Yongan Dream Recap, Plot, Synopsis
Yongan Dream Synopsis
In the capital city of Yong An, the collapse of the West City Canal leads to the sudden downfall of Shangshu Shen Wenqi, the official in charge of the project, who finds himself imprisoned overnight. With the nest overturned, the two daughters of the Shen family, Shen Mei and Shen Zhen, also fall into dire straits. Particularly, the younger daughter, Shen Zhen, who has been sheltered in the inner chambers and is unfamiliar with the ways of the world, now struggles on the streets, vulnerable and defenseless. Meanwhile, Judicial Officer Lu Shiyun, tasked with investigating the case, finds himself perplexed due to recurring dreams of a mysterious woman with whom he shares unexplained connections.
Upon investigation, Lu Shiyun discovers that the enigmatic woman from his dreams is none other than Shen Zhen, the daughter of the condemned official. As Lu Shiyun gradually approaches her, they both step into the unknown twists of fate. Centered around the case of the West City Canal, the two endure life-threatening challenges, entrusting each other with faith and forming a deep bond. With Shen Zhen's assistance, Lu Shiyun unravels the truth behind the case. However, the true puppeteer behind the scenes quietly closes in on the duo.
Yongan Dream Recap
Episode 1 Recap
In the Minister's Residence, what people most relish talking about are Shen Wenqi's two precious daughters, one is intelligent and resourceful, the other is lively and clever. Both young ladies are extraordinary. The younger sister, Shen Zhen, saw that even after marrying, her older sister still managed the pharmacy business in a very orderly manner. She admired her sister's ability to manage the pharmacy and was ashamed that she knew nothing.
But Shen Ran encouraged her to be herself, saying that as long as the older sister is capable, the younger sister can naturally rest easy without worry. In the misty rain, Shen Zhen came to the courtyard and saw the camellias blooming beautifully. Worried that the buds would be disturbed by raindrops, she immediately used the umbrella in her hand to shield them. Her father was again bent over his desk designing blueprints.
This time, her father pioneered the "huo dilong". Shen Zhen looked at her father's design with delight. Her father was just talking about having prepared a birthday gift for Shen Zhen when suddenly there was a commotion outside the gate. Lu Shiyan led a group of people and stormed in.
Lu Shiyan read out a memorial, stating that Shen Zhen's father's designed Western City Canal had collapsed, causing serious casualties, and he was now to be arrested and brought to justice for severe interrogation. Shen Wenqi was very surprised. The blueprint was designed by his own hands and construction only began after several experiments; there shouldn't have been any errors. However, challenging a royal decree was difficult. As Shen Wenqi left, he secretly placed a token in Shen Zhen's hand.
Her father was taken away, and Shen Zhen spent the night trying to figure things out. Seeing the token, she thought it might be related to the Western City Canal. Thinking of this, Shen Zhen immediately went to the Li residence to find her older sister. However, her older sister's mother-in-law feared getting into trouble and immediately locked the gate tightly, not allowing Shen Ran to step out.
Lu Shiyan was attacked in a dream last night and his chest still ached faintly upon waking. He received a task late at night and went out. The place where he was carrying out his duty happened to be the Minister's Residence. Seeing the second young lady of the Minister's Residence, teary-eyed like a pear blossom laden with rain, a feeling of compassion arose spontaneously within him.
As he was taking Shen Wenqi away, his eyes happened to meet Shen Zhen's. Lu Shiyan felt a sharp pain in his chest and immediately fainted on the ground. After waking up, he consulted many doctors, but none could diagnose the problem. After some consultations, some even concluded it was a heart problem, which left Lu Shiyan quite speechless.
The next day, Censor Zhou came to see Lu Shiyan, stating that the emperor had handed over the Western City Canal case to them for investigation. Lu Shiyan found this very strange. Yesterday, he had carefully examined the blueprint of the Western City Canal personally drawn by Shen Wenqi and found nothing inappropriate. However, the construction drawing had vanished without a trace. It was indeed bizarre how the collapse accident could have happened later.
But now that the emperor had assigned Censor Zhou to handle the investigation, Lu Shiyan naturally could not say anything further. The next day, Shen Zhen went to consult her aunt. She overheard her uncle urging her aunt to marry her off. In ordinary times, when Shen Wenqi had not yet met with misfortune, the other party had proposed marriage but was rejected. Now, seeing that the Minister's Residence had just fallen into trouble, they began to become aggressive again.
Shen Zhen knew her aunt was easily influenced. She started desperately trying to come up with a plan, asking her aunt to take her to the market to eat noodles. Unable to resist Shen Zhen's pleading, her aunt finally agreed. Shen Zhen deliberately asked about her father's case in the noodle shop. Her aunt looked nervous and reminded her that there were many eyes and ears here, and it was not convenient to say more.
But Shen Zhen saw that Lu Shiyan happened to be there eating noodles too, so she decided to ask Lu Shiyan about the case progress. Then she pushed her aunt forward and, taking advantage of the moment when everyone was unprepared, immediately left with her maid. Shen Zhen went to the treasury, and following the number on the key her father gave her, she found a wooden box.
She was carefully holding it in her arms, preparing to open it, when suddenly Lu Shiyan stood directly in front of her, reminding Shen Zhen that she should not conceal evidence. Then he began to snatch the wooden box. During the struggle, the box fell to the ground with a crisp sound. She had originally thought her father would leave her some evidence. Who knew it turned out to be a letter handwritten by her mother?
Having lost her mother many years ago, Shen Zhen would always receive a letter from her mother on her birthday. This time, her father had also put the jade bracelet her mother gave her into the wooden box, but sadly it was broken in the fall. Picking up the fragments of the jade bracelet, Shen Zhen's eyes turned red. Lu Shiyan gave her the jade pendant personally bestowed by the emperor as compensation. Shen Zhen flatly refused.
Every time she saw Lu Shiyan, something bad would happen. Shen Zhen was so angry that tears streamed down her face. Shen Ran arrived shortly after and took Shen Zhen away. Lu Shiyan happened to see the jade pendant Shen Zhen was wearing. It was exactly the same as the one worn by the assassin who attacked him in his dream! Lu Shiyan couldn't help but wonder if Shen Zhen was the person causing his recurring heart problems.
Not far away, Shen Zhen couldn't help but sob to her older sister. Hearing her crying, Lu Shiyan's chest ached again, and he fell to the ground. Today was Shen Zhen's birthday. Her older sister, Shen Ran, made her longevity noodles and comforted Shen Zhen, telling her not to be sad. At least she still had her older sister at home. As long as their father's design blueprint was correct, they only needed to find evidence.
Episode 2 Recap
In the Censorate, Shen Zhen's father was secretly poisoned. Fortunately, the jailer discovered it in time, and his life was not in danger. Censor Zhou learned from the yamen runner that the criminal who had infiltrated the prison committed suicide to escape punishment, claiming in the confession letter that he was a relative of the victims of the Western City Canal incident and risked his life out of resentment towards Shen Wenqi. There must be a trick here.
Censor Zhou was pondering this when he suddenly heard a commotion outside the door. Shen Ran personally came to visit the prison but was blocked outside the door by the jailer and was not allowed to enter. Shen Ran was well-versed in laws and regulations and directly pointed out that the jailer had no right to prevent people from visiting prisoners.
Censor Zhou came before Shen Ran and, upon hearing her recite the laws fluently, immediately reprimanded the jailer for being too strict and fined him according to the regulations. Shen Zhen thought about it at home and still felt that her father had deposited something at Jinshi Bank. Just as she was preparing to go to the bank with her maid to investigate again, some yamen runners arrived at her house, insisting on searching the house for evidence.
Shen Zhen was anxious to go out, but the person who came was Lu Shiyan. He instructed his subordinates to search carefully and then noticed the sachet she was wearing. Lu Shiyan took the sachet, originally thinking it contained poison or a knockout drug, but it turned out to be just an ordinary sachet. Lu Shiyan searched the place and, finding nothing, prepared to take the sachet back with him. Shen Zhen blocked his way, demanding her sachet back.
Indeed, there was no need to confiscate items made by women. Lu Shiyan returned the item. Shen Zhen then threw it away directly in front of everyone. After Lu Shiyan left, Shen Zhen hurried to the bank with her maid. Relying on her memory, she found drawer number eight, opened the lock, and indeed found something belonging to her father. It was a detailed construction drawing, which should be a very important piece of evidence.
Shen Zhen knew her current situation was dangerous and she couldn't leave with the drawing safely, so she locked it back up. But she didn't know that someone had already secretly targeted her and followed closely, stealing the drawing. Shen Zhen had not yet left the bank when she found the inner door locked. A fire suddenly broke out at the bank, filling the place with thick smoke.
Shen Zhen frantically searched for drawer number eight, but it was locked, and she couldn't open it despite great effort. Moreover, someone blatantly started pushing her towards the epicenter of the disaster. Just then, Lu Shiyan passed by, saw the bank was on fire, and also saw Shen Zhen's maid outside. He immediately rushed in and rescued Shen Zhen. The people attempting to abduct Shen Zhen saw Lu Shiyan's agility and quickly fled.
Lu Shiyan opened drawer number eight, but it was empty. They quickly realized the case was no small matter. Lu Shiyan asked about the characteristics of the people who had just tried to abduct Shen Zhen. Shen Zhen speculated it should be related to the Marquis of Suning's residence. In the thick smoke just now, she smelled a peculiar fragrance. This kind of spice could only be blended by her sister. Furthermore, this bank was opened by her uncle-in-law.
Shen Zhen analyzed the situation clearly and logically. Lu Shiyan promised to help Shen Zhen find evidence, but his only request was for Shen Zhen to cry now. Shen Zhen was baffled by Lu Shiyan's suggestion, especially since there was no reason to cry. So, Lu Shiyan created a sad atmosphere for her. Thinking back on the recent misfortunes her family had encountered, Shen Zhen burst into tears. Then Lu Shiyan's chest started to ache again.
He immediately called for her to stop, telling Shen Zhen not to cry anymore. With the construction drawing stolen, the most important thing now was to find evidence. To prove her suspicions, she decided to make a bold attempt to verify her guess. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Shen Zhen ran to her aunt's house, claiming she had just been in danger at the bank and almost killed.
Her aunt appeared very caring on the surface, immediately having her subordinates prepare a bath and change of clothes for Shen Zhen. Her aunt had watched her grow up since childhood, and Shen Zhen felt her aunt should still love her. However, what happened next chilled her heart. After Shen Zhen bathed, her aunt offered warm comfort, changed her into beautiful clothes, and had her rest in the guest room.
Unexpectedly, after a short while, Xu Wei walked straight into the room. Shen Zhen reprimanded Xu Wei, saying he shouldn't take advantage of her vulnerability, but the other party was shameless and paid no heed. With no tools nearby, Shen Zhen could only pretend to go along with him, buying time to think of a solution. Xu Wei claimed that the person who got the construction drawing was Shen Zhen's uncle-in-law.
As long as Shen Zhen obediently agreed to submit to him, he would ensure the drawing was returned intact. Shen Zhen pretended to be weak and helpless, proposing they drink a cup of betrothal wine together, and then, taking advantage of his unpreparedness, she ran out the door. Shen Zhen came to her aunt's garden, but Xu Wei and his servants were still pressing closer. Shen Zhen begged her aunt for help, but the other party was indifferent.
Her uncle-in-law even said that being favored by Xu Wei was a great fortune. Xu Wei attempted to force himself upon her in front of everyone. Shen Zhen resisted desperately, refusing to yield. Just as her clothes were about to be torn, fortunately, Lu Shiyan arrived! Trespassing on the Marquis of Suning's residence was a serious crime. Lu Shiyan claimed he had received a report that there was important evidence in the Marquis's residence.
Shen Zhen's uncle-in-law knew he was in the wrong and did not dare to challenge him. Xu Wei, who had harassed a respectable woman, was also taken away. Shen Zhen kept crying. Lu Shiyan told her not to cry. At the same time, he felt an unbearable pain in his chest and fainted.
Episode 3 Recap
Lu Shiyan searched the Marquis of Suning's residence and found the construction drawing. He called Shen Zhen over to ask if it was authentic. Thinking of how her father had poured his heart and soul into this drawing for two years, Shen Zhen couldn't help but shed tears. Driven by emotion, Shen Zhen's tears were understandable, but Lu Shiyan's chest hurt because of it. He immediately told Shen Zhen not to cry anymore.
Having discovered inside information from the Marquis of Suning's residence, Lu Shiyan immediately took the Marquis of Suning for intense interrogation. The Prefect Xu's original name was Xu Wei. The crime of forcibly seizing respectable women would be a scandal no matter who spoke of it. Lu Shiyan was certain the Empress would not plead for this kind of matter, so he had his subordinates give Xu Wei two lashes.
This Xu Wei was originally just a dissolute young man and couldn't withstand such punishment at all; he fainted after just two lashes. The Marquis of Suning claimed he had received several letters instructing him that obtaining the construction drawing would ensure the bank's endless flow of wealth, otherwise his family would be ruined. Driven by greed, the Marquis of Suning immediately acted according to the content of the letters.
Zhou Shu'an came to see Lu Shiyan and told him about Shen Wenqi being poisoned in prison. He reminded Lu Shiyan to be careful in every step from now on. The Emperor had now ordered Lu Shiyan and Zhou Shu'an to investigate the case together. Lu Shiyan felt it was best not to tell Shen Zhen about this matter for the time being, to spare her from grieving and crying, which would affect himself.
As soon as Shen Zhen cried, Lu Shiyan felt intense heartache. In Lu Shiyan's view, this was not a good thing. He ordered four or five female attendants to examine Shen Zhen to see if she was different from ordinary people. However, the female attendants reported that Shen Zhen had slender limbs, a good figure, and wide hips, suitable for childbearing. These words were overheard by Shen Zhen's maid, Qing Xi.
She misunderstood that Lu Shiyan was also a lecher and immediately reported it to her mistress. Shen Zhen was greatly alarmed, thinking that the dignified nine-foot tall Grand Justiciary would also be infatuated. Soon after, Lu Shiyan came straight over. Shen Zhen began to be doubly cautious. Lu Shiyan immediately explained that things were not as Shen Zhen imagined; he simply couldn't bear to see Shen Zhen cry.
If she wanted to quickly investigate the truth of the unjust case, he hoped Shen Zhen could resolve his problem. Hearing that Lu Shiyan would feel heartache whenever she cried, Shen Zhen was very surprised. She conducted an experiment on the spot and found that Lu Shiyan indeed clutched his chest and soon fainted to the ground. Shen Zhen chose to believe Lu Shiyan's words, but Qing Xi felt they needed to try again.
So, Shen Zhen brought more onions, peppers, and mustard. Although the smell was pungent and tears and snot flowed continuously, Lu Shiyan soon followed closely, begging Shen Zhen not to cry anymore. He vowed he would do everything possible to help clear Shen Wenqi's name. --- Late at night, Lu Shiyan dreamt again. Incense smoke curled around him, and he walked into it, hoping for a celestial being to guide him.
A celestial being with white hair and a childlike face enlightened him with "Lovesickness is bone-deep, medicine cannot cure. " After waking up, Lu Shiyan was completely bewildered. The woman he saw in his dream seemed to have been hurt because of him and suffered severe torture. It felt like he had wronged her greatly. But why did he always think of her in his dreams? Lu Shiyan still had no answer.
By dawn, Lu Shiyan went to see the sorceress again. The sorceress first advised Lu Shiyan that perhaps he handled too many cases on weekdays and was under too much pressure. But Lu Shiyan confessed that the woman in his dream was exactly the same as the one in reality, and whenever she shed tears, his heart would ache. The sorceress's expression changed dramatically.
She felt that Lu Shiyan and that woman had a karmic relationship in a past life, and she had come to collect a debt in this life. Lu Shiyan didn't believe it, but seeing the sorceress speak with conviction and even asking Shen Zhen to see her the next day, claiming she would help Lu Shiyan solve this urgent problem.
The sorceress instructed Lu Shiyan that after she helped him sever the karmic tie with Shen Zhen, the two would become strangers from then on. Lu Shiyan heard it clearly, but still brought Shen Zhen as agreed.
Episode 4 Recap
The sorceress called Shen Zhen into the room, and Lu Shiyan waited outside alone. It was completely silent around him. He recalled the celestial being in his dream telling him, "Lovesickness is bone-deep, medicine cannot cure. " Could this sorceress truly be so powerful as to help him sever the karmic ties of a past life? The sorceress employed some fraudulent tricks, privately asking Shen Zhen if she had feelings for Lu Shiyan.
Shen Zhen immediately shook her head and denied it. She had absolutely no interest in Lu Shiyan, but currently, because her father's case had not been cleared, she naturally couldn't give up on Lu Shiyan. As for Lu Shiyan, he brought Shen Zhen without hesitation and wasn't worried about having no connection with Shen Zhen in the future.
Thinking that there was no spark between the two, the sorceress claimed that because Lu Shiyan was related to Shen Zhen's father's case, their "mortal ties were not yet severed. " Lu Shiyan's chest pain remained unsolved. Later, he learned from the palace that after inspection, there were problems found with the construction drawing, and an imperial decree sentenced Shen Wenqi to be executed in the autumn.
Shen Zhen was certain that every detail of the construction drawing had been repeatedly tested and there were no problems, but the court had produced this result. Lu Shiyan and Zhou Shu'an discussed the case together. Zhou Shu'an mentioned that the construction drawing he saw in the palace was different from the previous one. Could someone have openly swapped the drawing? Who had such great capability?
Furthermore, the poison given to Shen Wenqi in prison was extremely rare; it must be something only people inside the palace could obtain. Shen Zhen remembered that her father had once given a draft drawing to an old friend. To find that draft as quickly as possible, Shen Zhen immediately took a palanquin out of the city. Little did she know that Xu Wei had been secretly watching her for a long time.
As the carriage traveled to the desolate wilderness, Xu Wei and his men blocked Shen Zhen's path, and he himself jumped into the palanquin. Seeing Xu Wei's sinister face, Shen Zhen groaned inwardly. She hadn't revealed her whereabouts to Lu Shiyan's men when she left. Now, who could she ask for help? In a moment of desperation, Shen Zhen had a sudden idea.
She remembered that Lu Shiyan would experience chest pain because of her tears, so she immediately burst into tears. As a result, Lu Shiyan truly sensed the danger and galloped towards Shen Zhen's location on his horse. Fortunately, Lu Shiyan arrived in time, but Xu Wei had many men, and Lu Shiyan couldn't cope with fighting a hundred by himself. Shen Zhen winked at Lu Shiyan. Lu Shiyan quickly understood.
Shen Zhen pretended to compromise, then drew her sword and made a public gesture of suicide. Lu Shiyan accused Xu Wei of publicly forcing a civilian woman to her death. Xu Wei immediately denied it, claiming he was using the 'Besiege Wei to Rescue Zhao' strategy. Regardless, someone was now dead, so Xu Wei had no choice but to leave with his subordinates, feeling frustrated.
Shen Zhen hit the tree with too much force when she fainted and slept for a long time. When she woke up, her head still ached terribly. Lu Shiyan ordered his subordinates to take good care of her, while also having his servants keep an eye on Li Di. This Li Di was clearly Shen Wenqi's son-in-law, but he acted improperly. Every time Shen Zhen encountered Xu Wei's unwanted advances, it happened after Li Di had met with Xu Wei.
Moreover, Shen Wenqi had just been imprisoned, yet Li Di, as his assistant, was not only completely unaffected but was even promoted to Water Superintendent. All of this was too incredible. Meanwhile, Zhou Shu'an also sent people to follow Li Di and discovered that Li Di had an outside mistress, and had for over a year. This case was becoming more and more interesting.
In front of others, Li Di put on an air of doting on his wife, but essentially, he was just as contemptible. Shen Ran went to see her maternal aunt. Her aunt confessed her mistakes to her, saying she had been deceived by the Marquis of Suning. Letting Xu Wei take possession of Shen Zhen back then was also to protect her own children.
Now that the Marquis of Suning's residence had been confiscated and her aunt was also imprisoned, she finally woke up. She reminded her niece to be very careful of Li Di, because the one who introduced Xu Wei to the Marquis of Suning was Li Di! With that statement, Shen Ran also broke out in a cold sweat. Stringing all the details together, Li Di truly was not as benevolent as she had seen.
Her aunt said that Li Di and Xu Wei were cut from the same cloth, urging Shen Ran to be more cautious. Shen Ran brought food and wine to see her maternal uncle by marriage. She deliberately told him the food was poisoned. As a result, her uncle was so scared he immediately spit out all the food in his mouth. It seemed her uncle by marriage had indeed done some unspeakable deeds. Shen Ran felt completely heartbroken. The elder she had respected in the past was someone she had completely misjudged.
Episode 5 Recap
After Shen Ran knew the truth about her husband colluding with Xu Wei, she quickly began recalling all the clues before and after her father's case. To avoid alerting the enemy, she temporarily didn't expose Li Di's true face. The hateful Li Di still put on a facade of innocence and purity, constantly expressing his loyalty to Shen Ran. Previously, it was widely rumored in the city that many women had disappeared.
The only survivor, because she was forced, was in a daze all day, and the painter, based on her description, could not well represent the features of the culprit. Shen Zhen was staying at the Ministry of Justice, and this couldn't go on forever. She heard that Lu Shiyan never underestimated women and suggested that her female identity could bring certain convenience, proactively applying for the position of female sketch artist.
Then, she drew Lu Shiyan's portrait on the spot; her painting skills looked very proficient. Lu Shiyan really agreed to let her try. The victim, Ling'er, saw many bruises on Shen Zhen's wrists and realized she was also someone with a similar fate, so she quickly empathized and detailed the physical characteristics of the culprit one by one. The portrait was very realistic.
Finally seeing that Shen Zhen had some special skills, although Lu Shiyan didn't say anything aloud, he felt much more comfortable inside. Shen Ran now knew that Li Di was being disloyal and secretly framed her father and only sister. Suffering from a lack of evidence, she personally prepared a dose of poison, intending to make him suffer the consequences of his actions. However, Zhou Shu'an saw it during the process.
Zhou Shu'an immediately instructed her to be extremely careful when doing things, saying that with Xu Wei's current capabilities, he couldn't cause great waves, and to remember not to alert the enemy. After Zhou Shu'an's guidance, Shen Ran's heart became much clearer. Based on Shen Zhen's portrait, Lu Shiyan quickly found the culprit who abducted the civilian women, and thus, following the clues, found that the mastermind was actually Xu Wei!
Lu Shiyan severely interrogated the culprit and heard that Xu Wei had secretly ordered more people to be captured and sent to Wuzhou. To completely understand the reason, Lu Shiyan prepared to personally go to Wuzhou. Shen Zhen heard and was happy to go. Lu Shiyan agreed, but required Shen Zhen to keep the case clues absolutely secret, especially from Shen Ran. Hearing some things about her brother-in-law from Lu Shiyan, Shen Zhen was very shocked.
But just a few days ago, her uncle and aunt also turned ruthless, which made Shen Zhen deeply see through naivety. According to the information she had recently obtained - Lu Si was in Wuzhou. Now that Lu Shiyan happened to be going to Wuzhou to investigate a case, she could conveniently go find Lu Si and get the draft drawing. Preparing to go to Wuzhou, she would also visit her eldest sister.
Shen Zhen learned from Shen Ran that her brother-in-law was still very devoted to his family and considerate to her sister, so she felt relieved. Shen Zhen had never told her sister about the shady things her brother-in-law had done. The two sisters were united at heart, both thinking of the other, while Shen Ran deliberately pretended on the surface that she and her husband were as loving as ever; in reality, they had long since been estranged.
Not long after, Shen Ran truly discovered that her husband was having an affair outside and had already settled his mistress permanently nearby. Shen Ran almost lost her composure and really wanted to rush in and curse the adulterous pair, but Zhou Shu'an walked towards her, holding an umbrella. It turned out he also knew about these things Li Di had done and even advised Shen Ran that it was best to get a divorce.
Zhou Shu'an appeared several times at awkward moments, and Shen Ran mercilessly reminded him that he might as well save his energy and find out the truth about the collapse of the West City canal as soon as possible. From Lu Shiyan's servant, Shen Zhen learned that only someone who could be Lu Shiyan's 'inner room' could accompany him to Wuzhou.
To quickly win Lu Shiyan's favor, Shen Zhen ran to a courtesan house to learn some styles and techniques she thought men liked the most. Then, heavily made up, she showed off to Lu Shiyan. Seeing Shen Zhen's clumsy heavy makeup, Lu Shiyan could barely hold back his laughter. Later, it was because Shen Zhen frankly admitted she was worried that if Lu Shiyan left Chengyuan, no one would protect him, that she insisted on accompanying him.
This reason was indeed appropriate. Lu Shiyan finally agreed to take her with him. Shen Zhen returned to the side courtyard. Thinking that she was about to go to Wuzhou to find the drawing, she was so excited she couldn't contain herself and immediately exaggeratedly showed off to her maid, Qing Xi. Coincidentally, Lu Shiyan's mother, the long princess, happened to see it.
Episode 6 Recap
The long princess had a noble status and had strictly disciplined Lu Shiyan since childhood. She never expected to see such a frivolous and noisy woman at her son's separate residence, so naturally, she didn't have a good temper. Shen Zhen's clothes were borrowed from the courtesan house, and her makeup was also exactly copied from a dancer. When the long princess heard Qing Xi's glib defense, she directly gave her a slap and taught her a lesson.
Seeing her son, the long princess immediately asked Lu Shiyan to kick Shen Zhen out. Lu Shiyan explained that Shen Zhen was a very important witness and that only by keeping her by his side could she be fully protected. The long princess knew her son's character, so she no longer obstructed him. Lu Shiyan dreamt of Shen Zhen several times, and each time she was crying and begging on her knees, hoping that Lu Shiyan could save her father.
In the dreams, Lu Shiyan was harsh and heartless, not only torturing Shen Zhen multiple times but also confining her in the separate residence. Shen Zhen would cry all day, pleading with Lu Shiyan and hoping that Lu Shiyan could help clear her father's name. Upon waking up, recalling all the details, Lu Shiyan felt that his dream self seemed particularly cruel.
But he genuinely couldn't remember what connection he had with Shen Zhen, and he didn't want to keep dreaming of her. On the day they were to depart for Wuzhou, Shen Zhen sat in the same sedan chair as Lu Shiyan, posing as his wife. Seeing how much luggage Shen Zhen had prepared, he initially thought she was making a fuss like many women do. However, when he opened it, it was surprisingly full of court laws and regulations.
It seemed Shen Zhen was beginning to study law diligently, preparing to save her father indirectly. On the long journey, Shen Zhen held a book in her hand without letting go while sitting in the sedan chair. The carriage arrived at an inn where Shen Zhen and Lu Shiyan planned to rest. They booked the entire inn. The proprietress was graceful and took care of everything perfectly in front of everyone.
After a few drinks, everyone fell to the ground unconscious. The proprietress thought her scheme had succeeded and quickly ordered her subordinates to collect their silver. Lu Shiyan stood up and asked them their intentions, exposing his true identity. He thought these women would be shocked to hear he was the Chief Justice, but unexpectedly, upon hearing who he was, they gritted their teeth with hatred and all wanted to kill him to vent their anger.
Seeing that they were about to be tied up, Lu Shiyan quickly signaled his subordinates. It turned out he had already seen through this inn being a den of iniquity and had instructed his servants to take the antidote beforehand. The guards quickly turned the situation around. These women at the inn were forced into this; their men had been captured to serve as laborers, and even young children were unlikely to be spared.
After clarifying the situation, Lu Shiyan ordered his subordinates to arrest Zhuang Niang, the proprietress of the inn. Late at night, Shen Zhen asked Lu Shiyan how he would deal with these women. Hearing that Lu Shiyan intended to punish them according to the law, Shen Zhen sincerely stated that the law is meant to punish evildoers but also protects vulnerable groups who cannot defend themselves. She hoped Lu Shiyan could judge fairly.
According to the confessions of these female family members, when the West City canal was being built, the plans required using hard pine wood, but local officials secretly used willow wood to fill the quota. Not only that, they extensively conscripted laborers, and the cruel exploitation was infuriating. When they talked about Zhao Chong, the leader in Wuzhou, everyone gritted their teeth with hatred.
Zhuang Niang even stated that if Zhao Chong could be severely punished, she would be willing to die. Their hatred was irreconcilable, but Lu Shiyan suggested that he needed to collect evidence and couldn't act rashly; he had to proceed slowly. Zhuang Niang knelt down and said she was willing to obey his every command. Lu Shiyan sent the young children hiding in the inn to the orphanage.
The orphanage was funded and built by the long princess, so naturally, those children would be well cared for. Zhuang Niang finally felt relieved and, on behalf of all the farm families, knelt down and expressed her gratitude. Late at night, Lu Shiyan felt a sharp pain in his chest. Thinking Shen Zhen was under attack, Lu Shiyan endured the pain, fumbled for his sword, and stumbled out to rescue her.
Unexpectedly, upon entering Shen Zhen's room, he found her having a nightmare. Shen Zhen was pleading with someone in her dream to spare her father, and her pillow was soaked with tears. Lu Shiyan wanted to comfort Shen Zhen, but his hand was gripped tightly by her. Seeing how pitiful she was, Lu Shiyan stayed by her bedside and kept watch all night. Shen Ran recently figured out the mistress's daily routine.
She specifically took her mother-in-law to a spice and cosmetic shop to make a purchase and deliberately "coincidentally" encountered her husband's mistress. She didn't expect that her mother-in-law actually knew the mistress, and their familiarity was no less than her own. Originally, she intended to teach the mistress a good lesson in front of her mother-in-law, but the mistress, spoiled by favor, completely disregarded Shen Ran. She shamelessly declared herself Li Di's wife and loudly boasted that she was already pregnant with Li Di's child.
Episode 7 Recap
Now that the mistress had revealed she was pregnant, Shen Ran took her back to see how Li Di would decide. Li Di was shocked when he returned home and saw the mistress, but his mother kept speaking up for the mistress and took it upon herself to let the mistress live in the Li residence. Seeing the man standing by without saying a word, Shen Ran was furious.
She then unintentionally learned from her mother-in-law that this mistress was originally the legitimate wife, which angered her to the point of speechlessness. Zhuang Niang began to build up the persona of Lu Shiyan's wife, teaching Shen Zhen various feminine crafts and deportment, and even personally demonstrating, hoping that Shen Zhen and Lu Shiyan could cooperate more seamlessly.
Getting so close to Shen Zhen for the first time, Zhuang Niang also told Shen Zhen to lean her head on Lu Shiyan's shoulder, making Lu Shiyan's heart pound like a startled deer. Shen Ran's maid didn't understand why her mistress brought the mistress into the Li residence. When they were alone, Shen Ran told her that Li Di had always used the mistress, Ms. He, to pass information. It was impossible to trace who he was secretly communicating with.
Only by keeping her under their noses could she be clearly watched. It turned out that Shen Ran had long ago removed Li Di from her heart, and Ms. He's existence was completely insignificant. Shen Zhen and Lu Shiyan arrived in Wuzhou and found the person their father had entrusted the construction blueprints to. This Lu family's home had been ransacked, and the courtyard was dilapidated.
Lu Shiyan carefully searched for clues and saw traces of someone deliberately wiping away footprints. After a long wait, they finally saw Mr. Lu. Upon learning that the visitor was Shen Zhen, Mr. Lu admitted that the blueprints had long been snatched away by Zhao Chong. This Zhao Chong had a notorious reputation, and obtaining evidence to bring him down required careful consideration.
To lure him out, Shen Zhen deliberately and conspicuously entered Wuzhou with Lu Shiyan, buying lavishly along the way, spending exorbitant amounts, and quickly stirring up a sensation in the bustling market. Shen Zhen went to a jewelry store where a noblewoman surnamed Gao was purchasing jewelry. Seeing that she had an unusual status, Shen Zhen quickly bought all the jewelry in the shop at double the price, making Ms. Gao's face turn green with anger.
Never anger a petty woman. Ms. Gao left with a parting shot, "Just you wait. " Her backer would definitely be revealed in the future. Zhou Shu'an found out that Li Di kept a very important key in a pouch he wore close to his body. To avoid alerting him, he sent the message to Shen Ran, asking her to find an opportunity to get the key.
Lu Shiyan received the secret message and immediately devised a way to get the key. Then he disguised himself and his maid and went to the vault to find Ms. He's hidden wooden box. Shen Ran was hidden in the money house. After a while, Ms. He swaggered in, found her wooden box, put something inside, and left proudly. Shen Ran held her breath, trying her best to see clearly where Ms. He placed the wooden box.
She almost fell, but luckily Zhou Shu'an quickly steadied her, preventing her from being discovered by Ms. He. This Zhou Shu'an was very interesting; he was always able to turn the tide at crucial moments. The vault owner didn't know anyone was inside. When he left, he locked the vault door directly, leaving only Shen Ran and Zhou Shu'an inside. In the dead of night, Shen Ran and Zhou Shu'an stayed in their respective corners.
Zhou Shu'an produced evidence that the collapse of the West City canal was due to Li Di secretly replacing the construction materials. The Minister only managed the design blueprints, while the supervision was entirely entrusted to Li Di. Shen Ran thought of the man she had trusted the most betraying her, not hesitating to harm her family and countless innocent lives, and felt utterly despairing towards him.
As she still needed Zhou Shu'an to clear her father's name, Shen Ran proactively offered that she would give anything if Zhou Shu'an could save her father. With that, she prepared to undress. Zhou Shu'an quickly stopped her, stating that he would certainly uphold justice and there was no need for such an unnecessary action. Zhao Chong quickly sent Lu Shiyan an invitation to a banquet.
Lu Shiyan was worried about the potential danger of attending the banquet and refused to let Shen Zhen accompany him. That evening, Shen Zhen played the qin under the moonlight. The music was full of sorrow. Seeing her eagerness to save her father, Lu Shiyan finally agreed to bring her along.
Episode 8 Recap
Shen Zhen followed Lu Shiyan to the banquet. Although Zhao Chong was just a local official, the hall was packed with guests of all sorts. About to meet the legendary bully, Shen Zhen couldn't help but feel nervous. Lu Shiyan sensed this and gently patted her shoulder, reassuring her that he would take care of everything. When Lu Shiyan met Zhao Chong, he immediately presented a famous painting as a gift.
Seeing such a generous gesture, the guests in the room immediately looked at him with new respect. Lu Shiyan had started buying large quantities of grain upon arriving in Wuzhou, which Zhao Chong had heard about. Lu Shiyan explained his intention, stating that he was only buying grain in bulk to brew famous wine, and extended an olive branch to Zhao Chong. Zhao Chong was cunning and did not intend to discuss business in depth.
He interrupted Lu Shiyan and had his dancer, Fu Man, perform to entertain. Fu Man had an outstanding appearance, and ordinary men couldn't help but look at her more, including Lu Shiyan. Shen Zhen intentionally glared at him playfully. Zhao Chong had Fu Man pour wine for Shen Zhen. To probe her situation, he deliberately added something to the wine. Shen Zhen couldn't refuse, and after drinking a cup, her consciousness became blurry. Fu Man repeatedly urged her to drink.
Shen Zhen intentionally pretended to accidentally knock over the wine cup. Then she tightly clutched a shard and pricked her skin to stay awake. Fortunately, Shen Zhen was quick-witted and clever, answering Zhao Chong's questions impeccably. Shen Zhen, feigning drunkenness, went out for air. Zhao Chong immediately suggested to Lu Shiyan that he wanted to trade for a concubine, arrogantly claiming he had taken a liking to Shen Zhen.
Lu Shiyan politely declined, saying that men who achieve great things shouldn't be bothered by trivial matters, and hoped Zhao Chong wouldn't take what others loved. But Zhao Chong pressed on. Lu Shiyan immediately changed his demeanor. Since cooperation couldn't be achieved, he might as well take back the congratulatory gift he had brought when he left. Seeing Lu Shiyan return empty-handed, Shen Zhen angrily questioned him why he couldn't cater to Zhao Chong's preferences.
Her father was to be executed in two months. Lu Shiyan did not explain the truth, advising Shen Zhen to calm down, saying he knew how to handle the matter. Since Zhao Chong was a greedy person, he naturally wouldn't hand over money easily. Indeed, seeing Lu Shiyan's lavish spending, Zhao Chong ordered his subordinates to plant more informants in Lu Shiyan's residence to further investigate his background. This, however, inadvertently facilitated things for Shen Zhen and Lu Shiyan.
Lu Shiyan's close confidantes, fearing they would be discovered by outsiders, moved Lu Shiyan's clothes and bedding into Shen Zhen's bedroom. Shen Ran's maid rescued her mistress from the vault. Seeing Li Di again, Shen Ran only felt more heartache. Now that she was getting closer to the truth, Shen Ran became more patient. The several letters brought back from the vault had dense, tiny characters on them, but there were no clues.
Zhou Shu'an reminded her that he had handled similar cases before and that a special tool was needed to decipher the secret messages. This gave Shen Ran an idea. She found an opportunity to enter Li Di's room and discovered a tool for reading letters. Shen Ran quietly fabricated a reason for being there. The house was full of Zhao Chong's informants. At night, Shen Zhen and Lu Shiyan had no choice but to stay alone in one room.
People occasionally peeked through the window, so Shen Zhen and Lu Shiyan had to pretend to be affectionate. Both of them said in the room that they had dreamed of each other. Shen Zhen was very curious, wondering why her crying would make Lu Shiyan's heart ache. Hearing that Lu Shiyan had never dreamed of the final outcome of her father's case, Shen Zhen couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
Late at night, Lu Shiyan woke up from a dream again. Seeing Shen Zhen lying nearby with a serene look on her face, he was surprised. In his dream, he had tormented Shen Zhen, and Shen Zhen had ruthlessly tried to assassinate him. Now the two of them were sharing a room, seemingly intimate. What kind of fate was this? The night was long, and Lu Shiyan was sleepless, so he quietly watched Shen Zhen resting.
When dawn broke, Lu Shiyan took Shen Zhen to the garden. The two of them deliberately pretended to be deeply in love, showing affection for the servants in the courtyard to see. Many merchants, having heard of him, proactively came to call, hoping to discuss business with Lu Shiyan. When Zhao Chong heard this, he began to worry, absolutely unwilling to let the duck he was about to get fly away. He started actively contacting Lu Shiyan. Hearing that the fish were finally about to take the bait, both Shen Zhen and Lu Shiyan were very excited.
Episode 9 Recap
Shen Ran gave Zhou Shu'an the rubbings of the paperweight found in Li Di's room. It was precisely because of these rubbings that they discovered the content of the secret letters. It turned out that Li Di knew about the problem with the timber. The reason he kept these letters well-preserved was to create a way out for himself, so that if someone ever caught him, he could claim there was a mastermind behind it.
Zhou Shu'an wanted to persuade Shen Ran to divorce as early as possible. Shen Ran knew Zhou Shu'an's intentions towards her. She confessed that she would do anything as long as Li Di could be brought to justice soon. Li Di was so cunning and full of schemes against their whole family; he deserved to die even if imprisoned. Zhao Chong invited Lu Shiyan for drinks. During the banquet, he again summoned Fu Man.
Fu Man deliberately pretended to cry and said that if Lu Shiyan didn't take her as a concubine, she would be married off to a seventy-year-old man. Lu Shiyan clearly knew Zhao Chong's intentions. Since Zhao Chong insisted on giving her to him, he feared that refusing would prevent him from gaining trust, so he had no choice but to take Fu Man back with him.
Originally, when Lu Shiyan arrived at Zhao Chong's residence, he wanted to get the Autumn Moon Painting back, but Zhao Chong did not give it to him. Instead, he found a painting of a Hundred Children and a Thousand Grandchildren to give to Lu Shiyan. When Lu Shiyan returned home, he did not bring back the Autumn Moon Painting.
When Shen Zhen saw Fu Man behind him, wearing a red veil, she immediately understood about seventy to eighty percent of what had happened. She deliberately pretended to make a scene with Lu Shiyan, smashing things loudly in the room. The attendants outside the door heard the clattering and smashing sounds and were too scared to breathe. Shen Zhen cursed continuously, while Lu Shiyan stood by meekly, trying all sorts of ways to coax her, but it was still useless.
Was there anyone in the world so afraid of his wife? Fu Man, however, felt that Shen Zhen had married into a good family. Shen Ran calculated that Li Di must have other evidence. Mrs. He hid a wooden box of gold. It was obvious the gold was someone else's bribe. Li Di always did things meticulously and would secretly keep records. Taking advantage of no one being around, Shen Ran returned to where Mrs. He used to live.
Unexpectedly, Li Di also started to suspect Shen Ran and sent his people to follow her. Upon hearing her route, he immediately followed closely behind. The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Zhou Shu'an heard his subordinate's report that Li Di was going to intercept Shen Ran in the room and immediately rushed to the location as well. Li Di pushed open the door and happened to see Shen Ran struggling to break free from Zhou Shu'an.
Zhou Shu'an, however, made no secret of his admiration for Shen Ran, even stating that if Li Di were to divorce her, he would immediately marry Shen Ran. Li Di's position was far below Zhou Shu'an's; how could he contend with him? Jealousy surged instantly, dispelling his suspicion towards Shen Ran. Lu Shiyan's subordinate reported that they now knew where Zhao Chong's timber warehouse by the river was located.
To investigate thoroughly, he needed to go out with a few people. Fu Man was still keeping an eye on things at home. Shen Zhen reassured Lu Shiyan, saying she would find a way to prevent Fu Man from leaking information. Early in the morning, someone beside Fu Man urged her to find out Lu Shiyan's background quickly, otherwise Zhao Chong would not let her off.
This person then gave Fu Man a bottle of medicine to find an opportunity to drug Lu Shiyan, so they could achieve their goal sooner. Fu Man went to pay her respects to Shen Zhen. Shen Zhen deliberately put on airs, telling Fu Man to minimize contact with Lu Shiyan, otherwise she would not go easy on her.
Fu Man obeyed while also looking for opportunities to go and pay her respects to Lu Shiyan, but she was blocked by Shen Zhen every time. An attendant secretly tripped Shen Zhen, causing her to sprain her ankle. Fu Man stepped forward, held Shen Zhen's foot, and with a gentle twist, reset Shen Zhen's ankle joint. Shen Zhen returned to her room and pondered. This Fu Man could make incense herself and was skilled in arts.
How could she be willing to become Zhao Chong's plaything? There must be something else going on. Lu Shiyan found the warehouse where Zhao Chong stored timber and set it on fire, burning it completely. Before setting the fire, Lu Shiyan discovered a secret list with Li Di's name on it.
Episode 10 Recap
Zhao Chong suspected Lu Shiyan was playing a trick, so he sent a message asking Fu Man to find out if Lu Shiyan was in the residence. By the time the message arrived, it was late at night, and it was naturally inconvenient for Fu Man to look for Lu Shiyan. They devised a plan where Fu Man would pretend to fall into the water.
The commotion outside the courtyard would be just right to figure out whether Lu Shiyan was actually home. Shen Zhen heard that someone had fallen into the water. Her maidservant reminded her that it was best not to go out. But if Lu Shiyan wasn't home and neither of them went out, wouldn't that make it even more suspicious? Shen Zhen hurried to the garden.
The old woman attending Fu Man deliberately bumped into Shen Zhen, almost causing her to fall into the pond. Fortunately, Lu Shiyan arrived in time. He immediately grabbed Shen Zhen and turned around to deliberately push the old woman into the water. With this, everyone saw that Lu Shiyan was home, naturally dispelling suspicion. In the evening, Shen Zhen and Lu Shiyan contemplated their future strategies.
This Fu Man appeared calm on the surface, but in reality, her medical skills and intelligence were sharp. They needed to be extra careful from now on. As the two were discussing, a shadow suddenly appeared on the window. Shen Zhen and Lu Shiyan quickly went to the window and drew the curtain. Shen Zhen cautioned Lu Shiyan that it was already late at night, and going to visit Fu Man now might lead to her causing more trouble.
It would be better to make plans after dawn. The next day, Fu Man finally waited for Lu Shiyan. She immediately offered to give him a medicinal bath, saying her bath could relieve fatigue, nourish the spirit, and replenish the kidneys. After starting the fire the previous day, Lu Shiyan had a confrontation with the guards and injured his waist.
He quickly realized this was another test and immediately sent his young attendant to notify Shen Zhen to come and resolve the situation. With Shen Zhen there, Fu Man did not dare to be so presumptuous. However, this time she insisted that giving Lu Shiyan a medicinal bath was not wrong. Shen Zhen had a flash of inspiration and claimed she was pregnant.
In this way, Lu Shiyan had to be even more protective and attentive towards Shen Zhen, and Fu Man dared not say anything further. Shen Ran finally found the account books that Li Di had treasured. This evidence was conclusive. Zhou Shu'an instructed her that they still needed human testimony. They needed to expose the mastermind behind this. This time, it depended on whether Lu Shiyan could successfully apprehend Zhao Chong. Shen Ran was very worried about Shen Zhen's safety.
Zhou Shu'an knew that Lu Shiyan was upright and would surely find a way to protect Shen Zhen completely. Zhao Chong had investigated Wei Mian. This person had a distinguishing mark on his body. To make it look more convincing, Lu Shiyan had Shen Zhen draw a scar on his body and deliberately showed it to the spy beside Fu Man. Zhao Chong quickly received the news.
Lu Shiyan investigated and found that Fu Man had a younger sister who had been poisoned by Zhao Chong. The reason Fu Man compromised with Zhao Chong was because her sister was in Zhao Chong's hands. After learning Fu Man's weakness, Lu Shiyan deceived the spy beside Fu Man and then privately asked Fu Man what she would choose. She was originally just a pawn of Zhao Chong, and he wouldn't interrupt his business dealings with Zhao Chong.
Fu Man was only worried about the antidote for her sister. Lu Shiyan revealed his position. Since he was the Grand Judge, he naturally had sufficient resources to help her obtain the antidote. Fu Man could naturally understand which was more important.
When Zhao Chong heard the news brought by Fu Man, he thought that Lu Shiyan had truly taken the poison and that he could use the antidote as leverage in the future to make Lu Shiyan subservient to him. He generously gave Fu Man a bottle of antidote and also lied that he would set Fu Man and her sister free once the business was done. Lu Shiyan accepted Zhao Chong's invitation to attend a banquet.
Although he knew there was danger, he could not let Zhao Chong become suspicious. Zhao Chong specifically instructed his inner chamber attendant to invite Shen Zhen to view a painting exhibition together. Then, while she was not paying attention, he quietly locked the painting room. Suddenly, an armed guard with a terrifying face appeared in the room and questioned Shen Zhen and Lu Shiyan about their true identities and intentions.
Although Shen Zhen was momentarily panicked upon hearing that the other party knew Lu Shiyan was an imposter, her mind raced. Shen Zhen knew that they had not yet revealed any flaws. She deliberately pretended to be pitiful and said she was completely unaware that Lu Shiyan's identity was fake.
Episode 11 Recap
Zhao Chong had Shen Zhen and Lu Shiyan separated. On one side, he had someone lock the inner room to test Shen Zhen. On the other side, he summoned a masked assassin to assassinate Lu Shiyan. The masked assassin charged straight at Lu Shiyan with a sword, falsely claiming that Shen Zhen had confessed he was a fake, and ordering Lu Shiyan to surrender quickly. Lu Shiyan was startled.
He heard that Shen Zhen was being threatened, but his chest had not felt any pain, indicating that Shen Zhen was not in danger. Once their true identities were exposed, they would be in even greater danger. Now Lu Shiyan insisted on his assumed identity. The masked assassin thrust his sword at Zhao Chong. At the last moment, the assassin stopped his hand. Now Lu Shiyan successfully gained trust, and Shen Zhen also escaped danger.
Lu Shiyan pretended to accuse Zhao Chong of not trusting him and left angrily. Zhao Chong offered to give up two points of profit. Shen Zhen still needed to obtain the 'Autumn Moon Painting', so she deliberately spoke well of Lu Shiyan, urging him to prioritize the overall situation. Zhao Chong agreed to provide grain, and Lu Shiyan was to deliver ten boxes of gold within three days as agreed.
Back home, Lu Shiyan actively raised the ten boxes of gold. There was a change on the water transport side; half of the gold would be delayed due to weather. Lu Shiyan decided to retrieve the 'Autumn Moon Painting' that very night. He secretly snuck into Zhao Chong's residence and quickly swapped the real 'Autumn Moon Painting'. Everything was done flawlessly. Just as he was about to leave, suddenly Zhao Chong walked into the painting room.
He conspired with his subordinate for a few words and also opened a secret room. Inside the secret room was a steward who daily recorded the ins and outs of the residence's finances. Zhao Chong instructed him that once the ten boxes of gold arrived, sixty percent would be sent to the palace, the remaining forty percent would be circulated within the residence, and the account book would be destroyed after the distribution was completed.
From the palace, a concubine named Lan'er was directly sent to Li Di. This palace maid had served the Empress in the palace for many years and would receive some favors when she reached a certain age. This time, he still dared not be negligent. That concubine had no sense at all and even relied on her pregnancy to make Lan'er serve her. But Lan'er was worldly. She reminded that Ms.
Shen that she was here specifically to serve Li Di and that she only respected Shen Ran while here. Shen Ran heard the noise outside the door and immediately came out. She gently arranged accommodation for Lan'er and organized her daily necessities in an orderly manner. Li Di was very grateful for Shen Ran's open-mindedness. He originally wanted to speak gently and affectionately cherish Shen Ran, who knew Shen Ran decisively withdrew her hand.
Zhou Shu'an had previously sent a letter to Shen Ran, saying that as long as Shen Ran agreed to sign the divorce papers, he would handle everything else. Now Shen Ran had already signed the divorce papers. She closely watched Lan'er who came from the palace and discovered that when only Li Di and Lan'er were present, Li Di even bowed to Lan'er. Lan'er handed him the note hidden in her sleeve.
This showed that Li Di had a significant connection with another important figure in the palace. Late at night, Lu Shiyan began arranging the next course of action. He had his subordinates escort Shen Zhen out of the city first, and he himself would make another trip to Zhao Chong's residence the next day to bring back that important account book.
Currently, only one of the ten boxes of gold had arrived, so once Zhao Chong discovered this, the consequences would be unimaginable. The subordinate worried about Lu Shiyan's safety. Although it was fraught with danger, the importance of the account book was undeniable. They had to take the risk no matter what. Lu Shiyan brought the gold to Zhao Chong's residence.
When he saw Zhao Chong's subordinates moving the boxes, Lu Shiyan's subordinate secretly used a slingshot to hit their legs. The full box of gold spilled onto the ground and was scrambled for by the common people. Originally, they were going to inspect it on the spot. Now seeing the unfavorable situation, Zhao Chong directly ordered people to move the boxes into the painting room. This was exactly what Lu Shiyan wanted.
With no one around, the boxes opened automatically, each containing a martial arts expert, who quickly controlled the steward's office and obtained the valuable account book. On Shen Zhen's side, she disguised herself as a bride-to-be. Amidst the sound of gongs, drums, and musical instruments, she successfully reached the palace gate. Just as she was about to leave the city, she encountered an obstruction.
Fortunately, Fu Man reacted resourcefully, signaling to Shen Zhen that it was best not to "clash head-on". Under the maneuvering between her and Shen Zhen, the guards quickly opened the gate and let them pass.
Episode 12 Recap
According to Lu Shiyan's plan, Shen Zhen and the others would travel by land, while Lu Shiyan would complete his task and travel by water to meet at the agreed location. Fu Man and Shen Zhen said goodbye, wishing each other well as they parted ways. Lu Shiyan encountered some trouble. He originally thought they could return smoothly after capturing Zhao Chong and that steward, but Zhao Chong's subordinate Pang Hu quickly chased after them.
Lu Shiyan was shot in the chest with an arrow and fell into the water, his fate unknown. Shen Zhen finally met Lu Shiyan's subordinates, who only brought back Zhao Chong and the steward, but not Lu Shiyan. Just then, the pursuers arrived. Fortunately, Lu Shiyan had sent letters to the local officials in advance, and imperial guards quickly came to their rescue. Shen Zhen and her group safely escaped danger.
As Lu Shiyan fell into the water, on the verge of death, he fell into a hallucination, discovering he and Shen Zhen had an unusual past life. In the hallucination, Shen Zhen was dressed in plain white, seemingly praying for him before the Buddha. Since it was a fated marriage, Lu Shiyan gradually regained consciousness and struggled to crawl out of the water. Shen Zhen wept sadly when she couldn't find Lu Shiyan.
Upon seeing him, she cried tears of joy. Lu Shiyan's weak voice reminded her not to cry anymore, or her heart would ache. Shen Ran told Zhou Shu'an about the new member in their household. Lan'er's identity was truly suspicious. Zhou Shu'an ordered people to quietly investigate. He produced evidence and gave it to Shen Ran, stating that Li Di had previously issued a marriage contract to his concubine, Ms. Shen, but had not divorced her.
If Shen Ran were to divorce him this time on the grounds of marrying another while still married, others would have nothing to say. Shen Ran nodded in agreement. Li Di's various crimes currently would be enough to implicate everyone in the future. If they could successfully divorce now, it would not be too late. When Li Di heard that Shen Ran wanted a divorce, he refused without hesitation, claiming that he had always treated her sincerely.
However, he could not produce the divorce papers from his concubine, and now the concubine was pregnant, making Li Di feel unable to cope. Soon after, Zhou Shu'an summoned Li Di again, saying that someone had reported him for marrying another while still married, which was a serious crime at the time. Li Di was a court official, and it would be difficult to manage if the higher authorities investigated.
Li Di quickly returned home to discuss with Lan'er, hoping Lan'er could intercede with the noble people in the palace. Lan'er directly reminded him that people in the palace would not care about his messy affairs. The fastest solution currently was to eliminate the concubine. Although the concubine was pregnant with Li Di's child, she still could not escape the fate of being a pawn. Shen Ran overheard by the window and sighed at Li Di's cold-blooded nature.
After Lu Shiyan was injured, Shen Zhen stayed by his bedside, caring for him without leaving. Lu Shiyan repeatedly called out "Don't go" while unconscious. Seeing that Lu Shiyan was still feverish, Shen Zhen did not withdraw her hand from his. In his coma, Lu Shiyan returned to the familiar dream again. It was still Shen Zhen's face. The two were so familiar and inseparable in the dream.
In the dream, Lu Shiyan received a farewell letter from Shen Zhen, and his heart ached as if stabbed by a knife. He couldn't distinguish between the dream and reality, but he felt the pain keenly, and thus always mumbled for her not to leave him. Shen Zhen didn't understand why Lu Shiyan was in so much pain, to the extent that in a moment of delirium, he pulled her hand and even gave her an overbearing kiss.
This was indeed different from his usual proper state. Finally, Lu Shiyan's fever broke. In the morning, he saw Shen Zhen personally feeding him medicine and was deeply moved. Looking at that familiar red lips, he hesitated, wondering if he had dreamt it or if they had truly kissed in reality. After much trepidation, just as he was about to ask for clarification, a subordinate suddenly pushed the door open.
In that awkward moment, he had no choice but to change the subject. Zhao Chong was locked in the woodshed, neither eating nor drinking. After Lu Shiyan's condition improved, he went to interrogate Zhao Chong. He heard Zhao Chong adamantly claiming that it was done jointly with Li Di and that all the crimes were committed only by the two of them. Lu Shiyan did not show his concerns.
He unceremoniously reminded Zhao Chong to eat more, as a pawn did not have much food to eat in the first place. Perhaps these days escorting Zhao Chong were the most relaxed. Lu Shiyan had already developed feelings for Shen Zhen, but he found it difficult to express himself in this matter. He wanted to confirm whether he had really kissed Shen Zhen while he was unconscious, but every time Shen Zhen changed the subject. The two of them continued to interact with such unspoken understanding.
Episode 13 Recap
Lu Shiyan was still unsure if he had truly kissed Shen Zhen that day, but he didn't know how to bring it up. Finally, one day he noticed Qing Xi was speaking to him in a sarcastic tone, so he asked what was going on. Qing Xi then told him what she had accidentally seen that day – him proactively "approaching" Shen Zhen.
In Qing Xi's opinion, Lu Shiyan's proactive flirting with Shen Zhen, followed by pretending nothing happened after being intimate, was truly improper. So that was it. Lu Shiyan's confusion was cleared, and he was actually very happy about it. On the way, Lu Shiyan told his subordinates what Qing Xi had just told him. He was uncertain before, but now that he knew it was real, he could finally rightfully approach Shen Zhen and take responsibility for it.
Lu Shiyan came to Shen Zhen's carriage and proposed that upon their return to the capital, he would personally make a marriage proposal and marry Shen Zhen. While they were talking, they were suddenly attacked by assassins. The attackers were hostile, striking with knives aimed at lives, clearly targeting Lu Shiyan. Seeing an assassin's sword about to stab Lu Shiyan, Shen Zhen immediately embraced him, unhesitatingly using her body to shield him.
Lu Shiyan, agile in skill, immediately pulled Shen Zhen aside, finally escaping disaster. The guards Lu Shiyan led were also top-notch experts and quickly controlled the assassins, but after being captured, those men immediately committed suicide, leaving no one alive. Although Shen Zhen heard Lu Shiyan's marriage proposal, she did not accept. She felt that agreeing to be responsible simply because he had been intimate with her was clearly too hasty.
Qing Xi secretly passed a message to Lu Shiyan's guards, and the two attendants secretly aided their master. Lu Shiyan clearly saw this genuine affection – Shen Zhen was willing to sacrifice her own life at a critical moment to protect him. He formally apologized to Shen Zhen, stating that he was by no means heartless or ungrateful.
Despite reaching this point, Shen Zhen still did not agree; her father had less than two months remaining, and she was unable to make any commitments at all. Li Di lied, claiming he was sending his concubine to pray and burn incense for blessings. The concubine happily sat in the carriage. The carriage traveled further and further, then suddenly sped up.
The ground was bumpy, and the concubine uncomfortably opened the curtain, seeing the driver taking her down an unfamiliar path. She reminded the driver to go slower, but to her surprise, the driver said he had received orders from Li Di to send her to her death, and then he whipped the horse again, sending the carriage rushing straight towards the cliff. . .
--- Fortunately, Shen Ran quietly reported to Zhou Shu'an, and Zhou Shu'an directly sent people to rescue the dying concubine. When the concubine saw Shen Ran and learned that Li Di actually wanted to silence her, she immediately begged Shen Ran to save her, and then told Shen Ran the clue Li Di had inadvertently mentioned.
In fact, Lan'er was not sent from the palace, but was a girl found from Mingyue Building, sent to Li Di's residence to facilitate the transmission of messages. Shen Ran and Zhou Shu'an pondered. Mingyue Building was Xu Wei's property, but Xu Wei was dead, indicating that there must be someone else behind it. Shen Zhen and Lu Shiyan returned to the city. Lu Shiyan specifically arranged for the sisters to meet.
During their conversation, Shen Ran already sensed Lu Shiyan's feelings for her sister; there was not only concern but also tenderness in his eyes. Shen Ran knew that Lu Shiyan's mother was a princess, and given the difference in status between the two sisters and Lu Shiyan, she cautioned Shen Zhen to definitely learn to be independent and not to rely too much on Lu Shiyan. She also used her own experience with Li Di to warn Shen Zhen.
Lu Shiyan set a trap, having his subordinates stage a prison break to feign an assassination of Zhao Chong. Besides Zhao Chong, the assassins were also prepared to assassinate Accountant Li. Seeing his master already dead, the accountant was terrified and immediately revealed everything he knew, and even transcribed all the key numbers he remembered in his mind.
Seeing that the flow of all the accounts pointed towards the capital, Lu Shiyan realized it must be connected to the imperial palace. He quickly reported the results of his investigation to the Emperor. The Emperor was very satisfied. Lu Shiyan proposed releasing Shen Zhen's father from prison, but the Emperor felt that the truth had not yet been fully investigated and kept Shen Zhen's father imprisoned.
Li Di discovered that Shen Zhen was not dead and that Zhao Chong had also been imprisoned. The sisters were reunited, but Zhou Shu'an did not agree to let Shen Zhen stay overnight at Shen Ran's home, apparently having become suspicious of him. Li Di wanted to escape with his valuables, but upon checking the treasury, he found that all the gold he usually had his concubine store away had vanished. This completely infuriated him. He immediately rushed home and searched for the account books in the secret room.
Episode 14 Recap
Lu Shiyan went to see the Crown Prince. The case investigation has entered a critical stage. Lu Shiyan still wants to find out who the mastermind behind it is as soon as possible. There are not many powerful people in the palace currently, and the Crown Prince is one of them.
In the evening, after dinner, Shen Zhen saw Qing Xi mentioning Lu Shiyan and their matter again, so she reminded Qing Xi not to betray her, especially since she was Qing Xi's mistress and Qing Xi shouldn't always speak for Lu Shiyan. Today, Lu Shiyan entered the palace to try and rescue her father, and Shen Zhen was very nervous, truly hoping her father could be released soon. Lu Shiyan did not manage to rescue Shen Zhen's father.
Shen Zhen was very disappointed. Thinking of her sister's experience, she felt extremely bad. She drank cup after cup of wine, and finally, drunk, she vented her dissatisfaction. She was ashamed that her sister married someone like Li Di. Back then, her sister broke through all worldly conventions to marry him, but was not cherished by the other party; instead, he constantly schemed against and framed their family. She absolutely could not follow in her sister's footsteps.
Shen Zhen cursed Lu Shiyan, calling him a heartless person, who clearly took liberties with her but acted with an innocent and naive expression. When Lu Shiyan heard Shen Zhen's misunderstanding of him, his eyes turned red with anxiety. He explained that it wasn't that he didn't have her in his heart, but while he was expressing his deep affection, Shen Zhen got drunk and fell asleep!
Since they already knew each other's feelings, Lu Shiyan wanted to win the lady's heart sooner. He began to think of ways to please Shen Zhen. First, he carefully repaired her jade bracelet, and then personally drew a portrait of Shen Zhen. Shen Zhen had also drawn a small portrait for him before; it was a matter of reciprocity, so he should also be attentive.
Not only that, when he wasn't busy, he would take Shen Zhen out to gather inspiration, climbing mountains to high peaks, standing against the wind, immediately feeling refreshed. Seeing how well-matched the two were, Qing Xi was genuinely happy for her mistress. Su Heng returned from the front line and specifically reported his military achievements to the Emperor. The Emperor was very satisfied with this valiant and skilled general and asked him what reward he wanted.
Su Heng said that he came back this time for a major marriage matter; he had a childhood friend before, and now the date for their good marriage was set. Lu Shiyan listened from the side, nodding in praise, unaware that the childhood friend Su Heng mentioned was actually Shen Zhen! Lu Shiyan prepared a large table of dishes, planning to confess his feelings. Unexpectedly, Su Heng showed up uninvited.
Seeing Shen Zhen, he excitedly sat down to eat with her immediately and kept adding food to her plate. Lu Shiyan saw the look in Su Heng's eyes and knew he had met a love rival. He and Shen Zhen had only recently met, so naturally, their relationship couldn't compare to the bond of childhood friends. This time, he racked his brain even more to make Shen Zhen happy.
In the evening, Lu Shiyan also specially arranged a candlelight setting with peach blossoms falling freely. Under the influence of candlelight and the rich floral fragrance, Lu Shiyan felt somewhat lightheaded, even imagining that Shen Zhen would surely excitedly throw herself into his arms soon. However, unexpected events can happen. Just as his spirits were high, a sudden heavy rain poured down, completely ruining the proposal scene he had carefully prepared.
Lu Shiyan had drawn many small portraits of Shen Zhen, but they were all soaked by the raindrops and completely ruined. Shen Zhen saw Lu Shiyan's intentions. She picked up one of the rain-soaked portraits and said she would cherish it. Late at night, as Shen Zhen bathed, she thought of everything Lu Shiyan had done for her and couldn't help but smile.
Qing Xi saw her infatuated anticipation and laughingly asked her who she would choose between Su Heng and Lu Shiyan. Shen Zhen understood that it was naturally Lu Shiyan who brought her more joy. Lu Shiyan had another dream. In the dream, he saw Shen Zhen again. Shen Zhen wanted to return to Beim Mo.
Lu Shiyan repeatedly tried to keep her, but she said she didn't want to stay there any longer and wanted to never see him again in this life. Looking at Shen Zhen's departing back, Lu Shiyan's heart ached unusually. The dream was so real, as if it had truly happened. Lu Shiyan felt that he and Shen Zhen truly had a past life, and perhaps he really owed her.
Li Di discovered that Shen Ran had collected a lot of evidence and had written a separation agreement. He fiercely gripped Shen Ran's neck, nearly suffocating her. After much difficulty, Shen Ran woke up. Li Di then roughly dragged her from the bed to the desk, forcing Shen Ran to write a letter to Zhou Shu'an to get back the evidence, and then forced Shen Ran to sell all the properties and shops under her name.
Episode 15 Recap
Early in the morning, Li Di went to find Zhou Shu'an. He went straight to the point, claiming that his wife had committed adultery and, according to the law, should be drowned. Zhou Shu'an was startled and reminded Li Di that he needed evidence. Li Di claimed he had evidence and that everything would be handled according to clan rules. After Li Di left, Zhou Shu'an hurried through the streets and alleys.
He went directly to the pharmacy where Shen Ran usually went and found that it had already changed hands. Zhou Shu'an immediately asked for the deed and found that it was not written in Shen Ran's own handwriting, and there was a drop of blood next to it. According to the new owner, he had not seen the original owner in person when taking over the shop. It was obvious that something bad had happened to Shen Ran.
Li Di was confident. He reminded Zhou Shu'an to immediately get his things back, otherwise, he would face the consequences himself. Seeing Li Di's desperate appearance, Zhou Shu'an felt a chill down his spine. He immediately used the pretext of handling a case to search Shen Ran's residence. He didn't see Shen Ran herself, but instead, a female body was retrieved from the backyard. Li Di's mother was greatly shocked to see that the deceased was Lan'er.
Shen Ran was now missing, and Zhou Shu'an was very anxious. He immediately reported this matter to Lu Shiyan. When Lu Shiyan went to see Zhou Shu'an, something unexpected also happened on Shen Zhen's side. Someone pretended to be Lu Shiyan to lure Shen Zhen over, then knocked her unconscious and dragged her into prison. At this time, Zhao Chong had already been killed, and the knife that killed Li Ji was stuffed into Shen Zhen's hand.
Soon, the prison guards arrived, mistakenly believing that Shen Zhen had attempted to break out of prison and committed murder, so they also arrested Shen Zhen. When Lu Shiyan arrived, he saw Shen Zhen huddled in a corner, trembling. Knowing she had been framed, Lu Shiyan quickly went to Shen Zhen's side and comforted her not to worry, telling her he would investigate the matter thoroughly.
The incident occurred in the Ministry of Justice, and Lu Shiyan quickly used his status as a guarantee to bail Shen Zhen out. Shen Ran had just suffered misfortune, and Shen Zhen had also been framed. It was clear that someone was retaliating behind the scenes. Lu Shiyan and Zhou Shu'an immediately deployed their subordinates, instructing them to strengthen the guards in the coming days. The Emperor quickly summoned Lu Shiyan.
Just after he had brought Shen Zhen out of prison, a summons came from the Emperor. Lu Shiyan went to meet the Emperor. The Emperor suspected that Shen Wenqi was secretly interfering, deliberately using his daughter as a wife to kill important witnesses. Lu Shiyan guaranteed with his life that the murderer absolutely could not be Shen Wenqi, and he promised the Emperor that he would capture the real murderer within a day. Time was pressing.
Lu Shiyan gathered all the prison guards who were on duty that day and questioned them. They said they all went to the latrine together because of stomach problems. Besides their regular meals, they only drank the drinking water from the prison. Lu Shiyan's subordinate investigated and found laxatives in the drinking water. It seemed someone had openly entered the prison to administer the drug.
Lu Shiyan asked the guards to carefully recall any abnormalities that occurred that day, warning that they would be charged with dereliction of duty if they could not find clues. Zhou Shu'an finally found Shen Ran.
Seeing that she had been locked in a dilapidated box and thrown into a barren mountain by Li Di, covered in wounds, her life force as faint as a candle in the wind, he recalled how he nearly starved to death on the street when he was young, and how Shen Ran had fortunately given him a bowl of rice, allowing him to survive. Shen Ran had always been like a beacon of light to him.
Zhou Shu'an held Shen Ran tightly in his arms, vowing to protect her well in this life. Lu Shiyan and his subordinates were busy all night but had no results. Seeing that dawn was approaching, Lu Shiyan felt that hope was slim and was prepared to die. Shen Zhen met his gaze, with only each other in their eyes. Lu Shiyan said with a smile that she was not afraid of death, just not to tell her sister for now.
Episode 16 Recap
Lu Shiyan re-examined the scene and found that the prison door lock was opened with a key and then cut a few times with a knife. He then found that the area around where Zhao Chong fell was a mess, but the area beneath them was clean.
Furthermore, based on the marks on the small table where Zhao Chong ate, it could be seen that Zhao Chong was not panicked when he saw the assassin, indicating that it was originally committed by an acquaintance. Daybreak arrived. Lu Shiyan gathered all the prison guards and publicly stated that the killer had been found and was among them, which could be revealed by testing the water in the basin.
One of the prison guards nervously rubbed his hands on his sleeves repeatedly, trying to cover up any traces. This small action was noticed by Lu Shiyan, and they finally found the person who assassinated Zhao Chong. Regrettably, the prison guard who assassinated Zhao Chong had a troubled expression.
He reluctantly stated that he could not reveal the mastermind, and pleaded with Lu Shiyan to take care of his family for the sake of his many years of diligent service, then bit off his own tongue and committed suicide. After Shen Ran regained consciousness, she immediately went to visit Zhou Shu'an. Upon hearing that Zhou Shu'an was injured while saving her, Shen Ran was very grateful. Zhou Shu'an expressed his feelings, hoping that Shen Ran could accept him.
Shen Ran confessed that after everything with Li Di, she had no interest in marriage. Zhou Shu'an supported her decision and was willing to prove himself with time. Li Di was arrested and brought to justice, but he refused to reveal the mastermind. Zhou Shu'an had his subordinates bring out Lan'er's body, reminding Li Di to know his place, that they were merely pawns. He then deceived Li Di about Shen Wenqi's death.
Li Di became completely despairing and then revealed some truths. These words were fully recorded and were sufficient to prove that Shen Wenqi was framed. Shen Zhen was released without guilt. She immediately went to see her sister. The reunion of the sisters was naturally filled with emotion. Fortunately, they could finally go home now. Late at night, Su Heng began reviewing the scene he saw in the prison that day.
He saw Zhao Chong dip his clothes in blood and write the three characters "长公主" (Princess Regent). Just in case, Su Heng tore off the piece of cloth with the blood characters. The Emperor quickly issued an imperial decree, ordering Su Heng to assist Lu Shiyan in investigating the case. From Zhou Shu'an, Su Heng learned that it was Lu Shiyan who had captured Zhao Chong originally and almost lost his life in the process.
Su Heng then handed the characters he had torn from the corner of Zhao Chong's clothes to Zhou Shu'an and reminded him to keep it confidential. Lu Shiyan was still pondering at his residence, wondering why a piece of Zhao Chong's clothes was torn off. He guessed that Zhao Chong must have left something behind that was hidden, and Shen Zhen's jade bracelet on her wrist was also mysteriously missing.
The more Lu Shiyan thought about it, the more confused he became, so he personally went to the Ministry of Personnel to find Su Heng and asked him if he had seen Shen Zhen's jade bracelet in the prison at that time. Su Heng noticed that Lu Shiyan quietly brought flowers for Shen Zhen when he came, and felt like he had knocked over a vinegar jar in his heart, becoming even more displeased with Lu Shiyan.
Not only Su Heng, but even Shen Ran was not optimistic about her sister's relationship with Lu Shiyan. Lu Shiyan's mother was after all the Princess Regent, and the gap between their families was too wide. Moreover, she hoped her sister would lead a simple and peaceful life. Lu Shiyan heard her clearly, but his heart was completely devoted to Shen Zhen. He also firmly asserted that he would protect Shen Zhen's safety, but Lu Shiyan smiled without speaking.
With the efforts of Lu Shiyan and Zhou Shu'an, Shen Zhen's father, Shen Wenqi, was finally released from prison. As he had survived a great ordeal, Shen Wenqi was very happy and immediately invited Lu Shiyan and Zhou Shu'an to be guests at his home. Lu Shiyan and Zhou Shu'an eagerly vied to leave a good impression on their future father-in-law, and they quickly agreed.
Episode 17 Recap
Shen Wenqi returned home. Shen Zhen and Shen Ran prepared a sumptuous lunch. Shen Ran and Zhou Shu'an busily began serving dishes and helping out. Shen Wenqi saw this and felt very sad, thinking of his eldest daughter's recent experiences. Shen Ran immediately suggested that it was time to be concerned about Shen Zhen's marriage. Shen Wenqi then asked his younger daughter if she had someone in mind.
Shen Zhen was about to speak nervously, but Su Heng brazenly volunteered himself, claiming he was originally Shen Zhen's childhood sweetheart and that his father had also arranged their marriage before they were born. Now that they had grown up, getting married would be a natural progression. Shen Ran also repeatedly agreed from the side. Shen Zhen was very awkward. Lu Shiyan, fearing that someone else would get his beloved first, kept pouring wine for Su Heng.
Before long, Su Heng was drunk and asleep face down on the table. Lu Shiyan returned home and dreamed of Shen Zhen again while taking a nap. This time, he clearly remembered that he and Shen Zhen were deeply in love, but his mother objected. His mother reminded Lu Shiyan to mind his status, saying that Shen Zhen was from a humble family and not worthy of him.
But Lu Shiyan had made up his mind, so his mother resorted to her ultimate move, forcing Shen Zhen to leave as soon as possible, the further the better. Fearing Lu Shiyan's mother's threat, Shen Zhen left a letter and was never heard from again. Waking up from the dream, Lu Shiyan felt that perhaps this was his past life with Shen Zhen. No matter what, he would never let go again.
Lu Shiyan then told the Princess Regent about his affection for Shen Zhen. The Princess Regent was still as resolutely opposed as in the dream, citing the disparity in family status. Shen Zhen had previously stayed at Su Heng's residence, but now that her father had returned, she packed her luggage and prepared to go home. When bidding farewell to Su Heng, Su Heng still wanted to try and persuade Shen Zhen to stay.
Shen Zhen frankly said that she had always regarded him as an elder brother from the beginning and hoped they could still get along like they did when they were children. Although Su Heng was very sad, Shen Zhen was someone he cared about after all, so he instructed Qing Xi, Shen Zhen's attendant, to take good care of Shen Zhen. He said some things might happen in the future that could implicate Shen Zhen.
Su Heng spoke with deep affection, but Shen Zhen felt he had misunderstood Lu Shiyan's character. Zhou Shu'an had been doubting whether the mastermind was the Princess Regent. The Princess Regent owned many iron mines, perhaps for forging weapons, to approach the imperial city one day. Although the Princess Regent was a woman, she could pave the way for Lu Shiyan. The more Zhou Shu'an thought about it, the more he lost track of things.
Now that Li Di was in a coma due to poisoning, he had no choice but to go and ask Shen Wenqi again. Shen Wenqi felt that Li Di was good at opportunistic maneuvering. Initially, when he followed him, he was quite reliable. As for who he interacted with later, he was not clear. Shen Wenqi understood Zhou Shu'an's character. He privately expressed his approval of this future son-in-law, just hoping he could be more patient.
Shen Ran had just experienced a betrayal and probably needed time to accept a new beginning. When Shen Zhen went to the Ministry of Justice to visit Lu Shiyan, Lu Shiyan happened to be out investigating a case. Shen Zhen gave the flowers to Lu Shiyan's subordinate to pass on, and this was just seen by the Princess Regent.
The Princess Regent had no good impression of Shen Zhen, thinking she was seducing Lu Shiyan, and warned her subordinate not to let the Heir Apparent associate with this kind of woman. Lu Shiyan heard the Princess Regent's instructions to her servants and was very worried. In the evening, Shen Ran called Shen Zhen over and frankly said that she knew Lu Shiyan was a person of good character, but the distance between their families was truly impossible to cross.
As an elder sister, she only hoped that Shen Zhen would lead a peaceful and happy life. If she married Su Heng, their families were well-matched, and their social circle would be much simpler, making her future life smoother. Shen Zhen knew her elder sister was doing it for her own good, but her whole heart was on Lu Shiyan, and she insisted that was where her home was.
The Empress Dowager introduced Xu Yiqing, the youngest daughter of General Xu from northern Jizhou, to the Princess Regent. It was clearly meant as a match for Lu Shiyan. Seeing that Xu Yiqing was intelligent and pure, the Princess Regent took her to her residence and personally taught her daily etiquette.
Episode 18 Recap
Xu Yiqing and Fu Man became acquainted. They went shopping together. Fu Man happened to go to the market to buy things. Xu Yiqing went into a cosmetics shop wanting to buy a gift for the Princess Regent, and happened to meet Shen Zhen there. Inside the shop, a small thief brazenly tried to snatch Shen Zhen's purse in broad daylight. Fortunately, Xu Yiqing was agile and quickly retrieved the purse from the thief.
Su Heng came to the shop to find Shen Zhen. Seeing Xu Yiqing get rough with a customer, he thought she was going to harm Shen Zhen, so he also used his fists and fought against Xu Yiqing. Their martial arts skills were evenly matched. Shen Zhen immediately shouted for them to stop from the side and then introduced them to each other. Since they were all friends, the farce paused. Su Heng and Xu Yiqing became friends after fighting.
They had very similar personalities, and their martial arts were evenly matched, yet they both sneered at each other. Li Di requested to see Shen Ran. In prison, Li Di wrote a letter of separation. Knowing his time was limited, he thought of how much affection he owed Shen Ran in the first half of his life, so he might as well return her freedom.
During his meeting with Shen Ran, Li Di also revealed an important clue: Xu Wei was not dead. Back then, when he found Xu Wei's actions to be even more excessive, he had Lan'er help him pass messages. Zhou Shu'an heard the news that Xu Wei was not dead and began to instruct his subordinates to pay attention to the Princess Regent.
Back then, Zhao Chong was missing a piece of cloth, and he felt there was something strange about the matter. Later, he investigated and found that all the guards who escorted Xu Wei to be executed that day had disappeared, so he began to suspect that Xu Wei might not be dead. By now, what Lu Shiyan and Zhou Shu'an knew was almost equal.
Zhou Shu'an went to Hundred Fragrance Pavilion to find Fu Man and asked her in detail about how she met Lu Shiyan in Wuzhou. Shen Ran saw Zhou Shu'an and Fu Man talking together specifically. When Fu Man accidentally fell, Zhou Shu'an immediately helped her up. Witnessing such intimacy, Shen Ran couldn't help but feel a little jealous.
The Princess Regent actively tried to matchmake Xu Yiqing and Lu Shiyan, but Lu Shiyan publicly stated that he already had someone in his heart and told Xu Yiqing that he liked Shen Zhen. The Princess Regent looked displeased. After Lu Shiyan left, Xu Yiqing said that her father was brave and skilled in battle and held military power, and their family was prominent.
However, because they had no strong backing, this military power had also become a sharp sword constantly hanging over their family. If she could form a connection with the Princess Regent's family, even if she wasn't deeply in love with Lu Shiyan, she would still be willing. Xu Yiqing's open-mindedness and honesty further won the Princess Regent's trust. She immediately said that she would properly persuade Lu Shiyan, it would just take a little time.
Su Heng rushed to Shen Wenqi, wanting to bring up his marriage with Shen Zhen again. Shen Wenqi deliberately changed the subject, giving Su Heng no chance to speak. Su Heng felt frustrated. As he was preparing to go find Lu Shiyan to settle scores, he encountered Xu Yiqing again. Xu Yiqing deliberately reminded him sourly that Shen Zhen was intelligent and lively, while Lu Shiyan was steady and reserved, and that they were a perfect match, destined by fate.
Su Heng became enraged, saying that Xu Yiqing was mistaken. The two then started fighting again at the drop of a hat, moving from the courtyard to a larger area to battle. Finally, they fought until they were both out of breath and began to call for a stop. After introducing themselves, they discovered that the other person was the "second-generation general" who was quite well-known in the military camp.
Officers' families tend to look down on each other, and the two left angrily after some verbal jabs. The Empress summoned the Princess Regent for a meeting and specifically asked about Xu Yiqing. When they parted, the Empress also gave the Princess Regent a jade bracelet, saying it was a gift from the Crown Prince. The Princess Regent happily accepted it; she did not know that this jade bracelet was the one Shen Zhen had lost before.
Lu Shiyan took Shen Zhen to see the Princess Regent. Privately, the two had already declared their devotion to each other, stating that they could not be without the other. Lu Shiyan showed his mother the gift Shen Zhen had brought. Just then, Lu Shiyan's subordinate discovered Xu Wei's whereabouts and immediately reported it to Lu Shiyan. Lu Shiyan had no choice but to get up and excuse himself. After Lu Shiyan left, the Princess Regent stated directly that she would not agree to marry a daughter of a convicted official into their family, her tone full of disdain.
Episode 19 Recap
Lu Shiyan went to find Xu Wei, first going to Hundred Fragrance Pavilion, and then following him to the Duke Zhenguo's mansion. He found Xu Wei holding Shen Zhen hostage with a dagger, and immediately warned Xu Wei not to act rashly. Xu Wei shamelessly told Lu Shiyan to choose between the Princess Regent and Shen Zhen. Lu Shiyan found it strange. What did his mother have to do with this case?
He was trying to buy time when he suddenly heard the hustle and bustle outside the door; Zhou Shu'an was leading another group of people to surround the Duke Zhenguo's mansion. Lu Shiyan took advantage of Xu Wei's lack of vigilance to rescue Shen Zhen. Hearing his mother's voice outside, Xu Wei fled, and Lu Shiyan quickly chased after him.
In the courtyard, Lu Shiyan saw Xu Wei rush directly in front of the Princess Regent, deliberately framing her, saying that he had handled things poorly and deserved her blame, and then slit his own throat in public. Lu Shiyan was secretly shocked. He immediately realized that Xu Wei was deliberately framing someone, and to be safe, he quietly hid. The Princess Regent saw a large number of weapons and contracts with official seals searched from the Duke Zhenguo's mansion.
It was clear that this was a deliberate frame-up. She hadn't expected anyone to plot against the Duke Zhenguo's mansion. Shen Zhen witnessed the entire process from the side. At first, Xu Wei kidnapped her, deliberately abducting her to the Duke Zhenguo's mansion, and then Xu Wei deliberately committed suicide when Zhou Shu'an arrived. It was evident that everything was premeditated, so both the Princess Regent and Lu Shiyan were framed. The Princess Regent was taken away by Zhou Shu'an.
Lu Shiyan still needed to help his mother find evidence, so he quietly hid. Afterwards, Zhou Shu'an reported the whole sequence of events to the Emperor. Although the evidence was conclusive, Zhou Shu'an frankly stated that he also felt the evidence had come too easily, and there might be a trick involved. The Emperor gave Zhou Shu'an a certain amount of time to investigate the case.
If the truth could not be uncovered, the Princess Regent would be executed according to the law as scheduled. Shen Ran feared that her sister would be implicated. She immediately reminded Shen Zhen not to have any further connection with Lu Shiyan from now on. Having just experienced a catastrophe where their father almost died unjustly in prison, their family had no one to rely on, and they needed to be even more vigilant not to court disaster.
Shen Zhen insisted that Lu Shiyan and the Princess Regent were not guilty, but there was no conclusive evidence at all at the moment. Shen Ran confined her. Su Heng knew about the relationship between Shen Zhen and Lu Shiyan and lingered near Hundred Fragrance Pavilion, not knowing how to comfort Shen Zhen. Just then, Xu Yiqing came looking for Lu Shiyan and then brought news from the Princess Regent's side.
Shen Zhen told Xu Yiqing what had happened that day at the Duke Zhenguo's mansion. Xu Yiqing also felt that Lu Shiyan was innocent and was most likely hiding to find evidence. Indeed, Lu Shiyan had been hiding in the Duke Zhenguo's mansion these past few days. He sent a signal to his personal bodyguard. The two kept a close eye on the Duke Zhenguo's steward. When the Duke Zhenguo's mansion was searched initially, only the steward did not panic.
Moreover, with so many boxes of weapons, only the steward had the authority to have them brought in. Finally, on a dark and windy night, Lu Shiyan discovered the steward's true colors. Someone came to him, asking for the payment for carrying the weapons that day. The steward claimed that he was currently under house arrest and had no way to go out. Once the confinement was lifted, he would pay them.
Episode 20 Recap
Lu Shiyan told his personal bodyguard Yang Zong about the situation he had investigated. Hearing how crafty the steward was, Yang Zong was about to tie him up, but Lu Shiyan instructed him not to alert the enemy. The Princess Regent's seal might still be in the steward's hands, so they needed to focus on searching for the hidden seal. Late at night, Su Heng drowned his sorrows in wine.
During the day, he had gone to visit Shen Zhen and heard her say that if anything really happened to Lu Shiyan, she definitely wouldn't live alone. His childhood sweetheart, who had grown up with him, would actually be willing to die for another man. This was truly too sad. Xu Yiqing envied Shen Zhen and Lu Shiyan's true feelings, and told Su Heng not to always look at things one-sidedly.
Since he truly liked Shen Zhen, he should respect her choice. The two started fighting again after a disagreement, but after struggling for a while, they sat on the ground panting and called for a stop. He finally understood that as long as Shen Zhen could be happy, he would approve of whomever she chose.
Xu Yiqing heard Su Heng say he saw someone carrying things out of the Duke Zhenguo's mansion, and immediately suggested finding Shen Zhen to draw a portrait of the person carrying the things. When Shen Zhen drew the portrait according to Su Heng's description, she discovered that the person was none other than Pang Hu.
This Pang Hu had previously harmed Shen Zhen and Lu Shiyan several times, and now he had openly appeared at the Duke Zhenguo's mansion transporting weapons, clearly with prior planning. Su Heng also felt something was wrong after hearing this. If Pang Hu was truly the Princess Regent's man, it would be impossible for him to put Lu Shiyan in danger multiple times.
Xu Yiqing also added that through their interactions over the past few days, she believed the Princess Regent was kind-hearted. Normally, when the steward used the seal, the Princess Regent readily gave it to him. Now that so many contracts had official seals on them, it really couldn't prove that the Princess Regent knew about this matter. Lu Shiyan secretly snuck into the prison to see the Princess Regent.
His mother had originally not eaten or drunk, but seeing her son, tears of heartache streamed down her face. She stated that she had not engaged in any illegal activities. Lu Shiyan had never doubted his mother. He instructed his mother to try hard to live, as he would soon find evidence. After seeing her son, the Princess Regent finally picked up her chopsticks and began to eat. Steward Zhao was in urgent need of money for turnover.
Lu Shiyan gave his subordinates an idea. Before long, the steward heard news that he could quietly stamp the official seal on a land deed and then secretly sell a manor to exchange for money. Steward Zhao began to feel tempted. He had previously secretly carved a replica of the Princess Regent's seal. As long as he could stamp it on the land deed, he would be able to obtain a large amount of silver.
Lu Shiyan quietly snuck into the archive room and found a corner of Zhao Chong's clothes with the character "é•¿" written on it. This should have been a bloodstain, but it seemed to have more than just the smell of blood. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. Lu Shiyan worried that Shen Zhen was in danger, so he risked his life to go to Hundred Fragrance Pavilion. The two met and immediately hugged each other.
Shen Zhen was full of worry for Lu Shiyan. Lu Shiyan comforted her not to worry, saying that he had now found the suspect and was luring the snake out of its hole. Shen Ran arrived and instructed Lu Shiyan that since he had feelings for Shen Zhen, he should not involve her in danger. Lu Shiyan hastily said goodbye and, upon leaving Hundred Fragrance Pavilion, was immediately chased by several people. The assassins' blades aimed for vital spots.
Fortunately, Lu Shiyan was skilled in martial arts, and Yang Zong also provided timely assistance. They managed to escape successfully. Shen Ran felt extremely guilty for having just reprimanded Lu Shiyan. She knew that Lu Shiyan was a person of noble character, but she was also incredibly worried about her sister and couldn't just ignore it.
Her father enlightened her, telling her not to be too harsh on herself, as everyone has their own destiny, and also told Shen Ran not to dwell on the past and be unable to move on. With her father's guidance, Shen Ran felt much clearer in her heart, so she went to visit Zhou Shu'an. Zhou Shu'an was very happy to hear that Shen Ran had come. Previously, Shen Ran had never set foot in the Imperial Censorate.
Zhou Shu'an excitedly tidied his clothes immediately and also asked his subordinate if he looked presentable. Shen Ran had come to deliver medicine. Zhou Shu'an looked at her with eyes full of vitality. Lu Shiyan brought the blood-stained cloth piece with writing on it to Fu Man. Fu Man was skilled in various traditional Chinese medicines and quickly re-washed the blood piece with the character using hot water and a solvent.
The character "é•¿" on it soon turned into the character "è¾°". Everyone was greatly astonished. Zhao Chong had written the character with his own blood before he died, clearly intending to leave behind evidence. The character "è¾°" was one of the characters used in a prince's given name. This made the situation even more confusing and the power behind it even more formidable.
Episode 21 Recap
Late at night, Steward Zhao took out the Princess Regent's seal from his sleeve, just as he was about to stamp a contract, and was caught red-handed. According to Steward Zhao, Pang Long found him, gave him a large sum of money, and asked him to stamp the contract for the iron mine. Steward Zhao did not dare to use the Princess Regent's real seal but forged one instead.
With the evidence and the person caught, Lu Shiyan ordered his subordinates to tie up Steward Zhao and send him to Zhou Shu'an. Fearing that Steward Zhao might bite his tongue and commit suicide, Yang Zong tied a cloth strip over his mouth. After several days of tracking, Su Heng and Xu Yiqing finally discovered Pang Long's whereabouts.
They saw several boxes of forged weapons at the dock and heard Pang Long say he needed to find Lu Shiyan as soon as possible so they could quickly convict the Princess Regent. It was only then that Su Heng finally realized he had misunderstood Lu Shiyan. Now, he actively helps Lu Shiyan, and he and Xu Yiqing told Zhou Shu'an what they had seen with their own eyes, hoping to alleviate some of their past guilt.
Pang Hu chased Lu Shiyan to a dilapidated hut. Xu Yiqing happened to be bringing Su Heng to see Lu Shiyan just then. A fierce battle was about to begin. The strength on both sides was disparate. Just as Lu Shiyan was about to be captured, Zhou Shu'an fortunately arrived with reinforcements. Pang Hu fled in a panic. Lu Shiyan and Zhou Shu'an met again. Su Heng quickly explained that Lu Shiyan was not the murderer.
At this, Zhou Shu'an merely smiled faintly. In fact, he had always known that Lu Shiyan was innocent and had helped him considerably in secret. The last time Lu Shiyan was chased by Pang Hu's men late at night, someone broke in and rescued him. Lu Shiyan recognized that person's martial arts skills; it was the sword-bearing guard by Zhou Shu'an's side. Lu Shiyan took out the cleansed bloodstain with the character.
Seeing how extensive this matter was, Zhou Shu'an suggested that Su Heng immediately return to the front line to mobilize military power and return to the palace, speculating that the palace might soon face a great catastrophe. Su Heng began packing his luggage to leave. Xu Yiqing reluctantly came to see him off. Su Heng smiled brightly and said he had figured it out; as long as Shen Zhen was happy.
He also said he would return soon to spar with her again. They hadn't known each other before fighting, but now they had developed a great deal of camaraderie through sparring. Shen Zhen was full of confidence in Lu Shiyan and even started making a sachet for the Princess Regent. Fu Man saw Shen Zhen stuffing the sachet full of spices and couldn't help but smile, telling her not to burst the sachet.
Shen Zhen repaid the Princess Regent's kindness with virtue. She also personally made warm knee pads and a brand new comforter. To avoid being discovered, she specifically covered the new comforter with the outer cover of a prison quilt. In prison, the Princess Regent saw Lu Shiyan and Shen Zhen who had come to visit and was moved to tears. Shen Zhen brought the comforter she had personally prepared for the Princess Regent.
True feelings are revealed in times of crisis. Now that the Duke Zhenguo's mansion was in deep trouble, many people avoided it, but Shen Zhen provided timely help. The Princess Regent frankly stated that once the Duke Zhenguo's mansion cleared its name in the future, she would hold a grand wedding for them. Xu Yiqing would often go to Hundred Fragrance Pavilion to chat with Shen Ran in her free time.
This time, they mentioned an itinerant sorcerer named Master Ge. They heard that he would be performing rituals in a certain place in a few days, and that he possessed extraordinary spiritual power, capable of granting wishes. They also wanted to go and soak up some spiritual power to pray for blessings. This time, Shen Ran was finally persuaded. Shen Ran, Xu Yiqing, and Fu Man agreed to set off together.
On that day, the carriage Shen Ran and the others were riding in broke down. Just then, Zhou Shu'an passed by and invited the three of them to ride in his carriage. Sitting in the same carriage, Xu Yiqing deliberately had Shen Ran and Zhou Shu'an sit together. The atmosphere in the air was very ambiguous. Zhou Shu'an frankly said that the woman he loved was kind and virtuous, always considering others and never thinking of herself.
Shen Ran heard all these words. Upon receiving Zhou Shu'an's praise, her cheeks couldn't help but flush. It started raining on the road. Zhou Shu'an took the group to a post house to take shelter from the rain. Suddenly, a group of masked assassins arrived. They were all carrying cold weapons and were clearly targeting Zhou Shu'an. Xu Yiqing, being skilled in martial arts, immediately rushed to the front.
Shen Ran saw someone trying to kill Zhou Shu'an and, without hesitation, used her body to block the sword, getting stabbed twice in the chest. Zhou Shu'an was greatly alarmed. He tightly held Shen Ran, blood splattering. Zhou Shu'an was extremely heartbroken.
Episode 22 Recap
Shen Ran took a stab for Zhou Shu'an. After repelling Pang Hu's men, Zhou Shu'an immediately sent her back to Hundred Fragrance Pavilion. Fu Man, who was skilled in some medical arts, had been treating her by the bed. She found that the area around the wound was bruised, suggesting the blade was poisoned. They currently had no idea what kind of poison it was and would need to put in some effort to cure her.
All along, Zhou Shu'an had felt deep affection for Shen Ran, but he never expected she would be willing to take a stab for him. Seeing his beloved lying unconscious on the bed, Zhou Shu'an was filled with guilt, regretting that he hadn't protected her properly at the time. Lu Shiyan was also injured. While lying on the bed, he dreamt of Shen Zhen.
It was as if their bond from a previous life remained unfinished, and they finally met again, making him cherish it even more. Seeing that the Crown Prince was about to go to the Altar of Heaven for prayer, Lu Shiyan and Zhou Shu'an immediately began preparing security arrangements. Master Ge performed his ritual in public. Everyone respectfully kowtowed and prayed for blessings.
Just as the start of the prayer ceremony was announced, suddenly a flock of crows flew in over the palace, all swooping towards the Crown Prince and the altar. Seeing the sky full of crows, everyone exclaimed it was an ominous sign and whispered about the Crown Prince presiding over the ceremony. The Crown Prince was bewildered. Lu Shiyan and Zhou Shu'an exchanged glances. They immediately scanned their surroundings and spotted many suspicious individuals.
After the prayer ceremony, Xu Yiqing went to the scene and discovered there was something wrong with the incense burned during the prayer. In reality, there was no magic involved; Master Ge must have been putting on an act. At that time, Master Ge also mentioned a birth date and time, claiming that a woman with such a birthdate would obstruct the Crown Prince's luck.
When Lu Shiyan heard the birth date and time mentioned by Master Ge, he was secretly shocked, realizing it was Shen Zhen's birth date. He immediately sent subordinates to deliver a message to Hundred Fragrance Pavilion. Indeed, shortly after, some people gathered at the entrance of Hundred Fragrance Pavilion. They whispered among themselves, calling Shen Zhen an ominous woman. Having received the message Lu Shiyan sent earlier, Shen Zhen was prepared. She was not afraid.
Qing Xi suggested closing the shop and taking temporary shelter, but Shen Zhen was resolute, saying that the more this happened, the less they should back down, otherwise everyone would think what Master Ge said was true. Xu Yiqing followed the direction the crows flew from to look for clues. She came to the back mountain and saw many cages inside a cave. Inside the cave, incense identical to that used during the prayer ceremony was being burned.
To verify her guess, Xu Yiqing lit some incense at the cave entrance. Soon after, flocks of crows flew towards the incense, some directly crashing into the cliff face and dying with bleeding beaks. Seeing such a tragic sight, Xu Yiqing finally understood why so many crows appeared during the prayer ceremony that day. Every day, large numbers of people surrounded Hundred Fragrance Pavilion. Although Shen Zhen responded cleverly, those people were clearly troublemakers.
Just as the crowd was incessantly harassing Shen Zhen, Lu Shiyan stepped forward, casually picked up a thick club, and drove the troublemakers away. The truth hadn't been uncovered yet, but Lu Shiyan had revealed himself. To be safe, Shen Zhen urged him to leave quickly and gave him the sachet she carried with her, asking him to leave a mark at crucial moments. Pang Hu's men kidnapped Lu Shiyan. The situation was critical.
Lu Shiyan was put into a sack, his limbs tied up. He quietly opened the sachet and made marks along the way. On Zhou Shu'an's side, he had already inferred that the instigator was the Empress. Although the Sixth Prince appeared simple and innocent, the Empress coveted the position of Crown Prince and was eager to get rid of this eyesore as soon as possible to help her son ascend to power.
Episode 23 Recap
Under the moonlight, Zhou Shu'an held the jade pendant, thinking of someone. Lu Shiyan walked over and comforted Zhou Shu'an, telling him not to worry too much, good fortune attends the worthy. He knew from the first time he saw him that he would be boundless in the future. The Emperor's coughing and wheezing grew more severe, and his physical condition was not as good as before.
Zhou Shu'an paid his respects to the Emperor as usual, and then reported that based on the existing evidence, the Eldest Princess had indeed done something despicable. The Empress deliberately put on a pathetic appearance, saying the Eldest Princess should not be so foolish, and seeing the Emperor was weak, she also thoughtfully suggested letting the Sixth Prince accompany the Crown Prince for prayer again. The Emperor agreed.
Xu Yiqing went to Master Ge's residence to investigate, and indeed there was something wrong with the clothes. Hearing footsteps outside the door, Xu Yiqing immediately fled through the window, but she had obtained a certificate of private iron ore purchase from Master Ge, which was written with the name "Zhao Chong". Zhou Shu'an rescued Lu Shiyan and then sealed the information.
The Empress still thought Pang Hu had eliminated Lu Shiyan and began to gloat, feeling everything was under control. She then told her plan to a few confidante ministers, but spies were already in place around them. Late at night, several ministers gathered to plot defection, and were all controlled by Zhou Shu'an's guards. Fu Man finally collected the herbs and brought them back in time. She gave the warm medicinal soup to Shen Ran.
Fu Man diagnosed that Shen Ran could be saved! Everyone was overjoyed, especially Zhou Shu'an, who was practically crying with joy. From then on, he took care of her by the bed without ever removing his clothes. The prayer ceremony was about to begin tomorrow. The night before, Zhou Shu'an held Shen Ran's hand, hoping she would wake up soon.
He didn't know what danger he might encounter tomorrow and wanted to leave a letter for Shen Ran, but he felt it was not very auspicious. While feeling sad, Shen Ran's hand suddenly moved a few times, and she finally opened her eyes. Lu Shiyan went to great lengths to get Shen Zhen's bracelet back again. Seeing the long-lost bracelet, Shen Zhen was very happy.
Everything was developing in a good direction, and she hoped everything would go smoothly for them in the future as well. In the morning, the Empress personally handed the prepared clothes to the Sixth Prince to change into, claiming they were scented with special spices. The Sixth Prince was truly naive, and even said he would definitely help his older brother complete the prayer ceremony early today.
When it was time to light the incense, as soon as the Crown Prince picked up the lit incense stick, flocks of crows flew directly towards him. The Crown Prince became dizzy and fainted directly onto the ground. The Sixth Prince helped the Crown Prince while continuously flapping his sleeves to drive the crows away. The smell on the Sixth Prince's clothes made the crows avoid him, circling once before quickly flying away.
Xu Yiqing immediately extinguished the lit incense nearby. On the scene, only the Sixth Prince was not attacked by the crows. He began to understand what was going on with the smell on his clothes. In the palace, the Empress diligently served the Emperor and even personally fed him the medicinal soup.
Hearing the eunuch hastily report the strange phenomenon that occurred during the prayer ceremony, she deliberately claimed that the common people were saying the Sixth Prince was a symbol of auspiciousness, a chosen one. The Empress thought her plan was flawless, but the Sixth Prince stood out to question his mother, asking if the events at the prayer ceremony were designed by her. A son exposing his mother's conspiracy was truly dramatic.
The Empress instructed the Sixth Prince not to panic. She said she had now controlled the entire palace, and the medicinal soup she just fed the Emperor was poisoned. The throne would soon be theirs! The Crown Prince walked out from the inner chamber, greatly surprising the Empress. She had ordered her subordinates to poison the Crown Prince's tea, and did not expect him to be completely unharmed now.
Poor Empress, brilliant for a moment, but unaware that the Emperor had already learned of her plot the previous night and made preparations in advance. Now Su Heng had secretly stationed tens of thousands of elite soldiers from the front lines inside the palace, ready to be deployed at any time. Now that the overall situation was decided, the Empress remained stubborn and unrepentant. The Emperor ordered the Crown Prince to handle the matter.
The Sixth Prince, for the sake of his mother, took responsibility for all the crimes and knelt down, continuously begging for mercy. Hundred Fragrance Pavilion suddenly caught fire, with plumes of black smoke billowing from the entrance. Lu Shiyan immediately rushed over to save Shen Zhen. Everyone began to fetch water to extinguish the fire. Just then, Lu Shiyan fainted heavily onto the ground. Shen Zhen helped him up and found that her hands, upon touching Lu Shiyan, were covered in fresh blood.
Episode 24 (Ending) Recap
Shen Zhen took care of Lu Shiyan every day at the Duke Zhenguo's manor. The Eldest Princess was very satisfied with her future daughter-in-law. The Empress was granted death. Shen Zhen's father was reinstated to his official position. Fu Man found her sister and said goodbye to Shen Ran and Zhou Shu'an. She wanted to take her sister home to open a pharmacy. Shen Ran's body recovered completely.
Zhou Shu'an, having received Shen Ran's permission, excitedly ran home to prepare the betrothal gifts for a grand wedding to bring Shen Ran home. Su Heng gradually fell in love with Xu Yiqing. On the picturesque mountain, he finally gathered the courage to confess his feelings. Xu Yiqing happily agreed and reminded him to return soon with her to see her father. Su Heng eagerly agreed. After Lu Shiyan was injured, he lay unconscious in bed.
He returned to the dream he had repeatedly had. In the dream, he clearly heard the Eldest Princess strongly rejecting Shen Zhen, saying she would never let her marry into the family, no matter what. Lu Shiyan was in great pain. He had gone through so much with Shen Zhen throughout their relationship. Hearing his mother's unquestionable decision, he was almost in despair. Finally, Lu Shiyan woke up, but he seemed not to recognize Shen Zhen at all.
He even said that the person he liked was not her. The Eldest Princess was surprised; now that she had accepted Shen Zhen, her son had lost his memory. Seeing Lu Shiyan wake up, Shen Zhen was both happy and worried. She ran back and cried for a long time, but Lu Shiyan seemed to no longer have the heartache ailment. No matter how Shen Zhen cried, Lu Shiyan remained calm, not even batting an eyelid.
Shen Zhen cried and cried, but truly there was nothing she could do. Now the Eldest Princess strongly supported the marriage, but Lu Shiyan insisted he would not marry. Shen Zhen angrily wanted to leave, but the Eldest Princess advised her to wait patiently for some time. After all, it wasn't easy for the two of them to get to where they were, and Lu Shiyan had just not recovered his memory yet.
The Eldest Princess patiently talked to Shen Zhen. Meanwhile, the guards around Lu Shiyan also began helping him regain his memory. According to Lu Shiyan's statements, he didn't remember knowing Shen Zhen at all, only insisting that he absolutely could not marry the person his mother agreed to. To help Lu Shiyan regain his memory, Zhou Shu'an and Shen Ran started a staged fire in the treasury, where Lu Shiyan and Shen Zhen had first met.
Everyone went to great lengths, but to their surprise, Lu Shiyan remembered Shen Ran and Zhou Shu'an, yet still couldn't recall his experiences with Shen Zhen. He even warned Shen Zhen not to waste her energy or play tricks again, saying he would dislike her even more. They recreated several environments, but none helped Lu Shiyan, making Shen Zhen almost give up.
To prevent Shen Zhen from causing trouble again, Lu Shiyan personally went to Hundred Fragrance Pavilion to explain things clearly to Shen Zhen. Shen Ran, Zhou Shu'an, and Su Heng hid upstairs to peek. Su Heng accidentally knocked over a flower pot from upstairs, which happened to hit Lu Shiyan on the head. Lu Shiyan fainted on the ground again.
Shen Zhen and the Eldest Princess carefully guarded his bedside, worried that Lu Shiyan might have more severe memory loss if he woke up again. During this coma, Lu Shiyan entered a dream, dreaming that he risked his life to petition the Emperor, hoping to secure a marriage contract. Finally, the person in his heart changed her mind and came to his side. After being separated for over thirty years, they were finally together!
Amidst the lingering incense and crisp Sanskrit sounds, Lu Shiyan reached out his hands towards that familiar shadow. This time, when Lu Shiyan woke up and saw Shen Zhen before him, he excitedly hugged her. Lu Shiyan had recovered his memory. The Eldest Princess was finally relieved. Shen Zhen began to question Lu Shiyan, asking why he didn't remember her yet had no good feelings towards her.
Lu Shiyan showed a difficult expression, pondered for a long time, and then said this just proved he was not interested in women. Lu Shiyan brought the betrothal gifts to propose to Shen Zhen's family. Now Zhou Shu'an was his brother-in-law. In the hall sat Shen Zhen's cousin and father, as well as many sisters standing around. Lu Shiyan felt quite remorseful for his rash actions during the previous period and began to constantly try to please Shen Zhen's father.
However, with Shen Ran there, Uncle Shen seemed helpless. A guard beside him reminded Lu Shiyan that his memory loss had caused Shen Zhen to lose face recently, so it would be better to sincerely apologize first. With Yang Zong's guidance, Lu Shiyan's mind was cleared. He immediately ordered his subordinates to beat drums and gongs to spread the news that he was going to marry Shen Zhen. Shen Ran instructed Shen Zhen to be patient.
Marrying into the Duke Zhenguo's manor had to be done properly, following all the procedures, so that she wouldn't be looked down upon in the future. The next day, the Eldest Princess personally came to propose marriage. In front of Shen Wenqi and many family members, she held Shen Zhen's hand and stated that she would certainly treat her as her own daughter.
Finally, amidst the clamor of drums and gongs, Shen Zhen, wearing a red veil and a wedding dress, came before Lu Shiyan. It was a perfect union, and the couple were finally together!
