Episode 15 recap: Jiuling assisted the Emperor secretly, and the Prince of Xunnan visited Jiuling.
The Emperor expressed his desire for Jiuling to serve as his general and assist him in ruling. Jiuling was momentarily stunned upon hearing this. Seeing her hesitation, the Emperor thought she disagreed and sighed, mentioning how her father and brothers sacrificed their lives to entrust her to Rong Yu, hoping she could live a peaceful life away from bloodshed and danger. He understood if she didn't want to accept his offer.
Jiuling realized that the Emperor misunderstood her intentions, so she voiced her concerns. She asked the Emperor why he valued her so highly and what qualities she possessed. The Emperor solemnly stated that she was a member of the He family, a family known for its loyalty and sacrifice. He was well aware that the He family would never betray their country. The Emperor lamented that the accusations of treason against the He family were fabricated by Zhong Yong Hou and his accomplices. He regretted his youthful naivety and acknowledged that he had been manipulated and stripped of his power, unable to protect the loyal He family.
Jiuling was moved to tears upon hearing this. She knelt deeply before the Emperor, vowing to fulfill her mission and assist him in ruling, protecting the prosperous kingdom of Jialin. The Emperor helped her up and expressed doubts about how far they could go together, considering he was a deposed emperor and she was the daughter of a convicted criminal. However, Jiuling resolutely assured him that she would not disappoint him and that she would not let any of those treacherous individuals who framed the He family go unpunished.
The Emperor entrusted Jiuling with 100 secret guards, arranged by his late father, and instructed them to treat Jiuling as they would treat him. Jiuling immediately commanded them to infiltrate the residences of the ministers and gather information. After making these arrangements, Jiuling bought pastries and headed towards the Rong residence. On the way, she encountered Rong Yu, who had been searching for her. Both of them were pleasantly surprised by the encounter, and to their delight, they had each bought a heart-shaped pastry for the other.
After settling everything at his home, the Prince of Xunnan hurried to Jialin. He stood at a distance from the entrance of the Rong residence and witnessed Jiuling and Rong Yu returning home happily. He felt a deep sense of loss, knowing he had arrived too late. The next day, Jiuling helped Rong Yu pack his belongings. Seeing the heavy overcast weather, Jiuling advised Rong Yu not to go to the astrology hall for class. However, Rong Yu insisted on going, wanting to learn more so he could protect Jiuling in the future.
Jiuling was pleased to hear this and decided to personally accompany him to class. Rong Jiang called out to Jiuling, saying he had something to ask her, while Rong Yu waited for her at the doorstep.
Rong Jiang questioned Jiuling about where she had been last night, causing the servants and carriages to be sent back. Jiuling explained that it was New Year's Eve and she had gone to visit her late father, brothers, and sister-in-law. She didn't want the Rong residence to be affected by any ill fortune from the cemetery, so she sent them back first. Rong Jiang found no fault in Jiuling's explanation and had nothing else to say, allowing her to leave.
Rong Yu had been waiting for Jiuling all this time. Jiuling held his cold hand, feeling warmth in her heart. She whispered, wondering if he would get angry if she ever lied to him in the future. When they arrived at the astrology hall, Jiuling escorted Rong Yu inside and wandered the streets alone. Suddenly, it started raining, and just as Jiuling was about to seek shelter, the Prince of Xunnan appeared with an umbrella, shielding her from the rain. Seeing her senior brother, Jiuling smiled with relief. The two of them walked to a street corner, and by then, the rain had stopped. The Prince of Xunnan felt guilty for not arriving in time to save the He family, but Jiuling reassured him, saying that even if he had come, it wouldn't have changed the situation.
The Prince of Xunnan wanted to take Jiuling away, but she hesitated in her heart. Rong Yu, who had been practicing calligraphy, hurriedly arrived with an umbrella upon seeing that it was raining. Miss Jiang, from Zhong Yong Hou's family, and the young prince happened to be on the street and intentionally approached Jiuling and the unknown man, trying to provoke a confrontation. They insisted on asking Jiuling who the man was. Just then, Rong Yu arrived, and Miss Jiang tried to instigate Rong Yu to scold Jiuling. But Rong Yu cleverly responded by saying that the man was indeed a man, causing Miss Jiang to become furious and insult Rong Yu. This angered Jiuling, and she confronted Miss Jiang, grabbing her by the throat and giving her a stern lesson.
The young prince quickly pulled his sister away. Zhong Yong Hou received a report that Song Da Ren had been attacked but the assailant had not been caught. They suspected Jiuling's involvement, but Rong Jiang had already confirmed that Jiuling had an alibi. Jiuling wanted to speak with the Prince of Xunnan, and Rong Yu insisted on joining them. They arrived at a restaurant, and Jiuling went to arrange their meal. Rong Yu overheard the Prince of Xunnan planning to take Jiuling away and became angry, knocking over the tea and burning his hand in the process. Jiuling hurriedly comforted him and asked Zhan Ping to take him back to treat the burn. Jiuling informed her senior brother that she couldn't leave with him. She needed to stay here because Rong Yu needed her, and she had to seek revenge for her family's blood-soaked grudges. Her senior brother respected her decision and, for safety reasons, arranged for a highly skilled maid to stay with her. He also left her with a prescription for an antidote he had developed to treat Rong Yu.
Comments(Episode 15)