Episode 17 recap: Gong Zi Yu discovered Yun Wei Shan's true identity, and the truth about Yun Que's death came to light.
Jin Fan asked Gong Zi Yu if there really exists a medicine that can control people's minds. Gong Zi Yu believed it was impossible and suggested that Jin Fan try drinking it. Jin Fan asked if Gong Zi Yu's conscience wouldn't hurt, and Gong Zi Yu persuaded him to sacrifice and cooperate. Jin Fan was left speechless by his master's response. Meanwhile, Yun Wei Shan distracted the people in the kitchen and secretly added a packet of medicine to the soup being prepared.
Shang Guan Qian knew that Gong Shang Jue still suspected Lady Wu Ji's identity, so she used the excuse of obtaining scar-removing herbs to improve their relationship. She even claimed that she was gathering information for him. Gong Shang Jue saw through her intentions and realized that she was the one seeking information herself. When he saw Shang Guan Qian voluntarily holding his hand and placing it on her face, he didn't feel particularly pleased about it.
Gong Zi Yu overheard the dungeon guard mentioning that Yue Zhang Lao had been there while drunk. Immediately, he found Jin Fan and took out the Trial Grass, intending to use it against Gong Shang Jue. However, he changed his mind and decided to make Jin Fan drink it to test its authenticity. Jin Fan became confused, and when Gong Zi Yu asked if he liked Gong Zi Shang, he said that the medicine was fake.
Gong Zi Yu suspected that there was a secret chamber in Yue Zhang Lao's room. The bracelet had a mark from Yun Que, and Yun Wei Shan's necklace had the same pattern. Gong Zi Yu remembered Yun Wei Shan intentionally saying the phrase "万千相思万千绪" (thousands of thoughts and thousands of loves) while waiting for him in the secret chamber, confirming that she had said the same phrase there to Yue Zhang Lao.
Shang Guan Qian entered Gong Shang Jue's bathhouse, and he discerned that her footsteps were trained specifically. He asked if she had fully recovered, but Shang Guan Qian deliberately exposed her shoulder to show goodwill. However, Gong Shang Jue freed himself from her grasp. Just as Shang Guan Qian was leaving, Gong Shang Jue invited her to join him in the bath. Yun Wei Shan purposely distracted the people in the kitchen and had someone bring some mugwort, while she secretly put the medicine from her waist into the medicine pot.
Jin Fan arrived at the Feather Palace with a group of armed guards, and from a distance, Gong Yuan Zheng noticed that the guards there had been knocked out by incense. Yue Zhang Lao met with Yun Wei Shan, and Gong Zi Yu followed them. Yue Zhang Lao revealed that Yun Que was his beloved, and he had even seen a portrait of Yun Wei Shan back then. Yun Wei Shan couldn't understand why he would secretly assist her when he knew she was from Wufeng. At that moment, Gong Zi Yu, who was listening outside the door, was both astonished and deeply pained. He pushed the door open and confronted Yun Wei Shan, severing ties with her. Gong Yuan Zheng tried to leave but was stopped by Jin Fan.
Shang Guan Qian begged Gong Shang Jue to avenge her. She had previously poisoned the food at Dianzhu, the Clear Wind Sect, but it was unsuccessful. Gong Shang Jue claimed that he had timely taken the unique antidote from the palace. Yue Zhang Lao did not betray the palace. He helped Wufeng because he liked Yun Que. Initially, when Yun Que came to steal the Bai Cao Cui, a valuable herb, from Wufeng, she used her skill in muscle control to hide in a small box and sneak into the palace. At that time, Gong Yuan Zheng had just cultivated the Yunzhong Lotus, and Yue Zhang Lao violated the rules by infiltrating the front mountain.
Yun Que infiltrated the medical hall to find the Bai Cao Cui but was discovered by Gong Yuan Zheng. He then created poisonous smoke to force Yun Que out of the medical hall. At that time, she was besieged by the front mountain forces, but Yue Zhang Lao saved her and took her to the back mountain. After she recovered, she was handed over to the old executioner. At that time, she was conducting experiments on anesthesia, so she asked him for it. If she hadn't done so, Yun Que would have been killed that night.
Yun Que had prejudice against the people from the palace. Initially, she wanted to commit suicide, but after Yue Zhang Lao persuaded her and they spent several days together, they gradually developed feelings for each other. He made various pastries and new clothes for Yun Que. Yun Que explained that she married into Wufeng because she was an orphan and could only survive by following orders. An old beggar saved and raised her, but he was killed by someone, and she was bullied by a tyrant. She was later rescued by Wufeng, and all she wanted was to stay alive. The reason she couldn't escape was because she had the Half Moon Fly attached to her. That's why she developed the antidote for the Heart-Eating Moon. Yun Que once told him about her sister. Whenever she wanted to commit suicide, she would think of her sister. That's why she agreed to be Yue Zhang Lao's medicinal test subject. She liked the back mountain and wanted to stay there forever, but her mission was to steal the Bai Cao Cui and find the Nameless. Wufeng would not allow anyone to leave the organization.
Yue Zhang Lao suggested that if she were a corpse, would she no longer be pursued by Wufeng? He developed a medicine that, when consumed, would induce a state similar to death. He proposed to the elders and the executioner that Yun Que's body should be hung at the city gate as a warning. According to the plan, she was supposed to be buried three days later, but Yun Que was nowhere to be found.
Yun Wei Shan said that Yun Que's body was sent back to Wufeng. When she uncovered the white cloth, she saw a mutilated corpse. Yue Zhang Lao infiltrated the dungeon to confirm whether Yun Que had been sent back to Wufeng. It was then that he learned that Wufeng had discovered Yun Que's feigned death, and she died from a blow to the head. Han Ya Si recalled that when Yun Que returned to Wufeng after completing a mission, she was killed on the spot by the first leader for trying to take a shortcut. Yun Wei Shan had deceived her, claiming that it was the palace that killed Yun Que. Han Ya Si couldn't accept the death of Yun Que, whom she had raised since childhood, and she cried bitterly while holding her lifeless body.
Honestly, this drama feels quite mediocre. Apart from the good-looking cast, the plot is dragging even though it's already at Level 17, it feels like it's just getting started. Especially in the 9th level, the conversation between the male and female leads lasted for over 30 minutes, and for one level, I spent over 50 minutes just listening to them talk!
There are countless palace gate nameless assassins, and that whole buildup about the poison, only to find out later that it was the antidote? Until now, I haven't seen any growth from the male lead.
As a Bladebearer, he's too focused on love affairs, casually revealing important information. The Three Realms Trial was hyped up so much, but it turned out to be nothing more than a joke. Why not just bring Jin Fan along too?
After so many levels, I still haven't seen any growth. The only noticeable growth is in the relationship between the male and female leads.