Chapter Summaries

Su Qiao stole Su Yan’s bracelet after 444 severed its connection to her, then bound the bracelet to herself and chose to exchange it for a Spatial Grid. The chapter left Su Qiao and Duanmu Han sharing a bed in her tent after he said his own tent was dangerously close to the woods.

• Su Qiao entered Su Yan’s tent while she had a nightmare, and 444 severed Su Yan’s connection to the bracelet.
• Su Qiao removed the bracelet and learned from 444 that it could be exchanged for 100,000 Points or a soul-bound Spatial Grid.
• Su Qiao chose the Spatial Grid and used her blood to bind the bracelet to herself, making it invisible on her wrist.
• Duanmu Han asked Su Qiao if everything had gone well, then pulled her into bed and covered her with a quilt.
• Duanmu Han said his tent was closest to the woods and that he feared a wild beast might attack him, angering Su Qiao.

Su Qiao spent the night with Duanmu Han, while Su Yan woke after the snake incident and was summoned before Consort Yun. Consort Yun arranged for Su Yan to become Duanmu Yuan’s concubine, leaving Su Yan stunned.

• Duanmu Han pulled Su Qiao into his arms, and she told him to sleep without worrying.
• Su Yan woke under a physician’s care as the camp learned she had slept with Duanmu Yuan; the Emperor summoned and reprimanded him.
• Consort Yun made Su Yan wait outside her tent before questioning her about the kidnapping and her relationship with Duanmu Yuan.
• Consort Yun insulted Su Yan and declared that her son would take her in as a concubine.
• Su Yan froze at Consort Yun’s decision.

Su Yan was rejected by Consort Yun after Duanmu Yuan was confined, and she struggled to accept the collapse of her plans. She renewed her resolve to become Empress, but discovered she could no longer enter her space.

• Su Yan realized Duanmu Yuan had never promised to marry her and that her attempt to secure his affection with the Tiger Seal had failed.
• Consort Yun blamed Su Yan for her son's confinement, threw tea at her, and ordered her out of the tent.
• Su Yan returned to her tent, wondered why events had gone against her despite believing she was the Female Lead, and resolved to keep fighting for victory.
• Su Yan tried to enter her space to wash with the Spirit Spring, but found she could no longer access it.

Su Yan discovered that her Spatial Bracelet and Spirit Spring were gone, while Duanmu Yuan learned that the Tiger Seal she had given him was fake. He turned against her, leaving Su Yan stunned as he demanded to know where she had gotten it.

• Su Yan searched her tent for her missing Spatial Bracelet and Spirit Spring, then collapsed in despair when she could not find them.
• Duanmu Yuan’s adviser suggested the real Tiger Seal was probably still with Eldest Miss Su and advised him that she might be easy to control.
• Su Yan went to Duanmu Yuan’s tent after changing clothes, but he slapped her and accused her of deceiving him with a fake Tiger Seal.
• Su Yan insisted she had given him the real Tiger Seal, and Duanmu Yuan hurled the token at her and demanded to know where it had come from.

Su Yan admitted that she had found the Tiger Seal in Su Qiao’s room, and Duanmu Yuan dismissed her. Su Qiao used Spirit Spring water to cleanse her body, shared some with Chun Hua, and went to Duanmu Han’s tent, where he welcomed her.

• Duanmu Yuan confronted Su Yan about the Tiger Seal, and she confessed that she had found it in Su Qiao’s room.
• Su Yan blamed Su Qiao, but Duanmu Yuan lost patience and ordered guards to escort her away.
• Su Qiao drank Spirit Spring water, experienced its cleansing effects, and concluded that it could improve cultivation but had to be used carefully.
• Su Qiao gave Chun Hua Spirit Spring water and warned her about the cleansing effects.
• Su Qiao visited Duanmu Han with a kettle of water, and he happily welcomed her into his larger tent.

Su Qiao gave Duanmu Han and Shi Bei Spirit Spring water to help remove the poison from their bodies. Duanmu Han hurried off to use the privy and bathe, while Su Qiao wondered how Su Yan was faring after Consort Yun humiliated her and gave her a concubine’s position.

• Su Qiao poured Spirit Spring water for Duanmu Han and Shi Bei, and both drank it.
• Duanmu Han happily accepted Su Qiao calling him “A-Han” and leaned toward her.
• Duanmu Han’s skin became covered in grime, and Su Qiao explained that the Spirit Spring was reacting to the poison in his body.
• Duanmu Han developed stomach cramps and rushed out of the tent to use the privy, followed by Shi Bei.
• Su Qiao laughed at Duanmu Han’s embarrassment and thought about Su Yan’s situation after Consort Yun humiliated her and made her a concubine.

Su Qiao warned that Duanmu Yuan suspected the Tiger Seal might be with her, while Duanmu Han’s physician discovered that the medicine she gave him had weakened his poison and strengthened his body. The chapter ended with Duanmu Han bringing Su Qiao a plate of pig’s trotters.

• Su Qiao learned that Duanmu Yuan had discovered the Tiger Seal was fake and had been advised that it might be with her.
• The physician found that Duanmu Han’s poison had been partly neutralized and his physical foundation had improved.
• Duanmu Han warned Shi Bei not to upset Su Qiao again and complained that Shi Bei stank.
• Su Qiao gave Duanmu Han a jug of medicinal water and told him to drink one cup each morning and evening.
• Duanmu Han brought out a plate of pig’s trotters, and Su Qiao asked if they were for her.

Su Qiao and Duanmu Han shared roasted boar and went horseback riding, but their outing was interrupted by Duanmu Ting, the First Prince, who insulted Duanmu Han and stared lewdly at Su Qiao. Su Qiao rebuked him, prompting his guard to step forward.

• Duanmu Han offered Su Qiao roasted boar trotters and imagined caring for her when they were old.
• Su Qiao suggested horseback riding, and Duanmu Han agreed and had horses brought over.
• Su Qiao and Duanmu Han rode out together, with Su Qiao showing she already knew how to ride.
• Duanmu Ting and his group approached, and he mocked Duanmu Han before leering at Su Qiao.
• Duanmu Han blocked Duanmu Ting from viewing Su Qiao and addressed him as Eldest Imperial Brother.
• Su Qiao asked who Duanmu Ting was and said he was disturbing her ride, so his guard stepped forward to rebuke her.

Su Qiao rode against Duanmu Han and openly criticized the palace’s lax rules before racing him across the grassland. After she won, Duanmu Han asked her to make him roasted chicken and confessed that he wished they could wander the world together.

• Su Qiao scolded Duanmu Ting and the palace officials for failing to enforce proper etiquette, then invited Duanmu Han to race her.
• Duanmu Ting watched Su Qiao ride away and took an interest in her beauty and fiery temperament.
• Su Qiao won the race, while Duanmu Han admitted he had deliberately held back.
• Duanmu Han recalled the sour peach Su Qiao had once given him and asked her to make him roasted chicken to repay him.
• Duanmu Han said he wished he could leave everything behind and wander the world with Su Qiao.

Duanmu Han told Su Qiao why he had to fight for the throne, and she offered to help him kill his enemies. After returning to camp, Su Yan became convinced Su Qiao had disrupted her plans and rushed out of her tent.

• Duanmu Han explained that Duanmu Ting and Duanmu Yuan would kill him if they took the throne, while the Emperor ignored the abuse he suffered in the palace.
• Su Qiao revealed she had prepared poison and offered to kill the Emperor and princes before they could harm Duanmu Han.
• Duanmu Han refused to let Su Qiao stain her hands with blood, and Su Qiao told him to get rid of his brothers before they caused more trouble.
• Duanmu Han agreed with Su Qiao, and they headed back so she could roast him chicken.
• Su Yan concluded that Su Qiao had disrupted her plans and ran out of her tent as her maids hurried after her.

Su Qiao frightened Su Yan by claiming she would have a Taoist priest exorcise her, but Su Yan resolved to kill her. When Su Qiao disappeared in the woods while gathering medicine, Duanmu Han rushed to find her.

• Su Qiao accused Su Yan of taking over her body and threatened to have a Taoist priest exorcise her.
• Su Yan was terrified for a day and night, then decided Su Qiao had to die before she could reveal the truth.
• Shi Bei told Duanmu Han that Su Qiao had gone into the woods about an hour earlier and had not returned.
• Duanmu Han hurried out to search for Su Qiao, and Chun Hua anxiously approached him for help.
• Duanmu Han sharply questioned Chun Hua about letting Su Qiao enter the woods alone.

Su Qiao fled through the woods on a drugged, rampaging horse while Duanmu Ting pursued her and wild beasts attacked them. Duanmu Han led a separate search party after Su Qiao failed to send a signal, while Su Qiao continued cutting down anything in her path.

• Duanmu Han sent Shi Bei to contact Su Qiao, then rode into the woods with search parties after receiving no reply to the signal flare.
• Su Qiao realized her horse had been drugged and suspected Su Yan was behind it.
• Duanmu Ting arrived with men and pursued Su Qiao through the woods despite warnings about the wild beasts.
• Su Qiao scattered powder along her route, drawing animals into attacks on Duanmu Ting and his guards.
• Su Qiao used Old Man Su's sword to kill or drive away beasts that blocked her horse's path.

Su Qiao escaped the beasts around Duanmu Ting and searched for herbs, then headed back through the forest with two guards. When a wolf pack blocked their way, she drew her sword to fight, leaving the guards alarmed.

• Duanmu Ting ordered his men to retreat, but a tiger and other beasts overwhelmed them before they could escape.
• Su Qiao jumped off her horse, found herbs, and agreed to return with a guard while avoiding the direction of Duanmu Ting’s battle.
• Su Qiao kept pace with the guard as they traveled through the forest, impressing both guards with her stamina.
• 444 warned Su Qiao that wolves were approaching, so she led the group left, away from Duanmu Ting.
• Su Qiao and the guards were surrounded by the wolf pack, and she drew her sword to meet the first wolf as the guards urged her not to act recklessly.

Su Qiao and two hidden guards fought off a relentless wolf pack until Duanmu Han arrived with reinforcements. After the wolves fled, Duanmu Han scolded Su Qiao and checked her for injuries, and she explained how she had ended up in the forest.

• Su Qiao fought the wolves alongside the hidden guards and protected them as the pack kept growing.
• One hidden guard fired a Signal Flare, and Duanmu Han rode over after seeing it nearby.
• Duanmu Han joined the fight, and his arriving guards helped drive the remaining wolves away.
• Duanmu Han pulled Su Qiao into his arms, scolded her for entering the forest, and checked her for injuries.
• Su Qiao told Duanmu Han that her horse had gone berserk and the First Prince had chased her into the forest.

Duanmu Han found Su Qiao after she gathered herbs and insisted she promise not to go anywhere alone, while she reassured him and showed him the plants that could cure his poison. After they returned to camp, Su Yan learned Su Qiao had survived and was disturbed by reports that she was bloodied and veiled.

• Duanmu Han wiped blood from Su Qiao’s face, demanded that she tell him before going anywhere, and made her promise not to venture out alone.
• Su Qiao showed Duanmu Han the medicinal herbs she had found to cure his poison, but he said he would rather remain poisoned than risk her getting hurt.
• Duanmu Han carried Su Qiao back to camp on horseback, where Chun Hua tearfully scolded her.
• Su Yan froze when she heard Su Qiao had returned alive, then questioned the maid about Su Qiao being covered in blood and wearing a veil.

Su Qiao recovered after surviving the wolves, while Duanmu Yuan suspected she might possess the Tiger Seal. The Emperor summoned her to his main tent, where Consort Yun was arguing with her son about a proposal.

• Su Yan decided Su Qiao still had to die to keep her secrets safe.
• Duanmu Yuan heard that Su Qiao had survived the wolves with help from two skilled men and wondered whether she possessed the Tiger Seal.
• Duanmu Yuan learned that the First Prince had been badly injured by a tiger and ordered his subordinate to keep watch.
• Su Qiao rested after returning to her tent, then left with Eunuch Liu when the Emperor summoned her.
• At the Emperor's main tent, Consort Yun objected angrily to her son's proposal, and the Emperor asked her why.

Su Qiao met the Emperor, who treated her warmly and let her eat pastries while the court discussed whether she should marry during mourning for her father. The Emperor asked whether she wanted to keep eating palace food forever, leaving his intent unclear.

• The Imperial Concubine argued that Su Qiao should observe three years of mourning before marrying, and the Emperor agreed she had a point.
• Su Qiao arrived and greeted the Emperor casually, surprising the court with her boldness.
• The Emperor remarked that Su Qiao resembled her mother, then allowed her to sit and eat pastries.
• Su Qiao asked Eunuch Liu for water, and the Emperor ordered him to bring it.
• The Emperor asked Su Qiao whether she wanted to keep eating food from the Imperial Palace forever.

At a palace gathering, the emperor asked Su Qiao whether she wanted to marry Duanmu Yuan, but she rejected him by bluntly explaining that they were biological cousins. Consort Yun grew furious at Su Qiao’s words, while Su Qiao openly challenged her.

• Consort Yun objected to Su Qiao entering the palace, but Su Qiao said she would rather follow her father’s advice and stay free to go where she pleased.
• The emperor praised Su Qiao’s father and asked whether she wanted to marry Duanmu Yuan.
• Duanmu Yuan teased Su Qiao for not noticing him, but Su Qiao said they could not be together because they were biological cousins.
• Su Qiao claimed their children could be born as idiots or without limbs, stunning Duanmu Yuan and the emperor.
• Consort Yun slammed the table and scolded Su Qiao, who denied speaking improperly and asked why Consort Yun kept glaring at her.

Su Qiao explained that Su Yan had convinced her she and Duanmu Yuan could not marry because they were cousins, while the Old Emperor and Duanmu Yuan learned why she had distanced herself from him. The Old Emperor ended by asking whether Su Qiao liked his third son, A-Han.

• The Old Emperor reprimanded Consort Yun, then asked Su Qiao where she had learned that she and Duanmu Yuan were related.
• Su Qiao said Su Yan had warned her that marrying Duanmu Yuan could lead to children with disabilities, and she explained that she stopped visiting him because she believed they could not be together.
• Duanmu Yuan realized Su Yan had caused Su Qiao to lose interest in him and tried to convince her that cousins could marry.
• Su Qiao refused to believe Duanmu Yuan, said she had grown close to A-Han because he helped her return and call for help after Su Yan was kidnapped, and scolded Duanmu Yuan for forgetting.
• The Old Emperor asked Su Qiao whether she liked his third son.

Su Qiao told the Old Emperor how she had fought wolves after her horse ran wild, then returned to sleep, while the Emperor punished Duanmu Yuan over his involvement with Su Yan. Su Yan woke from her nap to learn that Su Qiao was unharmed and had caused further trouble.

• Su Qiao praised A-Han for treating her to roast chicken and duck, then told the Old Emperor she had killed wolves after her horse ran wild in the woods.
• The Old Emperor allowed Su Qiao to return to sleep and had Eunuch Liu escort her from the tent.
• After Su Qiao left, the Old Emperor confronted Duanmu Yuan about his relationship with Su Yan and ordered him to reflect in seclusion.
• Su Yan woke from her nap and was shocked when her maid reported that Su Qiao was fine and had done more than she expected.