Recaps

Gu Moran used imperial marriage decrees to bind six powerful families to him and began earning his wives’ trust while weakening the Sons of Destiny tied to them. As Ye Qingyun’s arrival drew near, Noble Consort Chen summoned the six wives, and Gu Moran prepared for the meeting.

• Gu Moran recovered memories of his past life, learned the novel foretold his death, and accepted the Beauty Conquest System’s warning that he had seventeen months to live.
• Gu Moran identified six women whose affection sustained their paired Sons of Destiny and persuaded Noble Consort Chen to help him seek marriage decrees for all six.
• The emperor issued decrees marrying Gu Moran to Su Yao, Shen Ling'er, Murong Xue, Liu Ruyan, Lin Qingdai, and Xie Wanqing, while the system warned that he had thirty days after the weddings to earn their affection.
• Gu Moran passed the brides’ tests, including Lin Zhenshan’s strikes, Shen Ling'er’s medicine challenge, and Murong Xue’s horse ride, while Liu Ruyan agreed to stay with him on her own terms.
• Gu Moran held a wedding ceremony for all six women, meeting their varied challenges and entering Su Yao’s courtyard first despite her intense resistance.
• Gu Moran began visiting each wife and made small gestures that raised their favorability, while Su Yao found his political annotations and began investigating whether he had hidden advisers.
• Gu Moran strengthened his body and horsemanship, earned Murong Xue’s respect, sent Liu Ruyan thoughtful writing supplies, and outmaneuvered Shen Ling'er’s tests until her feelings turned positive.
• Gu Moran learned Ye Qingyun would reach the capital in ten days, ordered reports on Ye and other political figures, and prepared for Noble Consort Chen’s summons of all six wives.

Gu Moran prepared Xie Wanqing to face Ye Qingyun at the Hanlin Academy poetry gathering, where she defeated him in all three rounds and he publicly returned his betrothal document to the Su Clan. The gathering ended with Gu Moran advancing in rank and Ye Qingyun admitting defeat and promising Su Yao he would no longer use their engagement for fame.

• Noble Consort Chen welcomed Gu Moran’s six wives, and their affection for him rose after her kindness, and Shen Ling'er later visited Gu Moran, and they began a relationship that unsettled the other women.
• Gu Moran drew Su Yao closer while investigating Ye Qingyun’s journey and ties to Zhou Wenyuan, then arranged for Xie Wanqing to present poems at the gathering.
• Ye Qingyun arrived in the capital and learned that Su Yao had married Gu Moran, then resolved to attend the poetry gathering and reclaim the recognition he believed he deserved.
• At the gathering, Ye Qingyun impressed the crowd with his poems before publicly returning the Su Clan’s betrothal document and challenging Xie Wanqing in the spring-themed round.
• Xie Wanqing’s poems won the judges and scholars’ praise, and she defeated Ye Qingyun in the second round after he questioned whether she had received guidance from a man.
• When Zhou Wenyuan and Xu Wenli accused Xie Wanqing of receiving hints, Gu Moran challenged their claims and rebuked Ye Qingyun for using the gathering and the marriage contract to pursue a private grievance.
• Xie Wanqing won the final round, the judges recorded both poets’ work, and Ye Qingyun admitted defeat and told Su Yao he would stop using their engagement to gain fame.
• Gu Moran’s system announced his advancement to sixth rank as Gu Mochen watched, and Ye Qingyun suspected Gu Moran had arranged events behind the scenes.

After Ye Qingyun’s defeat at the poetry gathering, Gu Moran used a new martial arts school to draw him toward orthodox training while strengthening his own skills. Ye Qingyun joined Dragon Abyss, and Gu Moran continued training with Lin Qingdai and Murong Xue as Chu Tianxing neared the capital.

• Qian Muzhi praised Xie Wanqing’s verses and rebuked Ye Qingyun, while Gu Moran watched the failed highlight event and Ye Qingyun left after returning the marriage contract to Su Wenyuan.
• Su Yao confronted Gu Moran about his role in the poetry gathering and his annotations, and Gu Moran drew her into his embrace.
• Gu Moran received invitations from both princes, visited Crown Prince Gu Moyuan, and learned that the crown prince was wary of his marriages and unusual physical strength.
• After Ye Qingyun began training at an abandoned school, Gu Moran founded Dragon Abyss Martial Arts School nearby and arranged free lessons and meat porridge to attract him.
• Gu Moran began martial training with Lin Qingdai and Murong Xue, who noticed his strength and taught him staff work, combat awareness, and saber evasion.
• Ye Qingyun watched Dragon Abyss’s students train and eat, then refused to join until the school announced a tournament with a five-tael prize and porridge for all contestants.
• Ye Qingyun rejected the Second Prince’s silver, registered at Dragon Abyss, passed its stance test, and agreed to practice basic fist techniques before competing in the tournament.
• Gu Moran continued staff training with Lin Qingdai and began riding practice with Murong Xue, while Chu Tianxing approached the capital and Gu Moran ordered surveillance on the roads.

Gu Moran brought Chu Tianxing into a free clinic while Ye Qingyun’s reckless training worsened his injury, and Gu Moli’s palace visit stirred questions about her brother’s past. As the emperor took longevity pills marked by the Flower-Between Pavilion, Gu Moran began tracing the danger and Eunuch Zhang’s connection to an old case tied to his origins.

• Gu Moran arranged for Ye Qingyun to train at Dragon Abyss while watching his numb left arm, and Ye Qingyun pushed himself to grow strong enough to defeat Gu Moran.
• Murong Xue and Gu Moran grew closer through moonlit rides and her Northern Territory customs, until she accepted him into her tent and gave him her bronze bell.
• Gu Moran set up a free clinic to draw in Chu Tianxing, who treated patients and warned Ye Qingyun that his training had damaged his left arm.
• Gu Moli returned to the palace and argued with Noble Consort Chen about her brother’s claim to the throne before visiting Prince Yi’s Residence and testing Gu Moran’s bond with her.
• Gu Moli warned Gu Moran that people from the Crown Prince’s Residence would visit Chu Tianxing, and Chu Tianxing treated their poisoned youth with needles and careful instructions.
• Noble Consort Chen and Eunuch Zhang discovered a longevity pill marked with the Flower-Between Pavilion’s seal, then sent it to Prince Yi’s Residence for Shen Ling’er to examine.
• Shen Ling’er identified dangerous ingredients in the pill as Gu Moran learned the emperor might suspect him of regicide, while Noble Consort Chen questioned Eunuch Zhang about Liu Huaijin.
• Gu Moran learned Ye Qingyun’s arm had worsened and that he had accepted medicine from the second prince, then heard that Eunuch Zhang’s former name might connect him to an old case and Gu Moran’s origins.