Lost Track of Time Episode 12 Recap
> Lost Track of Time Recap
Mu Ze unexpectedly arrived at the Lu mansion, causing Lu Anran to hastily close the window, fearing he would see Xu Qingce. In her rush, she accidentally caught Mu Ze’s hand, injuring him. To apologize, Lu Anran used medicated wine to help reduce the bruising. During the treatment, she inadvertently mentioned Mu Ze's aversion to alcohol.
Although Mu Ze was surprised by her knowledge, asking if they had met before, Lu Anran brushed it off as a mere guess, claiming she had never seen him drink. Mu Ze remained suspicious, stating her expression suggested they had met prior to his journey to Su City. Just then, Lu Yun entered, mentioning that Xu Qingce wished to borrow books from the study.
Mu Ze, learning that Xu Qingce was a talented scholar from Su City with no influential background, decided he would be a suitable substitute for Minister Yan's son in the upcoming Spring Imperial Exam. Lu Anran, recalling that in her previous life Xu Qingce became a top scholar, was then used by Mu Ze, and soon after assassinated by Prince Yi, resolved to prevent this tragedy. She believed that if he failed the exam and returned home, he might live.
Mu Ze, pleased with Lu Anran finding Xu Qingce, accepted him as a "birthday present" and promised that after the exam results were announced, she could take Ling Xi home. On his birthday, Mu Ze retreated alone to a secret room to honor his deceased mother. He confided that this day, his birthday, was also the day he despised most, because no one knew his mother's name.
He vowed that one day her name would be placed in the royal ancestral temple, to be revered for generations. Later, Lu Xinran brought him longevity noodles she had prepared herself, hoping to express her sincerity. However, this act enraged Mu Ze. He overturned the bowl, mockingly remarking that even in her display of sincerity, she couldn't resist disparaging Lu Anran.
He sternly warned her to behave herself and cease creating trouble, emphasizing that Lu Anran, despite her mysterious resurrection and unknown motives, was far more valuable to him than Lu Xinran, a mere concubine's child. He further threatened that if she dared to act on her own initiative again, the noodles would become offerings on her grave next year. Mu Ze’s harsh words deeply disappointed Lu Xinran, who realized her efforts would never win his genuine affection.
After Mu Ze’s tirade, Lu Xinran, filled with resentment, took her anger out on her maid, Cuicui, physically punishing her. She then decided to approach Lu Yun, her only remaining ally. Before the exam results were announced, Lu Xinran found Lu Yun with Xu Qingce and tried to instigate him against Lu Anran, claiming that Lu Anran had killed their mother, Liu Mingyu.
Lu Yun, however, dismissed her accusations, stating that their mother had brought her fate upon herself by trying to harm the First Madam and Lu Anran. He saw through Lu Xinran’s intentions, realizing she was merely trying to sow discord between him and Lu Anran to gain control of the family property. Lu Xinran, furious at Lu Yun's refusal to side with her, swore she would make everyone see Lu Anran's true colors one day.
When the Spring Imperial Exam results were posted, Xu Qingce, who had been confident in his performance and had planned with Lu Yun to seek an assessment from the Imperial Academy chief, was devastated to discover he had failed while Minister Yan's son, Yan Ziyun, was named the champion. Lu Anran went to collect Ling Xi as promised. Mu Ze, however, presented her with a new agreement, stating that their previous marital alliance was now void.
This new document stipulated that if either party betrayed the other, they would be subject to the other party's chosen punishment. To compel her signature, Mu Ze had Ling Xi's finger pricked, using her blood to mark the document. Enraged but with no other choice, Lu Anran signed the agreement. As she departed, she deliberately used her hairpin to scratch Cai Wangjin’s hand, a silent act of defiance.
Later, Lu Xinran visited Cai Wangjin under the pretext of bringing wound medicine, seeking information. Cai Wangjin inadvertently revealed that Lu Anran had assisted Mu Ze by finding a talented scholar from her hometown to act as a substitute, thereby helping Minister Yan's son secure the top rank. This made her immediately suspect Xu Qingce.
Meanwhile, Lu Yun attempted to comfort a despondent Xu Qingce, while Lu Anran, feeling responsible for his failure, promised him the Lu family's full financial and political support for future examinations. Xu Qingce, however, politely declined, expressing his intention to return to Su City the next day. Lu Xinran, armed with her new information, confronted Lu Yun, accusing Lu Anran of swapping Xu Qingce's exam paper.
Lu Yun, shocked, obtained a copy of the champion's paper and hurried to confront Lu Anran. Her inability to offer a coherent explanation deeply disappointed him. Unable to keep the truth from his friend, Lu Yun revealed to Xu Qingce that his paper had been swapped and that the champion's essay was indeed his own work. Furious, Xu Qingce stormed out of the Lu mansion, determined to seek justice.
Lu Anran, realizing she couldn’t stop him, rushed to Prince Qing's Mansion. Xu Qingce arrived at the Examination Hall and beat the drum of grievances, publicly denouncing the injustice of having his exam paper swapped and his champion title stolen. He declared that the examination hall, meant to select talents, had become a marketplace for wealth and a graveyard for the aspirations of the poor, demanding an explanation and the return of his rightful title.
Concurrently, Lu Anran confronted Mu Ze at his mansion, dragging Lu Xinran before him. She accused Lu Xinran of deliberately leaking the secret of the swapped papers to Lu Yun, thereby jeopardizing Mu Ze's entire plan. Lu Xinran vehemently denied this, deflecting blame back onto Lu Anran by claiming that Lu Anran was duplicitous, pointing out that Lu Yun had previously taken Xu Qingce to the Imperial Academy chief for a re-assessment, proving Lu Anran must have known.
Unable to deal with their bickering at that moment, Mu Ze ordered Lu Anran to quickly resolve the situation with the Imperial Academy chief to prevent further complications. Separately, Mu Chuan ordered Fu Yunan to thoroughly investigate the exam paper swap. Fu Yunan explained the difficulty, pointing out that various powerful factions in the capital exerted influence over the examination hall, making a strict investigation challenging.
Mu Chuan, however, insisted that if the imperial examination became a mere transaction of power and money, it would fail its purpose of recruiting worthy talents for the court. Fu Yunan subtly hinted that a thorough investigation would implicate powerful figures, possibly even Mu Ze himself. Meanwhile, Cai Wangjin visited Xu Qingce in prison. He expressed understanding for Xu Qingce's resentment but cautioned him that even if he reclaimed his title, antagonizing Minister Yan would destroy his future political career.
Cai Wangjin suggested that Xu Qingce's past failures were due to his humble background, not his lack of talent. He proposed that by compromising now and accepting support from Prince Qing and Minister Yan, Xu Qingce could still achieve his ambitions. Cai Wangjin urged him to make a pragmatic choice. Lu Anran, upon learning that Prince Qing had sent someone to recruit Xu Qingce, still felt uneasy, fearing for his life if the situation escalated. Later, a fire broke out at the Hanjing Mayor's mansion.
