Episode 10 recap: The Prime Minister Xiao was assassinated, and the blame was shifted to his old subordinate Guan You.
Xiao Qiangzi snuck into the Prime Minister's study and stole the list of names associated with the vermillion silver powder. At the same time, the Ministry of Justice began killing the people on the list, while the Qianfei Guard received an order to arrest everyone on the list. The Empress visited her father and overheard him planning to offer her sister to the Emperor in order to secure a prince, while she herself would be deposed.
Xiao Qiangzi was looking for the list in the Prime Minister's mansion, when Yan Zhangyun, who had unknowingly learned of Xiao Qiangzi's intentions, rushed to the mansion to intervene. Xiao Qiangzi was spotted stealing the list, but Yan Zhangyun quickly pulled him into a corner. When the Prime Minister discovered the list was stolen, he expanded the search. Xiao Quan suspected an inside betrayal and suggested gathering everyone, but Xiao Qiangzi did not show up, arousing Xiao Quan's suspicion.
Xiao Qiangzi finally arrived, claiming he had just been to the latrine. Xiao Quan still found his behavior suspicious and wanted to interrogate him, but the Empress vouched for Xiao Qiangzi. Yan Zhangyun intentionally created a commotion during the guards' pursuit, to divert suspicion from Xiao Qiangzi.
Xiao secretly ordered Xiao Quan to eliminate the people on the list ahead of time, while Yan Zhangyun used the vermillion silver powder incident to have them all arrested. The two sides began a power struggle, with some on the list already eliminated by Xiao Quan. Exhausted, Xiao Qiangzi heard the jade whistle and rushed out, where Yan Zhangyun was waiting to receive her and escort her back to the palace.
Xiao learned that Yan Zhangyun had intercepted many on the list, likely with the Emperor's support. Xiao had originally planned to use his daughter Heng'er to control the Emperor, but now considered replacing her with his other daughter. Heartbroken, Heng'er returned to the palace. It was revealed that Xiao Quan had given Xiao a fake list, intending to sow confusion and protect his own people who were making the vermillion silver powder.
Yan Zhangyun escorted Xiao Qiangzi back to her room, finding himself entranced by her appearance, before hastily leaving to compose himself.
According to the testimony, Yan Zhang Yun discovered that the person he had apprehended was actually an unrelated individual, and there was some enmity between this person and the Xiao family. Unexpectedly, he had been used as a pawn in this affair.
Chancellor Xiao submitted a memorial to the Emperor accusing Yan Zhang Yun. The Emperor felt that Chancellor Xiao must be deeply hurt, otherwise he would not have taken the initiative to make the accusation. Yan Zhang Yun then informed the Emperor that he had apprehended the wrong person. The Emperor secretly instructed Yan Zhang Yun to conduct a thorough investigation of Chancellor Xiao and covertly seek evidence.
Xiao Quan returned to the kitchen of the Qianyu Guard, remarking that the food there was still the best. Wei Tian Jiao tried to prove the food was poor by having Xiao Quan taste it, but Yan Zhang Yun discovered the two of them sharing a bowl of congee, and publicly showed his jealousy, punishing Wei Tian Jiao for poor service by making him run.
The Emperor unexpectedly took the stage to perform in a female role, his voice and movements flawless. Xiao Quan indirectly asked the Queen if he himself exuded a feminine air, but the Queen, after closely examining him, shook her head. Xiao Quan secretly lamented that after playing male roles for so long, he had lost any feminine charm, which was why Yan Zhang Yun treated him so.
Xiao Quan wanted to bring his sister's most beloved toy into the palace, but Chancellor Xiao scolded his son for not focusing on important matters and always wanting to go to the palace. Xiao Quan publicly refuted his father, clearly recalling when he was punished as a child, his skin torn open, and locked in the firewood house, with only his sister Heng'er caring for and accompanying him, so he had sworn to protect her for life.
The father then blurted out that Heng'er was not his daughter, and Xiao Quan revealed that he already knew of Heng'er's true origins - that she was the child of a woman his father had forcefully taken, who was then killed. Xiao Quan stated that Heng'er was not his sister, as the woman had already been pregnant beforehand.
Xiao Quan's feelings for Heng'er had transcended that of a mere sibling, and he wanted to place her on the throne as the true Empress. This led to a dispute between father and son. The next day, Yan Zhang Yun came to visit Chancellor Xiao, and Xiao Quan personally escorted him, but after knocking for a long time with no response, they entered to find the Chancellor's lifeless body on the floor, with the words "Guan You" written in blood nearby.
As Xiao Quan wept while embracing his father's corpse, Yan Zhang Yun immediately secured the crime scene. Upon hearing of Chancellor Xiao's death, the Emperor convened a council, outwardly distraught, and tasked Yan Zhang Yun with investigating the murderer, while Xiao Quan sought to avenge his father, conducting his own investigation and accusing the culprit of being connected to the "Guan You" incident.
The Emperor decreed that anyone could investigate the case, and a substantial reward would be given to the one who captured the murderer.
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