Episode Summary
Wei Yun sets a trap for assassins while Chu Yu is ambushed in a separate plot by the traitor Yao Yong. After friends in the capital neutralize Yao Yong's backup forces, Chu Yu rescues Wei Yun from a losing battle. Cornered by spies, they are forced to jump from a cliff into a river. Wei Yun is badly injured but survives the fall, while an assassination attempt on Li Changming makes him trust the once-suspicious Xue Hanmei.
Spoiler Alert
Wei Yun's One-Man Army
Setting the Trap
The episode kicks off with Wei Yun. He's waiting for assassins in a rundown courtyard. But he isn't just waiting. He’s set up some simple traps. The first two assassins walk right into them and are taken out immediately. More killers pour in after them. Wei Yun handles them without breaking a sweat. It's almost too easy for him.
Inside the room, Gu Chusheng is alone. But Wei Yun made two dummies. He propped them up to fool the enemy into thinking there were more people to deal with. It's a smart, simple trick.
A Calculated Risk
Wei Yun knows the leader of the assassins is sharp. So he does something clever. He intentionally lets one of the attackers escape. The goal is to have that guy run back to his boss. Wei Yun hopes the survivor will exaggerate how tough the fight was. He wants to play some mind games.
The Fight on Two Fronts
Chu Yu Walks Into an Ambush
Things aren't going so well for Chu Yu. She and the Song brothers are in Dingfeng Valley. They're dealing with a wave of refugees. Then Yao Yong's soldiers show up behind them. This whole situation was a setup. Yao Yong used Yao Jue to lure them into the valley. His plan was to wipe them all out in one go.
Backup Arrives in the Capital
Yao Yong had another plan in motion, though. A second wave of his men streams out of the Yao family home in Huajing. They are ready to cause chaos in the city. But they don't get far. Zhang Han, Jiang Chun, and Xie Jiu are there to intercept them. The Duke of Hu also shows up with his own soldiers. They completely shut down Yao Yong's backup plan. This is a huge relief for Wei Yun and Chu Yu. They won't have to worry about trouble back home.
The Courtyard Showdown
The Evidence and a Promise
Back in the courtyard, Gu Chusheng has something important. It's a bamboo tube. Inside is the proof that Yao Yong is a traitor working with the Bei Qi state. He tries to give the tube to Wei Yun.
Wei Yun refuses to take it. He tells Gu Chusheng that this isn't the time for goodbyes. Gu Chusheng is confused. Wei Yun could just take the evidence and leave him to die. Wei Yun explains his reasons. First, he made a promise to Chu Yu to keep Gu Chusheng safe. Second, he actually thinks Gu Chusheng is a good official. He says the Da Sui empire needs men like him.
Chu Yu to the Rescue
The assassins outside finally figure it out. They shoot a volley of arrows into the room and realize they've been hitting dummies. They storm the building, no longer cautious. Wei Yun stands his ground. He fights off a dozen men at once. He is determined not to let anyone get past him.
The fight is brutal. Blood splatters everywhere. The assassins just keep coming in waves. Just when it looks like he might get overwhelmed, Chu Yu arrives. She finished her business in Dingfeng Valley and even captured Yao Yong. Her timing is perfect. Before one of the assassins dies, he sets off a signal flare. That means more enemies are nearby. Chu Yu, Wei Yun, and the Song brothers decide to fight their way out.
A Leap of Faith
Cornered at the Cliff
Their escape is cut short. A Bei Qi spy named Shen You and his men block their path. Chu Yu thinks fast. She bluffs, acting like she already took the bamboo tube from Gu Chusheng. The lie works. Shen You focuses all his attention on her and Wei Yun.
He chases them to the edge of a cliff. It looks like a dead end. Chu Yu whispers to Wei Yun. She tells him there's a fast-moving river at the bottom. It might be their only path to survival. Wei Yun trusts her completely. They hold hands and jump together. Shen You isn't taking any chances. He orders his men down the cliff to find their bodies.
An Unlikely Alliance
While all this is happening, Li Changming has to attend the morning court session. Yao Yong's treason is a massive scandal. Xue Hanmei worries that more rebels are hiding in the capital. He asks Li Changming for permission to escort him.
They get ambushed on the way. Assassins attack from both sides. Xue Hanmei jumps in front of Li Changming and takes a sword for him. The wound is dangerously close to his heart. Li Changming had been suspicious of Xue Hanmei. He remembered the Bei Qi items found back in Qinxigu Valley. But now, Xue Hanmei has saved his life. Li Changming knows he can't doubt him anymore.
The Aftermath
A Hero's Fall
The Song brothers successfully get Gu Chusheng back to Huajing. At the city gates, they find Chu Linyang. They tell him what happened to Chu Yu and Wei Yun. Chu Linyang immediately gathers a search party.
Down by the river, Chu Yu and Wei Yun are alive. They survived the fall. But Wei Yun is severely injured. Chu Yu is terrified he's going to die. She cries and begs him to wake up. He hears her voice. With all his strength, he manages to lift his hand.
