Episode 9

The one that was killed at the end of episode 8 was obviously not our hero but a substitute used to deceive General Xiao Ji. Yuan Ling shows up in the nick of time to save our heroine from General Xiao Ji’s sword then kills him. Watching Yuan Ling with pride in her eyes, Qing Chen thinks to herself that the man she loves has never disappointed her… before promptly fainting into Yuan Ling’s arms.

Waking up to see Yuan Ling personally bringing her a bowl of medicine, Qing Chen accepts gracefully as Yuan Ling apologizes for mistaking her for a spy. Discussing the danger ahead of them, our two leads agree that if Qing Chen was ever in danger, she would bite her hand to alert Yuan Ling. Biting her hand as a test, Qing Chen is puzzled when Yuan Ling acts like he couldn’t feel anything and is about to bite her finger even harder when Yuan Ling reaches to stop her then mutters “dummy!” Watching Yuan Ling’s retreating back, Qing Chen mutters to herself “If I miss you then how am I supposed to let you know? We share our lives but I can’t even tell you how I feel.”

Yuan Ling has a battle with the 5th Prince but ends up being framed for the 5th Prince’s death when a secret organization kills the 5th Prince during the fight. Determined to clear Yuan Ling’s name, Qing Chen follows the secret organization- Bi Xue Ge until she allows herself to be captured and figures out they are the dark sorcerer that will be helping the 7th Prince in the future. Meeting more familiar sorceresses from the Mingyi Tower while being locked up,  Qing Chen finds out that Bi Xue Ge is planning to sell them to a brothel and devise a plan to free her friends once they get to their destination.

Surprised when she arrives at the brothel’s front door to see the 7th Prince there as well, Qing Chen quickly decides to let her friend escape without her and remains behind pretending to be one of the abducted girls being sold to the brothel.

In the mean time, while our heroine is off meeting the 7th Prince (male second lead), our hero is also meeting Princess Duo Xia for the first time. As Princess of the tribe of Tuguhui, Duo Xia is willing to use her marriage for the benefit of her people but she wants a husband worthy of her and of course Yuan Ling quickly become her first choice after he beats her in a fight.

Episode 10

Successfully capturing the 7th Prince, Yuan Zhan’s attention then fainting right after to get herself into his home, Qing Chen suddenly loses her eye sight because of the poison in her body. Undeterred by her temporary blindness, Qing Chen investigates the house at night but is puzzled when she is unable to find any trace of the dark sorcerer in Yuan Zhan’s home. Yuan Zhan knows full well that Qing Chen is at his house for a purpose but is willing to play along with her act until he can figure out what she wants. Caught right in the act of snooping around the flower room by Yuan Zhan, Qing Chen is surprised when instead of interrogating her the 7th Prince treats her blindness. Confused by a Yuan Zhan that is seemingly completely different from the power hungry 7th Prince she met before, Qing Chen wonders what sort of man Yuan Zhan is at this current time line.

Stunned by the news of of his older brother’s death, Yuan Zhan rushes to the palace to tell his mother, Imperial Concubine Yin that the 5th Prince’s body will be coming back with Yuan Ling’s army. Knowing full well that her son is dead but still pretending ignorance in front of Yuan Zhan, Imperial Concubine Yin puts on a show of a grieving mother.

Episode 11

Knowing that all the evidence will point to him as the one that killed 5th Prince, Yuan Ling decides to just go with the flow while secretly trying to find ways to prove his innocence. Furious when Yuan Ling in a matter of fact tone recounts how he had killed the 5th Prince because he had committed treason, the emperor yells at our hero for daring to kill a prince according to his own will.

Having sacrificed a son to hide the fact that her family has been conspiring with the enemy country, Imperial Concubine Yin is determined to do everything she can to use the 5th Prince’s death to get rid of Yuan Ling for good. Thoughtful when she sees how affected Yuan Zhan is by his brother’s death, Qing Chen asks the 7th Prince if he really thinks Yuan Ling had killed his older brother. Not fooled by his own mother’s continual attempt to blame everything on our hero, Yuan Zhan replies that based on his knowledge of Yuan Ling’s personality it is very unlikely that he is the killer.

Convincing her grandson (5th Prince’s son) Yuan Ling is the one that killed his dad, Imperial Concubine Yin poisons her own grandson so when the little boy bites our hero the poison would pass between them.

Unaware he has been poisoned yet again, Yuan Ling pays Qing Chen a visit and is in the middle of teasing her for being highly skilled in intrigue when Yuan Zhan knocks on Qing Chen’s door. Sending Yuan Zhan away with the excuse that she is already in bed, Qing Chen turns around to find Yuan Ling staring at her intently… then fainting right into her arms.

Using the all purpose golden butterflies, Qing Chen transfers Yuan Ling’s poison to herself. Seemingly quite used to waking up from a fainting spell to find Qing Chen in front of him, Yuan Ling quickly figures out that he was poisoned by the little boy’s bite AND that Yin family (the family of the Imperial Concubine Yin) is obviously behind the both times he was poisoned.

Their conversation interrupted by the wailing of 5th Prince’s wife who is obviously very fearful of leaving her son in Imperial Concubine Yin’s care, Yuan Ling nods in agreement as Qing Chen tells him to protect the 5th Prince’s wife since her fearful reaction might indicate that she is the key to proving his innocence. (The wife had overheard Imperial Concubine Yin’s conversation and found out the shocking truth that she had ordered her own son killed.)

Staring at Qing Chen with curiosity in his eyes, Yuan Ling asks “Is it because our life is connected? Is that why you are helping me so much?”

Looking back at Yuan Ling calmly, Qing Chen answers “That is only one of the reasons. That day, you rescued me and my friends. If one day, you have even more power in your hands, then you would certainly clear my people’s name. So, for both your sake and my people sake, I would do everything I can to prove your innocence to the world.”

Satisfied with the logic of Qing Chen’s answer, Yuan Ling leaves but unbeknownst to him, Qing Chen collapses to the ground the moment he is out of sight and whispers “I have already transferred all your poison to myself. Our lives are no longer tied… so what reason do I have any more to stay by your side?”

Already suspicious after seeing his older brother’s wife so fearful of his mother, Yuan Zhan decides to pay Imperial Concubine Yin a visit only to catch her right in the act of poisoning his nephew. Listening with disbelief as his mother explains that everything she has done is for his sake, Yuan Zhan’s heart grows cold at the thought that in the name of family prosperity, he and his brother were just pawns that could be sacrificed anytime. Ignoring his mother’s protests, Yuan Zhan forcefully takes his nephew away after declaring “I will not be a piece on someone’s chess board. I will be the one in control.”

Giving his nephew into Qing Chen’s care, Yuan Zhan confesses “Right now, I can’t trust anyone else to watch over him.”

Curious, Qing Chen asks “But you dared to trust me?”
Surprised when Yuan Zhan replies “Even if you are a sorceress, I don’t believe you will harm a child.”, Qing Chen asks “You knew already?” (That she is a sorceress.)
Yuan Zhan “I don’t know your purpose for coming here. But let me ask you this favor first. Take care of my nephew for me then I can forget everything else.”
Not satisfied with Yuan Zhen’s offer, Qing Chen pushes until Yuan Zhan promises to investigate the kidnapping brothel case from before and to let her leave once everything clear up.

Episode 12

With her heart set on Yuan Ling, Princess Duo Xia shows up in front of the emperor and doesn’t bother to hide the fact that she has been thoroughly impressed by Yuan Ling after just one meeting. Displeased that Duo Xia would dare to petition for Yuan Ling (over the 5th Prince’s death) even knowing that he wants her to marry the crown prince, the emperor tells her to not mention Yuan Ling anymore.

Unbeknownst to the emperor, the crown prince has no interest in marrying Duo Xia but has been carrying on a secret love affair with Luan Fei who is a female official serving the emperor. (In the novel, Luan Fei is someone who serves in the emperor’s study, helps him with state affairs. So a cross between a maid and secretary.)

Disappointed yet again with his mother when he intercedes his own family’s assassination attempt on his sister-in-law’s life, Yuan Zhan is puzzled when his sister-in-law disappears during the chaos. Quickly figuring out that Yuan Ling must’ve whisked his sister-in-law away with Qing Chen’s help, Yuan Zhan chooses not to confront Qing Chen but allows her to take his nephew to see his mother under the disguise of going on an outing.

Smiling as she sends Yuan Zhan’s nephew running ahead to see his mother, Qing Chen turns to close the cottage door but yelps when her hand is pricked by it. Walking up the path towards the cottage, Yuan Ling sees Qing Chen’s little incident with the door and looks down at his hand first with puzzlement then surprise as he realizes that he and Quing Chen’s lives are no longer connected. Hiding his surprise, Yuan Ling greets Qing Chen normally pretending he has noticed anything amiss.

 

 

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