Episode 21 recap: Sun Yun Yun and Mu Zhuo Hua confronted each other face to face.
Mu Ba mentioned a childhood incident where he had a cat, but because his father had a severe allergic reaction to cats, cats were not allowed in the entire Mu residence. When his father discovered that he had a cat, Mu Ba placed the cat in Mu Zhuo Hua's yard. Mu Zhuo Hua knew that the cat was brought by Mu Ba, but because Mu Ba wanted the cat to live, Mu Zhuo Hua didn't expose the truth. Eventually, Mu Zhuo Hua gave the cat to Mr. Shang to take care of, but it has since passed away.
Mu Ba thanked Mu Zhuo Hua and presented a handkerchief belonging to Mu Zhuo Hua's mother, returning it to its rightful owner. County Magistrate Zhuang and Zhuang Zi Xian committed suicide in prison, which greatly angered the Crown Prince, who couldn't understand why such a simple case couldn't be solved.
Shen Jing Hong explained to the Crown Prince that he thought the case was simple because he hadn't seen the hidden undercurrents behind it. Mu Zhuo Hua and Liu Yan also discussed the case, with Mu Zhuo Hua knowing that those two individuals did not commit suicide, but there was currently no way to investigate further.
Liu Yan sent someone to Jiangnan, as the fact that a mere county magistrate could have such great power indicated deeper issues. The Empress Dowager discussed with Pei Lan how Mu Zhuo Hua defended Liu Yan when he was accused, and the Emperor was very pleased. The Empress Dowager understood that the Emperor had successfully resolved the situation, so naturally, he would be happy with Mu Zhuo Hua's actions.
The Empress Dowager believed that Liu Yan was acting sincerely, and while the Emperor didn't allow her to intervene in Liu Yan's affairs, she wouldn't let everything go smoothly for Liu Yan either. General Xue's portrait was damaged, and Rou Jia Gong Zhu saw it and felt very sad. Shen Jing Hong happened to come and saw the scene, feeling deeply saddened before leaving.
Shen Jing Hong returned and drank alone, feeling extremely upset. Due to the relief efforts in Jiangnan, Mu Zhuo Hua became an official in the Ministry of Revenue and assumed his new position there. Li Da Ren, the Assistant Minister of Revenue, came to take Mu Zhuo Hua inside and introduced him to his colleagues.
Fang Guan Zheng was in the same class as Mu Zhuo Hua, but he didn't perform well in the exams and relied on connections to enter. He used to look down on Mu Zhuo Hua, but now he came to apologize and admitted that it was his mistake. Mu Zhuo Hua accepted the apology and didn't hold it against him.
Rou Jia Gong Zhu invited Mu Zhuo Hua to participate in the Tongxin Festival, which is a custom in the capital city. The Tongxin Festival is held at the end of June or early July, during which young men and women exchange gifts. Mu Zhuo Hua went to prepare a gift for Liu Yan and saw Du You in the store, wanting to buy it. However, Sun Yun Yun also took a liking to Du You.
Sun Yun Yun offered one thousand taels of silver, but the shopkeeper refused to sell, so Sun Yun Yun had to leave. The shopkeeper recognized Mu Zhuo Hua and knew that she was involved in the disaster relief efforts in Jiangnan. He proposed that she write a poem in exchange for Du You. Mu Zhuo Hua had no choice but to reluctantly write a poem.
Soon, the day of the Tongxin Festival arrived. Mu Zhuo Hua prepared many lotus pastries and came to the feast. The Second Prince teased the Crown Prince, joking that the pastries were for him to choose a consort and that he should choose carefully. Sun Yun Yun arrived late and apologized to the Empress Dowager. Mu Zhuo Hua realized that she was the scapegoat from the Qingyin Studio.
Everyone exchanged gifts, and the Crown Prince gave Mu Zhuo Hua a bag of silver, while Mu Zhuo Hua gave the Crown Prince a lotus pastry. Sun Yun Yun presented the precious flute "Divine Connection" and wanted to give it to Liu Yan, but Liu Yan declined, saying that he doesn't accept gifts.
Mu Zhuo Hua gave Du You to Liu Yan, and Liu Yan accepted it. Mu Zhuo Hua asked if Liu Yan had anything to give her, but Liu Yan said he didn't celebrate the festival and forgot to prepare a gift for her.
The Crown Prince noticed that everyone was enjoying the lotus pastries and realized that Mu Zhuo Hua had given them to everyone.
Prince Ding confronted the Empress Dowager, and the princess also confronted the Empress Dowager. The Emperor passed away, and the plot reached its climax.
The Empress Dowager, a mediocre individual, caused a series of events that harmed everyone. The Emperor was so pitiful. He wanted to be a filial son, a compassionate father, a benevolent ruler, but he didn't do anything well.
With the Emperor's passing, Prince Ding became the decisive figure in the court, but unfortunately, his life was also short-lived. The princess stopped pretending and revealed her sword. Her ambitions for power led to turmoil within the palace.