Butterflied Lover Episode 3 Recap
> Butterflied Lover Recap
Ling Changfeng observed a butterfly mark on a woman, which brought to mind the similar mark that had appeared on Tang Qianyue's neck during her recent illness. This prompted him to order the retrieval of the five-year-old file concerning the bandit suppression in Dongqian Village. Records indicated that Dongqian Village, located at the border of Hualing and Yilan, had been ravaged by bandits five years prior, leaving no survivors.
However, a re-examination of the casualties revealed that forty-eight villagers were unaccounted for. The file also noted that the bandits themselves had been killed, likely by wild beasts, a detail that resonated with the events of the New Year's Eve riot. Ling Changfeng concluded that the villagers and the bandits had been slain by Yilan Butterfly Slaves.
Ling Changfeng explained that the Yilan Butterfly Slaves originated from the extinct Yilan Clan, notorious for their bewildering array of gu poisons that terrified the army. The most horrifying of these was the butterfly gu; once infected, a person would transform into a creature as fierce as a beast. He revealed that his own elder sister had been killed after contracting this very gu.
His attendant, hearing this, then inquired if the Yilan Butterfly Slaves Ling Changfeng had encountered in the past were similarly ferocious. As Ling Changfeng gazed at the safety charm on his sword, Tang Qianyue's image came to mind, leading him to suspect that she might have always been a Butterfly Slave, albeit a gentle one. Meanwhile, Tang Qianyue, looking in a mirror, discovered the butterfly mark had reappeared on her body.
She remembered Ms. Yuan's words that everything is fate, feeling a sense of resignation that despite coming so close to resolving the butterfly gu, she had ultimately failed. She picked up a blade, contemplating cutting off the mark, when an announcement came: Princess Bao Zhu had arrived. Tang Qianyue immediately ceased her action, quickly dressed, and went out to greet the princess.
Bao Zhu, having heard palace rumors that Tang Qianyue was rescued by Ling Changfeng covered in blood, anxiously asked about the New Year's Eve riot. Auntie Hong attempted to prevent Bao Zhu from discussing the incident further or from entering the house with Tang Qianyue, but was unable to voice her concerns openly and could only watch as the two went inside together.
Upon his return to the capital, Ling Changjin, Prince Wu'an, immediately went to the palace to see the young Emperor. The Empress Dowager, clutching the five-year-old Emperor, was visibly frightened and discreetly sent a message to Ling Changfeng, urging him to come and provide aid. Prince Wu'an ascended a high platform next to the throne, seizing the young Emperor's hand and forcing him to write an imperial edict, granting himself authority to investigate the New Year's Eve riot.
Ling Changfeng arrived at the palace and sternly reminded Prince Wu'an to adhere to his proper role as a subject, telling him to step down from the platform. Shortly after, a messenger from The Grand Marshal's mansion summoned both Ling Changjin and Ling Changfeng. The Grand Marshal chastised Ling Changjin for his audacious behavior in the palace, asserting that their family did not engage in such power plays.
Ling Changfeng then confronted Ling Changjin about his intervention in the Yilan Butterfly Slaves matter, stating it was the Ningcheng Department's responsibility. The Grand Marshal then turned his anger towards Ling Changfeng, blaming him for the New Year's Eve incident where Yilan Butterfly Slaves attacked the city's inhabitants.
He held Ling Changfeng accountable for a grave oversight as the Commander and ordered him to resign from his position, explaining that this was to prevent the entire Ningcheng Department from suffering punishment alongside him. The Grand Marshal then granted Ling Changjin's long-standing desire to investigate the Yilan Butterfly Slaves matter, with Ling Changjin stating his belief that the incident was linked to the remnants of the Yilan Clan and promising to uncover the truth.
Back at Tang Qianyue's residence, Princess Bao Zhu confided that she had intended to spend New Year's Eve with Tang Qianyue and Ling Changfeng but was deterred by the street chaos. She expressed relief that Tang Qianyue was unharmed. As they talked, Bao Zhu's nose suddenly began to bleed, a result of consuming too many tonics recently. Tang Qianyue, smelling the blood, felt her butterfly mark reappear and her eyes turn crimson.
Recognizing the imminent danger, she desperately urged Bao Zhu to return to the palace. Unaware of the true peril, Bao Zhu initially dismissed her concerns and refused to leave. Just then, Ling Changfeng returned home. He Xi, Princess Bao Zhu's eunuch, anxiously reported that Bao Zhu had been inside with Tang Qianyue for quite some time, causing Ling Changfeng to grow gravely concerned. He rushed into the inner room and found Tang Qianyue fully transformed into a butterfly monster. With a heavy heart, recalling the terrible events of the previous night, Ling Changfeng drew his sword and, expressing his sorrow, stabbed her.
