Dreaming Back to the Qing Dynasty Episode 15 Recap
> Dreaming Back to the Qing Dynasty Recap
Wei and Yinxiang went to meet Kangxi. Kangxi mentioned hearing about their outing to the temple fair and Yinxiang's vow to marry no one but Wei, suggesting he intended to arrange their marriage. Consort De actively supported this, claiming she had already taken the liberty to arrange their marriage, praising Wei's character and good family background, and stating Wei had agreed. Yinxiang, however, stated he had just learned of it and hadn't agreed yet.
Yinsi then brought up an old prophecy from a high monk that people born on the first day of lunar October, like Yinxiang, were "full of bad luck." He even implied this might have contributed to Yinxiang's mother's early death. Yinxiang dismissed these as mere jokes. Consort De countered, reminding Kangxi that Master Yuhua once said Yinxiang had the ability to turn misfortune into good fortune, and Kangxi himself had jokingly called him "blessed."
Despite this, Kangxi, being somewhat superstitious, decided to have Yinxiang first take Wei as a deputy princess consort, believing it wouldn't be an injustice to her. Yintao then exaggerated, warning Wei that Yinxiang's bad luck would harm others, and Kangxi urged Wei to reconsider. After a long silence, Wei asked if the bad luck would affect Yinxiang or herself. Yintao quickly confirmed it would affect her.
Wei then knelt and accepted the marriage, stating that if the bad luck affected her, she was willing to marry Yinxiang. Kangxi was impressed by Wei's courage and bestowed a valuable bracelet upon her, noting its uniqueness as only the Crown Princess had received a similar one before. Wei, however, recalled seeing Xiaochun wearing an identical bracelet, which left her pondering. The Emperor then declared that an auspicious day would be chosen for their wedding.
Yinzhen, witnessing all this, struggled to conceal his agitated emotions. After the joyous marriage decree, Yinxiang worried Wei might regret her decision. He sensed her reluctance, and Wei confirmed it, admitting she was already regretting her impulsive agreement to marry him. She confessed she didn't genuinely wish to marry him and had only spoken out of pique. Yinxiang, understanding her feelings, gracefully acknowledged her honesty and left, feigning a headache.
Wei, meanwhile, was torn, feeling that even though she liked Yinxiang, she couldn't marry him if she hadn't found the man from her heart and dreams. She also longed for her modern parents and felt the loneliness of the dangerous palace. Meanwhile, Yinzhen, furious about the forced marriage, confronted Consort De. He accused her of wrongly intervening and hastily arranging the betrothal.
He declared his intention to ask Kangxi to revoke the imperial decree the following day, assuring his mother that he would not make errors driven by emotion for Wei. Consort De advised him against such a rash move, explaining that Kangxi's word was law and retracting it would greatly harm his prestige. Furthermore, it would tarnish Wei's reputation as an unmarried woman. Yinzhen proposed that he could ask Kangxi to betroth Wei to him instead, which would appear more logical.
Consort De, however, explained that Kangxi's quick agreement was precisely because he had heard about the princes' competition for Wei and wished to avoid further discord in the palace. She warned Yinzhen that acting so emotionally would reflect poorly on both him and Wei. Convinced by his mother's reasoning, Yinzhen agreed to reconsider the matter. Yintao then arrived, expressing disappointment that Yinzhen had given up so easily, remarking that Consort De's involvement had spoiled the anticipated drama.
Consort De cautioned him against any mischievous plans now that the imperial edict was final. Later, Yinxiang sought out Yinzhen to explain the sudden marriage, saying he was surprised by Wei's acceptance. Yinzhen, though clearly displeased, didn't fully blame Yinxiang, acknowledging that Kangxi and Consort De had orchestrated the match.
Yinzhen stated that while Wei's feelings might be unsettled, he remained confident that by remaining close to her, he would eventually win her heart, as she had always been drawn to him. Ming Hui, acting as Nalan Rongyue's trusted attendant, orchestrated an encounter between Rongyue and Wei, leading to an argument. Rongyue, who harbored a long-standing dislike for Wei, grappled with her. During the struggle, Rongyue fell and injured her face.
Rongyue, egged on by Ming Hui and supported by Noble Consort Nalan, accused Wei of pushing her and demanded severe punishment, specifically wanting to scar Wei's face with ten cuts. Consort De, however, intervened. She reminded them that Wei was now betrothed to Yinxiang by imperial decree and was under her protection. She stressed that such a vengeful punishment would displease Kangxi, who valued virtue over appearance.
Instead, Consort De declared that Wei would receive twenty strokes of the rod as a minor warning. Despite Rongyue and Noble Consort Nalan's initial objections, they ultimately had to agree. As Wei endured the flogging without a sound, Yinzhen, having been alerted, rushed to the scene and ordered the guards to stop. He pleaded with Consort De to spare Wei, but his mother, concerned about his reputation, sternly ordered the flogging to continue, warning him not to meddle further.
Just as the punishment resumed, Yinxiang arrived, forcefully stopping the execution. He publicly exposed Rongyue's lie, stating she had fallen herself and was wrongly blaming Wei. Declaring he had no regard for palace rules, he challenged them to report him to Kangxi and then swiftly took Wei away, promising to face punishment later. Wei's injuries were not severe, and after being treated with a special medicine Yinxiang procured, she assured him she was fine.
Yinxiang expressed his regret at not arriving sooner and insisted she inform him immediately if such incidents occurred again. Wei, however, gently rebuffed his concern, stating she could handle such matters herself and reiterated that despite the imperial decree, her heart remained set on finding the man she truly loved. Yinxiang, understanding, told her he would not force her and would let things unfold naturally. Wei, still conflicted about her feelings, was folding paper cranes in her room.
Nalan Rongyue and Ming Hui arrived again to cause trouble. Rongyue, seeing Wei's diligently folded paper cranes for prayer, deliberately destroyed them. Infuriated, Wei forcefully pushed both of them out of her room. Later, feeling lonely and missing her parents from her modern life, Wei found a secluded corner to pray for her family. Yinzhen discovered her there and comforted her, listening as she expressed her frustrations. His words helped her feel much better.
Unable to control his growing feelings for Wei, Yinzhen then took her to his private viewing spot, a secret place to admire the beautiful Forbidden City, where he confessed his love. Startled and overwhelmed, Wei panicked and fled. Back in her room, Wei was still troubled by the identity of the man from her dreams. She vaguely recalled his appearance but could never clearly see his face, leading her to doubt if Yinzhen was truly the one.
Her dreams continued to haunt her, showing a man whose face remained elusive despite her vague recollections. She wondered if she had made a mistake in believing Yinzhen was her predestined love. She recalled him telling her 'I only roasted oranges for you' in a dream. She also pondered on his appearance in a mist, ethereal nature, and ability to create a 'rain of apricot flowers', as well as his promises of courage and crossing time.
Yet, she felt no real spark with Yinzhen, feeling that something was off. After returning from the palace, Yinzhen secluded himself. When Yinxiang came to visit, Yinzhen confessed that Wei had rejected him, admitting his feelings were unrequited and he almost made a fool of himself. Yinxiang, surprised, wondered who this mysterious person was that Wei had chosen over all of them.
Feeling relieved that he no longer had to contend with his Fourth Prince, Yinxiang later went to tease Wei. Wei confessed her confusion, admitting she didn't remember the dream man's face or what they had done together. Yinxiang urged her to describe him in detail, promising his help. Wei recounted that the man emerged from a mist, seemed ethereal, and could create a "rain of apricot flowers." She also mentioned he had roasted oranges for her.
True to his "I can really fight for my love desperately" nature, Yinxiang declared he would pursue Wei regardless of who her mysterious love was, even if it was an elusive phantom. He asserted that Wei was the woman he had chosen and his bride by imperial decree, but he would only claim her person once he had won her heart.
Yinzhen, who was listening in, acknowledged Yinxiang's passionate resolve, admitting he himself was too constrained by his responsibilities to the court, the country, and Kangxi. Yinxiang simply stated he wished to live a joyous life. Yinxiang's servant, Shun'er, suggested that Yinxiang recreate all the dream man's romantic gestures, making them even more spectacular, to win Wei's heart. Although Yinxiang feigned reluctance, calling it a "stupid thing," his actions spoke louder.
He arranged for apricot blossoms to be scattered where Wei would pass, attempting to create a "rain of apricot flowers." However, Wei discovered a feather amidst the falling petals, realizing it was an orchestrated trick, and angrily ran off. Yinxiang, though disappointed by the failure, remained undeterred, already planning his next move.
