Episode 6 recap: Xie Wei's true identity.
Jiang Xue Ning returned home, and both her mother and father knew about her passing the exam. Naturally, her father was happy for her, but her mother, Meng Shi, confirmed that she had taken a shortcut through Yan Lin to snatch the spot that rightfully belonged to Jiang Xue Ning. Meng Shi mocked her, saying that with her personality, even if she became the empress, she probably wouldn't have a long life to enjoy it.
Meng Shi's words hit Jiang Xue Ning hard, reminding her of something: she was indeed skilled in scheming. There was a time when Jiang Xue Ning had an encounter with the emperor. Her horse got frightened, and the emperor rode over to stop the spooked horse and save Jiang Xue Ning. He even apologized to her. However, Jiang Xue Ning softly told the emperor that the horse was acting unintentionally, but his bravery in saving her was commendable. She handed him a handkerchief through the gap in the curtains, and the emperor caught a glimpse of a woman's face. He remained stunned, holding onto the handkerchief even after Jiang Xue Ning's carriage had gone far away.
Since then, the emperor couldn't forget about Jiang Xue Ning. After learning about this, Jiang Xue Ning deliberately threw a similar handkerchief in front of the emperor, making him believe that she was the woman in the carriage. She used this to get closer to the emperor, eventually winning his favor and becoming the empress. However, as Meng Shi had predicted, being the empress didn't change much. In the end, she still met a tragic fate. But since she had been given a second chance at life, she decided to change everything.
After being scolded by Jiang Xue Ning, Zhou Yin Zhi didn't follow the instructions from the Xuefamily and didn't steal the official seal and notes from Linmu. This displeased Duke Dingguo, who called him over for a reprimand, making it clear that if he couldn't complete the task, someone else would soon replace him. Zhou Yin Zhi was in a dilemma when Yan Lin suddenly approached him, inviting him to have barbecue tonight and introducing him to someone. Zhou Yin Zhi knew that Yan Lin wanted to introduce Jiang Xue Ning and without hesitation, he agreed.
Xie Wei saw the two of them talking and asked who the guard Zhou Yin Zhi was because he didn't know when they started being together and also scolded him. After investigating, the guard confirmed Zhou Yin Zhi's identity, and Xie Wei recalled that Zhou Yin Zhi was someone who came to the capital with him. He decided to meet him. Although Jiang Xue Ning made a lot of efforts after her rebirth, she found it difficult to change the trajectory of her life. However, she didn't want to give up so easily. Therefore, when she heard Yan Lin's invitation, she gladly accepted it.
To her surprise, Xie Wei had also come to Yan Mansion and caught the scent of barbecue. He decided to stay for the meal because, like Jiang Xue Ning, he had also traveled to Beijing with Zhou Yin Zhi. Jiang Xue Ning worried that Xie Wei might misunderstand if he saw them together. When Yan Lin went to greet Xie Wei, Jiang Xue Ning confronted Zhou Yin Zhi, questioning why he didn't listen to her and stay away from Yan Lin. Zhou Yin Zhi explained his predicament to her, saying that the Xue family was pressuring him. If he couldn't complete the task, they would replace him with someone else. He also revealed a significant discovery to Jiang Xue Ning—he found evidence of correspondence between Yan Mansion and the Prince of Pingnan. This was why he wanted to meet Jiang Xue Ning. Upon hearing this, Jiang Xue Ning instructed him to truthfully report these matters to Yan Lin.
As they were leaving Yan Mansion, Xie Wei volunteered to escort Jiang Xue Ning back. Jiang Xue Ning took this opportunity to explain to him that her encounter with Zhou Yin Zhi was coincidental. She also wanted to know what connection he had with the Yan family. While they were conversing, an arrow suddenly shot towards them. Xie Wei picked up the token that was pinned to the carriage, reassured Jiang Xue Ning not to worry, and walked away.
After Jiang Xue Ning and Xie Wei left, Zhou Yin Zhi revealed his true identity and everything he knew to Yan Lin. Yan Lin found it hard to believe, especially when he learned that Jiang Xue Ning had prompted Zhou Yin Zhi to disclose everything to protect him. He felt guilty, fearing that this matter would implicate Jiang Xue Ning. He confronted his father and learned that twenty years ago, Yan Lin's cousin had been abducted by the Prince of Pingnan. The prince had written a letter informing Yan Lin about it, and out of concern for his nephew, Yan Lin had corresponded with the prince. He knew that secrets couldn't be kept forever, and he believed that the Xue family would exploit this to destroy the Yan family.
Xie Wei, holding the token, met a person named Gong Yicheng. Gong Yicheng coldly sneered at him, asking if he had forgotten the task entrusted to him by the Prince of Pingnan after becoming the emperor's teacher and indulging in luxury and wealth. Although Xie Wei tried to explain, Gong Yicheng found his explanations forced. He believed that Prince of Pingnan still intended to rebel but was afraid of the Yan family's army. Therefore, he wanted the Xue and Yan families to fight each other. Gong Yicheng accused Xie Wei of going against the prince's intentions by handing the case over to the Ministry of Justice. Refusing to listen to Xie Wei's explanations any further, he ordered his subordinates to proceed with the plan, and several swords were suddenly pointed at Xie Wei's neck.
I'm speechless. I haven't followed any TV series for so many years, and finally, when I decided to start watching one, you stood me up. If it weren't for the fact that the original work of "Kun Ning" is so good, I wouldn't be here waiting for you.
Have you seen the success of "Chang Xiang Si" (the drama)? The novel adaptation is almost 100% faithful, and the storyline is emotionally captivating.
The actors' performances and looks are both excellent. There are no obvious flaws to be found. It's a good thing that you didn't encounter any disappointments.
It seems that the higher the fidelity to the original novel, the more attention it receives from book fans. With great acting skills and good looks, along with emotional depth, everyone is drawn into the story.
You can learn from this experience. Who would have expected Tencent to produce such a gem?
The ending of the novel is especially amusing. Xie Wei's son wants Zhang Zhe to be his teacher because he finds him very eloquent. Xie Wei, not pleased, secretly sabotages his son in the snowy field to make him stumble.
At first, the son thought it was just his own misstep. Then, after another fall, he realizes that his father is unhappy. Haha, he starts to flatter his father, hoping that he will teach him how to read.
Xie Wei's jealousy towards Zhang Zhe has been going on for quite some time.