayu Imperial Army.

He was belligerent by nature, and being the new chief commander, it was thus speculated that he would certainly dispatch troops to the Northern Frontier in as little as half a year, or at most a year. That's why he was eager to return before the beacons of war flared up, to see his father again. The young emperor was listening, bewildered, to Xun Baishui's report on the cabinet's resolutions.

Just then, hearing that Xiao Pingjing requested an audience, he happily summoned him in. Seeing the emperor's vexation, Xiao Pingjing took him to the garden to play. Upon seeing Xiao Pingjing, Xun Baishui suddenly recalled the matter of Xiao Pingzhang arbitrarily mobilizing large armies around the capital back then. So he discussed with Lord Jin that they should reorganize the Royal Feathered Forest Guard. After all, having a military force under one's own control would ultimately be more reassuring.

He then brought this matter up to the Empress Dowager, stating that the first thing to do was to eliminate the influence of the Changlin King's Manor around Jinling. Therefore, he needed to establish a new army that would completely obey the imperial family. However, this was no small matter; it required the emperor to personally speak to Changlin King. So the Empress Dowager and Xun Baishui each exhausted various pretexts to trick the young emperor into speaking.

On the other hand, due to health reasons, Changlin King had prematurely handed over the military command of the Changlin Army to Xiao Pingjing, making him take on the responsibility of Changlin Deputy Commander.

Episode 30 Recap

Xiao Pingjing returned to the capital for a short time before having to go back to the border. King Changlin, although reluctant in his heart, did not show it on his face, and went to court with Xiao Pingjing. In the imperial court, King Changlin was very dissatisfied with the Cabinet's decision to disband the Weishan and Cuifeng camps and asked the Emperor why they had to be completely reorganized.

Seeing King Changlin's anger, the Emperor felt nervous and asked King Changlin if he disagreed. Xun Baishui quickly stood up and declared that there was an earlier precedent for new monarchs disbanding old camps, so it was not worth rejecting. However, how could King Changlin not see through the trick? The resolution clearly stated that all high-ranking military officials were to be dismissed, military households reallocated, and troops integrated. This was completely different from merely changing camp designations.

Xun Baishui immediately challenged, claiming that the Emperor was completely obedient to King Changlin, and now it was just about establishing a small Imperial Guard (Yulin Army). He questioned King Changlin's dissatisfaction. Hearing that the military establishment was already being discussed, the Empress Dowager Xun entered the Chaoyang Grand Hall from the rear hall. King Changlin and Xun Baishui each held their ground, refuting each other in the Grand Hall.

The young Emperor, seeing his two elders arguing, inevitably felt flustered. At this moment, the Empress Dowager arrived in the Grand Hall and refuted King Changlin. King Changlin calmly stated that personnel from the inner court should not interfere in state affairs, but the Empress Dowager, relying on her authority, accused King Changlin of being autocratic.

The young Emperor was put in a difficult position by both elders, and Xun Baishui took the opportunity to fuel the fire, echoing the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager deliberately stated angrily, "Since the court listens to King Changlin in everything, there is no need for the Emperor to hold court. All officials can just go to King Changlin's mansion to discuss state affairs." Upon hearing this, Xiao Pingjing was furious.

He rushed forward and questioned the Empress Dowager, stating that the imperial court should be a place for free expression. His sudden rush startled the Empress Dowager, who quickly hid behind the Emperor. Fortunately, King Changlin stopped Xiao Pingjing, adopting a strategy of retreating to advance. He used a delaying tactic, directly stating that with the Empress Dowager in the Grand Hall, it was not suitable for discussing state affairs, and he would lead the officials to withdraw.

Seeing this, the Empress Dowager quickly put on a pitiful expression and left the Grand Hall. After the court session, Xun Feizhan came to King Changlin's mansion. King Changlin's anger had not subsided. Xun Feizhan advised King Changlin to take care of his health and not to take the Empress Dowager's words to heart. He frankly stated that the baseless instigation of these troubles was not the young Emperor's intention at all.

The young Emperor had no real opinions; it was merely the Empress Dowager and Xun Baishui targeting King Changlin's mansion. Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager returned to the palace and deliberately misinterpreted King Changlin's words to the Emperor, claiming that King Changlin meant the Emperor had no power to make decisions, and that if King Changlin spoke a few more times, he would go from assisting in governance by imperial decree to solely governing by imperial decree.

As soon as this was said, the young Emperor immediately exclaimed that these words were too malicious, and he absolutely did not believe them. Seeing this, the Empress Dowager again put on a pitiful expression, which made the young Emperor unable to get angry for a moment. Xiao Pingjing, on his way out of the capital and back to the border, made a detour to Langya Hall to visit Meng Qianxue and his newborn nephew. He asked about Lin Xi.

Meng Qianxue told him that Lin Xi had already gone down the mountain early to publish a medical classic. It was unknown where she had gone by now. Xiao Pingjing spoke his true feelings, saying that when Xiao Pingzhang was alive, he relied heavily on his elder brother. Now, carrying the heavy burden of family and nation alone, he inevitably felt physically and mentally exhausted, and at such times, he missed Xiao Pingzhang exceptionally.

Meng Qianxue told Xiao Pingjing that his elder brother sacrificed his life to save him out of brotherly affection, definitely not to make him another Xiao Pingzhang. King Changlin was still worried about the reorganization of the Imperial Guard (Yulin Army). In fact, whether it was a new or old arrangement made no difference to him, and the details would be handled by trustworthy people in the Ministry of War.

His greatest concern was that the old military households, who had been supported for generations and had the character "loyalty" etched in their hearts, would all be dismissed. How could newly recruited soldiers, no matter how much they were trained, truly hold the Emperor in their hearts, given that the Imperial Guard was to defend the gates of the imperial capital?

However, in the end, he still agreed to the matter, disbanding the Weishan and Cuifeng camps and reorganizing the Donghu Imperial Guard (Yulin). This was taken as merely giving the Emperor a chance to practice. Baishui and the Empress Dowager were smug and in high spirits. Xun Baishui mentioned that although Xun Feizhan had an untamed personality, he could be trusted to manage the Imperial Army.

He believed that with King Changlin's mansion's influence removed from Jinling's defense, he had stabilized the capital's situation before the Emperor fully controlled the imperial court, even if it wasn't complete peace of mind. However, the Empress Dowager was not satisfied and brought up Xiao Pingjing's influence in the Northern Frontier Army. Xun Baishui was unconcerned, as Xiao Pingjing's current prestige was still far too low. Xiao Pingjing stayed in Langya Hall for several days.

Just as he was about to leave, he received a brocade pouch from the Old Master of Langya Hall, telling him to open it only when he reached Ganzhou. Xiao Pingjing returned to the northern frontier. The northern frontier was relatively stable, but a 300-man force from Dayu's Imperial Army attacked the Monan outpost on the Daliang border. The Liang army counter-encircled them one by one and captured a general.

The Dayu general was of the sixth rank, not a low official. Xiao Pingjing was interested, but the Liang army didn't interrogate any useful information. However, this unusual action still made Xiao Pingjing vigilant. He and Xiao Yuanqi discussed the purpose of Prince Kang, the new commander of Dayu's Imperial Army, sensing that Dayu would soon make a major move. He would still go to Moshan tomorrow to check.

At night, Xiao Pingjing opened the brocade pouch from the Langya Hall Master. It turned out that the Old Master's pouch recorded an upcoming solar eclipse in the northern frontier on the first day of the tenth month. Xiao Yuanqi came to the city wall alone. However, Mo Zihou did not appear again this time. The day Xiao Pingjing returned to the border was the day he left.

In the imperial capital, the young Emperor stood for a long time accompanied by Xun Feizhan, but he was slow to move. It turned out he didn't want to attend court; he didn't want to be caught between the Empress Dowager and King Changlin. He asked Xun Feizhan why the Empress Dowager always harbored resentment about the Donghu Imperial Guard (Yulin) matter. King Changlin had clearly let go, yet she kept talking, annoying the young Emperor greatly.

Xun Feizhan told the young Emperor to recall the late Emperor's dying wish, which was for him to heed the teachings of his uncle, King Changlin, and urged him to attend court. The young Emperor, having made up his mind, quickly walked towards the imperial court. Xiao Pingjing was leading a team to patrol the border defenses when he suddenly heard about the arrival of a Dayu envoy. He hurried back to the yamen.

It turned out that Prince Kang of Dayu, Qin Lingshuo, had proposed a prisoner exchange and invited him to meet in three days. Xiao Pingjing learned that there had been such a precedent before, so he decided to gladly accept the invitation and meet Prince Kang of Dayu.

Episode 31 Recap

On the vast wilderness, the cavalry of the Great Yu Imperial Army and the Great Liang Changlin Army stood face to face. Under the fluttering military flags, Xiao Pingjing and Qin Lingshuo scrutinized each other. Xiao Pingjing was the first to state his name, but Kangwang Qin Lingshuo of Great Yu looked down on him, stating directly that the Great Yu army only recognized Changlin Shizi Xiao Pingzhang, and asked the Changlin Army to send someone who could make decisions.

Xiao Pingjing told Qin Lingshuo that he had already received the Changlin military order and was in command of the northern defense. Qin Lingshuo chuckled, saying that the Changlin Prince's Mansion had no successor. Xiao Pingjing was not annoyed, but merely warned Qin Lingshuo not to order the Great Yu army to invade the border, burning, killing, and plundering.

Unexpectedly, Qin Lingshuo was arrogant and tyrannical, not taking Great Liang seriously at all, declaring that since ancient times, the victor is king and the defeated is a bandit, with no morality to speak of. He even mocked Xiao Pingjing as nothing more than an inexperienced child. He then demanded that Xiao Pingjing release the Great Yu military officer previously captured by the Changlin Army. This officer turned out to be Qin Lingshuo's nephew, which slightly surprised everyone in Changlin.

Unexpectedly, Kangwang's reaction was even more astonishing to everyone. Kangwang Qin Lingshuo actually took a bow and arrow from his subordinate and shot his nephew dead in front of everyone, greatly shocking the Changlin Army's officers and soldiers. Qin Lingshuo then roared, "An imperial son can only be shattered like jade, not live in disgrace! Great Liang will surely perish! This time, the Great Liang court is in mourning for the late emperor, truly heaven helps us!"

This caused many cavalrymen of the Great Yu Imperial Army to cheer in agreement. He then arrogantly led his troops away, leaving the Changlin officers and soldiers looking at each other in dismay. Back at the mansion, Xiao Pingjing, disregarding the opposition of the generals, insisted on taking Dong Qing and Lu Zhao with him to infiltrate Great Yu to scout the situation. He knew from Kangwang Qin Lingshuo's behavior that he was a ruthless and warlike person.

Now that Qin Lingshuo held the marshal's seal of the Great Yu Imperial Army, a war between the two nations was inevitable. The urgent task was to figure out Qin Lingshuo's preparations and main attack direction. The generals, unable to dissuade him, could only agree. Jinling City was still a picture of peace. Changlin Wang Xiao Tingsheng picked up the golden soft armor that Mei Changsu and Fei Liu had given him back then, falling into deep memories.

Now that he was old and his health was deteriorating, he mocked himself, saying he greatly missed those past days and was probably going to meet those old friends. These words frightened Uncle Yuan. Xiao Tingsheng quickly laughed, saying that with Xiao Pingzhang and the late emperor having passed away, even for Xiao Pingjing's sake, he would hold on for a while longer. He then drained the medicinal soup in one gulp.

At this moment, Xiao Pingjing was packing his belongings, preparing for his trip to Great Yu. Dr. Du suddenly came to Xiao Pingjing's room, asking if he was going to infiltrate Great Yu. He took the opportunity to tell Xiao Pingjing that Lin Xi had also coincidentally arrived within Great Yu's borders, reminding Xiao Pingjing that they might meet this time. Xiao Pingjing was secretly startled and remained silent in thought.

After infiltrating Great Yu, Xiao Pingjing secretly met with various Changlin spies within Pancheng and learned that the reason Qin Lingshuo was so busy trying to achieve military merits was precisely to suppress his main rival, Prince Yang Ruan Ying, with whom he was sworn enemies within Great Yu. Now, Great Yu's forces were gradually converging on Pancheng, and Qin Lingshuo was also stationed there. Xiao Pingjing immediately decided to stay in Pancheng for a few more days.

However, Pancheng was a military stronghold, and most of its residents were military households, making it difficult to hide. So, Dong Qing disguised himself as a wine merchant from Loumo to approach Great Yu soldiers. While strolling on the street, Xiao Pingjing indeed encountered Lin Xi, whom he hadn't seen for a long time. Lin Xi had been traveling through mountains and forests, gathering herbs, identifying their properties, and compiling medical texts.

She had only come to the city to find a certain medicinal ingredient, and her familiar graceful figure was just caught by Xiao Pingjing. Unfortunately, Xiao Pingjing only felt that he might have been hallucinating and did not chase after her. The informant Hu Song delivered a map of the Great Yu military camp to Xiao Pingjing.

Xiao Pingjing muttered to himself that he wanted to sneak in to investigate, which immediately alarmed everyone, who advised him not to risk his life again. However, Xiao Pingjing's mind was made up. The Great Yu military camp was built in Sheshan, and Lin Xi, to find that medicinal ingredient, had also set off towards Sheshan. Fate dictated that Xiao Pingjing and Lin Xi were destined to meet. Sheshan was steep, with cliffs like mirrors.

Xiao Pingjing and his companions found it extremely difficult to proceed, so they asked an old hunter if there was another path up the mountain. The old man told him that a young woman had also climbed the peak that morning. Xiao Pingjing immediately deduced that this girl was very likely Lin Xi, and he quickly rushed to the mountaintop. Lin Xi was strenuously climbing the peak with a rope, only to see Xiao Pingjing already waiting for her.

Their eyes met, and emotions secretly surged. However, because of the matter concerning Xiao Pingzhang, Xiao Pingjing and Lin Xi still had an unresolved knot in their hearts. They sat back to back, confiding in each other. Xiao Pingjing finally decided that no matter what, he would take Lin Xi back. Lin Xi looked at Xiao Pingjing, feeling he was increasingly different, lamenting that Xiao Pingjing had changed a lot during the time they hadn't seen each other.

She knew that Xiao Pingjing had always held himself to Xiao Pingzhang's words and actions so as not to disappoint his father and the Changlin Army soldiers. Xiao Pingjing confessed that he finally understood why Xiao Pingzhang and Changlin Wang were always so serious back then, because he had deeply realized that when the heavy burden of family and nation was shouldered, it was indeed impossible to be happy.

However, seeing Lin Xi today made Xiao Pingjing retrieve some of his former feelings. Just as the two were confiding in each other, Xiao Pingjing's subordinate suddenly darted out of the woods. Upon seeing Lin Xi, he immediately began to speak of how Xiao Pingjing often murmured her name. Xiao Pingjing quickly stopped him with a look. Xiao Pingjing brought Lin Xi back to the city.

Just as he was discussing the war with his subordinates, he suddenly discovered that Prince Yang Ruan Ying of Great Yu had also arrived in Pancheng. Xiao Pingjing, instead, felt this was an opportunity and decided to contact the undercover agent Hu Song to infiltrate the Great Yu military camp. He arranged for Lin Xi to leave first and wait at the inn.

Lin Xi looked at him affectionately, expressing her devoted love, saying she would wait for Xiao Pingjing to leave together, no matter how long it took. Ruan Ying arrived at the main tent of the Great Yu military camp and was incompatible with Qin Lingshuo, confronting him fiercely and arguing endlessly over whether or not to go to war with Great Liang.

Ruan Ying reminded Qin Lingshuo that using the main forces to invade Great Liang was a battle risking the fate of Great Yu. He deduced that Qin Lingshuo's main attack direction would definitely be the Monan Camp of the Changlin Army, as this place was a weak point in Changlin's northern defense line. This, however, gave an advantage to Xiao Pingjing, who had been disguised as a small soldier, secretly listening nearby.

Episode 32 Recap

After Xiao Pingjing left, the two in the Dayu army tent continued to argue. Ruan Ying earnestly tried to persuade Tan Lingshuo to abandon the plan to attack and not stake all of Dayu's military strength. However, Tan Lingshuo was arrogant by nature, and his mind was made up; no one could stop him. He even wanted to drive Ruan Ying away. Ruan Ying was furious and turned to leave, but halfway there he turned back, settling for a compromise.

He advised Tan Lingshuo not to be agitated by a momentary fit of pique, emphasizing that it was important to preserve Dayu's military strength, and that even if they suffered a defeat, he would not utter a single word of sarcasm or ridicule. But Tan Lingshuo found Ruan Ying's words too verbose, and cursed him to lose the battle. Ruan Ying's persistent persuasion was ineffective, and he sighed endlessly. Xiao Pingjing escaped from the Dayu military camp.

Just as he was about to leave, he was suddenly subjected to a check. He had no choice but to suddenly attack, knocking down several people. However, other Dayu soldiers heard the commotion and immediately rushed over. In this critical moment, the undercover agent Hu Song sacrificed himself and stayed behind, buying time for Xiao Pingjing to quickly evacuate. On the other side, Lin Xi waited restlessly at the inn entrance.

It wasn't until she saw Xiao Pingjing riding from the end of the road that the worry in her heart subsided. Xiao Pingjing planned to use the solar eclipse phenomenon, which the Master of Langya Pavilion had told him about, to set up a deadly trap for the Dayu Imperial Army, determined not to let their 200,000 main forces return easily. Lin Xi saw his appearance and slowly said that he was becoming more and more like Xiao Pingzhang.

These words struck a raw nerve for Xiao Pingjing, and his face immediately darkened. Lin Xi, however, did not let go, but actively stated that this matter could not be avoided forever, and wanted Xiao Pingjing to have a good talk with her. Xiao Pingjing put it off, saying they could talk about it when they returned to Ganzhou. Lin Xi stated that she was willing to listen anytime, anywhere.

Xiao Pingjing asked Lin Xi to draw many portraits, and then ordered Dong Qing to gather all personnel within Dayu territory and widely spread rumors, declaring that Tan Lingshuo was cruel and bloodthirsty, incurring a heavenly punishment, which would trigger the phenomenon of the sun being swallowed during the day. When the phenomenon occurred, if they did not sincerely kneel and pray, heaven would surely bring down punishment upon Dayu.

His ultimate goal was to plant a seed of unease among Tan Lingshuo and the entire Dayu army. After dealing with matters within Dayu territory, Xiao Pingjing and his party, along with Lin Xi, quickly rode back to Ganzhou in Daliang. As soon as Xiao Pingjing returned to Ganzhou, he immediately summoned the commanding generals of his subordinate camps to discuss matters of war with Dayu.

After the meeting, Xiao Pingjing dismissed everyone and wrote a letter to the Prince of Changlin alone. However, Xiao Yuanqi had been waiting outside the gate. Seeing Xiao Pingjing come out, he proactively offered to deliver the letter for Xiao Pingjing. Xiao Pingjing readily agreed. Xiao Yuanqi then took a few trusted confidants he had gained in the border city and galloped away, riding faster than light cavalry.

After Xiao Yuanqi arrived in Jinling, he did not go home first, but went directly to the Prince of Changlin's Residence to deliver Xiao Pingjing's family letter to the Prince of Changlin. Afterwards, he returned to his own Marquis of Laiyang's Residence. Although he had been away from the residence for two years, under the care of several old servants, it was still tidy enough to be habitable.

Xiao Yuanqi praised his servants, then sternly admonished them that from now on, they were not allowed to add the character "Xiao" (little) before "Marquis." After experiencing so many things, he was no longer the naive young Marquis he once was, but the Marquis of Laiyang who hoped to achieve great ambitions. He glanced around his Marquis's Residence, filled with indescribable emotions. That night, the Prince of Changlin read in detail the letter Xiao Pingjing had sent him.

Xiao Pingjing declared in his letter that he intended to encircle and annihilate Dayu's main forces. However, this was precisely what the Prince of Changlin was worried about. According to etiquette, with the former emperor recently deceased and the national mourning period not yet over, they could only defend themselves and resist enemies at the national border; they could not take the initiative to attack. Therefore, blocking Dayu's attack was one thing, but annihilating Dayu's main forces was another.

He feared that someone would accuse Xiao Pingjing of unauthorized military action during the national mourning period. Uncle Yuan asked the Prince of Changlin to persuade Xiao Pingjing to stop. The Prince of Changlin hesitated for a long time, and finally spoke of the Changlin Prince's Residence's position, stating that the importance of Changlin lay in protecting the borders and ensuring the peace of the people, not in personal power and influence, and decided to support Xiao Pingjing.

Xiao Yuanqi proactively came to find Xun Baishui, which slightly surprised Xun Baishui. Xiao Yuanqi discussed the general situation in the court with Xun Baishui, deliberately exaggerating the threat of the Changlin Prince's Residence. However, he also knew that Xiao Pingjing's foundation was currently too shallow. But if Xiao Pingjing suddenly achieved extraordinary merits, his reputation would certainly increase greatly. He then told Xun Baishui about Xiao Pingjing's plan, which made Xun Baishui fall into deep thought.

Xiao Yuanqi knew when to stop, and prepared to leave. Xun Baishui called out to him, asking if Xiao Yuanqi intended to pledge allegiance regarding today's matter. Xiao Yuanqi smiled, saying he had status, a noble title, and now military achievements; why would he need to pledge allegiance? This completely baffled Xun Baishui, who thought Xiao Yuanqi was jealous of Xiao Pingjing.

But Xiao Yuanqi found a high-sounding reason, stating that he couldn't stand how the former emperor had doted on and cared for Xiao Pingjing back then, yet today Xiao Pingjing had set aside the former emperor's national rites for his own military achievements. However, he also frankly admitted that he had always been jealous of Xiao Pingjing. The next day, Xun Baishui told the Empress Dowager the news he had learned.

The Empress Dowager was exceptionally furious, scolding Xiao Pingjing for completely disregarding the Emperor and the former Emperor. She asked Xun Baishui to report this matter to the young Emperor. However, nothing had actually happened yet, and Xiao Yuanqi's words alone were not enough to report to the Emperor. He advised the Empress Dowager to wait a few more days.

Xiao Pingjing wrote back precisely to allow the Prince of Changlin to gather more support for him in the imperial court, suggesting the Empress Dowager should wait and see. Xiao Yuanqi came to the Changlin Prince's Residence, pretending to be a docile child, wanting to leave the Northern Border frontline. The Prince of Changlin planned to arrange a position for him in the Ministry of War, and offered him heartfelt advice. Xiao Yuanqi agreed outwardly, but he was blinded by hatred and could not control himself. As he expected, Xun Baishui indeed came to find him proactively.

Episode 33 Recap

In the dead of night, by an ancient desk lit by a green lamp, Changlin King Xiao Tingsheng was writing furiously. He suddenly paused, his brows deeply furrowed, then let out a long sigh, discarded what he had just written, and replaced the paper to rewrite it. Uncle Yuan did not understand his intention, thinking he had simply made a mistake. The Changlin King explained that Xiao Pingjing appeared carefree and uninhibited, but was in fact meticulous.

The strokes of the characters he had just written seemed somewhat unsteady, and he feared Xiao Pingjing would overthink it if he saw them. This showed the mutual understanding between the father and son. Xun Baishui stood in the hall of the Marquis of Laiyang's residence. Xiao Yuanqi calmly prepared new tea for him, but Xun Baishui was not in the mood for enjoyment; at that moment, he was more concerned about Xiao Yuanqi himself.

He questioned whether Xiao Yuanqi's act of telling him the news was out of loyalty to the Emperor or an attempt by the Changlin King's Manor to gauge the attitude of court officials. Xiao Yuanqi, however, smiled and said that if the Changlin King's Manor truly harbored ulterior motives, then the only people who would genuinely fight for the Emperor without hesitation were the Empress Dowager and Xun Baishui.

Xun Baishui did not want to beat around the bush with him and directly questioned what he was trying to say. Xiao Yuanqi then took out a black lacquered wooden box. Xun Baishui opened the box to see that it contained the accusation letter from Pu Yangying, which identified the Empress Dowager as being involved in the plague incident, along with the Empress Dowager's own decree from that year.

Xun Baishui was greatly alarmed and hastily asked Xiao Yuanqi how he had obtained these items. Xiao Yuanqi seized the opportunity to say that if he truly harbored malice towards the Empress Dowager and Xun Baishui, he would only need to hand these items to the late Emperor, and the outcome would be self-evident. The reason he had kept these items was to prove that he was absolutely not allied with the Changlin King's Manor.

Xun Baishui gazed at Xiao Yuanqi for a moment, then calmly put away the items. Xiao Yuanqi pushed the tea towards Xun Baishui. The two, one calm and collected, the other half-believing and half-doubting, nevertheless drank the tea together, which served as a mutual acknowledgment. Xiao Yuanqi encountered an old friend on the street. The friend invited him for a light drink, but Xiao Yuanqi had something to attend to.

As he was declining, he suddenly saw a carriage, not belonging to the royal family, passing by escorted by Imperial Guards, which greatly surprised him. His friend told him that this was the young lady of the Xun family, who was frequently invited into the palace. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuanqi was looking towards the carriage, and coincidentally, the young lady inside the carriage lifted the curtain to get some air at that very moment.

Xiao Yuanqi and Xun Anru thus happened to meet each other for the first time. As the carriage gradually moved further away, Xiao Yuanqi had to shift his gaze back from the departing carriage. He was supposed to visit the Changlin King that day, so he quickly hurried to the King's Manor. The Changlin King handed Xiao Yuanqi his reply to Xiao Pingjing, asking him to deliver it on his behalf.

After Xiao Yuanqi received the letter and returned home, he immediately melted the wax seal of the envelope, took out the letter, and read it carefully. He then handed the letter to Xun Baishui for inspection. Xun Baishui angrily threw the letter to the ground. From the letter, he learned that Xiao Pingjing was preparing a large operation to annihilate the main force of the Dàyú Imperial Army and wanted the Changlin King to cooperate in court.

This was exactly what Xun Baishui feared most. Since Xiao Pingzhang's passing, the Changlin King was not proficient in court affairs. At the same time, after Xiao Pingjing took command of the Changlin Army, his military achievements were limited, and his prestige was not comparable to his father or brother.

Therefore, Xun Baishui believed that although the Changlin King and his son appeared to be a military and political alliance, one internal and one external, they could not truly achieve internal and external coordination. However, if Xiao Pingjing's planned operation succeeded this time, not only would it annihilate the main force of the Dàyú Imperial Army, but it would also allow the Changlin Army to withdraw safely.

The prestige of this battle would be attributed to Xiao Pingjing, which would enable the Changlin King and his son to truly achieve perfect coordination between internal and external affairs and control both court politics and military affairs. This was the result Xun Baishui least wanted to see. He believed that by then, everyone in the court would have to obey the Changlin King's Manor's will.

Xiao Yuanqi, fanning the flames from the side, said that it was not only the court, but perhaps even the Emperor would have to obey the Changlin King's Manor's will, which struck Xun Baishui's sensitive nerve. Thus, Xun Baishui thought of having the Emperor issue an imperial decree ordering the garrison troops in the four borders only to defend, not to leave the city, provoke, or expand the war.

Xun Feizhan had originally gone to pay his respects to Xun Baishui but discovered Xun Anru sighing alone while gazing at the moon. Xun Anru had been feigning illness, unwilling to enter the palace. Xun Feizhan told her to obey and not to act impulsively. At the same time, he heard from Xun Anru that Xun Baishui was receiving guests, which slightly shocked him; he couldn't imagine who would be visiting so late. He quickly rushed to Xun Baishui's study.

Xun Baishui was conversing congenially with Xiao Yuanqi when he suddenly heard the sound of servants stopping Xun Feizhan, and he immediately told Xiao Yuanqi to hide. Xun Feizhan burst into the study, but he only saw Xun Baishui alone. Xun Baishui falsely claimed that there were no guests. Xun Feizhan did not catch anyone, and although he harbored extreme suspicion, he could only say that he was being overly suspicious and then took his leave.

Xun Baishui reported to the Emperor that the Changlin King's Manor was preparing a major operation in the northern border. The Emperor trusted the Changlin King greatly, but was somewhat half-believing and half-doubting. Xun Baishui suggested that the Emperor could ask indirectly to find out the truth. So, the Emperor took the opportunity during his archery practice on horseback to ask the Changlin King why the provisions and fodder for the northern border were thirty percent more than usual.

The Changlin King explained that since the late Emperor passed away and the Emperor was young, it was an opportunity for foreign nations to invade Daliang, so everything he did was for prevention. When the Emperor returned to the palace, Xun Baishui and the Empress Dowager, echoing each other, spoke of the Changlin King's faults, questioning why he could not bring matters of the northern border to court for all officials to discuss.

The Empress Dowager also stated that this was the situation when a powerful minister dominated everything. The Emperor pondered for a long time, finally deciding to display his imperial authority and asked what advice the Grand Secretariat had on the matter. On the other side, the Changlin King told Xun Feizhan of his plans. Xun Feizhan worried that while the Changlin Army would defend the country against enemies, they would ultimately be implicated in return.

The Changlin King said that the Cabinet officials simply could not understand the suffering of border warfare; they would only argue and pass the buck. However, military opportunities were fleeting and could not wait for the outcome of the court officials' discussions. On one hand, it was a state ritual, and on the other, a God-given military opportunity; it was inherently a dilemma.

And the Emperor had just turned fourteen and newly ascended to the throne; he simply could not bear such a difficult dilemma. Xun Baishui's suggestion to the Emperor was precisely what he and Xiao Yuanqi had agreed upon: to issue an imperial decree without the Changlin King's knowledge, stating that the four border garrisons could only defend, not deploy troops.

The young Emperor initially had reservations, but being young after all, under the instigation of his maternal uncle Xun Baishui and his mother, the Empress Dowager, he ultimately decided to issue the decree. Xiao Yuanqi traveled day and night to Ganzhou. However, even though he was skillful, Xiao Pingjing saw that the letter had been opened and read immediately upon receiving it. Xiao Yuanqi feigned ignorance to deceive him.

Xiao Pingjing realized that the other party might send an imperial decree from the court and have people monitor along the way, sending a carrier pigeon message upon spotting a court envoy. Xun Baishui also knew this imperial decree was very crucial and decided to personally enter the northern border to issue the decree.

Episode 34 Recap

The Changlin Army had already made preparations in the northern border. Not only did they strengthen patrols in the direction Xiao Pingjing had predicted Dayu would attack, but 300,000 torches were also being urgently produced. On the other side, Xun Baishui boarded a carriage bound for the northern border, claiming to the court that he was ill. The King of Changlin grew suspicious when he saw that Xun Baishui had not attended court for several days.

Xun Feizhan, understanding the King of Changlin's intentions, forcefully entered Xun Baishui's home and discovered the secret that he was not there. The 200,000-strong main force of the Dayu Royal Army, led by their commander Prince Kang Tan Lingshuo, marched south in a mighty procession, heading towards the Changlin Army's Monan Camp. The vast grasslands were filled by the massive formation of the Royal Army. However, all their actions were already within Xiao Pingjing's calculations.

After Monan Camp feigned defeat, they concealed themselves in the valley, ready to cut off the Dayu Royal Army's retreat at any moment. The entire Royal Army had already crossed Mo Mountain, and the time for the solar eclipse was approaching. Everything was within Xiao Pingjing's grasp; it could be said that all was ready, lacking only the east wind.

However, at this moment, he learned that a team of envoys from the capital, sent to deliver an imperial decree, had arrived and settled in at the Biannan Post Station. Xiao Pingjing dismissed the main generals of each camp, claiming that the envoys from the capital were fatigued from their journey, and the border road was difficult to travel, so they would inevitably encounter incidents like broken axles.

He hinted to Lu Zhao to use this method to obstruct the capital envoys' progress. Xun Baishui indeed fell into the trap; either an axle broke, or a horse fell ill with no replacement available. He knew full well that this was definitely orchestrated by Xiao Pingjing but could do nothing about it. Seeing the convoy thus stranded, he decided to take only a few attendants and travel light to stop Xiao Pingjing.

At this time, the Changlin Grand Army had already set off, but Xiao Yuanqi voluntarily stayed in the city to take charge of receiving. Xiao Pingjing led the way, guiding the army towards the predetermined ambush location. Along the way, battle reports came continuously. He ordered his army to accelerate their advance and seize the initiative. On the other side, only Xiao Yuanqi and Lu Zhao, who had voluntarily stayed behind, were there to meet Xun Baishui.

In front of Lu Zhao, Xiao Yuanqi pretended to be perfunctory towards Xun Baishui. But after he sent Lu Zhao away, Xun Baishui reprimanded him for not stopping Xiao Pingjing. However, Xiao Yuanqi still told Xun Baishui that Xiao Pingjing should be west of Ning Pass city at this moment, and frankly stated that Xiao Pingjing's major move would happen in these few days. If Xun Baishui departed very early the next day, he should be able to catch up.

Before Ning Pass, the trap Xiao Pingjing set for the Dayu Royal Army finally took shape. With various camps feigning defeat and luring them along the way, he was gradually guiding Dayu's 200,000 main force into the encirclement. Subsequently, he ordered the two camps from Meiling and Ningzhou to launch a joint attack, delivering a significant setback to the Dayu Royal Army. This blocked the Dayu army's option of heading south towards Meiling, forcing their main force towards Ning Pass.

Furthermore, before the solar eclipse phenomenon arrived, he aimed to deliver a psychological blow to the Dayu army, complementing the psychological impact the solar eclipse, appearing in a few days, would have on the Dayu soldiers. Now, as the Dayu army approached step by step, the time was also drawing closer to the moment of the solar eclipse.

When Tan Lingshuo's silver dragon royal banner entered Xiao Pingjing's sight, it would be the ultimate moment for the final battle to commence. Although Tan Lingshuo's leadership of the main force had experienced minor failures, overall, he had been effortlessly advancing into Daliang territory. He walked proudly at the forefront of his troops, directing his forces, followed by what he considered his omnipotent and fearless Dayu Iron Cavalry. Xun Baishui finally reunited with his ceremonial escort.

He ordered his subordinates to raise the emperor's ceremonial banner, trying his best to invigorate his spirit. He hoped to overwhelm Xiao Pingjing with his authority. To prevent Xiao Pingjing from suspecting him, Xiao Yuanqi galloped to Xiao Pingjing's camp, informing him that Xun Baishui had personally arrived at the northern border, even though tomorrow was the day Xiao Pingjing had calculated for the decisive battle. At this moment, Xun Baishui finally arrived, dusty and weary, before Xiao Pingjing's tent.

He held an imperial sword and stood outside the camp gate. Xiao Pingjing had no choice but to let him in. Guarded by the emperor's ceremonial escort, Xun Baishui held the imperial sword aloft, demanding that Huaihua General Xiao Pingjing step out of the tent to receive the imperial decree. Xiao Pingjing wanted to invite Xun Baishui into the tent to discuss delaying the decree by a day.

However, Xun Baishui directly stated that Xiao Pingjing was greedy for military achievements, allowing border conflicts to escalate, and disrespecting the late emperor's spirit. Xiao Pingjing retorted furiously, saying that border soldiers defended the nation, not fearing bloodshed on the battlefield or dying wrapped in horse hide. Was it possible that in Xun Baishui's eyes, only "military achievement" mattered? This heavenly opportunity, rare in a hundred years, he begged Xun Baishui to concede a step.

At this moment, the celestial phenomenon abruptly changed; the solar eclipse was approaching, and the world gradually grew dim. Xun Baishui, seeing the solar eclipse, deemed it an ominous sign and immediately unfurled the imperial decree, about to announce and read it. Seeing the heaven-sent opportunity, fleeting and impossible to replicate, about to arrive in an instant, Xiao Pingjing stepped back two paces, pondered for a moment, looked at the gradually dimming world, and finally made up his mind.

He took his brother Xiao Pingzhang's long spear, and leading his generals, bypassed Xun Baishui and the imperial decree in his hand. He loudly declared that everyone in Changlin would obey his orders. After this battle, all responsibilities and crimes would be borne by him, Xiao Pingjing, alone. The time of destiny had arrived; he ordered the entire army to go forth with him.

Under his inspiration, the Changlin Army's shouts of battle were deafening, and the grand army immediately set out. At this time, the sky was dim, and the Dayu Royal Army was in chaos. All the soldiers had heard the rumors about the solar eclipse that Xiao Pingjing had previously ordered people to spread. Even Prince Kang Tan Lingshuo himself was affected by these rumors, and when he saw the solar eclipse phenomenon, he cried out in panic, "Impossible!"

If he was like this, other soldiers were even more frantic. Just as the entire Dayu army plunged into panic, the Changlin Army's attack arrived precisely at this moment. Propelled by massive catapults, firebombs engulfed in blazing flames fell like meteors, and rockets rained down like fiery showers. The Dayu army camp immediately became a sea of flames, like an inferno on earth.

Episode 35 Recap

Under the dim sky, the Dayu army camp was engulfed in a sea of flames. The Dayu soldiers, already terrified in their hearts, instantly fell into chaos, unable to organize any effective resistance. The Changlin Iron Cavalry rode through the fire, charging horizontally through the Dayu army, scattering its main force. Prince Kang, Tan Lingshuo, fought desperately to save his life, gathering his remaining troops, preparing to break out.

Of the Dayu Imperial Army's main force of 200,000, he only managed to gather less than 30,000. At this time, the central camp had fallen, the left and right flanks had lost contact, and only by heading west could they possibly break through the encirclement.

Tan Lingshuo looked up at his burning Silver Dragon Royal Banner and couldn't help but recall King Yang Ruan Ying's words, urging him to withdraw the Dayu soldiers back to their country, even if he failed. He immediately ordered a westward breakout. The solar eclipse phenomenon ended, and sunlight once again bathed the land. However, in this short period of time, the imposing Dayu Imperial Army camp had already turned into flying ash across the sky and ruins everywhere.

Xiao Pingjing, upon learning of Tan Lingshuo's westward breakout, asserted that the defeated Dayu remnants would definitely not be able to cross the Feishan Camp to the west. They would surely turn back to where he was currently located. And this was precisely the final graveyard of the Dayu Imperial Army. Tan Lingshuo, as expected, led a group of Dayu remnants, plunging headlong into the ambush Xiao Pingjing had set.

When Tan Lingshuo realized he had fallen into an ambush, the tide had already turned. Countless rockets fell like a rain of fire, leaving few remaining Dayu Imperial Army remnants. Tan Lingshuo fled on horseback, escaping with his personal guards all the way. Seeing that the main force of the Dayu Imperial Army had been cut down, Xiao Pingjing felt that whether Tan Lingshuo was killed or not made no difference to Daliang.

Moreover, although Tan Lingshuo was greatly defeated, he was deeply rooted in the court and would not be easily uprooted. Sparing his life could also counterbalance King Yang Ruan Ying of Dayu. After the great victory, they returned to camp triumphantly, but Xiao Pingjing did not feel much excitement. He returned to the military camp, where there was still Xun Baishui for him to deal with.

Xun Baishui angrily stated that Xiao Pingjing completely disregarded the late emperor and the young emperor, turning the northern border into a bloody mess. Xiao Pingjing directly questioned Xun Baishui about what he truly wanted. Xun Baishui, however, stated that Xiao Pingjing's crimes should be judged according to Daliang laws. The court should deal with him as it saw fit.

Xiao Pingjing knew that Xun Baishui wanted him to return to Jinling for trial, so he agreed with Xun Baishui that he would return to the capital to plead guilty a month later. Lin Xi, after learning that Xiao Pingjing would be in great trouble, immediately set off for Mount Langya to seek help. The young emperor and Xiao Pingjing had the best relationship since childhood, and he always knew Xiao Pingjing's temperament.

But seeing the memorials in front of him all harshly criticizing Xiao Pingjing for disobedience, defying imperial edicts, and deceiving the emperor, he was very displeased. The Empress Dowager, however, stated that Xiao Pingjing's defiance of the imperial edict was disrespectful to the emperor, and using troops during the mourning period was disrespectful to the late emperor, both unpardonable crimes. The young emperor was confused why, despite having won a great victory, no one pleaded for Xiao Pingjing.

Xun Feizhan immediately stated that he had previously submitted a memorial pleading for Xiao Pingjing. The emperor looked through the memorials on the table but found none, immediately realizing that all the memorials he could see were arranged by the Empress Dowager, and no memorial pleading for Xiao Pingjing could reach him.

The Empress Dowager knew the matter was exposed, and furiously questioned Xun Feizhan whether he was a descendant of the Xun family or a servant of the Changlin Prince's Mansion. The emperor quickly stopped his mother. After leaving the main hall, Xun Feizhan's anger was hard to quell, and he vented by hitting the railing alone. At this moment, Xun Anru suddenly found Xun Feizhan.

Xun Feizhan frankly said that the Empress Dowager was trapped by her inner demons, unable to extricate herself. He believed that one day, she would regret it. Then he asked Xun Anru which people the Empress Dowager had recently summoned. Lin Xi found the Old Pavilion Master on Mount Langya, asking how Xiao Pingjing's current predicament could be resolved.

The Langya Pavilion Master, by rule, does not inquire about court affairs, but Langya Pavilion could provide Xiao Pingjing with ultimate protection. Furthermore, he reassured Lin Xi not to worry too much, stating that the Changlin Prince thrived in adversity, learned from masters, and knew how to control the power of the ministers in court. Xun Feizhan came to the Changlin Prince's Mansion and directly stated that the Empress Dowager was gathering court officials to jointly interrogate Xiao Pingjing.

The Changlin Prince expressed that he did not wish to see factional strife for power, and thus remained silent. He stated directly that he did not have much time left before he would join the late emperor and his ancestors, so he did not wish to establish a "Changlin Faction" right before his death, causing the court to fall into factional struggle.

The Langya Pavilion Master allowed Meng Qianxue to descend the mountain and return home to handle matters of the Changlin Prince's Mansion. Xiao Pingjing also spurred his horse, rushing back to Jinling as quickly as possible. After entering the mansion gates, Xiao Pingjing solemnly adjusted his armor and headwear, and knelt for a long time before the Changlin Prince, eyes filled with tears, kowtowing.

The Changlin Prince praised Xiao Pingjing for the great victory at Ningguan, where he single-handedly annihilated the 200,000 strong main force of the Dayu Imperial Army, accomplishing what the Changlin Prince and Xiao Pingzhang had wanted to do but couldn't. He was proud of Xiao Pingjing, and Xiao Pingzhang and the late emperor would certainly be proud of Xiao Pingjing. The father and son embraced tightly.

On the other side, Xun Baishui found Xiao Yuanqi, asking how Xiao Pingjing had arranged his army in the northern border, but Xiao Yuanqi told him that Xiao Pingjing had made no arrangements, only returning to Jinling with one hundred personal guards. The Empress, after learning this, obsessively believed it was Xiao Pingjing's unrestrained arrogance.

She questioned Xun Baishui: "The Changlin Prince's Mansion only has two thousand soldiers, why are you not confronting the Changlin Prince and his son head-on now?" Xun Baishui stated that Xiao Pingjing was different from Xiao Pingzhang and could do anything when emotional, so it was better to observe the situation first. However, he suggested to the Empress Dowager that Xiao Pingjing should not be allowed to live leisurely at home, but should be arrested first.

The Empress Dowager strongly agreed and sent two deputy commanders of the Imperial Guards to the Changlin Prince's Mansion to arrest Xiao Pingjing. The Grand Secretariat also deployed the Patrol Guard to assist. However, when the Imperial Guards arrived at the Changlin Prince's Mansion, they were blocked by Meng Qianxue. The deputy commander of the Imperial Guards complained that Meng Qianxue was going too far, but Meng Qianxue drew her sword and pointed it directly at the deputy commander's throat. The deputy commander immediately panicked and called for help from his comrades, but no one dared to cross Meng Qianxue.

Episode 36 Recap

The Imperial Guard camp was blocked by Meng Qianxue. They couldn't even enter the gate of Changlin Royal Manor and reported the matter dejectedly to Xun Baishui. Xun Baishui was furious. Xun Feizhan suddenly came to find Xun Baishui, who quickly ordered two deputy commanders to leave. However, Xun Feizhan already knew about his deployment of the Imperial Guards. Xun Feizhan admonished Xun Baishui, saying that by doing so, he was actually damaging the Emperor's authority.

Xun Feizhan clearly stated that the Empress Dowager was always short-sighted and couldn't understand Xun Baishui's true intentions. In fact, it was very clear that Xun Baishui's biggest reliance in impeaching Xiao Pingjing was Xiao Pingjing's loyalty to the Emperor. This was contradictory, but Xun Baishui did not care. The King of Changlin and his son were ready for the court session. On the other side, the court officials summoned by Xun Baishui had also arrived in the imperial court.

In the imperial court, a great battle was imminent. The Emperor was restless and full of resistance towards attending court. Xun Feizhan comforted the Emperor, telling him to listen and observe more once in court, then summarize his own experience, and finally make his own judgment. Only then did the Emperor calm down. Meng Qianxue came to find Lin Xi, asking about the situation between her and Xiao Pingjing.

Lin Xi said that Xiao Pingjing had been very busy, and she had also been avoiding Xiao Pingjing, afraid that he would question her about the King of Changlin's illness. Upon hearing how serious the King of Changlin's illness was, Meng Qianxue felt bitter and immediately burst into tears.

In the imperial court, after the ministers bowed to the Emperor, Xun Baishui immediately brought up Xiao Pingjing's crime of resisting and refusing to accept the imperial decree, and demanded that Xiao Pingjing be questioned in court. Seeing that the King of Changlin had no objection, the Emperor agreed to the request. Xun Baishui publicly questioned Xiao Pingjing about his words when facing the imperial decree.

Xiao Pingjing stated directly that he had asked Chief Grand Secretary Xun Baishui to postpone the issuance of the imperial decree for a few days, which caused an uproar among the court officials, leading to widespread discussion. Xiao Pingjing defended himself by citing the southward advance of the Da Yu Royal Army. However, under Xun Baishui's instruction, Minister Qi from the Ministry of War pointed out that the Da Yu army had been intentionally let in by Xiao Pingjing.

The King of Changlin stood up at this moment and questioned Minister Qi whether he intended to accuse Xiao Pingjing of treason. Minister Qi quickly denied it, stating that it was just from a temporal perspective that Xiao Pingjing's troop deployment adjustments and military supply distribution came before the enemy invasion.

Furthermore, in terms of military deployment, it was a tactic of luring the enemy deep, indicating that Xiao Pingjing intentionally led the Da Yu Royal Army into Ningzhou, deliberately provoking a major battle. Xiao Pingjing angrily retorted, "Does the Minister of War believe that border defense combat is just chaotic hacking with swords, without any strategy or tactics?" This left Minister Qi momentarily speechless. The Empress Dowager was nervously restless in the imperial harem.

She and Xun Baishui had already secretly dispatched the Donghu Feathered Forest Army into the Jinling Capital. If they failed in the imperial court, they would launch a strong attack. Although the Donghu Feathered Forest Army outnumbered the Changlin Manor guards several times over, the Empress Dowager still did not dare to take it lightly. The questioning in the imperial court continued.

After a fierce debate, Xiao Pingjing frankly admitted that he was indeed unwilling to accept the imperial decree, but he absolutely would not admit to having any disloyal or unjust intentions. He then faced the civil and military officials and spoke with emotion, saying that the officials in the imperial court were "people in the clouds," unaware of the suffering of the border residents, believing that if the northern defense line was not breached, the capital would not be harmed.

Therefore, whether the main enemy force was expelled or annihilated seemed to make no difference. However, the lives and safety of the border city residents and garrison soldiers thousands of miles away were equally important. The officials were slightly moved by Xiao Pingjing's passionate speech.

However, Xun Baishui relentlessly declared that if the Emperor's imperial decree did not align with Xiao Pingjing's wishes, he would not obey it, but only judge what to do based on his own likes and dislikes. He even went further, asking if Xiao Pingjing would casually depose the Emperor if the Emperor did not align with Xiao Pingjing's preferences. These words shocked everyone present.

What was even more alarming was that the King of Changlin actually responded, saying that deposing the Emperor was not impossible. These words stunned everyone, even Xiao Pingjing himself was frozen on the spot. The Imperial Palace official quickly informed the Empress Dowager of this situation. The Empress Dowager was so startled she could barely stand, and told the Imperial Palace official to continue gathering information.

At this moment, the King of Changlin advised the Emperor, stating that the Changlin Royal Manor, with its high position and power, indeed might threaten the new Emperor. If the Emperor was somewhat afraid of this, the King of Changlin and his son were willing to concede. But what he feared most was that the Emperor would regard these intrigues as the way of a ruler.

The young Emperor frankly admitted that he was not as tolerant as the Late Emperor, and if everything were handled as Xiao Pingjing did now, he would indeed feel somewhat apprehensive. The King of Changlin taught the young Emperor using the example of the Northern Yan's dynastic change: the more one harbors fear, the more one must embrace the common people.

No matter how much wisdom or means one employs, the most crucial thing is that the ruler himself must be stable and capable of maintaining control. As he spoke to this point, he finally could no longer suppress his illness and spewed a large mouthful of blood, startling everyone present. He confessed that he had originally intended to say these words after the Emperor grew up, but he could not wait for that day.

He bowed slightly to the Emperor, then announced to the civil and military officials that no one in the Changlin Royal Manor coveted power, and then collapsed into Xiao Pingjing's arms. The King of Changlin was swiftly taken back to the manor and finally recovered under the treatment of Old Master Li and Lin Xi. However, he was already critically ill, with little life left.

So he proactively revealed Lin Xi's identity and expressed his deep apology to Lin Xi's mother. Seeing that the King of Changlin could pass away at any moment, Xiao Pingjing and Meng Qianxue were both in immense pain.

Episode 37 Recap

King of Changlin (Xiao Tingsheng) was critically ill. Old Master Li of the Hall, accompanied by the imperial physicians and Lin Xi, quietly withdrew from the sickroom, leaving the father and son of Changlin to share their last moments. In the glow of the setting sun, Xiao Pingjing helped King of Changlin sit down outside the hall. He knelt before his father, his heart bleeding from a pain like a knife or spear wound.

Having grown up in Ye You Ting, King of Changlin had seen the world's coldness and warmth and experienced countless battles; he had long come to terms with life and death. He only sighed, lamenting that he had hoped to leave Xiao Pingzhang and Xiao Pingjing, the brothers, to look after each other, but alas, things did not go as planned, leaving only Xiao Pingjing alone and desolate.

With a calm expression, he spoke to Xiao Pingjing about the three great fortunes of his life: first, meeting the renowned master Mei Changsu who rescued and guided him; second, serving two enlightened emperors without ever being suspected or persecuted; and third, having a harmonious family. A father knows his son best; King of Changlin understood that Xiao Pingjing loved freedom.

He instructed him not to be bound by the words "Changlin" after his death, and from then on, not to cling to obsessions, but to take protecting his sister-in-law and nephew as his duty. Xiao Pingjing could not bear it and cried into King of Changlin's arms. King of Changlin had already arranged his funeral affairs: his clothes and hat to be buried in the royal mausoleum, his bones in Mei Ling. Xiao Pingjing kept this always in mind. "

Mei Ling, Mei Ling," King of Changlin murmured, recalling the stories between himself, Mei Changsu, and Xiao Jingrui back then. He had spent his entire life in military service, devoted to his duties, and now, he finally closed his eyes, resting well. Sadly, Meng Qianxue rushed home with their child but failed to see King of Changlin one last time, collapsing in tears.

With the demise of King of Changlin, the entire city mourned, and the young emperor was also in tears. However, Xun Baishui and the Empress Dowager were most concerned about the court's punishment for Xiao Pingjing defying the imperial edict. The young emperor suppressed his grief and decreed that Xiao Pingjing would no longer serve as Huaihua General, stripping him of his military authority, and ordered him to leave the capital to observe mourning.

Xun Baishui seized the opportunity to advise the emperor to separate personal feelings from state affairs and to punish the various camps of the Changlin Army. The young emperor announced the great victory of the Changlin camps at Ningguan Pass, stating that their merits offset their faults. However, he still abolished the Changlin establishment and created a new banner for the Northern Territory. The Empress Dowager was displeased with this, but the emperor subtly sent his mother away.

Once everyone had left, the young emperor, alone, could not help but weep again for King of Changlin. After the Empress Dowager and Xun Baishui left, they discussed the outcome of this court struggle. The Empress Dowager was angry that Xiao Pingjing, despite committing the crime of deceiving the emperor, had not received actual punishment.

Xun Baishui appeased her, stating that as long as the Changlin Army's establishment was abolished and Xiao Pingjing's subordinates were disbanded, there was no need to leave no room for maneuver; going for an outright massacre might backfire. After all, people's hearts can be manipulated. Whether in the military or among the populace, what ordinary people know is merely what those in high positions wish to tell them.

There would only be one narrative for this matter: that King of Changlin had passed away, and the emperor had therefore granted Xiao Pingjing a special pardon for his crime, which perfectly demonstrated the emperor's boundless grace. Seeing the King of Changlin's Manor draped in white mourning cloth, Xiao Yuanqi returned home and paced back and forth. Suddenly, his heart stirred, knowing that Marquis Mozi had arrived.

Marquis Mozi said little; upon meeting Xiao Yuanqi, he drew his sword for a spar. Xiao Yuanqi had practiced diligently, and his swordplay had become increasingly strange and unpredictable, already resembling Marquis Mozi's style somewhat. However, as the time was still short, he could not withstand the power of a single sword strike from Marquis Mozi, the foremost swordsman in the land. Even so, Marquis Mozi greatly praised his progress.

Xun Baishui came to the King of Changlin's Manor to offer condolences, then proactively brought up the young emperor's decision to punish Xiao Pingjing and the Changlin Army. Xiao Pingjing listened silently, his eyes cold. He suppressed his grief, lamenting before King of Changlin's spirit tablet that from now on, the name of Changlin would no longer exist in the world. Xun Baishui advised him not to be too obsessed.

Xiao Pingjing could only obey his father's dying wish not to let the name of Changlin bind him, reluctantly accepting the court's handling of the matter. However, Meng Qianxue could not bear that the King of Changlin's Manor had been so loyal to the Da Liang court, sacrificing the lives of two generations of heroes, only to end up with their name erased. She could not help but let out a loud cry, venting the resentment in her heart.

On the other side, Marquis Mozi instructed Xiao Yuanqi that with the King of Changlin's Manor withdrawing from the Jinling court, it was an excellent opportunity for Xiao Yuanqi to achieve great ambitions and soar to success. Xiao Yuanqi knew that Marquis Mozi, having traveled thousands of miles to Jinling, must have a plan. Marquis Mozi indeed pulled out a letter and handed it to him.

Xiao Yuanqi opened it and saw written on it the names of the ten prefectures of Da Liang closest to the East Sea. It turned out that Marquis Mozi was requesting detailed military intelligence on these ten prefectures in Da Liang's eastern border. Xiao Yuanqi angrily questioned Marquis Mozi about what he intended to do. Marquis Mozi frankly stated that Donghai Country was preparing to follow Da Yu's example and attack Da Liang's territory.

Xiao Yuanqi held the paper, unable to calm down for a long time. This matter was not only a betrayal of the Da Liang court but also concerned the safety of the people in the ten prefectures, making him feel incredibly heavy. He thought for a moment, then straightforwardly told Marquis Mozi that he would absolutely not commit treason by colluding with an enemy. Marquis Mozi, however, unhurriedly told Xiao Yuanqi to consider it carefully.

Xiao Yuanqi declared that he would cut off all contact with Marquis Mozi and asked Marquis Mozi to act as if he had never come. Dressed in white, Lin Xi slowly approached King of Changlin's spirit tablet and conversed with Xiao Pingjing. Xiao Pingjing stared at the floor, stating that he forgave Lin Xi for performing a blood transfusion for him and Xiao Pingzhang to save him.

Lin Xi knew that Xiao Pingjing dared not even look at her, and what he said at this moment must be against his true feelings. Under Lin Xi's persistent questioning, Xiao Pingjing finally opened his heart and spoke from the depths of his soul. The reason he dared not face Lin Xi was precisely because what Lin Xi had done was too cruel to him, making it something he could never accept.

He had always felt that if Xiao Pingzhang had survived, he would surely have handled the situation much better. Lin Xi persuaded him that all of this was Xiao Pingzhang's decision, and that everything Xiao Pingjing had done would not disappoint King of Changlin, Meng Qianxue, or the tens of thousands of people in the Northern Territory. She pleaded with him to let this matter go.

Under Lin Xi's guidance, Xiao Pingjing finally released the pressure and pain in his heart, collapsing into Lin Xi's arms and weeping uncontrollably. The young emperor personally came to offer condolences to King of Changlin. Before King of Changlin's spirit tablet, he stomped his feet and pounded his chest with a resolute expression, causing all the officials to kneel. Xiao Pingjing respectfully handed over the Changlin military command.

The young emperor felt that Xiao Pingjing must have been blaming him all along, blaming himself for not doing better. Xiao Pingjing frankly stated that he had understood a truth: not everything in the world can be salvaged. He advised the young emperor not to blame himself too much. The young emperor returned the Changlin military command to Xiao Pingjing for him to keep.

However, Xiao Pingjing was disheartened and physically and mentally exhausted at this moment, lamenting that the emperor no longer needed Changlin, and he himself would not return to the court. The two childhood playmates could only bid a reluctant farewell. After witnessing the farewell between Xiao Pingjing and the young emperor, Xun Feizhan also felt a sense of desolation in his heart. He submitted a memorial, preparing to resign from his official position as Grand Commander of the Imperial Guards. Xun Baishui painstakingly persuaded him for a long time, but Xun Feizhan had already made up his mind and would not change it.

Episode 38 Recap

Xun Feizhan witnessed that Changlin Palace, despite its loyalty to the emperor, ended up in such a predicament. Disheartened, he submitted his resignation. Xun Baishui earnestly tried to persuade him to change his mind. However, Xun Feizhan frankly stated that people's hearts can grow cold and weary. The imperial capital appears prosperous on the surface but is secretly squalid and dirty, and there are many things he doesn't want to see or is unwilling to see.

On the contrary, outside Jinling City, there are magnificent rivers and mountains that he should go out and see. He bid farewell to Xun Baishui and left. Inside Changlin Palace, Meng Qianxue silently shed two lines of clear tears as she collected old family belongings. She lamented that the name of Changlin ended up like this, wondering what Xiao Pingzhang would think. Xiao Pingjing also felt a myriad of emotions facing his elder brother's memorial tablet.

Changlin Palace was preparing to be sealed, and its plaque had also been taken down, which was greatly regrettable. Xiao Yuanqi, upon learning of this, sighed at the once glorious reputation of Changlin. However, he thought, as long as one is a subject and the sovereign is still present, all glory can turn into nothing in an instant. He looked at the long sky where clouds drifted swiftly, lamenting that Changlin Wang had given up his opportunity.

Had he never felt unwilling? At this moment, seeing the situation of Changlin Palace, his own determination grew even stronger. The Changlin Wang's coffin procession officially set off. Thousands of common people inside and outside Jinling City spontaneously knelt by the roadside to bid him farewell. Mo Zihou stood on the city wall, watching the Changlin Wang's coffin depart. The funeral procession majestically left Jinling.

From then on, there would be no more trace of Changlin Palace in the Daliang imperial court, and no more mention of Changlin in the Daliang army. The Changlin military flags were taken down in all camps, replaced by the banners of the Northern Border. Old generals in the army looked at the military flags in their hands, all filled with emotion.

Xiao Pingjing and Meng Qianxue buried the Changlin Wang, then returned together to Langya Mountain to live in seclusion. Lin Xi embarked on her journey of identifying herbs and compiling medical texts. Changlin Wang was buried on Meiling Mountain. The Old Master of Langya Pavilion recalled past events upon hearing the news, sighing at the fleeting passage of time.

Then Lin Jiu told him that the Lord of Donghai had reportedly been placed under house arrest, which slightly surprised him, knowing it must be Mo Zihou's doing. At the same time, Xiao Yuanqi was distressed because he was underestimated by Xun Baishui, when he unexpectedly found a note on his desk. Only the elusive Mo Zihou could achieve such a feat.

He dared not delay, immediately dismissed his servants, and angrily said that he had already asked Mo Zihou to leave. Mo Zihou leisurely emerged from the room, smiling and saying, "If Xiao Yuanqi truly doesn't want to cooperate with me, why would he care if I stay a few more days?" Xiao Yuanqi spoke frankly, declaring that even with his help, Donghai's limited strength meant that attempting to covet Daliang's ten prefectures was merely wishful thinking.

However, Mo Zihou confidently stated that taking ten cities was not an impossible task. Xiao Yuanqi questioned him, "Even if you win, how will you swallow such vast land?" Mo Zihou replied that among these prefectures, only three were what he wanted, and the other seven were his grand gift to Xiao Yuanqi. Xiao Yuanqi's heart stirred upon hearing this, and he pondered for a long time.

However, he knew that if ten prefectures fell, it would surely throw the Daliang court into chaos. Mo Zihou continued, saying that at that time, Daliang would surely conscript a large army for a counterattack, and then Xiao Yuanqi could volunteer to lead the troops into battle. And if it wasn't Xiao Yuanqi who ultimately accepted this task, then he would collaborate with Xiao Yuanqi to strike again.

Anyway, the current Daliang court no longer had any presence that Mo Zihou feared. At that time, Xiao Yuanqi leading a large army to stop Donghai's invasion and single-handedly securing seven prefectures would surely bring him immense fame, unparalleled at the moment. It would create a vast expanse where Xiao Yuanqi could independently develop his foundation. Faced with such an opportunity, Xiao Yuanqi couldn't help but be tempted. He then questioned Mo Zihou whether he had planned this long ago.

Mo Zihou admitted, firstly, that he didn't have such a far-reaching plan, and secondly, he didn't expect Changlin Palace to be driven out of Jinling. Xiao Yuanqi tried to restrain his desire for power, but under Mo Zihou's gradual inducement, he ultimately couldn't suppress his inner turmoil. After much hesitation, he finally made an alliance with Mo Zihou. However, this matter still required one or two years of preparation. Two years passed like flowing water.

Urgent military dispatches, like a lone rider leaving all behind, galloped directly from the border into the Daliang Imperial Palace. Within half a month, six consecutive urgent reports shook the Daliang court and public. The young emperor was furious in the court, and the cabinet deliberated for a long time but still couldn't decide on a general to lead the relief troops. Donghai's strength far exceeded Daliang's imagination.

Just as the court officials were at their wits' end, Xiao Yuanqi, following the plan he discussed with Mo Zihou, presented his strategy to repel the enemy to the young emperor, volunteering to lead the troops into battle. At this time, Xiao Pingjing was living in seclusion at Langya Pavilion, dedicating himself to martial arts and self-cultivation, remaining oblivious to court affairs. He didn't pay much attention to the new news from Langya Pavilion either.

However, Meng Qianxue told him that Lin Xi was ready to come up the mountain, which delighted him. Meng Qianxue reminded him that the three-year engagement period had passed, and he must not be vague with Lin Xi about future matters; he had to make everything clear. Xiao Pingjing said that he had already taken off the silver lock of their engagement. The two agreed that this time they would absolutely not let Lin Xi leave again.

Unfortunately, neither of them knew that Lin Xi was his betrothed. After Lin Xi came up the mountain, just as Xiao Pingjing was about to express his feelings to her, Lin Xi mentioned news from Daliang's eastern border. Xiao Pingjing became very anxious upon hearing this, but Lin Xi told him that these were already old news from half a year ago, and now the Daliang relief army had already liberated seven prefectures, led by none other than Xiao Yuanqi.

Xiao Yuanqi, according to his plan, recaptured seven prefectures and returned to the court in triumph. The young emperor was exceptionally excited and asked Xiao Yuanqi what reward he desired. However, he didn't expect Xiao Yuanqi to publicly request the emperor to bestow a marriage upon him, which immediately piqued the emperor's interest. The young lady Xiao Yuanqi proposed to was none other than Empress Dowager's beloved daughter, Xun Anru. The young emperor was very pleased.

Xun Baishui was first stunned but immediately expressed his agreement. However, he still couldn't quite understand Xiao Yuanqi's true intentions. The emperor didn't have so many thoughts and immediately decided to bestow the marriage upon Xiao Yuanqi and Xun Anru.

Episode 39 Recap

In the imperial palace, the Empress Dowager and Xun Baishui discussed the marriage between Xiao Yuanqi and Xun Anru. Although the Empress Dowager was not entirely satisfied with this marriage, she could not think of any reasons to object. Xun Baishui reminded the Empress Dowager that it was Xiao Yuanqi who had informed her back then about Xiao Pingjing's intention to raise an army and rebel.

He was a disciple of the Changlin King and a friend of Xiao Pingjing, yet he committed such an act of betrayal. Furthermore, both his parents had committed unforgivable crimes. However, the Empress Dowager believed that it was precisely because Xiao Yuanqi betrayed the Changlin Manor that it showed his loyalty to the Daliang court. And Xun Anru was her favorite descendant of the Xun family, whom she regarded as her most cherished possession.

Now that the wedding was taking place, she naturally wanted to show her favor and proposed to confer Xiao Yuanqi the title of prince. On the day of Xiao Yuanqi's grand wedding, the Marquis of Laiyang's residence was adorned with lanterns and streamers, filled with esteemed guests. In earlier years, his Marquis of Laiyang's residence was desolate and quiet, with few visitors.

Now, having risen through military achievements, he had become a prominent figure in Daliang's court and public life, and a continuous stream of well-wishers came to celebrate, a stark contrast to the past. In the inner hall of Xun Baishui's home, Xun Anru excitedly put on her magnificent wedding gown with the help of her servants.

She smiled as she listened to the servants praise Xiao Yuanqi's distinguished military accomplishments, and she herself greatly admired her future husband, who had turned the tide in the Battle of the East Sea. However, her maid, Peier, quietly began to cry. It turned out that this young woman had lost her family in the Battle of the East Sea, which made her unable to hold back her tears.

Only then did Xun Anru realize her oversight and kindly comforted Peier. Xiao Yuanqi had initially felt that today was his great day of joy, but unexpectedly, Madam Qi from the East Sea suddenly arrived. It turned out that Madam Qi was the liaison between him and Mo Zihou. However, their two-year cooperation had already ended, and he feared that his conspiratorial plans would be exposed, so he was furious about Madam Qi's sudden visit.

But Madam Qi had come this time to deliver a wedding gift on behalf of Mo Zihou. When Xiao Yuanqi opened it, he saw that Mo Zihou had given him the unique Black Crystal Sword, renowned alongside himself. Angrily, he questioned whether Mo Zihou intended to congratulate him or harm him, asking if sending him the Black Crystal Sword, which represented Mo Zihou, meant he thought Xiao Yuanqi's concealment was too good.

Just as he and Madam Qi were bickering, he suddenly heard a servant report that Xun Baishui had arrived to congratulate him on his wedding. Xiao Yuanqi quickly instructed his subordinate He Cheng to put away the Black Crystal Sword and keep an eye on Madam Qi, while he himself hurried to accompany Xun Baishui to his seat.

Xun Baishui told Xiao Yuanqi that the Imperial Cabinet had already decided to restore his princely title, but since King Ning had recently passed away, the imperial decree would only be issued in September. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuanqi appeared genuinely happy. That night, after the wedding ceremony, Xiao Yuanqi and Xun Anru officially became husband and wife. Xiao Yuanqi smiled as he looked at Xun Anru, recalling the first time he had seen her.

When Xun Anru heard Xiao Yuanqi mention that he had once seen her being escorted by imperial guards, she timidly replied that although she was favored by the Empress Dowager, she was by no means spoiled. However, Xiao Yuanqi took her hand and said that now she was his, so even if she were a bit spoiled, it would be fine; he would protect his woman well. The newlywed couple gazed at each other lovingly and embraced.

Since leaving Jinling, Xun Feizhan had been living a life of wandering, seeking out masters for sparring, and living freely. He rarely came to Langya Pavilion to visit Meng Qianxue and Xiao Pingjing. He drank several cups with Xiao Pingjing and spoke of the Battle of the East Sea in Daliang.

He stated that he was in Northern Yan at the time and was actually very anxious, but he had not expected Xiao Yuanqi to be able to resolve the crisis, thinking that Xiao Yuanqi had improved too much after his experience in Ganzhou. But Xiao Pingjing did not agree. However, since both of them had already left the Daliang imperial court, they decided to no longer discuss court matters, only Jianghu.

After chatting over drinks all night, they arrived at a hilltop at Langya Pavilion early the next day for a duel. Xiao Pingjing initiated the attack; his sword techniques were always fierce and ruthless, adept at aggressive assaults. Xun Feizhan's sword techniques, on the other hand, were always upright and principled, maintaining a steadfast defense that was impenetrable, yet his counterattacks were extremely swift. They dueled for a long time, but it was difficult to determine a winner.

Coincidentally, Old Master Lin Chen of Langya Pavilion had compiled the new list of Langya martial arts masters. Since Mo Zihou had entered the East Sea court, he was removed from the Jianghu masters list. In the new list, Cangqi Sword of Northern Yan was ranked first, Hanhai Sword second, and Xun Feizhan's name was third. Lin Jiu asked the Old Master why Xiao Pingjing was not on the list, given that he no longer held any court positions.

The Old Master replied that he knew Xiao Pingjing sought a quiet life, so he did not want the list to bring him unnecessary trouble. Lin Jiu chuckled, saying that the Old Master's actions were biased and unfair. The Old Master glared fiercely at him. Then he asked if Xiao Pingjing had not asked him for the East Sea's archives.

Lin Jiu shook his head, and the Old Master said with relief that it seemed Xiao Pingjing had truly let go. However, Lin Jiu felt that the more deliberately he ignored it, the more it indicated that he had not truly let go psychologically. But he admitted that although Langya Pavilion remained aloof from worldly affairs, he would definitely tell the truth if Xiao Pingjing asked.

After Xiao Pingjing and Xun Feizhan finished their spar, he quickly stopped Lin Jiu to ask for the new list of masters. Lin Jiu reluctantly handed over the list. Xiao Pingjing was surprised why Mo Zihou, who had long topped the list, was not on it.

Lin Jiu told him that it was because the Lord of the East Sea had passed away half a year ago, and Mo Zihou now effectively controlled the East Sea Kingdom, thus making him unsuitable for inclusion on the list. Xiao Pingjing was greatly shocked by this news. Lin Jiu knew that he would surely want to consult the East Sea archives at this point, so he told him to follow him.

Xun Feizhan also understood Xiao Pingjing's thoughts and was troubled for his brother, who was about to re-enter the world's turmoil. Xiao Yuanqi ordered He Cheng to throw Mo Zihou's Black Crystal Sword into his own pond, while also keeping an eye on Madam Qi until she left Daliang. However, unexpectedly, when He Cheng threw the sword, he was coincidentally seen by Peier, Xun Anru's personal maid.

Although Min'er, who had entered the residence with her to serve Xun Anru, advised Peier to pretend she hadn't seen it and not to know too many secrets of these prominent families, Peier couldn't help but recall the incident. Later, while dressing Xun Anru, she heard that the mastermind behind the East Sea treason case, the Vice Minister of War, had been arrested, and she suddenly became distracted.

Xun Anru noticed her absent-mindedness, and Peier had to once again use the excuse of missing her family to get by. However, she was always preoccupied with this matter, even becoming distracted when the Empress Dowager bestowed upon Xun Anru a twin-phoenix hairpin, which only a princess consort could wear, much to Xun Anru's displeasure. On the other side, Xiao Yuanqi was not concerned about the title of Prince of Laiyang. However, he intended to first feign obedience to Xun Baishui.

Episode 40 Recap

The plaque of Laiyang Manor was solemnly hung on Xiao Yuanqi's gate. Xun Anru personally placed the crown of kingship on Xiao Yuanqi's head. Xiao Yuanqi apologized to her, saying he had not informed her of this matter in advance. Xun Anru, however, said she understood Xiao Yuanqi's cautious approach. Seeing her temperament, Xiao Yuanqi's affection for her grew stronger than ever.

However, Xiao Yuanqi ambitiously wanted to emulate Mo Zihou, who went from being an idle prince to becoming the ruler of Donghai, thus controlling Daliang. His ultimate goal was the throne of Daliang. It was just that the young Emperor Xiao Yuanshi was growing older, and Xiao Yuanqi felt that his time was running out.

Therefore, he used a series of methods to place his subordinates in the position of commander of the patrol camp, but it was not easy to enter the imperial army. Langya Pavilion also received news of Xiao Yuanqi's grand wedding and his promotion to prince. Xun Feizhan was greatly surprised to learn that Xiao Yuanqi had married his sister. Xiao Pingjing was currently engrossed in studying the archives of the Donghai War.

He admitted that he could understand the first half of the Donghai War's progress. Donghai's military strength was limited, so although they had invaded ten prefectures of Daliang, they primarily focused on burning, killing, and looting along the way, without truly intending to occupy the land. In fact, the seven prefectures recovered by Daliang were all places Donghai did not want. During the first half of the war, a border general named Yue Yinchuan caught his attention.

This fifth-rank military officer was not only brave and skilled in battle but also, after the death of his commanding officer in the camp, gathered the remaining troops and launched a successful counterattack, breaking through one of Donghai's main camps. Moreover, he shrewdly discovered Daliang's border defense map in the Donghai camp, which then alerted the Daliang court that their border defenses had been leaked.

He could be said to possess both wisdom and courage, and thus, he was ranked first on the Daliang court's reward list. After the young Emperor learned of his deeds, he was extremely excited and intended to grant him a private audience when he came to the capital to receive his reward. At this time, Yue Yinchuan was not excited about becoming the top meritorious official. Instead, he wore a troubled and thoughtful expression.

His subordinates didn't understand why he was still unhappy despite receiving the imperial reward. Yue Yinchuan confessed that he just felt something was amiss. Since his successful counterattack with his troops, Xiao Yuanqi had arrived with reinforcements, and he had followed Xiao Yuanqi to recover three cities. However, the Donghai army often collapsed at the slightest touch, making no effective resistance whatsoever.

His subordinates said that although Donghai had a grand presence, its military strength was insufficient, making it impossible to hold ten prefectures, so they could only flee when facing the imperial army. What Yue Yinchuan couldn't understand was precisely this: since they knew they couldn't win, why did the Donghai army engage in direct contact battles with every Daliang city instead of fleeing immediately? His suspicion coincided with Xiao Pingjing's.

What Xiao Pingjing couldn't comprehend about the latter half of the Donghai War was precisely why Mo Zihou didn't directly flee. He pondered for a long time, then suddenly understood something. He muttered Xiao Yuanqi's name, his expression shocked, repeatedly exclaiming "Impossible." Back then, in order to contend with the Changlin Manor, Xun Baishui abolished several old camps and established the new Donghu Yulin camp.

However, he didn't expect that the chief officer of Donghu Yulin was implicated as the younger brother of the Minister of War, who was identified by the court as the main culprit in the Donghai collusion case. Therefore, the position of commander of Donghu Yulin became vacant, and it was decided that a selection would be made from the meritorious officials of the Donghai War.

Xiao Yuanqi was currently struggling to expand his influence, as he couldn't move the imperial army. His biggest target was precisely Donghu Yulin, so for the military position of Donghu Yulin Commander, he strongly recommended General Di Ming. This person was also favored by Xun Baishui. With both of them recommending him simultaneously, the young Emperor readily agreed. Di Ming had already arrived in Jinling City.

His old residence had fallen into disrepair over the years, and he was preparing to stay at the post station. However, Xun Baishui, after reviewing his information, had already ordered people to rush the renovation of Di Ming's old residence. Seeing Xun Baishui's meticulous arrangements for him, Di Ming immediately expressed immense gratitude. At the same time, Xiao Yuanqi also wished to win over Di Ming, so he ordered Xun Anru to prepare a suitable gift for him.

However, these were just small tricks for show. Xiao Yuanqi knew Di Ming's weakness, so he had already secretly sent him a secret letter claiming there was another hidden truth behind the Jinling plague years ago. As expected, Di Ming urgently visited Laiyang Manor that night. It turned out that General Di Ming used to live in Jinling, and when the Jinling plague struck back then, all seventeen members of his family perished in the epidemic.

Bearing such a deep-seated hatred, he was naturally greatly moved by Xiao Yuanqi's claim that the Jinling plague was not a natural disaster but a man-made calamity. He eagerly wanted to know who the mastermind behind it was. After whetting his appetite sufficiently, Xiao Yuanqi finally produced the Empress Dowager's decree that Pu Yangying had handed over back then. Di Ming, seeing the terrifying reality behind the Empress Dowager's decree, trembled in shock, unable to speak.

Xiao Yuanqi seized the opportunity to guide Di Ming's hatred towards the imperial family. He also admitted that Xun Baishui had concealed the truth back then to protect the Empress Dowager's reputation.

Seeing that his inducement had taken effect, he struck while the iron was hot and roared at Di Ming, saying that Xun Baishui, after reviewing the information about his wife and children's deaths from illness in Di Ming's file, showed no connection at all to the plague of that year. This indicated that in Xun Baishui's eyes, the plague had passed, and the deceased common people were not worth their concern at all.

Influenced by Xiao Yuanqi, Di Ming was filled with fury and immediately drew his sword, intending to seek revenge on those he considered traitorous officials. Xiao Yuanqi quickly restrained the temporarily crazed Di Ming, reminding him that doing so now would be an act of rebellion. Di Ming calmed down slightly, then immediately knelt, leaning on his sword, admitting that even if he knew the truth, he would be helpless.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Xiao Yuanqi straightforwardly told Di Ming that the reason he had invited him in the dead of night was to ask for Di Ming's help in achieving his goal: helping him seize the throne from Xiao Yuanshi. Upon hearing his ambition, Di Ming was utterly shocked and hesitated.

Xiao Yuanqi, however, declared that with the young Emperor in the hands of incompetent officials like Xun Baishui and women like the Empress Dowager, he would certainly not be able to inherit the glory of his ancestors, but the destiny of Daliang was surely not meant to be like this!

Episode 41 Recap

Although the Changlin Army changed its banner to the Northern Army and Xiao Pingjing's position as General Huaihua was stripped, the princely title of the Prince of Changlin still remained. After the old prince passed away, Xiao Pingjing naturally inherited the princely title. Next month, Xiao Pingjing's mourning period will end, and he will naturally change clothes and come out of mourning.

The young Emperor was counting the days and prepared a gift for Xiao Pingjing, also instructing the Empress Dowager to send one. The Empress Dowager was very displeased upon hearing this. Xun Baishui quickly smoothed things over, saying that the Emperor's words were very true, and motioned for the Empress Dowager to comply.

When they were alone, Xun Baishui comforted the Empress Dowager, stating that there was no longer any trace of the Prince of Changlin's Manor in the Great Liang court. In fact, the Prince of Changlin's Manor had no intention of rebelling; the reason for eliminating it was merely out of fear that a powerful subject would overpower the sovereign, and there was no intention to target Xiao Pingjing. The Empress Dowager was still unhappy, her face clouded, remaining silent.

Although the Battle of Donghai had temporarily ended, the young Emperor had not forgotten that the three prefectures in the eastern border of Great Liang were still in the hands of the Donghai Kingdom. Therefore, he specifically summoned Xiao Yuanqi to discuss the timing of the recovery war. Xiao Yuanqi had an agreement with Mo Zihou.

He merely stated that the Donghai Kingdom was adept at naval warfare, and the three prefectures in the eastern border were isolated by the natural chasm of the Huai River. Under geographical limitations, victory could not be achieved by merely pressing with a large army regardless of the cost. He then gave perfunctory words, saying that the soldiers of the eastern border would naturally fight with all their might to recover the homeland.

The young Emperor brought up his desire to consult Prince of Changlin Xiao Pingjing's opinion. Xiao Yuanqi hastily stated that the situation in the eastern border and northern border was different, and the Prince of Changlin might not have a solution, and that Prince of Changlin Xiao Pingjing was probably not interested in this matter. However, seeing the Emperor mention Xiao Pingjing, he still voluntarily requested to go to Langya Pavilion to visit Xiao Pingjing.

These words hit exactly what the Emperor wanted, and the Emperor readily agreed. After receiving the Emperor's command, Xiao Yuanqi rushed back home. He had originally arranged to go to Chenxiang Lake with Xun Anru for an outing, but now had to change his plans. However, he genuinely cared for Xun Anru, so he decided to go to Chenxiang Lake to pick her up after returning from Langya Pavilion. Xun Anru was naturally overjoyed.

However, her maid Pei'er had been very afraid of He Cheng ever since she saw him throw away the Wujing Sword last time. Although Xiao Yuanqi's superficial efforts were good, he disguised himself perfectly in front of the Emperor, appearing like brothers with Xiao Pingjing. But in fact, he was inwardly greatly annoyed that the Emperor had once again brought up the Prince of Changlin's Manor.

When he returned home and was alone, he couldn't help but fly into a rage. He angrily declared that Changlin was truly a lingering spirit, and he felt that he must accelerate his actions in the capital. He Cheng then told him that Lady Qi of Donghai had been sent over again by Mo Zihou.

This matter vexed him even more, and he could only ask He Cheng to first settle Lady Qi in the capital and deal with her after returning from Langya Pavilion. Yue Yinchuan, the most meritorious official in the Battle of Donghai, led his deputy general into the capital to receive awards. Riding hard all the way made his deputy general complain endlessly.

He complained that Yue Yinchuan insisted on waiting for military reports, and also said that Yue Yinchuan was good in every aspect, but just thought too much and pondered too much, reminding him not to get entangled in the suspicious aspects of the Battle of Donghai anymore. However, what Yue Yinchuan cared more about at this moment was how to recover the three occupied prefectures.

His extensive battlefield experience told him that the Donghai Kingdom had already established a firm foothold in the three prefectures, and it would be extremely difficult to recover them by next year. His deputy general was not very concerned about this matter, feeling that the court would plan everything. He no longer paid attention to Yue Yinchuan, thinking it would be more comfortable to take the opportunity to get some good sleep first. Xun Anru set off for Chenxiang Lake.

Before departing, she forgot to bring her hand warmer and told Pei'er to fetch it. Coincidentally, at this time, He Cheng brought Lady Qi back home. Pei'er saw this and overheard the secret between Xiao Yuanqi and Mo Zihou. She was greatly startled and turned pale. Lady Qi heard her footsteps. Fortunately, she escaped in time and was not caught by He Cheng. However, He Cheng discovered the hand warmer that Pei'er had left on the table.

Pei'er fled to Xun Anru's side, urging her to depart quickly. Xun Anru was puzzled. At this moment, He Cheng delivered the hand warmer. Xun Anru instructed Pei'er to thank He Cheng. From this, He Cheng learned that it was Pei'er who had just overheard his conversation with Lady Qi. As he watched Xun Anru leave, his gaze involuntarily became stern. At Langya Pavilion, Lin Xi's medical classic, which she had spent many years on, was finally completed.

It was named "New Collection of Hundred Herbs." Xiao Pingjing complimented her, saying she possessed both the ability to save the world and a benevolent heart, far stronger than himself. Lin Xi laughed, saying everyone had their own areas of expertise. Xiao Pingjing seized the opportunity, wanting to be the first to appreciate Lin Xi's medical book.

Lin Xi chuckled, saying that Xiao Pingjing wouldn't understand it anyway, and it still needed to be appraised by the old pavilion master first, which made Xiao Pingjing slightly embarrassed. After the old pavilion master appraised Lin Xi's work, he praised it greatly, saying that Lin Xi's merits were immeasurable and would surely be remembered for generations to come.

However, Lin Xi, due to the world's considerable discrimination against women, did not intend to sign her name to avoid her medical classic being disparaged, and wished to ask Langya Pavilion to sign her work. Xiao Pingjing advised her, "If women's achievements are all attributed to outsiders, how can the world's discriminatory views be corrected?"

The old pavilion master felt that what he said was good, stating directly that the author of the medical classic must sign their name, and the medical classic would certainly become popular in the world. Just as the three were discussing, they suddenly learned that Xiao Yuanqi had come to visit the mountain, which surprised everyone. Xiao Pingjing and Lin Xi met with Xiao Yuanqi together.

After the three exchanged pleasantries, Xiao Pingjing praised Xiao Yuanqi for his glorious military achievements in recovering the seven prefectures. Xiao Yuanqi, in turn, said he envied Xiao Pingjing's leisure, while people down the mountain did not have such a comfortable life. Xiao Pingjing gathered from his words that the Emperor wanted to summon him back to Jinling.

Xiao Yuanqi then directly stated that he came this time by imperial command to discuss the recovery of the three prefectures with Xiao Pingjing. If Xiao Pingjing had any strategy he wished to convey to the Emperor, he could transfer it on his behalf.

This reminded Xiao Pingjing that it was precisely he who had carried the correspondence between himself and his father that led to the leak of the letter's contents back then, so he stated that he did not wish to write a letter. He then suggested that he would also marry Lin Xi next year. Lin Xi was slightly startled but cleverly cooperated with him.

Xiao Pingjing then expressed that he no longer wished to return to the imperial court; he wanted to live a life of leisure like a free cloud and wild crane, and asked Xiao Yuanqi to relay this answer to the Emperor. After Xiao Yuanqi left, Xiao Pingjing stood alone facing the mountains. He noticed the change in Xiao Yuanqi and couldn't calm his emotions for a long time.

With Lin Xi's help, Xiao Pingjing read through all the books related to the three prefectures of Huaidong. He hoped to analyze Mo Zihou's purpose in fighting this battle. Lin Xi understood that he was now starting to suspect Xiao Yuanqi. Xiao Yuanqi's visit to the mountain had indeed made Xiao Pingjing notice his strangeness. Ever since Pei'er learned the secret, she became increasingly frightened. Under Xun Anru's persistent questioning, she finally reluctantly decided to tell the truth to Xun Anru alone.

Episode 42 Recap

He Cheng saw Peier eavesdropping on his conversation with Madam Qi, fearing she would leak it, and immediately galloped to meet Xiao Yuanqi, who had just returned from Langya Mountain, to report the matter to him. At Chenxiang Manor, Peier had revealed everything she knew. However, Xun Anru slapped Peier to the ground, angrily demanding to know who was instructing Peier to frame Xiao Yuanqi.

How could she believe that her husband, the peerless hero she admired, was actually a traitor who colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country, the culprit who caused continuous wars in the ten states and the massacre of countless common people? But Peier's words were all true, leaving Xun Anru no choice but to believe.

Peier pleaded with Xun Anru to find an opportunity to search the Black Crystal Sword in the pool in the manor to know the truth. Just as the mistress and servant sat together in grief, Xun Anru suddenly saw Xiao Yuanqi appear outside the door like a phantom. Xiao Yuanqi, with a cold expression, pushed the door open and entered the room.

Xun Anru hurriedly stepped forward, claiming Peier was talking nonsense, and pleaded with Xiao Yuanqi to spare the maid who had followed her since childhood, sending her to a farm under the Prince of Laiyang's manor to live out her remaining life. However, Xiao Yuanqi was clearly unwilling to show mercy to this small maid who knew his secret.

He coldly told Xun Anru that as a noble lady, she should understand that a married woman should obey her husband's wishes. He did not want to explain anything to Xun Anru, because from the day they got married, they were bound together. Whether it was honor or disgrace, they could not be separated.

Under Xiao Yuanqi's verbal coercion, Xun Anru no longer hesitated and could only abandon Peier, declaring that for the manor's reputation, Peier could no longer live in this world. He Cheng received the order and drew his sword to kill Peier. However, Xun Anru had been with Peier for many years, and she did not want to personally see Peier's blood, so she forced Peier to jump into the clear waters of Chenxiang Lake.

Xiao Yuanqi comforted Xun Anru, saying that whatever he did or wanted to do, he was doing it for Xun Anru's good. After Peier jumped into the lake, Xun Anru seemed to lose all strength and collapsed to the ground, weeping uncontrollably. She cried for Peier, for the shattered dream that her husband was a peerless hero, and even more for her own unpredictable future fate.

Xiao Yuanqi then arranged for Xun Anru and Miner to return to the Prince of Laiyang's manor. In the carriage, Miner asked where Peier had gone. Xun Anru, with a blank expression, instructed Miner never to mention Peier again, as if she had never existed.

However, it seemed Peier was destined to live, and the destiny of the Great Liang Imperial Family was not yet exhausted; Peier, who jumped into the lake, did not die, but struggled to climb onto the river bank downstream. Xiao Pingjing read extensively to analyze Mo Zihou's true purpose, so tired that he lay down among the books in Langya Pavilion. However, hard work paid off; he finally understood Mo Zihou's entire plan.

The three states of Huaidong were crisscrossed with waterways, forming a bay embracing water to the west, making them extremely suitable for building deep-water docks. However, because their eastern side was the border, Great Liang had not paid much attention to their western terrain. But now, Donghai had already captured the three states, and if deep-water docks were built there, it would be difficult for Great Liang to reclaim these three states.

Xiao Pingjing believed that Xiao Yuanqi sacrificing the three states for military merits in the seven states was a result of being exploited by Mo Zihou. Lin Xi, after hearing his analysis, said that she felt Xiao Yuanqi's tone when he spoke of recapturing the three states did not sound like a lie.

Xiao Pingjing also felt that what Xiao Yuanqi said was sincere; he hoped that Xiao Yuanqi still cared about Great Liang, merely being temporarily blinded by military achievements. He then blamed himself, stating that he understood how much longing there would be in the heart of someone ambitious and aspiring but unable to realize their ambitions, and that it was Xiao Pingjing himself who had not done well. A letter from Xun Feizhan arrived at the post station.

Xun Baishui learned that his nephew would soon return to Jinling and was very happy. He had actually missed him greatly after two years and immediately asked his wife to prepare Xun Feizhan's room to welcome his nephew's return. Meanwhile, Xun Anru fell gravely ill from grief and worry due to Peier's incident. Xun Baishui's wife specifically sent people to the Prince of Laiyang's manor to visit.

Accompanied by Xiao Yuanqi, Xun Anru could only give a few perfunctory replies and send away the people from Xun Baishui's manor. The people from Xun Baishui's manor reported to Madam Xun that Xun Anru had been frightened into illness because Peier accidentally fell into the lake and drowned. Madam Xun found it strange, saying that Peier was a maid bought from the east and was very good at swimming, so how could she have drowned?

At this moment, Peier, relying on her strong will and excellent swimming ability, escaped from the lake and then fainted by the roadside. By chance, Yue Yinchuan, who was on his way to Jinling, happened to pass by and rescued Peier. After being rescued by Yue Yinchuan, Peier remained unconscious and had a persistent high fever. Yue Yinchuan then took her to Jinling City to care for her.

After Xiao Pingjing understood Mo Zihou's purpose, he wrote a letter preparing to inform Xun Baishui about it. Lin Xi did not understand why he wanted to send the letter to Xun Baishui, who had always been opposed to the Changlin Manor. Xiao Pingjing candidly stated that Xun Baishui had assisted in governing the court for many years, and he was the only person Xiao Pingjing could think of who could save Great Liang and also save Xiao Yuanqi.

He himself did not plan to return, and few people in Jinling wanted him back. So, he cleverly sent the letter to Xun Feizhan for him to relay it, so that Xun Baishui would not be suspicious. After Xiao Yuanqi returned to his manor, he met Madam Qi, who had been sent by Mo Zihou. Madam Qi warned Xiao Yuanqi that Xun Baishui had controlled Jinling for many years, with informants spread throughout the capital.

No matter how much Xiao Yuanqi tried to win over allies, any unusual activity near Jinling would not escape Xun Baishui's notice. Xiao Yuanqi told her to state her suggestions directly. Madam Qi then said that Mo Zihou intended to make another deal with Xiao Yuanqi. It turned out that Mo Zihou had listed a items, asking Xiao Yuanqi to find some old drafts from many years ago in the Ministry of Works' archives.

The benefit he intended to give Xiao Yuanqi was to help him eliminate Xun Baishui. However, Xun Baishui was deeply trusted by the Emperor and had held power in the court for many years, so there was only one way to deal with Xun Baishui, their words implying they intended to kill Xun Baishui. Xiao Yuanqi was not fully prepared and did not want to act rashly.

Just as the two were arguing about this, He Cheng suddenly reported to Xiao Yuanqi that Xun Anru had fainted. Xiao Yuanqi immediately rushed to visit her. It turned out that Xun Anru was pregnant with Xiao Yuanqi's child, which filled Xiao Yuanqi with unexpected joy. Yue Yinchuan was summoned by the Emperor for an audience.

With his straightforward nature, he spoke frankly in court, directly telling the Emperor his differing views on the war situation in the three states of Huaidong compared to the other seven states, admitting that Donghai only wanted the three states of Huaidong, which greatly surprised the Emperor and Xun Baishui.

Episode 43 Recap

Yue Yinchuan was summoned by the young emperor. In the imperial court, he explained in detail his analysis of the suspicious aspects of the War of the East Sea, stating that the East Sea nation's goal was to forcibly seize the three prefectures of Huaidong, and then use them as a stronghold to cut off Great Liang's access to the outer sea.

He believed that the East Sea nation, willing to resort to war with Great Liang to seize these three prefectures, must have other intentions that he had not yet fully understood. Xiao Yuanqi was very displeased by his words and confronted him in court. Xun Baishui stood out at the right time to mediate, praising both sides' arguments as reasonable, and suggesting that there was no rush, pushing the war discussions to after the New Year.

Xiao Yuanqi had no choice but to agree to his suggestion, and the young emperor took the opportunity to keep Yue Yinchuan in the capital, asking him to discuss matters concerning the War of the East Sea together after the New Year. Yue Yinchuan finally obtained the long-awaited military report copy from the Ministry of War. Now, he was considered a prominent figure in the capital who had met the emperor, and would no longer receive any slight.

Pei'er, after careful nursing by Yue Yinchuan and others, finally woke up. She was very frightened to find herself back in the city and clamored to return to her hometown in Qianzhou. Yue Yinchuan happened to return to his residence, where his deputy, Tan Heng, was earnestly persuading Pei'er not to act impulsively, as she had just woken up and had no travel money, making it impossible to return home.

Yue Yinchuan left Pei'er for Tan Heng to handle and no longer inquired. Pei'er heard that the two had served in Qianzhou and knew they must have experienced the War of the East Sea. Feeling that she absolutely could not die in vain even if she were to die, she decided to reveal her identity to them and reported the Prince of Laiyang, telling them everything she knew.

Both were incredibly shocked after learning of this, but Pei'er had no direct evidence, and it was hard to believe her words, being just a small maidservant. However, Yue Yinchuan himself already believed her in his heart. At night, Tan Heng and Yue Yinchuan discussed the matter of the Prince of Laiyang. He knew that Yue Yinchuan had long suspected the Prince of Laiyang.

Yue Yinchuan stated that he had only been half-believing at first, but now Pei'er's words confirmed his suspicions. Tan Heng excitedly declared that no matter who it was, anyone colluding with the enemy and betraying the country should not be let off, clamoring to report the Prince of Laiyang to the Censorate. Yue Yinchuan told him to calm down; the testimony of only one maidservant was simply not enough.

Moreover, currently, the only one who could prevent Xiao Yuanqi from taking the lead in opening a case was the Grand Secretary Xun Baishui, but Xun Baishui had already allied with Xiao Yuanqi through marriage. Now that Xiao Yuanqi was highly renowned, it would be extremely difficult for Yue Yinchuan, a fifth-rank official, to even take the first step in overthrowing him.

Yet, he still expressed with a determined look that no matter what, collaboration with the enemy and betrayal of the country could never be tolerated. At Langya Pavilion, Lin Xi finally showed Meng Qianxue the engagement silver locket she had treasured for many years. Meng Qianxue was immediately overjoyed upon seeing it.

Lin Xi confessed that when she first met Xiao Pingjing, she was glad that he didn't know her true identity, but unexpectedly, when feelings developed over time, she didn't know how to speak about it. Meng Qianxue immediately wanted to tell Xiao Pingjing, but Lin Xi smiled shyly, saying she still wanted to tell Xiao Pingjing herself. Unexpectedly, Xiao Pingjing couldn't help but confess his feelings to Lin Xi himself.

He tenderly told Lin Xi that he wanted to accompany her in traveling the mountains and rivers, writing medical books, and doing everything else he could think of, but what he dared not imagine most was what his future days would be like without Lin Xi. He asked Lin Xi to promise to stay together with him forever, never to be separated.

Lin Xi gazed brightly into Xiao Pingjing's eyes, and with deep affection, took out the silver locket from her bosom. Xiao Pingjing was stunned at first, then became ecstatic, and embraced Lin Xi tightly. Xiao Pingjing and Lin Xi bid farewell to the Old Pavilion Master. He planned to first go to Meiling to pay respects to his father after spring, and then travel to the Northern Yan Kingdom with Lin Xi.

The Old Pavilion Master asked him if he had let go of the matters in Jinling. Xiao Pingjing frankly stated that he couldn't truly let go of his home and country, but he decided not to force himself anymore, to bear everything alone, and to face what he didn't want to face. The Old Pavilion Master told him that what he needed to choose to bear was merely his true heart. Xun Feizhan returned to Jinling City.

Xun Baishui and his wife, having not seen their nephew for a long time, were very joyful. The letter Xiao Pingjing wrote to Xun Baishui also reached Xun Feizhan's hands. After carefully reading Xiao Pingjing's letter, Xun Baishui was deeply impressed, praising Xiao Pingjing as truly worthy of being from a family of generals, still concerned about the imperial court even while living outside it.

He asked Xun Feizhan to convey his thanks and stated that he himself was not senile yet. At the same time, Yue Yinchuan also sent an invitation to Xun Baishui. Xun Baishui invited him to his residence for a detailed discussion. Xun Baishui knew that Yue Yinchuan's request for an audience this time must have another reason. Yue Yinchuan immediately stated that he was willing to risk his life and property to report the Prince of Laiyang to Xun Baishui.

His resolute expression startled Xun Baishui. However, after Xun Baishui learned all the details, he felt that the testimony of a single maidservant might not be enough. He told Yue Yinchuan that there was a mother-killing feud between Mo Zihou and Xiao Yuanqi, which surprised Yue Yinchuan.

Xun Baishui reminded him that Xiao Yuanqi, as the one who achieved the greatest merit in the War of the East Sea, had already been acclaimed throughout the land, and furthermore, he had a deep blood feud with Mo Zihou. Yet, Yue Yinchuan wanted to accuse Xiao Yuanqi based solely on the word of a maidservant.

Moreover, without concrete evidence, it would not be easy to get the emperor to issue an imperial decree to search the Prince of Laiyang's residence for the only physical evidence, the Black Crystal Sword, nor could it be ruled out as a frame-up.

Nevertheless, Xun Baishui stated that the War of the East Sea had a significant impact on the fate of Great Liang, and as the Grand Secretary, he would not let go of even the slightest doubt, proclaiming that he had begun to believe Yue Yinchuan. He instructed Yue Yinchuan not to act rashly during the New Year period, then asked him about the deep-water dock that Xiao Pingjing had mentioned.

After a moment of thought, Yue Yinchuan finally had an epiphany, recalling that a general in a previous dynasty had attempted to build a large shipyard. He finally understood that the East Sea nation's true intention was the deep-water dock. And Xiao Yuanqi must have colluded with the East Sea nation, trading the three prefectures of land for military achievements covering seven prefectures.

Xun Baishui quickly ordered him to go to the Ministry of Works to find the archives of that general who built the shipyard, as well as the construction drawings for the shipyard; these were crucial documents for corroboration. However, their actions were still a step too late; He Cheng had already moved all the old archives in advance. Xun Baishui sent someone to call Xiao Yuanqi and Xun Anru to visit his home.

Xiao Yuanqi tried to decline, but the person sent by the Xun family stated that if they couldn't come today, then Xun Baishui and his wife would personally pay a visit. Xiao Yuanqi had no choice but to agree.

Episode 44 Recap

Xun Baishui summoned Xiao Yuanqi and his wife to his manor, intending to take the opportunity for Madam Xun to thoroughly question Xun Anru about what truly happened. He himself used words to probe Xiao Yuanqi, actively mentioning that the Emperor intended to entrust Xiao Yuanqi with the recovery of the three states of Huaidong.

Xiao Yuanqi, however, stated that Yue Yinchuan had said the East Sea forces were originally going to retreat, and he merely took advantage of the situation. Xun Baishui deliberately retorted, "Could Xiao Yuanqi's military achievements possibly be false?" Xiao Yuanqi sensed that Xun Baishui had another intention, so while toasting, he asked Xun Baishui for guidance on whether he should accept if the Emperor entrusted him with another important task.

Madam Xun told Xun Anru to tell her the truth, as she had always felt that Pei'er was an excellent swimmer, and her drowning was far too suspicious. Under Madam Xun's persistent questioning, Xun Anru finally could not hold back her tears and began to cry. Just then, Xun Feizhan also arrived in Madam Xun's room. Xun Feizhan questioned whether Xiao Yuanqi had bullied Xun Anru, but Xun Anru suddenly started vomiting due to her pregnancy.

This made Madam Xun happy, and Xun Anru swallowed back the truth she had been about to reveal. Xun Baishui proposed that Yue Yinchuan serve as Xiao Yuanqi's deputy. Xiao Yuanqi dared not decline, so he could only praise Yue Yinchuan before agreeing. At this moment, Xun Baishui's subordinate suddenly entered the room and shook his head at him. Xun Baishui knew there had been no progress with his wife, and he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

Seeing this, Xiao Yuanqi quickly rose to leave, but he was meticulous and surprisingly caught a glimpse of a letter from Xiao Pingjing placed on the desk by Xun Baishui. Xun Baishui quickly explained that the contents were just auspicious New Year greetings, vaguely dismissing it, and stating that the current Changlin King Xiao Pingjing was living a carefree life. Although Xiao Yuanqi forced a few smiles, he was actually very wary of Xiao Pingjing's letter.

That night, Yue Yinchuan and Tan Heng secretly infiltrated Prince Laiyang's manor to locate the old archives. Tan Heng was a straightforward person; he immediately knocked open the door and knocked out the surprised He Cheng and another servant with two punches. Yue Yinchuan quickly sifted through the archives, but the sheer volume of them completely exceeded his expectations.

Xun Baishui felt that the conversation between him and Xiao Yuanqi was watertight and without flaws, but he understood that if Xiao Yuanqi's conscience was clear, there would be no need for such defensiveness. This realization made him feel a surge of weakness. Just then, Yue Yinchuan returned to his manor seeking an audience.

Yue Yinchuan discovered in the archives submitted by the Ministry of War to Dali Temple that someone had inspected the defenses of the ten eastern states more than a year ago. The individuals involved had either died suddenly or returned to their hometowns. Three of them were confirmed to be former subordinates of Xiao Yuanqi from Ganzhou, and another was He Cheng's deputy general.

Xun Baishui knew he had alerted the enemy, so he told Yue Yinchuan to write everything into a memorial and wait for him outside the palace city, to enter the palace with him tomorrow. Upon returning home, Xiao Yuanqi was furious. He understood that Xun Baishui had begun to suspect him, as Xiao Pingjing and the Xun family were not on good terms, and he would never write a New Year's greeting letter to Xun Baishui for no reason.

He Cheng told him that someone had attacked him and gone through the old files he had brought back from the Ministry of Works. Xiao Yuanqi quickly told him to find Madam Qi. Facing Xun Baishui's suspicion, Xiao Yuanqi finally could not hold back and prepared to eliminate Xun Baishui. Madam Qi stated that the experts and loyal assassins she brought from the East Sea Kingdom had already perfectly rehearsed the assassination. The only uncertainty was Xun Feizhan.

Early the next morning, Xun Baishui prepared to enter the palace and ordered one hundred officers and soldiers to be dispatched from the Jingzhao Prefectural Office to escort him. Coincidentally, Xun Feizhan also came to his manor, but Xun Feizhan wanted to leave the city to see Xiao Pingzhang. Xun Baishui was momentarily careless and did not ask Xun Feizhan to escort him.

Holding Xiao Pingjing's letter to him, Xun Baishui grandly headed to the palace city, escorted by one hundred officers and soldiers. However, the East Sea Kingdom assassins had already set up an ambush on the road. The officers and soldiers immediately formed a spear-and-shield formation to guard Xun Baishui's carriage. However, these assassins were highly skilled experts personally selected by Mo Zihou, and they were numerous.

Although the officers' formation resisted the initial waves of probing attacks, it still caused considerable chaos in the military formation. Madam Qi seized the opportunity and personally struck. Her movements were somewhat similar to Mo Zihou's. In the blink of an eye, she rushed in front of Xun Baishui and stabbed a sword into his heart.

She immediately shouted that the Lord of the East Sea Kingdom sent his regards to Xun Baishui and snatched the letter from Xiao Pingjing out of Xun Baishui's hand. By the time Yue Yinchuan realized something was wrong and rushed to the carriage, the assassins had vanished without a trace, leaving only corpses strewn across the ground. Xun Baishui did not die immediately. Yue Yinchuan clutched his chest, but blood still gushed from Xun Baishui's heart.

In his final moments, Xun Baishui finally remembered to shout the name of the Changlin King. Xun Feizhan knelt before his uncle's corpse and swore a solemn oath that he would not let Xun Baishui die in vain and would definitely catch the murderers. When Xun Anru learned the news, hearing that it was assassins from the East Sea, she was filled with immense regret and fainted. The young Emperor tearfully informed the Empress Dowager of Xun Baishui's death.

The Empress Dowager collapsed onto her throne in shock. Xun Anru had a miscarriage. She stared at the ceiling with a ashen face, tears flowing uncontrollably, not uttering a word no matter how Xiao Yuanqi tried to comfort her. Although Xiao Yuanqi was also in great pain, he firmly believed that fate was rare and would inevitably exact a price.

He could endure losing his son and agreed with Madam Qi that they would no longer associate with each other from then on. Yue Yinchuan knew that with Xun Baishui's death, the Grand Secretariat would surely fall into chaos, and trying to bring down Prince Laiyang Xiao Yuanqi would be as difficult as ascending to heaven. The Empress Dowager was consumed by worry and lost her appetite due to Xun Baishui's death.

The Emperor told her that after the assassination, Jinling City was immediately sealed, yet a small merchant caravan had managed to leave the city gates early, and their travel permits were also forged. Xun Feizhan prepared to lead people to track them down. Before his departure, he still treated Xiao Yuanqi as a family member, instructing Xiao Yuanqi to take good care of Xun Anru.

Yue Yinchuan and Tan Heng secretly observed Xun Feizhan and Xiao Yuanqi talking, knowing that Xun Baishui must not have told Xun Feizhan anything. Yue Yinchuan saw Xun Feizhan leading the elite Imperial Guards out of the city to pursue, but Xiao Yuanqi showed no signs of tension, immediately realizing that the female assassin was still in the city. Since Xiao Yuanqi controlled the Patrol Battalion, Jinling City was the safest place.

A secret letter from Donghu Yulin arrived, and Xiao Yuanqi knew that General Di, his earlier pawn, had finally made up his mind. He felt that the overall situation was completely under his control and vowed never to become the second Changlin King.

Episode 45 Recap

Among the green mountains, on Langya Pavilion, Meng Qianxue excitedly planned the wedding for Xiao Pingjing and Lin Xi, omitting all the complicated formalities. However, at this moment, Lin Jiu brought Xiao Pingjing the news of Xun Baishui's death. As soon as Xiao Pingjing received the note, his face immediately darkened. He told Meng Qianxue and Lin Xi about this matter and intended to summon Xun Feizhan to Langya Pavilion.

In Jinling City, Pei'er drew a sketch of the Prince of Liang's manor from memory. Yue Yinchuan judged that the assassin who killed Xun Baishui should still be hiding in the Prince of Liang's manor. Through Pei'er's sketch, he concluded that the assassin would definitely enter and exit through the side gate, which few people usually use. He told Tan Heng to keep a close eye on it.

At this time, in the Prince of Liang's manor, Min'er told Xun Anru the news that she heard a female guest had moved into the manor. This female guest was, of course, Lady Qi. She was inspecting the Ministry of Works' blueprints requested by Mo Zihou with Xiao Yuanqi. Lady Qi told Xiao Yuanqi that Mo Zihou merely enjoyed fishing at sea, which was why he requested these blueprints to build a small boat.

How could Xiao Yuanqi believe her outlandish lie? He knew that what the Donghai Kingdom needed were massive warships that could be matched with deep-water dry docks. However, Lady Qi claimed that such massive warships were intended for the outer seas, not for Daliang. Xiao Yuanqi decided to personally escort Lady Qi and the blueprints out of the city. The entire Jinling City was searching for the female assassin.

Min'er guessed that the female guest staying in the manor was very likely that assassin. Xun Anru panicked, her eyes filled with tears as she declared that she really couldn't bear it anymore. She did not allow Min'er to follow and burst into Xiao Yuanqi's study alone. He Cheng originally intended to stop her but was slapped aside by her.

When Xun Anru saw Lady Qi, she angrily declared that she knew Lady Qi was the assassin who killed Xun Baishui. She also discovered the ship blueprints that Xiao Yuanqi was going to hand over to the Donghai Kingdom, accusing Xiao Yuanqi of how much more conscience he would sell, and declared that the next time she saw Xun Feizhan, she would tell him everything. Upon hearing this, Lady Qi immediately prepared to attack. Xiao Yuanqi quickly stopped her.

He told Xun Anru that he would not kill her, but he would also never allow her to see her elder brother or enter the palace again. Tan Heng had been watching the Prince of Liang's manor. After discovering two carriages entering the manor, he quickly notified Yue Yinchuan. These two carriages were precisely arranged by Xiao Yuanqi to transport the blueprints and Lady Qi out of the city.

To ensure safety, he even had Lady Qi hide inside a wooden box. Ever since she was placed under house arrest by Xiao Yuanqi, Xun Anru had remained silent. This time, to cover the transport of goods, Xiao Yuanqi prepared to take her with him in the carriage out of the city. Yue Yinchuan and Tan Heng watched the carriage leave and secretly followed behind.

All the way to the woods outside the city, Xiao Yuanqi actually poured lamp oil over Lady Qi and a set of blueprints. Lady Qi cried out that if she couldn't return, Mo Zihou would definitely come looking for her. Unfortunately, even Mo Zihou, who had been number one in martial arts for many years, could not intimidate the current Xiao Yuanqi. Xiao Yuanqi ordered his men to light the lamp oil.

Lady Qi and those blueprints thus turned into ashes together. Xun Anru was terrified by this scene, but Xiao Yuanqi stated that he did this precisely for Xun Anru to see. Xun Feizhan led the imperial guards in pursuit everywhere, but how could he find Lady Qi, who had already turned to ashes? He could only return empty-handed. The young emperor felt that all the people he could trust and rely on around him had left.

The empire left by the former emperor was already in ruins after only a few years. He couldn't help but doubt himself and become disheartened. Xun Feizhan quickly advised the young emperor not to underestimate himself. The young emperor earnestly asked Xun Feizhan to do something for him. He intended to send Xun Feizhan to Langya Pavilion to persuade Xiao Pingjing to return and take charge of the overall situation.

Yue Yinchuan received an imperial summons, but he knew that he probably wouldn't have a chance to speak with the emperor alone. When he arrived at the court, he further discovered that the emperor was not there at all, but Xiao Yuanqi was presiding over this imperial council. He couldn't help but feel secretly disappointed.

However, through Xiao Yuanqi's strong support for his plan to recover the three states of Huaidong during this council, Yue Yinchuan finally understood that what Xiao Yuanqi was plotting was absolutely not just a kingship, but the entire Daliang empire. He sighed, thinking that he now needed to seriously consider who else could stop Xiao Yuanqi's advance. Early the next morning, he came to request an audience with Xun Feizhan.

However, Xun Feizhan had already ridden quickly to Langya Pavilion, perfectly missing him. Having no other choice, Yue Yinchuan could only go to find the Minister of War, but unexpectedly saw General Di Ming, who commanded the Donghu Imperial Guards, suddenly enter the capital. The Minister of War planned to recommend Yue Yinchuan to the emperor during the spring hunt so that he could follow by the emperor's side.

The spring hunt was in March, but Xiao Yuanqi had already begun planning his actions. He discussed rebellion with Di Ming. Di Ming confessed that their combined forces totaled eighty thousand men. Although they had a military advantage, it would be difficult to quickly seize the palace city by directly confronting the fifty thousand imperial guards. Xiao Yuanqi, however, stated that he did not intend to attack the palace city.

Di Ming immediately understood that Xiao Yuanqi intended to make his move against the emperor at Jiuan Mountain during the spring hunt in March. The terrain of Jiuan Mountain was just like a pocket. Xiao Yuanqi was confident that the spring hunt escort originally only numbered five thousand. Even if it increased to ten thousand, it would definitely not be able to withstand his large army.

The key to his operation was to sever the connection between the palace city and Jiuan Mountain. This task would be completed by Di Ming. At the same time, Yue Yinchuan was also analyzing the terrain of Jiuan Mountain. After much deliberation, he felt that Xiao Yuanqi would very likely seize the opportunity to act, and understood that if Xiao Yuanqi truly dared to act, his reliance must be because the Donghu Imperial Guards were already under his control.

Episode 46 Recap

After Xun Baishui's death, the Empress Dowager could not sleep peacefully. The Emperor assured her that he would definitely avenge the blood debt from Donghai, but the Empress Dowager still felt restless and suggested to the Emperor to cancel the spring hunt in March.

When the Emperor mentioned the cancellation of the spring hunt in court, Xiao Yuanqi and Di Ming heard what the Emperor said, and their hearts were secretly alarmed and in chaos; all their plans were completely disrupted. After the court session, Xiao Yuanqi, disregarding suspicion, quickly went to discuss with Di Ming; this scene was fully observed by Yue Yinchuan. Xiao Yuanqi took the initiative to greet the Empress Dowager, bringing up the matter of the spring hunt.

He used the name of the court officials to ask the Empress Dowager to reconsider, strongly urging her to resume the spring hunt. He stated that the spring hunt was a sacrificial ritual, and now that the country was unstable, they should maintain the ritual, otherwise it might be unfavorable for the country. But without Xun Baishui accompanying him, the Empress Dowager was still uneasy about the Emperor going out hunting.

Although Xiao Yuanqi earnestly advised the Empress Dowager to resume the spring hunt for his own plans, the Empress Dowager ultimately stated that her mind was made up, saying that the matter did not need further discussion and it was best for the Emperor to stay in the palace. Xiao Yuanqi was furious in his heart but could do nothing.

After Xiao Yuanqi returned to his residence, Di Ming suggested whether to act next year, but Xiao Yuanqi thought that Lady Qi had been killed by him, and Donghai Mo Zihou would definitely take action, so he absolutely could not wait until next year. Therefore, he decided to use this as an excuse to transfer the Donghu Feathered Forest Army into Jinling City before the imperial decree to cancel the spring hunt was issued.

At that time, seventy thousand Feathered Forest soldiers would quietly enter the city, and his armored army would already be before the Emperor's couch before the Emperor knew it. The only problem was the Imperial Guards. Xiao Yuanqi planned to forge an imperial decree, first execute the commander, then call his inside man, Deputy Commander Tang, to trick all the officers into the Imperial Guard Mansion to eliminate them together.

Finally, he would use Wengcheng as a prison to divide and imprison the four Imperial Guard battalions. Although the spring hunt was cancelled, Yue Yinchuan judged that Xiao Yuanqi would still make a move in Jinling City, only the timing would be different. Tan Heng mentioned that this just gave them time to call for reinforcements.

Yue Yinchuan remembered Xun Baishui calling out the name of Changlin on his deathbed, and then he suddenly realized that he was being told to summon the great reinforcement, King Changlin Xiao Pingjing. He immediately sent Tan Heng to Langya Mountain to report the news. Xun Feizhan arrived at Langya Pavilion first, but Xiao Pingjing asked him to help him refuse the Emperor.

He frankly admitted that he had once been prepared to carry the banner of Changlin, protect Daliang, and be loyal to the nation's affairs, but he had thought everything too simply and was thoroughly disheartened by the court's actions. Now, he had done his part for the country and the people, but he was indeed not suitable. Xiao Pingjing then asked if Xun Feizhan was present when Xun Baishui was assassinated, and several witnesses failed to catch the assassin.

Xun Feizhan told him that the Emperor had sent Xiao Yuanqi to search for the assassin. Xiao Pingjing was secretly alarmed upon hearing this; only then did he realize that Xun Baishui should not have given his letter to Xun Feizhan to read. Upon careful thought, Xun Feizhan immediately found something amiss. Xiao Pingjing anxiously stated that the Emperor might be in danger at any time.

Xun Feizhan could not immediately accept the fact that Xiao Yuanqi would join forces with Mo Zihou. Langya Pavilion received news that there was an abnormal movement of the Donghu Feathered Forest in Jinling City. Xiao Pingjing held the message slip and knelt before the wordless spiritual tablet in the Changlin King's Mansion, deep in thought. Meng Qianxue advised him not to do something he would regret later. She told Xiao Pingjing not to worry about her and her son.

Lin Xi understood that as a son of Changlin, Xiao Pingjing could not stand idly by when the Emperor was in trouble, yet she could not completely change herself for Xiao Pingjing. Since Xiao Pingjing was about to descend the mountain and return to Jinling, there would definitely be no future for the two of them. Xiao Pingjing stated that he would definitely return to taste all kinds of herbs with Lin Xi and stay together forever.

However, Lin Xi stated that she could not stop for Xiao Pingjing. Xiao Pingjing finally prepared to descend the mountain with Xun Feizhan. Lin Jiu gave a bracelet to Xiao Pingjing, clearly stating that the person who wore this bracelet before had never tasted defeat in their life. Xiao Pingjing solemnly put the bracelet on his wrist.

Tan Heng hurried towards Langya Mountain, but halfway saw the main force of the Donghu Feathered Forest Army heading towards the capital, so he quickly turned back to Jinling to notify Yue Yinchuan. Yue Yinchuan hurriedly informed Master Jin of the matter, but Master Jin was confused and felt nothing was amiss, thinking that it was Xiao Yuanqi's first time in charge of the spring hunt, and he had forgotten to notify the Donghu Feathered Forest to cancel it.

He was utterly pedantic and disbelieved everything Yue Yinchuan said. Yue Yinchuan had no choice but to rush to the Imperial Guard Mansion, but He Cheng had already taken a step ahead, leading the patrol division to seal off the Imperial Guard Mansion and execute all the officers. Seeing this scene, Yue Yinchuan felt powerless to turn the tide. The next day, seventy thousand Donghu Feathered Forest troops formally marched into Jinling City and sealed off the entire city.

The Imperial Guards were finished, Jingzhao Mansion was also finished, and the entire Jinling City was already under Xiao Yuanqi's control. Yue Yinchuan had only two or three soldiers under him and could only let his subordinates disperse. As for himself, he planned to go into the palace alone to report to the Emperor. Although he was as tiny as a grain of sand compared to tens of thousands of troops, he still could not stand idly by. His subordinates were inspired by his righteousness and decided to act with him.

Episode 47 Recap

Seventy thousand Donghu Yulin troops marched into Jinling City, blockading the entire capital. Only then did Lord Jin panic. Yue Yinchuan suggested that the only course of action now was to abandon the Imperial City and retreat to the Palace City. Lord Jin grabbed the military tally and immediately wanted to enter the palace to see the Emperor. However, the Patrol Camp had already stormed their way in. Yue Yinchuan quickly protected Lord Jin, rushing out through the back door.

Along the way, he cut down several blocking Patrol Camp soldiers before stumbling into the palace. Lord Jin knelt before the young Emperor, shouting that the Prince of Laiyang was rebelling. The young Emperor was so shocked that he immediately stood up from his throne. The Donghu Yulin began to assault the Palace City.

Yue Yinchuan learned from Lord Wu of the Imperial Guards that there were only five hundred Imperial Guards left in the palace at that moment, and those sent out to summon troops had vanished without a trace, like stones sinking into the sea. He understood that the Imperial Guards must have also rebelled. Now, there were no available troops around Jinling except for those at the Imperial Tombs, and the city was completely surrounded by Xiao Yuanqi’s forces.

Seeing the critical situation, Yue Yinchuan had no choice but to suggest that the Emperor change into plain clothes and, under the protection of elite soldiers, break through the encirclement and hide. The Emperor knew that even if he escaped the palace, it would be impossible to escape Jinling City. He immediately handed the Emperor's Imperial Seal to Yue Yinchuan, telling him to break out and summon troops to defend the Emperor.

Even if he and the Empress Dowager could not escape this calamity in the end, he wanted the truth to be known to all under heaven. Yue Yinchuan solemnly received the Imperial Seal. Having been entrusted with such a heavy responsibility, he immediately promised that no matter what the future held, he would definitely return with reinforcements.

Lord Wu sent people to escort Yue Yinchuan out, then ordered the remaining few Imperial Guards to retreat to Chaoyang Hall to protect the Emperor. The Imperial Guards outside the palace, leaderless due to the mass slaughter of their officers, were quickly suppressed by Di Ming's Donghu Yulin. Xiao Yuanqi, clad in golden armor, commanded his troops to completely surround the Palace City.

He heard that the remaining Imperial Guards intended to defend Chaoyang Hall to the death and sneered, saying he wanted to see how long the Imperial Guards could resist. With a command from Xiao Yuanqi, the formidable army immediately began to assault Chaoyang Hall. Inside the hall, the Emperor listened to the sounds of fighting outside the doors and remarked to the Empress Dowager how such a situation could have arisen if the King of Changlin were here.

How could a mere five hundred Imperial Guards withstand tens of thousands of troops? After a bloody battle, they were all annihilated. Xiao Yuanqi stepped over the piles of corpses, entering Chaoyang Hall step by step from the blood-stained long staircase. As soon as Lord Jin saw him appear, he immediately rushed out to scold him, calling him a traitor and a rebel. Xiao Yuanqi drew his sword and pierced through his heart.

Di Ming stepped forward and told the Empress Dowager that his family had served as officials for generations, dedicating themselves to the imperial court, yet, thanks to the Empress Dowager, his entire family had perished from the plague. The Emperor had thought that the plague years ago was caused by the Ye Qin people. However, Xiao Yuanqi sternly questioned the Empress Dowager, asking if she dared to stand up and say it had nothing to do with her.

The Empress Dowager stated that the Emperor was young at the time and not at fault. Yet, Di Ming claimed that with such a mother, the Emperor was simply unfit to be a ruler. Hearing this, the Empress Dowager knelt before the Emperor and confessed that she had listened to slanders back then, a sin for which there was no forgiveness.

She then expressed her willingness to die to atone for her sins, hoping that the other party would rein themselves in and not kill the Emperor. Di Ming handed her a short sword for her to end her own life. The Empress Dowager steeled her heart and then plunged the sword into her abdomen. However, how could Xiao Yuanqi retreat just because of her death? He forced the Emperor to issue a proclamation to the world, abdicating in his favor.

The Emperor vowed he would never yield under the threat of arms. He told Xiao Yuanqi that he had already sent people to deliver the Emperor's Imperial Seal to a trustworthy person. Xiao Yuanqi speculated that the trustworthy person must be the King of Changlin. He scoffed, saying that once the great position was within reach, no one would let go, and Xiao Pingjing was no exception.

Not long after Xiao Pingjing and Xun Feizhan left Langya Mountain, they received news from Langya Pavilion that Xiao Yuanqi had acted preemptively to seize control of Jinling. Xun Feizhan considered it his sacred duty as a disciple of the Meng clan to protect the Emperor and immediately wanted to rush to Jinling. However, Xiao Pingjing knew that going to Jinling alone at this moment would be of no help.

He speculated that since the Emperor ascended the throne at a young age, his imperial prestige was insufficient. If Xiao Yuanqi forced him to abdicate in favor of a worthy successor, it could indeed deceive the people of the world. The most urgent task was to summon troops to defend the Emperor.

He took out the Changlin Military Order and frankly stated that even though the old King had been cautious when deploying troops back then, he still couldn't put Xun Baishui and others at ease. In the final analysis, it was because the Changlin Royal Manor's reputation was widespread, deeply trusted by the soldiers of Da Liang. Even without using the imperial military tallies, just by raising an arm with the Changlin Military Order, a powerful army could be swiftly assembled.

The Changlin Royal Manor, protecting the northern borders with fervent loyalty and the brave souls of two generations, possessed endless power just by virtue of this sincerity and integrity. He had already sent out countless letters, intending to raise an army in the name of Changlin to defend the Emperor. Yue Yinchuan escaped back to the post station, where Tan Heng had already prepared seven sets of Donghu Yulin uniforms.

Yue Yinchuan prepared to go to Langya Pavilion to find Xiao Pingjing, but he knew that Xiao Pingjing did not possess military authority, so he was unsure if this trip would be useful. On Xiao Pingjing's side, he had already rendezvoused with the first batch of reinforcements. The earliest to arrive were the troops led by Dong Qing, Xiao Pingzhang's guard. Xiao Pingjing donned his older brother's armor and marched towards Jinling.

Wherever the Changlin military flag passed, supporters gathered like clouds. Under the formidable prestige of the Changlin Royal Manor, all the armies under heaven responded. In a short time, the army's strength dramatically increased, growing stronger every day, finally forming a momentum like towering waves. In Jinling City, Xiao Yuanqi brought Xun Anru to Chaoyang Hall and slowly ascended the imperial platform. His years of dreams had finally come true.

He pressed one hand on the throne as if feeling boundless power, and once he sat on the throne, he felt as if he possessed immeasurable strength. But Xun Anru questioned him, asking if all this was worth betraying his conscience. She couldn't feel even a trace of happiness. Xiao Yuanqi, appearing almost deranged, declared that the abdication ceremony would be in two days. He also told Xun Anru that it was her destiny to be an Empress in the palace.

Episode 48 Recap

Under the Changlin Army banner, the royalist army grew increasingly vast. Xiao Pingjing analyzed that the emperor's life was in imminent danger, so he decided to personally lead five hundred cavalry of the vanguard to rush to Jinling City first. The purpose was to make the Changlin Army banner appear outside Jinling City as soon as possible to deter Xiao Yuanqi. In the imperial court, the young emperor sat on the imperial throne, but he was merely a symbol.

Affairs in the court no longer concerned him; the abdication and yielding to a worthy successor was nothing but a play orchestrated by Xiao Yuanqi. Just as Xiao Yuanqi was smugly about to accept the edict of abdication, a soldier burst in to report that a Changlin banner had appeared outside the city.

Xiao Yuanqi ultimately did not pick up the edict of abdication but instead sternly shouted that Xiao Pingjing was far away in Mount Langya, and there was no longer any Changlin Army in the world. Although the emperor held back from making a sound when he heard the news, tears streamed down his cheeks. Xiao Yuanqi and Di Ming rushed to the city wall.

Outside the city, the vanguard cavalry led by Xiao Pingjing lined up, and the Changlin Army banner fluttered in the wind. Di Ming frankly stated that he had never thought he would one day be an enemy of the Changlin Army, but Xiao Yuanqi declared that it was not the Changlin Army.

He clamored that the Changlin Army's organizational structure had been completely dissolved and dispersed years ago, and those below the city were merely a disorganized rabble cobbled together by Xiao Pingjing in an emergency, flying the Changlin Army banner. He ordered Di Ming to immediately lead troops out and crush this cavalry force. Xiao Pingjing and Xiao Yuanqi, once good friends, now gazed at each other from above and below the city wall.

Di Ming was confident that he could definitely eliminate Xiao Pingjing. However, Xiao Pingjing suddenly drew his bow and shot a document onto the city wall. Just as Xiao Yuanqi was about to read the document, a vast, dark mass suddenly appeared on the distant horizon. It was the main force of the royalist army summoned by Xiao Pingjing, which had arrived.

Looking from afar, countless banners and flags waved, and the dust kicked up by the men and horses obscured the sky. Xiao Yuanqi looked at the Changlin Army corps, so mighty in military appearance, completely disbelieving his eyes, exclaiming that it was impossible.

At night, Xiao Yuanqi sat at home, looking at the letter Xiao Pingjing had shot to him, and said that his meticulously planned years and his most glorious moment had been shattered by Xiao Pingjing in one blow. Xiao Pingjing only gave him three days. Di Ming advised him, saying that Xiao Pingjing relied on the prestige of his father and two generations of ancestors, while Xiao Yuanqi relied only on himself.

He also stated that when he first followed Xiao Yuanqi, he had prepared for the worst, as there was no one else left in his family; all he had was his own life. However, Xiao Yuanqi retorted that as long as he held the young emperor, he could wait for Xiao Pingjing to walk into his trap. He was certain that Xiao Pingjing would come to rescue the emperor.

Xun Feizhan asked Xiao Pingjing why he gave Xiao Yuanqi three days, as he wished he could immediately rush in and kill Xiao Yuanqi. Xiao Pingjing, however, said that the emperor was still in Xiao Yuanqi's hands, so he had to hesitate to act for fear of hurting someone innocent. He told Xun Feizhan that he planned to sneak into the imperial palace and spirit the emperor away.

Just as the two were discussing, Yue Yinchuan escaped from Jinling City amidst the chaos and arrived at Xiao Pingjing's camp. He pulled out the Imperial Seal of the Son of Heaven he carried and handed it to Xiao Pingjing. Xiao Yuanqi dispatched heavy troops to completely surround all places Xiao Pingjing had been, vowing to capture or kill him when Xiao Pingjing entered the city to take the emperor.

At the same time, Xiao Pingjing and others were also gathered around a map planning their infiltration route. Xiao Pingjing decided that only he and Xun Feizhan would sneak into the palace. Yue Yinchuan, however, reminded Xiao Pingjing that he should not personally take risks.

Xun Feizhan also said that it would not be difficult for the two of them to see the emperor, but to rescue the emperor from a city guarded by a seventy-thousand strong army was utterly impossible. Xiao Pingjing then said, "Why must we take him out of the city?" Xiao Yuanqi found the young emperor and drank with him. He stated that he could kill the emperor at any time, but he did not want to yet.

He had not expected Xiao Pingjing to be able to muster so many forces overnight, but he had guessed that Xiao Pingjing planned to rescue the emperor. So he told the emperor that Chaoyang Palace, inside and out, had been thoroughly surrounded by his troops, just waiting for Xiao Pingjing to walk into the trap. The emperor was his greatest bargaining chip and bait.

He could not prevent experts like Xun Feizhan and Xiao Pingjing from entering, but he was confident that once they entered, they would absolutely not be able to leave. Yue Yinchuan also understood Xiao Pingjing's plan. Although rescuing the emperor might be too fantastical, hiding the emperor in a place Xiao Yuanqi could not immediately find was feasible.

Moreover, although Di Ming was a brave general, the Donghu Royal Guards had no real combat experience, and their morale would certainly collapse once fighting began. He believed that within three hours, this seventy-thousand strong army would completely collapse. Xiao Pingjing left Yue Yinchuan to command his royalist army. He was confident that Xiao Yuanqi would certainly not be able to guess the place where he and Xun Feizhan were hiding. Indeed, deserters began to appear in Jinling City.

Xiao Yuanqi had all soldiers who deserted during battle beheaded and displayed to the public, and he also ordered military officers above the rank of captain to come and witness the execution. Although he curbed army desertions with swift and decisive means, he clearly knew that if things continued this way, the army he controlled would not last long. Xun Feizhan stopped Yue Yinchuan.

Yue Yinchuan frankly stated that what he opposed was not rescuing the emperor, but Xiao Pingjing going personally. After all, the emperor's life was currently in imminent danger, and if he were unfortunately killed, then in the world, only Prince of Changlin Xiao Pingjing could take the throne.

If he also died, then there would be no one in the imperial family capable of stabilizing Daliang's territory, which would inevitably lead to civil unrest in Daliang and the grievous suffering of the common people. Xun Feizhan was influenced by Yue Yinchuan's words, but Xiao Pingjing stated that when the one hundred thousand strong royalist army approached the city walls, Xiao Yuanqi had already lost.

Even without him, Xiao Pingjing, the people of the world would not let this treacherous villain off. The two then set off, dressed in black, easily infiltrating the heavily guarded imperial palace like drifting shadows. Xiao Yuanqi and Di Ming personally guarded the young emperor. Xiao Yuanqi felt that the time before dawn was too quiet; the quieter it was, the more hidden dangers there were. He felt that Xiao Pingjing should appear.

Just then, Xun Anru suddenly made a commotion wanting to commit suicide. Xiao Yuanqi immediately rushed over upon hearing the news. He persuaded Xun Anru, saying that as long as the young emperor was in his hands, he was confident he could fight Xiao Pingjing, and at the very least, secure their lives and flee far away.

Upon hearing these words, Di Ming finally understood Xiao Yuanqi's intentions, and with a cold face, he immediately turned and returned to the hall to look for the young emperor. Although Xiao Yuanqi desperately tried to persuade her, Xun Anru still believed her sins were too grave and resolutely and decisively jumped from the gate tower, committing suicide.

Episode 49 Recap

Xun Anru resolutely leaped off the city wall. Xiao Yuanqi staggered to her corpse and knelt down. He picked up Xun Anru from the pool of blood and cried heartbrokenly. Xiao Yuanqi had originally wanted to share the world with Xun Anru, but he never expected such an end. However, everything today was merely the result of his perverse actions, his just deserts. It was only a pity that Xun Anru's life was sacrificed.

Di Ming returned to Chaoyang Hall alone. He walked to the Emperor and drew his sword, declaring that he did not care whether Xiao Yuanqi or Xiao Pingjing became emperor. He only believed that the young emperor Xiao Yuanshi was completely unfit to rule, and intended to force the young emperor to commit suicide.

The young emperor tremblingly reached for the sharp blade Di Ming had plunged into the ground, but in the end, he did not dare to pick it up. Di Ming sighed, and just as he was about to personally kill the young emperor, Xun Feizhan and Xiao Pingjing, who had long since sneaked into the hall and hidden, immediately rushed out. Di Ming was completely unprepared and had his throat locked by Xun Feizhan's move.

Xiao Pingjing quickly left with the young emperor. Xun Feizhan considered that Di Ming had once performed meritorious military service for Great Liang and was now merely misled and exploited, so he did not kill Di Ming but only knocked him unconscious. Xiao Yuanqi was at this moment completely immersed in the grief of Xun Anru's death, unable to extricate himself.

He walked aimlessly, step by step, holding Xun Anru's blood-soaked corpse, completely unaware that Xun Feizhan and Xiao Pingjing were escaping Chaoyang Hall with the young emperor. Xun Feizhan was also greatly saddened upon seeing Xun Anru's corpse in Xiao Yuanqi's arms. However, the safety of the young emperor was paramount, so he could only forcibly suppress the pain in his heart and protect the emperor as they left.

When Di Ming awoke in the main hall, Xiao Yuanqi only then discovered that the young emperor had been rescued. He flew into a rage, claiming that Xiao Pingjing had succeeded by exploiting Xun Anru's death. However, he stated that he still had another trump card. Xiao Pingjing and the two others went to hide in a pigeon loft in Jinling, but this place had already been monitored by Xiao Yuanqi.

The three of them quickly rushed out again and returned to the residence of the Lin Royal family. To their surprise, the residence was already heavily ambushed; hundreds of archers and infantry swarmed out from all directions. Xun Feizhan and Xiao Pingjing protected the emperor, fighting and rushing, finally taking refuge in a study.

It turned out that when Xiao Pingjing was eight years old, he had unintentionally discovered a secret passage in this room, and this time he intended to use it to escape. After he finally managed to open the secret passage door with great effort, Xun Feizhan instructed him to leave first with the young emperor, while he himself voluntarily stayed behind to cover them both.

Xun Feizhan strode out of the hiding room and was surrounded by armored soldiers, yet the many soldiers feared his superb martial arts and dared not advance. At this moment, Xiao Yuanqi and Di Ming led a large force, tracking the whereabouts of Xiao Pingjing and the two others all the way to the Lin Royal residence, joining with the ambush troops and blocking off the entire residence so that not even a drop of water could pass.

Upon seeing Xiao Yuanqi, Xun Feizhan's eyes turned red with anger. He sternly rebuked Xiao Yuanqi as a traitor and rebel, and questioned Di Ming why he would pledge allegiance to someone like Xiao Yuanqi, who colluded with foreign enemies. Di Ming had originally thought Xiao Yuanqi was the true hero who repelled the Eastern Sea's attack. Upon hearing Xun Feizhan's words, his heart immediately stirred.

Xiao Yuanqi, seeing that his misdeeds were about to be exposed, quickly interrupted Xun Feizhan and proposed a duel with him. Having successively lost his uncle and cousin, and currently enraged, Xun Feizhan readily accepted Xiao Yuanqi's challenge. Xiao Yuanqi made the first move, his sword strikes extremely vicious. Xun Feizhan remained calm and composed, his swordplay righteous and impregnable. After all, he was a master from the Langya List.

After a few rounds of grappling with Xiao Yuanqi, Xun Feizhan kicked Xiao Yuanqi flying. Xiao Yuanqi touched the bloodstains on his body, understanding in his heart that he had no chance of winning if he continued to hold back. He finally went all out, unleashing Mo Zihou's unique Golden Crow Water Moon Sword Technique. His figure instantly became blurred, creating countless afterimages that covered the entire courtyard.

Under Xiao Yuanqi's full-force attack, Xun Feizhan could only see countless figures darting around and temporarily failed to locate Xiao Yuanqi's true body. In a fleeting moment of distraction, Xiao Yuanqi seized the opportunity and plunged his sword deeply into Xun Feizhan's body. Xun Feizhan suffered this severe injury, spitting blood and collapsing unconscious to the ground. After Xiao Yuanqi defeated Xun Feizhan, the soldiers also found the secret passage within the royal residence.

However, when he led his men through the secret passage, he discovered that its end was none other than Mei Changsu's old residence. By this time, Xiao Pingjing had already vanished without a trace with the young emperor. Meanwhile, the loyalist army outside the city officially began their attack.

Tan Heng and others, who had been lurking in the city, tricked the Donghu Feathered Forest troops guarding the city gates away, then directly opened the city gates to welcome the loyalist army. With inside support, the loyalist army entered Jinling city without encountering any resistance. Di Ming prepared to return to the palace city with Xun Feizhan.

Despite his severe injuries, Xun Feizhan disregarded them and endured the pain to remind Di Ming that the moves Xiao Yuanqi had just used were precisely Mo Zihou's Golden Crow Water Moon Sword Technique, indicating that Xiao Yuanqi had clearly colluded with Mo Zihou. Only then did Di Ming seem to understand Xiao Yuanqi's true nature. He suddenly became disheartened and utterly despondent, dismissing his personal guards who had followed him for years.

He left Xun Feizhan alone beneath the city wall and returned to Chaoyang Hall himself. After he left, Xun Feizhan finally could no longer hold on, spitting out a mouthful of blood and collapsing to the ground with wide, staring eyes. The loyalist army, meeting no resistance, arrived directly outside the palace city gates. At this time, Xiao Pingjing also escorted the emperor to the loyalist army's formation.

Upon seeing the emperor, the loyalist army immediately cheered "Long live the Emperor!" , and the soldiers, shaken by the immense shouts, all chose to lay down their weapons. Only He Cheng drew his bow and arrow, aiming directly at the young emperor's head.

Episode 50 (Ending) Recap

The royal army charged to the front of the palace gates. The little emperor also arrived with Xiao Pingjing. Just as he was about to motivate the troops, He Cheng on the city wall intended to launch a sneak attack with an arrow. Fortunately, Dong Qing discovered him in time and shot an arrow directly into He Cheng's forehead, killing him on the spot. With He Cheng dead, all the palace guards laid down their weapons and surrendered.

The royal army immediately poured into the palace. Di Ming, knowing his crimes were unforgivable, charged towards the royal army, discarding his sword voluntarily, and died under the spears of the soldiers. Xun Feizhan was rescued and his life was saved under the treatment of Dr. Du. Xiao Pingjing led his troops into Chaoyang Hall. Xiao Yuanqi stood alone before the throne. Xiao Pingjing met his gaze coldly, never expecting to meet his former friend like this again.

He couldn't understand why Xiao Yuanqi had become like this in just a few years. Xiao Yuanqi, however, stated that whether it was Great Liang or Donghai, whether it was the imperial court or the royal clan, everyone treated him as a pawn or dismissed him with contempt. Everything he did today was merely to make people pay attention to him.

He declared that the little emperor Xiao Yuanshi only obtained the throne because he was born in the palace, yet he was both incompetent and indecisive. He, Xiao Yuanqi, could be a better emperor. If he won, then who could say he was wrong a hundred years from now!

Xiao Pingjing rebuked Xiao Yuanqi for always complaining and blaming everyone else, but in reality, he had actually used the lives of the people of the ten Eastern Provinces as the price to achieve his path to advancement. What was the world to him? Simply because he did not treat his country as his own land, he could not be a good emperor.

No one could predict the future path of the current little emperor, but it was already very clear what kind of person Xiao Yuanqi was. The little emperor then arrived in the hall. Xiao Yuanqi scoffed, saying that he had killed the Xun siblings and was utterly defeated himself, so Xiao Pingjing, King of Changlin, would no longer face any resistance.

However, the little emperor said that if the Changlin Manor had any illicit intentions, the court situation in Jinling would not be as it was today. He claimed that although he was not as wise as the late emperor, he could still distinguish between true loyalty and malicious intent, and he would never be provoked by villains. Knowing he had nowhere to escape, Xiao Yuanqi proposed a one-on-one battle with Xiao Pingjing, asking him to consider their past friendship.

Xiao Pingjing calmly accepted his challenge. The two drew their treasured swords together. Xiao Yuanqi made the first move and tangled with Xiao Pingjing. Both were excellent swordsmen, and sword light flashed everywhere as they dodged and weaved. Xiao Yuanqi once again employed the sword technique he learned from Mo Zihou. For a moment, he seemed to multiply into several figures. Xiao Pingjing was unprepared and instantly fell into a disadvantage, as if being attacked by multiple people.

Xiao Yuanqi gained momentum and lunged, thrusting a sword towards Xiao Pingjing's chest, but it was blocked by Xiao Pingjing's wrist. At the same time, Xiao Pingjing's sword deeply pierced Xiao Yuanqi's abdomen. It turned out that a bracelet given to Xiao Pingjing by Lin Jiu before his departure had blocked Xiao Yuanqi's sword edge, allowing Xiao Pingjing to escape this calamity. Xiao Yuanqi fell to the ground, wounded.

Xiao Pingjing was surprised that he had such close ties with Mo Zihou, especially since Mo Zihou was his mother's killer. Xiao Yuanqi stated that his original plan included the idea of revenge, but it could no longer be realized. Fortunately, he had already made Donghai and Great Liang sworn enemies. At that time, the people of Great Liang's imperial court would naturally help him avenge himself.

At the same time, he also gave Xiao Pingjing a book he had written over the years detailing his knowledge of the Donghai kingdom and Mo Zihou. Xiao Pingjing initially wanted to detain him for interrogation, but the little emperor only said "kill" three times coldly. After all, Xiao Yuanqi was also the emperor's mother's killer. Xiao Yuanqi was thus stabbed to death on the spot by a group of soldiers with spears.

At night, the little emperor wore sackcloth and mourning attire to mourn his deceased mother. With tears, he spoke of the plague incident in which the Empress Dowager was involved, confessing that everything Xun Baishui and the Empress Dowager did was for him. He could not escape responsibility in any way. He feared that Di Ming's judgment about him not being fit to be a ruler would come true.

Xiao Pingjing comforted him, saying that what kind of person the emperor would become depended only on what kind of person he wanted to become from this day forward. The little emperor felt immense pressure and grieved over his mother's death, collapsing into Xiao Pingjing's arms, weeping inconsolably. After all, besides being an emperor, he was still a child. Xiao Pingjing returned to Changlin Manor. He did not reopen the manor, but chose to live in Xiao Pingzhang's small courtyard.

He then visited Xiao Pingzhang's tomb and confessed that he had once wanted to bear his elder brother's burden, but later he understood that a person ultimately cannot live as another, and that was something Xiao Pingzhang definitely would not want to see. The emperor heard that Xiao Pingjing did not reopen his manor, understanding that Xiao Pingjing's intention was certainly to leave the imperial court.

Xiao Pingjing came to see the emperor and offered a few suggestions regarding court matters, recommending Yue Yinchuan to primarily draft the strategy for recovery. He then mentioned that he had another request. The emperor naturally knew that what he sought was retirement and immediately said no. But the emperor understood Xiao Pingjing's true intentions and ultimately allowed him to leave the imperial court. Xiao Pingjing left Changlin Manor alone. Yue Yinchuan came to see him off.

He mentioned that Xiao Pingjing could rally an army of 100,000 with just a revoked Changlin military token. If he remained in the imperial court, he would certainly hold a high position and great power, and then future generations would not know how to interpret the Changlin Manor. Xiao Pingjing frankly stated that he was not merely avoiding suspicion. Yue Yinchuan understood that Xiao Pingjing was indeed tired of the deception and infighting in the imperial court.

Xun Feizhan and Yue Yinchuan accompanied Xiao Pingjing out of Jinling city gates. Xun Feizhan mentioned that the emperor had ordered that from now on, no matter who commanded the Northern border troops, they would all be designated as "Changlin." Xiao Pingjing laughed, saying that the spirit of Changlin did not lie in who commanded the troops, but in resisting border conflicts and protecting the country and its people. He then bid farewell to the two and rode away.

He rode alone to a small pavilion outside the city and looked back at Jinling. The vast imperial capital seemed to become unreal, simply because it had no further connection with his future life. When he suddenly looked back, he was delighted to find Lin Xi standing beautifully by the pavilion, waiting for him. Xiao Pingjing foolishly asked Lin Xi if she truly wished to stay with him forever.

Lin Xi's "I do" made Xiao Pingjing involuntarily pick her up and spin her around. After the two lovers shed all earthly entanglements, they could finally travel the world together. Vast as the world was, it seemed as if only they remained. They smiled at each other and rode towards the horizon. (The End)