Episode 29 recap: Li Yi and Cui Lin have no debts between them.
Li Lai asks Liu Cheng Feng why he helped him, and Liu Cheng Feng tells him that he simply wants Li Yi dead. The ministers petition the emperor to crown Li Yi as the crown prince, but the emperor strongly opposes their demands. Li Yi asks Cui Lin to return his mother's pearl to him, and in return, he returns Cui Lin's hairpin to her. He tells Cui Lin that from now on, they owe each other nothing, which saddens Cui Lin.
Cui Yi learns that after Liu Cheng Feng helped Jie Shuo's forces break through Baishui Pass, the leader of Jie Shuo, Wu Luo, has disappeared. Knowing that Wu Luo is very cunning, Cui Yi orders his subordinates to quickly find Liu Cheng Feng's whereabouts. Meanwhile, Liu Cheng Feng comes to the city and finds Li Lai. He informs Li Lai that he has arranged for Jie Shuo to obey his commands. Li Lai, as the current Prince Qi, wonders why he needs Jie Shuo's assistance. Liu Cheng Feng tells him that if he doesn't want to take action personally, he can help him, and in that case, no one will trace it back to him.
Li Lai asks Liu Cheng Feng why he is helping him like this, and Liu Cheng Feng reveals that he only wants Li Yi dead and desires nothing else. Cui Lin remarks on how quickly time has passed, and their happy day is about to end. Li Yi asks her if she is happy today, and Cui Lin tells him that it has been her happiest day. However, she laments that it's ending so quickly and wishes time would slow down. Cui Lin asks Li Yi if there will come a day when she does something that makes him unhappy, and he won't like her anymore. Li Yi admits that although he wants to deceive Cui Lin and say "of course," he can't bring himself to do so. He tells Cui Lin that he likes her very much and probably won't like anyone else as much in the future. Cui Lin challenges Li Yi once again, asking him to close his eyes and count to ten, and if he opens his eyes, she'll ask for three favors when they become enemies in the future. Li Yi closes his eyes and starts counting, and Cui Lin kisses him. When Li Yi opens his eyes, he admits that he has lost and will grant her three favors in the future. Li Yi passionately kisses Cui Lin and tells her to take care, as there's a long road ahead. He then takes out a small figurine from his clothes and gives it to Cui Lin before leaving on his horse, leaving Cui Lin alone under a tree with tears in her eyes.
The ministers report to the emperor that Li Yi has recaptured Baishui Pass, and the emperor is overjoyed. He plans to release Li Jun and present him as a captive together. However, Li Yi feels it is inappropriate to release Li Jun, who killed his own wife. The emperor insists that Li Jun is his brother, and he should be forgiven and spared.
The ministers also inform the emperor that Cui Yi has written another memorial, and the emperor asks the attendant to read it aloud. The attendant trembles in fear and hesitates to read it, but the emperor insists that he should go ahead. In the memorial, Cui Yi proposes that the emperor appoint Li Yi as the crown prince. Upon hearing this, the emperor becomes furious. Prime Minister Gu believes that appointing a crown prince is necessary for consolidating the foundation, but the emperor believes that it is impossible for Li Yi to be chosen. Before Li Yi can speak, the emperor orders him to kneel.
The ministers in the court all support the proposal to appoint Li Yi as the crown prince, but the emperor angrily dismisses them. Cui Lin learns about this and asks Tao Zi if there is still hope to withdraw the memorial. Tao Zi tells her that it is impossible and Cui Yi knows that Cui Lin will definitely try to stop it.
Therefore, Cui Yi decides to inform Cui Lin only after the memorial has been presented. Cui Lin is afraid that this action will only make Li Yi angry, and Tao Zi is also very worried. Li Jun wants to go out, and Li Lai comes up with a plan to help him use a strategy of pretending to be injured. After learning about this news, Liu Cheng Feng immediately sends Ah Shu to find Li Lai, expressing his willingness to help him overcome difficulties.
As expected, Li Yi is very angry. He walks up to Cui Lin and demands that she return his mother's pearl to him. Cui Lin looks at him in disbelief and hesitates to hand over the pearl. Li Yi also returns Cui Lin's hairpin to her and tells her that from now on, they owe each other nothing.
Cui Lin sits in her room all night, while Li Yi practices swordsmanship in the courtyard all night. Li Jun indeed uses the pretense of being injured, and he is carried to the emperor's presence. Li Yi's wet nurse suddenly falls ill and passes away. He asks Gu Wan Niang if his wet nurse mentioned feeling unwell. Gu Wan Niang tells him that she was laughing and talking in the afternoon and even made steamed buns for Li Yi. Worried that the buns might not taste good, the wet nurse even tasted them herself. Li Yi seems to have figured something out, and his expression becomes resolute. Cui Lin learns about this news and secretly visits the Prince Qin's residence to see Li Yi. Li Yi discovers that his wet nurse was poisoned to death by Prince Xin, and he leads his men to storm Prince Xin's residence.
If Li Yi doesn't become the crown prince, he will be killed by his brothers. The female lead loves him and doesn't want him to die. Moreover, she believes that Li Yi is the best candidate for the crown prince position, considering the well-being of the people.
The series repeatedly emphasized at the beginning that "only by being alive can there be hope," which was taught to the female lead by her mother. However, the barrage of comments instead criticized the female lead, pretending to be innocent and asking, "Are you going to make Li Yi kill his father and brothers?
" I don't understand whether you love the male lead or not. Alright, if you don't want Li Yi to become the crown prince, the outcome will be his death. Are you happy with that?