Episode Summary
Xu Qi'an's investigation leads him to suspect the Duke of Zhenbei, earning him the Grand Princess's favor. He learns about Bodhi beads' aura-blocking abilities and Princess Pingyang's disappearance. After reconciling with Lin'an, he discovers Pingyang's past relationship with Heng Hui. A rogue spirit dragon attacks, and while Xu Qi'an is praised for protecting Lin'an, the Emperor maintains the fifteen-day deadline for his investigation.
Spoiler Alert
In this episode, Xu Qi'an reports his findings to the Grand Princess. After reviewing all the clues, the Grand Princess suspects the Duke of Zhenbei, immediately scolding Xu Qi'an for his audacity. Xu Qi'an is shocked, as he was previously unaware of the Duke of Zhenbei's existence. Impressed by Xu Qi'an's sharp mind, the Grand Princess asks if he's willing to pledge his loyalty to her.
Xu Qi'an hesitates, mentioning his close relationship with Lin'an, and worries that serving the Grand Princess might cause trouble. The Grand Princess dismisses his concerns, and Xu Qi'an, having no further objections, accepts a token from her. She then takes him to the Imperial Library, where they consult various texts and discover that Bodhi beads have the power to block aura-reading techniques. Xu Qi'an suddenly remembers throwing a pot for a person in the past, just to get this string of Bodhi beads. He recalled that the person in the sedan was a lady, and since it was a woman, he couldn't figure out the connection to the Duke of Zhenbei. The Grand Princess also reveals that Princess Pingyang fled the capital to avoid an arranged marriage and has been missing ever since. Even the Si Tian Jian's aura-reading methods failed to locate her, suggesting a connection to the beads.
Following the Grand Princess's advice, and knowing Lin'an and Princess Pingyang were close, Xu Qi'an realizes he needs to seek information from Lin'an. After a previous awkward encounter, Xu Qi'an faces a cold reception. To prove his sincerity, he stands under the scorching sun for a long time, but Lin'an refuses to open the door. About to collapse from the heat, Xu Qi'an fakes a heatstroke and falls to the ground.
Hearing of Xu Qi'an's "collapse," Lin'an immediately orders him brought inside, gives him a cooling soup, and fans him. Xu Qi'an, upon "waking," uses his smooth-talking skills to win her over, and they reconcile. He expresses his loyalty and then inquires about Princess Pingyang's disappearance.
Lin'an, who was indeed closest to Princess Pingyang in the palace, takes Xu Qi'an to the Imperial Garden and shares what she knows. The two sisters were very close, and Lin'an reveals that Princess Pingyang had a strong bond with a man named Heng Hui from the Azure Dragon Hall. They were childhood sweethearts and deeply in love. Heng Hui's words delighted Princess Pingyang. Shortly after, the Emperor arranged a marriage for Princess Pingyang. Unwilling to comply, she secretly met with Lin'an and then fled.
After Pingyang's disappearance, her father died of illness due to political enemies, and her mother was constantly in tears. Whenever she saw Xu Qi'an, she would ask about Pingyang's well-being. Although Lin'an had no news of Pingyang, she always reassured her aunt that Pingyang was living well.
Now, asked about Pingyang again, Lin'an is very worried about her sister's condition. Xu Qi'an reassures her, saying that Pingyang took an artifact with her that could shield her aura.
In the palace's rear garden pond lives a young dragon, a spirit pet of the princes. Usually gentle, it would carry the princes on its back in flight. But lately, it has been hiding in the pond. One day, the little dragon emerges from the water, seemingly agitated, swimming restlessly and spitting water. Hearing of the spirit pet's change, the Emperor visits the pond, accompanied by Wei Yuan. Wei Yuan, learning that Xu Qi'an had recently passed by the pond, breaks into a cold sweat.
The spirit pet feigns submission to the Emperor, carrying him into the sky, then throws him off mid-air. Fortunately, the guards rescue the Emperor. The dragon soars into the sky, searching for a specific scent, and finally finds Xu Qi'an. As Xu Qi'an and Lin'an walk in the rear garden, the spirit pet dives towards them. Xu Qi'an shields Lin'an. The Emperor and guards arrive quickly, and the dragon is subdued. Lin'an immediately praises Xu Qi'an's bravery to the Emperor, hoping he will pardon Xu Qi'an's death sentence. However, the Emperor, while rewarding Xu Qi'an, doesn't change his previous decision, granting Xu Qi'an only fifteen days to solve the case.
