A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College Episode 16 Recap
> A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College Recap
Yan Yunzhi, having uncovered some leads in his investigation, set out of the city under the pretense of a leisurely trip with a friend. However, instead of Qing Xuan, Su Jieyu arrived, explaining that she had already spoken with Yan Yunzhi's mother, who was delighted by the prospect of them traveling together. Yan Yunzhi, displeased by this unexpected turn, turned to Bai Shi, who lowered his head awkwardly, avoiding eye contact.
Meanwhile, Sang Qi was at a restaurant, troubled by her brother's case. She ruminated on how the Wei family seemed to be mere puppets in the tea plantation matter, yet there was no solid evidence to link it directly to the Song family. She noted the mysterious connection to Xizhao, and the lack of ties between her brother and the Song family. She felt the clues were too scattered to draw conclusions and wondered if Yan Yunzhi was withholding information.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a commotion outside as Song Luotian loudly demanded a room, irritating Sang Qi further. When she stepped out to scold him, she noticed a distinct change in Song Luotian; gone was his usual arrogance, replaced by a sense of grievance and melancholy. Softened by his demeanor, Sang Qi invited him to join her in her private room. Song Luotian confessed his concern for Wei Zhanhong, who had been exiled.
He admitted to bribing the soldiers escorting Wei Zhanhong to ensure his better treatment on the journey. However, news from a stage station indicated that the Wei family was about to reach the border of Jingzhou. Overwhelmed with worry, Song Luotian sought solace in drink, admitting his father forbade him from mentioning the Wei family. Sang Qi, initially surprised, had always assumed Wei Zhanhong was merely Song Luotian’s subservient follower, but now saw a genuine bond between them.
In his drunken state, Song Luotian revealed the truth: he had asked Wei Zhanhong to put laxatives in Sang Qi’s food. Sang Qi immediately recalled the incident at the Imperial College and realized with a shock that she had consumed not laxatives, but a deadly poison from Xizhao. This revelation strongly implicated Wei Zhanhong and, by extension, the Wei family, in connections with Xizhao.
Fearing Yan Yunzhi was walking into a trap, Sang Qi rushed towards Jingzhou, with Zhuo Wenyuan following close behind. Yan Yunzhi and Bai Shi, in pursuit, eventually caught up with the escorting party in a forest. Yan Yunzhi believed he was rescuing an innocent Official Wei, but the official suddenly turned, attempting to assassinate him. Fortunately, Sang Qi arrived just in time, shooting an arrow that struck the blade in Official Wei's hand.
Amidst the chaos, Xizhao operatives attacked Sang Qi, prompting Yan Yunzhi to quickly step in front of her, taking a wound in the process. Soon after, soldiers sent by Official Yan arrived, forcing the Xizhao attackers to retreat. Yan Yunzhi, injured, ordered Bai Shi to assist him, while instructing Zhuo Wenyuan to pursue Wei Zhanhong and stating he would chase Official Wei himself. The pursuit continued until nightfall. Sang Qi and the others eventually found Official Wei’s body.
The Xizhao operatives, cornered at a cliff, fought desperately. Wei Zhanhong, unable to escape, gritted his teeth and leaped from the cliff. Zhuo Wenyuan, observing this, exchanged a glance with Qian Jiu, and together they systematically eliminated the remaining government officials. Qian Jiu later revealed that according to their original plan, upon Yan San Lang receiving news of the Wei family nearing Jingzhou, Yan Yunzhi was expected to follow them covertly. However, Sang Qi's unexpected appearance had disrupted their scheme.
Qian Jiu, having already anticipated the possibility of failure, had stationed assassins along the return route as a contingency. Zhuo Wenyuan glared at Qian Jiu, sternly warning her not to harm Sang Qi. Qian Jiu scoffed, pushing away a sword near her, assuring him that she had already given explicit orders not to hurt "your Sang Qi."
On the return journey, Sang Qi and Yan Yunzhi were ambushed by Xizhao operatives but managed to evade the attack due to their quick reactions. However, Yan Yunzhi's grave injuries made further travel difficult. Sang Qi insisted on staying with him, sending Bai Shi back to the city for a physician and a carriage. As moonlight filtered through the trees, Sang Qi asked Yan Yunzhi about her brother.
Yan Yunzhi recounted Sang Yu's last words before his sudden death: "With one wrong move, everything falls apart." The coroner had attributed Sang Yu's death to a sudden cardiac arrest, but Sang Yu had explicitly told Yan Yunzhi that his health was improving. Yan Yunzhi confessed that when he tried to investigate further, all traces of Sang Yu in the Imperial College had been deliberately erased by people claiming to be from the imperial court.
He suspected Sang Yu had uncovered a crucial secret, leading to his murder, and acknowledged his own inability to fight such a powerful, hidden enemy as a mere student back then. Yan Yunzhi admitted that his initial harsh treatment of Sang Qi and sending her to Lingwu Mountain were all measures to protect her, to ensure she could defend herself against similar ambushes.
He also revealed he had been secretly investigating similar deaths since becoming the Vice Director, and that the Xizhao powder was found at a similar crime scene around the time Sang Qi entered the Imperial College. Some time later, a recovered Yan Yunzhi arrived at the Imperial College, bringing an assortment of pastries, much to the delight of Yan Yan and the other students. Sang Qi, however, remained puzzled by his actions.
Yan Yunzhi, taking her hand and whispering in her ear, assured her it was all part of an act and requested to speak with her privately later. After returning to the Imperial College, Yan Yunzhi visited Sang Taifu to formally propose marriage to Sang Qi. Sang Taifu, concerned about potential political implications and attracting unwanted attention if the two powerful families were to unite, subtly rebuffed the proposal, stating he would wait for Sang Qi's decision.
Meanwhile, Sang Taifu also suggested Sang Qi take a minor official post in Chenliu, seemingly to remove her from the capital. News of Yan Yunzhi's imminent departure to Chenliu spread among the students, leading to a plan to perform poorly in exams to pressure the Emperor to bring him back. Zhuo Wenyuan, however, expressed a more cynical view, stating he was there to study, not to follow Yan Yunzhi.
Later, Yan Yunzhi and Zhuo Wenyuan had a clandestine meeting where Zhuo Wenyuan revealed he knew Yan Yunzhi's true intention for taking the Chenliu post. Yan Yunzhi then sought out Sang Qi alone, explaining that taking the Chenliu post was precisely to gain the necessary official standing to propose marriage to her father. He then directly proposed marriage to her, asking if she would be willing to leave with him. Sang Qi, blushing, demurred, saying she hadn't agreed yet.
She hesitated, torn between her unfinished brother's will and the unresolved Xizhao mystery. Yan Yunzhi pressed her, asking what her heart truly desired. Just then, Sang Qi seemed to spot something and suddenly yelled, "Go away!"
