An Oriental Odyssey Episode 12 Recap
> An Oriental Odyssey Recap
Zhao Lanzhi approached Ye Yuanan to offer his apologies, explaining that his previous anger stemmed from excessive worry for her safety. He remarked that she seemed to have changed, appearing more ladylike than her former bold self, and he preferred her new demeanor, as she no longer caused him as much concern. Ming Hui, observing their interaction from a distance, felt an inexplicable displeasure.
Later, Ye Yuanan attended a gathering of esteemed young ladies from Luoyang City, where Madam Guo announced a flower arrangement competition, promising a prized orchid to the winner. Zhao Lanzhi, believing Ye Yuanan herself had created the beautiful flower arrangement she previously gave him, encouraged her to participate, despite her reluctance. Ming Hui, seeing the chance to contend with Ye Yuanan, deliberately joined the competition.
She subtly implied that Ye Yuanan, known for her martial arts skills, might not excel in flower arrangement. Ye Yuanan, stung by the insinuation, took up the challenge. As anticipated, Ye Yuanan's arrangement was far from elegant; one lady even remarked it looked like a "rooster with messy hair," though Ye Yuanan insisted it was a "peacock flaunting its tail." Ultimately, Princess Ming Hui's skillful creation secured her the top-class orchid.
Several noble ladies then openly mocked Ye Yuanan for her lack of refinement, assuming she couldn't hear them. Ye Yuanan, overhearing their insults and their disdainful comments about her association with Officer Zhao, decided she could not tolerate it any longer and confronted them, threatening them with her pet spider. Ming Hui, witnessing the scene, quickly dispatched a servant to fetch Zhao Lanzhi, fabricating a message that Ye Yuanan urgently wished to speak with him.
When Zhao Lanzhi arrived, the ladies feigned distress, claiming Ye Yuanan was about to harm them. Zhao Lanzhi, misunderstanding the situation, harshly reprimanded Ye Yuanan, accusing her of being reckless and disappointing him. Feeling deeply hurt, Ye Yuanan stormed off. Afterward, Zhao Lanzhi regretted his words and secretly retrieved Ye Yuanan's unique flower arrangement, realizing it truly depicted a peacock. Zhao Lanzhi saw Princess Ming Hui off, experiencing a vague sense of déjà vu.
As Ming Hui rode away in her carriage, she remembered saving Zhao Lanzhi from a pond in the past and how she had slowly developed feelings for him. Suddenly, her carriage shook violently. Zhao Lanzhi, hearing the commotion, rushed over, but Ming Hui quickly dismissed his concerns, attributing the shaking to her restless sleep after drinking too much wine. Once alone, Ming Hui confronted Shuiyue, who had been hiding in the carriage.
Ming Hui immediately recognized her by her distinctive blue eyes, revealing that she was indeed Shuiyue. However, this revelation deepened Ming Hui's confusion, as she wondered who the "Shuiyue" at Prince Nanjing's mansion truly was if the real one was before her. Meanwhile, at Prince Nanjing's manor, the "Shuiyue" residing there, who was actually Xiaoke, despaired as her borrowed face began to deteriorate without the essential medicinal pills.
Believing it to be her last chance, she carefully applied makeup, hoping to preserve her most beautiful appearance for Mu Le. Mu Le, who had been observing her suspicious behavior, was discovered and brought into her room. Xiaoke then tearfully revealed her true identity to him, reminding him that she was the "Xiaoke" he had known in the slave shack.
They reminisced about their time as slaves, recalling how Mu Le would repeatedly murmur "Huole de tuotuo," and how Xiaoke, despite being a fellow slave, had shown him kindness by sharing her meager food and attempting to help him escape. Their escape attempt was foiled, and the real Shuiyue purchased Xiaoke, saying she needed a "little sister" with a similar build to play a "fun game" of disguise. Shuiyue pampered Xiaoke, fattening her up and fairing her skin.
One day, after giving Xiaoke a flower tea, Shuiyue drugged her and, using her dark arts, swapped their faces. The real Shuiyue, now in Xiaoke's body, revealed her true motive: to escape an arranged marriage arranged by her uncle and aunt, whom she intended to eliminate. She had planned to use Xiaoke, in Shuiyue's body, as a scapegoat. Shuiyue warned Xiaoke that the swapped face would distort without her special pills from Lingdang Garden House.
Xiaoke, recounting these events to Mu Le, confessed that she went aboard the marriage ship with Shuiyue's uncle and aunt, but, anticipating treachery, she was prepared. When the real Shuiyue set the ship ablaze, Xiaoke managed to escape and confronted Shuiyue, who was watching the inferno from a distance. Unable to reclaim her own face, Xiaoke, in a moment of madness and desperation, chose to disfigure Shuiyue's face, refusing to let her escape justice.
Xiaoke expressed profound regret for her actions, lamenting the "retribution" she now faced. Mu Le then inquired about the recent face-slicing murders in Luoyang. Xiaoke vehemently denied any involvement, asserting she knew the real Shuiyue was behind them. She revealed that the real Shuiyue had once returned to confront her, but Xiaoke had driven her away by threatening to further damage her disfigured face.
Desperate, Xiaoke pleaded with Mu Le to steal a specific secret pill from Lingdang Garden House, the same place where the real Shuiyue had originally obtained her potent concoctions. Meanwhile, the real Shuiyue, discussing her plight with Ming Hui, was mocked for her failure to secure a new identity or suitable faces, despite her murderous spree. Ming Hui then produced a small bottle of pills she had stolen from Xiaoke's room, confirming their importance for facial fusion.
They deduced that Xiaoke, now without the critical medicine, would inevitably seek replenishment at Lingdang Garden House. Recognizing this as an opportunity, they conspired to set a trap. That evening, Ye Yuanan, having decided to give up on flower arranging, was at Lingdang Garden House, conversing with the owner, when the owner was suddenly stabbed and abducted. Ye Yuanan immediately pursued the assailant.
Zhao Lanzhi was later informed by his subordinate about the kidnapping at Lingdang Garden House and the theft of special medicinal pills. His subordinate explained that the pills, regulated by the government, were created by the owner's great-grandfather, a former gardener for Emperor Taizong, and had the miraculous ability to merge skin and flesh. He recalled witnessing the owner use these pills years ago to save a young Shuiyue whose face had been severely mutilated by a dog.
The subordinate also mentioned seeing crow feathers in the backyard, similar to evidence found in previous cases, leading to speculation about a connection. Zhao Lanzhi concluded that if the kidnapper targeted these specific pills, the owner of Lingdang Garden House must still be alive, and vowed to find her. He was also informed that Ye Yuanan had been seen at the flower house earlier that evening.
