I Will Never Let You Go Episode 40 Recap
> I Will Never Let You Go Recap
Dongfang Shi, suspicious of Chen Yu's secret trip to Xiaoqiu Woods, instructs Black Phoenix to warn Xiao Jiufeng to guard against Chen Yu's potential interference. Dongfang Shi deduces that Chen Yu likely knows Hua Buqi is the Saintess of Biluotian and believes she must be removed from his side. Meanwhile, Xiao Jiufeng dismisses Chen Yu as an insignificant threat, confident in his preparations.
He assures Liu Mingyue that she will not be punished for the Mingyue Villa incident and promises her the Ministry of Revenue once they conquer the world. Learning that Hua Buqi is also at the Commandery Prince Manor, Xiao Jiufeng orders his subordinate to tell Dongfang Shi to retrieve Hua Buqi. Ah Fu and his sister, seeking to escape the Emperor's forces, arrive at Xiaoqiu Woods, where Xiao Jiufeng's men ambush them with poisonous smoke.
Ah Fu successfully escapes with his sister through the smoke. Chen Yu and his guards pursue them, finding Ah Fu's group gone. Ah Fu and his sister eventually locate the entrance to Biluotian. Their moment of relief is shattered by the sudden appearance of Xiao Jiufeng and his forces. In the ensuing chaos, Liu Qingyan kills Ah Fu's sister, and Xiao Jiufeng gravely wounds Ah Fu.
Chen Yu arrives with his dark guards, ordering them to attack Xiao Jiufeng and retrieve Ah Fu and his sister. Liu Mingyue bravely steps in front of Xiao Jiufeng, taking numerous arrows, but Xiao Jiufeng abandons her to flee. Once the battle subsides, Liu Qingyan emerges and fatally stabs the already wounded Liu Mingyue, revealing her long-held hatred. She condemns Liu Mingyue for killing her parents, abducting her and Liu Qingwu, and forcing the sisters into cruel training and rivalry.
Chen Yu finds a dying Ah Fu, who, realizing his injuries are fatal and unwilling to live without his sister, takes his own life. Ah Fu entrusts Chen Yu with the holy object and the map to Biluotian, warning him to keep them secret as they are coveted by many. He also reveals the entrance to Biluotian is through a small hole in a specific rock, marked with his blood.
Ah Fu asks Chen Yu to cremate him and his sister and bring their ashes to Biluotian. Chen Yu, heartbroken, fulfills Ah Fu's last wish, cremating the siblings and vowing to bring them home to Biluotian. In the imperial palace, Jianfei informs the Emperor that Chen Yu is the elusive Lotus Robe Knight and that Hua Buqi, the granddaughter of the Zhu Manor, is the Seventh Prince's lost daughter, with whom Chen Yu has a special relationship.
Jianfei suggests Chen Yu might harbor disloyal thoughts. The Emperor, having recently uncovered the Zhu Manor's immense debt and links to rebels, decides to send Jianfei to investigate the Zhu Manor affairs in Jiangnan and vows severe punishment for the Lotus Robe Knight. Meanwhile, Hua Buqi, concerned by Chen Yu's silence, receives a letter stating that Grand Master Zhu is gravely ill and immediately decides to return to the Zhu Manor.
The letter, however, was a ploy by Dongfang Shi, who ambushes Hua Buqi's convoy, including Zhu Shou, with assassins. Dongfang Shi then intervenes, pretending to "save" Hua Buqi and attempts to take her with him. Chen Yu, arriving just in time, battles Dongfang Shi and reclaims Hua Buqi. Hua Buqi suspects Liu Qingwu's maid, Ping'er, was involved in the assassination attempt.
Chen Yu confirms he has already initiated an investigation, promising to expel Liu Qingwu from the Commandery Prince Manor if the accusation proves true. Chen Yu then reveals Ah Fu's death to Hua Buqi. Hua Buqi comforts him by recalling her Uncle Jiu's wishes for her happiness. Chen Yu shares that Ah Fu entrusted him with a map and a holy object, both coveted by many, including the Emperor, and that he cannot surrender them.
He confesses that his actions at Xiaoqiu Woods exposed too many weaknesses, and with the enemy's strength far exceeding his expectations, he must abandon the Dongping Commandery Prince Manor and decentralize his power. Chen Yu informs Hua Buqi that he will be away from Suzhou for a long time, leaving her to face a difficult period alone.
Hua Buqi pledges to wait for his return, but Chen Yu, fearing for her future, advises her to find another if he should die. Hua Buqi playfully responds, feigning readiness to marry another, which provokes Chen Yu's jealousy, prompting him to promise a swift return once his mission is complete. Later, Xiao Liu reports the investigation's findings: Ping'er was seen meeting with one of the assassins after Hua Buqi left the manor, confirming her connection to the attack.
Xiao Liu also reports that Dongfang Shi managed to escape. Chen Yu, now certain of Liu Qingwu's involvement, orders Han Ye to apprehend Liu Qingwu and Ping'er and deliver them to the authorities. Han Ye attempts to arrest Liu Qingwu due to evidence linking Ping'er to assassins who attacked Hua Buqi. Liu Qingwu vehemently denies any involvement, claiming Hua Buqi is framing her, and demands to confront Hua Buqi and Chen Yu.
Han Ye informs her that Chen Yu ordered her arrest and is currently with an injured Hua Buqi. Chen Yu gives Liu Qingwu one last chance to confess, but she insists on her innocence and accuses Hua Buqi of framing her. Disappointed, Chen Yu orders her to be taken to the commandery commander's manor for punishment.
Later, in jail, Ping'er tearfully confesses to Liu Qingwu that she, out of loyalty and a sense of injustice towards her master, hired the assassins to kill Hua Buqi. Liu Qingwu, realizing the gravity of Ping'er's foolish act, is filled with despair. Meanwhile, Xiao Jiufeng visits Dongfang Shi, acknowledging Chen Yu's return.
Xiao Jiufeng reports that a mysterious individual with exceptional archery skills rescued Ah Fu from Biluotian's entrance, and he suspects this person now possesses the map and holy object. Dongfang Shi immediately deduces that the archer is Chen Yu.
Realizing that Chen Yu, now in possession of Hua Buqi, the map, and the holy object, could fully unlock Biluotian's treasure, Dongfang Shi proposes that they surround the Dongping Commandery Prince Manor that very night, burn it down, capture Chen Yu and Hua Buqi, and retrieve the holy object. In the jail, Liu Qingwu overhears guards discussing Chen Yu's sudden downfall, now branded a traitor facing execution.
Determined to see Chen Yu, Liu Qingwu devises a plan with Ping'er: she pretends to faint to draw the guards' attention, allowing them to overpower the jailers and escape. As Dongfang Shi and Xiao Jiufeng prepare to launch their assault on the Commandery Prince Manor, intent on razing it to the ground and seizing Hua Buqi and the holy object, General Guan's imperial forces unexpectedly arrive and swiftly surround the manor. Caught off guard, Xiao Jiufeng immediately orders a retreat.
Inside the manor, Chen Yu is arrested as a rebel. Xiao Liu quickly wakes a confused Hua Buqi, who questions why Chen Yu, the Commandery Prince, is being arrested. Xiao Liu explains that armed men suddenly appeared to kill Chen Yu, who ordered Xiao Liu to protect Hua Buqi before engaging in a fight.
Despite Hua Buqi's desperate attempts to reach Chen Yu, Xiao Liu restrains her, as imperial guards announce that anyone disobeying orders during the capture of rebels will face execution, forcing them to flee the manor.
