Fated Hearts Episode 7 Recap
> Fated Hearts Recap
Upon waking from a night of heavy drinking, Fu Yixiao found herself holding a knife to Feng Suige’s throat. She chastised him for his rudeness, threatening to kill him to ensure their secret remained private. Feng Suige retorted that she should have acted while he was asleep, adding that he wouldn't want to miss seeing her beg for mercy. Fu Yixiao claimed she had never learned how to beg, to which Feng Suige suggested she could learn today.
Lu Ke then entered without knocking, prompting Fu Yixiao to quickly press herself against Feng Suige, feigning intimacy, and whispered for him to dismiss Lu Ke. Lu Ke, finding the sight unbearable, quickly exited. After Fu Yixiao departed, Lu Ke returned and reported that Xia Jingshi was expected to arrive in Yujing City today for the marriage alliance.
He then asked if Feng Suige was truly letting Fu Yixiao leave just like that, offering to keep an eye on her, confident she would return. Feng Xiyang was overjoyed to hear of Xia Jingshi’s imminent arrival, which was confirmed by an attendant who mentioned the Minister of Rites, Shen Wu, was tasked with his reception. She inquired if her brother, Feng Suige, knew.
Shortly after, her brother, Feng Chengyang, arrived with a gift: a hundred-year-old walnut tree, symbolizing a harmonious marriage, to wish her well for her wedding. Feng Xiyang thanked him, accepting the gift. However, when Chengyang realized that Feng Suige had not sent a gift and did not approve of the marriage, he became uneasy. Feng Xiyang, understanding his good intentions, allowed him to take the gift back, assuring him she wouldn't mind.
When Chengyang asked what would happen if Feng Suige truly wouldn't agree, Feng Xiyang firmly stated she would marry Xia Jingshi regardless. Chengyang then quickly excused himself, instructing his attendants to remove the gift. Although Ling Xueying and the children had moved to a different residence, Feng Suige had it sealed off, allowing entry but no exit. A maid confirmed this, explaining they had been confined since their arrival the previous day.
Fu Yixiao, realizing Feng Suige was behind it, immediately returned to his residence to confront him. She accused him of breaking his word and imprisoning them, despite his claims of protection. Feng Suige dismissively stated that the entire Yujing City was his territory and under his control, questioning if she truly believed he needed to "imprison" her, a defeated opponent.
Fu Yixiao, unfazed, declared her intention to cooperate, but insisted that she would set her own rules, not just follow his. Meanwhile, rumors had spread throughout the Feng Battalion that Feng Suige opposed the marriage alliance and that His Majesty would strip him of his military command, inciting the soldiers to threaten confrontation with the court and raising fears of a mutiny. Feng Suige vehemently denied the rumors, summoning his commanders and deputy generals to stabilize morale.
He asserted the battalion's iron discipline and questioned if their leaders' hearts were truly wavering, allowing them to voice any complaints freely. An officer expressed confusion and resentment, believing the alliance was a sign of Susha's defeat in the Battle of Pingling. Feng Suige clarified that the alliance was a grave political matter proposed by Jinxiu, not a sign of Susha's weakness, and took full responsibility for the Pingling defeat.
He ordered his officers to inform the troops that the Emperor had not revoked his military command, and that the Feng Battalion's weapons would always be aimed at enemies, never at their own people, and mutiny would not be tolerated.
Soon after, an officer reported that a soldier named Yun Qing had left the camp, leaving behind a dagger Feng Suige had awarded him, with a message that he intended to kill someone on Feng Suige’s behalf to atone for failing him. Feng Suige immediately realized Yun Qing planned to assassinate Xia Jingshi.
He understood the severe implications: if Xia Jingshi, who was arriving for the marriage alliance, died in Yujing, Susha would be accused of betrayal, and Yun Qing would face unforgivable consequences. Lu Ke pleaded with Feng Suige to save Yun Qing, emphasizing his loyalty and that he only wanted to ease Feng Suige’s burden, even if it meant sacrificing his own promising future.
Feng Suige affirmed that Yun Qing was like a brother to him as well and vowed to stop him, but an officer worried about Yun Qing's exceptional archery skills and knowledge of the terrain, questioning how they could find him. As Yun Qing was an exceptional archer, Feng Suige sought help from Fu Yixiao, also a master archer, agreeing to five conditions in exchange for her assistance. The first condition was to withdraw the guards from Ling Xueying’s residence.
Fu Yixiao, after mocking Feng Suige for his earlier boast about controlling all of Yujing, accepted his "thank you" and immediately requested a map of Yujing City. Feng Suige explained that Xia Jingshi was expected to arrive within two hours, detailing the entry route from the city gate to the post station. He mentioned Yun Qing had taken a two-picul bow, known for its long-range accuracy, and that their search around the expected firing range had yielded no results.
Fu Yixiao quickly surmised that Yun Qing had taken the large bow as a decoy. She reasoned that a two-picul bow would be too conspicuous in a crowded city, and since Yun Qing was intentionally hiding, he must have purchased a new, smaller bow from an archery shop near the city gate. She further deduced that because Yun Qing left his personal token, indicating his intent to not implicate the Feng Battalion, he would not use a military bow.
An archery shop bow, while having a shorter range of fifty paces, would still be sufficient for an archer of Yun Qing's caliber, especially since he intended to die and had no need for an escape route. Based on this, Fu Yixiao pinpointed a specific tavern as Yun Qing's likely vantage point. Before the assassination could begin, Lu Ke located Yun Qing at the tavern.
Lu Ke implored Yun Qing to stand down, reminding him of Feng Suige's military order and all the kindness he had received from Feng Suige, from his name and skills to his position and even his life itself, which Feng Suige had saved from the streets. Yun Qing acknowledged his great debt but insisted he was only trying to ease Feng Suige’s burden by killing Xia Jingshi, believing Feng Suige opposed the alliance.
Feng Suige arrived and sharply questioned Yun Qing’s actions, asserting that Xia Jingshi’s life was not worth Yun Qing’s. He reminded Yun Qing of the core military discipline: loyalty to the ruler and kingdom, and service to the people, not just to Feng Suige personally. Yun Qing, understanding, agreed. Feng Suige ordered him to report back to the camp before dismissal or face military punishment, thereby averting a major crisis.
Feng Suige thanked Fu Yixiao for her crucial role in averting the crisis. Fu Yixiao then asked about Xia Jingshi's arrival time, learning he would be in Yujing soon and was being welcomed by the Ministry of Rites. Noticing Lu Ke preparing Feng Suige's military robe, Fu Yixiao correctly inferred he was going to the city tower. Feng Suige confirmed he was going to support his sister.
Fu Yixiao offered to accompany him, ostensibly to look for other potential assassins, but Feng Suige saw through her and suggested she merely wanted to see Xia Jingshi. He then provocatively wondered about Xia Jingshi’s reaction upon seeing her, now a "concubine" in his household. Fu Yixiao took his comment as an agreement to her accompanying him. From the city tower, Fu Yixiao caught sight of Xia Jingshi.
Memories from her past flooded her mind, making her disoriented and akin to losing her senses. She instinctively grabbed a knife and swung it wildly, recalling her past self as Xiao Weiran, Fu Yixiao, and Ning Fei, swearing loyalty to the Zhennan Army and its prince, and vows of lifelong commitment. Feng Suige quickly intervened, calming her and making her release the weapon, reminding her who he was.
During this time, the Minister of Rites, Shen Wu, welcomed Xia Jingshi, explaining that His Majesty was waiting for him, and escorted him directly into a carriage, thus preventing any encounter between Xia Jingshi and Fu Yixiao. Along the route, the common people hurled insults at the carriage, their deep hatred for Jinxiu—Susha’s long-standing enemy—manifesting in angry shouts about the Jinxiu people killing their family members. After the morning court, Xia Jingshi had a private audience with Emperor Feng Pingcheng.
Xia Jingshi, without bowing or showing deference, informed Feng Pingcheng that he had come on his Emperor's behalf to marry Princess Feng Xiyang, conveying wishes for lasting friendship and peace. Feng Pingcheng, unfazed by Xia Jingshi’s demeanor, noted his upright character. He then directly stated that Xia Jingshi was Feng Xiyang’s chosen husband, and he would not have agreed to the alliance if she were unwilling.
He tested Xia Jingshi with Feng Xiyang's favorite homemade pastries, revealing that only a select few in the imperial family had ever tasted them. Feng Pingcheng reiterated that the alliance was for his daughter's happiness, not merely for Susha's peace, and he would not allow Jinxiu to fail her. Xia Jingshi respectfully acknowledged that he would not confuse state affairs with family matters.
Later, Jinxiu's formidable warrior, Ning Fei, appeared directly at the gates of the First Prince’s Residence, loudly demanding to see Fu Yixiao. Guards tried to turn him away, and Ling Xueying, hearing the commotion, came out to tell him Fu Yixiao was unwell and seeing no one. Despite her warnings, Ning Fei tried to push past, prompting Feng Suige to intervene and quickly subdue him with two punches, mocking Jinxiu’s "greatest warrior."
As Xia Jingshi was leaving the palace, he was met at the palace gates by Feng Xiyang, the sole princess of Susha. She asked if he remembered her, but Xia Jingshi replied they had never met. Feng Xiyang then recounted an incident from three years prior at the Jinxiu-Susha border in the desert.
Despite her brother, Feng Suige, discouraging her, the spirited young princess had secretly donned armor and joined the army, hoping to emulate her father and brother's military achievements. However, she got lost in the desert while trying to take a shortcut to catch up with her brother. She was then discovered by enemy soldiers, who were about to kill her. Xia Jingshi, seeing she was a woman, spared her life and gave her a pouch of water.
This water saved her, allowing her to survive for two more days until her brother, Feng Suige, rescued her. The water pouch had Xia Jingshi’s name carved on it. Feng Xiyang concluded that it was Xia Jingshi who had saved her life and let her go that day. From that day on, Feng Xiyang had fallen in love with Xia Jingshi, and she agreed to the marriage alliance without hesitation upon learning he was the designated consort for Jinxiu.
