Episode Summary
A devastating fire, set by Li Youzhen, destroys He Weifang's garden but brings her and Jiang Changyang closer after they bravely rescue each other and the Crown Prince from the flames. To protect Weifang from further harm, Liu Chang reluctantly submits to the manipulative Li Youzhen. A budding romance between Weifang and Changyang is tragically thwarted when a jealous rival, Qin Liulang, breaks a hairpin Weifang sends to Changyang, causing a deep misunderstanding that drives them apart.
Spoiler Alert
Flames of Fury and a Broken Promise
The episode ignites with a raging fire engulfing He Weifang's shop. The cruel Li Youzhen orders her guards to form a perimeter, allowing no one to escape. Liu Chang watches in agony, desperate to save Weifang but blocked at every turn. Pushed to his limit by the screams from within, he seizes Li Youzhen by the throat, forcing her to grant access.
As Liu Chang attempts a futile rescue, the blaze intensifies. Just in time, Jiang Changyang arrives with reinforcements. He Weifang, having just crawled out of the inferno, heroically plunges back into the flames to save others trapped inside. A frantic Changyang, unable to find her, follows her into the blaze without a second thought. Inside, he discovers his own sister pinned by a falling beam. She implores him to save the Crown Prince, who is also caught in the fire. Changyang manages to carry the Prince to safety and returns for his sister. Overcome by smoke, he nearly succumbs, but Weifang finds and revives him. Together, they succeed in rescuing his sister.
The effort causes Weifang to collapse. Upon waking, she rushes to her beloved garden, Fangyuan, only to find it a smoldering ruin. Her heart breaks until her maid, Xiao Chun, reveals a glimmer of hope: after the people were safe, Jiang Changyang had braved the heat to rescue several pots of her cherished peonies. Seeing them still in bloom amidst the devastation renews her will to persevere.
Later, Changyang visits the recovering Weifang. She is heartbroken to see his hands burned and his voice raspy from the smoke, recalling the terror she felt finding him unconscious. Though their words are few, a deep, unspoken understanding of their growing feelings for each other hangs in the air.
Meanwhile, Li Youzhen's mansion is anything but calm. Enraged by Weifang’s survival, she destroys everything in sight. Liu Chang, now cold and disillusioned by her viciousness, icily helps smash the last remaining vase. He confronts her, revealing he knows the dark truth about how she murdered her former husband and burned his body. Shocked, Youzhen switches tactics, tearfully professing her love for Liu Chang and threatening to unleash her full cruelty on Weifang if he remains distant. To protect Weifang from further harm, Liu Chang makes a terrible choice: he agrees to move back into Li Youzhen's personal quarters.
Determined to rebuild, Weifang begins sourcing new goods for her shop. She finds a beautiful hairpin perfect for Jiang Changyang and buys it, asking her aide, Dafu, to deliver it. However, Dafu passes the errand to Qin Liulang. Consumed by jealousy of Changyang's bond with Weifang, Qin Liulang sees his chance. He maliciously snaps the delicate jade hairpin in two before placing it back in the gift box.
Changyang, initially thrilled to receive a gift from Weifang, is crushed when he discovers the broken pin. He misinterprets it as a deliberate and cruel message that she rejects any possibility of a future between them. Respecting what he believes are her wishes, he begins to distance himself. Weifang, completely unaware of Qin Liulang's sabotage, is left hurt and confused by Changyang's sudden coldness, creating a painful misunderstanding between the two.
