Moonlit Order Episode 3 Recap
> Moonlit Order Recap
Feng Zuoren observed as Xue Hexu drank the chicken soup she had poisoned, expecting him to succumb to its effects. However, Xue Hexu, who had added detoxifying herbs like mung bean and licorice after finding the soup bitter, showed no signs of discomfort. This discovery solidified Feng Zuoren's conviction that Xue Hexu, with his meticulous mind, was a dangerous adversary who had to be eliminated. Just then, her subordinate rushed in, signaling that the Emperor wished to see her.
Feng Zuoren promptly returned to the palace, kneeling before the Emperor in her military attire. The Emperor, having recently taken an elixir from Mr. Immortal, exhibited an unusual redness in his face, and his gaze upon Feng Zuoren was filled with displeasure. Feng Zuoren, knowing he was annoyed by her delay, admitted her failure and suggested that Gu Qianfu's involvement had also slowed her progress. The Emperor, realizing the Jing'an Bureau's connection, understood this pointed to Grand Tutor Zhou's treachery.
He stated that Feng Zuoren was his most valued subordinate, but her inefficiency forced him to involve the Jing'an Bureau. He ordered her to act discreetly and ensure the Xueyiwei would kill the former Crown Prince before the Jing'an Bureau could. As Feng Zuoren left, Mr. Immortal questioned her trustworthiness to the Emperor, suggesting that those who betray imperial trust face unfortunate fates.
Riding back to the Xue residence, Feng Zuoren resolved to devise a new plan to wipe out the entire Xue family, which included sixteen people, with the family members primarily located in the east wing. Upon her return, instead of carrying out her plan, Feng Zuoren was met by Xue Grandmother and a gathering of Xue family relatives in the courtyard. Xue Hexu had arranged a grand banquet to compensate for her disrupted wedding day.
The relatives warmly presented her with gifts of gold and silver jewelry. Despite receiving the gifts, Feng Zuoren remained vigilant, aware of Xue Hexu’s persistent suspicion. Xue Hexu had even arranged for a female assassin to be nearby, planning to have her kill Feng Zuoren. During the banquet, Granny Liu, Lord Dingyuan’s wet nurse, expressed her happiness for the new bride and wished for many children for the lord. Suddenly, a snake appeared, causing chaos.
The assassination attempt failed, prompting Xue Hexu to emerge from the shadows, calming the guests and covering up the incident while pretending to check on Feng Zuoren’s well-being. Recalling Xue Hexu's deceptive tactics, Feng Zuoren summoned officials and accused Xue Hexu of attempting to murder her. She pointed to the "assassin," claiming the woman released the snake and attacked her, showing a slash on her sleeve and the weapon as evidence.
Xue Hexu and the assassin initially lied, claiming the assassin was a family relative attending the banquet. Feng Zuoren exposed the lie by questioning why a guest would carry so many weapons. The assassin then claimed to be a butcher and that the knives were wedding gifts for the new madam. When Feng Zuoren pressed Xue Grandmother and other relatives, they confirmed they did not know the woman.
Cornered, Xue Hexu changed his story, declaring the assassin was there to "snatch the groom"—bizarrely pointing to his unconscious father, Xue Fugui, as the object of affection. He confided to the assassin that such a ridiculous story was necessary to divert attention. The assassin, prompted by Xue Hexu, confirmed she had long admired Lord Dingyuan and intended to become his second wife.
Feng Zuoren remarked on Xue Hexu's audacity, attempting to find his unconscious father a new wife so soon after her own marriage. The official, annoyed by the family's repeated private affairs, concluded it was a misunderstanding and departed. That night, Feng Zuoren confronted Xue Hexu in his room, warning him not to oppose her further. She assured him she would not harm the family if he cooperated in finding the former Crown Prince Jia Xun.
Xue Hexu, however, scoffed at her words, stating he trusted the assassin's story more than hers. He maintained that the Xue family was not harboring the former Crown Prince. Feng Zuoren then threatened him with her blade. After she left, Xue Hexu immediately ordered his subordinates to keep a close watch on Feng Zuoren, allowing no slack. The next morning, Xue Hexu discovered both guards asleep and Feng Zuoren gone. He also realized Xue Nuannuan was missing.
Meanwhile, Feng Zuoren was secretly following Gu Qianfu, who was tracking Xue Nuannuan. Xue Nuannuan was at a fabric store, purchasing various beautiful fabrics. Feng Zuoren suspected Xue Nuannuan might hold crucial clues. Gu Qianfu soon accosted Xue Nuannuan, attempting to undress her. Feng Zuoren intervened, scolding Gu Qianfu as a "despicable scoundrel" who deserved death for his actions. Gu Qianfu complained that Feng Zuoren constantly ruined his plans, but a surge of inner energy indicated his injury.
Xue Hexu arrived, misinterpreting the scene and believing Feng Zuoren was harming his sister. He drew his sword and attacked, but Feng Zuoren easily dodged him. Xue Nuannuan quickly intervened, explaining that Feng Zuoren had saved her from Gu Qianfu. Realizing his mistake, a contrite Xue Hexu sent pastries to Feng Zuoren's room as an apology. Feng Zuoren, still suspicious, wondered if the pastries were poisoned with Bone-Melting Powder, Cobra Pill, or Knockout Drops.
She subtly tested them and found no poison, but still did not eat them. Xue Hexu later approached Feng Zuoren, explaining why he remained guarded: their Dingyuan Marquis Mansion was suspected of hiding the former Crown Prince. He recounted how his brother, Xue Dongyang, once a clever child, had saved the family at age ten by tasting poisoned food. The poison triggered a three-day fever that left him mentally impaired.
He also explained that their father, Xue Fugui, was merely a fourth-rank civil official who became Lord Dingyuan after winning battles, not by saving a prince as rumors claimed. Xue Hexu declared that he would protect his family, even if it meant fighting against overwhelming odds. Feng Zuoren, responding to his sincerity, admitted that on her wedding day, she had indeed intended to eliminate the entire family, but was ordered to proceed discreetly.
She stated that, apart from Xue Hexu, the rest of the family was kind-hearted. She proposed that if he cooperated, they could be "one big happy family." Xue Hexu, however, silently dismissed her words as "lies after lies" and her as a "vicious liar." They shook hands, seemingly reaching a truce, but both remained deeply distrustful of each other's intentions. With his plan concerning Xue Nuannuan thwarted, Gu Qianfu shifted his focus to Xue Dongyang.
He found Xue Dongyang and proposed a game of dice: the winner takes a prize, the loser removes an article of clothing, hoping to get Xue Dongyang to undress and check for a special birthmark. However, Xue Dongyang repeatedly won, frustrating Gu Qianfu. When Xue Dongyang decided to leave for dinner, Gu Qianfu desperately suggested new rules: the winner removes clothing, and the loser takes all the prizes. Xue Dongyang agreed and won again.
Gu Qianfu lost his temper and tried to forcibly remove Xue Dongyang's clothes. Meanwhile, Xue Nuannuan returned home with an armful of colorful fabrics, intending to make new clothes for Feng Zuoren as a gesture of gratitude. She showed the fabrics to Feng Zuoren and her sister-in-law. Observing this scene, Xue Hexu realized that as Feng Zuoren grew closer to his family, he would need an entirely new approach to deal with her.
A servant then frantically reported that Xue Dongyang was missing. Gu Qianfu, having forced Xue Dongyang into a room, began to strip him, searching for the red crescent-shaped birthmark on his lower back that Grand Tutor Zhou had described. He found no such mark.
