Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• After realizing the Grand Council Secretary post carries great power despite having no formal rank, Jian Ruonan is relieved that it is a concurrent appointment and hopes it will not add morning-court duties. Emperor Deyuan, eager to accommodate her, privately considers changing court hours and frequency.
• The court turns to preparations for the upcoming Spring Examination. Jian eagerly wants to proctor it because she expects to witness candidates’ cheating—and hear the gossip.
• Emperor Deyuan appoints Jian Deputy Chief Examiner. The Fourth Prince, Dantai Mo, volunteers as the other deputy, ostensibly to help protect Jian and ensure fairness, though the Black Tortoise System teases him for being motivated by gossip.
• A scramble begins for the remaining Chief Examiner post. Su Xuelin and Shi Fan both insist they should take it, while other ministers join the contest. The clash reveals how quickly officials who previously avoided unpleasant assignments will fight over an entertaining one.
• Jian’s thought that the First Imperial Prince may have stolen the examination papers abruptly raises the possibility of a major cheating scandal.

Character developments and interactions

• Jian Ruonan remains delighted by prestigious titles and fascinated by gossip, while her reluctance to attend court continues to shape the emperor’s decisions.
• Emperor Deyuan indulges Jian and shares her curiosity about the examination, though the other ministers privately insist he cannot personally oversee it.
• Dantai Mo steps forward as deputy examiner. He frames his choice as protecting Jian and defending candidates’ prospects; the system suspects he simply wants to enjoy the cheating gossip.
• Shi Fan and Su Xuelin clash over the chief examiner role. Shi resents Su’s attempt to claim the post under the pretext of sparing him, especially after officials had avoided other demanding duties.
• The ministers’ shared appetite for spectacle contrasts with their public talk of responsibility, and Jian’s inner commentary turns their political maneuvering into comedy.

Significant themes

• Power and privilege: Jian receives influential appointments and special consideration from the emperor despite her modest formal rank.
• Gossip versus duty: Officials’ professed concern for public service is undercut by their eagerness to witness scandal.
• Political rivalry and hypocrisy: Ministers dodge burdensome work but compete for prestigious or entertaining posts.
• Comic dramatic irony: Jian’s private thoughts, the system’s teasing, and the court’s reactions expose motives that characters would not openly admit.

• Key events: In court, the Six Ministers compete to avoid becoming chief examiner for the Metropolitan Examination, each using the others’ heavy workloads as an excuse to pass the job along. Emperor Deyuan appoints the Minister of Justice, partly because the ministry is suited to catching thieves. Jian Ruonan then warns that the Spring Examination papers are in danger that night and secures permission to guard them.
• The planned theft: Ruonan’s inner thoughts reveal that the First Imperial Prince intends to steal the papers from the Imperial Study. He has trained in lightness skills and even sewn himself night clothes. The emperor and the ministers learn of the plan through Ruonan’s thoughts and resolve to catch him in the act. The ministers are especially eager because the prince has made their “big brother,” Jian Huayuan, a scapegoat in the examination-cheating scandal.
• Character developments and interactions: Ruonan invents a cover story, claiming her warning comes from star observation and divination. She presents crumpled toilet paper as a divination tool and explains away its lack of cut marks by claiming her abilities have improved. The emperor recognizes the flimsy deception but indulges her and grants her request. Meanwhile, the ministers’ rivalry exposes their shared pettiness and opportunism; the Minister of Justice wins through shameless persistence rather than elaborate political strategy.
• Themes and tone: The chapter comically contrasts grand expectations of court intrigue with mundane buck-passing and excuses. It also highlights the gap between Ruonan’s ridiculous methods and the serious consequences she uncovers, as well as the court’s strange solidarity when someone threatens one of their own.

• The First Imperial Prince faces neglect and an uncertain future. Tantai Ji is due to leave the capital for his small fief after Emperor Deyuan’s birthday celebration in May. His residence will then be reclaimed. The Imperial Household Department refuses to repair rooms damaged by snow, dismissing the problem because he will soon be gone. Tantai Ji orders his steward to record the names of the officials who slighted him, privately vowing to punish them if he ever gains power.
• His advisers see him as both vulnerable and miserly. Tantai Ji says his lack of maternal family support forces him to save money, but the advisers point out that he has accumulated wealth through his Ministry of Works post and still refuses to pay for repairs. His thrift extends even to a neglected pond he once had dug to imitate the Fourth Prince’s lake.
• His maritime-trade profits have collapsed. Tantai Ji learns that returns have fallen by nearly eighty percent. One ship sank, and more competitors have entered the lucrative trade. The Fourth Prince is among them, prompting Tantai Ji to resent him: the Fourth Prince is already wealthy and powerful, yet is competing for the same profits.
• A pregnant mistress becomes a political opportunity—and a threat. Tantai Ji asks after Luo Shuirong, whom he had left to fend for herself. She has been taken to the residence of Pu Jingyi, the influential Eastern Depot Governor, because she is Pu’s niece. Pu intends for her unborn child to inherit the Pu family estate. Tantai Ji initially sees a chance to build ties with Pu, but recoils at the prospect of his child being raised as a eunuch’s heir. He postpones contacting Luo.
• Tantai Ji prepares to visit his mother. On Lady Wu’s birthday, he packs night clothes and heads into the palace, presenting the visit as a natural chance to spend time with her before his departure.
  Character developments and interactions: Tantai Ji’s resentment, ambition, and avarice shape his dealings with everyone around him. His steward obediently carries out his orders; his advisers quietly judge his stinginess and poor decisions while trying to advise him. He regards the Fourth Prince as an intolerable rival and considers Pu Jingyi chiefly as a potential political ally, until Pu’s plan for the child conflicts with his pride and interests. The chapter highlights Tantai Ji’s precarious position: he is a neglected prince with grand ambitions, but his self-interest often undermines his relationships.
  Significant themes: Court favoritism and the vulnerability of those without powerful family backing; ambition thwarted by limited status; wealth and competition; and the tension between family ties and political advantage.

Key plot points and events

• After the court session, Emperor Deyuan orders Minister Wu to remain and help guard the metropolitan examination papers that night. The other six senior ministers, excluded from the stakeout, invent urgent government business to stay in the palace and watch the anticipated theft.
• Jian Ruonan returns home to sleep before the nighttime operation. She asks Zang Chun to make her face coverings—“facekinis”—for warmth and disguise, and is delighted when the maids produce a whole assortment of designs.
• Jian Ruonan’s younger brother Teng learns she has been promoted to Grand Council Secretary. Excited by the news and by the chance to catch the First Imperial Prince stealing the exam papers, he wants to join her, but she refuses. He instead persuades her to approve two days off every five days at the Imperial College.
• At the palace, Eunuch Cao congratulates Jian Ruonan and offers her a red envelope, hoping she will explain Purple Star Astrology during the stakeout. She accepts it and heads to the Pavilion of Literary Profundity.
• There she finds the six ministers and the Fourth Prince waiting. When she announces that she brought enough facekinis for everyone, the ministers are bewildered.

Character developments

• Jian Ruonan is increasingly confident in her new official standing, though she jokes about her sudden promotion. She prepares carefully for the stakeout and enjoys sharing her improvised gear—and influence—with others.
• Teng admires his sister’s rapid rise and sees her as a pillar for the family. His newfound courage comes from having Jian Ruonan’s support, though he still tries to tag along and negotiate favors.
• Eunuch Cao shows how much he values Jian Ruonan’s goodwill, offering a gift and seeking her help.
• The ministers reveal that their official gravitas is no match for their curiosity: they are willing to manufacture an overnight work session just to witness the coming gossip.

Significant themes

• Gossip as a powerful social force: Even top officials bend rules and invent work to get a chance to witness the scandal.
• Family affection and loyalty: Teng celebrates Jian Ruonan’s success and trusts her protection, while Jian Ruonan indulges him even as she sets limits.
• Status and influence: Jian Ruonan’s promotion changes how others approach her, and her new authority lets her grant Teng’s request.
• Comedy through anachronism and misunderstanding: The modern-sounding facekinis, “holy crap,” and Jian Ruonan’s playful inner commentary clash with the court setting.

Character interactions

• Emperor Deyuan reluctantly lets the ministers stay, recognizing that their real motivation is gossip rather than state business.
• Jian Ruonan and Teng share affectionate teasing: he praises her promotion, asks to accompany her, and bargains for more school holidays.
• Jian Ruonan and Eunuch Cao exchange red envelopes, with Cao hoping to learn astrology from her.
• The ministers gather around Jian Ruonan, eager to join the stakeout; she responds by offering them facekinis—an offer that leaves them confused.

• Jian Ruonan stages a divination: In the Council Hall, Chief Minister Su asks her to predict when the First Imperial Prince will try to steal the Metropolitan Examination papers. Jian pretends to consult the stars, but becomes genuinely absorbed by the clear night sky—a reminder of the world she left behind. When the Minister of War suggests she go outside, she jokes inwardly that he is more likely worried about her catching cold.
• Dantai Mo approaches her: Urged on by the Black Tortoise System, Dantai—called Prince Rui here—tries to use a poem to comfort Jian’s homesickness. The system’s improvised verse is mostly ridiculous, so he abandons the plan and asks her to teach him stargazing instead. Jian points out Venus and Pisces, then traces the constellation in his open palm. The touch flusters him and earns an emotional-reaction reward; the system is exasperated that Dantai has fallen for Jian rather than winning her over.
• Jian warns of bad luck, then offers a solution: When Emperor Deyuan arrives, Jian declares that the stars show the night’s affair will defy heaven and bring misfortune. The ministers, who had initially doubted her, are impressed by her convincing performance and ask how to avert the danger. She produces a strange three-holed face covering and says wearing it will protect them, leaving the emperor, ministers, and Dantai bewildered.
  Character developments and interactions: Jian shifts from putting on a show to sharing a sincere, intimate moment under the stars with Dantai. Dantai’s shy effort to connect with her reveals his growing affection, while the Black Tortoise System acts as a comic, meddling matchmaker. Jian also plays off the ministers’ concern and uses their newly awakened belief in her divination to set up the face-covering gag.
  Themes: The chapter blends homesickness and wonder at the night sky with playful romance, comic misunderstandings, and Jian’s talent for turning performance into influence.

Key events

Jian Ruonan presents the emperor and his ministers with handmade Facekinis, claiming they will keep their faces warm and protect them from branches. The men are embarrassed by the colorful masks and initially refuse to choose. Prince Rui quietly picks a gray, understated design, hoping it will suit nighttime surveillance.
To get the others to cooperate, Jian Ruonan stages an elaborate mystical performance. She warns Minister Pei that refusing will bring financial trouble, then sets paper alight with a snap and frightens him into choosing a coin-patterned Facekini. Minister Pei turns the pressure on Minister Pang, whom Jian Ruonan warns will suffer illness and itching unless he takes one. Pang feels an itch, chooses a rabbit-patterned mask, and finds the sensation immediately stops. Jian Ruonan then threatens the remaining holdouts with another theatrical “submission” incantation. By the end, everyone has put one on.

Character developments and interactions

• Jian Ruonan combines practical salesmanship, sham mysticism, and intimidation to get the group to wear her creations. She takes delight in overcoming their concern for appearances.
• Prince Rui (Dantai Mo) tries to seem uninterested but selects a discreet mask, revealing his practical interest in covert activity. The Black Tortoise System teases him about it.
• Emperor Deyuan is reluctant to wear a Facekini himself, but encourages the ministers to choose first so he can watch them try theirs on.
• Minister Pei resists at first, then gives in when Jian Ruonan threatens his wealth. He retaliates by pushing Minister Pang into the spotlight.
• Minister Pang is especially susceptible to mystical warnings. His sudden itching convinces him to choose a mask, even as he recognizes Jian Ruonan’s coercion.
• The ministers’ private reactions reveal their shared embarrassment and distrust, while the emperor and ministers are equally startled by Jian Ruonan’s theatrics.

Significant themes

The scene turns social embarrassment into comic coercion: the officials’ concern for dignity makes them easy targets for Jian Ruonan’s pressure. It also plays with superstition and performance, as her staged mysticism proves more effective than reason or persuasion. Beneath the absurdity, the masks serve a practical purpose—warmth and concealment—while the group’s banter shows how rank, self-interest, and mutual betrayal shape their interactions.

Key plot points and events

• The ministers begin giving in to Jian Ruonan’s demand that they wear brightly patterned Facekinis. The Minister of Works’s sudden itching—and quick recovery after choosing one—was caused by Jian’s Itch Powder and antidote.
• Jian claims the Facekinis ward off evil and were given by Shakyamuni. To pressure the ministers, she tells Emperor Deyuan that only the “true dragon emperor” can understand them. He reluctantly agrees, trapping himself in the same claim.
• Jian assigns specific Facekinis to the Minister of Justice, Chief Minister Su, and Eunuch Cao, using ominous predictions about bad luck or career trouble to secure their cooperation.
• Emperor Deyuan tries to avoid wearing one, but Jian warns that a divine beast called Hou—said to eat dragon brains—may appear. Eunuch Cao attempts to help him evade the garment, but Jian offers to crochet him an imperial-yellow one instead.
• With the Big System activating her “Crochet Proficiency,” Jian rapidly makes a special garment for the emperor. She adds dragon horns and red circles for “good fortune,” naming it the Dragonkini. The emperor is horrified by its design.

Character developments

• Jian Ruonan continues to show her talent for improvisation and manipulation, blending fabricated supernatural claims with practical tricks. She treats the absurd situation as an opportunity to show off.
• Emperor Deyuan protects his image as the divinely blessed “true dragon emperor,” even when doing so forces him into increasingly embarrassing compromises.
• Eunuch Cao tries to shield the emperor from having to wear a Facekini, but his efforts ultimately help Jian find another way to dress him.
• The ministers shift from skepticism to reluctant compliance, unnerved by Jian’s apparent powers and threats of misfortune.
• Dantai Mo silently recognizes Jian’s trickery, while the two systems praise her audacity and resourcefulness.

Significant themes

• Power through performance: Jian’s confident supernatural explanations make others act as if her claims are true.
• Pride and face-saving: The emperor’s need to preserve his reputation repeatedly undermines his dignity.
• Comic coercion and manipulation: Jian uses staged symptoms, predictions, and social pressure to get her way.
• Absurdity and ingenuity: Ordinary crochet becomes an over-the-top imperial spectacle through Jian’s magical framing.

Character interactions

• Jian steers the ministers by assigning garments and warning them of consequences; they complain inwardly but comply.
• She corners the emperor by appealing to his dragon-emperor identity, while he tries to evade the obligation.
• Eunuch Cao supports the emperor’s escape attempts, but Jian counters by making a custom imperial-yellow Dragonkini.
• Dantai Mo watches Jian’s schemes unfold without intervening, and the systems provide amused commentary.

Plot points and events

• The First Imperial Prince visits his disgraced mother, Lady Wu, in the neglected Cold Palace on her birthday. The palace servants ignore their duties, so he reluctantly tips them to bring her better charcoal.
• Lady Wu is anxious about his calling her “Mother” and hopes she can leave the capital with him. He cannot promise that, but vows to find another way. After returning to his residence, he claims he stayed late for her birthday; later, he secretly changes into night-prowling clothes and waits, suggesting he has a plan.
• At the Pavilion of Literary Profundity, Jian Ruonan finishes knitting a Dragonkini. To avoid discussing state affairs, she introduces barbecue and skewers. With the emperor and ministers intrigued, she has ingredients and a grill brought in and leads them in cooking outdoors.
• Jian uses an array of unusual seasonings, which the court assumes must come from the mysterious “Shakyamuni.” The emperor enjoys the food but complains about the smoke; Jian recommends wearing the Dragonkini as protection.

Character developments

• The First Imperial Prince shows devotion and concern for Lady Wu, while carefully managing his limited resources and concealing whatever he plans to do that night.
• Lady Wu is diminished by her fall from favor and the loss of Consort Xian’s protection. She tries to appear content, but her hope of leaving the Cold Palace remains.
• Jian Ruonan is resourceful and playful, using food and humor to redirect a tedious political meeting. Her Dragonkini also becomes part of her practical, comic sales pitch.
• Emperor Deyuan and the ministers reveal their curiosity—and appetite—when confronted with unfamiliar food.

Themes and interactions

• Neglect and palace power: Cold Palace residents receive little care, while servants prioritize personal gain and favored masters.
• Family loyalty and vulnerability: The prince’s birthday visit contrasts with Lady Wu’s precarious situation and uncertain future.
• Ingenuity and cultural exchange: Jian introduces a new style of cooking and distinctive seasonings to the court.
• Humor and hierarchy: Jian’s irreverent banter, the ministers’ astonishment, and the emperor’s effort to sound worldly soften the formal setting.

Key events

• After Jian Ruonan grows tired of grilling, she persuades the Minister of Works to take over by claiming Buddha Shakyamuni loves barbecue—and that the smoke and spices are offerings to him. The other ministers, and even Emperor Deyuan, soon join in, treating her grilling advice as sacred instruction.
• Jian proposes demonstrating the “divine power” of the Facekinis, which she renames “Bikinis” to make them sound more religious. She recruits Dantai Mo and gives him a distinctive mask, making him feel specially favored.
• Jian uses her “Hide” function to render herself and Dantai invisible to a group of Embroidered Uniform Guards. They test it by circling the guards repeatedly without being noticed.
• Convinced the masks are divine artifacts, the emperor, ministers, and Eunuch Cao put them on. Jian then proposes going to the imperial harem to see what the palace women are doing.

Character developments and interactions

• Jian Ruonan shows her talent for improvisation and manipulation, turning ordinary barbecue and masks into supposed religious rites. She also enjoys gathering gossip, even about the guards they are about to evade.
• The Minister of War initially refuses to grill, but changes his mind and becomes an eager student once the others take part.
• The Minister of Works is especially receptive to Jian’s supernatural explanations and volunteers first.
• Dantai Mo hesitates to wear the mask, but Jian’s special gift warms him; he privately believes he holds a unique place in her regard.
• Emperor Deyuan and the ministers move from skepticism to awe after witnessing the masks’ concealment effect.

Significant themes

• Deception and belief: Jian’s confident storytelling persuades powerful officials to accept absurd claims.
• Appearance versus reality: The Facekinis are ordinary masks, but a hidden ability makes them seem miraculous.
• Gossip as entertainment and leverage: Jian treats private information as both amusement and a tool for navigating palace life.
• Power and status: Even the emperor is eager to gain favor with Shakyamuni, revealing how ambition makes the group susceptible to Jian’s claims.

Plot points and events

• Jian Ruonan has the emperor, six ministers, and Eunuch Cao wear colorful Facekinis. Amused by their ridiculous appearance, she takes a group photo with a Polaroid, claiming its flash comes from the thunder goddess Dianmu.
• She presents the photograph as an “Electronic Wooden Fish” meant to atone for their supposed trespass against heaven. Privately, she plans to use copies as blackmail if anyone crosses her.
• The court’s astonishment at the photo turns to embarrassment and barely suppressed laughter—especially over the emperor’s dragon-patterned mask. Dantai Mo blames the Black Tortoise System for urging him to pose with a V sign.
• Growing accustomed to their masks, the group follows Jian Ruonan into the imperial harem to investigate the Empress Dowager’s “juicy gossip.” The Facekinis conceal them from two palace maids, convincing the party that the masks grant real divine power.
• At Cian Palace, Jian Ruonan discovers that Qin Guangzu, the Minister of the Court of Sacrificial Worship, is still there in disguise as a woman and posing as a distant relative of the Empress Dowager. Though the emperor hesitates to pry into his mother’s affairs, Minister Su argues that all gossip is equally fair game, and the group decides to stay.

Character developments and interactions

• Jian Ruonan remains quick-witted and mischievous, using everyone’s belief in her supposed spiritual powers to explain modern gadgets and secretly gain leverage.
• Emperor Deyuan shifts between curiosity, embarrassment, and discomfort as he becomes part of Jian Ruonan’s schemes—and faces gossip about his own family.
• The ministers and Eunuch Cao move from skepticism to enthusiastic participation, persuaded by the masks’ apparent ability to hide them.
• Dantai Mo is reluctantly drawn into the photo while the Black Tortoise System encourages him; their banter ends with Dantai’s exasperation.
• Minister Su reassures the emperor with a philosophical argument that gives the group permission to keep listening.

Significant themes

• Technology mistaken for magic: The characters interpret the camera and masks as divine objects, highlighting the gap between Jian Ruonan’s knowledge and their beliefs.
• Gossip as entertainment and power: The court eagerly consumes private revelations, while Jian Ruonan sees the photograph as a tool for future coercion.
• Appearance and concealment: The Facekinis both make the party look absurd and help them pass unseen, turning disguise into practical power.
• Authority undermined by comedy: Even the emperor and senior ministers become participants in a ridiculous outing, weakening the formality of court life.

Key plot points and events

• Jian Ruonan leads the emperor, ministers, and other companions on a secret visit to the Empress Dowager’s shrine, after overhearing two maids’ gossip about the Dowager’s past.
• The ministers joke about keeping their magical Bikinis; Jian says they may take them home.
• Jian peers through the shrine’s silk window and sees Qin Guangzu, Minister of Sacrificial Worship, dressed as a monk and meditating before a veiled Guanyin statue.
• The Empress Dowager enters in youthful pink clothes and elaborate ornaments. With pipa music playing, she flirts with Qin and urges him to open his eyes.
• Qin refuses to look at her, appearing frightened. The onlookers mistakenly wonder whether the Empress Dowager is possessed or whether Qin is performing an exorcism.
• Qin produces an erhu and plays while the Dowager sings a romantic song. Jian recognizes it as material from a script she wrote for the Eldest Princess and wonders how the Empress Dowager obtained it.

Character developments

• Jian remains an irreverent, determined investigator, focused on uncovering what is happening rather than joining the ministers’ jokes.
• Dantai Mo learns more about Jian’s foreign background and her belief in monogamy and women’s equality; Black Tortoise encourages him to cultivate “male virtue.”
• The Empress Dowager’s polished, powerful public image gives way to an unexpectedly theatrical and flirtatious private performance.
• Qin appears deeply uncomfortable and tries to avoid the Dowager, though his dramatic musical response adds another layer of mystery.

Significant themes

• Clashing social values: Jian’s modern ideas about marriage and gender contrast with the palace’s norms.
• Appearance versus reality: The shrine initially seems solemn, but its occupants turn it into a strange romantic performance.
• Gossip and mistaken interpretation: The observers interpret the scene as possession or exorcism, highlighting how little they understand.
• Theatricality and secrecy: Costumes, music, and hidden observation make the palace encounter feel like a staged spectacle.

Character interactions

• Jian directs the group’s covert investigation while the ministers exchange jokes about their Bikinis.
• Dantai Mo questions Black Tortoise about Jian’s values and background.
• The Empress Dowager repeatedly courts Qin, who resists her advances by keeping his eyes shut and turning away.
• The observers whisper theories about the pair, while Jian’s recognition of her own script raises a new question about how it reached the Dowager.

Key plot points and events

• Qin Guangzu, Minister of the Court of Sacrificial Worship, performs music while the Empress Dowager acts out a romance with him in the Buddhist hall. Their performance is based on a script written by Jian Ruonan for the Eldest Princess.
• The Empress Dowager pursues Qin through the scene until he finally declares his love and sings a duet with her. She then adds an unscripted line, prompting Jian to realize the Empress Dowager has altered her work.
• The ministers praise the script and music, while Emperor Deyuan struggles with embarrassment and tries to end the gathering. Jian and the ministers argue there is still time before they must attend to the Metropolitan Examination papers.
• After the performance, Qin offers to escort the Empress Dowager to bed. Instead, he brings a garden wheel into the hall, removes his clothes, and reveals what Jian identifies as Lao Ai’s secret “Wheel-Turning Technique.”

Character developments

• Jian Ruonan is delighted by Qin’s musical skill but increasingly horrified by the Empress Dowager’s acting and improvised dialogue. Her inner commentary supplies much of the scene’s comedy.
• Qin Guangzu appears torn between love for the Empress Dowager and his religious duties, then openly chooses love in the play. His final actions suggest the encounter may be turning into something more intimate—or at least bizarre.
• The Empress Dowager is enthusiastic and determined, pursuing Qin with theatrical passion and taking liberties with Jian’s script.
• Emperor Deyuan shifts between defending his mother, enduring secondhand embarrassment, and wanting to stay to see what happens.
• The ministers join in the audience’s amusement, praise the production, and side with Jian when she insists there is time for more entertainment.

Significant themes

• Comedy through contrast: the romance’s earnest lyrics clash with the performers’ awkward delivery and the Empress Dowager’s gravelly voice.
• Art and audience interpretation: Jian’s script is transformed by the Empress Dowager’s improvisation and performance.
• Duty versus desire: Qin’s character struggles between religious vows and romantic love.
• Public propriety versus private curiosity: the officials voice decorum while eagerly watching the spectacle.

Character interactions

• The Empress Dowager flirts with and pursues Qin, while he alternates between resisting her and declaring his love in the play.
• Jian silently critiques the performance and reacts strongly when the Empress Dowager changes her lines.
• The ministers and Emperor Deyuan exchange reactions to the show, with the emperor caught between familial loyalty and embarrassment.
• The chapter ends with Jian, the emperor, and the ministers witnessing Qin’s startling “Wheel-Turning Technique” reveal.

Plot and key events

• Emperor Deyuan, Jian Ruonan, and the ministers secretly watch a private performance for the Empress Dowager. Qin Guangzu, Minister of the Court of Sacrificial Worship, spins a wheel rapidly with his gyrating waist, first clockwise and then counterclockwise.
• His bizarre display astonishes the hidden spectators. They joke about his “talent,” while Jian Ruonan questions whether it helped him rise in rank. The ministers bicker over whether they envy his skill, and the group briefly suggests competing with him.
• The Empress Dowager appears pleased with the performance. When it ends, she dismisses Wuchun, the pipa-playing maid.
• Wuchun exits and encounters the ten disguised onlookers. Terrified, she keeps a blank expression, then recognizes them as the emperor and his court. Convinced she must be hallucinating, she decides to “wash her eyes.”
• Leaving Cian Palace, the emperor feels emotionally drained and unsettled by seeing this unexpected side of his mother. He proposes going back to wait, but the others insist their harem tour is not finished—and tease him about discovering who has cuckolded him. He reluctantly agrees to continue.

Character developments and interactions

• Emperor Deyuan is embarrassed and exasperated by the spectacle and by Jian Ruonan’s irreverent thoughts. More seriously, it makes him question the image of his mother as wholly gentle and compassionate, though he still regards her as a loving parent.
• Jian Ruonan supplies blunt, comic commentary, treating Qin’s performance as absurd rather than impressive and challenging the ministers’ explanations for his promotion.
• The ministers respond with astonishment, jokes, and competitive banter, briefly turning Qin’s unusual ability into a source of rivalry.
• Wuchun shows remarkable composure: despite being shocked both by the performance and the disguised observers, she hides her reaction and leaves without drawing attention.
• The Empress Dowager seems warmly entertained by Qin’s act, adding to the emperor’s discomfort with the contrast between her familiar maternal image and her private tastes.

Significant themes

• Public dignity versus private absurdity: Powerful officials and royalty are caught in a ridiculous, intimate scene.
• Appearance and concealment: The observers wear disguises, Wuchun masks her shock, and the emperor’s understanding of his mother is unsettled by what he sees.
• Humor through irreverence: The chapter uses crude spectacle, misunderstandings, and the gap between characters’ thoughts and spoken words to puncture courtly formality.

Plot points and events

• Jian Ruonan’s group passes the consorts’ palaces on the way to catch the First Imperial Prince. Emperor Deyuan asks to enter Jinxiang Palace, the abandoned residence of Consort Xian, who died less than a hundred days earlier.
• The emperor remembers their childhood closeness and mourns her death. He also thinks about their son, the Third Prince, and considers summoning him after the mourning period.
• Jian Ruonan’s thoughts reveal that Consort Xian’s death was suspicious: she was poisoned by the Empress Dowager after the latter learned Consort Xian had been unfaithful to the emperor. The motive was to protect the Third Prince’s position.
• The revelation leaves the emperor furious and uncertain whether the Third Prince is his biological son. Before he can act, strange light and loud, battle-like sounds emerge from a side room.
• Frightened ministers suspect a ghost. Jian Ruonan asks Eunuch Cao to extinguish the lights, then investigates. The chapter ends just as she identifies the source as a young eunuch.

Character developments and interactions

• Emperor Deyuan shifts from grief and nostalgia to shock, jealousy, and anger when he learns of Consort Xian’s betrayal and the Empress Dowager’s role. Despite his fear of the noises, he moves close to Jian Ruonan for reassurance.
• Jian Ruonan remains focused on uncovering gossip and investigates the eerie sounds while mocking the ministers’ cowardice.
• The ministers react first with alarm to the murder revelation, then panic at the apparent supernatural disturbance. Several cluster around the emperor for protection.
• The Empress Dowager is revealed to have poisoned her own niece to safeguard the Third Prince’s standing.

Significant themes

• Hidden truths beneath official explanations: Consort Xian’s supposed illness conceals murder, infidelity, and a political motive.
• Power and succession: The Third Prince’s legitimacy and place in the imperial line are suddenly in question.
• The supernatural versus the ordinary: The palace’s ghostly atmosphere frightens everyone, though the apparent haunting has a mundane source.
• Grief overturned by gossip: The emperor’s mourning is abruptly complicated by revelations that transform his memories of Consort Xian.

Plot points and events

• The ministers investigate the supposed haunting at Jinxiang Palace, only to discover that the noises come from Wu Nao, a young eunuch practicing vegetable chopping and wok tossing.
• Wu Nao explains that he came to practice in private because his roommates complained about the noise. Someone told him the recently bereaved Consort Xian’s palace was empty.
• Eunuch Cao orders him to clean up, leave, and report to the Directorate of Imperial Justice for punishment. Emperor Deyuan, impressed by Wu Nao’s industriousness, decides to send him to the Jinyang Marquis’s residence.
• When Wu Nao finally sees Eunuch Cao’s bright-red peony “Facekini,” he drops his belongings and faints.

Character developments and interactions

• Wu Nao is revealed to be earnest, hardworking, and somewhat oblivious: though only a chopping-block hand, he is secretly practicing extra skills and keeps the room tidy.
• Jian Ruonan laughs at the ministers’ fear and uses her controls to let Eunuch Cao enter the room.
• Eunuch Cao confronts Wu Nao sternly, while his startling face covering ends up frightening the young eunuch in return.
• Emperor Deyuan shifts from irritation at the disturbance to recognizing Wu Nao’s diligence.
• The ministers’ panic provides comic moments, including the Minister of War grabbing the Minister of Works and Chief Minister Su losing his dentures.

Significant themes

• Comedy through mistaken fears: The “ghost” is simply a young eunuch practicing in the wrong place.
• Diligence and ambition: Wu Nao’s belief that extra skills are valuable earns the emperor’s approval.
• Authority and rules: Wu Nao’s initiative is praised, but his choice of a recently bereaved palace brings consequences.
• Irony: The ministers fear a haunting, then Wu Nao is ultimately frightened by Eunuch Cao’s ridiculous disguise.

Plot points and events

• Eunuch Cao’s frightening mask causes a young eunuch to faint while practicing tossing a wok. Jian Ruonan confirms he is alive and uses the gossip system to learn he will live to seventy-eight—though he will later choke on a jujube.
• Despite the late hour, Jian Ruonan persuades Emperor Deyuan and the ministers to continue their nighttime tour of the Imperial Harem.
• A disturbance at Consort Shu’s palace suggests a miscarriage. The emperor suspects infidelity, but Jian Ruonan’s gossip reveals that Consort Shu is not pregnant: she mistook weight gain and a late period for pregnancy, then believed her period was a miscarriage. The group moves on after the false alarm.
• At the Palace of Gathered Elegance, they find the prospective consorts practicing talents—including the bizarre skill of balancing bowls on their heads—in hopes of winning the emperor’s favor.
• Jian Ruonan announces that they should go to the Imperial Study because the First Imperial Prince is about to make his move.

Character developments and interactions

• Jian Ruonan remains curious, irreverent, and eager for palace intrigue, while her gossip gives the court remarkably specific glimpses of people’s futures.
• Emperor Deyuan shifts from alarm and anger at the apparent pregnancy to relief once he learns the truth. His ministers repeatedly react to Jian Ruonan’s predictions and privately wonder about the emperor’s own longevity.
• Chief Minister Su is protective of his niece, Consort Shu, and initially takes offense at the jokes about her. The other ministers tease him once the misunderstanding is exposed.
• Dantai Mo quietly responds to Jian Ruonan’s reflection that marriage and the harem are cages, hinting at an emotional connection between them. The Black Tortoise System jokes that he should let Jian Ruonan use his wheelchair to win her heart.

Significant themes

• The chapter satirizes the harem’s rivalries and elaborate efforts to attract imperial attention, portraying it as a performance troupe and the palace as a gilded cage.
• Jian Ruonan’s supernatural gossip acts as both comic relief and a changing form of prophecy, revealing how events—and their predictions—shift with circumstances.
• Beneath the humor, the chapter reflects on women’s restricted lives and lack of autonomy within marriage and the imperial household.

Key plot points and events

• Jian Ruonan leads Emperor Deyuan and several ministers into the Imperial Study to catch the First Imperial Prince stealing the Metropolitan Examination questions.
• She uses a dimmable flashlight, which she jokingly explains as a “Sun Essence Collector.” The ministers and emperor are fascinated by it.
• While they wait near the papers, Jian thinks about wanting to sit. The emperor invites her onto the dragon throne, and then has chairs brought for the tired ministers.
• The First Imperial Prince sneaks in after the guards are lured away by a cat. Disguised in black, he crawls across the floor, takes an exam paper, and begins copying it.
• Rather than arrest him immediately, Jian stages a scare: she distributes flashlights, switches off a privacy-protecting mute function, and has herself, the emperor, and four ministers shine lights on their faces and shout “Boo!” The prince screams and foams at the mouth.

Character developments and interactions

• Jian Ruonan remains playful and resourceful, turning a planned sting into an elaborate prank. Her inner commentary keeps the group entertained, and she casually shares snacks while they wait.
• Emperor Deyuan is anxious about having invited Jian into his private affairs, but indulges her requests, offers her the throne, and joins her trap.
• The ministers are eager participants in the gossip and investigation. They accept Jian’s snacks and help carry out her scare.
• The First Imperial Prince is revealed as cautious enough to copy the questions rather than remove the original, but his careful plan ends in comic disaster.
• The Fourth Prince, Dantai Mo, reacts to Jian’s antics, while his system confirms that thoughts concerning Jian’s privacy are hidden from everyone else.

Significant themes

• Comedy through contrast: serious palace intrigue is undercut by Jian’s modern gadgets, snacks, and irreverent thoughts.
• Improvisation and spectacle: Jian solves problems through unconventional tricks rather than formal procedure.
• Privacy and secrets: the chapter repeatedly plays with who can hear whose thoughts, while the prince’s attempt to steal exam questions is itself a hidden scheme.
• Power made ordinary: the emperor’s throne and palace authority become part of a casual, humorous gathering.

Key plot points and events

• The First Imperial Prince is discovered trying to steal the Spring Examination papers. A frightening ambush—six people in bikinis and sudden flashlight beams—makes him faint.
• After he wakes, he claims a Bodhisattva appeared in a dream and demanded to know how well he would do on the examination. He says he meant to copy the papers to answer them and protect his father.
• Jian Ruonan’s unspoken thoughts expose the real scheme: the prince planned to sell the papers, had already taken preorders, and hoped to use them to build a political faction.
• The prince realizes Jian knows his secrets and considers killing her. A mysterious force repeatedly chokes him whenever he thinks about killing her himself or hiring an assassin.
• Emperor Deyuan confirms the investigation’s findings and orders the prince imprisoned. Jian then reveals the final, absurd detail: he brought no writing supplies because he planned to use the Imperial Study’s for free.

Character developments and interactions

• First Imperial Prince: His panicked, self-serving behavior becomes increasingly obvious. He confesses only when caught, disguises greed as filial devotion, and proves so stingy that he steals the tools needed to copy the papers.
• Jian Ruonan: Calmly stays behind the emperor because the prince reeks, while her thoughts uncover his motives and puncture his excuses.
• Emperor Deyuan: Shifts from managing the bizarre aftermath to condemning his son’s corruption and ordering his arrest. He and the officials conceal that they can hear Jian’s thoughts, preserving her willingness to speak freely.
• Eunuch Cao, the guards, and the ministers: React to the staged scare, the prince’s collapse, and the escalating revelations; their inner commentary supplies much of the humor.

Significant themes

• Greed and corruption: The prince’s attempt to sell exam papers and build a faction turns an examination scandal into a political one.
• Hypocrisy versus truth: His tearful claim of filial concern is exposed by Jian’s thoughts and the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s investigation.
• Comedic humiliation: The prince’s fear, accident, and penny-pinching repeatedly undercut his royal status.
• The power—and secrecy—of insight: Jian’s ability to reveal hidden motives drives the investigation, while the court carefully keeps its awareness of her thoughts hidden.

Plot points and events

• After the First Imperial Prince’s downfall, Jian Ruonan retrieves her Sun Essence Collector and flashlights from the emperor and ministers. She lets them keep the Facekinis they wore, which they treat as treasured keepsakes.
• Exhausted from the previous night’s events, Jian takes several days of paid sick leave before the Spring Examination and her later search for the Previous Dynasty Treasure.
• At home, she learns that a newly arrived maid from Old Madam Shi’s household has slapped Xiaoyu, one of Jian’s maids.
• The maid, Green Cicada, introduces herself as a senior attendant sent by the Southwest Heir Apparent’s Consort to check on Shi. She implies Shi is being mistreated and uses her mistress’s status to intimidate Jian.
• Jian counters by asking what the consort will actually do to help. When Green Cicada cannot name any practical support, Jian accuses her and the consort of hypocrisy.
• Green Cicada blames Shi’s unhappy circumstances on her unfilial children. Jian defends her own branch, citing their past efforts to help Shi, and jokes that the Queen Mother of the West had possessed her during that incident.
• Green Cicada criticizes Jian for sleeping late and delaying her visit to Shi. Jian says she will finish eating first, then promises to demonstrate “proper conduct” herself.

Character development and interactions

• Jian Ruonan remains confident, irreverent, and quick-witted. She protects her servants, refuses to be intimidated by Green Cicada’s rank, and uses pointed questions and humor to expose the visitor’s lack of substance.
• Green Cicada initially acts with the authority of the powerful woman who sent her, but Jian’s direct challenges leave her flustered. She tries to recover by shifting blame onto Shi’s children and rebuking Jian’s manners.
• Jian’s household staff support her openly, laughing at her verbal sparring and reinforcing her close, protective relationship with them.
• The emperor and ministers are reluctant to surrender Jian’s devices and secretly cherish the Facekinis, providing a comic contrast to their official dignity.

Significant themes

• Power versus substance: Green Cicada invokes her mistress’s rank, but Jian insists that concern must be backed by concrete help.
• Family loyalty and filial duty: The dispute centers on whether Shi’s children have cared for her, with Jian defending her own branch’s contributions.
• Defiance of hierarchy: Jian disregards expectations of deference when she believes someone is behaving arrogantly or unfairly.
• Comedy and hypocrisy: The officials’ eagerness to keep their Facekinis and Green Cicada’s empty show of concern both undercut claims of dignity or virtue.

Plot and key events

• Shi Fan, newly appointed anti-gambling commissioner, has shut down several gambling houses linked to the Prince of the Southwest. Nervous about attending the prince’s heir’s banquet alone, he asks Jian Ruonan to accompany him.
• Madam Shi reveals that she has sent Green Cicada, a maid serving the Prince of the Southwest’s consort, to fetch Jian Ruonan. Green Cicada returns with a message: Jian will come after breakfast and explain the household’s rules herself.
• Jian arrives with musicians and her Imperial Sword. When Green Cicada criticizes her manners, Jian overturns a table, then displays an Imperial Edict to justify her actions. She has Green Cicada dragged out and beaten for disrespecting the edict and meddling in the relationship between Jian and her grandmother.
• Madam Shi and Shi Fan both support Jian publicly, and the household staff join in praising her. Jian’s authority in the residence is unmistakable.
• At the Prince of the Southwest’s residence, the heir and his consort discuss a plan involving the Third Prince and a marriage decree for their tenth daughter, whom they hope to marry to an imperial prince. The consort learns that Green Cicada has been beaten and vows that Jian will answer for it.

Character developments and interactions

• Jian Ruonan uses her imperial authority with theatrical confidence, turning Green Cicada’s attempt to undermine her into a display of power. She also insists that she is defending her bond with her grandmother.
• Shi Fan shows caution beneath his official boldness: despite confronting the prince’s gambling interests, he wants Jian’s protection at the banquet. He backs her up when Green Cicada appeals to him.
• Madam Shi remains unable to read the political danger around her, but ultimately agrees with Jian and lets her act against Green Cicada.
• Green Cicada tries to invoke her mistress’s authority, but is overpowered and punished.
• The Heir Apparent’s Consort is introduced as a political player pursuing an advantageous marriage for her daughter; her anger over Green Cicada’s beating sets up a conflict with Jian.

Significant themes

• Authority and rules: Jian declares that she—not her critics—will define the household’s rules, reinforcing her command through the Imperial Edict.
• Family loyalty and manipulation: Jian frames Green Cicada’s actions as an attempt to divide her from her grandmother, while Madam Shi’s willingness to host the maid exposes her vulnerability to outside influence.
• Political power and risk: Shi Fan’s anti-gambling campaign puts him at odds with the Prince of the Southwest, while the prince’s family pursues influence through an imperial marriage.
• Theatrical defiance: Music, a table-flipping entrance, and exaggerated declarations make Jian’s confrontation both comic and intimidating.