Episode Summary
Du Ming is demoted, and the Emperor's man, Xiong Qiannian, takes his place, immediately sidelining Su Wuming. To make ends meet, Su Wuming, Pei Xijun, and Master Fei open a dessert shop, which becomes a huge success after a surprise visit from the Princess. The Princess tries to recruit Su Wuming, but he declines, choosing to stay with Lu Lingfeng. The episode also introduces a new mystery involving a writer of ghost stories and his courtesan wife.
Spoiler Alert
A Changing of the Guard
Du Ming Gets the Boot
The episode kicks off with some political house-cleaning. The Princess decides Du Ming failed at his job. She demotes him and sends him packing to Ninghu. Su Wuming and Lu Lingfeng go to see him off. Du Ming isn't happy about it, but he puts on a brave face. He tells Lu Lingfeng that he respects him. He calls him a true gentleman with both brains and brawn. Du Ming also mentions he used to work with the famous Di Renjie. He admits he's not as good at catching criminals as Lu Lingfeng. And he's not as good at solving cases as Su Wuming. But he's confident he'll make a name for himself in his new post.
The Emperor's New Guy
After Du Ming leaves, Su Wuming has a moment. He realizes the Emperor is a seriously skilled player. He managed to completely turn this situation around. Back in the palace, the Emperor is also thinking about the power vacuum. He needs a new person for the Yongzhou post. Yang Xu conveniently suggests a man named Xiong Qiannian. He claims Xiong has been lying low since returning to the capital. He says Xiong hasn't been mixing with the Princess's allies. The next day, an official order comes down. Xiong Qiannian is the new Yongzhou Prefect. He is now in charge of all criminal cases in the capital.
Su Wuming Gets Sidelined
A Promotion That Isn't
Xiong Qiannian gets to work immediately. He follows Yang Xu's instructions to push Su Wuming out. He gives Su Wuming a fancy but empty title. It's something like "Chief of Undercover Investigation." In reality, it strips Su Wuming of all his power. He's a chief with nothing to command. Su Wuming sees exactly what's happening. He doesn't argue. He just says he has some personal business to handle. Then he walks right out of the Yongzhou government office.
The Ghost Story Side Hustle
Su Wuming is no longer a government official. His income takes a major hit. Things are getting tight. He gets the idea to write ghost stories to make some money. Lu Lingfeng hates this plan. He reminds Su Wuming that he's a student of Di Renjie. He's also technically still an investigator. He should be focused on protecting the city.
A Sweet New Venture
Pei Xijun's Business Plan
Pei Xijun overhears their conversation and has a brilliant idea. She suggests they open a shop in Chang'an. They can sell sushan, the fancy frozen dessert. The problem is that Chang'an is an expensive city. They need money to get started. Pei Xijun then reveals she owns several houses. She decides to sell one of them to fund the business. Lu Lingfeng worries about her reputation. She comes from a noble family. Running a shop might bring shame to her name. So, Master Fei steps in. He agrees to be the public face of the business. He will pretend to be the owner. They decide to call the shop "Liuhe Sushan Shop."
The Grand Opening
The Princess is furious when she hears the news. She learns Xiong Qiannian has defected to the Emperor. She also learns Su Wuming was forced out. Prime Minister Cui thinks this is actually a good thing. He never trusted Su Wuming anyway. But the Princess disagrees. She wanted to recruit Su Wuming herself. She planned to offer him a big job to win his loyalty. She's shocked when she finds out he has become a merchant.
Soon, the Liuhe Sushan Shop opens. Master Fei acts as the manager while Pei Xijun runs the operations. The opening day is loud and crowded. People flock to see what's going on. Master Fei is not a great public speaker. So Pei Xijun steps up. She tells the story behind the sushandessert. Some people in the crowd are not impressed. They think it's just a gimmick. They call it a pile of crushed ice and toppings.
The Princess Makes Her Move
An Unexpected Endorsement
Suddenly, the Princess arrives. She marches up to Su Wuming. She asks if opening a shop means he's done serving the Tang dynasty. Su Wuming quickly explains that Master Fei is the real owner. The Princess remembers that Master Fei once saved her life. She gives him an honorary title on the spot. Then she goes inside to try the sushan. She is completely blown away by the flavor. She praises it again and again. The crowd sees the Princess's reaction. Their attitude changes instantly. Everyone rushes to buy some.
A Job Offer and Some Advice
Afterward, the Princess calls Su Wuming over again. She offers him an important position in her own household. Su Wuming politely turns her down. He says he can't leave Lu Lingfeng to investigate cases all by himself. He wants to stay and help his friend. The Princess knows this is just an excuse. But she sees his point and doesn't push it. Before she leaves, she calls Pei Xijun over. She tells her that Lu Lingfeng might seem cold and clueless about romance. But he is a deeply loyal man. He is not the type to be unfaithful. She assures Pei Xijun that he will treat her well in the future.
A Strange Interlude
The Nightmare
We cut to a strange scene. A man named Meng Buyi is having a nightmare. In the dream, his wife, Hongyao, sits on a large jar and flies off to meet her lover. Meng Buyi hides inside the jar to follow her. He watches from the bushes as she embraces a man named Yan Junxian. Meng Buyi is filled with rage. He jumps out and starts yelling at them. But when Yan Junxian turns around, his face is a wooden puppet mask. The shock wakes Meng Buyi up. We learn that Meng Buyi works for the Ministry of Revenue. He's obsessed with the supernatural and writes popular ghost stories.
The Belle of Pingkang Ward
The episode ends with Lu Lingfeng. He sets up a mobile courtroom in the Qinglong Ward to hear public cases. But he notices that everyone is ignoring him. The citizens are all rushing to see something else. He follows the crowd to see what the commotion is about. A large group is gathered around a woman playing a pipa. Someone explains who she is. It's Hongyao, the former top courtesan from the Pingkang Ward. She was famous for her beauty and talent. Her appearance on the street has brought the whole neighborhood to a standstill.
