Are You the One ep 38 recap/spoilers

Episode 38 recap: “The Great Master” Revealed

In Episode 38, Cui Xing Zhou deliberately probes the true identity of the Duke by having his men pretend to abduct the Duke. True to his reputation as Cui Xing Zhou's mentor, the Duke remains unflappable even with a knife to his throat. Cui Xing Zhou signals to his men, who then feign plans to kidnap the Duke's son, demanding a ransom of five thousand taels.

Upon hearing such a large sum, the Duke sighs and laments his lifelong integrity as an official, admitting he does not possess that kind of money. This indicates that the Duke is not affiliated with the Prince of Sui, prompting Cui Xing Zhou to suggest his men release him.

At the Duke's residence, Liu Mian Tang attends a banquet for the first time and notices that Cui Xing Zhou's elder sister, the Duke's daughter-in-law, who should enjoy exclusive favor, appears sensitive to her husband Guo Yi's private indulgence in a concubine named Gai Yu Rao. Gai Yu Rao wears lavish clothing, made from materials rarely seen even among palace nobility.

Liu Mian Tang observes that Gai Yu Rao is adorned with a jade bracelet of considerable quality, likely worth a fortune. Gai Yu Rao, proud and dismissive, sits in the position of the main wife, showing no regard for her status. Liu Mian Tang shares her observations with Cui Xing Zhou, shifting their focus to Guo Yi. They soon uncover troubling details: Guo Yi has been spending Cui Xing Zhou's sister's dowry, and recently, for reasons unknown, he has stopped using it and instead purchased many expensive items with cash, suggesting an unexpected windfall.

Cui Xing Zhou and Liu Mian Tang devise a plan to expose Guo Yi. Liu Mian Tang publicly gifts the elder sister a luminous pearl hairpin while giving Guo Yi a pair of gold hairpins, which naturally incites Guo Yi's resentment. He then insists that Liu Mian Tang have him buy an identical one at an inflated price.

The price of five hundred taels is agreed upon, and Gai Yu Rao accepts the deal. Cui Xing Zhou secretly withdraws the elder sister's dowry to the Huaiyang Prince's residence. Unable to produce the dowry when creditors come calling, Guo Yi is left with no choice but to pawn a land deed. Cui Xing Zhou’s shadow guards immediately go to the pawnshop, meticulously documenting the deed's details. Upon comparing the records, they discover that Guo Yi has pawned many deeds that do not belong to Cui Xing Zhou’s sister.

Cui Xing Zhou and his sister discuss the need to find Guo Yi's ledger. Despite extensive searching, they find nothing until the resourceful Cui Xing Zhou retrieves it from a scroll. With both eyewitness and physical evidence in hand, it becomes clear that Guo Yi is indeed the "Great Master," having been involved in bribery for some time, including dealings with the Ministry of Revenue.

Cui Xing Zhou reports his findings to the Emperor, both reflecting on the pervasive corruption even within the Ministry of Revenue. They realize that if the case against the Prince of Sui reaches the Ministry, the outcome could be dire. With tensions rising, Cui Xing Zhou suggests they remain cautious; before fully taking down the Prince, they must exercise restraint. Initially planning to swiftly eliminate the Prince and return to Qingzhou with Liu Mian Tang, it now seems that their return will be delayed indefinitely. To cheer him up, Liu Mian Tang encourages him to take a break and go for a walk.