Jade's Fateful Love Episode 22 Recap
> Jade's Fateful Love Recap
A Prince with noticeable black eyes, later identified as Zhou Zhixuan, was mocked in the market. Yang Xu attempted to defend him, but it was ineffective. They encountered Princess Luoyi, who was upset and tearful. Princess Luoyi ridiculed the Prince, saying he could never compare to Zhou Shiyu. After Princess Luoyi left, her maid, Ping'er, secretly spoke with Yang Xu.
Yang Xu then provoked a fight with a scholar who had withdrawn from a competition, leaving Prince Zhou Zhixuan feeling even more mocked. The Lord of the South, Gao Yuan, received an imperial decree. It stated that due to his loyal service and recognizing he had spent little time with Princess Luoyi, who was now of marriageable age, he was permitted to remain in the Capital City until she was married.
Gao Yuan immediately understood the Emperor's true intention was to use his daughter's marriage as leverage against him. Yueling questioned Zhou Shiyu again about their impending marriage, seeking reassurance that he would not be forced to marry Princess Luoyi. Zhou Shiyu confirmed that he had given the Lord of the South something he desired more, thus resolving the issue.
Yueling expressed relief that their wedding was confirmed, admitting she had previously planned to publicly recruit a husband because she didn't know Zhou Shiyu had already handled the situation. Her intention was to prevent pressure on him and the Emperor, as she also didn't want him to marry Princess Luoyi. Zhou Shiyu pledged he would only marry her and asked her to trust and listen only to him from now on.
He revealed that Chen Susu, who had helped Yueling, was a spy shared by both him and the Lord of the South, and in a conflict, she would side with Gao Yuan. Yueling acknowledged her mistake and promised her loyalty, asking only that he keep nothing from her. Zhou Shiyu agreed, taking some blame for not informing her sooner.
Xingyi spent his nights drinking at the House of Romance, imagining Su Nian by his side and reflecting on how little he truly knew about her. While there, he received a note from Lingxi revealing Su Nian's hidden location in an abandoned house. Princess Luoyi confronted Gao Yuan, accusing him of lying to her about marrying Zhou Shiyu, who was now set to marry Yueling, the Princess of Dongyu.
She was upset that she couldn't have what she wanted, despite her brother usually helping her get things. Gao Yuan explained he was staying in the Capital City for her, but she remained unhappy, asking if he was just staying to arrange a marriage before leaving again, and wished she would never marry. Meanwhile, Xingyi found Su Nian living in a secluded, abandoned house. Su Nian appeared frail and cold, afflicted by a poison.
She questioned why he would seek her out, given her past attempts on his life. Xingyi responded that she had never harmed him and had in fact saved him. As her condition worsened and the poison intensified, she suffered from the effects. Seeing her suffering, Xingyi was determined to find an antidote and save her. Xingyi sought out Zhou Shiyu for help locating the Roufeng Sect's antidote.
Zhou Shiyu surmised the antidote was likely kept within the Prime Minister's heavily guarded mansion, as the Prime Minister controls the Roufeng Sect. He noted that the Prime Minister was currently away, but acquiring the antidote would still be difficult and require some time.
Concurrently, preparations for Zhou Shiyu and Yueling's wedding were underway, with Zhou Shiyu overseeing the preparation of substantial betrothal gifts and Yueling being measured for her wedding attire and expressing interest in the designs she'd seen in picture books. In despair over the confirmed wedding, Princess Luoyi refused to eat. Her maid, Ping'er, suggested a desperate measure to gain Zhou Shiyu's sympathy.
Ping'er then raised an alarm, announcing that Princess Luoyi had attempted to take her own life by taking poison. A physician attending to Princess Luoyi informed Gao Yuan that she was poisoned and her condition was critical, with only a slim chance of survival through a detoxifying decoction. Gao Yuan threatened the physician to ensure his daughter was saved.
Ping'er seized the opportunity to incite Gao Yuan further, claiming Luoyi poisoned herself because of Zhou Shiyu's cruelty and mistreatment by Yueling, urging Gao Yuan to seek justice. News of Princess Luoyi's attempted suicide reached Yueling. Her maid, Qianqian, explained it followed the Emperor's recent decrees concerning Yueling's marriage and the arrangements for Luoyi's own future. Yueling understood Luoyi's actions stemmed from her disappointment at not being matched with Zhou Shiyu.
Yueling rushed to Zhou Shiyu, confirming he knew about the decrees and Luoyi's actions. She questioned why he hadn't intervened, expressing concern that this would alienate the Lord of the South and push him towards the Prime Minister's faction. Zhou Shiyu assured her that Gao Yuan's allegiance was less critical than his true loyalty, stating the Emperor had a larger plan and their wedding would proceed. Yueling then voiced her concern about Xingyi's absence.
Zhou Shiyu revealed Xingyi was being discreetly monitored while caring for Su Nian, who was poisoned by the Roufeng Sect. He explained the sect's method of control through poison and expressed concern for Xingyi's deep feelings for Su Nian. Yueling asked if there was anything he could do to help Su Nian, and he confirmed he was investigating. Xingyi infiltrated the Prime Minister's mansion in search of the antidote.
When he inadvertently alerted the guards, Lingxi emerged and intervened, claiming Mr. Lin had sent her to fetch an item. After the guards left, Lingxi explained she had followed Xingyi and gave him the antidote. She revealed she was helping him because Su Nian had once saved her life by giving her the only antidote in Liuzhou, asking Xingyi to treat Su Nian well.
Xingyi urged Lingxi to abandon the Roufeng Sect and come live with him and Su Nian, offering them as her new home. Lingxi agreed. However, Mr. Lin appeared, realizing Lingxi had been detected. He instructed Xingyi to take the antidote to Su Nian while they split up to evade capture, promising to meet later. Subsequently, Mr. Lin killed Lingxi for her betrayal. Xingyi brought the antidote to Su Nian, who quickly recovered.
Upon waking, she learned how Xingyi obtained the antidote, discovering that Lingxi had been at the Prime Minister's mansion and had sacrificed herself by diverting their pursuers. Su Nian was heartbroken by Lingxi's actions. Later, Xingyi brought Su Nian to reside at the Princess's Mansion. When he introduced Su Nian to Yueling, Yueling's demeanor was formal and perceived as somewhat distant by Xingyi and Su Nian.
She politely instructed her maid to prepare a room for Su Nian and suggested they rest after their journey. That night, Xingyi spoke with Yueling, expressing his concern about her cold reception of Su Nian. Yueling explained that while she could accept Su Nian as a friend, welcoming her as family was difficult because of her history with the Roufeng Sect and their past attempts to harm them.
Xingyi argued that Su Nian had never actually hurt them and had even saved both her and Zhou Shiyu, but Yueling stated she needed more time to reconcile the past. Later, Xingyi went to Zhou Shiyu and apologized for entering the Prime Minister's mansion without permission, explaining Su Nian's urgent need for the antidote. Zhou Shiyu, whom Xingyi called "brother-in-law", dismissed the apology, glad the antidote was found and offering further assistance.
Xingyi then requested two favors: first, to help persuade Yueling to accept Su Nian as family, as Yueling was hesitant due to her past and the fact that Xingyi is Yueling's only close family member in Beishuo, which led to her having more considerations. Zhou Shiyu agreed to speak with Yueling but advised patience.
Second, Xingyi inquired about the Liu Qingshan case and asked if Zhou Shiyu could obtain the file to potentially overturn the verdict, explaining this was a significant concern for Su Nian, who is Liu Qingshan's descendant, and he wished to help her. Zhou Shiyu confirmed he was aware of the case and agreed to assist.
