General Yue reports the movements of the army to the Minister. Minister Jin regrets not listening to General Yue previously, and grabbing his imperial tag, they barely escape the guards who storm his mansion. He rushes into the palace, and reports that Yuan Qi has revolted.
Di Ming looks affected when he sees the numerous dead bodies around. Yuan Qi just looks on at one of his men vomiting, and tells him that he needs to harden his heart.
Yuan Qi starts the revolt, and the King retreats into the palace. General Yue asks the King where else he can seek troops, but the King knows that there is nowhere that can help. General Yue asks the King to abandon his attire, and allow him to protect him out of the palace.
The King entrusts his possessions to General Yue, including the imperial seal. He tells General Yue to call for help. This also means that King is clear that he might not survive, and entrusts the authority to General Yue for safekeeping.
Ping Jing visits the information store of Langya mountain before he leaves on information of the capital – and realises that the King is in grave danger. In order to protect the King, Ping Jing sends news to Yuan Qi that he is coming to the capital. He hopes that this would stop Yuan Qi from immediately killing the King.
General Yue tries to get help from the Jin army troops, but they are trapped the city, and the other imperial armies (the Yu troops) are under the control of Yuan Qi.
Yuan Qi launches his attack into the palace. The King’s army try to put up as much of a resistance as possible, but they are simply outnumbered. Empress Dowager Xun cries that if Minister Xun was here, there would not be such a day – but the King corrects her. It is Chang Lin that would have prevented this from happening.
Stepping over the numerous dead bodies, Yuan Qi enters the inner palace. With one stroke, he cuts down Minister Jin. Di Ming eyes Empress Dowager Xun angrily, and confronts her about the epidemic.
Empress Dowager Xun kneels in front of the King, and admits her wrongdoing. She begs Di Ming to spare the King, as the King was still very young then, and had no knowledge of this. To appease Di Ming’s anger, Empress Dowager Xun offers her life.
Di Ming passes her the sword to commit suicide. Her parting words to the King are for him to be objective towards all, and be a good King. Yuan Qi looks on, smirking.
Yuan Qi advances towards the King, addressing him by his name of Yuan Shi. He wants the King to write down his crimes and abdicate the throne Terrified but determined, the King refuses. His personal eunuch defends the King, and is cut down ruthlessly. Yuan Qi orders a search on the palace for the seal, but the King has already sent it off.
Yuan Qi taunts the Emperor that he cannot wait for Ping Jing to save him, and that Ping Jing would side with Yuan Qi.
Back in Langya mountain, Ping Jing and Commander Xun analyse the situation. Ping Jing knows that because of his father’s adverseness to to influence politics, they have never had a stake in imperial troops. This was also to assuage concerns that the Chang Lin manor can use its reputation to gather an army.
But Ping Jing knows that now, he precisely needs to rely on that reputation and prestige of Chang Lin to gather troops to help the King.
An Ru passes her jewellery and valuables to Min’er, telling her to leave the mansion before it is too late. An Ru knows that this is all she can do.
Di Ming recognises that the court ministers are still important for Great Liang. He visits the prison to try advise them to side with Yuan Qi. One of the ministers angrily refuses even in death, and he is brought to the backyard. However, Di Ming refuses to kill any of them.
Ping Jing and Commander Xun arrive in Langzhou, where they meet Dong Qing. Dong Qing declares his allegiance to Ping Jing, in spite of the dangers that they face. Similarly, General Wei brings the Ganzhou army to Ping Jing. Under the flag of Chang Lin, many troops gather in support of Ping Jing, and they race towards the capital.
In the empty court, Yuan Qi drags An Ru to see the throne. She sobs as Yuan Qi sits down on the throne, and questions Yuan Qi if this is worth the betrayals and crimes he committed. She cannot appreciate it even if she dies, and glares at Yuan Qi.