Jade's Fateful Love Episode 15 Recap
> Jade's Fateful Love Recap
After finding the medicinal herb Red Rhizoma in the mountains, Yueling and Zhou Shiyu returned to Liuzhou to test it. The antidote proved effective for the poisoned patients, bringing an end to the crisis in Liuzhou. Due to exhaustion, Yueling fainted while caring for a patient. Zhou Shiyu stayed by Yueling's bedside, taking care of her. When she found the medicine bitter, he got her candy to make it easier to swallow.
He mentioned buying the candy because he had seen her not taking her medicine properly the other day. He told her to rest and that they would go home when she fully recovered. Xingyi watched them from the doorway, full of admiration. After Zhou Shiyu left, Xingyi confided in Yueling about his worries. He spoke hypothetically about a friend who liked a girl who was playing hard to get.
Yueling understood he was talking about himself and encouraged him, saying that if his friend was from Dongyu, he should be brave and show his sincerity, and not be afraid of rejection as long as his love was open and honest. Xingyi said he understood and would go see the girl. Yueling mused that the friend wasn't just a friend and that a grown man cannot be kept at home, realizing he was serious.
Inspired by Yueling's advice, Xingyi went to the courtyard where Su Nian was. He began demonstrating martial arts, hoping to attract her attention. Lingxi, noticing him, intentionally spoke loudly about Su Nian wanting pears. Xingyi immediately left and bought pears from the market, placed them on a table for Su Nian, and awkwardly left, feeling ashamed of how he had acted while sick before. Su Nian told Lingxi not to tease him and dismissed her.
Nie Chen reported to Zhou Shiyu that Magistrate Li Zhong of Wan County had been apprehended for poisoning the well. This Li Zhong had fled to the Prefect of Pingzhou after his plan was revealed, bribing a servant to poison the well out of fear that Zhou Shiyu would accuse him to the Emperor upon returning to the capital.
Zhou Shiyu, however, felt the situation was too easy and suspected Li Zhong was a scapegoat, but decided there was no time to find the real culprit and ordered Li Zhong be escorted back to the capital for further investigation. He also confirmed that grain for relief had been procured from Chen's Rice Shop in Liuzhou as he had commanded. During the journey back to the capital, Zhou Shiyu offered Yueling sweet pastries he had bought for her.
They shared a carriage, but Yueling seemed preoccupied, unsure how to face Zhou Zhixuan in the capital. Just then, Zhou Zhixuan's carriage caught up to theirs. Zhou Zhixuan demanded to join their carriage, claiming it was improper for them to share one before marriage. He insisted they stop their carriage so he could board. Once inside, he learned the relief grain was purchased from Chen's Rice Shop.
Zhou Zhixuan then demanded half the credit for the relief efforts upon their return, stating that Chen's Rice Shop belonged to his mother's family. He argued that without his family's granary, Zhou Shiyu wouldn't have gotten the five hundred dan of grain. Upon arriving at the North Prince's Mansion, Qian Qian greeted Yueling warmly, expressing how much she missed her and how worried she was. Lin Mu announced a welcoming feast they had prepared, including various dishes they cooked themselves.
During the meal, Zhou Shiyu referred to Yueling as "My consort," causing the surrounding maids to exchange knowing glances. Their affectionate gazes towards each other at the table were evident. Amidst the lively atmosphere of the feast, Xingyi felt isolated. He recalled a conversation with Su Nian on the carriage back to the capital. Su Nian had told him not to see her again after arriving in the capital.
Believing she was worried about her status as a musician and courtesan, Xingyi quickly explained that Dongyu had no class distinctions and that he didn't care about her background. Su Nian, however, insisted they should not have connections and would not have any outcome, telling him to stop looking for her. Xingyi was left confused and distressed. Troubled and full of worries, Xingyi drank excessively during the banquet.
Drunk, he went to Su Nian's room and demanded to know why she was being inconsistent with him. Su Nian, unable to voice her true reasons, inwardly wondered how she could make him give up on her. He reminded her of the time he was near death and she was so kind to him, recalling their promise to return to Dongyu together and ride horses.
Su Nian claimed those were just jokes to comfort him and he shouldn't take them seriously. Xingyi refused to believe her, insisting she was lying and pleading with her not to deceive him. Later, Yueling and Zhou Shiyu commented on the stars. Zhou Shiyu affectionately called her name and asked her to stay and become his consort. He promised to resolve everything quickly so she could marry him without worries. Yueling, though already decided in her heart, playfully feigned resistance.
Zhou Shiyu then kissed her, and she responded warmly. Later that night, Zhou Shiyu carried the tipsy Yueling back to the room, reaffirming his promise to handle all matters swiftly for their marriage. In the imperial court, the Emperor commended Zhou Shiyu for his contributions. Zhou Zhixuan also received credit for the relief work.
The Emperor was prepared to interrogate Wei Da, who was behind the grain robbery, and Nan Xun, the assassin who captured Shi Xuan and ambushed Zhou Shiyu, as Zhou Shiyu presented them as key figures with ministerial support. However, the imperial guards reported that both prisoners had committed suicide.
Zhou Shiyu then presented the interrogation transcript from Liuzhou, identifying Liu Hong as the mastermind who instructed Wei Da to steal the relief grain and Li Zhong to poison the well, resulting in numerous deaths. Liu Hong pleaded innocence and sought help from the Prime Minister (Zhou Jingyuan). The Prime Minister kicked him away and ordered him imprisoned. The Emperor praised both Zhou Shiyu and Zhou Zhixuan for their contributions and announced a celebratory banquet in three days.
After the court session, Zhou Zhixuan remarked on the dangerous trip but acknowledged its success in resolving the disaster and heavily wounding their Imperial Uncle, making Liuzhou a strategic location. He lamented that the assassin who could directly implicate their uncle was killed. Zhou Shiyu agreed their uncle's methods were cruel and they needed to proceed carefully.
Zhou Zhixuan confirmed that the five hundred dan of grain taken from their private stores for the relief effort had been replenished, and the secret weapons being forged by Magistrate Liu were still in production. He noted their uncle's focus was solely on the grain theft and Shi Xuan, unaware of their other activities. Zhou Shiyu acknowledged Zhou Zhixuan's efforts. Zhou Zhixuan then proposed that the Princess of Dongyu attend the upcoming banquet as the North Prince's consort.
Zhou Shiyu deferred to his brother's arrangement. Zhou Zhixuan added that the Princess's deep affection for Zhou Shiyu was clear, especially since she rushed to him despite the Emperor's decree canceling their engagement, and suggested he would soon select a wedding date. Zhou Shiyu, however, stated he wished to marry Ashina Yueling, not Ashina Zhu.
