Episode 23 recap: The imperial palace has turned to ashes, leaving the Emperor disheartened and dispirited.
Rong Hui Tai Fei and the others retreated to the Imperial Garden, where they coincidentally encountered Liu Shou Gui, who had come to the palace in search of Rong Er. Li Qi asked Liu Shou Gui to follow the Empress Dowager to avoid getting lost in the palace, and Liu Shou Gui agreed, but in the blink of an eye, he once again went off to look for Rong Er.
Jing Yi Tai Fei refused to leave the Taihe Palace, but Li Qi persuaded her that it was unsafe and that she should take refuge in the Imperial Garden, to which Jing Yi Tai Fei agreed and left with Li Qi. In the commotion, Qing Er found Rong Er's purse, which she gave to Li Qi. Qing Er also noticed Li Qi's jade pendant inside Rong Er's purse, and realized that Rong Er might still be in the Jingfu Palace, which was on fire. Worried for Li Qi's safety, Qing Er ran after him, only to be struck by a falling pillar and injured on the face.
Liu Shou Gui encountered Li Yumei, Duoluo Ma, and Liu Er, and informed them that he had seen Rong Er and Li Qi, both of whom were unharmed, and asked them to return home. The group went back to the newspaper office, where they decided to write a detailed article about the palace fire, and Li Yumei revealed that the fire was intentionally set.
The Jingfu Palace was reduced to ruins by the fire, but Shao Ying ordered the continued cataloging and accounting of the palace treasures. Puyi inquired about Rong Er's condition, learned that she was unharmed but that Qing Er's face was disfigured, and instructed the imperial physicians to continue treating the injured.
Li Qi visited Qing Er and Rong Er, and asked Rong Er why she was in the Jingfu Palace. Rong Er said she had gone to the Imperial Pharmacy to get medicine, and woke up there. Li Qi advised Rong Er not to tell anyone about the Imperial Pharmacy to avoid any suspicion.
Li Qi then went to the Imperial Pharmacy, where he found Qian Dehai scolding a eunuch, saying that something had been stolen from the Pharmacy. Li Qi checked the palace entry and exit records.
In the Imperial Garden, Puyi hosted a banquet to honor and reward the people who had helped extinguish the fire. Li Yumei, Duoluo Ma, and Liu Shou Gui went to collect their rewards, but were told that the treasury was strained and could not issue the payments immediately, though the foreign firefighters and police had received their rewards.
The Nationalist government requested an audience with Puyi to address the public about the Jingfu Palace fire incident. Li Yumei recognized that it was Grandee Eunuch Sun who had orchestrated the arson, and told Li Qi to quickly arrest him, but Li Qi warned Li Yumei not to tell anyone or make accusations recklessly.
Qing Er struggled to accept the disfigurement of her face.
Grandee Eunuch Sun reported to the mysterious figure that Li Yumei might have seen him and was pointing at him, so he planned to have her detained for questioning.
Li Qi brought medicine for Qing Er and advised her to focus on her recovery. Qing Er asked Li Qi if he would have risked his life to save her too if she had been trapped in the Jingfu Palace, and Li Qi assured her that as an imperial guard, he would have rescued her. Qing Er admitted that Li Qi was the only one in her heart, but Li Qi maintained that he saw her only as a sister, like Li Yumei.
Qing Er asked Li Qi if he was rejecting her because of Rong Er. Li Qi made an excuse to leave, and discovered that Rong Er had come by earlier to leave medicine for him. Rong Er had realized Li Qi's feelings for her, and fondly recalled their encounters, but recognized Qing Er's affection for Li Qi and did not want to hurt her further in her difficult time. She returned Li Qi's jade pendant to him, and Li Qi, though understanding, refused to take it. Rong Er said that if Qing Er recovered, they could revisit the matter, and left the pendant with Li Qi, who was saddened and shed tears.
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