Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• The pleasure boat’s grilled fish draws envious attention from the other boats, but no one dares approach Princess Yongning’s group. With the fish refusing to bite, the poetry gathering ends early.
• Jiang Wanrong sends hot grilled fish to the palace for Yuan Ye to deliver. Chu Lange reminds Jiang Yourning that she has promised three days of free food; Yourning says Chu must still bring money for costly dishes such as foie gras and caviar.
• Lin Qingrao is about to walk home alone, but Xie Ciyan offers her a ride in his carriage. Jiang Li intervenes and insists on taking her himself. Jiang Wanrong encourages him to talk to Lin, mindful that she has already been frightened by falling into the water.
• On the ride home, Yourning privately imagines hiding under Jiang Li’s bed after his eventual marriage to Lin to eavesdrop on their conversation. Her thoughts alarm Jiang Wanrong, who resolves to teach her younger sister proper etiquette.
• Back at the Jiang Residence, Jiang Heng and Little Wukong return in their borrowed dresses, and the servants discreetly pretend not to notice. An hour later, the two are dressed and made up as girls again, kneeling before basins of sand and water to pick out beans as punishment. Little Wukong pleads for an easier task; Jiang Huai’an and Lin Xiangyin instead propose harsher variations.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Li shows jealousy and protectiveness when Xie Ciyan offers to escort Lin. Though shy and taciturn, he accepts Jiang Wanrong’s advice to make an effort to talk with Lin.
• Lin Qingrao remains modest and considerate, initially declining help so as not to burden Jiang Li.
• Jiang Yourning remains playful and mischievous, meddling in her brother’s romance and joking about spying on him. Her antics prompt Jiang Wanrong to take a more active role in correcting her manners.
• Xie Ciyan tries to insert himself into the escort situation, apparently provoking Jiang Li.
• Jiang Heng accepts the punishment silently, while Little Wukong protests it. Their parents respond with stern, increasingly severe suggestions.

Significant themes

• Romance and matchmaking: The family and friends encourage Jiang Li and Lin Qingrao’s growing connection, while jealousy exposes Jiang Li’s feelings.
• Playful family discipline: Mischief and cross-dressing lead to comic punishment, tempered by the family’s familiar banter.
• Social propriety and reputation: The group ensures Lin does not travel alone and worries about scandal; Jiang Wanrong also sees Yourning’s irreverent plans as a breach of proper conduct.
• Food as pleasure and status: The feast delights the boat’s occupants while leaving the surrounding gathering envious, and Yourning’s promise of lavish food becomes a running joke.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Heng and Little Wukong hope to finish picking beans quickly, but Lin Xiangyin has fifty more basins brought in and locks them in the courtyard. Both despair at the scale of their punishment.
• At the palace, Chu Lange’s parents enjoy grilled fish but find the Imperial Kitchen’s version disappointing. Chu Lange proposes hiring boats to catch more fish at Shabi Lake; Chu Wenzong agrees, cautioning her not to overfish and asking her to bring some fish back.
• Jiang Yourning receives stories from her sister, Jiang Li. Their heroines all lead respectable, successful lives, though Yourning finds the stories rather prim.
• Yourning asks her system how to cure Qing Qianxue’s Cold Silver Frost Dew poisoning. A cure exists, but buying it would cost about one million points; unlocking the advanced shop requires five million. Her stored goods are worth at most 220,000 points, leaving her discouraged by her poverty.
• Determined to earn more, Yourning prepares to visit her tavern and look for other business opportunities. She learns that Little Wukong and Jiang Heng are still doing their bean-picking punishment and rushes over to watch.
• Finding the exhausted pair asleep, Yourning conjures a steaming bun and tempts Little Wukong with it. He bites at the bun while still half-asleep.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Heng and Little Wukong are overwhelmed by the punishment; Wukong initially tries to find a shortcut, but the extra basins dash their hopes.
• Chu Lange is eager to turn her discovery of tasty, unusual fish into more income, while Chu Wenzong supports her but urges restraint.
• Jiang Yourning shifts from worry about the antidote to practical resolve: despite her frustration, she immediately seeks ways to make money. She also treats the boys’ punishment as entertainment and uses food to coax Wukong.
• Jiang Li shows consideration by giving Yourning several stories, though Yourning recognizes the moralizing pattern in them.
• The system answers Yourning’s questions but remains self-indulgent and quickly returns to its own entertainment.

Significant themes

• Money and scarcity: The immense cost of the antidote makes Yourning’s lack of points a pressing problem and motivates her business plans.
• Ingenuity and ambition: Yourning looks for new ways to earn, while Chu Lange spots a commercial opportunity in the fish.
• Discipline and comedy: The bean-picking punishment and Yourning’s bun turn hardship into a comic episode.
• Family care and responsibility: Chu Lange wants to share her catch with her parents, and Jiang Li’s stories suggest a quieter form of sisterly thoughtfulness.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Yourning tricks Little Wukong into falling face-first into a basin while he tries to grab a bun. He complains, but accepts two buns as compensation.
• Little Wukong tries to share the prank’s misfortune with the sleeping Jiang Heng by offering him a bun. Jiang Heng reflexively grabs Little Wukong’s hand and eats, leaving the younger boy trapped.
• Yourning refuses to help them escape their bean-sorting task, joking that their desire to go outside is not yet strong enough. She leaves them locked in the courtyard.
• At the Tavern, Yourning finds Jiang Wanrong carrying out dishes she has cooked herself for Xie Ciyan. Though wary of becoming a taste-tester, she stays when she learns there is roasted fish.
• Wanrong explains that this is only her second time cooking and invites Yourning to bring out her own food. Yourning instead accompanies her upstairs, eager to see Xie Ciyan’s reaction.
• Xie Ciyan, who has been waiting, repeatedly checks his appearance after sensing Yourning is coming. He greets Wanrong’s meal confidently and begins eating, starting with a piece of chicken.

Character developments and interactions

• Yourning is playful and mischievous with Little Wukong, but also firm about making him and Jiang Heng finish their work. She is curious to watch Xie Ciyan try Wanrong’s cooking.
• Little Wukong is quick-witted enough to try turning the prank on Jiang Heng, but remains the butt of the joke and pleads unsuccessfully for help.
• Jiang Heng’s grip and unconscious snacking suggest that even while asleep, he can thwart Little Wukong’s schemes.
• Wanrong shows growing confidence in cooking for Xie Ciyan, despite admitting her inexperience. Her warm, considerate manner contrasts with Yourning’s teasing.
• Xie Ciyan’s careful grooming reveals his eagerness to impress Yourning; Shuo Feng reassures him, while Xie approaches Wanrong’s food with polite optimism.

Significant themes

• Playful teasing and camaraderie: The courtyard pranks create comic rivalry among the siblings.
• Freedom and discipline: Little Wukong’s longing to leave the locked courtyard is used to motivate him to finish his work.
• Affection and anticipation: Xie Ciyan’s fussing over his appearance hints at his feelings for Yourning, while Wanrong’s cooking is a gesture of care and hospitality.
• Food as social connection—and suspense: The meal brings the characters together, while the chapter’s ending leaves the result of Wanrong’s cooking unresolved.

Plot points and events

• Xie Ciyan tastes Jiang Wanrong’s cooking and is horrified by its unpleasant flavor, though he forces himself to call it “quite acceptable” to please her.
• Encouraged by his praise, Wanrong enthusiastically piles his bowl with more food. Xie escapes by asking her to prepare a drink and fetch the remaining dishes.
• He turns his attention to Shuo Feng, who has been struggling not to laugh at his reaction. Xie jokingly—and then firmly—orders the guard to share the meal. Shuo Feng begs for punishment instead, but obeys.
• Zhao Yi arrives, curious after overhearing Jiang Yourning’s teasing thoughts. Xie invites him to eat, then sends Shuo Feng downstairs to bring up everyone who had been on the Princess’s Pleasure Boat, intending to make them share Wanrong’s cooking.
• Zhao chooses what appears to be a mild piece of fish, wary of the beautiful-looking dishes, and puts it in his mouth.

Character developments and interactions

• Xie Ciyan shows how far he will go to encourage Wanrong: he endures her cooking and hides his distress. His affection is mixed with playful scheming, as he redirects the food toward Shuo Feng and Zhao Yi.
• Jiang Wanrong gains confidence from Xie’s apparent approval and becomes warmly eager to serve him more food.
• Shuo Feng loses his usual composure, nearly laughing at his master, then panics when Xie turns that laughter into a forced meal.
• Jiang Yourning openly enjoys teasing Xie, while Zhao Yi is drawn into the scene by curiosity and his interest in the tavern’s dishes.
• Xie’s rivalry and jealousy surface briefly when he remembers Zhao’s earlier flattery of Jiang Yourning, though he covers it with a polite invitation.

Significant themes

• Affection expressed through self-sacrifice: Xie suffers through a terrible meal to protect Wanrong’s feelings.
• Comedy and humiliation: The chapter builds humor from Xie’s attempt to remain dignified, Shuo Feng’s suppressed laughter, and the looming prospect of everyone tasting the food.
• Appearance versus reality: The dishes look appealing but may be dreadful, prompting Zhao to choose cautiously.
• Power and playful revenge: Xie uses his authority to turn the meal into a shared ordeal for those around him.

Key plot points and events

• Zhao Yi is horrified by Jiang Wanrong’s cooking, but Xie Ciyan forces him to swallow a mouthful rather than offend the Marquis or waste the food.
• Jiang Wanrong brings out four more dishes. Xie Ciyan and Zhao Yi try to discourage her from serving them, while Jiang Wanrong avoids eating any herself and leaves to keep Jiang Yourning company.
• Chu Lange arrives hungry and, without knowing the food is dangerous, quickly eats a piece of beef. She nearly chokes, then drinks water and retches.
• Xie Ciyan persuades Chu Lange, Yuan Ye, and the guards to finish the dishes, claiming they must spare Jiang Wanrong’s feelings so Jiang Yourning will keep offering free food. They all comply.
• Half an hour later, the diners rush to the privy with stomach trouble. Jiang Wanrong checks Chu Lange’s pulse, while Jiang Yourning arrives and learns that Chu Lange ate because Xie Ciyan manipulated her.

Character developments and interactions

• Xie Ciyan remains scheming and playful: despite recognizing the food’s danger, he pressures others to eat it to preserve access to Jiang Yourning’s free meals.
• Zhao Yi is reduced to grimly swallowing the food after Xie threatens the consequences of wasting it.
• Chu Lange is impulsive and trusting. She eats too quickly, then accepts Xie’s explanation and recruits Yuan Ye and Shuo Feng to help finish the meal.
• Jiang Wanrong is pleased to serve her dishes but quietly avoids tasting them herself, suggesting she knows they are unappetizing.
• Jiang Yourning reacts with exasperation when she discovers that Chu Lange was tricked into eating, bluntly asking whether Xie has made a fool of her.

Significant themes

• Deception and manipulation: Xie turns concern for Jiang Wanrong’s feelings into a pretext for getting everyone to eat the dishes.
• Loyalty and social pressure: The guests endure unpleasant food to avoid upsetting Jiang Wanrong and losing her promised hospitality.
• Comic consequences: The escalating attempts to hide the food’s poor quality end with the entire group suffering together.

Plot points and events

• Chu Lange reports Xie Ciyan’s earlier words to the Jiang sisters, who privately mock his smooth-talking and recognize their own talent for manipulation in him.
• In the privy, Xie Ciyan and Zhao Yi overhear Jiang Yourning’s thoughts. The system tracks their “persona collapse”: Xie reaches the qualifying threshold first, and Zhao follows after Jiang Yourning angrily insults them. Each earns a beginner skill book and 10,000 points.
• Jiang Yourning realizes that cursing can accelerate persona collapse and decides to bring more people to eat Jiang Wanrong’s cooking, hoping to generate more points.
• Afterward, Chu Lange playfully stamps on Xie Ciyan’s new boot, copying Jiang Yourning’s advice and enjoying the small act of revenge.
• Jiang Wanrong offers Xie acupuncture. Feeling better, Xie eagerly pays her a gold ingot to prepare food for him to take home.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yourning discovers that her sharp inner monologue can affect the system’s rewards, and begins thinking strategically about exploiting both her insults and her sister’s cooking.
• Xie Ciyan hears how Jiang Yourning sees him, recognizes her greater skill at shamelessness, and still eagerly seeks Jiang Wanrong’s food and care.
• Zhao Yi also overhears Jiang Yourning’s thoughts and becomes the target of her frustration when his persona collapse stalls just below the threshold.
• Chu Lange shifts from sweet concern to mischievous retaliation, stamping on Xie’s boot while maintaining an innocent smile.
• Jiang Wanrong remains gentle and helpful, treating Chu Lange and offering Xie acupuncture.

Significant themes

• Reputation versus reality: The men’s public personas crumble when exposed to Jiang Yourning’s private judgments.
• Words as power: Insults are not merely comic commentary; they directly trigger system rewards.
• Food, care, and ulterior motives: Jiang Wanrong’s cooking and treatments draw people in, while Jiang Yourning sees them as a potential source of points.
• Playful revenge and social maneuvering: Chu Lange’s boot-stomping turns Jiang Yourning’s advice into a small, satisfying act of defiance.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Wanrong notices Xie Ciyan’s delight at being promised extra food and gives him a painful acupuncture needle. She explains that diverting his pain will ease his stomachache.
• Jiang Yourning receives exciting news, leaves the tavern, and privately celebrates making Qing Qianxue her best friend—while also fantasizing about attracting other wealthy patrons.
• Xie Ciyan sends out portions of Jiang Wanrong’s food to Qing Qianxue, Jiang Li, and Emperor Chu Wenzong. Qing Qianxue receives the meal and, believing it came from Jiang Yourning, sends her a finely made sleeve crossbow in return. Jiang Li’s household also sends pastries to the Jiang residence, while the Emperor rewards Xie Ciyan with two dishes of palace cuisine.
• Jiang Yourning assumes Qing Qianxue’s gift proves he is sincere about their friendship, although she never sent him anything.
• Xie Ciyan is disappointed that his attempt to provoke dramatic reactions seems to have failed. After tasting the food he kept, he realizes Jiang Wanrong deliberately made his acupuncture hurt because she had seen through his scheme. He interprets her insight as a sign that she understands him and rushes back to the tavern for dinner.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Wanrong shows quiet perceptiveness: she sees through Xie Ciyan’s behavior and responds with wry humor rather than confronting him.
• Xie Ciyan swings from frustration to ecstatic affection, convinced that Jiang Wanrong understands him. His abrupt mood changes leave his attendants concerned.
• Jiang Yourning is delighted by gifts and the prospect of friendship, but misunderstands why Qing Qianxue sent the crossbow.
• Qing Qianxue cautiously tests the food, appreciates its thoughtfulness, and reciprocates with a valuable gift.
• Shuo Feng acts as Xie Ciyan’s long-suffering attendant, following his orders and worrying about his erratic behavior.
• The meals create a chain of indirect exchanges: Xie Ciyan sends food, Qing Qianxue and the Emperor respond with gifts, and Jiang Yourning mistakenly credits one of those gestures to her own growing friendship.

Significant themes

• Misunderstanding and mistaken credit: Several characters misattribute who sent the food or why a gift was given.
• Food as social currency: Meals and culinary gifts express gratitude, build connections, and prompt reciprocal gestures.
• Perception and being understood: Jiang Wanrong’s ability to read Xie Ciyan’s motives becomes emotionally significant to him, even though she treats the episode lightly.
• Comic contrasts: Xie Ciyan’s grand expectations, Jiang Yourning’s hopeful assumptions, and the modest or unexpected results create much of the chapter’s humor.

Key plot points and events

• Shuo Feng leaves Xie Ciyan at a tavern and seeks out a physician experienced with brain-related ailments, arranging for him to examine the Young Marquis.
• That evening, Jiang Yourning visits Jiang Heng and Little Wukong, who remain confined in the ancestral hall, bringing them food.
• On her way back, she discovers Jiang Li secretly carving a wooden figure in a secluded pavilion. She teases him until he admits the carving is meant for Lin Qingrao and insists she is not ugly.
• Jiang Yourning challenges Jiang Li to stop hiding his feelings and give Lin the carving. Emboldened by her teasing, he returns to the pavilion and continues carving.
• They agree that Jiang Yourning will arrange for a portrait of Lin so Jiang Li can study it while practicing. She also urges him to speak openly about his feelings and seek his parents’ help with a match.

Character developments

• Jiang Yourning is playful and perceptive, but her teasing turns into practical encouragement: she helps Jiang Li overcome his embarrassment and offers to support him.
• Jiang Li reveals a shy, romantic side beneath his stern demeanor. He is inexperienced at carving and awkward discussing affection, yet his pride—and his genuine concern for Lin—eventually make him accept help.

Significant themes

• Love and vulnerability: Jiang Li’s secret carving exposes feelings he struggles to express.
• Family support through teasing: Jiang Yourning uses humor to draw her brother out and encourage him.
• Tradition and urgency in courtship: She points out the importance of family arrangements and warns that delaying could cost them the chance to marry for love.

Character interactions

• Jiang Yourning playfully embarrasses Jiang Li, but also reassures him and offers concrete help with his carving.
• Jiang Li resists being mocked, then opens up enough to discuss Lin and accept his sister’s assistance.
• The scene briefly contrasts with Shuo Feng’s separate effort to arrange a physician’s examination for the Young Marquis.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Yourning teases her shy third brother, Jiang Li, about Lin Qingrao’s apparent interest in him. Jiang Li admits he wants to marry her.
• Yourning advises him to give Lin a wood carving and deliberately show her a minor injury, hoping to prompt her concern.
• Back in her room, Yourning performs a small ritual before opening her skill rewards.
• She wins Dog Nose, which can track one scent within a kilometer for ten minutes, with a 72-hour cooldown. She also receives Elementary School Drawing and chooses colored-pen drawing, planning to make Lin’s portrait herself and save money.
• Excited by Dog Nose, Yourning tests it on a silver ingot and discovers she can locate valuables and roughly estimate their quantity. She celebrates so enthusiastically that she bangs her forehead on a safety board installed to stop her falling out of bed.
• The next morning, Chu Lange rushes in and wakes her, exclaiming that she is about to get rich.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Li is unusually open about his feelings for Lin Qingrao, though he remains shy and oblivious to signs of her affection. Yourning acts as his matchmaking adviser.
• Jiang Yourning is thrilled by her lucky skill draw and immediately sees practical and possibly profitable uses for her new abilities. Her greed and exuberance remain comic traits.
• Chun Tao has taken precautions to keep Yourning from falling out of bed, though they cannot prevent her from hitting her head on the board.
• Chu Lange’s urgent, excited arrival sets up a new potential windfall.

Significant themes

• Romance and matchmaking: Yourning encourages Jiang Li to take a deliberate step toward Lin, while interpreting Lin’s blushing and glances as signs of interest.
• Luck and fortune: Yourning believes her bad luck has finally turned, and her new skills seem especially suited to finding hidden wealth.
• Comic ambition: Yourning’s practical plans—saving money on a portrait and sniffing out valuables—turn extraordinary abilities into opportunities for personal gain.

Key plot points

• Chu Lange wakes Jiang Yourning with news of a “windfall,” and the two hurry out of the city to a manor.
• Chu reveals she has caught many fish, including six or seven enormous Kaluga sturgeon, and wants to sell them to Jiang at a 30% discount so they can both profit.
• Jiang points out that her tavern cannot sell the large quantity of ordinary fish Chu first offers. The sturgeon, however, are valuable because of their size and roe.
• Chu offers Jiang one sturgeon for free in exchange for helping her arrange for Sister Wanrong to teach the palace cooks how to roast one. She sells the other five for 1,000 taels. Jiang eagerly accepts and plans to keep the fish alive at home.
• Excited by her first major sale, Chu imagines catching fish every day. Jiang cautions her to sell the fish already in the pond and let the stock replenish before fishing again.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yourning goes from sleepy reluctance to eager enthusiasm once she hears money is involved. She recognizes the sturgeon’s value, negotiates practically, and then reins in Chu’s unrealistic plans.
• Chu Lange shows bold entrepreneurial energy and remarkable luck, turning an unusual catch into a profitable deal. Her delight quickly becomes extravagant daydreaming about future riches.
• Their friendship is affectionate and mutually beneficial: Chu offers Jiang a favorable deal, while Jiang helps her think through sales and sustainability. Their banter—especially Chu’s playful “white cat” identity—adds to their easy intimacy.

Significant themes

• Friendship and shared prosperity: The women frame the deal as a way for both to benefit.
• Commerce and practical judgment: Jiang weighs demand and resale value rather than accepting every offer.
• Luck versus sustainability: Chu’s windfall sparks dreams of endless profit, while Jiang reminds her that valuable resources need time to replenish.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Yourning and Chu Lange discuss Chu’s large fish catch. Chu plans to sell the fish to the imperial palace, which regularly stocks its ponds.
• Returning to the city, they hear that Jiang Yourning’s second brother, Jiang He, has just arrived. Eager to see him, Yourning bumps her head while rushing out of the carriage; Chu teases her, then follows her to the crowd.
• Jiang He makes a flamboyant entrance on a white horse, dressed in red and scattering beaded ornaments to adoring onlookers. Yourning’s irreverent thoughts reveal that the display is meant to help him secretly give a flower to someone he likes.
• Hearing her thoughts, Jiang He is startled and falls from his horse. Yourning laughs rather than helping him, and he angrily calls for the person who mocked him.
• When he spots Yourning, he demands she come over. She refuses, teasing him and leaving with Chu. Jiang He tries to lure her back by threatening to withhold her presents, but she dismisses the tactic as an old bluff.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yourning is openly excited to see her brother but quickly reverts to playful mockery, revealing a comfortable, teasing familiarity with him.
• Jiang He presents himself as a charming, theatrical heartthrob, but his fall and flustered reaction expose a less composed, comical side. His search for Yourning also hints that he has missed her.
• Chu Lange remains Yourning’s amused companion, joining her adventure and laughing at both her mishap and Jiang He’s grand entrance.
• Yourning and Jiang He’s sibling bond is affectionate beneath their bickering: she knows his habits, while he tries to get her attention with familiar threats.

Significant themes

• Public image versus private self: Jiang He’s polished, romantic spectacle contrasts with his embarrassment and bluster.
• Family affection expressed through teasing: The siblings show closeness through mockery, familiar routines, and playful attempts to get one another’s attention.
• Luck and resourcefulness: Chu turns an unexpectedly successful fish catch into a profitable plan, continuing the chapter’s lighthearted focus on making the best of circumstances.

Plot points and events

• After Jiang Yourning leaves, Jiang He angrily threatens to give away the gifts he brought for her. Women nearby tease him, but he brushes them off and heads home.
• In the carriage, Chu Lange asks why Jiang Yourning seems short of money when Jiang He is an Imperial Merchant. Jiang Yourning explains that his earnings largely support the Imperial Treasury and her eldest brother’s troops on the frontier.
• Jiang Yourning reflects on Jiang He’s generosity and the horrific fate he suffered in the story, renewing her determination to visit Chu Haoze at the Court of Judicial Review.
• Chu Lange decides to join the Jiang family’s welcome banquet and asks Jiang He for advice on making money. Jiang Yourning instead proposes that they open a beauty salon together; Chu Lange eagerly agrees.
• At the Jiang Residence, Jiang Yourning learns Lin Xiangyin is visiting to thank Jiang Li. Worried that Jiang He might disrupt the budding relationship between Jiang Li and Lin Qingrao, she rushes inside and asks Chu Lange to delay him.
• Finding the visit going pleasantly, Jiang Yourning announces that Jiang He has returned.

Character developments

• Jiang Yourning shows deep affection and concern for Jiang He, while remaining alert to the tragic future she wants to prevent. She also reveals her entrepreneurial ambition.
• Jiang He is presented as hot-tempered and theatrical, but his financial sacrifices show his generous, dutiful nature.
• Chu Lange begins thinking practically about money and enthusiastically embraces Jiang Yourning’s business idea.
• Jiang Li and Lin Qingrao appear to be growing closer, though Jiang Yourning worries Jiang He may interfere.

Significant themes

• Hidden sacrifice beneath appearances: Jiang He’s flashy displays mask the costs he bears for family and country.
• Changing the future: Jiang Yourning’s memories of the story’s cruelty motivate her efforts to protect her loved ones.
• Friendship and enterprise: Jiang Yourning and Chu Lange turn shared interests into a potential business partnership.

Character interactions

• Jiang He’s furious departure is played for comedy as nearby women tease him.
• Jiang Yourning explains Jiang He’s obligations to Chu Lange, who responds with curiosity and hopes of earning money.
• Jiang Yourning and Chu Lange bond over the beauty-salon plan.
• At the residence, Jiang Yourning tries to protect Jiang Li and Lin Qingrao’s peaceful meeting by arranging to keep Jiang He away briefly.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Yourning feels better after drinking tea and sends Jiang Li to welcome his returning older brother, Jiang He. Jiang Li goes reluctantly, expecting his noisy brother to disrupt his peaceful routine.
• At the Jiang Residence gate, Jiang He mistakes Princess Yongning (Chu Lange) for an ordinary girl waiting for him. After his attendant points out the imperial insignia, Jiang He apologizes and tries to flatter her. Chu Lange instead orders him to loudly praise her beauty; he produces an extravagant, rambling compliment.
• Chu Lange reveals that Jiang Yourning had called Jiang He a “chatterbox.” Jiang He is offended and vows to confront her.
• Lin Xiangyin warmly fusses over Jiang He, then promptly turns her attention to unloading her treasured curiosities from his carriage. Chu Lange slips inside to find Jiang Yourning.
• Jiang Yourning is showing Lin Qingrao her cosmetics and applying makeup. Chu Lange joins them and eagerly tries the lip rouge—ultimately layering every shade on her lips until the result is comically alarming.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang He is sociable, quick-witted, and highly skilled at flattery, but his confidence falters when Chu Lange sees through his performance. He is also sensitive to Jiang Yourning’s teasing reputation of him.
• Chu Lange proves more sharp and self-possessed than the rumors of her being foolish and domineering suggest. She playfully punishes Jiang He, then enthusiastically explores Jiang Yourning’s cosmetics.
• Jiang Li remains quiet and glum at the prospect of his talkative brother’s return, while still responding gently to Lin Qingrao.
• Lin Xiangyin shows affection toward Jiang He, but her excitement over his unusual possessions quickly steals her attention.
• Jiang Yourning and Lin Qingrao share a warm, relaxed moment over makeup. Yourning makes Qingrao feel at ease, while Qingrao openly delights in the cosmetics.

Significant themes

• Playful banter and reputation: Jiang He’s long-winded charm becomes the joke of the scene, especially when Chu Lange echoes Jiang Yourning’s judgment of him.
• Appearances versus reality: Chu Lange’s behavior contradicts the rumors about her, and Jiang He’s initial assumptions about her quickly get him into trouble.
• Affection and everyday pleasures: The chapter emphasizes family warmth, friendship, and the simple enjoyment of dressing up and sharing new beauty products.

Key plot points and events

• Chu Lange tries on lip rouge, jokingly asks whether she can eat it, and receives a playful makeover from Jiang Yourning. She becomes delighted with her reflection and boasts about her beauty.
• Jiang Yourning teases Lin Qingrao about becoming her third sister-in-law. Embarrassed, Lin leaves; Jiang Yourning asks Jiang Li to escort her home.
• Jiang He returns to the Jiang residence. Little Wukong and Jiang Heng, freed from their chores, are waiting impatiently for the welcome feast.
• Jiang He catches the boys trying to sneak food and mistakes Little Wukong—whom he has never met—for a new younger brother. Jiang Yourning’s thoughts make clear that Wukong is actually a prince.
• Jiang He confronts Jiang Yourning for avoiding him and allegedly calling him a blabbermouth. She denies it aloud while privately insulting him; he seems to sense her thoughts, leaving her flustered.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yourning shows her playful, matchmaking side with Lin Qingrao, while also teasing and caring for Chu Lange.
• Lin Qingrao’s bashfulness suggests affection for Jiang Li, though she is not ready to discuss it openly. Jiang Li is puzzled by Jiang Yourning’s hints.
• Jiang He is confident and boastful, quickly joking that he will accept Little Wukong as a younger brother. He also shares a teasing, confrontational bond with Jiang Yourning.
• Jiang Heng and Little Wukong remain partners in mischief and secretly plan to run away after dinner.

Significant themes

• Family affection expressed through teasing: Jiang Yourning and Jiang He’s bickering masks closeness.
• Romance and matchmaking: Jiang Yourning encourages a possible relationship between Lin Qingrao and Jiang Li.
• Comedy and vanity: Chu Lange’s self-admiration and Jiang He’s narcissistic jokes provide much of the humor.
• Hidden thoughts and secrets: Jiang Yourning’s unspoken insults—and Jiang He’s apparent awareness of them—add a note of intrigue.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang He returns home and discovers that he can hear Jiang Yourning’s thoughts, though he accepts the strange ability and finds it amusing.
• He meets Jiang Wanrong, his sister who was switched at birth. After learning about her earlier, he welcomes her warmly and promises to help her.
• Jiang Yourning privately mocks Jiang He’s flirtatious manner and doubts his promises, while he wonders whether she has a point.
• At dinner, Jiang He recounts his business travels and offers to take Jiang Yourning and Jiang Wanrong shopping. When Yourning reminds him he once promised to act like a dog if he bought her a gift, he cheerfully barks until she agrees to go.
• Yourning’s thoughts reveal that she plans to visit the Court of Judicial Review and check on a prisoner she calls a “damned lunatic.” Jiang Wanrong asks her to help with shop accounts, but Yourning declines. Hearing her thoughts, Jiang He becomes concerned and wonders what happened while he was away.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang He is introduced as flamboyant and flirtatious but also affectionate and adaptable. He welcomes Wanrong, indulges Yourning’s teasing, and grows alert when he hears that she intends to visit a prisoner.
• Jiang Yourning continues to needle her second brother, but her thoughts reveal a more troubling preoccupation with someone in prison. Her contrast between playful banter and private anger hints at a serious unresolved matter.
• Jiang Wanrong is warm and observant. Though wary because of Yourning’s warning, she finds Jiang He more approachable than expected and tries to involve Yourning in practical family business.
• Chu Lange backs Yourning up when she sees Jiang He holding her, while Yourning’s and Jiang He’s banter quickly turns the confrontation into comic teasing.

Significant themes

• Family bonds and reconciliation: Jiang He’s welcome to Wanrong emphasizes that family acceptance matters more than the circumstances of her birth.
• Public image versus private thoughts: Yourning’s inner commentary undercuts her cheerful behavior, while Jiang He’s newfound ability lets him see beyond what she says aloud.
• Adaptability and affection: Jiang He’s willingness to humor his sisters shows the balance between standing his ground and giving way.
• Foreshadowing: Yourning’s planned prison visit introduces a darker mystery, and Jiang He’s concern suggests it will draw him into events he missed.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Yourning leaves the family meal with Chu Lange, intending to visit Chu Haoze in the Court of Judicial Review’s prison. She secretly uses an Invisibility Cloak to slip out of the Tavern and reach the court.
• Unable to find the prison, she runs into Zhao Yi. He hears her thoughts, though he cannot see her, and—prompted by her request—takes her inside.
• Yourning privately promises to give Zhao clues about a counterfeit-coin case Zhao has been investigating.
• She worries Chu Haoze may have been released, then finds him in a clean, isolated cell at the back of the prison. He is battered and lying motionless.
• Zhao notices Chu Haoze’s fresh injuries and wonders who inflicted them, since the emperor ordered imprisonment but not torture. Yourning, meanwhile, thinks the beating was inadequate and begins plotting what to do next.

Character developments

• Jiang He interprets Yourning’s remarks at dinner as evidence that she has returned to the past to avenge her family. He feels protective and decides not to leave the capital until he uncovers the truth.
• Jiang Yourning remains focused on revenge against Chu Haoze, while her thoughts also reveal a mischievous streak and willingness to use information as a reward.
• Zhao Yi becomes increasingly wary of Yourning after realizing she is present and may know about his case. Her influence over him grows even though he cannot see her.

Significant themes

• Hidden knowledge and mistaken assumptions: Yourning’s thoughts are overheard, but others draw their own conclusions from them; Jiang He’s theory about her past is especially speculative.
• Family protection and responsibility: Jiang He resolves to take on the burden he believes Yourning is carrying alone.
• Revenge and justice: Yourning treats Chu Haoze’s imprisonment as only one step in her vendetta, while the prison’s unexplained violence raises questions about who is enforcing punishment.

Character interactions

• At dinner, Yourning’s pointed thoughts unsettle Jiang He and lead him to resolve to protect her.
• Yourning silently guides Zhao Yi by asking him to lead her to the prison and rewards his cooperation with the promise of investigative help.
• In the prison, Zhao Yi’s professional concern over Chu Haoze’s injuries contrasts with Yourning’s satisfaction—and frustration that the punishment was not harsher.

Plot points and events

• Jiang Yourning uses her strange “Jinx” ability and eagerly hopes Chu Haoze will be cut. Zhao Yi, unable to see her, hides when a group enters the prison.
• General Zheng Wanba—Consort Zheng’s brother—has returned to the capital ahead of the publicly announced schedule. He orders Chu Haoze woken and, claiming the prince injured his nephew, cuts both wrists and slashes his face before being interrupted. He orders the guards to whip Chu Haoze daily with salt water.
• Jiang watches the beating with disturbing satisfaction, while Zhao Yi realizes the general’s early return may threaten the court. He leaves to warn the emperor.
• Outside the prison, Jiang hears a familiar cry for help and finds Jiang Heng, disguised as a woman, and Little Wukong surrounded by thugs. The men demand their money; Little Wukong pretends to be helpless and begs to be released.

Character developments and interactions

• Jiang Yourning reveals the depth of her cruelty and resentment toward Chu Haoze: she delights in his pain and looks forward to seeing him suffer again. Her narration also hints at a traumatic past involving harm to her family.
• Zhao Yi is increasingly unsettled by Jiang’s ruthless side, but acts cautiously and responsibly by heading to alert the emperor about Zheng Wanba.
• Zheng Wanba is introduced as a powerful, violent figure who has returned secretly and is willing to torture a prince. His men and the jailer defer to him.
• Chu Haoze endures the mutilation without showing visible fear or emotion.
• Jiang Heng and Little Wukong face the alley attackers together; Little Wukong’s tearful act suggests he may be trying to manipulate the situation.

Significant themes

• Revenge and cruelty: Jiang’s pleasure in Chu Haoze’s suffering makes vengeance central and morally unsettling.
• Hidden motives and political danger: Zheng Wanba’s unscheduled return suggests a concealed agenda and a looming threat at court.
• Disguise and deception: Jiang Heng’s clothing and Little Wukong’s apparent helplessness contrast with the danger around them.
• Power and vulnerability: Chu Haoze and the alley pair are physically at others’ mercy, while those with status or cunning control events.

• Plot: After being captured in an alley, Jiang Heng and Little Wukong claim their families can pay a ransom. When one captor insults the Jiang family, the boys fight back: Jiang Heng bites him and grabs a cleaver, while Little Wukong uses tears and an embroidery needle to threaten him. Jiang Yourning, who had been ready to intervene, realizes the boys can handle themselves at first and sends a beggar to alert the Jiang household that the pair ran away. When the captors corner the boys, they panic and regret running away. Jiang Yourning then incapacitates the five men with stun batons and reunites the boys with Jiang Li.
• Character developments: Jiang Heng and Little Wukong show unexpected resourcefulness and boldness, but their bravado collapses when they face real danger. Both cling to Jiang Yourning after she saves them, loudly pledging gratitude—though their complaints about death, funerals, and inheritance make their gratitude comic rather than dignified. Yourning is amused by their antics, but quickly regrets rescuing them before they have calmed down.
• Interactions: The boys alternate between threatening their captors and sobbing together. Yourning watches, arranges for help, then rescues them and becomes their unwilling “ornament stand” as they cling to her legs. Jiang Li arrives with a grim expression and, to Yourning’s relief, appears ready to take charge.
• Themes and tone: The chapter plays with the contrast between childish vulnerability and surprising cunning, and between dramatic danger and slapstick comedy. Family loyalty is central: despite running away, the boys rely on their siblings, and Yourning and Jiang Li step in to protect them.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang Heng and Little Wukong cling to Jiang Yourning for protection after Jiang Li catches up with them. Jiang Li hauls the boys away and orders his subordinates to send the bound attackers to the Court of Judicial Review for questioning and imprisonment.
• Jiang Li notices what looks like blood on Jiang Yourning’s face. She claims it is an experimental makeup style; he believes her, criticizes it, and tells her to wash it off. Once alone, she wipes away the blood.
• Jiang Yourning rewards the young beggar who helped her, learns that his former name was Gong Shang, and hires him to collect gossip about influential people and unusual happenings in the Capital. In return, the Tavern will feed him, and she will pay for useful information.
• Jiang Wanrong returns from visiting an old acquaintance and shares a quiet, warm conversation with Jiang Yourning. Jiang Yourning suspects her sister is still investigating the mysterious “evil incense” and considers seeking information from the Shadow Pavilion.
• Later, Jiang He visits the Tavern after hearing that Zheng Wanba returned to the Capital and attacked the Seventh Prince in prison. He notices a small bloodstain on Jiang Yourning’s skirt and becomes concerned.

Character developments

• Jiang Yourning remains quick-thinking and mischievous, concealing her involvement in the dangerous events by passing off blood as makeup. She also begins building an intelligence network by employing A-Qi.
• Jiang Li shows his protective side: his anger at the boys’ mischief quickly shifts to alarm when he thinks Jiang Yourning has been hurt.
• A-Qi (Gong Shang) is revealed to have suffered hardship and family loss, but he eagerly accepts Jiang Yourning’s offer, gaining food, work, and a possible source of security.
• Jiang Wanrong appears more composed than before and is touched by Jiang Yourning’s care and company.
• Jiang He quietly watches over Jiang Yourning; his concern grows when he spots blood on her clothing.

Significant themes

• Family protection and affection: The siblings’ teasing and scolding conceal genuine concern for one another.
• Resourcefulness and secrecy: Jiang Yourning masks the aftermath of violence and turns a chance encounter into a useful intelligence arrangement.
• Survival and compassion: A-Qi’s painful past contrasts with Jiang Yourning’s practical generosity.
• Unresolved danger: The attackers, Zheng Wanba’s actions, and the mystery of the evil incense point to threats still unfolding.

Character interactions

• Jiang Heng and Little Wukong plead with Jiang Yourning to save them from Jiang Li, but she humorously refuses to intervene.
• Jiang Li threatens and removes the boys, then checks Jiang Yourning for injuries; she deflects his concern with a lie.
• Jiang Yourning treats A-Qi to a meal and offers him a paid role gathering information.
• Jiang Wanrong and Jiang Yourning share tea and conversation, with Jiang Yourning privately worrying about her sister’s investigation.
• Jiang He observes Jiang Yourning asleep and silently considers whether she went to the prison, especially after noticing blood on her skirt.

Key plot points and events

• Jiang He leaves the tavern without revealing where he is going. He tells Jiang Wanrong that Jiang Yourning had been out rescuing her brothers, then invites Wanrong to eat and talk about what happened while he was away.
• Xie Ciyan arrives hoping to see Jiang Yourning, but learns she is asleep and that Wanrong is occupied with a guest. Jealous after seeing Yourning chatting with another handsome man earlier, he worries that he is not attractive enough and orders his attendant, Shuo Feng, to find skin-lightening products.
• Yourning wakes after Jiang He has left to visit an old friend. Believing he is going to see his sweetheart—and eager to watch him be rejected—she rushes after him. Wanrong, curious about the sweetheart herself, follows later.
• At the Flowing Spring Teahouse, Yourning disguises herself with a pill and slips inside. She finds Jiang He in the proprietress Ye Wanru’s room, flirting and trying to persuade her to serve him tea in return for matching her couplet.
• Yourning privately judges Jiang He’s smooth talk and thinks Ye Wanru is more tolerant of him than she would be if she had no interest. She also urges him, in her thoughts, to give Ye the gift he brought. Jiang He hears her voice in his mind and realizes she has followed him.

Character developments

• Jiang He is shown concealing his visit from Wanrong while pursuing Ye Wanru with playful persistence. Yourning’s sudden mental commentary catches him off guard.
• Xie Ciyan becomes comically insecure and jealous over Yourning’s attention to other men, deciding his complexion must be the problem.
• Jiang Yourning remains mischievous and curious, disguising herself to spy on her brother and teasing him through her thoughts.
• Jiang Wanrong shows concern for her siblings and curiosity about Jiang He’s romantic life, prompting her to follow him.

Significant themes

• Romantic jealousy and insecurity: Xie’s fear of losing Yourning’s attention drives his absurd beauty regimen plan.
• Family closeness and teasing: Yourning’s meddling and Wanrong’s curiosity reveal an affectionate, lively sibling dynamic.
• Courtship and social wit: Jiang He and Ye Wanru’s exchange blends flirtation with the teahouse’s poetic challenge.
• Secrecy and unexpected discovery: Jiang He tries to keep his destination private, but Yourning tracks him down—and her thoughts expose her presence.

Character interactions

• Jiang He and Wanrong share a private, trusting conversation before he leaves.
• Xie complains to Shuo Feng about Yourning’s attention to other men; Shuo Feng’s suggestion that she prefers fair-skinned men fuels Xie’s plan.
• Jiang He flirts with Ye Wanru, who calmly insists he must solve her couplet to earn tea.
• Yourning secretly observes them and mentally heckles Jiang He, inadvertently revealing herself to him.