Episode 33 recap: Xue Fang Fei's coerced confession was forced by Hong Xiao Di's arranged marriage.
Wan Ning led Xue Fang Fei into a private prison, wanting her to meet an old acquaintance. When Xue Fang Fei drew closer, she discovered that the tortured and bound man in front of her was Xue Zhao, who was now unconscious. Xue Fang Fei was deeply pained seeing Xue Zhao's heavily wounded body, not expecting him to still be alive.
Wan Ning intentionally left one hand free, preventing Xue Fang Fei from seeking revenge against her, and asked if she wanted to save Xue Zhao. Xue Zhao did not reveal his identity to Xue Fang Fei, and Wan Ning viciously stabbed him with a dagger, trying to provoke Xue Fang Fei into confessing. Wan Ning then sent Xue Fang Fei out of the manor, and Jiang Yunbai, concerned about her being bullied by Wan Ning, came to check on her.
At night, Xue Fang Fei woke up from a nightmare, having seen Xue Zhao being whipped in her dream. She quickly wrote a letter for Zhao Ke to deliver to Si Tu Jiu Yue, and upon learning of this, Xiao Heng had Wen Ji dispatch additional personnel to keep an eye on Wan Ning. Jiang Yunbai took Xue Fang Fei to the Grand Secretariat to file a complaint, demanding severe punishment for Shen Yu Rong, as he could not tolerate Xue Fang Fei's tarnished reputation.
Zhou Qing had already questioned the people present at the time, confirming Shen Yu Rong's ill intentions towards Xue Fang Fei, and he wanted to further confirm the matter with Xue Fang Fei. Xue Fang Fei trembled all over, unable to sign her statement, recalling the conditions Wan Ning had proposed, forcing her to admit that she had seduced Shen Yu Rong.
Jiang Yunbai was disbelieving of this, reminding Xue Fang Fei to act with caution. However, Xue Fang Fei still confessed, and Zhou Qing, following the law, imprisoned her for slandering a government official. Jiang Yunbai could not understand why, believing Xue Fang Fei was threatened by Wan Ning, but Xue Fang Fei insisted on taking the blame upon herself.
Upon learning that Xue Fang Fei had been imprisoned for her false confession, Xiao Heng hurried to the Grand Secretariat to find her. As Xue Fang Fei entered the prison, she happened to encounter the released Shen Yu Rong. She confronted him, accusing him of hypocrisy, and declared that she would no longer give him a chance, and would expose their misdeeds.
Shen Yu Rong was dejected, unable to abandon his mother and Shen Ruyun, and believed that Xue Fang Fei should not have thought of him that way. Xue Fang Fei was disgusted at the sight of him, and as Xiao Heng arrived at the Grand Secretariat, he passed by Shen Yu Rong.
Xue Fang Fei asked Xiao Heng to help confirm Xue Zhao's safety and rescue him from the Princess's manor. Xiao Heng went to the manor, but Wan Ning had already disposed of the tortured Xue Zhao at the Duke's manor, intending for Xue Fang Fei to witness that Xue Zhao was unable to walk.
Shen Yu Rong returned to the Shen family, and he thought about Xiao Heng's provocation towards him. He instructed Shen Ru Yun to clean the bedroom, and his heart turned dark as he prepared to retaliate. Shen Yu Rong apologized to Wan Ning and proposed that the Emperor help him and Xue Fang Fei arrange a marriage, wanting to keep Xue Fang Fei in the Shen family to torment her.
Wan Ning was initially skeptical, but Shen Yu Rong gifted her a hairpin, and her heart was moved. Shen Yu Rong plotted carefully, and Wan Ning was worried that the Emperor would not agree, so Shen Yu Rong asked her to seek help from the Empress Dowager. Jiang Yun Bai had approached Hong Xiao Di many times about Xue Fang Fei's matter, but Hong Xiao Di avoided him.
Wan Ning pretended to pay a visit to the Empress Dowager, but the Empress Dowager was dissatisfied with her, believing that she had caused harm to Ji Shu Ran. Wan Ning asked for her help in arranging the marriage, but the Empress Dowager said she would not be used as a pawn. Wan Ning blackmailed her, threatening to reveal that she had used evil means to kill the previous Empress. Wan Ning found the palace maid from the incident.
The Empress Dowager invited the Emperor to take a stroll in the Imperial Garden and deliberately requested that he grant Shen Yu Rong and Xue Fang Fei's marriage. She also arranged for Shen Yu Rong to meet the Emperor.
Shen Yu Rong hoped that there would be no investigation into Xue Fang Fei, and Hong Xiao Di, understanding the situation, first had the Minister of Justice release Xue Fang Fei. When Xue Fang Fei was released and saw Shen Yu Rong come to pick her up, claiming he wanted to marry her to protect her, Xue Fang Fei no longer believed him and walked towards Xiao Heng in front of him.
Xiao Heng tightly held Xue Fang Fei's hand, and the two of them boarded the carriage together. Xue Fang Fei heard about the Empress Dowager's involvement and believed the matter was suspicious. Xiao Heng waited for news from his scouts.
Xiao Heng took Xue Fang Fei to see Xue Zhao, and they recognized each other, having much to discuss. Xue Zhao revealed the past events, explaining that he had been plotted against and imprisoned by Wan Ning. Xue Fang Fei informed him that she was now Jiang Li.
Xue Fang Fei returned to the Jiang family, and Jiang Yun Bai did not blame her for losing face. Xue Fang Fei hoped that Jiang Yuan Bai would arrange for Ji Shu Ran and the Empress Dowager to meet, as she did not want the Jiang family to be affected.
Xiao Heng discovered that Wan Ning had leverage over the Empress Dowager and instructed Wen Ji to urgently inform Xue Fang Fei.
Comments(Episode 33)