Fated Hearts Episode 11 Recap
> Fated Hearts Recap
Empress Dowager Jing entered the imperial chambers, her expression grim as she dismissed the concubines and female attendants. She then sternly rebuked Emperor Xia Jingyan for his incessant debauchery, particularly his involvement with the female relatives of court officials. She named the wife of Vice Minister of Works Dai Quan and the niece of the Marquis of Bao'an as examples. Xia Jingyan, however, remained indifferent, asserting that these women were all willing participants.
The Empress Dowager then raised the matter of a letter from Feng Suige, which she vehemently rejected, stating that a first-rank Jinxiu prince like Xia Jingshi could never become a live-in son-in-law to Susha. To her dismay, Xia Jingyan revealed he had already agreed to the proposal.
Xia Jingyan explained that if Xia Jingshi remained in Susha, Pingling City would naturally revert to imperial control, allowing the Emperor to legitimately reclaim Xia Jingshi's military and political power over the Zhennan Army. He saw Feng Suige's proposal as a clever move that perfectly aligned with his own desires, believing that by the time Xia Jingshi inevitably returned, Pingling City would no longer be his.
Meanwhile, in Susha, Feng Suige's aide, Lu Ke, lauded the "marrying in" strategy as brilliant, as it prevented Princess Feng Xiyang from having to marry far away and kept Xia Jingshi firmly under their control. Feng Suige declared his intention to expose Xia Jingshi's "hypocrite" facade, noting how Xia Jingshi had presented himself as being in complete control since arriving in Susha.
While his subordinates were ready to celebrate, Feng Suige warned them that a desperate man would take desperate risks, predicting that Xia Jingshi would attempt to meet with a Susha operative once Jinxiu's reply sealed his fate. He instructed Lu Ke to keep a close watch on Zhengnian Hall. Fu Yixiao sought out Ning Fei to recall the events leading up to her cliff fall after the Battle of Pingling.
Ning Fei recounted that someone had seen her heading towards Prince Xia Jingshi's military tent. He and Xiao Weiran had assumed she was discussing important matters with the Prince and thus hadn't searched for her. He then vaguely mentioned getting drunk and returning to his tent, only to find her missing upon waking. Fu Yixiao noted his evasiveness. Ning Fei then added he got into a fight that night and Xiao Weiran forced him to bed.
Fu Yixiao, needing to trust him, asked him not to lie, to which Ning Fei made a solemn oath. Later, Fu Yixiao confided in Ling Xueying, expressing her belief that Ning Fei appeared to be honest but that she still needed to verify his account. She also reaffirmed her painful commitment to stay by Xia Jingshi's side, earn his complete trust, and lower his guard to uncover the truth, despite the revulsion she felt.
She warned that if Ning Fei or Xiao Weiran were involved in her attempted murder, she would not spare them, though she doubted Ning Fei, whose emotions were always plainly visible. In the Susha court, Prime Minister Zhuang Shen discussed Feng Suige's recent private audience with the Emperor.
Zhuang Shen instructed Shen Wu to organize a joint impeachment of Feng Suige by Censorate officials for his unauthorized letter to the Jinxiu Emperor, arguing that it was an absurdly inappropriate act for a prince and a violation of royal dignity. He clarified that the Emperor was likely to approve Feng Suige's "marrying in" proposal as it aligned with imperial interests, but Feng Suige's independent correspondence was a separate matter ripe for exploitation.
Xia Jingshi received news that his wedding procession had reached the Susha border and would arrive in Yujing City the next day, bringing his antidote. He recognized the prosperity of Yujing City far surpassed the military-burdened Pingling, and perceived Feng Suige as a formidable and dangerous leader who, if he ascended to the Susha throne, would make victory for Jinxiu impossible. Fu Yixiao approached Xia Jingshi with a bowl of medicine prepared by Ling Xueying and brewed by Ning Fei.
Xiao Weiran attempted to dissuade Xia Jingshi from drinking it, citing potential conflicts with the impending antidote. However, Xia Jingshi insisted on taking it, expressing gratitude for Fu Yixiao's care and acknowledging that he had already caused her pain and was about to do so again by marrying Princess Feng Xiyang. He dismissed Xiao Weiran's concerns.
Over breakfast, Fu Yixiao subtly probed Xia Jingshi's past, asking if they used to dine together (he confirmed they had an informal relationship) and then inquiring if he remembered the first time he had ever struck her.
When she couldn't recall, Xia Jingshi vividly recounted an incident where he, seeing her admire earrings but feel unworthy, taught her a lesson about self-worth, playfully striking her with a horsewhip as a symbolic reminder that she was not "lower-class" and he would always be her protector. This specific memory resurfaced for Fu Yixiao. She then asked Xia Jingshi to help her recall events after the Battle of Pingling.
Xiao Weiran quickly interjected, providing a version of events where Xia Jingshi had advised against pursuing Feng Suige, but Fu Yixiao, disagreeing, left the camp alone, with her subsequent disappearance a mystery. Fu Yixiao internally noted Xiao Weiran was lying. She pressed on, asking if Xia Jingshi was present during this supposed argument. Xiao Weiran confirmed his presence, asserting no one knew what happened after she left.
Fu Yixiao highlighted Ning Fei's previous account that she "fell off the cliff by accident," which Xiao Weiran affirmed, adding they only later learned she had also been shot by an arrow. He then vehemently vowed revenge on the shooter, a sentiment Fu Yixiao echoed, eyeing Xia Jingshi. Xia Jingshi abruptly ended the meal, stating important official business at the inn.
Xiao Weiran later admitted to Xia Jingshi that he had lied to gauge Fu Yixiao's memory, concluding she remembered nothing. Xia Jingshi advised him to shed his suspicions. Fu Yixiao, however, realizing the discrepancy between Ning Fei and Xiao Weiran's stories, sought out Ning Fei again.
This time, Ning Fei mentioned that the night the Battle of Pingling ended, a merchant with a luxurious carriage, supposedly dealing in medicinal herbs, had visited Xia Jingshi in his tent, an unusual meeting for such a trivial matter that could have been handled by Xiao Weiran.
Fu Yixiao, asking Ning Fei to keep their conversation secret, began to suspect that Xiao Weiran's lie was meant to protect Xia Jingshi, and that the merchant's visit might hold the key to why Xia Jingshi had attempted to murder her. Xiao Weiran later approached Fu Yixiao to gauge her feelings on Xia Jingshi's impending marriage to Princess Feng Xiyang, acknowledging her past private engagement to Xia Jingshi.
Fu Yixiao, observing that Xiao Weiran genuinely considered Xia Jingshi's perspective, asked him what he would advise her to do. He suggested it was "better to forget than to be entangled." Fu Yixiao stated she had no desire for entanglement and, even if her memory fully returned, would not pursue Xia Jingshi, finding the pain of loving such a "radiant" person too great.
She then handed Xia Jingshi a handmade herbal sachet, a type of item she had previously prepared for him to alleviate his poison pain. She then confessed that she had once suspected him of trying to kill her. Xia Jingshi's smile froze. But she immediately added that after reviewing the historical accounts he had provided, she realized he was "the last person she should have suspected." Xia Jingshi's tightly clenched hand, hidden behind his back, visibly relaxed.
He then told her that she would understand his actions for "their future" someday, hoping she would never remember the painful truth of that day, pledging to protect her life. Fu Yixiao internally rejected his words, stating that she would represent her future self to stop him. Indeed, it was Xia Jingshi who had shot her, leading to her fall. Yun Fang drove Fu Yixiao to a meeting with Feng Suige.
Fu Yixiao, after some teasing from Feng Suige about her "night" with Xia Jingshi, directly asked when he had learned that Xia Jingshi was her attacker. Fu Yixiao then disclosed that Xia Jingshi had received a secret military report and changed his battle plans the day before the Battle of Pingling, suggesting a connection to Susha's traitors. She tasked Feng Suige with investigating this report. She then revealed the merchant's visit to Xia Jingshi's tent the night the battle ended.
Although she couldn't recall the details of their conversation, she suspected it was the true motive for his attempt on her life. She assured Feng Suige she was not withholding information and that uncovering this truth was her only chance. Feng Suige offered her protection, but Fu Yixiao declined, emphasizing her commitment to their cooperation.
She then asked that he not seek her out for a few days to avoid Xia Jingshi's suspicion, before accepting a small token he called "his heart of mercy." Yun Fang noted Feng Suige's apparent "care" for Fu Yixiao, which Feng Suige quickly dismissed as simply caring for a member of his household. Meanwhile, Xia Jingshi was preparing to leave Zhengnian Hall for the inn. He inquired about Fu Yixiao's whereabouts.
Ling Xueying fabricated a story about sending Fu Yixiao to a medicine merchant to fetch herbs, citing a sudden influx of patients. Xia Jingshi believed her, asking Ling Xueying to tell Fu Yixiao to take care of herself and thanking Ling Xueying for her ministrations. Feng Suige was summoned to the Susha palace. There, a Censorate official reported to the Emperor that ten officials had submitted eighteen memorials.
Zhuang Shen then explained the collective indignation of the court over Feng Suige's unauthorized correspondence with the Jinxiu Emperor, deeming it a rash act that affronted royal dignity and demanded strict investigation and punishment, otherwise, neither the populace nor the officials would be appeased. Feng Suige entered and paid his respects, and the Emperor ordered him to listen to the impeachments against him.
