Chapter Summaries

Lu Yao and Liaochen confronted Hou An after Jiang Yingcheng pointed him out, but her claim that he had knocked her down gave way to a far more serious discovery. Jiang Yingcheng uncovered evidence that Wan Pu had hidden Hou An’s true identity and was involved in bribery, selling palace gossip and prohibited drugs, including the drugs linked to Noble Consort Rou’s miscarriages; the chapter ended when Jiang Yingcheng found another startling piece of information.

• Lu Yao encouraged Jiang Yingcheng to identify the person who had supposedly knocked her down, and she pointed at Hou An.
• Lu Yao accused Hou An of knocking over the Little Princess, while Wan Pu questioned whether there had been a misunderstanding.
• Jiang Yingcheng learned through System Bro that Wan Pu knew Hou An’s identity was suspicious and had taken his money to shelter him without making him work.
• Jiang Yingcheng discovered that Wan Pu sold palace gossip and smuggled prohibited drugs to the consorts, including the drugs Noble Consort Rou had used to cause miscarriages.
• Lu Yao moved to seize Wan Pu and Hou An, but Jiang Yingcheng’s sudden inner exclamation stopped him.

Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts revealed that Wan Pu owned a fortune of busy businesses, prompting Lu Yao and Jiao Hongmiao to argue over confiscating them. When Jiang Yingcheng realized they were discussing her shops, the two men explained their departments’ financial and staffing problems in hopes she would share more information.

• Jiang Yingcheng marveled at the many businesses Wan Pu owned, while Lu Yao began thinking about claiming some for the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
• Jiao Hongmiao startled Lu Yao, who jumped away with Jiang Yingcheng and drew laughter from her and the others.
• Jiao Hongmiao confronted Lu Yao over his plan to take Wan Pu’s shops, and Lu Yao argued that the Embroidered Uniform Guard deserved half to fund its investigations.
• Jiang Yingcheng asked what shops they meant and protested in her thoughts that the shops belonged to her.
• Lu Yao and Jiao Hongmiao explained their departments’ shortages and appealed to Jiang Yingcheng to reveal the shops’ locations.

Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts revealed that Eunuch Wan Pu’s shops and a hidden mineral vein could make the Embroidered Uniform Guard rich, prompting Lu Yao and Jiao Hongmiao to record the leads. As Lu Yao prepared to take Hou An away, Wan Pu objected, and Lu Yao silently appealed to Jiang Yingcheng for support.

• Jiang Yingcheng thought that Wan Pu’s shops were registered under his adopted son, and that Wu Leyong could disguise himself to help reclaim them.
• Lu Yao asked Jiang Yingcheng to let him borrow Wu Leyong, and she agreed while insisting Lu Yao ask Wu himself.
• Jiang Yingcheng named several shops that would become the emperor’s property, and Lu Yao wrote down their locations with Jiao Hongmiao’s help.
• Jiang Yingcheng remembered a mineral vein beneath Barren Mountain and said Prince Jing’s men had deliberately caused a collapse there, prompting Lu Yao and Jiao Hongmiao to leave for urgent business.
• Jiang Yingcheng reminded Lu Yao to take Hou An, and Wan Pu protested that Hou An should be disciplined within the Inner Palace Bureau.
• Lu Yao looked to Jiang Yingcheng for help as Wan Pu challenged his authority to take Hou An away.

Jiang Yingcheng staged a fall to accuse Wan Pu of tripping her, then entered Wuyang Hall and reunited with Jiang Yanchuan. As she sat on his lap, she thought about the profitable shops she and Lu Yao had earned for him, leaving Jiang Yanchuan wondering how they had earned them inside the palace.

• Jiang Yingcheng defended Lu Yao from Wan Pu, then deliberately fell and accused him of tripping her.
• Lu Yao carried Jiang Yingcheng to Wuyang Hall, where she also blamed Hou An for an earlier fall.
• Eunuch Changshun heard Jiang Yingcheng admit inwardly that she had staged the accident but still blamed Wan Pu.
• Jiang Yingcheng entered Wuyang Hall and asked Eunuch Changshun what was wrong with Jiang Yanchuan, prompting the officials to suppress their laughter.
• Jiang Yanchuan called Jiang Yingcheng to his lap and asked how she had gotten hurt; she thought about the profitable shops she and Lu Yao had earned for him.

Jiang Yingcheng exposed Linyan Prefecture’s officials for collaborating with bandits to stage a disaster and steal relief funds, prompting Jiang Yanchuan to send troops against them. The chapter ended with Jiang Yingcheng questioning He Feizhang’s claim about his first wife and the prefect’s daughter.

• Jiao Hongmiao returned to his place after helping calm the little girl and told his colleague that he had nearly lost several shops.
• Jiang Yingcheng discovered that Linyan Prefecture’s officials had opened the city gates for bandits, who looted the city and killed or injured at least a hundred people.
• Jiang Yingcheng revealed that the officials and bandits had stolen the people’s wealth and planned to take more through court relief funds.
• Jiang Yanchuan ordered Kan Ruifeng to lead two thousand elite troops to Linyan Prefecture and eradicate the bandits.
• Jiang Yanchuan asked He Feizhang about his first wife, and Jiang Yingcheng wondered why he claimed to be married to the prefect’s daughter when she was unmarried.

Jiang Yingcheng uncovered how Zhang Yuanjie abducted women and passed them off as daughters to arrange marriages with officials, while Chu Jiaxu and Ran Hongyi used the revelations to humiliate He Feizhang. Her next discovery exposed a wider trafficking scheme and implicated several officials, including Grandpa Tan.

• Jiang Yingcheng learned that Zhang Yuanjie had abducted respectable young women, claimed they were his daughters, and married them off to officials, including He Feizhang's principal wife, Hongxiao.
• Chu Jiaxu and Ran Hongyi spread gossip about Hongxiao's origins and a distinctive mark on her shoulder, leaving He Feizhang shocked and unable to make his request.
• Jiang Yingcheng discovered that organizations were abducting commoner girls and selling them to officials seeking advantageous marriages.
• Jiang Yingcheng found the names of several officials in the scheme and was startled to see Grandpa Tan among them.

After learning shocking secrets from Jiang Yingcheng’s inner voice, He Feizhang confronted Zhang Daiqin while Tan Wenhan punished Tan Siyuan. Their colleagues tried to interfere, and Jiang Yingcheng ended the evening persuading Jiang Yanchuan to write more notes for her.

• He Feizhang slapped Zhang Daiqin and accused her of being a celebrated courtesan, only to discover officials had gathered as witnesses in his reception hall.
• Tan Wenhan beat Tan Siyuan for hiding a secret, while Tan Siyuan and Concubine Zhao feared he would suffer the same fate as Tan Yueze.
• Pu Mingxu tried to deliver Tan Wenhan a letter, but he and the other officials fled when Tan Wenhan demanded it and pursued them.
• Jiang Yingcheng sneezed in Xianyang Palace, then eagerly claimed Jiang Yanchuan’s ruined calligraphy sheet and asked him to write another note.

Wu Leyong, disguised as Zhang Yuanjie, convinced the bandits to welcome Kan Ruifeng and his troops as allies, allowing the soldiers to surround and arrest them. One-Eye realized too late that the supposed family reunion was a trap.

• Kan Ruifeng's troops hid around Sipan Mountain while Wu Leyong went to the bandit camp to set up their plan.
• Wu Leyong persuaded One-Eye that the approaching government troops were allies and that they could work together on more robberies.
• One-Eye welcomed Kan Ruifeng at the camp entrance and embraced him, believing they were joining forces.
• Kan Ruifeng signaled his soldiers, who emerged from the woods and surrounded the bandits.
• One-Eye questioned their claim of being family as Kan Ruifeng denied being his father.

As Jiang Tinghuai welcomed Changlan’s delegation, Jiang Yingcheng arrived hungry and upset after being teased about her weight. She introduced herself to ruler Sheng Wenli, whose son Sheng Shixu offered her snacks, leaving the court startled by her thoughts about him becoming a future overlord.

• Fang Siwan found Jiang Yingcheng’s festive clothes too tight, and Jiang Yingcheng accused Qingbi of implying that she should lose weight.
• Jiang Yingcheng refused to eat much after Qingbi’s remark, then began crying from hunger while Jiang Tinghuai waited with her at the city gates.
• Jiang Tinghuai loosened his grip when he heard Jiang Yingcheng think that he was hurting her hand, then learned through her thoughts that she knew about his schoolwork deception.
• Sheng Wenli arrived with the Changlan delegation and introduced his son Sheng Shixu to Jiang Yingcheng.
• Sheng Shixu offered Jiang Yingcheng snacks, and she looked to Jiang Tinghuai for permission while thinking of him as a future overlord.

Jiang Yingcheng befriended Sheng Shixu after he gave her pastries, while Sheng Wenli tried to draw her closer to Changlan. As the group traveled to the palace, Jiang Yingcheng learned from her system why another future overlord had appeared, leaving Jiang Tinghuai listening closely.

• Sheng Shixu gave Jiang Yingcheng pastries and stroked her hair, and she declared him one of her best friends.
• Sheng Wenli asked whether Jiang Yingcheng liked Sheng Shixu, and she said that she did.
• Sheng Wenli began inviting Jiang Yingcheng to share a sedan chair, but Jiang Tinghuai pulled her behind him and led the delegation toward the palace.
• Great Rui officials tried to prompt Jiang Yingcheng to hear them call Emperor Mingze an overlord, but she stayed focused on eating pastries.
• Jiang Yingcheng gave Jiang Tinghuai a pastry, and he accepted it as she wondered why there was more than one future overlord.
• Jiang Yingcheng asked her system about the overlord, and Jiang Tinghuai listened as she realized what was going on.

Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts revealed that the Fourth Prince would poison Emperor Mingze and bring Great Rui to ruin, alarming the court officials. After returning to the palace, Jiang Yanchuan promised to take Jiang Yingcheng outside the capital, while she became curious about his history with Sheng Wenli.

• Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts revealed the Fourth Prince’s future betrayal and Great Rui’s decline, causing the officials to panic and Ran Hongyi to fall.
• Jiang Yingcheng gave Ran Hongyi a pastry from Sheng Shixu, and he pretended it had cured his dizziness.
• Sheng Wenli blurted out that Jiang Yanchuan should give Jiang Yingcheng to him, and Jiang Yanchuan refused.
• Jiang Yingcheng offered Jiang Yanchuan the pastries Sheng Shixu had given her, and Jiang Yanchuan promised to take her beyond the capital once matters were settled.
• Jiang Yingcheng wondered whether Jiang Yanchuan and Sheng Wenli had a secret history and asked the system for gossip.

Jiang Yingcheng uncovered the story of how Jiang Yanchuan met Sheng Wenli as a child and excitedly watched Sheng Wenli seek a private conversation with him. The chapter ended with Sheng Wenli beginning to propose a marriage alliance before Jiang Yanchuan dropped the curtain, while Jiang Yingcheng realized what he was about to ask.

• Jiang Yingcheng bought numerous pills for Jiang Yanchuan before reading that he had entered Changlan territory alone as a child and met Sheng Wenli.
• Jiang Yingcheng revealed that young Sheng Wenli had mistaken Jiang Yanchuan for a girl and asked whether she was betrothed and what boys she liked.
• Sheng Wenli persuaded the procession to move his carriage closer to Jiang Yanchuan's and greeted Jiang Yingcheng.
• Sheng Wenli began asking Jiang Yanchuan to consider a marriage alliance with Changlan, but Jiang Yanchuan dropped the curtain before he could finish.
• Jiang Yingcheng excitedly realized that Sheng Wenli wanted to marry her imperial father.

At a banquet welcoming Changlan’s delegation, Sheng Wenli pressed Jiang Yanchuan to strengthen their countries’ relationship through a marriage between their children, while Jiang Yingcheng’s overheard inner thoughts fueled increasingly outrageous gossip. Jiang Yanchuan tried to escape the pressure with a cryptic remark about repaying a life-saving debt, leaving the court shocked and Sheng Wenli fearing Jiang’s reaction.

• Gao Siyuan, Ke Shaohui, and Jiang Maoxue stopped walking and made excuses to avoid hearing Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts about Sheng Wenli marrying into the imperial family.
• At Cloudbrook Hall, Sheng Wenli repeatedly urged Jiang Yanchuan to arrange a marriage between Jiang Yingcheng and Sheng Shixu.
• Jiang Yingcheng imagined Sheng Wenli and Jiang Yanchuan as lovers, and the officials realized that Jiang Yanchuan could hear her thoughts.
• Jiang Yanchuan examined Sheng Shixu and decided to steer the conversation toward the life-saving debt he owed Sheng Wenli.
• Jiang Yanchuan called Sheng Wenli “Brother Sheng” and said the debt for saving his life still stood, prompting Jiang Yingcheng to wonder if repaying it meant marriage.
• Jiang Yingcheng’s confusion made Duke Wang and several ministers choke on their wine, while Jiang Yanchuan glared at Sheng Wenli.

Jiang Yingcheng and Sheng Wenli toured the Capital’s shops while foreign envoys learned that lavishing gifts on her could win them favor with Emperor Mingze. The envoys began sending her piles of pastries, which she arranged to pass to Guan Xi and the beggar children.

• Jiang Yanchuan recalled Sheng Wenli’s past kindnesses, then abruptly told him to leave.
• Sheng Wenli took Jiang Yingcheng and the princes shopping, bought her candy, and carried her around while teasing her with promises of more gifts.
• Foreign envoys heard that Sheng Wenli had gained special treatment by catering to Jiang Yingcheng and hurried to find out which shops and pastries she liked.
• Guan Xi posed as a beggar and led envoys to hastily opened shops selling pastries advertised as Jiang Yingcheng’s favorites.
• Jiang Yingcheng directed palace servants to bring the envoys’ pastries to a secluded gate for Guan Xi’s group, then stumbled toward him when she arrived.

Jiang Yanchuan received Qiu Ji and the Jianggu delegation, while Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts revealed that their tribute was fake. Jiang Yanchuan challenged Qiu Ji to bring the supposed calligrapher to the capital, and Jiang Yingcheng wondered whether her father knew suspicious people had entered the city.

• Jiang Yanchuan welcomed Qiu Ji and his delegation, then heard Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts reveal that their tribute was fake.
• Qiu Ji presented the calligraphy, elixirs, and Buddha statue as priceless treasures, while Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts exposed their origins and his lies.
• Jiang Yingcheng entered Wuyang Hall and questioned Qiu Ji about the Buddha statue’s supposed value and history.
• Jiang Yanchuan asked Qiu Ji to bring the calligrapher to the capital, making Qiu Ji panic because the writing had been dashed off at random.
• Jiang Yingcheng wondered whether Jiang Yanchuan knew that several groups of suspicious people had slipped into the city.

Jiang Yingcheng turned Jiang Huai'an’s furniture-shopping trip into an excuse to make him buy increasingly expensive items at the Artisan's Pavilion. She then used his taunt to pressure the ruler of the Jianggu Kingdom to show his own sincerity, leaving him caught in her scheme.

• Jiang Yingcheng encountered Jiang Huai'an at the Artisan's Pavilion, where he planned to buy a cheap cabinet as an apology gift.
• Jiang Yingcheng and the shopkeeper steered Jiang Huai'an toward the most expensive cabinet on the third floor.
• Jiang Yingcheng persuaded Jiang Huai'an to add matching furniture and other costly items to his purchase.
• Jiang Huai'an challenged the ruler of the Jianggu Kingdom to show sincerity, and Jiang Yingcheng echoed his words to pressure him into buying gifts.

Jiang Yingcheng dragged Qiu Yi through a series of luxury shops, making him pay while she collected gifts and valuables. As the group finally encountered Lu Yao, Chengcheng admired his uniform and immediately wanted one for herself.

• Jiang Yingcheng and Jiang Huai'an competed to buy furniture, and Qiu Yi paid the bill while Chengcheng ended up with a large money pouch.
• Jiang Yingcheng welcomed the ruler of Qiguang and persuaded Qiu Yi to pay for silk at the Cloudsilk Workshop.
• The ruler of Yanyang joined the group at the Eight Treasures Tower, where Qiu Yi paid for the bracelets Chengcheng chose.
• At the Beauty Studio, Chengcheng ordered a large haul of goods, further draining Qiu Yi's money pouch.
• Lu Yao appeared in his Flying Fish Uniform, and Chengcheng praised it and said she wanted one too.

Lu Yao brought Jiang Yingcheng and the rulers to investigate Shao Xuan’s secret meeting with the ruler of Danxia Kingdom, and they disguised themselves to infiltrate the neighboring courtyard. When Shao Xuan arrived in women’s clothing and tested Lu Yao with a question, Jiang Yingcheng warned him not to answer.

• Lu Yao tried to leave after greeting Jiang Yingcheng and the rulers, but Jiang Yingcheng caught his uniform and asked to accompany him.
• Jiang Yingcheng revealed that Shao Xuan planned to meet the ruler of Danxia Kingdom on Jiangyang Street, so Lu Yao agreed to bring her and her companions along.
• Lu Yao found the rulers following them and reluctantly let them join the operation after Jiang Yingcheng pointed out an empty courtyard beside the meeting place.
• Wu Leyong disguised the group, and they entered the neighboring courtyard, where Xu Jiu’s Shadow Guards incapacitated and replaced the guards next door.
• Shao Xuan arrived in a pink robe and asked Lu Yao whether someone had moved into the neighboring courtyard, but Jiang Yingcheng warned Lu Yao that he was testing him.

Lu Yao, disguised as Yan Lie, fought Shao Xuan after suspecting his password was a trap, then took the jade pendant Shao Xuan offered as proof. He went into the neighboring courtyard after Chengcheng called for him, while Shao Xuan asked Yan Lie to return the pendant.

• Lu Yao drew his sword on Shao Xuan, and the guards surrounded him after Shao Xuan gave a password Lu Yao did not recognize.
• Lu Yao ordered the guards to attack, and Chengcheng and the rulers watched the fight through a gap in the courtyard wall until Lu Yao drove them away.
• Shao Xuan explained that he was wary because a master of disguise had arrived at the palace, then offered a jade pendant from the Ruler of Danxia as proof of his identity.
• Lu Yao took the pendant and leaped into the neighboring courtyard when Chengcheng called for him, while Shao Xuan told Xu Jiu to have Yan Lie return it.

Lu Yao brought Jiang Yingcheng to Wu Leyong, who agreed to reproduce a jade pendant, while the rulers and their allies hid nearby. After overhearing Shao Xuan and the Ruler of Danxia discuss a poison plot against the ruler of Zhujin, Jiang Yingcheng tried to turn the gathered witnesses into proof by approaching the Ruler of Danxia.

• Lu Yao gave Wu Leyong the jade pendant, and Wu Leyong agreed he could copy its intricate carving.
• The Ruler of Danxia arrived at the courtyard and met Shao Xuan, who said Consort Hui had arranged a new identity for him.
• The Ruler of Danxia showed Shao Xuan a vial of poison and said three drops would make a person impossible to save.
• Jiang Yingcheng decided the hidden witnesses could expose the Ruler of Danxia’s secret meeting and poison plot to Zhujin.
• Standing on the ruler of Qiguang’s shoulders, Jiang Yingcheng called to the Ruler of Danxia and asked to visit as his new neighbor.