Morning in the records pavilion after Yan's discovery, quiet dust lamps and ancient oath-tablets surrounding his work desk.

Elder Luo interrupts Yan's work and orders him to serve at a ceremony.

Mirror Pool's marriage pavilion is revealed, decorated for a political oath wedding.

Yan prepares the marriage document and clarifies the role of a witness-scribe.

Yan writes the public marriage terms, which seem ordinary and politically useful.

The hidden fallback line surfaces beneath Yan's ink.

Yan understands the consequence of the contradictory oath and the danger to Lin.

The ceremony waits while Yan decides how to act without lying or making an unsupported accusation.

Yan interrupts the ceremony with the question that reframes the oath.

Lin takes Yan's question as an insult before she realizes he is offering a way out.

Yan explains the oath rule: before completion, voluntary amendment can turn contradiction into obligation.

Lin demands proof, and Shen's own reaction exposes that Yan is not inventing the danger.

Lin asks what the contradiction would do to her, forcing Yan to state the corpse-debt plainly.

Lin, Shen, and Yan seal the amendment before the original marriage-oath can complete.

The oath accepts the amendment; Shen survives, marked as debtor, and the wedding binding breaks.

Lin publicly rejects the ceremony and cuts away the marriage cord.

Elder Luo tries to control the damage, but Lin protects the legality of Yan's action.

Yan quietly confirms Shen's new obligation and chooses not to spend the owed answer yet.

After the guests scatter, Yan gathers discarded preparation tablets and finds another hidden First Seat clause.

Lin returns to confront Yan about his motives, and he answers honestly enough to earn wary respect.