Episode Summary
Fu Yixiao undergoes a risky surgery on her hand, during which Feng Suige defies a direct summons from the Emperor to stay by her side. The Emperor, already ill from stress, collapses and vomits blood. This sparks a power struggle at the palace, as Feng Suige brings his own doctor, Ling Feng, who is blocked by Zhuang Jingyuan. It's revealed Ling Feng is secretly the Emperor's trusted physician. While the princes hold a vigil, Fu Yixiao goes for a walk and discovers that a mysterious masked person from her past is connected to a recent conspiracy.
Spoiler Alert
Fu Yixiao's Risky Surgery
The episode kicks off with Xia Jingshi. He isn't buying Fu Yixiao's story about Ning Fei being dead. I'm with him on this one. He knows Fu Yixiao. If Ning Fei were really gone, she would be tearing Yujing City apart. She wouldn't be this quiet. So, he tells Xiao Weiran to quietly look for Ning Fei.
Meanwhile, Fu Yixiao has a bigger problem. Her hand is seriously messed up. Doctor Ling Feng has a plan to fix it. He can reconnect the tendons in her hand. But the surgery is incredibly dangerous. One wrong move and she could be disabled for life.
Fu Yixiao doesn't hesitate. She agrees to the risk. They give her an anesthetic, and she's out cold. Ling Feng and his daughter, Ling Xueying, start the delicate operation. They have to cut open her arm from the shoulder down to repair the damage. It's intense.
Feng Suige Defies the Emperor
While Fu Yixiao is on the operating table, the Emperor is holding court. He's annoyed. Feng Suige is back in the city but hasn't bothered to report in. The Emperor, Feng Pingcheng, sends an official to go get him.
Bad timing. The official shows up right as Fu Yixiao's surgery is finishing. Feng Suige is completely focused on her. He refuses to go to the palace. So the Emperor and his entire court just sit there and wait. They wait all the way until nightfall. You can just imagine the tension in that room.
The official finally returns and explains why Feng Suige is a no-show. The Emperor is furious. But he can't lose his cool in front of everyone. He just storms out. Later, he sends the commander of the Imperial Guard, Murong Yao, to fetch Feng Suige. Murong Yao makes it clear this is not a request. This time, Feng Suige finally goes.
The Emperor Collapses
The Emperor is already in a bad way. We learn that his other son, Feng Xiyang, escaped the country with Xia Jingshi. This news hit him hard. He tries to hide how sick he is from Feng Suige. Not that it matters. Feng Suige is too stubborn to show any concern for his father anyway.
The second Feng Suige leaves the palace, it happens. The Emperor collapses. He starts vomiting blood. Zhuang Jingyuan rushes to his side. She immediately sends someone to get Zhuang Shen.
Back at the mansion, Fu Yixiao wakes up. Just as she's talking with Feng Suige, Lu Ke bursts in with the bad news. Feng Suige grabs the sleeping Ling Feng. He drags the doctor straight to the palace to save the Emperor.
A Standoff at the Palace
Things get messy at the palace. Zhuang Jingyuan is there. She blocks Feng Suige from entering the Zichen Hall. She orders her guards to stop anyone from getting near the Emperor.
This leads to a tense standoff. Feng Suige's crew on one side, Zhuang Jingyuan's on the other. Just when it looks like a fight is about to break out, the Emperor's personal attendant, Eunuch Ma, appears. He tells everyone to let Ling Feng through.
Zhuang Jingyuan is confused. She demands an explanation. Eunuch Ma reveals a little secret. The Emperor completely trusts Ling Feng. He has the doctor come to the palace every year for a private check-up. Even the imperial doctors, who are loyal to the Zhuang family, respect Ling Feng's skills.
Ling Feng tries to clear the room, but Zhuang Jingyuan refuses to leave. She and Feng Suige start arguing again. Eunuch Ma has to play mediator. Feng Suige finally agrees to back off, and Zhuang Jingyuan leaves soon after. Both sides are left in the dark about the Emperor's true condition.
A Shocking Connection
Feng Suige and the other prince, Feng Chengyang, end up standing guard outside the hall all night. The next morning, Ling Feng comes out. He tells them the Emperor is stable but will need more treatment. He sends the princes home to rest. Security is handed over to Murong Yao, who Feng Suige trusts completely.
While all this is happening, Fu Yixiao is trying to recover. Ling Xueying convinces her to go for a walk to clear her head. On the street, Fu Yixiao spots a familiar face. It's the woman who was seen meeting with the assassin, Wuying.
Fu Yixiao follows her. She sees the woman approach a specific carriage. The curtain on the carriage window moves for a second. Fu Yixiao catches a glimpse of someone inside wearing a mask. And then it hits her. This is the exact same person from the carriage she tried to shoot right before she fell off the cliff.
