Shude encountered Dou Shishu in the corridor and congratulated him on his safe return from Lizhen and his promotion. She suggested they share a smoke or have him play music for her, but Dou Shishu coldly refused and walked away, leaving her with an indifferent back.
Song Mo wanted to mobilize the Imperial Guards to search for Dou Ming, but Dou Zhao stopped him. She worried that if Dou Ming and Wei Tingyu were found together by a large group, it would damage Dou Ming’s reputation. Dou Zhao proposed that she and Song Mo search together. In the forest, they found Wei Tingyu, who had sprained his ankle, and Dou Ming, unwilling to leave him.
Dou Ming apologized, explaining that she and Wei Tingyu had only met because of a rabbit. Dou Zhao didn’t blame her and offered her horse for Dou Ming and Wei Tingyu to ride back. Dou Ming, however, felt uneasy about taking her sister’s fiancé’s horse and suggested Dou Zhao leave with Wei Tingyu instead. Hearing this, Song Mo stepped forward and volunteered to escort Wei Tingyu, claiming they shared similar interests. Song Mo adjusted Wei Tingyu’s dislocated ankle and prepared to leave.
Suddenly, an arrow flew toward them, and Song Mo instinctively shielded Dou Zhao, catching the arrow. A hunter, mistaking Song Mo in his brown attire for a bear, had shot it in haste. Song Mo did not hold a grudge but noticed Dou Zhao was visibly shaken. He held her close, asking what was wrong, but Dou Zhao remained silent.
Upon their return, Wang Yingxue was furious with Dou Zhao, accusing her of winning the competition solely to delay the wedding. She mocked Dou Zhao’s intentions and declared she wouldn’t let her succeed. Dou Zhao didn’t argue back, which surprised Wang Yingxue.
Later, Dou Zhao went to the lake alone, recalling advice from an old man she met as a child, who told her that great power could move mountains and seas. Yet despite all her efforts, nothing seemed to change. She felt powerless, especially after Song Mo risked himself for her. She imagined the old man reappearing and likening her struggles to a stone in a river—while it may momentarily divide the current, the waters eventually rejoin. Overwhelmed by this thought, she almost fell into the lake but was saved by Song Mo, who embraced her.
Song Mo, concerned for her well-being, cooked porridge for her, using his experience as a military cook. Although Dou Zhao wasn’t hungry, Song Mo lovingly draped his cloak over her and tried to understand her feelings. Dou Zhao grew annoyed and asked if understanding her emotions would give him satisfaction. Song Mo explained he only wanted to lighten her burdens. Dou Zhao stepped back, asking him to keep his distance, as that would ease her burden the most.
Meanwhile, under the emperor’s orders, Wei Tingyu joined the Imperial Guards and endured grueling training led by Song Mo. After an exhausting day, even a simple meal felt like a delicacy to Wei Tingyu. When Song Mo asked about his engagement to Dou Zhao, Wei Tingyu criticized her as uncouth but acknowledged her as a “golden egg” to keep at home. Angered by this, Song Mo intensified Wei Tingyu’s training.
Wei Tingyu later sought help from other noble families to petition the emperor about Song Mo’s harsh training. The emperor, however, praised Song Mo’s strict discipline and dismissed Wei Tingyu’s complaints. However, the emperor was slightly concerned about Dou Shishu’s accusations that Song Mo frequently visited brothels and suggested resolving the young men’s marriage issues to settle them down.
Wang Yingxue and Dou Shiying invited Wei Tingzhen to the theater with younger family members to discuss finalizing Dou Zhao and Wei Tingyu’s engagement. Meanwhile, Wei Tingyu secretly met with Dou Ming, giving her a painting to express his affection.
Dou Zhao later caught Song Mo mingling with performers, which displeased her. When they were alone, Song Mo confronted her directly, asking for clarity about her feelings. Flustered, Dou Zhao tried to leave, but Song Mo trapped her in an embrace. Before Dou Zhao could react, Wei Tingyu arrived, assuming Song Mo was harassing her. He pulled Dou Zhao behind him, but Song Mo noticed Dou Zhao’s effort to free herself from Wei Tingyu’s grip, which secretly pleased him. He left without argument.
Dou Zhao then confronted Wei Tingyu, offering him the chance to break off their engagement. Wei Tingyu, afraid of defying his sister’s wishes, refused and insisted on proceeding with the wedding. Frustrated by his lack of resolve, Dou Zhao sarcastically suggested proceeding with fortune-telling to finalize the date. Panicked, Wei Tingyu asked her to convince Dou Shishu to cancel the engagement instead. This spinelessness angered Dou Zhao even more.
Song Mo, observing from a distance, realized Dou Zhao didn’t want to marry Wei Tingyu and felt secretly delighted, eager to see her next move.
Wei Tingyu continued meeting Dou Ming and even promised to dismiss his concubines, dedicating his art solely to her. He gifted Dou Ming a portrait of Dou Zhao and found that she had embroidered red beans, symbolizing mutual affection.
When Dou Zhao agreed to proceed with the fortune-telling, Wang Yingxue grew suspicious of her compliance. She hired a famous fortune-teller to interpret turtle shells. During the session, Chen Qushui and Suxin rushed in, claiming thieves had entered and urging everyone to leave. Wang Yingxue, however, secretly observed Dou Zhao swapping the “auspicious” turtle shell with an “ominous” one.
Pleased with her foresight, Wang Yingxue instructed her nanny to replace the shell again, only to find the fire tongs missing, making it difficult to retrieve the shell. Improvising, she used her sleeve to swap the shells. However, when the fortune-teller arrived, he confirmed the shell as auspicious. Wei Tingzhen noticed Wang Yingxue’s trembling hands and grew suspicious.
As Wei Tingzhen left, she encountered Dou Zhao, who feigned illness and offered her an expensive gift. Wei Tingzhen’s suspicions deepened. In truth, Dou Zhao had anticipated Wang Yingxue’s schemes and orchestrated everything to sow doubts in Wei Tingzhen’s mind. Smiling, Dou Zhao remarked to Suxin that the sisterly rivalry would provide the perfect drama for her plans.
