Episode Summary
In "To Get Master" Episode 4, Gu Yuan is forced into an arranged marriage with Chu Mengdie and tasked with delivering the Xiaoyao Jue manual. His jealous senior, Zhou Heng, conspires with the real Chu Mengdie (disguised as "Lin Pi") to eliminate the imposter, Li Song'er. At a public demonstration, Gu Yuan secretly aids Li Song'er, causing her to display shocking power that repels the real Chu Mengdie. Zhou Heng's ambition is exposed when he is poisoned and disfigured by the fake manual, which was a loyalty test set by his master. The episode concludes as Zhou Heng's wife forces him into a deadly duel with Gu Yuan.
Spoiler Alert
To Get Master Episode 4 Recap: A Poisoned Plot and a Shocking Display of Power
The tangled webs of deceit in Fengyu Valley grow ever more complex as ambitions clash and long-laid plans begin to unravel. This episode sees a fake martial arts manual trigger a power struggle, a stunning display of force from an unlikely source, and the first cracks of suspicion forming between a master and his disciple.
The episode kicks off with Baili, whose victory in the martial arts tournament is short-lived. Due to his brash words and behavior, he's quickly demoted to menial labor in the woodshed, taking him off the board for now.
Meanwhile, Gu Yuan (using the alias Nan Chuimeng) has a tense meeting with his uncle, Nan Wentian. His uncle, believing Gu Yuan to be the last male heir of the Nan family, forces him to honor an arranged marriage with Chu Mengdie of the Chu family. Playing the part of the dutiful nephew, Gu Yuan agrees and accepts the crucial task of escorting the coveted Xiaoyao Jue martial arts manual to the training grounds. In a pointed gesture, his master, Elder Bai, gifts a prized sword to his senior, Zhou Heng, further stoking the flames of jealousy.
Zhou Heng, consumed by ambition, doesn't wait long to make his move. He secretly meets with "Lin Pi," the recent tournament champion, who is none other than the real Chu Mengdie in disguise. Zhou Heng instructs her to "take care of" Li Song'er during the next day's sparring, believing Li Song'er to be the real Chu Mengdie. The irony is lost on him that he's asking the genuine article to help eliminate an imposter. From their conversation, Chu Mengdie confirms her suspicion that someone from Fengyu Valley sent an assassin after her, but the mastermind's identity remains a mystery.
Gu Yuan, having secured the Xiaoyao Jue, was about to make his escape with his attendant Han Yan. However, when he learns that Zhou Heng has taken Li Song'er to the public training grounds, he correctly deduces that her life is in imminent danger and abandons his escape plan to save her.
At the training grounds, a cornered Li Song'er, who possesses no martial arts skills, is forced by Zhou Heng to demonstrate her abilities. In a moment of desperate inspiration, she begins performing modern aerobics. The crowd is baffled, but because they believe her to be the formidable Chu Mengdie, they offer awkward, forced praise. The real Chu Mengdie (as Lin Pi), however, is mortified by this display and steps in to teach the imposter a lesson. Just as she attacks, Gu Yuan arrives. He secretly channels his immense internal energy through Li Song'er, who throws a single palm strike. The blow sends the highly skilled Chu Mengdie stumbling back several steps, leaving the entire crowd stunned and whispering in awe of "Miss Chu's" incredible power.
Seizing the moment, Gu Yuan publicly hands the Xiaoyao Jue to Zhou Heng. Unable to contain his greed, Zhou Heng immediately opens the manual, only for his face to swell up as a potent poison takes effect. An enraged Elder Bai reveals his hand: the manual was a fake, laced with poison as a loyalty test for Gu Yuan. He never expected his ambitious senior disciple, Zhou Heng, to fall into the trap. Elder Bai further discloses that the true Xiaoyao Jue is hidden and can only be accessed after "Nan Chuimeng" and Chu Mengdie are married. Gu Yuan watches coolly; he already knew the manual was a forgery, having noticed that a familiar tea stain from his childhood was missing from its pages. His plan to use Li Song'er to find the real manual continues.
The situation escalates when Zhou Heng's wife, Nan Feiyan (who is also Nan Wentian's daughter), sees through her husband's ambition. Acting on her own, she issues a formal challenge to Gu Yuan in Zhou Heng's name, delivering it with a bowl of tonic laced with poison, cynically offered to "enhance his power." Zhou Heng is terrified when he finds out. Gu Yuan, sharing tea with Elder Bai, "casually" reveals the challenge. While Elder Bai pleads for him to show mercy, Gu Yuan coolly declines the duel, feigning illness. With the challenge accepted, Zhou Heng is trapped, and a dark glint in Gu Yuan's eyes suggests the real game has just begun.
Episode Highlights & Unanswered Questions
- A Shocking Display of Power: Li Song'er, with Gu Yuan's secret help, managed to repel the real Chu Mengdie. How will this perceived strength affect her standing and the plans of those around her?
- The Poisoned Schemer: Zhou Heng's ambition has been exposed, and he's been left disfigured and humiliated. Having been forced into a duel he cannot win, is there any way for him to survive?
- The Real and the Fake: The Xiaoyao Jue was a decoy, a test that ensnared the wrong person. Gu Yuan continues to play a long game, but with the real Chu Mengdie now aware of an imposter, a direct confrontation seems inevitable.
- A New Player: Nan Feiyan has proven to be a ruthless player in her own right, forcing her husband's hand and escalating the conflict with Gu Yuan. What is her ultimate goal?
