Chapter Summaries

Jiang Yi'an learned that Tang Chuqing’s remains were not hers and that Emperor Mingze had been named in the final edict, then collapsed before he could investigate further. Liaochen rescued Jiang Yingcheng and Lin Jinshu from Prince Jing’s residence, where grandmasters fought the guards.

• Jiang Yi'an questioned Jiang Yingcheng about Tang Chuqing, but Lin Jinshu told him to investigate Prince Xin’s fief and revealed that Emperor Mingze had been named in the final edict.
• Lin Jinshu said Prince Xin had also sent a letter about the fake edict to the Prince of Nanyang, leaving Jiang Yi'an pale and motionless.
• Jiang Yi'an took a step toward the children, swayed, and collapsed as Liaochen arrived and carried them away.
• Liaochen took Jiang Yingcheng and Lin Jinshu over the rooftops while grandmasters fought Prince Jing’s guards throughout the residence.
• Jiang Yingcheng asked who the fighters were, and Liaochen pointed out three grandmasters in the battle.

Liaochen and the grandmasters fought Ke Ren and the Prince’s Residence guards while rescuing Jiang Yingcheng and Lin Jinshu. Jiang Yingcheng pretended Ke Ren had attacked her with a hidden weapon, giving Liaochen a chance to escape with the two little ones as the others continued the fight.

• Jian Gu, Si Ming, Pei Muchen, and the other fighters overwhelmed Ke Ren’s forces after reinforcements arrived at the Prince’s Residence.
• Jiang Yingcheng spotted Yu Xingmian and Wu Leyong guarding the edge of the battle, while Liaochen watched with the two little ones in his arms.
• Ke Ren spat blood after Liaochen mocked him, and Jiang Yingcheng nearly revealed gossip about Liaochen’s past before his coughing stopped her.
• Liaochen decided to leave with Jiang Yingcheng and Lin Jinshu, but Cui Yue arrived and asked why the little ones were running away despite liking the Prince.
• Jiang Yingcheng pretended Ke Ren had used a hidden weapon and fainted into Liaochen’s arms, allowing him to disappear into the night with the children.
• Si Ming raised his sword and called for everyone to avenge the Little Highness.

Jiang Yingcheng and Lin Jinshu reunited with Fang Siwan after Liaochen helped them escape, and their group chose to flee toward the Beiming Border to warn Jiang Yingcheng’s Imperial Father. After nearly a month of travel, they reached the Great Rui army’s camp and stopped at an inn to rest.

• Jiang Yingcheng and Lin Jinshu reunited with Fang Siwan, who checked that both children were unharmed.
• Si Ming, Liaochen, Jian Gu, and Pei Muchen greeted the children and discussed where to hide from Prince Jing and Prince Xin’s pursuit.
• Jiang Yingcheng thought about warning her Imperial Father that Prince Xin planned to trap him and seize the throne, so Liaochen redirected the group toward the Beiming Border.
• Zhong Chengwang set off for the Beiming Border to deliver a warning, while the rest of the group began the journey there.
• After traveling day and night for nearly a month, Liaochen led the group to the Great Rui army’s camp, where they chose an inn and prepared to rest.

Jiang Yingcheng thought Emperor Mingze had rejected her and began writing Gao Siyuan a note about Prince Xin, while Gao Siyuan revealed that the emperor had gone missing during the campaign against Beiming. The group realized the note could concern Prince Xin’s plans to exploit the emperor’s absence.

• Si Ming collided with Gao Siyuan, who greeted Jiang Yingcheng warmly and took her to a nearby residence.
• Gao Siyuan told Jiang Yingcheng that Emperor Mingze could not come for her yet, and she wrongly concluded that her father no longer wanted her.
• Jiang Yingcheng cried alone, then began writing a note to Gao Siyuan about Prince Xin while Liaochen listened outside.
• Liaochen joined Gao Siyuan and the others, and Gao Siyuan revealed that Emperor Mingze had gone missing after visiting Peach Blossom Haven six days earlier.
• Liaochen mentioned that Jiang Yingcheng was writing about Prince Xin, then realized the danger and cried out, “Oh no!”

Jiang Yingcheng secretly left to bring supplies to her missing Imperial Father, Jiang Yanchuan, while he struggled through the mountains alone. She found him at last, and he confronted her for coming so far by herself.

• After realizing Jiang Yingcheng had learned that Jiang Yanchuan was missing, Fang Siwan, Liaochen, and Gao Siyuan searched her courtyard and discovered she had disappeared.
• Jiang Yingcheng bought clothes, bandages, and pastries, then set off alone to find Jiang Yanchuan.
• Separated from his elite squad in a downpour, Jiang Yanchuan continued over the mountain despite his injuries and fever.
• Jiang Yingcheng learned that Jiang Yanchuan was close and praised him in her thoughts, which helped him recognize her voice.
• Jiang Yanchuan came up behind Jiang Yingcheng as she rested by a tree and said, "You've gotten bold."

Jiang Yingcheng reunited with Jiang Yanchuan, who was feverish and badly wounded, and brought him to an empty house. When he collapsed, System Bro helped her lift him with an instant-use item, just as a man arrived at the courtyard.

• Jiang Yanchuan realized Jiang Yingcheng had traveled to him alone and softened when he saw her muddy, torn clothes.
• Jiang Yingcheng embraced Jiang Yanchuan and hid the reason she had left the palace, trusting her note about Uncle Prince Xin's planned rebellion to reach Grandpa Kan.
• Jiang Yingcheng gave Jiang Yanchuan clean clothes and wound medicine, then led him toward a nearby house as his fever worsened.
• Jiang Yingcheng found the house empty, but Jiang Yanchuan collapsed before they could enter properly.
• System Bro exchanged for an instant-use item, allowing Jiang Yingcheng to lift Jiang Yanchuan, when a man called out from the courtyard entrance.

Jiang Yanchuan woke after two days unconscious and learned that Jiang Yingcheng had cared for him while he recovered. After sharing a meal with Chi Jingyang, Jiang Yanchuan failed to learn who he was and went outside at night to confront someone hiding nearby.

• Jiang Yanchuan woke and found that Chi Jingyang and Jiang Yingcheng had treated his wounds.
• Jiang Yingcheng told Jiang Yanchuan she had cared for him, and he praised her before they went out to eat.
• Jiang Yingcheng took the rice from the pot and shared her pastries with Jiang Yanchuan and Chi Jingyang.
• Jiang Yanchuan spent the meal trying to learn Chi Jingyang's identity but got no answers.
• After Jiang Yingcheng fell asleep, Jiang Yanchuan went into the courtyard and ordered someone hiding behind a tree to come out.

Chi Jingyang discovered that Gu Chuan was actually Emperor Mingze, Jiang Yanchuan, and was caught trying to leave. The next morning, Jiang Yingcheng happily made breakfast for her father, while Jiang Yanchuan decided to let her happiness continue a little longer before sending her into the woods with Chi Jingyang.

• Chi Jingyang learned that Gu Chuan was Emperor Mingze and that the hidden men had contacted their camp about following the Little Highness.
• Chi Jingyang packed to flee, but Jiang Yanchuan told him he had been waiting for him.
• Jiang Yingcheng woke early, checked that Jiang Yanchuan was alive, and chased Chi Jingyang out of the kitchen when he offered to cook.
• Jiang Yingcheng made breakfast for Jiang Yanchuan, who agreed to let her enjoy another day of happiness.
• After a birdcall sounded from the woods, Jiang Yanchuan asked Jiang Yingcheng to go pick wild fruit with Chi Jingyang.

Jiang Yanchuan learned that Jiang Yingcheng had escaped the palace and helped foil Prince Xin’s schemes, while she continued hiding her identity from him. After she discovered his wound had healed, he ordered the group to set out for Peach Spring that afternoon.

• Liaochen told Jiang Yanchuan that Prince Xin, Prince Jing, and Fang Yiwan had exposed Consort Wan’s baby swap, and that Prince Jing had abducted the two little highnesses before they were rescued.
• Gao Siyuan reported that Jiang Yingcheng’s letter had exposed Prince Xin’s spy and warned the army about Beiming’s plague trap, allowing General Kan to stop the soldiers from advancing into Crooked Creek Town.
• Jiang Yanchuan delayed the reports while Jiang Yingcheng listened nearby and worried that Gao Siyuan would reveal her identity.
• Chi Jingyang caught up with Jiang Yingcheng, who returned to the courtyard and scolded Jiang Yanchuan for working before his injury had healed.
• Jiang Yingcheng tugged open Jiang Yanchuan’s bandage and discovered that his wound had already healed, so Jiang Yanchuan ordered everyone to rest before setting out for Peach Spring that afternoon.

Jiang Yingcheng and her companions reached a hidden mountain passage, where she learned that Chi Jingyang had fled Beiming after its Imperial Family rejected his warnings about a plague. Liaochen caught Chi Jingyang moving his hand inside the cave.

• Chi Jingyang told Jiang Yanchuan that Jiang Yingcheng had somehow dug up a heap of fresh fruit, and Jiang Yanchuan insisted that Chi travel with them again.
• Jiang Yingcheng and the others set out for the mountains and reached a narrow, dark passage that System Bro identified as the right place.
• Jiang Yanchuan offered to send Jiang Yingcheng back to rest, but she cried until he agreed to let her enter the passage with the group.
• Gao Siyuan led Jiang Yanchuan, Jiang Yingcheng, Chi Jingyang, and Liaochen through the cave toward the sound of flowing water.
• Jiang Yingcheng read Chi Jingyang's history and learned that he had sought refuge in General Liang's secluded retreat after Beiming rejected his plague warnings and ordered infected soldiers burned.
• Liaochen shouted at Chi Jingyang when he noticed the man's hand moving.

Chi Jingyang triggered the cavern’s traps and tried to escape through a hidden passage while Jiang Yanchuan and his companions raced for the entrance. Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts led them to the passage, where Liaochen stumbled inside and landed on Chi Jingyang.

• Chi Jingyang activated the cavern mechanism, causing stone gates to descend and hidden weapons to attack the group.
• Jiang Yanchuan ordered everyone to retreat toward the cavern entrance and shielded Jiang Yingcheng as Liaochen and Gao Siyuan protected them from the arrows.
• Jiang Yingcheng realized Chi Jingyang had vanished and thought of the hidden passage behind a boulder.
• Jiang Yanchuan inferred that Chi Jingyang was hiding nearby and signaled Liaochen and Gao Siyuan to search the wall.
• Liaochen lunged toward the hidden passage, tripped, and fell onto Chi Jingyang inside it.

Jiang Yanchuan confronted Chi Jingyang with the truth about Beiming’s massacre of infected soldiers and physicians, then offered him a position in Great Rui. Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts revealed that Chi Jingyang’s relatives were likely dead and that his former teacher had died in the camp, leaving Chi Jingyang demanding to know what she had said.

• Liaochen and his companion brought Chi Jingyang before Jiang Yanchuan, who questioned him about Beiming.
• Jiang Yanchuan told Chi Jingyang that Beiming’s king had secretly worsened the infected soldiers’ conditions and burned the camp, killing over a thousand soldiers and their physicians.
• Jiang Yanchuan appointed Chi Jingyang Medical Superintendent of Great Rui’s Imperial Medical Bureau, and Chi Jingyang reacted with disbelief.
• Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts revealed that letters supposedly sent by Chi Jingyang’s younger relatives were fake, and Chi Jingyang realized the truth.
• Jiang Yingcheng thought that Chi Jingyang’s former medical teacher had died in the camp, making Chi Jingyang demand to know what she had said.
• Jiang Yanchuan calmly said he wanted the people suffering on the land to live their own lives.

Jiang Yanchuan’s group persuaded Chi Jingyang to lead them into Peach Spring, where they hoped to recruit its talented residents. When they arrived, the villagers welcomed Chi Jingyang back and expected him to bring medicine for Liuzi, but he realized he had forgotten it.

• Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts revealed that Princess Le'an had arranged the murder of Chi Jingyang’s childhood sweetheart, and Chi Jingyang reconsidered the past.
• After Jiang Yingcheng’s awkward praise, Chi Jingyang offered to guide the group into the palace, but Jiang Yanchuan said they were seeking the people of Peach Spring instead.
• Jiang Yingcheng claimed Jiang Yanchuan wanted to give impoverished scholars a warm home, making the men laugh and leaving her convinced they were meanies.
• Chi Jingyang provisionally trusted Jiang Yanchuan’s intentions and agreed to take the group into Peach Spring to persuade General Liang to leave seclusion.
• The group emerged into a peaceful village, where residents greeted Chi Jingyang and cheered that Liuzi would recover; Chi Jingyang realized he had forgotten the medicine.

Chi Jingyang returned to Spring Renewal Valley with Jiang Yanchuan’s group and found Lu Jingchu gravely weakened after a night of illness. Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts suggested Mi Hong had secretly fed him harmful food, and Chi Jingyang confronted Mi Hong before an authoritative elder arrived.

• Jiang Yingcheng charmed the residents of Peach Spring, and they gave her a woven grass dog made by the Mechanism Master.
• Chi Jingyang realized he had left the medicinal herb for Lu Jingchu behind and planned to return for it without telling the others.
• Jiang Yingcheng asked about Sixth Son, and the residents revealed Lu Jingchu had suffered vomiting and diarrhea through the night.
• Chi Jingyang examined Lu Jingchu and heard Jiang Yingcheng think that someone had fed him spicy foods and incompatible ingredients.
• Chi Jingyang seized Mi Hong after another resident said Mi Hong had not brought Lu Jingchu food, and Mi Hong denied wrongdoing.
• An aged, commanding figure appeared and interrupted Chi Jingyang’s confrontation with Mi Hong.

Liang Qilüe arrived after Mi Hong was exposed as being involved in Lu Jingchu’s worsening condition, but Chi Jingyang revealed that he had forgotten the snow-congealing grass needed to treat him. Jiang Yingcheng claimed she had the herb and produced an enormous stalk from her sleeve, leaving everyone stunned.

• Liang Qilüe questioned Mi Hong, whose guilty reactions convinced the crowd he was involved in Lu Jingchu’s condition, and ordered him taken away.
• Liang Qilüe asked Chi Jingyang whether Lu Jingchu could still be cured, and Chi Jingyang admitted he had forgotten the snow-congealing grass outside the valley.
• Jiang Yingcheng overheard their conversation and said she had a stalk of snow-congealing grass to save Lu Jingchu.
• Jiang Yingcheng exchanged for the herb through the System Bro and pulled an impossibly large stalk from her sleeve, astonishing Liang Qilüe and Chi Jingyang.

Jiang Yingcheng helped Chi Jingyang treat Lu Jingchu with a conjured medicinal herb, then met General Liang Qilüe and tried to secure her father’s safety with a gift. Jiang Yanchuan entered Liang’s room to talk, but their meeting ended with Liang shouting for him to get out.

• Jiang Yingcheng panicked when others saw the medicinal herb appear, and Chi Jingyang and Liang Qilüe covered for her by claiming the herb could stretch under special circumstances.
• Chi Jingyang sent everyone out so he could treat Lu Jingchu, while Liang Qilüe led Jiang Yingcheng outside and thanked her on behalf of Spring Renewal Valley.
• Liang Qilüe brought Jiang Yingcheng and her companions to his courtyard, where he let her play on a swing bed and accepted her wooden tiger carving.
• Jiang Yingcheng asked Liang Qilüe not to hit her father, and he reluctantly promised he would not.
• Jiang Yanchuan went inside to speak with Liang Qilüe while Gao Siyuan and Liaochen pushed Jiang Yingcheng on the swing bed; a crash followed by Liang shouting, “Get out of here!”

Jiang Yanchuan tried to persuade Liang Qilüe to leave retirement and help end the war in Beiming, but Liang resisted until he learned the Beiming Imperial House planned to poison Great Rui soldiers with plague-stricken flesh. Jiang Yingcheng repeatedly interrupted the tense meeting with offers of pills, and the chapter left Liang outraged as she hurried back to check on him.

• Gao Siyuan and Liaochen eavesdropped on Jiang Yanchuan and Liang Qilüe while Jiang Yingcheng secretly learned what was happening through System Bro.
• Jiang Yanchuan asked Gao Siyuan to take Jiang Yingcheng away, and Liang assured her he would not hit the emperor.
• Liang Qilüe accused Jiang Yanchuan of targeting Spring Renewal Valley, and Jiang asked him to leave retirement and help bring the war in Beiming to an end.
• Jiang Yingcheng interrupted Liang twice with offers of Golden Marrow Pills and Minor Restoration Pills, stopping him from throwing a teacup at Jiang Yanchuan.
• Jiang Yanchuan warned that Beiming would likely fall within three months and revealed its Imperial House planned to mix flesh from plague-stricken soldiers into Great Rui soldiers' meals.
• Liang Qilüe slammed his hand on the table in outrage, and Jiang Yingcheng rushed back to check whether he was all right.

Jiang Yanchuan urged Liang Qilüe to consider making peace with Great Rui and arranged for his group to stay in the valley. Jiang Yingcheng then explored Spring Renewal Valley, discovered several gifted residents, and was overwhelmed when they piled food into her bowl.

• Jiang Yanchuan explained the saying about accepting gifts to Liang Qilüe and asked him to secure a peaceful future for Beiming.
• Liang Qilüe watched Jiang Yanchuan and Jiang Yingcheng leave, then realized Jiang Yingcheng’s gift had been the reason he held back from striking Jiang Yanchuan.
• Jiang Yingcheng persuaded a man who had already eaten to join them for lunch, and the group picked up more valley residents on the way to the dining hall.
• Jiang Yingcheng recognized gifted future architects, a water-management expert, and a farming master among the valley residents.
• The diners filled Jiang Yingcheng’s bowl with food, and she panicked at the huge serving while Jiang Yanchuan laughed.

After dinner, Jiang Yingcheng tried to persuade the people of Spring Renewal Valley to return to Great Rui with her by tearfully revealing that she and Jiang Yanchuan would soon leave with Great Rui’s army. The valley residents began considering the offer, but Chi Jingyang interrupted to say Lu Jingchu had awakened and wanted to see them.

• Jiang Yingcheng finished her meal, and Jiang Yanchuan tried to begin discussing his plan to empty Spring Renewal Valley.
• Jiang Yingcheng told the valley residents that she and Jiang Yanchuan were from Great Rui and would have to leave with its army in a few days.
• Jiang Yingcheng offered the residents the medicinal herbs she had gathered, prompting them to comfort her and insist they would not forget her.
• Jiang Yingcheng hinted that she wished the residents would return to Great Rui with her, and Liaochen encouraged them to consider moving there.
• Chi Jingyang entered and announced that Lu Jingchu had awakened and wanted to see them.

Chi Jingyang struggled with guilt over harming the men in the tunnel, but Jiang Yingcheng comforted him and helped him regain his resolve. As she considered trading for medicine to treat Lu Jingchu, Chi Jingyang became eager to help her take the valley’s treasures and leave with everyone.

• Chi Jingyang felt guilty about triggering the tunnel mechanism, and Jiang Yingcheng soothed him by explaining that he had wanted to protect the people in the valley.
• Jiang Yingcheng reassured Chi Jingyang that the falling gate and hidden arrows had not seriously harmed anyone, and he laughed before taking her to visit Lu Jingchu.
• Lu Jingchu thanked Jiang Yingcheng for bringing snow congealing grass, then lost his strength and fell asleep again.
• Jiang Yingcheng worried that Lu Jingchu was too weak to leave the valley and considered exchanging for more medicine to treat him.
• Chi Jingyang decided he would help take Lu Jingchu away, then eagerly approved Jiang Yingcheng’s plan after hearing her consider exchanging for several rare pills.