Recaps

Zhao Jingli asked Zhao Ruxi to help him meet Xu Chongwen, and she arranged a visit to the Xu Family. While they waited for word, Zhao Ruxi painted a new river scene that astonished the brothers, and Dianjiang returned from the Xu Family.

• Zhao Jingli discussed Zhao Ruxin’s engagement with Zhao Ruxi and asked to meet Xu Chongwen, hoping to make a friend.
• Zhao Ruxi agreed to take Zhao Jingli to the Xu Family and sent Dianjiang to ask whether a visit would be convenient.
• Zhao Jingli returned with Zhao Jing'an and Zhao Jingtai, and the brothers waited at the Slender Bamboo Courtyard.
• Zhao Ruxi painted a compact, forceful river scene that left Zhao Jingli and Zhao Jing'an amazed.
• Dianjiang returned, and Zhao Ruxi asked whether the Xu Family could receive them.

Zhao Jingli and Zhao Jing'an visited Zhao Ruxi and were struck by her paintings, while Zhao Jing'an regretted resenting her for his mother's wrongs. At the Xu home, the family discussed their thriving roasted-snack business and Zhao Ruxi advised them on keeping their reputation strong.

• Zhao Jingli and Zhao Jing'an viewed Zhao Ruxi's paintings and felt ashamed of how far they fell short of her.
• Zhao Jing'an reflected on the suffering his mother had caused Zhao Ruxi and regretted having resented her.
• Zhao Jingli persuaded Zhao Jing'an to visit the Xu family and learn from Xu Chongwen, while they left Zhao Ruxi's younger sister behind.
• Zhao Ruxi introduced Zhao Jingli and Zhao Jing'an to the Xu family, who warmly welcomed them.
• Xu Yongyi and Madam Xie told Zhao Ruxi that their roasted-snack shops were booming, and Zhao Ruxi advised them to maintain quality and keep building their reputation.

Zhao Ruxi showed Zhao Jingli and Zhao Jing'an the Xu family's honesty and demonstrated her skill in the classics by advising Xu Chongwen and Zhao Jing'an. The visit ended with Zhao Jingtai discovering Xu Xue's success as a storybook writer and asking her to teach him.

• Zhao Ruxi explained that the Xu family shared profits with her for the recipes she had suggested, dispelling Zhao Jingli and Zhao Jing'an's doubts about the arrangement.
• Zhao Ruxi answered Xu Chongwen's questions about his studies, and Xu Xue revealed that Zhao Ruxi had topped the academy's annual exams.
• Zhao Jing'an asked Zhao Ruxi for help with difficult passages and was impressed by her clear explanations.
• Zhao Jing'an admitted nothing when Xu Chongwen asked why he studied at home instead of attending a school.
• Xu Xue told Zhao Ruxi that she had sold another storybook and earned twenty-five taels from her first two books.
• Zhao Jingtai overheard that Xu Xue wrote storybooks, praised her, and asked her to teach him while Xu Xue blushed at her father's praise.

Zhao Jingli and Zhao Jing'an decided to attend the clan school, while Zhao Ruxi took part in an auction whose red jadeite jewelry set became the talk of the palace. The set brought the Second Prince and Noble Consort Cen prestige, prompting the Third Prince to seek rival jewelry and ultimately driving jadeite's popularity and the southern merchant's allegiance to the Second Prince.

• Zhao Jingli and Zhao Jing'an agreed to study at the clan school after discussing their plans and circumstances.
• Zhao Jingli told Zhao Yuanxun of their decision, and Zhao Yuanxun felt both sad and pleased.
• Zhao Ruxi attended an auction where three clocks sold for high prices and the Second Prince bought a red jadeite jewelry set for thirty-six thousand taels.
• Noble Consort Cen wore the jewelry at the palace banquet, winning praise for the Second Prince's filial devotion and outshining Consort Jin.
• The Third Prince ordered his subordinates to find more jadeite, and they eventually bought lavender jewelry for Consort Jin.
• The southern merchant opened a jadeite shop in the capital and joined the Second Prince, leaving the Third Prince furious.

The painting judges discovered a striking mountain painting that they recognized as the work of the unknown artist whose painting had been bought by the emperor at auction. Kang Shilin knew it was Zhao Ruxi’s work but insisted the judges keep the covered-name process fair, leaving her identity undisclosed.

• Fang Jingye announced that 363 paintings had been submitted and began the judging.
• Peng Guoan called the judges over to admire a majestic mountain painting.
• Kang Shilin, Liang Song, Zhou Wenbai, and Fang Jingye recognized the painting’s style as belonging to the artist whose work had been bought at the auction.
• Zhou Wenbai and Fang Jingye realized the artist was Zhao Ruxi and were astonished by her skill.
• Kang Shilin warned the judges not to reveal the artist’s identity or let personal feelings affect their scores, and Fang Jingye and Zhou Wenbai agreed to judge fairly.

Kang Shilin and the other judges gave Zhao Ruxi’s painting full marks, while she remained anxious about her ranking and prepared a second painting. Xiao Yuyue, still resentful of Zhao Ruxi, began plotting to damage her reputation by using the Jia Family and the crown prince.

• Kang Shilin stopped Peng Guoan from losing himself in Zhao Ruxi’s painting, and the judges resumed their work.
• The judges finished scoring the paintings, and Zhao Ruxi received full marks from all five and took first place.
• Kang Shilin returned home without telling Zhao Ruxi the results, while she worried that her painting might have embarrassed him.
• After passing the preliminary round, Zhao Ruxi submitted a carefully revised painting of a roaring river for the second round.
• Xiao Yuyue learned that Peng Guoan was connected to Zhao Ruxi through her sister Zhao Ruyu, but decided not to act herself.
• Xiao Yuyue planned to use the Jia Family and the crown prince, both hostile to Zhao Ruxi, to undermine her reputation.

Xiao Yuyue arranged for rumors about Zhao Ruxi’s painting and the competition judges to reach the crown prince and the Jia family, hoping they would challenge her victory. Jia Songlin warned Jia Junze not to act against Zhao Ruxi, and Jia Junze gave up on seeking revenge.

• Xiao Yuyue realized the crown prince and the Jia family did not know Zhao Ruxi had painted the work praised by the emperor, and planned to tell them the competition judges included people close to her.
• Xiao Yuyue sought Consort Jin’s approval, and Consort Jin agreed to let her spread the information through intermediaries while keeping her own involvement hidden.
• After Zhao Ruxi’s painting won the semifinal, rumors reached the crown prince and the Jia father and son.
• Jia Junze urged Jia Songlin to get the emperor to hear accusations against Zhao Ruxi and Kang Shilin, but Jia Songlin warned that the plan could expose them and bring punishment.
• Jia Junze decided to do nothing because he feared losing his comfortable life in the capital.

The crown prince reconsidered targeting Zhao Ruxi after an official exposed the scheme behind the rumors, while Xiao Yuyue waited for the finals to make her move. At the painting final, contestants learned that the first-place artist Zhiwei was likely Kang Shilin’s mysterious young disciple.

• An Office of the Grand Steward official told the crown prince that Consort Jin and Princess Pingyang had stirred him against Zhao Ruxi, and advised him that targeting her could cost him important support.
• The crown prince ordered Eunuch Deng investigated and agreed not to target Zhao Ruxi, though he remained wary of the people around him.
• Xiao Yuyue waited for the finals, planning to use Zhao Ruxi’s expected first-place ranking to accuse Kang Shilin and the others of favoritism.
• The talent competition finals began on Yongning Street, where contestants gathered at their assigned stations.
• Contestants discussing the painting final learned that Zhiwei, who had placed first in the earlier rounds, was believed to be Kang Shilin’s disciple, Zhao Ruxi.

Zhao Ruxi arrived at the painting competition after taking first place, while Zhang Xiuyan tried to cast doubt on the judging by pointing to the judges’ connections to her. She was left facing a crowd of contestants who had heard the rumors but greeted her politely when she appeared.

• Zhang Xiuyan, angered that Zhao Ruxi had won first place in both rounds, listened as a friend told him that several judges had ties to her and decided to damage her reputation.
• Zhang Xiuyan hinted to the other contestants that the judges might have favored Zhao Ruxi, while Zhong Lei openly questioned whether her work was better than Lin Yunshen’s.
• Lin Yunshen cautioned Zhong Lei against criticizing the judges, and a contestant announced Zhao Ruxi’s arrival.
• Zhao Ruxi entered in a red dress, took the first-place seat, and drew everyone’s attention.
• Zhang Xiuyan and Lin Yunshen introduced themselves to Zhao Ruxi, and the other contestants came over to greet her, while Zhong Lei stayed away.

Zhao Ruxi painted a large landscape in the final while Zhang Xiuyan hoped she would run out of time. When she finished, a crowd had gathered to watch her painting, and she began packing her supplies.

• Zhao Ruxi prepared herself and began painting a grand landscape after the final competition started.
• Zhang Xiuyan finished his painting and hoped Zhao Ruxi would exceed the time limit so his entry could beat hers.
• Zhang Xiuyan noticed onlookers gathering around Zhao Ruxi, though her loose robe obscured most of the landscape from his view.
• Zhao Ruxi finished her painting, judged it satisfactory, and put down her brush.
• Zhao Ruxi was startled by the crowd watching her, then composed herself and began packing her supplies.

Zhao Ruxi’s painting stunned Zhang Xiuyan, Lin Yunshen, and Zhong Lei, who recognized that it surpassed their own work. An official then claimed it was the anonymous painting that had sold at auction for twenty-five thousand taels, leaving Zhang Xiuyan and the others in disbelief as the official challenged him about his painting.

• Zhao Ruxi left the competition field after time was called, and Zhang Xiuyan, Lin Yunshen, and Zhong Lei stopped to stare at her painting in amazement.
• Zhang Xiuyan accepted that Zhao Ruxi’s painting was far better than his and realized he had no chance of taking first place.
• An old man identified Zhao Ruxi’s painting as the one His Majesty had bought at auction for twenty-five thousand taels of silver.
• Zhang Xiuyan and Lin Yunshen doubted that Zhao Ruxi could have painted such an expensive work, but the old man defended the painting’s value regardless of her age or experience.
• The old man recognized Zhang Xiuyan as Mei Zhongjun’s disciple and asked whether he thought his own painting was better than Zhao Ruxi’s.

Officials recognized Zhao Ruxi’s painting as the work of the same artist who had sold a painting at auction, stunning Zhang Xiuyan and the other contestants. The judges began scoring the finalists, and the chapter ended as Peng Guoan awarded Zhong Lei six points and Lin Yunshen six point three.

• Zhang Xiuyan argued that a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old girl could not paint at the level of Mister Kumu, but Qi Xugu confirmed Zhao Ruxi’s painting matched the auction work.
• Officials gathered around Zhao Ruxi’s painting and questioned Zhang Xiuyan, who reluctantly confirmed that he had watched Zhiwei paint it.
• Kang Shilin and the other judges began scoring the finalists, saving Zhao Ruxi’s painting for last.
• Peng Guoan gave Zhong Lei’s painting six points and Lin Yunshen’s painting six point three.

Peng Guoan scored the remaining paintings in the final and gave Zhao Ruxi a perfect ten for her landscape, which left the spectators debating the score. Zhang Xiuyan, angered by his own 6.7, resolved to expose what he believed were shady dealings.

• Lin Yunshen felt satisfied with Peng Guoan's score of 6.3, while Zhong Lei worried that his score of six would disappoint his master.
• Zhang Xiuyan watched Peng Guoan approach his painting and hoped for a high score that would support his case against the judges.
• Peng Guoan gave Zhang Xiuyan a score of 6.7, prompting Zhang Xiuyan to decide he would expose the alleged shady dealings and seek justice.
• Peng Guoan stood transfixed before Zhao Ruxi's landscape until his servant reminded him to give a score.
• Peng Guoan awarded Zhao Ruxi ten points, and the spectators began arguing over whether the perfect score was justified.

Kang Shilin judged the top paintings, giving Zhao Ruxi a perfect ten despite their plan to avoid accusations of favoritism. His score sparked debate among the crowd, while Zhang Xiuyan saw an opportunity to challenge the result.

• Kang Shilin gave Lin Yunshen a 6.5 and Zhang Xiuyan a 6.9 as he judged the paintings.
• Kang Shilin paused at Zhao Ruxi's painting and gave it a ten, despite their agreement that he would score her only slightly above second place.
• Zhao Ruxi watched from outside the competition grounds with Gong Cheng and Wu Zong, and Gong Cheng and Wu Zong concluded that Kang Shilin had been unable to deny her painting's quality.
• Onlookers questioned Kang Shilin's full marks for his disciple and compared his scoring with other judges' efforts to avoid suspicion.
• Zhang Xiuyan's anger faded, and he became delighted because Kang Shilin's ten gave him grounds to object.

Xiao Ge secretly attended the talent competition and became captivated by Zhao Ruxi’s painting, while Lin Yunshen warned her that Zhang Xiuyan and Mei Zhongjun might challenge the judging. As Zhao Ruxi’s senior brothers made their way through the crowd, Mei Zhongjun publicly accused several judges of having ties to her.

• Mei Zhongjun told Zhang Xiuyan to wait until all the judges had finished scoring.
• Xiao Ge arrived in disguise with Imperial Guards and attendants, spotted Zhao Ruxi’s painting, and decided he wanted it for his collection.
• Fang Jingye gave Zhao Ruxi’s painting ten points after awarding Zhang Xiuyan and Lin Yunshen scores above seven.
• Lin Yunshen warned Zhao Ruxi that Zhang Xiuyan and Mei Zhongjun might question the fairness of the competition, and Wu Zong explained Lin’s motives to her.
• Wu Zong, Gong Cheng, and Zhao Ruxi were blocked by disguised Imperial Guards before reaching the judges.
• Mei Zhongjun declared that the judging had been unfair because several judges were closely connected to Zhao Zhiwei.

Mei Zhongjun accused the judges of favoring Zhao Ruxi, but Peng Guoan defended his perfect score and the crowd challenged Mei's motives. Kang Shilin remained calm and asked Zhou Wenbai to explain his score, leaving the painting's quality under discussion.

• Mei Zhongjun accused Kang Shilin of favoritism and claimed Zhao Ruxi's painting could not be flawless under competition conditions.
• Kang Shilin asked Peng Guoan to explain his ten-point score, and Peng praised Zhao Ruxi's painting as equal or superior to Kang Shilin's work.
• Peng Guoan defended his impartiality, while people in the crowd criticized Mei Zhongjun and challenged him to compare his own painting with Zhao Ruxi's.
• Xiao Ge stayed quiet because Kang Shilin's calm demeanor made him suspect that Kang had another plan.
• Kang Shilin asked Zhou Wenbai why he had given Zhao Ruxi ten points, and Zhou explained the painting's merits at length.

Zhou Wenbai defended the perfect score for Zhao Zhiwei’s painting, but Mei Zhongjun accused the judges and Kang Shilin’s Northern Painting School of favoritism. Kang Shilin apologized to the judges and began a sorrowful speech, leaving his response to Mei’s accusation unfinished.

• Zhou Wenbai said Zhao Zhiwei and Zhong Lei were painters who performed especially well in competitions, and he stood by Zhao Zhiwei’s ten-point score.
• Fang Jingye and another judge agreed with Zhou Wenbai, while Kang Shilin asked whether they shared his view.
• Mei Zhongjun attacked Fang Jingye’s impartiality and accused Kang Shilin of using the Northern Painting School to control painting competitions.
• Kang Shilin apologized to Zhou Wenbai, Fang Jingye, and Peng Guoan for involving them in the dispute.
• Kang Shilin bowed toward the imperial palace and lamented that, despite his lifelong honesty, he was still being questioned in old age.

Kang Shilin and Zhao Ruxi withdrew from the painting competition after Mei Zhongjun’s accusations, turning his scheme against him and leaving the event in disarray. As they departed, Peng Guoan tried to stop them while Mei Zhongjun and Xiao Yuyue feared the consequences.

• Kang Shilin resigned as a judge and announced that Zhao Zhiwei would withdraw from the competition.
• Zhao Ruxi confirmed that she was withdrawing and would never enter another painting competition.
• Kang An rolled up Zhao Ruxi’s painting, and Kang Shilin left with Zhao Ruxi and his other disciples.
• Peng Guoan chased after Kang Shilin and asked him to reconsider, but Kang Shilin refused and continued toward the exit.
• Mei Zhongjun realized the crowd blamed him for driving Kang Shilin and Zhao Ruxi away, and he panicked.
• Zhang Xiuyan and Xiao Yuyue worried that the scandal would lead to ruin and an imperial investigation.

After Kang Shilin and Zhao Ruxi withdrew from the painting competition, Xiao Ge ordered an investigation into who had incited Mei Zhongjun to disrupt it. Eunuch Xie traced Princess Pingyang to a prime viewing room and connected her to the conflict, while Zhang Xiuyan publicly disowned his master.

• Xiao Ge let Kang Shilin leave, then ordered Eunuch Xie to question Mei Zhongjun and trace whoever had put him up to disrupting the competition.
• Peng Guoan ended the competition without awarding Zhang Xiuyan first place and said the emperor would decide how to handle the incident.
• Zhang Xiuyan publicly denied responsibility for Mei Zhongjun's actions, prompting the crowd to scorn him and pity his master.
• Eunuch Xie arranged for Mei Zhongjun to be followed and for everyone entering or leaving the grounds to be recorded.
• Eunuch Xie learned that Princess Pingyang had watched from the best room in the neighboring teahouse and recalled her recent conflict with Kang Shilin and Zhao Ruxi.

Xiao Ge learned that Mei Zhongjun had sought out a residence linked to Chen Dong’s family and ordered Consort Jin to deal with Pingyang, who had acted against Zhao Zhiwei and her master. Meanwhile, Zhao Ruxi refused to spend points on information and focused on saving enough to buy a Recovery Pill for her ailing father, though she lamented losing contest rewards.

• Eunuch Xie reported that Mei Zhongjun had visited a vacant estate belonging to Chen Dong’s brother-in-law, and Xiao Ge confronted Consort Jin about the trouble directed at Zhao Zhiwei and her master.
• Xiao Ge told Consort Jin that Pingyang had ordered the incident and left her to handle it; he spent the night at Noble Consort Cen’s palace.
• Consort Jin learned where Xiao Ge had stayed, smashed teacups, and summoned Xiao Yuyue the next day, stripping her of authority over the Capital Women’s Academy.
• Zhao Ruxi declined the system’s offer to reveal more information because she was saving points to buy a Recovery Pill for Zhao Yuanxun.
• Zhao Ruxi recalled that the Recovery Pill cost ninety thousand points after bargaining, while she had only seventy thousand, and regretted losing contest rewards after withdrawing.

After withdrawing from the painting competition, Zhao Ruxi returned home to her family’s support and learned that Xiao Ruotong had also become weary of judging competitions. Zhao Ruxi rejected the idea of becoming a judge next year, choosing instead to focus on painting, calligraphy, and her imperial examination plans.

• Zhao Ruxi decided to spend her spare time practicing painting and calligraphy while preparing for the imperial examination.
• Zhao Yuanxun and Zhao Jingtai returned home and praised Zhao Ruxi’s painting, while the Old Madam and Lady Zhu comforted her over the competition.
• Xiao Ruotong visited Zhao Ruxi after hearing what had happened and reassured herself that Zhao Ruxi was not upset.
• Xiao Ruotong suggested Zhao Ruxi might be nominated as a judge next year, but Zhao Ruxi refused because she planned to take the imperial examination.
• Xiao Ruotong said judging had brought troublesome social obligations, and she did not want to serve again either.

Xiao Ruotong confided in Zhao Ruxi about her mother’s pressure to marry, while Zhao Ruxi learned that Xiao Ruotong’s former husband had remarried. After Zhao Ruyu visited to check on Zhao Ruxi, Lady Zhu revealed that the Peng Family was considering a marriage alliance with Zhao Ruxi.

• Xiao Ruotong stayed to talk with Zhao Ruxi and said she did not want to marry, despite her mother’s repeated efforts to arrange a match.
• Lady Zhu told Zhao Ruxi that the Duke of Ying’s heir had married a legitimate daughter of the Duke of Wei’s family half a month earlier.
• Zhao Ruyu returned at her father-in-law Peng Guoan’s request to check whether Zhao Ruxi had been upset by the recent incident.
• Lady Zhu told Zhao Ruxi that Lord Peng was interested in a match between her and the Peng Family’s fourth young master, a promising young juren.

Zhao Ruxi told Kang Shilin she did not want to become a judge in next year's painting competition, and the emperor punished those who had undermined her first-place result. Eunuch Xie then offered Zhao Ruxi her master's judging position, leaving Kang Shilin to consider an opportunity Zhao Ruxi had already said she did not want.

• Zhao Ruxi rejected Lady Zhu's efforts to discuss a match with the Peng family and insisted she wanted to move to Beining to paint and read.
• Lady Zhu accepted Matron Zhou's reassurance that Zhao Ruxi's outstanding qualities would bring good matches to her.
• Zhao Ruxi told Kang Shilin that she did not want to fill his place as a competition judge, and Kang Shilin agreed that she should avoid the scrutiny.
• Eunuch Xie reported that the emperor restored first place to Miss Zhiwei, stripped Zhang Xiuyan of second place and barred him from competing, and banished Mei Zhongjun from the capital while barring his descendants from painting competitions for three generations.
• Eunuch Xie offered Zhao Ruxi the judging position for next year's competition, and Kang Shilin recognized its considerable honor and benefits.

After Zhao Ruxi declined the emperor’s offer to judge future competitions, Xiao Ge rewarded her by finding a post for her father, Zhao Yuanxun. Zhao Ruxi received 1,000 Wisdom Points and turned her attention to studying for the imperial examinations, while Xiao Lingyan ordered his subordinate to keep obstructing Xiao Yuyue.

• Zhao Ruxi and Kang Shilin declined the judging appointment, and Kang Shilin insisted her painting be exhibited for half a month before Xiao Ge took it.
• Zhao Ruxi sent Qingfeng to fetch her painting, which Eunuch Xie carried to the palace and presented to Xiao Ge.
• Xiao Ge praised Zhao Ruxi’s judgment and arranged a suitable post for Zhao Yuanxun after the New Year as compensation.
• Zhao Ruxi received 1,000 Wisdom Points the next day and studied harder for the imperial examinations.
• Xiao Lingyan learned that nothing serious had emerged from the investigation into Xiao Yuyue’s household and ordered his subordinate to keep making things difficult for her.

Xiao Yuyue lost influence and became a target of ridicule after Consort Jin’s fall from favor and the exposure of her consort’s secret family. Meanwhile, Zhao Ruxi’s painting won widespread acclaim, and Zhao Ruyu’s new circle of friends questioned her about Zhao Ruxi’s auctioned work.

• The emperor assigned the palace New Year banquets to Noble Consort Cen, while Consort Jin excluded Xiao Yuyue and announced that she would no longer manage the Capital Women's Academy.
• Xiao Yuyue’s family shops faced shortages and higher prices, and two children appeared at her banquet claiming her consort was their father.
• Xiao Yuyue blamed Zhao Ruxi for her troubles and planned to ruin her reputation, but the Earl of Suiping’s family stayed away while the old madam was ill.
• The Imperial Academy displayed its painting competition winners, with Zhao Zhiwei in first place and Zhao Ruxi’s painting among the top fifteen; visitors praised Zhao Ruxi’s work.
• The emperor praised Zhao Zhiwei’s painting, which he had bought for twenty-five thousand taels, and Qi Xuan and Xiao Ziyi asked Zhao Ruyu why she had not told them Zhao Ruxi painted the auctioned work.