Good And Evil Episode 16 Recap
> Good And Evil Recap
The Southern Pool Kingdom's King, Lingjun, lay gravely ill, close to death. His twin brother entered his chamber, observing his sibling's failing state. He remarked on Lingjun's unfortunate destiny and, claiming their twin bond, decided to assume Lingjun's identity. He declared that those undeserving of life would soon pay, and what was rightfully his would eventually return to him. Meanwhile, Han Sheng, having recently recovered, sought out Chun Yao.
She playfully praised him, noting that his act of saving her had transformed him from a "smelly monster, a cold-blooded and ruthless demon king," into an "unparalleled immortal." She then offered her help, explaining that Mr. Wuyin had informed her of Chun Yao's quest for Red-Feathered Merfolk to stabilize Hundred Spirits Lake. As a human-shaped demon-locking stone, she volunteered to sense the merfolk's location. Pleased with her initiative, Chun Yao promised her ten years of wages if she succeeded.
Han Sheng quickly sensed a merfolk, and Chun Yao confirmed its presence in the Southern Pool Kingdom, instructing her to prepare for their departure the next morning. However, the mention of Southern Pool Kingdom brought back unpleasant memories for Han Sheng of a forced marriage she had once escaped there. She feigned illness, claiming shortness of breath and unsuitability for travel, but Chun Yao saw through her act, assured her she wouldn't be travel-worn, and left, despite her continued pleas.
In the Southern Pool Kingdom, the King, who had recently recovered from a severe illness (a recovery many citizens attributed to a "magical physician" who reportedly prescribed merfolk as medicine), and Princess Huai'an headed out for a merfolk hunt. The princess's recruited fishermen failed to catch any merfolk. The King dismissed them as incompetent, asserting that someone more capable would soon appear.
Just then, Shen Ci, the maidservant of Prince Xie Changye, the Northland Prince currently held as a hostage, dramatically appeared. She cast a magic net into the river. Xie Changye informed the King that Shen Ci possessed ancestral secret arts for catching Red-Feathered Merfolk. However, the King, appearing weary, postponed the hunt until the following day. Later, Shen Ci returned to the riverbank and found her magic net had indeed caught a Red-Feathered Merfolk.
Worried, she released it, urging the merfolk to flee and not return to the area, surprised to find a real merfolk in the Southern Pool Kingdom. Soon after, Princess Huai'an encountered Xie Changye by the river. She offered him a cloak and, believing him to be a man of great ambition frustrated by his captivity, proposed marriage, promising to give him everything he desired.
Xie Changye humbly declined, stating his only wish was a safe life and using the metaphor of a "blunt sword" to describe himself. As they spoke, Huai'an noticed Shen Ci releasing the merfolk. She confronted Shen Ci, accusing her of lying and freeing the creature. Shen Ci denied it, claiming Huai'an must have misseen, which infuriated the princess, who slapped her.
Xie Changye intervened, defending Shen Ci by arguing that she would not release a merfolk after publicly setting a net for the King, suggesting it might have been merely a large fish. Huai'an conceded but warned Shen Ci that if she failed to catch a merfolk the next day, neither she nor the King would spare her. Privately, Xie Changye reproached Shen Ci for her act of mercy.
Shen Ci explained that their true mission in the Southern Pool Kingdom was to assassinate the King using killers disguised as merfolk, and she had released the real merfolk to prevent their plan from being jeopardized. Xie Changye dismissed her actions as misplaced compassion. He reminded her of their previous failure and the immense stakes now—their lives were on the line.
He recalled his father's words, entrusting him with diplomatic relations after his sister's runaway marriage and warning him that any misstep could lead to his sick mother facing the blame from courtiers. He emphasized their critical need to return safely to the Northland Kingdom. Shen Ci admitted her fault. Chun Yao and Han Sheng finally reached the Southern Pool Kingdom.
As they observed the crowd gathered for merfolk fishing, Han Sheng remarked on the King's youthful and handsome appearance, teasing Chun Yao that she wouldn't have fled the marriage if she had known. The fake King, observing Han Sheng from afar, saw her as his intended "prey." He used magic to stain her dress, prompting her to go to the river to wash it. As she cleaned her garment, a dark, demonic energy engulfed her, pulling her into the water.
Simultaneously, Shen Ci’s net, cast again into the river, trapped a "merfolk." To Chun Yao's shock, the captured creature was Han Sheng, now bearing a fishtail. Shen Ci was equally bewildered, wondering where their arranged assassin had gone, and why a woman had been caught instead. Han Sheng, trapped with a fishtail, lamented Chun Yao's absence. The fake King entered her room, feigning concern. He called her a "little mermaid" and expressed regret for not intending to harm her.
Han Sheng found his voice strangely familiar but couldn't recall where she had heard it before. Just as he suggested she remain a mermaid with him, Chun Yao burst in, declaring Han Sheng his "pet" and not a merfolk. As Chun Yao dissipated the spell, Han Sheng's legs miraculously returned. The fake King, surprised by the magic, asked who Chun Yao was.
Chun Yao revealed himself as the Master of Hundred Spirits Lake, explaining that anyone caught in Shen Ci's golden silk net would temporarily transform into a merfolk, calling it a trick. He then demanded Han Sheng's release. However, the King's guards blocked their exit. The fake King insisted that if Chun Yao was truly capable, he should stay and help find a "real" Red-Feathered Merfolk as atonement. Unwilling to provoke the King further, Chun Yao reluctantly agreed.
Meanwhile, a sorrowful Shen Ci walked by the river, still troubled by Xie Changye's harsh words and his changed demeanor. She hoped to find a way to resolve his inner turmoil. Merfolk Heng appeared. It was revealed that both Shen Ci and Heng were Red-Feathered Merfolk, and Shen Ci had been living disguised as a mortal after being taken in by Xie Changye, for whom she was deeply grateful.
Heng transformed her tears into a beautiful pearl pendant, which he infused with his spiritual power. He instructed her to use it to summon him whenever she needed help. Shen Ci thanked him and introduced herself, and Heng shared his name. Unbeknownst to them, Xie Changye, who had intended to give Shen Ci a hairpin as a gift, witnessed their tender interaction and silently withdrew, his gift still in hand.
Later, Han Sheng questioned Chun Yao's decision to remain, wondering why a powerful demon king like him was so easily constrained. Chun Yao explained that Han Sheng's transformation was no ordinary spell, indicating a complex situation in the Southern Pool Kingdom. He reasoned that they needed the power of the royal family to catch merfolk and admitted to sensing something unsettling about the King's aura. Shortly after, a servant announced that the King had summoned them to dinner.
