Dawn. A single cold room in the Pei estate, dust motes in thin light. Maps cover the walls. Letters spread across a low table.

Zhaoyue's workspace - close details of her preparations.

Grandmother enters with tea. Brief teaching moment.

Grandmother reviewing the names with Zhaoyue.

Transition to the teahouse. Zhaoyue meets the treasury official.

Treasury official arrives. First impressions.

Wei Zhong reacts. The crack appears.

The offer. Zhaoyue gives him an outlet.

Wei Zhong accepts. The thread is placed.

Transition. Another teahouse. The military advisor.

Zhaoyue reads Chen. Finding the wound.

Chen reacts. The wound opens.

Zhaoyue offers the outlet.

Chen accepts. The second thread is placed.

Back at the cold room. The web grows.

Brief scene with the Fourth Prince. He thinks he's cultivating an ally.

Zhaoyue's face. She lets him believe.

The Crown Prince's faction takes notice.

The faction mobilizes. Court crowd, formal inquiry being prepared.

The formal inquiry arrives at Zhaoyue's desk.

Zhaoyue reads the inquiry. The contents.

Zhaoyue sets the document down. The smile.

Final panel. The web and the cold room. The machinery continues.