Chapter Summaries

Wen Chenghuan suspected Quan Dean was using Hu Xiaotian to cause trouble around Princess Anping’s wedding and insisted Wen Boyuan escort her to Great Yong. Hu Xiaotian met Xiao Tianmu, who worried that Quan Dean’s plan for the Purple Orchid Palace might exploit Hu Xiaotian’s secret.

• Wen Chenghuan told Wen Boyuan that he must prepare to escort Princess Anping to Great Yong after the first month.
• Hu Xiaotian visited the Treasure Abundance Hall, where he learned Gao Yuan and Xiao Tianmu were leaving for Yong Capital that night.
• Hu Xiaotian told Xiao Tianmu about the palace upheavals and the rumor that he would be appointed marriage envoy for Princess Anping.
• Xiao Tianmu suggested Quan Dean had lost trust in Hu Xiaotian and might have arranged his transfer to the Purple Orchid Palace for a hidden purpose.
• Hu Xiaotian feared Quan Dean intended to expose that he was a fake eunuch.

Hu Xiaotian and Xiao Tianmu uncovered Quan Dean’s plan to frame Hu Xiaotian and Ji Feihua for rebellion, while preparing to escape Great Kang. On New Year’s Eve, Hu Xiaotian arrived at the Purple Orchid Palace to see Princess Anping.

• Hu Xiaotian and Xiao Tianmu reasoned that Quan Dean meant to link Hu Xiaotian, Princess Anping, and Ji Feihua in a fabricated rebellion plot.
• Hu Xiaotian agreed to warn Ji Feihua and said he and his brothers might escape Great Kang in the third month.
• Zhou Mo found that his true qi vanished when he sent it into Hu Xiaotian’s meridians, and warned Hu Xiaotian to practice his strange cultivation method less.
• Hu Xiaotian read Murong Feiyan’s letter and asked Zhou Mo to arrange a meeting with Zhan Peng.
• Hu Xiaotian arrived at the Purple Orchid Palace with fruit and followed Zijuan to Princess Anping’s study.

Hu Xiaotian settled into his new post at the Purple Orchid Palace and shared a private, affectionate moment with Long Xiyue. The emperor granted Long Xiyue permission to visit her father at Ethereal Mountain, while messages from Qi Danai and Li Yuncong left Hu Xiaotian suspecting a hidden plan.

• Hu Xiaotian met Long Xiyue in her study, thanked her for helping him, and flirted with her while keeping watch for anyone nearby.
• Qi Danai delivered the emperor’s pass allowing Long Xiyue to visit the Retired Emperor at the Spirit Firmament Palace that evening.
• Hu Xiaotian rewarded Qi Danai, who hinted that he should accompany Long Xiyue to Ethereal Mountain.
• Yuan Fu brought Long Xiyue’s reading-list books and relayed Li Yuncong’s request for Hu Xiaotian to return books sought by the Retired Emperor.
• Hu Xiaotian suspected Qi Danai’s hint and Li Yuncong’s message were connected, while Long Xiyue prepared to see her father before leaving Great Kang.

Long Xiyue and Hu Xiaotian traveled to Misty Mountain so she could visit the imprisoned Retired Emperor Long Xuan'en, while Hu Xiaotian hoped to investigate the mountain. At the entrance, guards required visitors to bathe and change clothes, forcing Hu Xiaotian to retreat rather than risk exposing his secret.

• Long Xiyue confided in Hu Xiaotian that she was unsure whether to see her father before leaving Great Kang, and he offered to accompany her.
• Hu Xiaotian considered how Quan Dean might be using Long Xiyue's visit as part of a scheme and planned to investigate Misty Mountain for Li Yuncong.
• Long Xiyue presented her travel authorization, and she and Hu Xiaotian crossed the Jade Pool by boat with two guards.
• Masked guards on Misty Mountain told Long Xiyue and Hu Xiaotian that visitors had to bathe and change clothes before going farther.
• Hu Xiaotian feared the inspection would expose his secret, so he told Long Xiyue he would wait at the foot of the mountain.

Hu Xiaotian faced a forced inspection at Misty Peak that threatened to expose his secret, but he used Yin-Lifting Yang-Shrinking to pass the checkpoint. He reunited with Princess Anping afterward, while worrying that he might not be able to reverse the technique.

• Long Xiyue left Hu Xiaotian behind to bathe and change before meeting her father, but Murong Zhan insisted that Hu Xiaotian undergo the same inspection.
• Murong Zhan escorted Hu Xiaotian to the bathing chamber and made him undress despite his attempts to avoid it.
• Hu Xiaotian used Yin-Lifting Yang-Shrinking to conceal his manhood while Murong Zhan inspected him, then hurried into the bath when the technique began to fail.
• Hu Xiaotian bathed and changed without exposing his secret, but his manhood remained tucked away after he left the chamber.
• Princess Anping reunited with Hu Xiaotian and secretly wondered how he had concealed his secret, then blushed at her own thoughts.

Hu Xiaotian and Long Xiyue passed Misty Mountain’s strict checkpoints and reached Spirit Firmament Palace, where Long Xiyue reunited with her imprisoned father. She told Long Xuan'en she would leave for Great Yong after the New Year, and he realized she was being sent there for a marriage alliance.

• Hu Xiaotian wondered whether Quan Dean or someone else had revealed that he was not castrated, while Murong Zhan kept him under suspicion.
• Hu Xiaotian and Long Xiyue rode a suspended basket to Misty Peak, where guards checked their permit, blindfolded them, and escorted them to Spirit Firmament Palace.
• Wang Qian greeted Long Xiyue and led her to Retired Emperor Long Xuan'en, while Hu Xiaotian waited outside the inner hall.
• Long Xiyue greeted her father, and Long Xuan'en touched her cheek as he recognized how much she had grown.
• Long Xiyue told Long Xuan'en she would leave for Great Yong after the New Year, and he asked whether the traitor was sending her for a marriage alliance.

Long Xiyue visited her father, Long Xuan'en, before leaving Great Kang, hoping to learn where her mother was buried, but he attacked her in a fit of madness. After she left, Long Xuan'en revealed to Wang Qian that his apparent madness had been an act and asked whether someone would come visit him.

• Long Xuan'en accused his children of caring only about his power, then told Long Xiyue that he had destroyed her mother's remains and thrown them into the Jade Pool.
• Long Xuan'en seized Long Xiyue by the throat, but Hu Xiaotian rushed in and freed her.
• Long Xuan'en briefly regained his composure, fell down the palace steps, and told Long Xiyue to leave Great Kang because Long Yelin wanted his throne; he also said Long Yelin lacked the Imperial Jade Seal.
• Wang Qian told Long Xiyue that Consort Li's memorial tablet was in the Cloud Temple, and Long Xiyue left with Hu Xiaotian.
• After Long Xiyue departed, Long Xuan'en spoke lucidly with Wang Qian and asked whether he thought someone would come visit him.

On New Year’s Eve, Hu Xiaotian and Long Xiyue visited the Cloud Temple, where Hu discovered a portrait and memorial tablet that suggested Ling Jiazi might have been Qiqi’s mother. Back at the palace, Long Xiyue was left grieving and lonely as she faced her upcoming marriage to Great Yong, while Hu offered to listen to her troubles.

• Long Xiyue wept before her mother Consort Li’s memorial tablet, and Hu Xiaotian found a portrait of Ling Jiazi whose features resembled Qiqi’s.
• Hu Xiaotian found Ling Jiazi’s memorial tablet and learned she had died at twenty-one thirteen years earlier, on New Year’s Day.
• Hu Xiaotian worried that his Yin-Lifting Yang-Shrinking technique had not worn off, then exchanged guarded remarks with Murong Zhan at the baths.
• Long Xiyue ate little at the New Year’s Eve dinner and stood alone in the courtyard, thinking about her dead mother, her imprisoned brother, and her coming marriage to Great Yong.
• Hu Xiaotian approached Long Xiyue and offered to hear what was troubling her, while she doubted that he could change her fate.

Hu Xiaotian took Long Xiyue out of the palace to celebrate New Year's Eve, giving her a rare chance to enjoy the city and watch fireworks with him. After he left to retrieve their food, he discovered it had vanished and saw a black figure carrying Long Xiyue away.

• Long Xiyue felt dispirited on New Year's Eve, so Hu Xiaotian promised to take her out of the palace.
• Long Xiyue disguised herself as a eunuch, and Hu Xiaotian used the Coiling Dragon Gold Plaque to escort her through the palace gates.
• Hu Xiaotian drove Long Xiyue to Heavenly Street, then carried her up to the roof of a building to watch the fireworks and falling snow.
• Long Xiyue told Hu Xiaotian she was hungry, and he went back to the carriage to fetch the food and wine.
• Hu Xiaotian found the food bundle missing and spotted a black figure on the rooftop carrying Long Xiyue away.

Hu Xiaotian chased the Black-Clad Man carrying Princess Anping and discovered that Ji Feihua had arranged the abduction. As they shared roasted lamb and wine by a bonfire, Ji Feihua warned Hu Xiaotian about the danger of his relationship with the princess, then fell silent when Hu Xiaotian spoke of her lonely life.

• Hu Xiaotian pursued the Black-Clad Man across the rooftops as he carried the unconscious Princess Anping away.
• The Black-Clad Man led Hu Xiaotian to a courtyard, where Hu Xiaotian found Ji Feihua roasting a lamb by a bonfire.
• Hu Xiaotian greeted Ji Feihua and realized he had orchestrated Princess Anping's abduction; Ji Feihua returned Hu Xiaotian's stolen bundle of food and wine.
• Ji Feihua demonstrated his martial skill by bursting Hu Xiaotian's wine gourd with a burning piece of wood, then shared a superior wine with him.
• Ji Feihua warned Hu Xiaotian that eloping with Princess Anping could bring severe punishment, while Hu Xiaotian denied having improper intentions.
• Hu Xiaotian said he pitied Princess Anping because she had never enjoyed ordinary family happiness, and Ji Feihua fell silent as he watched the fire.

Hu Xiaotian told Ji Feihua about his trip with Long Xiyue and warned that his appointment to Purple Orchid Palace could expose them to accusations of plotting a restoration. Ji Feihua ordered him to keep Long Xiyue safe and escort her to Great Yong, while Long Xiyue woke back at Purple Orchid Palace unaware of what had happened.

• Hu Xiaotian recounted how he saved Long Xiyue from the Retired Emperor on Misty Mountain and secretly took her out to watch fireworks.
• Hu Xiaotian told Ji Feihua he feared his appointment to Purple Orchid Palace might be a trap because of his family ties and Long Xiyue's betrothal to Great Yong's Seventh Prince.
• Ji Feihua said Grand Tutor Wen's son would also escort Long Xiyue and that her departure had been moved earlier, then assigned Hu Xiaotian to escort her and ensure the wedding proceeded.
• Ji Feihua pretended to throw his White-Gold Hairpin into the bonfire to test Hu Xiaotian, then stopped him from reaching into the flames.
• Ji Feihua told Hu Xiaotian to take Long Xiyue back to the palace, and she later woke in Purple Orchid Palace as Zijuan explained that Hu Xiaotian had brought her there.

Hu Xiaotian struggled to reverse the lingering effects of Yin-Lifting Yang-Shrinking, and discovered that thoughts of Ji Feihua seemed to help when fantasies of women did not. He asked Baobao for help, and the chapter ended with him guiding her hand to check his condition.

• Long Xiyue woke with no memory of what had happened after the fireworks and wondered how Hu Xiaotian had brought her back to the Purple Orchid Palace.
• Hu Xiaotian tried a hot bath, the Formless Divine Skill, and fantasies of women to undo Yin-Lifting Yang-Shrinking, but only thinking of Ji Feihua produced a slight change.
• Hu Xiaotian woke from a nightmare about Ji Feihua and found that his manhood had only begun to recover.
• Hu Xiaotian dismissed Shi Xuedong and the little eunuchs who came to offer New Year greetings, then snapped at Baobao when she arrived.
• Hu Xiaotian told Baobao about his condition, and she reluctantly sat with him as he took her hand and placed it against his crotch.

Hu Xiaotian regained his potency with Baobao’s help, then accompanied Long Xiyue to offer Empress Jian New Year’s greetings. Long Xiyue questioned him about the previous night, and he convinced her that she had fainted from low blood sugar.

• Baobao laughed at Hu Xiaotian’s misfortune, then helped stimulate him until he recovered.
• Baobao fled after realizing Hu Xiaotian had become aroused and collided with Shi Xuedong, scattering his fruit in the snow.
• Hu Xiaotian checked that he was swollen rather than permanently diminished, changed clothes, and went to the Purple Orchid Palace to greet Long Xiyue.
• Long Xiyue asked Hu Xiaotian to accompany her to the Xinning Palace to greet Empress Jian.
• On the way, Hu Xiaotian claimed Long Xiyue had fainted from low blood sugar after going too long without food, and she believed his explanation.

Hu Xiaotian accompanied Princess Anping through New Year's greetings before the Little Princess Qiqi claimed him for the day and took him to Chengen Residence. There, he learned Quan Dean was present as he helped Qiqi reward the eunuchs clearing a collapsed shed.

• Hu Xiaotian and Long Xiyue visited Empress Jian at Xinning Palace, where he greeted Lin Wan and accepted a red envelope.
• Qiqi arrived at Xinning Palace, asked Long Xiyue to lend Hu Xiaotian to her, and took him away for the day.
• Qiqi and Hu Xiaotian traveled to Chengen Residence, where snow had collapsed a straw-roofed shed across the alley entrance.
• Hu Xiaotian gave the eunuchs clearing the obstruction money from his red envelopes after Qiqi promised to repay him double.
• Fu Gui told Hu Xiaotian that Quan Dean was at Chengen Residence for the New Year.

Hu Xiaotian received pills and learned that he would escort Princess Anping to Great Yong, then followed Qiqi in disguise to the Great Xiangguo Temple. They slipped into the temple’s Pagoda Forest, where Qiqi’s purpose remained unknown.

• Hu Xiaotian visited Quan Dean, who gave him Hundred-Flower Dew Pills and said he would escort Princess Anping to Great Yong.
• Quan Dean told Hu Xiaotian that Qiqi had chosen him for the assignment, and Qiqi appeared dressed as a young gentleman.
• Qiqi ordered Hu Xiaotian to change clothes and accompany her to the Great Xiangguo Temple, posing as her servant.
• Qiqi led Hu Xiaotian around the crowded temple and climbed over a wall into its secluded back courtyard.
• Qiqi guided Hu Xiaotian through the monks’ grounds and into the Pagoda Forest without explaining why they had come.

Qiqi paid respects at the pagoda where her mother died, then she and Hu Xiaotian lost their horses and ran out of money. They pawned Qiqi’s fur cloak to fund their outing, leaving her dressed inconspicuously in a dogskin coat.

• Qiqi cleared weeds from a pagoda and told Hu Xiaotian that her mother had killed herself there.
• Qiqi challenged a young monk’s claim that all living beings were equal, and the monk left without answering.
• Qiqi and Hu Xiaotian discovered that their horses had been stolen after leaving the Pagoda Forest.
• Hu Xiaotian suggested pawning Qiqi’s fur cloak when they had no money for food, and they sold it for fifty taels at Xingyuan Pawnshop.
• Hu Xiaotian bought Qiqi a dogskin coat, and the two set off to enjoy the remaining silver.

Qiqi and Hu Xiaotian chased the thief who had stolen her white horse through the crowded streets, but he led them into an alley and summoned dozens of beggars. They faced the thief and his armed followers as the chapter ended.

• Qiqi spent most of the pawning money on purchases and gave the remaining silver to an acrobatic performer.
• Hu Xiaotian spotted the horse thief riding Qiqi’s white horse, and Qiqi raced after him on a borrowed chestnut horse.
• Qiqi and Hu Xiaotian pursued the thief through the crowd, leaping over the bridge and rooftops while the thief galloped away.
• The thief disappeared into an alley, and Hu Xiaotian warned Qiqi not to pursue him into a possible trap.
• The horse thief emerged from a residential compound and whistled for dozens of beggars carrying dog-beating sticks to surround Qiqi and Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian and Qiqi were surrounded by the Beggar Gang after chasing a horse thief into their hideout, and Hu Xiaotian tried to negotiate their way out. When their leader Zhu Ba demanded they strip and beg for mercy, Hu Xiaotian prepared to face Zhu Dali, a towering fighter, while Qiqi remained trapped among the beggars.

• Hu Xiaotian and Qiqi found themselves surrounded by Beggar Gang members, and Qiqi threatened to report them to the authorities.
• Hu Xiaotian tried to appease the beggars and surrender the horses, but Zhu Ba blocked their escape and demanded they strip and kneel.
• Hu Xiaotian urged Qiqi to escape while he challenged Zhu Ba to a one-on-one fight, but Zhu Ba sent his brother Zhu Dali instead.
• Hu Xiaotian tried to turn Zhu Dali against Zhu Ba, then learned they were brothers when Zhu Dali defended him.
• Hu Xiaotian proposed a civil contest, and Zhu Ba allowed Zhu Dali to fight him as the Beggar Gang watched.

Hu Xiaotian tried to help Qiqi escape from Zhu Ba’s beggars, but they surrounded him and fought over his Coiling Dragon Gold Plaque. As Zhu Ba ordered the beggars to scatter, government troops arrived at the alley.

• Hu Xiaotian feinted against Zhu Dali and charged toward Zhu Ba while Qiqi stabbed her horse and escaped the encirclement.
• Hu Xiaotian revealed his Coiling Dragon Gold Plaque, but the beggars ignored his claim of authority and rushed to seize it.
• Hu Xiaotian fought off the beggars and withstood Zhu Dali’s punch, then tried to reach Zhu Ba amid the chaos.
• An old beggar spotted government troops approaching from both ends of the alley, sounded his suona, and warned everyone they were coming.
• Zhu Ba ordered the beggars to scatter.

Hu Xiaotian was captured by a mysterious old beggar during the soldiers’ raid, then released after agreeing to free the arrested beggars. He returned to find Qiqi ordering a citywide hunt for beggars, unaware that Hu Xiaotian had come back.

• The old beggar took the Coiling Dragon Gold Plaque from Hu Xiaotian, who fled Zhu Dali as the alley collapsed around them.
• Qiqi and several hundred soldiers arrived, but the old beggar numbed Hu Xiaotian and carried him away to a dilapidated City God temple.
• The old beggar returned the plaque and demanded Hu Xiaotian arrange the release of the arrested beggars; Hu Xiaotian agreed and learned the old man’s surname was Xu.
• Hu Xiaotian covered the sleeping Xu with his Dogskin Vest before leaving, and Xu woke briefly to clutch it.
• Qiqi’s soldiers captured twelve beggars, including Zhu Dali, but failed to find Hu Xiaotian.
• Hu Xiaotian returned to the alley entrance as Qiqi ordered her men to hunt down and torture beggars throughout Kang Capital.