Xuan Lie came to persuade the Empress Dowager and the King. The Empress Dowager showcased new weapons and revealed that the descendant of the Hundred Craftsmen had passed away. Concerned about the suffering of the people, Xuan Lie urged the King to seize this opportunity for peace talks to avoid the ravages of war. However, the King insisted that Xuan Lie lead the troops into battle, but Xuan Lie resolutely declared that he could not comply with the King’s orders.
The Empress Dowager earnestly advised the King, pointing out that Yannan now possessed advanced weaponry, which had significantly diminished their chances of victory. Coupled with Xuan Lie’s firm refusal to lead the army, the Empress Dowager believed that the wisest choice at this moment was to pursue peace. After careful consideration, the King finally accepted her suggestion.
Meanwhile, Jun Qiluo paid a visit to the King. She keenly sensed that the King was not truly enthusiastic about war but was instead concerned for the welfare of the people. Jun Qiluo further analyzed that, given their current advantage, peace talks were undoubtedly the best option. The King greatly admired Jun Qiluo’s insight but secretly plotted to keep her in Yannan. Thinking of the Crown Prince, who was of marriageable age, the King conceived the idea of having Jun Qiluo marry him.
Faced with the King’s proposal, Jun Qiluo could not directly refuse. Instead, she expressed her wish to marry the Crown Prince in her true identity as a woman, wearing a wedding dress she had made herself. The King happily agreed. Shortly after, the Jun family was released, and Jun Qiluo was overjoyed. Jun Xiukun’s husband came to visit, and upon learning that Jun Feifan had “died,” he grew worried about the future of the Jun family. Jun Qiluo advised him to focus on his studies and prepare for the upcoming imperial examinations.
Jun Xiukun’s husband was furious at her words, considering them highly inauspicious and feeling that the Jun family looked down on him. He regretted coming to visit that day. Jun Xiukun hurriedly chased after him to explain, claiming that her elder sister had no such intentions.
At the same time, the King sent He Jiyao on a diplomatic mission to Yannan. Xuan Qingkou, upon learning of this, secretly followed. When the King found out, he felt helpless but instructed He Jiyao to take good care of the princess. Meanwhile, Xuan Lie left a letter behind and set off alone for Yannan.
Jun Qiluo went to her family’s shops, only to find that the second branch of the family had already warned the shops to obstruct her. She then confronted the second branch, who smugly insisted that it was improper for a woman to manage the family and that the Jun family should be handed over to them for proper management. While there, Jun Qiluo unexpectedly discovered an item belonging to Shao Qimin. Shao Qimin confessed that he was actually a secret guard sent by the King to the Jun family from a young age. Having been treated well by the Jun family, he had always regarded them as his own.
Jun Qiluo had already suspected this but had been waiting for Shao Qimin to admit it himself. She knew that the King was well-informed about the Jun family and had occasionally doubted those around her, though she often felt she was overthinking things. Shao Qimin returned to report to the King, suggesting that since the Crown Prince and his consort had a harmonious relationship, marrying Jun Qiluo to him would be futile. Instead, Shao Qimin proposed that he marry Jun Qiluo, guaranteeing that she would remain in Yannan. Surprisingly, the King agreed.
Jun Qiluo and her two sisters searched for a shop location and finally found one at the end of a street. They believed that as long as the goods were of high quality, even a remote location could attract customers. Moreover, being close to the Jun family would save on labor costs. However, when they tried to discuss the matter with the shopkeeper, they were told he was unavailable. Jun Qiluo knew this was another obstruction by the second branch. Her younger sister lamented the difficulties of doing business. At that moment, Xuan Lie arrived in Yannan and thought he saw Jun Qiluo. He hurriedly chased after her but ultimately failed to catch up.
