Episode Summary
The court demands Li Shuang be punished as a traitor, so she asks Su Muyang to execute her to secure peace. After a final meal with Su Muyang, she drinks poison and dies. Su Muyang announces she died of illness and makes her a posthumous Empress. Meanwhile, Jin An gives up his royal title to atone for his past. When he learns of Li Shuang's death, he rushes to Wuling Mountain and begs for the Jade Exquisite, which then merges with him after he makes a blood oath.
Spoiler Alert
The Court Turns on Li Shuang
So, the court officials are in an uproar. They claim Li Shuang being captured has damaged the nation's reputation. They're going so far as to call her a traitor and demand she be severely punished. Su Muyang tries his best to defend her, but the pressure is intense. The ministers want him to strip Li Shuang of her family name and exile the entire Li family.
Li Shuang hears all of this. She's heartbroken. She sees how casually these men talk about starting another war. Deciding to take matters into her own hands, she offers her own life for peace. She asks Su Muyang to execute her, hoping the ministers will remember that peace doesn't come cheap. After this, she’s thrown back in jail.
A Final Goodbye
Her brother, Li Ting, manages to get a visit. He's ready to fight. He tells her he can get control of Li Wei's troops and break her out of there. This just makes Li Shuang angry. She threatens to kill herself in prison if he dares to start anything. She tells him that causing trouble would be a disgrace to Li Wei's memory.
Li Ting breaks down, begging her not to leave him too. Li Shuang tells him to stop crying. As a child of the Li family, he has to be strong. She says the Changfeng Army and the Li family will be his responsibility soon enough. She reminds him he isn't alone and that she believes he can take care of the family.
Jin An's Atonement
Over in the other kingdom, Jin An goes to see his brother, Duan Aoze. He confesses to killing their own soldiers during the past year and says he's ashamed. He resigns from his post as Great General. He also asks to be removed from the royal family. He explains that he was with Li Shuang in Tai Jin and hurt her deeply. Now that there's peace, giving up his title is the only thing he can do for her and for the world.
Duan Aoze is impressed by his brother's change. He asks what happened to him over the last year. Ultimately, he respects his brother's wishes. He officially announces that Duan Aodeng is stripped of his royal status and is now a commoner.
A Poisoned Chalice
Su Muyang learns that Duan Aodeng has become a commoner, but the court's anger hasn't died down. The petitions keep piling up. He feels he has no choice but to carry out Li Shuang's wish.
He takes her from the prison and prepares a meal with all her favorite foods. They talk about when they first met as children. Li Shuang says she has no more attachments to this world. Her death is the only way to protect the Li family. Her only request is that Su Muyang treats Li Ting well after she's gone.
Su Muyang asks her if she would have been with him if they were just ordinary people. Li Shuang tells him there are no "what ifs" in life. She refuses to live in hypotheticals. Then, she drinks the poisoned wine. She says she has no regrets about her life as a warrior. Su Muyang later announces that Li Shuang died from a sudden illness and posthumously names her Empress.
A Desperate Last Hope
Jin An is now living a simple life in a small courtyard. Duan Aoze visits him with the news. He tells Jin An that Li Shuang died to prove her loyalty and will be buried in the imperial mausoleum. Jin An is floored. He thought letting her return to Tai Jin would keep her safe. He doesn't understand why this happened.
Furious, he decides to go to Tai Jin. Duan Aoze can see it's a trap meant to lure him in. But Jin An is determined to bring her back, even if it means he'll die trying. Duan Aoze, seeing he can't stop him, lets his only brother go.
The Jade Exquisite's Choice
As Su Muyang buries Li Shuang with the full rites of an Empress, Jin An races to Wuling Mountain. Mo Yin is already there, expecting him. Jin An has come for one thing: the Jade Exquisite. He believes it's the only thing that can bring Li Shuang back.
Lu Xin is angry with him. She scolds him for not telling them the truth when he regained his memory. Mo Yin says he can't help. Jin An gets on his knees and begs. He makes a blood oath. He swears that if he can bring Li Shuang back, he will die to protect the Jade Exquisite.
But his blood does something unexpected. It awakens the Jade Exquisite, which merges with him again. Mo Yin is shocked. He realizes the true master of the Jade Exquisite was the shadow puppet all along. He figures if the artifact chose Jin An, it must be fate.
