Episode Summary
The episode centers on a high-stakes flag competition where the winner earns a place in the elite Jiuqi Camp. He Yan uses her superior strategy and knowledge of the terrain to lead her team to a decisive victory, even defeating her rival Lei Hou in a final duel. However, her triumph turns to bitter disappointment when it is announced that Xiao Jue has chosen Lei Hou for the coveted position instead of her. The episode also deepens the relationship between He Yan and Xiao Jue with a poignant moment during the Ghost Festival.
Spoiler Alert
The episode opens with a lingering political issue: Sun Xiangfu, the magistrate of Yezhou County, is delaying the delivery of military grain, clearly acting on orders from Xu Jingfu. General Xiao Jue decides to let the matter rest for now, planning to confront Sun Xiangfu and uncover Xu Jingfu's schemes after the conclusion of the army's flag-capturing competition.
Following the Qixi Festival, the Ghost Festival arrives, and many soldiers gather by the river to release lanterns for the departed. He Yan participates, setting a lantern afloat for her past self, a symbolic gesture of leaving her old identity behind to fully embrace her new life. Through a conversation with her comrade Cheng Lisu, He Yan learns that Xiao Jue has an older brother named Xiao Jing. Unlike the fierce and battle-hardened Xiao Jue, Xiao Jing is described as gentle and personable, much beloved by his family and others.
He Yan spots Xiao Jue also at the river to pay respects and boldly invites him to fold a river lantern with her. Though he initially scoffs at the idea, her playful taunts convince him to sit down. A moment of tension arises when their hands accidentally touch. Xiao Jue, who is aware that He Yan is a woman, quickly pulls his hand away, mindful of the propriety between sexes. He Yan, however, remains composed and teases him for being sensitive. Later, as she struggles to light her lantern, Xiao Jue instinctively shields the flame from the wind with his hand, his face coming incredibly close to hers.
The day of the flag competition arrives, and Xiao Jue raises the stakes by announcing that the most outstanding new soldier will be selected to join the elite Jiuqi Camp. Lei Hou, a strong contender, is eager to prove himself. However, He Yan has a significant advantage; having previously scouted Baiyue Mountain, she has already drawn a simple map of the terrain. Drawing on her past experience as a general, she understands the instructors' mindset and avoids the obviously placed flags, instead leading her team toward those hidden in dense forests and on steep cliffs.
Her strategy pays off. Just as she predicted, no other teams venture into the treacherous areas, and her squad easily secures the first red flag. Back at the camp, Xiao Jue and Shen Han discuss the competition over a game of chess. Xiao Jue expresses his confidence in He Yan, while Shen Han believes Lei Hou's team, filled with skilled soldiers, will emerge victorious. Soon, a report comes in that He Yan's team is not just finding flags but ambushing other squads to steal theirs.
The competition reaches its climax with both He Yan's and Lei Hou's teams tied at seven flags each. The winner will be the team that captures the final flag and returns to camp before sunset. Lei Hou manages to retrieve the eighth flag from a cliff wall, but He Yan challenges him to a one-on-one duel: the winner takes all of the opponent's flags. He Yan, as expected, wins the duel. In a cowardly move, one of Lei Hou's teammates tries to shoot her with a hidden arrow, but her own loyal teammates are there to protect her.
He Yan's team returns to the camp as the undisputed winner with fifteen flags. Xiao Jue decides to delay the official awards until the Mid-Autumn Festival. When Shen Han asks who he has chosen for the Jiuqi Camp, Xiao Jue writes down a name, leaving Shen Han looking surprised. In a separate plotline, Chu Zhao requests that He Rufei allow Ding Yi to accompany him to Yezhou City. He Rufei agrees but privately gives Ding Yi a secret mission.
At the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, He Yan is disappointed to find that Xiao Jue is not present, as she expected him to announce the new member of the Jiuqi Camp. Shen Han arrives to reward her team with a jar of wine for their victory. Confident that she is the chosen one, He Yan is stunned when Shen Han says he must go congratulate Lei Hou. He explains that Xiao Jue, based on a "comprehensive consideration," has chosen Lei Hou for the spot in the Jiuqi Camp, not her.
