Chapter Summaries

Su Yao and the other women planned ways to earn the people’s goodwill and fund businesses in Yi Prefecture while Gu Moran avoided his bitter medicine. That night, Prefect Si Renyou and Commandant Zhen Daijin arrived at the prince’s residence together and waited in tense silence for Gu Moran.

• Su Yao proposed sending damp-proofing plans to the prefectural government and opening tea, storybook, medicinal cuisine, and Shu brocade businesses in Yi Prefecture.
• The women assigned responsibilities for the ventures, while Gu Moran drank Shen Ling’er’s deliberately bitter medicine.
• Gu Moran reviewed the plan to gain a reputation through grain preservation before opening shops to earn silver.
• Si Renyou and Zhen Daijin arrived at the residence separately, met at the gate, and glared at each other.
• Gu Moran told Uncle Fu to admit both visitors, then asked Shen Ling’er for medicine to help him put on an act.
• Si Renyou and Zhen Daijin sat apart in the main hall, waiting in silence as footsteps approached.

Gu Moran gave Si Renyou and Zhen Daijin plans for damp-proofing the prefectural granaries and military stables, and both officials saw evidence of his ability. As they began to respond to him with greater trust, Su Yao and the other women assembled a broad development plan for Yi Prefecture, while Gu Moran remained occupied with his medicine.

• Gu Moran agreed to have Uncle Fu copy his drainage and ventilation sketches for Si Renyou and Zhen Daijin, while presenting them as notes he had tried on a whim.
• Uncle Fu delivered the copied plans to the prefectural offices and military camp the next morning.
• Lin Xin tested the stable design, confirmed that its floor stayed dry, and Zhen Daijin ordered all thirty-six stables altered.
• Si Renyou studied the detailed granary plans, recalled the instruction to keep Yi Prefecture safe for Gu Moran, and told Fang Bi to quietly build ties with the prince.
• Su Yao and five other women showed Gu Moran their comprehensive plan for Yi Prefecture's infrastructure, businesses, connections, and funding, while Shen Ling'er pressed him to drink his medicine.

Gu Moran helped Su Yao, Murong Xue, Lin Qingdai, Xie Wanqing, Liu Ruyan, and Shen Ling'er prepare disguises for their undercover trip to the newly opened Mixue Ice City. After settling into their male disguises, the group departed for the west side of Yi Prefecture City.

• Flower-Between Pavilion's agents forged identities and took over a two-story shop in the west of the city in three days.
• Su Yao and Murong Xue emerged in male disguises, and Gu Moran adjusted Murong Xue's crooked fake beard.
• Lin Qingdai and Xie Wanqing showed their disguises, while Liu Ruyan offered advice on acting and gave Xie Wanqing a tint for her pale hands.
• Gu Moran helped Shen Ling'er tighten her chest bindings, and she gave him medicine to take if his chest felt tight.
• Uncle Fu prepared three carriages, and the seven set out in two groups for the main street in the west of the city.

Tiedan and fifty children promoted the newly opened Mixue Ice City by singing its catchy jingle through Yi Prefecture. Prince An’s spies, Zheng Hao and Chen Qing, mistook the song and shop sign for clues to Prince Yi’s supposed loss of power to his wives, then went to investigate the shop.

• Tiedan led fifty children through the west side of Yi Prefecture, singing Mixue Ice City’s jingle and handing out fruit tea.
• Zheng Hao and Chen Qing watched the procession from a tea stall while investigating Prince Yi for Prince An, Gu Mochen.
• Chen Qing interpreted “Love tigers, yo” as a coded reference to Prince Yi’s six wives controlling him, and Zheng Hao recorded the theory.
• Chen Qing decided the shop’s name hinted at a struggle for power in Prince Yi’s household, and Zheng Hao took the interpretation seriously.
• Chen Qing and Zheng Hao left the tea stall to investigate Mixue Ice City, where Chen Qing spotted the person in charge.

Su Yao hired Yun Shuyue as Mixue Ice City’s first express courier after she proved she could race across the city without spilling a drop. Gu Moran watched the shop’s operations and Prince An’s spies from upstairs, while Shen Ling'er brought him medicine and revealed she had saved candied fruits for Yun Shuyue’s children.

• Su Yao recruited express couriers by challenging them to carry a bowl of water from the west of the city to Fortune Comes Alley in the east within half an incense stick.
• Yun Shuyue, disguised as a thin young man, raced over rooftops with the bowl intact and was hired in exchange for meals, wages, and unlimited meat buns.
• Su Yao recognized Yun Shuyue as the chief from Black Wind Pass but did not expose her, and Lin Qingdai confirmed she had come from Black Wind Stronghold.
• Gu Moran read the system’s information about Yun Shuyue and Prince An’s two spies, and approved of their mistaken belief that he was a powerless figurehead.
• Shen Ling'er brought Gu Moran fresh medicine, refused to give him candied fruit, and said she had wrapped the last three pieces for Yun Shuyue’s children.

Gu Moran and Su Yao used Mixue Ice City’s membership offer to draw in Chen Qing and Zheng Hao, Prince An’s agents, and secure a meeting with them. Gu Moran sent Batuer downstairs to pose as the shopkeeper, leaving the agents expecting a private audience.

• Shen Ling'er gave Gu Moran a mint pill as Chen Qing and Zheng Hao arrived at Mixue Ice City.
• Chen Qing and Zheng Hao sampled the goat's milk fruit tea and asked to meet the shopkeeper.
• Su Yao offered membership perks, and Chen Qing deposited twenty taels for a private meeting.
• Zheng Hao followed by depositing twenty taels as well.
• Gu Moran chose Batuer to receive the agents and told her to answer their questions with ignorance and a glare.

Prince An's spy Chen Qing became infatuated with Batuer after mistaking her for a man, while Gu Moran decided to let the spy remain at Mixue Ice City. Batuer returned upstairs with Chen Qing's fifty-tael gift, troubled that he liked her as “Brother Ba” despite her being a woman.

• Chen Qing saw Batuer and immediately abandoned his business plan to flatter her and seek her company.
• Chen Qing gave Batuer fifty taels and promised to visit Mixue Ice City every day, while Zheng Hao tried to continue the intelligence mission alone.
• Gu Moran and Su Yao watched Chen Qing's behavior, and Gu Moran decided to keep him around because his infatuation would make him protect the shop.
• Shen Ling'er questioned Gu Moran about exploiting Batuer, but he argued that Batuer had received fifty taels.
• Batuer told Murong Xue that Chen Qing had praised her appearance and voice but called her Brother Ba, then admitted that she was a woman.

Su Yao expanded Mixue Ice City’s business while officials Si Renyou and Zhen Daijin wondered whether Prince Yi used sorcery and decided to push more work onto his residence. Late that night, Su Yao and Shen Ling'er crowded Gu Moran as he drew a drainage plan, until a roof tile cracked above them.

• Su Yao recognized an official carriage watching Mixue Ice City, while Si Renyou learned that Prince An’s intelligence chief had become devoted to helping Batuer and wondered if Prince Yi knew sorcery.
• Zhen Daijin met Si Renyou in the alley, and the two agreed to test Prince Yi by shifting any manageable administrative work onto Prince Yi's Residence.
• Chen Qing continued eagerly helping Batuer at the shop, while Su Yao planned an eastern branch, Xie Wanqing drafted a storybook sales contract, Liu Ruyan researched Shu brocade merchants, and Shen Ling'er developed medicinal desserts.
• Su Yao and Shen Ling'er leaned close to Gu Moran as they critiqued his concealed drainage-channel plan, and Shen Ling'er noticed his heartbeat had quickened.
• A roof tile cracked above Gu Moran, Su Yao, and Shen Ling'er, making all three look up.

Yun Shuyue delivered fruit tea to Gu Moran, learned he was Prince Yi, and discovered he had been asked to lead repairs at Black Wind Pass and suppress its bandits. Fearing an attack on her stronghold, she dropped to her knees and begged him not to use force.

• Yun Shuyue fell from the wall but landed safely, then ate Gu Moran's yam and jujube-paste cakes while chatting with him.
• Fang Bi and Lin Xin informed Gu Moran that he was to coordinate road repairs at Black Wind Pass and suppress the nearby bandits.
• Yun Shuyue realized that Gu Moran was Prince Yi and that Black Wind Pass was her territory.
• Gu Moran sighed that the residence lacked money to wipe out the bandits, and Yun Shuyue rushed out and knelt to warn him against attacking Black Wind Stronghold.

Gu Moran offered Black Wind Stronghold amnesty in exchange for roadwork, and Yun Shuyue persuaded every bandit to leave the mountain for food and lodging. At Mixue Ice City, Batuer impressed the newly hired security team with her strength, while Chen Qing rushed to take charge of them.

• Gu Moran gave Yun Shuyue an amnesty contract promising Black Wind Stronghold food, lodging, pork stew with vermicelli, and padded clothes in return for roadwork.
• Yun Shuyue returned to Black Wind Stronghold and announced the offer, prompting the bandits to pack up and leave with her.
• Thirty men hired by Chen Qing gathered behind Mixue Ice City to serve as its security team.
• Batuer shifted a heavy stone lion to make the men move aside, then began calling names from her roster.
• Chen Qing ran into the courtyard and announced that he would handle registration, squad assignments, and roll calls.

Gu Moran teased Su Yao and Shen Ling'er, then endured a bitter pill and provoked Lin Qingdai before sending the women away. Meanwhile, Chen Qing mourned Batuer's supposed indignities at Prince Yi's Residence.

• Chen Qing arranged thirty soldiers into ranks, declared that they must obey Batuer, and impressed Zheng Hao with his fawning conduct.
• Su Yao reviewed a street map with Gu Moran, who took her hand to mark where they needed a sluice gate.
• Shen Ling'er fed Gu Moran a bitter pill disguised as a sweet qi-replenishing medicine after catching him touching Su Yao.
• Gu Moran teased Lin Qingdai about sharing his chair, prompting her to blush and retreat to a side room.
• Su Yao and Shen Ling'er left the courtyard, and Gu Moran told Su Yao to have Uncle Fu handle the storehouse conversions.
• Chen Qing stared at Batuer's chipped bowl and lamented that a hero like him had to endure indignities at Prince Yi's Residence.

Chen Qing secretly requested eight thousand taels from Prince An, convinced he was recruiting Batuer and taking control of Prince Yi’s security brigade. Gu Moran intercepted the report and planned to use the money and brigade to strengthen his own forces in Yi Prefecture.

• Chen Qing wrote Prince An a report claiming Prince Yi was unfit to rule and requesting eight thousand taels to recruit Batuer and fund the security brigade.
• Chen Qing sent the report by carrier pigeon and promised Batuer a whole-lamb feast once the money arrived.
• Yun Shuyue saw Chen Qing kissing a chipped bowl and fled in disgust.
• Gu Moran intercepted the pigeon’s intelligence and told Uncle Fu that Prince An’s funds would cover weapons and food for his troops.
• Gu Moran instructed Su Yao to equip Yun Shuyue’s couriers with grappling gear for reconnaissance, modify ice carts for hidden cargo, and arm the security brigade with heavy staffs and shields for infantry drills.

After finding Black Wind Stronghold abandoned, Zhao Wuxu abandoned his plan to win Yun Shuyue over and set out to gain Lady Wang’s favor instead. He eased her migraines, moved into the surveillance commissioner’s residence, and became her godson.

• Zhao Wuxu arrived at Black Wind Stronghold and found that Yun Shuyue and the others had left with everything.
• Zhao Wuxu decided to approach Lady Wang, Yun Zhengze’s second wife, after his original plan failed.
• Zhao Wuxu stopped Lady Wang’s sedan chair and used his acupressure technique to relieve her migraine.
• Lady Wang invited Zhao Wuxu to live in the surveillance commissioner’s residence, where he treated her migraines and kept her company.
• Lady Wang asked Zhao Wuxu to become her godson, and he knelt to kowtow to her.

Zhao Wuxu persuaded Lady Wang to let him investigate a suspicious fruit tea shop, then saw Yun Shuyue delivering tea in a snowman hat and marched toward the shop with the manor’s troops. He headed west with twelve armed men, intending to inspect the business and confront the people there.

• Zhao Wuxu ingratiated himself with Lady Wang and told her that a fruit tea shop called Mixue Ice City had dozens of workers drilling with staves and shields.
• Lady Wang gave Zhao Wuxu her waist token and instructed him to investigate the shop and its owners.
• As Zhao Wuxu left the manor, he saw Yun Shuyue fly past in a yellow vest while delivering fruit tea.
• Zhao Wuxu broke his jade pendant in anger, then ordered twelve armed men to accompany him to the shop for a routine inspection.
• Zhao Wuxu led the manor’s troops west through the city, displaying Lady Wang’s waist token.

Zhao Wuxu arrived at Mixue Ice City to conduct an inspection and kicked down the shop’s sign, prompting Chen Qing and his thirty men to confront him. The chapter ended with Chen Qing ordering his men to form up against Zhao Wuxu and his guards.

• Chen Qing presented Batuer with new boots and showed her the thirty-man patrol he had organized, while she rejected his gifts and told him he was acting strangely.
• Zhao Wuxu arrived with twelve guards, kicked down the shop’s sign, and announced that the Judicial Commissioner’s Office was conducting an inspection.
• Chen Qing blew his whistle, and his thirty men rose to arms as Batuer demanded to know why Zhao Wuxu had kicked the sign.
• Chen Qing accused Zhao Wuxu of attacking the shop and rallied his men to break his legs, while Zhao Wuxu revealed his official token and claimed to be the Judicial Commissioner’s wife’s son.
• Chen Qing decided to defy Zhao Wuxu despite the token, drew his saber, and ordered his men to raise shields and ready their poles.

Chen Qing’s shield-and-staff formation defeated Zhao Wuxu and his guards, driving the judicial commissioner’s agent into the mud. Upstairs, Gu Moran watched the fight and flirted with Shen Ling'er, Su Yao, and Lin Qingdai, ending by pulling Lin Qingdai closer.

• Chen Qing ordered his thirty men to advance in formation, and their shields and iron-clad staffs quickly knocked down Zhao Wuxu’s twelve guards.
• Zhao Wuxu tried to invoke the judicial commissioner’s authority, but the fighters struck him down and shattered the jade at his waist.
• Chen Qing told Zhao Wuxu he was unfit to wreck Shopkeeper Ba’s place, then eagerly accepted a peanut from Batuer after she praised his formation.
• Gu Moran watched the fight from upstairs while Shen Ling'er fed him honeydew and he teased Su Yao as she checked the accounts.
• Gu Moran noticed Lin Qingdai standing apart and tugged her saber tassel, drawing her half a step closer.

Gu Moran enjoyed the chaos as Prince An’s soldiers beat Zhao Wuxu, while Yun Shuyue accidentally stepped on Zhao’s head and knocked out his front teeth. Zhao then manipulated Lady Wang into leading an armed force against the tea shop.

• Gu Moran joked with Su Yao about the costs of the street fight while Lin Qingdai blushed over her saber tassel.
• Yun Shuyue stepped on Zhao Wuxu’s head as she leapt over the crowd, smashing his front teeth before delivering milk tea to the shop.
• Zhao Wuxu returned to Lady Wang and falsely described the tea shop’s soldiers and their weapons to provoke her.
• Lady Wang ordered Steward Zhang to gather thirty armed men and prepared to go to the tea shop herself.
• Zhao Wuxu secretly resolved to use Lady Wang’s attack to get revenge on Yun Shuyue and the shop.

Lady Wang tried to seize Yun Shuyue on the street, but Gu Moran and his companions intervened after his delivery worker was struck. Lady Wang revealed that Yun Shuyue was the surveillance commissioner’s legitimate daughter, leaving Gu Moran’s group stunned.

• Lady Wang arrived at Mixue Ice City with thirty household guards and recognized Yun Shuyue, ordering her to be taken home.
• Yun Shuyue tried to escape while protecting five cups of fruit tea, but a guard struck her across the back.
• Gu Moran shouted that someone was trying to assassinate him, and Lin Qingdai knocked five guards to their knees while Murong Xue tore the roof off Lady Wang’s sedan.
• Gu Moran confronted Lady Wang and claimed her guards had threatened him, forcing her to apologize and explain that she wanted to take Yun Shuyue home as family.
• Lady Wang revealed that Yun Shuyue was the surveillance commissioner’s legitimate daughter, surprising Gu Moran’s companions.

Gu Moran sheltered the injured Yun Shuyue after forcing Lady Wang to retreat, then learned that she had fled with evidence against her father, Yun Zhengze. Chen Qing arrived with six thousand taels and asked for a larger role in Yi Prefecture's governance.

• Gu Moran warned Lady Wang that her public attack on Yun Shuyue would damage her household's reputation, prompting her to withdraw.
• Murong Xue and Shen Ling'er brought Yun Shuyue to the prince's residence, where Shen Ling'er treated her back injury and ordered three days of rest.
• Su Yao exposed Yun Shuyue's false name and asked why her father's household wanted her back, but Yun Shuyue remained silent.
• Liu Ruyan reported Yun Zhengze's secret dealings and missing salt tax records, and Gu Moran confirmed that Yun Shuyue had taken evidence against her father.
• Gu Moran ordered Liu Ruyan to avoid pressuring Yun Shuyue about the ledger and to watch the judicial commissioner's residence, especially Zhao Wuxu.
• Chen Qing delivered six thousand taels that Gu Moran recognized as funds routed from Prince An, then requested responsibilities beyond commanding thirty street guards.

Gu Moran invested six thousand taels in salt licenses, horses, grain, and road repairs, winning Si Renyou and Zhen Daijin’s allegiance to his plans for Yi Prefecture. He ended the night by sending his wives poems celebrating Chengdu, leaving them to react in their own ways.

• Gu Moran appointed Chen Qing Inspector of Horse Management for Prince Yi’s Residence and assigned him to oversee horse caravans on the wasteland outside the city.
• Gu Moran invited Si Renyou and Zhen Daijin to discuss Yi Prefecture’s needs and presented a plan for salt wells, horses and supplies, and an invisible supply line.
• Gu Moran proposed dividing six thousand taels among salt licenses, grain and horses for Zhen Daijin’s garrison, and road repairs at Black Wind Pass.
• Zhen Daijin agreed to the plan, and Si Renyou pledged his support after recalling Lord Liu’s similar plans from seventeen years earlier.
• Su Yao showed Gu Moran the accounts, and he gave her a poem about Chengdu.
• Gu Moran wrote poems for Shen Ling’er, Liu Ruyan, Xie Wanqing, Murong Xue, and Lin Qingdai, then sent them to their courtyards.