Believe in Love Episode 22 Recap
> Believe in Love Recap
Tang Yingying brought a coconut cake to Hua Yinan's study, pretending it was a sample for the Emperor's birthday. Hua Yinan persuaded her to stay and eat, recalling their past as husband and wife. He offered her co-ownership of Floral House and all his property if she would agree to be his wife again, showing her various seals, title deeds, and a set of keys.
Tang Yingying's eyes lit up, especially at the sight of the keys, prompting her to ask if she could access anywhere she wanted. Hua Yinan confirmed this, then deliberately pointed out two keys for the library, hinting it contained valuable, long-lost recipes. Despite her excitement, Tang Yingying feigned disinterest, stating that the position of Island Lord's wife should remain vacant for now, implying she wouldn't be corrupted by wealth.
Gu Xinzhu then arrived, informing Hua Yinan that Yu Feng had been captured and needed his immediate attention. Hua Yinan, feigning urgency, left the keys behind and encouraged Tang Yingying to finish the cake. His internal thoughts revealed his awareness that the library held a secret inner niche, known only to a select few, including himself. Seizing the opportunity, Tang Yingying took the keys and went to the library.
She navigated her way to the inner garden and, seemingly by chance, activated a hidden mechanism, revealing a secret chamber. Inside, she found a pouch and a recipe for "Flower Hot Pot," which she carefully memorized. Unbeknownst to her, this entire sequence of events was a deliberate setup by Hua Yinan. Hua Yinan interrogated Yu Feng, who under duress, revealed his true identity as Nanzhe, a demon doctor.
Nanzhe taunted Hua Yinan, stating that he wouldn't have been caught if he hadn't lost most of his spiritual power while repairing the Wooden Cone. Hua Yinan, recalling chasing Nanzhe two years prior, deduced his connection to Song Yan and suspected Song Yan was also a demon. He accused Nanzhe and his kind of causing Lu Yue'er's strange illness, implying they were responsible for her transformation into Tang Yingying.
Nanzhe denied harming her but ominously warned that if Lu Yue'er were to suffer misfortune, Hua Yinan would be the one to blame. Gu Xinzhu later informed Hua Yinan that Tang Yingying had delivered the pouch to Song Yan, just as Hua Yinan had anticipated. Hua Yinan believed Tang Yingying was merely being manipulated.
Song Yan, upon receiving the pouch from Tang Yingying, eagerly opened it, only to discover it contained a blank sheet of paper, revealing Hua Yinan had outwitted him. Hua Yinan had already found the real confession, a secret letter detailing how Ning Yu He, a criminal concubine and Song Yan's mother, had an affair with an imperial guard and gave birth to Song Yan. Princess Jia Ning had discovered this and the confession was written as evidence.
Hua Yinan realized his parents had hidden this document in the library's inner garden to keep the scandalous secret hidden. However, he now considered this old secret less important than the urgent task of recovering Lu Yue'er and confronting the growing threat posed by Song Yan. Tang Yingying left Song Yan's room feeling downcast. Song Yan, despite her failure, had a backup plan.
He told her she still had a chance to atone for her mistake by inviting Hua Yinan out, obtaining his heart blood using a special poison, and then bringing back the Wooden Cone. Tang Yingying expressed reluctance, saying she didn't believe Hua Yinan was a bad person. Song Yan became furious, scolding her and accusing her of being blinded by Hua Yinan's kindness.
He insisted that Hua Yinan only saw her as someone else, while he himself was her true benefactor, the only one who truly loved and cared for her. Tang Yingying, under his pressure and manipulation, reluctantly agreed to follow his orders. Hua Yinan received an invitation from Tang Yingying to admire the moon. Despite Gu Xinzhu's warnings that it might be a trap, Hua Yinan, deeply hoping to rekindle their connection, insisted on going.
Tang Yingying had prepared sago crystal cake and other dishes Hua Yinan enjoyed. He showed her tender care, placing his coat around her when the evening grew chilly, making her reflect on his deep affection for Lu Yue'er. Hua Yinan expressed his desire to make amends for past pains and asked if they could start anew, but Tang Yingying deflected, saying she merely invited him because the moon was beautiful.
Tang Yingying, struggling with her loyalty to Song Yan, offered Hua Yinan a toast, which she had secretly poisoned. Hua Yinan, aware of her deceit, asked if she truly wanted him to drink it. Despite his suspicion, he drank the wine. After a second cup, he feigned illness and collapsed. Tang Yingying took out the Wooden Cone but hesitated to strike.
Hua Yinan then revealed he was conscious, grabbed the Wooden Cone, and, to Tang Yingying's shock, plunged it into his own chest, telling her not to give up halfway. As his blood flowed and stained the cone, a water spirit pearl emerged, which Tang Yingying quickly collected into a porcelain bottle. Simultaneously, a burst of demonic energy was released and flew towards Song Yan.
In the aftermath, Hua Yinan, though injured by his own hand, instructed Gu Xinzhu to keep his condition a strict secret. Meanwhile, Nanzhe, having recovered some of his spiritual power, managed to escape from his confinement. Song Yan learned of Tang Yingying's failure to retrieve Hua Yinan's heart blood. Though initially displeased, Song Yan was not overly concerned, as he had anticipated this possibility and had a backup plan.
He instructed Tang Yingying to focus on preparing the main course for the upcoming Emperor's birthday banquet. Nanzhe later reported to Song Yan that he had secretly checked Tang Yingying's spiritual state and found no trace of the Seven-leaf Peepul, which was unexpected. Song Yan revealed he had intentionally arranged for Nanzhe to be captured to spread the information that only Hua Yinan's heart blood could save Lu Yue'er.
Since Hua Yinan had no reported injuries, Nanzhe suspected Tang Yingying had betrayed them by not taking Hua Yinan's heart blood. Song Yan, observing Tang Yingying's strange demeanor, ordered Nanzhe to monitor her closely. He also reiterated his backup plan: since he was still in a mortal state and Nanzhe's spiritual power was limited, they would use the Emperor's birthday banquet to orchestrate the downfall of the entire Hua family.
Back in the Floral House kitchen, Tang Yingying pondered what main dish to prepare that would impress the Emperor. Gu Xinzhu approached her to thank her on Hua Yinan's behalf for sparing his life the previous night. Tang Yingying cautioned him to be discreet, noting that Nanzhe was likely observing them. Gu Xinzhu mentioned that Hua Yinan had revealed the Emperor's fondness for stewed dishes.
This sparked an idea in Tang Yingying, who recalled the "Flower Hot Pot" recipe she had found in the library. She set about meticulously preparing the dish. Song Yan later visited the kitchen and was immediately captivated by the dish's aroma. After tasting it, he praised its incredible flavor, noting how the wine's aroma had fully integrated, leaving an amazing aftertaste. However, his expression darkened upon learning it was the "Flower Hot Pot" recipe, a secret from the Hua family.
He quickly composed himself, declared it Heaven's will that this dish should be used as the main course, and renamed it "A House of Happy Longevity." Song Yan then handed Tang Yingying a packet of poison, instructing her to add it to the dish during the banquet. He explained that once Eunuch Li discovered the poisoned dish, the entire Hua family would face execution. He promised to arrange a scapegoat and secure her release, but sternly warned her not to fail him again, professing his deep love for her. Tang Yingying reluctantly agreed.
