Tigers Sniff the Rose episode 18 recap: A white bird at Huanghua Creek

In short

To punish the man who stabbed Liu Wenji, Yan Shang and the princess set a trap: Zhang Jun goes hunting for a lucky white bird, and the princess shoots Yu Cheng'an's son with one of Zhang's arrows. Zhang tries to bury the body, and Yang Si catches him.

What happens in episode 18

Learning that Liu Wenji was hurt standing up for a woman because she reminded him of Chunhua, the princess warms to him. But his attacker, Zhang Jun, is the spoiled late-born son of Minister Zhang Cheng, a friend of Yu Cheng'an. A lowly collator can't touch him. Yan Shang agrees, but says the capital has tigers that can swallow a jackal like Zhang, and asks for her help.

Fang Tong shadows Zhang for a few days: he loves hunting but can't shoot straight, and drinks with other idle rich boys in Pingkang Ward. With that, Yan Shang has a plan. He visits Yu Cheng'an's house to thank his "benefactor" Yu Xianyao and flatters him shamelessly. Yu Cheng'an tests him, likes his quick, unbookish answers, and asks him to teach his son.

Yu Xianyao complains that Chancellor Liu keeps refusing to see him. Yan Shang tips him off: the chancellor will be making tea at Huanghua Creek tomorrow, and he dislikes young dandies, so go in a plain scholar's robe.

That night the princess clears out Zhang's favorite tavern, then invites him to drink with her. Fang Tong mentions a rare pure-white bird seen at Huanghua Creek, and Zhang decides to shoot it as a gift for Yu Cheng'an.

At the creek Zhang shoots and misses again and again, while Fang Tong gathers his arrows, each carved with his name. When Yu Xianyao walks by in plain clothes, the princess fires one of Zhang's arrows and hits him in the backside. Zhang's men find the wounded man and Zhang orders them to bury him quietly. Yang Si, an official at the Court of Judicial Review whom the princess had invited along, spots them and shouts. Zhang flees, Yang Si takes Yu Xianyao back to his court, and Yu Cheng'an rushes over.

Why it matters

Yan Shang turns Yu Cheng'an's own power against one of his allies, and shows how far he and the princess will go to get justice.

Based on the episode synopsis, summarized in our own words: TVmao (电视猫) episode synopses