Mengfei Comes Across Episode 16 Recap
> Mengfei Comes Across Recap
In Changji Hall, with His Majesty, Mengfei, and Noble Consort Ru present, Subject Zhen presented evidence and a witness to explain the death of Noble Lady Xian. He revealed that Zhang Er, a eunuch from Noble Lady Xian's palace, was a fake eunuch. Noble Lady Xian, having fallen out of favor, began an affair with Zhang Er. Subject Zhen also explained that Noble Lady Xian had picked up Mengfei's hairpin in the imperial garden.
Their affair was discovered one night during a banquet when Prince Bei stumbled upon them being intimate. Disgusted, he threw Prince Dong's fan, which he had found in the latrine, at them. Terrified, Noble Lady Xian recognized it as Prince Dong's fan. Extremely frightened, she thought of seeking refuge with Noble Consort Ru, bringing Mengfei's hairpin with her. However, Noble Consort Ru saw through her desperation and reprimanded her.
Overwhelmed by fear upon returning to her palace, Noble Lady Xian decided to commit suicide. His Majesty, upon hearing this, was furious and immediately banished Zhang Er. The case of Noble Lady Xian's death was thus concluded. The case concluded, but Mengfei still pondered the mystery of the Dongli State and the assassins, connecting them to the totem she had found in Noble Lady Xian's room.
She shared her concerns with Subject Zhen, explaining her theory that Noble Lady Xian's death was linked to the Dongli State totem and showing him a relationship map she had created. While discussing, Mengfei criticized His Majesty for neglecting the inner palace, which she believed led to such incidents. Just as she was complaining, His Majesty unexpectedly appeared.
Subject Zhen quickly covered for Mengfei, explaining she was discussing the case out of concern for His Majesty's safety, which Mengfei quickly affirmed, and they narrowly avoided trouble. While Mengfei and her ladies were relaxing, Yan Er burst in with urgent news: a family servant reported an attempt to poison Minister Bu. Mengfei, anxious, immediately rushed out of Fanghua Palace, where His Majesty, already in casual clothes, was waiting. They immediately departed for Bu Manor.
Upon arriving at Bu Manor, Mengfei found that it was her brother, Bu Yue, who had been poisoned, not her father. She found his stiff face and black lips amusing. Bu Yue explained that he had suspected something was amiss with his father's food and tasted it. Although he immediately spat it out, he still suffered from the poison, which was designed to mute the victim, a severe blow for a court minister.
It was also discovered that the family servant who administered the poison had ties to Grand Tutor Ru's manor. After the visit, His Majesty took Mengfei to an alley, instructing her to stay put while he went in to handle some matters. Bored, Mengfei saw several adults bullying a young boy for stealing. She intervened, rescued the child, and bought him food. Soon after, Mengfei experienced a sudden stomach ache and went in search of a latrine.
Meanwhile, His Majesty, emerging from his errand, could not find Mengfei and became anxious. He looked everywhere and then spotted the boy holding Mengfei's money bag and questioned him. At that moment, several black-clad assassins attacked His Majesty. Bao Qu arrived to assist in the fight, and Mengfei, returning from the latrine, rushed back to the scene. During the melee, Mengfei was accidentally wounded.
When an assassin was about to fire a poisonous needle at His Majesty, Mengfei bravely shielded him, taking the poisoned dart herself. Eighteen Kill and other guards, who had dispersed to look for Mengfei, quickly arrived, subduing the remaining attackers and resolving the crisis. The assassination attempt, along with Mengfei's injury, solidified His Majesty and Mengfei's determination to uncover the true mastermind.
Mengfei proposed a plan to draw out the mole within the palace: by widely publicizing the news of His Majesty's injury and the interrogation of captured assassins to force them to reveal their leader. Under Concubine Yan's continuous propagation of these rumors, the mastermind, Noble Consort Ru, finally took action. She instructed Lü Liu to bribe the jailer and poison the assassin in prison. Mengfei, His Majesty, and Subject Zhen had already laid an ambush in the prison.
Ultimately, Noble Consort Ru was speechless. Ru Rong, also present, confirmed that Noble Consort Ru was indeed not Grand Tutor Ru's biological daughter but a descendant of the Dongli State royal family, and that she was responsible for the Dongli State assassins. Subject Zhen then accused Noble Consort Ru of attempting to kill the captured assassin to silence him. Subject Zhen then laid out Noble Consort Ru's full treachery regarding Noble Lady Xian's death.
He explained that when Noble Lady Xian sought Noble Consort Ru's support, she accidentally saw the Dongli State totem tattoo on Noble Consort Ru's arm while she was bathing. Fearing exposure of her identity, Noble Consort Ru decided to silence Noble Lady Xian. She instructed Lü Liu to threaten Noble Lady Xian, coercing her to commit suicide while holding Mengfei's hairpin, thereby framing Mengfei and protecting her own secret.
The evidence against Noble Consort Ru mounted, and her maid, Lü Liu, broke down, confessing and apologizing to Noble Consort Ru. With all evidence exposed, Noble Consort Ru finally broke down, crying and confessing her crimes. She expressed bitter resentment towards His Majesty, lamenting his lack of love and his failure to elevate her to Empress. His Majesty then ordered Noble Consort Ru to be dragged out.
