A Forbidden Marriage Episode 1 Recap
> A Forbidden Marriage Recap
The wedding ceremony of Yuan Yingxing, the Chief of the Shengyue Sect, and Yao Fu, a woman from the Yunmen Sect, was underway when it was abruptly interrupted by the arrival of Wang Yue, the Saintess of the Shengyue Sect. Yuan Yingxing was taken aback, having believed that the Water Hall Master had confined her.
Upon inquiry, he learned that the Water Hall Master had left early that morning, seemingly with a new lover, prompting the Fire Hall Master to pursue him, leaving Wang Yue unguarded. Wang Yue, addressing the gathered crowd, expressed her indignation at not being informed of the Chief’s momentous occasion.
She derided the Chief for marrying a Yunmen woman, revealing that the four major sects—Yunmen, Biluo, Cangtong, and Qingcheng—had already set an ambush at the foot of the mountain, accusing Yuan Yingxing of forcibly abducting Yao Fu and threatening to annihilate the Shengyue Sect. As the various sects prepared to storm the mountain, Elder Yang Qing of the Yunmen Sect appeared, intending to retrieve his junior sister Yao Fu and prevent the siege.
He offered to negotiate, highlighting the formidable defenses of Tianyu Palace. However, others accused him of seeking peace and claimed Yao Fu had already opened a side gate on Mount Yin, planning to collaborate with the attacking forces to destroy the Shengyue Sect. Inside the wedding hall, Wang Yue confronted Yao Fu directly, accusing her of harboring ulterior motives for marrying into the Shengyue Sect.
Yao Fu, in response, feigned deep sorrow and offered herself to be killed, a dramatic gesture that only strengthened Yuan Yingxing’s resolve. He firmly declared that he would marry Yao Fu that day, regardless. Infuriated by his obstinance, Wang Yue reminded him of their shared past, having grown up together, and questioned how he could forsake the entire Shengyue Sect for this woman. Just then, an urgent report arrived: the four major sects were indeed attacking the mountain.
Yuan Yingxing immediately ordered his Left and Right Guardians to protect both Yao Fu and Wang Yue, while he led the remaining forces to confront the invaders. Left alone, Wang Yue and Yao Fu engaged in a fierce battle. Yao Fu, employing deceptive illusory techniques, eventually struck down Wang Yue, who then plummeted off the cliff. Yang Qing arrived moments too late, witnessing Wang Yue’s fall with his own eyes.
When Wang Yue regained consciousness, she found herself in an unfamiliar bed, still adorned in a wedding dress, feeling disoriented. Before she could fully process her situation, a matchmaker burst in and whisked her away in a sedan chair. From the matchmaker’s words, Wang Yue pieced together that she was to be married to a wealthy but elderly Master Chen, a match arranged by her uncle to settle his debts.
Relieved to discover she was still alive, she also realized her identity had changed; she was now known as Yang Wangyue. As she was being carried through the town, she caught sight of Yang Qing, but when she tried to call out to him, he seemed not to recognize her. Despite her confusion, Wang Yue resolved to escape, only to find that all her martial arts skills had inexplicably vanished.
Meanwhile, Jiang Yan, a Yunmen disciple, discussed the recent events with Shang Huai. He lamented that while the martial world had largely returned to peace, the Saintess of the Shengyue Sect was dead, and the Water and Fire Hall Masters were missing, with the rest of the sect leaders imprisoned.
Shang Huai, surprised that Yang Qing had left his seclusion, learned from Jiang Yan that Yang Qing was investigating a series of child disappearances in Yangliu Town, which was Yang Qing's hometown, though he had left as an orphan after his parents’ death and had not returned since.
Yang Qing explained that the Yunmen Sect Leader had dispatched him to help the townsfolk and uncover the truth behind the unsettling disappearances, cautioning his junior disciples to be vigilant and trust no one. They learned from the local district leader that children had been vanishing near a flowering tree, and rumors suggested it was the work of "mountain spirits" sent by the "Flower Goddess."
Unwilling to marry Master Chen, Wang Yue, disguised as Yang Wangyue, deliberately set the Chen mansion on fire as a distraction for her escape. While fleeing, she slipped and fell, leading to a confrontation. Capitalizing on the situation, she dramatically accused Master Chen of forcibly marrying her and feigned vulnerability, skillfully garnering public sympathy and enraging Mrs. Chen. Drawn by the commotion, Yang Qing arrived to quell the unrest. Wang Yue, spotting him, opportunistically fainted into his arms.
Later, having "woken up," Wang Yue found herself under the care of Jiang Yan and Shang Huai. Learning that Yang Qing was from Yangliu Town and had authorized her stay, she became determined to remain close to him. She made repeated attempts to impress Yang Qing, even directly asking about his romantic status and offering to "marry him to repay him" for his kindness, promising to be his "lowliest maid."
Yang Qing, though, deflected her advances, attributing her care to his disciples’ pity and claiming he had no sympathy. Despite his coldness and repeated attempts to have Jiang Yan escort her back to her uncle’s (which she argued was impossible as her uncle fled and she’d be vulnerable to Master Chen), Wang Yue persisted in following him, lamenting her fate as the former Saintess now without a home or powers.
As Yang Qing and his disciples continued their investigation, they discovered suspicious activity involving large wooden chests at Master Chen's residence, used for his "13th concubine's" new room. Jiang Yan and Shang Huai suspected a connection to the missing children and suggested bringing Yang Wangyue back for more clues, vouching for her character despite her eccentricities. Driven by a secret mark of the Shengyue Sect she discovered, Wang Yue sought out Fan Hao, a Guardian of the sect.
She confronted him, accusing him of betrayal. Fan Hao initially denied any affiliation with the defunct Shengyue Sect, claiming it had "fallen apart" after being besieged by the four major sects. He explained that Yuan Yingxing had been captured, the Saintess was presumed dead, and the Chief’s wife was missing, rendering the sect "doomed." Wang Yue, revealing her true identity by showing her distinctive eyes, quickly turned Fan Hao’s demeanor from denial to shock and subservience.
He then confirmed that Ling Yin and Mingyang were fortunate to have been absent from the sect on the day of the attack, thus avoiding capture. He also explained that Yuan Yingxing, after hearing of Wang Yue’s presumed death, lost all morale, leading to the sect’s downfall.
Fan Hao revealed that all captured Shengyue Sect members were imprisoned in a special dungeon in Biluo Valley, which could only be opened by the Sun Blade, one of the Alliance Leader’s Tokens, currently held by the Yunmen Sect. As Yang Qing and his disciples discussed their findings about the missing children, contemplating Yang Wangyue's potential connection to the large chests and her value as a source of information, Wang Yue, still lingering nearby, reappeared.
She once again attempted to charm Yang Qing, offering him roasted chicken as an apology and reiterating her desire to stay by his side, promising to answer any of his questions if he allowed her to remain. Yang Qing, though exasperated, reluctantly permitted her to stay, realizing he wouldn't get rid of her easily.
When asked about Master Chen, Wang Yue flippantly dismissed his "forced marriage" and claimed she hadn't noticed anything unusual about the "nasty old man" amidst the chaos, frustrating Yang Qing's disciples, who concluded that extracting useful information from her would be a challenge and decided to send her back the next day.
