Episode 6 recap: Mei Lin Investigates at the Honglu Temple
In this episode, Mei Lin informs Mu Rong Jing He that they share a common enemy and can work together to seek revenge against the Qingzhou and Wei Bei armies, even if it means putting herself in danger. Just then, Yue Qin arrives at the Prince's residence to take Mei Lin back to the Honglu Temple for her studies. When Mu Rong Jing He sees Mei Lin agree so readily, he feels jealous and takes her back to her room, warning her that she belongs to him and should not consider collaborating with Yue Qin.
Despite Mu Rong Jing He's warning, Mei Lin is not upset; instead, she is pleased that he is open to working together. She reveals that a woman who helped Zhang Yin hide has a peony tattoo on her neck. If they can find this woman with the peony mark, they can locate Zhang Yin. Mu Rong Jing He insists that Mei Lin report every detail of her interactions with Yue Qin, but Mei Lin describes Yue Qin as a good person, which Mu Rong Jing He disagrees with.
Later, Yue Qin takes Mei Lin back to the Honglu Temple, where Zi Gu unexpectedly learns that Mei Lin is not only the savior of his brother but also the object of his affections. He hopes to play matchmaker, but is met with rejection. Shumo notes that Yue Qin has been discussing matters with Yan Di without addressing political issues. However, he risks his position as a teacher, fearing it may arouse Yan Di’s suspicion and prevent him from returning to the West.
Despite these challenges, Yue Qin remains determined, knowing that this is Mei Lin's only chance to leave Zhao Jing. While many beauties gather at the Honglu Temple, Mei Lin struggles to find the woman with the peony tattoo. Mu Rong Jing He visits her and finds her submerged in cold water, suspecting that the friend she saw might be an illusion. He suddenly recalls his own hallucinations caused by consuming red fuzi, confirming that the woman with the peony tattoo does indeed exist.
Mu Rong Jing He helps Mei Lin remember the details of her hallucination. When she asks if he is looking for the red fuzi for her, he replies that since he went to great lengths to rescue her from the imperial prison, he wouldn’t want her to die too soon and waste his efforts.
The next morning, Mu Rong Jing He plays chess with his father but is chastised by Mu Rong Qian for neglecting Yin Luo Mei. Just then, Mu Rong Xuan Lie enters and overhears their conversation, intending to report on Zhang Yin's situation while trying to downplay its significance.
Mu Rong Qian arranged for the two brothers to visit the Rong'an Hall. Mu Rong Xuan Lie deliberately reminisced about the past, mentioning their mother’s various concerns for them. Listening to Mu Rong Xuan Lie, Mu Rong Jing He felt disgusted by his hypocrisy and openly called him out for pretending to be a caring brother. Their relationship completely broke down.
In response, Mu Rong Xuan Lie provocatively used their mother’s death to provoke Mu Rong Jing He, claiming that someone like him was responsible for her death and thus unqualified to compete for the position of heir. However, Mu Rong Jing He asserted that it was too early to draw conclusions about guilt and vowed to reclaim everything Mu Rong Xuan Lie had taken from him.
A subordinate informed Mu Rong Xuan Lie that a woman had fled from the Wenhua Pavilion and was tracked to the Honglu Temple, but then lost all trace. The woman was skilled in Western techniques and had a burn on her wrist. Later, Granny Shang showcased the late empress's embroidered screen to the women, and when Mei Lin turned around, she saw Mu Rong Jing He standing in the corridor. This reminded her of him paying respects to the late empress, filled with sorrow over her disbelief that he had never committed acts of massacre.
That evening, A Dai personally made lantern cakes for Mei Lin. However, since it was her first attempt, the taste turned out very bitter, prompting her to decide to make another batch the next day. Mei Lin noticed the burn on A Dai's wrist and learned that she had been secretly taking skin-whitening pills. Mei Lin handed this bottle of medicine to Mu Rong Jing He, suspecting that the woman with the peony tattoo she saw might actually be a disguised man, with the peony drawn to conceal an Adam's apple.
Mu Rong Jing He had arranged for many people to have wrist injuries to confuse the Eastern Palace. However, unexpectedly, A Dai suddenly died, and upon examination, it was discovered that she had ingested poisonous mushrooms. Mei Lin knew A Dai would never have made a mistake and soon discovered that Granny Shang had buried the poisonous mushrooms in the middle of the night. After a careful inquiry, she confirmed they were searching for someone with an injured arm.
To uncover the mastermind behind it all, Mei Lin burned her own wrist with a hot iron hook, using herself as bait.
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