Si Jin – Jing Tian, Zhang Wanyi

In the tenth year of Qingyan, the Grand Princess of Great Zhou held immense power, controlling the entire empire and stirring unrest. Taking advantage of the chaos, Nanwu led an army to invade Great Zhou, plunging the world into turmoil. Amidst the flames of war, Jiang Shi wielded her sword and slew her enemies. Just then, an arrow shot from behind, piercing through her body. When she turned around, she was shocked to see that the archer was Yu Qi.

Unwilling to accept her fate, she swore that if given another chance, she would never let this tragedy repeat. As she fell into the river, everything faded to darkness. When Jiang Shi opened her eyes again, she found herself lying on a bed. Outside, a peaceful and prosperous scene unfolded—there was no sign of war. At that moment, Yu Qi walked in. Seeing his face, Jiang Shi was stunned and angrily questioned why he had killed her.

Yu Qi’s subordinate, Long Dan, grew irritated and explained that Jiang Shi had fallen into the river, and it was Yu Qi who had saved her. Upon asking the year, Jiang Shi realized she had returned to ten years before her death, back to the twenty-third year of Jingming. She recalled that in her previous life, she had fallen into the river after a dispute with her fiancé, Ji Chongyi, who had pushed her in.

Now that her family was still alive, she was desperate to return home. After sending Jiang Shi away, Yu Qi confided in Long Dan, revealing that when he saved Jiang Shi, he had seen the flame pattern of Nanwu on her body. This made him suspect that she might be a spy from Nanwu. When Jiang Shi returned home, she discovered that her family was preparing for a funeral.

Fearing that her father and brother had once again met a tragic fate in this life, she rushed inside. The servants were shocked to see her, and she soon learned that the funeral had been arranged by Madam Xiao, the second wife of the Earl of Dongping. Jiang Shi overheard Xiao sneering at her, and when they finally met, Xiao was as sharp-tongued as ever.

Remembering how Xiao had constantly made things difficult for her, Jiang Shi could no longer endure it—she raised her hand and struck Xiao. Her maid, A’Man, was overjoyed when she heard that Jiang Shi had returned and rushed to find her. Together, they went to look for Jiang Shi’s father, Jiang Ancheng, and her brother, Jiang Zhan. The two men had been waiting by the lake, refusing to leave, insisting on retrieving Jiang Shi's body.

When Jiang Shi arrived at the lakeside and reunited with them, Jiang Ancheng and Jiang Zhan were overwhelmed with emotion. Fearing that history would repeat itself, Jiang Shi forbade her brother from going near the lake and told her father not to return to his post at the Four Heavens Office. Meanwhile, Yu Qi ordered Long Dan to investigate Jiang Shi’s background. Upon learning of her hardships, he gained a better understanding of her life.

Upon returning home, the first thing Jiang Shi did was demand to break off her engagement with Ji Chongyi. Xiao fiercely opposed the idea. In response, Jiang Shi suggested that Xiao's daughter, Jiang Pei, could take her place instead. Knowing Ji Chongyi’s true nature, Xiao didn’t want her own daughter to suffer and quickly changed the subject. However, no matter what she said, Jiang Shi remained firm in her decision not to marry Ji Chongyi.

Finally, Xiao resorted to involving the family matriarch. That night, as Jiang Shi returned to her familiar courtyard, countless emotions surged in her heart. To prevent Jiang Shi from successfully annulling the engagement, Xiao secretly hid all the betrothal gifts. Meanwhile, Jiang Shi had dinner with her father and brother. The next day was the once-in-three-years military examination at the training grounds.

Jiang Zhan planned to compete—if he succeeded, he could become an officer in the Capital Guard, which would allow him to take their father and Jiang Shi away from Xiao’s control. However, both Jiang Ancheng and Jiang Shi worried for his safety and tried to dissuade him. Despite their concerns, Jiang Zhan went to the examination. Jiang Shi, worried about her brother, went to find him. She was relieved to see that he fought well.

After some investigation, she learned from Jiang Zhan’s servant, A’Ji, that Jiang Zhan had bribed a few people to secure his victory. At the same time, Yu Qi arrived at the training grounds on official business—he was there to arrest an official named Zheng Ming. It turned out that Zheng Ming had framed his comrades and sold intelligence to the enemy just to gain military merit.

While interrogating Zheng Ming, Yu Qi inquired about Jiang Shi’s totem and learned that it was the mark of Nanwu’s Holy Maiden. Jiang Zhan was ultimately defeated in the competition, but he refused to admit defeat. He was nearly killed in a duel, but Jiang Shi rushed forward to protect him. At that moment, Yu Qi stepped in and saved her. In the end, Yu Qi was appointed as an officer in the Capital Guard. Seeing him again, Jiang Shi was filled with doubt—after her rebirth, many things had changed.

To help his daughter break off her engagement, Jiang Ancheng went to Xiao and requested to return the dowry. However, Xiao falsely claimed that the money had already been spent. With no other choice, Jiang Ancheng admitted his helplessness to his daughter, but Jiang Shi did not blame him. He suspected that Xiao had not actually spent the dowry but had hidden it instead.

To reclaim the betrothal gifts from the An Guogong Manor, Jiang Shi took out her mother’s luxurious jewelry. She sat in a pavilion, waiting for Jiang Pei. Since Jiang Pei was vain and materialistic, Jiang Shi planned to use this against her. As expected, when Jiang Pei saw the expensive jewelry on Jiang Shi, jealousy took hold of her. She ran to the place where Jiang Shi’s betrothal gifts were hidden, only to be caught in the act.

Jiang Shi had the gifts moved away immediately. When Xiao saw Jiang Shi retrieving the betrothal gifts, she stepped forward to stop her. However, Jiang Ancheng intervened, standing up for his daughter and taking back all the gifts. Meanwhile, Yu Qi officially started his position at the Capital Guard. The supervising judge personally handed him the official seal. Just as he assumed his post, someone came knocking on the drums, demanding a case be heard.

When Jiang Ancheng returned home, he found that all the betrothal gifts from An Guogong Manor had been sent back and were now in the courtyard. Yu Qi planned to purchase a house near Jiang Shi’s residence to keep an eye on her. According to Great Zhou’s customs, one must inquire about the neighbors before buying a property, so Yu Qi visited Jiang Shi’s home.

Upon learning that Yu Qi wanted to buy a house next to hers, Jiang Shi did not want any further entanglement with him. She deliberately expressed her interest in purchasing that very house. However, upon seeing the military dog beside Yu Qi, memories of her past life with him flooded back. At that moment, Lady Wei, the wife of An Guogong, arrived at the Earl of Dongping’s Manor with Ji Chongyi.

Lady Wei assured Jiang Shi that she would treat her like a biological daughter after she married into the An Guogong Manor. However, Jiang Shi recalled how, in her previous life, she had been mistreated by this very mother-in-law, living a miserable life. She firmly insisted on breaking off the engagement. Lady Wei refused to agree and even threatened to take the matter to court. Jiang Shi was unafraid—if they went to court, Ji Chongyi’s crimes would certainly be exposed.

The key issue was finding a witness. Just then, Yu Qi unexpectedly appeared and used the property dispute as leverage, offering to provide a witness. Jiang Shi had no choice but to agree to let Yu Qi buy the house. That night, as the rain poured, Jiang Shi felt frustrated over the lawsuit. She recalled that the woman Ji Chongyi had met in secret closely resembled someone she once knew.

Determined to uncover the truth, she ventured to Qiaoxiang Pavilion in the rain and questioned Qiao Niang. Qiao Niang did not hide the truth—she admitted that she had met Ji Chongyi on the bridge that day. She revealed that Ji Chongyi was not a good man; he only wanted to climb the social ladder and pay off his gambling debts. Coincidentally, she also wished to rise in status, so their relationship was mutually beneficial.

Jiang Shi did not want her sister figure to fall into a pit of fire. However, Qiao Niang had already become jaded by the ways of the world. She wanted to secure a good future for her child, so among all the possible misfortunes, she chose the most worthwhile one. As soon as Grand Madam Jiang returned to the manor, Xiao rushed to her to file a complaint.

Upon hearing that Jiang Shi had broken off her engagement and caused multiple disturbances, the Grand Madam was furious. She immediately summoned Jiang Shi. When she heard that Jiang Shi had not even gotten out of bed yet, she became enraged and personally led people into Jiang Shi’s quarters. The moment they met, the Grand Madam sought to establish her authority by punishing Jiang Shi, ordering her to kneel for an hour.

However, Jiang Shi became unexpectedly obedient and even agreed to the marriage. Jiang Shi’s maid, A’Man, was confused and asked her about it. Jiang Shi explained that she wanted to keep the Grand Madam from interfering too much, so she had to act in secret to avoid complications. Yu Qi took Jiang Shi to the place where she had fallen into the river.

Across the river, there was a group of merchants who must have seen her being pushed into the water. Seeing that there were so many potential witnesses, Jiang Shi felt hopeful that she could finally escape this marriage. She even imagined the good days that awaited her once she was free from Ji Chongyi. However, the next day, all the witnesses claimed they had not seen anything clearly.

It turned out that Ji Chongyi had already threatened and bribed them into giving false testimonies. Thinking he had secured victory, Ji Chongyi was smug. But to his surprise, Jiang Shi had another witness—Qiao Niang, the very woman he had met in secret.

Jiang Shi had planned for Qiao Niang to testify in court, ensuring that Ji Chongyi's affair with her would be exposed. This way, Qiao Niang could also successfully marry into the An Guogong Manor. Qiao Niang directly accused Ji Chongyi of pushing Jiang Shi into the river. The evidence was undeniable, and Ji Chongyi had no choice but to admit it. However, he remained arrogant even in court and was punished.

When Zhen Hang pressed further, asking Qiao Niang whether Ji Chongyi had done it deliberately, she suddenly fainted. That night, Ji Chongyi and Lady Wei went to confront Qiao Niang. Jiang Shi used Qiao Niang’s unborn child as leverage, forcing Ji Chongyi to marry her openly and honorably. However, Lady Wei refused, claiming that the child’s father was uncertain. Jiang Shi then brought up Ji Chongyi’s future prospects, threatening that his reputation would be ruined.

Fearing the consequences, Ji Chongyi persuaded his mother to agree to the marriage. After returning home, Jiang Shi was still unsettled. Without an official letter of annulment, there was always a risk of things changing. Just as she was anxiously waiting, Jiang Ancheng arrived with the annulment letter from An Guogong Manor. Seeing the letter, Jiang Shi was overjoyed—she had finally escaped a disastrous fate. She immediately withdrew the lawsuit.

Zhen Hang, noticing that Jiang Shi had inexplicably dropped the case, suspected that she had been threatened and wanted to continue the investigation. However, Jiang Shi had no interest in digging further. While organizing a tree stump in Jiang Shi’s courtyard, A’Man discovered a symbol engraved on it. Upon closer examination, Jiang Shi realized that the symbol was a sacred totem. This puzzled her deeply, and memories of her past life resurfaced.

She began to suspect that this totem was linked to her time living in Nanwu. Yu Qi and Zhen Hang visited Jiang Shi’s home as guests, where her family warmly welcomed them. That night, Yu Qi secretly sneaked into Jiang Shi’s courtyard and discovered one of her paintings—a landscape depicting the divine mountain of Nanwu. He was certain that Jiang Shi must have been to the mountain before to be able to paint it so vividly.

This made him even more determined to investigate further. The next morning, Jiang Shi woke up to find her painting missing. Thinking back, she recalled that Yu Qi had paid close attention to it when he visited, leading her to suspect that he was trying to investigate her identity as the sacred maiden. To test Jiang Shi’s family, Yu Qi invited Jiang Shi and her brother, Jiang Zhan, to visit his home.

However, Jiang Shi did not want to stay long and left after a brief appearance. Yu Qi deliberately showed the painting he took from Jiang Shi’s home to Jiang Zhan, but Jiang Zhan seemed unfamiliar with it. Summoned by her grandmother, Jiang Shi went to the manor. She did not want to make things too difficult for her father at home.

Upon arrival, she saw Jiang Qian happily chatting with the Grand Madam, which reminded her of how Jiang Qian had betrayed her in their past life. Jiang Shi could not understand why a woman would help her husband harm her own sister. She began to harbor resentment toward Jiang Qian and spoke to her coldly. Jiang Shi’s sharp words angered the Grand Madam, who scolded her.

Jiang Qian, noticing Jiang Shi’s hostility, decided it was best to leave and invited Jiang Shi to walk her out. As they walked alone, Jiang Qian extended an invitation for Jiang Shi to visit her home. Before leaving, Jiang Qian hesitated, looking at Jiang Shi with reluctance. It turned out that she was acting under duress—her husband, who was infatuated with Jiang Shi’s beauty, had ordered her to invite Jiang Shi over.

He had even physically abused Jiang Qian to force her compliance. Meanwhile, Jiang Yi, Jiang Shi’s eldest sister, sent a gift along with a letter to comfort her. Jiang Yi knew that Jiang Shi had broken off her engagement and assumed she must be feeling down. Reading the letter, Jiang Shi recalled how, in their past life, Jiang Yi had been abandoned after her own engagement was broken.

She had returned home, only to be neglected and left to die in sorrow. Determined to change her sister’s fate in this lifetime, Jiang Shi swore not to let history repeat itself. On a rainy day, Jiang Shi walked through the streets under an umbrella and came across a deranged woman, Xiu Niang, searching desperately for her daughter.

From the gossip around her, Jiang Shi learned that Xiu Niang had once been a tofu seller, but her daughter had suddenly gone missing. When she heard that the child had disappeared near the Changxing Marquis Manor, Jiang Shi’s suspicions deepened. She remembered that Jiang Qian’s husband had always lusted after her beauty. It was highly likely that he had kidnapped the girl because she resembled Jiang Shi. Determined to rescue the child, Jiang Shi decided to take action.

Jiang Zhan was wandering the streets when he ran into some of his long-time rivals. A fight was inevitable, so he lied about finding a secluded place for a proper duel. However, he used this as an excuse to escape, successfully outwitting them. Feeling triumphant, he boarded a boat and leisurely drifted across the lake. As he was lost in thought, a strikingly heroic young woman suddenly appeared on the bridge above him, immediately capturing his attention.

Her name was Lu Chuchu, and she had a passion for adventuring through the martial world. While shopping, Lu Chuchu realized that her money had been stolen. Mistakenly assuming that Jiang Zhan was working with the child who had taken her money, she deliberately struck up a conversation with him to distract him while another child attempted to steal from him. Jiang Zhan was baffled by Lu Chuchu’s actions and provoked her in response.

To his surprise, Lu Chuchu was highly skilled in martial arts—she leaped gracefully from the bridge and landed directly onto his boat. She took Jiang Zhan’s money and was about to leave when he accidentally fell into the river. Realizing that he could not swim, Lu Chuchu immediately jumped in and rescued him. Jiang Zhan remained unconscious after being pulled out of the water, leaving Lu Chuchu extremely worried. She anxiously tried to wake him up.

Just then, Jiang Shi arrived. The moment Jiang Zhan heard his sister’s voice, he suddenly regained consciousness—it turned out he had been pretending all along just to scare Lu Chuchu. Seeing her brother safe, Jiang Shi scolded him for wandering near the lake and expressed her concern, creating a warm scene that Lu Chuchu found touching. After learning what had happened, Jiang Shi returned Jiang Zhan’s money to Lu Chuchu. Through this encounter, the two women formed a friendship.

Back at home, Jiang Shi was preparing a sleeping-inducing incense, intending to bring it to the Changxing Marquis Manor as a precaution. A’Man, surprised that Jiang Shi knew such things, asked where she had learned it. Jiang Shi, unwilling to reveal that she had been taught these skills in her past life in Nanwu, simply claimed she had learned it from books.

Meanwhile, Yu Qi was still studying Jiang Shi’s paintings, but no matter how much he investigated, he found nothing suspicious about her. There were no clues at all. However, Yu Qi did not focus all his energy on investigating Jiang Shi. Instead, he prioritized the most urgent case—the disappearance of Xiu Niang’s daughter. Jiang Shi, accompanied by her third sister, went to the Changxing Marquis Manor. Jiang Qian personally received them.

Just as they were about to have a meal, Jiang Qian’s husband, Cao Xingxing, suddenly returned. Upon seeing Jiang Shi, he made no effort to hide his lecherous gaze. Jiang Shi, in turn, was reminded of the events from her past life. Her expression immediately turned cold. To find Xiu Niang’s daughter, Yu Qi secretly gathered information on all previous cases of missing girls.

He marked all the locations where they had disappeared and brought portraits of the missing girls to the marketplace to ask vendors for information. However, the vendors were reluctant to speak, their expressions shifty and evasive. Yu Qi quickly realized they were hiding something. Under pressure, they finally admitted that the missing girls were linked to the heir of the Changxing Marquis Manor. While strolling through the marquis manor’s garden, Jiang Shi suddenly caught a foul smell.

Searching further, she discovered a copper hairpin hidden among the flowers. A chilling suspicion formed in her mind—there might be corpses buried beneath the flowerbed. Jiang Qian deliberately separated Jiang Shi from the others, arranging for her to stay alone in a separate courtyard. Jiang Shi immediately recognized the ploy—someone intended to harm her. However, she decided to go along with it, determined to make the heir of the Changxing Marquis Manor pay.

In her past life, after she was defiled, her father had been furious and wanted to seek justice for her. However, the entire Jiang family had refused to support them, leaving her and her father utterly abandoned. Alone in her room, Jiang Shi heard movement outside. Though she had anticipated this, she still felt a trace of nervousness. To her relief, the person who entered was her third sister, Jiang Qiao.

Jiang Shi relaxed slightly as Jiang Qiao insisted on staying with her for the night. Jiang Shi was puzzled—Jiang Qiao had not come to her aid in the past life. She began to consider how to get Jiang Qiao to leave safely. As she was deep in thought, Cao Xingxing stealthily approached the bedside. Jiang Shi tensed, gripping a hidden wristband laced with sleeping powder. However, upon seeing Jiang Qiao, Cao Xingxing hesitated and left.

Jiang Qiao immediately sat up in alarm and called for help, clutching a hairpin tightly in her hand. It turned out she had already suspected Cao Xingxing’s ill intentions and had deliberately come to protect Jiang Shi. Jiang Shi then noticed a lifeless girl lying on the floor, her heart filled with sorrow. Just as she was overwhelmed with grief, someone tried to silence her permanently. At that critical moment, Yu Qi appeared and saved her.

Yu Qi wanted Jiang Shi to go home immediately so that he could bring people back to gather evidence. However, Jiang Shi was afraid that the evidence would be moved once she left, so she insisted on staying. Concerned for her safety, Yu Qi hesitated, but Jiang Shi suggested that they take this opportunity to work together and bring the criminals to justice. The next morning, Jiang Qian invited her younger sisters to have breakfast with the Marchioness of Changxing.

Just then, Cao Xingyu walked in. Upon seeing him, both Jiang Shi and Jiang Qiao looked at him with disdain, and Jiang Qiao even took the opportunity to mock him with her words. Meanwhile, Jiang Shi found someone who had participated in the attack against her the previous night—Fu Lu. She had noticed that he had a soft heart, so she used him as a breakthrough point.

Fu Lu led Jiang Shi to a secret location where Cao Xingyu imprisoned women. Inside the room, there were various torture devices, making Jiang Shi tremble in fear. When Yu Qi returned, he went to discuss the case with Zhen Hang, but their conversation was overheard by someone outside. Jiang Shi found Miss Chi, the missing daughter of the embroideress, locked in a cage, covered in wounds, and terrified from the beatings she had endured.

Meanwhile, Yu Qi and Zhen Hang gathered their men and went to the Changxing Marquis Manor to investigate, bringing along a military dog, Er Niu. The Marquis of Changxing received a message from the Capital Bureau stating that his residence would be searched, which puzzled him. Upon learning that the search was for missing women, the Marquis immediately suspected his son, Cao Xingyu.

To protect him, the Marquis tried to prevent the search, but Zhen Hang remained firm and argued his case logically, leaving the Marquis unable to refute. Ultimately, the Marquis had no choice but to allow Yu Qi and Zhen Hang to search the manor. However, despite a thorough search, they found nothing. Zhen Hang noticed that Cao Xingyu’s expression remained calm and felt that something was amiss.

At that moment, someone discovered a coffin, but when they opened it, it was filled with books. Since no solid evidence was found, Zhen Hang had no choice but to leave for the time being. However, Yu Qi insisted on continuing the search. He planned to use the military dog, Er Niu, to track scents, but the Marquis strongly opposed it. Seeing the Marquis's intense reaction, Zhen Hang fully supported Yu Qi’s decision.

Fearing that the truth would be uncovered, Cao Xingyu attempted to use force to stop them but was quickly subdued by Yu Qi. Er Niu successfully followed the scent and found a well where bodies were hidden. Even then, Cao Xingyu continued to deny everything and even ordered a servant named An Zi to take the blame. With no choice, An Zi admitted to all the murders.

As soon as An Zi confessed, the Marquis of Changxing immediately killed him with a blade. Zhen Hang wanted to hold the Marquis accountable, but Yu Qi stopped him. Later, when Cao Xingyu found out that Jiang Shi and the others had left, he took his anger out on his wife, Jiang Qian. Jiang Qian pleaded humbly, but Cao Xingyu refused to let her go and even considered killing her.

However, due to the recent chaos at home, he had to hold back. Seeing an opportunity, Jiang Qian’s maid, Cui’er, suggested that they escape, revealing that Jiang Shi had secretly left a sedan chair at the back gate. Jiang Qian finally decided that she would not sit and wait for her fate—she would go home.

That night, as Jiang Shi was removing her jewelry with Ah Man’s help, Jiang Pei suddenly rushed in, telling her that Jiang Qian had returned and was currently in Grandmother Jiang’s room. Grandmother Jiang blamed Jiang Qian for running back to her maiden home whenever something happened and ordered her to return and apologize to Cao Xingyu. Just then, Jiang Shi arrived with Jiang Qiao and Jiang Pei.

Unable to hold back her anger, Jiang Pei revealed that Cao Xingyu had harbored ill intentions toward Jiang Shi, but no one believed her. Encouraged by Jiang Shi, Jiang Qian finally found the courage to tell the truth and revealed the injuries on her body. Only then did everyone realize that she had been physically abused and suffered greatly at the Changxing Marquis Manor.

Madam Xiao, Jiang Qian’s mother, was heartbroken to see her daughter in such a miserable state and wanted to demand justice for her. When Jiang Ancheng returned, he also wanted to seek justice, but both he and Grandmother Jiang still considered the Marquis Manor’s reputation. They only wanted an explanation and did not wish for Jiang Qian and Cao Xingyu to separate. Hearing this, Jiang Qian laughed bitterly. No matter how much she suffered, no one was willing to stand up for her.

Madam Xiao sorrowfully tended to Jiang Qian’s wounds. Seeing her daughter endure so much suffering, she felt deep remorse. However, Jiang Qian’s father had gone to his concubine’s chamber instead of returning to check on his daughter. Jiang Qian couldn’t help but feel envious of Jiang Shi. Although Jiang Shi’s status in the family wasn’t as high as the second branch’s, Jiang Ancheng would do anything for her without hesitation as long as she refused to marry. In contrast, Jiang Qian’s father ignored her completely, caring only about his political career.

Madam Xiao swore that she would never let her daughter suffer again and refused to send Jiang Qian back to Cao Xingyu’s household. Jiang Shi suggested that Jiang Qian go to the Capital Bureau to file an official complaint. However, both Madam Xiao and Jiang Qian were hesitant, fearing retaliation. Jiang Qian, in particular, was terrified that if she reported Cao Xingyu, he would harm her. If she remained silent, at least she could survive.

Meanwhile, Yu Qi had all the female corpses retrieved from the Changxing Marquis Manor sent for autopsy. During the examination, they discovered that one victim had a different type of wound compared to the others. Upon closer inspection, they found a button embedded in the wound. The news of this button quickly reached Cao Xingyu. Since the button was expensive and not something an ordinary servant could afford, it was no longer feasible to blame An Zi. Realizing this, Cao Xingyu took the initiative to go to the Capital Bureau and falsely accused Jiang Qian of being the real murderer. He claimed that Jiang Qian had an affair with An Zi and, out of jealousy upon seeing him getting close to other women, she killed those women.

At home, when Jiang Qian learned that she was being framed, she panicked. Before being taken away, she hurriedly told her mother to summon Jiang Shi because she knew only Jiang Shi could save her. Jiang Shi rushed to the Capital Bureau and brought along Chi Ruiying. Initially, Cao Xingyu continued to deny everything, but the moment Chi Ruiying arrived, he became visibly flustered. He even considered silencing her permanently. Fortunately, Yu Qi arrived in time to stop him. However, while shielding Jiang Shi from a hidden weapon, Yu Qi was injured.

The hidden weapon was poisoned, causing Yu Qi to lose consciousness. Jiang Shi took it upon herself to stay and care for him. Yu Qi secretly enjoyed being looked after by Jiang Shi, but just then, Zhen Hang suddenly appeared and took over the responsibility. Zhen Hang got along well with Jiang Shi, which made Yu Qi somewhat jealous. He kept trying to interrupt their conversation, coming up with various ways to stop them from talking too much. After Jiang Shi left, Zhen Hang openly praised her in front of Yu Qi without hesitation.

The Marquis of Changxing, in order to help his son, ordered an insider at the Capital Bureau to assassinate Chi Ruiying. That night, the insider attempted to act while delivering a meal. However, Long Dan suddenly appeared outside and subdued the traitor. It turned out that Yu Qi had already anticipated that the Capital Bureau had a mole working for the Marquis, so he had set a trap to lure the spy out.

To express her gratitude, Jiang Shi personally prepared fish soup and brought it to Yu Qi. Jiang Zhan accompanied his sister to visit Yu Qi as well. After drinking the soup, Yu Qi insisted that Jiang Zhan try it too. He highly praised Jiang Shi’s cooking. Watching Yu Qi enjoy the soup she made, Jiang Shi suddenly recalled memories of her past life with Yu Qi. Back then, they had shared sweet moments, talking about making delicious food together. Yu Qi also thoroughly enjoyed Jiang Shi’s fish soup, drinking one bowl after another. Meanwhile, Jiang Shi’s mind kept replaying the affectionate memories of her previous life with Yu Qi.

Jiang Zhan was strolling through the marketplace when he overheard someone looking to buy a dagger like the one used by Nie Yinniang. Curious, he stepped forward to check and discovered that the buyer was none other than Lu Chuchu. Amused, Jiang Zhan decided to tease her. He deliberately asked the vendor about the product while pretending to be clueless. As expected, the vendor fell for it, and Lu Chuchu exposed him—he was a fraud.

Lu Chuchu was grateful for Yu Qi’s help, just as she had been the last time when he returned all the money she lost. Pleased, Jiang Zhan invited Lu Chuchu to a meal. However, her large appetite made him feel distressed about his money. Meanwhile, in the restaurant, a storyteller began recounting tales about the Seventh Prince, who was rumored to be an ominous figure. Lu Chuchu listened intently.

Lu Chuchu also came to see Yu Qi—it turned out that they were siblings. Upon hearing that Lu Chuchu had arrived, Yu Qi tried every possible way to avoid her, but in the end, he was still discovered. He pretended to be both surprised and flattered by her visit. From their conversation, Yu Qi quickly deduced that Lu Chuchu had run away to escape an arranged marriage.

As the two siblings were talking, Jiang Shi arrived with another bowl of soup she had made for Yu Qi. Seeing Jiang Shi, Lu Chuchu spoke freely, her simple and straightforward nature leaving nothing hidden. Without thinking, she blurted out the news that Yu Qi had established the Chiyu Cavalry. Yu Qi, realizing what had just happened, quickly lay back on the bed, pretending to be gravely injured.

Jiang Shi sat by the bedside, full of concern, wanting to personally feed him the soup. Seeing how her brother was taking advantage of Jiang Shi, Lu Chuchu surprisingly stepped in to speak on Jiang Shi’s behalf. Left with no choice, Yu Qi found an excuse to send Lu Chuchu away. ---At the Grand Princess’s residence, Princess Rongyang, dressed in luxurious robes, was discussing the affairs of the Changxing Marquis Manor with her daughter, Cui Mingyue.

The disgraceful actions of Cao Xingyu had brought shame to all women, and Cui Mingyue also despised him. Just then, the Marquis of Changxing requested an audience. Upon meeting, he immediately presented a rare and valuable treasure. Rongyang knew that he was here because of Cao Xingyu’s predicament, but she was in no rush to respond. She had the Marquis completely in her grasp.

---Yu Qi returned to the Capital Bureau for duty, but his injured hand had not yet fully recovered, making it difficult to exert much strength. Meanwhile, Long Dan conducted another search at the Changxing Marquis Manor and found a new piece of evidence—a bottle of aphrodisiac that Cao Xingyu had been using. Many of the ingredients in this drug were already banned, leading Yu Qi to conclude that Cao Xingyu must be guilty of even more serious crimes.

Just as Yu Qi was analyzing the case, Han Ran, the commander of the Jifeng Guards, personally led his men to the Capital Bureau. At the same time, the Marquis of Changxing received news from Rongyang, confirming that she would help find an influential figure to assist him. However, once Cao Xingyu was released, he would have to leave. Han Ran directly demanded the handover of Cao Xingyu.

Since Cao Xingyu was a recently captured major criminal of the Capital Bureau, both Zhen Hang and Yu Qi refused to comply. Moreover, the official document Han Ran presented was vague. Yu Qi firmly refused to hand him over. ---Jiang Shi visited the Capital Bureau to see Chi Ruiying, intending to help send a message to her family. However, Chi Ruiying only had an elder brother and sister-in-law, who cared solely about their own interests.

They had even sold Chi Ruiying to a brothel and were the ones who handed her over to Cao Xingyu. Cao Xingyu remained uncooperative in prison, refusing to say a word. Even when confronted with the illicit drugs found in his study, he flatly denied everything. Yu Qi had anticipated this. He showed Cao Xingyu the document brought by Han Ran and deliberately mentioned that the Jifeng Guards planned to charge him with treason.

As expected, the moment Cao Xingyu heard "Jifeng Guards," he could no longer remain calm. ---At the Nightingale Gate stronghold, due to the ongoing chaos involving the Changxing Marquis Manor and its ties to Nanwu, the Nightingale Gate’s leader, Poison Ear, summoned Sang Qi, who had been watching over the Changxing Marquis Manor, for questioning. Sang Qi reported on some of the absurd things Cao Xingyu had done but left behind clues regarding the Shenxian You matter.

---Back at the Capital Bureau, Yu Qi and Zhen Hang faced a dilemma. Cao Xingyu's status was special—if they released him, it would mean letting a man responsible for more than a dozen murders walk free, ultimately diminishing the authority of the Capital Bureau. However, if they executed him, it could provoke the Marquis of Changxing, who wielded significant military power, potentially leading to rebellion. Xiu Niang was also deeply saddened.

Despite all the evidence, there was still no verdict against Cao Xingyu, leaving her with no way to seek justice. To ensure that Cao Xingyu was rightfully punished, Jiang Shi proposed having the Emperor personally oversee the trial. Seizing an opportunity while the Emperor was secretly inspecting the city in disguise, Xiu Niang knelt before his palanquin and cried out for justice. Emperor Jingming personally stepped out and questioned Xiu Niang about her grievances.

When the Marquis of Changxing learned that the case had taken another turn, he once again sought Princess Rongyang’s help. However, with the Emperor himself now handling the trial, Rongyang had no intention of getting further involved. She decided to distance herself from the matter. Unwilling to accept this, the Marquis of Changxing persisted, but Rongyang presented evidence proving that Cao Xingyu had colluded with foreign forces. Left with no choice, the Marquis had to abandon Cao Xingyu for the sake of preserving his family and title.

Emperor Jingming quickly deduced that Xiu Niang’s plea for justice was orchestrated by Zhen Hang, so he summoned Zhen Hang for questioning. Zhen Hang did not shy away and openly praised Jiang Shi and Yu Qi. From this, Emperor Jingming became aware of both Yu Qi and Jiang Shi. Just as the matter with Cao Xingyu had been settled, a group of imperial princes suddenly came before the Emperor to admit their faults.

It turned out that they all had ties to the Changxing Marquis Manor and feared being implicated. Emperor Jingming did not punish them severely but simply offered a few words of consolation. However, he couldn't help but feel sentimental—among all the princes, one was missing: his most beloved Concubine Xian’s son, the Seventh Prince. Back when the Seventh Prince was born, the court officials deemed him an ill omen, claiming he would bring misfortune to the Great Zhou.

Concubine Xian knew that if her son remained entangled in court affairs, he would not survive. To protect his life, she pleaded with Emperor Jingming to send him away, believing that staying far from the imperial court was his best chance at survival. Eunuch Liu knew the Emperor missed the Seventh Prince and urged him to bring him back to the palace. However, Emperor Jingming refused.

The Nightingale Gate was still running rampant, and if the Seventh Prince returned, he could be drawn into endless political strife. Eunuch Liu tried to persuade him further, reminding him that the Seventh Prince had inherited Emperor Jingming’s bravery and military prowess. He had led the Chiyu Cavalry to many victories, proving he was not a harbinger of misfortune. The truth was finally revealed—Yu Qi was the Seventh Prince. Even so, Emperor Jingming could not make up his mind.

He was uncertain whether now was the right time to call the Seventh Prince back. Meanwhile, Yu Qi instructed Long Dan to investigate the Bureau of Astronomy. Long Dan was puzzled, as Yu Qi had always avoided digging into the past. But now, he had changed his mind—he wanted to find out who had falsely accused him back then. Jiang Shi took Chi Ruiying out to look for a shop, hoping to start a business.

She wanted Chi Ruiying to help manage it, providing her with a livelihood. However, Chi Ruiying felt she had already troubled Jiang Shi too much and only wanted to leave, return to her hometown, and open a school. When Jiang Shi’s father and brother, Jiang Ancheng and Jiang Zhan, learned of her plan to buy a shop and start a business, they were very supportive.

To help her, they sold their treasured book collection, using the money to fund her venture. Jiang Shi was deeply touched. Jiang Ancheng reminded Jiang Shi not to let their grandmother find out about her business plans. Their grandmother strongly opposed commerce, believing merchants were of lowly status. Jiang Shi’s shop successfully opened, but no one was willing to help her—no woman wanted to become a merchant’s wife.

Upon hearing that Jiang Shi was looking for people, Lu Chuchu brought Rou'er to assist. Rou'er, having previously run a rouge shop, was highly skilled in business. Lu Chuchu trusted her deeply, and Jiang Shi found herself gaining a capable partner. Yu Qi learned about Jiang Shi’s shop and carefully dressed up to celebrate her grand opening. As the shop officially opened, Zhen Hang arrived to congratulate Jiang Shi. Seeing Zhen Hang, Yu Qi became a little jealous.

After the ceremony, many people arrived with congratulatory gifts. When Yu Qi saw Zhen Hang presenting a gift, he hurriedly took out his own. Madam Zhen, Zhen Hang’s mother, visited the Capital Bureau, urging her son to get married. When she noticed the spices Zhen Hang had brought back from Jiang Shi’s shop, Yu Qi grew flustered, stumbling over his words. Madam Zhen mistakenly assumed Zhen Hang had bought them for some young lady.

Left with no choice, Zhen Hang mentioned Jiang Shi. Madam Zhen was well aware of the scandal surrounding Jiang Shi’s broken engagement, so she decided to visit Jiang Shi’s shop in person. After observing her, she found herself quite satisfied with Jiang Shi. On Grandmother Jiang’s birthday, Madam Zhen sought out Zhen Hang, hoping to accompany him to the Jiang family to celebrate. She saw this as an opportunity to strengthen their relationship.

As soon as they entered the Jiang residence, Zhen Hang unexpectedly bumped into Jiang Pei. Jiang Pei immediately developed a fondness for him. Jiang Yi and her husband, Zhu Ziyu, also returned home to celebrate Grandmother Jiang’s birthday.

Madam Zhen highly praised Jiang Shi in front of Grandmother Jiang. Both Grandmother Jiang and Madam Xiao understood the purpose of Madam Zhen’s visit. Initially, Madam Xiao had wanted to form a marriage alliance with Zhen Hang, but upon realizing that his heart was set on Jiang Shi, she deliberately pointed out that Jiang Shi had no mother, hoping to diminish her worth and change Madam Zhen’s perception of her. However, this backfired—rather than looking down on Jiang Shi, Madam Zhen felt even more sympathetic toward her.

During a break, Grandmother Jiang expressed her willingness to form a marriage connection with Zhen Hang. Although the Earl of Dongping’s manor appeared prestigious on the surface, it had already begun to decline. In contrast, despite Zhen Hang’s lack of deep roots in the capital, he was a favored figure by the Emperor and had a boundless future ahead. It was a promising match. Grandmother Jiang called Jiang Shi over, instructing her to take good care of Madam Zhen. She even went to great lengths to select jewelry and make new clothes for Jiang Shi.

Madam Xiao visited her daughter, Jiang Qian, who was drunk and acting wildly. The failure of her first marriage had dealt a severe blow to Jiang Qian, leaving her with no will to live properly. After much encouragement from Madam Xiao, Jiang Qian resolved to pick herself up and no longer wallow in despair. However, when she heard her mother’s biased remarks about Jiang Shi, she tried to explain in Jiang Shi’s defense. Yet, Madam Xiao remained unconvinced—she believed Jiang Shi was deeply scheming and a formidable opponent.

Having heard that Zhen Hang had the potential to become the Grand Chancellor, Madam Xiao was determined to prevent Jiang Shi from getting close to him. She used Jiang Pei’s naivety to set a trap for Jiang Shi, poisoning her utensils in an attempt to humiliate her in front of everyone, hoping this would make Zhen Hang lose interest in her.

The banquet officially began, and when Madam Xiao and Jiang Pei learned that Jiang Shi had already met with Madam Zhen, they were both taken aback. During the banquet, Madam Xiao deliberately suggested that Jiang Shi offer incense as a birthday blessing for Grandmother Jiang, intending to put her in the spotlight and make her the center of attention. As the drug took effect, Jiang Shi began to feel unwell. Yu Qi quickly noticed something was wrong and used the commotion as a cover to take Jiang Shi away.

Realizing that both Jiang Shi and Yu Qi were missing, Madam Xiao and Jiang Pei seized the opportunity to spread unfavorable rumors about Jiang Shi. Grandmother Jiang, eager to facilitate a match between Jiang Shi and Zhen Hang, ordered people to search for them immediately.

Yu Qi took Jiang Shi to a secluded courtyard to hide. Jiang Shi, in a dazed state, mistook Yu Qi for her husband and behaved intimately toward him, demanding affection. Realizing that Jiang Shi had been drugged with an aphrodisiac, Yu Qi made a small cut on her pinky finger and used his internal energy to force the drug out through the wound.

With Jiang Shi and Yu Qi missing, speculation ran wild. Sensing that something was amiss, Zhen Hang wanted to investigate the matter using his authority in the Capital Bureau, but Grandmother Jiang blocked him, citing it as a domestic affair. She had already deduced that Madam Xiao was behind it. As everyone argued, a sudden melody played, and Jiang Shi gracefully appeared, performing a dance to celebrate Grandmother Jiang’s birthday, successfully defusing the crisis.

Later, Yu Qi informed Long Dan that he no longer needed to keep an eye on Jiang Shi. This puzzled Long Dan, as the totems on Jiang Shi’s body and the paintings she created all had connections to Nanwu.

The next day, Jiang Pei, wanting to confirm whether Jiang Shi had actually been poisoned, secretly sneaked into Jiang Shi’s residence to check, only to be caught by Jiang Shi. Forced into a corner, Jiang Pei revealed the entire poisoning scheme.

When the Jiang family questioned Jiang Shi about her disappearance, Madam Xiao planned to use the opportunity to suppress her further. However, Jiang Shi secretly swapped the poisoned medicine Madam Xiao had given Jiang Pei into Madam Xiao’s teacup. Suddenly, the drug took effect, and Madam Xiao embarrassed herself publicly with improper behavior.

As a result, Madam Xiao lost her authority as the household manager. Grandmother Jiang decided to choose a new person for the role. Jiang Shi initially wanted to recommend Jiang Qian, but seeing Jiang Qian’s despondent expression, Grandmother Jiang deemed her unsuitable. Jiang Qiao was also eliminated from consideration due to her youthful inexperience. With no other candidates left, Jiang Qiao stepped forward to nominate Jiang Shi as the new household manager.

After returning from the Jiang family, Zhen Hang couldn’t stop thinking about Jiang Shi. When he recalled what Madam Xiao had said about Jiang Shi losing her mother at a young age, he felt even more sympathetic toward her. Madam Zhen came to bring food to her son and immediately noticed his absent-mindedness, realizing he was thinking about Jiang Shi. However, after seeing Jiang Shi and Yu Qi appearing quite close, she began inquiring about their relationship.

Zhen Hang explained that because Yu Qi had saved Jiang Shi’s older brother, the two of them had a closer bond. Still, Madam Zhen worried that things might not be that simple. Meanwhile, Jiang Shi was concerned about her eldest sister, Jiang Yi, and inquired about her situation at her in-laws' house, wanting to know if she was being mistreated. Madam Xiao, not wanting Jiang Shi to worry, spoke lightly of the matter and concealed her difficulties.

However, Jiang Shi picked up on the underlying meaning in Jiang Yi’s words and realized that Jiang Yi’s mother-in-law had been making things difficult for her due to Madam Xiao’s failure to bear a grandson. Yu Qi and Long Dan went to the black market to investigate buyers of "Immortal Wandering. " They found a suspicious vendor raising scorpions, but just as they were observing him, he noticed them.

Since Jiang Shi had been temporarily appointed by Grandmother Jiang to manage the household, she went to Madam Xiao to retrieve the account books. Unwilling to hand them over, Madam Xiao wanted to argue her case with Grandmother Jiang. However, since she had been placed under house arrest, she no longer had the chance. Jiang Shi successfully obtained the account books and officially took over the household management.

Jiang Qian was unhappy about her mother losing power and felt it was unfair. She went to Grandmother Jiang to argue on Madam Xiao’s behalf. Grandmother Jiang explained the banquet incident to Jiang Qian and pointed out that Madam Xiao only cared about securing the status of the second branch, neglecting the well-being of the entire Jiang family. She warned that Madam Xiao's reckless actions could cause serious trouble. After the birthday banquet, Jiang Yi had to leave.

The first branch of the family came out together to see her off. Jiang Shi was reluctant to part with her eldest sister and, overwhelmed with concern, teared up. Some of the older servants in the household did not respect Jiang Shi. When mealtime approached, they deliberately refused to prepare food, attempting to make things difficult for her. That evening, A’Man asked Jiang Shi if she had feelings for Zhen Hang.

Jiang Shi admitted that she admired him greatly but had no romantic interest in him. A’Man took the opportunity to suggest that Jiang Shi and Yu Qi were a better match. The comment made Jiang Shi realize that Yu Qi had not been watching her as closely as before, nor had he appeared around her recently. It seemed he had dropped his suspicions of her.

Though relieved that Yu Qi was no longer troubling her, she couldn’t help but think about everything that had happened between them. At breakfast the next morning, the food was bland and consisted of spoiled rice and stale bread—clearly, the servants were deliberately making things difficult for Jiang Shi. Her uncle seized the opportunity to cause trouble, trying to strip her of her authority. Jiang Ancheng defended Jiang Shi and ended up in a heated argument with their uncle.

Grandmother Jiang intervened, stopping the quarrel between her two sons. She asked Jiang Shi if managing the household was too difficult for her. Jiang Shi assured her grandmother that everything would be settled within three days. The older servants thought themselves clever, believing that Jiang Shi was too young to handle them. However, Jiang Shi did not punish them. Instead, she brought in a new head chef to replace them, which greatly alarmed the old staff.

Madam Xiao planned to marry off Jiang Qian, hoping to use her daughter’s marriage to establish ties with the powerful. Jiang Qian felt heartbroken, realizing that her mother saw her only as a tool for political gain. Disheartened, she no longer wished to stay in the Jiang family and decided to go find her older brother. Seeing that she could no longer rely on Jiang Qian, Madam Xiao set her sights on Jiang Pei.

Since Jiang Pei had betrayed her, Jiang Shi knew that once Madam Xiao was released from her house arrest, she would surely take revenge. To protect Jiang Pei, Jiang Shi went to great lengths to arrange a marriage for her. Jiang Pei’s mother was deeply moved upon hearing this. Thanks to Jiang Shi’s governance, the Jiang household underwent a remarkable transformation. The servants performed their duties properly and no longer tried to undermine her.

Everyone was pleased with the new order. Even though Madam Xiao still didn’t want Jiang Shi to manage the household, she had no choice but to follow family rules. Meanwhile, Yu Qi continued his investigation at the black market and successfully captured the suspicious vendor who had been raising scorpions.