My Divine Emissary Episode 8 Recap
> My Divine Emissary Recap
After much effort, Li Mengmeng finally devised a method to treat the Empress Dowager. She decided to test it first, starting with Steward Lu Huan. Although highly reluctant and finding the treatment method unheard of, Lu Huan felt compelled to agree due to Qi Yan's presence. When Li Mengmeng instructed him to remove his clothes, Qi Yan intervened, suggesting he handle it himself and letting Lu Huan leave. However, when it came time to undress, Qi Yan became shy.
Li Mengmeng urged him to hurry, emphasizing the importance of treating the Empress Dowager. She then pressed him onto a bed, telling him to take off his upper garment. Using a technique similar to modern cupping, Li Mengmeng applied it to Qi Yan. He felt a warming sensation on his body, which Li Mengmeng confirmed was the correct feeling. Meanwhile, Kong An saw Zhou Quan selling the healing ointment he had given her.
He stopped her, questioning why she was selling something he had provided. Caught, Zhou Quan returned the ointment, but Kong An demanded the money she had earned. Zhou Quan immediately feigned poverty and helplessness, claiming she had lost her father young and her family was poor. Kong An stated he would not be fooled again, reminding her she had previously tricked him into helping Li Mengmeng sneak out of the palace. Zhou Quan began to cry dramatically.
Unable to deal with her tears, Kong An gave her some silver and told her to leave. Seeing the red cupping marks on Qi Yan's back, Lu Huan exclaimed in shock. Qi Yan ordered him to immediately fetch Li Mengmeng. However, Li Mengmeng had fainted from exhaustion. Qi Yan quickly placed her on a bed, instructing her to rest as she had a fever.
When Li Mengmeng woke, she explained that the red marks on his body were a normal reaction and would disappear in a few days. Qi Yan told her he trusted her, noting he already felt much better, and entrusted the Empress Dowager's treatment to her. Li Mengmeng was delighted and attempted to high-five Qi Yan, commenting that he didn't even know how to high-five. Li Mengmeng proceeded to treat the Empress Dowager, enlisting the help of Noble Consort.
When the Empress Dowager's granny saw the red marks on her back, she became enraged, accusing Li Mengmeng of using dark arts to harm the Empress Dowager. Cui Anshi immediately ordered guards to arrest Li Mengmeng. Qi Yan stepped forward, declaring that no one would dare touch her while he was present, stating he had the same marks which were normal.
Cui Anshi insisted Li Mengmeng was using witchcraft and needed to be dealt with to prevent future trouble, urging the guards again. Amidst the commotion, the Empress Dowager called out for Qi Yan. She reported that her headache was much better and intended to thank Cui Wan'er. Cui Wan'er informed her that Emissary Xiao had devised the moxibustion method. Qi Yan confirmed he had tested the method on himself first and found it effective.
Li Mengmeng added that the method originated from her hometown's ancestors and thanked Noble Consort and the imperial physicians for their help. The Empress Dowager was surprised that someone in the palace understood medicine better than Cui Wan'er, acknowledging Li Mengmeng's capability. Li Mengmeng suggested the Empress Dowager needed long-term care and offered to continue the treatments with Noble Consort. Separately, Cui Anshi told Cui Wan'er that he would not be at peace until Emissary Xiao was removed.
He asserted that anyone who hindered Cui Wan'er's path to becoming Empress would be eliminated, suspecting Li Mengmeng might have enchanted the Emperor as he had changed since her arrival. Cui Wan'er argued that Emissary Xiao was unrelated to the matter, but Cui Anshi stressed the urgency of her union with the Emperor for the Cui family's future, warning her not to be willful. The Empress Dowager felt Li Mengmeng was extraordinary.
She also noted that Li Mengmeng had made her a buckwheat pillow and brought items she had never seen before, which must be from her powerful hometown. Considering Li Mengmeng's abilities, the Empress Dowager decreed that she should move from the Eunuch Quarters to the Lingtai Pavilion to better serve the kingdom. Qi Yan objected, arguing that Li Mengmeng had been by his side since entering the palace, helping him resolve difficulties, and he would be unaccustomed to her absence.
However, the Empress Dowager insisted that as a Divine Emissary with capability, Li Mengmeng should be utilized for the kingdom's benefit and ordered her granny to convey the decree for Li Mengmeng to move immediately. Zhou Quan learned of the news and quickly informed Li Mengmeng, asking her not to forget her once she became rich. Zhou Quan complained that Kong An was watching her, severely impacting her business. She mentioned selling things in the palace was against the rules.
She showed Li Mengmeng a headband belonging to Prince Heqin (Qi Su), lamenting that even such items were hard to sell now. Li Mengmeng saw the name "Huaian" on the headband and mistakenly thought it was Qi Yan's nickname. Zhou Quan corrected her, revealing that Huaian was Prince Heqin's nickname.
Li Mengmeng then realized that Huaian, the name Cui Wan'er had called out while drunk, was actually Prince Heqin (Qi Su), finding the situation ("uncle falls in love with his nephew's wife") quite dramatic. The Empress Dowager, feeling better, spoke with Cui Wan'er. She expressed her hope that Qi Yan and Cui Wan'er would have a son, which would cure her illness. She then asked for Cui Wan'er's help regarding Prince Heqin (Qi Su).
The Empress Dowager noted that Prince Heqin, the late Emperor's younger brother, was older than Qi Yan and still unmarried, a matter that troubled her. She mentioned Prince Heqin had agreed to choose a consort and asked Cui Wan'er to handle the selection process, feeling too old to do it herself. Cui Wan'er hesitated, citing her status, but the Empress Dowager insisted, pointing out that Prince Heqin himself had no objections. Cui Wan'er agreed to follow the Empress Dowager's arrangement.
Lu Huan arrived at the Eunuch Quarters to deliver the Empress Dowager's decree: awarding Li Mengmeng a hundred gold taels (to be kept by Qi Yan) and ordering her to move to Lingtai Pavilion immediately. The decree stated she could bring one trusted attendant. Li Mengmeng acknowledged Zhou Quan's accurate information. She chose Zhou Quan, reminding her of their earlier agreement.
Zhou Quan was grateful but insisted she was honest, not a thief, and her business involved gossip, books, and discarded items, feeling Li Mengmeng misunderstood her slightly. Li Mengmeng accepted her explanation and they left. Arriving at Lingtai Pavilion, Li Mengmeng appreciated the spacious and bright room, feeling it was the treatment she deserved. She anticipated Qi Yan's visit, but instead, the attendant Jing arrived with snacks.
Li Mengmeng asked if Qi Yan had visited, but Jing said he had not. Back at Qingyan Palace, Qi Yan found his rooms unusually quiet without Li Mengmeng and felt unaccustomed to it. He wondered how she was doing at Lingtai Pavilion. Lu Huan assured him she was well cared for. Qi Yan spotted her phone and used it as an excuse to visit her, claiming he was bringing it to her.
At Lingtai Pavilion, Li Mengmeng was giving fortune readings to some maids, advising them about their love lives. A high priest also seemed interested in her advice. Qi Yan arrived and dismissed everyone. Li Mengmeng asked if he had come to see her. Qi Yan reiterated he was delivering her phone, which he called her "chicken." Li Mengmeng, slightly disappointed, said she had been working but was still thinking of him. Qi Yan then suggested taking her somewhere.
He led her to a beautiful spot where they could see the Milky Way. Li Mengmeng was amazed, having never seen it before. She pointed out what looked like two people in the stars and asked Qi Yan to look. Holding her hand, she explained that in her hometown, stars had names and personalities like people.
Qi Yan asked about his star personality, and Li Mengmeng described him as proud, confident, and a strong leader, refuting his self-description as a tyrant. She praised his inventions and efforts for the people, calling him a benevolent emperor. She added, however, that he might need a wise and knowledgeable confidant to achieve his ambitions. When Qi Yan asked where this confidant was, Li Mengmeng indicated herself. Qi Yan accepted her assistance, calling her his confidant, to which Li Mengmeng playfully replied that he should treat her better in the future.
