A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College Episode 3 Recap
> A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College Recap
After Sang Qi bravely intervened to save Yan Yan during a recent training exercise, she earned his immense respect. To express his gratitude, Yan Yan prepared a meal for her, though its arrangement initially looked more like a funeral offering. Realizing his mistake, Yan Yan rearranged the dishes, only for it to resemble an offering for ancestors even more. Thinking quickly, he then offered Sang Qi a pastry, an act that finally helped them clear up their past misunderstandings.
Meanwhile, Yan Yunzhi investigated a murder case at a private residence. He noted that the entire courtyard appeared to have been meticulously cleaned, leaving no immediate clues. However, his sharp eye spotted something unusual under a table: red powder. This powder was peculiar, and even the authorities could not identify its origin.
Yan Yunzhi observed that the victim's death closely mirrored that of Sang Yu, his late friend, and the family had mysteriously vanished, all of which raised his suspicions about a possible connection between the cases. He believed that finding the source of the poison would help solve everything.
The magistrate of Bianjing’s Capital Prefecture Office, acknowledging Yan Yunzhi's expertise in solving cases, assured him of full support in seeking justice for Sang Yu and specifically requested him to look after Sang Qi, as she was his late friend’s sister. Later that night, Yan Yunzhi pursued a black-clad figure who had covertly entered the residence. The chase led him into The Grand Commandant's Residence, where the figure vanished into the darkness.
During the pursuit, Yan Yunzhi inadvertently stumbled into Sang Qi's bathing room while she was taking a bath. Their startled cries drew the attention of the household staff. Mistaking the staff for those chasing Yan Yunzhi, Sang Qi quickly urged him to hide in the bathtub. Despite the chaotic situation, Yan Yunzhi remained clear-headed and quickly leaped out a window, narrowly avoiding an embarrassing scene.
During a music lesson, the scholar used a unique method to select students to play instruments. When it was Sang Qi’s turn, having no prior experience with musical instruments, her attempt produced a jarring, ear-splitting sound, causing other students and even the scholar to cringe. Only Yan Yan applauded enthusiastically. Recognizing her lack of musical talent, Sang Qi offered to sing a folk song as an apology. Initially, the students tightened their hands over their ears, fearing another harsh sound.
But as Sang Qi began to sing, her captivating voice made them involuntarily lower their hands, becoming fully engrossed in the beautiful melody. Sang Qi's singing reached Yan Yunzhi’s ears, evoking memories of his dear friend, Sang Yu. Drawn by the melody, he walked over to Sang Qi and began to play his zither, harmonizing with her voice. Their combined performance was exquisite, prompting cheers from the other students. Just as the song concluded, a sudden downpour began.
Zhuo Wenyuan promptly approached Sang Qi to shield her from the rain, but she paid him no mind, instead running into the rain to catch up with Yan Yunzhi. Sang Qi recognized her brother Sang Yu's distinct composition in Yan Yunzhi's zither playing. She confronted him about it, but Yan Yunzhi vehemently denied knowing the song or her brother, becoming flustered whenever Sang Yu was mentioned.
Sang Qi sensed he was hiding something crucial, but their conversation was cut short when Yan Yunzhi was called away by the scholar. Later, believing that the student rosters in the Imperial College's archive might hold information about her brother, Sang Qi went to investigate. The archive was spacious and well-organized. She found Sang Yu's name in the roster for Class Sky and noticed that Yan Yunzhi was listed as his classmate.
Just as she was about to examine it further, Yan Yunzhi entered. He asserted his authority as a teacher, reprimanding her for unauthorized entry and punishing her with a task to copy the Imperial College rules. Sang Qi reluctantly accepted but persisted in questioning him about his relationship with her brother. Yan Yunzhi steadfastly denied any close ties. Frustrated, Sang Qi left. Yan Yunzhi then noticed someone suspiciously leaving through the archive window.
After Sang Qi departed, he investigated and discovered that several pages had been torn from a book, which he believed was connected to the red powder found at the murder scene. He concluded that the person he sought was likely within the Imperial College. Sang Qi decided to learn cooking, hoping to impress Yan Yunzhi and win her bet with Song Jiayin.
However, her attempt to cook led to an unexpected discovery: the usually stern Yan Yunzhi was terrified of feathered chickens. Meanwhile, Song Luotian, worried that Sang Qi would win against his sister Song Jiayin, secretly poisoned the food Sang Qi prepared, intending to ruin her image in Yan Yunzhi's eyes. Unbeknownst to him, Sang Qi herself consumed the tainted meal, causing her to become delirious and embrace Yan Yunzhi.
As Sang Qi's movements became erratic and she slowly lost consciousness, Yan Yunzhi grew increasingly alarmed. To his surprise, Sang Qi then unexpectedly kissed him, causing the atmosphere to freeze in an intimate moment. Sang Qi was rushed back to The Grand Commandant's Residence, where she remained unconscious late into the night. Several renowned physicians in Bianjing were summoned but proved unable to rouse her, declaring themselves powerless against the severe poisoning.
Having already lost his close friend Sang Yu, Yan Yunzhi was desperate not to lose another person. He observed that Sang Qi's hallucinatory symptoms were unsettlingly similar to Sang Yu's two years prior. Ignoring the stormy weather, he intercepted Imperial Physician Wen on the road, urgently pleading for him to treat Sang Qi, knowing of his renowned skill in detoxification. Despite Imperial Physician Wen's initial protest about being "kidnapped," he agreed to help. Official Yan, who had also arrived at the residence, stated that the incident at the Imperial College demanded a thorough investigation.
