Episode Summary
In this episode, Wang Han's confession about burying Song Xiwen on the Empress's orders triggers a cascade of events. The investigation leads to another death, which is ruled a suicide orchestrated by the Empress. As a result, the Empress is confined, and the Crown Prince is put under house arrest. Despite the turmoil, Yan Chi and Qin Wan get married. The Crown Prince's attempt to defend his mother backfires spectacularly, leading to him being deposed and imprisoned, leaving the court in a state of upheaval.
Spoiler Alert
The episode kicks off with a major confession from Wang Han. He reveals that after Prince Jin's incident, it was the Empress who ordered Song Xiwen's capture. Wang Han, receiving the order through Wan Xi, was tasked with secretly removing the body from the palace. He buried Song Xiwen's already stiff corpse in the mountains. Yan Chi has Bai Feng take Wang Han to confirm the burial site. Qin Wan supports his story, revealing that she had previously found grass seeds on the body that only grow in the mountains. She had kept this information to herself because Li Muyun was present at the time of her initial examination. Yan Chi grows concerned that the matter will implicate Prince Cheng and the Crown Prince, which would inevitably lead the powerful Marquis of Zhongyong to target Qin Wan. However, Qin Wan remains fearless as long as she and Yan Chi are together.
Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager, feeling unwell, suggests to the Emperor that Yan Chi should inherit his title as soon as possible. The Emperor agrees and decides to ennoble both Yan Chi and his brother, Yan Li, at the same time. The Empress Dowager makes the Emperor promise to protect Yan Chi, and he assures her that as long as Yan Chi does not commit treason, he will guarantee his lifelong safety.
Following Yan Chi's advice, Wang Han turns himself in to Prince Cheng at the high court, confessing everything about Song Xiwen. Yan Chi has a plan to save his life but instructs him not to mention his involvement. By this point, another official, Kang Bowen, has already died. Qin Wan and Yan Chi are ordered by the Empress Dowager to investigate, overriding Prince Cheng's attempt to block them. Qin Wan performs an autopsy and confirms that Kang Bowen committed suicide by drowning himself in a well. She concludes that only the Empress could have orchestrated such an act within the palace.
Kang Bowen's suicide sends the Crown Prince into a panic. He confronts the Empress about Song Xiwen, declaring he no longer wants to be the heir to the throne. The Empress, however, is resolute. She tells him that only by securing the throne can they reclaim their dignity after years of being sidelined. She makes him swear to fight for his position until his last breath.
The Emperor issues an edict granting titles to Yan Chi and Yan Li, but it comes with a catch for Yan Li: he is appointed to a position in the Ministry of Personnel, a high-profile role he considers terrible news. A dejected Yan Li finds comfort with Yue Ning, promising her that with his new title, he can provide a stable life for her. The two share a tender moment, pinky-swearing to never be apart.
Once the Emperor learns of the Empress's involvement in the deaths of Song Xiwen and others, he confines her to her palace. The Crown Prince is also placed under house arrest in the Eastern Palace until his wedding, which is to be a simple ceremony as punishment. On the wedding day, his new bride, Qin Zhaoyu, remains optimistic, viewing their current predicament as a temporary storm. The situation escalates when Qin Xiang suffers a miscarriage. Prince Cheng, suspecting Feng Chenbi of foul play, nearly strangles her, furious at being manipulated.
Amidst the turmoil, Qin Wan and Yan Chi are married in a quiet ceremony witnessed by the Empress Dowager and the Grand Princess. On their wedding night, which is simple due to an ongoing mourning period, Qin Wan expresses her contentment, saying her only dream was to build a home with Yan Chi. Yan Chi, however, is deeply troubled. He foresees the Empress's downfall as inevitable and questions the Emperor's motive for placing Yan Li in such a prominent and dangerous position.
The Crown Prince's fate is sealed when he goes before the Emperor to plead for his mother. He passionately argues that the Empress had no motive to kill Song Xiwen. Prince Cheng seizes the opportunity to provoke him, causing the Crown Prince to physically attack him in front of the Emperor. Enraged by this outburst, the Emperor strips the Crown Prince of his title and orders him to be imprisoned.
Following this, Noble Consort Su visits the Empress to gloat, taunting her that with her son deposed, her own title as Empress is no longer secure. The former Crown Prince and Qin Zhaoyu are taken to be confined in the Imperial Clan Court. Before she is imprisoned, Qin Zhaoyu asks the Empress to find a way to help, suggesting that the Marquis of Zhongyong might be able to intervene. In a final plea, the Empress Dowager begs the Emperor to spare her grandson, suggesting exile instead of imprisonment, which she fears he will not survive. The Emperor, however, refuses to listen and walks away.
