Lost Track of Time Episode 1 Recap
> Lost Track of Time Recap
In the second month of the third year of Jinghe, in Hanjing City, Mu Ze ruthlessly pursued the throne, causing countless deaths. Lu Anran, who had walked this path with him, became his accomplice, ultimately setting herself ablaze in a fiery inferno. A decade earlier in Su City, Lu Anran, the young mistress of the Lu family shipping business, disguised as a young man, successfully tested an improved mine on her family's boat.
Made with cows' bladders to prevent leaks, these new "River Dragons" were more explosive than previous designs, ensuring no river robbers dared to cause trouble on her waterways. Soon after, she encountered a boat being robbed by river bandits. Using her newly developed River Dragons, she successfully drove them away. She nearly fell into the river but was caught by one of the merchants from the rescued boat.
Recognizing his martial prowess, Lu Anran, who initially thought he was from a martial arts club, tried to recruit him or his master to train her sailors, but was politely declined. As Lu Anran departed, the merchant's attendant, Mr. Cai, identified her as Lu Anran, the daughter of the biggest business in Su City, by the double fish patterns on her boat's sails. The merchant she saved was, unbeknownst to her, the Second Prince, Mu Ze.
Sneaking back home, Lu Anran was caught by her mother, Shen Lanxi, the First Madam of the Lu Family. Shen Lanxi playfully chided her daughter for her unladylike activities but also showed affection. Lu Anran enthusiastically shared her vision of tunneling through a gorge to create a channel between the South and Great Han, promising to double shipping speeds and halve costs. Her younger brother, Lu Yun, soon returned home with a bruised eye from a fight.
Though Shen Lanxi worried about him fighting, Lu Anran supported Lu Yun's stance, declaring, "If you don't mess with me, I won't do it back. If you mess with me, I will do it hundred times more harshly in return." The Second Madam, Liu Mingyu, and her daughter, Lu Xinran, then arrived. Liu Mingyu complained that Lu Yun only cared for martial arts and not studying, fearing for his future role in the family.
Lu Anran, however, defended Lu Yun, affirming his ambition to become a great general and confidently stated that the Lu Family still had her to rely on. As tomorrow was Lu Anran's coming-of-age ceremony, her mother sent her to rest. In her room, Lu Anran admired the exquisite satin dress prepared by Liu Mingyu but lamented that her mother, whose cough had worsened, might not be able to attend the ceremony.
Meanwhile, Mu Ze, having sent a river map of Dayu Country to Lu Qingzhou, Lu Anran's father, was informed that Lu Qingzhou declined it. He reiterated his daughter's sentiment that no map, however good, could compare to personally traversing the land. This only increased Mu Ze's admiration for Lu Anran, and he resolved to meet her himself.
On the day of Lu Anran's coming-of-age ceremony, Lu Qingzhou presented her with the ancestral Twin Fish Order, declaring that all 36 port fleets were now hers to command. He wanted the world to know that the Lu family would always be her strong backing, even after she married.
Lu Ting, the Second Master of the Lu family, attempted to speak out on behalf of Lu Yun, arguing that a son should lead, but Lu Yun himself championed Lu Anran’s contributions to the family business. Liu Mingyu subtly signaled Lu Ting to drop the issue and publicly expressed her trust that Lu Anran would always care for their family.
Lu Anran then addressed the assembly, emphasizing the strong bonds among the Lu siblings and stating that their shared goal was to manage the family enterprise to benefit many, ensuring that everyone would prosper with her. Developing a rash, Lu Anran excused herself from the banquet early. Mu Ze, seizing the opportunity, approached her in the back garden. While concealing his true identity, he impressed Lu Anran with his insightful views on flood control, distinguishing between natural and man-made disasters.
He argued for prevention through hydraulic engineering and river rebuilding over mere relief, linking this approach to the Lu family's integration of the 36 ports. Though Lu Anran expressed distrust of the court, she appreciated his deep understanding. Mu Ze then presented her with a flower box as a birthday gift and personally applied some Yurong Cream to soothe her itching. When she inquired about his name, he cryptically promised to tell her "next time."
Back in the main hall, Lu Qingzhou politely but firmly declined any collaboration with Prince Qing through Mr. Cai, stating his desire for his family's peace and his reluctance to be drawn into royal disputes. Lu Anran, hoping to see the "little bodyguard," waited outside, but he had already left. She was disappointed when Mr. Cai informed her that they would depart Su City the next day.
Later, a group of farmers sought out Lu Anran, complaining about a young man pulling up their rice seedlings. Lu Anran rushed to the fields and found the Ninth Prince, Mu Chuan, systematically uprooting the crops. Initially misinterpreting his actions as vandalism by a rich playboy, Lu Anran was prepared to have him thrown into a pit.
However, Mu Chuan explained that the seedlings were diseased and, like human smallpox, would infect the entire farmland and render the harvest inedible if not immediately destroyed. Understanding the severity, Lu Anran promptly organized the villagers and her own men to pull up and burn the diseased seedlings. Mu Chuan, hearing of Lu Anran's efforts in redirecting waterways to irrigate vast fields, which had brought prosperity to the local people, expressed his deep admiration for her.
At the Flower Festival, Lu Xinran suggested that the "little bodyguard" might be there, prompting Lu Anran to attend. While watching a lantern show with her maid Lingxi on a crowded bridge, Lu Anran was accidentally pushed into the river. Mu Ze reappeared, catching her and landing her safely on a boat. As they floated along the river, Lu Anran learned his name was Mu Huaishu, and that he was the second among his siblings.
Mu Huaishu confessed his immediate love for her upon their first meeting. Lu Anran, affirming her disinterest in wealth or status, sealed their affection with a kiss. The next day, Lu Anran bid farewell to Mu Ze. As a token of engagement, he gave her his ancestral jade pendant, promising to stay with her for the rest of his life. Two months passed without a letter from Mu Ze, causing Lu Anran anxiety.
She frequently visited the wharf, hoping for news. There, she encountered Mu Chuan again, who, sensing her longing for a beloved, comforted her and expressed his hope that she would receive good news soon. Shortly after, an imperial decree arrived, formally bestowing marriage between the Lu family's first daughter, Lu Anran, and Prince Qing Mu Ze. Though initially unwilling to accept, Lu Anran ultimately complied to protect her family.
She then received a personal letter from Mu Ze, revealing that her beloved Mu Huaishu was, in fact, the Second Prince Mu Ze. He confessed to using his military exploits in the northern war to secure the imperial marriage, having wagered everything for a lifetime with her. Lu Qingzhou expressed doubts about Prince Qing's true intentions, but Lu Anran, convinced of Mu Ze's genuine affection, remained steadfast.
Her mother, Shen Lanxi, likened a woman's love to a gamble, unrelated to background, and noted that the outcome remained uncertain until the very end. Seeing Lu Anran's unwavering resolve, her parents ceased their objections. On her wedding day, Shen Lanxi’s illness took a critical turn. With the bridal sedan chair already at their gate, Lu Anran was distraught and reluctant to leave her mother's side. However, the auspicious timing for a royal wedding could not be delayed.
Lu Anran tearfully knelt before her mother, who was unconscious, and accepted her father's reassurance that he would take care of everything at home. She then stepped into the sedan chair, bound for Hanjing City. At that moment, Lu Anran believed her mother's sudden passing to be the greatest sorrow of her life, unaware that her journey to the capital would, with each step, unfold a scroll of fate in increasingly painful ways. As her sedan chair moved, a gust of wind lifted her veil, revealing the Ninth Prince, Mu Chuan, leading the procession.
