Chapter Summaries

Jiang Nuan returned to the Great Xia Dynasty at age ten and silently revealed that it would fall in seven years, alarming Emperor Jiang Yunsheng, who could hear her thoughts. He took her to the Merit Assessment Hall after she uncovered scandalous gossip about a palace maid and a guard.

• Jiang Nuan remembered her past life, her suicide after Great Xia fell, and her return to the dynasty with the Gossip System, Guagua.
• Jiang Yunsheng overheard Jiang Nuan predict Great Xia's fall and call him her scumbag dad, then realized he could hear her thoughts.
• Jiang Yunsheng learned that the girl before him was his ninth princess, Jiang Nuan, and struggled to ask her about her prediction when an inexplicable force stopped his voice.
• Jiang Nuan thought that Jiang Yunsheng would die of illness in six years, alarming him and Eunuch Wang, before her thoughts turned to roast chicken.
• Jiang Yunsheng ordered his procession to the Merit Assessment Hall, where Guagua revealed that Maid An and a palace guard were secretly together.
• Jiang Yunsheng noticed Jiang Nuan's shocked look and angrily ordered the procession to the Merit Assessment Hall.

Jiang Yunsheng caught Attendant An and her lover in the Merit Assessment Hall, then learned from Jiang Nuan’s thoughts that Great Xia and his family faced a disastrous future. After discovering Jiang Nuan had been deprived of food and clothing, he ordered an investigation and summoned people she recognized as her former bullies.

• Jiang Yunsheng surrounded the Merit Assessment Hall and caught Attendant An and her lover in the study, then ordered Jiang Yi to handle the matter.
• Jiang Nuan realized Jiang Yi was the imperial family’s greatest martial artist and learned that he would later be poisoned by a subordinate.
• Jiang Yunsheng brought Jiang Nuan to the Hall of Diligent Governance and ordered roast chickens, but her thoughts revealed she feared eating too much after living with little food.
• Jiang Yunsheng heard Jiang Nuan’s thoughts about her hunger and lack of warm clothes, then ordered Wang Dehai to investigate.
• Jiang Nuan’s thoughts revealed Wang Dehai’s tragic future, and Jiang Yunsheng summoned officials and servants whose names she recognized as people who had bullied her.

Jiang Yunsheng investigated the mistreatment of Jiang Nuan and confronted Empress Xiao Xiao, who discovered that the servants had neglected the princess. Guagua revealed that Xiao Xiao was actually Jiang Nuan’s birth mother, leaving the empress shaken as she ordered the guilty servants punished and handed their fate to Jiang Nuan.

• Jiang Yunsheng summoned Xiao Xiao and presented the investigation into how Jiang Nuan had been mistreated in the palace.
• Xiao Xiao accepted responsibility for failing to oversee the inner palace, while Jiang Nuan’s thoughts explained why she believed the empress had ignored her.
• Guagua revealed that Concubine Liu had switched Jiang Nuan with her stillborn baby, making Xiao Xiao Jiang Nuan’s birth mother.
• Xiao Xiao nearly collapsed after hearing the revelation, and Jiang Yunsheng caught her.
• Xiao Xiao ordered the servants who had mistreated Jiang Nuan to be punished, and Jiang Yunsheng and Xiao Xiao left their fate to the princess.

Jiang Nuan exposed the palace officials’ crimes and chose their punishment, then moved to the Hibiscus Pavilion while Jiang Yunsheng and Xiao Xiao grappled with her warnings about the future. By nightfall, Xiao Xiao had uncovered the truth about Jiang Nuan’s birth, and the other consorts began scheming to claim her as their daughter.

• Jiang Nuan used Guagua to reveal the officials’ crimes, then proposed executing them and sending their direct relatives to farm in the northern outskirts.
• Jiang Yunsheng gave Jiang Nuan the Hibiscus Pavilion, and she left to sleep while thinking about his death and Great Xia’s fall.
• Jiang Yunsheng and Xiao Xiao discussed Jiang Nuan’s thoughts, and he reassured Xiao Xiao that he saw their daughter as a divine blessing, not a threat.
• Jiang Yunsheng spent the night handling state affairs, while Xiao Xiao investigated Jiang Nuan’s birth and uncovered Concubine Liu’s tampering.
• Xiao Xiao executed many people and considered how to acknowledge Jiang Nuan, while the other consorts plotted to take the princess under their names as Jiang Nuan slept.

Jiang Nuan learned that the Hu People would raid northern villages, so Guagua provided details that she secretly delivered to Jiang Yunsheng. The emperor and his ministers prepared to prevent the massacre, while several consorts continued waiting to seek custody of Jiang Nuan.

• Consort Shu and Consort De waited to see Jiang Nuan, but Eunuch Wang summoned her to the Hall of Diligent Governance first.
• Jiang Nuan arrived while Jiang Yunsheng and three ministers discussed the threat of the Hu People, and the ministers discovered they could hear her thoughts.
• Guagua revealed that the Hu People would slaughter 110,000 people and that Mao Qiantao's son, Mao Zhonglin, would die in a costly battle.
• Jiang Nuan asked Guagua for the Hu People's plans, and Guagua placed the information in a book Jiang Yunsheng read.
• Jiang Yunsheng and the ministers found the note, believed Jiang Nuan's warning, and sent secret orders north to prepare a defense.
• Jiang Nuan returned to the Hibiscus Pavilion and found Consort Shu, Consort De, Consort Xian, Consort Liang, and other consorts still waiting.

Jiang Nuan received lavish gifts from the consorts, then considered who should raise her after Consort Zhen volunteered and her inner thoughts exposed Zhen’s cruelty. Consort Wen also offered, and Guagua revealed that her aloof persona hid a lively gossip lover, while the other consorts were about to speak before Guagua stopped them with a remark.

• Consort Shu gave Jiang Nuan an emerald bracelet and ten gold ingots, prompting the other consorts to compete with increasingly generous gifts.
• Consort Zhen asked Jiang Yunsheng to let her raise Jiang Nuan, but Jiang Nuan’s inner thoughts revealed that Zhen had deliberately made the Thirteenth Prince ill to seek favor.
• Consort Wen volunteered to raise Jiang Nuan, and Guagua revealed that she secretly loved gossip and disguised herself as a maid to hear it.
• Jiang Nuan became interested in sharing gossip with Consort Wen, but Guagua’s next remark stopped the other consorts from volunteering.

Jiang Nuan reunited with Xiao Xiao, who revealed that she knew Jiang Nuan was her daughter, while Jiang Yunsheng granted Jiang Nuan access to his private treasury. As Jiang Nuan planned to save her family from future tragedy, Guagua uncovered the previous dynasty’s hidden treasure and left everyone startled.

• Guagua revealed that Xiao Xiao had discovered Jiang Nuan was her daughter and had punished those involved in the infant swap.
• Xiao Xiao embraced Jiang Nuan and apologized, while Jiang Yunsheng dismissed the other consorts and Consort Zhen was taken away to die.
• Jiang Yunsheng gave Jiang Nuan a token to choose three items from his private treasury, and Jiang Nuan planned to use the valuables to prepare for her family’s escape.
• Jiang Nuan found the treasury disappointing and selected three items worth about fifty thousand taels of silver.
• Guagua located the previous dynasty’s treasure, prompting startled cries from Jiang Nuan and another person.

Jiang Nuan learned that the previous dynasty’s treasure was hidden in the Hibiscus Pavilion, while Jiang Yunsheng secretly tried to claim it first by using her thoughts to locate it. The search uncovered a secret chamber full of gold and silver, leaving Jiang Nuan upset that the treasure had gone to her father.

• Jiang Yunsheng gave Jiang Nuan a jade lion while listening for clues about the previous dynasty’s treasure.
• Guagua told Jiang Nuan the treasure was hidden in a secret chamber in the Hibiscus Pavilion and promised to show her the way that night.
• Jiang Yunsheng arrived at Jiang Nuan’s room with guards, claiming he was searching for a secret passage, and Eunuch Wang learned how to open it by overhearing Jiang Nuan’s thoughts.
• Eunuch Wang found the passage in the Right Side Chamber and led the search party inside.
• Eunuch Wang reported that the passage led to a restaurant and that a concealed room halfway through contained chests of gold and silver.
• Jiang Nuan looked bitter over losing the treasure, and Jiang Yunsheng asked why she seemed unhappy.

Jiang Yunsheng gave Jiang Nuan some of the recovered treasure and brought her to court, hoping her thoughts would expose problems among his ministers. The ministers began presenting their concerns, starting with a junior official.

• Jiang Yunsheng gave Jiang Nuan two pouches of gold from the treasure, and she fell asleep in his arms.
• Jiang Yunsheng announced that Jiang Nuan would attend court, and she was carried there the next morning.
• Jiang Yunsheng seated Jiang Nuan beside the Dragon Throne to hear her thoughts about the ministers and Great Xia’s future.
• Three ministers who had previously heard Jiang Nuan’s thoughts trusted them and ignored their factions’ signals.
• A minor official of the Subordinate Sixth Rank stepped forward to report a matter.

Jiang Nuan attended court while the ministers heard her unspoken thoughts and learned that Great Xia would fall in seven years. To distract her from her fear, Guagua offered to reveal gossip, and Jiang Nuan chose Xun Rongchang.

• Ministers objected to Jiang Nuan attending court, then froze when they heard her thoughts despite her not speaking.
• Several ministers fainted from shock, and the guards and imperial physicians revived or removed them.
• Jiang Nuan thought that Great Xia would fall in seven years and recalled gruesome deaths awaiting several ministers.
• Guagua reassured Jiang Nuan that there were no ghosts and offered to distract her with gossip.
• Jiang Nuan chose Xun Rongchang, and Guagua revealed that the burly official was a crybaby who ran to his wife whenever things went wrong.

During court, Jiang Nuan’s gossip about Minister Xun Rongchang’s secret made the officials eager to watch his domestic drama, while a minister’s laughter led to donations for settling ten thousand refugees. After court ended, Xun Rongchang was surrounded by people as Jiang Nuan prepared to go see the spectacle.

• Jiang Nuan learned that Xun Rongchang’s wife had found his secret money and was waiting at home with a washboard, prompting Jiang Nuan to want to watch.
• A minister laughed while the court discussed the refugees, then offered his estate as housing after Jiang Yunsheng demanded an explanation.
• Jiang Yunsheng praised Minister Zhang’s generosity, prompting the ministers to offer silver for the refugees while pretending their fortunes were meager.
• Jiang Yunsheng assigned Qiu Rongri to ensure the refugees were properly settled, and court soon ended.
• Jiang Nuan eagerly set off to watch the drama, while Xun Rongchang was immediately surrounded by people.

Xun Rongchang arrived home with a crowd of ministers who had followed him for gossip, only to be greeted by Madam Xun holding a washboard. Jiang Nuan watched from behind a wall with Jiang Yunsheng, and her comments exposed Xun Rongchang’s history of kneeling on it as the ministers stayed to hear more.

• Xun Rongchang’s friends and superior accompanied him home after court, drawing several ministers along to enjoy the gossip.
• Jiang Nuan plotted to leave the palace, and Jiang Yunsheng offered to take her with him.
• Madam Xun waited at the Xun residence with a washboard, then froze when Xun Rongchang arrived with many ministers.
• Jiang Nuan and Jiang Yunsheng arrived nearby, and Jiang Nuan’s voice revealed the washboard to the ministers.
• Madam Xun dropped the washboard, and Jiang Nuan’s comments exposed the marks left by Xun Rongchang kneeling on it.
• Xun Rongchang tearfully embraced Madam Xun and explained the situation, while Jiang Nuan asked Guagua for gossip about the couple.

Jiang Nuan’s gossip revealed that Xun Rongchang would be accused of fathering a ten-year-old son, putting his marriage to Madam Xun in jeopardy. A woman arrived with a boy who resembled him, and Madam Xun ordered their written agreement brought over as Xun Rongchang struggled to explain.

• Guagua revealed that Xun Rongchang had a ten-year-old son outside his marriage and that Madam Xun would divorce him.
• A disheveled woman arrived with a boy named Kang'er and pleaded with Xun Rongchang to acknowledge him as his child.
• Xun Rongchang denied knowing the woman or remembering fathering a child, but Kang'er’s resemblance to him made those around them suspicious.
• The woman claimed Xun Rongchang had forced himself on her after drinking ten years earlier and suggested a blood test to prove Kang'er’s paternity.
• Madam Xun ordered Chunxia to fetch their written agreement and writing supplies, while Guagua said the couple would divorce despite Xun Rongchang’s efforts to save their marriage.

Xun Rongchang exposed a woman's false claim that Kang'er was his son, learning that the boy was actually his late brother Xun Yu's child, and had them taken to the magistrate's office. Jiang Nuan later enjoyed the busy street with Jiang Yunsheng, but her thoughts of an enemy invasion left her unsettled.

• Guagua told Jiang Nuan that Xun Rongchang had done nothing with the woman and that Kang'er was actually his brother Xun Yu's twelve-year-old son.
• Xun Rongchang noticed the woman's delight at the prospect of his divorce and confronted her about falsely accusing him.
• Xun Rongchang threatened to have Kang'er's age checked, then ordered guards to take the woman and Kang'er to the magistrate's office.
• Jiang Nuan celebrated the cleared misunderstanding, and Xun Rongchang relaxed as the gathered officials departed.
• Jiang Yunsheng took Jiang Nuan to a busy street, where she bought treats and a phoenix sugar painting.
• Jiang Nuan thought that an enemy kingdom would breach the Capital City in a few years, then felt a fleeting memory slip away.

Jiang Nuan resolved to help change Great Xia after seeing the refugees’ suffering, and she spotted wealthy impostors taking relief grain. She tried to expose them by having sand mixed into the porridge, but the crowd began turning toward a riot.

• Jiang Nuan saw the starving refugees and, encouraged by Guagua, decided to work toward changing the world.
• Jiang Nuan and Jiang Yunsheng observed the relief line, where she identified well-fed people posing as refugees to take grain.
• Jiang Nuan decided to mix sand into the porridge to expose the impostors, and Jiang Yunsheng let her proceed while quietly instructing a guard.
• A guard tossed sand into the porridge, and a woman loudly accused the officials of depriving the refugees of food.
• People in the line grew angry as agitators fanned the rumors, and the crowd showed signs of erupting into a riot.

Jiang Nuan helped Jiang Yunsheng expose people fraudulently claiming disaster relief, and the Crown Prince returned to the palace to meet her for the first time. The chapter ended with Jiang Nuan happily introducing her mother’s cooking to Jiang Chengze, whose expression stiffened.

• Jiang Yunsheng used sandy porridge to identify impostors, and guards detained those who could not drink it.
• Jiang Nuan suggested mixing sand into relief rice, and Jiang Yunsheng decided to order it.
• Jiang Yunsheng learned that porridge recipients had decreased by about a tenth and angrily threw down his book.
• Jiang Nuan joined Xiao Xiao in the kitchen and shared a meal her mother had cooked for her.
• Jiang Chengze returned from inspecting avalanche risks and met Jiang Nuan for the first time.
• Jiang Nuan told Jiang Chengze that Xiao Xiao had cooked a table of dishes, and he regretted arriving early.

Jiang Nuan’s family shared a meal that revealed Xiao Xiao’s cooking was nearly inedible, then grew closer as they discussed Jiang Nuan’s name and embraced. Jiang Yunsheng arrived, and Jiang Nuan’s thoughts hinted that he would eventually kill Jiang Chengze.

• Jiang Chengze tried to avoid eating more of Xiao Xiao’s cooking, but Jiang Nuan’s thoughts made him realize she could sense her family’s thoughts.
• Xiao Xiao tasted her own dishes, spat them out, and stopped Jiang Nuan and Jiang Chengze from eating while thanking him for enduring her cooking for years.
• Xiao Xiao asked Jiang Nuan to call her Mama, and Jiang Chengze asked her to call him Brother; Jiang Nuan agreed, moving Xiao Xiao to tears.
• Xiao Xiao asked whether Jiang Nuan wanted to reclaim the name Jiang Xianzhi, but Jiang Nuan preferred to keep Jiang Nuan, so Xiao Xiao offered to ask Jiang Yunsheng for a title instead.
• Jiang Chengze offered Jiang Nuan his hot spring estate, and the three embraced before Jiang Yunsheng entered and teased them.
• Jiang Nuan noticed Jiang Chengze grew tense around Jiang Yunsheng and thought that her father would eventually kill her brother.

Jiang Nuan revealed that Jiang Chengze would be deposed after Jiang Yunsheng fell ill from poison and trusted alchemists, so Jiang Yunsheng changed course and agreed to let Jiang Nuan take charge of the alchemists. Her thoughts also suggested their skills could help Great Xia develop gunpowder.

• Jiang Nuan asked Guagua what happened to Jiang Chengze, and Guagua explained that Jiang Yunsheng would be poisoned, misled by alchemists, and eventually imprison the Crown Prince.
• Jiang Nuan identified the illness as poison from the Southern Frontier and warned that the alchemists’ elixirs contained toxic heavy metals.
• Jiang Chengze suggested summoning the alchemists, and Jiang Yunsheng ordered the Crown Prince to arrest them.
• Jiang Nuan thought the alchemists could help Great Xia create gunpowder, prompting Jiang Yunsheng to reconsider their value.
• Jiang Nuan asked Jiang Yunsheng to hand the alchemists over to her, and he agreed, believing she wanted them as playthings.

Jiang Nuan realized the officials had not challenged her court attendance, then learned it was a rest day and returned to sleep. After Jiang Yunsheng summoned several Alchemists to the palace, she watched Daoist Master Zhang perform a trick with boiling oil and prepared to expose him.

• Jiang Yunsheng ordered the Imperial Kitchen to serve a meal after realizing Xiao Xiao had cooked for him.
• Jiang Nuan woke at night worrying about attending court, then got up early before Guagua told her it was a rest day.
• Jiang Nuan returned to bed, slept late, and learned that Jiang Yunsheng had summoned Alchemists to the palace.
• Jiang Nuan joined Jiang Yunsheng and the officials in the imperial garden, where Daoist Master Zhang claimed he could retrieve objects from boiling oil.
• Daoist Master Zhang retrieved a stone from the pot, winning over the officials, while Jiang Nuan thought she could do the same.

Jiang Nuan exposed Fangshi Zhang and the other fangshi as frauds by showing that their supposedly boiling oil was only cold oil made to bubble with borax. Jiang Yunsheng spared them from execution and placed them in Jiang Nuan’s care, while the remaining con artists outside the palace were still at large.

• Fangshi Zhang challenged Jiang Nuan after she visibly disdained his trick, then panicked when he heard her thoughts without her speaking.
• Jiang Nuan retrieved the stone from the bubbling oil with an unharmed hand and revealed that the oil was cold and borax made it appear to boil.
• A young official and other ministers tested the oil themselves, confirmed the deception, and urged Jiang Yunsheng to punish the fangshi.
• Jiang Nuan asked Jiang Yunsheng to spare the fangshi and put them to work, and he assigned them to her while threatening execution if they slacked off.
• The fangshi thanked Jiang Yunsheng for sparing them, while the ministers accepted their losses and the many con artists outside the palace remained unpunished.