Mengfei Comes Across Episode 23 Recap
> Mengfei Comes Across Recap
He Qiliao's side business in Jianghu came to the Emperor's attention, leading to his summons to the palace for an explanation. He Qiliao assured His Majesty he was not a spy and that his beauty books were very popular. Impressed, the Emperor commended him and granted permission for him to continue writing beauty books. Meanwhile, in Fanghua Palace, Concubine Qu was distressed by a pimple on her face.
Consort Yan and Noble Lady Xiao ignored her, so she sought help from Consort Meng. Consort Meng agreed, but only if Concubine Qu could acquire He Qiliao's Jianghu beauty secret book for her. Concubine Qu found He Qiliao, whose books were now in high demand and had to be purchased. Concubine Qu, with a clever idea, threatened He Qiliao and finally got the book.
Back at Fanghua Palace, Concubine Qu gave the book to Consort Meng, who then used He Qiliao's book to apply makeup to Concubine Qu, hoping to divert attention from her pimple. However, the attempt failed. Meanwhile, Su Ruan, with ill intentions, approached He Qiliao. She tempted him, suggesting he could not only sell books but also beauty products to the consorts. Thinking of the money, He Qiliao agreed, deciding they would split the profits 50-50.
Once the products arrived, He Qiliao immediately held a product launch, using his eloquent sales pitch to attract many consorts. However, the consorts from Fanghua Palace, including Consort Meng and Consort Yan, did not buy them. This was because Consort Meng had been angered and left after He Qiliao pointed out her wrinkles. While other consorts were frantically buying products, He Qiliao gave Su Ruan her share of the profits.
Su Ruan then tempted him further, suggesting that merely selling products was insufficient. They should also offer "surgery" to reshape the consorts' faces into the desired "pointed chins." He Qiliao admitted he lacked the skill for this, so Su Ruan suggested he find someone else. He Qiliao was enlightened and immediately sought out the Imperial Chef, Cai Taixian. Cai Taixian agreed after hearing about the money. He Qiliao immediately began arranging for consorts to undergo the surgery.
However, when Cai Taixian saw a consort lying down for the procedure, he became too terrified to make a move. The consort, enraged, stormed off. He Qiliao then began searching everywhere for Cai Taixian. Cai Taixian hid in Fanghua Palace. Consort Meng asked him what had happened, and after he explained, she and the others decided to teach He Qiliao a lesson.
Meanwhile, He Qiliao, unable to find Cai Taixian, approached Physician Liu Jinyan, intending to recruit him into his scheme. However, Liu Jinyan strongly reprimanded him for his dangerous ideas. Before long, He Qiliao's products started causing problems. All the consorts came to him to settle scores, but He Qiliao refused to provide refunds.
Upon learning this, Consort Meng and the others directly applied He Qiliao's whitening sunscreen to his face, blindfolded him, and placed him on a rooftop, letting him experience the effects of his own product. Soon, his face became distinctly patchy, with areas of black and white. The consorts harmed by He Qiliao's products went to the Imperial Hospital, where Physician Liu Jinyan reassured them that he could cure them.
Consort Meng and the others brought He Qiliao, whose face was now patchy from his own product, to perform "after-sales service" for the consorts, eventually appeasing them. Consort Meng, now aware that Su Ruan was the mastermind, dragged Su Ruan directly to the Emperor's Changji Hall, demanding that His Majesty punish her. However, the Emperor, out of consideration for the Empress Dowager, decided to let Su Ruan go. This enraged Consort Meng, who, refusing to listen to the Emperor's explanations, angrily turned and left.
