Chapter Summaries

Zhao Ruxi encouraged Xiao Ruotong to attend the old princess’s birthday banquet and confront the gossip about her divorce. The old princess publicly explained the Duke of Ying’s Residence’s wrongdoing and declared the two families no longer related by marriage.

• Xiao Ruotong said she did not want to remarry after her unhappy marriage, but Zhao Ruxi persuaded her to attend the birthday banquet.
• Xiao Ruotong and Zhao Ruxi politely identified the noblewomen who gossiped about Xiao Ruotong, embarrassing them in front of the guests.
• The old princess and the Princess of Zhennan approved of Zhao Ruxi’s support and decided not to invite the gossiping women to later banquets.
• Xiao Ruotong presented her birthday gift, and the old princess publicly described the coercion by the Duke of Ying’s Residence and announced the end of the marriage tie.
• Zhao Ruxi left Xiao Ruotong and joined the old madam and Lady Zhu at their table.

After Zhao Ruxi received public favor at the Prince of Zhennan's Residence, the banquet guests and the Cen Family showed her new respect. Lady Zhu and the old madam agreed not to rush her marriage, leaving Zhao Ruxi free to remain with the Earl of Suiping's Residence for now.

• Zhao Ruxi declined the invitation from the old princess consort and the Princess of Zhennan to sit at the head table, but their favor drew noble ladies' attention to her as a potential bride for their sons.
• The old princess consort sent Zhao Ruxi a dish, and guests at the banquet began flattering the old madam and Lady Zhu while asking about Zhao Ruxi's age and betrothal.
• Second Madam Cen visited Zhao Ruxi's carriage, thanked her for teaching Cen Song, and invited her and Mister Kumu to a banquet at the Cen residence.
• Lady Zhu told the old madam that Zhao Ruxi wanted her family to stop arranging her marriage, and the old madam agreed that they should wait for a suitable suitor to approach them.
• The old madam decided that Zhao Ruxi staying with the Earl of Suiping's Residence would benefit the family more than marrying into another household.

Zhao Ruxi viewed three houses in the south of the city with Broker Wang, weighing their prices, locations, and practical features. She asked him for his best prices before deciding whether to buy one or continue looking in the west of the city.

• Zhao Ruxi spent the night writing and drawing plans before setting out to view houses with Broker Wang.
• Broker Wang showed Zhao Ruxi a well-kept house priced at 5,800 taels, but she rejected it as too expensive and lacking a well.
• Broker Wang took Zhao Ruxi to a cheaper house with a well and respectable neighbors, and she considered it more suitable despite keeping her reaction neutral.
• Zhao Ruxi viewed a third, cramped house and asked Broker Wang to give his best price for all three properties.
• Zhao Ruxi planned to compare the offers with houses in the west of the city while avoiding an overly aggressive bargain that might strain relationships.

Zhao Ruxi bought a southern residence at the broker’s asking price and then selected a residence and shop in the west of the city for her business plans. After dining with Wu Zong and Wang Guangyao, she explained what kinds of servants she needed, leaving Wang Guangyao newly impressed by her standing with the emperor.

• Zhao Ruxi accepted the 4,200-tael price for the southern residence and persuaded Broker Wang to keep the full amount rather than reduce it to his 4,000-tael bottom price.
• Zhao Ruxi asked Broker Wang to arrange the deed transfer and went with Broker Yu to view properties in the west of the city.
• Zhao Ruxi chose a single-courtyard residence and a medium-sized shop for a combined 4,700 taels.
• Zhao Ruxi went to Kang Shilin's painting academy, where Wu Zong and Wang Guangyao joined her for a meal.
• Ma Sheng reported that Broker Wang had found an capable family of servants, and Zhao Ruxi asked Wu Zong and Wang Guangyao to select business-minded, literate workers.
• Wang Guangyao learned that the emperor had given Zhao Ruxi a two-story shop and resolved to treat her with greater respect.

Zhao Ruxi selected thirty-five servants and planned to train them at her estate, keeping control of her business finances and techniques. After Wu Zong and Wang Guangyao left, she began arranging clothes and bedding for the new servants.

• Zhao Ruxi, Wu Zong, and Wang Guangyao interviewed applicants and chose thirty-five servants, including four families and several people from convicted officials' households.
• Zhao Ruxi decided to send the servants to her estate and later teach them reading and arithmetic so some could become bookkeepers.
• Zhao Ruxi asked Wu Zong to take Wang Guangyao to dinner at the Fragrant Flavor House, and Wu Zong agreed to bring Ma Sheng along to arrange it.
• Zhao Ruxi asked Madam Sun to estimate the cloth needed for clothes and bedding, and Madam Sun suggested buying cotton and cloth so the women could make bedding that night.

Zhao Ruxi gave Zhou Chun responsibility for organizing supplies and transport for the newly purchased servants, and his capable planning quickly earned her approval. As the group left for the market, she noticed two young men who had disobeyed Zhou Chun’s orders.

• Zhao Ruxi appointed Zhou Chun to organize bedding, clothing, food, utensils, and other supplies for the thirty-five people before they left for the estate.
• Zhou Chun delegated the cloth calculations to Sister-in-law Sun and assigned the cook, Sister-in-law Li, to plan meals and list kitchen supplies with help from Zhou Kui'er.
• After consulting Uncle Lu, Zhou Chun proposed hiring mule carts and stopping at the market on the way out of the city, and Zhao Ruxi approved his plan.
• Zhou Chun arranged the servants into separate carts, splitting up families and groups; Sister-in-law Sun warned two village girls into obeying when they insisted on riding together.
• The group set out in six mule carts and Zhao Ruxi’s carriage, while she quietly noted two young men who had disobeyed orders.

Zhao Ruxi brought the newly purchased servants to her estate and planned to use half a month of military training to assess and discipline them. She put Zhou Chun in charge of the group and explained that they had been bought to work in her shops and help manage her business.

• Wu An reported to Wu Zong that Zhao Ruxi had quickly settled the servants' dispute, and Wu Zong praised his junior sister's ability.
• At the market, Zhao Ruxi watched Zhou Chun and Sister-in-law Sun organize the servants' shopping and noted Zhou Chun's careful management.
• Zhao Ruxi ordered short hemp outfits for the servants and planned half a month of military training to test their discipline, judgment, teamwork, and perseverance.
• At the estate, Zhao Ruxi gave Zhou Chun the Four Treasures of the Study, assigned him to manage the group and track expenses, and asked why his former household had kept him as a minor steward.
• Zhou Chun explained that his former master's favored concubines had relatives who received household positions, and Zhao Ruxi told him the servants would work in her shops and help manage her business.

Zhao Ruxi settled the people she had bought at the estate and laid out how she would monitor and train them. After returning to the Earl of Suiping's Residence, she arranged to borrow a guard and use Ma Sheng's family for errands and work.

• Zhou Chun worried that the newly bought people might become estate servants, and Zhao Ruxi told him not to reveal that they could instead be trained for other roles.
• Zhao Ruxi told Zhou Chun to buy grain and seasonings and arranged for Qian Duoduo to provide vegetables, with Qingfeng to pay for them.
• Zhao Ruxi left Zhou Chun at the estate and told Qingfeng she would select estate children for study and replace disobedient workers or an unsuitable steward.
• Lady Zhu worried about Zhao Ruxi's late return, and Zhao Ruxi explained that she had taken the newly bought people to the estate.
• Zhao Ruxi asked to borrow a guard and use Ma Sheng's wife and children, and Lady Zhu agreed and offered her other available servants.

Zhao Ruxi asked Lady Zhu to assign willing servants from the Earl of Suiping's Residence to her, offering to pay their wages. She then recruited Ma Sheng's family to help train her newly bought servants and arranged to begin their training the next morning.

• Zhao Ruxi explained that idle servants risked losing their wages and asked Lady Zhu to assign some to her; Lady Zhu agreed to screen willing, capable servants.
• Zhao Ruxi paid her respects to the old madam, then summoned Ma Sheng, Lady Luo, and their three children to her courtyard.
• Zhao Ruxi asked Ma Sheng's family to help train the servants she had bought, and all five agreed.
• Zhao Ruxi praised Ma Tianming, kept Ma Wushi and Ma Ling'er's existing names, and told the family to meet her at Chess Watching Courtyard at six the next morning.

Zhao Ruxi moved Ma Sheng’s family to Egret Manor to organize and train the servants, appointing Ma Sheng and Lady Luo as stewards. She split the male and female servants into separate groups and introduced a performance-based meal reward to motivate the women.

• Zhao Ruxi taught Ma Sheng’s family basic drills and set off with them for Beining and Egret Manor.
• At the academy, the gatekeeper persuaded Madam Cui to accept Zhao Ruxi’s leave notes without complaint.
• Zhao Ruxi praised Zhou Chun for caring for the new servants and appointed Ma Sheng and Lady Luo to train them.
• Ma Sheng struggled to organize the male servants, while Lady Luo and Ling’er had difficulty lining up and counting the women.
• Zhao Ruxi told Lady Luo to divide the women into three rows and reward the best performers with meat while giving the worst performers only one coarse-grain bun each.

Zhao Ruxi met the estate servants and offered those aged thirteen to twenty a chance to train and help her do business. Thirty-two accepted, while the rest stayed behind.

• Zhao Ruxi told the residence workers about an opportunity and then asked Qian Duoduo to gather the estate servants.
• Zhao Ruxi examined the impoverished crowd and invited everyone aged thirteen to twenty to step forward for a chance to train with her new recruits.
• When the servants hesitated, Qian Duoduo called them forward by name, and Dianjiang counted fifty-one eligible people.
• Zhao Ruxi gave the group ten breaths to decide whether to join her, and stopped Qian Duoduo from urging them.
• By the time Dianjiang finished counting, thirty-two young people had lined up to accept the opportunity.

Zhao Ruxi selected thirteen estate servants for training, arranged for the others to keep working, and prepared to expand the estate workforce. After returning to Beining, she found Broker Li already waiting at Wu Zong's courtyard.

• Qian Youyu introduced himself, and Zhao Ruxi chose thirteen servants to train while promising the others another chance later.
• Qian Duoduo thanked Zhao Ruxi, then discussed the estate's labor needs; she told him to prepare housing and arrange food and work for new servants she might send.
• Lady Luo organized the newcomers' training while Ma Sheng corrected them, and Zhao Ruxi told him to learn from his wife.
• Zhao Ruxi assigned Zhou Chun's family and Sister-in-law Li to prepare meals, then left the estate with Gao Weiqiang, Qingfeng, and Dianjiang.
• Zhao Ruxi entered Wu Zong's courtyard in Beining, where Broker Li arrived before she could send Uncle Lu to fetch him.

Zhao Ruxi considered buying the Zhang Family residence next door so she could live closer to her master and senior brother. After inspecting it and agreeing to the high price, she learned the Zhang family had only named that price hoping she would give up, and the chapter left her facing their embarrassment over her generosity.

• Broker Li told Zhao Ruxi that the Zhang family had agreed to sell their residence for 2,500 taels and move within half a month.
• Zhao Ruxi said she would buy the house if it needed few repairs and the family moved out promptly.
• Broker Li negotiated the move-out date, and Zhao Ruxi inspected the residence with First Madam Zhang.
• Zhao Ruxi agreed to buy the house and apologized to Old Master Zhang for making his family move.
• Old Master Zhang admitted that his family had named a high price hoping Zhao Ruxi would retreat, and said her straightforward agreement left them ashamed.

Zhao Ruxi bought a residence next door to the Kang Family Painting Academy and asked Gong Cheng for advice about improving the productivity of her estate. She considered raising livestock and poultry to provide fertilizer and income, but worried about disease.

• Zhao Ruxi completed the deed transfer for the residence with Old Master Zhang and asked Broker Li to find suitable estate servants.
• Zhao Ruxi told Kang Shilin and Wu Zong about her purchase, then painted and gave the others pointers on their sketches.
• Gong Cheng explained that the estate left its fields fallow in winter because it lacked enough fertilizer and manpower, and said green manure could enrich the soil but would not earn money.
• Zhao Ruxi considered raising sheep and chickens on the hills and ducks by the river to produce fertilizer and income, but worried about livestock diseases.

Zhao Ruxi gathered crop information and learned from Xiao Lingyan what Empress Shengyao had invented, then considered how to earn money without attracting unwanted attention. On the way into the capital, she encountered her drunken adopted brother Zhao Jingli, whose outburst over being rejected by his former parents left her unwilling to speak with him further.

• Zhao Ruxi asked Gong Cheng to list crops that could be grown in Beining, and he offered to consult his colleagues at the Ministry of Works.
• Wu Zong explained that Zhao Ruxi wanted to improve the estate servants' lives, prompting Gong Cheng to offer her help with agricultural questions.
• Zhao Ruxi received Xiao Lingyan's German letter listing Empress Shengyao's inventions and considered what business might bring quick profits without inviting envy.
• Zhao Jingli rushed in front of Zhao Ruxi's carriage, startling the horses, and admitted he had been drinking.
• Zhao Jingli angrily accused Zhao Yuanxun and Lady Zhu of abandoning him after learning he was not their biological child, then broke down sobbing.
• Zhao Ruxi ordered Uncle Lu to leave and Ma Sheng to restrain Zhao Jingli so he could not follow.

Zhao Ruxi confronted the grieving Zhao Jingli and urged him to take responsibility for the second branch. He accepted her advice and began preparing to manage the household and its shops.

• Zhao Ruxi decided not to comfort Zhao Jingli after he accused her of taking everything from him.
• Zhao Jingli broke down in tears, and Ma Sheng pleaded with Zhao Ruxi to help him.
• Zhao Ruxi challenged Zhao Jingli to repay the kindness his adoptive parents had shown him by managing the second branch well, and he agreed.
• Zhao Ruxi told Zhao Jingli to restrain Zhao Yuanliang, protect the household from Zhao Ruyu and Zhao Rurui, and deal with the troublesome concubines.
• Zhao Ruxi urged Zhao Jingli to inspect the family shops, remove unsuitable staff, and improve their business.

Zhao Ruxi agreed to teach Zhao Jingli and Zhao Jing'an painting, while Zhao Yuanxun and Lady Zhu settled their relatives’ jobs and marriage plans. Meanwhile, Fu Yunkai struggled to repair his relationship with Zhao Ruxi and dealt harshly with He Ying after she entered his outer study.

• Zhao Jingli asked Zhao Ruxi to teach him painting if he managed the household responsibly, and she agreed.
• Zhao Yuanxun decided to let Zhao Yuanliang and Zhao Yuankun keep their posts, while Lady Zhu said she had found Zhao Yuanliang a better marriage match.
• Zhao Ruxi settled into a routine of school, overseeing servants at the estate, and painting at the academy.
• Fu Yunkai repeatedly invited Zhao Yuanxun to meals to apologize for his mother's offense and improve his chances of proposing to Zhao Ruxi.
• He Ying tried to win Fu Yunkai over in his outer study, and he ordered her to leave and punished the soldiers who had let her in.

Fu Yunkai firmly rejected He Ying, who had been pursuing him, and reflected on his mother’s objections to his preferred bride. Despite worrying about the household conflict a marriage to Fifth Miss Zhao might cause, he decided he still wanted to marry her.

• Fu Yunkai told He Ying that he loved another woman and planned to propose to her, then ordered his men to keep Miss He away from him.
• He Ying burst into tears and ran away after Fu Yunkai turned back rather than pass her in the courtyard.
• A soldier questioned Fu Yunkai about why he did not like He Ying, and Fu Yunkai rebuked him before entering the outer study.
• Fu Yunkai recalled his mother’s threats and criticism of Fifth Miss Zhao, which had made him consider choosing another bride.
• Fu Yunkai reasoned that marrying an unintelligent woman could bring him the same troubles his father had faced, and resolved to marry Fifth Miss Zhao.

Fu Yunkai secured his parents’ agreement to marry Fifth Miss Zhao and met Zhao Yuanxun to discuss the match. The chapter ended with Fu Yunkai beginning to explain how he had first met Zhao’s daughter.

• Fu Yunkai learned that his father had threatened to divorce his mother if she opposed the marriage, so she sent the He mother and daughter away and began preparations.
• Fu Yunkai decided to invite Zhao Yuanxun to dinner and discuss his marriage to Fifth Miss Zhao before sending a matchmaker.
• The steward reported that Second Young Master had stopped causing trouble and was training under Fourth Master Qin after exchanging letters with Sixth Miss Zhao.
• Fu Yunkai chose not to raise Second Young Master’s potential marriage to Sixth Miss Zhao, fearing his mother would disrupt his own match.
• Fu Yunkai met Zhao Yuanxun over wine and began recounting his former engagement and his first meeting with Fifth Miss Zhao.

Fu Yunkai asked Zhao Yuanxun for Zhao Ruxi’s hand, and Zhao Yuanxun brought him to the Earl of Suiping’s Residence to meet the family without revealing his purpose. Zhao Ruxi left before Fu Yunkai arrived, while the old madam and Lady Zhu recognized that his frequent invitations to Zhao Yuanxun had been calculated courtship.

• Fu Yunkai told Zhao Yuanxun that he wished to marry Zhao Ruxi and that his father had consented, but Zhao Yuanxun delayed answering so he could consult his family.
• Fu Yunkai cleaned up and changed before accompanying Zhao Yuanxun home, and Zhao Yuanxun invited him to meet the old madam and Lady Zhu without mentioning the proposal.
• Zhao Ruxi returned from Beining after the Zhang Family finished vacating the residence, then heard that Fu Yunkai had brought her father home and was visiting.
• The old madam sent Zhao Ruxi and Zhao Jingtai away before Fu Yunkai arrived, despite Zhao Jingtai’s eagerness to meet him.
• The old madam and Lady Zhu privately joked that Fu Yunkai had not come merely to pay them respects and recalled how his repeated invitations to Zhao Yuanxun had aroused their suspicions.