And the Winner Is Love Episode 39 Recap
> And the Winner Is Love Recap
After Lord Lu threatened to expose Xia Qingmei for secretly practicing the Nine Moves of Lotus God, leaving Lin Zongxing with no choice but to comply, Lin Zongxing returned to the main hall of the Sword Manor. There, he announced Lord Lu’s intention to establish a Sects Alliance. The assembled martial arts leaders were taken aback by the news.
Lord Lu then elaborated on his vision, stating that while the martial arts world had existed for centuries since the Warring States Period, it had never been united. He expressed his desire for all sects to live in harmony, believing that only a unified alliance could achieve this. Feng Mo was quick to praise Lord Lu, calling it a wise and righteous move, and declared that his Huashan Sect would be the first to join.
He also blamed Chong Ye for the past turmoil in the martial arts world. Abbess Ciren of the Emei Sect also pledged her support for the sake of harmony. However, Abbot Shiyan of Luoduan Temple and Priest Xingyi of Shangqing Sect hesitated. Abbot Shiyan, being a Buddhist monk, requested time for discussion, while Priest Xingyi brought up rumors that the Hall of Flames had fallen due to a conspiracy involving Lord Lu and the Huashan Sect.
Lord Lu, trying to deflect the accusation, demanded proof, but before he could press further, Shangguan Tou arrived, declaring he could provide evidence. Lin Zongxing, fearing Shangguan Tou would get embroiled in the escalating conflict, attempted to dismiss him, reminding him that he was not welcome at the Sword Manor and had promised not to return.
Shangguan Tou, however, asserted his right to attend as the Leader of the Moon Valley, challenging Lin Zongxing's judgment, suggesting he was no longer the virtuous leader he once was. Lord Lu intervened, curious to hear Shangguan Tou's explanation. Shangguan Tou then publicly accused Lord Lu of being the mastermind behind Man Feiyue’s actions in spreading the Flu months prior. He claimed Lord Lu’s ultimate goal was to seize control of the entire martial arts world.
After failing to recruit the Hall of Flames, Lord Lu allegedly colluded with the former Huashan Sect Chief, Feng Cheng, to orchestrate the Hall of Flames' downfall. Shangguan Tou then directly questioned Yuwen Muyuan, who, despite admitting Lord Lu had approached him, claimed the Hall of Flames' demise was solely his own error and had nothing to do with Lord Lu.
Unfazed, Shangguan Tou further revealed Lord Lu’s involvement in the unjust death of his father, Shangguan Xingzhou, the Imperial Advisor, stating that Lord Lu grew angry when Shangguan Tou repeatedly thwarted his schemes. Yuwen Muyuan quickly defended Lord Lu, reiterating that Shangguan Xingzhou was proven to have conspired with rebels. Lord Lu also feigned innocence, claiming Shangguan Xingzhou was his father-in-law whom he wished to protect.
Shangguan Tou retorted, accusing Lord Lu, also known as Xue Lie, of being a beast capable of anything, even killing his own father-in-law. He warned the other sects that what happened to the Hall of Flames could happen to them too. With the truth laid bare, the other sect leaders, sensing Lord Lu's sinister intentions, began to excuse themselves, leaving Lord Lu furious that Shangguan Tou had spoiled his plans.
Lord Lu, enraged, produced a belly band that Shangguan Zheng had embroidered for her unborn child, cruelly announcing that Shangguan Zheng had passed away. He accused Shangguan Tou of causing her death by opposing him, implying her difficult situation led to her demise. Devastated and infuriated by the news of his sister's death, Shangguan Tou called Lord Lu a beast and, in a fit of rage, nearly attacked him. Lord Lu immediately ordered the Imperial Guards to kill Shangguan Tou.
Lin Zongxing, attempting to save Shangguan Tou, deliberately allowed himself to be taken hostage, creating a diversion that bought Shangguan Tou a brief window to escape. Lord Lu, undeterred, declared that anyone who killed Shangguan Tou would be heavily rewarded, but also warned Lin Zongxing that this was the last time he would tolerate him helping an outsider. Once Lord Lu and his entourage had departed, Xia Qingmei rushed to Lin Zongxing, asking what had happened.
Lin Zongxing, still fuming, confronted him, testing his martial arts. Xia Qingmei, in a moment of desperation, used the Nine Moves of Lotus God, confirming Lin Zongxing’s fears: Xia Qingmei had indeed secretly practiced the forbidden art and was responsible for the deaths of Tie Xiao and Hong Sheng. Lin Zongxing was furious, explaining that Xia Qingmei’s actions had not only tarnished the Sword Manor's reputation but also given Lord Lu leverage over him.
Xia Qingmei, feeling immense guilt, knelt and offered to die to atone for his sins. Just then, Lin Fengzi arrived and tearfully pleaded with her father to spare her husband, not wanting to become a widow so soon after her wedding. Lin Zongxing, torn between his duty and love for his daughter, did not immediately punish Xia Qingmei, instead dismissing him and Lin Fengzi from the main hall.
Xia Qingmei then confessed his long-standing love for Lin Fengzi, explaining that her heart had always been set on Shangguan Tou. To win her affection and surpass Shangguan Tou, he resorted to secretly practicing the Nine Moves of Lotus God. He admitted that Tie Xiao’s death was an accident while desperately trying to get an antidote to save Lin Fengzi.
As for Hong Sheng, he was killed because he opposed their marriage and tried to destroy the Nine Moves of Lotus God manual. Lin Fengzi, realizing that all his misguided actions stemmed from his deep love for her, was moved to tears and forgave him, embracing him as he reiterated his devotion to her, now that she was all he had left.
Meanwhile, Shangguan Tou, pursued by Imperial Guards, recalled his pre-arranged plan with the Crown Prince: if in danger at the Sword Manor, he was to follow the sound of cuckoo calls to a safe location. Wuming appeared, relaying a message from the Crown Prince's attendant to "go higher," adding, "when a bird flying up high gets caught, death will be its only way to escape," implying a faked death.
Shangguan Tou understood the message and continued his ascent to a high cliff. Lord Lu, along with Yuwen Muyuan and other soldiers, cornered him there, severely wounding him. Yuwen Muyuan, with a chilling request, asked Lord Lu for the honor of personally killing Shangguan Tou, a request Lord Lu granted, acknowledging Yuwen Muyuan’s desire for vengeance for the love Shangguan Tou allegedly stole.
After a brief, poignant exchange with Shangguan Tou, where both reflected on their choices, Yuwen Muyuan plunged a dagger into Shangguan Tou’s chest, sending him plummeting into the abyss below. Just as Shangguan Tou fell, Chong Xuezhi arrived, witnessing the horrifying scene. Overwhelmed by grief and rage, she attacked Yuwen Muyuan, blaming him for Shangguan Tou’s death and declaring their brotherhood irrevocably severed, branding him her enemy. Her old injuries, combined with her intense emotional distress, caused her to collapse.
Lin Changran arrived just in time to rescue the unconscious Chong Xuezhi, vehemently disowning Yuwen Muyuan as a disciple of the Hall of Flames and threatening him should he ever approach Chong Xuezhi again. Lord Lu, though satisfied, was not entirely reassured. He ordered his men to find Shangguan Tou's body to ensure there were no loose ends.
A subordinate later reported to Lord Lu that a corpse matching Shangguan Tou’s description had been found at the base of the cliff, but it was heavily disfigured by wild beasts, making it unrecognizable. Disgusted, Lord Lu declined to inspect the body, but his unease persisted, prompting him to order continuous surveillance on Chong Xuezhi. Unbeknownst to Lord Lu, Shangguan Tou was indeed alive, having been rescued by the Crown Prince.
The body found at the cliff’s base was that of an imperial musician named Yu Chunzhi, who had died of illness and had no family or social ties, making him a perfect substitute. Later, Feng Mo approached Lord Lu, expressing his concern about Yuwen Muyuan being brought into their ranks, given Yuwen Muyuan’s past as the Chief Guardian of the Hall of Flames and the potential for a hidden agenda.
Lord Lu dismissed his worries, stating that Yuwen Muyuan had changed and that his decisive act of killing Shangguan Tou in front of Chong Xuezhi had proven his loyalty and ruthlessness. Lord Lu acknowledged Feng Mo's deep-seated hatred for Yuwen Muyuan, who had killed Feng Mo's father, but urged him to set aside personal grievances for the greater cause of unifying the martial arts world, promising to entrust Yuwen Muyuan with important tasks.
Meanwhile, Lin Zongxing, still harboring Chong Xuezhi and Lin Changran at the Sword Manor, discussed the volatile state of the martial arts world with Lin Changran. He explained that Lord Lu had recruited Yuwen Muyuan and Feng Mo, and was actively seeking to establish the Sects Alliance. Lin Zongxing confessed his inability to openly defy Lord Lu but hoped to hold out as long as possible, believing that as long as the alliance remained unformed, there was still hope.
Lin Changran expressed his concern that with the martial arts world fractured, Lin Zongxing alone could not stand against Lord Lu. He suggested that there was someone else capable of uniting the scattered sects. In a separate discussion, Lord Lu fumed over Lin Zongxing’s continued defiance and his act of sheltering Chong Xuezhi and meeting with Lin Changran. His aide suggested that since Lin Zongxing was so uncooperative, Lord Lu no longer needed to honor their kinship.
Lord Lu, seeing Lin Zongxing as an aging obstacle, shifted his focus to Xia Qingmei. He proposed that if Xia Qingmei was capable of killing Hong Sheng, who taught him martial arts, then he should also be capable of eliminating Lin Zongxing, his master and father-in-law, to claim leadership.
His aide expressed doubt that a sane man would commit such a monstrous act, but Lord Lu speculated that the Nine Moves of Lotus God, capable of both making and breaking a person, could drive Xia Qingmei to madness if he cultivated it alone, making him capable of anything. Lord Lu then instructed his aide to subtly push Xia Qingmei further down this path of madness.
Elsewhere, Chong Xuezhi, waking up from a dream of Shangguan Tou falling off a cliff, frantically asked Lin Changran for Shangguan Tou's whereabouts. Despite Lin Changran’s efforts to calm her and reassure her that her recovery was the priority, she refused to rest and, driven by fear and love, rushed out to find Shangguan Tou.
