Love of Thousand Years Episode 13 Recap
> Love of Thousand Years Recap
Following their escape, Fu Jiuyun and Tan Chuan arrive in the lively Taoyuan Town. While Fu Jiuyun seems to enjoy the bustling atmosphere, Tan Chuan is focused only on finding the spiritual lamp. Fu Jiuyun explains that after the battle of Xiangqu, he had been recuperating inside a magical painting, his last sanctuary. However, to save Tan Chuan, he used the painting to trap Li Yuan, destroying it in the process.
Now without a place to stay, he grandly books the entire inn with a large pearl, deciding they will temporarily reside in the town. The innkeeper treats Fu Jiuyun with utmost deference. Enjoying the attention, Fu Jiuyun becomes increasingly playful and affectionate toward Tan Chuan, who finds herself unable to stay mad at him. During a discussion, she voices her suspicion that he is using his injury as an excuse to delay their search for the spiritual lamp.
Fu Jiuyun reassures her that the lamp is an extension of himself and he is more anxious than anyone to retrieve it. He reveals that the lamp is no longer in Lingyu City and, given his injuries, he cannot risk retrieving it without certainty. He promises to get it back once he has recovered. Tan Chuan agrees to wait in Taoyuan, on the condition that Fu Jiuyun refrains from using his celestial powers or teasing her.
He readily accepts, then feigns hunger and pain to elicit her care. Elsewhere, at a roadside tea stall, Premier Zuo pulls his son, Zuo Zichen, aside. Acknowledging their years of estrangement, the Premier expresses regret for imposing his political ideals on his son. He reveals that he spent two years collecting two rare remnant volumes, "Sihai Annals" and "Lanzhou Annals," for Zichen to read once he returns home, hoping he will live as he pleases. Zuo Zichen is visibly moved.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Qiuhua urges Xuanzhu to marry Zuo Zichen soon, stressing that such a powerful alliance is necessary to secure their position. Xuanzhu insists she genuinely loves Zuo Zichen, but Mrs. Qiuhua warns that without a strong connection, their lives in Tianyuan are precarious. With their agreement in place, Fu Jiuyun frequently takes Tan Chuan to explore the market.
Believing him to be unfamiliar with mortal life, she buys him a cheap crisp fried cake, a snack she considers a delicacy. Fu Jiuyun, however, finds it too oily for his celestial palate and refuses to eat it. Tan Chuan reminisces about her struggles after leaving the palace, like forgetting to pay for things and being unable to comb her own hair, but also how she adapted and found a new sense of purpose.
She believes her family would be proud that she can now care for more than just herself. They are drawn to a crowd gathered around a storyteller, who recounts a tale of a Celestial Being who fell in love with a mortal, King Yang. To protect him and their unborn child from divine wrath, she ascended to Heaven to plead for mercy, but first endured a terrible punishment.
When she returned nine years later, she found a gray-haired King Yang and urged him to join her in Heaven. To the crowd's shock, the king refused. While the audience is bewildered, Tan Chuan understands, arguing that a true king could not abandon his people. She explains that even in paradise, he would be tormented by guilt, making it a living hell. If it were her, she would also choose to remain.
Her words incense the onlookers, who call her "cold-hearted" and chase her away, throwing vegetables at her. Fu Jiuyun pulls Tan Chuan to safety. As they hide, the intimacy of their close proximity makes the atmosphere tense. Overcome with emotion, Fu Jiuyun leans in to kiss her, but Tan Chuan breaks the spell by abruptly declaring she is hungry. At a noodle stall, Tan Chuan fondly recalls the distinct flavors of her former country, Li.
Fu Jiuyun asks if she ever has a moment where she isn't thinking of her country or the lamp, but just the present. She admits she does but won't say when. An elderly beggar, a refugee from Li, approaches their table. Fu Jiuyun gives the man his last pearl, discreetly warning him not to speak of Li in front of Tan Chuan to spare her the pain. Feeling indebted, Tan Chuan promises to repay him.
Fu Jiuyun, however, uses their lack of travel funds as a pretext to stay in Taoyuan for a few more months, cheekily framing it as an opportunity to help more of her people. Meanwhile, after a game of chess, Ting Yuan invites Li Yuan to an upcoming Ghost Festival event. Later, Li Yuan meets with the Nanman Demon King, who suffers from a paralyzing affliction.
Li Yuan promises to find Fu Jiuyun and his spiritual power to cure the Demon King. He also voices his suspicion about the zither-playing immortal he encountered at the battle in Li's palace, noting that while powerful, the immortal lacked Fu Jiuyun's distinctive tear mole. Intrigued, the Nanman Demon King decides to investigate and secretly casts a dark spell. Miles away, Fu Jiuyun, resting in his room, feels the seal on his neck begin to rupture. Alarmed, he rushes out, and Tan Chuan, sensing something is wrong, follows him into a desolate forest.
