Chapter Summaries

Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts exposed He Puyu’s real reason for coming to the capital: he had uncovered a wealthy merchant’s collusion with a military officer and a private army. Jiang Yanchuan ordered Kan Ruifeng to investigate, leaving Cheng Yongyan responsible for taking He Puyu home.

• Kan Ruifeng had servants bring hot pastries while He Puyu and Cheng Yongyan argued over their past relationship, money, and broken vows.
• Jiang Yingcheng teased Cheng Yongyan about He Puyu owing him money, prompting Cheng Yongyan to suspect He Puyu had come to the capital because he was broke.
• Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts revealed that He Puyu had discovered a wealthy merchant secretly colluding with a military officer and had fled to the capital for help.
• Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts further exposed that the merchant supplied money while the officer raised a private army, and a hand caught her pastry before it fell.
• Cheng Yongyan decided to protect He Puyu and report the conspiracy, but Jiang Yanchuan assigned Kan Ruifeng to investigate and told Cheng Yongyan to take He Puyu home afterward.

At the General’s Residence, Cheng Yongyan learned that He Puyu still had feelings for him, while the officials realized they had forgotten to ask Jiang Yingcheng about the Topographic Map. At court, Lei Zhixin tried to take Jiang Yingcheng to the military camp, but Ke Shaohui objected, and she turned her attention to uncovering the former friends’ past.

• Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts revealed Cheng Yongyan’s lingering feelings for He Puyu, and Cheng Yongyan realized his colleagues had heard them too.
• Kan Ruifeng led He Puyu into the General’s Residence, then remembered that the officials had never asked Jiang Yingcheng about the Topographic Map.
• Lei Zhixin invited Jiang Yanchuan and the Little Highnesses to visit the military camp, and Jiang Yingcheng eagerly agreed in hopes of skipping the Academy.
• Ke Shaohui objected to Jiang Yingcheng leaving the palace, upsetting her and drawing reproachful looks from the officials.
• Jiang Yingcheng announced that she wanted to investigate why Ke Shaohui and his former friend had severed ties, alarming Ke Shaohui.

Jiang Yingcheng exposed the childish pranks Ke Shaohui and Lei Zhixin had played on each other before uncovering the misunderstanding that ended their friendship. She found the person who had imitated Lei Mincai’s voice, but the chapter ended before she revealed the culprit’s name.

• Jiang Yingcheng revealed that Ke Shaohui had thrown dead rats into Lei Zhixin’s residence and arranged for garbage to rain down on him, prompting Ke Shaohui to change the subject.
• Jiang Yingcheng exposed Lei Zhixin’s retaliatory tricks, including howling outside the Ke Residence, covering its courtyard with pigeon droppings, and framing Ke Shaohui with a crude mask.
• Jiang Yingcheng discovered that Ke Shaohui and Lei Zhixin had once been close and had arranged a childhood betrothal between their children.
• Jiang Yingcheng explained that Ke Ziyue had mistaken an imitation of Lei Mincai’s voice for his own, while a wrongly replaced medicinal gift deepened Ke Shaohui’s suspicions.
• Jiang Yingcheng found the culprit’s name on her panel and reacted with anger, but did not reveal it.

At court, Lei Zhixin and Ke Shaohui realized their feud had been engineered by someone in Ke Shaohui’s household, and both set out to confront the culprit. At the Academy, Jiang Yingcheng tried to skip lessons, reunited with Jiang Xingran, and learned that Lin Jinshu had been absent with suspicious bruises.

• The officials recalled how Lei Zhixin and Ke Shaohui’s close friendship had turned into a bitter feud after someone had manipulated them.
• Emperor Mingze postponed the officials’ visit to the Military Camp until the next day, and Lei Zhixin and Ke Shaohui hurried home to deal with the servant who had slandered the Lei family.
• Jiang Yingcheng tried several excuses to avoid class, but Eunuch Changshun insisted she attend and tricked her into turning away so he and the guards could leave.
• Jiang Xingran comforted Jiang Yingcheng, accepted her gift, and told her that Lin Jinshu had taken leave after claiming to be ill.
• Jiang Xingran revealed that Lin Jinshu had arrived two days earlier with bruises that did not look like ordinary injuries, alarming Jiang Yingcheng.

Jiang Yingcheng and Jiang Xingran left the palace with Jiao Hongmiao after securing Emperor Mingze’s approval, and Jiang Yingcheng led them to the Lin Residence. She ordered the household to open its gates, determined to confront the people she suspected of hiding her little brother.

• Jiang Yingcheng tried to trick a minister into taking her and Jiang Xingran out of the palace, but he overheard her plan and fled.
• After waiting for another minister, Jiang Yingcheng pretended to be injured until Jiao Hongmiao agreed to hear her request.
• Jiang Yingcheng told Jiao Hongmiao that she and Jiang Xingran wanted to go out, and he escorted them beyond the palace gates with Emperor Mingze’s permission.
• Jiang Yingcheng followed directions from System Bro and took frequent shopping stops on the way to the Lin Residence.
• Jiang Yingcheng led Jiao Hongmiao to the Lin Residence and demanded that its occupants open the gate.

Jiang Yingcheng and Jiao Hongmiao visited Lin Deyun’s household under the pretense of checking on Lin Jinshu, where Jiang Yingcheng exposed Lin Deyun’s lies about his son’s contagious illness. The children were sent away to find Lin Jinshu, leaving Jiao Hongmiao to endure awkward conversation with Lin Deyun and Fang Yiwan.

• Jiao Hongmiao claimed the Little Princess had sent him to check on Lin Jinshu, while Jiang Yingcheng called him “Daddy” and startled him.
• Jiang Yingcheng packed the household’s pastries to take to Lin Jinshu instead of eating them.
• Lin Deyun said Lin Jinshu’s illness was contagious, but Jiang Yingcheng challenged his explanation and questioned why the household was not sealed off.
• Fang Yiwan claimed the illness was not serious and said Lin Deyun had exaggerated because he feared they would not take it seriously.
• Jiang Yingcheng thought about Lin Jinshu being hurt in a fight with the household’s young masters, and Jiao Hongmiao asked for children to show the visitors around.
• Jiang Yingcheng left to find Lin Jinshu, while Jiao Hongmiao realized he would have to make conversation with Lin Deyun and Fang Yiwan alone.

Jiang Yingcheng and Jiang Xingran accompanied Lin Jingshan and Lin Yelei to Lin Jinshu’s courtyard, where they discovered the boys planned to bully him. Jiang Yingcheng and Jiang Xingran disguised themselves as victims and prepared to fight back, leaving Lin Jingshan recoiling as the charge began.

• Lin Jingshan and Lin Yelei escorted Jiang Yingcheng and Jiang Xingran through the Lin Residence at Jiang Yingcheng’s direction.
• Lin Jingshan brought them to Snow Bamboo Courtyard and claimed Lin Jinshu was a jinx they should subdue for good luck.
• Lin Jinshu recognized that Fang Yiwan had orchestrated the bullying and reached for a stone hidden under his pillow when Lin Jingshan entered.
• Jiang Yingcheng smeared dust on her face and tore her cuffs, while Jiang Xingran copied her, making them look as though Lin Jinshu had attacked them.
• Jiang Yingcheng shouted for the group to charge, and Jiang Xingran stepped toward Lin Jingshan as he tried to back away.

Jiang Yingcheng, Jiang Xingran, and Lin Jinshu staged a scene that made it look as though the Lin boys had bullied them. Jiao Hongmiao took Jiang Yingcheng into his arms and grew angry when she blamed the Lin boys, while her thoughts revealed that Jiang Xingran and Lin Jinshu had struck first.

• Jiang Xingran and Lin Jinshu beat Lin Jingshan and Lin Yelei while Jiang Yingcheng cheered them on.
• As the Shadow Guards approached, Jiang Xingran put the stick into Lin Jingshan's hand, making him appear to be the attacker when the guards broke down the door.
• Xu Jiu and the Shadow Guards pretended to be outraged and accused the Lin Residence of mistreating Jiang Yingcheng and Jiang Xingran.
• Jiao Hongmiao panicked when he saw Jiang Yingcheng crying, and she asked him to hold her.
• Jiang Yingcheng told Jiao Hongmiao that the Lin boys had bullied her and her brother, while thinking that the boys had only been struck because they had hit back.

Jiao Hongmiao questioned the Lin boys after Jiang Yingcheng and the Seventh Prince were accused of starting a fight. Jiang Yingcheng recounted how Lin Jingshan had planned to beat Lin Jinshu, and the confrontation was interrupted by a woman calling for Jingshan.

• Jiao Hongmiao demanded an explanation from Lin Deyun, while Lin Jingshan claimed that Jiang Yingcheng, the Seventh Prince, and Lin Jinshu had attacked him and Lin Yelei first.
• Jiao Hongmiao asked Lin Jingshan for evidence, then invited Lin Jinshu to describe what had happened.
• Fang Yiwan asked Jiang Yingcheng to recount the incident, and Jiang Yingcheng said Lin Jingshan had taken them to beat Lin Jinshu before turning on her and her brother with a stick.
• Lin Jingshan denied Jiang Yingcheng's account and begged Lin Jinshu to support him, but Lin Jinshu turned away.
• A woman called out for Lin Jingshan from beyond the door, and he felt relieved that help had arrived.

Jiang Yingcheng used her injuries and tearful accusations to turn the Lin household against Lin Jingshan, while Jiao Hongmiao and Fang Yiwan struggled to judge the children’s conflicting stories. Madam Zhang rejected the possibility of letting the dispute go and demanded that the matter be pursued.

• Lin Jingshan ran to Madam Zhang and claimed Jiang Yingcheng and her brother had beaten him, but his belly showed no bruises.
• Jiang Yingcheng displayed a bruised arm and torn cuff, prompting the servants to doubt Lin Jingshan.
• Fang Yiwan suggested that the children’s conflicting accounts could not be resolved without witnesses, and Jiao Hongmiao privately recognized that Jiang Yingcheng had falsely accused the boys.
• Jiang Yingcheng accused Fang Yiwan of ignoring her injuries and her brother’s account, then remarked that her family had less influence than the Lin family.
• Madam Zhang insisted that the dispute could not be allowed to drop and hinted that she could expose Fang Yiwan’s past scheme.

Jiao Hongmiao learned through Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts that Fang Yiwan had arranged for Lin Jinshu to be bullied and that Madam Zhang was blackmailing Fang Yiwan over her secrets. When Fang Yiwan tried to punish Lin Jinshu, Jiang Yingcheng stepped in to protect him, and Lin Jingshan demanded that she and her brother be punished too.

• Madam Zhang threatened to expose Fang Yiwan’s past unless she took her and Lin Jingshan’s side, while Jiao Hongmiao listened to Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts and shared her pastries.
• Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts revealed that Fang Yiwan had encouraged the Lin children to bully Lin Jinshu, and Jiao Hongmiao realized the boy had long known his family did not care for him.
• Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts revealed that Fang Yiwan had poisoned Lin Deyun and that Madam Zhang had evidence she used to extort money.
• Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts revealed that Lin Jingshan was Lin Deyun’s son, shocking Jiao Hongmiao.
• Fang Yiwan ordered Lin Jinshu to be punished with a disciplinary ruler, so Jiang Yingcheng and Jiang Xingran stood in front of him to protect him.
• Lin Jingshan demanded that Fang Yiwan punish Jiang Yingcheng and her brother too, and Fang Yiwan recognized Jiang Yingcheng as the Little Highness.

Jiang Yingcheng revealed her and Jiang Xingran’s royal identities to the Lin Residence, then helped Lin Jinshu confront the boys who had bullied him. After returning to Xianyang Palace, she tried to avoid Jiang Yanchuan’s scolding by offering him Jiang Xingran instead.

• Fang Yiwan recognized Jiang Yingcheng as the Eleventh Princess, and the Lin Residence bowed to her and Jiang Xingran, the Seventh Prince.
• Jiang Yingcheng confronted Lin Jingshan about taking the children to an alley and beating Lin Jinshu, and Lin Jingshan realized she was describing his bullying of Lin Jinshu.
• Jiang Yingcheng and Jiang Xingran took Lin Jinshu back with them; he thanked them for standing up for him, and Jiang Yingcheng celebrated when he smiled.
• Jiao Hongmiao escorted the children to Xianyang Palace and decided to wait for another chance to make inquiries before the war began.
• Jiang Yingcheng tried to leave when Jiang Yanchuan was nearby, then pushed Jiang Xingran toward him in hopes of avoiding punishment herself.

Jiang Yingcheng brought Lin Jinshu to Xianyang Palace and tried to leave him with Jiang Yanchuan, who kept the boy behind while sending the children away. At court, Ao Jiarong impeached Jiao Hongmiao for taking Jiang Yingcheng and Jiang Xingran to a merchant’s residence, and the officials waited to hear the princess’s response.

• Jiang Yanchuan teased Jiang Yingcheng and Jiang Xingran for sneaking out before Jiang Yingcheng introduced Lin Jinshu as her gift to her father.
• Jiang Yanchuan called for a nonexistent rattan cane, prompting Jiang Yingcheng to flee with Jiang Xingran and Lin Jinshu, but he ordered Lin Jinshu to stay behind.
• Jiang Yingcheng asked Jiang Yanchuan not to mistreat Lin Jinshu or Jiao Hongmiao before she and Jiang Xingran ran out of the hall.
• Ao Jiarong impeached Jiao Hongmiao for taking Jiang Yingcheng and Jiang Xingran to a merchant’s home and having the merchant’s son taken to the Capital Prefect’s office.
• A courtier identified Ao Jiarong by his full title, and the officials turned their attention to Jiang Yingcheng, anticipating her response.

Jiang Yingcheng’s inner voice exposed Ao Jiarong’s exploitation of courtesans and his acceptance of money from the Lin Residence, turning the court against him. Ao Jiarong collapsed before Jiang Yingcheng could finish reading his gossip.

• Jiang Yingcheng read that Ao Jiarong deceived courtesans and spent their money, prompting her to compare him unfavorably with Jiao Hongmiao, who had refused money from the Lin Residence.
• Ran Hongyi and Jiao Hongmiao discussed Ao Jiarong’s visits to Maple Forest Alley and Jianggu Tower, while officials realized Ao Jiarong’s wife was Jiang Maoxue’s daughter.
• Jiang Maoxue grew furious, and Ao Jiarong turned pale as the ministers’ gossip drew attention to his private conduct.
• Jiang Yingcheng revealed that a courtesan had discovered Ao Jiarong’s deception and thrown him out, then that he had accepted a thick stack of banknotes from the Lin Residence.
• The ministers mocked Ao Jiarong for taking the Lin Residence’s money before impeaching Jiao Hongmiao, and Ao Jiarong fainted in court.

After Ao Jiarong was impeached and arrested, Jiang Yingcheng went with Jiang Yanchuan and her brothers to visit the military camp, where she resolved to help the soldiers. There, she suddenly noticed a spy among the crowd.

• Lu Yao presented evidence against Ao Jiarong, who was dragged away by the Imperial Guards.
• Jiang Yingcheng persuaded her brothers to picnic with her inside the imperial carriage on the way to the military camp.
• At the camp, Jiang Yingcheng praised the soldiers and decided to earn merit to obtain useful supplies for them.
• Jiang Yingcheng spotted a spy among the people at the military camp, leaving the officials wondering who it was.

Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts exposed a Dongli spy in the military camp, but also revealed that he would eventually turn against Xie Jinrou and become an ally of Great Rui. The officers learned that Wu Leyong had sent no intelligence because he could not read their writing.

• Jiang Yingcheng’s sigh alarmed the officers, but she was only upset because Emperor Mingze had crushed her Egg Pancake, and he promised to take her to a pastry shop.
• After Jiang Yingcheng ate, she identified the spy as a man surnamed Wu from Dongli who used the alias Dog Egg.
• Lei Zhixin recognized Wu Leyong and hurried out to deal with him, but stopped when Jiang Yingcheng revealed his connection to Xie Jinrou.
• Jiang Yingcheng learned that Xie Jinrou had tricked Wu Leyong into spying to escape an arranged marriage and earn political merit.
• Jiang Yingcheng revealed that Wu Leyong would eventually turn against Xie Jinrou and become Great Rui’s ally, and that he had sent no intelligence because he could not read their writing.

Jiang Yingcheng learned that Xie Jinrou planned to escape the Heavenly Prison and warned Lu Yao, then joined a walk near the military exercise where staged falls earned her Merit Points. The chapter ended when System Bro warned her to run as she approached another fallen man.

• Jiang Yingcheng discovered that Xie Jinrou had seduced a jailer named Mu Hui and planned to escape in three days, so Lu Yao hurried to the Heavenly Prison.
• Jiang Yingcheng stopped Jiang Yanchuan from eating venison because she suspected the food was unsafe.
• Kan Ruifeng arranged for Jiang Yingcheng and the princes to walk away from the mock battle, while the monitored Wu Leyong remained at camp.
• A soldier staged a fall to earn Jiang Yingcheng's help, and she eagerly collected Merit Points from several similarly staged rescues.
• Jiang Yingcheng questioned why the soldiers seemed strong but fragile, then ran toward another fallen man until System Bro warned her to run.

Jiang Yingcheng confronted Wu Leyong, a Dongli spy wearing a human-skin mask, and stalled him until the Shadow Guards surrounded him. She distracted him by claiming Xie Jinrou had fallen for someone else, leaving Wu Leyong shocked and Jiang Qiuyu confused.

• System Bro warned Jiang Yingcheng that Wu Leyong was wearing a human-skin mask, and she tried to signal the nearby Shadow Guards while keeping him at a distance.
• Jiang Tinghuai and Jiang Xingran realized Jiang Yingcheng was in danger, but she stepped forward to protect them from Wu Leyong.
• Jiang Yingcheng accused Wu Leyong of making soldiers pretend to fall, then told him the Northern Frontier was preparing to attack Dongli.
• Jiang Tinghuai pulled Jiang Yingcheng behind him as the Shadow Guards closed in around Wu Leyong.
• Jiang Yingcheng claimed Xie Jinrou had fallen in love with someone she met in the Imperial Prison, shocking Wu Leyong and giving the Shadow Guards a chance to surround him.
• Jiang Yingcheng swore she was telling the truth by saying her eighth brother would be a puppy if she were lying, as Jiang Qiuyu arrived bewildered.

Jiang Yingcheng’s antics helped Jiang Tinghuai arrange Wu Leyong’s escape, but Wu doubled back in disguise to seek more information. The group discovered the temple’s statue was the Poverty God, and Jiang Tinghuai recognized the disguised Wu as he confronted them again.

• Jiang Tinghuai signaled Xu Jiu to let the disguised Wu Leyong escape, and Xu Jiu sent two Shadow Guards after him.
• Jiang Yingcheng insisted on visiting the mountain temple to earn Merit Points, despite Jiang Tinghuai wanting to return and report to his father.
• At the dilapidated temple, Jiang Yingcheng prayed for treats and the health of her family before a monk revealed the statue was the Poverty God.
• System Bro recognized the monk as Wu Leyong in disguise, and Jiang Tinghuai scrutinized him in anger.

Jiang Yingcheng used a family secret to make Wu Leyong believe her, then revealed that Jinrou had given the Tiger Tally to her lover. Wu Leyong fled when a real temple monk exposed his disguise, leaving the group without a chance to finish questioning him.

• Wu Leyong disguised himself as a monk and offered to answer Jiang Yingcheng’s questions while secretly trying to confirm her earlier news.
• Jiang Tinghuai and Jiang Xingran staged an argument so Jiang Yingcheng could speak to Wu Leyong without arousing his suspicions.
• Jiang Yingcheng told Wu Leyong that Jinrou planned to run away with her lover and had given him the Tiger Tally, convincing Wu Leyong that her story was true.
• A monk exposed Wu Leyong as an impostor, and Wu Leyong fled before Jiang Yingcheng could finish talking to him.