Recaps

Hu Xiaotian protected Princess Anping’s party through a sandstorm and growing conflict with Wen Boyuan, while Sumeru Heaven’s flight from Li Chang'an drew Hu into their dangerous struggle. The party prepared to cross into Great Yong, and Hu left Wu Jingshan with grave accusations against Wen Boyuan.

• Hu Xiaotian and Sumeru Heaven raided the Turbid Water Gang’s lair, and Hu won the bandits’ submission before returning Princess Anping’s dowry.
• Hu Xiaotian led the procession through a sandstorm and around an ambush, then defended himself against Li Chang'an’s search by evading him in a speed contest.
• At Cangmu, Hu Xiaotian helped smooth over Xiong Tianba’s clash with Wen Boyuan, and Zhou Mo accepted Xiong Tianba as his disciple.
• Wen Boyuan accused Hu Xiaotian of colluding with the Turbid Water Gang, but Hu killed the accuser Yu Zhishan and rescued Liang Yinghao with Wu Jingshan’s and Xiong Tianba’s support.
• Hu Xiaotian met Sumeru Heaven at the City God Temple, where Li Chang'an confronted her and she escaped after wounding him and losing her topknot.
• Li Chang'an carried Hu Xiaotian away on the Snow Eagle, but Hu saved him from drowning before Sumeru Heaven rescued Hu from a marsh fire and helped him defeat Dong Tieshan’s warriors.
• Hu Xiaotian treated Sumeru Heaven’s wound at an abandoned cottage, and she left him a message saying they should never meet again.
• Hu Xiaotian returned to Cangmu and told Wu Jingshan that Wen Boyuan had repeatedly tried to endanger him and might be targeting Princess Anping, but Wu said they could not overturn the emperor’s order.

Hu Xiaotian tried to free Long Xiyue and eliminate Wen Boyuan, but Ji Feihua’s attack on the crossing sank the ships and killed Wen. Hu kept Long’s survival secret, passed Zijuan off as Princess Anping, and set out with the survivors for Yong Capital as the court faced the fallout.

• Hu Xiaotian and Wen Boyuan clashed over who would protect Princess Anping, while Hu and Long Xiyue secretly planned to disguise Zijuan as the princess.
• Ji Feihua sent Zhao Wusheng’s forces to attack the crossing, where falling stones and fire sank the ships and left Wen Boyuan dead.
• Hu Xiaotian and Zhou Mo rescued Long Xiyue, concealed her identity, and found Zijuan alive to present as Princess Anping to Li Chenzhou.
• Li Chenzhou took Wen Boyuan’s body and Tiger Soul Saber, demanded Princess Anping’s whereabouts, and agreed to send the survivors toward Yong Capital.
• Hu Xiaotian told Long Xiyue that Ji Feihua had arranged the attack, while she insisted on staying with him rather than escaping alone.
• Hu Xiaotian helped arrange a burial site for the dead, then left some survivors behind as he and the rest departed by warship with Zijuan.
• Hu Xiaotian and Zhou Mo planned to seek help from his second brother in Yong Capital as Ji Feihua ordered his operations to stop.
• Ji Feihua reported the shipwreck and Wen Boyuan’s death at court, where Long Yelin ordered an investigation and Zhou Ruiyuan warned against worsening the northern crisis.

Hu Xiaotian brought Princess Anping’s marriage mission to the Yong Capital, where Great Yong’s cold reception and opposition to the alliance forced him to seek allies and investigate. After curing Empress Dowager Jiang and surviving an ambush with Huo Shengnan, he returned to the South Wind Inn determined to make the emperor acknowledge the princess’s arrival.

• Qiqi told Long Tingsheng that the Retired Emperor had once intended him to inherit the throne, while Ji Feihua warned Empress Jian that the emperor planned to name a Crown Prince and eliminate him.
• Zijuan chose to enter the Yong Capital through its main gate with Hu Xiaotian and Wu Jingshan, but Great Yong gave the mission a cold reception and later ordered it to leave Qichen Palace.
• Hu Xiaotian moved the delegation to the South Wind Inn and learned from Xiao Tianmu that Xue Daoming and the Worthy Consort opposed the marriage alliance.
• Liu Changsheng disappeared from the Divine Farmer Society, and Hu Xiaotian accompanied Liu Yucheng to treat Empress Dowager Jiang, curing her ingrowing eyelashes with surgery.
• Empress Dowager Jiang rewarded Hu Xiaotian and ordered Huo Shengnan to help him search for Liu Changsheng, while the Prince of Yan tried to have Hu arrested before withdrawing his accusation.
• Hu Xiaotian and Huo Shengnan fought off masked archers and a saber-wielding attacker, and Huo Shengnan identified the captured assailants as Black Hu people.
• Hu Xiaotian returned to the South Wind Inn with Empress Dowager Jiang’s reward, told Wu Jingshan that the alliance would proceed, and refused the Prince of Yan’s invitation to meet at his residence.

Hu Xiaotian navigated court intrigue and attacks in the Yong Capital while trying to protect Princess Anping and secure her marriage to Xue Daoming. After Xi Yan’s plot emerged and conflict with Great Yong’s forces escalated, Huo Shengnan took charge of the princess’s security and Hu agreed to move his delegation to Qichen Palace.

• Hu Xiaotian treated Xue Shengjing’s illness in exchange for help finding Liu Changsheng, then entered Qichen Palace after Xue Shengjing backed him against the guards.
• Hu Xiaotian learned that Zijuan opposed the marriage and that Liu Changsheng had returned, then reunited with his men and planned their stay and eventual route home.
• Empress Dowager Jiang thanked Hu Xiaotian for treating her eyes, while Xue Lingjun asked him to perform double-eyelid surgery and he arranged surgical instruments with Zong Yuan.
• Winged Warriors attacked the Sword Forge, killing and injuring craftsmen, and Hu Xiaotian operated on the critically wounded as Xue Lingjun arrived and took his hand.
• Hu Xiaotian rushed to Qichen Palace after learning Princess Anping was ill, exposed Xi Yan’s impersonation and plot to sabotage the marriage, and sent Wu Jingshan toward the border.
• Dong Tianjun’s guards surrounded the South Wind Inn, where Xiong Tianba fought Dong Tianjun and Zhan Peng faced Dong Tianbing until Xue Lingjun ordered the Dong brothers’ troops to withdraw.
• Huo Shengnan told Hu Xiaotian that Empress Dowager Jiang would oversee the wedding and took charge of security at Qichen Palace, and Hu agreed to move his delegation there and send most of his men home.