Tigers Sniff the Rose episode 27 recap: A cup that wasn't poison

In short

The Emperor rewards the victors in ways that strip their power, sends Wei Shu to the dangerous frontier, and makes Yan Shang drink what he believes is poison. It is only fruit juice, but Yan Shang is sent home to Lingnan and the princess is confined to the palace.

What happens in episode 27

With Yu Cheng'an dead, power is back in the Emperor's hands, and his rewards come with strings. Meng Zaishi is named military governor over three frontier commands, but he is told to stay at the palace for a hundred days because the roads are icy. Lu Yan becomes Marquis of Zhongshan and gives up the Jinwu Guard to enjoy life in the capital. To calm the frontier in Meng Zaishi's absence, the Emperor sends an envoy: Wei Shu, the new top scholar, a frail young man in a harsh land. The Crown Prince is furious, but can do nothing.

Chancellor Liu points out that the Emperor has left someone off his list. Yan Shang is summoned and questioned hard. He is the princess's wings, the Emperor says. Without him she would never have dared to kill Zheng Xing, refuse Meng Zaishi or bring down Yu Cheng'an. If he stays, she will only drift further from the freedom she wants, and the Emperor won't let Yu Cheng'an's story happen again. He accuses Yan Shang of urging her to forge an edict and orders him to drink poisoned wine. To keep her out of it, Yan Shang drinks.

The princess is visiting Chunhua and the baby at Prince Jin's house when Fang Tong brings the news. She races to the palace, finds only an empty cup and collapses, crying that she has killed him. Then she looks up and sees Yan Shang walking toward her, perfectly well. The cup held nothing but fruit juice. The test only makes the Emperor more determined to split them up.

While they are still holding each other, a decree arrives. As a reward, Yan Shang will go home to Lingnan for three months to visit his family. The princess must stay in the palace for three months copying sutras for her late mother, which amounts to house arrest. In the Empress's old rooms she finds a letter her mother left her, full of sorrow and helplessness at seeing her daughter sent away to the marriage alliance. She reads it in tears.

Liu Wenji, now Attendant Liu, comes to see Yan Shang off with a cartload of gifts from the Emperor. He envies him: top marks, and now a grand trip home. He wants to ask Yan Shang to look in on his family but can't find the words, because going home in glory was once his own plan. Yan Shang smiles bitterly. He knows these gifts are burial goods and that he may never come back. On the road he meets Wei Shu, who fears they won't see each other again. Yan Shang promises they will, ties his own cloak around him and says the place he's going is warm. They part, and riding on, he remembers coming to the capital with the princess and smiles.

Why it matters

Episode 27 makes the Emperor the leads' new obstacle, and sends Yan Shang, Wei Shu and the princess in three different directions.

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