Episode Summary
Xu Qi'an and his team investigate a Mei Beast disturbance, discovering a saltpeter operation. They defeat the beast, but it initially feigns death. Xu Qi'an shares medicine with his team. He discovers a talking jade mirror. Li Yuchun reports Xu Qi'an's concern for the villagers' livelihood, which impresses Wei Yuan. Xu Qi'an is punished but later enjoys a night out at the Jiaofang Division, where he is recognized and recites poetry. He mistakenly dedicates a poem to the wrong princess, angering the Second Princess's servant. The Second Princess confronts Xu Qi'an after he rejects her advances, thinking she is the Grand Princess.
Spoiler Alert
This episode kicks off with Xu Qi'an and Chu Caiwei discovering a stash of saltpeter – the key ingredient for making explosives – in an underground kiln. Things get hairy when they encounter a powerful demon beast, identified by Caiwei as a "Mei Beast." This thing is seriously nasty, all scales and bad attitude. Luckily, our crew is made up of Silver Gong-level experts, the best of the best. They work together, using a coordinated attack to bring the beast down with what they think is a fatal blow. But surprise! The Mei Beast is playing possum, and it takes off while their backs are turned.
Worried that the beast is going to rally reinforcements, Xu Qi'an and his team rush after it. But they don't have to go far – the Mei Beast suddenly drops dead. First mission, first victory! The team is understandably thrilled. Caiwei, noticing Xu Qi'an's injuries, gives him a special healing pill she made herself. Being a stand-up guy, Xu Qi'an shares the medicine with his injured comrades.
Back at headquarters, Xu Qi'an finally figures out the source of that mysterious voice he heard in the kiln. It's coming from a small jade mirror he carries. He has no clue what this thing is, so he hands it over to Caiwei for safekeeping. The team brings the dead Mei Beast back to their boss, Wei Yuan, who asks for Yang Yan and Li Yuchun's take on the situation. Li Yuchun gives his report, but he also mentions something Xu Qi'an specifically pointed out: the Mei Clan has been causing chaos, taking over the local kilns, and generally making life miserable for the villagers.
Xu Qi'an had also emphasized that shutting down the village altogether would be a disaster for the locals, cutting off their income. He even suggested that Li Yuchun put in a good word with Wei Yuan, hoping to get the Emperor to ease up on the taxes. Now, Li Yuchun usually has it in for Xu Qi'an, and he calls Xu Qi'an's suggestion "showboating." But Wei Yuan sees it differently. He thinks Xu Qi'an is thinking big picture and actually cares about the people. He even tells Li Yuchun to drop the grudge.
Despite Wei Yuan's approval, Li Yuchun punishes Xu Qi'an for speaking out of turn, making him and the other Silver Gongs clean the latrines. Xu Qi'an, seeing his buddies suffering alongside him, decides to treat them to a night out. When he hears they want to go to the Jiaofang Division (a kind of entertainment house with music and courtesans), he offers to foot the bill.
Now, ever since Xu Qi'an dropped some poetry at the Jiaofang Division, everyone there has been obsessed with a guy named "Yang Ling" – but most people don't know what he looks like. Fuxiang, a top courtesan, has a servant who recognizes Xu Qi'an and immediately tells her mistress. Fuxiang, who's been turning down customers for days, makes a grand entrance, all dolled up, and walks straight to Xu Qi'an. When she calls him by name, the crowd goes wild, buzzing with admiration.
Xu Qi'an, who's used to feeling like an underdog, is loving the attention. He gets up on stage and improvises some poetry. He notices a woman in the back who seems to be staring at him. He's heard that the Grand Princess recommended him to the Watchmen, so he assumes it's her servant. To show his gratitude, he recites a poem called "Ode to the Lotus Flower," thinking he's buttering up the right person.
Turns out, he's got the wrong princess. The woman is actually a servant of the Second Princess, Huai'an. When the servant hears Xu Qi'an dedicating his poem to Princess Huaiqing (the Grand Princess), she's furious and storms off. Xu Qi'an is left scratching his head, wondering what he did wrong.
Later, Princess Huai'an summons Xu Qi'an. He doesn't know it's the Second Princess behind the screen, and he's still desperate to meet the Grand Princess. He plays it cool, even turning down gold offered by Huai'an. This infuriates her, and she steps out from behind the screen to confront him directly.
