Chapter Summaries

Wen Yunmian impressed Jun Chenyu with her knowledge and skill at Go, gaining his attention and easing his frustration. As they played, Jun Chenyu revealed that General Qin Zhao had won a victory and that he might restore Consort Shu’s authority, though he feared Wen Yunmian would suffer for it.

• Wen Yunmian welcomed Jun Chenyu to the Peony Pavilion and discussed Cao Gui’s military talents with him.
• Wen Yunmian challenged Jun Chenyu to Go and captured his black stones, surprising and impressing him.
• Wen Yunmian asked about Jun Chenyu’s worries and reassured him that she did not resent his absence or Consort Shu’s confinement.
• Jun Chenyu told Wen Yunmian that General Qin Zhao had won a victory and that he might lift Consort Shu’s confinement and restore her authority over the six palaces.
• Jun Chenyu worried that restoring Consort Shu would leave Wen Yunmian suffering an injustice.

Wen Yunmian won Jun Chenyu’s favor by urging him to prioritize the realm and showing no resentment over Consort Shu’s confinement. After Jun Chenyu promised to protect her and encouraged her to rise through her own abilities, Wen received gifts from the Imperial Household Department and went to Fengyi Palace, where the consorts gathered and Consort Shu returned from confinement.

• Wen Yunmian told Jun Chenyu that Qin Zhao’s confidence and the realm’s interests mattered more than her own grievances, deepening Jun Chenyu’s guilt and affection for her.
• Jun Chenyu promised to protect Wen Yunmian and told her to rise through her own abilities if she wanted to gain status and reach his side.
• Eunuch Hong brought Wen Yunmian red gauze charcoal, cloaks, and other gifts from the Imperial Household Department.
• Wen Yunmian went through the snow to Fengyi Palace after the Empress summoned the consorts, choosing not to use the sedan chair Jun Chenyu had provided.
• Consort Shu arrived at Fengyi Palace after her confinement ended, and the other consorts crowded around her as the Qin Clan’s growing prestige overshadowed Consort Hui.

At the Empress’s gathering to discuss year-end arrangements, Consort Shu challenged the Empress’s authority while Noble Lady Wei announced that she was pregnant. Wen Yunmian noticed Consort Shu’s unusually calm reaction as the news shocked the palace.

• Wen Yunmian attended the Empress’s gathering and tried to stay out of Consort Shu’s attention, while Noble Lady Wei drew praise from the assembled consorts.
• The Empress warned Consort Shu to be cautious, but Consort Shu claimed she would handle the year-end arrangements herself.
• Consort Hui defended the Empress, and Consort Shu rebuked her for having no experience managing palace affairs.
• Noble Lady Wei’s maid announced that an Imperial Physician had found her more than half a month pregnant, astonishing the gathered consorts.
• Wen Yunmian watched Consort Shu remain unusually calm about Noble Lady Wei’s pregnancy and suspected something was wrong.

Noble Lady Wei’s pregnancy earned her the honorary title Noble Lady Shu and the emperor’s attention, while Wen Yunmian recognized the political maneuvering behind his favor. The chapter ended with the Empress sending Cloudglow Brocade to Wen Yunmian and excusing her from a visit because she felt unwell.

• Consort Shu and Noble Lady Yu questioned Wen Yunmian over Noble Lady Wei’s pregnancy, but the Empress rebuked them.
• Jun Chenyu arrived at Fengyi Palace, greeted Wen Yunmian first, then congratulated Noble Lady Wei on her pregnancy.
• Jun Chenyu bestowed the title Shu on Noble Lady Wei and promised to promote her after she safely delivered the imperial heir.
• Wen Yunmian considered how the emperor’s favor toward Noble Lady Wei could counterbalance the Duke of State Protection’s Residence, while Wen Leyan anticipated receiving favor herself.
• After Jun Chenyu escorted Noble Lady Shu away, Wen Yunmian noticed Consort Xian and reflected on the dangers of announcing an early pregnancy.
• Eunuch Hong brought Cloudglow Brocade to Peony Pavilion on the Empress’s orders and said Wen Yunmian need not visit because the Empress felt unwell.

Wen Yunmian received Answering Lady Su, who asked for her protection after losing her family support and imperial favor. When Answering Lady Su detected an unusual scent on the Cloudglow Brocade sent in the Empress’s name, Wen Yunmian began to suspect a plot and called for Imperial Physician Ni.

• Answering Lady Su begged Wen Yunmian to protect her, but Wen Yunmian gave her an ambiguous answer rather than accepting her allegiance.
• Answering Lady Su recognized the Cloudglow Brocade and noticed it carried a muddled scent that did not belong on the silk.
• A young eunuch claimed an extra bolt had been delivered and took one bolt away; Wen Yunmian gave Answering Lady Su a piece of the remaining fabric to investigate.
• Wen Yunmian sent Yun Yang to summon Imperial Physician Ni and suspected Consort Shu had arranged something involving the fabric.

Wen Yunmian discovered that the silk sent to Noble Lady Shu had been tainted with white luo, a substance that could cause a miscarriage, and learned that Consort Chun’s servant had secretly buried something near the Peony Pavilion. She set a plan in motion to turn the scheme against Consort Chun while Jun Chenyu visited Noble Lady Shu.

• Mi Yuheng examined the suspicious silk and identified white luo, which could make a pregnant woman miscarry.
• Shukui reported that the silk had been delivered to Noble Lady Shu’s palace, and Wen Yunmian decided not to alert the Empress without evidence.
• Wen Yunmian asked Mi Yuheng to secretly prepare white luo and sent Yun Yang to watch the Peony Pavilion.
• Yun Yang saw Xiao Yangzi, a servant of Consort Chun, bury something beneath a white magnolia tree.
• Wen Yunmian ordered Yun Yang to move the buried object to Consort Chun’s palace and told Yun Fei to collect white luo and spread its scent through the Peony Pavilion.
• Jun Chenyu joined Noble Lady Shu at the Lucky Cloud Palace, where he reassured her of his affection and noticed she was reading the Zuo Zhuan.

Wen Yunmian used Jun Chenyu’s longing for her and a staged wall repair to strengthen her place in his heart while setting a plan in motion. After Jun Chenyu promised to visit again that night, Wen Yunmian prepared for the next stage of her scheme.

• Jun Chenyu missed Wen Yunmian while spending the night with Noble Lady Shu, then answered Wen Yunmian’s poetic note with a letter and promised to have breakfast with her.
• Wen Yunmian explained to Yun Yang that she had sent the note to make Jun Chenyu compare her favorably with Noble Lady Shu.
• At breakfast, Wen Yunmian charmed Jun Chenyu into promising to visit her again that night.
• Yun Yang brought workers to repair the Peony Pavilion’s damaged walls and said Consort Chun had sent help, prompting Wen Yunmian to praise her in front of Jun Chenyu.
• After Jun Chenyu left, Yun Yang revealed she had arranged for Consort Chun to see the repair workers, while Wen Yunmian asked about Yun Fei’s preparations.

Noble Lady Shu miscarried after being exposed to white Luo, and Jun Chenyu ordered an investigation. Wen Yunmian believed the turmoil she had anticipated had begun, while the culprit remained unknown.

• Noble Lady Yu pleaded with Consort Shu to stop her younger sister from being forced to marry Young Master Qin as a concubine, but Consort Shu refused and Wen Leyan mocked her.
• Consort Chun told Consort Shu that Wen Yunmian had suffered water damage at the Peony Pavilion and suggested Jun Chenyu's interest in her was only temporary.
• A scream announced that Noble Lady Shu had miscarried, and Jun Chenyu hurried from the Peony Pavilion to Lucky Cloud Palace as Wen Yunmian and the Empress followed.
• The imperial physicians found that Noble Lady Shu had been exposed to white Luo, which could cause a miscarriage, and Jun Chenyu ordered an immediate investigation.

After Noble Lady Shu miscarried, Jun Chenyu traced the cause to white Luo incense on her garment, which had been routed through Peony Pavilion. White Luo was then found in Peony Pavilion, leaving Wen Yunmian under suspicion until Mi Yuheng declared that she was also a victim.

• Tanxiang reported that Noble Lady Shu’s pain and bleeding began after she wore a garment made from Cloudglow Brocade, and Imperial Physician Zhang found white Luo incense on it.
• The Head of the Imperial Household Department said the silk had been mistakenly sent to Peony Pavilion, where it was later retrieved, and Jun Chenyu rebuked him for implicating Wen Yunmian.
• Wen Yunmian asked Jun Chenyu to search Peony Pavilion, and Mi Yuheng accompanied the Imperial Guards to investigate.
• Mi Yuheng reported that white Luo was found in Peony Pavilion, prompting Noble Lady Shu and Consort Shu to accuse Wen Yunmian.
• Jun Chenyu asked Wen Yunmian if she had caused the miscarriage, and Mi Yuheng insisted that she was also a victim.

After White Luo was found in the Peony Pavilion’s walls, Wen Yunmian turned suspicion toward Consort Chun, whose palace was searched. With White Luo discovered beneath a floor brick, Consort Shu and others pressed for Consort Chun’s punishment, but Feicui interrupted before Jun Chenyu could act.

• Mi Yuheng reported White Luo in the Peony Pavilion’s walls, and Wen Yunmian claimed someone was trying to harm her.
• Yun Yang recalled that Consort Chun had sent people to supervise repairs at the Peony Pavilion, prompting Jun Chenyu to order a search of the Palace of Gathered Elegance.
• The Imperial Guards found White Luo beneath a pried-up floor brick in Consort Chun’s palace, and Jun Chenyu confronted her with the evidence.
• Noble Lady Shu and Consort Hui urged Jun Chenyu to punish Consort Chun, while Consort Chun accused Wen Yunmian of planting the White Luo.
• Feicui knelt before Jun Chenyu and said she had something to tell him.