Chapter Summaries

Tang Zhuyun learned that Meng Yulan was pregnant with Tang Baixin’s child and reassured the Prince of Jin about Yanran’s upbringing. While sharing a snowy-day hot pot with the children, she witnessed a fight break through the roof and recognized the swordsman who jumped down as Linlin’s biological father.

• Lüzhu told Tang Zhuyun that Meng Yulan’s monthly courses were late, and Tang Zhuyun confirmed that Meng Yulan was likely pregnant after examining her pulse.
• Meng Yulan explained that Tang Baixin had come to her room after drinking, and Tang Zhuyun reassured her that she had done nothing wrong.
• Tang Zhuyun discussed Yanran’s temperament with the Prince of Jin and urged him to let his daughter grow up happy and secure rather than expecting her to be like Linlin.
• When the first snow fell, Tang Zhuyun prepared hot pot for Yanran, Linlin, Xiu'er, and Nanxing.
• Nanxing sensed a fight overhead and moved Yanran aside, then an attacker fell through the roof into the hot pot.
• A swordsman leaped down after the attacker, and Tang Zhuyun recognized him as Linlin’s biological father.

Tang Zhuyun tried to avoid Huaishang after he rescued her household from an assassin, while Linlin and Yanran revealed their connection to the Prince of Jin. The Prince of Jin grew suspicious of Tang Zhuyun’s unusual behavior toward Huaishang as she fled after bringing Linlin into the room.

• Huaishang introduced himself as an imperial guard and repaired the roof after capturing an assassin who had been hired because of the examination fraud case.
• Tang Zhuyun worried that Huaishang might recognize her and kept out of his sight while the household resumed its hot pot meal.
• The Prince of Jin arrived, checked that Yanran was safe, and invited everyone to eat in the opposite room.
• When the Prince of Jin asked Tang Zhuyun to bring Linlin in, she pushed Linlin over the threshold and hurried away without looking at Huaishang.
• The Prince of Jin suspected that Tang Zhuyun’s avoidance of Huaishang meant something was going on.

The Prince of Jin grew convinced that Tang Zhuyun had taken an interest in Huaishang, while Tang Zhuyun secretly investigated Huaishang’s family and prospects because she feared he might claim Linlin. After Tang Baixin and Meng Yulan worried over her behavior, Xiu'er arrived with news that Ruan Anruo had gotten married.

• The Prince of Jin noticed Tang Zhuyun acting strangely around Huaishang and suspected she wanted him, then grew jealous after overhearing her question Song Jingyang about Huaishang’s marriage and family.
• Tang Zhuyun learned that Huaishang was unmarried, had no children, and was his father’s only son, and worried that his family might claim Linlin.
• Tang Zhuyun decided to avoid Huaishang and later secretly questioned Tang Baixin about his prospects, but he gave her few answers.
• After Tang Zhuyun left, Tang Baixin told Meng Yulan he feared her illness had flared up and that she might be falling for the Prince of Jin; Meng Yulan agreed to speak with her.
• Xiu'er hurried to Tang Zhuyun and announced that Ruan Anruo had gotten married.

Tang Zhuyun’s medicine deliveries to Qingfeng were exposed, but the Prince of Jin turned the investigation into a chance to spread rumors that he relied on tonics. He ordered Tang Zhuyun to keep supplying the medicine through Song Jingyang and then asked how Huaishang should take it.

• Ruan Anruo became the Seventh Prince’s concubine after offering to help him deal with the Prince of Jin using what she knew about Tang Zhuyun.
• Tang Zhuyun sent Xiu'er to deliver kidney-tonifying medicine to Qingfeng while the Prince of Jin remained at home.
• Officials seized Xiu'er and accused Tang Zhuyun of selling unclean medicine to a brothel, but the Prince of Jin claimed the medicine was for his own use and let them examine it.
• The Seventh Prince’s scheme led to rumors that the Prince of Jin could not perform without tonics, and people began seeking Tang Zhuyun’s medicine.
• The Prince of Jin told Tang Zhuyun to continue supplying Qingfeng through Song Jingyang, then asked how Huaishang should take the medicine.

Tang Zhuyun sent Huaishang kidney-strengthening medicine in the Prince of Jin’s name, hoping to help him, but the Prince denied giving it and suspected her motives. He left to confront Tang Zhuyun through someone who could keep her in line.

• Tang Zhuyun mistook the Prince of Jin’s anger about Huaishang for jealousy and promised to stay away from Huaishang.
• Tang Zhuyun decided to send Huaishang medicine and asked Xiu'er to deliver it, claiming the Prince of Jin wanted him to take one pill a day.
• Xiu'er initially accused Tang Zhuyun of flirting, then agreed to deliver the medicine when Tang Zhuyun said it was the Prince’s wish.
• Huaishang questioned the medicine’s origins, so Song Jingyang brought him to ask the Prince of Jin directly.
• The Prince of Jin denied sending the medicine and revealed that it was meant to supplement the kidneys; Huaishang recalled their earlier encounter and grew awkward.
• Song Jingyang ran off to question Xiu'er, while the Prince of Jin dismissed Huaishang and went to find someone who could keep Tang Zhuyun in line.

Tang Zhuyun argued with the Prince of Jin over the medicine she sent Huaishang and learned he suspected she liked him. The next day, she reassured Meng Yulan that she had no interest in Huaishang, then tried to draw Tang Baixin out from behind a screen to discuss Linlin's status.

• The Prince of Jin confronted Tang Zhuyun for sending medicine to Huaishang, claimed a share of the earnings, and accused her of being attracted to Huaishang.
• The Prince of Jin suggested he might give Tang Zhuyun to Huaishang if she helped him with a difficult task, while Tang Zhuyun privately hoped to ask him to let her acknowledge Linlin as her son.
• Meng Yulan sent Xiu'er and the children away, then asked Tang Zhuyun whether the Prince of Jin treated her well and what she thought of Huaishang.
• Tang Zhuyun explained that she barely knew Huaishang and had sent him medicine only because the Prince of Jin had asked, while Meng Yulan revealed that the prince had asked Tang Baixin to speak to her about his suspicions.
• Tang Zhuyun called for Tang Baixin from behind the screen, hoping to discuss Linlin's status and prevent it from causing trouble between him and Meng Yulan, but he did not respond.

Tang Zhuyun revealed to the Tang family that Linlin was her son, explaining that she wanted to acknowledge him and take him with her. Meng Yulan and Tang Baixin insisted Linlin would remain part of the Tang family, leaving Tang Zhuyun to accept their support as she considered what to do next.

• The Prince of Jin apologized to Tang Mingfan for suspecting Tang Zhuyun, then left and told her to spend more time with her family.
• Tang Zhuyun raised Linlin’s situation, prompting Tang Baixin to tell her to leave the Tang family’s affairs alone.
• Tang Zhuyun declared that Linlin was her son, and Tang Mingfan decided the family should tell Meng Yulan the truth.
• Tang Zhuyun explained how Linlin was born and said she hoped to acknowledge him and take him with her.
• Meng Yulan told Tang Zhuyun that Linlin would remain a child of the Tang family, and Tang Baixin agreed that she should not worry about him.

Huaishang questioned Song Jingyang about the kidney-tonifying pills and learned only that Tang Zhuyun made them and Song Jingyang gave their proceeds to the Prince of Jin. Tang Zhuyun then asked the Prince of Jin to let her adopt Linlin, but he had not yet answered.

• Huaishang invited Song Jingyang to dinner and asked him what the medicine meant.
• Song Jingyang complained about Huaishang’s stinginess, admitted he liked Xiu'er, and said he knew little about the pills beyond Tang Zhuyun making them.
• Huaishang learned the pills sold for 198 wen each and that Song Jingyang handed the proceeds to the Prince of Jin.
• Tang Zhuyun rejected the Prince of Jin’s offer to let her marry Huaishang in exchange for a favor and tried to bargain with the pill business proceeds.
• Tang Zhuyun asked the Prince of Jin to let her raise Linlin as her adopted son, and he objected that Tang Baixin’s future legitimate son would take precedence.

Tang Zhuyun refused the Prince of Jin’s plan to arrange a betrothal between Linlin and Yanran, and their argument over Linlin’s status ended without agreement. When Meng Yulan told her the Prince of Jin’s consort selection would resume, Tang Zhuyun decided to befriend all the candidates rather than compete for the position.

• The Prince of Jin offered to arrange an adoptive father for Linlin if Tang Zhuyun agreed to betroth Linlin to Yanran, but she refused and questioned Yanran’s parentage.
• Tang Zhuyun left the Prince of Jin, and Huaishang did not reappear over the following days.
• Meng Yulan told Tang Zhuyun that a flower-viewing banquet at the Grand Princess’s residence would provide another chance to select a consort for the Prince of Jin.
• Meng Yulan named Seventh Miss Sun, Fourth Miss Dou, and Third Miss Liang as favored candidates.
• Tang Zhuyun planned to befriend all the candidates and asked Meng Yulan what gifts and cosmetics they liked.

Tang Zhuyun agreed to disrupt the Prince of Jin’s flower-viewing banquet and traveled there with him, where he awkwardly practiced showing affection in public. At the banquet, she confronted Ruan Anruo, who hinted that Tang Zhuyun’s schemes would bring her trouble, just as Xiu’er returned and accused her of bringing people to bother Tang Zhuyun.

• Meng Yulan urged Tang Zhuyun to stand up for herself at the flower-viewing banquet, then revealed that the Prince of Jin also wanted the banquet to come to nothing.
• Tang Zhuyun decided to stir up trouble at the banquet, while Meng Yulan stayed behind because she was pregnant and her status was awkward.
• The Prince of Jin rode with Tang Zhuyun and rubbed her head after the carriage jolted, explaining that they both needed to get used to showing affection in public.
• The Prince of Jin carried Tang Zhuyun from the carriage in front of onlookers, and she hurried into the banquet with Yanran, embarrassed.
• Tang Zhuyun taunted Ruan Anruo, who warned that Tang Zhuyun’s retribution was coming; Yanran defended Tang Zhuyun, and Xiu’er returned and shoved Ruan Anruo.

Tang Zhuyun learned that a peddler had claimed to be Linlin’s real father, but the Prince of Jin had him arrested before the secret could be exposed. At the heated pavilion, Tang Zhuyun and Yanran beat Ruan Anruo and then joined the Prince of Jin in publicly flaunting their affection, while he rejected the young ladies chosen as potential brides.

• Xiu'er told Tang Zhuyun that a peddler outside claimed to be Linlin’s real father, and Tang suspected Ruan Anruo had arranged it.
• Song Jingyang revealed that the Prince of Jin had declared the peddler an assassin and sent him away with the Golden Scale Guard.
• Tang Zhuyun slapped Ruan Anruo, and Yanran punched her after she insulted Tang.
• The Prince of Jin dismissed the Seventh Prince’s complaint and told Tang Zhuyun to let others do the hitting for her.
• Tang Zhuyun said the young ladies would bully her if they joined the household, so the Prince of Jin declared he would take none of them.

Tang Zhuyun confessed to the Prince of Jin that she had invented the peddler story and that Linlin’s father was an unknown man, then told him she had heard Yanran’s birth mother might have been surnamed Xiao. Nanny Rong arrived, and Song Jingyang urgently called Tang Zhuyun back at the prince’s order.

• The Prince of Jin told Tang Zhuyun that Ruan Anruo had questioned Madam Song and that the supposed peddler was being held by the Golden Scale Guard.
• Tang Zhuyun said the peddler could not be Linlin’s father and admitted she had gone with an unknown man for ten taels of silver to buy a beaded flower hairpin, making up the rest of her story.
• Tang Zhuyun worried that the emperor would punish her and implicate her father, while the Prince of Jin praised her for teaching Yanran martial moves.
• Tang Zhuyun asked whether Yanran’s birth mother had been surnamed Xiao, and the Prince of Jin angrily demanded to know who had told her.
• Tang Zhuyun told Meng Yulan what had happened, then Xiu’er announced Nanny Rong’s arrival and Song Jingyang called Tang Zhuyun back on the Prince of Jin’s orders.

Nanny Rong arrived to guide Tang Zhuyun and encouraged the Prince of Jin to recognize how much she had changed his life. After hearing Tang Zhuyun care for Yanran, the Prince of Jin smiled and began considering a plan to fake his death.

• Nanny Rong reassured Tang Zhuyun that she had come to prevent the emperor from sending a harsher instructional nanny and promised not to interfere in her affairs.
• The emperor ordered Tang Zhuyun and another person to reflect behind closed doors for a month and docked the Prince of Jin and the Seventh Prince three months' salaries.
• Nanny Rong defended Tang Zhuyun and told the Prince of Jin that she had helped him become less distant and more alive.
• Nanny Rong urged the Prince of Jin not to miss his chance with Tang Zhuyun, recalling how she had lost the man who loved her.
• The Prince of Jin overheard Tang Zhuyun joking with Yanran and realized she would protect the girl if anything happened to him, so he considered it time to “die.”

Tang Zhuyun and Yanran spent the day practicing, while the Prince of Jin took Linlin to the residence to meet guests. After Linlin returned upset by rumors about Tang Zhuyun, the Prince of Jin comforted him and promised not to investigate his birth father, leaving Tang Zhuyun relieved but worried that the truth could still come out.

• Nanny Rong stayed with Tang Zhuyun and Yanran, and suggested Tang Zhuyun learn riding and archery alongside Yanran.
• The Prince of Jin returned with Linlin, who seemed upset, then took him to the study for a private talk.
• Tang Zhuyun and Yanran eavesdropped outside the study while Song Jingyang exchanged pastries and a hand-care box with Xiu'er.
• Linlin told the Prince of Jin he was angry that people had spoken badly about Tang Zhuyun and asked whether he knew who Linlin's birth father was.
• The Prince of Jin said he had not investigated and urged Linlin not to blame Tang Zhuyun, while Linlin vowed to protect her.

Tang Zhuyun learned the Prince of Jin had sent Huaishang to deal with the peddler, then watched the Prince grow closer to Linlin and teach both children. The chapter ended with Yanran explaining the obscure character “pang,” prompting a dark look from the Prince of Jin that Linlin quietly eased.

• Tang Zhuyun asked Yanran whether she had known Tang Zhuyun was Linlin’s birth mother, and Yanran said she was happy Linlin was truly her brother.
• The Prince of Jin told Tang Zhuyun he had sent Huaishang to deal with the peddler.
• The Prince of Jin returned early to help Linlin knock persimmons from a tall tree, while Song Jingyang caught them and Tang Zhuyun and Yanran dyed their nails.
• The Prince of Jin took Linlin and Yanran to the study and strictly corrected their posture and brushwork.
• Tang Zhuyun encouraged a tearful Yanran, who explained that the character “pang” meant heavy rain or snow, and Linlin tugged the Prince of Jin’s hand when his expression darkened.

Tang Zhuyun’s tutoring contest with Yanran ended with Yanran asking the Prince of Jin to kiss Tang Zhuyun, leaving both of them embarrassed. The next morning, Huaishang accompanied the Prince of Jin to court, and a sudden cry announced that the Prince of Jin was dead.

• The Prince of Jin offered a reward for a learning contest, and Yanran won after Tang Zhuyun deliberately let her succeed.
• Yanran asked the Prince of Jin to kiss Tang Zhuyun, and he pulled her close and kissed her on the lips.
• Tang Zhuyun spent the night mortified, then tried to act naturally around the Prince of Jin the next morning.
• Huaishang took the food box and accompanied the Prince of Jin to court, while Tang Zhuyun arranged medicine for Song Jingyang.
• A piercing cry rang out while Tang Zhuyun was cooking: “His Highness the Prince of Jin is dead!”

Tang Zhuyun learned that the Prince of Jin had been attacked and disappeared in the river, and she struggled with the uncertainty of his fate and concern for Yanran. After the search found no trace of him, she overheard her father and brother discussing the stalled investigation and urged them to investigate Huaishang.

• A guard reported that the Prince of Jin had been attacked on his way to court and had fallen into the water, so Song Jingyang and Xiu'er rushed to search for him.
• Tang Zhuyun took Linlin and Yanran to the river, reassuring the children that the Prince of Jin would be all right.
• Thousands searched on the emperor's orders, but the Prince of Jin remained missing, and Tang Zhuyun worried about Yanran and the unidentified assassins.
• Tang Baixin and Tang Mingfan worried that Tang Zhuyun was suppressing her grief, while she privately questioned why the emperor would not let Tang Mingfan investigate.
• Tang Zhuyun overheard Tang Mingfan explain that the emperor feared the investigation might implicate another prince, then came out and told them to investigate Huaishang.

Tang Zhuyun tried to reassure her family that the Prince of Jin was alive while explaining why Huaishang’s presence during the attack seemed suspicious. As the prince’s subordinates came to pay their respects, she hoped he was safe and resolved to protect Yanran.

• Tang Zhuyun told Tang Mingfan and Tang Baixin she would not give in to grief and believed the Prince of Jin was alive.
• Tang Zhuyun considered how she might keep caring for Yanran if the Prince of Jin were confirmed dead, while deciding to show everyone that she remained devoted to him.
• Tang Zhuyun pointed out that Huaishang had accompanied the prince to court on the day of the attack and that the other guards escaped with only minor injuries.
• Tang Mingfan agreed the attack was suspicious and promised to seek justice, while Tang Zhuyun admitted she would let the matter go if their enemy proved too powerful.
• Meng Yulan visited to comfort Tang Zhuyun, and the Prince of Jin’s subordinates came to kowtow and leave gifts for her and Yanran.
• Tang Zhuyun realized the Prince of Jin had treated his subordinates well and privately hoped he was safe.

Tang Zhuyun tried to comfort Yanran while Meng Yulan sought Consort De’s help to keep the girl with her. Meng Yulan returned with support but warned that the emperor believed the Prince of Jin was dead and might soon hold a funeral, while Linlin urged Yanran to obey him so she would not lose Tang Zhuyun too.

• Tang Zhuyun comforted Yanran’s grief by telling her the Prince of Jin might have lost his memory and would return once he remembered the way home.
• Meng Yulan warned Tang Zhuyun that her status might prevent her from keeping Yanran and offered to seek Consort De’s help.
• Tang Zhuyun shared her own plan, but Meng Yulan still went to the palace to speak with Consort De.
• Meng Yulan returned saying her appeal had worked, then told Tang Zhuyun that the emperor was considering who should raise Yanran and might soon hold a funeral for the missing Prince of Jin.
• Linlin told Yanran she had to listen to him or she might never see Tang Zhuyun again, and Yanran tried to hold back her tears.

Linlin prepared Yanran to resist anyone who tried to separate her from Tang Zhuyun, while Tang Zhuyun learned more about Consort De’s motives and faced the emperor’s decision about her future. The chapter ended with Tang Zhuyun asking to keep Yanran with her in a proper, recognized capacity.

• Linlin taught Yanran not to trust anyone but him and Tang Zhuyun, and coached her on how to stay safe if others tried to take her away.
• Xiu'er told Tang Zhuyun that Tang Mingfan had argued with Meng Yulan, and Tang Zhuyun realized her eldest brother was worried about her.
• Meng Yulan told Tang Zhuyun that Consort De had wanted her to marry the Prince of Jin and had worked hard to arrange it.
• Tang Mingfan told Tang Zhuyun that the emperor wanted her to bring Yanran to the palace the next day, and urged her to mourn the prince before deciding what to do with her life.
• Tang Zhuyun asked what would happen to Yanran, then told Tang Mingfan she wanted to keep the girl with her with a proper, recognized standing.