Everyone has a motive. Prepare for some unexpected emotions this episode!

The royal couple arrive at Peng Peng’s family home and the latter asks Sheng a favour to help ‘him’ because ‘he’ didn’t memorise the book fully. Upon being greeted by the family, Peng Peng is shocked to see Ying Yue and Lu Li explains that she is a distant relative.

Night has arrived and Sheng and Ying Yue are rendezvousing outside in the rain. Even though Ying Yue was impatient to see him, Sheng tells her that they need to be careful while at the Zhang household.

Ying Yue finds Sheng’s behaviour towards Peng Peng unacceptable (it’s his wife… seriously?!). She brings up another promise and tells him she hopes he will fulfill it soon, but according to Sheng it can’t be rushed (are they planning to divorce – can they do that – or have a child?). Sheng tells Ying Yue to be patient and not resort to anything unethical.

It’s the morning and Ying Yue is being forced to kneel before the ancestors. As her auntie (in the closeness sense) Mama Zhang believes it is up to her not to let Ying Yue go down the death path.

Peng Peng then comes in and tries to help Ying Yue, being the gentleman that ‘he’ is. However, Mama Zhang sees this as light punishment for not protecting Peng Peng when she fell in the water.

Sheng then comes in and tries to stand up for Ying Yue, saying that this punishment is beneath the wife of a prince. Mama Zhang comes back with something he has heard a lot, that it is not his business. She tells him that being childhood friends is good, but now that they are older, there should be some distance (Mama Z knows what is happening here!). Sheng prompts Peng Peng to help and ‘he’ gently tells Mama Zhang that they need to celebrate today and that the ancestors are tired.

She then tells everyone to go to lunch, but asks Sheng to accompany her to catch up.

Peng Peng wonders why Mama Zhang had Sheng stay behind and Lu Li explains that there is a rumour that an uncle’s son-in-law in the family had an affair with a servant girl and Mama Zhang was the reason why he died. Peng Peng imagines the same thing happening to Sheng and rushes off to save him, knowing that a simple rich life would not be possible without him.

After falling into the room in ‘his’ haste, Peng Peng pushes the cup out of Sheng’s hands and take the teapot off ‘his’ mother, who ‘he’ tells not to do stupid things. Sheng is angry at Peng Peng’s actions, but leaves when Mama Zhang tells him to and reminds him to do as they have spoken of.

Now alone, Peng Peng explains that Mama Zhang can’t kill Sheng, which Mama Zhang chastises ‘him’ for saying out loud (because if anyone heard they could be sentenced to death). Mama Zhang then explains that the rumour came about when she sent some food to the son-in-law, but he didn’t know that it was deadly when eaten with certain other foods (okay she totally had him killed haha!). 

Peng Peng doesn’t want any drama between ‘himself’ and Sheng, however, Mama Zhang believes that the only way to survive in the royal household is to produce an heir.

In the garden, on a small raised platform, Peng Peng is unimpressed with the idea of losing ‘his’ female virginity to Sheng. The latter then arrives to thank ‘him’ for helping our in the ancestral room. Peng Peng then goes to leave, but Sheng wants to talk to ‘him’. Due to Peng Peng’s new attitude and the way ‘he’ seems to be more understanding of others has caused ‘him’ to attract more of Sheng’s attention (is he confessing right now?! Is this a trick?).

Sheng feels some guilt towards Peng Peng for how their marriage has been and hopes to make up to ‘him’. Peng Peng quickly tells him that there is no need and after a brief pause he says “fine” and then leaves (he seems disappointed…).

The idea of being touched by Sheng has caused Peng Peng to drown ‘his’ sorrows in alcohol. Peng Peng is afraid to bear a child, especially when the life now is so far from the easy, playful life ‘he’ had planned in 2015. Along with Lu Li ‘he’ cries and ultimately becomes unconscious due to the alcohol consumption!

Upon being carried to a bed, Peng Peng tells, Lu Li, not to leave and grabs a hold of them (I’m going with ‘he’ probably imagined it being Lu Li… how could she carry ‘him’?)

Additional Comments:

Woah, I was not expecting to feel so emotional at the end of this episode! To be honest, it was more serious and allowed us to see more of the ‘political’ or ‘social’ aspects of the clans and certain relationships. That isn’t to say, that there were no laughs, because there were some and I definitely want to see more of Peng Peng’s mother.

With Sheng, I find it hard to believe what he is saying. I feel that his relationship with Ying Yue and all the promises he has made her make it more difficult to ascertain whether he is telling the truth about Peng Peng grabbing his attention more now or not. I don’t trust Ying Yue at all! She needs to just go away, I feel for Prince Zhao.

I also felt for Peng Peng so much at the end! ‘He’ tends to talk the talk a lot of time and we have finally seen just how afraid and alone ‘he’ is. The fact that ‘he’ is being forced into having a child with Sheng is terrifying for him, mainly because Peng Peng has no feelings for Sheng and doesn’t want to be touched so intimately by someone ‘he’ doesn’t like and is a man.

I felt that I have gotten used to the talking to the audience and actually rather like it, as it gives us another element that allows us to get to know Peng Peng better.

Thank you for reading~