The only person who sees a shirtless, sweating Jinshi sparring classily with a potential underling is Gaoshun. If any women were there, the heat would cause them to pass out. Jinshi, however, queries the apothecary following the session, notably regarding whether she has regained her weight and health after exerting herself for Lady Lihua.


Maomao's discovery of some fresh Matsutake mushrooms in the royal grounds has lifted her spirits. She also finds out that a military officer was seduced by a servant, and she believes an aphrodisiac was used, via her street girl, Xiaolan. Regarding the fact that Jinshi helped her make it, Maomao remains silent.




The quack doctor, her companion in crime, and she are having some grilled mushrooms with salt and soy paste when a eunuch who feels he has been cursed interrupts their time together. When he displays the ugly rashes on his hands to them, Maomao thinks an ointment will help.


Maomao mimics the multicolored flames he saw and attributes the rashes to the boy touching wooden tablets containing fireworks-like material that changed the flame's color. This is how the boy explains how the rashes started and how a strange colored flame made him think it was a curse.



After science has been able to solve this small puzzle, Jinshi pulls Maomao aside and shows her a variety of salts that, when combined with oil or water, can change the color of flames. Gaoshun is asked by Jinshi to locate any other victims of burns, as he and Maomao believe the multicolored flames could be a code used for sinister intent.


With the emperor's extravagant garden party approaching, Jinshi, Maomao, Gyokuyou, and her entourage need to be on high alert if there is any covert plotting going on. Gyokuyou's other ladies-in-waiting outfit her in the official attire that they will all be donning. Attending will be all four of the emperor's most desirable concubines, and the contest will be one of charm and appearance.


As usual, Maomao is very realistic about what's going to happen. Autumn means that there will be lots of standing about and freezing temperatures. To combat this, she makes a candy with orange and ginger that helps with blood flow and provides warmth. She also sews pockets into her undergarment so that a warming stone may be placed inside.


Not only do her fellow ladies-in-waiting want her to prepare these hacks for them, but the emperor's seamstress and kitchen also get in touch with her after learning about them. She's gaining a lot of friends and drawing attention in the court just by being herself.

On the day of the garden party, Maomao and the other ladies look stunning in their pink formal robes, while Gyokuyou wears gorgeous red robes that accentuate her coral hair and jade eyes. Gyokuyou tells Maomao that her girls may attract "bad bugs" if they don't wear beautiful jewelry, therefore she "marks" them.


But Maomao never had freckles to begin with, much to their dismay as well as Jinshi's when he saw her looking her best for a garden party. She used clay to create imitations. Maomao is direct in her response to Jinshi, who is obviously in awe of her beauty (those eyes), when she wonders why she would do such a thing: to prevent being pulled into an alley.


She goes on to inform him that the short, skinny, ugly females in the red-light district where she worked were not as likely to be picked up by bad men. It turns out that she was nonetheless, but they didn't get any worse—they just sold her. Although it's not Maomao's fault, Jinshi is upset on his behalf, and she acknowledges that she is also upset about it.


Maomao finds it odd that Jinshi is being direct instead than playing games, but it's Jinshi who becomes so enamored of Maomao that he inserts one of his hairpins into her hair—exactly the thing Gyokuyou was attempting to stop. By habit, Maomao is no longer solely hers.


Potential mischief during the celebration is hinted at by the "curse" of the man's hand rashes, particularly because the four concubines are competing to marry the emperor and become his official consort. All four of them will be under observation, and a woman serving food in the shadows raises the possibility that she is an agent involved in impending betrayal.


If the dish is intended for Gyokuyou, Maomao will be the one to sample it first. However, this week's transformation demonstrates that Maomao's stunning dancing in the opening scene is real and is who she is when she isn't self-conscious. Now that everything has been planned, it's time to celebrate.