Love Like White Jade Episode 8 Recap
> Love Like White Jade Recap
Jiang Baiyu returned to the Lantern Boudoir and recounted the recent events to his master, Zhe Zhi. He urgently requested a roadmap of Chong'an, determined to find the person they had been seeking. Zhe Zhi, however, questioned how he planned to locate someone in such a vast city, wondering if he would abandon his classes to search daily. She warned that with numerous watchful eyes on him, any slip-up while investigating his father's case could ruin all their prior efforts.
Zhe Zhi offered him wine, prompting Jiang Baiyu to ask about her consistently calm demeanor despite mission failures. She likened missions to relationships, explaining that breakups are less important than the experience gained. Failures, she noted, often lead to new clues. The persistent pursuit of their target by the men in black suggested a more elaborate conspiracy than just murder.
Zhe Zhi believed that if the individual from yesterday had been apprehended, they would have only uncovered half the truth about his father's death. She promised to send her people to investigate anyone seen in Jiangzhou yesterday for new leads, cautioning Jiang Baiyu to avoid rash actions and to continue playing the role of Young Master Jiang, to which he agreed.
Before leaving, Jiang Baiyu showed Zhe Zhi a pair of couple's bracelets, claiming they were for no one in particular. Zhe Zhi, drawing on her extensive romantic experience, shared her wisdom: "Take action early; don't give them a chance to escape." Jiang Baiyu, finding the proverb tiresome, departed for the mansion.
Shui Wuxia asked Ba Xi why Shen Qingli had not shown up for their Double Seventh Festival meeting at Jiangzhou bridge, speculating he might have missed her red lanterns or the note. Ba Xi assured her that the lanterns were hung and the note left, then offered three possibilities: he never saw the messages, he had a last-minute emergency, or he simply chose not to come.
Shui Wuxia dismissed the latter two, convinced that Shen Qingli, as a principled swordsman, would have responded if he had seen her invitation. Ba Xi remarked on Shui Wuxia's tendency to overthink when in love. That evening, Shui Wuxia planned to leave the mansion to deliver medicine to Shen Qingli, but she overheard guards announcing an early closure of the Jiang Mansion gates and increased patrols, specifically instructing Young Master Jiang and others not to venture out.
Inside their shared room, Jiang Baiyu, overhearing the announcement, deliberately began undressing in front of Shui Wuxia, compelling her to leave the room. Later, Jiang Baiyu, disguised as Shen Qingli, met Shui Wuxia on the rooftop. She expressed relief that he had consumed the medicine she left in her room, which he claimed he took while Jiang Baiyu was changing. They both revealed they had spent the Double Seventh Festival alone.
Each wanted to confess something, but they kept deferring to one another. As they both instinctively reached for their waist to present gifts, Shui Wuxia turned away, urging him to speak first. Shen Qingli's hand slipped, and a bracelet fell to the ground. Mortified, he quickly covered his embarrassment by claiming he saw a stray cat.
Shui Wuxia, about to present her own bracelet, noticed a similar couple's bracelet already on Shen Qingli's wrist, leading her to believe he had a lover. She retracted her gift. Shen Qingli then suggested that since she was confined to the mansion, he would visit her instead, an arrangement she readily accepted, admitting she had wanted to propose the same.
As he departed, Shui Wuxia pondered the bracelet, wondering if it was a gift from an admirer or a fan, and if her master's romantic advice was indeed flawed, deciding to slow down and cultivate their feelings more. Meanwhile, the man Shen Qingli had tried to rescue, who identified himself as a barefoot doctor, was held captive and interrogated by the black-clad men. They pressed him about his seven years of evasion and his recent connection to Shen Qingli.
The captive feigned ignorance of Shen Qingli, fabricating a story about Shen Qingli harboring a vendetta against him for a fatal error in a past prescription, resulting in a death. His interrogator, unconvinced, pointed out Shen Qingli's repeated appearances suggested a deeper connection. The captive steadfastly maintained that Shen Qingli pursued him due to an old grudge.
The captors then demanded what they needed from him, but he defiantly refused to cooperate, asserting that he would never stoop to their level, despite his seven years of hardship. Instructor Hou Chang'an commended Jiang Baiyu's significant progress in the foundational literary and martial arts courses, viewing it as proof that he could excel if he applied himself diligently. He then introduced the next phase of their training: "experiencing people's livelihood."
Hou Chang'an explained that this concept, the bedrock of the nation, remained elusive to the privileged students due to their sheltered upbringing. He instructed them to immerse themselves in common life: eat like the locals, use their tools, and speak their language, to truly grasp their daily struggles. The students ventured into the bustling streets, encountering shops with eccentric names such as "Hangman's Barber Shop," "Bandit's Massage Parlor," "Grandma Meng's Hot and Sour Soup," and "Netherworld Beauty Salon."
They sampled the "Bandit's Massage Parlor," where a charming masseuse explained her life as a bandit was simply a "hobby." Later, at a food stall, Shui Wuxia felt an eerie chill from the peculiar soup, noting that slums were often chaotic, rife with illicit goods and clandestine dealings, making them fortunate to avoid being targeted. Suddenly, a child named Little Bao collapsed.
Shui Wuxia quickly diagnosed him with hydrothorax and expertly applied pressure to his Nei Guan and Tian Chi acupoints, successfully reviving him. The grateful foster mother offered them more of her unique soup, mentioning it was traditionally served to "death row prisoners," which the students politely declined before leaving. Back at the mansion, Jiang Tianling attempted to engage Shui Wuxia in a book discussion, reading a moving passage about a loquat tree.
A jealous Jiang Baiyu insisted on joining them, undeterred by Jiang Tianling's attempts to exclude him. Jiang Baiyu interrupted their conversation about "Romance of the Western Chamber" and the "Exploitation of the Works of Nature"—an encyclopedia of technology and industry by Song Ying Xing—claiming hunger and pulling Shui Wuxia away.
During a subsequent meal, Jiang Tianling and Shui Wuxia continued discussing "Exploitation of the Works of Nature," expressing admiration for Song Ying Xing's audacious insights and his scientific debunking of superstitions, such as demon fires being caused by decaying coffins. They shared anecdotes about their own, comically failed attempts at pottery and dyeing using his instructions. Jiang Baiyu, feeling sidelined as Jiang Tianling wrapped food for Shui Wuxia, lost his appetite and urged them to eat.
Hou Chang'an then assigned them to investigate Lavish Lane in Southern Chong'an. He described the area as a complex mix of good and evil, where government intervention was often thwarted by the locals' deep distrust of outsiders.
While their previous mission to Southern Chong'an had allowed them to blend in, this new task was to uncover the truth behind Lavish Lane, a place known for offering high wages for laborers but also for a disproportionately high number of missing persons, leading Hou Chang'an to suspect a sinister connection. Jiang Baiyu and Shui Wuxia returned to the food stall and inquired about Lavish Lane's leader.
The foster mother described "Third Brother" as a ruthless man with extensive connections who enjoyed reading local dialect novels and was often seen at the east end bookstall. On their way, Jiang Baiyu playfully teased Shui Wuxia about her apparent interest in men like Zhang Sheng and her perceived closeness to his younger brother, while Shui Wuxia remained focused on their mission. At the bookstall, they identified the kind of novels Third Brother favored.
Jiang Baiyu jested about Shui Wuxia having already read books he thought she hadn't. They then discussed creating an "advance copy" of a popular novel to impress Third Brother. Jiang Baiyu found the current novel, which featured a young girl infatuated with a swordsman, to be a predictable "old man seducing a young girl" trope with an unrealistic age gap.
Third Brother, who had been eavesdropping, interjected, asserting that true love transcends age and defending the story's depth: a cold-blooded killer transformed by his love for a girl, becoming her protector, only to vanish just as she was about to confess her feelings. He admitted his impatience for the unpublished fifth volume. Recognizing Third Brother's profound appreciation for the story, Jiang Baiyu and Shui Wuxia decided to write a continuation in his preferred style.
They spent time collaborating, with Jiang Baiyu, embodying the persona of Shen Qingli, emphasizing his interpretation of the killer's "simple and transparent" yet lonely nature. The next day, they presented their "advance copy" to Third Brother as a gift. Third Brother, perceptive, saw through their "coincidental" meeting and the timely delivery of the unpublished volume. He invited them to Lavish Lane for a discussion. Once inside, Third Brother drew his sword, demanding their true identities.
Jiang Baiyu quickly claimed they were siblings in hiding. Third Brother, observing their "matching clothes" and undeniable bond, stated they were clearly more than siblings. To protect themselves, Jiang Baiyu and Shui Wuxia improvised a dramatic tale of star-crossed lovers hounded by villains, forcing them into hiding and seeking employment with him, expressing their desperate need for an opportunity. Third Brother was visibly moved by their "love story."
He confessed his enjoyment of creative writing but lamented his lack of "real feeling" due to his profession, humbly asking for their advice. They agreed to share their insights, and he, in turn, shared his own story about a "not-so-cold-blooded killer." That evening, Third Brother hosted a meal for them. Shui Wuxia, sensing his longing for a different life, gently questioned why he remained confined to Lavish Lane despite his creative spirit.
He replied that some individuals, like them seeking work, simply had no choice, implying they were "not destined to choose." He then instructed them to prepare for work assignments the following day. Unbeknownst to Jiang Baiyu and Shui Wuxia, Third Brother wrestled with a moral dilemma. He confided in a statue of Old Mister Guan, revealing that Master Ma had ordered him to deliver the two to him.
He noted that horse carriages had departed earlier without any strong men, suggesting they were diversions for government investigations. Third Brother expressed his deep reluctance to send Jiang Baiyu and Shui Wuxia, likening it to "sheep entering a tiger's mouth," and ultimately decided against it. Meanwhile, other members of their team, presumably Shen Qingli's group or allies, had also located Lavish Lane. They planned a coordinated "inside and outside" operation to coincide with Third Brother's group's departure.
The next morning, Third Brother led Jiang Baiyu and Shui Wuxia to the Southern Chong'an Dung Yard. The person in charge confirmed their referral from Third Brother, handed them tools, and directed them to follow. Jiang Baiyu observed the strange demeanor of the people and the unusual environment, suspecting that the dung yard was merely a façade concealing a deeper secret.
