Jade's Fateful Love Episode 1 Recap
> Jade's Fateful Love Recap
Dongyu was preparing for a significant event: the marriage of its Eldest Princess, Ashina Zhu, to the state of Beishuo, intended to solidify an alliance and bring peace. The Young Princess, Ashina Yueling, who preferred martial arts and cooking to conventional princess duties and was often chided by her father for it, was busy making her sister's favorite pastries – milk tea rolls, cheese packets, and glutinous rice cake with raisins – wishing her a safe journey.
Her younger brother, Ashina Xingyi, arrived, praised her exceptional cooking skills, and hinted that he needed money, which Yueling promptly gave him, securing his promise to do whatever she asked later. Qian Qian, Yueling's maid, reminded her to change for the farewell dinner that evening, noting that the Khan would again complain about her lack of princess-like behavior.
Meanwhile, in the Beishuo camp, the North Prince, Zhou Shiyu, ordered the escort to make camp for the night, preparing to receive the Dongyu Princess the following day. His soldiers expressed relief that the marriage would end their conflicts and that Beishuo had already sent food supplies for the winter. That evening, festive singing and dancing could be heard outside the yurts. Inside her sister's room, Ashina Yueling found Ashina Zhu sad and drinking heavily.
Noticing Du Er's piccolo, Yueling realized her sister was still in love with the diplomat. Yueling urged Ashina Zhu to refuse the marriage and offered to inform their father. Ashina Zhu, however, explained that princesses bore the responsibility for state alliances and insisted she was willing to marry. Yueling persisted, suggesting she take her sister's place if she was unwilling, or confront the Beishuo escort on her behalf.
Ashina Zhu declined, asking Yueling to simply drink with her on her last night, which Yueling agreed to do. The next morning, Ashina Yueling awoke groggy to find Ashina Zhu gone. Ashina Xingyi informed her that their sister had departed at dawn and was likely already outside Dongyu territory with the Beishuo escort. Regretting her heavy drinking, Yueling immediately took Xingyi with her and set off on horseback to intercept them.
Halfway there, they encountered Du Er, who was watching the procession. After a discussion, they formed a new plan. The Beishuo escort was already underway, with Lin Mu, Zhou Shiyu's guard, commenting on the seemingly smooth journey, though Zhou Shiyu sensed impending danger. They heard Dongyu music and identified it as Du Er's, prompting speculation among some soldiers that he might attempt to retrieve the princess.
Yueling and Xingyi also heard the music and resolved to find Du Er (this part seems out of sequence based on the plot saying they "met" him halfway, so let's adjust flow). Let's rephrase the morning sequence to integrate the meeting with Du Er before arriving at the posthouse. " Corrected Morning Sequence:" The next morning, Ashina Yueling awoke groggy to find Ashina Zhu gone.
Ashina Xingyi informed her that their sister had departed at dawn and was likely already outside Dongyu territory with the Beishuo escort. Regretting her heavy drinking, Yueling immediately took Xingyi with her and set off on horseback to intercept them. On the way, they encountered Du Er, who was watching the procession. After a discussion, Yueling, Xingyi, Qian Qian, and Du Er formed a new plan.
The Beishuo escort, meanwhile, was underway, with Lin Mu commenting on the seemingly smooth journey, though Zhou Shiyu sensed impending danger. They heard Dongyu music and identified it as Du Er's. " Continuing the recap:" At the posthouse later, Beishuo guards were put on high alert. According to the plan made with Du Er and Qian Qian, Ashina Yueling, disguised as a maid, entered Ashina Zhu's room under the guise of delivering pastries.
She knocked her sister unconscious to allow Xingyi to transport her out of the camp, where Qian Qian and Du Er would meet them. Yueling intended to stay behind with Xingyi to stall and execute the next part of the plan: stealing the marriage letter and burning the posthouse. She believed framing Beishuo for failing to secure the princess and documents would hinder them if they contemplated war. Meanwhile, Ashina Xingyi distracted some Beishuo soldiers with food and drink.
Ashina Yueling entered the North Prince's room to search for the marriage letter, but was discovered by Zhou Shiyu, who had secretly been there all along. She attempted to bluff her way out, pretending to be a common thief looking for money, claiming she believed he was the North Prince and therefore wealthy. When Zhou Shiyu questioned her about the marriage letter, she feigned ignorance, claiming she was in the wrong room after he identified himself as a minor guard.
She offered a bribe, but he refused, stating his duty as the North Prince's guard was to capture thieves, not make deals. As Ashina Yueling and Zhou Shiyu faced each other, the Roufeng Sect launched a brutal attack on the posthouse, causing widespread death. Poisoned arrows pierced the room, striking both Yueling and Zhou Shiyu, killing them. Moments later, they found themselves back in the room, alive, with a shared, distinct memory of having just died.
Yueling was stunned, wondering if it was a nightmare, but the shared experience confirmed it was real. They realized assassins were coming again. As chaos erupted outside, Dongyu people cried out about the attack. Ashina Xingyi was found injured but alive. Beishuo guards reported that Princess Ashina Zhu was missing from her room, taken by the attackers.
Ashina Yueling loudly accused the Beishuo side of negligence for allowing the princess to disappear, insisting she saw her being taken and believed she must be dead given the attackers' cruelty, demanding an explanation from the North Prince. Zhou Shiyu, having not revealed his true identity, received a report from Lin Mu confirming the Roufeng Sect attack and that the dowry was safe.
He found it peculiar that the Dongyu escort immediately declared the princess dead rather than searching for her, suspecting they might be involved in her disappearance. He instructed Lin Mu to keep a close watch on Yueling and Xingyi without revealing his identity as the North Prince. The next day, Ashina Yueling and the injured Ashina Xingyi attempted to escape but were intercepted by Zhou Shiyu.
He revealed that Xingyi was poisoned by the Roufeng Sect's unique toxin and would perish within two weeks without their specific antidote. Xingyi was terrified. Zhou Shiyu offered them a deal: if Yueling impersonated the marriage princess and helped conceal the real princess's disappearance, he would help them obtain the antidote in Beishuo. Yueling was hesitant, blaming Beishuo for the princess's loss and fearing travel to Beishuo.
Zhou Shiyu pointed out their suspicious presence and actions, hinting they knew more than they claimed about the real princess's whereabouts. Yueling maintained her story of being a maid and Xingyi her brother, who came to say farewell, and insisted Beishuo was responsible for the princess's disappearance. Zhou Shiyu stressed that only with his help could Xingyi be saved. After a brief private discussion, Yueling and Xingyi agreed to the deal, planning to escape once Xingyi received the antidote.
Yueling accepted the proposal to impersonate the princess. Agreeing to the deal, Ashina Yueling stated their assumed identities going forward: she would be the maid Yueling, and Ashina Xingyi her bodyguard. Before setting off, she asked for Zhou Shiyu's name, and he gave the assumed name "Wen Yu." Yueling agreed to maintain the pretense until they reached the capital and obtained the antidote for Xingyi, and Zhou Shiyu promised to keep his word if they played their parts convincingly.
Yueling asked for her silver back, but Zhou Shiyu dismissed it, saying that as the 'princess', she now commanded the dowry and should not care about such a small sum, much to her annoyance. Ashina Xingyi privately instructed his loyal guards to ensure the Beishuo escort remained unaware of their true identities, reiterating his fear he might be forced to take his sister's place if she wasn't found.
He declared that from now on, they were officially the maid Yueling and the bodyguard Xingyi. Zhou Shiyu instructed his guards that the assassination had failed, the princess's maid had died protecting her, and Princess Ashina Zhu had miraculously survived, requiring increased vigilance. He specifically ordered Lin Mu to assign additional guards to protect 'Xingyi'.
Ashina Yueling, addressing Zhou Shiyu as "Wen Yu," then ordered him to serve as her personal guard beside her carriage, acknowledging his skill, a command Zhou Shiyu inwardly found audacious for a fake princess. The Roufeng Sect, still determined, learned the escort had continued and prepared ambushes along the route. As the wedding procession passed through a forest, they were suddenly surrounded. Ashina Yueling sensed the ambush and ordered the carriage to halt and change direction.
Zhou Shiyu questioned how she knew, and Yueling explained she had experienced the same event again, realizing it wasn't a dream but a repeat of what had just happened. They realized they had just died together and were somehow resurrected. They attempted a different route, but it was also ambushed. Yueling again detected the danger and ordered another change of route.
Zhou Shiyu then decided they should take a different mountain path, which puzzled Lin Mu as he couldn't understand how Zhou Shiyu knew it would be better than the ambushed forest paths. Facing another inescapable ambush, Yueling made a bizarre offer to the assassins: instead of being killed by them, they would take their own lives, suggesting poison. The assassins provided them with "Seven-step Poison."
Yueling thanked them and drank it, urging Zhou Shiyu to follow, suggesting they could try again. They died after seven steps but were reborn once more. After this rebirth, Ashina Yueling speculated that the jade pendant might be the reason for their repeated resurrections, but emphasized that simply dying and reviving wouldn't help them escape the assassins surrounding every path. Zhou Shiyu suggested creating a diversion to break free.
He ordered a carriage stopped and instructed Yueling to hold onto him. As assassins pursued them, they found themselves trapped near a high cliff. Zhou Shiyu told Yueling they had to jump. Despite her fear of heights and inability to swim well, she held onto him as they leaped off the cliff, with Zhou Shiyu telling her to simply hold her breath. They managed to reach the shore. Zhou Shiyu found fish in the shallow water, caught them, and cooked them. Ashina Yueling watched him and cautiously asked for permission before eating the roasted fish.
