Episode 12 recap: Ye Shi Jie has developed feelings for Xue Fang Fei.
Xue Fang Fei and the others won the imperial examination, successfully gaining an audience with the Emperor and securing the top position. They are now preparing to find the person who is secretly manipulating Shen Yu Rong. Tong Er is worried that Xue Fang Fei might get hurt, but Xue Fang Fei believes this is the best opportunity, and she plans to stand in a prominent place and use herself as bait to draw out the other party.
When they went to the palace to meet the Emperor, Princess Wan Ning arrived. Upon seeing that Jiang Li, whom she supported, looked just like Xue Fang Fei, she became suspicious. She then made Shen Yu Rong the target and asked Xue Fang Fei to demonstrate her archery skills.
Xue Fang Fei did not dare to refuse. When she saw Shen Yu Rong standing right in front of her, she wished she could shoot an arrow straight into his heart. Mr. and Mrs. Jiang Yu Ping brought a potted plant to Xue Fang Fei, thanking her for guiding Jiang Jing Rui in chess, which gave him the opportunity to meet the Emperor. Jiang Jing Rui believes he has exceptional talent, and Lu Shi is extremely grateful to Xue Fang Fei, wanting to teach Jiang Jing Rui a lesson in gratitude, but accidentally sprained her waist.
Jiang Jing Rui pulled Xue Fang Fei aside and asked her about Zhou Yan Bang's changed marriage agreement. There are rumors that the Marquis of Ningyuan has imprisoned Zhou Yan Bang, not wanting the matter to escalate. Jiang Jing Rui jokingly said that Zhou Yan Bang got what he deserved, as he had immediately changed the marriage agreement when Jiang Li was sent to the Chastity Hall.
Jiang Yun Bo happened to pass through the courtyard and saw Mr. and Mrs. Jiang Yun Ping rubbing their waists, thinking they were playfully flirting, and accidentally sprained his own waist as well. Xue Fang Fei appeared, and Jiang Yun Bo was pleased with her victory in the imperial examination, praising her for bringing honor to the Jiang family. Xue Fang Fei said that she learned music in the Chastity Hall, where there are many skilled people, and she knew Jiang Yun Bo had doubts, so she asked him to speak openly.
Jiang Yun Bo mentioned Zhou Yan Bang and wanted to ask for her opinion on the marriage agreement matter. Xue Fang Fei expressed that she does not like Zhou Yan Bang and has already rejected him. Jiang Yun Bo was delighted and wanted to hold a celebration banquet for Xue Fang Fei. Afterward, Tong Er congratulated Xue Fang Fei, thinking that Jiang Li's spirit in heaven would also be at peace.
Xue Fang Fei did not dare to be complacent, as she felt that there were more dangerous challenges ahead. Li Zhong Nan was ruthless, forcing Li Lian to fulfill the bet, and threatened to send him to a monastery if he did not improve his bad habits. Li Lian pleaded desperately, but Li Zhong Nan remained unmoved. Li Jin guessed his father's intentions, knowing that he was sacrificing Li Lian for the sake of Princess Wanning and the Crown Prince's ambitions.
Li Jin proposed directly confronting the Ye family of Luyang, and Li Zhong Nan handed over this task to him. Lady Li learned that Xue Fang Fei was formidable, so Ji Shu Ran consulted her for a strategy, as she had previously doubted Xue Fang Fei's identity. Grandmother Sun found the previous hall master, who confirmed that Xue Fang Fei's identity is indeed Jiang Li.
Ji Shu Ran no longer doubted, believing that Xue Fang Fei was simply highly manipulative. Lady Li gave her a suggestion, finding an opportunity to ruin Xue Fang Fei's reputation on the night she goes to the palace to meet the Emperor. Jiang Lao Fu Ren prepared fine clothes for Xue Fang Fei, personally selecting the blue and white jade fabrics, making her look elegant and dignified.
Jiang Lao Fu Ren was pleased, thinking that Xue Fang Fei's bearing resembled that of Ye Zhen Zhen, clearly a genteel young lady from a distinguished family.
Additionally, she instructed her to take good care of her sisters and not to keep her grievances buried in her heart. Jiang Ruo Yao had cut her clothes, she lost and did not want to go to the palace, believing that her mother's decision for her to learn the zither was a mistake.
Ji Shu Ran was angered, and almost slapped Jiang Ruo Yao, accusing her of not being able to accept failure and demanding that she must go to the palace, or else she would not acknowledge her as a daughter. Tong Er did not know Xue Fang Fei's next move, and Xue Fang Fei decided to lure the other party out through Shen Yu Rong, suspecting that the other party was a powerful woman who coveted the position of the state champion's wife.
Ye Shi Jie passed by the Jiang family and was a bit attracted after seeing Xue Fang Fei, proposing to escort Xue Fang Fei to the palace. Xue Fang Fei declined his help, preparing to take the carriage arranged by her family. Suddenly, Jiang Jing Rui appeared, shouting that he would go with Ye Shi Jie, and pulled Xue Fang Fei onto the carriage.
On the way, Jiang Jing Rui saw Ye Shi Jie staring at Xue Fang Fei, and jokingly said he was attracted to Xue Fang Fei's silk clothes. Ye Shi Jie was nervous, but Jiang Jing Rui said he was the one attracted to Xue Fang Fei's silk clothes. The three of them rushed around all day and finally arrived at the imperial palace at night.
Xue Fang Fei stood at the palace gate, recalling the year she sent Shen Yu Rong, the high school champion, to the palace, but she did not follow him to the imperial court audience. She silently watched his back as he entered the palace. And now, she stood at the palace gate again, lost in thought. Liu Xu also arrived, and the four of them entered the palace together. Zhou Yan Bang called out to Jiang Ruo Yao, but she ignored him in a fit of temper.
Hong Xiao Di and Li Fei attended the event. There was some discussion that Li Fei was previously a princess of the former emperor, and after the emperor's death, she fell in love with Hong Xiao Di, which is how she acquired her current title. The state champion audience met with Hong Xiao Di, who publicly appointed Ye Shi Jie as the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, appreciating his talent and character as recommended by Xue Fang Fei, and bestowed jewelry and jade on the four of them.
Xue Fang Fei boldly refused the jewelry and jade, expressing her admiration for Shen Yu Rong's talent, and requested that the emperor instruct Shen Yu Rong to tutor her in her studies. Hong Xiao Di agreed. After a performance of song and dance, Li Fei made an excuse of being drunk, and Hong Xiao Di accompanied her to leave.
Xue Fang Fei proactively approached Shen Yu Rong and mentioned his late wife. At this moment, Wan Ning arrived, and when she saw Jiang Li's face, she was surprised, directly stating that she resembled Shen Yu Rong's late wife. Xue Fang Fei, seeing Wan Ning, guessed that she was the behind-the-scenes figure.
Wan Ning proposed a test of the state champion's archery skills, wanting to find a target for Xue Fang Fei, and directly pointed at Li Jin. Shen Yu Rong intervened, offering himself as the target, hoping Wan Ning would calm down. Wan Ning became even angrier, replacing the practice arrows with real ones, and ordered Xue Fang Fei to shoot the wine jar on Shen Yu Rong's head.
Xue Fang Fei saw the wine jar on Wan Ning's chest, confirming that it was the one Shen Yu Rong had once given her. She mercilessly aimed the arrow at Shen Yu Rong and pulled the bowstring.
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