Maomao finds herself once more in the western capital. She tries to focus on her work—which isn’t made any easier when she’s paired with not just the quack doctor but the smart-mouthed young physician Tianyu. Meanwhile, Jinshi might be the Imperial younger brother, but the western capital has its own hierarchies, both obvious and hidden. He and the other visitors from the court will have to navigate these halls of power even more carefully than usual, lest they run afoul of enemies they don’t even know they have. Over it all looms the threat of the insect plague, which seems insurmountable—until one man claims to know how to counter the menace. His method is intimately connected to secrets buried deep in the region’s past.