Episode Summary
Liu Yuanying discovers her long-lost brother, Zhang Gongzi, only for him to die in prison after revealing he sought revenge for her. Devastated, she's stopped from suicide by Jian Mingshu, who urges her to seek justice. Jian Mingshu confronts Su Tangli, accusing her of manipulating events leading to Lu Wencai's attempted murders, which Su Tangli denies. Prince Rui faces opposition trying to clear Su Changhua's name, while Yin Shujun encourages him. Wen'an Xian Zhu learns the truth about Xie Xu and plans revenge with Jian Mingshu and Yin Shujun; the three women get drunk and bond as sworn sisters at Hualang Ge. Prince Rui takes a drunk Yin Shujun home, leading to a revealing, tense conversation. Lu Chang carries a drunk Jian Mingshu home; she confuses him with the mysterious "man in green" in her drunken state. Lu Shangshu discovers Lu Chang and Zeng Yi are his missing family. The next day, Wen'an publicly shames Xie Xu, leading to his engagement being annulled, his title stripped, and his banishment from the Imperial Exam. Xie Xu confronts Su Tangli but is stopped by Prince Yu's guards.
Spoiler Alert
Episode 17 Recap & Spoilers: Heartbreak, Schemes, and Drunken Confessions
Man, this episode kicked off with a real gut punch. Liu Yuanying finally sees her brother, only to find out he's alive... but not for long. Turns out, this "Zhang Gongzi" (Mr. Zhang) was rescued by a Zhang family after whatever happened back then. He tried to find Liu Yuanying later, heard she was at the Lu residence, and then the whole Enyin Yan disaster went down. His motive for sneaking into the Academy? Pure revenge, all for his sister. They barely get a few words in before he starts coughing up blood and dies right there in the jail cell.
Liu Yuanying is absolutely devastated. Her father, now her brother – her only family left – are both gone. She's ready to end it all, thinking there's nothing left to live for. Thankfully, Jian Mingshu is there to physically stop her, reminding her that she has to stay alive to get justice for her father. That seems to pull her back from the brink.
Meanwhile, Jian Mingshu has a serious hunch she needs to follow up on. She goes straight to Su Tangli. Jian Mingshu lays it out: every time Zhang Gongzi tried to kill Lu Wencai, someone seemed to be conveniently helping him out – like Xie Xu's poisoned sleeve arrow suddenly appearing, or that heavy plaque falling just so. She accuses Su Tangli of pulling the strings behind the scenes. Su Tangli looks seriously rattled and denies everything, almost letting slip something major about Jian Mingshu's family being wiped out (yikes!). Lu Chang arrives just in time to cut off that conversation, telling Jian Mingshu to step outside so he can talk to Su Tangli alone. Su Tangli puts on her best damsel-in-distress act, claiming she almost misspoke because she was falsely accused. But honestly? Even Lu Chang seems to suspect Jian Mingshu might be onto something. Even if Su Tangli didn't literally get blood on her hands, he figures her conscience probably isn't clean.
Over in the political arena, Prince Rui is trying to leverage Liu Yuanying's case to clear Su Changhua's name in court. Predictably, Prince Yu's supporters are fighting him hard. Prince Rui is so stressed he hasn't eaten all day. Yin Shujun comes to give him a pep talk, basically saying, "Look, if they're this desperate to stop you, it means you're close to succeeding. Just keep pushing." This seems to work, and he finally agrees to eat. He asks her to stay and eat with him, but Yin Shujun declines and leaves. Ouch.
Wen'an Xian Zhu (County Princess Wen'an) finds out the truth (we assume about Xie Xu and Su Tangli) and is furious, ready to scream about it in the streets. Jian Mingshu advises her to just call off the engagement. Wen'an decides what she really needs is a night out with her girls and declares she, Jian Mingshu, and Yin Shujun are going to drink until they drop at the Hualang Ge (Flower Gallery Pavilion). Yin Shujun, being a married woman, is hesitant at first, but when Wen'an says she'll go demand answers from Prince Rui herself if Yin Shujun doesn't come, she caves. The night ends with the three women becoming sworn sisters. A new alliance is formed!
Later that night, Prince Rui is waiting outside Hualang Ge. He finds the three ladies completely wasted. He gallantly picks up Yin Shujun (like, a full princess carry!) and tells his men to use her carriage to take Jian Mingshu home. Inside his own carriage, a very drunk Yin Shujun starts ranting at Prince Rui. She calls him pitiful, clueless about women, obsessed with politics... but also admits he respects her. She muses that maybe their current arrangement – respectful but distant, not bothering each other – could actually be a good marriage. Prince Rui's face goes through about five different emotions before he bites out, "You wish." Double ouch!
Lu Chang meets Jian Mingshu in an alleyway and carries the intoxicated girl home on his back. In her drunken haze, Jian Mingshu thinks she's dreaming about that mysterious "man in green" again. She desperately tries to see his face, terrified that it might be Lu Chang because falling for her "Ah Xiong" (big brother figure) is absolutely forbidden in her mind. While this is happening, Zeng Yi (Auntie Zeng?) notices she's being followed when she goes out to get sobering soup, but thankfully Wei Zhu happens to be there and helps her out.
Lu Chang stays by Jian Mingshu's bedside as she sleeps, clearly torn. He knows those fragmented memories of the man in green are tied to immense pain for her. Part of him wants her to remember everything, but another part wishes she could stay blissfully ignorant forever to spare her the agony.
Plot twist incoming! Lu Shangshu (Minister Lu) has been doing some digging and confirmed that Lu Chang and Zeng Yi are indeed his long-lost wife and son, whom he thought perished in a flood years ago while he was preoccupied with his career. Wow!
The next morning, Jian Mingshu wakes up hungover and understandably awkward around Lu Chang. Elsewhere, it's reckoning day for Xie Xu. His father, Yongqing Hou (Marquis Yongqing), forces him to kneel in front of the County Prince's residence to beg for forgiveness. Wen'an Xian Zhu then shows up and delivers an Oscar-worthy performance, sadly saying she'll step aside and call off the wedding so Xie Xu can be with his true love, Su Tangli. This makes Xie Xu look like the world's biggest jerk in front of everyone.
In court, the County Prince demands the marriage be annulled. Yongqing Hou begs the Emperor for leniency for his son. Prince Yu seems surprised when Prince Rui doesn't step in to defend Yongqing Hou. The final judgment? Xie Xu is stripped of his noble status, made a commoner, and banned from ever taking the Imperial Exam. His future is ruined.
Furious, Xie Xu confronts Su Tangli. She's cold as ice, basically telling him they're even now, fully aware of his own dirty schemes. He snaps and tries to attack her, but guards from Prince Yu's residence step in and stop him.
