Episode 26 recap: Zhou Yan Bang designed a plan to kill Xue Fang Fei.
Xiao Heng suspected that the ghostly fire was man-made, and that the person who committed self-immolation was also instigated by someone else. He asked Wen Ji and others to investigate what the deceased had in common.On the day of the Jiang family's ancestral worship, Jiang Yunbai brought his family to pay respects. Just as they were leaving, Xue Fang Fei suddenly walked up to the ancestral altar alone, wanting to kowtow to Ye Zhen Zhen and thank her daughter Jiang Li for her kindness.
Jiang Yunqing and his wife deliberately stirred up trouble, accusing Xue Fang Fei as a female member of the family not being allowed to worship, claiming she would bring misfortune to the Jiang family. Jiang Yunbai did not rebuke them, and Yang Shi also shouted that she was violating the family's rituals. Ji Shuran came forward to obstruct Xue Fang Fei, forcibly pulling and dragging her away to prevent her from worshipping.
Suddenly, a mentally ill woman rushed out, pushing Ji Shuran aside, repeatedly shouting "Little Moon". Ji Shuran slapped her, and the servants dragged her away, but she kept looking at Xue Fang Fei. After everyone left, Jiang Jingrui praised Xue Fang Fei's courage, and Xue Fang Fei was curious about the mentally ill woman, learning that she was Hu Yiniang.
According to Jiang Jingrui, Hu Yiniang, the concubine, became pregnant before the mistress Mrs. Jiang, but Mrs. Jiang did not allow the child to remain. It was Ye Zhen Zhen who repeatedly pleaded to keep the child. The child, named Jiang Yue, was born, and Ye Zhen Zhen got along well with Hu Yiniang until Ye Zhen Zhen's passing, after which Ji Shuran appeared.
Jiang Yue drowned in a lake while playing, causing Hu Yiniang to go insane. Ji Shuran locked her up in the firewood shed, and later Mrs. Jiang arranged for her to stay in the ancestral hall. Xue Fang Fei felt something strange about this, and she mentioned it to Tong Er, believing that Hu Yiniang was feigning madness, but Tong Er did not notice.
The two of them chatted as they got into a carriage, and the coachman secretly signaled to Jiang Ruoyao in the distance, taking them to a remote forest, claiming the carriage was broken down. Xue Fang Fei and Tong Er had no choice but to get off the carriage, and they happened to see Jiang Ruoyao's carriage, who only allowed Xue Fang Fei to get on board.
In the carriage, Jiang Ruoyao accused Xue Fang Fei of taking away everything from her. Xue Fang Fei refuted, saying she only wanted the things that belonged to Jiang Li, and the suffering she endured in the Chastity Hall was a hundred times more than what Jiang Ruoyao had experienced. Jiang Ruoyao still did not believe her, blaming Xue Fang Fei for her marriage to Zhou Yan Bang.
Suddenly, the carriage stopped, and someone threatened Xue Fang Fei with a knife, luring her into an abandoned shed. Zhou Yan Bang then emerged from the shed, glaring menacingly at Xue Fang Fei. Xue Fang Fei tried to escape, but was knocked unconscious and tied up by Zhou Yan Bang.
Jiang Ruoyao got into an argument with Zhou Yan Bang, thinking he was going to elope with her, but realized he was actually trying to kill Xue Fang Fei. Jiang Ruoyao, afraid, wanted to find someone, but was knocked unconscious by Zhou Yan Bang.
Xue Fang Fei woke up to hear two people talking. Zhou Yan Bang had knocked Jiang Ruo Yao unconscious and entered the room, unleashing his anger. He believed that Xue Fang Fei was responsible for his own downfall, and he wanted to first tarnish her reputation before cruelly murdering her. Xue Fang Fei saw that Jiang Ruo Yao had regained consciousness, so she deliberately stalled for time and asked Zhou Yan Bang if he liked Jiang Ruo Yao.
Zhou Yan Bang mocked Jiang Ruo Yao, saying she was foolish and easy to deceive, and that he would not have paid attention to her if not for her status as the prime minister's daughter. Jiang Ruo Yao overheard this, and when Zhou Yan Bang was about to attack Xue Fang Fei, she attacked him from behind and struck him with a rock, injuring him.
Seeing Zhou Yan Bang unconscious, Jiang Ruo Yao feared that she had accidentally killed him. Xue Fang Fei calmed her down and urged her to quickly return home with her. Jiang Yu'e had been tracking them the whole time and took Zhou Yan Bang back home. When Zhou's mother saw her son injured, she angrily went to the Jiang family.
Jiang Yunbai summoned Xue Fang Fei to ask about the situation. Xue Fang Fei only mentioned Zhou Yan Bang's assault and did not say that Jiang Ruo Yao had plotted against her. Zhou's mother was relentless, believing that Xue Fang Fei was the culprit.
Xue Fang Fei proposed that Jiang Ruo Yao testify, and Ji Shuran went to fetch her and tell her to pretend she didn't know anything. When Jiang Yunbai asked Jiang Ruo Yao again, she chose to remain silent. Xue Fang Fei gave her another chance, and after an inner struggle, Jiang Ruo Yao finally confessed, confirming Xue Fang Fei's account and admitting that she had accidentally injured Zhou Yan Bang.
Zhou's mother demanded that Jiang Yunbai defend Zhou Yan Bang, but Jiang Yunbai stood up for Xue Fang Fei. When Ye Shijie heard about the incident, he rushed to the Jiang family, but Xue Fang Fei had already left. Xiao Heng learned of Xue Fang Fei's troubles and sent someone to invite her to dinner, where he celebrated her victory.
Knowing that Xiao Heng was fully aware of her whereabouts, Xue Fang Fei jokingly suggested switching places with him to see a bigger world. After drinking a cup of wine, Xue Fang Fei fell asleep at Xiao Heng's place, and he sat nearby, lost in thought, for an entire day.
When Xue Fang Fei woke up, Xiao Heng gave her a whistle, telling her that if she blew on it, someone would come to protect her.
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