A Love Never Lost Episode 31 Recap
> A Love Never Lost Recap
Under the small stone bridge the Prince Regent passed by every day, someone had buried a black cylindrical object resembling a bomb. A wire connected it to a telephone set and the black cylinder. If this object truly was a bomb, then the telephone was likely the detonator switch. Liang Xiang ordered everyone not to touch it and went to fetch Hirata Ichiro. Hirata Ichiro was well-versed in bomb structure and disarmament.
After his inspection, he removed the fuse, defusing the danger. He told Liang Xiang that this was Japanese-made yellow gunpowder with a highly advanced electric ignition device and massive explosive power, but it was not an industrial product—likely homemade. The metal casing around the yellow gunpowder, intended to enhance the blast effect, appeared handcrafted rather than welded. Liang Xiang ordered an immediate investigation of all blacksmith shops in the capital and the arrest of the two suspicious photo studio staff.
In the crowd, Xie Shuhong saw Wang Zhaoming being taken away. Yang Kaizhi then pulled Xie Shuhong aside, warning that Huang Fusheng knew his address, so she could no longer stay there. Yang Kaizhi advised her to retrieve her child from Master Fan’s house and temporarily stay with Li Renjun and Xiao Fenglan. In 1910, Wang Zhaoming and others opened the “Shouzhen Photo Studio” in Beijing as an assassination base.
On the seventh day of the third lunar month, they attempted but failed to assassinate the Prince Regent and were arrested. There were many items in the studio, indicating the group likely consisted of more than three people. In the darkroom, Liang Xiang discovered a developed photo hanging to dry—a photo of Xie Shuhong and Wu Bugu together.
Liang Xiang presented his suggestions to Prince Su, Zai Feng, who decided to take a step back—not to sentence Wang Zhaoming and the other two to death, avoiding further tensions with the revolutionaries. Zai Feng planned to approve Yang Kaizhi’s appointment as commander of the Sixth Town and was about to give his endorsement when Liang Xiang interjected. If the goal was solely to counterbalance the Beiyang faction led by Yuan, no one was more suitable than Yang Kaizhi.
But in terms of loyalty to the Qing Dynasty, Yang Kaizhi might not be the best choice. Zai Feng understood this, but still signed off on the appointment edict. He asked Liang Xiang to congratulate Yang Kaizhi and deliver 42 sealed reports exposing him as a revolutionary.
The Prince Regent asked Liang Xiang to tell Yang Kaizhi that he believed he would uphold the same loyalty to the nation as during the Yanji Sino-Japanese incident, defending the capital and safeguarding the court. After the court adopted a conciliatory policy toward the three suspects, Yang Kaizhi felt the danger had passed and brought Xie Shuhong and her son back from Li Renjun’s place. Liang Xiang asked his mother to make an appearance in support.
With the appointment edict for Yang Kaizhi issued, Liang Xiang planned to use the occasion to host a dinner gathering with old classmates—there were some things he had to say. Xie Shuhong and Wu Bugu were also invited. Yang Kaizhi accompanied them by carriage to the Liang residence. Once Madam Liang and the guests were seated, Liang Xiang brought in Hirata Ichiro and Miss Yoshiko.
With everyone present, after a few rounds of drinks, Xie Shuhong got up to take her child to the restroom, but Duo Mei insisted on going instead, leaving Xie Shuhong to return to her seat. This gave Liang Xiang a chance to speak privately with Xie Shuhong, praising her for still being as beautiful as before.
He then reminded her not to assume the court’s leniency toward Wang Zhaoming and the others meant detectives in the capital would stop pursuing other leads. As Yang Kaizhi was about to assume command of the Sixth Town, Hirata Ichiro advised him that what the Beiyang Army lacked most was strategic thinking—armed strength would become the ultimate authority in the future.
Madam Liang pulled Xie Shuhong aside, asking her to consider leaving Wu Bugu at the Liang home, where she and Duo Mei would care for him and send him to school. Xie Shuhong said nothing, sensing Madam Liang’s words were a veiled threat. Yang Kaizhi, seeing the box of denunciation letters against him, also took it as a threat.
