A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College Episode 10 Recap
> A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College Recap
As a rockslide began to fall towards Sang Qi, Yan Yunzhi swiftly moved forward, embracing her and falling with the momentum into the cave. The falling rocks sealed the cave entrance, trapping them inside and separating them from Zhuo Wenyuan. Sang Qi noticed Yan Yunzhi's arm was bleeding profusely and quickly tore his outer garment to bandage his wound, despite his protests about its value.
Seeing some dry branches, Sang Qi gathered kindling and used her clothes to ignite a fire for warmth. Yan Yunzhi sighed, lamenting that the fire would soon die out, while her clothes could have provided warmth for much longer, making her action foolish and wasteful. As night deepened, the rain-soaked cave grew colder. When the fire began to dwindle, Sang Qi curled up, visibly uncomfortable.
Unable to bear it, Yan Yunzhi called her over to share his outer layer for warmth. Without hesitation, Sang Qi sat close to him, burying herself in his garment. Under the tranquil moonlight in the mountains, Sang Qi leaned against Yan Yunzhi's arm and drifted to sleep. Meanwhile, Zhuo Wenyuan rushed back to the manor to inform Yan He Xing of the predicament. Upon learning that Sang Qi and Yan Yunzhi were trapped in the cave, Yan He Xing chuckled.
He feigned a search for tools, intentionally misdirecting Zhuo Wenyuan to the backyard to look for a pickaxe instead of the one readily available in his own room. He privately expressed that this delay would give his "foolish nephew" some much-needed time to act on his unspoken feelings for Sang Qi. He then had Yan Yan practice a horse stance, instructing him to hold the difficult pose for one hour.
Later that night, Sang Qi awoke in the cave, reflecting on Yan Yunzhi's silent efforts for her. She recalled how he secretly helped her at the Imperial College, fighting for equal opportunities, caring for her safety, remembering her casual preferences, and respecting her ideals and habits. She affectionately called him "White," the obedient, clingy, considerate, sensible, and well-behaved person her brother had mentioned. Yan Yunzhi, however, insisted she call him Deputy Chief, maintaining his formal demeanor.
Despite her praises, he seemed indifferent, leading her to remark that he was "meaningless" and always maintaining his "Deputy Chief" air. As the cold intensified, he simply told her to rest more. Yan Yunzhi found himself contemplating kissing Sang Qi as she slept like a docile cat beside him. He struggled with the urge, chastising himself for taking advantage of the situation, yet acknowledging his inability to control his burgeoning feelings for the person he liked right beside him.
When Sang Qi suddenly stirred and looked at him in confusion, Yan Yunzhi quickly pretended to be swatting at mosquitoes. As dawn broke, Zhuo Wenyuan, accompanied by Yan Yan and others, arrived at the cave to initiate the rescue. Sang Qi awoke and realized Yan Yunzhi had a stiff neck. She offered to help him, but her attempts at massaging only seemed to twist his neck further, much to her chagrin.
Outside, seeing Sang Qi and Yan Yunzhi in close proximity, Zhuo Wenyuan frantically began digging at the cave entrance with his bare hands. Yan Yan quickly intervened, urging him to use his foot to forcefully kick away the larger rocks. With a powerful kick, the remaining debris was cleared, and Sang Qi and Yan Yunzhi were finally freed. Overwhelmed by anxiety and relief, Zhuo Wenyuan collapsed in a faint the moment he saw Sang Qi was safe.
After the rescue, Bai Shi slyly suggested that Yan Yunzhi feign a severe injury to gain Sang Qi's sympathy and closeness. Yan Yunzhi initially scoffed at the idea, deeming it beneath him. However, upon discovering that Sang Qi was diligently caring for the unconscious Zhuo Wenyuan, Yan Yunzhi promptly put on a sling, dramatically feigning a serious injury himself.
Adopting his role as Deputy Chief, Yan Yunzhi announced his intention to stay and personally care for Zhuo Wenyuan, leaving Sang Qi with little room to object. She then went to prepare some dessert soup for Zhuo Wenyuan. Once Sang Qi was out of earshot, both Yan Yunzhi and Zhuo Wenyuan immediately dropped their acts, their words laced with thinly veiled hostility as they both exaggerated their respective "injuries" and vied for Sang Qi's attention.
When Sang Qi returned with the soup, both men competed to be fed by her, leading to a comedic struggle over who she should attend to. Sang Qi, flustered, went to make more soup. Yan Yunzhi followed her and clarified that outside of the Imperial College, he had no right to interfere in her affairs, but he reminded her of her original purpose on the mountain: to learn martial arts. Sang Qi, annoyed, confronted him about his fake injury.
He responded by playfully claiming it was a new "Iron Head martial arts" training technique involving a sling to strengthen his neck, a skill he supposedly learned from her brother, before telling her to deliver the "sugar water" to Zhuo Wenyuan. Later, in her room, Sang Qi pondered Yan Yunzhi's perplexing behavior. She recalled her brother's advice to seek "White" for problems, but now "White" had become her biggest mystery.
She thought of his initial refusal of her pouch and his reluctance to let her win, contrasted with his sudden appearance to save her from danger and his careful, considerate care during difficult times. His unpredictable moods left her confused, wondering if he had a twin, though her maid, Lian Pian, insisted he always appeared the same. Feeling troubled, Sang Qi stepped outside for fresh air, only to find Yan Yunzhi already there.
She candidly admitted her concern for his "injury," stating that since he was hurt because of her, she would take full responsibility. Yan Yunzhi, amused, then asked her to swear she would "take care of him until he died" and "never abandon him," which she did. He then playfully admitted his injury was fake and asked her to remove the sling, only to immediately retract it, teasing her.
Meanwhile, Zhuo Wenyuan received urgent news that a shipment of goods in the south had been seized, and Noble Consort Zhuo was demanding his immediate presence in the palace to discuss the matter. He grappled with the decision to leave, fearing it would mean losing Sang Qi, but his attendant, Jing Mu, wisely advised him that staying would guarantee her loss. Resigned, Zhuo Wenyuan decided to descend the mountain the following day.
He bid farewell to Sang Qi, vaguely citing his illness as the reason for his departure. Soon after leaving, Zhuo Wenyuan met with his aunt, presumably Noble Consort Zhuo, who reprimanded him for his romantic entanglements on the mountain. She emphasized that personal affections were insignificant compared to their grand ambitions, suggesting he marry Song Jia Yin of the prominent Song family to secure political alliances.
While Zhuo Wenyuan briefly attempted to advocate for a union with the Sang family due to their military influence, his aunt dismissed the idea, citing the Emperor's preference for scholars and Sang Wei's stubborn nature. She gave him until his graduation from the Imperial College to consider marriage and dispatched him south to resolve the salt route issue, sternly warning him against the weakness of emotion.
Back at the manor, Yan Yan asked Sang Qi if she planned to return home, but she seemed content and wanted to stay. Yan Yan, too, expressed a desire to remain on the mountain, subtly hinting that he would prolong his stay if she also wished to do so. Sang Qi then continued her martial arts practice with Yan Yunzhi, growing frustrated that she couldn't get close enough to land a hit.
Yan Yunzhi revealed the numerous marks and tears on his outer garment, evidence that she had indeed managed to touch him. Sang Qi playfully responded that she wished the marks were deeper, even drawing blood, which prompted Yan Yunzhi to humorously accuse her of attempting to murder her senior.
