Episode Summary
In this episode, Shi Fake's matchmaking success leads to an accidental kiss with Lu Chi, who is later seriously injured and poisoned while protecting her from assassins. As the Hundred Flowers Festival nears, Shi Fake competes with Official Matchmaker Deng for hosting rights, leading to a tied vote where Lu Chi holds the final, decisive ballot.
Spoiler Alert
Thanks to Shi Fake's intervention, Xu Ao and his wife reconcile their differences, and their relationship becomes more loving, even expecting a child. A grateful Xu Ao publicly thanks Shi Fake at the Official Matchmaker's Office, presenting her with a banner and subtly putting Official Matchmaker Deng in his place. Shi Fake's reputation for creating happy couples spreads, and she is soon swarmed by people seeking her matchmaking services. Lu Chi steps in to shield her from the overly enthusiastic crowd. In the ensuing chaos, he is pushed forward and accidentally kisses her, causing a flustered Shi Fake to run away in embarrassment.
Meanwhile, Marquis Wu'an, frustrated by another failure, decides to approach Prime Minister Zhu Bingquan, hoping to form an alliance and get closer to Xu Ao. However, when he publicly proposes marriage to the Prime Minister's granddaughter during a court session, he is flatly rejected.
As Shi Fake and Lu Chi see their friend Hua Yuerong off, Hua Yuerong remarks that the two of them are a perfect match. Although Shi Fake has feelings for Lu Chi, she feels bound by a childhood promise to marry a "little beggar" she once knew. Just then, a group of masked assassins attacks. Lu Chi, though highly skilled in combat, is injured while protecting Shi Fake. The assassins' blades are poisoned, and his wound is serious. Lu Yi arrives with reinforcements just in time to save them.
Shi Fake takes the injured Lu Chi to the Xibao Pavilion to recover. Seeing an opportunity, Li Pan'er, who knows Lu Chi's feelings for Shi Fake, deliberately exaggerates the severity of his condition, insisting he needs constant, round-the-clock care. Worried but hesitant, Shi Fake avoids seeing Lu Chi, who in turn asks Lu Yi to protect her from the shadows.
With the Hundred Flowers Festival approaching, Official Matchmaker Deng struggles to raise the necessary funds as merchants are unwilling to contribute. Determined not to let her colleagues down and to honor her mother, who traditionally organized the event, Shi Fake takes on the task of fundraising herself. Seeing her mother's sadness over no longer being able to host the festival, Shi Fake becomes resolute in winning back the hosting rights. Shopkeepers, hearing that the Shi family might be involved again, increase their donations, but the total is still insufficient. She seeks help from her friends, siblings He Ketian and He Kexian, but the amount needed is too much for them to provide.
Disappointed, Shi Fake returns to the Official Matchmaker's Office, where she finds Lu Chi waiting. He offers to cover the majority of the festival's expenses. To ensure Shi Fake wins the right to host, Lu Chi proposes a competition: she and Official Matchmaker Deng will present their plans, and the winner will be the official organizer. On the day of the competition, the sponsors act as judges. Both Shi Fake and Deng present compelling cases, leading to a stalemate. Lu Chi suggests a vote, which results in a perfect tie, leaving his own vote as the single, deciding factor.
