Recaps

Tang Zhuyun worked to repay her family’s debts, care for Linlin, and restore the household while growing closer to the Prince of Jin through food and medical skill. When Tang Baixin was implicated in embezzlement, she went to the Prince of Jin for help and agreed to consider curing his daughter in exchange.

• Tang Zhuyun woke in her new life, fled the courtyard where the Prince of Jin lay unconscious, and denied Ruan Anruo’s accusations when he revealed himself.
• Tang Zhuyun exposed the supposed knockout powder as powdered sugar, returned to her family’s shabby home, and decided to repay the loan sharks and repair the household.
• Tang Zhuyun earned money by treating a pawnshop owner’s joint pain, cooked for her family, and persuaded Tang Mingfan to lend her money to clear her debt.
• Tang Zhuyun discovered Linlin’s bruises, learned he was being bullied at the academy, and took him home after beating the boy who attacked him.
• Tang Zhuyun helped Linlin leave the academy, supported his studies and riding lessons, and bought him a horse named Gale.
• Tang Zhuyun sold an exclusive seasoning contract to the Four Seas Tower, while Tang Mingfan brought her meals to court and drew the emperor’s attention.
• Tang Zhuyun helped Chang Zhi and the Prince of Jin revive a fugitive who had fallen into the river, then promised to teach Linlin medicine, boxing, and arithmetic.
• Tang Zhuyun confronted the Prince of Jin after learning Tang Baixin was accused of embezzling several thousand taels, and Tang Baixin admitted that his official seal had been used to withdraw the money.
• Tang Zhuyun visited the Prince of Jin, who offered to help Tang Baixin if she cured his daughter within a month, and he led her to a secluded courtyard after she accidentally pulled off his pants on the way.

Tang Zhuyun uncovered Hongxiu’s abuse of Yanran, became close to the Prince of Jin’s household, and learned the emperor planned to make her the prince’s secondary consort. The prince delayed the marriage decision for a year, while Tang Zhuyun continued protecting the children and managing conflict with Madam Song.

• Tang Zhuyun discovered Hongxiu had been injuring Yanran with needles and inventing her illnesses, then took Yanran home after the Prince of Jin ordered Hongxiu punished.
• Tang Zhuyun and Qingfeng became business partners selling her medicine, while the Prince of Jin moved next door and grew close to Linlin as Yanran bonded with Tang Zhuyun.
• At the Dragon Boat Festival, Tang Zhuyun clashed with Ruan Anruo, and the emperor rewarded her and the children before announcing that she would marry the Prince of Jin as his secondary consort alongside Meng Yulan.
• Tang Zhuyun helped Meng Yulan after she tried to take her own life and learned she loved Jiang Beihan, then promised to help her avoid the marriage.
• The Prince of Jin told Tang Zhuyun that the emperor would not issue a marriage edict until the following May, giving them a year to change his mind or accept the marriage.
• Madam Song arrived with Song Cui'er and tried to impose herself on the Tang household, but Tang Zhuyun and Tang Mingfan resisted her demands and warned her not to expose the family’s past.
• Tang Zhuyun used the Prince of Jin’s visit to make Madam Song more cautious, while she continued earning money and caring for Linlin and Yanran.
• Song Cui'er asked to become Tang Zhuyun’s extra dowry maid, and the Prince of Jin sent her away before telling Song Jingyang they would confront Tang Zhuyun the next day.

Tang Zhuyun navigated family conflict, Jiang Beihan’s betrayal of Meng Yulan, and the emperor’s illness while trying to protect her loved ones from the Prince of Jin’s anger. The arc ended with Linlin revealing that Tang Zhuyun was the prince’s mother, and the Prince of Jin carrying him away after punishing him for exposing the secret.

• The Prince of Jin brought Nanny Rong to teach Tang Zhuyun etiquette, but made her wait on him and frightened Song Cui'er with the residence’s harsh rules.
• Tang Zhuyun exposed Madam Song’s attack to Tang Mingfan and Tang Baixin, and secretly caused Madam Song’s stroke before Madam Song was sent back to the countryside.
• Tang Zhuyun met Qingfeng at the Spring Outing House, took Jiahong into her care, and watched the Prince of Jin’s guards raid the brothel.
• Tang Zhuyun learned Jiang Beihan had married Yingxue and had three children, then comforted Meng Yulan after she tried to take her own life.
• Tang Zhuyun recognized the emperor’s signs of illness, examined his pulse, and promised to provide a prescription while asking him to change her engagement to the Prince of Jin.
• Tang Baixin declared he would take responsibility for Meng Yulan, while Tang Mingfan and Tang Baixin later knelt outside the imperial study to plead for her.
• The Prince of Jin took Tang Zhuyun and Linlin to the imperial prison and demanded that she choose a torture instrument before he would hear her plea.
• Linlin told the Prince of Jin that Tang Zhuyun was his mother and begged him not to hurt her, then the prince spanked Linlin for revealing the secret and carried him away on horseback.

Tang Zhuyun settled into the Prince of Jin’s household, survived a bandit abduction, and helped bring Nanxing into Yanran’s care. As the examination fraud case advanced and Linlin spoke of his future, Tang Zhuyun’s feud with Ruan Anruo escalated, and Lüzhu appeared with an unexplained purpose.

• Tang Baixin accepted Meng Yulan as his concubine, while Tang Zhuyun went to live next door at the Prince of Jin’s residence.
• Tang Zhuyun treated the Prince of Jin’s wound and helped him conceal it, then publicly played the role of his favored concubine during the Mid-Autumn cuju gathering.
• Tang Zhuyun was kidnapped by bandits and forced to write a ransom letter, but she escaped with an injured woman who was revealed to be the Prince of Jin’s concubine.
• The Prince of Jin rescued Tang Zhuyun and the woman, and Tang Zhuyun persuaded him to spare her and named her Nanxing.
• Tang Zhuyun refused to force Yanran to practice archery, while Linlin told the Prince of Jin he hoped to become an upright official and provide for Tang Zhuyun.
• Tang Zhuyun tried to dissuade Ruan Anruo from marrying her cousin after learning he had visited a courtesan, then drew attention to the wedding with baskets of copper coins.
• Tang Mingfan was placed in charge of punishing officials and candidates implicated in examination fraud, and the Prince of Jin ordered extra protection for both households.
• Ruan Anruo attacked Tang Zhuyun, Nanxing drove her off, and Lüzhu arrived offering to accompany Tang Zhuyun.