Mengfei Comes Across resumo, enredo, sinopse

Sinopse de Mengfei Comes Across

After entering the palace, Bu Meng, the daughter of Kangcheng imperial governor, has been pretending to be sick to avoid servicing the Emperor in order to avoid the court’s troubles and to avoid having her fate arranged by others.

In the harem, she met the smart and clever Yan Fei, Qu Pin, who loved crying and eating, and the emperor, and Xiao Guiren who was a strong martial artist from a general’s family.

They have similar temperaments and became good friends.

The emperor, who had been criticized by his governor many times, decided to vent his anger on the daughter of the governor, Bu Meng. As he contacted her more and more, he was attracted by her different personality and started to create contact with her intentionally.

However, Bu Meng avoided it, on an occasional trip out of the palace, they became friends. Bu Meng also gradually found a lot of advantages of the emperor and was deeply in love with the emperor. For love, she decided to give up her obsessions!

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In the ancient imperial palace, the fight for favor among concubines was a constant and often bloody struggle, fueled by jealousy and ruthless ambition. Bu Meng, the intelligent and free-spirited daughter of Imperial Censor Bu, quickly discovered after entering the palace that even the Emperor Wen Lou's most favored consorts met tragic ends, some drowning, others poisoned. Terrified, Bu Meng concluded that the only way to survive in the harem was to avoid the Emperor's favor.

She set two daily goals for herself: not to seek glory, but to seek longevity. Her maid, Yan Er, was unconvinced, suggesting Bu Meng seize the opportunity to attract Wen Lou's attention while the Empress Dowager was away praying. However, Bu Meng warned Yan Er that any attempt to "make waves" would only invite the wrath of Noble Consort Ru, reiterating her firm decision to avoid gaining favor.

Navigating the vast palace, where civil and military officials engaged in power struggles and concubines fought deadly battles, building a strong support network was crucial for survival. Bu Meng’s circle of friends included not only the skilled "four small dragons" of the palace and various small animals, but also several key consorts. There was Consort Yan, who mysteriously survived a lightning strike and was consequently labeled the "cursed consort."

Then there was Qu Xiao, a beauty with pure white skin who, after being neglected since entering the palace, resorted to overeating to cope with her sadness. Finally, Noble Lady Xiao remained deeply entangled in her love for Shen Shang, her fiancé who disappeared on the battlefield, unable to let go of their betrothal. Despite her best efforts to avoid the Emperor, fate intervened. Imperial Censor Bu had openly defied Wen Lou, causing the Emperor great displeasure.

In an act of petty revenge, Wen Lou deliberately chose Bu Meng's card for imperial service. Eunuch Fuxi excitedly rushed in to deliver the news that His Majesty had picked Bu Meng. Yan Er was ecstatic, but to her dismay, Bu Meng was nowhere to be found. As panic set in, Consort Yan, with her extensive palace experience, declared that Bu Meng was likely "making a big move in silence."

True to her prediction, Bu Meng soon emerged from the outhouse, covered in what appeared to be feces, crying dramatically. She claimed that the thrilling news of being chosen had made her lose her balance and fall into the pit. She insisted on washing herself before meeting the Emperor, but Eunuch Wu refused, stating her appearance was unacceptable. At that moment, Qu Xiao stepped forward, offering to serve Wen Lou in Bu Meng’s place.

Consort Yan also vied for the opportunity, but Qu Xiao discreetly slipped Eunuch Wu a bracelet as a bribe, securing the chance to serve the Emperor. As Yan Er reluctantly helped Bu Meng clean up, Bu Meng revealed that the "feces" was actually just yellow mud. She lamented that serving the Emperor was not a good thing and called Yan Er naive for thinking so.

Qu Xiao was carried to Wen Lou’s chambers, but upon learning the reason for the substitution, Wen Lou was greatly displeased. Qu Xiao was swiftly sent back, still wrapped tightly in a quilt, and had to struggle through the entire night to free herself because only the Emperor was permitted to untie her. She cried out, saying no one dared to help her or they would have their fingers cut off.

The next morning, as Bu Meng and Consort Yan shared breakfast, Consort Yan harshly criticized Qu Xiao for her desperate attempt to gain favor, calling her a "woman who just knows how to cry as if she's just been widowed." Bu Meng, however, showed compassion, comforting Qu Xiao and inviting her to join them. Qu Xiao, in tears, lamented that even eunuchs and palace maids now openly ridiculed her and that her heart was broken.

Consort Yan also revealed that her own initial "volunteering" to serve the Emperor was merely to annoy Qu Xiao, as she was a "cursed consort" who wouldn't actually be chosen. She also stated that she became a consort as a result of a bet with Wen Lou, who was incognito outside the palace.

Determined to help Qu Xiao, Bu Meng and Consort Yan devised a plan: they would stage an "accidental" encounter with Wen Lou in an area he frequented, with Qu Xiao reciting poetry. The three women strategically positioned themselves as lookouts, using a cuckoo bird call as their signal. Bu Meng advised Qu Xiao to recite a poem of purity and freshness, but to be prepared to "fall on the floor" if the Emperor preferred a more dramatic approach.

However, Wen Lou was late, and after a long, boring wait, Consort Yan left, followed by the hungry Qu Xiao, who went off to find food. Bu Meng was left alone. Just then, Wen Lou appeared, telling his guards to withdraw as he wanted to walk alone. Thinking quickly, Bu Meng began making loud "cuckoo" noises, pretending to be talking to a bird. Wen Lou, amused, asked her which palace she belonged to and why she wasn't greeting him.

Bu Meng, in a desperate attempt to escape, covered her face with her hand, spun around, and deliberately bumped into Wen Lou, causing a nosebleed, then fled the scene. Soon, rumors spread throughout the palace that Wen Lou had been injured by an assassin.

Yan Er excitedly told Bu Meng that the assassin was amazing and had even given His Majesty a nosebleed, adding that no one knew where the assassin was hiding because His Majesty wouldn't say, deeming it shameful. Bu Meng, appearing unfazed, then began burning her clothes to destroy any evidence. Later, all the concubines were summoned and instructed to cover their eyes with their hands, mimicking the gesture the "assassin" had made, so Wen Lou could identify her.

Bu Meng, trying to disguise herself, covered her face with red dots, claiming an allergic reaction to an egg white mask. Despite her efforts to avoid him, Wen Lou recognized her immediately. He grabbed her hand and led her back to the "crime scene." Bu Meng feigned amnesia, but Wen Lou, seeing through her act, threatened to count to three and declare her "dead" if she didn't speak truthfully.

Terrified, Bu Meng confessed her actions, claiming guilt for her horrific appearance and for wanting to gain his love despite being unworthy. Relieved that she wouldn’t be executed, she began to babble, imagining Wen Lou had fallen in love with her because of her unique personality, and that this love would only lead to her early demise.

Wen Lou, utterly exasperated by her rambling and delusions, called her "sick" and ordered her to be confined to the Spring Courtyard for ten days. Bu Meng, grateful to not be killed, readily accepted the punishment. Bu Meng was relieved to have escaped with only a confinement, admitting she was "scared to death." Consort Yan warned her not to "seek death" anymore, stating that if Bu Meng continued her antics, the cold palace would be her permanent home.

Bu Meng tearfully explained how difficult it was to avoid favor, and then revealed the true reason for her presence in the palace: years ago, the Imperial Astronomer had discovered that Bu Meng's destiny could turn Wen Lou's bad luck into good fortune.

Believing the Emperor would not listen to warnings about an "unlucky star," the Imperial Astronomer had added Bu Meng's name to the selection list, hoping she would be chosen to secretly watch over Wen Lou and find anyone endangering his life. Indeed, she was selected, despite her desire to remain a "free and cheerful birdie" rather than a "miserable canary." Meanwhile, Wen Lou, curious, wondered how Bu Meng would cope with her ten-day confinement. He also inquired about her family and learned that she had an elder brother named Bu Yue, noting the Bu family's reserved nature in their children's names.

After her ten-day confinement finally ended, Bu Meng's mood greatly improved. She joined Consort Yan for a meal when Qu Wanwan, disgruntled from failing to catch a glimpse of His Majesty, arrived at Bu Meng's chambers. Qu Wanwan ate with an astonishing appetite, much to the bewilderment of both Bu Meng and Consort Yan. Qu Wanwan explained that since entering the palace, she had been coldly received and rarely saw the Emperor, which led her to simply eat and sleep.

She confirmed that Bu Meng and Consort Yan had no intention of vying for the Emperor's favor, and then declared them her "life or death buddies." Consort Yan explained that she entered the palace to escape her constantly challenging junior sister. The three consorts took a walk together and noticed Noble Lady Xiao performing arduous tasks alone. Her servants, seeing her disinterest in vying for the Emperor's favor, openly bullied her.

They even intentionally soaked her pillow and tossed it onto the roof to dry. Unable to stand by, Bu Meng and Qu Wanwan intervened to help. To their surprise, Noble Lady Xiao displayed formidable martial arts, effortlessly tossing one of the offending maids onto the roof. Noble Lady Xiao then spoke rudely to them, asking why they were staring, and threatened to pluck out their eyeballs, causing Bu Meng, Qu Wanwan, and Consort Yan to quickly retreat.

Back in her chambers, Bu Meng's pet dog, Di Bai, refused to eat, deeply concerning her maid, Yan'er. At that moment, a palace maid arrived with an urgent summons from Noble Consort Ru, inviting Bu Meng to Yuquan Palace. Yan'er, desperate, rushed to seek Consort Yan's help. Meanwhile, Eunuch Wu informed Wen Lou that Bu Meng's ten-day confinement had concluded, playfully remarking that Bu Meng was even better at chess than he was. Wen Lou scoffed at Eunuch Wu's meddling.

Consort Yan delivered the news of Noble Consort Ru's summons to Bu Meng, nearly causing her to collapse. Consort Yan explained that Noble Consort Ru was notoriously two-faced, acting charmingly in front of the Emperor but tyrannical with everyone else, and warned Bu Meng that refusing the summons would only hasten her demise. With no choice, Bu Meng reluctantly made her way to Yuquan Palace.

Upon her arrival, before she could utter a single word, Noble Consort Ru ordered her attendants to beat her. Bu Meng and Yan'er frantically fled. Wen Lou, already informed of the summons, rushed to Yuquan Palace and intercepted Bu Meng's pursuers. Wen Lou demanded an explanation from Noble Consort Ru, who feigned innocence, claiming she was merely "playing a game" with Bu Meng. Playing along, Bu Meng enthusiastically praised Noble Consort Ru's humor.

Wen Lou then subtly warned Noble Consort Ru that Bu Meng suffered from a weak heart, implying she should not be subjected to such frights again, before departing. Instead of gratitude, Bu Meng complained to Wen Lou that his intervention would only bring her more trouble from Noble Consort Ru. Wen Lou mocked her for being a coward, prompting Bu Meng to fantasize about him slowly falling in love with her due to his "curiosity" about her unique disposition.

Wen Lou then playfully offered her a cup of "special" tea, intimidating her. Bu Meng, however, noticed a venomous scorpion crawling on Wen Lou's shoulder. Seizing the opportunity, she swiftly killed it, believing she had saved him. To her dismay, the scorpion turned out to be Wen Lou's cherished pet, leaving him distraught and angry. Upon returning to her palace, Bu Meng found Qu Wanwan and Consort Yan, who had heard rumors of Wen Lou's "heroic rescue."

Soon after, Imperial Physician Liu Jinyan arrived, sent by Wen Lou to check Bu Meng's pulse. Annoyed, Bu Meng told Liu Jinyan to inform the Emperor that she never wished to see him again. Consort Yan urged Bu Meng to seize the opportunity and fight for the Emperor's favor, arguing that her current passive approach was only leading to more trouble.

Bu Meng retorted that she had no interest in competing for favor and told Consort Yan to mind her own business. Frustrated by their disagreement, Qu Wanwan left in anger. Consort Yan, equally vexed, harshly told Liu Jinyan to leave. Wen Lou, however, found Bu Meng's defiance amusing and instructed Liu Jinyan to visit her three times a day, intending to annoy her. Yan'er made pastries for Bu Meng.

Still troubled by the argument, Bu Meng asked Yan'er to take half of them to Qu Wanwan. Shortly after Yan'er departed, Liu Jinyan returned. Annoyed by his presence, Bu Meng offered him a pastry. Liu Jinyan, ever cautious, tested the pastry with a silver needle and discovered it was poisoned. Bu Meng was horrified, realizing Yan'er was already on her way to Qu Wanwan with the other half. Yan'er, rushing, tripped and scattered the poisoned pastries.

As she was about to stop Di Bai from eating them, Noble Lady Xiao passed by and called out to her, telling her to check on her mistress. Distracted, Yan'er failed to stop Di Bai, who then ate the poisoned pastries and died. Later, Consort Yan, while strolling, heard Yan'er's cries and sent her maid, Chunping, to investigate. As Consort Yan waited on a bridge, a eunuch subtly crept up behind her.

Just as he was about to push her, someone called out Consort Yan's name, causing her to turn around, and the eunuch, losing his footing, tumbled into the water instead. Bu Meng and Consort Yan mourned Di Bai's death. Soon after, news arrived that Qu Wanwan's Youthful Courtyard was on fire. They rushed to the scene, where they found Qu Wanwan, safe but shaken.

Noble Lady Xiao was also present and injured, explaining that she had merely been passing by and intervened after accidentally encountering the situation. Bu Meng realized that all these misfortunes were aimed at her, and that anyone close to her suffered bad luck. She urged her friends to distance themselves, but Qu Wanwan and Consort Yan steadfastly refused, insisting they would face the troubles together.

That night, the three women discussed the recent chain of unfortunate events, concluding that Noble Consort Ru was behind them. However, they lacked concrete evidence, and they knew the Emperor would not believe them without proof. Meanwhile, Wen Lou was furious about the poisoned pastry and the fire, ordering a thorough investigation into both incidents. Imperial Physician Liu Jinyan jokingly gave Wen Lou an extra bottle of mind-clearing pills, predicting that the Emperor would have many more worries this month.

Noble Lady Xiao's bedding was all wet, causing Bu Meng to feel remorseful. Noble Lady Xiao, however, assured her that she already had many enemies. She then recounted her past, revealing that she and the Emperor had been childhood sweethearts who fought alongside each other in battles. She had disguised herself as a man to accompany her father to war. After her father's death, with no one left to depend on, the Emperor brought her into the palace.

Their special friendship was greatly envied by other concubines, but Noble Lady Xiao's heart belonged to Shen Shang, a man who discovered her true identity during a martial arts match. He had vowed to marry her after the war, but he had been missing for three years without a trace. Despite her outwardly tough demeanor, she secretly loved him and continued to wait for his return. Bu Meng and the others offered words of comfort and encouragement, and with this shared vulnerability, Noble Lady Xiao finally joined their newfound sisterhood of four.

Bu Meng, who preferred amusement over vying for the Emperor's attention, found herself in a gambling game with historian He Qi Liao and some palace guards. After losing repeatedly, He Qi Liao tried to leave, explaining that Consort Ru had tasked him with finding the sixth volume of the out-of-print novel "Love in the Palace." He said Consort Ru was obsessed with the series and would likely punish him if he failed.

Despite his explanation, Bu Meng tried to convince him to play another round. Later, while kicking her winnings, Bu Meng dropped a silver coin and hid behind a flowerpot when she heard Consort Ru approaching. Consort Ru, discussing her love for "Love in the Palace" and her desire for volume six with her maid, stepped on the coin and twisted her ankle. The maid immediately accused someone of trying to harm Consort Ru.

Consort Ru demanded the hidden person reveal themselves, and Bu Meng emerged, timidly apologizing and feigning illness to excuse her behavior. Consort Ru, unimpressed, mocked her and ordered Bu Meng to kneel on the scattered silver coins until an incense stick burned completely, calling it Bu Meng's "doctor's fees." While kneeling, Bu Meng remembered He Qi Liao's desperation and Consort Ru's obsession with the novel.

She decided to write the continuation herself, planning a tragic plot to emotionally torment Consort Ru. After her punishment, she told He Qi Liao that she had the sixth volume. He was overjoyed, and Bu Meng, pretending to be a diligent reader, promised to find it and send it to him the next day, asking for the fifth volume to aid her search. Back in her palace, Bu Meng criticized the original "Love in the Palace" as overly dramatic.

Qu Xiao visited, worried about Bu Meng's punishment. Upon seeing the novel, Qu Xiao revealed her own fandom. Bu Meng revealed her plan to continue the series with a tragic ending for all characters, intending to cause Consort Ru immense emotional suffering. Qu Xiao was shocked, but Bu Meng, promising snacks for a month, secured her silence and alliance.

Once the first part was ready, Bu Meng instructed her maid, Yan Er, to deliver it to He Qi Liao, reminding her to be secretive about Bu Meng's authorship and claim she had been searching all night. He Qi Liao noticed the wet ink and grew suspicious. Yan Er claimed the book had become damp from being stored beneath others, convincing him.

Consort Ru was thrilled with the new volume, praising the author's emotionally charged storyline and developments involving the 17th prince. She demanded He Qi Liao find the seventh volume and the author. A troubled He Qi Liao approached Bu Meng, explaining Consort Ru's intense reaction and demand to unmask the author. Bu Meng feigned innocence, accusing him of harassing a "genius creator" and defended the work as fulfilling "spiritual cultural needs." She pressed him on getting the next installment.

Bu Meng remained determined to torment Consort Ru. Bu Meng completed the "Love in the Palace" series, successfully emotionally tormenting Consort Ru. Enraged by the ending, Consort Ru vowed to punish the author and their family. She summoned He Qi Liao, who confessed that Bu Meng had been providing him with the volumes. Consort Ru, realizing Bu Meng's scheme, went to confront her.

He Qi Liao rushed to warn Bu Meng that he had been forced to expose her and that Consort Ru was coming. He urged her to seek refuge with the Emperor. Bu Meng reluctantly sought refuge with the Emperor, entering his chambers to find him bathing. Mistaking her for Eunuch Wu, the Emperor asked her to scrub his back. Turning and seeing her, he screamed. Bu Meng covered his mouth, promising to release him if he remained silent.

The Emperor recognized her, calling her a "cheeky woman gangster." Consort Ru, thinking it was a good time for a romantic visit, arrived. Bu Meng hid in the Emperor's bathwater. Consort Ru entered, but the Emperor politely sent her away. After Consort Ru left, Bu Meng explained her situation. The Emperor, aware that Bu Meng was the author of the novel, teased her about her reaction to Consort Ru disparaging the book.

He revealed that his intelligence network had already informed him of her authorship and made her "beg for forgiveness." Soon after, an imperial decree arrived, announcing that the Emperor had bestowed upon Consort Meng a lavish array of delicacies prepared by royal chef Cai Tai Xian, including cherry blossom apricot cake, Ming Zhu tofu, royal grilled chicken, and anchovy shark fin. However, Bu Meng believed the Emperor was deliberately making her a target within the harem as punishment for her actions.

Noble Consort Ru, favored by the Emperor and confident in her intelligence, felt frustrated by her inability to conceive. Blaming her lack of pregnancy on fate despite her skills in palace intrigue, she instructed her maid, Lu Liu, to brew a fertility medicine. The resulting concoction smelled so repulsive that it even overwhelmed the rats in the kitchen, causing other maids to gag.

Initially refusing to drink it, Noble Consort Ru was persuaded by Lu Liu, who cited Doctor Xue's claim that the foul odor, though offensive to women, would be alluring to men. Determined to become pregnant, Noble Consort Ru drank the entire bowl, agreeing to continue drinking it three times a day for a month while attempting to become intimate with the Emperor.

Immediately after, Noble Consort Ru went to see the Emperor, but encountered Mengfei, Consort Yan, and other consorts on the way, and she verbally reprimanded them. After she left, the other consorts noticed an unpleasant smell. One consort, Xiaoguiren, said it was coming from Noble Consort Ru, while the food-loving Consort Qu identified the odor as stinky tofu.

Reaching Changji Palace, Noble Consort Ru asked Wu Weiyong, an attendant, about her scent, who struggled to maintain composure and could only describe it as "a little strange." The Emperor rejected Noble Consort Ru's request to see him, claiming to be occupied with books. As she walked through the garden, she encountered the consorts again, who abruptly stopped discussing a "smell" upon seeing her. After she left, they gasped for air, overwhelmed by the lingering odor.

Mengfei and her companions wondered what the smell was. Consort Yan revealed it was Doctor Xue's doing, the notorious seller of fake medicine, implying that Noble Consort Ru had been tricked. The consorts also noted the absence of birds on Yu Quan Mansion's roof, the daily noxious smoke, and the discovery of dead rats. They concluded that Noble Consort Ru was acting as a "lab rat," consuming Doctor Xue's overpriced and ineffective fertility medicine, finding her gullibility amusing.

After Ru TaiShi advised the Emperor about neglecting Noble Consort Ru, the Emperor decided to visit her. Excited, Noble Consort Ru greeted him, attempting to embrace him closely. However, the Emperor was overwhelmed by her strong odor and quickly left, saying, "Burn incense and take bath more frequently," and claiming he had urgent matters to attend to. Realizing her method was ineffective, Noble Consort Ru angrily threatened Lu Liu, demanding she find another way to get her pregnant.

Lu Liu then presented a book by Master Yang, a fengshui expert. She explained that Master Yang had developed a system based on room direction, interior design, and birth dates to aid conception, even citing a widow in Shi Li Bao Village who, intending to discredit him, followed his instructions and miraculously conceived. Enthusiastic, Noble Consort Ru immediately adopted Master Yang's methods.

When the Emperor visited again, she insisted on precise tea placement, hand-touching, and seating arrangements according to the book – facing a wall to the east. The Emperor found her increasingly bizarre and rigid adherence to "fengshui" exasperating, comparing it to "repenting practice." He eventually left, annoyed. Furious at her repeated failures, Noble Consort Ru issued a final warning to Lu Liu: find a working method or face dire consequences.

Lu Liu assured her that her new plan, involving Sai Yu Huan, would lead to pregnancy. Meanwhile, in Mengfei's palace, they discussed Sai Yu Huan, who had placed second to last in a beauty pageant but gained fame after being promoted by investors Doctor Xue and Master Yang, both known for their dubious practices. Sai Yu Huan was presented as a dancer but used paid audience members.

After gaining fame, she "whitewashed" her image with charity work and offered unlicensed "seduction crash courses" for wives. Mengfei commented that many gullible people would fall for her schemes. Applying Sai Yu Huan's "seduction tactics," Noble Consort Ru invited the Emperor to her palace again. She performed a seductive dance and attempted to feed him wine mouth-to-mouth. However, she missed repeatedly, drank several mouthfuls herself, and passed out from intoxication.

To appease Senior Advisor Ru TaiShi, the Emperor stayed the night in her palace. The next morning, Noble Consort Ru was thrilled, believing she had succeeded. Later, Lu Liu pointed out Noble Consort Ru's increased appetite and growing stomach, leading Noble Consort Ru to excitedly conclude that she was pregnant. She began conspicuously walking around the palace, subtly caressing her slightly protruding belly, leading everyone to believe she was indeed pregnant.

The other consorts discussed this, noting that the Emperor had only stayed to read books, suggesting that Noble Consort Ru was either gaining weight or deliberately faking her pregnancy. Upon hearing the rumors, the Emperor summoned Noble Consort Ru. She coyly admitted to increased appetite, a growing belly, and cravings for sour and spicy foods, hinting at pregnancy. The Emperor, suspicious, directly asked if she believed herself pregnant and when this supposedly happened.

Noble Consort Ru confidently pointed to the night he stayed in her palace. The Emperor corrected her, stating that she had passed out drunk and he had spent the entire night reading books, so no intimacy had occurred. To resolve the matter, he offered to have Liu Jinyan, the imperial physician, examine her pulse. Enraged and humiliated, Noble Consort Ru immediately turned and stormed out, slapping Lu Liu for misleading her.

Your Majesty and the concubines gathered in the garden to watch a cockfighting contest. As Your Majesty enthusiastically cheered for his prized red chicken, "Small White," Consort Meng expressed her bewilderment at the name. When asked for her thoughts, Consort Meng remarked that Small White was a truly fortunate chicken, having gained the Emperor's favor, and that its life was worth it even if it died. Coincidentally, Small White immediately collapsed and died.

A devastated Your Majesty ordered Liu Jinyan to heal the chicken. Consort Meng was embarrassed when Your Majesty commanded her beheading, and she fainted from fright. Liu Jinyan intervened, pleading for Consort Meng. Your Majesty then instructed Liu Jinyan to thoroughly investigate the true cause of Small White's death, reiterating his threat of beheading if the cause remained unknown. Overwhelmed, Liu Jinyan also fainted.

Back in her palace, Consort Meng learned that Yanfei had told her all the other consorts had formed a "Consort Consolation Organization" to comfort Your Majesty. Believing her words might have contributed to Small White's demise, Consort Meng decided to play a requiem on her flute outside Changji Palace. However, her music was so terrible that two eunuchs covering their ears begged her to stop, and Imperial Physician Liu Jinyan appeared, reprimanding her.

Just then, Wu Weiyong arrived to summon both Consort Meng and Imperial Physician Liu Jinyan to see Your Majesty. Inside, Your Majesty inquired about the flute player outside, expressing irritation that they were gloating. Consort Meng discreetly hid her flute behind her back and agreed, stating that such a person surely deserved retribution. Liu Jinyan then presented his findings on Small White's death, attributing it to "postpartum depression." Consort Meng mocked this diagnosis for a long time.

Seeing Consort Meng's reaction, Your Majesty assigned her the task of arranging Small White's burial. Consort Meng, Yanfei, and Noble Lady Xiao began digging a grave, intending to bury Small White next to Yanfei's former pet, Di Bai. Imperial Chef Cai Tai Xian arrived with new dishes for them to sample. Qu Pin, after tasting one, expressed disdain, leading to further retorts towards Cai Tai Xian from the others.

Suddenly, Yanfei noticed that Small White's body had vanished from its designated spot. Suspecting Cai Tai Xian, Consort Meng stormed into the kitchen and found him eating chicken. She accused him of consuming Your Majesty's beloved Small White, but Cai Tai Xian, with a wronged expression, denied it and even offered to cry to Consort Meng.

Later, Consort Meng returned to her palace and found a woman in white robes on a bridge, while Yanfei and others hid behind a pillar. Yanfei whispered to Consort Meng that the woman claimed to be Small White. Initially disbelieving, Consort Meng was terrified when the woman burned feathers with fire, and she immediately retreated into the palace. Later, the woman, calling herself "Small White," demanded tributes, including gold, silver, jewelry, bracelets, and food.

Consort Meng and her companions then felt something was amiss. That night, Consort Meng feigned a trip to the restroom and went to Changji Palace to seek Your Majesty's help in solving the problem. After hearing her story, Your Majesty stated that it was mere trickery involving spirits. He then went with Consort Meng to see the woman. Your Majesty recognized the woman as an opera troupe leader whom he had seen two years prior.

Impressed by her immense strength, he had sent her to the cold palace to pull weeds, and she was still there. Consort Meng immediately understood the entire situation. She had a late-night talk with the so-called "chicken deity," learning that the woman planned to take some money and escape the palace. Consort Meng then decided to help her escape the imperial palace to live a new life.

Some time later, Yanfei and the other consorts heard that a wall in the cold palace had collapsed and someone had escaped. They then realized that Consort Meng had known all of this early. Furious, they began to "beat" her. Meanwhile, the opera troupe leader returned to her troupe, resumed her profession, and lived a happy life.

As Consort Meng strolled, she encountered an envoy from Qingquan state, Cui Xi, being beaten by guards outside the palace. Upon asking, she learned he was trying to borrow money from the guards. Taking pity on him, Consort Meng gave him silver and sent him home. With the silver from Consort Meng, Cui Xi bought himself new clothes and entered the palace, intending to swindle money.

He claimed to the Emperor that his identification documents were lost and that his king would arrive in a few days to deliver new ones. The Emperor, however, immediately recognized Cui Xi as a fraud and ordered his guards to investigate. The investigation confirmed that while the identification papers were real, the two envoys were indeed fake. Learning that Consort Meng had given a significant amount of money to this fake Cui envoy, the Emperor decided to subtly guide her.

He also ordered guards to invite the "real" King of Qingquan state. That evening, the Emperor hosted a banquet for the two fake envoys from Qingquan state. At the banquet, Consort Meng was pleased to see that one of the Qingquan envoys was the man she had helped earlier, optimistically expecting a reward for her good deed.

After a dance performance, the fake Qingquan King inquired if the dancer was Consort Qu Wanwan, claiming she was their great benefactor and requesting the Emperor to bestow her upon them, citing their country's custom of imperial marriage alliances. The Emperor refused, humorously stating that Consort Qu Wanwan ate too much. Instead, he offered Consort Meng herself. The Emperor then took Consort Meng aside into the palace. A terrified Consort Meng pleaded with the Emperor to retract his decree.

The Emperor, feigning jealousy, asked why she had never given him anything. He then tasked her with delaying the envoys for three days by any means necessary, to prevent them from returning to Qingquan state and thus avoid the marriage alliance. Consort Meng immediately took action, arriving at the Sifang Pavilion. Just as the fake Qingquan King (Cui Xi) ran in and accidentally stepped on a cockroach, Consort Meng dramatically cradled the dead insect.

She mournfully cried out, declaring it "Brother Zhuang," the Emperor's beloved pet, and implored it to wake up. Consort Meng's passionate cries caused Cui Xi to ask how he could atone. Seizing the opportunity, Consort Meng then convinced them to observe a "first seven days" mourning period for "Brother Zhuang," thereby successfully delaying their departure. Consort Meng had just returned to the palace when the Emperor arrived. She immediately reported that the matter he entrusted had been handled.

The Emperor then suggested Consort Meng learn Consort Qu Wanwan's "Fearful Dance" and asked Consort Qu Wanwan to teach her. Consort Qu Wanwan happily agreed to teach all the concubines together but realized there wasn't a large enough space. The Emperor assured her not to worry and instructed Eunuch Wu Weiyong to arrange a suitable area for their practice.

During a collective dance session, the fake Qingquan envoys, having blended in with the concubines, were suddenly confronted by a group of guards who arrived with drawn knives and arrested them. Upon seeing the arrests, Yan Fei and the other concubines suddenly realized the imposters' deception, recalling that Qingquan state was a matriarchal country where men could not be envoys or kings. Just then, the Emperor appeared. Consort Meng suddenly understood the truth: the Emperor had known all along but had still let her fear being sent away for a marriage alliance, leaving her furious.

His Majesty, seeking respite in the imperial garden, was besieged by concubines vying for his attention. Mengfei, observing the desperate display, retreated to avoid the chaotic scene. Back at Changji Hall, Liu Jinyan attempted to soothe the Emperor's distress, presenting him with his own Emperor doll, claiming it was an "imported product" of "superb quality."

The Emperor remained unimpressed but reluctantly agreed to tolerate the dolls after Liu Jinyan dissuaded him from banning them, arguing that doing so would upset the consorts. Meanwhile, at Consort Yan Qing's palace, Consort Qu Xiao angrily confronted Yan Qing about the Emperor doll she had purchased, deeming it a source of embarrassment because it failed to attract His Majesty's attention. She demanded a refund, pointing out that Fuxi's dolls were superior.

Yan Qing, disheartened, faced further demands for refunds from other concubines who favored Fuxi's cheaper and more refined Emperor merchandise. They boasted that Fuxi's product line even included perfumes capturing the Emperor's sweat, bath, and sleep scents, which they dubbed "higher level" than Yan Qing's single-scent perfume. The concubines grabbed Yan Qing's money bag and left to purchase Fuxi's goods.

Wu Weiyong, arriving to find Yan Qing distraught, suggested that a "little maid" often seen with Fuxi was the real mastermind behind the innovative products and promised to investigate. That evening, while having hotpot with Mengfei and her friends, Yan Qing revealed that her junior sister, Jiao Jiao, who was intensely competitive, was the mastermind behind Fuxi's successful products. Yan Qing had entered the palace to avoid Jiao Jiao's constant rivalry.

Indeed, the "little maid" Mengfei encountered was Jiao Jiao, who confronted Yan Qing, revealing her lifelong resentment stemming from Yan Qing always calling her stupid as a child. She believed herself to be just as good, pointing out her fair skin and larger chest.

Yan Qing and Jiao Jiao agreed to a competition to settle their rivalry once and for all: they would each jump off a high terrace the next day using their own inventions, with the winner being the one who didn't die. The next day, as the two sisters prepared to jump from the city wall, Mengfei and others watched with concern. Jiao Jiao leaped first, but Yan Qing grabbed her hand, preventing her fall.

Yan Qing stated that she only wanted to test Jiao Jiao's resolve and clarified that "stupidity" was an observation, not an insult. Noble Consort Xiao then rescued Jiao Jiao. Jiao Jiao decided to leave the palace. Mengfei and her friends criticized Yan Qing's dangerous methods. An eunuch arrived with a bedsheet, having been called due to reports of "suicidal concubines." Yan Qing's explanation was dismissed, and she was taken to explain her actions to His Majesty.

Imperial Physician Liu Jinyan had recently been suffering from severe procrastination. When a colleague asked him to sort newly arrived medicinal herbs, he repeatedly claimed he would "go right away" but remained seated, prompting his colleague to exasperatedly point out that his tardiness extended even to summons from the Emperor. Liu Jinyan admitted to his dilatory habits, expressing feelings of "nervousness, melancholy, and self-loathing," but insisted his procrastination was "late stage" and "beyond cure."

Soon after, Liu Jinyan was summoned to Changji Hall, where the Emperor sternly reprimanded him. The Emperor revealed a flood of complaints from concubines about Liu Jinyan's persistent delays in attending to their medical needs, sometimes arriving at night for a daytime call. Ignoring Liu Jinyan's attempts to explain, the Emperor called his performance "terrible" and demanded he be more proactive, questioning if he intended for patients to die or heal themselves.

The Emperor reminded Liu Jinyan not to presume upon their childhood friendship and warned him that further complaints would result in severe punishment. Liu Jinyan bowed, promising to overcome his procrastination. Meanwhile, in Fanghua Palace, the Emperor had not forgotten that Princess Meng had generously given a purse to a fake envoy. He sent his attendant Fu Xi to remind her to embroider a new one.

Fu Xi explained that the Emperor specifically requested a white purse, as any accidental bloodstain from a pricked finger would necessitate starting over, effectively turning it into a punishment and greatly increasing her workload. Princess Meng understood the hidden meaning but accepted the task cheerfully. That night, Princess Meng was on the palace rooftop, diligently embroidering the white purse, carefully covering her hand to avoid pricking herself. Xiao Guiren discovered her and learned of her insomnia.

Xiao Guiren then revealed that Liu Jinyan had "corrupted everyone in the palace," causing concubines to fear seeking medical attention due to his erratic treatments. She implored Princess Meng to find a solution. Princess Meng, determined to help, vowed to bring Liu Jinyan to Fanghua Palace the next day and guide him back to the right path, even if it meant "breaking her tongue."

The next day, Princess Meng feigned illness and invited Liu Jinyan to Fanghua Palace, with Yan Fei and Xiao Guiren hidden nearby. Liu Jinyan, surprisingly punctual, immediately launched into a self-deprecating monologue, declaring himself "shameful, useless, and incompetent." When Princess Meng mentioned her insomnia, Liu Jinyan expounded on his theory that "insomnia and failure are almost indistinguishable," as failures couldn't sleep, and insomniacs felt like failures. He questioned if Princess Meng, too, felt tired and without purpose.

Princess Meng found herself agreeing, feeling a lack of motivation. Liu Jinyan then declared, "Useless waste is waste," lamenting that "life without desire is true despair." He confessed that the only reason he was still alive was his unfulfilled wish to meet his idol, "An Arrow Holy Hand Hua que Miao."

Princess Meng, only familiar with renowned physicians like Hua Tuo, Bian Que, and Sun Simiao, questioned this name, but Liu Jinyan passionately defended Hua que Miao as a brilliant, elusive doctor, a "combination" of all great physicians, and insisted he wanted to live long enough to "bury him." He then asked Princess Meng if she had any unfulfilled wishes. When she replied no, he deemed her "even more of a failure" and "beyond cure."

After Liu Jinyan left, Princess Meng initially felt "brainwashed" by his negativity but quickly snapped out of it, realizing her attempt to help had backfired. She tried to tempt him with food, but he rejected it, stating, "food passes through the intestines, depression remains in the heart." Yan Fei suggested a "little red flower" task tracker for motivation, while Xiao Guiren advocated for intense physical training.

Princess Meng, however, decided that the only way to help Liu Jinyan was through a "misery comparison." Princess Meng gathered Liu Jinyan along with Yan Fei, Qu Pin, and Xiao Guiren for another attempt to cure his gloom. She began recounting the personal misfortunes of her friends, hoping to show Liu Jinyan he wasn't the most miserable. She detailed how Yan Fei had been unjustly labeled a "demon concubine" and excluded, forcing her to invent things to pass the time.

Then she spoke of Qu Pin, a young beauty who entered the palace but received little attention from the Emperor, finding solace only in food. Next, she shared Xiao Guiren's tragedy: her fiancé, General Shen Shang, vanished in battle, leaving Xiao Guiren unable to move on. Each story drew a sympathetic "miserable" from Liu Jinyan.

Finally, Princess Meng revealed her own plight: forced into palace life despite preferring a leisurely existence, now constantly bearing the brunt of the Emperor's frustrations with his father. She concluded that everyone present was profoundly miserable. Her friends, however, were furious at having their private lives exposed. Princess Meng apologized profusely, explaining her intentions to comfort Liu Jinyan.

To appease them, she agreed to buy Qu Pin a new set of rouge from the royal women's workshop, new fabrics for Yan Fei's clothes, and to meticulously clean and oil Xiao Guiren's collection of over one hundred swords before dark. Later, Yan Fei reported that Liu Jinyan had stopped spreading negative energy to others, but was now harming himself, reportedly consuming croton and attempting to hang himself with noodles.

Yan Fei further revealed that Liu Jinyan was currently standing on the roof of the Imperial Hospital, looking distressed. Concerned about the severe negative impact this could have on palace morale and the medical profession, Princess Meng decided to act. They orchestrated a plan for Xiao Guiren to impersonate Hua que Miao on the rooftop, with Yan Fei providing a disguised voice.

Liu Jinyan was ecstatic to meet his idol, though he noted the voice's direction seemed "a little off," which Yan Fei attributed to the strong wind. As the fake Hua que Miao, Yan Fei (through Xiao Guiren) shared wisdom about self-belief and overcoming life's low points. Just as the fake idol "departed," the Emperor unexpectedly arrived, demanding to know what they were doing. Princess Meng quickly explained they feared Liu Jinyan was contemplating self-harm.

Liu Jinyan, however, clarified that he consumed croton to treat his "intractable old constipation" and was merely on the roof for night duty, amusing himself by seeing "how far he could spit." The Emperor, shaking his head in disbelief, simply walked away. Liu Jinyan remained invigorated by his encounter with his "idol," enthusiastically publicizing the meeting to his colleagues and even to newspapers, claiming to have rediscovered "the meaning of life."

He eagerly asked Princess Meng to arrange another meeting with Hua que Miao. Princess Meng, hesitant and struggling for an excuse, eventually claimed that Hua que Miao had gone into "closed-door cultivation" for his medical studies, a concept Liu Jinyan questioned but ultimately accepted after Princess Meng asserted all "divine doctors must go into closed-door cultivation."

As they spoke, Bao Qu passed by Fanghua Palace with his guards, excitedly announcing the capture of an "assassin"—an old man who had repeatedly tried to force his way into the palace, claiming "impersonation" and "rights infringement" because he had been "written into a false story." Bao Qu, proud of catching his "first assassin this year," mentioned the old man was in jail awaiting "strict interrogation," but struggled to recall his "convoluted" name, only managing "Hua. . ."

Princess Meng's intuition immediately told her that this "assassin" was the real Hua que Miao. After Bao Qu left, she told Liu Jinyan she had "good news and bad news." The good news was that he could indeed meet his idol, who was "200% the old man Bao Qu mentioned," and was currently "in jail." Liu Jinyan initially dismissed this as Princess Meng making excuses for not arranging a meeting.

Princess Meng then delivered the bad news, confessing that the Hua que Miao he had met earlier was a fake created by her to help him. However, Liu Jinyan's widespread boasts about the encounter had inadvertently attracted the real Hua que Miao, leading to his arrest. She urged Liu Jinyan to rush to the jail and rescue the old man before his "old body" suffered any harm, warning that otherwise, he would truly have to "send his idol to Kulin." Shocked by Princess Meng's "creativity" in her elaborate rescue attempt, Liu Jinyan immediately ran off to find Bao Qu.

Bao Qu found himself in a dream, vigorously pursuing a female assassin who had infiltrated the palace. However, he unintentionally let her escape. Just as he was about to continue the chase, he woke up, lamenting that this was the only time he had come close to catching an assassin all year, and it was merely a dream, leaving him very frustrated.

The next day, Bao Qu came to Fanghua Palace to complain to Mengfei, Consort Yan, Noble Lady Xiao, and Concubine Qu. He lamented that his subordinates refused to listen to him and even called him a coward. They particularly admired his arch-enemy, Eighteen Kill, referring to Eighteen Kill as the Emperor's secret weapon, while seeing Bao Qu himself as an overt good-for-nothing. He felt his subordinates believed Eighteen Kill was highly skilled, while he was just a useless person.

Deeply saddened, Bao Qu pleaded with Mengfei for advice. Mengfei, feeling sympathetic towards Bao Qu, suggested a plan: since his subordinates admired Eighteen Kill, Bao Qu should either befriend him or arrange for Eighteen Kill to publicly act as his subordinate, so that his subordinates would change their perception of Bao Qu. Mengfei then went to the Emperor, requesting to borrow Eighteen Kill to help Bao Qu.

Initially, Mengfei had believed Eighteen Kill was one of the legendary Eighteen Bronze Men, based on Consort Yan's description. However, upon seeing that Eighteen Kill was merely a single masked man, she realized the rumors were not credible. Mengfei informed Eighteen Kill of Bao Qu's admiration. Consequently, Eighteen Kill decided to have a meal with Bao Qu to get acquainted. After the meal, the two men established a deep friendship.

Bao Qu then brought Eighteen Kill before his subordinates, introducing him as his good brother and even his subordinate. However, his subordinates immediately highlighted the stark contrast, commenting, "Eighteen Kill is so amazing, but sir, your martial arts are so rubbish!" This severe criticism dealt a heavy blow to Bao Qu, leaving him deeply dejected and moody. Later, Mengfei devised another plan: Noble Lady Xiao would pretend to be an assassin for Bao Qu to capture and showcase his abilities.

The Emperor was also aware of this plan, and on a dark and windy night, they all gathered to watch Bao Qu catch the "thief." Soon, an assassin appeared, but this was a real assassin, not Noble Lady Xiao in disguise. However, Bao Qu remained oblivious, even thinking Noble Lady Xiao was so dedicated that she had changed her voice for the act. The assassin was quickly apprehended.

The female assassin then claimed she was forced into the palace and her main purpose was to submit a petition to the Emperor. To successfully conclude the staged act, Bao Qu declared he would release the assassin and personally take responsibility for any repercussions. Watching from the side, the Emperor was furious with Bao Qu, calling him a "fool" and "brainless," and also complained about Mengfei's flawed plan.

Mengfei, in fact, had already grown suspicious the moment the assassin spoke, realizing it might not be Noble Lady Xiao. It was only after seeing the first female assassin released and then a second assassin appear that she fully realized the first one had been a genuine intruder. Upon the appearance of the second assassin, Bao Qu finally realized his grave error: the first assassin was real. He immediately dashed off in pursuit of the released female assassin.

During their confrontation, he removed her veil, revealing the very same beautiful woman from his dream. The breeze gently swept through her hair, instantly captivating Bao Qu. The Emperor, still observing, continued to be furious with Bao Qu, criticizing him as "brainless," and also expressing his displeasure with Mengfei's flawed plan. Bao Qu returned crestfallen, and his subordinates, seeing his dejected state, immediately knew that the coward had let the assassin escape again.

However, Bao Qu paid them no mind, still completely lost in the captivating image of the female assassin. Later, the Emperor clarified the matter and redressed the female assassin's grievances. Meanwhile, Bao Qu remained fixated on the female assassin. During a conversation with Physician Liu, Bao Qu suddenly spotted Yin Susu. He immediately ran over to express his feelings to her. However, Susu simply thanked him for his help, then revealed that she already had a fiancé.

With that, she walked out of the palace gates. As she exited, Yin Susu looked back once more, realizing he had not followed her, and murmured, "Perhaps we really are not fated."

Chief bodyguard Bao Qu hurried to Fanghua Palace, announcing to the consorts that a group of "dog, man, and woman" assassins had infiltrated the palace. The consorts initially chided him for his coarse language, but Bao Qu clarified that it was literally a dog, a man, and a woman, abbreviated as "dog, man, and woman." He explained he had caught the dog and needed the consorts to temporarily house it while he pursued the others.

Qu Pin immediately adored the little white puppy and decided they would keep him, naming him Da Huang. Da Huang's arrival brought some initial chaos to Fanghua Palace. Meng Fei woke up one morning to step directly into Da Huang’s mess, while Consort Yan was heartbroken to find her precious thousand-year sandalwood box, allegedly bearing Wang Xizhi's autograph, had been gnawed by the dog. To prevent further incidents, the consorts began Da Huang's "training."

The martial arts expert, Xiaogui Ren, took Da Huang to the rooftops every night, attempting to train him as a thief-catching dog. Meng Fei, a scholar's daughter, focused on his intellectual development, reading classical texts to him daily. Qu Pin, a lover of food, simply indulged Da Huang with delicious meals, ensuring he was well-fed. Meanwhile, Bao Qu had made progress and finally caught the assassins.

Meng Fei, upon hearing from Consort Yan that Bao Qu had caught the assassins but they refused to confess, rushed to the imperial prison to interrogate them. Bao Qu tried to stop her, but as they were at a stalemate, the Emperor arrived, allowing Meng Fei to slip past Bao Qu into the prison. The Emperor then inquired how Bao Qu had managed the capture.

Bao Qu, seizing the moment, dramatically recounted how the couple had been reported by an innkeeper for behaving suspiciously. He claimed he followed local officials and found them discussing a "love dog," which led him to conclude they were the palace intruders and arrest them. Meng Fei, however, quickly debunked Bao Qu's story. She pointed out that the two "assassins" were actually adventurous tourists, not palace intruders.

She showed that they had travel stamps on their bodies, the man carried a travel map in his bosom, and the woman wore a pendant obtained from a game. She concluded that they were travelers who enjoyed thrills and had come to the palace simply for a competition, proving they were not assassins. After her analysis, Meng Fei tried to take credit from the Emperor.

The Emperor, realizing she was merely seeking praise instead of being genuinely concerned for him, abruptly waved her off and left. Bao Qu, meanwhile, continued his relentless search for assassins. Back at Fanghua Palace, the consorts were also very curious about the assassin matter. This made Consort Yan recall the Emperor's secret trump card, Eighteen Kill.

Consort Yan then recounted Eighteen Kill's glorious deeds to Meng Fei and the others, saying he once single-handedly settled the Wudang Seven Disciples and even scared a prince to death. This filled Meng Fei and the other consorts with immense admiration for Eighteen Kill. That night, Eighteen Kill made an unexpected appearance at Fanghua Palace, accidentally falling through a loose roof tile. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Consort Yan and the others questioned him about his deeds.

Eighteen Kill clarified that the so-called assassins were merely him impersonating them under the Emperor's orders to test palace security. He also revealed that the fantastical rumors surrounding him were all false. For instance, the Emperor was benevolent and had never ordered him to kill anyone. The Zhennan General had died from his own guilt and fear, while the Liuzhou Magistrate was merely given a warning to return his embezzled funds.

The supposed "bloody battle" with the Wudang disciples was simply him receiving a Wudang sect member who had been summoned by the Emperor to explain their ambitions. The consorts were disappointed to learn the legends were false but were impressed by the Emperor's true kindness. Bao Qu continued his intensified patrols, determined to catch the assassin, but to no avail. The Emperor, seeing Bao Qu's excessive efforts, summoned him to Changji Hall, revealing the truth: there was no actual assassin. Eighteen Kill's role was to test the palace's security, and Bao Qu's performance had resulted in a deeply disappointing report. The Emperor, exasperated, ordered Bao Qu to leave.

Recently, Cai Taixian accepted Kang Shanjuan as his disciple. Kang Shanjuan was a skilled chef. However, Meng Fei noticed a deep hatred in Shanjuan's eyes for his master, particularly when Cai Taixian declared he treated his disciples like his own sons during a conversation with Meng Fei and Yan Fei in the Imperial Kitchen. Meng Fei found this strange but did not voice her observation. A few days later, the Imperial Culinary Championship commenced.

It was stipulated that if Cai Taixian lost, he would have to retire. After intense rounds of competition, the championship reached its final, pitting Cai Taixian against Kang Shanjuan. Cai Taixian prepared "Deer Antlers Steamed with Bear Paws," while Kang Shanjuan offered "Wild Vegetables with Fermented Beans." When Wu Weiyong announced the dishes, the Emperor and the concubines were curious about Kang Shanjuan's unusual choice, so Wu Weiyong asked him to explain.

Shanjuan shared that he and his mother lived a very frugal life when he was young, and the wild vegetables with fermented beans was a dish his mother used to make, leaving him with vivid memories. Ultimately, Kang Shanjuan's "Wild Vegetables with Fermented Beans" triumphed over Cai Taixian's "Deer Antlers Steamed with Bear Paws." After his defeat, Cai Taixian went to Fanghua Palace to bid farewell to the concubines.

However, Meng Fei suggested that Kang Shanjuan must harbor a grudge against him. Cai Taixian insisted he had never offended Shanjuan, so the concubines decided to help him find an answer. Cai Taixian and the concubines returned to the Imperial Kitchen, where they found Kang Shanjuan holding a jade pendant. Cai Taixian instantly recognized it as a memento from his former lover, Kang Manhua. He excitedly demanded to know where Shanjuan had obtained it.

Shanjuan then revealed that he was Cai Taixian's son. Cai Taixian was distraught, recalling Shanjuan's earlier words about his mother being buried hastily due to poverty. He questioned how Manhua, who came from a wealthy family, could have endured such hardship. Shanjuan explained that his mother could not forget Cai Taixian after he left, leading to her difficult life. Filled with regret, Cai Taixian asked Shanjuan to take him to Kang Manhua's grave, where he wept bitterly.

Kang Shanjuan, having fulfilled his mother's unspoken wish by bringing Cai Taixian to her resting place, decided to leave the Imperial Kitchen permanently and depart from the palace. Despite his departure, Cai Taixian later returned to the palace to continue as head chef, though he remained sorrowful, thinking of Manhua and his son. Meanwhile, His Majesty began to miss Shanjuan's cooking.

Qu Xiao, boasting an exceptional memory for tastes and an ability to identify any chef's cooking, volunteered to find Shanjuan. Accompanied by Bao Qu and Imperial Physician Liu, she ventured out of the palace. Along the way, Bao Qu and Liu expressed their annoyance with Qu Xiao's gluttony, but Qu Xiao remained cheerful and oblivious. After visiting their first eatery, Qu Xiao became separated from Bao Qu and Liu. Undeterred and fearless, she followed the aroma of food.

She soon stumbled upon a stall named "Ballistic Lemon," which instantly appealed to her. She ordered a drink and was delighted to discover that Kang Shanjuan was the owner. She expressed great happiness and admiration for his creations, chatting with him for a long time. That evening, Shanjuan sent Qu Xiao back to the palace with many drinks of various flavors.

Qu Xiao joyfully entered Fanghua Palace and, finding Yan Fei still awake, happily shared one of Shanjuan's drinks with her. Yan Fei took a sip and immediately spat it out, remarking on his preference for mixed flavors and finding it awful. It was then that Qu Xiao suddenly remembered her forgotten mission: she had failed to tell Shanjuan that the Emperor wanted him back in the palace. The next day, when Qu Xiao met the Emperor, she bluffed her way through, promising to continue her efforts to persuade Shanjuan.

Women in Fanghua Palace discussed the upcoming banquet where the Emperor would host the princes. Yanfei expressed a bad feeling, suspecting it might be a setup because the Emperor typically didn't engage with his brothers who were known to be at odds. During the lively banquet, Mengfei observed a harmonious atmosphere, questioning if her previous gossip about their discord was mistaken. Amidst the festivities, Noble Consort Ru presented dried persimmons to the princes and guests.

Mengfei and Yanfei, recalling a book detailing how goose liver and persimmons combined could be lethal, grew uneasy, suspecting Noble Consort Ru intended to poison the princes. Meanwhile, Yanfei was happily eating, preoccupied with the Emperor's attention, hoping he would choose her for the night. The Emperor then summoned Mengfei to his side, noticing her silence. As Mengfei approached, a dagger was suddenly thrown at the Emperor. He quickly pulled Mengfei to safety and deflected the blade with his sword.

Bao Qu and Noble Lady Xiao immediately rushed to protect the Emperor, who then swiftly led Mengfei away from the dangerous scene. After escaping, Mengfei wanted to draw the tattoo she saw on the assassin's arm during the chaos, but she suddenly forgot the details when she picked up a pen. Mengfei lamented, wishing her 'male god,' Zhen Shishuang, was there, as he would surely remember every detail. She mentioned that Zhen Shishuang was someone she almost married.

The Emperor, clearly jealous, reacted with displeasure and walked away in a huff. On her way back to her palace, Mengfei found North Prince voraciously eating dried persimmons. Alarmed, she and the quickly arriving Yanfei intervened, forcibly taking the persimmons from him and carrying him to Mengfei's own residence. Mengfei gently fed him mung bean soup, explaining it was an antidote.

North Prince was very moved by Mengfei saving his life and decided he wanted to confront the Emperor to ask if he truly intended to harm him. The next day, the Emperor clarified that he was unaware of the dangerous food pairing and that no one had shown signs of poisoning from the banquet. He carefully selected a pair of jadeite earrings to give to Mengfei as a reward for helping him clarify the situation to North Prince.

Upon receiving the beautiful earrings, Yanfei teased Mengfei, asking if the Emperor's favor meant he would soon summon her to his chambers. Mengfei dismissed the idea, stating that was not her dream, as she sought freedom. Mengfei diligently researched in the imperial library, finally discovering that the assassin's tattoo belonged to Dongli State. Immediately after her discovery, the library caught fire. The Emperor timely rescued her from the blaze.

He guessed that Mengfei's urgent pursuit of the truth was motivated by her desire for freedom. He then promised her freedom once the truth behind the assassination attempt was fully uncovered. Mengfei was overjoyed and eagerly accepted the deal. The Emperor then prompted her for a return gift. Mengfei personally prepared chicken soup for him. The Emperor was furious to learn that she considered chicken soup a grand return gift.

Soon after, he suffered from sudden diarrhea and rushed to the latrine. Hearing of the Emperor's ailment, Noble Consort Ru summoned Mengfei for questioning, convinced she had poisoned the Emperor. Mengfei earnestly explained it was merely a culinary mishap due to her inexperience, not an intentional act. However, Noble Consort Ru remained unconvinced.

Mengfei then boldly confronted Noble Consort Ru, reminding her of her own actions at the banquet, where she had served persimmons after goose meat, a known lethal combination, implicitly questioning Noble Consort Ru's intentions. Enraged, Noble Consort Ru ordered Mengfei to be slapped. Just then, the Emperor arrived, stopping the punishment.

He confined Noble Consort Ru for one month, as he knew she was the one who had deliberately served the incompatible foods at the banquet, intending to sow discord among his brothers. The Emperor then gathered his brothers, intending to repair their relationships and resolve misunderstandings. During the gathering, North Prince unexpectedly declared to the Emperor that he wanted Mengfei to be his wife. A horrified Mengfei immediately knelt.

The other princes intervened, teasing North Prince and explaining that his Nanny Liu already fulfilled the roles he described for a wife. The Emperor chimed in, advising North Prince not to be greedy, or Nanny Liu would be upset and stop caring for him. North Prince, swayed, dropped his demand. The Emperor then instructed Mengfei to wait in Changji Hall. In Changji Hall, Mengfei sat uneasily on the bed.

A heavily intoxicated Emperor then stumbled in and gently leaned on her chest. Mengfei quickly pushed him away, but seeing that he had fallen asleep, she dared to observe him, finding him quite handsome. She gently covered him with a blanket and left, unaware that the Emperor had been feigning sleep the entire time, and was secretly pleased, sensing that she didn't dislike him.

Bu Meng, furious about being unjustly imprisoned, loudly proclaimed her innocence and demanded justice, insisting she did not kill anyone. The palace guards explained that the Emperor had her confined to a luxurious cell not as punishment, but to protect her and deflect public gossip. Unfazed, Bu Meng tasked the guards with purchasing the popular "Mengfei Comes Across Comics" for her.

Later, Bu Meng was joined in her cell by Consort Yan, Qu Xiao, and Noble Lady Xiao for a game of mahjong. During the game, Bu Meng reflected on the events that led to her predicament. She recalled a heated confrontation with Noble Lady Xian, who had relentlessly provoked her, calling her a "jinxed woman" and accusing her of poisoning the Emperor.

When Bu Meng suggested Noble Lady Xian seek a court doctor, Noble Lady Xian, enraged, declared she would "add some colour" to Bu Meng's face. The argument escalated into a physical fight, during which Bu Meng accidentally scratched Noble Lady Xian’s face. Noble Lady Xian then wailed about losing her mother and wishing to die. Soon after, Noble Lady Xian was found dead, and Bu Meng’s hairpin was discovered at the scene, making her the prime suspect.

Bu Meng maintained her innocence. Consort Yan informed Bu Meng that the Emperor had summoned Zhen Shishuang, the renowned "Perfect Memory Sleuth" from Dali Temple, to investigate the murder. She explained that misfortune often befell those associated with him. Bu Meng recalled memories of Zhen Shishuang from their youth, before she entered the palace. During his vacation, Zhen Shishuang was solving a murder case, initially believed to be accidental.

He discovered traces of poison in the soil beneath a chamber pot, leading him to deduce that the victim died from inhaling poisonous gas released by an exotic snake. This snake, not native to the region, led him to conclude it was murder. He learned that days prior, a local snake handler had flirted with the victim's wife and was beaten by the husband. Zhen Shishuang confronted the snake handler, who confessed to planting the poisonous snake out of revenge.

After solving the case, Zhen Shishuang received an urgent imperial summons to the capital upon learning that Lady Consort Meng was the primary suspect in the new murder investigation. Back in her prison cell, still lost in thought, Bu Meng wondered about Zhen Shishuang.

She remembered his extraordinary memory and sharp deductive abilities—how he effortlessly exposed a man's lie about visiting a theatre when he had actually spent the night at a brothel, or how he could instantly locate her lost items. Others found him odd, but Bu Meng admired him. She recalled his peculiar habit of eating the bad grapes first, saving the good ones to savor slowly. She had asked him to be her teacher, a request he seemed to evade.

When her family prepared to move to the capital, she asked him to see her off, but he refused, leaving her disappointed. Suddenly, a guard announced the Emperor's arrival, alongside Zhen Shishuang. Bu Meng and her friends hastily hid their mahjong tiles. Consort Yan, Qu Xiao, and Noble Lady Xiao greeted the Emperor, while Bu Meng theatrically feigned sorrowful tears. The Emperor cut short her act.

With jealousy in his tone, the Emperor reminded Zhen Shishuang that Bu Meng had once claimed they were childhood sweethearts discussing marriage, a statement Bu Meng quickly corrected to "just classmates." Consort Yan and the others observed the tense atmosphere. Bu Meng apologized to Zhen Shishuang for inadvertently affecting his reputation, but he dismissed it, stating the Emperor was merely teasing. The Emperor directly asked Zhen Shishuang for his opinion on the evidence pointing to Bu Meng as Noble Lady Xian’s murderer.

Imperial Censor Zhen Shishuang, while in prison, clarified the circumstances surrounding Noble Lady Xian's death to Your Majesty. He demonstrated with Bu Meng's hairpin the proper way a hairpin would be held if someone fell into a well: the head of the hairpin would be in the palm with the pin end pointing upwards.

However, the hairpin found with Noble Lady Xian had its pin end in her palm and the head pointing upwards, indicating she was holding it before falling, not pulling it from someone's hair. This decisively proved Bu Meng's innocence and that she was not involved in Noble Lady Xian's death. Your Majesty ordered Zhen Shishuang to find the true murderer who framed Bu Meng within five days.

Bu Meng, curious about the investigation, requested Your Majesty's permission to join Zhen Shishuang in the investigation. Although Your Majesty was somewhat jealous, he agreed. After leaving prison, Bu Meng and Zhen Shishuang first went to Noble Lady Xian's quarters to search for clues. While searching, Bu Meng discovered a fan by the window.

She recognized it as East Prince's, recalling that he had used it at a past feast to flirt with a palace maid, offering it to her though she refused. Bu Meng speculated that East Prince might have eventually given it to the maid, who then killed Noble Lady Xian. Zhen Shishuang quickly dismissed this theory, and they decided to leave the palace to question East Prince about the fan.

Bu Meng immediately returned to Fanghua Palace to change into men's attire to go with Zhen Shishuang, but he had already left. Frustrated, she hired a carriage to catch up. She spotted Zhen Shishuang outside the city gate, deep in thought, and he did not respond to her calls. She stopped the carriage to approach him.

After the carriage fare was paid, they headed directly to the House of Desires, where East Prince was known to be reveling under the alias "Mr. Dong Dong." Upstairs, they found East Prince enjoying himself. Bu Meng asked East Prince if he recognized the fan. East Prince identified it as his, explaining that at the feast, he offered it to a maid, but West Prince intervened, scolded him, and took the fan.

Fearing West Prince's violent tendencies, East Prince did not try to reclaim it. Bu Meng and Zhen Shishuang exchanged glances, deciding their next step was to find West Prince. Leaving the House of Desires, Bu Meng and Zhen Shishuang walked the streets, discussing the case. They suddenly saw a drunken West Prince assaulting a person. After the commotion, Zhen Shishuang approached West Prince and showed him the fan. West Prince recognized it, saying, "Isn't this that old peacock's fan?"

referring to East Prince, before promptly collapsing into Zhen Shishuang's arms, completely unconscious. With no other option, they carried him to the Fortune Inn to sober up. Meanwhile, back in the palace, Your Majesty was deeply worried. He had dispatched his eunuch Fu Xi to discreetly follow Zhen Shishuang and Bu Meng, fearing a rekindling of old feelings between them. Fu Xi returned to report that they were staying at an inn and had taken a room.

Your Majesty was greatly annoyed, unable to comprehend why an investigation would require them to stay out all night, but he felt he couldn't prevent Bu Meng from investigating without losing face. That evening, West Prince finally sobered up. Bu Meng showed him the fan and asked who he had given it to. West Prince thought for a moment and then remembered: he was passing a latrine when South Prince emerged, complaining about the smell.

Seeing the fan in West Prince's hand, South Prince took it and went inside the latrine. With this new lead, Bu Meng and Zhen Shishuang fell into contemplation, planning to return to the palace.

Bu Meng and Zhen Shishuang continued their investigation into Noble Lady Xian's death, which led them to Wanbao Antique, where they encountered Prince Nan and Prince Bei. Prince Bei candidly remarked that the antiques were fake, which irritated the shopkeeper. Zhen Shishuang then showed Prince Nan a fan, asking if he recognized it. Prince Nan vaguely recalled seeing West Prince with it and taking it into the latrine because of its unsightly appearance.

When pressed about the fan's ultimate fate, Prince Nan struggled to remember. Prince Bei interjected, explaining he had found Brother Dong's fan in the latrine and intended to return it. On his way, he witnessed a disgusting scene: a eunuch and a woman engaged in illicit behavior, which so repulsed him that he threw the fan at them. He admitted he didn't clearly see the woman.

This information prompted Bu Meng and Zhen Shishuang to decide to return to the palace. As they prepared to return to the palace, Bu Meng remembered her promises to purchase gifts for Consort Yan, Qu Pin, and Noble Lady Xiao. They quickly went shopping before heading back. Inside the carriage, Zhen Shishuang finally questioned Bu Meng about a letter she had written to him previously but which he had never received.

Bu Meng, after a moment's hesitation, confessed that she had written wanting him to propose marriage to her. A profound silence filled the carriage in response. Meanwhile, the Emperor in the palace was vexed by Bu Meng and Zhen Shishuang's joint investigation. He summoned Imperial Physician Liu Jinyan. During Liu Jinyan's complaints about women, the Emperor regarded him as a confidant, but then abruptly dismissed him.

Upon returning to the palace, Bu Meng and Zhen Shishuang headed to Noble Consort Ru's palace to question her. Outside, Bu Meng displayed obvious signs of fear and nervousness, but she bravely refused Zhen Shishuang's offer to let her return, steeling herself to enter. Inside, Zhen Shishuang questioned Noble Consort Ru about Noble Lady Xian's death. Noble Consort Ru dismissed the idea of harming such an unfavored woman and refused to divulge any information.

As they departed, Zhen Shishuang, with his keen insight, pressured Lǜ Liu. Lǜ Liu eventually confessed that one night, Noble Lady Xian had come to Noble Consort Ru, bringing Bu Meng's hairpin to seek refuge. Noble Consort Ru rebuked Noble Lady Xian and drove her away. Later, Bu Meng arrived back at Fanghua Palace to find a mountain of gifts from various consorts.

Consort Yan explained that with Noble Consort Ru's grand tutor impeached and her favor waning, and with Bu Meng gaining the Emperor's attention, the other consorts were seeking to align themselves with Bu Meng. Bu Meng, uncomfortable with the gifts, decided to send them all to the Emperor for him to handle. She borrowed Consort Yan's cart and delivered the gifts to Changji Hall. Wu Weiyong intercepted her and led her into the palace.

Inside, the Emperor, exasperated by persistent rumors among his ministers that he was not capable in that regard, proposed that Bu Meng help him dispel them by spending the night with him, threatening her freedom if she refused. Bu Meng refused. The Emperor then changed the subject, suggesting they visit Noble Lady Xian's former residence for more clues.

At Noble Lady Xian's residence, amidst Bu Meng and the Emperor's bickering, a sudden clap of thunder startled Bu Meng, causing her sleeve to knock over a vase. Inside, she discovered a piece of paper adorned with a strange totem. A little palace maid, Xiao Qing, suddenly appeared, startling both Bu Meng and the Emperor. Xiao Qing explained she was retrieving luggage for her good friend Xiao Cui, who was Noble Lady Xian's former maid.

She also mentioned Noble Lady Xian's volatile temper, which often led to her beating Xiao Cui without cause, and that Noble Lady Xian's eunuch, Zhang Er, had returned home. However, Xiao Qing revealed that she had seen Noble Lady Xian the night before her death, looking profoundly terrified. This left Bu Meng puzzled, as Noble Consort Ru's reprimand shouldn't have caused such extreme fear. After Xiao Qing left, the Emperor and Bu Meng returned to Changji Hall.

In Changji Hall, Bu Meng and the Emperor analyzed that all this must be related to the totem and Dongli State, which was long annihilated by the Emperor's father. They concluded that descendants of Dongli State might be seeking revenge, and an accomplice to the assassin was likely operating within the palace, explaining the assassin's repeated escapes. The Emperor tasked Bu Meng with secretly investigating to uncover the mole and the murderer.

In Changji Hall, with His Majesty, Mengfei, and Noble Consort Ru present, Subject Zhen presented evidence and a witness to explain the death of Noble Lady Xian. He revealed that Zhang Er, a eunuch from Noble Lady Xian's palace, was a fake eunuch. Noble Lady Xian, having fallen out of favor, began an affair with Zhang Er. Subject Zhen also explained that Noble Lady Xian had picked up Mengfei's hairpin in the imperial garden.

Their affair was discovered one night during a banquet when Prince Bei stumbled upon them being intimate. Disgusted, he threw Prince Dong's fan, which he had found in the latrine, at them. Terrified, Noble Lady Xian recognized it as Prince Dong's fan. Extremely frightened, she thought of seeking refuge with Noble Consort Ru, bringing Mengfei's hairpin with her. However, Noble Consort Ru saw through her desperation and reprimanded her.

Overwhelmed by fear upon returning to her palace, Noble Lady Xian decided to commit suicide. His Majesty, upon hearing this, was furious and immediately banished Zhang Er. The case of Noble Lady Xian's death was thus concluded. The case concluded, but Mengfei still pondered the mystery of the Dongli State and the assassins, connecting them to the totem she had found in Noble Lady Xian's room.

She shared her concerns with Subject Zhen, explaining her theory that Noble Lady Xian's death was linked to the Dongli State totem and showing him a relationship map she had created. While discussing, Mengfei criticized His Majesty for neglecting the inner palace, which she believed led to such incidents. Just as she was complaining, His Majesty unexpectedly appeared.

Subject Zhen quickly covered for Mengfei, explaining she was discussing the case out of concern for His Majesty's safety, which Mengfei quickly affirmed, and they narrowly avoided trouble. While Mengfei and her ladies were relaxing, Yan Er burst in with urgent news: a family servant reported an attempt to poison Minister Bu. Mengfei, anxious, immediately rushed out of Fanghua Palace, where His Majesty, already in casual clothes, was waiting. They immediately departed for Bu Manor.

Upon arriving at Bu Manor, Mengfei found that it was her brother, Bu Yue, who had been poisoned, not her father. She found his stiff face and black lips amusing. Bu Yue explained that he had suspected something was amiss with his father's food and tasted it. Although he immediately spat it out, he still suffered from the poison, which was designed to mute the victim, a severe blow for a court minister.

It was also discovered that the family servant who administered the poison had ties to Grand Tutor Ru's manor. After the visit, His Majesty took Mengfei to an alley, instructing her to stay put while he went in to handle some matters. Bored, Mengfei saw several adults bullying a young boy for stealing. She intervened, rescued the child, and bought him food. Soon after, Mengfei experienced a sudden stomach ache and went in search of a latrine.

Meanwhile, His Majesty, emerging from his errand, could not find Mengfei and became anxious. He looked everywhere and then spotted the boy holding Mengfei's money bag and questioned him. At that moment, several black-clad assassins attacked His Majesty. Bao Qu arrived to assist in the fight, and Mengfei, returning from the latrine, rushed back to the scene. During the melee, Mengfei was accidentally wounded.

When an assassin was about to fire a poisonous needle at His Majesty, Mengfei bravely shielded him, taking the poisoned dart herself. Eighteen Kill and other guards, who had dispersed to look for Mengfei, quickly arrived, subduing the remaining attackers and resolving the crisis. The assassination attempt, along with Mengfei's injury, solidified His Majesty and Mengfei's determination to uncover the true mastermind.

Mengfei proposed a plan to draw out the mole within the palace: by widely publicizing the news of His Majesty's injury and the interrogation of captured assassins to force them to reveal their leader. Under Concubine Yan's continuous propagation of these rumors, the mastermind, Noble Consort Ru, finally took action. She instructed Lü Liu to bribe the jailer and poison the assassin in prison. Mengfei, His Majesty, and Subject Zhen had already laid an ambush in the prison.

Ultimately, Noble Consort Ru was speechless. Ru Rong, also present, confirmed that Noble Consort Ru was indeed not Grand Tutor Ru's biological daughter but a descendant of the Dongli State royal family, and that she was responsible for the Dongli State assassins. Subject Zhen then accused Noble Consort Ru of attempting to kill the captured assassin to silence him. Subject Zhen then laid out Noble Consort Ru's full treachery regarding Noble Lady Xian's death.

He explained that when Noble Lady Xian sought Noble Consort Ru's support, she accidentally saw the Dongli State totem tattoo on Noble Consort Ru's arm while she was bathing. Fearing exposure of her identity, Noble Consort Ru decided to silence Noble Lady Xian. She instructed Lü Liu to threaten Noble Lady Xian, coercing her to commit suicide while holding Mengfei's hairpin, thereby framing Mengfei and protecting her own secret.

The evidence against Noble Consort Ru mounted, and her maid, Lü Liu, broke down, confessing and apologizing to Noble Consort Ru. With all evidence exposed, Noble Consort Ru finally broke down, crying and confessing her crimes. She expressed bitter resentment towards His Majesty, lamenting his lack of love and his failure to elevate her to Empress. His Majesty then ordered Noble Consort Ru to be dragged out.

Following the resolution of the Consort Ru assassination attempt, the Emperor escorted Mengfei back to Fanghua Palace and kissed her forehead. Mengfei was unable to sleep, contemplating the meaning of the Emperor's gesture. She struggled with her feelings, realizing that even as she considered leaving the palace, the Emperor still had an effect on her. She reminded herself that the imperial harem was not suited for her ambitions and tried to steel her resolve.

The next day, Mengfei bid farewell to Zhen Shishuang at the palace gates. Zhen Shishuang confessed that he still liked her and wondered what would have happened if he had received her letter in the past. Mengfei was moved by his words and recalled their youth. The Emperor, concerned for Mengfei, arrived and interrupted their conversation. Mengfei explained that they were discussing a story’s ending, attributing her tears to a yawn.

She quickly reminded him of the gift she had prepared for him in Fanghua Palace. Amused, the Emperor watched her hurry back to the palace. In Fanghua Palace, Mengfei found Qu Xiao practicing the erhu, hoping to attract the Emperor's attention. The discordant sounds filled the palace. When Noble Lady Xiao was about to take the erhu away from Qu Xiao, Consort Yan suggested that Mengfei should persuade Qu Xiao to stop.

Mengfei gently told Qu Xiao that the erhu's melancholic sound was not ideal and suggested she change to another instrument. Soon after, the sound of a suona filled the air as Qu Xiao enthusiastically played a festive tune. As Noble Lady Xiao prepared to stop her again, Yan Er brought news that Chef Cai was unable to cook lunch because Qu Xiao's playing had given him hand cramps.

Qu Xiao, concerned about the lack of food, immediately abandoned the suona and went to massage Chef Cai's hands. That evening, Fu Xi announced that the Emperor had chosen Mengfei to spend the night with him. Qu Xiao, envious, made Mengfei promise not to fall for the Emperor and pretended to lock away Mengfei's heart. At Changji Palace, Mengfei and the Emperor bantered in bed.

Mengfei joked about how long she would have to sleep with him to dispel rumors of his "unmentionable disease." The Emperor teased her in return. As they slept, the Emperor unconsciously put his arm around Mengfei. The next morning, Mengfei complained about the Emperor's restless sleeping habits. The Emperor responded with a "wall-slam" embrace, making her heart race. Afterwards, the Emperor invited her to a pottery studio, where they made pottery together.

Initially, they enjoyed a sweet moment, but the Emperor playfully smeared clay on her face, leading to a playful fight. Covered in clay, Mengfei returned to Fanghua Palace, where her friends teased her. The next day, Wu Weiyong delivered the fired pottery, stating that the pieces represented the Emperor and asked them to cherish them. Consort Yan mistook one for a "spittoon," while Qu Xiao thought it looked like a "dog bowl."

Mengfei insisted it was a "flower vase" and gifted it to Qu Xiao. In the following days, Mengfei paced outside Changji Palace, looking dejected. Wu Weiyong noticed her and told her that the Emperor had been in a bad mood and not eating well. Mengfei, however, refused to enter. Back in Fanghua Palace, Mengfei reflected on her moments with the Emperor. She feared that actively seeking him out would seem sycophantic, leading to her continued melancholy.

The Emperor also missed their time together. Observing Mengfei's sadness, Consort Yan encouraged her to visit the Emperor. Despite Mengfei's reluctance, Consort Yan urged her to go. Consort Yan watched Mengfei leave with a knowing smile, realizing that Mengfei had fallen in love.

Mengfei visited the Emperor at his palace. The Emperor, believing she had come to hold him to his promise of granting her freedom, offered to take her out to play today. They arranged to meet at 11 PM where the inner walls started, to visit the night market. At the appointed hour, Mengfei arrived at the palace walls, equipped for climbing. She offered to go first and then pull the Emperor up.

After Mengfei successfully climbed to the top, the Emperor playfully shook the rope, causing her to fall. He immediately caught her and then used his martial arts skills to effortlessly carry her over the wall, leaving Mengfei astonished. They rented a carriage to the black market. The Emperor feigned not carrying any money and made Mengfei pay the driver, which made Mengfei feel dismayed.

As they explored the market, the Emperor took a liking to a heart-shaped stone at a stall named "The Story of the Stones" and asked Mengfei to pay for it. Mengfei couldn't understand why the Emperor wanted to buy this stone, especially for five taels of silver. Helpless, Mengfei reluctantly paid for the expensive stone. In front of Joy Luck Inn, Mengfei and the Emperor unexpectedly encountered Zhen Shishuang, who had just finished investigating a case.

Mengfei was delighted to see him and invited him to join them, even asking to borrow money from him. However, the Emperor, clearly jealous, immediately forbade her from using another man's money and, stubbornly, pulled her into Joy Luck Inn. Once inside, the Emperor realized it was a brothel and scolded Mengfei for not explaining it to him.

Nevertheless, he put on a brave face and sat down, with the Emperor on the left, Mengfei in the middle, and Zhen Shishuang on the right. Initially, they only drank tea. Later, a brothel lady approached and invited the Emperor to drink. He, however, insisted Mengfei drink with him. When Zhen Shishuang offered to drink on Mengfei's behalf, the brothel lady left, assuming they had a confusing relationship.

Embarrassed, Mengfei took a sip and surprisingly enjoyed the wine, proceeding to drink heavily. Soon, she was completely drunk. Zhen Shishuang, seeing her state, decided to carry her upstairs to rest, much to the Emperor's obvious displeasure. After using the washroom, a drunken Mengfei stumbled into the Emperor's room by mistake. The Emperor embraced her and spoke to her, but Mengfei had already fallen asleep. Helpless, he had no choice but to carry her to bed with him.

The next morning, Mengfei and the Emperor woke up. A servant at Joy Luck Inn offered them breakfast. After cautiously checking the food for poison, they confidently ate. Unbeknownst to them, the inn was a dishonest establishment, and knockout medicine had been secretly placed in their teacups, rendering them unconscious. The inn's boss intended to sell Mengfei off to a distant location. As Mengfei was being taken away, the Emperor timely appeared, rescuing her by incapacitating the thugs.

However, they soon found themselves lost in a bamboo forest, eventually ending up in an unknown place. The Emperor caught a rabbit for their dinner. Later that night, as they ate the roasted rabbit, Mengfei heard wolf howls and became very scared. The Emperor offered her his embrace for warmth. Mengfei, although accepting, stubbornly claimed she was merely seeking warmth and not scared. The next morning, Zhen Shishuang and his companions found the trail left by the Emperor.

Zhen Shishuang, linking it to the case he was investigating, arrived first to find the Emperor and Mengfei. Not long after, Bao Qu arrived with imperial guards, having been informed by Zhen Shishuang's messenger. Everyone then planned to return to the palace. On their way back, the Emperor went to see the Empress Dowager, who was worried about him. She chastised him.

After her reprimand, the Empress Dowager noticed Mengfei, who was still dressed in men's clothing, and inquired about her identity. Only then did the Emperor remember to introduce Mengfei as Consort Meng, instructing her to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager, thus marking their first meeting as daughter-in-law and mother-in-law.

The Empress Dowager returned to the palace, and the consorts gathered at Xingqing Palace to welcome her. She offered gifts to everyone present. Consort Qu, with her endearing and somewhat naive personality, was especially praised by the Empress Dowager for her eloquent words and received extra gifts. However, the joyful atmosphere shifted when the Empress Dowager spotted Consort Meng, whom she remembered had ventured outside the palace with the Emperor to "fool around."

Angered, she immediately ordered Consort Meng to kneel, strictly forbidding anyone from disturbing her or informing the Emperor. Consort Yan, Noble Consort Xiao, and Consort Qu joined Consort Meng in solidarity, kneeling together for the sisterhood of Fanghua Palace. During dinner with the Emperor, the Empress Dowager questioned why he was so concerned about Consort Meng's punishment, asserting her right to discipline anyone in the imperial harem.

The Emperor explained that Consort Meng was the daughter of Royal Historian Bu, a man whose upright and outspoken criticisms often tormented him in court. He pleaded with his mother to be lenient with Consort Meng to avoid further torment from Royal Historian Bu. The Empress Dowager immediately saw through his affection, teasing him about his feelings for Consort Meng. However, the Emperor then revealed that he had promised Consort Meng her freedom to leave the palace for good.

This declaration infuriated the Empress Dowager, who vehemently forbade it, threatening to torture Consort Meng if she tried to defy her. After finishing her meal, the Empress Dowager, though still angry, allowed Consort Meng to return to her palace.

Later, in the imperial garden, the Emperor approached Consort Meng and offered her two paths to freedom: she could fake her death, adopt a new identity, and travel the world, though she would be unable to contact her family, or he could officially issue her a divorce letter, allowing her to retain her identity but face public scrutiny and gossip. He then left, advising her to take her time considering her options.

Back at Fanghua Palace, Consort Meng, preparing for her departure, asked Yan Er to fetch farewell gifts for Consort Yan, Noble Consort Xiao, and Consort Qu. She presented Consort Qu with clothes, Consort Yan with a limited-edition rouge, and Noble Consort Xiao with a dagger, items that were their favorites. The other consorts were saddened by the news but expressed their best wishes. Concurrently, the Empress Dowager feigned illness once more, pressuring the Emperor to provide her with a grandson.

She introduced him to a new candidate, Xiao Ruan, at a banquet in the imperial garden, where the Emperor met Xiao Ruan. Consort Meng, who had gone for a walk with Consort Yan, witnessed this scene and felt very unhappy. That night, Consort Meng drank heavily to drown her sorrows. Consort Yan, concerned, sent a maid to invite the Emperor.

Upon arrival, the Emperor tried to stop Consort Meng from drinking, but she continued, clamoring for a stone she had gifted him, accusing him of favoring the new lady's fan and demanding her stone back. In her drunken state, she then vomited all over him. The next morning, Consort Meng woke up to find the stone on her table.

Consort Yan recounted her drunken antics from the previous night, including her vomiting on the Emperor, adding that the Empress Dowager had already heard about it and was furious. Terrified, Consort Meng immediately decided to go to the Empress Dowager's palace and admit her wrongdoings. Consort Meng went to Xingqing Palace and confessed her drunken misbehavior. The Empress Dowager, still enraged, ordered her to be sent to the cold palace.

The Emperor immediately intervened, falsely claiming that Consort Meng was pregnant with his child. Consort Meng played along. The Empress Dowager called for Physician Liu Jinyan, who "confirmed" the pregnancy. Overjoyed at the prospect of a grandson, the Empress Dowager rescinded her punishment, instructed Consort Meng to prioritize her health, and promised her protection within the palace. A celebratory feast was held in the imperial garden. Xiao Ruan, unwilling to accept the situation, saw Consort Meng take a stroll.

Seizing the opportunity, Xiao Ruan deliberately broke her beaded bracelet near Consort Meng, causing her to slip and fall. Xiao Ruan loudly called for the Empress Dowager and suggested that a miracle doctor examine Consort Meng. The physician, however, revealed that Consort Meng was not pregnant at all. The Empress Dowager erupted in fury, realizing she had been deceived and accusing the Emperor and Consort Meng of lying to her.

As punishment, the Emperor and Consort Meng were made to kneel outside Xingqing Palace for the duration of "two incense sticks." The Empress Dowager eventually relented, feeling pity for her son. She declared that she would grant Consort Meng her freedom and ordered Consort Meng to leave the palace immediately. Consort Meng thanked her. Consort Meng, carrying her belongings, arrived at the palace gates. As she stood outside, old memories of her time with the Emperor flooded her mind.

Realizing she didn't want to leave after all, Consort Meng gave up leaving and rushed back to Changji Hall to find the Emperor. She declared that she would not leave. Overjoyed, the Emperor embraced her tightly. Following this, Consort Meng embarked on a mission to win over the Empress Dowager, frequently visiting Xingqing Palace and annoying the Empress Dowager greatly. Though the Empress Dowager remained exasperated, the Emperor and Consort Meng were sweet and loving.

The inner palace was abuzz with the arrival of a new princess from an enemy state for a marriage alliance. However, Meng Fei in Fanghua Palace remained unfazed. While out for a stroll, Meng Fei encountered several other consorts who greeted her with unexpected warmth, eager to befriend her.

Feeling resistant, Meng Fei instructed her personal maid, Yan Er, to list her four peculiar hobbies: scratching her head, picking her ears, digging her nostrils, and massaging her feet, hoping to deter them. This made the consorts quite embarrassed, but they still promised to visit Fanghua Palace. Meng Fei was baffled by their persistence, wondering why they still sought her out after such a display.

Back at Fanghua Palace, Meng Fei discussed the strange encounters with Consort Yan and Consort Qu. Consort Yan clarified that the consorts’ sudden interest wasn't due to Meng Fei's charm, but rather the rising fame of her elder brother, General Bu Yue. Meng Fei expressed disbelief, annoyed that her brother was being praised so highly. Consort Yan and Consort Qu expressed a strong desire to meet Bu Yue, who happened to be in the palace.

So, they all went to Changji Hall, where Bu Yue was currently meeting with His Majesty. Outside Changji Hall, Bu Yue greeted Meng Fei affectionately, calling her his "good Mengmei." He playfully urged her to bear him a "big nephew" soon. Meng Fei immediately countered, listing his many past romantic entanglements and calling him a "typical scumbag." Bu Yue, however, took great pride in the title, which infuriated Meng Fei.

After Bu Yue departed, Consort Yan and Consort Qu, who had been hiding nearby, emerged, marveling at his "personality," much to Meng Fei’s utter speechlessness. The following day, as Meng Fei was tending to her birds in Fanghua Palace, Consort Yan burst in with news.

She reported seeing Bu Yue chatting animatedly with the Fat Princess at her residence, their conversation flowing so well it seemed they might become sworn siblings, and she asked if Meng Fei wanted to go see. Consort Yan added that Bu Yue had been visiting the palace frequently, moving slowly when summoned by His Majesty but quickly when going to see the princess. Both Consort Yan and Consort Qu suspected Bu Yue had fallen for the Fat Princess.

Meng Fei found it hard to believe but was nonetheless worried. They decided to investigate together. Upon arriving at the Fat Princess's residence, they witnessed Bu Yue fixing a swing for the princess, then sitting beside her and pushing her. Meng Fei, unable to remain calm, wanted to intervene, but Consort Yan restrained her, suggesting they throw pebbles to alert the couple to their presence. Meng Fei, Consort Yan, and Consort Qu each threw a pebble.

However, Bu Yue skillfully blocked the stones and then began teaching the princess a game with rocks, chatting and laughing, which only further infuriated Meng Fei and left her speechless. Meng Fei, convinced she had to intervene, confronted Bu Yue and warned him to stay away from the princess. However, Bu Yue, deeply in love, declared that he couldn't let go of Princess Zha Zha, and then he left.

Soon after, Meng Fei learned that Bu Yue and the princess had eloped. Distraught, she rushed to Changji Hall to apologize to His Majesty and pledged to retrieve her brother. His Majesty was not angry and granted her permission to search for Bu Yue. Meng Fei embarked on a search, visiting all the typical haunts favored by men, including brothels like Chunfeng Deyilou, but Bu Yue was nowhere to be found.

She then ran into Zhen Shishuang, to whom she explained the situation. Zhen Shishuang astutely suggested that if Bu Yue had truly eloped, he wouldn't be in such prominent places but rather a remote inn. After an extensive search, they finally located Bu Yue at the Guluo Inn. Bu Yue attempted to flee, but Zhen Shishuang helped Meng Fei apprehend him and bring him back to the inn. As Meng Fei was persuading her brother, His Majesty unexpectedly appeared.

He revealed the truth: Princess Zha Zha was not the real princess but merely her maid. Bu Yue was heartbroken by the deception. Despite his disappointment, he still offered the maid money, empathizing with her plight and promising to help her if she encountered future difficulties. Meng Fei comforted her crestfallen brother. Later, Meng Fei and Zhen Shishuang conversed on a bridge. At the end of their conversation, Zhen Shishuang gave Meng Fei a hairpin. Upon their return to the inn, His Majesty saw the hairpin and became noticeably jealous again. He also kissed Meng Fei, which surprised her greatly.

As Mengfei was playing in the palace grounds, she suddenly encountered Zhen Shishuang. Just as she prepared to leave, Zhen Shishuang called out to her. He announced that he was about to get married, surprising Mengfei so much that she dropped her pinwheel. He handed her a wedding invitation. Unbeknownst to Mengfei, the Emperor had been watching their entire conversation from atop a palace wall, growing increasingly jealous. Fortunately, they didn't talk for long before parting ways.

Back in Fanghua Palace, Mengfei was distracted and out of sorts, even cracking melon seeds clumsily. Yanfei, noticing her unusual behavior, asked what was wrong. Mengfei confided in her about Zhen Shishuang's wedding invitation, making Yanfei promise not to tell anyone. Yanfei then speculated that Zhen Shishuang must still harbor feelings for Mengfei, suggesting that sending an invitation was his way of gauging her reaction. Mengfei, however, dismissed this idea.

The next day, despite Mengfei's request for secrecy, Noble Lady Xiao and Qu Xiao were also aware of the invitation. Yanfei sheepishly admitted to a momentary slip of the tongue. The three friends discussed the wedding invitation. Just as their discussion became animated, the Emperor arrived unannounced, having instructed his attendants not to inform them. The ladies immediately ceased their conversation upon seeing him, but unfortunately, the Emperor had already overheard.

Displeased, the Emperor turned to leave, but at that moment, Zhen Shishuang's wedding invitation fluttered to his feet. Mengfei quickly tried to explain, but the Emperor, consumed by jealousy, ignored her. Instead, he summoned Yanfei to Changji Palace, instructing her to fix a kite and then fly kites with him. Yanfei, glumly, went to Changji Palace.

After fixing the kite, she accompanied the Emperor in flying kites, a sight that caused immense envy among the other concubines in the imperial garden. The Emperor, still consumed by jealousy over Mengfei's past connection with Zhen Shishuang, initiated a cold war against her. He frequently summoned Yanfei for repairs, sent lavish, exclusive meals to Qu Xiao (specifically forbidding others from eating them), and engaged Noble Lady Xiao in sparring sessions, pointedly excluding Mengfei from his attention.

The constant demands left Yanfei, Qu Xiao, and Noble Lady Xiao feeling extremely annoyed and frustrated, as they clearly recognized the Emperor's actions as a form of indirect punishment against Mengfei. However, Mengfei herself remained oblivious to the Emperor's anger. Mengfei eventually noticed the Emperor's unusual behavior and visited Liu Jinyan at the Imperial Hospital. She said she felt the Emperor had been a bit off lately and asked Liu Jinyan to examine him.

Liu Jinyan immediately promised, and also teased Mengfei, asking if she was together with the Emperor. Mengfei left in a good mood. On her way, she met Zhen Shishuang again and returned the wedding invitation to him, explaining it had caused her too much trouble. Zhen Shishuang then revealed that his fiancée had eloped with her lover. Mengfei expressed surprise, questioning how he, known for his keen observation, could have missed such an affair. He admitted he "wasn't paying attention."

After speaking, they separated. Meanwhile, back at Fanghua Palace, Yanfei, Qu Xiao, and Noble Lady Xiao's anniversary with Mengfei was approaching. Yanfei proposed that their collective goal should be to help Mengfei reconcile with the Emperor, thereby ending their own troubles caused by the Emperor's indirect actions. They planned to invite the Emperor to Fanghua Palace. Mengfei returned to the palace.

She saw Yanfei and Noble Lady Xiao standing on the bridge and was very happy, talking to them about Zhen Shishuang. Yanfei and the others immediately tried to change the topic, knowing that the Emperor was nearby in Fanghua Palace. But Mengfei didn't know; after seeing Qu Xiao arrive, she continued to talk enthusiastically. Realizing they were losing control of the situation, Yanfei and Noble Lady Xiao immediately tried to prompt Mengfei about the gift she had prepared.

Misunderstanding, Mengfei proudly produced several knitted scarves, explaining she had made them for her three friends. She presented them. The Emperor, who had been secretly watching, finally couldn't sit still. He stepped out, sarcastically remarking, "Your friendship is truly good," and then left. Mengfei finally realized she was in serious trouble. Determined to make amends, Mengfei went to Changji Palace to apologize to the Emperor, intending to appease him. The Emperor, angered by Mengfei, directly expressed his feelings for her and kissed her.

Consort Qu, known as Wanwan, surprised Consort Yan by eating chicken legs in the afternoon after already having five bowls of rice at lunch. Wanwan explained that she felt hungry again shortly after eating and couldn't control her appetite. Consort Yan teased Wanwan about her weight gain, joking that she might not be in the top three for the Annual Best-Looking Group Awards.

Meng Fei reassured Wanwan, calling her "plump and cute," and emphasized that fullness was a sign of extravagance. Wanwan then shared her desire to share a pig's trotter with the Emperor. The next day, as the consorts were in the imperial garden, Su Ruan walked by, eliciting admiration. Meng Fei humorously commented on Su Ruan's thinness and pallor, while others mentioned the Empress Dowager's fondness for her.

Su Ruan sought an audience with the Emperor, who initially refused to see her. Undeterred, she insisted on waiting, even threatening to stand in the rain. The Emperor eventually met with Su Ruan and firmly stated he had no romantic feelings for her. He offered to arrange a marriage for her instead. Su Ruan refused to believe him, claiming the other consorts were just "shields."

The Emperor then pulled Meng Fei into his arms and kissed her, declaring his affection for Meng Fei's personality and appearance. He warned Su Ruan that if she continued to bother him, Meng Fei would be upset. Su Ruan stormed off, disheartened. Meng Fei, pleased but cautious, warned the Emperor about public displays of affection. Wanwan, having witnessed this, walked away looking upset.

The Emperor prevented Meng Fei from comforting Wanwan, stating she wasn't ready to know about their relationship yet. Feeling betrayed by the Emperor's affection for Meng Fei and her friends' perceived deception, Qu Xiao went to the imperial kitchen to eat away her sorrows. There, she encountered Su Ruan, who feigned empathy and blamed Meng Fei for Qu Xiao's unhappiness. Su Ruan then insulted Qu Xiao's weight, convincing her that Meng Fei and her friends were secretly mocking her.

Influenced by Su Ruan's words, Qu Xiao vowed to stop eating and threw away snacks offered to her by Cai Taixian. Back at Fanghua Palace, Qu Xiao began a strict diet. Her friends grew concerned about her extreme methods. One morning, a palace maid reported that Qu Xiao was on the roof, threatening suicide. The consorts and Liu Jinyan rushed to Fanghua Palace. From the rooftop, Qu Xiao accused her friends of forcing her to eat.

Liu Jinyan tried to talk her down, but Qu Xiao jumped, landing on him and injuring him. He diagnosed her with starvation and prescribed a liquid diet. Despite the incident, Qu Xiao remained determined to lose weight, influenced by Su Ruan. Meng Fei discovered Su Ruan's manipulation and confronted her, but Su Ruan feigned innocence. Qu Xiao, still trusting Su Ruan, refused to return to Fanghua Palace, hurting Meng Fei, who angrily declared their friendship "cracked."

Su Ruan then gave Qu Xiao "weight loss pills" which were actually potent laxatives containing crotons, rhubarb, and hemp seeds. Qu Xiao suffered severe diarrhea, leading to another visit to the Imperial Infirmary. Liu Jinyan revealed the pills' harmful ingredients and condemned Qu Xiao's blind trust in Su Ruan, pointing out that her true friends had been worried about her, while Su Ruan had never appeared. Finally, Qu Xiao realized Su Ruan's malicious intent.

She confronted Su Ruan and told her to leave her friends alone. Su Ruan retreated, defeated. With Qu Xiao's eyes open, Meng Fei and her friends helped her create a healthy weight loss plan. Qu Xiao followed a diet of boiled cabbage and exercised daily, cheered on by her friends. She successfully lost weight and wanted to show off her new figure to the Emperor.

In the garden, Meng Fei subtly tried to draw the Emperor's attention to Qu Xiao's transformation. However, the Emperor expressed concern over her skinniness and said he preferred her chubbier. The other consorts agreed that she looked unwell. Heartbroken, Qu Xiao took snacks and left the garden. Back in Fanghua Palace, Qu Xiao cried. Her friends comforted her, telling her to embrace herself and stop torturing herself. Qu Xiao agreed to "return to her old self" and requested food.

In the imperial garden, the Emperor teased Meng Fei for trying to get him to comment on Qu Xiao's appearance. He reaffirmed his preference for a chubbier figure and told Meng Fei, who he considered too thin, to eat more so she would be "nicer to hug." Meng Fei reminded him that he had once called her too heavy. The Emperor embraced her and promised to "fill her memory with more of my hugs."

He Qiliao's side business in Jianghu came to the Emperor's attention, leading to his summons to the palace for an explanation. He Qiliao assured His Majesty he was not a spy and that his beauty books were very popular. Impressed, the Emperor commended him and granted permission for him to continue writing beauty books. Meanwhile, in Fanghua Palace, Concubine Qu was distressed by a pimple on her face.

Consort Yan and Noble Lady Xiao ignored her, so she sought help from Consort Meng. Consort Meng agreed, but only if Concubine Qu could acquire He Qiliao's Jianghu beauty secret book for her. Concubine Qu found He Qiliao, whose books were now in high demand and had to be purchased. Concubine Qu, with a clever idea, threatened He Qiliao and finally got the book.

Back at Fanghua Palace, Concubine Qu gave the book to Consort Meng, who then used He Qiliao's book to apply makeup to Concubine Qu, hoping to divert attention from her pimple. However, the attempt failed. Meanwhile, Su Ruan, with ill intentions, approached He Qiliao. She tempted him, suggesting he could not only sell books but also beauty products to the consorts. Thinking of the money, He Qiliao agreed, deciding they would split the profits 50-50.

Once the products arrived, He Qiliao immediately held a product launch, using his eloquent sales pitch to attract many consorts. However, the consorts from Fanghua Palace, including Consort Meng and Consort Yan, did not buy them. This was because Consort Meng had been angered and left after He Qiliao pointed out her wrinkles. While other consorts were frantically buying products, He Qiliao gave Su Ruan her share of the profits.

Su Ruan then tempted him further, suggesting that merely selling products was insufficient. They should also offer "surgery" to reshape the consorts' faces into the desired "pointed chins." He Qiliao admitted he lacked the skill for this, so Su Ruan suggested he find someone else. He Qiliao was enlightened and immediately sought out the Imperial Chef, Cai Taixian. Cai Taixian agreed after hearing about the money. He Qiliao immediately began arranging for consorts to undergo the surgery.

However, when Cai Taixian saw a consort lying down for the procedure, he became too terrified to make a move. The consort, enraged, stormed off. He Qiliao then began searching everywhere for Cai Taixian. Cai Taixian hid in Fanghua Palace. Consort Meng asked him what had happened, and after he explained, she and the others decided to teach He Qiliao a lesson.

Meanwhile, He Qiliao, unable to find Cai Taixian, approached Physician Liu Jinyan, intending to recruit him into his scheme. However, Liu Jinyan strongly reprimanded him for his dangerous ideas. Before long, He Qiliao's products started causing problems. All the consorts came to him to settle scores, but He Qiliao refused to provide refunds.

Upon learning this, Consort Meng and the others directly applied He Qiliao's whitening sunscreen to his face, blindfolded him, and placed him on a rooftop, letting him experience the effects of his own product. Soon, his face became distinctly patchy, with areas of black and white. The consorts harmed by He Qiliao's products went to the Imperial Hospital, where Physician Liu Jinyan reassured them that he could cure them.

Consort Meng and the others brought He Qiliao, whose face was now patchy from his own product, to perform "after-sales service" for the consorts, eventually appeasing them. Consort Meng, now aware that Su Ruan was the mastermind, dragged Su Ruan directly to the Emperor's Changji Hall, demanding that His Majesty punish her. However, the Emperor, out of consideration for the Empress Dowager, decided to let Su Ruan go. This enraged Consort Meng, who, refusing to listen to the Emperor's explanations, angrily turned and left.

Xiao Guiren caught a chicken on the rooftop one night and the next day, told Meng Fei and Yan Fei about it. Meng Fei claimed it was a special chicken from her brother, an unusual bird that could find its own food and exercised regularly. Yan Fei suggested that Meng Fei offer this unique chicken to His Majesty to mend their strained relationship.

Meng Fei thought it was a good idea, so she prepared a delicious chicken and sent it to His Majesty. When His Majesty tasted the chicken, he was overwhelmed, finding it so delicious that it brought him to tears. He declared it the most delicious chicken he had ever eaten and, as a reward, allowed Meng Fei to choose many treasures. Witnessing the lavish rewards Meng Fei received, Zupin, Wangpin, and Noble Lady Yi grew envious.

Su Ruan appeared, subtly fanning the flames of envy by remarking that Meng Fei had obtained these rewards through a "meal of love," and encouraged the other consorts to send food to His Majesty. Despite initially dismissing the idea as merely copying, the next day, all the consorts queued at Changji Hall, hoping to present their own dishes to His Majesty.

However, His Majesty did not let them in, and none of their offerings were accepted, nor did they receive any rewards. Su Ruan then conveniently reappeared, telling them that Meng Fei received rewards because she had made a delicious chicken for His Majesty, and also revealed details about how to raise such a special chicken. Inspired by Su Ruan's "secret," the consorts embarked on various bizarre methods of chicken rearing.

Noble Lady Yi read poems to her chicken, Wangpin engaged in long conversations with hers, while Zupin gave her chicken pedicures. Meng Fei and Yan Fei observed these antics, finding them both amusing and exasperating. Yan Fei then reminded Meng Fei that she was the one who first thought of eating chicken, cautioning her against being blamed later by His Majesty. Meng Fei realized Yan Fei was right and decided to report the situation to His Majesty.

At the same time, Su Ruan approached Yan Fei, proposing a "chicken fund" as a lucrative money-making method, where the consorts could invest. Yan Fei was impressed by this scheme and recruited Imperial Chef Cai Taixian as a partner. Cai Taixian was initially reluctant, but agreed after Yan Fei promised high profits. The Chicken Fund personnel were in place, and Yan Fei began asking the consorts to invest.

She hosted a seminar in the imperial garden, enthusiastically promoting the chicken fund. In Fanghua Palace, Meng Fei and Xiao Guiren both thought it was unreliable. Meng Fei analyzed the potential issues of the chicken fund and attempted to dissuade Yan Fei, but her warnings went unheeded as the other consorts eagerly invested. After the investments were collected, Yan Fei tasked Cai Taixian with the chicken-rearing duties.

However, after some time, Zupin brought her prized chicken to Changji Hall, only for Eunuch Wu Weiyong to announce that His Majesty would not be consuming any chicken this year, as it was the Year of the Chicken. This news shattered the hopes of all investors. Soon, the consorts stormed Fanghua Palace, demanding refunds from Yan Fei, but the money had already been spent on the chickens and couldn't be refunded.

Yan Fei, distraught, suddenly remembered she had been tricked by Su Ruan, and furiously wanted to confront Su Ruan, but Meng Fei restrained her. Still seething, Meng Fei resolved to confront Su Ruan herself, to demand an explanation. She found Su Ruan intimately seated with His Majesty in Changji Hall, which infuriated her. Meng Fei accused Su Ruan of being the trickster. His Majesty, however, defended Su Ruan, revealing that she had already devised a solution.

Feeling betrayed and replaced, Meng Fei declared their relationship over and stormed out without listening to any further explanations. Back in Fanghua Palace, Meng Fei sat on her bed, heartbroken and in tears.

His Majesty's nephew, Chang Zhi, and niece, Jiu An, arrived at the palace for a visit. Their personalities seemed reversed, with Chang Zhi being shy and Jiu An bold. His Majesty played with them initially, then allowed them to play on their own. Mengfei, still angry from her recent breakup with His Majesty, instructed Fu Xi to return all items His Majesty had given her, declaring their relationship definitively over.

Meanwhile, a bored Chang Zhi, while wandering the palace, encountered Noble Lady Xiao practicing martial arts. Fascinated, Chang Zhi asked if she could perform feats like shattering a rock or pushing down a tree with her face. Noble Lady Xiao explained it was martial arts and asked if he was interested in learning. Chang Zhi, shy, denied it and quickly left. Later, back at Fanghua Palace, Noble Lady Xiao recounted her strange dream to Mengfei and Consort Yan.

In the dream, His Majesty promoted her, but with the unfortunate title "Concubine Pee." Mengfei and Consort Yan found this hilarious. Mengfei playfully teased her, saying, "You can't drink anymore, Concubine Pee," prompting Noble Lady Xiao to immediately chase her in mock anger. His Majesty, upon receiving Mengfei's returned items via Fu Xi, expressed his extreme anger.

He then took a heart-shaped stone Mengfei had given him, drew a large "X" on it, and ordered Fu Xi to return it to her. During their playful chase, Mengfei and Noble Lady Xiao stumbled upon Chang Zhi again, still attempting to kick a tree. Noble Lady Xiao teased him, referencing his earlier denial of wanting to learn martial arts. Chang Zhi then asked why she could kick down flowers while he couldn't even kick down leaves.

Noble Lady Xiao explained it was due to martial arts and offered to teach him, starting with the horse stance. Meanwhile, Mengfei was speaking with Fu Xi about returning items to His Majesty. Hearing Chang Zhi struggling with the stance, Mengfei jokingly advised him to place a fire pan under his rear. Chang Zhi, initially confused, found the logic sound after Mengfei's explanation and went to find a fire pan.

A short while later, Consort Yan informed Mengfei and Noble Lady Xiao that Fanghua Palace was facing bad luck. She revealed that Chang Zhi had "for some reason" sat on a fire pan, scorching his bottom, much to the Empress Dowager's distress. She expressed bewilderment as to why the young prince would do such a thing, making it a palace mystery.

Mengfei and Noble Lady Xiao exchanged worried glances and quickly excused themselves, leaving Consort Yan perplexed by their sudden exit, attributing it to the impending bad fortune. Just as this news sank in, Fu Xi arrived, returning the X-marked heart-shaped stone from His Majesty. Mengfei, enraged by this new provocation, furiously declared that if His Majesty wanted to return tokens of love, she would return one too.

She retrieved a foul-smelling "dragon" stone, a previous fake tribute, and soaked it in food, intending to send it back to His Majesty and "make him smell bad." Upon receiving the putrid stone, His Majesty was disgusted and immediately ordered Fu Xi to dispose of it. While Mengfei was still fuming, Chang Zhi appeared at Fanghua Palace. Mengfei, realizing his presence after the "fire pan" incident, panicked and hid behind a door.

Consort Yan noticed her distress and, feeling something was amiss, asked Mengfei. Mengfei didn't dare to say, so Noble Lady Xiao confessed the full story: the horse stance lesson and Mengfei's ill-fated "fire pan" suggestion. They decided to face Chang Zhi together. To their surprise, Chang Zhi had come to formally acknowledge Noble Lady Xiao as his "Master" and requested more training.

Noble Lady Xiao then taught him a simplified Tai Chi routine, making him promise not to tell anyone, a promise he readily gave. The next day, Chang Zhi brought Jiu An to Fanghua Palace, excitedly telling her that Noble Lady Xiao was his master. Jiu An wanted to pick flowers and asked Noble Lady Xiao to do it. However, Mengfei redirected them, telling them to go find His Majesty. Chang Zhi and Jiu An indeed went to His Majesty.

He was busy and had no time, and upon learning that Mengfei had sent them, he gave them a note to deliver to her. As they left, Chang Zhi and Jiu An, feeling bored, declared their new ambition: to "venture into the pugilistic world." They encountered Mengfei and Noble Lady Xiao, handing Mengfei the note and excitedly sharing their desire to venture into the pugilistic world. Alarmed by this new development, Mengfei quickly devised a plan to dissuade them.

She instructed Noble Lady Xiao to take the children to "experience" the pugilistic world. Meanwhile, Mengfei sought out Liu Jinyan, Bao Qu, and He Qiliao, instructing them to jointly trick Chang Zhi and Jiu An by painting a vivid and dangerous picture of the outside world. Bao Qu, Liu Jinyan, and He Qiliao then proceeded to paint a vivid and dangerous picture of the pugilistic world, describing its numerous perils.

After hearing these frightening tales, the children listened, increasingly terrified, and abandoned their dream of venturing into such a brutal world. Celebrating their success in dispelling the children's naive dreams, Mengfei, Noble Lady Xiao, Bao Qu, Liu Jinyan, and He Qiliao believed they had averted disaster. However, their relief was short-lived. Qu Xiao excitedly approached Mengfei and Noble Lady Xiao, declaring her newfound desire to learn kungfu and "roam the pugilistic world." Mengfei and Noble Lady Xiao, exasperated, simply turned and walked away, leaving a bewildered Qu Xiao behind.

Chang Zhi and Jiu An harbored a deep desire to explore the martial arts world. Su Ruan exploited this wish, using an alleged errand for the Empress Dowager as a pretext to take them outside the palace. She had also hired two beggars with the intention of tricking and leading them away. Once out of the palace, Chang Zhi and Jiu An were delighted.

They soon encountered one of the beggars, who tricked Jiu An by telling her that she possessed unique physical attributes, indicating she was destined to become the martial arts alliance leader at the Wulin Convention. Initially somewhat skeptical, Jiu An was swayed by the beggar's words and enthusiastically decided to follow him.

After Chang Zhi and Jiu An went missing, Su Ruan told the Emperor that they had been close to Fanghua Palace recently, implying Consort Meng had incited them to leave. However, the Emperor dismissed her claims. Fortunately, Bao Qu soon found Chang Zhi and Jiu An. He then brought them, tied up, to Fanghua Palace. Before leaving, Bao Qu told the consorts about their escape and warned them not to untie the children, as they would bite.

However, Consort Meng and the other consorts felt pity for Chang Zhi and Jiu An. Once Bao Qu left, they untied the children and offered them food. During the meal, Consort Meng and the others repeatedly asked Chang Zhi and Jiu An why and how they had left the palace. But Chang Zhi and Jiu An remained tight-lipped and refused to say anything.

Helpless, the consorts went out to discuss for a while, but when they returned, they still couldn't get any answers, so they had to let the matter drop for the time being. That night, Consort Meng visited the Emperor in Changji Hall, as per his earlier invitation. She found him bare-chested, which made her blush. Despite her shyness, she bravely confronted him about sending Chang Zhi and Jiu An to Fanghua Palace, which caused them much distress.

The Emperor explained that he did so for their own good, as many people outside believed that Consort Meng and her consorts had incited Chang Zhi and Jiu An to leave. Overwhelmed by shyness due to his attire, Consort Meng quickly left after saying only a few words. After efforts by Fanghua Palace, Chang Zhi and Jiu An finally revealed what the old beggar had told them, specifically his prediction that Jiu An would become the martial arts alliance leader.

The consorts were firm that they couldn't go. Jiu An was unconvinced and accused them of jealousy, believing they feared she would forget them once she achieved fame. Consort Meng and the others, having no other choice, tried to scare them by describing the journey to the Wulin Convention as very arduous and perilous, where people could easily die. Although somewhat scared, Chang Zhi and Jiu An remained curious.

To fully dispel their notions, Consort Meng then enlisted Bao Qu, Liu Jinyan, He Qiliao, and Cai Taixian to jointly organize a mock Wulin Convention within the palace, aiming to fulfill Chang Zhi and Jiu An's dreams and prevent them from leaving the palace again. However, only a few days later, Chang Zhi and Jiu An once again snuck out of the palace. Bao Qu swiftly apprehended them and returned them to Fanghua Palace.

Consort Yan and the other consorts then asked Chang Zhi and Jiu An why they had sought out the beggar again. Chang Zhi explained that after being tricked initially, they were very angry and wanted to confront the beggar to settle accounts. However, the beggar had flattered Chang Zhi, telling him he was very intelligent and that a "Strongest Brain" competition was coming up, with Chang Zhi destined to be the champion.

Captivated by this, Chang Zhi was once again keen to go. Consort Meng and the others realized how clever this beggar was. To dispel Chang Zhi's newfound ambition, each of them posed a question, promising that if he could answer these questions, they would personally take them to the competition. Chang Zhi agreed, but the results were far from ideal; he didn't answer a single question correctly. Consequently, he had no choice but to stay obediently in the palace.

Following these events, after Chang Zhi and Jiu An were appeased, Bao Qu completed his investigation and discovered the reason for their repeated escapes: it was Su Ruan's doing, as she had hired the beggars. Upon learning this, the Emperor was very angry and immediately ordered Su Ruan's expulsion from the palace.

The Emperor summoned Bu Meng to discuss Chen Yuanxi's marriage. Bu Meng worried that it would be difficult to find a suitable match for Chen Yuanxi given her personality. The Emperor then thought that Bu Meng's own older brother, Bu Yue, was also unmarried, and left laughing. Bu Meng felt uneasy. Chen Yuanxi arrived at Bu Meng's residence.

Bu Meng was exceptionally joyful to reunite with her long-lost childhood friend and introduced her to her good friends Concubine Qu, Noble Lady Xiao, and Consort Yan. The friends happily helped Chen Yuanxi change into female attire. Soon after, Bu Meng took her to meet the blind date candidates. Bu Meng's brother, Bu Yue, arrived as scheduled. The Emperor had gathered many handsome and talented men for Chen Yuanxi to choose from.

However, Chen Yuanxi and Bu Yue immediately started bickering. The Emperor introduced various talented scholars and nobles to her, but Chen Yuanxi showed no interest in any of them. Within two minutes, she publicly started fighting with Bu Yue. The Emperor and the other attendees watched the spectacle. Seeing this bickering pair, the Emperor felt that there was certainly potential between them. Back in her palace, Bu Meng returned uneasily.

Consort Yan and Concubine Qu quickly surrounded her to inquire about the event. Bu Meng felt a huge weight lift from her heart, realizing the Emperor had not punished her brother or Chen Yuanxi, but had simply sent them home. Soon after, the Emperor summoned Bu Meng to the main hall, assigning her the task of matchmaking the bickering pair during her upcoming visit home. Bu Meng felt she had no chance of success.

Carrying the Emperor's instructions, Bu Meng returned home. Upon entering, she was startled to suddenly find the Emperor already at her house, which made her legs go weak. The Emperor told Bu Meng that his secret visit was to personally help matchmake Bu Yue and Chen Yuanxi. In front of the Emperor, Bu Yue still did not admit his feelings for Chen Yuanxi.

The next day, Bu Yue was lingering near Chen Yuanxi's guard post when he saw a handsome man named Xu Fang chatting with her. Driven by jealousy, Bu Yue reported Chen Yuanxi to her general for dereliction of duty. The general punished Chen Yuanxi for chatting during her guard duty by assigning her two months of cleaning latrines. Chen Yuanxi knew this was all Bu Yue's idea and was furious, so she confronted him, and they started fighting again.

Soon after, Bu Yue overheard Xu Fang planning to propose to Chen Yuanxi, and he started to feel uncomfortable. Chen Yuanxi timidly came to tell Bu Meng that Xu Fang had proposed and her father had already accepted the betrothal gifts. Bu Meng quickly used this information to subtly probe her brother's feelings. Bu Yue became uneasy and finally couldn't hold back. That night, he ambushed Chen Yuanxi outside her home.

He showed her a secret impeachment memorial that Xu Fang had previously filed against her, which had led to her demotion. Chen Yuanxi finally saw Xu Fang's true colors, silently took the memorial from him, and walked away without a word. The next morning, during court, the Emperor was preparing to select a great general to quell border disturbances, and Chen Yuanxi confidently volunteered herself.

Many ministers objected, seeing her as merely a woman and worrying she could not handle such a great responsibility. Chen Yuanxi immediately made a military pledge in public. The Emperor, however, remained silent, giving no immediate decision. Later, as Bu Meng was being carried in her palanquin, she saw Chen Yuanxi chasing Bu Yue with a sword, demanding he recommend her to the Emperor for the war. Bu Meng intervened, pulling Chen Yuanxi aside.

She told Chen Yuanxi that even if she agreed, her father would never agree to her going to war, as he was over fifty and had only this one precious daughter. Chen Yuanxi, however, was unconcerned, believing that this expedition was a great opportunity to bring glory to her ancestors and that she absolutely could not give it up.

The Emperor ultimately decided to appoint Chen Yuanxi to lead troops to the border. Concerns had been voiced about sending a lady to war, suggesting a lack of suitable men. When Bu Meng visited her, Chen Yuanxi revealed that Xu Fang had secretly impeached her to ensure her safety, as he feared for her as a woman on the battlefield. Despite Bu Meng's probing questions about her feelings for Bu Yue, Chen Yuanxi continued to evade the topic.

Meanwhile, Bu Yue was tormented by a vivid nightmare of the battlefield. He saw his subordinates fall one by one, leaving him as the sole survivor. As he fought valiantly, Chen Yuanxi arrived to save him. However, instead of gratitude, he chastised her for her tardiness. An enemy soldier then ambushed Bu Yue, and Chen Yuanxi shielded him with her body, taking the fatal blow and spitting blood before she died.

Bu Yue awoke from the nightmare in a cold sweat, trembling with fear. Later, Bu Meng and her friends were chatting. They all agreed that Chen Yuanxi and Bu Yue were truly in love, even though they wouldn't admit it to each other. Their conversation was interrupted by a frantic servant bringing grave news: General Chen’s situation at the border was critical. Enemy forces had burned her provisions and cut off all communication.

Deeply worried for Chen Yuanxi’s safety, Bu Meng rushed to the Emperor. The Emperor informed her that he had already dispatched emergency troops with supplies. However, Bu Yue had defied imperial orders, insisting on personally overseeing the supply shipment. The Emperor denied his request and asked Bu Meng to reason with her brother, urging him not to cause further trouble.

Bu Meng found her brother in a desperate state outside the palace, clearly distressed, knowing he was worried about Chen Yuanxi's safety. She relentlessly questioned Bu Yue, asking why he hadn't cherished her when she was right in front of him, and instead repeatedly went against her, only now showing concern. Bu Yue was speechless. Soon after, devastating news reached the palace: Chen Yuanxi had died in battle.

Bu Yue heard that Chen Yuanxi's body could not be found, and was overcome with immense grief. Bu Meng also fainted from shock. Bu Yue personally led a search party to the battlefield to recover Chen Yuanxi’s body. Eventually, a subordinate brought word that a body had been found, but her face was disfigured beyond recognition by the intense battle. Convinced it was Chen Yuanxi, Bu Yue was overcome with grief and rage, crying out, "Chen Yuanxi!

Your life is mine! I didn't say you could die yet, so you're not allowed to die!" He swung his sword wildly, consumed by sorrow. On the day of Chen Yuanxi’s funeral, Bu Yue arrived, his steps heavy and his face stained with tears, ready to bid her farewell. He felt that her death was her ultimate revenge against him. Just as Bu Yue was choking out an apology to her, Chen Yuanxi suddenly appeared, alive and well.

She had returned because her maid, to protect her, had deliberately exchanged clothes with her and sacrificed her own life in the process. Later, Xu Fang hosted a banquet to welcome Chen Yuanxi back. Chen Yuanxi, knowing his family had canceled their engagement upon news of her death, felt a sting of unease.

She asked Xu Fang what he liked about her, but Xu Fang's answers were not to the point, making Chen Yuanxi begin to truly feel that he was unreliable. Bu Yue overheard Xu Fang and Chen Yuanxi's conversation, worried that the woman he longed for would be taken by someone else, so he quickly prepared a betrothal gift and sent it to Chen Yuanxi's home. Bu Yue then boldly entered Chen Yuanxi’s residence to propose, bringing betrothal gifts.

However, Chen Yuanxi mercilessly drove him out with her words. Bu Yue, truly desperate now, eagerly expressed his feelings, telling her how frantic and despairing he had been when he heard of her supposed sacrifice. Chen Yuanxi coldly rejected him and walked away. The following day, Chen Yuanxi was summoned by the Emperor. He informed her that after the morning court, two men had proposed marriage to her and asked for her decision.

Bu Yue, who was present, listened in dismay as Chen Yuanxi chose Xu Fang, leaving him utterly disappointed. On the day of the wedding, the Chen family estate buzzed with excitement. Chen Yuanxi, dressed in her crimson wedding gown, rode in the marriage sedan amidst everyone's blessings. Bu Yue, seated dejectedly in a corner, was ultimately conquered by love. He leaped onto his horse, determined to chase her back, and unexpectedly, Chen Yuanxi herself was also returning.

The two reunited and immediately presented themselves before the Emperor. After the Emperor put them through rigorous tests, the couple was finally united in marriage. On their wedding day, Bu Yue, overflowing with happiness, toasted guests at the wedding feast, his joyful expression apparent to all. Later, after the banquet, the Emperor visited the newlyweds. He heard the young couple in the bridal chamber had already resumed their playful "fighting mode," with sounds of a whip and Bu Yue screaming. The Emperor then, holding Bu Meng's shoulder, advised her not to adopt that couple's way of getting along.

Bu Meng was summoned to the palace by the Empress Dowager, who, concerned about the lack of attendants at Fanghua Palace and the Emperor's favor towards Bu Meng, presented two siblings: Peichi, a eunuch, and his sister. The sister professed her loyalty to the Empress Dowager, but Bu Meng chose Peichi.

Upon his arrival, Peichi impressed everyone with his meticulousness, from cleanliness to artistic food presentation, and he criticized the existing maids, Chunping and Yan Er, for their lack of hygiene. Yan Er suspected Peichi was a spy sent by the Empress Dowager, but Bu Meng remained optimistic. The next day, Fanghua Palace was spotless. Peichi's cleaning philosophy and artistic food arrangements, presented according to size or color order, delighted the Highnesse. However, Chunping and Yan Er grew jealous.

They attempted to prank him, first by tampering with a stool, which resulted in Chunping injuring her tailbone, and then by trying to drench him with dirty water, which instead splashed onto Yan Er. Chunping then dressed as a ghost to scare Peichi at the well. Peichi, unfazed, disinfected her hands in the hot water he had prepared for his feet. Outsmarted again, Chunping and Yan Er decided to wait for another opportunity.

Later, they noticed Peichi acting suspiciously, and Qu Xiao discovered her agate earrings were missing. Chunping and Yan Er accused Peichi, but Noble Lady Xiao revealed that Qu Xiao had misplaced them. Bu Meng dismissed Chunping and Yan Er and apologized to Peichi. The following day, Chunping and Yan Er reluctantly apologized to Peichi but warned him not to overdo his diligence. Peichi refused, stating that "accommodation is an act of disrespect." Soon after, Qu Xiao's gold bracelet went missing.

Chunping and Yan Er again accused Peichi. Tired of the false accusations, Bu Meng ordered them to search for the bracelet. Yan Er expressed her suspicions to Bu Meng, finding Peichi's calmness during the accusations "abnormal." Yan Er decided to test Peichi’s honesty. She saw him looking for something and he admitted he was looking for a handkerchief. After he correctly identified his handkerchief from among others, she apologized for suspecting him.

Bao Qu returned Qu Xiao's gold bracelet, which had been pawned outside the palace. Chunping overheard a conversation between Peichi and Bichi and discovered that Peichi was a fake eunuch who had stolen the bracelet under Bichi’s coercion. She told Bu Meng, who was shocked. Yan Er realized the Empress Dowager's intention wasn't blackmail. When Peichi presented fruits, Noble Lady Xiao urged him to confess.

Peichi revealed that he was forced to impersonate Bichi's deceased brother to escape men who wanted to harm him because of his attractiveness. He claimed the Empress Dowager was unaware of his true identity. He also disclosed that the Empress Dowager had sent him to Fanghua Palace to find out why Bu Meng refused to sleep with the Emperor and when she planned to have a child. Noble Lady Xiao confronted Bichi about her blackmailing.

Noble Lady Xiao decided to help Peichi leave the palace, and Yan Er disguised him. The Emperor heard about their role in helping a eunuch escape. Bu Meng explained that Peichi was too handsome, causing a distraction at Fanghua Palace. The Emperor, curious, asked if Peichi was more handsome than him. Bu Meng playfully assured him that he was the most handsome, teasing him before kissing him.

Recently, Qu Xiao developed an intense interest in branded bags, seeking advice from Yan Fei. Yan Fei expressed her views, stating that carrying a branded bag would grant a woman a complete sense of presence and self-confidence, an idea that greatly enlightened Qu Xiao. Determined to acquire one, Qu Xiao set out to raise the one hundred taels of gold needed, beginning to sell her jewelry and valuable clothes.

Seeing Qu Xiao's intense focus, Yan Fei suggested crowdfunding as an alternative. However, Qu Xiao rejected this, believing it would be pointless if all contributors had to share the bag and take turns carrying it for a few days. She therefore continued to reluctantly part with her cherished jewelry, selling it off to gather the funds.

While Qu Xiao was still racking her brains to find ways to raise money, she visited the imperial garden where she saw many concubines showing off their bags to each other. When these concubines noticed Qu Xiao's shabby and unappealing bag, they openly ridiculed her lack of taste. Deeply humiliated and saddened, Qu Xiao returned to Fanghua Palace.

There, her close friends tried to dissuade her, explaining there was no need to spend so much money on such a meaningless item. However, Qu Xiao was resolute, believing she was giving her all to achieve a sense of presence through the bag. Desperate for funds, Qu Xiao tried a new tactic, offering Meng Fei a massage for two taels of gold.

Meng Fei, taken aback by the price for what she thought would be a friendly gesture, paid for peace. Observing this, Yan Fei, both impressed and annoyed, deliberately had her own maid, Chunping, massage her, proudly stating it cost nothing. Qu Xiao despaired, wondering when she would ever save the hundred taels of gold. While she sat worrying on the rooftop, Meng Fei presented her with money pooled by their friends, explaining it was their collective sentiment.

Qu Xiao was immensely grateful. The next morning, Qu Xiao left at dawn to buy the bag. Meng Fei and Yan Fei discussed how they hoped purchasing the bag would finally bring peace and tranquility. However, Bao Qu soon returned, bringing back a distraught Qu Xiao. The bag, it turned out, had already been sold out. Qu Xiao wept bitterly for not being able to buy her beloved bag, vowing to find out who had purchased it before her.

Meanwhile, inside the palace, the Emperor was seen with two branded bags, initially hesitant about which one to give to Qu Xiao. He then decided to present both bags to Meng Fei. It was noted that this particular brand produced only two such bags annually, and the Emperor had already reserved them well in advance. Seeing Qu Xiao's prolonged sadness, looking like a resentful woman all day, Yan Fei, Meng Fei, and Xiao Guiren began to devise solutions.

To help Qu Xiao fulfill her wish, Yan Fei proposed personally crafting a high-quality counterfeit bag. Her friends rallied to assist, with some supplying fabric and others providing gems, all working together to sew the bag. Qu Xiao had been washing her face with tears all day, convinced she would never get her beloved bag. Then, one day, her friends presented her with the very branded bag she had been yearning for.

Qu Xiao immediately returned to her normal joyful self. Overjoyed, she promptly carried the bag and showed it off everywhere. Everyone who saw her bag was filled with envy, and she decided to attend the Bag Lovers Club with everyone the very next day. Meng Fei, fearing the high-quality counterfeit bag would be exposed at the Bag Lovers Club, quickly revealed the truth about the bag to Qu Xiao. Upon learning the truth, Qu Xiao felt apprehensive.

Yan Fei then reassured her, reminding her that as long as they kept silent, no one would know the bag was fake. She emphasized that if they perfected Qu Xiao's demeanor and styling, they could surely pass off the bag as genuine. On the day of the Bag Lovers Club meetup, Qu Xiao's bag was admired by many concubines, and she was triumphantly eating dessert. Suddenly, the Empress Dowager arrived, carrying an identical branded bag.

Noticing the similarity, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but place the two bags together for comparison. Upon close inspection, Qu Xiao felt utterly humiliated, believing her bag's less delicate stitching, compared to the Empress Dowager's, clearly revealed it as a fake. As Qu Xiao slinked away, she unexpectedly overheard the Empress Dowager angrily scolding her attendant.

To Qu Xiao's surprise, the Empress Dowager was convinced that "her own" bag was the counterfeit, having found flaws when comparing it to Qu Xiao's. Hearing this, Qu Xiao was overjoyed, happy to realize her bag was perceived as the authentic one. She then pondered aloud, wondering where those two actual limited-edition bags had gone. One day, as Meng Fei was drinking tea in Fanghua Palace, the Emperor happily arrived, carrying two branded bags.

He joyfully presented them to Meng Fei as gifts. Upon seeing the two limited-edition bags in the Emperor's hands, Meng Fei comically sprayed out her tea in shock. It was then revealed that the Emperor was the one who had purchased those two coveted original limited edition bags.

Bu Meng found herself in a difficult situation after helping a masked assassin escape and consistently refusing to disclose the reason to the Emperor. That night, Noble Lady Xiao sat alone on a rooftop, deep in thought. Bu Meng, Concubine Yan, and Qu Xiao observed her, lamenting how terrifying love could be. The usually carefree Noble Lady Xiao was now deeply depressed and silent.

It was revealed that the assassin was Noble Lady Xiao's former lover, which was the reason Bu Meng had consistently withheld the truth from the Emperor. After a long silence, Noble Lady Xiao finally erupted, furiously kicking apart all the flowerpots and shattering a stone bench in the courtyard. Bu Meng and Concubine Yan rushed down to comfort her. To help console Noble Lady Xiao, Qu Xiao and Concubine Yan subtly suggested that she could drink to drown her sorrows.

The four women sat together to drink. After just one cup, Noble Lady Xiao became completely intoxicated and collapsed, forcing Bu Meng and Concubine Yan to carry her back inside. The next morning, panic broke out in Fanghua Palace. Bao Qu arrived with orders from the Empress Dowager to conduct a thorough search of the palace in pursuit of the escaped assassin.

Bu Meng, Qu Xiao, and Concubine Yan attempted to dissuade Bao Qu, asking him to make an exception and not search Fanghua Palace. However, Bao Qu was unyielding and even reported their obstruction to the Empress Dowager. Consequently, Bu Meng was summoned to the Empress Dowager's palace. In the presence of the Emperor, the Empress Dowager questioned why Bu Meng had obstructed the search.

Bu Meng cleverly claimed she had been preparing a surprise gift for the Emperor, and feared its premature discovery would ruin the intended effect. The Emperor quickly corroborated her story, and the Empress Dowager had no choice but to dismiss them both. After leaving the Empress Dowager, Bu Meng confessed the full truth to the Emperor.

The Emperor told her that if Noble Lady Xiao wished to leave the palace, she could do so directly without resorting to assassination, and he would not "kick her while she's down." Relieved that the Emperor was not bothered, Bu Meng finally sighed. The Emperor reminded her to focus on improving her relationship with the Empress Dowager. That evening, as the lamps were lit, Bu Meng was diligently copying something.

The next day, the Emperor, in Consort Meng's name, held a feast and invited numerous concubines and the Empress Dowager to enjoy song and dance. In the center of the hall, a group of masked dancers performed for the assembly. Suddenly, from among the masked performers, one individual, wielding a blade, lunged towards the Emperor. Seeing the assassin's sword methods, Noble Lady Xiao rushed forward to protect the Emperor. Everyone quickly surrounded the attacker.

Bao Qu forcibly removed the assassin's mask, revealing him to be Shen Shang, Noble Lady Xiao's beloved from many years ago. The Empress Dowager, noticing Noble Lady Xiao's reaction, grew suspicious of a subtle connection between her and the assassin. She immediately ordered that no one be allowed to visit Shen Shang in prison and also sent her own maid to secretly investigate.

Back in Fanghua Palace, the women began to rack their brains to arrange a meeting between Shen Shang and Noble Lady Xiao. Qu Xiao cleverly distracted the prison guards by inviting them to drink, drawing their attention away, allowing Noble Lady Xiao to sneak into the dungeon to ask Shen Shang the real reason for assassinating the Emperor. Inside the dungeon, Noble Lady Xiao confronted Shen Shang, who was under severe torture.

Shen Shang told her that he had once been used as a pawn by rulers. After a narrow escape from death, he returned to find his beloved had become another's concubine. He decided to assassinate the Emperor for revenge and urged Noble Lady Xiao to forget him. Noble Lady Xiao left with regret. Shortly after Noble Lady Xiao's visit, Shen Shang committed suicide.

Bao Qu brought what Shen Shang had written before his death to Fanghua Palace, informing the women that Shen Shang's body would be disposed of in the unmarked graves. In the letter, Shen Shang explained that after he was captured, he was poisoned, and the poisoner said that only by assassinating the Emperor would he receive the antidote. He had clung to life this long just to see Noble Lady Xiao.

However, upon unexpectedly finding her in the palace, he feared she would attempt to break him out of prison to save him, so he deliberately angered her, wanting her to leave this perilous place early. Deeply moved by Shen Shang's true intentions, the women decided to retrieve his body for a proper burial. They enlisted the help of Cai Tai Xian.

Cai Tai Xian and the four women—Bu Meng, Concubine Yan, Qu Xiao, and Noble Lady Xiao—worked together to bury Shen Shang. Standing before Shen Shang's tomb, Bu Meng reflected that the women in the harem were not as scheming as people imagined; they were also people who valued loyalty and righteousness. She mused that in the harem, there would always be someone willing to live for you and also willing to die for you.

In Fanghua Palace, Bu Meng, Consort Qu, Consort Yan, and Consort Xiao gathered, with Bu Meng attempting to entertain them by recounting a chilling ghost story about a blood-soaked girl picked up by a stableman near a mass grave on a rainy night. Consort Qu and Consort Yan shrieked in terror, prompting Bu Meng to call them cowards. To get back at her, Consort Yan and the others disguised themselves as ghosts to scare Bu Meng, but she remained unfazed.

However, later that night, Bu Meng truly encountered a female ghost who requested melon seeds. Frightened, Bu Meng gave the ghost all her treasured seeds. The ghost lingered, and when Bu Meng inquired about her purpose, the ghost demanded help in unearthing her body buried under a tree, threatening to stay in Fanghua Palace indefinitely if her request was not met. Bu Meng hastily agreed. Upon waking, Bu Meng was still preoccupied with her dream.

She opened her cabinet, only to discover her melon seeds were indeed missing, causing her to faint in shock. Consort Yan soon clarified that the seeds were simply damp and had been taken out to air. Bu Meng shared her unsettling dream, but the others dismissed it as her usual overthinking. Later, while strolling through the palace, a bewildered Bu Meng encountered Bao Qu, who informed her of Aunt Chen's death.

This news deeply unsettled Bu Meng, as the ghost in her dream had mentioned Aunt Chen's passing and suggested that the deceased had all recommended Bu Meng for help. The coincidence intensified her fear, leading her to question Bao Qu about any past deaths in Fanghua Palace. He replied negatively, but Bu Meng, still suspicious, went to the archives.

There, she discovered information that confirmed her fears, prompting her to rush back to warn her friends to evacuate Fanghua Palace, convinced it was haunted. Consort Yan, noting Bu Meng’s distress, pressed for details. Bu Meng revealed that palace records indicated missing persons in Fanghua Palace. In an attempt to alleviate Bu Meng's fears, Consort Xiao began to dig at the spot Bu Meng described from her dream.

Bu Meng urged caution, and after a few shovels, they unearthed white bones beneath a large locust tree. The women screamed in unison as a sudden thunderstorm erupted, accompanied by lightning. Overwhelmed, Consort Xiao, Bu Meng, Consort Yan, and Consort Qu fainted. Bu Meng, in her unconscious state, again dreamed of the female ghost, who once more requested melon seeds and recounted a story of her and her cousin being chosen for the palace, which eventually led to deep-seated resentments.

For days, Bu Meng remained distracted and shared her recurring dream with her friends, causing everyone to grow increasingly anxious. When Bao Qu was shown the bones, he burst into laughter, revealing them to be mere pig bones, the accumulated "dog food" of a large yellow dog. The women sighed in relief. They then realized the dog had been unhappy since its "bones" were disturbed. To make amends, Bu Meng penned an apology to the dog and prepared some treats.

That night, Consort Qu, Consort Yan, Consort Xiao, and Bu Meng all dreamt of the female ghost again. This time, the ghost no longer wanted melon seeds but directly demanded hotpot. The four women quickly composed themselves, prepared hotpot ingredients, and sang a birthday song for her. The ghost left contentedly, and the women believed they would finally have peace. However, a chilling voice suddenly emerged from behind them, revealing the ghost had returned. They all screamed and woke up.

In Fanghua Palace, Consort Xiao, Bu Meng, and Qu Pin were gathered, with Bu Meng concluding a spooky tale about a blood-faced girl at a mass burial ground. Her friends, Consort Yan and Qu Pin, found the story terrifying, prompting Bu Meng to tease them about their timidity. In retaliation, Consort Yan and Qu Pin planned to scare Bu Meng by pretending to be a ghost, but Bu Meng didn't fall for their prank.

However, Bu Meng's night was far from over. Later that night, she truly encountered a female ghost in her dream, a spirit who demanded her prized melon seeds. Bu Meng, in her dream, reluctantly offered her entire stash. The ghost then revealed her purpose: she wanted Bu Meng to dig up her body, which was buried under a large tree, threatening to haunt Fanghua Palace if her request wasn't fulfilled. Bu Meng, terrified, readily agreed.

Upon waking, Bu Meng was alarmed to find her melon seeds truly missing, causing her to faint again. Consort Yan, however, calmly explained that she had taken the melon seeds out to dry in the sun, as they were damp. Still shaken, Bu Meng recounted her vivid nightmare to her friends, describing the ghost and her demands. Her friends, initially skeptical, dismissed it as merely a dream, believing she was simply being paranoid.

Later, Bu Meng, while strolling through the palace, unexpectedly met Bao Qu, who mentioned the recent death of Nanny Chen. To Bu Meng's shock, this precisely matched a detail she recalled from her dream, where the ghost had implied Nanny Chen and other deceased individuals in the afterlife had recommended Bu Meng for help. This eerie corroboration intensified Bu Meng's fears.

She urgently questioned Bao Qu about any past deaths in Fanghua Palace, but he assured her the palace had been desolate before her arrival. Still uneasy, Bu Meng went to the archives and found clues in the records of missing persons. Upon seeing her findings, she rushed back to Fanghua Palace, convinced the place was genuinely haunted, and insisted they all move out immediately. Her friends, though initially reluctant, pressed Bu Meng for a clearer explanation.

She revealed her chilling discovery from the archives, indicating records of missing persons in Fanghua Palace's past. To alleviate Bu Meng's fears, Consort Xiao began to dig at the spot the ghost described under the large tree in their courtyard. Bu Meng, with a mix of dread and insistence, warned them to be exceedingly careful not to damage any potential remains.

As Consort Xiao dug a few shovelfuls, she soon unearthed what appeared to be white bones, causing everyone to shriek in terror. At that moment, a sudden thunderstorm broke out, complete with lightning, and all four women—Consort Xiao, Bu Meng, Consort Yan, and Qu Pin—fainted from fright. Overwhelmed, Bu Meng fainted and re-entered her dream.

The female ghost reappeared, asking for melon seeds again, and then recounted her tragic past, revealing she had entered the palace with her cousin, only to be betrayed by her. Bu Meng was constantly dreaming and felt out of sorts, sharing these dream narratives with her friends, making them increasingly nervous. After the women awoke, still shaken, Bao Qu arrived.

After examining the bones they had unearthed, he burst into laughter, informing them that the bones were, in fact, pig bones—Da Huang the dog's personal stash of dog food. Relieved, the women realized they had upset Da Huang by disturbing his treasured collection. They then worked together to comfort the dejected dog, with Bu Meng even writing a "self-criticism report" for him and preparing special treats.

Meanwhile, a Goryeo woman named Piao Liji was in a bustling market selling ginseng, which many mistook for white radishes, when a drunkard knocked her down, leaving her bleeding. The Emperor, who was on a private visit, happened to pass by and immediately brought her back to the palace for medical treatment. In Fanghua Palace, Consort Xiao, Bu Meng, and Qu Pin were chatting when Consort Yan arrived with significant news: the Emperor had brought back a Goryeo woman.

Qu Pin, ever prone to jealousy, initially relaxed upon hearing the woman was in a coma, but remained wary of her regaining consciousness. Bu Meng, drawing from her knowledge of novels, predicted the woman would suffer from amnesia upon waking. As Bu Meng predicted, Piao Liji woke up with amnesia. Bu Meng, Qu Pin, and Consort Yan set out to visit her.

On their way, they encountered Bao Qu, who, though initially suspicious of the woman being an assassin, quickly relaxed his guard upon seeing Piao Liji's stunning beauty. Consort Yan speculated that despite her beauty, Piao Liji's unknown identity made a match with the Emperor unlikely. However, Bu Meng predicted that if the Emperor was the first person Piao Liji saw upon waking, they would surely end up together.

Qu Pin, desperate for an answer, immediately asked Liu Jinyan, who confirmed the Emperor was indeed the first person Piao Liji saw, much to Qu Pin's despair. To help Piao Liji recover her memory, the women brought her to Fanghua Palace. While watching Cai Taixian prepare pickled radishes, the sight of white radishes triggered fragments of Piao Liji's memory. Consort Yan tried to further stimulate her memory with pickled vegetables.

Cai Taixian, however, argued that Piao Liji was overestimating the history of kimchi and that Chinese pickled vegetables were superior. Bu Meng intervened with money to stop Cai Taixian's bickering, and everyone began making pickled vegetables according to Piao Liji's instructions. Seeing Piao Liji take the prepared pickled vegetables to the Emperor, Bu Meng further predicted that the two would soon kiss. To verify her prediction, Consort Xiao, Consort Yan, and Qu Pin secretly followed Piao Liji to observe.

Just as the scenario unfolded as Bu Meng had predicted, Consort Xiao bravely stepped forward and hugged Piao Liji, interrupting the intimate moment between her and the Emperor. Following Bu Meng's suggestion, Liu Jinyan brought good quality ginseng for Piao Liji. After drinking the ginseng soup, Piao Liji fully recovered her memory.

She tearfully confessed to having a terminal illness and revealed her journey to find her father, who had left her mother in Goryeo with only half a jade pendant years ago. Bao Qu returned Piao Liji's belongings, among them the distinctive half jade pendant. Consort Yan immediately recognized it as an heirloom of the late King. Bu Meng promptly relayed this crucial information to the current Emperor.

Standing before a portrait of the late Emperor, the Emperor confirmed that Piao Liji was indeed his half-sister. Although Piao Liji initially expressed a desire to return to Goryeo, the Emperor insisted she remain in the palace, promising to care for her and requesting that the Empress Dowager not be informed of her true identity. That night, Bu Meng, Consort Xiao, Consort Yan, and Qu Pin shared another collective dream.

This time, the female ghost surprisingly requested hotpot instead of melon seeds. The women nervously prepared the feast and even sang "Happy Birthday" to appease her. Satisfied, the ghost seemed to depart, leading the women to believe their ordeal was finally over. However, just as they began to relax, a chilling voice announced the ghost's return, sending all four women screaming as they simultaneously woke from their shared nightmare.

One morning, Eunuch Fu Xi received a letter from an unknown pen pal named Little Sugar, who wished to befriend him. Fu Xi was delighted and quickly wrote a reply. Meanwhile, Qu Xiao had written a love letter to the Emperor, but it was rejected, leaving her heartbroken. Bu Meng, seeing her friend's sadness, offered to help rewrite it.

Yanfei found the idea of writing a love letter for a rival strange, and Qu Xiao, feeling uneasy, declined Bu Meng's offer. Later, Bu Meng noticed Fu Xi looking dejected. He confided in her that his pen pal, with whom he felt they had developed a deep connection over time, had suddenly ended their correspondence, leaving him distraught. Bu Meng, wanting to help, asked him to hand over all their exchanged letters.

In Fanghua Palace, Fu Xi presented his letters to Bu Meng and the other consorts. Bu Meng reviewed Fu Xi’s responses, noting that when his pen pal mentioned feeling unwell, having a twisted ankle, or dry hands, he consistently advised her to "drink more water," earning him a mere 4 out of 100 points for emotional intelligence. Bu Meng declared his emotional quotient "unbearably low" and volunteered to rewrite a love letter for him that would surely win her over.

Yanfei thought it improper to write a love letter for a eunuch, but Bu Meng argued that eunuchs, too, have the right to seek happiness and that spiritual connection is a valid form of contentment. That night, Bu Meng worked diligently, crafting a heartfelt letter she believed would undoubtedly rekindle Fu Xi’s friendship with his pen pal. Fu Xi was deeply moved by her effort. On another occasion, Bu Meng encountered a beaten He Qiliao.

He Qiliao explained that his wife had beaten him because she was dissatisfied with the love letter he wrote for her. Bu Meng, understanding his predicament, offered to ghostwrite a letter for him, promising to satisfy his wife. The next day, Fu Xi brought Bu Meng a banner of thanks, announcing that Little Sugar had responded to the new letter.

Bu Meng proudly shared the letter's content: "My family has hundreds of acres of good land, which only lacks a beautiful wife." Yanfei criticized Bu Meng's method, but Bu Meng was unconcerned. Qu Xiao, still despondent over her repeated failures with the Emperor, confessed to Bu Meng that she simply wanted a portrait of him. Bu Meng readily agreed to help her write a letter requesting it. Bu Meng continued her late-night ghostwriting, "tailoring" each letter to its recipient.

For Qu Xiao, she wrote a direct request for the Emperor's portrait. For He Qiliao's wife, Bu Meng also wrote a letter. The next morning, Bu Meng handed Fu Xi two letters: one for his pen pal and one from Qu Xiao to the Emperor. She personally delivered the letter to He Qiliao. The consequences of Bu Meng’s "tailored" letters and Fu Xi’s delivery became apparent.

Bao Qin, Fu Xi's pen pal (now revealed to be Little Sugar), received the letter intended for the Emperor, which contained a request for a self-portrait. She interpreted this, combined with the earlier talk of "hundreds of acres of good land," as a marriage proposal and began to excitedly prepare for a proper portrait. The Emperor, on the other hand, received Qu Xiao's letter, which contained a large silver coin.

Confused, he returned ten times the amount, leading to Qu Xiao's profound disappointment. Meanwhile, He Qiliao was beaten again by his wife, and he tearfully sought Bu Meng's help. Bu Meng, realizing her mistake, was dismayed.

She confessed to Yanfei that the letters had been mixed up, leading to serious consequences: Fu Xi's pen pal received the request for a portrait meant for the Emperor, the Emperor received a letter containing a large silver coin, and He Qiliao had been beaten again. Yanfei pointed out that this mix-up would force Fu Xi and his pen pal to meet, which would expose his deception as a eunuch. Bu Meng recognized the gravity of her actions.

Alarmed, Bu Meng and Yanfei rushed to find Fu Xi, urging him to write an apology letter to Little Sugar. Just then, Fu Xi received a pigeon letter from his pen pal, proposing a meeting. He expressed his shock and anger, having believed his pen pal to be "frail and skinny" based on her letters, but now realizing she was actually "a big, burly fat person" (Bao Qin).

Fu Xi and Bao Qin confronted each other, both accusing the other of deception and arguing fiercely. Bu Meng intervened, admitting her fault and expressing deep remorse. Seeing Bu Meng's sincere regret, Fu Xi and Bao Qin gradually set aside their anger and began to reconcile.

Chunping, aiming to shirk her duties, feigned a severe illness, claiming her head and stomach ached and her limbs felt numb. Yan'er, full of concern, offered to take over all her chores and even feed her lunch. Secretly, Chunping reveled in her success, looking forward to a long rest. Early one morning, Noble Lady Xiao, Qu Pin, and Bu Meng noticed a foul odor emanating from Consort Yan's room.

They found Consort Yan, looking exhausted, proudly displaying a new perfume she had concocted overnight, which she considered her magnum opus. To avoid hurting Consort Yan's feelings, Bu Meng praised the scent, which delighted Consort Yan. Chunping was in her room eating snacks when she heard Bu Meng and Consort Yan coming to visit her. She quickly lay in bed, pretending to be ill, and even asked Bu Meng about sick leave benefits.

Later, Qu Pin accidentally broke her favorite necklace. She then had a sudden idea and cobbled together a new one from various materials. Delighted, she rushed to show it off to Bu Meng and Noble Lady Xiao. Not wanting to disappoint Qu Pin, Bu Meng praised it profusely, calling it "very beautiful." Qu Pin then excitedly rushed off to show it to others.

Consort Yan questioned Bu Meng's constant "white lies," while Bu Meng worried that the truth would deeply hurt Qu Pin. Conflicted, Bu Meng sought opinions on "white lies." She spoke with Bao Qu, Liu Jinyan, and Zhen Shishuang, among others. Many believed that white lies could maintain harmony. Consort Yan, however, vehemently disagreed, asserting that "lies are still lies." She declared she would never forgive intentional deception, chilling Bu Meng.

As Qu Pin proudly displayed her oddly colored, self-made necklace to other consorts, she was met with mockery. Some called her creation "junk" and questioned her taste. Feeling her self-esteem shattered, Qu Pin began to fight with the other consorts. The Empress Dowager and the Emperor arrived to find chaos. Enraged, the Empress Dowager ordered Qu Pin to pick up every scattered pearl from her broken necklace across the bridge as punishment.

Qu Pin returned to Fanghua Palace, disheveled and distraught. Bu Meng was filled with regret, realizing her "white lie" had led to Qu Pin's public humiliation. Consort Yan tried to console Qu Pin, explaining Bu Meng's good intentions. However, Qu Pin bitterly retorted, asking Consort Yan how she would feel if she knew Bu Meng had praised her perfume to her face while secretly finding it "incomparably disgusting."

Meanwhile, Chunping was consumed by guilt as Yan'er continued to shower her with devoted care, bringing her nourishing food and tending to her every need. Elsewhere, Bao Qu intercepted Noble Lady Xiao, asking her to relay a message to Bu Meng. He retracted his earlier stance, explaining that he now believed all lies were bad. Soon after, Liu Jinyan also stopped Noble Lady Xiao. He admitted he should correct his previous statements, stating that "truth is better than lies."

Noble Lady Xiao, though feeling burdened as a "messenger pigeon," agreed to deliver these revised opinions to Bu Meng. Noble Lady Xiao relayed all the reconsidered opinions to Bu Meng. Bu Meng, finally understanding her error, acknowledged that truth was indeed preferable. Qu Pin and Consort Yan, though still expressing disappointment at Bu Meng's two-faced behavior, ultimately accepted her apology.

Bu Meng, now publicly repentant, declared to everyone that "a hurtful truth is better than a white lie" and vowed never to utter "white lies" again. At the same time, Chunping was visited by numerous friends bringing gifts and offering heartfelt care. Overcome by their sincere kindness and her immense guilt, Chunping broke down, confessing that she had feigned illness simply to be lazy. Yan'er was deeply hurt, expressing her disappointment at Chunping's deceit despite her genuine worry.

Chunping apologized profusely, promising to compensate for her deception, and immediately began diligently performing all the chores to make amends. Later, determined to embrace complete honesty, Bu Meng was visited by the Emperor. Facing his eager gaze, Bu Meng courageously spoke the truth. She began by admitting that the tea he had brewed did not taste good.

When the Emperor then asked her if she could restart her life, whether she would strive for his favor or avoid it, Bu Meng, without hesitation, replied, "Avoid it, of course!" The Emperor was visibly hurt, feeling wounded by her bluntness, and abruptly dismissed her, telling her to return to her afternoon nap. Later, observing Bu Meng's continued distress as she struggled with the dilemma of telling the truth versus lying, Consort Yan offered counsel.

She advised Bu Meng to choose neither hurtful truths nor white lies, but a "third option": "euphemistic truths." This approach, she explained, involved delivering the truth gently and tactfully, allowing the recipient to accept reality without being hurt. Consort Yan provided examples of how to communicate honestly with tact and consideration. Bu Meng had an epiphany, finally understanding how to express truth gently.

One day, as the Emperor strolled through the palace, he discovered a Westerner causing a commotion outside the gates. The man was loudly proclaiming that his "red apricot" was within the palace. The Emperor, intrigued, ordered the guards to bring the Westerner in to understand his true intentions. Once in the palace, the Roman, later referred to as Xiao Sa, soon spotted Piao Liji and rushed to embrace her. The Emperor remarked on the openness of Romans.

Bu Meng, however, explained that such expressions and intimate actions were simply part of Roman tradition and did not necessarily imply deep affection. Later that evening, under a sky full of twinkling stars and a shooting star, Liu Jinyan met Piao Liji. During their conversation, mutual feelings secretly arose between them. Liu Jinyan, unable to resist, leaned in for a kiss, but Piao Liji found him frivolous and slapped him hard.

The following day, a distraught Piao Liji confided in Bu Meng, Qu Xiao, and Consort Yan, expressing her confusion over Liu Jinyan's behavior and wondering if he truly liked her. They advised her to test his feelings to find out. As Liu Jinyan happened to pass by, Piao Liji, acting on their advice, dramatically fainted with a loud cry.

Bu Meng, Qu Xiao, and Consort Yan quickly and cooperatively urged Liu Jinyan to carry her to the Imperial Hospital for treatment. Once alone, Piao Liji told Liu Jinyan her feelings. Liu Jinyan was both surprised and overjoyed to realize he held a place in her heart. However, he also recognized their differing social statuses: he was an imperial physician, while Piao Liji was a princess, and he felt his status did not match hers.

Meanwhile, Cai Taixian, having overheard their conversation, secretly rejoiced and slyly extorted hush money from Liu Jinyan to keep the secret. A few days later, Piao Liji brought Liu Jinyan some homemade appetizers. Though they were incredibly salty, Liu Jinyan, touched by her gesture, pretended to enjoy them immensely. Soon after, Bao Qu, He Qiliao, and Cai Taixian arrived, eager to share drinks with Liu Jinyan. During their drinking, Cai Taixian, despite accepting hush money, finally revealed the secret.

Bao Qu, He Qiliao, and Cai Taixian began teasing Liu Jinyan about his romance with Piao Liji, saying he was "living off a woman." To save face, Liu Jinyan vehemently denied any relationship with Piao Liji. Unbeknownst to him, Piao Liji had returned to his chamber and overheard his hurtful remarks. Piao Liji returned to Fanghua Palace in tears. Bu Meng learned the reason and proposed an elaborate act to test Liu Jinyan's sincerity.

Following Bu Meng's plan, Piao Liji deliberately pretended not to notice Liu Jinyan nearby and acted affectionately with Xiao Sa. Liu Jinyan saw this and completely broke down, rushing straight over. Piao Liji, however, deliberately pretended to ignore him and walked away. Xiao Sa then decided it was time for him to leave and, expressing his sincerity, asked Piao Liji if she wanted to travel the world with him. Piao Liji began to hesitate.

Liu Jinyan fell into a deep depression. Bao Qu tried to provoke him into action by revealing that Xiao Sa had gone to a temple, sought a marriage fortune, and tied a red string on Piao Liji's hand. This news finally spurred Liu Jinyan, and he rushed out.

Piao Liji, feeling that Liu Jinyan might not truly have her in his heart, decided to bid farewell to her friends in Fanghua Palace and prepare to travel the world with Xiao Sa to clear her mind. On the day of Piao Liji's departure, as she prepared to leave with Xiao Sa, Liu Jinyan watched.

Bao Qu urged a hesitant Liu Jinyan to act, telling him that if he didn't try harder, he would end up a sad single man like him. Liu Jinyan finally mustered his courage and intercepted the carriage. He poured out his heart, confessing his deep love for Piao Liji and making heartfelt promises for their future together, vowing to cherish her and dedicate his life to her.

Piao Liji was deeply moved by Liu Jinyan's heartfelt confession, and the two happily embraced. Fresh flower petals fluttered everywhere, like a pink flower petal rain. As the surrounding crowd dispersed, Bu Meng gently snuggled into the Emperor's arms, watching the scene. She finally dared to face her inner self and found warm and steadfast solace in the Emperor's embrace, wishing that all lovers in the world might find their happy ending.