Episode Summary
Tensions rise as Lu Chang and Song Qingzhao become tutors at the Yin Manor, both vying for Jian Mingshu's attention and disapproving of her stay. Mingshu tries to understand the Yin daughters, particularly Yin Shujun, who is resisting an arranged marriage to Prince Rui. After Mingshu discovers she can play the Qin, triggering memories for Lu Chang, she later falls from a sabotaged bridge. Yin Liangjun accuses Yin Shujun, who denies involvement but is punished by her father despite Mingshu's defense. The scandal reaches the palace, causing Consort Hua to reconsider the marriage alliance between Prince Rui and Yin Shujun.
Spoiler Alert
Serendipity: Episode 5 Recap & Spoilers
Alright, so picture this: Jian Mingshu finally makes it back to her room, probably exhausted and ready to collapse after whatever drama the day threw at her. But nope, peace is not on the menu tonight! In climbs Lu Chang through the window, like it's totally normal, immediately nagging her about being careless with security. Seriously, dude, ever hear of knocking?
Before she can even process that intrusion, Song Qingzhao strolls in, looking all cheerful. Lu Chang instantly gets his hackles up. The tension spikes when he overhears Mingshu and Qingzhao talking about her plans to open a shop – something Lu Chang apparently knew nothing about. Cue the jealousy! Mingshu tries to smooth things over, explaining that exploring this business idea might actually help jog her memories and deal with her "soul separation sickness" (that dissociation issue she's grappling with).
While the shop idea might be okay, both Lu Chang and Song Qingzhao are firmly against her continuing her gig as a companion reader at the Yin Manor. It's too dangerous, they argue. But Mingshu? She's stubborn and insists on staying put.
Fast forward to the next day's tutoring session. Mingshu is trying to get a read on the complex relationships between the three Yin daughters. And guess who the new tutors are? Yep, Lu Chang (teaching literature) and Song Qingzhao (teaching the Qin, a traditional instrument). Their arrival sends Yin Liangjun into a flutter – after all, Song Qingzhao is Prince Rui's cousin, and Lu Chang isn't exactly hard on the eyes.
During Lu Chang's lesson, he spots Mingshu and Qingzhao passing notes like they're back in grade school. Annoyed (or maybe just jealous again?), he makes Qingzhao play the Qin for the class, much to the delight of all the ladies present who basically melt into puddles.
After class, Yin Shujun gets held back because, surprise surprise, she didn't do her homework. Lu Chang expertly handles her, threatening daily reports to her father, Grand Preceptor Yin, until she caves and agrees to the punishment: three smacks with a ruler (ouch!). Lu Chang initially tells Mingshu to do the honors, but Mingshu suddenly changes her mind and declares she wants to search Yin Shujun's room instead. Shujun is shocked when Lu Chang agrees, revealing he's acting as Mingshu's protective older brother now. He throws down a warning: mess with Mingshu, and you answer to him. Protective "brother" mode: activated!
Mingshu then swans into Yin Shujun's room for the search. She finds some beautifully embroidered mandarin ducks (symbolic!) and holds them hostage, leading to a near scuffle. Mingshu observes that despite Shujun's attempts to act unrefined, her room and skills betray her – she's clearly talented in calligraphy and painting. Trying a different tactic, Mingshu uses some handmade jewelry to get friendly with the servants, hoping to gather intel on Shujun. Even Zeng Yi notes that Mingshu isn't just some spoiled young lady; she has her own plans and a mind of her own, especially regarding the shop idea as a way to find herself again.
Meanwhile, Song Qingzhao gets in trouble with his own family. His father is furious that he neglected his duties (apparently, he was busy with tasks for Prince Rui) and sentences him to kneel in the ancestral hall. We get a glimpse here that Song Qingzhao's upbringing has been incredibly strict.
Later, Mingshu finds Yin Shujun in the garden with a cat. When Shujun starts hurling insults, Mingshu just... takes the cat from her? Bold move. Things get serious for Shujun when her parents inform her that her marriage compatibility reading with Prince Rui is happening in two days. They frame it as her destiny and best possible future, but Shujun is clearly devastated. Desperate, she sends a servant off with something for her "Third Uncle," clearly hoping he can find her a way out of this unwanted marriage.
Mingshu later sees Song Qingzhao playing the Qin and feels a wistful envy, unsure if she ever learned. Qingzhao encourages her to try, suggesting her body might remember even if her mind doesn't. Lo and behold, she sits down, and her fingers find the notes – she can play! Lu Chang witnesses this and has a major flashback. He remembers Mingshu approaching him with her Qin before, asking for help, which he'd dismissed as just an excuse to see him. Now he realizes she was sincere. Full of regret, he rushes over, offering, "If you want to learn the Qin, your big brother can teach you!" Smooth, Lu Chang, real smooth.
Now for the major drama: Yin Shujun, desperate to avoid the marriage, secretly swaps her Geng Tie (the all-important birth chart used for marriage matching). The next day, while putting on a perfectly composed front for an important visitor from the palace (an envoy from Consort Hua), disaster strikes. Jian Mingshu falls off a bridge into the water!
Lu Chang performs a heroic rescue and immediately tells Song Qingzhao to investigate foul play. With the envoy and Yin parents conveniently present, Yin Liangjun wastes no time accusing Yin Shujun, claiming she pushed Mingshu out of revenge.
When Mingshu wakes up, she tells Lu Chang the fall triggered some flickers of memory, but nothing concrete. Lu Chang, freaked out, just wants her out of the Yin Manor and is ready to dismiss it as an accident. However, Song Qingzhao finds evidence: tung oil deliberately spread on the bridge planks to make them slippery. He also confesses that part of his reason for being there is to investigate Yin Shujun's character for the potential royal match.
Despite the mounting evidence and Yin Liangjun's accusations, Mingshu insists Yin Shujun wouldn't do such a thing. Shujun vehemently denies it, but her parents don't believe her. Even with Mingshu defending her, the evidence looks damning. Grand Preceptor Yin, furious, sentences Shujun to kneel and face family discipline.
The episode ends with the fallout: news spreads like wildfire that Yin Shujun tried to harm Jian Mingshu, even getting spun into popular gossip. When word reaches Consort Hua, she decides the marriage with Prince Rui is off. She needs the Yin family's political support, but not that badly – besides, as she coldly notes, the Yins have more than one daughter.
