Recaps

Linlin helped bring down the Prince of Ding and became Prince Ming, while Emperor Wen took the throne and sent Linlin toward Liaodong. Lang Xuan tried to protect her family and drew closer to Linlin, as Yuanyang prepared to join him and the fourth Lang branch began its journey north.

• Linlin learned of the Lang Family’s plot and decided to act before Doudou’s birthday, while Yanran and Cui Xiaoqiu joined his secret plan to rebel against the Prince of Ding.
• Linlin’s forces surrounded the Prince of Jin’s Residence, and Yanran rode into the palace with the Prince of Ding’s severed head and declared that she had rebelled.
• Lang Xuan gave Linlin evidence of the Lang Family’s crimes, and Linlin presented evidence against the Prince of Ding before taking the imperial seal and establishing Emperor Wen’s rule.
• Emperor Wen appointed Tang Zhuyun empress, while Linlin refused the crown prince position and planned to go to Liaodong.
• At Yuwen Duo’s trial, the emperor’s edict named him Prince Ming and his eldest son, and Linlin was declared not guilty after Lang Xuan revealed the Lang Family’s secret army.
• Emperor Wen ordered the Lang Family’s fourth branch into exile, and Lang Xuan hoped Yuwen Duo would protect them as Concubine Yun feared their fate.
• After Yuanyang killed her abusive stepbrother, Tang Zhuyun arranged for her to go to Liaodong to serve Linlin, while Ren Yingying decided to stay behind.
• The fourth Lang branch was escorted north without shackles and found a carriage waiting for them.

Tang Zhuyun and her family faced a Tatar attack, an assassination attempt on Yanran, and the exposure of Dowager Consort De’s schemes. As Mingzhu married Wu Zhenhai and Xiu'er returned to the capital pregnant, Tang Zhuyun and Ren Yingying advanced plans for a women’s academy.

• Lang Xuan followed Concubine Yun’s advice and sought to make peace with Yuanyang, while Tang Zhuyun began planning a practical women’s school and Cui Xiaoqiu urged Cui Run to consider adoption.
• Yanran and Qu Hua learned Mu Ziyu had gone to Liaodong over the Tatar threat, and Yanran decided to seek permission to travel there with Qu Hua.
• Mingzhu agreed to marry Wu Zhenhai, set rules for their marriage, and completed the wedding despite Zhang Qun’s public objection.
• Wu Yu joined Xiu'er’s party for the journey to the capital, where Xiu'er discovered she was pregnant and cared for the children along the way.
• Emperor Wen told Tang Zhuyun that Linlin had defeated Tatars who entered Jinzhou, and Nanxing gave birth to a son named Pei Zheng.
• Assassins attacked Tang Zhuyun and Yanran, and Emperor Wen’s investigation pointed to the Cui Family and Madam Cui, prompting Cui Xiaoqiu to work to clear his family’s name.
• Emperor Wen confronted Dowager Consort De over the plots against Mingzhu and Yanran, and she admitted her role and warned that she had planted more sleeper agents.
• Ren Yingying presented plans for a three-hundred-mu women’s academy, and she and Tang Zhuyun discussed funding, admissions, subjects, and teachers.

Yanran and Cui Xiaoqiu began courting, then traveled to Liaodong for Linlin’s wedding as the retired emperor’s health failed. After his death, Tang Zhuyun mourned in the capital while Yanran reunited with Linlin and Tang Zhuyun confronted Emperor Wen about Hanxiang’s secret visits.

• Tang Zhuyun and Emperor Wen investigated Wuxian’s report of a woman who looked exactly like Tang Zhuyun, while Qu Nian took charge of receiving the Nanyue delegation.
• Lang Xuan investigated Wei Jun and sought to marry Linlin so she could warn him, and Linlin agreed to ask his parents about the marriage.
• Cui Xiaoqiu confessed his feelings to Yanran, and she agreed to court him after Tang Zhuyun approved their relationship but urged them to wait before marrying.
• Cui Xiaoqiu persuaded Emperor Wen to let Yanran accompany him to Liaodong, and Yanran also took Baoxuan with her after hearing her story.
• Yanran postponed her departure to visit the retired emperor, who asked Emperor Wen to bury him with Xiao Wu before he died ten days after Yanran left.
• Yanran and Ren Yingying arrived in Liaodong, where Yanran reunited with Linlin and learned that he was occupied with military affairs and an envoy from Goryeo.
• Tang Zhuyun cared for the palace and mourned the retired emperor while Tang Mingfan fell gravely ill, and she later confronted Emperor Wen after Jinse reported Hanxiang’s private visits to him.

Lang Xuan married Yuwen Duo and gradually grew closer to him while struggling with memories of her previous life and suspicions about Wei Jun. During her homecoming visit, her drunken confession revealed her love and warnings about Wei Jun, leading Linlin to suspect she had foreseen events from another life.

• Tang Zhuyun learned why Hanxiang had given her a fertility drug and ended their mistress-servant relationship after Hanxiang admitted loving Emperor Wen.
• Lang Xuan asked Yanran to watch Wei Jun and struggled with memories of her previous life after encountering Zhao Yingzhu and Baoxuan.
• Linlin demonstrated gunpowder made from Lang Xuan's formula, and Yanran grew closer to Lang Xuan and developed feelings for Cui Xiaoqiu.
• Linlin told Yanran that Yuan Yi was Baoxuan's birth mother, and Baoxuan happily anticipated their reunion.
• Lang Xuan married Yuwen Duo, who respected her reluctance to consummate the marriage and helped her settle into his household.
• Lang Xuan investigated Zhao Yingzhu's visit out of jealousy, then agreed to bring her request for help to Yuwen Duo.
• Yuwen Duo accompanied Lang Xuan home, helped her cook, and showed affection before her family.
• Lang Xuan became drunk and confessed her love, memories of her last life, and fear that Wei Jun would hurt Yuwen Duo while Linlin stayed beside her.