Wronged sons unite

The son hears the click of device and demands to know why Zhinu is there when given a chance to leave. He is told the singular flower on his mother’s grave was either deliberately planted or had sprung up from mother because she had been poisoned. The son refuses to believe that was how his mother passed but wants to determine the truth himself. The second son surprises his family and shows up for the family ceremony. He notes that Zang Hai is not there. What he does see are the poisonous flowers on the altar as part of floral arrangement. He also notes the face of stepmother. When his father was offered cakes from memorial, the stepmother intervenes and makes sure they are not eaten. He adds himself to the hunt and presents a pheasant to his father while big brother chases a rabbit.😝 He tells his father he saw a young deer and leads him to his mother’s grave. When pressed, he tells the son he was too sad to visit. When the son presents him a handful of the flowers to take home and put in a vase, the Marquis angrily gets them away from his son and tells him men aren’t concerned with flowers. The son stays and starts exhuming his mother by hand. He knows and fears the truth, but wants to see with his own eyes. This is where Zang Hai shows up. I also noted he was called Zang Hai rather then Zhinu. He helps the prince finish exhuming the grave and talks of the rights of burial and how hard to imagine a woman of her status being buried like this. He offers the prince an opportunity to distance himself and that he could just tell him rather than show him. The prince refused to leave. ‘This is my mother’. Here his true nature is finally showing. As Zang Hai describes the effects of the poison over time, the prince is remembering the teachings of his mother. It is unclear if he shared or thought this, but it is a significant moment between the two young men. The same person was responsible for the death of their mothers and this made a significant bond between them. They learn with help of mentor that the mother was poisoned shortly after her rival’s family helped husband gain political favor. Once established the Marquis was ready to forsake his wife and child to give way for the concubine. I think he was willingly duped into believing wife and doctor had an affair. He loved power more than love and chose to believe the lie. An innocent man was hung, his wife’s reputation was besmirched, and the son most like him was encouraged to live a spendthrift life and be a royal waste of space. The prince connected the dots for himself even before the evidence from Zang Hai was given. These two together will have a very broad spectrum of capabilities. The prince understands what is wanted from him and why. They each have a similar ax to grind with the Marquis. However, the prince also has love left for the father of his youth. He openly admits he may fail with revenge portion of pact. They both agree that if the prince can find out the third person, that will be enough. It will be a most interesting search. If these two and former Princess and Mr 8 combine their skills with a united plan…..who knows where these machinations could lead? Compared to the Marquis and his sycophants, the next generation are leagues ahead in capabilities. The spoiled prince begins martial arts training from Zang Hai’s old friend. “ Zhinu he will figure out who you are!” 🤣 “He already knows”😂 His friend is not the brightest bulb nor the best teacher, but he is the most loyal. The prince might not become the most capable martial artist, but he will develop friendships with more honorable men and toughen up to real life as a peasant. He will have time to see how his father treats the poor and learn to defend himself with strength rather than money. His character can only improve. I have no clue where Prince will be at in two months time as far as training, but he can only be a better version of what he is now. The end of episode shifts view to eunuch. Interesting that Chinese opera comes into play. They usually sing politics either approving or rebelling. Wonder what version catches the eunuch’s ear?

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Fresh allies! Outstanding plot!

Episode 12 plunges into the murky depths of family secrets and political betrayal, delivering a tense blend of emotional blows and calculated strategic scheming. It opens with Zhuang Zhixing’s late-night visit to his mother’s grave, unknowingly followed by Zang Hai which intention was to take his life, who uncovers a disturbing truth: the grave is overrun with Duling Nanxing, a deadly plant native to Southern Nanzhao. Zang Hai suspects this poison was administered gradually, implying someone close to her was responsible for her slow death.
The narrative hinges on Zhuang Zhixing’s initial denial and eventual confrontation with his father, Zhuang Luyin. After failing to bring him to the tomb during ancestral rites, Zhuang Zhixing resorts to deceit, luring him there under the pretense of hunting. Their confrontation is harsh. Zhuang Luyin dismisses the evidence, forcing Zhixing to exhume the coffin himself with Zang Hai’s help. The truth is undeniable: Lady Shen’s disfigured fingers and traces of poison confirm her murder, fracturing Zhixing’s faith in his father.
Meanwhile, the step mom Jiang Xiang’s panic over the Duling Nanxing bouquet exposes her guilt. Her frantic cover-up, claiming the pastries are “dusty” to stop Zhuang Luyin from eating them, hints at deeper complicity in the poisoning. Zang Hai capitalizes on this chaos, manipulating Zhuang Zhixing into an alliance: he’ll help him gain Zhuang Luyin’s trust in exchange for intel on the “third villain” behind the massacre of Zang Hai’s family. The pact sets the stage for a dangerous game, with Zhuang Zhixing now training under Zang Hai’s allies, Guan Feng and Shi Lei, to transform from a neglected son into a credible threat.
Xiao Zhan shines in quieter moments, particularly when Zang Hai coldly strategizes with Gao Ming about infiltrating Eunuch Cao’s inner circle during an upcoming polo match. His stoic demeanor cracks only briefly, like when handling Lady Shen’s relics, showcasing the simmering trauma beneath his revenge-driven façade. The episode’s pacing balances raw emotion with meticulous plotting.
The political chessboard expands as Zang Hai edges closer to his enemies, but the real standout is Zhuang Zhixing’s arc, a neglected son morphing into a wildcard ally. Ep 12 proves the drama’s strength lies not just in revenge, but in how trauma reshapes loyalties. Next stop: the polo match, where Zang Hai’s endgame begins. Can't wait!

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