An Oriental Odyssey Episode 49 Recap
> An Oriental Odyssey Recap
Prince Ying, also known as Mu Le, told Ye Yuanan that he had initially wished to return to the Tang Empire with her and live an ordinary life. However, with Suoluo in great turmoil, he felt he had to stay and confront his older brother, Aheng, to get an explanation. He urged Ye Yuanan to return to Tang first, suggesting they would meet again if fate allowed.
Ye Yuanan adamantly refused, reminding him that she had just found him and he had just regained his memories. She asked if he had grown tired of her, which he denied. She then vowed never to leave him again, asserting that their meeting and marriage were destiny. Ying conceded, promising they would never be separated again. Meanwhile, Ling Xi expressed his anger over Zhenzhen's death and her act of removing the scapulae nails to restore Ying's martial arts.
Prince Aheng, however, calmly reassured Ling Xi, highlighting that they possessed eight of the nine Divine Beads. Ling Xi agreed, remarking that they should wait for Ying to return, as he would surely bring the last bead with him. Zhao Lanzhi and Ming Hui found the streets bustling with people, and upon inquiring, learned that everyone was heading to Empress Tuoyue's funeral.
By the sacred river, Ying secretly mourned his mother, vowing that her body and soul would flow peacefully with the river. He promised to rule Suoluo well, protect its citizens, and find her murderer to bring her comfort. He also vowed to bring Aheng, his brother, back to the path of righteousness. However, some citizens recognized Ying and, having been misled by Aheng's accusations, began to denounce him as his mother's killer.
Ye Yuanan stepped forward to defend Ying, asking why a murderer would openly stand there. Ying then urged Aheng to repent and declared his intention to tell everyone the truth. Aheng, in turn, accused Ying of misusing the Divine Beads and killing their merciful mother. Ying countered, pointing out that Aheng now had what he wanted—the Divine Beads and the Suoluo Kingdom—and had become its Regent.
Aheng proudly proclaimed that with the Divine Beads, he would be the ruler of the entire world. Ye Yuanan scorned Aheng for his open laughter and celebration while their mother had just died. Ying condemned Aheng for conspiring with wicked individuals, using sinister tricks, and especially for murdering their kind mother. He declared that neither he nor the people of Suoluo would ever forgive him. Enraged, Aheng ordered his guards to kill them immediately.
Ying questioned how Aheng could bear to kill him, especially with their mother's blood still on his hands. Many citizens spoke up for Ying, noting his kind nature and questioning Aheng's accusations. Taking advantage of the public's sentiment, Ying swiftly took Aheng hostage. Ying demanded to know why Aheng killed their mother and why power and the Divine Beads held more weight than her life.
Aheng defiantly admitted to the murder, explaining his resentment for growing up in Ying's shadow, constantly subjected to his parents' tests while Ying enjoyed favoritism. He recalled how his best friend was forced to gouge out his eyes because of their father, and he himself was imprisoned in a pagoda. Aheng declared his need for power and the Divine Beads, stating that no one, not Ying, nor their parents, could stop him.
Ying called his brother insane, which Aheng confirmed, mentioning his tireless efforts to drive Ying away. Ying then asked if Aheng regretted his actions for the Divine Beads. Aheng replied that his only regret was his carelessness in letting Ye Yuanan steal one of the Divine Beads. He then demanded that Ye Yuanan return the bead to him. The missing Divine Bead was forcefully drawn from Ye Yuanan's possession and merged with the eight beads Aheng held.
Suddenly, Ling Xi removed his human skin mask, revealing his true face to Ye Yuanan, who was shocked to realize that the two Ling Xis she knew were the same person. Ye Yuanan attacked Ling Xi with her sword, but it passed directly through him, making her question whether he was human or ghost. Aheng boasted that he would kill Ying, conquer Suoluo, and then the entire world using the Divine Beads.
He planned to rewrite history, depicting Ying as an evil murderer who colluded with a woman from Tang and was eventually executed. However, a young child in the crowd bravely shouted that Aheng was lying and was the true villain. An enraged Aheng ordered the child killed, but before his command could be carried out, Zhao Lanzhi and Ming Hui dramatically appeared, rescuing Ying and Ye Yuanan.
Ling Xi advised Aheng against pursuing them, reminding him that he now possessed the Divine Beads and was revered as the "Emperor of the World." Aheng acknowledged Ling Xi's indispensable help in regaining the Divine Beads and, with renewed confidence, ordered his soldiers to begin training for an imminent war against the Tang Empire, eager for the revival of Suoluo Kingdom. Ye Yuanan was surprised to find Zhao Lanzhi and Ming Hui alive.
Zhao Lanzhi explained that after their near-death encounter in the Green River, where they had fallen after fighting the demon dragon, he realized the depth of Ming Hui's love for him and felt ashamed for his past indifference. They had hidden among the people after hearing about the upheaval in the palace and the Divine Beads, waiting for a signal flare to come to their rescue.
Zhao Lanzhi also mentioned that the Empress's deadline for recovering the Divine Beads was approaching, and failure could lead to war between the two kingdoms. Ming Hui pledged to stay with him until the end. Meanwhile, Aheng visited the King. The King, already heartbroken by Empress Tuoyue's death, immediately suspected Aheng, who admitted his crime. The King, in despair, asked Aheng why he didn't kill him as well.
Ling Xi arrived, reporting that he had deciphered the special weapon forging methods encoded in the Divine Beads, and that Suoluo's craftsmen were working day and night to produce them. He added that the recruitment notice had been issued, ensuring Aheng's wish to conquer the world would soon materialize. Aheng laughed triumphantly, telling his father that the first thing he would witness was their war against the Tang Empire. The King wept tears of profound regret.
Ying later discussed Aheng's actions with his companions, noting that with Ling Xi's assistance, retrieving the Divine Beads would be exceedingly difficult. The group concluded that to retrieve the Divine Beads, they must first eliminate Ling Xi. Ye Yuanan described Ling Xi as seemingly invulnerable, like a ghost. However, Ming Hui, drawing upon her experiences with her master Tian Qiao, dismissed the idea of Ling Xi being a mere ghost.
She proposed that Ling Xi was an expert of the "Soul-Splitting Spell," a peculiar magic that allows one's soul to separate from the body. She recalled how Tian Qiao had once investigated an Arabian warlock in Chang'an City who used such a spell, allowing swords to pass through his body. Ming Hui explained that to defeat someone wielding this spell, one must locate and destroy their true, physical body.
Ying remembered the Imperial Library and speculated that Aheng might have hidden Ling Xi's true body on its top floor, where spell books were secretly stored. They all agreed to infiltrate the Imperial Library for clues. Outside the palace, Aheng enforced martial law across Suoluo, conscripting young men from every household, causing widespread suffering and resentment among the populace. Night after night, Aheng used the Divine Beads to train his army into an invincible force.
Despite this, Aheng worried about having insufficient troops for the invasion of the Tang Empire. Ling Xi dismissed his fears, asserting that the Divine Beads possessed boundless power to create formidable weapons and orchestrate perfect military deployments, guaranteeing victory regardless of the enemy's numbers. Aheng, delighted, promised Ling Xi half the world once he conquered it, but Ling Xi declined, stating his only desire was to remain Aheng's most loyal friend.
That night, Ying and his group secretly entered the Imperial Library. General Su Ya, who was on patrol and a supporter of Ying, recognized them. Instead of apprehending them, he urged Ying to hurry and save the King and the people of Suoluo from disaster. Inside, Ye Yuanan noted that the library's layout had changed since her last visit.
In a hidden room, they discovered a mysterious parchment but no sign of Ling Xi's body, realizing the room was too small to conceal a person. Before they could further investigate, Aheng and his men arrived, forcing them to make a hasty escape. During their flight, Zhao Lanzhi heroically shielded Ying from an incoming arrow, suffering an injury to his arm. Ming Hui, visibly upset, berated Zhao Lanzhi for protecting Ying, calling the people of Suoluo "monsters" and "troublemakers."
Ye Yuanan immediately retorted, defending Ying and questioning Ming Hui's insult. Zhao Lanzhi tried to de-escalate the argument, but Ming Hui, angered by his perceived defense of Ye Yuanan, stormed off. Back at the palace, Aheng, upon discovering the intrusion into the Imperial Library, flew into a rage. However, finding the mysterious parchment still secure, he calmed down and harshly punished the guards for their negligence.
Ling Xi reassured Aheng that since the Divine Beads only obeyed him, the intruders could not have achieved anything significant. Meanwhile, a distraught Ming Hui was confronted by a figure claiming to be Zhao Lanzhi. He expressed worry for her and denied taking Ye Yuanan's side. Ming Hui then privately asked him if he still harbored feelings for Ye Yuanan.
He denied it again, assuring her that she was his wife, more beautiful than Ye Yuanan, and that he had only her in his heart after she traveled so far from Tang to be with him. Ming Hui expressed her desire to return to the Tang Empire, not wanting to die alongside Ye Yuanan. The imposter "Zhao Lanzhi" readily agreed, stating that their mission was too difficult and dangerous.
He suggested they abandon it and return to Tang to live out the rest of their lives together, emphasizing that he and Ye Yuanan had no relationship. As Ming Hui was touched by his words, he suddenly stabbed her with a dagger. Ming Hui immediately realized he was not the real Zhao Lanzhi, explaining that the true Zhao Lanzhi would never speak ill of Ye Yuanan or abandon a mission.
She revealed that she was prepared and the dagger had only wounded her hand. The fake Zhao Lanzhi then revealed himself to be an "inner devil" within a "Confusing Enchantment of the Nine Divine Beads," stating that the only way to break the enchantment was to defeat him. Just in time, the real Zhao Lanzhi appeared, killed the imposter, and rescued Ming Hui. Elsewhere, Ying reflected on their fruitless search in the Imperial Library.
He mused that Ming Hui's theory about Ling Xi hiding his true body there via the Soul-Splitting Spell might be incorrect, as they found nothing but bronze mirrors. However, he concluded that Aheng's extreme fury over their intrusion into the library suggested there was indeed a significant secret hidden within that they had yet to uncover. Ying then heard a distant sound and, instructing Ye Yuanan to wait, went to investigate. In the palace, Ling Xi confidently assured Aheng that no matter how capable Ying was, he would not survive the enchantment created by the Divine Beads.
