Ji Yong sat in a temple, watching a young monk sweeping fallen leaves under a withered tree. He advised the monk to rest, saying there were no leaves to sweep since the tree had been lifeless for years. However, the young monk persisted, obeying his master’s instructions. Suddenly, Ji Yong noticed a flower blooming on one of the branches. Remembering his master’s words—”even dead wood can bloom in spring”—Ji Yong smiled. He reflected on his own journey, sent to the temple as a child because of emotional difficulties. Yet, now, in the secular world, he had found a sense of renewal and hope.
After escorting Dou Shiying home, Song Mo worried that his actions might give the wrong impression, fearing he would be seen as manipulative. To avoid suspicion, he left respectfully without entering the house. During their conversation, Dou Shiying mentioned his love for Spring and Autumn Annals, a book Song Mo had read before and remembered well. Later, Song Mo instructed Lu Ming to purchase the book to display at his residence. Lu Ming, noticing Song Mo’s thoughtful gesture, couldn’t help but laugh.
Meanwhile, Yan Chaoqing arrived to investigate the firecrackers used in the earlier incident and discovered they belonged to Hai Changbo’s men. Although one of the suspects was caught, he refused to confess. Yan Chaoqing noted that the size of the firecrackers already violated safety regulations.
While reflecting on Song Mo’s recent actions, Dou Zhao was visited by Ji Yong. She asked him to teach her stargazing, but Ji Yong remarked that with her Records of the Zhao Era (Zhao Shilu), she had no need to stargaze. Dou Zhao then asked if Ji Yong remembered anything from a past life. Laughing, Ji Yong replied that his stargazing only revealed the present, not past lives.
Hai Changbo, suspected of hoarding firecrackers to make explosives, did not come to meet Dou Zhao. Frustrated, she felt that the situation was becoming urgent. She also noticed a white kite hanging from the magnolia tree and immediately ordered someone to remove it.
Song Mo, suspecting he was being followed, had the spy caught and interrogated, only to discover it was one of Chen Qushui’s men—who was actually working for Dou Zhao. Amused, Song Mo personally untied the man and even gave him a gold ingot. Overwhelmed with guilt, the spy confessed everything to Dou Zhao, who felt embarrassed rather than angry.
Suddenly, the sound of firecrackers rang out, and an explosion seemed to occur nearby. Alarmed, Dou Zhao ran toward the flames, calling out for Song Mo. Determined to find him, she rushed into danger, only to be scooped up by Song Mo, who carried her to safety. Overwhelmed with relief and emotion, Dou Zhao confessed her feelings to him. She admitted that while she wanted to live independently and on her own terms, she realized she feared losing him. She expressed her love for him, saying she couldn’t submit to traditional roles but was willing to face life alongside him as equals. Moved, Song Mo promised her that he would never let rigid societal rules restrict her. Knowing her fear of the “seven grounds for divorce,” he vowed to write her “seven promises” to protect her.
Dou Zhao reminded Song Mo that Su Rian had agreed to the marriage proposal, but handling her father and Dou Shishu would be difficult. She assured him they would face the challenges together. Song Mo, knowing the difficulties ahead, resolved to overcome any obstacles as long as they could be together.
In the meantime, Song Yichun had people secretly monitoring Song Mo. She discovered that he had been spending time with Princess Jingyu, accompanying her horseback riding. Worried that the Emperor might arrange a marriage between Song Mo and the princess, Song Yichun decided to take matters into her own hands by finding a wife for him. She instructed a matchmaker to find a strong-willed woman, explicitly rejecting gentle or virtuous candidates. The matchmaker suggested Dou Zhao, known for her strong personality. Pleased, Song Yichun ordered an investigation into Dou Zhao’s reputation, learning that she was labeled a “troublesome woman” and “ungrateful wolf.”
Song Mo, outwardly appearing at odds with the Dou family, was deemed by Song Yichun to be a perfect match for Dou Zhao. To further his plan, Song Mo invited Dou Shiying to his residence, flattering him with praises. Dou Shiying, delighted, gifted Song Mo fine wine from the Emperor. Song Mo, knowing Dou Shiying’s love for literature, presented him with a rare edition of Spring and Autumn Annals and a top-quality inkstone, which he pretended Dou Shiying discovered by chance.
When Dou Shishu learned of the situation, he criticized Dou Shiying for acting recklessly, doubting the Duke of Britain’s approval. However, before he could finish, a visiting card from the Duke arrived. Dou Zhao and Song Mo celebrated their successful strategy at a restaurant, revealing that even the negative rumors about Dou Zhao were deliberately spread by them to manipulate public opinion. Their friends showered them with blessings, wishing them happiness.
Cui Shi prepared a dowry for Dou Zhao, revealing that her mother’s bracelet had a missing pair buried by Dou Shiying under a tree. Moved, Dou Shiying personally dug into the ground, injuring his hands in the process. When the bracelet could not be found, Dou Shiying blamed himself for failing to provide peace of mind to Dou Zhao. Dou Zhao, touched by his effort, brought others to help dig, but their search was fruitless.
Ji Yong arrived with a horse, but Song Mo, watching from afar, didn’t want Ji Yong getting close to Dou Zhao. He whistled to startle the horse, leading it away.
Bound by the custom of not seeing the bride before the wedding, Song Mo blindfolded himself to approach Dou Zhao. He offered to help search for the bracelet, but Dou Zhao, discouraged, believed it would never be found. Her disappointment was evident.
Lu Ming, monitoring Dou Zhao’s residence, was caught. He explained that Song Mo, fearing another substitution at the wedding, had ordered him to keep watch. Zhao Si, seeing this, worried that Song Mo might be overly suspicious and temperamental, advising Dou Zhao to reconsider the marriage. However, Dou Zhao believed Song Mo wasn’t like that, fully trusting his character.
