Chapter Summaries

The Eldest Princess approved Xie Jin'an’s plan to promote Xu Rourou to equal wife and keep her grandmother at the princess’s residence, while Xu Rourou feared her identity would be exposed. Back at the Xie Residence, Xie Zimu quietly revealed he had staged a confrontation with a gambler, and Liu Wan prepared to use the clan elders’ arrival to obtain a Divorce Agreement.

• The Eldest Princess approved Xie Jin'an’s plan for Xu Rourou and her brother to share a courtyard, and offered to shelter Xu Rourou’s grandmother.
• Xie Jin'an told Xu Rourou she would become his equal wife and eventually mistress of the household.
• A gambler confronted Xie Zimu at the Xie Residence, and Xie Jin'an ordered servants to drive him away before asking about the Imperial Examination.
• Xie Jin'an offered to give Xie Zimu a different mother if he passed, and Xie Zimu later paid the gambler to leave town, revealing their confrontation had been staged.
• Liu Wan learned Xu Rourou was returning as an equal wife and told Wang Xia to summon the Liu clan elders when the Xie clan elders arrived.
• Pan Chun brought Xia Wanwan back to Liu Wan, and Xia Wanwan lamented that she had not been able to confront her father.

Liu Wan arrived as the Xie clan prepared to enter Xu Rourou, now renamed Tuo Ba Rou, into the genealogy. With the Liu clan behind her, Liu Wan demanded a divorce and exposed Xie Jin'an’s attempted child swap, leaving him to defend himself before both clans.

• Xu Rourou avoided intimacy with Xie Jin'an by claiming she wanted to wait until their wedding, hiding her injuries through the night.
• Xie and Liu clan elders gathered at the Xie residence, and Xie Jin'an had Xu Rourou entered into the genealogy as Tuo Ba Rou.
• Liu Wan defied her confinement and came to the Front Hall with Xia Wanwan, where she stopped the elders from entering her daughter into the genealogy.
• The Liu clan head and Minister Liu announced that they had come to request a divorce for Liu Wan.
• Liu Wan accused Xie Jin'an of trying to switch her newborn daughter with Xie Huaishan, and Xie Jin'an claimed her nanny had acted on her behalf.

Liu Wan exposed Xie Jin'an and Xu Rourou’s role in the baby swap and attempted poisoning, then demanded a divorce with her family’s support. Liu Shi challenged Xie Jin'an to eat a truth-telling jelly, leaving the confrontation poised to reveal whether he would confess.

• Liu Wan presented the nanny and maid who testified that Xie Jin'an and Xu Rourou had arranged the baby swap.
• The clan leader urged Liu Wan to accept an apology, but Xia Wanwan called for a divorce.
• Nanny Rong confessed that Xu Rourou had given her poison to put in Liu Wan’s medicine, and Liu Wan exposed Xu Rourou’s attempt to hide the source.
• Xie Jin'an denied knowing about the poisoning, while Xia Wanwan gave Liu Shi her truth-telling jelly.
• Liu Shi condemned Xie Jin'an for deceiving and mistreating Liu Wan, demanded a divorce, and challenged him to eat the jelly.

Xie Jin'an confessed to years of betrayal and abuse after Liu Shi forced him to eat Truth Jelly, and Minister Liu's attempted suicide prompted the Xie clan to strike the Marquis's Residence branch from its genealogy. Xie Jin'an refused to give Liu Wan a Divorce Agreement, but news of Xie Zimu's examination success renewed his hopes, and he asked his son to choose between Liu Wan and Xu Rourou.

• Liu Shi made Xie Jin'an swallow Truth Jelly, and Xie Jin'an confessed that he had kept Rou'er as a lover, helped her poison Liu Wan, switched the children, and planned to drown Wanwan.
• Xu Rourou demanded that Xie Jin'an choose between her and Liu Wan, while Xie Jin'an begged Liu Wan not to leave him.
• Minister Liu charged at a pillar to repay the debt he felt he owed Marquis Jing'an, and the Liu family found him barely breathing.
• The Xie clan chief tore the Marquis's Residence branch out of the clan genealogy, and Xie Jin'an refused Liu Shi's demand for a Divorce Agreement, threatening to take Liu Wan down with him.
• A messenger announced that Xie Zimu had placed third in the Imperial Examination, becoming the dynasty's youngest provincial graduate.
• Xie Zimu warned that having two mothers would damage his prospects in official service, so Xie Jin'an asked him to choose between Liu Wan and Xu Rourou.

Xie Zimu chose Xu Rourou over Liu Wan, allowing Xie Jin'an to divorce Liu Wan and cast her and the children out, while secretly helping Liu Wan escape the Xie Residence. At the Liu home, Minister Liu revealed that his apparent death and Xie Zimu’s supposed examination success were parts of a Ninth Prince’s scheme to secure the divorce, and Liu Wan realized her family had deceived her too.

• Xie Zimu rejected Liu Wan, chose Xu Rourou, and asked Xie Jin'an to cast out Xie Zixing.
• Xie Jin'an wrote and signed the Divorce Agreement, while Qing Da's wife burned Xie Zixing's adoption papers.
• Xie Jin'an ordered the Liu Family out, but Liu Shi and the clan elders beat him; Xie Zimu watched Liu Wan leave and planned to help Qing Da escape as well.
• At the Liu home, Imperial Physician Huang revealed that Minister Liu had faked his death as part of the Ninth Prince's plan.
• Minister Liu explained that Xie Zimu had submitted a blank examination paper and that the supposed result notice had been fabricated to fool Xie Jin'an.
• Liu Wan realized that her family had known Minister Liu was alive and had deceived her about his condition.

After Liu Wan returned to the Liu Residence, she sent Liu Shi to reclaim her dowry from the Xie Residence. As Liu Shi’s group removed the goods, Zhong Youyan learned Minister Liu was alive and confronted Xu Rourou, who had tried to stop them.

• Lady Liu welcomed Liu Wan home, and Liu Wan entrusted Liu Shi with recovering her dowry from the Xie Residence.
• Liu Shi enlisted Qin Yan and government runners, telling him they were going to collect Liu Wan’s dowry.
• Xie Zimu remembered the bargain he had made with the Ninth Prince and left the Xie Residence, while Qing Da stayed behind.
• Liu Shi arrived with government runners and began removing Liu Wan’s dowry from the Xie Residence.
• Zhong Youyan planned to flee with Jin Yu, but learned the Liu Family had come for the dowry and realized Minister Liu was still alive.
• Wang Xia told Zhong Youyan that Xu Rourou had tried to stop the collection, and Zhong Youyan released Xu Rourou from the yamen runners.

Zhong Youyan helped Wang Xia reclaim Liu Wan’s dowry from the Xie Residence, while Liu Shi and Qin Yan clashed with Xie Jinzhao over a cat. The dispute ended with Yuanbao choosing Liu Shi, and Qin Yan called on him to take his turn.

• Zhong Youyan slapped Xu Rourou and ordered the Xie Residence’s courtyard fixtures removed or destroyed.
• Wang Xia rallied the townsfolk and reclaimed Liu Wan’s dowry and the residence’s main gate, leaving Liu Wan’s courtyard nearly bare.
• Qin Yan and Wang Xia returned to the Xie Residence and found Xie Jinzhao blocking Liu Shi from taking Yuanbao.
• Qin Yan kicked Xie Jinzhao, who backed down and argued that Yuanbao belonged to the Xie family.
• Xie Jinzhao called Yuanbao, but the cat stayed in Liu Shi’s arms, and Qin Yan urged Liu Shi to take his turn.

Xie Jin'an discovered scars on Xu Rourou and accused her of having an affair, while she insisted they came from prison torture. Their confrontation nearly turned violent, but Xie Jinzhao and Xu Xinbo intervened, and Xie Jin'an calmed when he saw his son, Xie Huaishan.

• Qin Yan claimed Yuanbao belonged to Liu Shi and left with him, while Xie Jinzhao was left frustrated.
• Li Duoduo told Xie Jinzhao that Xie Jin'an and Xu Rourou were fighting after he caught her having an affair.
• Xie Jin'an accused Xu Rourou of cheating after seeing scars on her body, but she claimed they were injuries from prison torture.
• Xu Xinbo kicked open the door as Xie Jin'an threatened Xu Rourou with a vase, and Xie Jinzhao restrained him.
• Xie Jin'an blamed Xu Rourou for the Xie family's misfortunes, then embraced Xie Huaishan and wept.

After Xie Jin'an chose to endure Xu Rourou’s betrayal for the sake of his sons and the Xie family’s future, gossip over the divorce ruined the Xie Residence’s reputation. Minister Liu collapsed after leaving court, and officials blamed Marquis Jing'an, whose return to court now faced growing opposition.

• Xie Jin'an took Xie Huaishan away, then drank with Xu Xinbo and thanked him for his help.
• Commoners condemned the Xie family as carts carried dowry goods to Xu Rourou’s new residence, and Xie Jinzhao saw the Xie Residence’s reputation worsen.
• The emperor advised Minister Liu to take leave and assigned Lord Qian and the Vice Minister of Rites to oversee the Ministry of Rites as Marquis Jing'an prepared to return.
• Minister Liu collapsed at the palace gates, and Imperial Physician Huang announced that his head injury might prove fatal.
• Officials and commoners blamed Marquis Jing'an and vowed to oppose him when he returned to court.

After Minister Liu’s family discovered he had faked his illness, Liu Wan moved with her children to a new residence and attended her niece Qingqing’s full-month banquet. There, First Prince Xia Qianhui rejected the idea of marrying Liu Wan, but became captivated by the beautiful woman he saw beside the Fifth Princess.

• Minister Liu secretly got out of bed to eat snacks, and his family caught him pretending to be gravely ill.
• Liu Wan left the Liu Residence for her new home with her children, while her family escorted her and celebrated her arrival.
• At Qingqing’s full-month banquet, Xia Wanwan admired her cousin and thought of the danger the Male Lead posed to her.
• Liu Wan gave Qingqing White Jade Bangles and a precious Sharira as gifts.
• Xia Qianhui complained that he would not marry a divorced woman, then saw a beautiful woman beside the Fifth Princess and asked his servant to identify her.

Xia Wanwan played in the soil beneath the Coral Tree with the Empress Dowager and the emperor, then attended Liu Qingqing’s one-month celebration. There, she noticed Xia Qianhui watching her mother Liu Wan, but Xia Siheng stepped in and blocked his nephew’s view.

• Xia Wanwan buried herself beneath the Coral Tree, where the Empress Dowager found her and playfully put her back in the dirt; Xie Zixing feared they were burying his sister alive.
• The emperor asked to join Xia Wanwan and the Empress Dowager in the hole, and all three were buried together beneath the Coral Tree before attendants dug them out.
• At Liu Qingqing’s celebration, Xie Zixing found Xia Wan and cried with relief, while Xia Wanwan teased him about crying even after he married.
• Xia Wanwan pointed out Xia Qianhui staring at Liu Wan and hoped her mother’s romance would bloom; Xia Siheng carried her and Xie Zixing into the Front Hall and blocked Xia Qianhui’s view.
• Xia Qianhui realized the young woman he admired was Liu Wan, and his budding romance was crushed.

Liu Wan met Xia Siheng, who offered to secretly train Zi Xing in martial arts, while the imperial family discussed Wanwan’s parentage and future title. The chapter ended with the First Prince declaring that he wanted to marry Liu Wan.

• Mama Qing told Liu Wan that the Xie Residence was in turmoil and that Zhong Youyan had taken control of the jewelry shop’s account books.
• Liu Wan met Xia Siheng, who asked about her plans after her divorce and offered to teach Zi Xing martial arts; she accepted.
• Liu Wan returned home to find Xia Zhao had brought the Coral Tree for Wanwan and Liu Ye was overseeing its planting.
• Xia Siheng and the emperor told the Empress Dowager about Liu Wan, and the emperor promised to grant Wanwan a title when Marquis Jing'an returned.
• The First Prince appeared before the Empress Dowager and declared that he was willing to marry Liu Wan as his Imperial Princess Consort.

Xia Qianhui agreed to marry Liu Wan, and Xia Qianlin proposed making Wanwan the Crown Princess to protect her, but Xia Siheng beat both princes for their plans. The brothers realized they feared their Ninth Imperial Uncle intended to marry Liu Wan or Wanwan, and they continued crying outside the Imperial Study.

• Xia Qianhui told the Empress Dowager he wanted to marry Liu Wan and become a father to her children, prompting Xia Siheng to beat him.
• Xia Qianlin worried that Marquis Jing'an would seek revenge on Liu Wan and Wanwan, so the emperor suggested leaving their protection to Xia Siheng.
• Xia Qianlin proposed declaring Wanwan the future Crown Princess, and Xia Siheng beat him and sent him outside to stand at punishment.
• Xia Qianhui and Xia Qianlin compared why they had been beaten and realized they thought Xia Siheng wanted to marry Liu Wan or Wanwan.
• A palace attendant relayed Xia Siheng's order for the princes to cry farther away, and they moved off together, still wailing.

Xia Siheng became Zi Xing’s martial arts teacher and discovered that the Xie family’s instructor had deliberately given the boy weak fundamentals. Liu Ye tried to encourage Liu Wan to move on from the past, then helped Xia Siheng visit her privately, leaving them together beside the transplanted plum tree.

• Liu Wan welcomed Xia Siheng and arranged for Zi Xing to perform the apprenticeship ceremony, making the Ninth Prince his secret martial arts teacher.
• Xia Wanwan called Xia Siheng “Uncle Xia,” and he told Zi Xing to address him that way while keeping his identity as teacher secret.
• Pan Chun explained that the Xie family instructor had recently made Zi Xing spar with two adult disciples, whom Zi Xing supposedly beat; Xia Siheng suspected the instructor had deliberately taught him poor techniques.
• Xia Siheng stopped Zi Xing’s demonstration and picked up a Wooden Sword to teach him properly.
• Liu Ye left the transplanted winter plum tree in Liu Wan’s courtyard and urged her to stop dwelling on the past.
• Liu Ye arranged for Pan Chun to stay nearby while Xia Siheng visited Liu Wan privately, hoping the plum tree would help him understand her feelings.

Xia Siheng told Liu Wan that the Xie family had sabotaged Zi Xing’s training, and Liu Wan vowed to uncover more of their secrets. After noticing Wanwan’s resemblance to Xia Siheng, Liu Wan panicked and decided to question Mama Qing.

• Xia Siheng played with Wanwan and offered to call himself her father if she would join him in raiding the Xie Residence.
• Xia Siheng told Liu Wan that the Xie family had harmed Zi Xing during his training, and she condemned the family and vowed to avenge her student.
• Xia Siheng warned Liu Wan that Marquis Jing'an would take Old Madam Xie home, but Liu Wan said she had more surprises planned for the old woman.
• Liu Wan noticed that Wanwan’s face resembled Xia Siheng’s and hurried back to her room with her daughter.
• Liu Wan remembered Mama Qing’s earlier remarks about Wanwan’s resemblance to the Heir Apparent and resolved to find Mama Qing.

Xia Siheng learned from Liu Ye that Liu Wan had cherished him since childhood, after she treasured a winter-plum cutting from his birth mother's palace. Realizing Wanwan was his daughter and regretting how late he had understood Liu Wan’s feelings, he decided to take her to beat Xie Jin'an.

• Xia Siheng asked Liu Ye about the winter plum in Liu Wan's courtyard and learned it came from a branch she had received from him.
• Liu Ye recounted how Liu Wan had cared for the winter plum for years and married Xie Jin'an to repay a favor owed by her family.
• Xia Siheng remembered his past encounter with Liu Wan and concluded that Wanwan was his daughter.
• Xia Siheng regretted missing his chance with Liu Wan, while Liu Ye urged him to make an effort now that he knew her feelings.
• Xia Siheng told Liu Ye he would take Wanwan to beat Xie Jin'an that night.

Xia Wanwan sneaked out to reach the Xie Residence and discovered Xu Xinbo had attacked a martial arts instructor to conceal his role in crippling Xie Zixing. Xia Siheng rescued the instructor and took Wanwan deeper into the residence, where they overheard Xu Rourou and Xie Jin'an’s conversation about Madam Li’s imprisonment.

• Xia Wanwan put Pan Chun to sleep, climbed onto Yuanbao, and ran into Xia Siheng while trying to sneak away to the Xie Residence.
• Xia Siheng joined Xia Wanwan on her mission, carried her over the Xie Residence wall, and followed Xu Xinbo to a rockery.
• Xu Xinbo struck a martial arts instructor and threw him into a pond, but Xia Wanwan used spiritual energy to bring him to the surface.
• The instructor escaped the pond, but Xia Siheng knocked him unconscious and ordered Jing Wu and the Hidden Guards to take him away alive.
• Xia Siheng followed Xu Xinbo to Xu Rourou’s room, where he and Xia Wanwan overheard Xu Rourou and Xie Jin'an together.
• Xie Jin'an approached Xu Rourou’s room hoping she would ask the Eldest Princess to free Madam Li, but Yinliu turned him away.

Xia Wanwan and Xia Siheng used an Explosive Talisman to expose Xu Rourou with Xu Xinbo, triggering Xie Jin'an's violent rage and remorse. The chapter ended with Xie Huaishan rejecting Xie Jin'an as his father.

• Xia Wanwan found an Explosive Talisman and had Xia Siheng throw it onto Xu Rourou's room, where the blast injured Xu Rourou and Xu Xinbo.
• Xie Jin'an discovered Xu Xinbo fleeing naked and ordered the servants to catch him before beating Xu Rourou.
• Xie Jinzhao stopped Xie Jin'an from continuing to attack Xu Rourou, while Xie Jin'an accused Yinliu of helping hide the affair and ordered her beaten.
• Xie Jin'an confessed his regret over losing Liu Wan and his family, then collapsed after vomiting blood.
• Xie Huaishan went to check Xu Rourou, rejected Xie Jin'an's outstretched hand, and told him he was not his father.

Xia Siheng and Xia Wanwan exposed Xu Xinbo and visited Xie Zimu, while Xie Jin'an collapsed after his family’s fight. Xia Siheng revealed that Xie Zimu had never been poisoned and helped him prepare to leave the Xie Residence before events there erupted.

• Xie Huaishan cried for Xu Rourou and refused to go to Xie Jin'an, who fainted after spitting blood.
• Xia Siheng threw a pebble through Xu Xinbo's door, and the servants caught Xu Xinbo while he was removing traces from his body.
• Xia Wanwan asked Xia Siheng to take her to see Xie Zimu, who welcomed her and received a jade pendant and medicine from Xia Siheng.
• Xia Siheng told Xia Wanwan that Xie Zimu's supposed poison and antidote were sugar pills, and explained that Xie Zimu had agreed to work with him after proving his talent.
• Xia Siheng returned Xia Wanwan to her room, and she asked him to come back and blow up the Xie Residence with her.

Xia Siheng comforted Liu Wan as she suffered a nightmare about her daughter being attacked, while Xie Jin'an tried to use a notice claiming Xie Zimu had passed the Provincial Examination to gain access to Lord Qin. The gatekeepers exposed the notice as a forgery and ordered the Yamen Runners to seize him.

• After Xia Siheng left, Xia Wanwan woke Pan Chun and was carried back to bed, where Pan Chun noticed the child's black bib.
• Xia Siheng saw Liu Wan trembling in a nightmare, held her, and soothed her until she woke alone in her room.
• After the Residence Physician revived Xie Jin'an, Xie Jinzhao said Yinliu had revealed nothing, and Xie Jin'an ordered Xu Rourou locked in the Wood Shed and resolved to report the attacks.
• Xie Jin'an brought a notice claiming Xie Zimu had passed the Provincial Examination to Lord Qin's residence, but the gatekeepers doubted the claim.
• After inspecting the notice, the gatekeepers called it forged and ordered the Yamen Runners to seize Xie Jin'an.