Chapter Summaries

After Ji Feihua killed Wang Decai, he assigned Hu Xiaotian to serve Lady Wen at Bright Moon Palace while secretly investigating her and protecting Ji Feihua’s interests. As Hu Xiaotian settled into the role amid palace intrigue, Empress Jian arrived and summoned him into the Study.

• Ji Feihua told Hu Xiaotian to serve Lady Wen at Bright Moon Palace while remaining in charge of the Palace Gardens Bureau and investigating her background.
• Wang Decai’s death went unpunished, and the palace recognized it as Ji Feihua’s warning to Empress Jian over her alliance with Grand Tutor Wen Chenghuan.
• Li Yuncong visited Bright Moon Palace, hinted that a storm was approaching, and invited Hu Xiaotian to drink at the Library Pavilion that evening.
• Empress Jian inspected the garden and, after questioning Hu Xiaotian’s loyalty, ordered him to enter the Study with her.

Hu Xiaotian weathered Empress Jian’s attempt to secure his loyalty by warning him to care for Talented Lady Wen and threatening his family. He then joined Li Yuncong for dinner, where their conversation turned to Wang Decai’s death and Li Yuncong’s lonely thirty years in the Library Pavilion.

• Empress Jian confronted Hu Xiaotian about Wang Decai’s death, but he denied involvement and affirmed his loyalty.
• Empress Jian ordered Hu Xiaotian to care for Talented Lady Wen and promised rewards while threatening to influence His Majesty against the Hu Family.
• Hu Xiaotian recognized that Empress Jian was trying to draw him into her faction and resolved to find the strongest ally to protect himself and his family.
• Hu Xiaotian brought the Great Kang Annals and a jar of wine to Li Yuncong’s room, where they shared hot pot and drinks.
• Li Yuncong mentioned that Empress Jian had taken Wang Decai’s death to His Majesty, then reflected on spending thirty years in the Library Pavilion and outliving his old companions.

Hu Xiaotian drank with Li Yuncong, who warned him about the dangers of palace friendships and saw through his precarious position. Li Yuncong’s huqin music nearly killed Hu Xiaotian before soothing his body, leaving Hu Xiaotian shaken and wary of the old eunuch.

• Li Yuncong told Hu Xiaotian that Liu Yuzhang had denounced Ji Feihua to His Majesty before his death and reflected on the dangers of friendship in the palace.
• Hu Xiaotian said he wanted only to live peacefully, but Li Yuncong warned that factions would eliminate him once he was no longer useful.
• Li Yuncong offered to take Hu Xiaotian’s pulse, but Hu Xiaotian refused, fearing he might discover that Hu Xiaotian had never been castrated.
• Li Yuncong played the huqin, causing Hu Xiaotian’s heart to race and his body to convulse as an invisible force field pressed blood back toward his heart.
• Li Yuncong changed the melody, calming Hu Xiaotian’s heartbeat and ending the danger; Hu Xiaotian sat down drenched in sweat and declined to drink.

Li Yuncong used his huqin and pulse-reading skills to uncover the dangerous mutant true qi inside Hu Xiaotian, explaining that the power Quan Dean had forced into him threatened to cause fatal qi deviation. Hu Xiaotian realized how precarious his life was, while Li Yuncong reflected on the hardships and discipline shared by eunuchs.

• Hu Xiaotian recovered from Li Yuncong’s huqin performance and described the agony it had caused when it stirred his internal power.
• Li Yuncong examined Hu Xiaotian’s pulse and identified a powerful current of mutant true qi in his body.
• Li Yuncong explained that Hu Xiaotian’s untrained meridians and sea of qi could not safely contain the power someone had forced into him.
• Li Yuncong warned Hu Xiaotian that the damage could lead to qi deviation and death, and Hu Xiaotian resolved to confront Quan Dean about the danger.
• Li Yuncong asked whether Quan Dean or Ji Feihua had tampered with Hu Xiaotian’s body, then spoke about the hardships and discipline of eunuchs.

Hu Xiaotian learned from Li Yuncong that his mutant true qi might be treated with the Formless Divine Skill, an ancient internal art preserved in the palace. Li Yuncong revealed the skill’s history, leaving Hu Xiaotian eager to know whether he could find it in the Library Pavilion.

• Li Yuncong warned Hu Xiaotian that the palace’s factions made survival between Quan Dean and Ji Feihua dangerous, and questioned whether Quan Dean had truly saved the Hu Family.
• Hu Xiaotian suspected Li Yuncong served the Retired Emperor Long Xuan'en and asked whether his own condition could be cured.
• Li Yuncong explained that the person who gave Hu Xiaotian the mutant true qi might remove it, though doing so would cost both men much of their internal power.
• Li Yuncong described other options, including suppressing the mutant qi or refining it with the Formless Divine Skill.
• Li Yuncong recounted how Chan Master Huijue created the Formless Divine Skill and how its manual reached the Imperial Palace after the destruction of the Heavenly Dragon Temple.
• Hu Xiaotian asked whether the Formless Divine Skill was now in the Imperial Palace.

Li Yuncong explained the history of the Formless Divine Skill and revealed that it could save Hu Xiaotian, then asked him to help rescue the imprisoned Long Xuan'en. Hu Xiaotian learned that Li Yuncong knew about the secret passage beneath the Palace Gardens Bureau and had detected him and Baobao exploring it.

• Li Yuncong explained that a palace eunuch adapted the Formless Divine Skill into the Avici Art, which only eunuchs could truly practice.
• Hu Xiaotian realized Li Yuncong had diagnosed that he was a fake eunuch and asked whether Li could help him; Li promised to teach him the Formless Divine Skill’s mental formula.
• Li Yuncong asked Hu Xiaotian to rescue Long Xuan'en so the former emperor could reclaim the throne, and Hu Xiaotian questioned how they could reach him on Misty Mountain.
• Li Yuncong revealed that a secret passage beneath the Palace Gardens Bureau likely led to Misty Peak and admitted he had detected Hu Xiaotian and Baobao exploring the passage.

Hu Xiaotian navigated Li Yuncong’s schemes and learned that Li Yuncong would teach him how to control the mutant true qi in his body. He met Xiao Tianmu and Zhou Mo at their new trading firm, where they discussed the danger of his position among the palace factions and the powerful experts surrounding him.

• Li Yuncong identified the powder Hu Xiaotian had received and gave him a jade whistle and red pills to use on the palace maid who supplied it.
• Li Yuncong promised to teach Hu Xiaotian the qi-training formula for the Formless Divine Skill so he could control his mutant true qi.
• Ji Feihua transferred Hu Xiaotian to Bright Moon Palace, and Hu later met Gao Yuan, who took him to Treasure Abundance Hall.
• Xiao Tianmu and Zhou Mo explained that they had opened a fruit trading firm to do business with Hu Xiaotian and meet him openly.
• Hu Xiaotian described how Quan Dean, Ji Feihua, and Li Yuncong were each trying to use him, and he explained how Li Yuncong had diagnosed his damaged meridians.

Hu Xiaotian prepared to leave Capital City while taking charge of Bright Moon Palace, where he discovered Baobao had been placed among the palace staff. He used Li Yuncong’s whistle to force her to reveal Lin Wan’s role, then gave her an antidote and left her afraid of him.

• Hu Xiaotian told Xiao Tianmu and Zhou Mo about Li Yuncong’s help and the possible passage from the palace to Misty Mountain, and they planned their departure from Capital City.
• Hu Xiaotian inspected Bright Moon Palace and learned that Baobao and several people with unknown or politically connected backgrounds had joined its staff.
• Hu Xiaotian confronted Baobao and used Li Yuncong’s whistle to trigger her agony until she admitted Lin Wan had sent her with the powder.
• Hu Xiaotian gave the unconscious Baobao the antidote, and she woke and warned him that she would repay his humiliation.

Hu Xiaotian used a whistle to make Baobao submit and claimed control over her orders and antidote. After celebrating his appointment to Bright Moon Palace, he received Zijuan’s request for winter peaches for Princess Anping, which gave him an excuse to visit her.

• Hu Xiaotian made Baobao obey him with the whistle and told her that she now answered directly to him.
• Hu Xiaotian celebrated his Bright Moon Palace appointment with Shi Xuedong, Xiao Zhuozi, and Xiao Dengzi, while they discussed Lady Wen and the palace rumors.
• Hu Xiaotian warned his followers not to meddle in palace affairs, especially the case involving Wang Decai.
• Zijuan visited Hu Xiaotian to ask him to send winter peaches to Princess Anping when they arrived.
• Hu Xiaotian promised to deliver the peaches and privately resolved to use the request as a chance to see Princess Anping.

Hu Xiaotian secretly visited Long Xiyue in the Purple Orchid Palace with winter peaches and learned that her wedding to a prince of Great Yong had been set. He promised to stop her from being forced into the marriage and left her clinging to the hope that he would not abandon her.

• Hu Xiaotian entered the Purple Orchid Palace through the underground passage and found Long Xiyue alone in the Study.
• Long Xiyue told Hu Xiaotian that her wedding was set for the sixteenth day of the third month and that she would soon leave Great Kang.
• Hu Xiaotian embraced Long Xiyue and swore he would not let her marry into Great Yong, even if it cost him his life.
• Long Xiyue said his promise eased her heart, though she doubted he could rescue her from her fate.
• As snow fell outside, Hu Xiaotian held Long Xiyue and declared that he wanted her to be his woman and would fight anyone who tried to stop him.

Hu Xiaotian and Long Xiyue shared a tender farewell before he left the Study, and he later prepared for Wen Ya’s arrival at Bright Moon Palace. As the palace awaited Wen Ya and her lavish dowry, Hu Xiaotian learned there might be no ceremony or visit from the emperor, while Quan Dean gave him pills to manage the effects of the internal power he had forced into him.

• Hu Xiaotian confessed his love to Long Xiyue, and she agreed to his wager that she would care for him if he got her out of the palace.
• Hu Xiaotian kissed Long Xiyue’s forehead through the lattice window before slipping away through the well as snow fell.
• Hu Xiaotian arrived at Bright Moon Palace on the morning Wen Ya was due to enter the palace and found no ceremony or other palace officials waiting.
• Hu Xiaotian questioned Baobao about Wen Ya’s arrival and learned that Empress Jian had handled the arrangements and that the emperor might not visit.
• Quan Dean brought Wen Ya’s extensive dowry to Bright Moon Palace, and Hu Xiaotian asked whether the emperor would come.
• Quan Dean gave Hu Xiaotian three Hundred-Flower Dew Pills to ease the abnormal symptoms caused by the internal power he had forced into him.

Hu Xiaotian welcomed Wen Ya to Bright Moon Palace and recognized her as Le Yao, the woman he had once rescued and loved. Wen Ya showed no sign of knowing him, leaving Hu Xiaotian uncertain as she summoned him and said she had heard of him.

• Quan Dean warned Hu Xiaotian to watch the palace attendants and protect Wen Ya.
• Hu Xiaotian and the Bright Moon Palace staff waited all day for Wen Ya, who arrived at night with Empress Jian.
• Hu Xiaotian recognized Wen Ya’s voice and face as belonging to Le Yao, though she acted as if they had never met.
• Empress Jian ordered Hu Xiaotian to see her off and told him to protect Wen Ya.
• Wen Ya summoned Hu Xiaotian, and her maid Wutong rebuked him for staring at her.
• Wen Ya studied Hu Xiaotian and told him she had heard his name before.

Hu Xiaotian attended Wen Ya during her bath, suspecting she might be the woman Le Yao while finding her behavior strikingly different. After Wen Ya dismissed him, he encountered Baobao outside and kissed her by force.

• Wen Ya asked Hu Xiaotian to deliver gifts to the palace consorts and invited him into the bathing chamber after the other attendants left.
• Wen Ya mentioned that Quan Dean had told her Hu Xiaotian would look after her, revealing she knew of their connection.
• Hu Xiaotian massaged Wen Ya's shoulders and asked whether they had met before, but Wen Ya denied it and pointed out they had never been in the same place.
• Wen Ya dismissed Hu Xiaotian and told him to summon Wutong instead of helping her dress.
• Baobao confronted Hu Xiaotian outside, and he pulled her into the shadows and kissed her against the palace wall.

Hu Xiaotian left Bright Moon Palace after warning Ma Liangpeng and Wang Ren to keep serving Wen Ya carefully, then returned to the Palace Gardens Bureau and cautioned Shi Xuedong about gambling and his purchasing duties. The next morning, he helped deliver Wen Ya’s gifts and received one for Lin Wan at Lingyu Hall.

• Baobao escorted Hu Xiaotian out of Bright Moon Palace, threatened him over his forced kiss, and watched him leave despite her anger softening.
• Hu Xiaotian returned to the Palace Gardens Bureau and found Shi Xuedong and the other eunuchs gambling.
• Hu Xiaotian told Shi Xuedong to handle palace purchasing carefully, avoid excessive gambling, and share benefits rather than keeping every advantage.
• The next morning, Hu Xiaotian joined Wen Ya’s staff in sorting and delivering gifts to the imperial consorts while Qiuyan returned to Xinning Palace at Empress Jian’s summons.
• Hu Xiaotian received a gift for Lin Wan at Lingyu Hall and recalled her connection to Hong Beimo and her possible tension with Empress Jian.

Hu Xiaotian delivered Wen Ya’s gift to Lin Wan at Lingyu Hall, where Lin Wan tried to seduce him before attacking him with hidden weapons. Hu Xiaotian used Li Yuncong’s whistle to incapacitate her and beat her, leaving her pleading for her life.

• Hu Xiaotian presented Wen Ya’s Jadeite Bangles to Lin Wan, who deliberately dropped them and summoned him into her chambers alone.
• Lin Wan asked Hu Xiaotian to massage her legs and tried to seduce him while asking him to compare her beauty with Wen Ya’s.
• Lin Wan attacked Hu Xiaotian with a hairpin, palm strikes, a Sleeve Arrow, and steel needles, forcing him to evade her across the hall.
• Hu Xiaotian blew Li Yuncong’s whistle, causing Lin Wan to collapse in pain and drop her needles.
• Hu Xiaotian punched and kicked Lin Wan until she apologized and begged him to spare her life.

Hu Xiaotian forced Lin Wan to submit and gave her the antidote after warning her not to interfere with Hong Beimo’s plans. Back at Bright Moon Palace, he learned that the emperor had chosen Wen Ya to attend him at Xuanwei Palace, leaving Hu Xiaotian unsettled and jealous.

• Hu Xiaotian discovered that Lin Wan’s poisoned needles had failed, used the Whistle to make her suffer, and demanded to know why she had targeted him and Wen Ya.
• Lin Wan admitted that jealousy had driven her to go after Wen Ya, and Hu Xiaotian ordered her to report to him, keep their encounter secret, and avoid acting on her own before giving her an antidote pill.
• Hu Xiaotian returned to Bright Moon Palace, reported the gift deliveries to Wen Ya, and wondered whether she could be Le Yao despite her strikingly different manner.
• Rong Baoxing announced that the emperor had selected Wen Ya to attend him at Xuanwei Palace that night, and Wen Ya rewarded him with a gold ingot.
• Rong Baoxing told Hu Xiaotian that the emperor liked red, while Hu Xiaotian hid his jealousy and thanked him outwardly.

Hu Xiaotian accompanied Wen Ya as she prepared to meet the emperor, while questioning whether she was his former lover Le Yao. Wen Ya entered the Cloud-Gazing Pavilion for the ritual bath before her summons, and Ji Feihua arrived as Hu Xiaotian waited outside.

• Wen Ya prepared to meet the emperor and told Hu Xiaotian to accompany her, while denying that she knew Le Yao.
• Hu Xiaotian admitted that Le Yao had once been his lover, and Wen Ya challenged his claim that serving the emperor was his dream.
• Baobao teased Hu Xiaotian about Wen Ya, and he struck her with the jade Whistle as a warning.
• Wen Ya took Hu Xiaotian to the Cloud-Gazing Pavilion to bathe before meeting the emperor, while Rong Baoxing congratulated him outside.
• Ji Feihua arrived at the pavilion courtyard, prompting the palace maids and eunuchs to kneel.

Ji Feihua confronted Wen Ya at the Cloud-Gazing Pavilion while she bathed, testing her composure and warning her about displeasing the emperor. After Wen Ya’s monthly bleeding began, Hu Xiaotian escorted her back through the snow, where she firmly denied ever having been to Western Sichuan.

• Ji Feihua entered the Cloud-Gazing Pavilion despite Rong Baoxing’s warning and found Wen Ya calmly bathing.
• Ji Feihua dismissed Wen Ya’s maids and ordered Hu Xiaotian to wash her hair while he questioned and warned her.
• Ji Feihua touched Wen Ya’s hair and throat before her monthly bleeding stained the pool, prompting him to send her back to her residence.
• Hu Xiaotian helped Wen Ya dress and escorted her through the falling snow after the others withdrew.
• Wen Ya stopped Hu Xiaotian and insisted that she had never been to Western Sichuan.

Hu Xiaotian learned that someone had burgled the Palace Gardens Bureau and stolen the Black Tiger Whip from his room. After he found no other losses and suspected an inside thief, Ji Feihua arrived and saw the ransacked room.

• Wen Ya asked Hu Xiaotian to stay and keep her company, but he left Bright Moon Palace after Shi Xuedong reported trouble at the Palace Gardens Bureau.
• Hu Xiaotian inspected the Wine Cellar and found its underground passage, inventory, and medicinal storeroom untouched.
• Hu Xiaotian discovered that the Black Tiger Whip was missing from his ransacked room and suspected the thief might be Rong Baoxing or someone inside the bureau.
• Hu Xiaotian declined to alert the guards or question everyone, then welcomed Ji Feihua, who recognized that the room had been robbed.

Ji Feihua took Hu Xiaotian from the palace to visit his parents, keeping his promise despite the snow. Hu Xiaotian reunited with his family, while Hu Buwei grew grave upon learning Ji Feihua had brought him.

• Ji Feihua asked Hu Xiaotian about the stolen Black Tiger Whip but advised him not to learn the culprit’s identity.
• Ji Feihua took Hu Xiaotian out of the palace in a carriage and revealed that he was bringing him to his parents’ lodging.
• Hu Xiaotian reunited with Liang Dazhuang, then rushed inside to greet Hu Buwei and Xu Fengyi.
• Xu Fengyi embraced Hu Xiaotian, and he tended to the finger she had pricked while sewing.
• Hu Buwei grew serious when Hu Xiaotian said Ji Feihua had brought him, then he and Hu Xiaotian began asking each other if they were well.