The Mid-Autumn Festival arrives and Ruoxi is summoned before the emperor. Ruolan trains Ruoxi in court etiquette to avoid humiliating herself before the imperial court. During the festival, the Kangxi Emperor arranges a marriage between Yin'e and Mingyu, crushing the former's hopes of taking Ruoxi as his wife but he is unable to defy his father's command. Seeing that even the princes have no control over their own fates, Ruoxi becomes afraid of the imperial court for the first time. Upon returning to the imperial residence, she dashes from the carriage causing others to mistake her fear for sadness at the Yin'e's betrothal.

The princes intend to hold a horse race and Ruoxi asks her sister to attend, but Ruolan mysteriously refuses. Ruoxi investigates and coincidentally hears about a general, which deepens her curiosity.

Ruoxi and Yinxiang discuss their lack of etiquette on Yin'e's wedding night but discover that it is all a misunderstanding. Yinxiang was not unhappy because of his feelings for Mingyu but on that night but because his mother was giving birth and Ruoxi was not unhappy because of Yin'e. With their misunderstandings cleared, Yinxiang takes Ruoxi to the home of his best friend, Luwu, and the three talks and enjoy each other's company late into the night.

When Rouxi returns to her estate, she realizes that it is very late and goes to Ruolan to apologize but happens upon her sister gazing longingly at a portrait. Bit by bit, Ruolan tells of what happened years ago. Yinsi had always loved Ruolan but when they were wed he discovered that her heart belonged to another, her childhood friend from the steppes, Qingshan. In a bid to ensure she marries Yinsi, Ruolan's father sends Qingshan to war where he dies in battle. Ruolan, unable to forgive Yinsi, spends her days with a small Buddha. To help Yinsi see Ruolan as she was in the past, Ruoxi gives a jade bracelet to her sister but Ruolan mistaken believes that the gift is from Yinxiang.

In time, the period for selecting attendants arrives and the princes are concerned for Ruoxi. Yinsi suddenly announces that he chooses to spend the night with Ruolan, dismaying Minghui. Unused to the all night custom, Ruoxi has trouble staying awake, but while in a doze she hears Ruoxi and Yinsi discussing her and Yinxiang. As Ruoxi and Yinxiang are quite close, they decide to arrange for her to serve him.

Thanks to the efforts of the princes, Ruoxi has not yet been selected as an attendant. Several of the concubines state their desire to have Ruoxi serve them but the empress, not wanting to offend anyone, sends her to be a tea serving girl to the emperor himself. As a rookie, she is cautious but with her modern era smarts she gradually gains the confidence of the emperor and soon appointed as the lead tea server.

During discussions concerning an issue with the heir, the emperor commands that the younger princes speak. The simple-minded Yin'e puts forth his opinion, but inadvertently disrespects Yinzhen. To help him save face, Ruoxi spills tea on him stopping him from speaking further. This is witnessed by the senior eunuch Li Dequan who warns her not to involve herself in such matters. Yinti, however, thinks she has designs on Yinzhen and warns her not to betray Yinsi. Ruoxi later coincidentally meets Yinzhen who tells her that in the future she is welcome to come to him if she ever has any problems.

Yinzhen brings Ruoxi along for the trip with the emperor, suggesting that she bring some more tea and be careful. As he has to remain behind to administer to the affairs of state, Yinsi forlornly bids Ruoxi farewell. Yinsi finds out that it was Minghui's interference that caused Ruoxi to be unable to serve any of the concubines. As a result, he ignores Minghui who begs his forgiveness and promises never to do anything to displease him again.

Meanwhile, Ruoxi, as part of her tea serving duties, delivers tea to the emperor and the princes in individually selected cups bringing praise from all. Ruoxi then requests that the emperor permit her to learn horse riding, which he happily permits.

Yinxiang meets Mongolian Princess Minmin at the goat roping arena and become friends, but neither knows of the others' birthright. However, that night the emperor orders that a party be held and while performing, Minmin sees Yinxiang, who had introduced himself as "Little Star" at the arena. To her surprise, he speaks to her in Mongolian and an attraction begins to grow between them.

Ruoxi convinces Yinxiang to teach her horse riding and the two agree to meet that night. Yinsi had arranged for a full set of riding attire to be delivered to Ruoxi and so wearing the prince's gift, Ruoxi waits on the steppe for Yinxiang, but in a twist, it is Yinzhen who appears to teach her and the ensuing lesson leaves Ruoxi completely exhausted.

That night, she goes to find Yinxiang to get an explanation as to why was not there to teach her riding. Yinxiang believes that Ruoxi has feelings for Yinzhen and that he is a passing fancy. Ruoxi, of course, cannot reveal that Yinzhen is to be the next emperor, which is why she so careful around him. Depressed by the situation, she returns to her estate to throw a tantrum.

News of the eighteenth prince Yinxie's worsening illness arrives but the ministers feel that the emperor should concern himself with the affairs of the empire and advise against informing him of the prince's condition. However, Yinsi goes against the consensus and decides to inform him. Upon receiving the news, the emperor decides to decamp and return to the capital in three days.

The crown prince, Yinreng, in a drunken stupor, trespasses into the Mongolian bivouac and is later scolded by the emperor. Yinreng believes that this incident was instigated by his elder brother and goes to demand an explanation from him. During the argument, he is told that it is only a matter of time before the emperor strips him of his title. Furious, Yinreng rushes to the emperor and erupts in a rage, further worsening the emperor's mood and endangering his succession to the throne.

Shortly before the emperor's party reaches the capital, news arrives of Yinxie's passing. In his grief, the emperor confides to Ruoxi his reasons for doting Yinreng. From a young age, Yinreng had lost his mother and the emperor had personally taken a hand in his upbringing but age failed to bring wisdom. Late in the night, Yinreng again disturbs the emperor and, enraged, the emperor summons his ministers to pronounce Yinreng's misdeeds and decides to officially strip the crown prince of his right of succession upon returning to the capital. The stress of the rage overcomes him and the emperor faints.

Upon Ruoxi's return to the capital, Yinti delivers a love letter written by Yinsi, which delights and startles her. She goes to Yutan's home to get news and discovers that there are people in the palace hoping to raise Yinti to be heir. With her foreknowledge of history, she wants to write a letter of warning to Yinti but knowing that history cannot be changed, she doesn't. Yinreng to beg forgiveness from the emperor and, again, with her foreknowledge Ruoxi knows that the emperor will forgive him but the time was not right.

Another new year arrives; Yinzhen bestows on Ruoxi a gift of a Mulan necklace while Yinsi continues to write love letters, which greatly moves Ruoxi. Yinsi's supporters urge Ruoxi to reveal her discussions with the emperor but are firmly rebuked by Yinsi. Still believing that history is unchangeable, she tells Yinsi in passing that the emperor still loves Yinreng very much. She decides to write him a warning letter, but before she can deliver it to him, she encounters Yinzhen and during their conversation, Yinsi departs the court.

Amongst the ministers, over thirty support Yinsi to be raised as heir. This leads the emperor to believe that Yinsi has raised a faction for personal gain and strips him of his title then leaves him to be dealt with by the government. He also warns the other brothers else, they would face the same fate and orders corporal punishment on Yinti for speaking up for Yinsi.

Yinsi, saddened by the loss of his rank, seeks Ruolan to lessen his burden but she still treats him coldly. Therefore, he looks for Ruoxi instead but instead encounters Yinzhen and the two princes’ end up having tea together with Ruoxi.

After a time, the turmoil of the Yinreng's loss of rank passes and his rank is restored, the other princes are also promoted and Yinsi is rehabilitated. Soon it is Ruoxi's birthday and Yin'e, in high spirits, wishes to celebrate her birthday but she only wants to see her sister, Ruolan. On her birthday, Ruoxi is sadly resigning herself to never being able to return to the present when she is summoned by one of the imperial concubines. Her summoning was actually organized by Yinsi so Ruoxi could see Ruolan. Upon seeing her younger sister, Ruolan asks if she has someone, she cares for and advises that she prepare for her own future.

Yinti comes to find Ruoxi to chat and directly asks her if she has any feelings for Yinsi. Her evasion eventually angers Yinti but coincidentally Yinzhen and Yinxiang, who have been looking for Shouxing to have tea, appear. Yinzhen bears a gift from Ruoxi's childhood, nail polish.

With the restoration of his rank, Yinreng resumes his immature behavior leading more officials to side with Yinsi. Fearing his growing influence, the emperor decides to take Yinsi with him to tour the empire while leaving Yinzhen to deal with court affairs. On his previous tour, the emperor remembered that Ruoxi had begun riding lessons and had left orders for her lessons to be continued. Unbelievably, the impulsive Princess Minmin volunteers, but it is not with the best intentions and during one lesson, she slaps rump of Ruoxi's horse startling it. Fortunately, the arrival of Yinsi prevented her from falling.