Episode Summary
Hanyan is banished again by her mother but is pitied by her father. Fu Yunxi investigates a case and questions Hanyan, offering her medicine. Master Zhuang promises to care for Hanyan. A mock assassination reveals family dynamics. Marriage is proposed for Hanyan, but matchmakers refuse. The Old Madam falls ill, suspected to be linked to the "barefoot ghost" rumors and a Taoist priest. Zhuang Yushan pretends to help Hanyan but steals her warmth. Hanyan plans to clear her name.
Spoiler Alert
The episode opens with Hanyan facing her mother's wrath once again.Ruan, her mother, resorts to severe disciplinary action, having Hanyan dragged out of the house. Hanyan has always believed that her diligent studies and respectful demeanor would eventually earn her mother's affection. As the servants drag her away, Master Zhuang, returning from a drinking engagement, witnesses the brutal treatment of his daughter. Heartbroken, he wants to take her to his room for care, but Ruan rebukes him, reminding him of the misfortunes that have befallen the Zhuang family, all supposedly because of Hanyan. Master Zhuang pleads with Ruan to show some compassion for their daughter, pointing out that Hanyan has never blamed her mother for her cruelty, and instead, has always longed for the affection of her high-status mother. Provoked by the mention of her status, Ruan screams like a woman driven mad, lamenting that if she hadn't given birth to Hanyan, she wouldn't be crippled, and her own family wouldn't have been ruined. This outburst reveals a side of her mother that completely changes Hanyan's perception.
Taken in by her father, Hanyan's path crosses with Fu Yunxi, who is investigating the deaths of Master Zhuang's aunt and uncle in Danzhou.Fu Yunxi, disregarding Hanyan's injuries, immediately questions her about the day's events, seeing through her apparent manipulation of the family rules to find someone who would truly accept her. He even suspects that she orchestrated the entire incident. Fu Yunxi is puzzled why she would willingly enter the "abyss" of the Zhuang household. Hanyan explains that she simply wants a home. Seeing her tears, Fu Yunxi coldly offers her a box of medicine and warns her that the capital is not what she expects. This small act, however, offers Hanyan a glimmer of warmth.
Later that night, Master Zhuang visits his daughter, explaining that his uncle was his close friend and a great benefactor to the Zhuang family. He promises to take her back to the countryside to arrange the funeral for his aunt and uncle once she recovers. He comforts her, revealing that he has secretly saved some family property that he intends to leave to her, ensuring she won't be left wanting. Hanyan stares at the ointment Fu Yunxi gave her, lost in thought, when Chai Jing appears. A skilled assassin from Danzhou, Chai Jing stages a mock assassination attempt on Hanyan, reminding her that she owes Hanyan her life. Through this staged attack, Hanyan gauges the true nature of each member of the Zhuang family. She notes that Aunt Zhou is quiet and reserved, while the matriarch Ruan is strict, but things are not as they appear. Her real concern isn't the Zhuang family, but the Dali Temple. She repeatedly instructs Chai Jing to protect herself, as Chai Jing's safety is tied to her own.
The next day, Hanyan wakes to find the maids surprisingly polite and attentive, ready to help her dress and groom. Zhuang Yuchi complains to her sister, Zhuang Yushan, about Hanyan, feeling that she is unfairly favoring her. Their mother punishes Yuchi. The dim-witted Zhuang Yushan reveals the truth to his sister: he was only able to escape his confinement because of the commotion caused by Hanyan.
Master Zhuang, Ruan, and Zhou Ruyin dine together, discussing Hanyan's future. He expresses his genuine affection for Hanyan and hopes the family will accept her. Zhuang Yuchi, worried about the impact on his potential marriage prospects (as a live-in son-in-law), doesn't want Hanyan to stay. Master Zhuang, although an official, lacks real power and is under pressure from his superiors. If Hanyan doesn't leave, his son's marriage prospects will be ruined. As they struggle to find a solution, a maid suggests that since Hanyan is past the age of "笄" (a coming-of-age ceremony), they should consider marrying her off.
The family agrees this is a good idea, but matchmakers, upon hearing the proposal is for Hanyan, refuse to take on the task. Hanyan learns from Chai Jing that Fu Yunxi has gone to Danzhou. She also decides it's time to shed the "barefoot ghost" stigma, or she'll never find a husband. While Master Zhuang and Aunt Zhou are discussing Hanyan's marriage prospects in the flower room, news arrives that the Old Madam has been possessed. The Old Madam is found in a delirious state, shouting, much like her grandfather did years ago. Master Zhuang instructs everyone to keep the matter quiet and prevent rumors from spreading before the family banquet the next day.
Zhuang Yushan suddenly barges into Hanyan's room, pretending to care for her, offering to replace her coal and provide a thicker quilt. However, he takes away her coal brazier and quilt, never to return. Hanyan sees through Zhuang Yushan's tricks and isn't angered. Zhuang Yuchi thanks her sister for sticking up for him.
As the cold night sets in, Hanyan tries to seek help from her father, but the maids prevent her from seeing him. Hanyan is forced to wrap herself in a cotton coat to keep warm. Chai Jing discovers that the rumors of the "barefoot ghost" originated from a Taoist priest named Duan Tianshi, who is now in the capital. The Old Madam's illness is likely connected to Duan Tianshi. Hanyan finds a hidden note in a candle and plans a decisive counterattack. She has been branded as the "barefoot ghost" since childhood, and now it's time to finally break free from that reputation.
