Episode Summary
Jin An is stuck in Li Shuang's mansion, where she tests his loyalty with a punch to the face. While Lu Xin gets coldly rejected by Ji Ran, a connection sparks between Jin An and Li Shuang. At the palace, the Empress Dowager holds Duan Aoze captive. Li Shuang and Jin An go undercover in a ravaged village, posing as siblings to test his lost strength, leading to some awkward sleeping arrangements.
Spoiler Alert
Jin An the "Houseguest"
Jin An is trapped. He's pretty sure this isn't the General's mansion anymore. He worries the women here are working with the people from that stone room. His escape attempt goes badly. A woman with a giant hammer chases him around. He only calms down when he finally sees Li Shuang.
He tells her about the secret passage. This gets Li Shuang thinking. She wonders if this is all connected to Wuling Mountain, just like Lu Xin said. For the safety of her household, she decides to test Jin An's story. She does this by punching him. Jin An is confused and holds his eye. But Li Shuang thanks him for saving her and her brother, Li Ting. She tells him to just stay put for a while. A moment later, Jin An realizes she gave him a black eye.
Awkward Romances and Rejections
A Brother's Keeper
Li Shuang is pacing outside her brother's door. She has medicine for him but hesitates to go in. Jin An sees her struggling and offers to help. He points out that since Li Ting is a grown man, it might be better for another man to help with his bandages. Inside, Li Ting is suspicious. He wonders why there's a man in a mansion full of women.
Even though he's giving his sister the silent treatment, he still defends her to Jin An. Li Shuang hears that her brother is okay and starts to leave. Jin An follows her out. He explains he only brought her up to distract Li Ting. The wind picks up, blowing flower petals around them. In that moment, Jin An feels something. He decides Li Shuang is a truly good person.
The Cold Shoulder
Lu Xin shows up at the army camp with medicine. It's an excuse to get close to Ji Ran. She even starts washing his clothes, which gets the other soldiers gossiping. Ji Ran is not having it. He tells her to respect the line between men and women. Lu Xin finally confesses her feelings. She says everyone can see how she feels, but he's always been cold. Ji Ran rejects her flat out and tells her to leave the camp.
Big Problems at the Palace
Li Shuang sends a letter and Huo Du's body to the palace. She's letting the Emperor decide what to do next. The old emperor is dead and the King of Annan has vanished. A new child emperor is on the throne, but his mother, Empress Dowager Qin, is the one in charge. We learn she didn't kill Duan Aoze. She has him imprisoned while he's unconscious. She asks a man named Jin Wujian to save him. Jin Wujian offers her a pot of wine. He says if she drinks it, she can join Duan Aoze in death. This seems to be exactly what she wants.
Undercover in the Village
Husband and Wife... or Not
Li Shuang decides to go help a village rebuild. She plans to go in disguise. Jin An eavesdrops on her plan and insists on going with her. He argues that she's the only person he knows, so he has to stick with her. After some thought, Li Shuang agrees. The plan is for them to pose as a married couple.
They change into rough clothes and head to the village. The place is a wreck. Li Shuang immediately changes the plan. She tells the villagers that Jin An is her foolish younger brother. Jin An is completely confused by the sudden downgrade from husband to brother.
A Test of Strength
Li Shuang puts Jin An to work with Ji Ran's crew. She wants to see if his super-strength is really gone. The test works a little too well. Jin An is so weak from the labor that he faints.
Later, Jin An wants Li Shuang to sleep in the same room as him. He's worried about her safety if she sleeps in the communal area with the other men. Li Shuang brushes it off, saying they're all just "brothers." But in the middle of the night, the loud snoring from the communal hut gets to be too much. She ends up going to the room and watching over a sleeping Jin An. Even though he's with Li Shuang every day, Jin An feels restless. He thinks being around all these soldiers has made him "impure" and decides he needs a new strategy.
