Episode 3 recap: # Shen Du and Yan Xing in the Same Room
In the third episode, Shen Du visits the Empress Dowager, who instructs him to investigate the self-immolation incident thoroughly and also to spend some time with his new wife, Yan Xing. Meanwhile, his friend Xiao Heng jokes about Shen Du abandoning his bride to pursue the case, while Yan Xing also seems to have gone missing, prompting Zhang Xiang to add fuel to the fire.
It turns out that Yan Xing is the niece of Jin Cang from the Eastern Division, a fact the Empress Dowager only learns later. Eager to investigate, Yan Xing doesn't even change out of her wedding dress; instead, she removes her headpiece in the carriage and heads straight to the temple. Upon arrival, she is stopped by Wu Zhu Shi, who mocks her for wearing a wedding gown out in public. Yan Xing explains that she's there to investigate and notices the mud on Wu Zhu Shi's shoes, inferring that he has just returned from the western suburbs. She also catches a glimpse of a floral pattern on his sleeve, leading her to conclude that he has a mistress.
Feeling guilty, Wu Zhu Shi reluctantly allows Yan Xing to examine the crime scene. Inside, they find two corpses locked in an embrace: a man with his heart removed and a woman with a long scar on her face. Yan Xing detects a fragrance in the air, which Xu Xiang Ren confirms is a crucial clue. Lu Chui Chui initially tries to pull Yan Xing away for tea, but she heads straight to the scene and runs into Shen Du.
Shen Du expresses his disdain for Yan Xing getting dirty and suggests she return home to be a proper wife. Yan Xing refuses, insisting on continuing the investigation alongside him. However, Shen Du rejects her and assigns someone to keep an eye on her. Yan Xing cleverly escapes and uses her maid to gather information about the Liang family.
Yan Xing connects the poison from the "Water Droplet Guanyin" to the Liang family, but suddenly encounters a madwoman and accidentally falls into the water, calling for help. Shen Du initially thinks it's a prank, but when he sees Yan Xing truly in danger of drowning, he rushes to save her. Back at the residence, the butler arranges for Yan Xing to stay in the main room, where she discovers a hidden imperial edict from the Empress Dowager that raises her suspicions.
At dinner, Shen Du deliberately reveals a secret command, warning Yan Xing not to speak out of turn while testing her loyalty. Yan Xing asserts that she is not aligned with Zhang Xiang's faction and questions Shen Du's quick judgment without adequate investigation. She wagers with Shen Du that if she loses, she will accept punishment; her real intention is to stall until the female officials' exam concludes. Shen Du allows her to stay in the main house but ends up sharing the bed. When Yan Xing sits up, Shen Du is displeased to find hair on the bed, and Yan Xing provocatively tosses a candied fruit at him to challenge his cleanliness obsession, causing Shen Du to switch beds in frustration.
Unable to sleep at night, Yan Xing writes a letter to her friend Pan Chi to document the case. Throughout this time, Yan Xing and Shen Du both collaborate and engage in a battle of wits. Yan Xing remains steadfast in her investigation, while Shen Du finds himself torn between protection and testing her. Their relationship grows increasingly complex, and as the case unfolds, more truths begin to surface.
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