I Will Never Let You Go Episode 13 Recap
> I Will Never Let You Go Recap
Chen Yu reflected that Liu Qingwu was likely waiting for him, but he refused to be manipulated by her. A servant then announced that Liu Mingyue, the master of Mingyue Villa, had arrived, claiming she could awaken the Seventh Prince. Chen Yu led her to his ailing father. Liu Mingyue, while modestly stating she hadn't practiced medicine long, sincerely offered her help, noting that even royal physicians were stumped. Chen Yu, seeing no other option, allowed her to try.
Liu Mingyue performed acupuncture, causing the Seventh Prince to regain some of his senses. He immediately dismissed everyone from the room, leaving only Liu Mingyue. Liu Mingyue began by acknowledging the Seventh Prince's deep love for Xue Fei, remarking that a mere dance could cause him such distress. She then revealed that she could use golden needles to stimulate his pressure points and unclog his veins, allowing him to function normally for a time.
However, she warned that once the needle entered his body, it would slowly travel through his blood vessels. Upon reaching his heart, he would die, giving him only three or four months of life. She asked if he would accept this condition. The Seventh Prince inquired about her terms. Liu Mingyue explained that she sought for Zhu Manor to replace Mo Manor in winning the bidding for the Imperial Treasury circulation rights.
Mingyue Villa had already allied with Zhu Manor, aiming to secure the bids for palace china and incense through this cooperation, as they lacked sufficient silver to bid for all. She clarified that she also harbored private grievances against Mo Manor and did not wish to burden the Prince with them. Seeing that the prospect of a few months of health did not sway him, Liu Mingyue changed tactics.
She asked the Seventh Prince if he wished to see Xue Fei. He questioned if Xue Fei was still alive, to which Liu Mingyue clarified that Xue Fei had died long ago, but her body remained perfectly preserved due to a Beauty Keeping Pill placed in her mouth. The Seventh Prince demanded to know Liu Mingyue's connection to Xue Fei and how she knew of her.
Liu Mingyue admitted she was Xue Fei's half-sister, sharing the same father but born to a servant mother. She explained that she had been taken to a temple by the Madam at birth, where she coincidentally learned martial arts. She was fortunate to miss the fire at Xue Manor and, in doing so, uncovered the truth: Mo Madam of Mo Manor, driven by jealousy and hatred, had orchestrated the massacre of the entire Xue family, including her own mother.
Liu Mingyue declared her intent to personally destroy Mo Manor for revenge, rather than seeking justice through the courts. Moved by her revelation and his lingering affection for Xue Fei, the Seventh Prince promised that if Mo Manor was indeed responsible for Xue Fei's death, he would ensure they did not obtain the rights to run the Imperial Treasury. Liu Mingyue confirmed his promise and then proceeded with the full acupuncture treatment.
With the acupuncture complete, the Seventh Prince fully awoke, bringing immense relief and joy to Chen Yu and everyone in the manor. Liu Mingyue, accompanied by Liu Qingwu, then prepared to depart to begin preparations for the bidding. Chen Yu personally escorted them out of the manor. Once they had left, the Seventh Prince dismissed all other attendants, retaining only Ah Fu. He confided in Ah Fu that he now had only four months left to live.
He expressed his suspicion regarding Mingyue Villa's rapid ascent to become one of the top four families within twenty years, believing that beyond Liu Mingyue's intelligence, a mysterious force was assisting her. Given Liu Mingyue's unusual connection to Xue Fei, the Prince theorized she might also be involved with Biluotian, and ordered Ah Fu to investigate her thoroughly.
As Liu Mingyue and Liu Qingwu traveled back, Chen Yu, who had returned inside, pondered the Mingyue Villa's true intentions, now realizing they were indeed focused on winning the bidding. Meanwhile, Liu Mingyue, frustrated by Liu Qingwu's repeated failures in her missions, angrily ordered her out of the carriage. Back in the Prince's Manor, the Seventh Prince, now recovered, took a walk in the courtyard with Chen Yu. He reflected on the preciousness of health after his recent illness.
Chen Yu acknowledged Liu Mingyue's extraordinary abilities, both in building Mingyue Villa and her medical skills, and expressed his curiosity about how she had cured his father and her relationship with Xue Fei. The Prince was surprised Chen Yu knew of this connection, prompting Chen Yu to explain that during his father's coma, Ah Fu had mentioned Liu Qingwu's dance was choreographed by Xue Fei specifically for the Prince, a fact only known to his father and Xue Fei.
Mingyue Villa's deliberate use of this dance at the Lantern Festival clearly had a purpose beyond just the bidding. The Seventh Prince then confirmed that Liu Mingyue and Xue Fei were half-sisters, which was how Liu Mingyue knew the dance and used it to attract his attention to gain the Imperial Treasury rights. Chen Yu further speculated that they didn't expect his coma, and the dance was meant to lure him for negotiation, implying they knew Xue Fei's whereabouts.
He then asked why the Prince didn't retrieve Xue Fei's body if he saw her die. The Prince, however, internally recalled Liu Mingyue's words about his limited time, and chose not to answer directly. Dismissing the servants, the Seventh Prince then had a private, heartfelt conversation with Chen Yu. He remarked on Chen Yu's growth and shared his own past sufferings, describing the capital as a "huge prison" for him as a prince constantly under imperial scrutiny.
He did not want Chen Yu to endure the same fate. He advised Chen Yu to leave the capital, become a king in his own fiefdom, and not be confined by its political games. Chen Yu, however, stated his desire to travel the world after the bidding. The Prince countered that he didn't want Chen Yu to become an "idle traveling Prince" and urged him to grasp his true meaning.
He then emphatically instructed Chen Yu that Hua Buqi must remain in the manor, refusing to elaborate on the reason, stating Chen Yu would understand in time. He also told Chen Yu to focus on the upcoming Imperial Treasury bidding and the preparations for his mother's death anniversary. Chen Yu sensed there was more his father was not revealing, perhaps fearing he would harbor misgivings toward Hua Buqi, but the Prince, claiming tiredness, dismissed him.
Ah Fu, the Seventh Prince's trusted aide, was regularly reporting his master's actions to the Emperor. Later, the Seventh Prince confided in Ah Fu that he had withheld many details from Chen Yu because the Emperor was closely monitoring them, and he feared Chen Yu's impulsiveness could jeopardize their grand plan.
His true wish was for Chen Yu to leave the capital as soon as possible, establish himself as a king in his own territory, discover the treasures of Biluotian, raise an army, and ultimately overthrow the Emperor—a goal for which the Seventh Prince was prepared to sacrifice his own life. Hua Buqi approached Chen Yu, requesting permission to return to Mo Manor for one night on the day of his mother's death anniversary.
She expressed a desire to visit Mo Ruofei and assured Chen Yu that she wouldn't cause trouble during such a solemn occasion. Chen Yu, finding her request thoughtful, readily agreed, instructing her to return only after the offering ceremony. Privately, Chen Yu spoke to his late mother's spirit, explaining that he wanted Hua Buqi to remain in the manor because, having suffered as a beggar in her youth, he wished for her to find stability and comfort.
Hua Buqi then arranged gifts to take to Mo Ruofei. At Mo Manor, Mo Ruofei eagerly awaited Hua Buqi's arrival. Despite hearing she was doing well with Chen Yu, he worried she might have been bullied given her spirited nature. Upon her arrival, Hua Buqi embraced Mo Ruofei. He had prepared a lavish feast of all her favorites, including many chicken legs.
Hua Buqi exaggeratedly complained about her initial lack of food in the Prince's Manor and her subsequent fear of being poisoned by Royal Concubine Gan, making her too afraid to eat or speak, claiming she felt suffocated. Mo Ruofei, however, playfully teased her about getting chubbier, correctly guessing she had been secretly finding food at night.
Hua Buqi, embracing her "contribution" to the Prince's recovery, boldly asked for a reward of one thousand taels, referencing a previous incident where she gained ten golden leaves. Mo Ruofei, calling her a money-grabber, affectionately agreed to her demand. As they ate, a servant named Qing'er brought soup for Mo Ruofei. Hua Buqi, with a keen eye, immediately noticed Qing'er's striking resemblance to Liu Qingwu, the assassin who had previously attempted to kill them.
She shared her suspicion with Mo Ruofei, who calmly assured her that he was well aware of the situation and had kept Qing'er by his side for his own purposes, urging Hua Buqi not to worry. Relieved by Mo Ruofei's preparedness, Hua Buqi then excused herself to find Xiuchun and deliver a gift. Meanwhile, Mo Ruofei's cousin questioned Yun Lang about his failure to apologize to Hua Buqi. Yun Lang claimed he was still devising a suitable method.
Later, in an attempt to win Hua Buqi's forgiveness, Yun Lang had numerous lanterns meticulously arranged outside her courtyard. When Xiuchun excitedly showed Hua Buqi the beautiful lanterns, Yun Lang stepped forward. He sincerely apologized for his previous insensitivity and discourtesy, explaining he had wanted to apologize at the Prince's Manor but refrained due to the Seventh Prince's illness. Hua Buqi, however, was dismissive, telling him to stop troubling her, as that would be the best apology.
Yun Lang persisted, earnestly stating, "I really did not kill your Huang. Please believe me." Hua Buqi still refused to open her door. That night, Hua Buqi took out Uncle Jiu's pottery bowl, contemplating her escape plan. She intended to seize the opportunity during her return to the Prince's Manor the next day, specifically on the bustling Chaoan Street, to slip away and head to Xingyuan Pawnshop to meet Mr. Zhu, hoping for Uncle Jiu's blessings.
Yun Lang, undeterred, stayed outside Hua Buqi's courtyard for the entire afternoon, enduring the cold wind. Xiuchun tried to sway Hua Buqi by mentioning Yun Lang's persistence, but Hua Buqi remained firm, comparing his afternoon in the cold to her dog Huang keeping her company for countless cold nights. She instructed Xiuchun to close the door. Determined, Yun Lang then initiated a lantern riddle game, offering money leaves and finally a pair of candied figurines as prizes.
Hua Buqi, still inside, correctly guessed the final riddle, which described the lanterns themselves. Yun Lang declared the candied figurines hers. Xiuchun brought them to Hua Buqi, noting Yun Lang's consistent efforts. Hua Buqi, holding the figurines, spoke softly to her deceased dog, Huang, acknowledging Yun Lang's apology and his honest demeanor when denying the killing.
She decided to forgive him, reasoning that it was better to have one more friend than an enemy, especially since she would soon be leaving Mo Manor. Yun Lang then presented her with thirty taels of silver for correctly guessing the riddle. Hua Buqi accepted the money, declaring that she would forgive him for the time being, considering his sincerity, his past act of saving her life, and the silver.
The following day, as Hua Buqi was being driven back to the Prince's Manor, she saw her opportunity on Chaoan Street. She feigned dissatisfaction with a previous purchase and insisted on exchanging it herself, despite her guards' protests about her being seen in public. She argued she wasn't well-known and that the carriage could stop further away to avoid attracting attention. Once the carriage stopped, Hua Buqi swiftly created a diversion by throwing money into the crowd, causing a commotion, and used the ensuing chaos to make her escape.
