Episode 9 recap: # Mu Yi Kuan Willing to be a Scapegoat, Yuan Mo Uncovers the Truth about Hong Ye
In Episode 9, Mu Yi Kuan and Bai Su Qin are about to get married when Yu Chi Hua suddenly intervenes. Yuan Mo asks Director Bai to present an article written by Mu Yi Kuan and discovers that Mu Yi Kuan's ink stone has a foul smell, indicating he used cheap, inferior ink. In contrast, Director Bai’s ink has a pleasant fragrance. On the day of Long Bei Na's murder, an article Mu Yi Kuan wrote at Hong Wen Guan also emitted a foul odor, suggesting he had prepared it beforehand at home. Bai Su Qin confronts Mu Yi Kuan about what really happened, prompting Yuan Mo to recount events from the past two years.
When Mu Yi Kuan first arrived in Chang Le, he immediately set about learning court games like archery to ingratiate himself with the elite. Eventually, he seized the opportunity to meet Bai Su Qin and won the favor of Director Bai, which could lead to a government position through the annual exam. However, Long Bei Na's unexpected arrival derailed all his plans. Mu Yi Kuan realized that he needed to eliminate this obstacle to achieve his ambitions.
Hong Ye corroborates Yuan Mo's analysis, revealing that Mu Yi Kuan had given him money to help get closer to Bai Su Qin, and everything that followed was meticulously orchestrated by Mu Yi Kuan. Bai Su Qin is so overwhelmed that she nearly faints, and Hong Ye bluntly states that he witnessed Mu Yi Kuan running out of an alley on the day of Long Bei Na's murder.
Yu De Shui finally breathes a sigh of relief, allocating part of the credit to the East Courtyard and asking An Xiu Yi to assist the Jing Zhao Prefecture in closing the case. Wang Kun Wu is uninterested in taking credit but reminds everyone how to explain the situation to the Yan Le delegation. Long Ge wants to bring Mu Yi Kuan back to Yan Le, but An Xiu Yi warns that they can't act recklessly on Da Yong's territory. Long Ge then plots to take revenge on A Shu. On A Shu's way back, the driver suddenly disappears. Curious, A Shu gets out to investigate and is ambushed from behind by Long Ge, who throws a powder into his eyes, plunging A Shu into darkness.
Seeing A Shu crawl back home, Yuan Mo urgently asks him to teach him how to concoct an antidote. A Shu explains that Long Ge used a unique powder called "Shiming San" from Yan Le, and there is no antidote. The next day, Yuan Mo searches for Long Ge but finds nothing. Wang Kun Wu suggests a proper burial for Long Bei Na, which others deem unnecessary. However, Yuan Mo thinks it might attract Long Ge and agrees with Wang Kun Wu's proposal.
At home, while boiling water, A Shu nearly burns himself. Fortunately, Yuan Mo returns just in time. A Shu insists he will quickly adapt to living without sight and won’t be a burden to Yuan Mo. Yuan Mo scolds A Shu for being too formal, reminding him that they are family now since they share the same household registration.
Yuan Mo held a grand funeral for Long Bei Na, which successfully lured Long Ge into a trap. Following the clues, Yuan Mo obtained the antidote and took A Shu to the city gate that night to enjoy the dazzling lights. A Shu was so excited that he threw himself into Yuan Mo's arms.
The next day, to celebrate A Shu's regained sight, Yuan Mo took him to buy new clothes. A Shu couldn't shake the feeling that Yuan Mo had ulterior motives, prompting Yuan Mo to reluctantly add another fifty taels to his account. Meanwhile, Yu Chi Hua and Bai Su Qin were on their way to Nanshan for a summer retreat when the carriage driver was suddenly knocked out, leaving them lost.
Wang Kun Wu suspected that the maid Hong Ye was involved, so he went to the prison to inquire about her whereabouts. Mu Yi Kuan genuinely didn’t know where she was, but he did have feelings for Bai Su Qin and didn’t want her to come to harm. He recounted some small stories about Hong Ye.
The first time Mu Yi Kuan met Hong Ye, he saw her being beaten by a foreign merchant in the street. Unable to stand by, he used all his savings to buy her freedom. He later heard her mention that she had been locked in a cellar for years. Following this lead, Wang Kun Wu split his men into two teams to search. A Shu inadvertently recognized the hurried Hong Ye, knocked her out, and rescued the frozen Yu Chi Hua and Bai Su Qin.
Wang Kun Wu used ice chunks to restore Yu Chi Hua’s frozen limbs. An Xiu Yi was puzzled by this method, and Wang Kun Wu explained that hot water would actually hinder the release of cold, which was a common military practice. Yu Chi Hua gradually regained consciousness. Faced with undeniable evidence, Hong Ye finally confessed her crimes.
It turned out that she and Mu Yi Kuan were lovers. To help him achieve his examination dreams, she became a maid to get close to Bai Su Qin. When Long Bei Na became an obstacle, she killed him during a scuffle with A Shu. Despite all she had done, Mu Yi Kuan had truly fallen in love with Bai Su Qin and was preparing to marry her. In a fit of rage, Hong Ye resorted to framing Mu Yi Kuan for Long Bei Na's murder, filled with hatred towards Bai Su Qin. She could not forgive Mu Yi Kuan for betraying her feelings.
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