Episode Summary
Ni Chang uncovers Li Ge’s mysterious branded mark tied to powerful forces, while Ye Ping’an orchestrates a protest to expose Li Zongxu’s corruption. Gu Wenyu pledges loyalty to Cai Lian despite her rejection, and Wu Xian’er grapples with maternal betrayal. Meanwhile, Li Zongxu’s hidden cruelty surfaces as Li Ge reveals him as her tormentor.
Spoiler Alert
Ni Chang is stunned to discover Li Ge bears the same seven-petaled night-blooming flower brand on her arm as Cai Lian—a mark tied to a dark secret. Though Li Ge was recently sold to Wan Guo Xiang by her family, her past remains shrouded. Ye Ping’an, ever perceptive, confronts Li Ge about the brand’s origins, but Li Ge refuses to name the powerful figure responsible, claiming only that they’re "highly influential."
Meanwhile, Wu Youjing urges his daughter Wu Xian’er to visit her estranged mother, a Daoist nun who abandoned their family years ago. Wu Xian’er masks her pain with defiance but privately grieves the childhood wound. Across the city, Gu Wenyu’s persistence pays off when Cai Lian finally meets him at Qinglong Bridge—only to reject him, fearing fallout from the Yushi corruption case. Gu lays bare his own tragic past, vowing to stand by her regardless of her choices. His raw devotion leaves Cai Lian speechless.
Ye Ping’an’s crusade for justice leads her to Cai Yun, a struggling textile workshop owner being crushed by the monopolistic Jiuhe Cloth Mill. Behind Jiuhe looms Li Zongxu, the imperial clan’s "philanthropist" darling. Ye devises a risky plan: At Li’s highly publicized charity banquet, Cai Yun stages a dramatic protest, bloodied and accusing Jiuhe of abuse. Trapped by his saintly reputation, Li Zongxu begrudgingly compensates the workers—with Ye smirking in the shadows.
Elsewhere, Bai Sheng reveals her pregnancy to conflicted lover Yuan Hesheng, who refuses to abandon his brother Yuan Shaocheng. The Yuan heir faces public fury after scrapping the Longmen competition, a controversial path for low-status citizens to gain nobility. When Wu Ankang challenges Yuan Shaocheng to a duel, their clash reveals mutual honor—but can’t quell the mob’s rage.
As Li Zongxu basks in hollow charity, Ye uncovers his vilest secret: the nobleman’s brand on Li Ge’s arm. The revelation rocks her—and hints at a deeper rot in the imperial family. Meanwhile, Wu Ankang’s quiet investigation into the Jin Yuan War hits a snag, though he senses Ye’s growing role as a thorn in corruption’s side.
key Spoiler: Li Zongxu’s virtuous facade crumbles further when Ye treats a deranged old man connected to Cai Yun—and Li Ge finally confesses her tormentor’s identity. As loyalties shift, the seven-petaled brand emerges as a key to unraveling the capital’s darkest webs... and Ye’s next move could ignite a war between the people and the palace.
