An Oriental Odyssey Episode 38 Recap
> An Oriental Odyssey Recap
Empress Tuoyue expressed her satisfaction with Prince A Ying, acknowledging him as an honest person who never lies. She then inquired about the wuli flower she had given him. A Ying, to protect Ye Yuanan, falsely claimed responsibility for shattering the precious wuli flower, apologizing and offering to be punished. The Empress dismissed it as a minor matter. Ye Yuanan was very happy to see A Ying lie for her.
After the Empress departed, A Ying confronted Ye Yuanan, reminding her that he lied for her sake. He pressed her to reveal her true identity, to which Ye Yuanan confidently replied that she was Shiwag Nana. Empress Tuoyue, realizing A Ying's change was due to Ye Yuanan, met with Zhenzhen, asserting that Ye Yuanan could not remain in Prince A Ying's palace and entrusted Zhenzhen with two tasks.
As Ye Yuanan performed her duties, conflicting emotions swelled within her; she pondered revenge against A Ying, yet recalled his recent lie to protect her and his earlier assessment that she didn't truly hate Mu Le. Summoned by a palace supervisor, Ye Yuanan was led to Zhenzhen, who accused her of enchanting Prince A Ying and had her knocked unconscious and captured under Empress Tuoyue's command.
When a panicked supervisor informed A Ying of Ye Yuanan's abduction and imminent execution by drowning, he rushed to her rescue. A Ying confronted Zhenzhen as she was about to throw Ye Yuanan into the river. He publicly declared that he had called Ye Yuanan to his chamber and that they were in love, stating that Zhenzhen could not harm her. Zhenzhen, heartbroken that A Ying still favored Ye Yuanan despite his amnesia, was forced to release her.
Following the rescue, a defiant Ye Yuanan told A Ying she would rather die than be saved by his lie, refusing his protection. To expose Ye Yuanan's deception, Empress Tuoyue summoned Lord Shiwag, who confessed that the "Nana" currently in the palace was an impostor. His real daughter had refused to participate in the selection, so he arranged for another girl to take her place.
Empress Tuoyue then confronted A Ying, explaining she ordered Zhenzhen to kill the girl because of her deceitful identity. A Ying was perplexed, arguing that Ye Yuanan had not harmed him. The Empress accused Ye Yuanan of violating palace rules, enchanting A Ying, and coercing him into lying about the wuli flower.
She feared Ye Yuanan had ulterior motives in approaching him, stressing that her concern was A Ying being manipulated, not the flower itself, and believing Ye Yuanan's presence was related to A Ying's experiences in Chang'an. A Ying admitted he had felt confused since bringing back the Divine Beads and had forgotten his past, but he felt an inexplicable connection to Ye Yuanan, believing she might help him regain his memories of his time in the Tang Empire.
He implored his mother to cease tormenting Ye Yuanan. Empress Tuoyue, understanding A Ying's sentiments, allowed him to keep Ye Yuanan, but warned that Ye Yuanan's persistence made her a potentially dangerous person, possibly seeking the Divine Beads. A Ying acknowledged her suspicion about the Divine Beads, and then deliberately called Ye Yuanan to his side, giving her opportunities to get closer to the Nine Divine Beads.
Back in his palace, A Ying informed Ye Yuanan that he had resolved the issues with his Royal Mother, and she and Zhenzhen would no longer trouble her. He wanted Ye Yuanan to stay in his palace, free from work or servitude, simply to chat with him and be his friend. Ye Yuanan saw this as an opportunity to get closer to the Divine Beads, silently hoping Mu Le would not blame her for her deception.
Meanwhile, Princess Ming Hui, distraught over Zhao Lanzhi, played a melancholic farewell song, sharing its story of unrequited love with her maid, Bing. Bing, saddened by her own love interest Changtai's debilitating injury at the frontier, confessed her wish to bring him back and care for him, despite his condition. Ming Hui initially scolded Bing for her foolishness. Later, Ming Hui cooked a meal for Zhao Lanzhi, asserting her desire to keep him regardless of Ye Yuanan.
However, after witnessing Bing's devotion and reflecting on her own situation, Ming Hui realized her folly in trying to force Zhao Lanzhi to stay. Recognizing that love cannot be coerced, Ming Hui prepared a divorce agreement, signed it, and presented it to Zhao Lanzhi, wishing for an amicable separation. Zhao Lanzhi, confirming Ming Hui's sincerity about the divorce, cut his finger to add his handprint to the agreement, explaining he wanted her to have a better future.
However, Ming Hui, heartbroken, tried to take the divorce agreement back. Zhao Lanzhi reminded her that since she had agreed to let go, she should not go back on her word. Ming Hui tearfully recounted her achievements in acquiring the Divine Beads, explaining how she had painstakingly found each one and convinced their owners to willingly give them to her, yet she could not win Zhao Lanzhi's heart.
She confessed that obtaining Zhao Lanzhi's affection was harder than acquiring the Divine Beads. Ming Hui's words about needing the owners' permission to truly possess the Divine Beads sparked a sudden realization in Zhao Lanzhi: if State Preceptor Tianshu had been unwilling to part with the Divine Beads, how could Mu Le have taken them that night he stole them?
Meanwhile, Ye Yuanan, now elevated to a high-ranking palace maid and relieved of her duties, used her newfound freedom to search A Ying's chamber for the Divine Beads. A Ying caught her, and when she falsely claimed to be looking for her earrings, he pointed out they were already in her ears, indicating he knew she was searching for something else. A Ying invited Ye Yuanan for a stroll by the river, and they rode horses.
Ye Yuanan, surprised by A Ying's horse-whispering ability, mentioned that a former servant (Mu Le) had taught her a few phrases. A Ying revealed that the words she had spoken meant, "listen to me and I'll give you carrots later." He explained that in Suoluo Kingdom, all cavalrymen must master horse language, as horses are crucial companions in battle, often offering the last chance for survival.
Noticing Ye Yuanan's lingering pain from betrayal, A Ying suggested they visit a nearby temple to pray. There, Ye Yuanan secretly wished for the servant to return what he stole, while A Ying wished for his valued friend to be sincere and truthful with him. Ye Yuanan then directly asked A Ying about the Nine Divine Beads he brought back from Tang, confirming Empress Tuoyue's suspicion that she was seeking the beads.
A Ying proceeded to tell her the story of the Divine Beads: how they were ancient treasures, products of the Nine Clans' wisdom, capable of both granting wishes and causing disasters. After a great war, they were sealed in a holy lake by ancient gods before resurfacing in Suoluo Kingdom. A hundred years ago, a Suoluo Queen gave birth to two princes – one pure and kind, the other ambitious.
The ambitious elder prince killed his younger brother in an attempt to seize the Divine Beads. Unable to find them, he angrily burned the pagoda that once enshrined them, went mad, and died. Unbeknownst to him, the younger prince had anticipated his brother's greed and had entrusted the Divine Beads to a traveling monk from Tianzhu (the Indian subcontinent).
However, the same covetousness for the beads arose in Tianzhu, leading the monk to eventually give them to the young Tang monk, Master Sanzang, who brought them to the Tang Empire. Separately, Tianshu recounted the Divine Beads' history to Zhao Lanzhi and Ming Hui, explaining how he and Tian Qiao, once like brothers, became enemies over the beads, causing a catastrophe in Buddhism. Zhao Lanzhi inquired why Tianshu had given the Divine Beads to Mu Le.
Tianshu revealed that upon hearing Mu Le speak "Huole De Tuotuo" at the Ye Mansion, he understood Mu Le's identity and true purpose in coming to Great Tang. He believed that all things come full circle and that it was fitting for Mu Le to return the Divine Beads, which were originally Suoluo's national treasure, to their homeland.
Back with Ye Yuanan, A Ying explained that he had brought the Divine Beads back to Suoluo because a terrible incident had almost claimed his father's life. He used the Divine Beads to heal his father periodically and intended to seal them away permanently after his father's full recovery, ensuring they would never again be used to cause suffering.
