Summary Episode 20 Recap: As Qing and Chu examine the tattoo imprint together, Qing wonders why she doesn't remember this from her novel. Chu's never seen anything like it. Qing suggests it might be the mark of some kind of underworld ring. Chu asks where she gets ideas like that. She slips a mention of the movies and then quickly changes the subject. Saying that if it's a tag, then... Chu finishes her sentence saying whoever else bears the same mark is in the same gang. Astonished, Qing wonders how they've begun to understand each other so well. Chu orders Xiao Yan to search the city for bearers of the same insignia. At Jingzhi Library, as Gong is leaving, young master Chen arrives for Wan'er, whom he calls Miss Wanshu. Chen requests Wan'er hear his poem. She thinks his talent is second to none in Shengjing and accepts. Gong interrupts Chen's reading, asking if he feels sore, weak and thirsty today. Chen thinks so, and Gong shocks Chen by saying it sounds like kidney deficiency and advising him to visit Mystic Medicine House. Wan'er is at first disconcerted, then bemused as Chen takes his leave. She giggles and tells Gong that was a mean way to treat the guy. Secretary Du tells Coroner Yao that he's getting old and that this might be his last dossier. Yao is so surprised she accidentally burns him with very hot tea. Du insists he doesn't need to go to the clinic and can bandage it himself. Qing reads a letter over Chu's shoulder and asks why Secretary Du is resigning so suddenly since she likes him and thinks him adorable. Chu is befuddled as to why she would like the bent old Secretary, slaps closed the letter and tells his staff he approves the resignation, adding that he'd like all those in the East office to gather before Du is informed. Everyone in the East office is then checked for the tattoo. While this proceeds, Qing asks if Chu suspects a mole, and Chu says that Secretary Du's abrupt resignation made him suspect that a spy might try to leave now before being exposed. Qing thinks that distrusting Secretary Du is way off base, but regardless, Chu wants proof. Du shows up late with his arm bandaged from the burn. This makes Chu even more suspicious until Yao speaks up for Du. From Chu's expression, he's not satisfied. Xiao Yan grabs Du's arm, removing the bandage to reveal the burn, then yanks back his wrap to bare his shoulder. Du is shocked but clean. However, another guy in queue is spooked by this and starts to run. Xiao Yan catches the man, who has the tattoo on his right shoulder and scratches on his left hand. Xiao thinks this is Feng's killer. Chu asks the man who ordered Feng's death and tried to frame him. The man doesn't reply, so Chu asks what organization he's with, then why he infiltrated the East office. He doesn't speak so Chu orders him sent for interrogation. Yao asks that Chu recognize Du's years of good service, and thus respect his wish and let him leave now. Chu replies he's not giving Du a hard time. Qing intervenes to let Yao know that's just Chu's paranoia; anyway Du's resignation is approved. After the others have left, Chu is actually pleased that Qing jumped in, noting how well his wife knows him. Qing reminds him she's his fake wife. Chu wants to know if she's changed her mind and thinks it's now okay to deceive his majesty with their false marriage. He says they can solve this problem, whispering that the solution is to make the marriage real. Stunned, Qing stumbles, quickly recovers, lifting her hand to his forehead as if to check for a fever, while asking why he's talking nonsense. Chu swipes her hand away roughly and stomps off. Qing admits to herself that her arch-villain Chu is so devastatingly charming that she's the only one who could handle him when he's like that. Outside, Chu offers to take Qing to the market, but she declines saying she's meeting Wan'er and Yao. Chu asks her not to forget that they need to keep up the facade of husband and wife. Qing tells him fine as long as he doesn't cause any trouble. Perturbed, he asks when does he do that, but promises anyway. Qing immediately enjoys this newfound feeling of control, telling him he must do whatever she says the whole night. He agrees and they go to the lively and celebratory mid-autumn festival. Chu explains it represents reunion and that if two lovers complete the moon worship ceremony on that day, they can be together forever. Qing thinks to herself, yeah, this is the day the two leads of my novel confess their love. Chu wants quality time alone with Qing, but she's already in cahoots with Wan'er to make sure Yun and Yao end up together that night. So she runs off from Chu looking for Wan'er. As she turns back, telling Chu to hurry and catch up, Yun sees Qing and Chu together. He says nothing, but the look on his face is of dismay. Former Secretary Du appears saying enigmatically to Yun "Sometimes, it's a blessing not to get what you want". In his hand he holds a carved, serpentine black jade talisman. Yun agrees, seeing that Du had a similar heartbreak. Enroute, Yao gets lost, but the Duke calls out to her from his nearby carriage. She joins him and as they ride together, he says he didn't expect her to lose her way. She tells him it's been like that since she was a kid, and he replies that his late wife had the problem too. He found it adorable. Yao says she vaguely recalls her mother was the same and that it might be genetic. The Duke wonders to himself if Yao could be his long lost daughter. At the fair, Gong wants to know what Wan'er finds so great about the outside world. Wan'er says the people are friendly and it feels warm. She mentions she's afraid of the cold. The two of them are drawn into a couples game where the men must recognize their girl by looking only at her hand. Gong is the only man who got it right and found Yao. When he takes her hand and pulls her from behind the curtain, they gaze into each other's eyes and have a moment. They win a set of matching green jade carved pendants. Wan'er wants to know how Gong was able to recognize her, and he said it was from having taken her pulse before. Plus he said her fingers smell like book pages from spending so much time at Jingzhi library. Wan'er suddenly remembers she's supposed to meet Yun and Yao. Amidst the festival, a little boy has his back turned, as a tall, heavy wooden sign behind him is about to fall right on him. Former Secretary Du flies over, moving the boy away from danger. This is odd because Du has always complained of aches and age. Gong treats the boy, who is suffering an epilepsy seizure. In the crowd, Yun notices Du slip away and follows him. Suddenly, a man grabs Wan'er from the crowd. The boy is able to stand again and the onlookers clap for Gong, but when he turns back to Wan'er, he sees her lantern and the green jade pendant lying on the ground. He spies a carriage pulling away, and is on the chase. Yun loses Du's trail right when Qing finally finds him. Chu looks bothered to see Yun there, but just then Yao finds them. Yao immediately asks after Wan'er. Wan'er's hands are bound and she's thrown into a shed. The nut who grabbed her apparently doesn't know she's a princess and somehow thinks they will be together because of the moon ceremony. The doors burst open and Gong scuffles with the man, striking him with a set of acupuncture needles that cause him to collapse. Wan'er wants to know what Gong used on him, and he explains it is a 'Beg to Die' needle as he unties her and asks if she's alright. Wan'er cries, collapses into Gong, scared, saying she knew he would come for her. He lifts his arms to put them around her, but stops himself because of the blood feud between the royals and the Su family. He cannot go there. Instead he tells her to behave. She tells him she knows he likes her, but he replies that she misunderstood. Wan'er wants to know why he won't look at her. Is it because she's a princess? Gong says they're not right for each other. Wan'er offers to ask her mother for her blessing. She's even willing to give up being a princess; she doesn't care about identity. If she can be with the person she likes, she can be content with being an ordinary person. Gong turns to leave and Wan'er fakes a pain. He reaches down to check if her leg is hurt and she pulls him into her arms, saying emphatically, "I'm indeed hurt! I'm heartbroken! I hurt everywhere. You have to take care of me forever." Gong wants to know why she's so good at saying sweet nothings. Did she learn it from books? No, from Qing. Qing taught her 'flirting'. They both giggle slightly, then Wan'er asks why he's laughing when she's hurt everywhere. She wraps her legs around him too so he can't get away, saying she will cling to him forever like this. Gong thinks to himself that since he got his revenge, maybe he can live as he pleases. Finally he gives in and holds her, wrapping his arms around her. He lifts and carries her from that place. She smiles bright like the sun as she's carried off. As they find the group, Chu sees them and pulls Wan'er loose from Gong. Gong tells Chu he's hurting her, but Chu is still grasping her hand very firmly. Yun silently slips Chu's grip from Wan'er as she tries to suppress her grin. Qing thinks to herself "The damn plot has gone wrong again. The male and female leads missed each other. Instead Ji Wan'er and Gongye Qi sped up their relationship. Unintentional actions brought unexpected success." Later, Wan'er and Gong meet with Chu so Wan'er can tell him they want to be together forever. Chu disagrees and Wan'er wants to know why, since they're best friends. Chu just says they're not a good fit. Wan'er tells him it's not up to him to decide that for them. Chu narrows his eyes as he asks Gong if he can really let it go. Gong says he can give it a shot for Wan'er. Chu retorts, "This isn't going to end well for you". Wan'er tells Chu, no matter what, Gong is the only one she wants to be with, then pulls Gong away. Chu knows Qing was watching all of this and asks her if she's seen enough. She emerges from behind a door to tell Chu off. She asks if Gong is willing to release his prejudice and hatred for the royal family for Wan'er's sake, why won't he give them a chance? Chu simply says "Alright. I can give them a chance". The catch is he wants her to move out of the library and back to his place. Qing wonders what these two things have to do with each other, telling Chu he's unreasonable. He says he's always been this way. Qing reluctantly agrees for Wan'er's happiness. When she starts to stomp off, he informs her she's finally admitted she's his princess consort and that he'll be waiting for her. She doesn't like how he did that and feels tricked, wondering if his motive is still to kill her. Moving back, she gets the full royal welcome from Chu and all of the servants, including Xiao Yan. Chu informs her that she's the mistress of the residence. She can arrange however she likes with the food and clothes. She haltingly responds to just keep it as usual and mentions this is way over the top. Mo Yu will continue to be her personal escort, but she feels like Mo Yu might be her babysitter slash stalker. Chu promises to spend time with her after he finishes at the East office. The Duke's men bring him to the dumpling stall that Yao frequents. She shows up right then, ordering a bowl of dumplings. The Duke sits himself down at her table as her bowl of food is delivered and notes how much chili she likes. She says she's always liked chili, and he remarks how she's just like his daughter that way. She recommends he buys her some and takes them home to her. He informs Yao they've been separated for many years, but that she'd be about her age now. Yao apologizes for bringing up a sad memory for him. But he's thinking if Yao's his daughter would she accept him as her father now, having been absentee for years? At the East office, Chu asks Xiao Yan if Feng's killer confessed. He did. Chu says since he confessed, he's probably a scapegoat. Chu notices some mismatched handwriting in former Secretary Du's newer dossiers. This is suspicious. Yun arrives adding that Du's more agile than he lets on. Chu wants to handle the investigation himself, but Yun says he has to take all of the leads surrounding Feng's death seriously. Chu feels Yun's already helping by not suspecting him. Since Du hasn't yet left the city, Chu orders that he be carefully followed. The idea is to lure out whoever is behind Feng's death.
Directed : Unknown
Written : Unknown
Stars : Yiren Song Kris Sun Zu Jun Ze Chen Ze Ren Ding
Genres : Fantasy Mystery Romance History
Release date : Jan 19, 2024
Countries of origin : China
Official sites : Official website
Language : Mandarin Chinese
Production companies : Youku Youku Pictures Youku TV
Summary Episode 20 Recap: As Qing and Chu examine the tattoo imprint together, Qing wonders why she doesn't remember this from her novel. Chu's never seen anything like it. Qing suggests it might be the mark of some kind of underworld ring. Chu asks where she gets ideas like that. She slips a mention of the movies and then quickly changes the subject. Saying that if it's a tag, then... Chu finishes her sentence saying whoever else bears the same mark is in the same gang. Astonished, Qing wonders how they've begun to understand each other so well. Chu orders Xiao Yan to search the city for bearers of the same insignia. At Jingzhi Library, as Gong is leaving, young master Chen arrives for Wan'er, whom he calls Miss Wanshu. Chen requests Wan'er hear his poem. She thinks his talent is second to none in Shengjing and accepts. Gong interrupts Chen's reading, asking if he feels sore, weak and thirsty today. Chen thinks so, and Gong shocks Chen by saying it sounds like kidney deficiency and advising him to visit Mystic Medicine House. Wan'er is at first disconcerted, then bemused as Chen takes his leave. She giggles and tells Gong that was a mean way to treat the guy. Secretary Du tells Coroner Yao that he's getting old and that this might be his last dossier. Yao is so surprised she accidentally burns him with very hot tea. Du insists he doesn't need to go to the clinic and can bandage it himself. Qing reads a letter over Chu's shoulder and asks why Secretary Du is resigning so suddenly since she likes him and thinks him adorable. Chu is befuddled as to why she would like the bent old Secretary, slaps closed the letter and tells his staff he approves the resignation, adding that he'd like all those in the East office to gather before Du is informed. Everyone in the East office is then checked for the tattoo. While this proceeds, Qing asks if Chu suspects a mole, and Chu says that Secretary Du's abrupt resignation made him suspect that a spy might try to leave now before being exposed. Qing thinks that distrusting Secretary Du is way off base, but regardless, Chu wants proof. Du shows up late with his arm bandaged from the burn. This makes Chu even more suspicious until Yao speaks up for Du. From Chu's expression, he's not satisfied. Xiao Yan grabs Du's arm, removing the bandage to reveal the burn, then yanks back his wrap to bare his shoulder. Du is shocked but clean. However, another guy in queue is spooked by this and starts to run. Xiao Yan catches the man, who has the tattoo on his right shoulder and scratches on his left hand. Xiao thinks this is Feng's killer. Chu asks the man who ordered Feng's death and tried to frame him. The man doesn't reply, so Chu asks what organization he's with, then why he infiltrated the East office. He doesn't speak so Chu orders him sent for interrogation. Yao asks that Chu recognize Du's years of good service, and thus respect his wish and let him leave now. Chu replies he's not giving Du a hard time. Qing intervenes to let Yao know that's just Chu's paranoia; anyway Du's resignation is approved. After the others have left, Chu is actually pleased that Qing jumped in, noting how well his wife knows him. Qing reminds him she's his fake wife. Chu wants to know if she's changed her mind and thinks it's now okay to deceive his majesty with their false marriage. He says they can solve this problem, whispering that the solution is to make the marriage real. Stunned, Qing stumbles, quickly recovers, lifting her hand to his forehead as if to check for a fever, while asking why he's talking nonsense. Chu swipes her hand away roughly and stomps off. Qing admits to herself that her arch-villain Chu is so devastatingly charming that she's the only one who could handle him when he's like that. Outside, Chu offers to take Qing to the market, but she declines saying she's meeting Wan'er and Yao. Chu asks her not to forget that they need to keep up the facade of husband and wife. Qing tells him fine as long as he doesn't cause any trouble. Perturbed, he asks when does he do that, but promises anyway. Qing immediately enjoys this newfound feeling of control, telling him he must do whatever she says the whole night. He agrees and they go to the lively and celebratory mid-autumn festival. Chu explains it represents reunion and that if two lovers complete the moon worship ceremony on that day, they can be together forever. Qing thinks to herself, yeah, this is the day the two leads of my novel confess their love. Chu wants quality time alone with Qing, but she's already in cahoots with Wan'er to make sure Yun and Yao end up together that night. So she runs off from Chu looking for Wan'er. As she turns back, telling Chu to hurry and catch up, Yun sees Qing and Chu together. He says nothing, but the look on his face is of dismay. Former Secretary Du appears saying enigmatically to Yun "Sometimes, it's a blessing not to get what you want". In his hand he holds a carved, serpentine black jade talisman. Yun agrees, seeing that Du had a similar heartbreak. Enroute, Yao gets lost, but the Duke calls out to her from his nearby carriage. She joins him and as they ride together, he says he didn't expect her to lose her way. She tells him it's been like that since she was a kid, and he replies that his late wife had the problem too. He found it adorable. Yao says she vaguely recalls her mother was the same and that it might be genetic. The Duke wonders to himself if Yao could be his long lost daughter. At the fair, Gong wants to know what Wan'er finds so great about the outside world. Wan'er says the people are friendly and it feels warm. She mentions she's afraid of the cold. The two of them are drawn into a couples game where the men must recognize their girl by looking only at her hand. Gong is the only man who got it right and found Yao. When he takes her hand and pulls her from behind the curtain, they gaze into each other's eyes and have a moment. They win a set of matching green jade carved pendants. Wan'er wants to know how Gong was able to recognize her, and he said it was from having taken her pulse before. Plus he said her fingers smell like book pages from spending so much time at Jingzhi library. Wan'er suddenly remembers she's supposed to meet Yun and Yao. Amidst the festival, a little boy has his back turned, as a tall, heavy wooden sign behind him is about to fall right on him. Former Secretary Du flies over, moving the boy away from danger. This is odd because Du has always complained of aches and age. Gong treats the boy, who is suffering an epilepsy seizure. In the crowd, Yun notices Du slip away and follows him. Suddenly, a man grabs Wan'er from the crowd. The boy is able to stand again and the onlookers clap for Gong, but when he turns back to Wan'er, he sees her lantern and the green jade pendant lying on the ground. He spies a carriage pulling away, and is on the chase. Yun loses Du's trail right when Qing finally finds him. Chu looks bothered to see Yun there, but just then Yao finds them. Yao immediately asks after Wan'er. Wan'er's hands are bound and she's thrown into a shed. The nut who grabbed her apparently doesn't know she's a princess and somehow thinks they will be together because of the moon ceremony. The doors burst open and Gong scuffles with the man, striking him with a set of acupuncture needles that cause him to collapse. Wan'er wants to know what Gong used on him, and he explains it is a 'Beg to Die' needle as he unties her and asks if she's alright. Wan'er cries, collapses into Gong, scared, saying she knew he would come for her. He lifts his arms to put them around her, but stops himself because of the blood feud between the royals and the Su family. He cannot go there. Instead he tells her to behave. She tells him she knows he likes her, but he replies that she misunderstood. Wan'er wants to know why he won't look at her. Is it because she's a princess? Gong says they're not right for each other. Wan'er offers to ask her mother for her blessing. She's even willing to give up being a princess; she doesn't care about identity. If she can be with the person she likes, she can be content with being an ordinary person. Gong turns to leave and Wan'er fakes a pain. He reaches down to check if her leg is hurt and she pulls him into her arms, saying emphatically, "I'm indeed hurt! I'm heartbroken! I hurt everywhere. You have to take care of me forever." Gong wants to know why she's so good at saying sweet nothings. Did she learn it from books? No, from Qing. Qing taught her 'flirting'. They both giggle slightly, then Wan'er asks why he's laughing when she's hurt everywhere. She wraps her legs around him too so he can't get away, saying she will cling to him forever like this. Gong thinks to himself that since he got his revenge, maybe he can live as he pleases. Finally he gives in and holds her, wrapping his arms around her. He lifts and carries her from that place. She smiles bright like the sun as she's carried off. As they find the group, Chu sees them and pulls Wan'er loose from Gong. Gong tells Chu he's hurting her, but Chu is still grasping her hand very firmly. Yun silently slips Chu's grip from Wan'er as she tries to suppress her grin. Qing thinks to herself "The damn plot has gone wrong again. The male and female leads missed each other. Instead Ji Wan'er and Gongye Qi sped up their relationship. Unintentional actions brought unexpected success." Later, Wan'er and Gong meet with Chu so Wan'er can tell him they want to be together forever. Chu disagrees and Wan'er wants to know why, since they're best friends. Chu just says they're not a good fit. Wan'er tells him it's not up to him to decide that for them. Chu narrows his eyes as he asks Gong if he can really let it go. Gong says he can give it a shot for Wan'er. Chu retorts, "This isn't going to end well for you". Wan'er tells Chu, no matter what, Gong is the only one she wants to be with, then pulls Gong away. Chu knows Qing was watching all of this and asks her if she's seen enough. She emerges from behind a door to tell Chu off. She asks if Gong is willing to release his prejudice and hatred for the royal family for Wan'er's sake, why won't he give them a chance? Chu simply says "Alright. I can give them a chance". The catch is he wants her to move out of the library and back to his place. Qing wonders what these two things have to do with each other, telling Chu he's unreasonable. He says he's always been this way. Qing reluctantly agrees for Wan'er's happiness. When she starts to stomp off, he informs her she's finally admitted she's his princess consort and that he'll be waiting for her. She doesn't like how he did that and feels tricked, wondering if his motive is still to kill her. Moving back, she gets the full royal welcome from Chu and all of the servants, including Xiao Yan. Chu informs her that she's the mistress of the residence. She can arrange however she likes with the food and clothes. She haltingly responds to just keep it as usual and mentions this is way over the top. Mo Yu will continue to be her personal escort, but she feels like Mo Yu might be her babysitter slash stalker. Chu promises to spend time with her after he finishes at the East office. The Duke's men bring him to the dumpling stall that Yao frequents. She shows up right then, ordering a bowl of dumplings. The Duke sits himself down at her table as her bowl of food is delivered and notes how much chili she likes. She says she's always liked chili, and he remarks how she's just like his daughter that way. She recommends he buys her some and takes them home to her. He informs Yao they've been separated for many years, but that she'd be about her age now. Yao apologizes for bringing up a sad memory for him. But he's thinking if Yao's his daughter would she accept him as her father now, having been absentee for years? At the East office, Chu asks Xiao Yan if Feng's killer confessed. He did. Chu says since he confessed, he's probably a scapegoat. Chu notices some mismatched handwriting in former Secretary Du's newer dossiers. This is suspicious. Yun arrives adding that Du's more agile than he lets on. Chu wants to handle the investigation himself, but Yun says he has to take all of the leads surrounding Feng's death seriously. Chu feels Yun's already helping by not suspecting him. Since Du hasn't yet left the city, Chu orders that he be carefully followed. The idea is to lure out whoever is behind Feng's death.
Genres : Fantasy Mystery Romance History
Release date : Jan 19, 2024
Countries of origin : China
Official sites : Official website
Language : Mandarin Chinese
Production companies : Youku Youku Pictures Youku TV
