The First Jasmine Episode 20 Recap
> The First Jasmine Recaps
Han Mingxi fought desperately against ten black-clad assassins to protect Ye Li, but the overwhelming numbers proved too much, and he was wounded and fell to the ground. In that moment of extreme danger, Ye Li’s alternate personality, Master Zhu, suddenly emerged. Unleashing a display of extraordinary swordplay, Master Zhu swiftly eliminated the remaining attackers. Later that night, Mo Xiuyao finally left his office to return home.
As his carriage traveled through the quiet streets, his guard Jin caught sight of a figure in male attire who bore a striking resemblance to Ye Li. Mo Xiuyao ordered Jin to follow her, watching as she quickly slipped into a secluded alley. Ye Li was in a rush to bring the injured Han Mingxi to Xiangqi Pavilion for treatment, and she immediately hurried back to Prince Ding’s Mansion to avoid raising Mo Xiuyao's suspicions.
By the time Mo Xiuyao arrived home, she was already safely inside. Though Mo Xiuyao chose not to question her about her late-night outing, the two fell asleep that night sharing the same bed but harboring very different thoughts. The next day at the imperial court, Marquis Muyang, Zhou Jing, filed a formal complaint against Ye Li for obstructing the Imperial Court of Judicial Review's investigation when she stopped him from taking Princess Li into custody.
Fortunately, Empress Dowager Guo Jin was reasonable and refused to punish Ye Li, noting that Princess Li was a newlywed who could not have known much about Prince Li's treasonous schemes, and decreed that she be allowed to recuperate in peace. Mo Xiuyao immediately retaliated by publicly denouncing Zhou Jing for exploiting his duties to conduct mass arrests of innocent officials, pointing out that half of the houses raided belonged to people with whom Zhou Jing held personal grudges.
Despite these accusations of abuse of power, neither the Empress Dowager nor the young Emperor moved to punish Zhou Jing. Instead, the Emperor declared that the case was under the sole jurisdiction of the Imperial Court of Judicial Review and ordered Mo Xiuyao to stay out of the matter. After the court session dismissed, Zhou Jing caught up with Mo Xiuyao near Danque Gate.
Gloating over his political impunity, Zhou Jing arrogantly declared that the Emperor cared only about thoroughly eradicating treason rather than the number of arrests made. He then issued a chilling warning to Mo Xiuyao, telling him not to forget how his brother Mo Xiuwen died, nor the six brutal months Mo Xiuyao himself had spent surviving inside the imperial prison.
Meanwhile, Ye Li discussed the previous night's events with Feibai, noting that she and Han Mingxi would have been in grave danger had Master Zhu not arrived in the nick of time. This convinced her that the mysterious master must still reside somewhere in the capital. Feibai, however, found this highly puzzling, as he had searched every corner of the city without finding a single trace of Master Zhu.
When Ye Li casually remarked that the master always appeared whenever she was in danger, Feibai was struck by a sudden realization. Recalling a previous incident where Ye Li had spoken to empty air as if addressing Qingshuang, Feibai grew deeply suspicious. He went to question Han Mingxi, asking if anyone else had actually been present during the ambush.
Han Mingxi's confirmation that no one else was there sealed Feibai's suspicion, leading him to realize that Ye Li herself was the hidden sword master. In the palace, Lin Tinglan met with the Empress Dowager and Dowager Consort Qin. Their conversation turned to the imminent arrival of Princess Lingyun from Cangbei, who was visiting the capital to select a husband. Dowager Consort Qin proposed that Zhou Jing handle the Princess's reception and welcoming banquets.
Although the Empress Dowager consented to the arrangement, she later confessed her growing concerns to Qin Zheng, noting that Zhou Jing had lost his former composure. However, because Zhou Jing was the one who had set the fire at the Eastern Palace and helped her secure her position as Empress Dowager, Guo Jin knew she had to tolerate him for now, choosing to utilize his talents while remaining highly vigilant of his ambitions.
At Shende Shop, Han Mingxi noticed a hiring sign and decided to stay on as a shop assistant. He delivered a letter to Ye Li from Feibai, which explained that Feibai had to leave the capital for a few days. Despite receiving the letter, Ye Li still demanded that Han Mingxi leave the shop immediately, though he stubbornly refused. Meanwhile, while sharing a drink with Mo Xiuyao, Feng Zhiyao was overjoyed to receive a letter from his old acquaintance, Yun.
He recounted to Mo Xiuyao how he had met Yun two years ago while trading furs in Cangbei, eventually discovering that she was actually a highly skilled woman disguised as a man. He fondly remembered their arduous journey through the desert where their food and water ran out, and how she had bravely fought off bandits trying to steal his furs before they parted ways.
They had kept in touch through letters ever since, and since Yun was coming to the capital to buy goods, Feng Zhiyao eagerly offered to introduce her to Mo Xiuyao. When Mo Xiuyao teased him about whether he had feelings for her, Feng Zhiyao quickly laughed it off and changed the subject.
Despite telling Mo Xiuyao that she was in no mood to go out, Ye Li, accompanied by Wei Zhuang and a reluctant Han Mingxi, pushed a cart loaded with money and valuables through the streets. They were visiting the families of those who had generously aided Lishan Academy's scholars in the past to repay their debts.
Wei Zhuang explained to Han Mingxi that after seven of their fellow scholars had perished in a fire, corrupt officials had demanded an exorbitant sum of one hundred guan per body to return the remains. The academy was only able to recover the bodies thanks to the selfless donations of the local townspeople. Their last stop was the home of Gu Zheng.
Ye Li expressed her profound gratitude to Gu Zheng, who had pawned his home and sold his only winter coat to help the Lishan scholars, resulting in his eight-year imprisonment. Mo Xiuyao, who had been secretly following her from a distance, watched the moving exchange in silence. During the next court assembly, Zhou Jing took the initiative to nominate Mo Xiuyao as the deputy envoy to assist him in overseeing the reception ceremonies for Princess Lingyun.
The Empress Dowager readily approved the proposal. Later that evening, Ye Li was busy preparing a medicinal poultice for Mo Xiuyao's legs, chiding him for walking too much and swelling his meridians. As she tended to him, Mo Xiuyao gently broke the news that Prince Li was to be buried in a simple ceremony in the southwest of the city, with the court officially attributing his death to an accidental fire to avoid a public scandal.
Ye Li showed little reaction to the news. Sensing her underlying loneliness, Mo Xiuyao warmly asked if she would like to adopt a dog or a docile cat to keep her company. Ye Li declined, quietly recalling a bittersweet childhood memory of a pet bird that had flown away, and how her mother had bought a replacement to protect her from the pain of loss.
