Episode Summary
Ming Tan's hope dwindles as Su Wen Chun refuses to help her father, Ming Ting Yuan, who is now sentenced to execution in three days after Guo Bing Mao (secretly Su Wen Chun's man) fails to clear his name. Jiang Xu, despite his efforts, confirms the grim outlook but hasn't given up, suggesting to the Emperor a plan to target Su Wen Chun's power base in Ling Zhou. The Emperor tasks Zhang Huai Yu with investigating Ling Zhou's corrupt finances, a dangerous mission. Zhang Huai Yu entrusts his belongings to Bai Min Min before leaving. Ming Tan, devastated and refusing to eat, starts to suspect Jiang Xu's role in her father's fate. Jiang Xu arranges a supposed final meeting between Ming Ting Yuan and Su Wen Chun as part of a new plan.
Spoiler Alert
Ming Tan has finally had it with Su Wen Chun. She makes one last plea, hoping he'll remember their past connection and help her father, Ming Ting Yuan. But Su Wen Chun remains unmoved. With a heavy heart, Ming Tan realizes she was just a pretty object to him, like the bracelet he once gave her – something to be used for his own gain. She takes it off, a symbolic gesture that she's not some trinket to be played with. She has a heart and loyalty, things he clearly doesn't value in the same way.
Meanwhile, the Emperor has urgently summoned Guo Bing Mao to the capital. If Guo Bing Mao can prove Ming Ting Yuan's innocence, there might still be a sliver of hope. Ming Tan even asks Shen Yu if Ming Ting Yuan's escort from the Ding Bei Army encountered any trouble on their way to the capital. Shen Yu tells her the truth, but it only deepens Ming Tan's despair. Unfortunately, Guo Bing Mao turns out to be another one of Su Wen Chun's pawns. When the Emperor questions him and Jiang Xu about any dealings with Nan Lu, Guo Bing Mao is vague and his testimony does nothing to clear Ming Ting Yuan. That very night, Guo Bing Mao meets with Su Wen Chun, and it's implied he's about to be rewarded with the position of Commander of Yang Xi Lu. So much for help from that quarter.
Jiang Xu is running himself ragged trying to find a way out, returning home utterly dejected. Ming Tan confronts him, asking if the "incriminating evidence" found at the Ming residence was specifically planted to frame her father. Jiang Xu has no choice but to confirm her fears: the evidence of treason and smuggling against Ming Ting Yuan is solid. The imperial edict has been issued – Ming Ting Yuan is to be executed in three days. Ming Tan collapses in tears, her only request to see her father one last time.
Jiang Xu visits Ming Ting Yuan in prison. Overturning the verdict in three days seems impossible. Ming Ting Yuan, knowing Jiang Xu has done his best, is still disheartened to see how easily years of friendship can be discarded in the face of personal gain. His main concern, however, is Ming Tan, and he begs Jiang Xu to look after her. But Jiang Xu isn't giving up just yet. He tells the Emperor that Su Wen Chun's power base is in Ling Zhou. If they can take Ling Zhou, Su Wen Chun will lose his footing.
In a rather interesting turn, Lu Ting and Shu Jing Ran rush into Bie Yu Lou, telling Zhang Huai Yu someone wants to see him. That someone turns out to be the Emperor himself! Zhang Huai Yu, understandably, hits the floor. The Emperor wants Zhang Huai Yu, with his business savvy, to look into Ling Zhou's finances. The place is riddled with corruption and falsified accounts, and extracting taxes from the Su family will be no easy feat. It requires someone who knows the ins and outs of such dealings. Zhang Huai Yu slowly realizes the Emperor means him. Given that every official previously sent to Ling Zhou has either died or gone insane, Zhang Huai Yu feels like his life is already half over.
Su Wen Chun, however, isn't worried when he hears Zhang Huai Yu is heading to Ling Zhou. He simply sends a letter to Er Rong, confident she'll know what to do.
Before his perilous journey, Zhang Huai Yu treats Bai Min Min to wontons. He also entrusts her with the keys to Bie Yu Lou and his personal jade pendant. Bai Min Min is puzzled by his solemnity. He explains the grim fate of those who went to Ling Zhou before him. She encourages him, saying he should embrace this duty to his country, as that's the kind of man women admire. Zhang Huai Yu, probably still thinking she has a thing for Shu Jing Ran, blurts out that he and Bai Min Min are a better match. Bai Min Min seems touched by this and accepts all his parting gifts.
Ming Tan, meanwhile, is in a terrible state – refusing to eat, drink, or sleep. Yun Yi brings Bai Min Min to try and talk some sense into her. Zhang Momo then shows Ming Tan a cloth tiger, a gift from Ming Ting Yuan that he always kept with him. For her father's sake, she has to pull herself together.
However, something Su Wen Chun said earlier makes Ming Tan suspicious of Jiang Xu. Ming Ting Yuan had once told her that if Jiang Xu couldn't protect someone within Da Xian, no one else could. Now, she tragically wonders if her marriage to Jiang Xu was the very "fatal charm" that led to her father's downfall.
Determined, Ming Tan insists on seeing her father. Bai Jing Yuan, feeling for her, manages to arrange a visit, even though Ming Ting Yuan initially refused to see her.
In a final gambit, Jiang Xu sets a plan in motion for that night. He has his men send a message to Su Wen Chun, supposedly from Ming Ting Yuan, requesting one last meeting.
