Episode Summary
Gu Chusheng tries to force Chu Yu out of the Wei family by attacking her father in court. Wei Yun, lost in grief, tries to give her a divorce paper. Chu Yu rejects it, then uses the situation to her advantage. She causes a huge scene at Duke Ning's house, then tracks Wei Yun to a secret meeting about the stolen military crossbow plans, where she reveals herself to him.
Spoiler Alert
Gu Chusheng's Political Maneuvering
The episode kicks off right after Gu Chusheng got his hand burned. Wang Linlang is all over him, fussing about the injury. Her father, Duke Ning, shows up looking for answers. Gu Chusheng gives a smooth explanation. He says he was just trying to figure out the Emperor's true intentions. Duke Ning seems to buy it. He even dangles a promotion in front of Gu Chusheng.
The head of the Dali Temple, Cao Yan, is in prison. That job is now open. Duke Ning says he can put in a good word with the Emperor. He thinks Gu Chusheng could use the experience. It’s like getting a slap and then a piece of candy. Gu Chusheng immediately thanks him.
But I'm not fooled, and neither is Gu Chusheng. He knows Duke Ning sees the Wei family as a major threat. He believes Chu Yu is in danger as long as she stays at the Wei residence. He secretly decides he has to get her out of there.
Wei Yun's Grief and Isolation
Things are not going well for Wei Yun. His physical wounds have healed. But now the grief is hitting him hard. He spends his days training with his sword, non-stop. When he was in prison, he was too focused on survival to process anything. Now, all he has are memories of his family.
The Wei residence is empty and quiet. He has no father or brothers to protect him anymore. He’s completely alone. Jiang Chun, one of his sisters-in-law, gets worried. He’s locked himself in his room and won't come out. She asks Chu Yu for help.
The Divorce Papers
Chu Yu has a plan. She has Jiang Chun's two kids knock on Wei Yun's door. When he opens it for them, Chu Yu and the other women push their way in. It turns out Wei Yun has been busy. He wrote divorce papers for every single one of his sisters-in-law. That includes Chu Yu. He says his brothers came to him in a dream and told him to.
Jiang Chun points out that the Emperor is already preparing to name Wei Yun as the new Duke. She suggests they all stay for the succession ceremony. They can leave after that.
Chu Yu, however, is not having any of it. She practically scoffs at the divorce paper. She's never been one to follow the rules. She reminds Wei Yun that their deal is still on. She got him out of prison. She can just as easily put him back in. Wei Yun still doesn't trust her at all. He thinks she's plotting something. He tells his personal guard, Wei Qiu, to follow her and report back on everything she does.
Chu Yu Fights Back
Gu Chusheng makes his move. He formally accuses Chu Yu's father, Chu Linyang, in court. The charge is that he was too close to the Wei family. Gu Chusheng demands that he be stripped of his official post.
Chu Yu's sister, Chu Jin, comes screaming to the Wei residence to deliver the news. Chu Yu is confused about how she found out. It turns out Gu Chusheng met with Chu Jin. He tricked her into admitting that Chu Yu and Wei Jun barely knew each other. Their "deep love" was a lie. Gu Chusheng used that fact to attack her father. It was all a scheme to force Chu Yu to leave the Wei family.
So, Chu Yu finally takes the divorce paper from Wei Yun. But she doesn't go home. She marches straight to Duke Ning's house. In front of the Duke and his daughter, she deliberately twists Gu Chusheng's motives. She makes it sound like he attacked her father for personal reasons. This makes Duke Ning and Wang Linlang furious.
When Gu Chusheng arrives, Chu Yu puts on a big show. She acts like she's still desperately in love with him. She dramatically asks when he's going to divorce his wife for her. After causing total chaos, she calmly leaves.
A Secret Meeting and a Familiar Face
On her way out, Chu Yu immediately spots her tail. It's Wei Qiu. She knows Wei Yun sent him. She easily tricks the guard into talking. He reveals that Wei Yun has a meeting today. He's meeting with a man named Lu Qiba. This is the guy who designed the secret eight-sided crossbow.
The meeting is at the Yixiang Pavilion. Lu Qiba tells Wei Yun that the enemy, the Bei Qi, supposedly got the crossbow blueprints. Lu Qiba insists this is impossible. Only a few top generals even knew the weapon existed. But Wei Yun shows him a part of the mechanism. Lu Qiba confirms he designed it and takes it back to study.
The meeting spot is basically a high-end brothel. Wei Yun is surrounded by courtesans and is incredibly uncomfortable. He won't even look up. Suddenly, a woman steps in to help him out of the awkward situation. Wei Yun looks up and sees a familiar face. It's Chu Yu. She's wearing a veil, but he recognizes her instantly.
