Fake Princess Recap, Plot, Synopsis
Fake Princess Synopsis
Chang Le, a free and unruly female bandit, married Crown Prince Li Che as a pawn.
She had been humiliated and framed by power, and felt that she was out of step with the world of rules and regulations.
She became the “rightful queen” who was courted by the new ruler, during which she even once abandoned the prince who was a man with an ax to grind. He made her be disappointed with humanity.
At the same time, the crown prince wanted to be uncontested, but several times he almost lost his life and status. In the palace, he was gradually attracted by the lively character of the heroine.
For their own purposes, they wore masks to warm each other, supported each other, and together they were able to stand at the pinnacle of power, holding each other’s hands.
Fake Princess Recap
Episode 1 Recap
In the dead of night, Yuyao was frantically pursued by her household staff, eventually cornered at the edge of a cliff. Her father informed her that her beloved Duan had been murdered on her grandfather's orders. He implored her to return home, warning that defiance of the imperial decree would lead to the ruin of their entire clan.
Heartbroken upon hearing of her lover's demise, Yuyao declared her wish to reunite with him in the next life and tragically leapt from the cliff. Meanwhile, Prince Li Che, traveling incognito with an envoy from the Night Kingdom while escorting tribute, found himself targeted by the audacious female bandit Changle and her comrade Bro Meng.
As Li Che, recalling warnings from Gongsun Mo, suspected the attackers were from the Liu family and ordered his guards to engage, Bro Meng and his gang, upon seeing Changle's success signal, quickly retreated. This led the envoy to believe their escape was due to imperial grace. Later, Changle proudly displayed the stolen western telescope to Bro Meng and her fellow bandits, boasting it was enough to sustain them for a year.
Deciding the item was too valuable and risky to sell immediately, she opted to keep it and play with it for a few days. Back at the Liu mansion, Yuyao's father suggested retrieving her body, but Liu Sheng, his father, sternly forbade it. Liu Sheng emphasized the grave danger to their entire family if the Emperor discovered Yuyao's suicide, lamenting that his grand plan had been ruined. He ordered everyone to maintain absolute secrecy about Yuyao's fate.
At the imperial court, Li Che and the Night Kingdom envoy presented the tribute to the Emperor. Among the gifts were exquisite spices, jade, blankets, Xilagu grain, and a pair of "mother-son stones." The envoy explained that the mother stone provided climate control, and when combined with the son stone (crafted into a special treasure), it would emit light, symbolizing the brilliant bond between the Empress and her son, the Prince.
The Empress, inferring the gift's intended recipient, directed it towards her son, the Fifth Prince Li Heng. However, upon opening the box, Li Heng discovered a raw bone instead of the promised western telescope. The Emperor erupted in fury. The envoy, prostrating himself, swore that they had prepared a western telescope and that someone must have tampered with it. Li Che realized that the bandits' earlier, sudden retreat was indeed a calculated deception.
Li Che sought the Emperor's permission to investigate the matter, acknowledging that the incident occurred under his escort. Liu Sheng also requested to join the investigation to recover the tribute. The Emperor approved. Upon reaching Baiyi Mountain, Liu Sheng proposed a strategy to divide their forces: one group disguised as a merchant caravan to lure the bandits, and the other to directly raid the stronghold.
Li Che, suspecting Liu Sheng's true intentions to put him in harm's way, insisted on being the bait himself. He secretly instructed General Wang, who was to accompany Liu Sheng's raiding party, to closely watch for the western telescope, hinting that Liu Sheng might attempt to hide it to frame him. Changle's bandits soon ambushed Li Che's "merchant" group again. Changle recognized Li Che from their previous encounter and initially tried to negotiate.
However, Li Che's guards, secretly loyal to Liu Sheng, urged him to kill the "female thief" to boost morale. Li Che, wary of Liu Sheng's manipulative tactics and uncertain of Changle's fighting prowess, hesitated. Changle, noticing his reluctance, taunted him as a "cowardly rat," successfully provoking him into a duel. During their fight, a villager rushed in, warning that official troops were attacking the stronghold, indiscriminately killing people. Changle quickly deployed a smoke bomb and made her escape.
Liu Sheng's forces relentlessly seized the villagers and demanded to know the identity of their leader and the whereabouts of the western telescope. When an elderly man refused to cooperate, Liu Sheng angrily drew his sword. Just as he was about to strike, Changle and Bro Meng's group arrived, stopping the senseless slaughter. However, Changle was captured. Liu Sheng, pulling off her scarf, was stunned by her striking resemblance to Yuyao. General Wang also recognized the likeness.
To prevent his secret from being exposed, Liu Sheng swiftly killed General Wang, exclaiming that this was "Heaven's gift" to him. Upon finding General Wang dead, Li Che questioned Liu Sheng about the masked female bandit. Liu Sheng feigned ignorance, claiming no such person was found and that the western telescope had been recovered. Satisfied, Li Che ceased his inquiry.
Liu Sheng then threatened Changle, offering to secure the safety of her twenty-five captured villagers by replacing them with death row prisoners, and provide a hefty reward in gold if she agreed to undertake a secret mission for him for three months, the details of which he would not yet reveal. Changle, prioritizing her people's safety, agreed on the condition that all her villagers were kept safe.
Liu Sheng promised to use "turtle powder" at the mission's end to fake her death and ensure her escape. Changle was then transformed, dressed in elegant attire. Yuyao's father was astounded by her perfect resemblance to his deceased daughter. Liu Sheng formally declared Changle as Liu Yuyao, the Liu family's eldest daughter and his granddaughter, and assigned Nong Ying, a skilled martial artist, as her personal maid.
Meanwhile, the Emperor, pleased with the recovered tribute, announced Li Che's impending grand wedding, confirming that the phoenix coronet and robes of rank had been sent to Liu Sheng's mansion. Changle was furious at being forced into marriage but confronted Liu Sheng. He brought Shitou and her "third aunt," whom he had rescued from prison as part of his promise, to coerce her. Using her remaining twenty-plus villagers as leverage, Liu Sheng forced Changle to agree to marry.
He revealed her intended groom: Crown Prince Li Che. Li Che's intelligence network uncovered the "shocking secret" of the real Liu Yuyao, a crime of imperial deception that would spell the end of the Liu family. Li Che immediately summoned Chen. On the day of the wedding, Nong Ying advised Changle to control her temper, reminding her of the political complexities, especially with Empress Shen and her son Li Heng, a rival to Li Che.
As Li Che arrived to escort her, Changle, who had just eaten watermelon, accidentally stumbled into his arms, leaving a watermelon seed stuck on her face. During the ceremony, an official named Chen attempted to disrupt the proceedings, declaring that the woman was unfit to marry the Prince. Li Che noticed what he initially mistook for a large beauty mark on his bride's face, only to realize, upon closer inspection, that it was a watermelon seed.
He silently mused on the surprising untidiness of his "noble" fiancée. Changle, recognizing Li Che as the "handsome young man" she had fought, was shocked to learn he was the Crown Prince, mentally boasting about having "kicked" the future emperor – a story she could tell for a lifetime.
Episode 2 Recap
On the day of Li Che and Chang Le's grand wedding, just as they were about to complete their marital bows, Lord Chen Xuanyan risked his life to intervene. He declared that the woman, Liu Yuyao, did not deserve to marry the Crown Prince, immediately throwing Chang Le and Prime Minister Liu into disarray. Lord Chen Xuanyan revealed that he had privately investigated and found Liu Yuyao to be impure, urging the Emperor to verify her innocence.
Chang Le, who was disguised as Liu Yuyao, heard this and found it despicable that the Crown Prince would use a woman's reputation to insult her. Undaunted, Chang Le went with Mommy Liu to undergo the purity test. Li Che was confident that Liu Yuyao would be found impure and eagerly anticipated Prime Minister Liu's disgrace. To his surprise, Mommy Liu reported to the Emperor that Miss Liu Yuyao was still innocent.
Enraged, the Emperor ordered Chen Xuanyan to be executed. Fortunately, Li Heng stepped forward to plead for Chen Xuanyan's life, which was spared, though he was demoted to a commoner for life, leaving Chen Xuanyan bewildered by the unexpected outcome. During the wedding banquet, Li Che, feeling displeased, drank himself into a stupor. Meanwhile, Lordship Zhu discreetly pulled Lord Xie into a private room to conspire.
Lordship Zhu emphasized that as long as they had not entered the bridal chamber, the marriage would not be considered complete. He then introduced his nephew, Qing Lan, to Lord Xie, explaining that Qing Lan would impersonate the Fifth Prince Li Heng. With this, a new scheme quietly began to unfold. In the bridal chamber, Chang Le grew bored and restless, her legs aching from sitting. She helped herself to some food and wine.
Nong Ying appeared at the door, reminding Chang Le about the hostages held by Prime Minister Liu. Reluctantly, Chang Le returned to the room, finding the prospect of spending the night with the Crown Prince unbearable. She cleverly set up a mechanism to induce sleep. Soon after, Qing Lan, impersonating the Fifth Prince Li Heng, entered the room. He accidentally triggered Chang Le's device and promptly fell into a deep sleep.
Realizing that Qing Lan was Prime Minister Liu Sheng's grandson, Chang Le was thrilled. She decided to use him as leverage to free her people from the stronghold. As Chang Le, now dressed in Qing Lan's clothes, confronted Prime Minister Liu, an announcement was made about the arrival of the true Fifth Prince. Chang Le quickly realized that the man she had drugged in her room was an impostor. She hastily returned to the bridal chamber to understand the situation.
There, she saw the real Fifth Prince, Li Heng, with his dignified demeanor, confirming her realization that the man she had drugged earlier was an impostor. Meanwhile, the Empress offered her congratulations to Li Che. Li Heng, feeling bored, stepped out for fresh air and encountered Zhu Yan, the daughter of the Zhu residence, gracefully standing in a pavilion. He was immediately smitten and approached her, proclaiming his love.
Before he could do anything else, Chang Le, who was rushing back to the room, knocked him out. Lordship Zhu and Lord Xie became anxious when Qing Lan did not return for a long time. They dispatched men to kidnap the bride from the Crown Prince's bedchamber. Unbeknownst to them, Chang Le had swapped Qing Lan's clothes with a wedding gown, so the 'bride' they painstakingly captured was in fact Qing Lan.
Chang Le, planning to negotiate with Prime Minister Liu Sheng, was intercepted by Nong Ying. Nong Ying did not believe Chang Le had actually captured Li Heng and, to prevent her from leaving, used acupuncture to immobilize her. Li Heng and Zhu Yan found themselves tied back-to-back in the kitchen. They struggled in vain to free themselves, as the ropes proved difficult to loosen.
Zhu Yan suggested that Li Heng use Cuju skills to kick down a knife hanging high above. After several attempts, the knife finally fell to the ground. They cut themselves free and quickly departed hand-in-hand. Zhu Yan cautioned Li Heng not to reveal the night's events to anyone, emphasizing that being alone together late at night could damage their reputations. Li Heng promised to keep silent.
Chang Le, now free from Nong Ying's acupuncture, returned to the bridal chamber, only to find the man she had drugged (Qing Lan) gone and her wedding dress missing. With her wedding dress gone, and deciding to face the situation head-on, she removed the fake Fifth Prince's attire and waited in a provocative manner for the Crown Prince. Mistakenly believing the bride had been kidnapped by Lordship Zhu, Li Che brought several of his brothers to witness the scene.
Instead, they found Chang Le, improperly dressed, waiting. Embarrassed, Li Che's brothers quickly retreated, leaving the Crown Prince alone with Chang Le. Li Che entered the room, covering his eyes, and told Chang Le that he would give her time to adapt, stating that he would sleep outside for the night. As Li Che tried to grab a pillow to leave, Chang Le volunteered to help him. In an unexpected moment, she accidentally stumbled, falling into Li Che's arms, landing in a position where she was above him.
Episode 3 Recap
After a moment of unexpected intimacy, Chang Le, embracing Li Che, gently asked if he was alright. He returned the question, and both confirmed their well-being. Chang Le then playfully offered him a pillow, which he accepted with a formal "Thank you, my consort." Li Che then left the bridal chamber, leaving Chang Le to reflect on the "danger" of their situation. Li Che convened an urgent meeting with Lord Zhu, Lord Xie, and Gongsun Mo.
Lord Zhu apologized for his unauthorized and risky plan regarding Liu Yuyao at the wedding, which unfortunately led to Official Chen's public dismissal from office the following day. While Li Che acknowledged Lord Zhu's good intentions, he issued a stern warning against any future unilateral actions. He then instructed Lord Xie to ensure Official Chen and his family were adequately cared for after his forced departure from the capital.
Li Che expressed deep confusion as to why Liu Yuyao remained a virgin, despite what he believed was highly reliable intelligence about her affair with Mr. Duan. This unexpected turn had completely derailed his plan to annul their marriage and, instead, only harmed Official Chen. He tasked Gongsun Mo with further investigating this perplexing matter, recognizing the need for a new strategy now that Liu Yuyao was officially married into the Prince’s mansion.
Once Li Che had left the bridal chamber, Chang Le began dismantling the traps she had meticulously set up. She suddenly recalled that she had left Li Heng and Zhu Yan tied up in the kitchen. Quickly changing back into her Fifth Prince disguise, she hurried to the kitchen, only to find them already gone. Relieved that they wouldn't know she was their captor, she inadvertently made a noise, which immediately alerted patrolling soldiers who mistook her for an assassin.
As soldiers scoured the grounds, Chang Le hid behind some rockery. Nong Ying appeared, helping Chang Le evade the searching guards. However, Nong Ying herself was soon cornered by Li Che, Gongsun Mo, and a group of soldiers. When confronted, Nong Ying explained that Liu Yuyao had been hungry, prompting her to fetch pastries from the kitchen. Li Che dismissed her, but Gongsun Mo remained suspicious.
He warned Li Che that both Nong Ying and Liu Yuyao were untrustworthy and should not be allowed to remain in the mansion. The Empress discussed Li Che's growing ambition with Li Heng, observing how the Crown Prince had garnered support from many court officials. Noticing Li Heng's distraction, she pressed him, but he merely attempted to subtly inquire about the daughters of ministers present at the wedding, hinting at his lingering feelings for Zhu Yan.
The Empress firmly rebuked him, reminding him of the critical importance of his marriage in expanding his political power, and informed him that she and his grandfather were still searching for a suitable match. She even suggested the little princess of Night Kingdom as a potential candidate. Disheartened, Li Heng feigned a headache and quickly excused himself, leaving the Empress frustrated by his lack of focus. Meanwhile, a woman named Ye Taohua sought justice at the local county court.
However, the local officials, deeming the case too sensitive, referred it to the Ministry of Punishments, which in turn passed it to the supreme court, confident that only its president, Li Che, would dare to handle it. Back in the Crown Prince’s mansion, Chang Le, in her role as Liu Yuyao, found herself utterly bored. Her thoughts drifted to Li Che's contradictory nature – his public cruelty at the palace versus his unexpected shyness during their wedding night.
She quickly dismissed these musings, reminding herself of her temporary three-month contract. Gongsun Mo then informed Li Che about the urgent and complicated case from the Ministry of Punishments, emphasizing that Li Che's personal involvement was required. He also suggested bringing Liu Yuyao along. Li Che, curious, agreed, and Gongsun Mo went to persuade Liu Yuyao. Intrigued by the idea of visiting the supreme court, Liu Yuyao readily accepted, even foregoing her meal.
At the supreme court, officials privately briefed Li Che on the case: the accused, Wang Dongjie, was a distant relative cherished by the Empress and, consequently, also related to Liu Yuyao. He was charged with raping Ye Taohua, a young servant girl from Qilin County who was the sole provider for her two younger siblings. This intricate web of relationships made the case highly sensitive.
Gongsun Mo then elaborated on his scheme to Li Che: the longer Liu Yuyao remained, the harder it would be to remove her. He anticipated that, given her relationship to Wang Dongjie, she would inevitably attempt to interfere on his behalf. This would provide Li Che with solid grounds to accuse her of misconduct and obtain a divorce. Li Che found the plan ingenious.
He tried to deter Liu Yuyao from staying for the trial by describing the case as a "rape case" involving "dirty and filthy matters." Far from being repulsed, Liu Yuyao became furious, denouncing the "shameless man" and insisting she would stay to witness the punishment of such a "beast." When Li Che finally revealed the accused was "Wang Dongjie, your far relative," Liu Yuyao was visibly shocked but remained steadfast in her resolve to stay.
During the trial, Wang Dongjie brazenly refused to kneel, citing his service to the Empress. Li Che, asserting his imperial authority, threatened him with severe corporal punishment until he complied. Wang Dongjie denied the rape, claiming he was studying at home, with his servants as witnesses. Li Che countered the alibi's implausibility, given the midnight hour, and demanded solid evidence. Ye Taohua was then summoned, but Wang Dongjie's menacing presence terrified her into silence.
To reassure her, Li Che presented her younger siblings, Xiaohua and Xiaocao, promising their safety. Liu Yuyao, observing Li Che's actions, then assured Ye Taohua that Wang Dongjie would not escape justice and that her family would be protected, and discreetly inquired about the distinctive "deep purple fragrance" she wore. Ye Taohua explained it was a unique scent exclusively made by the Wang family and recalled breaking a bottle of it during her struggle.
Liu Yuyao cleared the courtroom for a private interrogation with Wang Dongjie. Feigning the identity of his "cousin Yuyao," she expertly tricked him into confessing that he had indeed hidden the incriminating clothes. Unaware of her deception, Wang Dongjie boastfully claimed that even if the clothes were found, they would be inaccessible. Liu Yuyao then dramatically revealed her true identity as the Crown Princess and declared his confession recorded.
Li Che immediately dispatched a contingent of soldiers to Wang Dongjie's mansion to search for the evidence, while Gongsun Mo and Nong Ying guarded the prisoner. During this time, Nong Ying discreetly tended to a minor injury on Gongsun Mo's hand, bandaging it with care. At the mansion, Liu Yuyao quickly located a box with a cleverly concealed double-layered compartment.
Li Che, with careful manipulation, successfully opened the intricate lock, revealing the clothing permeated with the distinct deep purple fragrance, undeniable proof of Wang Dongjie's guilt. Back in the courtroom, Wang Dongjie was aghast that his "Lu Ban masterpiece" box, which he believed to be impenetrable, had been so easily opened. Liu Yuyao scoffed, revealing it was a counterfeit and that her "trick" simply involved pouring water into its gunpowder mechanism, rendering it useless.
With the evidence irrefutable, Wang Dongjie defiantly continued to insult Ye Taohua, labeling her a "bitch" and claiming she "deserved" her fate due to her attire. Enraged by his audacity, Liu Yuyao slapped him repeatedly, an unexpected outburst that left both Li Che and Gongsun Mo utterly bewildered by the Crown Princess's behavior.
Wang Dongjie retaliated with threats, reminding Li Che of the Empress's influence and her ongoing search for the "Golden Toad bottle," implying that his prolonged absence would incur the Empress's wrath upon Li Che. Ignoring the threats, Li Che delivered his verdict: Wang Dongjie was sentenced to 80 strokes of the ugly stick, ten years in prison, and his property was to be confiscated.
Upon discovering additional stolen calligraphy and jewelry, Li Che further increased his sentence by another 40 strokes and two more years. Wang Dongjie was dragged away, still defiantly proclaiming the Empress would save him. Liu Yuyao praised Li Che for a "well done" job, and he returned the compliment, clearly impressed. Later, Gongsun Mo oversaw the return of the confiscated calligraphy and jewelry to the original shop owner.
The grateful owner, realizing that the rumors about the Crown Prince's corruption were false and that Li Che had actually brought him justice, apologized for his previous misunderstanding. He immediately canceled his plans to leave the city and announced a grand celebration for his shop's reopening. Lord Xie, still wary, speculated that Liu Yuyao's decisive actions in the trial were a calculated ploy to earn Li Che's trust. Li Che, however, felt a genuine indignation in her emotions.
Lord Xie, undeterred, warned Li Che against being swayed by her "acting" and firmly reminded him of his commitment to Empress Shen to eliminate Liu Yuyao, reiterating that she remained a political impediment. The group then brainstormed new strategies to drive her away. They concluded that a refined woman like Liu Yuyao would be repulsed by "lower-class" establishments. Gongsun Mo initially suggested a brothel, which Li Che immediately rejected as too disgusting for himself.
Other ideas like a slaughterhouse (too cruel) or a beggar's den (too smelly) were also dismissed. Ultimately, a casino was proposed, and Li Che agreed to this plan. Gongsun Mo offered to distract Nong Ying, Liu Yuyao's maid. When Li Che invited Liu Yuyao to "play," Chang Le, in her role as Liu Yuyao, enthusiastically agreed and quickly followed him to the casino.
Gongsun Mo took Nong Ying to a calligraphy and painting exhibition, explaining that cultured gentlemen bring maids to such events. There, the grateful shop owner, whose stolen property was recovered by Li Che, proudly displayed a treasured item, master Huaisu's "Autobiography Script," as part of his grand reopening celebration. Concurrently, Li Che led Liu Yuyao to a bustling casino, a place completely unfitting for his princely status.
He attempted to repel her by dramatically embracing the persona of a dissolute gambler, boasting about his "decades of gambling experience" and declaring his enjoyment of all vices, including "eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling." He described the casino as a thrilling place filled with "outlaws and filthy men" before confidently placing a large bet. Liu Yuyao, far from being disgusted, was surprisingly fascinated by the various games, exclaiming that the casino was "like paradise" and expressing her excitement to play.
Episode 4 Recap
At a gambling den, Li Che, feigning inexperience and concern for his luck, sent Chang Le away. He proceeded to lose game after game, pulling out a gambling guide and questioning why he couldn't win. After he gambled away all his funds, Chang Le returned to his side, immediately recognizing the dealer was cheating. To restore her husband's honor, Chang Le then challenged the dealer herself.
Meanwhile, Li Heng dragged the Seventh Prince to Master Pang’s treasure exhibition to view a calligraphic work by Master Huaisu. The Seventh Prince, initially reluctant and complaining about being dragged from his leisurely pursuits, was eventually dragged there by Li Heng. Upon arrival, Li Heng spotted Gongsun Mo and, fearing his mother’s disapproval of his presence, instructed the Seventh Prince on what to say, tasking him with critiquing the calligraphy.
Under Li Heng's subtle lip-reading guidance, the Seventh Prince spoke eloquently, impressing the audience. Just as Master Pang was about to award the calligraphy to the Seventh Prince, Zhu Yan alighted from her sedan chair to debate him. Li Heng was immediately captivated by Zhu Yan, and once again impressed by her talent and eloquence as she debated on stage. Chang Le proved to be a highly skilled gambler, quickly winning against the cheating dealer.
When the dealer, desperate to recover his losses, offered to bet his hands and feet, Chang Le refused. Instead, she proposed a unique wager: if she won, he would be blacklisted from all casinos in the capital and swear off gambling forever. The dealer, with bloodshot eyes from gambling, agreed. Chang Le, now acting as the banker, easily won.
She then subtly advised the dealer to abandon his dishonest ways before facing karmic retribution, a warning for which he expressed profound gratitude for sparing his life. Later, Li Che confided to Gongsun Mo that Liu Yuyao was proving to be far more formidable than anticipated, rendering psychological torment ineffective. He acknowledged they needed to devise new strategies to secure a divorce. Across town, Lord Liu was furious over Wang Dongjie's failure and capture by the Crown Prince.
He instructed his son to find a trustworthy individual to take over Wang Dongjie's business, emphasizing that such minor affairs should not trouble the Empress. He also learned that Chang Le had played a significant role in the case, suspecting she had allied with the Crown Prince. Lord Liu decided to "remind" her of her people from the village at the upcoming Tacit Competition, probing her loyalty.
His son suggested sending a letter to summon her, but Lord Liu deemed it too obvious, preferring to confront her at the competition where Chang Le was sure to be present. In a separate scene, Lord Wei diligently performed his daily checks on General Shen, who had been under house arrest for fifteen years.
After initial pleasantries and a pointed remark from General Shen about the Emperor’s constant surveillance, Lord Wei risked imperial wrath to deliver a bottle of wedding wine from Li Che. He conveyed Li Che’s well-wishes and confirmed the success of his marriage to Liu Yuyao, an act deeply appreciated by General Shen. Back at the Crown Prince’s mansion, Chang Le complained to Nong Ying about the lengthy preparations for the Tacit Competition. She then accidentally bumped into Li Che.
When Li Che's planned partner, Gongsun Mo, withdrew due to illness, Li Che reluctantly invited Chang Le, who was quite curious about the event, to join him. Meanwhile, Li Heng was lost in thought, gazing at a portrait of Zhu Yan. The Seventh Prince burst in, startling him, urging him to attend the Tacit Competition and revealing that Zhu Yan would be present.
Despite the Empress's strict rules, the lure of seeing Zhu Yan prompted Li Heng to immediately join the Seventh Prince. At the competition grounds, Li Che explained the rules of the obstacle course to Chang Le, including the requirement for participants to be connected by a red ribbon and navigate blindfolded. Chang Le, wary of Li Che’s potential for teasing, took the initiative to blindfold him instead.
She inquired about the "Tacit Arrow" and the history of the competition, learning it was created by Empress Shen to foster connections between young men and women, with rules later changed to allow any pairing due to declining female participation. Chang Le expressed regret that she hadn't known earlier, wishing she could have teamed up with Nong Ying, but Li Che informed her it was too late. Li Heng, meanwhile, arrived just in time to register.
Spotting Zhu Yan without a partner, he quickly abandoned the Seventh Prince and proposed that he impersonate her missing cousin, Chen Qinglan, to form a team with her. The Seventh Prince attempted to reveal Li Heng's true identity, but Li Heng swiftly interjected, introducing himself as "Huang," a distant relative. During the competition, both Li Che’s and Li Heng’s teams skillfully navigated the obstacles, guided by their partners.
Lord Zhu observed his daughter, Zhu Yan, paired with Li Heng, a sight that puzzled him. Both teams successfully obtained the Tacit Arrows, leading to an intense archery showdown that ultimately ended in a tie. Afterwards, everyone relocated to the imperial palace for a celebratory banquet. Li Heng received widespread praise for his performance, and Zhu Yan finally learned his true identity.
Li Heng attempted to bestow his imperial prize upon Zhu Yan as a gesture of their shared victory, and in turn, learned that she was a daughter of the prominent Zhu family. In a private conversation, Lord Zhu advised Zhu Yan about the two prevailing political factions in the court, one supporting the Crown Prince and the other Li Heng.
He made clear his allegiance to Li Che and cautioned his daughter against developing feelings for Li Heng, urging her not to waste her emotions on matters that might prove meaningless. Separately, Lord Liu summoned Chang Le, confronting her about her involvement in Wang Dongjie’s downfall and hinting at the safety of Shitou by presenting his book. Chang Le, displaying a sharp wit, asserted that her actions were solely aimed at gaining the Crown Prince’s trust to protect Shitou.
Lord Liu, momentarily disarmed by her cunning, dropped the subject but warned her to keep their private meeting a secret. He privately mused that Chang Le was indeed much cleverer than Yuyao. At the imperial banquet, the Emperor celebrated the princes’ victory and remarked on their coming of age, expressing a desire for grandsons.
When asked if he had a favored lady, Li Heng glanced at Zhu Yan, but, recalling the Empress’s strictures, tactfully replied that he was too young and focused on state affairs to consider romance. The banquet was dramatically interrupted by the appearance of Liu Yuyao’s mentally unstable mother, who called out for her daughter. Lord Liu and his son frantically begged the Emperor for clemency, explaining her condition. The Emperor, having heard of her plight, pardoned her.
Liu Yuyao’s mother, mistaking Chang Le for her own daughter, engaged her in conversation. Chang Le played along, though she subtly remarked that her feet were larger than Liu Yuyao’s, a detail that further highlighted the deception. As the banquet resumed, Lord Zhu proudly suggested that Zhu Yan perform a dance.
When it was revealed that the court musician was indisposed, Liu Yuyao’s mother unexpectedly volunteered Chang Le to play the qin for Zhu Yan, a suggestion that caused Lord Liu to nearly choke on his wine.
Episode 5 Recap
In public view, Chang Le found it hard to decline and reluctantly played the zither for Zhu Yan. As Chang Le played, Liu's Prime Minister finally relaxed, and everyone praised the harmonious blend of Chang Le's zither and Zhu Yan's dance. Li Che complimented Chang Le's zither skills, while Li Heng was more captivated by Zhu Yan. The Emperor was greatly impressed by their coordinated performance, calling them "perfect for each other."
Liu Yuyao's mother approached Chang Le again, pulling her away and offering her a new pair of shoes she had made. Chang Le cleverly handled the situation. The Crown Prince was annoyed by Chang Le being showered with praise, especially when the Seventh Prince encouraged everyone to take Chang Le as their master. Left with no choice, Li Che drank on her behalf.
Meanwhile, Nong Ying gave Gongsun Mo a headache medicine, an ancestral family secret, and told him she had been watching him, which made Gongsun Mo blush. Other young masters surrounded Zhu Yan with compliments. Li Heng wanted to invite her for a drink, but Zhu Yan, remembering her father's previous lesson, deliberately kept her distance, causing Li Heng to feel deeply disappointed by her cold attitude. Li Che drank heavily and became somewhat out of control.
Gongsun Mo was about to find him some sober-up medicine, only to discover it was already gone. Just as he turned away, Li Che pulled Chang Le into a carriage, insisting on taking her to his "real home." Li Che drove away the carriage driver, leaving Chang Le to take the reins. She eventually brought Li Che to the village he referred to as his "real home," where she learned that Li Che also went by the name Wan'an.
Separately, the Empress interrogated the criminal Wang Dongjie. He accused Li Che and Liu Yuyao of beating him. Upon confirming that Wang Dongjie was indeed a rapist, the Empress, in a fit of rage, sent him back to prison and resolved to discipline Liu Yuyao, her niece, herself. The next day, a sober Li Che had no recollection of his drunken antics. Chang Le found his behavior, particularly swearing brotherhood with a rooster, utterly ridiculous.
Embarrassed that Chang Le knew all his embarrassing details, Li Che planned to leave quickly before Auntie Luo and the others woke up. Chang Le asked Li Che why he called Taoyuan Village his home. Li Che explained that the people living there were from the Li Nation, the foreign state that had previously attacked them. His mother, Empress Shen, rescued them after returning victorious from war and settled them in the village.
His mother taught him that all lives should be respected regardless of their origin. Her wish was for him to become a powerful and benevolent emperor, ensuring peace and preventing future wars. Chang Le used Li Che's drunken misbehavior as leverage, demanding an hour of freedom outside the palace daily. Li Che was puzzled as to why he brought Chang Le to Taoyuan Village, a place he hadn't even revealed to Gongsun Mo.
He inwardly cautioned himself to be wary of Liu Yuyao, reminding himself that she was still a member of the Liu family. Upon returning to the Crown Prince's Residence, Nong Ying informed Chang Le of the Empress's invitation for a reunion. Li Che knew the invitation was a pretext, most likely concerning Wang Dongjie's case. Chang Le, thinking she only had two more months left in her impersonation, decided to accept the invitation fearlessly.
The Seventh Prince gifted Zhu Yan's calligraphy and paintings to Li Heng, who was overjoyed. Chang Le chatted with the Empress, who mentioned Jingren Palace and Empress Shen. Chang Le, seemingly disregarding the Empress's current status, defended Li Che at every turn. The Empress had prepared ginseng, intending to give it to Liu Yuyao for her health.
Chang Le tried to leave early but was stopped by the Empress, who then offered ginseng and a western telescope, which made Chang Le suspicious. Touching the ginseng box, she sensed something amiss. Soon after, Ling'er falsely accused the Crown Princess of stealing the telescope. Chang Le readily allowed the Empress to search her, but no telescope was found. Seeing that the accusation failed, the Empress immediately tried to smooth things over, reminding Chang Le that they were family.
However, Chang Le, in front of the Empress, demanded to have Ling'er, the Empress's personal maid. She then gifted the telescope to Nong Ying. This power play left the Empress fuming but helpless, having lost both face and a valuable item. Li Che stared at Chang Le for a long time. Chang Le mistakenly thought she had revealed a flaw, but Li Che suddenly embraced her and spun her around, telling her how gratifying today's events were.
Chang Le demanded a reward of good food and drink. Meanwhile, Li Heng sought the western telescope from the Empress, who chastised him for being distracted by trivial things and informed him she had already given it to Liu Yuyao. At the Crown Prince's Residence, Ling'er was being ordered around by Nong Ying. Li Heng arrived, asking to borrow the western telescope. Chang Le told him that Nong Ying refused to lend it.
As Li Heng prepared to ask Nong Ying himself, Gongsun Mo volunteered to do so. Nong Ying, still in a bad mood, flatly refused. Gongsun Mo persisted, eventually leading Nong Ying to ask him to read to her. Gongsun Mo's scholarly demeanor deeply attracted Nong Ying, reminding her of her father, and seeing his serious reading brought tears to her eyes. She then handed the western telescope to Gongsun Mo.
Li Che assured Chang Le that she would always enjoy good food and drink with him. After their hearty meal, the two planned a stroll. However, Chang Le's feet were sore from the ill-fitting new shoes her mother had made, which she hadn't changed since visiting Taoyuan Village and the Empress. Seeing her discomfort, Li Che carefully applied medicine to her feet. Curious, Chang Le asked about Li Che's relationship with his mother.
He shared that his mother was like any other, even crying from period pain. She taught him that even the strongest women needed care, and wished for him to be a gentle and considerate husband after marriage. Chang Le was touched by his tenderness, momentarily wishing the three-month period would last longer, but then quickly remembered her urgent need to rescue Shitou and the others.
Episode 6 Recap
General Shen secretly met with Li Che, informing him that General Wang's autopsy report revealed a more complex death than anticipated. General Wang was fatally stabbed in the chest with a dagger while entirely unprepared, suggesting an assassination rather than a battlefield casualty. General Shen believed this implicated Prime Minister Liu and stated he had already initiated a thorough investigation, hoping to find leverage to remove Prime Minister Liu from power.
General Shen also mentioned that Lord Zhu and others found Chang Le (Liu Yuyao) to be a difficult opponent, handing Li Che a letter with instructions on how to proceed. Li Che initially defended Chang Le, citing her kindness and her assistance against the Empress, but General Shen warned him not to be swayed and simply follow the plan outlined in the letter. General Shen then urged Li Che to return to the Prince's mansion quickly to avoid suspicion.
Li Che remained sullen and refused breakfast brought by his maid, dismissing her to privately read his grandfather's letter, which outlined the plan. Meanwhile, Chang Le, upon waking, reflected on her past injuries, noting the unusual comfort of being cared for and having someone apply medicine for her. Hearing from a cook that Li Che was in a bad mood and refusing food, Chang Le decided to try to cheer him up herself.
Chang Le approached Li Che with his breakfast, initially hesitant, but Li Che, his somber demeanor instantly disappeared, replaced with warmth and concern, took her hand and gently brought her to sit. He asked if she had slept well and suggested they eat together, even though she claimed to have already eaten. Li Che then promised to take her to a "fantastic place" that night – the Lantern Show.
Chang Le, though still a bit wary of his sudden change in mood, agreed to go with him. Later, Gongsun Mo spotted Nong Ying entering Prime Minister Liu's mansion and stealthily followed her. Inside, Nong Ying presented Prime Minister Liu with a map of the Prince's mansion, complete with guard shift timings.
When Prime Minister Liu revealed that Gongsun Mo had been following her, he ordered Nong Ying to lead Gongsun Mo to a secluded spot and kill him to eliminate any threat. Nong Ying, however, refused the order, explaining that a further detour would cause her to return to the Prince's mansion too late and raise Li Che's suspicions. Prime Minister Liu accepted her reasoning and instead dispatched an assassin disguised as Nong Ying to lure Gongsun Mo.
The real Nong Ying, anticipating the trap, quickly incapacitated a passerby, exchanged clothes, and rushed to intercept. She arrived as Gongsun Mo was being overpowered by the assassin, who had already severely injured him. Nong Ying saved Gongsun Mo's life by killing the assassin, but not before sustaining a cut on her right arm. She then carefully bandaged the unconscious Gongsun Mo's wounds before departing the scene.
Chang Le noticed Nong Ying's pale complexion and tried to inquire about it, but Nong Ying brushed off her concern. As Nong Ying helped Chang Le get ready, Chang Le mentioned her desire to wear a specific beautiful pink and white dress.
Nong Ying playfully asked why Chang Le was putting so much effort into her appearance, deducing her excitement was for the upcoming Lantern Show, despite Chang Le's attempts to downplay her anticipation and claim disinterest in the festival itself. Li Che and Chang Le arrived at the Lantern Show, a bustling ten-mile street illuminated with beautiful lights.
Li Che explained that everyone must wear a mask at the festival to encourage interaction without regard for social status, a tradition initiated by Empress Shen to help young people find love. Nearby, Fifth Prince Li Heng sought out Zhu Yan. He had prepared several challenging riddles, all based on her favorite poetry, and enlisted the Seventh Prince Li Lv to loudly announce the prize-winning quiz, hoping to attract Zhu Yan.
Zhu Yan, displaying remarkable intelligence, effortlessly solved the riddles, even identifying a trick question Li Heng had intentionally included. Impressed, Li Heng presented her with two tickets to a shadow puppet show and invited her to accompany him. Zhu Yan, acknowledging his intellect, readily accepted his invitation. Overjoyed, Li Heng thanked the Seventh Prince Li Lv and then went with Zhu Yan to enjoy the shadow play. At a stall, Li Che and Chang Le admired a pair of earrings.
However, another woman claimed them, leading to a heated argument. The woman aggressively tried to snatch the earrings from Chang Le, provoking Li Che, who declared himself the Crown Prince and threatened to beat them. Chang Le quickly intervened, urging Li Che to calm down and pointing out that such a public confrontation would damage his reputation and give the Empress a reason to target him. She conceded the earrings to the couple to avoid further conflict.
While Li Heng and Zhu Yan enjoyed a shadow puppet play about Chenxiang saving his mother, which deeply moved Zhu Yan, Li Heng noticed her sadness. He offered to show her something interesting: what was happening at the distant Moonlight Tower, intriguing her curiosity. Meanwhile, Li Che still felt bad about not getting Chang Le the earrings, unaware that Chang Le had already subtly taken them as "compensation" for diffusing the earlier conflict.
Chang Le then asked Li Che, hypothetically, if he would still love her if she were not the eldest daughter of the Liu family. Li Che firmly dismissed her "ifs," promising that he would never let anything happen to her. Under a sky lit by brilliant fireworks, the two shared a passionate kiss. Li Heng then presented Zhu Yan with a western telescope, which allowed her to clearly see the Moonlight Tower and its occupants, much to her delight.
Zhu Yan realized that the entire evening's arrangements were Li Heng's thoughtful gesture. He confessed his immediate affection for her. However, Zhu Yan, concerned about the repercussions from the Empress, asked him to keep his distance. Li Heng expressed confusion, wondering why her demeanor changed after he revealed his identity, and urged her to disregard their statuses.
He passionately explained that he didn't want to be bound by fate in love and wished they could simply be Li Heng and Zhu Yan, unburdened by their public roles. Despite Li Heng's heartfelt plea for them to cast aside their official titles and pursue their feelings as simply "Li Heng and Zhu Yan," Zhu Yan remained steadfast.
After a moment's hesitation, she firmly stated that their differing identities as the Fifth Prince and the daughter of the Zhu family made a relationship impossible and that they should not meet again, returning his telescope. Upon their return to the mansion, Li Che gently applied medicine to Chang Le's arm, their tender exchange mirroring that of a newly married couple.
Chang Le, despite claiming her wound was healed, still felt an itch, which Li Che affectionately told her to endure. He then told her to have an early night as she drifted off to sleep. Heavily injured, Gongsun Mo was helped back to the mansion, recounting his near-death experience. He warned Li Che about Nong Ying's suspicious behavior, as she seemed to be impersonated by an assassin from Prime Minister Liu's household.
Gongsun Mo then voiced concerns about Li Che's growing closeness to Chang Le (Liu Yuyao), fearing he was developing genuine feelings and letting his guard down. Li Che, to clarify, revealed that his actions were entirely orchestrated by General Shen, showing Gongsun Mo a letter.
The letter detailed General Shen's strategy: since Chang Le was a person of deep emotion, especially after her beloved Mr. Duan's likely death at the hands of Prime Minister Liu, Li Che was to gain her affection. By making her fall in love with him, she would eventually betray the Liu family and become a valuable asset against Prime Minister Liu.
Gongsun Mo grasped the deception, accusing Li Che of merely using Chang Le for the mission, not genuinely caring for her. Li Che, claiming it was part of his "mission," hastily left Gongsun Mo to buy Chang Le a night snack from the west city, which made Gongsun Mo suspect that Li Che was indeed developing genuine feelings for her. Meanwhile, Li Heng gave Zhu Yan's calligraphy and painting to the Seventh Prince Li Lv, instructing him to return it.
However, Li Lv accidentally dropped the painting, which was then picked up by Lord Zhu. Seeing his daughter's portrait, Lord Zhu mistakenly believed that the Seventh Prince Li Lv harbored feelings for Zhu Yan.
Episode 7 Recap
Lord Zhu informed Imperial Noble Concubine Wang that he saw her son, Seventh Prince Li Lv, holding a portrait of his daughter, Zhu Yan. Believing this to be a sign of mutual affection, Imperial Noble Concubine Wang happily agreed with Lord Zhu to promptly arrange a match between Li Lv and Zhu Yan. Li Che asked Nong Ying about Yuyao's whereabouts.
After some hesitation, Nong Ying admitted that Yuyao was secretly cooking a meal for Li Che, wanting to surprise him. When Li Che found Yuyao, her hair was already singed from the cooking attempt. She offered him two dishes—fried dried tofu with chili and honey roast chicken—which Li Che found unappetizing despite her efforts, playfully noting the "roast" chicken was indeed very "roasted." Yuyao was discouraged, but Li Che gently reassured her.
He then carefully trimmed and styled her burnt hair, explaining he merely covered the damaged parts. He encouraged her to continue practicing her culinary skills, expressing his anticipation for her delicious meals in the future, before leaving. Yuyao, having decided to try embroidery, asked Nong Ying for lessons. Nong Ying declined, suggesting instead that Yuyao seek guidance from Zhu Yan, highlighting their hidden closeness.
Meanwhile, Li Che, eager to buy Yuyao a gift, enlisted Gongsun Mo to discreetly ascertain Yuyao's preferences from Nong Ying. Gongsun Mo reluctantly approached Nong Ying, who, in jest, initially claimed Yuyao favored items like knives, mechanisms, and gunpowder. When Gongsun Mo dismissed this as a joke, Nong Ying then described Yuyao as a talented woman who appreciated poetry and painting, a response that Gongsun Mo readily accepted. Yuyao visited Zhu Yan, seeking lessons in embroidery.
During their session, Yuyao stumbled upon a western telescope that Zhu Yan had kept hidden among her embroidery supplies. Recognizing it as the one she had previously lent to the Fifth Prince, Yuyao took it back from Zhu Yan, who explained she found it at the Lantern Festival. Yuyao expressed frustration that Li Heng didn't cherish the item.
Yuyao then decided against the complex mandarin duck embroidery, opting instead for a simpler "twinned trunks" pattern, hoping it would symbolize her and Li Che's bond. She then openly discussed her relationship with Li Che, attributing their togetherness to destiny despite their families' opposing views, a sentiment Zhu Yan found deeply resonant.
When Yuyao questioned if destiny truly binds two people, Zhu Yan affirmed that while destiny plays a role, the most crucial element is the shared hearts and belief of the two individuals. Li Che and Gongsun Mo visited an art shop. After selecting various pieces, Li Che felt something was still lacking for his intended gift. He then noticed an uncarved Hetian Jade and decided to take it, confident he had a clever plan for it.
Zhu Yan presented Yuyao with a generous quantity of silk threads for her embroidery. Yuyao then asked Zhu Yan to keep their intimate conversation about love and destiny a secret. Later, Gongsun Mo noticed the Fifth Prince sending a letter to Nong Ying. His curiosity piqued, he discovered it was an apology from Li Heng for losing the western telescope Yuyao had lent him.
Upon receiving the same apology, Yuyao mischievously instructed Nong Ying to demand 200,000 taels of gold as compensation, claiming it was a precious gift for her maid and she would use the money for her family. However, Nong Ying, instead, informed Li Heng that Zhu Yan had found the telescope and returned it to Yuyao, thus absolving him of blame and revealing that Zhu Yan had not, in fact, discarded it.
Seventh Prince Li Lv arrived at Li Heng's residence seeking refuge from his mother, Imperial Noble Concubine Wang, though he wouldn't elaborate on the reason. Meanwhile, while embroidering, Zhu Yan found herself contemplating Yuyao's earlier words about the power of shared hearts, realizing she harbored her own hesitant feelings for Li Heng.
Wanting to continue her embroidery lessons to create a surprise for Li Che, Yuyao planned another visit to Zhu Yan and instructed Nong Ying to keep her whereabouts a secret from Li Che. Elsewhere, Li Che worked tirelessly through the night to carve the Hetian Jade.
He defended his choice of material to Gongsun Mo, asserting that only unique items would appeal to "my Yuyao," a phrase he used repeatedly, much to Gongsun Mo's amusement and teasing about Li Che's obvious affection. Li Che, needing to go to Dali Court, left his carefully chosen gifts with Nong Ying, instructing her to convey their details to Yuyao and to keep one particular item sealed until his return.
Meanwhile, Imperial Noble Concubine Wang arrived at Li Heng's residence, having tracked down Li Lv. Li Heng, seizing the chance to see Zhu Yan, encouraged Imperial Noble Concubine Wang's plan to pressure Li Lv into a meeting with Zhu Yan. Despite Li Lv's protests that Zhu Yan was merely a friend, both Imperial Noble Concubine Wang and Li Heng pushed for the arrangement. At the meeting, the parents misinterpreted Li Lv's actions as affection for Zhu Yan.
To create an opportunity for Li Heng and Zhu Yan, Li Lv suggested a boat ride. Once on the boat, Li Lv, after a brief exchange with Li Heng who was disguised as the boatman, dramatically jumped into the river, leaving Zhu Yan and Li Heng to their private moment.
Once alone on the boat, Li Heng poured out his heart to Zhu Yan, recalling their various past encounters and the Lantern Festival as proof of their destiny, questioning why she hadn't discarded the telescope despite her earlier harsh words. Overwhelmed, Zhu Yan retreated briefly before asking Li Heng if he truly believed in fate. When he affirmed his belief, she proposed a test: if their boat docked itself before sunset, she would trust in their shared destiny.
Meanwhile, Li Che arrived to deliver his gifts to Yuyao, realizing he had forgotten a chessboard to accompany the carved Hetian Jade, which he had transformed into a slingshot. Yuyao, delighted with the unique gift, was already happily using the chess pieces as ammunition. Seeing her joy, Li Che joined her, and they gleefully played with the slingshot. As sunset approached, the boat gently drifted to shore on its own, fulfilling Zhu Yan's condition.
Accepting their fate, Zhu Yan passionately declared her desire to live by her own heart with Li Heng, unconcerned with external judgment, and sealed her confession with a kiss, leaving Li Heng overjoyed. Yuyao spent the entire night embroidering, pricking her hands and even neglecting her favorite pastries. Nong Ying, after an unsuccessful attempt to convince her to rest, eventually went to bed. Upon completing the sachet, Yuyao decided to hide it in Li Che's study as a surprise.
While looking for a hiding spot, she stumbled upon a secret letter. The letter, penned by General Shen, addressed Li Che and discussed Yuyao, whom he deemed intelligent and capable of foiling their plans. General Shen suggested that since Yuyao was known to be deeply devoted to her former lover, Duan (who was likely killed by Liu Sheng), Li Che should try to deceive her into true love. He theorized that if Li Che could deceive her into true love, Yuyao might be swayed to betray the Liu family and become a valuable asset against Liu Sheng.
Episode 8 Recap
Upon reading a letter, Chang Le realized that Li Che's affection for her was merely a pretense, a tool to be used. Distraught by this revelation, she resolved to create trouble for him. Donning a night-prowler's outfit, Chang Le stole valuables and conspicuously left them in front of the Crown Prince's residence as a defiant gesture towards Li Che. The Father Emperor was furious with Li Che over the theft.
As Crown Princess Yuyao, Chang Le boldly set a seven-day deadline for Li Che to solve the case in front of the Emperor, which exasperated Li Che immensely. Later, Crown Prince Li Che expressed his annoyance at the seven-day deadline but defended Yuyao, stating she meant well and didn't understand case handling.
Some of his allies suggested investigating the Crown Princess herself, given her ties to the Liu family, but Li Che quickly dismissed the idea, saying Yuyao was with him constantly and there was no need to investigate her. Seeing Li Che's protective stance and sensing the incident was targeted at the Crown Prince, Gongsun Mo pressed Li Che, asking if he had recently offended anyone, to which Li Che denied.
Chang Le, still acting as Yuyao, went for a stroll with Nong Ying, making sure to buy medicine for Nong Ying's injuries. While passing a teahouse, they overheard people discussing the theft. Chang Le seized the opportunity to inject her own narrative, declaring that the theft was a lesson for the Crown Prince, who had "deceived a girl's feelings."
She dramatically announced that the "Stolen Saint" would strike again that very night, targeting the residence of Zhu Yage, the Minister of Rites, and even encouraged onlookers to place bets on the outcome. Confused, Nong Ying questioned Chang Le about the "Stolen Saint" and the planned theft. Chang Le confessed that she was the "Stolen Saint" and that she was behind the theft at Lord Wang Mian's residence.
Nong Ying then revealed the truth about the real Liu Yuyao, explaining that she had been used and sacrificed by her family. Chang Le, connecting this to Zhu Yan's earlier confided desires for true love, inferred that Lord Zhu must be an obstacle in Zhu Yan's relationship with Li Heng. Therefore, Chang Le decided to steal from Lord Zhu's residence as a small act of defiance.
Before carrying out her plan, Chang Le bought the spiciest chili available and playfully offered it to Li Che, claiming it was a delicious seasoning. As Li Che struggled to eat the fiery chili, he revealed that his investigation into the first theft had uncovered Lord Wang Mian's embezzlement of disaster relief funds, leading to his dismissal.
He then mentioned that rumors of the "Stolen Saint" targeting Lord Zhu's residence that night had reached him, and he was sending extra guards to apprehend the thief. That night, Chang Le, disguised in a night-prowler's suit, infiltrated the heavily guarded Zhu residence. Simultaneously, Li Heng, also in disguise, entered the residence to bid farewell to Zhu Yan. He presented her with an intricate "machine lock" puzzle to lift her spirits.
Li Heng informed Zhu Yan that he was departing for Qiming City to find a doctor for his father, who suffered from rheumatism. His true intention was to gain his father's favor, hoping the Emperor would then bestow his blessing upon his marriage to Zhu Yan. Zhu Yan expressed concern for his arduous journey. Chang Le observed Zhu Yan and Li Heng, hidden from view.
She overheard Zhu Yan telling Li Heng that the Crown Prince's guards were now surrounding the residence due to the rumors of a thief, making Li Heng anxious about his departure. Witnessing their obvious affection, Chang Le realized that Lord Zhu was indeed hindering their relationship. Meanwhile, Li Che, confident in his deployment, instructed Lord Zhu to take a secret letter to the south wall of the residence, where General Shen's envoy would be waiting.
As Lord Zhu made his way, Nong Ying ambushed him, knocking him unconscious with a swift blow and taking the secret letter. Chang Le, her initial plan now complete, found herself worried about Zhu Yan and Li Heng and decided to double back to check on them. Upon her return, Chang Le was astonished to find Zhu Yan and Li Heng, despite the romantic setting and their forced proximity, were merely playing a game of couplets to pass the time.
Disappointed but determined to "help" them, Chang Le donned a Zhu residence guard's uniform and demanded entry to Zhu Yan's room under the pretense of searching for the thief. With nowhere else to hide, Li Heng was forced to conceal himself on Zhu Yan's bed. Chang Le, initially pleased with her success, peered through the window, only to find the pair still engaged in their couplets game.
Deciding they needed further assistance, she blew sleeping powder into the room and then carefully arranged them side-by-side on the bed. Later, Chang Le secretly followed Nong Ying to Liu Sheng's residence. Hiding, she overheard Nong Ying exchanging the intercepted letter for a brief visit with her mother. Chang Le also overheard Liu Sheng scheming to eliminate Nong Ying, using the information from the letter as an excuse.
As Nong Ying returned to the Crown Prince's residence, a group of assassins attacked her. Chang Le intervened, saving Nong Ying and bringing her safely back. Chang Le promised Nong Ying that she would find a way to rescue her mother and revealed Liu Sheng's plan to "remove" her, showing her the incriminating letter. In return, Nong Ying handed Chang Le the original secret letter from Crown Prince Li Che to General Shen.
Reading the letter, Chang Le understood Li Che's true feelings—that he genuinely cared for Yuyao (Chang Le's disguised identity) and wished to protect her from the political struggles. Realizing that Li Che's intentions were not to deceive her feelings, Chang Le felt the "Stolen Saint" prank had escalated beyond her control and was unsure how to resolve the situation. Nong Ying then asked Chang Le what she had stolen from Lord Zhu's residence this time.
Episode 9 Recap
Lord Zhu felt utterly disgraced by the theft of his official robe. Upon hearing the news, Li Che immediately returned to the Crown Prince’s residence. His guards reported no unusual activity. Meanwhile, Gongsun Mo’s subordinate confirmed their failure to capture the thief. The masked individual's build resembled Nong Ying, but her identity remained unconfirmed. A third party intervened using a device that emitted a strong light, momentarily incapacitating Gongsun Mo's agents, and then rescued the thief.
The subordinate presented a "Nine-leaf copper lotus" dart, which Gongsun Mo recognized as a long-lost skill of the Duan family, leading him to wonder if they were involved. During a discussion about the thief's methods, Lord Zhu asserted that the identity of the thief was more important than the stolen item. He revealed that the thief had stolen his official robe and cap while he was unconscious.
He described the thief as a woman, having seen her figure and heard her voice. Lord Zhu also reported that the news of the impending theft originated from Donglai Tavern, and the Crown Princess's departure time from the residence coincided with when the news spread. Li Che, however, dismissed the accusation, arguing that Liu Yuyao, a sheltered lady who rarely left the Prime Minister's residence, could not have bypassed the heavy security of the Zhu residence to steal a robe.
He questioned the motive, suggesting if Prime Minister Liu Sheng intended harm, he would have directly killed Lord Zhu rather than resort to such a convoluted scheme. After the meeting, Lord Zhu privately consulted Gongsun Mo about the Crown Princess. Gongsun Mo acknowledged the suspicion but pointed out Li Che's strong defense and General Shen's lack of instruction.
Lord Zhu subtly suggested that subordinates should take action when their superior hesitated, prompting them to secretly agree to further investigate the Crown Princess. The Empress was furious with Li Heng for staying out all night, expressing deep concern for his well-being and how she would explain it to the Emperor. Li Heng apologized profusely, claiming he had gotten drunk with a friend outside the palace and slept at their home.
He refused to name the friend, citing a promise to protect them from the Empress's wrath. The Empress accepted his explanation but warned him against repeating such behavior. Li Heng then requested permission to leave the palace again, stating he wished to find a folk remedy for the Emperor's recurring rheumatism in Qiming City, as palace doctors had been unsuccessful.
The Empress was pleased by his thoughtfulness, noting that he was finally learning to please his father, but informed him that she had already sent someone to procure the medicine and he simply needed to deliver it to the Emperor in a few days. Li Heng praised her foresight and took his leave. Immediately after, the Empress ordered her servant, Xiao Yu, to thoroughly investigate Li Heng's whereabouts and activities the previous night.
Chang Le, seeing Li Che exhausted from working all night on the case, gently draped a coat over him. Earlier, to play a trick on him, she had added a generous amount of chili powder to his soup. Upon waking, Li Che unsuspectingly drank the soup, only to be overwhelmed by the spiciness, though he tried to downplay it. He confided in Chang Le that he had always been at odds with the Empress.
The Emperor had specifically assigned him this theft case, and if he failed to resolve it thoroughly, the Empress would use it against him, making his life exceedingly difficult. Chang Le then asked why he, as the Crown Prince, lived outside the palace and served as the president of the supreme court. Li Che explained that after his mother's death, Li Heng's mother became the Empress.
She used the pretext of "gaining experience" to have him manage the supreme court and then argued that residing outside the palace was more convenient for handling cases. Li Che admitted he understood her true intentions but also found living outside the palace much more comfortable, with fewer complications than within the palace walls. Impulsively, Chang Le declared she would protect him. Li Che, somewhat bewildered, questioned how a mere woman could protect a man like him.
He then posed a hypothetical question: if he and her grandfather, Prime Minister Liu, were ever in conflict, whom would she support? Chang Le immediately responded that she would, of course, help him. Chang Le then urged Li Che to stop rushing the investigation, confidently stating that the thief would not steal again, especially with heightened security, and might even regret her actions. Li Che found her remarks quite strange.
Later, Nong Ying observed Chang Le once again donning her night clothes to go out and began to question her, but Chang Le simply replied that Nong Ying would know by morning, then hurried away. Nong Ying overheard Gongsun Mo discussing the need to thoroughly investigate the Crown Princess with Li Che. Gongsun Mo expressed suspicion because Li Che and Yuyao did not share a bedchamber and he hadn't checked on her during the nights of the thefts.
Despite Li Che's protests about the impropriety of Gongsun Mo entering the Crown Princess's chambers late at night, Gongsun Mo, after a persuasive argument, received reluctant permission. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Nong Ying intercepted Gongsun Mo on his way to the chambers. After trying to dissuade him, she was forced to push him into the lake. Gongsun Mo's chronic cold disease immediately flared up, causing Nong Ying immense guilt.
A doctor confirmed that Gongsun Mo's life was out of danger, but his chronic cold disease, which the doctor could not cure, had relapsed. Li Che explained to Nong Ying that Gongsun Mo had contracted the disease in childhood after falling into an ice cave while saving him, leaving him vulnerable to cold. When Gongsun Mo regained consciousness, he demanded to see the Crown Princess, accusing Nong Ying of obstructing him because she had "something to hide."
Just as the tension mounted, the Crown Princess (Chang Le) arrived, stating she had heard the commotion and it would be rude not to check on him. Her timely appearance dispelled Gongsun Mo's suspicions. Back at the Zhu residence, Lord Zhu received his lost official robe and cap, accompanied by a letter of apology from the thief.
The letter stated that the thief's actions were merely an impulse for fun but that she now feared Li Che's thorough investigation and recognized her mistake, promising not to steal again and hoping for an end to the pursuit. Li Che presented this to the Emperor. In the court, ministers were divided: some advocated leniency, praising Li Che's effective deterrence, while others argued it was a trick to lower guards and demanded the thief's capture.
The Emperor ultimately decided against further pursuit, stating the thief's apology demonstrated remorse and that while she was not caught, she had been sufficiently deterred. He warned Li Che that any future offenses by the thief would be severely punished. Back at his residence, Li Che happily informed Chang Le of the case's resolution and proposed a hunting trip in a few days. Chang Le was delighted and inquired if she could visit her family.
Chang Le returned to Liu Sheng’s residence alone and demanded to see her village friends. Liu Sheng initially resisted but, after Chang Le's persistent arguments and implicitly acknowledging Li Che's trust in her, he agreed. Chang Le was relieved to find her "Aunt III" and Shitou safe in the dungeon. Liu Sheng then ordered new clothes for everyone from the village and that their meals in the dungeon be the same quality as those served in his residence.
Liu Sheng warned Chang Le not to forget her mission. He admitted that seeing how much Li Che trusted her, he was reluctant to kill her. He decided that in three months, he would find a way to make her willingly stay. Nong Ying advised Chang Le that to remain with Li Che, she would have to live as Liu Yuyao forever and abandon her friends.
She cautioned that an inevitable power struggle between the Liu and Shen families would occur. If Liu Sheng prevailed and Li Heng became Emperor, Li Che would face imprisonment or worse; if Li Che became Emperor, Liu Sheng would surely kill Chang Le to silence her. Nong Ying emphasized that the treacherous intrigues of the palace were not suited for ordinary people and that she and Li Che were ultimately fated not to be together.
Despite this grim outlook, Chang Le stubbornly insisted she would find a solution. Later, the Empress's agents reported that Li Heng had disguised himself as a servant to infiltrate the Zhu residence. The Empress also discovered a poem in Li Heng's study, "I'd rather lose the entire country than a smile from my beloved," which led her to realize he was infatuated with Zhu Yan, Lord Zhu's daughter. She remarked, "Lord Zhu has indeed raised a good daughter."
Before the hunting trip, Gongsun Mo declined to accompany Li Che and Chang Le, citing his lingering illness. Nong Ying quickly volunteered to stay behind to care for Gongsun Mo, feeling guilty for his condition. On their way to the hunting grounds, Chang Le asked Li Che what he would do if he were not the Crown Prince.
After a moment of hesitation, he spontaneously declared he would become a brigand, free to do whatever he wanted, "robbing the rich to help the poor." Chang Le noted his detailed knowledge of brigand life, which he attributed to storybooks. Li Che then revealed his deeper yearning for freedom from the political obligations, the quest for his mother's revenge, and his maternal grandfather's expectations, wishing he could simply do what he desired.
As Li Che and Chang Le playfully flirted during their hunt, teasing each other about their archery skills and making a pact not to shoot any animals, Chang Le "accidentally" hit something. Their playful banter was abruptly interrupted by Lord Zhu, who appeared, breathless, and urgently pulled Li Che aside for a private conversation.
Episode 10 Recap
Nong Ying personally brought medicine to Gong Sunmo, who expressed that it would be wonderful if she were truly the Crown Princess’s maid. He then confronted her, stating that he knew everything and that she shouldn't pretend otherwise, pointing to the stolen letter from the Zhu residence and Ling’s report of Nong Ying’s absence that night.
When Nong Ying initially denied it, blaming Ling, Gong Sunmo pressed her on the Nine-leaf copper lotus machine and the skill of running the machine of Duan family, asking if she had anything to say. In order to protect Chang Le, who had saved herself during an assassin attack, Nong Ying finally admitted she was the successor of the skill of running the machine and the one who intercepted the letter.
Gong Sunmo was surprised by her quick confession, questioning if she feared death. Nong Ying confidently stated that she still had value and they wouldn't kill her, suggesting she could serve them as a double agent, just as she served Liu Sheng, offering a mutually beneficial arrangement. Gong Sunmo acknowledged the benefits but questioned her trustworthiness, revealing that he had already investigated her thoroughly.
He knew her true identity was Liu Shuangshuang, a notorious wanted criminal from the Jiangnan area who had disappeared last May, only to reappear in Liu Sheng’s residence as a servant girl named Nong Ying in the same year. Nong Ying explained that the people she killed were all corrupt officials who deserved death. She recounted her past, born into a common farming family.
Her younger brother, who loved reading and wrote well, was brutally murdered by a corrupt county magistrate in front of her after he wrote a complaint against the official. From that day on, she sought out martial arts teachers, and her first act after mastering her skills was to kill that corrupt official, vowing to eliminate all such officials.
She admitted that her current predicament with Liu Sheng was an accident, having killed one of his henchmen last year, which led to her being caught by him. Gong Sunmo acknowledged her desire to eradicate corrupt officials but warned her that if she helped Liu Sheng and Li Heng ascended to the throne, Liu Sheng’s rise to power would only create more corrupt officials.
In contrast, Li Che was benevolent and loved his people, ensuring peace and prosperity for Pei country. Nong Ying confessed that she, too, wished to eliminate corrupt officials, but her mother was being held captive by Liu Sheng, leaving her with no choice but to obey him. Gong Sunmo understood her plight and promised that if the opportunity arose, he would rescue her mother, urging her not to aid Liu Sheng further.
However, Gong Sunmo revealed he couldn't forgive the true inheritor of Duan family's skill. He doubted Nong Ying’s claim to be the successor, pointing out that the Nine-leaf copper lotus machine that saved her couldn't be learned so easily. He concluded that she was protecting someone else, implying it was Crown Princess Liu Yuyao (Chang Le). Nong Ying, concerned, asked what he intended to do.
Gong Sunmo revealed that he had guessed the identity of the person she was protecting and that Zhu Daren had already taken men to the mountain to capture her. Nong Ying was shocked, but Gong Sunmo threatened her with twenty waiting assassins if she dared to interfere, asserting she couldn't save her.
Meanwhile, Zhu Daren met with Li Che, confessing he had privately decided to "eliminate" the Crown Princess without Li Che's permission, claiming she was highly suspicious and now likely dead. Just then, Qin Dage appeared, saving Chang Le from the numerous assassins when she was overwhelmed. Li Che rushed to Chang Le, expressing concern for her safety, noticing her injuries, and demanding to know who killed the attackers. Chang Le feigned ignorance, but Li Che pressed her to remember.
Nong Ying then appeared, a bloody weapon in hand, falsely claiming she killed the assassins. She explained that due to the ongoing animosity between the Liu family and Li Che, her lord had sent her to protect Chang Le, and without her martial arts, Chang Le would have been killed. Li Che seemed partially convinced.
Li Che angrily confronted Zhu Daren for his audacity, reminding him that his grandfather had instructed him to keep the Crown Princess alive, not to kill her, and questioned how he would explain her death to his father. Zhu Daren, however, defended his actions as necessary for the greater good, asserting that Liu Yuyao was a major threat who "cannot be kept." He even suggested they could feign an accident, offering to bear sole responsibility if exposed.
Li Che was appalled by Zhu Daren’s ruthless philosophy of "rather kill a thousand by mistake than let off a single," calling it absurd and vicious for a high-ranking official. Zhu Daren challenged Li Che to consider if he would be as ruthless for the imperial throne, but Li Che countered, asking if he would rule his future subjects with such cruelty.
Gong Sunmo intervened, pleading for Zhu Daren, highlighting his past contributions and the fact that Chang Le was unharmed. Li Che, after a moment, relented, warning Zhu Daren against future such actions and telling him he did not need to be involved in certain future affairs. Gong Sunmo then subtly teased Li Che for being overly emotional for a woman, reminding him that Zhu Daren had served him diligently and that an overly harsh punishment would displease other officials.
Li Che admitted his impulsiveness. Gong Sunmo then brought Nong Ying forward to reveal her status as a spy for Liu Sheng. Nong Ying confessed that she was an undercover agent and had stolen Li Che's letter. She assured Li Che that Chang Le was unaware of her spy identity, only recently learning of her martial arts, and implored him to keep her identity a secret from Chang Le.
She described Chang Le as innocent and kind, with no interest in the power struggles between their families, and said that Chang Le loved Li Che with all her heart. Li Che, visibly pleased by this revelation, questioned Nong Ying further about Chang Le's feelings, but Gong Sunmo quickly prompted Nong Ying to continue her other matters. Nong Ying reiterated her predicament with Liu Sheng holding her mother captive, forcing her to comply.
She proposed becoming a double agent, sending false information to Liu Sheng, on the condition that her true allegiance remained hidden to protect her mother’s life. Li Che accepted her proposal, provided all information sent to Liu Sheng was approved by them, and promised to help with her mother’s situation. Nong Ying pledged her unwavering loyalty if her mother were rescued.
When Li Che inquired about the owner of the Nine-leaf copper lotus, Nong Ying stated she could not reveal it yet but guaranteed that the owner would never harm him. Li Che, satisfied for the moment, instructed Nong Ying to focus on caring for Chang Le and preventing any suspicion. Despite the arrangement, Gong Sunmo remained suspicious.
He couldn’t reconcile Nong Ying’s story about killing the assassins with the limited time available and expressed lingering concerns about the Duan family's skill, which he believed had been eradicated. He suspected Chang Le's potential connection to the Duan family through her mother, Geng Yu, who was a close friend of Duan Jin’s sister, Duan Nianer.
Gong Sunmo suggested testing Chang Le, even proposing the terrifying possibility that Chang Le herself might have saved Nong Ying and killed the assassins, merely feigning innocence. Li Che initially dismissed this as impossible but eventually agreed to a test, making Gong Sunmo promise that Chang Le would not be harmed in any way.
Gong Sunmo also pointed out their own lack of fighting skills and Nong Ying's formidable martial arts, emphasizing the need for a highly skilled individual to assist in the test and serve as Li Che's personal bodyguard. Gong Sunmo then revealed he already had someone in mind for the role. After returning, Nong Ying informed Chang Le about her agreement to be a double agent, assuring her that her secrets were safe.
Chang Le lamented Liu Sheng’s untrustworthiness, as he had promised to protect her villagers but then sent assassins after her. Nong Ying clarified that the attack was orchestrated by Zhu Daren, likely on Gong Sunmo’s orders, not Li Che’s, explaining that their suspicion stemmed from the earlier theft, fearing Chang Le might harm Li Che. Nong Ying reassured Chang Le that Li Che now genuinely cared for her and wouldn’t seek her harm.
Chang Le, though shaken by the near-death experience, was relieved it wasn't Li Che and declared herself ready for future challenges. Chang Le then brought up Ling, who had betrayed Nong Ying to Gong Sunmo, deeming her a threat. Nong Ying suggested eliminating Ling, but Chang Le preferred to send Ling back to the Empress, finding it a more prudent solution.
Gong Sunmo, through a “knowledgeable person,” found a highly skilled individual named Feiyu, who was actually Qin Dage, to serve as Li Che’s personal bodyguard. Nong Ying warned Chang Le that Li Che's recruitment of such a powerful figure was likely a move against them. Intrigued, Chang Le went to meet Li Che’s new bodyguard, where she was stunned to discover it was her "Brother Qin."
Later, she secretly met with Qin Dage, where he expressed his surprise at finding her as the Crown Princess and asked about their villagers. Chang Le tearfully apologized and revealed that Liu Sheng had captured all their people. She then recounted the entire story to Qin Dage, starting from her theft of the telescope.
Qin Dage, having discovered their absence from the village and followed rumors of a skilled thief to the capital, confirmed he had followed her and Li Che during their hunt, intervening when assassins attacked her. He then warned her that Nong Ying was skilled in Kungfu, but Chang Le dismissed his concern, assuring him that Nong Ying was on their side, with her mother also held captive by Liu Sheng.
Chang Le proposed they rescue Nong Ying’s mother, but Qin Dage advised against any rash actions that might complicate matters. He suggested they wait for Liu Sheng's promised three months, after which he would return with them all to the mountain. Meanwhile, the Empress suffered from a severe, chronic headache that none of the imperial physicians could cure. The Emperor, frustrated, ordered a search for skilled healers outside the palace, promising rewards.
Just as the Empress despaired, a Taoist priest arrived. Dismissing the imperial physicians’ skepticism, the priest conducted a ritual, and asked the Empress if she had dreamt of a black cat. Upon her confirmation, he led them to the palace courtyard, where they unearthed a dead black cat. The priest explained that the cat’s powerful grievance had caused the Empress’s headache. A palace servant confessed to torturing the cat to death and burying it to hide her cruelty.
The Empress decided that the servant who caused the problem should resolve it and ordered her to kowtow three times to the dead cat to appease its spirit. After the servant complied, the Empress declared her headache was gone. The Emperor, overjoyed, offered a substantial reward, but the Taoist priest humbly refused, stating his path was one of cultivation, not wealth.
When the Empress asked him to divine her fortune, the priest revealed that while she would be well, the Emperor himself would face a great disaster. Li Heng angrily denounced the priest, but the Empress, intrigued, asked if there was a solution. The priest explained that the Emperor’s destiny was unique and he would need to perform further divination to find a way to avert the impending misfortune.
To test Chang Le, Li Che and Gong Sunmo inquired about her whereabouts from Nong Ying, who said Chang Le was resting. Li Che then used "eight-treasured sweet dumplings" as bait to lure Chang Le out. At the restaurant, Li Che and Chang Le playfully fed each other dumplings, with Chang Le fully aware that she was being tested. Gong Sunmo then led Nong Ying away to fetch wine.
Nong Ying, sensing they were being followed, created a diversion to lead the pursuer away. After a brief confrontation, she realized the "assassin" was none other than Qin Dage. While Nong Ying was distracted, Chang Le was drugged and abducted. The assassins tied her up and interrogated her about being a successor of the Duan family and her martial arts skills. Chang Le feigned ignorance, but she quickly deduced that this was another test orchestrated by Li Che.
The assassins, reporting back to Li Che and Gong Sunmo that Chang Le denied everything, were instructed by Li Che to continue the interrogation, as Nong Ying was still occupied by Feiyu (Qin Dage).
Episode 11 Recap
Brother Qin confided in Nong Ying, explaining that his earlier "assassination" attempt on Chang Le was a test ordered by Li Che, and due to a lack of time, he couldn't warn them. Nong Ying assured him it was understood. After praising Nong Ying’s impressive Kung Fu skills as a true heroine, Brother Qin and Nong Ying prepared for the next phase of the plan.
Soon after, Brother Qin, under the guise of an attacker, pretended to tie up Nong Ying. Meanwhile, Gongsun Mo had been using several assassins to test Chang Le, but she revealed nothing. He then decided to use a final method, instructing an assassin to create a life-or-death situation to see if Chang Le would use the Duan family's skill of running the machine, known for its lock-picking expertise.
Li Che, concerned, insisted that Chang Le should not be harmed or mentally scarred, and Gongsun Mo assured him their plan was gentle. The assassin then threatened Chang Le, who, despite offering him money for food and humorously expressing her dislike of being boiled, bravely held her ground. Just as the tension peaked, Brother Qin dramatically intervened, slicing through the ropes and saving Chang Le.
This unexpected turn left Li Che and Gongsun Mo outside the room staring at each other in surprise. At the palace, the Empress presented a Taoist priest to the Emperor. The priest revealed that the Emperor, being of an extremely fiery nature, needed to marry a woman of the water phase, specifically one born in October of the guihai year, to avert an impending disaster.
This entire prophecy was a scheme orchestrated by Prime Minister Liu Sheng, and the Taoist priest later died under mysterious circumstances. Still uneasy about Chang Le, Gongsun Mo and Li Che ordered Brother Qin to perform another "test." This time, Brother Qin was to pretend to slash at Chang Le’s neck directly, even though he was explicitly told not to truly harm her. Brother Qin showed hesitation but agreed. When Chang Le arrived, Brother Qin lunged.
Li Che, seeing the real sword near her neck, was alarmed and shouted for Brother Qin to stop. Brother Qin, feigning a hallucination, apologized profusely. Li Che angrily sent Brother Qin to escort Chang Le to rest, promising to deal with him later.
Chang Le, despite a minor scratch on her neck, deduced it was Lord Gongsun who ordered the test and reaffirmed her trust in Brother Qin, stating she knew he wouldn't truly harm her and even defended him when Li Che offered to replace him. Seeing Chang Le’s calm reaction and lack of hidden skills, Gongsun Mo concluded he might have been overthinking the situation. Li Che, frustrated by the unnecessary test, decided to comfort Chang Le himself.
Zhu Yan received a letter from Li Heng, who expressed his deep longing for her. He recounted how his mother, the Empress, had confined him to the palace for a month for his previous overnight absence, making it impossible to see her. Li Heng felt incredibly fortunate that Zhu Yan, born just a month after him in the guihai year, seemed destined for him.
He also revealed that while his mother had always urged him to contend for the throne, he felt something was missing until he met Zhu Yan. He likened his heart to a lock waiting for her to open it and vowed to persuade his mother to allow them to be together soon, so they wouldn't have to miss each other so much. Meanwhile, Li Che entered Chang Le’s chambers to apply medicine to her neck, tenderly asking if it hurt.
Chang Le dismissed it as a minor scratch, and feigned ignorance about the cause of the attack, even defending Brother Qin when Li Che offered to replace him. She then suggested it was late and he should leave, but Li Che insisted on staying to accompany her.
Annoyed by his sudden change of attitude after putting a sword to her neck, Chang Le feigned being startled and demanded that he sit at the table all night, as her father used to do when she was scared. Li Che, with no other recourse, reluctantly agreed. Later, Brother Qin met with Baishitong, a man known for never lying. Brother Qin thanked him for breaking his lifelong rule for him.
Baishitong, curious, asked what kind of person required Brother Qin's personal protection, hinting at him re-entering the martial arts world. Brother Qin revealed that the person he wanted to approach might possess the Duan family's skill of running the machine. Baishitong noted Brother Qin’s enduring hope, to which Brother Qin affirmed that even a glimmer of hope was enough to reignite his determination. Li Che indeed spent the entire night sitting by Chang Le.
In the morning, as he watched her sleep, he leaned in for a kiss, only to be interrupted by Nong Ying, who urgently informed him that the Emperor had summoned him to the palace. It turned out someone had replicated the infamous "Thief God" case, causing the theft of an imperial purple gold vase from Prime Minister Liu Sheng’s residence.
The enraged Emperor, after hearing Prime Minister Liu Sheng suggest a punishment for Li Che's perceived negligence, ordered Li Che to supervise the renovation of the Great Buddhist Temple outside the city. Taking advantage of the Emperor’s distress, the Empress once again proposed finding a water-phase woman to resolve the ongoing misfortunes, volunteering to lead the search for such a beauty—a strategic move in her own carefully laid scheme.
The Emperor, confiding in an eunuch, expressed his deep concern for Li Che, his beloved son from Empress Yu Jun, and wondered if Li Che truly understood the Emperor's intentions. Back in the Crown Prince's residence, Nong Ying initially accused Chang Le of stealing the imperial purple gold vase from Prime Minister Liu Sheng's residence, leading to Li Che being scolded by the Emperor. Chang Le denied any involvement, stating she hadn't left her room all night.
Nong Ying then concluded that someone was using Chang Le's reputation to cause trouble and framing her. At a meeting, Li Che’s advisors suspected Chang Le, citing her past display of archery skill. However, Li Che adamantly defended her, revealing he had been in her chambers all night. This declaration appeased the suspicious officials. Gongsun Mo, however, surmised that Prime Minister Liu Sheng was likely behind the theft, using it to turn the Emperor against Li Che.
Upon hearing this, Li Che decided he needed to immediately inform his grandfather. Concerned for Chang Le's safety amidst these escalating events, Li Che decided to assign Brother Qin to protect her alongside Nong Ying, despite Chang Le's initial reluctance. Chang Le, seeing Li Che unjustly reprimanded by the Emperor, took matters into her own hands.
She infiltrated Prime Minister Liu Sheng's residence and poured an excessive amount of salt into the water supply, making all the food and drink inedible. Not content with that, she collected all of Liu Sheng's prized teapots—including a precious white marble pot, a purple gold sand jade pot, and a purple jade phoenix-carved teapot—and pasted their bottoms onto his main gate. Liu Sheng was devastated and furious, weeping over his ruined and defiled treasures.
He then found a letter left by Chang Le, which taunted him for framing her and warned him to confess his wrongdoings to the Emperor. Realizing this "thief" was working for Li Che and possessed the ability to freely enter and exit his mansion, Liu Sheng saw the capable people in the Crown Prince's residence as a grave threat.
Fearing that the next prank could be poison instead of salt, he resolved to assassinate Li Che while the Crown Prince was away supervising the Buddhist temple project. Meanwhile, Li Heng shared his admiration for Pingle City with Zhu Yan, mentioning its famous Qiqiao locks and many talented individuals. He lamented his strict mother, the Empress, who made it difficult for him to even leave the palace to see her.
Zhu Yan then told him that her father had been invited to a royal banquet in a few days, and she would be attending. Li Heng seized this as a perfect opportunity to ask the Emperor for their marriage to be officially sanctioned, declaring he would face any scolding from his mother if it meant they could finally be together. Later, Nong Ying confronted Chang Le, asking about her actions at Liu Sheng’s residence.
Chang Le admitted to her pranks, including the salt and the destroyed teapots, secretly pleased that she had hit Liu Sheng where it hurt most. Nong Ying then reported to Liu Sheng, assuring him that Brother Qin was not a skilled fighter and posed no threat, and that Chang Le was behaving normally within the Crown Prince’s residence. Liu Sheng then summoned Lord Xie, revealing his plan to assassinate Li Che the following day during his journey to the temple.
He sought Lord Xie’s advice on how to lure Li Che to a secluded location. Lord Xie, hoping to achieve a high-ranking official position, had already betrayed Li Che to Liu Sheng. He suggested waiting until Li Che arrived at the Buddhist temple to avoid suspicion, then outlined a detailed assassination plot. Liu Sheng, pleased with the plan, promised Lord Xie the promotion and instructed his son, Sansi, to recruit skilled assassins for the mission.
These assassins were to be fearless, carry poison, and commit suicide if they failed, ensuring their families would receive a substantial reward of one hundred gold. Nong Ying, having secretly overheard their entire conversation, rushed back to Chang Le. Nong Ying immediately burst into Chang Le’s chambers, breathlessly informing her that Liu Sheng was planning an assassination, seeking killers with one hundred gold to lie in wait at the Great Buddhist Temple.
Chang Le, hearing that someone intended to kill Li Che, quickly dismissed her past grievances, declaring it was a matter far more serious than their "domestic" disputes. She insisted that she had to warn him, even as Nong Ying, trying to calm her, suggested it might not be Li Che whom Liu Sheng intended to kill. Chang Le retorted that with assassins waiting at the Great Buddhist Temple, it could be no one else.
Nong Ying then pointed out that since Chang Le had not left the residence, she shouldn't be the one to deliver the message, and wondered if Li Che would even believe her. Chang Le, however, was overcome with urgency, declaring she couldn't care about such details and urged Nong Ying to go inform Li Che immediately.
Episode 12 Recap
Nong Ying informed Li Che that Prime Minister Liu had summoned her to discuss the arrangements for their upcoming trip to the Grand Buddhist Temple. She warned Li Che that the trip might be dangerous for him and urged him to proceed with caution. Worried about Li Che, Chang Le found herself unable to sleep. Just then, Li Che, concerned about being away for several days supervising work and missing his Crown Princess, came to check on her.
Chang Le immediately suggested that she wanted to accompany him to the construction site, and after some hesitation, Li Che agreed, despite his concerns about the arduous journey. At the Grand Buddhist Temple, Chang Le remained extremely vigilant, staying close to Li Che due to her unease about Prime Minister Liu's potential assassination plot. Upon arrival, Li Che requested Inspector Liu to provide them with casual clothes for an undercover inspection.
Li Che was captivated by Chang Le's appearance in her simple attire, remarking on how beautiful she looked. During their clandestine visit, they discovered workers illicitly replacing granite with cheaper basalt. Li Che sternly reprimanded the culprits for their fraudulent practices, a display of integrity that deeply impressed Chang Le. Later, during their meal, Chang Le discreetly used a poison-testing needle to ensure their food was safe, an act that further dispelled Li Che's earlier suspicions about her.
After lunch, while inspecting the site, Chang Le offered a surprising explanation for a broken cart, attributing its damage to a flawed wheel axle and suggesting a practical solution. Her unexpected insight into mechanical arts astonished Inspector Liu and left Gongsun Mo perplexed. As everyone listened to her detailed explanation, a suspicious individual cunningly lured Li Che to a secluded area. There, Li Che was ambushed by a group of assassins.
Despite fighting fiercely, he eventually became exhausted and gravely injured. In this critical moment, Chang Le revealed her martial arts skills and, in a desperate move to save the severely wounded Li Che, activated a hidden mechanism to fend off the attackers. As Li Che tried to press her for answers about her true identity and abilities, Lord Xie intervened, holding a blade to Chang Le's neck.
Gongsun Mo, observing the unfolding events, sensed foul play and moved to apprehend Brother Qin, who promptly leaped away, escaping the scene but not before vowing to rescue Chang Le. Meanwhile, Lord Zhu and his daughter Zhu Yan attended a royal banquet at the palace. Prince Li Heng and Zhu Yan exchanged affectionate glances across the hall. Just as Li Heng was about to request his Father Emperor to grant their marriage, the Empress intervened.
She abruptly suggested that Zhu Yan should marry the Emperor himself. Despite Zhu Yan's initial reluctance and desire to stay with her father, the Emperor declared his deep affection for her. With the Empress's subtle persuasion, Zhu Yan felt compelled to accept the proposal. Li Heng was utterly devastated to see the woman he loved forced to marry his own father, watching Zhu Yan weep helplessly, unable to do anything.
Prime Minister Liu, in a clandestine move, replaced all the guards and personnel at the mountain stronghold's prison. Li Che, heartbroken to see Chang Le bound and weakened, tenderly woke her. Chang Le, with tears in her eyes, pleaded with him to believe her, assuring him she never intended him any harm. Li Che, in turn, told her he believed her. Later, General Shen interrogated Chang Le about her martial arts and knowledge of the Duan family's mechanism techniques.
Chang Le explained that her real name was Chang Le, a brigand, and that she merely resembled Liu Yuyao, which led Prime Minister Liu to abduct her and force her to act as a substitute. She stated that she learned her mechanical skills from her nameless master. General Shen, however, refused to believe her story. When Li Che attempted to defend Chang Le, General Shen severely reprimanded him, ordering him confined for reflection, accusing him of being blinded by infatuation.
Li Che desperately pleaded with his grandfather, General Shen, but his appeals were repeatedly rejected. Lord Xie, secretly an agent of Prime Minister Liu, then presented a letter to General Shen. The letter claimed that Chang Le possessed a crucial secret about the Crown Prince that could completely ruin the Shen family. This revelation immediately changed General Shen's stance, and he ordered Lord Xie to thoroughly interrogate Chang Le, aiming to extract the secret.
Chang Le was subjected to brutal torture, resulting in her being severely injured and falling unconscious. Meanwhile, Gongsun Mo, having heard Nong Ying's account of Chang Le's striking resemblance to Liu Yuyao and her training from a nameless master, found her story credible. He attempted once more to speak with General Shen but was blocked by the prison guards. Confined in the prison, he engaged in conversation with Nong Ying.
She asked him to explain the meaning of a story he had once told, about a loquat tree planted for a deceased wife, and then, with a hint of melancholy, asked if he would plant a loquat tree for her if General Shen killed her, leaving Gongsun Mo speechless. Brother Qin, determined to fulfill his promise, actively sought an opportunity to rescue Chang Le.
Unable to persuade his grandfather, Li Che, armed with a dagger, forcibly entered the dungeon where Chang Le was held. Separately, the Empress discovered that Li Heng had secretly hired five skilled assassins from the black market to aid Zhu Yan in escaping her impending forced marriage.
Episode 13 Recap
Li Heng confessed to the Empress that he had long been in love with Zhu Yan and vowed to marry no one else in this life. The Empress was furious, reminding him of her high hopes for him. She commanded him to abandon the idea of eloping and confined him to Qing Ning Palace until the Grand Wedding concluded.
Li Heng reiterated that he spoke the truth because he had made a promise to Zhu Yan and had a foolproof plan. This plan, however, was to threaten his own death. The Empress was deeply hurt, questioning if he still considered her his mother. Li Heng knelt, stating he understood her words but had to go against her will in this lifetime, promising to repay her kindness in the next.
The Empress then played an emotional card, telling him he was her only child and she could not bear to lose him. She agreed to help him, before collapsing to the floor. Li Che entered the water dungeon and immediately jumped into the pool to wake Chang Le. Still believing her to be Yuyao, he called out her name.
Chang Le, weak and distressed, told him to believe she hadn't lied and pleaded with him to rescue her bandit brothers who were still held by Liu Sheng if she were to die. Li Che firmly declared he would not let her die. He used a dagger to cut her iron chains and helped her walk out. Outside, facing the guards, Li Che held the dagger to his own artery, threatening to take his life if they stopped him.
Lord Xie, witnessing this, dared not obstruct him and instructed his men to step back, clearing a path for Li Che and Chang Le. The Empress sought out her father, Liu Xiangguo, to request his help for Li Heng. She argued that since his granddaughter, Yuyao, was married to the Crown Prince, their family would be safe, but Liu Xiangguo dismissed her, ordering his servants to detain Prince V in a wing-room until the wedding concluded.
The Empress protested, accusing her father of killing Heng, but Liu Xiangguo remained resolute, declaring he would rather have no such grandson if he was so easily swayed. Meanwhile, Li Che tenderly cared for the heavily injured Chang Le at a small inn. He expressed disappointment at the simple food provided. Chang Le jokingly remarked that he would now have to become a bandit like her, eating only steamed buns and salted vegetables.
Li Che, embracing the idea, stated that such days would be frequent and he would slowly adapt, even offering to learn domestic chores. Chang Le, however, playfully dismissed his offer, stating she would handle those tasks. Li Che once again professed his deep feelings for Chang Le, telling her that seeing her suffer made him disregard the throne and any thoughts of revenge.
He was overjoyed to learn her true identity was Chang Le, not Liu Sheng's granddaughter Yuyao, and suggested calling her "Lele." Chang Le, finding the nickname "so gross," playfully rejected it. Their affectionate banter was interrupted by Brother Qin, who emerged, telling them to stop. Chang Le explained Brother Qin was her sworn brother from the mountain village.
Initially surprised and feeling betrayed, Li Che heard Brother Qin reveal he had joined the Crown Prince's residence solely to ensure Chang Le's safety and had no intention of harming Li Che. He apologized for concealing his identity, which Li Che graciously accepted. Brother Qin then revealed he had been monitoring the dungeon to rescue Chang Le and followed them after she escaped, admitting he had overheard their romantic conversation but felt it inappropriate to interrupt.
Brother Qin urged Chang Le and Li Che to leave the inn quickly, warning that General Shen's extensive network of spies would soon locate them. As they departed, General Shen appeared with a large contingent of soldiers, encircling the trio. Chang Le, still weak, leaned heavily on Li Che. Brother Qin valiantly fought against the soldiers but was eventually overpowered due to being outnumbered. Li Che and Chang Le were forced to kneel before General Shen.
Li Che pleaded with his grandfather, General Shen Ao, to spare Chang Le's life, asserting her innocence. General Shen then recounted the tragic history, beginning with the Li Kingdom's invasion when Li Che was seven. He described how the former emperor, Li Changye, influenced by Zhao Gang, doubted General Shen's loyalty and refused him adequate troops, forcing Empress Shen Yujun, Li Che’s mother, to lead a small army to prove the Shen family's loyalty.
Though she repelled the invaders, she suffered fatal wounds and died on the way back. General Shen revealed how Li Changye refused to apologize, leading to General Shen’s own over ten-year imprisonment for calling the emperor "fatuous." He asked Li Che if he remembered these events, and Li Che confirmed he remembered everything, especially how Liu Sheng later instigated Zhao Gang.
General Shen then explained that he had preserved Li Che's position as Crown Prince to ensure Li Che would ascend the throne and force Li Changye to publicly acknowledge his fatal error in causing Empress Shen's death, thereby avenging the Shen family. Li Che then declared his true love for Chang Le, stating that if she were to die that day, he would surely die with her, just as General Shen had grieved for Empress Shen.
General Shen, however, remained unyielding, giving an order to his soldiers to kill Chang Le, even if it meant killing Li Che as well. As Li Che frantically pulled out his dagger to intervene, Chang Le swiftly pricked an acupuncture point on him, paralyzing him. She then crawled to General Shen, offering herself to die in exchange for Li Che's life. She told Li Che that as a mere "little thief," her life was not worth his sacrifice.
She praised his earnestness, foresight, and benevolence, expressing her firm belief that he would become a good emperor under whose reign the people of Pei Kingdom would live in peace and banditry would cease. After speaking her last words, Chang Le drank the cup of poisoned wine offered by General Shen, who had outlined a cover story of the Crown Princess accidentally ingesting poison. She collapsed lifelessly before Li Che, who wept inconsolably.
The Empress visited Li Heng, who remained under house arrest. He confronted her about her promise to help him. She reassured him that she had everything prepared and would have him freed within three days. This, however, was a deceptive ploy concocted by the Empress and Liu Xiangguo to prevent Li Heng from causing further trouble. Elsewhere, Zhu Yan was packing her belongings, fully intending to elope with Li Heng as planned.
Her maid, Qi, urged caution, questioning if Li Heng might abandon her, but Zhu Yan remained steadfast in her belief that he would find a way to escape with her, even vowing to die if he didn't return. Just then, a letter from Li Heng arrived via a dart, dispelling Qi's doubts, and she began to diligently help Zhu Yan prepare her luggage. Chang Le awoke to find Li Che lying beside her and gently roused him.
Believing they were both poisoned with only one antidote left, Li Che insisted she take it. Chang Le, however, cleverly feigned swallowing the pill, then returned it to him, declaring that if only one of them could live, it must be him. Overwhelmed by her repeated self-sacrifice, Li Che pulled her into a fervent embrace, transferring the antidote from his own mouth to hers in a deep, desperate kiss.
Meanwhile, a jailer informed Gongsun Mo of a development, and Gongsun Mo promptly ordered Nong Ying to be untied. Their passionate moment was interrupted by General Shen's sudden entrance. Fearing the worst, Li Che begged his grandfather for more time with Chang Le. To their astonishment, General Shen revealed that the "poisoned" wine was merely a strong tranquilizer, and the "antidote" was just a tonic pill.
He confessed it was all a test, and witnessing Chang Le's genuine willingness to die for Li Che, he had decided, for the first time, to fully trust her. A joyful Li Che realized they were both safe and could now live together, promising to care for her forever. Chang Le gratefully thanked General Shen, who then instructed her to call him "Grandpa," signifying her acceptance into the family.
General Shen, now known as Shen Ao, told Li Che to work with his counselors to devise a plan to rescue Chang Le's friends, as having them as hostages put them at a disadvantage. He himself would deal with a "little rat" in his house.
Li Che expressed profound gratitude to his grandfather, acknowledging that Shen Ao had deliberately forgone a golden opportunity to bring down Liu Sheng (by revealing Chang Le was not Liu Sheng's granddaughter Yuyao, and thus not a genuine Crown Princess) simply to ensure his and Chang Le's happiness. Chang Le, too, reflected that despite their outward ruthlessness, the people in the palace were ultimately kind. Soon after, Lord Xie was brought before General Shen as a suspected spy.
General Shen revealed that a fake letter, meant to mislead him into killing Chang Le, had raised his suspicions. He further exposed Lord Xie's secret meetings with Liu Sheng, confirming his betrayal through his own network of spies within Liu Sheng's camp. Though Lord Xie desperately offered to atone for his crimes by serving General Shen, Shen Ao scornfully refused, declaring his contempt for traitors.
General Shen then decreed that Lord Xie would also "accidentally eat poisonous food and die," planning a similar cover-up for his demise. Separately, Liu Xiangguo summoned Nong Ying for questioning. He suspected her due to a missed contact and her report about Chang Le's drunken boasts regarding Liu Sheng and her imprisoned friends.
Nong Ying also reported the failure of Liu Sheng's assassins and expressed doubt about Li Che single-handedly defeating them, leading Liu Xiangguo to question Chang Le's whereabouts during the attack. This was part of a pre-arranged plan by Li Che and his advisors to use Nong Ying to feed Liu Xiangguo controlled information and gauge his reactions.
Despite his inherent suspicion, Liu Xiangguo seemingly accepted Nong Ying's explanations and sent her back to monitor the Crown Prince, though he secretly ordered a change in the prisoners' locations within the dungeon as a precaution. Meanwhile, Chang Le and Brother Qin were covertly observing Liu Sheng's residence. They identified the kitchen as a likely hidden entrance to the dungeon, a fact that surprised Chang Le given her past presence there.
Brother Qin advised against immediate rescue, stressing that with Liu Sheng's heightened suspicion, security would be tight. Their goal was merely to confirm the entrance and formulate a detailed plan for a future rescue attempt. Observing closely, they saw their friends, Aunt III, Shitou, and Zhang Meng, being relocated from the dungeon. Realizing this implied the existence of other exits or entrances, they decided to follow the relocated prisoners to gather more intelligence.
Episode 14 Recap
Chang Le and Brother Qin cautiously made their way into the dungeon, where Brother Qin inadvertently triggered a mechanism. Fortunately, Chang Le, skilled in mechanical arts, quickly disarmed it, allowing them to escape unharmed. Their escape led them by chance into the room where Li Heng was confined. Li Heng, seeing the unconscious guards Chang Le had subdued, seized the opportunity to change into a guard's uniform and discreetly depart.
The Night Kingdom's Third Princess, Arietty, having journeyed to Pei country, arrived with her heart set on seeing Li Che. Back at the Crown Prince's residence, Chang Le and Brother Qin discussed the extreme difficulty of Liu Sheng's Heaven's Secret Twelve Palaces dungeon, noting its twelve constantly shifting prisons made rescuing anyone nearly impossible. Brother Qin remarked that only the legendary Dao Sheng could navigate such a maze, whose master resided in Rong City.
However, Li Che stated that going to Rong City without a plausible excuse would instantly arouse Liu Sheng's suspicion, suggesting they needed a more thought-out plan. As Li Che went to retrieve medicine for Brother Qin’s injury, Brother Qin pressed Chang Le about her mechanical skills, finding them strikingly similar to someone he knew.
Chang Le explained she learned from a female master who also taught her techniques like light body and shadowless hands, as well as transfiguration, though she found the human skin masks too disgusting to learn the latter. Brother Qin then asked if her master's name was Duan Nian'er, but Chang Le only knew her as "Master." When her attempt to draw a portrait proved unrecognizable, Chang Le revealed her master had passed away.
Brother Qin was stunned, refusing to believe it, and demanded to know where she was buried. Chang Le provided a confusing set of directions, mentioning "Qingyu City," "Xiaotu Mountain," and "the No. 5 locust tree," explaining these were names she and her master had affectionately given to places, making it clear only she could find the exact spot. Exasperated and emotionally wounded by the news, Brother Qin left, his frustration palpable.
Li Che took lychees from Nong Ying, intending to personally deliver them to Chang Le, who was in a private room meticulously maintaining her Nine-leaf copper lotus machine in preparation for a potential trip to Rong City. Chang Le impulsively suggested they simply leave for Rong City without seeking permission, but Li Che cautioned against such recklessness, citing the delicate political situation.
Their conversation was interrupted by Nong Ying, who announced that Liu Sheng had summoned Chang Le back to his residence. Li Che, suspecting Liu Sheng's true motives were linked to the previous night's events, urged Chang Le to be extremely cautious. Meanwhile, Liu Sheng was enraged by Li Heng's escape. His guards reported that two unknown assailants had brutally knocked them out, allowing Li Heng to steal a uniform and flee.
Liu Sheng's son fretted over their derailed plans, which had involved their own people "rescuing" Li Heng to track him to Zhu Yan. Liu Sheng, however, deduced from Chang Le's recent behavior that Li Heng was not in her custody, confirming the prince had indeed escaped on his own. He ordered an intensive search for Li Heng, stressing that their larger scheme could not proceed without him.
He also linked Li Heng's escape to Lord Xie's recent death, suspecting the involvement of General Shen and Chang Le. At Liu Sheng's residence, Chang Le was confronted by Liu Sheng, who dismissed his son to speak with her alone. Liu Sheng challenged her loyalty, asking if she was now working for Li Che. Chang Le vehemently denied it, claiming her increasing intimacy with Li Che was merely a successful execution of their original plan to gain his trust.
Liu Sheng was unconvinced, ordering her to assassinate Li Che within three days as proof of her allegiance. Chang Le protested, citing Li Che's heightened security following previous attempts and the risk of exposing herself. Unmoved, Liu Sheng resorted to blackmail, threatening to execute her village friends—Shitou, Auntie Zhang, and Zhang Meng—one by one, until Li Che was dead or all her people were gone, unequivocally questioning her loyalty.
Later, Liu Sheng confided in his son, noting that Chang Le’s refusal to use Li Heng as leverage confirmed the prince was not with her and had indeed escaped independently. He reiterated the critical importance of finding Li Heng to advance their grand strategy. Back at the Crown Prince’s residence, Li Che acknowledged Liu Sheng’s deep suspicion of Chang Le. His aide suggested spreading false rumors of Chang Le’s defection, but Li Che dismissed it as too transparent.
He revealed his perilous counter-plan: he would stage a "real" assassination attempt on himself to provide Liu Sheng with a convincing "sweetener" and shield Chang Le. After gently putting his overprotective aide to sleep with a pressure point, Li Che instructed Gong Sun to meticulously arrange the fake assassination, emphasizing that he needed to appear to "lose half his life" to make it credible.
Simultaneously, Lord Zhu arrived at Liu Sheng's residence, expecting an audience with the Empress, but was met by Liu Sheng instead. Liu Sheng presented an empty gift box, a thinly veiled reference to Zhu Yan’s disappearance, implying that just as the box was empty, so too was Zhu Yan gone. He demanded Lord Zhu's cooperation in locating Li Heng, threatening to expose Zhu Yan's absence to the Emperor and implicate the entire Zhu family, leading to their destruction.
Liu Sheng then revealed a captured eunuch, a messenger for Li Heng, and instructed Lord Zhu to find Zhu Yan's own messenger to uncover their whereabouts. He further introduced Xiao Bai Sheng, a master of vocal mimicry, and ordered Lord Zhu to arrange for Xiao Bai Sheng to hear Li Che’s voice for an hour to perfectly imitate it.
Lord Zhu, horrified by this treacherous plot against the Crown Prince, protested vigorously, but Liu Sheng reiterated his threat against Zhu Yan to ensure compliance. Meanwhile, Li Heng anxiously brought a feverish Zhu Yan to a doctor. The doctor quickly diagnosed a common cold, simply recommending ginger water. Li Heng, overly concerned, offered extravagant sums for the ginger, much to the doctor's amusement. Li Che took Chang Le to his Peach Blossom Town to relax.
Chang Le expressed profound guilt, feeling her inadequacy was forcing Li Che to risk his life. Auntie Luo, an elder from the village, reassured her, explaining that men handled external affairs while women managed the home, and that Li Che was capable of solving any problem. Chang Le confided in Li Che, telling him he was the kindest person she had ever known. Li Che corrected her tenderly, promising to be the kindest person to her for her entire life.
After drinking excessive amounts of peach blossom wine, a tipsy Chang Le wished Li Che could come to her village so she could protect him. As Li Che leaned in to kiss her, Brother Qin burst in, announcing an urgent summons from Lord Zhu for Li Che to meet him at the Zhu residence immediately.
At the Zhu residence, Lord Zhu engaged Li Che in seemingly innocuous conversation, feigning concern about Li Che's past assassination attempt and subtly probing about Chang Le's public behavior, including her drunken escapade. Unbeknownst to Li Che, Xiao Bai Sheng, disguised as a servant, diligently listened to and absorbed every nuance of Li Che's voice.
Back at the Crown Prince’s residence, Gong Sun outlined the plan for Li Che’s "assassination": a secluded tavern by a forest and river, with a hidden boat for his escape. Gong Sun offered Li Che a whistle for emergency rescue, but Li Che refused it, determined to make his escape appear genuinely unassisted to avoid implicating Chang Le with Liu Sheng.
Simultaneously, Chang Le returned to Liu Sheng’s residence and, pretending to be still slightly drunk from the previous night, "revealed" that Li Che frequently slipped out alone to drink, without guards, and planned to do so again that very evening. Though still somewhat skeptical, Liu Sheng found the information convincing enough to proceed with the assassination. Following the staged plan, Li Che entered the small forest near the tavern.
He was immediately ambushed by assassins who severely wounded him in a fierce struggle. He managed to escape to the waiting boat, but the assassins pursued relentlessly. To further protect Chang Le from suspicion, Li Che, in a moment of crisis, intentionally discarded the emergency whistle into the forest. At this critical juncture, Princess Arietty of the Night Kingdom dramatically intervened, rescuing the badly injured Li Che.
Upon learning of the failed assassination, Liu Sheng's son reported Princess Arietty's unexpected intervention. Liu Sheng approved of his men's decision to retreat, acknowledging the severe international repercussions of harming a foreign princess. He then meticulously analyzed the timing, concluding that the princess's arrival from the Night Kingdom was too sudden for Li Che and Chang Le to have orchestrated. He ultimately attributed Li Che's survival to extraordinary luck, deeming him "not meant to die."
Convinced that Chang Le had not betrayed him and had, in fact, earned Li Che's deep trust, Liu Sheng decided to continue utilizing her. He instructed his son to ensure Chang Le’s village friends were treated well, confirming Chang Le had passed his test and was allowed to return.
Episode 15 Recap
Li Che, severely wounded and looking haggard, was tended to by Princess Arietty, who compassionately applied medicine and bandaged his injuries. Chang Le then rushed into the bedchamber, lamenting her own childishness for inadvertently causing Li Che's severe wounds. Upon regaining consciousness, Li Che’s first act was to comfort Chang Le, assuring her that he was fine and not to cry.
He was a bit distant towards Princess Arietty, whom he hadn't seen in over a decade, but upon learning she had saved him, he expressed his gratitude. Gongsun Mo knelt before Li Che, blaming himself for a poorly planned mission. Li Che, however, clarified that the plan was thorough; he simply hadn't blown the whistle.
Curious about Li Che's current plight, Princess Arietty pressed him with several questions, learning that the Crown Prince of Pei country had been expelled from the palace, which she found utterly outrageous. In the main hall, Princess Arietty presented special thyme incense to the Empress, a gift she had prepared in various scents for all the Noble Consorts in the harem. The Emperor was delighted by Princess Arietty's quick wit.
She then mentioned Li Che's recent assassination attempt, prompting the Emperor to confirm that a thorough investigation was underway and to thank her for her timely intervention. Princess Arietty further proposed that the Crown Prince be recalled to Jingren Palace. Citing safety concerns, the Emperor agreed, unknowingly undermining the Empress who had painstakingly arranged for Li Che to reside outside the palace for his training as the Minister of Justice.
Later, Chang Le urged Li Che to diligently practice martial arts, emphasizing that he needed to be able to protect himself and her, especially with his ongoing rivalry with Liu Sheng. Li Che, acknowledging his childhood dislike for fighting, agreed to resume his training, promising to wake an hour earlier each morning to practice once his wounds healed. Princess Arietty later informed Li Che that she had successfully persuaded the Emperor to have him return to Jingren Palace.
Li Che offered a polite but detached thank you, stating his preference to remain outside the palace, citing the convenience for his duties as the Minister of Justice and the greater freedom it offered for accompanying her on tours. Accepting his decision, Princess Arietty conceded the matter. Princess Arietty, in front of Chang Le, mentioned a childhood promise she had made with Li Che. To avoid conflict, Li Che feigned forgetfulness.
After Princess Arietty left, Chang Le immediately pressed Li Che about the promise, but he continued to deny any recollection. He then explained his reluctance to return to the palace, admitting a large part was due to her, as palace life was restrictive and inconvenient for their time together. He also suggested it was a good opportunity to visit Rong City.
Chang Le, pleased that she was the main reason he didn't want to return to the palace, teasingly warned him to stay away from Princess Arietty. Elsewhere, Prime Minister Liu reviewed letters exchanged between Zhu Yan and Li Heng, noting that Tianshui Town and Pingle City were frequently mentioned. He dispatched agents to investigate these locations and confirmed that preparations for Xiao Baisheng were complete.
Early the next morning, Li Che was practicing martial arts when Chang Le confronted him about the childhood promise. Soon after, Princess Arietty appeared, stating her intention to live wherever Li Che did. This declaration, coupled with Li Che's continued denial of the promise, enraged Chang Le, who playfully bit his shoulder in a fit of jealousy. Princess Arietty then expressed a desire to see Li Che's bedchamber and later asked him to accompany her to buy rouge.
Seizing an opportunity, Chang Le led Princess Arietty to her own room and personally applied rouge for her. During their conversation, Chang Le subtly learned that Li Che and Princess Arietty's childhood "promise" was, in fact, an engagement. When Nong Ying entered the room, she found Princess Arietty amused but, under Chang Le's stern gaze, quickly complimented Princess Arietty’s makeup, despite its possibly uneven application. Meanwhile, Li Heng and Zhu Yan walked hand-in-hand through the lively streets of Pingle City.
They decided to find a temporary inn first, then a more permanent residence. Li Heng inquired with an elderly man, Uncle Zheng, about inns in the city. Upon learning there were none, he respectfully asked if they could stay at Uncle Zheng’s house for a few nights. Uncle Zheng and Auntie Zheng graciously agreed, offering their deceased son's room for their stay and refusing any payment.
In the palace, the Empress suggested to the Emperor that Princess Arietty be betrothed to Li Heng to strengthen relations between the two countries. The Emperor, however, deemed such a union a matter of great importance, requiring consideration of Princess Arietty's own wishes. He also noted Li Heng's lack of initiative, which made any attempt to arrange the match difficult, concluding that the matter should be discussed later.
The Emperor then inquired about Li Heng's prolonged absence from court, observing that he hadn't come to pay his respects for many days. The Empress, concealing the truth, claimed Li Heng had caught a cold while visiting his maternal grandfather and was recovering. She promised to ensure Li Heng would pay his respects as soon as he was well, and the Emperor, expressing concern, urged Li Heng to take care and offered imperial physicians if needed.
That night, Uncle Zheng returned the silver Li Heng had given him earlier, suggesting that if they truly wished to show gratitude, they could help him purchase some fabric for Auntie Zheng's upcoming 70th birthday gift. Li Heng gladly accepted. After selecting the fabric, Li Heng confided in Zhu Yan that their task wasn't fully complete; Uncle Zheng wanted to embroider Auntie Zheng's name on the garment but had forgotten it.
Reflecting on this, they contemplated their own future as they aged. Li Heng then spontaneously suggested that they use Auntie Zheng’s 70th birthday celebration as an opportunity for Uncle Zheng and Auntie Zheng to be their marriage witnesses. Zhu Yan, touched by the idea, happily agreed. Li Heng presented Zhu Yan with a silver bracelet as a bride price, apologizing for its humbleness after failing to find anything more elaborate in Pingle City.
Zhu Yan, however, reassured him that she had long accepted the hardships that might come with eloping with him, and his concern was unnecessary. Later, Chang Le sat alone, visibly upset. Li Che entered to comfort her, but Chang Le, still angry, confronted him about the childhood promise he made to Princess Arietty at age six.
Li Che quickly tried to appease her, claiming he was too young to understand then and that the promise didn't count, especially since he hadn't known Chang Le yet. As they bantered, Nong Ying entered, urgently informing Li Che that Princess Arietty was looking for him and that if he didn't attend to her, no one in the household would get any sleep.
Princess Arietty found Li Che, inquiring about other interesting places in Pei country, as she had explored all of the capital. Li Che suggested Rong City, known for its food and scenery, and only a three-day journey away. The trio then went to the main hall to seek the Emperor’s permission to travel to Rong City. Recognizing their prior agreement, the Emperor readily approved, but made Li Che promise to ensure Princess Arietty's safety.
Meanwhile, Zhu Yan spent time chatting with Auntie Zheng, who remarked on how their presence had brought much-needed liveliness to her quiet home. Zhu Yan then asked Auntie Zheng for her full name, only to learn that Auntie Zheng herself had long forgotten it, having been called "Zheng Fengshi" for decades. Returning to their room, Zhu Yan relayed this to Li Heng, who then proposed giving Auntie Zheng a new name.
Combining Uncle Zheng's name, Zheng Yuanhang, and Auntie Zheng's surname, Feng, Zhu Yan came up with "Feng Fan," symbolizing "setting sail to embark on a distant voyage," a name they both found meaningful. On their journey to Rong City, Princess Arietty, feeling restless, challenged Li Che to a horse race. Her persistent closeness to Li Che stirred Chang Le’s jealousy.
However, to maintain her disguise, Chang Le controlled her emotions and remained in her sedan chair as advised, rather than outwardly reacting. When the group arrived at an inn, the proprietor explained that his small establishment had limited rooms and food, making it difficult to host their large party. Seeing Princess Arietty's continuous playful gestures towards Li Che, Chang Le impulsively declared that she could resolve the food shortage.
Without further explanation, she led a large group of people away from the inn to go hunting. Gongsun Mo, observing Chang Le’s jealous outburst, mused about how terrifying jealous women could be. Li Che waited outside the inn for Chang Le's return. Princess Arietty then discreetly handed Li Che a letter, explaining that her Father King had specifically instructed her to deliver it in a secluded place due to the many spies in the palace.
This exchange was witnessed by Chang Le, who, mistaking it for a private communication between them, demanded to see it. Li Che refused, explaining it contained sensitive political matters and he wished to protect her from such dangerous involvement. Chang Le, however, warned him against lying to her.
Episode 16 Recap
The Third Princess was captivated by Chang Le's exceptional grilling skills and directly asked Li Che if he had taught her. To maintain the charade, Li Che readily confirmed that he had, praising Chang Le's quick learning ability. The Third Princess then requested Chang Le to teach her the technique.
After watching the Third Princess char a chicken, Chang Le playfully asked Li Che if she was superior at grilling, to which Li Che simply remarked how pitiful the chicken was. Meanwhile, Gongsun Mo's stomach rumbled with hunger. Nong Ying, having roasted a chicken, personally fed it to him, having earlier expressed concern about his health and suggesting a visit to a miracle doctor in Rong City since imperial physicians had no solutions.
The following morning, Gongsun Mo approached Li Che, observing that Nong Ying had been acting strangely towards him. Admitting his lack of understanding regarding women, he pressed Li Che for an explanation. On Auntie Zheng's seventieth birthday, Uncle Zheng presented her with new clothes, which she joyfully accepted, expressing gratitude that he still remembered her name after so many years.
As she went to fetch the birthday noodles, both Li Heng and Zhu Yan noticed the dishes on the table were quite salty. Uncle Zheng then confided in them that Auntie Zheng's sense of taste had deteriorated with age, and he had been accustomed to eating her salty cooking for years. Deeply touched by this revelation, Li Heng and Zhu Yan expressed admiration for their enduring love.
During the meal, Li Heng proposed that Uncle Zheng and Auntie Zheng serve as their marriage witnesses, a request they enthusiastically granted. Auntie Zheng even retrieved her cherished wedding dress from decades past for Zhu Yan. As Li Heng and Zhu Yan performed the traditional kneeling rites before the elders, their pursuers suddenly stormed the scene. Despite a blade being held to his throat, Li Heng steadfastly completed the ceremony.
Afterwards, he lifted Zhu Yan's red veil, declaring their marriage complete and stating that any subsequent marriage for her would be invalid, to which Zhu Yan silently assented. The assassins then mercilessly took the lives of Uncle Zheng and Auntie Zheng before their eyes, deeply traumatizing Li Heng. Upon hearing Li Che's voice from a passing palanquin, Li Heng, heartbroken and enraged, vowed eternal enmity against him.
In response, Li Che, from his palanquin, taunted Li Heng, claiming responsibility for his capture and vowing to make him watch his beloved woman be taken away before defeating him, all to avenge his past humiliation and expulsion from the palace. Li Heng challenged Li Che to kill him then, but Li Che refused, wanting him to suffer. Li Heng declared that if Li Che didn't kill him today, they would be irreconcilable foes.
Li Che's group arrived in Rong City and settled into an inn. The Third Princess naturally gravitated towards Li Che, sitting beside him, which instantly sparked jealousy in Chang Le. Chang Le firmly pulled Li Che's arm, asserting her position as Crown Princess. To defuse the brewing argument, the others rallied around Chang Le, subtly encouraging the Third Princess to retire for the night.
Li Che later discussed with a guide how to manage the Third Princess during their upcoming trip to see the Stolen Saint on Qingmeng Mountain, as the guide had personal reasons not to show himself there. Meanwhile, Li Heng awoke at Prime Minister Liu's residence to find Zhu Yan beside him and immediately embraced her, expressing his joy. Zhu Yan, however, responded that she was already content, causing Li Heng to realize their precarious situation.
Prime Minister Liu angrily chastised Li Heng for his behavior, deeming his relationship with Zhu Yan a grave crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of both the Zhu and Liu families. The Empress, however, urged her husband to be more lenient, reminding him that Li Heng was a sensible child and that their safe return was a blessing, suggesting they pretend nothing had happened.
Prime Minister Liu then offered to send Zhu Yan back to her residence with his guards. Li Heng insisted on escorting her himself, a request the Empress granted, but with a strict instruction: he must deliver Consort Hui (referring to Zhu Yan by this new, significant title) to the back door of the Zhu residence. Li Heng thanked his mother. As they prepared to leave, Prime Minister Liu, still uneasy, questioned the Empress about the plan's feasibility.
The Empress enigmatically replied that the one truly responsible for the situation knew it in their heart. The next morning, Li Che, still needing a way to prevent the Third Princess from joining his secret mission, instructed Chang Le to feign a stomachache. However, the astute Third Princess saw right through their ruse, openly questioning their true intentions in Rong City.
On the sorrowful journey back to the Zhu residence, Li Heng was overwhelmed with guilt, blaming himself for not destroying their correspondence sooner. He desperately pleaded with Zhu Yan to elope with him once more, to hide in the mountains where no one could find them. But Zhu Yan gently refused, explaining that her previous escape with him had exhausted all her courage.
She could no longer selfishly abandon her family, as it would inevitably lead to severe repercussions for the entire Zhu household from the Emperor. Li Heng, consumed by desperation, insisted there must be a way, begging her not to cry and promising to find a solution. With immense sadness, they shared a final, tight embrace.
As Zhu Yan prepared to leave, she asked Li Heng to close his eyes and recite a poem until she was gone, a request he initially resisted but ultimately conceded to. While Li Heng recited the verses of "Jin Se," Zhu Yan walked away, her heart heavy. When he opened his eyes, she was gone, taken by the guards. Li Heng was left to watch, heartbroken and helpless, as Zhu Yan vanished from his sight, returning to the Zhu residence.
Li Heng, unable to comprehend why fate had so cruelly separated him from his beloved, directed all his simmering hatred and resentment towards Li Che the moment Zhu Yan re-entered the Zhu residence. He remained unaware that the true orchestrators behind his suffering were Prime Minister Liu and the Empress. Meanwhile, Chang Le and the Third Princess continued their competitive antics, now vying for Li Che's attention on their journey to the Stolen Saint's dwelling on Qingmeng Mountain.
Upon arrival, the doorkeeper informed them that to meet the master, only one person could undertake the challenge: retrieving two jars of the master's favorite Liangjia wine from town. Chang Le, finding the task seemingly simple, eagerly volunteered. Not wanting to miss out on the excitement, the Third Princess also insisted on competing, prompting both of them to rush off to fulfill the task. In a separate development, Nong Ying and Gongsun Mo found Dr. Xue.
Upon checking Gongsun Mo's pulse, Dr. Xue immediately diagnosed him with a severe cold illness, which he had suffered from since childhood, compounded by recent poisoning and exposure to cold water. Known for his insatiable greed, Dr. Xue demanded a hefty fee of one hundred taels for a prescription, explaining that while the written prescription was cheap, the genius behind it was priceless. Inside the inner room, Gongsun Mo took the prescribed medicine but soon collapsed in agony.
Nong Ying, alarmed, confronted Dr. Xue, who calmly explained it was a normal reaction due to the clash of coldness and medicine, and that Gongsun Mo would awaken shortly. Nong Ying, however, fiercely warned Dr. Xue not to leave until Gongsun Mo was fully conscious. Chang Le and the Third Princess, determined to prove themselves, began a spirited drinking contest to secure the wine from Swordsman Liang, the first challenge-giver.
Despite Li Che's attempts to mediate their increasingly inebriated state, both women drank excessively, eventually becoming drunk and accidentally smashing the wine jars. Swordsman Liang declared they both passed since they both "got" the wine. The second challenge, presented by an old woman (Granny) and her assistant Xiaoqing, required them to collect a few bird eggs from a tree outside the city. The two still-drunk women rushed off to complete this new task. After some time, Gongsun Mo regained consciousness.
Nong Ying, observing his improved condition, thanked Dr. Xue. The doctor, after re-examining Gongsun Mo's pulse, revealed that his current medicine would only extend his life by three years. A complete cure, he explained, required boiling and consuming the root of a rare Huoyu lilac. Dr. Xue admitted he possessed the only known specimen but refused to sell it.
He offered a deal: if Gongsun Mo could retrieve a treasure map belonging to the notoriously wealthy and corrupt official Shi Hongbo, currently held by a man named Leng Yongnian in Rong City, he would give him the Huoyu lilac root.
Later, when Nong Ying inquired about Gongsun Mo's condition, he pretended to be fully recovered, and Dr. Xue, subtly cooperating with Gongsun Mo's request to keep his true condition from Nong Ying, gave a non-committal health tip about washing feet, allowing Nong Ying to believe he was fine.
Episode 17 Recap
Chang Le and Princess Arietty, both quite inebriated, were gently guided by Li Che into a forest, where they met an old woman. The old woman's test required them to climb trees and retrieve bird eggs. Despite their tipsy state, both women eagerly accepted the challenge, though the old woman proved difficult, constantly deeming the eggs either too large or too small, sending them repeatedly up and down the trees.
Li Che watched Chang Le with concern, clearly distressed by her efforts. Seeing their persistence, the old woman decided to stop bothering the young people. She then suddenly leaped from her wheelchair, landing gracefully on a tree trunk. After inspecting the bird nests, she declared Chang Le had passed the test and handed her an item, instructing her to meet "the old man."
The old woman explained to Princess Arietty that she had broken an egg, while Chang Le had not, attributing Chang Le's success to her kind nature. She also noted that anyone who drank three bowls of Liang Donggua's wine would become about "eight-tenths drunk" and lose some bodily control. An attendant then informed them that anyone seeking the Steal Saint must be truly benevolent and sincere, inviting them to meet the Steal Saint.
Chang Le, playfully feigning fatigue, kissed Li Che and asked him to carry her up the mountain. Princess Arietty, witnessing this, decided to return alone, no longer interested in meeting the Steal Saint. Before leaving, Li Che instructed the attendant, Xiao Qing, to tell her master to conserve his wine, as he was tired of brewing it daily. Chang Le and Li Che finally met the attendant's master, who immediately snatched the wine from Chang Le.
The master announced yet another test, much to Chang Le's surprise, as she believed they had already passed all the required trials. Xiao Qing clarified that they had indeed met the master, but not yet the Steal Saint himself, who had further challenges. The master then revealed the next task: they needed to find Shi Hongbo's treasure map hidden in Leng Yongnian's house.
Once the map was secured, he would lead them to the Steal Saint, bringing them closer to rescuing their friends. Returning home, Gongsun Mo shared the good news that he had met a skilled doctor and now had hope for recovery, which delighted Li Che. Chang Le then informed Gongsun Mo about the new task involving Shi Hongbo's treasure map, hoping it would ultimately lead to their friends' salvation.
However, upon hearing about the map, Gongsun Mo became visibly troubled and silent. Nong Ying pulled Gongsun Mo aside, demanding to know why he hadn't shared the information with Li Che. Gongsun Mo explained that his life's purpose was to assist Li Che, as Li Che was destined to be emperor. Nong Ying, however, vehemently rejected the idea of fate, asserting that in the face of life and death, there were no distinctions between ruler and subject.
Meanwhile, Li Che escorted Chang Le to her room. Chang Le, seeking reassurance, asked Li Che if she was superior to Princess Arietty. Li Che flattered her, affirming that as his beloved consort, no one could compare. Just as they leaned in for a kiss, Princess Arietty arrived. Seeing her rival, Chang Le immediately became defensive and urged Li Che to remove his clothes.
Donning Li Che's garments, Chang Le was mistaken for Li Che by the still-tipsy Princess Arietty, who affectionately embraced her. Chang Le, feigning sympathy, comforted Princess Arietty and led her to her room. She then cunningly encouraged Princess Arietty to recount her childhood memories with Li Che. Hearing the intimate stories of their past together, Chang Le's jealousy flared. Later, Gongsun Mo spotted Li Che eavesdropping outside Princess Arietty's room.
Li Che, sighing dramatically, claimed he might not survive the night and retreated to his own room. A short while later, Chang Le, now mimicking Princess Arietty's mannerisms and voice, approached Li Che. Faced with this performance, a weary Li Che tried his best to humor her. Gongsun Mo, however, refused to play along with Li Che's attempts to evade Chang Le's questions.
He truthfully recited from the annals that Li Che, as a child, had indeed visited ten countries with Empress Shen over two years and had met eighteen princesses of similar age, as opposed to Li Che's assertion of only "two or three" countries and a preference for playing with princes. This revelation only intensified Chang Le's anger. Just as the tension escalated, Brother Qin arrived, allowing Li Che to swiftly change the subject to the treasure map.
Li Che then, unaware that the treasure map's importance extended to Gongsun Mo's own health, enthusiastically discussed his grand plans to use the map to overthrow Liu Sheng, promising Gongsun Mo the position of Prime Minister to serve the country and its people. Gongsun Mo, with a wistful look, expressed his hope to live to see that day, implying his illness might prevent it.
Li Che went to look for Chang Le and was informed by Nong Ying that she was in Princess Arietty's room. Upon entering, he discovered Chang Le had deliberately given Princess Arietty more wine to ensure she would not interfere with their planned visit to Leng residence. Chang Le dismissed Brother Qin's recent mysterious behavior in Rong City, emphasizing that finding the treasure map was their immediate priority.
Meanwhile, Nong Ying carefully administered medicine to Gongsun Mo, offering him sweet loquat candy first to mask the bitter taste. Gongsun Mo, sensing Nong Ying's intent to acquire the Huoyu lilac, warned her against taking other people's prized possessions and declared he would watch her every move. However, immediately after drinking the medicine, Gongsun Mo collapsed, revealing Nong Ying had indeed tampered with it.
Nong Ying, having forcibly acquired the Huoyu lilac, was involved in a brief struggle at a pharmacy. Dr. Xue, the physician Gongsun Mo had met earlier, cautioned her that the Huoyu lilac's roots contain both yin and yang properties, and using the wrong ones could prove fatal for Gongsun Mo. Hesitantly, Nong Ying handed the stolen medicinal herb to Dr. Xue for proper preparation.
Back at Leng residence, Chang Le and Li Che were greeted by a man claiming to be Mr. Leng. After Li Che revealed his royal identity, the man invited them into an inner room. However, once inside, he suddenly shackled Chang Le's foot. Li Che quickly realized the man was an impostor. Chang Le easily freed herself from the shackles and proposed cooperation.
Impressed by her abilities, the impostor revealed his true identity as Leng Zhengxing, the son of Leng Yongnian. He confirmed that his father had a secret room, the entrance to which only the true Leng Yongnian knew, and that his father personally safeguarded the treasure box. As Chang Le and Li Che surveyed the Leng residence's living room, they noted numerous mechanisms. Leng Zhengxing dismissed them as mere decorations, claiming he had tried operating them countless times without success.
Chang Le, instructing him to observe in silence, then skillfully guided Li Che through the sequence, successfully activating a hidden mechanism. With torches in hand, the three entered the inner chamber, where they were confronted by an eight-direction gear lock. Chang Le expertly manipulated the intricate lock, and the secret room door finally opened, revealing the real Leng Yongnian. Upon seeing his son, the true Leng Yongnian immediately clamored for salt baked chicken wings.
Leng Zhengxing rushed out to fulfill his father's craving. Simultaneously, Nong Ying observed Dr. Xue preparing the Huoyu lilac. Seeing him add sulfur, she feared he was intentionally ruining the medicine and lunged to grab it, burning her hand in the process.
Episode 18 Recap
Nong Ying desperately confronted a doctor, who angrily refused to give her medicine, asserting that she couldn't rob him. In a fit of rage, Nong Ying kicked him to the ground. The doctor then declared that putting out the fire would not save the medicine. Nong Ying, in turn, told him she would gladly kill him a hundred times if his death could save her master's life.
The doctor pitied her master, but Nong Ying vowed to search the world for the medicine if even one was left. He retorted that her master would be dead before she found it. Meanwhile, Chang Le questioned Leng Laoye about how he managed to lock himself inside his own mechanism. He admitted a momentary oversight while renovating a machine, which had some installation issues.
Chang Le noted that for someone capable of overhauling complex lock structures, such a "small mistake" of reversing all orientations was unusual. Eager to escape and in need of the treasure map, Leng Laoye agreed to Li Che's condition of exchanging the Shi Hongbo treasure map for his release. Chang Le quickly and skillfully deciphered Leng Laoye's self-designed mechanism. Once free, Leng Laoye immediately questioned Chang Le about her connection to the Duan family.
Chang Le, focused solely on the treasure map, told him not to ask too many questions. Leng Laoye, bound by his commitment to keep the entrusted box, initially refused to hand it over. After some haggling, they settled on sixty-six thousand six hundred taels of silver. As Li Che only had sixty-six thousand taels, Chang Le offered a used Nine-leaf copper lotus, valued at six thousand taels, as the remaining payment.
Leng Laoye, thrilled by the rare item he had always dreamed of seeing blossom, readily agreed and handed over the treasure map. He then warned them not to disclose their transaction, or any consequences would be their own. Li Che expressed concern about Chang Le giving away her hidden weapon, but she assured him it was a "scrap metal," especially since Leng Laoye, despite his reputation, couldn't even manage a low-level lock like the Eight-direction prayer lock.
Nong Ying was distraught, looking at the Huoyu lilac burnt to ashes. Chang Le and Li Che took the treasure map to meet the old man who had set the challenge. Without even looking, he declared the map fake. When they expressed confusion about why they were made to acquire it for such a high price, the old man revealed that he was the Stolen Saint.
However, Brother Qin corrected him, clarifying that he was the true Stolen Saint, and the old man was his Master. Brother Qin explained that making them get the treasure map was part of the "rules" and that the actual intention was for Chang Le to "clear away" Leng Yongnian, who was her senior.
Twenty years prior, Leng Yongnian had learned some of the Duan family's skill of running machines from Nianer (Brother Qin's master and Chang Le's senior's teacher) but had used it for fraudulent purposes, scamming people with fake treasure maps. By having Chang Le crack and publicize his unique secret room mechanism, Leng Yongnian would no longer be able to deceive others.
Brother Qin further revealed that he had gathered everyone in Rong City to meet his master and obtain the map for the Twelve Heavenly Lock Dungeon, which was crucial for rescuing Shitou and others. His master lamented that the dungeon, originally built for General Duan, had been repurposed as a tool for Liu Sheng's nefarious deeds.
After receiving the dungeon map, Brother Qin gave it to Li Che and promptly left with Chang Le for Xiaotu Mountain, despite Li Che’s protest that they should go the next morning. Brother Qin warned Li Che to stay away from Third Princess Arietty. Gongsun Mo woke to find Nong Ying heartbroken, crying hysterically about having crumbled the Huoyu lilac root. He embraced her, comforting her and assuring her they would find another one.
Across the city, news of Leng Laoye's secret mechanism being publicly exposed, offering his "treasure map" for free, spread rapidly through the streets. Leng Laoye frantically ordered his men to tear down the notices, but it was too late. Seeing his "cash cow" destroyed, he collapsed and wept uncontrollably. Meanwhile, Chang Le and Brother Qin arrived at Xiaotu Mountain.
Brother Qin gently touched a tombstone, pouring out his long-held feelings of longing for Nianer, whom he had buried there over three years ago. Chang Le, however, noticed the tombstone's orientation was unusual. It was facing Xiaoniu Mountain, but Brother Qin insisted he had built it facing Zhuzhu Mountain. Upon opening the coffin, they discovered it was empty. Back at the palace, Li Heng paid his respects to the Emperor and Empress.
The Emperor inquired about Third Princess Arietty's trip with Li Che, and she expressed her pleasure. Li Heng then politely invited Third Princess Arietty to stay at his residence for a few days to compensate for his inability to accompany her due to his illness. The Empress encouraged her to accept, suggesting that the two princes had different personalities and she would find a "new experience" with Li Heng. Third Princess Arietty reluctantly agreed.
Li Che observed a newfound sharpness in Li Heng's gaze when their eyes met. Later, Nong Ying, bearing a gift of Jun porcelain, reported to Liu Sheng about the Crown Prince's recent activities. She recounted Li Che's sightseeing in Rong City, including admiring lanterns, boating, and climbing Rong Mountain. She specifically highlighted that Chang Le had prevented Third Princess Arietty from making a confession to Li Che.
Liu Sheng commended Chang Le's cleverness and Nong Ying's efforts, emphasizing the importance of preventing Third Princess Arietty from getting closer to Li Che. Nong Ying continued her desperate search for Huoyu lilac, but all her inquiries at various apothecaries were fruitless. A shopkeeper informed her that it was an "immortal grass" he had only heard of and never seen, assuring her that searching all stores would yield nothing.
Nong Ying, however, remained resolute, stating that this was her last hope. Later, Chang Le, Li Che, Brother Qin, and Gongsun Mo discussed their plan to rescue the hostages. Brother Qin, needing to examine the patrolling routes in Liu Sheng's residence for a safe exit, concurred with Gongsun Mo's suggestion to act on the Emperor's wedding day. This timing would ensure Liu Sheng's absence, allowing Brother Qin to scout, and the guards would be exhausted and relaxed after the festivities.
They all agreed it was the most foolproof approach. Following this, Gongsun Mo noticed Nong Ying acting unusually and asked Li Che to accompany him in following her. Li Che initially dismissed his concern, but Gongsun Mo insisted there was "surely something wrong." They trailed Nong Ying and Brother Qin to a "Mr. Know-all," a local information broker. Gongsun Mo directly questioned Mr. Know-all about Nong Ying's purpose. The broker initially refused to disclose his client's secrets, citing business ethics.
Gongsun Mo then subtly threatened to expose Mr. Know-all for having placed Brother Qin (Qin Feiyu) as a guard by Li Che's side, which was a breach of trust. Under pressure, Mr. Know-all revealed that Nong Ying had commissioned him to find Huoyu lilac.
He explained that Nong Ying, having no money, had offered her own life as payment; there was a large bounty on her in the south of the Yangtze River, and the deal was that if he found the medicine, she would turn herself in for the reward. Gongsun Mo vehemently rejected this, offering to pay any amount himself. Mr. Know-all insisted it was a jianghu rule that couldn't be broken and suggested Gongsun Mo discuss it with Nong Ying.
Even with an offer of triple the bounty, Mr. Know-all maintained that Nong Ying herself had to agree to change the deal. Gongsun Mo then explained the entire situation to Li Che, revealing that Huoyu lilac was his life-saving medicine. Enraged, Li Che declared he would send troops to Rong City to seize the medicine by force, even if it meant digging up the earth. Gongsun Mo stopped him, reminding him of the severe consequences of mobilizing troops without permission.
He also reiterated that Huoyu lilac was not to be found in Rong City and recounted how, during Nong Ying's previous attempt to acquire it without his knowledge, Dr. Xue had angrily burnt the root. Despite the setbacks, Gongsun Mo thanked Li Che for his kindness and affirmed his determination to obtain the medicine for him. Meanwhile, Zhu Yan was taken to Miaozhen Pavilion to have her wedding dress made.
Miss Dong discreetly arranged a meeting between Zhu Yan and Li Heng, explaining that she found Zhu Yan's story "a little touching." Upon seeing Zhu Yan, Li Heng impulsively proposed they escape together again. Zhu Yan calmly reminded him of their previous failed attempt and highlighted the practical difficulties: Eunuch Han would notice her absence within fifteen minutes, leading to a palace lockdown in less than thirty.
Li Heng, undeterred, declared he would fight his way out and would rather die than live without her. Zhu Yan chastised him for his "bull-like and mindless" recklessness, pointing out that if he died, she would still be forced to marry the Emperor and suffer alone. Zhu Yan then revealed she had always carried Duanchangsan, intending to take it on her wedding night.
However, she now understood she had to live, for Li Heng's sake, to give him hope so he could survive. She declared her willingness to wait for him, whether it be for a decade, twenty years, or even a hundred years. Li Heng, deeply moved, reciprocated her pledge, promising to wait for her for his entire life until they could finally be together.
They sealed their commitment, and Zhu Yan told him to return to the imperial harem, where she would wait for their day. Miss Dong, witnessing Zhu Yan's strength and resolve, called her a "strong and good girl," acknowledging that being alive was often harder than death, and offered Zhu Yan an ear should she ever need to talk.
Episode 19 Recap
Chang Le asked Brother Qin about his relationship with her master, Duan Nianer. Brother Qin explained that over twenty years ago, when he was Chang Le's age, he was a moderately famous thief. One day, while stealing from the Duan mansion, he met Duan Nianer, her master. They started with a fight but quickly became friends and fell in love. Chang Le, realizing she had no parents, playfully wondered if she was their daughter, but Brother Qin quickly denied it.
He continued, recalling that their love blossomed during a time of national crisis, with Shi Hongbo in power, the treasury empty, and wars raging on the border with Li Kingdom, causing widespread suffering. Nianer, a deeply patriotic woman, insisted she would marry a hero who served the country, not an ordinary man.
She urged him to join the army on the border, promising to marry him upon his return if he survived, and to remain unmarried for life if he died. Brother Qin agreed, serving under Nianer's brother, Duan Jin, who was a general guarding the border. However, the Duan family was later implicated in Shi Hongbo's case, offending the emperor and leading to their entire clan's extermination.
Upon hearing this, Chang Le was shocked, realizing her master had never spoken of her family's tragic past. Brother Qin explained that after returning from the border and failing to find any trace of Nianer, he angrily resumed his thieving ways, robbing the corrupt officials responsible for the Duan family's downfall. He then became known as the Stolen Saint while living on Baiyi Mountain, often robbing the rich to help the poor.
He concluded by jokingly declaring Chang Le his "disciple's disciple," since he taught Nianer all her stealing techniques. Chang Le playfully bowed to him and vowed to find Nianer and confront her about faking her death. Later, Gongsun Mo entered his study to find Nong Ying engrossed in a book. He was surprised, asking why she sought books in his residence when the Crown Prince's palace had plenty.
Nong Ying ignored him, focusing on a passage he had once read to her: "There is a loquat in my yard, which is planted by me at my wife's death year, and now it is lush as a big umbrella." She expressed her fondness for the quote, reflecting on the brevity of human life compared to the enduring growth of a tree, yet questioning the meaning of a tree's lushness once its planter is gone.
Gongsun Mo, standing nearby, secretly yearned to hold her hand. However, he lamented his frail health, believing he had less than a year to live, and felt he shouldn't burden her life. Nong Ying then revealed that in two days, her mother would be rescued, and she would finally be free. She told Gongsun Mo that if no one tried to keep her, she would leave to roam the jianghu, the vast world of martial artists and adventurers.
He asked where she would go, and she simply replied, "Anywhere the world is big enough to go." The day of the emperor's wedding arrived, but the atmosphere was unusually quiet. The Third Princess, Arietty, noticed this and asked Li Che about it. Li Che explained that according to their customs in Pei Kingdom, grand wedding ceremonies were reserved only for marrying the first wife, while today's ceremony was for marrying a concubine, requiring only a family feast.
Disappointed by the lack of grandeur, the Third Princess suggested they use this opportunity to ask the emperor for their marriage. Li Che politely declined, stating that it was not the right time. Meanwhile, Zhu Yan, the daughter of the Minister of Rites, Zhu Yage, walked in her elaborate bridal attire towards the main hall. Li Heng watched his beloved Zhu Yan become the emperor's concubine, his heart churning with emotion but his face remaining impassive.
The Empress, however, reveled in her secret joy. At this moment, Miss Dong dramatically requested an audience with the emperor, much to the Empress's displeasure. Separately, Brother Qin managed to coerce a servant from Liu Xiangguo's mansion into revealing the patrol schedules, offering martial arts training in return, which the servant readily accepted and called Qin his "master." Back in the main hall, the Emperor introduced his sons to Miss Dong.
Observing Li Che, Miss Dong remarked on his striking resemblance to Shen Yujun, Li Che's deceased mother. She then inquired about his mastery of the Shen family swordsmanship. Li Che humbly admitted he hadn't inherited much of his mother's skill, but at the Emperor's urging, he performed a sword dance. As Li Che performed his flowing sword routine, Chang Le watched, captivated. Li Heng then stepped forward, requesting to spar with Li Che. His swordplay was fierce and aggressive.
The two princes were evenly matched, a sight that made Chang Le incredibly nervous. In the heat of the duel, Li Heng's broken dagger flew dangerously close to the Emperor's banquet table, startling the Emperor, who quickly recoiled. The Empress immediately intervened, apologizing on Li Heng's behalf and ordering him to withdraw, claiming he was merely distracted by academic frustrations. Miss Dong, ever the diplomat, praised the martial prowess of both princes.
The Emperor inquired about Li Che's well-being, to which Li Che calmly replied that he was unharmed. Internally, however, Li Che was deeply troubled, pondering why Li Heng had attacked him with such overwhelming force, clearly intending to kill him. Li Heng's aggressive behavior raised Li Che's suspicions, prompting him to discuss the matter with Gongsun Mo.
They couldn't reach a definitive conclusion, though Gongsun Mo suggested Li Heng might be feeling pressure due to Li Che gaining support from Ye Ming State through the Third Princess. Li Che also expressed his concern about the Third Princess but spoke evasively. Noticing his reluctance to elaborate, Gongsun Mo took his leave, advising Li Che to be cautious around Li Heng.
It was revealed that Li Che had received a letter from Ye Ming State, proposing a marriage alliance with the Third Princess, Arietty, to legitimize their support in the intense struggle for the throne. However, Li Che's heart belonged solely to Chang Le, placing him in a difficult predicament. Meanwhile, in Liu's mansion, Liu Xiangguo brutally interrogated an old man, attempting to extract a secret. Despite the torture, the old man remained defiant, taunting Liu Xiangguo and refusing to cooperate.
Liu Xiangguo, frustrated but insistent, ordered his men to continue the torture but ensure the old man stayed alive. Elsewhere, the Fifth Prince, Li Heng, visited Master Pang at his establishment to store a box. Master Pang, adhering to protocol, requested to open the box for registration. Li Heng initially refused, insisting it remain closed, but eventually conceded. Upon seeing the contents, Master Pang commented that the storage fee would far exceed the items' value.
Without hesitation, Li Heng paid with banknotes, instructing Master Pang to store the box in the best cabinet for a hundred years, ensuring it was regularly cleaned and never allowed to mold. He declined a receipt, stating that keeping one was as bad as not storing the items at all, and instead left a cryptic message as a code for retrieval: "Nicely incised rails and jade stages are still there, with my missing one getting old."
The Third Princess, Arietty, confronted Li Che again about their wedding. Li Che, still conflicted, tried to gently dissuade her, asking her to reconsider her decision, emphasizing the lifelong commitment of marriage. However, the Third Princess was resolute, reminding him of their childhood pact and revealing that she had arrived in Pei Kingdom with her dowry already in tow. Chang Le, who happened to overhear the mention of a "dowry," immediately stepped forward, demanding to know what was going on.
Li Che quickly explained that his seemingly impending marriage to the Third Princess was merely a ruse: a plan to host a martial arts competition for her hand, specifically designed to lure Li Heng out of the palace so they could rescue the hostages from Liu Xiangguo's mansion. Once Li Heng was outside, the rest of the plan would be much simpler.
As they discussed the details of the rescue, they emphasized the critical need for the Third Princess to persuade the Emperor to hold the competition outside the palace walls. This was crucial because the palace's strict security would hinder their operations. They also deliberated on how to manipulate Liu Sheng and his skilled son, Liu Sansi, who managed the mansion's security, to leave the premises without inciting Liu Sheng's wrath or escalating security.
Li Che suggested they would need to "bother" their adversaries to achieve their goals. Following this, Li Che and Chang Le returned to Taoyuan Village. There, they revealed their true identities: Li Che as the Crown Prince and Chang Le as the Crown Princess. The villagers were initially stunned, falling silent when they learned Li Che's mother was Shen Yujun, the former Empress.
Li Che, seeing their reaction, offered to let them leave if they blamed him for his mother's past actions and the pain her family had caused. However, to his surprise, the villagers, wielding their tools, unanimously stepped forward, expressing their unwavering support. They reminded Li Che that despite being abandoned by the state, his mother, Shen Yujun, had saved them, and Li Che himself had cared for the village's elders and children for years, making both of them their benefactors.
They explained that in times of war, there was no right or wrong, only the inherent wrongness of conflict itself. They playfully chided Li Che for deceiving them for so long, but welcomed him back as "Wanan" (the name he used in the village) and eagerly offered their assistance with his dangerous task. With renewed spirits and a shared purpose, everyone returned to the banquet table, raising their cups in celebration.
Later, the Third Princess sought an audience with the Emperor, formally requesting to hold her marriage competition outside the palace. She explained that with the Emperor's wedding complete, she had finished her first mission in Pei Kingdom and was ready for her second: finding a husband. She praised the abundance of talented young men in Pei, stating her desire to choose the very best. She proposed a competition at Yuntuo Villa, allowing all princes and aristocrats to compete fairly.
The Emperor, amused, questioned why it couldn't be held within the palace. The Third Princess ingeniously explained her own kingdom's custom of worshipping their true god before such events, and since the palace only had artificial mountains, holding it there would mean worshipping a "fake god." Understanding her reasoning, the Emperor granted her request. He instructed Eunuch Han to coordinate with the Third Princess and the Ministry of Rites to ensure the competition was grandly organized.
Meanwhile, in his residence, Li Heng was meticulously cleaning a dagger. A servant commented that despite Li Heng's fondness for the weapon, he never used it. Li Heng, lost in thought, mused that he once believed all problems could be solved through books, but now he realized that not everything could be understood or resolved by mere study. Just as he was contemplating this, the Empress arrived, prompting him to quickly conceal the dagger.
Episode 20 Recap
Li Heng reflected on the limitations of book knowledge, realizing that not everything could be solved by reading. The Empress then arrived and, after dismissing the servants, informed him about the Third Princess's upcoming competition to find a husband. Li Heng admitted he hadn't heard the news, to which the Empress pressed him, reminding him that the Third Princess was the most favored princess in the Night Kingdom.
She urged him to participate, but Li Heng initially hesitated, stating his priority was the country's welfare over personal romantic affairs. The Empress, however, argued that it was crucial, warning him that if Li Che were to marry the Third Princess, his chances of defeating Li Che would become incredibly small. Li Heng, realizing the gravity of the situation, asked where he could obtain an invitation card.
The Empress revealed she had already prepared one for him, adding that his maternal grandfather had cleared all obstacles. She instructed him to focus solely on dealing with Li Che in the competition, cautioning him to be careful and not underestimate his opponent. She would await his good news in the palace. Meanwhile, Li Che was peeling an orange for Chang Le. When she described it as sour, he teasingly suggested her own mouth might be sour.
Chang Le expressed her displeasure about him participating in the Third Princess's competition, even though it was a part of their larger plan. She sternly warned him not to win, threatening to "peel his skin off" if he dared to. Li Che, amused, invited her to do so.
Chang Le called him a "rogue," to which Li Che reminded her that they had been married for so long but had not yet consummated it, and then kissed the shy Chang Le. Just then, a servant interrupted to inform Li Che that Gongsun Mo had set off, and Li Che quickly dismissed the messenger to continue his affectionate moment with Chang Le. Following their plan, Nong Ying and Gongsun Mo had already set off.
Nong Ying confirmed with Gongsun Mo that Auntie Luo and the others were safely in the carriage. She expressed concern for Gongsun Mo’s weak constitution and the cold night, implicitly criticizing Li Che for tasking him with such a journey. Gongsun Mo defended Li Che, explaining that his own presence was essential for the overall plan, as Li Che needed to avoid suspicion from Liu Sheng, who would undoubtedly investigate.
He confidently stated he had many ways to evade investigation, especially since Auntie Luo had burned her house down, making Liu Sheng’s task much harder. Nong Ying retorted that scholars like him were often hypocritical and insincere. As they rode, Gongsun Mo began to ask Nong Ying if she would consider staying with him once she regained her freedom, recalling her previous statement about leaving if no one asked her to stay.
Before he could finish, a sudden jolt from the carriage caused him to embrace Nong Ying, creating an undeniable moment of intimacy between them. He then lightheartedly accused her of orchestrating the bump. Chang Le staged a dramatic scene in front of the servants, feigning anger at Li Che for dressing in such an "ostentatious" manner for the Third Princess's competition, insisting he was supposed to be going to the palace for official matters.
Li Che corrected her, pointing out that "ostentatious" was not a word to describe a man, and admitted he was indeed heading to Yuntuo Villa for the competition. Chang Le escalated her performance, expressing outrage at the idea of him taking more wives and dramatically hitting him. Li Che acknowledged the "realness" of her acting.
She continued to lash out, calling him a "bastard," while he retorted by calling her a "crazy woman" and ordering Nong Ying to take her away and keep her confined. Gongsun Mo gathered a small group of elite martial artists from General Shen's forces for the mission. He explained that due to the need for absolute secrecy and high skill, only a few trustworthy individuals could be chosen, making them significantly outnumbered.
Despite this, he assured them they would rely on wisdom to succeed and rallied the group, emphasizing that he was counting on them. At Yuntuo Villa, the Third Princess presided over the competition, beginning with a prayer to the true god. Both Li Che and Li Heng arrived to participate. Li Heng commented on the unexpected two-man contest, subtly questioning if Li Che had anticipated this or even orchestrated it, which Li Che denied.
The Third Princess announced that the first round would be an archery contest, a highly respected skill in Night Kingdom, with each contestant having ten arrows to score. Both Li Che and Li Heng demonstrated exceptional skill, consistently hitting bullseyes. However, recalling Chang Le's earlier playful threat to "peel his skin off" if he won, Li Che deliberately underperformed on his final shot. Consequently, Li Heng scored 100 points to Li Che's 90, securing the win.
Li Heng then subtly taunted Li Che about his supposed "declining" archery skills, but Li Che merely credited Li Heng’s "improved" skills. The second round required the princes to identify which of three common Night Kingdom vegetables could be eaten raw. Li Heng deferred to Li Che, who correctly identified the tomato. With this, Li Che won the second round. The third challenge involved memorizing and accurately redrawing a map of Night Kingdom.
Li Che completed this task swiftly, winning another round. Li Heng then protested that Li Che's previous travels to Night Kingdom gave him an unfair advantage in questions pertaining to that country. Acknowledging his point, the Third Princess proposed a game of Go, famous in Pei Kingdom, as a fair alternative. She extended the match to a "five out of three" format, cunningly prolonging the competition until nightfall, which was crucial for the rescue operation.
Li Heng won the Go match, scoring ten points to Li Che's nine and a half. Just as the competition was tied, the villagers from Taoyuan Village, arranged by Li Che and disguised as soldiers, stormed the venue and took Li Che and Li Heng hostage. They declared themselves survivors of the Li Kingdom and demanded that the princes' grandfathers appear and confess for their own grandfather being killed by Pei Kingdom people during the war.
The Emperor, through Gongsun Zhengqing, explained that his father had passed away more than two decades ago. The "kidnappers" then demanded the princes' maternal grandfathers instead. With no other option, the Emperor ordered Liu Sheng and General Shen to go to the scene, despite a courtier's warning about General Shen's long seclusion.
The kidnappers then stipulated that only Liu Sheng and General Shen were allowed to enter the small room where the princes were held, threatening the princes' lives if anyone else accompanied them. Liu Sheng, after receiving news from his son that Li Che was kidnapped at Yuntuo Villa and the Emperor had summoned him, expressed concern about the sudden appearance of Li Kingdom’s people and who might have tipped them off.
He also inquired about Chang Le, only to be reassured by his son that she was likely still fuming from a recent argument with Li Che about the competition and confined to her residence. Relieved, Liu Sheng ordered his son to secure the dungeon guards before secretly heading to Yuntuo Villa with him. As they departed, Brother Qin signaled the start of their operation. Chang Le, Brother Qin, Nong Ying, and their team launched an assault on Liu Sheng’s mansion.
Nong Ying, diverting guards, handed Chang Le a map as they entered the "Twelve Palaces" dungeon. Inside, Chang Le located the "general control mechanism" indicated on the map. Nong Ying recalled that Liu Sheng's men had previously moved prisoners from the kitchen (northwest) to the study (northeast), a distance of over 200 meters, allowing Chang Le to deduce that the prisoners were likely in the "Ox Palace," which corresponded to Yin earth.
Despite her fears of triggering powerful, inescapable traps, Chang Le skillfully solved the mechanism. The dungeon's confusing, identical corridors presented a challenge, but Chang Le used the map to navigate. They successfully located Auntie Luo, Uncle, Shitou, and Shuang (Auntie Luo's daughter). A joyful reunion ensued, with Shitou affectionately calling Chang Le "sister." Chang Le, convinced that anyone tortured by Liu Sheng must be a good person, also freed a mysterious old man from his cell.
Amidst a fierce battle, the group escaped the mansion. Nong Ying urged Chang Le to protect Auntie Luo while she went to assist Brother Qin. Outside, the group regrouped, with Brother Qin noting they had lost some men. Auntie Luo and Shuang shared an emotional reunion. Recognizing the urgency, Chang Le wanted to rush back, but Nong Ying reminded her that as Liu Yuyao, she couldn't simply ride a horse quickly without arousing suspicion.
Feeling weary from the long wait, the Emperor dismissed the other officials, keeping only his palace guards and Gongsun Mo. As dawn broke, Liu Sheng and General Shen finally arrived at Yuntuo Villa. After paying their respects, the Emperor, with a touch of sarcasm, noted how long "their grandsons" (Li Che and Li Heng) had been made to wait.
General Shen humbly stated that his presence was due to concern for his maternal grandson's safety, having been long imprisoned and without troops. Gongsun Mo offered to interpret the Li Kingdom's language, as his father was unwell, which the Emperor accepted. Gongsun Mo conveyed the kidnappers' demand for only Liu Sheng and General Shen to enter the small room where the princes were held, threatening the princes' lives if more people accompanied them.
Liu Sheng, worried about the number of kidnappers and potential weapons, expressed fear despite his age. General Shen, however, advised him that "precaution averts perils" before they entered. Inside the room, the "kidnappers" immediately retreated, revealing the true nature of the trap. General Shen, with a swift move, stabbed Liu Sheng. Li Heng loudly accused Shen Ao of daring to murder a high-ranking official in front of the Emperor.
Li Heng, now understanding the premeditated nature of the events, held a dagger to Li Che, while General Shen pressed a blade to Liu Sheng, creating a tense standoff. General Shen boasted about his unmissable darts, to which Li Heng warned him against accidentally harming his own maternal grandson, Li Che. At this critical moment, Chang Le arrived, sensing something amiss, and rushed into the room. She immediately punched Liu Sheng's wound, further injuring him.
She confronted Li Heng for threatening her husband, Li Che, and General Shen for harming Liu Sheng, whom she considered her grandfather (as Liu Yuyao). She warned Li Heng that if he wanted Shitou and the others to live, he should cooperate. Li Heng, defiant, claimed not to be afraid. General Shen then called Chang Le "grandson's wife" and instructed her to watch over Liu Sheng.
Li Heng further challenged Chang Le, questioning if she would really harm her grandfather for her husband. Chang Le demanded Li Heng release Li Che, to which Li Heng retorted that Chang Le should release his (Li Heng's) maternal grandfather, Liu Sheng. General Shen then assured Li Heng he would not harm Li Che and asked Li Heng if he was ready to fight. Eventually, the Emperor entered, relieved to see his sons alive.
He immediately ordered a doctor for the wounded Liu Sheng. General Shen then fabricated a story for the Emperor, claiming that he and Liu Sheng had bravely fought off the Li Kingdom kidnappers, and Liu Sheng was heroically wounded while saving Li Che. He added that the kidnappers had fled through a back window. The Emperor promptly ordered his men to pursue the fleeing "kidnappers."
Both Li Che and Li Heng publicly thanked Liu Sheng for their safety, and Li Heng also praised General Shen's impressive strength. The Emperor offered rewards to both Liu Sheng and General Shen, but General Shen declined, stating that after years under house arrest, rewards held no meaning for him, and he hadn't come for them.
Li Heng offered to personally escort his maternal grandfather (Liu Sheng) home, but the Emperor, concluding that everyone had been sufficiently "scared," dismissed them all, instructing them to return to their residences and rest.
Episode 21 Recap
That day, inside the hostage hut, Li Heng found himself in a vulnerable position. He dramatically pulled aside the curtain of the hut, threatening to expose everything within to the Emperor's view, thereby intimidating General Shen. General Shen, left with no choice, reluctantly relented. The Third Princess later explained that her grandfather, General Shen, had intended to use the situation to kill Liu Sheng, but Li Heng broke free and took her hostage, leading to the standoff.
Prime Minister Liu, in his own remarks, noted Li Heng's exceptional cleverness and quick thinking. After the ordeal, Li Che and his group departed, leaving the Third Princess in the martial arts arena feeling dejected. Li Heng approached her, commenting on her deep affection for Li Che and how unappreciated she seemed, as Li Che had already left with his Crown Princess in a carriage. Li Heng then offered the Third Princess a ride, which she accepted.
Upon returning to his residence, Prime Minister Liu instructed his son, Liu Sansi, to inform the Empress and Li Heng not to act rashly for the next few days until his injuries healed. He also dispatched Liu Sansi to fetch Dr. Liu from the south of the city, renowned for treating trauma. No sooner had he finished speaking than he fainted from the pain.
A frantic servant then rushed in to report that the dungeon had been raided and the prisoners freed the previous night. After being rescued, the bandits raised a toast to Li Che, expressing their profound gratitude and vowing to assist him without hesitation should he ever need their help. Li Che humbly accepted, stating that Chang Le's relatives were his own and thanked them for caring for her over the years.
Brother Qin, in turn, acknowledged Li Che as his brother-in-law. Meanwhile, Nong Ying carefully tucked her mother into bed. Chang Le then sought out Nong Ying to inquire about her future plans. Nong Ying explained her intention to leave and live a peaceful life with her mother, as Gongsun Mo had not appeared to ask her to stay. Chang Le understood, bidding her farewell with a wish to meet again.
Brother Qin then gathered the bandits, announcing their need to vacate the mountain stronghold for their safety. He outlined a plan for them to disguise themselves as tea merchants and travel south to Rong City, where his master would arrange their new lives. A bandit inquired if Chang Le would accompany them, and she confirmed her intention to go.
Li Che, distressed by her decision, pleaded with her to stay, offering to remove all guards from the Crown Prince's Residence and even bring the entire bandit group to live there. Chang Le, however, insisted that she was a brigand by nature and needed to return to her former life. When Li Che turned to Brother Qin for help, Brother Qin sided with Chang Le, affirming her place among the bandits.
Li Che, desperate, declared that he would abandon his title as Crown Prince and even the throne to be with her, proclaiming that without her, the throne held no meaning for him. It was then revealed that Brother Qin and the others had orchestrated the entire scenario as a test to ascertain Li Che's loyalty and trustworthiness as their "brother-in-law."
Early the next morning, Gongsun Mo visited Li Che, feigning concern for the Crown Princess's waking hours, but his true purpose was to find Nong Ying. Li Che, seeing through his pretense, revealed that Nong Ying had already left, heading west, and that Gongsun Mo might still have a chance to stop her if he hurried. Gongsun Mo immediately rushed to West City, frantically searching.
He even climbed onto a carriage for a vantage point, but Nong Ying was nowhere to be found. As he stood there dejected, Nong Ying watched him from a hidden spot, but chose not to reveal herself. The Third Princess returned, demanding an answer from Li Che regarding their marriage, now that Chang Le’s people were safe.
As Li Che hesitated, Chang Le entered, holding a bowl of tremella soup, and offered some to the Third Princess, effectively interrupting the conversation. The Third Princess then gave Li Che a three-hour ultimatum for his decision. Later, unsure how to proceed, Li Che showed Chang Le a letter from the King of the Night Kingdom, which explicitly stated that his marriage to Princess Arietty (the Third Princess) would secure military aid for his claim to the throne.
Upon reading the letter, Chang Le, visibly upset, walked away without a word. Li Che, now in a panic, confided in Gongsun Mo that Chang Le was avoiding him. He later found her room empty. A disheartened Chang Le sought out Brother Qin, explaining that Li Che's marriage to the Third Princess would significantly benefit his bid for the throne.
Brother Qin acknowledged the political complexities and dangers of court life, referencing the past tragedy of the Duan family where many were implicated and died, emphasizing that they, as outsiders, had the option to leave and ensure their safety. However, he also recognized the deep love between Chang Le and Li Che, stating that leaving would cause Li Che immense pain.
He advised Chang Le to carefully consider her decision to stay or leave, assuring her of his support regardless of her choice, and setting a meeting point at Yuxi Bridge that night for her final answer. Later, Li Che found Chang Le, apologizing profusely and begging her to return to the palace, promising to accept any punishment. Chang Le, however, reiterated her conviction that he should marry the Third Princess for the sake of his imperial ambitions.
Li Che, clearly pained, declared his unwavering love for her, asserting that she was the most important person in his life and that the throne meant nothing without her. He forbade her from ever leaving him again. Alone, Li Che reflected on his egregious error in leading the Third Princess on, admitting his fault and resolving to offer her a sincere apology. The Third Princess eventually returned for Li Che's answer.
Li Che apologized, confessing that he could not marry her and should not have strung her along. Tears welled in the Third Princess's eyes, but she gracefully accepted his decision, acknowledging that his actions had already shown where his heart lay. She forgave him and mentioned that she would be leaving soon but still wished for him to fulfill his promise of taking her to eat Chinese wafers.
Later, the Third Princess visited Chang Le's chambers, stating she had something she wished to discuss with her. Meanwhile, Brother Qin waited at the agreed-upon location for Chang Le. However, upon returning to his own chambers, Li Che found only a letter from Chang Le, stating her desire for a free life and that she had departed, asking him not to worry.
The Third Princess then informed Li Heng that she had successfully forced Chang Le's departure, leaving Li Che isolated. Li Heng immediately responded that the Empress had been awaiting her. The Third Princess then met with the Empress, directly proposing an alliance: she would compel Li Che to return to the Night Kingdom as her consort. She explained her plan to ruin his reputation in Pei Kingdom, leaving him no choice but to willingly accompany her.
Concurrently, Chang Le was discussing her decision with Brother Qin, asserting that a life as a brigand was more fitting for her than being a Crown Princess. It was revealed that the Third Princess had blackmailed Chang Le, threatening to expose secrets to the Emperor if she did not leave Li Che. As Chang Le and Brother Qin traveled, they were intercepted by a group of men in black clothes.
These men clarified that the Third Princess's actions were a pretense for the Empress, and invited Chang Le to return and strategize with the Third Princess to overthrow the Empress. Nong Ying, who had been secretly observing Chang Le since hearing of her forced departure, emerged and confirmed the men's explanation. Overwhelmed by Chang Le's disappearance, Li Che attempted to leave the capital city under the cover of night to search for her.
Gongsun Mo intervened, reminding him that Consort Hui's birthday celebration was tomorrow, and their absence would be inexplicable to the Emperor. Accepting the logic, Li Che returned to the residence with Gongsun Mo. The two men, both distraught over their respective lost loves, sat in mournful silence. Later, the Third Princess, witnessing Li Che's continued despondency, expressed sympathy and offered to keep him company during Chang Le's absence.
She suggested they go shopping for a gift for Consort Hui's birthday banquet that evening. As they strolled through the marketplace, Li Che was constantly reminded of Chang Le. In an antique shop, he recalled polishing a black jade for Chang Le, and the Third Princess remarked that Chang Le would have adored such an item. Later, in a gambling house, the scene brought back memories of Chang Le's uncanny ability to win.
Deeply lost in his love for Chang Le, Li Che moved through the market as if an empty shell. The Third Princess eventually reminded him that it was time to proceed to the palace for the celebrations.
Episode 22 Recap
Li Che presented a jade pillow to the Emperor for Consort Hui Zhu Yan. The Emperor inquired why Crown Princess Liu Yuyao was not present, to which Li Che replied that she was unwell and had gone to see a doctor. The Empress then deliberately brought up the martial arts competition to find a bride, suggesting that Crown Princess Liu Yuyao might be jealous and had left in anger.
Li Che immediately denied this, asserting that Liu Yuyao was a woman of principle who would not be upset over such minor matters. The Empress dismissed it as a joke, acknowledging the deep love between the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, and the Emperor then asked everyone to take their seats. During the birthday celebration for Consort Hui Zhu Yan, everyone raised their glasses, but many held their own thoughts. Li Che silently wondered about Chang Le's whereabouts.
The Empress then proposed that Zhu Yan perform a dance, and the Third Princess eagerly offered to accompany her on the guqin. Zhu Yan danced gracefully to the tune of "Everlasting Longing." However, she accidentally twisted her ankle, causing the performance to halt. The Emperor initially wanted her to continue, but Li Heng, visibly concerned for Zhu Yan's injury, suggested they engage in a couplet game instead.
Li Heng presented the first line, "Breeze in the rain, in the wind and rain, stands a sail," and Zhu Yan cleverly responded with, "Wearing stars and moon, under the stars and the moon, sailing far away." The Emperor praised her wit and offered a toast. During the birthday celebration, the Empress provocatively questioned Li Che about Crown Princess Liu Yuyao's whereabouts.
She then directly taunted him, calling him a "solitary star of disaster" and implying he brought misfortune upon his mother, Empress Shen, and potentially the Crown Princess. Li Che, enraged, almost reacted but controlled himself, remembering that Chang Le's departure was meant to secure his position as the Crown Prince, and he could not afford to be impulsive and ruin his future. After the banquet, Li Heng watched Consort Hui Zhu Yan escort the Emperor away, his heart heavy.
The Empress, observing his despair, curtly ordered him back to his sleeping quarters, an order Li Heng dared not defy. Back at his residence, Li Che was delighted to receive a message from Chang Le delivered by a dart. Meanwhile, Consort Hui Zhu Yan politely declined the Emperor's invitation to spend the night with him, citing that she had too much to drink.
Later, returning to her chambers (Xiyan Pavilion), she found a drunken Li Heng, who expressed guilt over his inability to protect her. Zhu Yan comforted him, reminding him that he was a favored son of heaven, loved by many, and there was no need for him to be so despondent over her.
She mused that if they could start over, without their current identities (you not being the Fifth Prince and I not being Miss Zhu), how wonderful it would be. Li Che arrived at the address specified by Chang Le. He waited eagerly, practicing what he would say to her, but Chang Le never appeared. After drinking some wine that was prepared for him by the inn servant, Li Che fell unconscious at the table.
This entire scenario was orchestrated by the Empress. The Empress and the Third Princess then entered Li Che's room. The Empress took the token from Li Che's waist and handed it to the Third Princess, who then undressed him and lay down beside him. The special envoy, concerned about the Third Princess's disappearance, urgently sought an audience with the Emperor, reporting that she was missing and had been heavily intoxicated at the banquet.
The Emperor immediately ordered a search for both the Crown Prince and the Third Princess. Meanwhile, Gongsun Mo, after waking up, received Li Che's token from a man in black. Soon after, a servant reported to the Emperor that the Crown Prince and the Third Princess had been found in an inn in the suburbs, suggesting the Emperor go see for himself. Separately, Li Heng woke up in Consort Hui Zhu Yan's fragrant boudoir, finding her sitting beside him.
He apologized for his drunken state from the previous night. Before leaving, he showed concern for her injured foot. The Emperor arrived at the inn with the Empress. The inn owner, at the Empress's behest, provided false testimony, claiming that Li Che had booked the entire inn, forcibly taken the Third Princess into his room against her will, and threatened the owner's family when he tried to intervene.
Enraged, the Emperor stormed into the room, ready to strip Li Che of his Grand Judge position and his title, declaring his actions an insult to royal dignity. However, to everyone's shock, the woman lying beside Li Che was not the Third Princess, but Crown Princess Liu Yuyao, who was actually Chang Le.
Chang Le explained the entire scheme: she saw the inn owner drug Li Che's wine, take his token, and then saw two unconscious figures being placed in the room. She moved the Third Princess to an adjacent room and stayed with Li Che to expose the setup, questioning whether Li Che was truly drunk and disorderly or if he was a victim of a meticulously planned trap. The Emperor ordered an investigation.
The inn owner, trembling, confessed that he was blindfolded during meetings with the mastermind and did not know their identity or gender, but he handed over the money bag he received. A courtier noted that the letter from the mastermind was illegible. The Third Princess pointed out that the sachet carrying the money looked like a palace item. The inn owner, under further pressure, then recalled a unique jasmine fragrance from the money bag.
The Empress quickly tried to deflect, mentioning that she had distributed different scents of thyme to the palace, but the head eunuch then confirmed that the specific jasmine fragrance was, in fact, distributed to the Empress's Qing Ning Palace. Highly suspicious, the Emperor ordered everyone to remain in the hall while he personally went to verify the records of the distributed fragrances.
Episode 23 Recap
The Emperor, seeking answers about the previous night, visited the Fifth Prince's palace. Servants confirmed the Fifth Prince was sleeping, with one admitting to seeing him leave and another seeing him return at five in the morning. When confronted, Li Heng remained silent about his whereabouts, only stating that it was his fault and he would bear all consequences.
The Emperor, accusing Li Heng of plotting against the Crown Prince, swiftly ordered him to face a wall for seven days and be exiled to the frontier. The Empress desperately pleaded for leniency, insisting that Li Heng had been framed. Shortly after Li Heng's sentencing, the Empress confronted the Third Princess, accusing her of plotting against Li Heng. The Third Princess, however, stated she was merely telling the truth to the Emperor.
Furious, the Empress swore she would not spare anyone who harmed her son. Overcome with grief, the Empress lamented that she had brought harm upon Li Heng. She then urgently informed Li Che to search for Gongsun Mo in the woods south of the city, warning him that time was critical as even Gongsun Mo's body might soon disappear. Upon hearing this, Chang Le immediately pulled Li Che away on horseback to search.
In the woods south of the city, Nong Ying had spent the night fending off assassins to protect Gongsun Mo. After successfully dispatching them all, she found Gongsun Mo, who had feigned injury by covering himself to deceive her. She explained her return, mentioning that she never leaves a debt unpaid and had seen him looking for her. Just as they were having a quiet moment, Li Che and Chang Le arrived.
Gongsun Mo quickly resumed his act of being dead amongst the slain assassins. Li Che, seeing the bodies, immediately knew Gongsun Mo was faking, yet he dramatically pretended to mourn, even revealing Gongsun Mo's embarrassing childhood secrets, such as falling into a cesspool at eight and being chased by geese. He then went so far as to suggest burying Gongsun Mo in the woods. This prompted Gongsun Mo to leap up, accusing Li Che of attempted murder.
The Third Princess then appeared and revealed the elaborate scheme. She explained that she had feigned an alliance with the Empress to create a diversion, intending to help Li Che. She, along with the Crown Princess, had devised a clever plan involving misdirection, while Li Heng had unwittingly served as an intermediary, relaying messages between the Empress and the Third Princess.
The Third Princess expressed her regrets to the Crown Princess for having to force her temporary departure, which was a necessary precaution due to the Empress's watchful eyes. The Crown Princess understood, acknowledging it was all for Li Che's benefit. Gongsun Mo, still confused about some details, particularly why he ended up sleeping with Li Che, was given vague answers.
Liu Xiangguo awoke after three days in a coma, learning from his son that the Emperor's medicine and Doctor Liu's skill contributed to his swift recovery. He was shocked to discover that Li Heng had been framed by Chang Le and the Third Princess, leading to his punishment of facing the wall and impending exile.
Adding to his dismay, his son revealed that their heavily guarded dungeon, the Zodiac, had been breached, resulting in the escape of Nong Ying's mother and Chang Le's villagers, along with the mysterious old man. Overwhelmed by these reversals, Liu Xiangguo jokingly asked his son to buy arsenic so he could die, lamenting how much had changed while he was unconscious. His son then mentioned that the group had visited Rong City before returning to dismantle the Zodiac.
Liu Xiangguo, regaining some composure, immediately ordered his men to investigate their activities in Rong City. The mysterious old man, previously rescued, suddenly awoke and began shouting, demanding someone named "Duan" release him and offering to reveal a treasure map to "Duan Jin." His attendants were perplexed, recognizing "Duan Jin" as a historical figure whose family had been executed years ago. They dismissed the outburst as a nightmare-induced delusion and decided not to report it.
The Third Princess then took her leave from the Emperor, stating she had enjoyed her "colorful life" with Li Che. The Emperor expressed his gratitude, hoping she wouldn't speak ill of him to her father, while the Third Princess playfully reminded him that he owed her a favor.
Li Che and Chang Le personally escorted her, with Li Che offering a sincere apology for his delay in addressing the matter of their proposed engagement, explaining that he had long known his true feelings. The Third Princess graciously accepted his apology. Chang Le also apologized for her initial insensitivity, admitting that witnessing Li Che's deep affection for her had changed her perspective. The Third Princess accepted Chang Le's apology, wishing the couple a child.
As she departed, the Third Princess discreetly warned Li Che to remain vigilant regarding Liu Sheng. Her attendant, concerned about how to explain the failed engagement to her king, was told by the Third Princess to simply say that Li Che looked like a "pig head" and she found him unattractive.
The Empress, realizing the Emperor's harsh punishment for Li Heng was likely irreversible, was consumed by guilt, believing her "eagerness for quick success" had led them into a trap and ultimately harmed her son. Her maid attempted to console her, suggesting the Emperor might reconsider, but the Empress dismissed the idea, lamenting that if Liu Xiangguo had not been comatose, he might have uncovered Li Che's scheme.
Shortly after, the Ninth Prince Li Lv arrived, expressing disbelief at the news of Li Heng's exile. He passionately defended Li Heng's character and urged the Empress to find a way to resolve the Emperor's misunderstanding. The Empress, assuring him she had a plan, sent him away. She then instructed her maid, Ling, to invite the Emperor to dinner at Qing Ning Palace, revealing her intention to confess her own culpability in the hope of safeguarding Li Heng.
Li Che brought Chang Le back to her mountain village, explaining he wanted to see her former home properly, having only visited briefly before. Inside her room, he discovered her telescope and playfully remarked on its role in their meeting, to which Chang Le jokingly retorted that she had lost both the telescope and herself to him. He then teased her about her earlier threat to kidnap him as her "husband."
Li Che then expressed a profound desire to know her past, not just her present and future, declaring his wish to "own everything about you." Chang Le found his words "mushy" and shyly ran off. Li Che pursued her, proposing that they have many children and grandchildren together.
Chang Le, blushing, agreed, humorously warning him not to blame her if she couldn't bear a son, to which Li Che replied he would be "extremely happy" with a daughter as lovely as her. They then embraced and shared a sweet kiss. The Empress prepared the Emperor's favorite crispy meat, attempting to evoke their shared past and sentimental memories, hoping to subtly plead for Li Heng.
She recalled his birth and how the Emperor had named him "Heng" with hopes for a capable future. The Emperor, however, cut her off abruptly, stating firmly that he would not pardon Li Heng for attempting to harm his brother. Just then, Zhu Yan arrived at the Empress's palace and requested an audience. She announced to the Emperor that she could prove Li Heng's innocence, explaining that he had spent the entire previous night in her room.
The Empress quickly tried to explain it as Li Heng being drunk and losing his way, but the Emperor was highly skeptical, questioning the timing of Li Heng's "mistaken" entry into Zhu Yan's quarters immediately after his own departure. Zhu Yan admitted there were no other witnesses, as she had wanted to protect Li Heng's reputation. The Empress continued to defend the situation, suggesting Zhu Yan's confession proved their innocence.
However, the Emperor, enraged by the public shame, angrily declared Zhu Yan unchaste for harboring a man overnight. He then commanded the Empress, as the mistress of the imperial harem, to decide Zhu Yan's punishment. The Empress assented. After the Emperor's departure, the Empress, now alone with Zhu Yan, angrily accused her of seducing Li Heng, which led to Li Che's successful framing.
Zhu Yan, accepting her fate, humbly requested to see Li Heng one last time before her impending punishment, expressing regret that they might never meet again. She then expressed profound gratitude to the Empress for giving birth to Li Heng, allowing her to know such a talented man, and acknowledged their love was not fated for this life.
She even addressed the Empress as her "Mother Empress," considering herself Li Heng's wife, having had a wedding ceremony, and stated she had come with no expectation of survival. The Empress, however, declared that she would not kill Zhu Yan but would keep her alive for "future use," indicating a sinister intent. Meanwhile, Li Heng was informed by a eunuch that he had been cleared of all charges and released, as the Emperor had uncovered the truth.
Realizing Zhu Yan's involvement, Li Heng immediately inquired about her, only for Li Lv to rush in with the devastating news that Zhu Yan had been imprisoned in the Dark Palace by the Empress. Separately, Li Che and Chang Le were seen together. Li Che playfully reminded Chang Le of her promise to have children. Nong Ying, noticing them, light-heartedly teased them about being out all night.
Chang Le, flustered, explained that she was moving her belongings into Li Che's room. Nong Ying, offering her help, suggested Chang Le take the quilt to Li Che's room while she packed the rest of the clothes, watching Chang Le depart with a joyful expression.
Episode 24 Recap
Li Heng was furious upon learning that Zhu Yan, now Consort Hui, had been confined to the Dark Palace (Xiyan Pavilion) as punishment for his misdeeds. Carrying a meager meal, he approached the food delivery slot, tears streaming down his face. A guard explained the harsh nature of the Dark Palace: a lifelong confinement in darkness, leading to blindness and voicelessness, with the only light appearing at the food delivery slot.
Through the narrow opening, Li Heng reached out and tightly held Zhu Yan's hand, but she bit him, forcing him to let go, not wanting him to linger for her. Li Heng vehemently protested to the guards, asserting that he was the one who should be punished.
He attempted to enter the Dark Palace but was stopped by guards who warned him that the Empress had decreed tongue-cutting for anyone who spoke to Consort Hui, and she herself would suffer the same fate. Li Heng defiantly challenged them to cut his tongue, but the guards refused, urging him to consider Consort Hui’s even greater suffering if she were to lose her tongue. This made Li Heng pause.
Later that night, a distraught Li Heng, seemingly intoxicated, attempted to approach the Dark Palace again, but was once more blocked by the guards. Unable to speak directly to Consort Hui due to the imperial decree, he engaged a guard in conversation, asking about his personal life—his wife, children, and promises made. While talking, he recited a complex acrostic poem, subtly conveying a hidden message to Zhu Yan. He concluded by telling the guard to remember: "Live on.
Wait for me to save you." Li Heng then went directly to the Empress, who greeted him with sympathy and offered him food, but he refused it, stating he was there for Zhu Yan. The Empress referred to Zhu Yan as "Consort Hui, a guilty person," but Li Heng retorted, reminding her that Zhu Yan acted for his sake.
The Empress, acknowledging his feelings for Zhu Yan, revealed that the Emperor initially intended to execute Zhu Yan, and it was only through her persistent pleas that both their lives were spared. She warned Li Heng against confronting the Emperor, explaining that such a foolish act would only further enrage his father and ultimately lead to Zhu Yan's death. She also conveyed Zhu Yan's message to Li Heng: "Do not demonstrate reckless courage, or this will hurt both of you."
Hearing this, Li Heng was filled with a sense of helplessness, lamenting that Zhu Yan always thought of him, yet he could do nothing for her. Seeing his despair, the Empress subtly stoked his resentment, advising him that if he truly wished to protect Zhu Yan, he must reflect on who was truly responsible for her plight. This manipulation caused Li Heng to clench his fists, his anger focusing intensely on Li Che.
Meanwhile, Chang Le arrived at Li Che's room with bedding, and they shared intimate moments, with Li Che remarking on her "fragrant" scent. Their moment was interrupted by Nong Ying, who came to bid them farewell. She announced her intention to personally search for the Huoyu lilac, as Gongsun Mo's long-standing cold illness was showing signs of relapse.
Li Che expressed his gratitude and instructed Chang Le to look after Gongsun Mo during Nong Ying's absence, also warning Nong Ying to be cautious due to outstanding arrest warrants. As a protective gesture, Chang Le handed Nong Ying a Nine-leaf copper lotus machine. Shortly after, Gongsun Mo intercepted Nong Ying’s carriage, revealing he had sent her a letter. He questioned why she was going when the "know-it-all" (referring to the person tasked with finding the medicine) was already searching.
Nong Ying explained that two efforts would increase their chances. Gongsun Mo then asked when she planned to return. Nong Ying cryptically replied that it was uncertain, as finding the medicine would mean they were "even," and her return depended entirely on him. She stated she would come back if he asked her to stay, otherwise, she would only send the Huoyu lilac without returning herself. Gongsun Mo immediately declared, "I want you back. . .
for the rest of your life." Nong Ying, touched by his heartfelt confession, joyfully promised to return with the Huoyu lilac, to be used as her dowry. At the Prime Minister's residence, Liu Sansi, Liu Sheng's son, informed Liu Sheng that Li Heng had been released and Zhu Yan took the blame, much to Liu Sheng's satisfaction.
Liu Sheng remarked on Li Heng's luck and Zhu Yan's devotion, disclaiming responsibility for Zhu Yan's fate and implying only the Emperor truly wields such power, but hinted that Li Heng himself might. Li Heng arrived, demanding answers regarding Liu Yuyao's actions at Yuntuo Villa and the identity of "Shitou."
Liu Sheng dismissed Liu Yuyao's actions as natural, given her marriage to the Crown Prince, and attempted to deflect Li Heng's questions about "Shitou," claiming it was an "adults' plan" not meant for him. Li Heng, however, firmly stated he "must know about them" and warned Liu Sheng that he had ways to uncover the truth. Enraged by Li Heng's defiant attitude, Liu Sheng threatened to "teach him a lesson" and ordered his guards to lock him up.
Li Heng stood his ground, challenging Liu Sheng. He reminded them that they wanted him to be Emperor but expected him to blindly follow their schemes. He declared that he now had his own plans for Zhu Yan and presented them with an ultimatum: either kill him and find another to replace him, or reveal everything they knew. Faced with Li Heng's unwavering resolve, Liu Sheng appeared to compromise. The next morning, Li Che found Chang Le already packing.
He playfully teased her about how much they would miss each other during her month-long trip to find her master, Duan Nian'er. He agreed to her journey, emphasizing that as the Crown Princess, she was free to do as she wished, but admitted he would miss her greatly. Chang Le promised to bring him to meet her master if she succeeded. Before she departed, Li Che prepared a special breakfast for her.
When a servant accidentally brought food intended for "the old man and servants," Chang Le recalled the "strange old man" rescued from Liu Sheng's compound. She informed Li Che that Qin had diagnosed him with poisoning, and Li Che reassured her that he would take the old man to a medical clinic for treatment soon. Meanwhile, Li Heng confronted Liu Sheng about concealing Chang Le's true identity as a fake Crown Princess.
Liu Sheng explained that the fewer people who knew, the better, even the Empress was unaware. He believed this revelation was advantageous, as Chang Le, being a fake, had now become Li Che's weakness, giving them the upper hand. However, Liu Sansi interjected, stating it was not that simple. He pointed out that Shi Hongbo was currently in Li Che's custody and was poisoned. If Li Che found a way to detoxify him, their leverage would be lost.
Li Heng then asked if they had no other means to counter Li Che. Just then, Liu Sansi, the scout dispatched to Rong City, returned with news. While he found no leverage against Li Che, he discovered details about Gongsun Mo's critical condition. He reported that a Dr. Xue in Rong City revealed Gongsun Mo "won't live long" without a rare medicine called Huoyu lilac.
Liu Sheng, recognizing the name as a "fairy grass" from ancient texts, learned that Dr. Xue, after much persuasion (and even threats), divulged that his junior apprentice, Dr. Song in Pingle City, possessed another Huoyu lilac, both having received one from their shared master. Liu Sheng saw an opportunity, planning to acquire the medicine and use Gongsun Mo as a pawn against Li Che, declaring it was time to "double repay" Li Che for past grievances.
Concurrently, Nong Ying consulted a "know-it-all," who lamented Qin Feiyu's departure and his lack of drinking companions. Nong Ying explained she was planning to revisit Rong City, suspicious of Dr. Xue's reaction when he purportedly destroyed a Huoyu lilac, believing he hadn't told her the full truth. The "know-it-all," however, told her there was no need to go to Rong City, revealing the information about Dr. Song in Pingle City having another Huoyu lilac.
Nong Ying, despite the "know-it-all's" offer to send someone, insisted on going herself, stating that Gongsun Mo's life was at stake, and she trusted no one else with the task. She promptly departed for Pingle City, forgoing any drinks. In a different location, Duan Nian'er visited General Xiao, whom she hadn't seen in over two decades. General Xiao, now living a peaceful life as a farmer with his children, recognized her and sent his children inside.
Duan Nian'er commented on his good memory, to which he replied that he was merely a farmer and asked her purpose. She pressed him, reminding him that she had been searching for him for over twenty years. General Xiao eventually admitted that he was the one who abducted Shi Hongbo from General Duan, her father, and lost an arm during the act. He claimed, however, not to know Shi Hongbo's current whereabouts or condition.
Duan Nian'er clarified that she didn't care about Shi Hongbo's location; she only wanted to know who ordered him to commit the act. She highlighted the disparity between his current tranquil family life and her own family, which was destroyed. Acknowledging that he was likely acting under duress, she offered him a chance: confess the name of the instigator, and she would allow him to maintain his peaceful existence.
Faced with this offer, General Xiao revealed that the person who gave the orders was Liu Sheng, the current Prime Minister. Nong Ying arrived in Pingle City and inquired about Master Pang's residence, only to find that Li Heng had already been there. Li Heng had forcefully taken the Huoyu lilac from Master Pang, offering a thousand liang as compensation, and then dismissed the protesting Master Pang. Nong Ying arrived just as Li Heng was departing with the medicine.
She confronted Li Heng and his entourage, realizing they were also after the Huoyu lilac for Gongsun Mo, but for different, sinister purposes, not to save him. Nong Ying asserted the medicine was more vital to her. She brandished the Nine-leaf copper lotus machine, threatening to kill them all if Li Heng didn't surrender the Huoyu lilac. Li Heng, unimpressed by her "small" weapon, countered by offering a "deal" to avoid a mutually destructive conflict.
When Nong Ying asked about the terms, Li Heng, with a cunning smile, stated he hadn't decided yet but instructed her to return to the Prime Minister's residence and await his message, assuring her the Huoyu lilac was safe in his possession. Liu Sansi, confused, questioned why Li Heng was deviating from their original plan to target Gongsun Mo. Li Heng, his face contorted in a "wicked smile," explained that Nong Ying "was far more useful than Gongsun Mo."
Episode 25 Recap
Li Che was deeply uneasy about Chang Le's month-long absence, feeling that something inauspicious was about to happen. Gongsun Mo tried to comfort him, pointing out that Chang Le was a capable former brigand and would return soon. However, Li Che remained worried, noting the uncanny similarity between Chang Le's departure and his mother's death. Just then, the Emperor made a surprising and unprecedented visit to the Crown Prince's residence.
Li Che, taken aback, acknowledged it was his first visit since he moved out of the Palace. The Emperor, after dismissing Gongsun Mo, asked Li Che if he felt he had been an unfit father. He confessed to constantly watching over Li Che and knew the recent framing incident at the inn was an attempt to usurp the throne. He then reassured Li Che that he had never considered anyone else for the Crown Prince's position.
He admitted his shortcomings as a father and husband, apologizing for past grievances, especially regarding Yujun's death and the Shen family's contributions. The Emperor praised Li Che's intelligence and ability to protect himself, noting how he had become more sedate and mature since marrying Chang Le. Li Che, overwhelmed, thanked his father for his silent support over the years.
The Emperor announced his plan to host a family banquet soon to declare Li Che as his successor, warning all others against coveting the throne. He advised Li Che to prioritize the common people, a sentiment Li Che's mother had also shared. Li Che promised not to disappoint them. Meanwhile, Li Heng visited Master Pang's shop to retrieve a box he had previously deposited.
When asked why he was taking it back so soon, Li Heng stated that "a hundred years is too long" and that getting the box was merely the first step, while thinking of Zhu Yan. He then went to see Liu Xiangguo, his maternal grandfather, to request a special drug called "Thousand-day Sleeping Liquor," which could render a person a "walking dead," only capable of eating and sleeping, completely unconscious and unable to speak.
After obtaining the drug, Li Heng commented that Nong Ying was "just too timid" before leaving. Later, at a family banquet in the Empress's Qing Ning Palace, Li Heng presented pastries to the Emperor and Empress. The Empress expressed her joy at the rare family gathering. The Emperor noted her concern for Li Che, which she affirmed as her duty. The Emperor mentioned his recent visit to Li Che and Chang Le, stating they were doing well.
When the Empress questioned his unannounced departure, the Emperor retorted that he didn't need to report his whereabouts. He then revealed his intention to make Li Che his successor, expressing a desire to visit his other sons in their fiefs once he retired. He proposed granting Li Heng the largest and best fief in Pei Country, acknowledging Li Heng's capabilities.
The Empress, however, voiced her concern that Li Che was too young to be declared Crown Prince and urged the Emperor to reconsider. The Emperor questioned her judgment, asserting his deep understanding of his sons and his awareness of who was behind Li Che's framing, though he chose not to pursue it further. Li Heng interjected to shift the conversation away from state affairs, urging them to try the pastries.
The Emperor then sincerely apologized to Li Heng for the Zhu Yan incident, acknowledging his previous ignorance of Li Heng's feelings for Consort Hui (Zhu Yan). He hoped Li Heng would not harbor resentment. As the Emperor and Empress consumed the pastries, they suddenly collapsed. Li Heng confessed to the Empress that he had poisoned them both, explaining that it was the only way to avoid suspicion.
He asked if she was pleased with his newfound ruthlessness, fulfilling her desire for him to be decisive. The Empress, with her last conscious breaths, affirmed her satisfaction, seeing an "emperor-like quality" in him, and warned him never to trust anyone. Li Heng acknowledged her words before calling for guards, feigning distress over the Emperor's collapse.
During this time, Zhu Yan had covertly gone to Li Che's residence, taking all his letters and leaving a bottle of medicine in his letterbox. Doctors examining the Emperor and Empress stated they were like sleeping but couldn't be woken, suspecting an unusual, unknown poison. Li Heng then publicly suggested that the poisoned pastries had come from the Crown Prince's residence.
While many ministers found this unbelievable, Liu Xiangguo argued that all possibilities should be explored for the Emperor and Empress's recovery and proposed a search of the Crown Prince's residence. The ministers agreed. They stormed into Li Che's residence, where he was shocked and distressed to hear about his parents' condition. He vehemently denied sending any pastries. Liu Xiangguo insisted on a search to clear his name. Li Che, confident in his innocence, agreed.
During the search, a suspicious bottle of medicine was discovered among Li Che's personal belongings. Li Heng immediately ordered Li Che's arrest. As the ministers deliberated the crisis, Liu Xiangguo proposed that Li Heng temporarily take charge of court affairs until Li Che's innocence could be proven. With these matters settled, Li Heng's first act was to rush to Xiyan Pavilion and rescue Zhu Yan.
After ensuring Zhu Yan was safe, Li Heng left with Liu Xiangguo to attend to other matters. Liu Xiangguo voiced concern that Zhu Yan would eventually uncover the truth, but Li Heng insisted he had his own plans for her. Meanwhile, Zhu Yan's father, Lord Zhu, defying guards, managed to reach his daughter. He revealed the entire situation: Li Che's imprisonment by Li Heng, the poisoning of the Emperor and Empress, and Li Che being framed.
He implored Zhu Yan to save the Crown Prince. Zhu Yan, realizing the implications of being called "Miss Zhu" and the speed of her release, pressed her father for the full story. Elsewhere, Nong Ying confronted Liu Xiangguo, demanding the Huoyu lilac as per their agreement. Liu Xiangguo reneged, attempting to have her arrested and killed, planning to frame her for hiding the poison in Li Che's residence and ensuring Gongsun Mo's demise without her help.
Nong Ying tried to bargain, offering to keep Gongsun Mo from returning to the capital if she received the antidote. Li Heng intervened, stopping Liu Xiangguo and agreeing to Nong Ying's request. He gave her the Huoyu lilac, instructing her to tell Gongsun Mo that he would not be harmed if he refrained from interfering in Li Heng and Li Che's affairs. Liu Xiangguo warned Li Heng that his leniency would lead to future trouble.
Back with Zhu Yan, her father explained that Li Heng's misunderstanding of Li Che might stem from Xiao Baisheng, a miraculous individual capable of imitating any voice, whom Liu Xiangguo had forced Lord Zhu to help in mimicking Li Che's voice. He again urged Zhu Yan to convince Li Heng to release the Crown Prince.
Zhu Yan expressed her doubt, believing Li Heng's hatred for Li Che was too deep, and questioned if Liu Xiangguo was truly behind Li Heng's actions. She recalled Li Heng stating that Li Che had "talked tough" to him that night in Pingle City, but admitted she was unconscious and hadn't seen Li Che herself. Simultaneously, Li Lv approached Li Heng, intending to visit Zhu Yan.
Li Heng, dismissing Li Lv's frivolous nature, asked him for a significant favor: to become Emperor. Li Lv was stunned, claiming he was not suitable and playfully threatening Li Heng for "tricking" him. Li Lv was about to ask Li Heng to release Li Che when a servant urgently reported that Zhu Yan was refusing her eye treatment. Li Heng immediately rushed to her side.
Li Lv then finished his thought, stating he wanted Li Heng to release "brother three," Li Che. Zhu Yan confronted Li Heng, asking if he had personally seen Li Che in Pingle City or only heard his voice. Li Heng admitted he had only heard a voice. Zhu Yan insisted that he had misunderstood Li Che, reiterating her father's story about Liu Xiangguo, Xiao Baisheng, and the mimicked voice.
Li Heng, however, dismissed her father's account, believing Lord Zhu had misunderstood his grandfather, Liu Xiangguo, and maintained his stance that Li Che would not be released. He told Zhu Yan to focus on her recovery. Zhu Yan then challenged him, stating that if the Li Heng she once loved had changed, she would rather remain blind and only remember the person he used to be.
She pressed him, reminding him that the former Li Heng would never poison his father, frame his brother, or harbor such boundless ambition. Li Heng, trying to calm her, passionately declared that he had not changed, that he only desired her, and that he was merely cooperating with Liu Xiangguo to save her. He promised to deal with all matters swiftly and then leave with her forever. Zhu Yan made him promise not to hurt anyone. He agreed, but with a chilling caveat: "All can be set free, except Li Che."
Episode 26 Recap
Li Heng revealed to Li Lv that he had no interest in the throne. His plan was for Li Lv to feign killing both Li Heng and Yan'er, which would make Li Lv a great hero, saving the country from suffering, and his ascension to the throne would be a natural outcome. Li Heng added that he and Yan'er would then live in seclusion. Li Lv was shocked at the idea of killing Li Che (the "Third Brother").
Gongsun Mo awoke disheveled, asking "Know-all" what he had done. " Know-all" explained that he had thoroughly unblocked Gongsun Mo's meridians to help him absorb medicine more easily, making him feel more comfortable. Nong Ying then arrived with the Huoyu lilac. Gongsun Mo, feeling his condition improving, confessed that he had been afraid to get close to her before, fearing his imminent death. Now, with a chance to live, he wanted to marry her once he fully recovered.
Nong Ying happily agreed. " Know-all" then explained that while the medicine could cure him, its strong toxicity meant he would experience fever, sweating, intermittent comas, and severe pain for two days as his body absorbed it. " Know-all" left, entrusting Nong Ying to care for Gongsun Mo. Li Che, imprisoned and weakened, became furious upon hearing Li Heng's threats to harm Chang Le.
He desperately pleaded with Li Heng not to hurt her, suggesting their long-standing conflict might be based on a misunderstanding and offering his own life instead. Li Heng dismissed Li Che's pleas, accusing him of past threats to seek revenge and cause him to lose his loved one. Li Heng declared his intention to torture Li Che by making him experience the pain of losing someone he loved.
Li Heng's guards later reported that the Crown Princess had indeed left the capital. Li Heng decided to publicly announce Li Che's execution, knowing Chang Le would return, thus falling into his trap. As expected, Chang Le, upon hearing the news, rushed back to the capital to save Li Che. Despite "Know-all's" warning about Liu Sheng's numerous scouts, Chang Le was determined. She was ambushed and captured by Liu Sansi, who mockingly stated he had been waiting for her.
Gongsun Mo eventually awoke from his coma, feeling hot and sticky but delighted to find his hands sweating, a sign the medicine was working. He playfully pulled Nong Ying into the courtyard, demonstrating his recovered martial arts skills and proudly declaring he was once a general. He lovingly called her "wife," much to Nong Ying's joy, and promised to give her a grand wedding with a bridal sedan chair upon their return to the capital.
However, Nong Ying, impatient, expressed a desire to marry immediately, suggesting they take heaven and earth as their witnesses. Gongsun Mo, after a moment's hesitation, agreed. Their intimate moment was interrupted when Brother Qin arrived with urgent news about Li Che's predicament. Upon learning of Li Che's capture, Gongsun Mo immediately wanted to return to his family residence, believing his father would have more information.
Nong Ying strongly objected, citing spies planted around the residence by Liu Sheng and Li Heng, and Gongsun Mo's recent recovery. Gongsun Mo grew suspicious, questioning how Nong Ying knew about the spies if even Brother Qin didn't. Under his persistent questioning, Nong Ying confessed that she was responsible for hiding the medicine at the Crown Prince's residence and apologized for her actions.
Gongsun Mo passionately stated that as the Crown Prince of Pei Kingdom, Li Che's safety was paramount, and he would rather die a thousand times than let anything happen to him. Feeling the weight of her actions, Nong Ying declared that since the trouble began because of her, she should be the one to resolve it. She then acupointed Gongsun Mo, immobilizing him, stating she wouldn't let him face any more danger and would handle the situation herself.
Meanwhile, Nianer, disguised, successfully infiltrated Liu Sansi's Prime Minister residence and rescued Chang Le. During their escape, Nianer revealed Chang Le's true lineage: she was the daughter of General Duan Jin, and the real Liu Yuyao was her elder sister. Nianer herself was Chang Le's aunt. Nianer explained that during the massacre of the Duan family, Chang Le was taken by another aunt, while Nianer herself saved Yuyao.
After suffering a miscarriage, Nianer raised Yuyao as her own, naming her Liu Yuyao. Nianer stated she had named Chang Le 'Chang Le', hoping she could live an ordinary, happy life, but fate had intertwined her with Liu Sheng and made her the Crown Princess. Chang Le acknowledged her marriage and urged Nianer to focus on rescuing Li Che.
They then rendezvoused with Brother Qin and Nong Ying at the Crown Prince residence, which they deemed the "safest place" due to its unexpectedness after being sealed. They discussed the urgent need to save the Emperor, who was poisoned and in a coma, to prove Li Che's innocence. Nong Ying revealed that she had secretly kept some of Liu Sheng's poison, hoping it could be useful, and again expressed guilt for her role in Li Che's capture.
A plan was devised. Liu Sansi's wife suddenly fell ill, appearing to be in a coma. Liu Sansi mistakenly believed she was poisoned by Thousand-day Sleeping Liquor and went to retrieve the antidote. However, his wife's maid was Nianer in disguise. As Nianer seized the antidote and tried to escape, Liu Sansi realized the deception. During the ensuing confrontation, Nong Ying was severely wounded while protecting Nianer and Brother Qin. She urged them to prioritize saving the Emperor.
Brother Qin and Nianer took the injured Nong Ying to Gongsun Mo's cottage. There, a bleeding Nong Ying confessed her real name, Shuang Shuang, and pleaded with Gongsun Mo for forgiveness for working for Li Heng, asking him to marry her. Gongsun Mo, telling her he never blamed her, agreed to marry her immediately, promising she would live. They performed a simple wedding ceremony, taking heaven and earth as their witnesses.
At the execution ground, Li Che was brought to be beheaded. Chang Le, who had arrived to observe the situation, attempted to intervene as the executioner raised his sword. Li Che subtly signaled her not to act, but she bravely rushed forward, leading to both of them being bound for execution. Simultaneously, at the palace, Liu Sansi, with a large contingent of soldiers, tried to prevent the Emperor from being saved.
Nianer and Brother Qin valiantly fought Liu Sansi's men, reminiscing about their old fighting days. As Li Che and Chang Le prepared for their final moments, they confessed their feelings for each other, with Li Che promising to marry her in their next life. Just as the executioner prepared to strike, Nianer and Brother Qin arrived, wielding an imperial edict.
The edict, from the now-awake Emperor, denounced Li Heng for poisoning his parents (the Emperor and Empress), framing Li Che, and disrupting the court. It ordered Li Che's release and instructed him to apprehend Li Heng. Liu Sansi questioned the edict's authenticity, given the Emperor's supposed coma, but Nianer declared that the Emperor was awake and anyone could verify it in the palace. Li Che and Chang Le were immediately untied, and Li Che, with a determined gaze, declared he had more important things to do: capture Li Heng.
Episode 27 (Ending) Recap
Upon learning of the Emperor's awakening, Li Heng immediately seeks out Zhu Yan, assuring her of his well-being and his plan to settle all affairs before they leave. He instructs Zhu Yan to depart the palace first with Xiao Xuanzi, while he remains to face the consequences, promising to meet her once his tasks are complete.
Meanwhile, Gongsun Mo and Nong Ying hold a private wedding ceremony, with Gongsun Mo declaring their vows by taking heaven as their father, earth as their mother, mountains and rivers as witnesses, and all creatures as their guests, pledging to be together until death. After the ceremony, Nong Ying, weakened, collapses and loses consciousness, leaving Gongsun Mo utterly heartbroken. Li Che, donning military attire, leads a large force to confront Li Heng. Li Heng, however, remains defiant.
Li Che accuses him of causing chaos and attempting to assassinate his Crown Princess, stating that their long-standing conflict must finally be resolved. He dismisses his soldiers, engaging Li Heng in a fierce sword fight within the great hall. Despite Li Heng's sharp swordsmanship, Li Che ultimately triumphs. Li Che urges Li Heng not to be obstinate, offering to plead with their father for leniency if he repents.
Li Heng, still mistakenly believing Li Che orchestrated the Pingle City incident, lashes out, accusing Li Che of hypocrisy. Li Che subdues him once more, clarifying that he was not involved in the Pingle City affair and promising to investigate the truth. Hearing that the Crown Princess has been unwell and not eating, Li Che personally brings food to Zhaohua Palace. He gently urges Chang Le, affectionately calling her Lele, to eat some of her favorite eight-treasure porridge.
Chang Le, consumed by grief, believes Nong Ying's death is her fault. Li Che tenderly reminds her that Nong Ying would not wish to see her suffer, and that her spirit lives on if remembered. He shares his own sorrow after his mother's death, finding solace only after meeting Chang Le. He assures her that all encounters are profound connections and that Nong Ying will never truly disappear as long as Chang Le cherishes her memory.
Comforted by his words, Chang Le finally releases her emotions and begins to eat, thanking him. The Emperor unexpectedly visits Li Che's residence, stating that his recent ordeal has brought him clarity. He declares the matters concerning Li Heng and Liu Sheng to be both national and family affairs, entrusting Li Che, as Minister of Justice, to oversee the investigation. As Li Che prepares to conduct the trial, the Empress arrives, pleading with the Emperor for Li Heng's forgiveness.
The Emperor rebukes her, reminding her of Li Heng's crimes. Despite her pleas, Li Heng defiantly confesses to drugging his parents and framing Li Che, stating he would rather die for his sins than be humiliated by a "mean fellow" like Li Che. Li Che calmly assures him that all truths will be revealed today and orders Xiao Baisheng to be brought in.
Hearing this, Liu Sheng panics, immediately claiming the Empress ordered him to seek out Xiao Baisheng and instigate discord between the brothers, admitting he was forced to help Li Heng and frame Li Che. Li Heng then realizes that everything was orchestrated by the Empress and Liu Sheng, angrily accusing his mother of loving only herself, not him. In the great hall, the Empress confesses to orchestrating the plot herself.
She admits her jealousy of the Emperor's affection for the late Empress Shen and his favor towards Li Che, which drove her to conspire against the Crown Prince. She takes full responsibility for teaching and inciting Li Heng to commit his crimes. Acknowledging her deep sinfulness and unworthiness, she pleads with the Emperor to spare Li Heng's life, considering their past as husband and wife, before attempting to harm herself.
Li Heng desperately cries out for help, and as the Empress is taken away for medical treatment, she tearfully apologizes to Li Heng for misleading him. Li Che then reveals to Liu Sheng that Xiao Baisheng was not actually apprehended; Liu Sheng's panic was merely a reaction to his own guilt being exposed. Enraged, the Emperor publicly announces the Empress's degradation to a deposed empress, citing her narrow-mindedness, misconduct, and unsuitability for her position.
Duan Nian'er, sister of Duan Jin, steps forward to request a retrial for the Duan family, stating she will never forget Liu Sheng. Li Che then presents Shi Hongbo, whom the Emperor recognizes, expressing surprise as he was believed to have been taken to Li Kingdom by General Duan. A desperate Liu Sheng laments his fate.
Shi Hongbo reveals that Liu Sheng's soldiers abducted him en route, imprisoning and interrogating him for years in the Prime Minister's residence, seeking his treasure to fund a rebellion. Chang Le, identifying herself as Duan Jin's orphan, also pleads for her father's innocence. After Li Che promises to explain Chang Le's identity as Duan Jin's daughter later, the Emperor acknowledges that General Duan was indeed loyal and had not betrayed the kingdom.
He bitterly admits to being deceived by Liu Sheng for years and to not trusting Shen Ao, which led to tragic consequences. He condemns Liu Sheng for framing the loyal and harboring rebellious ambitions, declaring he should be sentenced to death. However, Li Che requests to personally determine Liu Sheng's punishment.
He argues that death would be a relief for such an evil man who shows no remorse, and instead sentences Liu Sheng to lifelong imprisonment in the supreme court, compelling him to spend his remaining years repenting for those he wronged. Liu Sheng, in an attempt to atone, offers a treasure map and his corrupt money, accepting the punishment.
Li Heng attempts to offer his life as atonement, but Li Che states that his death isn't necessary, and would make the Minister of Justice seem incompetent. Zhu Yan then appears, having come to find Li Heng after he didn't appear as promised, affirming her trust in him.
Li Che then announces the verdict for Li Heng and Zhu Yan: for disturbing court order and willfully flouting laws, they are both expelled from the imperial palace and stripped of their noble status, becoming commoners. Both Li Heng and Zhu Yan, unexpectedly joyful, express their gratitude to Li Che and the Emperor. The Emperor watches them leave as a couple, clearly pleased with the outcome.
The Emperor praises Li Che's handling of the affairs, expressing relief and confidence in his son's judgment, stating that Li Che has much to learn as a king. He then announces his abdication, entrusting the kingdom to Li Che before departing gracefully. Li Che is crowned Emperor.
In his inaugural address, he declares three main objectives: first, to posthumously restore the reputation of Duan Jin, the former General Protector, who was framed by sinful Liu Sheng and whose family was massacred. The Duan residence is to be returned to the family, and Duan Jin is to be honored with the title General Hu Wei. Second, he bestows the title of Empress upon Chang Le, Duan Jin's daughter.
Chang Le, finding the Empress's robes heavy, is assured by Li Che that she may wear whatever she likes. Third, he appoints Gongsun Mo as the Prime Minister of Pei Kingdom, with Gongsun Mo's father accepting the honor on his behalf, as Gongsun Mo is unwell. In his private moments, Gongsun Mo, deeply missing Nong Ying, frequently recites their favorite poem and personally plants a loquat tree, which Nong Ying had cherished.
Meanwhile, Lordship Zhu advises Li Heng to care for Zhu Yan well, promising to "bother" them in Pingle City once he retires. As Li Heng and Zhu Yan are about to board a boat, Li Lv arrives, claiming he is "passing by" on an inspection tour and reminds them of their promise to travel together once Zhu Yan recovered, joining them on their journey.
At the Duan mansion, Brother Qin arrives with a bride price, announcing his intention to marry Nian'er, reminding her of a promise made twenty years ago. Later, after an imperial council, Li Che is overjoyed to learn from an imperial doctor that Empress Chang Le is pregnant. He playfully remarks that the "little monkey" has disrupted his plans for their private travels but eagerly anticipates becoming a father, promising to educate the child, especially if it's a girl.
He lovingly listens to her belly, preparing to shower her with delicious food. The episode concludes with all the lovers, Li Che and Chang Le, Li Heng and Zhu Yan, Li Lv, and Brother Qin and Nian'er, finding happiness and beginning their new lives together.
