Episode 6 heightens the stakes with betrayal, blackmail, and gambling. Taohua plays her most dangerous card yet — her memory — to outmaneuver Shen Zaiye and control her fate.
🎁 1. The Painting in a Box
The episode opens with a bang — the long-sought-after painting Sunlight Over a Thousand Peaks is discovered hidden in a lunchbox… only to be torn during a chaotic scuffle. It’s a devastating loss for all parties — or so it seems.
As everyone reels from the damage, Jiang Taohua makes a bold claim:
“The painting is burned… but I have an impeccable memory. I can replicate it.”
Her words shift the power dynamic instantly. From passive witness, she becomes the sole keyholder to a national secret.
🧠 2. Memory as Weapon, Demands as Shields
Taohua makes three bold demands to Shen Zaiye:
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Investigate Prince Changjue’s involvement in the painting.
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Remove all spies from her residence — only Qingtai may come and go.
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Let her move freely — she refuses to live in another “palace prison.”
Zaiye’s response is mixed: intrigued, cautious, amused — but not dismissive. For once, he must negotiate on her terms.
Yet when she offers to give up all demands if he finds Qingtai, who has gone missing, he coldly refuses:
“You bid too high. I don’t need the painting anymore.”
It’s a brutal checkmate — or so he thinks.
🐍 3. Poison, Power, and Paranoia
Taohua is now squeezed from both sides. Yang Wanqing still controls the antidote to her slow-acting poison, and now Shen Zaiye may turn on her if he believes she’s more liability than asset.
Her dilemma:
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Give the painting to Wanqing? Zaiye may kill her.
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Give it to Zaiye? Wanqing may silence her.
Her conclusion:
“It is my leverage… and my undoing.”
This episode puts a sharp spotlight on how knowledge can become a double-edged sword in a court full of spies.
🎲 4. The World of High-Stakes Gambling
Meanwhile, Qingtai’s disappearance leads Taohua to Jinyin Gambling House — a secretive, elite den where everything is wagered: land, titles, and even lives. To infiltrate it, Taohua enlists Qingying’s help.
Their plan? Classic Cdrama brilliance:
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Taohua pretends to be Qingying’s servant.
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They climb walls, dodge guards, and bluff their way through security.
The gambling house is revealed in layers:
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1st floor: Common games and performances (where people are sold like goods).
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2nd floor: Nobles gambling on influence.
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3rd floor: Forbidden — and likely where Qingtai is held.
💔 5. Between Fire and Memory
One of the most intense dialogues takes place as Zaiye accuses Taohua of deliberately letting the painting burn to leverage its memory. She doesn’t deny it.
He warns her:
“What if I tell Prince Changjue that you remember every detail?”
Her answer is measured, and chilling:
“Then I’ll die. But you won’t get the painting either.”
This isn’t a romance episode — it’s a psychological duel, with memory, guilt, and ambition as the currency.
👑 6. Power Shifts in the Palace
The Emperor, displeased with rising food costs and economic unrest, pressures Zaiye to resolve the counterfeit money crisis in just two weeks. Zaiye realizes the counterfeit scandal is tied to the destroyed painting — which may contain proof of royal corruption.
Without the scroll, Zaiye's case weakens. He must either trust Taohua’s memory or find another explosive lead.
🔍 7. A Gamble on Truth
Back in the gambling den, Shen Zaiye arrives in disguise. Taohua senses him — not by sight, but by scent: Boshan incense, the same aroma as in his study.
As the dice roll and fortunes shift, Taohua pushes deeper into danger. She knows Qingtai is likely imprisoned on the top floor — but to reach her, she must blend in, outwit the gamblers, and dodge unseen traps.
Meanwhile, Shen and his team finally locate the gambling den — but it may be too late.
💬 Overall Impressions
Episode 6 is tense, cerebral, and brilliantly layered.
It doesn’t rely on grand battles or weeping romance. Instead, it elevates palace drama to espionage-level thrill. The painting isn’t just art — it’s a weapon. And Taohua isn’t just a pawn anymore — she’s playing chess blindfolded and still holding ground.
Qingying offers humor and chaos, but also becomes key to Taohua’s survival. Zaiye’s cold ambition meets its match in Taohua’s iron will.
And Qingtai? Her silence may reveal more secrets than anyone expected.