Episode Summary
Ye Ping’an survives a deadly prison scheme orchestrated by Hai Yiping, manipulating torturer Li Jun and traitor Cheng Hui to expose corruption clues. As Yuan Shaocheng rises to power through calculated neutrality, Ye’s prearranged imperial pardon saves her, revealing their shared ruthless pragmatism amid political games.
Spoiler Alert
Ye Ping’an’s imprisonment takes a sinister turn when she’s snatched not by the Dali Temple but by the sadistic interrogator Li Jun. Lu Danxin suspects Yuan Shaocheng orchestrated this revenge after Ye’s earlier scheme led to Yuan’s brutal torture by Du Liang. However, the truth proves more complex: Hai Yiping, Yuan’s shadowy mentor, secretly tipped off Li Jun to capture Ye. Hai had previously warned Yuan about "choosing allies wisely," leaving Yuan torn over whether to save Ye. Unbeknownst to Yuan, his subordinate Cheng Hui has been bribed by Hai to poison Ye in prison. Hai, monitored by a masked superior, views Ye as a threat for her relentless pursuit of the Censorate corruption case.
In the torture chamber, Ye weaponizes her understanding of Li Jun’s psychology. Knowing the lowborn torturer relishes humiliating aristocrats, she baits him with a twisted proposal for "entertainment" involving live fish—a coded message Lu Danxin deciphers as a clue to infiltrate the black market disguised as a fishmonger. Meanwhile, Cheng Hui’s botched assassination attempt backfires spectacularly when Ye manipulates him into chasing phantom evidence at the black market. Ever the strategist, Ye then redirects Li Jun’s bloodlust toward corrupt nobles by fabricating a secret ledger. As Hai orders Cheng Hui’s execution to tie loose ends, Li Jun arrives too late—the "ledger" case proves empty.
A last-minute imperial pardon orchestrated by Ye’s foresight (and a prearranged deal with the Emperor) saves her via Wu Xian’er’s timely intervention. Political chess pieces shift as Yuan ascends to Dali Temple Chief Minister for recovering military funds—revealed to be part of a three-month undercover operation sanctioned by the Emperor to expose Du Liang’s financial crimes. Though Yuan’s calculated neutrality in Ye’s crisis strains their relationship, she acknowledges his ruthless pragmatism mirrors her own. Their charged dynamic intensifies when Ye playfully bites Yuan during a wound-dressing session—a petty revenge he tolerates, recognizing her awareness of his ambition to climb toward Chancellorship.
