Episode 16 recap: Who is the prey.
The maid who was punished by Ling Zhi was brought before Huan Fei. Huan Fei wanted to sow discord between her and Ling Zhi, hoping to make her his pawn. Huan Fei also placed gold bars in front of the maid, and with the Empress's birthday just a few days away, her task was to place the dagger in Ling Zhi's birthday gift.
The maid readily agreed. Ling Zhi asked the maid if the birthday gift was ready, and after receiving confirmation, she told the maid to be extra careful. Soon, everyone arrived to present their gifts to the Empress. Huan Fei and the Empress Consort both came forward, and the Empress Consort opened the presented gift, expecting to find the dagger inside, but instead, it was just normal lingzhi.
Huan Fei was quite surprised, and then it was her turn to open the gift, only to find a blood-stained dagger inside. Ling Zhi and Huan Fei exchanged a glance, revealing that Ling Zhi had never actually punished the maid, but had deliberately made it seem like there was a rift between them, allowing Huan Fei to try to take advantage, when in fact, they were just putting on a show for him.
Huan Fei did not expect this outcome and continued to claim her innocence. Ling Zhi pointed out the crux of the problem, leaving Huan Fei unable to refute it. She then realized that Mu Xuan Jue was the mastermind behind it all. The Empress Dowager was furious and directly stripped Huan Fei of her consort position.
Before leaving, Huan Fei, still unwilling to accept defeat, grabbed the dagger and tried to attack Ling Zhi. Mu Xuan Jue stepped in front to shield Ling Zhi, and Ling Zhi quickly took Mu Xuan Jue back, determined not to let him die. She used her spiritual powers to heal Mu Xuan Jue, even if it meant sacrificing a significant amount of her own spiritual energy. She then kissed Mu Xuan Jue, using this method to save him.
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