Chapter Summaries

Lu Yao tried to persuade Yu Xingmian to trade evidence for help, but Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts revealed that the Ink Rain Association had been infiltrated by the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion’s master. After Lu Yao shared the details, Jiang Yingcheng offered Yu Xingmian an imperial salary.

• Lu Yao freed Jiang Yingcheng from Yu Xingmian’s cell and tried to learn where Yu Xingmian’s evidence was, but Yu Xingmian claimed he had been lying.
• Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts revealed that the Ink Rain Association was being infiltrated by the master of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, who had spent months earning the deputy leader’s trust.
• Lu Yao struck Yu Xingmian’s muting acupoint so he could hear Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts without interrupting.
• Lu Yao told Yu Xingmian what he had learned, and Yu Xingmian agreed to cooperate after the details matched his reports.
• Jiang Yingcheng covered Yu Xingmian’s hand and asked whether he would like to draw an imperial salary.

At court, Zhou Deyu challenged the appointment of martial-world guards, but Jiang Yanchuan ordered Yu Xingmian to prove his worth. Jiang Yingcheng’s investigation suggested Zhou was hiding worse misconduct, while Lu Yao was left disappointed when he lost his chance to expose it himself.

• Jiang Yingcheng admired Yu Xingmian and promised herself she would find Lu Yao two more corrupt officials as presents.
• An official objected that the Little Highness’s new guards had bypassed the usual selection process and taken coveted Imperial Guard posts.
• Jiang Yingcheng recognized Hu Hongyuan as one of her chosen targets and suspected Zhou Deyu feared Yu Xingmian would reveal his past abuses.
• Hu Hongyuan denied opposing the appointment, then returned to the ranks in anger at Zhou Deyu.
• As Lu Yao prepared to expose Zhou Deyu’s crimes, Jiang Yanchuan ordered Yu Xingmian to prove his worth, leaving Lu Yao disappointed.

Yu Xingmian exposed Zhou Deyu’s betrayal of his first wife and revealed that the abandoned woman had borne him a son. Jiang Yingcheng uncovered even worse secrets about Zhou, leaving Yu Xingmian’s gentle composure to crack as she prepared to reveal his crimes.

• Yu Xingmian confronted Zhou Deyu in court and exposed how he had tried to divorce his first wife and ruin her reputation with hired thugs.
• Yu Xingmian revealed that Madam Zhao had been pregnant when Zhou abandoned her and hinted that their son could prove his identity.
• Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts revealed that Zhou’s son was in Yu Xingmian’s Ink Rain Association and that none of Zhou’s four children with Madam Pan were his.
• Jiang Yingcheng realized she could claim Yu Xingmian as the source of System Bro’s revelations and prepared to expose Zhou’s seizure of property and murder-for-hire.
• Yu Xingmian’s gentle smile disappeared as Jiang Yingcheng delightedly considered revealing Zhou’s further crimes.

Jiang Yingcheng restrained herself from exposing incriminating evidence too soon, then discovered information about the Kou Family that could support Yu Xingmian’s challenge to the court. The military generals reacted furiously to her revelation, while Lu Yao realized she had prepared the information for him and warned Yu Xingmian not to steal his credit.

• Jiang Yingcheng decided not to reveal every secret at court after System Bro warned her that doing so could cause trouble for Yu Xingmian.
• Jiang Yingcheng learned that the Pan Family had once pursued Top Scholar Sheng Sijiu before settling for Zhou Deyu, prompting the officials to compare the two men’s looks.
• Zhou Deyu angrily insisted his sons were well cared for, and Yu Xingmian advised him to watch over his prematurely born child’s health.
• Kou Xingyan challenged Yu Xingmian to prove his abilities, and Jiang Yingcheng revealed that Kou Xingyan’s eldest brother had tampered with military pay.
• Lu Yao realized Jiang Yingcheng had gathered the Kou Family’s information to prepare a gift for him, then warned Yu Xingmian not to take credit for it.

Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts exposed Kou Xingyan’s scheme of impersonating his brother, Kou Qiwen, to deceive women and damage his reputation. Yu Xingmian finally challenged Kou Xingyan by claiming he had heard amorous anecdotes about Kou Qiwen, leaving Kou Qiwen to suspect his brother.

• Jiang Yingcheng discovered that Kou Xingyan imitated Kou Qiwen and used his identity to deceive women in the family’s rear courtyard.
• Jiang Yingcheng revealed that Kou Xingyan had a venereal disease and spent lavishly at brothels, including male brothels, under Kou Qiwen’s name.
• Kou Xingyan taunted Yu Xingmian, believing he had no evidence against him, while the ministers silently condemned him.
• Jiang Yingcheng struck the table and urged Yu Xingmian to stand up to Kou Xingyan, prompting Yu Xingmian to speak.
• Yu Xingmian told Kou Qiwen to visit the pleasure quarters and see how many supposed old acquaintances greeted him, and Kou Qiwen turned a suspicious gaze toward Kou Xingyan.

Kou Qiwen’s private scandals erupted in court after Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts exposed his brother’s affairs and the illness passed to Kou Qiwen’s concubine and child. The confrontation was stopped by Pan Jifeng, and Jiang Yanchuan thanked Jiang Yingcheng for bringing Yu Xingmian back before a consort interrupted their walk.

• Courtiers spread gossip that Kou Qiwen frequented brothels for both women and men, while Kou Qiwen glared at Kou Xingyan.
• Jiang Yingcheng revealed in her thoughts that Kou Xingyan had passed a venereal disease to Kou Qiwen’s concubine and her child, and Dong Kangsheng and Gao Siyuan spread the rumor aloud.
• Kou Qiwen realized what the rumor implied and angrily confronted Kou Xingyan, but Pan Jifeng reprimanded him and Kou Qiwen returned to his place.
• Jiang Yingcheng asked Jiang Yanchuan to praise Yu Xingmian for helping him, and Jiang Yanchuan thanked her.
• Jiang Yingcheng asked Jiang Yanchuan to carry her to Wuyang Hall, but a consort arrived with a youth and paid her respects.

Consort Xuan brought Jiang Zhuolan to tell Jiang Yanchuan that he had overheard Consort Hui and a stranger plotting to poison a ruler at the New Year’s Banquet. Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts identified the plot as a Zhujin Kingdom scheme targeting the Crown Prince, and Jiang Yanchuan began considering how to counter it.

• Consort Xuan brought Jiang Zhuolan to Wuyang Hall, where he reported hearing Consort Hui and a stranger discuss poisoning a ruler at the New Year’s Banquet.
• Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts connected the plot to the Zhujin Kingdom and reminded Jiang Yanchuan that Zhu Jin had poisoned him before.
• Jiang Zhuolan recalled that the intended victim was Zhu Jin, and Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts revealed that the Zhujin Kingdom planned to poison the Crown Prince with a slow-acting foreign poison.
• Jiang Yanchuan calmly considered the scheme and smiled faintly, suggesting he would not let the Zhujin Kingdom reap the reward.

Jiang Yingcheng persuaded Jiang Yanchuan to let her choose an apology gift from Noble Consort Rou, then arranged to take her out after dark. The carriage reached a brightly lit alley, where Noble Consort Rou froze at what she saw.

• The ministers heard Jiang Yingcheng's thoughts about Consort Hui plotting against Chengcheng and watched Jiang Yanchuan for a response.
• Pan Jifeng asked Jiang Yanchuan to let Noble Consort Rou apologize to Jiang Yingcheng, but Jiang Yanchuan rebuked him for defending her and warned he could punish her under palace law.
• Jiang Yingcheng asked whether she could choose something herself and decided Noble Consort Rou would be useful in exposing a scheme at the New Year's Banquet.
• After Noble Consort Rou was released from House Arrest, Jiang Yingcheng traveled with her under guard, keeping their destination secret.
• The carriage stopped in a brightly lit alley, and Noble Consort Rou stepped outside and froze at the sight before her.

Jiang Yingcheng tricked Pan Jingwan into taking her to the Heavenly Fragrance House for food, where the crowd mistook their outing for a cruel family drama. After Jiang Yingcheng’s performance made the diners condemn Pan Jingwan, Jiang Yingcheng defended her auntie despite recalling how Pan Jingwan had accused her of making a Witchcraft Doll of Daddy.

• Pan Jingwan brought Jiang Yingcheng to the Heavenly Fragrance House after Jiang Yingcheng claimed it sold delicious Hibiscus Pastries.
• Jiang Yingcheng ordered nearly every dish and ten servings of Hibiscus Pastries, then urged Pan Jingwan to eat with her.
• When Pan Jingwan questioned the amount of food, Jiang Yingcheng pretended to feel hurt, prompting the diners to accuse Pan Jingwan of mistreating her.
• Pan Jingwan tried to explain herself, but a diner accused her of bullying Jiang Yingcheng and demanded to know why she owed the child an apology.
• Jiang Yingcheng tearfully defended Pan Jingwan, saying that she still considered her a good auntie despite Pan Jingwan letting Big Brother bully them and accusing her of making a Witchcraft Doll of Daddy.

Jiang Yingcheng maneuvered Pan Jingwan into a private room at the Heavenly Fragrance House, then slipped into a room occupied by Jiang Yi'an. After Liaochen blocked Li Cheng from following her, Jiang Yi'an offered Chengcheng tea and told her to leave.

• Pan Jingwan demanded a private room after the hall condemned her for bringing Jiang Yingcheng to the Heavenly Fragrance House.
• Zhang Yuke led them upstairs, and Jiang Yingcheng pretended to stumble through the door of the fourth room on the left.
• Li Cheng stepped out and questioned Jiang Yingcheng, who distracted him while signaling Liaochen to intervene.
• Liaochen blocked Li Cheng as Jiang Yingcheng slipped behind the screen and came face to face with Jiang Yi'an.
• Jiang Yi'an poured Jiang Yingcheng tea and told her to drink up and be on her way.

Jiang Yingcheng provoked Jiang Yi'an after he ordered Li Cheng to kill everyone except her, and Liaochen arrived to protect her. When Jiang Yi'an’s Shadow Guards attacked, Jiang Yingcheng stayed with Zhong Chengwang to watch the fight, while Pan Jingwan called for Prince Jing outside the room.

• Jiang Yingcheng called Jiang Yi'an a sore loser for trying to hide that he had visited the Heavenly Fragrance House.
• Jiang Yi'an ordered Li Cheng to kill everyone except Jiang Yingcheng, but Liaochen rushed behind the screen and took her into his arms.
• Jiang Yingcheng taunted Jiang Yi'an and revealed in her thoughts that she suspected he had entered the capital to stir up trouble at the New Year's Banquet.
• Jiang Yingcheng’s guards arrived, and Liaochen handed her to Zhong Chengwang before preparing to fight Jiang Yi'an.
• Jiang Yi'an’s Shadow Guards burst into the room, and the two sides clashed while Zhong Chengwang dodged with Jiang Yingcheng in his arms.
• Pan Jingwan pounded on the door and called out to Prince Jing.

Pan Jingwan revealed Prince Jing’s identity during a fight at the Heavenly Fragrance House, exposing his secret arrival in the capital. Jiang Yingcheng then made the scandal public and asked why Prince Jing had tried to kill her, leaving him to regard her with suspicion.

• Pan Jingwan shouted that Jiang Yi'an was Prince Jing, causing his guards to stop fighting and revealing his identity.
• Jiang Yingcheng claimed to be the princess, and Jiang Yi'an questioned her about why she had come to the brothel.
• Jiang Yingcheng said Noble Consort Rou had brought her there, while the damaged room’s madam demanded compensation.
• Jiang Yingcheng emphasized Noble Consort Rou’s name, prompting people outside to spread the scandal that she had taken the princess to a brothel.
• Jiang Yi'an ordered Li Cheng to pay for the damage, then told Pan Jingwan that he had arrived in the capital that day.
• Jiang Yingcheng asked why Prince Jing had tried to kill her, and Jiang Yi'an studied her with suspicion.

Jiang Yingcheng uncovered the tangled past between Jiang Yi'an and Noble Consort Rou while everyone listened to her thoughts. Jiang Yi'an ended the evening by sending them back to the palace, leaving the guards to decide who would report the gossip to Emperor Mingze.

• Jiang Yi'an admitted he had been teasing Jiang Yingcheng and questioned why Noble Consort Rou had brought her to the Heavenly Fragrance House.
• Jiang Yingcheng learned that Noble Consort Rou had once wanted to marry Jiang Yi'an, but Lord Pan had discovered Jiang Yi'an's political motives and sent her into the palace instead.
• Jiang Yingcheng revealed that Jiang Mingze, not Jiang Yi'an, had helped Noble Consort Rou as a child, and Jiang Yi'an had claimed credit for the deed.
• Jiang Yingcheng revealed that Noble Consort Rou had named the Fourth Imperial Prince Huaian after her lingering feelings for Jiang Yi'an.
• Jiang Yi'an sent Jiang Yingcheng and Noble Consort Rou back to the palace and promised Jiang Yingcheng expensive treats.
• Liaochen and the other guards realized they had to report Jiang Yingcheng's gossip to Emperor Mingze and silently tried to make one another do it.

Jiang Yanchuan learned that Prince Jing’s spy, Yu Kaiji, had planted a memorial requesting permission to enter the capital, while Jiang Yingcheng secretly listened nearby. After she revealed the suspected contact’s name in her thoughts, Jiang Yanchuan approached her and discovered her hiding with pastries.

• Eunuch Changshun reported that Yu Kaiji had slipped Prince Jing’s memorial among the petitions of thanks, and Jiang Yanchuan ordered surveillance of him.
• Jiang Yanchuan asked whether Yu Kaiji’s contact had been identified, and Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts revealed that the suspected contact was Ni Yingyi.
• Eunuch Changshun reported that a palace servant had seen Yu Kaiji meeting Ni Yingyi in the woods, and Jiang Yanchuan assigned the matter to Lu Yao.
• Jiang Yingcheng praised Jiang Yanchuan in her thoughts while hiding behind a door with a bundle of pastries.
• Jiang Yanchuan followed the sound of Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts and found her hiding.

Jiang Yingcheng spent the night in Jiang Yanchuan’s bedchamber, shared warm Hibiscus Pastry with him, and told him about her outing and the danger Prince Jing had arranged. Jiang Yanchuan regretted not protecting her more carefully and offered to take her out again, but sent her to sleep before she could finish listing places she wanted to visit.

• Jiang Yanchuan carried Jiang Yingcheng into his bedchamber after she promised she had shared treats with the palace guards so they would not be punished.
• Jiang Yingcheng gave Jiang Yanchuan the warm Hibiscus Pastry she had saved for him, and he called it very sweet.
• Jiang Yingcheng told Jiang Yanchuan about her outing, while her inner thoughts revealed that Prince Jing had planned to kill her and that his expected accomplice never arrived.
• Jiang Yanchuan regretted not learning more about the danger she faced and asked where else she wanted to go.
• Jiang Yingcheng excitedly named several destinations and hoped to miss more Academy days, but Jiang Yanchuan covered her eyes and told her to sleep.

Emperor Mingze learned that Prince Jing had entered the capital after fabricating rumors of a disaster in Mengzhou, and Jiang Yingcheng exposed his plan during court. The chapter ended with Lu Yao stepping forward as Emperor Mingze turned to him, ready to act against Prince Jing.

• Zhong Chengwang recounted the Little Princess's thoughts to Emperor Mingze, and Lu Yao realized he had been summoned to help reveal that the emperor knew about them.
• Jiang Yi'an attended Court Assembly and confessed that he had entered the capital without permission, while Jiang Yingcheng listened from behind a table of pastries.
• Jiang Yingcheng revealed that Prince Jing had spread false disaster rumors in Mengzhou and planned to make them real if his deception was discovered.
• The officials silently condemned Prince Jing, and Emperor Mingze called Lu Yao forward as Lu Yao urged Jiang Yingcheng to help expose him.

Lu Yao countered Prince Jing’s false report about a disaster in Mengzhou, claiming the city was safe while revealing suspicious activity there. As Prince Jing sought a chance to relay orders, court officials stalled the session, though Jiang Yingcheng’s thoughts about Tan Siyuan left Tan Wenhan struggling to continue.

• Jiang Yanchuan asked Lu Yao whether he knew of the reported disaster in Mengzhou, and Lu Yao said he had sent men to investigate.
• Jiang Yi'an claimed the road into Mengzhou was blocked and said he had come to report the danger to the emperor.
• Lu Yao declared that Mengzhou had no casualties and that he had ordered surveillance of a suspicious group, unsettling Jiang Yi'an.
• Jiang Yi'an suspected a spy had exposed his plans and worried that his messenger to Mengzhou might be intercepted.
• Jiang Yingcheng realized Prince Jing needed to be delayed, so Tan Wenhan began a lengthy proposal while other officials prepared to stall the court session.
• Jiang Yingcheng wondered what Tan Wenhan's second son, Tan Siyuan, had been doing, leaving Tan Wenhan unable to continue his speech.

Tan Wenhan tried to stall a court discussion while officials and Jiang Yingcheng exposed gossip about his son and Spring Fragrance Lane. Zhang Xingxian interrupted to stop the princess from revealing more, then proposed registering Capital City's tenants, only for her to uncover a scandal involving Zhang Zhao.

• Tan Wenhan endured his colleagues' gossip about Tan Siyuan, while Jiang Yingcheng revealed that his son had moved his lovers to a house in Spring Fragrance Lane.
• Jiang Yingcheng recognized Spring Fragrance Lane as a place where officials kept mistresses and began searching for their names.
• Tan Wenhan finished supporting the inspection proposal, shifting the burden of responding to the other officials.
• Zhang Xingxian interrupted Jiang Yingcheng and, scrambling for a report, suggested inspecting Capital City and registering its unattached residents.
• Jiang Yingcheng revealed that Zhang Zhao's concubine was keeping her first love in Spring Fragrance Lane, leaving Zhang Xingxian stunned.

At court, the officials tried to distract Jiang Yingcheng from exposing their secrets, but she uncovered the Heavenly Fragrance House’s scheme to train attractive people to win officials’ favor and gather information. The officials resolved to shut the establishment down, while Zhang Zhao and Lan Yangyu were left anxious about what she might reveal next.

• Zhang Xingxian realized the person in Jiang Yingcheng’s revelation was not him, while she began turning her attention toward Spring Fragrance Lane.
• Jian Xianyi endorsed a large-scale census in an effort to steer Jiang Yingcheng away from her thoughts about the lane.
• Jiang Yingcheng revealed that Spring Fragrance Lane’s residents belonged to an organization that trained handsome young men and pretty young women to win powerful people’s hearts.
• Jiang Yingcheng identified Yu Ke, madam of the Heavenly Fragrance House, as the organization’s leader and explained how she used trained companions to gather information on officials.
• The officials decided to shut down the Heavenly Fragrance House, while Zhang Zhao and Lan Yangyu waited anxiously to hear what Jiang Yingcheng might reveal about them.

Jiang Yingcheng uncovered the truth behind Zhang Zhao’s concubine Wu Ling and learned that the accusations against him were fabricated by the people who abducted and raised her. The officials realized they had condemned Zhang Zhao unjustly, while Jiang Yingcheng wondered how to help him.

• Jiang Yingcheng’s inner thoughts drew her attention away from recruiting Zhang Yuke and back to Zhang Zhao’s proposal.
• Jiang Yingcheng learned that Wu Ling’s parents had forced her to marry Zhang Zhao after separating her from her first love.
• The officials assumed Zhang Zhao had wronged Wu Ling and condemned him based on Jiang Yingcheng’s account.
• Jiang Yingcheng checked Wu Ling’s background and discovered that the Wu Family had abducted her as a child and married her off for profit.
• Jiang Yingcheng realized that Zhang Zhao had played no part in Wu Ling’s suffering and that the accusations against him were lies, leaving the officials to recognize they had blamed the wrong man.