Novoland: Pearl Eclipse Episode 12 Recap
> Novoland: Pearl Eclipse Recap
Upon arriving at Huangquan Battalion, Fang Haishi wasted no time in resting, instead throwing herself into new recruit training. She rose earlier and slept later than everyone else, relentlessly pushing herself day and night. This grueling regimen caused her old shoulder injury to relapse and even led to new wounds. Concerned fellow soldiers and Shaozi noticed her bleeding shoulder.
When Shaozi reported Fang Haishi's relentless training and relapsed injury to Fang Jianming, he appeared outwardly calm, stating that she knew what she had signed up for. Not long after, Fang Zhuoying arrived at Huangquan Battalion, witnessing Fang Haishi undergoing strenuous weighted training, seemingly oblivious to her body's limits. Exasperated, he pulled her into a tent, scolding her for exhausting herself without rest.
Fang Haishi defiantly retorted that her injuries were minor compared to his, arguing that hard work was essential for advancement in the army. Fang Zhuoying tried to persuade her to prioritize their filial duty to their Master, Fang Jianming, suggesting they could serve him loyally together at Jifeng Pavilion rather than her seeking hardship for military honors, which he called a "golden cage."
Fang Haishi, however, rejected the notion of Fang Jianming as a "father," pointing out their relatively small age difference. Misunderstanding her deeper meaning, Fang Zhuoying became even more frustrated, dismissing her as stubborn and instructing others not to bother her while she was injured. That very night, Fang Haishi dreamt of slowly sinking into the deep sea, where a shadowy figure seemed to wait. She stirred awake to find Fang Jianming standing by her bed.
In a haze, she confessed her profound affection for him, admitting that the thought of him leaving caused her great sorrow. Fang Jianming quietly departed. The next morning, Fang Haishi saw a bowl of congee by her bed, momentarily wondering if her Master had returned. Her comrades, however, explained they had prepared it and that a soldier named Wu Yang had brought it in.
Soon after, Zhang Junhou inquired about her shoulder, which Fang Haishi assured him was much better after being treated. Zhang Junhou then announced that the battalion would depart north for Huangquan Pass the following day, granting soldiers leave to bid farewell to their families, as the journey from Tianqi City was long and future reunions uncertain. He suggested Fang Haishi might wish to visit Fang Jianming and Fang Zhuoying at Jifeng Pavilion.
Fang Haishi decided to return to Jifeng Pavilion to bid Fang Jianming farewell. He invited her to finish a game of chess. During their play, she reflected on his lessons about patience and strategy. She then directly expressed her unique feelings for him, confessing that she felt differently about him than anyone else.
She implored him not to take even half a step further in their relationship, fearing that if he did, she might utter forbidden words or commit forbidden acts, forcing her to spend the rest of her life outside the capital, unable to return to see him again. Meanwhile, Physician Li reported to Emperor Di Xu that Consort Ti Lan’s hand injury was worsening due to her continuous carving, risking permanent disability.
Di Xu went to the South Palace to see her. He found her relentlessly carving, noting she was more than halfway done with the requested pendants. He remarked that he had only made the request casually, but Ti Lan insisted she was a woman of her word. During their interaction, Di Xu's hand was cut by her carving tool.
Enraged, he accused Ti Lan of feigning injury to make him appear mean and heartless, ordering her two maids flogged to death for inciting disobedience. Ti Lan bravely intervened, swearing an oath to the Dragon Tail deity and offering a newly carved pendant. She explained that while she had resented him for her suffering upon arriving in Dazheng, she now understood his own difficult and solitary existence. She hoped her new pendant could accompany Zizan's, offering him comfort.
Moved, Di Xu halted the executions, rescinded the order for the remaining pendants, and sent Ti Lan and her maids back to Yu’an Palace. Concurrently, as Fang Haishi made her heartfelt confession, Fang Jianming silently completed the chess game. After she departed, he let out a quiet sigh and then examined a bleeding wound that had mysteriously appeared on his palm. Elsewhere, Eunuch Shi arrived with new official robes for Fang Zhuoying and Fang Haishi.
Fang Zhuoying was delighted with his robe, particularly the embroidered eagle, and learned from Eunuch Shi that Zhe Liu had worked tirelessly to complete them. Concerned for her health, Fang Zhuoying expressed his worry, prompting Fang Haishi to share a proverb about seizing the moment, subtly encouraging him to pursue his feelings for Zhe Liu. As Fang Jianming was occupied with official duties, he instructed Fang Haishi to stay overnight in his room at Zhaoming Palace.
Alone in his chamber, Fang Haishi felt a wave of longing, embracing his pillow. Unbeknownst to her, Fang Jianming was grappling with the reasons he could not return her affections. He reflected on his past: Prince Yi's rebellion, which massacred royalty and brutalized commoners, and Crown Prince Boyao's ultimate sacrifice. Left with nothing, he and Di Xu had fought to save Dazheng. He recalled an impulsive decision that led to Zizan's death and nearly cost Di Xu his life.
To stabilize the realm and protect his last friend, he chose to become Di Xu's "Baixi," binding their fates so that he would bear all of Di Xu's future pain. He mused that without Fang Haishi, he would have lived a barren life of duty, but her presence made him understand the deep sorrow that accompanies a life without personal choice, though he held no regrets for his sacrifice.
After a restless night, Fang Haishi rose at dawn to prepare for her departure, struggling with the complex layers of her new formal robe. Fang Jianming entered and, without a word, helped her adjust her attire, tying her robe, securing her armor, and arranging her hair and crown. At the appointed time, as the new recruits assembled at Zhuque Gate, Fang Haishi returned a valuable thumb ring to Fang Jianming, concerned it might be damaged in battle.
Fang Jianming, in turn, offered a poignant farewell. Emperor Di Xu then issued an edict, designating Fang Jianming, as Lord Qinghai, to perform the `màyí` ritual on his behalf, praying for the army's victory. Later, Di Xu sat alone, confiding in Zizan's memorial tablet about his profound loneliness. He lamented how the days dragged on and nights shortened since her departure, admitting that even Ti Lan had sensed his solitude.
He believed Zizan would have urged him to persevere as an emperor, husband, and father, yet he found it nearly impossible without her. Soon after, Di Xu stood with Fang Jianming on a pavilion overlooking Tianqi City. Di Xu mused on the day's resemblance to the night Tianqi burned during the rebellion, recalling Zizan's love for the golden autumn sunsets. Fang Jianming observed that such hopes were for ordinary people, urging Di Xu to release expectations.
Di Xu acknowledged that while the sunset and sky might appear to blend from a distance, they remained infinitely separate—a metaphor for their own lives, intertwined yet distant due to the Baixi pact. Di Xu confessed his reluctance to be emperor and that he never wished for Fang Jianming to be his Baixi. Fang Jianming firmly asserted that the decision was entirely his own.
