Gu Ting Ye learns some devastating news from his father. He will have to find another career as he will not be able to take any more Imperial Exams until the age of 50. Dejected, he plans to leave the capital with his mistress and their children. His mistress Man Niang though seems to have other plans. In the Sheng family, the master, Sheng Hong is summoned by the Emperor and confined in the Palace. Madame Wang tries to seize an opportunity and dispose of her rival Mistress Lin but fails. Sheng Hong returns from his ordeal and punishes his son Chang Feng. What happened at the Palace? Listen to find out

In this episode, we first discuss what the Chinese Imperial Exam is all about before seeing how Chang Bai, Chang Feng, Qi Heng and Gu Ting Ye fair in their first ever Metropolitan exam.

The Sheng daughters finished their lessons with Kong Mo Mo and are now back with Scholar Zhuang studying with the young men. In this episode, there is a spirited debate by the students on who is better – the eldest or the most capable. We dissect each historical example raised by the students and discuss Ming Lan's insightful conclusion.

The Sheng daughters learn 3 of the 4 arts of life prominent during the Song Dynasty. But these skills are not the only things they learn. After tensions blow up between 5th daughter Ru Lan and 6th daughter Mo Lan, Kong Mo Mo, a formidable woman, reprimands not just the daughters, but their parents as well.

Gu Ting Ye brings his nanny to care for his mistress and two young children. After she arrives, she shares that Gu Ting Ye's mother was tricked into marrying his father and was treated very poorly because she came from a merchant family whereas the Gu family is of nobility. Gu Ting Ye's mother's dowry was used to repay the heavy debts that the Gu family incurred. This story deeply angers Gu Ting Ye. Elsewhere, the ladies of the Sheng family start taking lessons with Kong Mo Mo, an old friend of Grandma Sheng, to improve their manners.

The Sheng family receives unexpected guests which makes at least one of the Sheng daughters curious. In the end, the 3 Sheng daughters sneak to the main hall for a peak at the Countess and her son. Elsewhere, Gu Ting Ye is embroiled in rocky family dynamics now he's returned to the Capital City

The Sheng children have arrived in the capital city and are off to school! Years pass and we finally get to meet our main cast! A handsome young duke Qi Heng studies with the Sheng family and he is quite smitten with Ming Lan. Unfortunately, Ming Lan's two older sisters Mo Lan and Ru Lan are quite jealous of any show of affection from the young duke. Ming Lan has no choice but to avoid Qi Heng. Gu Ting Ye, who has been away for a few years studying at another academy, returns to study with the Sheng family. How will the sisters react?

The presumed dead Gu Ting Ye appears at his grandfather's funeral, dashing some family members' plans to steal his inheritance. Ming Lan's mother goes into labor but the devious Mistress Lin doesn't aid the suffering woman. Ming Lan tries desperately to find a doctor but by the time she does, it's too late. Master Sheng and Madame Wang are furious at the turn of events and punish the servants. Grandma Sheng decides to raise Ming Lan under her care. The family leaves for the capital as Master Sheng is promoted. What will be in store for Ming Lan now that she has lost her mother?

In this episode, little Ming Lan tries to improve her mother's living conditions after winning favor with her father. Her father Sheng Hong is outraged to find the destitute living conditions she and her mother lives in and tries to investigate. However the devious Mistress Lin is one step ahead and artfully implicates an innocent maid. On a peaceful boat ride, bandits try to assassinate two young boys. What happens to one of them?