Episode Summary
Zhuang Hanyan races to expose dead prince Wu Youzhi’s crimes to save her family from execution, uncovering Fu Yunxi’s role in covering up Wu’s death. She digs up Wu’s corpse and crashes the execution, ruining her mother Ruan Xiwen’s revenge plot.
Spoiler Alert
Well butter my biscuit, this episode served up more twists than a pretzel factory! Let’s dive into the chaos after the Zhuang family’s downfall.
Revenge Served Cold (But Tears Are Hot)
Ruan Xiwen finally got her bittersweet victory after the Zhuang clan got hauled away. But our girl Zhuang Hanyan? She’s living that "just when I got a taste of mommy love, life yeets it into a volcano" life. Wandering the streets like a kicked puppy, she flashes back to her barefoot orphan days – turns out "family" was just a temporary hallucination.
Fu Yunxi: Chaotic Good or Just Chaotic?
Enter Fu Yunxi, the man with a clipboard and a heart of… questionable morals. He’s leading the raid on the Zhuang estate when Hanyan confronts him about his suspiciously convenient ignorance. Girl’s ready to storm the imperial prison to save her mom, but Fu’s like "how about crashing at my place instead?" Hanyan, being the queen of side-eyes, nopes out faster than you can say "awkward sleepover."
Daddy’s Last Words & Real Estate Conspiracies
Zhuang Shiyang gets a death row meet-cute with Hanyan, dropping bombshells about secret tunnels and being blackmailed by Pei Dafu (classic villain name alert!). This sends Hanyan down a real estate rabbit hole where she discovers their mansion used to belong to Shunping Wang – aka the Missing Prince™ Wu Youzhi. Cue the conspiracy theory board:
- Step 1: Disguise herself as Wu’s spy to interrogate his terrified wife
- Step 2: Learn the prince was an abusive creep who ghosted his family
- Step 3: Track down his courtesan mistress at Hongliu Garden
Plot Twist Tango
The courtesan spills tea hotter than her lipstick: Wu never touched her (or his wife!) because he was too busy… being a secret eunuch? Hanyan’s lightbulb moment gets brighter when she realizes Fu Yunxi already investigated this lead. Cue the slow clap for our scheming male lead.
The Great Jailbreak Caper
Hanyan pulls a Mission: Impossible at Fu’s mansion, swiping his official badge while babysitter A’zhi plays distraction. Her fake "Wu Youzhi kidnapped Fu Yunxi!" story gets her into the prison archives… until her bad acting gets clocked. Enter Fu with the ultimate "I know you schemed but I schemed better" smirk.
Drugs, Dead Princes, and Desperate Measures
Turns out Wu Youzhi’s been dead for months – and Fu’s the one who accidentally killed him during interrogation (oopsie!). When Hanyan tries to expose the corpse, Fu pulls a "nice try" move by drugging her tea. But girlboss ain’t quitting – she stabs him with a hairpin (casual) and crawls to dig up Wu’s grave with her bare hands.
Execution Day Drama
Cut to the death sentence countdown. As Zhuang Shiyang’s about to meet the executioner’s blade, Hanyan drags Wu’s rotting corpse into the square like "Surprise, bitches!" The crowd gasps, Ruan Xiwen faints, and we’re left screaming at the screen – because Hanyan just saved the people who ruined her life while destroying her mom’s revenge plot.
Final Hot Take:
This episode was basically Succession meets Bridgerton with extra shovel graves. Fu Yunxi’s morally gray antics vs. Hanyan’s feral survivor energy? Chef’s kiss. But seriously – can someone get this girl a hug and a tetanus shot?
Next Episode Prediction:
Ruan Xiwen’s going full Daenerys "burn them all" mode, Fu’s secret will crumble, and Hanyan better start carrying antidotes to her tea dates.
