Recaps

Shen Tang discovered her Literary Heart and traveled with Qi Shan while learning about Xin Country’s destruction and Zheng Qiao’s rule. After helping free the Censor-in-Chief and hearing of the Shen Clan’s extermination, she chose to accompany Qi Shan to Xiaocheng, where he planned to collect an old debt.

• Shen Tang escaped the prisoner convoy, killed an official, and awakened her Literary Heart during a fight with the head bailiff before Qi Shan intervened.
• Qi Shan taught Shen Tang to form a Literary Heart Sigil, conceal her rank, and use Word Spirits, while she discovered that “Quench Thirst by Thinking of Plums” could create real plums.
• At a village estate, Shen Tang and Qi Shan fought attackers and found eleven bodies, while A Yan and his wounded teacher escaped toward Xiaocheng.
• Qi Shan explained how Zheng Qiao had returned with the Gong Clan’s support, helped conquer Xin Country, and humiliated its former ruler and Princess after the National Seal vanished.
• Shen Tang poisoned Geng soldiers who had bullied a teahouse couple, then helped defeat the guards and free the prisoners, including the Censor-in-Chief.
• The Censor-in-Chief told Qi Shan that a man who had helped Zheng Qiao seize Xin’s fortresses was now governor of Sibao Prefecture, while Tian Zhong told Shen Tang that Zheng Qiao had ordered the Shen Clan exterminated.
• Shen Tang agreed to travel to Xiaocheng with Qi Shan, who planned to collect an old debt, and they parted at dawn from Tian Zhong and Tian Shouyi.

Shen Tang and Qi Shan reached Xiaocheng, where an illustration commission drew them into an encrypted military formation and brought Shen Tang into contact with Gong Cheng. Shen Tang bought Chu Yao's freedom, learned about his stolen Literary Heart and mysterious prescription, and decided to focus on earning money.

• Shen Tang and Qi Shan reached Xiaocheng and found prosperity inside its walls despite the famine and devastation outside.
• Shen Tang overpowered three traffickers who tried to sell her to the Moonlit Pavilion and later told Qi Shan they were likely already dead.
• Shen Tang accepted an erotic portrait commission through Zhengguang Bookstore, and Qi Shan offered to paint the works after seeing her drawings.
• Qi Shan discovered an encrypted military formation on the supplied paper, and neither he nor Shen Tang managed to break it.
• Shen Tang delivered Qi Shan's paintings and met Gong Cheng, who recognized her as his wife's brother and explained the failed conspiracy against Zheng Qiao that had destroyed their clans.
• Shen Tang bought Old Chu's contract for three taels and promised to free him after he tutored her, while the courtesan ordered Mr. Gu to watch her and kill her if she posed a threat.
• Chu Yao revealed that his teacher had forced him to exchange his Literary Heart for the Crown Prince's inferior one and explained the dream prescription behind his wait for three taels.
• Chu Yao warned Shen Tang about the mind-reading scholar's Heart Peeking Word Spirit, and Shen Tang decided to earn money by buying wine jars wholesale.

Shen Tang’s wine-selling venture drew her into a battle with armed soldiers and a mystery about her past, while her companions faced dangerous revelations of their own. Qi Shan’s Master-Slaying weakness and Weng Zhi’s plan to claim the Northern Desert throne left the group awaiting an uncertain opportunity.

• Shen Tang used her Literary Heart to make wine, met Zhai Le, and learned from Qi Shan and Chu Yao that rumors of unrest threatened Xiaocheng.
• Drunk and convinced a thief had stolen her treasure, Shen Tang led Zhai Le into the mountains, where they fought soldiers alongside Qi Shan and rescued Gongshu Wu.
• The group brought Gongshu Wu back to Xiaocheng in disguise, while Shen Tang resumed selling wine and met Mr. Gu at Yaoling Pavilion.
• Mr. Gu accused Shen Tang of being Madam Shen, and questioning a banished dancer revealed that Madam Shen had disappeared before her wedding and a strange coffin had arrived at the Shen residence.
• Qi Shan identified Mr. Gu as Gu Chi and explained his Master-Slaying Way of the Scholar, then collapsed after Chu Yao revealed Zheng Qiao’s abuse of the Xin princess.
• Qi Shan recovered enough to explain that Master-Slaying punished him when his sworn masters broke their promises, while Weng Zhi asked Gong Cheng to help him claim the Northern Desert throne.
• Shen Tang defeated Zhai Le in a sword spar and competed with him at moving rocks, then Qi Shan suggested the Zhai cousins might have been testing whether they could recruit them.
• Qi Shan reminded Shen Tang of the military power she had overcome and said an opportunity was coming, leaving her wary that it might be a trap.

Shen Tang and her companions planned to seize Sibao Prefecture’s tax silver, but her fight against local criminals led her into the mountains, where she rescued Lin Feng and uncovered a massacre linked to Zheng Qiao’s rule. The arc ended with Gongshu Wu revealing his identity to the captured bandits as reports suggested Zheng Qiao’s control was unraveling.

• Qi Shan proposed robbing Sibao Prefecture’s tax silver to undermine the prefect and help their group and the commoners, and Shen Tang, Chu Yao, and Gongshu Wu began planning the ambush.
• Gu Chi and Qi Shan met at the Prefectural Government, while a former Seat Master arrived with A Yan and warned the boy to avoid his senior brothers, including Qi Shan.
• When thugs attacked Shen Tang’s wine stall, she and Zhai Le fought them and learned that their gang extorted merchants, trafficked people, and abused debtors.
• Shen Tang and Zhai Le took the surviving thugs toward their den, encountered guards plotting to rob the Lin Family, and killed the guards after discovering that Lin Feng had hidden in a chest.
• Shen Tang named the orphan Lin Feng, gathered the family’s belongings, and prepared for the bandits to attack their camp.
• Shen Tang and Zhai Le defeated the approaching bandits, then Gongshu Wu, Qi Shan, and Chu Yao arrived and recognized the wounded leader as a former official who had escorted the Gong Clan.
• The bandit chief explained that a subordinate had massacred villagers and falsely reported success under Zheng Qiao’s suppression order, and that the killings had led him and several constables to become bandits.
• Lin Feng repeated a folk song and rumors of renewed fighting, while Gongshu Wu revealed his name as Gong Wen, Gong Yili, and the surviving constables recognized his surname.