Lost Track of Time Episode 20 Recap
> Lost Track of Time Recap
Mu Chuan returned Lu Anran to her residence, acknowledging the late hour and encouraging her to rest. Lu Anran expressed her gratitude for the fireworks, calling it the most special gift she had ever received. Mu Chuan, pleased she liked it, promised to share his own story with her another time. He then kissed her forehead, confident she would cherish his gift, which he suggested she open later in her room.
As he left, he bid her "see you tomorrow," unaware that Lu Anran silently thought that after tomorrow, she feared he wouldn't see her again. Later that night, Lu Anran arrived at Prince Qing's Mansion, where she was announced to Mu Ze. Mu Ze questioned her late visit, to which she responded that after three days, she had come to announce her choice.
Mu Ze reminded her that she had previously chosen to give up her family's shipping rather than marry him, implying the Lu family's new status as royal merchants had changed things. Lu Anran declared, "I'll marry you." She proposed to become his concubine as he desired, on the condition that he would set the Lu family free and ensure their safety. Mu Ze, suspecting her motives, asked what she was "scheming again."
Lu Anran explained that she was tired of the constant struggles and royal machinations, citing the Emperor's threat against her father and Mu Ze's surveillance of her family. She asserted that she had no choice and had suffered enough from the danger that felt like "knives and axes hanging" over them. She reiterated her plea for the safety of her family once she became his wife.
To solidify her commitment, Lu Anran cut a lock of her hair, symbolizing their union, and implored Mu Ze to honor his promise. As she left, she inwardly lamented that after walking out of that door, only her body would remain in this world. The next morning, Mu Chuan arrived at the Lu family residence to find it festively decorated. He inquired and was shocked to learn from a servant that Lu Anran was to marry Prince Qing.
Frantically, he rushed to Lu Anran's boudoir, calling her name and demanding she come out. Dong Qing tried to block his entry, explaining that Lu Anran was busy preparing for her wedding and wished to see no one, urging Mu Chuan not to make things difficult. Mu Chuan, however, persisted, questioning why Lu Anran would marry his second brother and asking if she was being forced. He offered to help her if she had anything difficult to say.
Ling Xi, inside, pleaded with Lu Anran to go see Mu Chuan, warning that he was "going crazy." Lu Anran remained steadfast in her refusal. Dong Qing relayed Lu Anran's message: she had survived a disaster, and now she finally knew who she truly loved, asking Mu Chuan to leave. Mu Chuan pressed, asking if she truly loved his second brother.
Dong Qing advised him to consider Lu Anran's reputation as she was about to become a part of Prince Qing's Mansion, and his persistent attempts to enter her boudoir with so many people watching would compromise her standing. Mu Chuan, desperate, asked Dong Qing, as Lu Anran's confidante, why Lu Anran had changed so drastically overnight. Dong Qing insisted that Lu Anran, in making such a life-altering decision, was simply following her heart.
She acknowledged Mu Chuan's affection for Lu Anran but stated that Lu Anran only regarded him as a "bosom friend." Mu Chuan scoffed at this, asking who would want to be just a bosom friend when he clearly wanted to marry her. Dong Qing further advised that Lu Anran had someone else in her heart, and Mu Chuan's continued pursuit would only bring him more pain.
Mu Chuan struggled to accept this, repeating to himself that Lu Anran had "figured it out," but he couldn't. Inside, Lu Anran wept silently, but refused Ling Xi's plea to stop Mu Chuan before he left. Ling Xi, seeing Lu Anran's sadness, confronted her, asking why she would reject Prince Qi despite her obvious affection for him.
Lu Anran sternly instructed Ling Xi to remember that she and Prince Qi had no feelings for each other, "from beginning to end," and warned her to be cautious of what she said and did within Prince Qing's Mansion.
Ling Xi, however, reminded her of their recent spring outing, the fireworks Lu Anran prepared for him, the rabbit lantern Prince Qi personally made that Lu Anran cherished, and the bracelet she always wore, all signs of her deep fondness for him. Ling Xi couldn't comprehend why Lu Anran would marry Prince Qing if she was so fond of Prince Qi. Lu Anran cut her off, refusing to discuss it further.
Ling Xi grew angry, accusing Lu Anran of becoming a completely different person since her hair-pinning ceremony, claiming the "old Miss" would never speak to her this way. She insisted that she might not understand everything, but she clearly saw Lu Anran's feelings for Prince Qi. Lu Anran sharply retorted that her feelings and marriage were none of Ling Xi's concern.
Hurt, Ling Xi declared that Lu Anran was no longer her Miss, as her real Miss would never speak to her like that. Lu Anran later met with Mu Ze and requested not to reside within Prince Qing's Mansion after their marriage. She explained that she wished to avoid vying for his favor with others in the mansion and simply desired peace and quiet.
Mu Ze retorted that his mansion was neither a nunnery nor a place for a peaceful life. He questioned if she truly wanted nothing, to which Lu Anran reaffirmed that her only wish was for the Lu family's safety. She promised to be a compliant concubine if he kept his word. Mu Ze remarked that he preferred her to want something from him rather than simply "behave herself."
Lu Anran then proposed to live in her current residence, which was only a wall away from Prince Qing's Mansion's backyard, and suggested breaking down the wall to connect the two. Mu Ze agreed to her residing there but stipulated that she would still enter through the back door of his mansion, emphasizing that as a concubine, she must adhere to the rules. Lu Anran assured him she would fulfill his wishes.
Mu Ze then pressed her to definitively sever ties with Prince Qi, as he knew of Prince Qi's deep feelings for her. Lu Anran claimed she had already made it clear to Prince Qi, but Mu Ze deemed it insufficient, urging her to find a way to make Prince Qi give up.
He warned her against showing tears within the mansion, threatening that if she lost his interest, he would withdraw his marriage offer and instead torture her beloved younger brother, Lu Yun. Mu Chuan sought solace at Shen Changqing's home, drinking heavily in the pouring rain. Shen Changqing urged him to stop, expressing concern over his excessive drinking.
Mu Chuan confessed he was there for "peace and quiet," lamenting that despite sincerely treating someone who asked him to wait and promised a way out, his efforts had ended up catching "a bubble" that disappeared instantly. He questioned if he had done something wrong, struggling to understand why, after one mistake, Lu Anran was marrying someone else. Shen Changqing realized Mu Chuan was speaking of Lu Anran.
Mu Chuan, in his drunken despair, declared there was "no more Miss Lu" because his heart was dead. Shen Changqing tried to take the wine away, but Mu Chuan resisted, eventually collapsing with a high fever. Shen Changqing immediately called for Doctor Liang, who diagnosed Prince Qi with a cold and prescribed medicine, warning against further drinking. Believing Lu Anran was the only cure for Mu Chuan's "anxiety," Shen Changqing sent someone to fetch her.
However, his assistant returned to report that Lu Anran refused to open her door upon hearing Prince Qi wanted to see her, leading Shen Changqing to believe they had a severe quarrel. Concerned for Mu Chuan's life, Shen Changqing ordered his assistant to try again, while Mu Chuan, delirious with fever, repeatedly called out Lu Anran's name, pleading with her to wait for him.
Xiao Jingque, after seeing the festive decorations, confronted Mu Ze, asking if the rumors about him taking a concubine were true and if it was Lu Anran. Mu Ze confirmed it, stating that marrying Lu Anran was a "stopgap." Xiao Jingque questioned the utility of marrying Lu Anran now that the Lu family's assets had been seized by the Emperor. Mu Ze sharply retorted, asking if his decisions now required her questioning.
Xiao Jingque insisted she was acting for his sake, but Mu Ze accused her of merely not wanting another woman to compete for his favor, reminding her as a member of a general's clan, she should avoid such "small family tricks." Xiao Jingque, in tears, confessed her "tricks" stemmed from her love for him.
She pointed out the scandal caused by Lu Xinran had already made the mansion a laughingstock, and marrying Lu Anran, her sister, would only fuel rumors that Mu Ze was "bewitched by tenderness" and unable to bear heavy responsibilities, especially after the Emperor already held such views when he married Lu Xinran using his military exploits. Mu Ze, angered by her outspokenness, struck her, declaring he had tolerated her enough and found her greedy.
He then roughly ordered her to "piss off." As Xiao Jingque left in tears, she vowed that if Lu Anran entered the mansion, she would ensure her life would not be happy. Mu Ze visited Xiao Ying at the military camp. Xiao Ying initially feigned busyness with border conflicts and claimed to have no time to monitor Prince Yi's faction, apologizing to Mu Ze.
Mu Ze, however, countered, subtly threatening by mentioning his "agents in your army" and accusing Xiao Ying of quickly learning the court officials' tricks to avoid crucial topics. He urged Xiao Ying to get straight to the point, reminding him of their years fighting together. Xiao Ying then expressed his disappointment in how Mu Ze had treated his sister, Xiao Jingque, and the Xiao family, despite their friendship and his sister's love for Mu Ze.
Mu Ze asked what Xiao Ying wanted for his sister. Xiao Ying, declaring his desire to give his only sister the best, demanded that Xiao Jingque be made the Princess Consort of Prince Qing's Mansion. In return, Mu Ze inquired about the troops allocated to the southern region.
Xiao Ying assured him they would be returned as scheduled, sealing the agreement: from tomorrow, Xiao Jingque would be the mistress of Prince Qing's Mansion, and the Xiao family would fully support Mu Ze's ambitions. After Mu Ze had decorated Lu Anran's residence with rabbit lanterns, knowing she liked them, Lu Anran sent her thanks through a servant. Later, Dong Qing expressed regret for her harsh words to Prince Qi, acknowledging his deep sadness.
She asked if their actions were truly necessary. Lu Anran affirmed that they were, explaining that her previous hesitation and dreams of having both love and security had led to endless slander. She described marrying the ruthless Mu Ze as "walking on ice," where she could not afford any flaws or allow anyone to exploit her weaknesses.
Dong Qing, now understanding Lu Anran's profound hatred for Prince Qing, conceded that she had witnessed his horrific nature and acknowledged that once entangled with him, escape was impossible. Lu Anran declared her resolve to make Mu Ze pay back everything he had made her lose, "one by one." Shen Changqing, worried about Mu Chuan, personally arrived at the Lu residence after his earlier attempts to invite Lu Anran were rebuffed.
Lu Anran tried to dismiss him, stating she wouldn't see Prince Qi. Shen Changqing insisted, describing Mu Chuan's dire state: high fever from the heavy rain, delirious in bed, unable to take medicine, and constantly calling out her name. Dong Qing remarked that men can handle rain, suggesting a doctor instead. Shen Changqing countered that no doctor could cure Mu Chuan's "anxiety," for which Lu Anran was the "antidote."
He chastised Lu Anran for punishing Mu Chuan, emphasizing that everyone knew of Prince Qi's affection for her. He gave her an ultimatum: come willingly or be kidnapped. Lu Anran, knowing she had to face the situation, agreed to go with him. On their way, Shen Changqing explained to Lu Anran that despite Mu Chuan's carefree demeanor and travels, he carried deep pain from losing his mother early in his royal upbringing, a pain he couldn't share with anyone.
Shen Changqing recalled Mu Chuan once telling him he didn't want to be a prince, finding true freedom and simply being "Mu Chuan" only when he was with Shen Changqing, and asking Shen Changqing to call him "Chuan" instead of "Your Highness." Shen Changqing concluded by telling Lu Anran that she was the first person Mu Chuan had ever shown such genuine affection for since they met.
