Episode Summary
In this episode, the rival Yunlai Tavern frames the Shen restaurant by poisoning its customers. The Shen family, led by Shaoguang, teams up with Lin Yan to expose the plot. They stage a haunting to scare a confession out of the culprit. The episode ends with a major romantic development as Lin Yan and Shaoguang share a moment on a rooftop overlooking the city.
Spoiler Alert
The Competition Gets Dirty
A Deadline for Destruction
Things are not going well for the competition. Manager Feng from Yunlai Tavern tries to get his chefs to copy the Shens' agate pork. They can't even believe it's pork. They have no idea how to replicate it.
Soon after, his boss, Lu Yun, pays him a visit. He is not happy with the lack of results. He gives Manager Feng an ultimatum. He has five days to drive the Shen family's restaurant out of business. If he fails, he's fired. The pressure is officially on.
Poison at the Restaurant
Meanwhile, things at the Shen restaurant are looking up. For a second, anyway. Shen Jianshe receives a "Number One Chef" plaque and he is feeling himself. He's so confident that he buys a new ring for his wife, Li Fengxia. He won't stop talking about their amazing future. Li Fengxia sees this differently. She thinks he's getting arrogant and reads him the riot act.
Just then, everything goes wrong. Several customers in the dining room suddenly start foaming at the mouth and collapse. It's absolute chaos. Shen Shaoguang immediately takes control. She tells A-Yuan to get a carriage to rush the poisoned guests to the nearest medical center.
A Dangerous Alliance
Princess Fuhui Spills Some Tea
Princess Fuhui has been ignoring almost all her visitors since the poetry event. But she makes an exception for Lin Yan. He gets straight to the point. He asks her about major criminal cases in the capital from recent years.
She tells him about a massive scandal from a decade ago, known as the Yiguan case. It was a huge deal that rocked the entire imperial court. She also reveals that the masterminds behind it are likely still hiding in plain sight, possibly in high-ranking positions. Lin Yan had heard whispers about this. Now he has confirmation. As they are talking, a guard reports the poisoning at the Shen's restaurant.
Lin Yan Seals the Deal (and the Restaurant)
The situation at the restaurant has gotten ugly. The families of the victims have formed an angry mob outside. They are demanding the restaurant be shut down for good. Cheng Hu tries to hold them back. But the main troublemakers start accusing Lin Yan of favoritism. They shout that he's protecting the Shens because they're distant relatives.
When Lin Yan arrives, the crowd only gets louder. He assesses the chaotic scene. Then he gives an order to seal the restaurant. For the Shen family, this looks like a complete betrayal.
The Shens Fight Back
A Not-So-Brilliant Plan
The family gathers at the prefecture office to figure out their next move. Shaoguang insists they have to be proactive. They can't just sit around and wait for Lin Yan to fix this. Her plan is for Shen Shaojie to fake being poisoned. This would plant the idea that an outside party is trying to frame them.
Lin Yan arrives while they are plotting. He explains his actions. Sealing the restaurant was a strategic move. He wanted to make the real culprits feel safe so they would lower their guard. He also reveals he's already done some investigating. He discovered that Yunlai Tavern's manager was seen buying suspicious mushrooms. The Shens finally understand he is on their side.
The Ghost of Shen Shaojie
Now that they are all working together, the plan escalates. Shaojie suggests they take the fake poisoning a step further. He could fake his own death. Then he could appear as a "ghost" to scare a confession out of the person responsible. A-Yuan confirms this is a solid idea. She says Manager Feng is incredibly superstitious and keeps shrines all over Yunlai Tavern. Lin Yan agrees to the plan.
That night, A-Yuan applies some very convincing ghost makeup to Shaoguang. Lin Yan accompanies her to the back of the tavern. Shaoguang climbs onto the roof but slips in the dark. Just before she hits the ground, Lin Yan catches her. They share a brief, intense moment before he sets her down and tells her to be careful.
Shaoguang gets into the courtyard and confronts the tavern's manager. He is terrified. As part of the plan, a group of women carrying funeral portraits appear. They wail and accuse him of murdering Shaojie. The manager completely breaks down. He confesses that his boss, Manager Feng, ordered him to poison the Shens' customers and frame the restaurant.
Rooftops and Revelations
A Very Awkward Thank You
The case is officially closed by the Ministry of Justice. The Shen family restaurant is cleared of all wrongdoing. The mastermind, Feng Li, has already fled the city.
To show their gratitude, the Shens cook another massive feast for Lin Yan. During the meal, Shaojie does something very strange. He lights incense and begins to pray to Lin Yan as if he were a god. Lin Yan is confused but just writes it off as a weird country custom.
A Date in the Sky
After dinner, Shen Yangyang asks Lin Yan to teach her his "lightness skill." He obliges, taking her on a quick flight to the top of a pavilion. She is absolutely terrified. It turns out she has a fear of heights, just like her brother.
Shaoguang mentions that she is also curious about flying. Without a word, Lin Yan grabs her and flies them both onto a nearby rooftop. They stand together and look out over the city of Yong'an during the nightly curfew.
He uses the moment to ask some serious questions. He asks if her family was affected when the Cui family fell from power. She avoids answering directly. He then asks where she is from. She tells him "Future Village." She then shakes his hand, saying they should be friends, a gesture he finds new and interesting. Seeing how much she loves the view, he makes a promise. He will take her out to explore the city during the Lantern Festival, when the curfew is lifted for the night.
