Episode Summary
In this episode, a series of misunderstandings unfolds. Lin Yan mistakenly believes the Grand Princess is romantically interested in him, leading him to repeatedly avoid her invitations. His jealousy is also piqued when he sees Shen Shaoguang with another man. The climax occurs at a dinner party where the Grand Princess attempts to matchmake Lin Yan and Shen Shaoguang. Lin Yan rejects her by claiming he loves someone else, only to discover the princess's true affection is for Pei Pei, not him.
Spoiler Alert
A Royal Invitation and a Big Misunderstanding
Lin Yan Dodges the Grand Princess
The episode kicks off with the Grand Princess. She's looking for a new tutor for the 17th Prince. She thinks the current guy is too old. Her top pick is our guy, Lin Yan.
Of course, the Prince of Zhao gets wind of this. He immediately summons Lin Yan to his mansion. The Prince suggests Lin Yan should become a close official to the Grand Princess. Lin Yan is not having it. He thinks the offer is demeaning to both him and the princess. He turns it down flat.
Lin Yan gets a little suspicious, though. He asks the Prince why he's suddenly so interested in court business. The Prince says his friend, Guo Pingxu from the Ministry of War, asked him to look into things. He also adds that the Emperor is unpredictable. This sets off an alarm bell for Lin Yan. He remembers the Grand Princess saying the Emperor didn'tappoint the current Minister of War. Something isn't right here. He doesn't push it, though. He just makes an excuse about being busy and leaves.
Later, Pei Pei is waiting for Lin Yan at the Jingzhao Prefecture office. The Grand Princess herself shows up. She brought a fancy jar of wine. She invites both Lin Yan and Pei Pei to drink with her that evening. Just then, Shen Jianshe happens to be walking by. He sees the situation and fakes being sick right at the door. Lin Yan rushes out to help him. Pei Pei joins in to call for a carriage. The Grand Princess can read a room. She sees they're bailing on her and leaves, clearly annoyed.
The Jealousy Meter Goes Up
Over at Shen Shaoguang's restaurant, Liu Feng brings his friend, Huan Erlang, for a meal. Shen Shaoguang has her menu tied to her dress for convenience. Huan Erlang decides to be a jerk about it. He mocks her and calls her frivolous.
Shen Shaoguang does not miss a beat. She fires right back at him. After the humiliated Huan Erlang leaves, Liu Feng apologizes for his friend's behavior. He promises he won't be seeing the guy again. Shen Shaoguang appreciates him sticking up for her. They end up sitting together and talking about how to run a business.
Guess who shows up right at that moment. Lin Yan. He's there to drop off a lunchbox. He sees Shen Shaoguang and Liu Feng laughing and getting along. He does not like it one bit. He gets jealous. So he just leaves the lunchbox at the door and storms back to his office.
Huan Erlang's day gets worse. He goes to see his uncle in Yong'an City. The uncle completely tears into him. He explains that everyone knows the Shen family has ties to Lin Yan. Insulting Shen Shaoguang is the same as insulting Lin Yan. His uncle orders him to go apologize immediately.
So, the next day, a reluctant Huan Erlang shows up at the restaurant to say he's sorry. He even asks Shen Shaoguang to put in a good word for him with Lin Yan. Later, when she brings Lin Yan his food, she brings up the incident. Lin Yan is still stewing over her conversation with Liu Feng. He complains that her food has too much vinegar. This is his petty way of saying he's jealous.
The Most Awkward Dinner Party Ever
The Grand Princess Makes Her Move
Pei Pei gets cornered at work. People are asking him if Lin Yan is engaged. He goes straight to Lin Yan to ask what's up. Lin Yan confirms his engagement to Shen Shaoguang is off. But Pei Pei can see right through him. He knows Lin Yan still has feelings for her. He tells him to go for it.
As they're talking, a servant from the Grand Princess arrives. It's another invitation. Lin Yan starts thinking of an excuse. Before he can say anything, Pei Pei jumps in. He tells the servant they're both too busy with official duties.
The servant reports back to the Grand Princess. She changes tactics. She invites Shen Shaoguang to the palace to cook for her. Then she sends a message to Lin Yan, letting him know Shen Shaoguang will be there. The second Lin Yan hears this, he orders his horse. He then basically forces Pei Pei to come along with him.
The Big Reveal
At dinner, the Grand Princess starts trying to play matchmaker. She pushes Lin Yan and Shen Shaoguang together. Shen Shaoguang gets flustered. She insists she's not worthy of him because of her low social status.
This is where it gets wild. Lin Yan stands up. He firmly rejects the Grand Princess's matchmaking. He announces that he already has someone he loves. The Grand Princess just finds this hilarious. It all clicks into place. Lin Yan thought the Grand Princess was into himthis whole time. That's why he kept dodging her invitations. He's totally embarrassed.
Then the Grand Princess drops the real bombshell. She turns to Pei Pei. She tells him she hasn't been able to forget him since she saw him at the Mid-Autumn Poetry Festival. She was captivated by him. She says she knew he sensed her feelings but kept avoiding her. Inviting Lin Yan was just a trick to get a chance to see Pei Pei.
With the huge misunderstanding cleared up, Shen Shaoguang is left confused. She wonders who Lin Yan was talking about when he said he loved someone. She knows it can't be his historical ancestor yet.
After they leave the palace, Shen Shaoguang can't stop laughing at Lin Yan for being so full of himself. She asks him again who this mystery person is. He admits he just made it up on the spot to turn down the princess.
