Love Like The Galaxy Episode 44 Recap
> Love Like The Galaxy Recap
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After the battle in Shouchun concluded, Ling Buyi led his troops overnight to Tongniu County. There, he learned from Lou Ben that Ma Rong, whom Lou Ben had persuaded to surrender, had been assassinated by Peng Kun’s vice general only half a day later, leaving no witnesses. Ling Buyi found this sequence of events suspicious, questioning Lou Ben about the vice general’s motive given that Shouchun’s defeat was imminent.
Lou Ben explained that the vice general was intensely loyal to Peng Kun and was even considered a foster son. Ling Buyi then subtly implied that Lou Ben, being well-traveled and informed, should have known of this connection. He also pressed Lou Ben about the rumors of Yan Zhong’s defection and the whereabouts of General Cheng Shi and the refined copper.
Lou Ben asserted that County Assistant Governor Li Feng’s testimony and a letter of repentance found in the county office proved Yan Zhong’s betrayal, but claimed ignorance regarding General Cheng’s location. Ling Buyi read the repentance letter, noting its inscription "Greed has grown. Heart filled with regret." He sarcastically remarked that it was "forgivable" for Yan Zhong to betray for his family, but then contrasted this with County Assistant Governor Li Feng, who supposedly refused to surrender and was imprisoned.
Ling Buyi urged Lou Ben to release Li Feng to prevent loyal officials from being disheartened. Lou Ben claimed Ma Rong had intended to release Li Feng before his death and promised to do so immediately. However, at that moment, a soldier reported that the county office prison was on fire and Li Feng had perished. Ling Buyi and his men rushed to the scene of the prison fire and discovered Cheng Shaoshang lying unconscious.
She soon recovered and, upon seeing Ling Buyi, initially thought she was hallucinating. Ling Buyi was relieved she was unharmed and gently bandaged her wounds. He both playfully chided her for her reckless bravery in venturing to a battlefield alone and tenderly comforted her.
Cheng Shaoshang recounted her arduous journey from the capital, including being caught by Yuan Shen while attempting to visit her imprisoned family, having half her travel funds confiscated, and even hiding in a poop bucket to enter Tongniu County. She revealed that she intentionally stole biscuits to get arrested, as she believed Li Feng, being imprisoned, was central to the case. Ling Buyi, seeing her distress, apologized for not being there and vowed never to leave her again.
He assured her that she was not alone, affirming that as her future husband, he was now a part of the Cheng family, and promised they would uncover the truth of the Tongniu case together to rescue her family. Cheng Shaoshang then shared further details about Li Feng, whom she found odd. He had spoken confidently of getting a promotion and becoming rich once Lou Ben recovered Tongniu County.
As she spoke, Lou Ben appeared at the door, claiming to deliver the fire’s casualty list. Ling Buyi noticed his presence, and Cheng Shaoshang, clearly distrustful, curtly dismissed him. Lou Ben, feigning concern, offered an apology on behalf of his family. Ling Buyi questioned him about the fire's casualties and cause, to which Lou Ben reported eight deaths, including Li Feng, attributing the fire to Peng Kun’s spies who committed suicide.
Ling Buyi instructed Lou Ben to bury the dead and appoint County Assistant Governor Yin Lao as temporary county governor, promising him imperial rewards upon his return to the capital. Lou Ben modestly acknowledged the praise before leaving. Ling Buyi advised Cheng Shaoshang to conceal her suspicions from the astute Lou Ben. Cheng Shaoshang agreed, revealing that Li Feng's unusual calm in prison and his prior knowledge of Ma Rong's impending surrender made her suspicious.
She further recounted overhearing Li Feng's shouts about "burning your bridges" and "tying up loose ends" during the prison fire, strongly suggesting collusion. She worried about her father’s whereabouts and potential connection to the case. Ling Buyi, admitting he had underestimated Lou Ben’s ambition despite his admiration, concurred that obtaining evidence from him would be challenging but not impossible, as everyone has a weakness. He urged her to control her emotions to avoid alerting Lou Ben.
At Li Feng’s memorial hall, County Assistant Governor Yin Lao shared his condolences with Ling Buyi and Cheng Shaoshang, lamenting Li Feng’s orphaned upbringing and the tragedy of his death. He described Yan Zhong as arrogant, unkind, and seemingly incorruptible, often punishing even minor gratuities and pawning his own possessions for his sick mother. Yin Lao admitted he only believed Yan Zhong’s defection after Lou Ben presented the repentance letter.
Lou Ben then entered, ostensibly to pay respects, but subtly pressured Madam Li to take her travel funds and leave Tongniu County, calling it a "sad place." Madam Li agreed, stating she was already selling her house to return to her hometown.
Unaware of the underlying threat, Cheng Shaoshang continued to question Yin Lao, who reiterated Li Feng's account that Cheng Shi and Yan Zhong had used the pretext of securing the refined copper by moving it away from Shouchun, but Yan Zhong taking his family along strongly suggested defection. Yin Lao confessed that all his information came from Li Feng. As Madam Li left the hall, she deliberately caught Ling Buyi’s and Cheng Shaoshang’s eyes, then departed with a troubled expression.
Sensing an issue, they followed her. Throughout the day, she was seen moving and selling her belongings. Eventually, in a public square, she staged a loud argument with a pawnshop owner, accusing him of bullying her as a widow and trying to swindle her family heirloom, a jade pendant from her father-in-law, a former post sheriff. She dramatically stated she needed money to return to her hometown 30 li away. During this scene, she conspicuously dropped her pouch.
Cheng Shaoshang quickly retrieved the pouch, finding a silk document containing two different handwritings: one from Li Feng and a detailed county plan by Yan Zhong. She and Ling Buyi deduced that Madam Li's circuitous method of providing clues indicated she was being threatened by someone within the county office.
Recalling Madam Li’s contradictory remarks about her "father-in-law who was a post sheriff" (despite Li Feng being an orphan), needing extensive travel funds for a relatively short distance, and leaving a treasure for "family" when she had no children, Cheng Shaoshang realized the clues pointed to a post station 30 li outside Tongniu County. Ling Buyi immediately sent Liangqiu Qi and Liangqiu Fei to investigate.
They soon reported finding a mass grave containing the remains of Yan Zhong, his family (an elderly woman, a woman in her forties, and a child), and several guards who had accompanied General Cheng Shi to Tongniu County. Upon hearing this, Cheng Shaoshang was overcome with grief, frantically searching among the numerous bodies for her father.
Ling Buyi held her, assuring her that not finding his body was a good sign, indicating Cheng Shi was likely still alive and possibly recuperating elsewhere. To calm her, Ling Buyi used acupressure to put her to sleep.
When she awoke, still distressed, Liangqiu Fei, despite Ling Buyi’s orders, revealed the hardships Ling Buyi had endured: carrying Cheng Shaoshang for hours, rushing to Tongniu County without rest, and being severely wounded by Peng Kun in Shouchun, saved only by the armor she had given him. Cheng Shaoshang, realizing the extent of his sacrifice, was deeply moved. Ling Buyi confessed that he disregarded his own life when she was in danger.
He then shared his own past pain, how after his uncle's death and his mother's subsequent mental decline, no one cared if he hurt. He understood her burden as the last hope for her family, just as he felt like the last of the Huo family. He promised she would never fight alone again, that he would always protect her, and admitted his deep need for her. They embraced tenderly.
Meanwhile, back in the capital, various officials gathered outside the palace, some advocating for the Cheng family, others seeking to impeach them, all locked in heated disputes. Grand Tutor Lou, while acknowledging congratulations for his nephew Lou Ben, subtly jabbed at Official Zuo, hinting at his family's more confrontational nature. Wan Songbai openly mocked Official Zuo for prematurely condemning Yan Zhong based on rumors, now that it was clear Yan Zhong and his family were murdered loyalists.
Official Zuo retaliated by accusing the missing Cheng Shi of the murders and even implicated Cheng Shaoshang. The exchange escalated into a physical altercation, with Wan Songbai dislocating Official Zuo's arm. Emperor Wen Di, upon hearing the news, surprisingly cheered, expressing his deep annoyance with the constant bickering among his officials.
When Official Zuo, wailing, finally entered the court, Yuan Shen and Grand Tutor Lou colluded to cover for Wan Songbai, claiming Official Zuo had merely slipped, and Wan Songbai's attempt to help had accidentally caused the dislocation. Official Zuo then renewed his accusations, citing Ling Buyi’s letter confirming Yan Zhong’s family was annihilated, and demanded the execution of the entire Cheng family and Cheng Shaoshang's recall for punishment.
To resolve the impasse, Wen Di proposed a compromise: Official Zuo himself would travel to Tongniu County to escort Cheng Shaoshang back to the capital. Despite Official Zuo’s reluctance and fear of Ling Buyi, he was compelled to accept the assignment, especially after Yuan Shen’s endorsement. Having settled the Cheng family matter, Wen Di then praised Lou Ben’s "indispensable" achievement in peacefully recovering Tongniu County, crediting his extensive connections, and announced his intention to promote him to the court.
Grand Tutor Lou, though pleased, attempted to downplay his nephew’s accomplishments as mere coincidence. However, Wen Di asserted his firm decision to reward merit and punish wrongdoing, dismissing any further debate. Ling Buyi later confronted Lou Ben, attempting to glean further information. He questioned how Lou Ben, without military engagement, had managed to persuade Ma Rong, a fiercely loyal vice general of Peng Kun, to surrender.
Lou Ben smoothly reiterated his prior explanation: his friendship with Ma Rong from his travels and the Emperor's benevolence. Ling Buyi then shifted his line of inquiry, revealing his knowledge that County Governor Yan Zhong also had a close friend from a noble family, a relationship kept secret and meetings conducted privately. Ling Buyi directly asked if Lou Ben was aware of this, a question designed to test Lou Ben's knowledge and potentially expose his deeper involvement.
