Chapter Summaries

Su Qiao rested while 444 kept watch, and the chapter explained how Zhao Kingdom’s tyranny and famine drove people into rebellion. It also recounted Li Bingyi’s family’s ruin and contrasted Su Qiao’s tomboy upbringing with her cousin Su Weixue’s popularity as a potential bride.

• Su Qiao lay down to rest and asked 444 to watch for anyone approaching.
• The chapter described Zhao Kingdom’s brutal ruler, heavy taxes, famine, and widespread rebellions.
• Li Bingyi’s father was executed after remonstrating, and his family was exiled or forced into government service; Li Bingyi alone escaped.
• Li Bingyi gathered fleeing refugees into a force, including Su Qiao and Su Weixue, who had both lost their fathers or families.
• Su Qiao had been raised by her hunter father as a tomboy, while Su Weixue was gentle and accomplished and attracted many matchmakers.

Su Qiao reviewed the original body's memories of famine, flight, and her cousin Su Weixue's rise alongside Li Bingyi. She concluded that Su Weixue had arranged for the original body to die, while 444 felt the death had been unfair.

• Su Qiao learned that famine and a flight from home had separated or killed her family, leaving only her and her elder female cousin, Su Weixue.
• Su Weixue grew influential in the refugee group by predicting dangers, while the original body became disliked and isolated.
• The imperial court surrounded the group, and the original body died after someone shoved her and she was cut down in the chaos.
• Li Bingyi and Su Weixue rose to power, conquered more than half the realm, and became emperor and empress after the Zhao Kingdom split.
• Su Qiao told 444 that the original body had been foolish to trust Su Weixue, whom she suspected of pushing her to silence her.

Su Qiao learned that Su Weixue likely possessed a spatial artifact and came from a chaotic world, then asked 444 about Zhao Jingting. She discovered that Zhao Jingting was the Twelfth Prince, abandoned at a Taoist Temple because of his strange behavior since childhood.

• Su Qiao suspected Su Weixue was a transmigrator or reborn person and guessed she carried a spatial artifact.
• 444 confirmed Su Weixue had a soul-bound spatial artifact that Su Qiao could not take before her death.
• Su Qiao asked 444 about Zhao Jingting after dismissing Su Weixue’s circumstances for the moment.
• 444 explained that Zhao Jingting was the nineteen-year-old Twelfth Prince, sent to a Taoist Temple as a child because people in the palace suspected he was possessed.
• 444 said Zhao Jingting had been abandoned by his family, while a mute guard he had once saved remained loyal to him.
• Su Qiao learned that Zhao Jingting’s condition had existed since childhood and was surprised.

Su Qiao considered why Zhao Jingting’s condition had worsened and prepared to protect him from Li Bingyi. After taking half a Great Strength Pill, she joined the valley’s residents for a meager meal and listened as Li Bingyi addressed the group.

• Su Qiao and 444 discussed whether Zhao Jingting’s worsening condition came from his experiences or confused memories.
• Su Qiao vowed that Zhao Jingting would not die, even if she had to destroy the Imperial Family and Li Bingyi.
• Su Qiao asked 444 for half a Great Strength Pill so she could defend herself despite being unable to cultivate.
• Su Qiao learned that about two hundred people lived in the valley, sharing food and dividing work between gathering, patrols, training, and reclaiming land.
• After eating watery porridge and wild vegetable soup, Su Qiao sat beside Su Weixue as Li Bingyi gathered everyone to report their recent discoveries.

Li Bingyi organized the group’s work as they settled in for the winter, and Su Weixue tried to steer Su Qiao toward strenuous labor. Su Qiao agreed to chop firewood and carry water, then volunteered Su Weixue to take her manure-hauling and field-watering job, leaving the group doubtful that Su Weixue could manage it.

• Li Bingyi reassured the group that they would have shelter, food, and clothing, then began assigning tasks.
• Su Weixue urged Su Qiao to accept hard work, arguing that they had to shoulder responsibilities now that their family had no men to protect them.
• Su Weixue suggested that Su Qiao take on carrying water and chopping firewood.
• Su Qiao publicly volunteered for those jobs and said Su Weixue would take over her manure-hauling and field-watering work.
• The others looked skeptically at the slender Su Weixue and wondered whether she could carry a bucket of manure.

Su Qiao used Su Weixue’s own words about willingly doing labor to get her assigned the unpleasant task of fetching river water and mixing manure. After the meeting, Su Qiao forced her to take over watering the vegetable field with manure water while everyone watched.

• At the meeting, Su Qiao praised Su Weixue’s strength and work ethic, persuading Li Bingyi to assign her the task of fetching water and mixing it.
• Su Weixue realized Su Qiao had turned her earlier advice about labor against her and grew furious.
• After the meeting, Su Qiao picked up buckets, but Su Weixue stopped her and demanded to know why she had made the decision for her.
• Su Qiao defended her actions by repeating Su Weixue’s words about willingly doing available work and keeping the group together.
• Su Qiao pointed out that the field still needed watering and shoved Su Weixue toward the manure ladle as nearby workers watched.

Su Qiao focused on getting food from Su Weixue’s mysterious space while keeping watch on her. After spotting Zhao Jingting, she followed him into the woods and confronted him about trying to get away.

• Su Qiao told 444 to watch Su Weixue and planned to take food from her space before investigating her origins.
• Su Qiao went to the river for water and saw Zhao Jingting heading into the woods with a Wood Chopping Knife.
• Zhao Jingting noticed Su Qiao and hurried away, but she followed him into the forest.
• Zhao Jingting stopped and asked why Su Qiao was following him, and she replied that the forest did not belong to his family.

Su Qiao teased Zhao Jingting in the woods until he fled, dropping a pouch of silver bracelets. She and 444 discussed his shifting personalities and the danger of his true identity being exposed, leaving Su Qiao resolved to warn his mute guard.

• Zhao Jingting told Su Qiao not to follow him, but she said she would carry water while he chopped bamboo.
• Su Qiao reminded Zhao Jingting that he had pushed her against a pillar and teased her, and he ran away, losing a shoe and dropping a pouch.
• Su Qiao picked up the pouch and found a pair of silver bracelets inside.
• Su Qiao asked 444 what caused Zhao Jingting to switch personalities, and 444 said it did not know.
• 444 warned Su Qiao that Li Bingyi could exploit Zhao Jingting's true identity and turn the growing group against him.
• Su Qiao decided to warn Zhao Jingting's mute guard and wondered who had given him the bracelets.

Su Qiao caught Su Weixue secretly eating food from her spatial storage and demanded a share, while 444 warned that Su Weixue wanted to kill her. Su Weixue backed down rather than risk attracting the patrol teams, leaving Su Qiao pressing her for more food.

• Su Qiao wore the bracelet she had found and went to fetch water and chop firewood.
• 444 told Su Qiao that Su Weixue had gone into the woods, and Su Qiao followed her into a bamboo grove.
• Su Qiao startled Su Weixue while she was eating a braised pig's trotter and asked her for food.
• Su Weixue gave Su Qiao another pig's trotter from her basket, and Su Qiao ate it eagerly.
• Su Weixue considered killing Su Qiao, but she feared Su Qiao would escape and alert the patrol teams.
• Su Qiao wailed about her late father and demanded more food, so Su Weixue told her to stop shouting.

Su Qiao pressured Su Weixue into giving her pig trotters and apples, then kept eating after her cousin left. She stayed in the bamboo grove with her stomach still barely full, while Su Weixue departed furious.

• Su Qiao demanded meat from Su Weixue, who reluctantly gave her three pig trotters from her storage space.
• Su Qiao uncovered five apples in Su Weixue's basket and ate one, praising its taste.
• Su Qiao asked for more fruit, then took the basket and made Su Weixue promise not to tell anyone about the food.
• Su Weixue warned Su Qiao to stay quiet and left the bamboo grove in a rage.
• Su Qiao pulled out another pig trotter and continued eating.

Su Qiao learned that Zhao Jingting had changed again after taking pills that smelled of alcohol, though Uncle Ya could not say whether the medicine or something else caused it. Zhao Jingting returned to Su Qiao and acted like her fawning husband, leaving her and 444 curious about his current identity.

• Su Qiao returned to the hut and found Uncle Ya anxiously holding a bottle of pills while Zhao Jingting was missing.
• Uncle Ya indicated that Zhao Jingting had changed again after taking medicine, but he could not explain what had triggered it.
• Su Qiao took the bottle to examine its ingredients and gave Uncle Ya a pig's trotter and two apples to eat in secret.
• Zhao Jingting rushed in, grabbed Su Qiao's hands, and called her his wife.
• Su Qiao gave Zhao Jingting food and teased him about smelling of alcohol, while he claimed he had only taken a tiny sip of wine.

Su Qiao cared for Zhao Jingting as he acted like a foolish young scholar preparing for the Imperial Examination, while she investigated the pill that made him switch roles. She concluded the pill contained calming, brain-nourishing herbs rather than poison.

• Su Qiao stopped Zhao Jingting from drinking more and persuaded him to eat the pig's trotter she had saved for him.
• Zhao Jingting promised Su Qiao he would pass the Imperial Examination and buy her delicious food and fine clothes.
• Uncle Ya watched outside while Zhao Jingting ate, and 444 wondered how he kept choosing roles unlike his past experiences.
• Su Weixue refrained from sneaking food that evening, while Su Qiao regretted missing the chance to catch her.
• Su Qiao examined the brown pill and told 444 it was nonpoisonous and made from herbs that calmed the mind and nourished the brain.

Su Qiao examined Zhao Jingting’s medicine and considered how to treat his confusing condition while keeping watch over him. Zhao Jingting suddenly arrived, claiming their home had been robbed, but forgot why he had come when he saw Su Qiao.

• Su Qiao found common herbs in the Brain-Clearing Pills and wondered why they contained alcohol.
• Su Qiao decided to wait until Zhao Jingting woke up to ask who had made the pills.
• Su Qiao considered his condition a form of memory confusion and asked 444 to search its database for treatment information.
• Su Qiao lay down to rest and told 444 to watch Zhao Jingting.
• Zhao Jingting rushed in saying their home had been robbed, then became distracted when he found Su Qiao.
• Uncle Ya apologized to Su Qiao and hurriedly dragged Zhao Jingting outside.

Su Qiao explained that Uncle Ya was Zhao Jingting’s cousin and decided that Little Xiucai could sleep in her room while Uncle Ya stayed elsewhere. To prevent objections, she claimed she and Zhao Jingting were betrothed, and Little Xiucai happily accepted the silver bracelet as their token of love.

• Little Xiucai hid behind Su Qiao, then bravely stood in front of her and accused Uncle Ya of barging into their home.
• Su Qiao told Little Xiucai that Uncle Ya was his distant cousin, and Little Xiucai apologized after learning Uncle Ya could not speak.
• Su Qiao decided Little Xiucai would sleep in her room, but Uncle Ya anxiously objected to a man and woman sharing a room.
• Su Qiao claimed her father had betrothed her to Zhao Jingting and showed Uncle Ya the silver bracelet as proof.
• Little Xiucai agreed with Su Qiao and called the bracelet their token of love.

Su Qiao and Zhao Jingting settled in for the night after Uncle Ya left, then returned from fetching water to find a young woman accusing Chu San of raping her. The crowd doubted the girl, and a hunched older man kicked her and demanded she stop speaking.

• Uncle Ya wondered whether his master had stayed with Su Qiao’s group because of a betrothal or a promise to care for her.
• Little Xiucai sent Uncle Ya away, and Su Qiao and Little Xiucai covered each other with warm clothing before sleeping.
• Su Qiao and Zhao Jingting washed and groomed themselves at the river, then returned with water.
• Su Qiao learned that a young woman accused Chu San of dragging her into the woods and raping her, while Chu San claimed she had seduced him.
• The young woman pleaded with the crowd to believe her, but a hunched older man kicked her and told her to shut up.

Ding Qiulan’s parents rejected her after Chu San raped her, and her mother urged her to marry him despite her refusal. Su Qiao stepped in to confront Chu San, beginning by asking whether his strength gave him the right to bully others.

• Ding father disowned Ding Qiulan and dragged her outside, while Ding mother embraced her and lamented her fate.
• Chu San offered to marry Ding Qiulan, but she refused and said she would rather die than marry him.
• Ding mother urged Ding Qiulan to accept Chu San’s proposal, while Chu San claimed he had offered her a way to live.
• Su Qiao prepared to teach Chu San a lesson, but Little Xiucai asked her to try courtesy before force.
• Su Qiao confronted Chu San and challenged his belief that his strength let him bully people.

Su Qiao beat Chu San after he threatened her, while Little Xiucai helped by throwing dirt at him. Little Xiucai asked her to spare Chu San, who fled after warning them to wait.

• Chu San threatened Su Qiao, but she asked Little Xiucai whether his threat meant courtesy had failed.
• Su Qiao kicked Chu San in the abdomen, and Little Xiucai threw a clod of dirt at him when he tried to get up.
• Su Qiao mocked Chu San and said she had considered breaking his legs, but Little Xiucai asked her to spare him.
• Little Xiucai cited the sages, and Su Qiao decided not to attack Chu San again.
• Chu San warned Su Qiao and Little Xiucai to wait, then fled through the crowd.

Su Qiao challenged Chu San’s attempt to blame Ding Qiulan and followed the case to Li Bingyi for questioning. Su Weixue tried to embarrass Su Qiao in front of the gathered onlookers.

• Ding Qiulan’s parents left, and a man led her toward the southern part of the valley.
• After hearing what happened, Li Bingyi summoned Chu San and Ding Qiulan to question them.
• Chu San claimed Ding Qiulan had seduced him and her family had set a trap for him.
• Su Qiao arrived and mocked Chu San, saying he was not as strong as he looked.
• Li Bingyi questioned Su Qiao about her strength, and Su Weixue explained that Su Qiao had been raised like a son by her hunter father.
• Su Weixue criticized Su Qiao for not washing her padded jacket, but Su Qiao saw through her blunt attempt to embarrass her.

Su Qiao exposed Su Weixue’s hypocrisy and discovered that she had poisoned a set of clothes she offered. Su Weixue then tried to damage Su Qiao’s reputation by insinuating she was too close to Zhao Jingting, while Su Qiao’s companions held back as she had instructed.

• Su Qiao said she had only one set of clothes, prompting Su Weixue to return to her hut to fetch her another set.
• Su Weixue secretly poisoned the clothes with venom extracted from an exotic beast’s teeth, and 444 warned Su Qiao.
• Su Qiao considered taking Su Weixue’s space but decided to keep her alive for now so she could get more meals from her.
• Su Weixue gave Su Qiao an old jacket and implied she should keep her distance from Zhao Jingting to protect her reputation.
• Little Xiucai tried to step forward, but Uncle Ya held him back because Su Qiao had told them not to interfere.

Su Qiao defended her marriage to Little Xiucai and exposed Su Weixue’s role in spreading rumors about her. She turned the crowd’s attention to the rumors surrounding Su Weixue’s marriage prospects, then returned the clothes Su Weixue had offered.

• Su Qiao told the onlookers that her father had betrothed her to Little Xiucai, and she would not leave him.
• Little Xiucai rushed to Su Qiao’s side, called her his wife, and said they had married long ago.
• The crowd questioned the rumors about Su Qiao and looked suspiciously at Su Weixue.
• Su Qiao praised Su Weixue while mentioning the bandit attack on the Liu family and rumors that Su Weixue had brought them misfortune.
• Su Weixue lost her temper, and Su Qiao pretended she had been talking nonsense before returning the clothes.