Episode 23 recap: Returning to the Imperial Guard with renewed determination.

Yang Ying happily informed Ning Yuan Zhou and Ruyi that using the methods they had taught her, she intentionally presented a difficult problem to the An Guo guards. However, she suddenly became afraid of what would happen if three days passed and the ruler of An Guo still hadn't shown up. Ruyi felt that the ruler of An Guo had always been fair and just, but today he ignored Yang Ying, and she suspected he wanted to test her.

Magistrate Du saw how well Yang Ying handled the situation and felt relieved. He was worried that Yang Ying might have said something wrong, so he pulled her aside to have a detailed conversation. Ning Yuan Zhou looked at Ruyi with gratitude for teaching Yang Ying so well.

At night, Ning Yuan Zhou came to find Ruyi and told her that Yang Ying might have been genuinely frightened today and woke up in the middle of the night. Ning Yuan Zhou noticed Ruyi's injured hand and became very concerned, but Ruyi assured him that it was nothing serious. Ruyi looked at Ning Yuan Zhou's worried expression and asked him what he would do if something really happened to her in the Imperial Guard. Ning Yuan Zhou jokingly said he would find a girl and have many children, which infuriated Ruyi. Ning Yuan Zhou then earnestly told Ruyi that if she didn't want that to happen, she should avoid getting into trouble.

Ning Yuan Zhou excitedly told Ruyi that she was no longer alone and that even though she was an assassin, she shouldn't risk her life unnecessarily. Ruyi couldn't help but kiss Ning Yuan Zhou and told him not to be so verbose because she already understood.

Seeing Ning Yuan Zhou's smooth-talking manner, Ruyi thought he had learned a lot from Yu Shi San. Ruyi told Ning Yuan Zhou not to worry too much and assured him that tomorrow she would only infiltrate and gather information without taking any action, so there shouldn't be any danger. Ruyi warned Ning Yuan Zhou to be cautious of Deng Hui, and in case of any trouble, even if it was a matter of life and death, she would go and help.

Ning Yuan Zhou felt that it was convenient for them to discuss the plan together. Ruyi instructed Ning Yuan Zhou to ensure Yang Ying's safety. After Li Tong Guang returned to his residence and dismissed his attendants, he quietly entered a secret chamber.

The Emperor summoned Deng Hui and demanded a thorough investigation of the matter, warning that there would be severe consequences if he failed to uncover the truth. Although the Emperor felt that Li Tong Guang had exaggerated the incident involving the invasion from Bei Pan, he didn't believe it was baseless. Jia Ling found Ruyi's behavior suspicious and wanted to shift the blame onto the Left Minister.

Ruyi disguised herself and discovered the hidden secrets of the Imperial Guard. Magistrate Du believed that the other party was trying to test Yang Ying's identity, and Ning Yuan Zhou taught Yang Ying what to do. Ruyi killed the Left Minister but couldn't extract any useful information, so she left in disguise. Ning Yuan Zhou noticed the heightened security on the streets and instructed his subordinates to be vigilant.

Emperor An sent someone disguised as Yang Ying to test Wu Huang, who recognized Yang Ying after her subtle hints. Yang Ying thought her elder brother wouldn't recognize her, but Wu Huang said he would recognize her even without the token from the Six Paths Hall because she was his own younger sister.

Wu Huang inquired about the situation at Yang Ying's home, believing that Dan Yang must be plotting to seize power and wanted to kill him on the way, taking the throne for himself. Seeing that Wu Huang was getting emotional, Yang Ying approached him and held his arm. Wu Huang felt that Yang Ying was defying him now and believed that she was siding with Dan Yang.

Yang Ying was angry that her elder brother disregarded the safety of the people and only cared about expanding his territory. Wu Huang had originally planned to write the necessary documents, but he was afraid of the people outside and worried that Ning Yuan Zhou wouldn't save him. He wanted to issue the imperial edict after everything was settled. Yang Ying told Ning Yuan Zhou that she actually wanted her elder brother to issue an edict as proof for their brothers, but her elder brother insisted that they rescue him from An Guo before he would do so.

Ning Yuan Zhou wasn't surprised as he knew the Emperor would act this way, but he couldn't hide his sadness. Ruyi paid respects to the late Empress Zhao Jie, and Ning Yuan Zhou came to accompany her. Ruyi felt that they were being perfunctory about the matter concerning the Empress and sensed that Ning Yuan Zhou had something on his mind, but she didn't inquire further.

In a teahouse, Ning Yuan Zhou told Ruyi that Yang Ying had initially wanted to request an imperial edict for their brothers, but the Emperor's actions had made them feel cold-hearted. The Emperor believed that the sacrifices of those people were only natural and had no connection to him.