Episode Summary
Li Shuang successfully turns the spy Yun Ge, leading to Li Zhangyi's arrest. After some convincing from Jin An, she also releases a jealous Ji Ran from jail. The war escalates when Jin An assassinates a Yao commander, prompting the enemy to capture the strategic city of Ninglan. Li Shuang decides to lead a dangerous mission to reclaim it, and after a heartfelt farewell, Jin An vows to protect her, knowing she likely understands who he truly is.
Spoiler Alert
Turning a Traitor
Getting a Confession
The episode kicks off right after the battle. Li Shuang spotted Jin An, and honestly, she's just relieved he’s still breathing. The Yao Army might have lost the fight, but they aren't giving up on taking Lu City.
This brings us to the traitor, Li Zhangyi. He tried to make a run for it, but Li Shuang's soldiers caught him first. Good.
Li Shuang then pays a visit to the captured spy, Yun Ge. She lays it out plain and simple. Yun Ge is lucky it was Li Shuang who caught her, because Li Zhangyi would have killed her on the spot. Yun Ge is a trained assassin, a "dead soldier," and Li Shuang wants the names of other Yao spies. Yun Ge isn't talking.
So, Li Shuang brings up Yan Zhi's death. That does the trick. Yan Zhi was the only good thing in Yun Ge's life, a life spent climbing out of piles of dead bodies. Yun Ge realizes her loyalty to Yan Zhi was twisted and used against her. She tries to bite her own tongue off, but Li Shuang stops her. Li Shuang tells her if she wants real revenge for Yan Zhi, she needs to give up Li Zhangyi.
It works. Yun Ge spills everything. With a full confession in hand, Li Shuang has Li Zhangyi and the evidence shipped off to the capital.
A Messy Love Quadrangle
Ji Ran's Jealousy
With one problem handled, we check in on another. Ji Ran is stewing in a jail cell. Lu Xin comes to visit him with some medicine. She doesn't waste any time. She tells him his problem is pure jealousy. He can't stand how much Li Shuang trusts and relies on Jin An.
We get a little backstory on why Lu Xin is so invested. Three years ago, Ji Ran saved her when she was injured on a mountain. She fell for him hard, but he's always been hung up on Li Shuang. Ji Ran denies it, of course. He claims it's just loyalty to his general and that talking about it would ruin Li Shuang's honor.
Lu Xin isn't buying it. She leaves, but she promises she'll get him out. She has to repay the favor.
Jin An Steps In
Lu Xin finds Jin An in the General's Mansion. She was supposed to plead with Li Shuang for Ji Ran's freedom but couldn't bring herself to do it. So, she asks Jin An for help. He questions why she'd go to such lengths for a guy who gives her the cold shoulder. She says it doesn't matter; it's about repaying a debt.
Jin An agrees to help. He says he owes Ji Ran a thank you, in a weird way. Ji Ran's jealous outburst actually helped him gain something important. He goes to Li Shuang and talks her down. He makes the case that Ji Ran's loyalty is too valuable to throw away over this.
Li Shuang listens and agrees to release Ji Ran. He's out, but he's still convinced Jin An is hiding something. Li Shuang admits she has her own suspicions, but she's making a conscious choice to trust Jin An.
The War Heats Up
A Head for a Head
The peace doesn't last long. Li Shuang gets word that the Yao Army hasn't retreated. They've just appointed a new commander. That same night, Jin An proves his loyalty in a big way. He sneaks into the enemy camp, assassinates the new commander, and brings his head to Li Shuang the next morning.
The Yao Army retaliates almost immediately. They launch a surprise attack on the city of Ninglan and capture it. This is a huge blow. The army's grain and supplies are now at risk. Li Shuang knows she must retake Ninglan without losing Lu City.
A Farewell for a Suicide Mission
The Yao Army makes a big, noisy show of appointing yet another commander. Li Shuang smells a trap. She decides she has to lead the charge on Ninglan herself, even if it's a fight to the death.
Jin An finds a farewell letter she wrote. He figures out her plan instantly. She's going to be the bait. He decides he won't let that happen. He'll go with her to hold off the main Yao forces. He tells her they share one life, and he will not let her lose. At this point, he's pretty sure she knows his secret identity as the Man in Black.
They share a deep, emotional goodbye. Then Li Shuang rides out, leading 10,000 soldiers straight toward the enemy.
