Chapter Summaries

• Key events: The Young Master insists that, unlike the person Zhu Bafu calls “him,” she means nothing to him. Before she can respond, Pan Yong wakes and shoves the Young Master and Zhu over the terrace railing into the water. Zhu jumps in after them, while Longyang is summoned to help. Underwater, the Young Master saves Zhu by sharing his breath, and memories overwhelm him. After they are pulled to safety, he wakes and calls her “Academy Student Zhu,” then asks after Liu Rongrong and orders her taken back to his residence. Wei Chenmu confirms that the Young Master has remembered.
• Character developments: The Young Master’s memories of Li Chenjing return, apparently ending the identity of the devoted “Little Eight’s Young Master.” Zhu’s relief at his apparent instinct to save her turns to shock and heartbreak when he no longer recognizes her as Little Eight. Longyang, despite his grumbling, helps and carries the unconscious Zhu away.
• Character interactions: Zhu risks her life to save the Young Master; he in turn saves her underwater, sharing his breath. Once awake, he focuses on Liu Rongrong and treats Zhu as a student rather than someone intimate. Longyang pointedly challenges him as he carries Zhu off.
• Themes: The chapter explores memory and identity, love that may not survive a change in personality, and the pain of being forgotten. Zhu’s choice to leap into danger shows her devotion, while the Young Master’s returned memories raise the question of whether love depends on who a person remembers being.

• Key events: Longyang confronts Li Chenjing, who admits he remembers what happened during his amnesia. Longyang then carries the unconscious woman away and declares that he will handle everything concerning her from now on. Later, at the Prime Minister’s residence, Li learns that Liu Rongrong may stay there under protection. The Prime Minister hopes to prevent the Pan family from harming her and to keep the matter from escalating politically. Li asks Wei Chenmu to find out how the emperor will deal with Pan Yong, who tried to assault the emperor’s woman. The chapter ends with Zhu Bafu waking from a painful dream to find the emperor beside her. When she kneels to greet him, he pointedly tells her to remain on her knees.
• Character developments: Li’s controlled, politically astute manner contrasts with his lingering emotional turmoil. His bandaged palm recalls a moment when he hurt himself while insisting that Bafu meant nothing to him; memories and phrases from his amnesia complicate that claim. Wei Chenmu’s loyalty is reaffirmed: he regards his life as belonging to Li because Li saved him when they were young. Bafu’s dream suggests unresolved emotional distress, while the emperor’s response to her deference is cold and deliberately humiliating.
• Character interactions: Longyang challenges Li over his attachment to the woman and asserts control over her care. Li and Wei Chenmu discuss the political consequences of protecting Liu Rongrong and punishing Pan Yong. Bafu’s encounter with the emperor shifts abruptly from the comfort of his offering her a drink to the severity of his order that she stay kneeling.
• Significant themes: The chapter explores the divide between memory and identity, and the difficulty of denying feelings that persist beneath a changed or rejected self. Political power shapes personal safety: Liu Rongrong’s protection is also a strategy in a court struggle. Loyalty, possessiveness, and the unequal power between the emperor and Bafu further shape the characters’ relationships.

Plot and events

• Zhu Bafu wakes distraught after the Young Master told her to forget him. Emperor Zhao Huangpu reminds her of his promise to comfort her if her heart was ever broken.
• He gently coaxes her to drink water, holds her, and lets her cry. Bafu mourns the Young Master, fears she cannot forget him, and says she wants to be “Little Eight,” not the Academy Student Zhu.
• Zhao stays with her until she falls asleep. Outside, he tells Zhu Xiaojiu and Nian Youyu that she is all right and asks for rice porridge to be prepared.
• The conversation turns to Lord Longyang’s case against Lord Pan’s son, who allegedly tried to assault Zhao’s “woman.” Zhao orders fifty strokes and imprisonment pending judgment. Nian considers the punishment too lenient and teases Zhao about his possessiveness.

Character developments and interactions

• Bafu drops her guarded, masculine persona in her grief, openly sobbing and accepting comfort from Zhao.
• Zhao Huangpu shows deep tenderness and patience, revealing how long he has wanted Bafu to rely on him and see him as an ordinary man. His claim that they are “family” hints at possessive hopes.
• Zhu Xiaojiu worries about his sister but is bewildered—and privately outraged—by Zhao’s attentiveness and his “family” remark.
• Nian Youyu remains sharp and skeptical, needling Zhao while steering the conversation back to the legal matter.

Significant themes

• Grief and comfort: Bafu’s heartbreak breaks through her usual restraint, while Zhao offers the support he once promised.
• Identity and vulnerability: Her wish to be “Little Eight” rather than “Academy Student Zhu” reflects the tension between her public disguise and private self.
• Love, memory, and control: The Young Master’s command to forget him clashes with Bafu’s inability to let go; Zhao quietly hopes her dependence on him will grow.
• Possessiveness and power: Zhao frames Bafu as “his woman” and uses imperial authority to punish the man who threatened her.

Key plot points and events

• At the regular assembly, the court is tense. Zhu Xiaojiu is absent, with the Emperor’s approval because she is unwell; Li Chenjing keeps staring at her empty seat.
• Zhao Huangpu says he intends to kill Pan Yong for violating the woman he wants to protect. Li Chenjing warns that doing so would cause political trouble.
• Outside the hall, Li explains that Pan Yong’s death would make the Emperor appear to have murdered a minister’s associate over a woman, alienate the court, and likely fail to damage the powerful Pan family.
• Li advises Zhao to release Pan Yong by imperial edict. The gesture would make the Emperor look magnanimous, earn the Pan family’s gratitude, and discourage Lord Pan from challenging him openly.
• Zhao understands and accepts the political advantage of this approach.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Chenjing shows his characteristic composure and political insight. Though emotionally focused on Zhu Xiaojiu’s absence, he prioritizes preventing a rash decision and offers Zhao a practical alternative.
• Zhao Huangpu initially reacts out of anger and possessiveness, but listens to Li’s reasoning and shifts from vengeance to strategic statecraft.
• Their exchange is blunt and familiar: Zhao drags Li aside and challenges him, while Li calmly advises him as an equal.
• Long Ang and Longyang tease the Emperor about his attachment to Zhu Xiaojiu and Li’s apparent romantic troubles, adding banter to the tense assembly.

Significant themes

• Power depends on winning people’s hearts: Li reminds Zhao that ruling the realm is not the same as winning its people’s support.
• Politics over personal revenge: A seemingly generous pardon can serve the Emperor’s authority better than a public execution.
• Affection and vulnerability: Zhao’s desire to protect Zhu Xiaojiu influences his judgment, while Li’s attention to her empty seat hints at his own concern.

Chapter Summary

• Li Chenjing’s return restores political balance. His carefully measured approach eases tensions between the Emperor’s faction and the ministers, avoiding a direct confrontation with the Prime Minister while securing the loyalty of a senior court official.
• Zhao Huangpu welcomes Li back and teases him about Zhu Bafu. The Emperor says he has grown close to “Little Eight” while Li was away, even showing Li the tear marks she left on his chest. He promises to look after her. Li reacts with visible discomfort and admits he would avoid her if possible, but denies having “foolish” feelings for men. Zhao suspects Li’s denial may not settle the matter if Zhu is not actually a man.
• Zhu Bafu goes to see Li. Though she has been granted leave, she admits to Zhu Xiaojiu that she wants to see him. Xiaojiu allows her to go, warning her not to sob loudly enough to attract the Emperor’s attention.
• Court gossip complicates their meeting. Officials praise Li’s return to his former self but dismiss his earlier intimacy with Zhu as an illness. They also spread ugly rumors that Zhu earned her promotion through her appearance and improper advances. Zhu overhears them and tries to avoid the group.
• Zhu accidentally runs into Li at a corridor corner. Stunned and awkward, she cannot think of what to say.

Character Developments and Themes

Li is back to his composed, politically astute self, but his uneasy response to Zhao’s teasing suggests unresolved feelings about Zhu. Zhao acts as both confidant and provocateur, using his closeness with Zhu to draw out Li’s reaction. Zhu’s longing to see Li clashes with the risks of their concealed identities and the court’s malicious assumptions.
The chapter highlights political balance, romantic denial, gender disguise, and the harm of gossip and prejudice. Its final encounter leaves Li and Zhu facing the feelings and misunderstandings neither has yet addressed.

• Li Chenjing encounters Zhu, who is emotionally shaken by the stark contrast between him and the more affectionate “Young Master” she remembers. He speaks formally, keeps his distance, and refuses to acknowledge their former intimacy.
• When Zhu grabs his sleeve, he asks her to let go. She then impulsively kisses him, hoping to bring the Young Master back. He shoves her away and wipes his mouth, making clear that he rejects the kiss.
• Li Chenjing explains that he remembers everything his former self did but considers those actions inappropriate. He apologizes on that self’s behalf, describing the Young Master as someone who is no longer present.
• Zhu angrily defends the Young Master and demands to know what right Li Chenjing has to speak for him or replace him. Though Li Chenjing nearly reaches out to comfort her, he restrains himself and urges her to accept the loss so they can continue serving the emperor together.
• Zhu realizes she had prepared herself for the Young Master’s disappearance but underestimated how deeply she loved him. She feels she has lost someone who is physically present yet emotionally gone. A newcomer drops down from the walkway, dismissing Li Chenjing’s advice as the sort of thing a “scumbag” says during a breakup.
  Character developments and interactions: Zhu’s longing gives way to grief and anger as she confronts the Young Master’s absence. Li Chenjing asserts his separate identity and maintains a painful emotional boundary, even while showing a fleeting instinct to comfort her. Their encounter turns from awkward concern to rejection, mourning, and conflict.
  Themes: The chapter explores identity and continuity, love for someone who has changed, grief for a person who is still physically present, and the painful gap between memory and reality.

Chapter summary

• Plot: Longyang interrupts Zhu Bafu as she cries over Li Chenjing and pulls her away, criticizing Li for leaving her emotionally entangled instead of rejecting her plainly. He then tells Zhu that the Emperor has ordered Pan Yong’s release after a beating. Though angry at the lenient outcome, Longyang explains that Li devised it to protect Beauty Liu: executing Pan Yong could have left her vulnerable to retaliation from his powerful family. Zhu realizes Li’s decision was a covert act of protection, not indifference.
• Character developments: Zhu remains heartbroken and conflicted about Li, but she also pushes back against Longyang’s abrasive “comfort” by stomping on his foot. Longyang’s bluntness conceals concern, though his pride and impulsiveness soon take over. Li remains distant and unreadable, while his political maneuvering reveals a protective side. Nian Youyu, by contrast, offers Zhu no sympathy, insisting she face the consequences of her choices.
• Character interactions: Longyang confronts Li, then escorts Zhu away and explains the political reasoning behind Pan Yong’s release. Zhu thanks Longyang but argues with him over his harsh manner. At the Nian residence, Nian Youyu rebukes her while Xiaojiu appears ready to comfort her. Later, Longyang breaks into the residence and abducts Zhu, intent on proving his comforting skills are not as bad as she claims.
• Themes: The chapter explores the gap between outward behavior and hidden motives: Li’s coldness masks political protection, while Longyang’s rough manner masks concern. It also highlights the costs of romantic attachment, the influence of factional politics, and the danger Beauty Liu would face amid powerful families’ rivalries.

Key plot points and events

• Li Chenjing sits alone in his study, absorbed in thought and staring at a bandaged palm whose wound has reopened. He realizes he injured himself by clenching his fist while standing in the corridor.
• Liu Rongrong enters and tries to draw close to him, saying she wants to stay by his side. She recalls how frightened and jealous she felt while he had lost his memory and devoted himself to the “Little Scholar.”
• Li Chenjing distrusts her affection, asking whether her behavior is another attempt to manipulate him or a plan made with the emperor. He tells her he will ask the emperor to visit her instead.
• While browsing a book, he finds a note containing a poem about Qingmuzi longing for Chenjing. Reading it stirs a sudden, painful reaction in him. When Liu Rongrong asks about the note, he insists it is none of her business; she snatches it from him.
• The chapter’s opening comic exchange features Longyang threatening to help the disguised heroine undress if she will not do it herself. She is exasperated by his crude “comfort,” while he teasingly tells her to return when she has fallen for him.

Character developments

• Li Chenjing remains emotionally guarded toward Liu Rongrong, but the poem prompts an intense, immediate response—suggesting unresolved feelings or memories connected to Qingmuzi.
• Liu Rongrong expresses genuine-sounding fear and affection, yet her past manipulation makes it difficult for Li Chenjing to trust her. His rejection leaves her aware that their former closeness cannot simply be restored.
• Longyang continues to mask concern with provocative teasing, while the heroine remains unimpressed and wary of his advances.

Significant themes

• Broken trust: Past deception shapes how Li Chenjing interprets Liu Rongrong’s present words.
• Memory and emotional attachment: The poem triggers a powerful response in Li Chenjing, hinting that feelings can persist beneath confusion or lost memories.
• Jealousy and unrequited longing: Liu Rongrong recalls envying the tenderness Li Chenjing showed the Little Scholar, while the poem evokes a separate, painful yearning.
• Comedy alongside emotional tension: Longyang’s irreverent banter contrasts sharply with the chapter’s quieter conflict and heartache.

Character interactions

• Liu Rongrong tries to comfort and cling to Li Chenjing, but he physically distances himself and questions her motives.
• Li Chenjing refuses to confide in her about the poem, reinforcing the distrust between them; she responds by taking the note herself.
• Longyang and the heroine spar through teasing threats and indignant protests, revealing their lively but provocative dynamic.

Chapter Summary

Key events

• Liu Rongrong teases Chen Jing about a poem from a “little scholar,” implying he may have feelings for the writer. When he tries to take the letter back, they tear it in half. Chen Jing is left staring at the fragments, uncertain what he was trying to hold on to.
• Longyang arrives at the night market with Zhu Bafu, who has been disguised as a young scholar. He has arranged an elaborate set of women’s clothes and insists she change into them.
• Dressed in a flowing gauze outfit and jewelry, Zhu Bafu joins Longyang on a night out. She struggles to keep up in the unfamiliar clothes, while he alternates between slowing down for her and teasing her.
• When Zhu Bafu asks whether he is genuinely trying to comfort her, Longyang jokes about kissing her and brings up her earlier kiss with Chief Counselor Chen Jing. Embarrassed and offended, she turns back.

Character developments

• Chen Jing’s distress over the torn poem suggests that it—and the feelings it represents—matters more to him than he can explain.
• Zhu Bafu is caught between enjoying the chance to wear women’s clothing again and feeling awkward and exposed in it. She is also sensitive to Longyang’s teasing about her kiss with Chen Jing.
• Longyang shows a more attentive side by preparing clothing and accessories for Zhu Bafu, though his flirtatious, provocative manner undermines his attempt at comfort.

Character interactions

• Rongrong needles Chen Jing about his connection to the scholar, and their struggle over the letter ends with it torn.
• Longyang orders and escorts Zhu Bafu through her transformation, then teases her about her appearance and her feelings for Chen Jing. Their exchanges mix care, irritation, flirtation, and embarrassment.

Significant themes

• Unspoken attachment: Chen Jing’s reaction to the destroyed poem hints at emotions he has not acknowledged.
• Gender and self-presentation: Zhu Bafu’s return to women’s clothing contrasts with her accustomed male disguise, complicating her sense of comfort and identity.
• Teasing as intimacy—and discomfort: Longyang expresses attention through flamboyant gestures and provocative jokes, but his approach risks hurting rather than reassuring Zhu Bafu.

Chapter 78 Summary

Plot and key events

• Longyang teases Zhu Bafu about her taste in men and tries to make her remain beside him after dressing her in women’s clothing. Offended by his insinuations, she pushes him away and runs into the night market.
• Alone and dressed as a woman, Zhu Bafu passes through a street of brothels and is mistaken for a courtesan. Several men surround her, make crude remarks, and try to negotiate her “price.”
• Before she can lose her temper or fight her way out, Li Luyang appears with his wife, Zhao Xiangmi, and claims that Zhu Bafu is the young lady of their household.
• Zhu Bafu thanks Li Luyang and attempts to leave, but he stops her by explaining that her father is worried. Her rented home burned down, and Li Luyang informed her father because he feared something had happened to her.
• Zhao Xiangmi maliciously suggests that Zhu Bafu has become a prostitute or is being financially supported by a wealthy man, pointing to her expensive makeup, jewelry, and gauze skirt as evidence.
• Zhu Bafu desperately denies selling herself and begs Li Luyang not to worry her father or reveal anything strange about her situation. Zhao Xiangmi then insinuates that Zhu Bafu may be Li Luyang’s mistress and accuses her of finding a richer patron.

Character developments

• Zhu Bafu: Her anger and independence become more apparent when she rejects Longyang’s humiliation and refuses to tolerate the men’s harassment. However, her disguise and unfamiliarity with women’s social vulnerability leave her embarrassed and trapped. She is especially anxious about protecting her father and Xiaojiu from the truth about her circumstances.
• Longyang: He treats Zhu Bafu’s anger as a challenge and seems amused by her growing temper. His decision to let her wander off alone in women’s clothing also reveals a possessive, teasing attitude and a desire to “teach her a lesson.”
• Li Luyang: Despite their former engagement, he still shows concern for Zhu Bafu and takes responsibility for informing her father after her house burns down. He rescues her from the crowd, though his presence also exposes her to uncomfortable questions.
• Zhao Xiangmi: She is jealous, suspicious, and openly contemptuous toward Zhu Bafu. She uses the situation to humiliate her and to assert possession over Li Luyang, implying that he might once again shelter Zhu Bafu as a mistress.

Themes

• Gender and vulnerability: Zhu Bafu’s experience changes drastically when she is seen as a woman rather than a man, exposing the harassment and limited social respect women face.
• Appearance versus reality: Her fine clothing and cosmetics make others assume she is a courtesan or kept woman, even though the truth is entirely different.
• Reputation and social judgment: Zhu Bafu fears being misunderstood by Li Luyang and, especially, by her father. The chapter emphasizes how quickly appearances become “evidence” of moral wrongdoing.
• Possessiveness and humiliation: Longyang’s teasing and Zhao Xiangmi’s accusations both treat Zhu Bafu as an object to control or demean, while Li Luyang’s concern introduces a more complicated past connection.

Character interactions

• Longyang and Zhu Bafu exchange provocative, antagonistic banter before she storms away.
• Zhu Bafu confronts a group of predatory men but tries to maintain politeness until their insults provoke her.
• Li Luyang publicly protects her, yet his concern forces her to explain her disappearance.
• Zhao Xiangmi attacks Zhu Bafu verbally, questions her morality, and implies a rivalry over Li Luyang, creating a tense and humiliating reunion between the former betrothed and his current wife.

Chapter Summary — Page 171

Key plot points and events

• Zhao Xiangmi openly insults Fuer/Zhu Bafu, accusing her of being an “unclean woman” kept by a wealthy patron. She also objects to Li Luyang taking Fuer as a concubine, despite his past efforts to arrange it.
• Li Luyang questions Fuer about her luxurious clothing and jewelry, suspecting that someone else paid for them. Fuer desperately tries to deny being financially supported by a man.
• The emperor arrives disguised as the wealthy young master “Piao,” accompanied by intimidating guards. He declares that the clothes and hairpins were gifts from him.
• When Zhao Xiangmi suggests he is Fuer’s patron, the emperor first says he never intended to “keep” her, then shocks everyone by announcing that he wants to marry her and bring her into his household.
• Fuer nearly chokes in panic, especially because she is dressed as a woman and fears Li Luyang will expose her identity or report the emperor’s behavior to her former fiancé’s family.
• The emperor tenderly gives her tea and introduces himself as “Young Master Piao,” apparently still pretending not to recognize that Fuer is Zhu Bafu in disguise.
• Li Luyang notices the emperor’s proposal is suspiciously sudden and questions whether the two have truly just met.

Character developments

• Zhu Bafu/Fuer becomes increasingly anxious as her disguise, reputation, and relationship with the emperor all become endangered. She struggles to control the situation while hiding her identity.
• The emperor behaves boldly and affectionately, publicly claiming responsibility for Fuer’s possessions and impulsively proposing marriage. His playful innocence contrasts with the authority and danger conveyed by his guards.
• Zhao Xiangmi reveals her jealousy and resentment toward Fuer, escalating from verbal jabs to open slander.
• Li Luyang remains observant and suspicious, questioning the source of Fuer’s wealth and the emperor’s sudden interest in her.

Significant themes

• Disguise and mistaken identity: Fuer must maintain her female disguise while the emperor appears not to recognize her true identity.
• Reputation and social judgment: Accusations of being a kept woman threaten Fuer’s honor, especially in a society governed by strict expectations of female virtue.
• Power and protection: The emperor’s wealth, guards, and royal aura immediately silence Zhao Xiangmi, showing how political power can override social hostility.
• Romance versus propriety: The emperor’s public declaration of marriage is affectionate but socially reckless, placing Fuer in an awkward and potentially dangerous position.
• Jealousy and class prejudice: Zhao Xiangmi condemns Fuer because of her ruined family background and presumed lack of status.

Character interactions

• Zhao Xiangmi attacks Fuer while Li Luyang questions her about her clothing.
• The emperor intervenes, embraces Fuer, defends her, and claims he intends to marry her.
• Fuer attempts to distance herself from the emperor’s intimate behavior but is overwhelmed by panic.
• Li Luyang challenges the emperor’s story, setting up further suspicion about the connection between “Young Master Piao” and Fuer.

Key events

• Zhao Huangpu asks Li Luyang how to win Zhu Bafu’s father’s favor, clarifying that he intends to marry her as his principal wife—not make her a concubine.
• Zhao Xiangmi mocks Zhu Bafu’s prospects, pointing out that her family was convicted in the Liu Residence conspiracy case and stripped of its possessions. Zhao Huangpu counters that he loves those disliked by the Prime Minister’s household.
• Zhu Bafu is startled by his bold declaration. Zhao Huangpu allows her one final sentence with Li Luyang, though he keeps interrupting and teasing her.
• Zhu Bafu thanks Li Luyang for his past help, promises to repay the cost of the burned rented house, and says she will handle her father’s affairs herself. She then leaves with Zhao Huangpu.
• Zhao Huangpu reveals that he knows Li Luyang is related to Chancellor Li. He warns Li not to pursue Zhu Bafu and tells him to caution Zhao Xiangmi against speaking recklessly, implying Zhu Bafu will hold great status in the future.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhao Huangpu moves from playful pursuit to an emphatic public declaration of marriage. His confident, possessive manner and knowledge of powerful family connections hint that he is far more influential than he appears.
• Zhu Bafu remains wary of his overfamiliarity, but accepts his intentions enough to leave with him. She asserts her independence by taking responsibility for her family’s troubles and settling her debt to Li Luyang.
• Li Luyang expresses concern about Zhu Bafu’s choice, while his merchant’s intuition warns him that Zhao Huangpu is no ordinary wealthy young man.
• Zhao Xiangmi tries to belittle Zhu Bafu, but Zhao Huangpu’s sharp defense and implied authority leave her intimidated.

Significant themes

• Status and stigma: Zhu Bafu’s family disgrace threatens her prospects, but Zhao Huangpu openly rejects the social judgment attached to it.
• Power beneath appearances: Zhao Huangpu’s knowledge and warnings suggest concealed political influence.
• Autonomy and obligation: Zhu Bafu chooses her own path while acknowledging debts and taking responsibility for her family.
• Romance and possessiveness: Zhao Huangpu’s declaration is sincere and protective, but his controlling interruptions also make Zhu Bafu uncomfortable.

Chapter 37 Summary

Key plot points and events

• Zhao Huangpu warns Li Luyang that his wife, Zhao Xiangmi, must be careful how she treats Zhu Xiaofu. He ominously declares that Xiaofu will become extraordinarily noble—someone before whom Xiangmi may one day have to kneel.
• Xiangmi mocks the idea, but Li Luyang silences her in fear, warning that continuing to discuss taking Xiaofu as a concubine could bring catastrophe upon their family. He realizes that Xiaofu may truly be a “phoenix,” suggesting she has a powerful or exalted destiny.
• Xiaofu, still dressed in women’s clothing in the Feather Gauze Rainbow Skirt, tries to escape Zhao Huangpu. He follows her closely, teasing her and making it clear that she cannot evade him.
• Zhao Huangpu reveals that he searched the capital for Xiaofu after she disappeared from the Nian Residence. Seeing her dressed as a woman has intensified his attraction, and he has apparently already considered proposing to her, though he has not yet revealed his true identity or feelings.
• Longyang arrives angrily, apparently intending to scold Xiaofu for her behavior. He nearly addresses Zhao Huangpu by his imperial title, but Zhao interrupts and pretends to be the ordinary “Young Master Piao.”
• To conceal Xiaofu’s identity, she suddenly claims to be Longyang’s younger sister. Longyang is shocked, since he has no such sister and has a complicated history with Xiaofu, but her pinch forces him to cooperate.
• Xiaofu elaborates on the false story, presenting herself as a distant female cousin who came to the capital after her father was imprisoned, her family situation collapsed, and her engagement was broken. She claims she has come to seek refuge with Longyang.

Character developments

• Zhu Xiaofu: Demonstrates quick thinking and resourcefulness by inventing a new identity on the spot. She remains desperate to hide her male identity and escape Zhao Huangpu’s intense attention, but her jealousy and resentment toward her “damned friend” reveal her complicated feelings about Longyang.
• Zhao Huangpu: Becomes increasingly possessive and romantically captivated by Xiaofu. His search across the capital shows how worried he was about her disappearance, while his reaction to her feminine appearance exposes feelings he struggles to control.
• Longyang: Arrives angry and suspicious, but quickly becomes Xiaofu’s unwilling accomplice. His willingness to support her lie—despite their tense and inappropriate history—shows both his adaptability and continued involvement in protecting or managing her.
• Li Luyang: Understands the danger surrounding Xiaofu’s future before his wife does. His fear suggests he recognizes Zhao Huangpu’s authority and suspects Xiaofu’s connection to a much higher status.
• Zhao Xiangmi: Remains arrogant and dismissive, initially refusing to believe Xiaofu could ever outrank her, but Li Luyang’s warning frightens her into silence.

Significant themes

• Hidden identity and mistaken appearances: Xiaofu’s disguise allows her to be seen as a completely different person, while Zhao Huangpu conceals his imperial identity behind the name “Piao.”
• Power, status, and fate: Zhao Huangpu’s warning that Xiaofu will one day be a person of immense nobility suggests a destined rise in status. The chapter contrasts Xiangmi’s present arrogance with the possibility of her future submission.
• Romantic tension and possessiveness: Zhao Huangpu’s pursuit of Xiaofu, his jealousy toward Longyang, and his fascination with her disguise heighten the romantic conflict.
• Improvisation and survival: Xiaofu repeatedly relies on deception to protect herself, using fabricated family ties and personal history to avoid exposure.
• The danger of careless speech: Xiangmi’s insults and Li Luyang’s panic emphasize that words can have serious political and personal consequences.

Important character interactions

• Zhao Huangpu intimidates Li Luyang and Xiangmi while praising Xiaofu’s future importance.
• Zhao Huangpu pursues Xiaofu and teases her as she tries to flee.
• Longyang confronts Xiaofu, nearly exposes Zhao Huangpu’s identity, and then reluctantly supports her false claim of being his distant cousin.
• Xiaofu manipulates both men to preserve her disguise, placing Longyang between herself and Zhao Huangpu while trying to avoid the latter’s increasingly obvious attraction.

Plot points

• Zhu Bafu realizes too late that claiming she is Longyang’s cousin and has nowhere else to go has trapped her in a lie—and brought Longyang into it. The emperor, Zhao Huangpu, announces he will visit the Long household and insists Longyang escort her home.
• The emperor calls her “Xiaoru,” gives Longyang gold to cover the clothes and jewelry he bought for her, and privately says he wants her sent to the palace. When Longyang asks what happens if he refuses, Zhao replies that he will pursue her himself.
• After the emperor leaves, Longyang wonders whether Zhao truly likes Zhu Bafu or is testing his loyalty—and regrets having drawn attention to her.
• Later, Longyang asks his brother Long Ang what he would do if he and the emperor wanted the same woman. Long Ang teases him, suggesting the two men may have more in common than Longyang admits.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhu Bafu is impulsive and anxious: trying to explain her situation, she gives the emperor more reasons to keep pursuing her. She remains unaware of what Zhao says privately to Longyang.
• Longyang shifts from annoyance at Zhu Bafu’s careless lie to jealousy and suspicion. He recognizes Zhao’s intense interest in her and feels caught between protecting her, wanting her for himself, and proving his loyalty.
• Zhao Huangpu is openly playful and possessive, using the promise of a visit, a suggestive offer, and the threat of pursuing Zhu Bafu to pressure Longyang.
• Long Ang responds to Longyang’s dilemma with humor, teasing him about his own appetite for women rather than offering straightforward advice.

Significant themes

• Deception and entrapment: Zhu Bafu’s attempt to conceal her identity creates a new predicament.
• Power and possession: The emperor’s authority turns romantic interest into pressure, while Longyang is left to weigh personal desire against loyalty.
• Jealousy and rivalry: Zhao’s pursuit sparks Longyang’s resentment and uncertainty.
• Contrasting tastes and hidden complexity: Long Ang jokes about the men’s preferences, while the chapter hints at the possibility of a woman who combines traits both men admire.

Chapter Summary

Plot and events

Longyang discusses with his elder brother, Long Ang, whether to send Zhu Bafu to the Holy Emperor as a means of securing their family’s influence and prolonging the Emperor’s favor. Long Ang treats the matter lightly, but his joking carries a serious warning: if Longyang will not cooperate, he may have to consider rebellion. Longyang resists because Zhu Bafu is not an ordinary woman and because of her feelings for Li Chenjing.
During a meeting concerning Dongxu Mansion, Zhu Bafu sits beside Longyang while the officials work. Longyang teases her for staring at Li Chenjing, exposing her infatuation in front of everyone. Li Chenjing reprimands them for wasting time, while Longyang refuses to help with written reports, preferring his military and security duties.
Longyang then deliberately provokes Li Chenjing by implying that the Holy Emperor spent the night at the Li residence with a woman—clearly referring to Zhu Bafu. Wei Chenmu loses his temper and throws an inkstone at Longyang. Longyang dodges and redirects it toward Zhu Bafu, but Li Chenjing instinctively shields her. His robes are stained while she remains unharmed.

Character developments

• Longyang continues to act flippantly and provoke others, but his behavior reveals genuine concern about Zhu Bafu’s fate and discomfort with the plan to send her to the Emperor.
• Long Ang appears playful and carefree, yet he understands the political stakes and pressures Longyang to use Zhu Bafu as a bargaining tool.
• Zhu Bafu is openly embarrassed by her attraction to Li Chenjing but cannot control her longing gaze. Her emotional attachment remains strong despite the painful distance between them.
• Li Chenjing remains outwardly cold and focused on official duties, but he instinctively protects Zhu Bafu, exposing feelings and protective impulses he otherwise tries to suppress.
• Wei Chenmu reacts violently to Longyang’s insulting insinuation, suggesting strong loyalty toward Li Chenjing and sensitivity regarding Zhu Bafu’s situation.

Character interactions

The scene centers on Longyang’s teasing exchanges with Zhu Bafu and Li Chenjing. He embarrasses Zhu Bafu by pointing out her attraction to Li, then antagonizes Li by suggesting Zhu Bafu was sent to the Emperor’s bed. Li’s silent, cold reaction contrasts with Longyang’s vulgar humor. The inkstone incident briefly breaks Li’s emotional restraint when he embraces Zhu Bafu to protect her.

Significant themes

• Political manipulation and loyalty: Zhu Bafu is treated as a potential offering to secure the Long family’s position with the Holy Emperor.
• Hidden affection and emotional repression: Zhu Bafu’s longing and Li Chenjing’s instinctive protection reveal feelings neither can openly acknowledge.
• Conflict between duty and desire: The officials’ political obligations clash with personal attachments and jealousy.
• Identity and loss: Zhu Bafu’s thoughts suggest that Li Chenjing resembles the “Young Master” she loved, but is emotionally distant, leaving her uncertain whether the person she remembers still exists within him.

Chapter Summary

Zhao Huangpu arrives at the lakeside academy with more than a dozen eunuchs carrying lunch, interrupting a tense scene. Inside, an inkstone has been overturned, Li Chenjing is covered in ink, and Zhu Bafu stands awkwardly nearby. The Minister of Works quickly escapes, while Long Ang jokingly implies that Nian Youyu had protected Li Chenjing from being bullied. Zhao orders eunuchs to help Li Chenjing change, though Li insists he is fine.
Zhao then gives Zhu Bafu an elaborate imperial meal and sits beside her, emphasizing that he brought it specifically for her rather than merely buying food casually. He teases her when she asks whether he has eaten, confidently interpreting her courtesy as evidence that she likes him. Zhu rejects this interpretation, but Zhao is pleased that she shows him a kind of concern no one else does. He eagerly watches her taste his favorite dish and is delighted when she approves of it. He then suggests that she could enter the palace, startling her badly enough that she chokes on her food.
Zhao clarifies that he means she should enter the imperial court through the Dongxu Mansion Autumn Examination, which selects Academy Students for official positions. He offers to make an exception to the usual rule barring newly admitted students from taking the examination during their first two years, praising Zhu’s conduct and reminding her that she is already his Minister of Works. Zhu hesitates, saying she does not particularly want an official position and could help him from outside the palace. Zhao pointedly asks whether she wants to remain near him or near Li Chenjing.
The question exposes Zhu’s true feelings: she wants to stay near Li Chenjing, even if she can only watch him from a distance. She values the comfort of his presence despite believing that he no longer notices her. She therefore asks whether Li would approve her taking the examination, revealing that his opinion matters more to her than Zhao’s offer or advancement.

Character Development and Interactions

• Zhu Bafu remains conflicted between loyalty to Zhao Huangpu and her unspoken affection for Li Chenjing. Her concern for Li and desire to remain near him are contrasted with Zhao’s flirtatious attention.
• Zhao Huangpu behaves playfully and possessively toward Zhu, bringing her special food, teasing her about liking him, and offering her a path into the imperial court. His question about whether she wants to stay near him or Li reveals his awareness of her attachment to Li.
• Li Chenjing is embarrassed but composed after being covered in ink. His silent actions and prior writing suggest that the examination rules may be connected to the situation, while his relationship with Zhu remains emotionally important to her.
• Long Ang acts as an amused observer, lightly provoking Zhao by suggesting that Nian Youyu defended Li.
• Nian Youyu remains focused on his abacus and does not explain the incident, maintaining his detached, enigmatic presence.

Significant Themes

• Unspoken affection and emotional distance: Zhu’s devotion to Li is quiet and one-sided, expressed through her wish merely to remain near him.
• Power and favoritism: Zhao can use his authority to exempt Zhu from examination rules, showing how imperial power influences personal relationships and advancement.
• Teasing versus genuine feeling: Zhao’s playful flirtation contrasts with Zhu’s sincere but restrained emotions.
• Choice between personal loyalty and ambition: Zhu must consider whether entering the palace and becoming an official would bring her closer to Zhao while separating her from Li.
• Public composure hiding private turmoil: The humorous lunch scene masks Zhu’s anxiety about her identity, her feelings for Li, and Zhao’s possible discovery of the truth.

Chapter 177 Summary

Key plot points and events

• Zhao Huangpu teases Zhu Bafu by asking whether she wants to hear the truth about Li Chenjing’s feelings. Before he can explain, he claims he has fallen for someone and wants Zhu’s help pursuing her—then reveals the woman is Zhu Furu, Long Household’s young cousin.
• Zhao has approved the Autumn Assessment list but asks Li to add Zhu Bafu, hoping to bring her into the palace. Li refuses because she has not yet served for the required two years.
• Zhao suggests that Li is avoiding Zhu because he fears she may pass the assessment and remain in the palace. He argues that having her serve there would keep them apart, as Li had supposedly wished.
• Zhao gives Zhu the assessment application and says Li agreed. Zhu takes this as confirmation that Li wants distance from her. Rather than accept that separation, she decides she must speak to him and rushes toward his study.

Character developments

• Zhu Bafu is hurt by the possibility that Li wants no contact, yet resolves to tell him something important rather than retreat. Her determination shows that her feelings and need for closure remain strong.
• Li Chenjing refuses to bend the assessment rules for Zhu, while Zhao’s comments hint that Li is struggling with their relationship and trying to avoid further emotional complications.
• Zhao Huangpu uses teasing and a proposed palace appointment to manipulate the situation, apparently hoping to help—or test—the two. Zhu’s unexpected decision to seek Li out unsettles him.

Character interactions

• Zhao repeatedly provokes Zhu with hints about Li, then distracts her with his supposed romance and the Zhu Furu revelation.
• Zhao and Li clash over whether Zhu should be allowed to take the Autumn Assessment; Zhao presses the matter, while Li firmly refuses.
• Zhao frames the appointment as a way for Li and Zhu to avoid one another. Zhu, however, rejects that outcome and breaks away from Zhao to confront Li directly.

Significant themes

• Avoidance versus honest communication: Li and Zhao consider distance a solution, but Zhu chooses to speak openly.
• Uncertainty and misinterpretation: Zhu reads Li’s agreement as rejection, while Zhao’s explanations further complicate what Li actually wants.
• Duty and personal feelings: The formal rules of the assessment collide with Zhao’s personal attempts to shape Zhu’s future.

Chapter Summary

• Zhu Bafu confesses and says goodbye: Zhu Bafu enters the Young Master’s room without permission and confronts him while he writes. Although he orders her to keep her distance, she confesses that she has loved him since their earlier encounters—possibly since he lost his memories. She regrets not admitting her feelings sooner and says she will now try to forget him, since he has told her to do so. Believing the Young Master is gone and speaking instead to Lord Li, she apologizes for troubling him, promises not to pester him anymore, signs her Assessment Application, and leaves without looking back.
• The Young Master’s hidden feelings: After she leaves, Lord Li discovers that her application had been covering a page of poems written in his own hand. The poem expresses distant longing and affection, suggesting that despite his cold behavior and apparent rejection, he still harbors deep feelings for her.
• Zhu Bafu prepares for the autumn assessment: In the second scene, Zhu Bafu gathers books and begins studying for the civil-service examination at Dongxu Mansion. She intends to pass the written test, use her connection with the Emperor to secure the final interview, and become an official so she and Zhu Xiaojiu can gain financial independence and no longer rely on others for shelter.
• Conflict with Zhu Xiaojiu: Zhu Xiaojiu is alarmed by her plan. He reminds her that she is a woman disguised as a man and argues that entering government service would expose her to dangerous political attention. The Emperor, the Prime Minister, and Noble Consort Pan’s family are already watching her, making the examination especially risky. He suggests that she withdraw from school and travel to Qingzhou with him to find their father instead.

Character Development and Interactions

• Zhu Bafu moves from openly pursuing the Young Master to forcing herself to accept separation. Her heartbreak drives her toward independence and a more ambitious plan for the future, though her decision may also be an attempt to escape her pain and unstable circumstances.
• Lord Li/Young Master remains outwardly cold and defensive, but his private poem reveals that his rejection does not necessarily reflect his true feelings. His emotional conflict is expressed indirectly rather than through conversation.
• Zhu Xiaojiu acts as a protective, practical younger brother. He mocks Zhu Bafu’s romantic obsession but is primarily concerned about her safety, their family’s survival, and the political dangers surrounding her.
• Their sibling exchange provides a contrast to Zhu Bafu’s emotional farewell: while she is grieving and seeking a new path, Xiaojiu tries to restrain her and steer her toward a safer life.

Significant Themes

• Unspoken love and painful separation: Zhu Bafu’s confession and the Young Master’s hidden poem show affection that cannot be openly acknowledged.
• Identity and disguise: Zhu Bafu’s ambition to enter officialdom conflicts with her identity as a woman posing as a man.
• Independence versus dependence: She hopes government service will give her and Xiaojiu financial security, while Xiaojiu fears that pursuing power will make them vulnerable to political manipulation.
• Political danger: The chapter emphasizes that Zhu Bafu is attracting attention from powerful figures, making even her attempt at self-reliance potentially dangerous.

Plot points

• Zhu Bafu tells his brother, Zhu Xiaojiu, that he intends to sit the imperial exams and serve the emperor. He hopes to clear his father’s name and protect the Zhu family from further persecution.
• Xiaojiu argues that this plan is dangerous: Bafu is a woman living as a man, and exposure would put him at serious risk. Bafu insists that he can succeed if he stops thinking of himself as a woman and focuses on what he can do.
• Bafu shuts himself away for several days. Xiaojiu waits anxiously outside while Nian Youyu, Long Ang, Longyang, and the emperor visit or ask after him.
• The emperor repeatedly questions Xiaojiu about Bafu, while Xiaojiu grows suspicious of the emperor’s interest. During their third conversation, Xiaojiu bluntly warns him not to pursue Bafu; the emperor turns Xiaojiu’s warning into a teasing observation about how easily Bafu might be won over.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhu Bafu is increasingly determined to reclaim agency and defend his family, even if it means risking exposure and embracing his male identity more fully. His resolve appears tied to both family loyalty and the aftermath of his failed romance.
• Zhu Xiaojiu is fiercely protective of his sister. Though he mocks Bafu’s plan, he understands the danger and fears she may be hurt again. His direct confrontation with the emperor reveals both his loyalty and his jealousy on Bafu’s behalf.
• The emperor shows persistent interest in Bafu, visiting several times and asking personal questions. His teasing manner leaves Xiaojiu unsure whether he is serious, but his attention is clear.
• Longyang repeatedly waits outside Bafu’s room, apparently worried despite saying little. Long Ang and Nian Youyu provide lighter, comic observations about the situation.

Significant themes

• Identity and self-determination: Bafu argues that her abilities matter more than gender, while the risks of her disguise remain ever-present.
• Family loyalty and justice: Her desire to enter public service is driven by the wish to clear her father’s name and protect the Zhu household.
• Romance, vulnerability, and protection: Xiaojiu fears Bafu is emotionally susceptible and may be hurt again; the emperor’s attention raises the possibility of another romance.
• Comedy amid serious stakes: The visitors’ misunderstandings, Xiaojiu’s suspicions, and the emperor’s playful verbal traps lighten Bafu’s grave decision.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhu Bafu ends her half-month seclusion and emerges dressed entirely as a man, wearing Confucian scholar’s robes and a male hair crown. She openly declares her determination to succeed in the autumn examinations and serve the emperor loyally.
• She tells Zhu Xiaojiu to inform the emperor that her “older brother” is an upright man who has abandoned romantic affairs, signaling that she intends to reject love and fully embrace a male scholarly identity.
• Zhao Huangpu is shocked by Zhu Bafu’s transformation. He realizes that his attempt to drive her away from Little Jing may have backfired: rather than returning to her former self, she has decided to suppress her feelings and become “a man” in spirit.
• At Imperial Concubine Qi’s palace, Zhao Huangpu remains distracted while servants perform music and dance. Consort Qi dismisses them and asks what troubles him.
• Zhao questions Consort Qi about love, first love, and whether she could forget someone if ordered to do so. His questions frighten her, as she suspects he may be losing interest in her.
• To reassure her, Zhao announces that he will spend the night in her palace, though he first intends to leave the palace to visit Liu Rongrong.
• Consort Qi reveals that the women of the harem know about Liu Rongrong, Zhao’s favored confidante outside the palace. Hoping to strengthen her own position, she offers to bring Liu into the palace.
• Zhao allows her to try, amused by the palace women’s maneuvering. Internally, however, he remains preoccupied with Zhu Bafu’s love for Little Jing and feels an increasing resentment toward the Prime Minister’s household.

Character Developments

• Zhu Bafu undergoes the chapter’s most dramatic change. Heartbroken and determined to sever herself from romantic feelings, she adopts a masculine appearance and identity, presenting herself as a loyal scholar devoted to the emperor and the nation.
• Zhao Huangpu becomes increasingly conflicted. He is troubled by Zhu Bafu’s transformation and realizes that his own tactics may have pushed her further away. His jealousy and pain over her love for Little Jing deepen his hostility toward the Prime Minister’s Residence.
• Consort Qi shows political ambition and adaptability. Though initially terrified by Zhao’s questions, she quickly uses her knowledge of Liu Rongrong and Zhao’s conflict with Noble Consort Pan to offer a seemingly generous solution that could increase her own favor.
• Little Jing does not appear directly, but Zhu Bafu’s continued love for him dominates Zhao’s thoughts and motivates the emotional conflict of the chapter.
• Liu Rongrong remains an important off-page figure, serving as Zhao’s emotional refuge and a source of rivalry and speculation within the harem.

Significant Themes

• Heartbreak and self-reinvention: Zhu Bafu responds to emotional rejection by abandoning romance and reconstructing herself as a male scholar.
• Gender identity and performance: Her male clothing and declaration of loyalty blur the distinction between biological sex, social role, and personal identity.
• Political manipulation: Consort Qi recognizes that imperial favor depends on palace rivalries and attempts to exploit Zhao’s dissatisfaction with Noble Consort Pan.
• Jealousy and unrequited love: Zhao’s anguish over Zhu Bafu’s devotion to Little Jing reveals how deeply he cares for her, even as he tries to control the situation.
• The emotional cost of power: Zhao’s imperial position gives him authority over everyone around him, but he remains unable to command genuine love or erase another person’s feelings.

Character Interactions

• Zhu Bafu and Zhu Xiaojiu: Zhu Bafu instructs him to describe her as an upright man uninterested in romance, reinforcing her new identity.
• Zhu Bafu and Zhao Huangpu: Their encounter is indirect but emotionally charged. Her formal loyalty and masculine presentation function as a rejection of Zhao’s romantic expectations and possibly as retaliation for his interference in her relationship with Little Jing.
• Zhao Huangpu and Consort Qi: Zhao probes her feelings through unsettling questions about love and forgetting. Consort Qi interprets them as signs of possible abandonment, while Zhao uses his promise to stay the night to calm her fears.
• Consort Qi and the harem: Her knowledge of Liu Rongrong and Noble Consort Pan reflects the constant circulation of information and rivalry among the imperial women.
• Zhao Huangpu and Liu Rongrong: Although they do not meet in the chapter, Zhao’s urgent desire to visit her shows her continuing importance to him and contrasts with his emotional turmoil over Zhu Bafu.