Kill Me Love Me Recap, Plot, Synopsis

Kill Me Love Me Synopsis

Prince Murong Jinghe of the Dayan Empire led the Wei Bei army to reclaim the lost territory of Qingzhou. After their victorious entry into the city, a sudden fire erupted. Rumors spread that Murong Jinghe, harboring resentment against the Qingzhou people for betraying Dayan, ordered the city to be burned, turning him from a just general into a feared butcher. A Qingzhou girl, Mei Lin, who lost her family in the fire, swore to avenge the massacre.

She joined the secret organization Dark Factory, took the poison Mo Mai to become a death warrior, and endured years of brutal training. Her first assassination mission was to kill her sworn enemy, Prince Murong Jinghe. Under Dark Factory's plan, Mei Lin became one of the hundred Xiyan beauties sent to marry into Dayan, seeking a chance to assassinate Murong Jinghe. Unbeknownst to her, the mastermind behind the assassination plot was Murong Jinghe himself.

Kill Me Love Me Recap

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14
• 15
• 16
• 17
• 18
• 19
• 20
• 21
• 22
• 23
• 24
• 25
• 26
• 27
• 28
• 29
• 30
• 31
• 32

The Da Yan and Xi Yan kingdoms have been at war for many years. The third prince, Murong Jinghe, led the Wei Bei Army into battle and successfully reclaimed the lost territory of Qingzhou. However, after the army entered the city, Qingzhou was deliberately set on fire. Mei Lin’s father, Mei Dashan, died tragically in the fire while trying to protect her. Mei Lin unexpectedly obtained a military token from the arsonist, who belonged to the Wei Bei Army.

From then on, rumors spread that Murong Jinghe harbored resentment against the people of Qingzhou for betraying Da Yan and had ordered the massacre of the city. He was also blamed for the slaughter of 100,000 civilians in Qingzhou and was exiled to Jingbei, earning the title "Butcher General. "Ten years passed quickly. Mei Lin, determined to avenge her father, joined the secret Dark Workshop as a trained assassin, living alongside death and violence every day.

Her only goal was to one day personally push Murong Jinghe into the abyss. The brutal and cruel training of the Dark Workshop gradually taught Mei Lin to be patient and ruthless, forcing her to suppress her humanity and fear of death. She relied on antidotes to sustain her life and loyalty.

Despite her struggle for survival in the darkness, Mei Lin still retained a shred of conscience, doing her best to prevent other girls from falling into the same fate within the Dark Workshop. In the 25th year of Zhaoming’s reign, the long-standing conflict between Da Yan and Xi Yan was resolved with peace talks.

To show sincerity, the king of Xi Yan sent Princess Zi Gu along with 100 beauties to Da Yan for a peace marriage, in exchange for the release of over 10,000 prisoners. The peace delegation would enter Da Yan from Jingbei, and Murong Jinghe, stationed in Jingbei, volunteered to serve as the envoy to welcome the bride. At the same time, Mei Lin was ordered to take the deadly poison of the Mo Vein and received her first mission.

The master of the Dark Workshop commanded Mei Lin to infiltrate the peace marriage delegation and use the grand banquet as an opportunity to assassinate Murong Jinghe. Only by completing the mission could she obtain the antidote and leave the Dark Workshop.

Due to Murong Jinghe’s past excessive killing in Xi Yan, and the peace marriage being a gesture of goodwill between the two nations, some officials in the court opposed the idea of having the Wei Bei General serve as the envoy, fearing it would cause further tensions. Emperor Murong Qian summoned Crown Prince Murong Xuanlie for his opinion.

Murong Xuanlie believed that Xi Yan intended to use the peace marriage to bide their time, and that Murong Jinghe was the best candidate to intimidate Xi Yan. Murong Qian agreed with this view. Under the arrangements of the Dark Workshop, Mei Lin became one of the 100 beauties sent from Xi Yan to Da Yan for the peace marriage.

She set off with the group, sharing a carriage with A Ga, A Yi, and A Dai, all of whom were Princess Zi Gu’s close attendants. During the journey, the other three women discussed Murong Jinghe’s cruelty and ruthlessness, describing him as a devil. Mei Lin, however, remained silent, lost in memories of her past suffering. The Xi Yan convoy traveled 100 li a day and soon reached the gates of Jingbei.

Paper money floated in the air, creating a cold and terrifying atmosphere. After a moment, the city gates slowly opened, and the guards stood in two rows, on high alert. Murong Jinghe appeared in a palanquin, making his first appearance before the crowd. Using the pretext of holding a funeral for a turtle, he greeted the peace marriage delegation with an arrogant and disrespectful attitude, subtly insulting them by selecting beauties even before the formal ceremony began.

He particularly noticed Mei Lin, who had remained silent throughout. After entering the city, the group rested in Jingbei for the night. Princess Zi Gu, unable to sleep, sought out Mei Lin and the others for comfort. Mei Lin jokingly suggested knocking her out to cure the insomnia, but Princess Zi Gu, fearing something might go wrong, declined and chose to share a bed with them instead.

Feeling dejected from being sent away for the peace marriage, Princess Zi Gu was comforted by the others. In the middle of the night, Mei Lin disguised herself and infiltrated Prince Jing’s residence, discovering that Murong Jinghe’s bedroom was filled with traps. His true resting place was in a secret room behind a mechanical wall. While there, Mei Lin encountered other assassins attempting to kill Murong Jinghe. They fled when they couldn’t match her skills.

Disguising herself as a maid delivering medicine, Mei Lin entered Murong Jinghe’s medicinal bath, offering herself as his woman with the hidden intention of assassination. Unexpectedly, Murong Jinghe suddenly pulled Mei Lin into the bath. To her shock, the water contained a paralyzing agent, and Murong Jinghe remained suspicious of her, harshly questioning her true intentions.

Just as Mei Lin was trying to maneuver her way out of the situation, the steward Liu Zhong and Qing Yan sensed something was wrong and hurried in with guards. In a desperate move, Mei Lin kissed Murong Jinghe passionately, and the two became entwined. Because of this, Mei Lin managed to survive using her wits.

Murong Jinghe decided not to kill her, ordering her to stay in the residence for the night and take her with him back to Zhao Jing the next day. As Murong Jinghe slowly rose from the bath and stepped outside, the playful arrogance on his face faded, as he thought to himself that this little beggar girl, Mei Lin, had indeed not disappointed him.

In the 14th year of Zhaoming’s reign, Murong Jinghe volunteered to reclaim Qingzhou. However, he was later accused of ordering a massacre, surrounded by angry citizens, and left with crippled legs. The grief of losing his mother only deepened his despair, causing him to drown in alcohol and become mentally debilitated. One day, Mei Lin, disguised as a beggar, attempted to assassinate Murong Jinghe.

Even with arrows piercing her legs, she crawled forward, swearing that she would one day take her revenge. On the eve of their departure, Princess Zi Gu learned that Mei Lin had stayed overnight at Prince Jing’s residence and mistakenly thought that Murong Jinghe had mistreated her. She immediately brought Mei Lin to confront him. Murong Jinghe seized this opportunity to propose an archery contest among the beauties from Xi Yan, selecting a soldier to demonstrate.

When the soldier, lacking skill, missed his target, Murong Jinghe killed him on the spot, displaying his ruthless "Butcher General" reputation. However, Mei Lin harbored doubts. She recognized that the soldier was the assassin from the previous night, and was startled by Murong Jinghe’s deep scheming, fearing her own identity might be exposed. Princess Zi Gu, pure and kind, was always concerned about Mei Lin’s safety.

She promised to protect Mei Lin with her status as a princess once they reached the capital, deeply moving Mei Lin. Now, Emperor Murong Qian had granted Murong Jinghe permission to return to the capital, a decision that any discerning observer could see was aimed at reconciling the father and son. Yet few knew of Crown Prince Murong Xuanlie’s secret actions, and one of his co-conspirators was Zhang Yin, the Deputy Minister of War.

Upon hearing that Murong Jinghe would be escorting the Xi Yan princess to Zhao Jing, Zhang Yin became increasingly worried about their plot being uncovered. Murong Xuanlie, however, reassured him, asserting that the crown was his for the taking. Soon, the peace marriage convoy entered Zhao Jing. Citizens lined the streets, hurling insults at Murong Jinghe, calling him the "Butcher General," claiming he was unworthy of returning home.

Children sang rhymes mocking the Wei Bei Army, and these voices collectively formed a powerful wave of public opinion. Unbeknownst to the public, Murong Xuanlie had orchestrated everything, intending to stir up the people’s anger. Sure enough, the citizens became agitated, throwing rotten vegetables at Murong Jinghe. In the chaos, a box containing relics of the Wei Bei Army was opened, and a military token fell to the ground, catching Mei Lin’s attention.

Though Murong Jinghe could endure personal humiliation, seeing the relics of the Wei Bei Army trampled upon enraged him. He immediately intimidated the crowd, silencing those who had tried to incite a riot. He then cleverly turned the situation by offering money to the children, prompting them to sing a different song, one that portrayed him not as the misunderstood "Butcher General" but as the "Commander of a Hundred Ghosts" of the Wei Bei Army.

Emperor Murong Qian summoned Murong Jinghe for a private meeting, reminding him that after ten years of reflection in Jingzhou, he should have changed for the better and should avoid future conflicts with Xi Yan. In truth, Murong Qian knew his son still harbored unresolved feelings about the events in Qingzhou. In response to his father’s reminder, Murong Jinghe smiled bitterly, saying that the past was too painful to revisit.

Liu Zhong arranged accommodations for Princess Zi Gu and her attendants, informing them that it was the late empress’s memorial day, and they would have to wait until the next day to enter the palace. Princess Zi Gu felt disappointed at first, but upon learning that her brother Yue Qin was nearby, her mood lifted, and she smiled joyfully.

Just then, the sorrowful toll of a long bell echoed, touching the hearts of everyone present, but none more deeply than Murong Jinghe, for the sound seemed to reopen an old wound in his heart. Looking back on the past, before heading to Qingzhou, Murong Jinghe had promised his mother that he would retire from the battlefield and marry once he returned victorious. The Empress, to celebrate his success in reclaiming Qingzhou, prayed to the gods for an auspicious date.

Ironically, that date became the anniversary of her death. To honor his promise to his mother, Murong Jinghe dressed in wedding attire on the day of her memorial, but this led Emperor Murong Qian to misunderstand his intentions, forbidding him from openly mourning the late empress again. Mei Lin infiltrated Prince Jing’s residence with the intention of stealing the Wei Bei Army’s token and unexpectedly uncovered these past events.

She even stumbled upon Qing Yan interrogating the citizens who had attacked Murong Jinghe earlier that day. Standing before the late empress’s shrine, Murong Jinghe quietly whispered his grief, lamenting that his mother had never believed he was not responsible for the massacre. Hearing this, Mei Lin’s doubts only deepened.

Back in her room, Mei Lin carefully compared the token in her possession with the ones among the relics of the Wei Bei Army and noticed a difference in the sound they made. By this time, Murong Jinghe had already become suspicious and personally visited Mei Lin’s room. The tension between them was palpable as they subtly probed each other’s intentions.

In the middle of the night, Mei Lin received a secret order to meet with the master of the Dark Workshop, where she was harshly punished and told that she must complete the assassination at the peace banquet the next day, or the poison in her body would take her life in three days. Weak and exhausted, Mei Lin left, unaware that Murong Jinghe himself was the master of the Dark Workshop.

Since Murong Jinghe returned from Qingzhou, he had been in a constant state of mental decline, drowning his sorrows in alcohol every day. Despite the hatred Murong Xuanlie harbored for his younger brother, he still had to act the part of a caring elder brother, frequently visiting Prince Jing's residence to show concern and hypocritically advising Murong Jinghe to seek treatment for his leg injury.

Though the two appeared to be reminiscing about the past, in reality, they were testing each other. Murong Jinghe had already suspected that the fire in Qingzhou was somehow connected to the Crown Prince. The mastermind behind the plot knew that the Wei Bei Army had strict military discipline and would never harm civilians, which is why the citizens of Qingzhou were incited to attack the army camp.

Deputy General Yang Donghu was burned alive while trying to protect Murong Jinghe, who was also left with broken legs. As Murong Jinghe, accompanied by Qing Yan, paid tribute to the fallen soldiers of the Wei Bei Army in a secret chamber, he silently swore that this time he would not show any mercy.

Mei Lin gazed at the blackened veins on her arm, recalling the orders from the master of the Dark Workshop, and felt that there was still a fog of mystery surrounding the fire in Qingzhou. She found herself torn about whether to carry out the assassination. Princess Zi Gu came to visit Mei Lin, and her optimistic and cheerful personality alleviated some of Mei Lin's inner turmoil, helping her find the true answer she was seeking.

Meanwhile, Xi Yan's Prince Yue Qin, upon hearing that his sister had arrived in the capital, eagerly rushed to visit her. However, he caught a fleeting glimpse of Mei Lin and quickly gave chase, but she had disappeared, leaving behind only her Qingzhou knot hanging in the air. Yue Qin, the least favored prince of Xi Yan, had been helped by Mei Lin during the chaos of war and had secretly developed feelings for her.

After Xi Yan’s defeat, he had volunteered to enter Da Yan as a hostage for the sake of his sister and his mother. Little did he expect to encounter Mei Lin again in Zhao Jing, even if it was only for a brief moment. Later, Yue Qin met with his sister Zi Gu, telling her that he would wait until she had fully adapted to life here before leaving Da Yan.

In truth, Princess Zi Gu was anxious inside, filled with curiosity about her future husband. She knew well that as a princess, she had no control over her fate or love and could only resign herself to the fact that she would have to marry the emperor of Da Yan. Likewise, Yue Qin regretted that he and Mei Lin were unlikely to be together.

The grand banquet for the peace marriage was held as scheduled, and Princess Zi Gu was granted the title of Lady Yan, residing in the Hall of Blossoming Glory. Emperor Murong Qian bestowed beauties upon various princes and nobles, and Murong Xuanlie, seeking to probe the situation, deliberately requested Mei Lin in front of everyone.

Worried that his elder brother might discover Mei Lin’s identity, Murong Jinghe, in a moment of urgency, stood up from his wheelchair to declare his feelings for Mei Lin and pulled her into his arms. Before Mei Lin could make a move, she whispered a plea for help to Murong Jinghe, betting that he was not the true culprit behind the fire in Qingzhou and that he was willing to overturn the case.

She used a fake military token as bait, seeking his cooperation. Before Murong Jinghe could react, Mei Lin unhesitatingly stabbed him in the chest with her hairpin. However, since Murong Jinghe was wearing a gold-threaded soft armor, he only suffered a minor injury. Murong Qian, seeing his son stand up again, was overjoyed, while Murong Xuanlie was filled with alarm. Murong Jinghe intentionally showed weakness, hoping his elder brother would take charge of investigating Mei Lin's assassination attempt.

In the process, Murong Xuanlie discovered that Mei Lin was a Mo Veined Death Warrior, which deeply shocked him, making him suspect that she was either one of Zhang Yin’s people or connected to his brother. However, the Mo Veined Death Warriors had supposedly been wiped out ten years ago, leaving no evidence behind.

Murong Jinghe was certain that Zhang Yin, driven by profit rather than loyalty, could play the role of an obedient lapdog, only to turn into a vicious dog that would bite its master once Murong Xuanlie no longer had use for him.

Murong Jinghe personally went to the prison where Murong Xuanlie attempted to use force against Mei Lin to pressure his brother into compromising, but to no avail—Mei Lin remained completely unresponsive, as though the matter had nothing to do with her. Afterward, Murong Jinghe secretly summoned Zhang Yin, dropping hints during their conversation that led Zhang Yin to realize the Crown Prince would abandon him in a time of crisis.

Mei Lin, subjected to torture, was locked in a dark, windowless prison, almost losing her will to live. But then, she saw a flower growing between the cracks of the stones, and with great effort, she crawled over to protect it, telling herself she must not die. Witnessing this, Murong Jinghe was moved by Mei Lin's unyielding will to survive as the last orphan of Qingzhou. He ordered Qing Yan to secretly protect her life, ensuring that Zhang Yin would not silence her.

Now that Mei Lin was imprisoned, rumors spread among the people of Da Yan that Xi Yan was plotting something, once again endangering the diplomatic relations between the two nations. Concerned for Mei Lin’s safety, Yue Qin immediately brought his servant, Shu Mo, and went to the palace to request an audience with the emperor.

He waited outside the gates for an entire night until Eunuch Liu Zhong conveyed the emperor’s response, stating that the assassination attempt had nothing to do with Xi Yan, but Mei Lin’s crime of attempted murder was unforgivable. Because of this, Yue Qin, under the name of Princess Zi Gu, personally delivered a lantern fruit pastry to the imperial prison, planning to take a desperate risk and use a fake death medicine to rescue Mei Lin from the prison.

However, Zhang Yin saw Yue Qin delivering the food box to Mei Lin and devised a plan to poison her using the food box. Meanwhile, Murong Jinghe sat alone, admiring the flowers and drinking, his mind filled with images of Mei Lin fighting to survive against all odds. He mocked her inwardly, thinking she was overestimating herself.

A maid from the late empress’s chambers, noticing that Murong Jinghe seemed fond of these wildflowers, casually mentioned that the flowers were both lowly and resilient, commonly known as "immortals" because they couldn’t die easily. Murong Jinghe, thinking that Mei Lin’s situation was a hopeless dead end, concluded that only death would leave any evidence behind.

Soon after, someone disguised as a prison guard delivered poisoned lantern fruit pastries to Mei Lin, but she sensed something was wrong and fought back against the attacker. Fortunately, at the critical moment, Murong Jinghe arrived at the prison with Qing Yan. Mei Lin directly told Murong Jinghe that he was not the true culprit. She was willing to take the blame for the massacre, even if it meant being scorned by the world, rather than explain the truth.

She claimed that the arsonists in Qingzhou were not the real Wei Bei Army, and that the true Wei Bei Army, even when attacked by the civilians, would turn their blades on themselves. She had seen it all clearly on the day they entered the city. Mei Lin hoped to cooperate with Murong Jinghe, stating that if she could leave the prison, she would handle everything else herself.

Her greatest bargaining chip was the fake Wei Bei Army token carried by the arsonists. At that moment, Yue Qin arrived at the prison with the food box and happened to see Murong Jinghe leaving. Seizing the opportunity, Yue Qin attempted to gauge Murong Jinghe’s stance on the matter.

The next day, Zhang Yin sought out Murong Xuanlie, suggesting that Prince Jing had orchestrated the assassination attempt in the hall to lure out the Mo Veined Death Warriors and overturn the old Qingzhou case. Murong Xuanlie, realizing that the situation had escalated too far, believed that the only way to survive was to eliminate all the Mo Veined Death Warriors; otherwise, they would leave themselves vulnerable.

Murong Jinghe then went to the palace to see the emperor and revealed Mei Lin’s true identity, hoping that the emperor would spare her life for the sake of the greater good. He explained that Mei Lin had had countless opportunities to get close to him, yet chose to act during the grand peace banquet, which clearly indicated a conspiracy behind the scenes. In Murong Jinghe's opinion, someone was trying to stir up trouble by exploiting the resentment over Qingzhou.

Whether Mei Lin was an orphan of Qingzhou or a member of Xi Yan, she could not be killed. He suggested that they publicly declare that Mei Lin’s assassination attempt was driven by romantic jealousy, and he was willing to bear the reputation of being a foolish, lustful man. Just as he finished speaking, Princess Zi Gu rushed in to plead for Mei Lin, claiming that Mei Lin had acted because Murong Jinghe had humiliated her.

Murong Jinghe immediately knelt down and admitted his mistake. Left with no choice, the emperor agreed to spare Mei Lin, but she would still have to endure a public whipping outside the main hall. To prevent Murong Xuanlie from interfering, Murong Jinghe personally wielded the whip and even harmed his own internal energy to forcibly divert the force. Afterward, he carried the badly injured Mei Lin back with him. With this incident, their enmity was resolved.

Mei Lin told Murong Jinghe that the fake Wei Bei Army token was buried beneath a tree at the Honglu Temple and that the revenge for Qingzhou should be carried out by the people of Qingzhou themselves. Knowing that Mei Lin’s poison would soon take effect, Murong Jinghe secretly decided to obtain the red fuzi to cure her of the Mo Vein poison.

Meanwhile, Yue Qin, unable to forget her past kindness, visited Mei Lin personally, urging her to live well and not be consumed by hatred. On the other side, Murong Xuanlie scolded Zhang Yin, convinced that Mei Lin was Murong Jinghe’s pawn, and ordered him to eliminate the Mo Veined Death Warriors hiding in the Wenhua Pavilion. Although Zhang Yin was reluctant, he had no choice but to agree.

Shortly after Zhang Yin left, Murong Xuanlie received a messenger bird, informing him that Da Yan's greatest female general, Yin Luomei, had returned to the capital to take up her new post. He was overjoyed at the news.

Murong Jinghe then sent Qing Yan to retrieve the token, confirming that what Mei Lin said was true. Indeed, someone had used a fake token to impersonate the Wei Bei Army. Murong Jinghe decided to investigate all personnel related to the Military Department, hoping to find evidence incriminating the Eastern Palace.

He speculated that the Crown Prince, in order to protect himself, would plan to abandon Zhang Yin, and all he needed to do was wait for Zhang Yin to turn on him, allowing Murong Jinghe to reap the benefits without lifting a finger. When Yin Luomei heard about the assassination attempt on Murong Jinghe, she rushed back to Zhao Jing from the border without rest and sent tonics to him as soon as she arrived.

Qing Yan sighed, noting how thoughtful Yin Luomei was toward his lord. However, instead of going directly to Prince Jing’s residence, Yin Luomei trusted that Murong Jinghe would come to find her himself. Jiangtu, feeling indignant on Yin Luomei’s behalf, thought it unfair that she sent gifts to Murong Jinghe every year but never received any response. Just as Jiangtu finished speaking, Yin Luomei heard that Murong Xuanlie had sent gifts.

She felt a bit disappointed, although she said aloud that she couldn’t bear to see Prince Jing fall so low and that, as a comrade, she had a duty to save Murong Jinghe. In truth, she still harbored feelings of admiration for him. That night, as Yin Luomei reflected on the past with mixed emotions, Murong Jinghe suddenly arrived to ask her for red fuzi, claiming he wanted to drown his sorrows in drink.

Seeing Murong Jinghe in such a state, having forgotten his former ambitions, Yin Luomei was both angry and saddened. In the end, she agreed to give him the red fuzi. However, as soon as Murong Jinghe left the general’s residence, he heard that Mei Lin had gone alone to Wenhua Pavilion, and he immediately sensed danger. He hurriedly took Qing Yan and rushed over.

At that moment, Mei Lin had infiltrated Wenhua Pavilion, searching for the red fuzi, when she unexpectedly stumbled upon Zhang Yin and a woman with markings on her neck secretly plotting. She was shocked to discover that Zhang Yin was the leader of the Mo Vein organization and the true culprit behind the massacre years ago. Suddenly, a fire broke out at Wenhua Pavilion. All the Mo Vein Death Warriors, dressed in phosphorus-coated clothes, perished in the flames.

Zhang Yin and the woman escaped through a secret passage, leaving Mei Lin trapped. Fortunately, Murong Jinghe arrived just in time to rescue Mei Lin and take her back to his residence. On the night of the imperial bedchamber, Zi Gu was filled with anxiety and hid a dagger, a gift from her brother, under her pillow. However, Emperor Murong Qian discovered it. He did not blame Zi Gu, knowing she would never attempt an assassination.

Instead, he expressed his hope for peace between the two nations and said that if Zi Gu was unwilling, he would not force her. He then gently pricked her finger and let her blood drip onto the chastity cloth before sitting at a nearby desk to handle government affairs. Meanwhile, after Mei Lin took the red fuzi, she began to hallucinate. First, she clung to Murong Jinghe’s neck and bit him fiercely.

Then, she mistook him for Zhang Yin, the master of the Dark Factory, and fell into a delusion, yearning for her parents. Seeing this, Murong Jinghe was moved and used a brush to draw flowers, guiding Mei Lin back to her bed to rest. When Mei Lin woke up again, her mind was clear, and she noticed that the Mo Vein markings on her arm had disappeared, and she sighed in relief.

On the other side, the doctor told Murong Jinghe that while the red fuzi had detoxifying properties, Mei Lin's constitution was different from that of ordinary people. During her years of wandering, she likely consumed too much spoiled food to survive, damaging her body. As a result, the red fuzi only temporarily relieved the Mo Vein poison, giving her one more year to live.

If she were to take the red fuzi again after that year, she would likely die instantly. Despite the slim chance of success, Murong Jinghe ordered the doctor to prepare the antidote as soon as possible. From then on, everything would depend on Mei Lin’s fate.

Minister Wang hurried to report to Murong Xuanlie that all the Mo Vein Death Warriors in Wenhua Pavilion had perished, and only Zhang Yin’s belongings were found at the scene, suggesting that he had also met a grim fate. Yue Qin, playing chess with Emperor Murong Qian, found it difficult to let go of Mei Lin and suggested that the hundred beauties of Honglu Temple first learn to read and write before being distributed to the noble families.

He even volunteered to be their teacher. After a moment of consideration, Murong Qian agreed and decided that Honglu Temple would open in three days, with Zi Gu personally overseeing the preparations. After waking up, Mei Lin revealed to Murong Jinghe that Zhang Yin had not perished in the fire but had escaped through a secret passage. However, Mei Lin couldn’t understand why Zhang Yin would drag one hundred thousand innocent Qingzhou citizens to the grave over a personal grudge. Murong Jinghe, too, was filled with anger and sorrow, as the Wei Bei Army had been unjustly implicated by Zhang Yin’s actions.

Mei Lin told Murong Jinghe that they shared a common enemy and could work together to seek revenge for Qingzhou and the Wei Bei Army. She was willing to be used as a tool if necessary. At this moment, Yue Qin came to Prince Jing’s residence, stating his intention to take Mei Lin back to Honglu Temple to study.

Seeing Mei Lin readily agree, Murong Jinghe was overcome with jealousy and immediately took her back to her room, warning her that she belonged to him and should not even think about collaborating with Yue Qin. However, instead of getting angry at Murong Jinghe’s warning, Mei Lin was pleased that he agreed to cooperate. She then revealed to him that the woman hiding Zhang Yin had a peony flower tattoo on her neck.

As long as they found the woman with this mark, they could locate Zhang Yin. Murong Jinghe demanded that Mei Lin report everything related to Yue Qin to him in detail. Mei Lin responded that Yue Qin was a good person, but Murong Jinghe did not agree. Yue Qin then took Mei Lin back to Honglu Temple.

Zi Gu, upon learning that Mei Lin was the one who saved her brother’s life and was also the woman he had been longing for, tried to play matchmaker but was met with refusal. Shumo knew that Yue Qin had never discussed politics with the Yan Emperor in Da Yan, but his bold request for the position of teaching instructor might arouse the emperor’s suspicion, preventing him from ever returning to Xi Yan.

Even so, Yue Qin did not give up, knowing that this was Mei Lin’s only way out of Zhao Jing. The hundred beauties from Xi Yan gathered at Honglu Temple, but Mei Lin, after arriving, had yet to find the woman with the peony tattoo. Murong Jinghe came to see Mei Lin and found her soaking herself in cold water. He suspected that the woman Mei Lin had seen might have been a hallucination.

Suddenly, he recalled his own hallucinations from taking red fuzi and confirmed that the woman with the peony flower tattoo was real. Murong Jinghe helped Mei Lin recall the details of her hallucination. Mei Lin asked if he had been searching for red fuzi for her. Murong Jinghe replied that after going through so much trouble to get her out of the imperial prison, it would be a waste if she died too quickly.

The next morning, Murong Jinghe was playing chess with his father, but Emperor Murong Qian scolded him for neglecting Yin Luomei. Just then, Murong Xuanlie entered, overhearing their conversation. He came to report on the situation with Zhang Yin, trying to brush over the details. Emperor Murong Qian ordered the brothers to visit Rong’an Palace together. Murong Xuanlie deliberately brought up memories of their past, recalling their mother’s actions toward them.

Hearing Murong Xuanlie’s words, Murong Jinghe felt disgusted by his hypocrisy and exposed Xuanlie’s act of pretending to be a loyal brother. The two completely fell out with each other. Murong Xuanlie then purposely used the cause of their mother’s death to provoke Murong Jinghe, claiming that people like him caused her death and that he had no right to compete for the crown prince’s position.

Murong Jinghe responded by saying it was too early to judge whether he was guilty or not and swore to reclaim everything Murong Xuanlie had taken from him. Murong Xuanlie’s subordinates reported that a woman had fled from Wenhua Pavilion and was last seen at Honglu Temple, after which she vanished. The woman appeared to be skilled in Xi Yan martial arts, and her wrist had been burned by fire. Nanny Shang showed the ladies the late empress’s embroidered screen.

When Mei Lin turned her head, she saw Murong Jinghe standing in the corridor, recalling how he mourned at the late empress’s memorial, grieving that his mother never believed he was innocent of the massacre. That night, A Dai personally made lantern fruit cakes for Mei Lin. Unfortunately, it was her first time making them, and they turned out very bitter. She decided to make another batch the next day.

Mei Lin noticed the burn on A Dai’s wrist and learned that she had secretly been taking whitening pills. Mei Lin handed the bottle of pills to Murong Jinghe, suspecting that the peony flower woman she had seen was actually a man in disguise, with the peony flower used to conceal an Adam’s apple. Murong Jinghe had arranged for many people to have injuries on their wrists to confuse those in the Eastern Palace, but unexpectedly, A Dai suddenly died.

Upon investigation, it was found that she had been poisoned by eating toxic mushrooms. Mei Lin knew A Dai would never eat them by mistake. Sure enough, she later discovered Nanny Shang burying the poisonous mushrooms in the middle of the night. After questioning her under disguise, it was confirmed that they were searching for someone with an injured arm. To uncover the mastermind, Mei Lin used a red-hot iron hook to burn her own wrist, using herself as bait.

To catch Nanny Shang's attention, Mei Lin intentionally exposed the scar on her arm. As expected, Nanny Shang found an excuse to let her rest but secretly arranged for people to be in her room, planning to stage a scene where a beauty, out of guilt for damaging the Empress Dejia's embroidered screen, commits suicide. Little did she know, Murong Jinghe had already entered the room.

He first knocked out the hidden servants, then deliberately slashed the "Xun Zi Tu" painting to frame Mei Lin, using the excuse of damaging the embroidery to imprison her in Honglu Temple. Nanny Shang, fearful of being exposed, panicked inside. With Yue Qin and Murong Jinghe cooperating smoothly, she couldn't decide what to do and had no choice but to report the matter to Crown Prince Murong Xuanlie.

However, Murong Xuanlie did not punish Nanny Shang for this and even rewarded her with a large sum of silver. But as soon as she left, Murong Xuanlie ordered his men to silence her, framing the incident on his brother. Mei Lin noticed that while Murong Jinghe outwardly appeared indifferent to "Xun Zi Tu," he actually deeply valued the relic left by his mother. He had been secretly working hard to repair the embroidery screen.

To help Mei Lin, Yue Qin hand-copied the Dejia Empress's embroidery patterns and gave them to her. He also brought food to Mei Lin daily, cherishing every moment he spent with her, even finding silent observation to be a joy. After some time spent on the repair, Mei Lin unexpectedly discovered a hidden pattern left by Empress Dejia on the screen. Through Qing Yan, she arranged for Murong Jinghe to come to Honglu Temple.

Mei Lin told Murong Jinghe that there was an unnoticed line on the screen, and the location pointed to a hidden pattern on the wooden frame. When Murong Jinghe reached out to touch it, it turned out to be the flag signals of the Wei Bei Army. It turned out that Empress Dejia knew her son’s nature to be kind and that he could never be the one to commit a massacre.

However, rumors had spread too widely, so she embroidered "Xun Zi Tu" to temporarily quell public anger and buy time, hoping only that Murong Jinghe would survive. She wanted him never to lose faith, believing that the truth would eventually come to light. With this revelation, Murong Jinghe was assured that his mother had never blamed him, and he was overwhelmed with emotion. Mei Lin, knowing how much Murong Jinghe cared for his mother, felt guilty.

She realized that if he hadn't been busy saving her, he wouldn't have damaged the screen in the first place. To Mei Lin, a deceased person's belongings serve as a bridge between the living and the dead. If the screen couldn’t be properly repaired, it could hinder communication between heaven and earth. Mei Lin believed in the existence of spirits and always felt that her parents were by her side, just as Empress Dejia was always with Murong Jinghe.

In the next moment, Mei Lin found matching gold thread on Murong Jinghe’s clothing, and Murong Jinghe helped her continue the embroidery. Yue Qin saw this and felt a pang of discomfort in his heart. He also happened to glimpse some patrolling soldiers behaving strangely, but he paid little attention to it. After a long night, the two of them finally finished repairing the screen.

Mei Lin left the room first, allowing Murong Jinghe to have a private moment with the late empress. Mei Lin originally planned to leave Honglu Temple, but Murong Jinghe advised her to stay for her safety and reminded her that, when necessary, she didn’t have to always act like a beauty. She could reveal her martial skills to protect herself.

At this time, Qing Yan reported to Murong Jinghe that there was a woman named Mei Niang who frequently bought whitening pills on the black market, and she had a peony flower mark on her neck. Qing Yan arranged for the black market people to meet Mei Niang three days later. Murong Jinghe guessed that Murong Xuanlie would not sit idly by and ordered Qing Yan to have someone monitor the Crown Prince's faction closely.

In Murong Xuanlie's plan, when the Yan Emperor learned that a spy from Xi Yan had infiltrated the group of beauties, he summoned Murong Xuanlie for his opinion. Murong Xuanlie recommended Yin Luomei to investigate the matter in detail, also intending for Yin Luomei to completely lose hope in Murong Jinghe. After arriving at the military camp, Murong Jinghe deliberately pretended to lose control of his horse to get close to Yin Luomei.

His feelings for Yin Luomei had remained unchanged since his youth. Meanwhile, after learning about the Xi Yan spy, Yin Luomei took the initiative to investigate at Honglu Temple and became increasingly suspicious of Mei Lin's identity, deciding to test her. Yue Qin noticed something was wrong and tried to stop it, but he couldn’t enter the temple, so he had to think of another way. Mei Lin and Yin Luomei engaged in a confrontation.

Elsewhere, Murong Jinghe and Qing Yan overheard Mei Niang's conversation. When Mei Niang lifted her veil, her true identity was revealed to be Shumo, Yue Qin’s attendant.

Faced with Yin Luomei's questioning, Mei Lin responded that she had infiltrated the marriage envoy to assassinate Murong Jinghe in order to avenge Qingzhou. At that moment, Yue Qin arrived, offering to help Yin Luomei investigate the case, though his real intention was to assist Mei Lin in escaping. However, Yin Luomei confirmed that Mei Lin was not a spy from Xi Yan but more likely a surviving orphan from Qingzhou.

Still, because Mei Lin's martial skills were so advanced, further investigation was necessary. Murong Jinghe, standing in the shadows, overheard Yin Luomei’s words and finally understood why the Eastern Palace had been so quiet recently—they planned to use Yin Luomei to deal with him. Since Mei Lin had hidden her identity well, Murong Jinghe wasn’t worried about Yin Luomei uncovering anything. For now, he just needed to follow the trail of Shumo to find Zhang Yin.

Given Yue Qin’s kindness to Mei Lin and his close bond with the emperor, Murong Jinghe didn’t order Shumo’s capture. Instead, he moved into Honglu Temple under the pretense of supervising Mei Lin as she repaired the embroidery, living alongside her. Meanwhile, Mei Lin, Yue Qin, and Princess Zi Gu were drinking together. Zi Gu, tipsy, tried to matchmake Mei Lin, but Mei Lin didn’t respond directly. Shumo hurriedly arrived to urge Zi Gu to return to the palace.

Zi Gu, anxious that her brother hadn’t confessed his feelings to Mei Lin, was frustrated, while Yue Qin believed that matters of the heart should be mutual. Back in her room, Shumo applied medicine to the wound on her arm, thinking that if there was a way to help Zhang Yin escape, then there was also a way to help Mei Lin leave.

She informed Murong Jinghe that she had obtained a travel pass through the black market for Xi Yan. She explained that on the night of Shangsi, the plan would be finalized, and Mei Lin could be escorted out of Zhaojing. Early the next morning, Murong Jinghe forcefully moved into Honglu Temple. Mei Lin guessed that Murong Jinghe had made new progress in his investigation, but he didn’t reveal anything.

Crown Prince Murong Xuanlie sent the imperial guards to monitor the embroidery room, so Murong Jinghe had no choice but to share a bed with Mei Lin. Mei Lin soon discovered Murong Jinghe had many sleep habits and often suffered from insomnia due to living in constant danger. To help him sleep peacefully, Mei Lin knocked him out and stayed by his bedside all night, watching over him until he woke up.

Murong Jinghe was somewhat annoyed when he realized Mei Lin had knocked him unconscious. Just as he was about to scold her, he accidentally discovered that Mei Lin had lost her sense of taste. Mei Lin admitted that after the great fire in Qingzhou, she had completely lost her ability to taste. Qing Yan then reported to Murong Jinghe that Shumo planned to meet Zhang Yin during the Shangsi Festival.

Murong Jinghe instructed Qing Yan to find a remedy for restoring taste. At the same time, Princess Zi Gu was pulled by the imperial consort to practice court etiquette. She tried to sneak away and hide behind the rockery, discussing how unfathomable the Yan Emperor was, unaware that Murong Qian was standing not far away. Yin Luomei personally visited the palace to meet her aunt, who was now an imperial consort.

The imperial consort knew that Yin Luomei had feelings for Murong Jinghe, but it was obvious to everyone that Murong Xuanlie had feelings for Yin Luomei. Murong Xuanlie took the initiative to find Yin Luomei, inviting her to watch the fire dragon during the Shangsi Festival and pray for the soldiers of the Yan Empire. Yin Luomei had no choice but to agree.

On the night of the Shangsi Festival, Mei Lin and Murong Jinghe pretended to be a loving couple, interacting sweetly and playfully. Qing Yan tailed Shumo and had someone notify Murong Jinghe. When Murong Jinghe brought Mei Lin along, they happened to run into Murong Xuanlie and Yin Luomei. Seeing Mei Lin by Murong Jinghe’s side made Yin Luomei uncomfortable, so she quickly left with Murong Xuanlie. Suddenly, Mei Lin smelled a faint scent of sulfur.

When she turned around, she saw a suspicious-looking man who quickly slipped into the Qingyin Pavilion. Murong Jinghe and Mei Lin followed and entered the room opposite Qingyin Pavilion to observe in secret. Shumo, having not yet seen Zhang Yin, immediately went upstairs, unaware that Yue Qin was trailing her. Mei Lin, who was standing on the second floor, witnessed this scene and wondered why Yue Qin was there.

The original plan was proceeding smoothly, but Mei Lin had to reveal herself in order to save Yue Qin. In the process, Shumo was accidentally shot with an arrow, so Yue Qin took Shumo back. Zhang Yin hurriedly barged in with his men, only to find “Shumo” unconscious on the ground. Just as he was feeling pleased with himself, he didn’t expect that “Shumo” was actually Mei Lin in disguise, and she angrily beat him up.

Murong Jinghe took Mei Lin away, and when he saw she was injured, he angrily scolded her for putting herself in danger just to save someone. However, Mei Lin argued that Yue Qin was her savior, which made Murong Jinghe even more upset. He gave her two choices: either follow Yue Qin to repay her debt of gratitude, or follow him to seek revenge.

On the other side, Murong Xuanlie accompanied Yin Luomei to admire the fire dragon and offered a toast to the fallen soldiers. Yin Luomei felt very grateful upon seeing this. Seizing the opportunity, Murong Xuanlie confessed his feelings to Yin Luomei, saying that she had always been the only one he wanted as his crown princess. He even used Murong Jinghe and Mei Lin's relationship to provoke her, but Yin Luomei still did not respond.

To divert the spies of the Crown Prince, Murong Jinghe celebrated the festival with Mei Lin in earnest, though he was still angry about what had happened earlier. Mei Lin, treating Murong Jinghe as a friend, gave him a dog-shaped lantern as a gift. Murong Jinghe was initially displeased, feeling that she was comparing him to a dog. But Mei Lin explained that after the great fire in Qingzhou, this dog was her only companion, which moved Murong Jinghe.

Murong Jinghe captured Zhang Yin and bluntly told him to implicate the Eastern Palace, as that was the only way to save his life. Initially, Zhang Yin refused to cooperate, but when Murong Jinghe produced a fake Weibei military token, Zhang Yin's expression changed drastically. He then admitted that there was a key witness to the old Qingzhou case, and that person was the Eastern Palace strategist, Li Qing.

Mei Lin speculated that Li Qing must have been hidden somewhere and, upon hearing that the mastermind behind the Qingzhou arson was Murong Xuanlie, swore to avenge the people of Qingzhou at all costs. Yue Qin brought Shumo back to Honglu Temple, but Shumo was poisoned and close to death. Before dying, Shumo revealed everything to Yue Qin, explaining that she had done it all to help him return to Xi Yan, though she had failed.

Because of this, Yue Qin began to suspect a connection between Murong Xuanlie and Qingzhou. While lost in thought, he heard Shumo calling him. In her final moments, Shumo entrusted Yue Qin to let Yun Qi take care of him and had prepared things that Yue Qin liked, worrying that after her passing, no one would prepare them for him anymore. Shumo’s death left Yue Qin devastated.

The two had grown up together, and though they were master and servant, their bond was stronger than family. To Yue Qin, Shumo was like the other half of his life. Since the Isang flowers were used in Xi Yan to honor the deceased, and such flowers didn’t grow in the Yan Empire, Yue Qin searched in vain for them.

Frustrated, he locked himself in his room and tirelessly carved day and night, blaming himself for his incompetence, which had led to Shumo’s death. Mei Lin took the initiative to visit Yue Qin. Seeing him like this left her feeling uneasy, but to help him recover, she personally embroidered a ribbon with Isang flowers for him to use in commemorating Shumo. Once they placed the ribbon with the Isang flowers in a high place, they finally felt some relief.

Yue Qin wanted Mei Lin to leave the Yan Empire with him, but she declined, saying that after the great fire in Qingzhou, she had never considered any other path and couldn’t turn back now. Since Mei Lin was resolute, Yue Qin handed over all the evidence Shumo had left behind, advising her to take control of the situation herself.

Later, Mei Lin shared this information with Murong Jinghe, describing her impression of him and hoping to clear up any misunderstandings he had about Yue Qin. Murong Jinghe promised not to take his anger out on Yue Qin, but warned Mei Lin not to have any further dealings with him. Late at night, Murong Jinghe sat alone by the pond, gazing at the dog lantern Mei Lin had given him, his mind filled with thoughts of her.

Murong Xuanlie ordered people to closely monitor his younger brother’s interactions with Mei Lin, and he suspected that someone in the court had secretly allied with Prince Jing. He feared that on the night of the Shangsi Festival, Murong Jinghe was not merely there to watch the fire dragon. Meanwhile, Murong Jinghe instructed his men to find a way to approach Li Qing, but the heavy security at the Xishan mine made it difficult to get inside.

To avoid arousing Murong Xuanlie's suspicion, Murong Jinghe decided to turn the situation to his advantage, making it seem as though he had completely fallen in love with Mei Lin. Murong Jinghe began frequently visiting Honglu Temple to accompany Mei Lin, patiently watching her practice dancing. Since Mei Lin only knew how to wield weapons, her dancing was clumsy, like a stiff puppet on strings.

Murong Jinghe personally beat the drum to accompany her, and sure enough, Mei Lin’s movements became more natural when she combined them with her martial arts skills. However, she was still punished by the dance instructor and had to stand for two hours. Murong Jinghe couldn’t intervene, so he had someone fan her and hold an umbrella, turning her punishment into something more enjoyable, making the other women envious. The instructor had nothing more to say.

Meanwhile, Princess Zi Gu, upon hearing of Shumo's death, decided to plant some Isang flowers and dug up soil from the imperial garden, nearly digging up the peonies that Emperor Yan had ordered planted. Fortunately, Murong Qian did not blame her and instructed the agricultural officer to send some gardeners to help Zi Gu plant the Isang flowers in her palace. Back in her palace, Zi Gu was overwhelmed with sadness.

On one hand, she was angry that Yue Qin always kept secrets from her, and on the other, she was heartbroken over their impending separation. Years ago, when their mother passed away, Yue Qin and Zi Gu depended on each other for survival. Later, when Yue Qin went to Yan as a political hostage, Zi Gu, out of anger, didn’t go to see him off.

Now, Zi Gu had grown a lot and could no longer live as carefreely as she once had. She declared that this time, she would protect her family. Yue Qin personally sought out Emperor Yan and played a game of chess with him, expressing his desire to maintain good relations between the two nations. Murong Qian also promised that Zi Gu would be well cared for in the harem and that her innocence would be preserved.

In the days that followed, Murong Jinghe either spent time with Mei Lin at Honglu Temple or sent her various gifts, such as jewelry, clothes, and even medicinal tonics. Mei Lin’s friends gossiped about how deeply Prince Jing had fallen for her, and one of them even gave Mei Lin a book of illustrations on intimate matters between men and women, which made Mei Lin blush.

Coincidentally, it was Mei Lin's birthday, and Yue Qin came with a gift, intending to use the opportunity to confess his feelings. However, before he could say much, Murong Jinghe suddenly walked in, and the two rivals faced each other, creating an intense atmosphere. Mei Lin found herself stuck in the middle, unsure of what to do. Although she knew Murong Jinghe was just putting on an act, she still felt a strange emotion towards him.

Murong Jinghe took Mei Lin on a boat ride down the river, admiring the scenery. He told her that he had once fought in the northern border of Yan, sailing across the Lancang River, where he had seen a stunning blue starry sky. He shared the myth of the Lancang River with her. As a gift, Murong Jinghe released countless floating lights onto the river.

He was the only one who knew Mei Lin’s real birthday and had prepared lantern cakes for her, making Mei Lin overjoyed. Looking at the lantern cakes, Mei Lin was reminded of her parents. Murong Jinghe then drew a family portrait for her. Mei Lin wished to live well and one day open a spring flower pastry shop.

Jinghe promised that once the Crown Prince was overthrown, he would help her open the shop, and they would split the profits fifty-fifty. Even though Mei Lin knew Murong Jinghe was acting for the Crown Prince's benefit, in that moment, she truly felt touched by him. The next morning, Murong Jinghe ordered Honglu Temple to make pastries for Mei Lin, specifically requesting that they didn’t need to taste good but should look exquisite.

Mei Lin recalled how she had mentioned that since she couldn’t taste anything, beautiful pastries could make up for it. She was surprised and touched that Murong Jinghe remembered this. However, Granny Liu, who was Murong Xuanlie's spy, reported everything, including Mei Lin's loss of taste. Wang Quan also discovered that Murong Jinghe had attended the Shangsi Festival to seek treatment for Mei Lin. When the imperial physician Sun Taiqing was unable to find a cure, he was beaten.

Murong Xuanlie found the situation amusing, believing that Murong Jinghe had fallen for his pawn, which would only benefit his relationship with Yin Luomei.

Overnight, ten women from Xiyan were threatened by masked men, and the common factor was that they all had burn marks on their wrists. The deputy general reported the characteristics of the Xiyan spies to Yin Luomei. Notably, Mei Lin was not on the list of those with wrist burns, leading to suspicions that this was connected to Prince Jing. Using Murong Jinghe’s affection for Mei Lin as a pretext, it was suggested that she be captured and interrogated.

Based on Qing Yan’s personal investigation, it was confirmed that Li Qing was being held in the Xishan mine. The commander of the Lu Lin army, Yang Zhen, had already secretly allied with the Crown Prince, so Murong Jinghe believed that capturing Li Qing required a long-term strategy. At that moment, a report came in stating that Yin Luomei had discovered that Granny Liu had burned the women and imprisoned Mei Lin in her residence.

Elsewhere, the deputy general misused his authority and intended to disfigure Mei Lin, but Yin Luomei intervened just in time to stop him. She questioned Mei Lin about the source of her injuries. Suddenly, Murong Jinghe rushed into the general’s residence, admitting that he was responsible for the burn marks on the ten women and warning Yin Luomei that harming Mei Lin would be making an enemy of him.

On the way back, Murong Jinghe explained to Mei Lin that the Crown Prince couldn’t harm her, so he had used her burn marks as a pretext to frame him. He also used the Xiyan women to win over the court ministers, aiming for the crown prince's position.

Mei Lin, concerned that the Xiyan women would be in danger, was reassured by Murong Jinghe, who said that as long as he won, he could protect them, and he had already devised a plan to turn the situation around. Yin Luomei still didn’t believe that Murong Jinghe would do anything to harm the Dayan Empire, so she confronted him again.

Murong Jinghe revealed his ambition to seize the supreme position and invited Yin Luomei to meet him at Zhonglin Mountain in three days, promising to reveal the truth then. That night, both Murong Xuanlie and Murong Jinghe received the news that Zhang Yin had escaped from the dungeon. Murong Xuanlie, furious at Zhang Yin for faking his death and deceiving him, decided to personally silence him, unaware that Murong Jinghe had already orchestrated everything.

Three days later, Murong Jinghe and Mei Lin used Zhang Yin’s corpse to force the Crown Prince to resolve the issue with the spies. Murong Xuanlie, upon hearing Yin Luomei’s voice, had no choice but to agree to Murong Jinghe’s conditions, pretending to be a friendly brother in front of Yin Luomei. When Yin Luomei asked about the truth behind the Xiyan spy case, Murong Xuanlie claimed that it was the doing of Assistant Minister of War, Gan Ning.

With that, Murong Jinghe’s plan succeeded. He left Murong Xuanlie and Yin Luomei behind, feeling satisfied. Yin Luomei, however, felt a sense of disappointment. She recalled how, years ago, when she and Murong Xuanlie were competing in archery, the maids had given him a broken bow, causing him to lose the competition. It was Yin Luomei who gave him her bow, allowing him to showcase his true skills.

Now, caught between the power struggle between the Crown Prince and Prince Jing, Yin Luomei declared that she wouldn’t support either side, nor would she allow the Pingnan Army to become a pawn in anyone’s hands. Murong Xuanlie once again confessed his feelings to Yin Luomei, insisting that he wasn’t seeking military power, but rather her heart.

He even produced a written oath, swearing that even if she became Empress, she would still hold military power and be Dayan’s true female general. Murong Jinghe went to meet up with Mei Lin and discovered that she had injured her left shoulder. He took her back and treated her injuries personally. Meanwhile, Zhang Yin’s body was taken to a secret room where the memorial tablets of the soldiers of the Wei Bei Army were enshrined.

There, he encountered Pang Qi, the vanguard commander of the Wei Bei Army, who was shockingly still alive. Forced to kneel and admit his mistakes, Zhang Yin was overwhelmed. Murong Jinghe and Qing Yan arrived, and Murong Jinghe promised Pang Qi that he would eventually take him out of the secret room and ensure that the real culprit was brought to justice, to honor the spirits of the fallen soldiers.

That night, Murong Jinghe got heavily drunk and ran into Mei Lin by the lotus pond. Leaning against the steps, he chatted with her, recounting all the things Mei Lin had done to him, including biting her own lip. Mei Lin offered for him to bite back, but instead, Murong Jinghe took Mei Lin’s stone hairpin as a keepsake, saying he would return it once the Crown Prince was defeated.

Later, Murong Xuanlie and Yin Luomei entered the palace to report to the Emperor about Assistant Minister Gan Ning’s plot against Prince Jing. The Emperor was furious. As Yin Luomei left, she overheard the Emperor reprimanding Murong Xuanlie, and she thought about Murong Xuanlie’s difficult upbringing, having been bullied due to his low status. She felt a twinge of sadness.

Back in her room, she looked at the contents of the oath Murong Xuanlie had given her and reflected on Murong Jinghe’s feelings for Mei Lin. She began to seriously consider whether she should hold onto this relationship or instead choose the Crown Prince, Murong Xuanlie. The next morning, Murong Jinghe had Zhan Yue Pavilion cleaned and left some resilient wildflowers in the courtyard. It was clear to anyone that he had developed feelings for Mei Lin.

Similarly, Mei Lin found herself constantly thinking of Murong Jinghe, feeling her heart stir whenever she thought of him. Granny Liu brought Mei Lin some candied fruit on orders, filling Mei Lin’s heart with joy.

As the day of the women’s conferring titles approached, Mei Lin heard that the ten women with wrist injuries would be allowed to return to Xiyan. However, this news brought mixed emotions; A Yi was happy because her loved one was waiting for her in Xiyan, but A Ga, who had long lost her family, had no home to return to. The three of them sheltered from the rain under the corridor, imagining their future.

Mei Lin tasted osmanthus cake and was overjoyed when her sense of taste returned. She rushed out into the rain to find Murong Jinghe, but unfortunately, the Emperor had ordered all the women to remain confined in the Honglu Temple. Yue Qin discovered that the women's burns were related to Prince Jing and concluded that these women had become pawns in the Dayan succession battle. He sent someone to pass a message to Zi Gu at Fanghua Palace.

The Emperor was troubled by Murong Jinghe's romantic affairs, thinking that if Mei Lin were present, Yin Luomei would surely not choose Murong Jinghe. Zi Gu took the opportunity to ask Murong Qian to assign Mei Lin to Fanghua Palace, both to elevate Mei Lin’s status and repay her kindness, and also to test Prince Jing’s feelings for her. Yue Qin later personally came to the Eastern Palace bearing gifts, intending to forge an alliance.

Murong Xuanlie shifted all the blame for the Xiyan spy group to his subordinates and even demanded that Yue Qin silence the ten Xiyan women. Only by doing so could Yue Qin prove his loyalty. Knowing the depth of the Crown Prince’s scheming, Yue Qin had no choice but to agree, stating that he wanted to live a different life.

On the day of the women’s conferring of titles, Murong Jinghe rose early and instructed his subordinates to pick up Mei Lin later in the day. Qing Yan noticed that his master had been acting strangely in the past two days, but the maid who had served the late Empress could see that Murong Jinghe had someone in his heart, thinking of her day and night. Meanwhile, the ten women were sentenced to be sent back to Xiyan.

Mei Lin personally saw them off, but noticed that the Eastern Palace’s secret guards had infiltrated the Xiyan delegation. At that moment, an imperial decree arrived at Honglu Temple, selecting Mei Lin to serve Zi Gu in Fanghua Palace. Mei Lin, concerned about the safety of the Xiyan delegation, hurried after them but was too late. The ten women had already been poisoned to death.

The sight of her former close sisters brutally murdered left Mei Lin heartbroken and unable to accept it. She stormed into Prince Jing’s residence on horseback, angrily accusing him of dragging innocent people into the conflict, leading to their deaths. Mei Lin thought Murong Jinghe's tactics were despicable, but Murong Jinghe argued that their enemy was the Crown Prince, and court politics were no less brutal than the battlefield, where victory is the only thing that matters.

The two couldn’t agree, and Mei Lin couldn’t accept Murong Jinghe’s viewpoint, leading to a breakup as she declared that they would no longer walk the same path. The next morning, Murong Jinghe found white powder on the table at the inn and confirmed it was the unique Xiyan breath-stopping pill. He and Qing Yan chased after the Xiyan delegation’s caravan and found that the ten women were alive and well.

Yue Qin, knowing he couldn’t hide the truth any longer, asked Murong Jinghe to deliver a letter to Mei Lin to explain everything. Zi Gu told Mei Lin that Prince Jing had requested her during the conferring of titles, expecting a major commotion, but it had been surprisingly quiet. Just as she finished speaking, Murong Jinghe arrived at Fanghua Palace to see Mei Lin, handing her Yue Qin's letter and stating that he had never intended to harm the women.

Mei Lin knew that Murong Jinghe didn’t mean to hurt anyone, but she pointed out that he had never considered the lives of these people. She bluntly told him that since they had parted ways, he no longer needed to pretend to be a deeply affectionate prince. The Emperor summoned Murong Jinghe and ordered him to stop seeing Mei Lin, urging him to focus on choosing a lifelong partner.

Yin Luomei was summoned to the palace as well, where the Emperor hinted at matchmaking her with Murong Jinghe. Yin Luomei suggested leaving the marriage decision to the upcoming spring hunt, where she would marry the winner. Since Murong Jinghe had won the spring hunt every year, the Emperor immediately noticed Yin Luomei’s affection for him and was overjoyed, promising to issue a decree for their marriage after the hunt.

Alone in the palace, Mei Lin reflected on Murong Jinghe’s words and opened the gift he had sent her. Inside were lampfruit cakes, a stone hairpin, and a portrait of her. She began to wonder what kind of person Prince Jing truly was. Zi Gu, thinking that Mei Lin was troubled by Prince Jing’s persistence, took her to the pond. There, she folded the portrait into a forget-worry flower and placed it on the water.

She said that as long as the flower drifted away, Mei Lin would never have to see him again. However, the paper flower was picked up by Murong Jinghe.

The Emperor handed the imperial marriage decree to Yin Luomei, allowing her to choose her own husband. Yin Luomei, holding the decree, confessed her feelings to Murong Jinghe, hoping he would fulfill his past promise. However, in Murong Jinghe's heart, Yin Luomei was merely a comrade, with no romantic feelings. Mei Lin was the only one who held a special place for him. Hearing this, Yin Luomei felt a sharp pain in her heart.

Murong Xuanlie, upon hearing that Yin Luomei wished to marry Prince Jing, became so enraged that he considered killing her. Meanwhile, Qing Yan noticed that his master wanted to see Mei Lin but was too proud to admit it. Qing Yan advised Murong Jinghe to feign pity before the Emperor in order to win Mei Lin back. Qing Yan assumed Murong Jinghe was worried that Mei Lin would disrupt his plans, not realizing how deeply Murong Jinghe was emotionally invested.

The next day, during the spring hunt at Lushan, Mei Lin, wanting to avoid seeing Prince Jing, disguised herself and secretly headed to the Xishan mines. At the same time, Murong Xuanlie arranged for Xiyan war prisoners to be released, intending to take action against Murong Jinghe during the hunt. Murong Jinghe, aware of the plot, pretended to disappear and went to the Xishan mines in search of Li Qing. During the hunt, Murong Jinghe appeared uninterested.

Seeing this, Yin Luomei realized he was rejecting her. The Emperor had already heard of Princess Zi Gu’s impressive riding and archery skills, and Zi Gu proposed that if she won, the Emperor should grant her a wish. Although the Emperor was highly skilled in riding and archery, he deliberately held back throughout the competition, only speeding up at the last moment.

Zi Gu’s innocent and lively demeanor moved the Emperor, making him realize that keeping her confined in the palace would be a great injustice to her. Murong Jinghe spotted Mei Lin at the hunting grounds and followed her, noticing that some nobles were harassing her. At the critical moment, Murong Jinghe intervened and drove them away, but Yin Luomei, who was patrolling nearby, witnessed the scene.

To prevent Yin Luomei from interfering with his plans, Murong Jinghe threatened Mei Lin to play along with him. Yin Luomei, seeing the two in an intimate moment in the grass, felt even more disillusioned and walked away in disappointment. Assassins disguised as war prisoners attacked halfway through, but the secret guards stepped in to protect them. Murong Jinghe ordered more guards to be sent to protect Mei Lin.

Yin Luomei wandered alone to the place where the legendary red fox was said to appear, recalling the time she had brought Murong Jinghe there to hunt foxes. It had been her wish to see the red fox, believing that it would mean they would be in love for life, but they never saw the fox that day. Murong Xuanlie approached Yin Luomei and told her there was a way to delay the marriage—to win the championship in that day’s hunt.

Although Murong Xuanlie hoped his name would be on the imperial marriage decree, he respected Yin Luomei’s choice, which deeply moved her. As they spoke, they saw the red fox. Yin Luomei, reflecting on Murong Jinghe’s increasingly reckless behavior, decided to give up on him and no longer cling to a relationship that had no future. On her way to the Xishan mines, Mei Lin overheard Murong Xuanlie’s conversation, and her heart filled with worry.

Murong Jinghe, surrounded by war prisoners at the edge of a cliff, was about to jump, but at the critical moment, Mei Lin grabbed him, and they both fell into a deep pool, saving their lives. Murong Jinghe was bitten by a poisonous snake while protecting Mei Lin, leaving her no choice but to continue traveling with him.

When the Emperor learned that war prisoners had appeared at the spring hunt’s villa, he ordered the mountain to be sealed off and a search for Murong Jinghe to begin, assigning the task to Yin Luomei. Murong Xuanlie, determined to make Murong Jinghe disappear, instructed Yang Zhen to delay the search as long as possible.

Meanwhile, Mei Lin supported Murong Jinghe as they made their way to Zhongshan, but the snake venom had paralyzed Murong Jinghe’s limbs, causing him to lose control of his bodily functions. Murong Jinghe, feeling humiliated, furiously ordered Mei Lin to find water. Instead, Mei Lin fashioned a stretcher out of tree branches and dragged Murong Jinghe to a small hut in the mountains.

That night, while Murong Jinghe soaked in a bath, Mei Lin sat behind a screen, telling him that the antidote would soon take effect and neutralize the snake venom. Murong Jinghe revealed that he had once spent three years unable to care for himself due to a leg injury, which had left him full of resentment.

He admitted that he couldn’t be as virtuous as Mei Lin, and that if revealing the truth about Qingzhou required his life, he would repay his debts, even if it meant his death.

In the middle of the night, Mei Lin was asleep in bed, while Murong Jinghe lay on a straw mat on the floor, plagued by nightmares. Seeing this, Mei Lin fetched some wild eggplant herb from outside, burned it to help calm his mind and aid his sleep. The next morning, she went out to fetch water and pick wild fruits, while Murong Jinghe stayed in the small hut, waiting for news from Qing Yan.

Yin Luomei, following the Emperor's orders, headed to the Xishan mines to mobilize the troops. Murong Xuanlie's third brother had already prepared for this and became suspicious but still sent people to hunt down Murong Jinghe. At the same time, he informed Yang Zhen to find a way to keep Yin Luomei trapped. At this moment, Qing Yan secretly followed them into the Xishan mines.

To delay the mobilization, Yang Zhen incited a miner riot, but Qing Yan took advantage of the chaos to rescue Li Qing. Yang Zhen happened to witness this. After the riot was quelled, Yin Luomei directly exposed Yang Zhen's deliberate plan to incite the chaos. Yang Zhen, quick-witted, shifted the blame onto Sun Tong, the deputy general of the Lulin Army.

Yin Luomei, not interested in dealing with the internal conflicts of the Lulin Army, immediately led the troops to set out. Yang Zhen sent a letter by express to Murong Xuanlie, who immediately released his trained eagle, Haidongqing, to search. On the other side, Pang Qi brought people to rendezvous with Murong Jinghe. To avoid being discovered by Haidongqing, they temporarily hid in the small wooden hut.

Yang Zhen, fearing that the truth would implicate the Crown Prince, decided to take all the blame himself. He arranged for Sun Tong to take fake accounting books to the court, claiming that he had illegally sold war prisoners for profit, and then took his own life out of guilt.

Sun Tong was shocked upon hearing this and hurriedly tried to dissuade Yang Zhen, saying that even though the Crown Prince had shown him great kindness, there was no need to repay it with his life. Yang Zhen responded that he was the son of a horseman and that if it weren’t for the Crown Prince, who opened schools and promoted people regardless of their background, he would never have achieved his current high rank.

After Yang Zhen’s suicide, Sun Tong sent another letter to Murong Xuanlie, who felt a heavy heart and sent people to intercept Qing Yan and his group. Qing Yan, with no other option, sent an urgent letter to Murong Jinghe asking for help. Murong Jinghe had no choice but to order Pang Qi to shoot down Haidongqing, thereby exposing his hiding place in Zhongshan and using this opportunity to lure Murong Xuanlie’s forces away.

Murong Jinghe then led his group in setting up traps, waiting for the Crown Prince's men to fall into them. Murong Xuanlie received the signal and pursued them. Murong Jinghe and Mei Lin fought side by side, but they were eventually overwhelmed by the superior numbers. Pang Qi was killed by several arrows while protecting Murong Jinghe. At the crucial moment, Qing Yan appeared and blocked some of the attacks, covering for Mei Lin and Murong Jinghe’s escape.

By the time Murong Xuanlie arrived, the ground was littered with bodies, with only Murong Jinghe’s jade thumb ring left behind. Murong Jinghe deliberately had Qing Yan set off a smoke signal at Xiaoyun Peak, knowing that Murong Xuanlie would personally go there. Meanwhile, he and Mei Lin climbed a winding and treacherous path. Standing midway up the mountain, the two shared their fears.

Mei Lin revealed that she disliked the crows that seemed to wait for death, while Murong Jinghe admitted that his greatest fear was losing, as defeat on the battlefield always meant casualties. As a commander, winning quickly was the greatest mercy he could offer his people. Soon after, Murong Xuanlie confirmed Murong Jinghe’s escape route and deduced that it would take them at least five days to reach Sunset Cliff on foot.

He ordered his men to throw poisoned corpses upstream, cutting off Mei Lin and Murong Jinghe’s water supply. Murong Jinghe, having once led his soldiers through four days without food or water, believed that if he could survive crawling out of piles of dead bodies back then, he could do the same now. Mei Lin vowed to endure alongside Murong Jinghe. Meanwhile, the nobles were speculating about the reason for Prince Jing’s disappearance.

The Emperor, troubled every day, caused Zi Gu to become worried. She prayed to the gods for the safe return of Prince Jing, just as Murong Qian observed this from nearby. Murong Xuanlie brought Yin Luomei to report the situation to the Emperor. The Emperor, confused by Murong Jinghe's actions, ordered Yin Luomei and Murong Xuanlie to search for Prince Jing together, ensuring his safety at all costs.

Before departing, Murong Xuanlie prepared high-quality wound medicine for Yin Luomei and asked her whether, if it were him who had gone missing today, she would put in the same effort to find him. Yin Luomei replied that both the Crown Prince and Jinghe had been childhood friends, and for the sake of that friendship, she would never abandon either of them.

Wang Quan worried that neither the Emperor nor Yin Luomei would rest until they found him, while Murong Xuanlie, holding the jade ring left to Murong Jinghe by Empress Dowager Dejia, came up with a plan. Mei Lin and Murong Jinghe, unable to eat or drink, had to rely on imagining food to keep themselves going, supporting each other as they walked.

After a long day of trekking, they finally reached the mountaintop, but Murong Jinghe, exhausted, had the vines he was tied to snap, causing him to tumble down the mountain. Mei Lin hurriedly chased after him, and only after confirming he was unharmed did she breathe a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, Wang Quan found someone of similar build to Jinghe named Cheng Rong, and stoned him to death to use as a decoy for Jinghe.

Murong Xuanlie ordered the body to be brought back, claiming that heavy snow had caused rocks to fall and the body had been crushed. By the time they found Murong Jinghe, he was beyond recognition. Yin Luomei didn’t believe the body belonged to Murong Jinghe, but the Emperor, upon seeing the jade ring, concluded that it was his son. Murong Xuanlie then ordered Yin Luomei to escort the Emperor back to the palace.

On the other hand, Mei Lin and Murong Jinghe were on the verge of escaping danger, only to be met with an extremely rare snowstorm that left them cold and starving, with their strength failing. Due to Murong Jinghe’s weakened state from illness a few years earlier, he eventually fell unconscious. Mei Lin, unwilling to give up, tried to warm him with her own body until Qing Yan finally found them, at which point she passed out.

Though A Ga and her group had returned to Xi Yan, she was sold to a tavern by her father. Left with no choice, she sought Yue Qin’s help. Initially, Yue Qin arranged for A Ga to marry the third son of the An family, but A Ga knew that depending on others for survival would only lead to a life of fear.

She needed to learn a skill to stand on her own, a sentiment that deeply moved Yue Qin. Qing Yan took Murong Jinghe and Mei Lin to the hidden village of Laowozi. Fortunately, Murong Jinghe quickly regained consciousness, realizing that Mei Lin had held his hand tightly all along, refusing to let go.

Qing Yan recounted the hardships Mei Lin had endured during these days, and when Murong Jinghe saw the words “won’t die” written on both their palms, he remarked that fate is always in one’s own hands. Yue Qin personally reported his years of learning to his father. Unexpectedly, his father remained silent, leaving the High Priestess, Zhu Li, to handle state affairs.

A servant informed Yue Qin that the ruler had long stopped concerning himself with politics and only sought the way to immortality. This High Priestess was none other than Zhu Li, the eldest daughter of Prince Pingyang. Yue Qin remembered an encounter with Zhu Li in his childhood and clearly recalled that Zhu Li didn’t believe in superstition.

Investigating further, he discovered that Prince Pingyang had given birth to twin daughters, but only the eldest daughter’s birth chart matched the ruler’s destiny, bringing fortune and blessing. However, the younger daughter, Zhu Shun, resented the heavens' unfairness and killed Zhu Li to take her place. Yue Qin confronted Zhu Shun alone and exposed the truth. Knowing she was caught, Zhu Shun had no choice but to agree to cooperate with Yue Qin.

Qing Yan reported to Jinghe that Li Qing had gone mad and that Murong Xuanlie had faked Jinghe’s death. Murong Jinghe decided to play along, instructing Qing Yan to return to the capital immediately and act out the charade, making Murong Xuanlie believe he was truly dead. Murong Jinghe and Mei Lin stayed in Laowozi village to recover, but Mei Lin’s condition was complicated, and she spent most of her time in a deep sleep.

In her dreams, she would pull Jinghe to sing with her, forcing him to hum along to unfamiliar tunes. Eventually, Mei Lin woke up. The elderly woman next door mistakenly assumed they were a married couple, which made Mei Lin feel awkward. Murong Jinghe quickly explained they were siblings. When Mei Lin heard that Jinghe had been stung while trying to get her honey, she felt a warmth in her heart.

Murong Jinghe reassured her not to worry about Zi Gu, as the Emperor would certainly investigate Mei Lin’s whereabouts, and with his involvement, Murong Xuanlie wouldn’t act rashly.

Now that Mei Lin has gone missing, Zi Gu blames herself for failing to take proper care of her and for not living up to the trust her elder brother placed in her. To ensure Yue Qin could remain at ease in Xi Yan, Zi Gu chose not to inform him of this.

Meanwhile, the Emperor also instructed Liu Zhong to send people to search for Mei Lin, fearing that, as the last orphan of Qingzhou, she might be connected to Jinghe's death. The Emperor then ordered a grand funeral for Murong Jinghe, with the rites of a state burial. During the ceremony, Qing Yan pretended to cry bitterly, but the Crown Prince still wasn’t entirely convinced, believing that Qing Yan and his master had always been skilled at acting.

He insisted that unless they could see the body, they wouldn’t believe Jinghe was truly gone. Meanwhile, Mei Lin took Murong Jinghe to see the village doctor, who, upon checking his pulse, confirmed that Jinghe’s body was weak. At that moment, the hunter Wei Laoer went into the mountains to hunt but was poisoned by drinking water from a mountain stream.

The villagers, mistakenly thinking he had caught the plague, also suspected Mei Lin and Murong Jinghe were responsible for spreading it. They tied the two up and locked them in a woodshed. However, Murong Jinghe knew it was all part of Murong Xuanlie’s plot. Fortunately, the mountain stream’s water had been diluted by the village’s water supply, so it wasn’t lethal.

Murong Xuanlie visited the army camp to see Yin Luomei and persuaded her to let go of Jinghe, revealing that the dagger he had given her long ago was actually handed over by his third brother. Yin Luomei expressed that she only pitied her comrade, and that Murong Jinghe, with his many military accomplishments, would have found his best resting place on the battlefield.

She hoped that in his next life, he could once again be a general who rode into battle. She then personally struck the drum to send off Jinghe’s soul. To ward off the supposed plague, the villagers began burning grass and creating smoke near the gate. This triggered Mei Lin’s trauma from the great fire in Qingzhou, and she immediately fled through the window with Murong Jinghe. But the two were once again surrounded by the villagers.

Murong Jinghe told them that Wei Laoer had been poisoned from drinking the stream water and said he could cure him. The villagers were skeptical, but Mei Lin led a few of them up the mountain to gather herbs. When they returned, they saw Murong Jinghe using his own prepared medicine to save the man, deeply moving Mei Lin. In the end, Wei Laoer recovered and, upon seeing Mei Lin’s beauty, fell in love with her at first sight.

However, this irked Murong Jinghe, who was very displeased by the attention the men were giving to Mei Lin. The nosy aunt next door even asked if Mei Lin was engaged, but Murong Jinghe deflected all these questions. Since the two were claiming to be siblings, Mei Lin and Murong Jinghe slept in separate quarters.

Mei Lin knew Jinghe had run out of his medicinal herbs and was having trouble sleeping at night, so she took him to the riverbank to catch fireflies, making a lamp from them to help him sleep. Murong Jinghe understood her gesture and felt a warmth in his heart. The Emperor heard that the Crown Prince was also searching for Mei Lin and suspected that he intended to silence her, further speculating that Jinghe’s death was connected to the Crown Prince.

Yet, despite this, the Emperor couldn’t take action against Murong Xuanlie. He knew that as long as Xuanlie posed no threat to the dynasty, he couldn’t change the heir. Zi Gu came to deliver ginseng soup to the Emperor, but in his anger, the Emperor knocked the bowl from her hands, shattering it. However, instead of blaming her, he comforted Zi Gu. In Xi Yan, the election for the new ruler began.

The second prince, Yue Chu, tampered with the altar, but Zhu Shun had already learned of his scheme and corrected it in time. In the end, she helped Yue Qin succeed in ascending to power as the new ruler, under the guise of a divine emissary. Yue Chu, enraged, drew his sword to kill Yue Qin but was ordered to be executed by the king of Xi Yan.

Yue Qin smoothly assumed his position as the new ruler of Xi Yan, though General Ming Ju harbored dissatisfaction with him. In the days that followed, Mei Lin and Murong Jinghe lived a carefree life in the village, with Mei Lin farming and Jinghe weaving, as if they were in a paradise. However, Murong Jinghe grew increasingly jealous as Wei Laoer frequently showed affection toward Mei Lin.

To drive him away, Jinghe had a boy pull down Wei Laoer’s pants, causing him to flee. Mei Lin was fully aware of what Jinghe had done, but instead of being angry, she felt a bit of sweetness. Murong Jinghe even sewed her gloves by hand to protect her hands from injury while working.

Murong Xuanlie, eager to win Yin Luomei’s heart as soon as possible, personally visited Imperial Concubine Yin to seek her assistance. He promised that once he ascended the throne, he would ensure that the Yin family was treated generously. Concubine Yin knew Yin Luomei’s temperament well and was also aware of the Crown Prince’s feelings. However, she could not fully trust that the Crown Prince would truly value his in-laws.

Murong Xuanlie confessed that his love for Yin Luomei was deep and unwavering, and that she was the only one for him in this life. With that in mind, Concubine Yin took Yin Luomei to a temple under the pretext of offering prayers. Along the way, they passed a palace called "Wan'an Hall. " Upon entering, they found it filled with various statues of gods and buddhas, and the desk was covered with letters all related to Yin Luomei.

A monk who accompanied them explained that this hall was built by the Crown Prince for Yin Luomei’s protection. Each time Yin Luomei led troops into battle, Murong Xuanlie would copy scriptures and pray for her safety in Wan'an Hall. Concubine Yin urged Yin Luomei to consider the Crown Prince, remarking that there were few men in the world as devoted as him.

After Concubine Yin left, Yin Luomei remained alone in Wan'an Hall, gazing at the pile of handwritten prayers before her. Her heart was deeply moved, yet she could not reciprocate the Crown Prince’s feelings. Murong Xuanlie declared that he was willing to wait for her. In front of the statues, he openly admitted that his actions were driven by greed, except for his genuine love for Yin Luomei.

He vowed that if he could spend even a moment with her, he would willingly fall into the deepest pits of hell to atone after his death. Mei Lin and Murong Jinghe were often seen together. Watching the nearby children argue, they were reminded of their past. Mei Lin told Murong Jinghe that when she was little, she was very mischievous. Once, she even broke a neighbor child’s tooth, and only A Ning could keep her in check.

Similarly, Murong Jinghe admitted that as a child, he was not very mature, and his mother often asked him to practice calligraphy in his spare time. Unfortunately, he still disappointed her in the end. They both understood that if it hadn’t been for the great fire in Qingzhou, their lives might have turned out very differently.

Although Li Qing’s condition had improved under the doctor’s care, Qing Yan felt that Li Qing was not safe there and needed to be moved elsewhere for further treatment. Murong Jinghe received a message via carrier pigeon from Qing Yan and informed Mei Lin that Li Qing had written that he would recover in ten days. Wei Laoer returned to see Mei Lin, trying to win her favor, which made Murong Jinghe extremely jealous.

He stepped in front of Mei Lin to block their interaction. Earlier in the snow, Mei Lin had joked about wanting to eat dragon meat, so Murong Jinghe deliberately made things difficult for Wei Laoer. However, Mei Lin didn’t want to make things hard for him and said that she liked all kinds of food. Wei Laoer, however, misunderstood and thought that Mei Lin liked him. Meanwhile, Murong Jinghe borrowed the neighbor’s kitchen to personally make snake soup for Mei Lin.

The local aunties gathered around, commenting on how handsome and skilled he was at cooking, and tried to match him up with someone. Murong Jinghe plainly stated that he already had a wife. Just as Wei Laoer was preparing to propose to Mei Lin, Murong Jinghe rushed out, declaring that the two of them were not siblings but a quarrelsome couple.

Unable to propose, Wei Laoer left in tears, while the aunties remarked that Mei Lin and Murong Jinghe were truly a match made in heaven. Thinking that the "couple" had made up, the aunties arranged for them to share the same bed. As a result, the two tossed and turned late into the night, the atmosphere between them growing increasingly ambiguous. Murong Jinghe secretly hoped that such days could last forever.

The Emperor, worried that the people he sent to find Mei Lin hadn’t yet succeeded, feared unforeseen complications. Zi Gu accompanied the Emperor every day, which deeply moved him. He then informed her of Yue Qin’s ascension as the new ruler of Xi Yan. Yue Qin, understanding that the King of Xi Yan was superstitious and believed in the supernatural, used the reputation of the High Priestess to tell the King that the divine woman resided in Da Yan. He hoped to use this as a means to bring Mei Lin back and make her his queen.

Murong Jinghe watched as Mei Lin chopped filling in the kitchen and decided to help her. As they worked together, the atmosphere grew more intimate, making Mei Lin's heart race. She excused herself under the pretext of washing her face, and when she returned, Murong Jinghe came over to comb her hair. He mentioned that the future princess he was looking for resembled Mei Lin, expressing his feelings for her.

Just as Mei Lin felt touched by his words, a young boy named A Niu ran over to interrupt, announcing that the banquet was about to start. The harvest feast was lively, with the villagers teasing Mei Lin and Murong Jinghe about pretending to be siblings while being a couple.

An aunt joyfully asked Mei Lin if she was satisfied with Murong Jinghe, to which Mei Lin replied that while he had his flaws, her mother would definitely approve of him as a son-in-law. Since Mei Lin only accepted adopted sons and would not marry, Murong Jinghe was thrilled to hear her positive response about him. He immediately took her to a secluded spot in the woods, wanting her to confess her feelings for him.

Mei Lin honestly stated that she never lied and spoke from her heart. Murong Jinghe was overjoyed, and under the twinkling fireflies, they embraced and kissed until A Niu appeared again, breaking this beautiful moment. Because the Emperor's Feathered Guards were keeping a close eye on the Crown Prince, Murong Xuanlie could not search openly. He believed that even if Murong Jinghe returned, he would not be able to seize the throne.

However, he needed to win over Yin Luomei soon, so he had Wang Quan deliver a vial of medicine to Fengyi Palace. Soon after, Concubine Yin called for Yin Luomei, claiming a headache. She arranged for Yin Luomei to change into women's clothing and secretly placed an aphrodisiac in the incense burner. Yin Luomei was powerless to resist, and just as Murong Xuanlie rushed in, the situation became precarious.

He was pushed onto the bed by Yin Luomei, and as they neared the final step, he suddenly pushed her away and drove a hairpin into his thigh, attempting to regain his clarity. This action deeply moved Yin Luomei. At that moment, Concubine Yin arrived with the Emperor at Fengyi Palace. Murong Xuanlie draped a coat over Yin Luomei and stepped outside to block the entrance. Concubine Yin was confused about why the Crown Prince had changed his plans suddenly.

The Emperor spoke with Murong Xuanlie in private, angrily accusing him of killing Murong Jinghe and expressing disappointment that he, as the Crown Prince and future heir, was entangled in personal affairs. However, Murong Xuanlie firmly declared his determination to marry no one but Yin Luomei. He recalled the lessons learned from the previous dynasty’s downfall, understanding that powerful in-laws could pose great threats. Yet, he believed he could secure the Murong family’s power.

Yin Luomei was touched by his restraint, willing to harm himself rather than force her, and she opened her heart to him, saying she would write his name on the marriage decree. After a period of treatment, Li Qing's madness was completely cured. However, he insisted on meeting the King of Jing before the Crown Prince was overthrown.

Since the Emperor had withdrawn the Feathered Guards and Qing Yan was being watched by the Crown Prince, he sent a message to Murong Jinghe via pigeon, leaving him to find a way back to the capital on his own. Mei Lin sat beside Murong Jinghe with a wine bottle, lamenting that their good days were coming to an end.

Murong Jinghe reassured her that once they overthrew the Crown Prince and the situation stabilized, they would return to Qingzhou together. She could open a fruit pastry shop while he continued to serve as General Wei Bei, spending leisure time painting and drawing, and defending their home during chaos. The next day, the villagers gathered to bid farewell with reluctance. Wei Laoer insisted on following Mei Lin and Murong Jinghe, but Murong Jinghe couldn’t bring him along.

He cleverly tricked Wei Laoer into going to pull up a large tree, allowing him and Mei Lin to slip away unnoticed. The Emperor believed that the third son had died, and even uncovering the truth would be futile. He ordered that Zi Gu be informed to treat Mei Lin as if she were dead. Zi Gu understood the Emperor's predicament and sent word to Yue Qin's team entering the capital, informing them of Mei Lin’s disappearance.

Meanwhile, Qing Yan sent word to Murong Jinghe that on the day Yue Qin entered the capital as the young lord of Xi Yan, the Crown Prince would replace all the guards at the city gates with his own Iron Guards from the East Palace under the pretense of welcoming the young lord. This meant the gates would be heavily guarded, prompting Mei Lin and Murong Jinghe to think of another plan.

At the city gate, Mei Lin saw Yue Qin's entourage and threw a Qingzhou knot she had woven onto Yue Qin, using it to pass a message. Before Yue Qin could fully grasp the situation, he heard that the Crown Prince had arrived to greet him, so he dismounted to exchange pleasantries. Though he acted warmly, his thoughts were focused on Mei Lin.

Murong Jinghe, knowing that Mei Lin wanted to meet Yue Qin, reminded her not to be overly concerned with repaying debts of gratitude, and Mei Lin agreed with a smile. Meanwhile, Yue Qin congratulated the Crown Prince on his upcoming marriage and presented generous gifts. Murong Xuanlie was delighted, feeling that having an ally like the Young Lord of Xi Yan would be advantageous.

However, Yue Qin expressed that he currently did not require allies unless Murong Xuanlie became the Crown Prince of Dayan. Murong Xuanlie felt displeased and claimed that with the King of Jing dead, there was no longer a threat, and the throne would soon be his. The more Murong Xuanlie tried to ally with him, the more Yue Qin suspected that the King of Jing was not actually dead.

Deciding to bide his time, he entered the palace to meet with Zi Gu. Once there, he reassured his sister, who was filled with guilt, by revealing that Mei Lin was still alive and would return when the time was right. Later, Yue Qin privately arranged to meet Mei Lin by the river, explaining that the Crown Prince had spies both inside and outside Zhaojing.

No matter how skilled Mei Lin was in martial arts, she could not defeat them all. Therefore, he planned to gift the Crown Prince a horse named Hequ tomorrow. This horse could be controlled using a specific whistle melody from Xi Yan’s herding techniques, allowing them to create a distraction and enter the city amidst the chaos.

Mei Lin was thrilled that Yue Qin was not only refraining from stopping her but also willing to help, and she immediately started learning the melody. Murong Xuanlie, eager to win the favor of the one he loved, ordered the Jiafu Workshop to rush production of a crimson armor.

Wang Quan was concerned, feeling it inappropriate to present such a bold gift during the King of Jing’s mourning period, fearing it might displease the Emperor, but Murong Xuanlie dismissed his concerns. At this time, the Emperor, feeling unwell, had little energy to intervene in the Crown Prince’s matters. Liu Zhong suggested bringing in Zi Gu to attend to him, believing the Emperor favored Zi Gu more than anyone else.

The Emperor admitted he was fond of Zi Gu, but, given the significant age difference, if she bore him a son, she would be bound to live out her life within the confines of the palace. Thus, he decided that after his passing, he would send Zi Gu back to Xi Yan, as he believed that true peace between the two countries required diplomatic relationships rather than personal ties.

The engagement ceremony arrived as scheduled, and Murong Xuanlie personally went to the General's residence to present the engagement gifts, creating a festive atmosphere. Yin Luomei, dressed in women's attire, appeared stunningly beautiful, further intensifying Murong Xuanlie's affection for her. Holding her hand, he publicly announced that when she wore armor, she would command thirty thousand soldiers of the Southern Pacification Army, and when she set down her armor, she would be the Crown Princess under his protection.

His words showcased his deep adoration for her. Just as he finished speaking, Murong Jinghe rode in on horseback, donned in crimson armor, shocking those present and sparking discussions, especially since Mei Lin was hidden among the crowd. Yin Luomei, eager to know the truth about Lushan, hurriedly followed Murong Jinghe outside, leaving Murong Xuanlie behind.

Upon her return, seeing Murong Xuanlie about to leave, Yin Luomei explained that her bond with the King of Jing was solely one of camaraderie, affirming that the Crown Prince was her true love. Murong Xuanlie, overjoyed, embraced her tightly. Murong Jinghe’s return to Zhaojing, seemingly back from the dead, brought joy to the entire King of Jing’s household.

After settling Mei Lin, Murong Jinghe went to see Li Qing and was surprised to discover that Li Qing was from the previous Yu Wen family, intending to destroy the Murong dynasty. On the other hand, Yin Luomei, unable to get the answers she wanted from Murong Jinghe, knew that the rivalry for the throne had reached an irreversible point and hoped that, out of childhood friendship, they would spare each other's lives.

Due to the early onset of the Mo Vein poison in Mei Lin's body, she often felt exhausted, feverish, and broke into night sweats. Fortunately, an essential antidote ingredient, Snow Dragon Whisker, had recently appeared on the market, and a doctor reported hearing that someone possessing it might be in Zhaojing. Murong Jinghe vowed to obtain Snow Dragon Whisker seeds at any cost.

The Emperor learned from Yue Qin that the Young Lord’s consort was in Xi Yan and promised a grand send-off. Hearing that the King of Jing was alive, he was overwhelmed with excitement. Mei Lin met Zi Gu and straightforwardly declared her lifelong commitment to Murong Jinghe, leaving Zi Gu no choice but to respect her decision. That night, Murong Jinghe and Murong Xuanlie entered the palace to meet the Emperor, who angrily rebuked them for their fratricidal strife. Murong Jinghe boldly exposed the real culprit behind the Qingzhou rebellion as none other than the Crown Prince.

Murong Jinghe entered the palace overnight to meet with the Emperor, revealing that Murong Xuanlie was the true instigator behind the Qingzhou rebellion. To secure the position of Crown Prince, Murong Xuanlie had forged military orders, using Zhang Yin's Mo Vein death warriors to impersonate the Wei North Army.

After setting fires, he had his former strategist Li Qing besiege the camp, turning the loyal Wei North Army into a force of criminals, causing tens of thousands of innocent people to perish in the flames. The Crown Prince refused to admit his actions, instead accusing the King of Jing of trying to seize the position of Crown Prince.

However, when Murong Jinghe directly stated that Li Qing and Zhang Yin were still alive and presented their crimes, the Emperor was deeply shocked and fainted. The imperial physician initially diagnosed it as a stroke, but Murong Jinghe suspected it was more than that and feared the Crown Prince was taking a dangerous gamble. At that moment, Liu Zhong arrived with the Feathered Forest Guards, surrounding the Yanming Hall and forcing both the Crown Prince and King of Jing to leave.

Seeing this, Murong Jinghe sensed there was more going on and felt the urgent need to uncover the cause of the Emperor’s illness. The Eastern Palace ordered the palace gates sealed, while Mei Lin, disguised as a servant of Consort Yan, stayed behind in the palace to gather information and be ready to relay any news immediately to Murong Jinghe.

Upon learning of these events, Yin Luomei ordered the Southern Pacification Army to be on high alert and then went to Fengyi Palace to visit her aunt. Consort Yin, in Yin Luomei's presence, spoke poorly of the King of Jing, accusing others of throwing dirt on Fengyi Palace and hindering the Crown Prince’s plans to establish a new dynasty.

She even expressed that she hoped the Emperor wouldn’t wake up so that the Crown Prince could ascend to the throne and return the military seal to the Yin family. Yin Luomei was taken aback by her aunt’s words, and Consort Yin openly admitted that her relationship with the Emperor was purely political; the members of the Yin family in his harem were mere pawns for preserving the family’s honor.

Wang Quan reported to the Crown Prince that all traces had been carefully erased, leaving no way for anyone to investigate further, but he worried that Liu Zhong had already aligned with the King of Jing. Taking a risky path, Murong Xuanlie refrained from sharing his plans even with his allies, planning instead to rally support only before his ascension, and thus strongly pressured Yue Qin to take his side.

Yue Qin understood that direct confrontation was unwise, so he agreed to a deal with the Crown Prince: if his sister Zi Gu could live a peaceful life in the Palace of Blossoms, he would not oppose the Crown Prince. Murong Xuanlie readily agreed.

Although Mei Lin was still in the Palace of Blossoms, Murong Xuanlie did not want to drive the Young Lord of Xi Yan to the King of Jing’s side and, for the moment, refrained from acting against Mei Lin. The next morning, Liu Zhong publicly proclaimed an imperial edict, with the Crown Prince now officially holding power as regent.

The Imperial Censorate submitted a report stating that, as the future Crown Princess, Yin Luomei’s frequent inspections of the Southern Pacification Army’s camp were improper. Murong Xuanlie responded that the military seal was already in his hands, while Yin Luomei clarified that she would perform her final duty at the camp in two days. Although Murong Jinghe felt dissatisfied, he had no choice but to go along with the consensus.

Initially, Murong Jinghe wanted to summon Yin Luomei for a conversation, but the Crown Prince intercepted the letter. Yin Luomei took the initiative to visit the Crown Prince, curious about his spies in the General’s residence. Murong Xuanlie explained that it was to protect the Yin family, and Yin Luomei believed him.

As a result, she declared to Murong Xuanlie that, from then on, he alone held her heart, and no matter what he chose to do, she would stand by him unwaveringly. However, Murong Xuanlie was aware that Yin Luomei saw him as noble and kind, oblivious to his true nature.

He then went to Fengyi Palace himself, using the palace’s incense that had poisoned the Emperor as leverage to threaten Consort Yin, intending to use this to fully control Yin Luomei and prevent her from leaving him. Mei Lin happened to overhear this conversation from outside and skillfully obtained a sample of the incense powder from Fengyi Palace. She also saw Zi Gu by the lotus pond, praying for the Emperor’s recovery.

With Mei Lin’s encouragement, Zi Gu agreed to help Mei Lin leave the palace smoothly. Mei Lin quickly relayed this information to Murong Jinghe, and a doctor confirmed that the incense originated from Xi Yan and was Yue Qin’s unique creation. Yue Qin then unexpectedly visited the King of Jing’s residence, where Murong Jinghe, on Mei Lin’s behalf, met him.

After some negotiation, Yue Qin agreed to provide the incense recipe to Murong Jinghe but demanded that Mei Lin be entrusted to him, claiming only he could truly protect her.

Murong Jinghe took Yue Qin’s words to heart, realizing he indeed lacked the confidence to fully protect Mei Lin. However, Mei Lin was unaware of Jinghe’s worries and planned to use the long-life boat for prayers as a way to deliver messages to Zi Gu, hoping Zi Gu could contact Liu Zhong about the antidote formula.

To avoid detection, Murong Jinghe used special invisible ink and hid the words with a drawing of Shennong, including a gesture only Liu Zhong would understand. Zi Gu recognized Mei Lin’s handwriting and eagerly delivered the message to Yanming Hall, eventually securing Liu Zhong’s help in exposing that the Emperor’s coma was caused by the Crown Prince. As long as they could keep the Crown Prince unaware, three days of medication would be enough to detoxify the Emperor.

However, Liu Zhong was caught by the Crown Prince while delivering a follow-up message to Murong Jinghe and was immediately detained. Upon learning this, Murong Jinghe sensed trouble—now the only person left who could save the Emperor was Yin Luomei. Knowing this was Yin Luomei’s last day inspecting the military camp, Murong Jinghe disguised himself and Mei Lin to sneak into the Western Outpost to seek her help.

Meanwhile, Murong Xuanlie guessed that Jinghe might approach Luomei, so he sent Wang Quan to keep an eye on them. When Mei Lin was about to deliver a letter, Murong Xuanlie appeared, prompting Luomei to hurriedly throw the letter into the fire and declare that, as the Crown Princess, she would always stand with the Eastern Palace.

Afterward, Luomei ordered Mei Lin to be escorted to the King of Jing’s residence, while she and Murong Jinghe, disguised as guards, met outside the city. Luomei had always thought the King of Jing wanted to pin the blame on the Crown Prince, never suspecting his character. But Murong Jinghe directly presented evidence, fully revealing Murong Xuanlie’s numerous crimes. Meanwhile, Liu Zhong was being tortured but remained loyal to the Emperor, refusing to bow to Murong Xuanlie.

As Xuanlie threatened Liu Zhong to sign a confession, Luomei suddenly entered. Liu Zhong, seeing her, detailed Xuanlie’s crimes and pleaded for her to save the Emperor. Enraged, Murong Xuanlie tried to strangle Liu Zhong. Shocked, Luomei ultimately drew her sword, ending Liu Zhong’s life to stop his suffering, and then walked away in disappointment. Murong Xuanlie held onto Luomei as she left, and when she saw his lack of remorse, she slapped him in anger.

Murong Xuanlie did not retaliate, allowing her to slap him. Luomei felt she had fallen for the wrong person but was still pulled into Xuanlie’s embrace. He handed her the military seal, asking her to forget everything, promising that the rebellion would have nothing to do with her. At the King of Jing’s residence, Murong Jinghe was anxiously waiting for news when he suddenly developed a fever and weakened, causing Mei Lin to worry.

Mei Lin sensed he was hiding something, but Jinghe claimed it was an old illness without revealing the truth. Initially, he planned to tell her he was the head of the Secret Bureau, but Qing Yan suddenly arrived to report Liu Zhong’s death. Mei Lin decided to go into the palace to find Zi Gu, as only she could deliver the antidote to the Emperor.

Before leaving, Mei Lin handed a stone hairpin to Murong Jinghe, who resolved to reveal the whole truth when she returned. Just then, Murong Jinghe collapsed, and the doctor discovered the leech in his body was dead. Because Mei Lin’s Mo Vein poison had activated early, Murong Jinghe, hoping to buy Mei Lin more time, had willingly tested poisons to search for an antidote, keeping it a secret from her all along.

Mei Lin sneaked through the moat to reach the Palace of Blossoms, telling Zi Gu that she had found the antidote but needed her help to deliver it. That night, Zi Gu pleaded with Consort Yin to allow her to see the Emperor, and, feeling moved, Consort Yin ordered a maid to search Zi Gu, allowing her entry only after confirming she had no other items.

Unbeknownst to them, Zi Gu had already applied the medicine to her arm, which the maid didn’t detect. Meanwhile, Mei Lin noticed the Crown Prince heading to Yanming Hall and quickly revealed herself to distract him.

Mei Lin deliberately dropped a bottle containing the antidote, making Murong Xuanlie believe the King of Jing’s plan had failed. She then faced Wang Quan and other skilled fighters from the Eastern Palace alone. Though her strength was waning, she persevered for half an hour, blood dripping down her face and into the water, repeatedly telling herself not to fall. Meanwhile, Zi Gu burned the medicine on her arm with candle fire, anxiously hoping for the Emperor to wake up soon.

Murong Jinghe awoke to learn the leech had died, sinking into despair, knowing only snow dragon beard could counter the Mo Vein poison. Murong Xuanlie did not intend to take Mei Lin's life; he initially tried persuading her to stop. However, Mei Lin, filled with rage, ultimately jumped into the freezing river to escape. When Murong Jinghe learned that Mei Lin was being pursued by the Crown Prince, he immediately plunged into the river to rescue her unconscious body.

Due to her injuries and the effects of the Mo Vein poison, Mei Lin couldn’t wake up right away. Murong Jinghe, not wanting to risk her life any further, decided it was time to make a choice to ensure her safety. Meanwhile, Murong Xuanlie ordered a continued search for Mei Lin and was about to go to Yanming Hall when he received news that the Crown Princess had fainted.

Yin Luomei, standing before her father’s memorial tablet, felt an intense inner struggle. She recalled how, at fifteen, she had followed her father to the battlefield, vowing to be loyal and protect the people of Dayan. Now, however, she had killed her own, caught between her duty and her unbreakable feelings for Murong Xuanlie, deeply pained by her dilemma.

Murong Xuanlie accompanied Luomei in the shrine, chanting prayers for blessings, while secretly ordering Consort Yan to be placed under house arrest and surrounding Yanming Hall to prevent anyone from entering or leaving. With no other options left, Murong Jinghe gathered all his people to prepare an assault on the city to rescue the Emperor. However, before this, Murong Jinghe needed to ensure Mei Lin’s survival.

He was willing to sign a confession as leverage in exchange for the snow dragon beard seeds in the Crown Prince’s possession. He handed the seeds to Yue Qin, instructing him to escort Mei Lin out of Dayan. Yue Qin requested that Mei Lin return to Xiyan as a lesser consort, and although it pained Murong Jinghe, he reluctantly agreed. When Mei Lin regained consciousness, she found herself in a hidden chamber dedicated to honoring the soldiers of the North.

Shortly afterward, Murong Jinghe entered and revealed himself as the head of the Secret Bureau. He coldly stated that she was a lost cause to him and that his collaboration with her was solely for the medallion. Even his time with her in Laowo Village, he claimed, was an act, denying he had ever loved her. Mei Lin refused to believe this, repeatedly questioning him, only for Murong Jinghe to push her away, causing her stone hairpin to fall and shatter.

Murong Jinghe then told her his night sweats were not from a fever but from the effects of the Mo Vein poison. Just as he was about to kill Mei Lin, Yue Qin intervened and took her away. In that moment, memories of their past together flooded both their minds, filling them with unbearable sorrow.

As Mei Lin boarded a carriage, she saw the Eastern Palace’s men surrounding the King of Jing’s residence, realizing that Murong Jinghe had acted this way to protect her. She tried to get out to rescue him, but Yue Qin had already placed a sedative in the incense, causing her to fall unconscious in the carriage. Meanwhile, Murong Jinghe was sentenced to a severe punishment for allegedly conspiring with Liu Zhong to harm the Emperor.

Crown Prince Murong Xuanlie gathered the ministers, planning to execute Jinghe at noon. Murong Jinghe directly confronted Xuanlie, exposing him as the true mastermind. Qing Yan arrived with his forces, and a fierce battle broke out. At this critical moment, Murong Jinghe’s forces sounded the war drums, confident that as long as a shred of loyalty remained in Yin Luomei’s heart, she would respond.

Just as he predicted, upon hearing the drums, Luomei remembered her father’s teachings and her purpose on the battlefield. To preserve the honor and loyalty of her family, she donned her armor and headed out to join this fierce battle.

Wang Quan led his men to block Murong Jinghe and his group, and a fierce battle ensued. Murong Jinghe fought Wang Quan directly to allow Qing Yan to reach Yanming Hall. After an intense struggle, Wang Quan was killed, and Murong Jinghe and Qing Yan successfully delivered the medicine to Yanming Hall. However, the medicinal incense needed half an hour to take effect.

The Imperial Guard Commander arrived with his troops, but Murong Jinghe, using the Emperor as leverage, ordered them to surround the area without attacking, which the Commander agreed to. Unfortunately, Crown Prince Murong Xuanlie soon arrived and executed the Commander on the spot. Already in poor health and now injured, Murong Jinghe was no match for Xuanlie. As Qing Yan sustained severe injuries, Murong Jinghe gradually lost his strength.

Just as Xuanlie was about to kill Jinghe himself, the Emperor awoke in time. Furious, the Emperor scolded Xuanlie, but Xuanlie, unfazed, raised his sword to slay the Emperor. Murong Jinghe immediately shielded the Emperor with his body. At this moment, Yin Luomei arrived at the palace with the Pingnan Army, quickly quelling the chaos. Seeing Luomei drawing her sword, Xuanlie surrendered and was ordered by the Emperor to be imprisoned.

Meanwhile, Mei Lin awoke to learn that Murong Jinghe had stormed Yanming Hall to rescue the Emperor and that the entire palace was now sealed off. As she insisted on returning to Zhao Jing, one of Yue Qin's men delivered the news that the Emperor had already awakened, the Crown Prince's rebellion had failed, and Murong Jinghe had fallen unconscious.

Worried, Mei Lin rushed back to Jingwang Manor on horseback, sneaking into the room to check on Murong Jinghe, weeping by his bedside. When Murong Jinghe opened his eyes and saw Mei Lin, who he had longed to see, he picked up the broken stone hairpin, filled with guilt and regret. Mei Lin, seeing this, turned and left. When Murong Jinghe woke again, he instinctively touched his face but found no trace of tears, thinking it was just a dream.

His aunt in Jingwang Manor told him that when the Empress once embroidered his wedding robe, she left a stitch unfinished—a sign they considered unlucky. However, Mei Lin had mended the unfinished stitch. Murong Jinghe, looking at the robe, seemed to see Mei Lin embroidering, bringing a sense of nostalgia.

Though Yue Qin protected Mei Lin by naming her his consort, repaying her for saving his life, the King of Xiyan considered Mei Lin a divine maiden, firmly believing in the myths of the Sun and Moon Mountains. He demanded that Mei Lin and Yue Qin return to Xiyan by the time of the Divine Day. Mei Lin understood that Yue Qin had staked his future for her sake and was deeply grateful.

To repay him, she played the role of his wife in public, and Yue Qin promised not to restrict her freedom as his consort. Mei Lin and Yue Qin then bid farewell to Zi Gu and entered the hall to see the Emperor. The Emperor conferred upon Mei Lin the title of Princess Zhongshuo, granting her a lavish dowry and elevating her to the status of a princess, declaring that from then on, Dayan would be her maternal home.

After meeting with the Emperor, the two set off on their journey. Murong Jinghe hurried after them but, sadly, only caught a glimpse of Mei Lin’s departing figure, feeling desolate. Regarding the Crown Prince's rebellion, the Emperor declared the final judgment. First, he ordered the truth about the Qingzhou fire to be revealed, clearing the Weibei Army's name, erecting a stele at Ciling as an act of remembrance, and offsetting Murong Jinghe's merits with his faults.

As for Yin Luomei, she had allowed the Crown Prince to harm loyal ministers, but since she ultimately repented and saved the Emperor, her life was spared. She was demoted from Pingnan Army General to a provincial official in Mozhou, forbidden to return to the capital without a decree. Admitting his failure in raising the Crown Prince, the Emperor decided to issue a decree of self-reproach.

Murong Jinghe finally saw the day when the souls of the Weibei Army’s fallen could rest in peace. Not long after, Yin Luomei, dressed in wedding attire, visited Murong Xuanlie in prison and drank a ceremonial cup of wine with him. Only then did she realize who she truly loved, but it was too late. Xuanlie, knowing the wine was poisoned, willingly drank it, embracing Luomei and asking what kind of husband she would have preferred.

Luomei answered truthfully, her words describing Xuanlie exactly. In his final moments, Luomei watched as Xuanlie died in her arms, her heart shattered in unbearable grief.

Before Yin Luomei’s departure, Murong Jinghe personally bid her farewell, promising to drink a celebratory toast once she reclaimed command of the Pingnan Army. Holding the ancestral tablets in her bundle, Yin Luomei felt a mix of emotions and admitted that, without Murong Jinghe’s reminder, she might have truly gone astray. Murong Jinghe reassured her, saying that as long as she remembered the sound of the battle drums, she would never choose the wrong path.

Murong Jinghe then entered the palace to meet the Emperor, who reminisced about the past with him. The Emperor confessed that after the great fire in Qingzhou, he felt powerless. Surrounded by foreign enemies and facing public outrage, any action seemed increasingly dangerous. He had constantly reminded himself that it might indeed have been Prince Jing’s fault and that he needed to give the people an explanation as quickly as possible.

It was at this moment that Murong Jinghe fully understood: the Emperor was the ruler of the world, not just his father alone. The Emperor, feeling remorseful and self-reproachful, expressed his intention to pass the throne to Murong Jinghe. However, Murong Jinghe responded that he still had unfinished business. He requested permission to go to Qingzhou to restore the land, now reduced to ruins, and return it to its original purity.

The Emperor, pleased with his resolve, readily agreed, noting that Murong Jinghe should regain the trust of the people he had lost in Qingzhou. Currently, Qingzhou was one of the towns the Emperor and the Prince of Xiyan had designated for reconstruction to establish peaceful border trade. Yue Qin’s team, before returning to Xiyan, made a detour to Qingzhou, allowing Mei Lin to pay respects to her parents.

Kneeling by their graves after many years away, Mei Lin was overwhelmed with emotions, telling her parents that justice for Qingzhou had been restored, offering peace to all departed spirits. Following this, Mei Lin traveled with Yue Qin to Xiyan, where she discovered that she was also worshiped by the people as a divine envoy. Watching from the carriage as the citizens knelt in reverence showed her how important Sun and Moon Kunlun were in their hearts.

Although Yue Qin didn’t believe in the gods, he used this faith to handle affairs. The King of Xiyan summoned both Mei Lin and Yue Qin, announcing that he would select an auspicious day to confer the title of Prince’s Consort upon the divine maiden. Traditionally, the divine prophecy was embroidered on the body of the divine maiden, and there had never been a precedent for it to be on the Prince.

Unable to bear Mei Lin’s suffering, Yue Qin decided to take on the prophecy in her place. General Mingju presented a petition from the soldiers opposing border trade with Qingzhou, but Yue Qin produced the Emperor’s agreement, arguing that the trade would aid his plan to build the Tower of Longevity in the southwest. Persuaded, the King of Xiyan agreed to open trade with Qingzhou.

A Ga and A Yi, thrilled, came to visit Mei Lin, now both staying in the palace as maids, no longer relying on beauty or men to survive. Meanwhile, Zi Gu prepared a dowry for Mei Lin but kept avoiding the Emperor, making excuses whenever he came by. Puzzled, the Emperor directly entered the Fanghua Hall to ask her about it, and Zi Gu boldly confessed her feelings.

Not long afterward, Murong Jinghe, with his hair bound, set out for Qingzhou to assume his role as governor. Seeing the wild overgrowth and the displaced people saddened him deeply. Suddenly, an old man threw a stone at him, cursing him. Chancellor Li Jie immediately ordered the man detained, explaining to Murong Jinghe that the elder had lost his family and was mentally distressed—a pitiful soul.

Hearing Li Jie’s words, Murong Jinghe empathized, understanding the long path ahead to heal the people’s wounds and regain their trust. He decided to build a Monument of the People in Qingzhou, engraving the names of the deceased to give the living a place for remembrance and prayers. In his quest to repair a broken stone hairpin, Murong Jinghe ventured through countless mines to find the right stone and finally found one of the perfect color.

Since the Qingzhou fire, many young men had taken to the mountains and become bandits. Murong Jinghe issued an order promising amnesty to any bandits who were willing to return to farming. All refugees arriving in Qingzhou, regardless of their original origin, were to be settled as military households, provided with farming tools and seeds. At this time, Qing Yan reported that Xiyan had sent officials to Qingzhou to oversee the trade.

Seeing Mei Lin’s name on the list, Murong Jinghe, overwhelmed with excitement, ran outside, only to see Mei Lin walking with Yue Qin, appearing perfectly matched.

Mei Lin noticed the red fruit trees planted at the governor's mansion and had an inkling of the new governor’s identity. However, when she truly saw Murong Jinghe appear, she couldn't help but stand in stunned silence. Murong Jinghe and Yue Qin no longer opposed each other as before; instead, they cooperated closely, sharing a common understanding that trade was essential to strengthen relations between the two countries.

Despite this positive atmosphere, Mei Lin still felt awkward and made an excuse to go outside for some fresh air. Murong Jinghe followed her and gave her the repaired stone hairpin. However, Mei Lin believed that, like the hairpin's crack that could never be fully restored, the divide between them also couldn’t truly be mended. She told him that she was now the Prince’s Consort and no longer the Mei Lin of the past.

Later, Mei Lin went to her parents’ grave once more to speak her heart and placed the hairpin on a small pile of stones. After she left, Murong Jinghe approached, about to reach for the hairpin, when Yue Qin appeared, advising him to give up his unrequited feelings. Yue Qin also mentioned that the Snow Dragon Vine would bloom within a month, and once Mei Lin’s poison was cured, they would see what she decided.

Yue Qin walked alongside Mei Lin, who still found herself looking back, realizing that some habits would take time to break. In contrast, Murong Jinghe watched from the shadows, knowing that the path ahead was long and filled with challenges and that he could not allow Mei Lin to suffer alongside him anymore.

In Qingzhou, A Ga’s Yanlai Fragrance Pavilion was about to open, and she invited Yue Qin, Mei Lin, Prince Jing, and other distinguished guests to select fragrances in the woods. When Wei Laoer had failed to catch up to Mei Lin and Murong Jinghe, he had overheard someone mention "Qingzhou" and had arrived there on his own, eventually meeting A Ga and working at her pavilion. Everyone was blindfolded and searching for scent sachets in the woods.

By coincidence, Mei Lin and Murong Jinghe found the same sachet, and after a brief pause, they were once again strangers who knew each other well. At that moment, Wei Laoer came running over, mistakenly thinking Mei Lin was one of the governor’s people. When he found out she was the Prince’s Consort, he was shocked. Thankfully, A Ga arrived just in time to diffuse the awkward situation.

At court, ministers argued endlessly before the Emperor, with some pushing for war and others advocating for peace talks, each with valid points, which left the Emperor with a headache. Zi Gu came in with a food box to deliver pastries to the Emperor but suddenly felt nauseous. Noticing this, the Emperor sent for a physician to examine her.

Although A Ga’s sachets were highly popular, an elderly woman came, carrying a child on her back, shouting that the sachets were poisonous and had caused the child to break out in rashes. Distrustful of outsiders, the locals had always viewed Xiyan with suspicion, and the old woman’s accusations quickly sparked public outrage. Even Murong Jinghe was insulted and had stones thrown at him.

Mei Lin, as a native of Qingzhou, managed to calm the crowd temporarily and thought of a way to ease their anger. Elsewhere, the physician confirmed that Zi Gu was pregnant, though her body had been weakened from previously detoxifying the Emperor. She would likely face difficulties in the pregnancy. Hearing this, the Emperor became deeply worried, but Zi Gu felt no fear and was instead overjoyed to have another family member in Great Yan.

Murong Jinghe continued to face obstacles in building the monument in Qingzhou, but remembering Mei Lin’s words, he remained confident that perseverance would bring change. General Mingju of Xiyan, a pro-war advocate, strongly opposed Yue Qin’s efforts to promote border trade, so he sent men disguised as civilians to stir up trouble near the mines. Qing Yan promptly reported this to Prince Jing. Mei Lin, to ease the Qingzhou people’s hostility toward Xiyan, bought insect-repellent incense and entered the mines.

However, Mingju had planted explosives in advance, and when they detonated, the mine suddenly collapsed, trapping her and separating them under the rubble. While searching for an exit, Mei Lin accidentally got white moth dust in her eyes, causing severe redness and swelling that left her nearly blind. She could only feel her way along the cave walls. When Murong Jinghe received the news, he rushed to the mines to rescue her. Covering her eyes with a cloth, he gently held her hand and guided her step by step toward the exit.

Mei Lin’s vision had been affected by the poisonous moth powder, leaving her temporarily blind. Fortunately, Murong Jinghe used a medicinal bandage to partially relieve the poison. By the time Yue Qin arrived to check on Mei Lin, Murong Jinghe had quietly left. Thankfully, Mei Lin’s eyes were not seriously harmed.

Yue Qin discovered that the explosion in the mine was caused by Mingju, so he arranged for the Grand Priest to reveal a divine prophecy, making the King of Xiyan believe Mingju was rebelling. Fully convinced, the King ordered Mingju to transfer half his troops to Yue Qin’s command under the guise of building the Longevity Tower, intending to strip Mingju of his military power.

Yue Qin kept vigil over Mei Lin through the night, changing her bandages until her sight was fully restored. Finally, feeling at ease, he shared with her that he and the Grand Priest had set up a plan to make Mingju pay for his actions, assuring her that they would face no immediate threat from him. Since the King of Xiyan had summoned Yue Qin back, he left Qingzhou after giving Mei Lin a few instructions.

The business at Yanlai Fragrance Pavilion continued to thrive, and when Mei Lin visited A Ga, she unexpectedly learned from Wei Laoer that Prince Jing had been pelted with stones and injured due to the public's resentment, leaving her feeling troubled.

To help Murong Jinghe, Mei Lin personally persuaded the stubborn stonemason, Li Shijiang, by reminiscing about old times and explaining that the citizens’ survival was due to the Wei Northern Army, and that someone else was responsible for the great fire in Qingzhou. Li Shijiang found it difficult to believe this truth and thought Mei Lin was there to advocate for Prince Jing. Mei Lin clarified that she was there for the welfare of all Qingzhou’s citizens.

Due to her words, Li Shijiang’s opinion of the Wei Northern Army softened slightly. Just then, Murong Jinghe arrived to visit, and Li Shijiang agreed to teach him the craft of carving inscriptions on the stone monument. Watching Murong Jinghe carve in the rain, not uttering a word even as his hands bled, Li Shijiang was finally moved and allowed Murong Jinghe to write down the names of Qingzhou’s victims.

With Mei Lin’s assistance, Murong Jinghe gathered all the names of the lost citizens. However, when Mei Lin saw her father’s name, she was overcome with grief. On the day the People’s Monument was completed, Murong Jinghe publicly apologized, blaming himself for failing to protect the citizens of Qingzhou and vowing that the Murong family would atone daily for their sins.

Mei Lin suddenly spoke on behalf of the Wei Northern Army, asserting that the soldiers stationed in Qingzhou fought desperately to protect the people. Despite being slandered, they never turned their blades on the citizens, so the names of all 13,000 soldiers should be engraved on the monument. At that moment, the citizens of Qingzhou finally understood and made peace with Prince Jing, viewing the Wei Northern Army as true heroes.

Murong Jinghe won the trust and support of the Qingzhou citizens, paving the way for governing the region. As Qingzhou prospered, the Emperor issued an edict honoring Murong Jinghe and permitted the rebuilding of the Wei Northern Army to honor the fallen. Yue Qin returned to Qingzhou with a new mission from the King of Xiyan, requiring him and Mei Lin to light the Eternal Lamp for the King on Qingzhou’s sacred mountain.

Yue Qin increasingly felt that his father had become delusional, investing vast sums in the construction of the Longevity Tower instead of improving the lives of the people and ignoring the wellbeing of common citizens. At that time, Zi Gu sent a letter to Mei Lin and Yue Qin, informing them of her pregnancy and her worries about becoming a mother.

Reading his sister's words, Yue Qin was overwhelmed with mixed emotions, marveling at how his once-young sister had matured into a capable adult. Yue Qin then privately met with Murong Jinghe to discuss his plan and seek his assistance. He informed Murong Jinghe that after lighting the Eternal Lamp, he would return to Xiyan with Mei Lin and take the Snow Dragon Vine antidote.

Murong Jinghe, burdened with guilt, realized that from the moment he’d administered the poison to Mei Lin, he had understood that they might never meet again. Gazing at the red fruit trees in the courtyard, he knew they would only thrive in Laowozi Village and that he could no longer fulfill his promise to Mei Lin; forcing things would only lead to bitter regret. Mei Lin spent the night drinking with her close friends.

Yue Qin noticed her reluctance to leave Qingzhou and silently vowed to return her freedom once she was no longer bound as the Prince’s Consort. Meanwhile, Mingju secretly plotted to sabotage Mei Lin’s sedan chair during the ritual, causing it to break down. However, as Xiyan customs dictate that the Prince’s Consort cannot touch the ground during a blessing ritual, Murong Jinghe disguised himself as a sedan carrier and carried Mei Lin up the mountain.

To his surprise, Mei Lin recognized him immediately. Mei Lin remarked that the mountain path, although winding, would eventually come to an end, acknowledging that it was Murong Jinghe who had rescued her from the mine. Murong Jinghe remained silent, carrying her all the way to the mountaintop, where he watched her and Yue Qin complete the ritual. With a heavy heart, he shed tears, left his mask behind, and departed once again.

After the ceremony, Yue Qin prepared to return Mei Lin’s divorce papers to grant her freedom. His attendant found it hard to understand why Yue Qin, who harbored feelings for Mei Lin, would let her go. Yue Qin believed that if he were to force Mei Lin to stay under false pretenses, it would be a true act of coercion.

He wanted Mei Lin to live a happy life after she recovered from the poison, free from any constraints and able to choose her own path. At that moment, the Grand Priest approached Yue Qin to report that the King of Xiyan had heard that the divine power had withdrawn from Mei Lin and permitted the two to annul their marriage. Murong Jinghe was managing Qingzhou increasingly well, winning the people’s hearts and allowing them to live as they desired.

Additionally, he rebuilt the Wei Northern Army and formed a female unit, always thinking of Mei Lin. He sent a doctor to Xiyan to check on Mei Lin's health, ensuring her safety. Meanwhile, Yue Qin practiced the divorce speech repeatedly in his room, aiming to prepare a perfect confession. However, just then, Mei Lin suddenly collapsed due to a poison flare-up.

The already blooming Snow Dragon Vine was snatched away by Mingju, who presented it to the King of Xiyan to sow discord between Yue Qin and the King. As the King of Xiyan was about to consume the Snow Dragon Vine, Yue Qin rushed in, falsely claiming he intended to present it to his father but had yet to retrieve it, as he planned to refine it into a medicine first.

The King did not believe him, but the Grand Priest stepped in to vouch for Yue Qin. To reclaim the Snow Dragon Vine for Mei Lin's antidote, Yue Qin was willing to accept forty heavenly punishments to prove his innocence. Unexpectedly, Mingju secretly poisoned the Grand Priest, leading to the Grand Priest’s sudden death during the execution process.

Mingju seized this opportunity to report that historical records indicated the Grand Priest had deceived the Emperor and faced divine retribution, leading everyone present to believe it was the wrath of the heavens. Although Yue Qin endured the punishment and was forgiven by the King of Xiyan, the Snow Dragon Vine was consumed on the spot by the King.

Afterward, Yue Qin disregarded his own injuries and tirelessly cared for Mei Lin, until the Grand Shaman informed him of a blood curse technique that required finding someone whose blood was compatible with Mei Lin’s for a transfusion. To wake Mei Lin, Yue Qin had no choice but to attempt the blood curse technique and confined the maidservants to select a suitable donor. Soon, Mei Lin awoke, and Yue Qin falsely claimed that the blooming Snow Dragon Vine had saved her.

Overjoyed, Mei Lin was filled with hope for the future and deeply grateful to Yue Qin. He personally handed the divorce papers to Mei Lin, stating that she could return to Qingzhou once she recovered. Yet, he understood that his hands were stained with blood, and if Mei Lin knew the truth, she might never forgive him. Mei Lin sensed Yue Qin's low spirits and assumed he was troubled by matters in Xiyan.

She brought him a gift, but accidentally overheard his conversation with the Grand Shaman, discovering that she had only three months to live. Yue Qin was unaware that Mei Lin was nearby, and he entered the dark prison where the maidservants were held. Mei Lin followed closely, horrified to find A Yi suspended in mid-air. At that moment, Yue Qin suddenly emerged to stop Mei Lin from rescuing A Yi, using forceful means to keep her there.

When Mei Lin regained consciousness, she found that her martial arts had been disabled. Yue Qin explained that this was the only way for her to survive. However, Mei Lin knew that even if A Yi survived, she would have to undergo frequent blood transfusions, leading a fate worse than death. Mei Lin felt that Yue Qin had become a stranger to her, and the gap between them had widened, making it impossible to bridge anymore.

In the face of Mei Lin's accusations and pleas, Yue Qin struggled to remain indifferent. A Ga visited Mei Lin in the palace and sensed something was off. Mei Lin intentionally gifted A Ga a sachet in front of Yue Qin, urging her to open it only when she reached the inn.

As expected, Yue Qin rushed to the inn to reclaim the sachet but found a note inside from Mei Lin, stating that only her death could ensure the survival of others. Meanwhile, the King of Xiyan discovered Mei Lin had hanged herself in the Prince’s Palace and tasked A Yi with handling the aftermath.

When Yue Qin hurried back to the Prince’s Palace, it was already too late. The King of Xiyan, seeing that he was still obsessed with a woman, ordered him to be locked in his room. The next morning, Murong Jinghe and Qing Yan headed to Xiyan, only to find the road littered with white paper money. The people were mourning, lamenting that the moon had set over Kunlun, and he suddenly sensed that something was wrong.

He rushed into the flower forest, whipping the ground to unearth Mei Lin’s “corpse” to take her away. Murong Jinghe couldn’t believe that Mei Lin was dead. He insisted on carrying her “body” back, shrouded in gloom, completely devoid of life. For three whole days, he paraded Mei Lin through the streets and rivers, sharing meals and sleeping together, as if she were still alive.

This bizarre behavior shocked the citizens, leading them to believe that the King had truly gone mad. Since Zi Gu's pregnancy, the Emperor often came to keep her company, but despite having the Emperor by her side, she still longed for her family far away in Xiyan. Zi Gu wondered how Mei Lin was adjusting to life as the Prince’s Consort and what her relationship with her brother was like.

The Emperor had already learned of Mei Lin’s death and, to protect Zi Gu’s feelings, instructed the eunuch Wang Baoxian to keep it a secret. Meanwhile, Murong Jinghe was confined in the government office for several days, lost in his thoughts, muttering to himself. Even as he grew thin and haggard, he refused to let go of Mei Lin and would not allow her to be buried until he accepted the reality of her death.

It wasn’t until Mei Lin began to return blood that he finally acknowledged she was gone. Murong Jinghe fell into deep self-reproach, believing that the majority of the blame for Mei Lin's death lay with him. If only the antidote had not gone wrong on the way, this tragic outcome could have been avoided.

He then donned wedding garments for both himself and Mei Lin, deciding to hold a long-overdue wedding and sleep together, preparing to commit suicide with a hairpin in a display of loyalty. At the same time, Yue Qin was imprisoned by the King of Xiyan. He seized a guard's curved dagger and cut off his own hand to break free from the chains.

Qing Yan intervened to stop Murong Jinghe from taking his own life, while Yue Qin rushed into the government office looking for Mei Lin, only to be beaten by the King. Suddenly, a subordinate reported that Mei Lin’s body was missing, causing both men to pause. The attendant Yun Xi hurriedly took Yue Qin away, and Murong Jinghe learned that the blood Mei Lin had returned was not from a corpse, meaning she was still alive.

Murong Jinghe frantically searched the streets, but ultimately found nothing, realizing that Mei Lin harbored resentment and no longer wished to see him. Earlier, Mei Lin had thought to use bamboo nails to seal her blood and breath, allowing herself to appear dead for seven days, after which she would awaken on her own. A Yi and A Ye watched over her, worried that she might not wake up. Fortunately, Mei Lin finally regained consciousness, albeit weak.

They reassured her not to worry; the Snow Dragon Vine would bloom again in four months, giving Mei Lin a chance to be saved. However, Mei Lin knew she wouldn’t live to see the snow four months later. Two days later, while wandering the streets, Mei Lin overheard people discussing how much better Qingzhou was becoming, which filled her with a sense of relief, allowing her to reconcile with her parents in spirit.

However, Murong Jinghe continued to wear his wedding clothes every day as he walked around outside. When Mei Lin arrived at the Blue Cang River, she couldn’t help but think of him. Watching the river water, she began to weep, which Murong Jinghe noticed as he stood dazed on the bridge. Mei Lin cupped the river water, saddened by her remaining three months of life and whether it was worth pursuing. Suddenly, she heard her mother’s voice in her mind.

Looking up at the stars, a smile of happiness spread across her face, causing Murong Jinghe to break into tears. At that moment, as Mei Lin turned to leave, Murong Jinghe hurried after her, overhearing her conversation with A Yi and A Ga. He learned that Mei Lin had changed her name to Hua Niangzi, and his heart quietly whispered that this was good—no one would disturb her life anymore. With that, he turned away, feeling a deep sense of loneliness.

Since Mei Lin changed her name to Hua Niangzi, she stayed at the Yan Lai Xiang Pavilion, always wearing a veil and never revealing her true face. A Yi and A Ga felt that Mei Lin had changed, but they were happy to see her smile. On the other hand, Murong Jinghe often stood nearby, quietly watching Mei Lin, his feelings of longing unexpressed.

He understood the pain she carried in her heart; that silent protection became the only thing he could do for her. The King of Xiyan arranged for Yue Qin to have his bones reconnected, stating that Xiyan would never accept a Prince with a damaged body. If Yue Qin could endure, he would not hold it against him. Meanwhile, Zi Gu woke from a dream, troubled about her brother.

Suddenly, she felt unbearable abdominal pain and started bleeding heavily, which alarmed the Emperor, who quickly summoned the royal physicians. Unfortunately, after suffering a miscarriage and experiencing significant blood loss, Zi Gu ultimately could not be saved. In her final moments, she tightly grasped the Emperor’s hand, expressing that her pact with the celestial beings, trading twenty years of her life, had come to pass.

She hoped that in her next life, she would not be a princess of marriage alliances. The Emperor promised that in the next life, he would go to Xiyan to find Zi Gu and would never let her suffer again. With regrets, Zi Gu passed away, leaving the Emperor heartbroken and weeping bitterly, spending a day and night alone in the Fanghua Hall.

Considering the unstable situation in Xiyan and fearing that the war faction would cause trouble, the Emperor decided to temporarily seal off the news of Zi Gu's death. He arranged a simple funeral and sent her personal maid, Cha Gu, to Qingzhou to inform Murong Jinghe in secret. Once the situation in Xiyan was under control, they would hold a proper state funeral for Zi Gu as the imperial consort.

Murong Jinghe discreetly looked after Mei Lin's business, instructing the head of Chang Le Fang to order sachets while reminding her to keep it confidential. Qing Yan, following Murong Jinghe, watched Mei Lin busily at work and thought that as Hua Niangzi, she could finally escape the constraints of being a Prince’s Consort. However, Murong Jinghe felt he had entrusted her to the wrong person, nearly trapping Mei Lin in the palace of the King of Xiyan forever.

With the help of her sisters, Mei Lin finally opened a spring flower pastry shop. However, during the opening celebration, with firecrackers going off, Murong Jinghe had no choice but to reveal himself to protect Mei Lin. Just as everyone wondered how to explain his appearance, Murong Jinghe did not directly expose her identity but instead accepted the identity of Hua Niangzi.

At dinner that night, A Ga complained that Wei Laoer nearly revealed Mei Lin’s identity, but Mei Lin knew that Murong Jinghe had recognized her. From now on, she wouldn’t have to hide and could live peacefully as Hua Niangzi. The sisters raised their cups in celebration, and after a few rounds of drinks, A Ga drunkenly confessed her feelings to Wei Laoer, which genuinely made Mei Lin happy for her.

Qing Yan sensed something unusual about the firecrackers and confirmed they contained tung oil. Murong Jinghe ordered Qing Yan to investigate all the fireworks shops in the city. Understanding the gravity of the situation, he secretly worried about Mei Lin’s safety, often lingering near the spring flower pastry shop.

Seeing this, Wei Laoer decided to help and used his hard-earned money to buy six trays of fruit cakes, claiming they were ordered by the patrol camp, insisting that Mei Lin deliver them personally. While investigating the vehicles transporting fireworks outside the city, Murong Jinghe suddenly heard urgent hoofbeats. Yin Luomei appeared, subduing the trafficker. As they checked the information, they discovered that Ming Ju had sent a large number of spies to infiltrate the patrol camp and create chaos.

Mei Lin brought the fruit cakes to the patrol camp to inquire with the military women and nearly fell victim to an assassination. Fortunately, Murong Jinghe arrived just in time to protect her, suffering an injury to his left shoulder. Mei Lin warned Yin Luomei to be cautious of the straw pile, and indeed, Yin Luomei found explosives hidden within it.

Then, Mei Lin stepped outside the tent and learned that Murong Jinghe had injured his inner strength while testing medicine for her, and he had even begged the Crown Prince for the Snow Dragon Vine. Murong Jinghe woke and informed Qing Yan that Mei Lin had lost her martial abilities and that they must uncover the truth. He decided to send people to secretly protect Mei Lin’s safety. Meanwhile, Yue Qin had regained consciousness but was feeling gloomy.

Although his hand had been reattached, he could not use it for the time being. The Emperor sent word to inform him of the passing of the imperial consort. To maintain peace between their two nations, Yue Qin suppressed his grief and burned the letter, sitting at the table to carve a small wooden horse for Zi Gu.

Ming Ju insisted on going to war with Dayan, but the King of Xiyan was solely focused on seeking immortality and showed little concern for state affairs, remaining ambiguous in his attitude. Since Yue Qin's hand had been successfully reattached, the King of Xiyan increasingly recognized his identity as a day of Kunlun. Ming Ju decided to reestablish cooperation with the Prince, at least to ensure he wouldn’t obstruct his plans.

Mei Lin returned to her residence to prepare medicine for Murong Jinghe. Unexpectedly, Yin Luomei came to visit, reminiscing about the past. The events that had transpired at the patrol camp that night were resolved because of Mei Lin. Therefore, Yin Luomei expressed her gratitude and invited Mei Lin to the military camp. However, Mei Lin stated that she was no longer Mei Lin but Hua Niangzi, wishing for a simple life.

She assured Yin Luomei that if the time came to protect their homeland, she would certainly do so without hesitation. Hearing Mei Lin's words, Yin Luomei felt admiration. The two women, both committed to their country, lamented that they had met too late. Just then, a group of men in black burst in, capturing both Mei Lin and Yin Luomei. They threatened the two by burning the house with tung oil.

Although they recognized that the attackers were from Xiyan, they had to surrender for the sake of the people of Qingzhou. Meanwhile, Yue Qin was heartbroken in his room, angrily cursing the heavens for taking away the ones he loved.

The King of Xiyan's health was deteriorating, and since Ming Ju’s new high priest had not yet gained the King’s trust, he instructed the priest to find a way to inform the King that the holy mountain of Qingzhou was the place of immortality. They needed to obtain orders to attack Qingzhou before the King fell.

After learning of this, Murong Jinghe suspected that Ming Ju had kidnapped people in the name of the Prince, intending to force Yue Qin into battle. Ming Ju personally sought out Yue Qin, revealing Mei Lin's whereabouts. In the end, Yue Qin met Mei Lin in Ming Ju's tent and apologized for his past actions. Mei Lin assured him that she wouldn't blame him and encouraged him not to feel guilty.

However, Yue Qin threatened Mei Lin with Yin Luomei’s safety, telling her that to save Yin Luomei, she must stay. Yue Qin then negotiated with Ming Ju alone, agreeing to assist him in seizing Qingzhou, but under the condition that Yin Luomei be sent back to Qingzhou as bait to assassinate the King. Ming Ju observed Yue Qin's expression, believing he wanted to use this opportunity to eliminate his rival, and agreed to his request.

Yue Qin then sent a message to Murong Jinghe, asking him to come to Liu Cui River to pick someone up the next day. Qing Yan and the others believed this was a trap and suggested going to war with Xiyan directly. However, Li Jie, the long history official of Qingzhou, hurriedly advised against it, stating that there was currently an imperial decree and a treaty in place, and that Dayan should not be the first to declare war.

The next day, Murong Jinghe brought the Wei Bei Army to the border of Liu Cui River. Yue Qin insisted that Murong Jinghe come alone. As the governor, Murong Jinghe understood the importance of Yin Luomei and had no choice but to take her with him. In truth, Ming Ju did not fully trust Yue Qin, but for now, he could only grant him a favor to better serve his own interests.

When Mei Lin saw Yin Luomei escape, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. Yue Qin secretly handed a dagger to Mei Lin, suggesting she use it to escape with him. However, with no way out, Mei Lin jumped off a cliff. Murong Jinghe, coming to rescue her, followed without hesitation, and the two fell into the river, managing to survive. After this incident, Mei Lin let go of her grievances towards Murong Jinghe and kissed him.

Qing Yan and Yin Luomei, witnessing this, ordered the soldiers to turn away and stand by, genuinely happy for the couple’s reconciliation. Back in Qingzhou, under the moonlight, Mei Lin and Murong Jinghe nestled together. Mei Lin hoped that Murong Jinghe would promise her one more thing: that he would never stop her from doing anything in the future, nor harm himself for her sake.

The King of Xiyan believed the high priest's words and ordered Yue Qin to assist Ming Ju in the expedition against Qingzhou. Although Ming Ju was dissatisfied, he had no choice but to obey. Once Yue Qin left the palace, he was surrounded by Ming Ju's men. Ming Ju restricted Yue Qin’s freedom, claiming it was due to his excessive sorrow.

Sitting by the river, Mei Lin missed Zi Gu, realizing that their farewell in Zhao Jing meant they were forever separated. Murong Jinghe came to comfort Mei Lin, improving her mood. However, Qing Yan suddenly arrived with news that Xiyan had declared war. Ming Ju had ordered the burning of the mountains, causing some houses in Qingzhou to be destroyed. The people of Qingzhou were thrown into chaos, outraged that their rebuilt homes were about to be lost.

Mei Lin rallied everyone to join the Wei Bei Army to block the fire, and Wei Laoer and others volunteered to enlist, vowing to protect Qingzhou at all costs.

Currently, Ming Ju commands an army of thirty thousand troops, while the Wei Bei Army stationed in Qingzhou numbers fewer than a thousand. Moreover, they are occupied with cutting down trees to create firebreaks. If the enemy launches a sudden attack on the city, it may not be able to hold out for more than two days. Yin Luomei decides to take a risky path through Mo Zhou to seek reinforcements.

Trusting in Yin Luomei’s abilities, Murong Jinghe orders Qing Yan and General Yuan to immediately strengthen the city defenses and gather all supplies in the city under Li Jie’s unified management. In this moment of crisis, it is crucial to keep both the soldiers and citizens steady. Many citizens in the city volunteer to join the army.

Those not enlisted are assigned to help settle the displaced citizens, while most of the Wei Bei Army is directed to fight the mountain fires. Mei Lin’s Mo Vein poison relapses, and Murong Jinghe notices her condition. He arranges for a doctor to examine her, and Mei Lin truthfully tells the doctor about her illness, asking him to keep it secret from the King until the matter is resolved. However, Mei Lin's symptoms, like fatigue and cold sweats, are too evident.

The doctor informs her that only silver needles applied to the Hegu point can stop the sweating, but it will cause excruciating pain. Mei Lin, determined not to arouse Murong Jinghe's suspicion, insists on receiving the needle treatment and appears normal afterward. The scouts report that Ming Ju has mobilized the entire force of Xiyan’s three divisions to attack Qingzhou, now approaching less than fifty miles away, placing the city in extreme danger.

Murong Jinghe stands worriedly on the city gate, hoping for Yin Luomei to return soon with reinforcements. Mei Lin personally brings him food, trying to comfort him not to worry too much. Elsewhere, Yin Luomei leads a small group of officers in a bold assault on the enemy camp. However, she is struck in the left eye by a poisoned arrow. To prevent the poison from spreading and affecting military operations, she resolutely removes the wounded eye with a dagger.

Her deputy, Jiang Tu, shields her from the enemy’s spears with his own body. Swallowing her grief, Yin Luomei rides away from the enemy camp. Soon, Ming Ju notices that only citizens are guarding the city gates, suspecting that the real defenders are few in number and unable to endure a second fire. However, Ming Ju does not rely solely on fire attacks to capture Qingzhou.

His fire attack was merely a tactic to disperse the Wei Bei Army, and he plans to send an advance force to cross the river and build a bridge that night, intending to launch a full assault in the morning. That night, Wei Laoer and others fought valiantly, despite never having undergone military training. Though they were not actual soldiers, they were filled with a burning desire to defend their city and serve their country.

Ming Ju fell for Murong Jinghe’s deceptive tactic, becoming uncertain about Qingzhou’s actual defensive strength, and ordered a retreat. Despite successfully defending the city in this first battle, Wei Laoer and others perished on the battlefield. Seeing Wei Laoer still carrying her sachet, A Ga wept bitterly, and Mei Lin’s heart ached as well. Murong Jinghe knew the empty city tactic could only be used once.

If Ming Ju uncovered the real situation in the city, Qingzhou might not hold out for even half a day. Once the firebreaks were finally completed, Ming Ju quickly realized this and launched a large-scale attack. Facing the overwhelming difference in numbers, there was no chance of holding out defensively. Murong Jinghe decided to lead the Wei Bei Army’s vanguard unit in a nighttime raid on Ming Ju’s camp to delay his assault on the city.

Before departing, Murong Jinghe asked Qing Yan to prepare food and drink, and Mei Lin saw them off with encouraging words. Murong Jinghe had each person share their wishes, and though they were well aware of the danger, everyone remained cheerful, unafraid to sacrifice as long as it meant their families could live in peace. Everyone was curious about Qing Yan’s wish. He, an orphan raised by the King, simply expressed contentment in continuing to serve by his lord’s side.

In contrast, Murong Jinghe openly declared his desire to marry Mei Lin. Amid the cheering, Mei Lin agreed to Murong Jinghe’s wish and hoped to see another snowfall in Qingzhou. In the dead of night, Murong Jinghe led the vanguard in a stealthy infiltration of the enemy camp. Initially, the mission went smoothly, but they were eventually discovered and surrounded. Outnumbered, the vanguard fought fiercely, and many sacrificed their lives.

Qing Yan, to protect Murong Jinghe, ignited a stash of gunpowder, sacrificing himself along with the enemy forces. At the critical moment, Yue Qin arrived with a horse for Murong Jinghe, urging him to escape quickly. Mei Lin stood alone on the city wall, watching into the distance. Finally, she saw Murong Jinghe return on horseback, wounded. Murong Jinghe embraced Mei Lin tightly, weeping. Fortunately, Yin Luomei completed her mission, returning with fifty thousand reinforcements, forcing Ming Ju to flee.

Murong Jinghe, seeking revenge for those who sacrificed, drove a spear through Ming Ju. Yue Qin ordered a ceasefire and led his army back to Xiyan. Amid the swirling snowfall, the citizens of Qingzhou rejoiced, cheering in celebration. Mei Lin ran toward Murong Jinghe but fainted into his arms.

Murong Jinghe carried Mei Lin back to the governor's residence, ordering the doctor to treat her as quickly as possible. Reluctantly, the doctor confessed that the Mo Vein poison had already attacked her heart, and this recent episode of vomiting blood was due to the poison's progression. Mei Lin had kept it hidden to prevent Murong Jinghe from worrying, intending to tell him herself once the war ended. Hearing the doctor's words, Murong Jinghe was devastated.

He led the soldiers to scour the mountains in search of Snow Dragon Whiskers, but after the great fire in Qingzhou, the herb had become extinct. The doctor managed to suppress Mei Lin’s poison, but it could only prolong her life for about a month, after which her next collapse would be her final moment. When Mei Lin awoke and saw Murong Jinghe standing at the doorway, she stepped forward to comfort him, telling him she had long forgiven him.

She had hidden the poison’s relapse to avoid seeing him in distress, and she only wished to spend the rest of her time with him happily. Afterward, Mei Lin took Murong Jinghe through the streets of Qingzhou, coaxing him to smile and not to let his emotions affect him. Murong Jinghe was now deeply loved by the people, who came forward to offer their belongings or goods, praising him and Mei Lin as a perfect match made in heaven.

Seeing Qingzhou restored to its former prosperity, Mei Lin felt deeply gratified and grateful that he and the Wei Bei Army had protected Qingzhou and its people. However, Murong Jinghe was heartbroken that he could protect the land but not Mei Lin herself. Mei Lin told him that he shouldn’t live only for her but should safeguard the countless others like her, and that he should live his life with more smiles.

Mei Lin then proposed marriage, and Murong Jinghe eagerly prepared the betrothal gifts. The citizens of Qingzhou also sent their blessings. In the 26th year of Zhao Ming, Dayan and Xiyan signed the Qingzhou Pact, pledging to be brother nations, each guarding its own borders and refraining from mutual aggression. From then on, three generations of rulers kept their promise, maintaining a century of peace.

Yue Qin ascended the throne of Xiyan and once again met with Murong Jinghe in Qingzhou. Murong Jinghe gave him a letter from Zi Gu, filled with her thoughts and longings for her brother, bringing Yue Qin to tears. Soon after, Murong Jinghe was seated in a flower sedan, bringing boxes of dowries in accordance with Qingzhou’s marriage customs, and held a grand wedding with Mei Lin.

The city’s citizens lined the streets to watch and celebrate, laughter and joy filling all of Qingzhou. In front of the crowd, the newlyweds completed their bowing ceremony. After the wedding banquet ended, the guests gradually dispersed, leaving Murong Jinghe and Mei Lin sitting close together, bathed in the moonlight that made the governor's courtyard appear particularly warm. A Ga, somewhat drunk, thought of Wei Laoer, believing that if his spirit could see Mei Lin's marriage, he would be happy.

Mei Lin held Murong Jinghe’s hand and looked up at the night sky, convinced that Zi Gu, Wei Laoer, and all those who had passed were watching over this land. The Emperor of Yan looked up at the snow-filled sky, murmuring about sending Zi Gu home, yet her scarf did not float away but fell onto his shoulder, as if reluctant to leave.

Yin Luomei held the memorial tablet of her late husband, Murong Xuanlie, tears streaming down as she begged him to appear in her dreams. Elsewhere, Murong Jinghe and Mei Lin knew that every day that followed would be a countdown until their parting. Despite their sorrow, they embraced each other tightly, crying silently. In her remaining days, Mei Lin personally sewed a new outfit for Murong Jinghe and made one request of him: to give her one more painting.

Murong Jinghe sat beside Mei Lin, painting the two of them standing beneath a red-fruit tree, holding hands, their smiles captured as if time had stood still. Sitting weakly under the eaves, Mei Lin reached out to touch the snowflakes, wishing Murong Jinghe a long life, hoping he would live well. She assured him that she would always be by his side, and if he missed her, he could simply speak to her; she would surely hear him.

As her words faded, Mei Lin closed her eyes, and Murong Jinghe wept like rain. Murong Jinghe and Mei Lin had often wondered how they might have met if not for the great fire in Qingzhou all those years ago. Murong Jinghe imagined a day when the Wei Bei Army entered the city under a bright sun. He would be a young soldier, dressed smartly, and she a carefree girl accompanied by her family.

Destiny would bring them together on a Qingzhou street, sharing a smile. In the 29th year of Zhao Ming, Emperor Yanwen Murong Qian abdicated, and Murong Jinghe ascended the throne with the era name Zhenyuan. During his ten-year reign, he appointed wise officials, governed diligently, and led Yan to unprecedented strength, with a flourishing economy and people living in peace—a period known in history as the Golden Age of Zhenyuan.

Throughout his reign, he left the palace vacant, designated a member of the royal family as heir, and, in his final days, journeyed south to Qingzhou. There, he sat in the chair where Mei Lin had once rested, looking at the red-fruit tree in the courtyard, clutching a stone hairpin as memories flooded over him. He passed away, leaving the world with an endless legend and a love story etched deeply in everyone’s hearts.

• Kill Me Love Me - Liu Xueyi, Wu Jinyan
• Chinese Dramas Like Kill Me Love Me
• What's Liu Xueyi And Zhang Yuxi's Relationship?
• Wu Jinyan and Hong Yao Officially Announce Their Marriage
• Liu Xueyi, Zhang Yuxi Were Exposed To Be In A Relationship, Studio Denied It.
• Yang Zi Is Dating Liu Xueyi? Netizens: Boring
• How Is Xu Kai, Wu Jinyan's Relationship?
• Wu Jinyan Dramas, Movies, and TV Shows List
• Liu Xueyi Dramas, Movies, and TV Shows List