Episode 1 recap: Shang Yi Zhi was deceived by A Mai.
A Mai dreamt of scenes of herself on a war battlefield while she was sleeping and woke up shouting "father." In the city of Shengdu, Shang Yi Zhi and Mu Bai were happily strolling around. Mu Bai asked Shang Yi Zhi if they had been strolling for a long time and if he had chosen the Marquis's gift. Shang Yi Zhi told him that he hadn't made a choice yet because he wanted to carefully consider his options. Mu Bai expressed concern that it might not be safe to continue strolling for too long. However, Shang Yi Zhi reassured him that they were in a familiar place, and only others would feel unsafe.
In Shengdu, A Mai set up a stall, and Shang Yi Zhi approached her stall and noticed that she had taken out a ginseng root. Shang Yi Zhi gave her two hundred taels of silver and told her he wanted that ginseng root. A Mai then started to invite them to place bets and guess which one had the ginseng root. Shang Yi Zhi and his companions guessed that it was the one in the middle. However, when A Mai opened it, they realized they had guessed wrong, as the one in the middle didn't contain the ginseng root at all.
After a while, Shang Yi Zhi realized that he had been deceived and asked Mu Bai to quickly chase after A Mai. Unfortunately, A Mai had already escaped using a boat and changed her clothes, so Shang Yi Zhi didn't recognize her. Shang Yi Zhi went to a brothel called "青楼" to seek pleasure and told the women inside that he had lost a lot of silver that day due to being deceived. They thought that since Shang Yi Zhi was wealthy, losing a little silver wouldn't matter to him. However, Shang Yi Zhi told them that he couldn't tolerate being cheated and that he would definitely find the person responsible.
The Emperor asked his minister about his sister, Sheng Hua, and whether she could accept the Marquis's illegitimate child. The minister was extremely anxious about the Emperor's question. The Emperor told him to calm down and take care of himself, saying that the Marquis should rest properly this time.
Shang Yi Zhi got extremely drunk in the Nian Cui Pavilion, and Xiao Hong, his senior sister, attempted to assassinate him while he was asleep. Fortunately, Shang Yi Zhi woke up in time and asked Xiao Hong if he had passed the assessment. Xiao Hong told him that his ability to identify the scent of the aphrodisiac had indeed improved, but she still had some dissatisfaction. Shang Yi Zhi asked her what the remaining dissatisfaction was, but Xiao Hong was about to speak when Shang Yi Zhi fell asleep.
A Mai sold rouge in the Nian Cui Pavilion, but her real intention was to gather information about the "万事通" (Wan Shi Tong).
When Chunniang saw that A Mai was coming to find her, she quickly had Hongluan intercept A Mai. Just then, Shang Yi Zhi saw A Mai and walked over to her, saying, "What a small world we live in." A Mai wanted to leave, but Shang Yi Zhi told her that no one had dared to play "Leapfrog" with him all his life. A Mai asked him who he was, and Shang Yi Zhi asked her if she really didn't recognize him. Hongluan told A Mai that Shang Yi Zhi was the crown prince, and A Mai exaggeratedly knelt down and pretended to pay respects to Shang Yi Zhi. Shang Yi Zhi asked her how she wanted to learn about this matter, and A Mai asked him what he intended to do. The two of them started playing a drinking game, but after a few rounds, Shang Yi Zhi was defeated and became unconscious from drinking too much. Chunniang had the servants carry Shang Yi Zhi away, and A Mai quickly stopped Chunniang and tried to inquire about the "万事通" (Wan Shi Tong), but the questioning didn't lead to any results. Suddenly, A Mai pretended to have a stomachache and asked to use Chunniang's restroom. Shang Yi Zhi's father returned and informed his wife that the Emperor had called him back, probably for the military power he held. They needed to find a way to protect Shang Yi Zhi, and his wife told him that she had a plan. A Mai was in the Nian Cui Pavilion trying to secretly find some useful information when she noticed someone preparing to assassinate Shang Yi Zhi. A Mai quickly intervened and saved Shang Yi Zhi, causing a commotion that alerted Chunniang, who hurriedly came out to protect Shang Yi Zhi. Shang Yi Zhi was very grateful to A Mai for saving him, but A Mai felt that there was no problem and just wanted to leave, avoiding unnecessary trouble. Chunniang asked A Mai if she wanted to know about the "万事通" (Wan Shi Tong), and she told A Mai that she herself was the "万事通" (Wan Shi Tong). A Mai didn't believe it, but Chunniang knew that A Mai was very clever and told her that as long as she safely accompanied Shang Yi Zhi back to the Marquis's mansion, she would tell her some information. A Mai escorted Shang Yi Zhi back to the Marquis's mansion, and Shang Yi Zhi arranged a room for her. While A Mai was bathing, Shang Yi Zhi saw that she had left the window open and went to close it for her, only to discover that A Mai was a woman.
Finally, we have a smart and courageous female lead! It's been a while since I've seen a historical drama where the female lead isn't just a decorative piece, but instead starts off with full force. She's brave, strategic, skilled in martial arts, loyal, quick-witted, and upright.
Additionally, the female characters from the beginning are also fantastic! I didn't expect the first action scene to be a stunning fight scene led by a woman! It's impressive and enjoyable to watch!
The character A Mai in the novel doesn't live an easy life. One wrong step could lead to irreparable consequences, so she remains cautious and vigilant, like a tightly stretched string. Throughout the entire story, she rarely gets a peaceful sleep and seldom feels relaxed and safe.
She's as cold as ice and doesn't easily trust others. In the drama, A Mai has a powerful cheat that allows her to thrive and make connections with different people, each with their own unique personality.
The actors in general are older and have mature appearances, lacking the spirited and youthful look of young men. They also don't give off the feeling of having grown up through a journey of ups and downs.