Legend of Two Sisters in the Chaos Episode 22 Recap
> Legend of Two Sisters in the Chaos Recap
Yuzhan carefully packed Jinzhan’s belongings, advising her to take good care of herself while traveling, to buy whatever she liked, and to write home if she ever needed more money. Zhenzhen arrived, bearing a farewell package for Jinzhan. Jinzhan thanked Zhenzhen and expressed her hope that Zhenzhen would stay by their father’s side after her departure. Yuzhan and Jinzhan embraced, tearfully wondering when they would reunite.
Jinzhan then went to bid farewell to her father, Prince Wei, but he refused to see her. Outside his door, Jinzhan knelt and kowtowed, announcing her departure for Dingzhou with Jiang Shao and wishing her father well. Outside the city gates, Jinzhan met Jiang Shao. He questioned why she hadn't told him about Cao Han’s attempt to kill her.
Jinzhan simply expressed her joy at seeing him and her desire not to dwell on Cao Han, trusting that Xue Rong would handle him. Jiang Shao vowed to punish Cao Han if he ever saw him again. Jinzhan asked if he regretted wandering with her, to which he playfully retorted, "Nonsense!" and they set off on their adventure together.
Meanwhile, Xue Rong had arranged a meeting with Yuzhan in a bamboo grove, where he had hung numerous notes detailing their shared past. These notes quoted their previous conversations, from Yuzhan's pledge that the Fu family would stand with Prince Jin to Xue Rong’s declaration that he owed his life to her alone, not her family.
Other notes recalled Xue Rong asking if she would marry him for herself, not for her family, and his despair when he couldn’t marry her, vowing to "be heaven" if fate was determined by it. Finally, there was a reminder of his promise to protect her when she had impersonated his empress.
Dressed in red, holding a phoenix coronet and robes of rank, Xue Rong appeared before Yuzhan and asked if she would be his empress, to live with him forever and share the land of Lingyang. Yuzhan refused, citing her existing engagement to Zhang Yongyao. Angrily, Xue Rong forbade her from marrying Zhang Yongyao, stating that their engagement was already broken. Yuzhan explained that their bond had grown from childhood acquaintances into a deep friendship forged through life-and-death struggles in Jincheng.
However, she believed true love should be sweet, easy, and joyous, free from obstacles and concerns, unlike their own "hard" love. She needed to be certain of her true feelings before she could abandon everything and commit. Xue Rong, hurt, concluded that she simply didn't love him and walked away, leaving Yuzhan alone in her pain. Back at the Fu family mansion, Yuzhan confided in her maid, Lanpei, that she felt unworthy of Xue Rong’s love.
She lamented that despite his sincere devotion and their many shared trials, she still doubted him due to the influence of others, causing him sorrow. She questioned whether her feelings for him were genuine love or merely a strategic necessity for the Fu family, given his status as emperor. She concluded that she was not fit for his love and certainly not worthy of being his empress.
Jinzhan and Jiang Shao arrived at Jixian Restaurant, hoping to try its famous White Pear Blossom Liquor. To their dismay, only one jar remained, and another customer also sought it. The shopkeeper explained that the liquor was brewed only once a year when pear blossoms bloomed. A bidding war ensued, with prices quickly escalating. To resolve the dispute, the shopkeeper proposed a contest: whoever could retrieve the required spring water and auxiliary materials within two hours would win the liquor.
The other customer quickly set off for spring water. Jinzhan initially worried about finding pear blossoms out of season, but Jiang Shao, having discreetly inquired with the shopkeeper, revealed that osmanthus flowers, which were currently in bloom, could be used instead. He directed her to a house at the end of a nearby lane known for its osmanthus tree. While picking the flowers, they were confronted by a steward who accused them of stealing.
They explained their predicament and mentioned leaving money for the flowers, but the steward remained unconvinced until a servant arrived with a message from his master, stating nothing was missing and to let them go. Jinzhan and Jiang Shao rushed back to the restaurant, arriving just as the other customer returned. They were declared the winners.
However, when Jinzhan overheard the other customer explaining to his wife that he wanted the liquor for their twentieth wedding anniversary, as it was how they had first met, she was deeply moved. Despite her own desire for the liquor, Jinzhan generously gave it to them, explaining to Jiang Shao that while they could drink White Pear Blossom Liquor next year, a twentieth anniversary was a unique occasion.
Touched by her compassion, Jiang Shao promised she wouldn't have come all this way for nothing. Together, they decided to brew their own White Pear Blossom Liquor, a process that took them half a month. They buried the jar, vowing to unearth it together twenty years later. They then continued their travels, enjoying different delicacies and each other's company. Meanwhile, Xue Rong summoned Zhang Yongyao, declaring his mutual love with Yuzhan and urging Zhang Yongyao to annul their engagement.
Zhang Yongyao, however, refused, insisting he would not end the betrothal, which was arranged by their parents, unless Yuzhan herself explicitly stated her desire to marry Xue Rong. Xue Rong challenged Zhang Yongyao, arguing that Yuzhan would only marry him out of obligation, not love. He provoked Zhang Yongyao to prove his confidence by canceling the engagement and competing fairly for Yuzhan’s hand. If Yuzhan truly loved Zhang, Xue Rong asserted, she would marry him even without the formal engagement.
Zhang Yongyao accepted the challenge but made Xue Rong promise not to use his imperial authority to interfere with his pursuit of Yuzhan, to which Xue Rong agreed. Later, Zhang Yongyao went to the Fu family mansion to speak with Yuzhan. He questioned whether her agreement to their marriage was born of genuine affection for him and asked about her feelings for Xue Rong. Yuzhan admitted that her "heart was undecided."
Accepting this, Zhang Yongyao promptly announced his decision to withdraw from the engagement, promising to seek Prince Wei’s pardon. Yuzhan, in turn, reaffirmed the Fu family's acknowledgment of the original betrothal and offered her apologies if Xue Rong was the cause of this change. Zhang Yongyao, however, dismissed her apology, stating his desire to propose only when they both shared mutual affection. He then openly confessed his love for Yuzhan and asked for a chance to prove his devotion.
Yuzhan agreed to his proposal, cautioning him that the outcome might not be as he envisioned, but Zhang Yongyao calmly affirmed his readiness to accept any result. Upon hearing the news of the annulled engagement, Princess Shou'an, who had been dejected, became jubilant. Her attendant pointed out that Zhang Yongyao's act of canceling the engagement suggested Yuzhan wasn't his sole focus, giving Shou'an a new opportunity. Shou'an, eager to win Zhang Yongyao's affection, decided to imitate Yuzhan’s style.
She asked her attendant, Yan Cao, to style her hair like Yuzhan’s, though Yan Cao deemed Yuzhan’s simple hairstyle "low-grade" for a princess. Shou’an chose a pearl ornament over a plainer one, which her attendant found unsuitable. She then prepared to visit Tianxiang Guqin Pavilion, a place Zhang Yongyao frequented, hoping to understand his tastes. Elsewhere, the Princess Royal instructed Yueying to maintain strict surveillance on Li Fang.
She suspected him of having contacts with two eunuchs who were present when the late emperor died, fearing Li Fang might use them to blackmail her. She believed he would eventually communicate with them. Indeed, after some time, Yueying located the two eunuchs in a rumored "haunted" mansion in the east of the city. Li Fang had deliberately left misleading clues to suggest they had been sent out of the capital.
The eunuchs had sustained themselves by growing fruits and vegetables within the mansion and hadn't left until one fell ill, prompting the other to secretly seek a doctor, which led to their discovery. The Princess Royal immediately ordered Yueying to kill both eunuchs and Li Fang, stating that "only dead people won’t let out the secret." She also dispatched a messenger to Dingzhou with a letter for Zhu Xiaobei and instructed them to meticulously track Jiang Shao’s movements.
She then revealed her plan to disclose Jiang Shao's true identity to him upon his return, using a wooden plate left by the late emperor for Jiang Shunying (Jiang Shao's mother) as proof. Later, Xue Rong arrived at the Fu family mansion, looking for Yuzhan. When informed that she was at Tianxiang Guqin Pavilion with Zhang Yongyao, he decided to join them. At the pavilion, Shou'an Princess, in her Yuzhan-like attire, was seeking Zhang Yongyao’s opinion on her appearance.
He politely dismissed her, stating he wasn’t an expert. Yuzhan arrived and noticed Shou'an's similar dress, to which Shou'an claimed she merely desired a plainer style. Yuzhan then suggested trying a new method for making tea by adding orange peel for a fresh aroma. However, Shou'an quickly interrupted, revealing that Zhang Yongyao was allergic to oranges, which caused him to break out in a rash and fever. Yuzhan, feeling embarrassed by her oversight, decided against the new tea.
Just then, Xue Rong arrived, claiming he had heard a great Guqin master was performing and, finding all seats taken, hoped to share Zhang Yongyao’s private room. The atmosphere grew tense as Xue Rong and Zhang Yongyao engaged in a subtle battle for Yuzhan's attention. Zhang Yongyao proudly mentioned that he and Yuzhan had together chosen a Guqin Xuan. Xue Rong, however, subtly countered by asking if the concert would feature Yuzhan's favorite piece, "Youyuan," implying a deeper familiarity with her preferences than Zhang Yongyao possessed.
