Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Prince Kang realizes he was deceived by an old friend and is deeply hurt. Princess Consort Kang is furious, especially because he gave the man household money without consulting her.
• When they reach Prince Kang’s residence, the couple are still arguing. Their guests are welcomed to a lavish meal after days of eating little on the road.
• Seeing Shen Shixu and the others ravenous, Princess Consort Kang feeds them and reprimands Xiao Lie for not looking after the younger travelers. Bai Lixi silently warns Xiao Lie not to explain, so he accepts the blame.
• Xiao Lie asks about the couple’s quarrel. Princess Consort Kang recounts how Prince Kang’s old friend used a scheme involving his own wife’s chastity to make Prince Kang believe he had assaulted her while drunk.
• Xiao Lie criticizes Prince Kang for trusting someone who suddenly returned after years away and for meeting him alone. Prince Kang defends himself, saying they had once been close.
• Prince Kang claims he could naturally have lost control while drunk. Shen Shixu bluntly argues that, given Prince Kang’s age and out-of-shape body, he would not have been physically capable of such an “indiscretion.”

Character developments and interactions

• Prince Kang is ashamed and remorseful but still tries to justify why he believed his old friend. His wife’s anger leaves him subdued.
• Princess Consort Kang shifts from rage to warmth when she sees the hungry guests, particularly the bashful Shen Shixu. She is caring toward the younger men but openly scolds and mocks her husband.
• Xiao Lie takes responsibility for the group’s hunger at Bai Lixi’s prompting, then joins Princess Consort Kang in criticizing Prince Kang.
• Bai Lixi quietly influences Xiao Lie’s response, showing her willingness to protect the group’s cover story.
• Shen Shixu remains polite and embarrassed during the meal, then punctures Prince Kang’s excuse with a tactless but comic observation.

Significant themes

• Trust and deception: Prince Kang’s old friendship makes him vulnerable to manipulation.
• Marriage and accountability: Princess Consort Kang’s anger reflects the consequences of Prince Kang’s secretive decisions and his failure to consult her.
• Care and hospitality: The generous meal contrasts with the travelers’ hardship and softens the tension at the table.
• Comedy through bluntness: Family scolding and Shen Shixu’s pointed remark turn a painful scandal into a humorous exchange.

Key plot points and events

• The group discusses whether alcohol can prevent a man from performing sexually. Shen Shixu explains that the effect varies with a man’s health and how much he has drunk, blushing deeply as he speaks.
• Shen’s account supports Prince Kang’s claim that he could not have slept with Yang Sun’s wife while drunk. However, Princess Kang points out that their testimony alone may not persuade outsiders.
• Xiao Lie proposes a scheme: Princess Kang should confront Yang Sun and demand that his wife be sent to Prince Kang’s household as a concubine. If Yang Sun refuses, his reaction may expose that he knows the alleged affair never happened.
• Princess Kang eagerly goes to confront Yang Sun, bringing Prince Kang and the others along. The group follows, with some carrying food to watch the confrontation.
• At Yang Sun’s home, Princess Kang makes the demand. Yang Sun refuses, claiming devotion to his wife and warning that the prince and princess cannot force a respectable woman into concubinage. Princess Kang counters that the public already believes the wife has slept with Prince Kang, leaving her supposedly dishonored—and threatens that the household could punish her severely.

Character developments

• Shen Shixu offers useful, book-based evidence despite his embarrassment, showing both knowledge and a willingness to help.
• Prince Kang shifts from optimistic confidence to distress when he learns that proving his innocence will be difficult. His sheltered, fortunate life has left him inexperienced in handling public scandal.
• Princess Kang takes charge as soon as Xiao Lie’s plan is explained, demonstrating her decisiveness and fierce loyalty to her husband.
• Xiao Lie proves resourceful, devising a practical way to test Yang Sun’s motives.
• Yang Sun appears self-serving and deceitful; his refusal suggests he fears losing both his wife and the advantages he hoped to gain from the false scandal.
• Xiao Jinyi quietly comforts Shen Shixu and brings him along when he wants to see the confrontation.

Significant themes

• Reputation versus truth: Even plausible evidence may not clear someone’s name once a scandal becomes public.
• Power and social status: The plan relies on the authority of the prince and princess—and on society’s harsh judgment of women’s sexual reputations.
• Loyalty and partnership: Princess Kang actively defends Prince Kang, while the others support the couple.
• Manipulation and self-interest: Yang Sun’s conduct suggests he has used the rumor for personal advantage.

Character interactions

• Xiao Jinyi comforts the mortified Shen Shixu, while Shen’s explanation earns the group’s attention.
• Princess Kang challenges Prince Kang’s naive expectation that a simple explanation will settle the matter.
• Xiao Lie recruits Princess Kang into his plan and reassures her that the confrontation is not dangerous.
• The group accompanies the Kangs to Yang Sun’s residence, where Princess Kang pressures Yang Sun and he angrily resists.

Key plot points and events

• Princess Kang warns Yang Sun that his scheme to use his wife to trap Prince Kang could bring severe punishment.
• Yang Sun’s wife, Li Yanhong, rushes out and confesses that the supposed affair was staged: Prince Kang was unconscious, and she only pretended to lie naked beside him so the couple could blackmail him.
• Princess Kang explains that although the pair did not commit seduction, they are guilty of deceiving a member of the imperial family. Officers from the Capital Prefecture, summoned in advance, arrest Yang Sun and Li Yanhong. They expect to be sent to the Borderlands for hard labor.
• With the scheme resolved, Princess Kang thanks Shen Shixu and the others for helping expose it. She invites them to dinner at the Prince’s residence, where they accept an offer of Whole Roast Lamb.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Yanhong reveals the truth out of fear of being sold or exiled, then realizes her confession has only confirmed her guilt. She regrets letting jealousy and resentment drive her into the plot.
• Yang Sun tries to silence his wife, but once they are exposed, he gives up hope and recognizes how foolish it was to scheme against a prince.
• Prince Kang is relieved and chastened by the experience; he promises Princess Kang he will not repeat his reckless behavior.
• Princess Kang remains firm in pursuing justice, then turns warm and gracious toward the group who helped her.
• Shen Shixu, Xiao Jinyi, Xiao Lie, and the others witness the confession and accept the dinner invitation; Shen Shixu is especially tempted by the roast lamb.

Significant themes

• Consequences of deception: A scheme intended to extract money from Prince Kang instead brings arrest and likely exile.
• Recklessness and manipulation: Prince Kang’s careless trust and Yang Sun’s opportunism both contribute to the crisis.
• Justice and loyalty: Princess Kang ensures the deception is exposed, while the group’s help protects Prince Kang from further exploitation.
• Family and fellowship: The danger ends with gratitude, reconciliation, and plans to reunite the Prince Kang household for dinner.

Plot points and events

• Prince Kang’s residence invites Princess Mingzhu and her son, Yan’er, back for dinner. The invitation also brings together several relatives and Shen Shixu, whose presence makes Mingzhu suspect there may be more to the gathering.
• The steward notices Mingzhu looks distressed and reports her condition to Prince Kang and Princess Kang.
• Prince Kang wants to confront the Zheng family immediately, but Princess Kang urges him to wait until Mingzhu can explain what happened.
• Their sons, Xiao Yuxing and Xiao Cheng, arrive and are furious to learn their sister has been wronged. Yuxing restrains his more impulsive younger brother, though both he and their father pace anxiously while they wait.
• Shen Shixu and his party arrive. Through 011’s gossip, the family learns the source of Mingzhu’s distress: her husband, the heir of the Pinecrane Earl’s Residence, wants to take a favored woman as an Equal Wife.
• The family recognizes this as a profound insult. In their society, an Equal Wife is usually appointed when the principal wife cannot manage the household or has committed a serious offense; Mingzhu is healthy and has done neither.

Character developments and interactions

• Mingzhu hides her distress as best she can, agrees to return home, and suspects the invitation has an ulterior purpose.
• Prince Kang is protective and quick to anger, while Princess Kang shows more restraint, insisting they learn the facts before acting.
• Xiao Cheng reacts impulsively and wants to attack the Zheng family; Xiao Yuxing, Mingzhu’s twin, is equally angry but manages to keep his brother in check.
• Shen Shixu’s thoughts, together with 011’s blunt commentary, reveal what happened. Prince Kang and the others listen intently, hoping to learn the truth.
• The family’s concern quickly turns into outrage as they grasp that the proposed marriage is not merely a domestic matter but an affront to Mingzhu and her birth family.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty and protection: Mingzhu’s parents and brothers unite in concern, though they differ in how they express it.
• Honor and social status: Taking an Equal Wife while the principal wife is healthy is treated as a public humiliation of both wife and her family.
• Restraint versus impulsiveness: Princess Kang and Yuxing advocate waiting for facts, while Prince Kang and Cheng are ready to act.
• Gender and marital power: The chapter highlights how a husband’s actions can undermine a wife’s standing and expose the unequal rules governing marriage.

Plot points and events

• Heir Zheng’s mother strongly opposes his plan to take an Equal Wife, but he refuses to listen and angers her until she faints.
• The Earl of Pinecrane, Zheng’s father, is revealed to have encouraged the affair and helped conceal it. The proposed Equal Wife is the daughter of the Earl’s former sweetheart.
• 011 recounts the Earl’s history: he gave up his beloved to marry Qiu Yuhe for her family’s wealth, yet privately looked down on his wife. He later arranged for his son to meet his former sweetheart and planned for the son to marry her daughter.
• When Commandery Princess Mingzhu’s marriage was arranged with the Zheng household, the Earl’s old plan was disrupted. After his former sweetheart died, Heir Zheng made her daughter his mistress, with the Earl’s assistance.
• Mingzhu returns to her family with her son, Zheng Yan. Her parents already know she cried at the Zheng residence and ask whether she was mistreated. Yan immediately complains that his father has wronged both his mother and grandmother.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Shixu and his family are disgusted by the Earl’s selfishness and complicity.
• Princess Kang comforts Mingzhu and is ready to defend her. She is pleased that Yan stands up for his mother and grandmother.
• Zheng Yan shows loyalty to Mingzhu and his grandmother, and open contempt for his father. He asks his uncles to beat his father so he will stop hurting them.
• Mingzhu tries to conceal how upset she is, but her mother’s concern brings her close to tears.

Significant themes

• The chapter condemns patriarchal selfishness and the way men’s ambitions and romantic obsessions harm wives and children.
• Wealth and status shape marriage arrangements, but material comfort cannot make up for contempt or betrayal.
• Family loyalty is contrasted with the Earl and Heir Zheng’s self-interest: Yan’s respect for women stands out against their behavior.

Key plot points and events

• Shen Shixu praises Zheng Yan for defending his mother. He and Xiao Jinyi discuss children, agreeing they are happy without adopting one; Shen reassures Xiao Jinyi that he is never lonely with him.
• Xiao Mingzhu tells Prince Kang and Princess Kang that Heir Zheng wants to make his longtime mistress an Equal Wife. The mistress already has a daughter by him and is pregnant again, suggesting the affair began while Mingzhu was carrying Zheng Yan.
• Princess Kang reveals that Heir Zheng’s mother may also have been deceived and mistreated. Mingzhu asks her mother to investigate and gather evidence. Mingzhu is prepared to divorce Heir Zheng.
• Heir Zheng arrives at the Prince’s Mansion with Lin Fangfei, insisting she be treated as family. Xiao Cheng nearly attacks him, but Xiao Lie persuades him to wait until they are inside.
• Lin Fangfei calls Mingzhu her “elder sister.” Mingzhu rejects the claim and orders her slapped. When Heir Zheng tries to protect her, a maid easily pushes him aside and another beats Lin Fangfei. Xiao Cheng rewards the maids and assigns them to guard Mingzhu.

Character developments

• Xiao Mingzhu moves from hurt and disbelief toward decisive action, recognizing divorce as a viable choice.
• Zheng Yan is shown as loyal to his mother, contrasting sharply with his father.
• Heir Zheng displays entitlement and disregard for Mingzhu by bringing his mistress to her family’s home.
• Xiao Cheng is protective and quick-tempered, but accepts Xiao Lie’s advice to avoid a public scandal.
• Shen Shixu and Xiao Jinyi reaffirm their affection and shared preference for a life together without children.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and family protection: Zheng Yan and Mingzhu’s relatives stand by those harmed by Heir Zheng.
• Betrayal and unequal marriage: Heir Zheng’s long affair exposes the deception and vulnerability faced by both Mingzhu and his mother.
• Agency and justice: Mingzhu seeks evidence and considers divorce rather than accepting an imposed arrangement.
• Status and boundaries: Mingzhu rejects Lin Fangfei’s attempt to claim familial standing, while the household staff make clear whose authority they serve.

Character interactions

• Shen Shixu’s affectionate teasing and kiss reassure Xiao Jinyi.
• Princess Kang supports Mingzhu and promises to investigate Heir Zheng’s family history.
• Xiao Lie restrains Xiao Cheng from attacking Heir Zheng in public.
• The household maids obey Mingzhu, not Heir Zheng, and physically enforce her order against Lin Fangfei.

Key plot points and events

• Xiao Mingzhu has Lin Fangfei slapped for insulting the imperial family. Heir Zheng tries unsuccessfully to stop the maids, but Xiao Yuxing warns him that Lin’s remarks could have earned her a much harsher punishment.
• Zheng Yan returns with milk tea for the family, unintentionally interrupting the confrontation. Shen Shixu recognizes the drink and asks where it came from.
• Heir Zheng asks his son to plead for Lin Fangfei. Zheng Yan avoids the request, and Xiao Mingzhu rebukes Heir Zheng for prioritizing his mistress and unborn child over his son.
• Xiao Mingzhu sends Heir Zheng and Lin Fangfei away. She plans to gather evidence, tell Qiu Yuhe what happened, divorce Heir Zheng, and have her brothers confront the Pinecrane Earl’s Residence.
• Heir Zheng takes Lin to a clinic, then secretly brings her back to his household. Qiu Yuhe learns of the incident the next day and realizes the family may face serious consequences.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Mingzhu remains firm and protective of Zheng Yan, while preparing to end her marriage and pursue consequences for Heir Zheng.
• Heir Zheng proves unable to defend Lin and further damages his relationship with Zheng Yan by asking the boy to protect his mistress.
• Zheng Yan shows thoughtfulness by bringing drinks for the family, but his father’s scolding brings him to tears when Xiao Mingzhu defends him.
• Lin Fangfei loses faith in Heir Zheng, seeing him as weak and regretting her attachment to him.
• Xiao Yuxing coolly explains the legal and social gravity of Lin’s insult, stopping Heir Zheng from arguing further.
• Princess Kang comforts Zheng Yan, while Shen Shixu’s curiosity about the milk tea offers a brief, lighter moment amid the conflict.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty and neglect: Heir Zheng’s favoritism toward Lin and her unborn child contrasts with Xiao Mingzhu’s care for Zheng Yan.
• Status and accountability: Insulting the imperial family carries severe consequences, regardless of personal grievances.
• Consequences of betrayal: Heir Zheng’s actions threaten not only his marriage but the standing of his entire household.
• Protection and solidarity: Xiao Mingzhu, her family, and Princess Kang support Zheng Yan when his father fails him.

Key plot points

• Qiu Yuhe asks her son, Heir Zheng, to go with her to Prince Kang’s Residence and apologize, but he refuses, convinced she is forcing him into a marriage he does not want.
• Frustrated with her son, Qiu Yuhe considers replacing him as heir with her well-raised grandson, Yan’er.
• At Prince Kang’s Residence, Qiu Yuhe apologizes for her son’s behavior. Princess Kang presents evidence revealing that Count Songhe married Qiu Yuhe for her family’s wealth, remained devoted to his former love, secretly involved their son with that woman, and helped arrange Heir Zheng’s marriage to the former love’s daughter. He also knew about Heir Zheng’s mistress and supported his plan to take a co-wife.
• The revelations overwhelm Qiu Yuhe. Princess Kang announces that her daughter and Yan’er will leave the Count’s household, and that she will pursue a divorce.
• Rather than retaliate against her husband and son, Qiu Yuhe decides to divorce Count Songhe too. She agrees that Yan’er should leave, asks for his surname to be changed if possible, and plans to leave him her wealth.

Character developments and interactions

• Qiu Yuhe moves from trying to manage and protect her son to recognizing how thoroughly her husband has deceived her. She chooses independence over revenge and prioritizes her grandson’s security.
• Princess Kang is sympathetic to Qiu Yuhe’s deception but remains firm in defending her daughter and grandson. She offers support and acts as a witness to Qiu Yuhe’s proposed divorce.
• Heir Zheng remains self-centered and dismissive of his mother’s concerns, while the evidence suggests he has benefited from his father’s plotting.
• Count Songhe, though absent, is exposed as manipulative and disloyal, having used Qiu Yuhe’s money and misled both her and their son.
• Qiu Yuhe and Princess Kang form a practical alliance: both intend to free their families from the Count household and protect Yan’er.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and the painful discovery of long-hidden deception.
• The cost of women’s unpaid devotion to ungrateful families—and the possibility of reclaiming independence.
• Family loyalty as a choice: Qiu Yuhe ultimately places Yan’er’s welfare above preserving her marriage or punishing her son.

Plot points

• Qiu Yuhe decides to divorce Count Songhe after learning that her son, Heir Zheng, knew about his father’s betrayal and helped conceal it. She no longer considers Zheng Yan her son and intends to let him stay with his father.
• Princess Kang supports Qiu Yuhe, and Xiao Mingzhu also backs her. They agree that Qiu Yuhe’s grandson will take the surname Qiu; Princess Kang’s suggestion that he take Xiao is declined.
• The women publicize their plans and travel to Count Songhe’s residence with Prince Kang’s household servants carrying clubs, drawing a crowd and making the dispute known throughout the capital.
• Heir Zheng panics when he learns his parents may divorce. He fears losing both his mother’s financial support and the social standing he gains from being married to Xiao Mingzhu.
• At the residence, Xiao Mingzhu presents Heir Zheng with a divorce agreement. He tries to dissuade her by promising not to take Lin Fangfei as a co-wife and urging her to consider their child, but the women remain resolved.

Character developments and interactions

• Qiu Yuhe moves from hurt to firm rejection of her husband and son, deciding to end the marriage and sever her maternal ties to Zheng Yan.
• Xiao Mingzhu shows solidarity with Qiu Yuhe and takes the initiative by presenting the divorce agreement. She rejects the idea that a child’s surname determines her bond with him.
• Princess Kang acts as Qiu Yuhe’s ally and helps turn the divorces into a public show of support.
• Heir Zheng is revealed as self-interested: he concealed his father’s conduct because he benefited from it, and now worries more about money and status than reconciliation.
• Shen Shixu and Jiang Bin watch the events via livestream. Shen condemns Zheng’s shameless appeal, while Jiang Bin considers arranging a beating with friends.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and broken family bonds: Qiu Yuhe’s discovery that her son sided with his father destroys her affection for him.
• Women’s agency and solidarity: Qiu Yuhe and Xiao Mingzhu openly pursue divorce, with Princess Kang supporting them.
• Status and self-interest: Heir Zheng’s fear of losing Xiao Mingzhu exposes how much he values the rank and security her marriage provides.
• Public reputation and spectacle: The women deliberately spread the news, turning private marital conflicts into a widely watched challenge to convention.

Plot points and events

• Qiu Yuhe confronts Count Songhe and declares she is divorcing him, accusing him of marrying her for her family’s wealth while remaining devoted to another woman.
• She also condemns him for secretly arranging their son Heir Zheng’s engagement to that woman’s daughter, and for concealing Heir Zheng’s affair.
• Count Songhe tears up the divorce papers, but Qiu Yuhe has brought multiple copies. Princess Kang pressures both men into signing the divorce agreements by threatening to have her followers destroy the residence.
• Qiu Yuhe and Xiao Mingzhu reclaim their dowries. The servants strip the residence of its furnishings, pillars, and roof tiles, then leave to seek work with the two women.
• Count Songhe’s attempt to complain is pre-empted by Xiao Yuxing, and the emperor reprimands him. Heir Zheng is beaten and suffers a broken leg while looking for a home.
• Count Songhe spends his remaining money on treatment, then turns to Zheng Yan for support. They discover Zheng Yan has changed his surname, and the two men later wake up in a filthy ditch.

Character developments and interactions

• Qiu Yuhe, once restrained by marriage and motherhood, regains her former fierceness. She takes control of the separation rather than asking permission.
• Count Songhe’s respectable appearance contrasts with his selfishness and refusal to accept responsibility.
• Princess Kang acts decisively on behalf of her daughter and Qiu Yuhe, using her authority to secure the divorce.
• Xiao Mingzhu and Princess Kang are initially surprised by Qiu Yuhe’s many copies of the agreement, then witness how carefully she planned for resistance.
• The servants abandon the men once the household can no longer pay them, showing their practical loyalty to the women who supported them.

Significant themes

• Retribution: The men’s deception and mistreatment lead to the loss of their home, status, money, and family support.
• Women’s independence and solidarity: Qiu Yuhe and Xiao Mingzhu reclaim their property, while Princess Kang helps enforce their rights.
• Actions have consequences: Count Songhe and Heir Zheng are left to face the fallout of their conduct.
• Wealth and power: The household’s apparent standing proves hollow once the women’s dowries are removed.

Key plot points

• Count Songhe and Heir Zheng, filthy after falling into a privy, are mocked by townspeople. When Zheng threatens the crowd and boasts of his rank, they beat both men unconscious.
• The pair wake in a clinic with a large bill. Their remaining valuables have been stolen, and they cannot pay, so they must work off their debt. Their lack of practical skills and repeated mistakes make the debt grow; they end up as despised, underfed workers.
• Meanwhile, Shen Shixu reviews the first case independently handled by Jiang Bin and Zhang Ming: a butcher’s wife has been murdered, and her neighbor has been accused.
• The investigators suspect the case has been made to look too obvious. The butcher had an opportunity to commit the crime, and his experience slaughtering animals fits the clean, decisive way the victim was dismembered.
• Jiang Bin questions the imprisoned neighbor again. The man admits he was away stealing; Jiang Bin verifies the theft and finds the stolen goods in his home, supporting his account and casting doubt on the murder accusation.

Character developments

• Jiang Bin and Zhang Ming show growing judgment and independence by questioning a seemingly straightforward case and pursuing overlooked evidence.
• Shen Shixu is pleased with their work and their ability to investigate without him.
• Heir Zheng remains arrogant, but his threats backfire, leaving him and his father vulnerable and stripped of their status.
• Count Songhe and Zheng are forced into humiliating labor and hardship after losing their money and dignity.

Significant themes

• Pride and consequences: Zheng’s contempt for ordinary people provokes the beating that follows.
• Appearances can mislead: The apparent strength of the case against the neighbor hides inconsistencies, requiring careful investigation.
• Justice through persistence: Jiang Bin’s refusal to accept an overly neat explanation uncovers evidence that may correct a wrongful accusation.
• Status reversed: Once-powerful nobles become dependent workers, while lowly investigators demonstrate competence and integrity.

Character interactions

• The townspeople first mock the filthy father and son, then attack them after Zheng insults and threatens them; the guards later take them to a clinic.
• Clinic staff treat the pair as debtors rather than nobles and make them work for their care.
• Jiang Bin collaborates with Zhang Ming, reexamines the neighbor’s story, and seeks confirmation from both the suspect and the household that was robbed.
• Shen Shixu responds approvingly to Jiang Bin’s written account, recognizing the pair’s sound investigative work.

Plot and events

• Shen Shixu’s team clears the next-door neighbor of suspicion in a murder case and finds evidence implicating the butcher: bloodstained cloth from the victim’s clothes, buried at the butcher’s home.
• Pleased with Jiang Bin and Zhang Ming’s work, Shen rewards them and takes them to the Sweet Honey Drink Shop. They enjoy unfamiliar drinks, including lychee wine and pearl milk tea.
• The shop’s modern menu and promotions convince Shen that its owner may be from another world like him. He leaves a coded message for the owner: “Odd terms change; even terms stay the same.”
• Shen then visits Prince Jing’s Residence, bringing drinks for Xiao Jinyi and the others. After overhearing Mo Yu tease Xiao about their lack of intimacy, Shen privately initiates a kiss with Xiao.
• Shen tells Xiao that his parents and older brother will reach the Capital in two days. Excited, Xiao plans to ask the emperor to set their wedding date; Shen begins thinking about preparing a suitable dowry.

Character development and interactions

• Shen Shixu shows gratitude and generosity by rewarding his colleagues, bringing drinks to Xiao’s household, and responding to Xiao’s steady support with affection. He also remains alert to signs of other modern-world arrivals.
• Xiao Jinyi is devoted and eager to marry Shen. Though initially startled by Shen’s advance, he quickly returns the kiss and embraces him tenderly.
• Jiang Bin and Zhang Ming enjoy their reward and plan to bring drinks home for family members.
• Mo Yu jokes about Xiao and Shen’s relationship, then feels guilty when Shen kindly gives him a drink; he apologizes, and Shen takes it graciously.
• The chapter emphasizes the growing closeness between Shen and Xiao: their first passionate kiss marks a shift from affection and security toward greater intimacy.

Significant themes

• Justice and evidence: The investigation advances through physical proof rather than suspicion alone.
• Modernity and identity: The drink shop’s products and marketing suggest another person from Shen’s world may be living in the Capital.
• Affection and trust: Shen recognizes the security Xiao gives him and chooses to express his feelings physically.
• Marriage and family: The couple’s excitement over setting a wedding date and preparing gifts shows their commitment becoming concrete.

Plot points and events

• After Shen Shixu kisses Xiao Jinyi first, Xiao becomes nearly impossible to stop, covering him with kisses and leaving love bites on his neck. Shen finally calls a halt because he must attend court and does not want officials gossiping about the marks.
• Shen agrees to stay for dinner at Prince Jing’s Residence and requests his favorite dishes. He refuses Xiao’s invitation to stay overnight, worried that arriving at court together would draw attention. Xiao escorts him home after dinner and looks forward to their eventual marriage.
• At the Sweet Honey Drink Shop, owner Rong Hua learns that Shen Shixu may be another person from his former world. Rong, who has run the shop in the capital for years and is about to close it for lack of powerful backing, eagerly hopes to meet him.
• Shen visits the shop the next day. He and Rong speak privately and use shared cultural and educational references—including math, an English joke, and the Chinese national anthem—to confirm they come from the same place.
• They exchange their stories: Rong arrived six or seven years earlier after a car accident and took over the body of a grieving man who had died of illness. Shen says he died from overwork and was reborn as a baby eighteen years ago, retaining memories of his former life.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Jinyi is openly affectionate and eager to be close to Shen, though he respects Shen’s refusal to stay the night. His longing for marriage is clear.
• Shen Shixu is more comfortable expressing intimacy than before, but still guards his privacy and reputation. He also approaches the meeting with Rong cautiously, insisting on privacy and verification before trusting him.
• Rong Hua moves from excitement and impatience to relief and delight when he confirms Shen is a fellow countryman. He is eager to share his past, while Shen gently prevents him from embracing him because Xiao might be jealous.
• Shen and Rong quickly establish a friendly rapport through shared references and candid discussion of their very different arrivals in this world.

Significant themes

• Intimacy and social propriety: Shen and Xiao’s affection is genuine, but Shen remains mindful of court gossip and public expectations.
• Belonging and shared identity: Shen and Rong’s common background offers a rare connection across their lives in the ancient setting.
• Different forms of transmigration: Their contrasting experiences—rebirth with memories versus entering an existing body—highlight the uncertainty of their circumstances.
• Secrecy and caution: Both men understand that revealing their origins openly could invite suspicion or danger, so they verify their identities in private.

Key plot points and events

• Rong Hua tells Shen Shixu that his milk-tea shop is failing. Rival merchants have pressured his landlord to raise the rent and interfered with his suppliers, leaving him ready to close and relocate.
• Shen offers to invest in the shop, explaining that his family is wealthy and that he can protect the business through his position and connections.
• To reassure Rong Hua, Shen reveals that he is the Top Scholar, now Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, and has been granted the title Lord Qian’an. He also identifies his boyfriend as Prince Jing, whom he is officially set to marry.
• Rong Hua is astonished by Shen’s accomplishments. Shen briefly recalls that in his previous life he died from overwork while trying to earn tuition for university, but says he is grateful for the family and partner he has found in this life.
• Rong Hua offers to hand over the shop entirely, but Shen refuses to take what Rong Hua built. They agree that Shen will buy a stake and become the second manager. Rong Hua will provide Shen with free drinks for life.
• Shen plans to promote the shop by bringing drinks—especially oolong tea—to his colleagues. Rong Hua welcomes him as a co-owner, then asks about his upcoming wedding and suggests couple rings.

Character developments

• Rong Hua moves from resignation about losing his business to renewed hope once Shen offers practical support and protection. Though generous enough to give up the shop, he accepts a partnership rather than letting Shen take it over.
• Shen Shixu shows his loyalty and generosity by using his wealth and influence to help Rong Hua while insisting their arrangement remain fair. He reflects on his past hardship without bitterness, valuing the loving life he now has.

Significant themes

• Friendship and mutual support: Shen and Rong Hua help one another, balancing investment with respect for what each has contributed.
• Power and unfair business practices: The rivals’ manipulation of rent and suppliers shows how vulnerable small businesses can be without influence or protection.
• Second chances and gratitude: Shen’s difficult death in his former life contrasts with the family, love, and success he has gained after transmigration.

Character interactions

• Rong Hua confides in Shen about the shop’s troubles, and Shen responds with both financial support and the promise of protection.
• They negotiate the partnership: Rong Hua offers the business, while Shen insists on buying only a stake and sharing its management.
• Their friendly conversation turns to Shen’s marriage, with Rong Hua enthusiastically offering to prepare a wedding gift and proposing couple rings.

Key plot points and events

• Rong Hua suggests Shen Shixu make matching rings for Xiao Jinyi, drawing on his past experience selling jewelry.
• Shen decides to skip the rest of his workday at the Court of Judicial Review, explaining that officials can leave after court and completing their duties. He plans to make Xiao a personal gift.
• Rong Hua provides the tools he saved from his failed jewelry business and explains why jewelry proved difficult to sell in Great Qian.
• Shen melts silver and handcrafts two Möbius-strip rings, one sized for Xiao and one for himself. He chooses the design because it symbolizes eternal love, then places the rings in a jewelry box Rong Hua supplies.
• Separately, Xiao visits Emperor Wu’an after court rather than leaving with Shen. He says he has a favor to ask; the emperor teases him for rarely visiting his parents. Xiao begins appealing to his father by pointing out that, at twenty-one, he is older than many men who are already married and raising children.

Character developments

• Shen shows a more openly romantic, thoughtful side: he wants to give Xiao a meaningful handmade gift and knows Xiao’s ring size.
• Rong Hua’s entrepreneurial past becomes clearer. Though his jewelry stall failed, he kept its tools and now uses them to help a friend.
• Xiao’s unusual visit to his father suggests he is preparing to ask for something important, though the chapter ends before he reveals what it is.
• Emperor Wu’an’s teasing shows warmth beneath his mock complaint about being neglected.

Significant themes

• Love expressed through personal gifts: Shen chooses a handmade token whose meaning matters more than its monetary value.
• Lasting commitment: The Möbius ring represents love without end.
• Friendship and mutual support: Rong Hua’s practical help turns Shen’s idea into reality.
• Family and marriage: Xiao’s appeal to his father invokes marriage and children, hinting at a forthcoming request.

Character interactions

• Rong Hua encourages Shen’s romantic plan, lends him tools, and adds a jewelry box to make the gift feel special.
• Shen and Rong Hua share friendly banter about work, examinations, and their shared hometown.
• Xiao and Emperor Wu’an trade affectionate teasing: the emperor complains that Xiao neglects his parents, while Xiao uses his age and other men’s families to frame his appeal.

Key plot points and events

• Xiao Jinyi persuades Emperor Wu’an to let his wedding plans proceed, arguing that after years of military service he should not be kept waiting.
• The emperor agrees once Xiao Jinyi assures him that Shixu’s parents will arrive in the capital in two days. He sets the wedding for the twenty-eighth of the following month and orders preparations to begin.
• Xiao Jinyi asks his father to contribute to Shixu’s dowry chest and to the betrothal gifts. The emperor admits he and Empress Lin will give gifts, then suggests Xiao Jinyi ask his elder brother as well.
• Xiao Jinyi visits the Eastern Palace, where Xiao Yuanqi is with Meng Jiyao. He announces the wedding date but soon reveals that he has come to solicit wedding gifts.
• Xiao Yuanqi agrees to give something, and Meng Jiyao offers a separate gift as Xiao Jinyi’s sister-in-law.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Jinyi is eager to marry Shixu and uses affectionate, theatrical complaints to win his father’s agreement. He is also unabashedly persistent in asking family members for wedding contributions.
• Emperor Wu’an balances caution about the marriage with support for his son, requiring Shixu’s family to be present before approving arrangements.
• Xiao Yuanqi teases his younger brother for being so devoted to Shixu and for only visiting when he wants something, but fondly indulges his requests.
• Meng Jiyao shares in the family banter and insists that her own gift should be distinct from Xiao Yuanqi’s contribution.

Significant themes

• Family duty and affection: Xiao Jinyi’s marriage is treated as a family undertaking, involving parental approval and gifts from relatives.
• Romantic devotion: Xiao Jinyi’s eagerness to marry Shixu—and his brother’s teasing about his attachment—shows how central the relationship is to him.
• Sibling warmth expressed through teasing: The brothers’ mock complaints and bargaining reveal familiarity and affection beneath their joking.
• Tradition and auspiciousness: The emperor consults the Imperial Astronomical Bureau and selects a compatible wedding date, underscoring the importance of ritual in marriage.

Key events

• Xiao Jinyi teases Crown Prince Xiao Yuanqi for needing to ask for wedding gifts, then announces that he and A-Xu will marry on the twenty-eighth of next month.
• Meng Jiyao declines to accompany the brothers on their visits, choosing to spend her rare free time with Empress Lin. Yuanqi jokingly claims that his wife keeping his mother company counts as his own filial duty.
• On the way to the princes’ residences, Jinyi asks how Yuanqi became so scheming. Yuanqi explains that dealing with crafty officials—and his upbringing as the future emperor—taught him to keep that side of himself hidden from his younger brother.
• The brothers visit the Third Prince, who serves them tea chosen to suit their tastes. Jinyi asks him to prepare a lavish wedding gift; the Third Prince agrees.
• At the Fourth Prince’s residence, Jinyi announces the wedding but hesitates to ask for a gift after learning the Fourth Prince will marry in the eighth month. Yuanqi steps in and makes the request explicit.
• The Fourth Prince offers the famed Ten Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains painting, which he bought while traveling, as a gift for Jinyi and Shen Shixu.

Character developments and interactions

• Jinyi is cheerful and unembarrassed about asking his brothers for generous gifts, though he briefly holds back when he learns the Fourth Prince is also marrying soon.
• Yuanqi reveals a shrewder, more calculating side than Jinyi is used to seeing, while remaining playful and openly affectionate toward Meng Jiyao. He also ensures the Fourth Prince is not spared the gift request.
• The Third Prince responds warmly and promises a substantial gift; the Fourth Prince offers something particularly valuable and suited to Shen Shixu’s scholarly interests.
• Meng Jiyao’s choice to visit Empress Lin highlights her consideration, while Yuanqi’s joking attempt to claim credit underscores their easy marital rapport.

Significant themes

• Family affection expressed through teasing and gifts: The brothers’ banter and gift bargaining reflect closeness rather than genuine conflict.
• Public role versus private self: Yuanqi’s polished, easygoing manner with family contrasts with the strategic skills he needs as Crown Prince.
• Thoughtfulness and personal taste: The princes’ carefully selected teas and the Fourth Prince’s scholarly gift show attention to one another’s preferences.

Key plot points and events

• After visiting several princes to request gifts, Xiao Jinyi finds the Sixth Prince away. Mo Yu then arrives with news that Shen Shixu has prepared something for him.
• Xiao Jinyi rushes home, leaving his brother Xiao Yuanqi to make his own way back. Yuanqi asks Mo Yu to take him along, paying him generously.
• At Prince Jing’s Residence, Shen Shixu gives Xiao Jinyi a pair of handmade silver rings shaped like Möbius strips. He explains that they represent endless, unchanging love and that such a ring is meant for one’s true love.
• Shen asks whether Xiao Jinyi will share his life with him. Xiao Jinyi promises lifelong devotion, and they exchange rings on their left ring fingers.
• Xiao Jinyi proudly shows off his ring, and the practice of giving handmade rings to one’s beloved quickly becomes fashionable among the capital’s nobles.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Shixu takes the initiative to mark his relationship with Xiao Jinyi through a thoughtful, personal gift. His heartfelt explanation and commitment show how seriously he regards their future together.
• Xiao Jinyi responds with complete trust and enthusiasm, promising not to leave Shen Shixu and gladly accepting the ring. His pride in wearing it highlights how openly he values their relationship.
• Xiao Yuanqi is surprised to learn that Mo Yu and Bai He are together. Curious about the gift, he pays Mo Yu to carry him home quickly; afterward, he and Mo Yu are inspired to give similar gifts to their own partners.
• Mo Yu is protective of his relationship with Bai He and eager to save money for their future. His brief, comic misunderstanding with Yuanqi underscores both his new caution and his practical priorities.

Significant themes

• Lasting commitment: The rings’ endless loop symbolizes love intended to endure through changing circumstances.
• Personal tokens of affection: The handmade rings turn private devotion into a visible pledge.
• Love and shared futures: The couples’ relationships are linked to promises of loyalty, mutual care, and plans for life together.
• Love as a social influence: Xiao Jinyi’s public display of the ring spreads the custom throughout the capital.

Key plot points and events

• Emperor Wu’an gives Empress Lin a pair of jadeite rings he made himself. Though simple, the handmade gift moves her deeply because it is his first such personal creation.
• Shen Shixu, Xiao Jinyi, and Shen Shixu’s disciples Jiang Bin and An Chengyu wait outside the capital to welcome Shen Father and Shen Mother.
• The disciples surprise the arriving couple with party poppers, warm greetings, and promises that gifts and a family meal are waiting at the residence. Shen Mother is touched and gives them red envelopes.
• Shen Mother explains she had asked Shen Zexi not to tell Shen Shixu about their arrival, hoping not to interrupt his work. Xiao Jinyi admits he arranged to find out where they were so they could be welcomed.
• The group sets off for the residence, where the rest of the family—including Jiang Miaokong and Song Zhuoyang—is waiting for a reunion.

Character developments and interactions

• Empress Lin values the emperor’s personal effort more than the rarity or craftsmanship of his other gifts. His gesture also reinforces her standing in the palace.
• Emperor Wu’an shows affection through an unusually intimate, handmade present.
• Jiang Bin and An Chengyu demonstrate enthusiasm and affection toward their master’s parents, quickly charming Shen Mother with their respectful yet lively manner.
• Shen Mother and Shen Father welcome the disciples warmly and are especially pleased by the prospect of gathering the family.
• Xiao Jinyi takes initiative to honor Shen Shixu’s parents and is warmly received by Shen Mother.
• Shen Zexi is confused when Shen Mother assumes he told Shen Shixu of their arrival; he had not.

Significant themes

• Affection expressed through personal gestures: A handmade gift and a thoughtful welcome matter more than grand displays.
• Family and belonging: The disciples are treated as grandchildren, and the reunion is presented as a source of deep happiness for the older couple.
• Respect balanced with warmth: Formal greetings and gifts quickly give way to affectionate, playful family interaction.

Plot points and events

• Shen Father and Shen Mother give An Chengyu and Jiang Bin generous New Year red envelopes. Shen Shixu jokes that they can receive even more when they visit at New Year.
• At the estate, Jiang Miaokong and Song Zhuoyang formally greet Shen Father and Shen Mother. The younger men present gifts: Jiang Miaokong gives Shen Mother a hand-carved peachwood hairpin, and Song Zhuoyang gives Shen Father a handmade reclining chair. Both gifts are warmly received.
• Shen Mother gives Jiang Miaokong and Song Zhuoyang red envelopes as first-meeting gifts, then everyone shares a meal.
• After lunch, Shen Mother confronts her eldest son, Shen Zexi, about marriage. He jokes that Xiao Jinyi has “stolen” his younger brother, Shen Shixu, by arranging their wedding so soon.
• Shen Mother insists that Zexi must take active steps to find a wife. He promises to begin looking after Shixu’s wedding and to bring someone home before New Year.

Character developments and interactions

• Shen Father and Shen Mother show affection and generosity toward their children’s friends and disciples, while also appreciating the thought behind handmade gifts.
• Jiang Miaokong and Song Zhuoyang express respect and affection through their carefully crafted presents; Shen Father and Shen Mother respond with obvious delight.
• Shen Zexi deflects his mother’s matchmaking pressure with humor, but ultimately agrees to look for a partner. Shen Father undercuts Shen Mother’s claim that worry keeps her awake, revealing the family’s teasing, familiar dynamic.
• Shen Shixu protects and supports Xiao Jinyi when Zexi jokingly threatens him. Around the table, the others watch Shen Mother’s interrogation with amusement.
• Zexi feels conspicuously single among the couples: Shixu and Jinyi are engaged, Miaokong and Zhuoyang are devoted to each other, and Jiang Bin is reportedly being introduced to a young woman.

Significant themes

• Family affection and tradition: Respectful greetings, gifts, and red envelopes strengthen ties across the family and its wider circle.
• Marriage and social expectations: Shen Mother’s concern reflects the family’s desire for Zexi to marry, while Zexi insists that affection and compatibility matter.
• Humor and intimacy: Teasing and gentle embarrassment make the family’s pressure feel affectionate rather than hostile.