Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Liu Qin returns to the residence after arranging care for Wang’er and goes to apologize to his wife, Madam Liu. She listens but remains cold, no longer trusting his promises.
• Liu Qin asks her to register Wang’er—his son with Lian Niang—as her legitimate son, arguing that the family needs an heir and that the boy could be taught to behave. Madam Liu refuses because Wang’er previously lied and framed her.
• Madam Liu suspects that Lian Niang wants Wang’er legitimized to secure the Liu family’s property and Madam Liu’s dowry for herself and her son. The narration confirms this was Lian Niang’s plan, though Liu Qin claims he shares the idea.
• The argument escalates into mutual insults and threats. Liu Qin invokes the Seven Grounds for Divorce, but Madam Liu challenges him to divorce her, knowing her powerful father would make that dangerous for him.
• Liu Qin proposes bringing Lian Niang into the household as a concubine instead. Madam Liu rejects this too, threatening to sell Lian Niang if he brings her into the residence.

Character developments

• Madam Liu has shifted from affectionate and forgiving to distrustful, defiant, and openly hostile. She now sees Liu Qin’s assurances as empty and refuses to accept either Wang’er or Lian Niang.
• Liu Qin tries to placate his wife, but his apologies give way to pressure and anger when she rejects his plans. He is caught between his desire to secure his son’s status and his dependence on his father-in-law’s influence.
• Lian Niang, though absent, is revealed to have an ambitious plan: gain entry to the household and have her son inherit its standing and wealth.
• Wang’er is presented by Liu Qin as young and teachable, but Madam Liu views him as a child already capable of deliberate deceit.

Significant themes

• Broken trust: Liu Qin’s repeated failures to keep promises have ended Madam Liu’s willingness to forgive him.
• Legitimacy, inheritance, and wealth: The dispute over Wang’er’s status is also a struggle over control of the Liu household and Madam Liu’s dowry.
• Power within marriage: Liu Qin invokes patriarchal authority and divorce rules, but Madam Liu’s family connections give her leverage.
• Betrayal and suspicion: Each side interprets the other’s actions as self-serving, turning a family disagreement into open conflict.

Character interactions

• Liu Qin begins with apologies and pleading, but Madam Liu’s guarded replies make clear that reconciliation has failed.
• Their debate over Wang’er grows into accusations about Lian Niang’s motives, followed by personal insults and threats.
• When Liu Qin suggests divorce, Madam Liu calls his bluff; his reliance on her father’s political power prevents him from acting on the threat.
• His final attempt to bring Lian Niang in as a concubine is met with another firm refusal, leaving the quarrel unresolved.

Key plot points and events

• Madam Liu firmly rejects Liu Qin’s plan to bring Lian Niang and her son, Wang’er, into the Liu household. She warns that she will not tolerate it, and Liu Qin leaves without reaching an agreement.
• Song Yaoyao and Guagua explain that Lian Niang hopes to have Wang’er acknowledged as Madam Liu’s son, gain access to Madam Liu’s dowry and family support, and eventually remove Madam Liu so mother and son can control the Liu residence.
• Chu Rongguan learns of the conflict and decides to hurt Liu Qin by targeting his son, whom he believes is Liu Qin’s greatest attachment. He leads masked men to Lian Niang’s home. They kill Liu Qin’s two guards, then murder Lian Niang and Wang’er.
• Neighbors report the disturbance, and the Forbidden Army arrives. The next morning, Liu Qin is informed of the deaths. He immediately accuses Madam Liu, despite her denial, and leaves to investigate.
• At the courtyard, Liu Qin finds the bodies and mourns Wang’er. With no evidence, he nevertheless tells the soldiers that Madam Liu must be responsible, relying on her dislike of Lian Niang and the boy.

Character developments and interactions

• Madam Liu remains resolute about protecting herself and her four daughters, having given up hope of winning Liu Qin’s affection. His baseless accusation reopens her emotional wounds; she collapses after he leaves.
• Liu Qin continues to prioritize Lian Niang and Wang’er, but his grief turns quickly into suspicion and blame. He disregards Madam Liu’s protests and assumes her guilt without proof.
• Lian Niang appears frightened during the attack and mistakenly believes Madam Liu sent the killers.
• Chu Rongguan shifts his revenge toward Liu Qin’s son, seeking to make Liu Qin suffer as he once did.
• Nanny Xu urges Madam Liu to preserve Liu Qin’s affection, but Madam Liu rejects that goal.
• Song Yaoyao and Guagua expose Lian Niang’s calculated ambitions, while the Forbidden Army’s questions highlight the lack of evidence against Madam Liu.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and broken trust: Liu Qin’s accusation contradicts his recent apology and deepens the rift with Madam Liu.
• Revenge and collateral damage: Chu Rongguan’s desire to punish Liu Qin leads to the deaths of Lian Niang and Wang’er.
• Power, inheritance, and ambition: Lian Niang’s plan centers on securing wealth and influence through her son.
• Grief and injustice: Liu Qin’s loss is real, but his grief drives him to accuse the wrong person before an investigation has produced evidence.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• After Lian Niang and her four-year-old son are murdered, Liu Qin becomes convinced that his wife, Madam Liu (Li Rongrong), ordered the killings. Chu Rongguan’s men had arranged the circumstances so that suspicion would fall on her, and they see Liu Qin’s accusation as an unexpected advantage.
• Liu Qin grieves for two days, then buries Lian Niang and the boy. He returns to the Liu Residence but refuses to visit his wife, dismissing her illness with contempt and moving into his study.
• Madam Liu learns that Liu Qin believes her guilty. She expects him to seek revenge and asks her nurse, Nanny Xu, to warn her parents, Grand Commandant Li and Madam Li.
• Grand Commandant Li is furious, recalling that Liu Qin’s rise depended on his support and that Liu Qin had promised to remain faithful to Madam Liu. He secretly sends twenty expert guards to protect his daughter and her children.
• Liu Qin hires assassins through the Shadow Pavilion. The guards intercept and kill the four men before they can reach Madam Liu. She declines her father’s offer to kill Liu Qin, despite further attempts on her life; her Shadow Guards later thwart three more attacks.

Character developments

• Liu Qin turns his grief into certainty and vengeance, showing no sympathy for Madam Liu and repeatedly trying to have her killed.
• Madam Liu recognizes the danger but remains restrained, refusing to kill Liu Qin because he is the father of her four children.
• Grand Commandant Li shifts from anger to direct intervention, organizing secret protection for his daughter and grandchildren.
• Nanny Xu acts as Madam Liu’s trusted messenger, bringing the family’s danger to the Grand Commandant’s attention.
• Chu Rongguan benefits from Liu Qin’s mistaken accusation, while Song Yaoyao and Guagua observe that Madam Liu is being made the scapegoat.

Character interactions

• Liu Qin’s cold exchange with his attendant reveals how completely he has turned against Madam Liu.
• Madam Liu and Nanny Xu discuss Liu Qin’s likely revenge, with Nanny Xu initially hoping the misunderstanding can be resolved.
• Grand Commandant Li vents his anger to Madam Li and promises Nanny Xu that he will protect Rongrong and the children.
• Grand Commandant Li offers to kill Liu Qin, but Madam Liu refuses, leaving their conflict unresolved.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and scapegoating: Liu Qin accepts a false explanation, allowing the real perpetrators to escape blame.
• Betrayal and broken promises: Liu Qin’s treatment of Madam Liu contrasts with the vows and support that once bound their families.
• Family loyalty and restraint: Madam Liu’s concern for her children prevents her from seeking Liu Qin’s death.
• Power, protection, and revenge: Grand Commandant Li’s influence and the guards’ intervention become essential as the conflict escalates.

Plot points and events

• Furious over Liu Qin’s actions against his daughter, Grand Commandant Li orders twenty assassins to kill him, keeping the plan secret from Madam Liu.
• Liu Qin’s guards fight back, but they are overwhelmed. Realizing he is about to die, Liu Qin tries to call for help, but an assassin kills him.
• Madam Liu hears the fighting but assumes her father’s guards have dealt with an attack on her. She learns of Liu Qin’s death the next morning.
• Though she feels relief and regret, Madam Liu decides to report his death and arrange his funeral, honoring what remains of their marriage.
• Song Yaoyao and Guagua explain that Chu Rongguan’s scheme helped turn the couple against each other, but earlier problems made them vulnerable. Madam Liu does not know her father ordered the killing. Grand Commandant Li serves the Seventh Prince, while Liu Qin had backed the Second Prince.
• Guagua also reveals that Cai Jingwen is two months pregnant by Chu Rongguan, motivating them to remove the Tenth Prince. Song Yaoyao decides to stir up trouble in Suyu City, which has so far remained quiet amid the wider political conflict.

Character developments and interactions

• Grand Commandant Li moves from restrained anger to deliberate vengeance, acting as a protective but ruthless father.
• Liu Qin recognizes too late that provoking Li Jinrong was dangerous; his fear and regret cannot save him.
• Madam Liu reacts with grief as well as relief, condemning the marriage while still choosing to fulfill her funeral duties. She remains unaware that her father was responsible.
• Song Yaoyao shifts her attention from uncovering gossip to actively destabilizing the city; Guagua supplies the political context behind the deaths and schemes.

Significant themes

• Vengeance and consequences: Liu Qin’s own hostility and political entanglements lead to his death.
• Manipulation and “borrowed blades”: Chu Rongguan’s scheme deepens existing marital conflict, while Grand Commandant Li uses the situation to kill Liu Qin.
• Hidden loyalties: Personal tragedies are entangled with rival princes’ political factions.
• Conflicted grief: Madam Liu’s response combines sorrow, resentment, and a lingering sense of obligation.

Plot points and events

• Song Yaoyao decides to throw Suyu City into turmoil by informing Grand Commandant Li that Chu Rongguan murdered Lian Niang and her son, framing Li’s daughter, and carrying on an affair with Cai Jingwen. Guagua prepares the evidence.
• Song Yaoyao’s brothers, Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng, agree that the revelations could shake the city. They offer to help, but she insists on delivering the evidence herself to avoid exposing more people.
• Disguised as a young gentleman, Song Yaoyao approaches the officials’ district. Guagua warns that it is heavily guarded, with many watchers and expert guards.
• She abandons her first plan when she discovers that two Shadow Guards are accompanying the Grand Commandant’s cook. Instead, she pays a little beggar to pass the letter to the cook, then escapes the area using her mysterious personal space before a Shadow Guard can find her.
• Grand Commandant Li receives and verifies the letter. Furious at Chu Rongguan’s alleged crimes and the devastation caused to his daughter’s family, he vows to act against him.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao demonstrates initiative, caution, and resourcefulness, rejecting her brothers’ help and adapting quickly when her plan is blocked. She relies on Guagua for intelligence and her hidden space to evade detection.
• Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng support her but worry about her safety. Qinghui is initially opposed to the risk; Liu offers discreet protection, which Song Yaoyao refuses.
• Grand Commandant Li is revealed as exceptionally security-conscious amid political instability. The evidence transforms his caution into personal rage and a determination to retaliate.
• Guagua serves as Song Yaoyao’s guide, identifying threats and helping her adjust her plan.

Significant themes

• Political intrigue and destabilization: Song Yaoyao deliberately uses damaging information to intensify conflict in Suyu City.
• Caution and deception: Disguises, guarded officials’ residences, a courier, and Song Yaoyao’s escape highlight the dangers of operating amid factional suspicion.
• Justice and vengeance: Li’s anger stems not only from murder but from Chu Rongguan’s alleged attempt to make Li’s daughter bear the blame and the destruction of her family.

Plot points

• Grand Commandant Li orders the Shadow Guard to act on a detailed, anonymous letter. Two days later, rumors spread that Tenth Prince’s Consort Cai Jingwen and General Chu Rongguan have been lovers since childhood, that she is two months pregnant with his child, and that Chu arranged the murders of Liu Qin’s former mistress and their son to avenge Liu Qin’s past interference.
• Song Yaoyao recognizes the rumors as Li’s work and approves of his swift, forceful strategy.
• Nian Fengyuan sees the scandal as an opportunity to weaken the Sixth Prince by targeting Chu, one of his capable subordinates. He considers stirring up the conflict further and drawing in Liu Qin and Cai Jingwen’s father, Cai Wuxi.
• Cai Wuxi summons Jingwen home, furious and fearful that the scandal could bring ruin on the Cai family. Jingwen, realizing the allegations are true, is afraid to go.
• Chu Rongguan admits to his father that he and Jingwen love each other and confirms that her child is his. His father fears the scandal will destroy the Chu family. Chu’s brothers restrain their father from killing him and urge the family to devise a response.
• The eldest brother suggests that removing the unborn child could undermine the rumors. Chu refuses, calling it his first child. His father threatens to involve Jingwen’s uncle and warns that she and the baby could be sacrificed for the Cai family’s survival.

Character developments and interactions

• Grand Commandant Li moves from investigating the anonymous letter’s claims to launching a calculated public attack, while holding back evidence for a later, more damaging reveal.
• Song Yaoyao and Guagua enjoy watching the political turmoil unfold.
• Nian Fengyuan reveals himself as opportunistic and eager to exploit the scandal for political advantage.
• Cai Jingwen is trapped between her affair and pregnancy, her family’s interests, and the danger of returning home.
• Chu Rongguan openly accepts responsibility for the relationship and unborn child, despite the threat to his family.
• Chu’s father reacts with rage and fear, prioritizing family survival; Chu’s brothers try to restrain him and focus on damage control.

Significant themes

• Rumor as a political weapon: Public allegations can destabilize families and political factions even before evidence is revealed.
• Family loyalty versus personal love: Chu’s devotion to Jingwen and their child clashes with his family’s desire to protect itself.
• Power and self-preservation: Characters maneuver to sacrifice others—or exploit scandal—to secure their own position.
• Escalating consequences: What began as a secret affair now threatens both families, imperial standing, and broader political alliances.

Key plot points and events

• After the affair between Chu Rongguan and the Tenth Prince’s Consort, Wenwen, becomes public, Chu Rongguan’s father orders him to prevent a scandal from destroying the Chu Family. He gives Chu a choice: make Wenwen abort the child or have her and the child killed. Chu chooses the abortion and is handed medicine to make her drink.
• The next day, Chu heads for the Tenth Prince’s Manor, unaware that he is being watched. Rival aristocratic youths confront him and taunt him about his alleged relationship with Wenwen and her pregnancy.
• Chu angrily denies the accusations and strikes one of his accusers. The fight escalates when the man’s companions attack together, injuring Chu.
• During the brawl, the abortifacient falls from inside Chu’s robe. Chu desperately tries to retrieve it, but one of the youths picks it up and prepares to inspect it.
• Song Yaoyao arrives with Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng, drawn by the commotion and eager for gossip. She recognizes Chu and watches as the fight—and the discovery of the package—unfolds.

Character developments

• Chu Rongguan is torn between his feelings for Wenwen and his duty to protect his family. He reluctantly accepts his father’s demand, then shows how deeply he cares about Wenwen by fiercely defending her reputation.
• Chu Rongguan’s father is pragmatic and ruthless, prioritizing the survival and reputation of the Chu Family over the unborn child.
• Song Yaoyao is delighted by the unexpected street spectacle and sees an opportunity to learn more about the scandal.

Significant themes

• Family duty versus personal attachment: Chu’s choice reflects the pressure to sacrifice private feelings for the family’s collective safety.
• Reputation and political power: The affair becomes public ammunition in a tense succession struggle, especially because the Tenth Prince is politically weak.
• Rumor, proof, and violence: Accusations provoke Chu into a fight, while his attempt to conceal the medicine makes the rumors look more credible.
• The cost of scandal: Wenwen, the child, and the Chu Family all face serious consequences from the affair.

Character interactions

• Chu’s father issues an ultimatum, and Chu submits despite his distress.
• Rival young nobles mock Chu and challenge his denials; Chu responds by fighting, and they overwhelm him through numbers.
• Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng accompany Song Yaoyao and stay close to protect her from the fight.
• The chapter ends with Chu’s attackers holding the package he is desperate to recover, leaving the medicine’s discovery—and its consequences—unresolved.

Key plot points and events

• While Chu Rongguan is delivering a package of medicinal herbs, a bystander suspects it may be miscarriage-inducing medicine intended for the Tenth Princess Consort. The crowd’s interest intensifies because of the recent rumors.
• Chu Rongguan’s alarmed attempt to seize the package makes the onlookers suspect the accusation is true. A fight breaks out over the medicine.
• The Chu family’s eldest son arrives with reinforcements, but rival political factions join the opposing side. The street brawl expands into a proxy conflict among supporters of several princes.
• Song Yaoyao watches from a teahouse with Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng, entertaining herself with invented martial-arts commentary while Guagua explains the political stakes.
• Fifth Prince Nian Fengyuan deliberately delays the Forbidden Army, hoping the fight will escalate and give him an opportunity to exploit it. The combatants avoid lethal blows, however, and suffer only minor injuries.
• The Forbidden Army finally arrives and orders everyone to stop, with commander Xiao Ming demanding an explanation.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Rongguan loses his composure when the medicine is challenged. His panic suggests that exposing its contents could ruin both the Chu and Cai families.
• Song Yaoyao treats the unfolding political violence as entertainment, joking with Guagua and confidently inventing names for the fighters’ moves. Guagua alternates between explaining events and exasperatedly correcting her.
• Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng take Yaoyao to a teahouse for safety, though they remain close enough to watch her gleeful commentary.
• Nian Fengyuan emerges as a calculating opportunist: he withholds the Forbidden Army to let his rivals weaken one another, but the fighters give him no deaths or serious incident to exploit.
• The combatants’ alliances reveal the wider political struggle: supporters of the Second, Third, and Fourth Princes oppose the Chu family, while another faction backs the Chu family and Sixth Prince Nian Tongyi.

Significant themes

• Rumor, scandal, and public spectacle: A suspicious medicine package turns royal gossip into a crowd-drawing confrontation.
• Political rivalry beneath personal conflict: What begins as a dispute over one delivery quickly becomes a struggle among competing princely factions.
• Opportunism and restraint: Nian Fengyuan seeks to profit from violence, while the fighters carefully avoid fatal consequences that could give him an excuse to punish them.

Key plot points and events

• A fight breaks out between Chu Rongguan’s supporters and a group of wastrels, who accuse Chu of having an affair with the Tenth Princess Consort. Chu insists the claims are only rumors.
• One wastrel produces a packet of medicine that fell from Chu. Chu desperately tries to reclaim it, raising suspicions.
• Xiao Ming orders physicians to examine the packet despite objections from Chu Rongguan and his elder brother, Chu Rongyue.
• Three physicians identify the medicine as a carefully prepared abortifacient, confirming the crowd’s suspicions that it may be connected to the rumors.
• Xiao Ming proposes taking Chu Rongguan and Chu Rongyue to the Tenth Prince’s Manor so physicians can examine the Princess Consort and establish whether she is pregnant. The wastrels publicly support the plan, making refusal difficult.
• The group sets off for the manor. Meanwhile, Cai Jingwen remains hidden in her room, frightened and unable to reach her cousin because the Chu Family has blocked her maid. Her father is threatening to retrieve her himself.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Ming stays controlled and uses the medicine and public pressure to investigate the allegations. He frames the examination as a way to clear the Princess Consort’s name and defend the imperial family’s dignity.
• Chu Rongguan moves from denial to visible panic when the medicine is produced and examined. His attempts to reclaim it and prevent further scrutiny make him appear increasingly guilty.
• Chu Rongyue tries to protect his brother and assert the Chu Family’s influence, but his nervousness shows as Xiao Ming challenges him.
• The wastrels act as accusers and witnesses, using the medicine and repeated public taunts to force the Chu brothers into a confrontation they cannot easily avoid.
• Cai Jingwen is isolated and fearful, caught between her father’s demands and the Chu Family’s interference.

Significant themes

• Rumor versus evidence: The accusations begin as gossip, but the abortifacient gives them tangible support—though it does not by itself prove who the medicine was intended for.
• Power and accountability: Xiao Ming invokes imperial authority to challenge the Chu Family and pursue an investigation.
• Public pressure and reputation: The crowd’s accusations and the need to protect the royal family’s dignity leave the Chu brothers with little room to refuse scrutiny.

Key plot points and events

• Cai Jingwen, terrified that her pregnancy will expose her affair, plans to take an abortifacient and convince everyone the rumors are false.
• Xiao Ming arrives at the Tenth Prince’s manor with Forbidden Army soldiers, General Chu, and a crowd of injured men. He explains that a street brawl was sparked by rumors about Cai Jingwen.
• Cai denies the rumors, insists she and the Tenth Prince are devoted to each other, and portrays herself as the target of malicious slander.
• Xiao demands that physicians examine her to verify her innocence. When she refuses, two Court Physicians sent by Fifth Prince Nian Fengyuan arrive, removing her opportunity to dismiss them as commoners.
• Cai protests that she is not pregnant. Xiao orders her restrained for the examination, prompting Chu Rongguan to intervene.
• Chu attacks the soldiers trying to remove him, and the young wastrels and Chu Rongyue join the fight. Another brawl erupts as Song Yaoyao and Guagua watch.

Character developments

• Cai Jingwen shifts from private panic to public composure, attempting to control the narrative, but her increasingly desperate resistance exposes her fear.
• Xiao Ming proves persistent and politically shrewd: he counters Cai’s excuses and uses the Court Physicians’ authority to force the issue.
• Chu Rongguan openly defends Cai, even attacking Forbidden Army soldiers and risking consequences.
• Chu Rongyue joins the fight when his younger brother is struck.
• Song Yaoyao and Guagua remain amused observers of the escalating spectacle.

Significant themes

• Truth versus reputation: Cai tries to preserve her standing through denial and careful rhetoric, while the proposed medical examination threatens to reveal the truth.
• Power and coercion: Xiao uses military force and imperial authority to override Cai’s refusal.
• Rumor and manipulation: Public gossip becomes the catalyst for a confrontation that may serve political interests.
• Loyalty and self-interest: Chu’s defense of Cai contrasts with Xiao’s allegiance to Nian Fengyuan and his effort to expose her.

Character interactions

• Cai and Xiao engage in a tense verbal contest: she accuses him of overstepping, while he frames the examination as proof of her innocence.
• Chu confronts Xiao over the attempt to restrain Cai, then fights the soldiers.
• The crowd’s competing allegiances quickly turn the medical examination into a renewed group brawl.

Plot points and events

• Xiao Ming has Cai Jingwen restrained and examined by two court physicians. Both confirm she is two months pregnant, despite the Tenth Prince having been away for over half a year.
• The crowd treats the pregnancy as proof of adultery and assumes General Chu Rongguan is the father. Chu Rongguan despairs as the scandal threatens the Chu family.
• Chu Rongyue urges Cai Jingwen to name her lover, hoping she will take the blame without identifying Chu Rongguan. Cai Jingwen understands the ploy—and sees that Chu Rongguan is not openly contradicting it—but refuses to name anyone.
• Xiao Ming does not question Chu Rongguan about the murder of Lian Niang and her child because he lacks evidence. He is preparing to use evidence of the affair instead.
• An arrow bearing a message suddenly strikes a pillar. It brings evidence, sent by Grand Commandant Li, of both the affair and Chu Rongguan’s murder of Lian Niang and her child.
• Xiao Ming reads the evidence aloud and displays it. The crowd is shocked to learn the detailed account, including the lovers’ history and the circumstances of the murders.

Character developments

• Cai Jingwen moves from desperate resistance to resigned resolve. After recognizing that Chu Rongguan appears willing to let her bear the blame, she protects him by refusing to name him.
• Chu Rongguan is torn between his feelings for Cai Jingwen and fear for the hundreds of Chu family members whose lives may depend on her answer. His silence reveals his priorities and leaves him guilt-ridden.
• Chu Rongyue tries to protect his family through a calculated bluff, but the newly delivered evidence threatens to undo the plan.
• Xiao Ming acts strategically, withholding a difficult-to-prove murder accusation until evidence arrives that can substantiate it.

Themes

• Love versus self-preservation: Cai Jingwen’s silence contrasts with Chu Rongguan’s inability to openly defend her.
• Truth and evidence: Rumors and assumptions initially drive the crowd’s judgment, but documented evidence ultimately exposes a fuller story.
• Accountability and justice: The arrival of proof turns the scandal from public suspicion into a case involving murder as well as adultery.
• The limits of manipulation: Chu Rongyue’s attempt to control the narrative fails once evidence surfaces.

Character interactions

• Xiao Ming controls the proceedings, ordering the examination and pressing Cai Jingwen to identify her lover.
• Chu Rongyue speaks as if seeking justice for Cai Jingwen, but his words are meant to shield Chu Rongguan and the family.
• Cai Jingwen and Chu Rongguan silently understand the choice before them, while Chu Rongguan’s hesitation deepens her sense of betrayal.
• Grand Commandant Li’s intervention gives Xiao Ming the proof needed to confront the Chu brothers publicly.

Plot points and events

• Xiao Ming arrests the Chu brothers and the Tenth Princess Consort for their role in the brawl and sends the other young men home, promising to inform their families.
• The young wastrels celebrate helping bring down the Chu Family, while those who backed the Chus leave bitterly. The commoners remain to gossip about the spectacle.
• Song Yaoyao and her companions head to a restaurant. Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng worry that, without an emperor, political disorder and larger clashes may follow.
• Nian Fengyuan moves quickly: troops surround the Chu and Cai families, and two days later he has every member of both families executed.
• The next day, Nian Fengyuan declares himself emperor. He presents a Summons Edict supposedly written by the late Nian Cenyi. The ministers recognize the handwriting and seals but suspect the document is forged; they cannot prove it.
• Guagua explains that the edict was copied by Nie Xunzhi, a celebrated calligrapher whose secret talent is imitating handwriting. Grand Tutor Zhu Qin forced him to comply by seizing his wife and children and handing the family over to Nian Fengyuan.

Character developments and interactions

• Xiao Ming is firm and decisive, personally subduing the Chu brothers before turning them over to his men.
• The young wastrels see their part in the fight as a worthy political victory, even though some fear punishment from their parents.
• Song Yaoyao is more interested in the spectacle and palace gossip than in the political danger, while her companions take a more serious view of the country’s instability.
• Nian Fengyuan’s swift purge and carefully prepared accession reveal his ruthless ambition and planning.
• Nie Xunzhi is portrayed as a proud, reclusive man forced into political wrongdoing to protect his family. Zhu Qin’s coercion makes Nian Fengyuan’s accession possible, though Nie himself has no loyalty to him.

Significant themes

• Power and political opportunism: Nian Fengyuan uses the crisis to eliminate rival families and seize the throne.
• Coercion and moral compromise: Nie Xunzhi’s exceptional skill is exploited through threats against his loved ones.
• Instability without legitimate authority: The characters fear that factional conflict may escalate when no emperor is keeping the realm in check.
• Spectacle versus consequence: The crowd treats the brawl as entertainment, while its consequences reshape the political order.

Chapter summary

Key plot points and events

• Nian Fengyuan coerces official Nie Xunzhi into forging an imperial edict by threatening Nie’s wife and child. Nie agrees only to protect them, but realizes they are unlikely to be released after learning the secret.
• Nie remains alive after completing the forgery. Zhu Qin wants him killed, but Nian Fengyuan values his talent and keeps him under guard with his family.
• Song Yaoyao learns where Nie is being held and considers rescuing him. Guagua warns that doing so now would bring intense searches and expose the group’s questionable identities. They decide to wait until the rival princes arrive and conflict creates an opening.
• At court, Nian Fengyuan gives a fabricated account of his father Nian Cenyi’s death, blaming dubious elixirs. The ministers recognize the lie but stay silent, and Nian Fengyuan’s enthronement proceeds without opposition.
• The next day, while Song Yaoyao relaxes at home, two injured newcomers fly over the courtyard wall: Lu Xuangu Gui, eldest disciple of Divine Healer Valley, carrying his badly wounded master, valley head Sima Yifeng. They say assassins are pursuing them and ask for shelter.
• Song Yaoyao’s companions hide the two men in a secret chamber while she removes signs of their arrival. Soon afterward, someone knocks at the gate.

Character developments and interactions

• Nie Xunzhi resists an immoral order despite the threats, but yields to protect his family. His situation remains precarious.
• Nian Fengyuan is shown as ruthless and calculating: he exploits Nie’s family, lies publicly about his father’s death, and keeps Nie alive because he finds him useful.
• Song Yaoyao condemns Nian’s methods but acts cautiously, choosing to delay the rescue rather than risk her household. When the wounded fugitives arrive, she quickly organizes their concealment.
• Song Yaoyao and Guagua continue their teasing, bickering exchange, which has become familiar enough that Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng barely react.
• Song Qinghui and Liu Zheheng respond protectively to the unexpected intruders, then help hide them at Song Yaoyao’s direction.
• Lu Xuangu Gui and Sima Yifeng enter the group’s story as desperate fugitives seeking protection.

Significant themes

• Power and coercion: Nian Fengyuan uses threats and violence to secure political advantage.
• Political hypocrisy and fear: Ministers recognize his lies but stay silent to protect themselves and await a shift in power.
• Pragmatism and timing: Song Yaoyao weighs the moral urgency of helping Nie against the danger of acting too soon.
• Loyalty and protection: Nie yields to safeguard his family, while the household risks sheltering the injured master and disciple.

Key plot points

• Song Yaoyao hides the wounded Lu Xuangu Gui and Sima Yifeng in a secret chamber while government troops search her courtyard repeatedly for the escaped men.
• Once the searches stop at evening, she finds Sima Yifeng unconscious from severe blood loss. She tests the group’s blood and discovers that only Lightning’s type matches Sima’s.
• Lightning donates 400 milliliters of blood. The transfusion succeeds, and Song Yaoyao also gives both injured men penicillin injections to prevent infection.
• Sima Yifeng wakes about an hour later. He learns that Song Yaoyao and her companions rescued him and thanks them before they leave to let him rest.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao stays calm and resourceful under pressure, pretending ignorance during the searches and then using unfamiliar medical tools to save Sima. She reassures the others and prioritizes their recovery.
• Lu Xuangu Gui is frightened that his master may die and initially doubts the safety of a transfusion, recalling a failed attempt involving sheep. He nevertheless trusts Song Yaoyao enough to proceed, and witnesses medical techniques that challenge his understanding.
• Lightning willingly gives blood despite the risk, helping save Sima.
• Sima Yifeng, once conscious, is confused but quickly regains clarity. He expresses gratitude and asks his disciple to explain what happened.

Significant themes

• Trust amid uncertainty: Lu Xuangu Gui accepts Song Yaoyao’s medical judgment despite not understanding her methods.
• Compassion and sacrifice: Song Yaoyao risks helping fugitives, while Lightning donates blood to save a stranger.
• Practical knowledge and innovation: Blood typing, transfusion, and antibiotics provide life-saving care beyond the characters’ familiar medicine.
• Hope and resilience: Even after severe injuries and a dangerous manhunt, cooperation gives Sima a chance to recover.

Plot points and events

• Sima Yifeng learns that Song Yaoyao’s blood-transfusion methods are genuine and is eager to study them, having failed to transfuse blood in his own experiments.
• He and his disciple, Lu Xuangu Gui, discuss their escape and realize their rescuers are likely concealing important identities. Sima orders their allies to stay quiet and continue their usual work.
• Angered by Nian Fengyuan’s actions, Sima declares that the Divine Healer Valley will stop supplying medicine to the Dragon Abyss imperial family and will refuse to treat its members—especially the Fifth Prince.
• Guagua shows Song Yaoyao what led to the hunt. After successfully performing cosmetic surgery on Qin Luou, Sima and Lu repeatedly ask to leave the palace, but Nian refuses.
• Nian wants to keep Sima both to prevent him from revealing Qin Luou’s altered face and to exploit his medical talent. Sima and Lu secretly take Qin Luou’s Palace Exit Token and escape.
• Nian sends guards to recapture them. When the pair resist and injure several guards, he orders his men to kill them. Sima is gravely wounded protecting Lu; Lu uses knockout powder to escape with him, eventually reaching Song Yaoyao’s courtyard.

Character developments

• Sima Yifeng is curious and enthusiastic about new medical knowledge, but also proud, decisive, and unwilling to accept being controlled. His injury reflects his loyalty to Lu.
• Lu Xuangu Gui is observant and resourceful, following his master’s instructions and risking himself to carry the wounded Sima to safety.
• Nian Fengyuan is shown as arrogant and possessive, believing his authority lets him take whatever he wants without regard for the consequences.
• Song Yaoyao pieces together the events and recognizes that Nian’s actions have created a serious political and medical backlash.

Significant themes

• Abuse of power: Nian uses his authority to confine and pursue the healers for personal advantage.
• Consequences of arrogance: His attempt to control Sima provokes the Divine Healer Valley’s refusal to aid the imperial family, likely worsening tensions among the princes.
• Loyalty and survival: Lu risks himself to protect his master, while Sima’s own escape plan depends on trust and cooperation.
• Concealed identities and knowledge: The rescuers’ hidden status and Sima’s interest in unfamiliar medical techniques suggest that appearances conceal greater influence and expertise.

Character interactions

• Sima and Lu confer closely, with Lu reporting what he has learned and Sima directing their next steps.
• Nian’s repeated refusal to let them leave turns a professional relationship into a confrontation, culminating in the order to kill them.
• Song and Guagua review the events together; Song condemns Nian’s conceit and considers making the already chaotic situation worse.

Key plot points and events

• Song Yaoyao decides to rescue calligrapher Nie Xunzhi and his family, and her companions agree.
• In the palace, Emperor Nian Fengyuan orders an intensified search for the wounded Sima Yifeng and his disciple. Consort Qin Luou blames herself for letting them take her Palace Exit Token, but Nian reassures her and insists that her face replacement remain secret.
• Using Guagua’s surveillance, Song’s group locates the residence where the Nie family is held. Nie Xunzhi fears that he, his wife, and son will either remain imprisoned or be killed because he knows too much.
• Song uses a drone to spread knockout powder over the residence. Her companions deal with the guards, and the group carries the unconscious Nie family to their lodging. Listening Thunder collects silver from the dead guards; Song tells the group to divide it among themselves.
• In a hidden chamber, the Nie family wakes frightened and suspicious. Song explains that Nian forced Nie to forge a Summons Edict by threatening his family, and that he may eventually kill them to conceal the crime.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao takes initiative, combining surveillance, technology, and knockout powder to carry out the rescue. Her lighthearted reaction to the looted silver contrasts with the danger of the mission.
• Nie Xunzhi is burdened by guilt and despair, believing escape is nearly impossible. His wife tries to comfort him and preserve hope, while he hides his pessimism to spare her worry.
• Madam Nie remains supportive and optimistic, suggesting they could escape amid future political turmoil.
• Chen Yixiao and the others support Song’s plan; Zhang Zhixi volunteers to carry Madam Nie, and Listening Thunder follows orders to eliminate the guards.
• Nian Fengyuan shows increasing impatience and ruthlessness, while Qin Luou remains concerned about the consequences of the escape and her concealed identity.

Significant themes

• Power and coercion: Nian uses threats against the Nie family to force a skilled man to participate in political deception.
• Truth and complicity: Nie’s talent for imitation becomes the means by which he is drawn into the court’s struggle.
• Family and hope: The Nies’ solidarity helps them endure captivity, even as Nie privately doubts they can escape.
• Loyalty and rescue: Song and her companions risk themselves to save people endangered by the struggle for the throne.

Plot points and events

• Song Yaoyao persuades the master calligrapher Nie Xunzhi to help destabilize Suyu City by forging a Summons Edict for each prince. The princes will each believe they have been chosen to rule and turn against one another.
• Nie agrees, though he notes that they lack the official seals. Guagua promises convincing fakes, and Song says she will arrange the edict paper while Nie handles the writing.
• Sima Yifeng and his disciple Lu Xuangu Gui realize that Nian Fengyuan’s original Summons Edict was forged by Nie. They approve of the plan and expect it to trap the princes in conflict.
• Sima and Nie infer that Song’s group belongs to the powerful Heavenly Phoenix Kingdom. Chen Yixiao confirms their identities and introduces himself, his consort Nian Jingran, Princess Jiahe (Song Yaoyao), her brother Song Qinghui, General Liu Zheheng, and their guards.
• Song explains that she dresses as a man while traveling. Chen warns that government searches will intensify, so the rescued men may need to stay hidden for a while.
• After the group leaves, Nie learns that Sima is the master of Divine Healer Valley. Sima recounts how Nian Fengyuan sought to force him to perform face-swapping surgery on the emperor’s consort, then tried to imprison and kill him when he refused. Nie condemns Nian Fengyuan’s crimes.
• Song asks Guagua for imperial edict paper; Guagua says it can be obtained through redemption.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao demonstrates strategic cunning, recruiting Nie and shaping a plan to exploit the princes’ ambitions. Her disguise is revealed to Sima and Nie.
• Nie Xunzhi shifts from cautious escapee to willing collaborator, eager to help bring Suyu City’s turmoil to an end.
• Sima Yifeng and Lu Xuangu Gui gain trust in the Heavenly Phoenix group and agree with the plan; Sima’s account clarifies the danger they escaped.
• Chen Yixiao openly identifies himself and his companions, establishing trust and explaining the need for continued concealment.
• Nie and Sima bond over their shared opposition to Nian Fengyuan and their hope of leaving once the crisis is resolved.

Significant themes

• Deception as political strategy: forged edicts and seals are intended to turn the princes against one another.
• Power, ambition, and corruption: Nian Fengyuan’s attempted usurpation and abuse of others show how far he will go for his desires.
• Trust and cooperation: people from different backgrounds unite against a common threat.
• Identity and disguise: Song’s male presentation highlights how appearance can conceal a person’s true identity.

Plot and events

Song Yaoyao and Guagua haggle over a trade. Guagua wants her Ruby Headset, but she refuses because she plans to give it to her sister as part of her dowry. She agrees to exchange a Jade Guanyin instead, in return for a full set of imperial-edict-forging tools and thirty sheets of silk. Guagua provides the tools, including convincing replicas of the seals held by Nian Fengyuan.
After the trade, Guagua sings a ridiculous parody that makes Song Yaoyao choke on her tea. Their teasing escalates into a familiar quarrel, until Song Yaoyao threatens to stop spending with Guagua. That works: Guagua backs down. Song Yaoyao admits they were both at fault, and they quickly reconcile.

Character developments

• Song Yaoyao is shrewd in negotiation and protective of the headset’s future purpose. She is easily provoked by Guagua’s antics, but recognizes when she started the argument and is willing to make peace.
• Guagua is cheeky, persistent, and proud of his verbal sparring. Despite his bravado, he is easily subdued by the threat of losing Song Yaoyao’s business.

Themes

• Affection through bickering: The quarrels are part of a familiar, playful relationship rather than serious conflict.
• Bargaining and leverage: Both characters use negotiation tactics, with Song Yaoyao’s spending power giving her an advantage.
• Reconciliation: Their disputes end quickly, suggesting that their friendship matters more than winning.

Character interactions

Song Yaoyao and Guagua trade insults, challenge one another, and repeatedly test each other’s limits. Guagua’s exaggerated confidence meets Song Yaoyao’s practical threats, while her acknowledgment of shared blame allows them to settle the quarrel. Others nearby overhear and sympathize with Guagua, though they recognize this is a routine pattern between the pair.

Key plot points and events

• Song Yaoyao brings forgery tools to the hidden chamber. Nie Xunzhi tests the seals, silk, and ink, confirming they closely match the genuine imperial materials.
• Nie spends several days producing convincing succession edicts in the old emperor’s handwriting. Zhang Zhixi confirms the writing is indistinguishable from her father’s.
• The group decides to send the forged edicts to ministers allied with the princes. Chen Yixiao delivers them at night, and messenger pigeons carry the news onward.
• Each prince receives word that an imperial edict names him as heir. Most accept the claim and become convinced they are the rightful successor, setting them against one another more fiercely.
• Ninth Prince Nian Jingyun and Tenth Prince Nian Yuzhou compare their messages. Because neither believes their father would choose them, they suspect the edicts are a coordinated deception intended to intensify the succession struggle.
• The two wonder whether the same person also forged Fifth Brother’s succession edict.

Character developments and interactions

• Song Yaoyao directs the scheme calmly, confident that the group can let events unfold once the edicts are delivered.
• Nie Xunzhi demonstrates his skill and familiarity with the emperor’s handwriting, becoming central to the forgery operation.
• Zhang Zhixi verifies the edicts’ authenticity from the perspective of someone familiar with her father’s writing.
• Nian Yuzhou is disgusted and humiliated by news of the Tenth Princess Consort’s affair, but puts personal matters aside to focus on the political crisis.
• Nian Jingyun offers his brother sympathy and discusses the suspicious edict with him. Their shared skepticism contrasts with the other princes’ excitement.
• The other princes, isolated from one another, take the messages as proof of their legitimacy and are likely to escalate their rivalry.

Significant themes

• Deception as political strategy: Perfectly forged documents manipulate the princes without direct force.
• Ambition and self-delusion: The princes readily believe the edicts because they confirm their hopes.
• Escalating conflict: The scheme does not create the succession struggle, but deliberately sharpens it.
• Personal humiliation amid political upheaval: Yuzhou’s marital disgrace is painful, yet secondary to the fight over the throne.

Plot points and events

• The princes gathered in a county town near the Capital after the Second Prince, Nian Feiyue, stopped them on the way. None revealed that he possessed an imperial succession edict; each planned to use the others before claiming the throne.
• They agreed that the Fifth Prince, Nian Fengyuan, who had killed their father and seized power, posed a major threat. They also feared the powerful Seventh Prince, Nian Xiaoqing.
• The princes formed an alliance, promising not to undermine one another while it lasted. Afterward, each would pursue power independently.
• Their plan was to stay hidden and let the Fifth and Seventh Princes exhaust each other in battle, then intervene to seize the advantage.
• Three days later, the Seventh Prince passed the town with an army of sixty thousand. The alliance sent watchers to track both rivals and eagerly awaited their conflict.

Character developments and interactions

• Nian Feiyue takes the lead in bringing the princes together and establishing the alliance’s terms.
• Nian Zhijing argues that the princes cannot survive alone against the Fifth and Seventh, then proposes waiting for their rivals to weaken each other.
• Nian Tongyi, the strongest prince present, endorses cooperation and dominates the discussion. He also embarrasses the Tenth Prince by teasing him about his wife’s affair, then offers to find him a better match.
• Nian Yuzhou remains quiet and humiliated during the teasing, but accepts his brother’s offer.
• Nian Subai explains that his supposed disappearance was simply due to taking less-traveled routes, dismissing rumors of supernatural abilities.

Significant themes

• Political opportunism: The princes cooperate for survival while secretly withholding their own claims and intentions.
• Fragile alliances: Their unity depends on mutual self-interest and a temporary promise not to sabotage one another.
• Power and survival: The princes recognize that neither the usurping Fifth Prince nor the militarily powerful Seventh Prince can be challenged alone.
• Waiting for rivals to weaken: Rather than fight directly, the alliance plans to profit from the conflict between its two strongest opponents.