Moonlit Order Episode 19 Recap
> Moonlit Order Recap
Jia Xun and Feng Zuoren once again sought out Gu Qianfu, who had initially remained stubbornly loyal to Grand Tutor Zhou, even preferring to beg for food rather than betray him. Feng Zuoren confronted Gu Qianfu, reminding him how Grand Tutor Zhou had stripped him of everything, including his 3,000 liang pension, made him a fugitive, and even tried to kill him.
She asked how much longer he could endure such a life, pointing out that no one under Grand Tutor Zhou ever came to a good end. Gu Qianfu finally broke, admitting that his wretched state was entirely due to Grand Tutor Zhou and declared his intention to expose him. Gu Qianfu revealed that the trusted "Mr. Immortal" in the palace was Xue Youshou.
He told Jia Xun and Feng Zuoren that he first encountered Xue Youshou at Grand Tutor Zhou's mansion two years prior, a fact that surprised them. He explained that Grand Tutor Zhou had sent him south to investigate suspicious financial activity in the Xue Mansion, which led him to Xue Youshou, whom he brought back to the capital. Shortly after, Xue Youshou appeared in the palace as the Emperor's trusted "immortal."
Gu Qianfu also recounted being sent by Grand Tutor Zhou to find the former Crown Prince, only to find Xue Youshou again. He further revealed that he witnessed Xue Youshou visiting Grand Tutor Zhou and heard him say, "Proceed with the plan," just before he was chased and almost killed. Feng Zuoren realized that Xue Youshou had falsely claimed the identity of the Young Master and was now colluding with Grand Tutor Zhou.
Gu Qianfu quickly concluded that they were conspiring to assassinate the Emperor. Deducing that such an elaborate scheme must be for a greater prize, Feng Zuoren explained their method: the pills Xue Youshou was giving the Emperor were harmless on their own, but when combined with the red date congee prepared by the imperial chefs—who were also under Xue Youshou's influence—the opposing thermal properties would gradually damage the Emperor's internal organs, eventually causing poisoning.
This explained why Xue Youshou was not afraid of the pills being tested. Separately, Xue Youshou reassured a suspicious Grand Tutor Zhou that Feng Zuoren would assist them, whether she liked it or not, prompting Zhou to accuse him of falling for her. Meanwhile, Grand Tutor Zhou also instructed an associate to ensure "that person" (presumably the real Jia Xun) was truly dead to prevent Feng Zuoren from suspecting him.
Jia Xun, feeling frustrated by Feng Zuoren's lingering doubt about Xue Youshou due to their past connection, asked her why she was so persistent and if she would react the same way if it were anyone else. He gave up trying to reason with her, telling her to figure it out herself, and left. Separately, the Emperor expressed his profound anger regarding the Huaixi flood.
The report had taken three days to reach his hands, a delay that had cost countless lives. He declared that even executing all negligent officials would not ease his fury, and to mitigate the crisis for the flood-stricken populace, he immediately ordered the complete exemption of Huaixi's taxes for the coming year. Later, Jia Xun, lost in thought, chided himself for getting upset with Feng Zuoren, realizing her concern for "Young Master" was ultimately a concern for him.
Meanwhile, Jia Xun was in the courtyard when Miss Hua offered him a coat, which he repeatedly refused, citing the impropriety of close contact between men and women. Gu Qianfu arrived and, misinterpreting the scene, sarcastically commented on Jia Xun's luck with women while he, the worthy Chief of Jing'an Bureau, remained single and a fugitive.
Jia Xun seized the opportunity, calling Gu Qianfu his "savior" and humorously pushing Miss Hua toward him, suggesting Gu Qianfu was the one who looked weak and needed the coat. Their banter was abruptly cut short when Miss Hua, annoyed by their prolonged bickering, declared that she had wanted to kill them for a long time and attacked them both. Jia Xun, realizing Miss Hua was an assassin, questioned her identity, but she merely stated it was their "last day."
Gu Qianfu, disdainfully calling her a "two-liang assassin," engaged her in combat, while Old Zhang, revealing he could speak only to those about to die, simultaneously attacked Jia Xun. Gu Qianfu proved superior, quickly dispatching Miss Hua. During Old Zhang's assault, Jia Xun, upon seeing a jade pendant on the assassin, suddenly recovered his memories, recalling that "Xue Hexu stole my jade pendant." This statement confused Gu Qianfu, who couldn't reconcile "Xue Hexu stealing Xue Hexu's jade pendant."
Just as the two assassins were neutralized, Feng Zuoren arrived. Jia Xun, now fully recovered, called out her childhood name, "Feng'er," and took her hand. He began to recount a shared childhood memory: "The cherry trees bloom, yet I can't plant a cherry tree for you. All I can do is to paint you blossoms, brew cherry blossom wine, and make cherry blossom cakes. I'll paint pink petals on the kite for you.
When it soars high, it's like cherry blossoms dancing." Feng Zuoren, stunned, asked how he knew their private conversation. Jia Xun then reminded her of another moment, hiding in the study, when he told her to bite his hand if she was scared, and she did, leaving a scar on his arm.
He recalled their childhood together, including a time when they were looking out from a tree, and she apologized for accidentally breaking a jade pendant that was precious to him. He had then given her half of the broken pendant, stating it would be a token for them to recognize each other should they ever be separated. Jia Xun then revealed the truth behind his memory loss and identity.
He explained that after Emperor Jia ascended the throne, his mother tried to appease the Emperor by confining them both to a secluded manor. However, Emperor Jia still sent assassins disguised as bandits to eliminate them all. During this attack, the real Xue Hexu had pushed him into a lake while trying to snatch his jade pendant. When he was pulled from the water, he had lost all his memories.
Xue Fugui then exploited this, lying that Jia Xun was his own son, Xue Hexu, and effectively swapped their identities, forcing the real Xue Hexu to live in the shadows as "Jia Xun." Jia Xun concluded by stating, "I am the real former Crown Prince, Jia Xun." Feng Zuoren questioned how the Xue family failed to recognize the real Xue Hexu.
Jia Xun clarified that the real Xue Hexu had been raised in the countryside until age ten, and the existing family members were either too old and demented, too young to remember, or had married into the family later, thus knowing nothing of the switch. He reflected that despite their forgotten pasts, fate had ultimately brought them back together.
Seeing the person she had longed for finally before her, Feng Zuoren could no longer suppress her emotions, and they embraced in a long, heartfelt reunion, much to the comedic exasperation of Gu Qianfu, who eventually had to tell them to stop hugging after "all night."
