Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Tan Tai Heng, owner of the Secret Realm, orders his spirit snake Little Seven to deal with a group of human intruders. He initially intends to keep them in his Underground Palace forever.
• The intruders—Xiao Yu and his junior sectmates Lin Feng, Zhao Liang, and Yu Qing—discover that they cannot reopen the exit. Zhao suggests looting the realm and destroying it, but Xiao Yu insists they retreat and respect its owner’s belongings.
• Little Seven attacks the group. During the confrontation, Xiao Yu finds the smaller snake, Little Eight, in his shoe and handles it gently. Yu Qing takes it hostage, but Xiao Yu intervenes to prevent it from being hurt.
• Tan Tai Heng appears and claims Little Eight. Xiao Yu returns the snake and apologizes. Tan Tai Heng then offers to lead the group to the exit, and Xiao Yu accepts.
• On the way, Tan Tai Heng introduces himself as “Wang Xing.” After prompting from Lin Feng, Xiao Yu eventually gives him his real name.
• At the exit, Tan Tai Heng stays behind, claiming he can remain wherever he likes as an independent cultivator. Xiao Yu and the others leave. Asked why he let them go, Tan Tai Heng says he wants to see the blue sky outside.

Character developments

• Xiao Yu demonstrates calm authority, courtesy, and compassion, even when his group is threatened. His unfamiliarity with ordinary social cues shows his sheltered, training-focused nature.
• Tan Tai Heng shifts from hostility toward the intruders to curiosity about Xiao Yu. He pays particular attention to Xiao Yu and appears moved by their brief contact and exchange of names.
• Yu Qing acts impulsively by taking Little Eight hostage, while Zhao Liang shows greed and defiance. Lin Feng is more cautious and serves as a practical adviser.
• Little Seven is fiercely protective of Tan Tai Heng and angry at the humans; Little Eight’s vulnerability helps soften the confrontation.

Significant themes

• Respect versus greed: Xiao Yu argues that the group should leave the Secret Realm’s treasures untouched, contrasting with Zhao Liang’s desire to loot it.
• Compassion and trust: Xiao Yu’s care for Little Eight helps persuade Tan Tai Heng to spare the group.
• Isolation and longing: Tan Tai Heng’s claim that he wants to see the outside sky hints at his separation from the world and a desire for freedom or connection.
• First connection: The exchange of names marks a small but significant bond between Xiao Yu and Tan Tai Heng.

Character interactions

• Xiao Yu repeatedly restrains his juniors’ worst impulses, especially Yu Qing’s treatment of Little Eight.
• Tan Tai Heng and Xiao Yu communicate cautiously but respectfully; their initial tension gradually gives way to mutual interest.
• Little Seven’s protectiveness contrasts with Xiao Yu’s gentleness toward Little Eight, helping shift the encounter from violence to negotiation.

Plot summary

• On Mist Snow Peak, Xiao Yu senses an unseen watcher and stays composed, though the persistent attention unsettles him. The watcher is Tan Tai Heng, who is captivated by Xiao Yu’s sword practice but pretends he is watching the snow. His companion Little Seven sees through the excuse.
• After Tan Tai Heng disappears, Xiao Yu finds himself thinking about the missing gaze. A month later, Lin Feng notices that Xiao Yu’s sword intent has weakened and cautions him not to practice while his sword heart is unsettled. Xiao Yu declines Lin Feng’s invitation to travel, choosing instead to cultivate in seclusion.
• Another month later, Xiao Yu survives a lightning tribulation and advances to the middle Nascent Soul stage. He encounters Tan Tai Heng’s little black snake, Little Eight, and finally speaks with Tan Tai Heng face to face.
• Xiao Yu reveals that he knows Tan Tai Heng is not human and repeats what he overheard: his master called Tan Tai Heng an “old bull grazing on tender grass.” Their teasing exchange over Tan Tai Heng’s age leads Xiao Yu to suggest calling him “A-Heng.” Tan Tai Heng is visibly flustered, but Immortal Venerable Wuli interrupts and attacks him for spying on and pursuing his disciple.
• The scene then shifts to Xiao Yu bathing with Qi Yunheng. Xiao Yu asks whether they have met before, then playfully asks Qi Yunheng to carry him. When Xiao Yu calls him “A-Heng” and points out that he is blushing, Qi Yunheng warns him not to tease “This King.”

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Yu remains outwardly cool and disciplined, but Tan Tai Heng’s attention has begun to affect him. His questions and teasing suggest growing curiosity and comfort with Tan Tai Heng.
• Tan Tai Heng moves from secret observer to tentative suitor. He regrets using a false name and reacts strongly to Xiao Yu’s familiarity, yet remains vulnerable to Wuli’s hostility.
• Lin Feng acts as a concerned junior, recognizing Xiao Yu’s distraction and advising him to protect his cultivation.
• Immortal Venerable Wuli is fiercely protective of Xiao Yu and openly hostile toward Tan Tai Heng.
• Qi Yunheng shares an intimate, playful moment with Xiao Yu; his blushing response and warning hint at affection and mutual teasing.

Significant themes

• Concealed identity and recognition: Tan Tai Heng’s false name contrasts with Xiao Yu’s growing awareness of who he is; Xiao Yu’s question to Qi Yunheng raises the possibility of a deeper connection.
• Discipline versus distraction: Xiao Yu’s unsettled feelings affect his sword practice, even as he pursues advancement through rigorous cultivation.
• Age, affection, and teasing: Their playful exchanges turn Tan Tai Heng’s great age into a source of embarrassment while building intimacy.
• Protection and pursuit: Wuli’s intervention underscores the conflict between safeguarding Xiao Yu and Tan Tai Heng’s persistent desire to approach him.

Key plot points and events

• After bathing, Qi Yunheng and Xiao Yu share an intimate moment: Qi asks for help, and Xiao Yu agrees.
• The next day, Qi sees Xiao Yu in Southern Zhao’s clothing and privately delights in thinking of him as his Queen.
• At court, Qi seats Xiao Yu beside him and formally appoints him Queen, declaring that they will rule Southern Zhao together.
• The ministers accept the appointment at first, relieved that this is the real, living Xiao Yu rather than the unsettling dummy Queen Qi once brought to court.
• They then discover that Xiao Yu is Prince Yu of Jin and the Prince of Zhennan’s legitimate son. Qi admits he fetched him personally and refuses to send him back or seek permission from Jin.
• The ministers fear retaliation from Xiao Yu’s powerful family army. Qi says he will personally ask Xiao Yu’s father’s forgiveness and prove his love is sincere. Xiao Yu teasingly holds him to that promise.
• When the Minister of Rites asks about the Winter Hunt, Qi orders it to proceed as usual.

Character developments

• Qi Yunheng is openly affectionate and possessive toward Xiao Yu. He takes pride in naming him Queen and is determined to keep him, despite the political risks.
• Xiao Yu is comfortable enough to tease Qi and enjoy his embarrassment, while also watching how Qi handles the consequences of bringing him to Southern Zhao.
• The ministers shift from relief at seeing the real Xiao Yu to alarm over the diplomatic danger of Qi having brought him without his family’s consent.

Significant themes

• Love and commitment: Qi’s intimacy with Xiao Yu and his public declaration of marriage show his feelings becoming both personal and political.
• Possession versus consent: Qi insists that Xiao Yu is his Queen and dismisses the need for Jin’s approval, raising the stakes of his devotion.
• Public power and private affection: Their relationship is displayed openly at court, where romantic choices immediately create political consequences.
• Appearance and reality: The ministers’ relief at seeing the living Xiao Yu recalls the fake Queen and underscores the strangeness of Qi’s past behavior.

Character interactions

• Qi and Xiao Yu share intimate tenderness, followed by playful teasing about Xiao Yu’s appearance and Qi’s feelings.
• Qi holds Xiao Yu’s hand throughout the court proceedings, reinforcing his public claim and private attachment.
• The ministers challenge Qi over Xiao Yu’s identity and the lack of a formal marriage arrangement; Qi refuses to yield, while Xiao Yu watches with amused interest.

Plot and events

• During the winter hunt, Qi Yunheng leaves to hunt deep in the forest for Xiao Yu, eager to follow the custom of bringing game to one’s beloved. He insists Xiao Yu should receive what other consorts do, while Xiao Yu urges him to be careful and waits for him.
• Little Yun Cheng complains that Qi Yunheng forgot to hunt for him. Xiao Yu jokes that they can punish Qi Yunheng by eating all the roast meat themselves.
• The Ninth Prince insults Xiao Yu and mocks Yun Cheng for defending him. When Xiao Yu tries to leave, the Ninth Prince attacks him with venomous snakes.
• Xiao Yu summons Xiao Ba, who swallows the snakes. After the Ninth Prince’s horse throws him off, Xiao Yu hangs him from a tree as punishment.
• A flock of dangerous Luo Luo Birds descends on the hunting grounds. Xiao Yu protects Yun Cheng by assigning Qinggeng to guard him, then uses enchanted arrows to knock the birds down for Xiao Ba to eat. The Ninth Prince, still hanging from the tree, panics as the birds approach.

Character developments and interactions

• Qi Yunheng is affectionate and devoted to Xiao Yu, treating the hunt as a chance to show his love. His insistence also reflects his desire to ensure others do not question his devotion.
• Xiao Yu remains calm and confident in the face of provocation. He protects Yun Cheng, decisively punishes the Ninth Prince, and takes charge when the birds attack.
• Yun Cheng openly supports Xiao Yu and feels hurt by his brother’s neglect, but follows Xiao Yu’s lead during the confrontation.
• The Ninth Prince is antagonistic and cruel; his attempt to intimidate Xiao Yu leaves him humiliated and vulnerable.

Significant themes

• Devotion and belonging: Qi Yunheng’s hunt reflects his happiness at having someone who waits for and cares about him.
• Loyalty and protection: Yun Cheng stands up for Xiao Yu, while Xiao Yu safeguards him during both the dispute and the bird attack.
• Power and consequences: The Ninth Prince’s aggression is met with Xiao Yu’s overwhelming magical strength.
• Custom and public judgment: Qi Yunheng worries that others may interpret a lack of hunting gifts as a lack of love.

• Hunting-ground danger: Xiao Yu shoots down the Luo Luo Birds attacking the ninth prince, while Xiao Ba eagerly eats the fallen birds. Xiao Yu rescues the unconscious prince and checks that Qi Yunheng is unharmed. They leave the remaining birds to Zhu Yan and the archers and return to the palace.
• A looming confrontation: At the palace, ministers report that the Prince of Zhennan has arrived at the border with 200,000 troops, demanding the return of his son—Xiao Yu. Qi Yunheng, usually confident, is anxious that Xiao Yu’s family may reject him. Xiao Yu reassures him, declaring his affection and promising to face the meeting together. The ministers awkwardly witness their intimate exchange.
• Father and son reunite: Half a month later, Qi Yunheng and the Prince of Zhennan meet before their armies. Qi Yunheng greets him as “Father,” both out of respect for his past kindness and because he is Xiao Yu’s father. The Prince of Zhennan rejects the title, irritated by Qi Yunheng’s presumptuousness. When Xiao Yu appears, however, the prince’s anger gives way to emotion. He reproaches Xiao Yu for staying away, but gladly embraces him; Xiao Yu says he missed him and has now come home.
• An unresolved choice: The prince invites Xiao Yu home, noting that his mother has longed for him. Xiao Yu then calls Qi Yunheng to his side and tells his father he wants to bring him along.
  Character developments and interactions: Qi Yunheng reveals deep insecurity beneath his royal confidence and depends on Xiao Yu’s reassurance. Xiao Yu is protective and openly affectionate toward him, while also reconnecting warmly with his father. The Prince of Zhennan’s stern public manner masks years of longing for his son; his reunion with Xiao Yu is tender, though his relationship with Qi Yunheng begins tensely.
  Significant themes: Loyalty and gratitude across lifetimes; family bonds strained by separation; love offering security amid fear; and the contrast between public pride and private vulnerability.

Plot points

• The Prince of Zhennan objects to Xiao Yu and Qi Yunheng holding hands, but Xiao Yu takes Qi’s sleeve and openly tells his father that Qi is the man he loves. Xiao Yu then takes his father’s hand and asks to go home. Moved by their reunion, the Prince of Zhennan holds on to his son; Qi quietly clasps Xiao Yu’s fingers and signals the Southern Zhao army to withdraw.
• In Jin, the Empress and Emperor Jinyuan agree that the Crown Prince should deliver Prince Xuan’s New Year supplies to Jiangzhou, hoping the gesture will ease the brothers’ strained relationship.
• Prince Xuan dismisses a suggestion to kill the Crown Prince, noting that such a move would expose his intentions to their father. Cui Rong volunteers to receive the Crown Prince and is told to take precautions against anyone harming him.
• After anxiously waiting outside Jiangzhou, Cui Rong greets the Crown Prince. He sends the accompanying officials to the post station and invites the Crown Prince to stay at his residence. The Crown Prince readily accepts.
• In the carriage, Cui Rong warms the Crown Prince’s cold hands. When the Crown Prince says he rode to travel faster, Cui Rong realizes the intimacy of his gesture, lets go, and apologizes. The Crown Prince says it is all right, though he is disappointed when the warmth ends.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Yu confidently asserts his love for Qi while also reaching out to his father, showing that he wants both romantic commitment and restored family closeness.
• The Prince of Zhennan shifts from disapproval to tenderness, experiencing the simple act of holding his son’s hand as a deeply meaningful reunion.
• Qi Yunheng is touched by Xiao Yu’s public declaration and responds with quiet affection, signaling that he will return home with him.
• Cui Rong is protective and emotionally invested in the Crown Prince, but his concern turns into awkward self-consciousness when his affection becomes physically apparent.
• The Crown Prince is visibly pleased to see Cui Rong and eager to accept his invitation, though he hides his eagerness behind practical excuses. His disappointment at Cui Rong pulling away hints at reciprocal affection.
• Prince Xuan remains contemptuous of his brother but does not openly authorize violence, while Cui Rong’s offer places him in the role of the Crown Prince’s protector.

Significant themes

• Reconciliation and belonging: Xiao Yu’s return brings father and son closer, while the Crown Prince’s visit is framed as a possible step toward mending sibling tensions.
• Love expressed through gestures: Public declarations, clasped fingers, hand-holding, and warming cold hands communicate devotion and longing.
• Restraint and vulnerability: Both Cui Rong and the Crown Prince conceal their feelings, making small acts of care—and the withdrawal from them—emotionally charged.

Key plot points and events

• During the carriage ride to the Cui Residence, Cui Rong and the Crown Prince share a quiet, emotionally charged moment. They ask after each other, but Cui Rong avoids answering whether Prince Xuan still resents the Crown Prince. When the Crown Prince pretends to stumble while leaving the carriage, Cui Rong catches and supports him.
• At the residence, Prince Xuan is waiting. He mocks Cui Rong for bringing the Crown Prince home privately and warns the two men that their political positions will eventually make them enemies. He insists Cui Rong is on his side. The Crown Prince replies that he trusts both his uncle and his brother and does not want the brothers to become enemies.
• After Prince Xuan leaves, the Crown Prince says he is cold, and Cui Rong brings him hot water.
• In the Southern Border, Qi Yunheng learns that the red envelopes from Xiao Yu’s family are New Year’s lucky money, not a sign of disapproval. Xiao Yu gives him one as well and wishes him safety and happiness. Moved by the kindness, Qi Yunheng embraces him, and they exchange New Year’s greetings beneath the fireworks.
• In the capital, Emperor Jinyuan reads that the Crown Prince will remain in snowbound Jiangzhou to celebrate the New Year with Prince Xuan. Though puzzled by their apparent closeness and saddened that several family members are away, he is cheered by Little Xiyue’s presence.
• Back at the Cui Residence, Cui Rong gives the Crown Prince a New Year’s red envelope, assuring him that he should receive what everyone else does.

Character developments and interactions

• Cui Rong and the Crown Prince: Their restrained affection shows through their concern, hand-holding, and quiet domestic gestures. Cui Rong misses the Crown Prince but conceals it; the Crown Prince seeks closeness and trusts him.
• Prince Xuan: His teasing masks a serious warning about the brothers’ unavoidable political rivalry. He believes their current trust will only make future conflict more painful.
• The Crown Prince: He openly expresses faith in both Cui Rong and Prince Xuan, hoping they can avoid becoming enemies.
• Qi Yunheng and Xiao Yu: Qi Yunheng experiences the warmth of family traditions for the first time. Xiao Yu’s loving reassurance deepens their intimacy.
• Emperor Jinyuan and Little Xiyue: Her simple affection comforts him while he misses his absent family.

Significant themes

• Affection amid political danger: The Crown Prince and Cui Rong’s closeness exists under the shadow of succession conflict.
• Trust and inevitable rivalry: The chapter contrasts the Crown Prince’s hope for brotherly trust with Prince Xuan’s belief that political destiny will divide them.
• Belonging and family warmth: New Year’s customs and gifts help Qi Yunheng feel welcomed, while the Crown Prince is likewise included in the Cui household’s celebration.
• Longing and home: Several characters mark the holiday apart from family, revealing how strongly they value connection and home.

Key plot points and events

• On New Year’s Eve in Jiangzhou, Cui Rong invites the Crown Prince to watch fireworks from the city wall. Prince Xuan startles him with firecrackers, and the Crown Prince stumbles into Cui Rong’s arms.
• The Crown Prince asks Prince Xuan to teach him how to set off firecrackers. Despite Cui Rong’s concern about safety, the Crown Prince insists on trying them himself. The brothers spend the evening setting off several baskets of firecrackers and the remaining large fireworks.
• Watching the festive city, the Crown Prince feels comforted by the people’s celebration. Cui Rong warms his cold hands with his own and internal energy. The Crown Prince wishes him a happy New Year, apparently using Cui Rong’s courtesy name, Xuanzhi.
• In the Southern Border, Qi Yunheng joins the Prince of Zhennan’s family in ancestor rites. After working to gain their acceptance, he is now treated as the residence’s “daughter-in-law.”
• Qi Yunheng gives Xiao Yu a New Year’s red envelope and says he wants Xiao Yu to share whatever he has. Xiao Yu is building snowmen of the two of them, “together forever.” Qi Yunheng kisses him, and children teasingly call attention to it before the couple exchange New Year’s greetings.

Character developments and interactions

• The Crown Prince shows growing trust and openness: he asks to join Prince Xuan’s play despite having never handled firecrackers, and takes pleasure in an ordinary, joyful celebration. His warmth toward Cui Rong is also evident in his New Year’s greeting.
• Cui Rong acts protectively but ultimately lets the Crown Prince try new things. Watching him enjoy himself reinforces Cui Rong’s gratitude that he saved him during the assassination attempt and his deep affection for him.
• Prince Xuan begins the evening by teasing and dismissing the Crown Prince, but eagerly teaches him to use the firecrackers and enjoys playing with him. Their shared fun briefly softens their antagonistic relationship.
• Qi Yunheng has become more settled within the Prince of Zhennan’s household and expresses his devotion to Xiao Yu through his gift and words.
• Xiao Yu openly imagines a lasting future with Qi Yunheng; their affectionate kiss and mutual greetings show their comfort and happiness together.

Significant themes

• New Year’s celebrations create opportunities for reconciliation, intimacy, and belonging.
• Care and affection appear in small gestures: sharing a red envelope, warming cold hands, teaching someone to play, and making paired snowmen.
• The chapter contrasts grand ambition with personal tenderness: the Crown Prince values Cui Rong’s warmth more than Prince Xuan’s ideals of achievement.
• The festive fireworks and family rituals emphasize shared joy and acceptance.

Key plot points

• During a New Year banquet at the Prince of Zhennan’s residence, Xiao Yu watches the dancers, making Qi Yunheng jealous. A deputy general assumes Xiao Yu might be interested in women and urges him to take a wife, but Xiao Yu firmly refuses.
• Xiao Yu is actually watching a dancer because she keeps looking at Qi Yunheng with hostility. She attacks Qi Yunheng with a hairpin, but Xiao Yu kills her before she can reach him.
• The dancer’s attack is a distraction: a soldier named Xiao Shan stabs Qi Yunheng in the side. Xiao Yu quickly stops the bleeding and carries him away.
• Xiao Shan says he acted to avenge his mother and sister, whom he believes the King of Southern Zhao harmed. The deputy general explains that Qi Yunheng had once saved Xiao Shan’s life. The Prince of Zhennan condemns Xiao Shan’s betrayal and his failure to consider the consequences for both countries.
• Overwhelmed by guilt, Xiao Shan kills himself. The Prince orders proper burials for him and the dancer, who was apparently his fiancée.
• Xiao Yu tends Qi Yunheng’s wound and urges him to defend himself if attacked again. Qi Yunheng says he could never bear to hurt Xiao Yu, then asks for a kiss.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Yu shows his vigilance and devotion by noticing the dancer’s threat, protecting Qi Yunheng, and confronting his father’s men for putting him at risk. He also feels guilty for bringing Qi Yunheng into danger.
• Qi Yunheng is jealous of Xiao Yu’s attention to the dancers, but his restraint during the attack reveals his concern for Xiao Yu: he lets himself be stabbed rather than kill Xiao Shan and put Xiao Yu in a difficult position.
• Xiao Shan is driven by old grief and mistaken vengeance. The Prince’s rebuke makes him recognize the harm he has caused, and he takes his own life.
• The Prince of Zhennan disapproves of Xiao Shan’s treachery but regrets not noticing his suffering sooner. He also sees the possessive bond between Xiao Yu and Qi Yunheng.
• The couple’s banter over jealousy gives way to tenderness and worry after the attack, reinforcing their mutual affection and trust.

Significant themes

• Love and sacrifice: Qi Yunheng accepts injury to spare Xiao Yu moral and political trouble; Xiao Yu responds with fierce protection.
• Vengeance and its consequences: Xiao Shan’s hatred leads him to attack the wrong person and ends in tragedy.
• Loyalty and responsibility: The attack threatens not only individuals but relations between two countries, highlighting the wider costs of personal grievances.
• Jealousy and devotion: The banquet’s comic romantic tension contrasts sharply with the sudden violence.

Key plot points and events

• Qi Yunheng, wounded but conscious, persuades Xiao Yu to kiss him, saying it will make the pain go away. Xiao Yu gives in.
• The Princess Consort of Zhennan walks in on them and misreads the kiss as Xiao Yu taking advantage of his injured consort. She scolds him and sends him to the ancestral hall to reflect.
• The household physician confirms that Qi Yunheng’s wound is stable: it has stopped bleeding and needs only rest and regular dressing changes.
• The Princess Consort stays by Qi Yunheng’s bedside, offers to care for him, and reassures him that he is family.
• That night, Xiao Yu sneaks back to see Qi Yunheng—and admits he also hopes to hug him. The Princess Consort tries to hit him with a feather duster, and he flees, calling for his father to “keep his wife in line.”

Character developments

• Qi Yunheng enjoys Xiao Yu’s affection but is also moved by the Princess Consort’s care. Her acceptance gives him a sense of belonging and the warmth of having a mother.
• Xiao Yu is openly devoted to Qi Yunheng, though embarrassed by his mother’s misunderstanding and prone to cheeky retorts.
• The Princess Consort has grown to accept Qi Yunheng as her son. Her concern for his recovery shows genuine affection, even as she scolds Xiao Yu.

Significant themes

• Found family and belonging: The Princess Consort’s acceptance helps Qi Yunheng feel he has a loving home.
• Affection and care: Xiao Yu’s tenderness and the Princess Consort’s bedside attention express different forms of love.
• Comic misunderstanding: The Princess Consort mistakes a consensual kiss for misconduct, driving the chapter’s playful conflict.

Character interactions

• Xiao Yu and Qi Yunheng share a tender, teasing moment that the Princess Consort interrupts.
• The Princess Consort reprimands Xiao Yu but treats Qi Yunheng with warmth and maternal concern.
• Qi Yunheng quietly thanks her, cherishing her welcome.
• Xiao Yu’s late-night visit escalates into a comic chase when his mother catches him trying to sneak in for a hug.

Key plot points and events

• The Princess Consort of Zhennan is angry with Xiao Yu, but the Prince of Zhennan quickly softens the confrontation. He takes away the wooden club and feather duster, then carries his wife off to bed. Their affectionate exchange leaves Xiao Yu amused.
• Xiao Yu returns to the room he shares with Qi Yunheng, who apologizes for causing his mother to misunderstand Xiao Yu. Xiao Yu reassures him and checks on his injury.
• Xiao Yu changes out of his snow-covered robe and invites Qi Yunheng to sleep beside him. Qi Yunheng hopes for greater intimacy, but Xiao Yu asks him to wait until his injury heals. He explains that he does not dislike Qi Yunheng; he simply feels little urgency about physical intimacy.
• Fuxi arrives with an urgent letter from Uncle Fu: Yun Cheng has gone missing. Qi Yunheng says he must return to Southern Zhao, initially hoping Xiao Yu will stay behind. Xiao Yu insists on accompanying him, and they leave to inform the Prince and Princess Consort of Zhennan.
• In Jiangzhou, the Crown Prince receives an arrow-delivered message claiming Cui Rong is in danger and summoning him to the Long Pavilion outside the city. He immediately takes his sword and sets out.

Character developments and interactions

• The Prince and Princess Consort of Zhennan show their tenderness through playful, familiar bickering. Xiao Yu’s amused reaction suggests he is comfortable with their affection.
• Xiao Yu and Qi Yunheng share a warm but teasing conversation. Qi Yunheng is openly affectionate and eager for closeness; Xiao Yu sets a boundary while reassuring him of his feelings.
• Xiao Yu’s commitment becomes clear when he refuses to let Qi Yunheng face Southern Zhao’s dangers alone, despite Qi Yunheng’s protective instincts. Qi Yunheng accepts his support and feels reassured by his presence.
• The Crown Prince’s immediate response to the message shows his concern for Cui Rong and his willingness to act without delay.

Significant themes

• Affection and family: The Zhennan couple’s warmth and Xiao Yu and Qi Yunheng’s growing intimacy frame the chapter.
• Trust and partnership: Xiao Yu insists that being together means confronting danger together, while Qi Yunheng learns to accept his support.
• Boundaries and care: Xiao Yu distinguishes love from physical desire and prioritizes Qi Yunheng’s recovery.
• Threats and uncertainty: Yun Cheng’s disappearance and the warning about Cui Rong introduce two urgent dangers that drive the story forward.

Key plot points and events

• Prince Xuan asks whether the Crown Prince has announced his return to the capital. Cui Rong privately wants him to stay but recognizes that lingering in Jiangzhou puts the heir in danger and could bring blame on Prince Xuan.
• Prince Xuan warns Cui Rong that his feelings for the Crown Prince are dangerous. He teases him about their time alone in a cave, but Cui Rong insists nothing improper happened.
• Cui Rong notices that Ji Tian—the guard who usually stays close to Prince Xuan—has left the city. Alarmed, he suspects the Crown Prince is in danger and rushes away. Prince Xuan, realizing Ji Tian may be involved, grows serious.
• Outside the city, the Crown Prince follows a note to a pavilion, where Ji Tian and a group of armed men ambush him. Ji Tian reveals that they intend to kill him, claiming they act independently of Prince Xuan, and says the Crown Prince’s position should pass to someone more capable. The Crown Prince draws his sword and refuses to surrender.
• At Cui Rong’s residence, the Crown Prince is absent. Cui Rong finds an empty room and a note on the desk, confirming his fears.

Character developments

• Cui Rong struggles between his love for the Crown Prince and his awareness that the attachment is dangerous. His concern for the Crown Prince quickly overrides his embarrassment and sends him into action.
• Prince Xuan shows concern for Cui Rong while bluntly challenging his feelings. He also appears unsettled when the possibility of Ji Tian’s involvement arises.
• The Crown Prince remains composed under threat, protects Cui Rong’s reputation, and meets the ambush with defiance.
• Ji Tian is revealed as the leader of the attackers. His hostility toward the Crown Prince suggests political ambition, though he claims Prince Xuan had no part in the plot.

Significant themes

• Forbidden love and duty: Cui Rong’s private feelings conflict with political protocol and personal safety.
• Loyalty and betrayal: The Crown Prince trusts the note enough to attend the meeting, only to face an ambush by a guard close to Prince Xuan.
• Power and succession: Ji Tian frames the assassination as a way to replace the Crown Prince with a more capable heir.
• Courage under threat: The Crown Prince refuses to surrender, insisting he will only fall fighting.

Character interactions

• Prince Xuan alternates between teasing Cui Rong about his devotion and warning him about its consequences.
• Cui Rong’s questions about Ji Tian reveal his suspicion and concern; Prince Xuan’s answer leaves him increasingly uneasy.
• Ji Tian taunts the Crown Prince over his relationship with Cui Rong and his public closeness to Prince Xuan before ordering the attack.
• Cui Rong’s hurried questions to the steward—and his rush to the Crown Prince’s empty room—show his mounting fear as the threat becomes real.

Key plot points

• Prince Xuan punishes Ji Tian for arranging an attack on the Crown Prince in Jiangzhou, despite explicit orders not to target him.
• Ji Tian says he acted out of concern that the Crown Prince’s survival would keep Xuan from returning to the capital. He later reveals that Prince Cheng encouraged the plot, promising Xuan’s recall if the Crown Prince were eliminated.
• Xuan realizes Prince Cheng intended to use the attack both to remove the Crown Prince and to implicate Xuan. He rejects Ji Tian’s claim that the guards’ deaths would protect him and orders the disobedient men to take their own lives.
• Xuan goes to the Cui Residence, where Cui Rong has spent a day and night beside the unconscious, gravely wounded Crown Prince, insisting he is only asleep.
• Cui Rong blames himself for the Crown Prince’s condition, believing his relationship with him made the prince vulnerable.

Character developments and interactions

• Prince Xuan is furious at Ji Tian’s disobedience but also recognizes the political trap behind it. His anger gives way to loneliness and uncertainty as he heads to Cui Rong’s residence. He admits responsibility for the calamity.
• Ji Tian remains loyal to Xuan, but his misguided attempt to help has worsened the crisis. He insists he never betrayed his master.
• Cui Rong is overwhelmed by grief and refuses to accept that the Crown Prince may be dying. He clings to promises of a shared outing and confesses there is something he still wants to tell him. His guilt turns inward as he questions his love for the prince.
• Xuan and Cui Rong share blame for the Crown Prince’s peril, though Cui Rong responds with despair while Xuan confronts the political consequences.
• The physician warns that the wound may be fatal; Cui Rong rebukes him, and Xuan dismisses him.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and disobedience: Ji Tian’s loyalty becomes harmful when he acts without Xuan’s consent.
• Political manipulation: Prince Cheng exploits Xuan’s guards to create a scheme that could eliminate the Crown Prince and ruin Xuan.
• Love, guilt, and vulnerability: Cui Rong believes his love exposed the Crown Prince to danger, while his devotion keeps him clinging to hope.
• Powerlessness and consequence: Xuan and Cui Rong both recognize that their choices have contributed to a crisis they can no longer undo.

Key plot points and events

• Prince Xuan, watching the Crown Prince near death, realizes that Prince Yu may be able to save him. Cui Rong is devastated and fears there is no time to reach Prince Yu in Southern Zhao.
• Cui Rong’s desperate wish triggers the Life-and-Death Talisman. Far away, Xiao Yu suffers a backlash, senses that something has happened to Yuanruo, and collapses.
• After waking, Xiao Yu tells Qi Yunheng he must return to the Jin Kingdom. Qi accepts their temporary separation, and Xiao Yu kisses him before teleporting away. Qi then learns that the First Prince and Madam may be plotting with former ministers and orders them watched.
• Xiao Yu arrives at the snowbound Cui Residence in Jiangzhou. He confirms the Crown Prince’s heart is repairing and that he will survive.
• Exhausted from keeping vigil, Cui Rong faints. Xiao Yu entrusts him to Prince Xuan, then offers a wisp of his divine soul to bring Yuanruo back through rebirth.
• Cui Rong wakes and learns the Crown Prince is out of danger, though the rebirth may leave him with aftereffects.

Character developments

• Xiao Yu acts decisively and compassionately, accepting the cost of sacrificing part of his divine soul to save Yuanruo.
• Cui Rong reveals the depth of his devotion through his desperate wish and prolonged vigil; relief finally replaces his fear.
• Prince Xuan shows concern for the Crown Prince and loyalty to Xiao Yu, while remaining defensive about his own past involvement in the attempted killing.
• Qi Yunheng reluctantly lets Xiao Yu go, balancing affection with the urgent search for Yun Cheng and political threats at home.

Significant themes

• Devotion and sacrifice: Cui Rong’s wish and Xiao Yu’s offering of his divine soul both express willingness to pay a personal cost to save Yuanruo.
• Fate, rebirth, and supernatural bonds: The talisman links Cui Rong’s plea to Xiao Yu across great distance, and rebirth becomes the means of survival.
• Love amid danger and separation: Xiao Yu and Qi Yunheng part affectionately while both remain committed to their responsibilities.
• Loyalty and political intrigue: The Crown Prince’s peril and the reported plotting among former ministers show that personal danger is entangled with court power struggles.

Character interactions

• Xiao Yu reassures Qi Yunheng before leaving, sharing a tender kiss that visibly affects him.
• Prince Xuan explains his connection to Cui Rong and insists that Second Imperial Brother was behind the attack; Xiao Yu responds with guarded skepticism.
• Xiao Yu comforts Cui Rong by confirming Yuanruo will live, then gently directs Prince Xuan to help the exhausted man rest.
• Prince Xuan teases Cui Rong after he wakes, but Cui Rong’s immediate concern remains the Crown Prince.

Plot points

• The Crown Prince awakens after the attempt on his life, but the recovery has left him with a loss of memory: he recognizes Cui Rong yet no longer remembers their shared experiences or the feelings he once had for him.
• Cui Rong realizes this may be the price of having wished that the Crown Prince wake, even if he could never see him again. He accepts the loss, relieved that the Crown Prince is alive and safe.
• Xiao Yu proposes returning to the capital now that the snow has stopped. The Crown Prince agrees, though he remains curious about Cui Rong’s behavior toward him.
• Unable to sleep that night, the Crown Prince finds Cui Rong waiting in the courtyard. Cui Rong offers to take him to see the blooming plum blossoms.
• On the slippery path, Cui Rong guides him by the hand. The Crown Prince confesses that, as a child, he envied his younger brother for receiving their father’s affection. Cui Rong reassures him that he will not be alone.

Character developments and interactions

• Cui Rong hides his heartbreak behind relief and restraint. Though he longs to be close to the Crown Prince, he remains careful not to overstep; he even gets Changfeng to bring a fresh cloak rather than placing his own on him.
• The Crown Prince is formally grateful to Cui Rong but senses that something is unusual between them. His instinctive recognition of Cui Rong and his growing warmth toward him suggest that familiarity remains even without conscious memories.
• Xiao Yu appears uneasy about the situation and avoids explaining what the Crown Prince has forgotten. He redirects the conversation toward the journey back to the capital.
• Cui Rong’s tenderness and the Crown Prince’s tentative trust emerge in their quiet nighttime walk. Their brief exchange about the Crown Prince’s childhood also shows Cui Rong’s wounded humor and the Crown Prince’s awkward attempt to apologize.

Significant themes

• Love and sacrifice: Cui Rong accepts losing the Crown Prince’s affection as the cost of saving him.
• Memory and emotional connection: Though the Crown Prince has forgotten their shared past, his instincts and responses suggest their bond may endure.
• Loneliness and reassurance: The Crown Prince’s childhood longing for paternal affection is met by Cui Rong’s promise that he will not be alone.
• Restraint and care: Cui Rong expresses his devotion through practical, gentle acts while honoring the Crown Prince’s distance.

Summary

Key plot points and events

• Beneath the snowy plum trees, the Crown Prince brushes snow from a blossom. Cui Rong stops him from touching the snow with bare hands, briefly taking his hand. The Crown Prince says it is cold and wonders whether Cui Rong has warmed his hands before, hinting at a faint, blurred memory of their past.
• Cui Rong gives him a hand warmer and keeps his deeper feelings to himself. He believes the Crown Prince is better off not remembering their former relationship, since their positions as ruler and subject leave them no future together.
• Xiao Yu interrupts their late-night outing with a snowball and sends them back to bed.
• The next day, the Crown Prince departs for the capital. Cui Rong and Prince Xuan see him off. Their farewell leaves Cui Rong aching with the pain of separation.
• Prince Xuan tells Cui Rong he can go after the Crown Prince, saying he has grown accustomed to life in Jiangzhou and can manage on his own. Cui Rong accepts the offer and reveals that his luggage and departure arrangements are already prepared.
• Cui Rong explains privately that the Crown Prince’s recent unconsciousness made him fear losing him without warning. He decides to return to the capital so he can stay near him.
• Before leaving, Cui Rong checks that Prince Xuan has dealt with the spies and leaves most of his people behind to support him. Prince Xuan watches him go with mixed loneliness and regret.
• Prince Xuan and Ji Tian discuss the earlier infiltration: the traitors have been eliminated, and Ji Tian’s identity had been stolen. Prince Xuan absolves him of blame, then accepts his cloak as the cold wind rises.

Character developments and interactions

• Cui Rong remains devoted to the Crown Prince but suppresses his feelings, telling himself the Crown Prince’s forgetfulness may be for the best. His fear of losing him ultimately outweighs his resolve to stay away, and he chooses to return to the capital.
• The Crown Prince shows a possible flicker of memory through his question about Cui Rong warming his hands, though he cannot identify the memory. He and Cui Rong share a tender, restrained farewell.
• Prince Xuan demonstrates independence and concern for Cui Rong by encouraging him to follow the Crown Prince. He jokes that he is “giving” his uncle as repayment for the Crown Prince saving his life, but is visibly lonely once Cui Rong leaves.
• Xiao Yu acts as a watchful, mildly exasperated guardian, interrupting the pair’s late-night excursion.
• Ji Tian reports that the spies and traitors have been dealt with. Prince Xuan defends him rather than blaming him for the enemy’s deception.

Significant themes

• Unspoken love and restraint: Cui Rong’s care for the Crown Prince is expressed through small gestures, while he hides his feelings and doubts whether they were ever returned.
• Memory and loss: The Crown Prince’s fleeting impression of a shared past suggests that forgotten feelings may still linger.
• Separation and attachment: The farewells bring out the pain of parting and the strength of Cui Rong’s need to remain close to the Crown Prince.
• Growth and loyalty: Prince Xuan’s willingness to stand on his own allows Cui Rong to follow his own loyalty, while their exchange reveals affection beneath their teasing.

Key plot points and events

• Qi Yunheng confronts Qi Shi and the eighth prince, Yunqin, demanding to know where his younger brother Yun Cheng is.
• Qi Shi insults Yun Yunheng and defends Yunqin, while Yunqin tries to win his favor by promising to reveal Yun Cheng’s location in exchange for being allowed back into the palace.
• Qi Yunheng rejects their appeals, condemning Yunqin’s past attempt to poison him and reminding Qi Shi that their mother–son bond ended when she cast him out three years earlier.
• When they refuse to cooperate, Qi Yunheng threatens to kill them. Qi Shi feigns remorse and suggests that Yunheng give the throne to Yunqin and leave with her, but he sees through the deception.
• Yunqin finally starts to reveal Yun Cheng’s whereabouts, but the eldest prince arrives with Yun Cheng bound and struggling to breathe. He demands that Qi Yunheng cut his own chest with a poisoned dagger to prove his sincerity before Yun Cheng can be freed.

Character developments

• Qi Yunheng is now emotionally hardened toward Qi Shi and Yunqin. He is decisive and threatening, but his urgency to protect Yun Cheng shows that loyalty and affection remain central to him.
• Qi Shi remains resentful and self-righteous. Faced with danger, she attempts to manipulate Yunheng by pretending to apologize, but her real concern is preserving her leverage.
• Yunqin is fearful and eager to regain the comfort and status he lost. He turns on Qi Shi’s plan when threatened, showing little loyalty beyond self-preservation.
• The eldest prince reveals himself as an active adversary, using Yun Cheng as a hostage to force Yunheng into a dangerous choice.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and broken family bonds: Qi Yunheng rejects the idea that blood ties excuse past harm.
• Manipulation versus genuine remorse: Qi Shi’s false apology contrasts with Yunheng’s hard-won distrust.
• Power and dependence: Yunqin’s behavior reflects how quickly privilege can disappear when political protection is lost.
• Sacrifice and loyalty: The threat to Yun Cheng sets up a test of how far Qi Yunheng will go to protect someone he considers family.

Character interactions

• Qi Yunheng confronts Qi Shi with anger and contempt, while she alternates between defiance, fear, and calculated pleading.
• Yunqin tries first to flatter Qi Yunheng, then offers information, but Qi Shi silences him to preserve their bargaining position.
• Qi Yunheng’s focus remains on Yun Cheng, whom he values above the mother and brother before him.
• The eldest prince turns the confrontation into a hostage standoff, placing a poisoned dagger in Qi Yunheng’s hands and demanding that he wound himself.

Plot points and events

• The First Prince tries to force Qi Yunheng to abdicate, using the wounded Eleventh Prince, Yun Cheng, as leverage. When Yunheng refuses to submit, the First Prince cuts Yun Cheng, but the child silently endures the pain and insists he is not afraid.
• The Eighth Prince slaps Yun Cheng for defending his mother; Yunheng orders his archers to intervene, wounding the Eighth Prince’s hand. The First Prince then strikes Qi Shi, and the family’s attempted solidarity collapses into mutual violence.
• The General Who Assists the State arrives with troops, accuses Yunheng of regicide and unfitness to rule because of his love for Xiao Yu, and demands an abdication edict. Yunheng rejects the demand, insisting the throne is his to relinquish, not theirs to seize.
• Xiao Yu suddenly arrives and crushes the general, apparently to death. He transforms the First Prince into a bull with the wrong talisman, knocks him unconscious, and rescues Yun Cheng.
• Xiao Yu threatens the rebels with lifelong forced labor, but Yunheng proposes that the soldiers be sent to help farmers plow their fields. The soldiers accept the punishment, and the palace’s hidden archers never need to fight.
• Yun Cheng is also accidentally transformed into a calf. Xiao Yu treats his wound and says the spell will last another month. Yunheng, jealous of Xiao Yu’s attention to the boy, draws him away; the two embrace and confess that they missed each other.

Character developments and interactions

• Qi Yunheng remains ruthless toward threats to Yun Cheng and refuses to surrender his authority, but his proposed punishment for the soldiers shows concern for ordinary people and a desire to rule differently from the tyrant rumors describe. With Xiao Yu, he becomes openly affectionate and needy.
• Xiao Yu arrives as an unexpectedly powerful rescuer, protecting Yun Cheng and swiftly ending the coup. His accidental transformations add comedy to the crisis, while his tenderness toward Yun Cheng and Yunheng shows his care for both.
• Yun Cheng displays courage and loyalty, enduring injury rather than burdening Yunheng and insisting that Xiao Yu is the only brother he recognizes. Once safe, he is eager for Xiao Yu’s reassurance.
• The First Prince, Eighth Prince, and Qi Shi reveal their cruelty and instability: they turn on one another even as they attempt to seize power.
• The General frames his betrayal as loyalty to the kingdom, but his demand that Yunheng abdicate exposes the political conflict over the king’s relationship with Xiao Yu.

Significant themes

• Power and legitimacy: Yunheng rejects a forced transfer of the throne, while the general’s coup is presented as a political struggle dressed up as moral duty.
• Loyalty and chosen family: Yun Cheng’s bond with Yunheng and Xiao Yu contrasts with the biological royal family’s betrayal and abuse.
• Mercy and just rule: Yunheng and Xiao Yu choose useful labor over execution, signaling a more people-focused form of governance.
• Comedy amid danger: Xiao Yu’s mistaken talismans and the transformed princes undercut the coup’s menace, shifting the chapter from crisis toward reunion and affection.

Plot points and events

• Dantai Yunheng asks Xiao Yu to call him by his name. Xiao Yu shyly does, and Yunheng reacts with visible emotion before lifting and kissing him.
• Yunheng carries Xiao Yu to bed, teasing him about their desire and inviting him to share a quilt. Embarrassed, Xiao Yu briefly hides beneath it, but eventually lets Yunheng lie beside him.
• Yunheng promises not to force Xiao Yu, asking only to hold him. Exhausted from days of travel and overusing his magic, Xiao Yu falls asleep in his arms.
• After adjusting Xiao Yu so he can rest comfortably, Yunheng kisses him and vows they will never be parted again.
• Little Seven asks Zhu Yan whether Yunheng has regained his memories and why he has not revealed his identity to Xiao Yu. It jokes that he may fear being seen as an old man pursuing someone young. Yunheng overhears, strikes Little Seven, and insists he is eighteen—not eight thousand eight hundred years old.

Character developments

• Xiao Yu remains bashful and easily flustered, but his willingness to share the bed and fall asleep in Yunheng’s embrace shows growing trust and comfort.
• Dantai Yunheng is passionate and teasing, yet attentive to Xiao Yu’s boundaries. His final vow reveals how deeply he fears losing him again. He is also sensitive about his age and identity.
• Little Seven is blunt and mischievous, while Zhu Yan stays reserved and avoids Yunheng’s anger by disappearing.

Significant themes

• Trust and consent: Yunheng acknowledges Xiao Yu is not ready and promises not to pressure him.
• Intimacy and vulnerability: Playful flirtation gives way to quiet affection and emotional reassurance.
• Exhaustion and care: Xiao Yu’s sleep underscores the toll of his journey, while Yunheng responds gently.
• Memory, identity, and separation: The exchange hints at Yunheng’s regained memories and his wish to keep his past identity from complicating their relationship.

Character interactions

• Yunheng coaxes Xiao Yu to say his name, then teases and comforts him as he grows embarrassed.
• Xiao Yu’s shy reactions contrast with Yunheng’s confident affection, but his actions show he welcomes closeness.
• Little Seven’s joking question exposes Yunheng’s concealed memories and provokes an indignant response; Zhu Yan quietly withdraws from the fallout.

Key plot points and events

• After surviving a palace coup, Tantai Yun Heng attends court in unusually good spirits, spending much of the session gazing at Xiao Yu rather than facing his ministers.
• He delegates the punishment of the General Who Assists the State and the eldest prince, both accused of treason, to the Chancellor.
• Wanting Xiao Yu to rest, Tantai Yun Heng calls him to the throne and invites him to sleep on his lap. Though embarrassed by the watching officials, Xiao Yu agrees after Uncle Fu moves his chair beside the throne.
• The ministers discuss a conciliatory message from Eastern Li, which plans to send envoys with gifts, and concerns that Southern Zhao’s rival may be exploiting the kingdom’s recent turmoil.
• Tantai Yun Heng initially says the envoys should not be allowed to return and is willing to risk war. When reminded that Southern Zhao’s military is too weak, he relents and orders the envoys received so he can learn their intentions.
• Throughout the meeting, he repeatedly tells the ministers to speak quietly so they will not disturb Xiao Yu, even covering Xiao Yu’s ears when the ministers kneel and apologize loudly.

Character developments

• Tantai Yun Heng appears unusually affectionate and playful toward Xiao Yu, but remains quick-tempered and forceful in political matters. His willingness to threaten war gives way to pragmatic caution when confronted with Southern Zhao’s weakness.
• Xiao Yu is shy about their public intimacy but lets Tantai Yun Heng comfort him. He remains awake throughout, despite the king’s insistence that he is sleeping.
• The ministers are wary of their king’s volatile temperament, yet also recognize that the recent betrayal may have affected him deeply.

Significant themes

• Private affection amid public duty: Tantai Yun Heng turns court into a setting for openly doting on Xiao Yu, leaving the officials to awkwardly look away.
• Power and restraint: The king’s aggressive instincts are checked by the practical limits of his kingdom’s military strength.
• Appearance versus reality: Xiao Yu is treated as though asleep, while he hears everything; the ministers’ lowered eyes likewise conceal their reactions to the king’s behavior.
• Betrayal and political uncertainty: The treason of trusted veterans and the approach of foreign envoys leave Southern Zhao vulnerable.

Character interactions

• Tantai Yun Heng dismisses the Chancellor’s request for guidance, then openly summons Xiao Yu to rest on his lap.
• Uncle Fu quietly helps by moving Xiao Yu’s chair into place.
• The ministers try to conduct business while avoiding eye contact and lowering their voices at the king’s repeated commands.
• Tantai Yun Heng protects Xiao Yu from the ministers’ noise, while Xiao Yu privately recognizes the absurdity of being treated as asleep.