Chapter Summaries

Lady Wei arrived in the village and mistook Xu Xue for her daughter, accusing Xu Yongyi of trying to swap the girls again. The confusion left Xu Xi and everyone else uncertain, and Lady Wei ordered Steward Liu to report them to the authorities.

• Lady Wei saw Xu Xue and called her Miss Xi, but Xu Yongyi corrected her and identified Xu Xi as Miss Xi.
• Lady Wei seized Xu Xue, insisting she was her daughter, while Xu Xue begged Xu Xi to explain that she belonged to Xu Yongyi and his wife.
• Xu Mingsheng reported the women’s arrival to Zhao Yuanliang, who hurried over and asked what had happened.
• Xu Xi questioned the system, which confirmed the original plot had contained no such mix-up and blamed her for changing events.
• Lady Wei accused Xu Yongyi of passing off a fake daughter and ordered Steward Liu to report the matter to the authorities.
• Xu Chengguan and Zhang Chenglin tried to calm Lady Wei and suggested everyone go inside to discuss the dispute.

Zhao Yuanliang and Lady Wei confronted the Xu family over which girl was their daughter, but Xu Xi demanded proof and warned against taking either girl by force. Xu Yongyi sided with her, leaving the dispute unresolved.

• Zhao Yuanliang urged Lady Wei to stop threatening Xu Yongyi and discuss the matter inside, and she released Xu Xue.
• Zhao Yuanliang summoned Xu Chengguan and Zhang Chenglin to witness the discussion in the Xu family's main hall.
• Zhao Yuanliang asked Xu Yongyi which girl was his daughter, and Xu Yongyi identified Xu Xue and offered to bring witnesses to her birth.
• Xu Xi demanded proof that either girl belonged to the marquis's manor and threatened to seek justice at the county yamen if they made baseless claims.
• Xu Yongyi agreed that neither girl would go with Zhao Yuanliang and Lady Wei without proof, preferably an official document.

Zhao Yuanliang and Lady Wei tried to identify and reclaim their daughter, but Xu Xue refused to leave and Xu Xi challenged their claims. Zhao Yuanliang took Lady Wei back, while Xu Xi was left wondering why Lady Wei insisted Xu Xue was her child and asked the system for help.

• Zhao Yuanliang decided to report the uncertainty about his daughter to the old madam rather than take either girl without proof.
• Lady Wei tried to persuade Xu Xue to return to the marquis residence, but Xu Xue clung to Xu Xi and refused.
• Xu Yongyi threatened to go to the yamen, and Zhao Yuanliang warned him that the marquis residence could hold him responsible for the children being switched.
• Xu Xi told Zhao Yuanliang that neither she nor Xu Xue would go with him without conclusive evidence, then questioned Lady Wei's certainty about Xu Xue.
• Xu Xi asked the system for help, and Zhao Yuanliang finally took Lady Wei away.

Zhao Yuanliang and Lady Wei left Little Banyan Village still believing Xu Xue was their daughter, while Xu Xue refused to go with them. Xu Xi planned to protect her by relying on their academy admission results, but Xu Yongyi feared the marquis's residence would not give up.

• In the carriage, Lady Wei convinced Zhao Yuanliang that Xu Xue was their daughter because she had never felt close to Zhao Ruyu but had felt an immediate bond with Xu Xue.
• Zhao Yuanliang worried that the family had no proof and that the capital would mock them, while Lady Wei privately welcomed the marquis's decline and thought about her son’s future.
• Xu Chengguan and Zhang Chenglin urged Xu Yongyi to let Xu Xue go to the marquis's residence, but Xu Xue refused.
• Xu Xi told Xu Xue to deny being Lady Wei’s daughter and said they could stay at the academy if they were both admitted.
• Xu Yongyi worried that the Xu Family could be blamed for the child swap, but Xu Xi insisted the marquis's residence had no right to seize anyone by force.

After Lady Wei mistakenly tried to claim Xu Xue, the Xu family pointed out how closely Xu Xue resembled Madam Xie, while Xu Xi insisted she would not return to the marquis manor. Back at the manor, the old madam doubted Lady Wei’s claim and left her to handle the matter herself, then asked Zhao Ruyu to stay behind.

• Madam Xie returned and learned that Lady Wei had tried to claim Xu Xue as her daughter.
• A neighbor noted that Xu Xue looked just like Madam Xie, and Xu Xi agreed that the resemblance made Lady Wei’s claim hard to believe.
• Xu Xi refused Matron Ruan’s invitation to return to the marquis manor, and Matron Ruan left after promising to report Lady Wei’s behavior.
• Xu Xi reassured the family that Lady Wei could not claim Xu Xue in front of Madam Xie, and the family went inside to discuss the girls’ academy exam.
• The old madam questioned Lady Wei’s insistence that Xu Xue was her daughter, asked for proof, and told Lady Wei to handle the matter herself.
• The old madam dismissed Lady Wei and Zhao Yuanliang, then asked Zhao Ruyu to remain.

Zhao Ruyu planned to secretly take the Women's Academy examination while the old marchioness investigated whether Xu Xue or Xu Xi was the residence's true daughter. Matron Ruan returned with evidence supporting Xu Xue's identity, but the old marchioness continued to investigate Lady Wei's motives.

• Zhao Ruyu told Fushu to arrange a carriage so she could sneak out and take the Women's Academy examination.
• The old marchioness questioned Steward Liu about the day's events and ordered him to have the wet nurse questioned again.
• The old marchioness sent Matron Jin to investigate Xu Xue and Xu Xi's identities and secretly watch Little Banyan Village for contact from Lady Wei.
• The old marchioness sent for Matron Ruan, reprimanded her for failing to prevent Lady Wei from causing a scene, and asked her which girl was the young lady.
• Matron Ruan reported that villagers said Xu Xue resembled Madam Xie and was her birth daughter, easing the old marchioness's concerns about the girls' identities.

The marquis’s household sent servants to Little Banyan Village to manage the dispute over Xu Xi and Xu Xue, while Lady Wei secretly tried to persuade the clan leader to send Xu Xue to the household. Matron Ruan exposed that Xu Xue resembled Madam Xie and brought Matron Li to see the Xu Family, leaving them arriving at Xu Yongyi’s home.

• The old marchioness ordered Matron Ruan to stop further village visits and focus on the prefectural office, while Lady Zhu offered to visit Xu Xi if she refused to return.
• Lady Wei gave Matron Li a hundred-tael banknote and sent her to persuade Xu Chengguan to have Xu Yongyi send Xu Xue to the marquis’s household.
• Matron Ruan and Steward Liu arrived at Xu Chengguan’s house and found Matron Li there with the banknote.
• Matron Li claimed Lady Wei wanted to prevent Xu Yongyi from passing off his daughter as Xu Xi, but Matron Ruan said Xu Xue closely resembled Madam Xie and was her birth daughter.
• Matron Ruan took Matron Li to the Xu Family’s home, where Madam Xie welcomed them inside so they could inspect her and Xu Xue.

Matron Ruan and Matron Li saw Madam Xie and Xu Xue together and realized Xu Xue resembled her mother, while Xu Xi looked unlike Lady Wei and Zhao Yuanliang. After hearing Xu Xi’s demands for proof, the old madam learned the wet nurse had described a red mole behind Xu Xi’s ear and planned to verify it before bringing her back.

• Matron Ruan and Matron Li inspected Madam Xie, Xu Xue, and Xu Xi, and Xu Xi warned them not to bring her to the marquis’s residence without resolving doubts about her identity.
• Madam Xie insisted Xu Xue was her daughter and warned Matron Li not to take her by force.
• Matron Ruan returned to the marquis’s residence and reported the visit and Xu Xi’s words to the old madam and Lady Zhu.
• Steward Liu reported that the wet nurse had identified a tiny red mole behind the switched child’s ear and accused a former matron of arranging the exchange.
• The old madam told Matron Ruan to check for the mole, and Lady Zhu offered to bring Xu Xi back herself if her identity was confirmed.

Xu Xi and Xu Xue learned that they had both been admitted to the Women's Academy, then received their academy tokens and enrollment instructions. The sisters left with the information they needed to prepare for reporting to the academy.

• Madam Xie warned Xu Xi that her blunt behavior might make life difficult at the marquis's manor, but Xu Xi said she would not let others dictate her life.
• Xu Xi, Xu Xue, and Xu Yongyi went to the Women's Academy to see the examination results.
• Madam Cui's maid read the admissions list, naming Xu Xi first and Xu Xue second among the forty-six successful candidates.
• Xu Xi took Xu Xue and Xu Yongyi to a teahouse to avoid the crowd, then returned to the academy after it dispersed.
• Xu Xi and Xu Xue exchanged their examination tokens for engraved academy tokens and received papers listing the enrollment date and requirements.

Xu Xi took Xu Xue and Xu Yongyi to explore the county seat, hoping to find a way for the family to earn money while deciding whether she could afford to board at the academy. After surveying the shops, she entered a jewelry store and asked to see designs for a custom piece for her mother.

• Xu Xi decided she would live in the county seat rather than board, and asked Xu Yongyi to stop the cart so they could look for ways to make money.
• Xu Xi, Xu Xue, and Xu Yongyi walked through the county seat, where Xu Xi sampled snacks and explored the shops while considering the family's expenses.
• Xu Xi led Xu Xue and Xu Yongyi into a jewelry shop despite their worries about spending money.
• Xu Xi asked the shop assistant for a catalog so she could choose a distinctive design for a piece of jewelry for her mother's birthday.

Xu Xi and Xu Xue passed the entrance examination for the Women's Academy, and Xu Xi explored jewelry designs as a possible way to earn money for the Xu Family. Matron Ruan learned of their success and reacted with surprise, suggesting the news would delight the old madam.

• Xu Xi studied the jewelry catalogue at the Prosperous and Bright Pavilion and asked how the shop would price a piece made from her own design.
• Xu Xi learned there was another jewelry shop in the county, bought steamed buns, and returned to the village with Xu Xue and Xu Yongyi.
• Matron Ruan waited for Xu Xi, while Madam Xie reproached her for returning late.
• Xu Xi told Matron Ruan she had passed the Women's Academy entrance examination, and Xu Xue announced that she had passed too.
• Matron Ruan spoke privately with Xu Xi and praised her success, saying the old madam would be delighted to hear of it.

Xu Xi confirmed she was the marquis’s manor’s switched child after Matron Ruan found the red mole behind her ear. Before agreeing to return, Xu Xi insisted she be allowed to attend the Women's Academy and stay in contact with the Xu Family, warning that otherwise the manor could take someone else in her place.

• Matron Ruan explained that the wet nurse had revealed the marquis’s child had a red mole behind her ear, and Xu Xi recognized the mark from her memories.
• Xu Xi allowed Matron Ruan to inspect the mole, and Matron Ruan confirmed her identity and formally acknowledged her as Fifth Miss.
• Matron Ruan told Xu Xi that the Marchioness of Suiping would come the next day to take her back to the manor.
• Xu Xi insisted she would attend the Women's Academy and remain in contact with the Xu Family, warning that keeping her confined would make their conflict irreconcilable.
• Xu Xi suggested the manor could take someone else instead, noting that Second Madam Lady Wei seemed to care more about appearances than which girl was her real daughter.

Xu Xi agreed to return to the Marquis of Suiping's Residence, provided her household registration stayed unchanged while she studied at the Women's Academy and she could remain close to the Xu family. After Xu Chengguan brought official proof of her identity, Xu Xi showed the red mole behind her ear and asked Matron Ruan to relay her terms.

• Matron Ruan assured Xu Xi that the old madam and madam would support her attending the Women's Academy and likely accept her request to keep her registration unchanged until her studies or marriage.
• Xu Xi said she would continue treating her uncle and aunt as family and staying in contact with them if she returned to the residence.
• Matron Ruan said she would report Xu Xi's terms and that Lady Zhu would confirm them when she came to fetch Xu Xi the next day.
• Xu Xi agreed to return to the Marquis of Suiping's Residence, while the system celebrated and Xu Xi told it to be quiet.
• Xu Chengguan showed Xu Yongyi the prefectural yamen's document containing the wet nurse's confession and mark, and Xu Xi examined it, revealed the red mole behind her ear, and asked Matron Ruan to pass on her words.

Xu Xi prepared to return to the marquis's residence and then enroll at the academy, while discussing a possible move to the county seat with Xu Yongyi. She taught Madam Xie to make spicy cold dishes, and the family discovered they might sell well.

• Xu Xi confirmed that the authorities' proof was genuine and said she would return to the marquis's residence the next day.
• Xu Xue cried at the thought of Xu Xi leaving, but Xu Xi explained she would soon live with her in the county seat or attend the academy.
• Xu Xi proposed that Madam Xie make snacks to sell and asked the family to gather kelp, chilies, tofu skin, and cucumbers.
• Xu Xi taught Madam Xie to make chili oil and mixed it with the prepared ingredients to create cold dishes.
• Xu Xue, Madam Xie, and Xu Yongyi tasted the dishes and praised their flavor.

Xu Xi proposed selling cold dishes made with her chili oil, and Xu Yongyi agreed to share the profits with her. The family approved of the business and began planning how to improve and protect its recipes.

• Xu Xi explained that the family could sell a variety of cold dishes at stalls and to restaurants, with different prices for vegetable and meat dishes.
• Xu Yongyi offered Xu Xi forty percent of the profits, but she accepted twenty percent and said she might someday need the Xu Family as a refuge.
• Madam Xie assured Xu Xi that the Xu home would always be hers, and Xu Yongyi resolved to provide her with a substantial dowry when she married.
• After Xu Chongwen returned from school and praised the dishes, he worried that other sellers could copy them; Xu Xi and Xu Yongyi said the complex chili oil would be difficult to imitate.
• Xu Xi promised to write down additional spices for Xu Yongyi to seek and planned to have Madam Xie experiment with dried shrimp and shiitake mushroom powder as seasoning.

Xu Xi designed a distinctive bird-shaped bracelet and planned to sell the design to a silver shop. She encouraged Xu Xue to earn her own money and suggested that she turn her storytelling into storybooks.

• Xu Xi drew a bird-shaped bracelet design, and Xu Xue admired its lifelike details.
• Xu Xue asked whether Xu Xi would have the bracelet made, and Xu Xi said she planned to sell the design to a silver shop.
• Xu Xi explained to Xu Xue that earning money would let women support themselves and avoid depending on a man's mood.
• Xu Xue agreed with Xu Xi but worried that she had no useful skills to earn money.
• Xu Xi suggested that Xu Xue write storybooks, since she was good at making up stories.

Xu Xi prepared to return to the marquis's household while encouraging Xu Xue to write storybooks and advising Xu Yongyi on starting a cold-dish business. As her family saw her off, she emphasized cleanliness and food safety as essential to the business's success.

• Xu Xi praised Xu Xue's writing and encouraged her to practice writing storybooks, inspiring Xu Xue to start planning one.
• Xu Yongyi and his wife discussed preparing their county-town home and finding a place to sell cold dishes after Xu Xi left.
• Xu Xue and Xu Chongwen struggled to sleep because Xu Xi was returning to the marquis's household the next day, while Xu Xi slept soundly.
• Xu Xi declined to pack household possessions and gave Xu Xue her design drawings to keep and later take to a silver shop.
• Xu Xi ate an early meal with her family and advised Xu Yongyi to keep the food and equipment clean, make small batches, and avoid selling spoiled dishes.
• Xu Yongyi questioned the cost of whitewashing and tidying the county-town home, and Xu Xi explained that cleanliness would protect customers' trust and the business's reputation.

Xu Xi shared a meal with her family before the marquis’s household came to take her away, encouraging Xu Chongwen to study so he could protect his sisters. Lady Zhu arrived at the Xu home and warmly praised Xu Xi’s resemblance to her eldest uncle.

• Xu Yongyi promised Xu Xi he would keep his house and cold-dish business clean and hygienic.
• Xu Chongwen admitted he feared Xu Xi would be bullied at the marquis’s residence, and Xu Xi urged him to work hard and become an official.
• Xu Chongwen said his teacher thought he could try the exams next year, and the family encouraged him.
• Three carriages from the marquis’s residence arrived at Little Banyan Village, carrying Lady Zhu and her attendants.
• Lady Zhu took Madam Xie’s hand, praised Xu Xi’s resemblance to her eldest uncle, and exchanged warm words with Madam Xie.

Lady Zhu promised Xu Xi she could continue studying at the Women's Academy and keep ties with the Xu Family, while delaying the transfer of her household registration. As Xu Xi prepared to leave for the capital, Matron Ruan took her aside, apparently to speak privately.

• Lady Zhu told Xu Xi that the marquis's residence would allow her to study, visit the Xu Family, and come and go for legitimate reasons, but would keep her registration with the Xu Family until she finished studying or became engaged.
• Xu Xi said she had no other concerns and would leave her everyday belongings with the Xu Family, while Lady Zhu assured Madam Xie that she and the family could visit.
• Madam Xie declined Lady Zhu's invitation to visit the marquis's residence, and Lady Zhu praised the Xu Family's character.
• Steward Liu announced that clan leader Xu Chengguan had arrived, and Lady Zhu received him after explaining the visit's purpose.
• Matron Ruan used Xu Xi's supposed need to pack as a reason to take her out of the hall, and a young maid followed them carrying a bundle.

Xu Xi changed into a new outfit and jewelry prepared by Lady Zhu before returning to the room. Matron Ruan praised her appearance, and Xu Xi declined makeup, leaving her ready to face the household in her new clothes.

• Matron Ruan gave Xu Xi the outfit and jewelry Lady Zhu had prepared for her and explained that more clothes were being made.
• Xu Xi changed by herself and returned wearing the well-fitting pink and purplish-red outfit.
• Matron Ruan put a jade hairpin, beaded flowers, pearl earrings, and jade bangles on Xu Xi.
• Xu Xi stopped Matron Ruan from applying makeup, and Matron Ruan only tidied her eyebrows.