The First Jasmine Episode 4 Recap
> The First Jasmine Recaps
Eight years ago, following the death of the late emperor and the demise of the crown prince, Empress Guo Jin sought to claim the throne for herself. At that time, Lishan Academy stood as the cultural and academic heart of Great Chu, with nearly half of the court officials hailing from its halls. In a bid to make a silent stand against the Empress's usurpation, Ye Li's grandfather closed the academy under the pretext of compiling books.
This act of defiance was widely supported by scholars at court, which infuriated Empress Guo. Under the guise of providing protection, she dispatched troops to blockade Lishan Academy, isolating it from the outside world. Seizing this opportunity, Lu Changfu systematically targeted the Lishan scholars at court, fabricating various charges to have them dismissed, exiled, imprisoned, or tortured to death.
His atrocities against Lishan Academy were endless, making him a figure of intense hatred for the young emperor, who was nonetheless powerless to act due to the influence of the Empress Dowager and Marquis Muyang. Now that Lu Changfu is slated to depart to assume his new post as the Military Governor of Huaixi, Ye Li is determined not to let him leave the capital alive.
Among those ruined by the purge was Wei Zhuang, Ye Li’s senior brother from Lishan Academy. Now crippled and destitute, Wei Zhuang has been reduced to orchestrating scams on the streets to obtain money for his mother's medicine. While passing Caiying Shop, Ye Li witnesses him pretending to be injured by the shop’s staff, desperately demanding compensation.
Although she does not openly reveal her identity to spare him embarrassment, she uses a familiar hand-shadow game of a flying bird to silently signal who she is. Recognizing her, a devastated and embarrassed Wei Zhuang flees, unable to bear the thought of Ye Li seeing him in such a wretched state.
He returns home to administer the medicine to his ailing mother, haunted by the memories of Lishan Academy, where the headmaster had once praised his extraordinary talent in arithmetic and urged him to remain true to his heart. Back at Prince Ding's Mansion, Ye Li diligently works on a magnificent robe using flame-woven silk, a rare and precious material from the southwest that retains body heat to shield against the bitter cold.
Her maid Xing'er admires the lustrous fabric and assumes it is being made for Mo Xiuyao, but Ye Li gently corrects her. She notes that while the silk is exceptionally fine, it is highly volatile and will easily catch fire if it comes into contact with phosphor powder. Meanwhile, Mo Xiuyao remains locked in the dark chamber of his study, consumed by unresolved grief and resentment.
The self-inflicted torment, coupled with stagnant Qi and blood, causes his old injuries to flare up, and he collapses from a sudden, severe fever. Hearing the commotion, Ye Li and her servants rush inside and immediately send for a physician. As Mo Xiuyao lies unconscious, Ye Li is confronted with the stark reality of his psychological torment.
The dark room is filled with letters and scrolls bearing cruel curses, vicious accusations of treason, and the condemnation of his executed brother, Mo Xiuwen, and the Heiyun Cavalry. Unwilling to let Mo Xiuyao remain chained to a chamber of ghosts and hatred, Ye Li takes a decisive step. She gathers the malicious writings and sets them ablaze, determined to burn away the painful reminders of his past.
When Mo Xiuyao wakes up and sees smoke rising from the study, he rushes in, horrified to find his collection turning to ash. Furious, he commands Ye Li to leave Prince Ding's Mansion. However, Ye Li remains resolute. She firmly reminds him of her wedding vow to stand by his side, rebuild the family name, and share his burdens.
She urges him to stop letting his life become a tragic performance for spectators who only watch for their own amusement, leaving him to suffer alone. On the eve of his departure to Huaixi, Lu Changfu receives a brand-new official robe, supposedly sent from the palace. The tailoring includes an extra inner layer designed to ward off the dampness of Huaixi. Unbeknownst to him, the garment is made from the highly flammable flame-woven silk Ye Li prepared.
The next morning, Lu Changfu arrives at court to thank Emperor Mo Yanqi and Empress Dowager Guo for their favor. After receiving the hollow blessings of his peers and exchanging quiet plans with his patron, Marquis Muyang, Lu Changfu prepares to depart. As he makes his way out, a young palace eunuch accidentally collides with him, surreptitiously coating the robe in phosphor powder.
Under the intense heat of the sun, the chemical reacts with the flame-woven silk, and Lu Changfu is suddenly engulfed in a raging inferno, burning to death before the eyes of Marquis Muyang and the horrified onlookers. Witnessing Lu Changfu's agonizing death triggers Mo Xiuyao's memories of the day he was dragged back to the capital in chains, following his brother's execution.
Amidst a hostile crowd shouting abuses and throwing stones, a young Ye Li had bravely pushed her way through the guards to hand him a packet of pastries. Later, when he was thrown into prison with untreated injuries, Lu Changfu had bribed the guards to deny him food and water to curry favor with Marquis Muyang. Mo Xiuyao had survived those grueling first few days solely on the pastries Ye Li had given him, keeping him alive.
He managed to endure the harsh imprisonment for six months until a decree from the young emperor finally spared his life due to his past military merits. For eight years, Mo Xiuyao waited in silence. A month ago, Emperor Mo Yanqi secretly reinstated him to escort Yuan Fang back to the capital, hoping to secure the evidence needed to bring down Marquis Muyang.
Yet, while the Emperor handed Mo Xiuyao the blade of authority, he kept the scabbard firmly in his own grasp, ordering Gao Wenhuan to prematurely take custody of Yuan Fang. This blunder led to Yuan Fang’s abduction and tragic death on the outskirts of the capital, leaving Mo Xiuyao without the crucial evidence of the Huaixi weapon smuggling case. Summoned once more by the guilt-ridden Emperor, Mo Xiuyao cannot contain his fury.
He recounts the immense sacrifices of Yuan Fang—a frail scholar who braved the dangers of Huaixi and fled to the border to secure justice, only to be failed by the Emperor's lack of trust. Stung by Mo Xiuyao’s blunt accusations, the Emperor’s pride quickly overrides his guilt. He turns the blame back onto Mo Xiuyao, dragging up the fall of Suixue Pass and the tragic execution of Mo Xiuwen.
He accuses Mo Xiuyao of abandoning his brother over a petty argument years ago, suggesting that had Mo Xiuyao stayed with the Heiyun Cavalry, the pass would never have been breached. Reliving these accusations was the very reason Mo Xiuyao had subjected himself to the torment of the dark room. Yet, as the smoke from Ye Li's fire clears, Mo Xiuyao realizes that the embers of justice in his heart have not been extinguished.
Ready to face the future, he agrees to help the Emperor with the aftermath of Lu Changfu's death, though he demands three conditions in return. Meanwhile, at the mansion, Ye Li prepares for her upcoming visit to the Empress Dowager tomorrow, while her maid Qingshuang discusses their need for a steward to help manage their household affairs.
