My Divine Emissary Episode 10 Recap
> My Divine Emissary Recap
Qi Yan, Qi Su, Cui Wan'er, and Li Mengmeng were talking when Qi Su commented that being with Qingluo wasn't bad and would make their families even closer. Cui Wan'er's cousin, Cui Qingluo, overheard this and asked Qi Su if he was serious. Qingluo presented Qi Su with a handkerchief she had embroidered to thank him for helping her by the stream previously.
Cui Wan'er noted that she, Qi Yan, and Prince Heqin had grown up together and were happy that Prince Heqin had found the right person. She promised a grand gift for their wedding, mentioning a pair of high-quality red coral bracelets from the West in the style of twin lotus flowers, perfect for newlyweds, stating they could each wear one forever, wishing them a long and lasting union. After this, Cui Wan'er left.
Li Mengmeng followed Cui Wan'er, asking if she liked Prince Heqin. Cui Wan'er reminded Li Mengmeng that she had heard her call him Huai'an that day and asked why she married the Emperor then. Cui Wan'er offered to share a small story. She explained that from a young age, she knew a daughter from the Cui family would marry into the palace to become Empress.
Initially, the plan was for her older sister to marry the Emperor and her to marry Prince Heqin, which was considered the best arrangement. However, just days before the wedding, her sister died suddenly. Her father kept it secret and had Cui Wan'er secretly take her sister's place for the marriage. Her own happiness was insignificant compared to the family's fortune. Li Mengmeng asked why Prince Heqin didn't stop her.
Cui Wan'er revealed that she was preparing to write to him, hoping he would arrive before the wedding to take her away, but instead, she received a letter from him first, telling her not to wait and wishing her luck in finding another suitable partner. Li Mengmeng suggested there might be a misunderstanding, questioning if the letter was truly from him, as handwriting could be faked. Cui Wan'er insisted she wouldn't mistake his handwriting, as they grew up together.
Li Mengmeng mentioned that when Prince Heqin was selecting his consort, she had accidentally entered his study and seen Cui Wan'er's portrait, arguing he wouldn't keep it if he didn't love her. Later, Qi Yan and Li Mengmeng prepared to secretly travel to Lu County to inspect the aqueduct project. Li Mengmeng was dressed in women's clothing.
Lu Huan commented on her 'disguise', saying her crossdressing looked quite convincing, prompting Qi Yan to reveal that Li Mengmeng was indeed a woman. Qi Yan told Lu Huan that Li Mengmeng was a genuine woman. Meanwhile, Qingluo found Cui Wan'er, saying she couldn't sleep and asked if Cui Wan'er would walk with her. Cui Wan'er offered to call Shitao to join them, but Qingluo said she wanted to speak with Cui Wan'er alone.
Qingluo led Cui Wan'er to a secluded spot and asked if she still harbored feelings for Prince Heqin, revealing she had overheard Cui Wan'er's conversation with Li Mengmeng. Qingluo confessed that she had admired Prince Heqin since their first meeting and had waited a long time for this day. She pointed out that Cui Wan'er was already married to the Emperor and asked her not to obstruct her and Qi Su (referring to Prince Heqin).
Cui Wan'er stated that Prince Heqin was free to marry whomever he wished and that if he truly liked Qingluo, he would marry her. Cui Wan'er then decided to leave. Qingluo grabbed her, pleading with her to promise not to interfere and to forget the past. In their struggle, Cui Wan'er fell over a cliff edge. Qingluo cried out that she didn't push her. In Lu County, Qi Yan and Li Mengmeng met Minister Li.
Li Mengmeng was astonished to find that Minister Li looked exactly like her father from her original world. She mused that perhaps the reason she time-traveled was to meet her father again. Minister Li, addressing Li Mengmeng as Emissary Xiao, expressed surprise at her youth, noting that Qi Yan had spoken highly of her. Qi Yan added that Li Mengmeng had also devised the method for the underground aqueduct.
Minister Li praised the aqueduct design as ingenious and wise, calling Li Mengmeng a true talent, which made her happy, feeling as if her own father were praising her. Minister Li agreed to show them the aqueduct project. Back at the temple, Shitao reported Cui Wan'er's disappearance to Qi Su. Qi Su asked who else knew. Shitao said she had tried to find the Emperor but couldn't and immediately came to him.
Qi Su instructed her not to publicize the matter, emphasizing that it concerned Cui Wan'er's reputation. Qi Su then went searching and found Cui Wan'er unconscious in the mountains. When Cui Wan'er woke up, Qi Su expressed how worried he was, saying he thought about her constantly and was terrified something had happened to her. Cui Wan'er, still a little disoriented, called him "Huai'an" and asked why he didn't tell her his feelings sooner.
Qi Su was relieved she was alright. Li Mengmeng found Minister Li's resemblance to her father comforting and longed to spend more time with him. As she hesitated whether to approach him, Minister Li appeared. Li Mengmeng, looking at him, asked if she could give him a hug, explaining it was a custom from her homeland. Minister Li, initially hesitant about the impropriety, agreed, admitting his unfamiliarity with the custom.
Li Mengmeng then told him that he looked very much like someone she knew back home, someone very important—her father. She expressed how much she missed him but could no longer see him, forever. Minister Li acknowledged the difficulty of being alone in a foreign land and believed anything was possible, even different worlds. Meanwhile, Cui Anshi's scout reported that Emissary Xiao was a woman and had accompanied the Emperor to Lu County.
Cui Anshi immediately suspected this was the reason the Emperor had not consummated his marriage with Cui Wan'er. He ordered his men to go to Lu County and eliminate Emissary Xiao cleanly, considering it a small warning to the Emperor. Later that night, Li Mengmeng and Qi Yan took a walk in Lu County. Li Mengmeng sighed, thinking about how much faster travel was in her world compared to the long journey from the capital to Lu County now.
She regretted not appreciating the convenience she had. Qi Yan asked about high-speed trains and planes, and Li Mengmeng confirmed they were much faster. Qi Yan expressed a desire to visit her homeland someday. Li Mengmeng wished she could show him but didn't know how to return. Observing the quiet, drought-stricken town, Qi Yan lamented his responsibility for the people's suffering.
Li Mengmeng, seemingly distracted, pointed out the relationship between light and shadow, then revealed she had an idea for the aqueduct construction. She explained that by placing a light at the bottom of the vertical passage and having workers dig with their backs to the light, always facing their own shadow, they could ensure they dug in a straight line, preventing deviations. Qi Yan and Minister Li were impressed by her brilliant method.
Minister Li estimated that, with the new method and workers starting immediately, the remaining section could be completed by noon the day after tomorrow, only needing less than five days to meet the one-month deadline initially mentioned in his letter. However, he noted the workers had just rested. Qi Yan initially suggested there was no rush, but Minister Li, eager for the project's success and knowing the workers felt the same, proposed pushing forward.
Qi Yan agreed and entrusted the task to Minister Li. Meanwhile, Qi Su had taken Cui Wan'er to a safer location and was preparing food. Cui Wan'er, awake, commented that he had fixed her broken hairpin and asked if it looked nice. Qi Su replied that she was the most beautiful. She asked why he came to save her if he had abandoned her. Qi Su was confused, asking what she meant by abandoning her.
Cui Wan'er brought up their long friendship, which he ended with a letter. Qi Su was shocked, saying he had traveled five days non-stop from the northern border after hearing about her marriage to Qi Yan and couldn't possibly not care about her. Cui Wan'er insisted she received a letter from him a few days before the wedding, with his handwriting, telling her not to wait and find another match.
Qi Su denied sending any such letter and wondered if someone else was responsible. Cui Wan'er clarified that it wasn't Qi Yan, who only learned he was marrying her on the wedding day, implying Qi Yan had planned to let her go. Feeling she had nowhere left to go after receiving the letter she thought was from him, she married the Emperor. Qi Su called her silly and reaffirmed he would never not want her.
Cui Wan'er then asked if he still wanted her to leave with him now. He confirmed that he did, stating that identity and status were less important than being by her side.
