Lost Track of Time Episode 22 Recap
> Lost Track of Time Recap
On their wedding night, Lu Anran, still visibly upset, faced Mu Ze. He presented her with the jade pendant that had once been a token of their affection, expressing his genuine desire to build a life with her. When Lu Anran remarked on his usual abstinence from alcohol, Mu Ze decided to make an exception for her that night and share a deep, painful secret.
He revealed that at the age of eight, on the orders of Consort Liang, he was forced to bring a glass of poisoned wine to his biological mother. He clarified that Consort Liang was not his true mother; she had used his mother to gain her status and then sought to eliminate her.
His mother, unwilling for his hands to be stained with her blood, snatched the glass and drank it herself, dying tragically before his eyes and later having her body disposed of in a well. This trauma explained his aversion to wine, as it constantly reminded him of her death. He also shared his resentment towards the Emperor, who knew of these events but remained indifferent, seeing Mu Ze only as "the disgrace of his one-time thing."
Mu Ze then declared that he had no more secrets from Lu Anran and expressed his hope that from that night on, they would share honor and disgrace as husband and wife. He drank the cross-cupped wine, calling it a symbol of his sincerity and true love.
He acknowledged their past unpleasant experiences but emphasized her new position as his concubine, promising to protect the entire Lu family and asking her to accompany him in fulfilling his grand dream, offering her "endless glory and great pride." Lu Anran, however, remained cold and emotionless, offering herself to him like a "dead body."
Frustrated by her detached demeanor, Mu Ze became enraged, stating he wanted her heart, not a lifeless shell, and warned her not to challenge his patience before leaving the room. Confident that Mu Ze’s pride would prevent him from being interested in someone so unresponsive, Lu Anran believed she had won the first battle of their marriage.
Meanwhile, Mu Chuan, who had tirelessly cultivated the Anxin rice, received news that his fields were suffering from a severe bacterial wilt, causing the nearly ripe crops to wither rapidly. His workers explained that the only way to prevent the spread of the disease was to burn the infected crops and start anew. Faced with the heartbreaking decision, Mu Chuan ordered the fields to be set on fire.
As the flames consumed the rice, he reflected on his failed relationship with Lu Anran, symbolizing the destruction of their shared aspirations and his hopes for their future together. He recalled that the name "Anxin Rice" was indeed deeply personal, derived from "Anran," and concluded that this devastating loss signaled the end of his feelings for her. Elsewhere, Xiao Jingque, now Princess Consort, was consumed by jealousy over Mu Ze's marriage to Lu Anran.
Her maid tried to reassure her, reminding her of her superior status, but Xiao Jingque insisted that she desired Mu Ze's heart above all else. When Mu Ze arrived at her court, she immediately questioned him about drinking with Lu Anran and complained about Lu Anran's perceived disrespect.
Still vexed by Lu Anran's coldness on their wedding night, Mu Ze gave Xiao Jingque permission to "teach her well" how to be a concubine, granting her free rein to assert her authority without having to "tread on thin ice" around Lu Anran. Earlier, Lu Anran had taken a sterilization medicine, accepting that she would never bear children.
Her maid, Dong Qing, was saddened, but Lu Anran calmly explained that she couldn't afford to leave herself any room for retreat if she was to achieve her goals. She reiterated that there was no longer any possibility of a future with Mu Chuan and that she was acting with singular courage. She noted that it was the seventh day after Ling Xi’s death, and it was time for Xiao Jingque to pay for her actions.
The following morning, Lu Anran arrived to serve tea to Xiao Jingque, as was customary for a new concubine. Xiao Jingque deliberately made her wait for an hour and then ordered a maid to heat the teacup with boiling water, demanding that Lu Anran serve the scalding tea with both hands to prove her "sincerity." Lu Anran endured the pain, but intentionally dropped and shattered the cup. She then knelt on the broken porcelain pieces, begging Xiao Jingque for punishment.
Flustered and suspicious of Lu Anran's unusual submission, Xiao Jingque quickly dismissed her. Knowing that this "punishment" was actually a subtle warning from Mu Ze, Lu Anran deliberately walked along the path where Mu Ze regularly practiced sword fighting. When Mu Ze saw her limping, he inspected her injured knees, immediately recognizing that the cuts were from sharp objects, not a simple fall. Lu Anran feigned innocence, claiming she accidentally tripped on sharp stones.
She then humbly knelt before him, confessing her fear and helplessness in the mansion, implying that she had been wronged and hinting at Xiao Jingque's cruelty by mentioning Ling Xi's death at the "Princess's hands." She questioned the effectiveness of her own "means and schemes" if they couldn't prevent Ling Xi's death, expressing her fear that she might not wake up if she were to fall asleep.
Mu Ze, seemingly placated by her apparent vulnerability, reassured her that as his woman, no one would dare to harm her without his explicit command. Meanwhile, Xiao Jingque was admiring an exquisite jadeite bracelet among the many congratulatory gifts she had received upon her elevation to Princess Consort. Butler Liu, eager to curry favor, informed her that Lu Anran had used her injuries to gain Mu Ze's sympathy and attention.
Enraged that Lu Anran had resorted to such "torture herself for pity" tactics, Xiao Jingque immediately marched to Lu Anran's court with her nanny, intending to deliver a harsher lesson. She ordered her nanny to whip Lu Anran, disregarding Dong Qing's pleas. Just as the punishment was about to commence, Mu Ze arrived. Lu Anran seized the moment to openly accuse Xiao Jingque of pushing Ling Xi to the ground, causing her to bleed to death.
Xiao Jingque, genuinely shocked and flustered, tried to defend herself, claiming she had only "slightly pushed" Ling Xi and was unaware of her death. Lu Anran then pointed to the jadeite bracelet on Xiao Jingque’s wrist, identifying it as a rare "icy jadeite from Jiaodong," so valuable it could buy ten of the Lu family's mansions. She scornfully asked if Ling Xi's life and the mansion's reputation were worth less than Xiao Jingque's fleeting pleasure in a costly trinket. Enraged by Xiao Jingque's cruelty and greed, Mu Ze ordered her to kneel immediately at the exact spot where Ling Xi had died—under the grape trellis.
