Episode Summary
The Shen family gets scammed on their new house by a woman who looks just like their late relative, Xiao Mei. They end up forgiving her. Meanwhile, Shen Shaojie redeems himself by getting Yangyang into a top academy through sheer persistence, then leaves home to find his own way. Lin Yan uncovers more of the Prince of Zhao's plot to use "dead" soldiers. The episode ends with Yangyang volunteering to spy on her new headmaster, Zhao Xunzhi, creating tension between Shaoguang and Lin Yan.
Spoiler Alert
The Great Housing Scam
So, the Shen family finally goes to see their new house. You know, the one Shaojie was so proud of securing. They get there, and it’s not a house. It’s a construction site. Just dirt and wood. Shen Jianshe and Li Fengxia are instantly furious. They can't believe they trusted Shaojie with this.
It turns out the broker, a woman named Du Niangzi, took all their money and vanished. Shaojie actually tries to defend her. This makes his mom, Li Fengxia, so angry she goes straight to the authorities to report the crime.
A Familiar Face
Liu Feng does some digging and finds Du Niangzi's address. When they arrive, the city officials are already there. They're sealing up her house. An officer named Cheng Hu tells them Du Niangzi is already in custody.
The Shen family finally comes face-to-face with the scammer. And then it all makes sense. You see why Shaojie was so easily fooled. The woman looks exactly like Xiao Mei, their deceased relative. It's uncanny. Shaojie immediately starts begging for them to let her go. He claims she only did it because she was poor.
Lin Yan is not buying it. He steps in and sets the record straight. Du Niangzi is a professional con artist. She has scammed her way into owning three other houses. He makes it clear she is going to jail this time.
A Surprising Forgiveness
Du Niangzi panics. She drops to her knees and begs Shaojie for forgiveness. But here's the thing. The rest of the Shen family sees her. They see Xiao Mei's face. They just can't stand the thought of her going to prison. One by one, they all start asking for leniency.
They end up reaching a settlement. The whole thing is wild. Afterward, Lin Yan gives Liu Feng a very pointed look. Liu Feng gets it. He can see how much Lin Yan cares for the Shen family, especially Shaoguang. Later, Liu Feng tells his grandfather he's okay with just being friends with Shaoguang. He knows being connected to her means being connected to a powerful guy like Lin Yan. That's not a bad deal.
A Political Conspiracy Heats Up
While all this family drama is happening, Cao Rong is investigating something much bigger. He looks into the servant who stole those important letters. He finds out the servant was a soldier. A soldier who was officially declared dead five years ago.
The Prince of Zhao's Ghost Army
The Ministry of War finds more cases just like it. There's a pattern. A bunch of "dead" soldiers all disappeared after meeting with Zhao Xunzhi. Cao Rong can't figure out who is pulling the strings. Lin Yan tells him. It’s the Prince of Zhao.
Cao Rong wants to run to the emperor immediately. But Lin Yan stops him. He tells him to be patient. They need to play this smart and see the whole board before they make a move.
A Shocking Marriage Arrangement
Shen Jingwen finds Shaoguang at the restaurant. She needs to talk. She tells Shaoguang that her grandfather really, really likes Lin Yan. She also says she's getting older. So, she's decided she is going to marry Lin Yan.
Shaoguang is completely stunned. You can see the hurt in her eyes. But she hides it. She tells her cousin that Lin Yan is a great guy and that she should treat him well. That had to be one of the hardest things she's ever had to say.
Shen Shaojie's Big Move
This was the episode where Shen Shaojie finally grew up. It all started with his niece, Shen Yangyang.
Getting Yangyang into School
Yangyang is bored and wants nothing more than to study at the prestigious Hongwen Academy. Her family feels bad. They couldn't afford it when they were poor, and they can't get her in now that they have money.
Shaojie overhears this. He goes straight to the academy and finds the headmaster, Zhao Xunzhi. He begs him to let Yangyang in. Zhao Xunzhi says no. But Shaojie doesn't give up. He follows him everywhere. He acts like his personal servant. He even sneaks into Zhao Xunzhi's room to warm his bed for him. It's completely over the top, but it works. Zhao Xunzhi is so worn down that he agrees. Yangyang can attend, but she has to pretend to be a boy.
A New Path
The Shen family is ecstatic when they get the news. They have no idea how it happened. When they learn what Shaojie did, they look at him with new respect.
They go to find him, but he's gone. He left a letter. He wrote that he's 30 years old now. It's time for him to go out into the world and make something of himself. He tells Yangyang to study hard. He says they'll meet again when they've both succeeded. His dad is worried sick, but he stays quiet for Yangyang's sake.
A New Spy in the Making?
Lin Yan needs someone to get close to Zhao Xunzhi. He asks Pei Pei for help, but Zhao Xunzhi won't see her. Lin Yan figures the Prince of Zhao must have warned him.
Just as he's trying to come up with a new plan, Shen Yangyang shows up. She's excited about getting into the academy. Then she hears them talking about Zhao Xunzhi. She immediately volunteers to be their spy.
Lin Yan shuts it down. He says it's too dangerous for a child. He takes her straight to the restaurant to tell her family what she's trying to do. Shaoguang immediately suspects Lin Yan is trying to use her niece. She pulls him aside and confronts him. Lin Yan explains he was worried, which is why he came to her. Just then, Yangyang runs out and makes it clear. This was her idea, not his.
