Episode Summary
Jiang Xu makes a dramatic return to the capital, publicly shaming the Liang family at a banquet and revealing he's investigating official corruption and collusion with bandits, presenting a murdered county lieutenant as evidence. This puts Ling Guogong and Cheng'en Hou on edge. The Liang family, desperate to secure their alliance with Ming Tan's family through marriage to Liang Zixuan, plots to compromise Ming Tan. Ming Tan, meanwhile, wants to break off the engagement and discusses her dislike for the "brutal" Dingbei Wang (Jiang Xu), unaware he's eavesdropping. Liang Zixuan's attempt to "rescue" Ming Tan after pushing her into a river is foiled when Jiang Xu coincidentally saves her. Ming Tan is taken to Zhang Huaiyu's pleasure house, Huayu Lou, to recover. The episode ends with the Liang family plotting to silence a girl named Zhu'er, who is connected to a scandal involving Liang Zixuan, and Ming Tan trying to convince Jiang Xu they should work together against the Liangs.
Spoiler Alert
Our boy Jiang Xu, the infamous Dingbei Wang (that’s like a big deal, a royal title, think "Prince Who Pacifies the North"), is not here to play nice. The episode kicks off with him making a grand, somber gesture at a banquet, publicly mourning soldiers who died in the war. This, of course, makes Liang Qiwei, who seems to be on Jiang Xu's bad side, look even more awkward.
Then, Feng Zhao, who clearly has it out for our girl Ming Tan, pipes up, suggesting Ming Tan, a renowned zither player, should perform for Jiang Xu. Ming Tan says she doesn't have her instrument, but Feng Zhao offers to fetch one from the Empress Dowager's palace. Jiang Xu, bless his blunt heart, cuts in, saying he didn't return to the capital to listen to "decadent music." Savage.
And then, for the main event of the banquet, Jiang Xu announces he brought someone back with him for the Emperor to see. Drumroll, please... it's a corpse!
Back in the main hall, Jiang Xu unveils the body – it's the county lieutenant who tried to obstruct his investigation at Hanshan Temple. Jiang Xu declares he's back to investigate collusion between capital officials and mountain bandits.This is getting juicy!
After the banquet, Jiang Xu’s old friends, Shu Jingran and Lu Ting, catch up with him. Jiang Xu asks Lu Ting for some men because his next target is Ling Guogong.Meanwhile, Su Wenqun finds out the "dirty silver" (ill-gotten gains, perhaps?) is now in Jiang Xu's hands and panics. He knows Jiang Xu won't stop until he gets what he wants. Liang Qiwei worries Su Wenqun will abandon him, but Su Wenqun reassures him that the marriage alliance between Liang Zixuan and Ming Tan is their lifeline and must proceed. This is why the Liang family is so desperate for this wedding. Li Lingyi is worried Ming Tan might get suspicious and uncover something about a girl named Zhu'er. Liang Qiwei agrees Zhu'er is a liability and needs to be dealt with quickly. Uh oh, that sounds ominous.
Cut to a private room in a restaurant where Ming Tan and Bai Minmin are discussing the Liang family engagement. Unbeknownst to them, Jiang Xu, Shu Jingran, Lu Ting, and another friend, Zhang Huaiyu, are in the next room, silently eavesdropping. Ming Tan is convinced the Liang family is rushing the engagement to drag her family into their mess. She muses that if she could use Dingbei Wang's power, she might be able to break off the engagement. Jiang Xu is surprised to hear the Ming family is involved and that they haven't already pushed back against the Liangs, especially since a broken engagement can really hurt a woman's reputation.
Ming Tan then declares that if she successfully calls off the wedding, she'll choose her own husband next time, no interference allowed! Bai Minmin suggests Shu Jingran as a good match – great family, good looks. But as Ming Tan lists her requirements for a husband, Bai Minmin jokes that only Dingbei Wang would fit the bill. Ming Tan, however, is not a fan. She finds Dingbei Wang too brutal and arrogant, questions his character, and dislikes how he publicly shamed Liang Rong'er (even though she admits it was satisfying to watch). In short, Dingbei Wang is definitely not her ideal husband. In the next room, Shu Jingran and the others are indignant on Jiang Xu’s behalf, but Jiang Xu just says it's his good fortune not to be Ming Tan's ideal match. Oh, the irony!
Later, Zhang Huaiyu spots Bai Minmin when she and Ming Tan go to see the "Huajie Youche" (looks like some kind of flower street parade or decorated carriage parade) and is instantly smitten.We also learn that Jiang Xu has been rescuing orphans for years and dumping them on Zhang Huaiyu, who's finally had enough and wants to quit his involuntary childcare duties.
As Ming Tan and Bai Minmin are out, they run into Liang Zixuan, who keeps calling them "sister" (a bit too familiar, dude). Bai Minmin quickly pulls Ming Tan away. Suddenly, chaos erupts, and Ming Tan is pushed into the water by Liang Zixuan's men!Liang Zixuan, the "hero," jumps in to "save" her, clearly planning to make the marriage a sure thing by compromising her. Bai Minmin, realizing the scheme, frantically tells some swimmers to get to Ming Tan before Liang Zixuan does and to keep anyone from knowing it's Ming Tan who fell in.
Just as Jiang Xu finishes arresting someone, he sees a woman struggling in the water and calling for help. He pulls her out, and who is it but Ming Tan, again! He takes her to Zhang Huaiyu's restaurant (which, as we'll soon find out, is more than just a restaurant). Zhang Huaiyu fills Jiang Xu in on the Liang family's plot, and Jiang Xu is definitely not going to let that marriage happen. He sends someone to Ming Tan's home with her hairpin, creating an alibi that she's already back, and has people at the pier spin a story to cover things up. Bai Minmin is anxiously waiting by the water when Lü'e (presumably Ming Tan's maid) tells her Ming Tan is waiting for her at home. Bai Minmin catches on quickly, and they play along to smooth things over.
Ming Tan wakes up to Zhang Huaiyu telling her Jiang Xu saved her, much to her disgust. She wants to pretend the whole rescue never happened. Zhang Huaiyu is super curious about the tension between them. Ming Tan tries to leave but is shocked to see men and women outside the door – turns out, Zhang Huaiyu's place is the "Huayu Lou," which seems to be a high-class brothel or pleasure house!Trapped for now, Zhang Huaiyu has a woman named Shui Ying look after her. Just then, someone reports to Jiang Xu that there's movement from the Liang family, and Ming Tan's ears perk up.
Bai Minmin arrives at Huayu Lou looking for Ming Tan. Zhang Huaiyu is all over her, trying to be charming, but she just punches him (go Bai Minmin!). He takes her to Ming Tan's room, but she's not there. Ming Tan has overheard that Liang Qiwei sent Zhu'er out of the capital overnight. She asks Jiang Xu why he's investigating the Liang family, saying that whatever his reasons, they're in the same boat now. Jiang Xu, however, throws her earlier concerns about her reputation back at her and refuses to involve her.
Meanwhile, Su Wenqun is furious with Liang Qiwei for his reckless plan, saying if anything had happened to Ming Tan, their whole family would have paid the price. Liang Qiwei finally confesses about Liang Zixuan and Zhu'er (looks like Zixuan got Zhu'er pregnant or something similar, creating a scandal). To prevent further complications, Su Wenqun orders Liang Qiwei to silence Zhu'er permanently. Yikes!
