Lost Track of Time Episode 11 Recap
> Lost Track of Time Recap
The Emperor confessed to his eunuch that he regretted making Consort Liang's personal maidservant pregnant with Mu Ze during a drunken night many years ago. At the time, with few children, he saw no issue, but he now found Mu Ze to be a gloomy individual. Lu Anran, accompanied by Lu Yun and Dong Qing, arrived in Hanjing City.
Lu Yun expressed his excitement for the bustling city but voiced his reluctance to study at the Imperial Academy, instead wishing to become a general. Lu Anran acknowledged his martial aspirations but urged him to prioritize the family, reminding him that their father had entrusted her with the family business, and questioned what would happen if she were no longer there to manage it.
Meanwhile, inside Prince Qing's Mansion, Mu Ze's subordinates discussed the upcoming Spring Imperial Exam, noting Prince Yi's influence over it and the Emperor's recent changes to the examiners. It was suggested that Minister Yan, a respected but neutral veteran, could be swayed by helping his "useless son," who had failed the exam five times, achieve a high score.
Mu Ze expressed keen interest in seeing how Lu Anran would complete her pledge, instructing that she be granted unrestricted access to his mansion at any time. Lu Anran left Lu Yun and Dong Qing behind and ventured alone into Prince Qing's Mansion. As she walked through the familiar halls, painful memories, particularly those involving her son Yu, flashed before her eyes, solidifying her resolve to secure her family's future.
Her thoughts were shattered by screams, leading her to discover Princess Qing, Lu Xinran, cruelly torturing Ling Xi and threatening her to die for her loyalty to Lu Anran. Enraged, Lu Anran intervened, shielding Ling Xi and violently forcing Lu Xinran's head into a water basin. She revealed her survival to a shocked Lu Xinran, taunting her about orchestrating the marriage and her mother's death.
Lu Anran declared Lu Xinran insignificant to Prince Qing and that her death would not fully repay the suffering inflicted upon the Lu family and Yu. Just as Lu Xinran struggled for air, Mu Chuan arrived, pulling Lu Anran away and reminding her that she was not a murderer and should not bear the guilt of killing her own family, promising he would not let her do so.
Later, Lu Anran knelt before Mu Ze, confessing her impropriety in confronting Princess Qing. Mu Ze, though seemingly indifferent to Lu Xinran's life, reminded Lu Anran that Princess Qing was still part of his household, warning her to respect his authority and "see the owner before beating the dog." Lu Anran boldly responded that next time, she would seek his permission before killing Princess Qing. She then formally requested Ling Xi's return.
Mu Ze, seeing an opportunity, stated that her services in Danzhou were not enough and demanded her "sincerity" in return for Ling Xi. Mu Chuan, worried, interrupted Mu Ze, advocating for Ling Xi's release, explaining Lu Anran’s impulsive anger. Mu Ze dismissed the idea of sincerity, stating that his alliance with Lu Anran was purely transactional and built on holding her "sore spot" to ensure her utility.
Mu Chuan, undeterred, asked to "borrow" Ling Xi for a day to bring some joy to his friend. Noticing Mu Chuan's deep concern, Mu Ze playfully teased him about having a crush on Lu Anran, which Mu Chuan quickly denied, insisting they were merely bosom friends. Mu Ze agreed to the temporary release, cynically remarking that taking Ling Xi back later would only motivate Lu Anran to work harder. In the mansion, Lu Xinran, panicking, confided in her maid, Cuicui.
She lamented that her mother and she had been mistaken, realizing that Lu Anran's survival was part of her elaborate scheme to humiliate and torture her. Hearing that Lu Anran was residing in Hanjing and would frequently visit, Lu Xinran stormed into Mu Ze's study, determined to expose Lu Anran. Mu Ze, however, admonished her for her intrusion and reminded her of her own involvement in poisoning Lu Anran.
He coldly stated his indifference to the "truth," declaring that as long as the Lu family and Lu Anran could serve his interests, it was sufficient. He warned Lu Xinran that if she continued to stir up trouble, her life in the mansion would be miserable. Emerging from the study, a distraught Lu Xinran encountered Cai Wangjin, to whom she expressed her dismay that Mu Ze disbelieved her and that she lacked respect as Princess Qing.
She claimed ignorance of her mother's plot to poison Lu Anran. Cai Wangjin, in turn, consoled her, advising her to uphold her duties and assuring her that Prince Qing would eventually recognize her sincerity. Meanwhile, Lu Anran pondered the Spring Imperial Exam. She realized that Mu Ze's demand for her "sincerity" involved manipulating the exam papers to help Minister Yan's son, a tactic she now understood was how Mu Ze had gained Minister Yan's support in her past life.
She confided in Dong Qing that this task was despicable and she would not comply, planning instead to find another way to retrieve Ling Xi. She revealed that her alliance with Mu Ze was merely a pretense to gain access to Prince Qing's Mansion, as her true goal in Hanjing was to confront Lu Xinran. Later, Mu Chuan arrived at Lu Anran's residence with Ling Xi, who was granted a day's visit.
Lu Anran tearfully embraced Ling Xi, but her joy was quickly overshadowed by Ling Xi's visible injuries, which filled Lu Anran with remorse. Ling Xi, however, reassured her, recounting how Mu Chuan had saved her from attempting suicide and urged her to wait for Lu Anran's return. Outside, Mu Chuan was diligently building a unique grape trellis, explaining his design to climb a tree and his intention to plant green grapes from Su City, promising beautiful scenery through the seasons.
Lu Anran was deeply affected by this, realizing that in her previous life, it was Mu Chuan, not Mu Ze, who had built a similar trellis for her during her pregnancy. Overwhelmed by the realization of Mu Chuan’s silent devotion and her past blindness, she felt immense regret for the cruel twist of fate. She sought solace in alcohol, but Mu Chuan intervened, trying to take the wine away.
During their struggle, Lu Anran accidentally leaned against his chest, tearfully lamenting her inability to distinguish between malicious individuals and those with true hearts. As Ling Xi reluctantly prepared to return to Prince Qing's Mansion, Lu Anran promised to ensure her permanent retrieval. Mu Chuan gave Ling Xi a bag of "Zongzi candy," telling her that Lu Anran would come for her once she finished them.
Back home, Lu Yun openly teased Lu Anran about Mu Chuan, suggesting that Lu Xinran's proxy marriage was a divine intervention, allowing Lu Anran to choose anew. He playfully accused his sister of being coy about her obvious affection for Mu Chuan. Dong Qing also urged Lu Anran to follow her heart.
However, Lu Anran reiterated her unwavering commitment to extricating the Lu family from the perilous imperial power struggles, believing that a romantic involvement with Mu Chuan would only complicate her plans. Aware of Lu Xinran's cold reception in Prince Qing's Mansion, Lu Anran decided to target her through her maid, Cuicui, who was also suffering. Lu Anran anticipated that Lu Xinran would attempt to use Mu Ze's upcoming birthday as an opportunity to regain his favor.
Lu Anran, with a subtle smile, knew that Mu Ze never celebrated his birthday, and such an endeavor would only further alienate him. Shortly after, Lu Yun introduced his friend, Xu Qingce, to Lu Anran, explaining that all inns in Hanjing were full due to the Spring Imperial Exam. Lu Anran immediately recognized Xu Qingce as the future top scholar of the Spring Imperial Exam from her previous life, remembering his tragic demise in political strife.
While outwardly offering shelter and requesting him to tutor Lu Yun as a condition, she inwardly grappled with how she could help him avoid his predestined tragic fate without jeopardizing her own intricate plans. Meanwhile, Mu Ze's subordinate reported the difficulty in finding a suitable poor scholar for the exam paper swap, noting that most talented candidates were from noble families, making a swap risky, and poor scholars were largely unknown and required extensive investigation.
Mu Ze wondered if Lu Anran was diligently working on his assigned mission. Later that evening, Lu Anran was deep in thought, gazing towards Xu Qingce's room, when Mu Ze unexpectedly appeared behind her. Startled, she accidentally dropped a window rod, which struck Mu Ze's hand.
