My Heart Episode 21 Recap
> My Heart Recap
Lu Qingqing returned to the palace with the Crown Prince, where he arranged for her to stay in the side hall of his sleeping chambers for better care and protection. Despite the Crown Prince's kindness, Lu Qingqing felt deep remorse, believing herself responsible for any conflict between the Crown Prince and the Empress, especially since her father, Lu Hongzhu, was the one who killed the previous Emperor.
The Crown Prince, however, assured her that Lu Hongzhu's actions were unrelated to her, and Nangong Yixin's current distance was merely temporary, urging her to rest and promising his unwavering protection. Meanwhile, Lu Hongzhu was informed of Lu Qingqing's presence in the palace and reacted with fury, seeing it as a direct defiance.
He immediately instructed Qi Yi to prepare the magic power army for a massive assault on No Magic Valley, determined to eliminate Nangong Yixin and Li An guild leader. When Lu Yunxi visited her father, Lu Hongzhu deceitfully claimed that Lu Qingqing had recklessly protected Nangong Yixin in No Magic Valley, leading to a devastating defeat for the magic power army.
Feigning regret for spoiling Lu Qingqing, he painted a grim picture of Nangong Yixin manipulating Lu Qingqing to seize the magic power stone, thereby jeopardizing the Crown Prince's claim to the throne. Believing her father's lies, Lu Yunxi agreed to persuade Lu Qingqing to return to the mansion. Lu Yunxi went to Lu Qingqing, trying to appeal to their sisterly bond and convince her to return to the Lu Mansion.
However, Lu Qingqing confronted her with the horrific truth about Lu Hongzhu's misdeeds: his ruthless slaughter of innocent people, his assassination of General Han and his men, and most damningly, his murder of the previous Emperor, all carried out with the nefarious Dark Lotus Seal. Lu Qingqing revealed that she had witnessed Lu Hongzhu wielding the Dark Lotus Seal to threaten Nangong Yixin's life, using her as leverage.
Lu Yunxi was horrified by these accusations, dismissing them as fabrications by Nangong Yixin. The Empress summoned the Crown Prince, demanding he act against Lu Qingqing to secure the magic power stone, convinced that Nangong Yixin was plotting rebellion. The Crown Prince defended Nangong Yixin, further infuriating the Empress.
She then shockingly revealed that she had poisoned Nangong Yixin with a glacial poison years ago to ensure the Crown Prince's succession, lamenting that his newfound love for Lu Qingqing had likely activated the poison and made his death imminent. The Crown Prince was enraged by his mother's cruelty, even suggesting that Nangong Yixin was more deserving of the throne.
The Empress, distraught, explained her decades of sacrifice, transforming from a gentle woman into a hardened ruler to protect him and the kingdom after his father's death, highlighting the brutal realities of power. The Crown Prince then presented her with the real secret edict, exposing Lu Hongzhu as the true murderer of the previous Emperor and General Han, and revealing his deceitful ambition. The Empress realized her profound error and regretted her long-held resentment towards Nangong Yixin.
Just as the Empress was processing this devastating truth, Lu Hongzhu arrived. The Crown Prince instructed his mother to conceal the real edict and appear unsuspecting. Lu Hongzhu pressed for the magic power stone to facilitate the Crown Prince's immediate ascension. The Empress cautiously questioned his true intentions behind repeatedly attacking No Magic Valley.
Lu Hongzhu, unaware of her newfound knowledge, falsely claimed he sought to apprehend Li An guild leader for deceiving the magic girl, all to uphold the continent's authority. His hollow assurances only solidified the Empress's understanding of his self-serving ambition. The Crown Prince, who had already gathered his generals to expose Lu Hongzhu's ambition and planned his capture, now had a more concrete strategy to deal with Lu Hongzhu.
In No Magic Valley, Nangong Yixin was plagued by dreams of Lu Qingqing and his health continued to decline. Meanwhile, Lu Qingqing, tormented by Nangong Yixin's earlier harsh words, resolved to seek answers from Rongyun in Youhuang Hall about the magic power stone within her body and her true identity. She needed to understand her connection to the magic girl.
The Crown Prince, mistakenly believing Lu Yunxi had leaked information about Nangong Yixin's deteriorating condition, angrily confronted her, accusing her of deliberately endangering Lu Qingqing. Lu Yunxi denied it, and during their heated exchange, the Crown Prince noticed her Green Lotus Seal, a symbol of chastity. This revelation confirmed that she had lied about their supposed intimacy, deeply disappointing him.
He acknowledged her suffering from unrequited love, similar to his own, but sternly warned her to cease all attempts to harm Lu Qingqing. In No Magic Valley, facing a fresh wave of attacks from Lu Hongzhu's forces and dwindling morale, Doctor Wu stepped forward. He revealed his true identity as Li An guild leader to Sikong Ying and his men, stating he could no longer hide.
He recounted his tragic past: his love for the magic girl, which incurred the wrath of the obsessed Lu Hongzhu. The magic girl discovered Lu Hongzhu's plot to kill the previous Emperor and usurp the throne. The Emperor was murdered, and Lu Hongzhu then attempted to seize the magic power stone. To prevent this, the magic girl extracted the magic power stone and fled.
She fled to Doctor Wu, but Lu Hongzhu fabricated a story of her stealing the stone and colluding with Doctor Wu, then launched an attack on No Magic Valley. Doctor Wu and the magic girl separated; he drew Lu Hongzhu's main force away, while Lu Hongzhu pursued the magic girl. Cornered, the magic girl sealed the magic power stone within her baby daughter, Lu Qingqing, and leaped to her death.
Lu Hongzhu found the infant Lu Qingqing and raised her, hoping to uncover the whereabouts of the magic power stone. Doctor Wu, heartbroken by his wife's death and his daughter's disappearance, went into hiding. Lu Qingqing, determined to find the truth, prepared to leave the palace for Youhuang Hall.
The Crown Prince, concerned for her safety, tried to dissuade her, but Lu Qingqing insisted, stating she could no longer endure being protected through deception and needed to uncover the truth herself. Unable to stop her, the Crown Prince chose to accompany her, temporarily abandoning his royal duties. Along the way, they were pursued by Lu Hongzhu's agents, but the Crown Prince expertly used his magic to evade them. At Youhuang Hall, Lu Qingqing requested a private audience with Rongyun.
She confronted him, asking if he took her as a disciple solely because of the magic power stone within her. Rongyun confirmed her suspicion, explaining that Nangong Yixin had requested he train her for self-preservation. Pressing for more, Lu Qingqing demanded to know her relationship with the magic girl. Rongyun finally revealed the full, shocking truth: Lu Qingqing was the daughter of the magic girl and Li An guild leader.
The Emperor had been murdered by Lu Hongzhu, who then attempted to seize the magic power stone. To prevent this, her mother had extracted the magic power stone and sealed it within her before leaping to her death. Lu Qingqing was devastated to learn that her birth mother was murdered by Lu Hongzhu, the man she had believed to be her father for twenty years.
Rongyun, now openly acknowledging his identity as Li An guild leader, further confirmed that Si Kongren also knew the truth. He explained his reasons for hiding: his past trauma and a desire to protect Lu Qingqing. Despite his regrets, he expressed relief that Nangong Yixin was there to bring her happiness, revealing that Nangong Yixin had orchestrated Lu Qingqing's visit to Youhuang Hall to keep her safe from Lu Hongzhu.
Lu Qingqing was deeply hurt by Nangong Yixin's continued secrecy and lies, but Rongyun assured her that Nangong Yixin must have a valid, difficult reason and would never truly abandon her. Desperate, Sikong Ying sent a letter to the Crown Prince, informing him of Nangong Yixin's grave condition and imploring him to send Lu Qingqing to his side.
Breaking his promise to Nangong Yixin, the Crown Prince revealed the truth to Lu Qingqing—that Nangong Yixin was dying—and urged her to go to him immediately to prevent him from dying with regrets. Lu Qingqing rushed to No Magic Valley. However, a feverish and weakened Nangong Yixin, still intent on pushing her away, cruelly rejected her once more, claiming he never loved her and she only brought him trouble.
He even feigned discarding a sentimental keepsake she had given him, though he couldn't actually bring himself to let it go. Sikong Ying tried to intervene, suggesting Lu Qingqing leave for Nangong Yixin's sake. But Lu Qingqing, heartbroken and confused, demanded to know the real reason for his behavior and the meaning of "his days are numbered." When no one would tell her, she left in despair.
On her way, she encountered Wanqing, still crying and confused by Nangong Yixin's inexplicable cruelty. Lu Qingqing, asserting that she was no longer the fragile girl she once was and was ready to face any truth, implored Wanqing to tell her everything. Seeing Lu Qingqing's unwavering resolve and profound pain, Wanqing decided to reveal the full truth.
