Episode Summary
Zang Hai cleverly escapes a death trap set by Yang Zhen and Chu Huai Ming, leading to Yang Zhen's demise. He then navigates a precarious relationship with the suspicious Zhuang Lu Yin, eventually earning a position of trust by exposing Yang Zhen's and Qu Jiao's misdeeds. After Qu Jiao is conveniently found dead, Zang Hai is appointed Chief Scribe. His growing influence, however, attracts new attention, culminating in a tense meeting at the Pillow Tower with Xiang An Tu, the true owner, who attempts to bribe him. Zang Hai, seeing through the facade, makes his own demands, setting the stage for further intrigue.
Spoiler Alert
So, Yang Zhen and Chu Huai Ming had this whole elaborate scheme to take Zang Hai down for good. But Zang Hai, being the clever guy he is, not only figured it out but managed to flip the script, leading to Yang Zhen becoming a casualty of his own plot. To add a little spice, Zang Hai had Gao Ming pose as a fortune teller, dropping hints that Zang Hai, having cheated death, was now some kind of destined savior for Zhuang Lu Yin.
Naturally, Zhuang Lu Yin was still side-eying Zang Hai, big time. He even threatened to kill him. Zang Hai had to come clean, admitting Yang Zhen was out to get him and he was just defending himself. Seizing the moment, Zang Hai pledged his undying loyalty to Zhuang Lu Yin, promising to serve him faithfully.
Zhuang Lu Yin wasn't exactly buying Zang Hai's sudden devotion. So, Zang Hai laid it all out: how Yang Zhen, consumed by jealousy, had systematically eliminated all the talented advisors, leaving only a bunch of yes-men. Zang Hai also dropped a dime on Qu Jiao, revealing he'd been running amok, committing misdeeds under the banner of the Marquis Pingjin's household. Before Zhuang Lu Yin could even react, Qu Jiao himself shot Yang Zhen dead. Zang Hai pointed out that this pretty much proved Qu Jiao had been ready to silence Yang Zhen all along.
Meanwhile, Gao Ming, in disguise, was tailing Zhuang Lu Yin's carriage, worried sick about Zang Hai. Qu Jiao, leading the way, deliberately had the carriage stop at the back courtyard of the Marquis Pingjin's residence. Zhuang Lu Yin told Zang Hai to get out first. Then, Qu Jiao dramatically handed Zhuang Lu Yin a sword, urging him to kill Zang Hai. Plot twist! Zhuang Lu Yin didn't kill him. Instead, he told Zang Hai to go back to his place and rest. Qu Jiao tried to argue, warning Zhuang Lu Yin not to keep such a dangerous person around. Zhuang Lu Yin, clearly annoyed that Qu Jiao was overstepping, basically confirmed Zang Hai's earlier assessment of the guy.
Later, Gao Ming, now disguised as a physician, came to treat Zang Hai's injuries. Zang Hai, always thinking ahead, had discovered a small river, the Xiao Cang River, upstream from the Imperial Mausoleum. He instructed Gao Ming to wait by the river. When the bell tolled six times, Gao Ming was to open the sluice gate, letting water flow into the secret channels of the mausoleum. At the ninth bell, he was to close it immediately. This would reduce the water in the channel, stopping the massive stone gate (the "Dragon-severing Stone") from closing. Zang Hai lit an incense stick, telling Gao Ming to open the sluice again when it burned out. Emerging from the underground chamber, Zang Hai convinced Zhuang Lu Yin to let Yang Zhen be entombed there. As the water in the secret channel rose again, the Dragon-severing Stone came crashing down.
Zang Hai had navigated the first perilous step, but he knew he wasn't out of the woods. Word got to Zhuang Lu Yin that court officials were already petitioning the Emperor, accusing Zhuang Lu Yin of murder at the Imperial Mausoleum. He was reluctant to throw Qu Jiao under the bus. Zhuang Zhi Fu suggested a grim alternative: kill Zang Hai, disfigure his face, and pass him off as Qu Jiao to take the fall. Zhuang Lu Yin said he needed to think it over.
Zang Hai had anticipated this move, betting that Zhuang Lu Yin wouldn't actually sacrifice him for Qu Jiao. Sure enough, the next morning, Zang Hai heard that Qu Jiao had died suddenly during the night. Talk about a sigh of relief! Zhuang Lu Yin then appointed Zang Hai as the Chief Scribe of the Marquis Pingjin's household, moving him from the retainers' quarters to the inner garden, right next to his own residence. Zhuang Lu Yin even handpicked servants for Zang Hai and invited him to dinner – a privilege, as the butler Zhuang Shan informed him, that even Yang Zhen never enjoyed.
Zang Hai attended Zhuang Lu Yin's family dinner, where Zhuang Zhi Fu put on a fake show of welcome. Zhuang Lu Yin sought Zang Hai's opinion on dismissing all the advisors Yang Zhen had chosen, keeping only a few old-timers. He then tasked Zang Hai with preparing the memorial ceremony for his father's death anniversary, which Zang Hai readily accepted.
Zhuang Zhi Fu still didn't trust Zang Hai. Zhuang Lu Yin, however, saw Zang Hai's ambition and planned to use him to help Zhuang Zhi Fu enter the Imperial Cabinet. If Zang Hai showed any signs of disloyalty, though, the plan was to eliminate him. Noticing Chu Huai Ming slacking off, Zhuang Lu Yin reassigned some of his duties to Zang Hai, who tackled them with diligence.
Zang Hai later met Gao Ming at a bookshop to update him on the situation at the Marquis's residence. Gao Ming cautioned him against making any rash moves that could get him killed, suggesting they carefully plan how to take down Zhuang Lu Yin without anyone noticing. Zang Hai bought a few books and tried to grab a bite to eat on the street, but the vendor refused to serve him. It turned out Xiang An Tu's people had "invited" Zang Hai and warned the street food vendors not to serve him.
Steeling himself, Zang Hai went to the Pillow Tower, where Xiang An Tu and a man calling himself Xu Ben, the owner of the Pillow Tower, were waiting. Xu Ben laid out fine wine and the Pillow Tower's signature dishes. Zang Hai, impatient, wanted to know why Xu Ben had summoned him. Xu Ben then presented several large chests filled with gold, silver, and jewels to bribe Zang Hai. Zang Hai politely declined. Instead, he made a counter-demand: on the first and fifteenth of every month, he wanted to sit at the Vermilion Bird Head to watch plays, and he wanted the gold and silver that Zhuang Zhi Xing had lost (presumably in gambling) returned. Xu Ben glanced at Xiang An Tu before agreeing.
Zang Hai had already figured out Xu Ben wasn't the real boss of the Pillow Tower. He'd made those outrageous demands deliberately. Xu Ben didn't dare agree outright, only sneaking looks at Xiang An Tu. Forced to reveal herself, Xiang An Tu admitted she was the true owner of the Pillow Tower and wanted to talk with Zang Hai somewhere more private.
