Stand By Me Episode 25 Recap
> Stand By Me Recap
Cheng Xi approached Qi Yan to discuss rescuing Liu Misha, presenting a map of Heng'an City. Cheng Ruoyu deduced that her aunt would not hide Liu Misha in any of the known bases, which were familiar to the Emperor. Instead, she believed Cheng Xi would keep Liu Misha in the Ziyi Bureau, among a group of girls, as "the most dangerous place becomes the safest place."
Cheng Ruoyu suggested that she and Qi Yan go to the Ziyi Bureau that night, while her Uncle Huaizhi would keep Cheng Xi occupied. Qi Yan expressed concern that if Cheng Ruoyu encountered Cheng Xi, she would be put in an impossible position. Cheng Ruoyu, however, vowed to block Cheng Xi with her sword, her body, and her life. That night, Cheng Ruoyu and Qi Yan, both masked, arrived at the Ziyi Bureau.
Yu Niang confronted Cheng Ruoyu, who urged her not to assist Cheng Xi in her wrongdoing, stating that Yuzhen Hall was now under her command and she needed Yu Niang's help to rectify the situation before it was too late. Yu Niang insisted that Liu Misha was not there. Xia Ziyuan then appeared, reiterating that Liu Misha was not brought back to the Ziyi Bureau, at least not that Yu Niang had seen.
Xia Ziyuan also criticized Cheng Ruoyu and Qi Yan for their trust in Cheng Xi. Suddenly, a fight broke out outside. Cheng Ruoyu realized Qi Yan had been discovered and rushed out to help. When Cheng Xi saw that the masked figure was Qi Yan, she lowered her sword. Qi Yan pressed Cheng Xi for her reasons for betrayal, mentioning Huaizhi, Han Ding, and herself as the three people he had trusted.
Cheng Xi retorted that she simply found him unworthy, calling him "mediocre, incapable, reckless, and impulsive." She declared that Qi Yan was unfit to be emperor and powerless to eliminate the eunuchs or restore the glory of Daxing, suggesting he should step aside for "someone more competent" – her brother. Huaizhi intervened, frantically trying to stop Cheng Xi and kneeling before Qi Yan, warning of the severe consequences of her words.
Cheng Xi, however, boldly revealed her true identity: she was a descendant of the Qi clan, and by seniority, Qi Yan should call her "Aunt." She explained that her father, Qi Hu, had fought Qi Yan's grandfather for the throne and was killed, implying that the "tides always turn" and it was now Qi Yan's turn to yield.
Huaizhi then realized that Cheng Xi was the young girl he had taken in when he left the palace years ago, making her a descendant of the Qi clan. Cheng Ruoyu, confused, asked about her own identity and if she was truly Cheng Xi's niece. Cheng Xi confirmed she was not. She recounted that eight years ago, during a famine, Prince Qi (Qi Chen) rescued Cheng Ruoyu from a pile of the dead.
Seeing Cheng Ruoyu's potential for martial arts, Cheng Xi took her in with the intention of using her in a "beauty trap" against Qi Yan. Cheng Ruoyu expressed disbelief at Cheng Xi's motives, and Cheng Xi, in turn, accused Cheng Ruoyu of prioritizing a man (Qi Yan) over their shared past and her upbringing, dismissing her for turning against her.
Cheng Xi then vehemently accused Qi Yan of being far more ruthless than herself, capable of using and sacrificing anything for the throne, including forcing the late emperor to his death, an accusation Qi Yan fiercely denied. The argument escalated into a fight, leaving both Cheng Xi and Qi Yan wounded. Cheng Ruoyu and Huaizhi brought Qi Yan back to the palace.
Prince Qi (Qi Chen) examined him, noting that his two previous injuries had relapsed, and the new sword wound to his back further weakened him. Prince Qi warned that Qi Yan needed a month of strict rest, no fighting or overexertion, as a relapse would be fatal.
He also mentioned that the coronation ceremony, originally scheduled for that month, had been postponed, and that another royal, Xiao Ba, had also fallen ill, which he saw as a "blessing in disguise" for Qi Yan to recover. Huaizhi offered to stay and care for Qi Yan, who reluctantly agreed. Cheng Ruoyu also wanted to stay and protect Qi Yan.
Initially, Qi Yan rejected her, calling her "incompetent," an "annoyance," and telling her to leave the palace and find a carefree life. Cheng Ruoyu tearfully pleaded, refusing to leave him alone and emphasizing the hardships they had faced together. She swore to stay even if it meant her death, also suggesting that Cheng Xi's accusations might be mere attempts to upset him, and that many unanswered questions remained about their true identities.
Reluctantly, Qi Yan allowed her to stay but made her agree to three conditions: first, his conflict with Cheng Xi would be ceaseless and deadly, as Cheng Xi was guilty of multiple heinous crimes, and Cheng Ruoyu must not shield her (Cheng Ruoyu accepted, stating she would know what to do once her true origins were clear); second, he would marry Li Zening (Cheng Ruoyu accepted); and third, he would no longer trust Cheng Ruoyu as much as before (Cheng Ruoyu accepted, acknowledging her past mistake and affirming her unwavering loyalty).
Separately, Xia Ziyuan came to bid farewell to Cheng Ruoyu, announcing her intention to avenge herself against Wang Lin. Cheng Ruoyu tried to dissuade her, calling it a suicide mission, and offered to join her, but Xia Ziyuan refused, declaring that anyone who stood with Qi Yan was her enemy. Meanwhile, Cheng Xi sought refuge with Chou Ziliang, who granted her and her followers shelter.
When asked about Liu Misha, Cheng Xi revealed she had sent Liu Misha to Wang Lin's residence, as she did not trust Yan Zhi or the Jiangqi Camp. Yan Zhi, having had Yan Xiu investigate Cheng Xi, confirmed that Huaizhi had taken her in when she was young, which led Yan Zhi to conclude that Cheng Ruoyu's identity was also fabricated.
Suspecting Liu Misha was with Wang Lin, Yan Zhi ordered Yan Xiu to investigate there, and also devised a plan to sow discord between Wang Lin and Yuan Xing to win over Jiang Ding, three of Chou Ziliang's key commanders. Li Zening brought Qi Yan a sedan chair, a nostalgic gift from his childhood, and a kite.
She reminded him of a time when he used a similar sedan chair to carry her when she twisted her ankle, and they flew kites together. Cheng Ruoyu remained by Qi Yan's side. When Qi Yan started coughing while flying the kite, Cheng Ruoyu immediately stopped him and told Li Zening not to let him continue, as it would aggravate his wounds. Qi Yan, however, made Cheng Ruoyu apologize to Li Zening for overstepping.
Li Zening then dismissed Cheng Ruoyu, suggesting she go find Xia Ziyuan, as Qi Yan was under her care and Cheng Ruoyu need not follow so closely. Later, Qi Yan confided in Huaizhi, expressing his belief that only one person truly trusted him to defeat Chou Ziliang, implying Cheng Ruoyu. He stated that to protect her, he had to keep her at a distance. Cheng Ruoyu quietly arrived at Wang Lin's residence, observing Chou Ziliang arrive.
Chou Ziliang demanded to see the girls Wang Lin had captured. Wang Lin led him to a secret chamber where Chou Ziliang recognized Liu Misha. Wang Lin, visibly alarmed, claimed ignorance of her identity and how she came to be there. Chou Ziliang instructed him to keep Liu Misha safely guarded and took the other girls. As Cheng Ruoyu pondered how to act, Xia Ziyuan appeared and confirmed Liu Misha was in the secret chamber.
She knew a secret passage from Wang Lin's bedroom led directly to it. Just then, Yan Zhi received a coded message from Cheng Ruoyu, delivered by a beggar, confirming Liu Misha's location at Wang Lin's, and she dispatched her agents to assist Cheng Ruoyu. Cheng Ruoyu and Xia Ziyuan found Liu Misha drugged and locked in an iron cage. The key was on Wang Lin.
They decided to split up: Xia Ziyuan would set a fire in the backyard as a diversion, while Cheng Ruoyu, disguised as a maid, would try to obtain the key from Wang Lin, who was enjoying a feast. As the fire alarm sounded, Wang Lin rushed to the backyard. The night passed without Cheng Ruoyu returning to the palace, with Huaizhi advising Qi Yan to let her sleep.
