Episode 8 recap: Yue Zhang Lao was killed, and Gong Zi Yu returned to the palace gate to handle the incident.
Gong Zi Yu called Yun Wei Shan "Ah Yun," which she felt was like a name for a little cat. Gong Zi Yu found the name adorable and publicly expressed his fondness for Ah Yun. Yun Wei Shan looked at him in astonishment. Inside the palace, lanterns were being released into the sky, and Gong Shang Jue watched them. As the Zhi Ren, Gong Zi Yu had to face the loss of loved ones while remaining focused on his trial. He couldn't do it. If he couldn't even protect his family, he would rather not be the Zhi Ren.
When Xue Zhong Zi tried to kill Yun Wei Shan, Gong Zi Yu stepped in to protect her, claiming that she was his Green Jade Attendant. He stated that according to palace rules, the Green Jade Attendant could accompany him during the trial. Just as Xue Zhong Zi was about to inspect the Green Jade Attendant, Yun Wei Shan presented the green jade that Jin Fan had given her when she entered the back mountain. Her identity was confirmed. When Xue Gong Zi planned to arrange for her to rest in another room, Gong Zi Yu suggested that they share the same room because she was his unofficial wife.
Gong Zi Yu realized that the green jade belonged to Jin Fan. Yun Wei Shan admitted that she had forced Jin Fan and didn't allow him to encounter any accidents in the back mountain. She intentionally lost to Jin Fan, probably due to his identity. Gong Zi Yu asked Yun Wei Shan to cook porridge and watched her cooking, feeling immensely happy. Yun Wei Shan looked at Jin Fan's figure and remembered how her younger sister had once told her that life only felt less bitter when there were expectations in her heart. As they ate together, they couldn't taste the bitterness in the porridge; instead, it felt sweet. Gong Zi Yu promised that he wouldn't let her suffer in the future.
An urgent report arrived from the front mountain, informing them of Yue Zhang Lao's assassination. Xue Gong Zi came to inform Gong Zi Yu that there was an urgent matter in the front mountain that required his immediate return. However, leaving at this moment would mean failing the trial. Xue Zhong Zi advised him to consider it carefully. Gong Zi Yu learned about Yue Zhang Lao's assassination and stood still in shock. Lanterns filled the sky in the front mountain, and Gong Zi Yu walked sorrowfully among the mountains. He couldn't even protect his own people. He no longer wanted to be the Zhi Ren. Gong Zi Yu arrived at the Zhi Ren Hall and looked at the blood writings on the screen, stating that Jia Guan Shi was framed, and there was another person behind Wu Feng, leaving the blood writings as a provocation.
Shang Guan Qian had been waiting in Yun Wei Shan's room for a long time. Gong Zi Yu inquired about the circumstances of the murder, and Gong Yuan Zheng speculated that Yue Zhang Lao was meeting a mysterious person. Shang Guan Qian claimed that she was not responsible for Yue Zhang Lao's death and that Wu Ming had started to act, feeling as if they were being coerced. With strict palace regulations and heightened security, their actions would become more difficult. Shang Guan Qian believed that this incident would likely trigger internal conflicts among the palace members.
Gong Yuan Zheng began to accuse Gong Zi Yu, and they exchanged cold glances. Yun Wei Shan's recurring pain from her illness started acting up, and Shang Guan Qian gave her a bowl of herbal medicine to alleviate the pain. Yue Zhang Lao must have met someone in a higher position, so Gong Yuan Zheng suggested investigating internal personnel. Gong Shang Jue mentioned that according to palace rules, he had failed the trial by leaving midway, but the elders vouched for him, stating that the situation was too urgent and it was for the safety of the clan, so it wouldn't count as a trial failure. The trial would continue after the matter was resolved. However, Gong Shang Jue used this incident to argue whether the safety of clan members could be disregarded in the future. Gong Shang Jue and Gong Zi Yu agreed to a ten-day challenge. Gong Zi Yu passed the first hurdle, and Gong Shang Jue figured out the culprit behind Wu Feng's murder. If he failed to complete the challenge, a new Zhi Ren and Jiao Gong would be chosen, and they would obey the Zhi Ren's orders. Palace rules could be modified for the Zhi Ren or broken for Gong Shang Jue.
Yue Gong Zi succeeded Yue Zhang Lao's position, and despite his young age, he must be respected. Lady Wu Ji came to Gong Shang Jue and informed him about Gong Zi Yu's background. The medical records were genuine but had been altered in a few pages. Gong Yuan Zheng claimed to have a way to obtain the altered pages, but those few pages wouldn't be enough to overturn Gong Zi Yu's background. She regarded Gong Zi Yu as her own and questioned why she betrayed him, stating that she didn't want to spend her entire life in the palace.
Gong Zi Yu speculated that Gong Shang Jue was creating a false pretense to make them lose their composure. Yun Wei Shan told Gong Zi Yu that the first challenge tested internal strength, not swimming ability as he had thought. Yun Wei Shan's body was overheated, so Gong Zi Yu mistakenly thought she was agitated because of him. Gong Zi Yu called Yun Wei Shan "Ah Yun," which she felt was like a name for a little cat, but Gong Zi Yu found it cute and liked the name.
Gong Shang Jue was reviewing case files when Shang Guan Qian brought tea and said she was available for any instructions. She poured laurel essential oil into the ink, so the words she wrote would have a fragrance. Laurel symbolized victory and success in examinations, which is why he liked it. He didn't like chicken or fish, and he disliked flowers and plants even more, but he agreed that she could choose flowers and plants as it wouldn't contradict her status as a newcomer. Azaleas symbolize "I belong to you forever," which is why she liked them. Gong Shang Jue asked Shang Guan Qian to stay and help with grinding.
Gong Yuan Zheng, people only know him as a rare genius in drug production, but they don't know how he became such a genius. When I saw him calmly saying that he used drugs on himself to understand the reactions in his body, in order to better develop the antidote, my heart truly ached for him.
He has endured so much, and he is just an underage child after all. Sending hugs.
Yun Wei Shan has truly endured a lot. Despite being a twin, she is treated as an abandoned child. She doesn't seek love, yet she encounters someone she desires but cannot be with for a lifetime.
She was born into abandonment and grew up in the mire, but she didn't succumb to the darkness like a sharp-edged woman. She relies on her sister for survival, yet she doesn't lose her capacity for love and compassion.
Yun Wei Shan is like a white flower blooming in the mud, a bird struggling between love and freedom.