Before joining Xue Wu for lunch, Chang Gong secretly takes the pill An De slipped him. The prince has to do some finagling in order to get his wife to drink the spiked wine with him. The pill he took earlier will prevent Chang Gong from falling asleep like Xue Wu does. Xiao Cui disguises herself as the divine sorceress in order to distract the ninjas hanging around outside. This allows Xiao Dong time to slip out the back with the unconscious Xue Wu.
An De once again tries to talk his beloved brother out of this crazy thing. Chang Gong instructs An De to not seek any kind of vengeance against the emperor. An De just cries his little heart out.
Alone in his chambers, Chang Gong takes out the ceremonial belt Xue Wu made in her village. (Although technically I thought Yuwen Yung had the belt back in Episode 6.) He reverently kisses the belt and then ties it around his waist.
Xiao Cui (who got away from the ninjas) seeks comfort in Prince An De's arms. Chang Gong pays off all his servants and sends them back to their hometowns. Faithful butler Wang refuses to leave his master's side.
Gao Wei, Zheng Er, and Zu Ting (Team Evil) arrive at Lan Ling Manor to check out how the whole dying process is going. They've brought along some poison wine. Zu Ting claims to have found a chest full of treasure in the prince's study; proof that Chang Gong was stealing from the country and thus deserves to die. Chang Gong reminds Gao Wei of his promise to become a benevolent ruler after the prince's death.
Zheng Er isn't happy that Xue Wu is nowhere to be found. She orders Zu Ting to find the divine sorceress and kill her. Zheng Er eagerly offers to pour the poison wine for Chang Gong. For just a brief second Gao Wei has a look of disgust on his face at his wife's actions. Just a second. The royal couple look on silently as Chang Gong drinks from the teeny tiny goblet. Blood begins to pour from his mouth as he slowly does the Nestea Plunge.
Xue Wu comes to in the carriage being driven by Xiao Dong. She orders him to stop but he has his orders. Xue Wu threatens to jump from the moving vehicle of he doesn't tell her what's going on. Xiao Dong knows she'll do it so he stops the carriage and tells her about the emperor's order of death. Xue Wu begs Cute Boy to take her back so she can be with her husband and Xiao Dong was just about to do it when Zu Ting and his soldiers start to catch up with them.
They try to escape only to be trapped by a steep cliff. (Where's that bright light coming from?) Xue Wu suggests they run the carriage over the cliff to delay their pursuers. Furthermore they should split up so at least one of them can avoid capture.
Xue Wu is running through the foggy forest, Zu Ting and his men are right behind. Whoops, there's that pesky steep cliff again. Xue Wu falls over the side.
Chang Gong's body lies in state at the palace. Gao Wei can't stop staring at the corpse. Is he really dead? Maybe he's not really dead. Zheng Er has the imperial physician double check just to assure the emperor. He's dead. He's deceased. He's kicked the bucket. He's bought the farm. He's bit the dust. He's crossed over. He's punched his ticket. He's better off in a pine box on a slow train back to Georgia.
Gao Wei still isn't assured. He takes a dagger and is about to stab the body but at the last second stops his hand. It's Zheng Er who puts her hand on top of his and makes Gao Wei stab Chang Gong's remains. Gao Wei gives her that look again:
I can only hope the emperor is starting to realize this bitch be crazy.
Zu Ting reports back to Zheng Er about Xue Wu falling over the cliff and into the rushing river below. Zheng Er sends the astrologer back out there. Until she sees Xue Wu's body, she won't believe the divine sorceress is dead.
The next morning a couple of peasants find Xue Wu washed upon the shore. They recognize who she is and take her back to their hovel. They bring in a physician who can tell just from her pulse that not only will Xue Wu be fine from her ordeal but she is also pregnant.
Zheng Er wants to have a cenotaph built for Chang Gong. Not out of any sense of respect towards the man. Zheng Er knows if Xue Wu is still alive she'll eventually make it to the monument to pay her respects. That's where Zheng Er will have her arch rival captured.
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