Chapter Summaries

The First Madam tested who would intervene in Zhao Jingli’s punishment, while Zhao Jingtai pleaded for his eldest brother and revealed that Zhao Jing'an had sent him. After Matron Zhou reported that nobody had emerged from the second branch, the First Madam was left waiting for more information.

• Qingye told the First Madam that Zhao Jingli was still kneeling, and the First Madam discovered that Matron Wang had prompted Qingye to ask about him.
• Zhao Jingtai came to plead for Zhao Jingli, and the First Madam pressured him until he admitted that Zhao Jing'an had sent him.
• The First Madam comforted Zhao Jingtai but kept Zhao Jingli kneeling while she waited for Matron Zhou’s report.
• Matron Zhou told the First Madam she had quietly passed news to the second branch and watched the road, but nobody had come out.

The First Madam and Matron Zhou failed to confirm their suspicions about Lady Wei, while Xu Xi learned that the midwife who switched her with Zhao Jingli was living in Gusu City under a false identity. The chapter ended with Xu Xi planning how to pass the midwife’s whereabouts to the Old Madam and the First Madam.

• The First Madam learned that Qingye had visited the ancestral hall but had not entered, and no one from the Second Madam’s household had gone to the main courtyard.
• Matron Zhou told the First Madam that the Second Madam had not sent Zhao Jingtai his usual late-night snack, but they agreed this only strengthened their suspicions without proving anything.
• Xu Xi returned to the Tea Tasting Residence, drew two jewelry designs, and went to sleep.
• The system told Xu Xi that the midwife who had switched her with Zhao Jingli had repeatedly changed identities and now lived in Gusu City as a grain-shop owner.
• The system revealed that Lady Wei had paid the midwife two thousand taels and that Zhao Yuanliang had entrusted three thousand taels to Lady Wei for safekeeping.
• Xu Xi decided to figure out how to deliver the midwife’s whereabouts to the Old Madam and the First Madam.

Xu Xi devised a way to direct the old madam and first madam toward the midwife while keeping suspicion off herself, then used painting class to try a charcoal drawing. The chapter ended when Master Kang challenged her for using charcoal instead of brushes and ink.

• Xu Xi considered how the old madam and first madam might suspect her involvement in finding the midwife, then devised a plan overnight.
• Xu Xi returned to the academy and worried over whether to accept Madam Cui’s demand that she take the imperial examinations.
• Xu Xi attended law and feminine virtue classes and learned that the latter covered conduct and etiquette for noblewomen.
• Xu Xi used charcoal and thick paper to begin sketching Master Kang during painting class, hoping to avoid drawing a female classmate.
• Master Kang questioned Xu Xi’s charcoal and accused her family of failing to provide money for proper painting supplies.

Xu Xi used charcoal sticks to draw a lifelike portrait of Master Kang, stunning her classmates and the teacher. She kept the unfinished portrait and promised to bring it to Master Kang the next morning.

• Master Kang questioned Xu Xi's charcoal drawing method, and she persuaded him to let her finish before judging it.
• Xu Xue, Mu Qingqiang, and He Yuqi watched Xu Xi draw and were astonished by her work.
• Master Kang saw the lifelike portrait and realized Xu Xi had drawn him, then excitedly asked how she had done it.
• Xu Xi said she needed to finish the portrait at home and hid it when Master Kang tried to take it.
• Master Kang agreed to let Xu Xi bring the finished portrait the next morning.

Xu Xi took Xu Xue to the East Market to assess how their family’s new cold-dish stalls were doing and planned to meet Xu Yongyi there. As they arrived, Fu Yunlang and a group of important young masters spotted the two girls, setting up a possible encounter.

• Xu Xi reassured Xu Xue that Qingfeng and Old Lu would keep her visit to the Xu Family quiet, then took her toward the East Market.
• Xu Xi explained that she expected Xu Yongyi and Madam Xie to be at the market asking customers about the cold dishes, and Xu Xue correctly worked out her reasoning.
• Xu Xi and Xu Xue arrived at the East Market to look for the Xu Family’s stall.
• Xu Xinda followed Fu Yunlang and several finely dressed young masters through a nearby street, behaving deferentially toward them.
• Fu Yunlang noticed Xu Xi and Xu Xue as they stepped out of their carriage, and the Fifth Master followed his gaze.

Fu Yunlang explained that Xu Xi had designed the distinctive bracelet and received Fifth Master's advice to build a silver shop around novel designs. Xu Xi and Xu Xue found Xu Yongyi helping at the market, where he described how the cold-dish business was expanding.

• Fifth Master asked Fu Yunlang whether he was discussing marriage with a young lady from the Marquis of Huanping's Residence, and Fu Yunlang explained that he had been distracted after seeing Xu Xi, the bracelet designer.
• Fifth Master urged Fu Yunlang to contact Xu Xi and pursue a long-term partnership, advising him that novelty could help a silver shop succeed in the capital.
• Xu Xinda realized he had driven away a valuable designer and sent a steward to watch Xu Xi's carriage and learn about her background.
• Xu Xi and Xu Xue found Xu Yongyi weighing cold dishes for busy stallholders, and Xu Yongyi happily told Xu Xi that sales were going well.
• Xu Yongyi explained that he had rented a courtyard and hired older women to prepare the cold dishes, paying them by the amount they produced.

Xu Xi discussed expanding Xu Yongyi’s cold-dish business and warned him that its recipes would soon lose value if he did not enter the capital’s market or sell them. As she prepared to leave, she learned that Master Xu of the Abundant and Prosperous Pavilion had sought information about her, and she went to meet him.

• Xu Yongyi told Xu Xi that his cold-dish stalls were nearly sold out and planned to increase production by fifty jin the next day.
• Xu Yongyi calculated that he and Madam Xie could earn over two taels daily, while Xu Xi asked whether he would expand to the capital.
• Xu Xi warned Xu Yongyi that others could copy the recipes and suggested he sell the chili oil recipe if he would not pursue the capital’s market, but he refused to sell what he considered her secret recipe.
• Qingfeng told Xu Xi that an old man claiming to be Master Xu’s steward had questioned Uncle Lu about her.
• Xu Xi said she would meet Master Xu, and Xu Xinda greeted her outside the silver shop before she asked what he wanted.

Xu Xi rejected Xu Xinda’s proposal to sell her jewelry designs to the Abundant and Prosperous Pavilion, warning him not to target her family. Xu Yongyi realized his satisfaction with small profits was holding the family back, and Xu Xue urged him to expand the business as Xu Xi had advised.

• Xu Xinda revealed that the Abundant and Prosperous Pavilion belonged to Fu Yunlang and offered Xu Xi a hundred taels for each design, but Xu Xi decided she wanted no ties to him.
• Xu Xi asked the system about Madam Xiao and learned that she was a generous County Princess who had left her husband’s home and was teaching at Beining County Women’s Academy.
• Xu Xinda suggested that Xu Xi meet Fu Yunlang, but Xu Xi declined, saying Madam Xiao already bought all her designs on fair terms.
• Xu Xi warned Xu Xinda that she and Madam Xiao had powerful family connections, and revealed that Fu Yunlang was devoted to her younger sister while a marriage was being discussed.
• Xu Yongyi reflected on his cautious business plans and asked Xu Xue whether Xu Xi had been displeased with him; Xu Xue urged him to expand the family business and build their standing.

Xu Xue impressed Xu Yongyi with her growing ability to think for herself, which she credited to Xu Xi’s guidance. Meanwhile, Xu Xinda and Huang Xing discussed a possible impostor claiming to be from the Marquis of Huanping’s Residence, and Xu Xi returned to find Lady Wei waiting with gifts and an invitation.

• Xu Xue told Xu Yongyi that Xu Xi had taught her to look beyond appearances, and Xu Yongyi felt grateful that Xu Xi had helped her mature.
• Xu Xinda told Huang Xing that a young woman claiming to be from the Marquis of Huanping’s Residence had met Fifth Master and discussed working with her.
• Huang Xing questioned the woman’s identity because the Marquis of Suiping’s family was surnamed Zhao, and decided to tell Second Young Master when he had a chance.
• Xu Xi returned to the marquis’s residence and found Lady Wei waiting with Matron Li and a maid, inviting Xu Xi to dine with the second branch.
• Matron Li showed Xu Xi two silk outfits and two pieces of gold jewelry that Lady Wei had prepared for her.

Xu Xi rejected Lady Wei’s clothes and learned that she had placed first in an academy examination on the Four Books and Five Classics. After discussing Teacher Cui’s proposal with the old madam and the first madam, Xu Xi decided to try the imperial examinations, and the first madam supported her.

• Xu Xi refused Lady Wei’s offer of clothes and left despite Lady Wei’s tearful protest.
• Xu Xi asked Qingfeng to find out whether Sixth Miss had left Rongxi Hall, then went to speak with the old madam and the first madam.
• Xu Xi told them Teacher Cui had proposed that she take the imperial examinations and that she had come first in the examination on the Four Books and Five Classics.
• The old madam celebrated Xu Xi’s scholarly ability and asked whether she wanted to take the examinations.
• Xu Xi said she wanted to give it a try, and the first madam told her to go ahead.

Xu Xi gained the old madam and the first madam’s support to pursue her studies at the academy, then showed them her lifelike portrait of Master Kang. The portrait gave the first madam an idea for finding the missing midwife, and she asked Xu Xi to paint Matron Zhou.

• The old madam and the first madam agreed to support Xu Xi’s studies at the academy.
• Xu Xi showed them her portrait of Master Kang, and its lifelike appearance startled both women.
• Xu Xi explained that realistic portraits could help authorities identify fugitives.
• The first madam connected Xu Xi’s skill to the search for the missing midwife who could clarify Xu Xi and Zhao Jingli’s parentage.
• The first madam asked Xu Xi to paint a portrait of Matron Zhou.

Xu Xi agreed to draw Matron Zhou so the first madam could use her portrait to investigate whether Zhao Jingli was truly her son. After sharing dinner with the old madam, Xu Xi quickly finished the drawing, and the two women marveled at its uncanny resemblance.

• The first madam decided to have Xu Xi draw Matron Zhou and arranged for the portrait to be made after dinner at the Tea Tasting Residence.
• The first madam chose to dine with the old madam rather than return to the first branch, and the old madam understood and supported her intentions.
• The old madam invited Xu Xi to share meals with her from then on, and Xu Xi reluctantly agreed.
• After dinner, Xu Xi drew Matron Zhou at Rongxi Hall while the first madam, Matron Jin, and the old madam watched.
• Xu Xi finished the portrait in the time it took to drink a cup of tea, and the old madam and first madam exclaimed at its uncanny likeness.

Xu Xi impressed the household with a portrait of Matron Zhou, then agreed to draw a likeness of the midwife who had delivered the First Madam’s child. The Old Madam worried that uncovering Lady Wei’s child-swapping scheme would split the marquis household apart.

• Xu Xi finished Matron Zhou’s portrait, and the household praised how closely it resembled her.
• The Old Madam asked whether Xu Xi could paint full-length portraits, and the household wondered if the palace might recruit her as a painter.
• The First Madam asked Xu Xi to draw the midwife from her long-ago delivery, and Xu Xi agreed to sketch her from a description.
• The First Madam decided to describe the midwife that evening rather than wait until the next day, and Xu Xi offered to begin at once.
• The Old Madam realized the First Madam had settled the matter with Xu Xi and worried that Lady Wei’s scheme would leave the marquis household divided.

Xu Xi drew a portrait of the midwife as she looked fourteen years ago and then an older version for the first madam to use in her search. The next morning, Xu Xi delivered Master Kang’s portrait at the academy and went to meet Madam Cui, who had summoned her.

• The first madam and Matron Zhou described the midwife while Xu Xi used the system’s guidance to draw a portrait of her younger self.
• Xu Xi used the younger portrait and more details to draw the midwife as she might look now, then advised the first madam to investigate the midwife’s relatives and search where they lived.
• The first madam vowed to find the midwife, and Xu Xi returned to the Tea Tasting Residence to finish Master Kang’s portrait.
• The old madam kept Xu Xi for breakfast, but Xu Xi left for the academy without discussing the midwife’s portraits.
• At the academy, Xu Xi handed Master Kang’s portrait to his maid and then followed Madam Cui’s matron to meet her.

Xu Xi joined the Women's Academy’s imperial-exam preparation classes after agreeing to try balancing exam study with her other subjects for a month. She began practicing calligraphy in class D and was surprised when the system awarded her 100 Wisdom Points.

• Madam Cui accepted Xu Xi’s proposal to study for the imperial examinations while keeping her other classes, provided she ranked in the top three among the six exam candidates after a month.
• Madam Cui gave Xu Xi academy books and brought her to the North Courtyard, where students were placed in classes according to their progress through the Four Books and Five Classics.
• Xu Xi decided to aim for class A in the next month’s exam and hoped to become a xiucai after taking the imperial examinations the following year.
• Xu Xi stayed in class D to practice calligraphy, and the system awarded her 100 Wisdom Points after she wrote five characters.

After learning that her new painting style earned her a hundred Wisdom Points, Xu Xi resolved to improve her painting and compete in the annual calligraphy and painting contest. She joined the imperial-examination students’ lessons in the north courtyard, then returned to tell Xu Xue she would still attend afternoon classes.

• The system explained that Xu Xi earned a hundred Wisdom Points because Master Kang and two other masters judged her painting to be a new style, and described how future improvements and contest victories could earn points.
• Xu Xi learned that Empress Shengyao had established an annual calligraphy and painting competition and vowed to make a name for herself.
• Xu Xi practiced calligraphy, earned eight points, and encountered Mu Qingqiang entering the north-courtyard classroom alone.
• Xu Xi returned to the Ding class and told Xu Xue she was taking the imperial examinations and would still attend afternoon lessons.
• A nearby girl overheard Xu Xi and loudly expressed surprise, drawing the class’s attention.

Xu Xi settled into lessons at Beining Women’s Academy and sought books to further her studies. Meanwhile, Fu Yunlang learned that Xu Xi was the Marquis of Huanping’s true daughter, leaving him to reconsider his troubled marriage negotiations with Zhao Ruyu.

• Xu Xi encouraged her classmates to pursue education so they could support themselves and then joined the North Courtyard’s new class.
• Madam Cui explained the academy’s grading system and introduced the degree-holding teachers, and Xu Xi asked her Analects teacher for recommended commentaries.
• Xu Xi attended a beginner Go lesson in Class D while Fu Yunlang and the princes arrived in Beining.
• Huang Xing told Fu Yunlang that Xu Xi had said he was discussing marriage with her younger sister, a young lady surnamed Xu.
• Fu Yunlang realized Xu Xi was the Marquis of Huanping’s true daughter and recalled that the revelation about Zhao Ruyu’s origins had complicated their marriage plans.

Fu Yunlang dismissed Xu Xi’s jewelry designs and secured Xiao Lingpu and Xiao Lingyan’s support for expanding his shop. After returning to the capital, he went to meet Zhao Ruyu at their usual teahouse, where she had stopped after seeing his page Changping.

• Fu Yunlang refused to work with Xu Xi, believing she could not have designed the jewelry herself.
• Fu Yunlang told Xiao Lingyan and Xiao Lingpu that Xu Xi had declined to work with him because the County Princess of Qingyang had bought her designs.
• Xiao Lingpu offered to find an artisan who designed jewelry for the Noble Consort, and Xiao Lingyan asked to invest in Fu Yunlang’s shop discreetly.
• Fu Yunlang discussed expanding the Abundant and Prosperous Pavilion with Xiao Lingyan, who advised him to wait until the shop was running more smoothly.
• After returning to the capital, Fu Yunlang went to a teahouse near Zhao Ruyu’s school, and Zhao Ruyu stopped there after Changping caught her attention.

Zhao Ruyu reunited with Fu Yunlang and concealed the fact that she had been reborn, while he reassured her about their future marriage. When Fu Yunlang told her that Xu Xi had sold jewelry designs and that he had stopped his shop from working with her, Zhao Ruyu worried that Xu Xi might know her secret.

• Fu Yunlang greeted Zhao Ruyu, who recalled their love in her previous life and hid her feelings behind tears.
• Fu Yunlang comforted Zhao Ruyu, told her his mother approved of her academy admission, and promised to arrange their betrothal after his elder brother married.
• Zhao Ruyu asked about Fu Yunlang's jewelry shop, and he claimed he had started managing it because he wanted to be worthy of her.
• Fu Yunlang told Zhao Ruyu that Xu Xi had sold jewelry designs to the Abundant and Prosperous Pavilion and that he had ordered Shopkeeper Huang not to work with her.
• Zhao Ruyu concealed her suspicion about Xu Xi and feared that Fu Yunlang would reject her if he learned she had been reborn.

Zhao Ruyu urged Fu Yunlang to keep his distance from Zhao Ruxi, while Xu Xi settled into life at the marquis’s residence and academy. She later visited Madam Xiao with Xu Xue to discuss jewelry designs, and Madam Xiao asked her to draw more.

• Zhao Ruyu told Fu Yunlang not to harm or help Zhao Ruxi and to keep her at a respectful distance.
• Xu Xi returned to her routine at the residence and academy, while Xu Yongyi worked to promote cold dressed vegetables in the capital.
• Xu Xue hesitated to visit Madam Xiao, but Xu Xi encouraged her to meet more people and build confidence.
• Xu Xi and Xu Xue brought Xu Xi’s designs to Madam Xiao, who praised her painting and said Master Kang had shown off her portrait.
• Madam Xiao reviewed Xu Xi’s five jewelry designs and asked her to draw more for the silver shop.