Episode Summary
The Lantern Festival serves as the backdrop for major romantic developments. Li Shuang, encouraged to take a night off, sheds her general's armor for a dress and spends a magical evening with Jin An, which ends in a kiss under the fireworks. Meanwhile, Mo Yin, a mysterious newcomer, gets himself arrested to investigate another prisoner and later forms a connection with a heartbroken Lu Xin. A secondary romance also blossoms between Ouyang Jun and Qiao'er, who accepts his proposal with a uniquely practical goal in mind.
Spoiler Alert
Festival Prep and a Shady Newcomer
The Lantern Festival is about to kick off in Lu City. It's a huge deal for everyone, so General Li Shuang is beefing up security. She wants to make sure the citizens can celebrate without any trouble.
During the patrols, her guards catch a guy trying to force his way into the city without papers. Li Shuang checks him out and notices the calluses on his hands. These aren't normal calluses. They come from years of horse riding and archery. Something is off about this guy.
Then another man, Mo Yin, just walks right up to them. He says he doesn't have papers either, but Li Shuang's guards didn't stop him. She's intrigued. She asks what he's doing in Lu City and jokingly threatens him with jail. He plays along, handing over his own hairpin as payment for his future "jail meals." Li Shuang, finding the whole thing amusing, has him locked up.
Inside the jail, Mo Yin isn't just sitting around. He deliberately gets close to the first guy who was caught. The man gets angry and tries to kill Mo Yin to silence him. But Mo Yin is way ahead. He forces a "Forgetfulness Pill" down the guy's throat. When the man wakes up, he won't remember Mo Yin at all. This dude has a plan.
A General's Night Off
The Big Makeover
Both Lu Xin and Jin An agree on one thing. Li Shuang needs a break from being a general. They think her life shouldn't be all about armor and battle plans. She deserves to be happy and live for herself, even if it's just for one day.
Later, Jin An comes to get Li Shuang from the General's Mansion. It's the night of the Lantern Festival, and the streets are lit up. Li Shuang decides to take him to see the festival, since he's probably never experienced one.
Lu Xin and Jin An are waiting for her when a woman drops her lantern. Jin An helps her pick it up and then does a double-take. The beautiful woman in the stunning dress is Li Shuang.She's wearing the gown Lu Xin gave her, and she looks completely different.
Awkward Setups
Li Shuang has a surprise for Lu Xin. She brought Ji Ran to the festival, calling him a "gift." Then, she immediately drags Jin An away to see a performance, leaving Lu Xin and Ji Ran alone together. It's super awkward.
As Li Shuang and Jin An wander, a little kid runs up and tells Jin An he should buy flowers for the pretty lady. Jin An pats his pockets and realizes he's broke. He already gave all his money to Li Shuang. She laughs and pays the kid for the flowers herself.
Side Romances Are Heating Up
Qiao'er and Ouyang Jun
Ouyang Jun has been hanging around the General's Mansion. He's there to see Qiao'er, who is on duty. He brought her jujube cakes as a gift and finally works up the nerve to confess his feelings.
He's prepared a whole speech, but he doesn't need it. Qiao'er accepts immediately. Her reasoning is... practical. She thinks he's a good fighter. She figures if they get together, they can have ten or twenty kids who will be strong as oxen. They can form a personal army to protect Li Shuang. You can't argue with that logic.
Lu Xin and Mo Yin
Lu Xin has a tough conversation with Ji Ran. She bravely encourages him to tell Li Shuang how he feels. She tells him that what's important is living without regrets, and she promises she won't chase after him anymore. Mo Yin, who is now out of jail, happens to overhear. He sees the tears she's trying to hide behind a brave face.
Later, he finds her by the river. He panics, thinking she's about to jump, and yanks her back. She was just looking at the water. Even though she acted tough earlier, she's still heartbroken. They start talking, and he smells sulfur and saltpeter in the air. His instincts scream "danger," and he pulls her away, but it's just fireworks. He's never seen them before. He tells Lu Xin he'll remember her because she's the first person he's had a real conversation with.
A Kiss Under the Fireworks
Li Shuang and Jin An are having the time of their lives, checking out all the stalls at the festival. The night has been special for Li Shuang, and she's clearly developing strong feelings for him.
Jin An, in a slightly misguided romantic gesture, puts on a Xuan Yi Ke mask.The mysterious hero is popular in the city, and he probably thought she'd like it. She doesn't. Li Shuang yanks the mask off his face, pulls him close, and kisses him right there as the fireworks go off.
