My Dear Destiny Episode 8 Recap
> My Dear Destiny Recap
Consort Ling, acting on a whispered report from a maid, ordered Chou Qingli’s arrest, accusing her of poisoning the wine at the birthday banquet. Chou Qingli denied the accusation, demanding proof. Consort Ling then presented Wei, a kitchen maid, who testified that she had seen Chou Qingli alone in the kitchen at dusk, acting suspiciously while putting a lid on a wine jar. Wei added that she later helped Chou Qingli carry the jar to the banquet.
Consort Ling emphasized that only Chou Qingli had the opportunity to add the Spica Prunellae. Chou Qingli reiterated her innocence, stating she had never even seen Spica Prunellae before. She started to mention seeing someone else in the kitchen but hesitated, recalling she had seen Lv Che there and choosing to protect him. When Lv Ao asked her directly if she had anything to add, she simply said, “No. Nothing.”
Consort Ling then declared that Chou Qingli’s guilt was proven by witness and evidence, and, according to law, she should be imprisoned and executed. As officials agreed, the Dowager Consort fainted. Consort Ling pressed Lv Ao for a decision, and he ordered Chou Qingli to be taken to jail for further interrogation. Chou Qingli, distressed, looked at Lv Che, pleading for him to speak up, reminding him he knew she was innocent.
However, Lv Che, having witnessed the Dowager Consort’s maid poisoning the wine, chose to remain silent to protect his mother, only managing a quiet “I’m sorry” to Chou Qingli. Chou Qingli was heartbroken, lamenting that he didn’t stand up for her. Meanwhile, Lv Ao had Wei Xun investigate. Wei Xun found remnants of Spica Prunellae in the kitchen stove.
Lv Ao confirmed with Wei Xun that very few people knew about his allergy to Spica Prunellae, suggesting the poisoning was personally targeted. When Wei Xun asked if Lv Ao truly believed Chou Qingli was the culprit, Lv Ao responded, “It wasn’t her. Someone’s using her as a scapegoat.” Wei Xun cautioned Lv Ao against visiting the jail directly, as the case was high-profile and the Dowager Consort was still unconscious, arguing that a visit would only harm Chou Qingli.
Lv Ao insisted, declaring his intent to clear her name as quickly as possible. Elsewhere, Consort Ling’s maid celebrated Chou Qingli’s removal, but Consort Ling expressed confusion, noting the Spica Prunellae and Hibiscus mixture wasn’t lethal and questioning Chou Qingli’s motive given her responsibility for the dishes. Her maid dismissed it, calling Chou Qingli a witch. In jail, Chou Qingli was left in dire conditions. She found her meager meal, placed out of reach, had cockroaches in it.
A fellow inmate, who had pickles, remarked that Chou Qingli must have offended someone to receive such harsh treatment. The jailer taunted her, predicting she wouldn’t last five days, but Chou Qingli defiantly resolved to endure. She reflected on Lv Che’s coldness during her trial, realizing with sorrow that he was no different from the other calculating people in the palace. Distraught by Chou Qingli’s suffering, Lian Qiao sought out Yinzi, offering him money and pleading for his help.
She explained that her master was in critical condition due to her old illness and the harsh jail treatment, and as a humble maid, she couldn’t reach His Majesty herself. Yinzi acknowledged Lian Qiao’s resourcefulness but initially refused, saying no one dared to speak on Chou Qingli’s behalf to Lv Ao. However, later, Yinzi approached Lv Ao, feigning casual conversation about rumors of a “miserable ghost” crying in the jail all night.
When Lv Ao expressed irritation at him meddling in palace affairs and asked who bribed him, Yinzi insisted he only mentioned it because he sensed Lv Ao’s worry for Chou Qingli. He then explicitly stated that Chou Qingli was being severely tormented and was at risk due to her unhealed old illness. Angered by this news, Lv Ao immediately went to the jail.
He found Chou Qingli unconscious and on the verge of death, as an impatient jailer was about to pour a bucket of cold water on her to hasten her demise. Lv Ao intervened just in time, rescuing Chou Qingli and carrying her back to his room. She was shivering and weak, murmuring, “Cold, so cold.” Lv Ao held her tightly to provide warmth, and when she struggled to swallow her medicine, he personally fed it to her by mouth.
A medical official updated Lv Ao on Chou Qingli’s grave condition, explaining that her previous severe injuries combined with extreme weakness and lack of food made her vulnerable even to a simple cold. Lv Ao angrily silenced him. Lv Ao then neglected state affairs, reviewing documents in the room where Chou Qingli rested and ignoring Wei Xun’s warnings about anxious officials. When Chou Qingli finally woke, Lv Ao gently asked if he had disturbed her.
She requested to return to her own chambers, Dyeing Stream Courtyard, rather than staying in his. After a moment, Lv Ao agreed. Back in her chambers, Lian Qiao discovered strangle marks on Chou Qingli’s neck, which appeared after Chou Qingli had a vivid nightmare and clutched Lian Qiao’s throat. Concerned that Chou Qingli might be possessed, Lian Qiao and another maid, Aheng, prepared to confront any spectral visitors.
That night, they caught Lady Li sneaking onto Chou Qingli’s bed, attempting to harm her. They subdued Lady Li and reported the incident to Lv Ao. Lv Ao, despite Lian Qiao’s protestations that Lady Li almost killed Chou Qingli, calmly ordered Lady Li to be sent to the Royal Academy of Medicine for diagnosis and treatment. When Lian Qiao continued to argue, Yinzi cautioned her that His Majesty’s decision was final.
Lv Ao then commended Lian Qiao and Aheng for their loyalty and courage, promoting them both to first-grade maids and emphasizing that they must care for Chou Qingli without fail. Wei Xun informed Lv Ao that the culprit behind the Spica Prunellae poisoning had been found: Wei, the kitchen maid, who left a suicide note confessing to the crime and framing Chou Qingli. Both Lv Ao and Wei Xun believed Wei was merely a scapegoat, not the true mastermind.
However, to immediately exonerate Chou Qingli, Lv Ao decided to close the case based on Wei’s confession. The news of her innocence brought immense relief to Chou Qingli, who had been stuffing herself with food to build resilience for a potential return to jail. Her maids expressed astonishment at her rapid recovery. Feeling invigorated, Chou Qingli stepped out to enjoy the garden but stumbled on a step, falling directly into Lv Ao’s arms.
He held her protectively, admonishing her not to worry him again. Later, her maids teased her playfully about being “in love,” noticing her symptoms of a racing heart and flushed cheeks, which Chou Qingli bashfully denied. Meanwhile, Consort Ling grew increasingly anxious about Lv Ao’s continued favoritism towards Chou Qingli. She bemoaned how long it had been since Lv Ao visited her chambers, contrasting her situation with Chou Qingli’s swift recovery and calling her a seductress.
She frantically demanded her beauty creams and elaborate clothing, vowing not to lose to Chou Qingli. Her maid, however, advised patience, reminding Consort Ling that her father, General Ling, was soon to return victoriously. She suggested that Lv Ao would surely favor Consort Ling out of respect for her father. Reassured, Consort Ling decided to wait a few more days. Later, Lian Qiao discovered a cryptic note outside Chou Qingli’s door, simply stating, “Star and Crescent Bridge at dusk.”
Believing it to be a romantic invitation from Lv Ao, Chou Qingli went to the designated meeting spot. To her surprise, the person waiting there was Lv Che. He expressed concern about Lady Li’s attack, asking if she was hurt. Chou Qingli downplayed it, saying Lady Li only left a few marks on her neck, which had already healed.
