Episode Summary
Jiang Zhan escapes a confrontation with rivals and encounters the adventurous Lu Chuchu, who rescues him from drowning. Jiang Si prepares for a visit to the Changxing Marquis' residence, where she suspects foul play. Yu Qi investigates a missing girl case linked to Cao Xingyu. Jiang Si discovers a potential burial site and faces a dangerous situation orchestrated by Cao Xingyu, but is protected by her sister Jiang Qiao and saved by Yu Qi.
Spoiler Alert
Jiang Zhan, while strolling through the streets, encounters some of his rivals. Thinking quickly, he suggests a duel in a secluded spot, only to use it as a ruse to escape. Feeling smug about outsmarting them, he takes a leisurely boat ride on the lake. His peaceful moment is interrupted when he spots a striking woman, Lu Chuchu, standing on a bridge. Immediately captivated, he learns she's a spirited traveler who enjoys exploring the martial arts world.
Lu Chuchu, realizing her money has been stolen, mistakenly accuses Jiang Zhan of being in cahoots with the thief, believing he was trying to distract her. Jiang Zhan, confused by the accusation, provokes her. To his surprise, Lu Chuchu, displaying impressive martial arts skills, leaps from the bridge onto his boat. She takes Jiang Zhan's money and is about to leave when he falls into the river. Discovering he can't swim, she jumps in and rescues him.
Jiang Zhan remains unconscious after being pulled from the water, worrying Lu Chuchu, who tries desperately to wake him. Jiang Si, Jiang Zhan's sister, arrives. Hearing his sister's voice, Jiang Zhan suddenly "wakes up," revealing he was faking it to scare Lu Chuchu. Jiang Si scolds her brother for being near the lake but shows genuine concern, a display of affection that warms Lu Chuchu's heart. After hearing the story, Jiang Si returns her brother's money to Lu Chuchu, and the two women form a friendship.
Back home, Jiang Si is experimenting with sleep-inducing incense, preparing for a visit to the Changxing Marquis' residence, anticipating potential trouble. A'man, her maid, is surprised by Jiang Si's knowledge, which she claims to have learned from books, though it's actually knowledge from her previous life in Southern Wu.
Meanwhile, Yu Qi is still studying Jiang Si's paintings, unable to find any suspicious clues about her. However, he shifts his focus to a more pressing case: the disappearance of the embroiderer's daughter.
Jiang Si, accompanied by her third sister, arrives at the Changxing Marquis' residence. Jiang Qian, their elder sister, personally welcomes them. During dinner, Jiang Qian's husband, Cao Xingyu, returns unexpectedly. Upon seeing Jiang Si, he can't hide his lecherous gaze. Jiang Si, reminded of events from her past life, instantly turns cold.
Yu Qi, determined to find the embroiderer's daughter, gathers all the files on previous disappearances of young girls, marking their locations on a map. He takes a portrait of the missing girl to the market, questioning vendors. Their evasiveness leads him to suspect they're hiding something. Under pressure, they reveal that the girls in the poems are connected to the Changxing Marquis' heir, Cao Xingyu.
Jiang Si, while admiring the flowers in the Marquis' garden, detects a foul odor and discovers a bronze hairpin in the flower bed. She suspects human remains are buried beneath the flowers. Jiang Qian deliberately separates Jiang Si from her other sisters, assigning her a solitary courtyard. Jiang Si realizes this is a setup and decides to use it to her advantage, determined to make Cao Xingyu pay for his past actions, remembering how her family refused to support her and her father after she was defiled in her previous life.
Alone in her room, Jiang Si hears a noise outside. Though prepared, she's still nervous. Relief washes over her when it turns out to be her third sister, Jiang Qiao, who insists on staying with her. Jiang Si is puzzled, as this didn't happen in her previous life. While she's trying to figure out how to get Jiang Qiao to leave, Cao Xingyu stealthily approaches the bed. Jiang Si nervously clutches a bracelet containing a drug. Seeing Jiang Qiao, Cao Xingyu retreats. Jiang Qiao immediately sits up, calling for help and clutching a hairpin, revealing she had suspected Cao Xingyu's intentions all along and came to protect Jiang Si. Jiang Si discovers a lifeless woman on the ground and is overcome with grief. While she is mourning, someone attempts to silence her, but Yu Qi arrives just in time to save her.
