Love of Thousand Years Episode 2 Recap
> Love of Thousand Years Recap
A massive attack by Tianyuan State demon soldiers, orchestrated in collusion with the Left Prime Minister, plunged the capital into a bloodbath. As Princess Yanyan desperately tried to escape the massacre, Fu Jiuyun, knowingly defying fate, intervened to save her. The Left Prime Minister's treachery was absolute; despite beacon towers meant for defense, none were lit, and he insisted the royal carriage proceed to the Great Temple, a move that proved fatal.
Li Yuan, leading the demon forces, confronted Fu Jiuyun, engaging him in a fierce battle. With the city gates opened on the Prime Minister's orders, Li Yuan's army poured in. The Second Prince fought valiantly but was ultimately slain, a horrific sight witnessed by the Emperor and Empress, who were killed soon after. Amidst the devastation of the imperial city, Yanyan stumbled through the corpses and found her maid, A Man, miraculously still alive.
Zuo Zichen, who had been on his way to the Great Temple, felt a growing unease and rushed back, only to find he was too late. Devastated by the loss of her family to the Left Prime Minister's betrayal, Yanyan was consumed by a desire for vengeance and lashed out with a sword. Zuo Zichen shielded his face with his hand, and blood poured from between his fingers. Despite his injury, he stopped his subordinates from retaliating.
Seizing the moment, the Imperial Tutor appeared on a crane, whisking Yanyan and A Man away to safety. As the crane soared into the sky, Yanyan looked back at her burning city, while below, Zuo Zichen knelt and wept, feeling profoundly alone. Fleeing through thorny mountain paths, the trio was pursued by demon soldiers.
A Man, loyal to the end, sacrificed herself to protect Yanyan, falling to a demon's blade and urging the princess to live on with her last breath. With her home destroyed and her loved ones gone, Yanyan fell into despair. To rekindle her spirit, the Imperial Tutor revealed the existence of the Spirit Lamp, an ancient divine artifact capable of absorbing the spiritual energy of all demons.
If its wielder were to ignite it, all demons in the world could be vanquished. However, the price was immense: the wielder must forge a blood bond with the lamp and ultimately sacrifice their own spirit to power it. With nothing left to lose, Yanyan pledged to find the lamp and exact her revenge, embracing the risk of annihilation.
She pleaded with the Imperial Tutor to teach her the necessary arts, and under his guidance, she adopted a new face and name, disappearing from the world. Years later, with the Da Li royal lineage having faded into memory, the world moved on. Among the cultivation sacred lands, Xiangqu Mountain was paramount, divided into an outer area for laborers and an inner sanctum for the Suzerain and disciples.
Rumors of the disciples' beauty and skill drew many hopefuls, but few were ever chosen to serve in the inner sanctum. It was in early winter that Tan Chuan, now bearing A Man's appearance, resided in the outer grounds. Though initially an outcast, her kindness, efficiency, and feigned innocence soon won over others, including a fellow servant named Cuiya and the childless Steward Zhao. The steward was responsible for his clumsy nephew, Ermeng.
With the Dragon King of White River's impending visit, the inner mountain needed more hands. Fearing Ermeng would cause trouble, Steward Zhao proposed that Tan Chuan marry his nephew, which would allow her to accompany Ermeng to the inner mountain and look after him. Tan Chuan, seeing this as the perfect opportunity to get inside, immediately agreed.
Her quick acceptance pleased Steward Zhao, who ensured her name, along with Cuiya's, appeared on the list of servants selected to go to the inner mountain. Upon entering, the new servants marveled at the vibrant, spring-like scenery within. They were met by Ma'am Qingqing, who assigned their duties. As they journeyed through a mountain stream, Tan Chuan spotted a handsome man in green robes playing a flute on a distant mountaintop.
The man was Fu Jiuyun, who immediately recognized Tan Chuan. He stopped playing and adopted a flirtatious manner, teasing her with his gaze. Tan Chuan found his behavior lewd and distasteful. Cuiya, however, was so captivated by his appearance that she fainted on the spot. Tan Chuan was assigned to care for the flowers at Qionghua Sea, while Cuiya was tasked with tending to the cranes, a messy job she found difficult.
Later, in a conversation with his companion, it was revealed why Fu Jiuyun had a "bad reputation." Three years prior, he had broken the centuries-long peace between the immortal, human, and demon realms by killing Tianyuan demon soldiers to save Yanyan. His companion questioned if Yanyan appreciated the sacrifice and wondered about her true motives for coming to Xiangqu Mountain.
Fu Jiuyun simply noted that the girl was getting smarter and that he had plenty of time to deal with her, attributing her arrival to love—a matter of destiny, or perhaps doom. Tan Chuan, meanwhile, meticulously learned her new job, which involved carefully watering the magical plants with water from Heaven Pool. Despite the hardships, a deep resolve burned within her heart. She was determined to pursue her mission, and while she would find joy in this new, ordinary life, she vowed that nothing would deter her from her ultimate goal.
