Resumen del episodio 10 de An Oriental Odyssey
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After returning to the palace, the Empress dismissed Sima Jun, the Minister of Finance, for his inefficiency and negligence of duty. She then promoted Ye Fucheng to the position of Minister of Finance, citing his past efforts to help the people by filing a petition, which had been withdrawn. She tasked him with the resettlement of refugees in the thirteen southern counties.
Later, when they were alone, the Empress revealed to Minister Ye that his promotion was due to his good daughter, Ye Yuanan. She summoned Yuanan, who had been hiding nearby, and praised her as a sensible and brave girl who had saved her life. The Empress chided Minister Ye for driving Yuan'an away, leaving her homeless, and ordered him to take her home immediately.
After Minister Ye left, the Empress had a private conversation with Ye Yuanan, reminding her that it was normal for someone her age to fall for someone. She advised Yuan'an to be bold, not timid, and to seize the chance to find happiness, lest she end up like the Empress herself, full of regrets. Due to the Empress's praise, Minister Ye Fucheng's attitude towards Ye Yuanan dramatically shifted.
He became extremely doting, even allowing her to keep a snake, claiming it was auspicious and encouraging her to acquire more. When his wife, Yuan'an's stepmother, suggested holding a party to celebrate his promotion, he insisted on consulting Yuan'an first. His wife became deeply jealous, accusing him of snobbery for doting on Yuan'an after once driving her from the house.
She reminded him of her own status as Madam and their son, Yuanning, but Minister Ye angrily rebuffed her, telling her to discipline Yuanning instead. Meanwhile, the State Preceptor had successfully collected four Nine Divine Beads. He thanked Princess Minghui for bringing the latest one, which she obtained from Xue Xiansheng.
However, his gratitude quickly turned to fury as he condemned her method, revealing that Luotian Cave had been burned, Huo Yang badly injured, and he had suffered a great loss due to her actions. He accused her of using the mission to settle a personal grudge, sternly warning her that she would lose her life without knowing how if she mixed personal desires with her duties again.
Minghui attempted to explain that Zhao Lanzhi and Ye Yuanan's interference forced her hand, but the State Preceptor ignored her excuses. To demonstrate the beads' power and guide her next move, he used the four collected Divine Beads to reveal the location of the fifth. He then dispatched Minghui to retrieve it, leaving the injured Huo Yang to recover.
Mu Le's special abilities continued to grow; his martial arts prowess increased significantly, and he even defeated Tian Shu at chess in their very first game. Tian Shu was bewildered and frustrated, noting Mu Le's rapid healing, his newfound ability to perceive opponents' moves in slow motion, and his sudden mastery over martial arts. He suspected that Ye Yuanan had brought a monster back from the Ghost Market.
Tian Shu then suggested using a new pill he had developed to make Mu Le confess his true nature, but Yuan'an firmly rejected the idea. She fiercely protected Mu Le, declaring that she would shield him regardless of whether he was a monster, and chastised Tian Shu for his scheming. Shortly after, Zhao Lanzhi visited Ye Yuanan.
Yuan'an was visibly upset, accusing him of being ungrateful and aloof, especially after she had assisted him in major cases like those at Qianduan Brothel and Luotian Cave, and the Empress's portrait. Zhao Lanzhi explained his apparent distance was to protect her, emphasizing that solving cases was not a game but a dangerous endeavor, like 'licking blood off a blade,' and he worried about her safety given the threats they faced.
He told her that while she participated for fun, he did so out of duty. Despite her initial annoyance at his lecture, Yuan'an softened when Zhao Lanzhi presented her with a small pine tree, remarking that delicate flowers suited her more than cold weapons. Ye Yuanan was delighted with the gift. From a distance, Mu Le observed their interaction, his face filled with visible sadness at Yuan'an's happiness with Zhao Lanzhi.
Back at the mansion, Ye Yuanan observed her maids discussing flower arrangements, some meant for their lovers. Feeling a blush, she asked them to teach her the art, implicitly for Zhao Lanzhi. The maids, recognizing her newfound interest, teased her good-naturedly, remarking on her sudden shift from martial arts to maidenly pursuits. They recommended she seek instruction from an expert at the Lingdang Garden House in the city's western district. Ye Yuanan decided to go, taking Mu Le with her.
Upon arrival, she gave him some money, instructing him to wander around, buy snacks, and avoid talking to strangers, as the class was exclusively for girls. While Yuan'an began her lesson on the principles of color matching in flower arrangement, Mu Le explored the streets. He soon stumbled upon a stall displaying various masks.
The sight of these masks inexplicably terrified him, triggering a memory of Ye Yuanan and Tian Shu discussing his rapid healing and Tian Shu's question about whether she had brought back a monster. A profound sense of fear and self-doubt washed over Mu Le as he pondered if he truly was a monster. Still troubled by his self-doubt, Mu Le wandered aimlessly, muttering "Who am I?"
His thoughts were interrupted when he instinctively saved a woman from being hit by a runaway cart. The woman, impressed by his gallantry, immediately showed great interest in him, attempting to flirt and ask his name. Remembering Ye Yuanan's warning about talking to strangers, Mu Le tried to disengage and leave. However, the woman's persistent maid followed him closely. Seizing an opportunity, the maid deftly stole a wooden token from Mu Le.
Immediately after, the woman accused Mu Le of breaking her earring during the commotion. When Mu Le offered money as compensation, she rejected it, claiming the custom-made tassel earring from Mengjinyuan was irreplaceable with mere cash and required half a month of skilled craftsmanship to produce. Unable to escape, Mu Le reluctantly agreed to meet her at the same spot in three days to provide a new earring.
The woman, confident that with his wooden token she knew where to find him, let him go. Following the State Preceptor's instructions, Princess Minghui traveled to the Nanjing Prince's Mansion, believed to house the fifth Nine Divine Bead. She found Prince Nanjing gravely ill and unconscious, with only his granddaughter, Shui Yue, as his remaining relative, his wife and son having passed away in an accident. Shui Yue herself was currently out of the mansion.
Minghui, feigning concern, offered herbal medicine for the Prince and then fabricated a story about having left a childhood book in the study, requesting the housekeeper to allow her access. Despite the housekeeper's initial reluctance due to the Prince's condition and Shui Yue's absence, Minghui's insistence and her promise to bear any consequences swayed him. Inside the study, Minghui meticulously searched, noticing peculiar pharmaceutical drawings and diagrams despite there being no doctors or pharmacists residing in the mansion.
After her search, she made her excuses and departed. Coincidentally, Shui Yue returned to the mansion, revealing herself to be the same elegant woman who had encountered and tricked Mu Le earlier that day. She expressed surprise at Minghui's visit, initially not remembering her, but the housekeeper reminded her of their shared childhood before Shui Yue had become reclusive after a past dog bite.
Looking pale, Shui Yue soon retired to her room, where she worriedly inspected a dwindling supply of her personal medicine, wondering what she would do when it ran out. Meanwhile, Mu Le, needing money to fulfill his promise to Shui Yue, went around the household attempting to borrow from various servants, including Uncle Xia, who could only offer a small sum.
He then approached Tian Shu, who was hiding, and Tian Shu, aware of Ye Yuanan's wealth, suggested Mu Le ask her directly. Mu Le, seeing Ye Yuanan deeply engrossed in her flower arranging, initially hesitated to disturb her. However, Yuan'an noticed him lingering outside and called him in. He awkwardly requested to borrow money, and without hesitation, she handed him a substantial amount.
She sternly warned him against using the money for any 'bad things,' even jokingly threatening to beat him to death if he did. Later, an aunt informed Ye Yuanan that Mu Le had been borrowing money from others in the household. The aunt speculated that Mu Le might have fallen for a girl and worried he was being cheated, which piqued Yuan'an's suspicion. Elsewhere in Chang'an, a series of disturbing murders began.
A woman's body was discovered with her face gruesomely cut off. Zhao Lanzhi and his team investigated the scene. A witness came forward, recounting a chilling encounter where a black-clad woman, whom he described as having 'no face,' attempted to 'borrow something' from another woman, implying it was her face, just before the victim was found.
