And the Winner Is Love Episode 41 Recap
> And the Winner Is Love Recap
Xia Qingmei returned home with medicine and preserved fruits for Lin Fengzi, explaining he had found work downtown to earn money. Lin Fengzi, understanding their financial struggles, offered her bracelet, a gift from her father, for him to pawn so he would not have to work so hard. However, Xia Qingmei misinterpreted her intentions, believing she saw him as incapable of providing for their family or suspected his money was ill-gotten. Enraged, he smashed the bracelet to smithereens.
He angrily accused her of looking down on him, just like her father, and regretting their marriage, contrasting their current hardship with a potential life with Shangguan Tou. Lin Fengzi gently assured him she did not regret marrying him and only wished to spare him from excessive toil. She suggested he apologize to her father to return to Sword Manor.
This enraged Xia Qingmei further, as he felt he had done nothing wrong and had been betrayed by his master, used like a 'pawn'. He declared he would never return to Sword Manor, vowing to prove himself to Lin Zongxing and Shangguan Tou. Later, he recalled Lord Lu’s earlier offer of power and the key to mastering the Nine Moves of Lotus God.
Meanwhile, Lin Zongxing received a report that Lin Fengzi and Xia Qingmei had quarrelled, but he instructed his subordinate not to interfere, stating that his daughter had chosen her own path. Xia Qingmei soon arrived at Lord Lu’s Mansion, intending to repay the twenty taels lent by Yuwen Muyuan. Lord Lu dismissed the debt, stating that money from his mansion never needed to be repaid, and offered Xia Qingmei hundreds or even thousands of taels if needed.
He then presented Xia Qingmei with a Kylin Pill, an exotic medicine, promising it would greatly enhance his inner power and enable him to achieve the ninth move of the Nine Moves of Lotus God. Xia Qingmei took the pill, and as he practiced, he marvelled at his rapid progress, successfully mastering the ninth move.
Lord Lu congratulated him, reiterating his inability to practice martial arts due to a childhood heart condition and expressing his pleasure in helping Xia Qingmei achieve such power. Lord Lu then subtly encouraged Xia Qingmei to join him in unifying the martial arts world, portraying those who opposed him as mere obstacles to his grand vision. Elsewhere, Zhong Xuezhi prepared to leave Moon Valley for the Winehouse of Fairyland, entrusting the Moon Valley's care to the Herbal Medicine Master.
Before her departure, Wuming returned, explaining he had been rescued by an old couple after being ambushed by Feng Mo down a cliff, though his inner power was compromised. Zhong Xuezhi insisted that the Herbal Medicine Master treat Wuming first, before joining her at the Winehouse of Fairyland where Hongxiu awaited. At the Winehouse of Fairyland, Hongxiu greeted Zhong Xuezhi, seemingly aware of her reasons for coming.
Zhong Xuezhi, looking gaunt and haggard, felt her heart filled with melancholy, recalling her time with Shangguan Tou. Over drinks, Hongxiu confided that Lord Lu's tyrannical rule had provoked widespread resentment, and overthrowing him was a common goal. Drowning her sorrows in wine, Zhong Xuezhi caught sight of a figure on a bridge strikingly similar to Shangguan Tou. She ran towards him, but he vanished.
Overcome with grief, she stumbled and nearly fell, only to be caught by the same figure, who she then realized was indeed Shangguan Tou. Overwhelmed, Zhong Xuezhi, unsure if she was dreaming or awake, embraced Shangguan Tou, pouring out her heart and expressing her profound loneliness and unanswered questions about his disappearance. She lamented his unfulfilled promises and the absence of flowers in her life since he left, clutching the red cord he had tied on her wrist.
Shangguan Tou gently pushed her away, introducing himself as Yu Chuzhi from Jingzhou, a painting dealer. Zhong Xuezhi, however, refused to believe him, insisting he was her Shangguan Tou, the leader of Moon Valley and the son of the Imperial Advisor. As her emotional distress mounted, she collapsed from exhaustion. Shangguan Tou carried her to her room, where she eventually fell asleep in his arms. He watched her with a heavy heart, unable to reveal his true identity.
Later, Shangguan Tou, still in his disguise as Yu Chuzhi, explained his predicament to Hongxiu. He clarified that "Shangguan Tou" had to remain "dead" to deceive the cunning Lord Lu (Xue Lie). For their plan to succeed, Zhong Xuezhi needed to genuinely believe that Yu Chuzhi was not Shangguan Tou, which would make Lord Lu lower his guard.
Shangguan Tou further revealed his deeper motivations: to protect Zhong Xuezhi from Lord Lu's schemes, to repay the Crown Prince's kindness, and to avenge his father and sister by bringing Lord Lu to justice. He asked Hongxiu to ensure Zhong Xuezhi understood that Yu Chuzhi was not Shangguan Tou when she awoke. The next morning, Zhong Xuezhi awoke and inquired about the man who had carried her to bed.
A servant confirmed it was Mr. Yu, adding that he was in the painting room and had a calmer demeanor than Shangguan Tou. Zhong Xuezhi went to the painting room, finding Yu Chuzhi engrossed in "The Poem of Two Adorable Girls." She thanked him for his help the previous night. He reiterated his identity as Yu Chuzhi, a Jingzhou native born in the year of Xin You, and explained his family's painting business, mentioning his personal interest in history.
Despite his detailed explanation, Zhong Xuezhi still called him Shangguan Tou, tearfully asking if he was truly not her Tou. Yu Chuzhi, perplexed by her persistence, asked how closely he resembled Shangguan Tou. Dejected, Zhong Xuezhi left. She then confronted Hongxiu, desperately seeking confirmation.
Hongxiu, though sharing Zhong Xuezhi's unspoken wish, firmly stated that he was not Shangguan Tou, citing his quiet and reserved nature as a stark contrast to Shangguan Tou's vibrancy, a difference she had discerned after thorough investigation. Overwhelmed, Zhong Xuezhi expressed her despair at fate's cruel jest. Hongxiu urged her to accept Shangguan Tou's death and not to mistake Yu Chuzhi for him. Zhong Xuezhi retorted that no one could ever replace or be mistaken for her unique Shangguan Tou.
Meanwhile, Xia Qingmei returned home, laden with an assortment of food, including "health tonics," a large drumstick, and Lin Fengzi's favorite sugar cakes, hoping to lift her spirits. However, Lin Fengzi remained aloof, refusing his offerings and telling him not to buy such things again, her coldness hinting at her continued unease about the source of his new prosperity.
