Debit Queen Episode 23 Recap
> Debit Queen Recap
When a court eunuch arrived to investigate the revealed contractual marriage between Xu Zilu and Ling Se, Wu Qi presented their signed agreement as proof, accusing them of faking their relationship to gain Imperial Merchant status. He claimed to be an honest citizen who couldn't condone their actions. The eunuch prepared to apprehend them, but Xu Zilu immediately stepped forward, stating his wife was unaware of the agreement and that he alone was responsible, pleading for her release.
The eunuch insisted both were guilty as both names were on the document. Just then, the Empress arrived. Ping'er, who was present, greeted her as "Aunt." The Empress inquired about the commotion and was informed about the accusation against Xu Zilu and Ling Se for pretending to be married for the Imperial Merchant selection. The eunuch showed her the agreement and explained that if proven true, Xu's Shop would lose its qualification and the couple would face severe punishment.
The Empress, stating she liked Xu's incense, offered leniency: she would preserve their Imperial Merchant status if they divorced, promising to arrange suitable new marriages for them. Xu Zilu refused, declaring his willingness to abandon his qualification, face ruin and imprisonment, as long as he could stay with Ling Se. He vowed never to marry anyone but her. Ling Se echoed his sentiment, stating she wished only to marry Xu Zilu and would face life and death together with him.
The Empress was moved by their display of genuine affection, noting that while true couples often abandon each other in times of trouble, this contractual couple showed true devotion, proving their feelings were real. She declared their agreement might be fake, but their true feelings were not and granted them freedom.
However, with the incense selection ceremony nearing and their incense pack missing, the Empress lent them her swift palace horses to retrieve it, allowing Xu Zilu's incense to be selected for the sacrificial ceremony in time. Prince Xian was informed that Xu Zilu's incense had been selected. He questioned if Wu Qi had followed his instructions, and his subordinate confirmed Wu Qi had submitted the agreement as ordered, but the Empress's unexpected intervention had saved them.
The subordinate speculated that Ping'er, whose aunt was the Empress, must have helped them. Prince Xian received further news that Beiyun urgently needed goods and decided Xu Zilu could no longer be allowed to live, planning to find a better reason to eliminate him. Ling Se was furious upon learning Wu Qi had sided with Prince Xian and betrayed them. She and Xu Zilu sought revenge by dumping trash and posting derogatory signs outside Wu Qi's residence.
Wu Qi was enraged to find his home defaced when he returned, complaining to Prince Xian about being targeted by Ling Se and Xu Zilu. Prince Xian, assuring Wu Qi he would retaliate for his troubles, ordered officials to seal the Joy Game Shop, labeling it as fraudulent. Ling Se felt Prince Xian was targeting her and her friends, having first interfered with Ping'er and Wang Zhujue and now closing her shop.
She was determined to fight back despite Xu Zilu's urging for caution to avoid provoking Prince Xian further. Ling Se sought out Wang Zhujue and her companions, Ling Shuo and Tao Meili, to discuss their counter-attack. Ping'er then arrived, revealing she had been forced to marry Prince Xian again. Her grandfather, unable to bear the thought of her misery, had secretly released her to elope with Wang Zhujue.
Ping'er shared a crucial piece of information: Prince Xian had been involved in long-term smuggling with Beiyun State. She believed that finding evidence of this could be the key to bringing him down. Xu Zilu tried to dissuade Ling Se, explaining the seriousness of the matter, as it was not just illegal trade but treason.
He revealed that Prince Xian was smuggling military-grade fire lances, the most important weapon of the Qing state currently at war with Beiyun, exposing Prince Xian's intention to collude with the enemy. This knowledge confirmed that Xu Zilu's Third Uncle had been silenced by Prince Xian after discovering his military smuggling. Ling Se was upset Xu Zilu hadn't told her this sooner, feeling he was hiding things despite their promise to face danger together.
Ling Shuo interrupted their argument, emphasizing that finding the evidence was the priority. Fukuding produced a drawing of a foreman from the Third Master's business, explaining he was actually Prince Xian's informant who vanished after the Third Master's death. Finding this distinctive man, described as having a large head and a strong accent, became their sole lead. Ling Se divided the group to search the city.
Wang Zhujue's strategy of asking street children paid off, leading him to discover the foreman had recently been seen near Xu's Incense Shop. Unbeknownst to them, Prince Xian was already acting against Xu Zilu. He had instructed the foreman to secretly add potassium nitrate to the incense prepared for the sacrificial ceremony, intending for it to explode during the event and incriminate Xu Zilu.
Tao Meili and Ling Shuo were watching over the incense preparation at the shop to prevent any issues before the ceremony. Prince Xian's instructed foreman showed up, attempting to tamper with the incense. Tao Meili noticed the strange ingredient and recognized the man from the drawing. She chased him out, finding Xu Zilu and Ling Se already pursuing him. She alerted them that he had added something to the incense.
They all pursued the foreman into a forest, where they overheard him confirming to Prince Xian's men that he had completed the task and they were planning a trade with Beiyun State the following day at a dilapidated temple east of the city. Xu Zilu devised a plan to ambush them during the transaction. Xu Zilu and his group waited in ambush at the temple, expecting to catch Prince Xian and the Beiyun representatives trading.
However, Prince Xian was aware of their plan. He had anticipated their move and instead sent Wu Qi with the actual goods to meet Beiyun elsewhere, using the foreman as a decoy. Xu Zilu and his group apprehended the foreman and the few men with him but quickly realized these were not the Beiyun traders. Before they could figure out what happened, officials arrived and arrested the foreman.
Soon after, more officials arrived to arrest Xu Zilu, stating there was an issue with the incense at the sacrificial ceremony and he was the one responsible. Despite Ling Se's protests, Xu Zilu agreed to go with them, urging her to protect herself. Meanwhile, Prince Xian confronted Ping'er, informing her that the incense explosion had occurred, sealing Xu Zilu's fate. He demanded she return with him, reminding her that her efforts to delay wouldn't change the outcome.
When Wang Zhujue returned, he found Prince Xian at the Xu Mansion. Prince Xian had brought Wang Zhujue's father, the Governor, claiming he was a suspect in collusion with Xu Zilu. Seeing Wang Zhujue and his father held captive, Ping'er realized it was all Prince Xian's elaborate trap. Prince Xian used the lives of everyone present as leverage, forcing Ping'er to agree to marry him to protect them. Ping'er reluctantly agreed and was immediately taken to Prince Xian's mansion. She entrusted Wang Zhujue, who was struggling with his father's arrest and her departure, to the care of her friends.
