My Divine Emissary Episode 16 Recap
> My Divine Emissary Recap
Li Tao discovered a photo of Li Mengmeng and Qi Yan in her backpack, recognizing Qi Yan as the Emperor of the Qi Kingdom. Later, Li Mengmeng showed Qi Yan a design for a short skirt. Qi Yan initially found it too short, but Li Mengmeng explained it was common for female students in her hometown.
He playfully said she could wear it and he would just make all the men close their eyes, then slightly upset, relented and told her to wear whatever she liked, as he respected her. Li Mengmeng gently soothed him. Qi Yan promised Li Mengmeng that he would build a home for her, recreating her hometown, and asked her not to leave him. Outside, Li Tao, having overheard their conversation, quietly left Li Mengmeng's backpack by the door.
Li Tao, now aware of Qi Yan's identity, instructed his men not to act rashly, stating he would personally handle the business with the Sai Residence. When questioned why, given their usual boldness, Li Tao explained that their merchant contact, Mr. Yan, was actually the Qi Emperor. He stressed that with the ongoing drought, it was not wise to make an enemy of him now. Sai Haiming, the head of the Sai Residence, invited Qi Yan to see some goods.
Qi Yan and Li Mengmeng were led to a warehouse. Inside, the room was filled with potatoes. Sai Haiming asked if Qi Yan was satisfied with the supplies. Qi Yan questioned why there were only potatoes. Sai Haiming claimed only potatoes were available due to southern grain being sent north for drought relief. Qi Yan, realizing Sai Haiming was being deceptive, revealed his identity by showing his waist token. Seeing this, Sai Haiming immediately knelt and begged for forgiveness.
Qi Yan then demanded to know about the disaster relief grain hidden in the dry well. Sai Haiming suggested Qi Yan see for himself if he didn't believe him. Qi Yan and his group went to the dry well. They found that only the top layer was grain, and everything beneath was disaster relief materials. Qi Yan realized someone must have revealed his identity.
Lu Huan regretted not staying at the Sai Residence to watch, suspecting the grain had been moved while they were away. Qi Yan asked Kong An about a task he had assigned him, and Kong An reported it was done as instructed. When Li Mengmeng asked what the task was, Qi Yan told her she would find out after dark. Under the cover of night, Li Tao and his men began transporting the disaster relief grain.
They were unaware that Qi Yan had earlier sprinkled fluorescent powder on the grain. Following the glow of the powder, Qi Yan and his group pursued them. When they reached the location, they found government soldiers already present. Qi Yan revealed his identity to the soldiers, who explained they were sent by Prefect Qian of Yang City, who had received a tip about the grain being moved. Qi Yan decided to speak with Prefect Qian.
The prefect explained he had been investigating the Sai Residence for days. Just as Sai Haiming started to deny everything, Sai Xue arrived. Prefect Qian was about to have Sai Xue taken away, but Li Mengmeng asked them to wait. Li Mengmeng led Sai Xue aside. She gently told Sai Xue that while she hated to see it, the evidence pointed to her father's involvement.
Sai Xue believed there was a misunderstanding and pleaded with Li Mengmeng to intercede with Qi Yan on her father's behalf. Li Mengmeng promised she would do her best. Sai Haiming confessed to Qi Yan that Jin Qianbao had forced him to do it. Qi Yan asked who Jin Qianbao was.
Sai Haiming claimed he didn't know his real identity but that Jin Qianbao had contacted him in the past for shady business and had threatened to expose his past dealings if he didn't cooperate with the disaster relief grain scheme. He added they had agreed to meet the next day to hand over the money from the Ximi Prince. Qi Yan instructed Sai Haiming to follow his plan for the next day.
Li Mengmeng asked if Sai Xue could also be present, and Qi Yan agreed, noting that Sai Xue seemed unaware of the plot and her presence might keep Sai Haiming in line. Later, Li Mengmeng remarked on the excellent soundproofing of the Sai Residence windows, noting they were better than those at the Lingtai Pavilion. Qi Yan suggested she move in with him upon their return to the palace and said he would have their room fitted with similar windows.
Li Mengmeng seemed surprised by his use of "our room." Meanwhile, Cui Wan'er waited for Qi Su to pick her up. Hearing a knock, she asked Shitao to open the door. As Shitao opened it, she was immediately killed by a sword. The assailant was the pirate Ma Kun, who then abducted Cui Wan'er. When Qi Su arrived, he found one person still alive who told him that the pirate Ma Kun had taken Cui Wan'er.
The meeting between Sai Haiming and Jin Qianbao's contact went poorly. Sai Haiming was cornered and, while trying to escape, fell off a cliff. His men were ordered to search for him, alive or dead. Cui Anshi received news about the abduction of his daughter by pirates. He was furious with Ma Kun, especially considering he had protected the pirates in the past.
Learning that his daughter might have intended to elope with Prince Heqin at the palace, Cui Anshi decided she had disregarded the family's honor and he would not intervene in her elopement. However, he ordered his men to immediately eliminate the pirates to prevent the disaster relief grain incident from escalating and being publicized, which would damage his reputation.
Ma Kun and his pirates were discussing their predicament, blaming Cui Anshi for their troubles after he double-crossed them regarding the disaster relief grain and got them branded as fugitives. They lamented the loss of men and decided to use Cui Wan'er as leverage against Cui Anshi. Ma Kun asked for a specific medicine that Cui Wan'er knew about. Qi Su searched tirelessly for Cui Wan'er.
He checked pharmacies in Yang City for anyone treated for arrow wounds, as the survivor mentioned pirates. They found nothing. He was told that the poison on the arrow that killed Shitao was from the royal family's stores and couldn't be treated by ordinary physicians in Yang City. He learned about a specific "bamboo grass" needed for treatment.
A flashback showed a younger Cui Wan'er with Qi Su and Huai'an, playing physician with a plant she called "bamboo grass," which Huai'an dismissed as just a common weed. Qi Su, remembering this, realized the significance of the name. He found a pharmacy where someone had inquired about "bamboo grass." He instructed the shopkeeper to tell the person that "bamboo grass" was extremely rare and expensive, requiring payment upfront.
Qi Su decided to go alone for the exchange to protect Cui Wan'er's reputation from being stained by being associated with pirates, entrusting his men to storm the location if he didn't return within an hour.
