L'imperatore di Tiansheng teme una lotta di potere e allontana Ning Yi, il quale passa il tempo tessendo la seta e ripensando un a un traumatico evento della sua vita.

Madam Yuhua fa la prepotente con la cortigiana Zhu Yin, ma Feng Zhiwei interviene. Un omicidio sconvolge la corte. Gli altri principi vedono Ning Yi come una minaccia.

Ning Yi mantiene la sua copertura quando Zhiwei arriva alla residenza del principe di Chu. Zhiwei è obbligata dalla madre a giurare che non sposerà Ning Yi.

L'imperatore affronta i suoi figli a proposito delle voci riguardanti il principe di Dacheng. Yuhua sospetta un collegamento tra Zhiwei e il dissolto impero di Dacheng.

Dopo la campagna di Ning Chuan contro la Bloody Pagoda, l'imperatore sospettoso chiede a Ning Yi d'indagare. La collaborazione del Capo Gu è però fondamentale.

Il Capo Gu svela il complotto che si nasconde dietro la Bloody Pagoda. Madam Yuhua va in città e sente una storia che riguarda Gu Heng e il neonato principe di Dacheng.

Ning Yi trova il documento con informazioni sulle identità di Zhiwei e Feng Hao. Qiu Shangqi manda una squadra a catturare Zhiwei.

Dopo aver concluso un patto cruciale, il Capo Gu e Ning Yi coinvolgono Qiu Shangqi e Qiu Mingying in un piano per intrappolare Ning Chuan.

Zhu Yin aiuta Ning Yi a venire a capo degli omicidi legati alla Bloody Pagoda. Il Preside Xin propone a Ning Chuan un piano per mettere alla prova Ning Yan.

Ning Chuan rivela al Preside Xin il suo piano per battere il duca di Chang. Zhiwei si traveste da uomo e incomincia a lavorare alla corte di Lanxiang.

Ning Yan cade nel sortilegio del Preside Xin e conferma i sospetti di Ning Chuan, il quale inizia a fidarsi sempre più del Preside Xin.

Zhu Yin and Zhiwei suspect a plot by Ning Chuan to poison Ning Yi, but the emperor also falls ill. Duke Chang struggles to regain Ning Chuan's trust.

A mysterious new bodyguard stalks Zhiwei. Ning Yi sends Zhiwei to the East Palace to swap an artifact, resulting in grave consequences for Ning Yan.

Ning Yi confronts Ning Yan about his role in Ning Qiao's downfall. Ning Sheng suspects Ning Yi is involved in the scandal surrounding the wooden figure.

Headmaster Xin brings the sorcerer to Ning Yan, but an imposter hides behind the mask. The guilt-ridden emperor scrutinizes Ning Chuan's story.

Princess Shao Ning complains to Ning Chuan about her encounters at Qingming Academy. Ning Yi struggles to solve the mystery behind his illness.

Ning Chuan sees the ring on Zhao Yuan and thinks it's a trap. Ning Yi orders his men to find Zhiwei, but Duke Chang is a step ahead.

Ning Chuan plans a staged Bloody Pagoda assassination, but a counterscheme is in motion. Zhiwei appears at the imperial ceremony to select top scholars.

At court, Chief Gu reveals Ning Chuan's Bloody Pagoda connections. Disillusioned with Ning Yi, Zhiwei ingratiates herself with the emperor.

The emperor gets to the bottom of Ning Qiao's case. Shao Ning unknowingly helps Zhiwei identify the culprit behind an attempt to poison Ning Yi.

Ning Yi warns Zhiwei about the Chang clan and confronts the emperor over his mother's death. Duke Chang and Ning Sheng try to conspire with Ning Chuan.

Ning Yi anticipates Duke Chang and Ning Chuan's next move. Zhiwei struggles to convince Ning Yi to spare Ning Chuan's life.

The courtiers pass verdict on Duke Chang's fate, but Ning Yi takes matters into his own hands. Shao Ning asks Qiu Shangqi about Zhiwei's past.

With Ning Yi's help, Zhiwei forces Qiu Shangqi to retract his ultimatum and cave into her demands. Shao Ning is determined to avenge Ning Chuan.

Ning Qi's return worries his mother, Lady Wang. Zhiwei comes up with a solution when Ning Qi expresses concerns about the horse market to the emperor.

Suspecting intrigue, Ning Yi secretly sends a crew to capture corsair Chen Shao, who's accused of assassinating courtier Lin Renqi.

Qiu Mingying pressures Zhiwei to resign from the court. Ning Yi helps Ning Qi realize that he's become Ning Sheng's scapegoat in the Chen Shao case.

Zhiwei encounters Helian Zheng on her way back to the Qiu household. Chen Shao tells Ning Yi how he became a mercenary of the corrupt Lord of Minhai.

Posing as Ning Yi, Ning Sheng uses Noble Consort Chang's hairpiece to deceive Zhan Bi, whom Ning Yi confronts about the death of his mother, Ya Le.

Zhan Bi falls for Ning Sheng's plot to dishonor Ning Yi in front of the emperor, but the scheme backfires when Zhiwei intervenes.

Helian Zheng tells Ning Yi he intends to ask for Zhiwei's hand in marriage -- right in front of Wei Zhi. Zhiwei urges Shao Ning to keep a low profile.

As the Censorate chief, Ning Yi presents to the emperor evidence incriminating Lord of Minhai in Lin Renqi's case -- but Chen Shao ruins his plan.

Zhiwei objects when Lord of Minhai asks the emperor for permission to train Ning Sheng. Headmaster Xin aims to put distance between Ning Yi and Zhiwei.

Ning Yi brings up Lin Renqi's case when the emperor mentions Lord of Minhai's return to his dominion. Shao Ning suspects Ning Yi caused the blood marks.

Shao Ning and Noble Consort Chang collude to keep Lady Wang silent about a past scheme against Ya Le. Wei Zhi is asked to guard the golden box.

Helian Zheng discovers Wei Zhi's secret. Zhao Yuan reports to the emperor that Shao Ning has been orbiting around Noble Consort Chang and Ning Sheng.

Ning Yi visits Ya Le's old home, Yilan Palace, and encounters a former servant. Noble Consort Chang arrives soon after -- and thinks she's seen a ghost.

During an imperial gift ceremony, Lady Wang is agitated by false accusations -- and Ning Yi seizes the chance to reveal the truth about Ya Le's death.

After Ning Sheng fails to access the golden box, Shao Ning and Peng Pei plant another distraction -- but someone else lurks in the shadows.

Ning Yi gets wind of Ning Sheng's charade -- and a plan to take Wei Zhi's life. Shao Ning swaps the emperor's scroll, falling for Ning Yi's trap.

Wei Zhi advises the emperor to send an envoy to Minhai. Shao Ning asks Ning Qi to help her obtain the emperor's approval to wed Wei Zhi.

Headmaster Xin scrambles to keep Wei Zhi from blowing her cover. After rejecting Shao Ning's proposal, Wei Zhi makes a shocking revelation at court.

As Zhiwei's execution looms, Qiu Mingying draws up a dangerous rescue plan with the Bloody Pagoda, but Ning Yi intervenes just in time.

Ning Yi sends Qiu Mingying a message through Chief Gu. Against their father's orders, the Chang brothers set out to block Ning Yi's arrival in Minhai.

Chang Zhongxin sets a trap for his brother, Zhongyi, and turns against his own father. Feng Hao steals an artifact from Qiu Mingying's closet.

Zhongxin puts on an act to cover up his crime and prepares his troops for a rebellion. Zhiwei encounters Yan Huaishi's fiancée, Hua Qiong.

Zhongxin takes advantage of Ning Yi's illness to put his plan in motion, but Yan Huaishi convinces Zhou Xizhong to help thwart Zhongxin's ambitions.

After Feng Hao escapes from jail, Peng Pei seeks information on the Qiu family's link to the former dynasty -- and reports his suspicions to Ning Qi.

After confronting Qiu Mingying about Feng Hao's identity, Headmaster Xin falls for Ning Qi and Peng Pei's trap, and Qiu Mingying is apprehended.

Ning Qi orders his men to capture Master Zong. Qiu Mingying tells Headmaster Xin the only way to protect Zhiwei is to sacrifice herself and Feng Hao.