Stand By Me Episode 18 Recap
> Stand By Me Recap
Chou Yanzhi, having incapacitated the Shen Cai Army soldiers assigned to monitor her, swiftly returned to Jiangqi Camp by carriage. Meanwhile, Qi Chen and An Wang were being escorted under heavy guard to Qingyu Pavilion. This location was Han Yue’s intended ambush site for Chou Ziliang, but the latter never appeared. As Xia Ziyuan led Qi Chen and An Wang inside, Yu Niang, who had discreetly trailed Qi Chen's carriage, signaled her presence by firing a flare into the sky.
Han Yue, rushing back to Qingyu Pavilion, immediately attempted to pressure Qi Chen into ascending the throne, asserting that Qi Yan and Chou Ziliang were dead and that with the eunuch faction preoccupied at Jiangqi Camp, it was the perfect opportunity. Qi Chen, however, vehemently refused, declaring he would not be a puppet emperor like the late monarch, nor would he seize the throne through such dishonorable means. Soon after, Cheng Xi arrived with the women of the Ziyi Bureau.
They quickly neutralized the guards before splitting up. Han Yue tried to persuade Cheng Xi to join him in supporting Prince Guang's enthronement, promising mutual benefits for the country and a position of great merit for her, but she scornfully rejected his offer. Amidst the chaos of the detonated tents, the Ziyi Bureau successfully rescued Qi Chen, while Han Yue ordered Xia Ziyuan to secure An Wang as a hostage.
Meanwhile, Chou Yanzhi, having returned to Jiangqi Camp, meticulously searched the secret passages and eventually discovered Chou Ziliang's whereabouts. She secretly dispatched Yan Xiu to inform Han Yue, who, without delay, rushed to reinforce Chou Yanzhi. Unconvinced that Qi Yan was dead, Cheng Ruoyu recalled a secret passage next to the woodshed, one Chou Yanzhi had once shown her. She immediately took Han Ding there, and they eventually found Qi Yan, barely alive and trapped in a flood drainage channel.
Qi Yan, weakened but coherent, confirmed Chou Ziliang was still alive and instructed Han Ding to kill him. When Cheng Ruoyu attempted to take him back to the palace for medical attention, he insisted on remaining at Jiangqi Camp before losing consciousness. After being safely resettled by Cheng Xi, Qi Chen learned that An Wang was still in Han Yue’s custody, but felt reassured that Han Yue would not harm him.
Nevertheless, he harbored suspicions about the simplicity of events and dispatched Yu Niang to locate Chou Yanzhi. His suspicions were soon validated when Han Yue, rushing into the secret room, discovered Chou Ziliang seemingly lying dead on the ground. As Han Yue moved in to exact his revenge, Yan Xiu and Chou Yanzhi unexpectedly turned on him, capturing him. Chou Ziliang, rising from the floor with triumphant laughter, revealed his deception, having once again outwitted Han Yue.
Chou Ziliang offered Han Yue a chance to pledge allegiance to him, acknowledging his talent, but Han Yue defiantly refused, stating he would rather accept defeat. He then tried to bargain for Chou Yanzhi’s safety, offering An Wang in exchange, claiming Chou Yanzhi's actions were all under his coercion.
Chou Ziliang praised Chou Yanzhi's cunning, at which point she explicitly admitted she was not Wang Ruoqing, but merely bore a resemblance to her, which she used to gain Han Yue's trust and lure him into the trap. She recounted how, upon realizing Chou Ziliang had survived the explosion in the secret passage, she feigned searching for him and being captured by Han Yue.
She falsely claimed to be Wang Yang's granddaughter to secure Han Yue's trust and then used this pretense to orchestrate Han Yue's capture, presenting him to Chou Ziliang as proof of her loyalty. Chou Yanzhi then mockingly explained to Han Yue that the explosives had indeed detonated, but Chou Ziliang, intimately familiar with Jiangqi Camp's underground mechanisms, had already retreated to a safe zone before the blast. This revelation left Han Yue stunned, his elaborate plan having failed completely.
Despite Qi Yan's injuries, Chou Ruoyu, following his instructions, brought him to Jiangqi Camp. A medical official reported that Qi Yan had sustained several external injuries, including two hairpin wounds to his chest, but his strong constitution meant he would recover with rest. Chou Ruoyu expressed her desire to return Qi Yan to the palace for recovery, but Chou Ziliang insisted he recuperate at Jiangqi Camp.
Puzzled by Chou Ziliang's insistence, Chou Ruoyu questioned Qi Yan, who explained that Chou Ziliang intended to seize this opportunity to replace the emperor. Qi Yan further revealed that, foreseeing such a plot, he had preemptively instructed Han Ding to investigate the layout and materials of Jiangqi Camp's underground passages and dungeons. This foresight allowed him to escape through a flood drainage channel before the explosion.
Chou Ruoyu, greatly relieved, realized Han Ding had indeed hinted at this by saying Qi Yan had everything planned. Later, Chou Yanzhi visited Han Yue in the dungeon, kneeling to apologize and promising to serve him in the next life to atone for her actions. Han Yue, resigned to his impending death, confessed that he was not the mysterious "third person" who had orchestrated the intricate plots.
He explained that after his escape to Zhenwu, all his energy was consumed by gaining the trust of the Zhenwu people, leaving him no capacity to arrange for the Zheng family's descendants, Zheng Wu, Hong Gu, or Ning He's involvement in their revenge schemes. Both Chou Yanzhi and Han Yue realized that an unknown manipulator had been controlling their every move. Han Yue, acknowledging his complete defeat, asked Chou Yanzhi to finish what he started before requesting a swift end.
Yan Xiu, with a heavy heart, carried out the execution, a sight Chou Yanzhi could not bear to witness, filled with regret. Back with Qi Yan, Chou Ruoyu, unwilling to passively await their fate, considered seeking external aid. However, her concerns were alleviated when Cheng Xi and Han Ding arrived to protect Qi Yan.
Cheng Xi presented Qi Yan with a silk pouch, explaining she had obtained it from Li Zening, Li Deyun’s daughter, believing it to be a contingency plan devised by Qi Yan and Li Deyun. Soon after, the Ziyi Bureau women openly arrived to escort Qi Yan back to the palace.
They meticulously spread the narrative that Qi Yan had merely been visiting Chou Ziliang after his rescue from a previous ambush and was now returning to the capital, ensuring a public display of normalcy. Yan Xiu, attempting to deceive Chou Ziliang, claimed Han Yue had committed suicide by severing his tendons, preventing them from extracting information about An Wang. Chou Ziliang, infuriated by Han Yue's persistent defiance, dismissed the explanation.
He ordered Yan Xiu to receive a hundred strokes of the cane and commanded that Han Yue’s body be dismembered and fed to wild dogs. Chou Yanzhi, though visibly distressed, maintained a composed demeanor to avoid arousing Chou Ziliang's suspicion. At that critical moment, an urgent report arrived from the border, detailing Zhaoyi military governor Liu Congjian's alarming troop movements and the rumor that he possessed the late emperor's imperial will. Chou Ziliang was taken aback.
Chou Yanzhi seized the opportunity to advise releasing Qi Yan to preempt any border unrest or further rumors, a strategic move Chou Ziliang reluctantly accepted after considering the potential chaos. As Chou Ruoyu helped Qi Yan into the carriage, she returned to Chou Yanzhi, thanking her for persuading Chou Ziliang to release Qi Yan and questioning if she was indeed Wang Ruoqing. Chou Yanzhi firmly denied it, stating her name was Chou Yanzhi, but Chou Ruoyu remained unconvinced.
Later, Qi Yan confirmed Chou Ruoyu's intuition, revealing that Chou Yanzhi was indeed Wang Ruoqing, the very person he had personally shot years ago, acknowledging himself as her enemy. The Ziyi Bureau safely escorted Qi Yan back to the palace, where Cheng Huaizhi was overcome with emotion and relief to see him safe. Qi Chen promptly arrived to tend to Qi Yan's wounds.
However, Qi Yan, prioritizing the dire situation at the border, requested a potent medicinal pill to remain alert, as he intended to rescue Liu Misha that very night, fearing potential unrest in Zhenwu and Lu Cong. After taking the pill, Qi Yan, accompanied by Qi Chen and Cheng Ruoyu, departed to rescue Liu Misha. Liu Misha expressed her profound gratitude for his rescue and promised to explain the complicated situation to her father. Though reluctant to part with Qi Yan, she embraced him tightly and playfully warned Cheng Ruoyu to diligently care for him and prevent any other women from capturing his affection.
