Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Chu Youning’s palace dice game leaves the Capital’s powerful households in a tense stalemate, while she sleeps soundly.
• For the next fortnight, she repeatedly rounds up unruly young people and confines them in the imperial palaces. Her campaign wipes out much of the Capital’s disorder and bad influence, making officials’ children unusually cautious and well-behaved.
• Chu Wenzong is left dealing with a steady stream of ministers protesting that their children have been taken into the harem; his hope for a quiet visit to Huayin Temple recedes.
• With autumn arriving, Chu Youning learns Qing Qianxue’s poison should finally be cleared. She heads to the Shadow Pavilion before breakfast to see him.
• Qian Rui explains that Qing’s medicine takes effect at night, while during the day he rests, plays chess, and follows news of Chu’s exploits. He has repeatedly looked at the food box she once brought and seems eager to see her.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Youning continues her forceful campaign against misbehaving youths, gaining fame across the Capital. Though she insists she is visiting Qing only to check on the antidote, her anticipation and blush suggest growing, reluctant affection.
• Qing Qianxue remains in seclusion, but his interest in Chu is revealed through his attention to her news and the food box she brought.
• Qian Rui gently teases Chu by exposing how much Qing has been thinking of her. The System similarly observes that Chu is evading feelings she has already admitted.
• Chu Wenzong is increasingly overwhelmed by the political fallout of Chu’s campaign, while Qian Miao greets Chu with conspicuously warm, almost maternal affection.

Significant themes

• Order through fear and spectacle: Chu’s unusual punishment deters misconduct across the Capital, though it brings distress to the youths and pressure on their families.
• Public reputation versus private motives: Chu is celebrated for her public actions but privately embarrassed by her emerging feelings for Qing.
• Unspoken affection and misunderstanding: Chu assumes Qing’s treatment has kept him entirely occupied, unaware that he has been following her life and longing to see her.

Plot points and events

• Qing Qianxue endures the final, especially agonizing night of detoxification. As the poison leaves his body, his white hair gradually turns black again, and he expels blood ice along with unusual blue, translucent fragments.
• Ye Tianque confirms that Qing Qianxue’s pulse is sound and that the cold poison is completely cured. He collects the blue fragments to study the poison, lamenting that Chu Youning supplied only the exact number of antidote doses.
• Qing Qianxue warns Ye Tianque to handle the fragments carefully, noting that the antidote cost a million gold. After bathing and changing, he opens the stone chamber door without using the mask prepared for him.
• The Shadow Pavilion members greet him joyfully as their master returns. Chu Youning is struck by how different he looks with black hair and a gentler, youthful demeanor.
• Qing Qianxue apologizes for making Chu Youning wait and invites her to eat with him at the Tavern. She agrees to join him.

Character developments

• Qing Qianxue is freed from the cold poison and regains his natural black hair. His transformed appearance and relaxed, youthful manner contrast with his former white-haired, distant persona.
• Chu Youning is pleased by Qing Qianxue’s recovery and openly admires his new look, though her inner thoughts remain irreverent and flirtatious.
• Ye Tianque remains curious and frustrated that he cannot study the antidote, but shifts his attention to investigating the poison fragments.
• Qian Yan feels deep gratitude toward Chu Youning for saving his master, though his intense stare embarrasses her; he silently resents Qian Miao and Qian Rui for teasing him.

Themes

• Healing and renewal: The cure restores Qing Qianxue physically and brings out a warmer side of him.
• Gratitude and loyalty: The Shadow Pavilion’s devotion to their master is evident in their joyful welcome, while Qian Yan recognizes Chu Youning’s role in saving him.
• Humor and affection: Teasing, Chu Youning’s blunt inner commentary, and the playful exchange between Qing Qianxue and Ye Tianque lighten the dramatic recovery.

Character interactions

• Qian Miao and Qian Rui mock Qian Yan for staring at Chu Youning, and he withdraws without challenging her.
• Ye Tianque monitors Qing Qianxue, verifies the cure, and collects the strange fragments; Qing Qianxue responds with a dry warning about their cost.
• Chu Youning and Qing Qianxue reunite at the chamber door. Her admiration amuses him, and he invites her to share a meal.

Key plot points and events

• Chu Youning agrees to eat with the recently recovered Qing Qianxue, despite insisting she isn’t hungry. Her stomach promptly betrays her, embarrassing her in front of the Hidden Guards.
• As they walk together, Chu Youning tries to disguise her wish to hit Qing Qianxue as a stiff wrist. He takes her hand and gently massages it, creating an intimate moment.
• Qian Miao sees their overlapping shadows and excitedly orders a fellow guard to sketch the pair, convinced it would make a perfect keepsake for his master.
• In the Flourishing Kingdom, Su Fuling learns that the Cold Silver Frost Dew poison has been cured. Her system urges her to gather points, locate the person responsible, and kill them.
• Su Fuling suspects her younger sister—another Otherworlder—was involved. She realizes the sister may now be friends with the person Su Fuling had previously harmed, and that her past actions may have shaped her sister’s poor opinion of her.
• The system tries to provoke Su Fuling by framing the cure as a challenge to her claim over a man. Su Fuling angrily rejects its pressure, insisting she has no intention of rushing into anything.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Youning remains proud and combative, but her embarrassment and reaction to Qing Qianxue’s touch reveal a softer, more vulnerable side.
• Qing Qianxue teases Chu Youning gently and takes the opportunity to show her affection through a wrist massage. He adjusts his pace to stay near her.
• Qian Miao enthusiastically supports the possibility of a romance, imagining a sketch of the two as a treasured gift for his master.
• Su Fuling shifts from surprise at the poison’s cure to joy at the possibility that her sister is in this world. Her concern about her sister’s judgment tempers the system’s attempts to steer her toward revenge.
• Su Fuling and her system clash: the system urges her to eliminate a rival, while she resents its meddling and refuses to treat the man as something she must urgently claim.

Significant themes

• Romantic tension and concealed affection: Chu Youning’s bluster contrasts with her sensitivity to Qing Qianxue’s warmth.
• Loyalty and matchmaking: Qian Miao’s eagerness shows how devoted—and meddlesome—supporters can become.
• Choice versus manipulation: Su Fuling resists the system’s effort to define her desires and dictate her actions.
• Family, guilt, and reconciliation: The possibility of meeting her sister makes Su Fuling reconsider how her past behavior may have damaged their relationship.

Key plot points and events

• Su Fuling realizes her feelings toward the man whose poison has been cured have changed: she feels no anger or concern, and cares more about repairing her relationship with her younger sister.
• Questioning the Empress System, she recalls that it first directed her attention to the man’s portrait and may have encouraged her growing obsession. When the system denies her suspicions, she warns it that she is its master and will not tolerate being deceived or used.
• The system backs down and stops bringing up other transmigrators and the “cold silver frost dew.” Su Fuling then begins organizing the information she has gathered.
• Elsewhere, Qing Qianxue takes Chu Youning to a secluded tavern known for its fragrant braised meat and family-brewed wine. Its unconventional owners move locations when too many people find them.
• The tavern has an unusual ordering system: guests write their orders on bamboo slips and send them through a tube. Its strange paintings serve as a puzzle menu; deciphering an undiscovered dish earns a Command Token and advance notice of the tavern’s next three locations.
• An elderly, blind woman brings tea and wine, calmly confirming that she cannot see.

Character developments and interactions

• Su Fuling becomes suspicious and assertive, recognizing that the system may have influenced her feelings. She firmly establishes control over their relationship.
• The system reacts nervously to Su Fuling’s changed attitude, then falls silent rather than challenge her.
• Qing Qianxue guides Chu Youning through the tavern’s customs and explains its secretive traditions.
• Chu Youning is curious and easily intrigued by the tavern, though she gives up on deciphering its paintings when they prove baffling.
• The elderly woman interacts matter-of-factly with Chu Youning, despite her blindness.

Significant themes

• Agency and manipulation: Su Fuling questions whether her desires are truly her own and asserts independence from the system.
• Changing priorities: Her concern shifts away from romantic fixation and toward her relationship with her sister.
• Secrecy and tradition: The tavern’s hidden location, inherited recipes, and puzzle-based customs create a world of private knowledge and unconventional rules.

Plot points and events

• Chu Youning and Qing Qianxue share breakfast at an unusual tavern. The blind, elderly hostess is steady and capable thanks to her martial arts and keen hearing; the tea’s flavor changes with the drinker’s mood, and the food delights Chu Youning.
• Qing Qianxue realizes he has forgotten his money. Rather than admit it, he makes an excuse to leave Chu Youning and return home. The tavern’s rules require him to work off the bill, so the dignified State Preceptor washes dishes, wipes tables, and sweeps until someone from Shadow Pavilion can bring payment.
• Chu Youning returns to her newly renovated Beauty Salon, which is ready to open. Chu Lange slips away from lessons to greet guests and accept gifts.
• Jiang Wanrong arrives with Xie Ciyan. Chu Youning gives Jiang a full salon treatment—bath, massage, facial and hair care, makeup, and a styled braid—then presents her at a second-floor window. The crowd is captivated by her transformed appearance.

Character developments

• Qing Qianxue shows a tender, attentive side while serving Chu Youning, but his embarrassment over forgetting money exposes a rare, comically human vulnerability. His effort to conceal the mishap leads to an undignified stint doing chores.
• Chu Youning is enthusiastic about the food and eager to promote her Beauty Salon. She takes pride in her treatments and confidently uses Jiang’s makeover as a public showcase.
• Jiang Wanrong enjoys the salon’s care and is pleased by her striking new look and its unfamiliar fragrance.
• Chu Lange appears lively and mischievous, having slipped out of her lessons to join the salon’s opening.

Character interactions

• Qing Qianxue patiently serves Chu Youning and promises to bring her back to try the tavern’s other meals. He later invites her to a banquet at the National Preceptor’s Residence that evening.
• The tavern hostess treats Qing Qianxue according to its strict “work if you forgot your money” rule, regardless of his status.
• Chu Youning playfully teases Jiang Wanrong about her hairpin, then personally oversees her salon experience. Xie Ciyan watches the transformation in astonishment, thinking Jiang resembles his “Little Fairy.”

Significant themes

• Status versus ordinary consequences: Even the State Preceptor must obey the tavern’s rules and work for his meal.
• Care and intimacy: Qing Qianxue’s quiet attentiveness and Chu Youning’s pampering of Jiang Wanrong reveal affection through practical gestures.
• Beauty and self-presentation: Jiang’s transformation demonstrates the salon’s appeal and hints at Chu Youning’s entrepreneurial ambition.
• Comedy and contrast: Qing Qianxue’s elevated status contrasts sharply with his awkward money problem and dishwashing duties.

Plot points and events

• Chu Youning’s beauty shop, You Won’t Die Ugly, You’ll Die Beautiful, opens with a loud, theatrical launch: gongs, firecrackers, a lineup of twenty-four veiled women, and Chu Lange delivering bold sales pitches.
• The women unveil their transformed appearances, displaying a range of ages and backgrounds. Their beauty—and the shop’s extravagant slogans—draws a curious crowd.
• Two visitors recognize women they know: young Niu Niu, whose conspicuous birthmark has disappeared, and an older woman whose radiant complexion makes her son barely recognize her. Their transformations persuade onlookers that the shop’s services are genuine.
• The older woman jokes to her son that her new looks make it easy to find a new husband, prompting several unmarried or divorced men to take notice.
• Chu Lange invites customers to browse the first two floors, explaining that the upper floors require appointments. Eager women immediately crowd inside, though some worry about the cost.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Lange takes charge as the shop’s exuberant public face, using provocative humor and confident claims to attract customers.
• Chu Youning is credited with designing the women’s solar-term-inspired forehead ornaments, reinforcing her role in the shop’s presentation.
• Niu Niu proudly reveals her identity to Auntie Wang, who is astonished by her transformation.
• The older woman enjoys her newfound confidence and teases her son about finding a new father. He recognizes her through her familiar voice and manner, while other men react with interest.

Significant themes

• Beauty and self-worth: The shop promises that appearance can be changed, presenting beauty as accessible rather than fixed.
• Transformation and confidence: The women’s visible changes alter how others respond to them and how they present themselves.
• Commerce and spectacle: The flamboyant opening turns beauty into a public demonstration and a marketable service.
• Class and access: The crowd’s enthusiasm is tempered by concern that the treatments may be too expensive for everyone.

Key plot points and events

• Chu Lange’s new beauty shop opens to strong interest. Customers admire its superior, varied cosmetics and skincare products, and the first two floors quickly draw shoppers.
• To build curiosity about the restricted upper floors, Chu Lange offers three women the chance to visit them for a small fee. They return visibly transformed, convincing the crowd that the shop can truly make people more beautiful.
• Chu Youning leaves with Jiang Wanrong, who plans to depart the Capital in two days to visit her master, recently awakened after receiving the antidote. She expects to return before Third Brother’s wedding.
• Qian Yan arrives with a gift from his master, the National Preceptor. In a slip, he reveals that his master is washing dishes and sweeping a courtyard. Chu Youning drugs and immobilizes him to make him explain: the National Preceptor had no money when he took Chu Youning to breakfast, so he is working off the bill while waiting for his eldest brother to bring cash.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Lange shows her skill as a savvy shopkeeper, using a dramatic demonstration to turn public curiosity into enthusiasm and sales.
• Chu Youning is pleased with the shop’s success and playful, if mischievous, in extracting gossip from Qian Yan.
• Jiang Wanrong confirms her affection for the Capital and its people, while preparing to return to her master; she joins Chu Youning in pressing Qian Yan for details.
• Qian Yan accidentally exposes his master’s predicament, then reluctantly confesses under pressure.
• The National Preceptor’s hidden financial embarrassment contrasts comically with his usually pampered status.

Significant themes

• Beauty and commerce: The shop’s products and demonstrations create desire and excitement, showing how presentation and experience can drive business.
• Affection and belonging: Jiang Wanrong’s decision to return to the Capital reflects how deeply she has grown attached to it and its people.
• Comic embarrassment and curiosity: A careless remark sparks a playful interrogation, revealing the National Preceptor’s awkward efforts to conceal his lack of money.

Key plot points and events

• Qian Yan delivers a gift to Chu Youning and reveals that Qing Qianxue has recovered from his illness and gone with Qian Miao to fetch the State Preceptor. Chu Youning laughs at the thought of him washing dishes, while Jiang Wanrong worries that her younger sister may be vulnerable now that the State Preceptor is fully recovered.
• After Qian Yan tells them Qing Qianxue should return soon, Chu Youning releases him from Jiang Wanrong’s acupuncture. He immediately flees.
• Chu Youning takes Jiang Wanrong to a tavern, ostensibly for a meal but also hoping to see Qing Qianxue. They learn he is still washing dishes, even though Qian Miao has already paid. The tavern’s rule requires anyone who starts penalty work to finish it.
• The sisters enter the back courtyard and find Qing Qianxue washing dishes while Qian Miao sweeps. When they appear, Qing tosses the rag to Qian Miao and hides his wet hands, trying to preserve his dignity.
• Chu Youning explains that she came to “ransom” her friend, while inwardly laughing at his embarrassment and Qian Miao’s predicament. Qing realizes how much she knows and calls Qian Miao an idiot for letting things unfold this way.

Character developments

• Chu Youning remains playful and perceptive, openly enjoying Qing Qianxue’s predicament while using a visit to Jiang Wanrong as cover to watch the spectacle.
• Jiang Wanrong shows protective concern for her younger sister. She intends to warn her brothers and return sooner, fearing that the recovered State Preceptor may be harder for Chu Youning to read or handle.
• Qing Qianxue is physically recovered but still caught in an awkward situation. His instinct to hide his hands and shift the rag to Qian Miao reveals his pride and concern for appearances.
• Qian Miao continues to serve his master, but his attempt to pay for Qing’s meal does not free either of them from the tavern’s work rule. Qian Yan escapes as soon as he is released.

Significant themes

• Comedy through humiliation and secrecy: Qing tries to maintain his dignity, but Chu Youning’s knowledge and inner commentary expose his embarrassment.
• Appearance versus reality: Qing acts as though nothing is wrong, even as he is visibly doing menial work.
• Rules and consequences: The tavern’s “finish what you start” policy keeps Qing working despite payment.
• Protective family concern: Jiang Wanrong’s worry highlights the sisters’ bond and her desire to safeguard Chu Youning.

Character interactions

• Chu Youning teases Qian Yan with questions until Jiang Wanrong releases him, then the two sisters travel together to the tavern.
• At the tavern, Chu Youning politely negotiates with the granny, while she and Jiang Wanrong share their delight at finding Qing in the courtyard.
• Qing tries to conceal his situation from the sisters, but Chu Youning’s teasing and unspoken thoughts make the effort futile. He takes out his frustration on Qian Miao, blaming him for the embarrassing predicament.

Plot and events

• After Qing Qianxue regains his composure, Chu Youning tells him to finish washing the dishes. He asks her to help, since she ate breakfast too, but she initially refuses.
• Chu takes Jiang Wanrong to study the restaurant’s unusual menu. Jiang says she can manage and gently recognizes that Chu wants to help Qing, despite denying it.
• Reassured that her sister will be fine, Chu returns to help Qing wash dishes, joking that she never wants to be invited to a meal that ends with her doing the cleanup again.
• Qing promises that next time he will remember to bring money. When his smile unsettles Chu, she offers him a familiar mask and helps tie it on, accidentally brushing his ear and making it turn red.
• Qing says Chu is the first woman he has been so close to, then leaves her curious by hinting there is more to say later. Nearby, Qian Miao watches their flirtation and recalls Qian Lei’s bet over the mask and poisoned needles, which has left Qian Lei doing chores.
• When Jiang calls, Chu immediately leaves Qing to join her. Jiang has deciphered enough of the menu to order a plentiful meal, and Chu is delighted.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Youning reveals her soft-heartedness through actions while stubbornly insisting she is helping only because she ate the meal. Qing’s charm clearly affects her, though she covers her fluster with teasing and insults.
• Qing Qianxue responds to Chu with playful warmth and a flirtatious confidence, but his reddened ears suggest genuine embarrassment at their closeness.
• Jiang Wanrong is perceptive and affectionate, teasing Chu about her hidden concern while showing independence by tackling the menu herself.
• Qian Miao observes the pair’s growing intimacy with amusement, but also feels awkward and lonely watching them.

Significant themes

• Affection disguised as bickering: Chu’s denials contrast with her willingness to help, while teasing becomes a way for both leads to express interest.
• Growing intimacy and embarrassment: The mask, shared work, and accidental touch bring Chu and Qing physically and emotionally closer.
• Friendship and family care: Chu and Jiang look after one another, balancing playful teasing with practical concern.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Wanrong correctly identifies all 108 dishes at the tavern. The old woman rewards her with the tavern’s sole jade Command Token, which can be used to claim the remaining dishes later.
• Jiang Wanrong and Chu Youning share a warm meal, joined by Qing Qianxue and Qian Miao. The group eats so much that Qing Qianxue cancels her planned evening banquet. Qian Miao and Qian Yan are punished after their master is embarrassed.
• That night, Chu Youning discovers that the neglected “My Cottage” feature lets her place a private, concealed cottage inside any room. She spends points furnishing it and enjoys its air-conditioned comfort, joking that her new bed has supplanted her old one.
• The next day, cheerful after a comfortable night, Chu Youning goes to visit the young flower buds still confined in the palace. Many are still caught up in gambling; Little Wukong and Jiang Heng are among them.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Youning’s admiration for Jiang Wanrong grows after her sister’s astonishing success; she openly declares her love for her. Jiang Wanrong is pleased but maintains her composed manner, and the sisters show affection by serving food to each other.
• Qing Qianxue witnesses the sisters’ closeness and recognizes Jiang Wanrong’s remarkable ability. She joins the group’s meal, but the feast disrupts her plans.
• Chu Youning’s discovery of the cottage reveals her playful, comfort-loving side and her habit of turning ordinary situations into jokes.
• Little Wukong and Jiang Heng have become increasingly resigned to palace confinement, though they continue gambling—and crying over it.

Significant themes

• Family affection: The sisters’ easy warmth and mutual care anchor the chapter.
• Luck and reward: Jiang Wanrong’s remarkable success brings both an extravagant meal and a lasting token.
• Comfort and ingenuity: Chu Youning uses an overlooked system feature to improve her life.
• Comic consequences: Abundant food cancels a banquet, while gambling and social embarrassment lead to punishment.

Key plot points and events

• Chu Youning discovers that the Emperor and Empress have gone to Huayin Temple without inviting her. Remembering her overdue vows, she follows them and offers three enormous incense sticks at the God of Wealth Hall.
• The Emperor and Empress visit the temple to hear Buddhist chants and reminisce about their son, the Eighth Prince, who once lived there. The abbot describes the prince’s tree and favorite pavilion in a flattering way, omitting the mischievous circumstances behind both.
• Chu Wenzong and Cui Zhao’an arrive at the dining hall, where they unexpectedly encounter Chu Youning. She claims that worshipping the temple’s God of Wealth has made her increasingly prosperous.
• Intrigued by her claim, Chu Wenzong later sneaks away with Fu Kang to visit the Wealth God Hall. He finds Youning’s incense still burning, its smoke forming striking dragon- and phoenix-like shapes. A monk confirms that the incense likely came from the Elder Princess.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Youning remains playful, confident, and irreverent. She deliberately needles Chu Wenzong while presenting their coincidental visit as proof that the siblings’ hearts are in harmony.
• Chu Wenzong initially blames Youning for the Eighth Prince’s mischief, then becomes guilty when she seems to guess he has been criticizing her. Her boast about the God of Wealth quickly turns his irritation into curiosity.
• Cui Zhao’an warmly greets Youning and defends her, shifting the blame for the prince’s behavior onto Chu Wenzong’s own childhood.
• The abbot carefully preserves the Eighth Prince’s dignity, while inwardly recognizing Youning’s unusual boldness in sparring with the Emperor.

Significant themes

• Family teasing and affection: The royal family’s arguments and blame-shifting reveal familiarity beneath their formal roles.
• Appearances versus reality: The abbot’s polished account of the prince’s temple life conceals his pranks, and the Emperor and Empress accept the idealized version.
• Faith, fortune, and comic rivalry: Youning’s extravagant incense and claims of prosperity spark Chu Wenzong’s interest, setting up the chapter’s humorous final reveal.

Key plot points and events

• At Huayin Temple, Chu Wenzong tries to outdo Chu Youning’s incense offering by burning nine sticks. He jokingly appeals to the God of Wealth to count his sister’s incense too, then leaves feeling triumphant—only to be struck by a magpie’s droppings.
• Fu Kang prevents the furious emperor from violating temple decorum by portraying the magpie as an auspicious messenger. Chu Wenzong accepts the explanation and orders a bath.
• Nearly a month later, a secret report announces that the Flourishing Kingdom will send envoys to the capital, ostensibly to arrange a marriage alliance. Chu Wenzong summons Chu Youning to hear the news.
• Chu Youning recognizes the supposed alliance as a cover for a political plot. She suspects that a disguised beauty will pose as the princess, while a male lead among the envoys may discover Yu’s apparent weakness and provoke conflict.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Wenzong remains proud and competitive, especially with Chu Youning, and repeatedly ends up humiliated. Despite his rivalry, he invokes their kinship when seeking the God of Wealth’s favor.
• Fu Kang acts as the emperor’s cautious, quick-thinking attendant, soothing his anger with a tactful explanation.
• Chu Youning is pleased by the temple visit but shows political insight when she hears the marriage-alliance news. In her thoughts, she confidently promises to support the young ruler (“little rice dumpling”) if the Flourishing Kingdom threatens Yu.
• Cui Zhao’an is also satisfied with the temple outing.

Significant themes

• Comedic rivalry and recurring misfortune: Chu Wenzong’s attempts to assert himself over his sister repeatedly backfire.
• Appearance versus reality: The proposed marriage alliance is likely a disguise for espionage and a possible military provocation.
• Loyalty and protection: Chu Youning’s private resolve to back the young ruler contrasts with the court’s uncertainty about the threat.

Key plot points and events

• Chu Wenzong asks his ministers who should welcome the visiting Princess of the Flourishing Kingdom.
• The ministers consider Crown Prince Chu Wenjing and Xie Ciyan suitable candidates. Xie avoids the assignment by pretending to stumble and pushing Chu Wenjing forward.
• Chu Youning and Chu Lange arrive and volunteer to entertain the foreign princess, promising to keep her happily occupied.
• When Censors object that the princesses have no official authority to attend court, Chu Wenzong claims he had personally summoned them. The Censors withdraw their objections.
• Chu Wenzong assigns the welcome to Chu Youning and Chu Lange, and orders Xie Ciyan and Jiang Li to arrange discreet protection for them.
• A eunuch announces the National Preceptor’s arrival. Chu Wenzong, eager to see him after his recovery from poisoning, immediately orders him admitted.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Wenzong is reassured by Chu Youning’s confidence and feels grateful for her support. He also protects her and Chu Lange from the Censors’ criticism, then ensures they will have guards.
• Chu Youning shows confidence and initiative, volunteering for the diplomatic task. Her private thoughts reveal her sharp humor and readiness to spar with the ministers.
• Chu Lange eagerly backs her aunt, mainly because entertaining the princess could mean more outings and less studying.
• Chu Wenjing reluctantly steps forward after Xie pushes him into the assignment, already thinking of how to repel the foreign princess’s interest.
• Xie Ciyan avoids the duty through a comic excuse, demonstrating his self-preserving wit.
• The ministers and Censors are distracted by the tantalizing smell of spicy strips and then challenge the princesses’ right to participate; Chu Wenzong’s intervention ends the dispute.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty and reassurance: Chu Youning’s support steadies her brother when he is anxious.
• Duty and self-interest: Officials weigh protocol and status, while Xie and Chu Wenjing each try to avoid an unwanted romantic or diplomatic obligation.
• Power, protocol, and gender: The Censors insist that women without official posts should not participate in court affairs, but the emperor’s authority overrides their objections.
• Humor amid court politics: Food, evasive excuses, and Chu Youning’s irreverent inner commentary lighten the formal proceedings.

Plot points and events

• Qing Qianxue returns to court looking sickly, with white hair and an unsteady gait. Chu Youning privately worries that he has not recovered enough to be a suitable partner.
• The system assures her that his weakness can be remedied with good food, while his white hair and frail walk are deliberate acts. Qing Qianxue notices her brief look of disappointment and resolves to explain himself later.
• Emperor Chu Wenzong offers Qing Qianxue nourishing tonics. Qing accepts, both because his strength needs rebuilding and because his residence is short of money.
• Qing reports that the Flourishing Kingdom’s visit will end peacefully, then signals the emperor that he wants a private conversation. Chu Wenzong dismisses court.
• Officials approach Chu Youning to ask about the food Princess Chu Lange had been eating. Lange shares spicy strips, and Youning promotes them as a future product at her tavern, Dare to Come In.
• In the Imperial Garden, Qing invites Youning to a banquet at his residence. She declines, saying she plans to visit Cloud Fragrance House with her sister to look at the girls. Jiang Wanrong’s departure from the capital has been delayed until the following day.
• Qing ends the exchange by asking, “Are the girls prettier, or am I?”

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Youning remains blunt and practical, judging Qing’s apparent frailty but also showing her business instincts by turning the officials’ curiosity into a chance to market her spicy strips.
• Qing Qianxue accepts help for the first time, revealing that he needs both nourishment and financial support. He also seems sensitive to Youning’s opinion and directly seeks reassurance or comparison.
• Chu Wenzong is attentive to Qing and understands his discreet signal for a private discussion.
• Chu Lange enthusiastically shares the spicy strips with Jiang Huai’an and the other officials, who respond with delight.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: Qing’s sickly presentation is partly an act, while Youning’s assumptions reveal how strongly appearances shape her expectations.
• Practical care and vulnerability: Qing’s acceptance of tonics suggests a willingness to acknowledge his needs.
• Commerce and everyday pleasures: Youning turns a casual snack into a business opportunity, while the officials’ excitement over the food provides a lighthearted contrast to court affairs.

Key plot points and events

• Chu Youning initially refuses Qing Qianxue’s banquet invitation so she can keep a promise to her sister, Jiang Wanrong. Qing persuades her by offering to cook and perform a sword dance, and by reminding her she had already agreed to attend. She accepts, with a playful warning not to deceive her.
• Qing arranges an unusually lively evening at his residence, including performers and games staged by disguised Shadow Pavilion guards.
• Before leaving, Chu struggles to choose Qing a gift, realizing that although he understands her tastes, she knows little about his. She eventually buys something and heads to the banquet.
• On arrival, Chu accidentally crashes into Xie Ciyan, who falls into Jiang Wanrong’s arms. Chu realizes her kick may have caused his fall and is astonished to see the two embracing.
• Xie takes the opportunity to put his arms around Jiang’s waist. She reflexively knees him, leaving him doubled over. She apologizes and offers to fetch a doctor, while Chu marvels at the severity of the blow.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Youning tries to appear reluctant, but Qing’s offer quickly wins her over. She also shows concern about choosing a meaningful gift, suggesting she wants to understand Qing better.
• Qing Qianxue is attentive to Chu’s preferences and smoothly uses both a personal offer and her sense of duty to secure her attendance.
• Jiang Wanrong remains composed despite the unexpected embrace, but reacts instinctively when Xie touches her waist. She then worries about having hurt him.
• Xie Ciyan eagerly pursues Jiang and takes advantage of the accidental fall to embrace her. His boldness immediately backfires.
• Chu’s arrival inadvertently creates a romantic opportunity for Xie, though Jiang’s knee strike turns the moment into comedy.

Significant themes

• Romantic persuasion and playful power: Qing knows how to appeal to Chu, while she pretends to resist before giving in.
• Growing intimacy and uncertainty: Chu recognizes how little she knows about Qing, contrasting his familiarity with her.
• Accidental matchmaking and comic misfortune: Chu repeatedly collides with people, unintentionally setting up Xie and Jiang’s encounter.
• Boundaries and reflexive self-protection: Jiang’s response makes clear that Xie’s embrace goes too far, despite her immediate concern afterward.

Key plot points and events

• Xie Ciyan is left in severe pain after Jiang Wanrong kicks him. He resists being examined out of embarrassment, but Jiang Wanrong and Chu Youning insist he needs a physician.
• Chu Youning persuades him by warning that he could suffer permanent damage—and, in her private thoughts, by teasing him about the effect on a future marriage.
• Jiang Wanrong carries Xie Ciyan to a nearby guest room, while Chu Youning fetches Divine Doctor Ye Tianque.
• Qing Qianxue sees Chu Youning take Ye away and orders Qian Miao to investigate.
• Ye mistakenly fears Chu Youning has abducted him for romantic reasons. Once he learns he is needed to examine Xie Ciyan, he eagerly agrees.
• Jiang Wanrong and Chu Youning wait anxiously outside while Ye treats Xie Ciyan. Jiang Wanrong worries that her kick caused lasting harm; Chu Youning reassures her and privately thinks she can find medicine if needed.

Character developments

• Xie Ciyan is humiliated and in pain, but accepts treatment when confronted with the possible consequences.
• Jiang Wanrong shows genuine concern for Xie Ciyan, tending to him and anxiously awaiting the physician’s assessment. Chu Youning’s teasing thoughts also leave her embarrassed.
• Chu Youning acts decisively and protectively, while her private commentary reveals a mischievous sense of humor and confidence in her ability to find a remedy.
• Ye Tianque is comically self-conscious about his reputation and appearance, but quickly shifts from alarm to enthusiasm once he understands the situation.
• Qing Qianxue becomes suspicious when Chu Youning takes Ye away and initiates an investigation.

Significant themes

• Care mixed with embarrassment: Xie Ciyan’s need for medical help clashes with his fear of humiliation.
• Romantic tension and teasing: Jiang Wanrong’s concern and Xie Ciyan’s affection make the injury both painful and emotionally charged.
• Appearance versus reality: Ye presents himself as experienced but privately fears being mistaken for a romantic target.
• Family-like support: Chu Youning and Jiang Wanrong cooperate to ensure Xie Ciyan gets help.

Character interactions

• Jiang Wanrong and Chu Youning jointly pressure Xie Ciyan to accept treatment, with Chu’s blunt teasing proving decisive.
• Jiang Wanrong carries and cares for Xie Ciyan, while he finds comfort—and renewed emotional torment—in her closeness.
• Chu Youning summons Ye Tianque and mocks his claims of having many intimate companions.
• Outside the room, Chu Youning comforts Jiang Wanrong as she worries about Xie Ciyan’s condition.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Tianque reports that Xie Ciyan’s injury is painful but not serious, and he will recover with time. Relieved, Jiang Wanrong stays with him while Chu Youning leaves.
• Chu Youning encounters National Preceptor Qing Qianxue, who says he was looking for her after she visited his residence without seeing him.
• Qing gently reminds Chu that she had promised him a gift after his poison was cured. Realizing she forgot, Chu quickly produces a bottle of restorative pills and presents it as a thoughtful gift for his recovery.
• Qing has prepared a lavish meal for Chu, keeping the dishes warm, and arranged acrobatic entertainment. Chu eagerly eats while watching the performers.
• When she sees a stone-breaking act, Chu asks whether the stone is real. Qing encourages her to test it herself, and she approaches the strongman with the hammer.

Character developments

• Chu Youning remains impulsive, food-focused, and oblivious to Qing’s affectionate hints. She improvises when caught forgetting her promised gift, then readily throws herself into the performance.
• Qing Qianxue shows attentive affection through his search for Chu, his prepared meal, and his quiet teasing about the forgotten gift. He appears pleased to receive her pills.
• Jiang Wanrong is visibly anxious about Xie Ciyan, then quickly reassured by Ye Tianque’s report.
• Ye Tianque is frustrated when Chu leaves him behind.

Significant themes

• Affection expressed through acts of care: Qing’s meal and attention contrast with Chu’s practical, spontaneous gift.
• Comedy from mismatched expectations: Qing hints at personal feelings, while Chu interprets his words literally and focuses on food.
• Boldness and curiosity: Chu’s eagerness to challenge the acrobatic act reflects her fearless, playful nature.

Character interactions

• Ye Tianque reassures Jiang Wanrong about Xie Ciyan, while Chu departs and ignores Ye’s request to accompany her.
• Qing and Chu exchange teasing remarks about her forgotten gift; she covers her mistake with restorative pills.
• Qing caters to Chu’s appetite, serving food and peeling shrimp for her as she watches the acrobats.
• Qing encourages Chu to test the stone-breaking act, prompting her to approach the performer.

• Key events: At a banquet featuring unusual feats, Chu Youning tests a performer’s strength by smashing the heavy stone slab above him with a sledgehammer. Impressed by the acts—including iron-head demonstrations, sound-wave tricks, and blindfolded archery—she rewards the performers and enjoys the food and entertainment. When Qing Qianxue offers to perform a sword dance, she teasingly questions whether he is strong enough. He challenges her to test him; she turns the tables by moving close, speaking flirtatiously, and making him visibly flustered. Pleased with her victory, she follows him as he goes to perform. Meanwhile, his guards watch eagerly and gossip about the pair, lamenting that they missed a chance to push them together.
• Character developments: Chu Youning is playful and increasingly bold with Qing Qianxue, delighting in reversing their usual teasing dynamic and proving to herself that she can make him shy. Qing Qianxue remains composed in public but is clearly affected by her flirtation; he withdraws to regain his composure and proceeds with the promised sword dance.
• Interactions: Chu Youning treats the performers warmly, rewarding them after their demonstrations. Between her and Qing Qianxue, the exchange shifts from his challenge to her confident counter-flirtation, ending with him retreating and her cheerfully pursuing him. Qing Qianxue’s guards observe the interaction from afar and enthusiastically speculate about the couple.
• Themes: The scene blends public spectacle and comedy with romantic tension. It emphasizes playful role reversal, attraction expressed through teasing, and the contrast between Chu Youning’s outward audacity and inner excitement, and Qing Qianxue’s controlled but unmistakable response.

Plot points and events

• Qian Miao stops his younger brother, Qian Yan, from delivering soup to Qing Qianxue and Chu Youning, reasoning that the pair should be left alone. His joking threat about Qian Yan losing another “fire” persuades him to stay behind.
• Qing Qianxue leads Chu Youning through a secluded, unfamiliar part of his residence. Nervous and influenced by her storybook imagination, Chu suspects he may be leading her to a sinister place.
• When she walks into him after he stops, Qing teases that she seems eager to throw herself into his arms. Chu turns the joke back on him, mockingly declaring that he is not appetizing.
• They continue to a small cabin, where Qing retrieves a white fox-fur cloak for her. Beyond a carved stone gateway, Chu discovers an enormous frozen lake surrounded by unusual pale-blue flowers flourishing in the cold.
• Qing wraps Chu in the cloak, takes her arm, and carries her across the ice to a pavilion at the lake’s center.

Character developments and interactions

• Qian Miao shows himself to be protective of his master’s privacy, while Qian Yan is easily dissuaded by his brother’s teasing.
• Chu’s anxious imagination quickly gives way to her usual bold, competitive banter when Qing teases her.
• Qing is attentive to Chu’s comfort: he anticipates the cold, ensures she is fully wrapped in the cloak, and guides her safely across the ice. Their teasing suggests growing ease and familiarity.

Significant themes

• Suspicion versus trust: Chu’s fears contrast with Qing’s considerate actions.
• Playful intimacy: Their back-and-forth teasing turns an awkward moment into flirtatious comedy.
• Mystery and wonder: The hidden, frozen lake and thriving blue flowers reveal an extraordinary, secret part of the residence.

Plot points and events

• Qing Qianxue takes Chu Youning to a hidden Pavilion on the lake, where he has prepared lanterns, snacks, and his old sword, Snow Song.
• He performs a sword dance across the icy lake. Chu Youning is captivated and secretly records it on her phone.
• After the dance, Qing Qianxue presents her with a flower, saying it suits her.
• Chu Youning teases him about giving flowers to women. When he clarifies that he gave them to his mother, she approves and invites him to share snacks.

Character developments

• Chu Youning realizes she may be falling for Qing Qianxue, drawn to the lively, graceful side of him revealed by the dance. She also shows a comically jealous streak in her thoughts, though she insists she would never act on it.
• Qing Qianxue appears more carefree and joyful than Chu Youning has seen before. He is attentive and playful, and seems amused by her reactions.
• The system joins Chu Youning in admiring Qing Qianxue, but offers absurdly possessive advice before admitting it cannot help.

Significant themes

• The contrast between restraint and freedom: Qing Qianxue’s composed bearing gives way to joyful abandon during his sword dance.
• Attraction and jealousy are treated with humor, as Chu Youning’s growing feelings clash with her self-image as a reasonable person.
• Beauty and affection are expressed through performance, flowers, food, and playful companionship.

Character interactions

• Qing Qianxue creates an intimate setting for Chu Youning and performs for her, then gives her a flower.
• Chu Youning teases him about his romantic history and playfully tests his answer; his mention of his mother reassures her.
• She praises him, draws him to sit beside her, and offers him beef jerky, while he privately finds her jealousy amusing.