Episode Summary
Princess Wenrou enters the palace seeking revenge on Emperor Huo Jingheng, whom she blames for her father's death. She decides to get close to his favorite, Consort Yue, unaware that the "Consort" is actually Yue Chi in disguise. Meanwhile, Huo Jingheng and Yue Chi are plotting to fake the Consort's death so Yue Chi can escape the palace. However, Princess Wenrou systematically thwarts their every attempt: she "saves" the Consort from a staged riding accident, volunteers herself when a blood donation decree is announced to weaken the Consort, and nurses the Consort back to health after a feigned illness. After the Barbarian King reveals Yue Chi's true identity to her, Wenrou, aided by Yi Qingyun, exposes the deception during the Lantern Festival, creating a massive scandal that threatens to ruin Yue Chi.
Spoiler Alert
A Prime Minister's Disguise Episode 18: A Web of Lies Begins to Unravel
Recap
Princess Wenrou has entered the palace with a singular, deadly purpose: to avenge her father. She firmly believes Emperor Huo Jingheng is to blame for his death, convinced he intentionally withheld reinforcements. Knowing the Emperor has no interest in women, she devises a new strategy: get close to his favored Consort Yue (Ling'er) in Fengluan Palace.
Meanwhile, Huo Jingheng and Ling'er are deep in discussion about their own elaborate ruse—faking Consort Yue's death from a prolonged illness.This would finally allow Yue Chi, who has been disguised as his sister Ling'er, to leave the palace and resume his life.However, Ling'er, who is actually a co-conspirator with the Emperor, is not entirely pleased with this exit strategy, having grown accustomed to her role.
Princess Wenrou seizes her opportunity, paying frequent visits to Fengluan Palace. Armed with homemade delicacies and a disarmingly sweet demeanor, she quickly befriends the unsuspecting Ling'er, who remains oblivious to the princess's vengeful intentions. Wenrou's constant presence, however, becomes a source of frustration for Du Tianzhao, who finds his own time with Ling'er completely cut off.
The plot thickens as we learn of Princess Wenrou's connection to the Barbarian King. He is deeply infatuated with her, and she plans to manipulate this affection to help her eliminate Huo Jingheng. She is furious that the King's previous efforts to undermine the Emperor failed, and now she is determined to take matters into her own hands.
Spoilers: A Cascade of Failed Plans
Huo Jingheng and Yue Chi's attempts to stage a convincing "death" for Consort Yue are met with relentless and uncanny interference from Princess Wenrou, leading to a series of escalating failures.
Their first plan is to fake a tragic riding accident. Yue Chi has already tested the protective gear himself, and they intend to carry out the plan while the Empress Dowager is away praying at Chengen Temple. The scheme is spectacularly foiled when Princess Wenrou appears at the perfect moment to "rescue" Ling'er, simultaneously revealing her own superb equestrian skills.
Forced to pivot, Huo Jingheng initiates a backup plan. He instructs the Imperial Astronomer to issue a decree: all consorts born at the noon hour must donate blood daily to protect the empire. This would provide the perfect narrative for Consort Yue to slowly waste away. But the plan is immediately sabotaged when Princess Wenrou dramatically interrupts the court proceedings. She boldly announces that she, too, was born at noon and offers to become a consort herself to contribute her blood for the Emperor and his "beloved."
With that plan in shambles, Huo Jingheng moves to another tactic. He has Ling'er fake a fainting spell in front of the other consorts, seeding rumors that she is suffering from a fatal illness stemming from a past miscarriage. Yet again, Princess Wenrou intervenes, this time by taking on the role of a devoted caregiver and diligently nursing "Consort Yue" back to health, completely derailing their efforts.
The situation takes a dramatic turn when the Barbarian King sneaks into the palace to deliver a shocking revelation to Wenrou: the woman she knows as Consort Yue is, in fact, a man—Yue Chi in disguise. Suddenly, all the bizarre, failed plots make perfect sense to her. She becomes resolved not to let Yue Chi escape his charade so easily.
Realizing a slow, feigned illness is no longer a viable option, Huo Jingheng decides on a final, drastic measure: a sudden death. The plan is set for the upcoming Lantern Festival, where Yue Chi, still disguised as Consort Yue, will stage a fall from a cliff near Chengen Temple. His advanced martial arts skills would ensure he survives unharmed.
However, Princess Wenrou anticipates their move. After conspiring with Yi Qingyun, she sets a counter-trap. At the festival, in front of the entire court, she masterfully engineers a situation that exposes Yue Chi's true identity. The revelation that an imperial consort is actually a man sends shockwaves through the court.
Seizing the opportunity, Yi Qingyun ensures the scandalous news reaches Lord Wei, an official renowned for his unwavering integrity. If Lord Wei decides to impeach Yue Chi for this deception, it could mean the definitive end of his career and any future he might have had in the imperial court.
