Chapter Summaries

Duanmu Han told Su Qiao that his mother had poisoned him before birth by transferring her poison into him, and Su Qiao promised to help cure him. He then warned her about the imperial family and revealed that Duanmu Yuan had orchestrated the attack on him.

• Su Qiao realized Duanmu Han had been poisoned in the womb, and he explained that his mother had transferred her poison to him while pregnant.
• Su Qiao comforted Duanmu Han and told him he no longer needed to care about his mother’s fate.
• Su Qiao promised to help cure Duanmu Han’s poison, and he pulled her into an embrace.
• Su Qiao recalled her father’s warning about marrying into the imperial family, and Duanmu Han agreed that few members of the imperial family were good people.
• Duanmu Han said Duanmu Yuan had secretly arranged the attack on him, though Duanmu Ting had sent the pursuers.

Su Qiao rejected Duanmu Yuan and reassured Duanmu Han, then prepared to pursue her plan to seize the throne. Meanwhile, Su Yan’s abduction became public knowledge, and Su Qiao headed to her courtyard after buying medicinal materials.

• Su Qiao said Duanmu Yuan was ugly and displeasing to look at, while Duanmu Han nervously asked whether she found him handsome.
• Duanmu Han left the General’s Estate after Su Qiao told him to go, and 444 reported that the Darkening Value had fallen to 6/10.
• Su Qiao told 444 to research ways to seize the throne and planned to buy medicinal materials.
• Su Yan spent the night in the wilderness and was found the next morning; news of her abduction spread despite Second Madam and Duanmu Yuan’s efforts to suppress it.
• Su Qiao returned with medicinal materials and candied hawthorn and went straight to Su Yan’s courtyard.

Su Qiao returned and found Su Yan with Duanmu Yuan, while 444 discovered that Su Yan possessed a Spirit Spring space. Su Qiao decided to wait for a better moment to take it, then needled Su Yan about being abducted and left outside overnight.

• Su Qiao hurried into Su Yan's room and interrupted Su Yan and Duanmu Yuan as they embraced.
• 444 sensed a treasure on Su Yan and told Su Qiao that she had a space containing a Spirit Spring.
• 444 urged Su Qiao to take the space so she could trade it for points and use the Spirit Spring to improve medicine for the major villain.
• Su Qiao decided to wait for a better opportunity to take the space.
• Su Qiao apologized to Su Yan for failing to catch up when the villains carried her away, then promised to train harder so she could rescue her if it happened again.
• Su Qiao reminded Su Yan that she had spent an entire night outside before being rescued, infuriating her.

Su Qiao used her foolish persona to taunt Su Yan about the rumors that had damaged her reputation and to expose Duanmu Yuan’s changed attitude toward her. The awkward encounter ended when Chun Hua announced that the Third Prince had sent Su Qiao roast chicken and roast duck.

• Duanmu Yuan tried to take Su Qiao outside so Su Yan could rest, but Su Qiao asked if he had come to see her.
• Su Qiao voiced concern for Su Yan and threatened to beat anyone who called her a ruined woman or said she should become a nun.
• Su Qiao repeated her father’s view that a man who refused to marry a woman over a trivial matter was cowardly and untrustworthy, making Duanmu Yuan uncomfortable.
• Su Yan grew furious as she recalled that the rumors had ruined her reputation and chilled Duanmu Yuan’s interest in her.
• Chun Hua announced that the Third Prince had sent Su Qiao roast chicken and roast duck.

Su Qiao learned that Duanmu Han had sent her roast chicken and duck, then left to meet him while Su Yan and Duanmu Yuan watched. Su Yan resolved to eliminate Su Qiao and claim Duanmu Yuan, while Su Qiao asked 444 how to steal Su Yan’s space.

• Su Qiao told Su Yan and Duanmu Yuan that Duanmu Han had helped her the previous day and sent her roast chicken and duck.
• Su Qiao left to meet Duanmu Han, leaving Su Yan and Duanmu Yuan alone.
• Duanmu Yuan took his leave and told Su Yan to rest.
• Su Yan vowed to kill Su Qiao, marry Duanmu Yuan, and become Empress.
• Su Qiao asked 444 how she could steal Su Yan’s space.

Su Qiao planned to exploit Su Yan’s unstable soul to sever her connection to the space, then went out with Duanmu Han for roast chicken and duck. Duanmu Han revealed how urgently he wanted to see her, while Su Qiao scolded him for risking his health.

• Su Qiao learned from 444 that Su Yan’s soul would be easiest to separate when she was seriously ill or badly frightened, and decided to make her sick.
• Su Qiao noticed that Duanmu Han was waiting outside the General's Estate and loudly asked where the roast chicken and duck were.
• Duanmu Han invited Su Qiao to Juxian Restaurant, and she pulled him into his carriage as Chun Hua followed them.
• Su Qiao privately scolded Duanmu Han for coming out while injured, but he smiled and said he had wanted to see her.
• Duanmu Han recalled that he had spent the night painting Su Qiao and hurried to the General's Estate after hearing Duanmu Yuan had gone there; Su Qiao told him she was not going to run away.

Su Qiao told Duanmu Han she had found a prescription for his poison and planned to seek the missing ingredients in the northern frontier, where she also hoped to find clues about her father. Duanmu Han accepted her help and promised to obtain the ingredients, while Su Qiao questioned whether the Imperial Palace’s storerooms could provide them.

• Su Qiao told Duanmu Han she had found a treatment for his poison but still needed medicinal ingredients from the northern frontier.
• Su Qiao explained that she also hoped to find her possibly living father, whom someone had reportedly seen near the frontier.
• Duanmu Han took Su Qiao’s list of missing ingredients and trusted her treatment, then embraced her in relief and gratitude.
• Su Qiao pushed Duanmu Han away, citing her father’s warning against men and women being too intimate.
• Duanmu Han argued that he was one of Su Qiao’s own, and Su Qiao changed the subject by asking whether he could obtain the ingredients from the Imperial Palace’s storerooms.
• Duanmu Han assured Su Qiao that he was not as weak as he seemed, and she humorously agreed.

Duanmu Han leaned on Su Qiao during their journey, then joined her for a meal at Juxian Restaurant. Duanmu Yuan arrived and questioned their relationship, while Su Qiao called out his closeness with Su Yan, leaving him irritated and wary.

• Duanmu Han rested his head on Su Qiao’s lap and asked to lie down until they arrived.
• Su Qiao and Duanmu Han ate roast chicken and roast duck at Juxian Restaurant.
• Duanmu Yuan entered the private room and questioned how Su Qiao and Duanmu Han knew each other.
• Duanmu Yuan wondered whether Duanmu Han was seeking the Tiger Seal through Su Qiao.
• Su Qiao reminded Duanmu Yuan not to enter Su Yan’s room or hold her, and Duanmu Yuan denied that Su Qiao had seen him correctly.

Su Qiao kept Duanmu Yuan at a distance, saying her father had taught her how to deal with men and that she liked Duanmu Han’s looks. Duanmu Han was pleased by her preference and praised General Su, while Duanmu Yuan was left frustrated and confused by her sudden change in attitude.

• Duanmu Yuan regretted that the search for Su Yan had taken all night and found her only the next day.
• Su Qiao warned Duanmu Yuan not to enter Su Yan’s room again and told him to sit farther away from her.
• When Duanmu Yuan asked why she let Duanmu Han sit near her, Su Qiao said she liked his looks.
• Duanmu Han poured tea for Su Qiao, who explained that her father allowed her to spend time with people she liked.
• Duanmu Han praised General Su’s way of educating Su Qiao, and Su Qiao proudly agreed.

Duanmu Han praised General Su’s advice to Su Qiao and offered to protect her from ill-intentioned men, while Duanmu Yuan secretly dismissed her as an idiot and tried to learn whether she knew anything about her missing father. Su Qiao rejected Duanmu Yuan, and Duanmu Han cleaned her hands.

• Duanmu Han asked Su Qiao what General Su had taught her, and she described his warnings about men who coveted her beauty.
• Duanmu Han praised General Su’s foresight and offered to teach any lecher a lesson on Su Qiao’s behalf.
• Duanmu Yuan complimented Su Qiao’s beauty while privately thinking that her intelligence made her unsuitable to be Empress.
• Duanmu Yuan asked Su Qiao whether she missed her father, and she said General Su had told her he would return soon.
• Duanmu Yuan concluded that Su Qiao did not know about the Tiger Seal, then Su Qiao angrily told him to leave.
• Duanmu Han caught Su Qiao by the arm and wiped her greasy hands with a handkerchief.

After driving Duanmu Yuan away, Su Qiao spent the day with Duanmu Han and learned that Su Yan had found the embroidered pouch hidden in her room. Su Qiao agreed to let Duanmu Han search for the medicinal ingredients and decided to join him at the upcoming autumn hunt.

• Duanmu Yuan claimed he was worried about Duanmu Han, then left after Su Qiao rebuffed him.
• Su Qiao finished eating with Duanmu Han, and he took her to the outskirts before they headed back.
• 444 told Su Qiao that Su Yan had found the embroidered pouch hidden beneath her dressing table.
• Duanmu Han offered to search for the medicinal ingredients so Su Qiao would not have to travel to the Northern Frontier, and she agreed.
• Su Qiao asked about the autumn hunt, and Duanmu Han agreed to take her.

Su Qiao agreed to disguise herself as Duanmu Han’s personal page as they traveled back toward the city. Their carriage was ambushed, and as fighting broke out, Su Qiao prepared to respond while Duanmu Han stayed calm beside her.

• Duanmu Han asked Su Qiao to disguise herself as his personal page, and she agreed.
• Chun Hua argued with Shi Bei and vowed to protect Su Qiao from Duanmu Han.
• Shi Bei detected danger and summoned his men as Green-clothed attackers emerged from the forest and surrounded the carriage.
• Chun Hua jumped down with her whip to guard the carriage, while Su Qiao looked outside and Duanmu Han asked whether she was afraid.
• Su Qiao pulled her hand free and began undoing the embroidered pouch at her waist as the fighting continued.

Su Qiao used poison to defeat the Green-clothed attackers, impressing Duanmu Han with her skill and resolve. After Duanmu Han praised her, Chun Hua began reminding Su Qiao of what General Su had said.

• Shi Bei tried to lead Duanmu Han and Su Qiao away as more Green-clothed men charged toward them.
• Su Qiao threw medicinal powder among the attackers and had Chun Hua use Internal Energy to scatter more packets while Su Qiao launched peanut candies at them.
• Shi Bei's subordinates finished off the remaining attackers after the poison incapacitated most of them.
• Shi Bei and Duanmu Han were surprised by Su Qiao's calm decisiveness, and Duanmu Han pulled her into his arms and praised her.
• Su Qiao boasted that she could protect Duanmu Han, and Chun Hua began to remind her of General Su's words.

Su Qiao showed Chun Hua that she liked Duanmu Han, then used her homemade Bone-Dissolving Water to dispose of a corpse. The chapter left Chun Hua and the watching guards horrified by Su Qiao’s terrifying new skill.

• Chun Hua warned Su Qiao that she should not cuddle with Duanmu Han, but Su Qiao said she liked him and pulled him close.
• Chun Hua reminded Su Qiao that her father would be furious, so Su Qiao pushed Duanmu Han away and warned him not to get too close.
• Duanmu Han ordered Shi Bei to dispose of the corpse and told him to take the bottle Su Qiao offered.
• Su Qiao explained that the bottle contained her experimental Bone-Dissolving Water, and Duanmu Han offered to find the ingredients she needed.
• Shi Bei poured one drop on the corpse, which dissolved along with its clothes into a puddle of black liquid.
• Chun Hua asked who had taught Su Qiao to make the potion, and Su Qiao said she had learned it from a manual she took from her master.

Su Qiao explained that she had studied poisons for fun, while Duanmu Han tried to limit which poisons she could carry. After Shi Bei and his men saw her dissolve dozens of corpses, they became convinced General Su was alive and feared Su Qiao.

• Su Qiao told Chun Hua that her pouches held medicines and candy, with only two small pouches containing poison.
• Duanmu Han ordered Su Qiao not to carry poison, but eventually allowed her to carry powders or pills and forbade liquids.
• Shi Bei and his subordinates watched dozens of corpses dissolve into black water and stopped underestimating Su Qiao.
• Shi Bei decided his Family Head should keep even farther away from Su Qiao, while Chun Hua finally felt reassured.

After his assassins failed, Duanmu Yuan suspected Duanmu Han was hiding his strength and feared Su Qiao might become his consort. Su Qiao and Su Yan traveled with the emperor to the northern frontier for an early autumn hunt, where Duanmu Han continued sending Su Qiao gifts.

• Duanmu Yuan learned his men had failed to kill Duanmu Han or Su Qiao and punished a subordinate.
• Duanmu Yuan wondered whether Duanmu Han planned to compete for the throne despite his frail health.
• After Su Ruifeng disappeared and northern tribes began stirring, the emperor moved the autumn hunt to the northern frontier and ordered Su Qiao and Su Yan to accompany him.
• Su Qiao traveled openly with Su Yan and noticed her sister’s smug glances while acting carefree.
• Duanmu Han sent Su Qiao food, amusements, and northern clothing and accessories through Shi Bei.
• Su Yan envied Duanmu Han’s attention to Su Qiao and regretted that Duanmu Yuan had distanced himself from her.

Su Qiao suspected Su Yan was about to seek out Duanmu Yuan, while Duanmu Han secretly visited her tent and complained that she had not thought of him. After learning Su Yan had gone to Duanmu Yuan's tent, Su Qiao prepared to act and took Duanmu Han with her.

• Su Yan rejected Su Qiao's offer and left, privately believing she would soon become Empress.
• Su Qiao asked 444 to watch Su Yan in case she went to Duanmu Yuan that night.
• Duanmu Han sneaked into Su Qiao's tent and pretended his chest hurt so she would show concern for him.
• Su Qiao explained that she had been researching a cure for Duanmu Han's poison and planned to test a modified formula.
• 444 told Su Qiao that Su Yan had gone to Duanmu Yuan's tent, and Su Qiao got up and brought Duanmu Han along to act.

Su Yan gave Duanmu Yuan the Tiger Seal and persuaded him that it had been entrusted to her by her father, Su Ruifeng. Duanmu Yuan embraced his hopes of seizing the throne and grew intimate with Su Yan, until a snake appeared above them in the tent.

• Su Yan gave Duanmu Yuan the Tiger Seal and explained that her father had left it with her.
• Duanmu Yuan accepted her story, believed Su Ruifeng was likely dead, and saw the Tiger Vanguard Army as a path to the throne.
• Su Yan feigned grief over her father's disappearance and worried aloud about the future of the General's Estate.
• Duanmu Yuan comforted Su Yan and embraced her, and the two became intimate.
• A snakehead dangled from the tent's crossbeam while Su Yan and Duanmu Yuan were together.

Su Yan fainted after snakes flooded the room where she and Duanmu Yuan were together, while Su Qiao waited for a chance to make her move. Duanmu Han revealed his murderous obsession with Su Qiao, who warned him not to harm Chun Hua before he bit and kissed her.

• Su Yan spotted snakes surrounding her and Duanmu Yuan, screamed, and fainted as he called for help.
• Su Qiao told 444 to wait before making a move while Duanmu Han lay down and pulled her beside him.
• Duanmu Han suggested driving Chun Hua away and admitted he might kill anyone who kept him from Su Qiao.
• Su Qiao told Duanmu Han not to harm Chun Hua because the maid had once saved her life.
• Duanmu Han demanded to know whether Su Qiao cared about him, then bit her chin and kissed her.

Su Qiao teased Duanmu Han before leaving to check on Su Yan, while Duanmu Han secretly ordered Shi Bei to protect her. As Su Yan lay unconscious and dreaming in her tent, Su Qiao asked 444 whether it could separate the space around her.

• Duanmu Han teased Su Qiao, then reassured her that he wanted her lively and safe rather than to consume her.
• Su Qiao left to work, warning Duanmu Han to stay inside because there were snakes outside.
• After Su Qiao departed, Duanmu Han ordered Shi Bei to follow and protect her.
• Su Qiao learned that Su Yan had been sent to her tent and remained unconscious while the Second Prince’s people dealt with the snakes.
• Su Qiao asked 444 whether it could separate the space around Su Yan, and 444 said it should be able to.