Recaps

Xia Wanwan took the demon-filled gourd from Liu Wan and went back to her courtyard, while Xia Siheng arranged for her to stay away from the Main Courtyard. After sending their daughter away, Xia Siheng urged Liu Wan to try on the outfit Zhao'er had given her, and he approached her behind the screen.

• Xia Siheng warned Xia Wanwan not to summon lightning again and gave her the demon in Liu Wan's gourd to handle.
• Xia Wanwan checked Liu Wan for harm from the gourd's baleful aura, then promised to teach the demon a lesson.
• At night, Xia Siheng sent Pan Chun to take Xia Wanwan to her courtyard and ordered Jing Wu and Yuanbao to protect her.
• Pan Chun promised Xia Wanwan a secret snack, and Xia Wanwan agreed to stay away from the Main Courtyard.
• Xia Siheng asked Liu Wan about Zhao'er's gift and persuaded her to put on the outfit.
• After Liu Wan changed behind a screen, Xia Siheng rose and walked toward her.

Liu Wan and Xia Siheng grew intimate after he saw her revealing outfit, while Xia Wanwan waited for food and questioned the Demon God's Left Guardian trapped in the Gourd. The Guardian threatened to escape within three days, but Xia Wanwan silenced him with a slap.

• Xia Siheng saw Liu Wan in her new outfit, carried her to bed, and they became intimate after he stopped a nosebleed.
• Xia Wanwan waited with Yuanbao and Jing Wu for Pan Chun to bring roasted pig's trotters.
• Xia Wanwan threatened the bouncing Gourd, and it immediately went still.
• Xia Wanwan asked the Gourd about its captive, and the Demon God's Left Guardian threatened to break free in three days and slaughter humans.
• Xia Wanwan struck the Gourd to silence the Guardian, who demanded to know their names.

Xia Wanwan trapped Gu Ming in a Gourd and threatened him until he revealed why he had targeted infants chosen by the Five Elements Spirit Pearl. After he tried to escape, she plunged the Gourd into a Night Soil Bucket, and the chapter ended with Jing Wu agreeing to fish it out.

• Xia Wanwan shook the Gourd until Gu Ming gave his name and denied killing children indiscriminately.
• Xia Wanwan accused Gu Ming of targeting Li Shuqi and her Crown Prince brother, and he admitted the Five Elements Spirit Pearl was connected to their deaths.
• Gu Ming tried to break free, but Xia Wanwan threw the Gourd into a Night Soil Bucket and threatened him with maggots.
• Gu Ming confessed that the Demon God had given him a compass to locate infants chosen by the Five Elements Spirit Pearl and said it was in the Abandoned Infant Pagoda.
• Xia Wanwan asked Jing Wu to retrieve the Gourd, and Yuanbao's praise persuaded Jing Wu to roll up his sleeves and do it.

Yuanbao pursued Gu Ming to the Abandoned Infant Pagoda outside Hezhou, where he discovered the spirits of baby girls trapped in resentment. He restrained Gu Ming and demanded the Compass, while the Infant Souls watched helplessly.

• Gu Ming escaped the courtyard, but Xia Wanwan sent Yuanbao after him and kept Jing Wu behind to scrub the Night Soil Buckets.
• Yuanbao followed Gu Ming south to the Abandoned Infant Pagoda and heard the trapped baby girls crying about their deaths.
• Gu Ming returned to the pagoda, where Xiao Jue and the other Infant Souls urged him to absorb their resentment and help a newly arrived spirit.
• Yuanbao entered the pagoda and struck Gu Ming, then formed a barrier to keep the Infant Souls from getting caught in their fight.
• Yuanbao beat Gu Ming and demanded that he hand over the Compass.

Yuanbao demanded the Demon God’s Compass from Gu Ming, but learned that its yin qi protected the trapped spirits of the Abandoned Infant Pagoda. He agreed to bring someone to reincarnate them the next day, while Gu Ming privately doubted that Yuanbao could deliver on the promise.

• Gu Ming explained that taking the Compass would expose the spirits to sunlight and destroy their souls, while he absorbed their resentment to keep them from becoming evil spirits.
• Xiao Jue pleaded with Yuanbao to spare Gu Ming and described how the Compass had protected the spirits for ten years.
• Yuanbao refused to give up the Compass but offered to have the spirits reincarnated, threatening to crush Gu Ming if they resisted.
• The spirits agreed to reincarnate, and Yuanbao said he would take Gu Ming with him to prevent him from escaping with the Compass.
• Gu Ming absorbed resentment from the baby spirit in Xiao Jue’s hands, restored her ability to float, and promised to return the next day.
• After Yuanbao left with Gu Ming, Gu Ming told Xiao Jue that he doubted anyone Yuanbao brought could reincarnate the spirits.

Yuanbao encountered Ruyun fleeing Consort Jing’s assassins and learned that she was carrying the prophesied divine fetus, whose marrow they intended to extract. Ruyun’s brother Ru Bin was held at knifepoint, and she chose to keep fleeing rather than surrender.

• Yuanbao left the tower with Gu Ming and threatened the spirits to stay inside.
• Ruyun ran into Yuanbao and begged him to protect her from her pursuers.
• Yuanbao recognized Ruyun but stepped aside when the assassins ordered him not to interfere.
• The assassins brought Ru Bin forward and threatened to kill him if Ruyun did not return with them.
• Ruyun told Ru Bin that she carried East Lin’s divine fetus and that Consort Jing’s people planned to cut it from her womb.
• Ruyun decided to flee, pleading with Ru Bin to save her as she said Wu Bi was dead.

Yuanbao watched Ruyun flee while Ru Bin died trying to hold back the Envoy, then drove off the East Lin assassins and ordered the city soldiers to report the spy base. After returning with Gu Ming, Yuanbao found Xia Wanwan awake and calling him “Kitty,” leaving Gu Ming stunned.

• Ruyun ran toward the city wall to escape, while Ru Bin grabbed the Envoy’s legs and was killed; Yuanbao helped Ru Bin’s soul depart and burned paper money for him.
• The Envoy caught Ruyun, but Yuanbao challenged him and blew an attacking assassin into the river before city soldiers arrived and forced the assassins to retreat.
• Yuanbao showed the soldiers Jing Wu’s token and ordered them to alert the Hezhou government office about the East Lin spy base; Gu Ming possessed Ru Bin’s corpse and took it away to bury.
• Yuanbao and Gu Ming returned near dawn, where Jing Wu greeted Yuanbao and Xia Wanwan came out and called him “Kitty.”
• Gu Ming stared in shock and asked Yuanbao why Xia Wanwan called him Kitty.

Yuanbao told Xia Wanwan that the Compass could not be obtained soon and asked her to help, while Jing Wu and Gu Ming were sent away to scrub chamber pots. The next morning, Xia Wanwan asked Xia Siheng to let her go to Hezhou, and he agreed, promising the Imperial Family would support her.

• Yuanbao asked Xia Wanwan to help because they could not get the Compass anytime soon, and she agreed despite the effort it would cost.
• Jing Wu and Gu Ming argued over who stood higher with Yuanbao, then both were ordered away by Xia Wanwan and made to scrub chamber pots.
• Wang Xia and Qing Sheng waited for the Princess Consort to wake, while Xia Wanwan arrived and complained that her mother was still in bed.
• Xia Siheng carried Xia Wanwan outside so she would not disturb Wan'er, and she told him she wanted to go to Hezhou.
• Xia Siheng agreed to Xia Wanwan's trip and said he and the Imperial Family would support her, then warned her not to let boys kiss her cheek.

Xia Wanwan set out for Hezhou with Yuanbao and Jing Wu to join Zhong Youyan, leaving Xia Siheng to face her mother's anger for her. In Hezhou, Consort Jing ordered Ruyun killed and her divine marrow extracted, while Ruyun tried to sabotage Consort Jing by claiming she had weakened the fetus's spiritual power.

• Xia Siheng told Xia Wanwan to go to Hezhou with Yuanbao and Jing Wu and seek help from Zhong Youyan if needed.
• Xia Wanwan packed food and left, tricking Xia Siheng into taking responsibility for telling her mother.
• Consort Jing confronted the imprisoned Ruyun, accusing her of trying to flee with the divine fetus.
• Consort Jing revealed she planned to take the fetus's divine marrow for her own child and summoned Daoist Huiyue to extract it.
• Ruyun claimed she had dispersed the fetus's spiritual power, and Consort Jing ordered Daoist Huiyue to kill her and extract the marrow immediately.

Consort Jing chose to use Ruyun’s resentful divine marrow to save the fetus in her womb, despite the risks. Outside Hezhou City, Xia Wanwan tried to persuade people to help her destroy the Abandoned Infant Pagoda and was met with hostility.

• Daoist Huiyue extracted Ruyun’s divine marrow and found that it had no spiritual power, but carried unusually strong resentment.
• Daoist Huiyue explained that the resentment could save Consort Jing’s fetus but might cause a difficult pregnancy and prevent the child from cultivating the Dao.
• Consort Jing decided to use the divine marrow, and Daoist Huiyue began the procedure as the rabbit watched.
• Xia Wanwan arrived at Hezhou City and asked a guard to take her to Lord Qiao so she could have the Abandoned Infant Pagoda destroyed.
• The townspeople mocked Xia Wanwan and defended the pagoda, while a boy’s father grew angry when she asked who had given birth to his mother.

Xia Wanwan was nearly taken to the Qiao Residence as a child bride, but Yuanbao, Gu Ming, and Jing Wu arrived and revealed her status as Princess Ximing. She refused to forgive Steward Qiao and demanded that Lord Qiao come out and be blown up.

• Steward Qiao ordered soldiers to take Xia Wanwan to the Qiao Residence and make her Qiao Tianci’s child bride.
• Yuanbao, Gu Ming, and Jing Wu caught up with Xia Wanwan, and Yuanbao kicked away a soldier who tried to seize her.
• Yuanbao slapped Steward Qiao and Qiao Tianci while Jing Wu showed the soldiers his token from the Ninth Prince’s Residence.
• Steward Qiao and Qiao Tianci realized Xia Wanwan was Princess Ximing and knelt with the surrounding crowd to beg for mercy.
• Xia Wanwan refused to get up and demanded that Lord Qiao come out so she could blow him up.

Xia Wanwan confronted Hezhou’s townspeople over abandoning baby girls, but realized their beliefs were rooted in women’s lack of security and status. Zhong Youyan arrived and offered to help her blow up the Abandoned Infant Pagoda, leaving Xia Wanwan wondering how Zhong knew she was the Capital’s Bombing Criminal.

• Jing Wu sent Steward Qiao to fetch help while Xia Wanwan sat with the townspeople still kneeling and roasted fish with Yuanbao.
• Xia Wanwan challenged the townspeople for abandoning girls, and a woman explained the pressure women faced to bear sons and depend on their families.
• Xia Wanwan let the townspeople rise and concluded that she needed to change their hearts to save the baby girls.
• Zhong Youyan arrived, picked up Xia Wanwan, and said she had been waiting to blow up the Abandoned Infant Pagoda with her.
• Xia Wanwan asked Zhong Youyan how she knew she was the Capital’s Bombing Criminal.

Xia Wanwan arrived in Hezhou and demanded men and explosives to destroy the Abandoned Infant Pagoda, but local opposition and the Qiao family’s hostility complicated her plans. As she went to the Qiao Residence, her parents watched from a teahouse and decided to follow and protect her.

• Zhong Youyan explained that Qiao Zhishu was her brother-in-law, and Xia Wanwan let him and the others rise.
• Xia Wanwan refused Qiao Zhishu’s offer of a welcoming feast and demanded men and explosives so she could go to the mountain and destroy the pagoda.
• Zhong Youyan persuaded Xia Wanwan to visit the Qiao Residence by tempting her with Hezhou’s pig’s trotters, while the commoners cursed them for threatening the pagoda.
• The commoners confronted Steward Qiao, who promised that Xia Wanwan would be driven out of Hezhou and revealed his hostility toward her.
• Xia Siheng and Liu Wan watched from a teahouse, worried about the people of Hezhou and Steward Qiao’s intentions toward Wanwan.
• Xia Siheng agreed to follow Liu Wan and teach Steward Qiao a lesson.

Steward Qiao and Qiao Tianci plotted to drug Xia Wanwan and force her into marriage, but Xia Siheng and Liu Wan stopped them and planned a response. At the Qiao Residence, Xia Wanwan noticed something unusual about Zhong Youling’s pregnancy.

• Qiao Tianci asked Steward Qiao how he could become a prince and take revenge on Xia Wanwan, and Steward Qiao promised to make her his child bride.
• Steward Qiao revealed his plan to drug Xia Wanwan and her attendants, but Xia Siheng knocked him and Qiao Tianci unconscious.
• Liu Wan persuaded Xia Siheng not to kill the pair and whispered a plan to him.
• The Qiao family welcomed Xia Wanwan, and Qiao Zhishu tried to send his eight-months-pregnant wife, Zhong Youling, back to rest.
• Xia Wanwan studied Zhong Youling’s belly and counted on her fingers, appearing to notice something strange.

Xia Wanwan visited the Qiao Residence to address the Abandoned Infant Pagoda and offered to bless Zhong Youling's unborn baby. The Qiao elders privately revealed their plan to let the baby die at birth and blame the Princess.

• Master Qiao and Old Madam Qiao pressured pregnant Zhong Youling to stand and entertain Xia Wanwan, while Qiao Zhishu tried to defend his wife.
• Xia Wanwan recognized the Qiao elders' hostility and disguised her near-outburst as a question about blowing up the Abandoned Infant Pagoda.
• Qiao Zhishu explained that the Imperial Court planned to destroy the pagoda and introduce a law protecting baby girls, citing His Majesty's orders.
• Xia Wanwan offered to bless Zhong Youling's baby, and Qiao Zhishu escorted her toward his wife's room while Yuanbao followed them.
• After the others left, the Qiao elders revealed that they expected the baby to die at birth and intended to blame Xia Wanwan.

Xia Wanwan questioned why the Qiao elders seemed indifferent to Zhong Youling’s pregnancy, and Zhong Youyan revealed how the Qiao family had mistreated her sister after she eloped with Qiao Zhishu. Hidden nearby, Qiao Zhishu heard the story and remembered how he had refused his parents’ demand that he marry an official’s daughter.

• Old Master Qiao assured Madam Qiao that the proposed law had not passed and said they could stall Princess Ximing by manipulating her.
• Xia Wanwan asked Zhong Youyan why the Qiao elders seemed unhappy about her blessing Zhong Youling’s baby.
• Zhong Youyan explained that the Qiao family had prospered after donating to the Abandoned Infant Pagoda, then mistreated Zhong Youling after she was disowned by her family.
• Zhong Youyan recounted how Zhong Youling supported Qiao Zhishu through his studies and endured poverty and cruelty from the Qiao family.
• Qiao Zhishu listened from the doorway, realized how much his wife had suffered, and recalled refusing his parents’ plan for him to marry an official’s daughter.

After learning how much Ling'er had sacrificed for him, Qiao Zhishu vowed to leave his parents’ home with his wife and child. Xia Wanwan then revealed that the unborn child had been poisoned and warned Qiao Zhishu that saving his family would expose the truth about his birth.

• Qiao Zhishu overheard Zhong Youyan explain Ling'er's sacrifices, broke down in tears, and vowed to protect her and move out after the birth.
• Yuanbao clarified that he was a man, and Xia Wanwan explained that she had deliberately let Qiao Zhishu hear the conversation so he would understand his wife's devotion.
• Xia Wanwan suspected that someone had destroyed the lily of the valley to prevent Ling'er from conceiving and revealed that the unborn child had been poisoned.
• Zhong Youyan grew furious and wanted to attack the Qiao elders, but Yuanbao stopped her and urged her to uncover their motives first.
• Qiao Zhishu fell to his knees and begged Xia Wanwan to save Ling'er, and she warned that doing so would reveal the truth about his birth.

Xia Wanwan blessed Zhong Youling and calmed the poisoned baby in her womb, while Qiao Zhishu agreed to investigate whether his parents had harmed his wife. The chapter ended with Xia Wanwan heading to dinner and sending Yuanbao to deal with Jing Wu and Gu Ming before their fight turned deadly.

• Xia Wanwan questioned Qiao Zhishu about his origins, and he promised to cooperate with the investigation and stand by Zhong Youling.
• Zhong Youling arrived, and Xia Wanwan claimed Qiao Zhishu and Zhong Youyan had cried because they were moved by her blessing.
• Xia Wanwan used spiritual power to calm Zhong Youling's restless baby and told him to behave until birth.
• Jingjing reported that the Qiao family had prepared a meal for Xia Wanwan, who eagerly agreed to go eat.
• Xia Wanwan and Yuanbao warned that Jing Wu and Gu Ming would fight, so Yuanbao left with Qiao Zhishu to find them.
• Xia Wanwan took Zhong Youling toward the Front Hall and hoped to destroy the Abandoned Infant Pagoda before the baby was born.

Steward Qiao and Qiao Tianci were beaten repeatedly by people protecting Xia Wanwan after they harbored intentions toward her. They were finally carried back to the Qiao Residence badly injured, leaving Madam Qiao devastated.

• A servant found Steward Qiao and Qiao Tianci bruised and swollen, and Qiao Tianci mistook his father's battered face for a pig demon when he woke.
• Xia Siheng and Liu Wan watched from nearby as Liu Zimu, Liu Zi Xing, and Qing Da ambushed Steward Qiao and his son and beat them with clubs.
• The Empress Dowager, Consort Ling, and Xia Qianhui intercepted the battered pair and gave them another beating, leaving Steward Qiao with a broken arm and legs he could not use.
• A servant and people from the medical clinic carried Steward Qiao and Qiao Tianci back to the Qiao Residence, where Madam Qiao wept at their injuries.

Old Master Qiao planned to poison Zhong Youling and use her death to bind Princess Ximing and Qiao Tianci to the Qiao family, while Qiao Zhishu and Yuanbao discovered his scheme. Yuanbao set out to investigate the poisoned flowers and soil as Qiao Zhishu worried about his wife and unborn child.

• Old Master Qiao decided to blame Princess Ximing for Zhong Youling's death in childbirth, make her a child bride to Qiao Tianci, and secure Qiao Tianci's place as Imperial Son-in-Law.
• Old Master Qiao sent a trusted servant to seek Duke Yan's protection and slipped medicine from Steward Qiao's porcelain bottle into the hot-and-sour pig's trotters.
• Qiao Zhishu and Yuanbao secretly witnessed Old Master Qiao's plans, and Qiao Zhishu struggled to believe his parents would poison Princess Ximing.
• Qiao Zhishu urged Yuanbao to stop Princess Ximing from eating the dish, but Yuanbao said she could eat it and proposed searching for evidence in the flowerpot and soil.
• Qiao Zhishu told Yuanbao that the flowers had been destroyed but the pot and soil remained, and they went to investigate.

At the Qiao family banquet, Xia Wanwan used a tantrum to force the elders to recognize Zhong Youling as mistress of the household and give her the Matriarch's Jade Pendant. After the Qiao family coaxed Xia Wanwan back to the table, Old Master Qiao served her a hot-and-sour pig's trotter, which she ate despite suspecting it was drugged.

• Xia Wanwan objected that Zhong Youling was seated far from the seat of honor, and Zhong Youyan revealed that the Qiao family had denied her sister a proper place at the table.
• Xia Wanwan rejected Madam Qiao's attempt to sit beside her and cried that the Qiao family was humiliating her.
• Zhong Youyan demanded an explanation and helped Zhong Youling take the seat beside Xia Wanwan.
• Xia Wanwan insisted that the true mistress of the household needed the Matriarch's Jade Pendant, so Old Master Qiao ordered Madam Qiao to produce it.
• Zhong Youyan took the pendant and gave it to Zhong Youling, while Old Master Qiao persuaded Xia Wanwan to stop crying.
• Old Master Qiao served Xia Wanwan a hot-and-sour pig's trotter, and she ate it while suspecting he had drugged it.

At dinner in the Qiao Residence, Xia Wanwan stopped Zhong Youling from drinking her pregnancy medicine, while Old Master Qiao grew suspicious and arranged for the sleeping princess to be carried away. Zhong Youyan became wary of the maid carrying the medicine as Zhong Youling worried about Xia Wanwan’s safety.

• Xia Wanwan praised the sweet-and-sour pig’s trotters, easing Old Master Qiao’s fears that she had noticed the drug in the dish.
• When Jingjing brought Zhong Youling’s medicinal broth, Xia Wanwan called it foul-smelling, and Zhong Youling told the maid to take it away.
• Old Master Qiao noticed Lord Qiao had not returned and whispered to Madam Qiao, who left the table; Xia Wanwan pointed Zhong Youyan in her direction.
• Xia Wanwan pretended to fall asleep, and Old Master Qiao had a maid carry her to the east side room while Zhong Youling and Zhong Youyan left the table.
• Zhong Youling worried that the Qiao elders might harm Xia Wanwan, while Zhong Youyan grew suspicious of Jingjing and the pregnancy medicine.

Zhong Youyan warned Zhong Youling that the Pregnancy-Calming Medicine and Jingjing were dangerous, while Yuanbao found that the Flower Soil held the drug that had caused Zhong Youling’s infertility. Madam Qiao took the soil to the lake and ordered it thrown in, as Qiao Zhishu and Yuanbao followed.

• Zhong Youyan told Zhong Youling not to drink the Pregnancy-Calming Medicine and left Jin Yu to guard her.
• Zhong Youling revealed that the baby had been calmer on nights she secretly poured away the medicine.
• Yuanbao examined the Flower Soil and found that it carried the drug used to cause Zhong Youling’s infertility.
• Madam Qiao took the Flower Soil from the Flower Room despite the maid’s objection.
• Madam Qiao warned Jingjing to make Zhong Youling drink the medicine, then carried the Flower Soil to the lake and ordered it thrown in.

Xia Wanwan’s plan exposed the Qiao elders’ efforts to destroy evidence of their plot against Zhong Youling, while Qiao Zhishu witnessed his mother’s guilt. She prepared to provoke a public scandal at the Qiao Residence so the Government Office would investigate, but a maid then brought Young Master Tianci to her chamber.

• Yuanbao stopped Madam Qiao from throwing the flowerpot into the lake, and Qiao Zhishu confronted her about the evidence hidden in the Flower Soil.
• Madam Qiao realized Qiao Zhishu knew about the Pregnancy-Calming Medicine’s Herb Residue, while Yuanbao retrieved the floating flowerpot.
• Jing Wu and Gu Ming seized the medicine-brewing kitchen hand and collected the Herb Residue, and Jing Wu set out to arrest Jingjing.
• Xia Wanwan explained that she had arranged to expose the Qiao elders and planned to stir up trouble at the residence to bring the case before the Government Office.
• A maid announced that Young Master Tianci had been brought to the Private Chamber and told him not to bite Xia Wanwan.

Xia Wanwan discovered Qiao Tianci’s history of abusing his child brides and severed his other leg. Old Master Qiao arrived, accused her of being a vengeful ghost, and decided to take the matter to the authorities and Imperial Court.

• Maids carried the injured Qiao Tianci into Xia Wanwan’s room and discussed hiding his three child brides from the princess.
• Xia Wanwan confronted Qiao Tianci and used her power to send a maid to tell Master Qiao that she had broken his other leg.
• Qiao Tianci dismissed his child brides’ lives as worthless, so Xia Wanwan cut off his uninjured leg with a dagger.
• Old Master Qiao arrived, saw Qiao Tianci’s injury, and accused Xia Wanwan of being a vengeful ghost.
• Old Master Qiao resolved to turn Xia Wanwan over to the authorities and have Qiao Zhishu petition the Imperial Court.