Chapter Summaries

Pei Yunluo took Ning Sang-sang aside to ask what her friend should do after being betrayed by the man she loved. Ning Sang-sang advised her to reject him, and Pei Yunluo left without revealing that she had been asking about herself.

• Pei Yunluo insisted that Ning Sang-sang accompany her outside, despite Ning Hui’s objections.
• In an empty corridor, Pei Yunluo asked what her friend should do after the man she loved betrayed her.
• Ning Sang-sang urged Pei Yunluo’s friend to have the man beaten and refuse to forgive him, privately assuming the man was Zhang Yu.
• Pei Yunluo thanked Ning Sang-sang and left, while Ning Sang-sang returned to the table and told Ning Hui the conversation was for girls.

After returning to the Duke of Ning's Residence, Ning Sang-sang learned from Little Melon that she had to stop Yan Xuanjing from turning evil to prevent the world’s destruction. She accepted the connected missions after Little Melon promised her a gossip collection and confirmed she would not have to romance the archvillain.

• Ning Xiaotian and Madam Jiang greeted Ning Sang-sang at the residence gates and escorted her inside with their sons, Ning Chengxiao and Ning Hui following.
• After resting in her room, Ning Sang-sang complained to Little Melon about bonding with the Gossip System too late.
• Little Melon told Ning Sang-sang that the System Bureau had assigned her the mission of stopping the archvillain from turning evil, warning that the world would otherwise be destroyed.
• Little Melon showed Ning Sang-sang three connected missions: stopping the archvillain, saving the male and female leads, and rewriting the tragic ending for the cast.
• Little Melon promised Ning Sang-sang a gossip collection and assured her she would not have to win Yan Xuanjing’s affection, so Ning Sang-sang enthusiastically accepted the missions.

Pei Yunluo was forgiven after admitting she had secretly met Zhang Yu, while Duchess Su confronted Xiu Yu about swapping her child and ordered her execution. Duchess Su was left reflecting on how her biological daughter had suffered after being separated from her for years.

• Pei Yunluo apologized to Princess Yongle for meeting Zhang Yu in secret, and Princess Yongle forgave her after warning her not to repeat the mistake.
• Princess Yongle ordered Pei Xingjian to arrest Zhang Yu and banish him to a desolate place.
• Duchess Su ordered Xiu Yu to drink the Beauty-Nourishing Soup, and Xiu Yu dropped it in terror.
• Duchess Su accused Xiu Yu of swapping her daughter, and Xiu Yu confessed that she had done it to avenge her elder sister.
• Duchess Su slapped Xiu Yu and ordered Nanny Liu to have her beaten to death.
• Duchess Su reflected that her biological daughter had suffered outside the family for years and regretted not having raised her.

Ning Sang-sang visited Yan Xuanjing with Ning Hui, hoping to prevent him from becoming a villain, but her thoughts about reforming him stirred his dark emotions and sent his corruption value rising. She left him silently hiding his turmoil behind a calm expression.

• Yan Xuanjing ordered Xifeng to throw a tortured traitor into the mass graveyard, then returned to his room.
• Ning Sang-sang persuaded Ning Hui to visit Yan Xuanjing, intending to stop him from turning evil before the Third Princess came to provoke him.
• Yan Xuanjing agreed to receive Ning Sang-sang and Ning Hui after briefly considering refusing them.
• Ning Sang-sang thanked Yan Xuanjing for saving Ning Hui, while Yan Xuanjing privately wondered why she wanted to get close to him.
• Ning Sang-sang thought that Yan Xuanjing needed to be reformed, causing his emotions and corruption value to rise as he concealed his turmoil.

Ning Sang-sang took Yan Xuanjing and Ning Hui to the Hundred Flowers House to avoid the Third Princess and satisfy her curiosity about brothels. When the madam saw through Ning Sang-sang’s disguise and suggested she go elsewhere, Ning Sang-sang recognized her as Auntie Cuihua.

• Ning Sang-sang invited Yan Xuanjing to go for a stroll, thinking she could keep him away from the Third Princess, and he agreed.
• Ning Sang-sang changed into men's clothes and led Yan Xuanjing and Ning Hui to the Hundred Flowers House, where Yan Xuanjing agreed to enter despite Jingzhe’s surprise.
• Ning Sang-sang and Ning Hui looked around the quiet brothel, while Yan Xuanjing watched Ning Sang-sang and Jingzhe wondered if his prince favored her.
• Aunt Hong came downstairs and asked whether they wanted girls or a place to discuss business.
• Ning Sang-sang asked Aunt Hong for a private room and pretty girls, but Aunt Hong saw through her disguise and directed her to the South Wind House, prompting Ning Sang-sang to call her Auntie Cuihua.

Ning Sang-sang used Fifth Senior Brother’s Jade Pendant to make Auntie Hong let her and the others into the Hundred Flowers House. The group settled into its finest private room, while Yan Xuanjing grew more suspicious of Ning Sang-sang’s identity.

• Ning Sang-sang insisted Auntie Hong was her Auntie Cuihua and led her away from Yan Xuanjing and Ning Hui.
• Ning Sang-sang showed Auntie Hong Fifth Senior Brother’s Jade Pendant, making Auntie Hong recognize its authority and agree to let girls dressed as men enter the Hundred Flowers House.
• Ning Sang-sang asked Auntie Hong to arrange a private room and pretty attendants, then promised not to tell the young master that Auntie Hong had offended her.
• Ning Sang-sang told Ning Hui that Auntie Cuihua had remembered her, while Yan Xuanjing decided to investigate Ning Sang-sang’s past.
• Auntie Hong led Ning Sang-sang, Ning Hui, Yan Xuanjing, and Jingzhe to the finest private room, where Ning Sang-sang admired the view and several pretty girls arrived.

Ning Sang-sang’s thoughts gave Yan Xuanjing and Ning Hui the idea to turn Chu Yuzhu against Yang Wenguang, while Chu Yuzhu failed to find Yan at the Hostage's Residence. After receiving a letter accusing Yang Wenguang of harming Yan, Chu Yuzhu set out for State Uncle Yang's Residence with a force of men.

• Yan Xuanjing dismissed the courtesans at the Hundred Flowers House, and Ning Sang-sang decided she wanted to buy some as maids.
• Ning Sang-sang thought that Chu Yuzhu would pursue Yang Wenguang if she learned he had disfigured and crippled Yan Xuanjing, and Ning Hui also planned to pass that information to her.
• Yan Xuanjing privately instructed Jingzhe, who hurried away to carry out his orders.
• Chu Yuzhu went to the Hostage's Residence, but Xifeng told her Yan Xuanjing was out with Fourth Young Master Ning, so she left without seeing him.
• A letter reached Chu Yuzhu at the Princess's Residence, accusing Yang Wenguang of coveting Yan and poisoning him.
• Chu Yuzhu ordered more men summoned and went with Zijuan to State Uncle Yang's Residence.

Chu Yuzhu stormed into State Uncle Yang’s residence and accused him of poisoning Yan Xuanjing after he set his sights on him. She ordered a search for Yang Wenguang’s male favorites, while he was prevented from leaving the hall and secretly trusted that his hidden chambers would keep them safe.

• State Uncle Yang ordered his guard to stop Yan Xuanjing and Ning Hui from sleeping with women at the Hundred Flowers House, then resumed his affair with a male favorite as Lady Li seethed outside.
• Chu Yuzhu arrived at the State Uncle’s Residence with guards, forced her way inside, and ordered them to smash its furnishings.
• Yang Wenguang reached the wrecked hall, where Chu Yuzhu slapped him and accused him of targeting and poisoning Yan Xuanjing.
• Chu Yuzhu confronted Yang Wenguang with a letter describing his conspiracy and ordered guards to search his residence for his male favorites.
• Yang Wenguang tried to leave the hall, but Chu Yuzhu had guards stop him; he reassured himself that the favorites were hidden in secret chambers.

Lady Li secretly tipped off the Third Princess's guards about Yang Wenguang's hidden male favorites, and they uncovered them in his bedroom. Chu Yuzhu confronted Yang Wenguang, who collapsed and began convulsing as she insulted him.

• Lady Li sent Cui'er to leave a note revealing where Yang Wenguang had hidden his male favorites.
• The Third Princess's guards used the note to find the secret chamber in Yang Wenguang's bedroom and fought past his guards.
• The guards brought more than a dozen youths to the main hall, and Yang Wenguang realized his secret had been exposed.
• Chu Yuzhu accused Yang Wenguang of secretly keeping male favorites and mocked him when he protested.
• Yang Wenguang turned red, collapsed to the floor, and began convulsing with foam at his mouth.

After Chu Yuzhu seized Yang Wenguang’s male favorites, she reported him to Emperor Mingqing, who summoned him to the palace. Yang Wenguang suspected Chu Yuzhu had accused him and set off to face the emperor, fearing the consequences.

• Yang Wenguang collapsed with an epileptic fit after Chu Yuzhu left his residence, and a physician treated him.
• Chu Yuzhu took Yang Wenguang’s male favorites to the Princess’s Residence and went to the palace to complain to Emperor Mingqing.
• Chu Yuzhu accused Yang Wenguang of abusing the young men and defying the emperor, prompting Emperor Mingqing to order his immediate summons.
• After recovering, Yang Wenguang learned Chu Yuzhu had taken his favorites and ordered his servants beaten when they could not identify who had revealed the secret chamber.
• Eunuch Zhang arrived with Emperor Mingqing’s summons, and Yang Wenguang went to the palace, worrying about the emperor’s anger.