A Forbidden Marriage Episode 16 Recap
> A Forbidden Marriage Recap
During a class at Yunmen, Elder Shen was teaching rules, but Yang Wangyue was distracted, annoyed that Yang Qing had left with Lu Xuanxuan. She fumed internally, questioning how someone of Lu Xuanxuan’s low class could catch Yang Qing’s eye and wondering if he liked her. Elder Shen emphasized that all who join Yunmen must follow its rules, forbidding indulgence, gossip, stirring trouble, flamboyant dressing, and requiring uniform attire with dignified conduct.
He specifically called out Yang Wangyue for rolling up her sleeves and baring her arms, deeming it inappropriate. Yang Wangyue retorted, arguing that people wear clothes for comfort and style and that suppressing natural desires, such as enjoying food, was wrong. She provocatively mentioned the fresh bamboo shoots in the back mountain, suggesting they were delicious and she planned to pick some for him.
Other disciples, intrigued, agreed with Yang Wangyue, asserting that martial artists need to eat to have strength. Lu Xuanxuan then entered, accusing Yang Wangyue of inciting the disciples and asking for punishment, proposing thirty cane strokes and three days without food. Yang Wangyue argued that such strict rules were excessive for new disciples and contrasted them with Shengyue Sect's custom of settling disputes through combat, where the stronger prevailed. Elder Shen questioned how she knew Shengyue Sect's rules.
Yang Wangyue revealed that Yang Qing had told her. Yang Qing then arrived, confirmed her statement, and, asserting it was part of a five-year mission, took responsibility for Yang Wangyue's discipline. Yang Wangyue initially believed Yang Qing was saving her due to his lingering affection. However, Yang Qing corrected her, insisting she call him Martial Uncle and reminding her to act appropriately as a Yunmen disciple, while denying he had come to rescue her.
He instead assigned her to copy the sect rules ten times, threatening to add another copy for every word she spoke. Yang Wangyue was relieved to have avoided the cane, but Yang Qing subjected her to rigorous training, making her run twelve laps around the training ground, adding more when she complained about being late.
After the runs, he ordered her to practice horse stance, and then plum blossom poles, emphasizing that she must work harder than others to stay in Yunmen since she chose to join. New disciples Jiang Yun and Su Ming observed her punishment. Jiang Yun felt pity for Yang Wangyue, while Su Ming found her to be a unique figure within the sect. Later, Yang Wangyue saw Yang Qing tending to a group of young orphans.
Jiang Yan informed her that Yang Qing himself had been an orphan, abandoned and nearly starved as a child, only slowly learning to interact with others through the care of the elders and Sect Leader. Realizing their shared tragic past, Yang Wangyue felt moved and approached Yang Qing. However, Yang Qing simply instructed her to take care of the children, reminding her to obey her elders.
Yang Wangyue, though initially reluctant, managed to soothe one of the children, who affectionately called her "Sister." That evening, Yang Wangyue visited Yang Qing again, apologizing. She explained that she would never have joined Yunmen if she had known his confinement was for wanting to marry her. She confessed her own history as an orphan from Shengyue Sect, where deceit and schemes were rampant, causing her to develop a habit of not speaking her true feelings.
She then promised to treat him better, now that she understood his past hardships. Yang Qing remained cold, stating he couldn't discern her true intentions from her pretenses and told her to leave. When Yang Wangyue pleaded, asking if he wasn't moved, he said he couldn't tell when she was sincere. Yang Wangyue insisted she was genuine, accusing him of being petty for being upset about her joining Yunmen and apologized for her mistakes.
She then noticed him studying the Six Harmonies Convergence, a technique from Shengyue Sect, and offered her assistance. This finally prompted Yang Qing to engage in conversation with her. The next day, Yang Wangyue brought Yang Qing a bowl of bamboo shoots stewed with quail, which she had prepared herself, mentioning how her hands were hurt while gathering the tender shoots. Yang Qing, however, remained aloof, telling her to leave and that his meals were handled by the kitchen disciples.
He reminded her that only male disciples typically entered his room and urged her to maintain proper boundaries to avoid misunderstandings and uphold propriety. Yang Wangyue erupted in frustration, dismissing his concerns about propriety and asking if he had a conscience. She recounted her struggles to join Yunmen, narrowly escaping death, almost falling off a cliff while picking bamboo, and sneaking into the kitchen, all in an effort to get closer to him.
She lamented that her efforts were met with coldness. Yang Qing coldly retorted that he never ate bamboo shoots, criticizing her for not even knowing his preferences, and suggested that if she truly cared, she wouldn't have joined Yunmen while he was on a hunger strike for her. He repeatedly ordered her to leave. As she stormed out, Yang Qing looked at the bowl of soup with a smile.
Later, Jiang Yan brought Yang Wangyue some candies and ointment, revealing that Yang Qing had sent them but had asked him not to mention it. Buoyed by this hidden act of kindness, Yang Wangyue rushed to Yang Qing's room that night. She cheekily acknowledged his "tough talk" but his underlying care, proclaiming she was there to thank him and mentioning the gifts she had received.
Yang Qing, maintaining his facade of indifference, denied sending the candies and again ordered her to leave. Yang Wangyue complained about his repetitive command and playfully asked if he had been thinking about her. He threatened to throw her out if she didn't leave. Feigning exhaustion and hunger from her training, Yang Wangyue argued that if she fainted outside, it might alert the Sect Leader and elders. She admitted she was hungry and longed for his cooking.
Yang Qing then told her to move aside, seemingly agreeing to cook for her. Yang Wangyue, believing she had succeeded, thanked him. Standing outside his room later, she mused about how challenging it was to coax a man. She also wondered about Lin Yin, whom Yuan Yingxing had taken away, and how they were faring. Meanwhile, Yao Fu and Yuan Yingxing arrived at Mount Yin.
They attempted to force their way in but were injured by a poisonous flora at the entrance. Yao Fu quickly treated Yuan Yingxing's wounds and, later, she proposed a deal: she would help him reclaim Mount Yin, achieve reconciliation with Yunmen, and restore Shengyue Sect to its former glory, ensuring Yang Wangyue and Yang Qing could be together openly. In exchange, she requested to borrow the Shengyue Token once their objectives were accomplished.
Yuan Yingxing questioned her intentions for the token and expressed wariness of further betrayal. Yao Fu countered that if her goal was destruction, she wouldn't bother with such elaborate schemes. Yuan Yingxing playfully accused her of still harboring feelings for him, which Yao Fu dismissed, telling him to consider her offer. Yuan Yingxing then agreed to the deal. Yuan Yingxing then instructed an associate to write a letter to Yang Wangyue, summoning her back to Shengyue Sect.
He dictated that the letter should claim Yang Wangyue was faring poorly in Yunmen and that fine wine and food awaited her at Shengyue Sect, an obvious attempt to sow discord between her and Yang Qing. His associate questioned this, reminding Yuan Yingxing that he had already agreed to Yang Wangyue and Yang Qing's union and now had Yao Fu by his side.
Yuan Yingxing dismissed Yao Fu as merely having "some utilization value" and suggested Yang Wangyue was wasting her time, as Feng Xingyun, the Yunmen Sect Leader, would never approve of their marriage. He added that while he would not interfere if Yunmen sincerely accepted Yang Wangyue and reconciled with Shengyue Sect, he would make them pay a terrible price if they dared to harm her.
Yao Fu, overhearing his instructions to write the letter, confronted Yuan Yingxing, reminding him that his priority should be reviving the sect, not creating conflict between Yang Qing and Yang Wangyue, and that ruining his relationship with Yang Qing would hinder future reconciliation with Yunmen. Enraged, Yuan Yingxing choked Yao Fu, blaming her for his current efforts to revive the sect due to her past deception. He then dismissed her concerns as thinly veiled attempts to express care for him.
Separately, Lin Yin received a letter from Jiang Yan, which delighted her. Mingyang snatched it away, threatening to expose her "emotional entanglement" with Yunmen's disciple Jiang Yan to Yuan Yingxing, mockingly calling her "fickle" before tearing the letter. Yuan Yingxing appeared and commanded them to cease their bickering until they returned to Mount Yin. Jiang Yan, still in Yunmen, expressed concern to his junior, Shang Huai, about the lack of a reply from Lin Yin.
Shang Huai bluntly told him that Lin Yin was likely just toying with him and never genuinely liked him, adding that once a man falls in love, his brain stops working, referencing Yang Qing's apparent infatuation with Yang Wangyue. Shang Huai then advised Jiang Yan to be cautious, as the Langhuan Pavilion, where Yunmen stored important artifacts, was unsettled. Later, Lin Yin offered Mingyang a cup of wine, stating she wanted to know his true thoughts.
Mingyang, under the influence of the poisoned wine, began to hallucinate. He envisioned marrying Lin Yin, kneeling and swearing an oath of eternal love. He then confessed his love, explaining that he trained harder because he knew Lin Yin enjoyed martial arts and needed protection beyond her "bottles and jars of drugs." He then collapsed into a drunken stupor. Lin Yin, surprised by his unexpected sincerity, quickly left the room.
Reflecting on the incident, Lin Yin was flattered by Mingyang's affection, attributing it to her "dazzlingly beautiful, charming, and elegant" nature. However, she was bewildered as to when his feelings for her had developed. Yuan Yingxing, having witnessed the entire scene, entered and woke Mingyang by splashing water on his face. He then revealed Mingyang's drunken proposal and confession of love.
Mingyang, realizing Lin Yin had poisoned him, flew into a rage and vowed to confront her, but Yuan Yingxing reminded him not to let this personal matter delay the critical task of reviving the sect. Back in Yunmen, Yang Qing discovered a letter lying on Yang Wangyue's table. It was from Yuan Yingxing, addressed to "Yue," expressing concern about her being in Yunmen and claiming she was suffering humiliation from Yang Qing, whom he described as "two-faced" and untrustworthy.
The letter commended "Yue" for her sacrifice for Shengyue Sect and urged her to proceed with utmost caution in Yunmen. Reading this, Yang Qing misinterpreted the letter, believing that Yang Wangyue had joined Yunmen under the pretense of being his disciple, but was in fact secretly working for Yuan Yingxing to infiltrate the sect and steal the Sun Blade to save those imprisoned in Biluo Valley.
