Love in Flames of War Episode 32 Recap
> Love in Flames of War Recap
Xiao Beichen locked himself away, refusing to see anyone. His close aides, Xu Zijun and Mo Weiyi, worried about him. Mo Weiyi, recalling the testimonies of Dr. Sun and Xiu, realized there was a discrepancy. Dr. Sun had stated it was raining heavily around 3:30 PM, but Xiu claimed to have carried sweet-scented osmanthus cakes after 3:30 PM, by which time the rain had stopped.
Mo Weiyi deduced that Xiu must have lied, as she would have been drenched if she carried the cakes through a downpour. Their subsequent investigation confirmed that Xiu had deliberately advanced the kitchen clock by half an hour to falsify her alibi. Just as they decided to summon Xiu for questioning, she was found to have hanged herself.
A suicide note was discovered, in which Xiu confessed her guilt but claimed she had been ordered by Xiao Shuyi to put abortifacients in Lin Hangjing's prenatal medicine. Upon hearing this, Jin Xiang, consumed by grief and anger, confronted Xiao Shuyi, accusing her of having always disliked Lin Hangjing and spreading rumors, ultimately leading to her death.
Xiao Shuyi vehemently denied the accusations, pleading with Madam Qi to believe her, while Zheng Fengqi, having heard the commotion, arrived at the scene. Shortly after, money and what appeared to be Xiao Shuyi's ruby bracelet were found hidden under Xiu's bed, adding to the incriminating evidence. Zheng Fengqi interjected, suggesting that if Xiao Shuyi was indeed involved, it was an impulsive act and urged Madam Qi to forgive her.
However, Madam Qi was furious, stating that Xiao Shuyi’s usual arrogance was one thing, but committing such a heinous act against Lin Hangjing and her brother was unforgivable. Faced with overwhelming evidence and Xiao Shuyi’s inability to explain, Madam Qi declared that she would wait for Xiao Haishan to return and make a final decision. Meanwhile, Zheng's father realized that Zheng Fengqi was involved in Lin Hangjing’s incident.
He confronted her, emphasizing the gravity of taking human lives and warning her that Xiao Beichen would investigate thoroughly, leaving her no way to protect herself. Zheng Fengqi denied any involvement, claiming she had nothing to fear. Zheng's father insisted she accompany him to the Xiao family to apologize. Zheng Fengqi adamantly refused, saying she would rather die than beg for mercy.
She confessed her desire to marry the man she loved and argued that she was merely eliminating Mu Zizheng’s illegitimate child for Xiao Beichen. She feared that admitting her actions would shatter any remaining hope with Xiao Beichen. During their struggle, Zheng's father fell down the stairs, rendering him unconscious. Undeterred by the initial evidence against Xiao Shuyi, Xu Zijun continued searching Xiu’s room for clues, convinced of Xiao Shuyi’s innocence.
Elsewhere, Xiao Beichen remained isolated in the baby’s room he had prepared, consumed by grief. Witnessing his commander’s despair, Du Heng confronted Xiao Beichen, demanding he stand up. He reminded Xiao Beichen of his oath to protect others and chastised him for his current state of self-neglect, warning that the Weizhen Army was closing in on Jinyang, Qinguan, and Xinping, threatening Beixin City itself.
Du Heng powerfully asserted that soldiers on the battlefield, many of whom had lost loved ones, still fought for the nation, and as a commander, Xiao Beichen could not afford to be lost in his personal sorrow while his people and soldiers faced imminent danger. With Zheng's father unconscious, Xiao Shuyi extended an invitation to Zheng Fengqi for dinner, feigning a need to confide in a friend about her distress.
During their conversation, Xiao Shuyi strategically produced an earring found in Xiu's room, which she identified as Zheng Fengqi's. She then questioned how her own ruby bracelet, which she knew had always been in her room, ended up with Xiu, suggesting only Xiao Zhuo or Zheng Fengqi could have accessed it. Zheng Fengqi attempted to maintain her facade of sisterly affection, denying any malice towards Lin Hangjing.
However, at that critical moment, Xiao Beichen, accompanied by Mo Weiyi and Xu Zijun, surrounded the premises with armed guards. Mo Weiyi then revealed their full investigation, exposing Zheng Fengqi as the mastermind behind the schemes involving Qiao Jiang, the death of Mu Zizheng, and the plot to drive Lin Hangjing away. With her deception uncovered, Zheng Fengqi dropped her act, admitting her association with Qiao Jiang—whose real name was Jiang Zhiqi—though she scornfully dismissed him as an incompetent failure.
Xiao Shuyi was devastated, feeling profound betrayal after years of treating Zheng Fengqi as a beloved sister. Xiao Beichen, deeply hurt by Zheng Fengqi's treachery, questioned her motives, recalling their shared childhood. Zheng Fengqi, in a fit of bitterness, confessed her lifelong love for Xiao Beichen, her relentless efforts to become worthy of him, and her anguish over his marriage to Lin Hangjing, demanding to know why she was deemed inferior.
Enraged, Xiao Beichen pointed his gun at her head, intending to avenge Lin Hangjing. Just then, Zheng's father and Mrs. Zheng arrived, desperately pleading for their daughter’s life. Zheng's father offered his entire force of over ten thousand troops as compensation. Xiao Beichen, however, declared that Lin Hangjing was more precious to him than his own life, and no amount of troops could ever atone for her loss, as Zheng Fengqi defiantly called his suffering retribution.
Xiao Haishan arrived, having been informed of the tragedy involving Lin Hangjing and the child. Acknowledging that Zheng Fengqi’s actions deserved death, he pleaded with Xiao Beichen to spare her life. Xiao Haishan revealed his profound debt to Zheng's father, who had once saved his life from a battlefield piled with corpses. To repay this life-saving kindness, Xiao Haishan declared he must give Zheng's father his daughter’s life in return, effectively compelling Xiao Beichen to make an agonizing choice.
Ultimately, Xiao Beichen did not kill Zheng Fengqi, but as a severe punishment, he fired a shot past her ear, grazing it. Xiao Haishan then ordered Zheng's father to take Zheng Fengqi and leave Beixin, never to return. Following this harrowing episode, Xiao Beichen led his forces to battle Wei Zhenliang’s Weizhen Army.
His strategic command proved decisive, as he anticipated Wei Zhenliang's true target was Pinggu Valley, a natural barrier typically lightly guarded, rather than Qinguan Town, which served as a feint. By ambushing Wei Zhenliang's troops at Pinggu Valley, Xiao Beichen's army caught them by surprise, forcing them to retreat urgently to Jinyang. Exercising caution, Xiao Beichen ordered his troops to camp ten miles outside Jinyang, opting not to pursue immediately, as the odds of a decisive victory were merely 50/50.
This strategic victory delighted Madam Qi and Xiao Haishan. Madam Qi, in particular, found herself frequently reminiscing about Lin Hangjing, recalling her gentle demeanor when she first arrived in their household and lamenting their inability to keep such a wonderful daughter. Shortly after, news arrived that Zheng's father had passed away, deepening the somber mood.
Xiao Haishan attended the memorial, reflecting with profound sadness on the loss of his old comrades, including Mo Xibai and Zheng's father, who had fought alongside him through thick and thin. Amidst the celebrations of victory, Xiao Beichen surveyed the devastation and civilian suffering, prompting him to once again question the true purpose of war.
Du Heng explained that while no one desired conflict, war was an unavoidable path to unify the fractured nation, which was plagued by internal strife and foreign aggression. He asserted that only by sweeping away old shackles like crushing dry weeds could a new world be forged, much like fresh snow covering the blood-stained ground to allow for new life to emerge.
Recalling Lin Hangjing’s earlier words, Xiao Beichen reaffirmed his greatest responsibility: to fight every battle well and to defend his city. In the aftermath of Zheng's father’s death, Mrs. Zheng sternly banished Zheng Fengqi from their home, presenting her with packed luggage. Mrs. Zheng conveyed her late husband’s deep regret at having to surrender his ten thousand troops—the pride and glory of his life—all for Zheng Fengqi.
Despite this, Zheng Fengqi defiantly refused to admit her fault, blaming her father for sacrificing their family's military power for Lin Hangjing. Enraged, Mrs. Zheng slapped her daughter, condemning her for being so consumed by jealousy that she had become unrecognizable and, indirectly, caused her father’s demise. Mrs. Zheng tearfully explained that the Zheng family could no longer offer Zheng Fengqi protection or resources.
A maid later confirmed Mrs. Zheng's true motive: Zheng Fengqi's life would be in danger if she remained in Beixin City, but she could survive elsewhere. Filled with bitter resentment, Zheng Fengqi departed, secretly vowing to reclaim everything the Zheng family had lost.
