Recaps

Yuan Liu pushed the starving Su Yichen to catch and cook a snake, helping him overcome his fear. After eating, Su Yichen felt more confident, and Yuan Liu challenged him to be as courageous as his younger sister.

• Su Yichen reached for wild fruit, but Yuan Liu warned him that it might be poisonous and pointed him toward grass snakes instead.
• Hungry and exhausted, Su Yichen searched the grass and caught a snake.
• Yuan Liu lent Su Yichen a knife and instructed him to kill, skin, and roast the snake.
• Su Yichen ate the snake meat and admitted that catching one had not been as difficult as he feared.
• Yuan Liu encouraged Su Yichen by comparing him to his younger sister and reminding him that he had escaped wolves and tigers.

Su Yichen remembered how he had survived a terrifying night lost in the mountains and resolved to work hard for his family. Yuan Liu escorted him toward Willow Tree Village, hoping Su Yichen would put in a good word for him with Su Qiao.

• Su Yichen recalled fleeing through the dark mountains, nearly giving up, and eventually surviving until Yuan Liu found him.
• Remembering his younger sister’s efforts for their family, Su Yichen resolved to work hard.
• Yuan Liu agreed to take Su Yichen to Willow Tree Village and asked him to speak well of him to Su Qiao.
• Yuan Liu reflected that his master had been especially angered by Xiao Wu suggesting that Su Qiao become a concubine.

Su Qiao discovered that a general goods store had copied her toothbrushes and tooth powder and was undercutting her prices. She revealed that the store belonged to Erya’s maternal grandfather’s family, prompting Zhou Lihua to blame Liu Yuehong and rush to confront her.

• Su Yichen arrived with Yuan Liu and calmly described the frightening events he had experienced the previous night.
• Su Qiao, Su Yihe, and Ernie returned from town without selling any toothbrushes or tooth powder.
• Su Qiao explained that a general goods store had copied their products and was selling them for less.
• Su Qiao told her family that the store belonged to Erya’s maternal grandfather’s family.
• Zhou Lihua accused Liu Yuehong of copying their products and said she would go confront her.

Su Qiao discovered that Little Haozi had unintentionally revealed the family’s toothbrush and tooth powder business, and the Xia Family had quickly copied it. Zhou Lihua stormed toward the Xia Family’s home to confront Liu Yuehong.

• Su Qiao questioned how Liu Yuehong had learned about the family’s business, and the family suspected Zhou Lihua before Su Qiao asked Little Haozi.
• Little Haozi confessed that he had bragged to Goudan about earning silver to build a house and buy land.
• Zhou Lihua beat Little Haozi, but Su Qiao pulled him away and said other sellers had been inevitable.
• Zhou Lihua rushed out to confront Liu Yuehong, and Madam Liu caught up with her at the threshing ground.
• Zhou Lihua shoved Madam Liu aside and shouted accusations at Liu Yuehong outside the Xia Family’s home.

Zhou Lihua confronted Liu Yuehong and the Xia Family in public, accusing Liu of stealing the Su Family’s toothbrush and tooth-powder recipe for her maternal family’s shop. Liu denied the accusation, and the dispute remained unresolved as Zhou pointed to matching designs and bottles as evidence.

• Su Yaohui scolded Zhou Lihua for publicly making accusations, but Liu Yuehong and the Xia Family came out to face the commotion.
• Zhou Lihua swore that Liu had once tried to break her engagement and marry into the Su Family, causing the villagers to doubt Liu.
• Liu Yuehong threatened to harm herself, but Xia Qiang restrained her as Old Master Xia and others tried to calm the dispute.
• Zhou Lihua refused to discuss the matter inside and accused Liu of sending Goudan to trick Sanlang into revealing the Su Family’s recipe, then giving it to her maternal family.
• Liu denied stealing the recipe and argued that other shops could sell toothbrushes and tooth powder too.
• Zhou insisted that the goods at Liu’s maternal uncle’s shop had the same carved patterns and identical bottles as the Su Family’s products.

Zhou Lihua confronted Liu Yuehong and Xia Xiaodie, accusing them of wronging the Su Family before leaving with Su Qiao. Back at the Xia household, Liu Yuehong’s husband struck her over the old broken engagement, and she broke down and tried to throw herself against a table.

• Zhou Lihua grabbed Liu Yuehong by the hair, and Madam Liu and Su Qiao restrained her before Zhou slapped Liu Yuehong.
• Xia Xiaodie defended her mother, while Zhou accused her of nearly causing Su Qiao’s death in a coal mine; Su Qiao stopped Zhou from saying more and persuaded her to leave.
• Zhou warned Liu Yuehong and Xia Xiaodie not to steal from the Su Family again, then returned home with Su Qiao as villagers watched the Xia women in disapproval.
• Old Master Xia and the old madam rebuked Liu Yuehong and went into the courtyard, followed by the other household members.
• Liu Yuehong’s husband slapped her and asked whether she had once wanted to end their engagement to marry Su Yaohui.
• Liu Yuehong protested that she had served her family faithfully, then tried to hurl herself at a table as Xia Xiaodie and Goudan held her back.

The Xia Family confronted Liu Yuehong over taking the Su Family’s toothbrush and tooth powder formula and giving it to her maternal uncle. Liu Yuehong fainted and was carried away, while Old Master Xia worried that the family’s reputation had already suffered.

• Old Master Xia demanded that Goudan explain whether he had asked Little Mouse of Su Family about the toothbrushes and tooth powder, and Goudan’s reaction exposed Liu Yuehong’s actions.
• Old Master Xia asked Liu Yuehong to explain herself, but Xia Qiang turned away and Old Madam Xia rejected Liu Yuehong’s usual threats to harm herself.
• Liu Yuehong fainted, and Xia Qiang carried her back to the east room while Xia Xiaodie and her younger brother followed.
• Old Madam Xia dismissed the accusations about Goudan asking for the formula, but Old Master Xia warned that outsiders would not believe the Xia Family and recalled other scandals that had spread.

The Xia family discussed Erya’s ambitions and the dispute with the Su family, while Madam Tang wondered how Danie had changed and whether the Su family’s new products were profitable. The Su family’s old master then ordered his family not to make another public scene.

• The Xia old lady urged Old Master Xia to find Erya a husband soon, but he objected to marrying her off young or making her a concubine.
• The old lady blamed Zhou Lihua for the dispute, and Madam Tang said the Su family had new clothes and ate meat often, suggesting their toothbrushes and tooth powder brought in money.
• Madam Tang remarked that Danie had become clever, attractive, and hardworking, but Old Master Xia warned her not to pursue a marriage between the families.
• Xia Wu cut Madam Tang off and sent her to do her work.
• The Su family returned to their main house, where the old master ordered them not to make another public scene and bring shame on the family.

Su Qiao explained that the Liu family’s tooth powder was an inferior imitation of her product and urged her family to wait for customers’ reactions before deciding what to do. After the family went to eat, the old man considered buying more land.

• Zhou Lihua and the old lady complained that the eldest branch had gone too far, while the old man asked to hear Su Qiao’s plan.
• Su Qiao showed the family tooth powder bought from the Liu family’s general store and explained that it used different ingredients and worked less well than hers.
• Ernie and Zhou Lihua celebrated the Liu family’s poor product, but Su Qiao clarified that it was inferior rather than fake and recommended waiting to see how customers reacted.
• The family left the main room to eat, and the old man said they should buy more land, puzzling the old lady.

The Old Su Family decided to invest its silver in more farmland, while postponing marriage plans until the sons’ schooling and exams were clearer. The old man bought paddy fields and nearby wasteland, and Su Qiao reassured her grandmother that the family could still save enough to build a new house.

• The old man persuaded the old woman that buying land would help the family and give their sons more to inherit, while they agreed to delay marriage plans until after the New Year.
• The family celebrated the decision to buy land, and the old man purchased ten mu of paddy fields for thirty taels and nearby wasteland for six taels.
• The old woman questioned how they would plow and irrigate the new fields and protested that they needed to save for a new house.
• The old man explained that he planned to buy an ox cart and use the wasteland to expand their home and grow vegetables and sweet potatoes.
• Su Qiao told her grandmother that the family would earn more silver and soon be able to build a new house.

Su Qiao reassured her family that she could arrange irrigation for their fields, then showed her grandmother the new embroidered goods she and Ernie planned to sell themselves. The chapter left Su Qiao considering more ways to use wood, including carved lettering.

• Su Qiao promised to find a way to bring water to the fields, and her grandfather assured the family that he would handle the matter.
• Su Qiao called her grandmother over to inspect the goods she and Ernie were preparing to sell in town instead of taking them to the embroidery workshop.
• Su Qiao showed her grandmother embroidered socks and slippers, explaining how the new products could be made from leftover fabric.
• Ernie presented a crossbody bag with a wooden button and demonstrated how easily it fastened.
• Su Qiao reflected on the many things that could be made from wood and recalled her skill at carving characters.

Su Qiao persuaded the old lady to let them use stored fabric to make socks, slippers, and bags to sell, while the old master urged her to pay attention to Little Haozi’s education. Su Qiao went to find her younger brother and discovered him fighting several boys.

• Su Qiao convinced the old lady to provide fabric for a small first batch of goods to test the market.
• Su Qiao and Ernie reassured the old lady that they would not waste the cloth, while the old master silently watched their scheme.
• The old master told Su Qiao to make sure Little Haozi started learning characters and arithmetic, hinting that she should not neglect him.
• Su Qiao sent Ernie back with the socks and slippers to ask Second Aunt for help, then went to find Little Brother.
• Su Qiao found Little Brother fighting seven or eight boys, who had surrounded and beaten him.

Su Qiao rescued Little Haozi from a group of children who were beating him and lectured him about picking fights and knowing when to retreat. She then took him to the bamboo grove at the foot of the mountain to show him what real combat power looked like.

• Su Qiao threatened the children attacking Little Haozi by splitting a thick wooden stick with her palm, and they fled.
• Su Qiao carried Little Haozi away and scolded him for getting into fights he could not win.
• Little Haozi explained that he had wanted revenge because Goudan’s family had tricked Su Qiao’s family out of a recipe.
• Su Qiao told Little Haozi that retreating strategically was wiser than charging into a fight outnumbered.
• Su Qiao grabbed Little Haozi and took him to the bamboo grove to demonstrate her fighting ability.

Su Qiao tried to persuade Little Haozi to learn martial arts by promising he could become a Protector General, then demonstrated her sword skills in the bamboo grove. Little Haozi watched in awe as she pierced a thick bamboo stalk, leaving him amazed by her abilities.

• Su Qiao asked Little Haozi whether he wanted to study for the Imperial Examination or learn martial arts, and he rejected studying but eagerly chose martial arts.
• Su Qiao described the hardship required to become a Protector General, making Little Haozi hesitate when he learned he would have to excel at everything.
• Su Qiao asked the host to confirm that Little Haozi could cultivate internal energy, and the host said he could.
• Su Qiao performed a powerful sword technique among the bamboo, using a branch to pierce a thick bamboo stalk.
• Little Haozi stared in astonishment and told Su Qiao that the branch had gone through the bamboo.

Su Qiao convinced Little Haozi that her strength came from a secret martial arts manual and agreed to teach him. The chapter ended with her telling him that since he could not read, learning the skills might take twenty or thirty years.

• Little Haozi admired Su Qiao's strength and asked when she had learned martial arts.
• Su Qiao showed Little Haozi a manual and claimed she had trained with it since childhood.
• Su Qiao warned Little Haozi that only the person who found the manual was destined to learn its martial arts, so he had to keep their lessons secret.
• Little Haozi agreed to hide the secret and asked Su Qiao to teach him so he could become a general.
• Su Qiao told Little Haozi he would need to learn to read first, then said that without reading he might need twenty or thirty years to master the martial arts.

Su Qiao persuaded Little Haozi to study and train so he could become a general, then began turning soaked tree bark into paper. She expected the paper-making process to finish the next day, when she was also due to visit Guyin Temple to make Feng Han clothes.

• Su Qiao convinced Little Haozi to learn the booklet’s characters and exercise, promising to keep the booklet safe until he could read it.
• Su Qiao told Little Haozi that he could pass the booklet and martial arts teachings down to his descendants, and 444 questioned her about misleading an eight-year-old.
• After returning home, Su Qiao wrote two characters beneath the chinaberry tree, and Little Haozi practiced them earnestly.
• Su Qiao cut softened mulberry and Chinese paper mulberry fibers into pieces and pounded them into pulp.
• Ernie asked when the paper-making would be finished, and Su Qiao said it should be done the next day.

Su Qiao prepared paper-making frames and set out early to meet Yuan Liu, who took her to Feng Han. Feng Han explained why he had kept her grandfather away from the coal mine excavation.

• Su Yihe showed Su Qiao the bamboo-mat frames he had made, and she confirmed they would work for making paper.
• Su Yihe told Su Qiao he would begin school after the day off, and she encouraged him to do his best.
• Su Qiao made wet paper with the frames, laid them out to dry, and left for North Mountain early the next morning.
• Su Qiao met Yuan Liu, who helped her into the carriage, where she found Feng Han waiting.
• Feng Han said he had come to inspect the coal mine excavation and explained that he had kept Su Qiao's grandfather away to avoid suspicion and protect him from being implicated.

Su Qiao explained to Feng Han that the strange objects in the mine passage were natural remains from the distant past and promised to show him how they formed. As they discussed their unusual pasts and Xiaobai, Feng Han asked her to choose clothes for him, and she declined to take home ornate shoes because they would draw attention in the village.

• Su Qiao told Feng Han that the objects in the mine passage were natural remnants and offered to make something the next day to demonstrate how they formed.
• Feng Han said Su Qiao sometimes seemed as if she were not from his world, and she claimed her differences came from unusual encounters in her youth.
• Su Qiao guessed that Xiaobai had saved Feng Han and said she had once raised a wolf, bringing the two of them closer.
• Feng Han asked Su Qiao to choose the colors and styles for his clothes, saying he would like whatever she picked.
• Feng Han asked why she had left behind the shoes he gave her, and Su Qiao said ornate shoes were unsuitable for wearing in the village.

Su Qiao and Feng Han traded teasing remarks as she accepted his offer of clothing and traveled with him to a villa near Guyin Temple. She chose wine-red fabric for his outfit, leaving Feng Han to hint that the color resembled wedding clothes.

• Feng Han presented Su Qiao with plain fabric and flirted with her, while Su Qiao reminded him that she was only fourteen.
• Su Qiao ate the porridge and pastries in the carriage as they traveled to the villa in the rear mountains of Guyin Temple.
• Su Qiao examined the fabrics at the villa and chose a bolt of wine-red cloth for Feng Han's clothes.
• Su Qiao explained that she planned to embroider auspicious silver patterns and add a black sash, while Feng Han teased her about choosing a wedding color.

Su Qiao chose burgundy fabric and began making clothes for Feng Han, while their conversation revealed that both had grown up in forests. Feng Han recalled how a wet nurse had left him in a stone cave with a young White Tiger, and Su Qiao sent him outside so he would stop blocking her light.

• Feng Han asked whether burgundy suited him, and Su Qiao told him to accept her choice of color.
• Su Qiao began cutting the fabric without taking Feng Han's measurements, and he teased her for observing him closely.
• Feng Han said he had grown up in the mountains and forests, and Su Qiao reflected that Little Four could not uncover details about his past.
• Feng Han remembered that his wet nurse had hidden him in a stone cave, where he played with a newborn White Tiger.
• Su Qiao pushed Feng Han aside and told him to go outside because he was blocking her light.

Su Qiao finished sewing Feng Han’s clothes and discussed his offer to help with her farm work. Their conversation left Feng Han hoping they would grow closer, while Su Qiao remained uncertain about the life he wanted for her.

• Su Qiao spent the morning sewing Feng Han’s clothes while he read nearby, then finished the garment after Feng Han urged her to take a break.
• Su Qiao explained that she had to prepare for planting rice and making a windmill after her family bought new fields.
• Feng Han offered to send people to help, and Su Qiao challenged him to come plant rice seedlings himself.
• Feng Han said he had worked in the fields before, surprising Su Qiao and prompting her to realize he had built his position from nothing.
• Feng Han suggested they spend more time together, but Su Qiao stayed silent as she weighed her peaceful country life against the imperial palace.
• Little Gui and the eunuchs served lunch, and Feng Han handed Su Qiao a damp cloth before they ate.

Su Qiao and Feng Han shared a meal after discussing her plans to take the clothes home, and Feng Han agreed she could sew at night as long as she did not stay up too late. When Su Qiao left, Feng Han saw her off and had medicinal herbs prepared for her to take home as an explanation for her absence.

• Su Qiao said she would take the clothes home to finish them, and Feng Han warned her not to sew late enough to hurt her eyes.
• Su Qiao reminded Feng Han to be careful with his affairs, and he reassured her that his previous injury had been an accident.
• After eating, Su Qiao gathered the clothes she had sewn, and Feng Han insisted on accompanying her home.
• Feng Han had Yuan Wu and Yuan Liu bring medicinal herbs for Su Qiao to take home, and she remarked that he had thought of everything.

Su Qiao rode with Feng Han and discussed tea, marriage, and what she wanted. When Feng Han offered to give her land, she insisted she wanted to earn her own silver and buy it herself.

• Su Qiao climbed into Feng Han’s carriage, and Little Gui drove it down the mountain with Yuan Wu and Yuan Liu following.
• Feng Han asked Su Qiao about girls getting engaged at fourteen and spoke of young Imperial Concubines who died in childbirth, making her suspicious of his concern for women.
• Feng Han served Su Qiao tea brewed with water from Jade Spring Peak, and she recognized the changed water after one sip.
• When Feng Han asked what she liked, Su Qiao said she liked silver and land.
• Feng Han offered to give Su Qiao land, but she said she wanted to earn her own silver and buy it herself.

Su Qiao accepted Feng Han’s wooden hairpin and two pairs of shoes before leaving the carriage near Willow Tree Village. Feng Han watched her go and wondered whether she would return with him when he had to leave Guyin Town for the capital.

• Feng Han gave Su Qiao an old sandalwood hairpin as a return gift, and she accepted it.
• Feng Han offered Su Qiao two plain-looking pairs of fine shoes, explaining that they would protect her feet when she went up the mountain.
• Su Qiao asked Feng Han to stop the carriage before it reached Willow Tree Village, then took her baskets and walked home without looking back.
• Feng Han watched Su Qiao leave and asked Little Gui whether she would be willing to return with him.
• Little Gui reassured Feng Han that Su Qiao would return because he had treated her well.

Feng Han asked Yuan Wu why Su Qiao might refuse to return with him, and Yuan Wu suggested she preferred the freedom of village life and hated the Imperial Palace. Feng Han was left considering the reason for her reluctance, while Yuan Liu’s assumptions about her were cut short.

• Yuan Liu argued that Su Qiao would agree to marry Feng Han and said her family could be brought to the capital.
• Feng Han asked Yuan Wu for his thoughts, and Yuan Wu warned that Su Qiao might not want to leave her family behind.
• Yuan Wu said Su Qiao carried herself with greater dignity than the Empress, surprising Yuan Liu.
• Feng Han asked why Su Qiao would refuse to return with him, and Yuan Wu said she seemed to prefer village freedom and hate palace life.
• Yuan Liu dismissed the idea that Su Qiao would choose poverty over a good life, and Feng Han ordered him to shut up.