Chapter Summaries

At court, Chu Siqing’s inner voice exposed the Heir of the Duke of Wei’s cross-dressing and unconventional marriage, leaving Duke Wei and Lord Liu trading blame. The court learned the heir was Duke Wei’s biological son, but the scandal over his bedroom role with Liu remained unresolved.

• Wang Zhengde withdrew his objection to Chu Siqing attending court after becoming convinced of her abilities.
• Duke Wei objected to the Holy Maiden attending court, and Chu Siqing revealed that his heir dressed as a married woman and went out at night with his wife.
• Chu Siqing revealed that the heir had left Lord Liu’s son pining for the woman he had seen at the Lantern Festival, and Lord Liu realized that woman had been his daughter’s husband in disguise.
• Chu Siqing confirmed the heir was Duke Wei’s biological son and took after the duchess.
• Chu Siqing revealed that the heir and Liu enjoyed a woman-topping, man-bottoming relationship, prompting Duke Wei and Lord Liu to blame each other.

Chu Siqing’s inner voice exposed the reasoning behind Xiao Wenying’s famine policies, turning an impeachment into praise for his work in Lin’an. The court agreed to investigate his results and consider applying his policies elsewhere.

• Duke Wei withdrew his opposition to Chu Siqing attending court, and Emperor Chu Ming confirmed that she would hear state affairs.
• A censor impeached Xiao Wenying for raising grain prices, undertaking construction, and holding festivities during Lin’an’s famine.
• Chu Siqing’s inner voice explained that the policies attracted grain supplies, gave disaster victims work, and brought visitors to the region.
• Emperor Chu Ming asked the court to assess Xiao Wenying’s actions, while Duke Cheng'en argued that the policies might fail.
• A minister proposed sending an Imperial Commissioner to Lin’an and having other famine-stricken regions adopt Xiao Wenying’s policies if they proved effective.

Chu Siqing gave Tu Qingchen high-yield crops and an agricultural encyclopedia for Emperor Chu Ming to use in strengthening Great Chu’s farming and famine relief. She then learned Ning Qingyan planned to drug Chu Yuheng before his wedding, and Chu Yuheng overheard her warning when he visited Tu Qingchen for a divination.

• Chu Siqing redeemed potatoes, sweet potatoes, hybrid rice seeds, and the Complete Treatise on Agricultural Administration, then asked Tu Qingchen to give them to Emperor Chu Ming.
• Emperor Chu Ming praised the agricultural book and ordered specialists to cultivate the unfamiliar crops before wider planting.
• The system awarded Chu Siqing 1,000 points for spreading agricultural knowledge and introducing high-yield crops, then told her Ning Qingyan planned to drug Chu Yuheng before his wedding.
• Chu Siqing decided to warn Tu Qingchen about Ning Qingyan’s plan so he could alert the Crown Prince.
• When Chu Yuheng visited Tu Qingchen for a divination, Chu Siqing thought that Ning Qingyan intended to force herself on him, and he spilled tea after hearing her warning.

Chu Yuheng and Xiao Wenshu celebrated their wedding, but Ning Qingyan’s scheme to frame the Crown Princess was exposed when the Crown Prince caught her with Chu Yutao. Ning Qingyan was sent to Chu Yutao’s residence in a small sedan chair the next day.

• Chu Yuheng followed Tu Qingchen’s advice to avoid Ning Qingyan for a month, while Ning Qingyan grew resentful and formed a new plan.
• Chu Yuheng and Xiao Wenshu married in a grand ceremony attended by the imperial family and court officials.
• Chu Siqing’s system revealed that Ning Qingyan had drugged Chu Yutao and arranged a meeting to frame Xiao Wenshu, prompting Chu Yuheng to leave the banquet.
• Chu Siqing learned that Chu Yuheng had caught Ning Qingyan with Chu Yutao, and Duke Cheng'en fainted after the news spread among the guests.
• Duke Cheng'en ordered Ning Qingyan sent to Chu Yutao’s residence without proper wedding rites, and she was carried there in a small sedan chair the next day.

Princess Yu prepared Han Yucheng for the Metropolitan Examination and worried over him during its nine days. After he emerged believing he had done fairly well, the family returned to the Ningyuan Earl's Residence, where Princess Yu rebuked Madam Wang for praising him too extravagantly.

• Princess Yu prepared supplies for Han Yucheng and encouraged him before the Metropolitan Examination while Han Nanxing discussed his own Military Examination ambitions.
• Han Nanxing accompanied Han Yucheng to the Examination Compound, and Princess Yu visited temples and Taoist shrines with Chu Siqing to pray for him during the nine-day exam.
• Princess Yu, Han Nanxing, and Chu Siqing waited for Han Yucheng when the Examination Compound opened, and Han Nanxing joked about his brother's smell after he emerged looking exhausted.
• Han Yucheng told the Earl of Ningyuan that he thought he had done fairly well, and Madam Wang predicted he would be a top examination graduate.
• Princess Yu cautioned Madam Wang not to smother Han Yucheng with praise, and the Earl of Ningyuan ordered Madam Wang to hold her tongue.

Han Yucheng learned that he had placed fifth on the Apricot List, and his family celebrated before he sat the Palace Examination. After the Palace Examination, the candidates awaited the Golden List as the custom of “Snatching Sons-in-Law from the List” began.

• Han Nanxing pushed through the crowd and discovered that Han Yucheng had placed fifth on the Apricot List.
• Han Nanxing teased Han Yucheng about his nervousness, and the brothers joked and scuffled on their way to meet Princess Yu and Chu Siqing.
• Princess Yu and Chu Siqing celebrated Han Yucheng’s ranking, and Princess Yu encouraged him to stay calm for the Palace Examination.
• Princess Yu prayed for Han Yucheng before the Palace Examination, while Chu Siqing teased her for being more nervous than he was.
• After the Palace Examination, the candidates waited for the Golden List as the custom of Snatching Sons-in-Law from the List began.

Han Yucheng, Han Nanxing, Princess Yu, and Chu Siqing waited at a teahouse for the palace examination results and watched the top scholar and runner-up receive their announcements. After the crowd mocked Runner-up Wang, an unknown speaker defended him, leaving the confrontation unresolved.

• Han Nanxing teased Han Yucheng about families in the Capital trying to recruit him as a son-in-law, and Chu Siqing babbled for an auntie.
• A messenger announced that Yan Guan of Yangzhou had taken first place, and Han Yucheng defended him against rumors that he might reject his poor betrothed.
• A messenger announced that Wang Youtian of Shuzhou had taken second place, and Wang gave him copper coins and seed wheat as a reward.
• The teahouse crowd mocked Wang for his rustic name, appearance, and gift until a clear-voiced speaker called their insults unkind.

Yu Qing defended Second Place Wang from ridicule, then learned he had placed third in the palace examination. The fourth messenger announced Han Yucheng had taken fourth place, and Han Yucheng asked Princess Yu to leave after the crowd began discussing his prospects and marriage.

• Yu Qing entered the teahouse and defended Second Place Wang against the crowd’s slander.
• The third messenger announced Yu Qing had placed third in the palace examination, and a fellow countryman from Dan Prefecture refused his reward.
• Yan Guan rebuked a man who disparaged Yu Qing’s humble origins and accused him of succeeding through his looks.
• The fourth messenger announced Han Yucheng had placed fourth in the palace examination, surprising and delighting his family.
• As people discussed Han Yucheng’s background and marriage prospects, he asked Princess Yu to return home.

After placing fourth in the imperial examinations, Han Yucheng caught the eye of the unmarried Second Miss Du, and Princess Yu prepared to ask their father to propose a match. As the family left the teahouse, servants from several households surrounded Han Yucheng to seize him as a son-in-law, and he cried that his heart already belonged to someone.

• Han Nanxing teased Han Yucheng about marriage, while Princess Yu worried that Madam Wang might mishandle his match.
• Han Yucheng spotted a young woman across the street and exchanged glances with her, then admitted to his siblings that he liked her.
• Princess Yu sent Mei Qing to speak with the young woman, who was identified as the Minister of Justice's unmarried second daughter, Du; she also had a favorable impression of Han Yucheng.
• Han Yucheng agreed that Princess Yu could ask their father to propose a match with Second Miss Du.
• When Han Yucheng and his family left the teahouse, servants from several households rushed to seize him as a son-in-law, and he shouted that his heart already belonged to someone.

After Han Yucheng placed fourth in the imperial exam, the Du Family carried him off to become their son-in-law, and Princess Yu explained the match to the Earl of Ningyuan. The Earl approved, but Madam Wang questioned whether it was too hasty to settle the marriage.

• Han Yucheng accepted the Du Family servants’ claim that Miss Du had chosen him, while rival families continued fighting to claim him.
• Han Nanxing and Princess Yu ordered the guards to clear a path so the Du Family could carry Han Yucheng away.
• Han Nanxing returned home with Princess Yu and told the Earl of Ningyuan that Han Yucheng had placed fourth.
• Princess Yu explained that Han Yucheng and the second daughter of Lord Du had taken a liking to each other, and the Earl approved of the match.
• Princess Yu suggested Madam Wang take gold hairpins to Miss Du to settle the marriage, but Madam Wang objected that it seemed hasty.