Moonlit Order Episode 16 Recap
> Moonlit Order Recap
Upon seeing Mr. Immortal unmask himself, revealing Xue Youshou, everyone was stunned. Xue Youshou attempted to console the grieving Xue family, urging them not to be sad, as constant sorrow would prevent the deceased from resting peacefully. However, his words failed to comfort them. Xue Nuannuan accused him, questioning if the evil forces he claimed to expel were her brother's wronged spirit and if he intended to destroy his soul.
She demanded that if he were truly capable, he should make Grand Tutor Zhou pay with blood, rather than merely fooling a family of old and weak and profiting from their misfortune. Xue Dongyang echoed her sentiments, calling Xue Youshou a "Big liar." Xue Fugui intervened, apologizing for their behavior and explaining that Nuannuan was young and Dongyang acted like a child due to grief.
Dongyang, however, insisted he had seen his brother Hexu, causing Xue Fugui to dismiss it as him "seeing things" due to his heartbreak and urged others not to disturb Mr. Immortal's ritual. Later that night, Xue Hexu, who had been secretly hiding in the Xue mansion, emerged and was discovered by Feng Zuoren.
She confronted him, observing that he had chosen the most dangerous place as the safest, benefiting from the mansion's resources, yet neglecting the mental state of the Xue family. She playfully chided him for having "ignored the old acquaintance" (referring to herself), and after a brief, lighthearted exchange, asked him how Xue Youshou came to serve the Emperor.
Hexu explained it was a long story and that he needed to meet Xue Fugui to discuss a plan, instructing Feng Zuoren to help ensure no one overheard their conversation. Meanwhile, Xue Fugui confronted Xue Youshou about his role as Mr. Immortal. Xue Youshou recounted how Grand Tutor Zhou had captured him and threatened the lives of the entire Xue family, forcing him to impersonate an immortal in the palace to gain the Emperor's trust.
He felt he had no choice but to agree to save his family. Xue Fugui was furious, condemning his actions as treason and warning of severe penalties if his true identity were exposed. He declared that Xue Youshou should have died first, so the secret would perish with him, rather than allowing the man he raised as Xue Hexu to die.
Hurt by his father’s words, Xue Youshou revealed the secret he had carried for years: he was the true Xue Hexu. He tearfully recounted how, after the amnesiac seven-year-old former Crown Prince, Jia Xun, fell into the water, Xue Fugui switched them to protect the prince, sending his real son away to live a life worse than a beggar. He reminded his father that he and Nuannuan were twins and that he had suffered in silence.
Xue Youshou then presented a plan: with the former Crown Prince now believed dead, they could leverage his position as the Emperor's trusted immortal to save the Xue family. Listening from outside, Xue Hexu (the prince, Jia Xun) heard everything. He stepped forward, revealing himself and confirming his true identity. Later, Xue Hexu visited his Grandmother, who was grieving at his memorial tablet. Overjoyed to see him alive, she embraced him. Hexu apologized for deceiving her.
He then asked her about the events of his seventh year. His Grandmother recounted that Xue Fugui had claimed Hexu drowned and fell ill, cursed by the River God, requiring three years of recuperation in a Taoist temple in the south. During this time, no one, not even Nuannuan, was allowed to visit him. Hexu revealed to her that he was not the Xue family's second son, but rather the former Crown Prince, Jia Xun.
He explained that his father had switched him with the real Xue Hexu (Xue Youshou) and sent the latter away. His Grandmother admitted that she had suspected the deception all along, knowing that while children's features change, a blood connection would not be forgotten. She confessed her pain of enduring the loss of her grandson while being outwardly distant to Hexu.
Hexu, in turn, expressed his understanding, having initially believed her strictness was due to his own shortcomings, not her hidden grief. He then made two requests: for her to conceal his survival and identity from his father, and for her to arrange a hiding place for him where he could devise a plan to save the Xue family. His Grandmother readily agreed, promising to protect him.
His Grandmother arranged for Hexu to stay at a villa belonging to her maternal family, where he would pose as a scholar named He Yandao preparing for imperial exams. She introduced him to Old Zhang, a loyal, honest, and mute longtime servant from her family, who was skilled in martial arts and had never been to the Xue mansion, ensuring Hexu's safety and anonymity.
She also introduced Old Zhang's sixteen-year-old granddaughter, Miss Hua, a clever and alert martial artist, suggesting she would be a suitable match for Hexu and urging him to settle his marriage. Hexu expressed that it was an inappropriate time to discuss marriage, but his Grandmother insisted, believing that Ms. Wang (Feng Zuoren), despite her good qualities, was not a suitable match for him. Miss Hua, upon meeting Hexu, was immediately smitten.
While he was fixing a kite in his room, Miss Hua confessed to having broken it. She noticed writing on it and, upon learning it was a gift from an old friend, playfully asked if it was from his crush. She then boldly declared her intention to become his crush as well, vowing to leave her name on the kite. Alone, Hexu pondered Xue Youshou's motives, questioning why he had impersonated him, lured him to a feigned death, and deceived Feng Zuoren.
