Dorayakiz

Second Aunt yells at Cheng Shaoshang for tricking her. Following what seemed to be sound advice, Second Aunt vowed not to move out of the main quarters until she has a boy. However, the Cheng family, including Second Uncle, will move to another residence. Cheng Shaoshang sees her mother eavesdropping outside, so she goads Second Aunt to air grievances against Second Uncle, who is disabled.

[Cheng Shaoshang’s mother had just given birth to a boy. Ordered by the Emperor, Cheng Shaoshang’s parents must go rescue the Huo family at Gu City. Second Aunt said the baby can shield Old Madam Cheng from misfortune, so Old Madam Cheng insisted on keeping the baby. Cheng Shaoshang’s mother gave birth to another child, this time a girl.

Cheng Shaoshang’s parents left with their three sons, leaving newborn Cheng Shaoshang behind.]

Ling Buyi discovers Xu Jinzhong hiding in a secret room of a blacksmith shop. Xu Jinzhong, who has a birthmark on his neck, commits suicide.

[Troops delivered defective weapons to Gu City. Identified by the distinctive birthmark, the troop leader was Xu Jinzhong.]

Ling Buyi orders his guards to arrest anyone connected to Xu Jinzhong and demolish the blacksmith shop.    

Cheng Yang is happy to see her maternal grandfather, Old Master Ge, and Aunt Ge again. 

Old Master Ge apologizes to the Cheng family, then slaps Second Aunt for causing trouble. Although the Ge family helped the Cheng family by providing provisions during the war, Old Master Ge won’t object if Second Uncle divorces Second Aunt.

Second Aunt wants sons, not daughters, so Cheng Yang was raised by the Ge family. Cheng Shaoshang used to think Cheng Yang was unlucky, but the Ge family provided a loving environment. It’s Cheng Shaoshang who is unlucky. 

Cheng Yang wants to live with the Ge family, but by law, she belongs to the Cheng family. Aunt Ge tells Cheng Yang that children are not at fault for their parents’ misdeeds and that females need to be independent and self-reliant. Agreeing wholeheartedly, Cheng Shaoshang offers Aunt Ge buttermilk.

[Cheng Shaoshang didn’t offer Aunt Ge buttermilk to shift everyone’s attention from Cheng Yang to her. Despite Cheng Shaoshang’s explanation, her mother doesn’t believe calculative people will act without wanting something in return.  

Her mother intends to apply methods she used to train stubborn soldiers to turn Cheng Shaoshang into a carbon copy of Cheng Yang, who is gentle and diligent.]

Steeling her heart, Cheng Shaoshang would rather depend on herself than change to please people who don’t like her.

Old Master Ge and Aunt Ge will take Second Aunt back to the Ge family. Divorced from his wife, Second Uncle is free to go to Bailu Mountain to study. Cheng Shaoshang’s mother assures them that she will treat Cheng Yang like her daughter. Cheng Shaoshang sees her mother comfort Cheng Yang.

Granduncle Dong sold weapons to Xu Jinzhong. Ling Buyi will let Granduncle Dong say goodbye to the Cheng family before being exiled to the frontiers.

Over the years, Cheng Shaoshang’s mother accumulated gifts until she could give them to Cheng Shaoshang. Cheng Shaoshang likes everything except books. To her parents’ horror, she is illiterate.

Unlike Cheng Shaoshang, Second Aunt’s daughter, Cheng Yang, is educated and well-mannered.

Granduncle Dong blames the Cheng family for his predicament, so he makes the farewell memorable by revealing some secrets. Old Madam Cheng mistreated Cheng Shaoshang because she hates Cheng Shaoshang’s mother. Second Aunt didn’t educate Cheng Shaoshang on purpose, and she stole all the money Cheng Shaoshang’s father had sent home over the years.

Xu Jinzhong is hiding somewhere, probably a place familiar to him. Since Xu Jinzhong comes from a family of blacksmiths, Ling Buyi dispatches guards to blacksmith shops to find him.

Second Aunt refuses to move out of the main quarters even though Cheng Shaoshang and her parents should live there because her father is the patriarch of the family.

Cheng Shaoshang is too hungry to memorize anything. Her father brings her food, but her mother forces her to study instead of letting her eat.

Cheng Shaoshang wants to study the mechanics of how things work in the real world, not the classics. Her mother fears that if she doesn’t teach Cheng Shaoshang right from wrong, a troublemaker like Cheng Shaoshang can cause the family’s downfall.

Cheng Shaoshang contemplates why her mother allows Second Aunt to live in the main quarters.

Cheng Shaoshang teaches Second Aunt how she can remain in the main quarters. If Second Aunt says living there is auspicious and helps her to conceive a son, Old Madam Cheng will believe her. Second Aunt takes Cheng Shaoshang for a fool. It seems Cheng Shaoshang will help an enemy to get back at her mother.

Cheng Shaoshang modifies brushes to write multiple words at the same time so she can copy books faster. Her mother scolds her for taking revenge on Second Aunt. Cheng Shaoshang has figured out that the Emperor will reward her parents for fighting in the war, so they will move to a better residence, which explains why her mother doesn’t care who lives in the main quarters.

The Emperor promotes Cheng Shaoshang’s father to Marquis Quling, responsible for 500 households.

The Emperor wants Ling Buyi, his foster son, to wrap up the armament case. However, Ling Buyi is too invested to stop.

Ling Buyi passes by his father’s residence without going inside to see his father, Ling Yi, Marquis Chengyang.

Cheng Shaoshang continues to pretend to be sick, fooling her father but not her mother.

While Cheng Shaoshang’s parents were away, the Cheng family punished Cheng Shaoshang by banishing her to the countryside. They didn’t give her money, clothes, or food and wouldn’t pay for a physician when she fell sick. 

Cheng Shaoshang’s mother returned home earlier to see how the Cheng family treats her daughter. She intends to be strict in disciplining Cheng Shaoshang to curb her from being rebellious.

Cheng Shaoshang sends Ling Buyi a bundle of hay and fabric pieces.

Acting on the tip, Ling Buyi investigates a fabric store owned by Second Aunt. The ledger shows a large amount of money laundered by Granduncle Dong.

Cheng Shaoshang doesn’t want to take bitter medicine. Her father allows her to add sugar but not her mother.

Old Madam Cheng threatens suicide. Acting just as melodramatic, Cheng Shaoshang’s father doesn’t see how he can save Granduncle Dong. If she wants to report him for being unfilial because he doesn’t do what she wants, just know that conviction means he could be executed and his assets seized.

Cheng Shaoshang’s mother catches Cheng Shaoshang watching the theatrical battle with glee.

Afraid of torture, Granduncle Dong confesses to Ling Buyi.

Cheng Shaoshang’s father convinces Old Madam Cheng to put their family first instead of siding with relatives.

Cheng Shaoshang’s father tells his wife to not scold Cheng Shaoshang while they are eating.

Old Madam Cheng adores Cheng Shaoshang’s father and Third Uncle as much as she disapproves of their wives. 

Cheng Shaoshang’s mother hits Cheng Shaoshang’s hand with a ruler for gossiping about her elders. Cheng Shaoshang has been looking forward to going to the Lantern Festival for the first time, but now she has to stay in her room and copy the Book of Rites.

[Smoke didn’t come out of the chimney, so Old Madam Cheng panicked. It turns out Cheng Shaoshang modified the chimney to scare her superstitious grandmother. 

Cheng Shaoshang’s mother had a ruler because she wanted to take Cheng Shaoshang’s measurements to make new clothes for her.]

News of victory reaches the capital, followed by the return of Ling Buyi and his troops. For his accomplishments on the battlefield, he is awarded more titles, authority, and privileges by the Emperor.

Servants from the Cheng family have to bring Cheng Shaoshang back to the capital, dead or alive.

The Cheng family abandoned Cheng Shaoshang in the countryside, not caring that she fell ill and almost died. Her parents are away fighting in a war and send her sporadic letters over the years.

Ling Buyi monitors Cheng Shaoshang’s house.

Falling for Cheng Shaoshang’s prank, Head Housemaid Li calls her a troublemaker.

Head Housemaid Li will use force if Cheng Shaoshang refuses to go with them.

Cheng Shaoshang, haggard and dressed shabbily, looks old to Ling Buyi’s lieutenants, Liang Qiufei and Liang Qiuqi.

Cheng Shaoshang notices footsteps from the carriage going to a haystack.

Lianfang, Cheng Shaoshang’s maid, doesn’t like how the carriage smells. Cheng Shaoshang says it’s the smell of a man who hasn’t bathed for some time.

Unlike Lianfang, Cheng Shaoshang isn’t as optimistic in thinking her life will improve if her parents return home.

Ling Buyi’s group demands to search the Cheng family’s carriage. Head Housemaid Li protests, citing impropriety because Cheng Shaoshang is unmarried. Cheng Shaoshang urges Ling Buyi to burn the haystack next to her house first, and he might find what he is looking for. Ling Buyi doesn’t see Cheng Shaoshang’s face, just her hand pointing to the haystack.

After the haystack is set on fire, Cheng Shaoshang’s Granduncle Dong crawls out and is arrested.

Cheng Shaoshang would rather betray her granduncle than have the Cheng family get in trouble for hiding a criminal. Her parents will return home soon, but her future is uncertain. If her parents love her, why did they abandon her when she was born?

Ling Buyi looks at the procession of the Cheng household and repeats the name he heard: Cheng Shaoshang.

Cheng Shaoshang meets her parents for the first time. Her grandmother, Old Madam Cheng, and Second Aunt claim they tried their best to raise Cheng Shaoshang, but her parents see that isn’t true. Old Madam Cheng pretends to be sick and faints, but she loses to Cheng Shaoshang, who appears sicker and faints more dramatically.

Old Madam Cheng and Second Aunt lament how they sacrificed, dealing with a rebel like Cheng Shaoshang. Cheng Shaoshang’s parents see through the lies, but they can’t criticize Old Madam Cheng. Assessing the situation, Cheng Shaoshang acts contrite to gain sympathy for her suffering.

Cheng Shaoshang’s parents learn that Ling Buyi arrested Granduncle Dong for stealing armament. Their shock seems genuine to Ling Buyi.

Ling Buyi praises Cheng Shaoshang for putting country before family. Moreover, he compares her to officials in the Ministry of Justice because she upheld justice by turning in a relative.

But to Cheng Shaoshang, it sounds like Ling Buyi is mocking her.