Episode Summary
Su Wen Chun orders Liang Qi Wei to eliminate Zhu Er. Bai Min Min obsessively watches Zhang Huai Yu. Zhu Er, sent to the countryside, narrowly escapes assassination with Jiang Xu's help, then goes into premature labor after a confrontation. Ming Chu clashes with Zhu Er over ginseng but later offers it during the birth. Jiang Xu has Zhu Er's newborn son taken away for his safety, and Zhu Er decides to return to the capital with Ming Tan. Ming Chu and her mother, Liu Shi, return to the Jing An Hou residence, immediately causing friction, particularly with Ming Tan and her maid Lu E. Court politics see Jiang Xu punished but allowed to continue his investigation. During a tense family reunion dinner for Jing An Hou's return, Ming Tan expertly handles Ming Chu's provocations. The episode culminates with Ming Tan learning the man who pushed her into the water, Chen Si, is nearby; her father, Ming Ting Yuan, beats Chen Si and then, upon learning of Liang Zi Xuan's affair and engagement, leads a group to the Liang family to break off Ming Tan's engagement.
Spoiler Alert
The episode kicks off with the chilling order from Su Wen Chun to Liang Qi Wei: make Zhu Er disappear. Permanently. You just know that’s going to set a whole chain of events in motion.
Meanwhile, our girl Bai Min Min is giving Zhang Huai Yu the stare-down of the century, refusing to budge until she sees someone from Ming Tan's side. The poor guy is running on fumes, and to add to his stress, his own household is apparently in chaos because Bai Min Min has vanished. But does Bai Min Min care? Not one bit. She even has the audacity to suggest they call the Guo Gong Ye (His Grace, the Duke!) to see if Zhang Huai Yu can explain himself properly. You gotta admire her nerve!
Poor Zhu Er, bless her heart, gets shuffled off to the countryside, supposedly for a temporary stay. The journey is miserable, and she's craving some decent food. She spots someone with ginseng and tries to buy it, only for it to be snatched up by Ming Chu, the third young lady of the Jing An Hou residence. When Zhu Er protests, Ming Chu, never one to back down, nearly makes her fall with a flick of her whip. Thankfully, our stoic hero Jiang Xu is there to play savior. Ming Chu, quick to deflect blame, immediately gets heart-eyes for Jiang Xu. Later, we see Liu Shi (likely Ming Chu's mother and a concubine in the Jing An Hou household) reminding Ming Chu that getting back to the capital wasn't easy, so she better watch her step. Good luck with that, Liu Shi.
Later that night, Ming Tan tracks Zhu Er down to an inn, planning to bring her back to the capital. But, of course, things can't be that simple. Assassins show up, gunning for Zhu Er. Ming Tan, fiercely protective of Zhu Er (who is key evidence, remember!), nearly gets herself into serious trouble before, you guessed it, Jiang Xu swoops in for another heroic rescue. Zhu Er is understandably bewildered by all this. Jiang Xu, never one to mince words, lays it out cold: those men were there to kill her. Li Ling Yi has already promised her to someone in Li Zhou as a replacement wife, and the Liang family has zero intention of ever letting her return. Ouch.
The stress of it all, plus a heated argument between Jiang Xu and Ming Tan (probably about how to handle the Zhu Er situation), sends Zhu Er into premature labor. Panic ensues, and they scramble to find a midwife.
Ming Chu, hearing about the labor, sees her chance to impress Jiang Xu and rushes over with the ginseng she bought earlier. Ming Tan, inside with Zhu Er, hears Ming Chu's name and you can practically see the question marks forming above her head. But with Zhu Er's life on the line, Ming Tan doesn't hesitate. She grabs the ginseng from Ming Chu (who's presumably still outside with Jiang Xu) and yells at Jiang Xu to hurry up and pay for it. A true queen, handling crises and finances simultaneously!
Zhu Er gives birth to a baby boy! Ming Tan, ever the supportive friend, encourages her to go back to the capital and fight for what's rightfully hers, especially since she has no desire to marry Liang Zi Xuan. But Jiang Xu, ever the pragmatist, has the baby taken away almost immediately. He points out that Zhu Er's father is due in the capital the next day, and she needs to seriously consider what kind of life the child would have with her under the current circumstances. It’s a harsh truth, but Zhu Er gets it. She decides to head to the capital with Ming Tan.
Back to Zhang Huai Yu – he thinks he can finally sneak off while Bai Min Min is asleep, but nope! She’s tied a rope to his foot. That’s dedication. A maid then reports that Ming Tan still isn't back, and with the Jing An Hou expected home soon, things are about to get very awkward.
Morning arrives, and Ming Tan discovers Jiang Xu has already taken Zhu Er away. Ming Chu and Liu Shi apparently skipped town even earlier. Ever the complicated gentleman, Jiang Xu did leave a carriage for Ming Tan. Speaking of Ming Chu and Liu Shi, they arrive back at the Jing An Hou residence, but their carriage is directed to a side gate. Ming Chu, predictably, throws a fit and demands to use the main entrance. Some things never change.
Lu E, a maid, has a terrifying run-in with Ming Chu and Liu Shi. It turns out Lu E had offended Liu Shi years ago and was saved by Ming Tan. Ming Chu, clearly holding a grudge on her mother's behalf, loses her temper and even trips Lu E. These two are just itching for a fight, aren't they?
Ming Tan is busy with preparations for a family banquet when she hears Lu E is being punished by the newly returned duo. She rushes to intervene. Liu Shi and Ming Chu are as arrogant as ever, clearly relishing the chance to undermine Ming Tan after their years away at the border.
There's also a bit of court drama: some officials want Jiang Xu off a case and sent back to the border. Surprisingly, the Left and Right Prime Ministers are on the same page for once, wanting him to stay in the capital and get to the bottom of things. To placate the grumbling officials, the Emperor orders Jiang Xu to receive twenty lashes with a military cane. Oof. That’s got to hurt. With Jing An Hou (Ming Tan’s father, Ming Ting Yuan) due back in the capital today, Jiang Xu decides it’s also the perfect day to make his move against Liang Qi Wei. Timing is everything!
Ming Ting Yuan finally arrives home! Ming Chu immediately plasters on a cute act and complains to her father about the lack of a grand welcome. Ming Tan, meanwhile, is still managing the banquet, with Bai Min Min at her side, who’s been worried sick about Ming Tan chasing after Zhu Er. Ming Tan is overjoyed to see her father after five long years, though their greeting is formal. Bai Min Min's maternal uncle and aunt are also there for the big reunion dinner.
But can this family have one peaceful meal? Of course not! Ming Chu slams down her chopsticks, whining that her favorite dish is missing. Ming Tan, cool as a cucumber, has it brought out, explaining that the kitchen fires had been put out earlier, hence the delay. She handles the whole situation with grace, even thoughtfully arranging for her late mother's favorite tableware to be used, a touching gesture that clearly annoys Ming Chu and Liu Shi. Liu Shi tries to excuse herself, citing differences in customs between the capital and the border and her own status (as a concubine, she technically shouldn't be at the main table). Ming Chu is furious, but Ming Tan shuts her down with some well-reasoned points: with Ming Ting Yuan back, the Hou residence is under scrutiny, and they all need to be on their best behavior. You tell 'em, Ming Tan!
Just when you think things might settle down, Ming Tan receives a letter from the owner of Wen Tao Ge. The bombshell? Chen Si, the guy who pushed her into the water on Shang Yuan night, is currently in one of their private rooms!
Ming Ting Yuan and Bai Jing Yuan (Bai Min Min's uncle/brother – the subs can be tricky!) immediately rush off with Ming Tan to check it out. They’re understandably frantic when they hear the full story of her near-drowning. Ming Ting Yuan, in a fit of fatherly rage, gives Chen Si a beating. And when they find out that Liang Zi Xuan is not only having an affair with his cousin but is also engaged to her, Ming Ting Yuan and Bai Jing Yuan waste no time. They gather their people and march straight to the Liang family residence to call off Ming Tan's engagement. Mic. Drop.
