Li Yuchun directly confronted Wei Yuan, declaring that a man who is not upright cannot guide others. Though he had long endured countless slights, the unjust decision regarding his disciple Xu Qi’an pushed him to the edge. With unwavering resolve, Li Yuchun resigned from his position, willing to sacrifice himself to uphold justice. He placed his uniform on the ground and left without hesitation. Wei Yuan, silently observing from above, felt both pride and sorrow. He knew he had chosen the right man to mentor Xu Qi’an—Li Yuchun’s integrity and sense of justice were precisely why he had placed Xu Qi’an under his tutelage.
Meanwhile, Xu Qi’an’s younger brother, Xu Xinnian, rushed back home upon hearing the news from their sister Lingyue. He visited Xu Qi’an in prison, only to find him sound asleep, seemingly unbothered by his dire circumstances. In reality, Xu Qi’an was sharpening his martial skills in a dream-like state. Xu Xinnian woke him and relayed the family’s concerns. Xu Qi’an instructed his brother to retrieve the jade mirror from the prison guard and deliver a message to Monk Hengyuan in the eastern part of the city, asking him to alert Member No. 1 in the group chat for assistance.
Xu Xinnian, armed with a formal request, sought an audience with the Eldest Princess and explained Xu Qi’an’s predicament. Recognizing Xu Qi’an’s exceptional investigative skills, the Eldest Princess decided to intercede with the emperor on his behalf.
Around this time, strange events were reported near Sangbo’s Yongzhen Mountain and temple, where five imperial guards had died under mysterious circumstances. Wei Yuan, after inspecting the scene, deduced that the case was complex and asked the Eldest Princess to persuade the emperor to grant him more time to investigate.
When the Eldest Princess approached the emperor, she intended to use the case to secure Xu Qi’an’s release. However, Lin’an interrupted her audience and convinced the emperor to assign the case to the Crown Prince instead. The Eldest Princess, though outwardly composed, realized that Lin’an might not yet know about Xu Qi’an’s situation. To ensure Lin’an would act, the Eldest Princess discreetly leaked news of Xu Qi’an’s impending execution.
Upon learning that Xu Qi’an would be executed in a matter of days, Lin’an panicked. She hurried to the emperor and begged for leniency. Desperate, she recalled her maids’ earlier suggestion and claimed that Xu Qi’an was her mian shou (a favored companion). The emperor was taken aback and summoned Lin’an’s mother, the Noble Consort, to clarify the term. Upon understanding its meaning, Lin’an tearfully pleaded her ignorance but insisted on Xu Qi’an’s value as an investigator. Convinced, the emperor decided to temporarily release Xu Qi’an, tasking him with solving the Yongzhen Mountain temple case to redeem himself.
Outside Haoran Tower, Xu Qi’an’s uncle, Xu Pingzhi, resolved to break his nephew out of prison. Standing vigil for an entire day, Xu Pingzhi had rallied his usual drinking companions for support, but they abandoned him at the last moment. Undeterred, he tied a blade to his hand to prevent himself from retreating out of fear.
Unbeknownst to Xu Pingzhi, the emperor had already decreed Xu Qi’an’s temporary release. As Xu Qi’an was being informed of the Yongzhen Mountain case by his colleagues, Xu Pingzhi reached Chunfeng Hall, only to be caught by patrolling night watchmen. Beaten and subdued, Xu Pingzhi was thrown into the same prison, dazed and unrecognizable.
When Xu Qi’an passed by his uncle in the corridor, he failed to recognize him and instructed his colleagues to interrogate the man harshly, suspecting a larger conspiracy.
Upon his release, Xu Qi’an returned home to a tearful reunion with his family. Touched by their love and sacrifices, he promised to be more careful in the future. However, when asked about Xu Pingzhi, the family could only recall his last words about going out to buy roast chicken, leaving everyone puzzled about his whereabouts.
