My Heart Episode 18 Recap
> My Heart Recap
Lu Yunxi visited the Crown Prince, expressing her trust and concern for him after hearing rumors about an assassin in the hunting ground. The Crown Prince showed her a tassel found at the scene, which he believed belonged to the assassin. After observing Qi Yi, Lu Yunxi recognized the tassel as his.
She initially hesitated to reveal the assassin's identity, but hearing the widespread public misunderstanding that the Crown Prince intended to harm his brother, she couldn't bear to see him wronged. She then told him that she knew who the culprit was. Nangong Yixin and Xiaowu spent the day creating a romantic setting. When Lu Qingqing arrived, Nangong Yixin led her to the decorated spot to confess his feelings, telling her, "Qingqing, I love you.
I want to be with you forever and ever." She responded, "Me too." Later, they went boating. Lu Qingqing teased Nangong Yixin for being slow at rowing since it was his first time. She wished for time to stop at that moment, saying, "If time stopped at this moment, it would be wonderful." Nangong Yixin held her hand, asking her to agree to leave Qiyuan continent for Youhuang as soon as possible.
Lu Qingqing, concerned, brought up the apparent misunderstanding between Nangong Yixin and Lu Hongzhu, hoping they could resolve their differences since she found herself in a difficult position between them. Knowing Lu Qingqing’s kind nature, Nangong Yixin did not press the issue further. The Crown Prince summoned Qi Yi, confronting him with the tassel and accusing him of assassinating Lord Jin. When Qi Yi remained silent, the Crown Prince ordered him to be whipped to force a confession.
Lu Yunxi, seeing Qi Yi in pain, stepped forward, suggesting she could talk to him. She urged Qi Yi to tell the truth, reminding him of the implications for the Lu family and the "fusang fruit" incident. Qi Yi then claimed he acted "out of love" for Lu Qingqing, wanting to prevent her from being with Lord Jin, and insisted no one else instructed him. The Crown Prince, disbelieving his story, ordered him to be whipped again.
Lu Yunxi realized Qi Yi was lying and suspected he was hiding something important, perhaps related to her father. Later, Xiaowu returned injured, reporting that while transporting General Han's subordinate to No Magic Valley, Lu Hongzhu's men had intercepted them and taken the man. Nangong Yixin confronted Lu Hongzhu, who admitted to capturing a "rebel" he identified as General Han's murderer, implying Xiaowu was closely associated with him. Lu Hongzhu advised Nangong Yixin not to interfere to avoid implicating himself.
At that moment, a messenger arrived, summoning Lu Hongzhu to the Crown Prince. Lu Hongzhu instructed his servant, Fu, to escort Nangong Yixin out and then confidently left for the palace. Nangong Yixin, however, did not leave. He hid and overheard Lu Hongzhu ordering his subordinates to dispose of a body. Nangong Yixin followed the cart transporting the body to the outskirts of the city. After Lu Hongzhu's men set the body ablaze and departed, Nangong Yixin extinguished the fire.
Upon examining the corpse, he discovered a black lotus seal on its palm. This chilling mark triggered a vivid memory from his childhood: the day his father passed away. He recalled finding only Lu Hongzhu in the imperial hall. Lu Hongzhu had blocked him before announcing the Emperor's death. Nangong Yixin had struggled past him to see his father, only to find the same black lotus seal on the Emperor's hand.
At that moment, Nangong Yixin definitively concluded that Lu Hongzhu had murdered his father. At the palace, the Crown Prince confronted Lu Hongzhu, demanding an explanation for Qi Yi's assassination attempt on Lord Jin. Qi Yi, still present, hastily interjected, stating the matter was his alone and unrelated to Lu Hongzhu, reiterating his fabricated love for Lu Qingqing. The Crown Prince, recognizing Qi Yi's attempt to protect someone, threatened him with execution.
Lu Yunxi immediately pleaded for Qi Yi's life, urging her father to intercede, highlighting Qi Yi's long-standing loyalty. Lu Hongzhu then admitted that he had indeed instructed Qi Yi to ambush and assassinate Lord Jin. The Crown Prince was furious, scolding Lu Hongzhu for harming his brother. Lu Hongzhu explained his actions were solely for the Crown Prince's benefit, accusing Lord Jin of having ulterior motives and not treating the Crown Prince as a true brother.
He claimed Lord Jin harbored General Han's assassin in his mansion and falsely stated that the assassin had committed suicide after being discovered. Lu Hongzhu also suggested that Lord Jin's pursuit of Lu Qingqing was driven by his desire for the magic power stone. Considering Lu Hongzhu's apparent loyalty, the Crown Prince decided not to pursue the matter further for the time being, but warned him against acting rashly again.
Afterward, Lu Hongzhu showed no anger toward Qi Yi for his failure or toward Lu Yunxi for informing the Crown Prince. He understood Lu Yunxi's feelings for the Crown Prince, noting that their goals aligned: to ensure the Crown Prince's swift ascension to the throne. Lu Hongzhu then revealed to Lu Yunxi that the previous Emperor had left a secret imperial edict before his death, the contents of which even the Crown Prince was unaware.
He stated that this edict was now in Lord Jin's possession and could potentially harm the Crown Prince's claim to the throne. Lu Yunxi immediately pledged to investigate the matter thoroughly. The Crown Prince later informed Nangong Yixin that Qi Yi had attempted to assassinate him, attributing it to Qi Yi's unrequited love for Lu Qingqing, but he withheld Lu Hongzhu’s confession. Nangong Yixin, unconvinced, questioned if the Crown Prince truly believed this explanation.
The Crown Prince, appearing hesitant, admitted that for now, he had to. Nangong Yixin directly asked if the Crown Prince had adopted Lu Hongzhu's suspicious nature. The Crown Prince, uncomfortable, abruptly left, confirming Nangong Yixin's suspicion that he was being misled by Lu Hongzhu. Nangong Yixin sought out Rongyun to inquire about the magical technique that leaves a black lotus seal on the palm. Rongyun explained that it was a forbidden Qiyuan continent magic.
This technique forcibly imbues magic power into the victim's brain, causing severe headaches and death. Its most insidious aspect was its ability to extract memories from individuals with lower magic power, leaving their minds in disarray. Nangong Yixin then recounted how he had received a secret imperial edict from General Han's subordinate.
He had tried to send this subordinate to No Magic Valley for safety, but the man was ambushed and killed en route, with the same black lotus seal found on his palm—identical to the one on his father's hand when he died. Nangong Yixin realized Lu Hongzhu was responsible for his father's death and feared that Lu Hongzhu had already extracted the subordinate's memories, thus learning about the secret imperial edict.
Rongyun, worried that Lu Hongzhu would show no mercy if he knew, urged Nangong Yixin to proceed with extreme caution. Lu Yunxi confronted Lu Qingqing, urging her to distance herself from Nangong Yixin. She accused Nangong Yixin of seeking to usurp the throne from the Crown Prince and questioned if Lu Qingqing aspired to become Empress. Lu Qingqing denied any such ambition, affirming her trust in Nangong Yixin and her belief that he was not that kind of person.
Lu Yunxi then invoked their father's authority, claiming Lu Hongzhu forbade Lu Qingqing from associating with Nangong Yixin. However, Lu Qingqing refused to listen, asserting she would only trust what she saw, heard, and felt, and that her father's words were not always infallible. Nangong Yixin and Lu Qingqing had arranged to meet, but he arrived two hours late and was uncharacteristically cold towards her, ignoring the hazelnut crisp she had made.
Upset by his behavior, Lu Qingqing left and confided in Baihe, lamenting his sudden indifference. Unbeknownst to them, Lu Yunxi overheard their conversation. Later, Lu Yunxi disguised herself as Lu Qingqing and delivered red bean crisp to Nangong Yixin. Nangong Yixin, knowing Lu Qingqing preferred hazelnut crisp, immediately recognized the deception. He feigned ignorance, subtly mentioning a side room where an object was located, providing Lu Yunxi an opportunity.
While he was "retrieving something," Lu Yunxi found a fake imperial edict and secretly took it. Nangong Yixin observed her actions without intervening, having already switched the real edict with a counterfeit. Nangong Yixin then confronted the disguised Lu Yunxi, accusing Lu Hongzhu of being his father's murderer, citing clear evidence in General Han's letter. Lu Yunxi dismissed his claims as drunken rambling and left, still believing her father was a kind and loyal man.
Nangong Yixin, realizing the urgency, resolved to accelerate his plans and ensure Lu Qingqing's immediate return to the safety of Youhuang. Lu Yunxi returned home and presented the fake imperial edict to Lu Hongzhu, who asked if she had discovered anything else. She shook her head, but her mind replayed Nangong Yixin's accusation that her father was his father's killer. Lu Hongzhu then instructed her to closely monitor Lu Qingqing, ensuring she remained separated from Lord Jin until the magic power stone appeared.
