The Emperor took the broken ruler half in his hand, tears falling as he recalled his youthful days with Jiang Meisun, who had always protected him. Jiang once smuggled the Emperor out of the palace, only to be punished himself. Every misstep had been the Emperor’s idea, but Jiang bore the consequences, and the Emperor considered having Jiang by his side to be his greatest fortune. Breaking the ruler in half, the Emperor gave one piece to Jiang as a symbol of their unbreakable bond, vowing never to punish him and to always trust him.
Song Mo, heartbroken, questioned why the Emperor broke this vow and began to suspect others. The Emperor, stricken with guilt, ordered an investigation into Jiang Meisun’s murder, vowing not to spare a single culprit. Overwhelmed with emotion, the Emperor collapsed, coughing up blood. The Empress ordered Song Mo to be imprisoned, intensifying the turmoil.
Song Yichun informed the gravely ill Jiang Huisun about Song Mo’s imprisonment. Though the Emperor had not sentenced Song Mo, they decided to gamble on the Emperor’s sentiments. Jiang Huisun’s health worsened with the news. Yan Chaoqing and Song Mo’s loyal guards, Lu Zheng and Lu Ming, learned of the situation and planned to rescue Song Mo, blaming the Dou family for the crisis. They vowed to hold the entire Dou family accountable if anything happened to Song Mo.
At this critical moment, Dou Zhao intervened, cautioning them against rash actions. She explained that the Emperor had not sentenced Song Mo because he was deeply moved by Song Mo’s loyalty and awaited a twist of fate. Dou Zhao advised that rushing to rescue Song Mo would only confirm guilt and worsen the situation. Yan Chaoqing, convinced by her reasoning, knelt and begged Dou Zhao to help save Song Mo. She agreed, taking them to her paper factory, a hub for producing and distributing paper across the capital, as well as a center for intelligence gathering.
Dou Zhao proposed using her resources to track the Emperor’s movements. Meanwhile, she instructed Su Xin to ensure Song Mo’s safety within the prison. In the prison, Wang Ge attempted to torture Song Mo, but Yunyang Bo arrived, claiming he had been sentenced to the same prison. Declaring he would monitor Wang Ge’s actions, Yunyang Bo prevented any further harm to Song Mo. Yunyang Bo later revealed that he had schemed his way into the prison by beating someone up after receiving a note—clearly orchestrated by Dou Zhao. Song Mo couldn’t help but laugh at the ingenuity.
Back at the factory, Song Mo bribed a palace eunuch to gather intelligence. He learned that the Emperor had only been meeting with Elder Wu and spent his days staring at the ruler fragment or writing laments. After three fruitless days, Yan Chaoqing accused Dou Zhao of stalling and stormed into her factory, only to be captured and detained in a storage room.
Meanwhile, the Emperor summoned Dou Shishu to the palace to discuss Song Mo’s fate. Sensing the Emperor’s inclination to release Song Mo, Dou Shishu skillfully navigated the conversation, suggesting that Song Mo’s subordinates were to blame, not Song Mo himself. The Emperor entrusted Dou Shishu with handling the matter and praised him for his capabilities. A pardon was soon issued, releasing Song Mo and Yunyang Bo, while the Jiang family was exiled.
Upon Song Mo’s release, Dou Zhao celebrated with fireworks and personally draped a cloak over him. She returned Yan Chaoqing unharmed and requested Chen Qushui’s release in exchange. Song Mo expressed his gratitude, acknowledging that his freedom was entirely due to Dou Zhao. Though Dou Zhao felt joy, she remained composed. After she left, Yan Chaoqing confessed to Song Mo that their initial prison break plan was thwarted by Dou Zhao, who had captured them instead. Song Mo scolded them before dismissing them.
Returning home, Song Mo overheard his parents’ conversation. Song Yichun feared being implicated by Jiang Huisun and urged her to sever ties with the Jiang family. When Song Mo appeared, he was harshly reprimanded by his father, while Jiang Huisun, distressed by Song Mo’s injuries, urged him to find someone who could care for him. Her words made Song Mo think of the masked girl with a flower behind her ear. Jiang Huisun guessed that Song Mo’s admirer might be Dou Zhao. Though Song Mo didn’t confirm, she praised Dou Zhao for her integrity, lamenting only her unfortunate family background.
Jiang Huisun revealed that Dou Shishu’s actions had caused Jiang Meisun’s death, leading Elder Wu to forbid a marriage alliance with the Dou family. Wu Shan, however, remained infatuated with Dou Zhao, even kneeling in the rain to declare his devotion. This led to a high fever that endangered his life. Wu Shan’s worsening health worried both Yan Chaoqing and Song Mo. Upon learning that Physician Li would return to the capital that evening, Song Mo decided to release Chen Qushui as promised, though Yan Chaoqing warned against trusting others too easily.
Elder Wu, concerned about Wu Shan’s health and future, urged him to consider his family’s position. Though Wu Shan rejected an arranged marriage, their argument escalated, with Elder Wu smashing Wu Shan’s woodworking creations in frustration. As their dispute raged, a carriage arrived, seemingly carrying Physician Li. To their shock, the figure stepping out was none other than Dou Zhao.
