Episode Summary
Xiao Qianqing investigates the "bird" attack, realizing there's a deeper motive. Ling Cangcang loses a team member but forcibly recruits Bai Chifan to impersonate a prince for a heist. The mission fails, Ling Cangcang is badly injured, and Bai Chifan learns her true goal is to save people. The episode ends with a major reveal: Bai Chifan is the Emperor Xiao Huan, and he comes face-to-face with his estranged brother, Xiao Qianqing.
Spoiler Alert
A New Plan, A New Problem
Over with our crew, Bai Chifan looks at the jade Ling Cangcang just acquired. He tells her he recognizes it. Ling Cangcang gets suspicious. He seems to know a little too much. When he says his real name, she finds it kind of funny. Bai Chifan insists he's well-traveled and understands the world of martial artists. Ling Cangcang asks him if he can guess their enemies' motive. He tells her the plan to impersonate Prince Zhang is a bad one. Xiao Qianqing is too smart. He will see through it immediately.
This makes Ling Cangcang even more wary. She tells Zhong Lin to investigate the Bai family from Xiling. Then she just knocks Bai Chifan out cold. Problem solved for now. But then a new problem pops up. Luo Xianxue gets a secret message. He says he has to leave right away. Ling Cangcang doesn't want to let him go. He's pretty firm about it, so she agrees. She senses it's important. This leaves her and Zhong Lin without a key partner. Their whole plan to get the Yanshuang Forged Iron is about to fall apart.
An Unlikely Alliance
Ling Cangcang looks at the unconscious Bai Chifan. An idea starts to form. She first wonders if her father sent him to keep an eye on her. But she quickly drops that idea. She threatened him earlier, and he didn't even flinch. He was completely calm. So, she has her men untie him. She has a new proposal for him. She wants him to join their group. He will pretend to be Prince Zhang so they can get the iron.
In a quick side scene, we see Ling Xuefeng talking to Luo Xianxue. He tells him to get rid of any inappropriate feelings for Ling Cangcang. She is going to be the Empress one day.
The Mission Goes Wrong
Bai Chifan secretly meets with a man named Shi Yan. He's figured something out. He guesses Ling Cangcang has no idea about the connection between the Lingbi Sect and the royal court. That's why she's being so reckless.
Later, Ling Cangcang and Bai Chifan put their plan into action. They go to get the iron, with Bai Chifan disguised as the prince. It doesn't take long for their cover to be blown. They get chased and attacked. Bai Chifan does his best to protect Ling Cangcang. During the chaos, Shi Yan frees a group of mine slaves. This enrages their captor. The man attacks and seriously injures Ling Cangcang.
Bai Chifan gives her his own personal life-saving medicine. He sees the attacker is trying to kill them both to silence them. He drops his own act. He fights back hard and catches the guy off guard. Ling Cangcang, though wounded, manages to land another serious blow. Before they can finish it, someone else appears and kills their attacker. Just then, Xiao Qianqing arrives on the scene. He captures the injured Ling Cangcang. During the confusion, Bai Chifan finally learns why she's doing all this. She's just trying to save people. All his suspicion of her vanishes.
A Royal Reunion
At Xiao Qianqing's place, Ling Cangcang apologizes to him. But the real shock comes from Bai Chifan. Xiao Qianqing recognizes him. Bai Chifan is actually his brother, the Emperor Xiao Huan. He's stunned to see the Emperor of the nation bowing his head and apologizing. He thinks his brother must be a man who can bend when needed. He decides not to reveal the Emperor's true identity.
We get some backstory here. The two brothers have been suspicious of each other for years because of the throne. Xiao Qianqing once asked their dying father for a military map, just as a memento. But his brother, Xiao Huan, thought he was still trying to seize power. That single event created a rift that never healed.
Seeing his brother act so humble is a rare sight. Xiao Qianqing tells them to stay. He wants them to have a meal with him.
