Episode 1 recap: Fang Fei was framed and falsely accused of having an affair.
In her dream, Xue Fang Fei (played by Wu Jin Yan) was walking through the forest in a red dress with her husband. When she woke up, she found herself disheveled, with a strange man lying on the bed. The man forcibly assaulted her, and he was seen by Shen's mother and Shen Ru Yun, who then falsely accused Fang Fei of having an affair and had her tied up and locked in the woodshed. Shen Yu Rong (played by Liang Wen Qi) opened the door to the woodshed, took up an axe and broke her shackles. Xue Fang Fei desperately tried to explain that she had been misunderstood, but Shen Yu Rong remained expressionless and lied that he was taking her away.
As thunder roared, on the carriage, Xue Fang Fei drank the water from the flask given to her by Shen Yu Rong and fell asleep. When she woke up, she found herself lying in a deep pit. She tried to ask for the reason, but her husband Shen Yu Rong told her cruelly that she must give up her virtue, as the other party was powerful and he had no choice but to obey.
Xue Fang Fei learned from Shen Yu Rong that her father Xue Huai Yuan was imprisoned for corruption, and her brother Xue Zhao was killed by bandits. She hated Shen Yu Rong's ruthlessness. Shen Yu Rong then used a shovel to knock Xue Fang Fei unconscious and buried her in the deep pit, throwing in their cherished flute as well.
After Shen Yu Rong rode away, a hand emerged from the soil. Shen Yu Rong then went to inform the Grand Princess Wan Ning that he had buried Xue Fang Fei alive. Pretending to be shocked, Wan Ning criticized Shen Yu Rong for his cruelty to his wife.
Shen Yu Rong knew that it was Wan Ning who had instigated Shen's mother to frame Xue Fang Fei, and Shen's mother dared not offend Wan Ning, forcing Shen Yu Rong to take such drastic measures against his wife. Wan Ning's taunting words angered Shen Yu Rong, and he grabbed her neck, wanting to take her down with him, but her words also made him hesitant.
As the rain poured down harder, Xiao Heng (played by Wang Xing Yue) appeared in the warehouse, having discovered that Shopkeeper Jia and others were illegally selling salt. Shopkeeper Jia tried to resist, but was subdued by Xiao Heng's men, Wen Ji and Lu Ji. Jia then confessed about the involvement of young master Qin, and they agreed to make the exchange at Helin Temple. Suddenly, a man in black robes flew in from the door, throwing projectiles to silence Jia, but was blocked by Xiao Heng.
The next day, as Xiao Heng's group passed through the bustling market, they encountered Shen Yu Rong paying his respects to Xue Fang Fei. The crowd all believed that Xue Fang Fei had been killed for having an affair, lamenting that she was once the top talent of Huai County. Up on the rear mountain, Jiang Li (played by Yang Chao Yue) and her maid Tong Er (played by Ai Mi) were returning from chopping firewood when they spotted the injured Xue Fang Fei by the river.
Two people rescued Xue Fang Fei from the water, awakened her, and found her some fruit. Xue Fang Fei mistook them for bad people, but Tong Er told her that Jiang Li was the prime minister's daughter. Seeing the bamboo flute, Xue Fang Fei recalled how she had defied her father to marry Shen Yu Rong, but Xue Zhao had helped persuade her father, and Shen Yu Rong had promised to protect Xue Fang Fei, allowing them to be together.
Xue Fang Fei regretted her foolishness and wanted to drown herself, but Jiang Li stopped her, advising that living was the way to be reborn, as she had once felt the same. Xue Fang Fei calmed down temporarily, and Jiang Li said she would go get more food for her.
Jiang Li and Tong Er returned to the Virtuous Women's Hall, prepared the food, and went out again, but were stopped by their fellow disciples who said the mistress ordered them to wait until the weather cleared before going to collect firewood. Worried about Xue Fang Fei going hungry, Jiang Li sneaked out at night, but was caught by the mistress and the others. The mistress publicly berated and severely punished Jiang Li, believing she had gone to meet a man.
While the others were forced to participate in beating Jiang Li, Tong Er tried to take the blows for her, but was pulled away. Jiang Li was badly injured from the beating. Xue Fang Fei, who had left the area, happened to arrive at the Virtuous Women's Hall and overheard them talking about what happened to Jiang Li.
With the mistress and the others gone, Xue Fang Fei sneaked into the hall and saw the barely alive Jiang Li. Jiang Li told Xue Fang Fei her life story, how she had been framed by her stepmother as a child and sent to the hall for a decade of punishment. Xue Fang Fei sympathized and urged her to hold on.
Knowing her time was short, Jiang Li gave Xue Fang Fei her hairpin, the proof of her identity, hoping she would convey Jiang Li's injustice to her father. Jiang Li then saw her deceased mother Ye Zhen Zhen in a vision and passed away.
When the mistress returned and found Jiang Li had stopped breathing, she panicked, fearing discovery. Xue Fang Fei suddenly appeared and threatened to take Jiang Li's place.
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