Guo Zijie happily brings a bowl of noodles for Cao Xuanxuan, but in a fit of anger, she knocks it over and presses him about her fall from the cliff back in Zhao Family Village. It turns out that the person who ordered Cao Xuanxuan to be pushed off the cliff was actually Sun Weiyan, who suspected Cao Xuanxuan was an undercover agent sent by Guo Zijie’s elder brother and wanted to use the opportunity to eliminate her. Guo Zijie happened to be talking with Sun Weiyan at the cliff’s edge, so when Zhao Xiaolin overheard them, she mistakenly believed it was Guo Zijie who gave the order.
Cao Xuanxuan did not actually fall; she managed to grab onto vines growing on the cliffside. Guo Zijie pulled her back up but never mentioned Sun Weiyan’s involvement. Instead, he pinned her near-fatal fall on the villagers. Cao Xuanxuan refuses to hear any explanation and rejects Guo Zijie’s feelings, storming off. Guo Zijie wants to chase her, but a new case arises, forcing him to send He Chuner to look after Cao Xuanxuan while he goes to the crime scene.
After multiple failed attempts to harm Cao Xuanxuan, Guo Zijie’s elder brother loses patience. Learning that Cao Xuanxuan and Guo Zijie have had a falling-out, he seizes the chance to deal with her. Cao Xuanxuan, still angry, runs into a bamboo forest, where two masked men knock her unconscious and carry her off. He Chuner, arriving too late, cannot find her but does discover an earring of hers. Realizing something has gone wrong, she reports Cao Xuanxuan’s disappearance to Guo Zijie. Panicked, Guo Zijie searches frantically and finally locates her in an abandoned temple. A group of masked men brings out the unconscious Cao Xuanxuan and threatens to kill her unless Guo Zijie drinks poison. In order to save Cao Xuanxuan, Guo Zijie has no choice but to drink it. Just as he’s about to swallow, He Chuner bursts in and knocks the poison to the ground before engaging the masked men in a fight. Guo Zijie rushes to check on Cao Xuanxuan but is struck from behind by one of the attackers.
Believing he has successfully disposed of Guo Zijie, the elder brother celebrates triumphantly with his mistress, Dujuan, boasting that he will divorce his wife and marry her. Cao Xuanxuan regains consciousness but still refuses to forgive Guo Zijie. Left with no other choice, he leaves and entrusts her to He Chuner’s care. He Chuner informs Cao Xuanxuan that Luo Ji’s corpse has disappeared, which Cao Xuanxuan finds suspicious. Just as she’s about to go out, He Chuner worries that she’s still too weak and volunteers to investigate in her place.
He Chuner and Sun Weiyan question Lord Zhao’s subordinates and learn that Lord Zhao was highly skilled in martial arts; it would not have been easy for someone to sneak up on him. As they leave, they run into the second madam of the Lü family, who appears deranged. When they show her a portrait of Luo Ji, she reacts in a very peculiar way. He Chuner and Sun Weiyan return to share their findings with Cao Xuanxuan. After hearing their report, Cao Xuanxuan claims she has figured out the real murderer’s identity. The next day, she summons everyone to the main hall.
Cao Xuanxuan announces that the true culprit is Luo Ji. The blood everyone saw that day was sheep’s blood, not human blood. Many people remain skeptical, recalling that Lord Zhao himself examined the scene and noticed nothing unusual. Cao Xuanxuan explains that Lord Zhao and Luo Ji were actually working together; however, Luo Ji’s real target was Lord Zhao—hence how he managed to launch a successful sneak attack. Since the room had been locked, people wonder how Luo Ji got in. They initially suspect that Master Lü gave Luo Ji a key, but Sun Weiyan presents a letter revealing that the Lü family’s second madam had long been carrying on an affair with Luo Ji. Having heard of Luo Ji’s “death,” she wanted revenge. But upon witnessing Luo Ji murder Lord Zhao, she thought Luo Ji was a ghost and became terrified, driving her insane.
As for everyone having seen Luo Ji “die” on top of the candlestick, Cao Xuanxuan has Guo Zijie bring out the candlestick used that day. It turns out its underside is hollow, with no sharp spike. Everyone praises Cao Xuanxuan’s cleverness. Now that the case is solved, they can finally leave the Lü Residence. Before departing, Guo Zijie helps fulfill Cao Xuanxuan’s wish of meeting the Western painter.
