Chapter Summaries

Wu Zhenhai realized Zhou Xu had probably faked her death with help from the prince’s residence and went to seek the princess consort. There, he recognized Huo Mingzhu as Zhou Xu, but she insisted that Zhou Xu was dead and that she was Huo Mingzhu.

• Wu Zhenhai reasoned that Zhou Xu had arranged her maids’ futures and might have escaped with help from the princess consort.
• Wu Zhenhai hurried to the Prince of Jin’s residence, hoping the prince would help him find Zhou Xu.
• Huo Mingzhu approached Wu Zhenhai and said she found him familiar, while he tried to keep his distance.
• Huo Mingzhu called Wu Zhenhai “Old Cabbage Stalk,” and he recognized Zhou Xu’s voice and eyes.
• Huo Mingzhu told Wu Zhenhai to call her Huo Mingzhu and declared that Zhou Xu was dead.

Mingzhu met Wu Zhenhai and told him she had survived as Zhou Xu, but made clear she would not resume their relationship because she liked Cui Run. After Wu Zhenhai left, she asked the Prince of Jin to treat him fairly, while her sister-in-law and friends wondered how Cui Run would respond when Mingzhu told him about her past.

• Mingzhu revealed to Wu Zhenhai that she was Ruanruan and explained how she had changed her appearance after leaving the Zhou Family.
• Wu Zhenhai asked Mingzhu to restart their relationship, but she said their past had begun as mutual use and that she liked Cui Run now.
• Mingzhu told the Prince of Jin that Wu Zhenhai did not owe her anything and asked him not to withhold any reward Wu had earned.
• Wu Zhenhai returned days later to discuss official business with the Prince of Jin and did not mention Mingzhu.
• Ren Yingying, Xiu'er, and Tang Zhuyun discussed Wu Zhenhai and worried about how Mingzhu's honest account of her past might affect Cui Run.

Ren Yingying’s warning that she might not be around the next day unsettled Qu Nian, who then told the system he had fallen for her so he could become human. After Cui Run and Mingzhu reconciled, the women planned a guarded shopping trip while Xiu'er stayed behind to prepare for Song Jingyang’s journey.

• Ren Yingying joked about her past admirers, then Mingzhu arrived worried because Cui Run needed time to consider her past; the women reassured her and discussed keeping the matter from the elders.
• Ren Yingying remarked that she might not be around the next day, leaving Qu Nian worried that she faced a dangerous task.
• Qu Nian told the system he had fallen for Ren Yingying and wanted to become human, but the system said it could do nothing; Qu Nian then asked the Prince of Jin where Ren Yingying and Tang Zhuyun had come from.
• A few days later, Cui Run and Mingzhu reconciled, and Mingzhu said she planned to help him choose gifts for his mother.
• Yanran, Wu Yu, and Ren Yingying decided to join Mingzhu on her outing, while Tang Zhuyun told them to bring guards; Xiu'er stayed home to pack for Song Jingyang’s trip to the Xia Kingdom.

Ren Yingying, Jinse, and Mingzhu went out together while Song Jingyang prepared to leave for the Xia Kingdom, and Mingzhu asked Ren Yingying for advice about her feelings for Cui Run. Ren Yingying’s story about an old boyfriend made Qu Nian realize how jealous he was of her, but he worried that she might love him only as a dog.

• Tang Zhuyun and Xiu'er learned that Song Jingyang might be away for months or years, and Xiu'er spent the remaining days with him.
• Ren Yingying invited the other women to accompany her, but only Jinse agreed, and Qu Nian followed them when they left the prince's residence.
• Mingzhu asked Ren Yingying what gifts to send Cui Run's mother and admitted that she wanted to care for Cui Run because she liked him.
• Ren Yingying described embroidering a gift for an ex-boyfriend, then throwing it away after catching him flirting with another woman.
• Qu Nian recognized that his jealousy of Ren Yingying’s former lovers meant he liked her, but wondered whether the system required her to return his feelings.

Ren Yingying went shopping with Mingzhu, Yanran, Jinse, and Wu Yu, where they unexpectedly encountered Wu Zhenhai before splitting up to shop and eat. As Ren Yingying and Jinse rode away in a carriage, their horse bolted and carried them to a desolate place, where Qu Nian began barking furiously.

• Ren Yingying advised Mingzhu to let Cui Run love her and to save some love for herself.
• Mingzhu and the others encountered Wu Zhenhai at a street magic show, and he fled after seeing her.
• Ren Yingying stayed behind to shop for fabric while Mingzhu took Yanran and Wu Yu to eat.
• The carriage horse bolted, and Qu Nian and Jinse grabbed Ren Yingying to keep her from falling out.
• The carriage finally stopped in a desolate area, where Ren Yingying got out to vomit and Qu Nian began barking furiously.

Jinse revealed that she was Si Jinse, the last heir of Nanyue’s Si Family, and used Sound Attack to defeat the ambushers surrounding Ren Yingying. Jinse collapsed from the strain but survived, while Wu Zhenhai hurried off again to search for Mingzhu.

• When armed men surrounded the carriage, Jinse told Ren Yingying that she was from Nanyue and revealed her identity as Si Jinse, the last heir of the Si Family.
• Jinse used her pipa and Sound Attack to incapacitate the attackers, while Ren Yingying and Qu Nian covered their ears.
• Jinse grew pale, stopped playing, and collapsed after spitting blood as Wu Zhenhai arrived and fought the remaining attackers.
• Ren Yingying gave Jinse medicine and helped her into the carriage, where Jinse explained that a treasure Ren Yingying had given her had limited her injuries.
• After learning that Ruanruan was separated from them, Wu Zhenhai turned his horse around and rushed back to search for Mingzhu.

Ren Yingying survived an attack by remnants of the Zhou Family, while Jinse was injured protecting her and later revealed her identity. Wu Zhenhai confirmed Mingzhu was safe but faced her suspicion, and the chapter ended with Ren Yingying drinking wine as Jinse explained why she had chosen to marry Qu Nian.

• Jinse told Ren Yingying to stop shaking her and rested with her head in Ren Yingying's lap.
• Wu Zhenhai saw Mingzhu with Cui Run and the children, then told the Prince of Jin that Ren Yingying was safe after an assassin attack.
• Mingzhu questioned Wu Zhenhai's timely arrival, and Wu Yu awkwardly said goodbye to his father when Yanran prompted him.
• Tang Zhuyun examined Jinse, and the prince's residence learned that remnants of the Zhou Family had attacked Ren Yingying after mistaking her for Mingzhu.
• Jinse revealed her identity and said she had volunteered to marry Qu Nian, while Ren Yingying raised a drink to their meeting.

Mingzhu learned that Cui Run’s mother, Madam Gao, had arrived unexpectedly, raising fears that she might oppose Mingzhu and Cui Run’s relationship. Tang Zhuyun and the others prepared to find out what Madam Gao wanted, while Mingzhu braced herself to protect her dignity if she was rejected.

• Wu Zhenhai stayed away for three months, struggling with jealousy as Mingzhu and Cui Run grew closer.
• Tang Zhuyun, Xiu'er, and Yanran discussed the approaching New Year, Wu Yu, and Wu Zhenhai’s long absence.
• Mingzhu told Tang Zhuyun that Cui Run’s mother had arrived suddenly without warning him.
• Mingzhu worried that Madam Gao might dislike her, and Tang Zhuyun promised to stand up for her if she treated Mingzhu poorly.
• Xiu'er and Yanran went to find out what Madam Gao’s arrival meant.

After Lady Gao’s arrival exposed Cui Run’s family troubles, Mingzhu waited for him to take a stand. When Cui Run finally met her, he ended their relationship, leaving them both heartbroken.

• Mingzhu and Tang Zhuyun discussed the different personalities of the three babies, and Tang Zhuyun said she would leave having another daughter to fate.
• Xiu'er reported that Lady Gao had confronted Cui Run about a woman in his life, and Cui Run had only denied that anyone was seducing him.
• Mingzhu agreed to wait for Cui Run to make his position clear, but he did not contact her for many days.
• On Little New Year, Cui Run sent Mingzhu a note asking to meet and told her they were not suited and should break up.
• Mingzhu asked whether Cui Run had ever truly liked her and whether he was certain; Cui Run said their status did not match and wished her a good husband.
• Mingzhu wished Cui Run success and turned away in tears.

Tang Zhuyun and the others discussed why Cui Run had ended his connection with Huo Mingzhu and the pressures he faced from filial duty. Lady Gao confronted Cui Run, rejecting Huo Mingzhu and urging him to protect his future, while Cui Run defended Mingzhu’s reputation.

• Tang Zhuyun warned Yanran not to bring up Cui Run again because it could make Huo Mingzhu sadder, and explained that Cui Run could not easily abandon his mother.
• Ren Yingying worried that she would have to serve Princess Consort Min after Qu Nian died, and Tang Zhuyun advised her to keep in touch with her family and show concern for Qu Nian.
• Qu Nian, saddened by his circumstances, decided to seek out the Prince of Jin.
• Tang Zhuyun suspected Lady Gao would soon hear about Cui Run and Huo Mingzhu, unaware that Lady Gao already knew.
• Lady Gao told Cui Run that Huo Mingzhu would not do and urged him not to let a woman hold back his future; Cui Run insisted there was nothing between them and asked her not to damage Mingzhu’s good name.

Cui Run broke up with Mingzhu and pretended he could not perform to distract Lady Gao from her matchmaking efforts. Meanwhile, Linlin asked the Prince of Jin for permission to go to the Xia Kingdom, and his father agreed to publicly acknowledge him as his son if he went.

• Cui Run told Lady Gao to conceal her actions, then resolved to stay unmarried while she was alive and parted ways with Mingzhu.
• Cui Run claimed he could not perform, prompting Lady Gao to seek doctors and force him to take medicine; Tang Zhuyun ordered others not to discuss the matter with Mingzhu.
• On Lantern Festival, Qu Nian stayed behind with the Prince of Jin while the women of the residence went out to see the lanterns.
• Linlin asked the Prince of Jin to let him go to the Xia Kingdom to gain experience, saying Uncle Song would protect him.
• The Prince of Jin said he would consider Linlin's request and promised to publicly declare him his son if he went.

The Prince of Jin’s family celebrated the Lantern Festival together while Qu Nian brooded over his life as Dog Meat. The festivities ended abruptly when Qu Nian jumped out of the window.

• The Prince of Jin agreed to Linlin’s request for practical experience and took him and Qu Nian to see the lanterns.
• Tang Zhuyun and Ren Yingying discussed Wuxian’s unusual intelligence, while Linlin played with his little brother.
• The Prince of Jin joined the family, and Tang Zhuyun noticed that Xiyou and Mingzhu avoided looking at each other before Xiyou left.
• Ren Yingying tried to get Dog Meat’s attention, but Qu Nian jumped out of the window, prompting her to shout his name.

Qu Nian was shot while protecting the Prince of Jin and passed out as Tang Zhuyun treated his wound. He woke in his own room on the Nanyue border, back in his original body and asking to see his parents.

• Qu Nian spotted a suspicious Northern Yi man and chased after him, prompting the Prince of Jin to follow.
• An unseen archer shot Qu Nian, who took the arrow meant for the Prince of Jin.
• Tang Zhuyun treated Qu Nian while Ren Yingying wept and the Prince of Jin asked whether he had any last wishes.
• Qu Nian concealed from Ren Yingying that he had taken the arrow for the Prince of Jin, then lost consciousness.
• Qu Nian awoke in his room on the Nanyue border and called for his father and mother.
• Wencui heard Qu Nian speak and rejoiced that the heir had recovered.

Qu Nian regained his ability to speak and warned his parents that his recovery might not last, while urging them to support the Prince of Jin. His father misunderstood the warning and asked when Qu Nian was leaving.

• Qu Nian ordered Wencui out, then questioned the system about whether his return to human form would last, but the system said it did not know.
• Princess Consort Min and the Prince of Min hurried to see Qu Nian, who embraced his mother and apologized for worrying his parents.
• Qu Nian asked everyone else to leave, then told his parents his soul might be unstable and that he could return to his previous condition.
• Qu Nian urged his parents to choose the Prince of Jin if they had to take sides, and the Prince of Min agreed.
• The Prince of Min asked when Qu Nian was leaving, and Qu Nian clarified that he might not leave at all.

Qu Nian persuaded his parents to let him travel to the northwest to investigate what had happened to him and be with Ren Yingying. Meanwhile, Dog Meat woke up and clung to Ren Yingying as Tang Zhuyun treated his reopened wound, just as the Prince of Jin arrived.

• Qu Nian told Princess Consort Min and the Prince of Min that Ren Yingying had helped him return and reassured them that she was his heir's consort.
• Qu Nian persuaded his parents to let him leave for the northwest the next day, with the Tiger and Leopard Battalion, and asked them to watch over Qu Hua.
• Princess Consort Min admitted that she and the Prince of Min already knew Qu Hua was too close to her guards and could not control her.
• Dog Meat woke up, recognized Ren Yingying, and hurt himself trying to rush to her.
• Tang Zhuyun treated Dog Meat's reopened wound and said he needed to recover, while Ren Yingying stayed by his side.
• A maid announced the arrival of the Prince of Jin at the residence.

The Prince of Jin worried that Qu Nian had vanished from Dog Meat’s body, while Ren Yingying watched Dog Meat recover and noticed his behavior changing. After Dog Meat went into heat, Ren Yingying brought dogs for him to choose from, and the Prince of Jin arrived to find a chaotic mating scene.

• The Prince of Jin saw that Dog Meat no longer acted like Qu Nian and sent a letter south asking whether Qu Nian had returned to normal.
• As Dog Meat recovered, Ren Yingying noticed he relieved himself carelessly and wanted daily walks again, while Eighth Master tried to warn her that the dog had changed.
• The Prince of Jin failed to find a mate for Dog Meat and continued waiting for Qu Nian to return.
• Dog Meat went into heat, so Ren Yingying brought several dogs for him to choose from, including two males.
• The Prince of Jin and Tang Zhuyun found Dog Meat mating with a female dog amid several other pairs, and the Prince ordered everyone to keep quiet and asked Tang Zhuyun about dog contraception.

Tang Zhuyun pressed the Prince of Jin to explain Dog Meat’s strange behavior and learned that Qu Nian was the person currently inhabiting the dog. She struggled with whether to tell Ren Yingying, while the Prince of Jin said Qu Nian had not yet recovered and urged her to keep quiet until they heard back.

• Tang Zhuyun questioned the Prince of Jin about his connection to Dog Meat, and he admitted Dog Meat was a person but not himself.
• The Prince of Jin told Tang Zhuyun that the current Dog Meat was still Dog Meat, while the situation would become clearer later.
• Tang Zhuyun asked about danger, and the Prince of Jin mentioned the Northern Yi stirring and Linlin preparing to leave for the Xia Kingdom.
• Tang Zhuyun deduced that Qu Nian was the person connected to Dog Meat, and the Prince of Jin confirmed it without directly naming him.
• The Prince of Jin asked Tang Zhuyun not to tell Ren Yingying because Qu Nian had not recovered and might become a good match for her.

Ren Yingying learned that Qu Nian had recovered and held a meeting with her four concubines to plan how to deal with him. Qu Nian secretly listened outside and was enraged by their apparent relief at the thought of his death.

• The Prince of Jin received a letter from Qu Nian and told Tang Zhuyun that Qu Nian had returned and seemed to be better.
• Ren Yingying told Tang Zhuyun that Dog Meat had hidden her drawings of handsome men, then planned to find a handsome man for her book’s cover.
• The next day, Ren Yingying spotted a striking man riding a white horse and decided to have him found.
• After Tang Zhuyun hinted that Qu Nian had recovered, Ren Yingying gathered her four concubines to discuss plans for dealing with him.
• Ren Yingying sedated Dog Meat before the meeting, allowing Qu Nian to eavesdrop as Hua Cha, Jinse, Yuanyang, and Jinjin reacted to the supposed terrible news about the heir.

Ren Yingying and the concubines discussed how to survive Qu Nian’s recovery, while Qu Nian secretly listened and later met the Prince of Jin. The Prince of Jin began to tell Qu Nian news about his offspring, leaving him alarmed that Ren Yingying might be pregnant.

• Ren Yingying proposed that the concubines fake their deaths, then decided she would send them away only if Qu Nian proved dangerous.
• The concubines suggested negotiating with Qu Nian and discussed using sound attacks or poison, but Ren Yingying planned to meet him first.
• Qu Nian left after eavesdropping, relieved that Ren Yingying had no immediate plan to flee, and went back to rest.
• Qu Nian met the Prince of Jin the next day, and they discussed captured spies and trouble at the border.
• Ren Yingying prepared to visit the Prince of Jin, while the Prince of Jin told Qu Nian that he had news concerning Qu Nian’s offspring.
• Qu Nian sat up in alarm and wondered whether Ren Yingying was pregnant despite their not having been together.

The Prince of Jin and Qu Nian fought after the Prince teased him about having children. Ren Yingying walked in on them wrestling, mistook it for an affair, and attacked Qu Nian with a broom before learning he was her husband.

• The Prince of Jin told Qu Nian the story about offspring, leaving Qu Nian ashamed and furious.
• Qu Nian challenged the Prince of Jin to a fistfight, and the two sparred while the guards watched.
• Ren Yingying entered the courtyard alone and saw the bare-chested Prince of Jin pinning Qu Nian down.
• Mistaking the sparring for a sexual encounter, Ren Yingying struck Qu Nian with a broom and accused him of pursuing the Prince of Jin.
• The Prince of Jin identified the man as Qu Nian, the Heir to the Prince of Min and Ren Yingying's husband.