Chapter Summaries

Zhou Wanwan demanded fifty thousand taels to heal Zhao Mingzhu’s injured back, then successfully treated her while the royal party remained trapped by the rockfall. As she ate lunch, Old Ancestor explained that Xin'an's corrupt magistrate kept the county prosperous and had the emperor's protection because he was the emperor's brother-in-law.

• The Xin'an county magistrate learned that the crown prince and three princesses were trapped beneath the rockfall and ordered people to clear it, but Zhou Wanwan said it would take several days.
• Zhou Wanwan demanded payment to treat Zhao Mingzhu, and Zhao Yuzhu was struck by a falling stone after insulting her.
• Zhao Mingzhu paid Zhou Wanwan fifty thousand taels, and Zhou Wanwan healed her injured lower back with medicinal herbs and spiritual energy.
• The crown prince asked Zhou Wanwan to treat him, but she refused his offer of payment and said she did not want to treat him.
• Old Scholar Tree brought Zhou Wanwan a feast from the county yamen, and Old Ancestor explained that the greedy Xin'an county magistrate governed well and was the emperor of Great Qi's brother-in-law.

Shen Tao investigated the strange rocks blocking the road to the crown prince, while Zhou Wanwan fed the seventh princess and made the third princess sign an IOU to get the horse off her. The third princess's hands and feet remained broken, and she begged Zhou Wanwan to treat her.

• Shen Tao found the road blocked by enormous rocks and ordered his people to start moving them so the crown prince would not die in Xin'an County.
• Zhou Wanwan offered the seventh princess food, and the seventh princess ate pork knuckle beside her.
• The third princess demanded that Zhou Wanwan move the horse off her, and Zhou Wanwan asked her for a hundred thousand taels or an IOU.
• Zhou Wanwan wrote the IOU, and the third princess signed and thumbprinted it, revealing that her seal hung around her neck.
• The horse was pulled away, but the third princess still could not feel her hands and feet, and Zhou Wanwan said they were broken and asked for payment to treat her.

Zhou Wanwan healed the third princess in exchange for her estates, and the princess and seventh princess decided to serve her instead of remaining in the palace. Meanwhile, the injured crown prince refused Zhao Mingzhu’s offer of support in exchange for becoming crown princess, explaining that the empress had already chosen his bride.

• The third princess gave Zhou Wanwan her two estates, and Zhou Wanwan healed her hands, feet, and face.
• The third princess offered to become Zhou Wanwan’s maid, then struck and kicked the injured Eunuch Xu when he insulted her mistress.
• Zhou Wanwan refused to heal Eunuch Xu without payment, and he refused to give up his property.
• The third princess and seventh princess chose to leave palace life behind and sleep beside Zhou Wanwan.
• The crown prince and second princess discussed their predicament, and Zhao Mingzhu offered financial help in exchange for becoming crown princess.
• The crown prince rejected Zhao Mingzhu’s condition, saying the empress had already selected his future bride.

Zhou Wanwan made Zhao Mingzhu trade her ten estates for treating the crown prince and second princess, then charged everyone to take them out of the strange place. She led them to the outskirts and prepared to collect the promised silver and estates.

• Zhao Mingzhu offered the crown prince her family’s support in exchange for becoming crown princess, while Old Scholar Tree and Old Ancestor stopped her and Zhao Yuzhu from waking Zhou Wanwan and left them shivering through the night.
• Zhou Wanwan shared breakfast with the third and seventh princesses and demanded Zhao Mingzhu’s ten estates in exchange for treating the crown prince and second princess.
• Zhou Wanwan treated the crown prince and second princess, and the crown prince later threatened her when he learned she could leave their confinement.
• The crown prince’s sword and dagger broke when he tried to attack Zhou Wanwan, who said she had not touched him.
• Zhou Wanwan charged each person ten thousand taels to take them out, led them to the outskirts, and said she would collect the silver and estates from Zhao Mingzhu.

Zhao Mingzhu broke her contract and had Zhou Wanwan imprisoned in the Zhao Family dungeon, while the crown prince offered to release her if she became his side consort. Zhou Wanwan settled comfortably into her transformed stone chamber and sent meals to the third and seventh princesses, who were imprisoned for visiting her and remained devoted to her as their master.

• Zhao Mingzhu ordered Zhou Wanwan seized and locked in the dungeon, and the crown prince offered to free her if she became his side consort.
• The third and seventh princesses defended Zhou Wanwan, visited her with food, and were imprisoned for it.
• The Old Scholar Tree improved Zhou Wanwan's stone chamber, and he and the Old Ancestor brought her lavish food and fruit.
• The third princess told her maid she intended to follow Zhou Wanwan, then received a meal and note from her.
• The seventh princess refused to eat until Zhou Wanwan's meal arrived, then insisted her maid respect Zhou Wanwan as her master.

Zhao Mingzhu arranged to marry the crown prince and planned to make Zhou Wanwan his secondary consort, but Zhou Wanwan refused. While exploring the Zhao Family’s ancestral hall, Zhou Wanwan found its hidden treasure trove and had the trees carry the riches to the underground palace at Yanmen Pass.

• Zhao Mingzhu and the crown prince agreed to marry, with Zhao Mingzhu seeking the Zhao Family’s support for his political ambitions.
• Zhao Mingzhu told Zhou Wanwan she would become the crown prince’s secondary consort, but Zhou Wanwan refused and criticized the crown prince’s poverty.
• Zhou Wanwan explored the Zhao Family’s storerooms and marveled at their vast wealth.
• Old Scholar Tree led Zhou Wanwan into the ancestral hall’s secret chamber, where she found an even greater collection of treasures.
• The trees began removing the ancestral hall’s treasures, and Zhou Wanwan directed them to store everything in the underground palace at Yanmen Pass.

Zhou Wanwan and the trees decided to turn the dismantled Zhao Family residence into Yan Mountain Academy, while the Zhao Family woke to find its buildings and treasures gone. The princesses helped Zhou Wanwan choose an outfit as Zhao Mingzhu and the Second Princess questioned her, and the Crown Prince accused her of being behind the disappearance.

• The trees dismantled the Zhao Family houses and carried away their timber, while Zhou Wanwan and Old Scholar Tree planned to make the residence Yan Mountain Academy.
• Old Ancestor agreed to write an inscription for the academy, and Zhou Wanwan went home to sleep.
• The Zhao Family woke among the rubble and discovered that their houses, storerooms, and ancestral hall had vanished; Old Master Zhao fainted.
• The Third Princess and Seventh Princess woke Zhou Wanwan and helped her choose an outfit while discussing the missing Zhao residence.
• Zhao Mingzhu and the Second Princess challenged Zhou Wanwan about her untouched stone room, and the Crown Prince accused her of causing the disappearance.

After the Zhao Family’s 180 rooms and ancestral hall vanished overnight, Magistrate Shen Tao arrived to investigate and met Zhou Wanwan, who offered him greenhouse services and described her businesses. The chapter ended with Shen Tao recognizing Zhou Wanwan as the delivery merchant he had heard about.

• Magistrate Shen Tao visited the Zhao Family’s property and laughed at the sight of its vanished houses.
• Zhao Botong told Shen Tao that all 180 rooms and the ancestral hall had been carried off, and demanded that he find the culprit.
• Shen Tao inspected the only remaining building, a stone prison with an expensive glass roof, and asked Zhou Wanwan where the glass came from.
• Zhou Wanwan offered to build Shen Tao a greenhouse and explained that she supplied flowers and plants to order.
• Shen Tao learned Zhou Wanwan had come from Great Xia with valid travel papers, and Zhou Wanwan said her business covered clothing, food, housing, transportation, and deliveries.
• Shen Tao recognized Zhou Wanwan as the merchant rumored to deliver food to people’s homes.

Zhou Wanwan arranged a lavish seafood delivery to prove her service was genuine, while Zhao Botong and Zhao Mingzhu challenged her and Zhao Mingzhu again tried to force her into becoming the crown prince’s side consort. The crown prince said he would not force her, but then insulted her and insisted she should appreciate the offer, and Zhou Wanwan rejected him.

• Shen Tao ordered seafood dishes from Zhou Wanwan’s delivery service, and Zhao Botong added many more while questioning how fresh and inexpensive the food could be.
• Zhou Wanwan explained how people could order from her shops, and the crown prince of Great Qi confirmed that her delivered food was good.
• The delivery arrived within an hour with a table, chairs, and uniformed waitresses, impressing the assembled guests.
• Zhao Mingzhu tried to claim Zhou Wanwan’s seat and said she would be betrothed as the crown prince’s side consort, but Zhou Wanwan refused.
• Shen Tao objected to forcing a respectable woman into a concubine’s position, and the crown prince said Zhou Wanwan did not have to become his side consort.
• Zhou Wanwan asked everyone to witness the crown prince’s statement, then rejected his claim that becoming his side consort would be a blessing.

Zhou Wanwan treated the princesses and Shen Tao to seafood and showed Shen Tao her business offerings, securing an order for rare flowers and a glass greenhouse. She then offered Zhao Botong help rebuilding the Zhao Family house, but warned that his preferred woods would exceed his budget.

• Shen Tao praised Zhou Wanwan's seafood, while Zhou Wanwan invited the third and seventh princesses to share her elaborate meal.
• Shen Tao and Zhao Botong argued over a lobster before Shen Tao examined Zhou Wanwan's product flyers and flower list.
• Shen Tao ordered one of each listed flower and a large glass greenhouse, paying 160,000 taels of silver.
• Zhao Botong remembered that Shen Tao was supposed to investigate the disappearance of his house, and Shen Tao set off to investigate.
• Zhou Wanwan showed Zhao Botong house designs and offered to build a replacement, explaining that premium timber would cost more than 120,000 taels of silver.

Zhou Wanwan sold house-building contracts to wealthy residents of Xin'an County, while Zhao Botong doubted she could fulfill the orders. When the crown prince of Great Qi tried to stop her from leaving by linking her to recent events, Shen Tao defended her.

• Zhou Wanwan explained her house prices, warranties, and contracts after Zhao Mingzhu accused her of changing a quote.
• Despite doubts about Zhou Wanwan’s age and business, several residents placed orders and paid one-third deposits for houses to be built within three months.
• Zhou Wanwan accepted more than a dozen contracts and explained that her treant team and reclaimed materials let her build houses cheaply.
• Zhao Botong challenged Zhou Wanwan’s ability to complete the work, but she said the contracts would ensure it was done.
• The crown prince of Great Qi tried to prevent Zhou Wanwan from leaving by suggesting she was behind recent events, and Shen Tao rebuked him and told her she could go.

Zhou Wanwan left the crown prince and traveled to the War God's Tomb, where her growing influence became clear. After Princess Jianing accused her of treason, the guards meant to protect the princess revealed they served Zhou Wanwan instead.

• Zhou Wanwan defied the crown prince’s threat and went to the Drunken Immortal Restaurant, then decided to visit the War God's Tomb with the third and seventh princesses.
• At the crowded tomb, Shen Chaoge and more than a thousand soldiers greeted Zhou Wanwan as their master and reported that the nearby Crushed Stone Fort was packed with visitors.
• Princess Jianing arrived with noblewomen, accused Zhou Wanwan of betraying Great Xia, and ordered her seized.
• Two guards raised swords over Princess Jianing and Shangguan Wan'er before abandoning the princess’s party and joining Zhou Wanwan.
• Old Scholar Tree revealed that most of the palace staff and guards were already Zhou Wanwan’s subordinates.

Zhou Wanwan confronted the Great Qi Crown Prince and his sisters, while the Third and Seventh Princesses refused to return to the palace. At lunch, her seafood feast and rapid delivery service astonished the visitors at the War God's Tomb and drew in their orders.

• Shangguan Wan'er questioned Zhou Wanwan about winning over palace experts, and Zhou Wanwan told her to leave her alone.
• The Great Qi Crown Prince ordered the Third and Seventh Princesses to return, but both refused and defended their choice to stay with Zhou Wanwan.
• The Second Princess mocked the Third and Seventh Princesses, who criticized her and explained why they preferred their current freedom.
• Zheng Xing'an served Zhou Wanwan a lavish outdoor lunch, and Zhou Wanwan explained the cost of bringing seafood to the frontier.
• Visitors ordered dishes from Zhou Wanwan's delivery stall, and the food arrived within half an hour along with complimentary drinks and fruit.

Diners flocked to Zhou Wanwan’s border takeout stall after praising its seafood, wine, and jasmine milk tea. Princess Jianing broke off her engagement to Xie Cheng'en, while the other young women discussed Zhou Wanwan’s wealth and influence, ending with Zhou Min’s claim that she had changed Dongshan Prefecture’s fate.

• Diners praised the stall’s seafood and drinks, and more customers ordered meals and paid for extra pots of jasmine milk tea.
• Princess Jianing accused Xie Cheng'en of being unable to compete with Zhou Wanwan, and they agreed to break off their engagement.
• Shangguan Wan'er, Lu Lan, Zhou Lan, and Zhou Min speculated that Zhou Wanwan had bewitched Xie Cheng'en and controlled many businesses.
• Zhou Min said Zhou Wanwan likely owned numerous capital businesses and the Treasure-Gathering Bank at the border.
• Zhou Min described how Dongshan Prefecture had changed from a poor region into a prosperous one, and said her grandmother believed Zhou Wanwan had prevented many deaths.

Zhou Wanwan and Princess Jianing competed over starting a takeout business at Yanmen Pass, and Zhou Wanwan steered Jianing toward renting shops. Jianing toured available properties with a broker and asked how much the shops cost.

• Zhou Min pointed out Zhou Wanwan’s busy stalls, and Princess Jianing decided to compete with her by opening a takeout business using imperial chefs.
• Princess Jianing set up a lavish stall claiming it was prepared by imperial chefs, but Zhou Wanwan challenged her to offer something special.
• Shangguan Wan'er listed Zhou Wanwan’s many businesses, and Xie Cheng'en realized the snack shops Princess Jianing had boasted about were also Zhou Wanwan’s.
• Zhou Wanwan told Princess Jianing that shops at the border were expensive to rent, so Jianing went to the city lord’s residence to rent them.
• Old General Xie explained that the shops were only available for rent and that their proceeds supported the border and the soldiers.
• A broker showed Princess Jianing shops near the busy district, and she asked how much they would cost altogether.

Princess Jianing rented eight storefronts at the border and put Xiao Jiu in charge of setting them up and managing them. Meanwhile, Zhou Wanwan met the Great Qi Kingdom's first prince, who sought access to her supply channels and asked if his younger son could apprentice under the person he believed was backing her.

• Princess Jianing paid 12,000 taels to rent eight storefronts and asked Xiao Jiu to help decide what businesses to open.
• Xiao Jiu proposed several shops, took charge of hiring and setup, and refused the noble young ladies' requests to supply them directly.
• Xiao Jiu explained to his staff that Princess Jianing's connections and influence would help promote their goods, while Xie Cheng'en remarked that Master had planned everything.
• The Great Qi Kingdom's first prince visited Zhou Wanwan with his two sons and proposed working with her to gain access to her supply channels.
• The first prince said his younger son had a talent for business and offered an apprenticeship fee if Zhou Wanwan's supposed backer would take him on.

Zhou Wanwan rebuffed Qin Zhao’s attempt to buy business knowledge and heard how grateful the borderland residents were for her work. As excitement about the Northern Frontier War God's Tomb spread, the Crown Prince of Great Qi and Princess Jianing prepared to explore it together, while Zhou Wanwan stayed focused on her businesses.

• Zhou Wanwan rejected Qin Zhao’s offer of one hundred thousand taels, and Qin Zhao vowed to take over her delivery business.
• The Third Princess and Seventh Princess criticized the First Prince and Qin Zhao after they left.
• Zhou Wanwan listened as borderland residents praised her for improving their lives, and heard that visitors from many countries had gathered near the tomb.
• The Crown Prince of Great Qi told Princess Jianing he had a map of the tomb, and she offered to bring expert tomb raiders to help explore it.
• Zhou Wanwan declined to join their expedition and focused on earning money while the tomb’s opening was delayed.

Zhou Wanwan rejected her relatives’ attempts to reconcile and refused to join them in the War God’s Tomb. After more than thirty heads appeared hanging from Old Scholar Tree, the guards failed to damage the tree and the crowd mistook it for a divine guardian.

• Zhou Lan and Zhou Min confronted Zhou Wanwan, who reminded them that their families had severed ties and recalled their grandmother’s attempt to sell her as a child.
• Zhou Min invited Zhou Wanwan to enter the War God’s Tomb with her, but Zhou Wanwan refused.
• The crown prince of Great Qi insulted Zhou Wanwan, and she mocked him and Zhao Mingzhu when their guards did not respond to their commands.
• Zhao Mingzhu found more than thirty heads hanging from a tree, while Zhou Wanwan denied knowing how they got there before sarcastically claiming responsibility.
• Zhao Mingzhu ordered her guards to chop down Old Scholar Tree, but their blades broke and the guards died from the impact.
• The crowd declared Old Scholar Tree a divine tree guarding the tomb and bowed to it.

Zhou Wanwan returned to her takeout stall, where customers eagerly reserved seafood feasts and drinks despite Princess Jianing’s competition. Princess Jianing, jealous of Zhou Wanwan’s tent, bought an even more luxurious one to set up beside it.

• Princess Jianing mocked Zhou Wanwan’s takeout stall as the noble young ladies followed Zhou Wanwan and gossiped about her family.
• Zhou Min defended herself to the noble young ladies and accepted their praise for Old Madam Zhou’s fortune-telling.
• Zhou Wanwan and the Old Scholar Tree discussed new takeout options, including late-night barbecue, lobster, and drinks.
• Customers flocked to Zhou Wanwan’s stall to reserve seafood feasts and order liquor as Princess Jianing’s stall remained quiet.
• Princess Jianing ordered a tent better than Zhou Wanwan’s, and Shangguan Wan’er agreed to buy a pink, cotton-padded tent for more than five thousand taels of silver.

Princess Jianing spent sixteen thousand taels on a luxurious pink tent and enjoyed the comforts of Zhou Wanwan’s thriving borderland settlement. At the crowded bookshop, Zhou Wanwan confronted Princess Jianing and Zhou Min, then left to continue her many duties.

• Princess Jianing bought a lavishly furnished pink tent for sixteen thousand taels and ordered milk tea, fruit, and food for her stay.
• Princess Jianing visited Zhou Wanwan’s popular bookshop, where rare book copies were selling quickly, and picked out dozens of storybooks.
• Zhou Wanwan and Princess Jianing traded insults, and Princess Jianing mocked Zhou Wanwan’s family and grandmother.
• Zhou Min questioned why Zhou Wanwan did not help her poor family, and Zhou Wanwan said it was none of her business.
• Zhou Wanwan paid for her books and returned to her work managing the cities, catching up on her studies, and replenishing the plants and trees around the estates.