Recaps

Su Qiao negotiated three days away from Long Jingyuan, then proposed a massive south-to-north water diversion project and promised to protect Longhua from its rivals with a Thunderclap Bomb. The ministers doubted her claims, while Long Jingyuan watched her with a newly stirred feeling.

• Su Qiao held her ground against Long Jingyuan until he agreed to give her three days, and she accepted.
• Su Qiao presented a plan to build dams, reservoirs, and channels to divert water from the south to the north, drawing objections from Prime Minister Chu and the other ministers.
• Su Qiao argued that the project could be completed with less time and labor and said Longhua need not fear the other kingdoms.
• Su Qiao dismissed the repeating crossbows as too weak and promised to make a Thunderclap Bomb that would deter the other kingdoms for a hundred years.
• Su Qiao claimed the other kingdoms might eventually submit to Longhua, leaving Grand Tutor Xie and the ministers incredulous as Long Jingyuan felt an unfamiliar stirring while watching her.

Su Qiao promised to build a blasting detonator to speed up the South-to-North Water Diversion project, and Long Jingyuan gave her the Six Ministries’ support. After the ministers left, Long Jingyuan ordered a tub of ice water, leaving Eunuch Quan baffled by the Emperor’s sudden agitation.

• Prince Jin asked Su Qiao to tell a joke, but she mocked him for showing off his ignorance.
• Su Qiao told Long Jingyuan she could develop a blasting detonator and complete the water diversion project within two years.
• Long Jingyuan ordered the Six Ministries to assist Su Qiao and dismissed the ministers despite Prime Minister Chu’s objection.
• Su Qiao quietly left the Imperial Study with the others, while Long Jingyuan remained behind in a dark mood.
• Long Jingyuan ordered Eunuch Quan to prepare a tub of ice water, and Eunuch Quan worried about the Emperor’s repeated agitation.

Su Qiao worked in the Imperial Study on her South-to-North Water Diversion proposal while Long Jingyuan insisted she keep working and made sure she ate. After drinking soup, she realized she had been drugged, and Long Jingyuan called for the imperial physician.

• Su Qiao objected to working after Long Jingyuan had promised her three days off, but he said the ministers needed her detonators and Thunderclap Bombs and he was waiting for her proposal.
• Su Qiao wrote the proposal throughout the day while Long Jingyuan reviewed memorials and watched her.
• Long Jingyuan stopped Su Qiao from working long enough to eat pastries and drink soup.
• Su Qiao began feeling hot after the soup, realized she had been drugged, and stood up too quickly, striking the desk.
• Long Jingyuan caught Su Qiao, ordered Quan De to summon the imperial physician, and helped her to the couch as she angrily demanded to know how she could endure the drug.

Su Qiao suffered the effects of a potent aphrodisiac in the Imperial Study, and Long Jingyuan summoned Imperial Physician Chen to treat her. When Long Jingyuan ordered a tub of cold water, Su Qiao changed her mind because she feared revealing she was a woman, and he questioned whether she was afraid.

• Su Qiao complained about the potent medicine, while Long Jingyuan comforted her despite his anger.
• Eunuch Quan brought Imperial Physician Chen, who diagnosed Su Qiao with a strong aphrodisiac and said one dose of medicine would relieve her symptoms.
• Eunuch Quan and Imperial Physician Chen went to prepare the medicine, and Chen decided to prioritize anything involving Su Qiao.
• Long Jingyuan gave Su Qiao water, but she asked for a tub of ice water and threatened to return to the manor for medicine.
• Long Jingyuan ordered cold water prepared, but Su Qiao stopped him because palace eyes and ears might discover she was a woman.
• Long Jingyuan asked Su Qiao if she was afraid, and she claimed the bath would simply be troublesome.

Su Qiao left the Imperial Study after drinking medicine, while Long Jingyuan learned that Marquis Su’s wife had given birth to dragon-phoenix twins and that the boy had been sent south. Long Jingyuan reacted with fury, leaving Eunuch Quan wondering whether Su Qiao was somehow involved.

• Long Jingyuan questioned Su Qiao about whether she remembered something, but she pretended to faint and then eagerly drank the medicine Eunuch Quan brought.
• Su Qiao ate the candied fruit Long Jingyuan ordered and hurried out of the palace.
• A hidden guard told Long Jingyuan that Marquis Su’s wife had given birth to twins and that the boy, thought unlikely to survive, had been sent south.
• Long Jingyuan crushed his cup and ordered everyone out of the Imperial Study.
• Eunuch Quan concluded that Long Jingyuan’s rage might have something to do with Su Qiao, but he could not work out why.

Su Qiao worried that the emperor suspected her identity and might not let her leave because of her inventions, then went to a pleasure house to make him think she favored men. She remained confident the emperor would not kill her, even as 444 warned her she was making trouble.

• Su Qiao complained about having to help the emperor, and 444 warned that he had begun suspecting her identity.
• 444 pointed out that the emperor had hidden guards watching Su Qiao and might keep or kill her rather than let her serve another kingdom.
• Su Qiao threatened to castrate the emperor if he tried to harm her, while admitting she did not believe he would truly kill her.
• Su Qiao reclined among five handsome male courtesans in a busy capital pleasure house, saying she was trying to dispel the emperor's suspicions.

Long Jingyuan secretly went to Nanfeng Pavilion, leaving Eunuch Quan to believe he was interested in men. After a hidden guard summoned him upstairs, Long Jingyuan found Su Qiao with five male courtesans and drove everyone else out, leaving Eunuch Quan to realize whom his master liked.

• The madam told Long Jingyuan that the top courtesan and five others had already been booked, and Eunuch Quan protested that his master should not take leftovers.
• Eunuch Quan urged Long Jingyuan to leave Nanfeng Pavilion, but Long Jingyuan stayed until a hidden guard whispered news to him.
• Long Jingyuan abruptly ordered the hidden guard to lead the way and hurried out of the room.
• Long Jingyuan kicked open Su Qiao's door and silenced her when she suspected he had come to the brothel despite having a harem.
• Long Jingyuan glared at the five male courtesans and ordered them out, while Eunuch Quan stood guard outside and realized Long Jingyuan had come for Su Qiao.

Long Jingyuan kissed Su Qiao and declared that he accepted her as a man, while Su Qiao struggled to make him understand that his position as emperor did not give him the right to possess her. The chapter ended with Long Jingyuan claiming that she belonged to him because he owned all of Longhua Kingdom.

• Su Qiao awkwardly tried to dismiss what she had seen and conceal Long Jingyuan's secret.
• Long Jingyuan cornered Su Qiao and kissed her forcefully.
• Su Qiao shoved Long Jingyuan away and demanded to know what the kiss meant.
• Long Jingyuan said he accepted Su Qiao even as a man and assumed she liked men too.
• Su Qiao reminded Long Jingyuan that he was the emperor, but he insisted that she belonged to him along with all of Longhua Kingdom.

Long Jingyuan told Su Qiao that he had fallen for her long ago and insisted she consider returning his feelings, while Su Qiao tried to keep her anger hidden. He left her with little room to refuse and confessed how often he had imagined possessing her.

• Long Jingyuan used his authority as Emperor to justify openly pursuing Su Qiao and reminded her of their conversation at the Qionglin Banquet.
• Su Qiao asked what would happen if she refused, but Long Jingyuan said his affection was enough and urged her to try liking him.
• Su Qiao said she would think about it, and Long Jingyuan warned that he had little patience.
• Long Jingyuan touched Su Qiao and confessed that he had fallen for her at first sight and remembered her words from the banquet.
• Long Jingyuan recalled wanting to press Su Qiao beneath him during a discussion in the Imperial Study, leaving her furious and blushing.

Su Qiao took sick leave to avoid Long Jingyuan, who sent a physician, medicine, and gifts after learning he might be ill. When Long Jingyuan heard that Marquis Su was arranging a marriage for Su Qiao, he reacted furiously.

• Su Qiao left the Chu Pavilion and told Xiao Si she would take sick leave to avoid Long Jingyuan.
• Long Jingyuan sent Imperial Physician Chen to examine Su Qiao and ordered tonics and trinkets for him.
• Su Qiao faked a fever during Imperial Physician Chen’s examination, and the physician reported that he had caught a chill and might have lost blood from an injury.
• Long Jingyuan planned to visit Su Qiao but was delayed by urgent business, while Su Qiao continued taking leave.
• A hidden guard told Long Jingyuan that Marquis Su was arranging a marriage for Su Qiao, and Long Jingyuan angrily said he had been too merciful.

Long Jingyuan secretly visited Su Qiao and discovered she was disguised as a man. After her attempt to hypnotize him failed, he carried her to bed and demanded she explain herself.

• Long Jingyuan left the palace at night with two shadow guards, telling Eunuch Quan to keep his departure secret.
• Su Qiao prepared for a bath, then fought the intruder who came through her bedroom window and recognized Long Jingyuan when the candlelight revealed him.
• Su Qiao tried to hypnotize Long Jingyuan into forgetting what he had seen, but he resisted and held her close.
• Long Jingyuan carried Su Qiao to bed, claiming he wanted to examine her supposed wound, and she clarified that she was fine.
• Long Jingyuan asked Su Qiao to explain her disguise and her time in the palace and government ministries, and she began to answer.

Su Qiao told Long Jingyuan what Su Jingya had done and rejected his plan to bring her into the palace, insisting she would not give up her independence. Long Jingyuan promised not to visit his other women and agreed to withdraw the secret guards, but Su Qiao urged him to return to the palace before anyone spotted him.

• Su Qiao told Long Jingyuan that Su Jingya had used a mind-dazing drug, leaving out her knowledge of hypnosis.
• Long Jingyuan said he liked Su Qiao and planned to issue an imperial decree, but Su Qiao refused to enter the palace and become one of his women.
• Su Qiao said she liked Long Jingyuan but would rather live freely in a village than lose her sense of self in the palace.
• Long Jingyuan explained he could not disband his old retainers and promised Su Qiao the highest rank and that he would not visit the other women.
• Su Qiao asked Long Jingyuan to withdraw the secret guards watching her, and he agreed.
• Su Qiao warned Long Jingyuan that people might see him sneaking out of the palace, and he asked whether she considered him troublesome.

Su Qiao went to the palace to work and warned Eunuch Quan not to betray Long Jingyuan. Prince Jin then questioned her about whether she had been present when her younger sister saved him, but she denied it, leaving him uncertain about her identity.

• Long Jingyuan threatened to summon Su Qiao to the palace by imperial decree, and she agreed to come the next morning.
• Eunuch Quan warned Su Qiao not to take advantage of Long Jingyuan’s feelings, and she threatened him if he ever betrayed the Emperor.
• Prince Jin asked Su Qiao whether he had met her during his journey south, when her younger sister saved him after he fell into a river.
• Su Qiao said she had heard about the rescue from Second Sister but had not been at the estate, and Prince Jin remained unsure whether she was the woman who saved him.

Su Qiao confronted Long Jingyuan over his attempt to control her and challenged his double standards about fidelity and jealousy. Their argument was interrupted when Eunuch Quan overheard her talk of a matriarchal kingdom and angrily objected.

• Su Qiao left Prince Jin and went to the Imperial Study, where Long Jingyuan pulled her onto his lap and questioned what they had discussed.
• Long Jingyuan realized Su Qiao had been the person who saved Prince Jin, then told her to stay away from him; Su Qiao denied being interested in Prince Jin.
• Su Qiao told Long Jingyuan she was jealous because she cared about him and asked whether he would accept her keeping company with other men.
• Su Qiao mocked the era's double standards by imagining herself as a powerful woman with several husbands in a matriarchal kingdom.
• Eunuch Quan entered and objected to Su Qiao's remarks, but Long Jingyuan ordered him to be quiet.

Long Jingyuan questioned Su Qiao about her knowledge of a matriarchal kingdom and ordered an investigation, while Prince Jin’s questions caused Su Jingya to recover memories that had been hidden by hypnosis. The chapter ended with Su Jingya denying that she had any siblings besides Su Qiao.

• Long Jingyuan questioned Su Qiao about whether she had visited the matriarchal kingdom she had mentioned, and she explained that she was studying river routes for water projects.
• Long Jingyuan ordered his hidden guards to investigate whether the kingdom existed and vowed to destroy it if they found it.
• Prince Jin asked Su Jingya about their memories of a southern manor and whether she had any sisters, prompting her to suddenly recall something.
• Su Jingya realized that Su Qiao had hypnotized her, but denied remembering anything when Prince Jin pressed her.
• Su Jingya told Prince Jin that the manor had no other siblings besides her and Su Qiao, and suggested he ask her father or the old servants.

Su Jingya learned that Prince Jin planned to make her his Secondary Consort, but she wanted to enter the palace and marry the Emperor. On the journey to the Summer Resort Villa, Long Jingyuan told Su Qiao he had canceled the imperial selection, and she insisted she did not care.

• Su Jingya rejected Prince Jin's plan to make her his Secondary Consort and left without answering him.
• Xiao Luzi suggested that Su Jingya wanted to enter the palace, and Prince Jin realized she might want to marry Long Jingyuan.
• Su Qiao traveled with Long Jingyuan to the Summer Resort Villa and objected when he pulled her into his carriage.
• Long Jingyuan gave Su Qiao sour plum soup and told her he had canceled the year's selection.
• Su Qiao rolled her eyes and said Long Jingyuan could marry as many women as he wanted.

Long Jingyuan tried to persuade Su Qiao to marry him by promising her a high rank and support for the Marquis's Estate, but she decided she must escape. At the Summer Resort Villa, Su Jingya learned that the palace candidate selection had been canceled and angrily rejected Xiao Chun's suggestion that she marry Prince Jin as his consort.

• Long Jingyuan told Su Qiao he wanted to marry her and promised to restore the Marquis's Estate and raise her rank after she bore an Imperial Heir.
• Su Qiao dismissed his promises, recalled how the Marquis's Estate had abandoned her, and resolved to find a chance to leave the country.
• News reached the Summer Resort Villa that the selection of palace candidates had been canceled and the women could marry as they pleased.
• Su Jingya learned of the cancellation and refused to accept it after preparing to enter the palace.
• Xiao Chun suggested that Su Jingya could become Princess Consort Jin, and Su Jingya slapped her for mentioning Prince Jin's offer of only a secondary-consort position.

Su Jingya blamed Su Qiao for the canceled selection and planned revenge, while Su Qiao dealt with an attempt to drug and frame her. Long Jingyuan rushed to check on Su Qiao and pulled her away, leaving the officials and guards puzzled by their familiarity.

• Su Jingya accused Su Qiao of sabotaging her chance to marry the Emperor and vowed to make her beg for mercy.
• Su Qiao recognized that Bi Qiu had brought her drugged sour-plum soup, took an antidote, and pretended to be unconscious when someone arrived with Xie Ruida.
• Su Qiao hypnotized Xie Ruida, Bi Qiu, and Liu Xingtang, then staged a casual drinking gathering to conceal what had happened.
• Prince Jin and Long Jingyuan burst into Su Qiao's room, and Long Jingyuan urgently asked whether she was all right.
• Long Jingyuan took Su Qiao away while the officials and guards watched in confusion at the Emperor's familiarity with her.

Su Qiao escaped Long Jingyuan’s advances, then took revenge on Su Jingya for what had happened earlier. Long Jingyuan caught Su Qiao returning to her room after the retaliation and revealed that he had witnessed her scheme.

• Long Jingyuan warned Su Qiao to avoid joking with the guards, but she argued that she had done nothing wrong and fled when he threatened to make her his woman.
• Eunuch Quan told Long Jingyuan that the day’s events seemed suspicious, so Long Jingyuan ordered Dark One to investigate.
• Su Qiao drugged Su Jingya, gave her the Sterilization Drug, and placed her in Assistant Minister Huang’s son’s bed.
• Long Jingyuan was waiting in Su Qiao’s room when she returned, and he pulled her onto the bed after revealing he had seen her revenge.

Su Jingya woke up after spending the night with Huang Shihe and blamed Su Qiao, while Prince Jin warned her to keep the matter secret. Su Jingya then exposed Su Qiao’s identity to several ministers, and Su Qiao was summoned to the Council Hall.

• Su Qiao and Long Jingyuan argued playfully about the canceled marriage selection and teased each other in bed.
• Su Jingya woke up injured in an unfamiliar bed, and news of her night with Huang Shihe spread through the Summer Resort Villa.
• Su Jingya vowed to take revenge on Su Qiao and sent for Prince Jin, who warned her not to speak about what happened.
• Su Jingya told Xiao Chun she would not let Su Qiao live comfortably and explained her fear of being married to Huang Shihe.
• Su Jingya found the midwife and Old Wet Nurse, lifted their hypnotic suggestions, and sent letters bearing their fingerprints to several ministers.
• Su Qiao was summoned to the Council Hall at the Summer Resort Villa, still unaware of why her identity had been exposed.

Long Jingyuan defended Su Qiao against accusations of deceiving the ruler by revealing her contributions to Longhua Kingdom. He then admitted he had helped Su Jingya’s scheme unfold because he wanted Su Qiao to reclaim her female identity and stand openly beside him.

• Prime Minister Chu and his allies accused Su Qiao of deceiving the ruler and demanded severe punishment, while Minister Tian, General Liu, and Grand Tutor Xie asked Long Jingyuan to let her explain.
• Long Jingyuan revealed that he had known Su Qiao was a woman from the beginning and had summoned her as an Imperial Guard for convenience.
• Long Jingyuan cited Su Qiao’s water diversion plan, wind-powered water wheel, and multi-arrow crossbow design to silence the ministers.
• Long Jingyuan had Su Qiao taken back to the Imperial Bedchamber, where she accused him of allowing Su Jingya’s plan to proceed.
• Long Jingyuan admitted he had helped fan the flames and said he wanted Su Qiao to restore her female identity and stand openly at his side.

Long Jingyuan planned to restore Su Qiao’s identity as a woman and make her an Imperial Consort, but she rejected the favor he offered. The Empress Dowager questioned his canceled consort selection and his decision to bring Su Qiao close, while Long Jingyuan praised Su Qiao’s talent.

• Long Jingyuan told Su Qiao he would confer the title of Imperial Consort on her when she entered the palace, but she resented his plan and his self-righteous favor.
• Eunuch Quan informed Long Jingyuan that the Empress Dowager had summoned him, and Long Jingyuan left to see her.
• The Empress Dowager challenged Long Jingyuan for canceling the imperial consort selection without consulting her.
• Long Jingyuan defended the cancellation by citing political unrest, a looming drought, and the demands of ruling.
• The Empress Dowager asked why Long Jingyuan had brought Su Yuan's legitimate daughter into his service as an Imperial Guard, and Long Jingyuan called Su Qiao an extraordinary, talented woman.

The Empress Dowager urged Long Jingyuan to win Su Qiao’s loyalty while warning him not to favor her exclusively. After returning to the Su Marquis Manor, Su Qiao secretly attacked Su Jingya with a medicinal Silver Needle, leaving her unable to see clearly.

• The Empress Dowager learned of Su Qiao’s abilities and advised Long Jingyuan to spare Su Yuan and secure Su Qiao’s gratitude.
• Long Jingyuan explained that Su Qiao had been neglected by the Su Marquis Manor and was unlikely to stay there, while the Empress Dowager warned him against favoring her exclusively.
• Long Jingyuan returned to the Imperial Bedchamber, learned Su Qiao had gone back to the manor, and sent hidden guards after her.
• Su Qiao secretly entered Su Jingya’s room and struck her near the eye with a medicinal Silver Needle.
• Su Jingya’s vision went black and she fainted, while Su Qiao said the effect would only make it difficult for her to see clearly.

After Su Qiao escaped, Long Jingyuan ordered Xie Ruida and a hidden guard to bring her back unharmed. As his anger grew, a servant delivered a red sandalwood box from Su Qiao, but Long Jingyuan refused to accept it.

• Su Qiao left Su Jingya unable to hypnotize anyone and returned to the capital with Bi Qiu.
• A hidden guard admitted that Su Qiao had knocked him unconscious and escaped.
• Long Jingyuan ordered Xie Ruida to bring Su Qiao back and warned the hidden guard not to harm her.
• Xie Ruida hurriedly gathered troops to search for Su Qiao, while Long Jingyuan returned to the capital and grew more furious as she remained missing.
• Eunuch Quan presented Long Jingyuan with a red sandalwood box sent by Su Qiao, but Long Jingyuan ordered him to take it away.

Long Jingyuan read Su Qiao’s letter and learned that she had outwitted his search and escaped, leaving behind a method for making explosives. Enraged that he could not find her, he ordered Marquis Su imprisoned and forced the Second Miss of Su Manor to marry Huang Shihe.

• Eunuch Quan urged Long Jingyuan to read the letter from Su Qiao, and Long Jingyuan discovered she had left him instructions for making detonators and Thunderclap Bombs.
• Long Jingyuan cursed Su Qiao for escaping, while Eunuch Quan noticed that the letter had improved his mood.
• The ministers recounted how Su Qiao used decoys, disguises, and misdirection to evade the guards and disappear.
• The Grand Tutor advised Long Jingyuan to let Su Qiao return on her own, but Long Jingyuan ordered Marquis Su imprisoned and scheduled for execution.
• Long Jingyuan ordered the Second Miss of Su Manor to marry Huang Shihe and instructed him to focus on her and produce a legitimate son.