In the Name of Blossom Episode 20 Recap
> In the Name of Blossom Recap
The operation ended in utter failure. Prince Ning personally plunged a dagger into Jiang Zhangyang’s chest, even instructing his subordinates to check whether Jiang Zhangyang had truly breathed his last before stopping. The emperor watched helplessly as Prince Ning's tyranny spread, with loyal ministers dying one by one, yet he was powerless, forced under duress to publicly announce that Prince Ning had shown bravery in protecting the throne. He Weifang was in tears.
She pulled out the hairpin from her head, intending to stab Liu Chang, but Liu Chang quickly knocked her unconscious and took her away. Liu Chang’s wife, Li Youzhen, quietly went to the scene. Seeing Liu Chang forcing He Weifang, she realized the gravity of the situation and chose not to interfere further.
When Jiang Zhangyang had first implemented the entire plan, he had trusted Zhang Qian, who came from a humble background and had been struggling for years without success in the imperial exams. After finally receiving a chance, Jiang Zhangyang thought he could serve the empire and considered him a close confidant. He made Zhang Qian fully aware of all the plans.
However, Zhang Qian betrayed him by running straight to Prince Ning and revealing the entire plan, which led to the tragic failure of the operation. Zhang Qian believed that by doing so, he would earn Prince Ning’s favor and possibly gain official titles in the future. Liu Chang used Zhang Qian to trick the Hedong army by claiming that the emperor was ill and instructing them to retreat. After using Zhang Qian, Liu Chang didn’t hesitate to discard him.
He invited Zhang Qian over and poisoned him in his drink. Zhang Qian died from the poison, a fitting end for his betrayal. Liu Chang reflected on Zhang Qian’s character, noting that Zhang Qian was similar to him but was the kind of person he disliked most. He Weifang was imprisoned by Liu Chang, her hands shackled. Reflecting on the death of her beloved right before her eyes, she was overcome with sorrow and longed for death.
But Liu Chang wouldn’t let her go. Seeing the fury in He Weifang’s eyes, Liu Chang didn’t want to force himself on her but decided to wait patiently for her to change her mind. As He Weifang began refusing to eat, Liu Chang resorted to using violence, threatening to kill others unless she ate. Unable to bear seeing innocent people suffer, He Weifang reluctantly ate the food. That night, He Weifang tossed and turned.
Her hands were shackled, and even committing suicide seemed impossible. In her despair, she thought she heard someone calling her "Peony." She lifted her head and seemed to see Jiang Zhangyang. He encouraged her to stay strong, reminding her of how resilient and intelligent the Peony she knew was. It was as though she woke up. With Jiang Zhangyang now dead, she had to survive, to avenge him. With that resolve, He Weifang no longer clung to despair.
She came up with a plan to have Liu Chang buy some perfume ingredients so that she could create a fragrance to calm her mind. Liu Chang was elated when He Weifang finally smiled at him. For something as trivial as perfume, he quickly gathered the ingredients. He Weifang mixed the fragrances, filling the room with a pleasant aroma. Liu Chang, unaware that the perfume was poisonous, soon collapsed.
He Weifang had planned to kill him while he was unconscious, but Li Youzhen arrived just in time. Li Youzhen warned her that taking a life in exchange for a life wasn’t worth it. She promised to let her go if He Weifang let Liu Chang live. He Weifang temporarily spared Liu Chang and escaped alone. Standing under the sunlight, her eyes were red.
The pain from being tortured and imprisoned by Liu Chang, locked in a dark room with no light, and the agony of losing her lover in front of her, felt like a living hell over the past few days. When Liu Chang woke up and saw Li Youzhen by his bedside, he immediately demanded to know if she had killed He Weifang.
Li Youzhen replied that Liu Chang had threatened her, promising never to forgive her if she killed He Weifang, so she hadn’t done anything. Hearing that He Weifang was still alive, Liu Chang immediately got out of bed to search for her.
