Episode 10 recap: Mu Rong Jing He and Mei Lin's Affectionate Act
In Episode 10, Mu Rong Xuan Lie sends people to closely monitor his younger brother's interactions with Mei Lin. He suspects that someone in the court is secretly aligning with the Prince of Jing and fears that on the night of the Shangsi Festival, Mu Rong Jing He’s true intentions are not just to enjoy the fire dragon display. Meanwhile, Mu Rong Jing He is trying to find a way to get closer to Li Qing, but the western mountain mine is heavily guarded, making it difficult to access the interior.
To avoid raising Mu Rong Xuan Lie’s suspicions, Mu Rong Jing He decides to play along and make him believe that he is completely in love with Mei Lin. He starts visiting the Honglu Temple frequently to keep Mei Lin company, patiently watching her practice her dance.
Since Mei Lin only knows how to wield a sword, her dance practice is awkward and stiff, resembling a marionette. Mu Rong Jing He takes it upon himself to beat the drum as accompaniment. This helps Mei Lin’s movements flow more naturally with her martial arts background, yet she still ends up being punished by her dance instructor, Granny Liu, to stand for two hours. Unable to intervene, Mu Rong Jing He arranges for someone to fan her and hold an umbrella, making her punishment feel more like a privilege, which leaves the other beauties envious. Granny Liu is left speechless.
Meanwhile, Princess Zi Gu learns of the death of Shu Mo and decides to dig in the imperial garden to plant some yisang flowers. However, she nearly digs up the peonies that Yan Di had ordered to be planted. Fortunately, Mu Rong Qian does not hold this against her and instructs the agricultural supervisor to send some gardeners to help her cultivate the yisang flowers in her palace. Back in her palace, Zi Gu is consumed by sadness—she is upset that Yue Qin always keeps things from her, and she is also grieving the impending separation.
Years ago, when their mother passed away, Yue Qin and Zi Gu relied on each other for support. Later, when Yue Qin became a hostage in the Da Yan kingdom, Zi Gu stubbornly chose not to see him off. Now, having grown significantly, Zi Gu realizes that she can no longer be carefree like in her youth; she vows to protect her family this time.
Yue Qin personally visits Yan Di to play a game of chess with him, expressing the desire for the two nations to maintain a good relationship. Mu Rong Qian also promises that Zi Gu will live well in the harem, preserving her innocence. In the days that follow, Mu Rong Jing He either accompanies Mei Lin at Honglu Temple or sends her gifts, including jewelry, clothing, and medicinal supplements.
Her close friends gossip about the depth of the Prince of Jing’s feelings for Mei Lin and even give her a book on romantic matters, leaving Mei Lin blushing.
It was Mei Lin's birthday, and Yue Qin took the initiative to bring gifts and seize the opportunity to confess his feelings to her. However, before he could say much, Mu Rong Jing He unexpectedly entered, leading to a direct confrontation between the two rivals. This left Mei Lin feeling caught in the middle and awkward.
Although Mei Lin knew Mu Rong Jing He was just playing a role, she couldn't help but develop unusual feelings for him. He took her out on a boat ride, enjoying the beautiful scenery while sharing tales of his past battles in the northern territories of Da Yan. He recounted how he had sailed across the Lan Cang River and witnessed a blue river of stars, enchanting her with the mythology surrounding it.
Mu Rong Jing He then brought a large number of floating lanterns to the river as gifts for Mei Lin. He was the only one who knew her true birthday and prepared a special treat of lantern cakes for her, which delighted her immensely. As Mei Lin reflected on her parents while looking at the lanterns, Mu Rong Jing He drew a family portrait for her. She wished to live well and open a spring flower pastry shop. Jing He promised that once the crown prince was dealt with, he would help her start the shop, with a 50-50 profit split between them.
Even though Mei Lin knew Mu Rong Jing He was acting for the crown prince's benefit, at that moment, she found herself genuinely moved. The next morning, Mu Rong Jing He ordered the Honglu Temple to make pastries for Mei Lin, specifically instructing them that they didn’t need to taste exceptional, just look exquisite. Mei Lin remembered that since she had no sense of taste, she had once said that beautifully presented pastries could compensate for that lack. She was touched that Mu Rong Jing He had remembered this detail.
However, Granny Liu was actually a spy for Mu Rong Xuan Lie. She reported back on Mei Lin's loss of taste, while Wang Quan discovered that Mu Rong Jing He had gone to the Shangsi Festival to treat Mei Lin. After learning that the imperial physician, Sun Taiqing, was at a loss, he ended up beating him up in frustration.
Mu Rong Xuan Lie was pleased, believing that Mu Rong Jing He had fallen for a pawn, which would ultimately benefit his own relationship with Yin Luo Mei.
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