This chapter's epigraph comes from a conversation between Lan and feng-xing lang. Lan tells his father that the imposter who stopped him outside the gate of the royal city was the same man who ordered the guards to lock the city down. Lan wants to know why the imposter can't be his dad's spy. Lan says he'll check it out on his own. The only way to find the person who kidnapped Nuo nuo is to find out who the kidnapper is. The old witch has returned, and Lan is devastated to see her. He begs her not to chase her away, but she says she'll be a better woman if she doesn't. He's right. The masked man is telling the truth, and he's going to test her first