My Wife's Double Life Recap, Plot, Synopsis
My Wife's Double Life Synopsis
The mysterious thief "Liu Ye Thief", whose name is Liu Rong, was saved by Duke Su 13 years ago during a flood in the south.
To repay him for saving her life, Liu Rong marries Xu Muchen as Su Jinzhen, the daughter of Duke Su.
Both husband and wife have no feelings for this marriage. On the surface, Liu Rong is the gentle and caring Mrs. Xu, but in secret, she is the "Liu Ye Thief".
Under the instructions of Duke Su, Liu Rong repeatedly infiltrates various parts of the Xu Mansion in search of the jade pendant, while also repeatedly confronting Xu Muchen as the "Liu Ye thief".
Every time Xu Muchen gives trouble to the "Liu Ye Thief", he will be fixed by his wife "Su Jinzhen" when he returns home.
In their daily life together and in the "official-thief battles", they gradually develop a true love for each other ......
My Wife's Double Life Recap
Episode 1 Recap
The Baibao Pavilion was robbed. Xu Muchen was ordered to investigate thoroughly. Inside the pavilion, he found a suspicious golden bell tassel. By tracing the buyers of the golden bell, Xu Muchen deduced the entire process of how the thief used the golden bell to commit the crime and resolved to capture the culprit.
The Emperor personally arranged a marriage between Xu Muchen and Su Jinzhen. Upon learning this, Xu Muchen, troubled by Duke Su's handling of his father Xu Chengsi's corruption case in the past, was unwilling to marry a daughter of the Su family. He went to the Su Mansion to break off the engagement.
Just as he expressed his intention, he heard the golden bell on him ringing. It turned out that whenever there were similar bells nearby, it would ring incessantly. Therefore, Xu Muchen suspected that the thief was hiding in the Su Mansion. By mistake, he barged into Su Jinzhen's chamber and mistook Liu Rong inside as Su Jinzhen.
The two didn't recognize each other. Unexpectedly, within half a day, the story of "Xu Muchen's intrusion into the Su Mansion to meet Jinzhen" spread throughout the capital. Consequently, Xu Muchen had no way to break off the engagement and was forced to accept the marriage.
Episode 2 Recap
Master Yu Luocha told Liu Rong that the clue to the official silver was hidden in a jade pendant, and to find the official silver, she must first find the jade pendant. On the day of the grand wedding, Liu Rong was obsessed with finding the jade pendant but gained nothing.
On the wedding night, while pretending to serve Xu Muchen, Liu Rong searched him hoping to find the whereabouts of the jade pendant. Unable to drink alcohol, Liu Rong mistakenly consumed wine-infused dumplings and became too drunk to stand.
Xu Muchen went out at night to redeem the jade inlaid with gold from Master Lv. On the second day of the wedding, Xu Muchen and Liu Rong went to visit Mrs. Xu together. Mrs. Xu, fearing that Liu Rong might not be able to handle the Su family's daughter, deliberately tried to assert authority over her, but Liu Rong cleverly defused the situation.
After breakfast, Xu Muchen went to work, and Liu Rong took the opportunity to sneak into the study to find the jade pendant, but was caught red-handed by Xiao Qiu. Liu Rong quickly became acquainted with Xiao Qiu. During their conversation, Liu Rong learned that the most confidential place in the Xu Mansion was the ancestral hall.
Delighted, Liu Rong thought the jade pendant might be hidden there. She secretly sneaked into the ancestral hall to find the jade pendant but was caught by Xu Muchen and kicked out. On the way, Liu Rong met Mrs. Xu and inadvertently revealed the situation in the ancestral hall.
Mrs. Xu, upon learning that Xu Muchen secretly worshipped Xu Chengsi and still wanted to investigate the injustice of the past, became extremely angry and wanted to burn the memorial tablet to ashes. Liu Rong hurried over and resolved the conflict, saving the memorial tablet from destruction.
Episode 3 Recap
Back at his residence, Xu Muchen still wanted to separate from Liu Rong, but she insisted on staying at the Xu Mansion to continue searching for the jade pendant, firmly disagreeing. Therefore, the two made "three agreements" and divided the territory, hoping to peacefully coexist under the same roof.
While Xu Muchen was on duty, Liu Rong almost searched every corner of the Xu Mansion but still found no trace of the jade pendant. Inside the Zichen Bureau, Xu Muchen, who was on duty, was ordered by Lord Gu to return home for a wedding leave.
Upon returning home, Xu Muchen coincidentally encountered Liu Rong bathing, and both were embarrassed. The next day, the Xu Mansion held a spring banquet, meticulously prepared by Mrs. Xu. Mrs. Gongyang came to the mansion to attend the banquet and took the opportunity to mock Mrs. Xu.
Mrs. Xu didn't take it lying down, and the two engaged in a verbal battle. While the ladies were tasting tea, Mrs. Xu asked Liu Rong to taste it on her behalf, fearing that her identity as a rich young lady would be exposed, but luckily she managed to get away with it.
Gongyang Maocai rushed to the Zichen Bureau to retrieve the files related to the case involving the jade inlaid with gold and intentionally provoked, accusing Xu Muchen of corruption and injustice. Seeing that a conflict was about to erupt, Lord Gu timely intervened, and Xu Muchen returned home after his shift.
During the spring banquet, the ladies requested the renowned "Su Jinzhen," skilled in playing the qin, to perform. Liu Rong, who knew nothing about playing the qin, was panicking, afraid of exposing her false identity. At this critical moment, Xu Muchen returned.
Episode 4 Recap
After returning home, Xu Muchen publicly expressed his desire to perform a duet with Liu Rong, holding her hand to play a piece, successfully covering up the fact that Liu Rong couldn't play the qin. The female guests of the Xu Mansion sat down to play cards, but Mrs.
Xu was not good at it and lost every hand to Mrs. Gongyang. Seeing this, Liu Rong felt anxious and sat beside Mrs. Xu, silently strategizing. With Liu Rong's guidance, Mrs. Xu eventually won in a row, filling her pots with winnings. After the spring banquet, Mrs. Xu joyfully took out a jewelry box to reward Liu Rong, but upon inspection, there was no trace of the jade pendant.
However, she inadvertently learned that some of the Xu family's treasures were kept in the Baibao Pavilion. She thought to herself that perhaps the jade pendant was hidden there. Back at their residence, Xu Muchen questioned Liu Rong about her ability to play the qin.
Liu Rong pretended to be aggrieved, explaining that although she was a daughter of the Su family, she had been fostered in the countryside and therefore didn't learn the arts. Xu Muchen believed her without hesitation.
The envoy from the Nangxiang Kingdom arrived in the capital for tribute, and Xu Muchen was responsible for his safety. Knowing that Xu Muchen would be on duty at the Zichen Bureau, Liu Rong specially sent pastries to him and decided to take the opportunity to explore the Baibao Pavilion again at night. That night, according to plan, Liu Rong arrived at the Baibao Pavilion, only to witness a murder case firsthand.
Episode 5 Recap
Yu Luocha was enraged by the rumors about the Green Leaf Thief and specifically assigned the task to Qin Mumu. At this time, the relationship between the Nangxiang Kingdom and the Jing Dynasty was tense due to the death of the envoy, causing turmoil in the court.
Xu Muchen learned from Lord Gu that Duke Su strongly advocated for war. Under the guise of delivering pastries to Xu Muchen, Liu Rong went to the Zichen Bureau to inquire about the progress of the case. She seized the opportunity to help clear the suspicion against the Green Leaf Thief but inadvertently learned that the case had been transferred to the Ministry of Justice.
Therefore, Liu Rong decided to explore the Ministry of Justice at night. At the Ministry of Justice, the Liu Rong disguised as the Green Leaf Thief coincidentally encountered Xu Muchen secretly inspecting a corpse. They got into a fight, alerting the guards of the Ministry of Justice. Xu Muchen determined from the poison found on the body that the deceased was not the envoy but an assassin.
While evading capture, they formed an alliance, with Xu Muchen voluntarily protecting the Green Leaf Thief and helping her escape. While fleeing, Liu Rong collided with the son of Gongyang, and in desperation, she sought refuge in Qin Mumu's embroidery workshop. Gongyang pursued them, and Qin Mumu and Liu Rong staged a play together, but they couldn't deceive him.
Gongyang suspected that Mrs. Su Jinzhen of the Xu Mansion was the Green Leaf Thief and not a real rich young lady. The next day, Gongyang visited the embroidery workshop again to investigate the true identity of "Su Jinzhen." He fell in love with Qin Mumu at first sight, and she actively helped him with measurements while inquiring about the case.
Gongyang intentionally used a carriage to collide with Liu Rong on her way back to the mansion, trying to test her martial arts skills, but she remained unharmed and was rescued by Xu Muchen in public.
Episode 6 Recap
Xu Muchen discovered that the envoy from the Nangxiang Kingdom was hiding in the Sanqing Gambling Den, but Lord Gu was unwilling to involve the Zichen Bureau further. Liu Rong also learned from a little beggar that the envoy was in the gambling den, so she went to investigate, only to bump into Xu Muchen unexpectedly.
Using a ruse, Liu Rong tried to lure out the envoy but ended up getting kidnapped by him. Xu Muchen reacted quickly and successfully rescued Liu Rong, capturing the envoy in the process. Qin Mumu went to deliver the finished clothes to Gongyang, delaying him and causing him to be a step behind Xu Muchen.
Along the way, unidentified assassins attempted to kill the envoy, only to discover that the envoy on the carriage was Wu Zhao in disguise. It turned out that Xu Muchen had anticipated deception within the court and devised the plan to impersonate the envoy.
The real envoy had already been sent to the Ministry of Justice by him. After returning home, Liu Rong couldn't help but recall the scene when Xu Muchen saved her, and she couldn't help but feel a flutter of affection for him. Likewise, Xu Muchen also developed some unusual feelings for Liu Rong.
With the case of the envoy solved, Xu Muchen posted notices to clear the Green Leaf Thief's name. Relieved, Liu Rong went to Wenzhuang Pavilion to bring pastries to Xu Muchen. Because she had eaten a few, she put two white chrysanthemums in the food box as decoration.
Wu Zhao teased Xu Muchen, implying that white chrysanthemums were an aphrodisiac, suggesting that the young mistress was "hinting" at him. The next day at breakfast, Liu Rong noticed that all the white chrysanthemums in the courtyard had been plucked. Rumors spread throughout the Xu Mansion.
Episode 7 Recap
After hearing the rumors, Mrs. Xu brought a famous doctor to the Zichen Bureau to diagnose "hidden ailments" for Xu Muchen. Xu Muchen was immediately furious and annoyed, questioning Liu Rong when he returned home. After the misunderstanding was cleared up, Liu Rong apologized to Xu Muchen, and they reconciled.
During their visit to the Su Mansion, Liu Rong and Xu Muchen coincidentally encountered Su Jinning, the brother of Su Jinzhen, who had returned home from out of town. Seeing all the servants in the courtyard replaced by new ones raised his suspicions. Upon entering the mansion, he was shocked to discover that Liu Rong, whom he had admired all along, had married Xu Muchen instead of his sister, Jinzhen!
Just as Su Jinning was about to question this, he was stopped by a glance from Liu Rong. After some comforting words from her, he calmed down and accepted the reality. Duke Su brought up the old case involving Xu Chengsi again, which made Xu Muchen angry, although he didn't show it.
In the evening, Su Jinning didn't want Xu Muchen and Liu Rong to be alone, so he brought good wine and food and drank with them all night. Disturbed by this, Xu Muchen and Liu Rong left early in the morning.
A few days later, Su Jinning unexpectedly moved to the neighboring house of the Xu Mansion, claiming it was convenient to take care of his sister Jinzhen, and even dug a hole in the wall between the two houses for easy access.
Mrs. Xu wanted to improve the relationship between Xu Muchen and Liu Rong, so she arranged for a tailor to make clothes for them, and asked them to measure each other. At this moment, Su Jinning interfered again.
Episode 8 Recap
Since Su Jinning moved next to the Xu Mansion, he often took Liu Rong out for food and drinks. Xu Muchen vaguely felt his hostility and found the intimacy between the siblings suspicious.
During Miss Hu's wedding, Yu Luocha arranged for Liu Rong to sneak into the Hu Mansion and steal the ledger of Xu Chengsi's embezzlement of official silver. Coincidentally, Xu Muchen also received a task from the Zichen Bureau to lead the guards to protect the Hu Mansion that day.
Liu Rong, pretending to go to the embroidery workshop to learn embroidery, intended to familiarize herself with the terrain of the Hu Mansion in advance. However, Xu Muchen volunteered to accompany her, so Liu Rong had to give up the plan.
On the day of the wedding, Liu Rong accompanied Mrs. Xu to the Hu Mansion. During a card game, Liu Rong pretended to have an urgent need to use the restroom and slipped out to discuss with Qin Mumu how to steal the ledger. During their conversation, she learned that the ledger was hidden in the study in the backyard.
After Qin Mumu left, Liu Rong planned to jump into the pool to create the illusion of falling into the water, giving her the chance to steal the ledger. However, Hu Shanshan, the second Miss of the Hu Mansion, suddenly came over and engaged Liu Rong in conversation. At that moment, Xu Muchen arrived to inspect the area, and Hu Shanshan intentionally tried to make Liu Rong misunderstand their relationship.
Despite Liu Rong's mission, she pretended to be jealous and deliberately fell into the pool during a struggle with Xu Muchen. Xu Muchen immediately jumped into the water to rescue her. After being rescued, Hu Shanshan took Liu Rong to her room to rest, and Liu Rong instructed her not to let anyone disturb her.
In the evening, Liu Rong changed into the disguise of the Willow Leaf Thief and stole the ledger from the study. During her retreat, she was pursued by Gongyang's son and Xu Muchen.
Episode 9 Recap
Liu Rong went to the study to bring Xu Muchen some peppermint cakes, but Xu Muchen was busy reviewing documents and somewhat neglected her. This made Liu Rong both angry and upset, so she took away all the blankets during the night, leaving Xu Muchen without a single one.
On the third day, Su Jinning brought a clue to Liu Rong, saying that on the day of the murder at the Hu Mansion, bloodstains were found in the adjacent room to the bridal chamber, but later the bloodstains disappeared. Liu Rong told Xu Muchen about this, hoping he could solve the case smoothly.
Xu Muchen went to investigate the Hu Mansion at night, reconstructing the shape of the murder weapon based on the traces at the crime scene, and using it as a clue to track down the real culprit. While Liu Rong tried to gather information from Xu Muchen, he remained tight-lipped, but she inadvertently saw the blueprint of the murder weapon. Relying on her memory, Liu Rong drew another copy of the blueprint and, through her senior brother Mo Yan, found out that it was the exclusive weapon of the assassin Black Cat.
Xu Muchen discovered Black Cat's whereabouts, in a cabin on the back mountain of the Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas, and ordered Wu Zhao to lead the Zichen Bureau to lay siege. Liu Rong wanted to investigate Black Cat, so she pretended to want to pray for Xu Muchen at the Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Xu Muchen, upon hearing this, requested to accompany her.
In a small cabin on the back mountain, Black Cat heard movement outside the door, only to find out that Xu Muchen and Willow Leaf Thief had unexpectedly come to capture him. Black Cat leaped out, feigned during the escape, and caused both Liu Rong and Xu Muchen to fall into a trap.
Episode 10 Recap
Willow Leaf Thief and Xu Muchen were trapped in a trap set by Black Cat and decided to find a way out together. After escaping, the guards of the Zichen Bureau captured Black Cat, but Willow Leaf Thief took the opportunity to flee. Xu Muchen wanted to interrogate Black Cat but found that Black Cat had already taken poison and committed suicide.
Returning to the temple, Xu Muchen found that Liu Rong was not there. Mrs. Wang told him that Liu Rong was feeling unwell and had returned to the mansion early. Xu Muchen immediately rushed back to the mansion, only to learn that Liu Rong had encountered bandits on the back mountain and was scolded by Mrs. Xu. Xu Muchen had been pondering whether Willow Leaf Thief was the little girl who had saved him.
Back home, Xu Muchen took care of the sick Liu Rong, sleeping on the floor beside her bed all night. The next day, when Liu Rong woke up, she found a plate of pastries by her pillow, knowing that it was left by Xu Muchen, which made her feel sweet.
With the case of Black Cat solved, Xu Muchen was reinstated to his position. Su Jinning brought pastries and medicine to Liu Rong, advising her not to get involved in these troubles anymore, but Liu Rong refused. Although the pastries were bought from the same shop, Liu Rong felt that the plate Su Jinning brought was not as delicious as the one Xu Muchen brought.
Episode 11 Recap
In a fit of anger, Liu Rong went to Su Jinning's mansion to drink. Xu Muchen went to fetch Liu Rong back home, but was stopped by Su Jinning and subjected to a scolding. Xu Muchen secretly climbed over the wall, entered Liu Rong's room, and carried her back home while she was unconscious from drinking.
The next day, Liu Rong insisted on divorcing Xu Muchen but was persuaded otherwise by him. To quickly find the jade pendant, Mo Yan gave Liu Rong a bottle of truth serum and asked her to secretly put it in Xu Muchen's drink when he wasn't paying attention.
To appease Liu Rong's anger, Xu Muchen specially went to the rouge shop to buy rouge for her. At night, Liu Rong deliberately prepared a table of appetizers for Xu Muchen, and tried every means to persuade him to drink the drugged wine.
Under the influence of alcohol, Xu Muchen gave Liu Rong the rouge to cheer her up. Liu Rong suggested that he could give her some jade instead, but as soon as she finished speaking, Xu Muchen staggered back to his room and fell asleep.
In his sleep, Xu Muchen kept holding Liu Rong's hand. Afraid that Liu Rong might still be unhappy and want to divorce, Xu Muchen, using Xiao Li as an excuse, asked Wu Zhao for advice on how couples should get along. Xu Muchen put Wu Zhao's bad ideas into practice, which not only didn't improve their relationship but also made Liu Rong think he was acting strangely.
Episode 12 Recap
Liu Rong suddenly fainted in the courtyard and was diagnosed by the imperial physician to be allergic to peanuts. Xu Muchen was preparing to set up surveillance in Liufang Pavilion that evening. Upon learning this, Liu Rong decided to go there secretly. Before Gongyang Maocai went to Liufang Pavilion to handle the case, he went to the embroidery workshop to buy embroidered goods from Qin Mumu, but she intentionally delayed him.
As agreed, Xu Muchen and Wu Zhao came to Liufang Pavilion to collect "Butterflies Love Flowers". Liu Rong followed them all the way and discovered that Senior Brother Mo Yan was the supplier to Liufang Pavilion. Liu Rong pretended to be jealous and deliberately clung to Xu Muchen, giving Mo Yan a chance to escape. However, through questioning the madam, Xu Muchen learned that "Butterflies Love Flowers" actually came from Yaosheng Chen's Medicine Shop.
Xu Muchen led people to the pharmacy to arrest Mo Yan and ordered that no one be allowed to visit him. To save Senior Brother Mo Yan, Liu Rong went to Su Jinning and asked him to go to the Purple Imperial Court with her to visit Xu Muchen, planning to save him.
Liu Rong and Su Jinning brought good wine and food to the Purple Imperial Court. Liu Rong got drunk after eating fermented rice balls. Xu Muchen carried her into the inner room and took good care of her. Su Jinning took the opportunity to slip out and meet Qin Mumu. At this moment, Gongyang Maocai unexpectedly brought people from the Ministry of Justice to the Purple Imperial Court.
Episode 13 Recap
Gongyang Maocai requested that the Purple Imperial Court transfer Mo Yan's case to the Ministry of Justice but was refused by Xu Muchen. Sensing an imminent conflict, Lord Gu quickly intervened to defuse the situation.
Qin Mumu disguised herself as a Ministry of Justice guard and took Mo Yan away. News of a prison break spread quickly. Xu Muchen immediately led a pursuit, only to find Qin Mumu holding Liu Rong hostage. Concerned for Liu Rong's safety, Xu Muchen had no choice but to let Mo Yan be taken away.
Afterwards, Xu Muchen felt both heartache and guilt. Liu Rong suspected whether he had feelings for her. Unable to understand, she pretended to inquire through the household servants. Xiao Qiu suggested provoking the other party to test their feelings, and Liu Rong followed suit. Unexpectedly, Xu Muchen was very accommodating.
Su Jinning barged into the Xu residence, exploiting the hostage situation involving Liu Rong to demand their separation. However, both Xu Muchen and Liu Rong regarded him as unreasonable. Then, Xiao Qiu suggested to Liu Rong that she could pretend to be a different man and write letters to herself to test the other's reaction. Liu Rong acted on the advice.
When Xu Muchen saw the letter addressed to "Master Liu," after much hesitation, he couldn't resist opening it. In the evening, Xu Muchen indeed went to the meeting place as arranged by "Master Liu," much to Liu Rong's excitement.
Waiting anxiously, Liu Rong grew worried when Xu Muchen didn't return home. Eventually, she went out to search for him. When they finally met, they exchanged smiles, and everything was understood without a word.
Episode 14 Recap
Back at the residence, Xu Muchen couldn't help but kiss Liu Rong. Early the next morning, he found a note left by "Master Liu" on the table, saying she would personally cook dinner for him that night. Xu Muchen smiled knowingly. At the bookstore, Wu Zhao waited idly as Xiao Qiu chose books.
Seeing his boredom, the bookstore owner recommended a book to him. Meanwhile, at the Xu residence, Liu Rong busied herself preparing food for Xu Muchen. At that moment, Su Jinning noticed Xu Muchen had patched up the hole in the wall, which greatly annoyed him.
On his way back, Xu Muchen wanted to buy some pastries for Liu Rong but unexpectedly learned from the shopkeeper that Duke Su's daughter was allergic to peach blossoms. Xu Muchen became suspicious.
Upon returning home, he tested Liu Rong with peach blossom cakes. Liu Rong cleverly declined, recalling that Su Jinzhen couldn't eat them. Afterwards, she suspected that Xu Muchen had sensed something and decided to prepare early.
Xu Muchen drew a portrait of Liu Rong and inquired around, and everyone confirmed it was indeed Duke Su's daughter. It turned out that on the day of the wedding, Duke Su deliberately had Su Jinzhen make an appearance to thank the people.
Xu Muchen then went out of town overnight to visit Su's former nurse, but still found no flaws. It turned out Liu Rong had already arranged everything perfectly.
Episode 15 Recap
At the hot spring villa, Liu Rong racked her brains, trying to figure out how to make Xu Muchen notice her peach blossom birthmark. Just as she was about to dip into the pool, she spotted Xu Muchen there too and asked about the birthmark. Liu Rong replied with a prepared answer, but Xu Muchen still managed to uncover the truth through handwriting analysis from Su Jinzhen's previous visit to the temple.
Liu Rong lied, claiming to be Su Jinzhen's maid, and confessed her orphaned background to Xu Muchen. By now, Xu Muchen had developed feelings for Liu Rong and didn't care whether she was a wealthy lady or a maid. Meanwhile, Liu Rong knew Xu Muchen was the boy she had saved years ago and felt guilty for deceiving him.
On the third day, the Nangxiang Envoy received another case: the son of the Li family, who had always been afraid of water, drowned at a banquet. It was found that they had all consumed a herb called "Moonstar Grass".
Xu Chengsi's close friend, Liu Wenchu, found Xu Muchen and revealed that the Tai Prefecture flood years ago wasn't simple. To uncover the truth, they needed to find the mastermind behind the theft of account books. Xu Muchen secretly resolved to seek justice for his father.
Xu Muchen and Su Jinning became jealous of each other because of Liu Rong, eagerly vying to send her various delicacies. With tight security at the city gates, Mo Yan couldn't leave the city and had to stay at the Xiufang. Meanwhile, the Nangxiang Envoy continued to vigorously investigate Moonstar Grass, and Yu Luocha decided to relocate all disciples and herbs under her sect.
Episode 16 Recap
Lord Chen went to Taizhou, promising to help Xu Muchen thoroughly investigate Moonstar Grass, but hoped Xu Muchen could protect his wife and daughter. Liu Rong was forcibly taken by Lady Chen to attend an exhibition and almost coerced into buying expensive jewelry, but Xu Muchen intervened in time.
Before the banquet ended, Gongyang Maocai arrested Lord Chen on charges of corruption, accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Justice. As the investigation progressed, Xu Muchen unintentionally discovered a secret chamber. At this moment, Liu Rong also rushed over and accidentally triggered a mechanism, causing Xu Muchen to get injured while trying to save her. Back at the Xu residence, Lord Gu visited Xu Muchen and informed him that a large amount of Moonstar Grass was hidden in Medicine Dust.
Mrs. Xu was very unhappy about Xu Muchen's injury and ordered him not to intervene in any matters related to the Nangxiang Envoy during his recovery. Seeing Liu Rong and Xu Muchen getting closer, Su Jinning grew anxious, not realizing that his actions played into Duke Su's hands. He instructed Su Jinning to find a way to frame Xu Muchen, so that he could naturally find a way to free Liu Rong.
Lady Chen came to the Xu residence, begging Xu Muchen to save her husband. However, Mrs. Xu forbade Xu Muchen from leaving the house, so he had Liu Rong help investigate the matter. In a fit of anger, Liu Rong went to Su Jinning's residence to drink. Xu Muchen came to pick her up, but was stopped by Su Jinning and insulted. Xu Muchen secretly climbed over the wall, entered Liu Rong's room, and carried her back to the residence while she was unconscious.
The next day, Liu Rong insisted on divorcing Xu Muchen, but was persuaded by him not to. In order to find the jade pendant as soon as possible, Mo Yan gave Liu Rong a bottle of truth-telling potion and asked her to secretly put it in Xu Muchen's drink when he wasn't looking. To appease Liu Rong, Xu Muchen specially bought rouge from a rouge shop and gave it to her. In the evening, Liu Rong specially prepared a table of appetizers for Xu Muchen and tried every means to persuade him to drink the drugged wine.
With the help of the wine, Xu Muchen gave Liu Rong the rouge to make her happy. However, when Liu Rong suggested that he could give her some jade, Xu Muchen stumbled back to his room and fell asleep.
In his dream, Xu Muchen kept holding Liu Rong's hand. Worried that Liu Rong might still want to divorce him, Xu Muchen asked Wu Zhao for advice on how to get along better as a couple, using Xiao Li as an excuse. Xu Muchen tried Wu Zhao's bad idea in practice, but instead of improving their relationship, it made Liu Rong feel that he was acting strangely.
Episode 17 Recap
Xu Muchen went to the Ministry of Justice early in the morning to find Gongyang Maocai and asked him to investigate the case of Minister Chen. He stated that he had found clues and promised that all credit for solving the case would belong to Gongyang Maocai. If he failed to solve the case, he would share the same guilt as Minister Chen.
Hearing Xu Muchen's stance, Gongyang Maocai gladly agreed, secretly wondering about the relationship between Minister Chen and Xu Muchen that warranted such treatment. Wu Zhao was ordered to go to Chang'an Restaurant to arrest Zhong Aba and take him to the Purple Court Bureau for interrogation under torture.
Zhong Aba was timid as a mouse and, in the face of torture and solid evidence, finally confessed that the driver had privately placed the stolen goods in Minister Chen's residence because he had accepted bribes. However, before the confession was fully recorded, Zhong Aba died from poisoning. Subsequently, Xu Muchen examined the 8,000 taels of silver submitted as evidence by the Ministry of Justice and sent someone to investigate the Yong'an Money Exchange.
Gongyang Maocai arrived with people to question him, believing Minister Chen's case was settled. Just as he ordered someone to escort him to the Ministry of Justice, Wu Zhao fortunately arrived in time to report that the owner of this batch of silver was Mo Yan from Yaoshengchen, and it was related to Shu Tuimo.
Although transferring Minister Chen's case to the Purple Court Bureau might offer a glimmer of hope, the procedures of the Dali Temple are very strict and would take at least half a month, making it impossible to meet the deadline. Minister Gu did not want Xu Muchen to get involved, so he told Madam Xu about it, hoping she would step in to stop him. Compared to investigating the case, Madam Xu was more concerned about Xu Muchen's safety.
She couldn't help but recall the scene where those involved in this case were killed one by one after her husband Xu Chengyi's accident, deeply aware that the mastermind had a powerful background. Liu Rong took care of Madam Xu, letting her rest, and also tried to persuade her to support Xu Muchen in investigating the case, but Madam Xu had a hidden reason that was difficult to express.
Similarly, Xu Muchen knew that Minister Gu had intentionally revealed the matter to his mother and was very unhappy. Minister Gu also hoped that he would not interfere further and decided to return the case to the Ministry of Justice. The entire Purple Court Bureau could not intervene. If he wanted to investigate the truth, he could start with Yuexing Grass.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Su Houde instructed Su Jinning to secretly place a transcribed copy of Minister Chen's confession into Xu Muchen's residence, then arrange for a search, and finally have Xu Muchen dismissed from his post. To make Su Jinning obey him, Su Houde promised to take Liu Rong out of the Xu residence after the matter was done.
Su Jinning was initially hesitant, but when he considered Liu Rong's growing affection for Xu Muchen, he finally made a decision. The next day, Su Jinning used the opportunity of giving Liu Rong a gift to subtly inquire about her feelings for Xu Muchen. He intentionally mixed in this scroll bearing the Shu Tuimo symbol, causing Liu Rong to mistakenly believe it was an order from her master, and thus brought all the items back to the Xu residence.
Xu Muchen met privately with Liu Wenchu and promised to ensure that Minister Chen's life would not be in danger. Liu Wenchu analyzed the previous case and suspected that the suicide note was a diversion created by Black Civet. This sentence happened to remind Xu Muchen that the person behind the scenes, in order to hide their motives, did not hesitate to threaten and force Black Civet to his death.
Therefore, the key to the case was Minister Hu's account book. When Liu Rong returned to her room and opened the box with the Shu Tuimo symbol, she found the scroll was empty. Just as she was puzzled, the Ministry of Justice arrived with an order to search the Xu residence.
They found the scroll Liu Rong had brought back and, after testing it with Moonstone powder, discovered that this scroll was actually the map lost by the Ministry of War. Thus, Xu Muchen was framed for the serious crime of colluding with Yue Country. Liu Rong knew the truth but could not prove his innocence, watching as Gongyang Maocai took Xu Muchen away.
--- The next morning, Liu Rong eagerly went to see Yu Luo Cha to ask about the map, but Yu Luo Cha knew nothing about it. After learning the whole story, Yu Luo Cha questioned Liu Rong about why she was anxious about Xu Muchen's arrest and reminded her not to forget her identity and, especially, not to develop genuine feelings.
After meeting Yu Luo Cha, Liu Rong came to Su Jinning in low spirits, vowing that she must rescue Xu Muchen. At this moment, Xu Muchen was undergoing torture at the Ministry of Justice. He firmly insisted that he had not colluded with the enemy country and mocked Gongyang Maocai for not even seeing through such a shoddy frame-up. Madam Xu's attempt to see the Emperor was unsuccessful, so she spent money to bribe an eunuch, hoping to see her son once.
Episode 18 Recap
Madam Xu sought and received an imperial favor from the Emperor, allowing her to take Liu Rong to the prison to visit. Seeing Xu Muchen's weak appearance, covered in wounds, Liu Rong felt deeply distressed. At a critical juncture, Xu Muchen voluntarily handed the important jade pendant left by Xu Chengyi to Liu Rong, entrusting her to keep it for him.
Just as Xu Muchen was about to express his feelings for Liu Rong, the jailer urged Liu Rong to leave quickly, and the two were reluctantly forced to part ways. Although Liu Rong had obtained the jade pendant she had been desperately searching for, she did not immediately hand it over to Yu Luo Cha. Instead, she secretly snuck into the Ministry of Justice's evidence room to search.
By carefully examining the Shu Tuimo mark and bloodstains on the scroll box, she deduced that the mark should have been imitated by a novice, and coincidentally, Su Jinning's attendant had injured his finger. As soon as Liu Rong returned to the Xu residence, she heard the terrible news that Xu Muchen would be beheaded tomorrow, and Madam Xu fainted on the spot from the shock.
Immediately after, a message came from Yu Luo Cha, warning Liu Rong that if she acted on her own again, she would withdraw from Shu Tuimo. Liu Rong was anxious. She unexpectedly discovered that the handwriting on Black Civet's suicide note was the same as that on a slip of paper, leading her to suspect that Minister Hu's death was related to her master. Subsequently, Liu Rong angrily went to question Su Jinning.
Su Jinning was angry that Liu Rong regarded him as a brother, accusing her of knowing his feelings yet still choosing to marry Xu Muchen. Liu Rong was completely disappointed and stated clearly that whether she and Xu Muchen had feelings for each other or not, it should not be a reason for Su Jinning to casually harm lives. In the end, the two parted on bad terms.
After returning to Shi'an Residence, Liu Rong was immersed in the small memories with Xu Muchen, her heart overflowing with longing. Similarly, Xu Muchen sat alone in his cell until daybreak, when Gongyang Maocai arrived with a pot of wine to visit him. Although he had previously been quite dismissive of Xu Muchen, at this moment, he felt that Xu Muchen might have been wronged and it needed investigation.
Unfortunately, the Emperor had already issued an order, and he was powerless. On the day of the execution, Xu Muchen was escorted to the execution ground by the Ministry of Justice. Gongyang Maocai personally supervised the execution, but he kept delaying and was reluctant to carry it out. Within the Purple Court Bureau, the guards pleaded for Xu Muchen one after another, intending to go to the execution ground to rescue him.
Minister Gu put on his official uniform and decided to personally seek an audience with the Emperor to request an imperial decree for Xu Muchen. Su Jinning and others followed closely behind, going together. Madam Xu knelt outside the Hall of Diligent Governance, pleading with the Emperor for mercy and a thorough investigation of the case. She sadly stated that today's events were exactly like the wrongful case of her husband back then.
Back then, she failed to save her husband and vowed to save her only son. In contrast, Liu Rong changed into military attire, preparing to risk storming the execution ground. However, she was stopped by Qin Mumu at the critical moment, and the two were locked in a stalemate on the rooftop. As the complaints from the onlookers grew stronger, Gongyang Maocai, urged by the executioner's warning, reluctantly threw down the sword execution token.
Fortunately, Liu Rong was quick-witted and quick-handed, throwing out a willow leaf dart to intercept the token. At the critical moment, Minister Gu arrived in a hurry with an imperial decree, publicly announcing that a new witness had appeared in the case of the stolen Ministry of War map, thus pardoning Xu Muchen from the death penalty. He also ordered him to lead the Purple Court Bureau in a thorough investigation of the case to atone for his past actions.
Seeing this, Liu Rong felt a huge weight lifted from her heart. Xu Muchen saw the willow leaf dart that was shot to save him, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions. Liu Wenchu knew Madam Xu's worries about her son investigating the case, so he privately arranged to meet her. He stated frankly that even if Xu Muchen wanted to protect himself, the mastermind might not necessarily spare him.
Su Houde was very angry about Su Jinning's action of pleading with the Emperor for Xu Muchen, scolding him for being overly compassionate. It turned out that after learning the scroll was the map, Su Jinning immediately found Minister Gu and together they reported the truth to the Emperor, ensuring Xu Muchen's innocence was cleared. After this incident, Gongyang Maocai's attitude towards Xu Muchen gradually changed.
He no longer antagonized him and stated that he would lead the Ministry of Justice to fully cooperate with the Purple Court Bureau's investigation. When Liu Rong saw Xu Muchen return safely to Shi'an Residence, she was incredibly excited, and at the same hand, felt sad for the injuries he had sustained. Xu Muchen saw Liu Rong crying and reached out to gently wipe away her tears. Their feelings for each other quickly grew warmer.
That evening, Liu Rong prepared to return the jade pendant to Xu Muchen. Xu Muchen, however, said that although this jade pendant was extremely important to him, he would feel very at ease if it was kept by Liu Rong. Liu Rong was deeply moved by his words and hugged Xu Muchen tightly.
Episode 19 Recap
Xu Muchen's experience this time, though startling but safe, further strengthened his resolve to investigate the truth for his father and restore his innocence. Regarding this, Madam Xu could only reveal to Xu Muchen that back then, her husband discovered something strange about the Taizhou dam and was secretly investigating but was wronged and died. Later, she entrusted several officials who were good friends with Xu Chengyi to run around trying to help.
The result was that without exception, all these officials were killed, and in the end, it almost harmed the young Xu Muchen. Therefore, Madam Xu strongly opposed Xu Muchen investigating the case, fearing that Xu Muchen would follow in his husband's footsteps and involve more people in dying in vain for the Xu family's affairs.
But now Madam Xu knew Xu Muchen's determination, so she no longer offered any obstruction and supported him in finding the true culprit as soon as possible. Su Houde summoned Yu Luo Cha alone and gave her an ultimatum, ordering Liu Rong to quickly find the jade pendant, otherwise, it would be disadvantageous to her.
Liu Wenchu revealed to Xu Muchen that Yuexingcao was very likely related to Shui Tuimo; framing him for colluding with the Yue Kingdom before was very likely done by Shui Tuimo. Xu Muchen thought of the willow leaf dart at the execution ground and wondered why the person would choose to save him if they wanted to harm him.
In addition, Xu Muchen learned from Liu Wenchu that the map would be sent out through Lu Rongchang of the Department of Shipping, so he immediately ordered strict deployment. Just as Xu Muchen and Minister Gu were discussing the case, Liu Rong, to thank Minister Gu for saving his life, personally made pastries for him to taste. As a result, she heard the news that Mo Yan was hiding in an embroidery workshop.
Xu Muchen immediately led people to the embroidery workshop to apprehend Mo Yan. Qin Mumu and Mo Yan were hiding behind a screen, and seeing Xu Muchen approaching step by step, she had no choice but to throw out a willow leaf dart. Yu Luo Cha timely revealed the news in advance to Gongyang Maocai, so Gongyang Maocai came to interfere.
Xu Muchen considered that the "Willow Leaf Thief" was difficult to discern between good and evil, and this person absolutely could not be handed over to Gongyang Maocai. To avoid unnecessary trouble, he had to go downstairs to deal with Gongyang Maocai. The two debated whether it was Liu Rong or Qin Mumu who was the Willow Leaf Thief, delaying for a while. Suddenly, a subordinate reported unusual activity at Lu Rongchang's location.
Xu Muchen and Gongyang Maocai had to rush off to handle the case first, believing that the women they each liked were completely innocent and had nothing to do with the Willow Leaf Thief. Minister Gu, due to Lu Rongchang's high position and power, obstructed Xu Muchen from going to arrest him and suggested letting Gongyang Maocai be the one to take the lead first.
Xu Muchen offered Minister Gu a stratagem: that night, he ordered someone to deliberately set fire to the dock and take the opportunity to search Lu Rongchang's ships. Indeed, he and Gongyang Maocai found Yue Kingdom weapons, Yuexingcao, and the map.
Gongyang Maocai felt that he had wronged Xu Muchen by sending him to prison before, so he might as well give the credit back to the other party this time, and they would no longer be indebted to each other. Subsequently, Xu Muchen returned to the Purple Court Bureau with the evidence to report.
Minister Gu was eager to enter the palace to receive a reward, but Xu Muchen revealed that Lu Rongchang hinted that there was someone behind him, and this person was likely Duke Su. Because of Xu Muchen's words, Minister Gu's expression became solemn, deeply aware of the complexity of the case.
Xu Muchen returned to the Xu residence and accompanied Liu Rong to watch the stars on the rooftop, chatting with her about Shui Tuimo and the Willow Leaf Thief possibly being used by someone. Taking advantage of the beautiful scenery, Xu Muchen took the opportunity to propose marrying her again in Liu Rong's name. Liu Rong's heart was in turmoil, and for a moment, she didn't know how to respond.
Because Lu Rongchang was arrested, Su Houde was furious and demanded that Su Jinning send out the map to make up for his mistake. Su Jinning decisively refused upon hearing this. Unexpectedly, Su Houde directly stated that Su Jinzhen had been held hostage in the Yue Kingdom. If he disobeyed the order, Su Jinzhen's life would likely be in danger.
Yu Luo Cha once again urged Liu Rong to quickly get the jade pendant and gave her a task: to steal the evidence from Lu Rongchang at the Purple Court Bureau. Liu Rong hesitated for a long time, then put on a night outfit and sneaked into the Purple Court Bureau. As a result, Xu Muchen became aware of something.
He immediately applied to Minister Gu for leave to return home to visit his wife, but in reality, it was to confirm her true identity. Fortunately, Liu Rong returned to Shi'an Residence in time. When Xu Muchen returned, she was already lying in bed, pretending to rest.
Episode 20 Recap
Although Liu Rong pretended to be asleep while fully clothed, seemingly flawless, Xu Muchen's doubts about her did not lessen. He tentatively asked her why she was sweating profusely. Liu Rong hurriedly made up an excuse, claiming she had a nightmare in which Xu Muchen wanted to divorce her. Hearing this, a wave of guilt welled up in Xu Muchen's heart.
To successfully send out the map, Su Jinning cleverly wrapped it in intestines and swallowed it, successfully deceiving Gongyang Maocai, who was responsible for searching people at the city gate. Given that the map concerned the nation's safety, Su Jinning was hesitant. He recalled his father's instructions and thought of his sister's safety in a foreign land, finally making a decision. Minister Gu was knocked unconscious by the Willow Leaf Thief.
After waking up, he complained repeatedly and was still shaken. On the other hand, Liu Rong found a letter in her wardrobe, which arranged for her to meet someone outside the city at midnight. Liu Rong decided to go to the appointment herself. Unexpectedly, the person who arrived was Xu Muchen, dressed in official attire. It turned out that Xu Muchen had always harbored doubts about Liu Rong and had never stopped investigating her.
Facing Xu Muchen, Liu Rong understood that her identity had been exposed, so she simply stopped hiding it. Liu Rong proactively suggested leaving the Xu residence and asked Xu Muchen to find a suitable excuse to appease Madam Xu so that she wouldn't be sad. However, to Liu Rong's surprise, Xu Muchen suddenly hugged her tightly, stating firmly that whether Liu Rong was the Willow Leaf Thief or the Duke's daughter, she was his lawfully wedded wife.
After this incident, the two were honest with each other, and their relationship deepened. On the other side, Gongyang Maocai came to the embroidery workshop to visit Qin Mumu. He happened to see a strange man acting intimately with her in the room, which made him intensely jealous, and he mistakenly thought Qin Mumu's heart belonged to someone else. After Gongyang Maocai left, Mo Yan reminded Qin Mumu to cherish the person before her.
Hearing this, a strange feeling also arose in Qin Mumu's heart. That night, Gongyang Maocai wandered the streets alone. Seeing couples walking hand-in-hand around him, he couldn't hide his disappointment. But the next second, Qin Mumu appeared before him, filling Gongyang Maocai with surprise and joy. The two walked together. Gongyang Maocai accompanied Qin Mumu to buy many flower lanterns. The misunderstanding was resolved at this moment, and they deeply understood their mutual affection for each other.
Su Houde was greatly angered by not obtaining the jade pendant and crucial evidence. He severely reprimanded Yu Luo Cha's disciples for being ineffective and reminded her that it was time to clean house. Early the next morning, Hu Shanshan, the only survivor of the Hu residence, found Xu Muchen through Liu Wenchu. She recounted the incident to him and revealed that she held a ledger that her father had treasured.
However, Hu Shanshan was ambushed on her way back to the inn. Fortunately, Xu Muchen intervened in time and saved her. To ensure her safety, he decided to bring her back to the Xu residence and promised to investigate the truth, ensuring he would not fail the Hu family's kindness. Coincidentally, these words were overheard by Wu Zhao, who mistakenly thought that Hu Shanshan was entrusting her future to Xu Muchen.
Consequently, the rumor spread to Xiao Qiu, who then embellished it by claiming Xu Muchen was taking a concubine. Upon hearing this, Liu Rong became unhappy, especially witnessing Xu Muchen return with Hu Shanshan, which seemed to confirm the rumor of him taking a concubine. Therefore, Liu Rong resolved to seek fairness from Madam Xu. Madam Xu naturally opposed her son taking a concubine.
So, when she learned that Hu Shanshan would be staying at the Xu residence, she declined with various excuses, but Xu Muchen still insisted and arranged a temporary stay for Hu Shanshan in the backyard wing room. Watching Liu Rong leave angrily, Madam Xu was worried, fearing that the young couple would have a conflict because of this. She then reminded Xu Muchen to explain clearly to Liu Rong as soon as possible.
After much deliberation, Liu Rong still left the door open for Xu Muchen. However, Xu Muchen did not return all night. He stayed in Hu Shanshan's room, focusing on studying the box where the ledger was kept. It wasn't until dawn that he successfully unlocked the mechanism and opened the box. Afterwards, Xu Muchen presented the ledger to Liu Wenchu. The ledger's surface seemed ordinary, and Liu Wenchu also could not see the hidden mysteries within it.
Just as he was confused, a thought flashed through Xu Muchen's mind. He recalled that his father once had a type of liquid that could make writing disappear. He then tried placing the blank page at the back of the ledger over candlelight to bake it. Indeed, the hidden text gradually appeared: "Duke Su colluded with the enemy and committed treason. Evidence is hidden in Taizhou.
Episode 21 Recap
After Xu Muchen met with Liu Wenchu, Wu Zhao came to report that the assassins who attacked Miss Hu yesterday were the same group as before, but their target for this assassination was someone else. Given that the assassins carried a portrait of Liu Rong, Xu Muchen speculated that the forces behind them were taking their anger out on Liu Rong because of him.
To ensure Liu Rong's safety, Xu Muchen decided to divorce her, and deliberately treated her coldly to create a misunderstanding, making her mistakenly believe he was having an affair with Hu Shanshan. Liu Rong was both angry and sad because of this, so she ran to the embroidery workshop to confide in her senior brothers and sisters, only to discover that her master, Yu Luo Cha, was also there.
Liu Rong refused to hand over the jade pendant to Yu Luo Cha, making the excuse that the jade pendant had not yet been found. Yu Luo Cha, worried that Duke Su would harm Liu Rong, gave her another task – to assassinate Xu Muchen. Mo Yan saw Liu Rong's affection for Xu Muchen and suggested that Qin Mumu do it on her behalf.
However, Yu Luo Cha insisted that Liu Rong do it herself, intending to save her through Xu Muchen's death. Now that Lu Rongchang had confessed that the mastermind was Duke Su, Gongyang Maocai was preparing to go to Taizhou to investigate the case and specifically came to bid farewell to Xu Muchen. Xu Muchen said he would go himself, stating frankly that the case was related to his father's wrongful conviction.
Hearing this, Gongyang Maocai no longer insisted, only reminding Xu Muchen that although he would investigate the case, the credit would belong to him. The two exchanged a smile. After Liu Rong returned to the Xu residence, she was in deep internal struggle facing the poison her master had given her. After much internal conflict, Liu Rong ultimately couldn't bring herself to harm Xu Muchen and resolutely threw the poison into the fire.
At this moment, Xu Muchen proactively came to find Liu Rong, pretending he didn't want to wrong Hu Shanshan by making her a concubine and intended to write a divorce letter to divorce Liu Rong. Liu Rong endured the pain and agreed. Soon, the news of Xu Muchen divorcing his wife quickly spread through the streets and alleys of the capital, and it became widely known that Liu Rong was no longer the young lady of the Xu residence.
Duke Su felt this matter was suspicious, suspecting that Xu Muchen did it deliberately to protect Liu Rong, and still wanted to put Liu Rong to death. Qin Mumu was furious upon hearing the news and hurried back to the embroidery workshop to report to Yu Luo Cha, planning to bring her junior sister back to her side.
However, Yu Luo Cha, using the excuse of picking someone up from the Xu residence, engaged in a fierce fight with Xu Muchen. Xu Muchen disregarded Liu Rong's pleas and killed Yu Luo Cha in front of her, leaving her heartbroken. Facing this scene, Xu Muchen showed no trace of mercy.
Instead, he sternly warned Liu Rong that he spared her life today out of consideration for their past feelings, but if they met again in the future, he would show no quarter. This scene was coincidentally witnessed by Duke Su Houde's spy. The Emperor approved Xu Muchen's trip to Taizhou to investigate the Moon Star Grass case. To avoid alerting the enemy, he decided, with Liu Wenchu's help, to go to Taizhou disguised as Mr. Liu, a merchant.
Meanwhile, Madam Xu had recognized Hu Shanshan as her foster daughter and personally saw Xu Muchen off before he departed, stating that she would select a good marriage for Hu Shanshan so that she could marry off gloriously as the second young lady of the Xu residence. --- On the other side, Qin Mumu and Mo Yan were preparing to set off for Taizhou to avenge Yu Luo Cha and asked Liu Rong to go with them.
Just as the three were preparing to leave the embroidery workshop, Gongyang Maocai suddenly appeared before them. Qin Mumu confessed everything to Gongyang Maocai, believing that the great difference in their statuses meant they were destined not to be together. However, Gongyang Maocai did not want to lose Qin Mumu and resolutely decided to resign from his official post. Subsequently, the three arrived in Taizhou and checked into an inn.
Liu Rong sensed that Qin Mumu was not in a good mood, so she didn't want to disturb her and went for a walk alone on the street. Xu Muchen, under the guise of Mr. Liu, met with Mr. Li. His speech and demeanor were flawless, leaving Mr. Li completely convinced and leading him to promise to introduce him to Young Master Zhao of the Zhao family.
Episode 22 Recap
Now that Yu Luo Cha is dead, Mo Yan naturally became a pawn manipulated by Duke Su, primarily responsible for communicating with the Zhao residence in Taizhou regarding matters related to the Moon Star Grass. Liu Rong went out on the street and discovered that Moon Star Grass pills were rampant in Taizhou, and many people lost their families due to consuming this substance.
According to the noodle stall owner, Moon Star Grass pills were cheap in the early days, but later the price skyrocketed. People became addicted and were often expelled and beaten for not having money to buy the medicine. Just then, Liu Rong witnessed the Zhao residence's servants beating an old man and was about to step forward to stop them when she suddenly saw Mo Yan appear to intervene.
With just a few words, Mo Yan made the servants let the old man go. Liu Rong was surprised by the servants' extremely respectful attitude towards Mo Yan and became suspicious, so she secretly followed Mo Yan. Unexpectedly, he was very familiar with the Zhao family, who operated the Moon Star Grass business.
The steward, entrusted by Young Master Zhao, came to negotiate with Mo Yan, stating that since Lu Rongchang was arrested, the sale of Moon Star Grass pills in the capital had become extremely difficult, with a large backlog of inventory and heavy losses. Mo Yan stated frankly that his trip was to solve this problem for the Duke.
As long as he improved the Moon Star Grass pills, enhanced their efficacy, and then put them into the city's water source so that people would become addicted after drinking it, the backlog of goods could be quickly cleared. Liu Rong was shocked and angry upon hearing this, knowing that Moon Star Grass brought nothing but harm to the people of Taizhou, so she did not want her sect to be involved and accused Mo Yan of helping evil.
Mo Yan tried to explain, but Liu Rong was unwilling to listen further and turned around angrily and left. Xu Muchen was introduced to Young Master Zhao as Mr. Liu, and Young Master Zhao personally hosted him. Liu Rong held hostage a servant from the Zhao residence who frequently consumed Moon Star Grass pills.
From him, she learned that Young Master Zhao was hosting a banquet in the front hall, so she knocked him out and disguised herself as a dancer to infiltrate the banquet. Although Xu Muchen recognized Liu Rong, he did not show it. Liu Rong planned to take the opportunity to steal the key to the account room from Young Master Zhao's person, but she had not yet noticed the abnormality of the tea.
The dancers fainted one after another after drinking the tea containing Moon Star Grass pills. Seeing this, Xu Muchen quickly picked up Liu Rong, pretending that he was taken with this dancer, and carried her out of the front hall, actually taking her out of the Zhao residence and sending her to the inn.
After Liu Rong woke up, she gradually recalled the events of the previous night and immediately told Qin Mumu about the harm that Moon Star Grass pills caused to the people of Taizhou, and decided to go out to find Mo Yan. At this time, the suspicious Young Master Zhao sent people to investigate and confirmed that someone had impersonated a dancer and infiltrated the previous night, thus becoming suspicious of Xu Muchen's identity.
Coincidentally, Mo Yan brought the newly improved Moon Star Grass pills to the Zhao residence, and in order to verify Xu Muchen's identity, Young Master Zhao actually demanded that he take it on the spot. Xu Muchen reluctantly swallowed the pill, trying to suppress the effects, in order to gain Young Master Zhao's trust. But when he followed Young Master Zhao to the front courtyard, he was recognized by a guard.
In a panic, Xu Muchen protected Mo Yan and fought with the guards. Seeing this, Liu Rong flew over to lend a hand. The two cooperated seamlessly, quickly defeated the guards, and knocked out Young Master Zhao and the steward. Liu Rong recalled her master's death, and angrily drew her sword to seek revenge. Fortunately, Mo Yan stopped her in time and informed her that her master was still alive.
That night, Mo Yan led Liu Rong and Qin Mumu to a house in the suburbs, where the three met Yu Luo Cha, who was living in seclusion. It turned out that Yu Luo Cha had tried to assassinate Xu Muchen, but her martial arts were inferior, and she unexpectedly learned the truth of the matter, seeing Duke Su's true face.
For Liu Rong's safety, Xu Muchen and Yu Luo Cha staged a play together, and Mo Yan was the only one in the know. Yu Luo Cha explained to Liu Rong that everything Xu Muchen did was out of protection for her. As the misunderstanding was cleared up, Liu Rong and Xu Muchen reconciled and recognized each other as the children who met during the Taizhou flood back then.
Episode 23 Recap
Early in the morning, Xu Muchen combed Liu Rong's hair and gave her a hairpin. During their conversation, Xu Muchen unexpectedly learned that Duke Su had always wanted the jade pendant left behind by his father, and he guessed that the jade pendant held significant meaning. The two then took the jade pendant to find Yu Luo Cha to unlock its secret.
However, Yu Luo Cha stated that she was only acting under orders and knew nothing about the jade pendant's secret. Yu Luo Cha revealed that Xu Chengsij was proficient in mechanical calculations and Qimen Dunjia. Everyone realized that this jade pendant looked very much like a key to open a certain mechanism. Xu Muchen noticed the broken plum blossom pattern on the jade pendant and suddenly remembered that before setting off, his mother, Mrs.
Xu, had given him a book of plum blossom patterns. By flipping through the book, Xu Muchen connected several clues and deciphered that the location where Duke Su's criminal evidence was hidden was in Peach Blossom Valley. Based on Yu Luo Cha's understanding of Duke Su, she deduced that the other party would surely prevent Xu Muchen from finding the evidence.
She then instructed Qin Mumu to gather the disciples of Shui Tui Mo to search for Xu Muchen, while she herself contacted Liu Wenchuj to mobilize troops for escort, ensuring nothing went wrong. Just as she finished speaking, Gongyang Maocai came in from outside, announcing that he had resigned from office. Qin Mumu was deeply moved, and the two of them went together to Peach Blossom Valley to assist Xu Muchen.
Meanwhile, the spies sent by Duke Su were quietly tracking Xu Muchen's whereabouts. Xu Muchen and Liu Rong were well aware of this, so they decided to turn the tables and deliberately lure them out. When Duke Su learned that Xu Muchen had gone to Peach Blossom Valley, where Xu Chengsij had been back then, he immediately led his men there.
However, because he could not find any trace of him and Liu Rong, he simply ordered his men to set fire to the mountain. Xu Muchen and Liu Rong were in the thatched cottage in Peach Blossom Valley. They used the jade pendant to activate the mechanism of the secret room and found Xu Chengsij's will inside, which revealed Duke Su's crimes and the truth.
It turned out that back then, Xu Chengsij had accidentally discovered that Duke Su was not only smuggling Moon Star Grass but was also a spy sent by the Yue Kingdom. He cared for the people and could not bear to see Duke Su's disaster affect the innocent, so he personally went to persuade him. Unexpectedly, he was instead framed and killed by Duke Su on the charge of corruption, to cover up his crime of blowing up the embankment.
Holding the jade pendant, Xu Muchen and Liu Rong had just reached the mouth of the valley when they saw that Duke Su was already waiting there with the Yue Kingdom's Four Great Experts. Even now, Duke Su showed no remorse and boasted that the Yue Kingdom's conquest of the Jing Dynasty was imminent. After learning about Yu Luo Cha's feigned death, Duke Su suddenly understood and ordered the Four Great Experts to surround and attack the two.
The scene instantly fell into chaos. Fortunately, Qin Mumu and Gongyang Maocai arrived in time and barely managed to withstand the fierce attacks of the Four Great Experts. Seeing someone secretly attacking Xu Muchen, Liu Rong immediately swung her willow-leaf saber to block a blow for him. At the same time, Liu Wenchuj and Su Jinning arrived with a large contingent of troops, and the two sides immediately engaged in a fierce battle.
Su Jinning took advantage of the chaos to cover Duke Su's retreat. Seeing this, Liu Rong immediately chased after them but was stopped by Su Jinning. Although Su Jinning did not want to be enemies with Liu Rong, he had to admit the fact that he was a person from the Yue Kingdom and stated that he would not abandon his family for righteousness.
He told Liu Rong that if she wanted to capture Duke Su, she would have to step over his dead body first. Remembering their past friendship, Liu Rong could not bring herself to attack Su Jinning. She could only watch as he left, stating directly that if they met again in the future, they would be enemies. Xu Muchen, bringing Wu Zhao, found Liu Rong.
Seeing that she was safe and sound, the worry in his heart dissipated, and he did not dwell on the matter of her letting Duke Su go. On the other side, Mo Yan treated Gongyang Maocai's injuries and kindly reminded him that if he wanted to marry Qin Mumu, he needed to be cautious in his words and actions to avoid trouble from his mouth.
Gongyang Maocai was unusually humble in accepting this advice, and his gaze towards Qin Mumu became more ardent. That night, Liu Rong saw that Xu Muchen was unhappy and felt equally bad. She then handed the bamboo dragonfly she had found in the secret room to Xu Muchen. Touching the object made Xu Muchen remember his father and his father's teachings from when he was alive. Coupled with Liu Rong's companionship, the loneliness and coldness in his heart gradually dissipated, replaced by a rare warmth.
Episode 24 (Ending) Recap
Su Jinning, with his butler, escorted his father's carriage as they fled towards the Yue Kingdom. Along the way, seeing that Duke Su was feeling unwell, he went nearby to fetch water. Unexpectedly, Yu Luo Cha was lying in ambush nearby. Taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, she killed Duke Su with a sword thrust. After the turmoil subsided, Liu Wenchuj was about to return to the capital early.
Xu Muchen sincerely bowed to Liu Wenchuj, thanking him and the various officials for their perseverance, which finally cleared his father's name. Liu Wenchuj felt greatly relieved about Xu Muchen and promised that he would personally submit the account books to the Emperor. That night, everyone gathered together, Xu Muchen and Yu Luo Cha raised their cups and toasted each other, and the atmosphere was warm and harmonious.
At this moment, Gongyang Maocai suddenly stood up and proposed marriage to Qin Mumu through Yu Luo Cha, catching Qin Mumu off guard. Seeing this, Liu Rong and Mo Yan intentionally teased them. Seeing Qin Mumu blush with shyness, they egged them on, and the two decided to commit to each other for life. Subsequently, an imperial edict arrived, ordering Xu Muchen to lead troops to meet the Yue Kingdom in battle.
Liu Rong voluntarily offered to go with him to assist in the battle, only regretting missing Qin Mumu and Gongyang Maocai's wedding feast. Qin Mumu gave Liu Rong armor and instructed her to protect herself. Meanwhile, Gongyang Maocai and Xu Muchen drank together peacefully, wishing him victory in his first battle and an early triumphal return.
After the two arrived at the military camp, they discovered that Wu Zhao had requested to be transferred to serve as Xu Muchen's deputy general. In fact, even before this, Xu Muchen had learned of the crisis at the front line. The main general of the western front had died in battle, there was no one to command the army, and morale was unstable. In contrast, the main general of the Yue Kingdom turned out to be Su Jinning.
It turned out that after Su Jinning presented the Jing Dynasty map to the Yue Kingdom, he was appointed as a great general. Because he had a thorough understanding of the Jing Dynasty's troop formations, arrangements, and grain supplies, he captured three cities in just a few days. After returning to Taizhou, Master Chen expressed his gratitude to Yu Luo Cha and the others and requested their assistance in dealing with the Moon Star Grass problem.
Due to the massive quantity of Moon Star Grass, which was enough to endanger the entire population of Taizhou, the destruction work was extremely difficult. Mo Yan fully understood Master Chen's intentions and offered him a good plan. With war imminent, the Jing Dynasty was still at a disadvantage. Inspired by Liu Rong, Xu Muchen decided to risk infiltrating the enemy camp to steal the tiger tally.
However, Liu Rong believed that Xu Muchen was the army general and could not afford any more slip-ups, especially since she learned that the opposing general was Su Jinning. She insisted on personally carrying out this dangerous mission. After infiltrating the enemy camp, Liu Rong was unfortunately captured by them as a spy. Liu Rong tried to persuade Su Jinning to stop, but unexpectedly learned the news of Su Jinzhen's death and was greatly shocked.
Su Jinning remained stubborn, attempting to conquer the Jing Dynasty to gain a foothold in the Yue Kingdom and win back Liu Rong's heart. However, the Yue Kingdom generals held Su Jinning in contempt and even planned to eliminate him after the Jing Dynasty was destroyed. Su Jinning finally had a change of heart. He returned to the camp to untie Liu Rong and handed the tiger tally to her.
In the process of protecting Liu Rong's escape, Su Jinning was tragically killed by the Yue Kingdom people. On the other side, Yu Luo Cha actively responded to Master Chen's request and assisted in dealing with the Moon Star Grass problem. She ordered Qin Mumu and Gongyang and others to burn all the Moon Star Grass completely.
After Mo Yan's special medicinal treatment, the Moon Star Grass would not produce toxic gases during the burning process, thus completely eliminating the threat of Moon Star Grass to the people of Taizhou. Because Liu Rong successfully stole the tiger tally, Xu Muchen was able to heavily defeat the Yue Kingdom enemy forces, and the army returned triumphantly.
Master Gu and Liu Wenchuj, following the imperial decree, conferred rewards upon Xu Muchen, and his official rank was promoted to the fourth grade. The Emperor, remembering that the Willow Leaf Thief had performed meritorious service by stealing the tally, no longer pursued her past mistakes with Shui Tui Mo, and bestowed upon her a golden willow leaf dart as a reward. Everyone was overjoyed.
Not long after, Xu Muchen and Liu Rong held their wedding ceremony again amidst everyone's blessings and witnessed by Mrs. Xu and Yu Luo Cha, officially becoming husband and wife. After the wedding ceremony, Mo Yan and the others eagerly urged Xu Muchen to enter the bridal chamber. However, when Xu Muchen entered the room, he found that Liu Rong was nowhere to be seen, only a note left on the table. Seeing this, Xu Muchen chased after her.
Sure enough, he saw Liu Rong dressed in red on the rooftop. The two exchanged smiles and flew hand in hand towards a beautiful future.
