Chapter Summaries

As autumn approached, Xiao Huaijin grew closer to his younger brothers and asked to visit Xiao Yu, while Xiao Yu’s illness and exclusion from Xiao Yue’s birthday left him lonely. Xiao Lin learned of the Crown Prince’s affection for Xiao Yu and summoned him to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to test his writing.

• Xiao Huaijin kept the rabbit lantern Xiao Lan painted and asked whether his father would still visit when winter came.
• Xiao Huaijin helped Xiao Yue reach pastries, gave him a carefully sanded wooden sword for his birthday, and drew a bow for him in the moonlight.
• While Xiao Yu recovered from a fever, he asked Shen Mingzhu why he had not been invited to Xiao Yue’s birthday and whether he could play with Crown Prince Brother when he was better.
• Shen Mingzhu burned an unsent letter and decided to write a new one the next day.
• Zhou Rucheng told Xiao Lin that Xiao Huaijin called Xiao Yu his little brother and had wanted to visit him.
• Xiao Lin set aside Xiao Huaijin’s calligraphy sheet and ordered Zhou Rucheng to bring the Crown Prince to the Hall of Mental Cultivation the following day for a writing test.

Xiao Huaijin visited his sick younger brother Xiao Yu with Xiao Lin, cheered him with stories, and gave him osmanthus cakes. Xiao Lin then granted Xiao Yu permission to visit the Eastern Palace after he recovered, while Shen Mingzhu suspected the visit and edict also sent a political signal that Xiao Huaijin was the emperor’s sole heir.

• Xiao Huaijin asked Xiao Lin to visit Xiao Yu, and Xiao Lin agreed to accompany him to the Palace of Nurtured Elegance.
• Xiao Huaijin spoke with Xiao Yu about bitter medicine and entertaining events in the Eastern Palace, making Xiao Yu laugh for the first time during his illness.
• Xiao Huaijin gave Xiao Yu osmanthus cakes and invited him to visit the Eastern Palace and learn archery after recovering; Shen Mingzhu allowed the visit.
• Xiao Huaijin asked Xiao Lin if he could keep Xiao Yu company when he took bitter medicine, and Xiao Lin agreed.
• After asking who had visited Xiao Yu during his illness, Xiao Lin ordered an edict granting him a ruyi scepter, ten books, and permission to visit the Eastern Palace without separate approval.
• Xiao Yu rejoiced at the edict, while Shen Mingzhu wondered whether Xiao Lin’s visit and favor signaled to the court and harem that Xiao Huaijin was his only successor.

Xiao Lin brought Xiao Huaijin, Xiao Yu, and Xiao Lan to the imperial autumn hunt, where the children prepared for the outing and spent the evening together at the hunting grounds. As the children settled in for the night, Shen Mingzhu remained in the palace worrying about Xiao Yu, while Consort Xian comforted Xiao Yue, who had been left behind.

• Shen Mingzhu prepared Xiao Yu’s riding clothes and medicines, and Xiao Yu wished she could accompany him to the hunt.
• Xiao Huaijin prepared his archery gear, and Xiao Lan brought medicine and shared osmanthus candy with him; the two children drew a battle plan for Xiao Lin to shoot a divine deer.
• Xiao Huaijin, Xiao Yu, and Xiao Lan traveled with Xiao Lin’s procession to the hunting grounds, where Xiao Lin accepted Xiao Huaijin’s drawing and told Xiao Yu to stay with his crown prince brother.
• The three children watched fish by a stream, then shared roasted food around a bonfire while Xiao Huaijin wondered whether Xiao Lin would shoot the divine deer.
• Shen Mingzhu worried alone in the Palace of Nurtured Elegance and kept the osmanthus candy Xiao Yu had given her.
• Consort Xian soothed Xiao Yue by promising that Xiao Lin would teach him archery when he grew up.

Xiao Huaijin and Xiao Yu took part in the autumn hunt, while Xiao Lin brought down a great stag that Xiao Huaijin called a divine deer. After the feast, Xiao Lin promised to bring the children hunting every Mid-Autumn Festival, and they rested together beneath the moon.

• Xiao Huaijin joined the young princes' hunt, missed his first shot, then struck a white rabbit with his second arrow as Xiao Lin watched.
• Xiao Yu nervously shot at a rabbit, and Xiao Huaijin cheered him up and helped him claim a gray rabbit as his catch.
• Xiao Lin rode into the enclosure and killed a huge stag with a single arrow; he accepted Xiao Huaijin's question that it counted as a divine deer and kept the children's battle plan.
• Xiao Huaijin gave up making a wish because Xiao Lin had shot the stag, and Xiao Lin said he had already made his wish.
• At the Mid-Autumn bonfire feast, Xiao Huaijin asked Xiao Lin whether he would bring them hunting every year, and Xiao Lin promised that he would.
• Xiao Huaijin and Xiao Yu fell asleep beside Xiao Lin under the moon, while Xiao Lan rested nearby and Xiao Lin covered Xiao Huaijin with his cloak.

The imperial family returned from the autumn hunt, and Xiao Huaijin continued caring for Xiao Yu while Shen Mingzhu remained wary of their closeness. Xiao Lin reflected on the brothers' previous-life conflict, while Xiao Huaijin planned to visit Xiao Yu despite lingering unease about their future.

• Xiao Yu gave Xiao Huaijin a falcon feather on the return journey, and Xiao Huaijin promised to have a suitable bow made for him.
• Shen Mingzhu welcomed Xiao Yu home with his gray rabbit but felt uneasy about Xiao Huaijin's kindness toward him.
• Xiao Huaijin reunited with Xiao Yue and promised to take him hunting when he was older.
• Xiao Lin awarded Xiao Huaijin new bowstrings, Xiao Yu a small bow, and Xiao Lan five books, and Xiao Huaijin checked that Xiao Yu's bow would fit him.
• Xiao Lin heard Liu An's report, recalled the brothers' previous-life conflict, and ordered Xiao Yu's bow brought for inspection before delivery.
• Xiao Huaijin asked his nurse whether Xiao Yu would always remain good and decided to visit him the next day.

On a rainy day, Xiao Huaijin visited Xiao Yu and the two grew closer through lessons, lunch, and play, while Shen Mingzhu watched with conflicted feelings. The next morning, Shen Boyong received her secret letter and ordered a second plan to remove the Crown Prince.

• Xiao Huaijin braved the rain to visit Xiao Yu at the Palace of Nurtured Elegance and taught him to write his name.
• Shen Mingzhu watched the boys grow closer and ordered ginger soup for Xiao Huaijin, then let them play together after the rain stopped.
• Xiao Yu showed Xiao Huaijin a wooden horse from his uncle, and Xiao Huaijin said he had an uncle he had never met.
• Xiao Huaijin invited Xiao Yu to visit the Eastern Palace the following afternoon before leaving for home.
• Shen Mingzhu sent a secret letter to Shen Boyong, who ordered his adviser to prepare a second plan to remove the Crown Prince.

As the children grew closer through lessons, visits, and Xiao Lan’s birthday celebration, Shen Mingzhu continued plotting against the crown prince while Xiao Lin delayed a crackdown on the Shen Clan until he could expose its entire military-funding network. The chapter ended with the children wishing beneath the moon as Consort Jing insisted they would keep growing up together.

• Xiao Huaijin offered to teach Xiao Yue to recognize characters, and Xiao Lan shared her sketchbook with Xiao Huaijin and Xiao Yu, who noticed that she had drawn him too short.
• Shen Mingzhu burned a message from Shen Boyong and instructed her maid to tell her father to wait until winter before acting against the crown prince.
• Sun Jingtang reported further military-fund transfers to a nonexistent Hejian Prefecture firm, but Xiao Lin told him to wait while he gathered evidence against the Shen Clan’s network in the Ministry of War.
• At Xiao Lan’s birthday feast, Xiao Huaijin, Xiao Yu, and Xiao Yue gave her gifts, including drawing supplies, a clay rabbit, and red bean cake.
• Xiao Huaijin brought out his bow and invited the children to make wishes beneath the moon, while Consort Jing assured Consort Xian that the children would keep growing up together.

Consort Xian brought Xiao Rui out of isolation, and Xiao Huaijin and Xiao Lan welcomed her into their circle, encouraging her talent for drawing dragons. As the women of the harem began reconnecting and their children gathered at the Eastern Palace, Shen Mingzhu sensed the shift while Xiao Lin received a secret report linking her family to a military official and suspicious transfers of silver.

• Concubine Li received only two baskets of charcoal, and Xiao Rui continued spending her days quietly in the Jade Essence Pavilion.
• Consort Xian noticed Xiao Rui drawing a dragon, invited her to visit, and later brought Xiao Yue to meet her.
• Xiao Huaijin invited Xiao Rui to the Eastern Palace and promised to bring Xiao Lan, who eagerly befriended her over drawing.
• Consort Jing hosted Consort Xian, Concubine Li, and Consort De; Consort Xian praised Xiao Rui, and Consort De later saw Xiao Huaijin and recalled Empress Xiaoyi's kindness.
• Concubine Li brought Xiao Rui to the Eastern Palace, where Xiao Huaijin and Xiao Lan praised her detailed dragon drawing and Xiao Rui joined their playful conversation.
• Shen Mingzhu learned that the harem's women and children were drawing closer, while Xiao Lin received a report that Shen Boyong had met Cui Shen and that silver had been moved from Hejian Prefecture.

When the wet nurse fell gravely ill, Xiao Lin remembered her murder in his previous life and tried to protect her, but she died three days later. Xiao Huaijin grieved in his father’s arms, and Xiao Lin decided to bring him to live beside him in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

• Xiao Huaijin stayed in the Eastern Palace to care for his ill wet nurse, and Xiao Lin ordered the director of the Imperial Medical Academy to treat her.
• The wet nurse told Xiao Lin that Xiao Huaijin was lonely and asked him to look after the child; Xiao Lin promised to keep him by his side.
• The wet nurse died while Xiao Huaijin waited with the ginger soup he had made for her.
• Xiao Huaijin continued his writing lesson until Xiao Lin comforted him, and he finally broke down and cried over the wet nurse’s death.
• Xiao Lin stayed beside Xiao Huaijin through the night and ordered Liu An to prepare a warm chamber in the Hall of Mental Cultivation for the crown prince.

Xiao Huaijin adjusted to living in the Hall of Mental Cultivation after his nanny left, while Xiao Lin tried to comfort and care for him. At court, Xiao Lin questioned Shen Boyong about Hejian Prefecture’s tax silver, and Shen Boyong warned Cui Shen that the accounts were being watched.

• The court learned that Xiao Huaijin had moved into the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and Shen Mingzhu ordered warm clothes prepared for the second prince.
• Xiao Huaijin told Xiao Lin that his nanny had left without drinking the ginger soup he made, and Xiao Lin promised to bring him osmanthus cakes.
• Xiao Huaijin found his belongings arranged in the side hall, then waited beside Xiao Lin’s desk and fell asleep as Xiao Lin reviewed memorials.
• Xiao Lin carried Xiao Huaijin to bed and ordered a low table and cushioned couch prepared for him in the main hall.
• Xiao Lin questioned Shen Boyong about Hejian Prefecture’s tax silver, and Sun Jingtang noticed the figure covered shortfalls connected to the Hengtai Firm.
• Shen Boyong told his attendant to warn Cui Shen not to alter the accounts because someone in the Ministry of Revenue was watching.

Xiao Lin stayed close to Xiao Huaijin through several nights of grief and nightmares, and their growing trust helped Xiao Huaijin sleep more peacefully. Xiao Yu visited to practice writing with his brother, while Xiao Lin continued investigating the Hengtai Firm; the chapter ended with Xiao Huaijin unconsciously holding Xiao Lin’s sleeve as they rested together.

• Xiao Lin found Xiao Huaijin awake and frightened on the second night, and stayed beside him until he fell asleep.
• On the third night, Xiao Huaijin cried over a dream about Nanny, and Xiao Lin held him and comforted him.
• Xiao Lin sat beside Xiao Huaijin and held his hand through the fourth night, then Xiao Huaijin urged him to drink fresh tea and eat breakfast the next morning.
• Xiao Yu brought Xiao Huaijin his handwriting practice, and the brothers practiced characters together at the low table.
• Xiao Huaijin asked Xiao Lin about dragons and the character Shen, then fell asleep without crying.
• Xiao Huaijin caught Xiao Lin’s sleeve in his sleep, and Xiao Lin sat beside him instead of letting go.

At court, Zhang Qian was accused of embezzling tax silver, but Sun Jingtang and Xiao Lin uncovered that forged evidence and a threat against Zhang Qian’s son had been used to frame him. Zhang Qian was cleared, while Shen Mingzhu watched Xiao Yu grow close to Xiao Huaijin and decided to remain for her son a little longer.

• He Minzhong accused Zhang Qian of embezzling three thousand taels, and Sun Jingtang defended Zhang Qian while Shen Boyong remained silent.
• Sun Jingtang showed Xiao Lin that the tax records contradicted the receipt, and Xiao Lin ordered him to investigate who had handled Zhang Qian’s seal.
• Kong Wu reported that Zhang Qian’s son had been kidnapped, and Xiao Lin ordered him found.
• Kong Wu rescued Zhang Qian’s son, while Sun Jingtang traced the borrowed seal to an administrative officer surnamed Cui, a younger cousin of Cui Shen’s clan.
• Xiao Lin cleared Zhang Qian and restored him to his post; He Minzhong requested punishment for his mistake, and Sun Jingtang transferred Officer Cui to Lingnan.
• Shen Mingzhu watched Xiao Yu in the courtyard and decided to stay until her son no longer needed her.

Xiao Huaijin warmed Xiao Lin’s hands with an old copper hand warmer, while Xiao Yu and Xiao Lan brought him gloves and hot soup. As Xiao Lin watched the children grow closer, he ordered Kong Wu to keep investigating Zhao Bao, Shen Boyong, and the people around Shen Mingzhu.

• Xiao Huaijin noticed Xiao Lin’s cold hand and brought him a copper hand warmer filled with hot water.
• Xiao Yu delivered rabbit-fur gloves made by the Noble Consort, and Xiao Lan brought red bean soup with glutinous rice balls for the children and Xiao Lin.
• Kong Wu reported Zhao Bao’s visits to the chancellor’s residence and Cui Shen’s withdrawal from social engagements, and Xiao Lin ordered closer surveillance of the Shen Clan and the Palace of Nurtured Elegance.
• Xiao Huaijin fell asleep after asking whether Xiao Lin had eaten the soup and whether the hand warmer was still hot.
• Xiao Lin refilled the hand warmer, tucked the quilt around Xiao Huaijin, and returned to reviewing memorials.

Xiao Huaijin and Xiao Lin spent the winter solstice sharing dumplings, gifts, and a banquet with the imperial family. Xiao Lin promised Xiao Huaijin they would celebrate together every year, leaving him content as the long winter night began.

• Xiao Huaijin made lamb-and-carrot dumplings for Xiao Lin, who praised them and explained why the emperor offered sacrifices on the winter solstice.
• Xiao Huaijin arranged gifts from the palace consorts and princes, and Xiao Yu gave him a rabbit-fur muff made by Shen Mingzhu.
• Xiao Lin invited the harem consorts and the princes and princesses to the winter solstice banquet alongside the officials and imperial clansmen.
• Xiao Yue ran up to Xiao Lin with a dumpling from Consort Xian and urged him to eat it so his ears would not freeze; Xiao Lin accepted it and praised it.
• Xiao Huaijin told Xiao Lin he was happy not to be alone for the winter solstice, and Xiao Lin promised they would celebrate together every year.

After the Shen Clan was exposed for treasonous schemes, Shen Mingzhu poisoned herself and died, leaving her young son Xiao Yu in the care of the imperial family. Crown Prince Xiao Huaijin comforted Xiao Yu at Consort Jing’s palace and promised to stay by him.

• A palace maid told Shen Mingzhu that the Imperial Guards had arrested Shen Boyong and others, uncovered evidence of a plot against the crown prince, and received an order to execute the Shen Clan.
• Shen Mingzhu gave her mother’s gold bracelets to the maid for Xiao Yu and drank poisoned wine before he returned from the courtyard.
• Xiao Yu found Shen Mingzhu dying, begged her not to leave, and heard her tell him to follow Xiao Huaijin and not carry her guilt.
• Shen Mingzhu died after Liu An carried Xiao Yu away, and Xiao Lin sent Xiao Huaijin to comfort his younger brother.
• Xiao Huaijin brought warm osmanthus cakes to Consort Jing’s palace, sat with Xiao Yu, and told him to remember that his mother had been good to him.

After the Shen Clan’s downfall, Xiao Huaijin helped Xiao Yu recover from grief and promised never to abandon him, while Xiao Lin guided his son’s lessons in rulership and personal responsibility. The chapter ended with Xiao Lin watching over the sleeping Xiao Huaijin and hoping that all the children would be safe.

• Xiao Huaijin visited Xiao Yu with Spring Festival couplets and osmanthus cakes, then promised to keep teaching him and never stop speaking to him; Xiao Yu smiled and sealed their promise with a thumbprint.
• Xiao Lin tested Xiao Huaijin’s understanding of virtue and power, then gave him a memorial about a prefect in Hejian to investigate; Xiao Huaijin connected the candidate to old tax receipts.
• Xiao Yu began lessons with Xiao Huaijin, and the two princes built a snowman with Xiao Lan and Xiao Rui.
• Xiao Huaijin asked whether Xiao Yu might be blamed for his mother’s wrongdoing, and Xiao Lin told him that each person chose his own path.
• Xiao Lin tucked in the sleeping Xiao Huaijin, moved the brazier closer, and murmured that he wanted all the children to be well.

Xiao Huaijin and his siblings joined Xiao Lin for the spring hunt, where they practiced riding and archery and shared a lively evening by the bonfire. The chapter ended with Xiao Yu thinking about his late mother and hoping to shoot a rabbit during the hunt’s final half day.

• Xiao Lin told Xiao Huaijin that he and his siblings would attend the spring hunt, and Xiao Huaijin praised Xiao Yu’s improving handwriting.
• At the Northern Park Hunting Grounds, Xiao Huaijin rode with his siblings as Xiao Lin started the hunt.
• Xiao Huaijin missed a pheasant with his first shot, while Xiao Yu caught a gray rabbit and nearly fell before his brother caught him.
• Xiao Lin shot a roe deer, and Xiao Huaijin showed him the pheasant he had later managed to shoot.
• The children gathered by the bonfire, where Xiao Yu and Xiao Yue tried and failed to draw Xiao Lin’s iron-backed bow.
• That night, Xiao Yu held his late mother’s bracelet and fell asleep hoping to shoot a rabbit the next day.

Xiao Lin promoted Consort Jing and Consort Xian to share responsibility for the six palaces, while also elevating Consort Li and Consort De. As Xiao Lin reflected on his son’s future and the mistakes of his past life, he considered arranging for Xiao Huaijin to attend the coming summer-welcoming ceremony.

• Xiao Lin asked Zhou Rucheng and Sun Jingtang for advice before deciding how to fill the vacant harem leadership role.
• Xiao Lin issued an investiture decree promoting Consort Jing to Noble Consort Jing, Consort Xian to Noble Consort Xian, Concubine Li to Consort Li, and Consort De to Consort Xiande.
• Noble Consort Jing recognized that Xiao Lin had elevated Noble Consort Xian alongside her to keep her from standing alone as a target, while Noble Consort Xian invited her to tea.
• Consort Li welcomed the move to the warmer main hall of the Palace of Great Brilliance, and Consort De sent Xiao Lin a Heart Sutra she had copied for Xiao Huaijin.
• Xiao Huaijin praised Xiao Lin as a better emperor than Emperor Xuan of Han, and Xiao Lin told him that a ruler’s greatest mistake was refusing to admit and correct his errors.
• After tucking Xiao Huaijin into bed, Xiao Lin read about the upcoming summer-welcoming ceremony and remembered that Huaijin had never attended one before age ten in his previous life.

Xiao Huaijin took part in the Start of Summer ceremony as the crown prince’s second offering, but discovered he had left his invocation behind. He recited it from memory without panicking, and Xiao Lin praised him on the journey back to the palace.

• Xiao Huaijin prepared for the ceremony and traveled with Xiao Lin to the southern outskirts, where he asked whether he could harvest the ceremonial millet in autumn.
• Xiao Lin performed the first offering, and Xiao Huaijin approached Zhurong’s spirit tablet for the second offering.
• Xiao Huaijin realized his invocation was missing, steadied himself, and recited every line from memory.
• Xiao Huaijin completed the offering, and Xiao Lin quietly stroked his hair as he returned to his side.
• Xiao Lin praised Xiao Huaijin for remaining calm and revealed that he had also lost his invocation during his first second offering.
• Xiao Huaijin leaned against Xiao Lin and told him he had been amazing too, while silently memorizing the invocation again.

Xiao Huaijin studied the state salt-and-iron monopoly and proposed regulating illicit salt sales rather than relying on ineffective bans. Xiao Lin ordered officials to develop salt-price reforms and began training his son to handle state affairs.

• Xiao Huaijin argued to Zhou Rucheng that salt-and-iron policy could benefit both the state and the people if officials managed it properly.
• Xiao Huaijin examined Hejian Prefecture’s declining salt-tax revenues with Xiao Lin and proposed registering illicit salt dealers, taxing them, and allowing sales in designated places.
• Xiao Huaijin suggested initially keeping the tax low and sharing revenue with local authorities, and Xiao Lin helped him develop the reform plan.
• Xiao Yu quietly left mung bean cakes for Xiao Huaijin and distracted Xiao Yue so the crown prince could continue studying.
• Xiao Lin assigned Sun Jingtang and Kong Wu to teach Xiao Huaijin to read revenue ledgers and defense maps, and Xiao Huaijin studied late into the night.
• Xiao Lin ordered the Ministry of Revenue and the Salt and Iron Office to devise fairer salt prices and regulations within three months.