Chapter Summaries

Wanyan Liang demanded that Tang Kuobian prove his loyalty by exchanging Ge Bi for Tudan Jing, and Tang Kuobian pretended to agree while plotting against him. Wanyan Liang hinted at a scheme to seize power and left Tang Kuobian waiting to see what he would do about the proposed exchange.

• Wanyan Liang told Tang Kuobian that becoming an insider required a pledge of allegiance and proposed that they secretly exchange Ge Bi and Tudan Jing.
• Tang Kuobian pretended to accept Wanyan Liang’s plan to deceive the women, while secretly resolving to let Wanyan Liang regret his demand.
• Wanyan Liang hinted that the Emperor’s failing health created an opportunity to earn the merit of backing a future ruler.
• Wanyan Liang pointed to the uninvested Prince Wei and invoked Taizu’s succession to suggest a struggle over the throne.
• Tang Kuobian asked which side Wanyan Liang supported, but Wanyan Liang refused to reveal more until their arrangement was completed.
• Tang Kuobian looked toward Princess of Hailing with a teasing smile.

Song Qingshu and Ge Bi left Wanyan Liang’s mansion after he accepted the prince’s luxurious carriage, unaware of the schemes Wanyan Liang was making around them. An assassin attacked their carriage, and after Song Qingshu stopped and released her, Ge Bi reacted to his touch with shock and sorrow.

• Wanyan Liang invited Song Qingshu and Ge Bi to travel with him to Puchá Ahute’s daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony and gave them his luxurious carriage.
• After Song Qingshu and Ge Bi departed, Wanyan Liang told Tudan Jing that he planned to secure Tang Kuobian’s loyalty and keep Ge Bi from learning his scheme.
• Song Qingshu concealed Wanyan Liang’s recruitment attempt from Ge Bi, while Ge Bi warned him that the prince seemed dangerous despite his talent.
• A black-clad young woman attacked the carriage, but Song Qingshu stopped her short sword with two fingers and recognized her as the assassin he had encountered before.
• Song Qingshu let the assassin escape, then saw Ge Bi recoil from his embrace and cover her reddened eyes as he went to meet the guards.

Song Qingshu and Ge Bi attended Pucha Qiucao’s banquet, where he observed Jin Dynasty’s powerful nobles and their consorts. Wanyan Liang thanked Song Qingshu for saving him and offered him his choice of treasure, while Princess of Hailing mistakenly thought he meant objects from his residence.

• Song Qingshu and Ge Bi arrived at the Pucha Family’s residence after evading the soldiers investigating the assassination attempt.
• Puchá Ahute welcomed them and promised to ask his friend, the city defense general, to search for the assassin.
• At the banquet, Song Qingshu identified Wanyan Zongxian, Wanyan Zongmin, Wanyan Zongben, and other nobles, and noticed Wanyan Chongjie glaring at him.
• Song Qingshu admired Taoyao’s beauty, then saw that Ge Bi was staring silently into the bonfire.
• Wanyan Liang and Tudan Jing approached Song Qingshu, and Wanyan Liang promised to honor his offer to let Song Qingshu choose whatever he wanted.
• Princess of Hailing misunderstood Wanyan Liang’s offer as permission for Song Qingshu to choose treasures from their residence.

At Pucha Qiucao’s coming-of-age celebration, Song Qingshu tried to conceal his identity while Ge Bi questioned him about his sworn brother. Yang Guo arrived as Qiucao’s fiancé, and the chapter ended as Qiucao prepared to dance before the guests.

• Wanyan Liang pulled Tudan Jing away after Song Qingshu teased her about accepting the Prince’s gift.
• Ge Bi questioned Song Qingshu about his trip to Kaifeng and the whereabouts of his sworn brother, forcing him to invent explanations.
• Puchá Ahute and Pucha Shijie waited with Pucha Qiucao, who complained that her fiancé Yang Guo had not arrived.
• Pucha Qiucao saw Yang Guo arrive with Wanyan Zongxian and became captivated by his appearance, while Pucha Shijie planned to beat him.
• Puchá Ahute completed Qiucao’s coming-of-age ceremony, and the guests waited for her dance.

Song Qingshu watched Pucha Qiucao dance and exchanged an uneasy conversation with Ge Bi, who asked him to remember promises about their future children. Qiucao chose Yang Guo as her dance partner, but he refused, unaware that she was his fiancée.

• Song Qingshu admired Pucha Qiucao’s coming-of-age dress and teased Ge Bi about having a daughter, while she reacted with unease.
• Ge Bi asked Song Qingshu whether they could still grow old together and insisted their children bear the Tang Kuo surname, naming a son Tang Kuo Nian and a daughter Tang Kuo Si.
• Pucha Qiucao finished her dance and invited Yang Guo to be her partner, while her father Puchá Ahute hoped the match would spare him from breaking off their engagement.
• Yang Guo refused to dance with Qiucao, explaining inwardly that he wanted to avoid encouraging other women’s affections and causing Xiaolongnü pain.
• Wanyan Zongxian realized Yang Guo had rejected his own fiancée and worried that the refusal would cause trouble.

Yang Guo rejected Pucha Qiucao, then fought her brother Pucha Shijie and defeated him with Melancholy Palms while rescuing Qiucao from danger. After the gathering resumed, Song Qingshu was unexpectedly invited to dance.

• Pucha Qiucao ran away in tears after Yang Guo rejected her, and Pucha Shijie challenged Yang Guo to defend his sister's honor.
• Pucha Shijie struck Yang Guo, and the two fought until Shijie demanded they settle matters with one palm strike.
• Yang Guo's Melancholy Palms sent Pucha Shijie flying, and Yang Guo rescued Pucha Qiucao before she could be struck by her brother.
• Pucha Shijie rose unharmed, and the broken tree revealed that Yang Guo had redirected his palm force to spare him.
• Wanyan Zongxian praised the match and eased the tension, after which the guests began dancing.
• A woman asked Song Qingshu, addressed as Uncle Tang Kuo, to dance with her.

Song Qingshu avoided dancing with Wanyan Chongjie when Ge Bi claimed him as her partner, then learned the Jurchen dance with her guidance. Wanyan Liang pulled him aside and pressed to carry out their plan that night, but Song Qingshu argued it was too rushed to hide from the two women.

• Wanyan Chongjie invited Song Qingshu to dance, but Ge Bi took his hand and led him onto the dance floor instead.
• After Chongjie left, nearby young men insulted her and gossiped about her mother, while Song Qingshu wondered about her hardships.
• Song Qingshu copied the other dancers and learned the basic movements, and Ge Bi taught him the rhythm as they danced together.
• Wanyan Liang praised the couple, then pulled Song Qingshu aside and asked whether they would carry out their plan that night.
• Song Qingshu told Wanyan Liang that the plan was too rushed and would be difficult to keep from the two women.

Song Qingshu abandoned Wanyan Liang’s rushed scheme and returned to Tang Kuo Manor, where Ge Bi realized that he was not her husband and resolved to learn whether he had killed Wugu La. Unable to sleep after Ge Bi refused him, Song Qingshu disguised himself as Xiao Xingguo and headed to the palace, where a young eunuch called for Xiao Xingzi.

• Song Qingshu persuaded Wanyan Liang to postpone his plan, then left the banquet with Ge Bi.
• Back at Tang Kuo Manor, Song Qingshu tried to be intimate with Ge Bi, but she refused and claimed she was unwell.
• Ge Bi concluded that Song Qingshu was not Tang Kuobian, suspected her husband was dead, and took out the Chastity Guard to prepare for the possibility that Song Qingshu had murdered Wugu La.
• Song Qingshu, frustrated and unable to sleep, changed into Xiao Xingguo’s clothes and entered the palace to check on the Yellow-robed Woman sisters.
• A young eunuch arrived at Xiao Xingguo’s residence and urgently called for Xiao Xingzi.

Song Qingshu left the Yellow-robed Woman to answer Empress Peiman’s summons, suspecting that her plan was about to begin. At Taihe Hall, he discovered that the new clothes she had prepared for him were a golden Five-clawed Dragon Robe.

• Song Qingshu stopped the Yellow-robed Woman from killing the young eunuch who had come to summon him and revealed his identity to her.
• Song Qingshu disguised himself as Xiao Xingguo, teased the Yellow-robed Woman, and left with the young eunuch.
• On the way to Taihe Hall, Song Qingshu bribed the young eunuch, who warned him that Empress Peiman had cleared the palace maids and eunuchs from her chambers.
• Song Qingshu entered Taihe Hall and saw the golden Five-clawed Dragon Robe Empress Peiman had prepared for him.

Song Qingshu dressed in a dragon robe at Empress Peiman’s request and learned she wanted him to impersonate the Emperor for two palace maids. The chapter ended with Peiman ordering him to take their virginity, leaving him bewildered about her real purpose.

• Song Qingshu met Empress Peiman and acted like a timid young eunuch as she presented him with new clothes.
• Peiman had Song Qingshu put on a dragon robe and remarked that he looked more convincing in it than the real Emperor.
• Peiman told Song Qingshu to pretend to be the Emperor when two palace maids arrived, since they had never seen him.
• Peiman revealed that the palace maids expected to serve the Emperor in bed and ordered Song Qingshu to take their virginity.
• Song Qingshu questioned why Peiman still believed he was a eunuch and wondered what she was really planning.

Song Qingshu posed as Emperor Xizong while Empress Peiman brought two young palace maids before him, and he realized they were Song Dynasty princesses being pressured to serve the emperor. The girls began removing their outer robes at Peiman’s order, leaving Song Qingshu to face the encounter he had been summoned for.

• Song Qingshu accepted Empress Peiman’s strange assignment and prepared to impersonate Emperor Xizong when two palace maids arrived.
• Song Qingshu questioned Zhao Hu'er and Zhao Yuanyuan, whose literary names and speech revealed their longing for the fallen Song Dynasty.
• Empress Peiman accused the girls of disloyalty and threatened them by referring to their sisters’ hardship in Huan Yi Yuan.
• Song Qingshu intervened to pardon the girls, while recognizing that Peiman was using their sisters to pressure them into serving the emperor.
• Empress Peiman ordered Zhao Hu'er and Zhao Yuanyuan to remove their outer robes, and the two girls let them fall to the floor.

Song Qingshu pretended to accept Empress Peiman’s plan to bed the two Song princesses while hiding his real intentions and trying to learn her motive. He led Yuan Yuan and Zhao Hu'er toward the phoenix couch as Peiman watched from outside, believing he had simply given in to indulgence.

• Empress Peiman told Yuan Yuan and Zhao Hu'er that they had been spared hard labor so they could enter the Jin Emperor’s harem, then ordered them to serve Song Qingshu wine.
• Song Qingshu asked Peiman to leave, and she went to the side hall but remained nearby to eavesdrop.
• Song Qingshu realized Peiman was still outside and decided not to confront her until he understood her plan.
• Song Qingshu asked which girl was Yuan Yuan, poured wine into her mouth, and then pulled Zhao Hu'er into his arms to give her wine too.
• Peiman watched Song Qingshu act like a dissolute emperor and concluded that he had accepted his fate and was indulging himself.
• Song Qingshu led Yuan Yuan and Zhao Hu'er toward the phoenix couch while pretending to look forward to being intimate with them.

Song Qingshu revealed his identity to Zhao Yuanyuan and Zhao Hu'er and told them he had come to rescue them. With Empress Peiman due to inspect them, he proposed forging evidence that they had been defiled, but the sisters did not know how, so he began to explain.

• Song Qingshu confirmed that Zhao Yuanyuan and Zhao Hu'er were Zhao Fujin and Zhao Yingluo's sisters by asking them about their family.
• Song Qingshu told the girls he was not the Jin Emperor and had infiltrated the palace to save them from Empress Peiman's plan.
• The sisters learned Song Qingshu was Zhao Yingluo's husband and questioned why he had seen them, while he hurried them to prepare for Empress Peiman's inspection.
• Song Qingshu proposed faking maiden's blood so Empress Peiman would believe the girls had been defiled.
• Zhao Yuanyuan and Zhao Hu'er admitted they did not know how to forge the evidence, and Song Qingshu said he would teach them.

Song Qingshu helped Zhao Hu'er and the other girl fake evidence that the Jin Emperor had abused them, then followed Empress Peiman’s guard away from Taihe Hall. He realized Empress Peiman had arranged to kill him, and the guard attacked as they reached a secluded spot.

• Song Qingshu pierced the girls’ fingertips and used their blood to mark the white silk, then struck their bodies to create bruises and other signs of abuse.
• Empress Peiman inspected the girls and praised Xiao Xingzi, while Song Qingshu learned she had no further tasks for him.
• Song Qingshu considered staying in Taihe Hall to discover Empress Peiman’s plans, but she led him out through a side door and ordered a guard to escort him away.
• Song Qingshu recognized the guard as an expert and suspected the secluded route was taking him to his death.
• The guard stopped and announced that Song Qingshu had arrived at the place where he would be sent on his way, then attacked with a flash of cold light.

Song Qingshu and the Yellow-robed Woman defeated the guards protecting Empress Peiman and returned to Taihe Hall, where they found Zhao Hu'er and Zhao Yuanyuan unconscious. Empress Peiman accused Song Qingshu of harming the girls, and the Yellow-robed Woman attacked him in fury.

• Song Qingshu evaded Lu Li's thirteen escalating blade strikes, and the wounded guard fled into the darkness.
• The Yellow-robed Woman ambushed Lu Li and killed him, then joined Song Qingshu on his way to Taihe Hall.
• Empress Peiman tried to strangle the unconscious Zhao Hu'er and Zhao Yuanyuan, but Song Qingshu stopped her and revealed his identity.
• Empress Peiman recognized Song Qingshu from their earlier encounter and flirted with him, while the Yellow-robed Woman recognized the girls as her sisters.
• The Yellow-robed Woman found signs of harm on Zhao Hu'er and Zhao Yuanyuan, and Empress Peiman blamed Song Qingshu, prompting the Yellow-robed Woman to attack him with the Nine Yin White Bone Claw.

The Yellow-robed Woman attacked Song Qingshu after finding him beside the unconscious Zhao Hu'er and Zhao Yuanyuan, but he convinced her it was a misunderstanding and helped wake the girls. The sisters recognized Song Qingshu as their brother-in-law and learned that the Yellow-robed Woman was their Nineteenth Sister, leaving her stunned by their familiarity with him.

• The Yellow-robed Woman accused Song Qingshu of harming Zhao Hu'er and Zhao Yuanyuan and attacked him with techniques from the Nine Yin Manual.
• Song Qingshu let the Yellow-robed Woman bind him and explained that he needed her help to rescue people, so she spared him for the time being.
• The Yellow-robed Woman used an antidote to wake Zhao Hu'er and Zhao Yuanyuan and covered them with their scattered clothes.
• Song Qingshu introduced the Yellow-robed Woman as the girls’ Nineteenth Sister, and Zhao Yuanyuan recognized him as their brother-in-law.
• Zhao Hu'er revealed that Song Qingshu was their Nineteenth Sister’s man, prompting the Yellow-robed Woman to realize the girls were her younger sisters.

Song Qingshu and the Yellow-robed Woman reunited with Zhao Hu'er and Zhao Yuanyuan, then negotiated with Empress Peiman over how to rescue the other Song princesses held in Huan Yi Yuan. Song agreed to remain in the palace and help the Empress deal with someone in exchange for her assistance.

• The Yellow-robed Woman revealed herself as Yingluo, her younger sisters’ Nineteenth Sister, and embraced Zhao Hu'er and Zhao Yuanyuan.
• Zhao Hu'er and Zhao Yuanyuan explained that Song Qingshu had pretended to be their brother-in-law and helped stage signs to deceive the Empress.
• The Yellow-robed Woman prepared to take her sisters away, but Song Qingshu warned that doing so could endanger the rescue of the other women in Huan Yi Yuan.
• Empress Peiman argued that killing her or letting the girls disappear would trigger a crackdown, then offered to help rescue the captured Song princesses in exchange for a favor.
• Empress Peiman asked Song Qingshu to stay in the palace and help her deal with someone, and he accepted the deal.

Song Qingshu and the Yellow-robed Woman negotiated with Empress Peiman to help her deal with Prince Wei in exchange for aid rescuing the princesses and escaping the city. As Prince Wei arrived, Song Qingshu and the Yellow-robed Woman hid on a beam while Zhao Hu'er and Zhao Yuanyuan returned to bed.

• Empress Peiman revealed that Prince Wei was her target and explained that she feared what he would do if he became emperor.
• Empress Peiman asked Song Qingshu to eliminate Prince Wei’s secret guard, and Song Qingshu agreed in exchange for the Carefree Powder antidote and help rescuing the princesses.
• Empress Peiman offered a gold token to help them leave the city, and the Yellow-robed Woman reconsidered whether her bribed insider could get them through the gates.
• Song Qingshu agreed to remain in the palace in return for Empress Peiman diverting the pursuing troops and granting him future requests within her ability.
• Prince Wei announced his arrival to pay respects to Imperial Consort, and Song Qingshu and the Yellow-robed Woman hid on a beam.

Empress Peiman lured Prince Wei into the palace and pretended to submit to him, hoping to make him lower his guard. Prince Wei accepted her apology and her promised gift, while Song Qingshu and the Yellow-robed Woman watched from above.

• The Yellow-robed Woman and Song Qingshu hid on a beam and discussed Prince Wei's forbidden nighttime visit to the palace.
• Prince Wei entered Empress Peiman's hall with a hidden guard who refused to leave his side.
• Empress Peiman knelt before Prince Wei and claimed she wanted to reconcile because he would someday become emperor.
• Prince Wei believed her submission and promised to make her Empress Dowager after he took the throne.
• Empress Peiman offered Prince Wei the two palace maids he had admired, and he accepted her gift.

Empress Peiman and Song Qingshu helped the Yellow-robed Woman capture Prince Wei and kill his hidden guard. Empress Peiman prepared a cover story for the emperor, but the plan stalled when Zhao Yuanyuan and Zhao Hu'er refused to use Prince Wei’s filth to make the deception convincing.

• Empress Peiman lured Prince Wei toward the phoenix couch, where Zhao Yuanyuan and Zhao Hu'er waited beneath the covers.
• The Yellow-robed Woman attacked Prince Wei, while Song Qingshu killed the hidden guard with a single strike.
• The Yellow-robed Woman subdued Prince Wei, and Empress Peiman asked Song Qingshu to knock him unconscious.
• Empress Peiman coached Zhao Yuanyuan and Zhao Hu'er on what to tell the emperor, then realized their bodies needed another detail to support the story.
• Song Qingshu made the unconscious Prince Wei wet his trousers, but Zhao Yuanyuan and Zhao Hu'er refused to smear it on themselves and said they would accept Brother-in-law's instead.