Episode 24 recap: Yan Xing Investigates
In Episode 24, Du Xiaowan recalls the events of that day, her heart pounding. She mentions that as soon as she stepped into her new house, she suddenly fainted. It felt like a dream as she was carried out; in her dazed state, she heard arguing—the voices were loud, but she couldn't remember the details. Later, she found herself thrown into a well, and the shock of the icy water made her realize there was another man in the well, equally unfortunate.
Mo Qianzhi asked Du Xiaowan if she recognized the man, wondering if it was Xu Jize. Du Xiaowan shook her head, too frightened at the time to pay attention to who was who. Yan Xing noticed the peach blossom embroidery on Xu Jize's clothes, commenting jokingly that it must be the handiwork of some young lady. Xu Jize quickly denied it, claiming he was still single and that he bought the clothes ready-made. Yan Xing pressed him about the matching outer garment, and Xu Jize slapped his forehead, saying he must have forgotten it in his hurry. Yan Xing persisted, asking about the powder on his clothes, to which Xu Jize looked innocent and claimed ignorance.
At that moment, Jing Lin returned with Xu Jize's outer garment, stating she found it nearby. Yan Xing's keen eye spotted a thread connecting the outer and inner garments, and she discovered mandragora flower powder hidden in the pocket. Xu Jize's face turned pale; no matter how he tried to defend himself, it was too late. Seeing this, Mo Qianzhi ordered for him to be tortured, and Xu Jize finally broke down.
He revealed that he had once been a bookish type, and after becoming a wedding official, he realized that the "beauty like jade" in books was a lie. He started using drugs to incapacitate brides, knowing the shameful nature of his actions would keep them silent. When Yan Xing pressed him about his accomplice, he could only recall that the person was nicknamed "Er Laipi," but he didn't know his real name.
Xu Jize continued, explaining that after he drugged Du Xiaowan, he intended to return her, but Er Laipi wouldn’t allow it, leading to a confrontation. When he went to check on the situation, he returned to find Er Laipi dead, which terrified him into fleeing. However, without evidence, these claims were hard to verify. Mo Qianzhi decided the investigation needed to continue, but Xu Jize's guilt was clear, so he was detained.
Feeling overwhelmed, Yan Xing tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. Shen Du, concerned for her, gave her a sleeping pill, allowing her to finally rest. The next morning, a letter from Xu Wan arrived, making Yan Xing feel a bit awkward. Shen Du, however, was quite casual about it, saying there was nothing to hide. Yan Xing waved her hand, saying she wouldn’t read it, and Shen Du attempted to say more, but Yan Xing had already fallen asleep.
That night, Yan Xing had a nightmare and woke up crashing into a wall, rubbing her head in pain. At that moment, she spotted a pigeon by the window, her heart skipped a beat as she recalled the Empress Dowager's words—there was an insider in the city using pigeons to send messages. She wanted to buy deer antler to calm her nerves, but it was out of stock, so she settled for some meat from cistanche.
Yan Xing heard that Mo Qianzhi had a secret garden that no one was allowed to enter, so out of curiosity, she went to investigate. Coincidentally, Shen Du was also looking for Mo Qianzhi, and they began discussing the past. Mo Qianzhi mentioned how he had once pleaded for the Shen family, saying it was out of loyalty and gratitude for the life-saving help from Shen Du's father—how could he stand by idly?
As they talked, the conversation shifted to Mo Xiuxiu, and Yan Xing suddenly understood that Shen Du had always had feelings for her. They had learned to weave together, and Yan Xing had made a little pig that Mo Xiuxiu had swapped for something of hers. Now, reflecting on it, she realized that it might have been Shen Du's way of expressing his feelings.
Comments(Episode 24)