Love of Nirvana Recap, Plot, Synopsis

Love of Nirvana Synopsis

Xiao Wuxia, the young master of the Moonfall City, endures humiliation and infiltrates the Liang Kingdom for many years under the alias Wei Zhao, bearing the blame of a slanderous minister.

To uncover the truth about his family from years ago, Wei Zhao attempts to abduct the sole survivor of the case involving Prince Qi, but his carefully laid plan is disrupted by the sudden appearance of a girl named Jiang Ci.

Seizing the opportunity, Pei Yan takes the severely injured Jiang Ci into his residence in hopes of finding the behind-the-scenes "saboteur."

Jiang Ci, moved by Wei Zhao's tragic background and the righteous cause, develops feelings for him amidst their interactions. In the end, Wei Zhao, Jiang Ci, and Pei Yan set aside personal grievances and unite against the Liang Emperor Xie Che, achieving the desire to protect Moonfall City and establish a peaceful world.

Love of Nirvana Recap

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The State of Dazhang and the State of Wei are holding peace talks today. The ceremony is being held at Fanglin Courtyard in Qingkang, the capital of Dazhang. The courtyard is heavily guarded, with patrols everywhere, making it impossible for even a fly to sneak in. However, the kitchen is bustling, with attendants busy preparing a variety of delicacies to entertain the envoy from Wei.

Jiang Ci, taking advantage of a moment of inattention, secretly grabs a jug of fine wine, intending to slip away and enjoy it alone. Suddenly, she sees Yu Lian rushing by, dressed beautifully. Although Yu Lian is stunningly beautiful, her face is cold and expressionless. Without thinking much, Jiang Ci cleverly avoids the patrolling guards and hides behind a large tree to savor her wine.

Jiang Ci, eager to catch a glimpse of the heroic Pei Yan, the Marquis of the Sword and Cauldron, sets off to collect Ling Coffin Flowers at Moonfall. All of Jiang Ci's movements are observed by a Silver Masked Man from Dazhang. Just as she is enjoying her wine in a daze, the Silver Masked Man suddenly captures her with a sword.

Terrified, Jiang Ci is about to scream, but the Silver Masked Man covers her mouth to prevent her from alarming the envoy from Wei. The Silver Masked Man accidentally notices the Moonfall Waist Token in Jiang Ci’s possession and, showing mercy, decides not to use poison to kill her. The Wei delegation arrives as scheduled, led by Teng Rui, the Minister of Ceremonies.

Upon seeing Teng Rui, the Silver Masked Man becomes alert and loosens his grip on Jiang Ci, giving her a chance to escape. Teng Rui and the delegation have just taken their seats when Pei Yan gallops in on horseback, swiftly dismounting and catching a cup of tea thrown by General Lei, one of Teng Rui's military officers. Pei Yan calmly takes a seat next to Teng Rui, effortlessly diffusing the attempt by Teng Rui to intimidate him.

Jiang Ci, deeply impressed by Pei Yan, admires him greatly. She desperately pleads with the Silver Masked Man to release her, but he refuses. The peace talks officially begin, and Yu Lian takes the stage, performing a battle dance that earns Teng Rui’s admiration. After the dance, Yu Lian approaches Teng Rui with a cup of wine. Concerned it might be poisoned, General Lei orders an immediate test.

Teng Rui takes the cup and, with a smooth motion, pulls Yu Lian into his arms. Jiang Ci, seeing Yu Lian's reluctance, begins to doubt her intentions. Before Jiang Ci can speak further, the Silver Masked Man stabs her with a dagger, confirming her suspicions that he and Yu Lian are in cahoots. The Silver Masked Man draws a crossbow, intending to assassinate Teng Rui.

At that moment, Pei Yan calls Yu Lian aside, questioning the motives behind her earlier battle dance. Yu Lian admits that she admires Teng Rui, and Teng Rui, now smitten with her, keeps defending her, allowing Pei Yan to drop the matter. Jiang Ci, fearing that the Silver Masked Man might kill her after a failed assassination attempt, pulls the dagger out of her body, intending to attack him.

However, she is overpowered again, and the wine jug crashes to the ground. The sound alerts the guards, who rush in to capture them. Sensing danger, the Silver Masked Man quickly fires his crossbow at Teng Rui. Yu Lian turns to assassinate Teng Rui, but General Lei fiercely protects him. The Silver Masked Man pushes Jiang Ci to the ground to cover Yu Lian's escape over the wall.

Pei Yan, disregarding his safety, rushes to hold Jiang Ci and orders his men to escort Teng Rui and the delegation away. He takes Jiang Ci back to his residence for treatment. Jiang Ci, gravely injured and losing a lot of blood, falls into a coma. Pei Yan sends for Cui Liang, a skilled physician, to save her.

The Silver Masked Man returns to the ship to meet with Yu Lian, who repeatedly apologizes for their failed assassination attempt on Teng Rui. It turns out the Silver Masked Man is Wei Zhao, the commander of Dazhang's Guangming Bureau, notorious for oppressing the people and government officials. Wei Zhao is ruthless and merciless, earning the hatred of the people.

Wei Zhao personally arrests an official who had escaped from the palace and brutally tortures him to extract information about the whereabouts of Wang Shiquan, a guard under Prince Qi. Years ago, Prince Qi, who presided over the talks, annexed Moonfall as a dependency. Half a month later, Prince Qi was killed in Moonfall, and all his guards were slaughtered, except for Wang Shiquan, whose body was never found.

The official confesses that Wang Shiquan had faked his death and fled to the State of Wei, living under a different name. He also recalls that Wang Shiquan had once been whipped for coveting the “Heaven and Earth Map”. Wei Zhao gives the “Shadow Pavilion” a death order: they are to investigate Wei secretly, searching for Wang Shiquan based on the scars from his whipping.

They soon collect handwriting samples from Wei officials, and Wei Zhao discovers that Teng Rui's handwriting matches Wang Shiquan’s exactly. The State of Wei, seeking to claim Moonfall as its own, launches a large-scale invasion. Emperor Xie Che of Dazhang receives reports from the border and considers attacking Wei. However, Wei Zhao suggests peace talks to spare the people from the devastation of war.

Xie Che agrees and proposes diverting a branch of the “Tongfeng River” from Moonfall to Wei to alleviate their irrigation crisis. Wei Zhao advises building a dam to monitor Wei’s movements. Back home, Wei Zhao reminisces about his late wife, Wei Yu, and the bittersweet memories they shared. He is filled with a mix of emotions as he recalls their hardships together.

Wei Zhao spreads false rumors about the Heaven and Earth Map being in Dazhang, hoping to lure Teng Rui to the peace talks and assassinate him. As expected, Teng Rui arrives in Dazhang with the delegation. Wei Zhao meticulously plans the assassination, but Pei Yan foils the attempt. Unsatisfied and worried that Jiang Ci might recognize him, Wei Zhao orders his men to keep a close watch on Pei Yan's residence.

Jiang Ci remains unconscious, and Cui Liang, concerned for her life, suggests using a “Thousand-Year Snow Toad Pill” to save her. Pei Yan begs Emperor Xie Che for forgiveness. Xie Che explains the importance of uncovering the assassin's identity and completing the peace talks successfully, promising to make Pei Yan a minister afterward. Years ago, Xie Che intended to appoint Pei Yan's father as prime minister, but he died in the State of Wei.

Pei Yan vows to serve Dazhang loyally. An Cheng, the head of the guards, and Tong Min, the deputy general, both express their sympathy for Pei Yan. Pei Yan orders them to fully investigate the assassin, as he has been biding his time for years to become a minister and revive the Changfeng Guard.

Thanks to Cui Liang's tireless efforts over several sleepless nights, combined with the miraculous effects of the Millennium Snow Toad Pill, Jiang Ci finally recovered from her critical condition. Pei Yan allowed Cui Liang to return home and rest. Jiang Ci was from Jiangjia Village in the Daling Kingdom. She lived with her master, who had once traveled to Moonfall and drank a memorable bowl of porridge that wasn’t bitter.

Jiang Ci searched the mountains for flowers, herbs, and various ingredients, but she could never replicate the flavor. Ten days ago, when her master returned from his travels, Jiang Ci served a carefully prepared bowl of porridge, but her master said it didn't taste right. Jiang Ci swore that by her master’s next birthday, she would recreate that unforgettable porridge. Her master, hearing a commotion outside, sent Jiang Ci away on an errand.

When she returned, her master had already gone to bed. Jiang Ci dreamed of seeing the world’s most beautiful sights and tasting all its delicacies, but her master worried for her safety, so her wishes had gone unfulfilled. Seeing her master sound asleep, Jiang Ci couldn’t wait any longer and snuck down the mountain to witness the grand peace talks between Daling and Wei, intending to gather some spirit coffin flowers along the way.

When Jiang Ci arrived at Fanglin Garden, she saw the place heavily guarded. A river flowed past the garden, sparking an idea. She hid her belongings under a large tree and, by chance, found a letter her master had left for her. The letter revealed that her master had long anticipated she would sneak down the mountain and contained many words of warning and advice.

Jiang Ci carefully tucked the letter away, then leapt into the river, stealthily making her way into Fanglin Garden. Jiang Ci woke up groggily, remembering the harrowing moment when the Silver-Masked Man tried to assassinate her. The memory left her terrified. Pei Yan had been by her side the whole time, personally feeding her medicine. Jiang Ci recalled her master’s warnings from the letter and was hesitant to drink.

It wasn’t until Pei Yan took a sip himself that Jiang Ci felt safe enough to drink the medicine. From the maidservant Shuxia, she learned that the medicine Pei Yan gave her was the life-saving Millennium Snow Toad Pill, deepening her gratitude towards him. Pei Yan asked Jiang Ci about the assassin's appearance, but Jiang Ci, fearful of being silenced by the Silver-Masked Man, claimed to know nothing.

Pei Yan, noticing her fear, refrained from asking more and had Cui Liang examine her again. He also instructed Shuxia to take good care of Jiang Ci. Cui Liang prescribed additional tonics to help her recover. As days passed, Jiang Ci’s health gradually improved. She lived in luxury, with fine clothes and food, and enjoyed a carefree, comfortable life. Meanwhile, Wei Zhao, having heard that Pei Yan had saved Jiang Ci, grew anxious that she might expose him.

To prevent any leaks, the sixth elder of the Shadow Pavilion secretly transported the bodies of their fallen comrades from the slave camp, intending to return them to Moonfall for burial. Wei Zhao, concerned about implicating his long-hidden team members, ordered the bodies to be burned to avoid further complications. Wei Zhao climbed a tree outside Pei Yan’s mansion, keeping a close watch on Jiang Ci’s every move.

Jiang Ci, wanting to escape and fearing the Silver-Masked Man’s revenge, asked Shuxia to accompany her to fly kites. Deliberately breaking the string, she climbed onto the roof to retrieve the kite, despite Shuxia’s protests. From the rooftop, she realized the mansion was heavily guarded, making escape impossible. She resolved to find another way. Suddenly, Jiang Ci spotted Wei Zhao hiding in a tree. Terrified, she lost her balance and fell off the ladder, but Pei Yan caught her in time.

Pei Yan wanted to punish Shuxia for her carelessness, but Jiang Ci pleaded for her, and Pei Yan relented. In her panic, Jiang Ci accidentally mentioned that the Silver-Masked Man had been hiding in the tree. Pei Yan pressed her for more details about the man’s appearance, but Jiang Ci gave vague and evasive answers.

When she asked to leave, Pei Yan made excuses to keep her, and Jiang Ci realized that until the assassin was found, Pei Yan wouldn’t let her go. Pei Yan offered to accompany Jiang Ci on an outing to lift her spirits, but she politely declined and asked if Cui Liang could accompany her instead. Pei Yan agreed readily and arranged for a private room at Lan Yue Pavilion, planning to lure the assassin into action.

Pei Yan then went to the posthouse to visit Teng Rui, who was eager to obtain the “Map of All Lands” from the Yugu Shrine. Wei Zhao’s agent Lao He had been watching the posthouse, and when he reported Teng Rui’s movements, Wei Zhao realized Pei Yan’s intentions. Pei Yan invited Jiang Ci and Cui Liang to Lan Yue Pavilion for a meal. Hearing that the pavilion had a pond, Jiang Ci secretly planned to escape through the water.

Upon arriving at the pavilion, they encountered two guests who were making indecent remarks about Su Yan, a singer. Jiang Ci gave them a stern lesson, and in gratitude, Su Yan offered Jiang Ci a jade pendant, which Jiang Ci firmly declined. When the Crown Prince Xie Zhi arrived, he praised Su Yan’s newly composed song.

As Jiang Ci drank heartily, she began to enthusiastically share her technique for eating crabs, describing it in vivid detail, which made Xie Chi burst into laughter. That night, Prince Zhuang accompanied Teng Rui to Yugu Shrine, where Teng Rui pretended to solemnly worship the Yugu deity. Jiang Ci feigned drunkenness, and Su Yan sent someone to escort her to a room to rest.

Jiang Ci then attempted to escape through the window and into the river, leaving behind the word “Goodbye” on the wall. However, Pei Yan, sensing something was amiss, sent people to search for her. In reality, Jiang Ci hadn’t jumped into the river. She had thrown a large vase into the water to mislead everyone, while she hid under the bed. After the searchers left, she quietly slipped away.

Noticing the kite that had fallen into the bushes earlier, Jiang Ci suspected the Silver-Masked Man was nearby. Sure enough, Wei Zhao suddenly appeared, ready to confront her, sending Jiang Ci into a panic.

Jiang Ci pretended to be drunk, threw a vase into the river to make people think she had escaped by jumping into the water, and then hid under the bed to slip out of the Lan Yue Tower under the cover of night. As soon as she left, she was caught by Wei Zhao. Wei Zhao drew his dagger and threatened her.

Jiang Ci begged him to spare her, swearing that she hadn’t revealed to Pei Yan that Wei Zhao was the one who attempted to assassinate Teng Rui. Wei Zhao was half-convinced and tied her to a tree, torturing her for answers. Pei Yan had already discovered that Jiang Ci was hiding under the bed. Instead of exposing her right away, he intended to use her as bait to lure the assassin out.

From a distance, Pei Yan saw Jiang Ci being captured by the masked assassin, but he was too far to hear their conversation. He quietly sent someone to the inn where the Wei Nation delegation was staying to request reinforcements. Jiang Ci realized that Wei Zhao wasn’t going to let her go and cursed him angrily. In his fury, Wei Zhao cut the rope, causing her to fall. He then ordered her to write a farewell letter before killing her.

Pei Yan arrived just in time to protect Jiang Ci. When General An arrived with reinforcements, Pei Yan and Wei Zhao fought fiercely, neither gaining the upper hand. Wei Zhao didn’t want to prolong the battle, so he gradually retreated, eventually escaping. Pei Yan personally bandaged Jiang Ci’s wounds. Fearing Wei Zhao might come after her again, Jiang Ci requested to return to the marquis' residence for protection, and Pei Yan readily agreed. Jiang Ci grew suspicious.

The masked assassin could have killed her right away to silence her, but instead, he went through the trouble of hanging her up and forcing her to write a farewell letter. It didn’t make sense. Pei Yan suddenly realized something was wrong.

When Crown Prince Xie Chi casually mentioned that Prince Zhuang and Xie Yu had accompanied Teng Rui to the Yu Gong Shrine, Pei Yan suspected that the assassin's true target was Teng Rui, and the attack on Jiang Ci was just a distraction. Fearing for Teng Rui’s life, Pei Yan rushed with Jiang Ci to the shrine as quickly as possible. As expected, Wei Zhao had kidnapped Jiang Ci to divert attention.

After escaping, he hurried to intercept Teng Rui en route to the Yu Gong Shrine. Pei Yan and his men arrived just in time to save Teng Rui, forcing Wei Zhao and his clan to retreat. During the chaos, Jiang Ci fell from her horse, and Pei Yan brought her back to the marquis’ residence, still puzzled as to why the masked assassin was trying to kill Teng Rui.

In Da Liang Nation, King Qi had been sent to negotiate peace at Yue Luo City, but half a month later, he mysteriously died. Da Liang sent General Lu Yu to lead an army to attack Yue Luo City. City Lord Xiao Haitian insisted he hadn’t colluded with the Wei Nation to assassinate King Qi, but Lu Yu wouldn’t listen. Left with no choice, Xiao Haitian led his troops to fight.

Outnumbered, Xiao Haitian was killed by Lu Yu, and his soldiers were slaughtered. Only Xiao Haitian’s wife had hidden their two children in advance, sparing them from the massacre. Xiao Wu Xia, Xiao Haitian’s son, and his sister witnessed their mother’s death, sowing deep hatred in their hearts. Wei Zhao, under a false identity, rose to a high position in Da Liang, creating the Shadow Pavilion to exact revenge for his parents and clan.

After years of hardship, Xiao Wu Xia changed his name to Wei Zhao. When the Zhenyuan Army captured disaster victims to be sold as slaves, Xiao Wu Xia and his sister were caught. Years later, his sister died in childbirth, and the grief haunted Wei Zhao. Pei Yan carefully tended to Jiang Ci, but she still refused to describe the assassin’s appearance. Not wanting to press further, Pei Yan couldn’t understand why the assassin wanted to kill Teng Rui.

To avoid suspicion from court officials, Pei Yan lied that he and Jiang Ci were traveling when they encountered the assassin. As Jiang Ci’s wounds worsened due to poison from Wei Zhao’s dagger, she had no choice but to seek Pei Yan’s help. Wei Zhao sent Lao Liu to search the woods outside Fanglin Garden, where he found the package Jiang Ci had hidden, along with the letter her master had left her.

Twenty years ago, sisters Yan Shuangqiao and Yan Shuangqiao escaped from prison. Court Eunuch Tao Zizhu reported the escape to Xie Che, and the internal bureau searched until they reached Jiangjia Village. The sisters hid, but the older sister was killed. Yan Shuangqiao fled to Jiangjia Village, where she met Jiang Ci and settled there. When the internal bureau found her again, Yan Shuangqiao sent Jiang Ci away, killed the men sent after her, and set fire to her home.

Yan Shuangqiao went to Lan Yue Tower to find Su Yan, who was deeply grateful to her for saving her life. Yan Shuangqiao planned to stir up trouble in Qingkang by having Su Yan spread false information in the palace. Meanwhile, Pei Yan invited Cui Liang to treat Jiang Ci, but due to the severity of her poisoning, she fell into a coma.

Cui Liang discovered that Jiang Ci had been poisoned by a Miao region toxin known as "Lost Soul Powder," which could only be cured with a herb called Xianhecao. Emperor Xie Che of Da Liang once used Xianhecao to create a Heart-Protection Pill, but after someone used the herb for witchcraft, he ordered the destruction of all Xianhecao and forbade its tribute from the Miao tribe.

In a panic, Pei Yan sent Tong Min to the imperial hospital to ask for the last remaining Heart-Protection Pill, but the physician refused and told Pei Yan to request it directly from Xie Che. The Shadow Pavilion had spies in the imperial hospital, so Wei Zhao quickly learned of Pei Yan’s efforts to save Jiang Ci with the Heart-Protection Pill. Wei Zhao suspected this was a trap set by Pei Yan and decided to play along.

He poisoned Consort Zhou, Prince Zhuang’s favorite concubine, knowing Prince Zhuang would ask Xie Che for the pill to save her, leaving Pei Yan with no way to save Jiang Ci. Xie Chi summoned Prince Zhuang to the Eastern Palace, reprimanding him for taking Teng Rui to the Yu Gong Shrine without permission. Just then, someone from Prince Zhuang’s residence reported that Consort Zhou had been poisoned. In a panic, Prince Zhuang rushed back.

Pei Yan personally went to ask Xie Che for the Heart-Protection Pill. Wei Zhao, playing a game of chess with Xie Che, delayed their meeting. When they finally finished, Pei Yan explained the situation. Just as they were about to hand over the pill, Prince Zhuang arrived, demanding it to save Consort Zhou. With only one pill left, Pei Yan and Prince Zhuang argued. Xie Chi proposed that they settle the dispute with a game of chess, with Wei Zhao playing on behalf of Prince Zhuang.

Wei Zhao wounded Jiang Ci with a poisoned dagger and then sent someone to poison Madam Zhou. Both Pei Yan and King Zhuang sought the only remaining Heart Protection Pill from the Great Ling Emperor, Xie Che, in order to save their respective victims. Crown Prince Xie Chi suggested that they resolve the matter by playing a chess match, with King Zhuang sending Wei Zhao to represent him in the game against Pei Yan.

Wei Zhao and Pei Yan began the chess match, each carefully planning their moves without yielding. Jiang Ci's condition worsened, and despite all of Cui Liang's efforts, he was powerless to help. In desperation, he sent Su Xia to report the situation to Pei Yan. Pei Yan, eager to save Jiang Ci, tried a risky move to win the match.

King Zhuang was unwilling to accept defeat, and Ah Li came up with the idea to switch the Heart Protection Pill during the tea service. Pei Yan eventually won the chess match and eagerly took the pill to save Jiang Ci. However, Wei Zhao had already noticed Ah Li's plan to swap the pill and deliberately lost the game.

Fearing that Ah Li's identity would be exposed, Wei Zhao sent Lao Liu to notify Ah Li and Lao He to flee immediately. Ah Li, not wanting to implicate Wei Zhao further, committed suicide in apology. Pei Yan’s mother had always been weak, and Xie Che had gifted her a Heart Protection Pill, which she had never used. Pei Yan's true intention in fighting for the pill was to lure out the assassins.

He discovered that Ah Li had been a slave presented from Moonfall City three years ago, and it shocked him to realize that even King Zhuang's inner circle had spies. Meanwhile, Wei Zhao carved the names of his deceased clan members onto wooden plaques as a way to honor their spirits. Pei Yan, worried that the assassins would make another attempt on Teng Rui’s life, moved Teng Rui to his private villa and assigned the Changfeng Guard to protect him closely.

He also requested his mother to give up her Heart Protection Pill to help Jiang Ci. After taking the medicine, Jiang Ci's condition improved, and Pei Yan stayed by her side without leaving. Cui Liang expressed his frustration that Pei Yan had used Jiang Ci as bait, but Pei Yan was determined to uncover the assassins' identities, feeling helpless in the matter. When Jiang Ci gradually regained consciousness, she found Pei Yan by her side and felt grateful.

Pei Yan personally changed her bandages, and Jiang Ci was touched by his care. Suddenly, a fire broke out in the Pei Mansion. Pei Yan rushed to extinguish the fire, while Wei Zhao came to Jiang Ci, accusing her of betrayal. He threatened her by holding Yan Shuangqiao’s life over her head, demanding that she keep his identity secret.

Furious, Jiang Ci bit her lip in frustration, but Wei Zhao forced her to report Teng Rui’s every move accurately, promising to spare her and Yan Shuangqiao in return. Pei Yan, after putting out the fire, found the situation suspicious and rushed back, fearing for Jiang Ci’s safety. Jiang Ci, still shaken, tried her best to hide her involvement when Pei Yan questioned her about the assassins.

Pei Yan suspected that the assassin must be a high-ranking official in the court, as they had inside knowledge. He secretly began investigating several suspicious officials and decided to keep Jiang Ci at the mansion to lure the assassin out again. Pei Yan took great care of Jiang Ci, asking her to cooperate in a staged act; otherwise, it would be considered a crime against the emperor.

After careful consideration, Jiang Ci reluctantly agreed and took on the role of a servant girl in the mansion. Su Xia took the opportunity to teach Jiang Ci the rules of the mansion, using it as a way to get revenge on her. Wei Zhao, observing everything from a tree, stepped in to help Jiang Ci when Su Xia bullied her, and continued to show up to remind Jiang Ci to keep an eye on Teng Rui’s movements.

Jiang Ci, careful not to slip up, obtained a waist token from a maid that allowed her access to Teng Rui’s villa. Teng Rui, living a life of indulgence, spent his days lost in wine and pleasure. Jiang Ci reported everything she observed. Teng Rui, remembering that Jiang Ci had once saved his life, held a banquet in her and Pei Yan's honor and gifted her a jade gourd as a token of appreciation, which Jiang Ci reluctantly accepted.

Pei Yan, feeling unsettled, vented his frustration by practicing swordsmanship late into the night. Jiang Ci, keeping him company, accidentally injured her foot when a bronze basin was knocked over. That same night, Pei Yan brought ointment to Jiang Ci, but she noticed he seemed preoccupied. She pointed it out, and Pei Yan, unable to deny it, put the ointment back in his pocket and left. After he left, Wei Zhao suddenly appeared to confront Jiang Ci.

Jiang Ci didn't want to act as Wei Zhao's spy, nor did she want to be used as bait by Pei Yan. She was caught between the two, feeling both angry and helpless. Although she had no choice but to obey both of them, Jiang Ci secretly recorded all of Teng Rui’s actions and prepared a fake report, which she left at the agreed-upon location. Wei Zhao, after reviewing the report, quickly realized that Jiang Ci had hidden the truth.

He kidnapped her under the cover of darkness and interrogated her intensely. Jiang Ci, left with no other option, handed over the real surveillance records, begging Wei Zhao to return her little clay cat, a gift from her master Yan Shuangqiao. However, Wei Zhao ignored her plea.

Wei Zhao sent a secret letter to Imperial Censor Yin Shilin, revealing that Xie Chi had gone to Lanyue Tower to listen to music and that King Zhuang had taken Teng Rui to Yu Gong Shrine without permission, where they were almost assassinated. Yin Shilin, aware of the potential impact this could have on peace talks between the two nations, immediately reported it to Great Ling Emperor Xie Che. Xie Che harshly scolded both King Zhuang and Xie Chi.

Pei Yan took responsibility for the incident, admitting that his favoring of a maid had nearly caused a disaster. Xie Che ordered King Zhuang to reflect on his actions in seclusion and transcribe the Diamond Sutra, while docking Pei Yan’s salary. He also strengthened the security around the villa by sending imperial guards. Far away in Nanling, Rong Yudie, Pei Yan's mother, heard that her son had been punished for favoring a maid.

Realizing that Great Ling Emperor Xie Che still didn’t fully trust Pei Yan, she worried deeply for him. She immediately decided to return to Qingkang, bringing along her old maid, Old Du. Wei Zhao, upon learning that Xie Che had sent imperial guards to protect Teng Rui, decided to exploit the deputy commander of the guards, Fan Yi, to find a way in.

Rong Yudie returned to the Sword Ding Marquis Residence and, upon entering, saw Pei Yan and Jiang Ci entangled in a conversation. Pei Yan was exchanging his jade pendant with Jiang Ci's jade gourd, under the pretense that he needed it to treat his nephew's illness. Jiang Ci handed over the jade gourd Teng Rui had given her but firmly refused to accept the jade pendant in return.

When Pei Yan turned around, he was startled to see his mother, Rong Yudie, had returned unexpectedly. Rong Yudie, knowing her son's character, believed he wouldn’t offend King Zhuang over a mere servant girl like Jiang Ci. She guessed that Pei Yan was putting on a performance for Great Ling Emperor Xie Che and cautioned him to be careful. Ten days later, Pei Yan would need to organize a grand birthday banquet for Rong Yudie.

He invited officials to the mansion, planning to use the occasion to find the assassin. Jiang Ci, tired of being threatened by the silver-masked assassin, also wanted to expose the assassin during the banquet. When Xie Che heard that Rong Yudie had returned to Qingkang and that Pei Yan was preparing a grand birthday banquet for her, he ordered Tao Zizhu to keep a close watch on the Sword Ding Marquis Residence.

On the day of Rong Yudie’s birthday, the Sword Ding Marquis Residence was bustling with decorations and festivities. Jiang Ci came out early to enjoy the lively atmosphere. Upon hearing that Wei Zhao was attending the banquet, she inquired about him from Cui Liang. Cui Liang briefly explained the power of the Guangming Division in court and warned her to stay away from Wei Zhao. One by one, the court officials arrived at the residence.

Teng Rui, feeling unwell, did not attend the banquet, so Pei Yan assigned Tong Min and Fan Yi to protect him. As the banquet began, Pei Yan kept Jiang Ci by his side, using her to scan the officials for any trace of the assassin. King Zhuang couldn’t help but tease Pei Yan about Jiang Ci. Wei Zhao arrived late, and Pei Yan warmly welcomed him, while the officials all flattered Wei Zhao.

Jiang Ci immediately recognized Wei Zhao as the silver-masked assassin. In her moment of shock, she accidentally knocked her wine cup to the ground. Jiang Ci tried her best to conceal her fear, deeply worried that Wei Zhao had killed her master, Yan Shuangqiao. The eldest and second daughters of Prime Minister Dong, Dong Luan and Dong Juan, were invited to the banquet. Dong Juan congratulated Rong Yudie, who, upon learning that Dong Juan was still unmarried, praised her highly.

Jiang Ci added sugar to Wei Zhao’s porridge, reminding him of how his deceased sister used to take care of him, making his heart skip a beat. Crown Prince Xie Chi suggested a drinking game using flowers and herbs. King Zhuang, confident, lost the first round to Pei Yan. Having grown up in the mountains, Jiang Ci was familiar with various plants, making her quite interested in the game.

King Zhuang then proposed a contest between Jiang Ci and Wei Zhao, promising to gift Wei Zhao a foal if he won and threatening to execute Jiang Ci’s entire clan if she lost. Since Jiang Ci’s family was already gone, she had nothing to lose. Jiang Ci wanted to use this opportunity to ask for her little clay cat back, but Wei Zhao refused and even threatened her again with Yan Shuangqiao’s life, forcing her to back down.

Blindfolded, Wei Zhao correctly identified the flowers and plants, and Jiang Ci didn’t back down either, naming each herb she tasted. Everyone present was impressed by her knowledge. Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci were evenly matched, and Jiang Ci boldly demanded a prize from him in front of everyone. Pei Yan suggested that Wei Zhao reward her with a chrysanthemum crab feast. After enjoying the feast at Lanyue Tower, Jiang Ci made her escape.

Wei Zhao, sensing Pei Yan’s hidden message, pretended not to understand. Jiang Ci then met with Wei Zhao privately, demanding the return of her little clay cat. Wei Zhao, suspecting she intended to go to Moonfall City, refused. Jiang Ci swore she would never reveal that Wei Zhao was the assassin, but Wei Zhao didn't believe her and threatened her again, leaving Jiang Ci speechless with anger.

Wei Zhao spread false information, claiming that when Prince Qi was killed in Yue Luo, an imperial guard named Zhao Wu witnessed the event. Zhao Wu was later killed as well. Before entering the palace, Zhao Wu had married and had a son. His wife died early, and their son has been living in Nanling. Hearing about this, the Chief Steward Tao Zizhu immediately reported it to the Emperor of Da Liang, Xie Che.

Emperor Xie Che, being naturally suspicious, was already unsettled by Rong Yudie’s sudden return to Qingkang. He began to suspect a connection between the Pei family and Zhao Wu’s son, which fueled his anger. Back in the day, Rong Yudie, who was skilled in both literature and martial arts, was admired by both Pei Yan’s father, Pei Zijing, and Xie Che. Xie Che had once competed with Pei Zijing in archery to win Rong Yudie's favor.

Pei Zijing, knowing Xie Che was a prince, deliberately lost to him. However, as a prince, Xie Che had no right to directly choose a wife and was sent to the frontlines, leaving Rong Yudie in Pei Zijing’s care. Ultimately, Rong Yudie married Pei Zijing. The more Xie Che thought about it, the angrier he became. That very night, he rushed to Jian Ding Marquis’ residence to question Rong Yudie.

When the butler of Jian Ding Marquis’ residence, Pei Yang, saw the Emperor arriving with a large entourage, he hurriedly reported it to Pei Yan and Rong Yudie. Knowing that Xie Che wasn’t here with good intentions, Rong Yudie quickly found an excuse to leave. Dong Luan, concerned that her younger sister Dong Juan might be bored from sitting too long, suggested that she take a walk in the garden.

Pei Yan, learning that Emperor Xie Che had come personally, excused himself from the Crown Prince Xie Chi to greet him. Pei Yan escorted Xie Che to the most tranquil spot in the residence—the meditation room—waiting for Rong Yudie to meet him. Jiang Ci, wandering around, unintentionally arrived outside the meditation room and saw Pei Yan lost in thought in the courtyard from a distance. She found it puzzling.

Inside, Xie Che noticed a portrait of Rong Yudie that he had personally drawn for her. Memories of the past came flooding back, leaving him with mixed emotions. Soon after, Rong Yudie came to see him, and Xie Che apologized deeply for what had happened back then. Rong Yudie then revealed an astonishing secret: Pei Yan is actually the son of her and Xie Che.

When Xie Che left the meditation room, he briefly comforted Pei Yan before departing in a hurry. Pei Yan, feigning inebriation, asked Pei Yang to take care of the guests. Xie Che had long harbored suspicions that Pei Yan was his biological son, and after hearing it confirmed by Rong Yudie, he became even more convinced.

He ordered Tao Zizhu to thoroughly investigate the rumors linking Zhao Wu’s son to the Pei family and also withdrew surveillance on Jian Ding Marquis’ residence. Rong Yudie, for the sake of the Pei family's future, had endured humiliation for years and concocted the lie that Pei Yan was Xie Che’s son to secure the Pei family’s survival. Seeing that Pei Yan seemed troubled, Jiang Ci showed concern and comforted him.

Jiang Ci, having lost her parents at a young age, was indifferent to this matter and urged Pei Yan to let go of his past unhappiness. From a young age, Pei Yan was ridiculed as a bastard, but his mother, Rong Yudie, always encouraged him to endure. Pei Yan had long sworn to make great achievements for the Pei family. Opening up to Jiang Ci, he shared his frustrations and grievances, and she comforted him with kind words.

Meanwhile, Dong Juan took a walk in the garden and coincidentally ran into Pei Yan and Jiang Ci. Pei Yan graciously accompanied her for a tour. After the birthday banquet concluded, Pei Yan personally saw off the guests. Suddenly, a fire broke out at the other residence. Worried that Teng Rui was in danger, Pei Yan immediately led Jiang Ci and others to rescue him, and Wei Zhao followed as well.

Jiang Ci found the fire suspicious but lacked concrete evidence. After much effort from the servants and guards, the fire was eventually extinguished. Teng Rui, having drunk too much, slept through the fire and was burned to death. Later, Prime Minister Dong Fang sent people to investigate the cause of the fire and found that Teng Rui had not fully extinguished the charcoal used for roasting lamb.

Xie Che placed all the blame on Tong Min and Fan Yi, imprisoning them in the heavenly prison. Pei Yan took the blame upon himself, and Xie Che ordered him to reflect behind closed doors. Rumors circulated among the people about a potential marriage between Pei Yan and Dong Juan. Some officials advised Dong Fang against forming political alliances with the Pei family. However, Teng Rui was not actually killed in the fire.

Wei Zhao had imprisoned him in the Dark Pavilion dungeon and tortured him to confess the truth behind Prince Qi's assassination. Teng Rui refused to admit that he was Wang Shiquan. Jiang Ci grew suspicious of the fire at Jian Ding Marquis’ residence, worried that Pei Yan might be implicated. She inquired about the situation from Cui Liang and only relaxed after learning that the Emperor had not punished Pei Yan.

She also borrowed a few books on the Wei Kingdom from Cui Liang. General Lei, along with a delegation from the Wei Kingdom, surrounded Jian Ding Marquis’ residence, demanding that Pei Yan pay for Teng Rui’s life. The residence gates remained tightly shut. Upon hearing of this, Wei Zhao hurried to the residence, threatening General Lei, and swiftly drove him away. He also inquired about Pei Yan’s condition from Yi Fei.

Pei Yan had locked himself in his room for several days. When he finally came out and saw Jiang Ci, she did everything she could to cheer him up and even massaged him. Wei Zhao, seeing Jiang Ci and Pei Yan laughing and chatting, felt a strange emotion. Unwilling to interrupt, he quietly left. From various clues, Pei Yan deduced that Wei Zhao was the Silver Masked Assassin, but Jiang Ci vehemently denied it and even defended Wei Zhao. Pei Yan didn’t press the matter any further.

Wei Zhao originally planned to set a fire at the secondary residence on the day of Rong Yudie’s birthday banquet. His intent was to secretly transfer Teng Rui and create the false impression that Teng Rui had died in the fire, thus blaming Pei Yan for negligence and completely removing him from the picture.

However, Pei Yan proactively requested permission from Emperor Xie Che to thoroughly investigate the cause of the fire, even suggesting that Jiang Ci accompany him in the investigation. This thwarted Wei Zhao’s plan yet again. When he learned that Xie Che had secretly summoned Rong Yudie, with Jiang Ci present as well, he became even more frustrated. Wei Zhao intensified the training of the Guangming Guards, having them engage in real combat exercises.

Xie Che happened to witness this and praised Wei Zhao for his efforts. Over a decade ago, Wei Zhao was a slave who had drifted into the Da Liang kingdom. With his exceptional martial skills and ruthless tactics, he rose to prominence, and Xie Che entrusted him with important tasks. Lady Wei, virtuous and kind, had long been favored by Xie Che, but the one thing that weighed on her was her long-lost brother.

Xie Che had promised to do everything in his power to help her find him. Wei Zhao had imprisoned Teng Rui in the dungeon of the Dark Pavilion. Teng Rui harbored hopes that General Lei would come to his rescue, but as days passed without any sign of Lei Zhen, Teng Rui finally gave up hope.

Pei Yan, along with Jiang Ci and Cui Liang, arrived at the secondary residence where Teng Rui had been staying to conduct a thorough investigation. The place had been reduced to ruins by the fire. Wei Zhao soon arrived and inquired about the progress of the case, while also making sarcastic remarks toward Jiang Ci, leaving her both angry and speechless. After careful analysis, Pei Yan and Cui Liang quickly calculated the time of the arson.

Pei Yan grew curious about Wei Zhao’s whereabouts during that period, and Wei Zhao lied, claiming he was in the kitchen looking for porridge, even pulling Jiang Ci in as a witness. Despite racking her brain, Jiang Ci couldn’t figure out how the culprit had managed to enter the secondary residence. Suddenly, Wei Zhao appeared beside her, and in a moment of desperation, Jiang Ci grabbed onto Wei Zhao and screamed for help.

Wei Zhao took the opportunity to jump into the water with her in his arms. Hearing the commotion, Pei Yan and Cui Liang rushed over and called for guards to rescue Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci from the water. Wei Zhao was unconscious due to drowning, but after everyone’s efforts, he finally regained consciousness.

Pei Yan, puzzled, asked why both Jiang Ci and Wei Zhao had fallen into the water, but Jiang Ci quickly made up an excuse to cover it up. Wei Zhao suspected that Lei Zhen was the one who burned Teng Rui, aiming to incite a conflict between Da Liang and Wei Kingdom, but Pei Yan didn’t believe it.

Through his own deductions, Pei Yan concluded that the arsonist was Xiao Wuxia, the son of the city lord of Yue Luo, Xiao Haitian. Wei Zhao hesitated for a moment upon hearing this name, which Jiang Ci noticed, but she chose not to confront him. Jiang Ci made a pot of famous congee from Yue Luo for Pei Yan, Wei Zhao, and the others to enjoy, hoping to stir up some homesickness in Wei Zhao.

She also subtly tested Wei Zhao in various ways, but he responded without giving anything away. After the meal, Pei Yan and Wei Zhao discussed the case. Pei Yan suggested that Wei Zhao take Jiang Ci to visit Tong Min in prison to gather more details about the night of the incident. Wei Zhao didn’t want them to meet, but couldn’t refuse. Pei Yan grew suspicious of Jiang Ci’s safety, but she remained unconcerned.

Wei Zhao eventually took Jiang Ci to the prison, arranging for her to meet Tong Min. Tong Min recounted the events of that night in detail. At the second quarter of the hour of Xu, Tong Min and Fan Yi went to patrol around Teng Rui’s residence. From the window, they saw Teng Rui greedily eating roast meat and drinking wine. After patrolling the area, Tong Min found nothing unusual.

He recalled that the wind had been strong that night, and Fan Yi used that as an excuse to pull Tong Min away. Wei Zhao then went to the prison to question Fan Yi about the situation, and Jiang Ci insisted on going with him, so Wei Zhao had no choice but to take her and An Cheng along.

Fan Yi, burdened with a gambling debt of three thousand taels of silver, was being pressured by his creditors to pay thirty thousand taels. Too afraid to reveal this, he desperately shifted the blame, insisting that his negligence wasn’t serious enough to be considered a crime. Wei Zhao accused him of conspiring with the culprit and threatened him, but Fan Yi denied it and begged Wei Zhao to plead on his behalf.

Jiang Ci casually asked about the details of that night, and Fan Yi answered truthfully. After leaving the prison, Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci found An Cheng waiting for them outside. Wei Zhao then took Jiang Ci for a stroll through the streets, and she purposely picked out specialties from Yue Luo, trying to observe Wei Zhao’s reaction. Wei Zhao arranged for someone to distract An Cheng and pulled Jiang Ci aside.

Jiang Ci suspected Wei Zhao was the arsonist and murderer, demanding that he hand over the little clay cat and promising not to reveal his identity. Wei Zhao denied the accusations and reached an agreement with Jiang Ci.

Wei Zhao was worried that An Cheng would report back to Pei Yan, so he had someone delay An Cheng and called Jiang Ci into an alley for a private conversation. Jiang Ci promised not to reveal that Wei Zhao was the Silver Masked Assassin, as long as he returned the little clay cat to her. Wei Zhao agreed, and the two of them returned to the marketplace, only to see An Cheng following them from a distance.

To avoid raising Pei Yan’s suspicions about his relationship with Jiang Ci, Wei Zhao deliberately tripped her. Jiang Ci's basket spilled seeds and vegetables all over the ground, and An Cheng quickly rushed to help her up while Wei Zhao made an excuse and hurried away. When Jiang Ci and An Cheng returned to the Jian Ding Marquis Manor, Pei Yan heard that Jiang Ci had accidentally fallen during her encounter with Wei Zhao.

He expressed his concern, checking on her well-being. Jiang Ci was eager to report the clues she had gathered from her visit to the prison, where she questioned Tong Min and Fan Yi. She noticed that Fan Yi seemed particularly cautious about the words "behind the house" and had used phrases indicating an assassin had infiltrated the villa. Jiang Ci felt that Fan Yi was deliberately hiding something. The next morning, Pei Yan summoned Wei Zhao to the riverside.

He suspected that the culprit had used an underwater tunnel to enter the villa and conducted a thorough investigation of the area. They found some threads on a tree branch, which Cui Liang analyzed as coming from a type of silk known as Bie Yun Brocade, recently exported in large quantities to the State of Wei.

Cui Liang discovered that a man in Wei who had a grudge against Teng Rui was not only skilled in swimming but also capable of decapitating people underwater. An Cheng believed that the fire in the villa was caused by an internal conflict within the Wei, urging Pei Yan to report this to Xie Che and rescue Tong Min as soon as possible. Pei Yan, however, hesitated to make a decision.

To divert attention, Wei Zhao deliberately claimed that the Wei had set the fire and killed Teng Rui, even creating false leads to support this theory. Wei Zhao advised An Cheng and Cui Liang to leave temporarily so that Pei Yan could think carefully. Jiang Ci, realizing that this was all part of Wei Zhao’s scheme, sent Cui Liang away and confronted Wei Zhao.

She accused him of deliberately leaving clues to mislead Pei Yan into believing that the Wei's internal conflict caused Teng Rui's death. Jiang Ci suspected that Wei Zhao was actually Xiao Wuxia but lacked solid evidence. Wei Zhao denied it with crafty arguments, while Jiang Ci pieced together the events.

On the day of the birthday banquet, Wei Zhao had deliberately sought her out and pulled her into the water, intending to make everyone believe that he couldn’t swim and to use Jiang Ci as his alibi. Jiang Ci decided to tell Pei Yan the truth, but Wei Zhao warned her not to act rashly, reminding her that she had already helped cover for him. Pei Yan would no longer trust her.

Wei Zhao emphasized that he had framed the people of Wei to prevent his fellow townsmen from Moonfall City from being blamed. Jiang Ci was momentarily at a loss for words after hearing his passionate defense. Caught in a dilemma, Jiang Ci sought out Cui Liang to learn more about Moonfall City. She discovered that it was once a peaceful paradise. Both Da Liang and the Wei had tried to claim it, leaving the city ravaged by war.

Twenty years ago, Moonfall City had tried to ally with Da Liang, but for unknown reasons, a great battle broke out between them. Afterward, the city became a territory of Da Liang, and every year, they had to send many young men and women to Da Liang as slaves. Jiang Ci was deeply moved by Cui Liang’s story and began to feel sympathy for Wei Zhao. Late at night, Jiang Ci couldn’t sleep.

She sat in the courtyard, lost in thought. Pei Yan brought her a coat. Eager to know how Pei Yan planned to report the arson case, Jiang Ci asked him about it. Pei Yan wanted to truthfully report that the Wei people had killed their own, fearing that if the Wei didn’t accept this, it could lead to a war between the two nations. Yet, he couldn’t keep the truth hidden either.

As Jiang Ci inadvertently caught a glimpse of Xu Xia busy inside the window, she suddenly realized that what Tong Min saw of Teng Rui's shadow might have been an illusion. She suspected that Teng Rui wasn’t dead at all but was hesitant to report it to Pei Yan, fearing it might be a trap set by Wei Zhao that could cost Pei Yan his position and title. Jiang Ci decided to find solid evidence before informing Pei Yan.

Unable to sleep, Jiang Ci spent the night reviewing the case files until dawn. She noticed that the coroner’s report described Teng Rui’s body as disfigured, but his limbs were intact. She recalled that Teng Rui had once broken his leg while riding a horse, which led her to believe that the body at the scene wasn’t his. Early in the morning, Pei Yan entered the palace to report to Xie Che.

Jiang Ci hurried to catch up with him on horseback, presenting the evidence she had uncovered. Pei Yan immediately returned to the Marquis Manor with her, and when Wei Zhao saw this, his heart sank. Cui Liang wanted to conduct his own autopsy, so Pei Yan went to Xie Che to request permission. Wei Zhao, worried that more time would lead to complications, quickly sought out Old He to confront Teng Rui.

Seventeen years ago, Teng Rui had led a massacre in a village, during which Old He’s daughter, A Lan, was tragically killed. Old He and his wife sought justice, and Teng Rui, terrified, begged for mercy. Teng Rui confessed that the Wei had hired the assassin sisters Yan Shuangqiao and Yan Frost to kill Prince Qi. Pei Yan reported the investigation results to Xie Che and volunteered to search for Teng Rui’s whereabouts. Xie Che readily agreed.

Pei Yan then secretly ordered his men to search for Teng Rui without alarming the city’s residents. Wei Zhao, fearing that Teng Rui would be found, was too cautious to send him out of the city. Wei Zhao decided to create trouble for Pei Yan, shifting suspicion toward General Lu's family. Jiang Ci accompanied Pei Yan as they searched the city. As evening approached, Pei Yan took her to a roadside stall for lamb noodles.

The stall owner was about to close up to go home to his wife and children, so Pei Yan reluctantly agreed to leave. Jiang Ci casually called Pei Yan by name, and the stall owner, filled with gratitude, thanked Pei Yan profusely. Years ago, Pei Yan had defended his hometown for three days and nights, driving away the Wei invaders, allowing his family to live a happy life.

Jiang Ci was deeply moved by the stall owner's words and gained even more respect for Pei Yan. An Cheng was conducting a street search when he suddenly spotted someone resembling Teng Rui boarding a carriage. He followed it to the estate of General Lu, the Commander of Zhenyuan, and immediately reported it to Pei Yan. Pei Yan suspected this was a deliberate attempt to mislead him toward the General’s estate. He decided not to act rashly and planned to report it to Xie Che.

Emperor Xie Che of Daliang gave Pei Yan ten days to investigate the cause of Teng Rui's death. Today is the final day. Lei Zhen, leading the envoy from Weiguo, has been waiting for the results, as have Xie Che and the entire court. Jiang Ci and Pei Yan followed clues and discovered that Teng Rui is still alive, only to find out that he has been secretly taken to the residence of General Lu Yu of Zhenyuan.

Since Lu Yu holds great prestige and has numerous battle achievements, Pei Yan dared not search his residence without authorization and had to return to the palace to report to Emperor Xie Che. Pei Yan, fearing danger at the Marquis’ residence, sent An Cheng back to reinforce its defenses. Pei Yan rushed to the palace and informed Tao Zizhu of the situation regarding Teng Rui being hidden in Lu Yu’s mansion.

Knowing the seriousness of the matter, Tao Zizhu immediately reported it to Xie Che. At that moment, Lei Zhen and the envoy barged into the court, accusing Pei Yan of plotting Teng Rui's murder and demanding that Pei Yan pay with his life. At the same time, a group of soldiers stormed the Jian Ding Marquis’ residence. Rong Yudie, calm and dignified, instructed everyone to return to their rooms.

In the court, Lei Zhen accused Pei Yan of having a masked figure in black rummage through Teng Rui’s coffin during the night, trying to steal the jade gourd buried with him. The figure fled when Lei Zhen arrived, but left behind a meteor dart, a weapon exclusive to the Changfeng Guard, leading Lei Zhen to believe that Pei Yan was behind the plot.

Prince Xie Chi and Prince Xie Yu stepped forward to defend Pei Yan, but Lei Zhen was relentless. He pointed out that on the night of the birthday feast, Pei Yan left with Jiang Ci for half an hour, asserting that Pei Yan used that time to set the fire and commit the crime. Pei Yan remained silent. That night, Emperor Xie Che secretly visited the Jian Ding Marquis’ residence, meeting with Rong Yudie in a secluded room.

Pei Yan could not reveal this truth, despite Xie Che pressing him to speak. Knowing that Pei Yan was innocent but unable to say so, Xie Che ordered Pei Yan’s arrest and sent Wei Zhao to take Jiang Ci to the dungeons for interrogation. Wei Zhao, along with the men of Guangming Si, arrived at the Jian Ding Marquis’ residence and took Jiang Ci into custody in front of Rong Yudie.

That night, Xie Che went to the dungeons to see Pei Yan and urged him to implicate Jiang Ci to take the blame, but Pei Yan refused, pleading desperately for Jiang Ci's sake. This only earned him a severe reprimand from Xie Che. Wei Zhao delivered Jiang Ci to the dungeons, forcing Xie Che to leave. Having witnessed Pei Yan plead for Jiang Ci, Wei Zhao was furious and vented his anger on Jiang Ci, torturing her.

Yet, Jiang Ci remained fearless. Prince Xie Chi came to visit Pei Yan late into the night, and Pei Yan entrusted him with a letter for Rong Yudie, urging him to spare no effort to save Jiang Ci. Xie Chi, aware that Jiang Ci was the sole witness to Teng Rui’s murder, agreed readily.

Wei Zhao settled Lei Zhen and the envoy at the posthouse and then hurriedly reported to Xie Che, eager to know how Jiang Ci would be dealt with. Xie Che decided to silence Jiang Ci, fearing that she not only bewitched Pei Yan but also because the jade gourd found in Teng Rui’s mouth had been a gift from Teng Rui to Jiang Ci, implicating her in the case.

Wei Zhao, aware that Xie Che wouldn't keep Pei Yan imprisoned for long, was anxious that delays would only worsen things and resolved to smuggle Teng Rui out of Qingkang as soon as possible. As Prince Xie Chi could not personally go to the Jian Ding Marquis’ residence, he sent a palace maid to deliver a letter to Rong Yudie. However, she was stopped by the Imperial Guard Commander Yue Jinglong.

Hearing of this, Rong Yudie rushed over and furiously scolded Yue Jinglong, who, fearing her wrath, allowed the palace maid to pass. Jiang Ci, reflecting on the situation, became convinced that it was Wei Zhao who had stolen the jade gourd and placed it in Teng Rui’s mouth to frame Pei Yan. Determined to confront Wei Zhao, she called him out and exposed his actions. Enraged, Wei Zhao bound her and resumed torturing her, threatening to kill her.

Anticipating this day, Jiang Ci had secretly placed the seeds of the ghost orchid on the soles of Wei Zhao’s shoes when she fell in the marketplace. These seeds leave an indelible mark, and once such traces were found at the crime scene, it would confirm Wei Zhao's guilt. Moreover, Jiang Ci had already written a letter exposing Wei Zhao as the Silver Masked Assassin and hidden it in the Jian Ding Marquis’ residence.

Wei Zhao, infuriated, tightly gripped Jiang Ci’s throat. Fortunately, Xie Chi arrived just in time, forcing Wei Zhao to release her. Wei Zhao was shocked to discover that Pei Yan had enlisted the help of Prince Xie Chi to protect Jiang Ci. Suspecting Pei Yan had disclosed more secrets to Xie Chi, Wei Zhao sent people to investigate what Prince Xie Chi had done after meeting Pei Yan the previous night.

In reality, Wei Zhao had never sent Teng Rui to Lu Yu’s residence. It was merely a diversion. He had hidden Teng Rui at Old He’s house and ordered Ah Jun and Ah Zheng to smuggle Teng Rui out of the city in a crate. Upon learning that Xie Chi had sent a palace maid to visit Rong Yudie, Wei Zhao realized something was amiss.

He immediately canceled the plan to escort Teng Rui out of the city and sent word to Old He. But it was too late—Ah Jun and Ah Zheng had already set out with the large crate, and Old He rushed to intercept them with his slop cart. Ah Jun and Ah Zheng reached the city gate, where the guards demanded to inspect the cart.

Old He, arriving in time with his slop cart, managed to help the cart pass through unnoticed. However, Old He was then captured by waiting soldiers. Mrs. He burned documents related to Moonfall City, but the soldiers arrived and arrested her on the spot. Jiang Ci and Pei Yan were eventually cleared of their charges, and Xie Che ordered their release, giving Pei Yan three days to capture Teng Rui.

Pei Yan requested the guards from Guangming Si to chase after Teng Rui’s cart. Ah Zheng and Ah Jun headed for the docks with Teng Rui but were ambushed by Xu Jun, the commander of Changfeng Guard, and his men. Though they fought fiercely and attempted to kill Teng Rui to silence him, they were outmatched and died in the struggle. Xu Jun reported back to Pei Yan, who realized that Pei Yan had secretly stationed Xu Jun outside the city.

Pei Yan offered excuses, but Wei Zhao did not believe him. Xu Jun then brought Old He and his wife in for interrogation. Despite torture, they refused to reveal their master. Xu Jun ordered their whipping, but Wei Zhao couldn’t stand it and requested to interrogate them himself. He subtly hinted for Old He to take him hostage. Mrs. He did so, only to be killed on the spot by the guards.

Old He then charged at Wei Zhao in a frenzy but was also executed. Witnessing the deaths of his kinsmen again, Wei Zhao was filled with grief but dared not show it, enduring the pain in silence, all while Jiang Ci watched with sharp eyes.

Pei Yan successfully rescued Teng Rui, and Xie Che was overjoyed. He held a banquet in the main hall to celebrate Pei Yan’s success. Wei Zhao, devastated by the deaths of A Jun, A Zheng, and the Lao He couple, remained silent at the banquet, drinking to drown his sorrow. Teng Rui, grateful for Pei Yan's life-saving efforts, expressed his desire to quickly conclude peace talks with the Daling Kingdom.

Xie Che entrusted Pei Yan with full responsibility for the negotiations. Wei Zhao drank heavily and volunteered to perform a sword dance for everyone’s entertainment. Jiang Ci noticed that Wei Zhao was using this as a way to cope with his inner pain, which filled her with emotion. After the celebration, Wei Zhao left the palace in low spirits, and Jiang Ci signaled that she wanted to talk to him, but he ignored her gesture.

Returning to his residence, Wei Zhao was overwhelmed with grief. He placed the nameplates of the deceased Lao He couple, A Jun, and A Zheng among the memorials for the fallen. Yi Fei wanted to kill Jiang Ci, but Wei Zhao suddenly remembered the gesture Jiang Ci made to him at the palace gate. Meanwhile, Pei Yan returned to the Jian Ding Marquis Mansion with Jiang Ci and Tong Min, where Rong Yudie greeted them warmly.

Jiang Ci personally made a bowl of porridge for Pei Yan, but he couldn’t eat. He could tell Jiang Ci was saddened by the deaths of the Lao He couple, but there was nothing he could do as he needed to continue investigating the true culprit. Pei Yan had people monitoring Wei Zhao’s every move but found nothing unusual, except discovering that A Jun and A Zheng were both guards from Lu Yu’s mansion.

This shocked Pei Yan, as he hadn’t expected the Yue Luo faction to have spies within Lu Yu’s estate. Cui Liang was indignant on Jiang Ci’s behalf, noting that if Xie Chi hadn’t arrived in time, Jiang Ci would have been killed by Wei Zhao. Jiang Ci had been embroiled in the case of Teng Rui’s murder multiple times without reason, and Pei Yan swore to protect her, but Cui Liang remained resentful.

Back at her residence, Jiang Ci thought about the pained expression on Wei Zhao’s face, feeling uneasy. She retrieved the letter she had written, which exposed Wei Zhao’s true identity, and burned it on the spot. She then made another bowl of porridge and brought it to Wei Zhao late at night to express her apology. Wei Zhao, still consumed by grief, blamed Jiang Ci for everything.

Jiang Ci encouraged him to persevere, reminding him to continue for the sake of those who had died, even though she wasn’t sure if Wei Zhao’s actions were right or wrong. Touched by her words, Wei Zhao was moved to tears and left without looking back. When Pei Yan heard that Jiang Ci was feeling unwell, he brought her medicine. Rong Yudie stopped him, telling him to focus on preparing for the peace talks, and Pei Yan reluctantly complied.

Lu Yu, stationed in Liangzhou with the Zhenyuan Army, heard about the events at his mansion and took out his anger on his servants and maids, threatening to kill them. The strategist of the Zhenyuan Army, Chun Yu Li, stepped in to plead for mercy, suspecting that someone had planted spies within the mansion, but Lu Yu didn’t care and ordered the execution of everyone.

Chun Yu Li had all the servants and staff thoroughly investigated, discovering that A Jun and A Zheng were affiliated with Lu Yu’s eldest son. Lu Yu’s son was frail and sickly, and Lu Yu didn’t want to pursue the matter further. The Nanfeng Forging Bureau, which had been secretly manufacturing weapons with Lu Yu, sent representatives to request their goods.

The commander of the Zhenyuan Army, Zhang Zicheng, reported to Lu Yu, who ordered the weapons to be shipped out quickly to avoid arousing Xie Che’s suspicion. Lu Yu’s servant, A Yuan, immediately passed this information to Wei Zhao, who came up with a plan to drive a wedge between Pei Yan and Xie Che. On the day Daling and Wei Kingdom signed the treaty, Xie Che was in high spirits.

Wei Zhao suggested that Xie Che take a stroll, and they went to the riverside, where they saw citizens flocking to catch a glimpse of Jian Ding Marquis Pei Yan, attributing all the credit for the peace talks to him and showering him with praise. Xie Che felt uneasy, realizing that Wei Zhao had carefully orchestrated this situation to make him distrust Pei Yan. Pei Yan and Xie Chi arrived by boat, greeted by cheers from the people.

Xie Che was furious and suddenly recalled how suspicious it had been when Xu Jun rescued Teng Rui. He suspected Pei Yan of lying and ordered Wei Zhao to investigate the matter thoroughly. Tao Zizhu sent Jiang Yuan from the Internal Affairs Department to secretly investigate the whereabouts of Zhao Wu’s son, but Jiang Yuan had found no leads and reported back to Tao Zizhu.

On his way to the palace, Wei Zhao encountered Jiang Yuan and Tao Zizhu and disdainfully ordered people to monitor Jiang Yuan’s movements. Rong Yudie, hearing that Tao Zizhu had sent Jiang Yuan to investigate Zhao Wu’s son, grew uneasy and urged Pei Yan to quickly track down the assassins of Prince Qi—Yan Shuangqiao and her sister—to eliminate Xie Che’s suspicions of the Pei family.

Rong Yudie also instructed Pei Yan to erase all traces of Xu Jun and his men’s whereabouts to ensure Xie Che wouldn’t discover anything. She pressured Pei Yan to send Jiang Ci away, warning that keeping her around would jeopardize their grand plan. Meanwhile, Xie Che grew more suspicious and ordered Tao Zizhu to send people to investigate the Pei family in secret in Nanling. Su Yan gave Yan Shuangqiao a large sum of money to help her hide.

The night was as cool as water, with lanterns decorating both sides of the river. Shops lined the streets, and the atmosphere was lively, as families came out to enjoy the lanterns. Pei Yan accompanied Jiang Ci on a boat ride, lingering in the intoxicating night scene. Jiang Ci thanked Pei Yan for saving her multiple times, and Pei Yan, in turn, opened up to her, sharing a long-held wish from deep within his heart.

Jiang Ci wrote her own wish on a lotus lantern, along with Pei Yan’s grand ambition to expand the Pei family's legacy. Together, they watched the lantern drift down the river, their hearts filled with complex emotions. Seizing the moment, Jiang Ci bid farewell to Pei Yan, expressing her desire to fulfill her own wish. Pei Yan tried to persuade her to stay, but it was in vain.

On the bridge, a young woman recognized Pei Yan and excitedly called out to her companions. Soon, a group of women, who admired Pei Yan, gathered, loudly calling his name. Pei Yan ignored them, his gaze fixed solely on Jiang Ci. As the boat slowly drifted under the bridge, the women rushed to the other side, waiting eagerly for Pei Yan to reappear.

Pei Yan took out a dagger, placed it in Jiang Ci’s hand, and then plunged it into his own chest. Blood instantly soaked his clothes. When the boat emerged from under the bridge, the women saw that Pei Yan had been stabbed and screamed in terror. Due to the excessive blood loss, Pei Yan fainted on the spot, leaving Jiang Ci panicked and disoriented. Wei Zhao heard early on that Jiang Ci had stabbed Pei Yan.

Jiang Ci was locked in the prison, and Pei Yan was summoned to the palace by the Emperor Xie Che of Daliang. Pei Yan claimed he was deeply in love with Jiang Ci and that, in desperation, she had stabbed him when she refused his advances. Xie Che scolded Pei Yan harshly, but Pei Yan remained adamant that he would not give up on Jiang Ci, even demanding to have her by his side every day.

Xie Che disapproved, forcing Pei Yan to resign from his post and confine himself to the Jian Ding Marquis Residence for reflection. Wei Zhao visited Jiang Ci in prison, warning her not to be deceived by Pei Yan’s false front. He told her that Pei Yan was merely using her and urged her to continue acting as his spy. Jiang Ci resolutely refused, and Wei Zhao left, frustrated. Xie Che, unable to change Pei Yan’s mind, eventually released Jiang Ci.

Pei Yan came to the prison to take her back, and upon entering, saw Wei Zhao. As Wei Zhao watched the two of them leave, he was filled with resentment. Pei Yan took Jiang Ci out for a walk in the streets and even bought her some of her favorite snacks.

Once again, Jiang Ci tried to part ways with him, but Pei Yan, fearing the Silver-Faced Assassin might silence her, brought up Emperor Xie Che, stating that if Jiang Ci left now, it would be considered treason. Left with no choice, Jiang Ci returned to the Marquis Residence with Pei Yan. Rong Yudie, who harbored a deep hatred for Jiang Ci, punished Pei Yan by making him reflect in isolation for three days.

Cui Liang came to visit Jiang Ci, bringing her a few books to pass the time. Grateful for his care and concern, Jiang Ci found herself relying on Cui Liang’s kindness, as she felt like an outsider in the Marquis Residence. That night, Jiang Ci secretly sent for Wei Zhao, asking him to return her little clay cat. Wei Zhao flatly refused.

Rong Yudie had sentenced Pei Yan to kneel in the ancestral hall for three days, forbidding him food or drink. Both An Cheng and Tong Min were distressed by this, and An Cheng inadvertently revealed that Rong Yudie had once slapped Jiang Ci after Pei Yan was arrested. Eager to learn more, Pei Yan pressed for details, while Jiang Ci listened quietly from the side. During the cold winter, the ancestral hall was damp and freezing.

Rong Yudie forbade Pei Yan from bringing any blankets or warm clothing. Jiang Ci, feeling sorry for him, sneaked into the hall to check on Pei Yan, constantly trying to explain Rong Yudie’s actions, hoping Pei Yan wouldn’t hold a grudge against her. The Emperor of Daliang received a report from officials that weapons produced by the Nanning Armory were poorly made and easily broken.

Xie Che tasked Left Minister Dong Fang to assemble a skilled team of officials to investigate. Since Nanning was under the Pei family’s control, Pei Yan, upon hearing this, volunteered to Emperor Xie Che to investigate the military equipment case in secret. Xie Che readily agreed. Rong Yudie urged Pei Yan to handle the matter well and to return to court as soon as possible.

Pei Yan decided to bring Jiang Ci along on the trip, and Rong Yudie, despite her reservations, could not stop him. When Pei Yan explained the situation to Jiang Ci, she realized that Nanning was close to Yu Zhou, where she wanted to go, and immediately agreed to accompany him. Meanwhile, Wei Zhao was searching for Yan Shuangqiao, hoping to learn the truth behind King Qi’s assassination from her.

Upon hearing that Pei Yan was also looking for Yan Shuangqiao, Wei Zhao sent people to monitor the Marquis Residence’s movements. One night, Wei Zhao snuck into the residence and saw Jiang Ci packing her things. Cui Liang was also present, and he wanted to accompany Pei Yan to Nanning as well. After Cui Liang left, Wei Zhao entered the room to meet Jiang Ci.

He had originally intended to return her little clay cat but hesitated at the last moment. Jiang Ci noticed the Dark Night Orchid stain on his hand and gave him a box of ointment to remove the mark. On the spot, Wei Zhao decided to go to Nanning too.

The next morning, Wei Zhao reported to Xie Che, informing him that Pei Yan had borrowed men to rescue Teng Rui and secretly arranged for Xu Jun to mobilize the Changfeng Guards. Suspicious of Pei Yan, Xie Che sent Wei Zhao and the Guangming Guards to Nanning to assist Pei Yan in investigating the military equipment case, which Wei Zhao eagerly accepted.

Jiang Ci accidentally learned that Wei Zhao was also heading to Nanning, and her heart was secretly filled with joy, hoping to find a chance to get back her little clay cat.

Pei Yan, Wei Zhao, Cui Liang, and Jiang Ci traveled to Nanning together in the same carriage. Jiang Ci prepared some exquisite pastries to share with them. Yi Fei and Tong Min followed on horseback. The two quickly hit it off, and their conversation became increasingly lively. After traveling day and night, the group finally arrived in Nanning. They switched to a small boat to continue their journey.

Nanning was known for its talented people and beautiful landscapes, but Wei Zhao and Pei Yan had no time to admire the scenery. They were busy discussing the military equipment case. Jiang Ci, who had no interest in the matter, offered to help the local fisherwoman, Li Ayan, row the boat, even lending her a cloak to keep warm.

Once they reached Pei Yan’s old home, the Changfeng Estate, Li Ayan returned the cloak, and Jiang Ci gave it to her as a gift. Upon returning home, Pei Yan hosted a grand banquet to welcome the Pei family members. However, Pei Zifang, the head of the Pei clan, did not take Pei Yan seriously, mocking him and hurling insults. He accused Pei Yan of bringing shame to the Pei family for the sake of a woman.

Worried that Pei Yan would lose face, Jiang Ci asked to excuse herself to avoid the situation. Wei Zhao stepped in to defend Pei Yan, scolding the clan members harshly. Frightened, they hurriedly apologized. Knowing that Wei Zhao was a favorite of Emperor Xie Che, Pei Zifang reluctantly stood up to admit his fault, but Wei Zhao was unforgiving and scolded him even more fiercely. Jiang Ci quietly slipped away, followed closely by Cui Liang.

Jiang Ci added Junzilan, a cooling herb, to the porridge and instructed the maid not to serve it to Pei Yan. She wanted Pei Zifang and the other clan members to suffer from diarrhea. Cui Liang accompanied Jiang Ci on a stroll through the streets, while Wei Zhao secretly observed everything from a distance. As they wandered through the streets of Nanning, Cui Liang admired a pouch for sale, which reminded him of a strange incident from two weeks prior.

While sitting in a riverside pavilion, lost in thought, a paper crane had landed on his lap, inscribed with two lines of poetry. Jiang Ci, who had stopped at a roadside stall to drink porridge, suddenly spotted Wei Zhao and approached him, asking why he had come to Nanning as well. Wei Zhao refused to answer and added a lot of sugar to his porridge. Curious about his love for sugar, Jiang Ci asked about it.

Wei Zhao then asked Jiang Ci to help decode the secret cipher of the Changfeng Guards’ message transmissions, but Jiang Ci refused outright. Wei Zhao deliberately mentioned that the Lingjiu Flower, used to make the “Bitter Porridge,” was found in Yue Luo City. Jiang Ci suddenly realized that the rice used in the porridge by the stall owner was old.

Jiang Ci had added Junzilan to the porridge, causing Pei Zifang and the other clan members to suffer from severe diarrhea, forcing them to return home. Pei Yan, sensing something amiss, instructed Tong Min to investigate the matter thoroughly. Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci returned to the Changfeng Estate, with Cui Liang arriving shortly after. He handed Jiang Ci the pouch he had bought in the streets.

Pei Yan then emerged to escort Jiang Ci inside and gave her a cloak. Watching them enter together, Wei Zhao couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. Pei Yan, suspecting that Xie Che had sent Wei Zhao to monitor him, asked Jiang Ci to stay and help him put on an act. Jiang Ci readily agreed. When Wei Zhao heard that Jiang Ci had stayed overnight in Pei Yan’s room, his anger only deepened.

He then sent Yi Fei to continue searching for the whereabouts of the Yan Shuangqiao sisters. Pei Zifang had been secretly selling military equipment in collusion with the Nanning magistrate, He Zhenwen, resulting in a serious shortage of military supplies. In desperation, He Zhenwen had resorted to producing substandard equipment, which was unexpectedly sent to Qingkang. Pei Zifang reminded him to handle the situation quickly before Pei Yan and Wei Zhao uncovered the truth.

He Yonglin, He Zhenwen’s son, had been waiting outside for his father. When He Zhenwen left Pei Zifang’s house in disgrace, He Yonglin expressed his indignation on behalf of his father. But He Zhenwen, unwilling to provoke Pei Zifang, reminded He Yonglin to hide the refugees carefully. He warned that Pei Yan and Wei Zhao would be visiting the armory for an investigation the next day, and they could not afford any mistakes.

The next morning, Pei Yan and Wei Zhao arrived at the magistrate’s office, where He Zhenwen and the local officials had been waiting for some time. He Zhenwen took them on a tour of the armory, and as soon as Wei Zhao entered, he noticed a furnace that had been burned beyond recognition. He Zhenwen claimed that the fire had been caused by a craftsman’s error and had resulted in the deaths of several workers.

Wei Zhao, however, could tell right away that He Zhenwen was shirking responsibility. Terrified, He Zhenwen knelt down and admitted his mistake. After a thorough inspection of the armory, Pei Yan and Wei Zhao found nothing unusual. Wei Zhao then suggested that they pretend to be on a leisurely outing while conducting their investigation in secret.

Pei Yan and Wei Zhao had both been sent to Nanning by Emperor Xie Che to investigate the case of the military equipment, but each had their own hidden agenda. Pei Yan wanted to use this opportunity to establish authority among his clan and lay the groundwork for reviving the Pei family legacy.

He secretly sent people to search for the whereabouts of the Yan Shuangqiao sisters, who were involved in the assassination of King Qi, in order to uncover the full truth behind his death. Xie Che had also entrusted Wei Zhao with a secret mission: to monitor Pei Yan's every move, fearing that Pei Yan might leverage his clan’s power to rebel. Wei Zhao, too, sent people to search for the Yan Shuangqiao sisters.

Together with He Zhenwen, Pei Yan and Wei Zhao inspected the armory but found no abnormalities. Wei Zhao suggested they continue investigating the military equipment case under the guise of leisurely touring the mountains and rivers. Every morning, Wei Zhao, Jiang Ci, Cui Liang, and the rest of the group would leave early, pretending to stroll around. Over several days, they visited every corner of Nanning's markets, observing that everything appeared in order.

The people of Nanning lived in peace and prosperity. They paid particular attention to rice shops and blacksmiths, but found no issues. Jiang Ci noted that the porridge she had from a street vendor was made with old rice, and they discovered that many rice shops were selling old rice at the same price as new rice. Wei Zhao sensed that someone was manipulating the situation behind the scenes, trying to hide the true state of Nanning from them.

Jiang Ci quickly bonded with the fisherwoman, Li Ayan, and the two became close friends. Li Ayan took Jiang Ci for a stroll along the riverside, where Jiang Ci noticed that the rice, known as Diaohu Rice, growing in a ten-mile radius along the riverbank had been completely harvested. She found this odd, as Nanning was a land of fish and rice, and this year had seen abundant rainfall and an increase in crop production.

The people shouldn’t need to resort to harvesting Diaohu Rice to stave off hunger. Suspecting that there were refugees in Nanning, Jiang Ci immediately reported her findings to Pei Yan. Pei Yan decided to split up with Wei Zhao—he would investigate the rice shops, while Wei Zhao would search for the refugees. Jiang Ci volunteered to accompany Pei Yan on his investigation, but he, concerned for her safety, insisted she stay behind.

Seeing how much Pei Yan cared for Jiang Ci, Li Ayan couldn’t help but think of her late fiancé, now separated from her by life and death. Grief-stricken, Li Ayan looked at the necklace her fiancé had given her, heartbroken. Pei Yan sent people to investigate the four major granaries of Nanning and discovered that the eastern and western granaries were controlled by members of the Pei clan. He tasked Tong Min and Yi Fei with a thorough investigation.

Yi Fei secretly investigated Zhao Wu and learned that, before entering the palace, Zhao Wu had married and had children. However, he had been executed for dereliction of duty, his wife had died early, and his son had drifted to Nanning. Wei Zhao suspected that Zhao Wu had helped the Yan Shuangqiao sisters escape and instructed Yi Fei to keep a close eye on Pei Yan. Yi Fei, reluctant to continue spying, was reprimanded by Wei Zhao.

Later, in the kitchen, Wei Zhao saw Jiang Ci making steamed rice cakes with Diaohu Rice. He took the opportunity to stir up trouble in front of Jiang Ci, claiming that Pei Yan's investigation of the rice shops was not to help the refugees, but to safeguard the Pei family’s interests. Jiang Ci didn’t believe him at all and gave him a rice cake, dismissing him with a few words.

Early the next morning, Wei Zhao left to investigate, and Jiang Ci sneaked into his room to look for her little clay cat. She turned the room upside down but couldn’t find it. Suddenly, Wei Zhao returned, catching Jiang Ci red-handed. Instead of feeling guilty, Jiang Ci scolded him for not putting enough effort into his investigation and demanded that he return her clay cat.

Wei Zhao refused outright and took Jiang Ci to a dilapidated temple on the western side of the city, where many refugees had gathered. The soldiers were treating them brutally, beating and scolding them. Jiang Ci was shocked beyond words. Wei Zhao was reminded of how he and his sister had been treated as refugees, and his anger boiled over.

He clenched his teeth, ready to rush in and teach the soldiers a lesson, but Jiang Ci urged him to hold back for now and come up with a plan to gather more information. The two disguised themselves as a couple of refugees and went begging on the streets, eventually being caught and taken to the broken temple. Jiang Ci cried for help, making up a story about how she had become a refugee, but the others ignored her.

Some even advised her not to waste her energy. Wei Zhao took out a large biscuit, and the hungry refugees swarmed to grab it. Taking advantage of the chaos, he started asking them about the original layout of the temple. A former hostess from the Zuihong Lou teahouse, who had been locked in the temple, revealed the truth: a large number of refugees had come to Nanning, barely surviving on Diaohu Rice.

He Zhenwen had sent his thugs, led by Zhao Da, to lock them up here because a high-ranking official from Qingkang City was coming to inspect Nanning. The woman was suffering from a painful outbreak of syphilis, and Jiang Ci decided to stay behind to care for her, urging Wei Zhao to return quickly to report to Pei Yan. Unable to argue with her, Wei Zhao left his Guangming Bureau badge with her before leaving.

Pei Yan, along with Cui Liang and An Cheng, inspected the western granary and found that the rice there had been swapped out with inferior stock. Wei Zhao returned to their residence and learned from Yi Fei about Pei Yan’s whereabouts. He immediately rushed over and saw An Cheng leaving the place where Zhao Wu had once lived. Sneaking inside, he found a suspicious footprint.

Hearing that Pei Yan had gone to the western granary and Wei Zhao to the broken temple, He Zhenwen, fearing exposure, ordered He Yonglin to lead a group to kill all the refugees. Jiang Ci was carefully attending to the woman when suddenly a group of masked men stormed the temple and began slaughtering the refugees. Jiang Ci hurriedly pulled the woman to hide, but they were soon discovered. In a desperate moment, Jiang Ci shouted for Wei Zhao.

Wei Zhao rushed to the temple, only to find it completely empty. Jiang Ci was nowhere to be found, and it dawned on him that she was in danger. Jiang Ci, calling out Wei Zhao’s name and showing the Guangming Bureau badge, managed to stop the masked men from acting rashly. However, they had no choice but to take her captive.

Pei Yan arrived at the temple soon after and, upon learning that Jiang Ci had been captured, set off immediately to rescue her. Meanwhile, Wei Zhao noticed Jiang Ci’s sachet on the ground, which contained Dark Night Orchid. Knowing that once stained by Dark Night Orchid, the scent was difficult to remove, Wei Zhao planned to use this clue to track down Jiang Ci.

Pei Yan heard that Wei Zhao and Pei Yan had gone separately to investigate the western granary and the abandoned temple in the western part of the city. Fearing that the truth would be exposed, he sent Pei Ying to silence the refugees by killing them. Pei Ying, along with He Yonglin's thug Zhao Da and others, arrived at the abandoned temple, with Pei Ying wearing a mask to avoid being recognized.

Zhao Da and his group of thugs began slaughtering the refugees. Jiang Ci hid in fear, but was eventually caught. She tried to use Wei Zhao's name to pressure He Yonglin’s men, but Pei Ying paid no attention. Jiang Ci then took out the token from the Guangming Bureau given to her by Wei Zhao, and while they were distracted, she managed to free her hands from the ropes.

The Guangming Bureau is an independent authority outside the various imperial offices, and they only obey Emperor Xie Che of Da Liang. Pei Ying knew that Wei Zhao was ruthless and killed without hesitation. Afraid of complications, he ordered Zhao Da to kill Jiang Ci. Jiang Ci quickly jumped up and tried to escape but was caught by Pei Ying.

Just as Pei Ying was about to take further action, Wei Zhao and Pei Yan arrived in time and subdued the group of thugs. Wei Zhao rescued Jiang Ci, but in the process, both of them accidentally fell into a well. Wei Zhao clung to the rope tightly and called out for Yi Fei to help. Yi Fei arrived just in time to pull them out.

Pei Ying removed his mask and sought Pei Yan's help, but Pei Yan ignored him and instead showed concern for Jiang Ci, asking how she was doing. Jiang Ci took back the Guangming Bureau token from Wei Zhao and thanked him. She jokingly said she would keep the token as the prize for winning their previous bet. Curious, Pei Yan asked Wei Zhao how he found Jiang Ci.

Wei Zhao didn't mention the clue of the Dark Night Orchid left behind by Jiang Ci at the abandoned temple and instead made up an excuse to cover the truth. Pei Yan discovered that the eight main granaries were controlled by his family and vowed not to show leniency. Wei Zhao, worried that He Zhenwen might take the opportunity to falsify records, decided to immediately head to the provincial governor's office to check the accounts of the Armory Department.

Since Pei Yan couldn’t show up directly, Wei Zhao asked Jiang Ci to accompany him to check the accounts. He also asked Yi Fei to bring the account books from the eight granaries. Under Wei Zhao's supervision, the officials found that the granaries had borrowed a total of 4 million taels of silver.

While the Armory Department had previously been in deficit by over 3 million taels, in the past two months, they had somehow made a surplus of several hundred thousand taels. Wei Zhao suspected that the Armory Department had borrowed money from the granaries to cover their deficit. He Zhenwen claimed ignorance and tried to shift the blame onto other officials. Wei Zhao then summoned a girl from the Drunken Red Tower to testify.

She recounted the crimes of He Zhenwen and his son in persecuting the refugees. He Zhenwen insisted that those people in the abandoned temple were not refugees but violent criminals who threatened the public. Jiang Ci exposed his lies, and Wei Zhao brought in Pei Ying, who confirmed that the killing of the refugees was under He Zhenwen's orders. He Zhenwen, in turn, blamed Pei Zifang, claiming that everything was done under Pei Zifang’s direction.

Pei Zifang, who held significant power in Nanning, had caused financial strain and covered the deficits by using the funds from the eight granaries, even selling old rice as new. Pei Yan immediately declared that he would thoroughly investigate the matter and would not protect his family. He promised to give Wei Zhao a clear answer within three days.

Jiang Ci also asked Cui Liang to treat the girl from the Drunken Red Tower for her illness, and Pei Yan agreed without hesitation. That evening, Pei Yan hosted a banquet at his home, inviting his family and publicly apologizing to them. Pei Zifang was eager to know how Pei Yan would handle the armory case, but Pei Yan didn’t reveal much, instead continuously encouraging them to drink.

The girl from the Drunken Red Tower was diagnosed with syphilis, and Cui Liang gave her a prescription. Jiang Ci personally brewed the medicine for her and also delivered ointment to Wei Zhao for his bruises. Jiang Ci applied the ointment to Wei Zhao herself, and Wei Zhao felt warmth in his heart. As Jiang Ci looked at Wei Zhao's handsome face, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of tenderness.

Jiang Ci wanted to help the refugees, but her influence was limited. Wei Zhao recounted how, years ago, he and his sister had been treated as refugees, beaten and scolded like animals. Even now, he still felt indignant about it. Pei Yan expressed his gratitude to Pei Zifang for the help he received back then, saying that without it, he wouldn’t be where he was today.

As Pei Yan spoke, he became more and more emotional, drinking large amounts of wine and pretending to be drunk. In front of Pei Zifang, he rambled about how the Pei family would be re-evaluating who could serve in the imperial court. Pei Zifang and the other family members listened attentively. Pei Yan intentionally spread this message to provoke the Pei family members into exposing each other’s crimes.

He would rather have the Pei family bear the charge of corruption than allow Emperor Xie Che to doubt the family's loyalty. Just as Pei Yan expected, the Pei family members began accusing each other and revealing old secrets. Wei Zhao couldn’t help but be impressed by Pei Yan. Pei Zifang soon realized they had all fallen into Pei Yan’s trap.

Furious, he confronted Pei Yan, but Pei Yan, angered, drove him away and even had his house guarded to prevent anyone from entering or leaving.

After Pei Yan and Wei Zhao's relentless efforts, they finally uncovered the truth behind the military equipment case. However, Wei Zhao was not happy. He felt that the case had progressed too smoothly, as if someone had been leading them step by step.

First, they discovered that old rice was being sold at the rice shop, then traced the old rice back to the eight major granaries, uncovering how the Pei family had used the granary’s funds to cover the deficits of the Forging Department, and ultimately exposing the corruption of the Pei family. The more Wei Zhao thought about it, the more something felt wrong.

He noticed that Pei Yan had been preoccupied lately and hadn’t focused on finding the whereabouts of the Yan Shuangqiao sisters. Wei Zhao deduced that Pei Yan was also kept in the dark. He sent Yi Fei to secretly investigate the sisters' whereabouts. Pei Yan had long been aware of the Pei family’s treachery and cunning. He didn't dare to delve deeper into the investigation and could only close the case quickly.

Pei Yan could never forget how, after his father Pei Zijing’s death, he and his mother Rong Yudie were driven out of the family by the Pei clan. His mother reminded him to always remember the Pei family’s ugly faces and to strive forward, so as not to be used as a stepping stone by others. Pei Yan still felt resentment whenever he thought about it. Jiang Ci noticed that Pei Yan had something on his mind and comforted him warmly.

Pei Yan felt deeply touched and promised that after dealing with everything, he would take Jiang Ci on a trip to the south to enjoy the mountains and rivers. Jiang Ci wanted to go to the Prefect's warehouse to collect rice to help the starving people in the ruined temple.

Pei Yan gave her a note for the rice, but the officials at the yamen didn’t take it seriously and only gave Jiang Ci two bags of rice, which was far from enough. Jiang Ci decided to find another way and asked Cui Liang to start cooking porridge for the hungry people. Jiang Ci went to the river to ask Li Ayan for help, and Li Ayan took her to gather wild plants in the river to feed the starving people.

When He Yonglin heard that Jiang Ci was by the river, he immediately led people there to punish her, seeking revenge for his father He Zhenwen. He Yonglin arrived at the riverside with great hostility and insulted Jiang Ci. He rushed up to hit her, but Wei Zhao arrived just in time, stabbing He Yonglin's palm with a dagger. Terrified, He Yonglin fled. Jiang Ci thanked Wei Zhao for rescuing her once again.

Jiang Ci and Li Ayan returned to the ruined temple to make porridge. Li Ayan specifically asked Jiang Ci to cook the wild plants and rice separately. Jiang Ci didn’t think much of it. She personally made the porridge and even asked Wei Zhao for some sugar to add. Wei Zhao noticed that Li Ayan was acting suspiciously and had hidden the dagger ring hanging around her neck under her clothes, which puzzled him.

A little boy asked for meat, so Jiang Ci told him to close his eyes and imagine that the porridge was a bowl of beef soup. The starving people all closed their eyes and indulged in the fantasy, and Wei Zhao joined in as well. Seeing the starving people smile for the first time in a long while, Jiang Ci felt deeply gratified.

Wei Zhao couldn’t bear it any longer and took Jiang Ci to the Pei family granary to steal rice and meat. When they arrived at the warehouse, the guards not only refused to give them rice and meat but also attacked them. Wei Zhao easily subdued the guards, who then obediently handed over the food. Jiang Ci was in high spirits and bought a small sugar figurine cat by the roadside as a gift to thank Wei Zhao.

She playfully compared the figurine to Wei Zhao’s face, and Wei Zhao couldn’t help but laugh at her adorable expression. As it got late and Jiang Ci hadn’t returned, Pei Yan grew worried. When he found out that Jiang Ci had gone with Wei Zhao to the Pei family granary, he felt a pang of jealousy.

Pei Yan waited at the gate for Jiang Ci, and from a distance, he saw Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci laughing together as they walked back. His heart sank. Jiang Ci wanted to sleep with her maidservant, and Wei Zhao teased her, saying that her spoiled maid didn’t even have her own room. Pei Yan promised to give Jiang Ci a room of her own, only then did Wei Zhao leave at ease.

Pei Yan ordered the culprits behind the military equipment case to be paraded through the streets as a public display of their guilt. The common people threw vegetable leaves at them. Jiang Ci and Li Ayan collected the discarded vegetable leaves from the streets and returned to the ruined temple to cook porridge for the hungry. Pei Yan and Wei Zhao watched everything unfold.

Later, Pei Yan personally delivered food to the starving people, and Jiang Ci thanked him for his generous support. After Pei Yan left, Li Ayan asked Jiang Ci to help her plead with Pei Yan to clear her father’s name. Yi Fei secretly investigated the whereabouts of the Yan Shuangqiao sisters and discovered that they had once lived in the house of a man named Zheng Sheng, a craftsman from the Forging Department who died in the fire.

Wei Zhao became increasingly certain that the Forging Department case was more complex than it seemed, so he instructed Yi Fei to continue investigating. At Zheng Sheng’s house, Wei Zhao found a woman’s footprint and recalled Li Ayan’s strange behavior, suspecting that the footprint might belong to her. He also noticed that Li Ayan didn’t like mixing ingredients when cooking porridge, which he believed was a psychological scar from being enslaved for too long.

Wei Zhao began to suspect that Li Ayan was a descendant of Zhao Wu but lacked concrete evidence. It turned out that Zheng Sheng was Li Ayan’s fiancé. Two months ago, while working at the Forging Department, Zheng Sheng accidentally discovered that, aside from the Jiazi work shed, all the other sheds were using scrap iron. Shortly after confiding in Li Ayan, Zheng Sheng was burned to death.

Li Ayan suspected he was murdered to silence him and sought out other craftsmen for information, but they had all left one by one. Li Ayan wanted Pei Yan to help her clear Zheng Sheng’s name. Jiang Ci took Li Ayan to see Pei Yan, who brought out a dagger ring that Zheng Sheng had given her. The ring’s material was different from that of the other work sheds. Pei Yan allowed Li Ayan to temporarily stay at the mansion.

Pei Yan, upon further reflection, was horrified. He realized that the military equipment case concealed even deeper secrets but dared not investigate further. He preferred to close the case as corruption, so as not to arouse the suspicion of Emperor Xie Che. He ordered An Cheng to locate the craftsmen who had worked with Zheng Sheng and to investigate the connection between Zheng Sheng and the Yan Shuangqiao sisters.

Pei Yan warned An Cheng not to let Wei Zhao discover that there was more to the military equipment case. Wei Zhao urged Pei Yan to return to Qingkang to report back to Emperor Xie Che as soon as possible, but Pei Yan made an excuse that there were still loose ends to tie up. Wei Zhao decided to stay behind to help him.

Li Ayan wanted to give Pei Yan a gift to express her gratitude but didn’t know what he liked. Jiang Ci wasn’t sure either. She noticed that Wei Zhao had gone out, so she snuck into his room to find the small clay cat. Just then, Wei Zhao returned, and Jiang Ci asked him for advice on what gift to give.

Rong Yudie had placed trusted aides in her hometown of Nanling at Changfeng Wu, who kept her informed of Pei Yan and Jiang Ci's every move. Upon learning that Pei Yan had allowed Li Ayan to stay at Changfeng Wu, she became concerned. Rong Yudie had been secretly stockpiling military weapons at Biheshanzhuang in Nanling for years, intending to someday restore the Pei family’s power.

For years, He Zhenwen had been maneuvering within the Pei clan, trying every possible means to shift the focus of the military weapons case onto the corruption of Pei clan members. Unexpectedly, Li Ayan resurfaced, and He Zhenwen became worried that Pei Yan might uncover the secret of the hidden weapons at Biheshanzhuang.

Unsure of what to do, he went to Biheshanzhuang to report to Madam Du, who warned him that if Pei Yan discovered the secret, their lives would be in danger. He Yonglin was still reeling from Wei Zhao stabbing his hand, and He Zhenwen was deeply distressed. Vowing to avenge his son, He Zhenwen revealed the truth about Li Ayan to him.

He Yonglin devised a plan to spread false information, claiming that relics from the burned craftsmen had been found at the armory, hoping to lure Li Ayan into a trap. Pei Yan sent An Cheng and Tong Min to investigate the craftsmen who had worked with Zheng Sheng in the same workshop, but they found nothing. Anxious, Pei Yan was comforted when Jiang Ci personally made him Ding Sheng cake to encourage him.

When Wei Zhao came to ask Li Ayan for information, she refused to answer. Wei Zhao felt a pang of jealousy when he saw Pei Yan holding the cake Jiang Ci had made. Li Ayan overheard rumors about finding relics at the workshop and, while Jiang Ci was asleep, sneaked out of the mansion. When Jiang Ci woke up and found her missing, she immediately sought out Wei Zhao, who also had no idea where Li Ayan had gone.

He Yonglin successfully lured Li Ayan to the workshop and assaulted her. Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci searched everywhere for Li Ayan, eventually finding her at the armory’s workshop. He Yonglin arrogantly boasted in front of Jiang Ci, provoking her into a fight. They wrestled with each other until Wei Zhao arrived just in time, delivering a severe beating to He Yonglin and knocking him to the ground.

Desperate and ashamed, Li Ayan considered ending her life, but Jiang Ci pleaded with her not to act rashly. Wei Zhao also encouraged her to stand up and fight back, to seek justice for Zheng Sheng. Overwhelmed with grief, Li Ayan wept uncontrollably, but Jiang Ci’s comforting words gave her the strength to vow to bring He Yonglin to justice and expose everything to the public.

Wei Zhao had Yi Fei publicly parade He Yonglin and his accomplices through the streets in chains. They arrived at the governor's office, where He Zhenwen and Pei Yan rushed to the scene upon hearing the news. Li Ayan accused He Yonglin of abusing his power and exploiting others. He Zhenwen fervently defended his son and begged Pei Yan to take over the trial, requesting an hour to treat He Yonglin’s injuries.

He even revealed a peony jade pendant, a keepsake that Pei Yan immediately recognized as his mother Rong Yudie’s possession, making everything clear to him. After much deliberation, Pei Yan decided to postpone the trial by an hour, appointing Wei Zhao as an assistant judge. Jiang Ci pleaded with Pei Yan to deliver justice for Li Ayan.

He Zhenwen invited Pei Yan to Biheshanzhuang, where treasures and a large stockpile of weapons were hidden—wealth that could allow Pei Yan to dominate the world. He Zhenwen admitted to killing Zheng Sheng and others to silence them after they discovered the secret of the defective weapons. When He Zhenwen was at his lowest, he had the fortune of meeting Rong Yudie, who helped him rise to power.

In return, he had gathered evidence against the corrupt members of the Pei family. Kneeling before Pei Yan, He Zhenwen begged for his son’s life, saying that if He Yonglin died, he would have nothing left to lose. Pei Yan found himself in a difficult situation. He didn’t want to betray Jiang Ci and Li Ayan’s trust, but at the same time, he couldn’t let his mother’s years of effort go to waste.

As the hour quickly passed, Pei Yan began the trial of Li Ayan’s case. He Yonglin was brought in, and Li Ayan accused the armory of using counterfeit weapons and covering it up by causing the fire that killed Zheng Sheng. He Zhenwen desperately defended his son.

Wei Zhao sent men to the military to investigate the weapons, while He Yonglin claimed that Li Ayan had long been sold to the He family and that their conflict was a family matter, shocking the onlookers and enraging Li Ayan. He Zhenwen recounted the past, revealing that Li Ayan’s father, Li Song, was a servant of the He family who had sold Li Ayan to them.

Li Song had saved He Zhenwen’s life, and as a reward, He Zhenwen had given him a large estate. He Zhenwen claimed he couldn’t bear to let Li Ayan remain a servant, so he proposed that He Yonglin marry her. Pei Yan even advised Li Ayan to marry He Yonglin, but in her rage, Li Ayan pulled out her hairpin, intending to kill He Yonglin.

He Yonglin scrambled to escape, while Wei Zhao intervened, grabbing the hairpin and injuring his hand in the process, blood spilling onto the ground. Pei Yan immediately postponed the trial for three days. Jiang Ci and Wei Zhao, disappointed in Pei Yan, accompanied Li Ayan as they left the governor's office.

Li Ayan pleaded with Pei Yan to seek justice for her fiancé, Zheng Sheng. He Yonglin, however, devised a scheme to lure Li Ayan to the foundry where he assaulted her. He Zhenwen, worried that He Yonglin might be imprisoned, summoned Pei Yan to Bihe Villa. This secret base, where Rong Yudie stored gold, silver, and military equipment, had been managed by He Zhenwen for years. He Zhenwen knelt and begged Pei Yan to show leniency toward He Yonglin.

Pei Yan personally presided over the case. He Zhenwen and He Yonglin insisted that Li Ayan was a family slave of the He family, even presenting a 30-year-old contract of indenture signed by Li Ayan's father, Li Song, as evidence. Pei Yan, unsure of how to rule, postponed the verdict for three days. Jiang Ci and Wei Zhao saw through Pei Yan's bias toward the He family and were furious. Overcome with stress, Li Ayan fell ill.

Jiang Ci stayed by her side, not leaving for a moment. Wei Zhao, seeing this, assigned Yi Fei to protect Jiang Ci and Li Ayan, preventing anyone from approaching them. At the trial, Wei Zhao blocked a sword aimed at He Yonglin with his hand, suffering a deep cut on his palm. After ensuring Li Ayan was safe, Jiang Ci tended to Wei Zhao's wound.

Touched by her care, Wei Zhao vowed to thoroughly investigate Li Ayan's case and deliver justice. Jiang Ci was deeply grateful and tried hard to cheer him up. She wanted to find other women harmed by He Yonglin to testify, but Wei Zhao worried they wouldn't come forward. Pei Yan realized that the contract of indenture presented by He Zhenwen was forged, but it was so flawless that Pei Yan couldn't find any flaws.

Late that night, he visited He Zhenwen, who begged him to spare He Yonglin. He threatened to expose Rong Yudie's hidden military equipment in Nanling to the court if Pei Yan didn't comply. Caught in a dilemma, Pei Yan consulted Cui Liang, who suggested they find other victims to testify. Pei Yan agreed to send people to investigate. Cui Liang prepared some medicine for Li Ayan and sent it over, asking Jiang Ci to continue searching for other victims.

Jiang Ci personally visited the homes of women who had been harmed by He Yonglin, but all of them, fearing the He family's power, refused to testify. Exhausted and disheartened, Jiang Ci sat in the pouring rain, feeling defeated. Wei Zhao arrived just in time to take her home. Though discouraged, Jiang Ci wasn't ready to give up, and Wei Zhao suggested they find an alternative approach.

Before the trial, He Zhenwen requested an hour to treat He Yonglin's wounds, which made Wei Zhao suspicious that he was attempting to forge the contract of indenture. Jiang Ci agreed. That night, Wei Zhao sneaked into the magistrate's mansion in search of the indenture contract. After much effort, he found it, but Pei Yan, who had anticipated this move, had set a trap around the mansion. Wei Zhao was forced to leave.

Jiang Ci waited anxiously for Wei Zhao, but he never returned. Pei Yan arrived late at night to take Jiang Ci and Li Ayan back to Changfengwu, but Jiang Ci flatly refused. She accused Pei Yan of aiding the wicked for the sake of his family. Pei Yan claimed he was trying to protect everyone and desperately pleaded with Jiang Ci to leave with him, but she remained firm.

Just then, Wei Zhao returned and stopped Pei Yan, forcing him to leave, frustrated. The next morning, Pei Yan resumed the trial of Li Ayan's case. Jiang Ci produced the contract of indenture that Wei Zhao had stolen. In front of everyone, they tested the ink and confirmed that it wasn’t from 20 years ago, proving that Li Song's contract was a forgery. Faced with solid evidence, He Zhenwen was left speechless.

Jiang Ci and Wei Zhao urged Pei Yan to handle the case impartially. Furious, He Yonglin hurled insults at Li Ayan, prompting Jiang Ci to harshly reprimand him. Soon after, the victimized women arrived and collectively accused He Yonglin. Pei Yan ordered both He Zhenwen and He Yonglin to be imprisoned. Desperate to avoid death, He Yonglin drew his sword and charged at Jiang Ci.

Just as Wei Zhao was about to rush in to protect her, a nearby guard drew his sword and fatally struck He Yonglin in the throat, killing him instantly. Grief-stricken, He Zhenwen swore vengeance against Jiang Ci for He Yonglin's death. As Jiang Ci watched the victimized women return to their homes, she felt an indescribable sense of relief. To express her gratitude, Li Ayan prepared a few dishes for Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci.

She casually mentioned Zheng Sheng's background: Zheng Sheng's mother had been a slave, and his father had once worked in the palace. There was a certain lady who frequently sent money to Zheng Sheng's family. Intrigued, Wei Zhao asked who this lady was, but Li Ayan said she had never met her and only provided the bag in which the money was sent. Li Ayan then decided to leave Nanling.

Early the next morning, Li Ayan bid a tearful farewell to Jiang Ci. Wei Zhao suspected that Yan Shuangqiao had been secretly supporting Zheng Sheng all these years, so he sent Yi Fei to investigate.

After He Yonglin's death, He Zhenwen gave Pei Yan an ultimatum: Pei Yan must bring Jiang Ci’s head in exchange for the account books from Rong Yudie’s Bihe Villa. Pei Yan found himself in a dilemma. Jiang Ci asked Wei Zhao to return her clay kitten, as she planned to go to Yuzhou to find her master. Wei Zhao flatly refused.

Meanwhile, with the upcoming election of a new City Lord in Yue Luo, Yue Luo Elder Uncle Ping sent word to Wei Zhao through a messenger. Yi Fei informed Wei Zhao of the need to return to Yue Luo for the election, but Wei Zhao was currently on a mission in Nanling on the orders of Emperor Xie Che of Daliang, making it inconvenient for him to return.

He intended to report the matter of Lu Yu’s hidden weapons to the court, knowing the emperor would likely send him to Liangzhou to thoroughly investigate. He could use that opportunity to return to Yue Luo. Wei Zhao heard that Pei Yan had transferred He Zhenwen to the dungeon at Changfengwu, so he reviewed the case involving the military equipment.

He deduced that He Zhenwen possessed account books detailing his dealings with Lu Yu and sent Yi Fei to find them. Jiang Ci planned to set off to meet her master the day after tomorrow but was worried that the person coming to meet her wouldn’t actually be her master. The clay kitten was their secret sign, but since Wei Zhao refused to return it, Jiang Ci came up with a clever plan and crafted a new clay kitten herself.

Rong Yudie sent Nanny Du to deliver a message to Pei Yan, instructing him to give He Yonglin a proper burial to pacify He Zhenwen and to quickly retrieve the account books, so as not to jeopardize their plans. Nanny Du brought Pei Yan to meet He Zhenwen, and Pei Yan inadvertently noticed a hidden dart wound in He Yonglin’s palm, left by Wei Zhao when he rescued Jiang Ci.

Pei Yan recalled that the Silver Masked Assassin used such darts and thus concluded that Wei Zhao was the Silver Masked Assassin. Realizing that Jiang Ci had been hiding this from him, Pei Yan immediately decided to send Wei Zhao back to Qingkang before dealing with it. Nanny Du sent assassins to kill Jiang Ci, but Pei Yan arrived just in time to knock Jiang Ci unconscious and took her back to Changfengwu, warning Lady Du not to harm Jiang Ci.

Upon learning that Pei Yan had taken Jiang Ci to Changfengwu, Wei Zhao rushed there overnight. Jiang Ci woke up groggily and, seeing Pei Yan beside her, guessed that he had knocked her out. Pei Yan, not wanting to explain further, urged her to stay at Changfengwu for now, suggesting that they could return to Qingkang together later. Jiang Ci refused and tried to leave, but Pei Yan forcefully stopped her.

Jiang Ci broke free from his embrace and left Changfengwu. Wei Zhao arrived just in time and took Jiang Ci away with him. Pei Yan watched them leave with mixed emotions. Jiang Ci bid farewell to Wei Zhao, preparing to depart the next day to meet her master. Early the next morning, Pei Yan came to find Wei Zhao, and the two agreed to return to Qingkang together.

Yi Fei suspected that Wei Zhao was planning to cover for Jiang Ci’s departure. Cui Liang came to see Jiang Ci off, mentioning in passing that Pei Yan intended to return to Qingkang in three days. However, Wei Zhao insisted on leaving the next day. Cui Liang noticed Wei Zhao’s intentions and agreed to escort Jiang Ci out of Nanling.

That night, Jiang Ci secretly left while everyone was unprepared, and Cui Liang, who had been waiting for her, accompanied her in a carriage out of Nanling. Wei Zhao silently protected Jiang Ci and Cui Liang along the way, placing the clay kitten in the carriage. Upon seeing the kitten, Jiang Ci felt grateful toward Wei Zhao. Cui Liang accidentally revealed that Pei Yan had discovered the wound on He Yonglin’s hand, left by the Silver Masked Assassin.

Jiang Ci’s heart sank, knowing that if Pei Yan found out that Wei Zhao was the assassin, Wei Zhao’s life would be in danger. Jiang Ci decided to stay behind. Cui Liang dropped Jiang Ci off outside Nanling City and then hurried back with the carriage. Once Cui Liang was far away, Jiang Ci rode back to Changfengwu on horseback. She saw Pei Yan packing his belongings and decided to distract him.

After Pei Yan finished packing and noticed that Jiang Ci was missing, he immediately rode out to search for her. Taking advantage of the chaos, Jiang Ci threw a handful of flower powder, causing Pei Yan’s horse to become agitated. During the commotion, Jiang Ci took the hidden darts Pei Yan had collected.

Jiang Ci returned the darts to Wei Zhao and warned him not to go back to Qingkang, as Pei Yan had deduced from the darts that Wei Zhao was the Silver Masked Assassin. Pei Yan chased all the way outside the city but couldn’t find any trace of Jiang Ci. Realizing that the box of darts was missing, he suspected that Wei Zhao had taken it and went to confront him.

Wei Zhao hid Jiang Ci in a cabinet, and she pleaded with him not to let Pei Yan take her away. Wei Zhao stepped out to meet Pei Yan, who urged him to leave immediately. Wei Zhao feigned an upset stomach, requesting a delay of a few days. Pei Yan decided to stay and travel with him, even suggesting they drink together. Wei Zhao had no choice but to invite him into the room.

As they drank, Jiang Ci anxiously hid in the cabinet. Pei Yan, already aware of Wei Zhao’s true identity, subtly tested him, but Wei Zhao responded calmly and confidently, revealing no flaws. Pei Yan grew suspicious that Jiang Ci was hiding under the bed or in the bath.

Wei Zhao personally led him to check those places, and just as Pei Yan was about to open the wardrobe, Wei Zhao accused Pei Yan of covering up the truth about the military equipment case and drew his sword, stabbing the wardrobe to prove that no one was hiding inside.

Pei Yan discovered that Wei Zhao was the Silver Masked Assassin who killed Teng Rui, and he even found the hidden arrows as evidence. Pei Yan planned to take Jiang Ci back to Qingkang to report this to Emperor Xie Che of Daliang. However, the box containing the arrows was stolen, and Jiang Ci had also disappeared. Pei Yan was certain that all of this was Wei Zhao's doing, so he went directly to confront him.

Wei Zhao denied everything, and even after Pei Yan thoroughly searched his place for Jiang Ci, he found nothing. Furious, Pei Yan, who had developed feelings for Jiang Ci, was enraged by the thought that she had hidden Wei Zhao's true identity from him. Pei Yan and Wei Zhao got into a heated argument, which quickly escalated into a fierce fight. Neither of them was willing to back down, and the battle seemed evenly matched.

Yi Fei and Tong Min, along with others, watched the fight, and they too started a fierce argument as they defended their respective masters. Meanwhile, An Cheng sneaked back into Wei Zhao's residence to search for Jiang Ci. Wei Zhao quickly followed him inside, but by the time he arrived, An Cheng had already opened the wardrobe and found it empty. Furious, Wei Zhao forced Pei Yan to leave.

Wei Zhao was worried that Pei Yan would report his identity to Emperor Xie Che, which would ruin the plan that his family had been carefully plotting for many years. Still anxious about Jiang Ci's safety, Wei Zhao sent Yi Fei to find He Zhenwen, hoping to obtain evidence that could be used to blackmail Pei Yan.

Jiang Ci had overheard the fight between Wei Zhao and Pei Yan, and fearing that she would be discovered, she climbed up into the rafters, avoiding detection. After Wei Zhao returned to the room to look for her, Jiang Ci tried to jump down from the rafters but accidentally got her dress caught, falling directly onto Wei Zhao. This was the first time they had been so close, and both were flustered and embarrassed.

Pei Yan, convinced that Jiang Ci was hiding in Wei Zhao's house, ordered An Cheng and Tong Min to keep a close watch on the place. Meanwhile, Cui Liang personally escorted Jiang Ci out of the city, trying to persuade Pei Yan to let her go. However, Pei Yan, already suspicious of Cui Liang, punished him by forbidding him from leaving Changfeng Wudi.

Pei Yan, having lost the evidence proving Wei Zhao’s identity, worried that Wei Zhao would seek out He Zhenwen for the ledger records. Thus, Pei Yan had someone keep a close eye on He Zhenwen. Jiang Ci returned the hidden arrows to Wei Zhao and wanted to leave as soon as possible to meet with her master.

Wei Zhao, realizing that Pei Yan had set up an inescapable trap around his house, gave Jiang Ci a set of men's clothes and promised to find a way to help her leave Nanling. Jiang Ci then pulled out the small clay cat she had made, and without hesitation, Wei Zhao snatched it from her, wanting to keep it as a memento.

As Jiang Ci and Wei Zhao shared the same room, they both felt conflicted, knowing that this might be their last meeting for a long time. He Zhenwen, imprisoned in the Changfeng Wudi dungeon, secretly vowed to make the entire Pei family pay for the death of his son, He Yonglin. Pei Yan came late at night to ask He Zhenwen for the ledger of the Forging Department, but He Zhenwen flatly refused.

Pei Yan, having anticipated this, had his men lying in wait outside the city. He Zhenwen sent someone to deliver the ledger containing records of Lu Yu and Rong Yudie's dealings to Qingkang. However, An Cheng and Tong Min intercepted the delivery and stole the ledger. Just then, another masked figure appeared and snatched a second ledger. Pei Yan's men retrieved the ledger containing Lu Yu and the Forging Department’s records.

Pei Yan guessed that the second ledger had been taken by Wei Zhao's people, and he was right. Wei Zhao had Yi Fei seize the ledger containing Rong Yudie's dealings with the Forging Department. With this evidence in hand, Wei Zhao decided to bide his time. He first wrote a secret letter to Emperor Xie Che, truthfully reporting the Forging Department’s illicit arms dealings, but without revealing the mastermind behind the operation.

Emperor Xie Che received the report and immediately suspected that the Pei family was colluding with the Forging Department. He ordered the Sword Marquis Residence to be surrounded. The steward, in a hurry, rode through the night to Nanling to urge Pei Yan to return and take charge of the situation. Pei Yan, not daring to delay, rode back to Qingkang overnight.

Wei Zhao, watching Pei Yan ride away, knew that in order to save his mother, Rong Yudie, Pei Yan would likely hand over Lu Yu's ledger to the court. Wei Zhao decided to first send Jiang Ci to Yuzhou Island before returning to Moonfall to participate in the election for the new city lord. Jiang Ci couldn’t sleep, staring at Wei Zhao’s handsome face in a daze before eventually falling asleep beside him.

When Wei Zhao awoke early the next morning, he found Jiang Ci holding tightly onto his neck, mumbling "Master" in her sleep. Startled, Wei Zhao froze, not daring to move. Just then, Yi Fei came to report his investigation results, prompting Wei Zhao to quickly escape Jiang Ci’s embrace. Yi Fei's investigation on Yuzhou Island finally uncovered the whereabouts of Yan Shuangqiao. However, since Pei Yan’s men had also been searching for her, Yan Shuangqiao quickly disappeared.

Yi Fei learned that Yan Shuangqiao had lived in Jiangjia Village with a young girl for a long time, but they both disappeared two months ago, and their home had been burned down. Wei Zhao was shocked by the news, realizing that the person he had been relentlessly searching for—Yan Shuangqiao—was none other than Jiang Ci's master. After careful consideration, he decided to send Jiang Ci to Yuzhou Island first.

Pei Yan, rushing back to Qingkang, presented the ledgers proving Lu Yu’s collusion with the Forging Department to Emperor Xie Che. He also strategically disclosed parts of He Zhenwen's corruption and the Pei family’s wrongdoing, which included crimes like embezzlement and exploitation. Xie Che was greatly impressed by Pei Yan and ordered him to return home and accompany Rong Yudie.

Pei Yan, braving a heavy rainstorm, went to confront Rong Yudie, but she refused to see him, leaving Pei Yan to kneel outside as the rain mercilessly poured down on him. Meanwhile, Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci arrived on Yuzhou Island. Jiang Ci waited for several days at the agreed meeting spot, but no one came to meet her. Wei Zhao, unable to bear seeing her so anxious, instructed Yi Fei to arrange for someone to impersonate her contact.

Jiang Ci had been waiting anxiously for several days when finally, an elderly woman came to meet her. Jiang Ci's master, knowing how dangerous the martial world could be, was worried she might be deceived, and had instructed her to use a small clay cat as a signal. Jiang Ci had crafted a small clay cat herself, but it had been taken by Wei Zhao. After arriving at Yuzhou Island, she asked him to return it.

Jiang Ci intentionally used the clay cat she had made as a signal during the meeting, but the elderly woman immediately recognized it. Left with no choice, Jiang Ci showed her the real clay cat. The elderly woman, pretending to be honest, told Jiang Ci that her master had gone to Yue Luo City to find her, and Jiang Ci believed her.

In reality, this woman was a contact arranged by Wei Zhao, who had instructed her in advance on how to distinguish between the real and fake clay cats, successfully deceiving Jiang Ci. Jiang Ci then gave the clay cat she made to Wei Zhao, and he agreed to take her to Yue Luo City. Meanwhile, Emperor Xie Che of Daliang sent Wei Zhao a secret letter, ordering him to go to Liangzhou to monitor Lu Yu.

Wei Zhao, however, did not want Jiang Ci to reunite with her master and secretly switched the real clay cat with a fake one. He then broke the one Jiang Ci had made. Early the next morning, Wei Zhao took Jiang Ci out. He deliberately caused someone to bump into her, causing her bundle to fall. When she picked it up, she noticed that the clay cat had shattered. Wei Zhao offered her some comforting words.

Meanwhile, Pei Yan had knelt outside in the rain for a full day and night before Rong Yudie finally agreed to see him. Eager for answers, Pei Yan pressed her to explain why she had hidden treasures and weapons at the Biheshan Manor. Rong Yudie revealed her desire for Pei Yan to become emperor so that they would no longer be at the mercy of Xie Che, the Emperor of Daliang. However, Pei Yan was unwilling to betray the court.

Rong Yudie then presented the bloodstained battle armor that Pei Zijin had worn in his final battle. After years of loyal service to the court, Pei Zijin had died on the battlefield. Rong Yudie did not want Pei Yan to follow in his father’s tragic footsteps, so she laid out the consequences, explaining why Pei Yan needed to seize the throne. Pei Yan was heartbroken.

Rong Yudie, determined to push him toward the throne, went so far as to claim that he was the illegitimate son of Emperor Xie Che. Although Pei Yan had no interest in wealth or power, Rong Yudie was convinced she could change his mind. Meanwhile, Lu Yu had stationed his army at the border of Liangzhou. He had heard that the account books of the Foundry Bureau had been handed over to the court by Pei Yan.

Emperor Xie Che sent someone to take Lu Yu’s eldest son out for a countryside outing, where he caught a cold. Lu Yu knew this was Xie Che’s way of intimidating him, and he grew increasingly anxious. If his eldest son were not being held as a hostage in Qingkang, Lu Yu would have already rebelled. Lu Yu’s final trump card lay in Yue Luo City, where he had planted a spy.

As long as this person succeeded in becoming the city lord, Yue Luo City would be under Lu Yu’s control, and he could use the military power of Weiguo to overthrow Emperor Xie Che of Daliang. Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci continued their journey to Yue Luo. Jiang Ci was enchanted by the beautiful scenery along the way and felt a sense of joy at the thought of soon seeing her master.

She casually mentioned that her master had been to Yue Luo before and had fond memories of a dish called "Bitter-Free Porridge. " Curious, Wei Zhao inquired about her master, but Jiang Ci didn’t know many details. As they approached Yue Luo City, Elder Ping Shu came to greet Wei Zhao, informing him of Lu Yu’s spy within the city. Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci changed into Yue Luo attire, and the three of them entered the city on foot.

They were welcomed by A Le, who took them to his home for a meal. A Le’s grandmother, who was blind, read Wei Zhao’s fortune by feeling his bones and warned him to proceed with caution. A Le, however, quickly noticed that Jiang Ci was from Daliang. Since many Yue Luo citizens had been sent to Daliang as slaves, they harbored deep hatred for Daliang.

A Le forcibly threw Jiang Ci out of the house, but his grandmother intervened and stopped him. Angry, A Le stormed out of the house. Wei Zhao urged Jiang Ci to enjoy her meal, but soon after, Yu Lian arrived with a message for Wei Zhao, prompting him to leave with Ping Shu.

Yu Lian had discovered that Lu Yu was attempting to install his own ally as the city lord of Yue Luo, but without the white jade hairpin left behind by the old city lord, this ally could not claim the position. Wei Zhao decided to use the white jade hairpin as bait to lure out the spy in Yue Luo.

Yu Lian recognized Jiang Ci as the person who had thwarted her assassination plan at Fanglin Court and wanted to kill her. However, Wei Zhao, claiming that Jiang Ci was needed to track down Yan Shuangqiao, convinced her to hold off for now. Meanwhile, A Le’s grandmother told Jiang Ci about how Wei Zhao had saved A Le.

A Le had been captured and sold as a slave in Qingkang, where he fought fiercely against his captors and was nearly beaten to death by government soldiers. It was thanks to Wei Zhao’s intervention that A Le was saved. The grandmother then read Jiang Ci’s fortune and predicted that she would find a lover with whom she would share a deep, mutual affection. A Le accidentally discovered soldiers sent by Lu Yu in Yue Luo.

He set up a large net to trap them, but the soldiers outnumbered him and managed to capture him. A Le was beaten by the soldiers, leaving Wei Zhao furious. He planned to disguise himself and rescue A Le, but Jiang Ci quickly grabbed some heart-grass flowers, chewed them up, and smeared the juice on a firewood knife.

She ran over to A Le, scolded him harshly, and pretended to stab him with the knife, pleading with the soldiers to release him. The soldiers, however, were distracted by Jiang Ci’s beauty and began to harass her. Jiang Ci spat out the heart-grass juice onto one of the soldiers' hands and claimed it was poison, telling them they needed to wash it off with bixi immediately or they would die. Terrified, the soldiers fled in a panic.

Wei Zhao pulled the knife out of A Le’s chest, and Jiang Ci helped bandage his wound. Wei Zhao ordered Ping Shu to focus on finding the spy within Yue Luo and to put the search for Yan Shuangqiao on hold for now. He also had Yu Lian keep a close watch on Jiang Ci.

Wei Zhao returned to his hometown, Yue Luo City, after many years away. Memories from the past flooded his mind—he recalled the happy times spent with his parents and sister during his childhood. But now, everything had changed. His parents and sister had passed away one after another, leaving him behind. After many years of patience and perseverance, he had finally risen to prominence, living a life free from material worries, yet his heart remained lonely and desolate.

The more Wei Zhao thought about it, the sadder he became, and he couldn't help but shed tears. Jiang Ci saw everything clearly from the side. Pei Yan had originally intended to make a comeback by taking advantage of the military arms case, but he was tightly bound by his mother, Rong Yudie's, selfish desires. Pei Yan decided to request military reforms from the Da Liang Emperor, Xie Che.

Lu Yu's Zhenyuan Army and Changfeng Guard were thorns in Xie Che's side. Now that the Changfeng Guard was temporarily under the management of Yue Jinglong, Pei Yan believed that if he could completely reform the Zhenyuan Army, he would regain Xie Che's trust and be reinstated to an official position.

However, Pei Yan was most worried about the account books Rong Yudie had exchanged with the Forging Bureau, which were in Wei Zhao's possession, so he sent Yi Fei to find Wei Zhao's whereabouts. Rong Yudie was eager to arrange a marriage between Pei Yan and the second daughter of the Left Prime Minister, Dong Juan. She wanted Pei Yan to meet Dong Juan the next day.

However, Pei Yan was still thinking about Jiang Ci and had no interest in Dong Juan, using various excuses to avoid the meeting. Pei Yan drafted a plan for the military reforms and immediately went to the palace to report to Xie Che. Although Xie Che was satisfied with his proposal, he refused to meet Pei Yan. Nevertheless, Pei Yan was not discouraged and waited outside the palace for a summons every day.

Wei Zhao, along with Jiang Ci, Ping Shu, and Yu Lian, left Ah Le’s home and headed to Yue Luo City. Ah Le insisted on following Wei Zhao, and despite his reluctance, Wei Zhao finally agreed. Along the way, Jiang Ci left secret markings to help her master find her more easily. Jiang Ci noticed Yu Lian standing absent-mindedly in front of a courtyard and saw an old woman tidying up the woodpile.

Out of curiosity, Jiang Ci went over to help, only to learn that the old woman was Yu Lian’s mother. As night fell, the group arrived at an inn. Ping Shu suggested Jiang Ci sleep in the firewood room, but Jiang Ci refused and insisted on sharing a room with Yu Lian. Jiang Ci took out two eggs that the old woman had given Yu Lian and tried to console her. Yu Lian then opened up to Jiang Ci.

She told her about being captured and taken to Da Liang as a slave while her mother cried every day. Wei Zhao had rescued Yu Lian, and now she was determined to sacrifice everything for the people of Yue Luo City. Yu Lian knew the road ahead was full of dangers and that she could die at any time. That’s why she didn’t dare reunite with her mother—to spare her the pain of separation once more.

Jiang Ci, having witnessed firsthand the sacrifices of the Yue Luo people like the elderly He couple, who had died for justice, gained newfound respect for them. Jiang Ci noticed that Wei Zhao had been acting strangely since returning to Yue Luo, so she asked Yu Lian about his situation, but Yu Lian refused to speak. Wei Zhao began teaching Ah Le martial arts and was strict with his training, while Ah Le took his lessons very seriously.

Meanwhile, the Da Liang Emperor, Xie Che, reviewed Pei Yan’s military reform proposal. Although he was pleased, he still refused to meet Pei Yan, preferring to wait for Wei Zhao to investigate Lu Yu’s matter before making any decisions. Since Pei Yan had not yet been summoned by Xie Che, he left the palace feeling dejected. Passing by the river, he recalled the time he and Jiang Ci made wishes together on a lotus lantern, which left him feeling melancholic.

As Pei Yan walked back, he suddenly ran into Dong Juan and remembered that they had a scheduled meeting that day. He quickly apologized to Dong Juan, who didn’t take offense and even agreed to lie for him, saying he had arrived on time. Pei Yan was grateful to her. Pei Yan then returned to Jian Ding Marquis Manor, where he learned that Cui Liang hadn’t eaten or drunk anything for four days. He hurried over to check on him.

Cui Liang, feeling ashamed for helping Jiang Ci escape, wanted to atone for his actions with his life. Pei Yan persuaded him to eat first, and Cui Liang, who recognized Pei Yan’s ambition and leadership, worried that Pei Yan’s pursuit of the throne might bring suffering to the common people. Pei Yan swore he would never let the people endure such hardships and begged Cui Liang to stay by his side.

Early the next morning, Pei Yan visited Left Prime Minister Dong Fang and proposed marriage to Dong Juan. Dong Fang was eager to accept and even spoke highly of Pei Yan in front of Xie Che, prompting the emperor to finally agree to meet Pei Yan. Pei Yan, eager to begin the military reforms, was concerned that Lu Yu might not cooperate. He volunteered to go to Liangzhou to carry out the reforms.

Xie Che reinstated Pei Yan to his official position and secretly sent word to Wei Zhao, instructing him to keep an eye on both Pei Yan and Lu Yu. Before departing, Pei Yan bid farewell to Rong Yudie, promising to retrieve the account books from Wei Zhao as soon as possible. That day, the election for the new city lord of Yue Luo was held.

Wei Zhao, along with Ping Shu, quietly attended the event, while Jiang Ci secretly followed with Ah Le. The election began with the four candidates: Elder Ji, Elder Hong, Elder Li, and Elder Ping, while the clanspeople voted openly. Wei Zhao cast his vote for Xiao Haitian, which caused an uproar. The clanspeople furiously denounced Xiao Haitian as a traitor to Yue Luo and publicly condemned him.

Wei Zhao, masked, rushed onto the stage, took out the old city lord’s token—a white jade hairpin—and demanded justice for Xiao Haitian, leaving the crowd in shock.

The people of Yue Luo City voted to elect their city lord. Elder Li received the most votes, but Wei Zhao appeared at the election assembly, holding the white jade hairpin, the token of the old city lord. He publicly declared that without the white jade hairpin, one was not qualified to be the city lord. Elder Li was furious, and Elder Hong hurried to chase after Wei Zhao, whom he recognized at a glance.

Years ago, after Wei Zhao’s father, Xiao Haitian, died, the clan members blamed him and hunted down Wei Zhao and his sister. They hid in the grass, and Elder Hong found them but ultimately let them escape. The four elders suspected that the person who disrupted the election with the white jade hairpin was Xiao Haitian’s son, Xiao Wuxia. They gathered to discuss a countermeasure.

Elder Li came up with an idea: they should let the person with the white jade hairpin become the city lord. The four elders split up to search for Xiao Wuxia’s whereabouts in Yue Luo. When the people of Yue Luo heard that Xiao Wuxia had returned, they rushed into the old Xiao family house and started smashing things. Wei Zhao witnessed this scene, his anger surging. He wanted to intervene, but Jiang Ci quickly stopped him.

Elder Hong’s son arrived just in time and, after much persuasion, managed to calm the crowd and disperse them. Looking at the ruined house, Wei Zhao was overwhelmed with emotion, recalling the happy memories of his family of four laughing and talking in this home. Jiang Ci cleaned up the old Xiao family house inside and out.

By chance, she saw the marks on the door frame where Wei Zhao and his sister had carved their height each year on their birthdays. Jiang Ci offered to help Wei Zhao mark his current height on the frame. As he looked at the markings, Wei Zhao was reminded of his parents and sister’s smiles, but the present reality was so different. Overcome with emotion, Wei Zhao couldn’t hold back his tears.

The reason Wei Zhao brought the white jade hairpin to disrupt the election was to flush out any hidden spies. Lu Yu heard that the Da Liang Emperor had sent Pei Yan to Liangzhou to reform the Zhenyuan Army, but he didn't take Pei Yan seriously. A spy in Yue Luo City reported to Lu Yu that the selection of the city lord had been postponed.

Lu Yu ordered that the matter be settled quickly, dismissing Xiao Wuxia as no real threat. Pei Yan, riding with his men at full speed, rushed toward Liangzhou. He knew Lu Yu wouldn’t easily relinquish his military power and was fully prepared. Pei Yan had already sent someone ahead to investigate Wei Zhao’s whereabouts, hoping to retrieve Rong Yudie’s account books, but they found nothing.

Guessing that Wei Zhao had returned to Yue Luo, Pei Yan came up with a clever plan to provoke a conflict between Wei Zhao and Lu Yu, intending to benefit from the chaos. Wei Zhao was gloomy and depressed all day. Jiang Ci did everything she could to cheer him up, even repairing his favorite childhood swing. The swing had the character "Xia" from Xiao Wuxia’s name carved into it.

Wei Zhao was moved to tears, and Jiang Ci, knowing that Wei Zhao was burdened by deep-seated family and national grievances, encouraged him to follow his own path. Jiang Ci and Yu Lian searched everywhere for their master but found no trace of him. Jiang Ci wrote a letter to her master and entrusted someone to deliver it to Jiangjia Village. Wei Zhao saw everything and intercepted the messenger, who handed the letter to him.

Sensing Jiang Ci’s unhappiness, Wei Zhao took her to look for the special porridge she liked, "non-bitter porridge. " However, there was none for sale anywhere in Yue Luo City, so Wei Zhao took her to Ming Yue Valley to gather the Lingjiu flower to make the porridge. When Jiang Ci arrived at Ming Yue Valley, she saw that it was nothing but a desolate mass grave filled with bones. Terrified, she hurried away with Wei Zhao.

Meanwhile, Pei Yan arrived early at the Zhenyuan Army camp. Lu Yu had his soldiers shout slogans in an attempt to intimidate Pei Yan, but Pei Yan remained calm. He deliberately let slip that Wei Zhao was in Liangzhou investigating Lu Yu’s involvement in smuggling military equipment. Enraged, Lu Yu sent people to search inside and outside the city for Wei Zhao.

Satisfied that his plan had worked, Pei Yan dispatched men to Yue Luo to find Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci, determined to bring Jiang Ci back safely. Wei Zhao wanted to take Jiang Ci to Ming Yue Valley to gather the Lingjiu flower, but Jiang Ci made various excuses to avoid going. She didn’t want Wei Zhao to see the miserable state of the valley.

That night, Wei Zhao went to Ming Yue Valley alone and was struck by the sight of the countless bones. He felt a complex mix of emotions. Jiang Ci learned from Yu Lian that the people of Yue Luo had died in the fires of war, and Lu Yu had slaughtered many innocent people, which is why the mass grave existed. Jiang Ci realized that the Lingjiu flower would no longer grow there.

That night was a full moon, and suddenly, the tunes of Yue Luo City filled the air. The townspeople stopped what they were doing to silently mourn those who had died. Jiang Ci saw Wei Zhao return from Ming Yue Valley, looking distraught, and knew he had seen the devastation. Wei Zhao wanted to help Jiang Ci find the Lingjiu flower to make non-bitter porridge, but the mass grave could no longer produce the flower.

Jiang Ci thought about finding seeds to grow it herself. Wei Zhao, meanwhile, planned to use himself as bait to lure out the spies. He couldn’t stay with Jiang Ci, but worried about her and Yu Lian’s safety, so he gave her a dagger for protection. Before leaving, Wei Zhao placed the white jade hairpin in Jiang Ci’s luggage.

Wei Zhao suddenly appeared, luring the four elders into chasing him, and he allowed himself to be captured on purpose. Elder Li hurried to meet Elder Ping late at night, trying to persuade him to become the city lord. Elder Li wanted to cooperate with Elder Ping to take back the white jade hairpin, and together they would rule Yue Luo. Years ago, Elder Ping and his wife fought alongside Xiao Haitian against foreign enemies.

Unfortunately, her husband died in battle, and Elder Ping blamed Xiao Haitian for his death, forming an unrelenting grudge against him ever since. Hong Jie, the son of Elder Hong, was young and ambitious. He was determined to become the city lord and completely change the fate of the people of Yue Luo, but Elder Hong had no interest in the position.

Late into the night, the four elders interrogated Wei Zhao, torturing him to make him hand over the white jade hairpin, but Wei Zhao refused. Meanwhile, Jiang Ci heard that there were Lingjiu flower seeds on Lone Star Peak, so despite the danger, she climbed up the peak alone. The next day, the grand election ceremony for the city lord of Yue Luo was to take place.

Lu Yu sent men disguised as commoners to search for Wei Zhao in Yue Luo. Pei Yan heard that the masked person who disrupted the election assembly had been captured, and he suspected it was Wei Zhao. He ordered An Cheng to stay behind and deal with Lu Yu, while he and Tong Min headed to Yue Luo to find Jiang Ci. Yu Lian and A Le arrived at Lone Star Peak just in time.

After reuniting with Jiang Ci, they returned to the city together. By chance, they overheard that Elder Ping had captured the troublemaker from the election assembly. Jiang Ci guessed that the person was Wei Zhao. Yu Lian told Jiang Ci and A Le to head home first while she went to rescue Wei Zhao. As soon as Yu Lian showed up, Hong Jie recognized her and relentlessly questioned her about the whereabouts of Jiang Ci and A Le.

Yu Lian refused to answer and slipped away when he was off guard. Pei Yan and Tong Min, disguised, arrived in Yue Luo City and began searching for Jiang Ci. From afar, they recognized Yu Lian and followed her, eventually finding Jiang Ci’s residence. Pei Yan wanted to take Jiang Ci away, but she adamantly refused. Yu Lian tried to stop them and fought hard, but she was severely injured by Tong Min and subdued on the spot.

Not wanting to implicate Yu Lian any further, Jiang Ci reluctantly agreed to go with Pei Yan. As A Le was escorting the injured Yu Lian out of the house, they were stopped by Hong Jie, and both were captured. The four elders took turns interrogating Wei Zhao, but he remained silent. Elder Ji, in a fit of rage, wanted to kill Wei Zhao, but Elder Li opposed the idea, insisting on finding the white jade hairpin.

Elder Ji brought Wei Zhao to the Xiao family’s old house and tried to use manipulative tactics to force him to comply, cursing Xiao Haitian and even pouring a bowl of blood on Xiao Haitian’s armor to insult him. Wei Zhao sneered coldly and suggested that the elders fight each other, with the winner receiving the white jade hairpin. Enraged, Elder Ping tried to kill Wei Zhao, but Elder Li held her back.

Pei Yan was very considerate of Jiang Ci, but she remained cold toward him. Despite Pei Yan’s efforts to please her, Jiang Ci was unmoved, which pained Pei Yan deeply. Jiang Ci mocked him, stating she would rather be used by Wei Zhao than accept Pei Yan’s affection. Meanwhile, Hong Jie pressured Yu Lian to reveal the location of the white jade hairpin and their true purpose for coming to Yue Luo, but Yu Lian refused to answer.

Hong Jie, upon hearing that the four elders had taken Wei Zhao to the Xiao family’s old residence, angrily took A Le to confront Wei Zhao. Elder Hong chased Hong Jie away and learned from A Le that Jiang Ci had been captured by Pei Yan. Pei Yan intended to take Jiang Ci away from Yue Luo. She used the excuse of going back to pack her things and left a secret message for Wei Zhao.

When Jiang Ci found the white jade hairpin hidden in her clothes, she took out a pottery flute and played a melodious tune that reached the prison where Wei Zhao was held, and he heard it clearly. Meanwhile, Elder Hong and the townspeople were fortifying the city walls. Hong Jie complained that his father wasn’t striving for the city lord position, but in the end, he still helped with the work.

After packing her things, Jiang Ci followed Pei Yan to leave. Early the next morning, she made a bowl of porridge for Pei Yan, but he realized it had been drugged. Furious, he confronted Jiang Ci. Despite his deep feelings for her, she remained guarded, even attempting to drug him to escape. Without saying another word, Pei Yan grabbed Jiang Ci and left.

Early that morning, Hong Jie released Yu Lian and A Le and told them to go watch the city lord election ceremony. As soon as Pei Yan and Jiang Ci stepped out, they encountered Zhang Zhi Cheng, a deputy under Lu Yu. Jiang Ci, worried that General Zhang might interfere with Wei Zhao’s plans, lied, saying that Pei Yan was taking her to watch the election ceremony. The grand election ceremony officially began.

The four elders sat on the stage, and Elder Li ordered Wei Zhao to be brought out. Elder Ji publicly exonerated Xiao Haitian from the false charges and even bowed three times to Xiao Haitian’s memory. Elder Ping rebuked Elder Ji for lacking backbone. Left with no choice, Elder Ji revealed the truth: Wei Zhao claimed to know the whereabouts of Elder Ji’s son, Ji Lang.

If Elder Ji would clear Xiao Haitian’s name, not only would Wei Zhao give him the white jade hairpin, but he would also help find Ji Lang. Wei Zhao then publicly announced Elder Li’s promise from the previous night: as long as Wei Zhao handed over the white jade hairpin, he would be guaranteed endless wealth and glory in Yue Luo and Da Liang. Wei Zhao presented Elder Li’s signed pledge as evidence.

Elder Li tried to explain, but Wei Zhao then revealed his true identity as Xiao Haitian’s son, Xiao Wuxia, stunning everyone present. Jiang Ci stood up to testify on behalf of Wei Zhao, publicly declaring that her husband was Xiao Wuxia. Elder Li tried to accuse Wei Zhao of being an imposter, but Jiang Ci presented the white jade hairpin as proof.

The four elders all suspected that Wei Zhao was actually Xiao Haitian's son, Xiao Wuxia. To help him get out of the situation, Jiang Ci claimed that she was Xiao Wuxia's wife, and even presented the white jade hairpin as proof, intending to clear Xiao Haitian's name. Elder Li didn’t believe her at all, and Jiang Ci publicly exposed him as a spy sent by Lu Yu.

Zhang Zhi Cheng and Pei Yan were both stunned by the scene unfolding before them. Wei Zhao drew his sword and stabbed at Elder Li. Elder Li shouted for Zhang Zhi Cheng to save him, but Elder Ping struck Elder Li on the head, killing him instantly. At Zhang Zhi Cheng's command, the Zhenyuan Army soldiers hidden among the crowd rushed forward.

Elder Hong called for the soldiers of Moonfall City to fight back, and both sides began a fierce battle. Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci fought side by side. Pei Yan attacked them, aiming a blow at Wei Zhao. Jiang Ci rushed to block him, but Pei Yan struck her in the back. Elder Hong and Elder Ping joined forces to fight the enemy, with Hong Jie also participating.

The Moonfall soldiers fought more bravely as the battle progressed, and Zhang Zhi Cheng was eventually killed on the spot. Pei Yan led the remaining Zhenyuan Army soldiers back to the camp and reported Zhang Zhi Cheng’s death to Lu Yu. Lu Yu sent someone to comfort Zhang Zhi Cheng’s family to prevent the court from holding them accountable.

Hong Jie realized that his father, Elder Hong, was allied with Wei Zhao and became furious, threatening to run away from home. Elder Hong tried to calm him down and took him to meet Wei Zhao. After Xiao Haitian’s death years ago, Xiao Wuxia and his sister were hunted by the people of Moonfall. Elder Hong discovered the siblings hiding in the grass and deliberately let them go. Since then, they had only kept in touch through letters.

Wei Zhao gave the white jade hairpin to Elder Hong, asking him to become the Lord of Moonfall City. Elder Hong, unable to refuse the request, agreed and urged Wei Zhao to stay until after the festival. Jiang Ci also chimed in, and Wei Zhao finally agreed with a smile. Yu Lian had dislocated her arm, and Jiang Ci helped her reset it.

Wei Zhao was concerned that Pei Yan would complain to Xie Che, the emperor of Da Ling, so he sent Yi Fei to deliver a message to Xie Che, exposing Lu Yu’s secret agents in Moonfall. Wei Zhao knew that Lu Yu wouldn’t give up easily and decided to stay and protect the people of Moonfall.

Pei Yan originally intended to use Lu Yu to recover the account books from Wei Zhao, but when that plan failed, he decided to wait for Lu Yu and Wei Zhao to exhaust each other. Xie Che received secret letters from both Lu Yu and Wei Zhao. Angered by Lu Yu’s actions, Xie Che, knowing that Pei Yan was in a difficult position, chose not to pursue the matter further when Pei Yan failed to report anything.

Today was the Cold Clothes Festival, and Moonfall City was as lively as New Year’s, with every household celebrating. Elder Hong hosted a feast for Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci, inviting Ah Le and his grandmother as well. Elder Hong even brought out the plum wine he had saved for Hong Jie’s wedding to entertain his guests, with Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci dressed in their finest.

Hong Jie, still upset, bought a laxative from a beggar on the street, intending to add it to the food. However, Yu Lian caught him in the act and severely scolded him. Elder Hong urged Hong Jie to join everyone in celebrating the festival. Jiang Ci discovered that the laxative Hong Jie had bought was fake and promised to make some real laxative for him later.

Hong Jie pitied Jiang Ci, thinking it unfortunate that she had married the cold-hearted Wei Zhao. Yu Lian warned Hong Jie not to speak carelessly. As everyone exchanged drinks and laughter, the courtyard echoed with joy. Jiang Ci, feeling sentimental, was reminded of her parents and master. Wei Zhao, noticing her mood, took her to the festival to help her relax. Following Moonfall customs, he painted her face. Wei Zhao painted a flower on Jiang Ci's face.

Jiang Ci, reluctant to paint on his face, drew a phoenix on his mask instead. Since she wasn’t skilled in drawing, it ended up looking like a duck, making Wei Zhao burst into laughter. That night, Wei Zhao, Jiang Ci, Ah Le, Yu Lian, Hong Jie, and others went to the festival together, joining the townspeople in singing and dancing around the bonfire. After the dance, the young men gave flowers to the girls they admired as a token of affection.

Hong Jie gave a flower to Yu Lian, scaring her so much that she ran off. Jiang Ci, unaware of the flower's meaning, gave one to Wei Zhao. Before he could explain, the townspeople began questioning her, reminding her that she had claimed to be Xiao Wuxia’s wife but was now showing affection to Wei Zhao. Wei Zhao took off his mask and publicly revealed that he was Xiao Wuxia, Xiao Haitian’s son.

The people, filled with hatred for the Xiao family, verbally attacked him, forcing Wei Zhao to pull Jiang Ci away. Feeling heavy-hearted, Wei Zhao was comforted by Jiang Ci, who played the tune "Moonfall Song" on her ocarina to soothe his troubled mind. She advised him not to be sad and to follow his heart. As she played, Wei Zhao quietly hummed along to the familiar melody.

Hong Jie fell in love with Yu Lian at first sight and confessed to her during the festival. However, Yu Lian wasn’t interested in him. Hong Jie persistently pursued her, but Yu Lian tried to avoid him at all costs. She ran into Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci, and to fend off Hong Jie, she lied, saying she preferred men like Wei Zhao. Hong Jie swore to surpass Wei Zhao and make Yu Lian see him in a new light.

After Hong Jie left, Yu Lian explained to Wei Zhao that she wasn’t interested in romantic relationships. Jiang Ci wanted to search for the seeds of the Lingjiu Flower on Lone Star Peak. Wei Zhao made a tool to help her. Jiang Ci climbed the peak alone, and after much effort, she finally found the Lingjiu Flower seeds. She planted them by the river, hoping they would bloom soon.

Uncle Ping advised Wei Zhao to use Jiang Ci to lure out the Yan Shuangqiao sisters to clear Xiao Haitian’s name. After careful consideration, Wei Zhao agreed and instructed Uncle Ping to release the news of Jiang Ci being in Moonfall. He also secretly placed the small clay cat in Jiang Ci’s room. Lu Yu wrote a memorial requesting military provisions from Xie Che. Although Xie Che was suspicious, he still sent the supplies in full.

Lu Yu decided to launch an attack on Moonfall, making thorough preparations beforehand. When Jiang Ci returned home, she accidentally discovered that the small clay cat her master had given her, which had been lost, had reappeared. She had witnessed the cat being crushed and suspected that Wei Zhao had switched it, with the crushed one being the one she had made.

Wei Zhao insisted that he couldn’t bear to see Jiang Ci leave, which is why he switched the cats. Jiang Ci didn’t give it much further thought. That night, Lu Yu gathered the Zhenyuan Army and outlined the battle plan. Pei Yan desperately tried to stop him, but Lu Yu wouldn’t listen, even ordering him to join in the campaign against Moonfall. Pei Yan, worried about Jiang Ci, agreed to go with Lu Yu.

He instructed An Cheng to secretly enter the city and rescue Jiang Ci. Meanwhile, Lu Yu sent Wang Lang and his soldiers, disguised as Moonfall residents, to sneak into the city from the rear and break through in coordination with the main attack. Jiang Ci left Wei Zhao’s house under the cover of darkness to find her master. She walked until dawn before resting by the roadside. Suddenly, she saw a group of people dressed as commoners passing by.

Their movements were swift and coordinated, raising Jiang Ci’s suspicions. She quietly followed them and soon noticed they were hiding weapons in their baskets. It was only then that she realized they were Zhenyuan soldiers in disguise. Early that morning, Elder Hong and Hong Jie came to inform Wei Zhao that Lu Yu was leading the Zhenyuan Army in a massive invasion of Moonfall. Wei Zhao immediately summoned the townspeople to prepare for battle.

Wang Lang and his soldiers, disguised as Moonfall residents, ambushed them at the bridge. Wei Zhao and Hong Jie led the Moonfall people to the bridge, where Jiang Ci suddenly appeared on the opposite side, playing a tune from Moonfall as she crossed. An Cheng, hiding nearby, saw everything clearly. Jiang Ci subtly hinted that there was an ambush on the other side of the bridge. Wei Zhao ordered Hong Jie to lead the people to retreat.

Seeing this, Wang Lang drew his bow and shot at Jiang Ci. Without hesitation, Wei Zhao rushed forward to protect her. He instructed Hong Jie to cut down the bridge, knowing that if the Zhenyuan Army crossed, Moonfall would be lost. Wang Lang ordered his men to fire a volley of arrows. Wei Zhao shielded Jiang Ci with his body, getting hit in the back. Both Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci fell into the water.

Hong Jie cut the ropes, blocking the Zhenyuan Army’s path, forcing them to retreat in frustration. Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci swam to the mountain stream, where Jiang Ci helped treat Wei Zhao’s wounds. However, due to excessive blood loss, Wei Zhao was barely conscious. Jiang Ci had no choice but to search for wild fruit to feed him. Meanwhile, Lu Yu personally led the army in an assault on Moonfall. The townspeople fled in all directions, becoming displaced.

Elder Hong and Hong Jie fought bravely but were vastly outnumbered. They were eventually forced to retreat while covering the townspeople’s escape into the city. An Cheng, unable to find Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci, returned to report to Pei Yan. Pei Yan, deeply concerned, decided to enter the city himself. Wei Zhao finally woke up, determined to return to Moonfall to resist the Zhenyuan Army. Jiang Ci accompanied him back.

Elder Hong ordered Elder Ping and Hong Jie to continue protecting the people as they entered the city and closed the gates, while he stayed behind to fight the Zhenyuan Army to the death. Pei Yan rushed to the city gates on horseback and saw Elder Hong struggling to hold the line. He urged Elder Hong to surrender, but Elder Hong refused, unwilling to let his people become part of Da Ling. A fierce battle broke out between them.

From a distance, Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci rode swiftly on horseback and saw Elder Hong being stabbed. Wei Zhao jumped down to help him onto a horse, while Jiang Ci led Elder Hong’s horse into the city. Wei Zhao stayed behind to face Pei Yan in a final battle. Lu Yu, watching from a mountain peak, ordered another volley of arrows. Tong Min forcibly stopped him, leaving Lu Yu no choice but to relent.

Wei Zhao fought while retreating, eventually speeding into the city on horseback. Elder Hong, gravely wounded, fell into a coma. Hong Jie, devastated, called out to him. With his last breath, Elder Hong instructed Hong Jie to become a good man and return the white jade hairpin to Wei Zhao. Then he closed his eyes forever, and everyone present knelt in mourning for Elder Hong. Lu Yu led the army in a fierce battle that lasted all day.

The Zhenyuan Army suffered the loss of 3,000 men, yet they still couldn’t conquer Moonfall City. Pei Yan returned to report to Lu Yu, who blamed the defeat on him. He accused Pei Yan’s servant, Jiang Ci, of helping to sabotage his plans from within the city. Pei Yan didn’t explain, having realized that Lu Yu was using the assault on Moonfall as an excuse to delay returning to Qingkang, intentionally finding various pretexts to stall.

Yan Shuangqiao hurriedly arrived at Yuzhou Island and inquired about Jiang Ci from her contact. She learned that Jiang Ci never made contact and only spoke briefly with a fortune-telling old woman before rushing toward the direction of Moonfall. The contact suspected that Jiang Ci had fallen into someone else’s trap. Without hesitation, Yan Shuangqiao set off for Moonfall to find Jiang Ci. Master Hong risked his life to fend off Lu Yu's Zhenyuan Army, temporarily securing Moonfall City’s safety.

However, the people were still anxious and lived in constant fear. Wei Zhao, deeply worried, knew that Lu Yu could launch another attack at any moment. He sought out Yu Lian, Yi Fei, and others to discuss countermeasures. Elder Ji and Elder Ping, along with a group of angry citizens, confronted Wei Zhao, accusing him of causing Elder Hong’s death. Elder Ping demanded that Wei Zhao atone for Elder Hong's death by taking his own life.

Jiang Ci arrived just in time to help Wei Zhao out of the situation. She explained that Wei Zhao had returned to Moonfall to root out the spy planted by Lu Yu. Despite being gravely injured multiple times, he never gave up. Wei Zhao rallied everyone to unite against the Zhenyuan Army.

Elder Ping still didn't trust him, so Wei Zhao cut his palm with a sword, swearing a blood oath that once the Zhenyuan Army was defeated, they could deal with him as they wished. Wei Zhao prepared to hold a cremation ceremony for Elder Hong, but Hong Jie was not receptive. He vented all his anger on Wei Zhao.

Wei Zhao urged Hong Jie to keep the bigger picture in mind, reminding him of his father’s last wish—to protect Moonfall well. Hong Jie, holding back his grief, prepared for his father’s cremation. The citizens joined in mourning Elder Hong. Wei Zhao watched the scene, feeling deeply troubled. Yu Lian gently consoled Hong Jie, even drinking with him to ease his sorrow.

Hong Jie advised Yu Lian to visit her mother, warning her not to delay too long and risk regret. Yu Lian promised she would. Meanwhile, Wei Zhao prepared to lead the army into battle, and Jiang Ci volunteered to help in the medical tent, determined to fight alongside him. Lu Yu ordered the Zhenyuan Army to dig trenches outside the city, intending to infiltrate Moonfall through underground tunnels.

Elder Ping and Elder Ji called Wei Zhao to the city wall to discuss strategies. Wei Zhao recalled that his father had buried diamond stones beneath the walls during his lifetime, making it impossible for the Zhenyuan Army to dig their way in. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. In the medical tent, Jiang Ci assisted the military doctor Ling as they were overwhelmed with wounded soldiers, helping to brew medicine and care for the injured.

Lu Yu, frustrated by his failure to capture Moonfall, was advised by his lieutenant to take advantage of the strong wind that night to catapult filth into the city. Without a better plan, Lu Yu reluctantly agreed. Tong Min spotted soldiers from the Zhenyuan Army sneaking out of the camp with large bags of something and immediately reported it to Pei Yan. The Zhenyuan Army launched bundles of cattail fluff, mixed with filth, into Moonfall City.

The filth carried a virus, causing many citizens to become infected with dysentery. Jiang Ci suggested moving the sick to a medical area outside the city to prevent further spread. Wei Zhao explained the situation to the citizens, who were initially reluctant to leave. Only after Jiang Ci promised to accompany them did they agree to move to the treatment area. Wei Zhao personally crafted a paper kite, asking Jiang Ci to fly it every day to signal her safety.

Jiang Ci escorted the citizens to the outskirts and brewed medicine according to Doctor Ling's prescription. Meanwhile, Lu Yu planned to wait for all of Moonfall’s citizens to be infected with dysentery, hoping they would surrender on their own. He also captured many Moonfall citizens as hostages. Pei Yan, eager to retrieve his mother Rong Yudie’s ledger from Wei Zhao, suggested using Shadow Pavilion spies to coerce Wei Zhao into opening the city gates, a plan Lu Yu praised.

The next morning, Lu Yu and Pei Yan brought their troops to Moonfall and captured the spies Wei Zhao had planted in the Shadow Pavilion, threatening to kill them all. These people had once been sold into slavery in the Da Liang Kingdom but were rescued by Wei Zhao, who made them messengers for the Shadow Pavilion. They were loyal to Wei Zhao and prepared to die for him.

Elder Ji recognized his son, A Lang, among the captives and urged Wei Zhao to open the gates quickly. Wei Zhao tried to calm him, explaining that he couldn’t sacrifice the lives of all Moonfall’s citizens for a few individuals. As the incense burned down, Lu Yu issued his final ultimatum. Elder Ji and the families of the spies pressured Wei Zhao to open the gates. Wei Zhao took Hong Jie hostage, forbidding anyone from opening the gates.

Enraged, Elder Ji led a group to storm the city wall. Lu Yu gave the order to kill the first batch of spies. A Lang knelt in farewell to Elder Ji before taking his own life by smashing his head against the ground. The other spies followed his lead, choosing to die with honor. With a final command from Lu Yu, all the spies were killed.

Heavy snow began to fall, as if mourning for the brave spies who had sacrificed their lives. Everyone present was deeply moved. Lu Yu ordered the bodies of the spies to be piled together and fired upon with arrows. Seeing his dead son further desecrated, Elder Ji was overcome with grief and rushed forward, intending to fight Wei Zhao. Wei Zhao, witnessing the massacre of his people, was heartbroken.

The families of the spies surged forward, and Hong Jie, Yu Lian, and others struggled to hold them back. Wei Zhao rallied everyone to join in battle, urging them to drive away the Zhenyuan Army and honor the memory of the fallen.

As it was getting late, Lu Yu ordered the Zhenyuan Army to rest in place. He believed that by using the spies from the Shadow Pavilion, he had successfully incited hatred between the citizens and Wei Zhao, and he was confident that he could capture Moonfall City the next day. To celebrate, he invited Pei Yan to drink with him. Wei Zhao planned to find a way to retrieve the bodies of the fallen after nightfall.

However, Elder Ji secretly opened the city gates to recover his son’s body. Wei Zhao rushed to pull him back and had ropes lowered from the city wall to transport the bodies one by one. When Lu Yu found out, he ordered a rain of arrows to be fired. Wei Zhao and his men, risking their lives, managed to bring the bodies back to the city wall.

Pei Yan quickly stopped Lu Yu and advised him to abandon Moonfall City, warning that the people inside were now united. Even if he took the city, he would not be able to control them. Despite risking his life to bring back the bodies of the fallen spies, the citizens still deeply resented Wei Zhao. Hong Jie, understanding Wei Zhao's intentions, urged him to explain the situation to the people, but Wei Zhao felt it was unnecessary.

Jiang Ci, upon hearing about Wei Zhao’s plight from soldiers delivering supplies, believed Wei Zhao would never leave anyone behind and sent him a paper kite as a gesture of support that night. Wei Zhao wrote to Xie Che, detailing how Lu Yu had attacked Moonfall without authorization. He also asked Uncle Ping to spread the word that Jiang Ci was in Moonfall, hoping Yan Shuangqiao would come to find her.

When Xie Che received Wei Zhao’s letter, he was furious and immediately sent orders to Pei Yan, commanding him to bring Lu Yu back to Qingkang. Pei Yan volunteered to negotiate at Moonfall, offering to help delay the Zhenyuan Army for five days in exchange for the ledger of Rong Yudie. Lu Yu, pleased with the plan, gave Pei Yan five days before launching another assault. Early the next day, Pei Yan arrived at Moonfall with Tong Min.

He straightforwardly told Wei Zhao his intentions and offered to buy time in exchange for the ledger. Meanwhile, Jiang Ci, having overworked herself, contracted dysentery and fell gravely ill. When Yu Lian arrived at the medical camp to deliver supplies, she ran into her mother, and the two embraced and cried. Yu Lian and Hong Jie informed Wei Zhao about Jiang Ci’s condition. Wei Zhao immediately rushed to see her.

Pei Yan also wanted to visit Jiang Ci, but Tong Min strongly discouraged him, urging him to stay calm and think about the greater good. Pei Yan sent Tong Min to fetch the best medicine from the Zhenyuan Army’s physician for Jiang Ci. Wei Zhao ordered Uncle Ping to secretly lead troops to Qingkang for reinforcements, while he stayed behind to defend Moonfall. After making all the necessary arrangements, Wei Zhao hurried to Jiang Ci’s side.

She was still unconscious, and Wei Zhao carefully prepared and administered the medicine to her himself. Through relentless efforts, Doctor Ling managed to improve the condition of the citizens who had fallen ill. During the day, Wei Zhao oversaw the city defenses, and at night, he devoted himself to caring for Jiang Ci. Gradually, she recovered, and the people, hearing of her recovery, came to thank her.

Wei Zhao followed shortly after, bowing deeply to express his respect for Jiang Ci. The two of them walked through the snow, with Jiang Ci stepping into Wei Zhao’s footprints. She vaguely remembered Wei Zhao visiting her in the medical camp, but he denied it. Jiang Ci then invited Wei Zhao to fly a kite with her. Wei Zhao carried her on his back, and together they warmed each other as they moved forward.

Time flew by, and winter was coming to an end as spring approached. The relationship between Hong Jie and Yu Lian grew closer, and Jiang Ci was happy for them. She couldn’t help but think of Wei Zhao. After experiencing life and death together so many times, they had etched each other deeply into their hearts.

Meanwhile, Lu Yu secretly sent someone to bring his son, Lu Dalang, from Qingkang, determined to fight a final battle with Moonfall and never return to Qingkang. An Cheng learned of this and quickly informed Pei Yan, who became deeply concerned for Wei Zhao. Wei Zhao handed a white jade hairpin to Hong Jie, urging him to protect the citizens of Moonfall as Elder Hong had done. Hong Jie advised Wei Zhao to stay in Moonfall after the battle.

The families of the fallen came to confront Wei Zhao, demanding answers. Elder Ping stepped forward to defend him, and Hong Jie took full responsibility, but the families, consumed with grief, hurled vegetables at Wei Zhao to vent their anger. Jiang Ci rushed to shield him. Wei Zhao knelt in front of the grieving families, admitting his fault.

He blamed himself for using Hong Jie as a hostage and for forbidding the elders from opening the gates, which led to the death of the spies. He remained kneeling, refusing to rise. As heavy snow began to fall, Wei Zhao continued to kneel in repentance, and Jiang Ci stayed by his side. Suddenly, the sound of a battle horn broke the silence. Jiang Ci swallowed the words she wanted to say, deciding to tell Wei Zhao after the war was over.

Yan Shuangqiao heard that Jiang Ci had been lured into a trap and taken to Moonfall City. Without a second thought, she rushed to rescue her. However, the Zhenyuan Army under Lu Yu had surrounded Moonfall so tightly that Yan Shuangqiao couldn’t enter. She knocked out a wandering soldier, changed into the Zhenyuan Army uniform, and sneaked into their camp. Pei Yan had bought Wei Zhao five days, during which Wei Zhao sent Uncle Ping out to seek reinforcements.

The five days quickly passed, and Lu Yu sent people to escort Moonfall citizens to the city gates, using them to pressure Wei Zhao into surrendering the city. Wei Zhao, prepared for an all-out battle, could only hope Uncle Ping would bring reinforcements in time. Together, they would launch an inside-and-outside attack to confront the Zhenyuan Army. Yi Fei quietly slipped out of the city and soon joined forces with Uncle Ping.

They signaled Wei Zhao, and with one command, numerous paper kites floated out of the city. The kites flew over the Zhenyuan Army’s ranks, and the soldiers, cutting the kite strings, suddenly found packets of spore dust spreading across their troops. The packets carried dysentery germs, causing panic and chaos among the soldiers. Moonfall City’s gates swung open, and Wei Zhao personally led the city’s soldiers to meet the enemy.

Yu Lian covered for Jiang Ci and the others as they rescued the captured citizens. Yan Shuangqiao spotted Jiang Ci and immediately called out to her. Wei Zhao, without a second thought, attacked Yan Shuangqiao. Jiang Ci frantically explained that she was not a part of the Zhenyuan Army but her master, yet Wei Zhao ignored her and pressed Yan Shuangqiao hard.

It suddenly dawned on Jiang Ci that the reason Wei Zhao kept her by his side was to kill Yan Shuangqiao. Pei Yan rushed into the fray to rescue Jiang Ci. Yu Lian joined Pei Yan in the fight, but Jiang Ci refused to leave with Pei Yan. In the chaos, she was captured by the deputy general of the Zhenyuan Army. Meanwhile, Wei Zhao used all his might to capture Yan Shuangqiao alive.

Uncle Ping led an attack on Liangzhou City, setting fire to the Zhenyuan Army’s supplies, leaving Lu Yu trapped between enemies. He had no choice but to withdraw to Liangzhou City. Jiang Ci was taken to the Zhenyuan Army’s camp, and Pei Yan, claiming she was a maid from the Pei household, tried to take her away. However, the deputy general refused and placed Jiang Ci in a prison cart.

Wei Zhao tortured Yan Shuangqiao for a confession, but she refused to reveal the truth of the past and hurled insults at him. Out of consideration for Jiang Ci, Wei Zhao spared Yan Shuangqiao's life. Lu Yu came to interrogate Jiang Ci, but she remained calm and composed. Enraged, Lu Yu dragged her out, causing the small clay cat in Jiang Ci’s hand to shatter. Inside was a letter written by Xie Chun, the King of Qi, to his daughter.

Lu Yu was ecstatic, realizing Jiang Ci was Xie Chun’s daughter. Lu Yu’s son, Lu Dalang, succumbed to illness and passed away. With no time to deal with Jiang Ci, Lu Yu temporarily locked her in prison and immediately led his troops to Qingkang, determined to battle Emperor Xie Che of Dacheng. Pei Yan, along with An Cheng and Tong Min, intercepted Lu Yu midway, advising him not to rebel.

Lu Yu ignored their pleas, and a fierce fight broke out between him and Pei Yan. Exhausted, Lu Yu was gravely injured. Seizing the opportunity, Pei Yan intended to rescue Jiang Ci, but An Cheng, worried for his safety, knocked him unconscious and carried him away. Alyu, who had been undercover in the Zhenyuan Army’s camp, saw Lu Yu taking Jiang Ci away and immediately reported it to Hong Jie.

Hong Jie quickly informed Wei Zhao, who stopped questioning Yan Shuangqiao and led his troops in pursuit of Lu Yu. As they left, Wei Zhao noticed that the flowers Jiang Ci had planted were blooming. Word spread among the people. Along the way, Wei Zhao encountered Pei Yan, who, still groggy, realized Jiang Ci hadn’t been rescued. Determined to turn back, Pei Yan was stopped by Wei Zhao, who informed him that Jiang Ci had been taken by Lu Yu.

Together, they planned to join forces to save her. Lu Yu led the Zhenyuan Army onto a large ship. Pei Yan chased them to the riverbank, continuously firing arrows at the ship to buy Wei Zhao time. Wei Zhao boarded the ship to rescue Jiang Ci, but the key to her iron chains was in Lu Yu’s possession, leaving him helpless.

Sensing something was wrong, Lu Yu quickly returned to the cabin, and a fierce battle ensued between him and Wei Zhao. Time ran out for the plan Pei Yan and Wei Zhao had agreed on, and with no sign of Wei Zhao, Pei Yan decided to release the floodgate, trapping the Zhenyuan Army's ship. Lu Yu rushed back to the deck. At that moment, the mysterious Mr.

Si, who had been secretly serving under Lu Yu, handed the Tiger Tally to Wei Zhao. Using the tally, Wei Zhao unlocked Jiang Ci's chains. Pei Yan waited, but with no sign of Wei Zhao or Jiang Ci, he spotted Lu Yu taunting him from the deck, confident Pei Yan wouldn’t dare open the floodgate. In response, Pei Yan shot a flaming arrow at the gate switch, causing the floodgate to crash down.

The Zhenyuan Army’s ship was trapped, caught on fire, and began to collapse, throwing soldiers into the water. Lu Yu took advantage of the chaos to jump overboard and escape. Wei Zhao pulled Jiang Ci into the river, and they swam with all their might to reach the shore. Jiang Ci lost consciousness from nearly drowning, and Wei Zhao stayed by her side, refusing to leave as he cared for her.

Yi Fei reported back to Wei Zhao, who ordered him to escort Yan Shuangqiao to Qingkang. Mr. Si came to see Wei Zhao, regretful that Lu Yu had escaped. Wei Zhao instructed him to write a letter to Emperor Xie Che of Dacheng, hand over the Tiger Tally, and then lead the Zhenyuan Army in surrender to Dacheng. Wei Zhao planned to return to Qingkang and fight for Moonfall’s rightful place.

An Cheng found Lu Yu's declaration of war against Dacheng and was shocked to learn that Jiang Ci was the daughter of Xie Chun, the King of Qi. When Jiang Ci finally woke up, she found the letter her father Xie Chun had written to her. She was both surprised and overjoyed to learn the truth about her identity. Wei Zhao, watching from the doorway, felt a mix of emotions.

Jiang Ci confronted Wei Zhao, demanding to know what had happened to her master, Yan Shuangqiao. She angrily listed all of Wei Zhao's wrongdoings, becoming increasingly furious until she knocked over the porridge Wei Zhao had made for her.

Pei Yan, upon learning that Jiang Ci was the daughter of Prince Xie Chun, was eager to take her back to Qingkang. When he came to fetch Jiang Ci, Wei Zhao refused to let him in. Jiang Ci made it clear that the connection between her and Pei Yan had long ended and advised him not to continue clinging to it. Pei Yan, dejected, had no choice but to leave. Wei Zhao held Jiang Ci tightly, repeatedly apologizing to her.

While Jiang Ci had rejected Pei Yan, she was still unwilling to forgive Wei Zhao. Pei Yan, heartbroken, walked back, and both An Cheng and Tong Min felt indignant on his behalf, wanting to persuade Jiang Ci to reconsider. However, Pei Yan understood that things could no longer be salvaged. He decided to write a letter to the Emperor of Dalang, Xie Che, informing him of Jiang Ci’s true identity.

He was certain that Xie Che would summon Jiang Ci back to Qingkang. That night, Wei Zhao sculpted a small clay cat, creating it with meticulous detail. Wei Zhao sent Yi Fei to bring Yan Shuangqiao over, hoping to let Jiang Ci see her master. Upon seeing the wounds on Jiang Ci, Yan Shuangqiao severely scolded Wei Zhao.

Wei Zhao arranged for Uncle Ping to take Yan Shuangqiao back to Qingkang that night, hoping Yan Shuangqiao would tell the Emperor of Dalang, Xie Che, the truth of what happened all those years ago, to restore justice for his father, Xiao Haitian, and to ensure that the people of Yueluo would no longer suffer from oppression. Jiang Ci and Yan Shuangqiao had not seen each other for many years, and they shared their experiences during that time.

Jiang Ci swore she would never let Yan Shuangqiao endure hardship again. Early the next morning, Wei Zhao took Jiang Ci up the mountain for a relaxing walk. Jiang Ci casually recounted stories from her time at Jiangjia Village with Yan Shuangqiao, sharing their everyday moments. She even offered Wei Zhao a date laced with sleeping powder. Wei Zhao, unaware, promised to accompany her back to Jiangjia Village once everything was settled.

Just as he was about to kiss Jiang Ci, he fainted from the drug, allowing Jiang Ci to escape with Yan Shuangqiao. When Wei Zhao woke up in a daze, he found that Uncle Ping had also been drugged. He was speechless with frustration. Xie Che received Pei Yan's letter, learning that Prince Xie Chun had a surviving daughter. He immediately ordered Wei Zhao to bring Jiang Ci and her master back to Qingkang.

Jiang Ci left with Yan Shuangqiao, curious to learn about her parents. Only then did she find out that Yan Shuangqiao’s elder sister, Yan Shuwan, was her mother. Yan Shuangqiao and Yan Shuwan were originally assassins from the State of Wei, tasked with gathering intelligence around Prince Xie Chun. However, Xie Chun was kind and righteous, and he and Yan Shuwan eventually fell in love.

They returned to the Qingkang palace together, and when Yan Shuwan became pregnant, she and Yan Shuangqiao wanted to leave the palace. Xie Chun pretended to be kidnapped by the sisters, and they all fled to Yueluo. Xiao Haitian sheltered Xie Che’s parents and Yan Shuangqiao, but Lu Yu later led troops to attack Yueluo, intending to take Xie Chun back to Qingkang.

Not wanting to drag the people of Yueluo into the conflict, Xie Chun tearfully bid farewell to Yan Shuwan. Before leaving, he left a small clay cat for their unborn child. Yan Shuangqiao later heard that Xie Chun had died at the Zhaixing Pavilion. After Jiang Ci was born, Yan Shuwan followed Xie Chun in death, leaving Jiang Ci in the care of Yan Shuangqiao. Upon learning of her origins, Jiang Ci felt a whirlwind of emotions.

Wei Zhao and Uncle Ping quickly caught up to Jiang Ci. Jiang Ci deliberately spoke harsh words to Wei Zhao, insisting that she had no feelings for him. Yan Shuangqiao, learning that Wei Zhao was the son of Xiao Haitian, revealed that Wei Zhao’s sister, Xiao Yujia, was Xie Che’s consort.

She also remembered clearly that Xiao Yujia had once secretly visited Prince Xie Chun’s tomb, leading her to believe that Xiao Haitian had killed Xie Chun to please the newly enthroned Emperor of Dalang, Xie Che, after failing to secure peace between Dalang and Yueluo. Yan Shuangqiao urged Jiang Ci not to develop any affection for Wei Zhao, as they had the blood feud of a father’s death between them. Pei Yan returned to Qingkang to report to Emperor Xie Che.

The Emperor told him to take a rest. Pei Yan safely returned to the Jian Ding Marquis Mansion, where Rong Yudie urged him to marry Dong Juan soon. However, Pei Yan was not ready to settle down. His push for military reform was aimed at reclaiming the Zhenyuan Army with minimal cost and stabilizing the borders of Dalang. He made it clear that he had no interest in the throne. Rong Yudie, furious, gritted her teeth.

She had been scheming for Pei Yan for many years, even arranging for Lu Dalan’s assassination to ensure that Lu Yu would rebel, so the Zhenyuan Army would be utterly defeated. She planned to use the Changfeng Guards’ strength to support Pei Yan’s ascension to the throne, but Pei Yan had no desire for it. The deputy commander of the Imperial Guard, Chen Mo, brought a secret letter from Xie Che, summoning Wei Zhao to escort Jiang Ci back to Qingkang.

Yan Shuangqiao wanted to use all her strength to take Jiang Ci away, but Jiang Ci wished to return to the palace with Wei Zhao. Wei Zhao, torn between his desire for revenge for his father, Xiao Haitian, and his wish not to hurt Jiang Ci, promised to let Uncle Ping safely settle Yan Shuangqiao. Jiang Ci warned him not to harbor murderous intent toward her master, or she would never forgive him. Wei Zhao escorted Jiang Ci back to Qingkang.

Upon seeing her, Xie Che felt an immediate fondness and warmly inquired after her well-being. Jiang Ci presented the letter her father, Xie Chun, had written before his death. Though part of the letter was soaked from her fall into the river, Jiang Ci had memorized that portion. Xie Che assured her that she could stay in the palace peacefully and promised to properly compensate her.

Though Jiang Ci originally intended to return to Jiangjia Village with Yan Shuangqiao to live a carefree life, she couldn’t bring herself to say it aloud.

Emperor Xie Che of Daliang claimed to have had a deep brotherly bond with King Xie Chun of Qi. Sadly, Xie Chun died young. Xie Che wanted to keep Jiang Ci in the palace to make up for the years of neglect. Jiang Ci initially wanted to refuse, but Xie Che's sincerity moved her, so she decided to stay. Xie Che also wanted to summon Jiang Ci's master, Yan Shuangqiao, to the palace.

Knowing that Yan Shuangqiao valued her freedom, Jiang Ci pleaded with Xie Che to let her live outside the palace, and Xie Che tasked Wei Zhao with taking good care of Yan Shuangqiao. Wei Zhao learned from Yan Shuangqiao that, years ago, Xie Che had placed King Xie Chun under house arrest in the palace. He feared that Xie Che might treat Jiang Ci as a hostage under surveillance.

Wei Zhao asked Xie Che to investigate Jiang Ci’s background, suspecting she might not be Xie Chun’s daughter. When Pei Yan heard that Jiang Ci had entered the palace, he rushed to see her. Wei Zhao tried his best to stop him and even planned to take Jiang Ci back to Guangming Division for a thorough investigation. However, Xie Che believed that Jiang Ci resembled Xie Chun and confirmed she was his daughter.

He decided to bestow the title of County Princess upon her, which Pei Yan was eager to see happen. Wei Zhao, unable to object, quietly sent people to protect Jiang Ci. Xie Che arranged for Jiang Ci to live in Yuchun Pavilion. The chief palace eunuch, Tao Zizhu, carefully selected a few clever and obedient maids and eunuchs for her. Liu Cui was Jiang Ci’s personal maid.

Rong Yudie invited the Left Minister, Dong Fang, to her home to discuss Pei Yan and Dong Juan's marriage. They exchanged the two’s birth details. When Pei Yan returned home and saw Dong Fang leaving, he firmly stated that he would not marry Dong Juan. He planned to ask Xie Che for an imperial marriage decree to wed Jiang Ci, declaring that he would marry no one else but her.

When Rong Yudie learned that Jiang Ci was the daughter of King Xie Chun, she was shocked. Cui Liang opened the Jixian Book House and sold his paintings in his spare time. Dong Juan bought one of his works at a high price and started chatting with him. The more they talked, the more they hit it off.

When Yan Shuangqiao heard that Jiang Ci was staying in the palace and Xie Che was going to bestow the title of County Princess on her, she warned Wei Zhao not to get too close to Jiang Ci, reminding him that his father, Xiao Haitian, had killed King Xie Chun. They had a blood feud. Wei Zhao firmly clarified that his father, Xiao Haitian, did not kill King Xie Chun.

Xiao Haitian had fought a great battle against Lu Yu to protect Yueluo and later died on the battlefield. His mother was killed by the Zhenyuan Army, and both Wei Zhao and his sister, Xiao Yujia, had been hunted by their clansmen ever since, forcing them to live in hiding.

Wei Zhao suspected that Xie Che had hidden motives for keeping Jiang Ci in the palace and wanted to quickly uncover the truth behind King Xie Chun’s death so that Jiang Ci could leave the palace as soon as possible. Wei Zhao didn’t understand why his sister, Xiao Yujia, who was Xie Che’s consort, had secretly visited King Xie Chun’s grave. He begged Yan Shuangqiao to reveal the truth.

Yan Shuangqiao vividly remembered how Xiao Yujia had secretly paid tribute to Xie Chun. Xie Che had arrived shortly after and, mistaking Yan Shuangqiao for an assassin, had her captured. Yan Shuangqiao had taken Xiao Yujia hostage and threatened Xie Che with the unborn child in Xiao Yujia’s belly, forcing Xie Che to let her go. Not long after, Xiao Yujia died during childbirth, and Xie Che blamed Yan Shuangqiao for her death, hunting her down for over twenty years.

Wei Zhao also suspected that Yan Shuangqiao had caused his sister’s death, but she denied it. Wei Zhao found his sister’s death suspicious and believed it was connected to Xie Chun’s death, so he decided to investigate the matter in secret. Xie Che rewarded Pei Yan, Chunyu Li, and Wei Zhao for their merits. Pei Yan, after leaving court, went to ask Xie Che for an imperial decree to marry Jiang Ci.

Xie Che, noticing that both Wei Zhao and Pei Yan had feelings for Jiang Ci, decided to wait until after the official title ceremony to make a decision. He then assigned Wei Zhao to oversee the ceremony. Cui Liang heard that Pei Yan had asked Xie Che for a decree to marry Jiang Ci and advised him to consider Jiang Ci's feelings.

Pei Yan believed Jiang Ci wouldn’t oppose it and personally went to Dong Fang to break off the engagement. Dong Fang was furious, but Pei Yan continuously apologized and promised to help him in the future. Learning that Jiang Ci was the daughter of King Xie Chun, Dong Fang reluctantly agreed. After bidding farewell to Dong Fang, Pei Yan ran into Dong Juan, who had long known about the matter. She wished him well.

Liu Cui revealed that Xie Che was about to hold a title ceremony for Jiang Ci, who didn’t want to be trapped in the palace. She sought an opportunity to escape. Pei Yan visited Jiang Ci, hoping to marry her soon, but Jiang Ci resolutely refused and made it clear that she would not marry Wei Zhao either. Pei Yan promised that after the wedding, he would take Jiang Ci and Yan Shuangqiao far away.

His sincere words made it difficult for Jiang Ci to refuse. When Rong Yudie heard that Pei Yan had broken off his engagement to Dong Juan to marry Jiang Ci, she was furious, but Pei Yan was determined. Wei Zhao came to deliver a congratulatory gift to Jiang Ci, and Xie Che sent an elderly maid to teach Jiang Ci palace etiquette.

Wei Zhao dismissed the maid and informed Jiang Ci that Yan Shuangqiao was safe, which put her at ease. Unwilling to be confined to the palace, Jiang Ci asked Wei Zhao to help her escape. He agreed to secretly take her out that night. That night, Wei Zhao quietly hid Jiang Ci in a carriage. The imperial guards at the palace gate dared not inspect it and let them leave without question.

Wei Zhao secretly took Jiang Ci out of the palace for a break. They accidentally saw a stall selling little clay cats, and Wei Zhao immediately bought one as a gift for Jiang Ci. When Jiang Ci mentioned wanting to eat candied hawthorns, Wei Zhao went off without hesitation to buy them. Seizing the opportunity, Jiang Ci snuck away. Meanwhile, Dong Juan invited Cui Liang to enjoy the night scenery by the river.

They hit it off instantly and had a lively conversation. Pei Yan, eating noodles alone at a street stall, couldn’t help but reminisce about the time he and Jiang Ci ate noodles there. Lost in thought, Cui Liang recognized Pei Yan and hurried over with Dong Fang to greet him, inviting Pei Yan to join them for a walk. Jiang Ci, trying to find her master Yan Shuangqiao, was caught by Wei Zhao.

He advised her not to leave the palace rashly to avoid raising Xie Che's suspicions. Wei Zhao promised to uncover the truth as soon as possible, allowing Jiang Ci to leave the palace. Pei Yan reluctantly accompanied Cui Liang and Dong Fang on their stroll, when they unexpectedly ran into Jiang Ci and Wei Zhao. The six of them sat together for drinks.

Pei Yan persistently questioned Jiang Ci about how she had left the palace, and Wei Zhao admitted he was the one who brought her out. Pei Yan angrily scolded Wei Zhao, but Wei Zhao didn’t back down, retorting sarcastically. Jiang Ci, to break the tension, grabbed a roast chicken and shared it with everyone, diffusing the argument between Wei Zhao and Pei Yan.

Dong Fang, now aware of Jiang Ci's identity and that Pei Yan broke off their engagement for her, felt deeply moved. Dong Juan, too, was filled with emotions and raised a glass to Jiang Ci. Wei Zhao, Cui Liang, and Pei Yan had no choice but to drink along with them. Jiang Ci noticed that Cui Liang liked Dong Juan and advised Dong Juan to cherish the relationship.

Dong Juan, in turn, wished that Jiang Ci would find her true love. The two women felt an instant connection and talked enthusiastically. After eating and drinking, Wei Zhao escorted Jiang Ci back to the palace. Having drunk too much, Jiang Ci dozed off on Wei Zhao's shoulder. Crown Prince Xie Chi held a banquet in the Eastern Palace to celebrate Jiang Ci, inviting Pei Yan, Wei Zhao, Dong Juan, and Xie Yu to join.

Each of them presented a poem to Jiang Ci, and she gifted each one of them a flower. She deliberately gave Wei Zhao a poisonous flower, explaining it with great eloquence. Xie Yu couldn’t help teasing Wei Zhao about it, which made Pei Yan uneasy. Dong Juan suggested that Wei Zhao return a flower to Jiang Ci, and Wei Zhao had no choice but to comply.

When the palace maids served the wine, Wei Zhao noticed something was off with Jiang Ci's drink. Using the excuse of placing a flower on her, he secretly swapped out her cup. Later, Wei Zhao sought out Pei Yan to discuss the situation, revealing that Jiang Ci had nearly been poisoned. He warned Pei Yan to take better care of Jiang Ci in the future, suspecting that Rong Yudie had instructed Nanny Du to carry out the poisoning.

Feeling bored while dining alone, Jiang Ci invited Liu Cui to join her. Through their conversation, Jiang Ci learned that Liu Cui had entered the palace for the sake of her younger sister, so she gifted Liu Cui one of her hairpins. Meanwhile, Wei Zhao rushed to meet Jiang Ci, bringing her two new palace maids. Wei Zhao quickly discovered that the maid Chun’er had poisoned Jiang Ci's drink and conducted an overnight interrogation.

Chun’er confessed that she had been ordered by Tao Zizhu to do so. Wei Zhao exposed Chun’er's lie on the spot, suspecting that Rong Yudie had actually instructed Nanny Du, intending to frame Xie Che. Wei Zhao ordered Yi Fei to spread the rumor that Chun’er had committed suicide and to keep a close watch on Nanny Du. Pei Yan assigned An Cheng to monitor Nanny Du and accidentally found out that Yi Fei was also tracking her.

He confirmed that it was his mother, Rong Yudie, who had attempted to poison Jiang Ci. Pei Yan immediately confronted Rong Yudie, forbidding her from ever harming Jiang Ci again or facing dire consequences. Rong Yudie had planned to kill Jiang Ci with poison and frame Xie Che, forcing Pei Yan to make up his mind to seize the throne. She hadn’t expected Pei Yan to see through her plan, and she flew into a furious rage.

Pei Yan then begged Xie Che for an imperial decree to marry Jiang Ci, vowing to protect her for the rest of his life. Xie Che, not wanting Jiang Ci to suffer any more grievances, instructed Pei Yan to begin preparations for the wedding.

Wei Zhao’s older sister, Xiao Yujia, was Emperor Xie Che’s concubine. She died from childbirth complications, and her death anniversary was approaching. Wei Zhao was deeply troubled and unable to find peace. He went to the imperial medical office to ask Doctor Sun for some calming medicine and took the opportunity to inquire about Xiao Yujia's cause of death. Doctor Sun was terrified.

He clearly remembered that when he arrived at the palace, Xiao Yujia was on the verge of death due to the childbirth complications. Xiao Yujia, consumed with despair, sought death, and despite his best efforts, Doctor Sun could not save her. The more Wei Zhao thought about it, the more something didn’t feel right. His sister Xiao Yujia cherished her unborn child more than her own life and would never have abandoned her baby.

Wei Zhao suspected foul play but had no solid evidence. So, he ordered Yi Fei to keep a close eye on the imperial medical office. Nanny Du, having planted a spy in the palace, learned that Wei Zhao was secretly investigating Concubine Wei’s death and immediately reported it to Rong Yudie. Confident in the number of spies she had placed within the palace, Rong Yudie was certain no one would uncover the truth.

Yi Fei kept a tight watch on the imperial medical office and noticed that Doctor Sun was acting suspiciously. He was seen reviewing Concubine Wei's medical records and studying the prescriptions for an extended time. Rong Yudie summoned Wei Zhao to explain her version of events, claiming that she had secretly taken in Xiao Yujia, who was a slave, and sent her to the palace as a spy.

According to Rong Yudie, Xiao Yujia didn’t die from childbirth complications but was poisoned with saffron by Emperor Xie Che. Wei Zhao refused to believe that Xie Che would commit such an act. Rong Yudie, however, was adamant and even proposed that she and Wei Zhao join forces to eliminate Xie Che. Seeing through Rong Yudie’s plot, Wei Zhao declined her offer, especially since he had already discovered that Rong Yudie had been behind the poisoning attempt on Jiang Ci.

Rong Yudie swore to first eliminate the Bright Guards and Wei Zhao, and then deal with Xie Che. Wei Zhao witnessed a noble family mistreating slaves from Yue Luo and immediately bought the slaves to set them free. Meanwhile, Pei Yan, determined to marry Jiang Ci, advised Rong Yudie to stop harming her. Rong Yudie, in an attempt to sow discord, claimed that Wei Zhao also had feelings for Jiang Ci, but Pei Yan was unfazed.

Jiang Ci, secretly drawing a map of the palace, looked for an opportunity to escape. Wei Zhao recalled that Jiang Ci wanted to cook a special porridge without bitterness for Yan Shuangqiao’s birthday, and coincidentally, the spiritual flowers Jiang Ci had planted in Yue Luo were in bloom. Wei Zhao sent someone to Yue Luo to ask Hong Jie for the flowers, personally delivering them to Jiang Ci, who used them to prepare the porridge.

Wei Zhao reminisced about the time he and his sister were on the run and how his sister had saved all the sweets for him to eat. Ever since then, Wei Zhao had developed the habit of adding sugar to his porridge. Jiang Ci felt deeply moved by his story. Once Jiang Ci finished preparing the porridge, Wei Zhao accompanied her to deliver it to Yan Shuangqiao, only to find that Yan Shuangqiao had suddenly disappeared.

Jiang Ci, in a panic, learned from Yi Fei that someone had brought gifts for her that day, and during the chaos, Yan Shuangqiao had been kidnapped. Wei Zhao suspected that Xie Che was behind it, and Jiang Ci decided to return to the palace immediately to gather information. Early the next day, Wei Zhao reported Yan Shuangqiao’s disappearance to Xie Che, who instructed him to investigate quietly to avoid alerting the perpetrator.

Pei Yan prepared a lavish meal and brought it to Jiang Ci, but she had no appetite. Despite his persistent pleas, Pei Yan could not persuade her to eat, and he left, disappointed. Jiang Ci then went to Xie Che to request permission to leave the palace to discuss her marriage with Yan Shuangqiao. Xie Che reassured her to focus on her marriage to Pei Yan.

Jiang Ci subtly probed and confirmed that Xie Che had not been involved in Yan Shuangqiao’s kidnapping. Xie Che soon arranged Jiang Ci’s marriage and set a wedding date with Pei Yan. Jiang Ci had no choice but to accept the decree. Wei Zhao, watching as the woman he loved was set to marry Pei Yan, was filled with complex emotions. Suspecting that Rong Yudie was behind Yan Shuangqiao’s abduction, Wei Zhao decided to confront her in person.

As expected, Rong Yudie had indeed orchestrated Yan Shuangqiao’s kidnapping. She was also opposed to Pei Yan’s marriage to Jiang Ci, claiming that Xie Che had ordered the poisoning of Jiang Ci. According to Rong Yudie, Xie Che had also killed Prince Qi, Xie Chun, and Rong Yudie’s sister, destroying her family to secure the throne. Rong Yudie wanted to join forces with Yan Shuangqiao to bring down Xie Che.

She proposed that Yan Shuangqiao expose Xie Che’s wrongdoings during the wedding, and once successful, she promised to let Yan Shuangqiao and Jiang Ci escape far away. Yan Shuangqiao agreed to work with Rong Yudie to uncover the truth. Wei Zhao confronted Rong Yudie, planning to take Yan Shuangqiao away. However, Rong Yudie instead tried to recruit Wei Zhao into her plan to force Xie Che to abdicate.

In return, she promised that once Crown Prince Xie Chi ascended the throne, Wei Zhao could bring justice to Yue Luo. Wei Zhao pretended to agree to cooperate, intending to wait until Xie Chi took the throne and granted amnesty across the land. Wei Zhao sent word to Jiang Ci, assuring her that Yan Shuangqiao was safe, finally putting her mind at ease.

Tomorrow is Pei Yan and Jiang Ci's grand wedding day. The Marquis Jian Ding’s residence is festively decorated, both inside and out, bustling with joy. Pei Yan has prepared everything and is eager to bring Jiang Ci home as his bride. However, Jiang Ci is not happy. All she wants is to escape, but the palace is heavily guarded. She has thought of many ways but none have worked.

She considers seeking help from Wei Zhao, but she doesn't want to involve him in her troubles. Dong Juan arrives to congratulate Jiang Ci. Upon learning about Jiang Ci's plan to escape the wedding, Dong Juan agrees to help her. Meanwhile, Rong Yudie and Wei Zhao have agreed to overthrow Emperor Xie Che on the wedding day. They made meticulous plans, including having Yan Shuangqiao disguised and blended into the wedding procession.

They arranged for an inside contact to bring Yan Shuangqiao to a side hall in the palace. Yan Shuangqiao always carries a sword with her, and Rong Yudie instructed her to hide it within the betrothal gifts. Yan Shuangqiao agreed to cooperate with Rong Yudie, but their goals differ. Rong Yudie wants to overthrow Xie Che, while Yan Shuangqiao only wants to kill him to avenge her sister, Yan Shuwan, and for Xie Chun's death.

Early in the morning, Jiang Ci puts on her wedding attire. As promised, Dong Juan arrives at the palace under the pretense of touching up Jiang Ci’s makeup. She has Jiang Ci change into the clothes of a palace maid named Jin Xin and arranges a carriage to wait outside the palace. Jiang Ci, not wanting to implicate Dong Juan, pretends to have been forced to leave the palace.

Dong Juan successfully escorts Jiang Ci out, passing through the first gate. Along the way, Jiang Ci notices Yan Shuangqiao in the wedding procession and realizes that she has come to find her. Worried about Yan Shuangqiao’s safety, Jiang Ci wants to return immediately, but the carriage has already reached the last palace gate. Yan Shuangqiao, following the procession, enters the side hall. Seizing an opportunity, she retrieves the sword hidden in the betrothal gifts and hides herself.

Meanwhile, Rong Yudie had Nanny Du arrange for a group of assassins to infiltrate the imperial guards' camp, where they killed the commander. The wedding officially begins, with Emperor Xie Che personally presiding over the ceremony. Before leaving the house, Pei Yan heard that his mother, Rong Yudie, was not at home, and he felt a sudden unease. Jiang Ci slowly approached the main hall where Pei Yan had been waiting for a long time.

Just then, Wei Zhao rushed in, claiming that assassins had infiltrated the palace and urging Xie Che to leave immediately. Xie Che suspected that the assassins were arranged by Rong Yudie. He immediately sought her out, and Rong Yudie demanded that Xie Che atone for the death of Pei Zijing. She brought out Yan Shuangqiao and declared her intent to kill Xie Che to avenge Xie Chun and Yan Shuwan. Xie Che denied everything, but Rong Yudie wouldn’t listen.

She wanted to overthrow Xie Che and have Crown Prince Xie Chi ascend the throne. Emperor Xie Che remained calm. At his command, Wei Zhao and the Bright Guards burst through the doors. Yan Shuangqiao drew her sword and fought alongside them, but her sword shattered in half during the battle. Only then did she realize that Rong Yudie had switched her sword and that the blade had been poisoned.

Yan Shuangqiao, having been poisoned, grew weaker and was eventually pierced by several swords. Jiang Ci arrived in a panic, witnessing Yan Shuangqiao lying in a pool of blood. Overcome with grief, she was devastated, while Wei Zhao was equally shocked by the scene. Xie Che ordered Rong Yudie to be executed on the spot. Tao Zizhu brought reinforcements and surrounded Rong Yudie. Pei Yan rushed forward to protect his mother, kneeling and begging Xie Che to spare her life.

With nowhere left to run, Rong Yudie surrendered. Jiang Ci, overwhelmed by shock, fell into unconsciousness, repeatedly calling out for her master. When she finally woke up, she was overjoyed to see Yan Shuangqiao by her side, believing it to be a dream. However, when Jiang Ci saw the blood on her palm, she realized that the earlier scene wasn’t a dream—her master, Yan Shuangqiao, had truly died in her arms.

Jiang Ci’s health deteriorated from the shock, and Wei Zhao escorted her back to the palace. Meanwhile, Pei Yan knelt for hours, pleading with Emperor Xie Che to spare his mother, Rong Yudie. That same night, Xie Che visited Rong Yudie in prison. Rong Yudie, filled with hatred, regretted not killing him. Xie Che claimed he had always been deeply in love with Rong Yudie, but she had betrayed their relationship by choosing Pei Zijing.

Rong Yudie couldn’t help but laugh coldly, accusing Xie Che of betraying her for the throne. She tried to kill Xie Che with a jade hairpin, but Xie Che swiftly grabbed it from her. Years ago, Rong Yudie and Xie Che had been deeply in love, but now they were mortal enemies. Xie Che decided not to kill Rong Yudie but sentenced her to spend the rest of her life in Jingxin Nunnery, transcribing scriptures.

To overthrow Xie Che and make Pei Yan the emperor, Rong Yudie meticulously planned for many years, hiding gold, silver, and a large amount of military equipment in Nanling. However, Pei Yan had no interest in the throne. Rong Yudie refused to give up and was determined to eliminate Xie Che. Back in the day, she and Xie Che were deeply in love, but Xie Che abandoned her for the throne, leading her to marry Pei Zijing.

Because of this, Rong Yudie resented Xie Che for her entire life. Rong Yudie persuaded Wei Zhao to cooperate with Yan Shuangqiao, even at the cost of Yan Shuangqiao's life. However, her plan ultimately failed. Pei Yan pleaded with Xie Che, and Xie Che spared Rong Yudie from the death penalty, instead sentencing her to copy scriptures at a nunnery. Pei Yan sent Rong Yudie away from the Marquis of Jianding's mansion.

Before leaving, Rong Yudie reminded him to be wary of Xie Che. As Pei Yan watched the carriage carrying Rong Yudie slowly disappear, his heart was filled with mixed emotions. The servants of the Marquis's mansion took down all the lanterns prepared for the wedding, and the maids put away the bright red wedding dress that Jiang Ci was supposed to wear. Pei Yan witnessed this scene, feeling an indescribable pain in his heart.

He had originally intended to happily marry Jiang Ci, but because of Rong Yudie’s rebellion and her poisoning of Jiang Ci’s master, Yan Shuangqiao, the wedding fell apart. An Cheng and Tong Min both advised Pei Yan to visit Jiang Ci in the palace. However, Pei Yan felt too ashamed to face her and knew that Jiang Ci would never forgive him. He regretted bringing Jiang Ci back to Qingkang, which led to her losing her only remaining family.

Pei Yan personally took down the red wedding symbols from the doors and windows. Seeing that Pei Yan had fallen from favor, many of his retainers left the Marquis’s mansion. However, Pei Yan was willing to recommend Cui Liang to seek a higher position elsewhere, but Cui Liang chose to stand by Pei Yan. An Cheng and Tong Min also vowed their loyalty to Pei Yan, bringing tears to his eyes.

Ever since the death of her master Yan Shuangqiao, Jiang Ci had been deeply depressed, going five days without eating or drinking. The palace maids feared for her health and begged Wei Zhao to try and persuade Jiang Ci. When Wei Zhao visited Jiang Ci, she was eager to know why Yan Shuangqiao had been in the side hall. Wei Zhao had no choice but to reveal Rong Yudie’s plan to team up with Yan Shuangqiao to overthrow Xie Che.

Jiang Ci believed that Wei Zhao had forced Yan Shuangqiao to her death to avenge his father, Xiao Haitian. She swore that she never wanted to see Wei Zhao again and forcibly drove him away. Before leaving, Wei Zhao handed over a memento left by Yan Shuangqiao for Jiang Ci — a garment that Yan Shuangqiao had personally sewn for her. Wei Zhao urged Jiang Ci to pull herself together.

Wei Zhao confessed to Xie Che, taking responsibility for allowing Rong Yudie to plant her people within the imperial guards. However, Xie Che, recognizing that Wei Zhao had helped report the assassin’s whereabouts in time, chose not to pursue the matter further. Wei Zhao wanted to root out all of Rong Yudie’s agents within the court, but Xie Che, knowing that Pei Yan alone couldn’t stir up any significant trouble, decided to drop the investigation.

Xie Che, naturally suspicious, felt something was off with Wei Zhao since his return from Liangzhou, and ordered the imperial eunuch Tao Zizhu to send someone to investigate Wei Zhao’s activities there. Tao Zizhu sent Jiang Yuan to Liangzhou. Due to excessive grief, Jiang Ci fell gravely ill. Cui Liang came to treat her, and only after seeing her regain consciousness did Wei Zhao feel at ease and leave.

Cui Liang kindly persuaded Jiang Ci to take her medicine, and only then did she comply. Dong Juan also happened to visit Jiang Ci, and after leaving the palace together with Cui Liang, the two found themselves getting along well and developed a mutual liking for each other. Since Rong Yudie’s failed rebellion, rumors had spread among the people, claiming that Xie Che had caused the death of King Qi, Xie Chun.

When Zhuang Wang, Xie Yu, overheard these rumors, he immediately reported them to the Crown Prince, Xie Chi, suggesting that he question Xie Che about the truth behind Xie Chun’s death. Xie Chi had great faith in Xie Che, but unable to resist Xie Yu’s persistent urging, he went to ask Xie Che about Xie Chun’s death.

Xie Che firmly denied the accusation, making it clear that he hadn’t caused Xie Chun’s death and even asked Xie Chi to persuade Jiang Ci to let go of her anger. Xie Chi immediately decided to host a family banquet to bring the family closer. After much deliberation, Xie Che decided that the only way to completely dispel the rumors was to eliminate Jiang Ci. He personally visited Jiang Ci, bringing her many exquisite pastries.

Jiang Yuan searched Jiang Ci’s room and found the spirit tablet of Yan Shuangqiao, which enraged Xie Che. He burned the tablet on the spot. Jiang Ci desperately tried to grab it back but was restrained by Tao Zizhu. She tearfully pleaded with Xie Che to spare the spirit tablet, insisting that Yan Shuangqiao was not an assassin. Ignoring her pleas, Xie Che stormed out.

Xie Yu had long coveted the position of Crown Prince and deliberately encouraged Xie Chi to provoke Xie Che’s old wounds, hoping to infuriate him. However, to his surprise, Xie Che didn’t punish Xie Chi, leaving Xie Yu feeling resentful. Wei Zhao, upon hearing of this, saw an opportunity to cause more trouble for Xie Che. Xie Chi hosted the family banquet and asked everyone to prepare a dish.

Xie Che tasted the dishes prepared by both Xie Chi and Xie Yu. Jiang Ci made a ginkgo lotus soup, which Xie Che praised highly. Despite the praise, Jiang Ci remained melancholy. Xie Che poured himself another bowl and drank it all at once, but suddenly collapsed at the table. Jiang Ci was accused of poisoning him and was taken to the Dali Temple prison.

Upon hearing the news, Wei Zhao immediately ordered Yi Fei to prepare and set out to question Jiang Ci. The head of Dali Temple, Yu Jiming, interrogated Jiang Ci overnight, but she firmly denied poisoning Xie Che. Wei Zhao soon arrived, insisting on personally questioning Jiang Ci, asking her to recall every detail of the family banquet, which he then meticulously recorded.

Wei Zhao made a secret visit to the Dali Temple prison, where he asked Jiang Ci about all the details from the banquet hosted by Xie Chi. He carefully recorded everything, hoping to find out who framed Jiang Ci. He sent Yi Fei to verify each detail. Wei Zhao discovered that the Bai Guo Fu Rong soup Jiang Ci gave Xie Che was prepared by the palace maid Liu Cui.

He immediately interrogated Liu Cui, who admitted that she was placed in Yu Chun Pavilion by the chief eunuch, Tao Zizhu, to monitor Jiang Ci’s every move. However, Liu Cui swore that she saw Jiang Ci as a sister and would never harm her. Wei Zhao and Yi Fei conducted separate investigations but found nothing unusual. Wei Zhao began to suspect that Xie Che had poisoned himself to frame Jiang Ci and test his loyalty.

The more he thought about it, the more alarming it seemed. He knew Xie Yu had been coveting the crown prince's position for a long time and suspected that Xie Yu had poisoned Xie Che to frame Xie Chi. Wei Zhao sent Yi Fei to Lan Yue Pavilion to find some new songs and then led a team to thoroughly inspect the Eastern Palace.

Pei Yan couldn't stop thinking about Jiang Ci, but he was hesitant to visit her in the palace. When he heard that Jiang Ci was accused of poisoning Xie Che and had been thrown into prison, he immediately went to see Xie Chi. Meanwhile, Xie Yu went to Lan Yue Pavilion to drink and listen to songs. Wei Zhao purposefully visited him to probe and test his reactions, but Xie Yu remained distracted and indifferent.

When Wei Zhao left, he ran into Pei Yan, who had an appointment with Xie Chi at Lan Yue Pavilion. Pei Yan firmly believed that Jiang Ci wouldn’t poison anyone and begged Xie Chi to investigate the truth and clear her name. Xie Chi advised Pei Yan not to get involved, reminding him that Jiang Ci had already been taken to the Dali Temple.

Pei Yan wanted to see Jiang Ci one last time, and Xie Chi reluctantly agreed to arrange a meeting. Pei Yan visited Jiang Ci in prison, bringing along medicine prepared by Cui Liang. He swore to Jiang Ci that he would rescue her, but Jiang Ci had already lost hope. Pei Yan, seeing her desolation, grew anxious and reviewed all the events, suspecting that Xie Che had poisoned himself to eliminate Jiang Ci.

The realization terrified him, and he decided to use both Xie Chi and Xie Yu to clear Jiang Ci’s name. Tong Min secretly sneaked into Xie Yu’s residence at night to retrieve the knife used to carve the goose at the banquet, while Yi Fei also went to Xie Yu’s residence to investigate, where he unexpectedly ran into Tong Min.

Upon hearing from Tong Min that Wei Zhao was also secretly investigating Jiang Ci’s case, Pei Yan invited Wei Zhao to meet at Lan Yue Pavilion to discuss. Both men were determined to save Jiang Ci and came up with a plan. The Crown Princess had fallen unconscious from poisoning, and both she and Xie Che were found to have been poisoned with Jiu Jie Tao.

Pei Yan smeared the poison on the goose knife and had An Cheng secretly place it in Xie Yu’s trash, then tipped off Xie Chi about it. As Pei Yan had anticipated, Xie Chi brought the goose knife to Pei Yan, seeking advice. He couldn’t believe Xie Yu would poison Xie Che and wanted to confront him directly. Pei Yan advised him not to act rashly, suggesting that perhaps Xie Yu’s true target wasn’t Xie Che but Xie Chi himself.

Remembering that the Crown Princess had also been poisoned, Xie Chi became convinced of Pei Yan’s theory and agreed to hand the goose knife over to Lord Yin of the Censorate. This was all part of the plan that Pei Yan and Wei Zhao had devised to shift suspicion onto Xie Yu. Wei Zhao planned to persuade Jiang Ci to cooperate fully during the trial, promising to send her away from Qingkang afterward.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yuan was dispatched to investigate Wei Zhao’s background in Liangzhou and Yue Luo. He uncovered that Wei Zhao was the son of Yue Luo's City Lord, Xiao Haitian, and that Jiang Ci and Xiao Wuxia were married. Liu Cui came to visit Jiang Ci in prison, bringing the burnt remains of the clothes that Yan Shuangqiao had sewn for Jiang Ci.

Seeing the remnants brought back memories of her master’s tragic death, and Jiang Ci was overwhelmed with grief. Wei Zhao sent a message through Liu Cui, urging Jiang Ci to cooperate with the investigation to clear her name and avenge Yan Shuangqiao. Jiang Ci, reinvigorated, prepared for one final effort. Yin Yushi received the poisoned goose knife and immediately summoned Xie Chi, Xie Yu, and Dali Temple's minister, Yu Jiming, for a meeting.

Xie Yu recognized the knife as his own and accused Xie Chi of framing him, but Xie Chi vehemently denied it. Unsure of how to proceed, Yin Yushi suggested a joint trial between Dali Temple and the Censorate, to which Xie Chi agreed. Xie Yu, growing more enraged, invited Wei Zhao to Lan Yue Pavilion for drinks, where he vented his frustrations. Meanwhile, Xie Chi and Pei Yan visited Jiang Ci in prison.

Jiang Ci maintained that she had not poisoned anyone, though she had no idea who had framed her. Pei Yan subtly fanned the flames, leading Xie Chi to believe that Xie Yu was behind it, aiming to seize the crown prince's position. Xie Yu, by chance, saw Xie Chi visiting Jiang Ci in prison and dragged Wei Zhao along to confront them. Xie Yu insisted that Xie Chi was framing him and begged Jiang Ci to testify against Xie Chi during the trial.

Yu Jiming and Lord Yin presided over the trial together, with Xie Chi, Xie Yu, Wei Zhao, Pei Yan, and others observing. Yu Jiming firmly accused Jiang Ci of being the one who poisoned Xie Che, but Jiang Ci vehemently defended herself. Lord Yin presented new evidence: the Crown Princess was also poisoned with Jiu Jie Tao, a poison hidden in the "Three Friends of Winter" set, which consisted of pine, bamboo, and plum.

This was a special arrangement prepared by Xie Chi for the banquet as a hand-washing ritual. Xie Chi subtly implied that Prince Zhuang, Xie Yu, had framed him, while Xie Yu defended himself fiercely. Lord Yin then brought out the goose knife tainted with the Jiu Jie Tao poison. Xie Yu accused Xie Chi of framing him, and both princes argued heatedly.

Jiang Ci defended herself publicly, pointing out that since both princes were suspected of poisoning, she should not be the only one imprisoned. Both Xie Chi and Xie Yu promised to help clear Jiang Ci’s name. The two brothers began to blame each other, arguing until they were red in the face. Xie Che, having heard the commotion, arrived with the person who had poisoned him: Tao Zizhu, the chief eunuch. Everyone present was stunned.

It turned out that Xie Che had instructed Tao Zizhu to send someone to Liangzhou to investigate Wei Zhao’s background. Tao Zizhu sent Jiang Yuan, who discovered that Wei Zhao was the son of Xiao Haitian, the Lord of Yue Luo, and that Jiang Ci and Xiao Wuxia were married.

Upon learning that Jiang Ci was being tried today, Xie Che guessed that Wei Zhao had orchestrated the entire situation to shift blame onto the two princes and exonerate Jiang Ci. Xie Che ordered Tao Zizhu to take the blame. Tao Zizhu confessed in court that he had poisoned Jiang Ci, but accidentally poisoned Xie Che in the process. Xie Che ordered Tao Zizhu to be imprisoned and told Jiang Ci to return to Yu Chun Pavilion to rest.

Xie Che detained Wei Zhao, leaving Jiang Ci confused. Pei Yan and Wei Zhao had previously arranged for Liu Cui to escort Jiang Ci out of the palace, but they were stopped by Jiang Yuan. From Jiang Yuan, Jiang Ci learned that Wei Zhao’s identity had been exposed, and she began to worry for him. Fortunately, Pei Yan arrived just in time to help Jiang Ci escape Jiang Yuan's interference.

Jiang Ci wanted to return to rescue Wei Zhao, but Pei Yan, not wanting her to take any more risks, knocked her unconscious and carried her out of the palace. Xie Che tested Wei Zhao in various ways, but Wei Zhao answered smoothly each time. Xie Che tried to persuade Wei Zhao to tell the truth, promising not to pursue the matter further, but Wei Zhao remained calm.

Xie Che then ordered Wei Zhao to issue a decree to Yue Luo, demanding that they send slaves to the kingdom of Da Liang three times a year. This struck a nerve with Wei Zhao, who advised Xie Che not to further harm Yue Luo. Just then, Jiang Yuan hurriedly reported that Jiang Ci had escaped. Xie Che, enraged, turned on Wei Zhao and imprisoned him in the slave arena, leaving him to fend for himself.

Jiang Ci woke up groggily and learned that Wei Zhao had been thrown into the deadly slave arena. She struggled to get up and save him, but Yi Fei stopped her with all his might. Meanwhile, Wei Zhao, surrounded by a large group of slaves, was forced to fight for his life as they relentlessly attacked him for a chance at survival. Wei Zhao fought back desperately.

Xie Che soon discovered that Xie Yu and Wei Zhao had colluded to frame Xie Chi. Xie Chi openly admitted it, believing that pushing Xie Chi harder would prove he was more suited to be the Crown Prince. However, Xie Che chose not to pursue the matter further, letting Xie Yu remain a carefree prince. Xie Yu, disheartened, lost all hope.

Witnessing the rivalry between the two princes, Xie Che was reminded of how their father had once placed high hopes on Prince Qi, Xie Chun, and he felt a pang of jealousy. Even on his deathbed, their father had warned him not to harm Xie Chun. Xie Che ordered a citywide search for Jiang Ci, while Tong Min followed Yi Fei, only to be caught by him.

At the same time, urgent news arrived from the front lines: Lu Yu had defected to the Wei Kingdom, and Emperor Gao Xiu of Wei had personally led his troops to invade Da Liang, seizing control of Zhuzhou. Lu Yu was now leading his troops toward Liangzhou, while the valiant General You Ran defended Liangzhou with all his might. Xie Che gathered his civil and military officials to discuss strategies.

Yue Jinglong volunteered to lead the army, while Xie Chi recommended Pei Yan. Lord Yin also suggested that Pei Yan be given command. After much deliberation, Xie Che reluctantly agreed. After leaving the palace, Jiang Ci hid at Lan Yue Pavilion. Determined to save Wei Zhao, she sent Yi Fei to summon Pei Yan, who readily agreed to help.

Xie Che consulted Pei Yan on military strategy, and Pei Yan suggested forming an alliance with Yue Luo to resist the Wei Kingdom. Xie Che, concerned that Yue Luo might fall into Wei’s hands, agreed to the plan. Pei Yan wanted Wei Zhao to assist him, and although Xie Che couldn't think of a better solution, he agreed. Pei Yan arrived at the slave arena and found that all the slaves had been killed and that Wei Zhao was gravely injured.

Pei Yan wanted to bring Wei Zhao along on the campaign, and Xie Che offered Wei Zhao a chance to redeem himself. He even gave Wei Zhao a miraculous medicine to heal his wounds quickly. Wei Zhao, eager to win a better future for the people of Yue Luo, took the pill on the spot. Jiang Ci was overjoyed when she learned that Pei Yan had rescued Wei Zhao.

She was deeply grateful and asked to join the army to treat the soldiers’ wounds. Pei Yan, unable to refuse her, reluctantly agreed. Pei Yan also had the noodle stall owner bring two bowls of lamb noodle soup, while Jiang Ci personally grilled crabs as a treat. After sharing this meal, Pei Yan finally let go of his lingering feelings for Jiang Ci.

Pei Yan pleaded with Xie Che for an opportunity for Wei Zhao to redeem himself through merit. Xie Che agreed to let Pei Yan and Wei Zhao lead troops to confront the Wei Kingdom. Yi Fei brought Wei Zhao back from the palace; Wei Zhao was severely injured from his time in the gladiator arena. As their carriage passed by Lan Yue Tower, Yi Fei suggested that Wei Zhao say goodbye to Jiang Ci.

Wei Zhao, not wanting to involve Jiang Ci in his troubles, declined. He and Pei Yan had an agreement that after they left Qingkang with the troops, Pei Yan would arrange for Jiang Ci to be sent away. Cui Liang decided to join Pei Yan on the battlefield. Dong Juan visited Cui Liang at the bookstore, offering to help him prepare ink. In return, Cui Liang gave her a painting titled "Peach Blossom Spring" as a gift.

Dong Juan, learning that Cui Liang was about to go to war, wished him victory. Cui Liang asked Dong Juan to wait for his return, but she had already agreed to a marriage arranged by her father. She urged him to forget her. Cui Liang handed her a book and a small paper dragonfly he found by the lake. They parted in tears. When Dong Juan opened the book, she instantly recognized the familiar handwriting.

She recalled the two lines of poetry she had once seen carved on a stone in the garden of Marquis Jianding's estate. She had been drawn to the elegance of the handwriting and had long searched for its author, only to discover it was Cui Liang. Shocked, Dong Juan pulled out the paper dragonfly from her pouch, recognizing it as the one she had thrown into the lake while playing by the pavilion.

Unbeknownst to her, Cui Liang had found it. Regretful, she lamented that they were destined to be apart. Jiang Ci packed her belongings to leave, and Su Yan came to bid her farewell, handing her a ling jiu flower left by Wei Zhao. Jiang Ci finally realized that Su Yan was an old acquaintance of her mother, Yan Shuwan, and Yan Shuangqiao. She thanked Su Yan for taking care of her all this time.

Before departing, Jiang Ci visited Yan Shuangqiao's grave to pay her respects. Xie Che appointed Pei Yan as the Grand Commander of the Central Army, alongside General Yue Jinglong, to reclaim the lost northern territories. Wei Zhao was named the vanguard commander. Xie Che personally sent them off, wishing them success and a swift return. Wei Zhao, Yue Jinglong, and Pei Yan led the Da Liang soldiers into battle, with Jiang Ci disguised as a soldier following them.

After the army set up camp, Wei Zhao saw the flames from a medicinal stove outside a tent and was reminded of Jiang Ci. To his surprise, Jiang Ci suddenly appeared before him. She embraced him tightly, saying she wanted a fresh start with him. Wei Zhao was moved to tears. Meanwhile, Lu Yu had defected with his Zhenyuan Army to the Wei Kingdom and led an invasion into Liangzhou.

Wei Zhao volunteered to recapture Zhuzhou, and Yue Jinglong sent Pei Yan to assist him in Liangzhou. Wei Zhao asked Cui Liang to check his pulse, and Cui Liang discovered that Wei Zhao had a chronic poison—Bingpo Dan—inside his body. Cui Liang promised to do everything in his power to find an antidote. Wei Zhao requested Cui Liang keep this secret and, should he be injured on the battlefield, to adjust his pulse without letting Jiang Ci worry.

Jiang Ci followed Wei Zhao into battle, and Pei Yan repeatedly reminded them of their plans, agreeing to meet in Liangzhou. General You Ran trained the soldiers harshly, but Pei Yan advised him to be more considerate. You Ran scoffed at Pei Yan, responding rudely. Wei Zhao and Yue Jinglong led troops to Zhuzhou, where they found the city heavily guarded. Wei Zhao decided to launch a surprise attack on the weaker western side of the city.

Yue Jinglong ordered Wei Zhao to lead the vanguard and prepare for a coordinated assault. Late at night, Wei Zhao informed Jiang Ci of the plan and told her to wait for him in the camp. At dawn, Wei Zhao led his troops in the attack, killing the city guards and breaking into Zhuzhou with the vanguard. Lei Zhen led the Wei Kingdom soldiers in retaliation, surrounding the vanguard. The outnumbered soldiers fought fiercely, sustaining heavy casualties.

Wei Zhao held out, awaiting Yue Jinglong’s reinforcements. Though Yue Jinglong received the battle report early, he delayed sending his troops, having been secretly instructed by Xie Che to let Wei Zhao perish on the battlefield. After waiting for a long time without seeing Yue Jinglong’s troops, Jiang Ci became worried about Wei Zhao's safety and set off alone to seek help from the Yue Clan. Teng Rui was ordered to take over Zhuzhou, seizing wealth and several mansions.

Hearing that Lei Zhen was injured and that Wei Zhao was still fighting, Teng Rui issued a heavy bounty for Wei Zhao’s capture. Wei Zhao ordered Yi Fei to lead the vanguard soldiers in retreat while he distracted the Wei soldiers. Surrounded in a dead-end alley, Wei Zhao fought valiantly, repelling wave after wave of attacks. Yi Fei and the vanguard arrived in time to assist him, engaging the Wei soldiers in a fierce battle.

Jiang Ci hurried toward Yue City, but her horse collapsed from exhaustion. She continued on foot, stumbling along the way. Hong Jie, hearing that Da Liang was at war with the Wei Kingdom, convened with Elder Ping and the other elders, planning to send reinforcements. Jiang Ci arrived in a rush, pleading for help. Hong Jie, Elder Ping, and Elder Ji gathered the Yue soldiers to rescue Wei Zhao.

Wei Zhao and the vanguard held out for two days and nights, gradually becoming exhausted. Forced to hide, Teng Rui captured many civilians, threatening to kill them unless Wei Zhao surrendered. Wei Zhao, Yi Fei, and the others descended from above, escorting the civilians to safety. Wei Zhao then engaged in a final battle with Lei Zhen. Just as all seemed lost, Jiang Ci and Hong Jie arrived with Yue reinforcements, driving the Wei soldiers away and reclaiming Zhuzhou.

Overjoyed, Jiang Ci embraced Wei Zhao, relieved that he was unharmed. Teng Rui and Lei Zhen fled in fear, but Wei Zhao pursued them relentlessly. With no place to escape, Teng Rui surrendered, and Wei Zhao killed him on the spot, avenging Old He and Alan. Upon learning that Wei Zhao had survived, Yue Jinglong quickly moved his troops to seize Zhuzhou.

Wei Zhao led his troops in a fierce battle for two days and two nights, completely exhausted, and fell into a deep sleep. Seeing how tired he was, Jiang Ci felt a deep sense of pity for him. Hong Jie and the elders came to visit Wei Zhao. Wei Zhao decided to head to Liangzhou the next day to join forces with Pei Yan and have the soldiers from Moonfall accompany them. Hong Jie agreed readily.

Uncle Ping, who had witnessed Jiang Ci risking her life to get reinforcements for Wei Zhao, was deeply impressed by her. Lu Yu led the Wei soldiers in an attack on Liangzhou, and Pei Yan, along with the soldiers from the Changfeng Guard, fought desperately, repelling the Wei forces again and again. However, You Ran was dissatisfied and even mocked Pei Yan. Lei Zhen returned in disgrace to report back to Emperor Gao Xiu of Wei.

Gao Xiu was helpless, and Lu Yu harshly reprimanded Lei Zhen. Hearing that You Ran had issues with Pei Yan, Lu Yu suggested to Gao Xiu that they pretend to surrender to You Ran, allowing him to capture some prisoners and enter the city, and then launch an internal attack to retake Liangzhou. Lei Zhen sneered at Lu Yu, disapproving of how he disregarded the lives of soldiers for the sake of taking credit.

Gao Xiu agreed with Lu Yu's plan. That night, Lu Yu sent the spy Liu Ming to secretly contact You Ran, tipping him off about Lu Yu's plan to attack the city that night. You Ran had his soldiers set up an ambush in advance, causing Lu Yu to retreat.

You Ran then had Liu Ming escort the captives back to the city and personally led his troops to chase Lu Yu, only to fall into the Wei army's ambush, where he was killed, and the Wei soldiers seized the opportunity to capture Liangzhou. You Ran was also killed in battle. Pei Yan received news of You Ran's death and decided to temporarily retreat to Moonfall City.

However, with Liangzhou and Moonfall being far apart, Cui Liang suggested using the easily defensible terrain of Mingyue Mountain to set up an ambush. Pei Yan sent An Cheng to meet up with Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci. Lu Yu led the Wei army in massacring the city, sparing neither the civilians nor the people of Moonfall. The civilians went to Wei Zhao for help. An Cheng arrived to meet up with Wei Zhao, but Lu Yu’s forces pursued them.

An Cheng instructed Jiang Ci and Wei Zhao to escort the civilians to safety while he led the Changfeng Guard in a final stand against Lu Yu. Pei Yan and Cui Liang led the Changfeng Guard and the civilians on a long journey, eventually reaching Mingyue Mountain. An Cheng fought valiantly but was outnumbered, and he was eventually struck down by multiple swords. Pei Yan led reinforcements but could only watch as An Cheng died in his arms.

Overcome with grief, Pei Yan was heartbroken; he and An Cheng had grown up together and were as close as brothers. Pei Yan brought An Cheng's body back to the camp, and everyone present was deeply moved. Tong Min was devastated, holding An Cheng's body and weeping bitterly. Pei Yan buried An Cheng and mourned at his grave.

Wei Zhao offered words of comfort, and Pei Yan vowed at An Cheng's grave that he would never let down the soldiers of Da Liang. Tong Min was overwhelmed with grief, crying constantly, and Yi Fei encouraged him to stay strong and move forward. The soldiers of the Changfeng Guard were furious, taking out their anger on the people and soldiers of Moonfall.

An Cheng had died protecting their retreat, but the Moonfall soldiers were not satisfied, leading to fierce clashes between the two sides. Hong Jie and Tong Min arrived just in time to stop the fighting. Pei Yan was deeply saddened when he thought about his brother An Cheng. He shut himself in his room. Jiang Ci, remembering her master Yan Shuangqiao’s tragic death, understood Pei Yan’s pain.

Once again, tensions flared between the soldiers of the Changfeng Guard and the soldiers of Moonfall, and just as they were about to fight, Wei Zhao and Pei Yan intervened. They urged both sides to unite and fight against the Wei invaders. With a great battle looming, Hong Jie, fearing for his safety on the battlefield, returned the white jade hairpin to Wei Zhao, asking him to take charge of Moonfall after the battle.

Hong Jie also confessed his feelings to Yu Lian, promising to marry her after the war, to which she happily agreed. Xie Che received word that Liangzhou had fallen and decided to lead troops into battle personally. The soldiers of Liang and Moonfall joined forces, setting up an ambush together.

A Liu noticed Liu Ming sneaking out of the camp and, unable to report to Wei Zhao in time, asked Jiang Ci to deliver the message before chasing after Liu Ming. Liu Ming had gone to betray them to Lu Yu, who then decided to make Lei Zhen the vanguard.

A Liu hurriedly arrived to surrender to Lu Yu, bringing half of the Phoenix Crossbow's blueprint as proof of his loyalty, and promised to lead Lu Yu to the other half. Lu Yu followed A Liu to Mingyue Mountain but, sensing something was wrong, tried to kill A Liu. Wei Zhao arrived just in time, and Xie Che took A Liu hostage, revealing that Xie Che had once been to Moonfall.

Eager to learn more, Wei Zhao agreed to spare Lu Yu, but Lu Yu didn’t believe him. A Liu, clutching Lu Yu, jumped off a cliff to his death. Wei Zhao, Pei Yan, and Cui Liang were discussing battle plans when they suddenly received word that Xie Che was leading the imperial army to personally join the battle.

The soldiers were greatly encouraged, but Wei Zhao sensed that Xie Che’s arrival might not be entirely good news, harboring a faint worry in his heart. Jiang Ci also knew that Xie Che’s real motive was to kill Wei Zhao, but she remained resolutely by his side.

The soldiers of Da Liang and Moonfall City formed the Liang-Moon Allied Army. Today marked their first battle, with Pei Yan and Wei Zhao delivering a pre-battle speech, urging everyone to unite in their fight against the Wei soldiers. Before departing, Wei Zhao came to bid farewell to Jiang Ci. She reminded him to be cautious and promised to wait for his return.

Unwilling to let Jiang Ci see him suffer from his poison attack after being injured, Wei Zhao knocked her unconscious when she wasn’t expecting it and instructed Uncle Ping to send her back to Jiangjia Village. Pei Yan and Wei Zhao led their troops to the front lines, while Lu Yu and Gao Xiu also brought their forces. Wei Zhao commanded from the headquarters as the Liang-Moon Allied Army fought courageously.

Gao Xiu ordered his soldiers to encircle the allied forces. At Wei Zhao’s command, Cui Liang directed ten Phoenix Crossbows to unleash a devastating assault on the Wei army’s camp, causing heavy casualties. Frightened, Gao Xiu fled in disarray. Wei Zhao and Pei Yan attacked from both sides, inflicting severe damage on the Wei forces. Despite being outnumbered, the Liang-Moon Allied Army achieved a decisive victory.

Wei Zhao captured Gao Xiu alive, who immediately wrote a letter of guarantee, promising not to invade Da Liang for the next ten years. The soldiers cheered in triumph, and Wei Zhao spotted Jiang Ci’s figure in the crowd. Upon hearing of the Liang-Moon Allied Army’s victory, Xie Che immediately led his troops back to the camp. Wei Zhao collapsed from the poison in his body, and Cui Liang arranged for him to be treated at a secret location in Moonfall.

When Wei Zhao groggily woke up, he saw Jiang Ci tending to him. He scolded her for returning after he had sent her away. Wei Zhao ordered Uncle Ping to escort Jiang Ci back to Jiangjia Village, but Jiang Ci was determined to face everything alongside Wei Zhao and had returned of her own accord. She carefully took care of him, and Wei Zhao was moved to tears.

Pei Yan came to visit Wei Zhao, who expressed his desire to reveal the truth behind King Qi, Xie Chun’s death in front of the army, and seek justice for his father, Xiao Haitian, and the people of Moonfall. Pei Yan agreed to help him fulfill this wish. After going through life-and-death battles together, Wei Zhao and Pei Yan had become true confidants.

Pei Yan brought Xie Chi to Moonfall and explained the hardships Moonfall had endured over the years, urging Xie Chi to seek justice for Moonfall. Xie Chi sought out Xie Che, persuading him to investigate the real cause of King Qi, Xie Chun’s death, and to bring justice to the soldiers and people of Moonfall. Under pressure, Xie Che reluctantly agreed to hold a grand celebration three days later. He summoned Wei Zhao to reward him for his achievements.

However, Wei Zhao attributed all the credit to the soldiers of Moonfall. Xie Che had heard rumors about a miracle doctor in Wei Zhao’s army, and though Wei Zhao made every effort to conceal the truth, Xie Che secretly resolved to eliminate him. Wei Zhao returned late to his quarters, where Jiang Ci had been waiting for him. She asked him to push her on the swing.

Jiang Ci carved the character “Ci” onto the swing, imagining a happy life with Wei Zhao. Wei Zhao was set to attend the celebration tomorrow and asked Jiang Ci to wait for him at home. Overcome with emotion, Wei Zhao kissed Jiang Ci, and they embraced each other, sharing an unforgettable night together. The next morning, Wei Zhao woke up and decorated the room, even putting on his wedding attire.

He performed a wedding ceremony alone, suspecting that Xie Che would use the celebration as an opportunity to harm Jiang Ci. He entrusted Yi Fei and Cui Liang with protecting her, then set off for the celebration. Pei Yan arrived early to accompany Wei Zhao, and together, they faced Xie Che. Xie Che sent Jiang Yuan to find Jiang Ci, planning to kill both her and Wei Zhao.

The celebration officially began, and Xie Che prepared to reward the Liang-Moon Allied Army. Xie Chi stepped forward to speak on behalf of the Moonfall soldiers, and Xie Che agreed to grant them rewards. Wei Zhao then stood up to overturn the case from twenty years ago, declaring that Xiao Haitian was not the one who killed King Qi, Xie Chun. Just as Wei Zhao was about to reveal the truth, the people of Moonfall unexpectedly arrived.

Xie Che admitted that he had invited them to witness the ceremony. Wei Zhao noticed the imperial guards surrounding the area and realized that Xie Che was using the lives of the people to threaten him. Unwilling to implicate the people of Moonfall, Wei Zhao refrained from exposing Xie Che as the true murderer and instead placed the blame for King Qi’s death on the Xiao family.

He knelt before Xie Che, pleading for the removal of Moonfall’s taxes and the restoration of freedom for its people. However, Xie Che refused to relent. Wei Zhao vowed his loyalty to Xie Che, while Pei Yan knelt to beg for mercy for the people of Moonfall. Xie Chi also pleaded with Xie Che to abolish the enslavement of the Moonfall citizens. Under pressure, Xie Che finally agreed to free Moonfall, and the people erupted in cheers. Xie Che then asked Wei Zhao to accompany him to the Star-Gazing Pavilion.

Xie Che brought Wei Zhao to the Star-Gazing Pavilion. Wei Zhao questioned him about how he felt returning to this place. Xie Che insisted that he didn’t kill King Qi, Xie Chun, but Wei Zhao was convinced he was the murderer. Wei Zhao recalled the events of twenty years ago and casually lit an incense stick. Xie Che had come to the Star-Gazing Pavilion in Moonfall to meet King Qi, Xie Chun.

He complained that Xie Chun shouldn’t have secretly snuck out of Qingkang. Xie Che had long coveted the throne, but their father had chosen Xie Chun instead. Xie Chun, uninterested in the throne, took his own life on the spot, allowing Xie Che to succeed him. Wei Zhao was furious, clenching his teeth. Though Xie Che hadn’t killed Xie Chun with his own hands, he had driven him to death and framed Xiao Haitian.

Xie Che justified his actions, saying he had no choice if he wanted to preserve the Da Liang dynasty. Wei Zhao scoffed at Xie Che’s actions. Not only had Xie Che driven Xie Chun to his death and framed Xiao Haitian, but he also destroyed Wei Zhao’s family and caused the people of Moonfall to suffer enslavement. As Wei Zhao grew more enraged, he recalled that his sister, Xiao Yujia, had suspected Xie Che of killing Xie Chun.

In his anger, Xie Che had killed her, along with her unborn child. Jiang Ci woke up early and, upon learning that Wei Zhao hadn’t returned, became anxious. Jiang Yuan arrived with men to capture Jiang Ci, but Yi Fei fought desperately to protect her and Cui Liang as they fled.

Jiang Ci encountered Pei Yan on the way and, upon hearing that Xie Che had summoned Wei Zhao to the Star-Gazing Pavilion and smelling a strong odor of sulfur, she feared for Wei Zhao’s safety. She and Pei Yan immediately rushed to the pavilion, instructing Tong Min and Cui Liang to evacuate the nearby citizens. At Xie Che’s command, Jiang Yuan led the imperial guards to storm in, surrounding Wei Zhao. Xie Che threatened to burn Wei Zhao alive.

It was then that Wei Zhao realized Xie Che had hidden a fuse in the incense burner, and the incense was nearly burned out. Xie Che hurriedly left, and Wei Zhao engaged in a fierce fight with Jiang Yuan. As the incense burned down, it ignited the fuse connected to explosives, causing the Star-Gazing Pavilion to explode in an instant. While fending off the imperial guards, Wei Zhao also pursued Xie Che.

He quickly caught up and shut the main door, trapping Xie Che inside. Explosions echoed through the pavilion as Wei Zhao resolved to perish alongside Xie Che. Amid the violent explosions, Jiang Ci and Pei Yan rushed into the pavilion. The place was in ruins, and Wei Zhao had been buried under burning beams. Desperately, Jiang Ci began pulling away the burning debris to save him.

Hong Jie led the Moonfall soldiers into the Star-Gazing Pavilion but was blocked by the imperial guards. They fought fiercely to push forward and engaged in battle with the guards. Jiang Ci braved the flames to save Wei Zhao, and Pei Yan struggled to pull her out as the pavilion exploded again, reducing the structure to rubble. Jiang Ci, Hong Jie, Pei Yan, and others searched the ruins for Wei Zhao.

Soon, Jiang Ci found a white jade hairpin and carefully collected it. Returning to her residence, Jiang Ci imagined seeing Wei Zhao watering flowers. She looked at the swing where the characters “Ci” and “Xia” were carved and recalled the promises she had made with Wei Zhao. Overcome with emotion, she buried Wei Zhao’s white jade hairpin under the swing, reminiscing about their beautiful time together. Jiang Ci broke down in tears and, alone, completed their wedding ceremony.

Jiang Ci bid farewell to Pei Yan. He urged her to return to Qingkang, but Jiang Ci expressed her wish to wander the world and entrusted Pei Yan with taking good care of the people of Moonfall. Crown Prince Xie Chi ascended to the throne and appointed Pei Yan as Prime Minister. Cui Liang said his goodbyes to Pei Yan and set off to travel the mountains and rivers.

The people of Moonfall came to the ruins of the Star-Gazing Pavilion to honor Wei Zhao. Each person placed a spirit flower on the site in remembrance, while Yi Fei decided to stay and protect Moonfall. Five years later, Jiang Ci returned to Mingyue Valley with her and Wei Zhao’s son, Yao’er. The valley was lush and beautiful.

Jiang Ci brought Yao’er back to the old Xiao family residence, where it seemed as if Wei Zhao had been waiting for them all along.

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