Chapter Summaries

Zhou Tianyou learned that the Xia Family had arranged Xia Xiaodie’s marriage and struggled to believe she had accepted it willingly. He returned home angry and distraught, still insisting she must have been forced.

• Zhou Tianyou sent a servant to Willow Tree Village to visit Xia Yubin, but the Xia Family said Xia Yubin had gone up the mountain.
• The servant learned from the neighbors that the Xia Family had arranged Xia Xiaodie’s marriage and accepted a hundred taels as a betrothal gift.
• Zhou Tianyou asked whether the servant had seen Xiao Die, then left the village without confronting the Xia Family.
• Zhou Shirou told Zhou Tianyou that Xia Xiaodie had accepted the wealthy widower’s betrothal gifts, including gold jewelry.
• Zhou Tianyou rejected Zhou Shirou’s account and insisted that Xiao Die must have been forced into the marriage.

Zhou Tianyou prepared to leave for Shuntian Prefecture for his examinations while Madam Zhou and Zhou Shirou discussed Su Qiao. At home, Su Qiao helped her father and brother prepare for their five-day examination trip, ending by giving them Qi-Boosting Pills.

• Madam Zhou made Zhou Shirou apologize to Zhou Tianyou and warned her not to distract him before his examination.
• Zhou Shirou criticized Xia Xiaodie and praised Su Qiao, and Madam Zhou agreed that Su Qiao seemed like a good match despite her low status.
• Su Qiao urged her father and brother to travel by carriage with a coachman and two servants, and the family agreed to send them with extra money.
• The old woman gave Su Yaohui and his father thirty taels each for their trip to Shuntian Prefecture.
• Su Qiao gave her father and brother bottles of Qi-Boosting Pills for the demanding examinations, and the old man asked where she had obtained them.

Su Qiao showed her family that Little Haozi had grown stronger and learned martial arts, then explained that she had taught him after learning a few moves herself. The family was left curious about Su Qiao’s abilities after she admitted climbing the courtyard wall would be easy for her.

• Su Qiao reassured her family that the Qi-Boosting Pills were safe and said Xiao Hao had become much stronger.
• Little Haozi climbed over the courtyard wall and landed lightly, astonishing the family.
• Little Haozi bragged that Su Qiao was even better, then quickly apologized when she glared at him.
• The old master asked how Su Qiao and Little Haozi had learned martial arts, and Su Qiao credited someone, the Qi-Boosting Pills, and her own strength.
• Ernie asked whether Su Qiao could climb the wall, and Su Qiao modestly said it was not difficult.

Su Qiao demonstrated her agility to her family and offered to gather rare medicinal ingredients in the mountains with Yuan Wu. After her family’s men prepared to leave for the prefectural exam, Su Qiao set out alone and encountered Xia Xiaodie, who confronted her about marrying well.

• Su Qiao vaulted over the courtyard wall and back to prove her abilities to her family.
• Su Qiao told her family that she could make pills for them too and planned to search the mountains for rare ingredients with Yuan Wu.
• The Su family’s father and sons planned to leave for Shuntian Prefecture after lunch, two days before the prefectural exam.
• Su Qiao left home with her back basket and encountered Xia Xiaodie beneath the village banyan tree.
• Xia Xiaodie blocked Su Qiao’s path and declared that she would surpass her and marry better.

Su Qiao confronted Xia Xiaodie over boasting about her wealthy marriage and exposed the hypocrisy behind her past relationship with Zhou Tianyou. The argument ended with Su Qiao saying she would earn a good life with her own hands rather than rely on a man.

• Xia Xiaodie bragged that her husband's wealth and county-seat residence made her marriage better than Su Qiao's.
• Su Qiao warned Xia Xiaodie not to insult her and threatened consequences for her and her family.
• Su Qiao accused Xia Xiaodie of copying her mother's past behavior and abandoning Zhou Tianyou while pretending she had sacrificed herself for him.
• Xia Xiaodie guessed Zhou Tianyou had told Su Qiao about her past, then admitted she had married for a better life.
• Su Qiao said there was nothing wrong with wanting wealth, but condemned Xia Xiaodie for pretending money and family status did not matter.
• Su Qiao declared that she would earn a good life with her own hands instead of relying on a man.

Su Qiao warned Xia Xiaodie to rely on herself before leaving her with Zhou Tianyou, who had overheard their conversation and realized she had deceived him. Zhou Tianyou ended their relationship and revealed that his family’s supposed troubles had been a test, leaving Xia Xiaodie collapsed in shock.

• Su Qiao advised Xia Xiaodie to rely on herself, then left after pointing out Zhou Tianyou watching them.
• Zhou Tianyou confronted Xia Xiaodie, saying he had heard her and Su Qiao’s conversation and accusing her of deceiving him.
• Xia Xiaodie tried to explain, but Zhou Tianyou rejected her and said he never wanted to see or hear her again.
• Zhou Tianyou revealed that his father had never been imprisoned and his family had never fallen into trouble; his mother had staged it as a test before offering Xia Xiaodie marriage and the role of First Young Mistress.
• Zhou Tianyou walked toward his carriage, while Xia Xiaodie staggered and collapsed in shock.

Zhou Tianyou rejected Xia Xiaodie and ordered her to stay away, while Su Qiao learned Madam Zhou had arranged Xia Xiaodie’s marriage elsewhere. A week later, Su Yaohui and Su Yichen returned with the news that they had both passed their exams.

• Zhou Tianyou warned Xia Xiaodie not to appear before him again and left for the prefectural government office.
• Xia Xiaodie chased after Zhou Tianyou, but he shook her off, leaving her distraught as his carriage departed.
• Su Qiao and 444 discussed Madam Zhou’s role in arranging Xia Xiaodie’s marriage and why she would not have accepted Xia Xiaodie as her son’s wife.
• Su Yaohui and Su Yichen returned from Shuntian Prefecture after learning that Su Yaohui had become a licentiate and Su Yichen had passed as a tongsheng.
• The old man congratulated Su Yaohui and Su Yichen, and Su Qiao urged him to let them rest and have some water.

Su Yaohui and Su Yichen returned from the examination with confidence, and their family prepared to celebrate their results. When messengers arrived to announce that another family in Shahe Village also had two successful candidates, Su Qiao wondered if it was Old Zhou's family.

• Su Yaohui and Su Yichen said the examination had been easier than before, and the family celebrated their prospects.
• Su Qiao encouraged Su Yihe to study without pressure and said the family could pursue business if he did not pass.
• Su Yaohui remembered the results announcement and the family prepared reward money and candy for the messengers and villagers.
• The Government Office's messengers announced that the Su Family had two successful candidates, drawing congratulations from the villagers.
• The messengers said they were heading to Shahe Village to announce another family's two successful candidates, and Su Qiao suspected it was Old Zhou's family.

Four members of the Su Family passed the shengyuan examination, while Xia Yubin and Zhou Tianyou failed. In the capital, Feng Han arranged a congratulatory gift and prepared to test Su Qiao’s new crossbows, which could strengthen his plans.

• The yamen runners told Zhou Lihua that her family’s four candidates had passed, and the old master paid them to deliver the news to Shahe Village.
• The old madam and villagers celebrated the Su Family’s success, while Xia Yubin’s family mourned his failure.
• A report told Feng Han that Zhou Tianyou had also failed after falling ill during the examination, and Feng Han was relieved he would not trouble him later.
• Feng Han arranged to send Su Qiao a signboard, books, and a congratulatory gift as an investment in her bookshop.
• Yuan Liu told Feng Han that the crossbows designed by Su Qiao were ready, and Feng Han ordered a test that night.

Su Qiao gave her father and Su Yichen books to help them prepare for their examinations, including her own compiled study guides. She learned that Xia Xiaodie had married unusually quickly, and 444 revealed that Madam Zhou had arranged the haste for reasons other than fear Zhou Tianyou would change his mind.

• Su Qiao brought five books with annotations and study materials to her father and Su Yichen, who eagerly began reading them.
• Su Qiao explained to 444 that she had compiled examination guides from past government papers and planned to give another set to her Fourth Maternal Uncle and third cousin.
• 444 told Su Qiao that Xia Xiaodie had married the day before, less than half a month after her engagement.
• Su Qiao questioned why Xia Xiaodie’s wedding had happened so quickly, and 444 said Madam Zhou had secretly pushed the groom’s family to hurry the marriage.

A matchmaker arrived to arrange Su Qiao’s marriage to Zhou Tianyou, but Su Qiao rejected the matchmaker’s glowing claims about him. The old madam asked for three days to consider, leaving the proposal unresolved.

• 444 agreed to investigate whether Xia Xiaodie’s family was hiding something.
• A matchmaker came to arrange Su Qiao’s marriage to Zhou Tianyou, someone she knew and had not expected.
• Su Qiao stayed calm, while 444 worried that her family might accept the proposal.
• Granny Fang praised Zhou Tianyou and his family to the old madam, claiming he would pass the exams and become an official.
• Su Qiao pointed out that Zhou Tianyou had failed the Student Licentiate exam, and she avoided Granny Fang when she tried to take her hand.
• The old madam told Granny Fang that they would consider the match and give her an answer in three days.

Granny Fang left after threatening to find another match for Su Qiao, while Su Qiao dismissed her and asked her system to investigate the Zhou family. At the family meeting, Su Qiao learned that her relatives were considering the County Magistrate's son as a way to marry her out of the family and avert danger from the capital.

• Granny Fang threatened to find another match for Zhou Tianyou if the Su family did not answer within three days.
• Su Qiao dismissed Granny Fang's insult and asked the system to investigate why the Zhou family had proposed, as well as Xia Xiaodie's husband's family.
• The old master told the family that accepting the proposal would not do for now because the capital was still watching them.
• Zhou Lihua praised the County Magistrate's son, but Su Qiao questioned his claimed illness and failure in the examination.
• Su Yaohui admitted he feared Su Qiao might lose a rare marriage opportunity, while the old master said marrying her out might thwart the capital's intentions but could also bring disaster.

Su Qiao persuaded her family to reject the Zhou Family’s proposed marriage by revealing Zhou Tianyou’s past pledge to Xia Xiaodie and warning them about Madam Zhou’s schemes. The family agreed not to discuss an engagement while the Su Family’s connection to Feng Han and its printing work could bring danger.

• Su Qiao told her family that Zhou Tianyou and Xia Xiaodie had pledged themselves to each other, and that Xia Xiaodie had been married off at Madam Zhou’s command.
• Su Qiao explained that Zhou Tianyou had been distraught over Xia Xiaodie’s marriage and warned that the proposed match could collapse and damage her reputation.
• Su Qiao argued that Madam Zhou looked down on country girls and might harm her if she married into the Zhou Family and became inconvenient.
• Su Qiao warned Old Master Xia that an engagement could draw suspicion to the Su Family’s bookstore and its secret Printing Technique and dictionary.
• Old Master Xia agreed that Su Qiao must not become engaged or marry for the time being.

Su Qiao helped her family reject a marriage proposal from the Zhou family and learned why Madam Zhou wanted to marry her off. The matchmaker later reported Su Qiao’s response to Madam Zhou, leaving her shocked that Su Qiao had mentioned Zhou Tianyou’s failed examination.

• Su Qiao convinced her family that Zhou Tianyou was a poor match, and they agreed to wait before arranging her marriage.
• Su Qiao learned Madam Zhou had proposed without Zhou Tianyou’s knowledge and had chosen a cruel future husband for Xia Xiaodie.
• Su Qiao agreed to watch Matchmaker Fang report back to Madam Zhou at the Zhou residence.
• Matchmaker Fang warned Madam Zhou that Su Qiao’s temperament seemed unpleasant and questioned why she wanted a country girl.
• Matchmaker Fang told Madam Zhou that Su Qiao had said Zhou Tianyou had not even passed the county-level scholar examination, and Madam Zhou reacted with shock.

Madam Zhou learned that the Su family had not accepted the marriage proposal and planned to visit them at Guyin Temple. Su Qiao remained certain the match would fail, while Feng Han happily received the clothes and boots she had sent before getting a message from Xiao Wu.

• Zhou Shirou angrily criticized Su Qiao for looking down on her brother, and Madam Zhou ordered her to return to her room.
• Matchmaker Fang told Madam Zhou that the Su family wanted three or four days to consider the proposal.
• Madam Zhou planned to visit Guyin Temple with Matchmaker Fang and meet the Su family in person.
• Su Qiao told 444 that the old master would never agree to the match, then went back to reading.
• Feng Han received Su Qiao's clothes and short boots, and Yuan Liu arrived with a carrier-pigeon message from Xiao Wu in a black tube.

Su Qiao confronted Xia Xiaodie over the Zhou family's marriage proposal, then learned that Madam Zhou, the County Vice-Magistrate, and Zhou Tianyou had arrived at her home. She hurried back to find out what they wanted.

• Feng Han learned that the Zhou family had proposed to Su Qiao and angrily vowed to stop anyone from marrying her off.
• Su Qiao returned to Liu Family Village to check on the proposal and encountered Xia Xiaodie, who accused her of ruining her marriage prospects.
• Su Qiao challenged Xia Xiaodie's accusations and told her to take care of herself.
• The Host warned Su Qiao that something had happened at home, where Madam Zhou, the County Vice-Magistrate, and Zhou Tianyou were waiting.
• Su Qiao learned Yuan Wu had been unable to keep the County Vice-Magistrate occupied because the mine's contents had been uncovered.

County Vice-Magistrate Zhou sought a marriage alliance with the Su family, but Old Master Su left the decision to Su Qiao. Su Qiao rejected Zhou Tianyou as an unsuitable match, irritating Madam Zhou.

• Su Qiao greeted Lord Zhou and Madam Zhou before sitting down.
• County Vice-Magistrate Zhou approved of Su Qiao and asked Old Master Su about joining their families through marriage.
• Old Master Su expressed reservations and explained that he had promised Su Qiao control over her own marriage.
• County Vice-Magistrate Zhou asked Su Qiao what she thought of his son despite Old Master Su's refusal.
• Su Qiao said Zhou Tianyou was good but that they were unsuitable for each other, and Madam Zhou became irritated.

Feng Han returned to the Su residence and interrupted the Zhou family’s attempt to arrange Su Qiao’s marriage to Zhou Tianyou. He confronted the Zhou family and questioned Su Qiao, who insisted she had been about to refuse.

• Su Qiao challenged County Vice-Magistrate Zhou to ask his son about the reason she considered the marriage inappropriate.
• Madam Zhou urged Zhou Tianyou to agree to marry Su Qiao, and he reluctantly said he was willing.
• Feng Han arrived and declared that Zhou Tianyou was not worthy of marrying Su Qiao.
• Feng Han ignored County Vice-Magistrate Zhou’s greeting, sat beside Su Qiao, and drank from her teacup.
• Feng Han questioned Su Qiao about the Zhou family’s proposal, and she said she had been about to refuse.

Feng Han rushed back after hearing that Su Qiao might be matched with the Zhou family, fearing she would break her promise to wait for him. After Su Qiao explained that Old Master Su had never intended to arrange the marriage, Feng Han apologized to him.

• Little Gui revealed that Feng Han had ridden for three days and nights, running six horses to death, to return after receiving Xiao Wu's letter.
• Su Qiao felt sorry that Feng Han had exhausted himself despite her promise to wait for him.
• Feng Han admitted he had rushed back because he was worried about parental orders and a matchmaker arranging Su Qiao's marriage.
• Feng Han confronted Old Master Su over rumors that he planned to marry Su Qiao into the Zhou family.
• Su Qiao defended her grandfather, explaining that he had opposed the match and wanted her to stay home for at least two more years.
• Feng Han accepted her explanation, apologized to Old Master Su, and let him stand up.

Feng Han proclaimed an Imperial Decree naming Su Qiao a County Princess, thwarting the Zhou Family’s attempt to arrange her marriage. After the Zhou family heard Feng Han’s plans and promises to Su Qiao, he decided they could not be allowed to live.

• Zhou Tianyou felt humiliated when he realized Su Qiao had never taken his marriage proposal seriously.
• Su Qiao dismissed her family and told Feng Han to send them away before discussing what came next.
• Feng Han had Little Gui present an Imperial Decree naming Su Qiao a County Princess for her wind-powered water wheel.
• Feng Han warned that Su Qiao’s marriage could not be decided by her family and that no one like Zhou Tianyou deserved to marry her.
• Su Qiao worried the Zhou Family might reveal what they had overheard, and Feng Han said they would be killed.