Episode Summary
Wei Shao, initially claiming to prefer the yamen, soon realizes Xiao Qiao is secretly ensuring his comfort there. A misunderstanding about a jade pendant, a memento from Wei Shao's deceased brother connected to Su Ehuang, leads to a tender moment where Wei Shao confides in Xiao Qiao about his past and his brother's last wishes. Meanwhile, Da Qiao seeks Xiao Qiao's help for Bi Zhi. Wei Yan deals with a false rumor of a love affair, which Xiao Qiao cleverly resolves, leading to Wei Yan feeling understood by her. At the Luli Assembly preparations, the talented poet Gao Heng writes a poem praising Xiao Qiao instead of the event, sparking Wei Shao's jealousy. The episode ends with Wei Shao and Xiao Qiao sharing a close moment, clarifying his feelings about a hairpin he gifted her.
Spoiler Alert
First off, we have Wei Shao trying to play it cool, insisting he's perfectly fine roughing it at the yamen (government office), claiming it's way better than being at home. Yeah, right, Wei Shao! Little does he know (at first) that his supposed "better" setup is all thanks to Xiao Qiao pulling the strings behind the scenes. She's got Xiao Tan delivering hot ginger soup for better sleep, cooling oils when he's tired, and even a hand stove when his hands get cold. Xiao Tan is doing a stellar job making the yamen feel just like home, all under Xiao Qiao's meticulous direction. She just wants him to be comfortable, bless her heart.
Wei Shao isn't entirely clueless for long. He starts noticing how Xiao Tan anticipates his every need, like knowing exactly when he's hungry and bringing food prepared by Xiao Qiao. That's when the penny drops, and he realizes he's still caught in Xiao Qiao's web of care, even at the yamen. When Xiao Tan, misinterpreting his contemplative silence as displeasure, offers to take the items away, Wei Shao quickly stops her. He’s not complaining! He then casually asks what Xiao Qiao has been up to, learning she's busy promoting the Luli Assembly and looking for someone. This leads to a mention of Gao Heng, a man renowned for his talent.
Meanwhile, a little domestic drama unfolds when Xiao Zao, while tidying up for Wei Shao, almost mishandles his wooden box. Xiao Qiao immediately warns her to be careful, remembering Wei Shao's rather intense reaction previously concerning a jade pendant he kept in that box. This is the same pendant Xiao Qiao once saw on Su Ehuang, sparking worries that whatever was between Wei Shao and Su Ehuang isn't quite over.
Later, Xiao Qiao has Xiao Tan take back the pre-arranged food and hand stove, sending some pastries instead, claiming they're Wei Shao's favorite. Wei Shao, however, isn't a fan of this change and wants his old comforts back. He then finds the wooden box returned by Xiao Qiao. Opening it, he sees the jade pendant, and a flashback hits him: his older brother, before a major battle, broke the pendant in two. He gave one piece to Wei Shao, asking him to look after Su Ehuang, who had the other piece.
This prompts Wei Shao to suddenly return home, complaining the yamen isn't comfortable (surprise, surprise!). He promptly makes himself comfortable by resting his head on Xiao Qiao's lap, asking for a head massage. Then, he opens the box and shows her the contents – relics of his father and brother. He explains the jade pendant was his brother's token; Su Ehuang was the one his brother was supposed to marry. His brother, a once-invincible general, met his end in the Battle of Xindu. Before dying, his brother had two requests for Wei Shao. The first was to take care of Su Ehuang. The second, Wei Shao admits, he couldn't fulfill. Xiao Qiao, ever perceptive, guesses this second request has something to do with the Qiao family. She holds him tightly, and in this tender moment, Wei Shao asks for Xiao Qiao's pet name, learning it's Manman. They share a sweet, close moment.
Elsewhere, Bi Zhi gets news that visitors from Bianzhou have come three times already. He's too proud to keep begging Qiao Yue for help, fearing he'll be looked down upon. Da Qiao, seeing his predicament, writes to Xiao Qiao, subtly asking for assistance under the guise of wanting to attend the Luli Assembly. Bi Zhi agrees to this plan.
Then there's Wei Yan, who’s in his room with four courtesans, comparing them to a beauty in his "Yushan Shennu Tu" (Fisherman's Mountain Goddess Painting). He seems to be searching for a specific likeness, as he finds a slight resemblance in one woman surnamed Yu but doesn't keep any of them, sending them away.
During a lively family dinner at Xu Furen's place, Wei Yan compliments the hairpins worn by Xu Furen and Wei Furen but pointedly ignores Xiao Qiao's. When Xu Furen calls him out, Wei Yan cleverly says that praising Xiao Qiao is Wei Shao's job; his role is to keep Xu Furen and Wei Furen happy. Xiao Qiao, genuinely pleased with the hairpin Wei Shao gave her, openly expresses her liking for it. Wei Shao, in typical fashion, tries to downplay it, saying it was just made from some leftover materials. Xu Furen, seeing right through his gruff exterior, advises him to be more honest with his feelings.
Things get messy for Wei Yan when rumors spread about a woman surnamed Yu who claims to have a private understanding with him, even possessing his flute as a token of their affection. Xu Furen, willing to overlook social status, summons Wei Yan and offers to arrange the marriage. Wei Yan denies any such relationship, admitting the woman came to his home to model for a painting and was just an ordinary courtesan. However, Wei Shao has done his homework and clarifies that this Yu Guniang is actually from a respectable family.
Xiao Qiao, with her sharp intuition, figures Wei Yan is simply unwilling to explain himself and hasn't actually done anything wrong. She takes it upon herself to meet Yu Guniang and, with a few clever words, uncovers the truth. The woman faked the relationship after falling for Wei Yan at first sight while posing as a courtesan to get close to him. She found his flute and used it to spread rumors, hoping to force him into marriage. Xiao Qiao successfully retrieves the flute and clears up the misunderstanding. Wei Yan remarks that he doesn't care about his reputation, as he's already known for being a bit of a playboy. But Xiao Qiao sees through his facade, understanding that he's actually a responsible person who wouldn't shirk his duties if he truly did something. Wei Yan suddenly feels understood; while Wei Shao and Xu Furen are always protective and biased towards him, even if he's wrong, they don't truly get him like Xiao Qiao does.
Later, Wei Yan finds himself unconsciously painting Xiao Qiao's face onto his "Yushan Shennu Tu." Lan Yun happens to see this and mistakenly believes Wei Yan has feelings for her. Oh, the misunderstandings!
The Luli Assembly needs some good PR, and Gao Heng, the famed poet, is the man for the job. He initially claims to have no inspiration but, after a visit to the training grounds, the muse strikes. Wei Shao, expecting Gao Heng to be an elderly scholar, is surprised to find he's a young, handsome man. Hearing this, Wei Shao immediately wants to rush over, with Gongsun Yang constantly reminding him to treat Gao Heng with utmost respect.
By the time Wei Shao arrives, Gao Heng has finished his poem. Plot twist! Gao Heng announces that his inspiration was none other than Xiao Qiao, and the poem is a tribute to her, not the Luli Assembly. Wei Shao's jealousy flares up instantly. Some suggest the poem should be carved into a wall for posterity. Even Xiao Qiao thinks the poem is excellent, and Gao Heng cheekily offers to take her to the Moyai carvings to admire it. Before Wei Shao can even process, Xiao Qiao politely declines. Wei Shao then steps in, stating that Gao Heng's poem is off-topic and should be about praising the Luli Assembly. Wei Yan actually agrees with this point, though Gao Heng still believes his poem is fine because Xiao Qiao is indeed a "rare woman of the ages." Wei Shao publicly rejects the poem praising his wife and, taking Xiao Qiao's hand, tucks her arm into his and walks away. Dominance asserted!
As Wei Shao and Xiao Qiao ride away together on the same horse, he can't help but ask why she isn't wearing the hairpin he gave her. Xiao Qiao playfully teases him, saying that since he made it so casually from leftover materials, he probably doesn't like it, so she doesn't wear it often. Wei Shao quickly clarifies that he actually put a lot of thought and care into making it for her.
