Episode 23 recap: Dawn faked her own death to join Yan Zhang Yun in eternal happiness.
Dawn saw the masked person in front of her was the one who massacred her entire village. She drew her sword and Xiao Quan's subordinates were no match for her. Dawn quickly reached Xiao Quan, about to attack him, when a masked woman stopped her. Dawn unmasked the woman and discovered she was one of Xiao Quan's subordinates, realizing the masked person was Xiao Quan himself.
When Dawn was about to kill Xiao Quan, Bai Yi appeared and stopped her, saying that the massacre in Ning State was all Qin Yan's doing. Bai Yi demanded Dawn hand over the jade bracelet, but Dawn refused to cooperate. Just as Bai Yi was about to attack, Uncle Lei arrived with his troops to assist Dawn. Uncle Lei was seriously injured while protecting Dawn, and Qing Li was also killed by Uncle Lei.
Uncle Lei took Dawn away. Once the jade bracelet was returned to the South, Xiao Quan could no longer go back. Uncle Lei instructed Acheng to take care of the aftermath, hoping Yan Zhang Yun would forgive Chu Yue, and apologized to Dawn, urging her to bring back the jade bracelet so the Qin family could rise again. Before his death, Uncle Lei hoped Dawn would agree to let Chu Yue marry Yan Zhang Yun.
The court was divided, some supporting Yan Zhang Yun, others wanting to prosecute him. Dawn was brought before the Emperor by Wei Tian Jiao, and she revealed the secret of the jade bracelet. The Emperor, seeing the evidence, ordered the arrest of Xiao Quan. He declared Qin Yan's release, but the Empress Dowager intervened, saying the evidence was questionable. Seeing the two arguing, the Emperor postponed the decision.
In the middle of the night, the Emperor went to the prison, hearing the sound of the jade whistle, knowing Dawn had returned. The Emperor gave the evidence to Yan Zhang Yun and collaborated with him on the plan to "kill Qin Yan." Everyone in the palace avoided the Empress, who learned her brother was behind the Guan You Incident. The Empress pleaded with the Emperor, offering her own life to spare her brother's. The Emperor, moved by her sincerity, did not implicate her, but the Empress Dowager arrived and ordered the Empress be sent to the cold palace for her childlessness. The Emperor no longer yielded to the Empress Dowager, and had her returned to her quarters.
Chu Yue was mourning her father, and Dawn came to pay her respects. Chu Yue placed all her resentment on Dawn, believing that ever since Dawn appeared, everything had changed.
At dawn, Huasha coerced Feng Gongong with a fake imperial edict and came to the prison, where she read the emperor's edict, ordering Yan Zhang Yun to be banished from the capital. Yan Zhang Yun knew the edict was fake and that he would not be released. Seeing that Yan Zhang Yun did not want to leave with her, Huasha knocked him unconscious and set the prison on fire.
The next day, Huasha pleaded guilty to the emperor, who became furious and ordered the pursuit of Yan Zhang Yun. At this time, Huasha threatened the emperor with death, even willing to marry him, just to save Yan Zhang Yun. Seeing her selfless act, the emperor angrily ordered the Ministry of Rites to prepare for her marriage.
Yan Zhang Yun woke up to find that he had already been taken out of the capital by Acheng. Learning that Huasha was to be the emperor's consort, he coughed up blood.
Huasha unconsciously came to the riverside, recalling the moments she had shared with Yan Zhang Yun, only to find her beloved one was no longer there. When she returned to the military camp, it was still the same, but Yan Zhang Yun was nowhere to be seen. The emperor, knowing she was there, came to find her. Huasha stated that on the day of her marriage, she would depart from there, and the emperor agreed to her decision.
The Empress was confined and in poor condition. Huasha came to visit her and said she was going to marry the emperor. The Empress inquired about Yan Zhang Yun's whereabouts, and Huasha lied that he had been burned to death in the prison. The Empress sympathized with Huasha, as she had not been able to marry the one she loved, and advised Huasha to treat the emperor well. Huasha decided that even if she married the emperor, she would not overstep the boundaries, as the emperor still belonged to the Empress.
The Empress shook her head and said she was afraid she could no longer accompany the emperor.
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