Episode Summary
The group arrives in the city of Zhongli and immediately runs into trouble. They meet the city's eccentric king and his manipulative State Preceptor. E Shun believes the mysterious local Saintess is his long-lost sister. The episode ends with the horrifying discovery that the Saintess is being forced into a "Sacred Wedding," a ritual where she will be killed with mercury.
Spoiler Alert
A Rough Start in the Woods
The episode kicks off with Jiang Wenhuan and the other nobles passing out. A strange miasma in the forest knocked them all out cold. Jiang Yiyao, Wenhuan's sister, shows up just in time. She gives them an antidote and they wake up.
Wenhuan is not happy to see her. He knows this trip is dangerous and wants her safe. But he can't exactly send her back alone. So, he tells everyone to keep an eye on her. Right on cue, a snake attacks. Chongyi Biao jumps in to protect Jiang Yiyao. He shields her but gets bitten.
Jiang Yiyao quickly treats the snakebite. Chongyi Biao is fine, but he's clearly flustered. It seems he's not used to being that close to a woman.
Welcome to Zhongli
The group finally reaches the city of Zhongli. The journey has been strange. E Shun couldn't shake the feeling that the miasma wasn't natural. He and Jiang Wenhuan even decided to stand guard together one night.
As they enter the city, it’s a festival day. The people are celebrating the "descent" of the Zhongli Saintess. Xin Jia, always looking for action, drags everyone to see what's going on. On a stage, a girl with a veil dances. E Shun watches her and calls out the name "Qingqing." He thinks she looks like his lost sister.
A Very Awkward First Impression
Later, the group goes to the Zhongli Palace. They're left waiting for a long time. Getting impatient, they accidentally knock over a pot of flowers. A man loses his mind over the broken pot. He screams at them and threatens to get revenge for his plant.
The State Preceptor has to step in to calm him down. It turns out the angry flower guy is the King of Zhongli. The Preceptor, who is obviously the one really in charge, sends the goofy king away to change clothes. He then arranges for the boys to get some rest. The Preceptor recognizes E Shun and asks him if he's been to Zhongli before. After the group leaves, the Preceptor's friendly vibe disappears. He looks like he wants someone dead.
The Saintess and the Secret
The Saintess walks past them in the palace. Xin Jia, being himself, snatches her handkerchief. She notices right away. He shoves it into E Shun's hands before they give it back. It was clearly important to her.
Later, we see the Saintess alone in her room. She pulls out a small toy her brother gave her long ago. She starts crying, saying she feels like her brother is coming for her. This pretty much confirms she is E Shun's sister.
The Truth Comes Out
That night, things take a dark turn. The Saintess is performing a ritual by a pool. She pricks her finger to let blood fall into the water. Another woman, a "Zhen Nü," shows up. Her attendant panics, falls into the pool, and is immediately swallowed by the water.
The State Preceptor appears. He says the person who really deserves to die is the one pretending to be the Saintess. He can't kill her directly. So, he orders the Zhen Nü to prepare for a "Sacred Wedding." The Zhen Nü says it's too soon. The Preceptor uses the king's failing health as an excuse. He also bribes her by offering her his position as the next State Preceptor.
What is a Sacred Wedding?
News of the Sacred Wedding spreads through the city. The common people are talking. We learn this "wedding" is actually a human sacrifice.
Xin Jia gets the full story. The ritual forces the Saintess to drink mercury. This is supposed to preserve her body so it never decays. This whole practice was banned years ago. The fact that it's back now means the State Preceptor is planning something terrible.
