Episode Summary
The investigation into a gruesome murder leads to the unmasking of the sketch artist, Ning Buyi, as both the killer and the leader of the Tiandao Society. After he commits suicide, deeper conspiracies are revealed, prompting Yan Chi to undertake a dangerous mission to Shuo Xi. The arrival of the blind Yan Ze introduces a past poisoning mystery and creates a love triangle when Yue Ning, feeling indebted to him, decides to marry him, devastating Yan Li.
Spoiler Alert
The investigation takes a dark turn as a new victim surfaces, their face horrifically mutilated, with only half of it remaining. Yan Chi dispatches Yan Li and Bai Feng to go undercover, but the killer strikes again before they can find any leads.
At the crime scene, Qin Wan calls for the sketch artist, Ning Buyi, to reconstruct the victim's face. Yan Chi deduces that the victim and the killer must have been acquainted. When Ning Buyi arrives, he puts on a show of dry-heaving at the gruesome sight before beginning his work, creating a vivid portrait from the mangled remains. However, Yan Chi and Qin Wan notice something odd. Ning Buyi's reaction seems forced; he only pretends to gag, just as he did at the first crime scene, and his complexion remains normal. He feigns fear he doesn't feel, immediately making him a prime suspect.
Qin Wan theorizes that Ning Buyi is the real murderer. The victim is identified as a carver named Wang Xin. She believes Ning Buyi, already knowing the victim's identity, was trying to frame Wang Xin as the killer. To expose him, Yan Li and Yue Ning stage a dramatic scene about a heartless lover in front of Ning Buyi, who then invites Yan Li to his home. Yan Li insists on going himself, despite plans for Bai Feng to go in his place for safety. Qin Wan equips him with a distress whistle and medicine, telling him that as long as he stays alive, she can heal him. A worried Yue Ning, trying to hide her feelings, reminds him that they are "good brothers" for life.
That night, Yan Li is drugged at Ning Buyi's house. Just as Yan Chi leaps from the roof to intervene, he finds that both Yan Li and Ning Buyi have vanished. Yan Li awakens to find himself tied up. Ning Buyi had created a decoy secret passage to mislead them, but Qin Wan discovers the real one hidden in the water. Yue Ning arrives in the nick of time, sending Ning Buyi flying with a kick just as he is about to attack Yan Li. Cornered, Ning Buyi takes his own life in front of Qin Wan and Yan Chi. During the autopsy, Qin Wan discovers that even if he hadn't committed suicide, he was already dying from a terminal illness.
The case takes another twist when it's revealed that Ning Buyi was the leader of the Tiandao Society. Bai Feng uncovers his background: his father was Ning Shoude. Yan Chi explains to a troubled Qin Wan that while her father was not the main culprit in the old case, Ning Shoude was indeed corrupt, and his execution was justified.
Meanwhile, the unresolved military grain embezzlement case draws the attention of the Emperor. He confronts Yan Chi, reminding him that despite being brothers with Prince Rui, their duty as ruler and subject comes first. The Emperor cannot rest until the threat from the Shuo Xi Army is eliminated. Yan Chi volunteers to travel to Shuo Xi to root out the problem. The plot thickens as Zhang Dongxuan reveals that the Tiandao Society has other members, including a vice-leader whose identity remains unknown. Prefect Zheng had tried to note this when closing the case, but Li Muyun insisted on a swift conclusion for their own benefit.
A new character arrives, bringing fresh emotional turmoil. Yue Ning announces the arrival of Yan Ze, a man she affectionately calls her brother. Yan Ze has been studying medicine abroad to cure his own blindness but has yet to succeed. Qin Wan examines him, and he quietly asks her not to let the Empress Dowager worry. Yue Ning recalls a childhood memory: when she was six, she got lost during a winter hunt, and only Yan Ze noticed she was missing. He braved a snowstorm to bring her back to the palace, but fell ill as a result and has been sick ever since. Driven by guilt and affection, Yue Ning declares her intention to marry Yan Ze to care for him for the rest of her life. Qin Wan warns her against such a rash decision, asking her to consider what this would mean for Yan Li.
Upon hearing that Yue Ning wants to marry Yan Ze, Yan Li, who is already sick with a cold, becomes furious. While treating Yan Ze, Qin Wan makes a startling discovery: he was poisoned as a child. Yan Ze, however, remains tight-lipped, hinting that the matter involves the royal family. As the episode closes, Yan Chi departs for Shuo Xi, leaving Bai Feng behind to protect Qin Wan.
