My Heart Episode 9 Recap
> My Heart Recap
The Empress was furious over Lu Qingqing's unauthorized escape from the Qiyuan continent, declaring her unruly and a disgrace to royalty. She formally stripped Lu Qingqing of her title as Crown Princess, stating that Lu Qingqing's actions, which included fleeing her marriage, defied all rules and brought shame to the Nangong royal family.
She then decreed that Lu Qingqing be sent to the dangerous Manghuang forest for three months of punishment, and ordered 100 spirit whips for everyone in the Lu Mansion, citing their poor family education. Although the Crown Prince pleaded for more time for Lu Qingqing to adapt, and Lu Hongzhu offered to take her punishment, the Empress was unyielding.
Lu Qingqing herself, accepting the outcome, stated her willingness to be deposed, acknowledging the Crown Prince deserved a lady more versed in rules and etiquette. Following these decrees, and seeking to find grounds to punish Lord Jin, the Empress then asked Lu Qingqing if Lord Jin had instigated her escape and hidden her in No Magic Valley. She offered to drop all charges against the Lu family if Lu Qingqing implicated him.
However, Lu Qingqing steadfastly denied Lord Jin's involvement, insisting she fled on a whim, drawn to the freedom of No Magic Valley, and would bear full responsibility for her actions. Despite her defiance, the Empress, seemingly to appease Lord Lu, offered Lu Qingqing a challenging opportunity: if she could venture into the dangerous Manghuang forest and retrieve three rare treasures—ganoderma, fusang fruit, and monster spirit—all punishments for the Lu family would be lifted, and her past transgressions forgiven.
Lu Qingqing accepted the daunting task. The Crown Prince, still distraught by the severe punishment, tried once more to persuade his mother to retract her decree, but she remained firm, reiterating her disapproval of Lu Qingqing's wild nature. Realizing further appeals were futile, he sought out Lu Qingqing. He expressed his helplessness and regret over her predicament, believing the punishment was unduly harsh.
Lu Qingqing, however, appeared to have matured, stating she realized that running away solved nothing and that she must learn to take responsibility for her choices, even for the perilous journey to Manghuang forest. When the Crown Prince suggested her prolonged stay in No Magic Valley was due to her affection for Lord Jin, Lu Qingqing angrily dismissed the notion, accusing Lord Jin of betraying her whereabouts to her father.
She wished to remain friends with the Crown Prince and encouraged him to find a more suitable Crown Princess. Undeterred by her words, the Crown Prince promised to find a way to bring her back from Manghuang forest as soon as possible and vowed to protect her. Meanwhile, in the Lu Mansion, Lu Yunxi worried that if Lu Qingqing succeeded in retrieving the three treasures, she might still have a chance to reclaim the Crown Princess title.
Her maid, Zhenzhu, scoffed at the idea, confident that Lu Qingqing lacked the ability to survive the treacherous Manghuang forest, let alone gather the treasures. Lu Yunxi, however, cautioned Zhenzhu against such presumptuous talk. Lu Qingqing, before her departure, visited Baihe, who was suffering from the spirit whip punishment. With her magic power, Lu Qingqing healed Baihe's injuries, expressing deep regret for causing her friend such pain. She then informed Baihe of her impending journey to Manghuang forest.
Although fearful for Lu Qingqing's safety, Baihe understood her resolve and promised to await her return. As Lu Qingqing left, she found Lu Hongzhu waiting. Her father implored her to prioritize her safety over the treasures, assuring her that if she returned, they could abandon their current life and he would resign his post. Lu Qingqing comforted him, vowing to return safely and spare her family from further suffering.
Separately, Lord Jin, learning of Lu Qingqing's punishment and feeling responsible for having exposed her location, attempted to get permission from the Empress to visit her in Manghuang forest, but was denied. Undeterred, he resolved to follow her there to secretly assist her, believing he couldn't stand by while she faced danger alone. Back at the palace, the Empress summoned Lu Yunxi under the guise of discussing embroidery, intending to subtly push her closer to the Crown Prince.
Feigning fatigue, she instructed the Crown Prince to escort Lu Yunxi through the royal gardens. The Crown Prince, noticing he was being observed by spies, quickly took Lu Yunxi's wrist and led her to a secluded spot to evade their watchful eyes. Lu Yunxi's heart fluttered as he held her, a blush rising to her cheeks. The Crown Prince confessed his guilt for not adequately protecting Lu Qingqing and expressed his profound concern for her safety in the forest.
Lu Yunxi reassured him, promising to go to Manghuang forest herself to ensure her sister's well-being, which visibly eased his worries. Later, Lu Yunxi overheard Lu Hongzhu and Qi Yi discussing Lu Qingqing, revealing Qi Yi's concern that if Lu Qingqing encountered danger in Manghuang forest, it would jeopardize his "great plan" concerning the whereabouts of a "Spirit Maiden."
Lu Yunxi then reiterated her intention to go to Manghuang forest to her father, who, pleased by her proactive stance, readily granted permission, perhaps seeing her as a valuable asset to his hidden agenda. Deep within the Manghuang forest, Lu Qingqing was startled by two fleeting black mists. Instinctively, she closed her eyes and offered her osmanthus cake, only to find nothing upon reopening them, dismissing it as a hallucination.
Her journey continued, and she soon found a small white fox trapped in tree vines. As she kindly freed it, the vines suddenly coiled around her. Just in time, Nangong Yixin appeared, deftly using a branch to distract the sentient vines and release her.
Their reunion was marked by a brief, playful argument before they decided to travel together, though Lu Qingqing maintained she hadn't forgiven him, and he claimed he was merely passing through to find his master in Youhuang. Unbeknownst to them, Lu Yunxi and Zhenzhu had also arrived in the forest, following Lu Qingqing's trail.
Meanwhile, a report reached Lu Hongzhu's subordinates: the corpse of the fabled Spirit Maiden had been discovered in a secret thousand-year ice cave in No Magic Valley, uncovered by a reversed river flow. The subordinate ordered the discovery to be kept secret and the body buried, promising to report to Lu Hongzhu. Back in the forest, Lu Qingqing spotted a golden, glowing fusang fruit.
Despite Nangong Yixin's warning about the danger, she insisted on picking it herself, as it was part of her assigned task. As she reached for it, she nearly fell from the perilous height, but Lord Jin quickly stabilized her. This moment was witnessed by Lu Yunxi and Zhenzhu, who had just caught up. Lu Yunxi noticed Lord Jin's uncharacteristic protectiveness of Lu Qingqing, suspecting his deepening feelings.
As Lu Qingqing successfully retrieved the fusang fruit, Zhenzhu, in a fit of jealousy, subtly unleashed a burst of spiritual power, trying to push Lu Qingqing over the edge of a cliff. However, Lu Qingqing's ears glowed, and a mysterious lotus-shaped protective aura, a holy symbol of the Qiyuan continent, materialized beneath her, saving her. Both Zhenzhu and Lu Yunxi were astonished by this display of inherent power.
Although Lu Yunxi chided Zhenzhu for her reckless attempt to harm Lu Qingqing, seeing Lord Jin by her sister's side, she felt a strange sense of relief and decided to retreat with Zhenzhu. Lord Jin then scolded Lu Qingqing for her impulsiveness, asserting that if she had fallen, the pain would not have been hers alone. When Lu Qingqing pressed him on who else would suffer, he inadvertently blurted out "I," immediately regretting his words.
Lu Qingqing, still confused by the sudden appearance of her own magic power, wondered if he doubted her, reminding him that she had never lied, unlike him. Growing frustrated, Lu Qingqing stormed off ahead, only to realize she was lost, endlessly circling back to the same spot. Disoriented, she spotted a transparent, gleaming pearl resting on a large stone.
Recalling Lord Jin's earlier words about the monster spirit—the concentrated magic power of the Manghuang forest's king, the liger, a treasure the beast guarded fiercely—she cautiously used a branch to retrieve it. Her brief triumph was cut short as a colossal beast suddenly awakened and lunged at her. Terrified, Lu Qingqing scrambled up a towering tree, with the monstrous creature now roaring below.
