Dai Jian testified that it was Song Mo who broke into the Dou household and pinned all the blame on him. At this moment, Cui Shi and Dou Shiying arrived. Cui Shi hoped Song Mo would recognize the reality of the situation, cautioning him not to harm Jiang Meisun while trying to help him. Song Mo respectfully apologized to Cui Shi. Although the matter could not be taken to court, Song Mo admitted he had come to understand many things and accepted the wisdom in her words. Cui Shi then turned to Dai Jian, asking him to de-escalate the matter out of respect for her. Dai Jian seized the opportunity to save face and agreed to let go of the issue with Song Mo.
When Wu Shan coughed up blood again, the doctor arrived and determined that his condition was not serious. The doctor credited Dou Zhao’s timely intervention for saving Wu Shan. Grateful, Wu Shan explained that his illness originated from a lung infection he contracted while aiding disaster relief efforts. The butterfly venom had triggered his symptoms, but it was not something anyone, including Dou Zhao, could have foreseen. Song Mo, though skeptical, refrained from commenting further and arranged for Wu Shan to be escorted home. However, he quietly removed the tiger charm from Wu Shan’s waist.
In private, Song Mo confronted Dou Zhao about the tiger charm, questioning whether it was something she had deliberately designed to manipulate the situation. Dou Zhao hastily explained that since she had saved Wu Shan, it was proof that she had no ulterior motives. Song Mo did not believe her and fixed her with an intense stare. Feeling exposed, Dou Zhao became flustered, and Song Mo realized she was lying. He warned her that she owed him an explanation in the future.
Dou Zhao took the tiger charm and confronted Wang Yingxue, demanding an explanation. She accused Wang of soaking the charm in an intoxicating perfume meant to force her into marriage with Wei Tingyu. Wang feigned ignorance and claimed she had no idea about the charm’s purpose. However, she insisted that Wu Shan was a carefully chosen match for Dou Ming and that Dou Zhao had no choice but to marry Wei Tingyu. Wang made it clear that Dou Zhao could not interfere with Wu Shan and Dou Ming’s engagement.
On his way home, Wei Tingyu complained about Dou Zhao, but his sister Wei Tingzhen reminded him that a wife who could financially support the family was essential. She pointed out that their family was burdened with debts and lacking real influence, so marrying Dou Zhao, with her wealth and dowry, was a practical choice. If he disliked Dou Zhao, he could always take concubines. Reluctantly, Wei Tingyu agreed to the marriage.
Song Mo visited Wu Shan, who expressed frustration that Song Mo would suspect Dou Zhao. Wu Shan argued that Dou Zhao had saved his life and could not possibly have sinister intentions. Song Mo acknowledged her innocence in this matter but maintained that she had deliberately concealed certain truths. He warned Wu Shan to avoid getting entangled with the Dou family. Wu Shan, however, believed Dou Zhao might have feelings for him, which made him happy. Seeing that he could not persuade Wu Shan, Song Mo shook his head in resignation.
Song Mo later confided his concerns about the Dou family to Jiang Huisun. He worried that Dou Shishu’s hunger for power and Dou Zhao’s intelligence could lead to dangerous consequences if they united. Jiang Huisun, however, had her own perspective. She believed that Dou Zhao’s cautious and strategic nature was a result of her upbringing, having been excluded and marginalized by her family. Meanwhile, Lu Ming and Lu Zheng reported back, confirming that Dou Zhao had no involvement in the butterfly incident, aligning with Song Mo’s earlier suspicions.
Dou Zhao knelt before her father and Dou Shishu, begging them to cancel her engagement to Wei Tingyu. In response, Dou Shishu struck her, accusing her of disobedience. While Dou Shiying was upset by this, he lacked the courage to oppose Dou Shishu and take charge of the marriage arrangements. Dou Zhao criticized her father for his weakness. Cui Shi arrived just in time to chastise her two sons for forcing Dou Zhao into this situation. Dou Shishu, however, shifted the blame to Cui Shi, accusing her of raising Dou Zhao in a way that brought harm to the Dou family.
Hurt by her family’s treatment, Cui Shi decided to leave the household with Dou Zhao, declaring that she would never return. Wang Yingxue pretended to chase after them, but Dou Shiying was held back by Dou Shishu, who urged him not to let himself be caught between opposing sides.
Later, Dou Zhao comforted Cui Shi, who recounted her own unhappy marriage to Dou Duo. She described how she had been sent to the countryside and disowned after defending her maid from Dou Duo’s advances. Dou Zhao reassured Cui Shi that those who mistreated her did not deserve to be called family. She emphasized that their true family was with Zhao Zhangru and An Susu, people who genuinely cared for them.
Wu Shan visited Dou Zhao to express his gratitude and confess his feelings. He offered to marry her to protect her from societal constraints. Dou Zhao gently declined, valuing her independence and freedom over the expectations of a noble marriage. Wu Shan promised to protect her and gifted her a handmade token as a keepsake.
Zhao Zhangru asked Dou Zhao if she was moved by Wu Shan’s sincerity. Dou Zhao replied that feelings often lead to heartbreak, and she preferred to remain guarded. Later, Dou Ming sent a letter asking Dou Zhao to meet her during the full moon. Dou Zhao noticed a change in Dou Ming’s tone, which seemed less hypocritical than before.
In court, Dou Shishu’s memorial was rejected, forcing him to personally deliver it to Elder Wu, who threw it aside. Wang Xingyi picked it up and returned it to Dou Shishu, offering a subtle warning out of respect for Dou Shiying and Wang Yingxue.
In another twist, Song Mo discovered that Jiang Meisun, who had been summoned to the palace, had been murdered. Shadow Guards claimed that pirates were responsible, but Song Mo found the explanation suspicious. Grieving, he knelt before Jiang’s body and blamed himself for not accompanying him to the capital. Determined to seek justice, he brought Jiang’s badge to the Emperor, demanding answers. The Emperor, shocked to learn of Jiang’s death, vowed to investigate the matter.
