The Lament of Autumn

In 1919, northern warlord Cheng Jun sets his sights on the presidency and courts military backing from Sujing's three cities. Hoping to secure his own future, Yu Zhongquan, who controls Nanhuai, decides to join forces with Cheng's close ally, Chu Wenfu, and support Cheng's bid.

Ye Pingjun starts working at the Yuchun Troupe. The troupe leader reminds Ye Pingjun not to offend Yu Changxuan.

Yu Changxuan admits his defeat to Ye Pingjun after a ten-day bet. Not only did he release her, but he also gave her some silver dollars. Ye Pingjun can't contain her sorrow and rage. She rebukes Yu Changxuan for acting all high and mighty and cruel.

Yu Changxuan and Gu Ruitong plan to hijack Mou Linsen and Tao Xili's smuggled weapons with the help of the Cheng Army.

Yu Changxuan learns that Ye Pingjun caught a chill and developed a fever while on the boat. Though he claims not to care, he shows up at her door with a basket of nourishing tonics to visit her.

Tao Xili abducts Ye Pingjun and whips her in a warehouse outside the city to vent his anger. She stubbornly refuses to admit any wrongdoing, but during the struggle, she spots half a jade pendant at his waist. It resembles a keepsake her mother once owned, leaving her wondering what the connection could be.

Chunfeng Theater Troupe is suddenly sealed off. Ye Pingjun instinctively assumes that it was Yu Changxuan's revenge. Ye Pingjun begs him and weighs the pros and cons for him, but Yu Changxuan rejects her both times. They part on bad terms.

Jiang Xueting joins the Yu Army as a translator after being hired by Yu Changxuan. Li Boren notices that Yu Changxuan already knew that Jiang Xueting is Ye Pingjun's boyfriend. He is sure that Yu Changxuan is serious about going after Ye Pingjun this time.

Jiang Xueting sneaks into the archives during his overtime shift. He manages to steal a list of the names of deceased individuals from the mining incident. That is why Jiang Xueting returns to the country in advance and tries to join the Yu Army.

Yu Changxuan reveals the plans he has been plotting all along within the army, building Yu Army's own arsenal on Changping Mountain, but his plan is rejected by the old generals.

An article exposing how Feng Sanli forced soldiers to work in a mine where they died in a disaster sparks outrage across Nanhuai, plunging the Yu Army into scandal.

On his deathbed, the limping soldier reveals the whereabouts of the stolen goods. When Yu Changxuan rushes to the scene, he finds that the gold has already been moved, leading him to conclude that someone was protecting Feng Sanli.

Gu Ruitong leads his troops in storming through the door and takes Jiang Xueting into custody on charges of stealing military secrets and defecting to the enemy.

Yu Changxuan confronts Jiang Xueting in prison, questioning how he can truly care for Ye Pingjun while secretly working as a spy and still planning to marry her.

At Fengtai, Ye Pingjun refuses to eat for three days, her high fever showing no sign of breaking. Yu Changxuan stays by her side, eventually resorting to threats against Jiang Xueting's life to make her eat.

Ye Pingjun returns home. Li Boren chases her into the alley. He tells her about the things Yu Changxuan had done for her. Ye Pingjun is at a loss for words.

After Jiang Xueting is released from prison, Ye Pingjun feels heartbroken seeing how haggard he looks. However, Jiang Xueting presses her for answers about what really happened between her and Yu Changxuan, noticing the scars on her wrist.

On the battlefield, Yu Changxuan watches his comrades fall and prepares to go down fighting, but Gu Ruitong and Kuang Bingwen arrive with reinforcements and rescue him.

Ye Pingjun's play calling for a boycott of Japanese goods enrages a group of Japanese rōnin. After the crowd beats them up during the ensuing clash, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce uses the incident as an excuse to imprison her and torture her into confessing.

Ye Pingjun accidentally discovers that the photo of Yu Changxuan with the Japanese man was taken out of context and deliberately fabricated by Jiang Xueting. Deeply disappointed in Jiang Xueting, Ye Pingjun asks to break up.

Tao Xili has Ye Pingjun abducted and taken to the riverbank, where he tries to force her to kneel before him. To avenge his younger daughter, he orders his men to throw Ye Pingjun into the river.

When Ye Pingjun goes to pick up her mother, the wooden lodge is on fire. She rushes into the fire to save her, only to realize that her mother has run out of strength.

Ye Pingjun finally wakes up, but she has no memory of Yu Changxuan.

Ye Pingjun is grateful for Yu Changxuan's care and devotion, but she still can't remember anything from the past and always feels as though she and Yu Changxuan belong to two different worlds.

Lan Qing secretly instructs the coachman to take Ye Pingjun to a secluded spot, where Tong Chunhai's men abduct her.

As Yu Changxuan and Ye Pingjun pack to move back to the Yu family home, he tells her about Lan Qing's history with his older brother, Yu Mingxuan.

Yu Changxuan sets up a sting operation to track down the mole in contact with Cai Fuhu and sets up surveillance at the Laifu Teahouse. On the day of the meeting, Kuang Bingwen shows up.

Jin Xuan nearly miscarries due to an allergic reaction to the musk in the medicinal pillow. The pillow was handmade by Ye Ping Jun. Furious, Yu Zhong Quan seeks to punish her, but Yu Chang Xuan vigorously defends his wife.

News breaks that Tao Xi Li may have played a part in Yu Ming Xuan's death. Yu Zhong Quan takes his anger out on Ye Ping Jun, locking her in the ancestral hall and forcing her to kneel in penance for her father.

Yu Chang Xuan visits the arsenal to oversee a test, but an explosion reduces the site to rubble. He and several others are buried in the wreckage, their fate unknown.

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the entire Yu family gathers at the Yu Residence. Yu Chang Xuan takes Ye Ping Jun on a nighttime stroll through the streets, buying her sweet potatoes and playing air gun at the stall, enjoying a simple yet sweet moment.

Jiang Xue Ting reveals to Ye Ping Jun that Yu Chang Xuan threatened her with his own life and tells him the truth about her mother's death. Yu Chang Xuan admits to lying to Ye Ping Jun. Ye Ping Jun breaks down. Thinking that all they have between them is just lies, she decides to leave by boat.

Ye Ping Jun goes to the hospital for a checkup and learns she has been pregnant for nearly two months. Overjoyed, she sets out for headquarters to tell Yu Chang Xuan, but on the way, she passes a shop on fire, and the thick smoke and flames awaken her lost memories.

Ye Ping Jun arrives in Siping Town, preparing to take a train south. Three thugs target and pester her. She falls while evading their grapple, causing her to suffer a miscarriage.

While Yu Chang Xuan is inspecting the front lines, he is ambushed by Colonel Lu. News of his death reaches Yu Residence. Kuang Bing Wen and Chen Wan Qiao finally show their true colors.

With the Yu Army losing ground, Yu Zhong Quan seeks help from the Jun family. They demand a marriage alliance in return. Facing the possible destruction of his army, he agrees to their terms on his own.

Ye Ping Jun gives birth to a boy. However, Jiang Xue Ting takes him away by force. Using his safety as a bargaining chip, he demands that Ye Ping Jun stop resisting. Ye Ping Jun is forced to compromise.

Yu Chang Xuan finds out that his father has been going to the cemetery in the western suburbs and follows him. He sees his father erecting a tombstone for Ye Ping Jun. Yu Zhong Quan admits to causing Ping Jun's death. Yu Chang Xuan is consumed by grief and anger and has a falling out with his father.

Before he dies, Jiang Xue Ting tells Ye Ping Jun that Little Yu is alive. He gives her a travel pass and urges her to leave quickly.

The night before the battle, Yu Chang Xuan and Ye Ping Jun gaze at the starry sky together. Yu Chang Xuan promises to plant a maple tree with Little Yu and stay with him as he grows up.