Er’kang loses control once more and starts punching around. It’s such a hilarious scene that I have no choice but to put it here.
Here’s some more:
After being reminded by Er’tai that he needs to be strong and clear-headed for Ziwei, Er’kang calms down. He comments that Er’tai has become more mature.
Ziwei is up and talking. Her wound is pretty bad, but she’s fine for now. When the emperor asks what prompted her to protect him so fiercely, she says: instinct.
Er’kang goes in next. He is brief this time and only tells Ziwei he loves her and admires her bravery. Oh, Er’tai, you have no idea how much we appreciate you. If it weren’t for you, we would probably have to hear another long, weeping speech from Er’kang and it might kill Ziwei faster than the wound on her chest.
That night, one of the emperor’s scholars talks to him. He’s like, so, Ziwei’s not bad, huh? Dude, you’re not helping the situation.
The emperor responds by saying that he thinks Ziwei is a mystery. And what he feels towards her is not the kind of love between a man and a woman. Oh thank god. The scholar expresses that he is touched by Ziwei’s action earlier on and believes she deserves better than a maid’s status.
The next day, they receive an urgent message from the palace that the Tibetan King and his daughter are coming to visit, so the emperor has to cut his trip short. Not that anyone wants to take any chances anymore after that attempted assassination. They go home.
Ziwei and Xiaoyanzi get a lot of gifts from the emperor on the same day they are back at their palace. He also allows Xiaoyanzi to make her own rules of her palace from now on. No more manners and boring lessons. Cool dad. Not a very good parenting technique.
The emperor has a talk with Lady Ling. He can’t let Ziwei continue to be a maid anymore now that she’s proven such devotion to him. But what, then, should they make her?
Lady Ling asks if this is love, the emperor says it’s more like he treasures her, and he’s curious about her intention toward him. But Lady Ling, just like any jealous partner, doesn’t think Ziwei has any intention other than to become a concubine.
Although, seriously speaking, what the emperor wants is to take his time to understand who Ziwei is, but everyone keeps pushing him to put a label on it. And if I have to listen to another “does Ziwei love the emperor” speech, I might just start rooting for Er’kang to jump in and gag them all.
The Tibetan King arrives with his daughter. The emperor introduces them to his sons. Now, I don’t know what these guys’ problem is, but apart from Yongqi, none of them looks like they want to be here.
