Recaps

Su Qiao gave Duanmu Han and Shi Bei Spirit Spring water to help remove the poison from their bodies. Duanmu Han hurried off to use the privy and bathe, while Su Qiao wondered how Su Yan was faring after Consort Yun humiliated her and gave her a concubine’s position.

• Su Qiao poured Spirit Spring water for Duanmu Han and Shi Bei, and both drank it.
• Duanmu Han happily accepted Su Qiao calling him “A-Han” and leaned toward her.
• Duanmu Han’s skin became covered in grime, and Su Qiao explained that the Spirit Spring was reacting to the poison in his body.
• Duanmu Han developed stomach cramps and rushed out of the tent to use the privy, followed by Shi Bei.
• Su Qiao laughed at Duanmu Han’s embarrassment and thought about Su Yan’s situation after Consort Yun humiliated her and made her a concubine.

Su Qiao warned that Duanmu Yuan suspected the Tiger Seal might be with her, while Duanmu Han’s physician discovered that the medicine she gave him had weakened his poison and strengthened his body. The chapter ended with Duanmu Han bringing Su Qiao a plate of pig’s trotters.

• Su Qiao learned that Duanmu Yuan had discovered the Tiger Seal was fake and had been advised that it might be with her.
• The physician found that Duanmu Han’s poison had been partly neutralized and his physical foundation had improved.
• Duanmu Han warned Shi Bei not to upset Su Qiao again and complained that Shi Bei stank.
• Su Qiao gave Duanmu Han a jug of medicinal water and told him to drink one cup each morning and evening.
• Duanmu Han brought out a plate of pig’s trotters, and Su Qiao asked if they were for her.

Su Qiao and Duanmu Han shared roasted boar and went horseback riding, but their outing was interrupted by Duanmu Ting, the First Prince, who insulted Duanmu Han and stared lewdly at Su Qiao. Su Qiao rebuked him, prompting his guard to step forward.

• Duanmu Han offered Su Qiao roasted boar trotters and imagined caring for her when they were old.
• Su Qiao suggested horseback riding, and Duanmu Han agreed and had horses brought over.
• Su Qiao and Duanmu Han rode out together, with Su Qiao showing she already knew how to ride.
• Duanmu Ting and his group approached, and he mocked Duanmu Han before leering at Su Qiao.
• Duanmu Han blocked Duanmu Ting from viewing Su Qiao and addressed him as Eldest Imperial Brother.
• Su Qiao asked who Duanmu Ting was and said he was disturbing her ride, so his guard stepped forward to rebuke her.

Su Qiao rode against Duanmu Han and openly criticized the palace’s lax rules before racing him across the grassland. After she won, Duanmu Han asked her to make him roasted chicken and confessed that he wished they could wander the world together.

• Su Qiao scolded Duanmu Ting and the palace officials for failing to enforce proper etiquette, then invited Duanmu Han to race her.
• Duanmu Ting watched Su Qiao ride away and took an interest in her beauty and fiery temperament.
• Su Qiao won the race, while Duanmu Han admitted he had deliberately held back.
• Duanmu Han recalled the sour peach Su Qiao had once given him and asked her to make him roasted chicken to repay him.
• Duanmu Han said he wished he could leave everything behind and wander the world with Su Qiao.

Duanmu Han told Su Qiao why he had to fight for the throne, and she offered to help him kill his enemies. After returning to camp, Su Yan became convinced Su Qiao had disrupted her plans and rushed out of her tent.

• Duanmu Han explained that Duanmu Ting and Duanmu Yuan would kill him if they took the throne, while the Emperor ignored the abuse he suffered in the palace.
• Su Qiao revealed she had prepared poison and offered to kill the Emperor and princes before they could harm Duanmu Han.
• Duanmu Han refused to let Su Qiao stain her hands with blood, and Su Qiao told him to get rid of his brothers before they caused more trouble.
• Duanmu Han agreed with Su Qiao, and they headed back so she could roast him chicken.
• Su Yan concluded that Su Qiao had disrupted her plans and ran out of her tent as her maids hurried after her.

Su Qiao frightened Su Yan by claiming she would have a Taoist priest exorcise her, but Su Yan resolved to kill her. When Su Qiao disappeared in the woods while gathering medicine, Duanmu Han rushed to find her.

• Su Qiao accused Su Yan of taking over her body and threatened to have a Taoist priest exorcise her.
• Su Yan was terrified for a day and night, then decided Su Qiao had to die before she could reveal the truth.
• Shi Bei told Duanmu Han that Su Qiao had gone into the woods about an hour earlier and had not returned.
• Duanmu Han hurried out to search for Su Qiao, and Chun Hua anxiously approached him for help.
• Duanmu Han sharply questioned Chun Hua about letting Su Qiao enter the woods alone.

Su Qiao fled through the woods on a drugged, rampaging horse while Duanmu Ting pursued her and wild beasts attacked them. Duanmu Han led a separate search party after Su Qiao failed to send a signal, while Su Qiao continued cutting down anything in her path.

• Duanmu Han sent Shi Bei to contact Su Qiao, then rode into the woods with search parties after receiving no reply to the signal flare.
• Su Qiao realized her horse had been drugged and suspected Su Yan was behind it.
• Duanmu Ting arrived with men and pursued Su Qiao through the woods despite warnings about the wild beasts.
• Su Qiao scattered powder along her route, drawing animals into attacks on Duanmu Ting and his guards.
• Su Qiao used Old Man Su's sword to kill or drive away beasts that blocked her horse's path.

Su Qiao escaped the beasts around Duanmu Ting and searched for herbs, then headed back through the forest with two guards. When a wolf pack blocked their way, she drew her sword to fight, leaving the guards alarmed.

• Duanmu Ting ordered his men to retreat, but a tiger and other beasts overwhelmed them before they could escape.
• Su Qiao jumped off her horse, found herbs, and agreed to return with a guard while avoiding the direction of Duanmu Ting’s battle.
• Su Qiao kept pace with the guard as they traveled through the forest, impressing both guards with her stamina.
• 444 warned Su Qiao that wolves were approaching, so she led the group left, away from Duanmu Ting.
• Su Qiao and the guards were surrounded by the wolf pack, and she drew her sword to meet the first wolf as the guards urged her not to act recklessly.

Su Qiao and two hidden guards fought off a relentless wolf pack until Duanmu Han arrived with reinforcements. After the wolves fled, Duanmu Han scolded Su Qiao and checked her for injuries, and she explained how she had ended up in the forest.

• Su Qiao fought the wolves alongside the hidden guards and protected them as the pack kept growing.
• One hidden guard fired a Signal Flare, and Duanmu Han rode over after seeing it nearby.
• Duanmu Han joined the fight, and his arriving guards helped drive the remaining wolves away.
• Duanmu Han pulled Su Qiao into his arms, scolded her for entering the forest, and checked her for injuries.
• Su Qiao told Duanmu Han that her horse had gone berserk and the First Prince had chased her into the forest.

Duanmu Han found Su Qiao after she gathered herbs and insisted she promise not to go anywhere alone, while she reassured him and showed him the plants that could cure his poison. After they returned to camp, Su Yan learned Su Qiao had survived and was disturbed by reports that she was bloodied and veiled.

• Duanmu Han wiped blood from Su Qiao’s face, demanded that she tell him before going anywhere, and made her promise not to venture out alone.
• Su Qiao showed Duanmu Han the medicinal herbs she had found to cure his poison, but he said he would rather remain poisoned than risk her getting hurt.
• Duanmu Han carried Su Qiao back to camp on horseback, where Chun Hua tearfully scolded her.
• Su Yan froze when she heard Su Qiao had returned alive, then questioned the maid about Su Qiao being covered in blood and wearing a veil.

Su Qiao recovered after surviving the wolves, while Duanmu Yuan suspected she might possess the Tiger Seal. The Emperor summoned her to his main tent, where Consort Yun was arguing with her son about a proposal.

• Su Yan decided Su Qiao still had to die to keep her secrets safe.
• Duanmu Yuan heard that Su Qiao had survived the wolves with help from two skilled men and wondered whether she possessed the Tiger Seal.
• Duanmu Yuan learned that the First Prince had been badly injured by a tiger and ordered his subordinate to keep watch.
• Su Qiao rested after returning to her tent, then left with Eunuch Liu when the Emperor summoned her.
• At the Emperor's main tent, Consort Yun objected angrily to her son's proposal, and the Emperor asked her why.

Su Qiao met the Emperor, who treated her warmly and let her eat pastries while the court discussed whether she should marry during mourning for her father. The Emperor asked whether she wanted to keep eating palace food forever, leaving his intent unclear.

• The Imperial Concubine argued that Su Qiao should observe three years of mourning before marrying, and the Emperor agreed she had a point.
• Su Qiao arrived and greeted the Emperor casually, surprising the court with her boldness.
• The Emperor remarked that Su Qiao resembled her mother, then allowed her to sit and eat pastries.
• Su Qiao asked Eunuch Liu for water, and the Emperor ordered him to bring it.
• The Emperor asked Su Qiao whether she wanted to keep eating food from the Imperial Palace forever.

At a palace gathering, the emperor asked Su Qiao whether she wanted to marry Duanmu Yuan, but she rejected him by bluntly explaining that they were biological cousins. Consort Yun grew furious at Su Qiao’s words, while Su Qiao openly challenged her.

• Consort Yun objected to Su Qiao entering the palace, but Su Qiao said she would rather follow her father’s advice and stay free to go where she pleased.
• The emperor praised Su Qiao’s father and asked whether she wanted to marry Duanmu Yuan.
• Duanmu Yuan teased Su Qiao for not noticing him, but Su Qiao said they could not be together because they were biological cousins.
• Su Qiao claimed their children could be born as idiots or without limbs, stunning Duanmu Yuan and the emperor.
• Consort Yun slammed the table and scolded Su Qiao, who denied speaking improperly and asked why Consort Yun kept glaring at her.

Su Qiao explained that Su Yan had convinced her she and Duanmu Yuan could not marry because they were cousins, while the Old Emperor and Duanmu Yuan learned why she had distanced herself from him. The Old Emperor ended by asking whether Su Qiao liked his third son, A-Han.

• The Old Emperor reprimanded Consort Yun, then asked Su Qiao where she had learned that she and Duanmu Yuan were related.
• Su Qiao said Su Yan had warned her that marrying Duanmu Yuan could lead to children with disabilities, and she explained that she stopped visiting him because she believed they could not be together.
• Duanmu Yuan realized Su Yan had caused Su Qiao to lose interest in him and tried to convince her that cousins could marry.
• Su Qiao refused to believe Duanmu Yuan, said she had grown close to A-Han because he helped her return and call for help after Su Yan was kidnapped, and scolded Duanmu Yuan for forgetting.
• The Old Emperor asked Su Qiao whether she liked his third son.

Su Qiao told the Old Emperor how she had fought wolves after her horse ran wild, then returned to sleep, while the Emperor punished Duanmu Yuan over his involvement with Su Yan. Su Yan woke from her nap to learn that Su Qiao was unharmed and had caused further trouble.

• Su Qiao praised A-Han for treating her to roast chicken and duck, then told the Old Emperor she had killed wolves after her horse ran wild in the woods.
• The Old Emperor allowed Su Qiao to return to sleep and had Eunuch Liu escort her from the tent.
• After Su Qiao left, the Old Emperor confronted Duanmu Yuan about his relationship with Su Yan and ordered him to reflect in seclusion.
• Su Yan woke from her nap and was shocked when her maid reported that Su Qiao was fine and had done more than she expected.

Su Qiao returned from the emperor’s summons and told Duanmu Han that Duanmu Yuan had asked the emperor to grant him a marriage with her. Duanmu Han grew jealous and kissed her, then demanded that she stop saying Duanmu Yuan’s name.

• Su Yan learned that Duanmu Yuan had asked for Su Qiao’s hand and smashed things in her tent in anger.
• Duanmu Han grew anxious while Su Qiao was with the emperor and smashed a table despite Shi Bei’s warnings not to use his Internal Energy.
• Su Qiao returned to her tent, reassured Chun Hua, and hurried to Duanmu Han after learning he had flown into a rage.
• Duanmu Han pulled Su Qiao into his embrace and asked whether anyone had harmed her.
• Su Qiao told Duanmu Han that Duanmu Yuan had asked the emperor to grant him a marriage with her.
• Duanmu Han kissed Su Qiao and demanded that she not mention Duanmu Yuan again.

Su Qiao reassured Duanmu Han that she wanted to be with him, and he clung to her through the night. At dawn, she returned to prepare for the banquet after reminding him to drink her restorative water while she worked on medicine to detoxify him.

• Duanmu Han admitted that he had wanted to kiss Su Qiao and vowed to deal with the people he considered obstacles, especially Duanmu Yuan.
• Su Qiao told Duanmu Han that she would be with no other man, and he joyfully pulled her into his arms.
• After sharing snacks, Su Qiao stayed with Duanmu Han overnight because he was afraid to let her go.
• At dawn, Su Qiao reminded Duanmu Han to drink the water she had prepared and said she would make medicine to detoxify him.
• Duanmu Han finally let Su Qiao leave for the banquet with Shi Bei escorting her, then grinned foolishly after she kissed his cheek.

Su Qiao admitted to 444 that she wanted a little romance, then dressed for a formal banquet and arrived with Chun Hua. Her beauty drew everyone’s attention, and the guests who knew her pitied that General Su’s beautiful daughter was considered a fool.

• Su Qiao told 444 that she could have a little romance, while 444 worried about her relationship with the Great Demon King.
• Chun Hua dressed Su Qiao in frontier-style clothing and worried that her growing beauty might attract trouble.
• Su Qiao reassured Chun Hua that she could protect herself and reminded her of her promise to stay by her side.
• Su Qiao and Chun Hua arrived late at the formal banquet, where their entrance drew everyone’s gaze.
• The guests admired Su Qiao’s beauty, while those who knew her lamented that she was considered a fool.

Su Qiao joined the banquet, where Duanmu Han tried to keep his jealousy under control as he served her roasted meat. She publicly mocked Su Yan over her rumored relationship with Duanmu Yuan, and Duanmu Han offered to kill Su Yan for her.

• Su Qiao arrived at the banquet, greeted the Emperor awkwardly, and sat beside Duanmu Han to eat the roast meat he had prepared.
• Duanmu Han grew jealous of the men staring at Su Qiao, but gave her skewers and goat milk while she shared food with him and Chun Hua.
• Su Qiao told Su Yan that she and Duanmu Han had a good relationship, then accused Su Yan of trying to steal him despite her connection to Duanmu Yuan.
• Su Qiao called on Duanmu Yuan to take Su Yan away, and Su Yan angrily moved to a distant table.
• Duanmu Han asked whether Su Qiao hated Su Yan, then said he would help her kill Su Yan.

At the autumn hunt, Mu Qi'er challenged Su Qiao to horsemanship and archery, drawing the Old Emperor's suspicion toward Saibei. Su Yan intervened to praise Su Qiao's skills, and Duanmu Yuan glared at her for provoking trouble.

• Su Qiao enjoyed the performances while Duanmu Han attentively served her food and drink, making the Saibei girls jealous.
• Mu Qi'er challenged Su Qiao to horsemanship and archery, and the Saibei Chieftain tried to stop her and apologize to the Old Emperor.
• The Old Emperor suspected Saibei had targeted Su Qiao because Su Ruifeng had disappeared and the tribes were growing restless.
• Su Yan claimed that Su Qiao's father had personally taught her and praised her horsemanship and archery.
• Duanmu Yuan glared at Su Yan, thinking she was stupid and restless for making trouble at the gathering.

Su Qiao finally agreed to compete with Mu Qi'er after Mu Qi'er promised her three deer, and added that Mu Qi'er must stop coveting Duanmu Han if she lost. The onlookers agreed to witness their wager as the contest was set to begin.

• Mu Qi'er challenged Su Qiao, but Su Qiao refused to compete and said she would rather eat her roasted meat.
• Mu Qi'er offered Su Qiao a roasted deer as compensation, and Duanmu Han said he could have his men hunt one instead.
• Su Qiao agreed to compete and demanded that Mu Qi'er stop coveting Duanmu Han if she lost.
• Mu Qi'er accepted Su Qiao's conditions, and Su Qiao asked the crowd to witness the wager of three large deer and Duanmu Han.
• The onlookers agreed to serve as witnesses, while the northern frontier people cheered at the contest over food and romance.

Su Qiao accepted Mu Qi'er's challenge to race and showed the crowd that she could ride with impressive skill. She overtook Mu Qi'er at the finish and won the race, leaving the spectators stunned.

• Duanmu Han agreed to testify for Su Qiao and promised to save her some roast venison.
• Mu Qi'er mounted her horse and mocked Su Qiao while the northern frontier women questioned Su Qiao's abilities.
• Su Qiao mounted her horse with Lightness Skill, astonishing the crowd and prompting them to discuss her past and her illness.
• Mu Qi'er surged ahead when the race began while Su Qiao followed at an unhurried pace.
• Su Qiao urged her horse forward, overtook Mu Qi'er, and grabbed the finish-line flagpole first.
• Chun Hua cheered for Su Qiao as the crowd marveled at the horse's speed.

Su Qiao defeated Mu Qi'er in riding and archery, then accepted pastries as her reward. After returning to the capital, she finished developing an antidote and prepared to purge Duanmu Han’s poison, leaving him ready for the procedure.

• Su Qiao beat Mu Qi'er in the riding and archery contests, earning cheers from the Northern Frontier people and praise from the ministers.
• The Old Emperor offered Su Qiao a reward, and she asked for more pastries before returning to Duanmu Han.
• After the banquet, Su Qiao worked on an antidote and tested the poisoned blood on a rabbit before confirming it was safe.
• Back in the capital, Su Qiao prepared to purge Duanmu Han’s poison at night while Shi Bei’s hidden guards secured the house.
• Duanmu Han told Su Qiao he was not afraid with her beside him and asked her to kiss him so the procedure would hurt less.

Su Qiao cured Duanmu Han’s long-standing poison and warned Shi Bei to keep the cure secret. After being summoned to the Imperial Palace, she learned that Duanmu Ting had asked the Emperor to marry her and rejected him, then asked whether he blamed her for his injuries.

• Su Qiao spent the night treating Duanmu Han, and Shi Bei learned that his master’s poison had been cured.
• Su Qiao told Shi Bei to keep the cure secret and watch over Duanmu Han, then returned to the General's Estate to sleep.
• An Imperial Palace messenger summoned Su Qiao to meet the Emperor, and she learned that Duanmu Ting had requested her hand in marriage.
• Su Qiao rejected Duanmu Ting and asked whether he blamed her for what happened in the forest.

Su Qiao remained detained in the Imperial Palace after the Old Emperor ended Duanmu Ting’s marriage request, while Duanmu Han ordered Shi Bei to finish dealing with his rival. Duanmu Han then came to rescue Su Qiao, who had been planning to poison the emperor and Duanmu Ting, and the chapter ended as he led her toward the window.

• The Old Emperor promised that Su Qiao could decide her own marriage and ordered Duanmu Ting to return and recover.
• Duanmu Han learned that Duanmu Ting had sought Su Qiao’s hand and ordered Shi Bei to make his injury worse.
• Su Qiao stayed in the palace and planned to poison the Old Emperor and Duanmu Ting.
• Duanmu Han came to Su Qiao’s window at night and said he had come to take her away.
• Su Qiao questioned leaving immediately, noting that the Old Emperor might cause trouble for her.