Chapter Summaries

Zuota and Batie sought Su Qiao’s hand for their sons, but Xi Hanzhou objected to her marrying beyond the frontier and asked the Emperor to grant his wish. The Emperor upheld his arrangements and turned down the frontier leaders, while Batie remained reluctant to give up.

• Zuota asked the Emperor for permission to marry Su Qiao to his son Gulun and promised she would be cherished.
• Prime Minister Su said Su Qiao was already betrothed, though no Imperial Decree had been issued.
• Xi Hanzhou arrived and declared that he would not allow Su Qiao to marry beyond the frontier, then asked the Emperor to grant his wish.
• The Emperor confirmed that he had already made arrangements and told Batie and Zuota to choose other noble young ladies.
• Zuota accepted the Emperor’s decision, but Batie remained unwilling to give up.

Batie offered an additional thirty percent of his tribe’s warhorses in exchange for Su Qiao becoming his Primary Consort, while Imperial Noble Consort Yun revealed that Su Qiao had been designated as Xi Hanzhou’s Secondary Consort. Xi Hanzhou rejected the proposed marriage beyond the Great Wall, and Yingmu argued that Su Qiao would be freer there.

• Imperial Noble Consort Yun announced that Su Qiao was designated as Xi Hanzhou’s future Secondary Consort.
• Batie and Yingmu were stunned by the announcement, and Batie offered thirty percent more warhorses each year if the Emperor reconsidered his request for Su Qiao’s hand.
• Su Qiao reflected that the wine had made her speak more than usual and worried that the Emperor might accept Batie’s offer.
• Xi Hanzhou declared that he would not let Su Qiao marry into the harsh lands beyond the Great Wall.
• Yingmu told Xi Hanzhou that Su Qiao’s forthright nature suited the freer life beyond the Great Wall.

Xi Hanzhou confronted Su Qiao about whether she wanted to stay with Balun and his son, but she reassured him that she would follow the emperor’s arrangements. The emperor postponed the decision, while Prime Minister Su reprimanded Su Yuxin for her behavior and for wearing clothes bestowed on Su Qiao by the Crown Prince.

• Xi Hanzhou demanded to know whether Su Qiao wanted to stay, and she told him she would follow the emperor’s arrangements.
• Xi Hanzhou calmed down and warned Su Qiao not to drink too much or cause trouble again.
• The emperor set aside Balun and his son’s request and said he would consider the matter himself.
• Su Yuxin asked Prime Minister Su to let her sit with Su Qiao, but he refused and ordered her to behave.
• Prime Minister Su scolded Su Yuxin for taking Su Qiao’s clothes, which the Crown Prince had personally bestowed on her.

Prime Minister Su realized the Crown Prince’s matching clothes and public denial signaled his interest in Qiao'er, complicating the Emperor’s existing marriage plans for her. He saw that his own political schemes had been upended and could no longer predict what would happen to his eldest daughter.

• Those at the banquet interpreted the Crown Prince’s matching outfit and denial that Qiao'er was married as signs that he favored her.
• Su Yuxin wondered whether Qiao'er and the Crown Prince were a couple, and Prime Minister Su ordered her not to discuss her elder sister again.
• Prime Minister Su weighed how Qiao'er’s possible marriages to the Crown Prince, the Fourth Prince, or a prince from beyond the passes could create political conflicts.
• Prime Minister Su reflected that he had planned to rely on Su Yuxin if Qiao'er became an unfavored Secondary Consort, but the day’s events had ruined that plan.
• Prime Minister Su watched Qiao'er eat and chat happily, realizing he had barely known his eldest daughter and could not control what happened next.

After Su Qiao’s actions caused the frontier tribes to fight over her, Xi Hanzhou summoned her to ask what she had done. Their teasing turned into a startling kiss, witnessed by guards and visitors outside his tent.

• Su Qiao dismissed her heartless father, Prime Minister Su, after learning he was watching her.
• Eunuch Yu invited Su Qiao to Xi Hanzhou’s tent after the banquet, where Xi Hanzhou asked why the tribes were suddenly fighting over her.
• Su Qiao claimed she had been frightened, and Xi Hanzhou carried her to the bed and gave her warm hangover soup.
• Xi Hanzhou accused Su Qiao of trying to seduce him, so she pounced on him and bit him on the mouth.
• The guards, Jincheng, and Jinchi saw Su Qiao kiss Xi Hanzhou and were left stunned.

Su Qiao pounced on Xi Hanzhou, but his memories did not return, so she gave him a Scented Pouch meant to calm him and ran off to find the Fourth Prince. Xi Hanzhou kept the pouch and smiled over her actions despite Jincheng’s warning about her engagement to the Fourth Prince.

• Xi Hanzhou was startled when Su Qiao pounced on him and accused her of being too bold.
• Su Qiao gave Xi Hanzhou a Scented Pouch to calm his irritability, then left to find the Fourth Prince.
• Xi Hanzhou called Su Qiao a Little Liar, touched his mouth, and smiled as he examined the pouch.
• Jincheng urged Xi Hanzhou to have the pouch examined and warned him not to let Su Qiao come between him and His Majesty.
• Xi Hanzhou hung the pouch from his waist, rejected Jincheng’s warning, and ordered him to leave.

Xi Hanzhou discovered that Su’s Scented Pouch eased his headache and made him feel calmer, and he became convinced that she loved him. He dismissed concerns about her mysterious background but faced the problem that she was betrothed to the Fourth Prince as a Secondary Consort.

• Jinchi sent Jincheng away when Xi Hanzhou’s headache began, then offered to summon an imperial physician.
• Xi Hanzhou inhaled the Scented Pouch and found that it eased his headache and refreshed and calmed him.
• Jinchi suggested investigating Su again, but Xi Hanzhou refused as long as she meant him no harm.
• Xi Hanzhou declared that Su was in love with him and said he liked her boldness.
• Jinchi reminded Xi Hanzhou that Su was betrothed to the Fourth Prince, and Xi Hanzhou argued that the betrothal did not count until they married.

Xi Hanzhou took Jinchi’s warning about the Fourth Prince seriously and ordered the secret guards to watch him. Su Qiao returned to find her tent newly arranged and two palace maids assigned to serve her.

• Jinchi warned Xi Hanzhou that the princes might join forces against him and that the Fourth Prince was scheming with support from Grand Tutor Yun and his family.
• Xi Hanzhou ordered the secret guards to watch the Fourth Prince closely.
• Xi Hanzhou warned two guards to keep what they had seen secret to protect Su Qiao’s reputation, then sent them away.
• Jinchi reported that their informants had been removed and offered to send new people into the Fourth Prince’s residence; Xi Hanzhou told him to go.
• Su Qiao returned to find her tent renewed, her belongings arranged, and Xiao Lan and Xiao Yu assigned by Xi Hanzhou to serve her.

Su Qiao learned that Xi Hanzhou had arranged for his own attendants to serve her, then worried that her kiss had failed to restore his memories. She considered abandoning the plan and forcing Xi Hanzhou onto the throne, while 444 urged her to try kissing him again.

• Su Qiao learned that Prime Minister Su had moved Su Yuxin out and that Eunuch Yu had refused the maids sent to serve her.
• Xiao Lan and Xiao Yu reported that Eunuch Yu had told Prime Minister Su that Su Qiao only needed to ask them for anything she needed.
• Su Qiao dismissed her attendants and asked 444 why kissing Xi Hanzhou had not restored his memories.
• 444 suggested that Su Qiao had not kissed Xi Hanzhou long enough or deeply enough, and she rejected the idea of kissing him more boldly.
• Su Qiao proposed poisoning their enemies and putting Xi Hanzhou on the throne, but 444 warned her against acting recklessly.

Imperial Noble Consort Yun reprimanded Xi Muyan for protecting Su Yuxin and warned that his behavior had damaged his standing with the Emperor and officials. Xi Muyan did not deny his mistake, but continued to defend Su Yuxin.

• Su Qiao dismissed 444's teasing about her and Xi Hanzhou and decided to handle the situation one step at a time.
• Imperial Noble Consort Yun confronted Xi Muyan over his public defense of Su Yuxin.
• Xi Muyan admitted he had handled the incident poorly but insisted Su Yuxin was clever, not stupid.
• Imperial Noble Consort Yun argued that Su Yuxin's treatment of servants and demand for an apology had undermined social rank and damaged Xi Muyan's future.
• Imperial Noble Consort Yun reflected on her long disappointment at being denied the Empress's position and said she had placed her hopes in Xi Muyan.

Xi Muyan learned that Su Qiao had become highly sought after, with the Crown Prince and two powerful border tribes seeking marriage with her. After Imperial Noble Consort Yun urged him to win Su Qiao back, Xi Muyan realized marrying her might help him gain the tribes’ support.

• Imperial Noble Consort Yun told Xi Muyan to stay away from Su Yuxin and properly court Su Qiao.
• Xi Muyan asked why his mother still wanted him to marry Su Qiao, whom he called a cripple.
• Imperial Noble Consort Yun revealed that the Crown Prince and leaders of two major border tribes wanted to marry Su Qiao to their heirs.
• She explained that one tribe offered to marry Su Qiao alone for life, while the other promised thirty percent more warhorses in annual tribute.
• Xi Muyan learned that the emperor had refused the proposals because the Crown Prince opposed them, then considered marrying Su Qiao to win the tribes over.

Xi Muyan questioned Imperial Noble Consort Yun’s plan to marry him to Su Qiao, and she explained how the marriage could secure political and military support. The chapter ended with Yun warning him about the danger Su Qiao would face if the princes’ interest in her became known to the emperor.

• Xi Muyan considered using Su Qiao to win over two tribes, while Imperial Noble Consort Yun warned that the tribes disliked the betrothal.
• Xi Muyan wondered why Yun wanted him to marry Su Qiao instead of Xiao Xin, who could connect him to Prime Minister Su and General Gu’s Estate.
• Imperial Noble Consort Yun explained that General Gu’s family might eventually reconcile with Su Qiao because of their love for her late mother and their lingering guilt.
• Imperial Noble Consort Yun said the marriage could unite General Gu’s Estate, Prime Minister Su’s Estate, and her own family behind Xi Muyan against Xi Hanzhou.
• Xi Muyan cautioned Yun to speak carefully, and she revealed that the tent was surrounded before warning him about the consequences if the princes pursued the same woman and the emperor learned of it.

Xi Muyan tried to convince Imperial Noble Consort Yun that Su Yuxin was worthy of becoming his Primary Consort, but she remained worried about her status and the Emperor’s opposition. Xi Muyan hinted that Su Qiao’s disability might offer a way around the Emperor’s restriction on marrying both of Prime Minister Su’s daughters.

• Xi Muyan said he had once been furious that his brothers and other men loved Su Yuxin, but later saw her as a way to keep them in check and unite them against the Crown Prince.
• Imperial Noble Consort Yun forbade Xi Muyan from associating with Su Yuxin, arguing that she lacked the refinement and ability required of a Primary Consort.
• Xi Muyan defended Su Yuxin’s intelligence, insight, and distinguished family, asking his mother to trust his judgment.
• Imperial Noble Consort Yun began to believe Su Yuxin had unusual strengths but warned that the Emperor would not let Xi Muyan marry both of Prime Minister Su’s legitimate daughters.
• Xi Muyan asked whether any imperial family had ever had a lame consort, suggesting Su Qiao’s disability could affect the marriage question.

Xi Muyan told Imperial Noble Consort Yun that he still had a use for Su Qiao and agreed to consult his maternal grandfather. The next morning, Su Qiao learned that Prime Minister Su was coming to see her after Su Yuxin had been reprimanded and confined, amid rumors about the family’s treatment of its daughters.

• Xi Muyan explained that marrying Su Qiao could draw the attention of the Emperor, the Crown Prince, and the frontier tribes, but said he would not give up on her yet.
• Imperial Noble Consort Yun urged Xi Muyan to discuss the matter with his maternal grandfather, and he agreed to visit him after returning to the capital.
• Xiao Yu told Su Qiao that Prime Minister Su was approaching her tent with an unhappy expression.
• Xiao Yu reported that Prime Minister Su had reprimanded Su Yuxin and confined her to her quarters after the previous day’s events.
• Xiao Yu told Su Qiao that people were criticizing Su Yuxin for disrespecting her elder sister and Madam Su for favoring her own daughter.

Prime Minister Su visited Su Qiao to smooth over Xiao Xin’s public dispute and urged her to forgive her younger sister. Su Qiao agreed that Xiao Xin needed lessons in etiquette, then explained that she had tried to prevent the public scene but Xiao Xin had demanded that she kneel and apologize to a maid.

• Xiao Lan warned Su Qiao that Prime Minister Su might have bad intentions, but Su Qiao told her and Xiaoyu to wait outside and not worry.
• Prime Minister Su entered Su Qiao’s tent alone and asked whether she had slept well.
• Prime Minister Su said he had reprimanded Xiao Xin and asked Su Qiao to forgive her, promising to have Nannies teach Xiao Xin proper etiquette.
• Su Qiao agreed that Xiao Xin needed instruction and warned that her behavior could damage the Prime Minister’s reputation.
• Prime Minister Su criticized Su Qiao for making a public spectacle, and Su Qiao replied that Xiao Xin had refused her warnings and demanded that she kneel to apologize to a maid.

Su Qiao confronted Prime Minister Su over his defense of Su Yuxin and his denial of favoritism in the household. She called out the way Su Yuxin treated servants as family, leaving her father facing the implications for the family’s dignity.

• Su Qiao challenged Prime Minister Su for expecting her to apologize to a servant after the maid had insulted and confined her.
• Prime Minister Su defended Su Yuxin, saying she had been misled and asking Su Qiao not to damage their sisterly bond.
• Su Qiao warned that the family’s indulgence of Su Yuxin could let her get away with increasingly reckless behavior.
• Prime Minister Su claimed he and his wife had not favored Su Yuxin and had provided Su Qiao with everything she needed.
• Su Qiao rejected his excuses, describing how Su Yuxin treated the maids as sisters and wet nurses as grandmothers, and asked how that affected their real grandmother and the Prime Minister’s standing.

Su Qiao confronted Prime Minister Su about the risks his household’s conduct posed to his standing at court, and he recognized how much she had changed. He warned her to protect her reputation because she was betrothed, while Su Qiao questioned whether the betrothal should stand and Prime Minister Su hinted that the ministers were losing patience with Xi Hanzhou.

• Su Qiao argued that the Prime Minister’s failure to govern his own household could be used to challenge his fitness for office and even his loyalty to imperial principles.
• Su Qiao told Prime Minister Su that his past distance had taught her to judge situations carefully and take responsibility for her actions.
• Prime Minister Su acknowledged that Su Qiao had grown up and understood the political danger in her words.
• Prime Minister Su warned Su Qiao that her connection to the Crown Prince could provoke gossip because she was already betrothed.
• Su Qiao asked whether it would be better to end the betrothal, and Prime Minister Su cautioned that ministers increasingly resented Xi Hanzhou’s tyranny.

Su Qiao rejected Prime Minister Su’s advice to accept becoming Xi Muyan’s secondary consort and realized her father had likely chosen to support the Fourth Prince. She considered the danger of the succession struggle and concluded that Su Yuxin’s ideals would make her a threat as well.

• Prime Minister Su urged Su Qiao to accept her fate and marry Xi Muyan as a secondary consort, while warning her to be cautious of those around her.
• Su Qiao warned her father to keep Su Yuxin in check, since four princes were involved with her.
• After Prime Minister Su left, Su Qiao and 444 suspected he had secretly chosen to support Xi Muyan’s bid for the throne.
• Su Qiao reflected that Xi Hanzhou’s reputation for brutality could cost him the Emperor’s trust and leave her vulnerable if Xi Muyan became emperor.
• Su Qiao concluded that Su Yuxin’s ideal of a lifelong partnership with one man would make it impossible for her to tolerate Su Qiao as Xi Muyan’s consort.

After scolding Prime Minister Su, Su Qiao felt relieved and decided to go hunting with Xiao Lan and Xiao Yu. She prepared her saber and concealed the problem with her right leg, while Xiao Lan offered to make her better-fitting boots.

• Su Qiao reflected that Xi Hanzhou's irritable nature could make it easier to deal with ministers than a cautious ruler's would.
• Xiao Lan and Xiao Yu praised Su Qiao for silencing Prime Minister Su, and Su Qiao explained that she feared him little because she wanted nothing from him or the Su family.
• Su Qiao decided to hunt and took a curved saber from a hidden compartment in a wooden chest.
• Xiao Lan told Su Qiao that she and Xiao Yu knew horseback riding, archery, and some martial arts, and Xiao Yu went to ask Eunuch Yu for arrows.
• Xiao Lan noticed Su Qiao's right leg did not bend properly, and Su Qiao revealed that she had hidden a high-heeled wedge in her boot.
• Xiao Lan offered to make Su Qiao several properly fitting pairs of boots when they returned.

Su Qiao went hunting with Xiao Lan, Xiao Yu, and guards, then rushed off after learning Xi Hanzhou had been separated from his subordinates and was with Consort Shu. She realized he had likely been framed, and 444 warned that Xi Muyan might target her.

• Eunuch Yu brought Su Qiao three horses, bows, and guards, and she led the group into the forest to hunt.
• Su Qiao and her companions returned with game and medicinal herbs after several hours.
• Su Qiao suddenly handed her game to Xiao Lan and the others and raced deeper into the woods.
• 444 told Su Qiao that Xi Hanzhou had been separated from his subordinates and was near Consort Shu.
• Su Qiao concluded that Xi Hanzhou had been framed and suspected the Fourth Prince had acted because of her connection to Xi Hanzhou.
• 444 warned Su Qiao to be careful because Xi Muyan might make a move against her.