The Unexpected Marriage Episode 13 Recap
> The Unexpected Marriage Recap
Changsheng hurried to the Muyan Forest, where Lv Jing soon joined her. He asked for her guidance on how to protect the delicate Muyan saplings, explaining they were in their crucial first year and required special care, vulnerable to both excessive sun and water accumulation. Lv Jing brought more water cloth to help cover the muddy ground.
As they worked together, Xiao Zilv observed them, reflecting to himself that some people, once missed, are gone forever, and even following them far away is useless. After tending to the saplings, Changsheng and Lv Jing returned to the mansion. Changsheng lightheartedly teased Lv Jing before leaving. The next day, having gotten caught in the rain, Changsheng fell ill with a cold.
She instructed her maids, Jinyan and Shenxing, not to tell Lv Jing about her sickness, feeling embarrassed about falling ill from the rain. You Yong knelt before Lv Jing, expressing his guilt for failing to protect Changsheng. Lv Jing did not blame him and asked what Changsheng had said during her visit the previous day.
You Yong reported that she had looked towards the door, commenting on a tree and asking about its species and Lv Jing's whereabouts, wanting to ask him directly. Lv Jing smiled thoughtfully and quoted, "Flying with no rest, where shall they nest?" Later, Lv Jing visited the sleeping Changsheng and gently moved her onto the bed. He noticed a book titled "Pure Like Orchids" under her pillow and picked it up, chuckling as he looked through it.
Meanwhile, Princess Royal Lv Guan, who suffered from a chronic cough, meticulously cared for her collection of medical books, preferring to handle them herself rather than letting others potentially damage them or gossip. She instructed her maid, Lingzhi, to summon Doctor Yuan from the Imperial Academy of Medicine and to specifically bring the medical official from Fuyu who had previously been seen there.
At the Imperial Academy of Medicine, Lingzhi arrived and informed Doctor Yuan that Princess Royal requested him to bring Xiao Zilv, as she wished to try Fuyu's medical skills. Just then, Doctor Ma rushed in with news that Princess Consort Qin (Changsheng) was seriously ill, alarming Xiao Zilv. Doctor Yuan quickly told Xiao Zilv that Doctor Ma would go to Changsheng while they must hurry to the Princess Royal's palace.
As they left, Xiao Zilv asked why the doctors seemed reluctant to treat Princess Royal. Doctor Yuan explained that she was the Emperor's biological sister, high in status but young in age, known for her cold and demanding nature, her extensive reading, and a strong dislike for any mention of marriage, being unmarried herself. Upon arriving at Princess Royal's palace, Lv Guan dismissed everyone except Xiao Zilv.
Drawing back the curtain, Xiao Zilv recognized Princess Royal Lv Guan as the woman he had previously encountered when they both fell into the water. Though surprised, he showed no fear and proactively began checking her pulse and pressing acupoints, specifically the Taibai Gongsun acupoint to help regulate her pulse. Lv Guan noted that she felt better and showed an unusual acceptance of his diagnosis and prescription, much to Doctor Yuan's astonishment.
Back at Prince Qin's mansion, Doctor Ma arrived to treat Changsheng, causing Prince Qin Lv Jing to remark on his slowness. Lv Jing personally attended to Changsheng. His attendant, Youmou, wisely instructed You Yong to prevent anyone from disturbing the Prince and Princess Consort, a directive You Yong followed without fully understanding the reason. Changsheng awoke to find Lv Jing by her side.
He fed her the medicine he had kept warm over a low fire, which she noticed was still hot. He admitted he had been there the whole time. She found his presence unusual, and he told her to get used to it, staying to finish his memorials while she rested. Xiao Zilv also came to visit Changsheng. Before he checked her pulse, Lv Jing subtly placed a handkerchief on her wrist.
Xiao Zilv confirmed she still had a weak pulse and advised her to rest. Changsheng joked about getting thin from resting. Xiao Zilv offered to take her out for good food when she recovered, and Changsheng suggested they follow "Yi'an" (Lv Jing's informal name) as he knew the best places in Luojing. After Xiao Zilv left, Changsheng remembered the book under her pillow and found it missing.
She went to see Lv Jing, feeling too sheepish to ask about it directly. Around this time, Consort De, the mother of the Second Prince Lv Hou and Liu Yiyi, sent an invitation for Changsheng to visit the palace.
Knowing Consort De's long-standing animosity towards him and her tendency to cause trouble, Lv Jing anticipated a challenge and advised Changsheng on how to handle the situation, specifically how to respond to Consort De's likely initial tactic of intimidation, often by pretending to be asleep. Changsheng followed Lv Jing's instructions carefully. When she arrived, Consort De was seemingly asleep. Changsheng offered her greetings, and Consort De stirred. Changsheng employed Lv Jing's strategy, lavishing exaggerated praise on Consort De's youthful appearance.
Pleased, Consort De invited her closer, chatting about the welcome banquet dance and Changsheng's recent illness. Consort De offered a bitter tea, and Changsheng praised it, interpreting its taste as symbolic of hardship followed by reward, further impressing Consort De. The conversation shifted to her relationship with Lv Jing, with Consort De mentioning the rumor of love at first sight, clearly probing for weaknesses.
Changsheng deflected by stating that while she couldn't speak for Lv Jing, "she" had been "taken aback at first sight, and then utterly charmed" by him. She then fabricated a story about meeting him providentially outside the Hongluan Pavilion in Fuyu just after buying a Marriage Pearl, attributing their union to fate. Just as the conversation continued, Lv Jing arrived, apologizing for interrupting. Consort De released them, asking them to visit more often.
Outside the palace, Lv Jing asked for Changsheng's assessment of Consort De. Changsheng described her as "seemingly caring, but she was just testing me," concluding she could not be befriended. Lv Jing warned her that being by his side would be dangerous. Changsheng asked if it was too late to return to Fuyu; he replied that it was. Accepting her fate, she added that she guessed it was too late to leave now anyway.
Lv Jing promised to protect her, referencing her earlier comment about being utterly charmed by him. Changsheng quickly clarified that she had only said that to deceive Consort De and firmly stated she had no romantic feelings for him, even swearing to it. Later, Liu Yiyi, accompanied by Lv Hou, encountered Changsheng. Liu Yiyi acted confrontationally, calling Changsheng "barbaric and unreasonable" due to her Fuyu origins.
She asserted her own superior status as the Minister's daughter, citing the discovery of a "holy stone" on her wedding day as proof of their prophesied immense wealth and destiny, claiming no one could stand in their way and threatening Changsheng with future retribution. Changsheng remained unfazed, advising Liu Yiyi to let Lv Hou worry about her. Meanwhile, Princess Consort Ge, wife of the Fifth Prince Lv Ke, brought cakes to Liu Yiyi.
Liu Yiyi complained about Changsheng to Ge, calling her a "nasty piece of work" and expressing annoyance that Lv Jing treated her as a treasure despite her notorious reputation in Fuyu. Ge encouraged Liu Yiyi to share rumors she had heard about the Fuyu Princess Consort having "thin peach blossoms" and bringing bad luck to those who admired her. Although acknowledging it was baseless talk, Liu Yiyi admitted spreading it could cause trouble. Ge reported to Lv Ke, confirming she had planted the rumors with Liu Yiyi and that they could now wait and watch the consequences unfold.
