Chapter Summaries

Xiao Yu arrived at the palace and Emperor Jinyuan discovered he could hear the boy’s thoughts, which warned him about his own doomed future and Consort Cui’s poisoning plot. After Xiao Yu left for the Eastern Palace, the emperor ordered the soup examined, and Consort Cui was stripped of her rank and demoted the next day.

• Xiao Yu met Emperor Jinyuan, whose anger faded when he saw the frail boy in a wheelchair, and the emperor realized he could hear Xiao Yu’s thoughts.
• Xiao Yu’s thoughts warned Emperor Jinyuan that he would wrongly destroy the Xiao family and die horribly, while Eunuch De would die protecting him.
• Consort Cui brought poisoned chicken soup, and Xiao Yu’s thoughts exposed her plan to seize power and make Emperor Jinyuan obey her.
• Emperor Jinyuan rejected Consort Cui and sent her away, while Xiao Yu used a line from his master to frighten her into leaving.
• Emperor Jinyuan ordered Dequan to have the soup examined, and Consort Cui was stripped of her consort rank and demoted the next day.

Xiao Yu intervened when palace guards beat the Southern Zhao hostage, Qi Yunheng, and learned more about the boy’s tragic past. After encountering Consort Wan, Xiao Yu unknowingly revealed through his thoughts that the crown prince was her supposedly dead son, leaving her shocked and in tears.

• Qinggeng warned Xiao Yu that the emperor was keeping him in the palace, but Xiao Yu chose to investigate a noise in the darkness.
• Xiao Yu found Li Chunlai and other guards beating Qi Yunheng, and he forced them to leave by challenging their right to mistreat the hostage.
• Qi Yunheng rejected Xiao Yu’s offered help and stormed off after Xiao Yu asked if he was playing hard to get.
• Consort Wan encountered Xiao Yu, heard his thoughts, and realized that her son was alive and was the crown prince.
• Seeing Consort Wan crying, Xiao Yu nervously used a line from his master: “Very good! Woman, you've succeeded in capturing my attention.”

Xiao Yu escorted Consort Wan to the Eastern Palace, where she reunited with the crown prince without revealing that she was his mother. Consort Wan began caring for him, while Xiao Yu was summoned to court and angered Emperor Jinyuan with his unspoken thoughts.

• Consort Wan escorted Xiao Yu to the Eastern Palace, where the crown prince welcomed him as a guest.
• Xiao Yu's thoughts revealed the crown prince's neglect and that Consort Wan believed her son had died; Consort Wan chose to protect the crown prince and promised to visit again.
• Consort Wan brought the crown prince new clothes and soup the next morning, and he cautiously asked whether she would still be kind to him if he were not her son.
• The crown prince learned that Emperor Jinyuan had summoned Xiao Yu to court before dawn, leaving him disappointed.
• Xiao Yu complained silently about Emperor Jinyuan during court, and the emperor slammed the dragon throne as the ministers begged him to calm down.

Xiao Yu’s thoughts warned Emperor Jinyuan of an assassination attempt at court, which the emperor swiftly defeated. After Xiao Yu revealed that Vice Minister of War Li Zhong had embezzled military pay meant for the Southern Border, Li Zhong’s residence was looted that night.

• Xiao Yu remembered that assassins disguised as imperial guards would attack Emperor Jinyuan, and the emperor’s warning prompted the assassins to strike.
• Emperor Jinyuan and the guards killed the assassins before the imperial troops arrived.
• The vice minister of war accused the Prince of the Southern Garrison of failing to control his troops, but Emperor Jinyuan rebuked him and dismissed the court.
• Xiao Yu recognized Li Zhong and thought about his embezzlement of border troops’ pay, prompting Emperor Jinyuan to realize the alleged corruption.
• Someone looted Li Zhong’s residence that night, and Li Zhong begged Emperor Jinyuan to order an investigation.

Xiao Yu met the crown prince’s teacher, Su Yan, and learned through his thoughts that the emperor had once kept his distance from the crown prince to protect him. When Emperor Father summoned Xiao Yu, the crown prince defended him and warned Wei Yi not to question the emperor.

• Qinggeng told Xiao Yu that Li Zhong’s storeroom had been emptied and that Li Zhong could not trace the theft to him.
• The crown prince found Xiao Yu up a persimmon tree and offered to catch him, but Su Yan carried Xiao Yu down and placed him in his wheelchair.
• Su Yan asked Xiao Yu to call him Uncle but left without explaining his connection to Xiao Yu’s mother, then assigned the crown prince more work.
• The crown prince shared osmanthus cakes with Xiao Yu, who thought that Su Yan’s presence in the Eastern Palace meant Emperor Father still cared about the crown prince.
• Wei Yi told the crown prince that Emperor Father had summoned Xiao Yu, and the crown prince told Wei Yi not to question the emperor’s reasons.

Xiao Yu surrendered two million taels from the money taken from Li Zhong’s residence and gave Emperor Jinyuan evidence of Li’s crimes, leading to Li Zhong’s arrest and the destruction of his household. Later, while staying in Emperor Jinyuan’s bedchamber, Xiao Yu stopped Qi Yunheng’s attempted assassination but drove him off by criticizing his smell.

• Emperor Jinyuan pushed Xiao Yu into the Silver Vault and demanded the money he had taken from Li Zhong’s residence.
• Xiao Yu turned over two million taels and gave Emperor Jinyuan account books proving Li Zhong’s corruption, while reserving the remaining money for the Southern Border.
• Emperor Jinyuan issued a decree condemning Li Zhong and ordering the extermination of his nine degrees of kinship.
• Xiao Yu spent the night in Emperor Jinyuan’s bedchamber, where Qi Yunheng entered using knockout smoke and tried to attack the emperor.
• Xiao Yu tackled Qi Yunheng and stopped him from killing Emperor Jinyuan, then made him flee by asking when he had last bathed.

Qi Yunheng regretted failing to assassinate Emperor Jinyuan and blamed Xiao Yu for ruining his opportunity. Emperor Jinyuan decided to adopt Xiao Yu as his fourth prince, while the Prince of Zhennan worried about the consequences and learned that Su Xun was escorting supplies south.

• Qi Yunheng washed himself after the failed assassination and vowed to find another chance to kill Emperor Jinyuan.
• Emperor Jinyuan decided to adopt the sleeping Xiao Yu as his son despite the ministers’ objections, including Su Yan’s.
• Emperor Jinyuan ordered Dequan to record the objecting ministers’ names and sent a confidential dispatch to the Prince of Zhennan’s Residence.
• The Prince and Princess Consort of Zhennan debated Emperor Jinyuan’s motives and learned that Su Xun was bringing military supplies to them.
• Su Xun’s convoy encountered bandits, and he ordered his men to take up their weapons and fight.

Xiao Yu raided Cao Lin’s residence, stealing his treasure and hidden arsenal before getting trapped inside during a lockdown. While searching for a way out, he found Qi Yunheng and twelve other captive boys, knocked Qi Yunheng unconscious after he bit him, and sealed all thirteen children inside the scroll.

• Xiao Yu and Qinggeng entered Cao Lin’s residence and emptied its storeroom and underground armory with Xiao Yu’s storage ring.
• Cao Lin discovered the theft, found warm feathers, and ordered his men to surround the residence and search for the intruders.
• Xiao Yu and Qinggeng became trapped inside and followed Li Chunlai’s guards to a room where thirteen captive boys were being held.
• Xiao Yu untied Qi Yunheng, who pinned and bit him before Xiao Yu kicked him away and knocked him unconscious.
• Xiao Yu asked the boys to come with him and used the scroll to turn all thirteen into figures inside the painting.

Xiao Yu captured an iron rooster demon who blamed him for Li Zhong’s death and learned the demon believed the mortal realm would eventually perish. The Crown Prince discovered Consort Liu’s schemes against his mother and the danger posed by Shen Zhuocheng, then decided to treat Xiao Yu well; the next morning, Xiao Yu resisted going with him to the Imperial Study.

• Xiao Yu purged the poison from his face and noted that the rescued orphans had joined the Shadow Guard Camp while the Commandant’s residence searched for its stolen silver.
• An iron rooster demon attacked Xiao Yu over Li Zhong’s death and the stolen silver, and Xiao Yu captured him in the Demon-Cleansing Bottle after hearing him claim the mortal realm would perish.
• The Crown Prince arrived to tell Xiao Yu to report to the Imperial Study and introduced Shen Zhuocheng as the Eastern Palace’s captain of the guards.
• The Crown Prince heard Xiao Yu’s thoughts revealing Consort Liu’s plots against Consort Wan and the Crown Prince, including Shen Zhuocheng’s role in a past conspiracy to kill him.
• The Crown Prince resolved to treat Xiao Yu well, but Xiao Yu refused to get up the next morning until the Crown Prince warned him that Master He would punish them for being late.

At the palace schoolroom, Xiao Yu was bullied by the sixth prince and the second prince, then faked collapsing after coughing up blood. Emperor Jinyuan rushed to the Eastern Palace, punished the princes, and ordered them to keep kneeling until Qi'an forgave them; Xiao Yu woke up.

• The crown prince defended Xiao Yu when the sixth prince insulted him, but the sixth prince rammed Xiao Yu's wheelchair and knocked both Xiao Yu and the crown prince down.
• The sixth prince ordered Xiao Yu to fetch books, and the second prince backed him; Xiao Yu asked the crown prince to push him to the lectern, then coughed up blood and collapsed.
• Dequan told Emperor Jinyuan that the fourth prince had vomited blood and fainted, so Emperor Jinyuan hurried to the Eastern Palace.
• Emperor Jinyuan refused to see the consorts, scolded the princes for bullying Qi'an, and ordered Master He removed for failing to teach them properly.
• After Dequan reported that the fourth prince had awakened, Emperor Jinyuan told the princes to keep kneeling until Qi'an forgave them.

After Xiao Yu recovered, he persuaded Emperor Jinyuan to make him a sworn younger brother and grant him the title of Prince Yu. With authority to discipline the princes, Xiao Yu began punishing his nephews at the Hall of Diligent Study while Emperor Jinyuan listened from the imperial study.

• Xiao Yu told Emperor Jinyuan he wanted to become his sworn younger brother, and Emperor Jinyuan agreed if the Prince of the Southern Garrison approved.
• Xiao Yu showed Emperor Jinyuan a memorial confirming his father’s consent, and Emperor Jinyuan issued a decree naming him Prince Yu and giving him a Golden Ruler.
• Xiao Yu used his new authority to have guards restrain the princes and began beating them for their behavior.
• The sixth prince threatened Xiao Yu, but Xiao Yu struck him until he addressed him as Imperial Uncle.
• The second prince silently vowed revenge and considered targeting the crown prince, while Emperor Jinyuan refused Dequan’s offer to intervene in the punishment.

After the court forced Emperor Jinyuan to confine Xiao Yu for a month, Xiao Yu reassured Consort Wan that he understood the emperor was using him and agreed to stay in the Eastern Palace. When the crown prince fell into a pond, Xiao Yu dove in to rescue him but was trapped with him by black waterweed spirits.

• The ministers impeached Xiao Yu, and Emperor Jinyuan confined him to his residence for a month.
• Consort Wan warned Xiao Yu that Emperor Jinyuan might turn against him, while Xiao Yu privately judged himself safe and useful for now.
• Xiao Yu refused Consort Wan's offer of help and decided to remain in the Eastern Palace after the crown prince pleaded with him to stay.
• Wei Yi told Xiao Yu that the crown prince had fallen into a pond and no one would rescue him, so Xiao Yu hurried there and jumped into the water.
• Xiao Yu found the unconscious crown prince tangled in black waterweed spirits, gave him medicine and a Sand Tang, then summoned Qinggeng to eat the weeds.

After rescuing the little crown prince, Xiao Yu overheard a conspiracy and fled from pursuing assassins, only to be poisoned and buried by Qi Yunheng. He escaped the shallow grave furious, while Qi Yunheng left with Xiao Yu’s persimmon.

• Xiao Yu brought the rescued little crown prince to the Eastern Palace, where Consort Wan stayed by the unconscious child and urged Xiao Yu to change out of his wet clothes.
• Xiao Yu overheard someone asking whether everything was in place, then fled when several men in black chased him from the Eastern Palace.
• Xiao Yu grabbed Qi Yunheng and asked him to lead the way; Qi Yunheng accepted a persimmon as payment but poisoned Xiao Yu with his needles.
• Qi Yunheng dragged the unconscious Xiao Yu to an abandoned palace and buried him, then kept the persimmon and left him in the hole.
• Xiao Yu woke with most of his body buried, climbed out, and shouted threats at Qi Yunheng before a frightened servant mistook him for a ghost.

Emperor Jinyuan ordered the fifth prince confined after learning his guard had pushed the crown prince into a pond, then visited the recovering crown prince and Consort Wan. His attempt to stay the night with them was interrupted when Xiao Yu arrived and announced he was joining them.

• Emperor Jinyuan learned that a guard serving the fifth prince had pushed the crown prince into a pond, and he ordered the fifth prince confined for a year.
• The crown prince woke after a day unconscious and learned from Consort Wan that Prince Yu had saved him and stayed by his side.
• Emperor Jinyuan visited the Eastern Palace, where he found Consort Wan caring for the crown prince and struggled to speak with them.
• Consort Wan said she would stay with the crown prince overnight, and Emperor Jinyuan declared that he wanted to sleep between them.
• Xiao Yu entered the Eastern Palace and announced that he was there to join them, provoking Emperor Jinyuan's anger.

After Xiao Yu escaped an attempted murder and burial, Emperor Jinyuan brought him into the crown prince’s bedchamber, where the family spent the night together. The next morning, Emperor Jinyuan took Xiao Yu to court to help advance a momentous plan, leaving the ministers wary of the newly titled Prince Yu’s role in governing.

• Xiao Yu told Emperor Jinyuan that someone had tried to kill him and bury him, and Consort Wan arranged hot water and clothes for him.
• Xiao Yu decided to sleep in the crown prince’s bedchamber, and Emperor Jinyuan joined him, Consort Wan, and the crown prince in sharing the bed.
• The crown prince said he was happy to have everyone he loved beside him, and Emperor Jinyuan promised to see that justice was done.
• Emperor Jinyuan dragged Xiao Yu to court the next morning because he needed an ally and a distraction for the ministers.
• The ministers saw Xiao Yu seated at the head of their ranks opposite Chancellor Cui and wondered whether Emperor Jinyuan intended him to help govern.

At court, Emperor Jinyuan secured donations for military pay and announced that Consort Wan would become empress, overruling ministers who objected to her birth and lack of a son. He also declared an amnesty and the restoration of some deposed consorts’ ranks before dismissing court.

• Su Yan offered a hundred thousand taels for the soldiers on the border, prompting Emperor Jinyuan to press the other ministers for donations.
• Shen Wuji and Xiao Yu each pledged a hundred thousand taels, and the other ministers followed; Chancellor Cui said he had donated his fortune to feed the starving.
• Emperor Jinyuan announced that he would appoint Consort Wan as empress, but the ministers objected to her illness, birth, and lack of a son.
• Emperor Jinyuan defended Consort Wan, cited the Crown Prince as heir, and ordered an amnesty and the restoration of ranks to consorts deposed for wrongdoing.
• Emperor Jinyuan dismissed court after the ministers praised his decision.

Emperor Jinyuan vowed to protect Wanwan and urged Xiao Yu to keep his distance from her, while Xiao Yu returned to the Eastern Palace. There, Xiao Yu’s thoughts revealed Consort Liu’s hostility toward Wanwan, and Wanwan slapped Consort Liu before pretending to tend lovingly to her cheek.

• Emperor Jinyuan promised to protect Wanwan and told Xiao Yu to treat her only as his imperial sister-in-law and keep his distance.
• Xiao Yu returned to the Eastern Palace, where the crown prince said Emperor Jinyuan planned to make Consort Wan his empress.
• Consort Wan arrived with Consort Liu, whom she introduced as a friend from before the palace.
• Xiao Yu’s thoughts revealed that Consort Liu resented Wanwan, wanted her husband, and had helped separate her from the crown prince.
• Consort Wan slapped Consort Liu, claimed a mosquito had bitten her, and applied ointment while Consort Liu silently cursed her.

After learning from Qi'an that Consort Liu had framed and killed her and the crown prince in a previous life, Consort Wan took steps to protect her son. At the Eastern Palace, Xiao Yu and the crown prince rejected the women Emperor Jinyuan sent to serve them in bed, while Xiao Yu remembered that he planned to return to Spirit Mountain.

• Consort Wan fed the injured Consort Liu, who panicked and fled, while Xiao Yu and the crown prince heard Qi'an reveal their tragic past-life fate.
• Consort Wan ordered Nanny Fang to test all food for poison and regularly investigate the palace maids in Qiwanyue Hall.
• Xiao Yu found Jinxin and Jinyu waiting in his bed and refused to let them serve him, saying he would send them out of the palace the next day.
• The crown prince fled from two palace maids sent by Emperor Jinyuan, and Xiao Yu helped him evade them.
• Xiao Yu and the crown prince said they wanted only one future wife and no concubines, before Xiao Yu remembered his plan to return to Spirit Mountain and cultivate.

Xiao Yu led the crown prince toward the cold palace, where they encountered Qi Yunheng in a tree. After they left, Qi Yunheng killed Li Chunlai, who had threatened and abused him, then took an illustrated book he found nearby.

• Xiao Yu ran from the pursuing maids with the crown prince and accidentally led him toward the cold palace.
• Xiao Yu recognized the place where he had been buried and reassured the crown prince that ghosts were not frightening.
• Xiao Yu shook the tree after spotting Qi Yunheng hiding in its branches, then left with the crown prince.
• Qi Yunheng found an illustrated book, blushed at its pictures, and confronted Li Chunlai when he arrived.
• Li Chunlai tried to kick Qi Yunheng, but Qi Yunheng stabbed and poisoned him before cutting his throat.
• Qi Yunheng wiped blood from his clothes and tucked the illustrated book inside his robe.

Qi Yunheng kept the poisoned persimmon Xiao Yu had given him and ordered Zhu Yan and the others to begin their attack. After learning Consort Wan had been named empress, Consort Liu resolved to frame her for adultery and recalled how jealousy and her love for the crown prince had turned her against her former sister.

• Qi Yunheng returned to the palace stained with blood, hid the Erotic Manual, and preserved Xiao Yu's persimmon with poison.
• Qi Yunheng told Uncle Fu to let Zhu Yan and the others make their move, saying it was time to kill their enemies and hoping Xiao Yu would live until they met again.
• Xiao Yu returned to his bedchamber, noticed the maids were gone, and worried that he had lost the Erotic Manual before turning his attention to Consort Liu's likely schemes against Consort Wan.
• Consort Liu learned that Consort Wan had been named empress, smashed her belongings, and ordered Mingxiang to fetch Guard Shen so she could frame Consort Wan as an adulteress.
• Consort Liu remembered how she had grown close to Consort Wan, then resented her after the crown prince married her as his principal consort and later loved her as emperor.