An Oriental Odyssey Episode 19 Recap
> An Oriental Odyssey Recap
A Xiu mourned her son, Huange, at his grave. Princess Minghui approached her, holding a doll, and revealed that Zhao Lanzhi, who was in prison, was not the only one responsible for Huange's death. She cunningly accused Ye Yuanan, the daughter of Minister of Finance Ye Fucheng, of conspiring with Zhao Lanzhi out of envy to murder Huange. Distraught by the news, A Xiu, who did not recognize Minghui at first, tearfully vowed to seek revenge.
Minghui, claiming to know the truth and Ye Yuanan, promised to lead A Xiu to her. Meanwhile, Ye Yuanan was deeply distressed by Zhao Lanzhi's imprisonment and his refusal to escape. She refused to eat, despite her maid's pleas. Mu Le, observing her sadness, entered her room to share his suspicion that Huange's death was too convenient, suggesting Zhao Lanzhi might have been framed.
Ye Yuanan, however, dismissed his speculation, telling him not to speak of things he wasn't certain of. When Mu Le then expressed concern that she would starve herself to death before Zhao Lanzhi, she finally asked for porridge. Later, her maid commented on Mu Le's attractiveness, prompting Ye Yuanan to declare, "He is mine," before sending the maid away. Concerned about Ye Yuanan's well-being, the maid and nanny went to the market, where they found A Xiu selling lifelike dolls.
The nanny recalled Ye Yuanan’s fondness for a childhood doll that had gone missing and suggested buying a new one to lift her spirits. The maid purchased a doll from A Xiu. Back home, Ye Yuanan initially refused food, but upon receiving the doll, which reminded her of her deceased mother, she finally agreed to eat and rest. That night, as Ye Yuanan slept with the doll, she heard her deceased mother's voice calling her name.
She experienced a vivid hallucination of her mother, who claimed to have been wrongfully murdered by Ye Yuanning's mother, the current Madam Ye, and urged Ye Yuanan to avenge her. Possessed, Ye Yuanan armed herself with a dagger and burst into Lord Ye and Madam Ye's room, accusing them of her mother's death and attempting to kill Madam Ye. Mu Le quickly intervened, struggling to restrain Ye Yuanan, who was frantically shouting her desire for revenge.
Lord Ye and Ye Yuanning also tried to help subdue her. After Ye Yuanan collapsed, a doctor was summoned. The doctor concluded that she was not seriously ill, perhaps suffering from a cold or shock from nightmares, and prescribed sedatives. Despite this, Lord Ye remained uneasy and insisted the doctor stay overnight. Later that night, Ye Yuanan experienced another violent fit, throwing the medicine and vehemently accusing her father of conspiring with Madam Ye to murder her mother.
The terrified doctor fled, advising Lord Ye to seek an exorcist. Mu Le immediately went to Prince Yu Manor to confront Princess Minghui, accusing her of involvement and demanding an antidote. Minghui, with a smirk, mocked him, stating that if she truly wished Ye Yuanan harm, she would already be dead. She then cryptically hinted that someone else desired Ye Yuanan's death even more than she did.
Meanwhile, the State Preceptor praised Minghui for successfully dealing with both Zhao Lanzhi, now imprisoned, and Ye Yuanan, who was on the verge of death. Minghui, fearful of his suspicion, quickly reassured him of her unwavering loyalty and explained that she merely seized the opportunity to eliminate their common enemies. The State Preceptor cautioned her to remain vigilant. Convinced Ye Yuanan was possessed, Madam Ye brought in a powerful, albeit blind, Taoist Priest Wuji.
The priest immediately began to "purify" the estate, smashing bamboo and a precious fake mountain, claiming they harbored evil spirits and demanded a hefty sum of money from Lord Ye, who reluctantly paid. In Ye Yuanan's room, the priest placed a talisman on her forehead and declared a strong demonic aura. He discovered the doll under her bed, stating it had possessed her soul and was the source of her affliction, then ordered it to be burned.
To prepare for the exorcism, the priest instructed his disciples to bind Ye Yuanan. Mu Le protested, but Lord Ye, desperate to save his daughter, harshly ordered him to stand aside. During the ritual, Ye Yuanan screamed and struggled violently. Her pulse suddenly vanished, alarming everyone. However, Ye Yuanan abruptly opened her eyes, mocked the priest for his "abilities," and revealed she had been feigning possession. She then exposed him as a fake Taoist priest, pulling his beard.
The humiliated priest and his disciples quickly fled, declaring Ye Yuanan severely possessed and incurable, and advised the family to prepare for her funeral. After the exorcist fled, Mu Le desperately sought help from Chen Tianshu, who had been hiding in the basement. Meanwhile, Ye Yuanning and Madam Ye also headed to the basement, hoping to discover what Ye Yuanan had been concealing, only to be surprised by Chen Tianshu and Mu Le emerging.
Chen Tianshu revealed himself to Lord Ye as the man Ye Yuanan had hidden. Lord Ye, desperate to save his daughter, implored Chen Tianshu to help. Chen Tianshu examined Ye Yuanan and announced she had contracted a contagious plague, warning that the entire household would soon go mad. He prescribed a strict quarantine, a three-day fast for the household (except for bitter coptis water), and the spreading of lime throughout the mansion.
For Ye Yuanan, he instructed that fire basins be placed around her for three days, with her body covered in linen. If she survived this ordeal, she would recover. He also stipulated that a servant must stay with her, feeding her and ensuring the fires never went out, despite the intense heat and risk of infection. Lord Ye initially offered to stay, but Madam Ye quickly dissuaded him, citing his importance as a court official.
Mu Le immediately volunteered, declaring he was not afraid and believed Ye Yuanan would do the same for him, a sentiment echoed by Ye Yuanning and Madam Ye, who swiftly pushed the arduous task onto Mu Le. Chen Tianshu, impressed by Mu Le's loyalty, accepted his offer and gave him further instructions. Mu Le tirelessly cared for Ye Yuanan.
When she eventually awoke, she mistook him for her deceased mother, tearfully embracing him and lamenting her unhappiness, feeling neglected by everyone. Mu Le gently assured her he would stay by her side and, at her request, sang her a lullaby, cherishing these moments with her. Meanwhile, outside the mansion, A Xiu observed the lime spread and learned of Ye Yuanan's severe illness. She rejoiced, believing Ye Yuanan would soon die and join Huange in death.
Later, Lord Ye thanked Chen Tianshu and asked for his name. Chen Tianshu, citing his reclusive nature, cryptically advised Lord Ye that knowing his name would not be beneficial. He then demonstrated his extraordinary intellect by effortlessly improving Lord Ye's design for water irrigation vehicles. Despite the continuous candlelight in her room, Ye Yuanan's condition deteriorated.
Mu Le secretly went to the prison to inform Zhao Lanzhi of Ye Yuanan's worsening state, clarifying that she wasn't truly sick but appeared to be under someone's mind control. Zhao Lanzhi immediately suspected A Xiu, recalling that she, Huange's mother, was a skilled puppeteer once expelled from the palace for practicing sorcery. He urged Mu Le to return and protect Ye Yuanan, keeping A Xiu away from her.
Upon returning, Mu Le was shocked to find Ye Yuanan perched on the ceiling beam. When offered food, she refused it, stating she was hungry but would only eat mulberry leaves, a peculiar demand that further alarmed Mu Le.
