Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Consort Qi tells Liu Rongrong that the emperor is meeting Lord Zhu, so Rongrong must wait in Bright Sun Hall rather than see him immediately.
• Rongrong mocks the situation, implying that Zhu’s meeting with the emperor may involve more than ordinary state business. She hints that Zhu is a woman disguising herself as a man and serving at court.
• Consort Qi probes Rongrong about Zhu’s importance. Rongrong suggests Zhu’s “delicate and charming” appearance is part of what makes him special, then openly explains how women from fallen families may use unusual roles to win the emperor’s favor.
• That night, Emperor Zhao Huangpu arrives at Bright Sun Hall carrying his beloved Cat. Consort Qi explains that Rongrong is tired and was spared the formal greeting.
• Zhao initially heads toward Zhu Bafu’s quarters instead of asking for Rongrong, revealing where his attention instinctively lies. Consort Qi redirects him, but he pauses outside Zhu’s door, apparently hoping Zhu will come out.
• Zhao grumbles fondly that Zhu is absorbed in reading and has not come to greet him. Lord Li Chenjing then emerges from Zhu’s room, and Zhao immediately approaches him.

Character developments

• Liu Rongrong appears confident and sharp-tongued, challenging Consort Qi despite their difference in rank. Her remarks suggest she knows Zhu’s secret and understands how to turn her own unconventional status into influence.
• Consort Qi remains composed and courteous while quietly testing Rongrong’s knowledge and managing the emperor’s movements. Her polite manner masks watchfulness.
• Zhao Huangpu shows that his attachment to Zhu is strong and habitual: he goes to Zhu’s quarters without thinking, waits for her attention, and speaks of her with indulgent familiarity.
• Zhu Bafu remains offstage, but her absence is significant: she is busy reading, has dismissed a palace attendant, and does not respond to the emperor’s arrival.
• Li Chenjing’s appearance from Zhu’s room suggests a close connection or private conversation with her, immediately drawing the emperor’s interest.

Significant themes

• Appearance, identity, and gender: Rongrong alludes to Zhu’s disguise and the risks women face in seeking power.
• Favor and ambition: Rongrong frames winning the emperor’s affection as a means of securing lasting influence.
• Jealousy and divided attention: Rongrong’s barbed comments and Consort Qi’s probing reveal tension over the emperor’s affections.
• Power beneath etiquette: Formal palace courtesies coexist with subtle tests, strategic omissions, and personal rivalries.

Character interactions

• Rongrong and Consort Qi exchange pointed, carefully veiled remarks about Zhu and the emperor’s attention.
• Consort Qi tactfully handles Zhao’s questions about Rongrong while steering him toward her quarters.
• Zhao’s instinctive focus on Zhu’s door contrasts with the visit he ostensibly came to make.
• Zhao moves quickly to meet Li Chenjing as he emerges from Zhu’s room, setting up a potentially tense encounter.

Key plot points and events

• Little Eight has fallen asleep at her desk after worrying over the escalating conflict between Zhao Huangpu and the court. Li Chenjing explains that the emperor’s father is forcing the issue: officials have refused to attend court, and the struggle is now aimed at making Zhao surrender Little Eight.
• Zhao teases Li for pretending to have lost his memory and asks him to help Little Eight, but Li refuses, noting that she trusts his “Young Master” persona and would recognize any slip.
• Zhao tells Li that Consort Qi has brought Liu Rongrong into the palace and that he is going to see her. He tries to provoke jealousy by prompting Li to say that Little Eight is the only woman in his heart. Li says it plainly, briefly unsettling Zhao.
• Zhao orders Li to reassure Little Eight that he will handle the court crisis and that she can rest safely in the Inner Palace.
• Zhao visits Liu Rongrong, admiring her beauty but privately comparing her unfavorably with the woman he most wants to protect: Little Eight.

Character developments

• Li Chenjing remains committed to protecting Little Eight, though he feels unable to help while she believes he is merely an ignorant Young Master. His spontaneous declaration of love suggests that his feelings are sincere even beneath the role he plays.
• Zhao Huangpu uses teasing and jealousy to test Li, yet his concern for Little Eight is evident in his reassurance that he will manage the political crisis. He also reveals that his attachment to her outweighs his appreciation of Liu Rongrong’s beauty.
• Little Eight is shown as politically active and deeply anxious: her earlier provocations have helped bring the conflict with Zhao’s father to a crisis, and she has exhausted herself worrying about its consequences.
• Liu Rongrong reappears in the palace as a striking beauty, but the chapter focuses more on Zhao’s reaction to her than on her own perspective.

Significant themes

• Love and jealousy: Zhao tries to provoke Li, while Li’s direct declaration reveals the depth of his devotion.
• Performance and hidden identity: Li must maintain his foolish “Young Master” act, even when it prevents him from helping Little Eight.
• Power and political pressure: The court’s refusal to attend and Zhao’s father’s demands turn Little Eight into the focus of a dangerous struggle.
• Beauty versus emotional attachment: Zhao acknowledges Liu Rongrong’s beauty but finds her overshadowed by Little Eight, whom he truly wants to protect.

Character interactions

• Zhao and Li exchange pointed, teasing remarks about Little Eight and Liu Rongrong, using the conversation to probe each other’s feelings.
• Li’s declaration that Little Eight is the only one in his heart momentarily disarms Zhao.
• Zhao leaves Little Eight a message through Li, shifting from mockery to reassurance.
• Zhao admires Liu Rongrong but mentally contrasts her with Little Eight, underscoring where his real attachment lies.

Key plot points and events

• Zhao Huangpu meets Liu Rongrong in the palace, but she notices his attention is elsewhere. He asks why she is unhappy and reminds her that he brought her into the Inner Palace as she wished.
• Rongrong questions whether he truly defied the Prime Minister for her sake. She says Prime Minister Li sees her as a distraction, while the emperor’s real concern is Academy Student Zhu, whose identity as the disgraced official Zhu Cong’s descendant is apparently known to him.
• Rongrong recounts how her father was executed after helping Zhao Huangpu’s birth father’s memorial tablet enter the Imperial Ancestral Temple, linking her family’s tragedy to Zhu Cong’s downfall. She presses Zhao to compare his feelings for her with those for Zhu.
• Zhao avoids answering directly, warns Rongrong not to pry into his thoughts, and says her role is to attend to him and keep him at ease. He promises to give her what she wants if she behaves.
• Just as Rongrong is about to resume their intimacy, commotion outside announces that Lord Zhu is in trouble. Zhao immediately rushes out, revealing how strongly Zhu’s fate commands his attention.
• Rongrong concludes that Consort Qi likely arranged the incident to target Zhu and spoil Rongrong’s time with the emperor. She also reflects that her own plan to expose Zhu’s true identity without provoking Zhao may still succeed.

Character developments and interactions

• Liu Rongrong is strategic and perceptive. She uses her family’s suffering to challenge Zhao emotionally, tests his attachment to Zhu, then recognizes when to stop pushing. His abrupt departure confirms what she suspected.
• Zhao Huangpu remains affectionate but controlling toward Rongrong. He warns her against crossing his boundaries, while his frantic response to news about Zhu betrays his genuine concern.
• Consort Qi is presented through Rongrong’s interpretation as outwardly composed but possibly behind a calculated attack on Zhu.
• Rongrong and Zhao’s intimate exchange is charged with jealousy and unequal power: she seeks reassurance and emotional truth, while he insists on secrecy and obedience.

Significant themes

• Affection versus political power: Zhao’s tenderness does not erase his authority over Rongrong or his ability to dictate the terms of their relationship.
• Jealousy and concealed attachment: Rongrong’s suspicions about Zhao’s feelings for Zhu are reinforced by his immediate reaction to the news.
• Family loyalty and historical injustice: The parallel between Rongrong’s family and Zhu’s connects personal grief to political persecution.
• Strategic performance: Rongrong, Zhao, and Consort Qi all manage appearances and maneuver within the palace’s dangerous political world.

Page 204 Summary

Plot points and events

• Zhu Bafu wakes late at night in bed after exhausting herself studying Imperial Diaries, hoping to find historical guidance for the current court crisis.
• She discovers that Young Master has stayed beside her while she slept, holding her hand and saving food for her.
• Mistaking the intimate situation for an opportunity, Zhu considers kissing him, but her hunger interrupts the moment.
• Their conversation turns into playful and increasingly suggestive teasing. Young Master offers to let her “eat” him, eventually exposing his neck for her to kiss or bite.
• Zhu becomes tempted to seduce and overpower him, even imagining using his sash to blindfold him so she can conceal that she is a woman.
• However, she stops when she remembers Lord Li and notices that Young Master’s eyes still possess a cool, detached quality unlike the genuine Young Master’s. She remains convinced that something about him is wrong.
• When Zhu mentions Lord Li, the man stiffens. She jokes that Lord Li might strangle her if he discovered she had “eaten” Young Master, implying the danger surrounding the hidden identities and their relationship.

Character developments

• Zhu Bafu: Shows her usual boldness and shameless flirtation, but also reveals deep suspicion and emotional caution. Though strongly attracted to Young Master, she cannot completely trust him because of the difference in his eyes and behavior. Her thoughts also show her anxiety about exposing her female identity.
• Young Master/Lord Li: Acts unusually bashful, yielding, and flirtatious, willingly offering Zhu his neck and allowing her physical advances. His embarrassment contrasts with the confident, dominant Young Master she remembers. His reaction to Lord Li’s name suggests that the identity issue affects him deeply.

Significant themes

• Identity and disguise: Zhu struggles to determine whether the person before her is truly Young Master or Lord Li, while also trying to conceal her own identity as a woman.
• Desire versus suspicion: Physical attraction repeatedly threatens to overcome Zhu’s doubts, but subtle differences in expression and demeanor keep her from surrendering completely.
• Intimacy and trust: Holding hands, saving food, and offering his neck suggest closeness, yet the emotional uncertainty beneath these gestures prevents genuine security.
• Courtly danger and secrecy: Even this private romantic moment is shadowed by political intrigue, spies, hidden identities, and the fear of punishment.

Character interactions

• Zhu and Young Master share a highly intimate, teasing exchange centered on hunger as a metaphor for desire.
• Young Master responds to Zhu’s advances with apparent shyness and cooperation, while Zhu alternates between seduction, suspicion, and humor.
• The mention of Lord Li abruptly changes the mood, revealing that their flirtation is entangled with jealousy, fear, and unresolved identity conflict.

Plot points and events

• Zhu Bafu worries that if Lord Li discovers their intimate play, he will punish her. The Young Master reassures her that Li would most likely “take responsibility”—meaning marry her.
• The thought disgusts Zhu Bafu. She insists she does not want Lord Li to treat her like a duty, then leaves the bed to eat. The Young Master also says he has lost his appetite.
• He asks her to like Lord Li a little more “for the Young Master’s sake,” making Zhu Bafu suspect that the man beneath the Jade Belt might actually be Li Chenjing.
• A eunuch arrives with an order from the emperor: both Zhu Bafu and the Young Master are summoned to court. The emperor is spending the night with Liu Rongrong, who has just entered the palace.
• Zhu Bafu refuses to let the Young Master accompany her, fearing that seeing Liu Rongrong will cause him to revert to the distant Lord Li. She goes to face the emperor alone, determined to keep the two from meeting.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhu Bafu remains deeply attached to the Young Master and admits she wants him beside her, regardless of whether she can compete with Liu Rongrong. Her protectiveness leads her to separate him from the summons.
• The Young Master is unusually gentle and vulnerable: he lets Zhu Bafu act freely, seems jealous or troubled, and clings to her when she prepares to leave. His remark about “taking responsibility” hints at complicated feelings or a possible connection to Lord Li.
• Zhu Bafu and the Young Master share a close, teasing intimacy, but their conversation is shadowed by her fear that his identity and feelings may be more complicated than she understands.
• Liu Rongrong’s arrival becomes an immediate source of tension, even though she does not appear directly in the scene.

Significant themes

• Identity and uncertainty: Zhu Bafu cannot tell whether the Young Master is truly separate from Lord Li.
• Affection versus obligation: Zhu Bafu rejects marriage as a mere response to intimacy, wanting genuine closeness instead.
• Jealousy and fear of loss: Her decision to keep the Young Master away from Liu Rongrong shows how strongly she fears losing him.

Key plot points and events

• Zhu Bafu is led across a lake walkway toward Liu’s chambers, where Emperor Li Chenjing is staying. Consort Qi has arranged Liu’s lodging in an elegant pavilion, hoping to win the Emperor’s favor.
• Someone shoves Zhu into the lake and kicks her, apparently intending not to kill her but to expose her secret: she is a woman disguised as a man.
• As attendants gather with lanterns, Zhu’s soaked chest bindings loosen. She refuses to come ashore because the bright light and crowd could reveal her identity.
• Consort Qi arrives and insists that the eunuchs pull Zhu from the water, using propriety and concern for the Emperor’s rest as pressure.
• Zhu retreats farther into the lake, injuring her bare foot and fearing that exposure would cost her the Emperor’s protection and give his political opponents grounds to destroy her.
• Li Chenjing enters the water and reaches out to her. When she hesitates, he realizes why and gently calls her “Little Eight,” signaling that he understands her predicament and is trying to reassure her.

Character developments

• Zhu Bafu is resourceful but trapped between protecting her disguise and resisting Consort Qi’s escalating pressure. Her fear reflects how precarious her position has become.
• Consort Qi appears gracious in her hospitality toward Liu, but her conduct at the lake is hostile and possibly part of a deliberate attempt to expose Zhu.
• Li Chenjing acts quickly to help Zhu and shows sensitivity to her secret, shifting from a formal appeal to a private, familiar reassurance.

Significant themes

• Gender disguise and vulnerability: Zhu’s safety depends on concealing her identity, and a staged public incident threatens to strip away that protection.
• Political power and reputation: Exposure would give the Ministerial Faction leverage against both Zhu and the Emperor’s favoritism toward her.
• Public scrutiny and coercion: The lantern-lit crowd turns a fall into a spectacle, while Consort Qi uses propriety and authority to limit Zhu’s choices.
• Trust and protection: Li Chenjing’s recognition of Zhu’s hesitation suggests an intimate understanding that contrasts with the crowd’s pressure.

Character interactions

• The little eunuch initially acts as Zhu’s guide, then is revealed as the person who pushed her, likely acting on someone else’s orders.
• Consort Qi publicly directs the attendants to bring Zhu ashore, while Zhu resists and tries to keep herself concealed.
• Li Chenjing offers Zhu his hand; when she cannot accept it, he adapts his approach and addresses her by the private name “Little Eight.”

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Emperor, Zhao Huangpu, arrives at the lake just as Zhu Bafu—secretly Zhu Furu—is exposed in the water with Young Master, or “Little Jing.”
• He immediately covers her with an imperial cloak, shields her body from everyone’s view, and commands her to hold his hand and leave with him without looking back.
• The Emperor reveals that he knows her true identity and the secret she is trying to conceal. He uses the presence of others, especially Young Master, to pressure her into obeying him.
• Consort Qi attempts to approach and question the situation, but the Emperor orders her to kneel and sharply rebukes her for testing or scrutinizing someone under his protection.
• He threatens to strip Consort Qi of her authority in the inner palace, asserting his power and making it clear that her status depends entirely on his favor.
• The Emperor prevents Zhu Furu from looking back at Young Master and announces that she will accompany him to the Imperial Study under the pretext of discussing matters with Lord Zhu through the night.
• Although she tries to refuse, he reminds her that her injured foot and exposed identity make obedience necessary. She leaves the lake with him while Young Master remains standing in the water, creating a painful emotional separation.
• In the Emperor’s bedchamber, Zhu Furu sits stiffly on the Dragon Bed while still dressed in the Emperor’s oversized clothing. She protests that it is inappropriate to stay there, but Zhao Huangpu points out that returning to Bright Sun Hall dressed as she is could cause Young Master to misunderstand their relationship.

Character Developments

• Zhu Furu/Zhu Bafu: Her female identity is now known to the Emperor, leaving her vulnerable and dependent on his protection. She is frightened, embarrassed, and conflicted: although the Emperor saves her from public exposure, she feels guilty about abandoning Young Master and is distressed by the Emperor’s intimate control over the situation.
• Zhao Huangpu: He becomes openly protective and authoritative. He deliberately shields Zhu Furu, protects her secret, confronts Consort Qi, and manipulates circumstances to keep Zhu Furu close to him. His private use of her female name, “Xiaoru,” reveals familiarity and suggests that he is exercising both emotional and political influence over her.
• Young Master/Little Jing: He is left behind in the lake after apparently expecting Zhu Furu to take his hand. His silent, frozen presence and continued waiting emphasize his shock and the emotional distance created between him and Zhu Furu.
• Consort Qi: Her confidence is undermined when the Emperor publicly orders her to kneel and threatens to revoke her inner-palace status. She becomes wary of the Emperor’s special concern for Zhu Furu.
• Zhu Bafu/Lord Zhu: Zhu Bafu’s male disguise is no longer secure. The Emperor must now create a plausible public explanation for her continued presence while privately managing her exposed identity.

Significant Themes

• Protection versus control: The Emperor saves Zhu Furu from humiliation but does so by issuing commands and controlling where she goes, what she says, and whom she may look at.
• Hidden identity and performance: Zhu Furu must continue presenting herself as Lord Zhu despite the Emperor’s knowledge of her true sex. Her borrowed masculine clothing ironically makes her femininity and the ambiguous nature of her relationship with the Emperor more noticeable.
• Power and imperial authority: Zhao Huangpu demonstrates that he can silence the court, discipline Consort Qi, and protect or endanger others at will.
• Emotional conflict and guilt: Zhu Furu is relieved to be protected but suffers because she leaves Young Master behind. Her inability to look back reflects the painful choice between safety and personal attachment.
• Jealousy and ambiguous intimacy: The Emperor’s clothing, private name for Zhu Furu, physical closeness, and insistence that she remain in his bedchamber create the appearance of an intimate relationship that Young Master might misunderstand.

Character Interactions

• The Emperor speaks privately and urgently to Zhu Furu, instructing her to hold his hand and obey him to preserve her secret.
• He physically shields her from the kneeling crowd and from Consort Qi’s probing gaze.
• He confronts Consort Qi directly, ordering her to kneel and warning that her imperial status can be revoked.
• Zhu Furu attempts to resist the Emperor’s arrangements, but he uses her injured foot and exposed identity to force her cooperation.
• In the bedchamber, the Emperor teases and challenges her by pointing out that her return in his clothes would make Young Master suspect an intimate connection between them.

Plot points and events

• Zhao Huangpu confronts Xiaoru about refusing the feminine clothes he chose for her. Xiaoru insists that presenting herself as a woman would humiliate her and formally confesses to concealing her sex to enter government service.
• She asks the emperor to punish her while sparing her family. He orders her to change out of her wet clothes, offering his own garments after she rejects the women’s clothes.
• Sharing the Dragon Bed, Xiaoru stays at a distance, and Zhao asks why she is suddenly afraid of him. She explains that their former ease came before he knew she was a woman.
• Zhao reveals that he knew from the start, having recognized her from her portrait in the consort selection. He says her sex never affected his assessment of her talent and that he will not punish her.
• When he adds that he is glad she is a woman, Xiaoru panics and tries to leave. Zhao catches her and says Bright Sun Hall is no longer safe, keeping her with him despite her belief that his quarters are more dangerous.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiaoru remains determined to define herself through her official role and loyalty, not femininity. Her guardedness sharpens once she realizes Zhao sees her as a woman, and she tries to preserve distance and propriety.
• Zhao Huangpu shifts between disappointment at her rejection, reassurance about her ability, and unmistakable romantic interest. He uses his authority to keep her nearby, though he frames it as protection.
• Their former camaraderie becomes charged and awkward: he draws close and teases her, while she retreats, blushes, and resists his advances.

Significant themes

• Gender and merit: Zhao insists Xiaoru’s competence matters regardless of sex, challenging the idea that women cannot serve in government.
• Identity and dignity: Xiaoru’s insistence on being treated as an official reflects her fear that femininity will undermine her hard-won status.
• Power and intimacy: Their sovereign–subject relationship complicates Zhao’s romantic attention and Xiaoru’s ability to refuse or feel safe.
• Protection versus danger: Zhao presents staying with him as necessary protection, while Xiaoru sees his closeness as a threat in itself.

Plot points

• The emperor asks Zhu Bafu to sleep beside him so they can keep her secret from the hostile Prime Minister. He frames her presence in his bed as evidence that she is an official, not a woman.
• Zhu Bafu accepts, still unaware of the emperor’s deeper feelings. She asks why Consort Qi became suspicious; he suggests another person may have been manipulating events from behind the scenes and promises to investigate.
• As she falls asleep, Zhu Bafu asks the emperor to explain matters to the Young Master so he will not become jealous. The emperor is stung by the request but says nothing.
• The emperor watches over Zhu Bafu while she sleeps, then considers whether Li Chenjing has waited long enough in the cold lake to regain his composure.
• Li Chenjing remains alone on the lakeshore after Consort Qi and the palace attendants leave. Liu Rongrong approaches with a handkerchief, but he recoils from her and moves to leave.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhu Bafu trusts the emperor’s protection and remains focused on avoiding political danger, but she misunderstands his romantic interest and worries about the Young Master’s jealousy.
• The emperor is tender and protective toward Zhu Bafu, while concealing his desire and feeling hurt by her concern for another man. He also recognizes that she lacks experience with the Inner Palace’s intrigues.
• Li Chenjing appears emotionally distressed and stubbornly waits by the lake, then rejects Liu Rongrong’s attempt to approach him.
• Liu Rongrong tries to offer Li Chenjing comfort, but he deliberately keeps his distance.

Significant themes

• Concealment and danger: Zhu Bafu’s disguise remains essential to her survival, especially with the Prime Minister looking for a reason to punish her.
• Misunderstood affection and jealousy: The emperor’s intimacy conflicts with Zhu Bafu’s practical, oblivious view of their relationship; her request about the Young Master deepens his frustration.
• Palace intrigue: The emperor suspects Consort Qi may not be acting alone, highlighting the hidden schemes of the Inner Palace.
• Emotional isolation: Li Chenjing’s solitary vigil and rejection of Liu Rongrong reflect his inner turmoil.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

Liu Rongrong confronts Li Chenjing after entering the palace, demanding that he help secure her a proper rank and protect her position. She argues that, as a daughter of the Liu family, she cannot remain an unnamed palace maid and tries to exploit Li’s lingering guilt toward her and the Prime Minister’s Residence. She also provokes him by pointing out that Consort Qi has lost favor and that Imperial Attendant Zhu has spent the night in the Emperor’s bedchamber.
Liu then reveals that Zhu Bafu is actually the eighteen-year-old eldest daughter of Imperial Attendant Zhu Cong, whose family was involved in the Liu Party Case—not the son everyone believes her to be. Li appears to have already known or suspected this, but refuses to discuss it. He warns Liu not to use deceptive tactics against the Emperor if she wants to continue benefiting from the Prime Minister’s guilt.
After leaving Liu, Li returns to Zhu Bafu’s side chamber and waits there through the night for her return. At dawn, he finally accepts that she truly stayed with the Emperor. Meanwhile, Zhu wakes in the Emperor’s bedchamber, discovers that he has already left, and notices that he treated the wound on her foot during the night.

Character developments

• Li Chenjing becomes more openly cold and decisive toward Liu Rongrong, rejecting her attempts to manipulate him through guilt. Although he insists that Zhu’s actions and the Emperor’s feelings do not matter to him, his decision to wait all night reveals jealousy, emotional attachment, and growing inner conflict.
• Liu Rongrong shows herself to be calculating, resentful, and determined to secure power in the palace. Her former affection for Li has turned into a mixture of lingering love, bitterness, and satisfaction at seeing him hurt.
• Zhu Bafu remains unaware of the full extent of Li’s emotional turmoil and wakes after successfully spending the night with the Emperor. Her injury has been treated, suggesting the Emperor’s care and attention toward her.
• The Emperor is not directly present for most of the chapter, but his decision to keep Zhu overnight—and to tend to her wound—strengthens the impression that he is genuinely interested in her.

Significant themes

The chapter explores jealousy disguised as duty, guilt as a tool of manipulation, and the difficulty of separating political obligation from genuine emotion. It also emphasizes hidden identities and strategic deception, as Zhu’s true background becomes more important to Li’s understanding of her motives. The rivalry between the Prime Minister’s and Liu families continues to shape personal relationships and palace politics.

Character interactions

Liu and Li engage in a tense confrontation in which she tries to shame and provoke him by comparing herself with Zhu. Li firmly rejects the comparison, insisting that Zhu is different, and warns Liu against harming the Emperor’s interests. Their exchange exposes Liu’s resentment and Li’s protective feelings toward Zhu. Later, Li’s silent decision to wait in Zhu’s room contrasts sharply with his claim that the Emperor’s relationship with Zhu is irrelevant, revealing the emotional significance of their bond.

Chapter 12 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhu Bafu wakes in the Holy Emperor’s sleeping quarters and discovers that he dried and scented her clothes, applied ointment to her sore feet, and thoughtfully cared for her while she slept.
• She changes out of the Holy Emperor’s Dragon Robe and back into her Confucian Robe, then overhears a political discussion taking place in the outer room.
• The Holy Emperor has summoned Lord Long Ang, Lord Nian, and several ministers to prepare appointment edicts. He intends to replace officials who have supposedly fallen ill, including Chancellor Li, rather than allow the administration to stall.
• The Holy Emperor reveals that he has deliberately prepared capable officials in Dongxu Mansion and plans to promote them into the Six Ministries. This demonstrates that his actions against the current officials are part of a long-term political strategy.
• Long Ang questions who can replace Chancellor Li, whose Reform and New Policy program has produced successful results throughout the prefectures and counties.
• The Holy Emperor provocatively suggests appointing Li Chenjing, Chancellor Li’s son. Longyang immediately rejects the idea, arguing that Li Chenjing would never oppose his own father or cooperate with the Emperor against him.
• Zhu Bafu accidentally stumbles out of the Inner Chamber, revealing that she spent the night there. Long Ang teasingly interprets the situation as evidence that the Holy Emperor has been enjoying her company.
• Zhu Bafu tries to explain that she was summoned only to protect her hidden identity, but the Holy Emperor interrupts her. He openly acts familiar and caring, smoothing her disordered hair and arranging for her to be given food.

Character Developments

• Zhu Bafu remains anxious about maintaining her disguise and worries about how others interpret her presence in the Emperor’s private quarters. At the same time, she is touched and surprised by the Emperor’s considerate care.
• The Holy Emperor is shown to be both politically calculating and privately attentive. In public affairs, he is cold, strategic, and willing to remove resistant ministers; in private, he treats Zhu Bafu with gentleness and obvious concern.
• Long Ang displays sharp political insight and a teasing, irreverent relationship with the Holy Emperor. He understands the Emperor’s plans but remains willing to criticize them, including warning him against appointing his own father.
• Longyang reacts suspiciously and harshly to Zhu Bafu’s presence, suggesting lingering resentment or concern over her previous influence on the Emperor. His political comment also shows that he understands Li Chenjing’s loyalty to his family.
• Chancellor Li does not appear, but his influence remains central: his reforms have been effective, and replacing him poses a serious political problem.

Significant Themes

• Public authority versus private tenderness: The Emperor shifts from mocking and ruthless political speech to gentle concern when addressing Zhu Bafu.
• Political strategy and succession: The Emperor has prepared replacements in advance, revealing the importance of long-term planning in controlling the court.
• Loyalty and family ties: The discussion over Li Chenjing emphasizes the conflict between political allegiance and filial loyalty.
• Hidden identity and appearances: Zhu Bafu’s disguise becomes increasingly difficult to maintain as her private closeness with the Emperor is witnessed by powerful officials.
• Power expressed through care: The Emperor’s attention to Zhu Bafu’s clothes, feet, hair, and meals contrasts with his aggressive handling of political opponents, suggesting that personal affection may influence his actions.

Character Interactions

• Zhu Bafu secretly listens to the Holy Emperor and Long Ang debate appointments and Chancellor Li’s replacement.
• Long Ang jokes about the Emperor’s apparent intimacy with Zhu Bafu, while she hurriedly denies any improper interpretation.
• Longyang reacts with anger and suspicion when Zhu Bafu appears, creating tension between them.
• The Holy Emperor publicly interrupts Zhu Bafu’s explanation and displays affectionate familiarity by fixing her hair and offering her food, leaving her exposed and likely increasing the others’ suspicions.

• Key events: Zhao Huangpu invites Zhu Bafu and the two Lord Longs to eat. As the meal is prepared, Zhu tends to the Imperial Noble Consort, and Zhao tells her how to arrange the cat’s future meals. At the table, Zhu sits beside Longyang; Zhao remarks that Longyang seems uncomfortable and invites Zhu to sit beside him instead. Zhu and Longyang trade a heated, teasing challenge until Zhao interrupts and orders them to eat. Zhu then asks whether Zhao was serious about the matter he had discussed with the Lord Longs.
• Character developments: Zhu is increasingly aware that Zhao’s familiar, attentive behavior—especially after they shared a bed—could be flirtation, but she convinces herself not to read too much into it and avoids confronting him. Longyang’s hostility toward Zhu is sharpened by seeing her emerge from the Inner Chamber with Zhao, though his awkward reaction when she sits beside him hints at feelings or unease he does not acknowledge. Zhao remains outwardly composed and playful, but his attention to Zhu and his teasing intervention suggest possessiveness or jealousy.
• Interactions: Zhao casually touches Zhu’s nose, holds the curtain for her, and entrusts her with the cat’s care. Zhu and Longyang provoke each other over where she sits, escalating to a dare about sitting on his lap; Zhao breaks up the exchange with amused authority and offers Longyang beauties instead.
• Themes: The scene blends courtly power with romantic ambiguity: Zhao’s status makes Zhu wary of interpreting his attention, while his seemingly casual gestures carry a charged intimacy. Jealousy, denial, and teasing shape the triangular tension among Zhao, Zhu, and Longyang.

Volume 3, Chapter 13 Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Emperor explains his plan to seize practical control of the court. Rather than illegally imprisoning officials, he orders Longyang to send imperial physicians throughout the capital to treat detained or ill officials at home, with the state covering all medicine costs. This allows him to claim he is acting out of benevolence and ritual propriety while undermining Prime Minister Li’s control.
• Zhu Bafu questions whether the Emperor truly intends to replace the ailing Prime Minister Li with Li’s son, the “Young Master,” in the position of Prime Minister.
• The Emperor responds sarcastically that a son taking on his father’s burdens demonstrates both loyalty and filial piety.
• Zhu Bafu insists that the Young Master is not capable of participating in court politics because he has once again lost his memories and reverted to his innocent, simple-minded former personality. She argues that he should not be forced to serve any faction or take part in political schemes.
• Longyang makes a disparaging remark suggesting Li may be pretending to be confused, provoking Zhu Bafu into angrily defending the Young Master.
• The Emperor becomes deeply offended by Zhu Bafu’s obvious belief that the Young Master is sincere and innocent while the Emperor and Liu Rong are manipulative people who mistreat him.
• In a rare emotional outburst, the Emperor sarcastically offers to write a self-condemnation edict apologizing for supposedly corrupting the Young Master. He then leaves the room with the cat, ending the confrontation abruptly.
• Afterward, Zhu Bafu nearly collapses from weakness. Longyang catches her, but she quickly regains her composure, thanks him formally, and walks toward the Inner Chamber.

Character Developments

• The Emperor/Zhao Huangpu: Reveals his political intelligence and determination to reclaim authority from Prime Minister Li’s faction. Beneath his usual composure and teasing manner, he is emotionally wounded by Zhu Bafu’s preference for the Young Master and her distrust of his motives. His jealousy and hurt become unusually visible.
• Zhu Bafu: Continues to defend the amnesiac Young Master with intense loyalty and affection. Her protectiveness makes her speak recklessly to the Emperor, despite the danger of offending him. She remains emotionally attached to the Young Master and is physically frail enough to nearly faint under stress.
• Longyang: Demonstrates practical concern for Zhu Bafu by intercepting potentially dangerous food and catching her when she collapses. He also observes the emotional tension between her, the Young Master, and the Emperor, hinting at his own growing interest in her.
• Li’s Young Master persona: Though absent from the scene, his innocence and vulnerability dominate the discussion. Zhu Bafu’s defense of him shows how strongly she distinguishes this persona from the calculating Prime Minister Li.
• Long Ang: Quietly observes the conflict while drafting the edict and seems privately satisfied that the Emperor is experiencing the consequences of how he once treated Li Danxin.

Significant Themes

• Political power disguised as benevolence: The Emperor uses medical aid and ceremonial concern as a lawful pretext to interfere in court affairs and expand his authority.
• Identity and memory: The distinction between Prime Minister Li and the amnesiac Young Master raises questions about whether a person’s political identity and moral responsibility depend on memory.
• Jealousy and emotional misinterpretation: Zhu Bafu sees the Young Master as pure and the Emperor as deceptive, while the Emperor feels misunderstood and rejected.
• Public duty versus private feeling: Court appointments and factional politics are inseparable from personal loyalties, romantic attachments, and family obligations.
• Karmic reversal: Long Ang reflects that the Emperor’s present emotional pain may be retribution for the suffering he previously inflicted on Li.

Character Interactions

• The Emperor repeatedly serves food to Zhu Bafu, displaying an intimate, familiar attentiveness that contrasts with the political tension of their conversation.
• Longyang protects Zhu Bafu by taking the food from her before she can eat it and later catches her when she collapses.
• Zhu Bafu openly challenges both Longyang and the Emperor in defense of the Young Master.
• The Emperor’s restrained but bitter confrontation with Zhu Bafu exposes his desire to be valued and trusted, not merely obeyed.
• Longyang and Long Ang both recognize the emotional implications of the exchange, while Zhu Bafu remains largely unaware of how deeply she has wounded the Emperor.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After being coldly mocked by the Holy Emperor, Zhu Bafu leaves the hall in silence rather than pleading or retaliating. Longyang, surprised by her reaction, instinctively follows her out, though Long Ang warns him to control himself and focus on carrying out the Emperor’s orders.
• Longyang receives an imperial edict and departs to handle official business, while privately wondering why Zhu Bafu is so affected by the Emperor’s words.
• Zhu Bafu returns to Bright Sun Hall after spending the night with the Emperor. Liu Rongrong is surprised that the Emperor has already sent her away, interpreting this as evidence that Zhu Bafu’s favor was brief.
• Liu reveals that Consort Qi has been confined by imperial decree and that Bright Sun Hall is now effectively under her control. She implies that Zhu Bafu’s actions helped her obtain this position.
• Liu further suggests that her “gift” to Zhu Bafu—apparently arranging or enabling Zhu’s night with the Emperor—has made them even. She openly acknowledges Zhu’s female identity and tries to frame them as allies united by hatred of the Li Household.
• Zhu rejects Liu’s suggestion that they cooperate in serving the Emperor and warns her not to discuss state affairs from within the Inner Palace. Liu mocks Zhu’s male disguise and her claim to be a legitimate official.
• Liu provokes Zhu by claiming that she personally cared for Chenjing after he spent the night by the lake, implying jealousy and intimacy. Zhu loses her composure and rushes to find him.
• Zhu discovers Chenjing alone in a room, exhausted and troubled. He is startled by her sudden appearance.

Character Developments

• Zhu Bafu: Demonstrates emotional restraint in front of the Emperor and Liu Rongrong, but Liu’s insinuations about Chenjing expose her hidden attachment and jealousy. Her decision to rush to him reveals that her feelings are stronger than she admits.
• Longyang: Becomes increasingly intrigued and confused by Zhu’s unusual behavior. Although he initially judges her harshly, he cannot stop himself from following her and thinking about her emotional state.
• Liu Rongrong: Gains influence after Consort Qi’s confinement and adopts the position of Bright Sun Hall’s temporary authority. She proves manipulative, perceptive, and willing to exploit Zhu’s identity, relationship with the Emperor, and feelings for Chenjing.
• C henjing: Appears emotionally and physically exhausted after spending the night outside by the lake. His reaction to Zhu’s arrival suggests that he did not expect—or perhaps deeply wanted—her concern.
• Long Ang: Acts as a warning voice, reminding Longyang to suppress personal impulses and prioritize the Long Household’s political ambitions.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and factional struggle: The confinement of Consort Qi and Liu’s rise in Bright Sun Hall reflect the ongoing power struggle, particularly the effort to weaken the Li Household.
• Gender identity and social roles: Zhu’s disguise as a man is repeatedly challenged, while Liu mocks the contradiction between Zhu’s female identity and her official ambitions.
• Jealousy and emotional vulnerability: Zhu’s composure collapses when Liu discusses Chenjing, revealing the personal emotions beneath her scholarly and official façade.
• Power versus personal feeling: Longyang and Zhu are both pressured to serve political interests, yet each becomes distracted by personal reactions and relationships.
• Ambiguous alliances: Liu presents herself as Zhu’s fellow victim and potential ally, but her teasing and manipulation make her motives uncertain.

Character Interactions

• Longyang and Long Ang: Long Ang reprimands Longyang for following Zhu emotionally and reminds him of his duty to the Long Household.
• Zhu Bafu and Liu Rongrong: Their exchange is a veiled confrontation. Liu uses gratitude, threats, and insinuations to assert power, while Zhu responds with formal restraint and warnings about propriety.
• Zhu Bafu and Chenjing: Their reunion is brief but emotionally significant. Zhu’s panic at hearing Liu’s account contrasts with Chenjing’s weary surprise when she appears.
• Zhu Bafu and the Holy Emperor: Though he is not present in most of the chapter, his earlier mockery and temporary favor shape Zhu’s humiliation, Liu’s political position, and the tension surrounding Zhu’s status.

Key plot points and events

• After spending the night apart, Zhu Bafu finds Li Chenjing exhausted, muddy, and still in his damp clothes. Rather than explain what happened, she checks him over and hurriedly leads him out of Bright Sun Hall.
• Liu Rongrong taunts Zhu Bafu about her relationship with the emperor and offers to advise her on his intimate preferences. Li Chenjing firmly rejects the offer, defending Zhu Bafu.
• As Zhu Bafu continues toward the palace gates, Li Chenjing asks why she is sending him away and whether he has failed her. She says the emperor can protect her and gives him little explanation.
• Li Chenjing stops and asks whether she has ever hidden anything from him. Zhu Bafu promises to forgive him if he tells her the truth. He answers, “Loving you, does that count?”
• His words make her suspect that his affection as “Young Master” has been an act. She recalls clues that he knew she was a woman and questions whether he had also been testing her while she believed she was testing him.

Character developments

• Zhu Bafu shifts from anxious protectiveness to painful suspicion. She wants an explanation but, influenced by the emperor’s probing and recent schemes, begins to believe Li Chenjing has deceived her.
• Li Chenjing remains jealous and deeply attached, yet is afraid to reveal who he really is. He lets her push him away rather than ask directly about her night away, and his answer exposes both his affection and his fear of losing her.
• Liu Rongrong continues to provoke the pair, but Li Chenjing’s defense of Zhu Bafu makes his loyalty clear.

Significant themes

• Deception and identity: Both have hidden the truth—Zhu Bafu her identity, Li Chenjing his knowledge and apparent “Young Master” persona.
• Trust and insecurity: Each fears the other’s true feelings, and incomplete explanations turn affection into suspicion.
• Love as performance: Zhu Bafu wonders whether Li Chenjing’s tenderness was genuine or merely a calculated act.

Character interactions

• Zhu Bafu physically checks and then escorts Li Chenjing away, while he seeks reassurance and asks why she is sending him off.
• Liu Rongrong needles Zhu Bafu; Li Chenjing responds protectively, refusing her offer.
• The central exchange—Zhu Bafu demanding honesty and Li Chenjing answering with a confession of love—deepens rather than resolves their mistrust.

Chapter Summary — Page 216

Key Plot Points and Events

• Overwhelmed by grief after realizing Lord Li is not the “Young Master,” the protagonist refuses to look back at him, believing that doing so would destroy the last remnants of her illusion.
• She suffers severe abdominal cramps after falling ill from entering the water the previous night, intensifying her emotional distress and humiliation over her soiled clothing.
• When Lord Li tries to help her, she rejects him harshly, accusing him of finding her disgust and suffering amusing and suggesting that his actions may be part of another conspiracy by the Prime Minister’s Residence.
• Lord Li responds by carrying her away in a bridal carry and covering her with his outer robe. Despite her hostility, he protects her dignity and takes her toward His Majesty’s bedchamber, the safest place in the palace.
• As they reach the final step before the bedchamber, she grabs Lord Li’s clothing and demands to know when he discovered the truth about her identity and why he deceived her by pretending to be the Young Master.
• Lord Li reflects on her hidden identity, her status as a family member of the convicted Liu Party, and the branding that marks her as connected to criminals. He also questions whether she ever trusted him or spoke honestly to him, even while she was with the Young Master.

Character Developments

• The protagonist: Her grief, anger, humiliation, and physical pain leave her emotionally vulnerable. She lashes out at Lord Li despite knowing he has protected her, because his resemblance to—but essential difference from—the Young Master makes his presence unbearable. Her questions reveal that she still longs for emotional sincerity from him, even while insisting that he means nothing to her.
• Lord Li / Li Chenjing: He remains controlled and rational, suppressing any visible emotion while carrying her to safety. Nevertheless, his hurt is evident when she calls his touch disgusting and accuses him of manipulation. His actions suggest genuine concern, but his guarded demeanor contrasts sharply with the Young Master’s open devotion, deepening her confusion and pain.
• The Young Master: Though absent, he dominates the protagonist’s thoughts. She idealizes his unconditional affection and sees his disappearance as the loss of something fragile but precious.
• His Majesty: His bedchamber is established as the protagonist’s safest refuge amid palace intrigue, though she remains conscious of the complicated and potentially uncomfortable nature of being sent there.

Significant Themes

• Identity and deception: The protagonist struggles with the difference between Lord Li and the Young Master, while Lord Li questions her own concealed identity and motives.
• Trust and betrayal: Both characters have deceived or withheld the truth from each other, making genuine intimacy difficult.
• Grief and emotional substitution: Lord Li’s resemblance to the Young Master causes the protagonist to confuse comfort with cruelty and intensifies her sense of loss.
• Protection versus emotional intimacy: Lord Li protects her physically but remains emotionally distant, raising the question of whether practical care can replace the affection she desires.
• Social stigma and political persecution: The concealed branding on her body symbolizes the lasting consequences of the Liu Party Case and the danger attached to her family background.
• Gender and unconditional love: The protagonist contrasts the Young Master’s acceptance of her regardless of whether she is a man or woman with Lord Li’s apparent indifference, which she interprets as painful emotional insignificance.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist rejects Lord Li’s attempt to touch her and deliberately wounds him with accusations of disgust, conspiracy, and manipulation.
• Lord Li answers her hostility not with anger but with restrained sarcasm and practical protection, carrying her while acknowledging her supposed disgust.
• Their tense exchange exposes mutual resentment: she believes he has toyed with her emotions, while he feels she never trusted him or revealed her true motives.
• At the end of the chapter, their physical closeness contrasts with their emotional distance as she clutches his clothing and demands answers while refusing to meet his eyes.

Plot points and events

• Li Chenjing carries Zhu Bafu back to the Sleeping Quarters after she has been exposed to the cold. Their exchange reveals unresolved hurt: he believes her past confession, though he suspects she may have been using him; she, meanwhile, sees no reason he should still care for her.
• As she tries to pull away, Li says he cannot simply let the past go either. Before she can respond, Zhao Huangpu arrives and finds them together.
• Li claims the emperor is unwell and calls for Imperial Physician Zhang, using Zhao’s concern to explain the situation. He carries Zhu inside but stops at the Inner Chamber, then sets her down and prepares to leave.
• Zhu grabs his robe and asks him to call her “Little Eight” once more, as the Young Master did. Li asks her to look at him in return; she refuses, so neither grants the other’s request.
• The physician examines Zhu and reveals that Zhao has already explained her identity. He warns that being chilled during menstruation could be dangerous. Zhu is embarrassed that her secret—and her condition—have been exposed in front of Li.
• The physician then tells Li that the emperor is waiting outside.

Character developments

• Li Chenjing shows that he remains emotionally attached to Zhu despite mistrusting her motives. His controlled manner masks jealousy, pain, and a wish for acknowledgment.
• Zhu Bafu remains emotionally focused on the Young Master and cannot bring herself to look at Li, even as she clings to his robe and asks for one final reminder of their former intimacy.
• Zhao Huangpu understands the situation quickly and discreetly helps by arranging medical care, while maintaining his authority.
• Imperial Physician Zhang is tactful and discreet, having been informed of Zhu’s identity before examining her.

Significant themes

• Unresolved love and resentment: Li and Zhu both want something from one another, but neither can meet the other’s emotional need.
• Identity and disguise: Zhu’s concealed identity is now known to the emperor and physician, heightening her vulnerability.
• Intimacy and humiliation: Caretaking brings the characters physically close, while Zhu’s exposed secret leaves her deeply ashamed.
• Power and restraint: Li’s rank and strength let him carry Zhu, yet he stops at the threshold and respects the boundary; both characters also restrain themselves emotionally.

Character interactions

• Li and Zhu exchange guarded, wounded remarks, then silently bargain for a final gesture of recognition.
• Zhao interrupts their private tension, asks Li to hand Zhu over, and ensures she receives medical attention.
• The physician treats Zhu with discretion and informs Li that the emperor expects him outside.

Chapter Summary

• Li Chenjing and Zhao Huangpu confront the romantic rivalry over Xiaoru. After leaving the bedchamber, Li Chenjing is questioned by Zhao Huangpu, who is amused and irritated that Xiaoru did not attack Li after her female identity was revealed. Zhao taunts Li about sending a woman into the Emperor’s bedchamber and declares that he intends to pursue Xiaoru seriously rather than continue treating the situation as a game.
• Li Chenjing openly admits his intentions. When Zhao asks whether he plans to compete for Xiaoru, Li calmly says that she detests him, implying that Zhao has nothing to fear. Nevertheless, his willingness to “try” makes clear that he is no longer merely serving Zhao’s wishes; he genuinely cares for Xiaoru and is prepared to oppose even his lifelong companion.
• Zhao responds by asserting both his authority and affection. Angered by Li’s composure and independence, Zhao grabs him by the collar and reminds him of their lifelong loyalty. He then tells Li that he will assume the position of Chief Counselor, effectively demanding that Li choose Zhao’s side. Zhao’s words reveal that he wants Li’s personal loyalty now that he intends to take Xiaoru seriously.
• Xiaoru recovers in the imperial bedchamber. After Imperial Physician Zhang examines her and prescribes medicine, court maids bathe and dress her in fresh clothing. Embarrassed by her stained garments, she washes them herself and chooses to sleep on the small cot used by the night eunuch rather than the large bed.
• The Emperor tends to her during the night. Xiaoru wakes to find the Emperor holding her hand and sitting beside her bed. He has remained there while she slept, even though his legs have gone numb. He gently prevents her from kneeling and speaks to her with unusual intimacy, while still disguising his concern as playful punishment.
• The Emperor personally gives her medicine. He pretends Xiaoru deserves punishment for sleeping on the cramped cot and making him sit without a place on the larger bed. He then feeds her the medicine spoonful by spoonful, insisting that this slow, supervised treatment is her “punishment.” Xiaoru is surprised that the supposedly bitter medicine tastes sweet and fishy, suggesting that it may be a special remedy or that the Emperor has arranged it specifically for her.

Character Developments

• Li Chenjing moves from silent loyalty to openly acknowledging his own desires. Although calm and respectful, he now signals that he will compete for Xiaoru rather than automatically yield to Zhao.
• Zhao Huangpu reveals jealousy, possessiveness, and genuine romantic intent toward Xiaoru. His demand that Li stand on his side shows how deeply he values Li’s loyalty while also fearing that their relationship may be challenged.
• The Emperor/Zhao Huangpu displays a softer, more intimate side toward Xiaoru, staying beside her as she sleeps and feeding her medicine under the guise of punishment.
• Xiaoru/Zhu Bafu remains embarrassed, wary, and uncomfortable with the attention. She continues trying to preserve her dignity and independence, even while being cared for by the Emperor.

Significant Themes

• Rivalry versus lifelong loyalty: Li and Zhao’s relationship is tested when both develop feelings for Xiaoru.
• Affection disguised as authority: Zhao expresses concern through teasing and “punishment,” using imperial power to conceal tenderness.
• Gender and concealed identity: Xiaoru’s exposed identity changes how both men view and treat her, intensifying the emotional and political complications.
• Control versus personal choice: Zhao expects Li’s continued obedience, while Li’s declaration that he will “try” marks a step toward acting on his own feelings.
• Intimacy beneath restraint: Quiet gestures—holding hands, staying beside the bed, feeding medicine—communicate more than the characters openly admit.

Key plot points and events

• The Emperor tends to Xiaoru during painful menstrual cramps, feeding her medicinal black-sugar water and ordering her to rest. He blames her worsening symptoms on her naturally cold constitution, stress, and recent exposure to cold water, and regrets that the person responsible was punished too lightly.
• Xiaoru asks whether Lord Li has returned to the Prime Minister’s Residence. When pressed, she explains that she is concerned only because of the Emperor’s political plan to use Lord Li in place of the allegedly ill Prime Minister.
• Xiaoru then apologizes for misjudging the situation with Lord Li and calls herself unfit to serve, asking to resign and return home with her younger brother.
• The Emperor realizes she is upset that he let her believe Lord Li was someone else. He admits that she would not have believed him if he had said so, since she was determined to defend her “Young Master,” and confesses that jealousy helped drive his deception.
• He embraces and kisses her, but Xiaoru pulls away and firmly insists that she is not his woman and does not want him to treat her as one. The chapter ends with the Emperor confronting her: she may think he is courting her as a woman, but he hints that his feelings and intentions are more complicated.

Character developments

• Xiaoru remains guarded and formal, turning embarrassment and hurt into self-reproach and a request to resign. She draws a clear boundary against being treated as a romantic partner, though she struggles to confront the Emperor physically.
• The Emperor reveals more of his jealousy and emotional vulnerability, admitting he deliberately let Xiaoru be fooled because of her attachment to Lord Li. His caretaking becomes openly intimate, but his possessiveness also shows in his forceful insistence on making her face him.

Significant themes

• Gender and identity: The Emperor treats Xiaoru’s physical condition as proof of her womanhood, while she resists being defined or approached that way.
• Jealousy, trust, and deception: The Lord Li ruse exposes how suspicion and withheld truths strain the relationship.
• Power and boundaries: Their unequal positions complicate Xiaoru’s ability to refuse the Emperor, even as she speaks plainly about what she does not want.
• Care versus control: The Emperor’s genuine concern for her health is intertwined with possessiveness and attempts to dictate her choices.

Character interactions

• The Emperor nurses Xiaoru tenderly, while she accepts his care with visible embarrassment but keeps asking about Lord Li.
• Xiaoru’s formal apologies and resignation request provoke the Emperor to reveal that he is jealous and feels she would never trust his judgment.
• Their exchange shifts from confession and physical affection to confrontation: Xiaoru rejects being treated as a woman, and the Emperor challenges her to reconsider what his behavior means.

• The Holy Emperor confesses his feelings to Xiaoru, abandoning his usual teasing and admitting that he is jealous of the more devoted Young Master. He says he spoke up because he feared she would keep pretending not to understand his feelings. Xiaoru is startled and overwhelmed, especially because she is still sorting out her feelings for the Young Master. She challenges the Emperor for pressuring her; he lets her go, hurt that she still seems to distrust him.
• The political conflict continues at the Prime Minister’s Residence. After officials boycott court, the Emperor sends imperial physicians to examine them. Instead of exposing them as faking illness, the physicians prescribe treatment for serious ailments, and Longyang tells the officials their days may be numbered. The officials are left confused about how to manage their duties, while Prime Minister Li recognizes the Emperor’s response as another emotional “tantrum.”
• Lord Pan reports on the Zhu family siblings. Zhu Cong’s eighteen-year-old daughter and nine-year-old son were supposed to be exiled, but have stayed in the capital and apparently sought access to the Emperor. Lord Pan sees the daughter—who disguises herself as a man and entered Dongxu Mansion and the Autumn Examination—as foolish and easy to expose. He plans to have his daughter help uncover her disguise. Prime Minister Li, however, considers her more difficult to handle than Liu Rongrong.
  Character developments and interactions: The Emperor’s candid confession reveals vulnerability beneath his playful, confident manner, while Xiaoru’s evasiveness shows that she remains emotionally conflicted and wary of him. Prime Minister Li stays measured and perceptive as Lord Pan grows agitated and underestimates the Zhu daughter.
  Themes: Unspoken feelings and emotional miscommunication; jealousy and rivalry; the gap between public authority and private vulnerability; and political maneuvering through illness, deception, and mistaken assumptions.