Episode Summary
Shen Jingwen wins the cooking competition, but the family worries about Shen Jianshe's health. An attempt to investigate Yunlai Tavern goes wrong after Yu San betrays the plan to Lu Yun, leading to a hostage situation where Lin Yan outsmarts his enemies. Shen Shaojie redeems himself by using a clever spice bomb to help Lin Yan locate the hidden weapons. The family uncovers Yu San's betrayal and, through a combination of pressure and kindness, gets him to confess he is a spy for the Prince of Zhao. The Prince, unable to kill Lin Yan directly, begins a campaign to ruin his reputation and strip him of his official post.
Spoiler Alert
The Cooking Competition Aftermath
A Quick Win and a Bad Sign
The episode kicks off with the end of the cooking competition. Kang Yuanwai gets on stage and announces the winner. Shen Jingwen takes the top prize. It’s a big moment for him.
But the family isn't really focused on the victory. Shen Jianshe didn't win, but he looks genuinely happy for his son. That's not the problem. The real issue is his health. He looks terrible. The family basically drags him away from the celebration. They need to get him to a clinic right away.
An Awkward Dinner
Later, Minister Meng tries to play matchmaker. He sets up a dinner with Lin Yan and Shen Jingwen. He also invites Shen Shaoguang and Liu Feng to make it seem less obvious. It does not work. The whole meal is a mess. Everyone has their own agenda. Shaoguang and Liu Feng are left wondering about Minister Meng's ability to judge people. The guy is not subtle.
The Tavern Takedown
The Plan Goes Sideways
The real action starts at night. Shen Shaojie sneaks into his family's restaurant. He thinks he's being stealthy. He is not. The whole family is waiting for him, along with Lin Yan. Shaojie starts bragging about his undercover work. Nobody buys a word of it.
Lin Yan cuts to the chase. He asks if Shaojie saw anything unusual at Yunlai Tavern. Shaojie says they move a lot of cargo. He also noticed strange patterns drawn on some of the wooden boxes. That's the signal Lin Yan was waiting for. He tells Shaojie to be his inside man for a full investigation the next day.
Of course, someone was listening. Yu San was hiding outside the door. He heard the entire plan. He immediately runs to tell Lu Yun what's coming.
The next day, Shaojie shows up for work. He pretends he's just there to help move boxes. Thanks to Yu San's tip, Lu Yun is ready for him. His men grab Shaojie and lock him up. Later that night, Lin Yan tries to raid the tavern. He walks right into Lu Yun's trap.
The Hostage Swap
Lu Yun has both of them now. Lin Yan thinks fast. He offers to trade himself for Shaojie. He'll be the hostage if they let Shaojie go. During the exchange, Lin Yan makes his move. He pulls a blade and gets it right to Lu Yun's neck. He backs away slowly, holding Lu Yun at knifepoint. He manages to get himself and a terrified Shaojie out of the tavern safely. It was a solid move.
Shaojie's Spice Bomb
Shen Shaojie finally does something smart. He's washing dishes when he sees Lu Yun's men getting ready to move the cargo again. He gets an idea. He gathers a bunch of strong spices and some quicklime. He wraps them into small packets. The idea is based on those self-heating hot pots.
He then pretends to help with the cargo again. As he moves the boxes, he secretly drops the spice packets inside. Once the quicklime heats up and starts to burn, it will release the scent of the spices. It's a pretty clever tracking device.
Lin Yan tells Liu Chang to get Shaojie home safely. He then starts searching every warehouse in Yong'an. He just follows his nose. The spice trail leads him directly to the hidden stash of weapons.
The Mole in the House
Spotting the Betrayal
Back at home, Shaojie tells everyone his heroic story. They still don't believe him. They think he's making it all up. Then Lin Yan returns. He confirms everything Shaojie said. The family is stunned. Shen Yangyang is thrilled and calls her brother a hero. For the first time, Shaojie gets to feel what it's like to be admired.
Later, the family is helping shave Shaojie's beard. Yu San walks past them. He says he just got up to use the outhouse. Then he casually calls out Shen Shaojie's name. Shen Shaoguang freezes. There is no way Yu San should know Shaojie's name. He was supposed to be a stranger. Li Fengxia feels it too. Something is very wrong. They realize Yu San must have been the one who spied on them. He leaked the plan to Lu Yun.
For the next few days, the family gives Yu San the cold shoulder. Shen Jianshe and Li Fengxia make sarcastic comments. Even Shen Yangyang and A-Yuan say things with a double meaning.
The Birthday Confession
Yu San feels the pressure. He goes to Shen Shaoguang to talk. He explains his past. He was born a slave. He says the Shen family is the only group of people who ever treated him with dignity. Besides his own mother, no one has ever been so kind to him. Shaoguang suggests he go visit his mother. Yu San says he can't. There are people at his home, making it impossible to visit.
The family discusses this. They figure it out. His parents are being held by someone. That's how they're controlling him. They decide to set a trap to get the truth.
They wait for Yu San's birthday. The family blows out every candle in the house. When Yu San returns to his room, it's pitch black. He panics. He thinks someone is there to hurt him. He pulls a kitchen knife from behind his back. Just then, the family walks in carrying a birthday cake.
Yu San snaps. He accuses them of trying to manipulate him with fake kindness. But Shen Jianshe is calm. He offers to help Yu San buy his freedom, no matter the cost. He says if the Prince of Zhao is blackmailing him, they can all go to the Jingzhao Prefecture for help. Yu San makes them swear an oath. Then, he finally breaks. He confesses that he is a spy for the Prince of Zhao.
The Prince's Next Move
The scene shifts to the villains. Li Ang reports to the Prince of Zhao. He confirms Lu Yun has moved the illegal salt and iron to a new, safe location. But Yunlai Tavern is blown. They can't use it anymore. Li Ang suggests they just kill Lin Yan and get it over with.
The Prince calls him an idiot. Lin Yan is a high-ranking official. Killing him would bring the Emperor's investigators down on them. The smart play is to ruin his career first. Once he's stripped of his power, then they can easily get rid of him.
The plan is already in motion. Feng Li willingly took a beating as punishment. It was a setup so he could file an official complaint against Lin Yan and Cao Rong for protecting their family members. At the same time, another one of the Prince's men accuses Lin Yan of a different crime. He claims Lin Yan ordered citizens to beat the curfew drums during the Lantern Festival. This is meant to look like Lin Yan is trying to usurp authority. They're coming at him from all sides.
