Episode Summary
Xu Qi'an starts his Watchman career by accidentally splashing his new mentor, Li Yuchun. He faces family drama and a disappointing first day locked in with files. Princess Huai An prepares for a poetry gathering, while a monster terrorizes Taikang County. Xu Qi'an joins the investigation and hears a mysterious voice.
Spoiler Alert
Fresh out of the Marrow-Cleansing Pool, Xu Qi'an literally makes a splash, soaking his new mentor, Li Yuchun, the Silver Gong captain. It's not the best first impression, and Xu Qi'an is already worried about how this will affect his standing. Yang Yan introduces them, and Xu Qi'an is left to silently lament his poor start.
Meanwhile, Princess Huai An, often overlooked by her mother, is feeling smug. She's just recommended someone with a "Yi Shang" rating and is ready to brag, only to be utterly deflated when she learns her elder sister, Huai Qing, has recommended a "Jia Shang" candidate – Xu Qi'an. Once again, Huai An's thunder is stolen.
Xu Qi'an, now officially a Watchman, is thrilled. He visits his uncle, Xu Pingzhi, to share the good news. He finds his cousin, Xu Xinnian, lounging outside and gifts him a present. Inside, Xu Qi'an's uncle and aunt are trying, unsuccessfully, to sell a poorly located part of their house. Xu Qi'an, upon discovering his uncle's eagerness to sell his old place, confronts him. However, their close bond allows them to quickly move past it. Xu Pingzhi, impressed by his nephew's new position, asks for help getting a recommendation. Xu Qi'an shares his exam questions, but it's clear his uncle doesn't have what it takes to be a Watchman.
Princess Huai An, determined to attend the Empress's poetry gathering, gets some unsolicited advice from the Crown Prince. He brings her pastries and tries to dissuade her, worried she'll embarrass herself. But Huai An is stubborn and, to focus on her poetry, even moves out of the royal mansion.
Xu Qi'an's first day as a Watchman is a far cry from the glorious image he had in mind. He meticulously grooms himself, only to be locked inside to review old case files – a situation eerily similar to when he was previously sidelined by Zhou Li. As the day ends, he's sent home, but the work follows him. His fellow Watchmen, under orders from Li Yuchun, deliver stacks of files to his house.
Princess Huai An, preparing for the poetry gathering, sends her maid to find talented poets. They stumble upon a surprisingly popular poem at a brothel – a poem Xu Qi'an originally wrote to impress the courtesan, Fuxiang.
In Taikang County, a monster is attacking and eating people. The Watchmen are dispatched, and Li Yuchun pulls Xu Qi'an from his file-reviewing duty to join the investigation. Caiwei, a sorcerer sent by the Emperor to assist, is an old acquaintance of Xu Qi'an's, and she invites him to share her carriage.
Arriving at the desolate scene, Xu Qi'an and the Watchmen find a deep, seemingly bottomless kiln. As Xu Qi'an ventures forward with a torch, he hears a mysterious voice only he can perceive, questioning his location. The episode ends on this cliffhanger, leaving the audience to wonder about the source and nature of this voice.
