Chapter Summaries

• Plot: After dinner at the Li household, Zhao Huangpu insists on eating several bowls of rice, while Li Chenjing eats almost nothing. Li’s father tells his son to escort the emperor back to the palace and gently advises Zhao to show restraint. On the way, Zhao agrees to visit Zhu Bafu at the Nian Residence—but only if they first detour to see Nian Xiaonian’s child, Little Eight. Li comes along. As they near the residence, Zhao tries to turn back, wanting to see Zhu but not wanting Li to see her. The procession has already stopped before the gates, however, and Zhu comes out to meet them. Zhao then decides not to enter the residence and instead asks Zhu to accompany him back to the palace.
• Character developments: Zhao’s jealousy and insecurity become clear: he suspects Li’s feelings for Zhu have deepened and tries to keep the two apart. Li remains composed and gives little away, though Zhao recalls his earlier reaction after Zhu left as evidence that he was affected. Zhu appears in men’s Confucian dress and treats both men formally, maintaining her composure.
• Interactions: Zhao and Li trade pointed remarks: Zhao tests whether Li wants to visit Zhu, while Li openly doubts Zhao’s promise to return to the palace. At the residence, Zhu respectfully greets Zhao and addresses Li as “Lord Li.” Li offers no reply, while Zhao is pleased by the formal distance implied by her greeting.
• Themes: Jealousy and romantic rivalry drive the chapter, set against courtly duty and personal desire. Zhao’s elaborate attempts to control who sees Zhu contrast with Li’s restrained, ambiguous behavior, leaving the emotional tension unresolved.

Plot points and events

• Zhu Bafu accepts the emperor’s decree, but Zhao Huangpu orders her to travel in his Imperial Palanquin rather than on horseback.
• Zhu stumbles into Zhao’s arms while boarding, then quickly pulls away, embarrassed by the intimate appearance of the moment.
• Li Chenjing notices the closeness and pointedly asks the emperor and Zhu to discuss matters in a “proper posture.” Zhao teases him, while Zhu sits stiffly apart from both men.
• During the ride back to the palace, Zhao asks Zhu about her preparations for the Autumn Assessment. She says she has last year’s examination questions and expects to be ready.
• Zhao then asks whether Li intends to take the examination. Li says he qualifies as an Eastern Order student and wants to sit it, unless the emperor intervenes.
• Zhao suggests Li is resentful that Zhu was allowed into government service first. He reminds Li that he previously offered him a chance to serve at court, but Li supposedly declined.
• To prove it, Zhao recalls giving Li last year’s examination question, “Those of Talent,” and asks what Li submitted instead. He begins reciting Li’s response: a wistful poem about a woman waiting for the emperor.

Character developments

• Zhu Bafu remains earnest and dutiful, but her awkwardness around the emperor’s attention is clear. She is focused on her studies and does not understand the tension between Zhao and Li.
• Zhao Huangpu shows concern for Zhu’s safety and interest in her progress, though he masks his feelings with teasing. His exchange with Li also reveals that he remembers Li’s past choices and feels personally challenged by his decision to take the examination.
• Li Chenjing openly challenges Zhao’s preferential treatment and asserts his right to compete on his own merits. His pointed remarks suggest jealousy or frustration over the emperor’s closeness to Zhu, though he frames his position in terms of fairness.

Significant themes

• Duty versus personal feeling: Zhu tries to maintain the proper distance between sovereign and subject, while Zhao’s behavior blurs that boundary.
• Merit and privilege: The Autumn Assessment is meant to create opportunity for students from modest backgrounds, raising questions about whether Li should use it despite his privileged connections.
• Jealousy and rivalry: Li and Zhao exchange barbed remarks, with Zhu caught between them, largely unaware of the emotional undercurrents.
• Identity and expectation: Li’s choice to take the examination challenges assumptions about the path expected of someone from his powerful family.

Character interactions

• Zhao’s insistence that Zhu ride in his palanquin puts her in an uncomfortable, intimate position; she responds with formal gratitude and physical restraint.
• Li’s sarcasm interrupts the emperor and Zhu’s apparent closeness, prompting Zhao to tease him in return.
• Zhao and Li debate Li’s motives and past refusal to enter court service, using the examination as a proxy for their deeper rivalry.

Key plot points and events

• During a palace ride, Emperor Zhao Huangpu teases Li Chenjing about a poem that seems to describe a concubine longing for the emperor’s favor.
• Zhu Bafu offers a safer interpretation: the poem is really about a talented person awaiting the emperor’s recognition. The emperor praises her insight, while Li reacts awkwardly to her defense.
• Zhao asks Zhu for advice about winning over a woman who still loves her first love. Li bluntly suggests killing the rival; Zhao dismisses his advice and insists on hearing Zhu’s.
• Zhu recommends bringing the woman—Liu Rongrong—into the palace and keeping her close, especially for her safety after the incident involving Young Master Pan. Zhao’s pleased reaction reveals that Rongrong is the woman he has been discussing. He then has Zhu thrown off the palanquin.
• Zhu walks back toward her residence. Li rides up, confirms the emperor has returned to the palace, and then silently follows her all the way to the Nian Residence.

Character developments

• Zhu Bafu tries to behave as a proper colleague and interpret events innocently, but her advice inadvertently exposes Zhao’s feelings. She decides that maintaining distance from Li is safest.
• Li Chenjing shows jealousy and discomfort when Zhu defends or discusses him, but he gives no explanation. His decision to follow her suggests he still feels attached despite her resolve to keep their relationship formal.
• Zhao Huangpu openly seeks advice about his feelings for Rongrong, though his indirect questioning and sudden order to eject Zhu show how carefully—and comically—he guards his intentions.

Significant themes

• Misread intentions and indirect communication: The poem, Li’s silence, and Zhao’s disguised question all invite interpretations that characters struggle to read correctly.
• Love, jealousy, and lingering attachment: Zhao worries about Rongrong’s first love, while Li’s attention to Zhu hints at feelings neither addresses directly.
• Courtly distance and power: Zhu’s abrupt removal from the palanquin underscores how precarious the balance between familiarity and propriety can be around the emperor.

Character interactions

• Zhao teases Li and draws Zhu into interpreting both the poem and his romantic dilemma.
• Li’s blunt suggestion clashes with Zhao’s desire for Zhu’s counsel; Zhu’s practical advice delights the emperor but earns her a sudden dismissal.
• On the road, Zhu maintains formal politeness and tries not to engage Li, while he silently follows her to her residence.

Key plot points and events

• Li Chenjing follows Zhu Bafu home after she suggests that Miss Liu enter the palace to keep the emperor company. Bafu tells him bluntly that, if he truly likes Liu, he should show it and try to win her affection rather than argue with her. Li leaves after quietly saying he only wanted to know she had reached home safely.
• Bafu’s younger brother, Zhu Xiaojiu, asks about the emperor’s visit and reminds her that the Autumn Examination is imminent. She realizes she has forgotten to plan for the mandatory search: she must conceal the bindings—and the two things beneath them—that help disguise her as a man.
• On exam day, the heat and her tightly wrapped chest leave Bafu sweating and uncomfortable. She tries to avoid removing her outer robe, claiming she has caught a chill.
• Watching the inspector search other candidates thoroughly, Bafu panics at the prospect of being searched. Just as she resigns herself to it, a familiar voice says, “Stand back. I’ll search him.” The chapter ends as the person’s hands approach her chest and she opens her eyes.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhu Bafu is outspoken with Li Chenjing about love but remains anxious and vulnerable when her male disguise is threatened. Her confidence in handling the exam gives way to comic dread as she sees how invasive the search will be.
• Li Chenjing shows concern by following Bafu home, though he does not explain himself. His brief farewell suggests that simply knowing she is safe matters to him.
• Zhu Xiaojiu is practical and teasing, quickly redirecting Bafu from her lingering thoughts about the road to the urgent problem of the exam search.
• The examiner and fellow students treat Bafu as a male candidate, urging her to hurry and insisting she be searched like everyone else. The unknown familiar person’s intervention interrupts the process.

Significant themes

• Love and sincerity: Bafu argues that genuine affection requires understanding, honesty, and effort—not merely protest.
• Identity and concealment: Bafu’s male presentation enables her to sit the examination, but the required search threatens to expose her secret.
• Comic tension and vulnerability: The contrast between Bafu’s bold advice about romance and her panicked attempts to avoid scrutiny creates much of the chapter’s humor.

Key events

• Longyang discovers Zhu Bafu during the security search at Dongxu Mansion and uses his authority to conduct her pat-down, knowing she is a woman.
• He offers her a choice: submit to his search or abandon the examination and go home. Zhu refuses to give up, insisting that she must continue despite the danger.
• Longyang searches her himself, then blocks the Inspector from searching her again and lets her pass. He disguises his leniency by complaining about her sweat and smell.
• Zhu bows to Longyang and heads into the examination hall. He watches her go, doubting her literary ability and expecting her to be eliminated before her work reaches the Emperor.

Character development

• Zhu Bafu shows resolve and accepts the risks of pursuing a place at court. Her determination is driven by a promise to serve the Emperor and a desire to change the injustice harming her father and the hardship facing Xiaojiu.
• Longyang is conflicted: he warns Zhu that her disguise and ambitions could cost her life, yet ultimately protects her from a more intrusive search. His concern comes out as irritation and teasing, while his doubts about her prospects remain.
• The Inspector follows procedure and challenges Longyang’s incomplete search, but backs down when Longyang asserts his authority.

Themes

• Ambition and sacrifice: Zhu knowingly risks exposure and punishment to pursue political influence and justice for her family.
• Gender and power: Zhu’s disguise makes her vulnerable to invasive searches, while Longyang’s position gives him control over whether she can proceed.
• Protection disguised as hostility: Longyang shields Zhu while concealing his concern behind mockery and complaints.
• Political risk: Serving the Emperor offers opportunity but is dangerous, a gamble Zhu chooses to take.

Character interactions

• Zhu and Longyang spar verbally over her ambitions and his warning that she should turn back.
• Longyang’s search places them in an intimate, tense situation; Zhu stands firm, and he ultimately lets her through.
• When the Inspector tries to continue the search, Longyang strikes his hand away and takes responsibility, protecting Zhu while maintaining a dismissive façade.

Key plot points and events

• The Ministry of Personnel completes grading the autumn assessment dossiers and sends copies to both the Emperor and the Prime Minister.
• Li Chenjing discovers Zhu Bafu’s assessment includes a provocative poem, “Court Attendance.” Its imagery appears to criticize those obstructing the Emperor and to declare loyalty to the sovereign alone.
• Alarmed, Li rushes to the palace and urges Emperor Zhao Huangpu not to appoint Zhu. The Emperor dismisses Li’s concerns about the poem’s political implications and makes clear he intends to keep Zhu close—and will protect her from the Prime Minister.
• The poem spreads through the capital, making Zhu famous. Aristocratic families send cautious letters of support, but hesitate to meet her openly while her fate remains uncertain.
• Several acquaintances react to the poem: Long Ang expresses admiration; Nian Youyu reassesses Zhu and credits her abilities; Longyang worries both that the poem endangers her and that its boldness violates expectations of feminine modesty. Long Ang hints that the Emperor’s absence from the Nian Residence may signal a larger political shift.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhu Bafu emerges as a daring political voice, openly aligning herself with the Emperor despite the danger. Her poem changes how allies and rivals view her.
• Li Chenjing shows genuine concern for Zhu, warning that her words could be interpreted as an attack on the Prime Minister and provoke a deadly conflict. The Emperor teases him about his concern and bluntly asserts his own claim to Zhu’s safety.
• Emperor Zhao Huangpu is confident and possessive: he sees Zhu as too talented to surrender and threatens consequences if the Prime Minister harms her.
• Longyang tries to make Zhu recognize the danger and the gendered expectations she is defying. Their exchange also suggests he is worried about her personally.
• Long Ang and Nian Youyu respond with new respect, while political families hedge their support, balancing admiration against the risk of openly associating with Zhu.

Significant themes

• Political speech and danger: A poem can be read as a challenge to powerful ministers and reshape a person’s fate.
• Loyalty and power: The poem’s declaration of allegiance intensifies the rivalry between the Emperor and the Prime Minister’s faction.
• Gender and self-expression: Zhu refuses to let expectations of feminine modesty limit her public stance.
• Protection and possession: The Emperor’s promise to defend Zhu is also framed as a claim over her, leaving the nature of his interest ambiguous.

Chapter 187 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Long Ang explains that Zhu Bafu’s poem has caused a sensation throughout the capital and made the officials uneasy. Even the Holy Emperor has been forced to reconsider how he should deal with her.
• He suggests that Zhu Bafu’s continued safety is temporary because the Emperor has not yet decided whether to reward or punish her. Her talent and influence may also provoke a reaction from the Li Household.
• Because the Nian Residence is no longer safe, Longyang insists that Zhu Bafu stay at the Long Residence, though both Zhu Bafu and Long Ang object for different reasons.
• A Page arrives with the news that the Holy Emperor’s palanquin has come to the Long Residence—his first personal visit there since ascending the throne. The visit is politically significant because of the rivalry between the Long and Li households.
• The Emperor specifically requests to see Longyang’s “Little Cousin,” revealing that his visit is connected to Zhu Bafu’s female identity, Zhu Furu.
• Zhu Bafu is dressed as an elegant woman and placed in the Mid-Lake Pavilion to receive the Emperor. Long Ang jokes that she is beautiful and praises Longyang’s taste.
• Longyang becomes angry when he realizes that his family intends to use Zhu Bafu as an offering to gain the Emperor’s favor. Long Ang warns him that the Emperor may genuinely desire her.
• The Emperor is revealed to have likely known from the beginning that Zhu Bafu was a woman disguised as a man. Longyang begins to suspect that he has already lost to the Emperor in competing for her.
• Long Ang advises Longyang to give up Zhu Bafu, warning him not to challenge the Emperor and noting that the Emperor’s careful, secretive behavior suggests he may be serious about her.

Character Developments

• Zhu Bafu/Zhu Furu: Her talent and poem have made her politically influential and potentially endangered. She is unwillingly transformed into “Little Cousin” and used in the Long Household’s political strategy, leaving her embarrassed, anxious, and powerless.
• Longyang: His protective and possessive feelings for Zhu Bafu become increasingly obvious. Although he understands the political danger of opposing the Emperor, he cannot bring himself to release her. His jealousy and fear intensify when he realizes the Emperor may have known her true identity all along.
• Long Ang: He acts as a perceptive, teasing observer who understands the political situation and Longyang’s feelings. He warns his brother to retreat while also helping the family exploit Zhu Bafu’s connection to the Emperor.
• The Holy Emperor: Though he does not directly interact with Zhu Bafu in the excerpt, his arrival creates immediate tension. His unusual visit and personal request to see her demonstrate his interest and suggest that he is carefully pursuing her while concealing his identity.
• The Long Household: The family views Zhu Bafu as both a dangerous political liability and a possible means of securing the Emperor’s favor. The household head eagerly prepares to receive the Emperor and even arranges accommodations for him.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and power: Zhu Bafu’s poem has elevated her status, but it also places her at the center of struggles among the Emperor, Long Household, and Li Household.
• Romance as political strategy: The Long Household treats Zhu Bafu’s relationship with the Emperor as a tool for improving its position, reducing her personal feelings to political currency.
• Jealousy and sacrifice: Longyang must choose between protecting Zhu Bafu and preserving the Long Household’s interests. His inability to let her go reveals the depth of his attachment.
• Hidden identities and deception: Zhu Bafu’s disguise, the Emperor’s concealed identity, and the secret knowledge surrounding both create uncertainty about who understands the truth.
• Power imbalance: Zhu Bafu has little control over what happens to her despite her growing influence; powerful men and families make decisions about her future.

Character Interactions

• Long Ang teases Zhu Bafu and Longyang about their apparent flirtation and warns them of the dangers surrounding her.
• Longyang tries to protect Zhu Bafu by taking her to the Long Residence, but his actions also expose his possessiveness.
• The brothers argue over whether Zhu Bafu should be offered to the Emperor, with Longyang rejecting the idea while Long Ang treats it as a practical political necessity.
• Long Ang confronts Longyang about his feelings, suggesting that he would have arranged the Emperor’s reception himself if another woman were involved.
• The Emperor’s arrival forces the brothers to confront the possibility that Zhu Bafu is no longer merely connected to Longyang but has become the object of imperial attention.

Chapter Summary

Zhu Furu is mortified after being forced to disguise herself in women’s clothing because she previously claimed to be Lord Longyang’s younger sister. Lord Long has praised her poetry and arranged for her to meet him, but her feminine disguise leaves her feeling humiliated and unable to behave naturally around Zhao Huangpu, whom she knows as “Young Master Piao.”
Zhao Huangpu deliberately flirts with her, sitting close and teasing her about her unmarried status. He then announces that he has already asked Lord Long for her hand in marriage and that Lord Long agreed. Taking his performance even further, Zhao claims that a room has been prepared and suggests consummating the marriage that very night. Before Zhu can recover from the shock, he lifts her into his arms and carries her toward the room, declaring that they have no time to get to know each other slowly and ordering her to become his that night.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Zhu Furu becomes increasingly flustered and exasperated. Although she is loyal to Zhao as the emperor, she is bewildered that he seems intent on seducing her and interprets his behavior as an outrageous test of her loyalty. Her disguise also makes her unusually awkward around him.
• Zhao Huangpu openly toys with Zhu, combining flirtation, possessiveness, and mock coercion. He appears to enjoy acting as an overbearing young master who has claimed a woman, though his confidence suggests his feelings toward Zhu are genuine beneath the performance.
• Longyang witnesses Zhao carrying Zhu away. Zhu silently begs him for help, but Longyang does not intervene. He is clearly unhappy and conflicted, yet believes he lacks the authority to challenge Zhao—especially because doing so could be interpreted as an attempt to assassinate the emperor.
• Long Ang prevents Longyang from interfering and jokes that Zhu is fortunate not to have cried out for Longyang’s help, since such an action could have endangered him. He treats the situation as an advantageous arrangement for the Long family.
• The Long household has prepared an elaborately decorated room, complete with incense and gauze curtains, intending to offer Zhu as a way to curry favor with Zhao.

Significant Themes

• Disguise and mistaken identity: Zhu’s male identity, female disguise, and Zhao’s concealed imperial identity create continual confusion and comic tension.
• Power and coercion: Zhao’s status and physical strength allow him to control the situation, while Zhu struggles to distinguish playful seduction from genuine danger.
• Loyalty versus romance: Zhu sees herself as Zhao’s loyal subordinate, but Zhao treats her as a desired woman, creating a sharp conflict between political allegiance and personal intimacy.
• Helplessness and divided loyalties: Longyang recognizes Zhu’s distress but cannot act, partly because of Zhao’s authority and partly because of his own complicated feelings for her.
• Comic role-playing: Zhao fully embraces the role of the domineering young master, while the surrounding characters accept or exploit the performance for their own purposes.
  The chapter ends with Zhao carrying Zhu into the specially prepared room, where he continues his forceful seduction.

Chapter Summary

• Zhao Huangpu attempts to seduce Zhu Bafu, hoping to protect her from political danger by restoring her identity as a young woman and making her his consort. However, Zhu remains detached and suspicious, inspecting the incense for an aphrodisiac instead of responding romantically. Zhao becomes frustrated that his advances are failing and bluntly asks whether she is ready to become “his woman,” framing the proposal as a means of keeping her safe.
• Zhu Bafu leaves the Long Residence during a violent autumn rainstorm, soaked, cold, and visibly distressed. Her wet clothing, swollen eyes, and several bite marks on her neck make it appear that she has just been involved in an intimate encounter with the emperor.
• Li Chenjing has been waiting outside the Nian Residence and intercepts her. He shelters her under his umbrella and questions where she has been, quickly realizing she visited the Long Residence and possibly met the emperor. His concern turns into jealousy and moral condemnation when he sees the marks on her neck.
• Li accuses Zhu of using seduction and her position as an official to gain favor with the ruler. He is deeply disappointed because he had believed her to be principled and proud. Although he claims to despise her supposed shamelessness, his anger reveals strong emotional attachment and jealousy. He repeatedly tries to pull her back under his umbrella, showing that he still instinctively wants to protect her.
• Zhu responds defensively and cruelly, pretending that she deliberately seduced the emperor to survive Prime Minister Li’s persecution. She insists that her private affairs are none of Li’s concern and mocks his loyalty to the emperor. In reality, her exaggerated claims seem motivated by anger, confusion, and a desire to distance herself from him.
• Li then suggests that sleeping with him would be a more effective way to save her life than sleeping with the emperor. His remark is both an insult and an emotionally charged proposal, implying that he wants her under his protection despite his apparent contempt.
• Zhu immediately slaps Li across the face, ending the chapter on a sharp confrontation.

Character Development and Interactions

• Zhao Huangpu shifts from playful seduction to serious protectiveness. His offer is motivated less by lust than by a desire to shield Zhu from danger, though his impatience and wounded pride remain evident.
• Zhu Bafu continues using sarcasm, deception, and emotional distance as defenses. She deliberately provokes Li while concealing her vulnerability.
• Li Chenjing displays jealousy, possessiveness, and conflicted affection. His criticism of Zhu masks his hurt at believing she has compromised herself, while his actions—waiting in the rain and trying to shelter her—contradict his harsh words.
• The central interaction is between Zhu and Li: concern transforms into accusation, accusation into mutual provocation, and finally into physical rejection.

Significant Themes

• Protection through intimacy: Both Zhao and Li imply that becoming connected to a powerful man is the safest path for Zhu, reflecting the limited options available to her in the political world.
• Appearance versus reality: Zhu’s bite marks and disheveled state create a misleading impression, while her claims about seducing the emperor may also be false or exaggerated.
• Jealousy and concealed affection: Li’s moral outrage exposes feelings he refuses to acknowledge.
• Gender and power: Zhu’s disguised identity places her in danger, while her perceived sexuality becomes a political weapon used by others to judge or control her.
• Emotional miscommunication: The characters repeatedly express care through insults, manipulation, and provocation rather than honesty.

Key events

• The chapter opens with Li Chenjing kissing Zhu Bafu after she slaps him and challenges his claim to be the Young Master. He is unsettled by his own possessiveness and attraction, especially because she has just been involved with another man.
• At the Prime Minister’s Residence, Emperor Zhao Huangpu asks Prime Minister Li Xiangfan to let Liu Rongrong enter the palace as a Female Attendant. He insists he wants only to keep her nearby—not make her a consort or have children with her.
• Li Xiangfan agrees, but warns the emperor not to dote on Rongrong or produce an heir with her. Zhao accepts, then asks why the Prime Minister has never sought a personal favor from him.
• Before Zhao can leave to see Rongrong, Li Xiangfan asks his opinion of Zhu Bafu’s examination poem. Zhao defers to the Prime Minister’s judgment, prompting Li to suggest that he could have Zhu eliminated. Zhao’s silence leaves his true feelings and intentions unclear.
• The chapter ends with Zhu still dazed by the kiss, recognizing the Young Master’s familiar habit of biting or kissing when at a loss for words and wondering whether Li Chenjing’s memories have changed again.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Chenjing acts impulsively and possessively, revealing feelings he claims not to have. His kiss suggests that, whatever his memory or identity, he cannot bring himself to let Zhu go.
• Zhu Bafu resists his claim and insists she no longer likes him, but the kiss leaves her confused and attentive to familiar signs of the Young Master.
• Zhao Huangpu uses gifts and personal appeals to secure permission to bring Rongrong to the palace. His banter with Li Xiangfan gives way to tension when the Prime Minister probes his interest in Zhu.
• Li Xiangfan remains composed and politically wary. He grants Zhao’s request while setting limits, then tests the emperor by raising Zhu’s poem and the possibility of her death.

Significant themes

• Memory and identity: Zhu questions whether Li Chenjing’s changing conduct reflects altered memories or a more authentic self.
• Desire versus restraint: Li’s kiss exposes feelings that conflict with his denials and the circumstances between them.
• Power and political maneuvering: Zhao’s request, Li’s conditions, and the discussion of Zhu’s fate show personal relationships entangled with imperial authority.
• Ambiguous loyalty and intent: Zhao’s response to Li’s threat leaves uncertain how far he will go to protect—or sacrifice—Zhu.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Chenjing, emotionally affected by Zhu Bafu’s resemblance to and connection with his “Young Master,” kisses her impulsively. He is shocked by his own actions and struggles to distinguish his feelings for her from those he associates with the Young Master.
• Zhu Bafu confesses that she cannot treat him merely as a colleague and asks him to be with her. However, she makes it clear that she wants the Young Master—not Lord Li—and demands that Li Chenjing either devote himself solely to her or disappear from her sight.
• Their confrontation is interrupted when assassins arrive. Acting under the Prime Minister’s orders, they announce that Zhu Bafu, descendant of the traitor Zhu Cong, is to be executed.
• Li Chenjing protects Zhu Bafu, orders her into the Nian Residence, and then chooses to flee with her when she refuses to enter because Xiaojiu is inside.
• Wei Chenmu remains behind to fight the assassins while Li Chenjing drags Zhu Bafu through the rain toward the palace gates.
• During their escape, arrows narrowly miss them and pierce Zhu Bafu’s sleeves. Li Chenjing insists that she stay close to him and proposes jumping into the forbidden river near the palace to evade pursuit.

Character Developments

• Li Chenjing: His restraint collapses as his attraction and emotional confusion become impossible to suppress. Although he knows Zhu Bafu wants the Young Master rather than Lord Li, he repeatedly protects her and speaks to her in a manner resembling the Young Master, suggesting that his own identity and feelings are becoming increasingly entangled with that persona.
• Zhu Bafu: She openly acknowledges her feelings and demands an exclusive relationship, but her confession also reveals that her true emotional attachment remains directed toward the Young Master. Despite her fear and uncertainty, she refuses to abandon Xiaojiu and continues to challenge Li Chenjing verbally even while fleeing for her life.
• Wei Chenmu: He demonstrates his loyalty and combat ability by confronting the assassins so that Li Chenjing and Zhu Bafu can escape.
• The Prime Minister: His hostility escalates from political opposition to a direct assassination attempt, showing how seriously he regards Zhu Bafu’s writings, influence, and connection to the emperor.

Significant Themes

• Identity and mistaken attachment: Li Chenjing struggles with being seen as separate from the Young Master, while Zhu Bafu continues to distinguish sharply between the two identities.
• Love versus substitution: Zhu Bafu wants the Young Master, forcing Li Chenjing to confront whether her feelings could ever extend to him as an individual.
• Political danger and loyalty: Zhu Bafu’s loyalty to the emperor and her provocative writings have placed her in mortal danger, demonstrating the risks of challenging powerful political figures.
• Protection and dependence: The assassination attempt turns the emotional confrontation into a physical escape, with Li Chenjing insisting that Zhu Bafu remain beside him despite her rejection of him.
• Recurring circumstances: Their flight toward the river echoes an earlier escape involving Zhu Bafu and the Young Master, highlighting the similarities and differences between Li Chenjing and the person she longs for.

Character Interactions

• Li Chenjing and Zhu Bafu shift rapidly from an awkward, intimate encounter to a painful confession and argument about identity and love.
• Li Chenjing protects Zhu Bafu from the assassins and uses her refusal to enter the estate as a reason to keep her at his side.
• Their banter continues during the chase: Zhu Bafu questions the Prime Minister’s authority and Li Chenjing’s motives, while he criticizes her dangerous loyalty and insists on staying close.
• Wei Chenmu’s intervention gives Li Chenjing and Zhu Bafu time to escape, while the assassins’ attack forces the pair into physical dependence on each other.

Key plot points and events

• During an attack near the palace gate, Li Chenjing pulls Zhu Boy into the Forbidden River to escape the arrows. He is wounded in the back while protecting her; she swallows water but is otherwise unharmed.
• At Consort Qi’s chambers, Zhao Huangpu hears that the two have been rescued. He is irritated when the Head Eunuch assumes Li took the arrows for Zhu, then becomes uneasy on learning Zhu called Li “Little Eight.”
• Zhao sees Zhu clinging to Li and sobbing while Li awkwardly tries to comfort her. He quietly concludes that Zhu is too clever to be fooled by a simple trick—and wonders whether the young man before her is an impostor.
• At dawn, the imperial concubines gather outside Bright Sun Hall, where Zhao spent the night with Consort Qi. The women gossip about the Pan family and Consort Qi’s influence.
• Noble Consort Pan, stung by the suggestion that Consort Qi may rise in rank, lashes out. Consort Yan counters that affection matters more than an empty title, while Consort Hui hints that she may know more than the others.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhu Boy openly seeks comfort from Li, addressing him as “Little Eight.” Her emotional reunion raises doubts about whether she recognizes him or is being deceived.
• Li Chenjing has protected Zhu at real physical cost, but appears confused and uncomfortable with her sudden embrace.
• Zhao Huangpu shows jealousy and suspicion at their closeness, though he does not interrupt them. His concern about “Little Eight” and the possible impostor suggests he is trying to interpret their relationship.
• Noble Consort Pan is frustrated by the gap between her elevated rank and Zhao’s apparent lack of affection. She lashes out when the other concubines point out Consort Qi’s growing influence.
• Consort Yan openly challenges Pan’s reliance on status, arguing that Zhao’s favor is what truly determines a woman’s standing.
• Consort Hui enters the dispute cautiously, suggesting there may be hidden information behind Yan’s remarks.

Significant themes

• Affection versus rank: The concubines’ exchange underscores that formal titles mean little without the emperor’s favor.
• Identity and deception: Zhao’s suspicion that Li may be an impostor complicates Zhu and Li’s emotional reunion.
• Protection and intimacy: Li’s injuries and Zhu’s embrace suggest a deep bond, while Zhao’s silent reaction reveals the tension their closeness creates.
• Palace rivalry and uncertainty: The concubines’ gossip exposes competition for influence and the insecurity beneath courtly status.

Chapter Summary

• Consort Yan and Consort Hui provoke Noble Consort Pan by suggesting that Consort Qi has a “secret trick” for winning the emperor’s favor. They imply that Consort Qi has willingly tolerated—and even invited—Lady Liu Rongrong, a woman from the entertainer registry and the emperor’s confidante, into the palace as a lady attendant.
• Noble Consort Pan becomes furious and jealous, especially because she believes Consort Qi is using Lady Liu to compete with her. Yan and Hui deliberately inflame her anger, encouraging her to confront Consort Qi and oppose the arrangement.
• Before Pan can act, an eunuch announces the emperor’s order: all the imperial consorts must return to their own palaces instead of entering the hall to pay respects. This unusual decision immediately arouses suspicion.
• The eunuch explains that two Academy Students from Dongxu Mansion were brought to Zhaoyang Hall after the events of the previous night. The emperor is having breakfast with them, and because they are men, the consorts are dismissed. The revelation frustrates Yan and Hui, who had hoped to watch Pan clash with Consort Qi.
• At breakfast, the emperor is irritated because Zhu Bafu and the apparently injured “Little Jing” are openly affectionate toward each other. Zhu Bafu fusses over Li Chenjing, warning him about shrimp in the porridge, testing the food’s temperature, and offering to feed him.
• The emperor internally debates whether Li Chenjing is genuinely mentally impaired from his fall or is merely pretending. Li Chenjing’s behavior—alternating between rejecting help and then accepting Zhu Bafu’s care—convinces the emperor that he is deliberately acting in an affected, infuriating manner.
• In exasperation, the emperor orders a palace maid to help Zhu Bafu feed Li Chenjing. Li Chenjing then refuses the maid’s assistance and coyly turns his face away, making his feigned weakness appear more convincing while further irritating the emperor.

Character Development and Interactions

• Noble Consort Pan is shown to be proud, jealous, and easily provoked. Her hostility toward Consort Qi intensifies when she hears about Lady Liu.
• Consort Yan and Consort Hui act as calculated instigators. They cooperate in manipulating Pan’s suspicions, though their plan is disrupted by the emperor’s unexpected dismissal of the consorts.
• Consort Qi does not appear directly, but her rumored tolerance of Lady Liu is presented as a strategic method of retaining the emperor’s favor.
• The emperor is increasingly irritated and jealous of Zhu Bafu and Li Chenjing’s intimacy. His internal commentary reveals that he understands Li Chenjing’s personality well and suspects he is pretending to be mentally impaired.
• Zhu Bafu displays devoted, almost overly attentive concern for Li Chenjing, openly caring for him despite the emperor’s presence.
• Li Chenjing carefully balances weakness, reluctance, and coy dependence. His behavior suggests that he may be consciously performing his “injured” state, perhaps to receive Zhu Bafu’s affection.

Significant Themes

• Jealousy and palace rivalry: The consorts compete indirectly through rumors, manipulation, and speculation about the emperor’s affections.
• Performance and deception: Several characters conceal their intentions or adopt false appearances—Yan and Hui pretend to offer sincere advice, while Li Chenjing may be pretending to suffer cognitive damage.
• Affection as political and personal power: Consort Qi’s supposed acceptance of Lady Liu and Zhu Bafu’s open care for Li Chenjing both demonstrate unconventional ways of securing closeness and influence.
• The emperor’s isolation: Despite being surrounded by attendants and consorts, the emperor feels excluded and resentful when Zhu Bafu and Li Chenjing focus entirely on each other.

Key events

• Emperor Zhao Huangpu teases Zhu Bafu by trying to feed the injured Li Chenjing porridge. When Zhu intervenes, the hot porridge spills over Li, and the Emperor orders him to change clothes.
• Left alone with Zhao, Zhu asks what will happen to them given that the Prime Minister wants her dead. Zhao suggests separating them, but Zhu proposes placing both under house arrest in the palace.
• Zhu argues that keeping Li under house arrest too will provoke a revealing reaction from the Prime Minister. Zhao recognizes that her proposal is strategic rather than foolish.
• Zhu later helps Li apply medicinal ointment to his arrow wounds. While tending him, she jokes that she is comforting him because Zhao plans to bring Miss Liu into the palace.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhu Bafu remains protective of Li, but also shows political awareness: she turns a possible punishment into a way to shield herself and test the Prime Minister’s intentions.
• Zhao Huangpu acts playfully possessive and teases Zhu about her attraction to Li, yet is impressed when he realizes she has a deliberate plan.
• Li Chenjing is vulnerable while injured and initially guarded as Zhu tends his wounds. Their close, teasing exchange suggests intimacy, though he is uncomfortable with her provocative “comfort.”
• The triangle’s tension comes through in Zhao’s jealousy and Zhu’s devotion to Li, while the Emperor’s plan to bring Miss Liu into the palace becomes a new point of emotional friction.

Significant themes

• Protection through strategy: Zhu uses the threat of detention as a means to stay safe and draw out the Prime Minister’s response.
• Affection and jealousy: Teasing, possessiveness, and caretaking blur the lines between political maneuvering and romantic attachment.
• Power and vulnerability: The Emperor’s authority shapes the trio’s circumstances, while Li’s injuries leave him physically exposed and dependent on Zhu’s care.

Key plot points and events

• Little Eight suspects that the man beside her may be Lord Li impersonating the Young Master, so she tests him by teasing and questioning him.
• He recognizes her distrust and challenges her to decide what reaction would prove he is himself. When she points out that the Young Master would not pass up a chance to make advances on her, he kisses and teases her—confirming his identity.
• He brings up the slap she gave Lord Li and asks whether her feelings for the Emperor changed while he was away.
• Little Eight admits she has spent time alone with the Emperor, but explains that it happened because he was trying to protect her. She once dismissed the Emperor’s proposed way of protecting her as pathetic.
• The Young Master asks whether she would think the same if he wanted to protect her through intimacy. Little Eight recognizes this as distinctly characteristic of him.

Character developments

• Little Eight remains wary after the Young Master’s abrupt return, but her familiarity with his temperament helps her distinguish him from Lord Li. She is more candid with him than with Lord Li, including about her encounters with the Emperor.
• The Young Master reveals both playful confidence and insecurity. He notices how differently Little Eight treats him and Lord Li, and seeks reassurance about her feelings toward the Emperor.

Significant themes

• Trust and recognition: Little Eight relies on intimate knowledge of the Young Master’s personality to determine who he is.
• Jealousy and emotional vulnerability: The Young Master’s questions about Lord Li and the Emperor expose his concern about where he stands with Little Eight.
• Protection and intimacy: The chapter blurs the line between protecting someone and pursuing physical closeness, while highlighting how Little Eight judges those motives.

Character interactions

• Little Eight tests the Young Master through teasing and skepticism; he responds by turning the test into flirtation.
• The Young Master presses her about her relationships with Lord Li and the Emperor, while she answers with unusual honesty.
• Their playful physical intimacy contrasts with Little Eight’s disgust toward Lord Li and shows the special familiarity between her and the Young Master.

Chapter 91 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhu Bafu and the Young Master become intimate on the bed after she finally confesses her feelings and fears losing another chance with him.
• Zhu Bafu initially takes the initiative, removing his clothing, but becomes alarmed when the Young Master encourages her to undress as well.
• As he begins exposing her collar and chest, the bandages beneath her clothing hint at the secret she is concealing—most likely her true female identity or another bodily difference.
• The Young Master playfully restrains her and insists that he wants to see her, while Zhu Bafu grows increasingly embarrassed and desperate to avoid revealing herself.
• Their situation is abruptly interrupted when Emperor Zhao Huangpu enters Consort Qi’s palace and orders them off the bed.
• Zhao Huangpu angrily fastens Zhu Bafu’s exposed clothing himself, clearly disturbed by the intimate scene and jealous or possessive of her.
• Consort Qi attempts to justify the encounter by claiming Zhu Bafu was merely helping the injured Young Master apply medicine.
• Zhao Huangpu mocks their claim of “propriety” and sarcastically orders Consort Qi to provide every possible palace service to the two governors, emphasizing his displeasure while punishing her indirectly.
• The chapter ends with the sexual tension unresolved and the larger plot deliberately postponed until the next chapter.

Character Developments

• Zhu Bafu: Her long-suppressed feelings for the Young Master overcome her caution. She becomes bold and impulsive, determined not to regret missing another opportunity with him, but immediately retreats when her body and identity risk being exposed.
• The Young Master: He appears shy and passive at first, then teasing and confident. He deliberately encourages Zhu Bafu to undress, showing both curiosity about her body and an awareness of her embarrassment. His calm silence after the Emperor’s arrival suggests amusement, composure, or a willingness to let Zhu Bafu struggle through the explanation alone.
• Emperor Zhao Huangpu: He displays intense irritation at finding Zhu Bafu and the Young Master together. His anger goes beyond concern for palace propriety, suggesting jealousy and possessiveness. He also continues to view Zhu Bafu as clever in political matters but absurdly foolish in romance.
• Consort Qi: She is caught in an awkward situation and quickly submits to the Emperor, explaining that she withdrew because she feared violating palace regulations.
• The Young Master’s injury: The wound remains relevant as Zhu Bafu uses it as an excuse for their presence and intimacy, though the situation clearly exceeded simple medical care.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identity and fear of exposure: Zhu Bafu’s reluctance to remove her clothes highlights the danger of her secret and the tension between emotional desire and self-preservation.
• Desire versus restraint: Both Zhu Bafu and the Young Master want intimacy, but embarrassment, social rules, and Zhu Bafu’s concealed identity prevent the scene from reaching completion.
• Jealousy and possessiveness: Zhao Huangpu’s furious reaction and personal effort to cover Zhu Bafu suggest feelings that conflict with his official authority.
• Public propriety versus private emotion: The characters use formal excuses about palace regulations and medical care to conceal their private behavior, creating comic tension.
• Comic interruption: The chapter focuses on romantic and suggestive humor, ending with the Emperor’s sudden arrival rather than advancing the political plot.

Important Character Interactions

• Zhu Bafu and the Young Master shift from mutual attraction to a playful struggle, with Zhu Bafu initially taking control and the Young Master later reversing their positions.
• The Young Master attempts to coax Zhu Bafu into revealing herself, while she repeatedly tries to preserve her secret.
• Zhao Huangpu confronts both of them, scolds Consort Qi, and personally restores Zhu Bafu’s modesty.
• Consort Qi and the palace maids remain intimidated and avoid looking directly at the embarrassing scene.
• The Emperor’s intervention transforms a private romantic encounter into a humiliating public confrontation and leaves the relationships among the three central figures more charged than before.

Plot points and events

• Emperor Zhao Huangpu declares that the people he cares about are in Bright Sun Hall, implying that Consort Qi will oversee the Inner Palace rather than newly promoted Noble Consort Pan.
• Pan flies into a rage, smashes the furnishings in her chambers, and sends Eunuch Xiao Quanzi to learn what her father intends. Her father urges her to set aside jealousy, support Consort Qi, and serve the emperor. He warns her to watch Zhu Bafu, relaying a secret order from Prime Minister Li.
• Zhu Bafu and Li Chenjing remain under comfortable “confinement” in the Inner Palace. Despite the political uproar, the Prime Minister’s household makes no move against either of them.
• Zhu concludes that the Prime Minister may have abandoned the dispute and proposes that she and Li Chenjing leave. Li objects, admitting he does not want to return because he would then be unable to stay with Zhu.

Character developments

• Noble Consort Pan is proud, jealous, and threatened by Consort Qi’s rise, but her father’s instructions force her to reconsider her position and take Zhu seriously.
• Zhu Bafu remains politically alert and concerned about the emperor’s reputation, even while eager to leave the palace.
• Li Chenjing reveals his strong attachment to Zhu, openly resisting separation despite his usual reserve.
• Zhao Huangpu appears to be maneuvering around court politics and deliberately lets Li hear his conversation with Zhu.

Character interactions

• Pan’s confrontation with Xiao Quanzi exposes the conflict between her personal resentment and her father’s political strategy.
• Zhao, Zhu, and Li discuss why the Prime Minister has remained silent; Zhao watches Li’s reactions as Zhu proposes leaving.
• Li’s blunt refusal surprises Zhu and draws a knowing response from Zhao.

Significant themes

• Power and political maneuvering: Control of the Inner Palace shifts through the emperor’s favor and the Prime Minister’s plans.
• Jealousy versus duty: Pan’s anger clashes with her father’s demand that she support Consort Qi.
• Affection amid political danger: Li’s confession shows how personal attachment complicates the characters’ political circumstances.
• Appearance and reputation: Zhu worries that their presence could damage the emperor’s name, highlighting the risks of rumor and scandal.

Plot points and events

• Zhao Huangpu persuades Zhu Bafu and Li Chenjing to remain in the Inner Palace for safety, fearing Prime Minister Zhu Boy may be trying to lure them out before striking again.
• Zhu Bafu grows anxious about staying: the palace’s large staff are watching them closely, and their closeness could provoke gossip or trouble.
• Li Chenjing continues teasing and flirting with her. His intimate gestures—and his unusually bold romantic lines—make Zhu certain he is the “Young Master,” not Lord Li.
• Zhu begs him to stop flirting in front of palace observers. When he interprets her promise that he can “play” with her after they leave as permission, she becomes momentarily less eager to escape.
• An imperial summons calls Zhu alone to Zhao’s study. Li is prevented from accompanying her, and Zhu reassures him that she expects the emperor to have found a way for them to leave.
• Zhu arrives to find Zhao in full ceremonial dress. His obscured expression and the atmosphere in the study signal that he is angry, though the chapter ends before she learns why.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhu Bafu is torn between practical fear of palace gossip and her attraction to Li. She recognizes his flirtatious behavior as uniquely his, but tries to maintain propriety under the watchful palace staff.
• Li Chenjing is affectionate, playful, and possessive, treating Zhu as something precious to keep close. His teasing intensifies even as she asks him to restrain himself in public.
• Zhao Huangpu is protective and eager to keep Zhu and Li in the palace, but his sudden formal summons and apparent anger introduce new tension.
• Zhu’s private reassurance to Li contrasts with the palace’s surveillance: servants observe their every interaction, and even an innocent romantic exchange risks fueling rumors.

Significant themes

• Safety versus freedom: Remaining in the palace offers protection but limits Zhu and Li’s independence.
• Romance under scrutiny: Their affection unfolds amid constant observation and the threat of scandal.
• Possessiveness and propriety: Li’s desire to keep Zhu close clashes with her need to manage appearances.
• Power and uncertainty: Zhao’s protective authority may also constrain them, while his unexplained anger foreshadows conflict.

Key plot points and events

• Zhu Bafu enters the Imperial Study, where Emperor Zhao Huangpu reveals a huge stack of sick-leave memorials from officials aligned with the Prime Minister.
• The Ministerial Faction has largely abandoned court, leaving Zhao unable to advance reforms or manage mounting petitions from across the country. The walkout demonstrates that the Prime Minister can cripple the government through his control of its day-to-day operations.
• Furious, Zhao kicks over the Dragon Desk and orders two eunuchs who rush in to clean up beaten to death. Zhu hesitates to challenge him, then recognizes he is giving her an opening to plead for them.
• When she bluntly asks whether she may seek mercy, Zhao is offended by her lack of tact. Still, she frames the eunuchs’ release as an act of imperial grace, allowing him to spare them without appearing to surrender his authority.

Character developments

• Zhao Huangpu is exposed as politically constrained despite being emperor: the Prime Minister’s faction can paralyze his government. His anger makes him impulsive, but he also wants Zhu to understand him and intervene.
• Zhu Bafu sees the scale of the Prime Minister’s power and realizes why Zhao did not summon anyone from the Li Household. She is cautious around the emperor’s temper, yet ultimately uses a clever appeal to preserve his dignity and save the eunuchs.

Significant themes

• Real power versus formal authority: The Prime Minister’s ability to keep—or stop—the court functioning challenges the emperor’s nominal supremacy.
• Mercy and imperial image: Zhu gives Zhao a face-saving way to temper his punishment while preserving the principle that the decision is his.
• Intimacy and miscommunication: Zhao hopes Zhu will read his unspoken invitation to intervene, while her overly literal response irritates and amuses him.

Character interactions

Zhao and Zhu’s exchange mixes political tension with playful frustration: he silently invites her to plead for the eunuchs, she says exactly what she thinks, and he reluctantly accepts her framing. The eunuchs and Imperial Guards watch nervously as Zhu’s intervention turns a death sentence into a reprieve.

Plot points and events

• Zhu Bafu intervenes to save two palace attendants from punishment, making it clear that the emperor—not she—has shown them mercy. They thank Zhao Huangpu and leave.
• Zhao stops Zhu from leaving and questions why she pleaded for the attendants indirectly. Zhu explains that she feared openly challenging him could look like faction-building amid court rivalries; she also wants the attendants to recognize the emperor as the source of their reprieve.
• When Zhao asks what she would do if he truly wanted to punish them, Zhu says she would accept the blame rather than let the matter reflect badly on him.
• Zhao, pleased by her loyalty, holds her hand while discussing how to handle the political crisis. He proposes illegally imprisoning ministers, but Zhu warns that bypassing legal procedure would provoke public outrage and damage his legitimacy. He hints that her remark has inspired another plan.
• Outside the study, Consort Qi arrives to see the emperor. The eunuch tells her he is occupied with a guest. Qi accepts the delay and asks who is inside.

Character developments

• Zhu Bafu shows political judgment as well as loyalty: her plea protects the attendants while preserving Zhao’s authority and avoiding the appearance of a harem faction.
• Zhao Huangpu recognizes that Zhu understands the pressures he faces more deeply than he had assumed. Her support reassures him, though he still considers rash, authoritarian solutions.
• Their relationship grows more intimate: Zhao reads Zhu’s willingness to shoulder blame as personal affection, while she insists it is simply a subject’s duty and remains largely unaware of his romantic interpretation.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and authority: Zhu supports the emperor while carefully protecting his public standing.
• Law versus arbitrary power: Her warning emphasizes the political and reputational consequences of imprisoning ministers outside legal channels.
• Trust and misunderstanding: Zhao sees devotion in Zhu’s actions; she frames them as political duty, revealing a gap between their interpretations.
• Court politics and appearances: Even a simple plea for mercy must be weighed against factional suspicion and the need to preserve imperial prestige.

Character interactions

• Zhu and Zhao move from disagreement into a private, teasing exchange: he presses her to speak plainly, while she explains her caution and challenges his proposed abuses of power.
• Zhao’s physical closeness contrasts with Zhu’s practical focus; she notices only that his grip hurts and tries to steer the conversation back to the crisis.
• The eunuch cautiously manages access to the study, and Consort Qi responds with restraint, setting up a possible encounter with the unidentified guest.