Bloody Romance Episode 4 Recap
> Bloody Romance Recap
Yue Ying reported to Gongzi, the master of Gui Hua City, about Cha Luo’s arrangements for the mission. She revealed that Chui Xing Tower had given all information about Shen Mo and the Guajian herb to Wan Xiang, suggesting Wan Xiang was already favored by Cha Luo. Gongzi acknowledged Cha Luo’s preference for the strong and that Wan Xiang was indeed stronger, but he emphasized that “everything is possible before the end.”
Noticing Yue Ying’s fondness for Wan Mei, Gongzi permitted her to give Wan Mei an incense stick with a scent similar to the Guajian herb, then instructed Yue Ying to return swiftly for another task. Later, while Wan Mei was bathing, Chang'an unexpectedly entered, startling her. He explained his presence was to help her transform into a beauty, as Shen Mo only treats “the entitled person, the rich, and the beauty,” making beauty her best chance.
He took a drop of her blood, mixing it into Yun Ni Cream to enhance her skin’s radiance, telling her she "had better have no idea about this." The cream made her skin feel "painful and itchy." After her bath, Chang'an presented her with the incense stick given by Yue Ying, instructing her to memorize its distinctive "cedarwood and rust" aroma, which was the scent of the Guajian herb, as it and she were her “only dependence” for the mission.
Wan Mei inquired about the consequences of failure, to which Chang'an ominously referenced the "Red Evil Umbrellas" in Bi An Palace, implying her umbrella would hang there, never turning red. Despite the grim warning, Wan Mei remained resolute, stating, "I will not die again." The next day, at Shen Mo’s birthday banquet, both Wan Mei and Wan Xiang arrived dressed in captivating attire. Shen Mo, a 30-year-old doctor known for his admiration of beautiful women, was the target.
Wan Xiang presented him with a valuable gift. Wan Mei, however, performed a unique dance with silver needles, creating an elegant painting of the character "Mo," which greatly impressed Shen Mo. Seeing Wan Mei gaining favor, Wan Xiang feigned being accidentally struck by a silver needle in a sensitive area, coyly asking Shen Mo to remove it. She attempted to seduce him further, but Wan Mei, from outside the room, loudly knocked on the door, interrupting their intimate moment.
Her first ploy thwarted, Wan Xiang then offered to blend fragrances for Shen Mo and give him a relaxing massage. During the massage, she subtly tried to extract information about the Guajian herb's location, but Shen Mo remained guarded, stating it was now kept in a much safer place and she would have to "work harder" to see it.
During Wan Xiang’s massage, Chang'an burst into the room, coughing up blood and exhibiting symptoms of a rare "Seven Killing" poison, with five blooming flower-like marks on his chest. Shen Mo, intrigued by the unusual poison, decided to treat Chang'an, remarking that though he rarely treated those without status or wealth, Chang'an was "lucky now." He swiftly took Chang'an to his pharmacy.
Wan Xiang, realizing Chang'an's act was to buy time for Wan Mei, mocked Wan Mei, saying, "Your Shadow is so silly. He is willing to give up his life to help you." She then suggested Wan Mei attend to Chang'an while she herself searched for the Guajian herb. Wan Xiang then incapacitated Wan Mei and bound her with Shen Mo's belt before descending into a secret chamber to find the herb.
Wan Mei soon awoke, realizing the distinct "cedarwood and rust" scent of the Guajian herb was emanating from the belt binding her. Wan Mei rushed to the pharmacy, where she found Chang'an in critical condition. She informed Shen Mo's apprentice that she was from the Five Poisons Cult and knew of the poison.
Shen Mo explained that Chang'an was afflicted with "Seven Killing" poison, which had produced five blood flowers and deeply poisoned his heart, concluding that "God could not save you if you have 7 blood flowers." Despite this, Shen Mo offered a risky cure using a "Xing Xiu herb." Chang'an, aware of their mission, attempted to kill Shen Mo, but Wan Mei intervened, asserting that Shen Mo "didn't do anything bad" and didn't deserve death.
As they tried to leave quietly, Wan Xiang appeared, exposing Wan Mei's original intent to kill Shen Mo to his guards, triggering a desperate pursuit. During their escape, Chang'an was struck by a barbed arrow. They took refuge in a ruined temple, where Chang'an urged Wan Mei to kill the unconscious Shen Mo, reminding her that "The Lady wants to kill you" and would not believe their success without his death.
However, Wan Mei declared, "I can't do it," unable to take a life. As her Shadow, Chang'an had no choice but to obey. To facilitate their escape from the city, Wan Mei made a difficult decision: she returned to Shen Mo’s residence and coerced a pregnant woman and her husband into helping them escape in a carriage. Outside the city, a man named Fang Ge intercepted them. Wan Mei quickly pointed out the pregnant woman in the carriage.
Fang Ge confronted her, identifying her as a "thief for the Guajian herb" from Gui Hua City. He remarked on her unusual mercy, stating it was "not Gui Hua City's style" to harm innocents. Sensing his intentions, Wan Mei, with admirable courage, deduced he did not plan to kill them. Impressed by her daring and her decision to spare Shen Mo, Fang Ge allowed her to leave.
He then instructed her to tell "her Prince" (Gongzi) that "I am Fang Ge. The Guajian herb is the gift for him. He owes me this time," regardless of the Prince’s plans for the herb. He also revealed that Shen Mo was safe in a "broken house in the Shen's Residence." Meanwhile, Gongzi and Yue Ying intercepted Han Xiu’s carriage. They faced twelve formidable guards, the "12 Rider of Liang," who employed the "Tian Mang Star Array."
Aware of Gongzi’s blindness, the guards deliberately used their swords to disorient him by sound, causing Gongzi to sustain an injury. Nevertheless, he swiftly defeated all twelve. Upon opening the carriage, Gongzi discovered it contained not Han Xiu, but a "golden buddhism" statue. He deduced this was "the payment" from Han Xiu’s illicit salt trade with the Liang Army.
Gongzi then commanded Yue Ying to melt down the golden Buddha and hire an unknown assassin from Chui Xing Tower to "buy Han Xiu's head." Upon her safe return, Wan Mei found Cha Luo engrossed in making a "skin" drawing for a fan. Cha Luo chillingly revealed that the skin belonged to a man who had fallen in love with his master, and that master was now in the "Wang Sheng Lake of Bi An Palace."
Cha Luo then sternly warned Wan Mei that in this place, "girls could not fall in love with the shadows." Soon after, Wan Xiang and her Shadow, February, arrived, followed by Gongzi and Yue Ying. Wan Xiang proudly announced she had "finished the mission" by killing Shen Mo, while blaming Wan Mei for being "too nice to let him go."
Wan Mei retorted that Chang'an had managed to strike Shen Mo, but Wan Xiang’s interference by alerting the guards had interrupted their attempt. She added that she had found Shen Mo alive, though wounded, in the broken house. Cha Luo, however, prioritized ruthlessness, declaring that "Being cruel is the No.1 rule of being a killer," and praised Wan Xiang’s actions.
When Cha Luo asked for the herb, Wan Mei presented it, and Cha Luo acknowledged its power to "improve the power of 20 years." Since both girls had partially completed the mission, Cha Luo proposed a final competition: their Shadows would fight "until die" to determine who would secure the single remaining position for a junior killer. As the Shadows began their deadly combat, Wan Mei, fearing for Chang'an’s life, abruptly interjected, declaring, "I want to give up."
Cha Luo, confirming Wan Mei understood the severe consequences, immediately pronounced Wan Mei's mission a failure. She ordered Wan Mei to be taken to the Wang Sheng Lake and Chang'an to the Torture Room for his failure. Yue Ying, witnessing this, intervened, despite Gongzi’s silence. She argued that Wan Mei had, in fact, obtained the herb and completed that aspect of the mission. She also subtly invoked Gongzi's name, reminding Cha Luo that "the Prince took Wan Mei here."
However, Cha Luo vehemently dismissed Yue Ying’s pleas, asserting that Gongzi's silence meant consent and that a mere supreme killer could not challenge her authority. She declared, "Nothing can be accomplished without standards. There is no stop or recall in my world, unless there is a thunder in the winter and snow in the sunny day," effectively sealing Wan Mei and Chang'an's fates.
