Jun Jiu Ling Episode 2 Recap
> Jun Jiu Ling Recap
Having successfully extracted five thousand taels from the Ning family, Jun Zhenzhen emerged from their mansion, finally avenging the disrespect shown to her grandmother. What began as a demand for two thousand taels escalated to five thousand; she justified the new sum by claiming three thousand for her grandfather’s long-ago service to Master Ning, plus interest, and an additional two thousand as compensation for the distress the Nings caused her grandmother.
Though the Ning family's Tenth Childe objected, his mother, Mrs. Ning, conceded to protect her son's reputation before his upcoming exam, paying for peace. Jun Zhenzhen accepted the money with a sharp warning not to throw it disrespectfully. The successful gambit also shifted her grandmother’s opinion of her. That evening, as a gesture of support, her grandmother presented her with an ancestral jade bracelet, explaining it was rightfully hers, originally intended for her mother.
Jun Zhenzhen, when asked by her maid about her plans for the large sum of money, declared her intention to go to the capital city. Meanwhile, Lord Cheng's son, Zhu Zan, prepared to leave his border post and return to the capital. His parents, Lord Cheng and Ms. Yu, expressed their deep concern. His father questioned his readiness to face the Emperor, who suspected Zhu Zan of leaking military secrets by selling a mileage chart of the capital.
His mother worried about the treacherous political landscape of the capital, a world of scheming so different from the battlefield where Zhu Zan and his father excelled. Lord Cheng instructed Zhu Zan's sworn brother, Zhang Baotang, to accompany him for protection and to manage any urgent matters through the Sky Pavilion, while another subordinate, Sanbing, was ordered to remain in the north.
His mother also mentioned that the Emperor had already arranged a marriage for Chu Jiuling, but Zhu Zan cryptically replied that he had a special gift prepared for Jiuling's wedding. After bowing deeply to his parents, Zhu Zan departed. At an inn during their journey, Zhang Baotang noted the intense scrutiny from the Arm Moral Department. Soon after, Eunuch Li from the Sky Pavilion appeared, feigning annoyance with a clumsy waiter before revealing he had grave news.
Though Eunuch Li tried to delay, Zhu Zan forced him to hand over a letter, which devastatingly reported that Chu Jiuling had died in a fire. Heartbroken, Zhu Zan recalled a childhood promise where a young Chu Jiuling, whom he called his "unique Princess Jiuling," vowed to wait for him in the capital. Zhang Baotang, however, urged caution, pointing out that the letter stated Chu Jiuling's body was burnt beyond recognition.
He also noted that her master, Jun Yingwen—an old friend of the late emperor—was seen at the prison on the day of her confinement, making it unlikely he would have let her die. He suggested a connection and revealed that while Jun Yingwen was missing, his daughter, Jun Zhenzhen, was in Zezhou with her grandmother. This revelation spurred Zhu Zan to immediately change course for Zezhou, determined to uncover the truth.
In the capital, the new emperor, Chu Rang, was furious upon learning of Zhu Zan's diversion, viewing it as an admission of guilt regarding the mileage chart. He ordered his men to capture Zhu Zan. Later, in a calculated move, Chu Rang questioned Lu Yunqi about Princess Jiuli. Lu Yunqi praised her as a paragon of virtue, but Chu Rang, ever wary, wondered if she could become "another Jiuling," implying a potential threat.
Lu Yunqi assured him that Princess Jiuli was unaware of the late emperor's affairs, as she had been grief-stricken and had not met her sister on the wedding day. To protect Princess Jiuli and her brother Jiurong, and to secure Chu Rang's trust, Lu Yunqi requested to marry Princess Jiuli. Chu Rang postponed the decision until a hundred days after Chu Jiuling's death.
Later, at Chu Jiuling's tomb in his clan's ancestral temple, Lu Yunqi confessed that his efforts to save her had been too late to prevent the fire. He vowed to protect Princess Jiuli and Jiurong from Chu Rang's growing suspicion and safeguard all that Chu Jiuling had cared about. In Zezhou, Jun Zhenzhen meticulously examined the belongings left by her master, Jun Yingwen. Her attention was drawn to a sealed document marked "The third year of Taiyan."
This sparked a memory of the former emperor's capture by the Beiqi people and the official silver that had been minted to ransom him. The deal, however, went sour in Zezhou; the Beiqi reneged, and the former emperor and several imperial uncles were killed.
Recognizing the seal as a cargo shipment strip for the official taels from that year, Jun Zhenzhen realized that working at the Fang family's commercial house could provide the access she needed to investigate the old conspiracy. Meanwhile, Zhu Zan, having arrived in Zezhou, attempted to meet Jun Zhenzhen under the alias "Ling Jiu."
He sent a servant to announce his presence, but just as Jun Zhenzhen decided to see him, Zhu Zan was forced to hide to avoid passing officials from the Arm Moral Department. Consequently, they missed each other. Realizing his initial approach was too abrupt, Zhu Zan, with Zhang Baotang's reluctant help, devised a bolder plan.
A few days later, while Jun Zhenzhen was at Deshengchang, the Fang family's commercial house, she feigned interest in the account books while secretly seeking the ancient records from "the third year of Taiyan." As she left, her carriage was conveniently blocked by a broken handcart. She decided to walk with her maid, Liu'er. While Liu'er went to buy cakes, Jun Zhenzhen was accosted by a ruffian, secretly Zhang Baotang in disguise.
Zhu Zan then intervened in a staged "hero saves beauty" act. Jun Zhenzhen immediately saw through the charade, bluntly pointing out Zhu Zan's poor acting and accusing him of orchestrating the entire scene. Maintaining his false identity, Zhu Zan denied her accusations. Intrigued, she paid his teahouse bill, curious to see what other tricks he had planned. He then directly asked if her father was Jun Yingwen.
When she confirmed, Zhu Zan introduced himself as "Ling Jiu," recalling their childhood pact where he was "Ling Jiu" and she was "Jiuling"—unique names they had given each other. At a teahouse, Zhu Zan tried to subtly extract information about Jun Yingwen and Princess Jiuling. Jun Zhenzhen, though she instantly recognized Zhu Zan, firmly denied any knowledge of their whereabouts.
Zhu Zan noticed her habit of sprinkling rose petals in her tea—a unique custom of Chu Jiuling's—but was confused by Jun Zhenzhen's different appearance, wondering if she was merely an imitator. In a painful internal monologue, Jun Zhenzhen acknowledged her childhood friend but resolved to keep her identity secret. She believed the innocent Chu Jiuling was dead and that, as Jun Zhenzhen, she could not involve him in her dangerous path of vengeance, which could bring disaster upon his family.
She resolved that Zhu Zan should live well and not suffer for a "dead person." Zhu Zan, meanwhile, grew certain she was hiding the truth and pondered the dangerous implications if Jun Yingwen and Chu Jiuling were alive. As he deliberated on how to get past her defenses, Fang Chengyu, the legitimate son of the Fang family, approached their table and greeted Jun Zhenzhen.
