Chapter Summaries

Shen Tang took the ancient woman through Huang Ting to experience human life, while the woman’s blessing caused gold to appear mysteriously for Luan Xin. Luan Xin departed on leave with his wife and student Yan Shu, and the journey began with another strange metal falling onto their carriage.

• Shen Tang took the woman around Huang Ting and persuaded her to taste human food, though the woman paid for snacks with gold and silver far beyond their value.
• Luan Xin told Shen Tang that goldfish-shaped gold bars had appeared beside his pillow, and Shen Tang explained that the woman’s blessing was likely responsible.
• Luan Xin finished arranging his two-year leave and set out with his wife and Yan Shu to visit his students and search for reclusive scholars.
• Yan Shu became motion sick on the jolting road and fell asleep in Luan Xin’s wife’s arms.
• A purplish-red metal shaped like two fish biting each other’s tails struck the carriage roof, leaving Luan Xin and his guards puzzled.

Luan Xin learned that the metals appearing near him could reveal unclaimed deposits, then continued his travels to visit his students and seek recluses who might help complete the Perfection Ritual. His visit to Xiang Zhao ended with Gongyang Yongye gaining a chance to earn merit from a local iron mine.

• Luan Xin reported the copper blocks that appeared in his bedding, and the woman explained that unclaimed copper nearby had triggered them while the earlier gold came from a treasury in the sky.
• Shen Tang told Luan Xin to enjoy his leave, and he continued sightseeing and visiting recluses with his wife and students.
• Luan Xin reunited with Miao Ne and learned that she had married Cui Xiong and was expecting a child so her dying mother could see her surrounded by family.
• Miao Ne and Yan Shu argued over their past lives and the guilt of the old Miao clan, while Miao Ne put Yan Shu to work and taught her.
• Luan Xin met Xiang Zhao and Gongyang Yongye, then offered Gongyang Yongye a chance to help with the iron mines near Laqu and earn merit.

Shen Tang approved Shen De’s request to join the Imperial Academy’s study tour to Ganzhou, while ordering her to handle official matters there. Meanwhile, the He family discovered their youngest daughter had run away after being confined, and Shen De found her with Gongxi Chou.

• Shen Tang rejected Ganzhou’s petition to rename a place after Gongxi Chou but agreed to draw an emblem combining his and Shaobai’s totems.
• Jimò Qiu relayed Shen De’s request to join the Imperial Academy’s study tour, and Shen Tang allowed her to go on the condition that she deal with several officials.
• Shen Tang’s investigation revealed that Shen De had sided with the He family’s children during a brawl at the Imperial Academy, and officials had impeached her and placed her under house arrest.
• He Shu and He Xin discussed taking six months’ leave to travel with their family after addressing the threat from their political enemies.
• The He family discovered their youngest daughter had left home with belongings and silver, and Shen De found her eating with Gongxi Chou.

After He Wu was caught trying to run away, her parents arranged for her to join the Imperial Academy's field trip to Ganzhou, where she could visit an elder her mother admired. The students endured a grueling march under Gongxi Chou, then reached Ganzhou and settled into a camp commanded by Lü Jue, with their plans to meet local scholars still undecided.

• He Wu's parents brought her home, and her mother persuaded her to join the Imperial Academy's field trip to Ganzhou.
• He Wu's mother sought Qi Shan's help contacting Yu Hai, hoping to explore whether she could open the painters' sacred hall.
• Gongxi Chou escorted the Imperial Academy students to Ganzhou and made them march while using their Word Spirits to coordinate.
• The exhausted students reached Ganzhou, where Lü Jue welcomed Shen De and gave the group seven days of free time.
• Xingning and the other students debated visiting local schools for an exchange, but Shen De and Xingning warned them against provoking the locals.

Wei Sheng broke up a fight between Imperial Academy students and Qiao Zi’s group, and Qiao Zi became curious about Xingning after noticing how much they resembled the dean of Mei Meng’s academy. Meanwhile, Lü Jue and Mei Meng continued their reunion, and the chapter revealed how Yan An’s sacrifice helped Zheng Qiao receive a new beginning as Sheng Song.

• Wei Sheng stopped the Imperial Academy students from escalating a teahouse brawl and learned that they had insulted Qiao Zi after mistaking him for a girl.
• Qiao Zi invited Wei Sheng, Xingning, and the others to eat, learned Xingning was called Xingning, and introduced himself as Zheng Qiao, courtesy name Sheng Song.
• Lü Jue heard about the brawl and stayed out of it, then reflected on his reunion with Mei Meng and wondered why Zheng Qiao had been a madman in his previous life.
• Mei Meng recalled helping Zheng Qiao choose a courtesy name and learned that his Literary Heart Sigil had instead inscribed Sheng Song.
• Shen Tang explained that Yan An had given up his memories of Zheng Qiao so his junior brother could escape the knot tied to his former courtesy name and begin again.
• Qi Cang called Lü Jue and the others to help serve the food while Mei Meng relaxed beside Lü Jue.

In the final days of Yanhuang’s sixteenth year, Lin Feng learned that Su Shi Yilu had returned to Huang Ting with a gravely ill woman, the mother of the son Lin Feng had killed. After hearing the woman’s grief and regret, Lin Feng arranged for Qi Miao to examine her at dawn.

• Lin Feng and Lu Ji discussed the aging Su Shi Yilu, who had secretly returned from Wu Province looking old and worn.
• Su Shi Yilu came to Lin Feng’s residence at night and brought her to his home, where his nephew was caring for a dying woman.
• Lin Feng recognized the woman as the mother of the boy she had killed, and the woman asked to speak with her privately.
• The woman described her struggle between grief for her son and compassion for the orphans she had come to care for, and told Lin Feng she could not forgive her as a mother.
• After the woman fell asleep, Lin Feng learned that many physicians had examined her and suspected they had overlooked her condition because none specialized in women’s medicine.
• Lin Feng gave Su Shi Yilu her token and told him to ask Qi Miao to examine the woman after dawn.

Qi Miao treated Su Shi Yilu’s beloved and explained the sacrifice needed to save her, while Qi Shan described why Kang tolerated Su Shi Yilu’s past. Afterward, Su Shi Yilu donated to Charity Hall, and his investigation into Su Shang’s longevity led Shen Tang to consider teaching him a secret technique as she tutored Bo Yuan for her approaching tribulation.

• Su Shi Yilu found Qi Miao at Charity Hall and asked her to save the woman he loved.
• Qi Miao diagnosed the woman’s severe illness and said removing her womb was the only treatment she could offer; Su Shi Yilu agreed, but Qi Miao insisted they ask the patient first.
• Qi Shan explained to Qi Miao that Kang’s officials overlooked Su Shi Yilu’s scandals because he had restrained the Ten Crows’ old clans and helped Wu Prefecture recover.
• Su Shi Yilu visited Qi Miao during the New Year, thanked her with an embroidered banner, and donated two-tenths of his family fortune to Charity Hall.
• Su Shi Yilu learned that Jimò Qiu knew a secret technique connected to Su Shang’s longevity, so he and the young man sought Shen Tang’s help.
• Shen Tang agreed to help while making Bo Yuan study for her coming tribulation, which required her to become a member of the human race.

After returning from two years of leave, Gu Chi reunited with Shen Tang, settled back into his household, and learned that Cui Xiao’s unfinished residence had burned down. Back at court, Gu Chi exposed a murder and cover-up involving Wu Xian’s son and daughter-in-law, leaving the Duke of Lu’s household facing disgrace and punishment.

• Shen Tang welcomed Gu Chi back, gave him a warm drink, and told him to resume work after his remaining leave.
• Gu Chi returned to his residence, rewarded the servants for keeping it in order, and learned that Cui Xiao’s house had burned down and could not yet be repaired.
• Gu Chi spent his first days back attending banquets, watching plays, and checking Yue Ke’s winter-break homework before hearing an old woman’s account of her daughter’s death.
• Gu Chi impeached Wu Xian for failing to keep his household in order and revealed that Wu Xian’s son had helped cover up his wife’s murder of a servant.
• Wu Xian’s son denied forcing the victim, but Gu Chi accused him of multiple crimes and pushed for both spouses to face severe punishment.

Chu Yao explained that Gu Chi was using Wu Xian’s family as a warning to enforce Kang’s laws against abuse of servants, then predicted that Gu Chi would target officials’ descendants. Gu Chi’s crackdown continued, and Shen Tang stopped an official who tried to assassinate him.

• Wei Shou, Qian Yong, Jin Rui, and Chu Yao discussed the executions in Wu Xian’s household and the unequal treatment of servants under the law.
• Chu Yao reasoned that Gu Chi had made Wu Xian’s family an example to encourage abused servants to bring lawsuits, and warned Wei Shou and Qian Yong to investigate their relatives.
• Within two months, Gu Chi executed around a dozen more people and caused one family to lose its noble status, provoking officials to denounce him.
• An official tried to stab Gu Chi, but Shen Tang caught the man and condemned his attempt to assassinate a fellow official.
• The arrested official accused Gu Chi of excessive punishment, while Gu Chi told Shen Tang that attempted murder counted as a crime and insisted that accusations required evidence.

Qin Li returned to Huang Ting and learned that Gu Chi’s crackdown had ensnared a subordinate’s family, whose son had embezzled school instructors’ wages. Qin Li suspected the case concealed a broader scheme and planned to silence the father, but Shen Tang summoned him and warned him not to risk himself before he confessed his crime.

• A military woman beat her son after discovering he had withheld public-school instructors’ wages and obstructed their attempts to seek justice.
• The woman found evidence that her husband had used their son’s stolen money to support several outside women and their families, then rounded them up.
• After Zhao Feng explained the case, Qin Li ordered the instructors’ wages repaid, sought exile for the son, and directed Zhao Feng to kill the husband because he suspected someone had used the son as a scapegoat.
• Qin Li went to meet Shen Tang on a boat on the Five Seas, where she warned him against endangering himself over a minor figure.
• Qin Li told Shen Tang he had come to confess, and she asked what crime he had committed.

Shen Tang and Qin Li boated through Lotus Lake, where a boatwoman described her family’s hard-won prosperity and the housing problems in Huang Ting. Their conversation turned to Qin Li’s past and the strange illness that had once led an expert to call him a celestial youth; Shen Tang hinted that it involved karma from a previous life, while Qin Li said he would disappoint anyone waiting for that former self.

• Shen Tang and Qin Li took a boat to the restricted Lotus Lake, and the boatwoman mistook them for a courting couple before Qin Li clarified that Shen Tang was his superior.
• The boatwoman told Shen Tang about her years as an army laborer and soldier, her reunion with her children, and their work and lives in Huang Ting.
• After hearing that housing costs troubled local residents and officials, Shen Tang decided to discuss a new leasing law, while Qin Li recorded the concern.
• Shen Tang and Qin Li joked about Yuan Liang’s fear of water and discussed Qin Li’s education in imperial rites and his decision to leave home to cultivate.
• Qin Li explained that he had repeatedly fallen gravely ill when meeting prospective marriage partners, prompting an expert to declare that he carried the fate of a celestial youth.
• Shen Tang suggested Qin Li’s illness might be karma from a previous life, but Qin Li said he could only disappoint anyone who expected him to be that past-life person.

Shen Tang and Qin Li investigated a suspicious trader after he revealed an unusual plan to transport copper and iron, and they discovered that his fortune-telling father was Jiang Sheng in disguise. The chapter ended as Jiang Sheng privately greeted Shen Tang and prepared to explain himself.

• At a birthday gathering on a pleasure boat, Gongxi Chou interrupted Jimò Qiu’s song and danced instead, while Xun Zhen sang a lively folk tune.
• Shen Tang and Qin Li drank on a small boat at Lotus Lake and strung empty wine jars together to create an absurdly long floating chain.
• A tourist praised Shen Tang’s idea of towing the jars and described a plan to transport goods by water, prompting Shen Tang and Qin Li to question why he wanted to avoid the government postal relays.
• Qin Li posed as a merchant and persuaded the young man, surnamed Jiang, to explain his family’s copper-and-iron trade and secret transport plans.
• The young man invited Shen Tang and Qin Li to his rented home, where they discovered that his fortune-telling father was Jiang Sheng in disguise.
• Jiang Sheng avoided acknowledging Shen Tang until late that night, when he privately paid his respects and began to explain himself.

Jiang Sheng’s holiday turned into an investigation after his eldest son lost money in a Ponzi scheme, and he joined forces with Wei Cheng to track down the scammers. Their trail led to the ring’s mastermind and stolen funds hidden in Huang Ting, where the Royal Court began planning to capture the ringleader.

• Jiang Sheng learned that his eldest son had invested his savings, mortgaged his house, and borrowed from relatives before the scammer fled, so he paid off the debts and began searching for clues.
• Jiang Sheng encountered Wei Cheng, who revealed that he had spent years pursuing his old friend, the scammer Che Hou.
• Wei Cheng shared his investigation findings, and Jiang Sheng joined the effort, infiltrating the scam ring with Wei Cheng’s help.
• Jiang Sheng reported to Shen Tang that the scam ring had operated in multiple places and kept its leader and stolen funds in Huang Ting.
• Qin Li learned that the scammers planned to move the stolen money and urged the Royal Court to capture the ringleader before pursuing the funds.

Shen Tang exposed a scam ring’s alliance with restorationists and confronted the ancient Marquis behind it, who offered stolen funds and information in exchange for leniency. After the scheme was dismantled, Jiang Sheng recovered his eldest son’s losses and learned that his other children had also invested, leaving him and his wife devastated by their family’s selfish divisions.

• Jiang Sheng explained that restorationist traitors had received political donations from the scam ring, and Shen Tang agreed to capture the ringleaders and wipe them out.
• Shen Tang recognized the young man on the roof as a Lord Marquis, and he admitted he had lured the restorationists into the scheme and asked her for leniency.
• The young old man handed over the stolen money and offered information, and Shen Tang postponed his prison sentence while cleaning up the scam ring and its restorationist allies.
• Jiang Sheng recovered the silver his eldest son had lost and learned that his other children had invested too, while the eldest son’s family had concealed their losses to secure help for themselves.
• Jiang Sheng grieved with his wife over their children’s selfishness, and Gu Chi later explained that resentment over inheritance and unequal affection had likely divided the siblings.

Qi Shan rushed home after requesting six months of leave and learned that Qi Miao’s visitor was Zheng Yu, who had regained memories of his past life. Zheng Yu and Qi Miao acknowledged their feelings but agreed not to rush into a relationship, while Qi Shan left concerned about Uncle Tan.

• Qi Shan unexpectedly requested another six months of leave and hurried home after court.
• Qi Miao introduced Zheng Yu, whose face resembled his past-life appearance, and explained how he had regained his memories.
• Qi Miao recounted how Zheng Yu’s mother had died and how her accumulated merit helped bring Zheng Yu back into her life.
• Zheng Yu accepted Qi Shan’s offer to recommend him to the Imperial Academy so he could continue his studies.
• Zheng Yu said he wished to be with Qi Miao, but she said she wanted to postpone romance and focus on her studies; she then said she was more worried about Uncle Tan.

Qi Shan and Qi Miao visited Tan Qu while he prepared for his fourth attempt at the Medical School Sacred Hall assessment, and Qi Shan explained why he had taken leave to stay with him. The visit ended when Tan Qu’s mother called for his help, sending him out with his medicine chest.

• Zheng Yu asked about Uncle Tan, and Qi Miao explained that Tan Qu was preparing for his fourth Medical School Sacred Hall assessment attempt.
• Dong Dao visited Tan Qu, found him exhausted and surrounded by assessment papers, and urged him to rest.
• Qi Shan and Qi Miao arrived, and Qi Shan said he had taken half a year of leave because Tan Qu’s two halves of True Spirit were nearing their reunion.
• Qi Shan teased Tan Qu about his ambition to master every medical specialty, then read papers revealing that Tan Qu had written erotic books while Qi Shan had drawn their illustrations.
• Tan Qu’s mother called from outside the courtyard asking him to save them, and he grabbed his medicine chest and rushed out.

Tan Qu took the reincarnation of his half True Spirit away under the pretense of seeking treatment and settled with Qi Shan and Qi Miao in a rented house, where Qi Shan taught the boy to paint. After Tan Qu lost consciousness and awoke with his memories restored, Yu Hai was at his side, while Yuan Liang had gone to help his daughter.

• A woman asked Tan Qu to save her feverish son, and Tan Qu convinced her the fever might let the boy recover his wits and that his fellow disciple in Huang Ting could treat him.
• Tan Qu took the boy with him, gave the woman money, and revealed to Qi Miao that he planned to rent a house nearby and prepare for his exam instead of going to Huang Ting.
• Tan Qu rented a small house, where Qi Shan, Qi Miao, and the boy cleaned and settled in; Qi Shan then taught the boy to paint, and the boy covered the house with drawings of Old Man Ding.
• Tan Qu and Qi Shan washed the drawings away, but Qi Shan later had the boy's Old Man Ding designs embroidered onto a shirt.
• The boy's fevers grew more frequent as Tan Qu found it harder to control his body, and Tan Qu eventually lost consciousness for more than half a month.
• Tan Qu woke with his memories restored and recognized Yu Hai, who said Yuan Liang had been called away because his daughter had encountered troublemakers.

Tan Qu struggled to recover his strength as Yu Hai took him to check on Qi Miao, where a young Martial Gall Warrior had disrupted her clinic after she told him his martial Qi might leave him unable to father children. The misunderstanding was contained by the Ice Prince’s manager, who knew Yun Ce was aware of the young man’s existence, and the group left without resolving the young man’s worries.

• Tan Qu tried to get out of bed to help Qi Miao, so Yu Hai put him in his old wheelchair and pushed him to the clinic.
• Qi Miao explained that the young martial artist had come seeking Gongyang Yongye and had reacted angrily when she confirmed Gongyang’s diagnosis about his fertility.
• Qi Shan recognized the young martial artist and learned that Gongyang Yongye had already angered him with the same diagnosis and a humiliating encounter.
• The Ice Prince’s manager arrived, greeted Qi Shan, and revealed that Yun Ce knew the young martial artist existed.
• The manager covered up his concern about the fertility diagnosis by claiming he was worried about ice deliveries, then persuaded the young martial artist to leave with him.

Qi Shan and the others reunited with Tan Qu after Yun Da’s reincarnation backed down from a confrontation, and Yu Hai asked Qi Shan for literary fortune to help him have a child. Meanwhile, Yun Da’s reincarnation had Yun Ce and Bei Jiu examined, only to learn that Yun Ce’s ice-type cultivation made fathering children impossible, though Bei Jiu remained confident he could still have one when she wanted.

• Yun Da’s reincarnation apologized reluctantly and left after the man in charge whispered to him, and Qi Shan reunited with Tan Qu.
• Yu Hai and Qi Shan discussed Yun Da’s reincarnation and his disciples, while Qi Shan promised to tell Tan Qu and Qi Miao about Yun Da later.
• Yu Hai asked Qi Shan to lend him a large amount of literary fortune so he could pursue having a child, and Qi Shan said he could not provide enough.
• Yun Da’s reincarnation took Bei Jiu and Yun Ce to an Xinglin Physician, who confirmed that Yun Ce’s condition made it impossible for him to father children.
• Bei Jiu revealed she had known about Yun Ce’s condition for years and said he would be able to have a child when she wanted one.

Yun Da learned that his teacher, Yun Ce, could give birth and worried that his own infertility would threaten his future, but Bei Jiu offered him another option through a Dream Fulfillment Project. After Yun Ce beat him in a spar, Yun Da met Wei Cheng, who recognized him as an old friend despite his youthful appearance and lost memories.

• Yun Da questioned how Yun Ce could give birth, and Yun Ce and Bei Jiu explained the situation and offered him a choice between postponing cultivation to pursue children or using a Dream Fulfillment Project.
• Bei Jiu reassured Yun Da that she accepted Yun Ce as her partner, and Yun Da concluded that his own strengths could help him find a loving queen despite his infertility.
• Yun Ce took Yun Da to spar, beat him badly, and Yun Da complained about his bruised face before returning to his room to prepare his skincare and outfit for the next day.
• Wei Cheng appeared in Yun Da's room and explained that Gongyang Yongye had told him about Yun Da, whom he recognized as an old friend despite Yun Da's changed appearance and apparent loss of memories.