Madam Feng was widowed at the young age of eighteen. Afterward, she traveled the world with her fleet, encountering all sorts of people and situations. Naturally, she understands the many judgments society places upon women. For this reason, she does not see Peony’s actions as defiant or unconventional. Peony hopes that her beloved will share a deep bond with her, someone who can descend from the heavens cloaked in rosy light to save her from the darkness. Hearing this, Madam Feng realizes her nephew indeed does not meet Peony’s criteria.
Later, Chuan Yu invites Peony to the Jiang residence under the pretext of discussing how to deal with Madam Feng. He leads Peony into a completely dark room and immediately locks the door from the outside. Once inside, Peony notices Jiang Changyang bound and suspended in midair, gagged so he cannot speak.
Following Jiang Changyang’s gestures, Peony pulls a cloth strip beside him. The next moment, Jiang Changyang drops to the ground. It turns out that Madam Feng, per Peony’s own words, deliberately staged a pitch-black setting in an attempt to make Jiang Changyang “descend from above.” She even had people catch a batch of fireflies to simulate “draping him in radiant light,” resulting in a rather comical scene. To help them learn more about each other, Madam Feng had luminous beads hung around the room, each with a small note describing Jiang Changyang’s and Peony’s respective traits. Peony discovers that Jiang Changyang is unexpectedly afraid of cockroaches. Seeing how happily they get along, Madam Feng smiles in satisfaction. The next day, she sends Chuan Yu to deliver a token of apology to Peony, who graciously accepts it.
A woman suddenly appears, claiming that the perfume she bought from “Blooming with Flowers” (Hua Man Zhu) caused her husband to experience weakness in all four limbs and bouts of dizziness. She then summons a “fangshi” (a sort of Taoist sorcerer) who, in front of everyone, accuses Peony of being possessed by evil spirits and draining others of their fortune. Unbeknownst to Peony, one of her shop assistants has already been bribed and sides with the sorcerer against her. The surrounding onlookers, all too eager to believe the sorcerer’s words, smash the perfume they bought from Hua Man Zhu on the ground.
Madam Feng repeatedly hints to Jiang Changyang that he should “play the hero to save the damsel.” That very night, Jiang Changyang goes to the rear courtyard to find Peony. Meanwhile, during the day, Zhu Fu follows the bribed shop assistant, discovering that he took money from the deputy head of a rival flower shop. Peony already has a strategy in mind; what she really needs is someone of Jiang Changyang’s renowned status to bolster her plan. Since the rival could bribe a sorcerer to spread false rumors, she can fight fire with fire.
Under Peony’s direction, Jiang Changyang first goes to the rival flower shop to buy a sachet, then walks to the entrance of Hua Man Zhu and pretends to faint on cue. The sorcerer Peony has hired plays along, convincing the crowd that Hua Man Zhu’s shop is now free of any malicious energy. Peony explains that her specially prepared sachets were blessed by the monks of Kaiyuan Temple, promising good fortune. Jiang Changyang adds extra flare to the performance, raising the sorcerer’s credibility. Before long, onlookers rush to snap up the sachets. Additionally, Peony has already given out some sachets through Li Xing to certain students, who then passed their entrance exams—further proof, in the public eye, of the sachets’ effectiveness. As a result, crowds flock to Hua Man Zhu, including many male customers, while the rival deputy’s shop becomes deserted.
Madam Feng is preparing to leave, so Peony helps her care for her hair. Moved by Madam Feng’s kindness, Peony admits that she only put on an act for her, having accepted money from Jiang Changyang to play her part. Madam Feng, however, is not the least bit bothered, insisting she has not misread her nephew’s intentions nor Peony’s character. Jiang Changyang indeed treats Peony differently than he would anyone else; he even refused to part with that Qiongtai Yulu* plant, declining to let Madam Feng take it with her. Meanwhile, Liu Shen is transferred back to Chang’an and brings with him a whole trunk of land deeds. Prince Ning gives him a dog, and Liu Chang—standing nearby—appears visibly uneasy. Passing by Hua Man Zhu, Madam Liu catches sight of Peony, whom she believed to have died and is now alive again. Startled, she hurries home to tell Liu Shen. Later, while Peony is in the mountains gathering flowers, a mysterious assassin dressed in black suddenly appears and tries to kill her.
