JIAQING puts HESHEN and FUCHANG’AN under house arrest at the Qianqing Palace, commanding the two to confess their crimes in public the next morning. FUCHANG’AN is very uneasy, but HESHEN doesn’t panic at all, because JIAQING is the one whom he taught! JIAQING has a confidential conversation with PRINCE YONGXUAN, who is willing to testify against HESHEN on the charge of treason. JIAQING then has a drink with PRINCE YONGLIN and gets his support to deal with HESHEN. GULUN PRINCESS HEXIAO brings along CHANG MEI and her son FU’EN to the palace to greet NOBLE CONSORT DOWAGER YING, who just returned from Mongolia, but FU’EN suddenly disappears. HESHEN and FUCHANG’AN are summoned by JIAQING to stand trial for their crimes, unexpectedly, explosion-like sounds are heard everywhere from the Forbidden City!