Prince of An De and Yang Shi Shen are glad when the real Gao Chang Gong comes back to the fort, but now they're all worried that Hulu Xu Da has gone missing. Chang Gong mounts up again to lead a search party out. They find the dead bodies of the Zhou ambushers but there's no body of Xu Da.
Back at White Mountain Village, Yang Xue Wu discovers Chang Gong has left his war mask behind. Knowing how important it is to him, Xue Wu decides to leave the magical village and search for Chang Gong out in the real world.
Xu Da is still alive (and I'm glad. When he takes off that silly helmet the guy is kind of cute.) He's being held prisoner by the Zhou. Xu Da may be chained to a cross but that doesn't mean he can't bite off the ear of his torturer. (Yeah, you really didn't need to show the severed ear up close, Show.)
Chang Gong and the Prince go to comfort Hulu Sr. as the Zhou have released the news that they'll be executing Hulu Jr. tomorrow. Chang Gong wants to sneak into Dan Zou City where Xu Da is being held. Hulu Sr. warns this can only be a trap and he refuses to sanction the prince risking his life like this.
At the Li Zheng Palace, General Yuchi Jiong meets with the Empress Axina. You know she's evil because of the music that's played. She's in on the plan to capture Lan Ling even though they don't know what the guy looks like as Chang Gong always wears his mask in battle. Axina is apparently from Turkestan (or thereabouts) and if Yuchi were to capture the legendary Lan Ling, then surely the empress' father would loan the Zhou a huge army to conquer the Qi.
Xue Wu has finally reached a city and naturally the first thing that occurs to the country bumpkin is she's harassed for money. Whoa, who's this cute guy? Han Xiao Dong (played by Wei Qian Xiang) comes to her rescue. Too bad I don't trust this cutie as far as I could throw him.
Xiao Dong takes Xue Wu to an inn for dinner and a place to stay for the night. He starts giving her this sad sack story about a sick grandmother. Listening to Xiao Dong's story, Xue Wu is able to diagnosis what's wrong with "Grandma" and gives him some medicinal herbs to use. Xiao Dong looks a bit guilty. You're so up to something, Cute Boy.
The innkeeper returns with some drink for the couple. Aha, what was that look the woman and Xiao Dong exchanged? Don't drink the milk, Xue Wu!
Too late.
Xue Wu is immediately rendered unconscious. The evil innkeepers gives Xiao Dong a bag of money. He again feels a little guilty but not guilty enough that he doesn't take the money and leaves the sleeping girl behind.
When Xue Wu awakens she discovers she's tied up and in the basement. She's not alone as there are other women prisoners down there as well. They are all doomed to be sold to brothels.
Just then Xue Wu hears the sound of approaching horses. Xue Wu starts yelling for help but is stopped by another girl who explains the horses probably belong to the men who have come to buy the girls.
But it's Chang Gong and friends. Surely that's a good thing, right? Wrong, as they really are here to buy a girl from these human traffickers. Um, Chang Gong, you just went down a notch on your hero rating.
Xue Wu breaks a crock pot and uses the sharp shards to cut everyone free. Next, she goes into MacGyver mode, using what she can find around the basement to bend the iron bars across a window. (Kids, don't try this at home as it probably wouldn't work in Real Life.)
Xue Wu is the last one about to go through the window when the evil innkeeper's henchman discovers they're escape. He's able to grab Xue Wu and drag her back in. Since all the other girls ran away, the evil innkeeper has no choice but to show Xue Wu to Chang Gong. He recognizes Xue Wu but keeps his cool as he agrees to buy her. Xue Wu is fit to be tied. Oh wait, she's already tied.
Xue Wu is taken upstairs to a room where Chang Gong is expected to enjoy his new purchase. He's acting drunk. At least, I hope he's acting. During a struggle Xue Wu is able to knock Chang Gong out. She opens up a window and is starting to climb out onto the roof when she hears voices below. It's the innkeepers henchman bargaining with some masked men. He's drugged Chang Gong's wine and these guys are supposed to go in and finish the rich guy off. Reluctantly Xue Wu goes back inside to try and wake Chang Gong up.
Chang Gong ain't moving so Xue Wu has to rig some booby traps within the room. Wait a minute - those masked guys look kind of familiar. Isn't that Yang Shi Shen and the prince? It is. And Chang Gong was just acting like he was drugged. This was all a test to see if Xue Wu had the guts and skills to take on a dangerous mission to help them rescue Xu Da.
For the first part of their rescue plan, Chang Gong and Xue Wu must wed.
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