Novoland: Pearl Eclipse Episode 3 Recap
> Novoland: Pearl Eclipse Recap
Fang Zhuoying found Fang Haishi dozing at her table, her room door ajar. Noticing her dark circles from recent practice, he playfully teased her, offering to avenge her if she'd been beaten. Fang Haishi denied it, but Fang Zhuoying persisted, attempting to massage her neck where she felt pain from practice. Their interaction was interrupted by Fang Jianming's arrival.
Remembering his master's earlier teachings about maintaining a respectful distance, Fang Zhuoying immediately made an excuse that Shaozi needed him and quickly left. Fang Haishi also tried to escape, but Fang Jianming stopped her to ask if her meditation practice from the previous night had helped with her sleeplessness, to which she confirmed it had. Fang Jianming then announced he was going to the Palace for official business.
Seizing the opportunity of Fang Jianming's absence, Fang Haishi decided to investigate the assassins from the Lantern Festival herself. She cornered two masked figures, trapping them in a net made of steel wire. She interrogated them, demanding to know who their instigator was. Suddenly, Fang Jianming appeared, ordering her to release the men. He instructed them to return to their master and cease their activities, promising to let the matter drop if they complied.
However, he warned that continued trouble would not be so easily forgiven. Afterward, Fang Jianming reprimanded Fang Haishi for her unauthorized actions, punishing her by making her copy the rules of Jifeng Pavilion two hundred times. Meanwhile, Emperor Di Xu summoned Fang Jianming to the palace, commanding him to send his men to escort Prince Jichang, his half-brother, back to the capital.
However, Di Xu made it clear that he had no intention of allowing the accompanying Princess Tilan of Zhunian to enter the city. He expressed that his long-held tolerance for Zhunian was solely due to his late Empress Zizan, Princess Tilan's sister. Di Xu vehemently stated that no one could replace Zizan and that the Zhunian king's attempt to interfere in Dazheng's royal affairs was unacceptable.
Fang Jianming respectfully disagreed, arguing that Princess Tilan was innocent and that refusing her entry could jeopardize the harmony between Dazheng and Zhunian, especially after Zhunian's significant contribution to stabilizing Dazheng's southern regions. Di Xu, growing increasingly agitated, dismissed Zhunian's importance and accused Fang Jianming of being presumptuous. This deep-seated animosity stemmed from the death of Zizan, whom Di Xu believed died due to Fang Jianming's past error.
Unable to kill Fang Jianming despite his rage, Di Xu had resorted to a mystical curse, binding Fang Jianming to him as a "baiju." Any injury or suffering inflicted upon Di Xu would be transferred to Fang Jianming, magnified many times over. Di Xu berated Fang Jianming, calling him a "rat in the gutter" and his "minion in the dark," stripping him of his former honor.
Despite Fang Jianming's pleas, Di Xu reiterated his sole desire for Jichang's safe return before dismissing him. Later, Fang Haishi played a game of chess with Fang Jianming and cleverly tricked him into a bet: if she won, he could punish her for her mistakes but never ignore her. She won by a sleight of hand. Soon after, Fang Jianming prepared Fang Zhuoying for the escort mission, giving him a map and emphasizing the critical nature of the task.
He strictly instructed Fang Zhuoying not to question the Emperor’s commands. Fang Haishi, eager to atone, volunteered for the mission. Fang Jianming dismissed her ambition, explaining that Jifeng Pavilion valued preparedness over mere attempts, and challenged her: if she could defeat Fang Zhuoying, she could go. During their spar, Fang Zhuoying ultimately conceded to prevent Fang Haishi from being injured.
However, Fang Jianming punished her with a ferule, clarifying that Fang Zhuoying's concession was an act of brotherly affection and that she failed to understand that while rules are crucial, so are human feelings and justice. He ordered her to the silence room to copy the rules two hundred more times. Feeling disheartened, Fang Haishi later confided in Shaozi, who praised her agility and adaptability while noting Fang Zhuoying’s superior strength, suggesting Fang Jianming had his own considerations.
An imperial decree arrived, promoting Fang Zhuoying to Bowmen Commandant and Escorting Envoy. Emperor Di Xu privately reiterated to Fang Zhuoying that his sole objective was Prince Jichang's safe return; he did not want Princess Tilan to enter Tianqi City. That night, Fang Zhuoying expressed his unease to Fang Jianming, fearing that mistreating Princess Tilan could provoke Zhunian to ally with the southwestern tribes, creating a perilous pincer attack with Huku from the north.
Fang Jianming commended his foresight, revealing that intelligence confirmed Huku was already inciting fear among the tribes. He reaffirmed that Fang Zhuoying's only responsibility was Prince Jichang's safety, assuring him that he had his own arrangements for Princess Tilan. The next morning, Di Xu spontaneously decided to visit Shuixin Palace's hot springs, ordering Fang Jianming and all of Jifeng Pavilion to escort him. Upon hearing this, Fang Haishi, having just finished her punishment, emerged and approached Fang Jianming.
She admitted she was wrong to take advantage of Fang Zhuoying's kindness and earnestly requested to join his mission as his subordinate. Fang Jianming simply instructed her to return to the silence room and continue copying before departing. Simultaneously, a young woman named Zhe Liu formally entered the Fabric Office, where her aunt, an embroiderer, expressed high hopes for her talent. With Fang Jianming away, Fang Haishi secretly joined Fang Zhuoying’s departing convoy.
It was only after they made camp that she revealed herself to a stunned Fang Zhuoying. She insisted she had come to gain experience and would bear full responsibility, threatening to proceed to Xiping Port alone if he sent her back. Relenting, Fang Zhuoying appointed her as his personal bodyguard. At Xiping Port, Prefect Chen Heran and Fang Zhuoying formally welcomed Prince Jichang, who appeared cautious and frequently glanced at his general, Tang Qianzi, as if for approval.
Jichang presented an eagle egg as a gift for the Emperor. They then welcomed the veiled Princess Tilan. Later, Fang Haishi shared her concerns with Fang Zhuoying, having overheard locals discussing a recent surge in unfamiliar ships, suspecting a plot to sabotage the Dazheng-Zhunian alliance. Fang Zhuoying confirmed their master had anticipated this, as Huku and southwestern tribes feared the alliance. He also revealed Di Xu's explicit order to only protect Jichang, leaving Tilan's fate unspoken.
When Prefect Chen Heran arrived, Fang Zhuoying introduced Haishi as his brother. Haishi then suggested they request additional troops from Chen Heran to ensure a safe escort. Inside his office, Chen Heran claimed he could only spare a thousand soldiers, citing that his forces were mostly marines ill-suited for land travel. Fang Zhuoying accepted and laid out a three-pronged strategy. The first route was a small, direct escort for Prince Jichang.
The second was a low-profile journey led by Fang Zhuoying himself, escorting Princess Tilan disguised as a tribute convoy. The third and final route was a grand decoy procession, with Fang Haishi disguised as Princess Tilan and another impersonating Prince Jichang, set to depart last through a bustling town gate. The next day, as the plan commenced, Fang Haishi, in the decoy carriage, conversed with a guard, Uncle Zhao, who planned to retire after the mission.
Suddenly, the convoy was ambushed. As chaos erupted, a chilling realization struck Fang Haishi: recalling Prefect Chen Heran's earlier words and demeanor, she understood he had a guilty conscience and had betrayed them. Swiftly changing into male attire, she leapt from the moving carriage and sped towards the route where Fang Zhuoying was escorting the real Princess Tilan.
