Episode Summary
In this episode, Xiao Qianqing and Zhong Lin travel to the plagued city of Xuzhou, where they uncover a conspiracy. Zhong Lin receives an order from her sect to assassinate Qianqing, leading to a deep internal conflict. After they fall into a well while escaping a riot, her resolve wavers. In a final confrontation, Qianqing preemptively wounds Zhong Lin to save himself but ultimately lets her go free due to his feelings for her.
Spoiler Alert
Goodbyes and New Beginnings
A Softening Gaze
The episode kicks off with some farewells. Xiao Huan and Ling Cangcang are parting ways with Kumor and Kuminjia. It’s a pretty standard goodbye scene. But Kumor, who has sharp eyes, points something out. He tells Xiao Huan that the way Ling Cangcang looks at him has changed. He thinks their relationship is finally starting to mend. Xiao Huan glances over at her. He then promises Kuminjia a big wedding gift for her future marriage. After that, the two groups go their separate ways. Kuminjia admits she’ll miss her new friends. Her brother teases her about it, and she gets a little annoyed.
A Mission to a Plagued City
Qianqing Steps Up
Now we cut to Xiao Qianqing. He gets an antidote from his sister, Xiao Ying, for some kind of poison or plague. He then rushes off to find Zhong Lin. He finds her tending to some plants. Qianqing tells her he’s going to escort her on her supply mission. He says the journey will be extremely dangerous. Zhong Lin insists she can handle it herself. But Qianqing drops a bomb. He tells her that her enemies know she is a woman. This makes the mission ten times more perilous. She needs his protection.
The Horrors of Xuzhou
While this is happening, Xiao Huan is waiting in Xuzhou for news about an Imperial Physician Li. He’s just sitting tight for now.
Xiao Qianqing and Zhong Lin finally arrive in Xuzhou. The place is a complete disaster. It's been ravaged by disease. The streets are filled with corpses. It’s a grim sight. The local officials are all waiting for the imperial envoy. Qianqing doesn't want to reveal his identity, so he lets Zhong Lin take the lead. An official named Li Youlin explains the situation. He says the Xuzhou governor has already killed himself out of guilt. Li Youlin has taken temporary control. Qianqing immediately suspects something is wrong. The man he came to investigate is conveniently dead. He figures someone must have leaked the news of his investigation.
An Order to Kill
Zhong Lin's Terrible Choice
Qianqing gives the antidote to the officials. He tells them to spread it on the soil. Just then, Zhong Lin receives a secret order from her sect. The order is simple and brutal. She must kill Xiao Qianqing. That night, she struggles with the command. Qianqing is asleep and keeps muttering her name. She has a choice between her mission and Qianqing's life. She doesn't know what to do. Overwhelmed, she just leaves the room. The next day, Qianqing notices she’s acting her usual cheerful self. But he can tell it’s a front. He knows she is hiding a serious secret from him.
The Locust God
Things get even weirder. Qianqing discovers that the starving peasants aren't eating the grain they were given. Instead, they are using it as an offering to a "Locust Grandfather." They are worshipping some kind of pest deity. Zhong Lin tries to make the peasants take the grain and leave. This just makes the crowd angry. It’s obvious someone has manipulated them into this behavior. A riot starts. Qianqing sees Zhong Lin is in danger and jumps in to protect her. While trying to escape the mob, they both fall into a deep, dry well.
Trapped and Exposed
A Moment of Truth in the Well
Zhong Lin wakes up first. She sees Qianqing unconscious beside her. She remembers her mission. If she kills him now, she will finally be free. It’s the perfect opportunity. But she just can't do it. She hesitates too long. Qianqing wakes up and tells her to shout for help. She immediately regrets not killing him when she had the chance. He then tells her he is genuinely trying to help her. His sincerity makes her feel even worse. She knows she has to kill him, but she really doesn't want to.
The Final Confrontation
As Zhong Lin tries to leave the well, she's threatened by members of her own sect. They are watching. She has to kill Qianqing. She decides to stall for time. She comes up with a plan. Qianqing will pretend to be a god and convince the peasants to use the antidote.
The plan actually works for a little while. But then someone in the crowd exposes Qianqing's disguise. The instigators who were controlling the peasants try to start another riot. With his cover blown, Qianqing orders his men to arrest the troublemakers. A big fight breaks out. During the chaos, Zhong Lin sees a Lingbi Sect member give her the signal. It's time to kill Qianqing. But Qianqing is a step ahead. He stabs her first, wounding her.
After his men control the situation, he asks Zhong Lin about her true identity. She refuses to answer. Qianqing knows she hesitated to kill him. He realizes he has feelings for her and doesn't want to hurt her further. So, he secretly lets her go and tells her to leave.
