Dawn Amidst Hidden Clouds Recap, Plot, Synopsis

Dawn Amidst Hidden Clouds Synopsis

A streetwise girl devoted to protecting her neighborhood, Lan Che, unexpectedly gets entangled in a murder case and crosses paths with Lou Mingye, a high-ranking official of the Dali Court. Though initially clashing and full of misunderstandings due to their vastly different backgrounds, the two begin to understand each other through continued interaction.

Working together, they unravel a series of mysterious cases, gradually building a deep connection and ultimately confirming their feelings for each other. With Lou Mingye’s support, Lan Che undergoes significant growth, rising from a street girl to become the first female officer in the Dali Court, achieving her life’s ambition and finding true love.

Dawn Amidst Hidden Clouds Recap

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Lou Mingye and his subordinate, Fang Tingge, stood on the upper floor of a shop, observing the outside scene. The shop’s attendant came up and served them tea, informing them that the Xile Sect was performing a ritual. He explained that every year, the Xile Sect selects a "Heavenly Maiden," and every member of the sect is personally chosen by their leader, Chen Rusong, including the "Heavenly Maiden.

" The attendant advised Fang Tingge to avoid provoking the Xile Sect, calling it somewhat sinister. Fang Tingge dismissed him, allowing him to leave after he delivered the information, and Lou Mingye paid him generously. Lou Mingye and Fang Tingge then went to the Xile Sect, where they saw Chen Rusong giving a girl a pill. This girl seemed to be the selected "Heavenly Maiden.

" Just as Fang Tingge was about to act, Lou Mingye stopped him, saying they should observe a bit longer. This girl was Lan Che, the person Lou Mingye and his group had been searching for. She was formerly known as Leng Qingyao but had since changed her name to Lan Che. After taking the pill, Lan Che’s entire body began to convulse as if her soul were about to depart.

Moments later, the statue of Buddha in front of her began to shed tears, and Lan Che fainted onto the ground. Chen Rusong ordered his men to place her in a coffin, telling the others that Lan Che had become the "Heavenly Maiden" and ascended to the heavens. Just then, Xiao Luo and Xiao Dao arrived, demanding that Chen Rusong return their lady, Lan Che, to them. Chen Rusong replied that Lan Che had already ascended as a Heavenly Maiden.

He gestured toward the coffin, but Huan Xi and Xiao Luo opened it, and Lan Che leaped out, standing atop the coffin. The other members of the Xile Sect were convinced she had indeed become the Heavenly Maiden and quickly knelt in reverence. Lan Che then told them that Chen Rusong had been using the Xile Sect to deceive them and take their money.

As Chen Rusong began to argue, Lan Che pretended to be a deity, commanding everyone to capture him and retrieve their money. Before anyone could act, a figure on the upper floor silently aimed a crossbow at Lan Che. Lou Mingye rushed forward to save her but ended up injured. Lan Che quickly fled while Fang Tingge hurriedly took the injured Lou Mingye away.

Lan Che saw Chen Rusong standing there, and she shouted at his back, demanding he return the people's money. Chen Rusong stood motionless and silent. When Lan Che approached and patted him, he turned to reveal blood streaming from his eyes, accusing her of causing his death before collapsing to the ground.

His men tried to take his body away, but Lan Che stopped them, insisting that since Chen Rusong claimed she killed him, the newly appointed Assistant Minister of the Dali Temple should investigate the truth. Xiao Luo questioned her sanity, but Lan Che argued that there was something suspicious about Chen Rusong's death and that they couldn't let it go unresolved. Lan Che then loudly declared her intent to report to the authorities, and Lou Mingye arrived to inspect the body.

When Lan Che told him not to touch anything, Lou Mingye revealed that he was the new Assistant Minister of the Dali Temple. He took Chen Rusong’s body into custody. When Chen Rusong’s wife arrived to take his body, Lou Mingye told her that no one could take it away until he completed his investigation. Chen Rusong's wife wept bitterly beside his body, and Lou Mingye ordered his men to escort her away.

Fang Tingge informed Lou Mingye that Assistant Minister Xu was questioning Lan Che, who insisted she hadn’t killed Chen Rusong and claimed he was only pretending to be dead. Assistant Minister Xu was skeptical, accusing Lan Che of deceit and claiming she was adept at manipulation. Lan Che said she didn’t want to talk to him and insisted on speaking with the new Assistant Minister.

Soon after, Lou Mingye arrived and asked Lan Che how she could prove she hadn’t killed Chen Rusong. Lan Che explained that Chen Rusong had used the Xile Sect to deceive young girls, and upon discovering this, he pretended to be dead to escape. She said she knew of an antidote for the fake death drug that Chen Rusong had taken.

Lan Che administered the antidote, and though Chen Rusong’s eyes opened wide briefly, they soon closed again—this time in actual death. Lou Mingye then noticed a blunt-force wound on his head. Realizing Chen Rusong was truly dead, Lan Che, too frightened to ask Lou Mingye for Granny Wang’s property deed, quickly left in a panic.

A young Lou Mingye was drinking medicine, but he found it too bitter and didn’t want to continue. Leng Qingyao tricked him into swallowing it. Lou Mingye’s father then asked him to go play with Leng Qingyao, as he had matters to discuss with her father. However, shortly afterward, Lou Mingye returned to find his father dead on the ground. He suspected that Leng Qingyao’s father might have been involved.

Fang Tingge reminded him that his reason for coming here was to find Leng Qingyao and uncover the truth from those years ago. He asked why they were now involved in the matter of Wu You San. Lou Mingye explained that what happened back then was also related to Wu You San, and it might not be a coincidence that Lan Che got caught up in this.

Lan Che led Xiao Dao, Xiao Luo, and others to cause a scene at Chen Rusong’s residence. In reality, Lan Che wanted to enter the Chen household to investigate, but Madame Chen wouldn’t allow her entry, so Lan Che gathered people at the entrance, demanding repayment from Madame Chen. When Lou Mingye arrived at the gate and saw the scene, he commented to Fang Tingge that Lan Che had quite the persistence.

Then he approached the gate, declaring it was a Dali Temple investigation and requesting they open the door. Naturally, Lan Che followed him inside. Lou Mingye instructed Fang Tingge to guard outside, where Xiao Dao and Xiao Luo also remained. They initiated a conversation with Fang Tingge, asking about the Chen residence. Fang Tingge wasn’t interested in talking, and Xiao Luo asked if Dali Temple agents were all so taciturn.

Fang Tingge replied that he knew what could be said and what couldn’t. Xiao Luo remarked that her lady, Lan Che, and Lou Mingye had already crossed paths twice in such a short time, believing it to be fate. Fang Tingge started to say, “If it weren’t for Lan Che being…,” but stopped, realizing it was something he shouldn’t reveal, so he immediately fell silent.

Inside, Lou Mingye and Lan Che met with Madame Chen and asked if she was aware of Chen Rusong’s shady activities. Madame Chen claimed ignorance, and Lan Che commented to Lou Mingye on how cleanly she was distancing herself from Chen Rusong. When a maid inquired when Chen Rusong’s body could be retrieved, Lan Che responded that this matter was now up to her to decide.

Lou Mingye and Lan Che asked if anyone knew about Chen Rusong’s connections, but everyone claimed ignorance. As Lou Mingye and Lan Che were about to leave, they noticed Madame Chen naturally accepting a handkerchief passed by the steward. Lan Che remarked that such an action could only come from close familiarity, joking that Chen Rusong’s head was a field of green (implying he was being cheated on).

Lan Che then asked Lou Mingye to return Granny Wang’s property deed that Chen Rusong had taken, but Lou Mingye teased her, saying she’d have to become his sidekick if she wanted it back. Lan Che refused, but upon returning to her pharmacy, she was punished by her master, who warned her to stay away from Lou Mingye. Just then, Granny Wang’s grandson, Xiao Guazi, arrived, calling for Lan Che, saying his grandmother was unwell again.

Lan Che rushed to see Granny Wang, only to find her using Wu You San once more. Seeing her like this, Lan Che became even more determined to retrieve the deed, even though her master had repeatedly warned her to avoid Lou Mingye. Nonetheless, she went to find him, agreeing to be his sidekick if he would give her the deed.

Lou Mingye instructed Assistant Minister Xu to search Chen Rusong’s belongings for the property deed, but it was nowhere to be found. Fang Tingge then informed Lou Mingye that there was trouble at Granny Wang’s house, prompting him to rush over. He found a group preparing to tear down her home, claiming they were doing so on the orders of Hu Zhi, the deed’s owner.

When they threatened to report to the Dali Temple if anyone tried to stop them, Lan Che realized they didn’t recognize Lou Mingye, which she thought would work in her favor. She pointed to Lou Mingye, stating that “this gentleman” was willing to pay ten times the price for the property. With that, Granny Wang’s property was saved.

Xiao Guazi asked Lou Mingye if he liked Lan Che, since his grandmother had told him people only spend money for someone they like. Lan Che returned with two skewers of candied hawthorns, handing one to Xiao Guazi. Lou Mingye thought the other was for him, but she gave it to Xiao Guazi as well. Lou Mingye then demanded that Lan Che repay him for the money he had just spent on the property.

Meanwhile, Madame Chen met with Hu Ming, Chen Rusong’s upper connection, to trade some account books, and Lou Mingye rushed to the scene.

Lan Che arrived at Yuyan Tower to find Hu Zhi, but the madam there told her it wasn’t a suitable place for a woman to be. Ignoring this, Lan Che started loudly calling for Hu Zhi, who eventually appeared. Hu Zhi, considering her a guest since she was already there, invited Lan Che into a room. However, after a few words, Hu Zhi suddenly pulled a knife from under the table.

Meanwhile, Lou Mingye had also discovered that Wu Ming was connected to Hu Zhi, so he headed to Yuyan Tower. On his way, he encountered Lan Che and told her not to worry about the property deed, as he was sure he could get it for her. Lou Mingye urged Lan Che to go back and not get involved further in this matter.

The madam at Yuyan Tower asked Hu Zhi why, since they knew Lan Che wasn’t the person they were looking for, he hadn’t killed her. Hu Zhi responded that although she might not be, the people behind her could still be involved. Back at the pharmacy, Lan Che thought it was better to rely on herself, so she decided to use the Lanyuan Gathering at Yuyan Tower as an opportunity to steal back the deed.

She shared her plan with Xiao Dao and Xiao Luo. Although they had never been to Yuyan Tower, they were willing to support her. Lou Mingye, meanwhile, also learned that Wu Ming would be attending this Lanyuan Gathering, knowing Wu Ming was linked to his father’s death; Lou Mingye was determined to find him. Disguised, Lan Che, Xiao Luo, and Xiao Dao arrived at Yuyan Tower.

Lan Che wore a fake mustache, and though the madam commented that she looked familiar, she didn’t recognize her. Lan Che saw that entry to the Lanyuan Gathering required a waist tag, so she signaled to Xiao Luo, who then stole a tag from a stout man and handed it to Lan Che. Just as she was about to go upstairs, she bumped into Li Mo.

Thinking that if she didn’t have urgent business, she’d make him answer for daring to take advantage of her, she brushed it off and continued. As she reached the second floor, the madam recognized her as someone new and was about to call someone to take her away, but Lou Mingye arrived just in time. Lan Che quickly claimed she was with Lou Mingye, though he initially denied it.

Lan Che shot Lou Mingye a look, implying that if he didn’t help her, she wouldn’t hesitate to escalate things. Lou Mingye had no choice but to confirm, and Hu Zhi, standing next to him, asked the madam to let her go and arranged seating for them. Soon, the Lanyuan Gathering began, with various items up for auction.

When the final item, a pearl from the Eastern Seas, was presented, Lou Mingye recognized the ebony box holding it as his father Lou Huaiyun’s personal belonging. He was determined to reclaim it, but Li Mo kept bidding against him, saying that no matter what Lou Mingye offered, he would double it. Lou Mingye had Lan Che tell Li Mo that he only wanted the box and would buy the pearls to give to him if he wished.

Li Mo finally stopped bidding, but soon after, someone informed Lou Mingye that Hu Zhi wanted to see him. Lan Che intended to follow, but the messenger said Hu Zhi had only requested Lou Mingye alone. Lou Mingye told her to wait there. Once he entered the room, Hu Zhi embraced him, brushing her hands against his face and lips. Lou Mingye remarked that he’d heard Hu Zhi was Yuyan Tower’s star performer.

He hadn’t finished his sentence when Hu Zhi interrupted, saying she knew her plain appearance couldn’t possibly please him. Worried about Lou Mingye’s safety, Lan Che used M-drug to knock out the guard and went to rescue him. Surprisingly, she accidentally saved Li Mo instead. Lou Mingye, meanwhile, recognized the man beside Hu Zhi as the true master of Yuyan Tower and the person he had been searching for—Wu Ming.

Wu Ming told him that Lou Huaiyun’s death had nothing to do with him, claiming Leng Quji was responsible. Lou Mingye retorted that Wu Ming and Leng Quji were both involved in the Wu You San trade and that he would uncover the truth. Wu Ming warned that Lou Mingye wouldn’t have the chance, and as he spoke, Lou Mingye slumped in his chair, feeling dizzy.

It turned out that Hu Zhi had poisoned him with M-drug when she touched him. Wu Ming suggested that continuing this investigation would only bring Lou Mingye pain and that it might be better if he just ended things for him.

Lan Che was about to leave with the dazed Li Mo when she noticed Lou Mingye was in danger. She quickly rushed in, accusing Wu Ming and his men of being cowards for ganging up on one person. Lou Mingye urged her to leave, but she refused. Li Mo, still dazed, mistook Lan Che for his wife and, seeing so many people ready to bully her, fought them off in his confused state.

Lou Mingye told Lan Che that Li Mo wouldn’t hold up for much longer, and handed her a silver needle, instructing her to insert it into his spine. Lan Che hesitated, fearing that a mistake could be disastrous for Lou Mingye. Lou Mingye recalled how Lan Che had once given him acupuncture as a child, expressing his trust in her as Leng Qingyao, though Lan Che, having lost her memory, had no recollection of this name and didn’t respond.

Seeing that Li Mo was close to collapsing, Lan Che quickly inserted the needle into Lou Mingye’s back. He instantly regained his strength and held his knife to Wu Ming’s throat. Just then, Fang Tingge arrived with reinforcements and took Wu Ming and his men away. However, Lou Mingye fainted again shortly afterward.

After a while, he regained consciousness, and he and Lan Che made their way to the entrance of Yuyan Tower, where Lan Che mentioned that Li Mo was still inside. Lou Mingye told her not to worry, saying Li Mo would naturally return once he woke up. Li Mo was the son of Yan Wang, who had arranged for him to work at the Dali Temple.

Huo Feng’s subordinate reported that Wu Ming had been captured by Lou Mingye, to which Huo Feng remarked that Lou Mingye was indeed his adopted son. Fang Tingge then asked Lou Mingye why Li Mo hadn’t reported in after so many days and offered to find an excuse to send him away, but Lou Mingye, knowing the friendship between Yan Wang and his own foster father, suggested that they simply help him out.

Lan Che woke up to find her master coming to see her. She told Xiao Luo that her master must be there to scold her, so she decided to pretend to be asleep. However, her master quickly saw through her ruse and told Lan Che that there was a handsome young man waiting outside to see her. Hearing that it was a handsome man, Xiao Luo suggested that Lan Che keep sleeping while she went to meet him herself.

Lan Che assumed Lou Mingye had come for her, but when she went outside, she saw Li Mo. He had brought many gifts, including gold, to apologize for calling her his “wife” and taking advantage of her at Yuyan Tower. Seeing so many valuable items, Lan Che thought that since Li Mo had taken such liberties, she shouldn’t let him off so easily, so she accepted everything.

Li Mo confessed he didn’t want to go to the Dali Temple and wished to roam the Jianghu with Lan Che. She led him to the back room and asked what skills he had to join their Wuhu Gang. Li Mo replied that his face alone should be enough.

Xiao Luo joked that he might have “Iron Head” skills, as he could be hit with a brick without getting hurt and pretended to grab a brick, but Li Mo quickly stopped her. Then Xiao Dao suggested he might have a “Thick-Skinned” skill, where even a small knife couldn’t scratch him, and reached for his knife, but Li Mo quickly clarified that wasn’t the case. He claimed his good looks could be useful as their front face.

Xiao Dao responded that they already had a “face” for the gang—Lan Che. Li Mo then offered his wealth, pulling out a gold ingot, which made Lan Che, Xiao Luo, and Xiao Dao’s eyes light up, and they immediately agreed. Lou Mingye arrived with the property deed to see Madam Wang, and Lan Che quickly followed. Madam Wang, under the influence of Wu You San, mistook Lou Mingye for her son and Lan Che for her daughter-in-law.

Li Mo, unwilling to let Lou Mingye take advantage of Lan Che, claimed he was Madam Wang’s son, only to get hit by her. Lan Che’s master quickly helped him dress his wound, when a customer entered the pharmacy carrying a hairpin. Lan Che felt it looked familiar, recalling that she had seen an identical one on Jiuxiang, the maidservant of Chen Rusong’s household, at the Dali Temple.

Following this lead, Lou Mingye and the others found Jiuxiang and questioned her about Chen Rusong’s death. Realizing she was caught, Jiuxiang admitted that she had gone with Chen’s wife to identify the body, knew that Chen was only pretending to be dead, and killed him for continually exploiting her for medicinal herbs. Lan Che, feeling sympathy for Jiuxiang, told Lou Mingye that she had one more request to make.

Lan Che asked her master to go treat Jiuxiang, and her master asked if Lou Mingye was really the one who sent him. Lan Che nodded, saying that since her master could create an antidote for Wu You San, he could certainly cure Jiuxiang. Lou Mingye went to the prison to meet Jiuxiang after hearing from Xu Shaoqing that Jiuxiang had something to tell him.

When she saw him, Jiuxiang asked if he truly didn’t recognize her, reminding him of Leng Quji, the physician who treated him in Liangzhou ten years ago. Lou Mingye thought for a moment and asked if Jiuxiang was Aci, Leng Quji’s young apprentice from back then. He questioned Aci about why Leng Quji would want to kill his father. Aci asked if he truly believed her master killed his father.

Lou Mingye replied that at the time of his father's death, Leng Quji was the only one present at the scene. Aci countered that if her master was indeed the killer, why would he be pursued and hunted, along with his entire family? Lou Mingye then asked why, if he wasn’t the murderer, he would flee. Aci responded that her master likely had become nothing more than bones by now, prompting Lou Mingye to ask if her master was dead.

Aci recounted how years ago, a group of men in black pursued her, Leng Quji, and Leng Qingyao. Leng Quji hid Aci and Leng Qingyao in a room, instructing Aci to take good care of Leng Qingyao. Then, Leng Quji went out alone to face the men in black. Concerned, Aci also went out, but was captured as soon as she stepped outside. Lan Che awoke from her sleep, having dreamed of the same scene.

She remembered that Jiuxiang was indeed the Aci who saved her long ago, so she got up quickly to visit Jiuxiang. When she arrived at the Dali Temple, she was informed that Jiuxiang had already passed away. As Jiuxiang’s body was carried out, Lan Che, ignoring the people trying to stop her, went to Jiuxiang’s side. She wept beside Jiuxiang, who lay under a white cloth, as rain began to pour. Lou Mingye appeared, holding an umbrella over her.

Watching Lan Che cry, Lou Mingye recalled Jiuxiang’s request to find Leng Qingyao, admitting that she had failed her master’s instructions and lost Qingyao. Looking at Lan Che, Lou Mingye silently thought that he had already found Leng Qingyao. Lan Che confessed to Lou Mingye that when she had previously claimed to be a native of Changjing, it was a lie. In truth, her master had found her at the foot of a mountain on the outskirts of the capital.

When he found her, she was covered in wounds and had no memory of her past. Her master speculated that she had likely fallen from the mountain, injuring her head, which explained her memory loss. Lou Mingye asked if she really couldn’t remember anything, and Lan Che admitted that she often dreamed of being chased by men in black and that an older sister had saved her.

However, it was only today that she finally recalled what this older sister looked like—it was Jiuxiang. Crying, Lan Che said that if she had remembered Jiuxiang sooner, she wouldn’t have been left all alone. Seeing her so heartbroken, Lou Mingye suggested that, since the rain was getting heavier, he should take her home.

On their way back, Lan Che admitted that she had never been curious about her origins before because, in her mind, her master, Xiao Dao, and Xiao Luo were her family. But now that she had finally found a clue, it had been cut off again. She said she was genuinely curious about what had happened all those years ago. Lou Mingye reassured her, saying that the time was not yet right.

Lan Che noticed his umbrella and complimented its unique design, unaware that this umbrella was the very one she had given him as a child. Lan Che then asked Lou Mingye if she could look at Jiuxiang’s case file, but he refused. Lan Che argued that if she could look at the case file, it might help her recall more memories.

Lou Mingye considered this could be a possibility but told Lan Che that if she wanted to see the file, she’d have to work as his servant. The thought of doing chores for Lou Mingye and possibly facing punishment if she failed frightened her, but her curiosity about Jiuxiang’s death drove her to accept the role of his servant. Lou Mingye was chatting with Yan Wang when Lan Che interrupted.

Fang Tingge pulled her aside, giving her advice on how to properly act as a servant. Later, Lou Mingye took Lan Che to a clothing store to pick out clothes. He seemed to see in her the young Lan Che he once knew.

Lan Che and Lou Mingye left the clothing shop, and Lan Che asked if, now that she had bought the clothes he required, he would let her see Jiuxiang's case file. Lou Mingye replied that it depended on her behavior. Lan Che then asked why he was carrying an umbrella when it wasn’t raining. Lou Mingye explained it was due to an illness he had as a child.

Lan Che quickly took the umbrella, saying that as his servant, it was her duty to hold it for him. But because of their height difference, holding the umbrella was awkward. Lou Mingye complained that she was walking too slowly, so Lan Che picked up her pace, only to walk too quickly. Lou Mingye then tried to take the umbrella from her. However, Lan Che refused, insisting she could handle it.

The two tugged at the umbrella, playfully squabbling in the street. Nearby, Li Mo, Xiao Dao, and Xiao Luo watched them, speculating about who would be tugging on an umbrella with a man in broad daylight. Xiao Dao said it looked like their boss, Lan Che, but Xiao Luo said their boss would never wear such flashy clothes. When Lan Che turned her head, they were shocked to see it really was her.

Fang Tingge remarked that Lou Mingye was different when he was around Lan Che; he was no longer the cold person he used to be. When they heard that Lan Che was serving as Lou Mingye’s servant, they objected, saying she was their leader and shouldn't be doing such things. Lan Che explained that she was only doing it to gain access to Jiuxiang's case file, something they couldn’t understand.

Li Mo offered to pull the case file for her, but Lan Che explained that Lou Mingye was aware of their connection, so he definitely wouldn’t give it to him. Li Mo, about to say that his father was Yan Wang and could obtain it, changed his words, saying instead that his father was Yan Wang's friend. Lan Che decided to sneak in to steal the file herself, but as she approached the entrance, the guards stopped her.

Just then, Lou Mingye arrived and told the guards to keep out all unauthorized people, especially Li Shaoqing. He then punished Lan Che by ordering her to organize the files. Fang Tingge reported to him that there seemed to be fewer workshops producing Wu You San under Wu Ming’s control. They planned to interrogate Wu Ming, but he was scheduled to be transferred to the Ministry of Punishments that day and was likely already on the road.

Lou Mingye decided to go to the Ministry, but along the way, Wu Ming was killed by an arrow. Upon learning of Wu Ming’s death, Lou Mingye became furious, recalling how Wu Ming had previously hinted that only the Tiger Guard Army could mobilize so effectively, leaving Lou Mingye to ponder who had the authority to deploy them.

Meanwhile, Lan Che and Li Mo were discussing their plan to capture Hu Zhi, hoping to use her to exchange for Jiuxiang’s case file. Just as they finished, Li Mo noticed Yan Wang’s soldiers and quickly hid. Yan Wang had come to the Dali Temple, not finding Li Mo there, so he had sent people to bring him back. Lan Che asked why Li Mo was afraid of Yan Wang’s soldiers.

Li Mo explained that his father had ordered Yan Wang to send people to retrieve him and asked Lan Che to help him hide. Once Yan Wang’s soldiers had left, Li Mo said he was going to buy some mung bean cakes. As soon as he left, Lan Che spotted Hu Zhi and followed her out of the city.

Lan Che suspected that Hu Zhi might be returning to her base, just as Lou Mingye and his team had traced her location. Fang Tingge led the group in a further search, while Lou Mingye waited nearby. He noticed a bracelet on the ground, recognizing it as Lan Che’s. Meanwhile, Lan Che regained consciousness, finding her hands bound. Hu Zhi taunted her, saying that if Lan Che wanted to find her, she didn’t need to do it so sneakily.

She revealed that both she and Jiuxiang had been sold here, yet their lives had turned out entirely differently. She added that she was fortunate to have Wu You San, which gave her some status. Lan Che noticed that Hu Zhi had a large amount of Wu You San in front of her. Hu Zhi then tried to kill Lan Che, and the two struggled, with Lan Che setting the place on fire.

The flames ignited the Wu You San, releasing a huge cloud of smoke. Lou Mingye, seeing the smoke, rushed over. Affected by the Wu You San, Lan Che became disoriented and mistook Lou Mingye for one of the men in black who had once hunted her. She attacked him with a knife, but Fang Tingge arrived in time to save them both. After they returned, Lan Che went to apologize to Lou Mingye. The effects of the Wu You San flared up again, and the two ended up sharing a passionate kiss.

Both Lou Mingye and Lan Che were knocked unconscious by the effects of Wu You San. Lan Che was the first to wake up and noticed Lou Mingye’s waist tag hanging at his side. She thought it was a good opportunity and reached over to take it, but Lou Mingye woke up just as her hand reached his waist. He remarked that Lan Che truly embodied the carefree spirit of a jianghu woman.

Lan Che pleaded with him, saying she just wanted a chance to look at Jiuxiang’s case file. Seeing her persistence, Lou Mingye handed her the tag, instructing her to return it quickly after reading the file. Fang Tingge later learned that Lan Che had used Lou Mingye’s tag to access the files and questioned him about it. Lou Mingye explained that he had promised Jiuxiang he would take care of Lan Che.

Fang Tingge then asked how he could be sure Jiuxiang was telling the truth. Lou Mingye replied that someone on the brink of death wouldn’t lie. Fang Tingge then dropped the matter, offering him a bowl of ginseng soup. Lou Mingye declined, and Fang Tingge teased that it was likely because he couldn’t taste it anyway.

Lou Mingye asked if he had any sour plum candy, to which Fang Tingge produced a packet, saying Lan Che had left it for him before she departed. Lou Mingye unwrapped a candy, eating it before drinking the soup. Fang Tingge observed that he had changed and warned Lou Mingye that love could weaken one's resolve. After saying this, he snatched the ginseng soup away and left, visibly irritated.

Lan Che informed Lou Mingye that she needed a few days off, prompting him to ask why. Lan Che explained that while reading Jiuxiang’s case file, she discovered that Jiuxiang had been bought from Huai Sha Village, and she wanted to investigate further. Lou Mingye asked if she intended to go alone, and Lan Che replied she would be accompanied by Xiao Dao and Xiao Luo. Lou Mingye hinted that she might not fully understand Huai Sha Village.

Seeing her confused expression, Fang Tingge explained that Huai Sha Village was a desolate and dangerous place, full of mountain spirits and wild foxes. Entering the village was easy, but leaving was another story. Lan Che asked if they were trying to scare her, to which Fang Tingge replied that if she didn’t believe them, she’d see for herself, adding that once she entered, she could forget about returning to the Five Lakes Gang.

After saying this, he left, and later that evening, Lou Mingye invited Fang Tingge to play chess with him. Fang Tingge asked Lou Mingye how his performance had been earlier, to which Lou Mingye responded that it was satisfactory. Fang Tingge thought Lan Che seemed genuinely frightened, but he wondered why she hadn’t come by yet. Fang Tingge mentioned he was tired of waiting and was ready to head back to sleep, just as Lan Che arrived.

She asked Lou Mingye if he could approve Li Mo to accompany her to Huai Sha Village. Lou Mingye replied that Li Mo had official duties to attend to and couldn’t go with her. Lan Che then asked if Fang Tingge could accompany her. Fang Tingge declared that his life belonged to Lou Mingye, and wherever Lou Mingye went, he would follow.

Lan Che reasoned that as the Assistant Minister of the Dali Temple, Lou Mingye surely wouldn’t have time to accompany her himself. Lou Mingye then stated that he was planning to go to Huai Sha Village anyway, to which Lan Che responded that it was quite a coincidence. Lan Che and Lou Mingye arrived at Huai Sha Village, where she asked why he had told her it was dangerous if they were going alone.

Lou Mingye explained that with fewer people, they were less likely to attract attention. The innkeeper assumed Lou Mingye and Lan Che were a couple, which Lou Mingye did not correct, allowing the misunderstanding to stand. Lan Che accused him of taking advantage, but Lou Mingye retorted that he wasn’t interested in her that way. Just then, they heard a commotion outside. Lan Che looked over and saw a woman in wedding attire being chased.

The pursuers were trying to force the woman to complete a ghost marriage with their son, but she refused. Li Mo appeared, blocking the pursuers and protecting her. It turned out that members of the Huang family were chasing the young woman. Lan Che and Lou Mingye saw what was happening and joined in to rescue her. The woman introduced herself as Hua Li, explaining that her parents had both passed away and she was now without a home.

Lan Che told her to go to a nearby medicine shop and look for Huan Xi, telling him Lan Che had sent her. Later that night, Lan Che noticed someone watching her from outside. Frightened, she went to find Lou Mingye, but he was nowhere to be found. Hearing the noise, Li Mo came out, and they both suspected the Huang family might be retaliating. They decided to investigate the Huang residence and ran into Lou Mingye there.

Lan Che took Lou Mingye to Lingxi Lake, and Lou Mingye was surprised, remarking that he hadn’t expected there to be such a beautiful place in Huai Sha Village. He asked Lan Che how she found it, and she replied that Li Mo had brought her here before. Hearing Li Mo’s name, Lou Mingye grew jealous and commented that he’d never seen Li Mo so enthusiastic about anything, even his investigations.

Lan Che observed that Lou Mingye wasn’t like his rumored reputation, which made Lou Mingye ask what she had heard. Lan Che replied that, regardless of any rumors, in her mind, Lou Mingye was a graceful and kindhearted person. Lou Mingye told her not to compliment him if it didn’t come naturally. They sat down, and Lan Che told Lou Mingye to stop smiling because it made him look silly.

Lou Mingye, amused, remarked that Lan Che could be quite endearing when she wasn’t speaking. When they returned to the inn, they saw Li Mo, who tried to approach Lan Che. She quickly hid in her room, where she found a letter. After reading it, she left and went to a nearby tea shop, showing the letter to the server. The server told her that the person she was waiting for would return soon.

As she waited, a crazed woman dressed in white with white hair approached and shoved Lan Che. Lan Che, puzzled, asked the server about her, who replied that she was a madwoman best ignored. Lan Che took a few sips of tea but soon felt dizzy and saw Huang Fuxing approaching with his men. When Lan Che woke up, she saw Hua Li nearby and asked how she was there.

Hua Li explained that she had been captured by Huang Fuxing just as she was leaving the village that day. Lan Che found their audacity appalling and assured Hua Li they would escape. When someone came to deliver food, Lan Che pretended to be too weak to open the meal box. Hua Li followed her lead, and the person bent down to help them open it. Hua Li seized the moment to knock him unconscious, and they hurriedly fled.

Unfortunately, the Huang family’s men were quickly in pursuit. Lan Che decided to create a diversion, telling Hua Li to find the man at the inn who always carried an umbrella during the day. Meanwhile, Lou Mingye and Li Mo realized Lan Che was missing. Lou Mingye grabbed an umbrella, intending to go search for her, but Li Mo stopped him, leading to a heated argument.

At that moment, Hua Li arrived, urging them to save Lan Che, who had been taken by Huang Fuxing. Huang Fuxing had brought Lan Che to a graveyard, intending to marry her posthumously to his son, Huang Daping. Huang Fuxing’s mother commented that Lan Che looked suitable enough, though she wasn’t ideal. Lan Che, in turn, retorted that she was cursed with a lone star, destined to bring ruin to anyone who dared to marry her.

Enraged, Huang Fuxing’s mother ordered that Lan Che be thrown into a coffin and buried alive. When Lou Mingye arrived, Lan Che had already been buried underground, and he shed tears, fearing the worst. Terrified for Lan Che’s life, Lou Mingye held a knife to Huang Fuxing’s mother, demanding that they dig Lan Che up immediately. When the coffin was opened, Lan Che had fainted.

Lou Mingye, furious, prepared to kill Huang Fuxing, telling him he should never have touched Lan Che. Just then, Lan Che called out to Lou Mingye, and he stopped. They quickly made their escape and encountered Feng Huajiang along the way. Feng Huajiang helped them hide in a remote house, and Lou Mingye instructed Li Mo to return to the inn and bring back Lao Teng.

When Li Mo asked why, Lou Mingye replied that someone needed to assist at the inn while Lan Che was captured. Li Mo brought Lao Teng, who admitted he had placed the letter in Lan Che’s room under Huang Fuxing’s coercion. While Li Mo scolded him, Lou Mingye pointed out that if he could be bought with money, he could be bought by others as well.

Lao Teng then revealed that Huang Daping had once taken an interest in a married woman, forcibly bringing her into his home. When her husband returned, the two tried to escape together, but the woman sacrificed herself to save her husband by killing Huang Daping. In retaliation, Huang Fuxing left the woman to freeze in the snow and threw her body into Lingxi Lake. Lan Che was horrified by their cruelty.

After Huang Fuxing’s mysterious death at home, Lou Mingye and his companions went to investigate. At this moment, Huang Fuxing’s mother tried to kill them, but the crazed woman in white appeared, and suddenly a violent storm broke out.

Huan Xi opened the door of the clinic and saw people lying all over, most of them unconscious. Lan Che and Lou Mingye were also asleep, huddled together. Lou Mingye woke up first and tried to gently move his arm out from under Lan Che's head, but just as he got closer, she suddenly woke up. Seeing Lou Mingye’s face so close, she asked him what he was doing. Lou Mingye quickly lay back down, saying he hadn’t done anything.

Lan Che asked where they were and how they’d ended up here. They recalled being chased by the Huang family the previous day, which led them to this place. Then, Lan Che asked Lou Mingye who Qingyao was, as he had been calling out that name the whole time. Lou Mingye explained that she was his childhood friend.

Lan Che asked if Qingyao was the same childhood friend who gave him the night pearl, and Lou Mingye confirmed with a nod. Annoyed, Lan Che quickly got up, saying she was going back to the inn. Upon their return, Huan Xi immediately checked if Lan Che was injured, but she reassured him that she was fine. Xiao Luo commented that, with Lou Mingye there, how could anything have gone wrong?

Huan Xi quickly expressed his thanks to Lou Mingye, while Lan Che, in a sarcastic tone, replied that she wouldn’t dare trouble him. Hua Li ran over and expressed her relief that Lan Che was okay, mentioning that she had initially thought they were heroes of the Green Forest. To her surprise, it turned out they were officials from Changjing. Lan Che looked at Lou Mingye and asked what kind of official he was.

Lan Che introduced herself as the leader of the Five Lakes Gang and revealed that the clueless man from yesterday was Li Mo, while the other man was none other than the esteemed Deputy Minister of the Dali Temple, Lord Lou Mingye. She glanced at Lou Mingye, saying that although he looked righteous, it was hard to tell; she warned Hua Li to stay away from him.

Lou Mingye wanted to refute this, but Fang Tingge stopped him, looking confused as to why Lan Che was acting that way. Lou Mingye asked Fang Tingge why they had come, and Fang Tingge explained that Huan Xi’s master had told them there was a ghost and potential danger in Huai Sha Village, so they came to help.

Xiao Luo asked if they had really encountered a ghost, and Lan Che replied that they hadn’t seen any ghosts, only heard plenty of ghostly tales. She glanced again at Lou Mingye, who exchanged a baffled look with Fang Tingge. Xiao Luo said it was scary enough, but luckily, they had Lord Lou with them. Lan Che scoffed, saying she’d seen plenty of terrifying figures, and now even this "little ghost" seemed rather charming.

Just then, someone entered and informed them that something had happened again in the Huang family—Madam Huang had died at home under mysterious circumstances. Lou Mingye took Lan Che and the others to the Huang residence and asked Huang Gui when the body was discovered. Huang Gui replied that it was found that morning and mentioned that the whole village had been haunted by a strange disturbance the previous night, leaving the household in a frenzy.

He had gone to the main hall in the morning and discovered the old madam there. Huang Gui added that there was something even stranger, suggesting Lou Mingye see for himself. When Lou Mingye went in, he saw the old madam kneeling on the ground, with a memorial tablet for Fang Baixue placed before her. Lou Mingye asked Huan Xi if he could determine the cause of death.

Huan Xi said he’d need to conduct an autopsy to find out, but Huang Gui objected. Lou Mingye assured Huan Xi to proceed with whatever he needed to uncover the truth. Huan Xi’s autopsy revealed that the old madam had died from fright, but the cause of Huang Fuxing’s death was peculiar. Huan Xi handed Lou Mingye a pile of stones taken from Huang Fuxing’s stomach, stating that he had frozen to death from the inside out.

Back at the inn, Xiao Luo asked why Lan Che and Lou Mingye were acting so oddly. Lan Che explained that Lou Mingye had been calling her "Qingyao" these past few days. Xiao Luo asked who Qingyao was, and Lan Che said she was Lou Mingye’s childhood friend. Xiao Luo noted that Lan Che seemed upset over it, implying that she had feelings for Lou Mingye. Lan Che didn’t respond, and Xiao Luo guessed correctly that she did.

She suggested that perhaps Lou Mingye also had feelings for her. Meanwhile, Fang Tingge mentioned to Lou Mingye that Lan Che had been quite displeased with him lately. Lou Mingye admitted that he might have upset her by calling her the wrong name, and Fang Tingge pointed out that this was a significant issue between men and women, advising Lou Mingye to apologize.

Lou Mingye apologized to Lan Che, and she found it so unusual that she wondered if she had overreacted. Later, she brought him a bowl of soup, and as they spoke, some of the soup accidentally spilled onto the stones taken from Huang Fuxing’s stomach, causing them to turn a bluish-black color.

Feng the gardener, Feng Qing, was packing his things, ready to leave, when Lou Mingye and Lan Che arrived. Feng Qing asked why they were there, and Lan Che asked if he was planning to leave. Feng Qing explained that with hauntings and deaths happening in the village, he feared he might end up making money only to die before he could spend it. Lou Mingye then asked if he was truly afraid of ghosts or of people. Feng Qing asked what he meant by that. Lou Mingye revealed that he had already determined if the culprit was human or ghost and asked if Feng Qing didn’t want to hear the answer. Feng Qing replied that it was none of his business, and he didn’t want to know. Lou Mingye insisted, so Feng Qing was escorted to the inn.

Li Mo, curious, asked Lou Mingye who the culprit was, since he claimed to have found them. Feng Qing speculated that the killer was the ghost of a girl previously wronged by the Huang family and sarcastically asked if the Dali Temple was planning to capture ghosts now. Fang Tingge told him to stop talking nonsense, but Lou Mingye said Feng Qing wasn’t entirely wrong. With Huang Fuxing’s mysterious death and the old madam dying at home, it was indeed tempting to suspect a vengeful ghost. But, Lou Mingye asserted, the culprit was not a ghost—it was a human. Li Mo pointed out that Huang Fuxing’s organs had frozen, making it seem impossible for a human to be responsible. Huan Xi then brought in the stones found in Huang Fuxing’s stomach, pouring water over them, which caused the stones to turn into ice. This was how Huang Fuxing’s internal organs froze.

Lou Mingye admitted he hadn’t understood the mystery until Lan Che had come into his room that morning and accidentally spilled water on the stones, causing them to freeze. He explained that these stones were saltpeter. Li Mo commented that saltpeter was typically found only in the military camps of Liangzhou, where it was used to make ice as it turned to ice upon contact with water, making it a luxury item for wealthy households to cool down. Lou Mingye said he hadn’t understood why Huang Fuxing would have saltpeter in his stomach until he learned from a servant at the Huang residence that Huang Fuxing often took elixirs. He deduced that someone must have mixed saltpeter into his elixirs.

Feng Qing questioned why any of this involved him. Lou Mingye replied that it was Feng Qing who had mixed the saltpeter into the elixirs. Lou Mingye explained that, in the abandoned temple, he’d found a knife Feng Qing used to slice rabbit meat. It was a military-issued knife from Liangzhou, and Liangzhou soldiers typically engraved their names on their knives' handles. He asked Feng Qing to take out the knife. Feng Qing placed the knife on the table, admitting it was his, and that he had indeed served in Liangzhou. However, he argued that having served there did not make him a murderer. Lan Che then asked how he could explain the “hauntings” that had occurred across the village that night. Lou Mingye explained that what they’d seen was all an illusion. Initially, he’d been confused, but Huan Xi had given him a clue.

Huan Xi had informed him about the “Mengpo Flower,” also called “Child Wish Flower,” whose pollen causes terrifying hallucinations. Feng Qing had spread Mengpo Flower pollen throughout Huai Sha Village, calling it Child Wish Flower, and used the rain that night to disperse it over the Huang estate. Lou Mingye said Feng Qing had intended to take advantage of the confusion to sneak into the estate and kill the old madam. However, she was so old and frail that she died of fright before he had the chance. Feng Qing had then placed Fang Baixue’s memorial tablet in front of her and arranged her body in a kneeling position, creating the impression that the late lady was behind the hauntings. Feng Qing admitted that the story was compelling but claimed there was no evidence.

Lou Mingye then brought out some cockleburs, explaining that he had asked around Huai Sha Village and found that cockleburs only grew in the abandoned temple. He had discovered these cockleburs on the old madam’s body, suggesting that they’d fallen onto her while Feng Qing was moving her corpse. Feng Qing finally confessed that he was indeed Fang Baixue’s husband, and he’d done all of this for revenge. Lan Che realized that the white-haired madwoman had been helping him. Lou Mingye and the others prepared to take the woman, Madam Wu, into custody, but Huang Gui kidnapped Lan Che to save Madam Wu, revealing that they were actually siblings. However, during their escape, both Huang Gui and Madam Wu were killed. Lou Mingye then asked Feng Qing who had ordered him to sell Child Wish Flower in Huai Sha Village. Feng Qing said that someone from Liangzhou had saved him but that he didn’t know the person’s identity. Hua Li brought Lan Che a bowl of antidote, and Lan Che, thinking of Lou Mingye, took it to him instead. Lou Mingye said he couldn’t taste anything, but this bowl was indeed sweet.

A subordinate delivered a secret message to the man, informing him that the poison from the Mengpo Soup had been neutralized. The man remarked that he knew it would eventually be undone, as he suspected the other party wouldn’t have the heart to carry it through. He noted that the General would soon enter the capital, saying it was time to reconnect with an old friend. Meanwhile, Lou Mingye and his group prepared to leave Huai Sha Village by carriage.

Xiao Luo teased Lan Che, suggesting she would definitely end up sharing a carriage with Lou Mingye and urged her to seize the opportunity. Lan Che approached Lou Mingye and asked if she’d be riding with him. Lou Mingye responded that, as his servant, who else would she ride with? Li Mo interrupted, claiming he should ride with Lou Mingye since Lou Mingye’s carriage was in poor condition. At that moment, a luxurious carriage arrived, which Li Mo had rented.

Lou Mingye looked a bit annoyed and told Lan Che to choose as she pleased. Li Mo invited Lan Che to join him in the fancy carriage. Lou Mingye strained to listen to what was happening outside when Lan Che lifted the curtain and nearly bumped into him upon entering. Lou Mingye asked why she was back, and Lan Che replied that, as his servant, it was only natural for her to ride with him.

Just as they settled in, Huan Xi arrived. Lan Che asked why he had come, and Huan Xi replied that Li Mo was too noisy for his liking, as he preferred peace and quiet. He asked Lou Mingye if he could spare him the courtesy of allowing an elder to join them. Lou Mingye let Huan Xi in, while Li Mo puzzled over why Lan Che would forego a luxurious carriage for Lou Mingye’s worn one.

Xiao Luo suggested it was due to Lou Mingye’s special charm. As she reached for an apple, Li Mo swiftly took it from her. Soon, they arrived back at the Dali Temple. Before being escorted to his cell, Feng Qing told Lan Che that he knew she was searching for a girl named Jiu Xiang. He added that this girl had once had contact with Fang Baixue, but after Fang Baixue’s death, they had lost touch.

Feng Qing recalled clearly that Jiu Xiang wore a distinctive item around her neck, something from a local medical clinic in Liangzhou. As they entered the main hall, Li Mo realized his father, Prince Yan, was present and tried to slip away. Prince Yan immediately asked where he was heading, forcing Li Mo to call out to him as “Father. ” Lan Che and the others were shocked, all staring at Li Mo, who could only offer a sheepish smile.

Lou Mingye reported their findings to Prince Yan, who then asked about the killing of Huang Gui and his sister along the way. Lou Mingye speculated that Feng Qing might have had deeper reasons for selling Mengpo flowers in Huai Sha Village and that Huang Gui was silenced because he knew too much. Prince Yan replied that he couldn’t inquire too much into the details of the case.

He then asked Li Mo why he had gone to Huai Sha Village without permission. Li Mo defended himself, saying he had been investigating and hadn’t caused any trouble. Lou Mingye acknowledged that Li Mo had indeed been helpful this time. Prince Yan, however, reminded Li Mo that he knew his own son’s character and told him to return home if he didn’t want to be here, and not to act recklessly again.

Li Mo admitted that he initially wanted to find a position to pass the time but, after experiencing Huai Sha Village, had come to realize the unfairness in the world and decided to help others. Annoyed with Li Mo for deceiving her, Lan Che stormed out of the Dali Temple, catching Hua Li’s meaningful smile from a distance. Li Mo quickly followed to apologize, and Lan Che asked if he truly considered them friends.

Li Mo assured her they were and apologized, which she accepted. On the day Feng Qing was exiled, he saw Lou Mingye and Lan Che standing at the city gates. Feng Qing cheerfully remarked that he was pleased Lou Mingye had come to see him off, but Lou Mingye replied it was Lan Che who wanted to bid him farewell. Lan Che offered Feng Qing a flask of wine, which delighted him.

He promised that if they ever met again, they would share a drink together. Just then, Li Mo decided he would break Feng Qing out of custody. Lan Che warned him that it was a serious crime to free a prisoner, but Li Mo brushed it off, saying that as the Prince Yan’s son, no one would dare to kill him. Lou Mingye then told Lan Che to prepare, as he was going to pay respects to his adoptive father.

Fang Tingge informed Lou Mingye that Li Mo was indeed following Feng Qing, and Lou Mingye instructed them to ensure their safety, knowing those pursuing Feng Qing wouldn’t let him escape easily. Meanwhile, Huo Feng visited Lou Mingye’s home, where Lan Che served tea to the two men. On the way, Li Mo intercepted Feng Qing but soon encountered assassins.

Huo Feng asked Lou Mingye where Fang Tingge had gone, and Lou Mingye replied that he was worried about potential danger during Feng Qing's escort, so he sent Fang Tingge to protect him. Huo Feng questioned what danger could exist under the Emperor’s rule. Lou Mingye explained that he had discovered Feng Qing was selling Mengpo flowers in Huai Sha Village under someone’s orders.

When Huo Feng asked if he had identified the person, Lou Mingye said he knew it was someone from the military camp in Liangzhou, but the exact identity remained unknown, only that it was someone of high rank. Lou Mingye glanced at Huo Feng as he spoke, noticing Huo Feng’s uncomfortable expression. Just as expected, assassins attacked Feng Qing on the road, but fortunately, Li Mo was there. He told Feng Qing to hide while he confronted the black-clad attackers.

Suddenly, another person appeared behind Feng Qing, about to strike him, but Fang Tingge arrived just in time, subduing the attacker. When Fang Tingge pulled down the person’s mask, he recognized him—it was a general close to Huo Feng. Lou Mingye soon received news from Fang Tingge that the attacker had been captured.

Lou Mingye informed Huo Feng that, indeed, someone had planned to kill Feng Qing, but the culprit had been caught and was now in custody at the Dali Temple. Lou Mingye questioned the general, asking if he was the one who had ordered Feng Qing to sell the Mengpo flowers. The general admitted it was indeed him, and Lou Mingye demanded to know his motive. The man replied it was for the sake of refining the "Hundred-Turn Elixir.

" He explained that years ago, Lou Huaiyun had thwarted his plans, and now another Lou, Lou Mingye, had appeared. He declared that he should have killed both father and son, adding that he was also the one who eliminated Leng Quji’s entire family. Enraged by the general’s words, Lou Mingye’s eyes reddened, and he ordered Fang Tingge to take the man to the prison to await trial.

Upon returning to his room, Lou Mingye, in anger, swept everything off his table onto the floor. Lan Che, watching him, remarked that he often mentioned Leng Qingyao’s name, suggesting that perhaps she hadn’t forgotten him either. She suggested that if Lou Mingye wanted to find her, she could help. Lou Mingye, however, replied that he had moved on from the past and only wanted to cherish what he had now.

Prince Yan introduced Li Mo to a young woman, suggesting they spend time together. The woman mentioned the lovely weather and invited Li Mo for a stroll in the garden. Li Mo declined, saying he was tired from his visit to Tianxiang Pavilion the day before and wanted to rest. Afterward, Li Mo told Lan Che about the meeting, and she encouraged him to give it a try, saying it might work out.

Li Mo expressed his belief in love at first sight, to which Lan Che responded that love at first sight was superficial and unreliable. While they were talking, a messenger from Prince Yan arrived, summoning Li Mo. Li Mo asked Lan Che to accompany him for support. When they arrived, Li Mo confessed to Prince Yan that he liked Lan Che.

Prince Yan asked Lan Che what she saw in Li Mo, and Lan Che explained that Li Mo was kind-hearted and unpretentious. Though he was the heir, he treated everyone as equals and got along well with them. Prince Yan, reassured, remarked that Lan Che was a fine young lady. Later, Prince Yan approached Lou Mingye, expressing his desire to buy Lan Che’s contract, as Li Mo and Lan Che shared mutual affection.

Lou Mingye appeared taken aback by this news and later asked Lan Che how long she had been by his side, suggesting that if she found a better future, she should pursue it. Lan Che asked what he meant by this, but before Lou Mingye could respond, Fang Tingge arrived with news that General Tuo Jiduo had been killed in the prison.

Lou Mingye inquired about the details, and Fang Tingge explained that someone had disguised themselves as a food delivery person to kill Tuo Jiduo. Tuo Jiduo attempted to escape but was killed by the prison guards. Lou Mingye ordered the food delivery person brought in, and when Fang Tingge led the person over, they discovered it was Hua Li. Lou Mingye asked Hua Li why she had attempted to assassinate Tuo Jiduo.

Hua Li replied that it was to avenge her father, Leng Quji. Lou Mingye asked her identity, to which she responded that she was Leng Qingyao. Then, she addressed Huo Feng as “Uncle Huo,” reminding him that he had once promised to give her a little horse when she was young. Huo Feng urged Lou Mingye to release Hua Li, and Hua Li turned to Lou Mingye, affectionately calling him "the medicine jar.

Lan Che informed Xiao Luo and Xiao Dao that Hua Li was actually Leng Qingyao. Xiao Luo asked if Lou Mingye had verified this, wondering how Hua Li could suddenly turn out to be Leng Qingyao. Lan Che replied that the timing and details Hua Li mentioned all matched up, so it seemed likely. Xiao Luo asked what she was planning to do.

Lan Che responded that she had nothing to do with Lou Mingye, so there was no need for any "plan. " Xiao Luo commented that everyone could tell Lan Che obviously had feelings for Lou Mingye. Lan Che replied that even if something belonged to someone else, she wouldn’t want it. Xiao Luo remarked that this might not be the case. She pointed out that Leng Qingyao was only Lou Mingye’s childhood playmate.

When his playmate went missing, of course, he’d want to find her, but Lan Che and Lou Mingye had been through so much life and death together. Their relationship was different now. Xiao Luo encouraged Lan Che to be brave and compete with Leng Qingyao, assuring her that both she and Xiao Dao would be her strong supporters. Meanwhile, Lou Mingye took Hua Li to a room, telling her she could stay there.

Hua Li replied that she had gotten used to drifting around on her own, so having a place that sheltered her from the elements made her happy. As she spoke, she reached out to hold Lou Mingye’s hand, but he quickly moved away. Hua Li asked if he didn’t trust her and pulled her collar slightly aside to reveal a crescent-shaped scar. Hua Li asked if he remembered it, and Lou Mingye confirmed that he did, urging her to rest.

Fang Tingge then approached Lou Mingye, expressing his suspicion about the sudden appearance of Hua Li claiming to be Leng Qingyao. He said he would investigate her identity in the coming days. Lou Mingye agreed, noting that Tuo Jiduo’s strange death might indicate someone was orchestrating these events deliberately. In the meantime, Lan Che felt happy after her conversation with Xiao Luo and Xiao Dao. The next morning, she cheerfully prepared some buns to bring breakfast to Lou Mingye.

Just as she called out to him, she noticed Hua Li arriving with a bowl of porridge for Lou Mingye, saying, "Didn’t you love drinking my homemade porridge when you were young? " She wasn’t sure if Lou Mingye’s tastes had changed over the years, so she brought both sugar and salt for him to adjust the flavor. Lan Che interjected, saying that she now knew Lou Mingye’s taste best and would season it for him.

She then added a generous amount of salt to the porridge, inviting Lou Mingye to taste it. Lou Mingye said it was fine, as he couldn’t taste the difference. Lan Che then added the same amount of salt to the other bowl and handed it to Hua Li, suggesting that she try it too so she could learn Lou Mingye’s preferences for the future. Hua Li took one taste and spat it out.

Just as she was about to speak, Lan Che quickly commented that Lou Mingye thought it was great, and Lou Mingye hurriedly agreed. Defeated, Hua Li held her bowl of buns, saying she was off to deliver them to Li Mo, and hurriedly left. Lan Che found Li Mo on patrol in the street, and they chatted about why so many young women were fanatically pursuing a certain man.

Li Mo explained that the man was Jun Zichen, the star of Zhuyuan Theater. Lan Che wondered what all the fuss was about since they couldn’t even see his face. A girl overheard and asked if Lan Che was badmouthing their idol, startling Lan Che into denying it. Back at the Dali Temple, Lou Mingye came out upon hearing about this.

He overheard Li Mo inviting Lan Che to the theater that evening, and Lan Che, glancing at Lou Mingye, promptly accepted. Lou Mingye remarked that he’d be staying behind to review case files, and Lan Che sarcastically responded, "Go ahead, since you have Hua Li to serve you tea. "That evening, just as Lan Che and Li Mo sat down to watch the play, Lou Mingye arrived too.

Lan Che asked why he wasn’t studying case files, and Lou Mingye replied that he couldn't concentrate without someone to serve him tea. Backstage, the lead actor, Jun Zichen, had arrived late, prompting his rival, Jie Jiulian, to step in as his replacement. However, just in time, Jun Zichen returned, and the two quarreled briefly but eventually performed together for the sake of the show.

At the end of the performance, Jun Zichen’s character was supposed to be stabbed in the heart with an awl, but he didn’t get up after the scene concluded. Sensing something wrong, Lou Mingye went to investigate and discovered that Jun Zichen had been murdered. The person wielding the iron awl was Qiao Qi, and Lou Mingye questioned him about the murder. Qiao Qi denied it, claiming that someone had swapped his weapon and that he wasn’t the killer.

Fang Tingge told Lou Mingye that he had brought all the fan letters from Zhuyuan Theater. Li Mo and Lan Che immediately gathered around to take a look. Lou Mingye, noticing how well they were getting along, called Lan Che outside. On the way, Lan Che told Lou Mingye that she found Jie Jiulian highly suspicious. She felt he was intentionally acting jealous of Jun Zichen, appearing straightforward and honest, but she sensed he was hiding something.

Lan Che asked why Lou Mingye was so silent, and Lou Mingye asked when she planned to tell him about her and Li Mo. Surprised, Lan Che asked how he knew, wondering who had a big enough mouth to spread it. Lan Che explained that Li Mo had asked for her help, and she hadn’t had a choice.

Lou Mingye, irritated, replied that it was one thing for her to be reckless, but now she was even joking about this kind of thing. Lan Che countered, saying she knew Lou Mingye never looked at her favorably, always finding fault with her. Lou Mingye said that wasn’t what he meant. Lan Che asked him what he did mean, and with his childhood sweetheart back, if he was even more inclined to send her away.

Lou Mingye denied ever wanting to send her away. Lan Che asked him to clarify what he meant when he said she could leave if she found a good place. Lou Mingye explained that the Yan King had asked him for her, saying he couldn’t let Lan Che marry into the Yan Palace as the son’s concubine while disguised as a servant. Lan Che smiled at this, then explained the entire story to Lou Mingye.

Lou Mingye assured her it wasn’t a big deal, advising her to clarify things with the Yan King. Lan Che agreed but pointed out that Li Mo was the son of a noble, so the Yan King wouldn’t hold it against him. She, however, was just an ordinary person, so what if the Yan King took his anger out on her? Lou Mingye reassured her, saying that as one of his people, the Yan King wouldn’t dare trouble her.

Feeling happy, Lan Che brought out the fan letters from Zhuyuan Theater and urged Lou Mingye to search for clues, insisting that he couldn’t go home until he finished reading. After reading for a while, Lan Che remarked that these girls were absolutely obsessed, even wanting to have children with Jun Zichen. Then she found a letter scolding Jun Zichen, accusing him of ingratitude and mentioning his intention to leave Zhuyuan Theater.

The letter threatened that the theater, which had made him famous, could also destroy him. Lou Mingye decided they needed to speak with Boss Ma for more information. When they arrived at Zhuyuan Theater to find him, Xu Shaoqing's sister, Bingbing, led them to Boss Ma’s door. However, there was no answer when they knocked, so Lou Mingye pushed open the door and found Boss Ma dead in the room.

Above, there was a broken rope on the ceiling, and on the bed, Lan Che found a retractable knife. Bingbing immediately recognized the knife as one of their stage props. Lou Mingye gathered the theater staff to question them about Boss Ma and Jun Zichen, and whether they knew that Boss Ma planned to dissolve Zhuyuan Theater and send them to different places.

Jie Jiulian replied that they all knew and explained that if Jun Zichen hadn’t planned to leave the theater, it wouldn’t be dissolving. Bingbing mentioned she once overheard Boss Ma and Jun Zichen arguing over his decision to leave Zhuyuan Theater. She later approached Jie Jiulian, expressing her feelings and desire to go with him, but Jie Jiulian told her that with her family background, he wasn’t a match for her and urged her to go home.

When Lou Mingye and Lan Che were about to return from the investigation, it started raining, and Hua Li arrived with umbrellas for them. Upset, Lan Che returned to the clinic, where Huan Xi noticed her unusual gloominess, pointing out how she used to always be cheerful. Fang Tingge informed Lou Mingye that the prison guard's wife and child had indeed been taken away on the day Tuo Jiduo died.

Lou Mingye mentioned that he had something to verify, and the two of them discussed their plan. Later, Lou Mingye and Lan Che had an argument about Hua Li, and Lan Che said she wanted to leave. Lou Mingye asked her to wait until the case was over, promising her an answer afterward. Lan Che fell asleep reading case files, and Lou Mingye covered her with his own coat.

Xu Shaoqing walked in to see Lan Che asleep at her desk, exhausted from reviewing case files. When she woke up, he smiled and told her not to work so hard; her health was important, and the case would never be solved completely. Lan Che asked if he had good news since he seemed so happy. Xu Shaoqing replied that his sister, Bingbing, had agreed to go home with him. Lan Che expressed her joy for their reunion.

Just then, a subordinate approached to report that the owner of the stolen items from the last robbery in South City had come to claim them. Xu Shaoqing hurriedly took out a key to unlock the storage, but it wouldn't work. Upon inspecting the key, he realized he had mistakenly brought the one he had just made for Bingbing instead of his own.

He sighed, telling his subordinate to write up the case files first, and they would sort out the stolen goods later. As Lan Che read through the fan letters addressed to Jun Zichen, she suddenly noticed something unusual. She quickly circled the discrepancies with a brush and rushed to inform Lou Mingye that she suspected Jun Zichen was involved in something problematic. She doubted that Jiudushan was written by him.

Lan Che shared her findings with Lou Mingye and Li Mo, who commented that the handwriting was impressive and didn’t expect Jun Zichen to have such good penmanship. Lan Che urged him to compare it carefully with the letters written to Jie Jiulian, and Li Mo noted how similar the two styles were. Lou Mingye examined the letters and concluded that they were identical.

Lan Che explained that she hadn’t been sure at first, but upon seeing the character for "far," which isn’t obscure, she wondered why both samples had similar handwriting errors. She felt it was too coincidental. Li Mo suggested that while Jun Zichen outwardly appeared to dislike Jie Jiulian, he might actually have feelings for him and was his biggest fan. After he finished speaking, both Lan Che and Lou Mingye fell silent.

Li Mo asked if he had said something wrong. Lan Che insisted that the manuscript wasn't written by Jun Zichen; the true author of Jiudushan was Shiqiaoquan. They decided they needed to confront Jie Jiulian for clarity. As Lan Che, Li Mo, and Lou Mingye arrived at the gates of Dali Temple, they saw Xu Shaoqing using a lift to remove a sign for cleaning. Lou Mingye told them to go ahead while he verified something.

Lan Che and Li Mo stopped Jie Jiulian before he could leave, asking him about Jiudushan. Jie Jiulian claimed he couldn't even recognize many characters, let alone write such things. They prompted him to consider if there was anyone who admired him enough to observe his daily activities. Jie Jiulian remarked that anyone who liked him would say so directly instead of writing letters.

He then seemed to recall that Xu Bingbing might do just that, sharing this thought with Li Mo and Lan Che. Meanwhile, Lou Mingye sought out Xu Bingbing, asking if she was the true author of Jiudushan. Xu Bingbing didn’t answer, making an excuse about her legs preventing her from serving tea. Instead, she offered him water from her personal flask.

Lou Mingye pressed her on why she would kill for Jie Jiulian, to which Xu Bingbing, although surprised, maintained her composure. He pointed out that she had staged Boss Ma's hanging scene using a wheelchair, and Xu Bingbing questioned why he hadn't arrested her if he was so sure she was the killer. Lou Mingye replied it was because she was Xu Shaoqing's sister. Xu Bingbing expressed surprise that the renowned Lou Mingye could show such humanity.

Just then, Lou Mingye began to feel faint, realizing the water she gave him was drugged. Back at Dali Temple, Lan Che and Li Mo noticed an ink stain on the floor that matched a woman’s footprint. Xu Shaoqing mentioned that the only person who had come to see him for the key was Xu Bingbing. Panicking, Lan Che ran to find Lou Mingye, fearing for his safety.

In the ensuing chaos, Xu Bingbing attempted to kill him, and Lan Che was injured while trying to save him. Lou Mingye blamed himself for being careless and causing her injury. Lan Che reassured him not to worry, stating that she had already found the real killer and that their relationship would end here.

Lou Mingye was deep in thought about what Lan Che had said—that she just wanted to live happily and didn’t want to be entangled in complicated relationships. He remembered how she had been injured while saving him and how she mentioned severing ties with him. Feeling troubled, he was interrupted when Fang Tingge informed him that Xu Bingbing had been found, but she was already dead.

When Lou Mingye saw Xu Bingbing covered with a white cloth, he asked Xu Shaoqing to go home and rest, acknowledging that he had worked hard these past few days. Lou Mingye then noticed Huo Feng nearby and asked why he was there. Huo Feng replied that he had heard Lou Mingye was injured and wanted to check on him. Lou Mingye assured him that he was fine and then Huo Feng inquired about Lan Che.

Lou Mingye explained that Lan Che was injured while trying to save him and had been poisoned by the knife. Fortunately, her master, Huan Xi, was there to help her detoxify. Huo Feng asked if Huan Xi was the one who developed the antidote for Wuyou Powder. Lou Mingye confirmed that it was indeed Huan Xi, prompting Huo Feng to think about her while glancing at Hua Li behind him.

Later that evening, Hua Li entered Lou Mingye’s study looking for the prescription for Wuyou Powder. She was fiddling with a mechanism when she accidentally saw Lou Mingye inside. He asked if she was looking for this, revealing the prescription he held in his hand. Realizing she had been discovered, Hua Li quickly tried to leave, but was stopped by Fang Tingge outside. Lou Mingye asked if, at this time, she still wasn’t ready to be honest with him.

Hua Li turned to face him, questioning whether he had ever trusted her. Lou Mingye replied that it was because she wasn’t Leng Qingyao. Hua Li reported that her superior had exposed himself. The person had said it was no problem; they wouldn’t be able to sit still for much longer. Meanwhile, Xiao Luo was preparing a medicinal bath for Lan Che.

She mentioned hearing that Hua Li had been caught trying to steal the Wuyou Powder recipe from Lou Mingye. She praised Lou Mingye for noticing Hua Li's intentions so early, calling him sharp-eyed. Xiao Luo told Lan Che that Lou Mingye had been nice to Hua Li to make her lower her guard. Lan Che asked which side Xiao Luo was on, and Xiao Luo affirmed she was on Lan Che’s side.

Lan Che remarked that it seemed like they were all fools, with only Lou Mingye being clever. Xiao Luo noted that the water was getting a bit cold and went to heat some more. Fang Tingge and Lou Mingye went to find Lan Che. Lou Mingye knocked on the door, and Lan Che let him in. Upon entering, he saw Lan Che taking a bath and jokingly called her a flirt.

Lan Che responded that she thought he was Xiao Luo. Lou Mingye said he would wait for her outside, and Lan Che asked him to hand her some clothes. Outside, Xiao Luo was ready to enter with a water bucket when Fang Tingge stopped her, saying Lou Mingye was inside with Lan Che. Realizing the situation was precarious, Xiao Luo tried to rush in, but Fang Tingge held her back. Just then, Lou Mingye came out.

When Lan Che was dressed and ready to see Lou Mingye, he explained that taking in Hua Li was a temporary measure. He confessed that when Hua Li claimed to be Leng Qingyao, he sensed that a master manipulator was behind her actions, so he was cautious. Lan Che expressed frustration that he hadn’t told her anything to lower Hua Li’s defenses, fearing she would disrupt his plans.

She asserted that she had the courage to face everything alongside him, but questioned whether he felt the same. Outside, Fang Tingge and Xiao Luo were betting on whether Lan Che would forgive Lou Mingye. When they saw Lou Mingye emerge with a troubled expression, they knew things hadn’t gone well. Xiao Luo asked Lan Che if she really wouldn’t go and work for Lou Mingye, but she remained silent. Xiao Luo wondered why she was still mad at him.

Lan Che replied that she was angry because he insisted on shouldering everything himself. She wanted to protect herself, but also wished to protect Lou Mingye. Lou Mingye sat with a gloomy expression, and Fang Tingge advised him that sometimes, it was essential to voice what was on his mind rather than keeping it bottled up. Huan Xi asked Lan Che to deliver medicine for Lou Mingye’s eye condition, but she was reluctant to go.

Huan Xi warned her that if she wouldn’t go, she might as well throw the medicine away. In the end, Lan Che took the medicine to Lou Mingye, and just as they were about to share heartfelt words, Xu Shaoqing arrived with two chickens, wanting to apologize to Lou Mingye for the trouble he had caused a few days prior.

Lan Che arrived in the woods alone, and when Xiao Luo couldn’t find her, she went to get Lou Mingye. Lan Che had twisted her ankle and was sitting on the ground. Suddenly, the sky opened up and it started to rain heavily. Lou Mingye appeared, holding an umbrella. Lan Che looked up at him and was reminded of the time after Jiu Xiang’s death when the situation had been similar.

Lou Mingye crouched down beside her to check on her injury and told her it was just a sprain and not too serious. He told her that from now on, he would be happy to have her by his side. Lan Che asked if he had made a promise, to which Lou Mingye replied that he hadn’t.

He explained that he didn’t just want her with him during dangerous times; he wanted her by his side through all the ups and downs of life. Lan Che asked if this was another confession, and Lou Mingye admitted that he wanted them to be together. Lan Che was overjoyed, and they kissed. Back at the Dali Temple, Lou Mingye hurriedly found someone to treat Lan Che’s ankle. Xiao Luo and Fang Tingge discreetly prepared to leave.

Lan Che said she would leave with Xiao Luo, but Xiao Luo, seeing her injury, suggested she stay where she was, saying it was fine for her to stay there. This left Lou Mingye and Lan Che alone together, and the atmosphere became charged with tension and subtle affection. The next morning, Lan Che accompanied Lou Mingye as he worked in the study.

Lou Mingye started to mention the previous night, but Lan Che quickly told him not to bring it up and suggested they focus on work. Lou Mingye was about to speak again, but Lan Che, caught by her own slip of the tongue, said it was something between her and Fang Tingge. Before she could finish, she realized she had said something wrong and quickly stopped talking. Lou Mingye had already heard her, and just then, Fang Tingge entered.

Lou Mingye laughed and teased that they had started plotting against him. Fang Tingge quickly left the room, and Lan Che advised Lou Mingye to focus on his work, saying that if he didn’t, people would start calling her a disaster for beautiful women. Lou Mingye took a dagger from his waist and explained that people from Liangzhou liked martial arts, and as a result, it was common for them to carry daggers as tokens of love.

He offered the dagger to Lan Che, saying it was a gift from his father. He told her that if his father knew, he would be very pleased to see him give it to her. Lou Mingye then showed her a portrait of Lan Che and explained that he had been so certain that Hua Li wasn’t Leng Qingyao because he knew that Lan Che was Leng Qingyao.

He hadn’t told her before because seeing her happy brought him joy, and he didn’t want her to remember the past. The two of them, holding hands, were happy and ready to leave. As they stepped out, they ran into Li Mo. Seeing them together, Li Mo froze, and Lou Mingye confirmed that they were exactly as Li Mo had thought.

Lou Mingye then took Lan Che out to the street for a walk, as the Lantern Festival was approaching, and the streets were bustling with excitement. Lou Mingye asked Lan Che which lantern she wanted, and she picked one, asking him to come later that night to release the lantern with her. Just then, Lan Che suddenly fainted. Lou Mingye quickly took her to Huan Xi’s apothecary.

When Lan Che woke up, Huan Xi asked if she had any other symptoms besides dizziness. Lan Che reassured him, saying she was fine and that it was probably just aftereffects from the poison. She added that if she ate more, she would be fine. Lan Che told everyone not to worry, and Huan Xi sent Lou Mingye away, though they didn’t seem to be talking about anything in particular.

Later that night, Lan Che couldn’t sleep and went to Huan Xi’s room to look for some sleep-inducing herbs, but Huan Xi didn’t return that night. The next day, as Huan Xi returned, Huo Feng’s men arrived to arrest him. They accused him of poisoning their brother with the medicine. Both Huan Xi and Lou Mingye were taken by Huo Feng’s men, but Huan Xi insisted he hadn’t poisoned anyone.

He said they could check the leftover medicine to verify that it wasn’t poisoned. Huo Feng ordered for the medicine residue to be brought to him, and sure enough, there was no poison. Huo Feng angrily scolded his subordinates for their incompetence. Lan Che asked if they could leave now, and Lou Mingye said she could, but Huan Xi had to stay.

He explained that Huan Xi was involved in making Wuyou Powder, and as a result, Huan Xi was taken to prison. Lan Che went to visit him, and Huan Xi admitted that she shouldn’t have come. She confirmed that she and Wu Ming had worked together to create Wuyou Powder and that Wu Ming was the famous apothecary from Liangzhou, Yu Xie.

Huan Xi asked Lan Che if she truly understood him. Lan Che replied that of course she did, as they had lived together for over a decade. Huan Xi then asked Lan Che what his real name was. Lan Che couldn’t answer. Huan Xi revealed that his real name was Yu Xie, and that years ago, he had been deceived by Tuo Jiduo.

Tuo Jiduo had lured him to the Lou estate, claiming it was to help Lou Mingye with his illness, but in reality, they were there to create the Hundred Reincarnation Pill. The creation of this pill required Wuyou Powder, Mengpo Grass, and Lou Mingye’s blood, which is why they deliberately approached Lou Mingye.

Huan Xi explained that when he arrived at the Lou estate, he realized Tuo Jiduo’s true intention wasn’t to heal anyone but to exploit Lou Mingye in his alchemy. However, this plan was discovered by Leng Qingyao’s father, Leng Quji, who informed Lou Mingye’s father, Lou Huaiyun. Fearing their plot would be exposed, Huan Xi quickly warned Tuo Jiduo. But unexpectedly, Tuo Jiduo murdered Lou Huaiyun. Huan Xi continued, saying that they then wiped out Leng Quji and his family.

Lan Che asked if Huan Xi had kept her around all these years to make up for his guilt. Huan Xi admitted that he hadn’t been able to let go, and he had gone back to find Leng Qingyao, eventually bringing her into his home. He said that after all these years, he had come to regard her as his own daughter. Lan Che, addressing him as "Master" for the first time, told him to cooperate with Lou Mingye’s investigation.

Huan Xi said that she was still willing to call him Master, and then asked her for one last favor. Suddenly, Huan Xi captured Lan Che with an iron chain, using her as a hostage to make Li Mo and the others regret their actions. Huan Xi told Lan Che that he hoped she could live a good life, and then threw a smoke bomb and disappeared.

Li Mo came to the apothecary to find Lan Che, but Xiao Luo told him that Lan Che had wanted to be alone. Li Mo asked if Lou Mingye wasn’t with her, and Xiao Luo replied that she hadn’t seen him since the incident. Li Mo, fuming with anger, decided to find him and confront him. He stormed off to find Lou Mingye, who told him that he didn’t need Li Mo’s interference in his and Lan Che’s matters.

Li Mo snapped, saying he had never liked Lou Mingye and warned that if he ever hurt Lan Che again, he wouldn’t hesitate to fight him. Lou Mingye replied that this was the Dali Temple, and if Li Mo continued, he wouldn’t hold back. Lan Che came to ask Lou Mingye what was going on. Lou Mingye told her that to avoid suspicion, they should avoid seeing each other until they had captured Huan Xi.

Lan Che left, heartbroken, and Lou Mingye, watching her go, felt a deep sadness. However, he had no choice but to say it, as Huan Xi had warned him that his time was running out. Huan Xi fled to a courtyard, but Huo Feng found him there. Huan Xi knew that Huo Feng had come for the Hundred Reincarnation Pill.

The last time Wu Ming was captured, Huo Feng had rushed back from Liangzhou for the Wuyou Powder formula that Wu Ming had. But now that Wu Ming was dead, Huan Xi was the only one who knew the formula. Huo Feng promised to ensure Huan Xi’s survival, but he asked Huan Xi to show some sincerity in return. Huan Xi opened a box containing the formula for Huo Feng to see.

Just as they were speaking, Lou Mingye arrived, declaring that Huan Xi was his father’s murderer and that he would take him back. Huo Feng refused to let him go. As the two fought over Huan Xi, he tried to escape but was struck by Lou Mingye’s sword. Just as this unfolded, Li Mo and Lan Che arrived and witnessed the scene. Huo Feng, seeing the public killing, ordered his men to capture Lou Mingye.

Lou Mingye fled, and Lan Che collapsed in the street. Li Mo chased after Lou Mingye but ran into Hua Li. He asked if Hua Li was working for Huo Feng, to which she replied that if she were, she wouldn’t have helped him. Lan Che, now at the Dali Temple, hung Huan Xi’s tiger pendant on his hand as a farewell. Lou Mingye was now a fugitive, and his wanted posters covered the streets.

Later that evening, Li Mo arrived at the morgue and told the guard to rest while he stayed behind. Li Mo purposely dropped his keys, and soon after, news came of a fire breaking out in the morgue. Huo Feng, fearing someone might try to switch the body, rushed over with his men, but Li Mo handled the situation. As he dealt with the guards, he thought to himself that Lou Mingye better be telling the truth, or all his efforts would have been in vain.

Xiao Luo bought three fried pancakes for Lan Che to eat. Lan Che asked if she found it strange—how could someone as meticulous as Lou Mingye possibly kill Huan Xi right in front of her? Xiao Luo agreed it was odd. Just then, Xiao Dao returned and told them that there had been a fire at the Dali Temple last night. Xiao Luo remarked that burning down the whole temple might be the best thing.

She then asked Xiao Dao why he was holding two lanterns. Xiao Dao explained that he planned to hang them at the entrance of the apothecary, hoping that his master might find the way home. When Lan Che heard this, she remembered Lou Mingye once saying he would accompany her to release lanterns during the Lantern Festival, which happened to be today.

Lan Che went to the lively main street and found the vendor where she had previously ordered a butterfly lantern. She asked the shopkeeper if he remembered the lantern she had ordered. The shopkeeper said he remembered, but someone had already picked it up. Lan Che asked who took it, but the shopkeeper said there were too many people, and he couldn’t remember. Lan Che left, but shortly after, she encountered a little girl who handed her a lantern.

Looking at it, Lan Che recognized it as the butterfly lantern she had ordered and knew that Lou Mingye must have left it for her. She looked up and saw a man dressed in black on the bridge, and she was sure it was Lou Mingye. Lan Che ran after him, calling for him to stop. She reminded him that he had promised to stay by her side and protect her—had he forgotten?

Lou Mingye turned around, about to speak to Lan Che, but before he could say anything, Huo Feng shot him from a distance with an arrow. Lou Mingye lost his balance and fell into the water, and before Lan Che could rush to save him, Huo Feng’s men took her away. Lan Che demanded that Huo Feng release her so she could rescue Lou Mingye.

She criticized Huo Feng, saying he was truly heartless for not searching for his adopted son, who was now missing. Huo Feng replied confidently that the arrow wasn’t enough to kill him. Li Mo went to Prince Yan to request the tiger tally, intending to mobilize troops to rescue Lan Che. Prince Yan told him not to get involved and added that incidents like the morgue fire should never happen again.

Angry, Li Mo left, and Prince Yan went behind the screen to speak to Lou Mingye. He explained that he didn’t want Li Mo, who was too straightforward, getting involved. Lou Mingye asked why Prince Yan had saved him, and Prince Yan replied that someone didn’t want him dead. Li Mo, determined to rescue Lan Che, planned to do it alone if necessary. Fang Tingge appeared behind him, signaling him to follow.

The two arrived at an inn, where Li Mo was shocked to find Huan Xi alive. He asked in surprise why Huan Xi wasn’t dead. Huan Xi explained that Huo Feng was the mastermind behind the forbidden drugs from ten years ago, but they lacked evidence. Li Mo questioned how he hadn’t known it was Huo Feng, given his years of experience in pharmaceutical work in Liangzhou.

Huan Xi explained that Tuo Jiduo had handled everything back then, so he had never seen Huo Feng directly. Now, Lou Mingye had helped him fake his death to escape Huo Feng’s grasp and to probe Huo Feng’s true objective—the prescription. Huan Xi continued that Lou Mingye had been suspicious of him for a long time. After Tuo Jiduo mysteriously died in prison, Huan Xi had feared implicating Lan Che, so he approached Lou Mingye to explain the situation.

However, Lou Mingye had already been wary of his identity. Li Mo attempted to take Lan Che away alone, but just as they exited the room, they ran into Huo Feng. Huo Feng demanded to know when Lou Mingye would appear, saying he would only release Lan Che when Lou Mingye showed up. Li Mo insisted that he would take Lan Che away, regardless of the circumstances.

At that moment, Xu Shaoqing arrived and told Li Mo that they had located Lou Mingye. This was part of a setup for Huo Feng to overhear. Li Mo secretly handed something to Lan Che, assuring her that he would come back to save her. Then he and Xu Shaoqing left, and Huo Feng ordered his troops from the Tiger Wei Army to follow. Xu Shaoqing led his men to capture Lou Mingye, and Huo Feng arrived just as well.

Huo Feng tried to get Lou Mingye to leave with him, but Lou Mingye refused. Using Mengpo Flowers, Lou Mingye forced Huo Feng to confess to his crimes from years ago. When Huo Feng realized Huan Xi was there, he understood he had been tricked. Enraged, he ordered the Tiger Wei Army to kill them all, leaving no one alive. As Lou Mingye struggled to hold on, Prince Yan and Li Mo arrived with reinforcements.

Seeing that escape was impossible, Huo Feng told Lou Mingye not to let him fall into Prince Yan’s hands. In the end, Huo Feng died in Lou Mingye’s arms.

Five days later, Xu Shaoqing was holding a case file, preparing to find Lou Mingye, but Li Mo stopped him. Li Mo reminded him of what Lou Mingye had once said about them both—how Xu Shaoqing was someone who went wherever the wind blew, and Li Mo was just an idle young lord with no real skills. Xu Shaoqing replied that those words were only meant for Huo Feng to hear.

Li Mo suggested they handle these cases themselves, so that Lou Mingye would see them in a new light. Xu Shaoqing agreed and then asked why he hadn’t seen Lou Mingye. Meanwhile, Lou Mingye went to Huan Xi’s apothecary to see Lan Che. Lan Che, upset at his deception, didn’t want to speak to him. Lou Mingye explained that it hadn’t been his idea but rather Huan Xi’s plan.

Lan Che, still angry, told him he was no better and then left. As Lou Mingye was about to go after her, Xiao Luo and Xiao Dao stopped him. Fang Tingge urged Lou Mingye to break in if needed. Lou Mingye suggested Fang Tingge do it himself, but Fang Tingge glanced at Xiao Luo and admitted he didn’t dare either, so they both left.

Outside, they noticed a stall selling romance novels, with the vendor saying that anyone with love troubles could find guidance in them. Lou Mingye tried to buy one, but the vendor recognized him as a young lord of the Dali Temple, and Lou Mingye, embarrassed, walked away. Fang Tingge bought a copy instead. Back at the Dali Temple, Lou Mingye found a secluded spot to read it secretly, with Fang Tingge reading over his shoulder.

The two of them ended up in tears, moved by the story. Lou Mingye asked if the advice in the book would actually work, and Fang Tingge replied that it probably would. Later, as Lan Che was shopping on the street, Lou Mingye appeared beside her, offering to buy anything she looked at. Lan Che told him to stop following her. Lou Mingye apologized sincerely, admitting his mistake and handing her the things he’d bought.

Lan Che refused, saying she didn’t want anything from him, and returned to the apothecary. Inside, Huan Xi brought a bowl of hot and sour soup to Lan Che, saying he’d made it especially for her. Lan Che, still angry, was upset that Huan Xi and Lou Mingye had conspired to deceive her. Huan Xi asked Xiao Luo to try cheering her up, but before Xiao Luo could say much, Li Mo appeared at the door.

Lan Che and Li Mo sat down for tea together, and Lan Che told him not to think she wasn’t upset with him too. Li Mo explained that he hadn’t known at first and was eventually forced to join the plan. Lan Che said that, considering he was a “secondary offender,” she would forgive him. Li Mo remarked how nice it would have been if they’d known each other since childhood—then he would have met her before Lou Mingye did.

He admitted that he used to dislike Lou Mingye, finding him bothersome, but now he saw him as someone trustworthy. He shared how he had once asked Lou Mingye what he would do if he had to exchange his life for Lan Che’s safety. Lou Mingye had replied that if it would bring Lan Che happiness and peace, he would do anything.

After telling this story, Li Mo left, reflecting on how he’d just done the “most foolish thing” he’d ever done. Xiao Luo and Xiao Dao were working with Huan Xi on sorting some newly bought herbs when Lan Che came over to chat with them. But after only a few words, she suddenly collapsed. Huan Xi initially thought she was just playing around, but when she didn’t respond, he realized Lan Che had really fainted.

Lan Che then had a dream where she saw her father, Leng Quji, and begged him not to leave her. Xiao Luo hurried to find Lou Mingye and told him that Lan Che had fainted. Lou Mingye rushed over to see Lan Che, but she asked who he was, saying she didn’t remember him. Lou Mingye reassured her, saying it was fine even if she forgot him. He introduced himself as Lou Mingye and told her she was his beloved.

Lou Mingye admitted that, despite all her faults, he still loved her. Lan Che then dropped the act, admitting she remembered everything. She told Lou Mingye that “Yaoguanzi” had returned, referencing a term of endearment between them. Huan Xi jokingly asked if that was it between her and Lou Mingye, and Lan Che replied that Lou Mingye treated her well. Lan Che revealed that she had something important to do.

She took Xiao Luo and Xiao Dao along with an engagement gift and went to Lou Mingye’s home. There, she asked if he would marry her. Lou Mingye hesitated, as he was uncertain about his own future and didn’t dare give her an answer.

After Li Lun left, Zhao Yuanzhou noticed the wooden box held by two guards emitting a dazzling light. As he approached, the firelight quickly entered his body. Later, he found Li Lun and saw that he had killed many innocent villagers, so Zhao Yuanzhou pushed him away. Unexpectedly, the power of the true fire he had just absorbed was intense, almost injuring Li Lun.

This incident marked the beginning of their split, with Zhao Yuanzhou abandoning his vow to protect the Wilderness. What Li Lun couldn’t understand was Zhao Yuanzhou’s willingness to befriend mortals. Zhao Yuanzhou described each member of the Demon-Hunting Squad’s strengths, which made Li Lun feel intense jealousy. Li Lun declared he would kill the squad members, leaving Zhao Yuanzhou as empty-handed as he was.

As he said this, he grabbed Bai Jiu’s head, causing Bai Jiu’s eyes to fill with blood, sending him into a frenzy. When Bai Jiu reached for the iron cage, it instantly cracked. Li Lun realized a divine power resided within Bai Jiu, prompting Zhao Yuanzhou to quickly exit the cage. Zhuo Yichen and Pei Sijing arrived, and Zhao Yuanzhou handed the weakened Bai Jiu to them, instructing Zhuo Yichen to take Bai Jiu away.

Pei Sijing took out the Mountain God’s Boundary and prepared a spell, but Zhuo Yichen suddenly walked over to Zhao Yuanzhou’s side, leaving Pei Sijing to bring Bai Jiu alone to the Kunlun Gate. Li Lun cleared away the mist, revealing Wen Xiao suspended in midair, with one blood-stained arm. Li Lun had previously tried to drain Wen Xiao’s blood to weaken the Bai Ze’s divine power and now forced Zhao Yuanzhou to choose between Wen Xiao and Zhuo Yichen.

Zhao Yuanzhou attacked Li Lun directly with his umbrella, with Zhuo Yichen providing support. Despite Li Lun’s formidable strength, Zhao Yuanzhou cut his own palm with a dagger, using his wrath-filled blood to strike at Li Lun. Li Lun felt despair over Zhao Yuanzhou’s sacrifices for humanity. Wen Xiao, nearby, picked up Li Lun’s rattle and smashed it, instantly dissipating his power, while the fire of the Undying Wood within him began to burn intensely.

Zhao Yuanzhou told Li Lun that back when he was sealed in the Wilderness, although Zhao Waner intended to punish him, she had also hoped to use the Bai Ze Amulet to lessen the power of the Undying Wood and ease Li Lun’s suffering. However, Li Lun’s sole focus was on breaking the seal, and now, as the Undying Wood’s flames scorched him, Zhao Yuanzhou felt a deep sense of guilt.

Though he had never intended to harm Li Lun with the Undying Wood, he couldn’t avoid responsibility. Watching Li Lun slowly consumed by flames, two streams of hot tears fell from Zhao Yuanzhou’s eyes. Wen Xiao gathered Yao Water tainted with her own blood, which was needed to restore the Bai Ze Amulet with pure, flawless Yao Water. However, Li Lun had deliberately damaged it.

They now needed to find the Divine Wood, and Zhao Yuanzhou promised he would locate it within a month. If he couldn’t fulfill this promise, he asked Zhuo Yichen to kill him. Wen Xiao reminded Zhao Yuanzhou of his heavy responsibilities and urged him not to talk so lightly about death. Upon returning to the Kunlun Gate, Zhen Mei from the Chongwu Camp and Fan Ying from the Demon-Hunting Division had already gathered people to capture Zhao Yuanzhou.

Wen Xiao asked Pei Sijing, representing the Prime Minister’s authority, to make a decision. Pei Sijing immediately declared that Zhao Yuanzhou be handed over to the Chongwu Camp. Wen Xiao was shocked, and Zhuo Yichen grew concerned, but Zhao Yuanzhou simply smiled, reassuring them not to worry. Bai Jiu received a letter from his father, Lord Situ, requesting that he return to Tiandu immediately to learn the secret of his origins.

While Ying Lei was guarding the Kunlun Gate, Lord Lu Wu came to assist. Ying Lei realized his grandfather had foreseen everything and asked Lu Wu to help investigate a way to purify the Yao Water. After Zhao Yuanzhou was imprisoned in the Chongwu Camp, the Prime Minister immediately ordered his execution, specifically requesting that Zhuo Yichen carry out the sentence using the Yun Guang Sword.

Zhuo Yichen argued that with the Bai Ze Amulet damaged, peace between humans and demons was disrupted, making Zhao Yuanzhou indispensable. However, Fan Ying remained resolute, insisting on following the Prime Minister’s orders. Wen Xiao accused Fan Ying of distorting the truth and resolved to explain everything directly to the Prime Minister. She then ran into the street, lying seductively in a white gauze dress in the middle of the road to stop the Prime Minister’s carriage.

Meanwhile, Pei Sijing was guarding the prison at the Chongwu Camp. Zhao Yuanzhou informed her that the plan had reached its final stage and it was time to close the net. Pei Sijing used a dagger to unlock the chains and released Zhao Yuanzhou. It turned out that Zhao Yuanzhou had suspected her ever since her first secret meeting with Zhen Mei. Later, he learned that Zhen Mei controlled her by promising a reunion with Pei Siheng.

To help her, Zhao Yuanzhou used a spell to allow Pei Siheng’s spirit to remain. Grateful, Pei Sijing continued pretending to act as a spy within the Chongwu Camp, helping Zhao Yuanzhou expose the true mastermind. As Zhao Yuanzhou left the prison, Pei Sijing explained that eight years ago, the Chongwu Camp had been capturing demons for secret military research. Zhao Yuanzhou recalled his experiences with Li Lun in the Ji Xin Hall.

While they were talking, a figure dressed in black suddenly appeared. Zhao Yuanzhou immediately identified him as Wen Zongyu. Eight years ago, the Ji Xin Hall had been managed by Wen Zongyu. After Wen Zongyu left Sinan Water Town a few days prior, Zhuo Yichen had been captured. Wen Zongyu no longer concealed his identity and removed his mask, admitting to everything.

He revealed that his true goal was to obtain Zhao Yuanzhou’s inner core, stating that if the five senses were sealed, the inner core would naturally separate from the body.

Bai Jiu appeared beside Wen Zongyu. Pei Sijing recalled how Bai Jiu had unexpectedly shown up at the Kunlun Gate, and now realized it was simply by accident that she had noticed him. Wen Zongyu began explaining each instance of how Zhao Yuanzhou’s five senses were sealed: in Sinan Water Town, Bai Jiu had given everyone a pill he had developed, which first shut down the sense of taste.

Then he provided Zhao Yuanzhou with Huansan Powder for protection, which closed his sense of smell. When they first entered the underground chamber at the town courtyard, Bai Jiu covered Zhao Yuanzhou’s eyes, sealing his vision. Later, when they entered Huijiang Valley, Bai Jiu handed out earplugs to everyone, shutting down hearing. Bai Jiu then admitted face-to-face that he was an informant for Chongwu Camp. Wen Zongyu further explained the intricacies of his plan.

He had been monitoring Zhao Yuanzhou from the moment he first entered the mortal realm. The selection of the scouting team was also his decision. To ensure Bai Jiu could complete his mission smoothly, he arranged to have Pei Sijing removed from Chongwu Camp. This way, when the Demon-Hunting Squad urgently needed recruits, she could naturally join.

It also conveniently aligned with the death of Pei Sijing’s younger brother, making Bai Jiu, who was of a similar age, a figure for Pei Sijing to emotionally project onto. Pei Sijing finally realized she had been manipulated every step of the way. As for Zhuo Yichen, he too was chosen by Wen Zongyu as a backup for revenge. If Bai Jiu’s actions failed, Zhuo Yichen’s Yun Guang Sword would be the only weapon capable of killing Zhao Yuanzhou.

Now, only the sense of touch remained to be sealed for Wen Zongyu's plan to succeed. Zhao Yuanzhou asked what purpose his inner core served. Wen Zongyu revealed that his real goal wasn’t the inner core but the Undying Wood. Eight years ago, he had gone through great effort to locate the last piece of Undying Wood in the world, only for Zhao Yuanzhou to accidentally absorb it. Wen Zongyu instructed Bai Jiu to pierce Zhao Yuanzhou with silver needles.

As Zhao Yuanzhou tried to cast a spell to control Bai Jiu, he discovered that the dungeon was filled with charms, so Pei Sijing used the Mountain God’s Boundary to help them both escape quickly. On the streets of Tiandu, blood flowed from the Prime Minister’s carriage. Guards approached to investigate and found Wen Xiao, naked and covered in blood, seated inside, with the Prime Minister’s corpse lying beside her.

In reality, the true Wen Xiao was with Zhuo Yichen in the Demon-Hunting Division, discussing ways to find the Divine Wood. Situ Ming rushed in to report what was happening in the streets. Just then, Zhen Mei arrived with troops to arrest Wen Xiao. Recalling that Zhao Yuanzhou had mentioned a clue about the Divine Wood being in Situ Ming’s house, Wen Xiao asked Situ Ming if he could temporarily shelter her.

When Zhen Mei failed to capture her, he issued a city-wide bounty. The next day, Wen Xiao secretly followed Situ Ming to his house in the countryside, where she noticed a room with closed doors and windows. Situ Ming explained that his wife had been bedridden for a long time, so the room was sealed to protect her from light and wind.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yuanzhou and Pei Sijing used the Boundary of Mountains and Seas to transport themselves to Bai Jiu’s room. Zhao Yuanzhou was perplexed by Wen Xiao’s wanted status across the city. Zhuo Yichen examined the carriage in which the Prime Minister had been killed and found an old ceremonial book inside.

He then asked Fan Ying to help him check the Prime Minister’s remains, but Fan Ying informed him that Chongwu Camp had already taken the body amidst the chaos. Rumors of a female demon who consumed humans had spread throughout Tiandu, and only one body with similar injuries remained in the Demon-Hunting Division’s possession. The carriage and corpse bore traces of sulfur.

As Zhuo Yichen pondered which demon specialized in using sulfur, Ying Lei suddenly entered the Demon-Hunting Division and revealed it was the work of Ao Yin. Ao Yin had long occupied the volcanic region of the Western Wilderness, with a penchant for eating human brains and hearts. Ying Lei had specially brought purified Yao Water, and upon entering the city, he saw the bounty for Wen Xiao, leading him to suspect Ao Yin.

Zhen Mei had already gathered soldiers for a large-scale search, so Zhuo Yichen immediately informed Wen Xiao and asked Ying Lei to look into ways to find Ao Yin. When they arrived at Situ Ming’s courtyard, Bai Jiu happened to be there, and Zhao Yuanzhou, wanting answers, grabbed Bai Jiu as he tried to flee. Zhuo Yichen still couldn’t believe Bai Jiu was a spy for Chongwu Camp.

Bai Jiu explained that he had helped Wen Zongyu with everything in order to cure his mother. He recalled a night eight years ago under a blood moon when he had seen his mother entangled by a demon tree in her room. His father had carried him away, believing she had turned into a demon and then permanently shut the doors and windows.

After growing up, Bai Jiu studied medicine under Wen Zongyu, who promised to fully cure his mother in exchange for Bai Jiu infiltrating the Demon-Hunting Division’s scouting team to seal Zhao Yuanzhou’s senses. Hearing that Bai Jiu had been deceived by Wen Zongyu, Situ Ming revealed the truth: Bai Jiu’s mother was of half-god, half-demon blood, known as Bai Yan, the Divine Wood.

Eight years ago, when the Bai Ze Amulet vanished, she was severely injured, revealing her true form, and lost her consciousness, becoming a locust tree to maintain her presence in the world. Bai Jiu regretted discovering the truth too late and harming those who had treated him sincerely. Zhuo Yichen comforted Bai Jiu, telling him that acknowledging his mistake was enough and that everyone would understand.

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