The Sword and The Brocade Episode 27 Recap
> The Sword and The Brocade Recap
Following her reinstatement at the Xu mansion, Shiyi visited Xianling Pavilion. She expressed her worry for Master Jian and offered to cover the losses from the recent turmoil. Master Jian refused compensation, revealing she had long recognized Shiyi's profound passion for embroidery. Instead, she proposed that Shiyi invest the money and become her partner in managing the pavilion. This would allow Shiyi to build a career and collaborate with like-minded artisans.
Delighted by the opportunity to be self-reliant, Shiyi accepted the offer, and with Master Jian's reassurance of support, the two sealed their partnership. Meanwhile, Lin Shixian, who had tasked his servant Antai with investigating the death of Shiyi's mother, received shocking news. Antai reported that the "Lady Luo" they knew was now Madam Xu, the wife of Marquis Yongping, Xu Lingyi, having been married for months. Devastated, Lin Shixian rushed to Xianling Pavilion, where Master Jian confirmed Shiyi's identity.
She apologized for the secrecy, explaining it was to protect Shiyi in her new, prominent role. Dejected, Lin Shixian acknowledged the vast distance her new status had created between them. On the Qixi Festival, Xu Lingyi took Shiyi on an outing. He was drawn to a pitch-pot game whose prize was a pair of "Heart-to-Heart Lanterns," said to grant eternal union to lovers. Though Shiyi was hesitant, Xu Lingyi insisted they play.
Blindfolded, Shiyi put her trust in his guidance, and together they won the lanterns. Later, by the river, Xu Lingyi passionately recited a vow of eternal love, "Alive or dead, I will be with you. Holding your hand, and growing old with you," sealing it with a kiss. Elsewhere, a crestfallen Lin Shixian reflected on his lost chance with Shiyi.
Amber found him by the river and offered words of comfort, assuring him he would one day find his true love. After she left, Lin Shixian took out an intricate bracelet he had acquired for Shiyi and cast it into the river, severing his hopes. The next morning, a hungover Lin Shixian instructed Antai to finish investigating the death of Shiyi’s mother, vowing to leave the capital and cut all ties once the truth was found.
Antai revealed he already had a significant lead. Lin Shixian then arranged a meeting with Shiyi. She apologized for concealing her identity, and he accepted, understanding the constraints of her position. He then introduced the coroner who had examined her mother’s body. The coroner revealed that while a knife wound was present, the fatal injury was an arrow wound to the heart, which the knife wound was used to conceal.
He also disclosed that high-ranking officials had intervened, preventing him from documenting his true findings and altering the official report. Driven by this new information, Shiyi revisited Ci'an Temple with Dongqing. There, they met a hunter who had witnessed the incident two years prior. He recounted that a woman, held hostage by a fugitive, was shot and killed by the leading official before the fugitive fled.
Shaken, Shiyi asked to see the hunter's arrow and instantly recognized it as a three-edged arrow, a design unique to the Xu family. The hunter claimed he had merely found it. Deeply disturbed, Shiyi instructed Wan Daxian to investigate the hunter's background. Returning to the mansion, Shiyi found Xu Lingyi waiting. He had made a new lantern to match the one from the festival, explaining he felt their doorway looked incomplete.
He spoke tenderly of how she had made his life meaningful, a stark contrast to his past focus on official duties. Troubled by the hunter's words, Shiyi subtly pulled away. Later that night, she examined one of Xu Lingyi's arrows, confirming it was identical to the hunter's, solidifying her fears. In the imperial court, Grand Secretary Chen discussed the severe earthquake in Shandong and the lack of official relief reports.
While Ou Lixing volunteered for the mission, Chen, citing the task's difficulty, assigned Xu Lingyi to lead the inspection team. Back at the mansion, Shiyi noticed that the embroidery on Yu's handkerchief, made by Concubine Wen, matched a pattern connected to her investigation. Soon after, Wan Daxian reported that the hunter's background was clean. The evidence—the matching embroidery and the unique three-edged arrow—now overwhelmingly pointed to Xu Lingyi. That evening, Shiyi served Xu Lingyi wine.
As he grew intoxicated, she probed him, asking if he would still shoot an arrow in a similar hostage situation. He affirmed he would, to ensure a criminal's capture. She then asked him directly how her mother died. Drunk and distraught, Xu Lingyi repeatedly muttered, "It was my fault." Hearing his confession, Shiyi’s heart grew cold. She walked out of the room in a daze and instructed Dongqing to take down the two Heart-to-Heart Lanterns, her belief in their bond shattered.
