Episode Summary
Huizhou City is plagued by smiling deaths. Deng Yunfeng investigates, pressured to solve the case before Yu Yan'er's concubine ceremony. Gou Lingfeng seeks a cure for Ma Yingdan from the eccentric doctor Wu Changxia, who may be the killer behind the smiling deaths.
Spoiler Alert
"Hidden Master" Episode 20: Recap & Spoilers
Things are getting seriously weird in Huizhou City. People are dropping dead with smiles on their faces, like they're lost in some blissful dream they can't wake up from. Deng Yunfeng is on the case, and He Changzai informs him that this is the fourth such death. Same symptoms every time, which means they're dealing with a serial killer with a seriously twisted method.
He Changzai, naturally, runs straight to Wu Guangming with the bad news. Wu Guangming is extra stressed because Yu Yan'er, a high-ranking official's daughter, is in Huizhou City and about to head to the palace to become a concubine. If this case isn't solved ASAP, it could cause major problems. He orders He Changzai to solve it before Deng Yunfeng does. Talk about pressure!
Meanwhile, Gou Lingfeng notices that Ma Yingdan's condition is worsening. He rushes to find her at her charity clinic, but she's all business, treating patients with a distant look. Ma Yingdan basically tells him that what's happening with Wulin is beyond their control, and they should focus on helping people. Gou Lingfeng is about to leave when he hears a thud. He turns around to find Ma Yingdan collapsing, coughing up blood! He carries her back to her room and promises to find a cure. Just then, Zhuge Heng shows up, having heard about a legendary, eccentric doctor known as Wu Changxia, and they decide to seek his help.
Gou Lingfeng and Zhuge Heng arrive at Wu Changxia's place, a traditional-looking house on a quiet street. They're hoping he can cure Ma Yingdan. But Wu Changxia turns out to be a total wildcard, possibly insane. He slams the door in their faces without even hearing them out! Zhuge Heng yells out Ma Yingdan's condition, mentioning her rare congenital toxicity, which finally piques Wu Changxia's interest.
Gou Lingfeng and Zhuge Heng try to convince Ma Yingdan to see Wu Changxia, but she's lost hope. Later that night, Gou Lingfeng brings her a small turtle as a gift. Surprisingly, the turtle isn't poisoned by her touch, which gives her a glimmer of hope. After Gou Lingfeng's persistence, Ma Yingdan finally agrees to see the doctor. But when Wu Changxia sees her, he bursts into tears! Ma Yingdan realizes there's no cure and accepts her fate, saying she's grateful for seeing the world and making friends. That's rough.
The next morning, while they're setting up their clinic, another person drops dead! He Changzai investigates, and Zhuge Heng recognizes the victim as someone who visited Wu Changxia's clinic. Ma Yingdan examines the body and determines that the poison erodes the mind, causing the victim to be addicted to illusions and happiness, before eventually dying. She notes that while hallucinogenic poisons aren't rare, one that makes people die smiling is extremely unusual.
Ma Yingdan returns to her room and finds a note from Wu Changxia, asking her to come to his clinic the next day for a cure. Meanwhile, Deng Yunfeng is furious that his investigation is going nowhere. He Changzai introduces him to two "experts": one with super eyesight (Wang Yuanxia) and one with a super sense of smell (Wen Laike). But they're useless and just make things worse. Deng Yunfeng is worried about Yu Yan'er's upcoming trip to the palace, but his subordinate tells him that rumors are spreading that she's seriously ill. Deng Yunfeng visits Yu Yan'er's mother and learns that Wu Changxia cured her.
Zhuge Heng is chatting with Ling'er when he learns that a shopkeeper's nephew, though cured by Wu Changxia, still died suddenly. It clicks! He rushes to Wu Guangming and tells him that Wu Changxia is the killer. Wu Guangming orders Gou Lingfeng and Zhuge Heng to arrest Wu Changxia immediately.
At the same time, He Changzai and Deng Yunfeng are also closing in on Wu Changxia's clinic. They almost get into a fight over who gets the credit for the arrest, but they agree to work together. When Gou Lingfeng arrives, Ma Yingdan is missing! He confronts Wu Changxia, but the doctor refuses to speak, leaving only a chilling silence.
