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Spoilers for episodes 1–11
Where the Mask Ends episode recaps
What happens in every episode, in order. Recaps are our own English summaries of the official Chinese episode synopses, added as each episode airs in China. Baidu Baike: official synopsis, episode synopses, cast and 追剧日历
Episode 1The banquet and the poisoned arrowThe girl raised as Wei Rao shows how cruel she is, Lu Zhuo decides to break the engagement, then comes home with a poisoned arrow wound, and she plots to send someone else to the wedding.Fri, Oct 16 · Read recap Episode 2A Chou takes her placeWei Heng'e saves A Chou, a poor girl with the same face, from execution and pays her to marry Lu Zhuo. On the wedding night, he wakes up.Fri, Oct 16 · Read recap Episode 3A one-year dealLu Zhuo orders his new wife to leave, she wins over the household instead, and the two agree to fake a marriage for one year. Her spying governess dies by her own poison.Fri, Oct 16 · Read recap Episode 4The body in the well and the trip homeA Chou hides Governess Wu's body. On the visit to her 'family', Lu Zhuo and the old Madame notice the calluses on her hands, and Jun Dai tries to burn her alive.Sat, Oct 17 · Read recap Episode 5Whoever married him is Wei RaoThe old Madame saves A Chou from the fire and rules that she keeps the name. Jun Dai tries again at the Qixi festival and nearly drowns her.Sat, Oct 17 · Read recap Episode 6A stolen letter and a birthday planHan Liao learns A Chou's secret from a dead servant. To protect herself she takes charge of the old Madame's birthday banquet so the whole capital knows her face.Sun, Oct 18 · Read recap Episode 7The birthday banquetA Chou's banquet is a triumph, while Han Liao and Huo Jue each try to expose or replace her. That night Lu Zhuo asks her who she really is.Sun, Oct 18 · Read recap Episode 8Making Lu Zhuo jealousA Chou turns Lu Zhuo's suspicion back on him, pretends to fall for his friend, and goads him into making her the Lu family's official senior wife. Then Han Liao takes her family.Mon, Oct 19 · Read recap Episode 9The ancestral rites trapHan Liao blackmails A Chou into helping frame the Lu family. She plays along, warns Lu Zhuo without saying a word, and the trap closes on Han Liao instead.Mon, Oct 19 · Read recap Episode 10The emperor's judgment and the gold from the city wallA Chou wins huge compensation from the Emperor, meets her birth mother without being recognized, and gives everything away when she realizes the truth is out.Tue, Oct 20 · Read recap
Episode 11Recap in progressZhou Fu gives A Chou two choices: leave the capital with Huo Jue, or die. Jun Dai is presented to Lu Zhuo as his wife, and he sees immediately that she isn't the woman he married.Tue, Oct 20 · full recap soon
Episode 12Airs Wed, Oct 21Recap after it airs
Episode 13Airs Wed, Oct 21Recap after it airs
Episode 14Expected Thu, Oct 22Recap after it airs
Episode 15Expected Thu, Oct 22Recap after it airs
Episode 16Expected Fri, Oct 23Recap after it airs
Episode 17Expected Fri, Oct 23Recap after it airs
Episode 18Expected Sat, Oct 24Recap after it airs
Episode 19Expected Sat, Oct 24Recap after it airs
Episode 20Expected Sun, Oct 25Recap after it airs
Episode 21Expected Sun, Oct 25Recap after it airs
Episode 22Expected Mon, Oct 26Recap after it airs
Episode 23Expected Mon, Oct 26Recap after it airs
Episode 24Expected Tue, Oct 27Recap after it airs
Episode 25Expected Tue, Oct 27Recap after it airs
Episode 26Expected Wed, Oct 28Recap after it airs
Episode 27Expected Wed, Oct 28Recap after it airs
Episode 28Expected Thu, Oct 29Recap after it airs
Episode 29Expected Thu, Oct 29Recap after it airs
Episode 30Expected Fri, Oct 30Recap after it airs