SpicyLime

Spoilers for the preview.

If I understand correctly, GQF finds out there is a blood fued between his and Pan'er's father. GQF's father had Pan'er's father killed. GQF spits out blood/passes out in front of Pan'er's place after recollecting what his half-brother just told him.

The series has done a pretty good job so far of handling the angst. I hope it's a misunderstanding. Like what are all these fucking odds. I hope the two of them can just have the adult conversation and discuss it together. I don't want a dumb seperation. I want to see ride or die.

I forgot to mention that Yinzhang does not become evil. She probably just gonna finally get a wakeup call after moving out to aggressive blue guy's place for a bit, before returning to the girls.

OX fucked himself over. He convinced himself that it was a good idea to become a Temple Official to run away from Pan'er. He thought Pan'er and company would eventually leave the Eastern Capital and he can just return and rebuild his career. Nope girls gonna be owners of most famous restaurant in the Capital.

He believed that he could use his new marriage to get a footing back to the Eastern Capital. Pan'er convinced the Gao family that he is a total piece of shit. Gao Hui, the new fiance, also decides to give up on the marraige. She was fooled by OX and truly loved him. She wakes up though. OX wanted Gao Hui to elope with him and use that to force Gao Hui's father to accept him.

He also probably believed that he would become a favored subject, since the Emperor (very religious) respected him for becoming a Temple Official. Nope, Emperor gives no fucks about him.

Joining the Dark Side? Nah, they just want the painting. Nobody cares about OX, he's useless and thinks he is more cunning than he is. He'll return in disgrace.

I got heated typing this. I hate that guy. I have zero sympathy for him.

Death is too easy for him. Let him live in exile with nothing to show for all the BS he has done.

Or yeah...totally...but gotta make it all dramatic. kekw

I'm too used to what happens in Ming Lan. Things that may seem insignificant can have huge ramifications later.

NP. That's what i'm thinking too. Just a few more hours. Probably will just go to sleep and wake up to it.

GQF's father is crying out "QianFan." His brother says "Help", followed by "Murder." Pan'er is saying "Get out of the way" when she carries rope.

People are just saying MISC stuff. Like Someone is hurt..fire...blah blah blah.

The 2nd part is Zhaodi asking what took Pan'er so long. She says she ran into an accident. Sanniang asks her if she's okay, and she says yes, and runs away.

If you look carefully, Pan'er's clothes has blood all over.

Read more if you want to know what happens. SPOILER ALERT.

GQF is severly injured while risking his life to save his father. Pan'er was shopping nearby and heard GQF's father's wailing for his son. She gets on board and starts giving first aid to GQF. After GQF is taken away, she breaks down crying. She pretends she didn't see anything. Prepare for tears here.

Later it's revealed that if it wasn't for her, he would've died. She legit saved his life.

Uncle Qi is telling GQF that if he marries Pan'er, the high officials (those in his faction) would never agree to it. It's very likely that the posthumuos title for his mom, which is the reason he joined the Capital Security Office (in lieu of becoming a Court Official), would be forfeited. To me the implication is that Uncle Qi and his faction just want to use GQF and want him to have a political marraige and control him. Like he gets a lot of promises from Uncle Qi, but he never delivers. Uncle Qi didn't want to bring down Lei Jing, since they are probably in working together. GQF originally wanted his Uncle to be the go-between for his marraige to Pan'er. He reconsiders it after finding out he might be a snake.

On the flip side, GQF's father gave his blessing since he wants GQF to do whatever he wants. His father just wants GQF's love mainly. Well, he wants him to be heir to the Duke title as well, but that's probably just to guarantee he's taken care of. A couple of scenes gives validity that his blessing is probably genuine. Firstly, after GQF leaves, he speaks to his deceased wife and tells her that they will have grandchildren soon. Secondly, his father carried out an attack, framing the faction behind the Hat Demon (i.e. Uncle Qi) on Tea Lane . Tea Lane is where Pan'er's business resides. It's to prevent Uncle Qi's faction from doing anything rash, since they would probably not carry out an attack again at the same location. Also remember, that GQF's father was not born from nobility. He was low class, similarly to Pan'er. I'm really starting to like his father. I hope he doesn't let me down.

Ultimately, I think GQF will side with his father and be pro Empress. But mainly because he is against his Uncle. It's probable that all of the shit that the Uncle said to GQF to make him hate his father is mostly BS.

I'm still not sure if OX actually has the painting. Nonetheless, he probably figures out it's importance and wants to use it as leverage to solidify his footing and return to the Eastern Capital. The painting is not good for the Empress. It could prove that the Empress's life is built on a lie. It's hinted that she may be a dancer (meaning she was a slave/prostitute/performer, someone that would never be allowed to be in royalty) on the painting. Hidden in the painting is all the names of those shown on the painting. GQF's father, the new Prime Minister is the most trusted aide of the Empress. The father and everyone else that supports the Empress could all potentially be deposed. So, OX is aligning himself with Uncle Qi. Translation? OX is the bad guy, so he must be aligning himself with the bad guy.

There is a clip where GQF is in a dugeon chained. Most likely he is being interrogated by the Imperial Guard, who is loyal to Uncle Qi. This probably happens after OX gives the painting to Uncle Qi.

OX will give the painting to Uncle Qi. Which will probably be used in turn to try to end GQF. OX will return to the Eastern Capital with nothing. I just don't know the end in store. Either exile or death.

The direction the story is going, he will figure it out after a failed assissination attempt on GQF's father. The problem is coming to terms with his messy family situation and if he can or wants to bring Pan'er into the abyss. GQF as smart as he is, never suspected his Uncle as an evil-doer.

The story is hinting that unless the situation between his Uncle and Father is resolved, they cannot be together. I'm hoping that they just have an adult conversation and decide to stick together through thick and thin. Breaking up and getting back together is one of my most hated tropes.

It's a rough translation. You could replace Hat Demon to Straw Hat Phantom, Hat Phantom etc. Tencent in the translation just went with Hat Demon. I think Phantom would've been a good choice.

I always suspected Uncle Qi of being the bad guy, since he is at odds with GQF's father. It was obvious to me that he was just using GQF's love for his late mother to manipulate him to doing his bidding. For all his faults, it's evident that GQF's father loves his son. Turns out Uncle Qi is shady AF. I wrote up the whole politics somewhere in a previous comment. Turned out to be mostly accurate.

Lol. Nah. It's shown that Yinzhang had a big mouth and isn't discreet. Like when she spilled Sanniang's dirty laundry to Zhaodi. GQF was right when he believed Yinzhang had a chance of blabbing the marriage. She is clueless and doesn't realize the harm she could do with the information she has.

At the beginning when they started they didn't open their relationship yet. GQF thought the Hat Demon case would be resolved and thought he had his Uncle Qi as the go-between. He asked Pan'er about not being able to get Uncle Qi as the go-between, and Pan'er didn't mind. She told him she wants to open a restaurant (thinking of their future). He also knew there should be enough to get Lei Jing arrested. After getting approval from his father and getting the process started they are being more open about it. The next step should be marraige. Only Yinzhang still hasn't figured it out at this point, which reveals her sheltered and self absorbed life. Zhaodi figured it out away and joked if Yinzhang is dumber than Chen Lian. Yes Zhaodi...she is.

Have you tried Jun Jiu Ling?

Smart female lead. Strong martial arts male lead. Slow burn romance. No major misunderstandings. Healthy relationship between the main leads, and they only love each other.

She gave OX at least 3 years of her sweat, blood and tears. He forsaked her for his position. It's implied she wanted to marry OX to get away from her merchant status. GQF is even higher ranked thank OX. She had major insecurities and self loathing from being a slave. It was cute that GQF took the time and effort to soothe her worries. OX never did any of that. OX just gave superficial promises and words of love. All of this happened in 2 episodes but it was only a day. Giving her his deeds is the same as entrusting his life to her.

Chen Lian addresses her as Yinzhang JieJie, which means older sister. I think Chen Lian is 17, so at the minimum she could be 17.

Sanniang might take the first step. Since I suspect she might know a reason for his poor eyesight. Might be some type of allergy or something. And then he'll warm up to her and help her with the restaurant. He's a Presented Scholar, so maybe ideas and/or bringing in people to help at the restaurant? Maybe just providing emotional support, cause that's what Sanniang needs the most right now.

Yes. He is starting to piece that his uncle Qi is the one behind the Hat Demon attack. His father provides the motive in episode 24. Mainly Power. Might involve a family squabble as well.

Seems like it. I don't know if he was just delusional or tricked. But she legit seems good. Don't think she wouldn't have given up on OX if it wasn't for Pan'er letting her know how much trash he is.

Probably by 25/26, since his father's wailing is what got her attention to come rescue an in jured GQF in the first place.

LOL. I don't know how far to go with spoilers for you. The little shit (the commandant) dies painfully. GQF will see to that.

Agreed. I skipped it the first time too, until she was on the road.

She is in a foreign place and still hadn't recover from the shock of OX betrayal. She was trying her best to fulfill her promises to GQF and Yinzhang, but she had no clue what to do. She was looking daily for GQF for support, but he didn't return yet. Until, finally he did.