Episode Summary
Ji Mo, despondent after his exams, is encouraged by Qiao Manman and unexpectedly wins a martial arts contest by being the last man standing. Meanwhile, Fu Chengjin's romantic evening with Qiao Manman is repeatedly interrupted. Fu Yunuo plots against them by bringing Aliya's brother, General Hursa, to court, suspecting Qiao Manman might be an imposter. This forces Qiao Manman and Fu Chengjin to delay their plans to leave the palace. When Ji Mo is pitted against the formidable General Hursa in a royal exhibition, Fu Chengjin feigns Qiao Manman's illness to postpone the match, as Fu Yunuo continues to weave his manipulative scheme.
Spoiler Alert
Episode 17 Recap & Spoilers: An Unlikely Champion and Rising Tensions
Ji Mo's Post-Exam Despair and Unexpected Turn
The episode opens with Ji Mo in a state of utter dejection. Convinced he's failed the imperial examination, he's found by Aliya and his father contemplating desperate measures. His father tries to reassure him, saying he can always try again next year and that the family can support him. Aliya chimes in, mentioning her medical practice is bringing in enough to help with their expenses. Despite their reassurances, Ji Mo remains despondent, feeling he can't provide Aliya with a better life.
Unable to console his son, Ji Mo's father calls for Qiao Manman. As she leaves to see them, Fu Chengjin offers to accompany her, but Qiao Manman, worried about the pressure Fu Chengjin might face at home, decides to go alone. She finds Ji Mo listless in bed. Together, Qiao Manman and Ji Mo's father devise a plan to lift his spirits. They remind him that even if the exam didn't go well, his written stories are incredibly popular and widely circulated. Qiao Manman encourages him to find a new path, urging him not to let the heroic characters in his own tales down.
A Romantic Interlude Interrupted
Meanwhile, Fu Chengjin has a grand romantic gesture planned for Qiao Manman. She returns to find her room filled with candles, a heart shape meticulously laid out with red candles in the center. Deeply moved, she discovers a gift from Fu Chengjin – an exquisite outfit. He then presents her with a necklace, a significant piece given to him by the Empress when he came of age, intended for his future Princess Consort. As Fu Chengjin personally fastens it around her neck, the atmosphere becomes charged. He sweeps her into his arms and carries her to bed. However, their romantic evening is hilariously thwarted. First, Yuetao knocks, asking if Qiao Manman wants some congee. A little later, Jiufeng arrives, concerned about Fu Chengjin's well-being and even offers to stand guard outside for the night, thoroughly ruining the couple's intimate moment.
Ji Mo, The Accidental Martial Arts Master
Later, with Ji Mo feeling somewhat better, Aliya takes him to the marketplace to cheer him up. They see a notice for an upcoming martial arts competition. Bystanders, recognizing Ji Mo from his exam fainting spell, begin to taunt him, questioning if he’s overreaching by considering the contest. Though Ji Mo has no martial arts skills, the mockery wounds his pride, and he impulsively steps onto the arena.
Predictably, Ji Mo is quickly knocked down. The competition continues until the ground is littered with defeated contestants. Just as the event is about to conclude, Ji Mo, still lying on the ground, miraculously regains consciousness. He stumbles to his feet, becoming the only person left standing in the competition area. And just like that, Ji Mo becomes the unlikely champion of the martial arts contest.
Fu Yunuo's Sinister Plot Unfolds
Elsewhere, Fu Yunuo, unwilling to see his beloved with someone else, summons General Hursa. Hursa is Aliya's brother and knows her intimately. Fu Yunuo suspects that the "Aliya" currently with Ji Mo might be an imposter (likely Qiao Manman). He arranges for General Hursa to have an audience with the Emperor and stay in the capital for a few days. Fu Yunuo's aim is to distract Qiao Manman and Fu Chengjin; he believes that as long as General Hursa remains, his scheme has a higher chance of success.
A Dangerous Reunion and a Postponed Escape
Qiao Manman and Fu Chengjin had been planning to leave the palace that very day to escape its endless conflicts. However, they are summoned by the Emperor. Their meeting with General Hursa confirms their fears – a crisis is looming. Intriguingly, Hursa doesn't immediately expose Qiao Manman's true identity (if she is indeed not Aliya), but his disdainful and mocking gaze clearly signals his hostile intentions.
The Emperor's Court and a New Challenge
The Emperor, accompanied by his imperial family, attends a martial arts exhibition where Ji Mo, as the new champion, is presented. General Hursa openly provokes the Dong Zhao nation, claiming their martial arts are weak. The Emperor dispatches four of his elite guards to teach Hursa a lesson, but they are all swiftly defeated. Just as Fu Chengjin is about to step forward to challenge the general, Fu Yunuo interjects, suggesting that this year's martial arts champion – Ji Mo – should compete.
Ji Mo, who won the previous contest by sheer luck, is terrified. He’s never so much as harmed a fly, let alone faced a seasoned warrior like General Hursa. The outcome seems dire. Seeing her "brother" (if Ji Mo is posing as her relative or if she's Qiao Manman concerned for Ji Mo as a friend) about to face Hursa, Qiao Manman frantically signals Fu Chengjin for help. Fu Chengjin quickly announces that Qiao Manman has fainted from heatstroke. Given the indeed scorching sun, the Emperor declares a pause to the competition, to be resumed the next day.
The episode ends with widespread anxiety. Ji Mo is in a state of shock from the day's events and sleeps fitfully. Qiao Manman is fraught with worry about the impending match, while Fu Chengjin desperately tries to come up with a plan. Fu Yunuo, meanwhile, instructs General Hursa not to reveal Qiao Manman's identity just yet. His plan is more insidious: he wants Qiao Manman to feel a sense of gratitude towards them, like a thirsty person being offered a well, only to find the water is impossible to swallow or spit out. The real drama, he implies, is yet to come.
