Chapter Summaries

Su Luoqian sent Zelan to warn Lu Jingsi about a secret affair and stayed with Qin Shuning at Xu Yin’s coming-of-age banquet. As the guests began a flying flower poetry game, Lady Xu Wang proposed that only the young people participate.

• Su Luoqian told Zelan to go to the Prison Administration and inform Lu Jingsi or Chengying about what they had overheard, then joined Qin Shuning in the garden.
• Su Luoqian noticed Xu Yin’s hostility and realized Kong Cuilian was involved in the plot against her.
• Duke Xu welcomed the guests and the banquet began, with Yan Bai seated at the head table.
• Xu Yin prompted Lady Xu Liu to suggest a flying flower poetry game, and Yan Bai chose the character for it.
• Lady Xu Wang asked Duke Xu and Yan Bai to let the young people play while the adults watched.

At Duke Xu’s banquet, Xu Yin tried to embarrass Su Luoqian by challenging her to compose a poem for Grand Tutor Yan’s Painting of a Walking Horse. Su Luoqian’s poem won Yan Bai’s enthusiastic praise, leaving Xu Yin humiliated and taken away by Lady Xu Liu.

• Lady Xu Wang limited the flying flower game to unmarried guests, frustrating Xu Yin’s attempt to target Su Luoqian and amusing Su Luoqian when she noticed Kong Cuilian’s anger.
• After struggling through the game, Xu Yin invoked Yan Bai’s Painting of a Walking Horse and challenged Su Luoqian to compose a poem for it.
• Su Luoqian accepted the challenge and recited a poem that praised the aging horse’s spirit and drew Yan Bai’s delighted approval.
• The guests praised Su Luoqian’s learning while Xu Yin glared at her, and Lady Xu Liu led Xu Yin into a nearby inner room.

Su Luoqian accepted Lady Xu Wang’s apology but steered the women toward the guest room where Xu Jia was secretly meeting her male cousin. When they were discovered and could not separate, Lady Xu Wang ended the coming-of-age ceremony in disgrace.

• Lady Xu Wang apologized to Su Luoqian for Xu Yin’s offense and offered her the playbill and a tour of the rear garden.
• Su Luoqian asked Lady Xu Wang to bring everyone along, and the women walked to the pond beside the guest room where Su Luoqian had heard Xu Jia meeting her cousin.
• The women heard intimate sounds from the guest room, and Lady Xu Wang opened the door to find Xu Jia on top of her cousin.
• Xu Jia and her cousin struggled to cover themselves but could not move, while the guests watched and the household matrons failed to separate them.
• Lady Xu Wang asked the guests to leave and declared the coming-of-age ceremony over.

Duke Xu discovered Xu Jia with her male cousin and angrily rejected Lady Xu Wang’s claim that Jia had been falsely accused. Lu Jingsi arrived at the residence, heard Su Luoqian’s account of the scandal, and remained behind as she left with Qin Shuning.

• Duke Xu confronted Xu Jia and her male cousin after they were found together, while Xu Yin’s taunt earned her a slap from her father.
• Su Luoqian left the noisy side room with Qin Shuning and waited in the front courtyard for Lu Jingsi.
• Lu Jingsi arrived with the Prison Administration, and Su Luoqian quietly briefed him on the events at Duke Xu’s Residence.
• Su Luoqian questioned Chengying for leaving Zelan behind, and Lu Jingsi arranged for the women to be escorted back and a message sent to the crown prince.
• As Su Luoqian boarded the carriage, she saw Xu Yin repeatedly slap Kong Cuilian at the side gate.

Lu Jingsi presented the evidence against Lin Yonghong, who was sentenced to beheading, while the emperor ordered Zhou Xuheng to watch Prince Jin’s movements in Central Shu. That night, Lu Jingsi found Su Luoqian drunk in the waterside pavilion and carried her as she clung to him.

• Lu Jingsi presented Lin Yonghong’s confession and evidence to the emperor, and Prince Jin asked that his son be judged according to the law.
• The emperor sentenced Lin Yonghong to beheading, and Zhou Xuheng was ordered to keep watch on Central Shu.
• The emperor questioned Lu Jingsi about the Su Family, then invited him and Zhou Xuheng to lunch.
• Fulin told Lu Jingsi that Su Luoqian was in low spirits and alone at the waterside pavilion, but Lu Jingsi went to his study instead.
• Lu Jingsi learned that Su Luoqian had been drinking and went to the pavilion, where he caught her as she swayed.
• Su Luoqian mistook Lu Jingsi for Zelan and hugged him, asking for a little more wine.

Su Luoqian got drunk and flirted with Lu Jingsi, who kissed her before she fell asleep just as he was about to go further. Later that night, she woke for water and returned to bed, where Lu Jingsi pulled her close and her lips brushed his chest.

• Su Luoqian offered Lu Jingsi a taste of green plum wine, and he kissed her fiercely.
• Su Luoqian kissed Lu Jingsi herself and asked whether the wine tasted good, so he carried her to the bed.
• Lu Jingsi asked whether Su Luoqian would remember being drunk, but she fell asleep before he could go further.
• Lu Jingsi ordered water for a bath, while Zelan helped Su Luoqian get ready for bed.
• After waking thirsty past one in the morning, Su Luoqian drank water and returned to bed, where Lu Jingsi pulled her into his arms.

Lu Jingsi confronted Su Luoqian about her drunken kiss and restrained her before they spent the night together. By dawn, he had helped her prepare for a bath, and she was left soaking in the water, exhausted and sleepy.

• Lu Jingsi reminded Su Luoqian of her drunken kiss at the waterside pavilion and drew her into his arms.
• Lu Jingsi pinned Su Luoqian’s hands with a curtain tie and kissed her as the storm continued outside.
• Lu Jingsi and Su Luoqian spent the night together, while the maid outside heard sounds from the room.
• At dawn, Lu Jingsi called for water and carried Su Luoqian to the bath after the servants had tidied the room.
• Su Luoqian told Lu Jingsi to leave, then entered the bath and closed her eyes for a short nap.

Su Luoqian woke after spending the night with Lu Jingsi, and he let her sleep through the day while the female corpse case was resolved. After Yan Bai visited to ask Su Luoqian for a poem, Lu Jingsi kept her asleep and accepted the Painting of a Walking Horse for her to inscribe later.

• Lu Jingsi carried Su Luoqian from the bath to bed and told her to sleep as long as she liked.
• Lu Jingsi questioned Su Luoqian about whether she liked being with him, then left her to sleep.
• Lu Jingsi had resolved the female corpse case, and Xu Jia confessed after being taken to prison.
• Yan Bai visited Lu Jingsi and explained how Su Luoqian had impressed the guests at Duke Xu's Residence with a poem.
• Yan Bai left the Painting of a Walking Horse at the prince's residence for Su Luoqian to inscribe when she woke.
• Fulin told Lu Jingsi that Su Luoqian had just awakened, and Lu Jingsi ordered dinner prepared.

Su Luoqian went with Lu Jingsi to his study to inscribe her poem on the Painting of a Walking Horse, but he guided her hand to protect the painting. Afterward, he noticed the red mark left by the strap that had bound her wrist.

• Su Luoqian refused dinner at first because she felt weak, but Lu Jingsi insisted she eat.
• Lu Jingsi told Su Luoqian that Grand Tutor Yan wanted her to inscribe her poem on the Painting of a Walking Horse, and she eagerly agreed to go to the study.
• Su Luoqian ground the ink and prepared to write, but Lu Jingsi covered her hand and guided the brush across the painting.
• Lu Jingsi finished the inscription, then pushed back Su Luoqian's sleeve and saw the red mark around her wrist.

Lu Jingsi misread Su Luoqian’s explanation that she was unwell and tried to examine her, while she resisted his advances. The chapter ended with him pinning her on the bed and beginning to inspect her undergarment as she pleaded with him to stop.

• Lu Jingsi rubbed the mark on Su Luoqian’s hand and blocked her from leaving the study.
• He tried to kiss Su Luoqian and suggested they return to the bedroom when she reminded him they were in the study.
• Su Luoqian said she was unwell, but Lu Jingsi misunderstood and tried to lift her robe, saying he needed to check whether she was hurt.
• Lu Jingsi carried Su Luoqian to the bedroom and dismissed the servants despite her protests.
• When Su Luoqian resisted, Lu Jingsi seized her ankle and pinned her on the bed, and she begged him to stop looking as he examined her undergarment.

Su Luoqian and Lu Jingsi restrained themselves from going further, and he later gave her ointment to apply in private. After she suggested he sleep in the study for a few days, he ordered her to shut up and sleep.

• Lu Jingsi stopped touching Su Luoqian but kissed her passionately before pulling away and leaving the room to cool off.
• Su Luoqian opened a booklet from a wooden box and blushed as she read its contents, then hurriedly hid it when Lu Jingsi returned.
• Lu Jingsi gave Su Luoqian ointment from the residence physician, and she went behind the screen to apply it.
• Lu Jingsi joined Su Luoqian in bed and held and kissed her gently.
• Su Luoqian suggested that Lu Jingsi sleep in the study's side room for a few days, and he told her to shut up and sleep.

Lu Jingsi returned home hoping to dine with Su Luoqian, then tried to share her bed, but she persuaded him to wait because they had to pay their respects the next morning. The chapter ended with background on the widowed Grand Princess Zhou Anyun, whom they were going to visit.

• Lu Jingsi returned to the residence and learned that Su Luoqian had already eaten dinner.
• Lu Jingsi found Su Luoqian reading a storybook and left after seeing its title, “A Few Tales of the Jade-Faced, Innocent Young Prince and the Woman Bandit.”
• Su Luoqian went to bed early, telling Zelan that tradition called for husband and wife to sleep separately on the last day of the lunar month.
• Lu Jingsi entered Su Luoqian’s bed and kissed her, but she argued that they had to rise early to pay their respects, so he agreed to stop and said she would have to repay him later.
• The chapter described Zhou Anyun’s close ties to the emperor, her late husband Prince Consort Lu’s military service, and her quiet life after his death.

Su Luoqian and Lu Jingsi visited Grand Princess Zhou Anyun before going to the palace, where the Empress took Su Luoqian and Crown Princess Qin Shuning for a walk in the imperial garden. The Empress hinted that Qin Shuning should seek a child, leaving the women with the familiar pressure of the succession.

• Su Luoqian and Lu Jingsi paid their respects to Zhou Anyun and offered incense at Prince Consort Lu’s memorial tablet.
• Su Luoqian gave Zhou Anyun fine agarwood, and the two bonded over their knowledge of incense and discussed Su Luoqian’s parents.
• Zhou Anyun observed Lu Jingsi watching Su Luoqian and hoped their marriage and love life would go smoothly.
• Su Luoqian and Lu Jingsi went to the palace and greeted the Empress, who invited Su Luoqian and Qin Shuning to walk in the imperial garden.
• The Empress pointed out pomegranate blossoms and suggested Qin Shuning put some in her room, indirectly urging her to have a child.

The empress urged Qin Shuning and Su Luoqian to have children, then saw Consort Shu scolding Zhou Jingmi while Pei Mu knelt nearby. After asking a maid to investigate, the empress heard praise for Su Luoqian’s wine-making before the matron returned with news of the incident.

• The empress arranged for nourishing herbs to be sent to the Eastern Palace and urged Qin Shuning to prioritize producing an heir.
• The empress told Su Luoqian that she and Lu Jingsi should also hurry to have children.
• The empress, Qin Shuning, and Su Luoqian saw Consort Shu lead Zhou Jingmi away while Pei Mu knelt in a pavilion.
• The empress asked a palace matron to find out what had happened between Consort Shu, Zhou Jingmi, and Pei Mu.
• The empress praised Su Luoqian’s green plum wine and spoke with her about brewing wine.
• The palace matron returned and told the empress she had learned what happened.

Su Luoqian learned that Consort Shu was forcing Zhou Jingmi to train in riding and archery, while the empress disapproved of the plan. At Prince Cheng'an's Residence, Nanny Liu's attempt to turn the Grand Princess against Su Luoqian failed, so she began cultivating a connection with Yinzhu instead.

• Su Luoqian heard that Consort Shu had arranged for Pei Mu to teach Zhou Jingmi riding and archery, and the empress criticized Consort Shu's conduct.
• Su Luoqian and Lu Jingsi left the palace together in a carriage, and Su Luoqian watched the palace gates until they were out of sight.
• Nanny Liu complained about Su Luoqian to the Grand Princess, but Nanny Li relayed the Grand Princess's praise of the consort and warned Nanny Liu not to overstep.
• Nanny Liu collided with Yinzhu at the prince's residence and offered to bring medicine for the young maid's scraped hand.
• Nanny Liu urged Yinzhu to wait for her the next day, and Yinzhu accepted before hurrying back to the main courtyard.

Su Luoqian and Lu Jingsi were alone in the tower, where he teased and kissed her as she tried to make him stop. He revealed that he knew she had disguised herself and entered Lin Yonghong's villa, leaving her startled that he had uncovered her secret.

• Su Luoqian went up to the rear courtyard tower with Zelan to watch the sunset, but found Lu Jingsi there when she turned around.
• Lu Jingsi moved close to Su Luoqian, kissed her, and teased her as she insisted they should go downstairs.
• Su Luoqian resisted when Lu Jingsi suggested they could enjoy the view from up high, and he continued to provoke her.
• Lu Jingsi asked whether she was thinking of how to deal with him, then revealed that he knew she had disguised herself and slipped into Lin Yonghong's villa.
• Su Luoqian realized Lu Jingsi had tricked her into confirming it, while he quietly loosened his hold on her.

Su Luoqian tried to avoid Lu Jingsi after their charged encounter in the pavilion, but he joined her in bed that night. The chapter ended with the servants keeping their distance as Lu Jingsi continued their passionate night past midnight.

• Su Luoqian ordered Fulin to prepare dinner after leaving the pavilion with Lu Jingsi.
• Lu Jingsi read Su Luoqian’s storybook, then went to the study while she bathed and read with Zelan.
• Su Luoqian believed Lu Jingsi would stay in the study and began changing for bed.
• Lu Jingsi entered the bedroom, pressed Su Luoqian onto the bed, and refused when she asked to stop.
• Fulin sent the servants farther away as Lu Jingsi and Su Luoqian continued through the night.

Su Luoqian learned that Nanny Liu had secretly approached Yinzhu and summoned the maid to ask what had happened. Yinzhu insisted she had refused Nanny Liu, but the chapter ended before she revealed the full conversation.

• Su Luoqian woke late after a tiring night with Lu Jingsi, then bathed, ate, and reviewed the household account books.
• Zelan told Su Luoqian she had overheard Nanny Liu speaking secretly with Yinzhu near the moon gate and asking her to do something.
• Su Luoqian suspected Nanny Liu was trying to influence people around her and ordered Zelan to bring the account books inside.
• Zelan brought Yinzhu to Su Luoqian, and the frightened maid knelt and begged forgiveness.
• Su Luoqian asked Yinzhu to recount everything, and Yinzhu said she had refused Nanny Liu and would never betray Su Luoqian.

Su Luoqian learned that Nanny Liu was trying to persuade Yinzhu to help her, so she instructed Yinzhu to pretend to agree and discover Nanny Liu’s plan. After a night with Lu Jingsi, Su Luoqian tried to stop his morning advances, but he insisted on checking the marks he had left on her.

• Yinzhu told Su Luoqian what Nanny Liu had said, and Su Luoqian asked her to pretend to agree so she could find out Nanny Liu’s plan.
• Yinzhu agreed to carry out Su Luoqian’s request, and Zelan worried that her timid nature might make the plan difficult.
• Su Luoqian rested, ate supper, and went to bed before Lu Jingsi returned to the residence.
• Lu Jingsi joined Su Luoqian in bed and held her while she slept.
• In the morning, Su Luoqian told Lu Jingsi he had been too excessive the previous day, but he pulled down her robe to inspect the marks on her body.

Su Luoqian arranged a scheme to expose Nanny Liu’s plot and invited Lu Jingsi to witness it. While he worked through the night on a case, Nanny Liu took advantage of Zelan’s absence to lead a lecherous man into Su Luoqian’s bedroom.

• Su Luoqian learned Nanny Liu’s plan and told Yinzhu to follow her instructions.
• Su Luoqian invited Lu Jingsi to watch a performance called “Catching adulterers in bed,” and he agreed to attend the next day.
• Lu Jingsi stayed out all night working on a case, while Su Luoqian went shopping and sent Zelan back to retrieve an item.
• Nanny Liu waited until Zelan had left, then brought a man through the side gate and led him toward Su Luoqian’s bedroom.
• Yinzhu pretended not to notice as Nanny Liu pointed the man toward the bedroom and told him to go in.