The Princess's Gambit Recap, Plot, Synopsis

The Princess's Gambit Synopsis

Shen Zaiye, the Left Chancellor of the Qi Kingdom, who meets Princess Jiang Taohua of the Northern Yuan Kingdom due to a conspiracy by his political enemies. Shen Zaiye is cunning and ruthless, while Jiang Taohua is clever and resourceful. In the turbulent political landscape between the two nations, they outsmart and manipulate each other. Forced to collaborate in the face of powerful enemies, they gradually grow closer. As they confront the choice between love and duty to their respective countries, they overcome numerous obstacles and ultimately work together to stabilize the kingdom.

The Princess's Gambit Recap

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Beiyuan and Qi are neighboring nations, with ceaseless border wars plunging the people into misery. Now, the king of Beiyuan is gravely ill, the crown prince is still a child, and the empress has taken over as regent. She orders Princess Jiang Taohua to enter into a political marriage with Qi to promote peace between the two nations. Should she defy this order, it will be deemed treason.

Jiang Taohua had been confined to the Cold Palace for eighteen years and never imagined she would one day walk out alive. Though this marriage alliance may not be ideal, it means survival. All the torment she endured—she swore to repay every bit of it. A fire breaks out in the Cold Palace, and both the crown prince and Jiang Taohua vanish. Under orders from Empress Lv, the guards search for them.

The two hide in a broken bamboo basket, using ashes sacks they had prepared to block the blades, allowing them to escape unharmed. The crown prince doesn't understand why his father would agree to a political marriage, but to Jiang Taohua, none of it matters anymore. Ever since her father handed power to Empress Lv, everything ceased to matter to her.

Just as they’re about to escape, the prince, Jiang Changjue, accidentally knocks over a stick, causing a wooden rack to collapse and make a noise. Jiang Taohua urges him to flee, but his leg is injured and he can't move. Left with no choice, she allows herself to be captured by Empress Lv, claiming responsibility and volunteering to go through with the marriage alliance in hope of securing peace.

The empress dowager does not reprimand her but warns her to send timely updates, maneuver among the noblewomen without revealing anything, and understand that if anything happens, no one will come to her aid—it will all depend on her own fate. Jiang Taohua agrees, asking only for her younger brother Jiang Changjue’s safety in return. Thinking of this, Jiang Taohua regains her composure and heads decisively to Qi, hoping her brother will remember their promise when they meet again.

On the way to Qi, she and her maid Qingtai gather information about the four sons of the King of Qi. She is to marry the fourth prince, Mu Wuyin, who is unloved by the king and was sent to a remote palace at the age of four to fend for himself. Qingtai worries he may not be able to protect Jiang Taohua. The current crown prince Mu Wugou’s maternal family is the most powerful noble house.

The second most powerful, the Qin family, supports Qin Concubine's son Mu Wuhen. These two fight viciously both in court and beyond. The fourth prince has no backing—any misstep could doom the woman who marries him. The Left Chancellor, Shen Zaiye, comes from humble origins but once saved the King of Qi. Though only just thirty, he is said to be ruthless and is deeply trusted by the king.

He is a critical figure in the struggle for the crown prince position. At this moment, Shen Zaiye is at Lord Peng’s residence. He confiscates the household and finds copper coins, but Peng Si refuses to confess and accuses Shen Zaiye of framing him. Shen orders his men to force-feed Peng Si freshly boiled sweet dumplings to compel a confession.

When Peng Si curses Shen Zaiye as a vile official, Shen doesn’t deny it but tells him he’d better talk now or risk implicating his whole family. Left with no choice, Peng Si bows his head. Shen Zaiye’s guard, Zhan Lu, is confused—Peng Si isn’t corrupt, so why frame him?

Shen Zaiye explains that while Peng Si may not be greedy for money, he indulges in exploiting women, which is reason enough for punishment, and could be used to draw out those truly behind the scenes. As Jiang Taohua’s entourage arrives at the gates of Qi, they are denied entry until after sunset. She bears it in silence. Mu Wuyin is meanwhile playing with birds, seemingly unconcerned about the marriage alliance.

Shen Zaiye follows a trail of poetic clues to Zuimeng Pavilion, aware someone is luring him there but unfazed—no weapon or fire can deter him. While waiting outside the city, Qingtai and Jiang Taohua notice the sky growing darker. Qingtai thinks she hears wolves but can’t believe it. Suddenly, wolves come charging, scattering the entourage in terror. With horses and carriages attacked, Qingtai shields Jiang Taohua as they hide.

Remembering wolves fear fire, Jiang Taohua orders torches lit and demands the gatekeepers open the city gate or risk blame for their deaths. The guards, pressured, open the gate. But once inside, wolves appear in the city too, chasing them. Jiang Taohua and Qingtai flee into Zuimeng Pavilion. Qingtai stays behind to cover her. As Jiang Taohua catches her breath, someone appears behind her and teasingly asks if she likes this “gift.”

Wandering swordsman Xue Ran appears before Shen Zaiye—he was the one who lured him here. Previously, Shen’s men investigated counterfeit coins and tried to question some coachmen, but all poisoned themselves, save one—Xue Ran. Fearing death upon return, Xue Ran sought Shen out, offering the painting Sunlight over a Thousand Peaks which contains hidden clues. In exchange, he asks Shen to protect his entire family. Shen agrees to send someone to escort them out the next day.

But he suddenly notices movement outside the window and dashes out in pursuit. Upon hearing that the princess encountered wolves, Mu Wuyin rushes over, only to find Mu Wugou beating Qingtai, demanding to know the princess’s whereabouts and blaming her for failing to protect her mistress. Mu Wuyin pleads to go care for the princess instead of punishing her maid.

Though he looks down on his brother raised in the remote palace, Mu Wugou agrees, saying that since it’s his wedding day, he will allow him to help search. Shen Zaiye chases the eavesdropper into a room but realizes he’s been drugged with aphrodisiac powder. Jiang Taohua, also affected, walks out from behind red curtains. Not wanting to lose her virginity to a stranger, she attempts to kill Shen Zaiye.

He flips her over and pins her down, recognizing her as the princess. Realizing he’s being framed, he makes a desperate decision—pretend she’s an assassin and chokes her. Just as Jiang Taohua is about to suffocate, Qingtai and others rush in. When Shen Zaiye sees Mu Wugou arrive, he understands the situation. At court, officials call for Shen Zaiye’s dismissal. The King of Qi ignores them, knowing they’re stirring trouble and framing him.

Shen Zaiye adds fuel to the fire by presenting a counterfeit coin, speculating that those making the most noise may be linked to it. The king declares this currency issue a threat to the state and calls for a thorough investigation. But with such rumors now involving the princess, the marriage alliance cannot proceed. Although the king knows the princess is innocent, he can’t allow her to marry the fourth prince and instead instructs him to choose another noblewoman.

Shen Zaiye is ordered to deliver the decree. Jiang Taohua realizes the outcome but is determined to meet the king. She cannot be sent back—doing so would doom both herself and Jiang Changjue. From now on, she will rely on her own strength to protect her brother.

Shen Zaiye rushed to the post station to deliver the imperial edict but was stopped outside by Mu Wuyin. Mu Wuyin bluntly asked if they intended to send the princess back to Beiyuan and blamed Shen Zaiye for committing a mistake yet letting a woman bear the consequences. He hated these schemes but didn’t want others to suffer because of them.

Mu Wuyin wanted to go to the palace to plead with the King of Qi, but Shen Zaiye scolded him for acting like a child. At that moment, they heard cries from the room—the princess was attempting to hang herself. Mu Wuyin rushed in and rescued her, blaming Shen Zaiye for everything. Shen Zaiye offered to treat her, claiming he had medical skills. After some hesitation, Mu Wuyin agreed.

Shen Zaiye used a silver needle to pierce Jiang Taohua's Renying point. Qingtai was alarmed and reminded him that it was a fatal point, but Shen Zaiye believed even a death point could be used to save someone. Whether she lived or not would depend on fate. He then pierced another acupuncture point that could cause paralysis to test her. Jiang Taohua had no choice but to wake up.

She covered her face to hide her embarrassment, which Shen Zaiye saw as pretension. Jiang Taohua met the King of Qi and proposed to follow through and marry Shen Zaiye. Shen Zaiye immediately objected, but Jiang Taohua said that all she cared about was peace, regardless of who she married. Mu Wuyin also supported the idea. Shen Zaiye then argued that marrying as a concubine would be beneath her, but Jiang Taohua declared she didn't mind.

She knelt down and stated that if the engagement could continue, she would no longer pursue the matter, and the peace negotiations would remain unchanged. The King of Qi agreed on the spot. Shen Zaiye had no choice but to accept the decree. Mu Wuyin suggested a thorough investigation, but the king declined and instead rewarded him with a plaque and allowed him to move out of the palace to establish his own household.

Shen Zaiye didn’t understand why Jiang Taohua insisted on marrying him, a mere subject. Jiang Taohua claimed she had fallen for him at first sight, which only made Shen Zaiye scoff. Their first meeting had involved her pressing a hairpin to his neck, yet she now pretended to be meek and adorable. Shen Zaiye warned her that he already had concubines and many women outside. Jiang Taohua smiled and said she could accept that.

Shen Zaiye didn’t believe she was truly willing—he knew she had survived the Cold Palace, and she couldn’t possibly be as she appeared now. After returning, Jiang Taohua was captured by eunuchs sent by Empress Lv and scolded for marrying Shen Zaiye without authorization. Though Jiang Taohua explained her reasons, the eunuchs had no counterargument. Still, they let her suffer the effects of her poisoning without giving her the antidote—as punishment for acting on her own.

Peng Si died in prison. Zhan Lu, following Shen Zaiye’s orders, had been monitoring everyone in contact with him and uncovered several names. To Shen Zaiye, Peng Si’s death was not in vain. He immediately ordered investigations based on the list and also commanded the search for Xue Ran’s Sunlight over a Thousand Peaks. Mu Wugou also coveted Sunlight over a Thousand Peaks.

Afraid someone else might find it first, he blamed his subordinates for failing to kill Xue Ran and, in a rage, killed the incompetent one. Meng Huaijin stopped him just in time, urging him to calm down and reminding him that the priority was to find the painting before it ended up in Shen Zaiye’s hands. Mu Wugou realized this and ordered a full-scale search to find Xue Ran.

At the tailor’s shop, Yang Wanqing came to take Jiang Taohua’s measurements for her wedding clothes. Eunuch Ren had previously instructed that under no circumstances should anyone notice signs of poisoning on her body, or Jiang Changjue’s life would be in danger. So, though Jiang Taohua was in pain, she forced herself to go through with the fitting.

Yang Wanqing saw a peach blossom mark on her arm and asked about it—it was actually a symptom of the poison, but Jiang Taohua lied and said it was a birthmark. Yang Wanqing, noticing her weakness, suspected poisoning and offered to introduce a divine physician to help detoxify her. Jiang Taohua declined. When Yang Wanqing kept pressing, she realized he had been sent by Empress Lv.

She warned him that if he pushed further, he would lose his life and fail to complete his mission for the empress. Impressed by her intelligence, Yang Wanqing promised to deliver the antidote on time every month and relayed Empress Lv’s order to search for Sunlight over a Thousand Peaks. Back at Shen’s residence, Shen Zaiye’s two concubines—Qin Jieyu and Duan Yunxin—were chattering incessantly before the primary wife, Meng Zhenzhen, demanding that no red decorations be put up.

Even if Jiang Taohua was a princess, she was the one who had insisted on marrying into the household. Meng Zhenzhen ignored Shen Zaiye’s instructions and ordered red decorations to be hung and the doors to be opened to welcome the bride. The two concubines made a scene, demanding the decorations be torn down because concubines were not allowed to use red or enter through the main door.

They wanted to give Jiang Taohua a harsh welcome and remind her she had no say in the household. As Jiang Taohua’s bridal sedan arrived, several servants intentionally made things difficult. Qingtai couldn’t stand it and taught them a lesson. Qin Jieyu then came out and slapped Qingtai, prompting Jiang Taohua to apologize in person. Shen Zaiye, observing all this from his room, made no move to intervene, thinking Jiang Taohua had brought this upon herself.

Qin Jieyu had assumed Jiang Taohua would wear red, planning to deny her entry because of it, but Jiang Taohua stepped down in a pink dress instead. When a servant suggested she use the side entrance, Jiang Taohua slapped him through Qingtai, serving as a warning. Qin Jieyu had no choice but to stay quiet. Shen Zaiye, upon hearing what happened, thought Jiang Taohua's patience was indeed admirable.

Upon entering the house, Jiang Taohua served tea to Duan Yunxin and Qin Jieyu. Qin Jieyu planned to overturn the cup but was held tightly by Jiang Taohua, leaving her no choice but to return the courtesy as tradition required. When facing the primary wife, Jiang Taohua had to kneel to offer tea. But the moment she knelt, she found the cushion had needles in it. Jiang Taohua endured the pain and knelt anyway. Shen Zaiye, aware of the situation in the residence, thought if Jiang Taohua could get through this, then she truly had ability.

Qingtai felt heartbroken when she saw the needle marks on Jiang Taohua’s legs, thinking it was like escaping from the tiger’s den only to enter the wolf’s lair. However, Jiang Taohua felt that this situation was far better than being by Empress Lv’s side. Back then, for the sake of Jiang Changjue, she had to endure everything. Now, she no longer needed to endure and could even fight back.

Her only thought was to stabilize her position with Shen Zaiye, and once she was firmly established, it wouldn’t be hard to handle the rest. But Qingtai was worried because the time for the nuptial rites was fast approaching, and there was still no movement from the other side.

Jiang Taohua purposely told Qingtai to go find Shen Zaiye, saying that if he didn’t want to attend the nuptial rites, he didn’t have to, and that it was enough to tell Song Nvshi, who was sent by the King of Qi, to keep it simple. Shen Zaiye, knowing that Song Nvshi was coming, had no choice but to go.

Jiang Taohua also purposely suggested in front of Song Nvshi that everything should be kept simple, as Shen Zaiye was very busy. Shen Zaiye, however, insisted that the necessary rituals must not be omitted and expressed concern that Song Nvshi might spread rumors back at the palace. But the first challenge was eating the fatty meat, and Jiang Taohua deliberately snatched the lean meat that Shen Zaiye had picked for himself and gave him a large piece of fatty meat.

Shen Zaiye, who had never eaten fatty meat, was stunned but reluctantly swallowed it. After drinking the nuptial wine, Jiang Taohua realized something was wrong. She pretended to drink, but suddenly kissed Shen Zaiye, feeding the wine to him. While Shen Zaiye and Jiang Taohua were performing the nuptial rites, Xue Ran came to see Shen Zaiye and was led to another guest room.

Meng Zhenzhen ordered that Xue Ran be disposed of and took the Sunlight over a Thousand Peaks painting. However, Meng Zhenzhen felt that her father and brothers never valued her, so she didn’t rush to send it out. Instead, she had the body disposed of and kept the painting herself, hoping her father and brothers would recognize her importance. Shen Zaiye had added something to Jiang Taohua’s wine to force her to confess the true reason for her visit.

Jiang Taohua admitted that she came to survive, but she lied, claiming that her purpose was to be with Shen Zaiye, as she had fallen for him since their first meeting. Shen Zaiye didn’t believe her words at all and, in a warning, threw Jiang Taohua’s hairpin, piercing it into a pillar. He told her not to entertain any other thoughts. After Shen Zaiye left, Zhan Lu reported that Xue Ran’s body had been found.

Upon examination, they discovered that the shoes Xue Ran was wearing had dirt on them from Shen Zaiye’s garden. Zhan Lu immediately ordered the garden to be sealed off. When Meng Zhenzhen learned of this, she came up with a plan to fight fire with fire. Jiang Taohua suspected that the painting would be hidden in the study. As she was about to search, a servant came to report that she was needed in the study to meet Shen Zaiye.

Jiang Taohua knew it was likely an attempt by hidden enemies to frame her, but she also wanted to check the study for calligraphy and paintings, so she decided to go, fully prepared. In the study, Jiang Taohua noticed that the hanging paintings were all different, none of them from a single person. She didn’t know which one belonged to Xue Ran, so she planned to copy some to study later.

However, as she picked up a brush, she accidentally triggered a secret compartment. Just as she was about to inspect it, Shen Zaiye arrived, startling her, and she hurriedly closed the compartment. Shen Zaiye noticed that the secret compartment had been opened but didn’t point it out. Instead, he told Jiang Taohua that to prove her innocence, she should identify the person who had guided her to the study.

At first, Jiang Taohua refused, but Shen Zaiye threatened her, saying that even if she were to die, it would not affect his position as the Left Chancellor. Jiang Taohua, naturally, believed him and reluctantly agreed to point out the culprit. However, the servant standing there seemed to have changed in appearance, and Jiang Taohua couldn’t recognize him. She then suggested that everyone lift their right foot, noticing that one servant had worn down the sole of his right shoe.

This servant had likely been injured, and the path had left traces of his footsteps after the rain a few days ago. Jiang Taohua insisted on confronting the servant at the scene, but the servant, in fear, poisoned himself and died. Shen Zaiye reprimanded Jiang Taohua for not reporting the suspicion earlier. Jiang Taohua lied, claiming that she had merely tricked the servant and didn’t know for sure.

Shen Zaiye, however, was suspicious, as she had observed the servant closely and must have noticed something off but still followed him to the study. He believed she had another agenda, but Jiang Taohua explained that she had gone because she heard Shen Zaiye had summoned her and, unable to resist, didn’t think much about it. Shen Zaiye, with no choice, left.

The next morning, Shen Zaiye went to see Meng Zhenzhen and was curious as to how she had slept so peacefully the previous night. He mentioned the servant, named Meng Ping, and hinted that anyone with ulterior motives should be severely punished. Shen Zaiye, drinking Meng Zhenzhen’s tea, pointed out that despite being married for so many years, she still only drank the tea sent by the Left Chancellor.

After Shen Zaiye left, Meng Zhenzhen arranged for the painting to be sent out as quickly as possible. She also knew that Shen Zaiye had begun to suspect her. Shen Zaiye specially rewarded Jiang Taohua with some food, but Jiang Taohua watched as he ate before her. Shen Zaiye knew she was worried about poisoning, but Jiang Taohua denied it, saying that if he truly wanted her dead, he wouldn’t have waited until today.

Shen Zaiye suggested that Jiang Taohua attend the heir’s banquet with him the next day. Jiang Taohua wondered why Meng Zhenzhen wasn’t going, and Shen Zaiye explained that as a princess, Jiang Taohua was cautious, meticulous, and more suited to go. In reality, Shen Zaiye had already discovered that Jiang Taohua had touched the secret compartment. He knew it was important to him and had started to harbor intentions to kill her, planning to use the heir’s banquet to eliminate Jiang Taohua.

Since the trip was to the mountains for an appointment, the journey was quite long. However, Shen Zaiye not only failed to prepare any snacks but didn’t even bring water. He even claimed that it would be inconvenient to relieve himself along the way. Jiang Taohua could only endure until they reached their destination.

Shen Zaiye, citing exhaustion, entered the room with Qingtai but didn’t forget to keep an eye on Jiang Taohua standing in the rain, suspecting that Shen Zaiye might have set a trap for her. At this point, Shen Zaiye had already decided that Jiang Taohua could not escape her demise. Inside the room, Jiang Taohua and Qingtai were served specially prepared snacks and tea by a maid.

Although they tested the food and confirmed it was not poisoned, Jiang Taohua remembered having eaten the same thing before in the palace and knew that when consumed together, it could cause poisoning. She realized that Shen Zaiye was using the heir to try and kill her. Jiang Taohua purposely pretended to suffer from severe stomach pain. Shen Zaiye, planning for Jiang Taohua to go to the bathroom and change clothes, instructed his subordinates to kill her.

Afterward, when the heir entered, they planned to frame him for Jiang Taohua’s death. However, Jiang Taohua saw through the plan and, with Qingtai’s help, killed the late concubine who had come to assassinate her. She also had Qingtai wear her clothes to lure the pursuers, giving her more time. Jiang Taohua disguised herself in a maid’s outfit and escaped. On the way, she met a butcher who was slaughtering pigs.

She smeared herself with pig blood and went to seek help from Mu Wuxia. Qingtai, meanwhile, fought with the assassins sent by Shen Zaiye, but they soon realized she was not the princess. Jiang Taohua fled all the way to Mu Wuxia’s place. Just as she reached the door, she fainted. Mu Wuxia sent people to treat her, but Jiang Taohua refused. Meanwhile, Shen Zaiye realized that Jiang Taohua had escaped and, leaving the heir behind, stormed off angrily.

The heir, in a fit of rage, killed a maid to vent his frustration. Shen Zaiye initially thought Jiang Taohua would seek help from King Qi, but instead, she had gone to the Fourth Prince’s residence. Shen Zaiye barged into the Fourth Prince’s mansion and forcibly tried to take Jiang Taohua away, accusing her of faking an injury to deceive them. He also pointed out that the blood on her was not human blood.

To expose Jiang Taohua’s scheme, Shen Zaiye publicly lifted her clothes, only to find a deep knife wound. He was immediately stunned. Jiang Taohua had known that she couldn’t avoid Shen Zaiye’s suspicion, so she had pretended to be injured for real and stabbed herself in the thigh. Mu Wuxia trusted Jiang Taohua even more after this. Jiang Taohua, in front of Mu Wuxia, questioned if Shen Zaiye wanted her dead.

Initially, she thought it was an enemy of Shen Zaiye who had accidentally injured her, but now she saw it wasn’t so. Mu Wuxia regretted allowing Jiang Taohua to marry Shen Zaiye and warned Shen Zaiye that if he harmed Jiang Taohua, he would seek revenge at all costs. If anything happened to Jiang Taohua, whether or not Shen Zaiye was responsible, it would be blamed on him.

At this point, a female doctor came to inform the Fourth Prince that Jiang Taohua refused to use the medicine that would numb her, insisting on stitching the wound while staying awake. Only after stitching could they treat her. Shen Zaiye then volunteered to stitch her up since it was too late to summon a royal doctor from the palace. However, he didn’t forget to issue a warning. While stitching Jiang Taohua’s wound, Shen Zaiye no longer pretended.

He asked why she didn’t seek help from the palace. Jiang Taohua confessed that she believed Shen Zaiye must have ambushed her on the way to the palace. If she went, she would surely die, so she had to take a chance and come to the Fourth Prince’s place. Shen Zaiye, feeling like he was up against a worthy opponent, had not expected the princess of Beiyuan to be so resourceful.

While stitching, even the female doctor found his work rough, but Shen Zaiye frankly told Jiang Taohua that no one but him would ever see the wound. Jiang Taohua refused to use the numbing medicine because she feared Shen Zaiye might poison her, and she didn’t dare close her eyes, fearing she might never wake up. This concern made Shen Zaiye unexpectedly feel a bit sorry for her.

He reassured Jiang Taohua that if she needed to sleep, he would stay and ensure no one would harm her. Jiang Taohua finally fell asleep. When Jiang Taohua returned, Shen Zaiye ordered Meng Zhenzhen to take good care of her. In her unconscious state, Jiang Taohua held onto the corner of Shen Zaiye’s clothes, not letting him leave. A rare expression of tenderness flashed across his face, which confused Meng Zhenzhen.

She suspected that Jiang Taohua’s injury was somehow related to Shen Zaiye, but his expression seemed genuine. Meng Zhenzhen thought that Shen Zaiye was born to be an official and, regardless of who it was—even someone he liked—if they stood in his way, they would be killed without hesitation. She became even more concerned about her situation and was determined to send the painting out.

Jiang Taohua, relying on her memory, copied a painting from Shen Zaiye’s room and had Qingtai send it to Yang Wanqing. Jiang Taohua pretended to be homesick and made a fuss, asking Qingtai to buy some hometown snacks. However, Shen Zaiye had ordered that no one was allowed to go out, so Qingtai was stopped. Jiang Taohua then started to make a scene in the courtyard.

Shen Zaiye had someone relay that it was fine for Jiang Taohua to have her hometown food but not allowed to go out, and the same rule applied to other wives as well. Meng Zhenzhen guessed that Shen Zaiye must be suspicious of her and planned to set a trap, so she became more cautious and was even more eager to send the painting out.

A maid was worried that Meng Zhenzhen’s actions might damage the relationship between the two, but Meng Zhenzhen knew that there was no real affection between her and Shen Zaiye. Jiang Taohua found Yang Wanqing and handed over the painting she had copied, lying that it was Sunlight over a Thousand Peaks in order to exchange it for some antidote. Although Yang Wanqing praised her cleverness, he also reminded her not to do such things again in the future.

Jiang Taohua went to see Shen Zaiye and confessed that she had figured out he wanted to kill her. She explained that it was because she had triggered a trap in the study that day, destroying Shen Zaiye’s fishing scheme. Jiang Taohua also offered to help find the painting if she could get protection. She could see that Shen Zaiye and Meng Zhenzhen had reached a deadlock, and only breaking the deadlock would allow them to obtain the painting. Shen Zaiye looked at Jiang Taohua with a trace of anger, but Jiang Taohua just smiled at him.

Duan Yunxin and Qin Jieyu were also in the courtyard drinking tea when they saw Jiang Taohua and Shen Zaiye walking into the room together in a very intimate manner, which sparked their jealousy. On the surface, they appeared to be harmonious and affectionate, but once the door was closed, Jiang Taohua could only sit on the side as the bed was completely occupied by Shen Zaiye.

The next day, because Jiang Taohua was favored, everyone had to wait for her at meals, even Meng Zhenzhen had to wait for Jiang Taohua. Jiang Taohua pretended to act spoiled, saying that her wedding had been too rushed when she first came and requested a formal wedding. Shen Zaiye comforted her, saying he had already pampered her a lot, and if they held another wedding, it would embarrass the Meng family since Meng Zhenzhen was the madam.

However, Meng Zhenzhen immediately said it didn’t matter to her, and Shen Zaiye immediately agreed to hold another wedding for Jiang Taohua. Jiang Taohua then asked for shrimp, specifically requesting that her husband peel them for her. Qin Jieyu immediately commented that this was impossible, but as soon as she finished speaking, Shen Zaiye had already peeled the shrimp and fed them to Jiang Taohua. Jiang Taohua then asked for more shrimp, and Qin Jieyu rushed to eat as well.

She accidentally knocked over the shrimp plate, and Shen Zaiye immediately ordered another plate to be prepared. Jiang Taohua, however, requested that Shen Zaiye cook it himself. Although Shen Zaiye gritted his teeth, he still smiled and agreed. When Shen Zaiye went to the kitchen, he had no intention of actually cooking the shrimp, but Jiang Taohua noticed someone was watching from outside, so he had to cook the shrimp.

However, he intentionally added many seasonings that Jiang Taohua disliked, forcing her to smile and swallow them. Regarding Jiang Taohua’s performance, Shen Zaiye was satisfied, but he couldn’t believe a woman could act so well. Jiang Taohua, however, had her own plans. As long as she was given the chance, she would certainly earn Shen Zaiye’s trust. Meng Zhenzhen also found the closeness between Jiang Taohua and Shen Zaiye a bit unusual, especially since they were planning another wedding.

Although she suspected that Shen Zaiye had intentionally opened the door for this, waiting for her to fall into a trap, she still planned to send the things out, but she had also prepared for any situation. Shen Zaiye's sister, Xiang Qingying, who liked to roam the martial world, once encountered a human trafficking incident. She stepped forward to rescue the women and deliberately exposed the other party's plot. However, the people did not dare to interfere.

Just then, Mu Wuxia arrived. Xiang Qingying deliberately sat on the wall, throwing stones at Mu Wuxia to attract his attention. Mu Wuxia realized there was a situation and came to inquire about the two traffickers. Just then, patrolling soldiers arrived, and Xiang Qingying loudly called for help, scaring the traffickers away. Before returning home, Xiang Qingying heard about Jiang Taohua’s manipulation of Shen Zaiye and realized why her brother liked Jiang Taohua—she was so good at acting.

Qingtai was displeased with Xiang Qingying’s disrespect toward Jiang Taohua and sarcastically said that Shen Zaiye was even better at acting. The two argued and started fighting. At that moment, Shen Zaiye came over to stop them, and Jiang Taohua pretended to be weak from the pain of her wound, returning to her room. This made Xiang Qingying believe even more that Jiang Taohua could fake everything.

Shen Zaiye scolded Xiang Qingying for causing trouble as soon as she came back, punishing her by not allowing her to leave the house for three days. Meng Zhenzhen seemed to see an opportunity and believed that only by letting Xiang Qingying cause trouble could she distract Shen Zaiye. Soon, it was time for Jiang Taohua's supplementary wedding.

She secretly vowed to get the Sunlight over a Thousand Peaks painting before Shen Zaiye, as only then could she have a say in front of him. When Shen Zaiye entered and saw Jiang Taohua dressed in red, he praised her beauty, but Jiang Taohua knew that in Shen Zaiye’s backyard, there were many others who could rival her. Shen Zaiye helped Jiang Taohua with her eyebrows and quietly threatened her, reminding her to behave well during the day.

This was her last chance. Mu Wuxia also came to congratulate Shen Zaiye but warned him not to disrespect him again in the future or he would not spare him. Mu Wuxia's younger brother, Mu Wuxin, also arrived to deliver a wedding gift, and Qin Jieyu complained about the fuss over a concubine.

Mu Wuxia also arrived at the wedding, mentioning that he had invited the Third Prince mainly to stand up for Jiang Taohua, unwilling to see her being bullied. At the wedding, Jiang Taohua wore the formal red of a legitimate wife and held a proper wedding ceremony. The Third Prince, Mu Wuyin, personally played the guqin on the rooftop, sending congratulatory gifts.

Mu Wuxia became very irritated by the music and reminded Mu Wuyin not to make a scene, as he had once caused a stir in the main hall with King Qi. Therefore, Mu Wuxia dared not speak out. After the music was finished, Mu Wuyin asked Shen Zaiye if he was satisfied. Shen Zaiye, who didn’t understand the music, only expressed his gratitude. Mu Wuyin was somewhat disappointed, feeling that so many people still didn’t truly understand his music.

Meng Zhenzhen had planned ahead and released Xiang Qingying. Xiang Qingying, dissatisfied with Jiang Taohua, was told by Meng Zhenzhen that Jiang Taohua had even made Shen Zaiye cook for her. Meng Zhenzhen warned Xiang Qingying not to speak out of turn, lest she anger Shen Zaiye. Mu Wuyin actively greeted Jiang Taohua and asked about her injury, but a maid by Meng Zhenzhen’s side deliberately said that Jiang Taohua was impolite, laughing with a man at the wedding feast.

Xiang Qingying, angrily, tried to find Jiang Taohua but recognized Mu Wuyin as the one who had saved her and realized he was the one who had been betrothed to Jiang Taohua. Jiang Taohua turned around and noticed that Meng Zhenzhen had disappeared, and at the same time, Mu Wuxia received a note that read “Lure the tiger away from the mountain.” Mu Wuxia suddenly started yelling at the banquet, attracting everyone’s attention.

Shen Zaiye calmed him down but guessed that there was another purpose behind it. He could only hide in the shadows to observe. Xiang Qingying suddenly heard a woman’s scream from the room and rushed in, thinking there was a thief. However, she found Mu Wuxia inside, who accused Xiang Qingying of trying to assassinate him. Shen Zaiye hurriedly intervened to explain, but Mu Wuxia was relentless.

In the midst of the chaos, Meng Zhenzhen signaled to Yue Tao to sneak out. Although Shen Zaiye noticed Yue Tao leaving, Mu Wuxia blocked him from chasing her. Jiang Taohua, however, saw that an opportunity had come.

After watching Yuetao leave, Jiang Taohua and Qingtai quickly followed. Because Yuetao was too nervous—and Qingtai threw a stone—Yuetao dropped the food box in her hand, revealing a double-layered case. They suspected that Sunlight over a Thousand Peaks was hidden inside. The heir insisted on taking Xiang Qingying away for discipline, but Shen Zaiye firmly refused.

While they were locked in a stalemate, Eunuch Wen, the personal attendant of King Qi, arrived with a few gifts to reward Xiang Qingying and praised her as clever and charming. Seeing this, the heir dared not push further and even said he also found Xiang Qingying adorable and wanted to give her a gift.

Shen Zaiye extended his hand for it, and in front of Eunuch Wen, the heir had no choice but to hand over the jade pendant he carried with him to Shen Zaiye. At the main gate, Jiang Taohua and Qingtai stopped Yuetao, who was trying to leave. They found Sunlight over a Thousand Peaks inside the box. Jiang Taohua quickly memorized the painting, committing it firmly to memory.

When someone tried to snatch the painting, and seeing Shen Zaiye approaching, she deliberately let go of the scroll, allowing it to fall into a brazier and burn to ashes. Enraged, Shen Zaiye tried to strangle Jiang Taohua. She told him she had memorized the painting and could recreate it, but if she died, it would be lost forever. Shen Zaiye decided to test her and asked her to reproduce the painting—she did so with perfect accuracy, shocking him.

Jiang Taohua then laid out three conditions as part of their negotiation, but to her surprise, Shen Zaiye wasn’t swayed. He calmly stated that the court had countless ways to deal with such matters and could still uncover the heir’s secrets by other means. But if he revealed her photographic memory, it would surely make the heir want to kill her. Jiang Taohua broke into a cold sweat. Later, Shen Zaiye went to see Meng Zhenzhen.

She volunteered to be dismissed from her position, but Shen Zaiye tore up the divorce papers and exposed that he already knew about her past actions. However, he sympathized with her for being a burden to her family and would not pursue the matter. From now on, she would be placed under house arrest under the pretense of illness and would no longer manage household affairs.

As soon as Shen Zaiye left, Meng Zhenzhen received a birthday gift from her brother, which moved her to tears. Everyone remembered that today was the day of Shen Zaiye’s re-wedding with the princess, but only her brother remembered her birthday. Xiang Qingying, hiding away, ate while crying. She was seen by Mu Wuxia, who thought it unbecoming for a young lady of her status to eat leftovers. But Xiang Qingying explained she didn’t want to disturb the servants’ rest.

Mu Wuxia admitted he had eaten such food too, and they chatted for a while. Just then, someone came looking for Xiang Qingying, and she panicked, tossed her food to Mu Wuxia, and ran away. The heir returned feeling triumphant. Though he hadn’t obtained the painting, neither had Shen Zaiye, so he considered himself the winner. He rewarded everyone and decided to release more forged money into circulation.

Shen Zaiye was reprimanded by King Qi for his poor handling of the matter. King Qi ordered him to hand all responsibilities over to the heir. Food and rice prices had skyrocketed, and commoners couldn’t even afford a bowl of porridge. Shen Zaiye asked for one month to investigate the fake currency, but King Qi only gave him half a month.

If he couldn’t resolve it, the entire case would be handed to the heir, and Shen Zaiye would have to plead guilty. With the painting destroyed, the heir became bolder and circulated even more fake currency. Zhan Lu suggested that they still needed Jiang Taohua’s version of the painting to investigate further. Though Shen Zaiye was reluctant, he was prepared to agree to her three conditions.

Just then, Jiang Taohua came to him, having discovered a critical clue in the painting. She had sent Qingtai to follow up, but Qingtai had not returned. Worried that something had happened to Qingtai, she asked Shen Zaiye for help and offered to give up her conditions. However, Shen Zaiye refused. Jiang Taohua reasoned that if Qingtai met with danger, it meant the direction of their investigation was correct, but Shen Zaiye remained unmoved no matter what she said.

Jiang Taohua had no choice but to find Xiang Qingying and showed her the symbol. Xiang Qingying recognized it as the emblem of a gambling house. Jiang Taohua then proposed they go check it out together and lied that Qingtai had snuck out to play. She said she couldn’t tell Shen Zaiye and begged Xiang Qingying for help. Xiang Qingying helped Jiang Taohua climb over the wall, but they were immediately spotted by Shen Zaiye and Zhan Lu.

Xiang Qingying protected Jiang Taohua and told her to run. When she turned back, Jiang Taohua had already vanished. Shen Zaiye then took Xiang Qingying back. Meanwhile, Jiang Taohua had arrived at the gambling house, wearing a mask and pretending to be a serving maid. The first floor was full of music and dancing, the second was for gambling, and the third was restricted.

Jiang Taohua intended to investigate the third floor but was stopped by a gambler who asked her to pour wine. While serving, she caught a familiar scent from a masked man—one she had smelled in Shen Zaiye’s study. She was certain the man before her was Shen Zaiye. Shen Zaiye kept winning at the gambling table, causing other players to leave one by one.

He eventually stopped playing and went to exchange his winnings for gold, but was told that only silver was given out. The weight of the silver was clearly off, confirming to Shen Zaiye that the counterfeit money was being distributed from here. Jiang Taohua carefully observed the layout and realized that she could only sneak into the restricted third floor during a shift change. When she saw several maids heading upstairs, she blended in and followed them.

After sneaking off elsewhere to investigate, she found some silver threads blocking the way, suspecting they were part of a trap mechanism. She was sure something important was hidden here. Just then, a patrolling guard spotted her, and she casually made up an excuse to avoid suspicion. Shen Zaiye secretly entered the hidden chamber and discovered that entry required a jade pendant. When he exited, he was spotted by Jiang Taohua, who teased him for walking away empty-handed.

Shen Zaiye hadn’t expected Jiang Taohua to move through the gambling house as if it were unguarded, which made him all the more curious about this princess of Beiyuan. He couldn’t understand how a noble lady who seldom stepped outside could know so much. Shen Zaiye asked Jiang Taohua why she was willing to take such a risk for a servant. Jiang Taohua confessed that to her, Qingtai was not a maid, but family.

Perhaps moved by her words, Shen Zaiye offered to teach her chupu (a dice game). The next day, Shen Zaiye taught Jiang Taohua chupu and found her exceptionally gifted. While others thought she won by luck, she knew it was calculated from the previous round. Jiang Taohua thought she would surely win, but to her surprise, Shen Zaiye cheated.

He told her that while her tricks worked well against ordinary people, they wouldn’t be enough to deal with the people they were truly up against. Therefore, he required her to master chupu within three days—to be able to use wrist strength and hearing to detect the changes inside the dice cup. Despite practicing, Jiang Taohua couldn’t get a feel for it. Shen Zaiye held her hand to help her sense the force needed.

With his guidance, Jiang Taohua finally managed to shake out the result she wanted. Shen Zaiye reminded her that no matter how skilled her hands were, she couldn’t let her eyes betray her. Recalling the greed she saw in gamblers’ eyes, Jiang Taohua suddenly understood. Shen Zaiye told her that the heir was both a gambler and a lecher, so her previous tactics would work perfectly on him. Displeased by Shen Zaiye’s mocking tone, Jiang Taohua got up and left.

Shen Zaiye and Jiang Taohua entered the gambling house again. Before they went in, Shen Zaiye warned her it wasn’t too late to back out, but Jiang Taohua refused. On the boat heading to the gambling house, Shen Zaiye went over every step of the plan with her and assured her he would watch over everything from the shadows.

As soon as Jiang Taohua sat at the table, she started winning big, quickly drawing the attention of the heir, who came to crush her momentum. Shen Zaiye also gave Zhan Lu the signal to begin the operation. The second prince tried to rope in Mu Wuxia, but Mu Wuxia didn’t want to get involved in his and the heir’s feud. At that moment, Zhan Lu arrived and invited both of them to the gambling house to watch the show.

The second prince, thinking there’d be good entertainment, immediately went along. After Jiang Taohua beat the heir, she pretended to leave, but the heir wouldn’t allow it and insisted on continuing. Jiang Taohua’s goal was the jade pendant, so she proposed they wager it. The heir agreed and suggested switching to a game of “guessing high or low.” While casting the dice, Jiang Taohua exposed the peach blossom mark on her arm.

The heir was mesmerized by its beauty and wanted to make her his. Taking advantage of the distraction, Shen Zaiye quietly swapped the jade pendant. While Jiang Taohua was stalling the heir, Shen Zaiye used the jade pendant to enter the hidden chamber. He noticed bells hanging there and realized he had to avoid triggering the mechanisms if he wanted to go further.

Jiang Taohua kept an eye on the incense burn rate—they had agreed on the time of one incense stick—so she had to do everything she could to delay the heir. In the game of high or low, Jiang Taohua lost focus and began losing. Everyone believed her luck had run out. When she bet again on “high,” she worried that one more loss would cost her everything. Just as the heir demanded she concede, someone whispered something in his ear.

He immediately got up to leave, but Jiang Taohua stopped him by offering herself as a bet—fifty thousand taels of gold. The crowd was stunned. That amount was worth as much as an entire city. Being a lecher, the heir immediately agreed to one final round to decide the outcome. Up above, Mu Wuxia and his brother had been watching the game unfold. They didn’t believe the heir could possibly produce that much money.

Meanwhile, Jiang Taohua grew increasingly anxious, hoping Shen Zaiye would return soon. Just as she was unsure of her next bet, Shen Zaiye appeared behind her and whispered for her to bet on “high.” Jiang Taohua trusted him and followed his suggestion—and won. The heir, however, accused her of being in league with those who stole from the treasury.

Shen Zaiye suddenly knocked off the heir’s mask, revealing his face to everyone, and then pulled Jiang Taohua away in a swift escape. Furious, the heir ordered a thorough search to capture Jiang Taohua and Shen Zaiye. Meng Huaijin advised him to calm down, but the heir insisted Jiang Taohua hadn’t left yet and vowed to keep searching. Zhan Lu went to the prison and found Qingtai, bringing her food.

Meanwhile, the Du Fu district was in chaos, with soldiers searching everyone for a peach blossom mark on their arm. Jiang Taohua realized they were after her and decided to stay behind to cover Shen Zaiye’s escape. But Shen Zaiye suddenly remembered that his older brother had once said the same thing—telling him to flee—before dying in a sea of fire. Shen Zaiye couldn’t bear to leave Jiang Taohua behind and pulled her into hiding with him.

The two hid inside a wardrobe. Just then, the wife of the Marquis of Xinyang and the wife of General Weiyuan entered the room. Soon after, the heir followed and dragged out the wife of General Weiyuan from behind the wardrobe. He then kicked off the Marquis of Xinyang’s mask and warned him to behave or he’d be punished on behalf of the general. He ordered a continued search of the room. Jiang Taohua and Shen Zaiye, still hiding in the wardrobe, watched as the soldiers drew closer to their hiding spot.