Episode 9 recap: Xue Fang Fei's old injury has relapsed, and Xiao Heng helps her.
Wan Ning hears about Xue Fang Fei's bet and is quite curious. She asks Shen Yu Rong who he thinks will win. Shen Yu Rong pretends to say the Young Master of the Li family will win, but Wan Ning does not believe him. She bets on Xue Fang Fei to win and instructs her maid to place the bet.
The first test is archery, which Xue Fang Fei learns on the spot. Xiao Heng follows her and wants to help, seeing that she has an injury on her hand. He suggests she go to the Duke's manor to receive treatment.
The Duke's sister is willing to help treat her, but proposes a bet - if Xue Fang Fei wins, she will heal Xue Fang Fei's arm, but if she loses, Xue Fang Fei must give her life. Shen Ru Yun tells Shen Yu Rong about the bet, and he thinks Xue Fang Fei is not smart to have made such a pledge. He was initially worried it was Xue Fang Fei's revenge, but now feels they just happen to look similar.
Shen Yu Rong does not want to hear about it, but Shen Ru Yun keeps bringing up Xue Fang Fei, angering Shen Yu Rong who slams the table and tells her not to be presumptuous. Shen Ru Yun persuades him to move back to the bedroom from the study, and he tells her to leave.
In the middle of the night, Shen Yu Rong, disheveled and holding a candle, enters the room, which is covered in dust. He recalls his past with Xue Fang Fei and grieves alone. But then he snaps out of it, remembering that he buried Xue Fang Fei with his own hands.
Zhi Yan has bewitched Ji Mo Gong Zi, who promises to redeem her later, not knowing it was arranged by Xiao Heng. Xiao Heng and his men capture Ji Mo Gong Zi and interrogate him on where he had the Salt and Iron Bureau's embezzled funds transported.
Wen Ji threatens to have him made a eunuch, and in fear, Ji Mo Gong Zi confesses that the funds were transported to the theater. Afterward, Xiao Heng generously thanks Zhi Yan, who is not after the money but is grateful to the Xiao family. She was saved by Xiao Heng's mother Yu Hong Ye, and has long suspected there was another reason for his parents' deaths.
Xiao Heng may seem heartless, but he is actually preoccupied with his parents' affairs. Standing on the balcony, he is lost in childhood memories. When his parents went to battle in the south, they had Peng Guang send Xiao Heng back to the Xiao family. Xiao Heng cried, wanting to go with them, but later his father died in battle. Xiao Da Chuan, Xiao Heng's grandfather, showed no grief, making Xiao Heng think he was heartless, and resolving to uncover the truth about his father's death.
After his father's passing, his mother also followed in red clothing. Tong Er learns of Xue Fang Fei's bet and worries that if she loses, she will have to return to the Chaste Hall. But Xue Fang Fei is fairly confident, wanting to seize this opportunity to reclaim Jiang Li's true identity and not let others misjudge her. She also wants to find out who behind the scenes instigated Shen Yu Rong to harm her and her family. She can sense this person has immense wealth and power, but does not know why they have targeted her and her family.
Shen Yu Rong is writing at Wan Ning's place, and when she hears about the bet, she asks him who he thinks will win.
Shen Yu Rong's mood was disrupted, and he casually said that the young master of the Li family would win. Wan Ning noticed his restlessness and said he would not lie. Shen Yu Rong apologized, and her anger dissipated. She asked Shen Yu Rong to go out and support Jiang Li to win. Ji Shu Ran told Jiang Yuan Bai about the bet, and Jiang Yuan Bai angrily went to question Xue Fang Fei. Xue Fang Fei pretended to kneel and told Jiang Yuan Bai about her grievances, saying she did not want her father to be humiliated and hoped he would support her.
After hearing this, Jiang Yuan Bai firmly supported Xue Fang Fei and had Jiang Ruo Yao give her the good zither. Xue Fang Fei was skilled at playing the zither, and Jiang Jing Rui looked at her with renewed admiration, but her wrist was injured and she could not fully display her skills. The doctor diagnosed that she had an old injury and it would take her a month to recover. Xue Fang Fei recalled that the old injury was caused by being tied up, and Tong Er was worried that she would not be able to play the zither.
Jiang Jing Rui was skilled at chess, and he spent every day studying chess techniques, which amazed Jiang Yuan Ping and his wife. Liu Xu was skilled at archery and practiced shooting every day, while Ye Shi Jie was engrossed in his studies. Liu Xu was attracted by Xue Fang Fei's tenacity and decided to give it her all in preparation. The two practiced near the hunting grounds, and Xiao Heng came to give Liu Xu some pointers. After changing her thumb ring, she was indeed able to hit the bullseye.
Xiao Heng took the opportunity to personally teach Xue Fang Fei self-defense, but discovered her wrist injury. Xiao Heng asked Xue Fang Fei to come to the Duke's Mansion for treatment today, but she did not go, and instead continued to practice the zither with her injury. With only three days left before the year-end trial, she had no choice but to go find Xiao Heng again. Xiao Heng intentionally made her wait a while to punish her for not keeping her appointment.
Xiao Heng introduced Xue Fang Fei to Si Tu Jiu Yue, who was renowned as the number one poison expert. Si Tu Jiu Yue did not casually treat people, so Xiao Heng represented her in observing the formalities. Xue Fang Fei proposed to handle it herself. Si Tu Jiu Yue asked her to guess which spider was poisonous, and if she guessed wrong, she would die.
Xue Fang Fei bet Xiao Heng's hand, and based on Si Tu Jiu Yue's gaze, she correctly guessed which spider was not poisonous. Si Tu Jiu Yue promised to treat her, and discovered that her injury required an extreme method - using a scorpion's venom to counteract the poison. Xue Fang Fei passed out from the pain.
Si Tu Jiu Yue sensed that Xiao Heng had feelings for Xue Fang Fei, but Xiao Heng did not respond directly. Si Tu Jiu Yue told him not to deceive himself. Xue Fang Fei thanked Xiao Heng for his help, but Xiao Heng did not accept it.
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