Episode Summary
Hai Yiping and Lu Danxin push to reopen the Censor Case at Dali Temple, but lack of evidence stalls progress. Ye Ping’an, stripped of her rank, faces public scorn while secretly plotting against Hai’s lethal scheme to frame her for a royal assassination. Yuan Shaocheng aids Ye, who orchestrates a counterattack by exposing her true identity and manipulating allies. Amid Mid-Autumn Festival chaos, political loyalties fracture as Hai’s conspiracy collides with Ye’s calculated rebellion.
Spoiler Alert
Hai Yiping brings Lu Danxin to Dali Temple to report the case, where Ye Ping’an is also summoned. Ye confesses she was manipulated by the late Du Liang years ago, using hypnotic techniques to lure three women to an abandoned estate. With key suspects Yu Qian, Zheng Yuan, and Du Liang all dead—and only Lu Danxin’s testimony as evidence—Dali Temple’s chief official Guo Yu declares the case cannot proceed without physical proof. After receiving cryptic gifts of heavy tea and fallen leaves from the Emperor, Guo announces the court will reopen the Censor Case only if new evidence surfaces. Meanwhile, Ye is stripped of her official rank for hiding her involvement in Zheng Yuan’s crimes and reduced to a commoner.
Yuan Shaocheng volunteers to lead the Censor Case investigation despite Guo’s warnings. At Hai’s estate, Lu Danxin invites Yuan for dinner, bonding over savory hubing (flatbread). Meanwhile, a despondent Ye wanders the streets unrecognized in a veil, overhearing citizens praise Hai as a hero while condemning her. When protesters vandalize her clinic, she walks away silently—until Wu Ankang arrives, taking her to the countryside. He urges her to stay resilient “like weeds that flourish despite harsh winds,” hinting at brewing defiance.
Hai reveals his ruthless agenda to Yuan: To protect corrupt officials like Gong Shao and Xu Qing, he needs the Censor Case to distract public outrage. Without evidence, he manipulates Lu Danxin into framing Ye. The plan? Lure Ye to a tower after kidnapping Li Zongxu (a royal relative), stage his murder as her doing, and have Yuan execute her publicly during the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations. Unbeknownst to Hai, Yuan secretly warns Ye—who already knew through Lu’s coded message—and she prepares her own countermove.
In a poignant interlude, Ye visits Cai Yun’s home posing as the deceased Cai Lian to comfort her ailing father Chang Qing. Yuan joins their bittersweet “family dinner,” where Ye tearfully savors fleeting domestic warmth. Later, Chang Qing privately admits to Yuan he recognized the deception but played along, believing Ye’s kindness deserves compassion. As night falls, Yuan dispatches ally Gu Wenyu to infiltrate Hai’s estate and copy his secret list of political allies—a dangerous move against the powerful Mei faction.
The trap springs into motion: Lu kidnaps Li Zongxu while Hai spreads rumors of Ye’s “crime,” ordering Yuan to kill her post-assassination. But Ye’s masterstroke unfolds—she’d already leaked her true identity to Hai through an old ally, manipulated Lu into gaining Hai’s trust via “Uncle Gu,” and safeguarded Gu Erniang’s mother. As the Emperor storms toward the tower in fury, abandoning the festival, it becomes clear: Hai’s chessboard has a second player. Ye’s quiet rebellion—woven through false identities, strategic sacrifices, and hidden alliances—positions her not as prey, but as the hunter.
