Rescued from the brink of death a decade ago, Meng Tinghui has transformed from a nameless survivor into the Daping Dynasty’s first female scholar to enter the prestigious Hanlin Academy. Known for her sharp wit and cunning nature, she has spent years navigating the treacherous waters of the imperial court. While her peers see only a ruthless official, she harbors a secret devotion to the man who saved her – Emperor Ying Gua. Tinghui is intent on helping Ying Gua become the greatest ruler in history, no matter what it takes. But amidst the power struggles and political schemes, Meng Tinghui remains blind to the one truth that could change everything: the Emperor’s heart has belonged to her all along.
As a young child, Meng Tinghui fell into the hands of human traffickers. In her moment of despair, a youth clad in red enlightened her : only by studying, becoming an official, and having power can she truly exact revenge.
To retrieve the handwritten resume Ying Gua took, Meng Tinghui deliberately leaks his whereabouts on the street to both the Black Tiger Hall and Huo An's faction. That night, Ying Gua returns to Bofeng House with people to confront Meng Tinghui about the betrayal, and the two face off amidst a torrential downpour.
Meng Tinghui seizes the opportunity to escape prison and seeks out Ying Gua to propose a deal. She will guide him into Jiuyou City, and in return, he will restore her status as a law-abiding citizen, reinstating her eligibility for the Imperial Examination.
Ying Gua returns Meng Tinghui's handwritten resume to her and invites her to go horseback riding. As she recounts the story of being abducted and trafficked as a child, Ying Gua realizes she is the same young beggar who stole his jade pendant a decade ago.
Meng Tinghui's discourse on policy in the Metropolitan Examination is plagiarized, and the perpetrator even attempts to silence her permanently. She decides to blow up the matter, printing and distributing leaflets on Changle Street to expose the fraud surrounding the discourse on policy of the Metropolitan Examination's Top Scholar.
The Magistrate of the Metropolitan Office, Dong Shoucai, conspires with Jiang Mei'er and has Meng Tinghui thrown into prison. Jiang Mei'er orders the prison guards to set the prison ablaze to silence her. At the critical moment, Ying Gua arrives with the Shenwei Army, and only then does Meng Tinghui learn that He Du is actually the reigning Emperor.
Left Chancellor Xu Ting forcibly abolishes the Women's Special Imperial Examination. Meng Tinghui persuades Right Chancellor Gu Qin to help secure land for women's academies across all the provinces. She then gathers all the female tribute scholars to sign a joint petition and kneels in the rain in front of the Xu residence to plead their cause.
Ying Gua announces the establishment of the Censorship Bureau and appoints Meng Tinghui to lead it, but Xu Ting vehemently objects, arguing that it would throw the court into disorder.
Meng Tinghui is ambushed in prison, but the shadow guards arranged by Ying Gua appear just in time to rescue her. That is when she realizes that her imprisonment and the attack on her were all a trap set by Ying Gua to lure out the enemy.
Meng Tinghui and Ying Gua become suspicious of Xingrong Gambling House and go undercover to investigate. They discover it is a den where innocent female students are imprisoned and trafficked.
Vice Minister Zheng of the Court of Judicial Review shields the culprit and falsely accuses Meng Tinghui of taking bribes. When Meng Tinghui unexpectedly notices the red jade thumb ring and bite mark on his hand, she realizes he is the true culprit behind Yue's murder.
Left Chancellor, Xu Ting's son, Xu Runze hears of Meng Tinghui's achievements and falls for her. He shows up with betrothal gifts to propose to her at Bofeng House in front of everyone.
Xu Ting, Wen Tao, and other court officials demand that Meng Tinghui be severely punished and the Censorship Bureau be dissolved. Ying Gua then reveals a shocking secret: he was the one who rescued Meng Tinghui in Shazhou 10 years ago.
In order to distance Ying Gua from Meng Tinghui, he sends Wen Tao's daughter, Wen Ruomei, into the palace. He schemes to get Wen Ruomei close to Ying Gua and create a scandal that will mislead the court and the public.
The Blood Moon Society's Mr. Shangguan discovers that the Tiger Roar Gang is selling contraband drugs. He decides to join forces with them to distribute the Boundless Pill, a more potent and highly addictive drug, in a scheme to manipulate the powerful and wealthy.
Influenced by Gu Qin, Shen Zhili begins to question Meng Tinghui's "act first, report later" approach. The two clash repeatedly during discussions, causing a rift in their relationship.
To investigate the source of the Boundless Pills, Meng Tinghui disguises herself as a man and infiltrates Wanxiang House, only to encounter Ying Gua, who is also there incognito to investigate.
Ling Yunfei's letters of challenge fill the sky at Changle Street. He threatens a bloodbath in the capital using the Boundless Pills if the Imperial Court doesn't hand Meng Tinghui over by nightfall.
The victims surround the Censorship Bureau, crying and cursing. Faced with their fury, Meng Tinghui publicly sets a 10-day deadline for herself. If she fails to eradicate the Boundless Pills and apprehend Ling Yunfei, she will be removed from office and reduced to a commoner.
Luo points out that the "money herb" that has been cultivated by valley dwellers for generations is the fuqing herb and that merchants come to purchase it every month. Ying Gua decides to infiltrate first. He, Meng Tinghui, and Yin Qing disguise themselves as valley dwellers delivering the herb and conduct the transaction with the merchants.
Gu Qin keeps vigil for Yuan Lingyi in the mourning hall, claiming that she died taking a blade for him. Gu Qin acts as if he can't go on living without her.
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