Chapter Summaries

After returning from Qingzhou Prefecture, Meng Anzhi learned that Shi Chong had become a Ministry of War official and accompanied him on a walk through the capital. The chapter left Jin Shanyao warning Meng Anzhi about Shi Chong’s interest in her, while Shi Chong discarded the gifts he had bought for her.

• Qing He returned to the capital with the convoy and told Zhou Xiaosi that Qing Yang had sent him needle pouches.
• Meng Anzhi reunited with Jin Shanyao and Meng Anci, and told them about her time in Qingzhou Prefecture and Shi Chong.
• Meng Anci told Meng Anzhi that Shi Chong had become Director of the Military Operations Bureau in the Ministry of War.
• Shi Chong visited Anzhi Hall, paid Meng Anzhi for saving him, and persuaded her to accompany him around the night market.
• Meng Anzhi noticed Shi Chong’s subtle attempts to steer her choices and led him back to Anzhi Hall.
• Jin Shanyao warned Meng Anzhi about the way Shi Chong looked at her, and Shi Chong discarded the masks and candied hawthorn after leaving.

Jin Shanyao attended the Lantern Festival banquet with Meng Anci and Meng Anzhi, where she ignored court etiquette and foiled Xiao Changchuan’s attempts to embarrass her. The young lady recruited to provoke Jin ended up humiliated, while Xiao Changchuan glared at her for failing.

• Jin Shanyao arrived at the imperial residence with Meng Anci and Meng Anzhi, tipped a eunuch for explaining the seating, and copied the other officials’ female relatives’ posture.
• When the emperor arrived, Jin Shanyao refused to kneel properly and fell forward instead, then returned to her seat after Meng Anci prompted her to rise.
• Xiao Changchuan watched Jin Shanyao and expected the pastries served to her table to provoke a reaction, but she shared them happily with Meng Anci and Meng Anzhi.
• Xiao Changchuan sent a palace maid to direct a young lady to snatch Jin Shanyao’s dried venison, but Jin took the meat back and cheerfully demonstrated that she knew how to eat it.
• The young lady deliberately left Jin Shanyao out when distributing crisp candy, but Jin told her to fetch peanut candy instead, leaving the young lady embarrassed and Xiao Changchuan glaring at her.

At the banquet, Jin Shanyao teased Xiao Changchuan while Meng Anci and Meng Anzhi encountered Zhao Zhiyuan and Shi Chong. The chapter left Shi Chong determined to pursue Meng Anzhi despite noticing her warm rapport with Zhao Zhiyuan.

• Jin Shanyao gave a little girl the pastry she had taken from Meng Anci, leaving Meng Anci and Xiao Changchuan jealous and upset.
• Xiao Changchuan challenged Jin Shanyao to come with him, and she left Meng Anci and Meng Anzhi to accompany the prince.
• Shi Chong watched Meng Anzhi with Zhao Zhiyuan and decided he would formally seek her hand in marriage.
• Meng Anci and Zhao Zhiyuan traded stories about their days copying books, making Meng Anzhi laugh.
• Meng Anci took Meng Anzhi to watch the fireworks, while Shi Chong watched them leave and then disappeared into the crowd.

Jin Shanyao confronted Xiao Changchuan about his lies, warned Shi Chong away from Meng Anzhi, and watched Cai Wenyan fail to draw Zhao Zhiyuan away from his mother. As she left the banquet with the Meng siblings in an ox cart, Jin Shanyao publicly shamed the officials’ wives for staring at it.

• Jin Shanyao told Xiao Changchuan she had never lied to him, while he angrily threatened her and ran off without showing her the way back.
• Shi Chong asked Jin Shanyao whether Meng Anzhi was betrothed, and she warned him not to jeopardize the official career he had earned.
• Jin Shanyao reunited with Meng Anzhi and her brother and chatted with them about the banquet’s fire-breather.
• Cai Wuyi left Zhao Zhiyuan with Cai Wenyan, who invited him to see a hot spring, but Zhao Zhiyuan declined to stay with his mother.
• After the banquet, Jin Shanyao took the siblings home by ox cart and called out the women who stared at it, making them look away.

Jin Shanyao’s old ox proudly provoked horses along the road, while Meng Anci brought pastries to court and sought Su Wenqian’s help investigating Yan Shuan’s suspected farmland tax evasion. The chapter ended with Jin Shanyao reassuring Meng Anci that she would help if he was bullied, and Meng Anci insisting it was his turn to protect her.

• Jin Shanyao’s old ox taunted the officials’ horses, and Jin Shanyao accidentally tore open a carriage curtain before apologizing to the frightened family inside.
• Meng Anci took Qing He’s walnut cakes to court and told Su Wenqian he wanted to visit his teacher’s home for dinner.
• Meng Anci told Su Wenqian he suspected Yan Shuan of secretly acquiring farmland and explained why he doubted Liu Wenbin was involved in trafficking ancient books.
• Su Wenqian agreed to check the tax registers and warned Meng Anci not to act without solid evidence.
• Jin Shanyao waited up for Meng Anci and offered to help if anyone bullied him, but Meng Anci said he would protect her now.

Old Madam Liu struggled to support her sick son, Liu Kangjian, while hiding her family’s hardship from him. She brought Meng Anzhi to their home for a consultation, where the doctor encountered Liu Kangjian and was left unaware of Old Madam Liu’s fear that she would recognize his family.

• Old Madam Liu asked Meng Anzhi to visit her sick son at their home in the Back Street Ward, and Meng Anzhi agreed to come by evening.
• Old Madam Liu tried to sell Liu Kangjian’s painted fans at a shop, but the shopkeeper drove her away.
• A meat seller gave Old Madam Liu pork in repayment for Lord Liu’s past kindness.
• Old Madam Liu hid the unsold fans and told Liu Kangjian they had sold, while he spoke of earning money by selling his writing and paintings.
• Old Madam Liu met Meng Anzhi at night and brought her to Liu Kangjian’s room, where Meng Anzhi saw him standing with a writing brush.

Meng Anzhi treated Liu Kangjian and rejected Shi Chong's advances, while Jin Shanyao watched and worried about Shi Chong's intentions. Shi Chong prepared a secured house and cage, and later lost his temper when Anzhi Hall returned the seafood he had sent.

• Meng Anzhi diagnosed Liu Kangjian's frail health and offered Old Madam Liu free leftover medicine if regular medicine was too costly.
• Shi Chong waited for Meng Anzhi in the snow, confessed that he liked her, and followed her to Anzhi Hall after she rejected him.
• Jin Shanyao watched through Meng Anzhi's necklace and restrained herself from intervening, while Shi Chong ordered a remote house reinforced and a bed-sized cage installed.
• Shi Chong sent seafood to Anzhi Hall, and Meng Anzhi had Zhou Xiaosi return it in different food boxes.
• Shi Chong kicked a servant who accepted the returned food and ordered the staff not to accept anything from Anzhi Hall again.

Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci visited the Liu household, where Meng Anci confronted Liu Kangjian about suspected thefts from the Hanlin Academy and offered protection in exchange for the truth. Liu Kangjian began recounting his family’s use of academy supplies and asked whether his mother would be safe if he spoke.

• Zhou Xiaosi tricked the Shi residence kitchen servant into accepting a basket of vegetables concealing seafood, and Shi Chong angrily ordered the servant beaten.
• Meng Anzhi learned that Liu Wenbin’s household might be connected to her brother’s imprisonment and went to visit the Liu family with Meng Anci.
• Meng Anzhi examined Liu Kangjian and prescribed another course of medicine while Meng Anci questioned the family about Hanlin Academy tribute paper.
• Meng Anci offered to protect Old Madam Liu at Anzhi Hall if Liu Kangjian told the truth, and Liu Kangjian began explaining that his father had brought home paper and ink from the academy.

Liu Kangjian confessed how Yan Shuan had framed his father and agreed to testify for Meng Anci. After Meng Anci brought the Liu family to Anzhi Hall, an assassin attacked them, but Meng Anci and Meng Anzhi stopped the arrows while Jin Shanyao taunted the attacker.

• Liu Kangjian told Meng Anci that Yan Shuan had arranged Zither Master Wu’s murder and forced Liu Kangjian’s father to take the blame.
• Liu Kangjian agreed to testify against Yan Shuan, and Meng Anci took him and Old Madam Liu home.
• Yan Shuan learned that Meng Anci had taken the Lius and decided to deal with him.
• At Anzhi Hall, Jin Shanyao provoked an assassin who fired at Liu Kangjian, but Meng Anci caught the arrow.
• The assassin fired at Old Madam Liu and Jin Shanyao, but Meng Anci and Meng Anzhi caught or avoided the arrows.

Jin Shanyao captured the assassin who had threatened Old Madam Liu and Liu Kangjian. At court, Meng Anci accused Yan Shuan of concealing land and taxes, prompting the emperor to order an investigation and assign the crown prince to handle the case and the assassination attempt.

• Old Madam Liu shielded Liu Kangjian and defied the assassin, but Jin Shanyao used her whip to capture him and stopped him from swallowing poison with Dahuang’s help.
• After waiting all night, Yan Shuan went to court unaware that his people had failed to carry out their mission.
• Meng Anci accused Yan Shuan of secretly dividing land among other people’s household registrations to evade tax limits, and presented evidence gathered from records and witnesses.
• The emperor ordered Xiao Yuan to lead an inquiry with the Ministry of Revenue, the Censorate, and the Court of Judicial Review, and told Yan Shuan to go home and await a decree.
• Meng Anci reported that Liu Wenbin’s family had survived an assassination attempt and that the culprit was in the Capital Prefecture jail; Lu Chi confirmed it, and the emperor assigned Xiao Yuan to handle the case too.
• After court, the officials kept their distance from Meng Anci and hurried to check their own landholdings, while Lord Li rushed to warn his household.

Xiao Yuan reported the conclusion of Yan Shuan’s case, and the emperor asked him to spare his younger brothers before handing him state affairs. Jin Shanyao returned to Qingzhou Prefecture with Meng Anzhi and reunited with Xiao Huzi, who begged her for talisman paper after his family beat him.

• At the Hanlin Academy, Meng Anci warned Sun Yan not to meddle in Yan Shuan’s case or expose himself.
• Xiao Yuan told the emperor that Yan Shuan had concealed more than three thousand mu of land and that Liu Wenbin had been pardoned from the death penalty for helping the court.
• The emperor made Xiao Yuan promise to let his younger brothers live out their natural lives if they did not rebel, then ordered him to handle state affairs.
• Jin Shanyao and Meng Anzhi left the capital for Qingzhou Prefecture, promising Meng Anci they would return and reminding him to stay safe.
• After arriving in Qingzhou Prefecture, Jin Shanyao checked Lush Mountain with her Spiritual Power and spent time with Shopkeeper Wang.
• Xiao Huzi clung to Jin Shanyao and asked her for ten sheets of Beating-Resistance Talisman Paper after his parents and grandfather beat him.

Jin Shanyao comforted Xiao Huzi and gave him talisman papers before leaving Qingzhou Prefecture. After returning to the capital, she reunited with Meng Anci and Meng Anzhi, while Shi Chong continued to watch them.

• Xiao Huzi complained about being punished for refusing to kneel in the ancestral hall, and Jin Shanyao agreed to draw him more Beating-Resistance Talisman Paper.
• Jin Shanyao explained that talismans required Spiritual Power, and Xiao Huzi argued that he owed care to his parents rather than ancestors he had never known.
• Xiao Huzi repeatedly begged Jin Shanyao to buy him, but she eventually left Qingzhou Prefecture, leaving him heartbroken.
• In the capital, Meng Anci waited anxiously for Jin Shanyao and Meng Anzhi, and welcomed them when they returned to Anzhi Hall.
• Meng Anci shielded Meng Anzhi when they saw Shi Chong, and Jin Shanyao began to pursue him before Meng Anzhi stopped her.
• Jin Shanyao warned Meng Anzhi not to kill anyone, and the three went to the Top Scholar Tower and walked around the streets.

Meng Anzhi foiled Shi Chong’s attempt to abduct her and tested a new poison on him, while Jin Shanyao recognized the incident as resembling a novel. The next day, Meng Anzhi poisoned Shi Chong again to record its effects, and he recovered by morning despite the physicians’ failure to treat him.

• A man lured Meng Anzhi into an alley, where Shi Chong tried to give her a gift and then ordered thugs to seize her.
• Meng Anzhi incapacitated the thugs, poisoned Shi Chong, and left him suffering after he agreed not to go back on their word.
• Jin Shanyao watched through Meng Anzhi’s necklace, recognized the events as resembling The Overbearing Prince’s Forced Love, and found notes in the book by Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci.
• The following evening, Meng Anzhi poisoned Shi Chong again, recorded his reactions, and left him to endure severe pain.
• Physicians at the Shi Residence failed to cure Shi Chong overnight, but he recovered by the next morning.

Meng Anzhi came of age, and Jin Shanyao entrusted Anzhi Hall’s property to her. Meanwhile, Silla envoys arrived with plans to challenge the Sheng Dynasty, while Jin Shanyao went to enjoy the mountain plants.

• After nearly half a month of Meng Anzhi testing medicines on Shi Chong, he paid Lu Chi a thousand taels to make her stop, and she accepted the money and left him alone.
• On the nineteenth day of the sixth month, Jin Shanyao dressed Meng Anzhi for her coming-of-age ceremony and led her to offer incense to her parents.
• Jin Shanyao gave Meng Anzhi Anzhi Hall’s deeds and property, saying they would help protect her and urging her to face the world with courage.
• After debating when Meng Anci should come of age, Jin Shanyao forgot the question and went toward the city outskirts.
• Jin Shanyao overheard Silla envoy You Tuo and Jin Xiaoji plot to humiliate the Sheng Dynasty, then headed to the mountain and chatted with the frightened plants.

Jin Shanyao learned about the Silla envoys’ upcoming palace gathering, then intervened after witnessing Zhou Rourou confront her unfaithful husband. She urged Zhou Rourou to reclaim her dowry, but Zhou took her advice violently and pinned Leshan and Yuniang down with a cleaver.

• Meng Anci told Jin Shanyao and Meng Anzhi that the Silla envoys had requested their attendance at a daytime palace gathering, and Jin warned Meng Anzhi to bring a sharp hairpin.
• Jin Shanyao overheard Zhou Rourou accuse Leshan of using her dowry to support his studies and keep Yuniang, but Leshan left with Yuniang after knocking Zhou down.
• Jin Shanyao comforted Zhou Rourou and urged her to demand back the money she had spent on Leshan, handing her the cleaver and warning her not to take a life.
• Zhou Rourou charged after Leshan and Yuniang and pinned them to the ground, holding the cleaver to Leshan’s neck while demanding her dowry back.
• Jin Shanyao arrived and watched in alarm as Zhou threatened to slit Leshan’s throat and turn him into mince.

Zhou Rourou forced Leshan and Yuniang to hand over money and jewelry, while Jin Shanyao later attended a palace banquet where Silla challenged the Sheng Dynasty to an idiom contest. The contest began with Jin Shanyao and Xu Pingwan trading alarming answers.

• Zhou Rourou threatened Leshan and Yuniang with a knife until they revealed their savings and gave her Yuniang’s hairpin and bracelet.
• Jin Shanyao, Meng Anzhi, and Meng Anci attended a palace banquet and met the Silla envoy You Tuo.
• You Tuo asked for Su Wenqian and Meng Anci, then requested that Jin Shanyao and Meng Anzhi sit near him.
• You Tuo proposed an idiom contest, and Xiao Yuan invited Xu Pingwan to join Jin Shanyao against the Silla sisters Ming Shan and Pu Shan.
• Jin Shanyao answered that no one had slipped through the net, and Xu Pingwan replied that men and women of every age meant executing the entire household.

At a state banquet, the Sheng Dynasty won an idiom contest with Jin Shanyao and Xu Pingwan’s grim answers, then impressed the Silla delegation with Su Wenqian’s and Jin Shanyao’s archery. You Tuo continued trying to provoke the Sheng officials and proposed a horsemanship demonstration, leaving Xiao Yuan displeased.

• Jin Shanyao and Xu Pingwan won the first idiom round with answers that shocked Ming Shan, Pu Shan, and the Sheng officials, delighting the emperor.
• You Tuo ended the riddles after the Sheng Dynasty gained the advantage, then requested a display of the Sheng military’s skills.
• At the training grounds, You Tuo challenged Su Wenqian to shoot; Su hit the bullseye, but Jin Xiaoji knocked Su’s arrow from the target.
• Jin Shanyao split Jin Xiaoji’s arrow with a thrown arrow and struck the bullseye, stunning You Tuo and making Jin Xiaoji retreat from her.
• You Tuo proposed a demonstration of Sheng horsemanship, while Xiao Yuan grew displeased with Silla’s repeated provocations.

After Lu Mingzhe’s dirty move ended the horse race, Xiao Yuan proposed polo, and You Tuo arranged a mixed match between the Sheng Dynasty and Silla. Jin Shanyao turned the match into a farce by repeatedly presenting the ball to Jin Xiaoji, leaving You Tuo furious and the game stalled.

• Lu Mingzhe tried to knock Jin Xiaoji from his horse, but Jin Xiaoji dodged and Lu Mingzhe crashed to the ground.
• Xiao Yuan proposed polo, and You Tuo insisted that women join the match; Madam Su, Fu Congxi, Jin Shanyao, Meng Anzhi, Meng Anci, and Zhao Zhiyuan volunteered for the Sheng Dynasty team.
• You Tuo secretly told the Silla women to target Jin Shanyao, while Xiao Yuan arranged horses for the Sheng team and Jin Shanyao brought her old ox to the field.
• Jin Shanyao charged into the match on her ox, seized the ball, and repeatedly offered it to Jin Xiaoji instead of playing it, drawing fouls and frustrating the officials.
• Xiao Yuan asked Jin Shanyao to rest and let the Silla team take a turn, while Jin Shanyao offered to have Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci bring Jin Xiaoji the ball.

After Jin Shanyao left the polo match, Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci fought back against the Silla players and led Sheng Dynasty to a decisive victory. At a banquet, Jin Shanyao humiliated two Silla noblewomen who mocked her, then silently warned Jin Xiaoji that they would meet again that night.

• After Jin Shanyao left the field, a Silla player tried to trip Meng Anzhi's horse, but Zhao Zhiyuan warned her and she rescued him from a fall.
• Zhao Zhiyuan called out danger to Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci, helping them score and fend off the Silla players' attacks.
• Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci fought side by side, leaving the Silla team beaten by the end of the match.
• At the banquet in Hanguang Hall, Jin Xiaoji seated two deaf and mute Silla noblewomen beside Jin Shanyao so they could mock her with gestures.
• Jin Shanyao blew out the oil lamp, and when it was relit the two women were clutching their eyes; Xiao Yuan dismissed Jin Xiaoji's complaint.
• Jin Shanyao silently mouthed “See you tonight” to Jin Xiaoji, leaving him confused.

After the banquet, Jin Shanyao promised to visit Jin Xiaoji at the embassy and went there in disguise to frighten and punish him. She left after realizing she had blamed him for something he had not done, then beat You Tuo next door.

• Jin Shanyao fed ginkgo leaves to the ox and horses after returning to Anzhi Hall, while Meng Anci and Meng Anzhi reviewed the day's battle.
• Jin Shanyao smeared ash on her face, dressed as a ghostly prisoner, and went to the embassy because she had promised Jin Xiaoji a visit.
• Jin Xiaoji woke to Jin Shanyao's frightening appearance and recognized her despite her disguise.
• Jin Shanyao questioned Jin Xiaoji, punched both his eyes, and kicked him before realizing he had not caused the offenses she listed.
• Jin Shanyao apologized to Jin Xiaoji and left, then attacked You Tuo in the neighboring room as Jin Xiaoji listened.