Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Eighteen-year-old Shen Shixu is named Top Scholar in the imperial examinations, ahead of the older second- and third-place graduates. Emperor Wu’an and the assembled court officials celebrate the new talent.
• A mysterious “Gossip System 011” suddenly binds to Shen. It can reveal people’s secrets and information about the past and future. Though Shen had hoped for a system that might help his career, he decides a gossip system could be entertaining.
• Shen and the system communicate mentally—but Shen’s thoughts and the system’s voice are audible to everyone in the hall.
• The system exposes the past of former Top Scholar Sun Minghao, who is related by marriage to Vice Minister Li Zhengda. Sun’s wife, He Xiuniang, supported him through hard work and savings, but after reaching the capital he abandoned her and their daughter without a letter. His mother died grieving for him, despite He Xiuniang exhausting herself to care for her.
• Shen condemns Sun’s ingratitude and hypocrisy. The system adds that Sun has since married another woman and had another child, using scheming and manipulation to secure the match.

Character developments

• Shen Shixu is introduced as a brilliant, youthful new official, delighted by his unexpected success. He is curious about the system and shows a strong sense of compassion and justice.
• System 011 is enthusiastic and eager to please Shen, quickly adopting his requested “Big Brother” form of address.
• Sun Minghao is revealed as selfish and deceitful, having discarded the family who sacrificed for him.
• Li Zhengda, initially confident in his son-in-law, is jolted by the public accusations and listens closely.

Significant themes

• Merit and ambition: Shen’s examination success marks the arrival of new talent in the court.
• Ingratitude and betrayal: Sun’s rise is set against the sacrifices of his wife and mother, whom he abandons.
• Truth and public exposure: The system’s revelations disrupt the court ceremony and threaten to bring private wrongdoing into the open.
• Compassion and moral judgment: Shen’s reaction emphasizes the value of loyalty, care, and responsibility.

Character interactions

• Shen treats the system as a lifelong companion rather than a formal tool, while 011 responds warmly and shares its first major piece of gossip.
• The court officials, Emperor Wu’an, and the princes all hear the exchange, creating widespread shock.
• Li Zhengda becomes the focus of attention because the scandal concerns his son-in-law, while Shen and 011 jointly condemn Sun’s behavior.

Plot points and events

• During court, the system 011 reveals that Sun Minghao won the favor of Li Shiyu’s family by returning her young nephew after the child wandered off at a temple.
• Sun later placed first in the imperial examinations. Because Li Shiyu already liked him, and he had impressed her father, Vice Minister Li, the family approved their marriage. Vice Minister Li then helped advance Sun’s career.
• The system exposes Sun’s betrayal: seeking a higher post, he secretly agreed to help Vice Minister Liu frame Li for embezzlement by planting Liu’s own bribe money and falsified accounts in Li’s storeroom. The attempt is scheduled for that day.
• Li Zhengda recognizes the story about his grandson’s near-disappearance as true and realizes the earlier accusations against Sun are credible. Enraged, he rushes home after court, while other officials follow, anticipating a confrontation.
• Emperor Wu’an quietly signals his trusted eunuch Quan Xi and dismisses court, giving officials time to leave.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Zhengda shifts from disbelief to horror and anger when the system’s details confirm Sun’s deception. He also confronts Liu Fen by glaring at him and silencing his attempt to defend himself.
• Sun Minghao is revealed as calculating and opportunistic: he carefully cultivated the Li family’s trust, benefited from their support, then plotted to destroy his father-in-law for career gain.
• Liu Fen is exposed as corrupt and ambitious. His effort to frame Li leaves him visibly terrified before the emperor and court.
• Emperor Wu’an goes from treating the revelations as entertaining gossip to recognizing their political value and viewing Shen Shixu as a useful asset.
• Shen Shixu encourages 011 to continue, while the officials’ reactions show both fascination with the gossip and fear of becoming its next subject.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and false appearances: Sun’s seemingly honorable rescue and modest refusal of gifts were calculated ways to win trust.
• Ambition and corruption: Sun and Liu are willing to ruin others to advance themselves.
• Truth as accountability: The system’s revelations turn private wrongdoing into public evidence, threatening careers and reputations.
• Gossip’s double edge: The court enjoys hearing secrets about others but fears the same exposure for itself.

Key plot points and events

• Li Zhengda and Steward Zhang catch Sun Minghao and his accomplices moving chests of illicit goods into Li’s storeroom—the evidence Liu Fen meant to use against Li. Li has the men and chests taken to the Court of Judicial Review.
• Officials who witness the arrest realize Shen Shixu must have exposed the plot. They leave determined to warn their families not to cross him, spreading his reputation through the capital.
• During his Top Scholar procession, Shen spots a suspiciously broad “woman” carrying a sleeping child. Suspecting child trafficking, he alerts the crowd.
• The disguised man tries to flee, but onlookers stop him. His deep voice confirms the disguise, and the child is safely recovered.
• Shen examines the child’s fine clothes and gold bracelets, concludes the family is likely wealthy and searching for him, and asks the young man who caught the trafficker to take them both to the Capital Prefecture.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Zhengda is resolute and disgusted by Sun Minghao’s betrayal, handling the arrest without entertaining his excuses.
• Shen Shixu shows keen observation and a strong sense of responsibility: despite uncertainty, he acts to protect the child. His modest embarrassment at public praise contrasts with his decisive conduct.
• Sun Minghao is exposed and arrested, while his attempted appeal to Li as his father fails.
• Li Daniu, the passerby who subdues the trafficker, is capable but shy when Shen praises him. Shen treats him courteously and entrusts him with the child and prisoner.
• Yang Mingxuan and Yan Huaimin remain composed during the procession and follow Shen when he dismounts to investigate.

Significant themes

• Justice and accountability: Li’s scheme is uncovered, and the guilty parties are sent to face official judgment.
• Vigilance and compassion: Shen’s willingness to act on a suspicion helps rescue a vulnerable child.
• Reputation and influence: Shen’s actions shape how powerful officials regard him, even when he is unaware of it.
• Public admiration versus personal modesty: Shen is celebrated as a brilliant Top Scholar, yet feels awkward under the crowd’s lavish praise.

Key plot points and events

• Shen Shixu’s quick recognition of a disguised child trafficker—and his decision to intervene—becomes the talk of the crowd. His aide, Li Daniu, vows to honor both Shen’s trust and the Black Armor Army’s reputation.
• The abducted child is revealed to be Duke An’s only grandson. Overjoyed at his safe return, Duke An wants to kill the trafficker immediately, but Prince Jing, Xiao Jinyi, intervenes because the man might be linked to a group he is investigating.
• Xiao Jinyi’s guard interrogates the trafficker and finds he acted alone, hoping to sell the well-dressed child. With no useful connection to the investigation, the man is handed back to Duke An, who has him beaten to death.
• Duke An plans to thank Shen and hopes to make him his grandson’s tutor, wanting the boy to pursue scholarly success rather than a dangerous military life.
• Xiao Jinyi hears how Shen detected the trafficker and becomes interested in the top scholar’s sharp observation and decisiveness.
• Shen, Yang Mingxuan, and Yan Huaimin remember that they have not written to their families since focusing on the examinations. They intend to send letters, but are hurried off to the Qionglin Banquet before they can do so.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Shixu is shown to be perceptive and decisive, earning Duke An’s gratitude and Xiao Jinyi’s attention.
• Duke An shifts from fury and grief to relief, then begins considering Shen as a mentor for his grandson.
• Xiao Jinyi is introduced as a formidable, detached prince and military commander, but his intervention reveals that he is actively pursuing a wider investigation.
• Li Daniu takes pride in serving Shen and protecting the Black Armor Army’s honor.
• Shen’s fellow scholars, Yang Mingxuan and Yan Huaimin, share his concern for their distant families, reinforcing their friendship and common experience.

Significant themes

• Duty and reputation: Li Daniu’s loyalty reflects the responsibility he feels toward Shen and the Black Armor Army.
• Family and legacy: Duke An’s relief and his plans for his grandson show how much the boy represents the future of his diminished family.
• Perception and decisive action: Shen’s alertness and willingness to act under uncertainty distinguish him to both Duke An and Xiao Jinyi.
• Military versus scholarly life: Duke An hopes his grandson can build a future through learning rather than inherit the family’s battlefield tradition.

Key plot points

• Xiao Jinyi attends the Qionglin Banquet at Crown Prince Xiao Yuanqi’s urging, partly because he remembers the new Top Scholar, Shen Shixu, as interesting.
• Xiao Jinyi approaches Shen and recruits him to help investigate a difficult case. Impressed by Shen’s quick eye for a human trafficker, he appoints him acting Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, effective the next morning.
• Shen is startled by the sudden promotion, so he asks his supernatural companion, Gossip System 011, for gossip.
• The Crown Prince and assembled officials can hear Shen’s unspoken conversation with 011, though Shen does not realize it. Xiao Yuanqi explains the system to Xiao Jinyi, noting that its earlier revelations about official corruption were true.
• 011 reveals that the Crown Prince’s fiancée, Yang Wenhui, has been secretly involved with her cousin, has recently had his child, and that her household has concealed the affair through murders and a staged suicide.
• Xiao Yuanqi is devastated. Xiao Jinyi escorts him away, explaining that the Crown Prince has had too much to drink and preventing Shen from suspecting that he overheard the gossip.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Shixu moves from anxious new official to an unexpectedly powerful appointee. He remains unaware that his private thoughts are audible to the royal family and ministers.
• Xiao Jinyi shifts from attending reluctantly to taking an active interest in Shen. He recognizes Shen’s investigative talent, appoints him, and supports his brother after the revelation.
• Xiao Yuanqi begins the banquet composed and welcoming, but the gossip about his fiancée leaves him pale and shaken.
• 011 continues to provide verified secrets, becoming the source of both Shen’s reassurance and the Crown Prince’s crisis.
• Xiao Jinyi and Shen’s first substantial exchange establishes a professional connection; Xiao Jinyi and Xiao Yuanqi’s quiet conversation reveals the system’s unusual effect on those nearby.

Significant themes

• Truth and secrecy: Hidden wrongdoing is exposed through gossip, even as those who hear it must conceal their knowledge from Shen.
• Power and corruption: The Marquis of Yongping’s household sacrifices lives and manipulates mourning customs to preserve its political alliance.
• Irony and dramatic tension: Shen believes his thoughts are private, while the most powerful people at the banquet hear them—and the gossip about the Crown Prince—without his knowledge.

Plot points and events

• After helping expose Yang Wenhui’s infidelity, Shen Shixu returns home and writes a long letter to his family.
• Emperor Wu’an and Empress Lin discuss the scandal. They are grateful to Shen for preventing the crown prince from marrying Yang, and Empress Lin hopes Shen can keep his new post as deputy minister of the Court of Judicial Review.
• The next morning, Xiao Jinyi takes Shen to investigate a case involving a young woman found dying in a rice shop’s warehouse. She had suffered numerous injuries and died before help arrived.
• The woman is identified as Qiao Ying, the sister of one of Xiao Jinyi’s vanguard officers. She had vanished two years earlier.
• Evidence at the rice shop—a bloodied warehouse window, cloth from Qiao Ying’s clothes, and blood on crates outside—shows she escaped through the window while badly wounded.
• Examining her clothing and injuries, Shen infers that she was held captive nearby, likely with other women. Her wounds suggest prolonged abuse, and she probably died from blood loss after escaping.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen is shown to be ambitious and somewhat vain, dreaming of career advancement and marriage, but also observant and composed in his new investigative role.
• Xiao Jinyi is exhausted from staying with the crown prince, yet focused on the case. He shares his findings and invites Shen’s deductions.
• The court clerk respects Shen’s perceptiveness despite his youth, while Xiao Jinyi is surprised that Shen examines the corpse without hesitation.
• Emperor Wu’an and Empress Lin’s gratitude establishes Shen’s growing standing at court.

Significant themes

• Justice and protection: The investigation may uncover a wider crime and save other captive women.
• Appearance versus reality: Yang Wenhui’s respectable image concealed her true character, while Qiao Ying’s fate points to hidden brutality.
• Observation and deduction: Physical clues allow Shen to reconstruct events and identify the likely location of a larger crime.
• Power and recognition: Shen’s service earns him the imperial family’s favor and may strengthen his position.

Key plot points and events

• Shen Shixu suspects Qiao Ying was not acting alone. Her heavenly-fragrance-silk clothing was the sort wealthy households often supplied to personal maids, suggesting she may have had companions.
• Xiao Jinyi takes Shen to the Qian Family Rice Shop, where Qiao Ying’s body was found. Shen studies the neighborhood rather than going directly to the shop, looking for clues about her escape.
• He spots a nearby house with a dusty padlock but a carefully cleared entrance, suggesting someone is disguising recent use. Xiao orders Mo Yu to identify its owner.
• After neighbors prove unhelpful, a young beggar offers information in exchange for food. He identifies the owner as “Big Gold Tooth,” a layabout who supposedly could not afford the house.
• The beggar recalls that three nights earlier a large-bellied man arrived by carriage, stayed about two hours, then left apparently injured with a servant, heading west.
• Shen asks Xiao to have clinics along that route checked for a matching patient, believing the man may be linked to the missing girls.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen reassures 011, who feels useless, insisting that he can solve the case through his own abilities. 011 regains confidence and encourages him.
• Xiao overhears Shen’s kindness and self-reliance, deepening his respect for him as both a talented scholar and investigator.
• Shen treats the beggar generously, taking him for noodles and explaining Xiao’s concern when Xiao stops him from eating too much. The boy apologizes after realizing he misunderstood.
• Shen privately finds Xiao’s faint blush amusing; Xiao notices his amusement and gives him a cold look, prompting Shen to redirect the conversation.

Significant themes

• Observation and deduction: Small details—the fabric, the house’s lock and entrance, and the carriage’s direction—help Shen build a lead.
• Compassion and trust: Shen comforts 011 and feeds the beggar, creating reassurance and cooperation.
• Hidden lives and deception: The apparently abandoned house and the wealth behind its supposedly poor owner suggest a concealed network connected to the missing girls.

Plot points and events

• Mo Yu returns with information about the house’s owner, and Xiao Jinyi sends him to find an injured, portly middle-aged man and his servant.
• Xiao Jinyi and Shen Shixu enter the supposedly abandoned residence by climbing over the wall. Inside, they find carefully maintained grounds, suggesting someone visits regularly.
• They search the rooms for a hidden passage. The rooms contain used cosmetics and furnishings suited to people’s private quarters, but no obvious entrance.
• While washing his hands by the pond, Shen Shixu notices that no birds appear to land or nest on the unusually clean rockery. He suspects it conceals something.
• Shen and Xiao find a concealed button in the rockery. Pressing it opens a passage, and they enter—only to be stunned by what they find at its end.

Character development and interactions

• Shen’s laughter and casual manner draw Xiao’s attention. Xiao admits he has few friends and sincerely asks Shen to be one; Shen accepts, and the two relax around each other.
• Xiao dislikes seeing Shen retreat into stiff formality and encourages him to speak naturally.
• Shen’s curiosity and powers of observation drive the discovery of the passage. Xiao trusts his insight and works alongside him.
• Their growing friendship is marked by mutual warmth, though Xiao briefly hides his pleasure when Shen becomes comfortable with him again.

Significant themes

• Friendship across status: Xiao’s wish to be treated as a friend challenges the rigid hierarchy between prince and subject.
• Observation and deduction: Small inconsistencies—the maintained garden, used cosmetics, and birdless rockery—reveal the residence’s secret.
• Appearances versus reality: The house looks abandoned from outside, yet its immaculate grounds and concealed passage suggest ongoing, hidden activity.

Plot points and events

• Xiao Jinyi and Shen Shixu reach a guarded entrance to a hidden Underground Palace. Xiao Jinyi decides to investigate, despite the danger and the risk of exposing a major threat to the imperial family.
• Shen insists on joining him, both because the case is his responsibility as Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and because he does not want to leave Xiao Jinyi to face danger alone.
• Xiao Jinyi silently incapacitates the guards with pebbles. Shen takes their swords and makes sure they stay unconscious, then follows Xiao Jinyi through the iron door.
• A strong scent of fashionable face powder leads them to a chamber Shen believes may be where Qiaoying was held. Xiao Jinyi goes in first and fights the men inside.
• They discover a group of captive girls, ranging from about seven to seventeen. Shen introduces himself and Xiao Jinyi and reassures them that they have come to rescue them. Mentioning Qiaoying helps the girls trust them; they rejoice that she escaped and found help.
• The rescuers realize the girls may be devastated to learn Qiaoying is gone, but prioritize securing the captives and dealing with their captors. Xiao Jinyi plans to have Mo Yu take the villains to the Court of Judicial Review’s prison; the girls’ temporary housing remains undecided.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Jinyi is decisive and protective, taking the lead in a dangerous investigation and shielding Shen as they enter the chamber. His concern about the hidden complex reflects the threat it poses to imperial security.
• Shen Shixu proves courageous and committed, insisting on sharing the risk. Though startled by the captives’ condition, he handles their fear with compassion and uses Qiaoying’s name to reassure them.
• The two men’s new friendship is strengthened by their teamwork: Shen supports Xiao Jinyi, while Xiao Jinyi protects him.
• The girls’ fear begins to give way to hope when they hear that Qiaoying escaped.

Significant themes

• Abuse of power and hidden danger: The secret complex in the capital represents a grave violation of imperial security and the law.
• Courage and duty: Shen and Xiao Jinyi risk themselves to investigate and rescue the captives.
• Compassion and hope: The girls’ relief at the possibility of rescue contrasts with the brutality they endured, while their faith in Qiaoying gives them renewed hope.

Plot points and events

• Shen Shixu proposes sending the rescued young women to Xiao Jinyi’s quiet country estate so they can recover.
• As they leave the underground palace, armed men attack. Xiao Jinyi holds off most of them while Shen protects the women, defeating two attackers with unexpectedly strong martial skill. Xiao then kills a man who threatens the women.
• The group reaches daylight. Xiao signals for Mo Yu and his men, ordering them to rescue any survivors, take the culprits to the Court of Judicial Review, and escort the young women to the estate.
• The captives confess quickly. Their statements reveal that the underground operation was connected to a powerful court figure—someone Xiao had suspected but did not expect.
• Xiao takes the evidence to Emperor Wu’an and offers to handle the arrest himself, since Shen is not in a position to confront the mastermind. The emperor, enraged, orders Xiao to arrest his cousin without leniency.
• Xiao also congratulates Shen on solving the case in one day and securing his appointment as Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Shixu proves himself capable in combat as well as in investigation. He remains focused on the case even after the fight, and says he will marry only for love rather than accept an arranged match.
• Xiao Jinyi admires Shen’s abilities and shows personal concern for his safety. His discomfort at the idea of Shen marrying another woman suggests romantic feelings; Shen’s answer visibly delights him.
• Mo Yu is exhausted by repeated errands but perks up when Xiao offers a day off and doubled pay.
• Emperor Wu’an reacts with fury when he learns the culprit is his cousin, acknowledging that past leniency only emboldened him. He entrusts Xiao with the arrest.

Significant themes

• Justice and abuse of power: The crime’s connection to a high-ranking figure tests whether status will shield the guilty.
• Compassion and recovery: The rescued women are given a safe, peaceful place to begin healing.
• Competence and recognition: Shen’s skill earns him both Xiao’s admiration and a major official promotion.
• Emerging romance: Xiao’s concern and jealousy, alongside Shen’s insistence on marrying for love, deepen the personal tension between them.

Key plot points and events

• Xiao Jinyi goes to Princess Kangning’s residence to arrest her son, Jiang Bin, after an investigation links him to a house in Qiuyuan Alley where young women were held captive and forced into prostitution.
• Jiang Bin admits owning the house, but says he bought it to keep a mistress, dismissed her a year ago, and has not returned since. He insists he had nothing to do with the crimes.
• Xiao Jinyi initially suspects Jiang Bin may have been framed and investigates everyone who knew about the house, including Jiang Bin’s friends and their associates. Finding no leads, he grows doubtful of Jiang Bin’s denial.
• Jiang Bin asks to confront the arrested men. At the prison, it becomes clear they do not recognize him: they say their employer merely claimed to be the Eldest Princess’s son, and they believed him because he appeared wealthy and important.
• Xiao Jinyi releases Jiang Bin, realizing that the evidence may have been planted to make him a scapegoat. The real culprit remains unidentified.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Jinyi is diligent but initially swayed by apparently strong evidence. His willingness to hear Jiang Bin out and arrange a confrontation prevents him from falsely convicting his cousin.
• Jiang Bin appears reckless and disreputable, but becomes frightened and earnest when accused. He cooperates with the investigation and stands firm in his innocence.
• Princess Kangning is affectionate toward Xiao Jinyi and protective of her son, though she accepts that the case must be investigated.
• Xiao Jinyi’s relationship with Jiang Bin shifts from suspicion to reluctant belief as the confrontation exposes the flaw in the case against him.

Significant themes

• Scapegoating and manipulated evidence: The apparent case against Jiang Bin may have been deliberately constructed to divert suspicion.
• Justice and careful investigation: Testimony and circumstantial evidence are not enough when the witnesses cannot identify the accused.
• Trust and reputation: Jiang Bin’s bad character makes him an easy target, while Xiao Jinyi must look beyond his assumptions to assess the truth.

Plot points and events

• Xiao Jinyi realizes Jiang Bin may have been framed and visits Shen Shixu for help.
• Shen identifies gaps in the case: the underground palace took time to build, the house’s ownership predates Jiang Bin, and a beggar linked it to Big Gold Tooth. He advises investigating Jiang Bin’s former lover, Big Gold Tooth, and the house’s earlier owner.
• Mo Yu and Bai He investigate overnight. They learn Jiang Bin’s lover was murdered, Big Gold Tooth bought the house with someone else’s money, and the person directing the purchases was Jiang Hu, a servant of Jiang Bin’s father, Jiang Xingbang.
• Shen suspects Jiang Xingbang financed the operation, since Jiang Hu could not have afforded it. Though publicly respected and seemingly devoted to his family, Jiang Xingbang has the means and connections.
• Xiao Jinyi and Shen travel in disguise to the estate where Jiang Xingbang is recuperating. They enter secretly and catch him there.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Jinyi moves from anger at being manipulated to a determined, methodical investigation. Though worried about what the truth could mean for Princess Kangning, he chooses to pursue it.
• Shen Shixu demonstrates his skill by spotting overlooked inconsistencies and directing the investigation toward Jiang Xingbang.
• Mo Yu and Bai He show their loyalty and competence, working through the night to follow Shen’s leads.
• Xiao and Shen’s working relationship is marked by trust: Xiao seeks Shen’s judgment, while Shen offers clear guidance.

Significant themes

• Appearances versus reality: Jiang Xingbang’s public reputation as a gentle, devoted husband contrasts with the possibility that he is behind the crimes.
• Justice and impartiality: Xiao refuses to let personal concern for Princess Kangning obstruct the search for the truth.
• Careful reasoning: Timelines, ownership records, and financial means expose weaknesses in the original theory that Jiang Bin was guilty.

Key plot points

• Jiang Xingbang and his steward, Jiang Hu, plan to make Jiang Bin take the blame for Jiang Xingbang’s crimes. They expect Princess Kangning and Jiang Xingbang to plead for mercy and save the young master.
• Xiao Jinyi and Shen Shixu overhear the plan. Xiao arrests Jiang Xingbang, while Shen stops Jiang Hu from escaping.
• At morning court, Shen presents a memorial accusing Jiang Xingbang of running an underground operation that imprisoned and exploited women, causing deaths and lasting harm. He also reports Jiang Xingbang’s attempt to frame Jiang Bin.
• Emperor Wu’an sentences Jiang Xingbang to execution after autumn. Princess Kangning and Jiang Bin are stunned.
• When the court wonders why Jiang Xingbang would frame his only son, the mysterious voice 011 reveals that Jiang Xingbang had long been unfaithful and secretly had another son and daughter. He had even brought his mistress and those children before Princess Kangning.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Shixu moves from investigator to public accuser, preparing a formal memorial and presenting the case in court. He and Xiao Jinyi work closely together, coordinating the arrest and prosecution.
• Xiao Jinyi uses his authority and formidable reputation to arrest Jiang Xingbang without resistance.
• Jiang Xingbang is exposed not only as a perpetrator of grave crimes but as a calculating man willing to frame his own son. His reason for doing so remains unclear.
• Jiang Hu helps Jiang Xingbang construct the cover-up but is caught when he tries to flee.
• Princess Kangning learns of Jiang Xingbang’s crimes and then, through 011’s revelation, faces the shocking truth of his long-standing betrayal.
• Jiang Bin is first horrified by the accusation against his father and then left confused by the revelation about Jiang Xingbang’s other children.

Significant themes

• Justice versus influence: Jiang Xingbang expects rank and family appeals to shield him, but the investigation brings his crimes before the emperor.
• Betrayal within family: His attempt to sacrifice Jiang Bin—and his hidden second family—undermines his image as a devoted father and husband.
• Abuse and exploitation: The testimony centers on the lasting physical and psychological harm inflicted on the imprisoned women.
• Truth made public: Private schemes and concealed wrongdoing are exposed in the formal setting of morning court.

Plot points and events

• Shen Shixu’s thoughts reveal that Jiang Xingbang had passed off his mistress as a widowed cousin six years earlier, persuading Princess Kangning to house and financially support her and her two children.
• Princess Kangning and Jiang Bin realize Jiang Xingbang had deceived them for years. His betrayal also explains why he tried to make Jiang Bin take the blame: he expected the princess to keep supporting his other family after his death.
• Overwhelmed, Princess Kangning leaves court with Jiang Bin to confront Jiang Xingbang in prison. Emperor Wu’an permits the visit.
• Jiang Xingbang assumes the princess has come to rescue him. Instead, she slaps him and accuses him of exploiting her trust. He claims the woman drugged him and insists the princess is the only one he loves.
• Jiang Bin rejects his father’s excuses and kicks him in the crotch, permanently crippling him. Princess Kangning declares that Jiang Xingbang will be executed after autumn and vows that he—and his mistress’s family—will not be treated kindly.

Character developments

• Princess Kangning moves from shock and grief to anger and resolve. She recognizes how her love and trust were manipulated and refuses to help Jiang Xingbang.
• Jiang Bin sheds some of his former childishness. His father’s betrayal destroys his admiration for him, and he openly condemns and punishes him.
• Jiang Xingbang is exposed as calculating and self-serving. Even in prison, he tries to manipulate Princess Kangning with excuses and declarations of love.
• Shen Shixu helps expose Jiang Xingbang’s scheme through his deductions, which Princess Kangning hears.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and misplaced trust: Jiang Xingbang exploits his wife’s devotion to conceal and support his second family.
• Family and fractured loyalty: The revelation forces Jiang Bin to reconsider his father and the family life he believed was real.
• Consequences and justice: Jiang Xingbang’s deception brings both personal retaliation and the prospect of execution.
• Appearance versus reality: His public image as a devoted husband and father hid a selfish private life.

Character interactions

• Shen Shixu’s observations give Princess Kangning and Jiang Bin a fuller understanding of Jiang Xingbang’s motives.
• Princess Kangning and Jiang Bin support each other as they confront the betrayal; she comforts him after he denounces his father.
• Jiang Xingbang attempts to regain Princess Kangning’s sympathy, but she rejects his excuses and stands with her son.

Key plot points

• Princess Kangning leaves Jiang Xingbang in prison. Though she detests his betrayal, the years they shared leave her devastated. Jiang Bin comforts her and resolves to take responsibility for their future.
• Shen Shixu’s successful investigation earns him recognition at court. Officials admire his ability, while also remaining wary of the system that could expose their secrets. Emperor Wu’an is especially pleased with his new investigator.
• With Jiang Xingbang removed as Minister of Personnel, Emperor Wu’an appoints Zheng Yusheng. Zheng accepts after a private appeal from the emperor—and is newly interested in court because he hopes to hear more from Shen Shixu.
• Xiao Jinyi invites Shen Shixu to celebrate the case’s resolution. Shen agrees, but learns that his beloved elder brother, Shen Zexi, has arrived in the capital to visit him. He decides to bring Xiao Jinyi home first so he can see his brother without canceling their plans.

Character developments and interactions

• Princess Kangning and Jiang Bin: Kangning’s grief reveals her lingering attachment despite Jiang Xingbang’s deceit. Jiang Bin sets aside his own troubles to comfort her and begins thinking seriously about supporting them both.
• Shen Shixu: His work establishes him as a capable official, and he remains diligent, studying old case files after the investigation. His excitement at hearing of Shen Zexi’s arrival shows how deeply he values family.
• Shen Zexi: Though absent from the scene, his devotion is clear: he traveled to the capital out of concern for his younger brother, even after being persuaded not to abandon an important business deal.
• Xiao Jinyi and Shen Shixu: Xiao invites Shen to celebrate and accommodates his work schedule. Shen’s choice to bring Xiao home suggests their friendship is becoming more personal and integrated into his family life.
• Zheng Yusheng: A talented but easygoing scholar, he takes on a demanding post out of loyalty to the emperor and curiosity about Shen Shixu.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and enduring attachment: Kangning cannot simply erase her feelings for the husband who deceived her.
• Maturity and responsibility: Jiang Bin begins moving beyond idleness, while Shen Shixu demonstrates discipline and professional promise.
• Loyalty and family care: Shen Zexi’s journey and Jiang Bin’s comfort of his mother highlight the importance of familial devotion.
• Justice and political ambition: Shen Shixu’s success strengthens his standing, while Jiang Xingbang’s downfall sparks competition over the vacant office.

Key plot points and events

• Shen Zexi eagerly waits outside his home to welcome Shen Shixu, boasting to the neighbors about his younger brother’s success as Top Scholar and newly appointed Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.
• Shen Shixu arrives with Xiao Jinyi and introduces him as Prince Jing. Shen Zexi is startled and unsure whether he must kneel, but Xiao Jinyi insists he is visiting as Shixu’s friend. Reassured by his brother, Shen Zexi relaxes.
• Shixu and Xiao Jinyi leave to have lunch at the Heavenly Fragrance House. They discover they share similar tastes, especially a dislike of sour food and a preference for spicy dishes.
• Xiao Jinyi becomes unsettled by how much he cares about Shixu. While lost in thought, he takes Shixu’s hand and holds it for the journey. Their intense eye contact leaves Shixu flustered. Xiao Jinyi apologizes when they arrive, and Shixu brushes off the incident so they can eat.

Character developments

• Shen Zexi is openly proud and affectionate toward Shixu, though his awe of Xiao Jinyi’s royal status makes him cautious.
• Shen Shixu is considerate of his brother’s discomfort and attentive to Xiao Jinyi’s sudden change in mood. He is also visibly unsettled by Xiao Jinyi’s gaze and hand-holding.
• Xiao Jinyi begins recognizing an unfamiliar emotional attachment to Shixu. His nervousness, delight at their shared preferences, and possessive, “wolfish” look suggest feelings he has not yet acknowledged.

Significant themes

• Family pride and affection: Zexi’s public celebration of Shixu’s accomplishments emphasizes their close bond.
• Status versus friendship: Xiao Jinyi tries to set aside his royal rank so Zexi can treat him naturally.
• Emerging romantic tension: Small moments of shared taste, physical contact, and unspoken attraction reveal a growing intimacy.
• Fear of unfamiliar feelings: Xiao Jinyi is confused that emotional vulnerability unsettles him more than danger on the battlefield.

Character interactions

• Zexi proudly presents Shixu’s achievements to the neighbors, then warmly welcomes him home.
• Xiao Jinyi respectfully greets Zexi and reassures him that no formal deference is needed.
• During the carriage ride, Shixu and Xiao Jinyi find common ground in food preferences. Xiao Jinyi’s prolonged hand-holding and intense gaze create an awkward, charged silence that Shixu breaks only when they arrive.

Key plot points and events

• Shen Shixu and Xiao Jinyi share lunch at the Heavenly Fragrance House. Their conversation is relaxed, though Xiao Jinyi is unusually affected when Shen calls him by name. Shen also reminds him that officials are forbidden to drink while on duty.
• Duke An arrives, excitedly thanks Shen for saving his young grandson during Shen’s recent horseback procession, and says he has sent gifts to Shen’s home.
• Worried his brother will mistake the gifts for a bribe and cause trouble, Shen rushes home with Xiao Jinyi and Duke An.
• They find Shen Zexi, Xiaoshi, and Jin Bao barring the Duke’s servants from entering, armed and convinced the gifts are a corrupt inducement. Once Shen explains, the misunderstanding is resolved.
• Duke An thanks Shen publicly and reveals his other purpose: he hopes Shen will become his grandson’s teacher.

Character developments

• Shen Shixu remains modest and conscientious, choosing dishes to his taste and refusing wine because he is on duty. He is also anxious to prevent conflict at home.
• Xiao Jinyi shows growing, possibly romantic, affection for Shen: he is unsettled by Shen using his name and is protective when Duke An grabs Shen’s hand.
• Shen Zexi is fiercely protective of his younger brother and deeply suspicious of official corruption, though he apologizes once he learns the truth.
• Duke An is eager and sincere in his gratitude, but his excitement makes him act impulsively.

Significant themes

• Integrity and suspicion of corruption: Shen’s family fears that generous gifts might be bribes, reflecting the dangers of public office and the importance of trust.
• Gratitude and obligation: Duke An’s gifts are meant as thanks, while his request for a teacher begins a new potential relationship.
• Unspoken affection: Xiao Jinyi’s reaction to Shen’s familiar address hints at feelings he has not fully acknowledged.

Character interactions

• Shen and Xiao Jinyi share an increasingly comfortable meal, with Xiao Jinyi quietly attentive to Shen.
• Duke An’s overly enthusiastic greeting startles Shen, prompting Xiao Jinyi to intervene.
• Shen reassures Shen Zexi and the household that the Duke’s party is legitimate, easing tensions with the steward.
• Duke An’s thanks turns into a request that Shen teach his grandson.

Key plot points and events

• Duke An asks Shen Shixu to become his young grandson An Chengyu’s teacher. Though Shen is modest and unsure of his ability, the duke explains that he wants the boy to be happy and safe, and that Chengyu admires Shen.
• System 011 reveals that Chengyu’s abduction was deliberate: Duke An’s nephew, Luo Kun, arranged for traffickers to sell the child so he could improve his own chances of inheriting the ducal title. A mix-up meant Shen rescued Chengyu; in the boy’s original fate, he would have been drowned.
• Duke An conceals his fury but resolves to deal with Luo Kun. Shen, moved by the revelation and the child’s plight, agrees to teach Chengyu.
• Duke An plans to bring the boy for a formal apprenticeship ceremony in two days. Xiao Jinyi then leaves for the palace to meet his brother, Xiao Yuanqi, and have an imperial physician check his pulse.

Character developments

• Shen Shixu moves from self-doubt to accepting the teaching role, increasingly determined to protect and guide Chengyu.
• Duke An reveals deep affection for his grandson and, after learning of Luo Kun’s betrayal, shifts from trusting family elder to a quietly vengeful protector.
• Xiao Jinyi remains attentive to the situation, discreetly helping Duke An suppress his imposing anger before Shen notices.
• Shen Zexi hears 011’s voice for the first time and is left shocked and unable to speak.

Character interactions

• Duke An earnestly persuades Shen to teach Chengyu, praising his scholarship, judgment, and character.
• Xiao Jinyi subtly signals Duke An to control his murderous aura.
• Shen and Xiao part amicably, with Shen suggesting they meet again for a drink.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty and betrayal: Luo Kun exploits Duke An’s trust and grief for personal ambition.
• Protection and responsibility: Shen accepts a role in Chengyu’s future, while Duke An is determined to safeguard the last child of his family.
• Fate and chance: A mistaken identity during the trafficking scheme leads Shen to rescue Chengyu, making their meeting seem destined.

Plot and key events

• Duke An tells his grandson, An Chengyu, that Shen Shixu has agreed to take him as a disciple. Chengyu is overjoyed and prepares to tell his mother and aunt and arrange a formal gift.
• Once Chengyu leaves, Duke An summons his nephew, Luo Kun. Having learned from Shen Shixu that Luo arranged Chengyu’s abduction and attempted sale to traffickers, he confronts him.
• Luo initially denies responsibility, but breaks down and confesses, pleading that his wife and son be spared. Duke An agrees to protect them from hardship, though they will lose their former wealth and status.
• Luo returns home, explains what will happen to his family, and turns himself in. He is sentenced to beheading in half a month for the abduction and other killings.
• In a separate scene, Xiao Jinyi visits the Eastern Palace and asks for an imperial physician. He tells Xiao Yuanqi that he is not physically injured but fears something is wrong with him because he has developed unusually strong feelings for someone.

Character developments and interactions

• An Chengyu responds to the news of Shen’s agreement with eager excitement, showing his enthusiasm for a fresh start in study.
• Duke An shifts from tender affection for his grandson to anger and grief when confronting Luo. Despite his betrayal, he refuses to punish Luo’s innocent wife and son.
• Luo Kun confesses and accepts responsibility, though his pleas also show concern for his family’s future.
• Xiao Jinyi reveals vulnerability and confusion about his attachment to someone—apparently Shen Shixu—and seeks medical help. Xiao Yuanqi responds with immediate concern, assuming he may have been injured.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and responsibility: Luo’s greed destroys the trust Duke An placed in him, and he must face the consequences of his actions.
• Family, loyalty, and mercy: Duke An’s love for his family contrasts with Luo’s betrayal, while his restraint toward innocent relatives shows compassion.
• New beginnings and affection: Chengyu’s discipleship offers hope for his future, while Jinyi’s unfamiliar feelings suggest an emerging romantic attachment.

Key plot points and events

• Xiao Jinyi tells his older brother, Xiao Yuanqi, that he has developed feelings for someone and worries that it is wrong.
• Xiao Yuanqi initially assumes the person is a woman, then is stunned when Xiao Jinyi names Shen Shixu.
• After recovering from the shock, Yuanqi accepts the confession and reasons that Shen is capable and sensible, not someone who would recklessly pursue a prince.
• Yuanqi warns that their relationship could be dangerous: their parents would prioritize Jinyi, and Shen could face serious consequences if their feelings became known.
• Though Jinyi recognizes the risks, he says he does not want to give up. Yuanqi agrees to keep the secret and help him. He plans to improve Shen’s standing with their parents by inviting him to advise the Empress on candidates for Yuanqi’s crown princess.

Character developments

• Xiao Jinyi realizes that his unusual preoccupation with Shen is love. Though usually guarded and formidable, he is flustered and vulnerable, and openly asks his brother for help.
• Xiao Yuanqi moves from startled amusement to thoughtful support. His protectiveness of Jinyi remains strong, even as he jokes about being displaced by Shen.

Significant themes

• Love and self-discovery: Jinyi learns to name feelings he had mistaken for an illness.
• Risk and sacrifice: Their unequal status makes a relationship potentially life-threatening for Shen.
• Family loyalty: Yuanqi chooses to protect his brother and help despite the danger.
• Affectionate humor: Teasing and banter soften the serious stakes.

Character interactions

• Yuanqi excitedly questions Jinyi about his love interest, then is shocked by the revelation that it is Shen.
• Jinyi reacts defensively when Yuanqi mentions the possibility of harming Shen, revealing how deeply he already cares.
• Yuanqi cautions Jinyi about the consequences but ultimately promises secrecy and practical support.
• Jinyi thanks Yuanqi and vows to return the favor, reinforcing their close, dependable bond.