Love Like The Galaxy Episode 54 Recap, Plot

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After recovering from her ordeal, Cheng Shaoshang spent days alternating between sleep and wakefulness before finally regaining some strength. She then returned to Changqiu Palace with Huo Buyi. The palace felt desolate and cold without Empress Xuan. Shaoshang recalled making sweet cakes for the Empress in that very place, which led Emperor Wen to reward Huo Buyi.

At the time, she had felt a pang of unfairness, but Empress Xuan had taught her an important lesson: if a husband is the proud sun, a woman can be a star, and like the sun and stars, they are equally important, coexisting to sustain the world.

Shaoshang then confronted Huo Buyi, confessing her past hatred for him for leaving her, for his reckless independence, for choosing to jump off a cliff alone rather than walk with her, and for repaying her true feelings with lies. She stated that after five long years, she found it impossible to trust him or give her heart again. Huo Buyi apologized, expressing deep regret for hurting her in the most painful way, knowing her fear of abandonment.

He admitted to living the first two decades of his life in hatred, and now the rest would be spent in regret. He wished he could prove his sincerity but felt he no longer had the right. Shaoshang reiterated her resolve to live well and planned to travel the world to witness its vastness after delivering the Empress’s crown back to its homeland. She asked Huo Buyi if he too would live well.

He replied that after completing the Land Distribution Order, he would return to the Northwest to guard the borders and protect the "beautiful galaxy on earth." Shaoshang assured him she would take good care of herself, and he likewise promised to live well. Back at home, Xiao Yuanyi prepared Cheng Shaoshang’s favorite sweet cakes, a stark contrast to her usual strict demeanor.

Shaoshang found her mother’s newfound gentleness quite frightening, prompting Cheng Shi to playfully suggest that Xiao Yuanyi should just scold her daughter as usual. Xiao Yuanyi insisted she would gladly maintain the facade of a gentle mother if it made Shaoshang happy. She apologized to Shaoshang, admitting it was her first time being a mother to a lady, and she had not grasped the difference between raising a daughter, sons, or leading troops.

She regretted leaving Shaoshang behind and vowed that if given another chance, she would take Shaoshang with them even at great personal risk, so they could face all challenges as a family. Cheng Shi agreed, saying he would have fought Grandmother and Madam Ge to keep Shaoshang by their side.

Xiao Yuanyi challenged him to prove it by delivering snacks to Grandmother and informing her of his impending departure to quell a civil disturbance in the State of Yu, knowing Grandmother would object. Cheng Shi jokingly listed his mother, Shaoshang, and Xiao Yuanyi as the three people who gave him the most headaches, with Xiao Yuanyi being the "worst."

Cheng Shaoshang took the snacks to her Grandmother, overhearing her praying for Cheng Zhi’s safety and expressing remorse for her past actions. Grandmother confessed that she had been utterly obsessed, swayed by Madam Ge's lies, and had sought to manipulate Cheng Shi and his wife, which caused Shaoshang to suffer so much. She deeply regretted causing Shaoshang’s long separation from her parents and vowed that if she could relive those years, she would treat Shaoshang much better.

She also revealed that she had arranged to leave all her money and jewelry to Shaoshang after her passing, ensuring Shaoshang would have support even if she chose to remain unmarried. Shaoshang, silent, turned and left with Lianfang. She confided in Lianfang, recalling how Lianfang had been the only person she could trust in her early years and how Lianfang’s care had saved her life when she was gravely ill.

Shaoshang felt as though the past few years had been a dream. She admitted her struggle to reconcile with Grandmother, still resentful for the years of separation and lack of familial affection, even though Grandmother had stepped forward during the Cheng family's crisis.

Acknowledging her own stubbornness, Shaoshang decided to move past dwelling on those who disliked her and instead focus on those who loved and treated her well, believing this focus would give her the courage to live a full and happy life. Meanwhile, Yuan Shen prepared for his own journey. He visited Cheng Shaoshang to bid farewell, informing her of his plan to request a posting from Emperor Wen to oversee the implementation of the Land Distribution Order.

He shared that his parents were now "better than ever," as his father, Official Yuan, had fallen ill from guilt over disgracing the Yuan Family, leading his mother, Madam Yuan, to care for him and desire to return to their hometown together. Yuan Shen saw this as a good outcome for their marriage. He mentioned his parents were still concerned about his and Shaoshang’s past engagement. Shaoshang apologized for not being able to give him what he wanted.

Yuan Shen, unfazed, stated he had expected this outcome and assured her he would become a high-ranking official, ensuring the Yuan Family's prosperity. He acknowledged that Shaoshang would not be his "wife of one of the most important officials" but believed someone more suitable existed. He admitted he always knew this was a losing game for him, but had no regrets. He then poignantly declared that even if he had lost, Huo Buyi hadn’t truly won.

He asked Shaoshang to leave first and not to look back, fearing he might regret letting her go. Later, Yuan Shen met with Huo Buyi. He inquired about Huo Buyi's well-being, acknowledging his rival's sacrifice in saving Official Yuan and declaring that further conflict between them would be shameless. He reiterated his own plans to personally visit the states to oversee the Land Distribution Order.

Huo Buyi shared that he was also involved with the Land Distribution Order, as Emperor Wen had ordered a Prime Minister's Camp built in the State of Yu, and he intended to assist the Crown Prince, fearing remaining traitors. Yuan Shen questioned why Huo Buyi, his love rival, would go to such lengths to help the Yuan family, especially given that Huo Buyi's actions for Cheng Song and Cheng Shi were understandable due to their relationship with Shaoshang.

Huo Buyi explained that, aside from Yuan Shen's own family, he was the person in the capital who cared for him the most. He stated that if Yuan Shen was not well, Shaoshang would not be at ease, just as he himself was not upset by Shaoshang's nomination of Lou Yao, understanding her caring nature. Huo Buyi emphasized that he must ensure the well-being of all those Shaoshang cared about, so she could find her own peace of mind.

Yuan Shen, reflecting on how intense love had brought pain to his own family, concluded that Huo Buyi, with his deeper and more "foolish" devotion, was more worthy of Shaoshang's love, and he wished for her to be with the best person. A few days later, Shaoshang embarked on her journey to Empress Xuan's homeland, accompanied by her brother. As they passed Hua County, Lou Li appeared, inviting Shaoshang to Lou Yao's residence.

Lou Li explained that Lou Yao, unable to come himself due to He Zhaojun's impending labor, wanted Shaoshang to see how much Hua County had flourished from its former shabby state. Shaoshang agreed to visit but left her brother and the Empress's mourning items outside the town, citing the tradition against bringing such items to a pregnant woman. While traveling through the county, Shaoshang noticed Lou Li's unusual demeanor.

Lou Li, dressed in black mourning clothes for her recently deceased parents, also noted fewer guards in the city, explaining they had been dispatched to assist Yuan Shen with the Land Distribution Order in the State of Yu. At the banquet, Lou Yao and He Zhaojun greeted Shaoshang, but Lou Yao expressed surprise at her visit, stating he had not invited her. Shaoshang remained calm, though now suspicious. Lou Li quickly interjected that she had invited Shaoshang herself.

Lou Yao then apologized for his sister’s past behavior, attributing it to family misfortunes. Shaoshang, however, noticed an empty seat at the table. Suddenly, He Zhaojun experienced severe abdominal pain, signaling premature labor. Lou Yao rushed to find a physician, only to learn that Madam Chen, the local female physician specializing in childbirth, was out of town. Lou Li urged Shaoshang, as a woman, to help carry He Zhaojun to the family temple.

Unbeknownst to them, Huo Buyi's Black Armored Guards, having been ambushed in a bamboo forest, discovered dozens of corpses in nearby drains, identified as Hua County guards and Yuan Shen’s household troops. Huo Buyi immediately ordered his men to Hua County. At the family temple, after the other attendants were dismissed, Lou Li, revealing her sinister intent, called out Shaoshang’s name and prepared to attack. Shaoshang noticed the unusual presence of a family temple within the county office, questioning who might be cultivating there.

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