Maiden Holmes Episode 5 Recap
> Maiden Holmes Recap
After Fei Yuan's culinary skills were praised, Su Ci felt unwell after eating a dish of drunken chicken. Undeterred, Xie Beiming insisted on drinking with her, constantly refilling her cup. Su Ci quickly became intoxicated, slurring her words and feeling detached from her own body. A frightened Fei Yuan excused himself, leaving Su Ci in the care of Pei Yan Zhi.
As Pei Yan Zhi attempted to lead Su Ci to her room, the inebriated Su Ci resisted, convinced that Pei Yan Zhi's room was her own, and eventually stumbled onto his bed. She rambled drunkenly, asking "Which one is you?" before pushing Pei Yan Zhi down, touching his face, and confessing a secret to him—that she thought he was "a good man." She then drifted off to sleep, leaving Pei Yan Zhi pinned beside her for the night.
The next morning, Su Ci woke up, horrified to find herself in Pei Yan Zhi's bed and recalling her embarrassing behavior. Imagining he must think her a rogue, she decided to flee the awkward situation. Citing her duty to report the successful closure of the "Robbery by Dragon King" case, she packed her bags and departed for the capital without a word.
Dong Rushuang was dismayed by Su Ci's unchivalrous departure and insisted on going after her, with Xie Beiming reluctantly following. Meanwhile, Pei Yan Zhi instructed Fei Yuan to pack their belongings as they too would return to the capital. Their journey back led them to an inn, which had only one room available.
Seeing their predicament, Pei Yan Zhi offered the innkeeper extra money to vacate his own room, securing two rooms in total: one for Dong Rushuang, and the other for himself, Fei Yuan, and Xie Beiming. Later, Su Ci, having walked a long distance, arrived at the same inn. Dong Rushuang excitedly greeted her, calling their reunion "fate." Su Ci apologized for her abrupt departure, explaining her duty in the capital.
Faced with no other options and reluctant to reveal her female identity, Su Ci agreed to share the room with the men, making it a tight squeeze for the four of them. That night, Pei Yan Zhi warned Fei Yuan to stay on his side of the small bed and advised Xie Beiming to sleep fully clothed to avoid catching a cold, hinting that Dong Rushuang would be upset if he fell ill.
Later that night, Pei Yan Zhi awoke to find Su Ci gone. He found her in the carriage, burning with a fever. Dong Rushuang grew concerned, fearing the fever might be a symptom of a plague that often followed disasters. Observing Dong Rushuang's worry for Su Ci, Xie Beiming feigned illness to get similar attention, but she rebuffed him, reminding him he was not "Brother Su."
When Dong Rushuang suggested using wine to wipe down Su Ci's body to lower her temperature, Pei Yan Zhi intervened, realizing this would expose Su Ci's identity. He insisted on handling her care himself and sent the others out of the room. Alone with the unconscious Su Ci, he reassured her that her secret was safe.
While Su Ci recovered, Xie Beiming received a pigeon post from his adoptive father and wrote a reply, informing him of a slight delay due to a friend's illness. Once Su Ci was well, Fei Yuan brought her soup, telling her how worried everyone had been, especially Pei Yan Zhi, who had been too anxious to eat.
Xie Beiming questioned why Pei Yan Zhi had suddenly started calling Su Ci "Little Su," but Pei Yan Zhi deflected, saying she needed rest. The group then split into two parties for the remainder of the journey to the capital. Upon returning, Pei Yan Zhi went directly to the palace. The Emperor, no longer a child, discussed the disaster relief fund case with him.
The conversation then shifted to Pei Yan Zhi's marriage, as the Emperor revealed that the Empress Dowager had instructed the Ministry of Rites to begin the selection of a royal consort, hoping Pei Yan Zhi would find someone he truly loved. Meanwhile, Su Ci and Xie Beiming accompanied a captivated Dong Rushuang through the bustling capital. Citing her duties, Su Ci suggested Xie Beiming show Dong Rushuang the city's best eateries, an offer he eagerly accepted.
As they walked, they witnessed an attempt to abduct a woman. Su Ci immediately revealed her Mingjing Office token and intervened. In the ensuing fight, she protected Dong Rushuang from harm. Touched by her bravery, Dong Rushuang was effusive in her gratitude, repeatedly calling her "Brother Su." Xie Beiming, who ultimately defeated the abductors, grumbled in frustration as Dong Rushuang seemed to notice only Su Ci's efforts and not his own.
Back at her home, Su Ci lit incense for her parents and recounted her adventures and the friends she made: Dong Rushuang's kindness, Xie Beiming's martial arts prowess, and Fei Yuan's cooking. When she thought of Pei Yan Zhi, she paused, her heart fluttering as she described him simply as "a good man."
At the same time, when the Emperor asked if he had someone he liked, Pei Yan Zhi reflected on Su Ci's courage and free spirit, silently acknowledging to himself that he had finally found someone who had captured his heart.
