I Will Never Let You Go Episode 30 Recap
> I Will Never Let You Go Recap
While Yuan Chong was teaching Xiao Xia archery outdoors, a group of black-clad men suddenly ambushed and captured them. They were taken to a dungeon where Yuan Chong was surprised to find his friend, Jian Fei, already imprisoned. Dongfang Shi appeared, revealing he was behind their capture and aiming to force them to disclose the Lotus Robe Knight's whereabouts.
Yuan Chong identified himself as the son of the Capital City Garrison Commander and Jian Fei as the son of an imperial censor, warning Dongfang Shi of the severe repercussions if he did not release them. Dongfang Shi, however, dismissed their threats, emphasizing the power and influence of the House of Dongfang. He stated that he was not targeting Xiao Xia personally, but she was an unfortunate casualty of his search for the Lotus Robe Knight.
Jian Fei attempted to impersonate the Lotus Robe Knight, but Dongfang Shi easily saw through the deception, concluding that two individuals had saved Xiao Xia previously: Jian Fei and the true Lotus Robe Knight. When Yuan Chong refused to cooperate, Dongfang Shi shifted his threats towards Xiao Xia, knowing Yuan Chong's interest in her.
Under duress, Yuan Chong, subtly prompted by Xiao Xia, fabricated a meeting time and place, claiming he and the Lotus Robe Knight would meet the following day at noon at the reed field where Xiao Xia had been rescued. Dongfang Shi warned that if the Lotus Robe Knight failed to appear, Jian Fei and Xiao Xia would suffer.
Xiao Xia defiantly called Dongfang Shi despicable, asking if Hua Buqi would ever like him, to which Dongfang Shi retorted that he didn't care about Hua Buqi's feelings, only that his "unwedded wife" not cheat on him. Dongfang Shi then left the dungeon, but not without leaving his guard, Hei Feng, to covertly monitor the prisoners.
Xiao Xia, keenly aware of Hei Feng's presence, intentionally spoke loudly to Yuan Chong, falsely claiming that the Lotus Robe Knight was already at Zhu Manor visiting Hua Buqi. Her aim was to mislead Dongfang Shi. The three prisoners then used a broken plate to cut their restraints and escaped. Hei Feng reported Xiao Xia's fabricated information to Dongfang Shi, who, despite his suspicions about Hua Buqi's whereabouts, decided to investigate Zhu Manor.
Upon entering Hua Buqi's courtyard, Dongfang Shi confidently navigated the numerous traps, only to succumb to them and collapse. Hua Buqi appeared and revealed her clever ploy: she had deliberately lured him there with the false information, exploiting his suspicious nature. Hearing the commotion, Zhu Old Master rushed over, fearing Hua Buqi might kill Dongfang Shi.
Hua Buqi assured him she had a plan to punish Dongfang Shi and resolve the issue of Dong Ji's negative impact on Zhu Manor's business, all without physically harming him. She instructed Xiao Xia to bind the unconscious Dongfang Shi with heavy chains, intending to slowly "attend to his wounds." Trusting Hua Buqi's ingenuity, Zhu Old Master, wanting to avoid Dongfang Shi, decided to go fishing for a few days.
Meanwhile, Chen Yu's steward, Xiao Liu, reported the success of their tea business, which brought prosperity and good reputation, leading many people to seek to visit Chen Yu. Chen Yu, however, instructed Xiao Liu to politely decline these visits as he had other priorities. Soon after, Liu Qingwu came to bid farewell to Chen Yu, explaining she needed to return to Mingyue Villa as managing its affairs from the Prince Manor was inconvenient.
Chen Yu wished her well and asked her to report any news regarding Liu Mingyue. Liu Qingwu then probed, asking if he was worried about her safety, or if she might be assassinated by Liu Mingyue's people and he might never see her again. Chen Yu pragmatically replied that he expected her to have her own means of protection, though he did warn her to be cautious as Liu Mingyue would surely take notice of her return.
Disappointed by his response, Liu Qingwu promised good news and departed. After her departure, Xiao Liu gossiped to Chen Yu, revealing that Liu Qingwu had recovered long ago and had simply lingered at the Prince Manor. He also mentioned the widespread rumor among the staff that Chen Yu and Liu Qingwu were romantically involved. Chen Yu vehemently denied this, stating it was "impossible" and scolding Xiao Liu for being gossipy.
At Mingyue Villa, Liu Qingwu was formally welcomed as the new Master, announcing that her teacher, Liu Mingyue, was traveling and had appointed her. She outlined her plans for the villa's prosperity through collaboration with the government, warning of harsh consequences for anyone who dared to betray her or secretly serve Liu Mingyue. Despite these outward displays of loyalty, Liu Qingwu confided in Ping'er that she lacked true power, as most people still answered to Liu Mingyue.
She instructed Ping'er to investigate and eliminate Liu Mingyue's loyalists, and concocted a plan to make Liu Mingyue believe the golden needle was still inside her, thus maintaining the illusion of control. Back at Zhu Manor, Dongfang Shi awoke to find himself bound to the bed with chains. Hua Buqi visited him, forcing him to drink a tea laced with a potent drug, the "Joint Softening Ten Fragrances Powder," intended to cause confusion.
Dongfang Shi, though seemingly affected, had already retrieved a hidden key for his restraints. Under the drug's influence, Xiao Xia, at Hua Buqi's instruction, wrote a "marriage annulment agreement." This document falsely stated that Dongfang Shi had trespassed into Zhu Manor, harassed chief steward Zhu Shou, and was therefore unworthy of marrying the Lady of Zhu. It formally canceled their marriage contract and allowed Zhu Manor to repay its debt to the Dongfang family in three installments over twenty years.
Dongfang Shi was compelled to sign and fingerprint this document. Hua Buqi then threatened to publicly distribute copies of the agreement if he ever "messed around" again. Dongfang Shi, feigning attraction while drugged, questioned why she didn't just cancel the debt. Hua Buqi replied that debts must be paid, acknowledging his family's past help but emphasizing that his current predicament was repayment for harming Xiao Xia. She warned him against further aggression.
When Dongfang Shi asked to be released, Hua Buqi refused, citing his family's expected search for him. Unknown to Dongfang Shi, Hua Buqi's apparent lack of concern was a ruse; she had anticipated his plan for revenge. She instructed Xiao Xia to wake her up in four hours, showing she was prepared for his move. Zhu Fu and another servant discussed Hua Buqi's unconventional and extreme methods, with Zhu Fu deciding to feign ignorance should the Zhu Old Master inquire.
That night, Dongfang Shi stealthily entered Hua Buqi's room, only to find Xiao Xia sleeping in her bed. He realized Hua Buqi had anticipated his plan for revenge. Xiao Xia explained that Hua Buqi had found his calmness suspicious, correctly guessing that he hadn't been genuinely affected by the drug and had likely obtained a key to his restraints, especially since the "Joint Softening Ten Fragrances Powder" was a Dongfang family product.
Knowing Dongfang Shi's vengeful nature, Hua Buqi had predicted he would return at midnight to seek retribution, and Xiao Xia had bravely taken her place in bed to protect her. Dongfang Shi admitted he had underestimated Hua Buqi but questioned Xiao Xia's ability to stop him. As Dongfang Shi attempted to leave, Hua Buqi, who was nearby, called out to Constable Li, whom she had positioned as a witness.
She publicly accused Dongfang Shi of undercutting businesses in Suzhou and, more importantly, of of breaking into her bedroom with ill intent. Constable Li, in turn, vowed to apprehend the "pervert." Stunned by Hua Buqi's foresight and elaborate setup, Dongfang Shi, realizing he couldn't be stopped by a few constables, quickly masked his face and made his escape from Zhu Manor. Hua Buqi confirmed Xiao Xia was unharmed, and Constable Li pursued Dongfang Shi.
The next day, Zhu Old Master lauded Hua Buqi for her cleverness, acknowledging his own concerns about having Dongfang Shi recuperating at their manor. He believed that with the authorities now involved, Dongfang Shi's family would find it difficult to press for the marriage, and Dong Ji's business would suffer due to the public outrage and unity among other merchants. Hua Buqi, delighted, then presented the annulment agreement signed by Dongfang Shi.
However, Zhu Old Master dampened her excitement by explaining that without a third-party witness or guarantor, the document was legally invalid, despite Dongfang Shi's fingerprint. He clarified that even for minor transactions, a middleman was crucial for a contract's validity, contrasting it with the original Dongfang-Zhu family agreement, which, though lacking a formal document, was upheld by honor. Hua Buqi was enraged to realize her efforts were for naught and understood why Dongfang Shi had signed the document so readily.
Later, Constable Li arrived to arrest Dongfang Shi based on Hua Buqi's accusations. However, Dongfang Shi denied the accusation, claiming he had spent the entire previous night at a brothel, offering numerous witnesses from the flower boats along Suzhou River to corroborate his alibi. He then counter-sued Hua Buqi for slander, accusing her of framing him, and sent a formal complaint to the local court, demanding her presence.
Hua Buqi, realizing her oversight in not having counter-evidence, was forced to accompany Constable Li to the court. News of the impending public confrontation spread quickly, drawing the attention of Yun Lang and Lin Dansha, who were dining nearby and decided to attend. At the court, the Magistrate, having accepted money from both sides, sought to reconcile the matter as a misunderstanding.
Dongfang Shi, however, refused to back down, persistently accusing Hua Buqi of arranging for someone to impersonate him and using Constable Li as a false witness. Zhu Fu, Hua Buqi's chief steward, intervened, explaining that a trespasser had indeed triggered their traps, and Constable Li was present because he had been asked to wait for the culprit's return. The Magistrate, hoping to put an end to the contentious case, declared it a misunderstanding and attempted to adjourn the court, but Dongfang Shi still protested.
