Episode Summary
- Trust and Deception: The episode heavily emphasizes the themes of trust and deception. Rong Shu Kuang doesn't fully trust Yu Chi Manor and relies on Yan Shao, an outsider. Shen Zui Tian's pursuit of the treasure and his willingness to use underhanded tactics further highlight the deceptive nature of many characters.
- Hidden Identities and Past Connections: Rong Shu Kuang learns about her true heritage as a member of the Fang family, the guardians of the Fuxian treasure. This revelation connects her to a larger conflict and raises questions about her past. The Old Manor Lord's history with Rong Shu Kuang's mother and the other disciples adds another layer of interconnectedness.
- Strategic Alliances: Alliances shift throughout the episode. Yan Shao's loyalty to Rong Shu Kuang is solidified, while Lin Shao Ci's initial distrust of Yan Shao begins to fade. The capture of Shen Zui Tian's dog and the attack on the checkpoint demonstrate the strategic maneuvering of the characters.
Spoiler Alert
The arrival of Lin Shao Ci at the Wu Qing House causes quite a stir. Tang Ying Luo quickly reminds Lin Shao Ci that Rong Shu Kuang is unharmed, hoping to ease his concerns. Lin Shao Ci rushes to find Rong Shu Kuang, but is interrupted by the mocking laughter of Shen Zui Tian. Shen Zui Tian taunts that even someone like Yu Ling Long is willing to be at Lin Shao Ci's beck and call, proving Lin Shao Ci's manipulative skills.
Nearby, Rong Shu Kuang wonders aloud who would win in a fight between Lin Shao Ci and Shen Zui Tian. Yan Shao believes Lin Shao Ci's martial arts skills are inferior to Rong Shu Kuang's, and since Rong Shu Kuang was injured, Lin Shao Ci wouldn't stand a chance. Lin Shao Ci retorts, accusing Shen Zui Tian of cowardice for kidnapping a girl while they were away. However, Shen Zui Tian demands the key to the treasure, claiming it shouldn't be solely possessed by Yu Chi Manor. Lin Shao Ci denies any knowledge of a key, but Shen Zui Tian is unconvinced, threatening to raid Yu Chi Manor.
Rong Shu Kuang pulls Yan Shao into a room, accidentally stumbling into a men's bathhouse. The men are about to react angrily, but Yan Shao throws out a token representing her status, causing them to immediately retreat. This leaves Rong Shu Kuang puzzled. Rong Shu Kuang explains her intention: she wants Yan Shao to accompany her to Yu Chi Manor for protection. For some reason, she feels Yu Chi Manor isn't entirely safe, but she trusts Yan Shao, despite not knowing her background. Yan Shao eventually agrees.
In the main hall, Lin Shao Ci continues to deny having the key, but no one believes him. He's warned that if he doesn't tell the truth, Yu Chi Manor will never know peace. Enraged, Lin Shao Ci grabs the speaker by the throat. Jin Bu Yao steps in, reminding Lin Shao Ci that only drinking contests are allowed there, not fighting.
Lin Shao Ci visits Yan Shao and Rong Shu Kuang, noticing that Rong Shu Kuang has lost weight. He requests a private conversation with Rong Shu Kuang, but she insists on having Yan Shao present as her personal bodyguard. Lin Shao Ci reluctantly agrees. Knowing Shen Zui Tian's men surround them, Yan Shao and the others plan their escape.
Shen Zui Tian, having paid Jin Bu Yao for information, learns of Yan Shao and Lin Shao Ci's escape plan. Jin Bu Yao, ever the opportunist, states that he'd sell information about Shen Zui Tian to anyone willing to pay.
Shen Zui Tian lies in wait outside Wu Qing House. When Lin Shao Ci and the others emerge, he intercepts them. Yu Ling Long covers for Tang Ying Luo, who is disguised as Rong Shu Kuang, to escape. Shen Zui Tian quickly intervenes. During the fight, both Yu Ling Long and Lin Shao Ci are injured. Shen Zui Tian realizes Tang Ying Luo is a fake and yells for Rong Shu Kuang to come out. Meanwhile, Rong Shu Kuang and Yan Shao have captured Shen Zui Tian's dog, A Lie, forcing Shen Zui Tian to release Lin Shao Ci and the others. Shen Zui Tian then receives news that a desert checkpoint has been seized by a man and a woman. He leaves with his men to deal with the situation.
Yan Shao's group escapes. Lin Shao Ci worries that Shen Zui Tian will pursue them, but Yan Shao is confident he won't, and she releases A Lie. It turns out that Yan Shao arranged the checkpoint takeover. Everyone else believes Shen Zui Tian let them go because of his dog, but only Yan Shao knows he wouldn't be swayed by a mere animal.
The group arrives at Yu Chi Manor. Lin Shao Ci tells the Old Manor Lord that Yan Shao took great care of Rong Shu Kuang along the way. He explains that Rong Shu Kuang suffers from a cold poison and that Yan Shao provided constant care. Tang Ying Luo knows that Rong Shu Kuang's internal cold poison is severe and requires someone to use their internal energy to heal her. Lin Shao Ci volunteers, but Tang Ying Luo believes Yan Shao is more suitable. Although Lin Shao Ci is uneasy about Yan Shao, he has no choice but to agree. Seeing Yan Shao treating Rong Shu Kuang without issue, he apologizes for his doubts. Yan Shao dismisses it, stating she's Rong Shu Kuang's personal bodyguard, not Yu Chi Manor's.
After hearing about their journey, the Old Manor Lord thanks Yan Shao, but subtly suggests she should leave. Rong Shu Kuang, understanding the implication, quickly speaks up, requesting Yan Shao to stay as her bodyguard. Claiming she fears spies within the manor after her kidnapping, she argues that an outsider is needed. The Old Manor Lord reluctantly agrees.
A maidservant reports that the Second Miss, Lin Wan Ci, has fainted. The Old Manor Lord rushes to her, but quickly sees through her charade. He explains he's been busy and hasn't been able to visit her daily, so she faked illness to get his attention. Lin Wan Ci, her trick exposed, clings to her father's arm, complaining about his neglect. Rong Shu Kuang smiles at the scene. Lin Wan Ci, seeing Rong Shu Kuang, reaches out and coughs. Mistaking it for a handshake, Rong Shu Kuang takes her hand. Lin Wan Ci reminds her that she's forgotten something: in the past, whenever she coughed, Rong Shu Kuang would press her tiger's mouth acupoint(the web between the thumb and index finger) to stop it. Rong Shu Kuang quickly does so, apologizing. Satisfied, Lin Wan Ci sends her sister and father away.
The Old Manor Lord takes Rong Shu Kuang to a secret chamber, revealing the past. A portrait of Rong Shu Kuang's mother, Su Shi Yu, hangs on the wall. Su Shi Yu, along with Rong Li (Lin Shao Ci and Lin Wan Ci's mother), and their senior, Chu Mo Xiong, were all disciples of the same master. Su Shi Yu later married into the Fang family, while the Old Manor Lord brought Rong Li to Yu Chi Manor to succeed him. Later, he received news from Su Shi Yu that the Fang family was being hunted. They rushed to help, only to discover that the Fang family were descendants of a fallen royal clan, tasked with guarding the Fuxian treasure map and key. This information had leaked, attracting the attention of martial artists. By the time they arrived, the Fang family had been killed. Su Shi Yu took Rong Shu Kuang to Longyue Village, but when the Old Manor Lord arrived, the villagers were dead, leaving only Rong Shu Kuang. The Old Manor Lord brought her back, adopted her as his daughter, and had her take Rong Li's surname to conceal her identity. The Old Manor Lord tries to ask about the past, wondering if she remembers who took her, but Rong Shu Kuang feigns a headache and claims to remember nothing, avoiding further questioning. Afterwards, Rong Shu Kuang is overwhelmed by the amount of information, finding it unbelievable that the body's original owner was also surnamed Fang, just like her in her own time. She even wonders if they were both named Fang Yi, suggesting a parallel universe connection.
Rong Shu Kuang is led to her room by a maidservant. She's amazed by the size of the room and courtyard, remarking that it's much better than houses outside the Fifth Ring Road. The maidservant, who has been constantly observing Rong Shu Kuang, notices a drastic change in her personality. However, the Old Manor Lord and Lin Shao Ci attribute this to her injuries. The maidservant feels that Rong Shu Kuang's interactions with Yan Shao are particularly different, too casual and unrestrained. The Old Manor Lord, unsure of Yan Shao's background, asks Lin Wan Ci to investigate.
