Episode Summary
In this episode, the past relationship between Yang Mingzhi and Hua Youxian is revealed. More significantly, Xiao Jue confirms his suspicions about He Yan's identity after a lakeside confrontation. He Yan confesses her real name, the identity swap with her stepbrother, and her past as General Feihong, but her admission of being late to the Mingshui battle creates a deep and painful rift between her and Xiao Jue.
Spoiler Alert
The episode opens by shedding light on the old rift between Yang Mingzhi and Xiao Jue. Years ago, Yang Mingzhi had promised Xiao Jue he would convince his father to defend Xiao Zhongwu in court. However, his father not only refused but made the situation worse, which created the lasting animosity between the two friends.
In the present, a woman named Hua Youxian makes a surprising appearance in Chonghuai. While playing music for everyone, she reminisces about a love letter she once received from a student at Xianzhang Hall, though she never knew who sent it. Cheng Lisu immediately suspects it was from Xiao Jue, a claim Xiao Jue doesn't deny.
This causes Yang Mingzhi to become visibly upset and leave his seat. Hua Youxian then explains her story: believing she had found her true love, she paid for her freedom and came to Chonghuai to marry him, only for the marriage to end in divorce due to her poor judgment of his character. Seeing through the situation, Xiao Jue slyly offers to introduce her to talented young men from the Yezhou Guard, which immediately makes Yang Mingzhi panic. The truth dawns on everyone: Yang Mingzhi was the man Hua Youxian married and divorced. Filled with regret, he apologizes and tries to win her back.
Meanwhile, a very drunk He Yan attempts to confess her true identity to Xiao Jue, but she passes out before she can get the words out. Later, a casual comment from Hua Youxian about the original He Rufei being a girl piques Xiao Jue's suspicion. Connecting this to He Yan's past behavior, he starts to doubt who she really is.
His suspicions are seemingly confirmed when He Yan sends him a letter asking to meet by a lake. Xiao Jue goes disguised and tests her fighting skills, discovering that she knows the Qinglang swordsmanship. He is now certain that He Yan is the same person as the He Rufei he knew years ago.
Confronted, He Yan confesses everything. Her real name is He Yan, and she was the non-biological stepsister of He Rufei. They swapped identities when they were young to protect the He family's noble title. Unwilling to accept her fate, He Yan joined the Fuyue Army, earned great military honors, and became the renowned General Feihong. But the real He Rufei stole her identity, taking credit for all of her accomplishments.
Xiao Jue asks only one question: was she the one who arrived late to the Mingshui battlefield? He Yan admits it was her but insists there was a conspiracy behind the event. Xiao Jue, however, refuses to listen. Enraged by her confession, Fei Nu tries to kill He Yan but is stopped by Xiao Jue.
Xiao Jue orders He Yan to remain in the Yezhou Guard and forbids her from leaving until the full truth is uncovered. As the group travels back to Yezhou, the tension between Xiao Jue and He Yan is palpable. He Yan has brought back many items that remind her of Xiao Jue, highlighting how their once-growing closeness has now been shattered by the secret of her identity.
Back at the Yezhou Guard, He Yan dedicates herself to relentless training, becoming stronger but pushing her body to its limits. When Xiao Jue crosses paths with her, he doesn't even spare her a glance. Feeling guilty, He Yan simply bows formally instead of engaging him with her usual cheerful demeanor. An insurmountable chasm now seems to lie between them.
