Jingrui's Birthday Party

**Jingrui's Birthday Party** was held at Xie Manor in Jinling, Da Liang. It was arranged to celebrate the birthday of Xiao Jingrui.

The events that took place at the birthday party were arranged by Mei Changsu to take down Xie Yu. This was openly done on behalf of Prince Yu to cripple Crown Prince Xian's political support, but the originating purpose was as part of gaining revenge and justice for the Chiyan Army, since Xie Yu had been a main conspirator in the Chiyan Conspiracy. The events of the party led to Xie Yu's downfall and Xie Yu's confession, which was key to re-opening the Chiyan Case at The Emperor's Birthday Party.

The party is depicted in Episode 20 and Episode 21, with the aftermath occurring in Episode 22.

## Precipitating Events

* Twenty years before the main events of Nirvana In Fire, Princess Liyang fell in love with Yuwen Lin, then a prince of Southern Chu, and had a love affair with him, resulting in pregnancy.
* The Empress Dowager conspired with Xie Yu to have him rape Princess Liyang so she would then be forced by society to marry him, thus breaking the attachment with Southern Chu.
* Xiao Jingrui was born on Mount Rui. Due to darkness, it was unclear to onlookers if his birth mother was Grand Princess Liyang or Madam Zhuo. The second baby died the night after they are born.
* Due to the unclear nature of Jingrui's parentage, the Emperor gave him a name like he was one of the Emperor's sons (with the Imperial family name of *Xiao* and the generation name of *Jing*), and ordered the Xie family and the Zhuo family to share him. Xie Yu exploited this connection to use Zhuo Dingfeng's Tianquan Manor jianghu sect for his own purposes.
* Xie Yu had ordered Gong Yu's father to kill the baby that his wife (Princess Liyang) has given birth to. Gong Yu's father killed Madam Zhuo's baby instead. Gong Yu's father was later killed by Xie Yu's men for the failure.
* Xie Yu conspired with Xia Jiang to commit the Chiyan Conspiracy and kill the entire Chiyan Army, including Lin Shu, who survived and has changed his name to Mei Changsu.
* Xie Yu ordered Zhuo Dingfeng to kill a palace eunuch and the eunuch's guards during the New Years celebrations. The Emperor ordered both Meng Zhi and Xia Dong to investigate. Xia Dong suspects Zhuo Dingfeng to be the culprit due to distinctive sword wounds on the bodies.

## People at the party

### Party Hosts

* Xiao Jingrui, who is celebrating his birthday
* Xie Yu/Marquis Ning, husband of Princess Liyang and father of Xie Bi and Xie Qi
* Grand Princess Liyang, wife of Xie Yu and mother of Xiao Jingrui, Xie Bi, and Xie Qi
* Xie Bi, son of Xie Yu and Princess Liyang
* Xie Qi, daughter of Xie Yu and Princess Liyang, married to Zhuo Qingyao. She is pregnant and due soon.

### Party Guests

* Zhuo Dingfeng, leader of the Tianquan Manor jianghu sect and potential father of Xiao Jingrui
* Madam Zhuo, member of the Tianquan Manor jianghu sect and potential mother of Xiao Jingrui
* Zhuo Qingyao, member of the Tianquan Manor jianghu sect and was raised as a brother of Xiao Jingrui. He is married to Xie Qi.
* Mei Changsu, who arrived with his bodyguard Fei Liu
* Yan Yujin, best friend of Jingrui
* Meng Zhi, attending to support Mei Changsu's plot and to support the investigation of the eunuch murder case
* Xia Dong, attending to investigate the palace eunuch murder case
* Gong Yu, agreed to provide a musical performance so she could be there to expose Xie Yu's murder of the Zhuo baby

### Party Crashers from Southern Chu

* Yue Xiuze, who came to challenge Zhuo Dingfeng to a martial arts duel
* Yuwen Nian, who came to invite her half-brother Xiao Jingrui to come back with her to Southern Chu
* Yuwen Xuan, Prince Ling, who accompanied them both

### Outside The Manor

* Prince Yu with armed soldiers, including Hui Yao
* Yan Que, who arrived to see where his son Yujin was
* Ouyang Chi of the Capital Patrols
* Xia Chun of the Xuanjing Bureau, who came to answer the emergency fireworks beacon from Xia Dong

## Sequence Of Events

### Episode 20

* In Xie Manor, Xie Bi instructs the servants to set up for the birthday party in Linglin Hall on the grounds. Xiao Jingrui comes by and Xie Bi says, since he works so hard for Jingrui's birthday, he should get half the presents. Jingrui offers him any of his presents that he wants. Xie Bi admires Jingrui's new outfit and deduces that it was made by Madam Zhuo.
* Yan Yujin and Gong Yu arrive and Xiao Jingrui greets them at the door. Jingrui invites Gong Yu to meet Grand Princess Liyang.
* In Yu Manor, Qin Banruo tells Prince Yu the time and says that Mei Changsu should already have left for Xie Manor.
* Meng Zhi arrives at Xie Manor and is greeted by Xie Yu and Zhuo Dingfeng. Xiao Jingrui and Xia Dong come over to greet him. Xie Yu remarks that Xia Dong has already arrived and he didn't know. Xia Dong reminds him that, as a woman, she greeted Grand Princess Liyang first.
* Mei Changsu arrives at Xie Manor.
* The guests enter Linglin Hall.
* Yan Yujin looks over the table of gifts and examines the bottle of heart-protection pills that is the gift from Mei Changsu. Xie Bi comes into the room, followed by Xiao Jingrui, to bring him back into the main room. Yujin brings the pill bottle with him and they come to the group of Meng Zhi, Xia Dong, and Mei Changsu. Yujin asks Mei Changsu about the pill bottle. Mei Changsu says it contains 10 heart-protection pills. Meng Zhi remarks on the high cost of that gift.
* Xie Yu enters with Grand Princess Liyang, Zhuo Dingfeng, Madam Zhuo, Zhuo Qingyao, and Xie Qi behind him and exhorts everyone to sit.
* Elsewhere in Xie Manor, Fei Liu flies over a rooftop and arrives at the armory.
* In Linglin Hall, Xie Yu offers a toast to everyone. He then offers a toast to Meng Zhi specifically, and the two of them drink.
* Xia Dong challenges Zhuo Dingfeng to a martial arts duel. They fight using chopsticks. Zhuo Dingfeng wins, but does not use the specific sword technique he is known for and that Xia Dong wants to see for investigative purposes.
* Xie Yu offers a toast to Xia Dong and Zhuo Dingfeng, all three drink. Zhuo Dingfeng then offers another toast to Xia Dong and they both drink. Zhuo Qingyao then also offers a toast to Xia Dong and they both drink.
* Yan Yujin remarks to Xiao Jingrui, who is the only one eating, that they seem to be trying to get Xia Dong drunk.
* Grand Princess Liyang whispers to Xie Yu, who then asks Gong Yu to play for them.
* Meng Zhi privately toasts Xia Dong, Meng Zhi taking the opportunity to whisper to Xia Dong that they'll wait for another opportunity to test Zhuo Dingfeng and get him to show his sword style.
* Gong Yu plays "Phoenix Courtship" (composed by Sima Xiangru) on Grand Princess Liyang's guqin.
* Yuwen Nian, Yuwen Xuan, and Yue Xiuze wait outside Xie Manor. Yue Xiuze tells Yuwen Nian to knock.
* Inside Linglin Hall, Xie Yu asks Gong Yu to play something happier. Before she can begin, a servant comes in to tell Xie Yu that there are guests outside. While the servant is reporting, Yuwen Nian, Yuwen Xuan, and Yue Xiuze walk into Linglin Hall. Yue Xiuze asks Zhuo Dingfeng why he is refusing guests and accuses him of hiding to avoid his challenge. Xie Yu confronts Yue Xiuze and asks if he's this dismissive of etiquette in the Southern Chu court. Yuwen Xuan breaks in to report that Yue Xiuze is not currently a member of the Southern Chu court, and that this is a jianghu matter, not one of Imperial courts. Xie Yu remarks that Yuwen Xuan, as a prince, is a member of the Southern Chu court and accuses him of not knowing etiquette. Yuwen Xuan repeats that he is not with Yue Xiuze, *he's* here to wish Xiao Jingrui a happy birthday and give him a gift.
* Xie Yu tries again to get the Southern Chu delegation to leave. Yue Xiuze accuses Zhuo Dingfeng of ignoring a challenge and calls him a coward, wondering if he's still a member of the jianghu. Zhuo Dingfeng moves forward to accept the challenge, but is held back by Xie Yu.
* Meng Zhi and Xia Dong whisper together and agree that, while Zhuo Dingfeng could hide his sword mastery in a fight with Xia Dong, he could not do it in a fight with Yue Xiuze. Xia Dong comes forward and supports the duel, telling Zhuo Dingfeng that he risks his reputation if he avoids the challenge.
* Zhuo Dingfeng tells Yue Xiuze that today is his son Xiao Jingrui's birthday and requests that they fight the challenge on a different day. Yue Xiuze refuses, saying that the King of Southern Chu only allowed him six months away from court to go fight challenges, and that why wait until tomorrow when they have already met today.
* Xie Yu objects again to the duel, pointing out that they have guests right now. Meng Zhi says that he would like to see a duel comparing the styles of Yue Xiuze and Zhuo Dingfeng's Tianquan Manor. Xia Dong seconds that, saying she would also like to see it.
* Xie Yu calls for guards to have the delegation from Southern Chu forcefully removed. Zhuo Dingfeng orders the guards to stop and accepts the dueling challenge.
* Two guards lie prone outside of the armory of Xie Manor. Inside, Fei Liu plays with some of the weapons and examines the bows. He tests one of the bowstrings with his dagger.
* Outside Linglin Hall, Yue Xiuze and Zhuo Dingfeng fight using swords. Yue Xiuze exhorts Zhuo Dingfeng for holding back and not fully engaging. Yue Xiuze injures Zhuo Dingfeng's wrist, stopping the duel. Yue Xiuze demands to know why Zhuo Dingfeng allowed himself to be injured.
* Xia Dong tells Meng Zhi that she did not see enough to establish a link between Zhuo Dingfeng and the technique used in the eunuch murder case.
* Yue Xiuze says that he lost the duel and tells Zhuo Dingfeng that he will await his challenge in the future. Xie Yu tells Zhuo Dingfeng to go inside to rest.
* In Yu Manor, a soldier reports to Prince Yu that the army is on standby.
* Outside Linglin Hall, Yuwen Xuan says that Zhuo Dingfeng should stay outside to hear this. Xie Yu scoffs. Mei Changsu comes forward and tells Xiao Jingrui to give Zhuo Dingfeng one of the heart-protection pills. Jingrui calls to Yan Yujin, who has the pill bottle. Yujin gives a pill to Zhuo Dingfeng.
* Yuwen Xuan prompts Yuwen Nian, who goes to Xiao Jingrui and removes the veil she has been wearing over the lower part of her face. She calls Jingrui "older brother" and introduces herself. She asks Jingrui to come back with her to Southern Chu to see their shared father, Yuwen Lin. Inside Linglin Hall, Grand Princess Liyang clutches at her heart. Yuwen Xuan takes Yuwen Nian inside the hall to pay their respects to Grand Princess Liyang.
* Yuwen Xuan reveals that, twenty years ago, when his uncle Yuwen Lin was in Jinling, Yuwen Lin and Grand Princess Liyang had had a love affair resulting in pregnancy. Yuwen Lin did not want to leave, but was forced to leave by the Empress Dowager. However, Yuwen Lin had not forgotten Princess Liyang or their child. Yuwen Nian kowtows and thanks Princess Liyang for taking care of her father. Yuwen Nian asks Princess Liyang to part with Xiao Jingrui to let him come to Southern Chu since Princess Liyang already has another son. Xiao Jingrui asks Grand Princess Liyang if they are telling the truth. Before she can answer, Yuwen Xuan states definitively that Xiao Jingrui is the son of Yuwen Lin, the King of Southern Chu. Xiao Jingrui again asks Princess Liyang if it is true. She is crying and cannot answer. Jingrui falls to his knees and Princess Liyang rushes to him and cries on his shoulder.
* Mei Changsu gives Gong Yu a significant look. Gong Yu starts laughing slowly, drawing attention to herself. She says that now she understands why her father was killed.
* At Yu Manor, a soldier reports to Prince Yu that there hasn't been anyone leaving Xie Manor yet. Prince Yu confirms that Yue Xiuze hasn't come out yet, and then says that it's nearly the time they agreed upon. Once that time is up, he'll continue with the plan as previously agreed.
* In Linglin Hall, Gong Yu confronts Xie Yu, saying that now she understands why he had her father killed: it was because her father didn't complete the job he was sent to do. He was sent to kill Princess Liyang's baby, but killed Madam Zhuo's baby instead. Xie Yu flies at Gong Yu, grabs a sword, and attacks her. The two of them fight. Madam Zhuo jumps in to intervene. Gong Yu tells Madam Zhuo details about her infant's body, confirming that she has personal information on what occurred, and then declares that if Zhuo Dingfeng wants to know all the details, he should ask Grand Princess Liyang. Gong Yu says that Princess Liyang knew that Xie Yu planned to kill her son.
* Xie Yu calls for guards.
* Madam Zhuo calls for Zhuo Qingyao to come stand by them. He starts to move and his wife Xie Qi calls for him from behind. Zhuo Qingyao goes to stand with his parents.
* Xie Yu orders the guards to kill Gong Yu. He tells Zhuo Dingfeng that if he defends her, he will have to kill him as well. Zhuo Dingfeng says he is not protecting her, he just wants to hear what she has to say.
* Xia Dong comes forward and reminds Xie Yu that she and Meng Zhi are both still here and witnessing this. Mei Changsu tells her that of course Xie Yu knows that she's still there, but that he's backed himself into a corner, so while Xie Yu knows it won't be wise to kill Gong Yu in front of Xia Dong, Xie Yu has no other choice. If Xie Yu doesn't act now, Mei Changsu says, he won't have any other chances to kill anyone.
* Zhuo Dingfeng asks Xie Yu who he wants to kill: him or Gong Yu. Xie Yu replies that he wants to kill Gong Yu because she is spreading lies. He asks Xia Dong and Meng Zhi not to get involved.
* From an alley outside Xie Manor, Prince Yu and his army watch soldiers move around inside Xie Manor. Hui Yao remarks that there must be an falling out going on inside. Prince Yu remarks Xie Yu killed Zhuo Dingfeng's son and even Zhuo Dingfeng won't overlook that.
* Outisde Linglin Hall, Meng Zhi tries to talk Xie Yu down and is unsuccessful.
* Meng Zhi whispers to Mei Changsu that Xie Yu's threat is serious: his household has 800 soldiers, and if bowmen arrive, Meng Zhi can't save anyone but himself.
* Princess Liyang goes to Xiao Jingrui. Xie Yu promises her that he won't hurt Jingrui, because if he had wanted to kill Jingrui, he could have done it before now.
* Yuwen Xuan says that as long as Xie Yu doesn't hurt Xiao Jingrui, he won't get involved or say anything to Emperor Xiao Xuan about it, because it has nothing to do with Southern Chu.
* Xie Yu looks to Mei Changsu, who draws attention to the fact that no one has seen Fei Liu, his bodyguard.
* A soldier comes to report to Xie Yu that all the bowstrings in the armory have been cut. Mei Changsu calls to Fei Liu, asking if it was fun. Fei Liu comes out from where he had been hiding and joins them. Mei Changsu tells Xie Yu that he had made preparation before coming here tonight and that Prince Yu is waiting for him outside with his soldiers. Xie Yu calls over a soldier and has him go check to see if Prince Yu is outside, and whispers to the soldier to call the Capital Patrols, which Xie Yu commands.

### Episode 21

* Resuming from Episode 20, Xie Yu calls over a soldier and has him go check to see if Prince Yu is outside. He whispers to the soldier to call the Capital Patrols, which Xie Yu commands.
* Mei Changsu asks Gong Yu to finish her story, saying that they're going to be waiting any for the soldier to go see if what Mei Changsu had said was true.
* In the alley outside Xie Manor, Prince Yu sees the soldier exit, climb on a horse, and ride away. Hui Yao asks Prince Yu if they should stop the soldier. Prince Yu shakes his head, asking what trouble can one person cause.
* Gong Yu tells the assembled guests and soldiers outside Linglin Hall that, at the time, her mother was pregnant and her father wanted to stop being an assassin. However, he wasn't able to leave until he completed one final mission. This final mission was to help an official kill his wife's child. Gong Yu's father followed Grand Princess Liyang for a month until she gave birth on Mount Rui. That night, a fire began during a lightning storm and during the chaos, Gong Yu's father was unable to complete his mission. He went back the following night and, being familiar with Princess Liyang's servants, killed the baby that that servant was holding. Because of the ambiguity of the identity of the babies, Xie Yu was angry at Gong Yu's father and ordered him to kill the other baby as well, just to make sure Princess Liyang's baby was dead. However, at this point, Gong Yu's mother, who was pregnant with her, began to feel the child moving. Gong Yu's parents went on the run for two years. When that wasn't enough, her father left Gong Yu and her mother in a brothel and went on the run by himself, eventually being killed by Xie Yu's assassins seven months afterwards.
* Zhuo Qingyao asks why Xie Yu hadn't killed Xiao Jingrui after this when he had the opportunities. Gong Yu says that Princess Liyang had known the reason for the other baby's death and so for years afterward, she had not let Jingrui leave her side. And as years passed, Xie Yu saw the merit in keeping close ties with the Zhuo family and their Tianquan Manor jianghu sect, using them as assassins for his own purposes.
* Hearing this, Zhuo Dingfeng collapses, clutching at his heart. Mei Changsu says Zhuo Dingfeng will be okay because he just took a heart-protection pill. Yan Yujin, who is still holding the pill bottle, offers one to Xiao Jingrui, who doesn't take it.
* Meng Zhi says to Yue Xiuze that if he had changed the day of his duel, Zhuo Dingfeng wouldn't have let himself be injured on purpose on behalf of Xie Yu. Yue Xiuze says that he had kept the duel for this day because he had been told that tonight Zhuo Dingfeng would be told that his son was not biologically his son, and so he had insisted on the duel happening tonight before Zhuo Dingfeng's mood could be impacted by this revelation. He also chides Zhuo Dingfeng for being foolish and getting involved in political matters. Zhuo Dingfeng tells Yue Xiuze that he doesn't blame him and the fault is on his side. Xie Yu defends himself by saying that not everything was a lie and that helping Crown Prince Xian the right thing to do.
* Mei Changsu asks Xie Yu if the soldier he had sent to check on Prince Yu has returned yet. Xie Yu says the only reason they're still standing there talking is to buy time for the soldier to raise the Capital Patrols. Meng Zhi accuses Xie Yu of using the Capital Patrols for his own personal use. Xie Yu says that as long as the Capital Patrols don't enter his manor and instead guard the outsides, it's not his personal use.
* Xie Yu raises a hand to order the guards. Xie Bi rushes forward and begs his father to reconsider his actions, citing the friendship between the Xie and Zhuo families for all these years. Xie Yu pushes him to the ground. Xie Bi grabs a sword from one of the soldiers and holds it up to his neck, threatening suicide. Xie Yu tells him to go ahead and do it. Xie Yu then disarms his son and orders the guards to take Xie Bi away.
* Xie Yu orders the guards to take Grand Princess Liyang and Xie Qi away and confine them safely elsewhere in the Manor. He orders the guards to kill Gong Yu, the Zhuo family, and their accomplices.
* Outside Xie Manor, Prince Yu watches the Capital Patrols, commanded by Ouyang Chi, arrive to block their entry. Hui Yao says that they should have stopped the soldier from before from going to get the Capital Patrols. Prince Yu says that no one could have expected that Xie Yu would go so far as to use the Capital Patrols for his personal gain. Prince Yu says that if the Capital Patrols weren't there, they could sneak into the Manor quietly, but right now there is currently no excuse for him to enter the manor by force.
* By Linglin Hall, a battle is occurring between Xie Yu's guards and Zhuo Dingfeng, Madam Zhuo, Zhuo Qingyao, and Gong Yu. Seeing a guard about to attack Madam Zhuo from behind, Xiao Jingrui enters the fight. When a guard gets too close to defeating Gong Yu, Yan Yujin joins the fight. Yuwen Nian also joins in. Xie Yu yells at Yuwen Xuan, saying didn't he promise he wouldn't interfere. Yuwen Xuan claims he cannot control Yuwen Nian and she is not under his authority. Yue Xiuze joins the fight to defend Zhuo Dingfeng. As the guards get too close to entering Linglin Hall, Meng Zhi attacks them. Xia Dong throws up a firework to alert the Xuanjing Bureau that she is in distress and needs help.
* Outside Xie Manor, Prince Yu sees the firework and takes that as the pretext he needs to enter Xie Manor. He is blocked by the Capital Patrols.
* Xia Dong chastises Mei Changsu for being so nonchalant about all of this and tells him to find them a way out of this situation. Mei Changsu has Fei Liu open the hidden door in the back wall of Linglin Hall that leads to the Xie family shrine. Mei Changsu, Fei Liu, Zhuo Dingfeng, Madam Zhuo, Zhuo Qingyao, Xia Dong, Meng Zhi, Xiao Jingrui, Yan Yujin, Yuwen Nian, Yue Xiuze, and Gong Yu all escape through this door, shutting it behind them. Jingrui leads them out into the manor grounds. Behind them, Xie Yu opens the secret door and the soldiers continue their pursuit.
* The pursued guests cross a bridge over a pond and take shelter in a pavilion. Meng Zhi and Yue Xiuze stand at the top of the bridge to hold off the guards. Xie Yu orders a guard to get the bowmen from the Capital Patrols.
* Outside Xie Manor, Prince Yu argues with Ouyang Chi of the Capital Patrols to let him and his soldiers into the manor.
* Inside the pavilion, Yuwen Nian tries to talk to her brother Xiao Jingrui, but is stopped by Yan Yujin. Yujin asks her where her cousin Yuwen Xuan is, Yuwen Nian says she doesn't know. Yujin says that it's good that his father Yan Que does not know about this, but that even if he knew about it, he wouldn't care.
* Outside Xie Manor, Ouyang Chi tells Prince Yu that he cannot enter without an Imperial order or the permission of the owner, as a matter of protecting the capital's safety. Prince Yu says he needs to enter the respond to the firework thrown by Xia Dong. Ouyang Chi tells him not to worry, because he had sent a man inside, and the man reported that Xie Yu said this was a private matter and they don't need outside help in managing it. Prince Yu asks him what would happen if he insists on going in. Ouyang Chi responds that in that case, he would allow Prince Yu to enter, but not with any of his soldiers. Yan Que comes forward and asks Ouyang Chi if he would allow *him* to enter.
* Inside Xie Manor, Xie Yu orders the bowmen from the Capital Patrols to surround the lake and kill everyone in the pavilion.
* Yan Que asks Ouyang Chi if he's forgotten him. Ouyang Chi replies that, no matter what else he might forget, he would never forget him.
* A soldier reports to Xie Yu that Yan Que has arrived outside and that he doesn't think the Capital Patrols can hold out much longer because of it. Xie Yu goes to the door to see him.
* Inside the pavilion on the lake, the guests watch the firelight of the bowmen taking up position. Xia Dong asks Mei Changsu what he said to Meng Zhi. Mei Changsu replies that he told Meng Zhi to look after Xiao Jingrui. Xia Dong says that Jingrui had looked to him as a brother, but tonight Mei Changsu stabbed him in the back. Is this how he got his reputation? Mei Changsu looks at Jingrui, who has his back to Mei Changsu. Mei Changsu bows to Xia Dong and walks away.
* Inside the pavilion, Zhuo Qingyao rips some cloth from his clothes and gives it to his mother to use as a bandage for his father. Mei Changsu offers them a bottle of medicine.
* Outside Xie Manor, Xie Yu arrives to speak to Yan Que and Prince Yu. Marquis Yan says that it's late and his son hasn't come home yet. Xie Yu tells him not to worry and points out that Xia Dong is inside and that Xia Chun isn't worried. Xia Chun comes to the front of the crowd. Marquis Yan says that his son doesn't have the same ability to defend himself that Xia Dong has. Prince Yu orders his soldiers to be ready to enter by force. Xie Yu draws attention to the sign by the front gate that the Emperor wrote that declares him the pillar of defense. Yan Que looks at the sign, then starts walking slowly forward towards Xie Yu.
* Inside the pavilion, Gong Yu kneels in front of the Zhuos and offers them her life in exchange for their infant son's life. Madam Zhuo refuses, saying that if Gong Yu's father was alive, she would take revenge on him, but she will not take revenge on Gong Yu, who was not involved in the assassination.
* Mei Changsu asks Zhuo Dingfeng if Xie Yu hadn't attacked him tonight, would he have still kept his secrets. Zhuo Dingfeng isn't sure. He hates Xie Yu, but his son is married to Xie Yu's daughter and they are expecting a child.
* Outside Xie Manor, Xie Yu pulls the sword from Ouyang Chi's scabbard. Prince Yu and his men step forward, swords drawn. Xie Yu tells Yan Que that if he tries to enter by force, Xie Yu will forget their old friendship and not spare him from the attack. Yan Que tightens the strings on his hairpiece and steps forward. Grand Princess Liyang shouts at them to stop and comes outside, followed by two servants.
* In the pavilion, Zhuo Dingfeng addresses Mei Changsu by his jianghu title and says he knows what Mei Changsu did tonight was for Prince Yu. He says he doesn't want to be involved in politics anymore. Mei Changsu tells him that even if he comes forward and testifies, he may still be considered an accomplice. Zhuo Dingfeng asks Mei Changsu to guarantee that he will save the lives of Madam Zhuo, Zhuo Qingyao, and the unborn child of Qingyao and Xie Qi, allowing Zhuo Dingfeng to bear the crime alone and not have his entire family incriminated and executed. The Zhuos start crying. At this point, the bowmen begin to fire on the pavilion from all sides and everyone takes cover.
* Outside Xie Manor, Grand Princess Liyang tells Xie Yu to step aside and allow Yan Que, Prince Yu, and the soldiers to come inside. She takes out a dagger and holds it against her own throat and repeats that Xie Yu should let them in.
* Inside the pavilion, arrows continue to fly toward the guests. Zhuo Qingyao cuts some of them with a dagger, but is forced to retreat. Fei Liu grabs some of the arrows out of mid-air. Yan Yujin says that Xie Yu seems really determined to kill them and that he can't believe he treated Xie Yu as his uncle this entire time. Mei Changsu, also a nephew of Xie Yu, says that Yujin wasn't the only one. Yuwen Nian grabs hold of an arrow right before it would have hit Yan Yujin. Meng Zhi and Yue Xiuze are outside the pavilion, swatting at the arrow with their swords.
* An order comes for the bowmen to stop shooting and all soldiers to put down their weapons. Mei Changsu says it is time for things to end.
* In Xie Manor, Yan Yujin reunites with his father Yan Que. Yujin asks why his father had come. Marquis Yan responds of course he came, Yujin was here.
* By the bridge to the pavilion, Xia Chun asks Xia Dong what happened. Xia Dong says she'll explain elsewhere, but here isn't a good place for it. Meng Zhi, Mei Changsu, and Fei Liu come up to them. Xia Dong says to Mei Changsu that she feels like she's been used as a pawn. She asks Meng Zhi what he thinks, but he doesn't answer the question. Xia Dong tells Mei Changsu that his reputation is well-earned and that anyone who says he is bad at weiqi is laughable. Mei Changsu says that he actually is bad at weiqi. Xia Dong says she's only concerned with her own cases, so Mei Changsu should tell Prince Yu that he shouldn't come to her about anything that happened that night. Mei Changsu says he doesn't pass on messages, but Prince Yu is smart enough not to bother her about this.
* By the pavilion, Xiao Jingrui helps Grand Princess Liyang sit down on a bench. She is still holding the dagger and Jingrui tries to take it from her. She resists, but tells him not to worry, she won't kill herself. She takes his hand off of hers and she keeps the dagger. She looks up and sees Yuwen Nian and then tells her to come over. Princess Liyang asks Yuwen Nian if her father Yuwen Lin had asked her to come here to bring Jingrui back with her. Yuwen Nian says that Jingrui is her brother and their father has missed him. Princess Liyang tells Yuwen Nian that when she had parted with Yuwen Lin after their love affair, the two of them had agreed that it would end there and there wouldn't be any regrets or blame between them. Princess Liyang tells Yuwen Nian that Jingrui is of age and can decide for himself whether he goes to Southern Chu. Then Princess Liyang tells Yuwen Nian to leave. Yuwen Nian starts crying and Yue Xiuze comes over and helps her away. Jingrui stands there and watches but doesn't say anything.
* Prince Yu is standing by Mei Changsu on the bridge to the pavilion. Princess Liyang orders him to come over. Prince Yu bows to his aunt. She stands and walks over to him, then touches the dagger to his chest. Princess Liyang demands his protection for the Zhuo family and that he not implicate other people, in exchange for her not telling the Emperor about what Prince Yu had intended to do tonight in charging into a Marquis's house. Prince Yu says that if the Zhuos testify, he can protect them and ask for amnesty. Princess Liyang explains that she doesn't just mean now, she wants Prince Yu to protect them forever. She makes Prince Yu swear to her that he will protect the Zhuos even when it no longer benefits him to do so. Prince Yu gives her his oath. Princess Liyang then removes the dagger from pressing into his chest and walks toward the Zhuo family.

### Episode 22

* Continuing on the aftermath of Jingrui's Birthday Party from Episode 21, Grand Princess Liyang walks over to Zhuo Dingfeng, Madam Zhuo, and Zhuo Qingyao. She begs them to be kind to her daughter Xie Qi, who is married to Zhuo Qingyao, and not blame her for what her parents had done. Madam Zhuo says that Xie Qi is their daughter-in-law and they will take her in.
* Prince Yu walks over to the Zhuos and says it's been a long night and they are injured. He asks them to come with him to be settled for the night. As the Zhuos are about to leave with Prince Yu, Xiao Jingrui comes over to them. He falls to his knees and kowtows. Crying, Madam Zhuo bends down to help him up. Jingrui starts crying. Zhuo Dingfeng tells Jingrui that he is not to blame for what happened. They hug him.

## Aftermath

* Xie Yu is imprisoned and then exiled as a convict sentenced to hard labor. Before he leaves on exile, he writes a confession and gives it to Grand Princess Liyang to only be opened in the event of his death.
* Xia Dong hears Xie Yu's verbal confession in the Celestial Prison and turns on her mentor Xia Jiang.
* Xiao Jingrui goes to Southern Chu with Yuwen Nian
* Control of the Capital Patrols is given to Xiao Jingyan.

## Impact On Faction Fights

* Crown Prince Xian loses a major supporter in Xie Yu and loses the military support provided by The Capital Patrols
* Prince Yu is not able to gain military support through the Capital Patrols

## Impact On Ending

* Xie Yu's confession is used in The Emperor's Birthday Party to proclaim all Chiyan Army members innocent, thus completing Mei Changsu's lifelong goal.