Fall in Love Episode 27 Recap
> Fall in Love Recap
Despite significant casualties for the Xu family army, Xu Guangyao believed that every battle resulted in mutual destruction, rendering further fighting meaningless. His adjutant, however, stressed that while their military governor's position was lost, retaining their troops and territory was crucial for the Xu family to stage a comeback, deeming it a fight for their very survival. Xu Guangyao countered, asserting that on the battlefield, his orders prevailed over all others, including the military governor's.
Later, sitting amidst the fallen soldiers under a stark moon, he appeared dejected. Su Hongchen suddenly appeared, jokingly complaining about being left alone in Shanghai without friends, which lightened the mood. Su Hongchen confirmed that Xu Bojun had sent him to persuade Xu Guangyao to return. However, Xu Guangyao revealed his father's true intention: to involve Su Hongchen, and by extension the Su family, to pressure the Pei family into making concessions.
Despite this knowledge, Xu Guangyao refused to leave, feeling that if he abandoned the fight, no one would care for the lives of the soldiers. Su Hongchen, displaying unwavering loyalty, declared he would stay and face death with Xu Guangyao and his soldiers, insisting their lives mattered. Xu Guangyao explained that Pei Xun sought to force Xu Bojun to resign and relinquish military power, a demand Xu Bojun adamantly refused.
Su Hongchen, as the son of Military Governor Su, was considered Xu Bojun's final bargaining chip. Su Hongchen believed that if the Xu family could retain their military power, the war would no longer be necessary, and he resolved to act on Xu Guangyao’s behalf. Su Hongchen went to Pei Xun’s camp, where he was recognized by Staff Officer Zuo, who recalled Su Hongchen's past antics with Pei Shaojun.
Su Hongchen asserted he was a neutral mediator, not a lobbyist, and declared his friendship with both Xu Guangyao and Pei Shaojun, emphasizing the futility of their ongoing conflict. When Staff Officer Zuo insisted Xu Bojun must relinquish military power, Su Hongchen challenged the idea, questioning the wisdom of absorbing potentially disloyal troops and threatening to stand in the middle of the battlefield himself if fighting resumed.
News of Su Hongchen's intervention enraged Pei Xun, who chided his subordinates for failing to stop him. Pei Shaojun, however, calmed his father, acknowledging Su Hongchen's courageous attempt to defend the Xu family at risk of his own life. Pei Shaojun advised against further offending the Su family, especially given the threat of the Revolutionary Army.
He argued that if Xu Guangyao, the Xu family's only son and a man of good reputation, died in battle, it would garner public sympathy for Xu Bojun, undermining their recent efforts to facilitate a retrial against the Xu family.
Convinced, Pei Xun ordered his troops to withdraw 10 kilometers and cease fire, and offered Xu Bojun an honorary title of Military Commissioner of the four East China provinces if he resigned as Military Governor of Yuecheng and relinquished military power. Pei Xun rationalized this as a "nominal promotion," valuing control over the military over titles. Crucially, Xu Bojun had gained significant leverage against Pei Xun.
His investigations into the arms smuggling case, initially led by Xu Guangyao, revealed that the smugglers were indeed working for the Pei family. Furthermore, he discovered that the assassins who attacked Xu Guangyao at the military governor's banquet were Pei Xun's own men, not revolutionary party members.
Realizing that Pei Xun, fearing the exposure of this assassination attempt, had attempted to undermine the Xu family by exploiting the Mu family's retrial, Xu Bojun understood the full extent of Pei Xun's scheme. With Pei Xun on the verge of assuming a key position in the Beijing government, a public scandal would be disastrous for him. Xu Bojun swiftly sent a telegram, using this compromising information to force Pei Xun's hand.
However, Pei Shaojun later suggested that even if Xu Bojun surrendered his troops, Pei Xun would be reluctant to use them and would incur significant costs to control them. He proposed that it was better to let Xu Bojun's troops return to their original base, where they could serve as a buffer against the Revolutionary Army.
Ultimately, Pei Xun conceded to Xu Bojun's terms, agreeing that if Xu Bojun resigned, the Xu family's troops would be under the command of a successor recommended by Xu Bojun. Xu Bojun, claiming victory, then issued a public telegram announcing his resignation as Military Governor of Yuecheng, entrusting his forces to his subordinates and instructing Xu Guangyao to lead the troops back.
Upon Xu Guangyao's safe return to the family mansion, Xu Bojun expressed profound relief, adopting a serene demeanor and claiming to have embraced Buddhism, finding peace after relinquishing his official duties. However, the victory came at a heavy cost; two divisions had suffered over 50% casualties, and more than a thousand soldiers deserted on the journey back, leaving fewer than three thousand returning to Yuecheng.
Xu Bojun spoke of atoning for the Xu family's past misdeeds and finding solace in daily scripture transcription and a vegetarian diet. Xu Guangyao, witnessing his father's apparent transformation, felt a pang of guilt for having doubted him. However, once Xu Guangyao departed, Xu Bojun shed his pious facade. He acknowledged that while his strategy to pressure Pei Xun had succeeded, he held Tan Xuanlin responsible for the Xu family's broader losses, and vowed to remove him.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commander Wu reported to Tan Xuanlin that his command had discovered several moles working for Xu Bojun and apprehended suspects at the railway station, continuing their investigation. Tan Xuanlin, observing refugees from Hangu Pass, reflected on the devastating consequences of the war between Pei Xun and Xu Bojun, realizing that in his pursuit of power, he might have become like them, indifferent to the suffering of ordinary people.
He recognized that forcing Xu Bojun's resignation was primarily to maintain his own position as the "commander of Shanghai." Mu Zhiyuan, despite being advised by his doctor to rest, insisted on personally meeting his daughter, Wanqing, at the train station. Upon their emotional reunion, an assassin suddenly attacked. Mu Zhiyuan bravely shielded Wanqing, taking the fatal blow.
With his dying breath, he entrusted Wanqing to Tan Xuanlin's care, expressing his relief that Tan Xuanlin would protect her, and spoke of awaiting their wedding day in heaven with his late wife Bingqing and son Yuanhang. At Mu Zhiyuan's memorial, Wanqing blamed herself for the attack, but Tan Xuanlin comforted her, reaffirming that her father had chosen him to protect her.
Professing his deep desire to be with her every moment, Tan Xuanlin then proposed marriage, wishing to fulfill Mu Zhiyuan's dying wish without delay, despite Wanqing's current period of mourning. He also vowed to avenge Mu Zhiyuan's death. Later, Tan Xuanlin learned that the assassin was from Yuecheng, a subordinate of Xu Bojun, confirming his suspicions.
His rage ignited, he attempted to seek immediate revenge, but Wanqing intervened, reminding him of his promise to marry her and how he was now her only family. Tan Xuanlin apologized, promising not to act rashly again. Meanwhile, Xu Bojun, having learned of Mu Zhiyuan's assassination, lamented that Mu Zhiyuan had sacrificed himself to secure Tan Xuanlin as a protector for Wanqing, effectively enabling Tan Xuanlin's rise to power.
His subordinate suggested another assassination attempt on Tan Xuanlin, but Xu Bojun forbade it, explaining that his current public display of piety was crucial for restoring the Xu family's reputation and paving the way for a future comeback. A failed assassination attempt by them would only be exploited by Pei Xun. He hinted at another, unseen party who harbored an even stronger desire to see Tan Xuanlin’s influence diminish, and sent out a cryptic telegram.
Xu Guangyao, reading a newspaper report about Mu Zhiyuan’s assassination, expressed his condolences, acknowledging his unintentional role in Mu Yuanhang's death and his regret that Wanqing was now the sole support of the Mu family. He questioned who would assassinate Mu Zhiyuan, a man who had retired to Fayuan Temple and lived aloof from worldly affairs. Xu Bojun, maintaining his penitent act, suggested it might be old enemies. Xu Guangyao also questioned his father's sudden devotion to scripture transcription.
Xu Bojun reiterated his repentance for past wrongs against the Mu family. Later, Xu Guangyao observed his aide, Xu Yuan, rushing out and discovered that Xu Yuan was sent to send a telegram to "Mr. Yamashita, a Japanese man." Xu Guangyao questioned this contact, given their historical lack of ties with the Japanese.
Xu Bojun reluctantly explained that with Pei Xun controlling the Beijing government and restricting the Xu family's military, and their relationship with the Mu family broken, they desperately needed new funding to maintain their army of hundreds of thousands of soldiers. When Xu Guangyao directly asked if he planned to cooperate with the Japanese Chamber of Commerce, Xu Bojun ambiguously replied that it was a matter of mutual need and the outcome remained uncertain.
