Episode 16 dives deep into secrets both old and new, as Jiang Taohua races to decode hidden knowledge in the Imperial Library while Prince Wuyin sets a deadly trap using Soulsever Incense. Romance, betrayal, and memory all collide in this haunting chapter.
📚 1. A Forbidden Curiosity
The episode begins with a quiet but flirtatious scene — Miss Qingying boldly confesses her feelings to Mu Wuxia during a stroll beneath iron fireworks. He resists, warning her that romance is not a game.
“If this is play to you, find someone else.”
But Qingying is persistent. Her charm, humor, and vulnerability provide a touch of lightness that contrasts sharply with the darkness to come.
🗝️ 2. A Secret Mission in the Imperial Library
Taohua, recovering from the poison, asks Wuxia to sneak her into the forbidden archives of the Imperial Library — a place only accessible to royals.
She’s not just looking for books. She’s chasing secrets hidden in paintings, symbols, and history.
“Rumor has it the Imperial Library hides forbidden texts and sealed records. That’s what I need.”
Their excursion turns dangerous when guards nearly catch them — but not before they uncover critical fragments of information.
🐍 3. The Poison Resurfaces
Just as Taohua escapes the library, her poison flares up again. She had delayed seeking the antidote for too long.
They rush to Lan Boutique, the alchemy house secretly tied to the Empress’s network, only to find it shuttered. A mysterious exchange between emissaries inside reveals Empress Lv’s deeper ambitions — her pursuit of the silver mine isn’t just about wealth, but power consolidation.
Eunuch Ren is seen wielding Empress Lv’s jade token, confirming a dangerous truth: Prince Wuyin and Empress Lv are allies in a covert faction.
🧪 4. Half an Antidote, and a Threat
Taohua receives only half a dose of the antidote — punishment for her delay and failure to pass intel in time. She begs for understanding, but the warning is cold:
“Her Majesty spares no one who is of no use.”
This episode makes it clear: Taohua’s life, her brother’s life, and her future are all conditional.
🕯️ 5. The Soulsever Incense
Prince Wuyin prepares a sinister trap using a poison known as Soulsever Incense:
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It begins as a gentle, fragrant scent.
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Over time, it builds up in the body.
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Then it kills instantly — leaving no trace.
Zaiye’s people test the incense on insects and confirm its potency.
“If this were used on people… they wouldn’t even know how they died.”
Taohua is the intended carrier, unknowingly recruited to deliver this assassination tool.
🕵️ 6. The Spy Among Them
An unidentified assassin is discovered snooping around Mu Wuxia’s residence. After a dramatic chase, he commits suicide via poison capsule before revealing his master.
Zaiye is furious:
“We’ve gone to such lengths to hide our ties… yet someone still wants Wuxia dead.”
This confirms Zaiye’s worst fear — Prince Wuxia is being used as leverage against him, despite their distant public personas.
🔥 7. A Dangerous Game of Appearances
Zaiye decides to pull back all visible protection from Prince Wuxia’s household, saying:
“If they’re hiding in the dark, then I’ll act in the light.”
He aims to bait the real mastermind — the "big fish" behind the web of plots.
Meanwhile, Taohua is left to wonder whether the incense she’s asked to burn is a trap… or her own death sentence.
❄️ 8. Peach Blossoms and Snow
One of the most tender scenes unfolds under moonlight. Taohua and Zaiye share wine in silence.
She reflects on a childhood memory in Beiyuan — of a snowstorm that prevented the peach blossoms from blooming.
“So my mother held me beneath the tree… and we watched the snow instead.”
It’s a symbolic moment — lost time, maternal grief, and longing for home all wrapped into a gentle confession.
Zaiye listens without interruption. No strategy, no politics. Just presence.
⚠️ 9. The Incense is Lit
As instructed, Taohua prepares to burn the Soulsever Incense at the Wuliu Residence in the Imperial Library the next day.
Unaware of its full effects, she assumes it is part of a routine signal — but Zaiye and his allies are already piecing together the puzzle.
“Whoever ordered this wouldn’t waste such a poison on someone unimportant.”
The episode ends with everyone in motion — spies on the streets, incense in hand, secrets nearly revealed.
💬 Overall Impressions
Episode 16 is one of the most cerebral episodes of the series.
It trades explosive action for whispers, glances, and slow-burning dread.
Taohua walks a tightrope — balancing her loyalty to Beiyuan, her survival under Empress Lv’s grip, and her growing trust in Zaiye.
Meanwhile, Zaiye is pushed into a corner where he can no longer remain neutral — especially with Wuxia’s life hanging by a thread.
🔚 Final Verdict
“Episode 16 builds tension masterfully — fusing romance, danger, and political espionage into a quiet storm. The real war hasn’t exploded yet… but the air is thick with gunpowder.”