Episode 1 recap: Yan Xing's Investigation and Meeting Shen Du
In the first episode, during the fifth year of the Da Cang Yuan era, the political landscape shifts dramatically after the deaths of the Emperor Wen and the Crown Prince. This leaves the still-infant Grandson of the Emperor, Xiao Qi, to ascend the throne, marking the start of the Sheng Li era. Empress Zhou Xu takes control of the court, wielding significant power.
Six years pass quickly, and we find Shen Du, the male lead, in the training grounds of the Imperial Guard. With just a few plucks of his zither strings, blindfolded prisoners are brought before him. After a night of interrogation, while the criminals confess their crimes, they remain tight-lipped about their mastermind. Shen Du smirks and orders the blindfolds removed. The prisoners, terrified, exclaim "Bai Wuchang" in an attempt to flee, but Shen Du swiftly dispatches them with an arrow, leaving one man alive who, in desperation, reveals the truth.
Shen Du quietly advises his subordinate, Jing Lin, that he doesn’t need to get his hands dirty. Meanwhile, Xiao Jin visits Empress Zhou Xu and mentions that Shen Du has been absent for days, leading others to speculate that he is busy with official duties. Unbeknownst to them, Shen Du has just entered the great hall, explaining his delay was due to investigating the case of a hundred missing children. Despite a history of conflict with Shen Du, Minister Zhang surprisingly praises him in court. Later, Zhou Xu brings up the topic of arranging a marriage for Shen Du, and Zhang privately tells Xiao Jin that Shen Du's agreement to marry is merely a strategic career move.
On another front, Yan Xing, the illegitimate daughter of the Yan family, rushes home and accidentally gets her clothes caught in a rain of flower petals. The next morning, while working in her study, she is assigned numerous menial tasks by a man who even criticizes her for fetching books. Just then, the head of the Ministry of Justice, Wu Qinming, visits, and while serving him tea, Yan Xing overhears snippets about a suicide case in Yan Gui Mountain. Her curiosity piques, but she finds herself unable to intervene.
On the streets, Shen Du unexpectedly encounters Lai Luo Zhi, the leader of the Imperial Surveillance, as their carriages meet. They engage in light banter, with Lai Luo Zhi joking about the misfortunes of Shen Du’s previous brides. Ultimately, both parties drive side by side, and Yan Xing happens to catch a glimpse of Shen Du leaving.
Shen Du and Lai Luo Zhi attend a prayer event, where Minister Zhang is already waiting, and the three gather. Meanwhile, Yan Xing is busy investigating the murder case, receiving help from the mysterious Jiang Langxing, who provides her with poison-testing herbs but is rebuffed when he invites her to join him. After the prayer, Shen Du is attacked but skillfully evades the assault and secures the mountain area. While gathering herbs, Yan Xing encounters the young Qi Ye Yun, who gifts her some medicine, forging a connection.
The two were intercepted by Lai Luo Zhi on their way down the mountain, suspecting that the assassin was hidden among the crowd and threatening to extract confessions.
Yan Xing stepped forward, requesting to examine the body to determine that the murderer was hiding in the mountains. She pleaded for the innocent civilians to be released, but Shen Du suggested using fierce dogs to identify the suspect, causing the crowd to panic and revealing more clues about the assassin.
Lai Luo Zhi wanted to kill the suspect, but Yan Xing interceded, ultimately securing three hours for the investigation.
In the prison, Yan Xing raced against time to analyze the case, convinced that finding the murder weapon was key to solving it. As the deadline approached, despite her expressed doubts and Shen Du’s lack of confidence, she believed the truth would eventually come to light.
Before leaving, Yan Xing wanted to leave behind a letter, and she asked Shen Du if they were acquainted. He coldly denied it. Fortunately, the murder weapon was discovered, and when Lai Luo Zhi arrived, Yan Xing cleverly unraveled the mystery. The assassin, in a moment of panic, took Yan Xing hostage, and Shen Du ordered a shot to be fired without regard for her safety.
At a crucial moment, Yan Xing noticed Shen Du’s gestures and took the opportunity to escape. As the assassin was dying, he accused Shen Du of being the mastermind, but Yan Xing defended Shen Du’s innocence, leaving Lai Luo Zhi astonished despite their conflicts.
As Yan Xing left, Shen Du remained indifferent. The woman he was to marry was the third daughter of the Yan family, while Yan Xing was the sixth daughter, creating a misalignment of identities that went unnoticed by him. On her way home, Yan Xing encountered civilians and Qi Ye Yun, who expressed gratitude towards her. Qi Ye Yun wanted to accompany her, but they were interrupted by her friend Lu Chui Chui, who joked about Yan Xing’s investigation and lamented Shen Du’s ignorance of her worth, leaving Yan Xing with mixed feelings.
Determined to pursue a career as a female official, Yan Xing stayed up late studying the law at the Ministry of Justice. The next day, an imperial edict suddenly arrived, decreeing the marriage between the third daughter of the Yan family and Shen Du, which the Yan family had no choice but to accept. Although Yan Xing's mother, Concubine Jin, felt that her daughter lacked skills, she secretly hoped the marriage might change Yan Xing's fate. However, Yan Xing remained focused on her ambitions, uncertain of what the future held.
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