Episode Summary
In a high-stakes gamble, Jiang Taohua memorizes and then burns the crucial painting "A Thousand Peaks in Sunlight" right before Shen Zaiye's eyes, forcing him into a tense negotiation based on her perfect recall. While Shen Zaiye faces immense pressure from the King of Qi to solve the counterfeit currency case within a fortnight, he also confines Meng Zhenzhen to the manor. After her maid Qingtai disappears while investigating a clue from the painting, a desperate Jiang Taohua infiltrates a gambling den—the suspected source of the bad money. There, she and a disguised Shen Zaiye independently confirm the den's illegal activities and discover a secret, heavily guarded room on the third floor.
Spoiler Alert
"The Princess's Gambit" Episode 6 Recap & Spoilers
Thisepisode hinges on a fiery confrontation, a desperate investigation, and the quiet sorrows of the women trapped within the manor's walls. Jiang Taohua makes her boldest move yet, risking her life on the strength of her own mind, while Shen Zaiye finds himself cornered from all sides.
A Fiery Gambit
The episode kicks off with Jiang Taohua and her maid, Qingtai, tailing a servant named Yuetao. When a nervous Yuetao drops a food container, it reveals a false bottom, confirming Taohua's suspicion: it hides the coveted painting, "A Thousand Peaks in Sunlight."
At the main gate, Taohua intercepts Yuetao and seizes the scroll. In a stunningly audacious move, she unrolls the painting, her eyes scanning and memorizing every detail before she "accidentally" lets it slip into a burning brazier. Just as the priceless artwork is consumed by flames, Shen Zaiye arrives. Enraged, he grabs Taohua by the throat, ready to kill her. Gasping for air, she claims she has committed the entire painting to memory and can reproduce it.
Skeptical but intrigued, Shen Zaiye tests her, demanding she draw a portion of the artwork. To his astonishment, she flawlessly reproduces it. This shocking display of her photographic memory shifts the power dynamic. Taohua proposes three conditions in exchange for her cooperation. However, Shen Zaiye counters with a chilling threat: if her ability becomes public knowledge, the Crown Prince will undoubtedly have her killed to protect his own secrets. The threat leaves Taohua trembling, caught in a trap of her own making.
Sorrows of the Inner Court
Meanwhile, the lives of the other women in the household take somber turns. Shen Zaiye confronts Meng Zhenzhen, who offers to be divorced and leave the manor. In a cruel twist, he tears up the divorce agreement, revealing that he knows about her past schemes but will not pursue them, citing the burden of her family. Instead, he places her under house arrest, telling the outside world she is merely ill. Later, on her birthday—a day no one else remembers, as it was meant to be the date of Shen Zaiye's rescheduled wedding to the princess—Meng Zhenzhen receives a gift from her brother and finally breaks down in tears.
Elsewhere, Xiang Qingying is found by Mu Wuxia, crying quietly while eating leftover scraps. She explains she didn't want to bother the servants late at night. In a rare moment of vulnerability, Mu Wuxia confesses that he, too, has had to eat such meals in his past. Their brief connection is cut short when someone calls for Xiang Qingying, and she flees in a panic.
The Counterfeit Investigation
The destruction of the painting has far-reaching consequences. The Crown Prince is delighted; while he didn't obtain the painting, his rival Shen Zaiye failed as well, which he counts as a victory. Feeling emboldened, he releases even more counterfeit currency into the economy, causing the prices of rice and grain to skyrocket and plunging the common people into hardship.
Shen Zaiye faces the wrath of his father, the King of Qi, who reprimands him for his failure. The King gives him a tight deadline: solve the counterfeit currency case in half a month or face severe punishment.
A Desperate Search
Realizing the painting holds the key, Taohua discovers a crucial clue within its memorized details. She dispatches Qingtai to investigate, but her loyal maid never returns. Terrified that Qingtai has met with foul play, Taohua begs Shen Zaiye for help, even offering to drop all her conditions. He coldly refuses. His refusal, however, confirms to Taohua that her lead was correct, even if she must now pursue it alone.
Desperate, Taohua shows a symbol from the painting to Xiang Qingying, who identifies it as the totem of a local gambling den. Lying that Qingtai is simply lost inside after sneaking out to gamble, Taohua convinces a reluctant Xiang Qingying to help her. As they scale a wall to leave the manor, they run directly into Shen Zaiye and his guard, Zhan Lu. Xiang Qingying creates a diversion, allowing Taohua to escape while she herself is taken by Shen Zaiye.
Infiltration and Discovery
Now on her own, Taohua disguises herself with a mask and infiltrates the gambling den as a serving girl. Inside, the first floor is filled with music and dancers, the second is a bustling casino, and the third is a heavily guarded, restricted area. While serving wine, she recognizes a masked high-roller as Shen Zaiye by his distinctive scent. She watches as he wins consistently at the tables and then confirms his suspicions when exchanging his winnings: the silver he receives is underweight, proving the den is a source of the counterfeit currency.
While Shen Zaiye conducts his own investigation, Taohua slips away during a guard change and makes her way to the forbidden third floor. She discovers a tripwire made of fine silver thread, convinced it protects a room containing vital secrets. After bluffing her way past a patrol, she sees Shen Zaiye emerging from a hidden room, which apparently requires a specific jade pendant to enter. Seeing he has come out empty-handed, she can't resist a quiet taunt as he passes, marking a tense end to their separate but parallel missions.
