Let's Shake It! Season 1 Episode 15 Recap
> Let's Shake It! Season 1 Recap
A year ago, Tang Qingfeng desperately sought Ji Le to save Abe ChaCha. Ji Le explained that Abe ChaCha's tentacles, her very essence or main body, had fallen off during her battle with Yunnan Zhao Wang. Coupled with severe injuries, her body tissue had decomposed into scattered particles, akin to a soul being gone, making the chances of reshaping her life minimal. Ji Le stated she would do her best and send word if there was any news.
Tang Qingfeng, blaming himself for Abe's fate, pleaded for one last look, but Ji Le reiterated that it was impossible to see her. A year later, Tang Qingfeng received a secret letter from Ji Le, which he hesitated to open, having waited so long for this news.
When he finally found the courage, the letter was blank, confirming his deepest fears and leaving him devastated, lamenting that he should have expected such a result and that he was responsible for her demise. Soon after, Eunuch Li arrived at the Lecture Hall, conveying the Emperor's decree that Nanzhao Infanta, as an envoy, would come to study etiquette and skills there, and should be properly welcomed.
Tang Qingfeng respectfully but firmly rejected this, stating that the Lecture Hall had strict rules: all aspiring students, whether infanta or prince, must pass an entrance examination. He then dismissed Eunuch Li and his retinue. Xiao Zhihe observed that since the Emperor had prioritized the Lecture Hall, many factions were attempting to infiltrate it with their own people.
Tang Qingfeng instructed Xiao Zhihe to strengthen the Lecture Hall's security and maintain strict confidentiality regarding the foreign immigrants' identities, warning against those who might exploit such information. He then directed Xiao Zhihe to gather supplies so they could visit the alien villagers in Yixing village. Li Fu's spies reported that Tang Qingfeng frequently visited a secluded alien village outside the city, whose villagers seemed unusual.
Believing Tang Qingfeng was deliberately protecting these "heavenly demons," and seeing Tang Qingfeng gaining more influence with the Emperor, Li Fu decided to eliminate him as a potential threat. Unable to directly confront the Lecture Hall's advanced weaponry, Li Fu devised a plan to make the aliens and the Lecture Hall cadets kill each other. He dispatched a group of men, disguised as Lecture Hall members delivering supplies, to the alien village.
After the villagers eagerly gathered, Li Fu's men released a special "devil-curing" poison, intending to slaughter them and frame Tang Qingfeng. However, a masked woman suddenly appeared, her movements swift and swordsmanship unique, engaging Li Fu's men in battle and declaring they were unworthy of the Lecture Hall name. Meanwhile, Tang Qingfeng and Xiao Zhihe were on their way to the village.
Tang Qingfeng had earlier explained his rationale for protecting the aliens, seeing them as newcomers deserving of help, and as valuable sources of information about evil alien forces, crucial for strategic knowledge. Upon discovering the attack at Yixing village, they rushed to the scene. Tang Qingfeng helped the masked woman fight off the imposters, demanding to know their identities and why they impersonated Lecture Hall cadets. Before he could learn her identity, the masked woman quickly vanished.
Tang Qingfeng instructed Xiao Zhihe to keep the incident quiet but to immediately return to the Lecture Hall and investigate who might have leaked information. Li Fu's surviving subordinates reported their failure, attributing it to the masked woman and Tang Qingfeng's timely arrival, and confirmed they had poisoned the villagers. Furious but cautious, Li Fu ordered them to flee Chang'an to prevent Tang Qingfeng from implicating him, promising future opportunities for redemption.
Following the incident, Xiao Zhihe reported to Tang Qingfeng that his investigation revealed one of the Yixing village attackers was a Lecture Hall member whose whereabouts were now unknown, indicating an internal spy. Tang Qingfeng ordered a thorough investigation, emphasizing that this individual was their only lead.
Later, Tang Qingyun visited Tang Qingfeng, expressing her mother's concern over his prolonged absence and revealing that her marriage to Crown Prince Li Yi had been arranged and would be announced on the Emperor's birthday. Tang Qingfeng vehemently opposed this union, stating he wouldn't allow her to marry the Crown Prince.
When Tang Qingyun pressed him for a reason, he vaguely explained that their father was still away and the matter shouldn't be rushed, adding that as her brother, he wished for her not to marry the wrong person. Tang Qingfeng declared he would personally approach the Emperor to cancel the engagement, then arranged for her safe return home. Tang Qingfeng was assigned to welcome the arriving Nanzhao Infanta.
To his utter shock and delight, Abe ChaCha, accompanied by Duo Miaomiao, stepped out of the sedan chair. He immediately recognized her as the masked woman from Yixing village and the one he had mourned for, exclaiming his joy that she was alive. Abe ChaCha, however, reacted coolly, chiding his "unbridled" behavior and demanding to know if this was Datang's hospitality, introducing herself as Infanta Abu ChaCha.
Tang Qingfeng, overwhelmed with emotion, continued to express his happiness that she was alive, prompting Abe ChaCha to call him "crazy" and hit him, ordering him to leave. As Crown Prince Li Yi and other dignitaries approached, Tang Qingfeng, fearing Abe ChaCha's identity would be revealed, quickly scooped her up and placed her back into the sedan chair, an act that bewildered everyone present, including Li Fu, who saw it as frivolous and potentially offensive to the Infanta.
Back at the Lecture Hall, Tang Qingfeng remained ecstatic despite being slapped. His energy source avatar cautioned him, reminding him of women's vengeful nature and the high likelihood that Abe ChaCha would not forgive his past actions. Tang Qingfeng dismissed the warning, declaring his determination to win Abe ChaCha's forgiveness and never give up this second chance. He then immediately called for a bath and fresh clothes, preparing to go to the palace to see her again.
Abe ChaCha formally appeared before the Emperor, expressing her gratitude on behalf of Ji Le for Ji Le's appointment as the new King of Xinri Nanzhao. She then presented her thoughtfully chosen gifts: a skipping rope, specially woven with gold thread by Ji Le, and a set of handmade mahjong tiles. She explained mahjong as a relaxing game that stimulates the mind and helps balance work and leisure, offering to teach the rules later.
The Emperor was greatly impressed and pleased with her unique offerings, proclaiming his hope for lasting peace between Nanzhao and Datang. He pledged to find a worthy consort for Abe ChaCha, who, unfamiliar with the term "consort," innocently asked Duo Miaomiao if it was something delicious, offering him money if it was.
Watching this, Li Fu (Prince Qi) realized the Nanzhao Infanta was an exceptional individual who had quickly charmed the Emperor, seeing an opportunity to gain Nanzhao's support to bolster his own claim against the Crown Prince. At this point, Yao Luoguli, the former Prince of Beidi who had renounced his royal title to become Datang's National Teacher, appeared before Li Fu.
Yao Luoguli pledged his allegiance, promising to help Li Fu secure the throne and conquer the realm, much to Li Fu's astonishment. Meanwhile, Li Yi, deeply affected by Abe ChaCha's resemblance to Tang Qingye, found himself lost in thought, reminiscing about his past affections for Tang Qingye. Abe ChaCha vented her frustration to Duo Miaomiao, annoyed that Ji Le had recreated her body in Tang Qingye's exact likeness, making her vulnerable to recognition.
Duo Miaomiao explained that their long fusion meant their genes were intertwined, making the transformation unavoidable, and reminded her of his own sacrifices in maintaining human form. Duo Miaomiao then sternly reminded Abe ChaCha of their crucial mission: to sign a peace treaty ensuring harmonious coexistence between aliens and Earthlings, warning her against any slip-ups that could expose her identity.
Abe ChaCha, however, declared her primary goal was to vex Tang Qingfeng, believing that making him unhappy would bring her joy and, consequently, facilitate the peace treaty. She even called Tang Qingfeng a "bastard," confessing she was "blind" to have loved him. Duo Miaomiao sighed, lamenting the "terrible" nature of women. Soon after, Tang Qingyun, acting on the Empress's orders, arrived to deliver pastries to Abe ChaCha.
Upon seeing Abe ChaCha's face, which bore an uncanny resemblance to her half-sister, Tang Qingye, Tang Qingyun was so shocked she nearly fainted. Abe ChaCha, noticing the reaction, confirmed her identity as the Infanta and recounted Tang Qingfeng's "rude" behavior earlier.
Tang Qingyun, recognizing the resemblance, apologized profusely for her brother's actions, noting that while the Infanta was outwardly spirited and quick-witted, with polite manners, her sister Tang Qingye had been gentle and refined before falling ill and becoming somewhat incoherent, highlighting the subtle differences. Li Fu, skeptical, questioned why Yao Luoguli, a former prince, would relinquish his noble status to become a National Teacher.
Yao Luoguli explained that a spiritual calling had enlightened him, revealing that royal power was but an illusory dream. He then shared his past: after his kingdom was overthrown by a rebellious Beidi king, he was relentlessly hunted until a mysterious entity saved him. This entity transferred memories of the Star River explosion into him, transformed him and his followers into believers, and commanded them to travel to Chang'an to find a "savior" – the "True Dragon Son of Heaven."
Li Fu, assuming this referred to Datang's rightful Emperor and, by extension, himself as the future Master of the Eastern Palace, was secretly overjoyed. Yao Luoguli, hinting at Li Fu's potential, urged him to act decisively. He then presented Li Fu with the Tower of Heaven, a powerful artifact capable of stabilizing a dynasty, suggesting it be offered as a birthday gift to the Emperor to win favor.
Furthermore, Yao Luoguli advised Li Fu to capitalize on the upcoming Lecture Hall open classes to cultivate a relationship with Nanzhao Infanta. Inspired by the National Teacher's comprehensive strategy, Li Fu felt confident that with this help, overthrowing Crown Prince Li Yi would be straightforward. Taifu Ji, observing the Emperor's strong favor for Nanzhao Infanta, urged Crown Prince Li Yi to consider marrying her.
Li Yi raised concerns about his upcoming marriage to Tang Qingyun, but Taifu Ji dismissed this, arguing that as the Crown Prince and future ruler, both Tang Qingyun and Nanzhao Infanta were valuable alliances to secure. He emphasized that gaining the support of Nanzhao would significantly strengthen Li Yi's position, especially since Li Fu (King Qi) was also pursuing the Infanta's favor.
Taifu Ji revealed he had already arranged for Li Yi to enter the Lecture Hall for training, providing a perfect opportunity to get close to the Infanta. Just then, Tang Qingyun arrived to visit Li Yi, carrying out her mother's command to visit the Nanzhao Infanta. She shared her startling encounter with the Infanta, noting her uncanny resemblance to Tang Qingye, though with a distinct eyebrow mark.
While Li Yi agreed on the resemblance, Tang Qingyun pointed out that despite the Infanta's spirited and sometimes unruly demeanor, she was clever and well-mannered, a contrast to Tang Qingye's gentle nature before her illness. This conversation provided Li Yi with crucial insights into the Nanzhao Infanta.
