Recaps

Lady Wei went to Rongxi Hall looking for Concubine Wang and challenged the old madam, then tried to search the rooms. The old madam pretended to faint so her servants could summon Physician Shi and the first madam.

• Lady Wei found that Concubine Wang had gone to Rongxi Hall and barged in to demand her whereabouts.
• The old madam rebuked Lady Wei and ordered Matron Jin and Liuli to escort her out, but Lady Wei left insisting the second branch’s affairs were hers to handle.
• Outside the hall, Lady Wei ordered Chunfen to search the rooms for Concubine Wang, while Matron Jin warned that she had no authority to search the residence.
• Lady Wei took the old madam’s silence as submission and forced Chunfen to look inside the next room.
• The old madam told Daimao to fetch Physician Shi and the first madam, then pretended to faint as Daimao and Liuli cried for help.

The old madam pretended to suffer a stroke so Lady Wei would be blamed for her collapse and forced to remain in Rongxi Hall. Physician Shi helped keep up the deception, and Zhao Yuanxun and First Madam arrived still believing the old madam was ill.

• The old madam slumped motionless in her chair, and Lady Wei tried to leave to fetch a physician.
• Liuli’s instructions led the servants to block Lady Wei and accuse her of causing the old madam’s stroke by ordering a search of her courtyard.
• Physician Shi arrived and declared that the old madam had suffered a stroke, while Matron Jin fainted from distress.
• After Physician Shi cleared the room, the old madam opened her eyes and revealed that she had been pretending to be ill.
• Physician Shi treated the old madam’s migraines with silver needles and wrote a stroke prescription to preserve the ruse.
• Liuli opened the door to find Zhao Yuanxun and First Madam waiting anxiously, and they went inside without knowing the truth.

Zhao Yuanxun returned and learned that the old madam had suffered a stroke, only to discover that she was pretending to be ill. After he confirmed that their suspicions were correct, the old madam told the eldest madam to send word to her married daughters.

• Zhao Yuanxun arrived at the old madam’s quarters with his wife and was alarmed by her apparent stroke.
• The eldest madam blamed herself for revealing Concubine Wang’s pregnancy, while Liuli kept the servants and Lady Wei outside the room.
• Lady Wei moved with Lady Su to the west side room as Physician Shi treated the old madam.
• The old madam revealed privately to Zhao Yuanxun and the eldest madam that she was feigning illness.
• Zhao Yuanxun confirmed that their suspicions were correct, and the old madam ordered the eldest madam to alert her married daughters.
• Physician Shi removed the old madam’s needles and left to oversee the preparation of her medicine.

Zhao Ruyu learned that Lady Wei had angered the old madam and was being sent back to the Wei family. Worried the scandal would ruin her and Zhao Rurui’s marriage prospects and her chance to attend the Women's Academy, she resolved not to let Lady Wei be sent away.

• The first madam ordered Matron Ruan and others to escort Lady Wei to the Wei Residence and explain her conduct to her parents.
• Lady Su mocked Lady Wei, and the first madam scolded both women before ordering Lady Wei escorted out.
• Lady Wei returned to the second branch to pack her valuables before leaving the marquis’s residence.
• Zhao Ruyu arrived at Rongxi Hall and learned that Lady Wei had caused the old madam’s stroke and was being sent back to her maiden home.
• Zhao Ruyu recalled how Lady Wei had once forced Concubine Wang to lose her pregnancy and how the family had tolerated Lady Wei’s behavior.
• Zhao Ruyu feared that Lady Wei’s disgrace would harm her and Zhao Rurui’s futures, and decided she would not allow the dismissal.

After Lady Wei angered the old madam and was ordered sent back to the Wei Family, her children and Zhao Jing'an pleaded with Zhao Jingli to intervene. Zhao Jingli began to reconsider when Zhao Ruyu argued that divorcing Lady Wei could provoke a damaging conflict between the two families.

• Fushu told Zhao Jing'an and Zhao Rurui that Lady Wei had been ordered sent back to the Wei Family, and Zhao Jing'an rushed to ask Zhao Jingli for help.
• Zhao Rurui overcame her reluctance and hurried to Rongxi Hall, where Zhao Ruyu was already begging Zhao Jingli to stop the divorce.
• Zhao Jingli refused to intervene, saying Lady Wei should face the elders' decision after making the old madam suffer a stroke.
• Zhao Jing'an, Zhao Ruyu, and Zhao Rurui knelt and pleaded with Zhao Jingli to spare Lady Wei.
• Zhao Ruyu argued that sending Lady Wei away could set the Wei Family against the marquis's residence, making Zhao Jingli hesitate.

Zhao Jingli and the other children pleaded for Lady Wei after she angered the Old Madam into having a stroke, but Lady Zhu rejected their appeals and condemned Zhao Jingli for disregarding his grandmother. Matron Zhou exposed Zhao Ruyu’s self-interest, leaving Zhao Jingli and Zhao Jing'an to question her motives.

• Zhao Ruyu persuaded Zhao Jingli that Lady Wei should be punished within the residence, warning that sending her back to the Wei Family would harm Zhao Jing'an’s prospects.
• After learning that Zhao Jingli had pleaded for Lady Wei, Zhao Yuanxun and Lady Zhu realized they could no longer keep him by their side without resentment.
• Zhao Yuanxun told the children that the Old Madam had been treated in time and would recover, then Zhao Jing'an offered to take fifteen strokes in Lady Wei’s place.
• Zhao Ruyu and Zhao Rurui offered to copy Buddhist scriptures, and Zhao Jingli asked his parents to give Lady Wei a chance to admit her mistake.
• Lady Zhu refused Zhao Jingli’s plea and said he had disappointed her by failing to consider the Old Madam’s feelings.
• Matron Zhou rebuked Zhao Ruyu for allegedly defending Lady Wei to protect her planned marriage into the Marquis of Pingnan’s Residence, prompting Zhao Jingli and Zhao Jing'an to look at her in surprise.

After the household scandal, the Old Madam and First Madam arranged to bring Xu Xi back to the residence in secret and keep her in Fragrant Courtyard, suspecting Lady Wei might try to harm her. The residence then spread news of the Old Madam’s stroke to Zhao Ruyu, leaving her alarmed at her married home.

• Zhao Jing'an learned his mother had returned to her maiden home and hurried to confront his father in the study.
• The Old Madam, First Madam, and Zhao Yuanxun agreed to bring Xu Xi back from the academy and guard her closely.
• The First Madam told Zhao Yuanxun to bring Xu Xi back in disguise and hide her in Fragrant Courtyard to expose Lady Wei’s agents in the residence.
• The residence sent managing matrons to inform Zhao Ruyu’s household about the scandal and tell her that the Old Madam had suffered a stroke.
• Zhao Ruyu became tense when she heard someone from her family had come to see her during dinner.

Zhao Ruyu learned that her grandmother, the old madam of the Marquis of Suiping’s Residence, had suffered a stroke after a confrontation with Lady Wei. The scandal spread through the capital and prompted a censor to impeach Wei Qiu, whom the emperor publicly rebuked and ordered to discipline his children.

• Zhao Ruyu heard that her grandmother had suffered a stroke and hurried with Peng Jinrui to the Marquis of Suiping’s Residence.
• The Peng Family learned that Lady Wei had angered the old madam while searching her courtyard over a concubine.
• Gossip spread among prominent families, and visitors confirmed that Lady Wei’s actions had caused the old madam’s stroke.
• A censor impeached Wei Qiu, accusing him of failing to govern his household and allowing his daughter to behave arrogantly.
• The emperor rebuked Wei Qiu in front of the officials and ordered him to discipline and educate his children.

After the Wei family was reprimanded over Lady Wei’s conduct, Lady Wei secretly met Zhao Ruyu and demanded that she help lure Zhao Ruxi into marrying the Wei family. The chapter ended with Lady Wei promising to secure Zhao Ruyu’s marriage to the Marquis of Pingnan’s second son in return.

• Wei Qiu was reprimanded by the emperor and ordered Madam Wei to apologize to the Marquis of Suiping's Residence, but both Wei Qiu and Madam Wei planned to retaliate later.
• Lady Wei suspected that the first madam knew about her child switch and decided she needed to learn what was happening at the marquis's residence.
• Wei Qiu forbade Lady Wei from going out, but she left anyway to meet Zhao Ruyu near the Capital Women's Academy.
• Lady Wei asked Zhao Ruyu to lure Zhao Ruxi into marrying the Wei family and promised to help Zhao Ruyu marry the Marquis of Pingnan's second son.

Zhao Ruyu refused to help Lady Wei arrange Zhao Ruxi’s marriage into the Wei Family, growing suspicious of Lady Wei’s motives. She left for the marquis’s residence without seeking Fu Yunlang’s comfort, determined to let him worry and wondering what Lady Wei was hiding.

• Zhao Ruyu questioned why Lady Wei wanted Zhao Ruxi to marry into the Wei Family and recalled that her earlier attempts to arrange the match had failed.
• Lady Wei demanded that Zhao Ruyu approach Zhao Ruxi, then threatened her when Zhao Ruyu pointed out that Zhao Ruxi would grow suspicious.
• Lady Wei ordered Chunqing to tell Zhao Ruyu to send Second Young Master to meet her at the side gate behind the marquis’s residence.
• Zhao Ruyu agreed to pass on the message but left for the marquis’s residence without discussing Lady Wei’s request with Fu Yunlang.
• Zhao Ruyu decided to let Fu Yunlang worry about her and questioned why Lady Wei was so determined to marry Zhao Ruxi into the Wei Family.

Lady Wei persuaded Zhao Jing'an to carry out a plan against his sister, but Qingmo made him realize it could ruin Fifth Miss's life. Zhao Jing'an refused, while Qingmo began questioning why Lady Wei had involved Zhao Ruyu first.

• Lady Wei met Zhao Jing'an and claimed he could prevent her divorce by doing what she asked.
• Zhao Jing'an returned to the residence troubled and asked Qingmo whether his mother was a good person.
• Zhao Jing'an told Qingmo that Lady Wei wanted him to harm someone, and Qingmo warned that the target was his own sister, Fifth Miss.
• Zhao Jing'an decided he could not go through with the plan.
• Qingmo pointed out that Lady Wei had sent Zhao Ruyu to summon him instead of contacting him directly, and suggested she had first tried to recruit Zhao Ruyu.

Zhao Jing'an accepted Qingmo's advice not to help Lady Wei scheme against his sister, while a case file about the switched children at the Marquis of Suiping's Residence reached the Court of Judicial Review. The right vice minister ordered the earlier case file and a wet nurse brought in, intending to refer the matter to his superior.

• Qingmo convinced Zhao Jing'an that helping Lady Wei would bring punishment on him and harm his younger sister.
• Zhao Jing'an decided to attend Old Madam and seek her forgiveness for Lady Wei, promising not to heed his mother's requests.
• A case file arrived at the Court of Judicial Review and was sent promptly to the right vice minister because it involved the Marquis of Suiping's Residence and Wei Qiu's family.
• The right vice minister learned that the file concerned the midwife's switch of Lady Wei's and Lady Zhu's children and connected Lady Wei to the recent household scandal.
• The right vice minister sent a clerk to obtain the capital prefecture's earlier case file and bring in the wet nurse, then prepared to take the matter to his superior.

Zhang Changshen questioned the midwife and wet nurse about the children switched fourteen years earlier, then had Lady Wei arrested and confronted her with the midwife. Faced with the threat of a beating, Lady Wei agreed to confess, though she still hoped her father could save her.

• Zhang Changshen questioned the midwife, who recounted the child-switching in detail, and then questioned the wet nurse.
• Zhang Changshen ordered his men to arrest Wei Liniang without alerting the Wei Residence, and they brought her and her attendants to court.
• Wei Liniang claimed she had only gone to apologize to her mother-in-law and denied knowing anything about the case.
• Zhang Changshen brought in the midwife, whose appearance frightened Wei Liniang and made her realize the secret had been exposed.
• When Zhang Changshen threatened to have her beaten, Wei Liniang agreed to confess.

At the Court of Judicial Review, Zhang Changshen let Lady Wei and the midwife quarrel until they revealed details of the child switch and other crimes. Lady Wei signed the statements, and Zhang Changshen called in her servant, Granny Li.

• Lady Wei claimed her wet nurse had switched the babies without her knowledge, but the midwife accused her of arranging the switch and paying her to stay silent.
• Lady Wei and the midwife traded accusations, and the midwife provoked Lady Wei into admitting more about the affair and the deaths of two witnesses.
• The clerk recorded their quarrel as separate statements while Zhang Changshen let them continue.
• Zhang Changshen presented the statements to Lady Wei and promised to notify her family, prompting her to sign and fingerprint them.
• Zhang Changshen ordered Lady Wei and the midwife taken to the women's prison, then summoned Lady Wei's servant, Granny Li.

Zhang Changshen questioned Matron Li about the child-switching case and uncovered evidence linking Lady Wei and Lord Wei to the murder of Minister Wen’s grandson and the framing of Liu Chengde’s son. He presented the case to Emperor Xiao Ge, who learned that the old murder investigation might have been built on a false accusation.

• Zhang Changshen questioned Matron Li, who identified Li Mu as her son and said Lady Wei and Lord Wei had ordered him to kill Minister Wen’s grandson and frame Liu Chengde’s son.
• Matron Li named Wei Kang and witnesses who held copies of Li Mu’s written account, so Zhang Changshen ordered them brought in and detained the other servants.
• Zhang Changshen informed Grand Tutor Cen and Minister Wu that he had an important case to present to Emperor Xiao Ge.
• Zhang Changshen reported that Wei Liniang had switched her son with Zhao Yuanxun’s daughter fourteen years earlier, making Zhao Jingli the son of Wei Liniang and Zhao Yuanliang.
• Zhang Changshen revealed that his investigation into the child-switching case had uncovered the real culprit behind Minister Wen’s grandson’s murder, challenging the old accusation against Liu Chengde’s son.

Xiao Ge ordered Wei Qiu’s case investigated after evidence emerged that he had harmed a colleague’s family to secure a promotion. While the authorities gathered testimony and prepared to punish the guilty, Wei Qiu returned home unaware and planned to make the Marquis of Suiping’s Residence pay for humiliating him.

• Zhang Changshen explained that Wei Qiu’s daughter, Wei Liniang, had switched children, and Xiao Ge realized Wei Qiu might have arranged it to harm a colleague.
• Grand Tutor Cen and Minister Wu asked Xiao Ge to give Liu Chengde justice, and Xiao Ge ordered Wei Residence servants questioned and Wei Qiu secretly watched.
• Zhang Changshen’s men swiftly brought Wei Kang and other servants to the Court of Judicial Review, and their testimonies reached Xiao Ge before dinner.
• Xiao Ge gave the case file to the minister of justice and ordered the officials punished according to law.
• Wei Qiu returned home and argued with Mother Wei about Wei Liniang, then told her to take their daughter to the Marquis of Suiping’s Residence to apologize.
• Wei Qiu privately resolved to retaliate against the Marquis of Suiping’s Residence and endanger Zhao Yuanxun’s nominal post.

Mother Wei visited the Marquis of Suiping's Residence while Wei Liniang was missing, and Zhao Yuanxun arranged for the second branch to receive her as the household waited for news. Mother Wei began privately sounding out Zhao Jing'an and Zhao Ruyu, while Zhao Jingli left after she ignored him.

• Mother Wei told Wei Qiu she would visit the Marquis of Suiping's Residence to look for Wei Liniang.
• Zhao Yuanxun and Old Madam Wei discussed how Xu Xi's situation should soon be resolved, while servants reported that Wei Liniang had not returned home.
• When Mother Wei arrived, Zhao Yuanxun and the first madam arranged for the second branch and Zhao Jingli to meet her at Cloud Crane Hall and stationed guards outside.
• Mother Wei chatted affectionately with Zhao Jing'an while ignoring Zhao Jingli, who left the room in displeasure.
• Mother Wei sent the maids away so she could speak privately with the Wei Family's grandchildren.

Mother Wei learned that Lady Wei had tried to recruit Zhao Jing'an and Zhao Ruyu to lure Zhao Ruxi into a marriage, then hurried to the Marquis of Suiping's Residence after realizing her daughter was missing. The imperial edict revealed that Wei Qiu and the Wei Family had been punished for plotting a murder.

• Zhao Jing'an told Mother Wei that Lady Wei had asked him to lure Zhao Ruxi out so Wei Liniang could marry her to his Wei cousin.
• Zhao Ruyu confirmed that Lady Wei had asked her to do the same, but she did not reveal whether she had agreed.
• Mother Wei learned that none of the children had seen Lady Wei that day and hurried to leave for home.
• An older maidservant announced that the imperial messenger had summoned Mother Wei by name to receive an edict, and Zhao Jingli led the family to the main hall.
• The imperial messenger read that Wei Qiu had ordered servants to murder Wen Chengyu's grandson and was stripped of office, beaten, and exiled; Lady Yu and the rest of the Wei Family were also sentenced to exile.

An imperial decree exposed Lady Wei Liniang’s crimes, revealed that Zhao Jingli and Zhao Jing'an were switched twin sons, and sentenced Lady Wei to execution. Zhao Yuanxun was demoted to Earl of Suiping, Zhao Yuanliang was sentenced to thirty strokes, and Zhao Jingli lost his position as heir.

• The imperial messenger announced that Lady Wei Liniang had aided Wei Qiu in murder and switched Zhao Jingli, Zhao Ruxi, and Zhao Ruyu as children, and sentenced her to immediate execution.
• Zhao Jingli, Zhao Jing'an, Zhao Yuanliang, Zhao Ruyu, and Xu Xi were stunned by the revelations and Lady Wei’s sentence.
• The imperial decree demoted Zhao Yuanxun to Earl of Suiping and removed him from his post at the Five Cities Military Command.
• The decree sentenced Zhao Yuanliang to thirty strokes of the cane and revoked Zhao Jingli’s position as heir.
• The old madam and the first madam accepted the decree, and the eunuch ordered Lady Yu taken away and Zhao Yuanliang punished.

After Lady Wei was taken away and Zhao Yuanliang was beaten, the Zhao Family faced Zhao Yuanxun’s demotion and the Old Madam agreed to divide the family. Zhao Jingli begged to remain the First Madam’s son, but Zhao Yuanliang recognized that his place in the genealogy also carried family rights.

• Imperial Guards took Mother Wei away and swiftly beat Zhao Yuanliang with thirty strokes.
• Zhao Jing'an, Zhao Yuanxun, and the children tended to Zhao Yuanliang, while the First Madam supported the Old Madam.
• The Old Madam agreed to divide the family and said the clan relatives should be told about changing the children’s places in the genealogy.
• Zhao Jingli knelt and pleaded with Zhao Yuanxun and the First Madam to remain their son, even if he lost the position of heir.
• Zhao Yuanliang considered that keeping Zhao Jingli in the first branch’s genealogy would preserve his status and share of the family property.

Zhao Jingli accepted that he could not remain in the first branch and promised not to blame Zhao Yuanxun and Lady Zhu. After Zhao Yuanliang was taken to the second branch to recover, Zhao Jing'an faced the responsibility of dealing with Lady Wei and her family and wondered whether Zhao Ruyu would help him.

• Zhao Yuanliang urged Zhao Jingli not to make a request that would put Zhao Yuanxun and Lady Zhu in a difficult position, and Zhao Jingli apologized through tears.
• The old madam blamed Lady Wei for Zhao Jingli's predicament, and Zhao Jingli reassured her that he would not blame anyone or burden Zhao Yuanxun and Lady Zhu.
• Physician Shi examined Zhao Yuanliang and said his injuries were flesh wounds that would heal with rest.
• Zhao Yuanxun sent Zhao Jingli back with Zhao Jing'an to care for Zhao Yuanliang, and Zhao Jingli left after receiving reassurance from Zhao Yuanxun and Lady Zhu.
• Zhao Jing'an worried that he would have to visit Lady Wei and the Wei Family in prison and wondered whether Zhao Ruyu would stay by his side.

After Lady Wei’s crimes were exposed, the household prepared for the Wei family’s revenge while Xu Xi settled into the Tea Tasting Residence. Xu Xi visited the first madam to ask about the Wei family’s circumstances when Lady Wei had first married into the household.

• Zhao Ruyu feared that Lady Wei’s execution and the Wei family’s exile had ruined her chance to marry Fu Yunlang.
• The first madam sent Zhao Jingtai back to the first branch’s quarters and directed Xu Xi to stay at the Tea Tasting Residence.
• Zhao Yuanxun and the first madam strengthened security inside and outside the residence and sought help from the Zhu residence.
• Xu Xi asked Dianjiang to tell her when the first madam returned, then went to visit her.
• Xu Xi asked the first madam whether the Wei family had been poor when Lady Wei married in, and the first madam confirmed they had been.

Xu Xi suspected Lady Wei had paid the midwife with money secretly given to Zhao Yuanliang and Zhao Yuankun by the late Duke of Sui. First Madam told Zhao Yuanxun, who recognized that the money mattered because it affected the household division and his mother's sacrifices.

• Xu Xi reasoned that Lady Wei could not have afforded the large bribe from her own resources and suggested the late Duke of Sui had given money to his concubine-born sons.
• First Madam agreed and wanted to tell her husband, but Xu Xi persuaded her to wait until morning.
• Xu Xi called First Madam "Mother" before returning to rest, and First Madam felt both heartache and relief.
• Before dawn, First Madam told Zhao Yuanxun about Xu Xi's suspicion, and he admitted he had overlooked the matter.
• Zhao Yuanxun realized he could not ignore his father's secret money when dividing the household without letting his mother down.

Zhao Yuanxun pursued the cases against Wei Qiu, Li Mu, and the midwife while First Madam worked through the family accounts. Xu Xi proved her skill at mental arithmetic by finding errors in the account books, leaving First Madam impressed by her cleverness.

• Zhao Yuanxun told First Madam that he would investigate the Gusu case and why Wei Qiu had been exiled rather than executed.
• Zhao Yuanxun explained that Li Mu would die, while Li Mu’s family and the midwife would be punished, bought, nursed back to health, and freed.
• First Madam invited Xu Xi to help with the accounts after Matron Zhou suggested it would teach her to manage them.
• Xu Xi used homemade pencils and mental arithmetic to check five account books, finding eight mistakes.
• First Madam recalculated the discrepancies and confirmed that Xu Xi’s answers were correct.

Xu Xi calculated the Zhao Family’s accounts and showed the eldest madam that the Earl of Suiping’s Residence spent more than it earned. When the eldest madam asked how to divide the household, Xu Xi advised leaving the decision to her grandmother and father, but the eldest madam explained that her mother-in-law would resist.

• Xu Xi quickly calculated the shop accounts and reviewed the residence’s assets, finding that its expenses exceeded its income.
• Xu Xi explained that dividing the household would reduce the main branch’s servants and expenses, while the other branches would have to meet their own costs.
• Xu Xi presented the eldest madam with a summary ledger and accurately recited the residence’s financial figures, impressing the eldest madam and Matron Zhou.
• The eldest madam praised Xu Xi’s ability to understand the household’s finances and asked for her advice on dividing the property.
• Xu Xi asked about customary rules for dividing a household, then suggested that the eldest madam leave the decision to the grandmother and Zhao Yuanxun.
• The eldest madam said Zhao Yuanxun would be reasonable, but the grandmother would object because generations of principal wives had built up the family property.