Episode Summary
Su Tangli endures Yu Wang's punishment while secretly gathering intel, as Yu Wang grows suspicious of her and tries to eliminate her allies. A clumsy move at a banquet costs Yu Wang the prestigious role of overseeing a sacrificial ceremony, which is then given to Prince Rui. Lu Chang and Jian Mingshu uncover that Lu Wan'er is an imposter working for Yu Wang, who plans to use the ceremony to harm Prince Rui and destroy evidence held by Lu Shangshu. Lu Chang convinces Lu Shangshu to cooperate for his family's safety. As the ceremony approaches, it's revealed Cao Hai is Yu Wang's mole, sabotaging the altar. Lu Chang prepares for a dangerous confrontation, with Jian Mingshu's support, while she also monitors Lu Wan'er.
Spoiler Alert
Our girl Su Tangli found herself in hot water with Yu Wang after botching a task. He didn't hold back with the punishment, a brutal beating, but she, ever the actress, played the "I'd die for your trust" card. Yu Wang, in a twisted display of affection, then personally tended to her wounds, cooing that mistakes must be punished – his rule, you see – and only she was worthy of such... "attentiveness." Su Tangli was desperate to bolt, but Yu Wang wasn't having it, insisting she stay put so he could "personally take care of her." Creepy much? Meanwhile, Jian Mingshu was playing delivery girl for Zeng Yi, bringing some plum ginger to Wei Zhuo. She bumped into Cao Hai, who was looking to pay Lu Chang a visit. Told Lu Chang wasn't home, Cao Hai said he'd swing by another time.
Jian Mingshu gave Lu Chang the heads-up about Cao Hai's attempted visit. Lu Chang found it pretty fishy, especially since they’d already met at the Dali Temple. Sure enough, a few days later, Cao Hai was back. This time, Jian Mingshu told him Lu Chang was swamped with official duties. Undeterred, Cao Hai started poking around, asking about their time back in Jianglin – definitely suspicious. Elsewhere, Lu Shangshu got a royal summons. The Emperor (Guanjia) put him on the spot, asking who he thought was a better fit for the throne: Yu Wang or Prince Rui. Talk about a no-win question! Lu Shangshu basically prostrated himself, terrified, and managed to spew some perfectly diplomatic, non-committal fluff, walking on eggshells the whole time.
Yu Wang, clearly not trusting anyone, figured Su Tangli must have her own spies and ordered his men to "take care of" all her confidants. Ominous. Later, at an imperial banquet, Yu Wang had a clumsy moment and knocked over a candelabrum. The Emperor was not amused and, in a fit of rage, yanked Yu Wang from overseeing the upcoming major sacrificial ceremony, handing the prestigious gig to Prince Rui instead. Ouch, that's gotta sting! Seizing an opportunity, Su Tangli snuck into Yu Wang's study, hunting for clues. But her luck ran out when Yu Wang returned unexpectedly and noticed his desk had been messed with. His suspicion radar pinging, he headed straight for Su Tangli's room. Knowing she couldn't make it back in time, she quickly pretended she was just getting out of a bath. Yu Wang, still not convinced, even pulled at her clothes to check if her wounds showed any signs of being in water. The man has serious trust issues, and Su Tangli is playing a dangerous game!
Meanwhile, Song Qingzhao was digging into why the Old Madam suddenly fell ill at that banquet. Lu Chang, ever the detective, had already cracked a piece of the puzzle: the real Lu Siniangzi is dead, meaning the Lu Wan'er they know is an imposter! Just then, Su Tangli showed up with some piping hot tea she’d gathered from her "stay" at Yu Wang's place: Lu Wan'er is indeed one of Yu Wang's people. His grand plan? To get rid of the evidence Lu Shangshu is holding. Putting it all together, Lu Chang and Jian Mingshu had a chilling realization: Yu Wang was likely planning to use the sacrificial ceremony to get his revenge on Prince Rui.
Lu Chang laid it all out for Lu Shangshu: he was neck-deep in Yu Wang's scheme. If anything happened to Prince Rui at the ceremony, Lu Shangshu would be toast too. His only lifeline? Team up with them. Desperate, Lu Shangshu quickly agreed, with one condition: guarantee his family's safety when all this blows over. With an ally (sort of) secured, Lu Chang headed to the sacrificial altar and ordered his men to give it a thorough once-over. And guess who's revealed to be Yu Wang's mole, already busy messing with the altar? None other than Cao Hai! The plot thickens!
Jian Mingshu, bless her heart, knew Lu Chang was cooking up something big. Whatever his plan, she wasn't about to stop him; in fact, she was ready to face whatever came their way, together. As preparations for the ceremony began – involving ritual incense burning and bathing – Jian Mingshu was busy ironing Lu Chang's clothes. Lu Chang, fully aware that this day could very well be his last (he literally saw it as a "nine chances of death, one of life" situation), couldn't help but gaze at her, the thought of parting heavy in the air. On a slightly different note, Prince Rui firmly told Yin Shujun she couldn't attend the ceremony. Though clearly disappointed, Yin Shujun respected his wishes. Back to the action, Lu Chang had tasked Jian Mingshu with keeping an eye on the imposter Lu Wan'er, who, so far, was just innocently distributing congee, not making any suspicious moves from her spot.
