In a Class of Her Own Episode 33 Recap
> In a Class of Her Own Recap
Wenxi awakens with a hazy memory of the previous night's drinking, unsure if she said anything inappropriate. Feng Chengjun confirms her drunken state, revealing that he has rejected Ms. Han Shumin's marriage proposal because he has fallen for someone else—a person Wenxi also knows. Unaware that Feng Chengjun is referring to her and knows her true identity, Wenxi becomes indignant, accusing him of being a womanizer, fickle, and abandoning old affections for new ones.
Feng Chengjun simply smiles at her outburst. Meanwhile, at the Han residence, Ms. Han Shumin is dejected when her mother tries to show her fabrics for a wedding dress. She reveals to her parents that Feng Chengjun has decided against the marriage proposal. Her father, Han Zheng Liang, is enraged by this perceived insult to the Han family's honor, especially since he had already announced the impending union to many aristocratic families.
He storms to confront Feng Jichang, Feng Chengjun's father, accusing Feng Chengjun of treating the Han family as dirt. Feng Jichang, claiming he only just learned of the matter, apologizes for his son's actions and suggests there might be a misunderstanding, proposing to let the young people decide for themselves. However, Han Zheng Liang dismisses this, declaring the insult is remembered and will be "returned doubly."
A series of mysterious deaths plague Yunzhou, all victims seemingly connected to Gu Da Chao's business dealings. The local authorities, believing the culprit to be the "person in black" who distributes forbidden leaflets, announce a reward for anyone who reports the killer, whose portrait will be displayed. The King, alarmed by the continuous murders, dispatches a Special Envoy to investigate. The Special Envoy orders Head General Gu Zhe Yuan and Commander Lei Zexin to increase night patrols.
Attendant Officer Han, Han Zheng Liang, proposes that the Imperial Brigade disguise themselves as civilians to lower the killer's guard, a strategy the Special Envoy approves. Mu Xiao Man reveals to Lei Zexin that she saw someone leave Han Zheng Liang's study and don "night traveling clothes," suspecting this person is linked to the murders. Lei Zexin asserts that Han Zheng Liang has hired someone to impersonate him and frame him, vowing to uncover the truth.
Han Zheng Liang, meanwhile, promises a promotion to an assassin if he eliminates a target. He instructs the assassin that the Imperial Brigade will be disguised and unarmed, making the attack easy, and orders a quick retreat after the deed. That night, Head General Gu Zhe Yuan leads his disguised Imperial Brigade in an ambush. The assassin attacks, gravely wounding Gu Zhe Yuan. Just as he is in peril, Lei Zexin, clad in black, arrives and fiercely engages the assassin.
With the arrival of more Imperial Brigade soldiers, the assassin flees, pursued by Lei Zexin. In a surprising turn, Mu Xiao Man, also in black, appears and joins Lei Zexin in confronting the assassin. However, Han Zheng Liang, anticipating this, arrives with his own guards, ready to eliminate all loose ends. Han Zheng Liang commands his guards to unleash a volley of arrows, instantly killing his own assassin. Mu Xiao Man is also wounded during the assault.
Lei Zexin urges her to flee, offering to stay and face the guards alone, but she refuses. Mu Xiaoman flees into Yun Shang Academy. Lei Zexin, now gravely wounded and a primary target as the "person in black," is pursued but manages to escape into the mountains. There, Mr. Liu, a teacher from Yun Shang Academy, appears and instructs Lei Zexin to hide, offering to lure the pursuing officers away himself.
Lei Zexin conceals himself, and Mr. Liu successfully diverts the soldiers. Lei Zexin then makes his way back to Yun Shang Academy, where he collapses. Subsequently, a soldier reports to Commander Lei Zexin's unit that a "person in black" has fled into Yun Shang Academy. Lei Zexin, acting as a commander, seizes the opportunity to order his forces not to disturb the sacred academy grounds and to withdraw.
Meanwhile, Feng Chengjun and Yu Lexuan are admiring the moon, while Wenxi, frustrated about Feng Chengjun's new romantic interest, secretly plots to investigate her father's case. She then encounters a wounded Mu Xiao Man seeking refuge. Wenxi quickly hides Mu Xiao Man in the woodshed, instructing her to remain silent, and promises to get medicine. As she leaves, Feng Chengjun and Yu Lexuan encounter patrolling guards searching for a "person in black."
Feng Chengjun cleverly deflects their suspicion by claiming to be practicing martial arts, while Mr. Liu unexpectedly appears and corroborates their story, successfully diverting the guards. Later, Feng Chengjun and Yu Lexuan discover Lei Zexin, unconscious and injured. As they hide him, Feng Chengjun finds the Book of 10 Thousand Words in Lei Zexin's medicine box, realizing that Lei Zexin is the wanted criminal who spreads the forbidden texts. Yu Lexuan calmly confirms he knew this "a long time ago."
Upon learning that two "persons in black" had entered the Yun Shang Academy, Han Zheng Liang furiously leads his men to raid the grounds. Despite the teachers' protests, who accuse him of disregarding royal decrees by bringing soldiers into the sacred academy, Han Zheng Liang asserts he is merely following Master Wang's orders to apprehend a "heinous criminal" responsible for spreading forbidden texts and injuring Head General Gu Zhe Yuan.
He threatens the teachers with a "death penalty" if they harbor the culprit, arguing that the severely injured criminal would be easy to identify. Amidst this chaos, Wenxi, who was on her way to get medicine for Mu Xiao Man, discovers Han Zheng Liang's search. She quickly seeks out Han Shengzhi, explaining Mu Xiao Man's perilous situation and deducing that she is the target.
Han Shengzhi immediately acts, confronting the soldiers near Mu Xiao Man's hiding place and using his status to make them retreat, ensuring her safety for the moment. Wenxi then entrusts the gravely injured Mu Xiao Man to Han Shengzhi's care, urging him to treat her wounds and prepare his brother, Sheng Xiong, for potential further confrontations. Han Zheng Liang's forces escalate their search, demanding that all students strip for injury checks.
The students vociferously refuse, protesting the humiliation and accusing the soldiers of violating the academy's sanctity. As the situation devolves into violence with soldiers beating the protesting students, Feng Chengjun, Yu Lexuan, and Lei Zexin remain hidden, debating their next move. Lei Zexin, the true wanted criminal, offers to surrender, but Feng Chengjun quickly dismisses the idea, pointing out that Lei Zexin's consistent presence in the academy on critical nights would expose their ruse.
Wenxi then volunteers to take the blame, asserting she is the most suitable, even if it means undergoing the humiliating search. However, Feng Chengjun rejects her offer due to the invasive nature of the search. With time running out, Feng Chengjun suddenly steps forward, proclaiming himself to be the wanted criminal. An academy official expresses disbelief, vouching for Feng Chengjun's character.
Despite this, Feng Chengjun produces two forbidden books and a blood-stained garment as "evidence," claiming he acted alone to spare the academy. He further incriminates himself by stating he was at the Han Manor on the admission ceremony night to spread the forbidden books, naming fellow students Gu Ziming and Lin Bingshen as witnesses.
Han Zheng Liang summons Gu Ziming and Lin Bingshen, who reluctantly confirm seeing Feng Chengjun at the Han Manor that night, though they deny seeing him spread any books. Ignoring their partial denial, Han Zheng Liang declares the case closed with "witnesses and proof" and a confession. He orders Feng Chengjun to be imprisoned, stating that while he is angered by the broken engagement with his daughter, this is a matter of state law, not personal vendetta. He asserts that Feng Chengjun is now an imperial court criminal, and not even Feng Jichang or Wang Hao Zhen can save him.
