Episode Summary
The battle for Lingzhou concludes with Wen Zong's defeat and suicide after saving Ming Tan from his own subordinate. Following the victory, Ming Tan reconciles with her sister, Ming Chu, and brother, Ming Tingyuan. Meanwhile, the Emperor successfully lures the traitor Guo Bingmao into a trap; just as the Imperial Guard is overwhelmed, Jiang Xu arrives with the Dingbei Army to save the day. In a separate plot, Liu Mo achieves his revenge, killing his former master Su Wenchun before succumbing to his own wounds. With the rebellion crushed and the traitors defeated, peace is restored. A month later, Jiang Xu and Ming Tan are joyfully reunited, and he learns that she is pregnant with their child.
Spoiler Alert
The final conflicts of the season come to a head in a dramatic and conclusive episode. The battle for Lingzhou reaches its bloody end, a coup against the Emperor is thwarted in a daring gambit, and long-awaited reunions and revelations set the stage for a new era of peace.
The Siege of Lingzhou Ends in Tragedy and Sacrifice
The episode opens with Ming Tingyuan's army at the gates of Lingzhou, determined to reclaim the city from the rebels. Inside, as the guards' attention is diverted, Yun Yi and her allies successfully rescue the captive General Feng and his son, joining the fray alongside the Yangxi Road forces.
From the city walls, Ming Tan watches her father enter the battle, her eyes welling with tears of fear and pride. The combined might of Ming Tingyuan and General Feng proves overwhelming for the Southern Lu army, which is quickly decimated. The final standoff takes place on the ramparts, where one of Wen Zong's loyal subordinates takes Ming Tan hostage, demanding safe passage for his master.
However, Wen Zong understands the situation is hopeless; their rebellion has failed and there is no escape. In a shocking turn, as his desperate subordinate moves to kill Ming Tan—blaming her for Wen Zong's downfall—Wen Zong himself strikes down his own man, saving her life. He tells Ming Tan that without her or Lingzhou, his life is meaningless. Despite her pleas for him to stop, Wen Zong takes his own life, content that having known her was enough.
A Family Reunited
With the battle won, General Feng brings a defiant Ming Chu before her sister, Ming Tan. Ming Chu is initially hostile, assuming Ming Tan has come only to gloat. But Ming Tan's purpose is one of reconciliation, urging her sister to see the truth behind the smuggling case and abandon her stubborn path. General Feng adds that while he never intended for Ming Chu to suffer, as a member of the Feng family, her fate is tied to theirs for better or worse.
Ming Tan's sincerity finally breaks through as she expresses her heartfelt wish for Ming Chu, and the entire Ming family, to find happiness. As Ming Tan helps her sister with her makeup, she hints that someone else has been deeply worried about her. The surprise arrival of their brother, Ming Tingyuan, completes the reunion. Recognizing Ming Chu's brash but fundamentally good nature, forged by her upbringing on Yangxi Road, both Ming Tingyuan and Ming Tan promise to be her unwavering support from now on.
The Emperor's Gambit
Meanwhile, Guo Bingmao leads his troops to the royal hunting grounds, confident he can capture the Emperor with ease. He springs his trap, only to discover too late that he has been played—the figure on horseback is a decoy. Cornered but not defeated, Guo Bingmao turns his massive army on Lu Ting, who was prepared for the betrayal.
The sheer number of rebel soldiers begins to overwhelm the Imperial Guard. Seeing his forces falter, the Emperor himself draws his sword, ready to fight the traitors to the death. Just as the Emperor and Lu Ting's lines are about to break, Jiang Xu arrives with the Dingbei Army, charging in to save the day. He declares he is there to finish the job Ming Tingyuan started and purge the traitors of Yangxi Road.
A Tangled Web of Vengeance
Elsewhere, a dark chapter closes. Having been released from prison, Liu Mo confronts his former master, Su Wenchun, to bid him a final farewell. When Su Wenchun attempts to threaten him by invoking their long history, Liu Mo responds with pure disgust. He was once willing to die for Su Wenchun, but he cannot allow his honorable father's death to be in vain.
As Liu Mo moves to strike, he is intercepted by "Big Brother Si," the man who taught him martial arts and now protects Su Wenchun. Torn but resolute, Liu Mo declares that a son who fails to avenge his father is not a man at all, and he cuts down his former mentor. In the chaos, Su Wenchun emerges from hiding only to see Liu Mo has also been mortally wounded. With his last breath, Liu Mo lunges forward and kills Su Wenchun, finally achieving his revenge before collapsing, dead.
The Aftermath and a New Chapter
With the rebellion crushed, Jiang Xu captures Guo Bingmao, whose attempts to blame the deceased Su Wenchun are useless; Liu Mo had already given a full confession in prison, sealing Guo's fate. The Emperor is overjoyed that their risky plan succeeded, but Jiang Xu is furious with him for endangering his own life so recklessly. The political turmoil finally settles with one last piece of news from the palace: the Empress Dowager has committed suicide.
One month later, peace has settled over the kingdom. The Emperor and Jiang Xu play chess at Hanshan Temple, but Jiang Xu is distracted and sullen, his mind on Ming Tan, who has yet to return to the capital. His mood shifts in an instant when he overhears a familiar voice nearby. It is Ming Tan, praying at the temple. He listens, stunned, as she prays for a smooth pregnancy and the health of her unborn child.
Overcome with joy, Jiang Xu abandons the game and runs to her. The long-separated husband and wife share a tender, emotional reunion, and Jiang Xu is ecstatic with the news that he is going to be a father.
The next day at the Dingbei Prince's residence, a new, protective energy fills the air. When Bai Minmin arrives for a visit, she finds Yun Yi and the others speaking in whispers, a precaution ordered by Jiang Xu to ensure the pregnant Ming Tan is not disturbed. Nearby, Zhang Huaiyu pesters Jiang Xu for marriage advice, confident his wedding to Bai Minmin will proceed despite the three-year national mourning period. Hearing of Bai Minmin's arrival, Jiang Xu rushes to his wife's side, fussing over her with a level of care that leaves Bai Minmin gritting her teeth in jealousy.
