Tóm tắt, cốt truyện, nội dung The First Jasmine

Nội dung The First Jasmine

The eldest daughter of the Ye family, Ye Li, married into the declining Ding Prince's residence and wedded the wheelchair-bound Prince Mo Xiuyao. On the same day of her wedding, Prince Li Mo Jingli also married the second daughter of the Ye family, Ye Ying.

As a descendant of the Lishan lineage, Ye Li had once been sealed away in the mountains for eight years. After marriage, she appeared calm on the surface but secretly plotted to eliminate the officials who had harmed Lishan in the past.

During this process, she aroused the suspicion of Prince Mo Xiuyao, who was also seeking revenge. Each acting independently, they cast a huge stone into the seemingly tranquil lake.

Meanwhile, Prince Li, Mo Jingli, who had grown up with Ye Li as childhood sweethearts, bore the disgraceful title of "Opera Prince" but secretly stirred up trouble, scheming to usurp the throne. In the end, Ye Li joined forces with Mo Xiuyao to assist the young emperor in consolidating power, thwarting the successive conspiracies of the Muyang Marquis and Prince Mo Jingli, and restoring peace and prosperity to the world.

Tóm tắt The First Jasmine

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Ye Li, the eldest daughter of the second branch of the Ye family and a descendant of Lishan, returns to her family's mansion after spending eight years in the mountains. Her homecoming is marked by a sudden, disappointing turn of events regarding her betrothal. Originally promised to the influential Prince Li, Mo Jingli, her marriage has been swapped.

She is now destined to marry the crippled Prince Ding, Mo Xiuyao, while Mo Jingli is set to marry her younger sister, Ye Ying, on the exact same day. Reflecting on her return, Ye Li muses that while years pass unnoticed in the quiet mountains, she is glad to finally be back. As Ye Li rests and drinks her medicine, chaos erupts near the Yanru Pond.

Ye Rong, the young son of her stepmother Ms. Wang, accidentally falls into the water. Although the mansion's servants manage to rescue him quickly, a major crisis is discovered in the aftermath. The imperial plaque bestowed by the late Emperor, bearing the words "Family of Charity" and hung in the grand hall, has vanished in the brief window of the rescue. The eldest uncle, Ye Wending, and other family elders gather to address the missing plaque.

Suspecting an inside job, one of the family elders suggests that someone who despises the family stole it to prove they do not deserve such an imperial honor. Ye Wending reasons that a plaque of that size could not have been smuggled out of the mansion unnoticed and must still be hidden inside. He orders Captain Li Feibai to conduct a thorough search of the entire estate.

Captain Li's search leads his men to the Western Courtyard, where they demand to inspect the dowry chests in Ye Li's quarters. Her maid tries to stop them, explaining these are her mistress's private belongings, but Captain Li insists on his orders. Ye Li steps out and calmly informs the guards that the chests contain the dowries left by her late mother, Xu Wanzhou, and she does not have the keys.

She uses this disruption to her advantage, demanding to be taken to the elders to resolve the matter. In the grand hall, Ye Li faces her father, Ye Wenhua, whom she has not seen in the two months since she returned. She uses the pretext of the missing plaque to demand the keys to the chests from Ms. Wang, who has been keeping them. Ms. Wang hesitates, claiming that opening the dowry chests before the wedding is bad luck.

However, one of the family elders insists on measuring the chests, noting that the precious Duyou Zither, crafted by Master Su over seven years, is three chi and five cun long, while the imperial plaque is about four chi. Since the chest is exceptionally large, it could easily conceal the missing plaque. Forced to hand over the keys, Ms. Wang's deceit is exposed when the chest is opened.

Instead of her mother's legendary Duyou Zither, it contains an ordinary, cheap instrument. Caught in a lie, Ms. Wang awkwardly claims she mixed up Ye Li's dowry with Ye Ying's. Seizing the opportunity before the assembled elders, Ye Li demands a full inventory and handover of all the lands, deeds, shops, and treasures her mother left behind. To protect her reputation from accusations of theft, Ms. Wang is forced to comply.

Soon after, Captain Li retrieves the missing imperial plaque from the Western Courtyard pond, saving the family from disaster. That night, Ye Li's maids celebrate her reclaimed wealth, but Ye Li remains reflective. Later, young Ye Rong sneaks into her courtyard. Unlike his superficial mother, Ye Rong reveals he fell into the pond on purpose to create a distraction, allowing Ye Li to reclaim her rightful dowry.

When Ye Rong warns her that Prince Ding is a cripple and her future looks bleak, Ye Li remains unfazed. Reflecting on her tutor's words about her mother, she wonders why her brilliant mother chose her father, who possessed little more than a handsome face. On the day of the wedding, both Ye Li and Ye Ying dress in their bridal finery.

The family is in high spirits, though the elderly, senile matriarch of the family mistakes Ye Li for her late mother, Xu Wanzhou, weeping that she hasn't seen her in a long time. As both brides prepare to leave, a conflict arises outside. Prince Li's massive wedding procession blocks the narrow alley, preventing Prince Ding's procession from entering. To avoid missing the auspicious hour, Ye Li's uncle suggests letting Ye Ying leave first.

Displeased with the favoritism, another relative points out the unfairness, prompting Ye Wenhua to propose a compromise. Ye Li can walk out on felt mats laid along the ground. As long as the bride’s feet do not touch the bare earth, the custom is preserved. Ye Li bids farewell to her father and stepmother.

She recalls how she was once betrothed to Prince Li to escape the mountain, only for him to beg the Empress Dowager to marry Ye Ying instead. While the Empress Dowager agreed and reassigned Ye Li to Prince Ding, Ye Li is simply glad to have finally left the mountain. Ye Li is escorted by Mo Wuyou, Prince Ding’s nephew, who apologizes for the simplified ceremony due to his uncle's physical condition.

Upon arriving at Prince Ding’s Mansion, Ye Li waits as the auspicious hour passes with no sign of the groom. Learning that Mo Xiuyao is in his study, she decides to find him herself, guided by Steward Cui. In the study, Ye Li finds Mo Xiuyao copying sutras. Struck by his handsome features, she suddenly understands why her mother fell for her father's good looks despite his flaws.

She introduces herself, offers him a sweet pastry, and convinces him to complete their wedding. However, as they try to leave, Director Lv Cheng of the Bureau of Astronomy blocks their path, claiming the mansion's history of bloodshed has brought a divine curse—manifesting as Mo Xiuyao's leg injury, Ms. Wen's chronic illness, and the young lord's bad behavior—which can only be resolved by daily sutra copying.

Unimpressed, Ye Li threatens to call off the wedding and return to Lishan, forcing Lv Cheng to back down. She then wheels Mo Xiuyao to the main hall, where they perform the formal bows before Ms. Wen and the guests. In the bridal chamber, Ye Li tries to show kindness, offering him food and wine, but Mo Xiuyao responds with bitter cynicism, asking if she wants to see how a crippled man consummates a marriage.

When Ye Li offers him a gift and expresses her gratitude for his willingness to marry her—allowing her to finally leave Lishan when others shunned it—Mo Xiuyao suddenly feigns a painful fit, startling her. Once he calms down, Mo Xiuyao drops the act and warns her that Prince Ding's Mansion is a dangerous place. He advises her to hide her cleverness and admits he has no interest in this marriage.

He offers a pact: they can live in peaceful indifference, or, if she wishes, he will grant her a divorce in a year so they can part ways without any lingering ties.

Two months ago, after soldiers escorted Ye Li down the mountain from Lishan Academy but refused to pay for her journey to the capital, she pestered them until they finally scraped together some loose change. With the copper coins, Ye Li secured a carriage and headed to the capital. Upon arriving, Ye Li visited Prince Ding's Mansion, only to find it desolate and abandoned.

A local street vendor explained that eight years ago, Mo Xiuyao's elder brother, Mo Xiuwen, had unauthorizedly led troops back to the capital. This left the border vulnerable to Cangbei invaders, who subsequently captured three cities, causing countless civilian casualties. Mo Xiuwen was executed, and though Mo Xiuyao was spared, his legs were permanently crippled in the war. Knowing that Lishan Academy owed a debt of gratitude to Prince Ding's Mansion, Ye Li silently vowed to repay it.

The morning after their wedding, Ye Li prepared to pay her respects to Mo Xiuyao’s sister-in-law, Wen Ran. However, Wen Ran excused herself by claiming she had caught a chill. In truth, Wen Ran remained deeply depressed, consumed by grief for her late husband, Mo Xiuwen. She spent her days neglecting her son, Mo Wuyou, and her failing memory was so severe that she had completely forgotten his tutor, Tutor Song, had left a year ago.

Having only seen her new husband twice since their wedding, Ye Li went to the study to find him. However, she was blocked by Lu Cheng, the Grand Astrologer of the Taishi Bureau. Lu Cheng claimed Mo Xiuyao was copying scriptures to atone for the family’s blood guilt and insolently refused to let her in. Refusing to force her way through, Ye Li departed to meet her third uncle, Ye Wenshen, at the Longevity Shop.

At the shop, Ye Wenshen served her Dew Bud Spring tea and praised her cleverness. He revealed that Lu Cheng had risen from a minor post of registrar in Lianzhou by currying favor with Marquis Muyang, meaning his hostility toward Prince Ding's Mansion was undoubtedly ordered by the Marquis. While they spoke, Lu Cheng's wife caused a scene in the shop, demanding a larger ceremonial lamp.

Seeing this, Ye Li requested a lamp of her own to pray for Mo Xiuyao the following day. When Ye Li returned to the mansion, she was horrified by what she discovered. Steward Cui explained that under the guise of purifying the mansion's bad karma, Lu Cheng conducted a monthly ritual. Ye Li witnessed the harrowing scene: Lu Cheng burned Mo Xiuyao's hand-copied scriptures, then whipped Mo Xiuyao's back until it bled, demanding his repentance.

Once Lu Cheng departed, Ye Li entered the study. Ignoring Mo Xiuyao's cold demands for her to leave, she gently cleaned the ashes from his hair and offered to keep him company. She shared stories of Lishan, describing her extensive studies in arithmetic, astronomy, and water conservancy under Master Helai. Checking his pulse, she read his fortune, predicting a long, blessed life.

When Mo Xiuyao bitterly remarked that a long life was a curse that left him surviving alone, Ye Li simply urged him to eat. As she looked at him, Ye Li recalled the true nature of their past. On her wedding day, she had lied about it being their first meeting. In the spring of Jinghe 13, while traveling to Huobai City with her mother, they had been attacked by desert bandits near Yanming Pass.

It was Mo Xiuyao who had swept in with his troops and saved her life. Though he had long forgotten the encounter, Ye Li had never forgotten the vibrant, lively young prodigy he once was, and she was determined to help him find that strength again. Meanwhile, in the imperial palace, Emperor Mo Yanqi was caught playing dice with his attendants by his mother, Empress Dowager Guo Jin.

Furious at his neglect of state affairs while the three towns of Heshuo delayed tributes and Zhedong rebels seized territory, the Empress Dowager ordered the attendants punished. The Emperor retaliated with sharp words, pointing out that if Lishan Academy had not sealed its doors years ago, she would have taken the throne herself. Back at the study, Ye Li bypassed the guards who tried to enforce Lu Cheng's restrictions.

Knowing Mo Xiuyao had been fasting for days, she brought him a warm bowl of almond congee to soothe his stomach, patiently waiting for him to eat. Outside, the servants discussed how Mrs. Lv had placed her ceremonial lamp in the Longevity Shop, but the fragile peace was suddenly disrupted by the unexpected arrival of Senior Eunuch Shunxi, throwing the servants into an immediate panic.

The Huaixi weaponry smuggling case takes a dark turn when the Military Governor of Huaixi, Yuan Fang, who held critical evidence, is assassinated. Kneeling before Emperor Mo Yanqi, a remorseful Gao Wenhuan explains that although he had met Yuan Fang in the outskirts of the capital, they were immediately ambushed by assassins who abducted the military governor. Despite a tireless two-day search, Gao Wenhuan only found Yuan Fang's lifeless body in a dilapidated shack.

The news leaves the young Emperor deeply troubled. With Yuan Fang dead, his crucial evidence has vanished, leaving the path to personal reign fraught with obstacles. Mo Yanqi suspects that Marquis Muyang, Zhou Jing, is the mastermind behind the illegal sale of national weapons to the northern region of Cangbei. Since even the Empress Dowager Guo Jin cannot tolerate such treason, she did not block the investigation, but without concrete evidence, it is impossible to shake the deeply entrenched Marquis.

The Emperor stresses to Gao Wenhuan that they must prevent the Marquis from placing his own man in Huaixi, or the truth will remain buried forever. Meanwhile, Ye Li visits Changsheng Pavilion on the birthday of the Great Emperor of Longevity.

The pavilion is bustling with patrons seeking blessings, and the workers gossip about how the wife of Lv Cheng had recently made a scene, demanding to place her ceremonial lamp on the highest tier, which is strictly reserved for royalty. The workers ultimately compromised by placing her lamp on the second tier.

As Ye Li prepares to make her own offering, a young bookboy explains the differences between the Jiuyao Everlasting Lamp, which wards off misfortunes, and the Seven Stars Lamp, which is used for making wishes to the gods. To make a wish, one must write the recipient's real name, specifically the name given at birth and recorded in the ancestral temple, on the bottom of the lamp. At the Jingzhao Prefecture, a tense standoff unfolds.

General Lu Changfu, the commander of the Jinwu Guard and a close ally of Marquis Muyang, storms the courtyard with his soldiers, demanding to take custody of Yuan Fang’s body and case files. He argues that the Jinwu Guard should handle the investigation. Magistrate Gongshu Yang firmly refuses to yield, pointing out the obvious conflict of interest.

Since Marquis Muyang is closely tied to the prominent Zhou family in Huaixi and Lu Changfu is his well-known confidant, leaving the investigation to the Jinwu Guard would render it a farce. Lv Cheng stands nearby, playing the role of an innocent bystander who merely happened to drop by. He tries to play peacemaker, reminding both Gongshu Yang and Lu Changfu that they were both elevated by the Empress Dowager and should avoid unnecessary conflict.

Lu Changfu remains defiant, boasting of the Marquis’s legendary military achievements, but Gongshu Yang stands firm, threatening to petition the Emperor. Back at Changsheng Pavilion, as Ye Li selects her own lamp, she notices the name written under Mrs. Lv's lamp is not Lv Cheng, but Lv Boying. This realization leads her to deduce that the arrogant official must have changed his name to hide his past.

The bookboy suggests placing Prince Ding’s lamp at the highest position so the deity will see it first, but Ye Li declines. She chooses a moderate position, writing Mo Xiuyao’s name and wishing him nothing but peace and safety. Later, Li Feibai, a guard from the Ye family, arrives at the Jingzhao Prefecture to thank the magistrate for recovering a lost imperial plaque.

Upon spotting Lv Cheng, Li Feibai greets him familiarly as Lord Lv Boying, asking if the official remembers him. Though a panicked Lv Cheng quickly denies the association and claims it is a case of mistaken identity, the slip-up does not escape the sharp ears of Gongshu Yang, who silently notes the name. On her way back, Ye Li walks with her maid Qingyu, who asks if she is worried about Prince Ding.

Ye Li shares a story about a flattering official in the Bureau of Astronomy during the previous dynasty. To please the Empress, the official insisted that an ancient tree in a certain concubine’s courtyard brought misfortune, prompting the Empress to chop it down and leave the courtyard barren. That neglected concubine, however, eventually rose to become the Empress Dowager. When Qingyu wonders if the official tried to escape her wrath, Ye Li hints that he survived by changing his name.

Armed with this new lead, Gongshu Yang reports the details of Yuan Fang's death and the storming of the prefecture to Empress Dowager Guo Jin. He then casually relates the strange coincidence of the Ye family guard identifying Lv Cheng as Lv Boying. Hearing the name of her old tormentor, the Empress Dowager's expression turns cold. Without delay, Senior Eunuch Shunxi is dispatched to the Lv Residence with guards, arresting a protesting Lv Cheng and dragging him away.

Shortly after, the Empress Dowager summons a trembling Zhou Jing. She rebukes him for allowing such a treacherous scoundrel to infiltrate his inner circle, questioning his ability to distinguish between friend and foe. She also orders the Court of Judicial Review to step away from Yuan Fang's case. After Zhou Jing departs, a royal consort steps out from the inner chamber, trying to soothe the Empress Dowager's frustration.

She mentions that the young Emperor is still in his teens and prone to playfulness, but the Empress Dowager remains stern, knowing he must soon take the reins of the state. An anxious Zhou Jing visits the prison, where a desperate Lv Cheng begs him for mercy. Realizing that the official's hidden past has brought ruin to his faction, an enraged Zhou Jing drags him to Yaoguang Palace, the quiet place where Guo Jin once meditated.

Before Senior Eunuch Shunxi, Lv Cheng is forced to face the gravity of his past actions. Shunxi vividly recalls how Lv Cheng had once callously destroyed the ancient tree under which the Empress Dowager had spent her days copying sutras. Desperate to save his life, Lv Cheng frantically promises to plant a new, even more beautiful tree in its place.

Zhou Jing coldly tells him to do so, and orders his men to bury Lv Cheng alive in the courtyard, planting a small sapling directly over the fresh grave. That night, Feng Zhiyao, the head of the Qingfeng Mingyue Tower, slips over the walls of Prince Ding's Mansion in black attire. Although he is briefly spotted by Ye Li, he manages to escape into Mo Xiuyao's study.

Dripping with rain, Feng Zhiyao warns Mo Xiuyao that his new wife has remarkably sharp eyes. He then shares the news of Lv Cheng's brutal downfall. He notes how ironic it is that a man who spent his life cunningly manipulating both sides was brought down by a simple guard. Upon learning that the guard in question belongs to the Ye family, Mo Xiuyao begins to suspect that Ye Li played a silent role in the official's demise.

To test his suspicions, Mo Xiuyao visits Ye Li in her quarters. He notices her trying to conceal something under her foot and demands she lift it. Beneath her slipper lies a piece of paper with Lv Cheng’s name written on it. Ye Li innocently explains that she used a traditional folk method called "Stepping on Villains" to curse him because he had been bullying Prince Ding.

She confidently claims that according to ancient texts, Lv Cheng will fall gravely ill within three days. Mo Xiuyao, finding her combination of apparent naivety and deep-seated grudges perplexing, simply tells her to stop playing such childish games. Later, Feng Zhiyao laughs at the ridiculous curse, questioning if Lv Cheng's death was truly caused by Ye Li's paper doll. While Feng Zhiyao believes Ye Li is purely kind and innocent, Mo Xiuyao remains wary.

A servant soon arrives, presenting Mo Xiuyao with a bowl of special congee that Ye Li has ordered to be delivered to him daily. At the Marquis Muyang’s mansion, Zhou Jing warns his gathered allies that he will tolerate no more secrets. He acknowledges that while losing Lv Cheng is a minor blow, the immediate concern is securing Huaixi before the Emperor can install a loyalist. He decides that they must push to have Lu Changfu appointed to the post.

The next day in court, Zhou Jing formally proposes Lu Changfu as the new Military Governor of Huaixi. Chief Imperial Secretary Murong Shen objects, arguing that Lu Changfu lacks the experience for such a complex region. However, the Empress Dowager Guo Jin overrides the objection and officially appoints Lu Changfu to the position, ordering him to depart in five days.

Back at the mansion, Mo Xiuyao finds Ye Li writing letters to her grandfather, teachers, and senior brothers on Lishan Mountain. When a sweet congee sweetened with honey is served, Mo Xiuyao is surprised, noting that most scholars prefer savory congee. Ye Li fondly recalls how her favorite teacher, Master Zhu, used to sneak honey into his congee, claiming it was salt water.

Mo Xiuyao notices a line in her letter describing Prince Ding as quite dull, prompting a flustered Ye Li to hide the paper. She tells him that she truly wishes to build a home with him. Mo Xiuyao dryly suggests that his decision to keep their marriage unconsummated might actually suit her plans.

To lighten the mood, Ye Li points out a small spider on his sleeve, calling it a Lucky Spider whose presence brings good fortune, playfully telling him that his luck is about to change. During a walk in the busy streets of the capital, Ye Li and her maid observe the lively crowds. Her maid remarks that Prince Ding still seems distant, but Ye Li remains determined to do what is necessary.

She explains to her maid that everyone carries a unique scent that reveals their true nature, but when asked about Mo Xiuyao, she admits she cannot smell anything. To her, his scent is completely isolated, as if he is submerged deep in water. Upon returning to the mansion, Ye Li encounters Mo Xiuyao’s sister-in-law, Wen Ran, who has just returned from seeking acupuncture treatments from the renowned physician Zheng Jiuzhen.

Shortly after, Ye Li learns from the servants that Mo Xiuyao has locked himself in his study all day, refusing to eat. Worried, she rushes to the study, only to be stopped by the guards who claim the Prince gave strict orders to let no one in. Ye Li angrily demands Mo Xiuyao to come out, even threatening to bite the guards if they do not step aside.

Ultimately, she decides to respect his space but instructs the servants to prepare food and send it in to him. Deep in thought, she discusses the situation with her uncle. She realizes that if Lu Changfu successfully takes control of Huaixi, Marquis Muyang will become unstoppable. Knowing the young Emperor also shares her desire to change the status quo, her uncle advises that they proceed with their plans accordingly.

Eight years ago, following the death of the late emperor and the demise of the crown prince, Empress Guo Jin sought to claim the throne for herself. At that time, Lishan Academy stood as the cultural and academic heart of Great Chu, with nearly half of the court officials hailing from its halls. In a bid to make a silent stand against the Empress's usurpation, Ye Li's grandfather closed the academy under the pretext of compiling books.

This act of defiance was widely supported by scholars at court, which infuriated Empress Guo. Under the guise of providing protection, she dispatched troops to blockade Lishan Academy, isolating it from the outside world. Seizing this opportunity, Lu Changfu systematically targeted the Lishan scholars at court, fabricating various charges to have them dismissed, exiled, imprisoned, or tortured to death.

His atrocities against Lishan Academy were endless, making him a figure of intense hatred for the young emperor, who was nonetheless powerless to act due to the influence of the Empress Dowager and Marquis Muyang. Now that Lu Changfu is slated to depart to assume his new post as the Military Governor of Huaixi, Ye Li is determined not to let him leave the capital alive.

Among those ruined by the purge was Wei Zhuang, Ye Li’s senior brother from Lishan Academy. Now crippled and destitute, Wei Zhuang has been reduced to orchestrating scams on the streets to obtain money for his mother's medicine. While passing Caiying Shop, Ye Li witnesses him pretending to be injured by the shop’s staff, desperately demanding compensation.

Although she does not openly reveal her identity to spare him embarrassment, she uses a familiar hand-shadow game of a flying bird to silently signal who she is. Recognizing her, a devastated and embarrassed Wei Zhuang flees, unable to bear the thought of Ye Li seeing him in such a wretched state.

He returns home to administer the medicine to his ailing mother, haunted by the memories of Lishan Academy, where the headmaster had once praised his extraordinary talent in arithmetic and urged him to remain true to his heart. Back at Prince Ding's Mansion, Ye Li diligently works on a magnificent robe using flame-woven silk, a rare and precious material from the southwest that retains body heat to shield against the bitter cold.

Her maid Xing'er admires the lustrous fabric and assumes it is being made for Mo Xiuyao, but Ye Li gently corrects her. She notes that while the silk is exceptionally fine, it is highly volatile and will easily catch fire if it comes into contact with phosphor powder. Meanwhile, Mo Xiuyao remains locked in the dark chamber of his study, consumed by unresolved grief and resentment.

The self-inflicted torment, coupled with stagnant Qi and blood, causes his old injuries to flare up, and he collapses from a sudden, severe fever. Hearing the commotion, Ye Li and her servants rush inside and immediately send for a physician. As Mo Xiuyao lies unconscious, Ye Li is confronted with the stark reality of his psychological torment.

The dark room is filled with letters and scrolls bearing cruel curses, vicious accusations of treason, and the condemnation of his executed brother, Mo Xiuwen, and the Heiyun Cavalry. Unwilling to let Mo Xiuyao remain chained to a chamber of ghosts and hatred, Ye Li takes a decisive step. She gathers the malicious writings and sets them ablaze, determined to burn away the painful reminders of his past.

When Mo Xiuyao wakes up and sees smoke rising from the study, he rushes in, horrified to find his collection turning to ash. Furious, he commands Ye Li to leave Prince Ding's Mansion. However, Ye Li remains resolute. She firmly reminds him of her wedding vow to stand by his side, rebuild the family name, and share his burdens.

She urges him to stop letting his life become a tragic performance for spectators who only watch for their own amusement, leaving him to suffer alone. On the eve of his departure to Huaixi, Lu Changfu receives a brand-new official robe, supposedly sent from the palace. The tailoring includes an extra inner layer designed to ward off the dampness of Huaixi. Unbeknownst to him, the garment is made from the highly flammable flame-woven silk Ye Li prepared.

The next morning, Lu Changfu arrives at court to thank Emperor Mo Yanqi and Empress Dowager Guo for their favor. After receiving the hollow blessings of his peers and exchanging quiet plans with his patron, Marquis Muyang, Lu Changfu prepares to depart. As he makes his way out, a young palace eunuch accidentally collides with him, surreptitiously coating the robe in phosphor powder.

Under the intense heat of the sun, the chemical reacts with the flame-woven silk, and Lu Changfu is suddenly engulfed in a raging inferno, burning to death before the eyes of Marquis Muyang and the horrified onlookers. Witnessing Lu Changfu's agonizing death triggers Mo Xiuyao's memories of the day he was dragged back to the capital in chains, following his brother's execution.

Amidst a hostile crowd shouting abuses and throwing stones, a young Ye Li had bravely pushed her way through the guards to hand him a packet of pastries. Later, when he was thrown into prison with untreated injuries, Lu Changfu had bribed the guards to deny him food and water to curry favor with Marquis Muyang. Mo Xiuyao had survived those grueling first few days solely on the pastries Ye Li had given him, keeping him alive.

He managed to endure the harsh imprisonment for six months until a decree from the young emperor finally spared his life due to his past military merits. For eight years, Mo Xiuyao waited in silence. A month ago, Emperor Mo Yanqi secretly reinstated him to escort Yuan Fang back to the capital, hoping to secure the evidence needed to bring down Marquis Muyang.

Yet, while the Emperor handed Mo Xiuyao the blade of authority, he kept the scabbard firmly in his own grasp, ordering Gao Wenhuan to prematurely take custody of Yuan Fang. This blunder led to Yuan Fang’s abduction and tragic death on the outskirts of the capital, leaving Mo Xiuyao without the crucial evidence of the Huaixi weapon smuggling case. Summoned once more by the guilt-ridden Emperor, Mo Xiuyao cannot contain his fury.

He recounts the immense sacrifices of Yuan Fang—a frail scholar who braved the dangers of Huaixi and fled to the border to secure justice, only to be failed by the Emperor's lack of trust. Stung by Mo Xiuyao’s blunt accusations, the Emperor’s pride quickly overrides his guilt. He turns the blame back onto Mo Xiuyao, dragging up the fall of Suixue Pass and the tragic execution of Mo Xiuwen.

He accuses Mo Xiuyao of abandoning his brother over a petty argument years ago, suggesting that had Mo Xiuyao stayed with the Heiyun Cavalry, the pass would never have been breached. Reliving these accusations was the very reason Mo Xiuyao had subjected himself to the torment of the dark room. Yet, as the smoke from Ye Li's fire clears, Mo Xiuyao realizes that the embers of justice in his heart have not been extinguished.

Ready to face the future, he agrees to help the Emperor with the aftermath of Lu Changfu's death, though he demands three conditions in return. Meanwhile, at the mansion, Ye Li prepares for her upcoming visit to the Empress Dowager tomorrow, while her maid Qingshuang discusses their need for a steward to help manage their household affairs.

With Empress Dowager Guo Jin having approved Lu Changfu’s appointment as the Military Governor of Huaixi, the Emperor found himself powerless to block the move. Sensing an opportunity, Mo Xiuyao stepped forward and offered to clear the obstacles on the Emperor’s path to absolute rule. In return, he demanded three things. First, the Emperor had to help him clear the name of the Heiyun Cavalry, restore the honor of Prince Ding’s Mansion, and exonerate his late brother, Mo Xiuwen.

The Emperor pointed out the immense difficulty of overturning the case, noting that Mo Xiuwen had claimed to return under the late Emperor's decree but could never produce it. Mo Xiuyao revealed that Marquis Muyang had admitted to destroying the document during their time in prison. Recognizing that peace at court was impossible with the Marquis in power, the Emperor agreed to the pact.

For his second request, Mo Xiuyao secured the power of investigation, allowing him to access the archives of the Six Ministries and interrogate suspects. He also requested the power of arrest, enabling him to bypass the Dali Temple and send officials of the fifth rank or lower straight to the Imperial Prison, along with the privilege of submitting secret memorials directly to the throne. Finally, as his third request, Mo Xiuyao asked for a specific person.

To eliminate Lu Changfu, Mo Xiuyao proposed to the Emperor that since Lu had to die, he should perish under the open sky in front of all the assembled court officials. When Mo Xiuyao's allies warned him that targeting Lu would provoke fierce retaliation from Marquis Muyang, Mo Xiuyao scoffed, stating he had nothing left to fear now that the mansion was in ruins and he was crippled.

However, his ally reminded him that things were different now—he was married and had a Princess Consort to protect. Back at the mansion, Mo Xiuyao urged Ye Li to leave, proposing that he could petition the Empress Dowager for a divorce on the grounds of incompatibility. He told her she could return to the Ye Mansion or leave the capital entirely.

Ye Li was baffled by his behavior and playfully asked if he was planning a rebellion, insisting that he drink the soup she prepared before it went cold. Mo Xiuyao then brought up how she had saved his life in the desert, noting that the pastries she gave him in the prison cart had kept him alive. Ye Li was surprised he remembered her, recalling how he had treated her like a stranger on their wedding day.

To decide who would ask whom first, Ye Li proposed a coin toss. Using a Xide Tongbao coin, they agreed that if the characters faced up, they would discuss the divorce, but if the star and moon pattern landed on top, they would talk about when he recognized her. The coin landed with the star and moon pattern facing up, and they agreed to discuss the past first.

On the morning of the assassination, Mo Xiuyao and his allies analyzed the pre-dawn route from Chongren Lane to the imperial city. Although a road ambush seemed logical, Lu Changfu’s carriage was heavily reinforced with elm wood and steel, and guarded by experts. A failed attempt would only make him more cautious. Mo Xiuyao decided to strike inside the palace instead during the guard shift change.

At that point, officials were required to disarm and walk on foot from Daming Palace's Longwei Path to Danque Gate, leaving Lu Changfu without his personal guards. Feng Zhiyao and his men set up an ambush atop a nearby tall building. However, before they could even shoot, Lu Changfu was engulfed in flames and burned alive right in front of the horrified officials.

In the days that followed, several other key right-hand men of Marquis Muyang's faction were systematically murdered, forcing the terrified Marquis to excuse himself from court by claiming illness. During the subsequent court session, Gongshu Yang, the Prefect of Jingzhao, offered his resignation due to his failure to stop the high-profile murders. The Emperor and the Empress Dowager declined, praising his six years of service and his role in correcting wrongful convictions.

Murong Shen then suggested appointing Gongshu Yang as the new Military Governor of Huaixi, pointing out his past success in defeating water bandits and managing grain shipments. The Empress Dowager agreed, promoting Gongshu Yang and ordering him to depart in three days. With the Jingzhao Prefect post now vacant, Murong Shen recommended Mo Xiuyao, arguing that a man with military experience was needed to deter the rampant bandits. This sparked a fierce debate.

Zhang Hengyuan, an ally of Marquis Muyang, vehemently objected, calling Mo Xiuyao a crippled criminal unfit for such a crucial post. Just as the factions reached a deadlock, Duke Hua stepped forward to endorse Mo Xiuyao. Backed by Duke Hua's massive influence over the military, the opposition was silenced, and the Empress Dowager accepted the appointment. Meanwhile, Ye Li left the mansion early to pay respects to her deceased senior brothers who had been murdered by Lu Changfu.

Accompanied by Li Feibai, she burned incense at their graves, deciding not to pursue who was behind the deaths of Lu Zhi and the others as long as they did not stand in her way. During their meal, Li Feibai revealed he had resigned as the head of security for the Ye Mansion, complaining about the terrible living conditions there. He informed her that his new residence was the flashy Xiangqi Tower.

Though Ye Li warned him that Master Guan would be furious, Li Feibai brushed it off. He reassured her that she should worry about her husband Mo Xiuyao instead, though Ye Li confidently replied that they were getting along beautifully and that Senior Brother He had divined a harmonious marriage for them. Later, Feng Zhiyao visited Prince Ding's Mansion to borrow a horse for a polo match. Rejecting the tamer horse Jingfan, he insisted on riding the wilder Lieyun.

A servant warned him of Lieyun's dangerous nature, but Feng Zhiyao boasted of his skills and mounted the beast. Predictably, the horse went wild, throwing him off and charging directly toward Ye Li, who had just arrived to watch the commotion. Mo Xiuyao quickly blew a whistle, causing Lieyun to leap cleanly over Ye Li without harming her.

To make amends for the scare, Feng Zhiyao presented Ye Li with a highly effective Ice Toad Ointment to treat her minor scratch. He also advised her to take Mo Xiuyao out into the lively world more often to soften his cold and difficult temperament, joking that the Prince was a cuttlefish spirit with a stomach full of black ink.

Elsewhere, Empress Dowager Guo Jin and the Consort Dowager Qin Zheng listened to a performance of "Sigh over a Hundred Years," which Qin Zheng identified as originating from Lishan. This triggered memories of the past and Xu Wanzhou, Ye Li's mother. Guo Jin acknowledged that they had no choice back then and noted that Wanzhou’s character was well-suited for Lishan.

Learning that the newlywed Princess Consort had been living peacefully, and that the eldest lady of the mansion, who lived in deep seclusion, had even refused to see Ye Li on her first day, Guo Jin decided she wanted to meet her. Ye Li turned her attention to the family businesses, discovering that several stewards had been embezzling funds and cooking the books. When they attempted to resign collectively while blaming the poor economy, Ye Li easily outmaneuvered them.

She presented Steward Yang with a recommendation letter from Master Zhu to Vice Minister Zhou of the Ministry of Rites, subtly reminding him that associating with the politically delicate Lishan could ruin his son's future. She then thanked Steward Wang for secretly sending provisions to Lishan, reminding him that the teachers could testify to his generosity. Terrified of being accused of treason, the stewards quickly retracted their resignations, promising to balance the ledgers properly.

With the steward position at Shende Xuan now vacant, Ye Li offered the job to her impoverished senior brother, Wei Zhuang. Soon after, an imperial decree arrived, summoning Prince Ding and his wife, alongside Prince Li and his consort, to the palace the following day. That evening, Mo Xiuyao visited Ye Li to gauge her reaction, noting how calm she seemed despite the sudden summons from the Empress Dowager after Lishan's long isolation.

Ye Li calmly explained that her family had always held the Empress Dowager in high regard and that she had nothing to fear. The next morning, however, Ye Li overslept after a restless night, keeping Mo Xiuyao waiting. Feeling guilty, she personally assisted him by pushing his wheelchair into the carriage. At the palace, when Guo Jin asked about Lishan, Ye Li painted a picture of peace and diligence, choosing to remain silent about the academy's actual state of decay.

Ye Li continues her conversation in the palace, praising the noble deeds of Empress Dowager Guo Jin. She details the monumental waterway reform of the fifth year of the Xide Era, which spared tens of thousands of trackers from conscription and slashed taxes by forty percent.

She also highlights the establishment of civil examinations in the third year of the Xide Era to offer underprivileged scholars a chance to serve at court, along with the autumn tax reforms that allowed payment in cash, a move celebrated in poetry by Master Gu. Ye Li credits the current peace and prosperity of the nation entirely to the Empress Dowager's benevolent governance.

Guo Jin listens quietly before noting that while Ye Li's grandfather, Xu Qingyun, was a humble and reticent man who only spoke up on matters of state, Ye Li is remarkably eloquent. Ye Li quickly humbles herself, explaining that her grandfather is a pillar of the state whereas she is merely a simple woman seeking a peaceful life.

She reassures the Empress Dowager that her words are not flattery, but a heartfelt expression of gratitude for the tranquil era they live in. Satisfied with her sincerity, Guo Jin accepts her explanation. During the gathering, a palace attendant suggests that Prince Li, Mo Jingli, perform a new musical piece he recently composed. Mo Jingli politely declines, stating that the composition is still incomplete and might displease the Empress Dowager.

Instead, he offers to play an old melody, "Qingmei Yin" (Green Plum Prelude), to liven up the gathering. As Mo Jingli plays the melody, he is swept away by memories of his childhood at Lishan Academy. He recalls the stern teachings of Master Yu, who reprimanded him because his tremolo did not sound clear and crisp, comparing his playing to a toad jumping into a pond. During those days, a young Ye Li had hidden nearby, listening to his practice.

Lost in these nostalgic thoughts, Mo Jingli accidentally cuts his finger on the guqin string. His wife, Ye Ying, rushes to his side in deep concern. Guo Jin comments that forcing a transition to a plaintive key only made it a sorrowful tune. With the performance cut short, Guo Jin dismisses the gathering. As the guests depart, Ye Ying stops Ye Li to vent her anger.

She taunts Ye Li for her newfound status as Princess Ding and her favor with the Empress Dowager. Ye Ying brings up the past, accusing Lishan Academy of nearly destroying the Ye family through their rebellion, claiming it was only her own father’s desperate pleas in the snow at Anshang Gate and her mother’s household management that saved the family. Ye Li remains entirely unfazed by the tirade.

When Ye Ying accuses her of stealing family assets, Ye Li calmly reasons that if all dowries belong to the husband's household, then Ye Ying's marriage dowry must belong to Prince Li, meaning the entertainers in his mansion are free to spend her money. Left speechless by the retort, Ye Ying accuses Ye Li of insulting her mother.

Ye Li then delivers a final blow, reminding Ye Ying that since Mo Xiuyao and Mo Jingli are close relatives, Ye Ying should show proper respect and address her as Aunt. Seeing Mo Jingli’s carriage leaving without her, Ye Ying is forced to stomp off in frustration. Mo Xiuyao, who observed the confrontation from his wheelchair, playfully asks Ye Li if she enjoyed the spectacle. Ye Li chides him for failing to defend his own wife.

Mo Xiuyao lightheartedly replies that the relationships are far too complex for him to intervene, but Ye Li retorts that his suspicion is simply too deep. Before they can leave, Senior Eunuch Shunxi approaches, claiming that Ye Li left an item at Anqing Palace and must return. This is a ruse to allow the Empress Dowager to speak with Ye Li in private. Alone with Ye Li, Guo Jin asks about the daily lives of the students at Lishan Academy.

Ye Li paints a picture of a tranquil life filled with reading, writing, farming, and hunting, mentioning her grandfather's poem, "Beihuo Yao" (Song of Roasting Tea), which celebrates finding inner peace over courtly ambitions. Guo Jin confesses that she has studied Master Liu's Qingshan calligraphy style for twenty years but has never quite captured its spirit.

She asks Ye Li about the core message of his "Ode to Self-Cultivation", to which Ye Li replies that the path of utmost sincerity leads to wonders. Ye Li expresses her profound gratitude for her imperial marriage, which allowed her to descend the mountain and experience the world.

When Guo Jin asks if her mother, Xu Wanzhou, was pleased with the match, Ye Li quietly reveals that her mother fell gravely ill on her way back to Lishan and passed away before reaching the foot of the mountain. Back at Prince Li's Mansion, Ye Ying tends to Mo Jingli's wounded finger and asks if he is troubled by his composition. Mo Jingli dismisses her worry, asking instead about her childhood with Ye Li.

Ye Ying explains that she grew up primarily with her younger brother, a child prodigy who read Confucius and Mencius at age five. She notes that Ye Li only lived with them until age thirteen and frequently traveled back to Lishan, so they were never close.

At his prompting, Ye Ying recalls a few ordinary childhood memories, such as a hot summer in Hengzhou where she accidentally bumped Ye Li into a lake, and a rainy day where Ye Li dragged her to run in the downpour, which left Ye Ying terribly sick. Hearing these simple tales, Mo Jingli smiles. Meanwhile, Mo Xiuyao notices Ye Li asking the servants for a shovel and a saw.

Suspicious of her late-night movements, he orders his shadow guards to follow her as she slips out to the backyard. Ye Li, accompanied by her maid, enters a dilapidated courtyard belonging to the He family. While her maid keeps watch, Ye Li uses the saw to cut down a ginkgo tree. The loud crash of the falling tree wakes the homeowner, He Jin. Realizing they have been discovered, Ye Li and her maid flee.

Mo Xiuyao, who has followed her in his carriage, pulls her inside to escape the shouting residents. Inside the carriage, Mo Xiuyao questions why the Princess Ding is stealing trees in the middle of the night. Embarrassed, Ye Li denies stealing and explains that she was fulfilling a promise to her senior classmate, He Minghui.

He Minghui, who was obsessed with the Zhouyi, believed the ginkgo tree in front of his family home was blocking his career luck after he failed his civil exams twice. Because his father had forbidden him from cutting it down and even beat him for trying, He Minghui had begged Ye Li to chop it down once she descended the mountain.

Mo Xiuyao is amused by the tale and tells her there will be no next time, though he questions her daily running routine, which she claims is for her health and agility. The next morning, He Jin visits the Ding Mansion. He asks Ye Li if she was the one responsible for cutting down his ginkgo tree. Ye Li admits to the deed and apologizes for her secrecy. He Jin quickly reassures her that he is not there to complain.

He explains that his son has sent no word for eight years, and the sudden fall of the tree made him hope his son had returned. Knowing the mountain is still sealed and only Ye Li has descended, he figured she did it on his son's behalf. Ye Li comforts He Jin by assuring him that He Minghui is doing well, farming and eating plenty of wild fruits, and has even learned to make flatbreads.

He Jin is relieved to hear of his son's diligence, even though he worries that He Minghui remains unmarried at thirty-two. Before departing, He Jin leaves a family letter with Ye Li, which she promises to forward to his son through her regular correspondence with the academy tutors. In the city, a caravan from the Western Regions arrives with a pair of blue peacocks.

Eager to please Mo Jingli, Ye Ying has the caravan and their famous animal trainer brought to Prince Li's Mansion so she can learn how to control the birds. The trainer teaches her a melody called "Lingque Yin" (Spirit Bird Prelude) on a seven-hole xiao, but Ye Ying's attempts are painfully out of tune. Frustrated but stubborn, she refuses to eat and vows to master the art to win her husband's favor.

Later, on her way back from Shende Xuan, Ye Li witnesses a group of children cornering and beating Mo Wuyou, the young lord of the Ding Mansion, on the street. Ye Li steps in to stop the violence and drives the bullies away. Mo Wuyou remains quiet and defensive, refusing to explain the conflict other than mentioning they are his classmates.

Ye Li gently encourages him, telling him that while it is brave to withstand a fight, it takes a different kind of bravery to share his troubles with his family. She advises him not to let troublemakers drag him down. When Ye Li returns to the mansion with mud on her shoes, Mo Xiuyao notices and asks if the path from Shende Xuan was particularly difficult. Ye Li admits that she joined a street fight to protect Mo Wuyou.

She chides Mo Xiuyao for doubting her, pointing out that as the boy's uncle, he has a duty to protect him. She argues that it is wrong for a young lord to wander in and out of the mansion without even a page boy, getting injured with no one noticing. Mo Xiuyao silently reflects on her words and takes them to heart. Meanwhile, the household is filled with joy upon learning that Mo Xiuyao has been appointed to a post in the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Ye Li is surprised when she hears that Mo Xiuyao has accepted the role of Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture despite his leg ailment and years of inactivity. He explains he is doing this because of her advice to not live merely as a show for others. Later, Ye Li notices Mo Wuyou acting suspiciously. He reveals his mother, Wen Ran, has been scammed by a fraudulent "Immortal Master Wang" (whose real name is Zhao Desheng, a former thug).

Consumed by grief over her late husband, Wen Ran has been drinking deep well water, eating raw food, bathing in black dog's blood, and writing scriptures in blood, believing she can see her deceased husband after forty-nine days. Recognizing the danger, Ye Li has Wuyou report this to the authorities.

Zhao Desheng is arrested, and Ye Li exposes the truth to Wen Ran: her own maid, Ms. Zhou, had accepted bribes from Zhao Desheng to sell Wen Ran's secrets and split her donations. Ms. Zhou is caught attempting to flee, and Ye Li leaves her punishment to Wen Ran. On his first day of office at the Jingzhao Prefecture, Mo Xiuyao is insolently stopped by a gatekeeper demanding his credentials.

Unbothered, Mo Xiuyao shows his imperial decree and coolly commands the official to carry his wheelchair as his new daily duty. In the court hall, Deputy Prefect Zheng Zuoshi reports that the treasury is empty, leading to unpopular temporary levies that threaten to cause a merchant strike. Mo Xiuyao sternly orders Zheng Zuoshi to resolve the issue or face charges of misgovernment and dereliction of duty.

Soon after, Military Secretary Wang Suwu confronts Mo Xiuyao with intense hostility, mentioning the twenty-seven wronged souls of his family and the deceased citizens of Xiaoshui County. Mo Xiuyao remains remarkably composed, simply stating that he has received the grim regards. Upon returning to the mansion, Mo Xiuyao learns that Ye Li took Mo Wuyou to his academy to confront his bullying classmates, forcing them to apologize in front of their parents.

Later, during dinner, Mo Xiuyao shows genuine care for Wuyou, offering to transfer him to the Chongwen Institute or assign him guards. Observing Mo Xiuyao struggle to eat due to painful mouth sores, Ye Li applies a self-made, non-bitter medicine to his sores. She then proposes to treat his injured legs, mentioning she studied bone-healing on Lishan Mountain under the renowned physician Master Helai, and notes that her senior, Wei Zhuang, has experienced great pain relief under her care.

Though Mo Xiuyao hesitates and tells her to eat first, Ye Li remains patient. The next day, Ye Li's uncle, Ye Wenshen, seeks shelter at Prince Ding's Mansion after being chased by a knife-wielding husband who falsely suspects him of an affair. Mo Xiuyao agrees to let him stay. However, as they prepare to leave, a street performer's monkey escapes and severely startles Ye Li. That night, Ye Li is woken by a terrible nightmare and rushes outside.

She is soon cornered in the courtyard by several vicious monkeys. Though a search of the mansion by Mo Xiuyao and his guards yields no trace of the monkeys, Ye Li remains deeply terrified due to a childhood trauma from being bitten by monkeys on Lishan Mountain. Mo Xiuyao stays by her side to comfort her until she safely falls asleep and orders the mansion secured.

A few days later, Qingshuang informs Ye Li that she won't have to worry about being startled again; Mo Xiuyao personally compensated all the monkey trainers in the capital out of his own pocket to ensure they would peacefully take their shows elsewhere.

The next day, Mo Xiuyao visited Ye Li to apply Yuji Ointment to the scars on her arms, which she had received from monkey scratches on Lishan Mountain. He explained that this rare tribute from the Western Regions, made with precious ingredients like angelica, peach kernel, and pearl powder, was highly effective at fading scars. Thankful for his gesture and for resolving the city's monkey issue, Ye Li requested another jar for her maid, Qingshuang.

Later, when Mo Xiuyao asked his subordinate Ah Jin about Qingshuang, Ah Jin admitted he had never heard of a maid by that name in the princess's courtyard but promised to look into it. Meanwhile, Dowager Consort Qin, who lived as a practitioner under the name Devotee Yunji, sent an invitation to Ye Li and Wen Ran for the Red Sleeve Gathering at Changsheng Fang.

Realizing the Consort used these social events to recruit alliances for Empress Dowager Guo Jin, Ye Li attended, knowing Prince Ding’s Mansion had been excluded for years until her arrival. At the gathering, after Lin Tinglan performed the heartbreaking tune "Duan Chang Diao" on the zither, she questioned Ye Li on why Lishan Academy did not admit female students.

Ye Li easily cleared up the misunderstanding, explaining that the famous author Fuyao the Hermit was actually a woman, and that Lishan indeed had female scholars and teachers; it was only societal preferences that led to more male students. Dowager Consort Qin then tried to corner Ye Li regarding rumors that Lishan had closed down to avoid the Empress Dowager's potential ascension.

Ye Li tactfully defuted the trap by praising the harmonious rule of the young Emperor and the Empress Dowager, asserting that anyone spreading such divisive rumors deserved execution. During the feast, Ye Ying tried to boast about her luxury while eating a Sihe Pastry, but Ye Li easily embarrassed her by pointing out black sesame seeds stuck in her teeth. Afterward, a clumsy maid accidentally soiled Ye Li's dress and led her away to clean up.

Sensing something amiss, Ye Ying followed. Ye Li was taken to a desolate area, only to find Mo Jingli waiting for her. He desperately claimed their broken engagement was forced by Guo Jin’s suspicion and proposed running away together. Ye Li rejected him with utter disgust, calling him a cowardly hypocrite. Outside, Ye Ying overheard their conversation. Inside, Mo Jingli refused to accept Ye Li's coldness, claiming she must have killed Lu Changfu out of love to aid him politically.

Ye Li firmly corrected him, stating she killed Lu Changfu solely to avenge the seven Lishan scholars he had murdered. As she walked away, Mo Jingli threatened to drown himself in a nearby pond despite not knowing how to swim. Disgusted, Ye Li compared his fragile ego to a cicada's thin, noisy membrane and walked away. Witnessing Mo Jingli's pathetic obsession with her sister, Ye Ying was left heartbroken and consumed by jealousy.

Determined to rebuild his strength, Mo Xiuyao met with the newly released Gu Zheng, inviting him to join the Jingzhao Prefecture. Gu Zheng agreed on the condition that the denunciation he had written eight years ago be engraved on Marquis Muyang's tombstone. Mo Xiuyao readily agreed to the deal.

Meanwhile, Mo Jingli's advisor urged him to maintain his public reputation as a reckless, degenerate fool to avoid the Empress Dowager's suspicion, as any signs of him settling down after marriage would make him a threat. The advisor organized upcoming social events for him, including a polo match where he was to pick a fight with Yuan Changkong.

Frustrated by the constraints of his survival, Mo Jingli agreed to retreat to the Yinshan Mountain Villa for a few days to clear his head. At Prince Ding's Mansion, Ye Li's maids happily showed her that the Shiying flowers had finally bloomed. Soon after, Ye Li's third uncle, Ye Wenshen, moved into the mansion with an overwhelming amount of belongings from Changsheng Fang, including a statue of the Goddess Miaotian.

Complaining about her room's simple decor, he insisted on staying for a month or two. Meanwhile, consumed by hatred, Ye Ying sought to eliminate Ye Li. After being rejected by ordinary guards who refused to commit murder, she met with the assassin Han Mingxi at a busy restaurant. Seated back-to-back, she hired him to capture Ye Li alive so she could personally execute her, offering double the price for a live capture.

Dowager Consort Qin visited Empress Dowager Guo Jin to inform her that Mo Xiuyao had requested Gu Zheng’s reinstatement. Guo Jin recalled how Gu Zheng had tried to impeach Marquis Muyang eight years ago over the deaths of Lishan scholars and had insulted her at the palace gates, though he was spared execution due to ominous weather signs. Guo Jin lamented the young Emperor's lack of foresight and resolved to guide him.

Late that night, Ye Wenhua followed the eerie sound of a zither to Xu Wanzhou's ruined courtyard and fainted from terror upon seeing her memorial tablet. The same night, Mo Xiuyao woke up from severe pain in his legs and spotted Ye Li hurriedly returning to her room from outside. The next morning, Ye Wenhua woke up and recounted his terrifying experience to his wife, Lady Wang.

Later, Ye Li asked Mo Xiuyao if he would join them for dinner since she had invited her senior brother over, and she once again offered to treat his legs, pointing out that his nerves still had sensation. However, Mo Xiuyao coldly questioned how she could possibly help him.

Waking up in a cold sweat, Ye Wenhua was still shaken by the eerie experience from the previous night. When his wife asked why he had wandered into Xu Wanzhou's long-abandoned courtyard, he insisted that he had heard the faint strain of a guqin and had seen Wanzhou's memorial tablet.

His wife dismissed his claims as mere hallucinations, pointing out that Xu Wanzhou was perfectly fine when she departed the capital eight years ago, meaning there could not possibly be a memorial tablet. She reassured him that the servants had simply found him passed out in a completely empty, neglected yard, and quickly ordered the servants to bring some calming tea and hot water to soothe his nerves.

At Prince Ding's Mansion, Mo Xiuyao was preparing to head to his office at the Jingzhao Prefecture. Noticing his wrinkled robes, Ye Li stepped in to help. Though they were pressed for time, she employed a clever trick she learned from Southern embroiderers, using a spoon filled with hot water to iron his clothes. She assured him that the method was safe and worked far better than a traditional charcoal iron.

As she finished, she asked if he would return to the mansion for dinner, explaining that she had invited her senior, Wei Zhuang, to join them. Though Mo Xiuyao warned her that his workload was heavy, he reluctantly promised to do his best to make it back. At the Jingzhao Prefecture, the atmosphere was thick with tension.

Deputy Prefect Zheng Zuoshi and Revenue Clerk Li Yufeng grumbled about their newly appointed Prefect, Mo Xiuyao, who had brazenly brought Gu Zheng—a man newly released from prison—to work alongside them. Zheng Zuoshi sourly noted that the new prefect's reforms were likely just beginning. Unbothered by the whispers, Gu Zheng introduced himself as the new scribe and immediately threw himself into sorting through mountains of neglected files.

Mo Xiuyao's assistant praised Gu Zheng's unparalleled efficiency, noting that the new scribe was easily outperforming five men combined, making him the go-to person for all actual work in the office. During lunch at the official kitchen, the prefecture staff quietly dined on Milk-Brewed Fish and Sweet Dew Soup, whispering anxiously about whether Mo Xiuyao intended to purge the corrupt administration. Mo Xiuyao joined them to ease their tension, urging everyone to carry on with their duties.

When a judicial clerk offered him a taste of grilled lamb prepared by his new wife, the warmth of the gesture reminded Mo Xiuyao of Ye Li's earnest invitation. Making up his mind, he instructed his assistant, A Jin, to inform Ye Li that he would indeed return home for dinner. Back at the mansion, Han Mingxi was clumsily practicing his Eight-Desolation Fist, claiming the martial art could strengthen the body and allow one to scale walls.

Young Mo Wuyou was highly skeptical, teasingly pointing out that the servants said Han Mingxi had only run to their home because he was terrified of losing fights. Their playful bickering was interrupted when Ye Li arrived with a massive paper centipede kite she had crafted. Nearby, Wei Zhuang was meticulously constructing kite frames, and Ye Li offered him advice on using fire to properly heat and bend the warped bamboo hoops so the kites would fly straight.

Wei Zhuang admitted he was helping Wuyou with his schoolwork, having learned the craft from Ji Niang years ago. That evening, Mo Xiuyao's return brought immense joy to the household. The family gathered for a lively dinner to celebrate the blooming of Ye Li's Shiying plant, which she took as an auspicious sign.

During the feast, Uncle Ye Wenshen enthusiastically flattered Han Mingxi—who was disguised as Lady Wen—praising her elegance, while Han Mingxi politely returned the compliment, praising Ye Wenshen's reputation as the master of Changsheng Fang. Ye Wenshen then spun a grand, metaphorical tale about cause and effect, comparing life to incense ashes, until Ye Li playfully threatened to send her uncle back to Changsheng Fang to chat with the general if he did not focus on his food.

The conversation then shifted to Lishan Mountain, with Wei Zhuang reflecting on how scarce resources were during the winters and expressing deep admiration for how Ye Li had endured those hard years. When Ye Wenshen noticed Wei Zhuang's leg was completely healed and Wei Zhuang credited Ye Li's extraordinary medical skills, Mo Xiuyao was quietly struck by a wave of melancholy, gazing down at his own disabled legs.

Later that night, Ye Li gently offered to treat Mo Xiuyao's legs, pointing out that unlike a truly severed limb, his legs still possessed sensation and reacted instinctively to movement. She explained that she had spent years under Master Helai studying medicine, acupuncture, and herb identification with the sole focus of finding a cure for him. She begged him to trust her and try one more time. However, Mo Xiuyao remained deeply bitter.

Citing Lishan Academy's book, "Healing the World and Curing the Mind", he questioned why she believed her skills could surpass those of the most renowned imperial physicians. He coldly warned her that excessive kindness rarely yielded good results in their cruel world, telling her she was free to leave if she did not wish to remain married to a cripple. Mo Xiuyao was unaware of the profound promise that drove Ye Li's persistence.

Years earlier, a young Ye Li had bravely sneaked onto the execution ground to offer a final cup of wine to Mo Xiuwen on behalf of her mother, Xu Wanzhou. Knowing his death was imminent, Mo Xiuwen's final thoughts were of his younger brother, who had broken both legs at Suixue Pass. He begged the young girl to have Lishan Academy save his brother, a sacred vow that Ye Li had solemnly sworn to uphold.

Meanwhile, resentment brewed outside the mansion. Desperate to rid herself of her rival, Ye Ying sought out a local gang leader. Offering a reward of gold and silver, she commissioned them to abduct Ye Li, demanding that they keep her alive and unharmed until she gave the signal to strike. At the same time, Mo Xiuyao was taking decisive action at the prefecture.

He summoned the corrupt Li Yufeng and confronted him with damning ledgers detailing his crimes, including seizing land from commoners and falsifying public accounts. Despite Li Yufeng's desperate arguments that his immediate dismissal violated the protocols of the "Chu Code with Commentary", Mo Xiuyao declared that his word was law at the prefecture. He had the corrupt official dragged away, using the moment to issue a stern warning to the remaining staff that laziness and corruption would not be tolerated.

Elsewhere, Han Mingxi found himself cornered by Red Fox, an assassin sent by Han Mingyue to drag him back. Han Mingxi easily bested the assassin in combat, mockingly reciting their old training instructor's advice that an assassin who hesitates to draw his blade is destined to fail.

Han Mingxi made it clear that he had no intention of returning, stating he would eventually repay everything Han Mingyue had spent on him, but firmly declared that he was no longer his brother. Wanting to spend time with her husband, Ye Li visited the Jingzhao Prefecture to ask Mo Xiuyao to accompany her to the Zhengyi Temple to offer incense.

She was greeted by Personnel Clerk Wei Chengli, who eagerly tried to curry favor by offering her Lushan Yunwu tea and bragging about a rare painting titled "Moonlit Night Insect Chirping". When Mo Xiuyao stepped out, Ye Li explained that with their sister-in-law away visiting a sick relative, she had no companion for the trip. Although Mo Xiuyao warned her that his work would keep him busy until very late, she happily resolved to wait for him.

Unfortunately, Mo Xiuyao became so absorbed in sorting through piles of documents that he lost all track of time. By the time he finished, Ye Li had already gone back to the mansion. Mo Xiuyao bought some honey cakes as a peace offering, only to find her room empty. His sister-in-law, who had returned, informed him that Ye Li had actually set off for Zhengyi Temple three or four days ago and had not returned yet.

Deeply worried, Mo Xiuyao rushed to the Zhengyi Temple with Feng Zhiyao. There, they encountered a heated debate between the scholar Yunsongzi and another master regarding the expression of the Divine Maiden in a massive mural. While they argued over whether the deity should look sorrowful or joyful, Ye Li scaled the high scaffolding and painted a master stroke.

Her addition left the Divine Maiden looking both compassionate and solemn, appearing to smile yet not, drawing gasps of admiration from the crowd. When Mo Xiuyao gently chided her for staying away from home for so long, Ye Li explained that she had sent a letter and was well looked after by Wei Zhuang. She revealed her true goal: to obtain a rare painting by Yunsongzi to sell at Sinde Pavilion for a high price.

Since the artist had promised to finish it by morning, she asked Mo Xiuyao to stay the night. Feng Zhiyao playfully teased them, revealing how Mo Xiuyao had tossed and turned in worry all night and would have rushed over sooner if the city gates hadn't been locked. Since the temple was crowded with visiting scholars, only one small room was available for the couple.

Ye Li pointed out that as husband and wife, there was no need to sleep in separate quarters. Behind a folding screen, she prepared for bed, while Mo Xiuyao respectfully looked away. Seeing his belt was loose, Ye Li stepped forward to help him fasten it. She mentioned that she had washed her hair with fresh orchids that morning and offered to gather some for his bath, but he quietly declined, urging her to rest.

As Ye Li drifted off to sleep, she whispered a silent message to her late mother, expressing her relief that she had found a wonderful husband. Meanwhile, Mo Xiuyao sat up a little longer, quietly reading "Travels Across the Four Seas" by the dim light.

During their stay at Zhengyi Temple, Ye Li found herself unable to sleep. Seeking a distraction, she began reading "Travels Across the Four Seas", focusing on a volume about the Dragon Bone Desert. She softly shared a story with Mo Xiuyao about Master Wuchen crossing Dragon Claw Bay and encountering a Western Divine Maiden who wore a skull necklace and kept a red-eyed sand fox that could sniff out the dead.

The conversation drifted as the haunting calls of a night owl echoed through the quiet mountain. Ye Li asked Mo Xiuyao if the sound frightened him, admitting that as a child, she had found the wails terrifying, though she now found them rather amusing. Mo Xiuyao gently urged her to lie down so they could continue talking. Feeling her cold hands, he asked if she was freezing. Ye Li explained that the mountain chill always found its way through clothing.

She recalled her days on Lishan Mountain when she would shiver through the night, only finding warmth when her maid, Qingshuang, held her close after warming up by the fire. Smiling, Ye Li noted that Mo Xiuyao was also incredibly warm. Pitying her difficult past, Mo Xiuyao waited until she fell asleep before tenderly kissing her forehead. The following morning, Mo Xiuyao awoke to find the bed beside him empty.

He went outside and found Ye Li burning paper at her mother's grave. Her mother, Xu Wanzhou, had divorced Ye Li's father and fell gravely ill on her way back to Lishan. Fortunately, the Abbot of Zhengyi Temple had taken them in to recover, though she ultimately succumbed to her illness. With Mo Xiuyao's support, Ye Li stood before the grave and held up her Double-Fish Jade Pendant.

She softly spoke to her mother, sharing that she had found a wonderful husband in Prince Ding, who treated her with immense kindness, and that she was now happy and content. Mo Xiuyao knelt beside her to pay his respects as her son-in-law. When he asked how she managed to return to Lishan Mountain after her mother's death, Ye Li revealed that Qingshuang had accompanied her.

Soldiers at the base of the mountain had stripped them of all their valuables and hairpins, sparing only the Double-Fish Jade Pendant before allowing them to pass. She warmly told Mo Xiuyao that meeting him was her greatest fortune. With the mural of the "Divine Maiden Downcast Gaze" finally complete, the travelers who had gathered at the temple prepared to go their separate ways. To mark the occasion, they held a farewell gathering known as the Shang Yu Feast.

As Yunsongzi performed a melancholy song, Wei Zhuang explained the significance of the feast to Ye Li. She noted how the notes of parting and sorrow perfectly mirrored Yunsongzi's own unfulfilled ambitions. Wei Zhuang revealed that despite Yunsongzi's mastery of poetry and painting, his career was ruined when he was implicated in a crisis at Lishan Academy shortly after becoming the Chief Secretary of Chuzhou.

Ironically, Yunsongzi had only stayed at the academy for half a month, fleeing because he hated the bland vegetarian meals and the ban on wine. However, because he had written verses praising Lishan Mountain, he was branded an academy man and dismissed. During the feast, Yunsongzi jokingly invited Ye Li to sing. She declined but offered a lively drum performance instead. In gratitude for her help with the mural, Yunsongzi gifted her his calligraphy before they said their final goodbyes.

On their journey back from the temple, Mo Xiuyao playfully teased Ye Li about her antics at the feast, recalling how she had danced, sang, and even broken several pipa strings while trying to learn from Yunsongzi. When she tried to claim her flask only contained health-boosting Qibao Tea, Feng Zhiyao jokingly advised her to quiet Mo Xiuyao's sharp tongue with a breathless kiss next time.

Their lighthearted banter was cut short when a band of armed pursuers blocked the mountain road. Feng Zhiyao initially tried to offer them gold to resolve the matter peacefully, but the attackers made it clear they were targeting the carriage. Realizing the threat, Feng Zhiyao and A Jin stayed behind to hold off the attackers while Ye Li took the reins to drive Mo Xiuyao to safety.

However, the carriage struck a rock and overturned, forcing Ye Li to drag Mo Xiuyao into the thick brush. Realizing the bandits would soon discover them, Ye Li made a desperate move to draw them away on her own. As she fled, Li Feibai suddenly intervened to fight off her pursuers. Yet before Ye Li could escape, Han Mingxi cornered her, demanding to know if she was Prince Ding's wife. During their struggle, Ye Li fell over the cliff edge.

Han Mingxi recovered her dropped Double-Fish Jade Pendant and recognized her as the woman who had once saved his life during a severe fever. Determined to rescue his savior, he descended the cliff. Meanwhile, Feng Zhiyao and A Jin reunited with Mo Xiuyao. Desperate, Mo Xiuyao urged them to find Ye Li. Refusing to return to the capital immediately, Mo Xiuyao decided to wait at the nearby Zhengyi Temple.

He handed his token to Feng Zhiyao, ordering him to swiftly mobilize men from the Jingzhao Prefecture, while A Jin went back to search the cliff area. A Jin returned to Zhengyi Temple with Ye Li's shoe, her torn clothing, and a portrait of her carried by the assailants, confirming she was their specific target. He also reported finding a dead white-striped snake.

Mo Xiuyao was deeply concerned about the venom, but A Jin shared a puzzling clue: a master swordsperson had sliced the venomous snake with a tree branch, suggesting someone had rescued her. Meanwhile, Feng Zhiyao successfully mobilized men and sent word that he had located the bandits' hideout. Ye Li eventually woke up inside Songyue Mountain Villa, only to find herself temporarily blind.

A physician examined her and explained that her vision loss was a temporary effect of venom from the white-striped snake that bit her during her fall. He assured her she would fully recover within a few days once her meridians cleared. The maid Youlan provided her with water and promised to pass a request to the steward so Ye Li could thank the villa lord in person.

Restless and unable to see, Ye Li navigated the villa courtyard with a walking stick. She encountered a silent man and assumed he was a mute servant. Unbeknownst to her, the man was Mo Jingli, who had rescued her but remained silent to hide his identity, fearing her rejection.

Ye Li asked him to help send a message to her family to let them know she was safe, explicitly revealing that her husband was Prince Ding, Mo Xiuyao, and promising a rich reward. Overwhelmed by jealousy and unable to speak, Mo Jingli walked away in silence. Han Mingxi was captured and subjected to brutal interrogation by Mo Jingli's men. Though accused of throwing Ye Li off the cliff, Han Mingxi insisted he was trying to save her.

When Han Mingxi was tortured into unconsciousness, Mo Jingli discovered a mark on him revealing his affiliation with Tianyi Pavilion. Mo Jingli's subordinate reported that the prisoner was Han Mingxi, the younger brother of Han Mingyue. Following the East Palace fire years ago, the Han family had been purged by Marquis Muyang, leaving only the two brothers alive. Han Mingxi had recently quarreled with his brother and fled to the capital. While Mo Jingli wondered why Han Mingxi wanted to kill Ye Li, Mo Xiuyao returned to the capital and led his men to raid the bandits' hidden den.

Mo Xiuyao cornered the leader of the Red Scorpion Gang, demanding to know who hired them to target his wife. Trembling under the Prince's cold gaze, the gang leader quickly confessed that a wealthy client had paid them a handsome sum to capture Ye Li. He explained that they were on the verge of seizing her when a highly skilled swordsman intervened, striking like lightning.

The gang, recognizing they were outmatched, chose to retreat rather than force Ye Li off the cliff. He admitted he did not know the client's identity and only had a location. Mo Xiuyao then coldly asked his final question to find out who the mastermind was. Meanwhile, at Songyue Mountain Villa, Ye Li rested in her room, noting a rich scent of jasmine in the air.

Her maid explained that the villa lord ordered seasonal flowers every quarter to craft scent beads, describing him as a remarkably young, newly-married talent who was highly celebrated in the capital. Intrigued by this description, which contrasted sharply with the elderly gentleman she had imagined, Ye Li took action. When an old flower gardener from the eastern outskirts arrived with a fresh delivery of double-petal, two-toned jasmines, she summoned him.

Offering him a generous reward of one hundred guan, she quietly tasked him with delivering a secret message to the capital on her behalf. In the capital, Ye Ying was consumed by anxiety. Seeing a heavy deployment of Jingzhao Prefecture guards marching out of the city, she realized that the situation had escalated far beyond her expectations. Fearing the consequences, she ordered her carriage to take her to Songyue Mountain Villa to find Mo Jingli.

Along the way, the carriage jolted to a sudden halt as the driver spotted a severely wounded, blood-covered man blocking the road. Pretending not to know him to her servants, Ye Ying recognized the man as Han Mingxi, the assassin she had hired. Struck by a sudden wave of pity, she decided to bring him along to seek medical attention.

While a physician worked to treat Han Mingxi's blocked Qihai point and reversed Sanjiao meridian, Ye Li finally pieced together the identity of her mysterious host at Songyue Mountain Villa. The maid's earlier descriptions of the villa lord's age, martial arts, and recent marriage made it clear that her savior was Mo Jingli. Once her vision fully recovered from the venom, Ye Li immediately summoned him to her room.

Mo Jingli arrived fussing over her health, explaining that he had only concealed his identity because he feared she would refuse to rest if she knew he was the one caring for her. He spoke passionately of watching her outside Zhengyi Temple and following her to the cliff, but Ye Li remained cold, demanding to leave and insisting they have no further association.

When Mo Jingli desperately tried to justify their bond, Ye Li reminded him of his marriage to Ye Ying. Mo Jingli dismissed the marriage as something forced upon him and, in a fit of dramatic desperation, handed her a blade, urging her to kill him. In the struggle, Ye Li ended up stabbing him. When Mo Jingli later awoke to find she was still there, he self-indulgently assumed she must still care for him. Ye Li quickly shattered his delusions.

She bitterly recounted the deaths of Senior Guan—who had once taught her to press the Hegu point for pain relief and later died under a rain of arrows—Senior Chen, whose eight-year-old child had never seen his face, and twelve-year-old Junior Zhou, who had admired him. All of them had perished protecting Mo Jingli during his return to the capital in the fourteenth year of Jinghe.

Declaring that she would never forgive him, Ye Li ordered him to clear his guards so she could depart. Just as the confrontation peaked, Mo Xiuyao arrived at the villa at the head of the Jingzhao Prefecture guards. The prefecture guards quickly overwhelmed Mo Jingli's men, declaring that anyone who resisted would be arrested for obstructing official duties.

Mo Xiuyao took the injured Ye Li into his custody, leaving a frustrated Mo Jingli to watch helplessly as she was carried away. Back in the capital, Ye Ying watched as Han Mingxi finally woke up. When she urgently questioned him about Ye Li's fate, Han Mingxi revealed that Ye Li had survived the fall and had been rescued.

He openly mocked Ye Ying's contradictory behavior, noting how strange it was for her to hire an assassin only to look so relieved that the target was still alive. Dismissing his remarks, Ye Ying told him the contract was finished and left him to tend to his own safety. That evening, Ye Li sent a carrier pigeon to Li Feibai, warning him that a second group of assassins had been lurking in the forest during the ambush.

Acting swiftly on this information, Li Feibai tracked Han Mingxi to his inn the following morning. Despite Han Mingxi's attempts to resist, the injured assassin was easily overpowered and knocked unconscious by Li Feibai. At dawn, Mo Xiuyao went to check on Ye Li, only to discover she was gone. The maid, Tao'er, informed him that Ye Li had left early for Shende Shop alongside Qingyu.

Along the way, Qingyu voiced her concerns about Ye Li exerting herself before fully recovering from the snake venom, but Ye Li remained quiet, guiding her to a ruined house on the outskirts. Inside, Li Feibai was waiting with the bound Han Mingxi. Han Mingxi immediately recognized Ye Li as the woman who had previously saved his life on an ox cart.

Expressing deep remorse for his actions, Han Mingxi confessed that his employer was a foolish woman who had never truly intended for Ye Li to die, and that he had simply botched the job. Ye Li easily deduced that the mastermind was Ye Ying. Heartbroken by Mo Jingli's dissolute behavior, Ye Ying returned to Prince Li's Mansion, only to find the guards blocking her path under the pretense that Mo Jingli was conducting urgent business.

Refusing to be ignored, she barged into his quarters, where she found Mo Jingli drinking expensive Western Region wine and carousing with dancers. When Ye Ying demanded to know why he subjected his lawful wife to such public humiliation, Mo Jingli responded with cruel indifference, shouting at everyone, including her, to get out. Ye Li later met with Li Feibai to discuss her rescue.

To keep her deeper personal secrets safe, she fabricated a story, claiming that Master Zhu had magically appeared at the bottom of the cliff and used a tree branch as a sword to slay the venomous white-jointed snakes before she fainted. Li Feibai believed her account, entirely unaware that she actually suffered from split personality disorder.

Ye Li then requested his help with a delicate task regarding her grandmother's upcoming birthday feast, which led Li Feibai to pay a quiet visit to Ye Wenhua's current wife, Wang Shi. Wang Shi was meeting secretly with her former lover, a down-on-his-luck scholar named A'yuan, when Li Feibai broke in, politely requesting her assistance with a favor. As night fell, Ye Li and Qingyu finally returned to Prince Ding's Mansion.

Anticipating Mo Xiuyao's anger, Ye Li instructed Qingyu to claim they had only been at Shende Shop reviewing the accounts. However, Mo Xiuyao was furious and immediately saw through the lie, revealing that he had sent search parties to Shende Shop twice that day and found no trace of them. Deeply hurt by her reckless behavior so soon after her rescue, Mo Xiuyao turned to leave in his wheelchair.

Ye Li quickly jammed the wheels of his wheelchair to stop him, forcing him to listen to her explanation. She began to recount her shared history with Mo Jingli, explaining how they had grown up together on Lishan Mountain and how their engagement had first been decreed by the late emperor. Finally, she addressed Mo Xiuyao's long-delayed leg injury, explaining that it would require breaking and resetting his bones. When Mo Xiuyao expressed his absolute trust in her, Ye Li softly promised that she would cure him.

Ye Li explains to Mo Xiuyao the complicated truth behind her past with Mo Jingli to clear any misunderstandings. She reveals that during his childhood, Mo Jingli was sent to Lishan Academy to recover from an illness. When a sudden and suspicious fire broke out at the Eastern Palace, Master Zhu and twenty Lishan disciples escorted the young prince down the mountain. However, before they could reach the capital, the late emperor passed away.

Rumors quickly spread that the Lishan disciples intended to kidnap the prince and install him as the new emperor, though Mo Xiuyao notes that a mere handful of people could never successfully crown a monarch. Ye Li continues, explaining that because the Eastern Palace fire was so suspicious, her senior brothers knew Mo Jingli would face extreme danger upon returning to the capital. With the prince's consent, they decided to escort him to Duke Hua's military camp for temporary safety.

However, Marquis Muyang (Zhou Jing) intercepted them along the way, distorting the facts to falsely accuse the Lishan disciples of abducting the royal grandson and plotting a rebellion. Although many court officials, led by Duke Hua, voiced their doubts and forced Marquis Muyang to hold the disciples in Dali Temple rather than convicting them immediately, Mo Jingli ultimately betrayed his saviors.

Under the intense coercion of Marquis Muyang, the fourteen-year-old prince pointed the finger at the very brothers who had protected him, resulting in the tragic deaths of all of Ye Li's senior brothers. While she understands his youthful fear, Ye Li emphasizes that she can never forgive him. She shares this past to assure Mo Xiuyao that she has no affection for Mo Jingli and would never have married him even if he had not broken off their engagement.

Moved by Ye Li's deep honesty, Mo Xiuyao is deeply touched. Seizing the moment of connection, Ye Li gently proposes treating his long-standing leg injury once more. She reminds him of their first meeting in the vast desert, recalling his immense bravery and strength, and expresses how painful it is to see him confined to a wheelchair now, helpless against malicious enemies.

Although Mo Xiuyao remains deeply pessimistic about his chances of recovery, Ye Li's earnest pleas, combined with her sweet insistence, eventually break down his defenses, forcing him to relent and allow her to try. Meanwhile, a heartbroken Ye Ying seeks solace in alcohol, drowning her sorrows before wandering out into a torrential downpour. Desperate to protect her mistress, her maid rushes to find Mo Jingli, who eventually arrives at her side.

In her heavily drunken state, Ye Ying tearfully confronts her husband, calling him heartless and lamenting how cherished she once was by her family, only to be completely neglected after marriage. She bitterly demands to know why he married her if he held no affection for her, leaving Mo Jingli to quietly reflect on his own tortured existence. Mo Jingli's thoughts drift back to his childhood and his deep-seated regrets.

He recalls Ye Li's lingering hatred and how she swore she would have killed him on their wedding day had he not broken off their engagement. He remembers how isolated he felt at Lishan Academy, where others treated him with distant politeness due to his royal blood, while Ye Li was the only warm, radiant light in his life. The two had been inseparable, sharing their studies, music, and games until their grandfather decreed their betrothal.

However, their peaceful world shattered when the late emperor died and the Eastern Palace burned, leaving Mo Jingli imprisoned in Jingsi Palace for years while Guo Jin consolidated her power and placed Mo Yanqi on the throne. Upon his release, Mo Jingli survived by playing the part of a harmless, submissive puppet to project the Empress Dowager's benevolence.

Though his trusted advisor urged him to sever ties with Ye Li and Lishan Academy to protect both his ambitions and Ye Li's life, Mo Jingli was devastated when Guo Jin unexpectedly betrothed his beloved Ye Li to Mo Xiuyao.

Determined to seize control of his destiny and avenge his family, Mo Jingli embarked on a ruthless path, orchestrating the murder of the loyal official Yuan Fang—who had been investigating Marquis Muyang's corrupt weapon trafficking in Huaixi—to sow discord between Guo Jin and the Marquis. Unaware of these political machinations, Ye Li dedicates herself entirely to planning Mo Xiuyao's recovery.

She carefully devises a treatment plan using specialized long needles to target critical acupoints like Chengshan, Weizhong, and Shenshu to clear the deep-seated stagnant blood and restore vital energy to his atrophied legs. When she brings the medicinal paste to Mo Xiuyao's study—where he has been reviewing cases brought home from the Jingzhao Prefecture—she explains that because his injury has been neglected for eight years, the most critical and agonizing step will involve breaking and resetting his leg bones.

Despite the terrifying prospect of such pain, Mo Xiuyao's absolute trust in Ye Li shines through, and he bravely agrees to the procedure. At the imperial court, Marquis Muyang is outraged by the Jingzhao Prefecture's lazy investigation into the recent murders of high-ranking officials, which they casually blamed on fleeing bandits. He takes his grievances directly to the Empress Dowager, only to find himself cornered.

Suspicious of his involvement in Yuan Fang's death in Huaixi, Guo Jin questions how bandits could have easily abducted her trusted advisor from a stronghold controlled by the Zhou family. Insulted and panicked, Marquis Muyang loses his temper, loudly declaring that he was the one who cleared her path to power, only to be cast aside like a useless tool.

His insolence earns him a sharp slap from Dowager Consort Qin (Qin Zheng), and the Empress Dowager punishes his outburst by forcing him to adopt a strict vegetarian diet to calm his temper. Seeking assistance for the upcoming procedure, Ye Li visits Xiangqi Pavilion under the guise of meeting Yusheng, the lover of Li Feibai.

At first, Yusheng feels a touch of jealousy, questioning how Ye Li knows Feibai, but Feibai quickly returns and introduces Ye Li as Princess Ding, his junior sister. Once they are left alone, Ye Li asks Feibai if he has located their missing tutor, Master Zhu. Feibai admits that his search of the city's taverns and inns has yielded nothing, though he promises to keep looking.

Ye Li then enlists Feibai's help, asking him to disguise himself as the renowned physician Yunqi to perform the painful bone-breaking procedure on Mo Xiuyao. In private, Dowager Consort Qin (Qin Zheng) visits Marquis Muyang to offer counsel. She explains that her physical reprimand in front of the Empress Dowager was a necessary measure to save his life.

She warns him that their survival hinges entirely on maintaining Guo Jin's favor and advises him to stop fighting with the memory of the loyal Yuan Fang. Instead, she urges him to find the real culprit behind the murder to clear his name and secure his position. Soon after, Feibai arrives at Prince Ding's mansion in his disguise as Master Yunqi.

He explains the precise nature of the Tai Su Palm technique, which breaks the bone cleanly without injuring surrounding tissues, but warns of the excruciating pain involved. Despite the tension and the fading strength of the anesthetic, they proceed with the agonizing operation. Standing outside the room, Ye Li listens to Mo Xiuyao's muffled cries of pain, her heart breaking for him.

Later that night, as Mo Xiuyao struggles with severe post-surgical pain, Ye Li rushes to his bedside, gently placing a Wuhui pain relief pill under his tongue to soothe his suffering.

Ye Li stays by Mo Xiuyao’s side, diligently massaging his legs late into the night. It is already the second watch, and a cold rain begins to fall outside. Feeling the chill, she lets out a sneeze. Observing her discomfort, Mo Xiuyao warmly invites her to join him on the bed to keep warm. Startled by the sudden offer, she initially hesitates and runs off, but soon returns holding her pillow.

Settling beside him, she finds the shared warmth deeply comforting. As they talk, Ye Li notes that those close to her call her A Li, while her formal address for him feels distant. Mo Xiuyao shares that his parents and siblings used to call him A Yao, and he grants her permission to call him by this nickname as well.

Lying there, she softly murmurs his name and confides her list of hopes now that she has returned from Lishan Mountain: to enjoy delicious food, reclaim her late mother's shops, find her senior disciples, and above all, help him stand again and live happily. The peaceful night is followed by a summons from the palace. The Empress Dowager calls Mo Xiuyao for an audience.

After offering her concerns for Princess Ding's recent injuries and acknowledging her efforts to treat Mo Xiuyao's crippled legs, she shifts to the true purpose of her summons: the assassination of Yuan Fang. Refusing to believe that a prominent court official was killed merely by roving bandits, she notes the growing whispers implicating Marquis Muyang.

Mo Xiuyao carefully navigates her questions, comparing court politics to a game of chess played in a dense fog where the ultimate players always orchestrate their own gains. Satisfied with his discretion, the Empress Dowager charges Mo Xiuyao with the task of conducting a thorough investigation, declaring that no matter who is implicated, she will not tolerate any cover-ups. Meanwhile, Ye Wending has been suffering from terrifying nightmares, feeling as though he is haunted by the specter of his past.

Shaken by a fortune teller's cryptic words, he makes an unannounced visit to Prince Ding's Mansion to see Ye Li. Out of nowhere, he nervously asks after the well-being of Xu Wanzhou. Ye Li's expression turns solemn as she reminds him that her mother, Xu Wanzhou, has been dead for eight years. The revelation leaves Ye Wending speechless and deeply unsettled.

That night, his nightmares intensify, and he is tormented by hallucinations of his deceased wife demanding the return of the late emperor's decree. Over at the residence of Marquis Muyang, Zhou Jing praises his guard, Qin Cang, who has just returned from a three-month mission to Cangbei. As they discuss the rising political instability in Cangbei and the high demand for weapon shipments, Zhou Jing laments that everyone suspects him of murdering Yuan Fang.

He notes that while Zhang Hengyuan is reliable for court administration, certain covert matters still require Qin Cang's specialized skills. This favoritism stirs jealousy in Zhou Jing's son, the Young Lord Zhou Tianyang. Arriving with a fresh catch of black carp from the reed marshes, Zhou Tianyang mockingly offers a fish to Qin Cang. When Qin Cang politely declines, claiming he does not care for fish, Zhou Tianyang's temper flares.

Sensing the brewing tension, Zhang Hengyuan quickly steps in to accept the fish, defusing the confrontation. Back at the mansion, Ye Li joins Mo Xiuyao and his family for a game of chess. Her exceptional skills easily best her opponents, prompting Mo Xiuyao to sit across from her. As they play, Mo Xiuyao's keen eyes notice her precise wrist movements.

Grabbing her hand, he points out the thick calluses on her thumb and index finger, noting that they are characteristic of a seasoned sword practitioner. Ye Li quickly deflects, attributing the calluses to the grueling manual labor she performed during her eight years of isolation on Lishan Mountain, such as chopping wood, harvesting tea, and farming. Though her explanation sounds plausible, Mo Xiuyao's curiosity is piqued.

The truth behind Ye Li’s secrets soon comes to light when Feng Zhiyao arrives with his findings. He reveals to Mo Xiuyao that Ye Li had actually staged her own kidnapping by hiring Zheng Qin of the Red Scorpion Gang. Zheng Qin, who once operated under Lu Changfu, was the very man responsible for the tragic fire that claimed the Seven Scholars of Lishan.

Feng Zhiyao suggests that Ye Li orchestrated the abduction to trick Mo Xiuyao into using his power to eliminate Zheng Qin. Stunned by the deception, Mo Xiuyao is consumed by suspicion, unable to accept that his wife has used him as a pawn. Despite Feng Zhiyao’s attempts to defend her by highlighting her genuine dedication to healing his legs, Mo Xiuyao demands a deeper investigation. Mo Xiuyao immediately confronts Ye Li in the darkened room.

When he questions her about the staged kidnapping, Ye Li admits to the scheme, explaining that she only resorted to such desperate measures to force him to accept her leg treatments. However, Mo Xiuyao is too hurt by the betrayal to find comfort in her intentions. He bitterly recounts the tragic fate of his brother, Mo Xiuwen, who had once trusted the wrong person and surrendered his imperial edict to prove his loyalty.

Without the physical document to clear his name, Mo Xiuwen was falsely accused of entering the capital without authorization and executed for treason. Mo Xiuyao emphasizes that such devastating consequences are the price of gullibility, leaving Ye Li deeply saddened. On the day of the Ye family matriarch’s birthday celebration, Mo Xiuyao refuses to accompany his wife, choosing instead to head to his office despite his injuries.

Ye Li travels to the Ye Mansion alone with her third uncle, Ye Wenshen. Noting the tension between the couple, Ye Wenshen gently advises her to pay closer attention to the delicate art of marriage, drawing from his own observations of noble households. As she listens, Ye Li gazes out of the carriage window, spots a familiar carriage, and immediately chases after it, which instantly triggers a painful memory.

Years ago, Mo Xiuwen had placed his complete trust in Xu Wanzhou, handing over the crucial posthumous edict for safekeeping. However, Ye Wending ruthlessly snatched the decree away despite Xu Wanzhou's desperate pleas. This theft directly led to Mo Xiuwen's wrongful execution, cementing the heavy debt Ye Li has always felt she owed to Prince Ding's Mansion.

On the day of the grandmother's birthday, the Ye Mansion was bustling with festive energy. Guests arrived from all over, bearing exquisite gifts such as a golden-thread nanmu longevity cane from the Wang family and peach cakes with a 100-blessings pattern from Zuixian Tower. Wang Shi was busy greeting the attendees, introducing Ye Li to several relatives who had recently returned from Lanyi.

When Ye Li paid her respects to the grandmother, the elderly woman's fading mind mistook her for her late mother, Xu Wanzhou. Ye Li's smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly masked her sadness. Despite the crowded halls, the head of the household, Ye Wenhua, was nowhere to be seen. Worried about his absence, Wang Shi dispatched the butler, Fu Bo, to fetch him.

In his private room, Ye Wenhua was in a state of exhaustion, having spent several sleepless nights folding paper ingots in anticipation of a Daoist master's arrival. Fu Bo eventually persuaded him to make an appearance, reminding him that both of his daughters, who were now princess consorts, had returned for the banquet, and that his presence was required before the clan elders.

Although Prince Ding, Mo Xiuyao, was absent due to his demanding new role as Jingzhao Prefect, Prince Li, Mo Jingli, made a grand entrance. He took to the stage and played a rendition of the "Green Plum Prelude." While the guests whispered that he had come solely for his wife, Ye Ying, his gaze remained fixed entirely on Ye Li. The celebratory mood was soon shattered when an uninvited guest, General Wang, barged in.

Trembling with rage, he publicly accused Ye Wenshen of seducing his wife and disrupting his household. When Ye Wenshen denied the accusation, General Wang drew his blade and lunged at him. Before any blood could be spilled, Mo Xiuyao’s subordinate, A Jin, arrived with guards and swiftly subdued the attacker.

A Jin then presented Prince Ding’s birthday gift to the grandmother: a precious pillow carved from Zhongnan Mountain's cold jade and treated with healing herbs according to the legendary "Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold." The guests gasped at the luxury and thoughtfulness of the gift. To resolve the domestic dispute quietly, A Jin politely requested Ye Wenshen to accompany them to the prefectural office. Amidst the chaos, a highly intoxicated Mo Jingli was escorted away to rest.

As the feast concluded, Ye Li prepared to depart for the night. However, her uncle, Ye Wending, and Wang Shi insisted she stay, noting that the hour was late and her sister was also lodging at the mansion. Yielding to their requests, Ye Li agreed to stay. As she walked through the estate, young Ye Rong joined her, holding a toad he had caught at the banquet.

Although he failed to scare Ye Li, he declared he would use it to scare Ye Ying instead. When Ye Rong referred to Mo Xiuyao as a cripple, Ye Li’s face darkened, and she sternly warned him that she would stuff the toad down his throat if he ever used that word again. Left alone, Ye Li wandered into the quiet, overgrown courtyard that once belonged to her mother. The familiar surroundings unleashed a flood of painful memories.

Years ago, Wanzhou had held the posthumous edict tight, pleading with Wenhua that surrendering it would lead to General Mo Xiuwen's death. Unmoved by her pleas, Ye Wending and Wenhua had forced their way in to seize the document. Wanzhou’s loyal maid, Yanlu, was violently shoved, striking her head against a cabinet and falling unconscious. Following the incident, Wanzhou fell terribly ill and was locked away, neglected.

On her deathbed, she had begged a young Ye Li to go to the execution ground to apologize to Mo Xiuwen and offer whatever help they could—a debt she owed to the Prince Ding's Mansion. Ye Li's reflections were interrupted by a noise nearby. Entering a quiet room, she found Mo Jingli drunk and on the verge of self-harm. She quickly intervened to stop him. Half-unconscious and believing he was dreaming, Mo Jingli stared at her.

Noticing numerous scars on his arm, Ye Li asked what he had endured at Lishan Academy, to which he evasively replied they were from monkey bites. Believing it was a dream, Mo Jingli bared his soul, confessing how deeply he missed her, recalling the melody of "Green Plum Prelude" and the sweet mulberry wine they once shared. Conflicted by guilt and unfinished ambitions, he expressed his self-loathing.

Ye Li listened in absolute silence, her heart hardened by the lives of her Lishan companions. After binding his wound, she left him alone in his dream. Meanwhile, at the Jingzhao Prefecture, Feng Zhiyao presented a crucial lead to Mo Xiuyao. They deduced that the assassin who killed Yuan Fang had not fled the capital but had instead hidden inside the city.

A suspicious group of herb merchants from Cangbei, who had entered the city the morning after the murder, caught their attention. Furthermore, they learned that one of the assassins had rare, jade-green eyes. Their scouts had located this individual, known as the Red Fox, at a Hu wine tavern in Penglai Alley. Mo Xiuyao immediately ordered Wang Suwu to mobilize the prefecture guards to capture the group.

However, a spy among the guards caught wind of the operation and secretly sent word to Mo Jingli. At the Ye Mansion, Mo Jingli woke from his drunken stupor. Upon receiving the secret message about the Red Fox being compromised, he hurriedly left. Ye Ying, consumed by jealousy, orchestrated a trap to confront Ye Li. She sent a messenger claiming that the second master wished to meet Ye Li.

Sensing the deception, Ye Li redirected the meeting, instructing the servant to have Ye Ying meet her at Yanru Pond instead. When they met, Ye Ying bitterly accused her sister of lacking shame and pestering her husband. Ye Li remained unfazed, instead confronting Ye Ying with her knowledge of the attempted assassination. She reminded her sister that under the Chu Code, hiring assassins to murder a princess consort fell under the Ten Abominations, a crime unforgivable even by imperial amnesty.

Ye Li warned her to control her own husband rather than lashing out in madness. When a hysterical Ye Ying lunged at her, Ye Li stepped aside. Ye Ying lost her footing and tumbled into Yanru Pond, where she was horrified to discover a human skeleton resting beneath the dark water. At Penglai Alley, the prefecture guards sealed all exits and closed in on the Red Fox and his accomplices.

A fierce battle erupted, but just as the guards were about to secure a victory, a mysterious masked figure in black intervened, enabling the Red Fox and themselves to escape. Arriving at the chaotic scene, Mo Xiuyao ordered an immediate lockdown of the Chongren, Shengye, and Yongxing wards. He commanded the city guards to search the canals thoroughly, insisting that the fugitives be found, dead or alive.

Back at the Ye Mansion, a sleep-deprived and terrified Ye Wenhua was tormented by nightmares once again. In his delusion, he saw the specter of his deceased wife, Xu Wanzhou, who questioned him about the whereabouts of the imperial edict used to deploy the Black Cloud Cavalry. Overwhelmed by fear and guilt, Wenhua muttered frantically about purging his house to settle their past sins.

The skeleton was finally pulled from the bottom of Yanru Pond. Terrified, Ye Ying shrieked that a ghost had grabbed her foot with immense strength, but Ye Wending harshly silenced her, dismissing her terror as being tangled in weeds. He then turned his suspicion on the sisters, demanding to know why they were wandering around the pond so late instead of resting in their rooms.

Ye Li quickly claimed she had invited Ye Ying to help her organize a ladies' banquet to promote Shengde Pavilion. When Ye Wending questioned their sudden close bond, Ye Li pointed out that as blood sisters who both married into royal mansions, they shared honor and disgrace, and supporting each other was far better than becoming a laughingstock to outsiders.

Meanwhile, the family elders noticed that the bones had been submerged for years and were intentionally weighed down with stones to prevent them from floating up. When one elder suggested reporting the murder to Jingzhao Prefecture, Ye Wending refused, fearing it would unearth old family scandals. He ordered everyone to stay inside and keep quiet. However, some elders feared the resentful spirit would haunt them at midnight.

Ye Li stepped forward, declaring that the spirit would do no such thing, as the skeleton belonged to Yanlu, the personal maid of her late mother, Xu Wanzhou. Ye Li confronted Ye Wending, reminding him of how he had broken into her mother's courtyard, stolen her belongings, and severely injured Yanlu. Though his men had claimed they were taking Yanlu to treat her wounds, she was actually murdered and discarded in the pond.

When Ye Wending blustered that bones could not prove identity, Ye Li pointed to the distinct silver bracelet on the wrist, a gift from her mother that she remembered from her childhood. She accused them of killing Yanlu and driving her sick mother out to die on the road to Lishan Mountain. Ye Wenhua, plagued by guilt, did not dare to look at Ye Li or the skeleton.

Ye Wending defended their actions, claiming that Xu Wanzhou had brought ruin upon the family by colluding with the traitor Mo Xiuwen. He argued that casting her out was a necessary sacrifice to save the lives of their entire clan. Ye Li exposed their hypocrisy, noting how they abandoned her dying mother the moment Lishan Academy was sealed. When a sudden guqin melody drifted from Xu Wanzhou's abandoned courtyard, terror gripped the family.

Wenhua's wife, Lady Wang, dragged him to investigate, only to find her own maid playing the instrument in a trance. When Lady Wang grabbed the guqin, she suddenly became possessed by Xu Wanzhou's spirit, demanding her belongings and terrifying Wenhua. A Daoist master arrived and quickly restored order, performing an exorcism with the paper golden lotuses Wenhua had folded. After Lady Wang fainted, the master urged Wenhua to write down his true feelings to appease the lingering spirit.

Heartbroken and terrified, Wenhua penned his confession, which the master secretly slipped into his sleeve before burning a blank paper. Having orchestrated the entire ruse, Ye Li later retrieved the written confession, only to find it was a blank page. Refusing to give up, Ye Li confronted Wenhua in his courtyard.

Driven mad by fear, Wenhua fled to Xu Wanzhou's old courtyard, where Ye Li finally forced him to confess that he had stolen the posthumous edict—meant to mobilize the Heiyun Cavalry—and delivered it to Dowager Consort Qin. Before Ye Li could leave, Madam Ye appeared, revealing that her senile behavior had been a ruse to deceive her.

Cursing Xu Wanzhou and Ye Li as jinxes, Madam Ye boasted that she had personally smothered the sick Xu Wanzhou to death at Zhengyi Temple. As Madam Ye prepared to kill Ye Li, a bolt of lightning struck a tree, causing a heavy branch to fall and crush the old woman. Finding Madam Ye pinned and helpless, Ye Li picked up a knife and advanced on her.

Meanwhile, Mo Xiuyao led Jingzhao Prefecture guards into the Ye Mansion and managed to call out to Ye Li, stopping her from committing murder. Days later, Ye Li resumed her daily routine, running laps to build her stamina. Back at the Ye Mansion, Wenshen comforted the dying Madam Ye, promising to take her to the beautiful Immortal Dwelling.

When Mo Xiuyao informed Ye Li that Madam Ye had passed away, Ye Li calmly prepared incense, paper money, and nine eternal lamps to pay her respects. At the funeral, Ye Wending furiously accused Ye Li of killing her grandmother, threatening her with the family's punishment rod. However, Wenshen urged them to let his mother rest in peace, and Ye Li's sister-in-law, Wen Ran, stepped forward to defend her.

Pointing out that Ye Wending had no evidence of murder, Wen Ran challenged him to take the case to Jingzhao Prefecture, forcing him to back down. Later, Ye Li accompanied Mo Xiuyao as he took his first steps since she successfully treated his disabled legs. Deeply moved to be standing on his own feet once again, Mo Xiuyao thanked her warmly.

Ye Li paid her respects to the deceased Madam Ye, praying for her grandmother to rest in peace before heading out of the Ye Mansion. As she prepared to board her carriage, Wang Xiaoniang stopped her. Sending her sister-in-law ahead, Ye Li spoke with Wang Xiaoniang in private. Wang Xiaoniang wanted to know why Ye Li had chosen not to expose her.

Ye Li explained that it was a fair exchange: Wang Xiaoniang had helped her scare her father, Ye Wenhua, by posing as a ghost, so keeping her secrets made them even. Although Wang Xiaoniang had tried to seize her dowry and her late mother Xu Wanzhou's shops, Ye Li had already reclaimed them and publicly humiliated Wang Xiaoniang in the process.

Ye Li added that her mother's tragic fate was not Wang Xiaoniang's fault, as the cowardly and heartless Ye Wenhua would have mistreated any woman he married. Before departing, Ye Li advised Wang Xiaoniang to focus on being a good mother to Ye Rong and to show more care for Ye Ying. Later that night, Mo Xiuyao found Ye Li eating sugar in the dark because she was hungry.

He decided to cook a simple bowl of noodles (botuo) for her himself, advising her to have their servant, A-Ding, prepare hot food for her in the future instead of relying on sugar. Ye Li admitted her deep love for sugar stemmed from her years on Lishan Mountain, where sugar was unavailable and even honey could not satisfy her craving.

Mo Xiuyao, still deeply concerned about Ye Li's state of mind after her emotional breakdown at the Ye Mansion, gently asked how she had been doing. Ye Li reassured him that she was perfectly fine. Mo Xiuyao then surprised her by presenting a cherished item that Qingyu had brought back from the Ye Mansion, which he had commissioned a craftsman to repair. Deeply touched by his thoughtfulness, Ye Li wept that night.

The following morning, Mo Xiuyao prepared to head to the Jingzhao Prefecture for his duties. Noting that it was still early before his shift started at the Mao hour, Ye Li offered to push his wheelchair so they could take a peaceful walk together. Mo Xiuyao humorously referred to himself as a cripple, but gladly accepted her company. As they strolled, Ye Li decided to come clean about her past.

She recounted how her mother, Xu Wanzhou, married Ye Wenhua at the age of nineteen and brought immense fortune to the once-poor Ye family. However, once Lishan Mountain closed its gates, the Ye family turned on her mother, subjecting her to relentless abuse. Ye Li confessed that she previously lied about her mother dying of illness at Zhengyi Temple; the truth was that her grandmother murdered her mother while Ye Li was out seeking a physician.

Ye Li explained that her entire return to the Ye Mansion was a calculated quest for vengeance and to recover a stolen imperial decree. To accomplish this, she had hired a fake celestial master to perform rituals and used Wang Xiaoniang to terrify her guilt-ridden father. Now that she had finally uncovered some leads, she felt a sense of closure. Upon arriving at the government office, Ye Li declined a carriage ride back and decided to walk alone.

Her true destination was Xiangqi Pavilion, where she met with Li Feibai. He revealed that the imperial decree was currently held by Dowager Consort Qin Zheng, rather than Marquis Muyang as they had initially suspected. Knowing that Qin Zheng was a meticulous and ruthless woman, Ye Li reasoned that if the Dowager Consort had her own hidden motives, she would certainly keep a tight grip on such a critical document.

Meanwhile, at the Jingzhao Prefecture, Mo Xiuyao received a report accusing Ye Wending and a servant named Sun Fu of murdering a maidservant named Yanlu eight years ago. Mo Xiuyao instructed Zheng Zuoshi to arrest Sun Fu, extract a confession regarding the burial site, and return Yanlu's remains to her grieving family. Once the officers left, Mo Xiuyao turned his attention to the failed raid at Penglai Alley.

Convinced that a mole within their own ranks must have leaked information to rescue Red Fox, he secretly charged Gu Zheng with investigating every guard involved in the operation. Mo Xiuyao noted that because the guards were mostly newcomers without deep roots, the traitor was likely bribed, prompting him to order a thorough check on their recent finances and expenditures. Elsewhere, Ye Ying confronted Mo Jingli regarding the night of the Penglai Alley lock-down.

She mentioned that she saw him leaving the Ye Mansion that evening. However, Mo Jingli flatly denied it, claiming he was completely drunk and asleep the entire night. Recognizing his deception, Ye Ying chose not to push the matter any further. Under Ye Li's dedicated medical care, Mo Xiuyao underwent a breakthrough during his treatment. Encouraged by her positive assessment, he attempted to stand up and cautiously took a few steps forward.

Though he eventually lost his balance and fell back down, the immense progress filled him with overwhelming joy and gratitude. Realizing he could truly walk again, an ecstatic Mo Xiuyao ordered his staff to distribute pastries and cash rewards to all the servants in the residence. While presenting him with a newly adjusted regimen of tonic soup and reduced acupuncture sessions, Ye Li listened to Mo Xiuyao express his deep remorse.

He apologized for his past suspicion, his outbursts, and his failure to accompany her to the Ye Mansion as promised. Ye Li playfully chided him, asking why he even agreed to let her treat him if he had so little faith in her skills. Mo Xiuyao smiled and admitted that her stubborn determination left him with no other choice, as he had no idea what reckless stunts she might pull if he refused.

On his day off, Mo Xiuyao informed Ye Li that Yanlu's remains had been returned to her family, and that the culprits would face severe legal consequences. Eager to treat her, he offered to buy her anything she desired. He brought her to the prominent Jinbaozhai, but Ye Li immediately balked at the entrance. She explained that Jinbaozhai and its sister branches, including Shubaozhai, Qibaozhai, Huibaozhai, and Linbaozhai, were direct rivals of her own Shendexuan.

Amused, Mo Xiuyao promised that he would foot the bill, coaxing her to finally step inside. Upon entering, a shop assistant explained their policy: only customers who had spent at least ten thousand coins were permitted to view their premium goods. However, after Mo Xiuyao silently signaled him, the assistant immediately set the rule aside and respectfully guided the couple to a private room to present their finest celadon.

Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao were escorted into a private room at Jinbao Zhai, where the steward was exceptionally eager to present their finest celadon. Ye Li grew suspicious, believing the steward must have recognized her as the owner of the rival Shende Xuan and was attempting to intimidate her with his treasures. When the steward left to fetch more wares, Mo Xiuyao told her to select whatever she liked without worrying about the cost.

Mo Xiuyao then revealed that he was the actual owner of the shop, which had previously been managed by Feng Zhiyao. Ye Li was delighted when he offered to hand the shop and other properties over to her to manage, realizing that Prince Ding's Mansion possessed a substantial hidden fortune. In Huaixi, the imperial investigator Gongshu Yang had been stirring up trouble.

By utilizing anonymous accusations among the local elite, he had caused immense panic, eventually forcing them to offer up Guard Qiu—Marquis Muyang's former confidant—as a scapegoat. Qin Cang reported these developments to Zhou Jing, the Marquis Muyang, noting that Guard Qiu was unlikely to survive long enough to reveal anything useful to the investigator. During their conversation, Qin Cang inquired about his pending appointment as the Adjutant Commander of Zhechong Prefecture.

Zhou Jing dismissed the matter, claiming the position had been given to someone else, and promised to find him a post elsewhere. Later, Zhou Tianyang, the Marquis's legitimate son and heir, mockingly confronted Qin Cang. Zhou Tianyang gloatingly revealed that he was the one who had blocked Qin Cang's military appointment just to ease his burden. Qin Cang, who was also Zhou Jing's son but bore a different surname, was deeply frustrated by his half-brother's petty interference.

Looking to uncover the whereabouts of the critical testamentary edict, Zhou Tianyang and Qin Cang discussed Dowager Consort Qin. They realized she would not easily reveal its location. However, Qin Cang noted that during her time in the palace, she had been extremely close to Zhou Xiankun, an observatory officer from the Bureau of Astronomy. Though Zhou Xiankun was long dead, his disciple, Ye Wenshen, was still alive and might hold the key to finding the edict.

Ye Li returned to Prince Ding's Mansion only to find her uncle, Ye Wenshen, packing his belongings to leave. Steward Cui was helping him move out. Determined to speak with him, Ye Li traced him to Changsheng Fang. There, a servant tried to turn her away, claiming Ye Wenshen was unwell and refused to see any outsiders. Ye Li remained steadfast, stating she had an urgent matter and would wait outside until he opened the door.

Once inside, Ye Wenshen expressed his resentment. He did not blame Ye Li for Ye Wending being stripped of his post over Yanlu's murder case, nor did he blame her for Ye Wenhua's descent into madness, viewing those as their own karma. However, he could not forgive her for the death of his mother, Old Madam Ye.

Ye Li calmly explained the truth of that fateful night: Old Madam Ye had attacked her with a blade, intending to murder her just as she had killed Ye Li's mother, Xu Wanzhou. Ye Li argued that her actions were purely self-defense, and that Old Madam Ye's death under the very tree Xu Wanzhou had planted was a fitting act of fate. Relenting, Ye Wenshen asked her true motive for seeking him out.

Ye Li confessed that she was determined to clear the names of the late Mo Xiuwen, the Heiyun Cavalry, and Prince Ding's Mansion. She felt a profound duty to repay the debt owed by her mother and the Lishan Academy, as the fateful imperial edict had been stolen from Xu Wanzhou's hands. Ye Li asked what kind of person Dowager Consort Qin was, hoping to find a way to make her surrender the edict.

Ye Wenshen recounted how his master, Zhou Xiankun, first met Dowager Consort Qin when he escorted her from Nanyi as a marriage envoy. During a terrible three-year drought in Nanyi, Zhou Xiankun painted a magnificent dragon that seemingly brought down the rain, earning Dowager Consort Qin's lifelong devotion. Years later, when Zhou Xiankun was falsely implicated in the Eastern Palace fire case and sentenced to death, Dowager Consort Qin tried desperately to save him but failed.

Ye Wenshen explained that getting the edict from her would be incredibly difficult, but Ye Li remained composed, believing that the right opportunity would present itself. Meanwhile, Zhou Tianyang continued to torment Qin Cang's guards, forcing them to undergo grueling physical punishments.

Qin Cang arrived to intervene, but Zhou Tianyang merely mocked him before being called away by a servant, who announced that Registrar Tan had returned with a letter and delicacies from his mother in Lingnan, and that Marquis Muyang was waiting for him. Back at Tuisixuan, Mo Xiuyao was practicing walking.

Feng Zhiyao was initially disgruntled about Mo Xiuyao handing over Jinbao Zhai and the estate in the west of the city to Ye Li, complaining that these lucrative assets could support hundreds of private guards. However, his complaints vanished instantly when he witnessed Mo Xiuyao stand up and take a few steps on his own. Overjoyed, Feng Zhiyao wanted to celebrate, but Mo Xiuyao cautioned him to keep his recovery a secret. They turned to business.

Feng Zhiyao reported that Gongshu Yang's investigation in Huaixi was causing chaos, and it was only a matter of time before he uncovered the military weaponry scandal. He reminded Mo Xiuyao that their ultimate goal was not just bringing down Marquis Muyang, but finding the evidence needed to clear the names of Mo Xiuwen, the Heiyun Cavalry, and Prince Ding's Mansion.

To keep his recovery hidden, Mo Xiuyao instructed Ye Li that only a select few servants—including Qingyu, Tao'er, and Xing'er—should be allowed into Tuisixuan. When Ye Li asked why her close maid Qingshuang was excluded, Mo Xiuyao was taken aback. He had already investigated her background and found that Qingshuang did not exist. Ye Li, however, called out to the empty space behind her, leaving Mo Xiuyao deeply unsettled.

Mo Xiuyao reviewed the detailed report of Ye Li's descent from Lishan. The records showed she traveled completely alone, penniless and assisted only by sympathetic mountain guards, before taking a bumpy ox cart to the capital. Recalling her frequent habit of talking and gesturing to an invisible companion, Mo Xiuyao consulted a physician. The doctor explained that such hallucinations were not madness, but rather a psychological coping mechanism.

Having suffered severe trauma and isolating loneliness after leaving her mountain home and finding no warmth in her maternal family, Ye Li had conjured the illusion of her childhood maid for solace. The physician advised that there was no quick cure; instead, she needed constant companionship and care from her family to heal her heart. Determined to support her, Mo Xiuyao received some hot ginseng soup that Ye Li brought for him.

As she wrote a letter to Lishan, Mo Xiuyao sat close to her, trying to keep her company. He gently asked if she still felt lonely living in the mansion. Before she could answer, urgent news arrived: a massive fire had broken out at Prince Li's Mansion during the night, and Prince Li had died in the blaze.

Determined to spend more time with Ye Li to keep her from feeling isolated due to her illness, Mo Xiuyao actively seeks out her company. While she is writing a letter, he eagerly tries to help but ends up making a bit of a mess, prompting Ye Li to laughingly tell him to sit down and drink his soup. When Mo Xiuyao offers to have his aide A Jin mail her letter, she declines, explaining that Qingshuang will handle it.

Learning she plans to visit her mother's former shop, Shende Shop, to review the ledgers, Mo Xiuyao insists on accompanying her. At the shop, Ye Li goes over the records with her senior classmate, Wei Zhuang. Soon, Feng Zhiyao arrives and playfully teases them about Mo Xiuyao’s sudden devotion to "the family business," joking that Mo Xiuyao never once visited his own shops in six years.

Afterward, despite finding the prefecture office boring, Ye Li agrees to accompany Mo Xiuyao to the Jingzhao Prefecture. On the street, a heavy cargo crate falls and crushes a bystander's chest, leaving him suffocating on the ground with purple lips. Lin Tinglan, a passing woman skilled in medicine, pushes through the panicked crowd. She diagnoses the man with pneumothorax and warns that he will die if the trapped air is not released.

Ignoring the protests of conservative onlookers who find it inappropriate for a young woman to expose a man's chest, Lin Tinglan cuts open his robe and punctures his chest with her triangular knife, successfully releasing the trapped air. With the help of a bystander named Qin Cang, she has the man transported to a nearby clinic for further treatment.

At the clinic, Qin Cang notices Lin Tinglan's unusual triangular knife and recognizes it as a style from the southwestern Chishui River Valley. Surprised, Lin Tinglan explains she learned medicine from a local witch doctor there. They quickly realize they both stayed at the Qianxing Inn just outside the valley at different times. Lin Tinglan is thrilled to learn from Qin Cang that the innkeeper's mother safely delivered a healthy baby girl.

When the patient's grateful wife gifts them fresh melons, they share the sweet fruit, which Lin Tinglan cuts with the very knife she claims she once used to slay a pack of wolves. Before parting, Lin Tinglan shares a southwestern custom of a three-day pact for love at first sight, leaving Qin Cang with her address and name, promising they will meet again in three days if he still thinks of her.

Meanwhile, at the Jingzhao Prefecture, Mo Xiuyao reviews official documents while Ye Li studies astronomical texts, preferring scientific treatises like "Notes on the Armillary Sphere" and "Commentary on the Taichu Calendar" over romance novels. When she eventually dozes off, Mo Xiuyao quietly stands beside her, using his hand to block the harsh sunlight from her eyes.

On the carriage ride home, Ye Li finds Mo Xiuyao's extreme attentiveness unusual and asks if he was ever unkind to her in the past. Mo Xiuyao gently asks if she ever feels lonely at the mansion, but she assures him that her busy days at Lishan Academy kept her far too occupied to ever feel lonely. However, Mo Xiuyao notices red bumps forming on her neck.

Back at the mansion, Physician Guan diagnoses her with a food intolerance caused by eating Mumantou earlier that afternoon, advising her to avoid the food, drink plenty of water, and refrain from scratching. That evening, Ye Li playfully splashes her maid Qingyu in the bath. Later, both Qingyu and Mo Xiuyao warn her that scratching the rash will leave permanent scars.

When Ye Li mentions that her imaginary companion, Qingshuang, will sleep with her to keep her company, Mo Xiuyao—anxious to keep her from relying on her hallucinations—decides it is time to end their separate living arrangements. He explains that since his physical limitations are no longer an obstacle and they are husband and wife, they should finally share a room and consummate their marriage. Ye Li is surprised but consents.

During the night, Mo Xiuyao stays awake to gently hold Ye Li's hands whenever she tries to scratch her rash in her sleep. When she wakes, he promises that they will always be each other's family, ensuring she will never have to face the world alone again. Deeply moved, Ye Li asks to hear those words again once she is fully recovered.

At the prefecture office, a tense confrontation unfolds as Gu Zheng detains Qiu Xian, a military squad leader under Wang Suwu's command. Gu Zheng presents undeniable evidence of betrayal: Qiu Xian bought a large mansion in Anye Ward despite his meager salary and went missing for nearly an hour on the night they pursued the Red Fox in Penglai Alley. Furious, Wang Suwu turns on his subordinate, demanding to know who paid him.

Guided by Qiu Xian's confession, Wang Suwu leads a raid on an incense shop in the West Market owned by Chen Bing. Although they corner Chen Bing, the owner pretends to comply with their demands for a contact list only to poison himself and die on the spot. Mo Xiuyao is briefed on the raid.

Gu Zheng's investigation reveals that Chen Bing was actually a former registrar of the Eastern Palace's Catering Bureau who was supposed to have died in exile after the Eastern Palace fire eight years ago, directly linking Yuan Fang's murder to the Eastern Palace. Mo Xiuyao also suspects Deputy Prefect Zheng, who was present at the raid and had ties to the Eastern Palace, yet chose to feign ignorance of Chen Bing's identity.

Mo Xiuyao orders a close watch on Zheng and prepares to head to Prince Li's Mansion. Meanwhile, the news of Chen Bing's suicide quickly reaches Marquis Muyang, Zhou Jing. Realizing Mo Jingli killed Yuan Fang to drive a wedge between him and the Empress Dowager so the young Emperor could seize power, an enraged Zhou Jing orders his guards to march on Prince Li's Mansion. Sensing the danger, Mo Jingli orders his servants to burn incriminating documents.

He instructs Chief Secretary Sui to immediately escort his wife, Ye Ying, back to the Ye Mansion for her safety. Ye Ying stubbornly refuses to leave his side, but she is forcibly dragged away by her maids. Moments later, a devastating fire erupts in Mo Jingli's chambers. Ye Ying watches in horror as the flames engulf the building, screaming for someone to save him before she faints.

Zhou Jing, Mo Xiuyao, and the Jingzhao Prefecture guards arrive at the burning mansion, where Gu Zheng and Wang Suwu quickly seal the exits. When Zhou Jing tries to interfere, Mo Xiuyao firmly reminds him that the Emperor officially assigned the case to the Jingzhao Prefecture. Four badly burned bodies are recovered from the ruins.

The mansion's physician confirms Mo Jingli's identity by matching the corpse to his old injury and a missing left molar that had been extracted earlier that year. When Ye Li is informed of the tragedy, she is in utter disbelief, convinced that a cunning man like Mo Jingli would not die so easily. Meanwhile, at the imperial court, the Empress Dowager and her sister discuss Mo Jingli's apparent self-immolation.

Agreeing that his actions were a betrayal of their past mercy, they resolve to ruthlessly hunt down and eliminate any remaining remnants of the Eastern Palace to secure the stability of the state.

Empress Dowager Guo Jin issues an immediate decree to Zhou Jing, ordering the Imperial Court of Judicial Review to take control of the capital's gates and major roads, executing anyone acting suspiciously. They are to seize all letters, documents, or witnesses linked to Mo Jingli and the Eastern Palace, while the Left and Right Gate Guards are ordered to strictly seal the palace gates. This ruthless purge stems from deep-rooted secrets.

Years ago, the fire that consumed the Eastern Palace was no accident; Zhou Jing had secretly aided Guo Jin's ascent to power. In return, she secured him the position of Chief Minister of the Imperial Court of Judicial Review. Zhou Jing remains convinced that regardless of whether the Empress Dowager approves of his bloody methods, only he can deliver the results she desires.

Overnight, a wave of apprehension sweeps the capital as the Imperial Court of Judicial Review launches widespread arrests and surrounds Prince Li's Mansion. Despite the charred remains found in the ruins, Ye Li refuses to believe Mo Jingli is dead. Having known him for years, she discusses her suspicions with Mo Xiuyao, pointing out that Mo Jingli is a survivor who would never take his own life while a way out remained.

As they speak, she cares for Mo Xiuyao's healing legs with a warm herbal compress, reminding him to avoid strenuous physical exertion. Meanwhile, Zhou Jing and his guards barge into the Jingzhao Prefecture, aggressively demanding the arrest of Wang Suwu. He claims Wang Suwu is implicated due to his fourth uncle's past ties as a purchasing agent for the Eastern Palace and his presence at the Penglai Alley ambush.

Despite Wang Suwu's defense that he was merely executing his official duties as the Military Advisory Commissioner, Zhou Jing uses the imperial decree to drag him away. Furious at the arrest, Mo Xiuyao confronts Deputy Prefect Zheng Zuoshi, knowing Zheng was present during Qiu Xian's interrogation and leaked the information to Zhou Jing.

Mo Xiuyao confronts him with evidence of his deep-seated corruption and warns the terrified official that if any harm comes to Wang Suwu in the dungeons, Zheng's own life will be forfeit. Privately, Mo Xiuyao orders Gu Zheng to have their informants in the Imperial Court of Judicial Review keep a close eye on Wang Suwu, and to search the areas near Prince Li's Mansion for any hidden escape routes.

News soon arrives that Princess Li, Ye Ying, has attempted suicide in her grief but was saved by servants. When Zhou Jing tries to arrest her, Ye Li steps in to protect her sister. She points out that the Empress Dowager's decree only ordered the mansion to be sealed and searched, not the arrest of the princess consort, whose marriage was personally arranged by the Empress Dowager. Lacking concrete evidence, Zhou Jing is forced to leave empty-handed.

Sitting with Ye Ying, Ye Li finds herself unable to hate her despite her family's past misdeeds, realizing how simple-minded the young princess is. Ye Ying laments her short-lived marriage and shares her love for Mo Jingli. Ye Li gently explains that Mo Jingli's royal lineage meant his life was always destined to be consumed by conflict, and he had never spared a thought for her safety when setting the fire.

However, Ye Ying mentions Mo Jingli's strange parting words about meeting again if heaven willed it, confirming Ye Li's suspicion that he survived the blaze. To uncover his escape route, Ye Li has Wei Zhuang retrieve historical maps, including the Capital Underground Waterways Map, the Chronicle of Yongzhou Prefecture, and the Record of Huai River Dredging. She deduces that Mo Jingli likely dug a secret passage connecting Prince Li's Mansion to the underground drainage canals beneath Dehua Ward.

Meanwhile, Zhou Jing intimidates a subordinate looking for a residence, forcing him to drink from a rare South Seas coconut while cryptically comparing it to an official's cap and a flowerpot. Wang Suwu is eventually returned to the Jingzhao Prefecture, heavily tortured but alive, and Mo Xiuyao has him sent home to be treated by Physician Guan. Eager to investigate the canals, Ye Li heads out in sturdy martial arts attire.

She confronts Han Mingxi, who has been following her to repay a debt of two lives. Accepting his help, they scale the walls of Prince Li's Mansion. Inside the ruins, Ye Li utilizes her knowledge of water-powered mechanisms, instructing Han Mingxi to pour water to trigger the stone mechanism and open the hidden passage. They descend into the ancient underground waterways.

Navigating through the branching canals, Ye Li explains that Mo Jingli must have taken the main flood drainage canal leading toward the Yongding River to escape unnoticed. Han Mingxi easily guesses her target and promises to keep her secret as a matter of professional assassin code. However, as they emerge from the tunnels, they are suddenly ambushed by a band of masked men in black. Han Mingxi immediately springs into action, using his martial arts to shield Ye Li from the attackers.

Han Mingxi fought desperately against ten black-clad assassins to protect Ye Li, but the overwhelming numbers proved too much, and he was wounded and fell to the ground. In that moment of extreme danger, Ye Li’s alternate personality, Master Zhu, suddenly emerged. Unleashing a display of extraordinary swordplay, Master Zhu swiftly eliminated the remaining attackers. Later that night, Mo Xiuyao finally left his office to return home.

As his carriage traveled through the quiet streets, his guard Jin caught sight of a figure in male attire who bore a striking resemblance to Ye Li. Mo Xiuyao ordered Jin to follow her, watching as she quickly slipped into a secluded alley. Ye Li was in a rush to bring the injured Han Mingxi to Xiangqi Pavilion for treatment, and she immediately hurried back to Prince Ding’s Mansion to avoid raising Mo Xiuyao's suspicions.

By the time Mo Xiuyao arrived home, she was already safely inside. Though Mo Xiuyao chose not to question her about her late-night outing, the two fell asleep that night sharing the same bed but harboring very different thoughts. The next day at the imperial court, Marquis Muyang, Zhou Jing, filed a formal complaint against Ye Li for obstructing the Imperial Court of Judicial Review's investigation when she stopped him from taking Princess Li into custody.

Fortunately, Empress Dowager Guo Jin was reasonable and refused to punish Ye Li, noting that Princess Li was a newlywed who could not have known much about Prince Li's treasonous schemes, and decreed that she be allowed to recuperate in peace. Mo Xiuyao immediately retaliated by publicly denouncing Zhou Jing for exploiting his duties to conduct mass arrests of innocent officials, pointing out that half of the houses raided belonged to people with whom Zhou Jing held personal grudges.

Despite these accusations of abuse of power, neither the Empress Dowager nor the young Emperor moved to punish Zhou Jing. Instead, the Emperor declared that the case was under the sole jurisdiction of the Imperial Court of Judicial Review and ordered Mo Xiuyao to stay out of the matter. After the court session dismissed, Zhou Jing caught up with Mo Xiuyao near Danque Gate.

Gloating over his political impunity, Zhou Jing arrogantly declared that the Emperor cared only about thoroughly eradicating treason rather than the number of arrests made. He then issued a chilling warning to Mo Xiuyao, telling him not to forget how his brother Mo Xiuwen died, nor the six brutal months Mo Xiuyao himself had spent surviving inside the imperial prison.

Meanwhile, Ye Li discussed the previous night's events with Feibai, noting that she and Han Mingxi would have been in grave danger had Master Zhu not arrived in the nick of time. This convinced her that the mysterious master must still reside somewhere in the capital. Feibai, however, found this highly puzzling, as he had searched every corner of the city without finding a single trace of Master Zhu.

When Ye Li casually remarked that the master always appeared whenever she was in danger, Feibai was struck by a sudden realization. Recalling a previous incident where Ye Li had spoken to empty air as if addressing Qingshuang, Feibai grew deeply suspicious. He went to question Han Mingxi, asking if anyone else had actually been present during the ambush.

Han Mingxi's confirmation that no one else was there sealed Feibai's suspicion, leading him to realize that Ye Li herself was the hidden sword master. In the palace, Lin Tinglan met with the Empress Dowager and Dowager Consort Qin. Their conversation turned to the imminent arrival of Princess Lingyun from Cangbei, who was visiting the capital to select a husband. Dowager Consort Qin proposed that Zhou Jing handle the Princess's reception and welcoming banquets.

Although the Empress Dowager consented to the arrangement, she later confessed her growing concerns to Qin Zheng, noting that Zhou Jing had lost his former composure. However, because Zhou Jing was the one who had set the fire at the Eastern Palace and helped her secure her position as Empress Dowager, Guo Jin knew she had to tolerate him for now, choosing to utilize his talents while remaining highly vigilant of his ambitions.

At Shende Shop, Han Mingxi noticed a hiring sign and decided to stay on as a shop assistant. He delivered a letter to Ye Li from Feibai, which explained that Feibai had to leave the capital for a few days. Despite receiving the letter, Ye Li still demanded that Han Mingxi leave the shop immediately, though he stubbornly refused. Meanwhile, while sharing a drink with Mo Xiuyao, Feng Zhiyao was overjoyed to receive a letter from his old acquaintance, Yun.

He recounted to Mo Xiuyao how he had met Yun two years ago while trading furs in Cangbei, eventually discovering that she was actually a highly skilled woman disguised as a man. He fondly remembered their arduous journey through the desert where their food and water ran out, and how she had bravely fought off bandits trying to steal his furs before they parted ways.

They had kept in touch through letters ever since, and since Yun was coming to the capital to buy goods, Feng Zhiyao eagerly offered to introduce her to Mo Xiuyao. When Mo Xiuyao teased him about whether he had feelings for her, Feng Zhiyao quickly laughed it off and changed the subject.

Despite telling Mo Xiuyao that she was in no mood to go out, Ye Li, accompanied by Wei Zhuang and a reluctant Han Mingxi, pushed a cart loaded with money and valuables through the streets. They were visiting the families of those who had generously aided Lishan Academy's scholars in the past to repay their debts.

Wei Zhuang explained to Han Mingxi that after seven of their fellow scholars had perished in a fire, corrupt officials had demanded an exorbitant sum of one hundred guan per body to return the remains. The academy was only able to recover the bodies thanks to the selfless donations of the local townspeople. Their last stop was the home of Gu Zheng.

Ye Li expressed her profound gratitude to Gu Zheng, who had pawned his home and sold his only winter coat to help the Lishan scholars, resulting in his eight-year imprisonment. Mo Xiuyao, who had been secretly following her from a distance, watched the moving exchange in silence. During the next court assembly, Zhou Jing took the initiative to nominate Mo Xiuyao as the deputy envoy to assist him in overseeing the reception ceremonies for Princess Lingyun.

The Empress Dowager readily approved the proposal. Later that evening, Ye Li was busy preparing a medicinal poultice for Mo Xiuyao's legs, chiding him for walking too much and swelling his meridians. As she tended to him, Mo Xiuyao gently broke the news that Prince Li was to be buried in a simple ceremony in the southwest of the city, with the court officially attributing his death to an accidental fire to avoid a public scandal.

Ye Li showed little reaction to the news. Sensing her underlying loneliness, Mo Xiuyao warmly asked if she would like to adopt a dog or a docile cat to keep her company. Ye Li declined, quietly recalling a bittersweet childhood memory of a pet bird that had flown away, and how her mother had bought a replacement to protect her from the pain of loss.

Ye Li recalls a childhood memory of keeping a beautiful bird that was said to speak human language once it grew up. One day, the bird escaped. Fearful that she would be heartbroken, her mother, Xu Wanzhou, bought an identical bird and claimed the original had returned, but Ye Li immediately knew it was a replacement.

This experience taught her that once something is gone, it is lost forever, making her highly reluctant to keep pets like cats or dogs to avoid the pain of inevitable loss. Feeling deeply sympathetic, Mo Xiuyao promises that he will always remain by her side. As she treats his injured legs with medicine, she strictly forbids him from moving, insisting that the treatment requires him to sit still for six hours.

Under a scorching sun, a group of Dachu officials waits anxiously at Changxing Gate. Lin Tinglan arrives and is surprised to find Mo Xiuyao waiting so early, noting that the Cangbei delegation was only expected to arrive later in the afternoon. The other officials reveal that Marquis Muyang, Zhou Jing, had instructed them to assemble early in the morning.

Mo Xiuyao realizes that Zhou Jing deliberately misled them about the arrival time, leaving him laughing in exasperation at the petty deception. The Cangbei delegation, led by General Lei Tengfeng, finally arrives at Changxing Gate. Having faced each other in the brutal battles of Suixue Pass, where Mo Xiuyao killed Lei Tengfeng's father and Lei Tengfeng crippled Mo Xiuyao's legs, the two men must suppress their mutual hatred to preserve diplomatic relations.

Mo Xiuyao officially welcomes the delegation but quickly points out a protocol violation. Princess Lingyun's carriage is decorated with twelve jade bi discs, a high-ranking imperial specification reserved solely for the Dachu Emperor. To prevent overstepping protocol within Dachu's borders, Mo Xiuyao requests that they either remove the discs or have the princess switch to a prepared Dachu carriage.

Though Lei Tengfeng is furious, the woman posing as the princess inside the carriage instructs him to comply with Dachu's rules, and the jade discs are removed. While the citizens discuss the delegation and express their hopes for lasting peace, Feng Zhiyao has a secret reunion with Princess Lingyun, who has slipped away from her entourage in male disguise. Meeting at the Qingfeng Mingyue Tower, the two catch up over drinks.

Feng Zhiyao presents her with premium Yusuichun wine, which has been aged for ten years under a plum tree, while she shares a strong, fiery brew she acquired on her journey. Feng Zhiyao also shows her the Jinlinzhan flowers she loves, promising to prepare a batch for her when she returns to Cangbei.

She admits she hasn't decided on the length of her stay until her business is finished, and Feng Zhiyao eagerly offers to act as her guide around the capital. The delegation is escorted to the envoy hostel, where Lin Tinglan outlines the security provided by Prince Ding and the Jingzhao Prefecture, while Honglu Temple manages their daily needs. After the Dachu officials leave, Lei Tengfeng is alarmed to realize the princess is missing from the delegation.

Princess Lingyun soon sneaks back in, changes out of her male disguise, and confronts her maid, Su Zuidie, who had posed as the princess in the carriage. Princess Lingyun questions if Su Zuidie's compliance in removing the jade discs was due to lingering feelings for her former betrothed, Mo Xiuyao.

Su Zuidie explains that her father once served as the Eastern Palace's Left Inner Guard, giving her knowledge of carriage etiquette, and she only yielded to keep their deception from being exposed. Su Zuidie maintains that her betrothal to Mo Xiuyao ended when her family was exiled, and Princess Lingyun warns her that reviving such feelings can only bring harm, especially since they now stand on opposite sides of a national divide.

At the welcome banquet, Mo Xiuyao points out some of Dachu's prominent young talents to Ye Li, including Wu Qi of Yunchuan and the master craftsman Zhong Xingtong. Ye Li notes that the banquet feels more like a matchmaking event, and Mo Xiuyao agrees that many young men hope to secure their future by winning the princess's hand.

Ye Li notices Mo Xiuyao's focus on the princess and learns that the woman in the carriage the previous day was actually her attendant. She is amazed by Princess Lingyun's audacity to swap places so boldly. Meanwhile, Marquis Muyang attempts to introduce his son, Zhou Tianyang, to Lin Tinglan, but she politely rebuffs him by reminding him of her local roots.

As the banquet proceeds, Academician Luo Yu, heavily intoxicated, loudly denounces Princess Lingyun as a hypocrite for forcing her father to abdicate. Princess Lingyun defends her actions, comparing her father's abdication to her brother to the noble, ancient traditions of sages. When Luo Yu sneers at a woman ruling a nation and dismisses her brother as a puppet, Princess Lingyun turns the argument on its head.

She highlights the remarkable achievements of Dachu's own prominent women, including Lin Tinglan's writings, Princess Ding's education, and the governance of Empress Dowager Guo, cornering Luo Yu for his apparent contempt for women. The Empress Dowager steps in to diffuse the tension and asks Ye Li for her opinion.

Ye Li brilliantly dismisses Luo Yu's remarks as arrogant nonsense born of ignorance, while humorously suggesting that he only spoke so wildly in a desperate attempt to catch the beautiful princess's attention. Her clever response defuses the conflict and wins the Empress Dowager's praise. During the banquet, Ye Li strikes up a conversation with Zhong Xingtong about astronomy and pomegranates, promising to visit him. Feeling tipsy, Lin Tinglan slips out of the hall and meets Qin Cang.

She attempts to recruit him with a generous financial offer and the promise of a recommendation for a palace post, warning him that Marquis Muyang's overbearing nature will lead to a bad end. However, Qin Cang silently rejects her by leaving her handkerchief behind, making his unwavering loyalty to the Marquis clear. Meanwhile, Clerk Gu Zheng receives an urgent report from Gongshu Yang in Huaixi regarding an assassination plot.

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, he orders a squad of elites to apprehend Zhang Hengyuan and rushes to find Mo Xiuyao. Outside the palace, Gu Zheng informs Mo Xiuyao that Cangbei has colluded with Zhang Hengyuan to assassinate Zhong Xingtong, a plot deeply tied to Marquis Muyang. Mo Xiuyao demands to see the Emperor immediately, but a eunuch instructs him to wait in the armory's side hall instead.

At the same time, Qin Cang informs Marquis Muyang that Mo Xiuyao has successfully obtained the secret letter. On the martial stage, Lei Tengfeng invites Dachu's warriors to spar. Wu Qi of Yunchuan steps forward but is quickly overpowered by Lei Tengfeng's swift and aggressive fighting style. Lei Tengfeng taunts his opponent, comparing Wu Qi's weapon to an embroidery needle. Next, Wei Heng of Zhechong Prefecture steps up to challenge him, but he too is defeated, leaving the arrogant general highly pleased with himself.

Guided to a side hall of the armory under the guise of waiting for the Emperor, Mo Xiuyao was locked inside by a palace eunuch. Assassins quickly emerged from hiding, but despite being confined to his wheelchair, Mo Xiuyao was more than a match for them. With a swift maneuver, he used his wheelchair to strike down one attacker, causing the chair to shatter.

To the utter shock of the remaining assassins—who had assumed him to be a helpless cripple—Mo Xiuyao stood up on his own feet. Demanding to know who had sent them, he swiftly dispatched the rest of the assailants, barely breaking a sweat. Meanwhile, at the banquet's martial contest, the atmosphere grew tense. Cangbei's General Lei Tengfeng brutally defeated Dachu's warrior, Wei Heng, leaving him spitting blood. Boastful and arrogant, Lei Tengfeng declared that Dachu lacked any capable fighters.

To further humiliate the host nation, and with Princess Lingyun's permission, he proposed a wager of two hundred Cangbei war horses for anyone who could defeat him. Empress Dowager Guo Jin readily countered with a prize of one thousand forged blades. However, Lei Tengfeng rejected the blades and instead demanded the Lanyun Spear, a treasured relic of Prince Ding's Mansion, revealing that his father had been killed by that very spear at Suixue Pass.

Since Mo Xiuyao was absent, the Emperor urged Lei Tengfeng to choose another prize. Lei Tengfeng refused to back down, pointing out that even if Prince Ding was absent, Princess Ding, Ye Li, was present. Stepping forward, Ye Li calmly addressed him.

While she acknowledged his physical prowess, she boldly labeled him a turncoat who had served four different masters, rendering him entirely unworthy of the Lanyun Spear, which was inscribed with the words "Loyal" and "Brave" by the late Emperor. She detailed his clan's shameful history of betraying Prince Gun for the Narong, then shifting to Xiduo, and finally aligning with Cangbei. Crimson with rage at being publicly humiliated, Lei Tengfeng lunged to attack the seemingly defenseless Ye Li.

Just as he struck, Mo Xiuyao leaped into the arena, grabbing a nearby spear to intercept the blow. The crowd watched in absolute disbelief as the supposedly crippled Prince Ding stood tall and fought with unmatched ferocity. Lei Tengfeng was no match for the healed prince and was quickly brought to his knees, spitting blood. Defeated, Lei Tengfeng conceded, promising that the war horses would be delivered to the border.

Following the duel, Empress Dowager Guo Jin subtly expressed her displeasure at Mo Xiuyao concealing his recovery. Mo Xiuyao explained that his legs had only recently healed and were still weak, but the emergency forced his hand. He then brought forward the gravity of the situation: the intercepted Cangbei letter and the assassination attempt on his life within the palace. Zhang Hengyuan was immediately hauled before the court, loudly proclaiming his innocence and claiming he was being framed.

While Marquis Muyang offered to oversee the investigation, the Empress Dowager transferred the case to the Jingzhao Prefecture, citing that the Marquis was already stretched thin with Prince Li's case. Soon after, Duke Hua arrived to confirm that the armory storehouse was indeed littered with the bodies of palace eunuchs, and the eunuch who had guided Mo Xiuyao had been silenced in his quarters. Mo Xiuyao explained the conspiracy to Duke Hua.

Gongshu Yang, the Military Governor of Huaixi, had intercepted a secret letter from Cangbei instructing Zhang Hengyuan to assassinate Zhong Xingtong, the Vice Director of the Ministry of Works. Zhong Xingtong was the brilliant mind behind Dachu's advanced forging methods and was currently developing the "Mountain Breaker," a highly destructive and portable siege crossbow. Cangbei clearly wanted to eliminate him to halt Dachu's military advancement.

Marquis Muyang doubted that a low-ranking official like Zhang Hengyuan would have the courage to orchestrate such a massive plot, but Mo Xiuyao pointedly hinted that someone with greater influence must be pulling the strings. Amidst the shifting political tides, Qin Zheng realized the capital was becoming too dangerous. She urged the young Zhou Tianyang to return to Lingnan to visit his mother.

Confused by her sudden urgency, Zhou Tianyang pressed her for answers, demanding to know what had happened to his grandfather. Outside the palace hall, Duke Hua expressed his relief and joy at seeing Mo Xiuyao walk again. Mo Xiuyao warmly credited Ye Li's exceptional acupuncture and medicinal care, admitting he had kept his recovery quiet to avoid complications.

Duke Hua urged him to focus on resting and, turning his attention to Ye Li, praised her noble bearing, which reminded him of her grandfather. Ye Li assured him that her grandfather was living a peaceful, healthy life in seclusion, writing and gardening. When Duke Hua offered to petition the court to reopen Lishan Academy, Ye Li politely declined, stating that her grandfather preferred to remain far from the secular world.

Duke Hua smiled, glad to see the couple so well-matched. Once they parted, Mo Xiuyao urged Ye Li to return to the mansion first while he attended to the investigation. Ye Li warned him to return early for his treatment, a demand Mo Xiuyao playfully promised to obey. Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager confronted Princess Lingyun with the intercepted letter.

Lingyun maintained her complete ignorance, explaining that Cangbei was currently undergoing internal turmoil after her brother's ascension, and that rogue factions likely wished to sabotage the peace talks. The Empress Dowager did not press further and instead inquired if Lingyun had found a suitor in Dachu. Lingyun admitted she had someone in mind—an old friend who was not of noble blood—and promised to introduce him when the time was right.

Later, the Empress Dowager discussed the growing complexity of the cases with her companion, noting that the eventual truth might bring great sorrow. Back at the posthouse, Princess Lingyun examined a smuggled Dachu blade made with Zhong Xingtong's forging method. She explained to Lei Tengfeng that the late Yuan Fang had been murdered in Huaixi just as he was uncovering this massive weapons-smuggling ring.

She admonished the general for his reckless behavior at the banquet, warning him that his hot-tempered outbursts and his attempt to attack Princess Ding could have entirely ruined the peace talks. During their private discussion, Lingyun's maid, Su Zuidie, was caught standing too close to the room. For her intrusion, Lingyun ordered her to kneel in the courtyard for two hours.

Later, as Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li finished their business with the princess and walked out, Mo Xiuyao delivered Lingyun's pardon to the kneeling woman. Left briefly alone with Mo Xiuyao, Su Zuidie recounted her family's tragic fate after the Eastern Palace incident—her mother's death in exile and her sister's suicide—before expressing her gratitude that his legs had been healed by his wife.

Not long after, Su Zuidie escaped further abuse on the streets and was found collapsed by Wen Ran, who was returning from her family home. Wen Ran brought her back to Prince Ding's Mansion for medical care. She petitioned Ye Li to let Su Zuidie stay for a few days to recover from her severe beatings, a request Ye Li readily granted.

Inside their quarters, as Ye Li sorted through items, Mo Xiuyao joined her and explained his past with the Su family. He revealed that Su Zuidie was the daughter of the former chief of the Eastern Palace guards and that they had been betrothed in their youth, though they had no real memory of each other. After her family was exiled, they had lost all contact.

Ye Li agreed that they had to help her, playfully handing Mo Xiuyao a bowl of sugar to deliver to their guest. To bypass the heavy government blockade on Lishan Mountain—where over two hundred soldiers from the Yingyang Battalion and Huben Squad guarded the main routes—Li Feibai scaled the steep, treacherous cliffs at the back of the mountain. Upon finally reaching Lishan Academy, he was horrified to find the entire estate in ruins, with no survivors left alive.

At the Shende Shop, Han Mingxi stubbornly refused to leave, insisting he must stay to repay Ye Li for saving his life twice, ignoring even the fact that his wages had been stopped. Meanwhile, Ye Ying was sorting through the belongings of the late Mo Jingli when she uncovered old correspondence exchanged between him and Ye Li during their youth. She immediately ordered her servant to return the letters to Ye Li. When the bundle was delivered, Ye Li opened it, staring at the remnants of her past.

Su Zuidie, appearing frail and sickly after catching a cold, had a brief encounter with Mo Xiuyao. Despite her tearful and pitiable demeanor, Mo Xiuyao remained unmoved, his heart now solely devoted to his wife, Ye Li. Meanwhile, Ye Li organized a box of old letters once exchanged between Mo Jingli and herself before joining Mo Xiuyao for dinner. At the Jingzhao Prefecture prison, Zhang Hengyuan remained stubbornly silent under interrogation, shouting that he was being framed.

Furious that the assassination attempt on Mo Xiuyao at the weapons depot had failed because Mo Xiuyao's legs had healed, Marquis Muyang (Zhou Jing) vented his anger on Qin Cang. However, because Qin Cang was still useful to him, the Marquis quickly changed his tone. He tasked Qin Cang with a dangerous new mission: to infiltrate the Jingzhao Prefecture prison and silence Zhang Hengyuan.

As an incentive, the Marquis promised that after the job was done, Qin Cang could flee to Yunchuan, and once things settled down, he would officially bring him back to the capital as his adopted son. Deeply moved, Qin Cang pledged to go through fire and water for Zhou Jing. Unbeknownst to him, Zhou Jing secretly ordered Zhao Ting to follow him, instructing that if anything went wrong, "leave no survivors"—implying he wanted Qin Cang silenced as well.

Zhou Tianyang, overhearing this, asked his father if "no survivors" included Qin Cang, pointing out that Qin Cang was also his son. Zhou Jing evaded the question, warning Tianyang not to get his hands dirty with blood and reminding him that he was his only son. Under the cover of night, Qin Cang infiltrated the Jingzhao Prefecture prison and set a fire to distract the guards before entering the cell and stabbing Zhang Hengyuan to death.

As he tried to escape, his identity was exposed, and he was cornered by the guards. Severely wounded, Qin Cang managed to flee the prison. Zhao Ting arrived under the guise of assisting him. Just as Zhou Tianyang suddenly appeared and warned Qin Cang to run, Zhao Ting stabbed Qin Cang in the chest with a dagger and knocked Tianyang unconscious. Qin Cang died in shock, unable to believe his own father's betrayal.

Anticipating that Marquis Muyang would put on his usual act of "asking for punishment" in front of the Empress Dowager, Guo Jin summoned Consort Dowager Qin Zheng to witness the spectacle. True to expectations, the Marquis barged in and admitted to the prison murder. Guo Jin criticized his growing arrogance and foolishness, pointing out that he had acted recklessly for eight years under the guise of loyalty. Qin Zheng realized that the Empress Dowager and the Marquis were drifting apart.

Later, Qin Zheng asked Lin Tinglan for her assessment of the Marquis, to which Lin Tinglan replied that he was nothing more than "rotting bones in a tomb," useless for the long term. Hearing that Lady Yusheng was in trouble, Ye Li immediately rushed to Xiangqi Pavilion with Han Mingxi to assist her. Noticing that Ye Li had not returned late into the night, Mo Xiuyao grew anxious and mobilized everyone in the residence to search for her.

When Ye Li finally returned, she honestly admitted she had gone to a brothel. Disappointed and concerned by her secrecy, Mo Xiuyao expressed his frustration, but Ye Li humbled herself and offered a sincere apology, which he quickly accepted. That night, haunted by a recurring nightmare of being left all alone on a dark, deserted road, Ye Li was comforted by Mo Xiuyao, who promised to never abandon her and to face life, death, fortune, and misfortune together.

Ever since Mo Xiuyao had rescued her years ago, Ye Li had subconsciously harbored feelings for him, though she was too young to understand love at the time. Driven by a burning question she wanted to ask him, she had once secretly traveled all the way from the capital to the Changding county camp, only to miss him because his army had already departed.

Now, standing by his side, she finally asked him the question that had lingered in her heart for years: on the day they first met, with so many people around, why did he pull only her onto his horse, and did he already like her back then?

Wei Zhuang opened the doors to the Shende Shop, allowing Ye Li to retrieve a wind chime to hang at Prince Ding’s mansion. Meanwhile, Mo Xiuyao discovered a wooden box on Ye Li's dressing table. Respecting her privacy, he refrained from opening the letters inside. Ye Li, having nothing to hide, opened one to show him, revealing it contained music scores she had sent to Mo Jingli during their childhood.

She then suggested that Mo Jingli might still be alive, explaining that she had discovered a secret passage in Prince Li’s mansion leading to a riverbank, where a boat had been spotted waiting on the night of the incident. Mo Xiuyao was not surprised, noting that Mo Jingli's grand ambition to restore the Eastern Palace had long been apparent. Later, Wen Ran brought Su Zuidie to the courtyard, where they encountered Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li behaving affectionately.

Su Zuidie, appearing fragile and melancholic, attempted to prompt memories of the past and recited a bitter poem to Mo Xiuyao. To reassure Ye Li, Mo Xiuyao quietly held her hand. After Mo Xiuyao left for official duties, Ye Li subtly informed Su Zuidie that she had investigated her background and found she had wealthy relatives elsewhere, meaning she did not need to act as a servant. Recognizing the hint, Su Zuidie quickly took her leave.

On her way back, road blockages forced her to walk, during which she ran into the man who had previously harassed her. Revealing a ruthless side, she stabbed and killed him in a secluded alley. Meanwhile, Zhou Jing made arrangements to send Zhou Tianyang back to Lingnan for his safety. However, Zhou Tianyang was left devastated and terrified of his father after learning that Zhou Jing had ruthlessly ordered Zhao Ting to murder his own biological son, Qin Cang.

Elsewhere, Feng Zhiyao booked the entire Xiangqi Pavilion to spend time with Miss Yun, who was disguised as a man. Together, they watched the famous dancer Lady Yusheng perform, though Feng Zhiyao held back from confessing his feelings due to pride. After they parted, Feng Zhiyao drank alone at the Qingfeng Mingyue Tower and invited Mo Xiuyao to join him, venting his confusion and frustration over his unrequited feelings for Miss Yun, who kept her true identity hidden.

Ye Li decided the time was ripe to approach Dowager Consort Qin Zheng. Despite Ye Wenshen's initial reluctance, Ye Li insisted that he arrange a meeting with the Dowager Consort for the following noon. Around this time, Ye Li's senior brother, Li Feibai, returned after being missing for several days. Bearing severe injuries from a cliff fall, he hid the grim truth about Li Mountain from her out of sympathy for her own illness, offering warm words of comfort.

Using astronomical calculations, Ye Li predicted a rare solar eclipse for the next day, planning to use this celestial event to earn the Dowager Consort's trust. At noon, as the eclipse darkened the sky and fierce winds shook the Dowager Consort’s carriage, Ye Li used a slingshot to startle the horses, causing the carriage to hit a rock and throw the Dowager Consort out. Ye Li then appeared with a lantern, pretending it was a chance encounter.

As she treated the Dowager Consort’s injuries, she successfully sowed a seed of curiosity and doubt in her mind. That evening, Mo Xiuyao returned home to find Ye Li asleep at her desk and gently carried her to bed.

Mo Xiuyao watched over Ye Li patiently as she slept, holding her hand. When she finally woke up from a long, deep dream, they roasted fresh lamb in the courtyard, which her maid Qingyu had bought. Ye Li joyfully recalled how she had craved roasted meat during her scarcity-filled days on the mountain.

As they ate, Mo Xiuyao mentioned he had to leave the capital the next morning for four or five days because Qin Cang had been saved and provided useful information. Concerned for his safety, Ye Li insisted on preparing five days of leg medicine and strictly warned him not to stand for too long, run, jump, or fight.

Before he left, Mo Xiuyao tenderly assured Ye Li that she was the most beautiful and incomparable woman in his heart, thanking her for coming into his life. In the palace, the young Emperor was infuriated by the ministers' opportunistic memorials following the solar eclipse. Empress Dowager Guo Jin remained calm, advising him to view celestial phenomena as tools on a chessboard to be used to his advantage. Meanwhile, Dowager Consort Qin Zheng arrived to pay her respects.

While waiting in the hall, she was heartbroken to discover her meticulously compiled "Xiankun Miscellany" tossed aside like garbage. She quietly left the newly finished first volume on the desk and departed before Guo Jin returned. Before setting out, Mo Xiuyao instructed Gu Zheng to guard Qin Cang carefully to secure the critical witness. Meanwhile, Ye Li visited Qin Zheng, who was transcribing astrological records at Ye Wenshen’s study.

To win Qin Zheng's trust and expose the truth, Ye Li demonstrated a rainmaking technique identical to the legendary feat of Master Zhou Xiankun. She drew a dragon with ink, and after adding gold dust, the dragon vanished, and a sudden rain began to fall. This display shocked Qin Zheng, proving that Zhou Xiankun was merely a charlatan who used astronomical calculations to deceive others. After Qin Zheng left, Ye Wenshen confronted Ye Li.

It was revealed that the two scribes Qin Zheng had previously overheard discussing Zhou Xiankun’s obsession with "Furong" (hibiscus) were arranged by Ye Li, exposing that Zhou Xiankun was actually the Empress Dowager's puppet used to manipulate Qin Zheng's loyalty.

Despite Ye Wenshen’s earnest pleas for Ye Li to let go of the past and cherish her current happiness, Ye Li stood firm, determined to fulfill her promise to her mother and General Xiuwen to clear the name of Prince Ding's Mansion. Meanwhile, Princess Lingyun, disguised in male clothing, went hiking with Feng Zhiyao.

Although a sudden sunshower ruined his plans to watch the sunset over a field of Jinlinzhan flowers, they shared a cozy moment over his secret recipe barbecue. Moved by his sincerity and carefree nature, Lingyun claimed she had a younger sister who had escaped an abusive marriage before her husband's death.

When Feng Zhiyao declared that he did not care about her past, as wind and snow could not cloud a pure heart, Lingyun was deeply touched and agreed to arrange a meeting between him and her sister in seven days under the old elm tree near the Confucius Temple. In a secluded location, Su Zuidie secretly met with Han Mingyue, both operating in the shadows for Mo Jingli.

They discussed their next plan to instigate a conflict between Dachu and Cangbei. Back in the palace, Qin Zheng sought comfort from Guo Jin regarding the grim warnings of the solar eclipse. During their conversation, Qin Zheng asked about Guo Jin's childhood name. When Guo Jin revealed her name was "Furong'er," the truth finally clicked for Qin Zheng.

She realized that Zhou Xiankun had desperately urged her in prison to hide the posthumous edict from the Empress Dowager to guarantee her survival. She now understood that Guo Jin's decades of sisterly affection were built entirely on lies and manipulation. As Qin Zheng departed, palace attendants presented Guo Jin with the poetry collection Zhou Xiankun had gathered for her, where every verse praised the hibiscus, sparking a sudden wave of suspicion in Guo Jin as well.

In the quiet halls of the imperial palace, where a palace maid recites a poem dedicated to the hibiscus. Hearing that the collection was compiled for her years ago by Master Zhou Xiankun, a displeased Empress Dowager Guo Jin commands the maid to burn it, determined to erase the memory. Meanwhile, Qin Zheng is consumed by her own memories of visiting Zhou Xiankun in prison years ago.

Back then, she had tried to reassure him that Consort Guo was working to free him. Zhou Xiankun had only called her a fool, leaving her with a cryptic warning to never let herself end up like him, before reciting a poem about how deeply the hibiscus had seeped into his bones. Now, knowing that "Furong'er" was Guo Jin's private nickname, Qin Zheng realizes that her cherished bond with the Empress Dowager was nothing more than a calculated deception.

Zhou Tianyang visits Qin Zheng in a state of distress. He is deeply shaken by the realization that his grandfather, Zhou Jing, ruthlessly murdered Qin Cang to protect his own long-standing schemes. Qin Zheng is not surprised, knowing Zhou Jing's cold nature, but she is devastated.

She recalls how her own father traded her away for Southwest interests, leaving her to survive in the palace where she mistakenly believed Zhou Xiankun and Guo Jin were her only genuine pillars of support. Numbed by the betrayal, she tells Zhou Tianyang to leave, dismissing his past attempts to flatter her as mere service to his grandfather, though he insists his feelings were genuine.

The following day, Qin Zheng confronts Ye Li, demanding to know what she hopes to achieve through her recent public actions. Ye Li speaks plainly, explaining her investigation into the Empress Dowager’s inner circle. She questions why Qin Zheng, with her powerful Southwest backing, would willingly serve Guo Jin out of mere sisterly affection.

Pointing to Zhou Xiankun's past actions, Ye Li suggests his loyalty to the Empress Dowager was entirely tied to his relationship with Qin Zheng, and that his conspiracy with the Eastern Palace was far more complicated than it seemed. Ye Li pleads with Qin Zheng for the truth about the missing imperial edict, hoping to clear the names of her mother, Prince Ding's Mansion, and the thousands of Heiyun Cavalry who died without justice.

Qin Zheng claims she gave it to the Empress Dowager, but Ye Li points out the inconsistencies in her story, guessing that Zhou Xiankun had warned Qin Zheng to keep the real edict as a final safeguard before he was discarded. In truth, years ago, Qin Zheng had intercepted the genuine edict from Ye Wenhua's possession and handed a forged copy to Zhou Jing, who burned it, believing he had destroyed the evidence.

In the present, Zhou Tianyang refuses to return to the Southwest. On Zhou Jing's orders, his men bind him and attempt to smuggle him out of the capital. However, Senior Eunuch Shunxi intercepts the carriage on behalf of the Empress Dowager, bringing Zhou Tianyang and his captors back to the palace. Meanwhile, Princess Lingyun of Cangbei receives Ye Li's invitation to meet at the Qingfeng Mingyue Tower.

Intrigued by Ye Li's status as a respected descendant of Lishan Academy, Lingyun decides to accept. She invites her maid, Su Zuidie, to accompany her, unaware of the trap being laid. Outside the city, Mo Xiuyao leads A Jin and Wang Suwu on a mission to capture Chen Longxiang, a brutal former official and close ally of Marquis Muyang who had escaped justice years ago. During the skirmish, Mo Xiuyao shields Wang Suwu from a blade, injuring his own wrist.

Moved by the prince's selflessness, Wang Suwu tends to his wound and admits his past resentment over the fall of Suixue Pass and Lingzhou. He confesses to throwing angry letters into the prince's estate, which Mo Xiuyao reveals he knew about all along. Letting go of his bitter grudge, Wang Suwu pledges his ultimate loyalty to Mo Xiuyao.

Shortly after, A Jin brings in the captured Chen Longxiang, who realizes in shock that there is a traitor within Marquis Muyang's ranks. Back in the capital, Ye Li heads to her meeting at the Qingfeng Mingyue Tower, accompanied by Han Mingxi, who insists on tagging along as her guard to ensure her safety. Before she enters the tower, Qin Zheng’s maid approaches Ye Li and presents her with a box containing the first four volumes of the Xiankun Miscellany.

Upon opening a hidden compartment within the box, Ye Li is thrilled to discover the genuine imperial edict. Upstairs, Ye Li joins Princess Lingyun, and the two women share a toast. However, the tea has been poisoned by Su Zuidie. Both Lingyun and Ye Li suddenly collapse. Han Mingxi rushes into the room to find them unconscious, with Lingyun bleeding from the mouth and Ye Li holding a knife.

Before faking her own unconsciousness to complete the frame-up, Su Zuidie falsely points to Ye Li as the assassin. The news of Princess Lingyun's death throws the court into a panic. Duke Hua immediately prepares the northern borders for war, warning that the Cangbei ruler will seek swift vengeance.

While Zhou Jing and Marquis Muyang advocate for executing Ye Li to appease Cangbei, Duke Hua strongly objects, pointing out that sacrificing the Princess of Ding would show weakness and play right into the hands of the conspirators. Later, Wei Zhuang of Lishan Academy begs Duke Hua to protect Ye Li for the sake of their Headmaster's legacy.

Duke Hua promises to do what he can to shield her from the immediate fallout, but stresses that her ultimate survival depends on finding the evidence needed to expose the true culprit. Ye Li and Han Mingxi are locked away in the dungeons of the Imperial Court of Judicial Review. Upon waking, Ye Li learns from Han Mingxi that they were poisoned by Su Zuidie, a dangerous woman who previously manipulated his brother, Han Mingyue, of the Tianyi Pavilion.

Ye Li is left reeling as she realizes that Su Zuidie and the Tianyi Pavilion are working under the direction of Mo Jingli. Suddenly, Ye Li begins spitting blood as the residual poison takes effect. Han Mingxi frantically calls for help, warning that she will die within two hours without an antidote.

While a desperate search begins for Mo Xiuyao's ally, Gu Zheng, who holds the cure, the conspirators resolve to seal Ye Li's fate and turn the murder charges into an airtight case of treason against the Ding Wang Mansion.

In the prison cell of the Imperial Court of Judicial Review, Han Mingxi shared the details of his recent capture with Ye Li. Recalling that he had been held near the southwestern outskirts of the capital—not far from where she had fallen off the cliff—in a bamboo grove, Ye Li deduced that his captor was Mo Jingli, and the location was his Songyue Mountain Villa.

They realized Mo Jingli was behind a massive conspiracy: Princess Lingyun's death in Dachu would inevitably spark a war with Cangbei, just as the previous assassination of Zhong Xingtong by Zhang Hengyuan was designed to sow discord. Ye Li lamented that Mo Jingli was willing to throw the common people into war for his selfish desires.

Hoping to save Ye Li, Han Mingxi offered to take the sole blame for the assassination so she could go free, joking that he owed her his life anyway and his brother would surely capture Su Zuidie to swap for him. Ye Li rejected the sacrifice, insisting they needed concrete evidence. To escape, she devised a plan: she took a sharp hair accessory from Han Mingxi's head, pricked herself to draw blood, and simulated the symptoms of Zhenyu Red poisoning.

Before feigning unconsciousness, she told the Chief Imperial Secretary that she had been poisoned and had only hours to live, claiming the only antidote was with Gu Zheng at the Jingzhao Prefecture. Han Mingxi pressured the hesitant official, warning him of the dire consequences if Prince Ding's consort died in their custody. Meanwhile, outside the capital, Mo Xiuyao was leading an operation to capture Chen Longxiang, a close associate of Marquis Muyang.

During the pursuit, they intercepted a highly suspicious rider. Mo Xiuyao ordered Ah Jin to pursue the man while Wang Suwu guarded Chen Longxiang. The Jingzhao Prefecture officers managed to halt the rider and discovered a hidden letter detailing the murder of Princess Lingyun and urging the Cangbei ruler to be notified. Before they could extract information about other messengers, the rider bit a poison capsule hidden in his tooth and died.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Mo Xiuyao dispatched Wang Suwu to guard the remote passes of Mount Yan, instructed Ah Jin to mobilize their border network, and quickly rode back to the capital. Back in the city, Li Feibai approached Gu Zheng, pleading for a way to visit Ye Li in prison.

Before Gu Zheng could explain his lack of authority, a messenger arrived from the prison reporting that Ye Li was dying of Zhenyu Red poisoning and needed the antidote she claimed Gu Zheng held. Realizing Ye Li was plotting something, Gu Zheng rushed to the cells with a bottle of harmless digestive pills. Once inside, Ye Li quietly recovered and instructed Gu Zheng to closely monitor Su Zuidie at the Cangbei posthouse.

Only Ye Li knew that the crucial posthumous edict remained safely hidden under a cushion at the sealed Qingfeng Mingyue Tower. As the political storm gathered, Qin Zheng prepared to return to her homeland in Nanyi, weary of the capital's endless intrigues. Empress Dowager Guo Jin accepted her departure, ordering her attendant, Shunxi, to gift her a pot of capital orchids as a keepsake.

Before leaving the city, Qin Zheng ordered the burning of twenty-seven boxes containing her master's posthumous writings. Meanwhile, Su Zuidie sought out the Marquis Muyang, Zhou Jing. Revealing her allegiance to the Eastern Palace remnants, she admitted to murdering Princess Lingyun to incite war. She used her knowledge of Zhou Jing's years of smuggling military weapons to Cangbei—carried out by the now-missing Chen Longxiang—to blackmail him.

Su Zuidie convinced a shaken Zhou Jing that their only survival lay in framing Ye Li completely, which would destroy Prince Ding's Mansion and halt any investigation into Chen Longxiang. Determined to silence Ye Li, Zhou Jing dispatched his loyal henchman, Zhao Ting, to infiltrate the prison. Zhao Ting slipped into the cell with a blade, but Han Mingxi helped Ye Li fight back. Following a fierce struggle, the assassination failed, and Zhao Ting committed suicide.

Seizing the opportunity, Ye Li convinced the Chief Imperial Secretary to temporarily release her so she could confront the true mastermind. Ye Li tracked down Su Zuidie and systematically exposed her past—from her exile in Luozhou to her recruitment by the Eastern Palace remnants to exact revenge on Guo Jin. Cornered, Su Zuidie proudly confessed to the assassination, declaring her desire to watch the empire burn in retribution for the Eastern Palace.

When Ye Li questioned why she targeted Prince Ding's Mansion, Su Zuidie's rage turned toward Mo Xiuyao, accusing him of abandoning his betrothed to live in comfort during her painful exile. Ye Li defended Mo Xiuyao, describing his own immense suffering, the loss of his brother, and his crippled legs. However, Su Zuidie remained consumed by hatred, screaming that he deserved his fate.

At that moment, the Chief Imperial Secretary stepped out of hiding with his guards, having witnessed her entire confession. Meanwhile, Zhou Jing discovered that his son, Zhou Tianyang, had not left the capital. Instead, Zhou Tianyang had been brought back by Empress Dowager Guo Jin to keep her company in the palace. This move deeply unsettled Zhou Jing, who realized the Empress Dowager was using his son to keep him in check. With the conspiracy unraveled, the court convened.

The Chief Imperial Secretary presented the evidence, and Su Zuidie's guilt was laid bare. General Lei Tengfeng of the Cangbei delegation apologized for his previous hostility and thanked the court for uncovering the truth. Guo Jin magnanimously handed Su Zuidie over to Cangbei to face their own laws, successfully averting the threat of war.

Seizing the moment, Ye Li stood before the throne and formally accused Zhou Jing of attempting to silence her, citing the prison infiltration by his henchman, Zhao Ting. Another official supported her claim, pointing out the damning pattern of assassinations linked directly to the Marquis's closest subordinates.

Following Ye Li's public denunciation of Marquis Muyang, Shangshuling Murong Shen steps forward in the imperial court. He highlights the chilling connections between Zhou Jing and the recent assassination attempts, pointing out that both Zhang Hengyuan's attack on Zhong Xingtong and Zhao Ting's infiltration of the prison to assassinate Ye Li were carried out by Zhou Jing's closest confidants. Murong Shen questions if such terrifying events could truly be mere coincidences, demanding an explanation from the Marquis.

Zhou Jing fiercely denies the charges, dismissing the accusations as a baseless frame-up. However, Mo Xiuyao steps forward with irrefutable proof. He announces that while Zhao Ting is dead, the co-conspirator Chen Longxiang is alive and has fully confessed. Mo Xiuyao presents secret correspondence recovered from Chen Longxiang's private residence detailing Zhou Jing's smuggling of Dachu's weaponry to Cangbei, along with ledgers of Cangbei's bribes, including land deeds, properties, horses, and the exact flow of the illicit funds.

Terrified by the solid proof, Zhou Jing begs the Emperor and the Empress Dowager for a chance to clear his name. Seizing the moment, Ye Li raises the Heiyun Cavalry rebellion case from eight years ago, accusing Zhou Jing of fabricating all the dispatches, secret letters, and confessions through torture to frame loyal officials.

To back her claim, Ye Li produces the late Emperor's posthumous edict, which commanded the late Prince Ding, Mo Xiuwen, to lead his troops to the capital to protect the throne. Duke Hua examines the document and stakes his life on its authenticity. Moved to tears, Mo Xiuyao petitions to clear the names of the thirty thousand fallen souls of the Heiyun Cavalry. The young Emperor grants the petition, and Zhou Jing is sent to death row.

Upon returning to the mansion, Mo Xiuyao realizes Ye Li is burning with a high fever. To secure her meeting with Gu Zheng while in prison, she had swallowed Han Mingxi's hair ornament, and despite inducing vomiting earlier, the foreign object had remained in her body too long. Mo Xiuyao calls for a physician and tells her to focus solely on resting. The next morning, before Mo Xiuyao leaves for the palace, Ye Li comforts her crying maid, Qingshuang.

Qingshuang fears they will be driven out of the mansion once the truth is revealed, but Ye Li reassures her that they must face whatever comes next, though they agree to wait until the case is over before revealing the full truth about how she obtained the edict from Dowager Consort Qin. Elsewhere, Feng Zhiyao waits at their designated meeting place with a blooming Golden-Scale Cup flower.

When his servant suggests the Cangbei merchant might have been teasing him, Feng Zhiyao defends her, only to witness the body of Princess Lingyun being escorted out of the capital. Desperate after searching every inn, Feng Zhiyao seeks Mo Xiuyao's help. Upon seeing a portrait of Princess Lingyun, Feng Zhiyao is devastated to recognize her as his beloved Yun Ling. He realizes she was actually the Cangbei princess, and that her personal maid, Su Zuidie, assassinated her to incite war.

Feng Zhiyao rushes to the docks, but the boat carrying her remains has already sailed. He weeps by the river, clutching her token, realizing she will never see the Golden-Scale Cup he nurtured for her. To relax, Ye Li accompanies Mo Xiuyao on a fishing trip. After waiting until nightfall, Mo Xiuyao catches a rare, beautiful silver-tailed fish. During their outdoor roast with Ah Jin, Ye Li notices white hair on Mo Xiuyao's head.

He explains it is premature graying, a hereditary condition triggered by worry. Later, Li Feibai visits Ye Li wearing a gray scarf to hide a scratch on his neck. He admits that Lady Yusheng scratched him after he wore a robe she had made for her guqin partner. When Feibai foolishly offered to buy her freedom so she could run away with the musician, she flew into a rage. Ye Li calls Feibai completely clueless about a woman's heart.

Soon after, Feibai is left heartbroken upon learning Lady Yusheng has left for Xihua with the guqin player. Meanwhile, Han Mingxi returns to find his brother, Han Mingyue, only to witness a confrontation with Mo Jingli. Mo Jingli is furious with Su Zuidie; although she assassinated Princess Lingyun to incite war, her plot also targeted Ye Li, whom Mo Jingli had strictly forbidden anyone from harming.

When Han Mingyue pleads for Su Zuidie's life, arguing her connections in Cangbei are still useful, Mo Jingli stabs him in anger. Han Mingxi rushes in to protect his brother but is surrounded. Mo Jingli mockingly points out that the Han brothers are inextricably tied to the Eastern Palace and the Prince Li Mansion, warning Han Mingyue that if Han Mingxi escapes, he will pay with his life.

After Mo Jingli leaves, Han Mingxi tries to kill Su Zuidie, but Han Mingyue stops him, still believing Mo Jingli's rise will restore their family. Han Mingxi warns his brother that his love for the sorceress has blinded him, and that Mo Jingli will likely silence them first to cover up his past crimes.

Han Mingxi told Han Mingyue that Su Zuidie had framed Ye Li, and he would kill her sooner or later. When he was alone, Han Mingxi recalled how Ye Li, while in prison, had asked him to continue working as a shop assistant and manager at Shende Shop. This renewed his hope, and he felt that he still had a chance.

While chatting with Mo Xiuyao at the prince's manor, Ye Li looked at the moon in the sky and felt deeply moved. She made a promise to take Mo Xiuyao back to Lishan Mountain to watch the moon if they had the chance. Mo Xiuyao asked about Ye Li's senior martial brothers. This was one of Ye Li's few lucid moments.

She did not know where they had gone either; there was only herself, watching the moon rise from among the branches. Yesterday, Lady Yusheng was performing in Xihua. Li Feibai got incredibly jealous and immediately ran over, slinging her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and carrying her away. Lady Yusheng was furious, but Li Feibai coaxed her, expressing his willingness to redeem her from her indenture and even marry her as his official wife.

In the case of Marquis Muyang, Qin Cang had played a helping role, so the Emperor spared his life, sentencing him to the confiscation of his property and banishment to Qianchuan. The Secretariat Director brought Qin Cang out of prison. When Zhou Jing saw that Qin Cang was not dead, he was shocked. Qin Cang spoke from his heart to Zhou Jing.

Even though Zhou Jing had only used him and never treated him as a son, in Qin Cang's heart, Zhou Jing would always be his father. Qin Cang would never forget the gratitude he owed for being raised. He was a man of loyalty and affection; when Lin Tinglan had extended an olive branch to him in the past, he had remained unmoved.

Qin Cang knelt to bid Zhou Jing farewell, and their father-son bond came to a complete end with this kneel. Before leaving the capital, Zhou Tianyang sent someone to deliver baggage and money to Qin Cang, hoping he would have a safe journey to Qianchuan. Qin Cang also had someone pass a message to Zhou Tianyang, telling him to stop making futile struggles and to leave the capital as soon as possible to find his mother in Lingnan.

Ye Ying did not know whether she should adopt a young child to raise as her and Prince Li's own. Unsure if this was the right thing to do, she came to ask Ye Li. Ye Li explained the drawbacks to her, telling Ye Ying to think it through carefully before making a decision. On the way to Qianchuan, Lin Tinglan followed behind Qin Cang in a carriage. Once Qin Cang fell asleep, Lin Tinglan covered him with a quilt.

When Qin Cang woke up the next day and saw the quilt on him along with a basket of melons beside him, he instantly realized it was Lin Tinglan and his eyes welled up with tears. Lin Tinglan would no longer travel with Qin Cang and his group. She said that if they were fated, they would eventually meet again.

Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao were listening to a storyteller's tale together at Qingfeng Mingyue Tower, and she asked him a question out of curiosity. Mo Xiuyao's opinion was that Liu Sanlang and Lady Meng probably would not end up together because Liu Sanlang would not disobey his mother. However, Ye Li did not agree, so Mo Xiuyao said that next time he would have the storyteller write the plot according to her preferences.

Mo Xiuyao wanted Ye Li's illness to get better, so he discussed with her whether they could let Qingshuang return home, as he would be there to accompany her in the future. Ye Li was somewhat puzzled, as Qingshuang had accompanied her for a very long time, but Mo Xiuyao's words made sense. In the end, Ye Li agreed to let Qingshuang return home. Marquis Muyang, Zhou Jing, refused to sign and press his thumbprint on the confession.

He demanded to see Mo Xiuyao, so Gongshu Yang had someone pass the message to Jin. Jin hurriedly relayed this news to Mo Xiuyao. Mo Xiuyao got into his carriage and rushed to the prison. Ye Li ran after the carriage and made a promise to meet him tomorrow to listen to the story of Lady Meng and Liu Sanlang. Mo Xiuyao arrived at the prison and met Zhou Jing.

Eight years ago, it was Mo Xiuyao who was wrongly accused and imprisoned here for half a year. Now, the tables had turned, and the one thrown behind bars was Marquis Muyang, Zhou Jing. Zhou Jing said that in this imperial court, Mo Xiuyao was one of the few people he actually respected.

In the dim light of the prison, Marquis Muyang, Zhou Jing, looked at Mo Xiuyao and proposed a final transaction. Recognizing that his signed confession would not mark the end of the Zhou family's troubles but rather the beginning of an immense calamity, Zhou Jing sought to secure a future for his simple-minded son, Zhou Tianyang. He demanded that Mo Xiuyao swear a solemn oath to protect Tianyang for as long as he lived.

In exchange, Zhou Jing offered to reveal a devastating secret: the identity of the person who had truly stolen the late emperor's posthumous edict from Mo Xiuwen. Mo Xiuyao scoffed, assuming Zhou Jing had simply orchestrated the theft through Dowager Consort Qin. However, Zhou Jing pointed out that Mo Xiuwen was far too intelligent to hand his lifeline over to his enemies.

Instead, the edict had been taken by someone who possessed Mo Xiuwen's complete trust—someone who then hid the document and stood idly by as Mo Xiuwen was executed and the Heiyun Cavalry was torn apart. Meanwhile, Zhou Tianyang had been kneeling outside the palace gates for two days, desperately begging for his father's life.

Believing that the Empress Dowager had shown mercy, he was permitted to deliver what he thought was a feast of fine wine and delicious food to the prison. When Tianyang eagerly urged his father to confess and cooperate in hopes of a pardon, Zhou Jing looked at his naive son with profound sorrow. He knew the wine was actually a lethal poison sent by the Empress Dowager to silence him.

Concealing his despair, Zhou Jing urged Tianyang to return to Lingnan immediately to care for his ailing mother, warning him that the case was far too complex for him to handle. He lamented that he had spoiled Tianyang and failed to prepare him for the harsh realities of the world. Even as the guards dragged him away, Tianyang remained hopeful, shouting that he would find a way to rescue his father so they could all live happily together in Lingnan.

Once his son was gone, Zhou Jing drank the poisoned wine and died. News of Zhou Jing's death quickly reached the Prince Ding Mansion. A tearful Wen Ran rushed to find Ye Li, crying with relief that their long-awaited vengeance was finally fulfilled and that Mo Xiuwen and the Heiyun Cavalry had been vindicated.

In the Jingzhao Prefecture, Gu Zheng also offered his congratulations to Mo Xiuyao, noting that after eight years of silent endurance, the Prince and Ye Li could finally live in peaceful harmony. Yet, Mo Xiuyao could find no joy in the victory. Left alone in the hall, the weight of Zhou Jing's parting words crushed him, and he suddenly vomited blood, collapsing into unconsciousness. Before his death, Zhou Jing had delivered a fatal psychological blow.

He had revealed that Xu Wanzhou, Ye Li's mother, was the one who had tricked Mo Xiuwen into giving up the edict. He mocked Mo Xiuyao for living so comfortably with his healed legs, questioning whether Ye Li had married him out of genuine love or merely out of crippling guilt to compensate for her mother's sins.

As Mo Xiuyao lay unconscious, memories of Ye Li's promises to make him happy and help him stand again played in his mind, now tainted by suspicion. Mo Xiuyao remained away from the mansion all night without sending any word, leaving Ye Li with a growing sense of dread. She spent the entire night awake, anxiously waiting for him. The next morning, Jin returned briefly to gather some supplies, claiming that the Prince was merely occupied with official business.

Although Ye Li noticed a heavy scent of medicine lingering on him, Jin dismissed her concerns and urged her to remain at the mansion, leaving her alone with her quiet anxiety. Soon, the young Emperor issued an official decree detailing Zhou Jing's treason, the smuggling of military weapons, and the concealment of the edict.

While Zhou Jing's estate was confiscated and his allies stripped of their ranks, Zhou Tianyang was spared from collective punishment and left the capital for Lingnan to find his mother. The Heiyun Cavalry was fully exonerated, with survivors restored to their posts or compensated, and Mo Xiuwen's noble title was posthumously restored. On the anniversary of Mo Xiuwen's death, Wen Ran visited his grave alongside her young son, Mo Wuyou, and Mo Xiuyao.

After sharing the news of the vindication, Wen Ran sent her son away and confronted Mo Xiuyao about his strained relationship with Ye Li. She noted that Ye Li had grown noticeably thin and frail from worry.

Drawing from her own tragic past, Wen Ran confessed that she had once resented Mo Xiuwen's silent nature and even sought a divorce, only to realize the depth of his love too late when he left her a letter of divorce to protect her from his execution. She urged Mo Xiuyao to cherish Ye Li and speak his mind before it was too late.

Despondent and restless, Ye Li went to the Qingfeng Mingyue Tower with her maid to listen to a storyteller. The tale of Liu Sanlang and Lady Meng reached its bitter conclusion. Torn by filial piety after learning that Lady Meng's brother was responsible for his father's death, Liu Sanlang had failed to rescue his beloved. Heartbroken, Lady Meng drowned herself in the river, prompting a devastated Liu Sanlang to hang himself in their parting pavilion.

Hearing of their tragic end and their separate graves under the same moonlight, Ye Li felt completely shattered. She left a handful of coins and walked out without touching her food. Upon returning to her room, Ye Li found Mo Xiuyao waiting for her. Pale and exhausted, he confronted her directly, demanding to know if Zhou Jing's claims about her mother were true. Ye Li did not deny it.

She explained that during the chaos of the late emperor's death and the burning of the Eastern Palace, Mo Xiuwen had been imprisoned. Deceived by others, Xu Wanzhou had coaxed the location of the edict from him in a desperate attempt to save his life, unaware that her actions would lead to his tragic execution. Ye Li confessed that she had known this truth all along.

She admitted her silence was born of fear that Mo Xiuyao would drive her away, explaining that she had promised the dying Mo Xiuwen that Lishan Academy would vindicate his name, and that she would heal Mo Xiuyao's legs as penance for her mother's mistake. Mo Xiuyao's heart hardened at her words. He declared that he could never forgive her mother on behalf of the widowed sister-in-law, the fatherless Wuyou, and the tens of thousands of dead Heiyun Cavalry soldiers.

Deeply wounded by the revelation that her devotion was merely a way to repay a debt, he questioned her love, and as Ye Li desperately tried to deny his accusations, Mo Xiuyao slowly opened a box.

Unable to accept the devastating truth about the posthumous edict, Mo Xiuyao stood before Ye Li and burned the faded pastry wrapping paper he had cherished for years. Believing their marriage was built on nothing but her guilt and desire for penance, he drafted a letter of divorce, declaring that her debt was paid and she no longer needed to force herself to stay by his side.

In his written farewell, he returned her entire dowry and property, wishing her a peaceful parting free of resentment. Deeply distressed, Ye Li spent the entire night alone in the dark room, where she began to hallucinate her childhood self. The young projection offered to open the door for her and comforted her, insisting that Qingshuang had returned despite Mo Xiuyao previously saying otherwise. Unbeknownst to her, Ye Li's psychological condition had severely deteriorated, splitting her consciousness into three personas.

Soon, the illusions of Qingshuang and Master Zhu materialized beside her, asking who had made her cry, leaving Ye Li sobbing in agonizing loneliness. The following morning, Ye Li left Prince Ding's Mansion, refusing breakfast and taking only a windbell. The windbell, which she had originally brought from Shendexuan, symbolized her finding a sense of peace and gradually viewing the mansion as her home.

Now, unable to stay, she left a farewell letter and embarked on her lonely journey back to Lishan Mountain, accompanied only by the comforting voices of her hallucinated companions. Meanwhile, the case of Marquis Muyang came to a close. Word spread of the severe punishments handed down to those who had conspired with the Marquis, including the exile of Zheng Zuoshi and the purging of over twenty court officials.

For their exemplary service, Gu Zheng was promoted to Deputy Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, while Wang Suwu was appointed Chief Secretary of War. To celebrate their promotions, the overjoyed officials planned a gathering at Qingfeng Mingyue Tower. Gu Zheng persistently tried to persuade Mo Xiuyao to join them, completely oblivious to his foul mood.

In a brief moment of anger, Mo Xiuyao slammed the desk, but realizing he had lost his temper, he promised to join them if he found time. True to his word, after finishing his duties, he did not return to the mansion but instead went with Jin to Qingfeng Mingyue Tower, drinking heavily to numb his pain. Upon returning to the mansion thoroughly intoxicated, Mo Xiuyao staggered into Ye Li's vacant quarters and spent the entire night in drunken despair.

He conjured her phantom, recalling her past scoldings about his health, and repeatedly apologized to the empty room. He placed some candy he had brought into her jar, whispering that she could take her time eating them. The next morning, Mo Xiuyao woke up and accidentally discovered a stash of unsent letters written by Ye Li to Lishan, along with a precise medical prescription for his legs, proving her quiet, profound devotion.

Determined to find her, Mo Xiuyao went to Shendexuan to ask Wei Zhuang for Li Feibai's whereabouts. He tracked Li Feibai to the second floor of Xiangqi Tower, asking why Ye Li had never sent those letters. Li Feibai furiously confronted him, asking if he had driven Ye Li back to the now-abandoned Lishan Mountain, breaking his vow to never abandon her.

These words made Mo Xiuyao realize that the root of Ye Li's mental illness lay in her deeply lonely past on Lishan. Filled with agonizing regret, Mo Xiuyao's hair turned completely white overnight. The next morning, his sister-in-law, Wen Ran, was deeply shocked to see his white hair. Mo Xiuyao informed her of his plan to resign as Jingzhao Prefect and obtain an imperial pass to enter Lishan Mountain to bring Ye Li home.

During his imperial audience, Mo Xiuyao claimed his white hair was an inherited condition and begged for a pass, admitting that a bitter quarrel had driven his wife back to Lishan. He formally tendered his resignation, recommending Deputy Prefect Gu Zheng to oversee the prefecture's affairs in his absence. When the Emperor discussed the matter with the Dowager Empress, they suspected his sudden resignation might be a calculated political retreat.

However, noting his genuine sorrow, the Dowager Empress decided to test him. She issued a decree appointing Mo Xiuyao as the Lishan Pacification Commissioner, granting him imperial credentials and gifts to present to the scholars on the mountain, and ordered Grand Eunuch Shunxi to accompany him. Along the way, the party stopped at a run-down tea stall near the foot of the mountain. Shunxi complained about the watery noodle soup that was clear enough to reflect one's face.

The owner explained that due to the strict blockade of Lishan, travelers were non-existent, leaving his business in dire straits—a testament to how much hardship the mountain's lockdown had caused the local residents.

At a modest roadside food stall near Lishan, Senior Eunuch Shunxi poked at his watery bowl of noodle soup, complaining bitterly that it was so clear he could see his reflection in it. He grumbled that even the simplest street stalls in the capital kept spiced meat on hand, unlike this meager offering. The vendor apologetically offered to throw in some extra chopped scallions, noting his humble stall could never compete with the grand establishments of the capital.

Shunxi had no appetite for the bland soup. Seeing that Qingping County was not far ahead and dusk was approaching, he suggested to Prince Ding, Mo Xiuyao, that they hurry to the county town to find a decent restaurant for a hot meal and rest before continuing their journey the next morning. However, Mo Xiuyao, desperate to reach Lishan, flatly refused. He curtly asked if everyone was finished eating and ordered Jin to prepare for an immediate departure.

Shunxi, despite his hunger, had no choice but to tell the other eunuchs to stop eating and keep up. Upon arriving at the foot of Lishan Mountain, they were stopped by the guarding soldiers. The guards declared that by order of the Empress Dowager, Lishan Academy was sealed off for book compilation and no one was permitted to ascend the mountain.

Shunxi stepped forward and presented his token, identifying himself as the chief eunuch of Anqing Palace and introducing Mo Xiuyao as the newly appointed Lishan Consolation Commissioner. He explained they were delivering imperial rewards and regards to the academy on behalf of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. A guard, confused, asked if this meant the blockade of Lishan had finally been lifted.

Shunxi quickly disabused him of the notion, explaining that the blockade and their mission were entirely separate matters, emphasizing that the mountain remained closed. With the royal decree presented, the guards reluctantly opened the gates to let them pass. As they made their way up the mountain, wild birds flew about, aggressively pecking at Shunxi. Reaching the main gates of Lishan Academy, Shunxi announced Prince Ding's arrival several times, but no one came to open the doors.

Frustrated, Mo Xiuyao pushed the heavy gates open himself, only to find the academy in a shocking state of decay. The courtyard was covered in withered leaves, and the buildings were dilapidated, filled with thick layers of dust and spiderwebs. It looked completely abandoned. Overcome with worry, Mo Xiuyao ordered a search, and he and Jin split up to look for Ye Li.

After a frantic search through the empty, dusty halls, it was Jin who finally located Ye Li and quickly guided Mo Xiuyao to her. Mo Xiuyao rushed into a dusty room to find Ye Li standing alone, quietly organizing old books. Her frail, solitary figure broke his heart. Noticing his sudden appearance, Ye Li looked at him in confusion and asked why his hair had turned so gray.

Deeply remorseful for how he had treated her, Mo Xiuyao could only apologize repeatedly, his voice choked with emotion. Shunxi soon joined them, demanding to know where the rest of the academy's members, including Headmaster Xu and the other masters, were. Ye Li calmly replied that they were not currently at the academy.

When Shunxi questioned where they could possibly go while the mountain was sealed, Ye Li explained that after the blockade, her grandfather had led the academy to clear a plot of land on the back mountain to grow rice to sustain themselves. She claimed they were all currently harvesting the rice and would return before sunset. Exhausted and hungry, Shunxi asked if there was any food available.

Ye Li noted there was nothing ready-made, but they could find rice and flour in the kitchen to feed themselves. However, when Shunxi and his young eunuchs inspected the kitchen, they found only a few moldy, decaying leftovers. Meanwhile, the soldiers searching the premises reported that they had found no signs of life; the rooms were thick with dust, and the clothes and bedding hanging to dry smelled heavily of mildew, suggesting they had not been touched in years.

Realizing something was deeply wrong, Shunxi ordered his men to rush to the back mountain rice fields to verify if anyone was actually there. Inside her room, Ye Li offered Mo Xiuyao some wild mushrooms she had gathered earlier, asking again about his gray hair and what had happened at the mansion.

Mo Xiuyao expressed his deep regret over their past misunderstandings, confessing how terribly he had missed her since she left, and begged her to return to the Prince Ding Mansion with him. Their conversation was interrupted by Shunxi, who grew impatient and confronted Ye Li about the whereabouts of the academy's people. He bluntly revealed that the rice fields on the back mountain had been completely abandoned for years, overrun with weeds and pests.

He declared that there was not a single trace of human life on Lishan, and that Ye Li was entirely alone. Unable to accept this reality, Ye Li panicked and fled toward the back mountain. She desperately imagined seeing the masters and her grandfather welcoming her, trying to maintain the illusion of a bustling academy. When she reached the overgrown, desolate fields, the harsh truth crashed down upon her.

Shunxi, catching up, relentlessly hammered home that the fields had not been farmed for six or seven years and accused the academy of defying the imperial decree by fleeing. Mo Xiuyao fiercely ordered Shunxi to shut up, pulling a weeping, hysterical Ye Li into his arms. Overwhelmed by grief and mental strain, Ye Li began sobbing and biting her own arm in agony before losing consciousness. Mo Xiuyao carried her back to her room, refusing to leave her side.

That night, Jin informed Mo Xiuyao that Shunxi and his party had immediately left the mountain to report the academy's disappearance to the Empress Dowager. Expecting this, Mo Xiuyao handed Jin a letter to deliver to the Emperor in the capital, stating that he would remain on the mountain to look after his wife. The next morning, Mo Xiuyao awoke to find Ye Li gone.

Terrified, he searched for her, but she soon returned carrying fresh bamboo shoots and mushrooms she had dug up. Acting as though nothing had happened, she cheerfully prepared soup for him. As they ate, Ye Li once again asked why his hair had turned gray and when he had arrived the previous night, completely forgetting the traumatic events of the day before.

Mo Xiuyao realized with a heavy heart that her illness was worsening and she was selectively forgetting her trauma. When she mentioned that her grandfather and the masters would return from harvesting later, he chose not to break her illusion, gently lying that he had arrived very late and didn't want to wake her. Ye Li then insisted she had serious business to attend to.

She took Mo Xiuyao to the book compilation room, explaining that she and her seniors were responsible for collating the vast collection of classics, complaining that her fellow disciples had been slacking. She pulled out the "Treatise on Astronomy" from the shelves and set to work on draft collations for the Astronomy Chapter and Agriculture Chapter, while Mo Xiuyao quietly stayed by her side to help.

While exploring the room, Mo Xiuyao came across a dusty, cobweb-covered wheelchair and diagrams of acupuncture points for the legs. He remembered how Ye Li had studied bone injuries, paralysis, and acupuncture under Master Helai just to treat his disabled legs. His eyes welled with tears as he recalled her promise to heal him and realized the immense love and effort she had poured into his recovery.

When Ye Li noticed his emotional state, Mo Xiuyao confessed that he felt terribly guilty for doubting, neglecting, and failing her in the past. Ye Li comforted him, saying he had always been good to her. Later, Mo Xiuyao walked through the bamboo forest, coming across a stone statue of a monkey. He recalled Ye Li's insistence that she had seen monkeys in the mansion despite others dismissing her claims.

He wanted to explore deeper into the forest, but a sudden downpour forced him to turn back. Meanwhile, far away, Feng Zhiyao was traveling with a companion along the dusty road to Cangbei, pushing a heavy cart of goods. Despite being robbed of his horse and money by an unreliable guide, Feng Zhiyao stubbornly refused to abandon his cargo, viewing it as his personal dignity. Stopping at a border post, they drank milk tea and chatted with the locals.

The locals spoke of the peace and prosperity that had returned to the region ever since Princess Lingyun settled the internal conflicts of the Wei tribe and established border trade between Cangbei and Dachu. To honor her memory, the local tribes had erected a grand stone statue of her nearby. Looking at the statue, Feng Zhiyao was deeply moved, remembering the road he had once walked with her.

Back at Lishan, Ye Li happily led Mo Xiuyao to an empty courtyard. Deep in her delusions, she introduced him to her grandfather Headmaster Xu, Master Helai, Master Zhu, Master Chen, Master Yu, and Master Jiang, who were represented only by empty spaces and stone fixtures. Understanding the severity of her mental state, Mo Xiuyao did not shatter her fantasy. Instead, he sat down respectfully and greeted each nonexistent master one by one.

He listened as Ye Li told her phantom family that they no longer needed to worry about her being bullied in the capital because her husband treated her with the utmost care. Mo Xiuyao solemnly vowed to the empty courtyard that he would cherish Ye Li with his life and never let her feel lonely again.

To keep Ye Li calm and stable, Mo Xiuyao continued to play along with her illusion, pretending to interact with her invisible family. However, the words of Physician Guan echoed in his mind—that severe psychological trauma, such as the sudden loss of close family members, could trigger deep hallucinations, making a person believe their loved ones were still alive. That night, after Ye Li fell fast asleep, Mo Xiuyao made his way to the back of the bamboo forest.

There, his worst fears were realized. He found the silent graves of Headmaster Xu, Master Zhu, and the other members of Lishan Academy. Among them was an empty grave pit with a wooden marker bearing Ye Li's own name. Overwhelmed with grief, Mo Xiuyao stood before the tombstones and introduced himself as Ye Li's husband, tearfully thanking them for taking care of her and promising to cherish her with his life so she would never be lonely again.

When Mo Xiuyao returned to their room, Ye Li stirred from her sleep, softly asking where he had been. He gently lied, telling her he had just gone out for a walk. When she warned him about the monkeys outside, he reassured her that he was not afraid and pulled her into his warm embrace.

Holding her close, Mo Xiuyao opened up about his deepest vulnerabilities, confessing how terrified of death he had actually been when he first joined the army with his father and brother. He described the horror of being buried in the dark, cold earth. Ye Li, despite her fragile state, comforted him, explaining that she was no longer afraid of death because they had each other.

She found solace in the thought of them being buried together and holding one another forever. Feeling the effects of the wine, Ye Li slurred that she had many chores to do the next day, such as chopping wood, carrying water, and digging bamboo shoots. Mo Xiuyao kissed her forehead and promised to take care of everything, urging her to just get some peaceful rest.

The next morning, Ye Li woke up to find Mo Xiuyao already gone from their bed. He had been up early, chopping a neat pile of firewood and brewing a pot of congee. He also repaired the broken doors, windows, and the unstable bed so she could sleep without fear of it collapsing. After breakfast, the two enjoyed a rare moment of domestic bliss, venturing out to pick wild mushrooms together.

Later, Mo Xiuyao constructed a wooden chair so they could sit and watch the moon, promising to stand by her side through every rising and setting moon to erase her years of loneliness. Meanwhile, far to the north at Suixue Pass, Feng Zhiyao stopped at a local eatery, reminiscing about his late love, Princess Lingyun. There, he happened to cross paths with Han Mingxi, who was traveling with his family.

When Feng Zhiyao asked if Su Zuidie had been executed after being sent back to Cangbei, Han Mingxi avoided his gaze, hesitantly claiming he had not heard the details but assumed she must have met a miserable end. Back in the capital, Empress Dowager Guo Jin received a report from Shunxi, who claimed that Lishan Mountain was completely deserted, suggesting the academy's residents had fled years ago.

Gongshu Yang, however, found it hard to believe, asserting that Headmaster Xu was not the type of person to secretly abandon his post. Soon after, the young Emperor arrived with an urgent letter from Mo Xiuyao, informing them of the tragic truth: everyone on Lishan Mountain, except for Princess Consort Ding, had succumbed to an illness years prior.

Shocked by the news, Guo Jin immediately appointed Gongshu Yang as the Secret Investigator of Lishan, ordering him to depart at once to uncover the truth. Unaware of the impending imperial inspection, Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li continued their quiet life on the mountain. When Mo Xiuyao mentioned that Gongshu Yang was coming with an honor guard, Ye Li was surprised, but he assured her he had postponed their arrival for two days.

Since all the chores were finished, Mo Xiuyao suggested they watch the sunrise together at a special spot where the sun felt close enough to touch. They set out early while it was still pitch black. As they waited, Mo Xiuyao pointed out the subtle beauty of the night sky, comparing life's hardships to the darkness. He stressed that whether good or bad, one must face and overcome obstacles to see new scenery and start a new life.

He knew Ye Li had to face her reality. When the heavy clouds blocked the sunrise, Mo Xiuyao gently guided her toward the back mountain. As they neared the monkey statues at the entrance of the back mountain, Ye Li hesitated, her body trembling with a deep-seated fear. She recalled her grandfather's warning that fierce wild monkeys roamed the back mountain and she must never go there.

Holding her tightly, Mo Xiuyao kept whispering words of comfort, assuring her that there were no monkeys and that she was safe with him. He carried her deeper into the forest until they stood before the cluster of graves. The sight shattered Ye Li's fragile illusion, and her suppressed, agonizing memories came rushing back in a torrent of grief. Eight years ago, a devastating epidemic had swept through Lishan Academy, leaving everyone bedridden except for her.

Desperate to save them, Ye Li had tried to run down the mountain to find a physician and medicine, but her senior disciples caught her and locked her inside a room. Behind locked doors, Ye Li's senior explained that Lishan’s sealing was not out of selfishness, but to resist Guo Jin’s usurpation. To seek help from the outside world would mean bowing to a traitor, ruining the headmaster's lifelong reputation, and shaming the academy.

Ye Li screamed that she did not care about reputation; she only wanted her grandfather and the others to live. Through the window, her maid Qingshuang wept, telling her that the sickness was spreading rapidly and more people were dying. Desperate, Ye Li urged Qingshuang to run down the mountain to get help, but Qingshuang collapsed and died right outside the window.

One by one, the masters, seniors, and physicians succumbed to the plague, leaving her grandfather to pass away alone. Bound by her senior's stubborn resolve and left with no medicine, Ye Li was forced to watch everyone die. Left entirely alone, she dragged the bodies of her beloved grandfather, masters, and companions to the back mountain, burying them one by one.

The crushing weight of this trauma, borne entirely on her young shoulders for eight years, had slowly shattered her mind, forcing her to construct a comforting illusion to escape the unbearable reality.

All forty-seven people of Lishan Academy, except for Princess Ding Ye Li, had met with disaster. At that time, Ye Li was all alone. She transported the bodies of her maternal grandfather, senior brothers, and senior sisters to the bamboo forest at the back of the mountain and buried them one by one. The immense grief made Ye Li feel like a dead person. She sat withered in the bamboo forest from night until day.

Later, she dug a pit for herself, lying inside and wishing to die. From then on, she began to bite herself. Out of a protective mechanism, her body completely forgot these painful memories, making her believe that her maternal grandfather and the others were still alive. Relying on this, she endured alone for eight years. Now, seeing these graves, Ye Li remembered the fact that her maternal grandfather and the others had already passed away.

Mo Xiuyao took the weeping Ye Li into his arms and gently told her that the sun had risen. Mo Jingli had indeed faked his death. He was hiding in Suixue Pass, waiting for the right opportunity. Snow was falling in Suixue Pass. Han Mingxi wanted to persuade Han Mingyue to leave this place and live a normal life. After some thought, Han Mingyue agreed to take him away.

Painter Feng, who came from Great Chu, had been lurking in Suixue Pass for many years. He knew the defense map of the general's mansion in Suixue Pass inside out, drew it, and handed it to Mo Jingli. Late at night amidst the falling snow, Mo Jingli's men slipped into the general's mansion and silently killed all the defending generals and soldiers. On the other side, Gongshu Yang was ordered to go up Lishan Mountain.

Guided by Mo Xiuyao, he headed to the back of the mountain and saw countless graves in the bamboo forest. The messenger rushed without stopping to deliver the urgent report back to the capital. Empress Dowager Guo Jin and the Emperor successively learned that all forty-six people of Lishan Mountain had died of illness.

Murong Shen, the Secretariat Director, sighed with emotion that the integrity of the Lishan Mountain disciples, who refused to open the mountain gates even until death, was truly admirable. The ministers advised the Emperor to use public opinion across the realm, guide it slightly, or fan the flames from behind, so that they could return to legitimacy in due time. Next year would be the year of the young Emperor's capping ceremony.

He originally wanted to follow Murong Shen's advice and wait until next year to take charge of the administration. However, another minister strongly advised the Emperor to take this opportunity to reclaim the court administration, fearing that the Empress Dowager would still refuse to hand back power next year. The young Emperor was persuaded. At court the next day, a eunuch read anonymous poems circulating among the common people aloud to everyone.

The poems stated that Guo Jin had usurped the state, which left Guo Jin extremely furious. The ministers took this opportunity to boldly advise, hoping that Empress Dowager Guo Jin would return the power to the Emperor. Under the pretext of allowing the Empress Dowager to rest for her health and well-being, the young Emperor and the ministers all requested Guo Jin to go to the imperial villa to recuperate. Mo Xiuyao brought Ye Li back to Prince Ding's Mansion.

After Ye Li regained her clarity, she still had a straw doll in her hand. Previously, every time she killed an enemy, Ye Li would tear up a straw doll. This fourth straw doll was still there. Even without her saying anything, Mo Xiuyao knew that this fourth straw doll represented the current Empress Dowager Guo Jin.

From the fire at the Eastern Palace to the subsequent Lishan Mountain disaster, and Marquis Muyang running rampant for years, everything had been paving the way for Guo Jin. Ye Li assured Mo Xiuyao not to worry. Even though she felt indignant, she would not act rashly or easily on the path of dealing with the Empress Dowager. Guo Jin had also once been an outstanding disciple of Lishan Mountain.

She possessed great ambition, and to pave her way to inheriting the throne, she used any means necessary, sacrificing the lives of countless innocent people. From her perspective, she was not wrong. But from the perspective of those victims, they were also innocent. When Guo Jin woke up the next day, she asked Shunxi beside her where Xu Wanzhou's grave was. Shunxi replied that she was buried near Zhengyi Temple.

Guo Jin ordered Shunxi to prepare some sacrificial wine vessels and took a few people with her to Zhengyi Temple, without making a big scene. The little emperor instructed Gao Wenhuan to draft an imperial edict to clear the names and bestow posthumous honors upon the deceased sages of Lishan Mountain. Besides restoring the innocence of those who were wronged, he also promoted capable talents from the Lishan lineage.

Xu Qingyun was posthumously titled Marquis Wenzheng, and Ye Li was titled County Mistress Wenzhao, enjoying the stipend of a prince's daughter. Wei Zhuang obtained an official post, so Ye Li had to find another manager for Shende Shop, but she could not find a satisfactory candidate. Mo Xiuyao said that had he known finding someone would be this difficult, he would not have let Wei Zhuang leave. Among the candidates was a man named Tang Zixiao.

Because of a deformity in his fingers, he was not allowed to take the imperial examinations, so he engaged in trade. Additionally, Tang Zixiao was handsome, and his features somewhat resembled Mo Xiuyao. Later, during a meal, Mo Xiuyao said that the man surnamed Tang was no good. He was worried that Tang Zixiao had ulterior motives and bad intentions. Wenran asked what Tang Zixiao looked like, and Ye Li said his appearance was indeed handsome.

Wenran glanced at Mo Xiuyao and teased that there was a strong scent of vinegar. Ye Li naturally understood her sister-in-law's meaning and stuffed a piece of sweet and sour fish into Mo Xiuyao's mouth. Mo Xiuyao began to manage the affairs of Shende Shop, making Ye Li think he was very idle, so she asked if he wanted to return to his post at Jingzhao Prefecture. Mo Xiuyao did not agree.

He said he still had many things to do, especially keeping an eye on Ye Li to make sure she slept well, took her medicine on time, and recovered from her illness. Uncle Wenshen called Ye Li over. It turned out he had a conflict with Ye Ying, complaining that Ye Ying was foolish and lacked judgment, nearly heading down the path of smuggling contraband.

Ye Li persuaded Ye Ying with just a few words, and Ye Ying, feeling distressed that Ye Li had been alone on Lishan Mountain all these years, treated Ye Li very well. The two sisters no longer had any gaps or grudges. Mo Xiuyao returned from fishing, but by the hour of You, Ye Li had not yet returned. Qingyu told him that today Ye Li was going with Manager Tang to collect new kilns.

Mo Xiuyao learned that Ye Li had hired Tang Zixiao after all. Qingyu was full of praise for Tang Zixiao, saying that besides being handsome, he also carefully brewed medicinal soup for Ye Li and made several appetizers to stimulate her appetite. When Ye Li returned in the evening, Mo Xiuyao was a bit jealous, complaining that she forgot the imperial physician was supposed to come today to check her pulse.

Ye Li felt sorry for this, but at the same time, she felt she had improved a lot and did not need daily pulse readings. General Xiong, the commander of Suixue Pass, was killed. He had guarded Suixue Pass for many years and was highly skilled, so it was unlikely he would be killed by a groom. After discussion among the ministers, someone recommended Mo Xiuyao to go and guard it.

Before the imperial edict was issued, Gongshu Yang came to the door first, trying to persuade Mo Xiuyao to guard Suixue Pass. Mo Wuyou overheard their conversation outside the door and quickly told his mother, Wenran, the news. Ye Li took Mo Xiuyao out at midnight to watch Tang Zixiao and indeed found him traveling in the middle of the night. The two followed Tang Zixiao and found him having a secret meeting with his lover.

Ye Li's gossiping heart reached its peak, and she insisted on taking a few more looks, nearly making enough noise for Tang Zixiao to discover them. Tonight, Ye Li intentionally brought Mo Xiuyao out just to make him feel better. Ye Li was as clear-headed as a mirror and roughly knew that Mo Xiuyao was struggling inside, so she expressed that whatever decision Mo Xiuyao made, she would support him.

Learning that Mo Xiuyao might go to guard Suixue Pass, in order to leave an heir for Prince Ding's Mansion, Wenran sent Nanny Xu to Ye Li's side to carefully nourish her body, and later sent Mo Xiuyao some calming soup. Mo Xiuyao did not know what was added to the calming soup and drank it. Ye Li went to the study to find Mo Xiuyao, only to find that he had locked the door from the inside.