And the Winner Is Love Episode 3 Recap
> And the Winner Is Love Recap
Zhong Xuezhi stood before the assembled martial arts leaders, holding the Lotus Sutra and declaring her intent to burn it. She reasoned that since the martial world deemed it an evil art, destroying it would prevent future conflicts and bloodshed. The sect leaders vehemently objected, insisting that such an important matter should be discussed and handled collectively by the righteous schools.
One leader proposed that, given the immense power of the Nine Moves of Lotus God, both manuals, when combined to form the Lotus Wind, should be brought together for joint deliberation. He then asked Abbot Shiyan of the Luduan Temple for his opinion. Abbot Shiyan agreed, and monks were sent to retrieve the Nine Moves of Lotus God. To everyone's shock, the manual was completely blank.
Memories of the manual's original state five years ago, when it was deposited with the Sword Manor, were recalled, and accusations began to fly. While Xia Qingmei defended Sword Manor's custody, Abbess Ciren accused the Hall of Flames of orchestrating the theft, suggesting they had already obtained the real manual and faked its disappearance with a blank scroll.
Yuwen Muyuan fiercely defended the Hall of Flames, pointing out that if they truly intended to steal the manual, they would not have used a blank one, especially since only their sect could verify its authenticity. He asserted that the priority was to find the real manual and the culprit. Zhong Xuezhi and Xia Qingmei pledged to locate the manual and provide an explanation. Abbess Ciren, still suspicious, demanded a deadline, fearing Zhong Xuezhi might keep it.
Yuwen Muyuan guaranteed that the Hall of Flames would find the Nine Moves of Lotus God within three months and present it at the upcoming Weapon Ranking Convention, explaining that while mastering the Lotus Wind takes three years, finding the manual in three months would clear their name. The leaders accepted this three-month ultimatum. Meanwhile, Yuwen Zhongsong, the Grand Elder of the Hall of Flames and Yuwen Muyuan's grandfather, received news of the missing Nine Moves of Lotus God.
He immediately dispatched Yu Wan to summon Yuwen Muyuan back to the Hall of Flames. It became clear that Yuwen Zhongsong harbored ulterior motives, and Zhong Xuezhi's current precarious situation perfectly suited his plans. Yuwen Muyuan, Zhong Xuezhi, and their companions discussed the missing manual. Yuwen Muyuan concluded that the Luduan Temple, where the manual was last seen, was the primary suspect and decided to investigate it first.
He insisted on going alone, telling Zhong Xuezhi that her duty was to protect the Lotus Sutra. That night, Yuwen Muyuan covertly entered the Luduan Temple, only to find himself surrounded by Abbot Shiyan and his monks, who were prepared for an intruder. Abbot Shiyan revealed that he had set a trap, but not out of malice.
His intention was to prove the Luduan Temple's innocence and, by extension, the Hall of Flames', reasoning that if the Hall of Flames were truly involved, Yuwen Muyuan would not have come. Convinced of each other's integrity, Abbot Shiyan assured Yuwen Muyuan that he was welcome to visit the temple openly in the future, without needing to sneak in at night.
Yuwen Muyuan then requested Abbot Shiyan to testify on the Hall of Flames' behalf at the upcoming Weapon Ranking Convention, to which the Abbot agreed to speak truthfully. After discussing the Luduan Temple's diminished suspicion, Yuwen Muyuan received news that Xia Qingmei had left for the Sword Manor overnight, despite not being fully recovered. Zhong Xuezhi found this highly suspicious, suggesting Xia Qingmei might be feeling guilty.
Although Yuwen Muyuan didn't fully believe the Sword Manor was involved, he offered to pursue Xia Qingmei to clarify the matter. Zhong Xuezhi decided to remain to continue investigations and, recognizing her own limited combat skills, entrusted the Lotus Sutra to Yuwen Muyuan for safekeeping. He accepted, promising to hand it over to the elders upon his return to the Hall of Flames, and instructed his subordinate Haitang to ensure Zhong Xuezhi's safety.
Yuwen Muyuan then caught up with Xia Qingmei, who claimed he needed to report to his master and apologize for the manual's disappearance. Yuwen Muyuan offered to accompany him, citing concern for his unrecovered health. Later, Fengzi met Zhong Xuezhi, bidding her farewell as she returned to the Sword Manor. Fengzi inquired if Zhong Xuezhi knew Shangguan Tou, the man who saved her at the Hero Assembly. Zhong Xuezhi replied that she did not recognize him.
That evening, back at her inn, Zhong Xuezhi overheard her maids, including Zhu Sha, discussing Shangguan Tou. They described him as the son of the Imperial Advisor and the master of Moon Valley, a man of extraordinary elegance, intellect, and grace, often called "Young Master Zhaojun" or the Preeminent Shangguan Tou. His charm, they said, lay in his ethereal nature, like a "heavenly and perfect" being. Intrigued, Zhong Xuezhi set out to find Shangguan Tou.
She asked around Dongdu City for his whereabouts, enduring conflicting directions from locals seeking payment. Eventually, she was led to Qingguan House, a pleasure establishment, where she inquired about "the flirtiest man in the world." Shangguan Tou's subordinate redirected her, leading to a direct confrontation with Shangguan Tou himself. Zhong Xuezhi, recognizing his voice and the distinctive sound of his fan, pressed him, asserting that he was her savior from the cave.
Shangguan Tou, however, playfully denied it, offering ambiguous explanations for his presence and actions at the Hero Assembly. Annoyed but persistent, Zhong Xuezhi walked away. Shangguan Tou's subordinate then asked him why he wouldn't admit to saving Zhong Xuezhi, noting her persistence and wondering if she was truly seeking him out of gratitude or for the Nine Moves of Lotus God.
Undeterred by Shangguan Tou's denials, Zhong Xuezhi, realizing her strategic error in not asking for Shangguan Tou's help, devised a prank. She found a street artist selling portraits of Shangguan Tou and commissioned him to draw hair on the bald head of the depicted "Zhaojun," arranging for these modified portraits to be distributed throughout Dongdu City. Shangguan Tou was shown one of these defaced images and found the prank "interesting."
He then visited Zhong Xuezhi at her inn, carrying a similarly defaced portrait of her, labeled "Mr. Xuezhi." He playfully questioned her childish behavior, reminding her of his tender care for her eyes when she was injured. Zhong Xuezhi used this as an opportunity to get him to admit his role as her savior, which he finally did. However, she continued her feigned skepticism, challenging his motives.
After another playful exchange, Zhong Xuezhi walked away, leaving Shangguan Tou momentarily frustrated, though he was reminded by his subordinate not to fuss over a "willful little girl." Later, Zhong Xuezhi received a message from Shangguan Tou. He apologized for his previous "childishness" and invited her to meet him at the tree five li east of the cave—the place where they had first encountered each other—to view a "rice paper" he had buried there.
Zhong Xuezhi went to the spot, where Shangguan Tou was waiting. He again feigned readiness to depart, but Zhong Xuezhi stopped him, definitively confirming his identity as her savior based on his fan, figure, and the "rice paper" clue. She declared her unwavering commitment to repay his kindness, citing the Hall of Flames' code.
She then proposed a deal: if he helped her find the missing Nine Moves of Lotus God, she would, in turn, help him protect the person he had mentioned being entrusted to guard. Shangguan Tou agreed, but with a condition: upon successfully finding the manual, he would claim the one thing most important to her.
As they shook hands to seal the agreement, he returned a money bag she had apparently lost, humorously advising her to be more discerning about whom she trusted. Following this, Shangguan Tou decided to redirect his journey to Dongdu to assist Zhong Xuezhi.
On the Qiqiao Festival, Shangguan Tou advised Zhong Xuezhi that the best way to find information was in bustling public places like markets, music houses, or taverns, where people were more talkative and open to being paid for news. He had already sent his own people to investigate. Later, he took Zhong Xuezhi to a riverbank, where many young women were releasing flower lanterns, sending their wishes downstream. He explained the traditions of the festival, including those wishing for love.
Knowing she was born in the year of the rabbit, Shangguan Tou presented Zhong Xuezhi with a small rabbit-shaped lantern, encouraging her to make a wish. Zhong Xuezhi wished for the swift recovery of the Nine Moves of Lotus God, the resurgence of the Hall of Flames, and the absolution of her father's alleged misdeeds. Shangguan Tou gently cautioned her that too many wishes might not come true. Finally, looking into her eyes with a smile, he revealed the identity of the person he had been entrusted to protect: it was Zhong Xuezhi herself.
