Perfect Match Recap, Plot, Synopsis

Perfect Match Synopsis

During the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Northern Song Dynasty, Madam Li set off for Bianjing to reunite with her second daughter, Fuhui, in search of good matches for her four unmarried daughters. Life in Bianjing, however, was not easy, and the Li family had to pull together and return to their old business to make ends meet, while also looking for suitable husbands with both talent and virtue for their daughters.

The third daughter, Kang Ning, is sharp and resourceful, determined to find a worthy match for herself. She is attracted to the equally proud and intelligent Chai An, and the two gradually develop feelings for each other amidst their ongoing conflicts. The second daughter, Fuhui, engages in a battle of wits and strategy with the flirtatious and charming Fan Lianghan, finding it an amusing challenge.

The eldest daughter, Shouhua, has been widowed young and is no longer interested in remarrying, but by chance, she becomes the wife of the talented scholar Du Yangxi, and she sets out to tame this young and arrogant man. The fourth daughter, a sweet and naïve girl, falls for the stoic judge Shen Huizhao, and together, they solve several intriguing cases. The youngest, Le Shan, is the most outspoken and free-spirited, but she accidentally ends up with the unruly and reckless Yang Xian as her "imperial match," and their relationship is full of humorous twists and turns.

In the end, all of the Li family daughters find their own happiness, creating a lively and joyful story of matchmaking and love during the Northern Song Dynasty.

Perfect Match Recap

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During the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Northern Song Dynasty, the capital Bianjing was prosperous and peaceful. The people lived in comfort, with bustling streets, numerous shops, and crowds of people everywhere. The air was filled with the sounds of vendors calling out their wares, creating a scene of flourishing prosperity.

Madam Li from Luoyang entered Bianjing with her four daughters: the eldest daughter Shou Hua, the third daughter Kang Ning, the fourth daughter Hao De, and the fifth daughter Le Shan. They were looking for the second daughter, Fu Hui, who had already married. As daylight broke, a Taiping carriage slowly entered the city. Kang Ning gently woke Hao De, advising her not to press her arm anymore.

Looking around, the other sisters had already begun preparing themselves to present themselves beautifully to meet Fu Hui. Hao De grumbled about their mother being stingy, saying that hiring a sedan would have been much more convenient and dignified. Le Shan woke slowly, irritated by Hao De's incessant complaints. The two sisters argued loudly, much to the amusement of Shou Hua, who joked that they could only be peaceful when they were asleep.

The sisters lifted the curtain and looked out the window, admiring the luxurious attire of the passersby. Madam Li sighed, expressing that once they met Fu Hui and settled in Bianjing, she would arrange good marriages for all of them, ensuring they would live a life of wealth and luxury, just like Fu Hui’s family. She would have no regrets if that were to happen. However, Fu Hui, though seemingly having found a good match, was secretly full of grievances.

At first, she and her husband Fan Lianghan were deeply in love, but over time, she realized that her husband was a soft-hearted man, easily swayed by others. He often visited the pleasure quarters, and would be moved by a few words from others, which caused her constant distress. This pain turned into anger, and she eventually became a fierce woman.

One day, the nobleman Chai An entered a tavern, where he gathered with his good friend Liang Junqing and his cousin Fan Lianghan. Chai An noticed that Fan Lianghan, who was usually lively, was now sitting quietly with a conical hat on his head, which struck him as strange.

Though Fan Lianghan claimed to have been stung by a bee the previous day, Chai An casually took off the hat and saw a red mark on his face, realizing that it was likely caused by Fu Hui. Chai An decided to go confront Fu Hui. Meanwhile, Madam Li and her daughters arrived at the gates of the Fan family mansion. Seeing the grand gates and luxurious home, they were overjoyed.

However, Fu Hui avoided them and refused to meet them. The steward lied, saying that both the master and the mistress were out and would not return anytime soon. Madam Li intended to leave, but upon hearing the steward tell someone to clean up the filth around the Taiping carriage, she became furious, sensing a slight against her. She turned around and slapped the steward, scolding him for raising an ungrateful child.

From that moment, she swore never to set foot in the Fan family again. After Madam Li left with her daughters, Kang Ning kept looking back until the Taiping carriage was far away. After they left, Fu Hui opened the door, her eyes red as she gazed at the carriage tracks, feeling despondent. On the other side, Chai An, riding his horse, passed by the Taiping carriage, but neither of them noticed the other.

That night, in the guest room at Liang’s house, Chai An insisted on staying the night. He intentionally hung a woman’s outer robe on the screen and sent someone to inform Fu Hui that Fan Lianghan had left two maidservants in his room. As expected, Fu Hui, enraged, rushed to confront him, only to find Chai An lying in the bed.

Chai An, pretending to be asleep, sat up and coldly scolded Fu Hui for allowing jealousy to cloud her judgment, warning her that it would bring disgrace to the Li family. Fu Hui, deeply embarrassed, left in the middle of the night. Little did she know, as soon as she left, Fan Lianghan, who had been hiding in the corner, dared to come out.

Chai An then gave him a scolding, saying that while Fu Hui was indeed overly jealous, it was Fan Lianghan's fault to begin with. He ordered him to reflect on his mistakes and change his bad habits. The next day, Madam Li and her daughters found a guesthouse to stay in. After settling in, however, they noticed that Kang Ning was missing.

It turned out that Kang Ning had suspected that Fu Hui was hiding something, so she made a mental note of it. Later that night, she went to look for her second sister and found Fu Hui biting a stone in frustration, her mouth bleeding. Kang Ning brought her back to the guesthouse. Fu Hui apologized and tearfully explained her difficulties, fearing that her actions would cause trouble for the Li family. The others were angry and expressed their opinions.

In the end, it was decided that Kang Ning would step in to discipline Fan Lianghan and ensure that he would obey. Madam Li worried that Fu Hui wouldn’t be able to bear it, but Fu Hui said that if it could help her husband become better, she would have no hesitation in being harsh. The next morning, when Fan Lianghan thought the family was away, he lay in his room enjoying food and drink, being served by maidservants.

Just as he was indulging himself, he heard that Fu Hui had returned and was startled. He pretended to be sick, lying in bed. Fu Hui sensed something was off and was about to confront him, when a maidservant whispered something in her ear. Kang Ning, who had prepared a fake remedy for a headache, tricked Fan Lianghan into drinking it, pretending it was a cure. Fu Hui made him drink it, and it turned into a playful ordeal.

Later, Fu Hui and the Li family gathered and chatted happily. Since their arrival in Bianjing, Fu Hui had felt reassured, as though she had gained confidence. Liang Junqing and others passed by the garden and admired the beauty of the Li sisters, so they pretended to be maidservants and secretly watched them. However, they were caught and thoroughly scolded by Kang Ning and Le Shan.

Afterward, Liang Junqing whispered into Chai An’s ear, encouraging him to try and meet Kang Ning. Chai An kicked a ball towards her, knocking her hairpin off, which prompted Kang Ning to retaliate. Chai An, seeing her bold personality and beautiful appearance, was stunned for a moment. Madam Li noticed something was going on but said nothing, simply taking her daughters to the temple to learn more about the Chai family.

While Madam Li was praying for good marriages for her daughters, she discovered that a thief had stolen some tributes. She hurriedly chased after him, shouting loudly, which displeased Madam Chai. However, Madam Li, despite her tough demeanor, was actually very kind-hearted. Upon hearing that the thief’s family was poor and his daughter could not marry due to lack of a dowry, she gave the tributes to him.

Kang Ning began to wonder why a woman would be unable to marry because of a dowry. A woman nearby overheard and explained that in Bianjing, marriages were highly dependent on wealth, and families with daughters would prepare dowries early so they wouldn’t face difficulties when their daughters reached marriageable age. Just then, the thief returned, dissatisfied with the gifts he had received from Madam Li, cursing that her daughter would never marry. This angered Madam Li so much that she fainted on the spot.

Madam Li returned to the rented house and told her daughters about the events at the temple. They all agreed that if things continued like this, they would eventually have to return to Luoyang. However, they had boasted to their neighbors that they would settle in Bianjing, and if they went back now, they would become a laughingstock.

The five sisters each had their own opinion, but the eldest sister, Shou Hua, spoke decisively, as she always did when a decision had to be made. Shou Hua, steady and wise, believed that the most urgent matter was to start a business to relieve their financial worries. As for their mother's insistence on marrying them off, it was best not to argue further. They should go along with it and follow her wishes. The other sisters nodded in agreement.

They then persuaded Madam Li to use their savings to rent a large house with a shopfront and a courtyard behind it. The front part would serve as a tea shop, and the back part would be their family residence. After listening to her daughters, Madam Li agreed, thinking that running a business was something she was good at. Just then, she suddenly remembered that she hadn't retrieved the portraits she had left behind.

She couldn't help but let out a cry. Meanwhile, the monks at the temple had been packing up the portraits, but a gust of wind blew one of them away. Since Pan Lou was always busy, the Li family decided to open their tea shop, "Si Fu Tea House," across the street to attract customers. Kang Ning looked back at the bustling Pan Lou and happened to make eye contact with Chai An, who was on the upper floor.

Chai An, looking down from above, gave her a slight nod, but Kang Ning pretended not to notice. Fan Lianghan had been ordered by his wife, Fu Hui, to stop drinking and was looking quite pitiful. Chai An, already irritated by his behavior, was relieved when his servant, De Qing, reported that a new tea and wine shop had opened across the street. Chai An knew that the owner of Pan Lou, himself, was no fool.

He had already seen through the Li family’s intentions and ordered De Qing to ensure that Pan Lou would start offering morning tea service the next day. Although the profit wasn't the main concern, it was crucial that they didn't let the Li family steal their customers. Taking advantage of a moment when he was flattering Chai An, Fan Lianghan begged him to offer advice on how to escape Fu Hui's control.

Though Chai An had no desire to interfere in their marital issues, he was so fed up with Fan Lianghan's clingy nature that he subtly suggested sending his parents-in-law back to their home. Fan Lianghan was overjoyed by this suggestion and immediately saw it as a solution. The next morning, the Li sisters busied themselves in the kitchen, each with a task. They quickly steamed a batch of hot, sweet-filled buns.

However, despite their efforts, business at the Si Fu Tea House was dismal, just as Chai An had predicted. The shop was nearly empty, as Bianjing was already full of tea houses, and Chai An’s decision to offer tea at Pan Lou had negatively impacted their sales.

Madam Li and her daughters discussed a strategy to get Fu Hui to ask Fan Lianghan to speak with Chai An, hoping that Pan Lou, which had the upper hand, might at least allow the Li family to share some of the customers. However, Fu Hui, too, was troubled by her own situation. When talking about sending her parents-in-law back, she mentioned that Fan Lianghan was sick and blamed her for being too strict.

She scolded her for wanting to take a concubine. Upon hearing this, Madam Li was furious, believing that the Fan family was bullying them. She wanted to confront the Fan family, but Shou Hua quickly advised her to avoid trouble. Luckily, Kang Ning was quick-witted and came up with a plan to handle both the Chai and Fan families. First, she suggested that Madam Li close the tea house for two days.

Then, they would have Fu Hui pretend to be generous, allowing her husband to take a concubine, claiming that she needed to stay in the city and carefully select an appropriate woman. Chai An, seeing that Si Fu Tea House had closed, speculated about the reason. De Qing revealed that the shop across the street seemed to be undergoing renovations, changing from a spacious layout to smaller rooms, which left him puzzled.

Meanwhile, Kang Ning went to Bianjing’s famous shops to personally sample the food and instructed her maid, Chun Lai, to learn about the local tastes, so they could cater to them. At that moment, Fan Lianghan, claiming that his life was at stake, sent for Chai An. When Chai An arrived at the Fan family mansion, he discovered that the supposed life-or-death matter was actually about Fan Lianghan choosing a concubine.

Three women from poor families, who were not as beautiful as Fu Hui and lacked skills like singing or tea ceremonies, didn’t interest him much. Chai An noticed a figure standing behind a screen and immediately realized it was Kang Ning. He advised Fan Lianghan to avoid taking a concubine if he wanted to live a long life.

Fan Lianghan, confused, followed Chai An to Pan Lou, where they coincidentally encountered the singer Zhen Niang, whom Kang Ning had arranged for him to meet. Fan Lianghan fell in love with her at first sight and soon discovered her identity. He decided to spend money to take her as a concubine. Hearing about this, Chai An found it suspicious and feared it would cause trouble.

He sent a message to Fan Lianghan, urging him to abandon the idea of taking a concubine. Unfortunately, Fan Lianghan ignored the advice and happily brought Zhen Niang back, introducing her to his parents. Fan’s mother told Zhen Niang to serve tea to Fu Hui as a form of greeting, and from then on, she entered the Fan family as a concubine.

To everyone’s surprise, Zhen Niang bowed gracefully and tearfully shared her background, expressing her gratitude for the Fan family’s help. Upon learning that she was the daughter of a scholar, Fan’s father grew serious and ordered her to leave Bianjing and return to her hometown with some silver. When Chai An hurriedly arrived at the Fan family, he was horrified to find that Fan’s father was about to punish Fan Lianghan with family law.

Fu Hui stood in front of her husband to protect him, while Chai An used kind words to stop a tragedy from happening. After this incident, Fan Lianghan clung to Fu Hui, seeking comfort and declaring that no woman outside could compare to her. He promised never to take a concubine again. However, Chai An noticed that Zhen Niang was meeting with Kang Ning privately.

When he tried to approach them, Kang Ning, having anticipated this, signaled Chun Lai to stop him, and they quickly left in a sedan, throwing two crab meat buns for him to taste. Soon, Si Fu Tea House reopened with a new approach. It offered not only tea but also calligraphy, paintings, and delicious pastries, which attracted many customers. Chai An, curious about the success, visited and discovered that his own famous paintings were being used to decorate the shop.

Angered and frustrated, he decided to tell Fan Lianghan the truth about Zhen Niang. Fan Lianghan, realizing his mistake, immediately returned to follow Chai An’s advice.

Chai An's anger had not yet subsided, and he was eager to teach Kang Ning a lesson. Secretly, he instructed Liao Zhanggui to set up a trap for Madam Li. He pretended to want to buy an unremarkable guqin (ancient Chinese zither), claiming that a wealthy customer had already paid a deposit of thirty strings of cash to reserve the “Bingqing” guqin, and that the customer was willing to pay three hundred strings of cash for it.

Madam Li saw the hidden contract under Liao Zhanggui's sleeve and believed it to be genuine. Eager to acquire the “precious” guqin, she eagerly bid one hundred eighty strings of cash to win it. However, when she waited all day for the so-called rich customer to come and purchase the guqin, no one appeared. Eventually, she realized she had been tricked and burst into tears. Her daughters heard her crying and hurried over.

After repeated questioning, they learned the full story: one hundred eighty strings of cash had been spent, and there was almost nothing left of the family's savings. Madam Li initially wanted to find Liao Zhanggui and give him a severe lesson, but before she could find him, in her fury, she even lost the guqin. Kang Ning, along with Chun Lai and others, went out to search for the guqin but overheard the sound of music coming from Pan Lou.

Chai An was playing the very “Bingqing” guqin. At that moment, Kang Ning realized that her mother had fallen into Chai An's carefully laid trap. She decided to set up a counter-trap to get back at him. The next day, at the temple, Madam Li went there with a maid to pray. Acting on Kang Ning's advice, she entered the temple with great devotion, bowing respectfully.

Her sincere demeanor caught Chai An's wife's attention, who later learned that Madam Li had come to thank the deity for answering her prayers related to marriage. Chai An's wife, anxious about her husband's marriage, believed Madam Li's words and followed her guidance to seek out a deity. Meanwhile, Chai An was riding through the streets when a sedan chair suddenly blocked his path.

Kang Ning confronted him, asking why he interfered with the household matters of her second sister and brother-in-law, even working with Liao Zhanggui to deceive Madam Li. However, Chai An was unperturbed and retorted with sarcasm. He then returned the one hundred eighty strings of cash, subtracting thirty strings as a reminder that someone might be targeting the Li family and warned her not to act recklessly in the future.

Afterward, Chai An, pleased with his victory, returned home, only to be stunned to hear that his mother had donated exactly one hundred eighty strings of cash to renovate a Daoist temple. He was dumbfounded.

Soon, Kang Ning sent a messenger to thank him for his generous donation, while also returning the remaining silver and advising him to remember that there are always people more powerful than oneself, and to avoid being arrogant, for he was no more than a frog in a well. In their back-and-forth exchanges, not only did Chai An not get angry, but he also became intrigued by Kang Ning.

He sent the silver back again, but Kang Ning did not accept it all; instead, she donated the money for charitable purposes. Seeing this, Chai An smiled even more deeply, admiring her restraint and generosity. Yet, he thought to himself that while she understood how to avoid temptation, her methods were too rash and careless, and she was likely to face serious trouble in the future.

When Liang Junqing heard that Chai An had been outdone by Kang Ning, he, remembering how he had once been slapped by Chai An, decided to take action and teach him a lesson. Chai An, however, came up with a clever plan. He personally wrote a calligraphy to promote his fine wine and invited the famous courtesan, Lu Yanyan, to ride a decorated carriage through the streets, drawing a huge crowd of onlookers.

The spectacle caused all business at Si Fu Tea House to grind to a halt. The young and wealthy Yang Xian, following Liang Junqing's poor advice, came to Si Fu Tea House, looking for a beautiful woman based on a portrait, and tried to flirt with Shou Hua in the street. However, he was surrounded by a group of beggars brought by Le Shan, and his clothes were ripped off, leaving him in utter disgrace.

This incident stirred up a deep resentment in Yang Xian, who swore to take revenge. On the other side, Madam Li was trying to attract customers outside Si Fu Tea House, but no one paid attention. Just then, Chai An's wife passed by with her servants. She rushed forward and confronted Madam Li, angrily accusing her of being a fraud. Madam Li, enraged, grabbed a broom and began to strike at Chai An's wife. The scene quickly became chaotic.

Kang Ning hurriedly stepped forward to stop the fight, almost losing her balance, but Chai An managed to catch her in time. With Chai An's persuasion, his wife reluctantly left. Madam Li, no longer as furious, began to call out to the gathering crowd, offering her homemade hangover soup. The fragrant smell drew people in, and they began to buy from her.

Thanks to Kang Ning's idea, the customers who had originally gone to Pan Lou turned to Si Fu Tea House instead, and Chai An's wife was so angry that she almost wanted to destroy the stall. Chai An, trying to calm her down, managed to prevent her from doing so. With the newfound profits, Madam Li bought her daughters some accessories, and the family enjoyed a moment of peace.

However, Yang Xian, claiming that he had lost a pearl, deliberately stirred up trouble at the Li household. Fu Hui hurried to inform everyone. Kang Ning, worried about Le Shan's impulsiveness, quickly disguised herself as the fifth sister and cleverly dealt with Yang Xian. Unexpectedly, when Yang Xian saw the third sister, he became lecherous and took the opportunity to propose taking her as his concubine.

He forcefully seized her skirt to pressure the Li family into marrying her to him. The Li family was suddenly thrown into an unprecedented crisis. Le Shan wanted to report to the authorities, but with the Yang family’s rising power and influence, no one dared to take the case. Moreover, if Yang Xian presented the skirt in court, it would surely tarnish the third sister’s reputation, and the public’s gossip would destroy them.

Fan Lianghan made a special trip to explain the situation to Chai An, hoping that he could come up with a plan to dispel Yang Xian's ill intentions and ensure that Kang Ning would not marry into the Yang family. Chai An, though outwardly agreeable, secretly had other thoughts. He said that unless Kang Ning came to find him personally, he would stay in the building and wait.

Soon after, he saw Madam Li and Kang Ning walking towards him, and he was full of joy. However, to his surprise, they ignored him and walked past without a second glance. In fact, Kang Ning had no intention of seeking Chai An’s help. Instead, she cleverly devised a plan to deceive Yang Xian. She hosted a banquet at the bustling Pan Lou to attract him.

Inside Pan Lou, the lanterns were glowing, and the scent of wine filled the air. Kang Ning was cheerful and smiling, engaging in polite conversation with Yang Xian. Every glance and every word seemed to carry hidden meaning, and her graceful demeanor and intelligence were evident in every move she made. Chai An, who had already been paying close attention to Kang Ning, grew even more curious after hearing about the banquet.

He watched from the shadows, observing how she was warmly engaging with Yang Xian. Doubts began to form in his mind, and he discreetly followed, focusing on Kang Ning’s every move. As expected, Kang Ning quietly set her plan in motion. Taking advantage of Yang Xian’s drunken state, she skillfully retrieved the skirt. In truth, Yang Xian did not have deep feelings for Kang Ning; his actions were more about rebelling against his father, who was pressuring him to marry.

Before marrying, he wanted to take a concubine just to defy his father. Yang Xian repeatedly asked Kang Ning if she was the woman wearing a veil the other day, but Kang Ning remained noncommittal. She even arranged for a poem to be written on the ribbon of her skirt. After Yang Xian was escorted away by his servants, Chai An ordered De Qing to follow Kang Ning.

He was convinced that someone as proud as Kang Ning would never agree to become a concubine, but he wanted to see what her strategy truly was. Meanwhile, Fan Lianghan took Chai An to the Xiangguo Temple market and revealed that "Qiong Nu," a girl who had been taken in by Madam Li when she was six years old after being abandoned in Luoyang, had originally been intended to marry her maternal uncle.

However, she died suddenly before the marriage could take place, leaving her as a widow. At the bustling market, Chai An discreetly observed the Li family’s stall and noticed a familiar figure—Wang Nei Shi, a favored servant of the palace consort, appearing in front of the stall. In addition, Fu Hui had brought a pearl-embroidered skirt to sell, intentionally marketing it as a rare treasure—the “pearl skirt.

” Chai An’s instincts told him that this skirt might hide something more than it seemed. After a brief thought, he secretly took action and ensured that Wang Nei Shi could purchase the pearl skirt without issue. After Wang Nei Shi left, Chai An asked Fu Hui if there was any hidden story behind the sale of the skirt. Fu Hui refused to divulge any details, offering an excuse instead.

Although Chai An knew she was lying, he reminded her that for now, he would pretend not to notice the matter. However, if anything about it turned out to be untrue, he would bring Wang Nei Shi back to confront her for clarification. That night, Kang Ning sat before her vanity, lost in thought. Deep down, she lacked the confidence that her plan would succeed.

If she really had to marry Yang Xian, she was mentally prepared to go down with him. On the other hand, the palace consort, wearing the pearl skirt, went to see Emperor Song Renzong. Upon seeing the poem on the ribbon, the emperor flew into a rage. The next morning, Yang Xian arrived with his men to take Kang Ning away. Just as Kang Ning was about to board the sedan chair, a messenger rushed over with a report.

Yang Xian suddenly realized that Kang Ning had set him up, and he was furious, ready to take action. However, Chai An stepped forward just in time to intervene, warning him to back off. Faced with the emperor's orders and the fear of causing trouble, Yang Xian, in frustration, left in a huff. Thanks to Chai An's intervention, Kang Ning, in gratitude, had woken up early to prepare pastries as a thank-you gift for his help.

But when she arrived at Pan Lou, she happened to overhear Liang Junqing speaking with Chai An, boasting about the “basket” incident. From his words, Kang Ning realized that it was actually Liang Junqing who had caused the trouble. Enraged, Kang Ning confronted Chai An and Liang Junqing, angrily accusing Chai An of being shameless. Every word she spoke felt like a sharp blade, cutting into Chai An’s pride.

After this, Kang Ning grew to despise Liang Junqing, and, seeing Chai An constantly associating with him, she began to see him as just another careless and lecherous man. Chai An was also displeased with Liang Junqing’s meddling, but Fan Lianghan intervened to mediate, eventually convincing Chai An not to pursue the matter further.

Liang Junqing, seizing the opportunity, asked Chai An to lend him a jade comb, claiming that his mother had seen Chai An's wife wearing it and wanted to borrow one to have a replica made. Without much thought, Chai An agreed to lend it to him. Kang Ning started learning perfume-making from Shou Hua, but Qiong Nu seemed unusually downcast, which was strange. Madam Li had bought hairpins and flower decorations for all her daughters, except for Qiong Nu.

Little did she know, Qiong Nu overheard their conversation from outside the door, and tears began to fall. Meanwhile, Chai An remained upset, still misunderstood by Kang Ning. He wanted to find a chance to explain himself but couldn’t find the right opportunity. In the dead of night, Qiong Nu went to meet Liang Junqing and did not return for a long time.

Chai An heard that Madam Li had taken the daughters to see water puppets but noticed Kang Ning was absent, which made him feel jealous, though he had no way of acting on it. Madam Li found out about Qiong Nu’s late-night outing and, fearing that it might be an illicit meeting, scolded her harshly, drawing the attention of the other daughters.

Kang Ning and Shou Hua hurriedly tried to calm Madam Li, but she still felt guilty over old regrets. Had she not saved Qiong Nu all those years ago, perhaps their only son wouldn’t have been swept away by the river, and the Li family wouldn’t have been exiled to Bianjing in disgrace. Meanwhile, Qiong Nu, utterly humiliated, was on the verge of hanging herself. Fortunately, she was saved by the Li daughters.

Qiong Nu stubbornly refused to reveal who she had met that night or what had happened, and her silence only deepened the doubts in the Li family’s hearts, leaving them shrouded in mystery. When Chai An came to retrieve the jade comb, Kang Ning mistakenly thought he had tricked Qiong Nu and slapped him. The Li family, angry and upset, locked him out.

At the banquet in Pan Lou, Liang Junqing became increasingly drunk and boisterous as the night went on. After several rounds of wine, he lost all sense of propriety and began bragging shamelessly about his affair with Madam Li, using vulgar and contemptuous language. His words provoked Fan Lianghan to the point where he threw a punch in anger. Chai An, though equally enraged, remained clear-headed and knew that acting impulsively would not be wise.

He quickly intervened with a subtle move to protect the honor of the Li family women. After Liang Junqing was dragged away by the servants, Fan Lianghan still seethed with anger. Chai An reminded him that if there had been a public fight in Pan Lou, the scandal would spread far and wide. The Li family's daughters might not only find it difficult to arrange marriages, but even going out could lead to people gossiping behind their backs.

Fan Lianghan, however, felt that the matter couldn't be left unresolved, and Chai An, understanding his anger, knew that Fan Lianghan had already formed a plan in his mind. Meanwhile, Kang Ning, having learned that Liang Junqing was the one who had humiliated Qiong Nu, decided that he needed to be taught a lesson. Just then, Chai An appeared before Kang Ning, declaring his intent to punish Liang Junqing severely and clear his own name.

Grateful for Chai An’s help, Kang Ning, in order to ensure their plan went smoothly, apologized for their past misunderstandings and asked him what their next step was. Chai An, with a clever smile, spoke of setting a trap to catch a bigger fish. The Double Ninth Festival (Chongyang) soon arrived. The Four-Fu Tea House had carefully prepared a variety of distinctive Chongyang cakes, and with Madam Li’s silver tongue, the shop was filled with customers.

The Li daughters were busy in their rooms, but the fifth daughter, Le Shan, felt bored and wished to go out for a stroll. The fourth daughter, Hao De, had the same idea. The two of them earnestly begged Shou Hua and Fu Hui to accompany them, and after some persuasion, they received permission. Kang Ning agreed to go out as well, but she waited a long time without seeing Chai An.

Instead, she became intrigued by a golden Moke Luo and, after paying five copper coins for it, learned that it had already been reserved by someone—Chai An, the young master of Pan Lou. Soon, Chai An arrived and stood beside Kang Ning, and the two engaged in a sharp exchange of words. Just then, Liang Junqing appeared not far away, leaving with a woman.

It turned out that Chai An had found a beautiful woman and set a trap for Liang Junqing, who, with his usual interest in women, walked right into it. As soon as Liang Junqing entered the room to meet the woman, she screamed, and the servants rushed in to beat him mercilessly. Kang Ning took the wooden stick that Chai An handed her and beat Liang Junqing with it, finally releasing the pent-up anger for Qiong Nu.

Afterward, Chai An escorted Kang Ning home, assuring her that there was no need to worry. The servants who had beaten Liang Junqing were skilled in martial arts and knew how to control the situation. They had only broken one of his legs to prevent him from causing harm to others. Even though Liang Junqing might harbor resentment, the shame of being caught in such a compromising situation would prevent him from speaking out, even in the imperial court.

He would be forced to swallow his anger and remain silent. With this, Kang Ning’s opinion of Chai An changed significantly. She accepted the golden Moke Luo that he gave her, and her feelings for him grew. Madam Shou Hua noticed that Qiong Nu had lost weight recently, suspecting that she was still upset over the earlier events.

Le Shan suggested going to the night market for a change of pace, but Fu Hui heard that a group of bandits had arrived in the city, known for abducting beautiful young women. She hesitated, but Shou Hua advised that it would be safer for the Li family to bring a few guards along to ensure their safety. That night, a fire broke out in the city center.

Chai An, quick to notice, realized that many buildings would need repairs, so he took Fan Lianghan out of the city to purchase bricks, tiles, and timber, hoping to make a fortune. However, Kang Ning and Fu Hui were abducted by the bandits. Upon returning from their errand, Chai An and Fan Lianghan heard the news and immediately set out with their men to track down the bandits. They set up a trap and captured all the criminals.

Chai An and Fan Lianghan successfully rescued the two women but, remembering the Li family sisters' past arrogance, decided to teach them a lesson. Following Chai An's plan, Fan Lianghan ordered Fu Hui to lie on the cold ground for an entire night, hoping to make a show of his great achievement in front of his wife and tame the second daughter.

Meanwhile, Chai An pretended to be a bandit and kidnapped Kang Ning, even playfully threatening her along the way. Kang Ning, after some struggle, seized the opportunity to stab him with her hairpin. When she removed the blindfold, she realized it was Chai An, and she gave him a sharp reprimand. Finally, Chai An revealed the truth, leading Kang Ning safely back into the city.

As they walked along the street, Kang Ning worried that if anyone saw her returning with a man so late, there would be gossip. But Chai An, ever thoughtful, had already anticipated this and draped a black cloak over her to hide her. It was a small but considerate gesture. Once they reached their destination, Chai An suddenly confessed that his earlier actions had not been to play tricks on her but simply to spend more time with her. His heartfelt words made a ripple in Kang Ning’s heart. She quietly watched him leave, a shy smile tugging at her lips.

Madam Chai had found a suitable match for her son, and the young woman, seeing that Chai An was handsome and well-off, was satisfied. However, Chai An immediately refused the proposal, openly declaring that he had already set his sights on Kang Ning, the third daughter of the Li family, and hoped his mother would find a matchmaker to propose marriage on his behalf.

At first, Madam Chai was a bit puzzled, but when she learned that Kang Ning was the daughter of the Four-Fu Tea House across the street, she nearly fainted from the shock. In the dead of night, Fu Hui, still disturbed by the earlier incident with the bandits, felt as though she heard strange sounds outside. Fearing they might be seeking revenge, she voiced her concerns. Half-awake, Fan Lianghan accidentally revealed the truth.

By the time he realized his mistake, Fu Hui had already raised her fist and given him quite the beating. The next morning, the two most renowned matchmakers in Bianjing arrived at the Li family home, both eager to propose a marriage for Kang Ning. The matchmaker they were representing was none other than Chai An. Such a high-profile marriage made Madam Li overjoyed.

When Kang Ning returned home and overheard her mother and sisters discussing Chai An's proposal, she felt conflicted and decided to confront Chai An. Seizing the opportunity, Chai An expressed his feelings for her.

Cautioned by the experience of her second sister, Fu Hui, Kang Ning set three conditions for their potential marriage: first, he must never take concubines or buy maids; second, if they had no children, they must adopt from their own family, and he must not entertain thoughts of having a child outside the family; and finally, if she died young, he would have to wait three years before remarrying, and after a hundred years, they should be buried together.

Listening to Kang Ning’s words, Chai An found her to be a woman of remarkable character. Instead of being angered, she had laid out clear terms, which impressed him even more. He immediately agreed, saying that the head of the Chai family must be wise, decisive, and resilient, someone who could win his heart—and only Kang Ning was worthy of that role.

Moved by his sincerity, Kang Ning accepted the marriage proposal, but asked that he travel to Luoyang to fulfill her father’s dying wish and bring back a branch of plum blossoms from her hometown. Although Madam Chai had a strong prejudice against the Li family, her son Chai An had already made up his mind. He took care of all the details, even selecting a date for the wedding.

Eager to leave for Luoyang, he departed, and shortly afterward, Madam Chai met with Fan Lianghan to discuss how to make the Li family reconsider the marriage. Soon, the Chai and Li families officially discussed the marriage, and Kang Ning, full of joy, began to embroider her wedding clothes. Shou Hua, noticing her mother's low spirits, suspected that Madam Chai had been difficult to deal with.

At that moment, the Chai family returned the "betrothal gift" from the Li family, demanding that they replace the live fish with goldfish and the fish chopsticks with silver ones, costing the Li family more money. The Chai servants mocked Madam Li, and although she was hurt, she endured it for her daughter's sake. Later that night, Madam Li sat alone in the courtyard, looking at her husband's belongings and speaking to herself.

If not for his sudden death, how could she and her daughters be left to endure such humiliation? She only wished for Kang Ning’s marriage to go smoothly and without further trouble. Kang Ning, standing at the door, witnessed this scene and broke down in tears. The next day, Madam Li, with Shou Hua, went back to the Chai family to deliver the revised betrothal gift.

However, Madam Chai mocked them again, belittling them for being widows and women without sons. Each word cut deeply, but at that critical moment, Kang Ning stepped in, fiercely defending her mother and older sister. She declared that the Chai and Li families were not compatible, and the marriage was ill-fated. With that, she swiftly took her mother and sister away from the Chai house.

At that moment, Chai An returned from Luoyang, his joy evident as he brought the plum branch. When he saw Kang Ning and the others leaving in silence, he was filled with confusion. Madam Chai seized the opportunity to sow discord, claiming that the Li family had gone back on their word.

Chai An, eager to find Kang Ning and clarify things, went to her house, but she avoided him, fearing that revealing the truth would create a rift between him and his mother. Fu Hui stepped in on Kang Ning’s behalf, but Chai An misunderstood and, in a fit of frustration, threw the plum branch to the ground before leaving in sorrow. Qiong Nu felt guilty, believing that her bad luck had delayed Kang Ning’s marriage.

She blamed herself, but Kang Ning comforted her, telling her not to worry. Later that night, Kang Ning sat alone in her room, recalling how her father had once picked red plums for her, and thinking of Chai An's promise. She placed the plum branch and the golden Moke Luo into a box, tears streaming down her face, and from then on buried her feelings for him.

On the day of the Winter Solstice, Chai An personally delivered winter vegetables to the Liu family. There, he happened to encounter the scholar Du Yangxi, who was in trouble after refusing a marriage proposal from Liu Tang. Liu Tang ordered Du Yangxi to complete a mural within the time it took to burn a stick of incense, and Du Yangxi finished on time.

Hearing that they had met before, Chai An interceded on Du Yangxi’s behalf, and Liu Tang agreed to let him go. Worried that Liu Tang might cause trouble later, Du Yangxi left a mocking poem behind. Liu Tang, furious and ashamed, lost his temper and, disregarding his own reputation, ordered his men to ambush Du Yangxi and his friends. Fortunately, Chai An sensed something was wrong and arrived just in time to rescue them. The two men narrowly escaped harm and resumed preparing for the imperial examination.

Chai An first took Du Yangxi back to Pan Lou, scolding him for his reckless behavior, particularly for offending Liu Tang, such a prestigious figure in the capital. He intended to befriend Du Yangxi, having heard that he came to the capital for the imperial examination, so he invited him to stay at his home. However, Du Yangxi politely declined and insisted on residing at Xingguo Temple instead, which made Chai An admire him even more.

He could see that both Du Yangxi and his friend, Sang Yanrang, were not ordinary people. As the provincial exams approached, Madam Li decided to change the name of "Four-Fu Tea House" to "Four-Fu Tea Hall" and, recently, set up a literary competition. Every day, a topic was selected, and participants would write poetry, with the best poet winning a prize—free tea for the day.

Chai An, upon hearing about this, pointed out that Madam Li wasn’t really selecting the best poet but was, in fact, choosing a son-in-law through this method. He believed that this scheme wouldn't last long. Meanwhile, Du Yangxi and Sang Yanrang were struggling financially. They bought a single cake with two copper coins and split it in half. Sang Yanrang wondered why Du Yangxi insisted on participating in these competitions if he wasn’t interested in marriage.

He could easily hide his talents in front of Liu Tang, so why make a display of his literary skills? Du Yangxi explained that Bianjing was filled with talented people. If he didn't act this way, he would never gain a reputation for being "content with poverty and upholding propriety" and stand out among the city's elite. Soon, Chai An hosted a poetry competition at Pan Lou, quickly attracting business, and other restaurants followed suit.

As a result, the business at the Four-Fu Tea Hall began to decline. Shou Hua came up with a plan and brought out a pearl account book that her late husband had left her, using it as the prize for the best poet. This was both to help find a good match for her third daughter and boost the family’s business. She came up with a more extraordinary plan than simply using poetry to attract suitors.

In no time, the Four-Fu Tea Hall was crowded with guests, becoming the most popular spot in Bianjing. The students, seeing the value of the pearl account book, were tempted by greed, but they soon realized that the Li family's daughter was not very beautiful, which explained why they were willing to invest such a large sum. Just as they spoke, Kang Ning appeared from behind the screen, her elegant appearance attracting everyone's attention.

Seeing her, Chai An became anxious and, in a flash of inspiration, invited Du Yangxi to disrupt the event. Du Yangxi donned a fake beard and introduced himself as Jia Ming. His talents in poetry quickly won him first place, and he was praised by Madam Li for his excellent literary skills. Madam Li, seeing "Jia Ming" was handsome and at the right age, was overjoyed and immediately considered him as a potential match for Kang Ning.

However, Jia Ming stated that he was already married and that if he wanted to take a concubine, he would need to consult his wife. This stunned Madam Li. Kang Ning saw through the ruse and realized that this was a scheme set up by Chai An. Not wanting to be outdone, she decided to play along and gave Jia Ming a donkey as a prize, using the opportunity to mock him and Chai An.

As a result, "Jia Ming" became known as the "Donkey Scholar," and he couldn’t help but complain to Chai An, saying that if he hadn't carefully disguised himself beforehand, his true identity would have been exposed, ruining his reputation. Meanwhile, the Four-Fu Tea Hall’s reputation soared, and the Li family made a small profit. Madam Li also rented a neighboring building to use as a storage space.

One snowy day in Bianjing, Du Yangxi, who had been selling his literary works to earn money, fell ill and collapsed on the street. Shou Hua found him and saved him. Madam Li recognized Du Yangxi as the troublemaker "Jia Ming" and wanted to kick him out, but the sisters couldn’t bear to see someone’s life in danger. While unconscious, Du Yangxi kept murmuring about Xingguo Temple.

Shou Hua, taking care of him, sent someone to the temple to retrieve his belongings and rescue Sang Yanrang. Chun Lai later told the Li sisters that Du Yangxi and Sang Yanrang were living in poverty, crammed into a tiny room no bigger than a chicken coop, with nothing of value except a broken inkstone, a few worn-out brushes, and some old books.

The sisters, feeling pity for them, discussed their academic success and how they had both passed the imperial examination. Upon hearing that Du Yangxi and Sang Yanrang were both participating in the provincial exams and had not yet married, Madam Li was overjoyed and immediately agreed to let them stay. Chai An, upon hearing that the Li family had saved Du Yangxi, feared that he and Kang Ning might form a bond.

So, he decided to visit Du Yangxi under the pretext of checking on him, hoping to draw Kang Ning out. However, this backfired, and Du Yangxi became curious about Kang Ning. Madam Li tried to block Chai An from taking Du Yangxi, which only made Chai An more irritable. He began by building a higher wall between Du Yangxi and the Li family’s house and even ordered trees that could be climbed to be cut down.

Originally, Chai An had intended to leave a servant girl by Du Yangxi’s side, but Du Yangxi wasn’t used to it. So, Chai An sent his young servant, Ling Yao, to care for Du Yangxi, effectively keeping an eye on him to prevent Du Yangxi and Kang Ning from being alone together.

Since both Du Yangxi was proud and aloof and Sang Yanrang buried himself in books all day, it was a troubling matter for the Li family to have them take the initiative in proposing marriage. Madam Shou Hua came up with a plan—she carefully arranged for Chun Lai to deliver books to Sang Yanrang and intentionally dropped a rare edition he had long desired, successfully catching his attention.

Sang Yanrang wanted the rare edition, but Chun Lai said she couldn't decide on her own, which ultimately led Du Yangxi to personally visit Kang Ning. However, upon arriving at the Li residence, he hesitated to enter and unexpectedly picked up the sachet that Kang Ning had dropped. Chai An, accompanied by Fan Lianghan, came to check on Du Yangxi, just as Kang Ning sent Chun Lai to present a set of exquisite writing tools as a gesture of gratitude.

Seeing how warmly Kang Ning treated Du Yangxi and Sang Yanrang, Chai An couldn't help but feel jealous. "Accidentally," he broke the inkstone and immediately promised to replace it with an even finer one for Du Yangxi as an apology. Before leaving, Chai An saw Kang Ning chatting at the doorstep and sourly reminded her not to place bets on both sides, lest she end up with nothing. Kang Ning ignored him.

After Chai An left, she learned that he had broken the inkstone out of jealousy, but instead of getting angry, she was amused and even felt grateful. Back at Panlou, Chai An carefully pieced the broken inkstone together, revealing a complete poem. Only then did Fan Lianghan realize that Madam Li deliberately wanted Du Yangxi to become her son-in-law. Fan Lianghan, entrusted by his aunt, Madam Chai, tried to arrange a marriage for Chai An.

Chai An was about to refuse, but when he heard that the intended bride was Liu Tang’s daughter, Liu Baniang, a plan formed in his mind, and he agreed. Chai An then pretended to help Liu Baniang confront Du Yangxi for rejecting her, but in reality, he wanted to use this opportunity to persuade Kang Ning to return to him. He arranged the scene at the Fan family estate.

At that time, the Li sisters were busy developing a new wonton recipe. Upon hearing rumors that Fan Lianghan was "hiding a beauty," Fu Hui became furious and rushed over. Worried about trouble, Shou Hua urged Kang Ning to follow. At the Fan residence, Chai An pulled Kang Ning aside and invited her to see Du Yangxi’s true nature, hiding her in a wardrobe.

After a moment of hesitation, Kang Ning agreed, while Chai An and Fan Lianghan hid in another wardrobe. Soon after, Liu Baniang brought Du Yangxi into the room and confronted him about rejecting her while choosing to live next door to the Li family.

Despite Liu Baniang's aggressive questioning, Du Yangxi remained composed and stated his three principles for choosing a wife: first, he did not care about a woman's family status; second, he did not care about her dowry; third, he did not care about her looks or talents. The reason he rejected the Liu family was that he came from humble beginnings and had been raised by his widowed mother in hardship.

He feared that daughters of wealthy or official families, accustomed to privilege, would not treat his aging, impoverished mother with kindness and respect. His sincere words not only did not reveal any faults but instead highlighted his deep sense of loyalty and responsibility, completely ruining Chai An’s plan. At that moment, Fu Hui suddenly arrived, and seeing the door locked from inside, she grew furious and smashed the window with a stone.

Fan Lianghan panicked and jumped out of the window, while Liu Baniang hid in the wardrobe, unexpectedly coming face-to-face with Kang Ning. Chai An swiftly intervened to stop Fu Hui, bringing the chaotic situation to an end. After everyone left, Chai An humbled himself and tried once more to persuade Kang Ning to come back to him, but she refused, insisting that her decisions had nothing to do with anyone else. The two parted on bad terms.

Fu Hui, realizing that her husband had been manipulated by Chai An, gave him a scolding. Kang Ning later discussed Du Yangxi with Shou Hua, finding him somewhat hard to read, and grew curious about Sang Yanrang. However, Qiong Nu warned her not to entertain thoughts about a bookworm. Meanwhile, Madam Chai intended to pair Liu Baniang with Chai An. However, Chai An quickly struck a deal with Liu Baniang, promising to help her win Du Yangxi’s heart.

Soon after, Madam Fan and Madam Chai went to have their fortunes read. The fortune teller claimed that Chai An and Liu Baniang’s horoscopes were incompatible, and his fate dictated that he would have no lasting marriage—only Kang Ning, the third daughter of the Li family, could counteract this misfortune.

Initially, Madam Chai stubbornly refused to believe it, but when Liu Baniang faced unexpected setbacks and Chai An fell from his horse for no apparent reason, she recalled the fortune teller's words about Chai An and Kang Ning’s perfectly matched fates. She sent a matchmaker to the Li family, only to be met with a firm rejection. Madam Li took great satisfaction in this and was in an excellent mood.

Not giving up, Chai An devised another plan, secretly arranging for Du Yangxi’s blind mother to be brought to the capital. However, Liu Baniang had already been persuaded by Kang Ning to give up. Madam Chai soon discovered the fortune teller’s deception, while the Li family, acting swiftly, had already taken in Du Yangxi’s mother. Seeing the old woman’s weathered and weary state, they couldn’t help but feel sympathy.

Liu Baniang later told Chai An that she had decided to abandon her pursuit of Du Yangxi. Having grown up surrounded by merchants, she had learned to value profit. Rather than marrying a husband, she would rather recruit a husband into her household. Once again, Chai An’s plan fell apart.

That night, Du Yangxi returned from visiting a friend and learned that his mother had been taken to the Li family’s residence. He rushed over to express his gratitude to Madam Li. Madam Li was delighted to see mother and son reunited and ordered additional dishes to be prepared. She instructed them to finish their meal before heading back home.

Du Yangxi’s mother reminded him to always be grateful and not to act arrogantly like others who believed that achieving success would allow them to marry into higher status. Du Yangxi understood her words and stated that he would personally visit the Li family tomorrow to propose marriage. Meanwhile, Shou Hua noticed that Kang Ning seemed unsettled. She asked Qiong Nu to falsely claim that Chai An had been injured.

As expected, upon hearing the news, Kang Ning immediately tried to run out, only to be stopped by Shou Hua. Realizing that Kang Ning still had lingering feelings for Chai An, Shou Hua advised her to reflect on her true emotions before the Li and Du families finalized their engagement. Kang Ning wavered upon hearing this. Just then, Chai An came to see Kang Ning. Overjoyed, she intended to express her feelings to him.

However, Chai An instead made several disparaging remarks about the Li family. These words ignited Kang Ning’s fury. She retorted that although Chai An claimed he never looked down on her, everything he said suggested otherwise. She declared that she would never tolerate anyone insulting the Li family. Even if she couldn’t find a husband and ended up living out her days at the Li residence, she would never set foot in the Chai household again.

With that, the two parted on bad terms, and Kang Ning officially became engaged to Du Yangxi. Chai An drowned his sorrows in alcohol at Panlou while listening to music. Fan Lianghan rushed in to inform him of the engagement, blaming him for saying such hurtful things when he supposedly wanted to marry Kang Ning.

Fan Lianghan explained that Madam Li’s third daughter had been willing to reconcile with him and would have accepted the marriage if he had only spoken kindly. However, now that more resentment had formed between them, there was no turning back. Chai An, however, refused to accept this and resented Madam Li for treating the marriage like a transaction. He believed that the Li family was cold and calculating.

Seeing this, Fan Lianghan had no choice but to reveal the Li family’s past—how they had been bullied by their clan after becoming widowed and orphaned, how their wealth and belongings had been plundered, and how Madam Li had been forced to become fierce and unyielding to protect her five daughters. After hearing this, Chai An felt both guilty and regretful.

When his mother once again urged him to marry, he replied bitterly that since Madam Li’s third daughter was marrying someone else, her goal had already been achieved. On the first day of the provincial examination, Madam Li woke Kang Ning early. Accompanied by her eldest sister, Kang Ning reluctantly prepared a box of "Ding Sheng Gao" (victory cakes) for Du Yangxi.

On the eve of the results announcement, the imperial family happened to be on an outing, and many bystanders dropped their belongings in the commotion. Hao De and Le Shan pestered their third sister into taking them "street sweeping" for lost items. Left with no choice, Kang Ning took Qiong Nu and accompanied her younger sisters in secret. During this outing, Kang Ning picked up an ornate hairpin that looked exactly like the one she had previously broken.

Suspecting that Chai An had intentionally placed it there, she took it back to her room. The next morning, word spread that a valuable item had gone missing from the palace. Kang Ning became uneasy and immediately told Qiong Nu. Qiong Nu speculated that it might be an item lost by the Empress herself. Since the matter was serious, Kang Ning and Qiong Nu devised a plan.

To avoid drawing suspicion, they decided to return the item late at night before dawn. However, just as they were about to act, Chai An suddenly appeared. He revealed that the hairpin was a gift for Kang Ning and reminisced about the bittersweet moments between them. Though touched by his sentiment, Kang Ning refused to accept his gift again, and they resolved to part ways for good.

Soon, Du Yangxi achieved first place in the provincial examination, and Madam Li was overjoyed, feeling certain that she had found the perfect son-in-law. The two families began wedding preparations. Upon learning of Kang Ning’s impending marriage to Du Yangxi, Chai An volunteered to board a merchant ship bound for the distant land of Dashi. His mother was shocked and frantically tried to dissuade him.

However, Chai An merely remarked that the second day of the second lunar month was supposed to be his wedding day—a statement that left his mother filled with regret. In a desperate attempt to stop Chai An, his mother personally visited Madam Li’s home to apologize and repeatedly begged for forgiveness, even kneeling to admit her mistakes. However, Madam Li only scoffed at her.

Finally, Chai An’s mother revealed the truth about their circumstances, hoping to appeal to Madam Li’s compassion as a fellow mother. Though Madam Li was momentarily moved, she ultimately refused. She had already received the Du family’s formal betrothal gifts, and in three days, the engagement would be finalized—there was no room left for change.

Madam Chai’s initial marriage proposal was rejected, so she began considering a forced marriage instead. She sent Fan Lianghan back to seek support from the second daughter, Fu Hui, within the Li family. Fu Hui knew that her third sister, Kang Ning, had feelings for Chai An, and if this marriage were to happen, it might not be a bad thing. So, she agreed to help.

Fu Hui then went home to persuade Madam Li, explaining that Chai An was truly sincere toward Kang Ning. On the other hand, Du Yangxi, despite appearing to be a good match, was only marrying Kang Ning out of gratitude. A marriage without love would inevitably lead to resentment. Hearing Fu Hui’s words, Madam Li hesitated. After all, this engagement did seem like they were forcing Du Yangxi to repay their kindness.

At that moment, Shou Hua entered from outside and interrupted the conversation. Later, Fu Hui sought out Kang Ning and revealed that Chai An was about to set sail. Kang Ning was shocked and, under Fu Hui’s encouragement, decided to see him one last time. However, Shou Hua stopped her. Shou Hua sternly pointed out that all the top three candidates in the imperial exam always received high-ranking positions.

Their current actions could offend the promising Du Yangxi and put their family's future at risk. She absolutely would not allow Kang Ning to act recklessly. Kang Ning suddenly realized that Du Yangxi was not as magnanimous or grateful as he appeared. However, Fu Hui argued that this very trait—his deep scheming—was exactly why they shouldn’t let Kang Ning marry him.

In the end, Fu Hui and Shou Hua debated fiercely, and after careful consideration, Shou Hua decided that the entire family should discuss the matter together. After leaving the Li household, Fu Hui met with Madam Chai. She confirmed that Madam Chai was determined to make Kang Ning her daughter-in-law and suggested that there was still a chance to turn things around. She then came up with a three-pronged strategy.

Meanwhile, Shou Hua personally sewed clothes for Du Yangxi’s mother, who was deeply pleased and emotionally expressed that if she had more than one son, she would have married both Kang Ning and Shou Hua into their family. One day, Chai An went to the temple to pray and was stunned to see the Li family there as well.

Shou Hua immediately realized Fu Hui’s intentions and kept a close eye on Kang Ning, but Fu Hui had already planned ahead and enlisted help from Qiong Nu. While at the temple, Kang Ning prayed for Chai An’s safety. Witnessing this, Chai An was deeply moved, but he accidentally knocked into a bell, attracting attention.

Just as Kang Ning was about to investigate the sound, her sisters came to find her, informing her that her wedding date had been set for the 18th of February—coincidentally, the same day Chai An was set to depart. On the day of the betrothal ceremony, Madam Chai arrived with a group of people, causing a commotion and preventing anyone else from marrying into the Li family. She boldly declared that Kang Ning would only be her son’s wife.

Madam Li accused the Chai family of rejecting the Li family in the past due to their lower status and now making a scene after changing their minds. Moreover, the Chai family had secretly swapped the Li family's purchased tea leaves with their own betrothal gifts, effectively securing the marriage contract. Madam Chai threatened that if Kang Ning dared to break the engagement and marry someone else, she would report it to the authorities.

A betrothed woman who married another man would face a punishment of one hundred cane strokes. At that moment, Madam Li finally saw through Kang Ning’s true feelings and decided to help her. She played along with Madam Chai’s act, drawing out the situation. Meanwhile, Du Yangxi’s mother, who had been listening in the courtyard, finally understood everything. No matter how outstanding the third Li daughter was, she was ultimately not meant to be Du Yangxi’s wife.

As a result, Du Yangxi’s mother invited Madam Chai and Madam Li inside for a discussion. When Chai An learned about this, he personally went to apologize to Du Yangxi on behalf of his mother and sincerely wished him and Kang Ning happiness. Upon hearing Chai An’s name, Du Yangxi’s mother suddenly recalled that he was her long-lost savior from years ago.

Chai An then told his mother that the marriage arrangement between the Li and Du families would remain unchanged and that he would still set sail for Quanzhou on the agreed date. However, Madam Chai changed her tone and revealed that she had already found him another bride—and that the wedding would take place before the Du family’s. On the wedding day, Fan Lianghan tied Chai An up and forcibly dressed him in wedding attire.

Madam Chai even threatened to take her own life to force Chai An to marry. Chai An stubbornly refused to greet the bridal sedan until he suddenly heard Kang Ning’s voice coming from inside. Only then did he realize that he was actually marrying Kang Ning. Immediately, his attitude changed, and he enthusiastically proceeded with the wedding. In their bridal chamber, Chai An and Kang Ning drank their nuptial wine.

Kang Ning recalled how Madam Li had decided that one of the five sisters would take her place as the bride, leading them to draw lots. Chai An smiled as he embraced Kang Ning, sighing that while it was difficult to win a Li daughter’s hand in marriage, in the end, true lovers always find their way to each other.

During the imperial examination at the Golden Luang Hall, Du Yangxi, who had outstanding talent, was chosen as the third place scholar, or "tan hua. " As the newly minted scholar rode his horse through the streets, crowds of citizens gathered to watch. Among them was Madam Yu’s daughter, Yu Xiu'e, who had come down from her carriage to observe. With just one glance, Du Yangxi caught her eye, and she kept him in her mind.

Soon after, the Du and Li families began preparing for a marriage. Initially, Du Yangxi had hoped to marry the third daughter of the Li family, but since Kang Ning had married Chai An, Madam Li couldn’t bear to give up her "tan hua" son-in-law, so she decided to marry off her eldest daughter, Li, in her place. Du Yangxi’s mother agreed, thinking of old ties. However, Du Yangxi was upset. Despite marrying Shou Hua, he showed her no warmth.

On their wedding night, Du Yangxi purposely ignored Shou Hua, not lifting her bridal veil and falling asleep on his own, leaving her to sit up all night. The next morning, he went alone to Dongjing Temple for a scheduled event, completely disregarding Shou Hua. Despite this, Shou Hua, as his wife, still respectfully greeted Du Yangxi’s mother early in the morning and kept the cold treatment from him a secret.

While Madam Du spun thread, Shou Hua, despite having no experience, eagerly offered to help and humbly learned from her. Madam Du, patient and kind, taught her how to spin. On the day of the "return home" visit, Shou Hua went back to her family. Chun Lai, hearing of this, told the other sisters. Everyone became enraged, vowing to call out Du Yangxi for his behavior. Madam Li was equally furious, believing that Du Yangxi was an ungrateful villain.

She was ready to confront him at Dongjing Temple, but Shou Hua quickly stopped her, saying she had a way to manage her husband. Kang Ning felt guilty, and Shou Hua reassured her that there was no need for such feelings between sisters. Meanwhile, Ling Yao helped the drunken Sang Yanrang back to his quarters. Sang Yanrang had suffered from alcohol poisoning, leading to a stomach hemorrhage.

Thankfully, Shou Hua had acted quickly, sending for medical help and looking after him. Fan Lianghan and Chai An invited Du Yangxi to Pan Lou, and Du Yangxi, knowing they were there to speak on behalf of Shou Hua, mocked the two men for being henpecked. Du Yangxi didn’t intend to target Shou Hua specifically. His bitterness stemmed from the Li family’s broken promises and their decision to swap Li for the eldest daughter, which left him feeling resentful.

Chai An advised Du Yangxi to cherish his new wife, Shou Hua, for she was both beautiful and virtuous. If he truly saw her, he would be happy. Later, Fan Lianghan had Du Yangxi confined to his house, telling him to get along with his wife. Du Yangxi reluctantly went to find his mother, only to be scolded by her as well. She told him to apologize to his wife first.

With no other option, Du Yangxi entered his room, noticing how well it was arranged, including paintings and calligraphy that were all Shou Hua’s work. Moreover, Du Yangxi overheard Sang Yanrang praising Shou Hua, saying that she had arranged everything so meticulously, even ensuring his clothes were clean and neat. While they were talking, Shou Hua, with Chun Lai, brought food to Sang Yanrang.

Du Yangxi looked at his wife, noticing how gentle and beautiful she was, and he immediately fell in love with her. All his earlier grievances vanished. But Shou Hua, in order to teach him a lesson, deliberately ignored him. With her beauty, intelligence, and kindness, as well as her filial piety and care for friends, Du Yangxi finally realized how fortunate he was to have married such a woman. At dinner, he sat with Sang Yanrang, becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

He joked that it seemed like Shou Hua was more attentive to Sang Yanrang than to him. Sang Yanrang, annoyed at Du Yangxi’s neglect of Shou Hua, threw him out, scolding him for not appreciating his good fortune. That evening, Du Yangxi tried to speak to Shou Hua, but she ignored him and slept on a separate bed. Later, she even used a cough as an excuse to make him sleep in a side room.

Du Yangxi regretted his actions and quickly sought help from Fan Lianghan and Chai An, asking for advice. Fan Lianghan suggested he apologize by kneeling, while Chai An recommended that he write a poem to express his feelings, since Shou Hua liked literature and poetry. Du Yangxi, excited by the idea, immediately wrote a letter to Shou Hua. But to his surprise, she returned an empty sheet of paper.

Chai An, seeing this, quickly made up a reason, causing Du Yangxi to misunderstand, thinking Shou Hua had feelings for him and was just playing hard to get. He wrote another letter, but still, the relationship didn’t improve. Soon, it was the Cold Food Festival, and Kang Ning and the others sent Shou Hua several food boxes filled with treats prepared by her mother and sisters. Du Yangxi’s mother arranged for Sang Yanrang to join them for the meal.

Du Yangxi watched as Shou Hua worked hard early in the morning, his fondness for her growing even more. However, Du Yangxi was now favored by the emperor and had also caught the attention of Yu Shouxin, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Yu Shouxin personally invited Du Yangxi to share a carriage. Other scholars, jealous of Du Yangxi’s rising fortunes, gossiped behind his back.

Just as Du Yangxi was about to reprimand them, a stranger, the scholar Yan Zimei, stood up in defense of Du Yangxi, scolding the others. Du Yangxi quickly thanked him, and the two shared a drink in camaraderie.

Du Yangxi observed Yan Zimei's eloquence and carefree personality, and he felt that Yan Zimei might be a good person to befriend. However, during the banquet, after becoming drunk, Yan Zimei suddenly revealed an old matter. He claimed that he had secretly pledged his life to Madam Li's daughter, but due to fate, their love had never been able to come to fruition.

Now that he had heard that Madam Li’s daughter, Shou Hua, had become a widow, he had come to Bianjing to seek her out, unaware that Du Yangxi had already become Shou Hua's second husband. Upon hearing this, Du Yangxi personally informed Chai An and Fan Lianghan, saying that he wanted a wife with whom he could grow old together, sharing life and death.

If Shou Hua had truly become involved with someone else or had transferred her affections, then she would not be the person he sought. Chai An and Fan Lianghan, hearing how deeply Du Yangxi felt about his wife, grew concerned that if they didn’t investigate thoroughly, things might end poorly. Meanwhile, Fu Hui and Kang Ning learned about Yan Zimei from their husbands and rushed to warn Shou Hua. However, Shou Hua remained calm and unapologetic.

She assured them that she was upright in her actions and had nothing to fear from Du Yangxi’s investigation. Afterward, the three sons-in-law formed an alliance and had Chai An’s servant, Deqing, follow Yan Zimei. They discovered that Yan Zimei was preparing a pair of gold armlets to gift to his old lover. Back at her residence, Shou Hua thought back to when she was young and had noticed a man spying on her from outside her door.

She suspected that this man might have been connected to Yan Zimei in some way. At this moment, Yang Yapo came to discuss the rough work of the maidservants with Shou Hua. Shou Hua didn’t suspect anything and didn’t mention Yan Zimei’s matter to Du Yangxi, which led Du Yangxi to become suspicious. Late at night, Du Yangxi noticed that Shou Hua was wearing a pair of armlets, which shocked him and planted the seeds of doubt in his heart.

The next morning, he couldn’t wait to stop Yang Yapo and question her. Yang Yapo, who had come to report on the search for servants, deliberately dropped a handkerchief in front of Du Yangxi. The handkerchief was identical to the one Yan Zimei had shown earlier, and it was embroidered with a poem about the "gold armlets. "Du Yangxi saw this and was furious.

He stormed into Shou Hua’s room, threw ink on her artwork, ripped her clothes, and even threatened to divorce her. Chun Lai, who had been outside, was terrified and ran back to the Li family to inform them. Madam Li was enraged that her daughter had been wronged and immediately wanted to confront Du Yangxi. However, after a moment’s thought, she realized that if they truly broke off the relationship, the families might never reconcile.

By nightfall, Du Yangxi personally went to Madam Li’s house to announce his intention to divorce Shou Hua. However, he was surrounded by Madam Li’s four daughters and the maidservants, who questioned him. Du Yangxi explained everything, but he refused to reveal the real reason for wanting to divorce, doing so only to spare Shou Hua’s dignity. Chai An did not believe Du Yangxi’s hasty decision and suspected that there might be something he was hiding.

Du Yangxi deliberately sent the naïve Fan Lianghan away and confided in Chai An that he and Shou Hua were pretending to play a trick. While Madam Li was away on business, Yang Yapo came again. Madam Li asked her directly why she was helping an outsider deceive her. Yang Yapo hurriedly spoke on Yan Zimei’s behalf, describing him as a sincere man who was trying to match Shou Hua with him and arranging for them to meet in secret.

On the day of the Grand Temple Fair at the Xian Guo Temple, Madam Li took her daughters to attend, leaving Shou Hua behind. Yan Zimei personally came to meet Shou Hua, using sweet words to try to win her over. Shou Hua pretended to agree and said she was willing to settle the engagement with Yan Zimei. Yan Zimei, delighted, revealed everything—how he had deceived Du Yangxi and made him believe that he had given Shou Hua the armlets.

At this moment, Madam Li ordered the coachman to turn the carriage around and head back. The sisters were puzzled, but they saw that Madam Li’s expression was grave, and they could tell that something was amiss. When Shou Hua learned that Yan Zimei was already married, she pretended to be angry and scolded him.

Yan Zimei explained that his wife was still in his hometown, and if Shou Hua followed him to his post, she would naturally become his wife. As soon as he finished speaking, Shou Hua threw a cup of tea at him. Du Yangxi, Chai An, and the others, who had been waiting behind the screen and outside, entered and each punched him in the face.

Everyone interrogated Yang Yapo, who then confessed everything, revealing the plot between her and Yan Zimei. It turned out that Du Yangxi had already suspected Yan Zimei’s scheme and had secretly teamed up with Shou Hua to trap him. Since this matter involved the reputation of the "Tan Hua" wife, they decided to punish Yan Zimei without reporting him to the authorities. Madam Li, knowing the full story, was pleased with the actions of her sons-in-law.

However, Chai An and Du Yangxi were furious at Fan Lianghan for betraying their alliance for the sake of his wife. The three sons-in-law argued fiercely at home, but luckily, each wife took her husband home. Kang Ning even ordered Chai An off the carriage, and he could only laugh bitterly in resignation.

At the Jinluan Hall examination, Du Yangxi, a scholar renowned for his exceptional talents, was selected as the third place in the imperial examination, the "Tan Hua" (Top Scholar). As he rode through the streets on horseback, the crowd of citizens gathered to watch him. Among them was a daughter of an official, Yu Xiu'e, who, upon seeing him, remembered him instantly with just one glance. Soon, the families of Du and Li began arranging for a marriage.

Initially, Du Yangxi had requested to marry the third daughter of the Li family, but since Kang Ning had already married Chai An, Madam Li could not bear to give up the "Tan Hua" son-in-law and instead arranged for her eldest daughter, Li, to take her younger sister's place. Du Yangxi's mother, remembering past kindnesses, nodded in approval, but Du Yangxi, still harboring resentment, married Shou Hua without displaying much warmth.

On their wedding night, Du Yangxi intentionally neglected Shou Hua, leaving her to sit alone through the night while he turned in without lifting her veil and fell asleep. The next morning, he left for the Dongjing Temple to attend a meeting, ignoring Shou Hua entirely. Despite this, Shou Hua, as the daughter-in-law, dutifully greeted Du's mother early the next day and hid the fact that Du Yangxi had ignored her.

Observing Du's mother spinning yarn, Shou Hua took the initiative to help, even though she had no experience with spinning. Still, she humbly learned from Du's mother, who was patient in teaching her. When Shou Hua returned to her family’s home for her first visit, Chun Lai was quick to inform everyone of what had transpired. The sisters were furious and vowed to confront the "Tan Hua" scholar.

Madam Li was similarly enraged, believing Du Yangxi to be an ungrateful man who dared neglect her daughter. She immediately decided to go to Dongjing Temple to confront him. Shou Hua hurriedly stopped her, assuring her that she would handle the matter and discipline her husband. Kang Ning, feeling guilty, was reassured by Shou Hua, who told her there was no need for apologies among sisters. Meanwhile, Ling Yao helped the drunken Sang Yanrang back to his residence.

He had suffered alcohol poisoning, leading to internal bleeding, but fortunately, Shou Hua had quickly sent someone for medical treatment and cared for him. Fan Lianghan and Chai An called Du Yangxi to a meeting at Pan Lou. Du Yangxi, aware that they were trying to mediate for Shou Hua, mocked them, calling them henpecked.

In truth, Du Yangxi did not intend to deliberately slight Shou Hua; his anger stemmed from the Li family’s broken promises, particularly their decision to swap daughters. This left him with some lingering resentment. Chai An advised Du Yangxi to cherish his new wife, Shou Hua, noting that she was not only beautiful and talented but also of high moral character. He assured Du Yangxi that if he truly got to know her, he would be delighted.

Following this, Fan Lianghan had Du Yangxi confined at home to spend time with Shou Hua. Du Yangxi, frustrated, went to see his mother, but she too scolded him for his actions, urging him to apologize to his wife first. Left with no other choice, Du Yangxi entered the room and was surprised to find it thoughtfully arranged, with paintings and calligraphy created by Shou Hua herself. In addition, Du Yangxi overheard Sang Yanrang praising Shou Hua.

Her meticulous care was evident in the well-organized room and her clean clothes. When he questioned further, he learned that Shou Hua had personally arranged everything. Just then, Shou Hua, accompanied by Chun Lai, brought food to Sang Yanrang. Du Yangxi, observing her graceful and gentle demeanor, fell in love with her at first sight, forgetting all his previous grievances. However, Shou Hua, determined to teach him a lesson, purposely ignored him.

It was because of her combination of beauty, intellect, kindness, and filial piety, as well as her care for friends, that Du Yangxi realized how lucky he was to have married such an outstanding woman. As Du Yangxi dined with Sang Yanrang, he became more and more discontented, sarcastically remarking that his wife seemed more like a wife to Sang Yanrang than to him, as she attended to him in every way.

Sang Yanrang, upset with Du Yangxi for neglecting Shou Hua, scolded him and kicked him out. That evening, Du Yangxi attempted to talk to Shou Hua, but she ignored him and even slept on a separate bed. Later, she claimed she was coughing and insisted he sleep in a side room. Du Yangxi, regretful of his actions, rushed to Fan Lianghan and Chai An for advice.

Fan Lianghan suggested that Du Yangxi kneel and apologize, while Chai An advised him to win Shou Hua's favor through poetry, since she had an appreciation for the arts. Du Yangxi was overjoyed at the idea and immediately wrote a letter to Shou Hua, only for her to return a blank sheet of paper. Chai An, noticing this, quickly made up an excuse to lead Du Yangxi to believe that Shou Hua had feelings for him.

He wrote another letter, but unfortunately, their relationship remained strained. As the Cold Food Festival approached, Kang Ning and the others prepared food boxes for Shou Hua, filled with dishes made by her mother and sisters. Du’s mother arranged for Sang Yanrang to dine with them. Du Yangxi, observing Shou Hua’s busy morning, became even more fond of her.

However, Du Yangxi had also gained the emperor's favor, as well as the admiration of the Minister of Personnel, Yu Shouxin, who invited him to ride together. Other scholars, envious of his success, began gossiping behind his back. Just as Du Yangxi was about to reprimand them, a stranger scholar, Yan Zimei, stepped forward and courageously scolded them. Du Yangxi, grateful, stepped forward to thank him, and the two of them celebrated with drinks.

After the matter was resolved, Du Yangxi and Chai An discussed the riddle given by the eldest lady. However, Chai An’s offhand comment sparked an idea in Du Yangxi’s mind, leading him to come up with a satisfactory answer for Shou Hua, successfully passing the test. Du Yangxi then reprimanded the four individuals involved and gave Shou Hua a delicate silk fan as a gift.

Little did he expect that Shou Hua would present another challenge, deliberately tossing the folding fan into the Bianjing River and ordering him to retrieve it. She told him that only by doing so would the couple be able to restore their relationship and mend the broken mirror. Du Yangxi, seeing this, sighed deeply, wanting to jump into the river to find the fan, but the onlookers mistook his actions for a suicide attempt.

Just then, Fan Lianghan happened to pass by, noticing Du Yangxi's troubled expression. Realizing that the eldest lady had given him a tough task, he ordered his servants to help search for the fan, but they found nothing. At this point, Du Yangxi recalled the "Li dai tao jiang" (using a substitute) strategy and personally asked Chai An for help.

They decided to have Kang Ning and Fu Hui invite Shou Hua to Pan Lou, where they would secretly place the fan inside a fish and present it to her. Shou Hua was furious upon seeing this, blaming Kang Ning and Fu Hui for colluding with outsiders to deceive her. Fu Hui, however, had no idea about the plan, while Kang Ning was upset with Chai An.

After returning home, Shou Hua, although aware that the fan was not the same one, had no way to prove it. Du Yangxi cleverly resolved the second challenge. Du Yangxi later noticed that Shou Hua had made a new pair of shoes. He initially thought they were for him, but upon trying them on, he realized they didn’t fit and understood that she had made them for her deceased husband.

This filled him with jealousy and resentment, thinking she was still thinking about her late husband, which was why she kept making things difficult for him. Consumed by jealousy and frustration, Du Yangxi turned to Chai An for some wine to drown his sorrows, drinking to the point of getting very drunk. Meanwhile, Mrs.

Cui had opened a new tea shop called "Cui Ji," directly competing with the Sifu Zhai tea house, causing Madam Li to be furious and wanting to confront her. Fortunately, her daughters persuaded her to calm down. Shou Hua saw Madam Li holding a piece of Du Yangxi's calligraphy and learned that someone was offering 300 guan to buy it. She had to remind Madam Li that those people seeking the painting were just trying to curry favor.

At that moment, Qiong Nu brought in the quick-witted maid, Chou'er, who was to stay with Shou Hua to take over Chun Lai’s duties. Chou'er was bright and lively, which made Shou Hua very pleased. Madam Li kindly advised Shou Hua not to dwell on her deceased husband. She told her that although her late husband was good, she needed to cherish the person in front of her, or else how could she ever live up to Du Yangxi?

Shou Hua was deeply moved by her words. That evening, Du Yangxi came home drunk, and Shou Hua stayed by his side, taking care of him. Just as she was about to fetch a hangover remedy, Du Yangxi suddenly embraced her from behind. He confessed that he had grown up as an orphan, with no father or mother, relying solely on Du’s mother, who had sacrificed her reputation and faced public scorn to raise him alone.

He owed her a deep debt of gratitude. Du Yangxi admitted that he could not compare to Shou Hua's late husband, who had a noble family background and high moral character. He was selfish, greedy, and petty. All he had done was study relentlessly, striving to pass the imperial exam and show the world that an orphan could still achieve great success. Shou Hua, hearing about Du Yangxi’s difficult childhood, felt a mix of emotions.

She understood that his sharp mind was shaped by the blood and tears of the world. However, Shou Hua, still unfamiliar with the ways of marriage, thought that couples could only last long if they respected each other and treated one another like guests. But Du Yangxi didn’t want to be that cold and distant person. He pleaded with Shou Hua to be affectionate with him.

His pleading, laced with a bit of childlike charm, softened Shou Hua’s heart, and she finally kissed him on the forehead. Du Yangxi, filled with joy, took the opportunity to consummate the marriage, and the couple reconciled. The next morning, Du Yangxi drew a picture of pear blossoms on Shou Hua’s camisole, and the two shared sweet moments of affection.

Meanwhile, Cui Ji’s daughter, Rong Mei, was adept at using her charms to attract customers, leading to a decline in Sifu Zhai’s business. Qiong Nu wanted to personally greet the customers, but Madam Li refused, insisting she would not follow in Mrs. Cui’s footsteps and use her daughter to make money. She still hoped to find a good match for Qiong Nu in the future.

Shou Hua, Fu Hui, and Kang Ning returned to their family home, only to find Yan Zimei trailing behind their carriage. Madam Li saw this and instructed her two sons-in-law, Fan Lianghan and Shao Qimin, to properly discipline Yan Zimei. However, Fan Lianghan went too far, beating him to the point of losing consciousness.

While Fan Lianghan was reprimanding Yan Zimei, he was unexpectedly caught by Mrs. Cui, who quickly devised a plan. She pretended to be ill and sent her daughter Rong Mei to ask Madam Li for help. Madam Li, being kind-hearted, went along with Rong Mei to her house. However, when they arrived, they found a corpse lying in bed. Mrs.

Cui claimed that the deceased was Yan Zimei, who had been beaten to death by Fan Lianghan, and threatened Madam Li for a large sum of money. Madam Li, recalling that she had instructed Fan Lianghan to discipline Yan Zimei, believed Mrs. Cui's words to be true. Fearing that her second daughter, Fu Hui, would not be able to bear the news, she decided to pay off the money to resolve the matter. However, Mrs.

Cui's greed knew no bounds, and she kept demanding more, draining Madam Li's finances. Madam Li was forced to pawn her valuables, which caught the attention of her daughters. Soon, the Li sisters gathered again and, after redeeming the items, questioned their mother. Madam Li, left with no choice, confessed the truth. Originally, Fan Lianghan had followed Madam Li’s advice and fled with Fu Hui that very night.

However, upon hearing the news, Chai An brought a group of people to track Fan Lianghan down and forcibly brought him back. The three sons-in-law and all the daughters gathered, with only Du Yangxi being the last to understand the full situation. Chai An considered reporting the incident to the authorities, but Madam Li vehemently opposed it, fearing that once it went to the court, they would be forced to confess under duress, leaving no room for negotiation.

Kang Ning and Shou Hua also couldn’t bear to see Fu Hui lose her husband so early, with the child inside her being fatherless, so they suggested that their husbands first try to settle things peacefully. Taking advantage of the situation, Madam Li cried and pleaded, urging her sons-in-law to find a solution. Du Yangxi, seeing no other option, suggested that Madam Li calm Mrs. Cui by agreeing to give her 1,000 guan.

After returning home, Du Yangxi couldn’t help but complain that Shou Hua had not informed him earlier, feeling that she didn’t treat him as her husband, and once again resorting to petty jealousy. Shou Hua, amused and helpless, could only laugh at his childish behavior. One night, Mrs. Cui received the money and planned to escape with her daughter Rong Mei, but she was caught red-handed by Chai An.

It turned out that Du Yangxi and Chai An had intentionally set a trap, using a theft case to check for stolen goods. Madam Li and her family were worried about being exposed and were on edge throughout the ordeal. Unexpectedly, the officers found a corpse in the well. Enraged and embarrassed, Mrs. Cui publicly accused the Li family of murder, offering to cover it up with gold and silver. The situation turned chaotic.

What had started as a theft case quickly became a murder investigation, drawing significant attention from the authorities. Chai An doubted the identity of the body, and the coroner confirmed that the deceased had been a cripple, making the crowd realize that Cui Jia’s adopted son, Cui Wu, was indeed the limping gambler. The truth was soon revealed: Cui Wu had attempted to assault Rong Mei but failed, and in her desperation to protect her daughter, Mrs.

Cui had killed him. To cover up the murder, she had framed Fan Lianghan by pretending the dead man was Yan Zimei, hoping to both conceal the crime and extort money from Madam Li. With no more excuses to make, Mrs. Cui was arrested, and Rong Mei, in tears, begged to go to jail with her mother. The Li family, witnessing the tragic fate of Mrs. Cui and her daughter, felt sorrowful but powerless to help.

After the storm subsided, Kang Ning and the others discussed the events and were infuriated by the fact that after Yan Zimei had been punished, Mrs. Cui had helped him escape. Before leaving the capital, he had even left behind a blood-stained brocade robe. While it was unclear whether he had secretly instructed Mrs. Cui to deceive the Li family, the Cui family was now imprisoned, leaving him the only one still free of suspicion.

Shou Hua comforted Kang Ning and Fu Hui, telling them not to be upset. Their husbands were both good men, but the two of them believed that their brother-in-law loved their sister deeply and was overly sensitive and jealous. The Emperor hosted a banquet at Jinming Pool and ordered the officials to compose poems. Du Yangxi, praised for his poetic talent, was awarded a flower hairpin by the Emperor.

However, in a moment of clumsiness, he dropped the lotus flower from the pin. Just then, the noblewoman Yu Xiulian, who had already taken a liking to him, kindly gave him her own flower pin. Du Yangxi, forced to accept, reluctantly accepted the gift and made small talk to brush off the awkward moment. When Du Yangxi and Sang Yan returned home, they found that Shou Hua was building a vegetable garden for Du’s mother.

Touched by her gesture, Du Yangxi decided to give her the flower pin as a token of appreciation. Shou Hua, in turn, changed the name of the maid Chou’er to Runyue. Runyue later discovered that the flower pin was actually gold-inlaid, and Shou Hua guessed it must have been a gift from a noblewoman. The sisters encouraged her to stay calm, assuring her that Du Yangxi was not a heartless person. Inspired by the flower pin, Shou Hua began creating scented flower decorations and sold them at a perfume shop, receiving rave reviews.

The hairpins from Four Blessings Studio were selling exceptionally well. A woman from the Yu family placed a large order and even sent an invitation to the Li sisters for the Summer Flower Festival, inviting them to enjoy the flowers together. On the day of the event, Du Yangxi bought a golden hairpin for Shou Hua, hoping to accompany her to the banquet, but Shou Hua politely declined. While ironing clothes, Run Yue accidentally damaged a garment.

Instead of blaming her, Shou Hua showed concern for whether she was burned, which deeply moved Run Yue. Originally, Run Yue wanted to stop Shou Hua from attending the banquet, but Shou Hua felt that suddenly canceling would be impolite, so she wore an old dress and brought her sisters along to the Yu residence. At the flower appreciation banquet, Yu Xiu’e deliberately showed goodwill towards Shou Hua, trying to get closer to her.

Shou Hua had already realized that Run Yue was a spy placed by Yu Xiu’e at her side, so she purposely sent Kang Ning away. Meanwhile, Chai An had found Yan Zimei’s whereabouts and ordered his men to capture him back to Bianjing. He forced him to reveal the truth about how Madam Cui framed Fan Lianghan that day, or he would be sent straight to the authorities. Yan Zimei tearfully claimed that he, too, was coerced by others.

Similarly, Shou Hua pointed out that Yan Zimei was acting under Yu Xiu’e’s orders. Upon hearing this, Yu Xiu’e showed no surprise and instead openly admitted it. She hinted that Shou Hua should give up Du Yangxi and even offered to introduce her to a more prestigious match, allowing her to become a prince’s consort. Hearing Yu Xiu’e’s words, Shou Hua furiously left with her sisters.

On the way back, she shared the incident with them, and everyone felt that even if Shou Hua was unmoved by temptation, there was no guarantee that Du Yangxi wouldn’t be drawn to the Yu family’s power. However, once Du Yangxi understood Shou Hua’s concerns, he personally went to the Yu residence to lay everything bare and ease her worries.

When Prime Minister Yu Chuiyi learned about it, he flew into a rage and interrogated Yu Xiu’e himself, even preparing to punish her severely for her shameless actions. At the critical moment, Madam Yu hurried over to intervene, trying to persuade him otherwise. Yu Chuiyi rebuked her, saying that an unprincipled mother would raise an unprincipled daughter. After he left, Yu Xiu’e declared that she would marry no one but Du Yangxi and begged her mother to help her.

Out of deep maternal love, Madam Yu began scheming to take Du Yangxi from Shou Hua. The next morning, Madam Du, accompanied by Madam Li, personally went to the temple to offer incense in gratitude. However, Madam Yu had her taken to the Yu residence for a discussion. When Madam Li couldn’t find her, she grew anxious and quickly informed Du Yangxi. Meanwhile, the wise and perceptive Madam Du feigned ignorance and tactfully declined the marriage proposal.

This displeased Madam Yu, who detained her. Fortunately, a maid named Sang Ma understood the gravity of the situation and secretly climbed over the wall to deliver the message. Upon receiving the news, Du Yangxi rushed to the Yu residence. However, Madam Yu had already instructed the servants not to offer him a seat or tea if he came, deliberately making things difficult for him.

As a result, he was left standing outside for a full hour until nightfall before he was finally allowed in. The butler led Du Yangxi to the study, where he finally saw Madam Du. Only after confirming that she was safe did he relax. Just as Du Yangxi was about to take his mother away, Yu Chuiyi arrived in time to apologize to him.

Upon hearing Yu Chuiyi’s voice, Madam Du instinctively clutched Du Yangxi’s clothing, looking anxious and urging him to leave immediately. This reaction caught Yu Chuiyi’s attention. Later, Shou Hua personally attended to Madam Du’s rest, while Du Yangxi stayed by her bedside. Seeing her restless sleep and hearing her call out his name in her dreams, he felt a pang in his heart. At that moment, Du Yangxi suddenly recalled Madam Du’s strange reaction at the Yu residence.

He took out a jade pendant from his sleeve, beginning to suspect that his mother and Yu Chuiyi must have known each other in the past. At dawn, Shou Hua and Sang Ma were busy in the courtyard when Sang Yanrang hurried over to find Du Yangxi.

Pulling him into the room, he revealed that while the top three scholars—Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, and Tanhua—had all been assigned to government positions, others were sent to prosperous regions, whereas Du Yangxi had been assigned to Xiongzhou, a borderland. Sang Yanrang believed that as a newcomer to officialdom with no strong backing in court, Du Yangxi might struggle to make any achievements and could even invite trouble.

While his personal gains or losses were minor, the implications for the country were not to be taken lightly—it was clear that someone had deliberately arranged this as a challenge.

Although Sang Yanrang analyzed the situation for Du Yangxi, Du Yangxi felt it was not a big deal and decided to take Shou Hua with him to his new post. Hearing this, Sang Yanrang grew anxious and confessed that he had once been helped by Shou Hua and had met her before. He had fallen for her at first sight and thus urged Du Yangxi to treat Madam Li well. Later, Yu Chuiyi personally invited Du Yangxi to his residence.

There, Du Yangxi noticed that the "Fang" character on the plaque in Yu Chuiyi’s study was identical in style to the one on his jade pendant. Coupled with his mother’s previous unusual reactions, his suspicions deepened. After this meeting, the imperial court appointed Du Yangxi as a Supervisor of the Construction Bureau and granted him a position in the Imperial Archives, allowing him to remain in the capital. However, his mother did not appear pleased.

Instead, Madam Li was overjoyed and enthusiastically prepared a grand feast to celebrate Du Yangxi. But unexpectedly, Du Yangxi, the main guest, never showed up. The atmosphere at the dinner table grew heavy, and even after the meal was finished, he still had not appeared, infuriating Madam Li. That night, as Fan Lianghan and Chai An walked home, Chai An grumbled about how Du Yangxi, having suddenly risen in status, had even refused to give his mother-in-law face, which was infuriating.

As they passed through the marketplace, they unexpectedly saw Du Yangxi secretly meeting with Yu Xiu'e. Chai An stormed off in anger, while Fan Lianghan gasped in shock. When Du Yangxi returned home, he saw Shou Hua sleeping restlessly and felt a pang of sympathy. He wanted to kiss her forehead but held back. Shou Hua slowly opened her eyes, leaned on his shoulder, and told him about her nightmares.

Du Yangxi was relieved that she was finally opening up to him, yet at the same time, he felt despair about their future—perhaps it was already too late. The next morning, Du Yangxi’s mother scolded him for lacking the manners of a son-in-law, as he had even skipped his mother-in-law’s banquet. Out of anger, she refused to eat breakfast and went straight back to her room. Because of this, Du Yangxi spoke to Shou Hua with a cold attitude.

Even Sang Yanrang couldn’t stand it and rebuked him for his arrogance, declaring that from now on, he would sever all ties with him. Without hesitation, Sang Yanrang packed his belongings and left. Soon after, Du Yangxi brought two women, Jin Nu and Fu Fu, home as concubines. When his mother found out, she furiously scolded him for forgetting his roots. Sang Ma assigned the two women to help with household chores, but this enraged Du Yangxi.

He berated her, saying that as a mere servant, she had no right to oppress his concubines. As he spoke, he raised a whip to strike her, but instead, he accidentally injured Shou Hua. That night, Sang Ma personally tended to Shou Hua’s wounds before leaving. Shou Hua felt that Du Yangxi’s drastic change in behavior must have a reason. Du Yangxi bluntly told her that he did not want her to suffer alongside him, so he proposed a divorce.

Shou Hua had never imagined that he saw her in such a way and immediately packed her belongings to return to her family home. After returning home, Shou Hua’s sisters were outraged and began planning ways to punish Du Yangxi. Madam Li, holding back her temper, advised Shou Hua not to act rashly and assured her that Du Yangxi would surely come the next day to apologize in person. However, things did not go as expected.

Du Yangxi did visit, but he came to personally deliver the divorce letter, stating his firm decision to separate from Shou Hua. At first, Madam Li tried to persuade him with kind words. However, seeing that Du Yangxi was as stubborn as a rock and determined to annul the marriage, she flew into a rage and scolded him harshly. Meanwhile, Shou Hua wept bitterly in her room.

Seeing this, Ling Yao hurriedly took Du Yangxi back to his residence to pack his things. However, Du Yangxi’s mother adamantly refused to leave, furiously rebuking him for forgetting his place after gaining wealth and status. Just then, someone from the Li family arrived to deliver a message to Du Yangxi’s mother, saying that if she wished to stay, she was welcome to remain in the courtyard and continue living as before.

Du Yangxi knelt before his mother, but she was so overwhelmed with grief that she attempted to hang herself. However, she accidentally fell to the ground. Shou Hua rushed over to console her, though a seed of doubt began to form in her heart. Meanwhile, Kang Ning, the third sister, was indignant on behalf of her elder sister and demanded that Chai An sever ties with Du Yangxi.

Chai An had no choice but to agree, declaring that from now on, Du Yangxi was his sworn enemy, and if he dared to show up again, he would be driven out immediately.

Du Yangxi sat alone outside Pan Lou for an entire night. When morning came, he was finally able to meet Chai An, but Chai An treated him with cold indifference. Chai An coldly remarked that Du Yangxi, having passed the imperial examination, had now shed his humble wife, and would soon marry a noblewoman, enjoying the full benefits of a high-ranking official. He would be an honored groom on his wedding night, truly basking in the glory of success.

However, Du Yangxi showed no emotional reaction to these words. He had come to ask Chai An to help him conceal a matter, and later, to ensure his body was properly dealt with after death and his soul properly settled. Shou Hua went out with her sisters to relax, but the news of her divorce from Du Yangxi had spread throughout the city. People either pointed fingers or expressed sympathy, causing her great distress.

Soon, she ran into Du Yangxi on the street. He returned her old belongings, including the golden hairpin, and warned her that if she were to remarry, she should be careful, as the men coming to propose recently were not worthy. Shou Hua understood that Du Yangxi must still have some lingering feelings for her, and she suspected he was in a difficult situation. She expressed her feelings once more, but Du Yangxi remained firm in his decision to divorce.

As a result, Shou Hua decided to help him one last time by pretending to scold him on the street, thereby severing all remaining emotional ties. This was overheard by someone with ill intentions, who secretly reported it to Yu Weiyi. The next day, Du Yangxi visited Yu Weiyi to express his gratitude for giving him his daughter’s hand in marriage and referred to him as "Lord Taishan.

" Meanwhile, Madam Li sought out a matchmaker to arrange a marriage for Shou Hua, but she could not find a suitable son-in-law. Instead, the matchmaker mocked her, which enraged her fifth daughter, Le Shan, who immediately rushed over to try and force the matchmaker out. At this moment, Sang Yanrang suddenly arrived at the Li residence with his men to propose marriage.

He personally expressed his feelings to Madam Li, admitting that he had once found a portrait of Shou Hua and had believed it to be a rare and accidental discovery. He had carried it with him day and night, and when he finally met her, he could never forget her. Shou Hua hesitated, but Madam Li, seeing such an exceptional scholar, immediately accepted on her behalf, with her sisters also supporting the decision. However, Shou Hua was unwilling to remarry.

Soon after, Du Yangxi's mother suffered a stroke and fell bedridden. Upon hearing the news, Madam Li and the others hurriedly summoned a doctor who performed acupuncture. Each treatment cost a full silver coin, which pained Madam Li greatly, but she insisted on pressing forward. Fortunately, the doctor worked wonders, and Du Yangxi’s mother regained consciousness and could speak.

The first thing she said was to ask Shou Hua to stop Du Yangxi from marrying again, because Du Yangxi was Yu Weiyi’s biological son. Meanwhile, at the Yu residence, a grand feast was held with many guests, including Chai An and Fan Lianghan. Du Yangxi, who was supposed to be the groom in the marriage to Yu Xiu'e, hesitated to perform the ceremonial bow to the heavens, leaving everyone in shock.

Suddenly, Du Yangxi dropped the red silk and performed three bows to Yu Weiyi instead. The first bow was to thank Yu Weiyi for recommending him; the second was to apologize for marrying Yu Xiu'e, stating that he already had a wife and could not accept the marriage; and the third bow was to express his gratitude for his mother’s upbringing and to avenge her death. This declaration caused a stir among the guests.

Fan Lianghan tried to approach Du Yangxi but was stopped by Chai An, who advised him to observe carefully. After Yu Xiu'e was taken away by a servant, Madam Yu became furious, ordering her servants to stop Du Yangxi from revealing more past secrets. Chai An quickly subdued the servants and insisted that Yu Weiyi should let Du Yangxi speak. Du Yangxi then publicly revealed a story from 28 years ago.

At that time, in Jiangling Prefecture, there lived a father-daughter pair named the Xie family. They had once saved the destitute scholar Yu Weiyi, feeding him, providing medical care, and ultimately saving his life. Since Yu Weiyi had no living parents and no place to turn, Old Man Xie married his daughter, Xie Qiufang, to Yu Weiyi. The couple became very close, and they treated Old Man Xie with utmost respect. However, fate was unkind.

The next day, a flood ravaged the village, submerging homes and fields. Old Man Xie died of heart failure from the shock. Fortunately, Xie Qiufang was a diligent and resourceful woman. She continued weaving cloth day and night and encouraged her husband to study hard to prepare for the exams. To raise the necessary funds, she sold herself as a maid for three years, earning only 120 coins.

Du Yangxi continued to recount how his mother, Xie Qiufang, had accompanied Yu Weiyi on his official journey when they encountered a storm at sea. She had a chance to survive, but Yu Weiyi, eager to please the Fan family, let her fall into the raging river. Her fate remained unknown. At first, Yu Weiyi thought that with Xie Qiufang dead, he could marry into the Fan family and enjoy a life of wealth and high rank.

Little did he know, Xie Qiufang had befriended a maid named Qian’er, who was Du Yangxi’s adoptive mother. Qian’er desperately saved her, and the two women were washed ashore by the waves. They were stranded in a foreign land. Xie Qiufang was pregnant at the time and gave birth to Du Yangxi in a small temple.

She later died from illness, leaving Qian’er to raise Du Yangxi, though she was disfigured due to the Fan family's hired thugs and had to live under a false identity. Upon hearing Du Yangxi’s account, Yu Weiyi was stunned. When confronted by his son’s questions, he became furious. Du Yangxi, seeing the guilt in his father’s eyes, asked why he had not saved his wife, Xie Qiufang, when she had helped him survive by his side in the flood. After asking this question, Du Yangxi immediately went to the Kaifeng Prefecture to file a petition and turn himself in.

Twenty years ago, Liang Shi used her power to force Yu Weiyi into marriage. Despite his desire to resist, it was all in vain. Fast forward to twenty years later, and Yu Weiyi, now a powerful man, wielded his authority freely. As a leading scholar in the imperial court, he relied on his power to manipulate situations.

Knowing that he could not remain in the court much longer, he decided to resign from his official position and return home, leaving his wife, Madam Yu, and daughter behind. Madam Yu angrily scolded Yu Weiyi for being ungrateful, saying that his success today was entirely thanks to her, and the two parted ways in frustration. Now, Du Yangxi had been sentenced to prison by imperial decree.

He had committed the crime of unfilial conduct for publicly questioning his father, Yu Weiyi. According to the laws of the Song Dynasty, anyone who made an accusation, true or false, would be sentenced to death. The Li sisters gathered to discuss strategies, but Madam Li insisted that Shou Hua sever all ties with Du Yangxi and have no further contact with him. It was at this moment that Chai An finally understood Du Yangxi’s words from that day.

He would not abandon him; no matter what, he would try to save him. However, Du Yangxi had accused his biological father, which was a serious crime. Even though Shen Huizhao, the judge in Kaifeng, admired Du Yangxi’s loyalty and felt sympathy for him, he had no choice but to follow the law and sentenced Du Yangxi to death. Shou Hua was deeply worried about Du Yangxi’s fate.

She learned that the emperor had ordered an official assembly to discuss the matter, but Shen Huizhao had vigorously defended Du Yangxi and gained the support of many officials. Even with the assembly, it seemed likely that Du Yangxi would face a grim fate. Le Shan, overhearing the conversation, rushed to Kaifeng to angrily scold Shen Huizhao and even threw dirt at him before storming off.

Chai An, Sang Yanrang, and the others discussed how they could change the verdict, but Shou Hua knew that in the imperial court, respect for fathers was paramount. Only one person could save Du Yangxi: the Empress Dowager Liu E. Since there were often palace servants passing through Pan Lou, Chai An personally approached one of them to convey the message.

He presented a painting of a royal dog in the imperial garden, which, although vivid, lacked the many daylilies that should have been there. He instructed the servant to tell the Empress Dowager that this was related to a strange event that had occurred recently. The next day, the Empress Dowager decided to personally review Du Yangxi’s case. Shen Huizhao insisted on upholding the original verdict, sentencing Du Yangxi to death.

However, the Empress Dowager disagreed, arguing that a mother’s importance could not be overstated. After all, when a child is born, the first word they utter is "mother. " The emperor, in secret conflict with the Empress Dowager, smiled at this and suggested that perhaps the children should call their father, bringing the children into the palace to emphasize the importance of the father’s role.

Seeing this, the emperor was pleased and was about to approve Shen Huizhao’s judgment when Du Yangxi suddenly borrowed a fresh peach from the Empress Dowager. He used the peach to encourage a child to run and trip, with the child’s first cry being "mother," illustrating the vital role a mother plays in a child’s life. This greatly impressed the Empress Dowager, who immediately pardoned Du Yangxi.

Madam Yu was sentenced, Yu Xiu'e was demoted from a noblewoman to a commoner, and Yu Weiyi became a figure of contempt. Afterward, Du Yangxi went to Madam Li’s residence to personally apologize. In front of everyone, he even proposed marrying into the Li family, which shocked everyone present. Although Madam Li had some interest in him as a son-in-law, the Sang family had already sent their betrothal gifts.

Upon learning this, Du Yangxi rushed to stop the marriage, blocking the betrothal gifts and persistently opposing it. In a fit of rage, Sang Yanrang punched Du Yangxi three times, for abandoning his mother, betraying Madam Li, and breaking his oath of brotherhood. After these three blows, the two men’s grudges were resolved. When Shou Hua heard about the conflict, she immediately invited Sang Yanrang into her room.

Sang Yanrang was about to depart for his official post, and he, seeing Shou Hua’s true feelings, voluntarily offered to let her personally send him off. The next day, Sang Yanrang disguised himself as a servant and helped Shou Hua with her horse, in return for her kindness. He also voluntarily broke off the engagement to allow her to marry Du Yangxi, an act of nobility that earned him much admiration.

Soon after, Du Yangxi arrived on horseback to confess his love to Shou Hua, calling her "sister," which made Shou Hua blush with embarrassment. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the two reconciled. Fu Hui, who was pregnant, went into labor soon after. The following year, in the twelfth month, the Li family’s Four Blessings Monastery business flourished.

However, relatives who had once treated Madam Li and her daughter with contempt began to visit, eating and taking things while demanding that Madam Li help them out of poverty. On top of this, a former maid from the Li household, A Cai, arrived with her son, "Li Youlong," claiming he was the illegitimate child of Madam Li’s late husband and demanding a share of the family fortune.

Madam Li was furious and immediately kicked A Cai and Li Youlong out of the house. Despite their pleas, they were left with no choice but to threaten to take the Li family to court.

The news quickly reached the ears of the sons-in-law. Chai An discovered that A Cai had once worked as a servant in the Li family before leaving to marry a butcher named Wu, with whom she had a son named Youlong. However, there was insufficient evidence to prove that he was indeed the biological son of Madam Li's late husband.

Du Yangxi returned from outside and revealed that the Li family relatives, along with A Cai and her son, had filed a lawsuit against Madam Li. Chai An immediately guessed that their real goal was to seize the Li family's assets. Late at night, Hao De rummaged through boxes and cabinets but still couldn't find any written note or document to verify Youlong’s identity. This made Madam Li extremely furious.

Although the Li sisters firmly believed in their father’s integrity, they had no way to confirm that Youlong was not his posthumous son. Hao De was willing to accompany their mother to court, while Shou Hua urged her younger sister to quickly summon all the brothers-in-law to discuss countermeasures. The next day, Shen Huizhao decided to merge the two cases for a joint trial.

The Li family brothers put on a show, pretending to be reluctant about taking their kin to court. However, their words were full of criticism against Madam Li, even accusing her of refusing to adopt a male heir, thus attempting to sever the family bloodline. Shen Huizhao was unimpressed and sternly rebuked them, stating they had no right to interfere in Madam Li’s decisions.

Moreover, since she had five daughters, all the family property should rightfully belong to them, and no outsiders had the right to seize it. However, the Li brothers then claimed that their fourth uncle had left a will before his death, stating that Madam Li must provide financial support to the relatives every month. This statement completely enraged Madam Li, leading her to bring up past grievances in court.

Hao De, with tears in her eyes, argued passionately on her mother’s behalf. Fortunately, with the assistance of her brothers-in-law, a small trick was enough to expose Youlong’s true colors. As expected, faced with solid evidence, A Cai confessed that she had been instigated by the Li brothers to temporarily change Youlong’s surname and falsely claim his lineage in an attempt to seize the Li family’s wealth. Shen Huizhao, impartial as always, imposed severe punishment on the deceitful Li relatives.

His righteous and dignified demeanor in court unknowingly stirred feelings in Hao De’s heart. Because Hao De had successfully won the lawsuit for the Li family, Shou Hua gifted her a beautifully crafted hairpin, which Le Shan eagerly tried to wear. In their playful argument, Le Shan accidentally dropped the hairpin on the ground.

At that moment, Madam Li walked in and, upon seeing the scene, sided with her youngest daughter, causing Hao De to feel heartbroken and leave in distress. Meanwhile, Du Yangxi escorted his mother back to their hometown. Upon his return, he encountered the Yu family selling off their servants, including Runyue. He personally stepped in to buy her freedom and brought her back. Shou Hua, who had been thinking about Runyue, was overjoyed to be reunited with her.

Seeing this, Du Yangxi playfully acted spoiled, demanding a reward from Shou Hua. Just then, Hao De ran in crying to complain to Shou Hua about her grievances. Besides this, Hao De confided in her eldest sister about her admiration for a certain man and hoped that her brother-in-law, Du Yangxi, could act as a matchmaker. The person she had taken a liking to was none other than Shen Huizhao, the magistrate of Kaifeng Prefecture.

However, Shen Huizhao had spent his childhood in Xiangguo Temple and had long abandoned worldly attachments. He had even sworn never to marry, which was why he had remained single to this day. Du Yangxi readily agreed to send a proposal on her behalf. To everyone's surprise, the Shen family immediately accepted the marriage offer. The Li family was still in disbelief, unable to comprehend how it had happened so quickly.

Due to Madam Shen’s poor health, the Shen family was not concerned about the bride’s dowry and only wished for an early wedding. Thus, the wedding date was set for the second day of the second lunar month. When Shen Huizhao returned from outside the city, he was shocked to learn that his father, Shen Rong, and his grandmother had already brought the bridal sedan chair into the house. He angrily called it absurd.

On their wedding night, he coldly told Hao De that he had no intention of marrying and ordered his men to escort her back to her maiden home, saying he would visit in three days to apologize. Hao De did not take the sedan chair. Instead, she ran home barefoot, crying uncontrollably. When she arrived, she poured her heart out to her sisters, causing the entire Li family to be outraged.

Because Hao De had run out of the Shen household in such a hurry, she had accidentally left one of her shoes behind. Shen Huizhao chased after her and personally wrapped her foot with a handkerchief. Reflecting on this moment, Hao De felt warmth in her heart but also a sense of sorrow. Her sisters encouraged her to pursue her love bravely.

Kang Ning declared that the daughters of the Li family were capable of running businesses, winning lawsuits, and even winning over their husbands. With her sisters' encouragement, Hao De regained her confidence. Meanwhile, in the Shen family, Madam Shen was furious when she found out that her grandson had sent his bride back home. She was so enraged that she nearly fainted. Fortunately, Hao De returned just in time, preventing further conflict.

The more Madam Shen observed Hao De, the more she liked her. Because of Hao De’s persistence, Shen Huizhao had no choice but to keep her in the house. Hao De privately made a deal with Shen Huizhao, setting a one-year deadline. She was determined to win his heart, but Shen Huizhao, believing there was no chance for change, intentionally kept his distance, hoping she would give up on her own.

Shen Huizhao did not return to his room to rest but stayed alone in the study, reviewing case files. Hao De, following the orders of the Grand Madam, brought him a bowl of "nourishing tonic soup. " Shen Huizhao failed to grasp Hao De’s signals in time, so she had no choice but to drink it herself. Shortly after, the maid locked the study, trapping the two inside.

By midnight, the effects of the medicine took hold, and Hao De felt an unbearable heat all over her body. Shen Huizhao instructed her to copy scriptures as a remedy. Meanwhile, Chai An accompanied Madam Li to a banquet and shielded his mother-in-law from drinking too much. However, he accidentally let slip that his initial departure to sea had been a strategic move, leading Kang Ning to discover the truth. Furious, she kicked him out of the room.

Left wandering outside to sober up, Chai An mistakenly entered the scene of a murder and nearly tripped over a corpse. Before he could react, a woman suddenly appeared, clinging to his clothes and screaming, "Murderer! "Hao De spent the entire night copying scriptures and, by dawn, could not hold back her tears. Even Shen Huizhao, with his usually cold heart, was somewhat moved.

However, he tried to persuade Hao De to let go of her feelings, insisting that while they were married in name, they would act as siblings in private. Once the one-year period ended, he would personally find her a suitable husband so she could marry honorably as his sworn sister. Just then, Chai An was imprisoned as a murder suspect. Coincidentally, Du Yangxi had accompanied Shou Hua back to their hometown to visit her mother, leaving them absent from Bianjing.

Anxious, Hao De rushed to Kaifeng Prefecture, only to be stopped by a servant. Shen Huizhao interrogated Chai An, whose face darkened with rage, only to be punished with forty harsh strikes of the rod. Hao De personally pleaded for Chai An’s innocence, but Shen Huizhao, remaining impartial, escorted her back himself.

Along the way, he explained the case in detail: according to the testimony of the victim Zhang Ping’s wife, Liu Shi, she accused Chai An of attempting to assault her while drunk. When Zhang Ping caught him in the act, Chai An supposedly killed him. Hao De refused to believe it and insisted on clearing her brother-in-law’s name. Before they could continue, their carriage met with an accident when the horses were startled, flipping the vehicle.

Shen Huizhao was injured while protecting Hao De and fell unconscious. It was then that Hao De finally understood the dangers surrounding him. His relentless pursuit of justice had not only made him many enemies but had also cost him his sister’s life. Their mother had died with hatred in her heart, cursing him as unworthy of having parents, a wife, or children. Hao De stayed by Shen Huizhao’s bedside, carefully tending to his wounds.

However, when he woke up, he had lost his memory. The clever and mischievous fifth sister, Le Shan, seized the opportunity, recognizing that Hao De was his wife. However, knowing that third sister’s husband, Chai An, was still embroiled in a lawsuit, they feared that if the case were handed over to another judge, he might not survive. Le Shan thus urged Hao De to take this chance to become Shen Huizhao’s true wife.

Yet, Hao De knew that Shen Huizhao was an upright official and could not bear to ruin his reputation for her own sake. She honestly told him about their relationship and his true identity. To help him conceal the truth from both the Shen family and the officials of Kaifeng Prefecture, she first focused on resolving Chai An’s case. After losing his memory, Shen Huizhao had become more personable. Soon, Shen Huizhao reopened the trial of Chai An and Liu Shi.

However, in court, Liu Shi vehemently insisted that Chai An had murdered her husband, arguing so shrewdly that Shen Huizhao was left momentarily speechless. To extract the truth, Shen Huizhao resorted to torture, which enraged Chai An. He accused Shen Huizhao of caring only about his own reputation, fearing repercussions if he wrongfully convicted someone. He swore that if he died unjustly, he would haunt Shen Huizhao from the underworld.

Listening to Chai An’s cries of agony from outside the courtroom, Hao De’s heart ached, but she held onto the hope that Shen Huizhao had a plan. In the end, Chai An appeared to bite off his tongue and die from guilt, seemingly fulfilling Liu Shi’s wishes. When Kang Ning rushed to Kaifeng Prefecture and saw her husband’s "corpse," she was devastated.

Meanwhile, Liu Shi, thinking she had won, secretly met with her lover that very night—only to be caught in the act by government officers. Back at the Li family, Kang Ning and her relatives mourned Chai An’s supposed death, when Fu Hui and Fan Lianghan arrived to congratulate them. Suddenly, Chai An sat up and embraced Kang Ning, his earlier gloom wiped away.

It turned out that he and Shen Huizhao had staged the whole thing to lure Liu Shi and her lover Wang Sheng into a trap, successfully clearing Chai An’s name. The entire family rejoiced. With the case finally settled, Hao De felt relieved that she had placed her trust in the right person. Overjoyed, she found Shen Huizhao in an unusually good mood—he even complimented her and handed her his favorite sweet treat. Their relationship subtly improved.

Hao De eagerly suggested assisting Shen Huizhao in future trials, promising to be discreet and never expose their secret. Shen Huizhao, after a moment of thought, agreed with a rare smile.

Since Shen Huizhao had taken a wife, relatives from all branches of the family came to visit. Madam Shen instructed Hao De to pay respects to the aunts, but each of them harbored their own thoughts. Though they appeared concerned about Shen Huizhao’s injury, in reality, they were probing the severity of his wounds.

Sensing Madam Shen’s displeasure, Hao De deflected their questions with a few casual remarks and took the opportunity to organize a festival gathering for the Flower Festival. A rough estimate suggested that just from selling tea, they could earn twenty to thirty guan. Before Hao De could finish speaking, Shen Huizhao’s paternal aunt, Shen Mu, arrived with her daughter, Gui Niang, from outside.

She criticized Hao De for being overly focused on petty profits, stating that the opening of the private garden during the Flower Festival was meant to allow commoners to enjoy the spring scenery together, and never before had they charged a single coin for tea. Shen Mu was already dissatisfied with Hao De’s background, and since Shen Huizhao had previously embarrassed her, she redirected her anger toward Hao De, making the situation quite awkward.

Meanwhile, Madam Li personally came to visit her daughter but was deliberately detained by Shen Mu, who made her perform a tea ceremony in front of everyone. The crowd subtly mocked and ridiculed Madam Li, and Shen Mu sarcastically praised her, saying she was even better than the Shen family’s tea servants and excelled at teaching her daughter how to climb the social ladder. Upon hearing of this, Hao De stepped forward to defend her mother.

She firmly stated that since Madam Li was a guest today and Shen Mu prided herself on being a member of the Shen family, she should treat guests with courtesy and respect. Forcing a guest to serve tea for the host was improper. If word spread, people would mock Shen Mu for lacking hospitality and decorum. Shen Mu was left speechless by Hao De’s retort, while the other two aunts were enraged. Fortunately, Shen Huizhao arrived in time.

He not only exerted subtle pressure on his aunts but also personally poured tea and apologized to Madam Li, allowing her to maintain her dignity. Later, Hao De and Le Shan escorted Madam Li out. Seeing how protective her son-in-law was of her daughter, Madam Li finally felt at ease. However, considering that Shen Mu was a close relative of the Shen family, she advised her daughter to seek reconciliation when possible and avoid damaging family harmony.

After Madam Li left, Shen Mu fumed with anger. When she heard that a shop had delivered premium ham and tea, she immediately ordered it to be thrown away. However, Le Shan witnessed this scene. That night, while Hao De accompanied her husband, Shen Huizhao, in reviewing case files, her clever and lively demeanor made Shen Huizhao develop an even greater fondness for her. Meanwhile, Shen Mu stayed overnight at the Shen residence.

Taking advantage of her unawareness, Le Shan sneaked into her room at midnight and mischievously cut her long hair into a mushroom-shaped style. When Shen Mu woke up, she became the laughingstock of the entire household. Just as Shen Huizhao was informing Madam Shen that he planned to take Hao De to Kaifeng Prefecture, Shen Mu suddenly barged in and tearfully complained to Madam Shen.

Originally, Hao De intended to take the blame for her sister, but Shen Huizhao cleverly fabricated a story, claiming that his impartial judgments had offended people, which led to Shen Mu being implicated. With just a few words, he skillfully diffused the situation. On the way to Kaifeng Prefecture, Shen Huizhao did not reprimand Hao De. Instead, he told her that if she planned to pull such pranks again, she should inform him in advance.

His words were filled with indulgence, and the three of them chatted and laughed in the carriage. Remembering Hao De’s advice, Shen Huizhao remained composed while reviewing case files at Kaifeng Prefecture. Meanwhile, Hao De stayed by his side, repeatedly reheating his medicinal soup and preparing candied fruits to counter the bitterness of the medicine.

At the same time, Le Shan and Qiong Nu were gossiping about the Shen family at the Four Blessings Tea House when they suddenly saw Gui Niang heading to Pan Tower alone for a secret meeting. Inspired by the sight, Le Shan devised a plan. Shen Huizhao was deeply engrossed in his work, while Shen Mu deliberately created trouble. She planted a string of agarwood prayer beads in Hao De’s room to frame her.

Wanting to resolve the matter quietly, Le Shan took the blame herself and suffered palm lashings with a wooden rod. Hao De, furious at this injustice, decided to retaliate. She deliberately led people to expose Gui Niang’s secret rendezvous with Wu Xiulin. Shen Mu flew into a rage, severely punishing Gui Niang and vowing to take Wu Xiulin to court.

Although the Wu and Qiu families were socially compatible, Gui Niang’s grandfather had once impeached Wu Xiulin’s father, creating a long-standing feud between them. Seeing Gui Niang’s determination to defy her mother, Hao De felt guilty and wanted to help the young couple. To this end, Hao De tried every means to persuade Shen Huizhao to find a solution. However, Shen Huizhao expressed his doubts, saying that given Shen Mu’s fiery temperament, this matter would likely be difficult to resolve.

The next day, Shen Huizhao and Hao De arrived at Kaifeng Prefecture and were surprised to discover that the newly appointed judge was none other than Du Yangxi. To avoid any conflict of interest, Shen Huizhao assigned Du Yangxi to handle his aunt’s case. In court, the Qiu, Shen, and Wu families each claimed to be the plaintiff, leading to a heated dispute. Unable to reach a conclusion, Du Yangxi temporarily suspended the trial.

Later, when Hao De asked Shen Huizhao about the case’s outcome, he relayed that Du Yangxi intended to follow Song Dynasty law—sentencing Gui Niang to be flogged and forbidding her marriage to Wu Xiulin. Shen Huizhao agreed with Du Yangxi’s ruling.

If an unmarried woman is publicly flogged in the courtroom, it would undoubtedly tarnish her reputation for the rest of her life. So, Hao De and Le Shan sought the advice of their clever elder sisters, hoping to come up with a strategy. At first, the three sisters had some reservations, but after much persuasion from Hao De and Le Shan, they finally relented. They believed that the key to winning the case lay in winning over Du Yangxi.

Shou Hua knew well that Du Yangxi was not swayed by money, but rather by talent and reputation. He was particularly keen on cases that could bring him recognition. If they could present a case that stood out from the norm, it would surely catch Du Yangxi’s interest and play to his ego.

Meanwhile, Fan Lianghan was eavesdropping outside, and upon learning that Hao De and the Li family women were trying to resist the Kaifeng Prefecture’s verdict, he immediately contacted Chai An and Du Yangxi. The three sons-in-law then invited Shen Huizhao to join them and formulate a plan of action. Shen Huizhao did not believe that a few women could alter the outcome of the case, but the others cautioned him based on past experiences.

They warned that after some time, he would come to realize how difficult the Li family’s daughters could be. They were always striving for the upper hand and should not be underestimated. Just as Shen Mu was tearfully complaining to Madam Shen, Hao De hurried back to the mansion to explain that she was here to offer comfort. Shortly afterward, Shen Mu escorted Madam Shen out, and they happened to run into Shen Huizhao.

To dispel Shen Huizhao’s suspicions, Hao De falsely claimed that Madam Shen was going to the temple to pray for blessings, when in reality, she was going to make arrangements for the betrothal of two families. The next day, Du Yangxi resumed questioning the Qiu and Wu families, with the Xu and Lu families, who were also engaged, present in the courtroom.

The Li sisters came up with their first move, which was to argue that even without the traditional matchmaker, a marriage could still become a legendary story. Though marriage laws existed, they could not suppress human desires. As long as the people were willing, there would always be whispers and rumors.

The Wu family, having resolved their old grievances, joined forces with Shen Mu to plead on behalf of their children, claiming that the two families had a previous marriage agreement. Shen Huizhao had already anticipated this, and he instructed Qing Shi to pass a message to Du Yangxi. However, Du Yangxi, upon seeing the love poem written by Wu Xiulin for Gui Niang, developed an affection for the talented man and seemed inclined to help them form a marriage.

Though Shen Huizhao was certain that Hao De would lose, Hao De had another plan. Wu Xiulin then wrote another poem on the spot, expressing deep affection and admiration for Du Yangxi’s impartiality. Du Yangxi was so pleased with this that he gladly supported the couple’s union. At that moment, the Shen family also presented the Xu and Lu families’ children.

The two couples immediately fell in love at first sight, and the elders of the four families had no more objections. The tensions were resolved, and the families rejoiced. After hearing Du Yangxi’s ruling, Shen Huizhao fully accepted defeat and admitted that he had underestimated Hao De. Before Gui Niang left with her mother, she gave Hao De a butterfly jade pendant.

Shen Mu, though reluctant, finally thanked Hao De and reminded her to come to her if she ever faced injustice. With one issue resolved, Le Shan suddenly remembered the one-year agreement between Hao De and Shen Huizhao. She realized that, caught up in the case, she had forgotten the true purpose of her visit to the Shen family. That day, Hao De brought soup and medicine to Shen Huizhao, thinking that he was angry with her.

However, Shen Huizhao was actually reflecting on his past decisions, where he had always adhered to strict laws in his judgments, neglecting the importance of human compassion. He found his answer in a book—both fairness and human understanding were equally important. Since Hao De came from a humble background, Madam Shen wanted her to quickly learn how to manage household matters.

She kept a close eye on her as she worked through the accounts, not allowing her to rest until late into the night. Not seeing Hao De return, Shen Huizhao went to find Madam Shen and, after some negotiation, managed to bring Hao De back to their room, where their bond grew even stronger.

The next day, Shen Huizhao was receiving officials from the Court of Judicial Review when the Court’s chief judge, Xue Guang, immediately saw through his nervousness and exposed his memory loss in front of everyone. Shen Huizhao was shaken, but to his relief, Xue Guang turned out to be his former mentor, who had once helped him. Xue Guang soon put him at ease.

He remarked that he had noticed a change in Shen Huizhao’s style of judgment and teasingly asked if it was because of a particular person. Shen Huizhao immediately thought of his wife. At this time, Hao De had prepared a meal to take to Shen Huizhao at the Kaifeng Prefecture but was unexpectedly caught up by the mute female prisoner, Zheng Su’e, who had been sentenced to death for murdering her husband.

Hao De was shocked by the sight of her cut-out tongue. Back home, Hao De couldn’t stop thinking about the hopeless look in Zheng Su’e’s eyes and insisted that Shen Huizhao agree to visit her in prison along with the woman’s mother-in-law and daughter. In the end, Shen Huizhao agreed to give Zheng Su’e a moment to speak, and Hao De kissed his cheek in joy.

While visiting the prison, Du Yangxi informed Shen Huizhao that some cruel officers would remove the tongues of death row prisoners to prevent them from crying out in protest, thus avoiding the possibility of the condemned person being exonerated in a retrial, which could result in the original judge being held accountable for errors. Later, Hao De learned from Zheng Su’e’s mother-in-law that Zheng Su’e had been deeply in love with her husband and could not have murdered him.

Shen Huizhao also believed that Zheng Su’e might have been wronged and decided to consult with Du Yangxi and others to further investigate the case.

Hao De personally visited the prison to see Zheng Su'e, hoping she would identify the true murderer. However, Zheng Su'e came from a rural background and was naturally timid, refusing to reveal any useful information. Du Yangxi and Shen Huizhao both suspected that the person behind this was not a member of a wealthy or influential family, but rather a high-ranking official.

They believed that only by finding the person who truly terrified Zheng Su'e could they unravel the full story. Through Hao De’s persistent persuasion, Zheng Su'e mentioned the character “Xue” in a book. Hao De and Shen Huizhao immediately set out to search through all the families with the surname Xue. But Zheng Su'e denied knowing any of them.

Hao De then recalled that there was still one Xue family they hadn't investigated—the Xue family of Xue Guang, the chief judge of the Court of Judicial Review. Hao De insisted that they should visit him personally. Although Shen Huizhao didn't believe the case had anything to do with his teacher, he still agreed to accompany Hao De to the Xue household.

When they arrived, however, they found that there was no plaque with the surname “Xue” hanging at the door. Xue Guang explained that he had been a government official for forty years, living a simple life with modest food and clothing. He had avoided hanging a plaque because, aside from their few rooms, the only other person who visited was an old man from the hillside.

Fearing that having a plaque would draw unnecessary attention and lead to gossip about a government official living in such a humble setting, he had deliberately kept it hidden. Shen Huizhao and Hao De began to believe that Xue Guang was an honest and upright official. However, when Zheng Su'e saw Xue Guang from the carriage, she trembled with fear, which they had not yet noticed. Xue Guang, on the other hand, revealed a cryptic smile.

After returning to the Kaifeng Prefecture, Shen Huizhao instructed someone to inform Du Yangxi that, without solid evidence, the case regarding Zheng Su’e should maintain its original verdict, and she should be sentenced to death. Hao De, anxious and distressed, left, but before he did, Shen Huizhao told Qing Shi to investigate thoroughly, as he already harbored suspicions about his teacher.

On the other side, Xue Guang slapped his son, Xue Sizu, angrily, cursing him for his crimes, including the sexual assault and murder of his wife. However, Xue Sizu dismissed his father's anger, arguing that after years of service as an official, his father had brought nothing but hardship to their family. Fearing Shen Huizhao’s reputation for strict justice, Xue Sizu begged his father to ensure that Shen Huizhao would maintain the death sentence for Zheng Su'e.

Late that night, Hao De visited Shen Huizhao in his study and sat on a chair, nearly falling asleep. Shen Huizhao carried her back to the bed, admiring her lovely face, and couldn't help but feel even more moved. The next day, Hao De still felt sympathy for Zheng Su’e, especially after learning that she had been not only tortured by having her tongue cut out but also had her teeth broken.

Just then, Du Yangxi came to thank Shou Hua for her advice on a case. Shou Hua’s strategy enlightened Hao De, providing her with a new perspective. Shen Huizhao visited Xue Guang again, intentionally bringing up Zheng Su’e’s case. Xue Guang knew that Shen Huizhao had already discovered the truth but responded arrogantly, causing Shen Huizhao to become disillusioned with him.

Before leaving, Shen Huizhao returned the notebook that Xue Guang had once given him, saying that the most difficult thing to judge was not the case itself, but human nature. One should never compromise on matters of law or justice. Because of this, Xue Guang realized that he could no longer prevent Shen Huizhao from pursuing the truth. For the sake of his career and reputation, he personally escorted his son to the Kaifeng Prefecture.

Meanwhile, Hao De continued to visit Zheng Su’e, persuading her with reason and emotion. Eventually, Zheng Su’e admitted that it was the Xue family who had tortured her. Though Xue Sizu had already prepared an explanation, Zheng Su’e, under Hao De's guidance, bit him fiercely. After a thorough examination, the bite marks on Xue Sizu’s body matched those left by the previous assault, leading to his conviction. Zheng Su’e was finally acquitted.

Once the matter was resolved, Zheng Su’e returned to her hometown with her mother-in-law and child. Hao De gave her a bracelet and reminded her to live a good life from now on. Shen Huizhao and Hao De’s relationship grew even stronger. However, Shen Huizhao was extremely displeased with the meddling of Madam Liu in their household and angrily reprimanded her, preparing to expel her.

Hao De intervened on Madam Liu’s behalf, and as a result, Madam Liu had a moment of self-reflection, vowing to serve the family faithfully from that point on. Not long after, while passing through the back courtyard, Hao De saw a young military officer practicing. This officer was the new arrival, Qiao Du. Hao De arranged to meet with him and showed concern, wanting to introduce him to her unmarried sister, Qiong Nu.

Shen Huizhao saw this and immediately misunderstood the situation, making things difficult for Qiao Du, while the servant Qing Shi saw everything with clarity.

Qiao Du specially came to report an official case to Shen Huizhao. The case involved an arranged marriage between the Deng and Ji families. The Ji family was originally wealthy but later fell into poverty. Three years ago, the Deng family suddenly broke off the engagement and married someone else instead. The Ji family then filed a lawsuit with Kaifeng Prefecture, which ruled that the Deng family’s breach of engagement violated the law, ordering the marriage to proceed as planned.

Although the couple lived harmoniously after the wedding, a month ago, Madam Ji suddenly passed away during childbirth. After the Deng family completed the funeral, they immediately buried her. When the Ji family received the news and came to see their daughter, she was already gone. Her maid, A Tao, insisted that the Deng family had murdered Madam Ji and that the rushed burial was meant to cover up the crime.

This stirred up public outcry, causing heated discussions in the city. The more Hao De looked at Qiao Du, the more she liked him. While he was reporting the case, she could hardly take her eyes off him, which made Shen Huizhao burn with jealousy. On the way back to the residence, Hao De kept bringing up Qiao Du, calling him "Qiao Langjun" and praising his bright future as a military scholar and champion.

Hearing this, Shen Huizhao’s expression grew darker. At that moment, Shen Mu visited the Shen residence to discuss with the Grand Madam about taking Hao De to Yanyue Nunnery to pray for a child. The Grand Madam accepted the suggestion gladly. However, Shen Huizhao remained in a foul mood and was absent-minded the entire time.

That evening, Hao De brought herbal medicine to his study and explained that she had taken an interest in Qiao Du not for herself but for her elder sister, Qiong Nu, hoping to arrange a marriage for her. She also reaffirmed her feelings for Shen Huizhao. No matter how cold-hearted Shen Huizhao tried to be, he was moved by Hao De’s sincerity.

When she took out the jade belt he had secretly prepared as a gift for her, his thoughts were instantly exposed. Hao De took the initiative to kiss him, leaving Shen Huizhao flustered. Overcome by emotion, they spent the night together and consummated their relationship as husband and wife. The next morning, before heading to Kaifeng Prefecture, Shen Huizhao personally fastened the jade belt around Hao De’s waist.

Meanwhile, the Grand Madam led the female members of the Shen family to Yanyue Nunnery to offer incense and pray for a child. Le Shan and Qiong Nu went along for a stroll. However, the head nun, Zhiyuan, was nowhere to be seen. Even the familiar monks, Huide and Huixing, were missing. Instead, a new nun, looking rather unfamiliar, greeted them and explained that the others had gone out to attend a Buddhist assembly.

As the nun was entertaining the Shen women, a young novice secretly delivered a warning to Hao De. Upon receiving a string of blood-stained prayer beads, she became suspicious. As it turned out, the so-called nun was actually a disguised bandit. The real Zhiyuan and the other monks had been kidnapped, and the entire Yanyue Nunnery was under the control of the bandits. Realizing something was amiss, Hao De quickly informed the Grand Madam and the others.

The Grand Madam sent Madam Liu to investigate, but she was knocked unconscious on the spot. Although the women had not drunk the tea, the incense in the room contained a sedative. One by one, they began to faint from the drugged air. Hao De hurriedly opened the windows for ventilation, and only Le Shan managed to remain conscious. Just before she lost consciousness, Hao De used her last strength to urge Le Shan to escape and report the incident.

Le Shan rode halfway before dismounting and hiding in the bushes. She then continued toward Kaifeng Prefecture but encountered a group of people along the way. Desperate for help, she pleaded with them, only to discover that their leader was Yang Xian, who had past grievances with the Li family. Meanwhile, Shen Huizhao was handling Madam Ji’s case.

He ordered the coffin to be opened on the spot, revealing that the inner walls were covered in bloodstains—clear evidence of someone trying to scratch their way out while still alive. Enraged, Shen Huizhao condemned Deng Jingfu for sealing a living person in the coffin. He ordered the immediate arrest of Deng and his mother, detaining them for further investigation once the coroner examined the body.

Back to Le Shan and Yang Xian—remembering his past disputes with the Li family, Yang Xian deliberately made things difficult for her. Usually feisty, Le Shan had no choice but to humble herself and beg him for help. When Yang Xian learned that Shen Huizhao was the Li family’s son-in-law, he was startled. He immediately sent people to report the situation to Kaifeng Prefecture while he personally led his men to Yanyue Nunnery to rescue the Shen women.

Just as Hao De was about to be assaulted by the fake "nun," Yang Xian appeared in time and struck the villain down with his sword. The Grand Madam was also on the verge of being harmed, but in her desperation, Hao De grabbed a sword and killed the attacker. Shen Huizhao soon learned that Hao De and his family were in danger. Leading his men, he rushed to Yanyue Nunnery but fell into an ambush.

It turned out the bandits had deliberately set up the situation at the nunnery to lure him out of the city, planning to kill him. While protecting Qiao Du, Shen Huizhao was thrown off his horse and hit his head heavily against a rock. Qiao Du appeared to help him up, but in reality, he intended to kill him. Fortunately, Yang Xian arrived just in time. Later, Qiao Du followed Yang Xian to explain the situation to the Shen family.

When Shen Rong heard what had happened, he personally thanked Yang Xian. Meanwhile, Hao De stayed by Shen Huizhao’s bedside, watching over him until he woke up—only to find that he had regained his lost memories. Qiao Du, on the other hand, returned to confess his failure to Xue Guang. It turned out that he had been ordered to assassinate Shen Huizhao to protect the Xue family’s interests, but after what had happened, he had spared Shen Huizhao’s life.

The next morning, Hao De went to see the Grand Madam, only to be interrupted by Madam Liu’s report that a certain Miss Fang had arrived, claiming to be a betrothed fiancée. Realizing the dangers that Hao De would face if she stayed by his side, Shen Huizhao deliberately treated her coldly. However, Hao De firmly stated that since they had already shared an intimate relationship, she would never leave the Shen household.

Meanwhile, Le Shan secretly informed Hao De that Miss Fang was actually the fiancée whom the Shen family had arranged for Shen Huizhao years ago.

Shen Huizhao’s mother’s niece, Fang Yuchan, suddenly arrived at the Shen residence, bringing a jade pendant as a token and demanding that the Shen family fulfill the marriage promise made years ago. Shen Madam Dowager was greatly shocked upon seeing this. As Cui Mama mediated the situation, she hesitated over whether to welcome Fang Yuchan into the household. At that moment, Hao De entered from outside, snatched the jade pendant, and thanked Fang Yuchan for returning the token.

She then declared that she was Shen Huizhao’s rightful wife, married through an official matchmaker. Fang Yuchan felt both humiliated and furious, bursting into tears as she ran out. Shen Madam Dowager pitied Fang Yuchan for being alone and having nowhere else to turn. She believed that even if Fang Yuchan couldn’t be the primary wife, she should at least be accepted as a concubine.

However, Hao De firmly refused the proposal, stating that the daughters of the Li family must marry men who will take only one wife for life, forbidding them from keeping maidservants as concubines or taking additional wives. She insisted that she could not set a precedent, or she would be unable to face her sisters, as their husbands might follow suit. Hao De understood that all women wished for their husbands’ undivided devotion.

Even Shen Madam Dowager, having endured the pain of a three-wife household, could not bear the thought. Seeing that Hao De had spoken directly to her heart, Shen Madam Dowager chose not to interfere any further. Meanwhile, although Shen Huizhao outwardly distanced himself from Hao De, he was still concerned about her. He stood outside, listening to the conversation, and only felt at ease after confirming that she had not been punished.

Shen Huizhao had assumed that Hao De would back down after facing his cold treatment. Unexpectedly, she became even more proactive in approaching him, and he found himself unable to manage his cases without her assistance. The next day, Shen Huizhao, still ill, proceeded with the interrogation of the Deng family case. A servant from the Deng household, Yao Niu, voluntarily confessed.

He claimed that Ji Shi had an affair with him, became pregnant, and faked a difficult labor to feign death. The plan was for her to be exhumed and then elope with him. This revelation caused an uproar throughout the city. Gossip spread, accusing Ji Shi of being morally corrupt. Meanwhile, the Deng family’s relatives gathered daily outside the Kaifeng government office, pleading for Deng Jingfu’s release. Hearing Yao Niu’s entire testimony in the courtroom, Hao De grew more suspicious.

She privately offered a strategy to Shen Huizhao, inspiring him to feign discovering arsenic poisoning in the corpse to force the criminals to reveal the truth. Sure enough, Yao Niu panicked, terrified of being convicted for murder. In his desperation, he shifted the blame to Deng Shi, claiming that she had bribed him with fifty strings of coins to provide false testimony and frame Ji Shi. To prove his innocence, he revealed the whereabouts of the money.

Meanwhile, Ji Shi’s maid, Ah Tao, provided a detailed account of her mistress’s murder. Eventually, Deng Shi confessed that she had killed Ji Shi with a silver needle to clear the way for her son to marry a noblewoman. However, she had not expected Ji Shi to still be alive after the attempt. Deng Jingfu begged for mercy on behalf of his mother, but Shen Huizhao remained unmoved. He sentenced Deng Shi to death by dismemberment, as per the law.

Meanwhile, Fang Yuchan, unable to see Shen Huizhao despite multiple attempts, was persuaded by Cui Mama to request an audience with him under the pretense of handing over a relic from her father. She deliberately acted pitiful. However, Shen Huizhao was entirely focused on his casework and remained indifferent toward her. Hao De, anticipating Fang Yuchan’s scheme, entered her room ahead of time, thwarting her seduction attempt.

Later, Shen Huizhao met with Fang Yuchan and bluntly told her that if she married into the Shen family, she would not enjoy wealth and glory but would instead be in constant danger. Fang Yuchan, frightened by his words, dared not speak further. Sensing her fear, Shen Huizhao promised to arrange a dowry for her and find her a suitable match. Understanding the situation, Fang Yuchan wisely agreed.

Feeling hurt and frustrated by Shen Huizhao’s continued coldness, Hao De angrily declared that she wanted a divorce. She packed her belongings and left the Shen residence. Du Yangxi stepped in to persuade Shen Huizhao, but Shen Huizhao firmly explained that he wanted to give Hao De the chance to grow stronger and more independent rather than relying on him. Du Yangxi pondered his words and seemed to understand his reasoning.

After returning to her maiden home, Hao De discussed the matter with her sisters. Kang Ning, who was skilled at handling husbands, advised Hao De to use both kindness and firmness in dealing with Shen Huizhao. The Li family sent back the betrothal gifts. Seeing this, Shen Huizhao felt a pang of sorrow. However, to his surprise, Hao De suddenly jumped out of a chest and once again professed her love for him. Moved by Hao De’s unwavering devotion, Shen Huizhao finally relented and agreed to let her stay. The two reconciled and reunited.

Early in the morning, Shen Huizhao noticed that Hao De hadn’t come to see him, so he found an excuse to go visit Hao De. However, when he arrived, he was treated with great formality, which left him feeling uncomfortable. Hao De wanted to help Fang Yuchan with her matchmaking, but despite meeting wave after wave of suitors, none were to her liking.

The reason was that Fang Yuchan was so beautiful that she was looking for a match with equal looks and status. By coincidence, the matchmaker knew the merchant family from the west side of the city, the Lu family. Their son, Lu Sheng, was outstanding in both appearance and talent.

Since they couldn’t meet in person because he was studying at the academy, the matchmaker suggested that Fang Yuchan go to meet his twin brother, Lu Shilang, who was as handsome as his older brother. Fang Yuchan saw Lu Shilang from a distance and was immediately drawn to his tall and handsome figure. She shyly admitted that she was impressed by him. Later that evening, Hao De visited Shen Huizhao in his study to talk about the matchmaking situation.

He was a little nervous, as he would soon be personally handling the wedding arrangements. Shen Huizhao pretended to act aloof, hoping to draw Hao De closer, but Hao De also remained distant and polite, likely trying to put his earlier words into practice by being like a couple who respected each other. Shen Huizhao couldn’t help but feel anxious. It wasn’t long before Fang Yuchan got married, and Hao De watched her happily marry into the Lu family.

He couldn’t help but feel envious. Reflecting on his own relationship with Shen Huizhao, which had started with laughter and ended with tears, the bitterness remained unresolved, and they still kept a distance from each other. Shen Huizhao wanted to get closer to Hao De but wasn’t sure how to please his wife. He decided to invite the sons-in-law of the Li family to offer some advice. Meanwhile, Hao De felt bored at home.

She thought it would be more interesting to accompany Shen Huizhao while he reviewed the documents, but in order to handle Shen Huizhao properly, she could only silently endure. Shen Huizhao had arranged a small flower pavilion in the garden, lit incense, and prepared tea, fruits, and cakes in an attempt to please Hao De. Unfortunately, things almost went awry, and in the end, Shen Huizhao had to be honest about his intentions.

Because of Shen Huizhao’s efforts, Hao De took the initiative to help him tidy up the study. Shen Huizhao sincerely expressed his feelings, and finally, the two of them reconciled. They grew closer and enjoyed a loving relationship. That night, news came that Fang Yuchan had been arrested for attempting to assassinate Lu Sheng. The entire Shen family was shocked. It turned out that Lu Sheng had been injured and couldn’t personally attend the wedding.

Therefore, Lu Shilang had been sent to impersonate him. When Fang Yuchan saw Lu Sheng’s real face, she was horrified and accidentally stabbed him in a panic. The Lu family denied the accusation of deception during the wedding, but Shen Huizhao scolded them for intentionally hiding the truth. However, even though the Lu family had made a mistake, Fang Yuchan’s act of attempted murder was a grave crime. Hao De personally visited the prison to see her.

Fang Yuchan explained the situation, telling him she had mistakenly harmed Lu Sheng on their wedding night and pleaded for Hao De to save her life. Later, Hao De learned that Fang Yuchan was about to be sentenced to death. Even though he wanted to save her, he couldn’t think of any way to help. Just then, he saw his wet nurse, Cui Mama, acting suspiciously in the backyard, burning paper.

Cui Mama, who had been incited by someone, revealed to Hao De that Fang Yuchan had not completed her mourning period when she got engaged. Hao De immediately informed Shen Huizhao and Du Yangxi. They discussed that the death sentence could be changed to exile instead. In the Four Blessings Studio, Madam Li looked at her daughters, who each had found their place, and was moved to tears.

At that moment, news came that Shen Huizhao had been impeached by the censors for allegedly protecting his private family and for unfair judgment. Hao De immediately sought advice from Shou Hua. Qiao Du mentioned that if Fang Yuchan died, all their problems would be solved, but it had to be kept secret from Shen Huizhao. After careful consideration, Hao De agreed to Qiao Du’s suggestion. Meanwhile, Lu Sheng, who had been severely injured, had not regained consciousness.

The doctor, Liu, had been threatened by Xue Guang, and he had tampered with the medicine, hoping to cause Lu Sheng’s death. Hao De devised a plan to make Fang Yuchan fake having malaria. Qiao Du and his men were prepared to transfer Fang Yuchan, but unexpectedly, Xue Guang appeared and, accusing them of privately releasing a prisoner, ordered that Qiao Du and the others be arrested.

Originally, Hao De had planned to feed Fang Yuchan hemp seeds to make her pretend to have malaria and leave the prison. Then, she would find a similar body to create a false death and deceive everyone. However, Xue Guang intervened just in time and, after threatening and bribing her, Fang Yuchan had no choice but to publicly admit her affair with Shen Huizhao.

She accused him of helping her marry to escape her sentence and claimed that he had even instructed Qiao Du to break her out of prison. Du Yangxi, upon hearing this, defended Shen Huizhao, but Xue Guang refused to listen, angrily accusing Shen Huizhao of betraying the trust and favor of the imperial family. He acted as though he was being righteous, claiming Shen Huizhao had conspired with his relatives, covered up his family’s crimes, and had personally freed prisoners.

With Huang Daren present as a witness, Xue Guang solidified Shen Huizhao’s guilt and intended to report it to the emperor to ensure Shen would receive severe punishment. Shen Huizhao calmly removed his official hat and proclaimed that, throughout his time as an official, he had always ruled fairly, without favoritism. He had acted honorably in service to the emperor, the court, and the people, and he was willing to remove his official robes and face any questioning.

After hearing about this, Hao De pretended to believe Fang Yuchan's lies. She stormed out of the room, ending her relationship with Shen Huizhao and returning to her family. That night, Cui Mama went to see the young servant, Mao Chun, at the Shen residence. She said that she had completed all the tasks as instructed and anxiously asked when Fang Yuchan would safely return.

Mao Chun, who had been bribed by Xue Guang, pretended to comfort Cui Mama, but in reality, he planned to silence her when she wasn’t paying attention. The next morning, Xue Guang arrived at Kaifeng Prefecture, proudly overseeing the interrogation of Shen Huizhao. He learned that Shen Huizhao had even written a petition in front of the emperor, and this case would now continue under his jurisdiction.

Soon, Fang Yuchan, Qiao Du, Cui Mama, and Mao Chun were all brought before the court. Shen Huizhao pointed out that Mao Chun had encouraged Cui Mama to lie about Fang Yuchan not having completed her mourning period, thus allowing her to escape punishment. He also revealed that Mao Chun had attempted to kill someone last night to cover up their crimes, and Shen had caught them red-handed. Cui Mama and Mao Chun began accusing each other.

Shen Huizhao ordered that Mao Chun be taken out and beaten. He also confessed that he had long suspected Qiao Du’s involvement, so he had secretly worked with Shou Hua to investigate and expose the true culprits behind the plot. Qiao Du broke down, blaming Xue Guang for disregarding human life. Despite the evidence, Xue Guang stubbornly maintained his innocence, but just then, Lu Sheng appeared, lying to protect Fang Yuchan by claiming her actions were an accident.

Fang Yuchan, moved by his words, suddenly changed her stance, accusing Xue Guang of coercing her into falsely implicating Shen Huizhao. Xue Guang finally realized that everything had been part of Shen Huizhao’s scheme. In the end, Xue Guang stopped defending himself, was dismissed from his position, and Qiao Du was sentenced to exile. After the dust settled, Shen Huizhao personally went to the Li family to fetch his wife, but was blocked by Fifth Lady Le Shan.

Hearing that Shen Huizhao had left, Hao De became somewhat upset. However, Shen Huizhao suddenly arrived with a grand red bridal sedan, bustling with excitement, to bring her into the Shen family in a grand and ceremonial fashion. Amidst the sound of drums and gongs, the people gathered to watch and congratulated them. Hao De, dressed in wedding clothes, got into the sedan, remembering a brief encounter with Shen Huizhao in a temple when they were younger.

Finally, they had their long-awaited wedding. On the second day of the third lunar month, the Li family eagerly prepared the wedding gifts. After much consideration, Fifth Lady Le Shan personally chose He Guangyuan, the youngest son of a wealthy merchant family in Bianjing, as a match for her daughter. Madam Li repeatedly reminded her daughter to temper her temper and be respectful to her in-laws, becoming a good and virtuous daughter-in-law.

In truth, He Guangyuan was the least remarkable among the four sons-in-law. His wealth was no match for Chai An or Fan Lianghan, and his literary talents were inferior to Du Yangxi or Shen Huizhao. However, Madam Li chose him because of his soft and obedient nature, which matched well with Le Shan’s temper. The four sons-in-law reluctantly approved of He Guangyuan, and Le Shan, full of her mother's expectations, entered the bridal sedan.

At the same time, the Yang family, with their grand wedding procession, marched from the opposite street. The two processions collided. Yang Xian had intentionally arranged this so that Le Shan, unaware, was carried into the Yang family’s residence. Her new husband had suddenly become an enemy of the Li family, and Le Shan, furious, angrily knocked Yang Xian to the ground.

Yang Dema, accompanied by his wife Luo Shi, and their daughters Yang Wan Niang, Yang Zhu Niang, and the servant Jiang Chaozong, arrived after hearing the commotion. They were all taken aback by Le Shan’s fiery temperament. After learning what Yang Xian had done, Yang Dema was furious. Considering Du Yangxi and Shen Huizhao’s status, he feared that the Li family might bring the matter to the emperor. He sent Jiang Chaozong to Li and He families, informing them and the Jieyu (concubine) to discuss their next steps.

Upon receiving the news, the Li family hurried to the Yang family, their hearts burning with anxiety. At the same time, Du Yangxi rushed to the He family. Both families acted quickly and decisively, determined to bring the crime of abducting a woman in broad daylight to the emperor's attention and expose this vile act. Just as the women of the Li family were about to leave, Yang Dema and his family hurriedly stopped Madam Li.

Madam Li was furious and immediately wanted to arrest Yang Dema and take him to the authorities, resulting in a heated argument between the women of the two families. The Li family, seeing the Yang family’s unreasonable behavior, angrily declared that they would report the matter to the Kaifeng Prefecture. Yang Dema, seeing this, became uneasy, fearing that the situation would escalate, and tried to calm the situation again. However, the Yang family had already prepared in secret.

On one hand, they warned the He family about the consequences, and on the other, they sent people to the palace to seek an audience with Yang Jieyu, hoping to use the palace's influence to settle the matter. Originally, Yan Baishi Niang was supposed to marry Yang Xian, but due to He Guangyuan's interference, she ended up becoming He Guangyuan’s wife.

He Guangyuan admitted in front of everyone that, the previous night, he had mistakenly taken Yan Baishi Niang for Le Shan and had already consummated the marriage. Faced with the He family’s sudden change of heart and their cancellation of the marriage, Le Shan could not tolerate this and slapped He Guangyuan several times. This scene only made Yang Xian admire her more, and he insisted on marrying Le Shan.

After He Guangyuan left in disgrace, Yang Dema secretly rejoiced, thinking that the marriage between Le Shan and Yang Xian was a marriage ordained by heaven. He then proposed that the two families form an alliance through marriage, with Le Shan becoming the official daughter-in-law of the Yang family. When Yang Jieyu learned of this, she rushed to report it to the emperor in order to cover up the incident for her brother.

Before the Li family’s petition could even reach Kaifeng, the emperor’s rewards had already poured into the Yang family, and the marriage was solidified with the emperor’s decree calling it a "match made in heaven. " Le Shan had no choice but to temporarily remain with the Yang family. In the main hall, Yang Xian clashed with his father, exposing the fact that Yan Baishi Niang, although seemingly from a noble family, was actually promiscuous by nature.

Three years ago, she had eloped with her cousin, only to return home after abandoning her husband due to poverty. Yang Dema was shocked and vehemently denied it, but he knew in his heart that the reason he had attached himself to the Yan family was because of the promotion of her grandfather to the position of Minister of Works.

Yang Xian mocked his father for treating the marriage of his children like a business transaction, and he vowed not to endure this injustice. To ensure that Le Shan would live comfortably in the Yang family, Kang Ning deliberately left several male servants with the Yang family to protect her. Le Shan locked her door intentionally, forcing Yang Xian to temporarily stay in the study.

Luo Shi, seeing this, became furious and seized an opportunity to lock Le Shan in her room for some self-reflection, intending to teach her a lesson. At this time, Yang Xian was entertaining a group of friends, who were advising him on how to control his wife. Le Shan overheard her maid, Yin Ping, belittling her behind her back and realized that Yin Ping had designs on Yang Xian.

When Yin Ping entered the room, Le Shan kicked her to the ground and proceeded to reprimand the other servants. Meanwhile, Yang Xian's friends continued to gossip about the Li family, claiming they were not a reputable family and that their so-called "Four Blessing Teahouse" was just a front for shady dealings involving men and selling daughters. Yang Xian, enraged, was about to retaliate when a kitchen knife was suddenly swung toward him.

It was Le Shan, who had overheard the insults against her family. Consumed with fury, she barged in, struck Yang Xian with a stick to drive him away, and then beat the other young masters who had mocked her. Yang Xian was pleased by this. After returning to the Yang family, Le Shan locked Yang Xian out of her room again and sat inside, eating meat and drinking wine, until Luo Shi arrived with the Yang family’s two daughters.

Yang Xian dealt with Luo Shi and the others, realizing that Le Shan's fiery temper was just a tactic to make him divorce her. However, she had not gotten her way. That night, Yang Xian planned to sleep in Le Shan’s room. A servant secretly put poison in Le Shan’s wine, but Yin Ping, unwilling to let the Li family succeed, switched the cups. Le Shan saw through the plot but said nothing.

She switched the cups again, getting Yang Xian drunk. She then called for Yin Ping and the other maids to tickle Yang Xian’s feet with feathers, tormenting him. Unable to bear it any longer, Yang Xian agreed to prepare a lavish gift the next day and accompany Le Shan to her family’s home, pretending to be a loving couple so that the Li family would be at ease.

Le Shan told Yang Xian what she liked and prepared him in advance. Yang Xian tried to make a move, but Le Shan knocked him unconscious. The next day, as planned, Yang Xian accompanied Le Shan back to her family’s home. However, Le Shan couldn’t shake the feeling that she had forgotten something.

Yang Xian, accompanied by Wu Niang, returned to the Li family with lavish gifts to pay their respects. In order to keep his promise from the past, he endured the humiliation, but in his heart, he concealed a sharp edge, ready to strike when the time was right. The once reckless and unrestrained Yang Xian now pretended to have turned over a new leaf. He bowed his head and humbled himself before the Li family, apologizing deeply.

Madam Li and Fu Hui, being generous and open-minded, still had some doubts in their hearts but were unwilling to bring up old matters. Only Hao De frequently cast sidelong glances at her husband, Shen Huizhao, as if trying to gauge his thoughts. Madam Li was busy in the kitchen, and the daughters all found excuses to leave. In the hall, only Yang Xian and the various sons-in-law of the Li family remained.

Yang Xian, now acting as Le Shan’s husband, was faced with discontent from the other sons-in-law, who formed an alliance to test his abilities. They took turns challenging him with various skills, wearing him out. But Yang Xian was no ordinary man. He countered each move with skill and patience, enduring when necessary, and eventually earned the respect of the Li family, who were secretly astonished by his transformation.

During the door-opening banquet, Le Shan, in order to reassure her mother, pretended to act intimately with Yang Xian, but in reality, the two were in a constant subtle struggle, each unwilling to give in. Madam Li saw through their act, knowing that while Yang Xian was mischievous, his nature was not entirely bad. In the past, he had risked his life to save others, which showed that there was still goodness in his heart.

She thought to herself that since they were now in-laws, they were family, and old grievances should be let go for the sake of peace. With a soft voice, she spoke words like a spring breeze, which touched Yang Xian’s heart. He realized that even his own parents had never shown such forgiveness, and the Li family's understanding and reasonableness became evident to him.

Madam Li not only gave him medicine but also personally made him an egg custard, warming his heart and bringing him joy. However, Le Shan became increasingly displeased with Yang Xian and decided to teach him a lesson. One day, Yang Xian accidentally pushed Le Shan off the bed. Enraged, Le Shan grabbed a clothes-beating pestle and chased him. Seeing this, the sisters took the opportunity to intervene and encouraged Le Shan to punish Yang Xian severely.

Unable to endure any longer, Yang Xian cried to Madam Li, saying that he could not marry Le Shan anymore and was willing to divorce. After speaking, he collapsed onto the floor. Madam Li scolded Le Shan for acting inappropriately and ordered her to take good care of Yang Xian. Yang Xian took advantage of the situation and enjoyed Le Shan’s care, while Le Shan, though unhappy, could only endure.

The two seemed like a happy couple who were always at odds. Le Shan lied, saying that the soup had arsenic in it, and Yang Xian, furious, pushed her. Later, he realized he had been tricked, and the complex relationship of grievances and affection between them deepened.

Yang Jieyu requested permission from the emperor to visit her family, and the women of the Yang family voiced complaints about Le Shan, claiming she was rude, disobedient to her aunt, and cruel to her husband. They came to Yang Jieyu to ask her to punish Le Shan. Le Shan went to visit Yang Jieyu, expecting to be reprimanded, but to her surprise, Yang Jieyu was very friendly toward her and even gifted her a golden staff.

The women of the Yang family were dissatisfied upon seeing this. However, Yang Jieyu, being wise and perceptive, knew that the Yang family's wealth and status today were due to the connections of the women in the imperial harem. Since the family’s honor and disgrace were tied to these connections, how could they be so greedy and forget their place?

Yang Jieyu said, "Throughout history, when children are unruly and the family fails to cultivate proper conduct, it leads to the destruction of the family. It is the source of calamity. " She gave Le Shan the golden staff and instructed her to strictly discipline the Yang family, set the right example, and enforce proper family rules.

If anyone in the Yang family were to cause trouble or commit evil deeds in the future—whether it be a worthless husband or an unkind relative—they could be reprimanded and punished. Upon hearing this, the women of the Yang family fell silent and dared not speak further. Because of the events in the past, Yang Xian avoided meeting Yang Jieyu.

Yang Jieyu told Le Shan that her brother was not born bad; it was just that their father had often beaten him, and their mother had pampered him, causing him to lack discernment between right and wrong. Yang Jieyu promised Le Shan that if she could reform Yang Xian, she would petition the emperor for their separation in a year. Le Shan agreed eagerly, secretly making up her mind to help Yang Xian return to the right path.

After Yang Jieyu left, Yang Zhu Niang feared that Le Shan would misuse the golden staff to gain power and ordered her maid, Yin Ping, to secretly steal it. Yin Ping, who had feelings for Yang Xian but failed to win his favor, was caught by Le Shan. Le Shan used this opportunity to enforce discipline in the household and punished Yin Ping severely. Madam Li, along with Qiong Nu, brought oil, honey, and steamed cakes to the Yang family. Yang Xian was overjoyed and felt deeply grateful for Madam Li’s thoughtful care.

Qiong Nu personally went to the Yang family to visit Le Shan, but unexpectedly, Yin Ping quietly sneaked into Le Shan’s room, rummaging through the clothes, attempting to find the golden staff. Le Shan noticed her and immediately questioned Yin Ping. Yin Ping claimed she was only cleaning the room, and although Le Shan had suspicions, she remembered Madam Li’s previous instructions and decided to let Yin Ping go for the time being.

As for the golden staff, Le Shan had already hidden it under the bed, preventing Yin Ping from taking it. Yang Zhu Niang anxiously waited for Yin Ping’s report, but her husband, Jiang Chaozong, suddenly appeared and shared a plan to deal with Le Shan. That night, Yin Ping threw herself into the well, and the Yang family was thrown into chaos.

The family quickly called for Le Shan, but by that time, Le Shan had already closed the door to rest and ignored the commotion outside. Yang Xian, seeing this, secretly admired Le Shan’s calmness. Le Shan decided to set aside the matter for now and come up with a new strategy to prevent others from taking advantage of the situation. The next morning, Le Shan hurriedly left to return to the Li family, but was scolded by Yang Zhu Niang.

Le Shan was carrying the golden staff, and although Yang Zhu Niang spoke harshly, she no longer dared to stop her. Jiang Chaozong comforted Yang Zhu Niang, saying that even if Le Shan escaped, the people from Si Fu Zhai were still in Bianjing, so there was no need to worry too much. Le Shan returned to the Li family and informed Madam Li and the others about the incident.

She also summoned her fourth sister Hao De to inquire about the laws regarding the death of a servant and how the case would be judged if Shen Huizhao were to handle it. Meanwhile, Yang Dema praised the academic achievements of his illegitimate son, Yang Yi, saying that his success brought honor to the family. Concubine Chen Xiaogu was overjoyed upon hearing this. However, Yin Ping’s parents suddenly burst into the Yang family, causing a commotion.

They claimed that when Yin Ping threw herself into the well, she was already pregnant. Yang Dema was furious and immediately summoned Yang Xian. The whole family began to accuse Yang Xian, claiming that the unborn child in Yin Ping’s womb was his flesh and blood. Yang Xian vehemently denied the accusation, insisting that he was innocent and refused to accept the blame. Despite his denials, Yang Xian was harshly criticized by his father, mother, and both older sisters and half-brother.

Everyone pressured him to admit guilt. Yang Dema, enraged by Yang Xian’s rebuttal, whipped him across the face, leaving a bloody mark, and threatened to punish him severely. Fortunately, Le Shan returned just in time to support Yang Xian’s innocence. Madam Li also stepped forward to defend her son-in-law, declaring that as the Li family’s son-in-law, Yang Xian was like her own child, and she would not allow anyone to slander him.

Yang Xian felt an unprecedented sense of support and trust from Le Shan and Madam Li, warming his heart. He, too, refused to back down, repeatedly emphasizing that as the legitimate son of the Yang family, his grandfather had said that all of the family’s ancestral properties, shops, and land belonged to him, and no outsider could covet them.

Le Shan decided to take the matter to court, instructing her people to take Yin Ping’s parents away and then holding Yang Xian’s hand as they returned to their room. Under Madam Li’s guidance, Le Shan personally applied medicine to Yang Xian’s wounds, and his affection for her deepened. Seeing their growing bond, Madam Li excused herself, leaving the couple alone. Le Shan, however, was not content with this and sent someone to secretly follow Yin Ping’s mother, Jiang Shi.

They discovered that she had been secretly meeting with Jiang Chaozong’s servant. Yang Zhu Niang had already suspected the affair between Jiang Chaozong and Yin Ping and believed that Jiang Chaozong had orchestrated Yin Ping’s death to frame Yang Xian. The crafty Jiang Chaozong denied everything, but as an outsider, he had long coveted the Yang family’s wealth, and Yang Xian had become a thorn in his side.

Yin Ping’s death was the perfect opportunity for him to frame Yang Xian. Soon, rumors spread among the people, claiming that Yin Ping had been forced to death by Le Shan because she was pregnant. Le Shan not only bore the reputation of a jealous woman but also found herself facing a manslaughter charge, which enraged her. Yang Zhu Niang took advantage of the situation and invited monks to hold a memorial for Yin Ping, lasting for a hundred days.

Le Shan suspected that Yang Zhu Niang had malicious intentions and instructed her maid, Yu Zan, to act secretly. That night, after applying medicine to Yang Xian’s wounds, Le Shan went to the garden to enjoy the cool evening and admire the moon. Yang Xian, worried for her safety, couldn’t sleep and decided to go outside to check on her.

To his surprise, a witch named Qiu Pozi appeared in the garden, claiming that Le Shan had been possessed by evil spirits. Yang Zhu Niang seized the opportunity and ordered Le Shan to be captured. Le Shan, taking advantage of the situation, ordered her servants to beat the captors and, with Yang Xian’s protection, severely punished Yang Zhu Niang and Jiang Chaozong, finally venting her anger.

The turmoil in the Yang family’s courtyard escalated quickly. Le Shan confronted Yang Dema with a strong, unyielding stance, sharply warning Yang Zhu Niang and Jiang Chaozong that if they continued to stir trouble and cause death, she would not show any mercy. After speaking, Le Shan pretended to faint, cleverly putting an end to the dispute, and everyone believed she had been possessed by evil spirits. However, Yang Xian had already seen through Le Shan’s plan.

He deliberately "exorcised" her by using the excuse of dog blood to drive out the evil spirits, then "woke her up" and reminded her to be cautious of her mother-in-law Luo Shi’s schemes. The next day, as expected, Luo Shi tried to make trouble for Le Shan. Le Shan was well-prepared and personally took Luo Shi to the home of Yin Ping’s parents, where she presented irrefutable evidence to expose the Zhang family’s extortion.

Seeing this, Luo Shi’s attitude toward Le Shan changed drastically, and she became curious as to why Le Shan was so determined to clear Yang Xian’s name. Le Shan explained calmly, stating that she had promised Yang Jieyu that, having married into the Yang family, she would take it upon herself to ensure the family was harmonious and clear of any scandals. Furthermore, she wanted to help Yang Xian reform and become a better person.

Luo Shi, understanding Yang Xian’s character, took the opportunity to pass the family’s golden seal to Le Shan, effectively cutting off Yang Xian’s excessive spending. Outside the manor, Yang Zhu Niang and Yang Wan Niang anxiously waited. They had expected their mother, Luo Shi, to severely punish Le Shan, but were taken aback when Luo Shi suddenly changed her attitude. This left them utterly puzzled.

Meanwhile, when Yang Xian learned that Le Shan was now in charge of the family affairs, he groaned in despair and even resorted to threatening her with poison. Le Shan remained firm, forcing him to drink the medicinal concoction. Qiong Nu came, under Madam Li’s orders, to check on Le Shan and urged her to live peacefully with Yang Xian. Le Shan appeared to agree, but in her heart, she had other plans.

Over time, as they spent more time together, Yang Xian gradually became attracted to Le Shan’s bold and lively character, and his determination to spend his life with her grew stronger. He asked Le Shan how he could make her willingly marry him. Le Shan smiled indifferently and set a condition: if Yang Xian could pass three tests she would set for him, she would agree to marry him.

Yang Xian happily accepted, and Le Shan swore under the moonlight, declaring that if she broke her vow, she would be abandoned by everyone and live a lonely life. Although Yang Xian was still unsure about trusting her, he couldn’t hide his happiness. The two slept separately that night, but Yang Xian’s heart was full of joy. Late at night, Le Shan went out for a walk to clear her mind.

She overheard whispers and found a sweat towel on the ground. Yu Zan speculated that someone was secretly meeting, intending to report it to the mistress, but Le Shan signaled her to be quiet and not disturb the situation.

The next morning, Le Shan took the opportunity to tell Yang Xian about the annual Dragon Boat Festival, which was preceded by the Lion King contest, where participants would climb and pick Qing (a type of herb), with the winner receiving imperial rewards and immense glory. She made this the first of the three tests for Yang Xian—he had to win the lion contest.

Jiang Chaozong learned of this and secretly plotted to eliminate Yang Xian, but Yang Zhu Niang firmly opposed him. Jiang Chaozong feigned calm and said he would only send people to teach Yang Xian a lesson and intimidate Le Shan. To pass the test, Yang Xian practiced day and night, overcoming his fear of heights and diligently training on the plum blossom poles.

His close friend Zhao Liangcheng saw this and became anxious, and when Le Shan found out, she too felt a stir of emotions. On the day of the lion contest, the Emperor and Yang Jieyu came to watch. The drummer suddenly had a stomach ache before the race, and Yang Xian, using provocation, invited Le Shan to compete with him. Madam Li cheered from the sidelines, boosting Yang Xian’s confidence.

However, during the contest, Yang Xian was ambushed and seriously injured. Despite the pain, he gritted his teeth and managed to win through sheer determination. After the contest, everyone wanted to hold Huang Team accountable, but Jiang Chaozong hurriedly intervened. Nevertheless, with Yang Xian’s persistence, the conspiracy of Huang Team, who had hidden sharp knives in their shoes during the lion contest, was exposed. Yang Xian was furious and severely reprimanded Jiang Chaozong. Afterward, he went with Le Shan to see the Emperor. Jiang Chaozong, embarrassed and enraged, became a laughingstock in front of everyone.

The lion dance contest suddenly became chaotic, naturally attracting the Emperor’s attention, who summoned Yang Xian and Le Shan for questioning. Le Shan, unafraid of the Emperor’s authority, boldly claimed that there had been malicious intent to win at any cost, resulting in fighting, and she answered the Emperor’s questions truthfully.

Initially, Yang Jieyu had been deeply worried, but when the Emperor heard Le Shan’s daring words, he laughed heartily and praised her courage, promising to severely punish those responsible for causing the disturbance. After returning to the Yang family, Le Shan personally examined the wound on Yang Xian’s waist, feeling both anger and concern for him. Zhao Liangcheng hurriedly arrived and explained the situation about the lion dance contest.

It turned out that the Bai Fan Tower had set up a gambling match, with many high-ranking officials placing heavy bets, which led to the incident. As for the person who had used a sharp weapon from above to injure someone, they had indeed been paid to do so, and their aim was to kill Yang Xian. The contact person had long since disappeared, and the mastermind’s identity remained unknown.

After Yang Xian passed the first test, Le Shan immediately presented the second one. She ordered Yu Zan to bring the sweat towel she had found in the garden and tasked Yang Xian with finding the owner of the towel and uncovering the story behind it within three days.

Yang Xian, seeing the stitching on the towel as familiar, quickly summoned all the female servants and maids in the household, falsely claiming that Le Shan wanted to make clothes for everyone and needed them to stitch auspicious and exorcising patterns on the fabric. Soon, Yang Xian gathered all the embroidered towels from the female servants, but none of them matched the stitching pattern on the sweat towel.

Le Shan suspected that the person who had lost the towel might be one of the Yang family’s masters. Madam Li’s sisters had varying opinions on this matter and jokingly remarked that Yang Xian had married such a ruthless and difficult wife. Yang Xian continued his investigation and traced the towel back to his stepmother, Chen Xiaogu. He pretended to ask Chen Xiaogu to help him stitch the clothes for everyone.

Yang Yi, acting out of character, scolded Yang Xian for treating his mother like a servant. Yang Xian presented the sweat towel to Chen Xiaogu, who, in an attempt to avoid blame, directly shifted the responsibility onto Yang Yi. She claimed that Yang Yi was having an affair with one of the female servants. Yang Yi had no choice but to swallow his anger and accept this false accusation.

Despite this, Yang Xian remained troubled, insisting that Yang Yi was not such a person. Meanwhile, Jiang Chaozong, realizing that Chen Xiaogu had been exposed, blackmailed Yang Wan Niang to secretly assist him. Yang Wan Niang was forced to meet with Le Shan and begged her to spare Yang Yi, retracting her earlier words, and suggested that Le Shan meet Yang Yi at the ancestral hall.

That night, Le Shan indeed fell into the trap, going to the ancestral hall to question Yang Yi. However, before she could say much, she was knocked unconscious by a sleeping incense. The men who had been lying in wait outside took the opportunity to start a fire, causing the Yang family’s ancestral hall to burn. Yang Xian heard that Le Shan was in the fire and rushed in without hesitation to save her.

Le Shan emerged safely, and Yang Xian, both shocked and overjoyed, rushed forward to embrace her tightly. Meanwhile, Chen Xiaogu, Jiang Chaozong’s aunt, had been instigated by him to plot for the family’s wealth. Her son, Yang Yi, had been born from an affair outside the marriage, a secret known only to Jiang Chaozong. Now, Jiang Chaozong wanted to use Yang Yi’s death to eliminate Yang Xian.

Although Chen Xiaogu felt guilty, her desire for profit clouded her judgment, and she allowed Jiang Chaozong to do as he pleased. Le Shan, however, had already noticed something was wrong. She turned the situation to her advantage once again, pretending to faint and waiting for others to arrive, thus escaping the fire. Yang Xian and Le Shan played their roles perfectly, working together to expose the arsonist, Liu Gui, and reveal Jiang Chaozong’s plot.

As expected, Jiang Chaozong’s conspiracy was uncovered, and Yang Dema ordered his arrest. Luo Shi, realizing that someone with such malicious intent was within the family, ordered Yang Shusheng to search Jiang Chaozong’s room for any hidden wealth. Yang Shusheng, however, refused to hand over a box he was protecting until Yang Wan Niang stepped forward and insisted that he give the box to Yang Xian.

It was then that Yang Xian discovered that his older sister had secretly given birth to a son outside the family, though the child had died young. Jiang Chaozong had held this secret over her, and she had been under his control ever since. Yang Xian returned the box to Yang Wan Niang, agreeing to keep the secret for her as his sister.

Unexpectedly, news came from the palace that the Empress was jealous and had clashed with others, leading to Yang Jieyu being implicated and punished by being sent to the Daoist temple for spiritual cleansing. The Yang family was thrown into chaos, their wealth confiscated, and the family was left on the streets.

Fortunately, at this moment, Madam Li arrived in her carriage and, out of consideration for their familial ties, invited the Yang family to move into the small courtyard next door.

The Yang family followed Madam Li to the other courtyard, grumbling about the poor environment and the lack of rooms. However, Luo Shi and Yang Xian had excellent attitudes. In particular, Yang Xian personally expressed his gratitude to Madam Li and even took the initiative to chop firewood and do the laborious work. Du Yangxi explained to the Li family that Jiang Chaozong's revelation about the Yang family's rental property should have been a trivial matter.

Yet, since Yang Jieyu had become involved in the empress dowager case, the censors naturally attacked. What started as a minor issue escalated into a serious crime, and in an effort to calm the public’s anger, the Emperor confiscated the Yang family’s property without further investigation. At this point, it seemed that the Yang family’s misfortune had not ended but had only just begun, and it was up to Madam Li to make a decision.

Le Shan borrowed ten guan from Madam Li and gave it to Yang Xian, setting him the third test: to make a threefold profit within a month. Yang Xian, touched by Le Shan’s continued commitment to her promise, immediately agreed. Afterward, Yang Xian wandered through the streets, brainstorming ideas to quickly make a profit. He decided to venture into the lychee business, and the Yang family pitched in to help.

Luo Shi also took the opportunity to criticize Yang Dema in public, accusing him of being controlled by his wife. Furthermore, Yang Xian noticed a scholar who had failed the imperial exams and had brought back southern silk from his hometown. Yang Xian made a hundred black hats but found himself troubled by how to sell them. That evening, Le Shan watched from the wall as Yang Xian worked in the courtyard. She felt a pang of sympathy.

Madam Shouhua, fully aware that poverty brings sorrow to married couples, came up with an idea with the family. The next day, Yang Xian was selling his black hats on the street when a man named Qiao bought all of his goods. Because there wasn’t enough money, Qiao said he would go to exchange for silver and left Yang Xian’s “mother” and cart as collateral. However, after Qiao left, he did not return for a long time.

Yang Xian, sensing something was amiss, returned to Madam Li’s house and questioned Du Yangxi and the others. They all reacted unexpectedly and harshly humiliated him. Yang Xian left angrily. Le Shan, upset by how the family treated Yang Xian, was about to chase after him when Shouhua quickly stopped her and revealed the truth. Meanwhile, Chai An sent someone to find Yang Xian, claiming he valued his courage.

Privately, he gave Yang Xian the capital to start a business, promising him ten times the return within three years and pointing him in the right direction. Chai An told Yang Xian that a ship would leave the harbor for Quanzhou that night. He could join the ship and trade goods at sea, although it would be dangerous. Yang Xian readily agreed. After Yang Xian left, Kang Ning stepped out from behind the screen.

It turned out that this was all part of the Li family’s plan: to help Yang Xian learn how to run a business and break free from his spoiled habits. If he succeeded, the entire family could enjoy happiness. Meanwhile, Le Shan, holding an umbrella, arrived at the other courtyard and, seeing the items around her, thought of Yang Xian. Three years later, there was still no news of Yang Xian—his life or death was unknown.

Madam Li urged her daughters to convince Le Shan to remarry and find a good match. The family was also concerned about Qiong Nu’s future, and she planned to stay with the Li family forever. However, Madam Li felt that her husband had a hard time managing the family business, and since Qiong Nu was a woman, she decided to leave the Si Fu Zhai to her and arranged for her to find a husband.

With Shouhua, Kang Ning, and the others persuading her, Le Shan agreed to remarry. After all, she had kept her promise to Yang Xian for three years and had done all she could. However, Le Shan made one request: she wanted to throw a ball of embroidery thread to find a husband. The sisters readily agreed, and the matchmaking event was held at Pan Lou, hosted by Fan Lianghan and Chai An, with a pearl curtain as Le Shan’s dowry.

On the day of the embroidery ball, everyone praised Le Shan, especially with the added dowry of the pearl curtain. Many people signed up to participate. Yang Xian’s cousin was among the crowd and could not bear to see his sister-in-law marry someone else, so he decided to interfere with the event. Meanwhile, Le Shan, riding in her sedan chair to Pan Lou, noticed a figure in the crowd with a familiar back. She hurriedly chased after it.

However, Yang Xian, feeling a mixture of homesickness and unresolved family grievances, did not dare to reveal himself to Le Shan. His adopted sister, Yin Yao, planned to meet the Li family. Since Le Shan had fled the scene, Qiong Nu had no choice but to wear a veil and impersonate Le Shan by throwing the embroidery ball at Pan Lou.

During the event, the ball ended up in the hands of Yang Xian’s cousin, who falsely claimed that he had a family matter to attend to. Shortly after, a small dog grabbed the ball and ran off, prompting everyone to chase after it. Eventually, the ball landed in the hands of General Zhe Conghuai, a military officer visiting the capital from Fuzhou.

For three years, Yang Xian had frequently sent people to inquire about Jiang Chaozong’s whereabouts. Eventually, he learned that Jiang had joined the treacherous Prime Minister Cui Weizhi, and he began planning to lure him out for revenge. Meanwhile, Le Shan, who had been absent from the matchmaking event, infuriated Madam Li, who scolded her fiercely.

Le Shan, feeling remorseful, apologized to her mother and learned that the embroidery ball had fallen into the hands of a passing young man and General Zhe Conghuai. Du Yangxi investigated Zhe Conghuai’s identity and revealed the Zhe family’s background to everyone. Madam Li warned Le Shan that the best course of action now was to marry into the Zhe family as soon as possible.

Elsewhere, Zhe Conghuai was chatting with his adoptive mother, Madam Liu, and his younger brother Zhe Min. The guards reported to him the latest news from the Li family. When Zhe Conghuai heard this, his expression changed dramatically, and he rushed out the door. Zhe Min, confused, looked at his mother, whose face also darkened, suspecting that Zhe Conghuai must have some connection with the Li family. Zhe Conghuai personally went to the Li family to visit.

Coincidentally, Le Shan and Chun Lai were on their way to the Zhe family but were kidnapped halfway by the Yang family. Yin Yao, disguised as a man, treated Le Shan warmly and prepared an array of expensive jewelry and ornaments, intending to marry her. She led Le Shan into the garden, where Yang Xian, along with his servants, was planting flowers. His intention was to repair the Yang residence and then personally bring Le Shan back home.

However, when Le Shan saw Yang Xian, whom she hadn’t seen in three years, her emotions were stirred. She was also angry that he had been in Bianjing but had not come to see her. Yin Yao asked Le Shan if she recognized Yang Xian, but Le Shan, looking at him, acted as though she had never met him.

Zhe Conghuai, who had earlier witnessed Le Shan being kidnapped, followed her all the way to the Yang family to rescue her. Le Shan borrowed a sword capable of cutting through gold and jade and used it to sever the golden staff that was being carried with her, severing all ties with Yang Xian. Zhe Conghuai followed Le Shan into the sedan chair, almost getting kicked out by her, which left him both speechless and amused.

He had no choice but to reveal his identity. Le Shan, upon recognizing him, felt a whirlwind of emotions and immediately took him back to the Li family. It was only then that the Li family learned that Zhe Conghuai was actually the only son of the family who had been swept away by the river years ago. Zhe Conghuai kneeled before Madam Li’s bed, volunteering to tell her the story of his experiences over the past ten years.

He explained that he had been swept away by the river and had been saved by Madam Zhe, who took him back to the Zhe family, where he had lost his memory. According to Zhe Conghuai, the Zhe family rose to prominence in the late Tang Dynasty and had been stationed in the northwest for generations. The men in the family had all died defending the borders, with no one surviving past their forties.

The Zhe family’s loyalty and sacrifice earned them the highest honor from Emperor Taizu, and they were granted the hereditary position of Governor of Fuzhou. However, there were powerful enemies surrounding them, and internal conflicts were rife. Without a legitimate heir, the family’s governance and military power would not be able to be passed on. It was also for this reason that Madam Zhe secretly sent her eldest son to be raised in Luoyang for his safety.

But the night before they were to reunite, Zhe Conghuai was assassinated. Madam Zhe, unable to grieve, immediately sealed off the news and had to let Zhe Conghuai take the place of her real son. Later, Zhe Conghuai began to suspect the truth about his identity, and Madam Zhe, feeling guilty, eventually told him the real story. Now, mother and son, along with siblings, were reunited. The family was overjoyed and cried tears of happiness.

Qiong Nu, standing in the corner, also shed tears at the scene. Meanwhile, Jiang Chaozong, who was seeking beautiful young women for Cui Weizhi, fell into Yang Xian’s trap. He was captured and hung from a tree, where he was beaten by Yang Xian before being sent to the authorities. The next morning, Madam Li opened the door to find Yang Xian standing there, wearing clothes she had personally made for him.

Yang Xian sincerely expressed that he had been thinking of reconciling with her and would never be ungrateful. He even offered to stay in the Li family as a servant to ease Le Shan’s resentment. Madam Li could not refuse and agreed. Le Shan, however, gave him trouble at every turn, though she gradually began to care about him. Because Cui Weizhi had interceded on Jiang Chaozong’s behalf, he was soon released from prison and swore to kill Yang Xian.

Yang Xian sought the help of the courtesan Tao Niangzi, who cleverly executed a plan to drop a handkerchief from the sedan, luring Jiang Chaozong into the trap. Le Shan, hearing that Zhe Conghuai had been injured after falling off his horse, hurried to the Zhe family. To her surprise, Yang Xian followed her, and together they discovered that someone had deliberately attempted to harm Zhe Conghuai, and that the culprit was the treacherous Prime Minister Cui Weizhi.

With a common enemy, Yang Xian was willing to join forces with the Zhe family to deal with Cui Weizhi, and Le Shan did not oppose this. Le Shan later found out that Cui Weizhi had gathered 2,000 children to enter the capital for the Emperor’s birthday celebration, but this “gathering” was actually a forcible abduction, which greatly angered her.

Jiang Chaozong sent six women to Cui Weizhi, but their convoy was stopped by local villagers, and Yang Xian’s people knocked out the bearers and infiltrated the group. At the same time, Chen Xiaogu was abducted and woke up to find Le Shan and Yang Xian standing before her. The two of them deliberately staged a scene, making Chen Xiaogu believe that the Yang family had a chest of gold.

Cui Weizhi sought out six beautiful women and falsely claimed that they were fairy maidens from Penglai Island, sent to pray for rain for the people. However, Yang Jieyu returned to the palace from her Taoist temple and personally reported to the emperor that Cui Weizhi had been cruelly mistreating the people and causing national disasters. Upon hearing this, the emperor was enraged and immediately ordered an audience with his closest ministers.

At this moment, Zhe Conghuai, along with Yang Xian and Le Shan, were waiting for news. Finally, Shen Huizhao entered the palace to present the petition, and he intended to add fuel to the fire, ensuring that Prime Minister Cui would truly get into trouble. Yang Xian deliberately created an opportunity for Chen Xiaogu to escape, and Le Shan discovered that Yang Xian had already arranged for someone to leave a secret exit for Chen Xiaogu.

After entering the palace, Zhe Conghuai once again reported to the emperor about Cui Weizhi withholding military funds. According to protocol, the grain and rewards sent to Fuzhou were monitored and delivered by the Lifu Road Military Affairs Department. However, since Cui Weizhi’s appointment, no military supplies had been sent.

Cui Weizhi attempted to defend himself, claiming that the Cui family had been in control of Fuzhou for years, holding the position of court officials while actually acting as a feudal king. He argued that, due to making too many enemies, the accusations of withholding military funds and causing military disasters were fabricated. Before he could finish his explanation, Shen Huizhao entered with urgent news.

He had been ordered to secretly investigate a case in the northwest involving the murder of Yuan Qing, a governor from Bingzhou. He discovered that before Yuan’s death, he had left a blood-written letter revealing that the Cui family had been embezzling military funds for years. The Zhe family had only been able to supplement the army with their own salary, even having to buy property to reward the soldiers, which led to severe financial losses.

Furthermore, during Cui Weizhi's tenure, he had repeatedly bullied the feudal regions, kidnapped women from the people, and caused frequent uprisings. The citizens of Fuzhou had suffered immensely. With Shen Huizhao’s report and the evidence, the emperor was furiously enraged and immediately ordered Cui Weizhi’s punishment. Meanwhile, Chen Xiaogu hurriedly returned to Jiang Chaozong’s house and indeed found a piece of gold. However, her joy was short-lived as she soon heard someone approaching and quickly hid.

Jiang Chaozong brought Tao Niangzi back to his house, proudly displaying his hidden gold and declaring his intention to leave the capital with Tao Niangzi to live in luxury, abandoning Chen Xiaogu. Furious, Chen Xiaogu burst out and struck Jiang Chaozong on the head with a vase. Tao Niangzi, frightened, immediately fled. When Jiang Chaozong regained consciousness, he argued with Chen Xiaogu before strangling her and throwing her body into the river.

He believed he had executed the perfect crime, escaping notice, and planned to leave the area when the city gates opened at dawn. However, in the middle of the night, Jiang Chaozong woke to find Chen Xiaogu sitting beside his bed, her face pale. Terrified, he ran out in fear. Little did he know, this was all part of Yang Xian’s scheme.

Yang Xian had rescued Chen Xiaogu and brought her back, and she knelt before him and Le Shan, pleading for her life. Yang Xian, seeing that she was merely an accomplice, gave her a chance to live. He instructed her to serve as a maid on a ship for three years, after which she would regain her freedom.

Normally, Yang Xian would never have spared someone like Chen Xiaogu, but he explained that if he wanted to live a peaceful life with Le Shan, he needed to accumulate good deeds and could no longer afford to do evil. Late at night, Yang Xian snuck into Le Shan's room and confessed his feelings to her. Le Shan, moved, was deeply touched. Soon, Madam Li personally went to apologize to Le Shan’s mother and expressed her gratitude.

The two mothers smiled and reconciled, becoming as close as family. They even decided to arrange a marriage between their families. Le Shan dragged Qiong Nu outside to eavesdrop, and Zhe Conghuai happily agreed to the marriage proposal. However, Qiong Nu was troubled and didn’t share her thoughts with others.

On the other side, Jiang Chaozong, thinking he had escaped his troubles, swaggered out of the forest, only to fall into a trap and die on the spot, suffering the consequences of his own evil deeds. Madam Li planned to host a wedding for Qiong Nu and Zhe Conghuai, but while buying jewelry, Qiong Nu ran into Liang Junqing, the man who had once humiliated her. Without hesitation, Zhe Conghuai gave him a beating.

Le Shan was pleased, but when Yang Xian, who had been watching from a distance, saw their close interaction, he mistakenly believed they had developed feelings for each other and left in sorrow. Qiong Nu ran back to her room, crying. Zhe Conghuai stood outside and expressed his feelings, dispelling all her doubts. The two embraced tightly. The sisters had all found their happiness, but everyone knew that Le Shan still had feelings for Yang Xian.

They teased her into confessing, and Le Shan called upon everyone to help her vent her frustrations. Soon, the sons-in-law of the Li family tied up Yang Xian and forcibly placed him in a sedan chair. They paraded him around the city, enduring ridicule before finally returning to the Li family, where he became Le Shan’s groom.

Yang Xian was overjoyed, but once again, Le Shan played a trick on him, causing him to trip and kneel in front of Madam Li. This made everyone burst into laughter. On Madam Li’s birthday, her daughters, sons-in-law, sons, and daughters-in-law all gathered together to present her with birthday gifts and blessings.

In addition, they had prepared birthday peaches, and Madam Li, moved to tears, personally ordered the removal of the “Si Fu Zhai” sign and replaced it with “Liu Fu Zhai. ” As everyone recalled the events of the past, they were filled with emotion.

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