Chapter Summaries

Li Hao teased Lin Shiyin through the night, then learned that Duan Yu had made several attempts to kill himself after the previous evening. The next morning, Li Hao prepared to visit his maternal aunt, while joking with A Zhu and A Bi about Duan Yu's strange behavior.

• Li Hao teased Lin Shiyin about her embroidered undergarments, and Ning Zhongze complained that they were keeping everyone awake.
• Li Hao woke around ten and learned that Ning Zhongze and the others had gone shopping in Gusu City with Deng Baichuan.
• A Zhu and A Bi told Li Hao that the chief steward had sent them to take him to visit his maternal aunt.
• Li Hao asked about Duan Yu and learned that Duan Yu had repeatedly tried to kill himself before limping away.
• Li Hao joked that Deng Baichuan might have done something to Duan Yu, leaving A Zhu and A Bi bashful.

Li Hao traveled by boat to Mantuo Mountain Villa with A Zhu and A Bi, teasing and flirting with both women along the way. At the villa’s dock, Old Nanny Hei greeted them, and Li Hao learned she was kind to the Murong household because of her affection for its old steward.

• Li Hao lounged aboard a luxurious boat on Taihu Lake while A Zhu and A Bi attended to him and he kissed them during their playful banter.
• A Bi explained that she and A Zhu had sometimes been punished by Madam Wang when they delivered messages to their cousin, and Li Hao promised to retaliate on their behalf.
• A group of armed women stopped the boat as it neared Mantuo Mountain Villa, and A Bi identified herself and announced that she was bringing the Murong Family's second young master to visit Madam Wang.
• A Zhu told Li Hao that Old Nanny Hei was kind to people connected to Canhe Manor because she had once loved the old steward, and she explained that poison had changed Hei's appearance.
• A Zhu went ashore after Li Hao caught and steadied her, while Li Hao offered to carry the seasick A Bi to the dock.

Li Hao arrived at Mantuo Mountain Villa with A Zhu and A Bi, where he met Wang Yuyan and then paid his respects to Li Qingluo. The chapter ended with Li Qingluo praising Li Hao’s boldness and comparing him favorably with Murong Fu.

• Li Hao caught A Bi as she tried to flee, greeted Old Nanny Hei, and gave her a bottle of Hundred Herb Pills.
• Li Hao teased A Zhu and A Bi before Wang Yuyan ran up and hugged him, mistaking him for her cousin.
• Wang Yuyan realized Li Hao was not Murong Fu, but he kept hold of her until Old Nanny Hei reminded him that Li Qingluo was waiting inside.
• Li Hao entered the hall and introduced himself to Li Qingluo, who recognized his resemblance to Murong Fu and praised him as bolder than Murong Fu.

Li Hao tried to impress Li Qingluo by criticizing Murong Fu, but accidentally drank from her teacup and provoked her anger at a maid named Duan. When Li Qingluo ordered the maid killed, Li Hao defended her and threatened Li Qingluo with hidden ox-hair needles.

• Li Hao praised ruthless rule and criticized Murong Fu for lacking practical plans and resources.
• Li Hao accidentally drank Li Qingluo's tea, and the maid A Bi identified as Duan was blamed for the mistake.
• Li Qingluo ordered Granny Bai to take Duan away and chop her up for flower fertilizer.
• Li Hao pleaded for Duan and argued that arbitrary killing would make subjects fear rather than obey their ruler.
• Li Qingluo threatened to kill Li Hao, who warned her that startling him could be dangerous and revealed ox-hair needles in his hand.

Li Hao confronted an armored leader who attacked Mantuo Mountain Villa and threatened Li Qingluo and her daughter. After recognizing the leader’s likely scheme against the empress, Li Hao stepped forward to fight him and used his reputation to frame the encounter as a rescue.

• Li Qingluo ordered Old Nanny Hei to expel a maid, but an armored leader spoke to her from afar and offered to spare her if she became his woman.
• The leader’s men stormed the hall, killed the villa’s warriors, and surrounded Li Qingluo while Old Nanny Hei and Granny Bai fought back.
• Li Hao reassured A Zhu, A Bi, and Wang Yuyan, then guessed that the leader meant to kidnap Li Qingluo to threaten the empress.
• The armored leader threatened Li Hao, who introduced himself as the All-Knowing Scholar and warned him to go out around noon.
• Li Hao sent the three women behind Li Qingluo and fired gold needles, forcing the peak Grandmaster leader to retreat.
• Li Hao argued that he could portray the armored leader as a villain and himself as the hero who rescued his aunt.

Li Hao persuaded Helian Tieshu and the Western Xia First-Rank Hall to end their fight and leave Mantuo Mountain Villa, while Li Qingluo grew more determined to protect Wang Yuyan from him. After dinner, Li Qingluo ordered Granny Bai to take Li Hao to the secret chamber in her room, a place no one was known to leave alive.

• A Zhu told A Bi that Yi Lin had once been a nun, Lin Shiyin had been Long Xiaoyun’s wife, and Ning Zhongze might be Yue Buqun’s wife, while Li Qingluo listened and worried about Li Hao pursuing Wang Yuyan.
• Li Hao identified the armored man as Helian Tieshu of the Western Xia First-Rank Hall and proposed an alliance between their factions.
• Helian Tieshu agreed to cooperate with Li Hao and left Mantuo Mountain Villa with his men.
• Li Qingluo ordered the villa’s warriors to clean up and host a meal, then had the Murong Family boat sent back so Li Hao and the others would stay the night.
• After dinner, Li Qingluo sent A Zhu, A Bi, and Wang Yuyan to their bedrooms and ordered Granny Bai to take Li Hao to the secret chamber in her room.

Li Hao escaped Li Qingluo’s restraints and overpowered her in the secret chamber. He offered to help her take revenge on Duan Zhengchun, and her desire for revenge weakened her resolve to die.

• Li Qingluo sent Granny Bai outside and woke the bound Li Hao in the soundproof chamber.
• Li Hao taunted Li Qingluo, who threatened him with a boning knife.
• Li Hao broke free using sword energy and sealed Li Qingluo’s acupoints with the Sunflower Acupuncture Hand.
• Li Hao used Sleight of Hand to take Li Qingluo’s embroidered undergarment, and she tried to bite off her tongue.
• Li Hao promised to kill Duan Zhengchun and help Li Qingluo take revenge, weakening her will to die.

Li Hao used his new instant camera to photograph Li Qingluo, then threatened to expose the pictures unless she stayed by his side, and she reluctantly agreed. The next morning, Wang Yuyan, A Zhu, and A Bi woke with headaches and realized they might have been tricked, while Wang Yuyan feared her mother had killed her cousin.

• The system rewarded Li Hao for collecting Li Qingluo with an instant camera, and he used it to take revealing photographs of her.
• Li Qingluo woke, saw the photograph, and became distraught when Li Hao threatened to spread the pictures if she resisted him.
• Li Qingluo promised to obey Li Hao and lay beside him as he reassured her he would keep the pictures private.
• A Zhu, A Bi, and Wang Yuyan woke in Wang Yuyan's bed with headaches and could not remember what had happened after dinner.
• Wang Yuyan realized they had likely been tricked and worried that her mother had killed her cousin.

Li Hao emerged unharmed from the secret chamber, and Li Qingluo agreed to Wang Yuyan’s marriage to him after their night together. The chapter ended with Wang Yuyan learning she was engaged despite her feelings for Murong Fu.

• A Zhu and A Bi tried to leave their room to find Li Qingluo, but Granny Bai arrived and told them Li Hao was safe and having breakfast.
• Li Hao ate breakfast while Li Qingluo supported him and fussed over him, shocking Wang Yuyan, A Zhu, and A Bi when they entered.
• A Bi checked Li Hao for injuries, and he scolded the women for getting drunk the previous night.
• Li Hao claimed that Li Qingluo had agreed to Wang Yuyan’s marriage and would give Mantuo Mountain Villa’s property as her dowry.
• Li Qingluo confirmed that Wang Yuyan was engaged to Li Hao and said they would choose an auspicious wedding date.

Li Hao forced Wang Yuyan to accept a marriage with him and brought her, A Zhu, and A Bi back to Canhe Manor. The system began upgrading after rewarding him for collecting A Zhu and completing ten main quests, and Deng Baichuan met them at the dock with a large group of men.

• Li Hao and Li Qingluo persuaded Wang Yuyan that she had to marry Li Hao, and she gave up on Murong Fu and left Mantuo Mountain Villa with them.
• Li Qingluo refused to accompany them, so Li Hao departed with Wang Yuyan, A Zhu, A Bi, and an embroidered piece of silk.
• The system rewarded Li Hao for collecting A Zhu and completing ten main quests, then began a twelve-hour upgrade.
• On the ship, Li Hao found A Zhu and A Bi's missing undergarments and denied seeing them while the women prepared to disembark.
• Deng Baichuan met Li Hao at the dock with a large group of men, while Wang Yuyan and the limping A Zhu and A Bi joined them.