Legend of Yun Xi Episode 22 Recap
> Legend of Yun Xi Recap
Long Feiye grappled with whether to reveal to Han Yunxi the truth of her mother’s death, fearing that exposing this secret would unravel his own past. He believed that allowing her to live with hope was better than facing a future devoid of it. Meanwhile, Mingxiang confronted Long Feiye, questioning why he continued to shield Han Yunxi, whom she believed to be Empress Dowager’s spy.
Long Feiye defended Han Yunxi, explaining that her mother had saved him from prison fifteen years prior. Mingxiang suspected this was a ploy by Empress Dowager, but Long Feiye dismissed her concerns, stating that neither the Empress Dowager nor Han Yunxi knew his true identity back then. Mingxiang, noticing Long Feiye’s uncharacteristic emotional responses, then directly asked if he had developed true feelings for Han Yunxi.
Separately, Lord Qishao discussed with an associate that Long Feiye’s return to the palace fifteen years ago coincided precisely with the Poison Master’s madness and the disappearance of the gu-abetted man. Lord Qishao, hinting at a larger theory, left to find evidence. Back at Prince Qin's Mansion, Han Yunxi mused about Long Feiye’s strenuous schedule, observing his habit of drinking Nanshan tea late into the night.
Suddenly, Lord Qishao appeared in her Xianyun Pavilion, having risked his life to sneak in. He presented her with Xunlong incense, explaining that when combined with Moonseed, it would amplify the herb’s medicinal effects to their utmost. As Han Yunxi thanked him, Long Feiye abruptly entered. Han Yunxi playfully teased him, asking if he was jealous, but Long Feiye responded with an unexpected kiss that left her flushed.
He then sternly declared Princess Consort Qin grounded from that day forward, forbidding her from stepping out of Xianyun Pavilion without his permission. Later, Han Yunxi complained to Ning Jing about Long Feiye's overreaction. Ning Jing, however, defended her Senior, explaining that his jealousy was understandable given Han Yunxi was his wife and he found another man in her room late at night.
Han Yunxi worried about Long Feiye's perceptions, but Ning Jing reassured her that despite his aloof demeanor, he deeply cared for her, advising her not to confront him while he was still upset. The next day, Xifeng reported to Long Feiye that the party who attempted to seize the Poison Master was none other than Lord Qishao, the Master of Herb-Ghost Valley.
Xifeng also revealed that Lord Qishao held another identity as the Crown Prince’s advisor, speculating that a man of his wealth and power would not settle for a simple advisory role and thus had a greater purpose. Long Feiye acknowledged the report and ordered his shadow guards to enhance defenses. Notably, during Xifeng's report, Han Yunxi attempted to bring Long Feiye pastries, but he ignored her, creating an awkward tension that even Xifeng observed.
Xifeng also reported that news of His Majesty’s creation of gu-abetted men had spread widely, causing public discontent. He also noted the Crown Prince’s suspicious activities and continued research into gu-abetted men. Long Feiye instructed him to send a warning to the Crown Prince to cease immoral acts, but to temporarily leave the Crown Prince’s stronghold intact.
In Qinghui Palace, Qingfei received a secret letter from the Crown Prince, confirming that Noble Consort Xiao had given her not a poison, but contraception medicine. Due to its minimal dosage and subtle effects, the Imperial Academy of Medicine had been unable to detect it. Recognizing she couldn't reveal this to the Emperor without exposing her own medicine-switching, Qingfei plotted a different approach.
Noble Consort Xiao was already present, tearfully imploring Empress Dowager to intercede on behalf of her son, Tianqing, the Second Prince, who had been confined by the Emperor. Qingfei and Princess Changbing then arrived. Qingfei subtly praised Noble Consort Xiao’s generosity in distributing cakes to other consorts, slyly implying the possibility of foul play.
Princess Changbing, known for her bluntness, innocently remarked on never receiving such cakes and questioned why, if they were so good, they weren’t sent to her or Empress Dowager. She then blurted out that stories often mentioned "contraception medicine" being used instead of deadly poisons. Hearing this, Noble Consort Xiao suddenly felt unwell and excused herself.
Empress Dowager, already paranoid, immediately ordered her senior servant to dispatch shadow guards to monitor Noble Consort Xiao’s palace and to compile a list of all consorts who had received cakes from her over the years, stating that if the seeds of suspicion were planted, nothing could remain hidden, especially concerning the imperial bloodline. At Prince Qin’s Mansion, two boxes of precious medicinal herbs arrived for Han Yunxi.
She suspected Long Feiye sent them, though she later heard him playfully suggest they were from Lord Qishao. Long Feiye then informed her she would be accompanying him to treat someone important, but kept the person’s identity a secret. She noted his secretive yet endearing demeanor. Upon arrival at the Solitude Pavilion, she found the patient to be a delirious old man. Long Feiye implored her to cure him, emphasizing his importance.
Tang Li, Long Feiye's brother, expressed concern that the old man's madness was not caused by poison and that revealing his existence to Han Yunxi was risky, but Long Feiye insisted. Han Yunxi examined the old man, concluding that his condition required further research, but she remained unaware that he was the Poison Master. Tang Li also noticed that Long Feiye had caught a cold, which he attributed to the dusty and poorly ventilated environment.
Han Yunxi soon returned to the Herb-Ghost Valley to gather more herbs, believing that her previous grounding was now lifted since Long Feiye had allowed her into the Solitude Pavilion. There, she encountered Lord Qishao, who playfully greeted her, expressing how much he had missed her. Han Yunxi, reminding him of her married status, playfully dismissed his advances, but he continued to flirt, describing an ideal woman—intelligent, beautiful, and unique—subtly implying she fit the description.
He then offered her full access to his herb land, which she eagerly accepted. He then reviewed her medicinal prescriptions, astutely noting that one was for delirium, consistent with the old man she was treating, and the other for a cold, which he deduced was for Prince Qin. Lord Qishao then declared that "the fish has bitten the bait." Following this, Lord Qishao met with the Crown Prince and revealed his findings.
He explained that Xunlong incense, while commonly known to expel illnesses, would cause cold-like symptoms in someone who had been poisoned by a gu. Having observed Long Feiye’s cold and cross-referenced it with Han Yunxi’s prescription for him, Lord Qishao stated that he had confirmed Long Feiye was indeed severely poisoned and, with specific acupuncture to reverse his meridians, his gu-abetted identity would be exposed.
Based on this information, the Crown Prince subsequently reported to the Emperor that Prince Qin was not of the Tianning royal family, but rather a descendant of Qinxi and the last known gu-abetted man. He proposed using Empress Dowager’s upcoming birthday banquet as an opportunity to force Long Feiye to reveal his true form, characterized by red eyes and white hair. The Emperor accepted the plan.
Empress Dowager, informed by the Emperor and already wary of issues concerning imperial lineage due to the earlier incident with Noble Consort Xiao, began to plot. She decided to use Han Yunxi to perform the acupuncture at the banquet, confident she had ways to ensure Han Yunxi’s compliance. Upon Han Yunxi's return to Prince Qin’s Mansion, Long Feiye immediately questioned her visit to Herb-Ghost Valley.
When Xifeng clarified that his orders only extended to watching the valley, not preventing her entry, Long Feiye reiterated that her grounding had never been lifted. Han Yunxi protested, stating she assumed the permission to visit Solitude Pavilion implied an end to her grounding.
Long Feiye firmly restricted her movements to Moon Pavilion and Solitude Pavilion only, instructing Xifeng to procure anything she needed, thereby confirming that the previous two boxes of herbs had indeed been sent by Long Feiye himself. Han Yunxi also continued her visits to the delirious old man in Solitude Pavilion. During one visit, she brought him various foods, discovering they both disliked parsley and carrots.
When she tried to engage him, he became agitated and delirious, reacting strongly to her bracelet, prompting her to administer a calming pill. Later, Han Yunxi faced criticism from Consort Dowager Yi, Long Feiye’s adoptive mother, and Tang Li, his brother. Consort Dowager Yi chastised her for her informal attire, deeming it unfitting for a Princess Consort and stating she was an embarrassment to the mansion.
Han Yunxi, however, unapologetically defended her practical clothing, pointing out that she held only the title of Princess Consort without any real authority or the provisions that came with it, challenging Consort Dowager Yi to restore her full rights if she wished for her to uphold the mansion's dignity. That evening, Mingxiang visited Long Feiye, reminiscing about their childhood, particularly an instance when he had carried her up a tree.
Long Feiye acknowledged the memory but referred to her as being "like a younger sister" to him, deeply disappointing Mingxiang. This prompted her to resolve to curry favor with Consort Dowager Yi in her pursuit of Long Feiye’s affection. Separately, Ning Jing discovered several boxes of expensive jewelry that Long Feiye had purchased for Han Yunxi. She enthusiastically assured Han Yunxi that Long Feiye clearly loved her, citing his protective actions, supportive behavior, and his evident jealousy over Lord Qishao.
The news of Long Feiye taking Han Yunxi to the market and buying her a pile of jewelry after Consort Dowager Yi’s earlier reprimand reached Mingxiang through the senior servant, leaving her crestfallen and burdened with despair.
