Chapter Summaries

Jian Ruonan watched Wang Haihai juggle Pu Yixiu, Painter No. 3, and Painter No. 4 by claiming her kisses were all for art. After Painter No. 3 and Painter No. 4 left, Wang Haihai and Pu Yixiu continued in private, prompting Jian Ruonan to order Chen Pozi to remove the bed curtains from the other rooms.

• Painter No. 3 and Painter No. 4 interrupted Pu Yixiu and Wang Haihai, and Jian Ruonan assured them that Wang Haihai was acting willingly for art.
• Wang Haihai kissed Painter No. 3, Painter No. 4, and Pu Yixiu, declaring that she loved them all, then persuaded the painters to leave and wait their turn.
• Jian Ruonan watched Wang Haihai and Pu Yixiu resume their intimate encounter, while Dantai Mo flirted with Jian Ruonan among the gossip-loving girls.
• After Wang Haihai and Pu Yixiu drew the bed curtains, Jian Ruonan summoned Chen Pozi and ordered her to remove the curtains from the other private rooms.

Jian Ruonan infiltrated the Water Cloud Private Room as a painter and housekeeper, where she discovered Wang Haihai was pregnant and identified Wu Anwan as the father. The other painters then competed to claim the child, and Jian Ruonan proposed that all four of them become its fathers.

• Jian Ruonan used the painters’ argument about art to join them as a painter and housekeeper at the Water Cloud Private Room.
• Min Yun told her grandmother she would marry only someone better than His Highness the Crown Prince, leaving her grandmother regretful about sending her to persuade Jian Ruonan.
• Jian Ruonan spent the following days bringing the gossip-loving girls to paint at the Water Cloud Private Room, where Wang Haihai began retching.
• Jian Ruonan examined Wang Haihai and announced that she was thirty-five days pregnant, prompting Pu Yixiu, Painter No. 3, and Painter No. 4 to claim the child.
• Jian Ruonan ruled out the three painters based on the pregnancy’s timing, and Wang Haihai’s recollection revealed that Wu Anwan was the father.
• After Wu Anwan fled, the other painters fought to become the child’s fathers, and Jian Ruonan suggested that all four share the role.

Xie Panxia joined Pu Yixiu, Wang Haihai, and the other artists in claiming to be the father of Wang Haihai’s child, until Jian Ruonan urged them to quietly care for the child and Haihai. The group then found Yuan Yinyin with Wu Anwan, where Yuan Yinyin accepted his affair with Haihai and revealed a dung-ball tattoo as she asked him to paint her.

• Xie Panxia arrived and claimed to be the father of Wang Haihai’s child, but Wang Haihai said the timing ruled him out.
• Jian Ruonan stopped the men from arguing over paternity, and Wang Haihai persuaded them to make peace and love the child together.
• Jian Ruonan led Yuan Fanfan and Min Yun to find Wu Anwan and Yuan Yinyin while the four men were left behind.
• Wu Anwan berated Yuan Yinyin for having maids help with the work, and Yuan Fanfan revealed that he had fathered a child with Wang Haihai.
• Yuan Yinyin said their mistakes canceled each other out, then Wu Anwan blamed Haihai for seducing him.
• Yuan Yinyin asked Wu Anwan to paint her and exposed a dung-ball tattoo above her collarbone.

Jian Ruonan and Dantai Mo devised a plan to test Yuan Yinyin and Wu Anwan’s love by cutting them off from both families’ support. When the couple faced poverty, Yuan Yinyin chose to work and support Wu Anwan rather than let him give up his art.

• Yuan Yinyin revealed that her tattoo depicted a sunset painted by Wu Anwan, and he recognized the painting she had taken as a sign of her devotion.
• Yuan Yinyin and Wu Anwan passionately reunited while Jian Ruonan watched and commented, then Yuan Fanfan led the gossip girls away rather than expose her sister.
• Dantai Mo proposed letting the couple love each other without money, and Jian Ruonan explained that everyday hardship could wear down their romance.
• Dantai Mo ordered the Yuan and Wu families to provide neither supplies nor money, and Yuan Yinyin moved into the Water Cloud Private Room with nothing.
• When the couple had no food for the next day, Yuan Yinyin refused to let Wu Anwan work and declared that she would earn a living to support him.

Yuan Yinyin endured a month of hardship with Wu Anwan before realizing love without money could not sustain them and breaking off their engagement. Years later, Jian Ruonan faced growing pressure to marry when Wu Gaowan proposed punishing unmarried women, and she prepared to respond.

• Yuan Yinyin struggled to earn or borrow money, survived on wild greens, and argued with Wu Anwan as Jian Ruonan secretly treated her to roast meat.
• Yuan Yinyin realized that love without money was not enough and, with Jian Ruonan and the Crown Prince's help, broke off her engagement to Wu Anwan.
• Wang Haihai gave birth to a son who gained five godfathers, bringing the Silicon-Based Life Observation Plan to an end.
• Jian Ruonan's support for women inspired others to seek independence, while her festivals and commerce helped revitalize Great Xia's economy.
• Courtiers urged Jian Ruonan to marry, and Emperor Deyuan let them raise their concerns directly at afternoon court.
• Wu Gaowan proposed forcing women aged seventeen and above to marry or face heavy taxes and family punishment, and Jian Ruonan reacted angrily.

At court, Wu Gaowan proposed that unmarried women harmed Great Xia’s prosperity, but Jian Ruonan’s inner voice exposed his one testicle and a lewd incident involving a female pear. Wu Gaowan reversed his position, and Jian Ruonan called for women to choose their marriages and professions and join her New Energy Plan, leaving the court too intimidated to object.

• Jian Ruonan revealed that Wu Gaowan had only one testicle, and the court reacted with shock.
• Wu Gaowan began arguing that unmarried women hindered Great Xia’s prosperity.
• Jian Ruonan’s inner voice revealed that Wu Gaowan had injured one testicle while attempting to violate a female pear.
• Fearing further exposure, Wu Gaowan withdrew his proposal and praised women’s right to choose their marriages.
• Jian Ruonan urged the emperor to let women choose their marriages and professions and participate in her New Energy Plan.
• Jian Ruonan mentioned her Parentage Testing Center, and no minister dared object to her proposal.

Jian Ruonan won approval for legislation expanding women's work opportunities, then the court turned to the Crown Prince's marriage. Her thoughts exposed Lord Zhan's secret fertility ritual, and she planned to turn its shrine into a tourist attraction.

• Jian Ruonan proposed legislation to expand women's employment, argued that men should become more considerate to find wives, and received Emperor Deyuan's approval.
• Jian Ruonan changed the mark beside Wu Gaowan's name to a check, allowing him to remain in office.
• An elderly official urged the court to arrange the Crown Prince's marriage, while Dantai Mo's anger chilled the officials around him.
• Jian Ruonan wondered whether Lord Zhan could hold his pee, prompting him to declare that he had fathered a son at eighty.
• Jian Ruonan's thoughts revealed that Lord Zhan worshipped a phallic-shaped rock at Purple Crow Mountain for virility, and she decided to buy the land and charge visitors to see it.

Jian Ruonan planned a profitable Virility Stone tourist attraction while advancing a sweeping women’s rights law. Dantai Mo visited her with Tangyuan and Plum Blossom, and the Hou System discovered a mysterious countdown in its backend.

• Jian Ruonan recruited Top Graduate Hou, the Three Taoist Masters, and Chen Pozi to build a Scenic Area, and arranged a twenty-year spokesman contract for Lord Zhan that would pass to his son if he died.
• Jian Ruonan gathered her girlfriends to propose women’s rights, including independent households, inheritance, imperial examinations, and the abolition of drowning women and chastity memorial arches.
• Xuan Xiaowu asked Dantai Mo if he was worried about Jian Ruonan’s law making her less likely to marry, but Dantai Mo remained confident that he could still marry her.
• Dantai Mo brought the freshly bathed Tangyuan and Plum Blossom to visit Jian Ruonan, who eagerly greeted the grown bears and played with them.
• The Hou System showed Xuan Xiaowu a countdown that had appeared in its backend, and they wondered why Jian Ruonan had not been punished for failing her mission.

Jian Ruonan bought the land around the Giant Dragon Stone and began building Giant Dragon Manor, despite officials predicting it would fail. She caught Minister Pei sneaking out to worship the stone and took photos of him.

• Jian Ruonan inspected the Giant Dragon Stone, named the resort Giant Dragon Manor, and sketched plans for inns and private courtyards.
• Lord Zhan endorsed Giant Dragon Manor and retired from government, while officials mocked its prospects and insisted they had no need for the stone.
• Xuan Xiaowu warned Jian Ruonan that officials were talking about her resort, but she continued construction without concern.
• Jian Ruonan waited near the Giant Dragon Stone with Teng, Xuan Xiaowu, and Chen Pozi to catch people worshipping it without paying.
• Jian Ruonan exposed Minister Pei hugging and touching the Giant Dragon Stone in a Facekini, then photographed him three times.

Jian Ruonan caught Minister Pei and several other court officials secretly visiting her Giant Dragon Stone, then fined them and photographed them. After paying, the officials insisted on worshipping the stone anyway, while Jian Ruonan warned them that touching it would cost extra.

• Teng and Xuan Xiaowu discovered that the masked visitor was Minister Pei, and Jian Ruonan fined him for touching her Giant Dragon Stone.
• The chief of the Court of Imperial Stud was caught hiding in the bushes, photographed, and fined after claiming he had gotten lost.
• Jian Ruonan found Minister Su, Minister Wu, Censor An, retired officials Shi Fan and Minister Pang, and other visitors around the estate.
• Jian Ruonan collected fines from the officials, who denied having any problem and claimed they were only curious.
• The officials set out offerings and bowed to the Giant Dragon Stone after paying, and Jian Ruonan warned them that touching it would cost extra.

Jian Ruonan prepared Giant Dragon Manor’s opening and was pressed by Emperor Deyuan about the Giant Yang Stone, while the court’s ministers’ secret visits were exposed. On opening day, the manor drew a crowd, and Luo Shuirong approached Jian Huayuan, prompting Teng to hurry off to tell Jian Ruonan.

• Jian Ruonan planned free stone-touching and a rooster-catching event, and told the Marquis's Brother-in-law to invite Lord Zhan to the opening.
• Emperor Deyuan questioned Jian Ruonan and the ministers about the Giant Yang Stone, then announced he would visit incognito.
• Wei Liren named the ministers who had secretly visited, and Jian Ruonan demanded they pay for tickets despite their having already paid.
• At the opening, Jian Ruonan had Teng arrange for Jian Huayuan and the Crown Prince's Imperial Guard to move Old Madam aside.
• Luo Shuirong approached Jian Huayuan, and Teng recognized her and went to report the encounter to Jian Ruonan.

After Teng alerted Jian Ruonan to Luo Shuirong’s private meeting with Jian Huayuan, Pei Shaoyi and the others watched as Luo tried to rekindle her old relationship with Jian Huayuan. Jian Huayuan rejected her, while Pei Shaoyi judged the onlookers’ responses like poems and scores, leaving the group still bickering over the encounter.

• Teng told Jian Ruonan that Luo Shuirong was alone with Jian Huayuan, and the others followed them to watch.
• Luo Shuirong said she had been forced to leave Jian Huayuan and recited a poem expressing her love for him.
• Pei Shaoyi and Xuan Xiaowu traded poetry scores, while Jian Ruonan joined in with a poem of her own.
• Luo Shuirong claimed her lies had not changed her feelings and asked Jian Huayuan for another chance, but he rejected her and asked her to leave.
• Pei Shaoyi scored the group’s proposed responses, awarding Dantai Mo a perfect score for saying he would have killed Luo Shuirong years earlier.

Pei Shaoyi humiliated Luo Shuirong by scoring her looks, manners, and behavior, while Jian Huayuan affirmed his love for Pei Shaoyi. After Luo Shuirong fled, she told Pu Jingyi that Jian Huayuan had rejected her, and Pu Jingyi arrived at the estate to confront him.

• Dantai Mo described punishing a lawbreaker, and Pei Shaoyi gave him full marks while scoring Top Graduate Hou and Teng as well.
• Jian Huayuan tried to send Luo Shuirong away, but Pei Shaoyi emerged and rated Luo Shuirong's poem, appearance, clothing, conversation, emotional control, and decency.
• Jian Huayuan gave Luo Shuirong five points and told Pei Shaoyi that she would always be a hundred in his heart.
• Luo Shuirong ran to a carriage and told Pu Jingyi that Jian Huayuan had rejected her.
• Pu Jingyi crushed a walnut, declared that Jian Huayuan had no right to reject his niece, and arrived at the mountain estate with his subordinates.

Jian Ruonan’s Giant Dragon Manor opening was disrupted when Pu Jingyi arrived with the Eastern Depot, but her thoughts exposed their shared humiliating past and enraged him. Pu Jingyi tried to order a massacre, then accidentally slit his own throat with a gesture, leaving the guests stunned.

• Jian Ruonan began the free rooster-catching event after the opening ceremony, while Dantai Mo declined to participate.
• Pu Jingyi arrived at Giant Dragon Manor with a large Eastern Depot procession, scaring away customers and drawing Jian Ruonan’s resentment.
• Jian Ruonan mocked Pu Jingyi inwardly while accepting his black jade gift, and a Light Screen revealed the Eastern Depot charging into a dung heap six years earlier.
• Pu Jingyi realized Jian Ruonan had caused both humiliations and ordered his agents to kill everyone present.
• Pu Jingyi’s throat tightened and he fell after his throat-slitting gesture accidentally slit his own throat, while onlookers mocked him.

Jian Ruonan humiliated Pu Jingyi and the Eastern Depot with her power, leaving Pu Jingyi furious and unable to harm her. As he fled, he secretly planned to target her family and business, but Jian Ruonan understood his sign language and warned him off.

• Pu Jingyi and his agents collapsed when they formed hostile intent toward Jian Ruonan, and Jian Ruonan ordered Chen Pozi to watch them.
• Bystanders mocked the Eastern Depot as roosters pecked at its agents and one defecated on Pu Jingyi.
• Pu Jingyi tried to threaten Jian Ruonan again but immediately begged Great-Grandma to spare him.
• Pu Jingyi and Luo Shuirong secretly planned to ruin Jian Ruonan's family and Giant Dragon Manor using sign language.
• Jian Ruonan revealed that she understood sign language, and Pu Jingyi ordered his carriage to flee.

Giant Dragon Manor’s lively business brought Jian Ruonan fresh gossip when the Domineering Heir Apparent, Concubine Lü, and the Heir Apparent’s Wife argued over rooms and began a chaotic romantic encounter. Later, Jian Chuyun paid Jian Ruonan for information about a customer and heard the manor’s new Cheater-Catching March.

• Jian Ruonan went to the registration desk, where the Domineering Heir Apparent, Concubine Lü, and the Heir Apparent’s Wife argued over their accommodations.
• The Domineering Heir Apparent took Concubine Lü into a premium room and kissed her while Jian Ruonan and the staff watched.
• The Heir Apparent’s Wife joined them in the premium room, and Concubine Lü offered to attend to her as the Domineering Heir Apparent objected.
• Jian Chuyun arrived and paid Jian Ruonan a hundred taels for the full package of information about a customer.
• Jian Ruonan summoned a musician to play the Cheater-Catching March, leaving Jian Chuyun stunned.

Jian Ruonan charged Jian Chuyun for a gossip service after discovering her husband was cheating with a woman who had also been deceived. She refused to help Jian Chuyun attack the mistress and urged her to report her husband, leaving Jian Chuyun distressed about the consequences for her marriage and family.

• Jian Ruonan made Jian Chuyun pay one hundred taels for affair-themed background music before investigating her husband's alleged infidelity.
• Jian Ruonan discovered that Jian Chuyun's husband was staying with a respectable woman who did not know he was married.
• Jian Chuyun demanded that Jian Ruonan take her to catch the couple, but Jian Ruonan refused and revealed that the fee covered only the music.
• Jian Ruonan offered to have Jian Chuyun report her husband to the constables, but Jian Chuyun refused because she feared her husband's family would blame her.
• Jian Ruonan explained why Jian Chuyun should hold her husband responsible rather than harm the deceived woman, while Jian Chuyun wept over her predicament.
• Jian Ruonan had a musician perform a mournful breakup song for Jian Chuyun and asked whether the music suited her mood.

Jian Ruonan and her companions rushed to rescue Jian Huayuan from Luo Shuirong’s scheme at Giant Dragon Manor. The domineering Heir Apparent’s unexpected arrival disrupted the plot, leaving Jian Huayuan safe while Pei Shaoyi resumed scoring Luo Shuirong’s appearance.

• Jian Ruonan learned that Eastern Depot agents had taken Jian Huayuan to Giant Dragon Manor after he received a letter from Luo Shuirong, and Teng arrived seeking help.
• Jian Chuyun heard that Pu Jingyi was involved and slipped away to Full Chrysanthemum Fragrance while Jian Ruonan led the others toward the Stone-Scenery Rooms.
• At Full Lotus Fragrance, Luo Shuirong tied Jian Huayuan to a chair and tried to use Arousing Incense to trap him into a concubinage contract for Pu Jingyi’s revenge.
• Pei Shaoyi prepared to storm the room, but Jian Ruonan told everyone to hide and guided the domineering Heir Apparent and Concubine Lü inside instead.
• The domineering Heir Apparent interrupted Luo Shuirong’s scheme, and Jian Ruonan shut the door while Jian Huayuan remained safe.
• Pei Shaoyi criticized Luo Shuirong’s revealing clothes and gave them a score of minus ten thousand points.

Jian Ruonan and Dantai Mo watched the chaotic rescue attempt at Full Lotus Fragrance, where switched courtyard signs sent the mistress’s relatives after Eastern Depot Governor Pu Jingyi instead of their missing girl. Pu Jingyi was overwhelmed and tied up as the men searched for her.

• Pu Jingyi ordered his operatives to swap Jian Huayuan and Luo Shuirong into Full Plum Fragrance, where Luo resumed trying to seduce Jian Huayuan with the Arousing Incense.
• Dantai Mo arrived, stopped Jian Ruonan from releasing the dogs, and brought the relatives of Le Ao’s mistress to rescue her.
• Dantai Mo revealed that he had switched the courtyard signs, and Jian Ruonan led the relatives to the courtyard occupied by Pu Jingyi.
• The butcher relatives stormed Pu Jingyi’s room, demanded to know where their girl was, and tied him up while they searched.

The butcher brothers mistook Pu Jingyi and his Eastern Depot agents for fruit-wine sellers while searching for their eldest girl, then dragged Pu Jingyi off to help them find her. Jian Chuyun found Jian Huayuan tied up with Luo Shuirong and confronted the agents guarding the room.

• The butcher brothers overpowered Pu Jingyi and his subordinates, then searched the courtyard for their missing eldest girl.
• The brothers mistook the Eastern Depot plaques for fruit-wine signs and accused Pu Jingyi of impersonating a wine seller.
• Pu Jingyi offered to lead the butchers to Full Chrysanthemum Fragrance, while Teng and Dantai Mo discussed his eventual arrest.
• Jian Chuyun reached Full Chrysanthemum Fragrance, spat at an Eastern Depot agent, and ordered the serving women to attack the guards.
• The serving women broke into the room and found Jian Huayuan tied to a bench while Luo Shuirong held aphrodisiac incense.