Chapter Summaries

Xue Lin told Tong Aning that the Quiet Heart Temple offenders and Yuan Xiu would be punished, while Yan Yashi thanked Su Zhouyue and took one of Tong Aning’s paper cranes. At Tong Siyan’s shop, the sisters confronted Qi Yi over his attempt to reclaim Liang Mudan, and the dispute ended with Qi Yi learning that Master Xuanming was in prison.

• Xue Lin told Tong Aning that the Quiet Heart Temple monks would be executed and Yuan Xiu would be beheaded, while General Dingyuan and his wife had fallen ill.
• Yan Yashi thanked Su Zhouyue for helping her husband receive a proper burial, said she planned to care for her sick in-laws, and asked Tong Aning for a paper crane.
• Tong Yi'an and Tong Aning visited Tong Siyan at the shop, where Qiuli was learning bookkeeping, and soon heard that men from Earl Xingchang's Residence were causing trouble.
• Tong Siyan questioned Qi Yi when he tried to take Liang Mudan away, and Liang Mudan explained that she had fled after the Qi family tried to poison her and sell her.
• Cen Yu arrived and revealed that Master Xuanming was in prison; Tong Aning’s thoughts indicated that Xuanming had also swindled Qi Yi by claiming incense ash could cure every ailment.

Tong Siyan and her sisters exposed Qi Yi’s humiliating condition while helping Liang Mudan, then returned home to find Peng Chunlan acting unusually gracious before she asked Tong Aobai to secure an official post for a relative. When news arrived of a clash at the second branch, Su Zhouyue led the family off to watch.

• Cen Yu told Qi Yi that his testimony would worsen Xuanming’s punishment, and the Earl of Xingchang arrived to confront Tong Siyan’s family.
• Tong Siyan arranged for a doctor to examine Qi Yi, who learned that he would be unable to have children and stormed out in humiliation.
• Cen Yu took Liang Mudan to Jingzhao Prefecture, while Tong Siyan brought her sisters home to find Peng Chunlan waiting with gifts and unexpected kindness.
• Tong Aobai rejected Peng Chunlan’s attempt to claim his attention, and Tong Fengye joked that he was too filial to strike his father.
• Peng Chunlan asked Tong Aobai to help her grandson Rui’er obtain an official post, but a servant summoned her home before she could finish.
• After hearing that Rui’er had brought home the woman he loved and was fighting with his father, Su Zhouyue took the family to watch the commotion.

Tong Aning’s family uncovered Tong Weiran’s secret daughter and the Tong household descended into a family scandal. The next morning, Tong Fengye was reported for shooting birds, and Tong Aning exposed the apparently upright man supporting his grandmother as a flower thief.

• Tong Weiran tried to stop Tong Shengrui from bringing a girl into the residence, while Pan Zhu and Peng Chunlan defended the pair.
• Tong Aobai and Su Zhouyue revealed that the girl resembled Tong Weiran, and the girl’s mother arrived calling him her husband and saying their daughter was missing.
• Pan Zhu learned that Tong Shengrui and the girl were siblings, then confronted Tong Weiran and Peng Chunlan over their infidelity.
• Pan Zhu set fire to more than half of the Tong residence and returned to her maiden home.
• Peng Chunlan reported Tong Fengye to Cen Yu after he went outside to shoot birds, and Tong Aning identified the man defending her grandmother as a flower thief.

Tong Aning helped expose the flower thief, earning royal rewards and an invitation to the Noble Consort's flower-viewing banquet. At the banquet, Consort Lin arrived despite being pregnant, and Tong Aning's warning of a secret rendezvous left the Noble Consort alarmed.

• Sichen revealed that he had dressed as a woman and drugged the flower thief to lure him into confessing, and Cen Yu had the thief taken away.
• Cen Yu arranged for Peng Chunlan to be escorted home, while Su Zhouyue declined Tong Weiran and Tong Shengrui's request to find the woman and young lady who had left.
• Eunuch Wang delivered rewards from the emperor to Su Zhouyue and Tong Aning, along with an invitation to the Noble Consort's flower-viewing banquet.
• Su Zhouyue worried that Tong Aning's growing reputation could put her in danger, and Tong Aobai promised that their household would protect her.
• At the banquet, Wei Mingning and Princess Royal Xue Shang welcomed Tong Aning before the Noble Consort joined them.
• Consort Lin arrived at the banquet despite being pregnant, and Tong Aning warned that a secret rendezvous was about to occur, alarming the Noble Consort.

The emperor uncovered that the Consort Lin in the palace was her elder twin sister, who had secretly taken her place while the real Consort Lin was imprisoned. After rescuing Consort Lin and ordering the impostor arrested, Tong Aning returned home with Su Zhouyue and spotted Feng Ying in the street, apparently declaring his feelings to someone.

• Tong Aning and Xixi revealed that the Consort Lin in the palace was her elder twin sister, who had taken her place and had a scar burned onto the real Consort Lin’s wrist.
• The emperor confronted the impostor, and Eunuch Wang found the real Consort Lin imprisoned in Rosy Clouds Palace.
• The real Consort Lin exposed her elder sister, and Xixi revealed that the child the impostor carried was not the emperor’s; the emperor ordered the impostor taken away.
• The Noble Consort comforted Consort Lin and advised Tong Aning not to pity others too readily, then gave Tong Aning a pot of peonies.
• Tong Aning and Su Zhouyue spotted Feng Ying in the street, where he appeared to be insisting that he wanted to be with someone despite her mother’s objections.

Tong Fengye tried to study harder after Feng Chu outperformed him, then took Tong Aning shopping for her coming-of-age gift. At the jewelry shop, Yu Wan met Tang Hua over matching hairpins, while Tong Aning realized Tang Hua had staged their encounter.

• Feng Bo punished Feng Chu for enjoying Feng Ying’s public scandal, and Tong Fengye later brought Feng Chu ointment after Feng Bo made him kneel.
• Feng Chu vowed to study harder, beat Tong Fengye in the monthly examination, and spurred Tong Fengye to shut himself away and study.
• Tong Fengye failed Tong Yibin’s spot quiz and had to copy a book ten times, then remembered he had not chosen a gift for Tong Aning.
• Tong Fengye took Tong Aning shopping and bought her two hairpins she liked for her coming-of-age ceremony.
• Yu Wan and Tang Hua discovered they had chosen identical gold hairpins and began talking as the shop’s customers called them a destined match.
• Tong Aning recognized through Xixi’s thoughts that Tang Hua had bribed Yu Wan’s servants and arranged the encounter.

Tong Aning and Tong Fengye exposed Tang Hua as a fraud, while Yu Wan uncovered her steward’s role in his scheme and had him punished. At Tong Aning’s sixteenth-birthday coming-of-age ceremony, her family and friends gathered to celebrate her.

• Yu Wan rejected Tang Hua after learning he had schemed to win her favor and planned to take a maid into his residence.
• Xue Lin identified Tang Hua as Cheng Wang, who had married Miss Cui and was taken away to be buried with her after her family learned of his vow to die with her.
• Yu Wan confronted Uncle Zhou with evidence that he had helped Tang Hua, slapped him, and ordered him taken away; Yu Junhuai praised her and encouraged her to befriend Tong Aning.
• Su Zhouyue and Tong Siyan prepared Tong Aning for her sixteenth-birthday coming-of-age ceremony, which Wei Mingning, Xue Shang, Mingyue, Lou Yingyu, Azhu, Shen Tang, and Yu Wan attended.
• Su Zhouyue completed Tong Aning’s ceremony and wished her a happy birthday.

Tong Aning celebrated her coming-of-age ceremony with gifts and a firefly-lit birthday surprise from her family. Days later, at the Imperial Academy, the new classics teacher Yue Hangjin confronted Lou Yingyu over a lost autograph.

• Tong Aning and Tong Fengye examined her gifts, including presents from Xue Lin and Shen Tang, before Tong Fengye gave her a glowing hairpin.
• Tong Aning's family surprised her with fireflies, and she wished for them to stay together and live peacefully.
• Tong Yi'an, Tong Siyan, Tong Yibin, and Tong Fengye shared stories about catching the fireflies as the family celebrated Tong Aning's birthday.
• At the next ten-day examination, Lou Yingyu worried that the new classics teacher would punish her for her childhood pranks.
• Yue Hangjin recognized Lou Yingyu and revealed that she had cost him Mr. Feng's autograph, leaving her stunned.

Lou Yingyu reunited Yue Hangjin with Feng Yinsong, and the two scholars bonded before Yue tested Tong Aning, Lou Yingyu, and Azhu on their studies. Later, Feng Jingruo and Yan Yunze discussed Yan He’s matchmaking prospects, while Tong Aning’s system revealed startling secrets about him.

• Lou Yingyu pushed Yue Hangjin toward Feng Yinsong to get him a replacement autograph, and the two men discovered their mutual admiration for each other’s work.
• Yue Hangjin tested Tong Aning, Lou Yingyu, and Azhu on their recitations, encouraging Tong Aning while criticizing the others’ preparation.
• Tong Aning, Tong Fengye, and Feng Chu met Feng Jingruo, who told them Yan Yunze had gone to buy iced cream curds.
• Feng Jingruo and Yan Yunze discussed Yan He’s unsuccessful matchmaking meetings and decided to leave his marriage prospects to him.
• Tong Aning’s system revealed Yan He’s painful past and intimate secrets, leaving Yan Yunze stunned.

Yan He’s reunion with Juan Feixue ended in rejection, while Tong Aning and her companions visited the Yan residence and learned that Yan Fangling had protected Li Tian from dangerous connections. At the Duke of Anguo’s Residence, Han Zhuo woke and identified Han Rui as the person who pushed him into the water.

• Yan Yunze urged Yan He to tell his mother the truth and stop pursuing Juan Feixue, but Yan He ran after Juan Feixue when she left with her new partner.
• Yan Fangling invited Tong Aning, Feng Chu, and Tong Fengye to the Yan residence, where she revealed that she had known about Yan He’s past and that she had brought Li Tian into the family as her live-in husband.
• Li Tian complained that Yan Fangling restricted his freedom, then learned that she had kept him away from people involved in treason.
• Tong Aning and her companions went to the Duke of Anguo’s Residence after hearing Han Zhuo had nearly drowned again, where Qin Rong confronted the second branch of the family.
• Tong Aning’s thoughts revealed that Han Rui had pushed Han Zhuo into the water, and Han Zhuo confirmed it after waking.

Han Rui confronted Qin Rong after losing his position as heir, but she rejected his anger and sent him away with Mei Xiangyu. Tong Aning later dined with Lou Yingyu and Azhu, where they learned a man at the Spring Breeze House had murdered his wife and child, prompting Azhu to rush downstairs.

• Han Rui accused Han Zhuo of taking everything from him, but Qin Rong said Han Rui was stupid and explained that she valued Han Zhuo for his usefulness.
• Qin Rong ordered Tong Aning, Tong Fengye, Feng Chu, and Mei Xiangyu to leave, and they departed with Han Rui.
• Tong Aning reunited with Xue Lin and Sichen, who had returned from Jingzhao Prefecture after capturing a criminal, and learned that Miss Wen had gone to see Lord Cen.
• Lou Yingyu told Tong Aning and Azhu how she won three thousand taels from Lou Ming by knocking over his desk to retrieve a banknote.
• After hearing that a man at the Spring Breeze House had murdered his wife and child and stolen his in-laws' assets, Azhu hurried downstairs.

Tong Aning and her companions helped expose Feng Cheng for poisoning Qu Jing and causing the deaths of her and her son, and he was taken away to face execution. Later, Tong Aning continued practicing acupuncture with Xue Ruyun, just as Eunuch Wang arrived to summon the doctor.

• Azhu beat Feng Cheng at Spring Breeze House, and Xue Lin arrested him for the suspected murders of his wife and son.
• Qu Jing’s parents testified that Feng Cheng had given her a slow-acting poison disguised as medicine, while Tong Aning’s thoughts revealed how he had poisoned both Qu Jing and their son for money.
• Feng Cheng admitted he had wanted Qu Jing’s money and showed no remorse, so Cen Yu ordered him taken away and told her parents he would likely be beheaded.
• Tong Aning comforted Qu Jing’s parents and then went to eat with Lou Yingyu and Azhu.
• Tong Aning practiced acupuncture under Xue Ruyun’s guidance and successfully placed a needle correctly.
• Yingtao told Tong Aning that Eunuch Wang had arrived and Madam had asked Doctor Xue to come over.

Xue Ruyun was summoned to the palace, while Tong Aning learned about her master's past from Su Zhouyue. At the Imperial Academy, the emperor exposed a couple who had driven their daughter to suicide and tried to extort money, then left Tong Aning wondering why he had come.

• Xue Ruyun left for the palace after Eunuch Wang said the empress was unwell, and Su Zhouyue told Tong Aning that Xue Ruyun was a princess and the daughter of Consort Rong.
• Tong Aning stayed at the Imperial Academy overnight after Yingtao reported that Xue Ruyun was remaining in the palace.
• Tong Aning and Tong Fengye encountered a crowd outside the Imperial Academy, where a couple demanded compensation for their dead daughter.
• Tong Aning learned that the couple had already taken money from the Earl of Chende and had driven their daughter to suicide by planning to sell her as a concubine.
• Lou Yingyu confronted the couple, and Xue Lin presented witnesses and evidence that revealed the truth to the emperor.
• The emperor condemned the couple, ordered them taken away, and left Tong Aning wondering what had brought him to the Imperial Academy.

The emperor held an Imperial Academy examination that could lead directly to court service, alarming Tong Aobai, who feared for Tong Aning’s safety. After the emperor revealed the threat behind his decision and gave Tong Aning a precious gift, Tong Fengye failed to return home, and Xixi warned that he was in trouble.

• The emperor announced that outstanding examinees could enter court service, collected the papers, and said the top scorer would be named the next morning.
• Tong Aning returned home with Tong Fengye and discussed the examination with Su Zhouyue before suggesting that Tong Fengye was avoiding his schoolwork.
• Tong Aobai confronted the emperor over the possibility of Tong Aning entering court service, but agreed to let her serve through the examinations after hearing the emperor’s explanation and receiving a precious gift for her.
• Su Zhouyue ordered A Shu to bring Tong Fengye home, but neither returned, so she sent Uncle Zhao to find them.
• Xixi warned Tong Aning that Tong Fengye was in trouble.

Su Zhouyue and Tong Aobai helped Feng Jingruo and Feng Chu confront Feng Bo, and Feng Chu left the marquis’s residence to live with his sister. Xue Lin sought Tong Aning’s help with a task from the Empress, and the chapter ended with Tong Fengye announcing he would enlist in the army.

• Su Zhouyue stopped Feng Bo from striking Tong Fengye and demanded he explain why he was punishing Feng Chu.
• Feng Jingruo accused Feng Bo of neglecting her and Feng Chu, while Tong Fengye revealed that Feng Chu had tried to protect his mother’s dowry from Yang Rong.
• Feng Chu asked whether Feng Bo intended to take his mother’s dowry, then left with Feng Jingruo and Yan Yunze to live with his sister.
• Xue Lin delivered an item from the Empress to Tong Aning, who identified a shop in the north of the city as a possible lead.
• Tong Fengye told Tong Aning that he planned to enlist in the army.

Feng Chu and Tong Fengye decided to join the army, and Su Zhouyue gave them letters of introduction and advice about safeguarding Feng Chu’s mother’s dowry. At the Imperial Academy, Tong Aning, Lou Yingyu, and Azhu learned that the top students had been taken to the Court of Judicial Review Prison.

• Feng Chu told Tong Fengye he planned to join the army, and Tong Fengye decided to go with him.
• Tong Aobai and Su Zhouyue heard the young men’s decision, and Su Zhouyue gave each a sealed letter for the army and warned Feng Chu to protect his mother’s dowry.
• Tong Aning reassured Lou Yingyu that everyone had their own path, then suggested they pray for protective charms for Feng Chu and Tong Fengye.
• Eunuch Wang announced the Imperial Academy results and took one top student from each school away under an imperial decree.
• Lou Yingyu argued with Deng Qingji about their fathers before Tong Aning revealed that both first-place students had been shackled and taken to the Court of Judicial Review Prison.

Tong Aning supported Feng Jingruo as she stood up to Yang Rong and learned wound medicine from Xue Ruyun. At Xue Lin’s shop, she discovered that a man pursuing Xie Zhilin was treating her as a stand-in for someone else.

• Lou Yingyu, Tong Aning, and Azhu visited a temple, where they saw Xie Zhilin and an unidentified man meet.
• Tong Fengye gratefully accepted a protective talisman from Tong Aning and heart-protecting armor from Tong Siyan.
• Xue Ruyun visited Tong Aning and taught her to prepare wound medicine for Tong Fengye.
• Yang Rong reported Feng Chu for taking his mother’s dowry, but Feng Jingruo confronted her and asserted their independence; Tong Aning arrived to support Feng Jingruo.
• At Xue Lin’s shop, Tong Aning saw a man approach Xie Zhilin and realized he regarded her as a stand-in.

Xie Zhilin discovered that Song Lan had treated her as a stand-in for her sister, while Tong Aning helped expose his intentions and he was arrested. At a wedding banquet, Tong Aning witnessed Shen Xinrui lose his family status and the woman he loved after choosing her over the commandery princess.

• Xie Zhilin sent Song Lan away after realizing his fortune and declarations of love were false, and Tong Aning secretly gave the sisters a note revealing the woman he truly wanted.
• Song Lan returned at night and admitted he had chosen Xie Zhilin only as a second-best option to Xie Zhiyin; Xie Zhiyin broke off the engagement, and Song Lan was taken to Jingzhao Prefecture's prison.
• Tong Aning and Su Zhouyue arrived at a wedding banquet and saw Shen Xinrui bring home both Yanyan and the commandery princess in defiance of his family.
• The commandery princess and Shen Xinrui's father disowned him, and Yanyan immediately rejected him when he lost his status.

Princess Pingxuan exposed Shen Xinrui’s attempt to marry both her and Yanyan, and the wedding scandal ended with the empress fainting and the crown prince implicated. Days later, Tong Aning visited Xue Lin and joined him as a special consultant, where she watched Cen Yu investigate two men fighting over a woman who seemed to have multiple husbands.

• Princess Pingxuan told the empress that Shen Xinrui had tried to marry both her and Yanyan, then revealed that Yanyan loved the crown prince.
• Shen Xinrui held Yanyan while she professed her love for the crown prince, and the empress fainted in anger.
• Rumors about the wedding spread through the capital, and the emperor confined the crown prince to the Eastern Palace.
• Tong Aning asked Xue Lin whether he still had lessons while the crown prince was confined, and Xue Lin praised her dedication to medicine.
• Xue Lin and Tong Aning joined Cen Yu as he questioned two men who had fought, but a woman arriving to identify her husband claimed uncertainty between them.
• A third man arrived and called the woman his wife, leaving Cen Yu and the onlookers baffled.

Tong Aning joined Xue Lin at Jingzhao Prefecture as a special adviser and celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival with her family, who missed Tong Fengye and received his letter from the military camp. The evening ended with Xue Lin visiting the Tong residence and walking beneath the full moon with Aning.

• At Prince Yong's Residence, Cen Yu ordered Sichen to remove a woman and her two lovers after their argument over loving both men, and Xue Lin escorted Tong Aning home with milk tea and pastries.
• Tong Aning told Xue Lin she had no particular thoughts about the lovers' dispute and felt it was unfair to judge the woman more harshly than men who behaved similarly.
• Su Zhouyue received Tong Fengye's letter reporting that he and Feng Chu had safely reached the military camp and taken the names Amao and Agou.
• The Tong family shared a Mid-Autumn reunion meal, joking about Tong Aobai's awkwardly carved mandarin duck and the dried fish Tong Yi'an had made for the cat.
• The eldest princess, Wei Mingning, and Xue Lin visited the marquis's residence with gifts for Tong Aning, and Su Zhouyue asked Aning to walk with Xue Lin in the courtyard.
• Tong Aning admired the full moon and joked that its brightness would make it difficult for assassins to work, drawing a laugh from Xue Lin.