Episode Summary
In short, Pei Xijun is rescued from a piranha-wielding villain, which leads to the confession of a corrupt official. The team gets a new lead on a spy meeting, but the stakeout is compromised by an overeager ally just as new enemy agents appear on the board.
Spoiler Alert
The Piranha Tank Problem
A Desperate Bluff
We open on Pei Xijun in serious trouble. Yu Matong has her hanging from a beam in his backyard. Below her is a pond. It's filled with vicious, man-eating fish. He's threatening her, trying to find out her source of information.
Pei Xijun thinks fast. She tells him Lu Lingfeng is her husband. She claims he has his own ways of finding things out. This gives Yu Matong an idea. The Princess recently cut ties with the Kuilei spies. He thinks maybe he can use this situation to get back in her good graces.
That night, a note about Pei Xijun's danger reaches the Princess. She immediately has it sent to Lu Lingfeng. The instructions are clear. Only he can read it. Back at the dessert shop, Su Wuming and the others are wondering where Pei Xijun went. Just then, Lingfeng gets the note. He grabs his people and heads for the Liu residence. A servant tells them Liu Jun is probably at the Persian Hall or in Pingkang Ward.
The Rescue
The group splits up. Lu Lingfeng goes to the Persian Hall. He can tell something is off just by talking to the owner. He finds Liu Jun in one of the back rooms. Liu Jun acts tough at first. That lasts until Xue Huan gives him a solid beating.
He finally confesses everything. He met with Yu Matong privately. He also tells them Pei Xijun is being held at the Big Fish Fish Market.
Meanwhile, Yu Matong is getting impatient. The Princess hasn't made a move. He decides Pei Xijun must be a liar. He tells his men to pack up and get ready to leave. Before they go, he triggers the trap. He's going to feed Pei Xijun to the fish. Luckily, Lu Lingfeng and Xue Huan burst in just in time to save her. The rescue is a success, but Lingfeng hits a little too hard. Yu Matong and his men are killed on the spot.
The Aftermath
A Pathetic Confession
With Xijun safe, they drag Liu Jun in front of her father, Pei Mian. Pei Mian is furious with him. He demands to know why he betrayed his country.
Liu Jun's story is pretty pathetic. He admits that once he got some power, he got lost in women and wine. He was always at expensive places like the Persian Hall. He blew through all his money and met Yu Matong. He took cash from him and eventually got blackmailed into working for him.
A New Lead
Su Wuming helps Lu Lingfeng sort through the case details. According to their informant, Sun Zi, the Kuilei spies have a meeting scheduled. It's happening in three days at the Great Wild Goose Pagoda. The contact is a woman. Su Wuming decides he and Lingfeng will go to the meeting place together.
An Awkward Family Meeting
Just as they're making plans, Pei Mian shows up. He runs into Lingfeng and Su Wuming. Lingfeng tells him that he and Pei Xijun have a marriage agreement. Pei Mian sees right through this. He knows they decided this on their own.
Su Wuming jumps in to smooth things over. He reminds Pei Mian how Lingfeng saved his life. He insists the two are a good match. Pei Mian sighs at his smooth talking. He goes to talk to his daughter. He's relieved to see she's unharmed. Then he asks her for a favor. He needs her to help design a pattern for a new polo ball. She can't really say no, so she agrees.
Visions of a Golden Age
Later, the whole group gets together. They start talking about what a true "golden age" would look like to them.
Pei Xijun wants to teach children art and painting. She wants to wait for her good man to come home from his duties. Master Fei just wants a wise ruler on the throne and peace for the people. That way, he can drink his wine every day. Xue Huan vows to protect the borders of the Tang Empire from all enemies. Chu Yingtao says a golden age must include chivalry and heroes.
Lu Lingfeng argues for a balance of civil and military strength. He wants a world where poetry and swords can exist together. Su Wuming, the historian, listens to them all. He then points out that based on all the emperors of the past, a true golden age has not yet arrived.
The Pagoda Stakeout
Three days later, the stakeout is on. Lu Lingfeng and Su Wuming have agents positioned all around the Great Wild Goose Pagoda. They are watching everything closely.
Over at the Bafang Inn, some other players are in motion. Tian Juzi visits, just hoping to see Chong Sanshiliu Niang. Two Kuilei spies, Hu Mei'er and Hu Da, check in. They are pretending to be a father and daughter. They're there to meet a contact known as "Gray Wolf." Yang Ji is also there delivering desserts. He's secretly observing the guests. He notices a very distinct scar behind Hu Mei'er's ear and gets suspicious.
Back in the palace, Pei Xijun's design is a hit. She combined everyone's ideas into a single pattern. Pei Mian presents it to the Emperor, who loves it. He orders the polo balls to be made from seven different colors of animal skin.
The Plan Goes Sideways
Things are not going as smoothly at the pagoda. Xiong Qiannian suddenly shows up. He wants to help Lingfeng and Su Wuming catch the spy.
Right on schedule, the contact appears in the marketplace. It's Hu Mei'er, disguised as a man. But before Lingfeng or Su Wuming can make a move, Xiong Qiannian gets ahead of himself. He yells for his men to start arresting anyone who looks suspicious. This immediately puts Hu Mei'er on high alert.
