Episode Summary
In this episode, Chu Zhao manipulates the vengeful Chai Anxi to advance his own schemes against both Xiao Jue and Xu Jingfu. A drunken night leads to a pivotal moment between He Yan and Xiao Jue, where she accidentally takes his highly personal jade pendant after mistaking him for her father. As the political intrigue deepens, Chu Zhao departs to pursue Chai Anxi, leaving Xiao Jue and He Yan to navigate the fallout of their complicated relationship.
Spoiler Alert
A web of revenge, political schemes, and drunken confessions unfolds as new players enter the game and old wounds are poked. Chu Zhao, acting as the Ministry of War's Patrol Inspector, arrives in Yezhou Guard, but his purpose is far more complex than just delivering rewards to Xiao Jue.
The episode introduces Chai Anxi, a man burning with a desire for vengeance against the Xiao family. He reveals to Chu Zhao that his only son was killed by Xiao Zhongwu, leading his wife to die from grief. Driven by the belief that a son must pay for his father's debts, Chai Anxi has been shadowing the Xiao Family Army from the capital of Yaojing all the way to Que City, waiting for a chance to strike at Xiao Jue. Chu Zhao sees an opportunity and decides to use Chai Anxi as a weapon. In a classic "lure the tiger from the mountain" strategy, Chu Zhao also arranges for the powerful Ridamuzi to create a diversion by attacking the Yezhou Guard.
However, Chu Zhao's own confidant, Xu Jingfu, issues a stark warning that threats like Chai Anxi must be eliminated completely. This makes Chu Zhao suspicious; he realizes Xu Jingfu must be deeply afraid of Chai Anxi, hinting that Chai holds a "shocking secret" over Xu Jingfu's head.
On a more personal note, He Yan, still feeling guilty about breaking Xiao Jue's lute while drunk, presents him with a new one. Her interactions soon shift to Chu Zhao, who she questions about any interesting news from the capital, particularly concerning General Feihong and the He family. Chu Zhao mentions that her brother, He Rufei, is known for being a devoted man who frequently visits Yuhua Temple to mourn his late sister. He Yan knows better, recognizing this as a carefully constructed facade for public consumption.
Later, He Yan and Chu Zhao share drinks. Cheng Lisu, ever the concerned friend, tries to alert Xiao Jue, but Xiao Jue's apparent indifference is a classic case of "the emperor isn't worried, but the eunuch is." As He Yan gets drunk, her usually cheerful demeanor cracks, revealing glimpses of deep-seated sadness, though she stops short of telling Chu Zhao her secrets. In her drunken state, she tries to drag Chu Zhao to Baiyue Mountain to drink under the moon, but Xiao Jue appears and carries her off to sober her up.
What follows is a mix of tenderness and comedy. Cheng Lisu notices Xiao Jue's gentle handling of He Yan, guessing he's being careful with her still-healing injuries. A completely intoxicated He Yan then mistakes Xiao Jue for her father, repeatedly calling him "dad." Amused, Cheng Lisu jokes that he's seen drunk people mistake others for their husbands, but never for their fathers. He suggests Xiao Jue should praise He Yan, maybe even give her a reward. The word "reward" instantly gets He Yan's attention, and she impulsively snatches the valuable jade pendant from Xiao Jue's waist.
The next morning, He Yan wakes up still clutching the pendant, horrified as Cheng Lisu recounts her actions. He explains the pendant's immense significance: it was originally a single piece from Xiao Jue's mother's dowry, later split into two. The white piece is held by the wife of Xiao Jue's older brother, Xiao Jing, meaning the black one in He Yan's possession is intended for the woman Xiao Jue loves.
Meanwhile, the plotting continues. Chu Zhao instructs his subordinate, Yingxiang, to stop following the Lei Hou brothers and instead prepare two corpses to pass off as them for Xu Jingfu's benefit. Chu Zhao believes that for Xu Jingfu, the brothers are insignificant; Chai Anxi is the real person he wants dealt with.
The episode concludes as Chu Zhao, having located Chai Anxi, leaves for Jiyang. He leaves behind a letter for He Yan, which Xiao Jue intercepts. Bound by his duties as the governor of Yezhou Guard and his own history with the Mengji Princess, Xiao Jue doesn't pursue him, coolly telling a worried Cheng Lisu that He Yan wanted to see Chu Zhao anyway.
