Episode 9 recap: He Jiu Ling bid farewell to Rong Yu as He Liang's family relocated to the border.
In the middle of the night, Rong Yu and Jiu Ling arranged to meet by climbing over the wall. Jiu Ling was about to leave the capital city and wanted to say goodbye to Rong Yu. When Rong Yu saw Jiu Ling, he felt ecstatic. Disregarding the danger, he climbed up to the rooftop, which was quite a challenge for someone without martial arts skills. He Shan and Zhan Ping, upon seeing this, were filled with concern.
Rong Jiang received a report from his subordinates and hurriedly brought his men over. Rong Jiang, upon seeing Jiu Ling on the wall, couldn't help but shout angrily, questioning why she still came to the Rong residence when she was about to leave. He ordered his men to pull Rong Yu down, but Zhan Ping pleaded not to hurt the young master. Ignoring everything, Rong Yu climbed up to the rooftop. Jiu Ling caught him with her hands and gently kissed his forehead. She felt incredibly fortunate to have encountered a gentleman like Rong Yu. However, she knew that after tonight, they might never see each other again. Since the time she saw Jiu Ling outside the window, Rong Yu had been waiting here every day. To comfort him, Jiu Ling specially made two straw figures dressed in her red clothes and Rong Yu's green robe. Rong Yu stared at them intently, a constant smile of happiness on his face. When Rong Jiang saw this from afar, he felt heavy-hearted.
Meanwhile, Jiu Ling tirelessly studied the formula for the antidote at home, preparing to detoxify Rong Yu. On that day, He Liang and He Chen Zhou went to court together. Their colleagues inquired about the marriage between Jiu Ling and Rong Yu, but He Liang couldn't provide an answer. Sensing the ill intentions of others, He Chen Zhou mentioned that his second and third brothers were still unmarried, and with the current illness afflicting the young master, the marriage would have to wait. He requested that everyone be cautious with their words. However, Rong Jiang, who happened to pass by, took over the conversation and proclaimed that the wedding preparations were almost complete. He assured everyone that they would be invited to the wedding banquet.
Upon hearing this, the ministers quickly expressed their congratulations. After He Liang and the others left, he was puzzled and asked Rong Jiang why he had previously forbidden the He family from visiting, but now he made such a statement. Rong Jiang sternly replied that the He family was the He family, Jiu Ling was Jiu Ling, and He Jiu Ling was a member of the Rong family in life and a ghost of the Rong family in death. The marriage was settled.
Watching Rong Jiang leave with a wave of his sleeve, He Liang was infuriated. Jiu Ling was his cherished daughter, and he couldn't tolerate such treatment from others. He Chen Zhou, worried, asked his father if they should continue with the marriage between Jiu Ling and Rong Yu. Upon returning home, He Liang informed the family that he had decided to cancel the engagement between Jiu Ling and Rong Yu. Everyone agreed with this decision except Jiu Ling, who disagreed. She believed that Rong Yu, currently seriously ill, would face public ridicule if the He family proposed to dissolve the marriage. He Liang stated that he wasn't afraid of being criticized for the sake of his daughter's happiness.
Upset, Jiu Ling ran away. He Liang instructed the family to keep a close eye on her and prevent her from causing any trouble. He asked everyone to have their meal first, as he was preparing to announce another decision.
He Liang and He Chen Zhou went to court to face the emperor, who once again emphasized the importance of guarding Nanjiang. He Liang loudly declared that the He family was willing to relocate to Nanjiang, safeguarding the people and pledging to live or die together with the Jialin Kingdom.
Rong Yu continued to wait by the window. The two straw figures in the courtyard had already fallen apart due to exposure to wind and sun, and Rong Yu himself was growing increasingly haggard. He Shan and Zhan Ping were at their wits' end, unable to persuade Rong Yu to leave. Jiu Ling continued to work on developing the antidote at home. Suddenly, she heard a commotion outside and went out to investigate, only to find the household servants, under the command of her sister-in-law, packing up their belongings.
Jiu Ling asked her sister-in-law and learned that their entire family was moving away from the capital city. Understanding her father's intentions, Jiu Ling angrily went to find him, reproaching him for willingly giving up the future of her elder brothers just to dissolve the engagement with the Rong family. She declared that if they insisted on leaving, she would stay behind. He Liang sternly stated that it was not up to her, as the emperor knew about her martial arts training and had already appointed her as a left general.
Jiu Ling was infuriated by her father's disregard for others' feelings. He Chen Zhou then told Jiu Ling what Rong Yu had divined about He Liang. Rong Yu had warned He Liang that if the emperor asked him to go to Nanjiang, he must firmly refuse; otherwise, he would rise in power but not meet a good end.
He Liang solemnly told Jiu Ling that he had made this choice out of necessity. On one hand, it was because of Jiu Ling, and on the other hand, the He family had been loyal for generations. The emperor had hinted multiple times that it was the He family's duty to protect the country and its people. How could they shirk such an important responsibility? When Jiu Ling heard him speak like this, she realized that if she continued to be stubborn, she would be in the wrong. So, with a deep understanding of righteousness, Jiu Ling resolutely expressed to her father that she was willing to go to Nanjiang with her father and brothers to safeguard their home and country.
As the departure drew near, Jiu Ling was torn in her heart. She really wanted to see Rong Yu one more time, but she felt it wouldn't be appropriate. After careful consideration, Jiu Ling finally decided to meet Rong Yu for the last time. In the night, she climbed over the wall with a torch and arrived at the Rong residence. Upon learning about her arrival, Rong Yu disregarded Rong Jiang's obstruction and struggled to climb onto the rooftop. The two of them held each other's hands affectionately on the rooftop. Jiu Ling deeply kissed Rong Yu's forehead, bidding him a final farewell in her heart.
The family arrived in Nanjiang, and Jiu Ling's second brother and sister-in-law also came to join them. The whole family reunited in Nanjiang.
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