Fated Hearts Episode 19 Recap
> Fated Hearts Recap
Fu Yixiao questioned a man about a carriage, learning it belonged to a woman named Ruyan. She then went to a room in a dance house, observing the street below. She realized that Wu Ying's appearance that day was not accidental; Wu Ying had been waiting for a maid from the dance house. Before returning to the First Prince's Residence, Fu Yixiao asked Ling Xueying about a smithy, learning there was one next to a pharmacy in Yujing City.
Back at the First Prince's Residence, Fu Yixiao found Feng Suige waiting for her. He informed her that the Emperor had fallen gravely ill and was in a coma, causing Yujing City’s situation to become dangerously unpredictable. Feng Suige was worried about Fu Yixiao’s safety, explaining that Prime Minister Zhuang Shen would soon wield immense power by controlling the six ministries and might target her, as she was his "biggest weakness."
He urged Fu Yixiao to take Ling Xueying and the three children to Zhengnian Villa for their safety. Fu Yixiao promptly agreed, stating she had already intended to leave and would not become his burden or liability. She immediately gathered Ling Xueying and the children to pack. Feng Suige, instead of accompanying them, ordered Yun Fang to discreetly send two guards to escort them.
Later, Yun Fang reported to Feng Suige that Fu Yixiao had disappeared from the carriage midway, apparently having slipped away. He deduced that she had not left the city at all, but assured Feng Suige that Ling Xueying and the children were being safely escorted to Zhengnian Villa. When Yun Fang offered to search for Fu Yixiao, Feng Suige declined, instructing Yun Fang to tell anyone who asked that Fu Yixiao had gone to Zhengnian Villa with Ling Xueying.
Fu Yixiao went to the smithy and picked up a custom-made mask, ensuring the smith kept it secret. She then went to the dance house and intentionally placed the mask in Ruyan's room, noticing Ruyan's visible alarm. When confronted, Ruyan feigned ignorance about the mask and the Battle of Pingling incident where a masked person used her carriage to go to the Jinxiu military camp.
Fu Yixiao accused Ruyan of having a maid deliver a note to the death camp, instructing them to "stand by outside Yujing City." Ruyan denied any involvement, claiming to be just a dancer, but Fu Yixiao revealed that the maid had already confessed. Fu Yixiao then knocked Ruyan unconscious and took her to a secluded location. Ruyan challenged Fu Yixiao to kill her, but hesitated when presented with a blade.
Fu Yixiao mocked her fear, and Ruyan admitted to sending the note but insisted she didn’t know its content and would not betray the masked man, implying a deep affection for him. Fu Yixiao predicted that the masked man would send assassins to silence Ruyan. She made a bet: if no one came to kill her, Fu Yixiao would release her; if assassins arrived, Ruyan had to tell everything she knew.
Indeed, Murong Yao, who was revealed to be the masked man, ordered members of the death camp, using a token from Xia Jingshi, to kill "a person," implicitly Ruyan. Meanwhile, Feng Suige was informed by a messenger that the Emperor’s condition was stable. His subordinate also reported Ruyan's abduction, which Feng Suige connected to Fu Yixiao. He instructed his subordinate to secretly obstruct any investigation by the Capital Prefecture Office.
Fu Yixiao was nearly discovered by Capital Prefecture officers on the street, but Lu Ke, acting on Feng Suige’s earlier orders, intervened and redirected them to guard the imperial palace, citing the First Prince’s command. Yun Fang reported to Feng Suige about the poisoned warhorses from the previous incident, revealing that the responsible soldier was found dead, likely bribed and then silenced, a deed Feng Suige attributed to Prime Minister Zhuang Shen.
Feng Suige decided against further investigation, believing Zhuang Shen would have left no traces. Subsequently, Shen Wu, the Minister of Rites, arrived to delay Feng Suige by requesting his review of Princess Xiyang's dowry. During this time, two female assassins, sent by Murong Yao, attempted to kill Ruyan, but Fu Yixiao intercepted and thwarted them.
Despite seeing the assassins sent by her supposed lover, Ruyan still refused to betray him, dismissing herself as a dancer from a "debased caste" whose death would be forgotten. Fu Yixiao, however, remained confident, asserting she had a backup plan to uncover the masked man's identity. Following a dog, Fu Yixiao tracked the assassins' trail, which led her to Murong Residence. There, she realized that Meng Junran's true identity was Murong Yao.
She confronted him, and Murong Yao, no longer needing to hide, acknowledged that Ruyan had likely told Fu Yixiao everything. Fu Yixiao questioned his betrayal of Feng Suige, whom he considered his best friend, and his collusion with Xia Jingshi. Murong Yao defended his actions, claiming he had saved Feng Suige's life during the Battle of Pingling by deliberately shooting him off his horse to prevent him from certain death at Zhennan Pass.
He then threatened Fu Yixiao, stating that if she exposed his true identity to Feng Suige, his collaborators in the palace would immediately act against the Emperor. This would not only cause Feng Suige immense grief but also lead him to lose everything, including his life. Murong Yao arrogantly declared that the sound of "whistling arrows" would signal the Emperor's death and a political upheaval in Susha. Weighing the grave consequences, Fu Yixiao chose not to act impulsively.
Meanwhile, Song Cheng, a top-class tracker from the Feng Battalion, had discovered traces of the death camp. Feng Suige, analyzing Song Cheng's findings, realized that the death camp, composed of skilled assassins, was planning to ambush Minister of War Hou Jing, who was due to return to Yujing the next morning. Racing against time, Feng Suige led his troops to intercept them.
Just as Wu Ying and the death camp were about to kill Hou Jing, Feng Suige arrived and intervened. Hou Jing was struck by a poisoned arrow. During the ensuing fight, Wu Ying was rescued and escaped. Feng Suige did not pursue her directly, having already pre-arranged for Song Cheng to discreetly track them to their hideout.
With Hou Jing wounded and unconscious from the poisoned arrow, Feng Suige immediately ordered him to be taken to Zhengnian Villa for treatment, assuming that Ling Xueying and the children had already arrived there.
