Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Wan Xiwen asks about her weight-loss progress. Song Yaoyao explains that losing weight will take at least a year and will slow over time. Though disappointed, Wan Xiwen says her appetite has already decreased and vows to continue; Yaoyao encourages her.
• At the Marquis’s Residence, Madam Song presents the results of an investigation into the fifteen men who invited Song Qingling to dance at Shen Suyan’s coming-of-age ceremony. Candidates with concubines or difficult mothers have been ruled out, leaving five.
• Liu Zheheng appears to be the strongest candidate. However, Yaoyao worries that Qingling, only fifteen, might be pressed to marry young and bear children before her body is mature.
• Yaoyao explains the medical dangers of early pregnancy and childbirth, including serious complications and maternal death. Her family agrees Qingling should not marry before eighteen and should not have children before twenty.
• Madam Song notes that the kingdom permits respectable girls to marry at fifteen but taxes unmarried women who reach eighteen. The family accepts keeping Qingling at home until eighteen, though they still need to discuss the delay with the prospective groom’s family.

Character developments and interactions

• Wan Xiwen shows persistence and growing confidence in her weight-loss effort despite learning it will take much longer than she hoped.
• Song Yaoyao takes a protective, medically informed stance on her eldest sister’s future. She stresses that the decision belongs to Qingling and her family, not simply to a promising suitor.
• Madam Song demonstrates careful concern for her daughter by investigating suitors thoroughly, then listens seriously to Yaoyao’s warning and proposes postponing the marriage.
• Guagua supports Yaoyao’s concerns and suggests clearly explaining the family’s conditions to Liu Zheheng and his relatives.
• The family listens to Yaoyao and shifts from evaluating suitors alone to prioritizing Qingling’s health and safety.

Significant themes

• Women’s health and autonomy: Yaoyao argues that marriage and childbirth should not be rushed and that Qingling must have a say in her future.
• Modern medical knowledge versus traditional custom: The family confronts the gap between the kingdom’s marriage rules and the health risks Yaoyao describes.
• Family protection and responsibility: Madam Song and the others respond to new information by reconsidering customary expectations.
• Patience and perseverance: Wan Xiwen’s gradual weight loss parallels the chapter’s broader emphasis on taking time rather than forcing quick results.

Plot points

• Madam Song asks Song Qingling whether she likes any of the five potential suitors. Though Qingling blushes and avoids answering directly, she says she will leave the decision to her parents, indicating her agreement with Liu Zheheng.
• The Songs decide Qingling should remain with her family for two more years before marriage. Qingling accepts this as well.
• In the Liu household, Madam Liu is thrilled to learn that her usually reserved son invited Qingling to meet him. She worries the Songs may not choose him, despite believing he is an excellent match.
• Noble Consort Liu tells the emperor about the possible match. He offers to arrange the marriage by imperial decree, but she declines until both young people have agreed freely.
• Madam Song visits the Liu Residence and explains the Songs’ plan. Liu Zheheng agrees to let the couple spend time getting to know each other, and Madam Liu supports his choice. The families settle on courtship first, with betrothal only if the pair prove compatible.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Qingling reveals her shy affection for Liu Zheheng through her blushing and willingness to trust her parents’ judgment.
• Liu Zheheng shows initiative and independence by agreeing to the arrangement himself rather than deferring to his family.
• Madam Song takes a careful, protective approach, making the family’s wishes clear before allowing the relationship to proceed.
• Madam Liu is eager for her son to marry but accepts that he must decide for himself.
• Noble Consort Liu prioritizes mutual consent over using imperial authority. The emperor agrees to wait.
• Song Yaoyao and Guagua provide comic commentary: Guagua confidently interprets Qingling’s silence as proof of her feelings, while Yaoyao points out that her sister is simply shy.

Significant themes

• Consent and personal choice: The families avoid forcing a match, and the emperor’s authority is held back until both parties are willing.
• Family care and patience: The parents support the young couple while allowing them time to know one another.
• Romance and shyness: Qingling’s unspoken feelings contrast with Liu Zheheng’s direct, practical response.

Key events

• Madam Liu and Madam Song agree that Song Qingling and Liu Zheheng should have time to get to know each other, since Liu will not be returning to the border for now.
• Song Yaoyao privately jokes with Guagua about her sister’s romance, imagining their future children and wanting to “borrow” one to play with.
• Guagua reminds Yaoyao that she has a stored payment of 100,000 jin of potatoes. Yaoyao decides to buy another 100,000 jin, bringing the total to 200,000 jin.
• Yaoyao plans to donate the potatoes to the Imperial Court for trial cultivation, along with illustrated growing instructions. She hopes the crop’s high yield and easy cultivation will eventually help end hunger in the Heavenly Phoenix Kingdom.
• Guagua prints the instructions. Yaoyao plans to store the potatoes in a rented warehouse and give the instructions to her father.

Character developments and interactions

• Qingling is shy about the prospect of marrying Liu Zheheng; her blush deepens when she thinks about having children with him. The family notices but kindly refrains from teasing her.
• Yaoyao reveals her playful, overprotective affection for her sister, while also showing a generous and public-minded side through her plan to improve the kingdom’s food supply.
• Guagua acts as Yaoyao’s practical assistant, teasing her about her scattered thoughts but reliably handling the potato order and instructions.
• The family, especially Assistant Minister Song, is astonished by Yaoyao’s claim that potatoes can yield 7,000 jin per mu—far beyond the yields of their usual crops—and trusts her judgment.

Significant themes

• Romance and family affection: Qingling’s budding relationship contrasts with Yaoyao’s humorous protectiveness.
• Agricultural innovation and public welfare: Yaoyao uses her knowledge to introduce a crop that could greatly increase food security.
• Trust and responsibility: Her family believes in her claims, while Yaoyao takes care to prepare clear instructions and a plan for distributing the potatoes.

Plot points and events

• While the Song Household continues discussing Song Qingling’s marriage, Song Yaoyao leaves to review Guagua’s potato-growing manual. Drawing on her childhood farming experience, she checks its guidance on planting, yields, storage, and uses.
• Yaoyao asks her shop manager, Ying Mingkang, to rent a secure, spacious warehouse in West City. He quickly finds one, and Guagua secretly fills it with 200,000 jin of potatoes.
• Yaoyao decides not to post guards, reasoning that an apparently empty warehouse will attract less attention. She then leaves the growing manual and the warehouse’s location outside her father Assistant Minister Song’s study.
• Assistant Minister Song takes the information to the emperor. The stated yield—7,000 jin per mu—astonishes them. Convinced by Yaoyao and Guagua’s past reliability, the emperor orders the warehouse guarded and postpones summoning the Minister of Revenue until morning court.
• The emperor and Assistant Minister Song spend the night too excited to sleep; Yaoyao sleeps peacefully.

Character developments and interactions

• Yaoyao is practical and strategic: she verifies the manual, delegates the warehouse rental to Ying Mingkang, and uses secrecy as security. She also encourages Song Qingling before leaving.
• Ying Mingkang proves efficient and dependable, securing the warehouse within an hour.
• Assistant Minister Song is increasingly anxious while waiting for Yaoyao’s materials, then becomes overwhelmed with excitement and carries them straight to the emperor.
• The emperor reacts with disbelief and joy at the potential harvest, placing immediate importance on protecting the potatoes.
• Yaoyao’s teasing observation the next morning contrasts her calm sleep with her father’s sleepless excitement.

Significant themes

• The potatoes’ extraordinary yield promises relief and prosperity for the dynasty, presenting agricultural innovation as a source of national blessing.
• Trust in Yaoyao’s judgment—reinforced by her track record with Guagua—drives the emperor’s confidence.
• Yaoyao’s resourcefulness combines practical knowledge with clever concealment, while the older officials’ excitement shows how enormous the discovery’s stakes are.

Plot points and events

• Assistant Minister Song overhears Song Yaoyao and her system, Guagua, discussing future high-yield crops. He learns that sweet potatoes, modern wheat, and rice could produce impressive yields, but Guagua advises focusing on potatoes first because they are easier to grow in the dynasty’s conditions.
• Stunned by the possibilities, Assistant Minister Song gets so absorbed in thought that Yaoyao has to call him repeatedly before they can leave for court. They exchange lighthearted teasing over her calling him by his official titles.
• The emperor presents potatoes to the court, explaining that they are easy to grow, adaptable, and yield around 7,000 jin per mu. He also reports that the dishes prepared in the palace were tasty and filling.
• As Yaoyao mentally lists many ways to cook potatoes, her thoughts appear on a screen above her, showing tempting dishes to the hungry ministers. When someone’s stomach growls, the court falls silent. Yaoyao blames the unknown minister for being improper, while the ministers recognize that her food descriptions caused the disturbance.

Character developments and interactions

• Assistant Minister Song is deeply impressed by Yaoyao’s knowledge and becomes excited about the prospect of other crops, though he tries to hide his reaction. His affectionate, mildly exasperated exchanges with his daughter add humor.
• Song Yaoyao remains enthusiastic about potatoes and food, but agrees with Guagua that introducing crops gradually is wiser than overwhelming the court.
• Guagua acts as a practical adviser, weighing crop yields against growing conditions and urging a focused approach.
• The emperor has personally tasted potato dishes and is increasingly confident in the crop, presenting it to the ministers.
• The ministers move from disbelief about whether potatoes are edible to hunger and curiosity as Yaoyao’s thoughts reveal appetizing recipes.

Significant themes

• Food security and practical innovation: Potatoes offer a realistic way to improve the people’s food supply, while other crops may be considered later.
• Knowledge changing society: Yaoyao’s modern agricultural knowledge could transform the dynasty’s farming.
• Humor and unintended consequences: Yaoyao’s private thoughts become public, and her vivid descriptions make a formal court meeting awkwardly hungry.

Key plot points and events

• Song Yaoyao and Guagua show the court examples of modern agricultural machinery: field weeders, crop-spraying aircraft, smart sprinklers, a multifunctional ridge-forming machine, a harvester-baler, and a hay rake.
• Guagua explains how machinery makes farm work faster and less labor-intensive, while smart irrigation can halve water use compared with flood irrigation.
• The emperor and court are amazed by the machines and imagine how useful they would be in the Heavenly Phoenix Kingdom. Song Yaoyao notes that fuel would make importing them impractical.
• Song Yaoyao ends the demonstration, saying there is little point watching equipment they cannot use, and returns attention to the potatoes she has already given the emperor along with planting instructions.
• After her inner voice falls silent, the court realizes that Princess Jiahe supplied the potatoes. Her credibility convinces even the skeptics that her claims about their yield are trustworthy.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao is enthusiastic about modern farming but pragmatic: she admires the machines while recognizing the kingdom cannot readily operate them.
• Guagua acts as her knowledgeable guide, explaining each machine’s function and benefits.
• The emperor is impressed and briefly hopes to bring the machinery to his kingdom, but is disappointed to learn that fuel is a barrier.
• The court and onlookers move from confusion about the unfamiliar machines to awe, then transfer that confidence to the potato project because of their trust in Song Yaoyao.

Significant themes

• Technology and agricultural progress: Mechanization can reduce labor and speed up farming.
• Efficiency and resource conservation: Smart irrigation saves water, while specialized machines improve harvesting and reduce crop loss.
• Limits of progress: Advanced tools are valuable, but infrastructure and fuel determine whether they can be used.
• Trust and authority: Song Yaoyao’s established reputation reassures the court about the potatoes’ potential.

Key plot points and events

• Emperor announces that potatoes prepared by the Imperial Kitchen will be served for the officials to taste.
• Song Yaoyao asks Guagua about small agricultural machines. Guagua explains that multifunctional mini tillers can be used on many types of land, but fuel supplies make them impractical to distribute across the whole kingdom.
• A demonstration video fascinates the court: the compact machines appear easy to operate and dramatically speed up fieldwork.
• Song buys ten mini tillers for her own estates and decides to give two to the emperor, who is quietly pleased.
• The officials hope to receive machines too, but the court moves on to other business.
• The potatoes arrive. Their aroma delights the officials, who taste the dishes in order of rank. Afterward, the emperor asks for their opinions.

Character developments

• Song Yaoyao shows her enthusiasm for food and practical innovations. She bargains with Guagua, plans carefully around fuel limits, and uses a gift to strengthen her relationship with the emperor.
• Guagua acts as both product guide and teasing companion. Its irritation at being unable to eat prompts Song to flatter it before changing the subject.
• The emperor is open to new ideas and pleased by Song’s thoughtful gift. He also enjoys seeing the officials react to the potatoes as he did.
• The officials become increasingly receptive to the unfamiliar technology and food, though they remain eager to benefit from the machines themselves.

Significant themes

• Innovation and practical limits: New technology could improve farming, but resources such as fuel constrain how widely it can be used.
• Food as shared pleasure: The potatoes’ aroma and taste unite the court in eager anticipation.
• Generosity and political connection: Song’s gift helps maintain goodwill with the emperor.
• Adaptation to novelty: The officials grow accustomed to Guagua’s unusual demonstrations and learn to follow them alongside court business.

Character interactions

• Song jokes and negotiates with Guagua, then makes a purchase based on its advice.
• Song considers the emperor’s interests and offers him two mini tillers; his restrained expression gives away his approval.
• The officials watch the demonstration and look to Song for access to the machines.
• The emperor invites the officials to taste the potatoes, then asks them to assess the dishes.

Plot points

• After the emperor hears ministers praise the potato dishes, he selects officials—including Assistant Minister Song—to discuss how to cultivate potatoes. Morning Court ends, and Song Yaoyao goes to work at the Imperial Medical Academy.
• Director Li takes Song Yaoyao to the Ninth Prince’s Manor to examine the unconscious Ninth Prince’s Consort. The request came from the consort’s natal family, rather than the manor, raising Song’s suspicions.
• The manor’s guards try to keep both the physicians and the consort’s brother, Xie Jinglou, outside. Song invokes her imperial authority and insists that Xie be allowed in.
• The consort’s maid, Qingcui, reveals that the consort has been injured. Song sends everyone else out so she can examine the patient.
• Guagua explains that the Ninth Prince has repeatedly had the consort’s blood drawn and had her whipped. She has numerous wrist wounds and a badly infected back; she lost consciousness after another blood draw. Song begins treating her and demands to know why the prince has done this.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao’s medical duty is paired with her sharp suspicion of the manor’s behavior. She is assertive with the guards, protects Xie Jinglou’s right to see his sister, and prioritizes treating the consort before investigating.
• Xie Jinglou is alarmed and angry at the unexplained exclusion and his sister’s injuries. Qingcui, distressed, seeks his help but initially cannot explain what happened.
• Director Li brings Song because the patient is a woman. Guagua supplies information Song cannot yet obtain directly, confirming that the Ninth Prince is responsible.

Significant themes

• Abuse of power and control: The manor’s staff try to isolate the consort from her family, while the Ninth Prince’s treatment of her turns her into a captive source of blood.
• Family loyalty and justice: Xie and Qingcui seek help for the consort, and Song challenges the barriers meant to keep them apart.
• Duty and compassion: Song puts urgent medical care ahead of confrontation, even as the evidence points to deliberate cruelty.

Key plot points and events

• Song Yaoyao treats the unconscious Ninth Princess Consort, discovering that her back is covered in severe, infected wounds. She removes the dead tissue, applies medicine, re-bandages the injuries, and gives her penicillin and fever medicine.
• Song explains the treatment to the maid Qingcui and says the princess consort should wake once her fever subsides. She also instructs the kitchen to prepare soft congee for her.
• Outside, Xie Jinglou anxiously waits, unable to enter because of propriety. Eunuch Wang arrives on the emperor’s orders to check on the princess consort and learns that she is badly injured.
• In another courtyard, the Ninth Prince’s secondary consort, Jin Xiamei, rages that the princess consort is still alive and blames the Xie family for seeking an audience with the emperor. She admits that the princess consort was framed and berates a maid involved, striking her and ordering her away.
• After treatment, Song gives Eunuch Wang a factual account of the injuries, warning that the princess consort might have died if help had not arrived in time.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao shows both medical competence and compassion, angrily condemning the cruelty inflicted on the princess consort while calmly tending her wounds. She reassures Qingcui and Xie Jinglou.
• Xie Jinglou is deeply shaken by the discovery that his only full sister has been abused, and visibly relieved when Song says she should recover.
• Jin Xiamei is revealed as vicious and controlling, with a history of abusing her maids and a direct role in the plot against the princess consort.
• Qingcui expresses gratitude for Song’s care and follows her instructions. Eunuch Wang seeks information on the emperor’s behalf and responds with relief at the princess consort’s likely recovery.

Significant themes

• Cruelty and abuse: The princess consort’s injuries and Jin Xiamei’s treatment of her servants expose the violence hidden within the prince’s household.
• Compassion and duty: Song’s practical, compassionate care contrasts sharply with the household’s neglect.
• Power and accountability: Imperial attention and the Xie family’s intervention may make it harder for Jin Xiamei to conceal her actions.
• Fear and survival: The maids’ terror of Jin Xiamei shows how power keeps them silent and focused on avoiding punishment.

Plot and key events

• Eunuch Wang, acting on the emperor’s orders, questions Qingcui about the Ninth Prince’s Consort’s treatment and injuries.
• Qingcui reveals that Side Consort Jin claimed she needed blood from a high-born person to treat a heart condition. The Ninth Prince threatened the Consort’s brother, Xie Jinglou, so she submitted to having her blood drawn about once a month for over a year—fifteen times in total.
• Qingcui says Side Consort Jin later staged a fall and miscarriage, falsely accusing the Consort of pushing her. The Ninth Prince accepted the accusation without hearing the Consort’s defense, ordered her beaten, denied her medical care, and confined her to her courtyard.
• Eunuch Wang declares that he will report Qingcui’s testimony to the emperor and orders Side Consort Jin and the manor physician brought to the palace for questioning.
• The physician tries to evade responsibility, claiming he never specifically recommended the Consort’s blood. Song Yaoyao and Imperial Physician Li challenge the supposed treatment as baseless and press him to explain where he learned it. The physician, who had taken Jin’s money, is too frightened to answer.

Character developments and interactions

• Qingcui courageously testifies despite her fear, defending her mistress and describing how she sought outside help when the Consort’s life was in danger.
• Xie Jinglou is devastated to learn his sister endured the bloodletting to protect him; he blames himself for being the reason she gave in.
• Eunuch Wang takes control of the inquiry, gives Qingcui room to speak, and ensures the accused cannot avoid imperial scrutiny.
• Song Yaoyao exposes the physician’s evasions and condemns his unethical complicity; Xie Jinglou supports her challenge.
• The Ninth Prince is portrayed as abusive and unjust, while Side Consort Jin is accused of manipulating him and fabricating the miscarriage incident.

Significant themes

• Abuse of power and injustice: The Consort is punished and denied care without a fair hearing.
• Sacrifice and family loyalty: She accepts repeated bloodletting to protect her brother.
• Truth and accountability: Qingcui’s testimony and the physician’s interrogation begin to uncover the scheme.
• Corruption in medicine: The physician’s false claim shows how professional authority can be exploited for personal gain.

Key plot points and events

• Eunuch Wang confronts the manor physician and says the emperor has ordered everyone involved in the Ninth Prince’s Consort’s injury brought to the palace. The physician’s panic makes it clear he is implicated.
• Side Consort Jin arrives looking ill, and Eunuch Wang escorts her, Song Yaoyao, Xie Jinglou, and the others to the palace.
• Outside the Imperial Study, the Ninth Prince is kneeling. Song Yaoyao privately condemns him for having his consort beaten and suspects Side Consort Jin and the physician engineered the affair.
• Guagua confirms that Side Consort Jin has extensive influence in the prince’s household, arranged for Song Yaoyao to be blocked from seeing the Princess Consort, and appears to have manipulated events behind the Ninth Prince’s back.
• After the ministers leave, the emperor summons the Ninth Prince and demands an explanation. The prince insists that his consort caused Side Consort Jin to miscarry, and that the beating was justified.
• Guagua reveals that Side Consort Jin was never pregnant: she had waited in the garden for the Princess Consort and staged a fall to frame her. A vision shows the staged encounter, including blood appearing after Jin throws herself down. The chapter ends with Song Yaoyao asking where the blood came from if Jin was not pregnant.

Character developments

• Song Yaoyao uses what she has heard from Qingcui and her knowledge of palace intrigue to piece together the likely conspiracy. She openly judges the Ninth Prince, though she has not yet confronted him directly.
• The Ninth Prince appears handsome but foolish and credulous: he has accepted Side Consort Jin’s accusation and ordered his own consort beaten. He does not believe Song Yaoyao’s suspicions.
• Side Consort Jin is presented as calculating and powerful within the prince’s household, apparently having fabricated a pregnancy and miscarriage to frame the Princess Consort.
• The manor physician seems frightened because he has helped conceal or carry out wrongdoing.
• The emperor is angered by the situation and intends to question those involved personally.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: Jin’s apparent illness and miscarriage, and the Ninth Prince’s respectable appearance, conceal deception and poor judgment.
• Manipulation and abuse of power: Jin’s control of the household lets her influence events while the prince remains unaware—or unwilling to question her.
• Justice and accountability: The emperor’s investigation may expose the false accusation and the unjust beating of the Princess Consort.
• Gossip and public scrutiny: The ministers are eager to hear the scandal, but the emperor reminds them that the imperial family’s troubles are not entertainment.

Character interactions

• Eunuch Wang intimidates the physician and brings the implicated parties before the emperor.
• Song Yaoyao arranges for Qingcui to continue caring for the injured Princess Consort while she goes to the palace.
• Song Yaoyao’s private thoughts reach the Ninth Prince and the emperor, prompting the prince’s suspicion and the ministers’ curiosity.
• The Ninth Prince defends his punishment of his consort to the emperor, while Guagua’s account and vision expose the likely deception behind his accusation.

Plot points and events

• Song Yaoyao’s thoughts reveal that Side Consort Jin hid chicken blood beneath her skirt to fake a miscarriage and frame the Ninth Prince’s Consort.
• Xie Jinglou asks the emperor to uphold justice. Though the Ninth Prince initially trusts the manor physician, Song Yaoyao pressures him to tell the truth; he admits Side Consort Jin was never pregnant and was perfectly healthy.
• At the emperor’s command, Song Yaoyao and Director Li examine Side Consort Jin. Both confirm she has never been pregnant and has no heart condition, exposing her lies.
• The Ninth Prince slaps Side Consort Jin, then admits he was deceived. The emperor rebukes him for believing the absurd claim that drinking human blood could cure an illness, and condemns his treatment of the princess consort.
• Xie Jinglou asks permission to divorce his sister from the Ninth Prince, explaining that the prince repeatedly threatened Xie Jinglou’s life to force her to submit to being bled. The Ninth Prince objects, promising to treat her better, but Xie insists that an apology cannot undo her suffering.
• The emperor questions whether divorce is truly Xie Jinglou’s own decision and warns him that a divorced woman may face a difficult life.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao acts decisively: she exposes the plot, challenges the physician, and personally helps verify the truth.
• Side Consort Jin is revealed as calculating and deceitful, but continues denying the truth until the physicians’ examination leaves her cornered.
• The Ninth Prince shifts from confusion to anger at Side Consort Jin, then shame under the emperor’s rebuke. He promises to change, but Xie Jinglou does not trust him.
• Xie Jinglou is fiercely protective of his sister and prioritizes her safety over reconciliation. He confronts the Ninth Prince and repeatedly pleads with the emperor for a divorce.
• The emperor insists on evidence, condemns the Ninth Prince’s cruelty, and considers the practical consequences of divorce.

Significant themes

• Truth versus manipulation: Medical examinations and the physician’s confession dismantle Side Consort Jin’s fabricated story.
• Abuse of power and coercion: The Ninth Prince used threats against Xie Jinglou to control his wife.
• Family loyalty and protection: Xie Jinglou is willing to challenge the prince and seek a divorce to protect his sister.
• Accountability and trust: The Ninth Prince’s promise to improve is not enough to restore the trust destroyed by his actions.

Key plot points and events

• Xie Jinglou asks the emperor to divorce the Ninth Prince from his unconscious consort and take his sister home to care for her. The emperor agrees, overriding the Ninth Prince’s objections.
• Lord Jin is summoned and told that his daughter, Jin Xiamei, faked a pregnancy and miscarriage to frame the Ninth Prince’s Consort. To protect the rest of his family, he disowns Jin Xiamei and accepts whatever punishment the emperor imposes.
• The emperor demotes Jin Xiamei from side consort to concubine and confines her to the rear courtyard. He orders the Ninth Prince to compensate his consort with an estate and fifty thousand taels, along with medicinal tonics for her recovery.
• The manor physician is condemned to death for using his medical skills to harm someone.
• The emperor warns the Ninth Prince that he must earn his consort’s forgiveness freely. If he coerces or threatens her, he will be stripped of his rank; if she does not forgive him, he may be sent to a distant fief.

Character developments and interactions

• Xie Jinglou shows unwavering loyalty to his sister, taking responsibility for her care and insisting that she be allowed to return to her family home.
• The Ninth Prince is angry and humiliated, but accepts the emperor’s orders. He realizes that his position in the Capital may depend on regaining his consort’s trust.
• Lord Jin abandons Jin Xiamei to shield his family, revealing his self-preserving nature. The emperor judges this harshly and doubts Lord Jin’s future loyalty.
• Jin Xiamei is left isolated after both her father and the emperor reject her.
• The emperor acts decisively to punish those responsible, protect the injured consort, and force his son to confront his own gullibility and failure.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty and self-interest: Xie Jinglou’s devotion to his sister contrasts with Lord Jin’s willingness to disown his daughter.
• Accountability and justice: The emperor punishes Jin Xiamei and the physician, while holding the Ninth Prince responsible for allowing the scheme to succeed.
• Trust and personal agency: The Ninth Prince must earn forgiveness sincerely; authority cannot be used to compel it.
• Power and reputation: The Ninth Prince fears public disgrace and exile, while the emperor’s judgments threaten both his status and political future.

Key plot points and events

• The emperor considers the consequences of Xie Xingyu’s mistreatment, especially the risk that it could distract her father, General Xie, during military command. He leaves Concubine Jin alive but strips her of favor, expecting the women and servants she abused to retaliate.
• Song Yaoyao tells Xie Jinglou how to move the injured Xie Xingyu and promises to visit her at the General’s Residence.
• Xie Jinglou gathers people and goes to the Ninth Prince’s Manor under imperial permission to bring his sister home. He finds her awake but too injured to sit up.
• Xie Xingyu agrees to divorce the Ninth Prince, explaining that their marriage was forced, loveless, and miserable. She plans to live separately afterward, worried she might damage her family’s reputation.
• Xie Jinglou reassures her that the General’s Residence is always her home. He and his party carry her away without informing the Ninth Prince, leaving her dowry behind to collect after the divorce.

Character developments and interactions

• Xie Xingyu moves from enduring an unhappy marriage to firmly choosing divorce. Though hurt and uncertain about returning home, she accepts her brother’s support.
• Xie Jinglou acts decisively to protect his sister, trusts her innocence, and makes clear that family loyalty outweighs concern for propriety or reputation.
• Song Yaoyao privately criticizes the Ninth Prince as foolish and easily influenced, comparing his conduct unfavorably with the Sixth Prince’s. The Ninth Prince hears her thoughts and feels ashamed, unable to deny their accuracy.
• The emperor recognizes his sons’ failures and resolves to reprimand them, while maintaining that he did not teach them to abuse their wives.
• Xie Jinglou and Xie Xingyu share a candid, affectionate conversation: he asks what she wants, and she trusts him enough to answer honestly.

Significant themes

• Family protection and belonging: Xie Jinglou insists that his sister will always have a home with her family.
• Agency and escape from an imposed marriage: Xie Xingyu’s decision to divorce marks a step toward reclaiming control of her life.
• Abuse and accountability: Concubine Jin faces the consequences of her cruelty, while the Ninth Prince is exposed as irresponsible and easily manipulated.
• Reputation versus care: Xie Xingyu worries about tarnishing her family’s standing, but her brother rejects that concern in favor of her safety and comfort.

Key plot points and events

• The Ninth Prince returns Concubine Jin to his manor after learning that many of her accusations against his principal consort were fabricated.
• Rejecting her usual tearful plea for sympathy, he orders a guard to slap her more than twenty times. He reveals that the emperor has already demoted her from side consort to the lowest-ranking concubine.
• He confines her to her courtyard without servants or visitors, refusing to hear further excuses or investigate each past offense.
• The Ninth Prince then summons the manor’s staff. He announces Concubine Jin’s fall and invites those who supported her to confess or expose one another.
• More than a third of the servants—over a hundred people—are identified as her allies. He orders them sold, with the reason for their dismissal disclosed to prospective buyers, and directs the steward to hire trustworthy replacements and reward those who reported the others.

Character developments and interactions

• The Ninth Prince shifts from indulgence to harsh anger. He recognizes that Concubine Jin’s performance of innocence repeatedly deceived him and takes decisive steps to reclaim control of his household. He remains loyal to his steward, whom he trusts.
• Concubine Jin loses her rank, protection, and influence. Her familiar tactics—tears, declarations of love, and begging—no longer move the prince; after the beating, she is dragged away to confinement.
• The servants initially fear consequences, but once they learn Concubine Jin has been cast out by both the prince and her family, many turn on their former ally to win the Ninth Prince’s favor.
• The guard carries out the prince’s order despite his surprise, while the steward follows instructions without hesitation.

Significant themes

• Power and its fragility: Concubine Jin’s authority collapses once the prince and her family withdraw their support.
• Deception and belated recognition: The Ninth Prince regrets being manipulated by her false innocence.
• Loyalty and self-interest: The servants’ shifting allegiance shows how quickly loyalty changes with the balance of power.
• Punishment and control: The prince’s response restores his command over the manor, but his penalties are deliberately severe and meant to deter future disloyalty.

Plot points and events

• The Ninth Prince realizes how much he could lose if Concubine Jin turns against him: he might be stripped of his position and control of his manor. His father has also warned him that he must earn his consort Xie Xingyu’s forgiveness or leave the capital.
• Unsure how to make amends, he asks his guard Lie Feng for advice. Lie Feng suggests customary gifts, and the prince decides to bring presents and tonics to the General’s Residence.
• Xie Jinglou deliberately makes the prince wait an hour, then refuses to let him see Xingyu, claiming she is too unwell. He openly reminds the prince that Xingyu plans to divorce him and that her family will support her.
• The prince says he wants to apologize in person, but Jinglou rejects the request and has him escorted out.
• The gifts include compensation ordered by the emperor—a deed to an estate and 50,000 taels—as well as tonics, jewelry, and fine fabric. Jinglou has them delivered to Xingyu.
• Xingyu confirms she does not want to see the prince. Jinglou promises to help her seek an imperial divorce decree once she has recovered.

Character developments

• The Ninth Prince is frightened by the political consequences of losing Xingyu and attempts, awkwardly, to repair the marriage. His gifts and apology are motivated partly by self-preservation.
• Lie Feng remains outwardly dutiful but privately mocks his master’s failed marriage and lack of romantic experience.
• Xie Jinglou acts as a fierce protector of his sister, openly defying the prince and advancing her plans for divorce.
• Xie Xingyu is recovering but firm in her refusal to see the Ninth Prince or continue the marriage.

Character interactions

• The prince seeks advice from Lie Feng, whose practical suggestions irritate him.
• Jinglou confronts and humiliates the prince, rejecting his claim to marital access and making clear that Xingyu’s family will stand by her.
• Xingyu thanks Jinglou for protecting her and agrees to pursue divorce after recovering.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty and protection: Jinglou places his sister’s safety and wishes above the prince’s rank.
• Power and accountability: The prince’s status does not shield him from the consequences of his treatment of Xingyu.
• A coerced, failing marriage: The prince’s belated apology cannot undo the harm or restore Xingyu’s trust.
• Agency and recovery: Xingyu’s wishes guide the family’s next steps, especially the pursuit of divorce.

Plot points

• Furious after being expelled from the General’s Residence, the Ninth Prince decides to visit Xie Xingyu every day until she accepts his apology.
• The next day, the guards refuse him entry, first citing Xie Jinglou’s absence and then Xie Xingyu’s serious injuries. The prince threatens them but is repeatedly told to leave.
• He continues returning for days, convinced he must see his consort.
• Meanwhile, Song Yaoyao visits Xie Xingyu daily to treat her. Xie Xingyu thanks her for saving her life.
• Song’s inner voice reveals that the emperor ordered the Ninth Prince to seek Xie Xingyu’s willing forgiveness. If she refuses, he will lose his status and either be exiled to a fief or stripped of his rank.

Character developments and interactions

• The Ninth Prince grows more stubborn after each rejection. He presents his visits as remorseful persistence, but the revelation that he is acting to preserve his wealth and rank exposes his self-interest.
• Xie Xingyu is recovering and begins to understand the real motive behind the prince’s visits. She and Xie Jinglou, who waits outside her room, both hear Song’s thoughts and recognize the emperor’s order.
• The guards remain disciplined but firmly protect the household, resenting the prince for the injuries he inflicted on Xie Xingyu.
• Song Yaoyao treats Xie Xingyu compassionately while privately condemning the Ninth Prince. Her blunt thoughts entertain and surprise both Xie Xingyu and Xie Jinglou.

Significant themes

• Power and accountability: The emperor tries to prevent the Ninth Prince from using his authority to force forgiveness.
• Sincere remorse versus self-interest: The prince’s repeated visits look like contrition, but his true concern is his position.
• Protection and loyalty: The guards and Xie Jinglou stand by Xie Xingyu, while Song supports her recovery and urges her not to forgive an abuser.

Plot points and events

• Song Yaoyao privately urges Xie Xingyu not to stay tied to the Ninth Prince, mocking him as a “crooked tree” and encouraging her to move on.
• The Ninth Prince arrives at the Xie residence yet again, demanding to see Xie Xingyu. Xie Jinglou blocks him, trading barbed remarks and refusing him entry because Xingyu needs rest.
• The Ninth Prince insists he will not leave without seeing his consort, but Xie Jinglou turns him away.
• Guagua reveals the Ninth Prince plans to sneak into Xingyu’s courtyard that night. He intends to apologize, then threaten her with Xie Jinglou’s life if she refuses to forgive him, believing he can force her into silence.
• Xingyu and Jinglou hear the warning. Jinglou resolves to protect his sister, while Song Yaoyao plans to make sure the household is prepared.

Character developments

• Xie Xingyu is increasingly clear-eyed about her husband’s behavior and stunned that he would defy the emperor’s warning and threaten her again.
• Xie Jinglou openly confronts the Ninth Prince and shows firm, protective resolve, no longer letting the prince intimidate him.
• Song Yaoyao remains outspoken in her thoughts and supportive of Xingyu, while shifting from watching the conflict to helping prevent the planned intrusion.
• The Ninth Prince appears entitled and manipulative: he treats repeated visits as proof of “sincerity,” sees rejection as an insult, and assumes he can control Xingyu through threats.

Character interactions

• Song Yaoyao’s private commentary, overheard by Xingyu and Jinglou, provides emotional support and comic relief.
• Jinglou and the Ninth Prince clash at the gate: the prince accuses Jinglou of obstruction, while Jinglou uses the prince’s own household rules against him and refuses to yield.
• Guagua informs Song Yaoyao, Xingyu, and Jinglou of the Ninth Prince’s plan, prompting the siblings to prepare rather than trust his supposed apology.

Significant themes

• Family loyalty and protection: Xingyu’s return to her family’s home gives her support against her husband’s coercion.
• Abuse of power and entitlement: The Ninth Prince mistakes status and persistence for a right to access and obedience.
• Deception versus character: His meek public image contrasts with his threatening, controlling behavior in private.
• Resistance and accountability: The Xie family refuses to be intimidated, and the Ninth Prince’s planned intrusion may expose him to consequences.

Plot points and events

• After reapplying Xie Xingyu’s medicine, Song Yaoyao warns her that the Xie Residence should strengthen its security because the Ninth Prince has been visiting.
• Once Song leaves, Xie Jinglou and Xingyu silently agree on how to deal with the prince’s conduct. Jinglou prepares for the Ninth Prince’s expected nighttime visit.
• At midnight, the Ninth Prince and his disguised guards sneak into the General’s Residence, intending to reach Xingyu’s courtyard. Lie Feng senses danger and urges retreat, but the Ninth Prince dismisses his warning.
• Jinglou’s men have set a trap. Two guards are intercepted near Xingyu’s room, and the maids—who had pretended to be drowsy—raise the alarm.
• Jinglou and his men ambush the intruders with nets and beat them. When the Ninth Prince reveals his identity, Jinglou pretends not to believe him, claiming that a prince could never behave like a burglar, and orders the beating to continue.
• The Ninth Prince is badly injured, including a broken hand, before his identity is finally “discovered.” Jinglou feigns surprise and offers to have him taken home.

Character developments

• Xie Jinglou proves himself protective of his sister and strategically prepared. He turns the prince’s secrecy against him, then uses mock politeness to conceal his revenge.
• Xie Xingyu is recovering and trusts both Song Yaoyao’s care and her brother’s judgment.
• Song Yaoyao shows concern for Xingyu and recognizes the danger posed by the Ninth Prince, though she leaves before the trap is carried out.
• Lie Feng displays sharp instincts by sensing the ambush, but the Ninth Prince ignores him.
• The Ninth Prince is reckless and entitled: he persists with the break-in despite warnings, then discovers that concealing his identity makes it easier for his enemies to beat him.

Significant themes

• Consequences and power: The Ninth Prince’s rank offers no protection once he secretly violates the Xie family’s home.
• Deception and role reversal: The intruders expect to exploit disguise and surprise, but the Xies use their disguise as a reason to deny the prince’s claims.
• Family loyalty and protection: Jinglou’s actions are driven by his determination to defend Xingyu.
• Irony and comic justice: The prince’s repeated attempts to identify himself only provoke harsher blows, and Jinglou’s final show of surprise adds to the humiliation.

Character interactions

• Song warns Xingyu about the prince’s visits, and Xingyu assures her that the household will take precautions.
• Xingyu and Jinglou communicate their shared plan without explaining it aloud.
• Lie Feng urges the Ninth Prince to retreat, but the prince dismisses his concern and leads the group onward.
• Jinglou’s men confront the intruders, while Jinglou taunts the prince and refuses to accept his identity until the beating is over.

Plot points and events

• After the Ninth Prince is beaten for trying to break into Xie Xingyu’s bedchamber, Xie Jinglou reassures his sister that he has prepared for the consequences.
• The emperor learns that the Ninth Prince planned to force an apology on Xingyu and threaten Xie Jinglou if she refused. He had secretly arranged for guards to prevent anyone from being harmed, but they witness the beating instead.
• The next morning, Xie Jinglou explains to the emperor that he mistook the masked Ninth Prince and his guards for assassins. Xingyu takes responsibility for the confrontation, but the emperor tells her she is not to blame.
• Xingyu asks to divorce the Ninth Prince. The emperor grants her request, influenced by her determination and by a letter from General Xie asking that his daughter be allowed to leave the marriage.
• The emperor issues two edicts: Xingyu is divorced from the Ninth Prince, and the Ninth Prince is stripped of his title and reduced to a commoner.
• The Ninth Prince, injured and desperate, goes to the palace to plead his case, but the emperor refuses to see him.

Character developments

• Xie Xingyu firmly chooses to end her marriage, showing that she no longer expects reconciliation.
• Xie Jinglou protects his sister and takes control of the aftermath by framing the beating as a response to an apparent nighttime intrusion.
• The emperor shifts from hoping his son has changed to punishing him for disregarding both his warning and imperial authority.
• The Ninth Prince faces the consequences of his repeated misconduct, losing both his marriage and his rank.

Significant themes

• Accountability: The Ninth Prince’s actions bring increasingly severe consequences.
• Family loyalty and protection: The Xie family stands by Xingyu, with both her brother and father acting to secure her freedom.
• Personal agency: Xingyu makes a clear, final decision about her marriage.
• Power and authority: The emperor treats his son’s defiance as an affront to the throne, not merely a family dispute.

Character interactions

• Xie Jinglou comforts Xingyu and later presents a careful account of the beating to the emperor.
• Xingyu tries to shield her brother from blame, while the emperor absolves her and supports her request for divorce.
• The emperor’s decision reflects both Xingyu’s resolve and General Xie’s appeal.
• The Ninth Prince’s attempt to appeal to the emperor ends in rejection: he is treated as a commoner and denied an audience.