At the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet, Lang Tao challenges Fan Xian to a duel, but Haitang comes to his aid. After having carefully planted seeds of Sheng Hong’s loyalty, the Empress Dowager strips him of his powers and places him under house arrest. He Daoren becomes the real head of spies in Northern Qing, while Guo Bao Kun is placed as a puppet for that position. Fan Xian visits Zhuang Mo Han per Xiao En’s dying wish. An angry Sheng Hong goes after Fan Xian and his delegation. (Source: frankly at kisskh)