Novoland: Pearl Eclipse Episode 40 Recap
> Novoland: Pearl Eclipse Recap
Despite the frequent heavy rains in Xiping Port, Fang Haishi succumbed to a cold. That night, Fang Jianming secretly visited her bedside. Aware of his presence despite pretending to be asleep, she suddenly grasped his hand, finding immense comfort. During their conversation, she asked for his guidance on the case of Liu Changping and Baili Yuan, who had illegally sold military rations.
Fang Jianming instructed her to investigate thoroughly, stating that if their actions were for the people, they should be treated leniently, as compassion could sometimes outweigh the law. Haishi confessed her wish that he were completely heartless, as it would make it easier for her to move on.
In the following days, Fang Haishi provided porridge and relief to countless refugees and ensured their resettlement, with Fang Jianming silently supporting her from the shadows, occasionally leaving relevant case files on her desk. Haishi’s investigation confirmed that Liu Changping and Baili Yuan were compelled by the disaster and had not embezzled funds. Consequently, she only docked their salaries, ordered Liu Changping to compensate for the lost rice, and revoked Baili Yuan's maritime trade license for three years.
When Liu Changping expressed concern that being re-appointed as Inspector of Xiping Port after committing a capital crime violated court law, Haishi asserted that the Imperial Inspector’s Seal granted by the Emperor meant her decisions in the southwest represented the Emperor's will. She then urged both men to work with her to protect the people.
In the capital, Treasurer Wu reported to Emperor Di Xu that a massive outflow of gold from the national treasury, intended for disaster relief, had caused the gold price to plummet. One tael of gold, once worth ten strings of copper coins, now fetched only half that. This devastation led many gold speculators from the West Land, who had taken out high-interest loans to buy gold, to financial ruin and even suicide in the streets of the capital.
Treasurer Wu urged the Emperor to stabilize the market, but Di Xu dismissed his concerns, stating that only the greedy speculators should panic, not Dazheng's citizens. As Fang Haishi prepared to return to the capital, the streets filled with grateful citizens wishing to bid her farewell. Persuaded by Baili Yuan that the people, who saw her as a divine messenger, needed this moment for morale, she appeared before them.
From atop the city wall, Fang Jianming watched silently as she was hailed. In that moment, Haishi acknowledged that she was no longer merely Fang Haishi of Jifeng Pavilion, but the esteemed Madam Pearl of Dazheng, a position earned through her own efforts. Meanwhile, in Huangquan Pass, Zhe Liu ran a tailor shop as a front for an intelligence network, relaying information to the Right Pudun King, Earlji, through an operative named Old Zhuang.
She explained to Old Zhuang that she could not contact Fang Zhuoying directly because he was now Prince Duohan of Huku, and her own feigned death made it inappropriate. Her cover was nearly blown when Princess Tara, Earlji’s daughter, and General Luerdan visited the shop. Zhe Liu overheard Tara mentioning Duohan's appreciation for Dazheng embroidery, which is why she sought to have clothes made.
At the same time, Duohan sought Earlji's military support to help the Jiamanese resist an invasion by Duoluo, the Left Pudun King. He argued that if Duoluo succeeded, his power in Hanzhou would be dangerously unchecked. Earlji agreed to provide troops on the condition that Duohan marry Princess Tara. Duohan, having received intelligence from a spy that Duoluo would soon launch an all-out assault on the city of Lanzi, leaving his rear flank exposed, was pressed for a decision.
Tara later approached Duohan, sensing his hesitation. She compassionately assured him she knew he loved someone else and would wait patiently for him to have a place for her in his heart, urging him to focus on his mission. On her return journey, Fang Haishi witnessed a West Land gold speculator commit suicide by jumping from a building in front of her carriage. Fang Jianming appeared and personally escorted her back to the palace.
During the ride, she was distressed to see his poor complexion and how thin he had become. Back in Fengwu Palace, Haishi tasked her attendant, Yuran, with investigating the gold crisis and secretly summoned the physician from Zhaoming Palace. The physician revealed that Fang Jianming had refused a pulse diagnosis since the incident at Lord Chang's birthday, which troubled Haishi deeply. Learning that Fang Jianming was with the Emperor, she postponed questioning Di Xu.
Physician Li, after examining Fang Jianming, found his pulse to be ominous but was too afraid of the Emperor's wrath to report the full truth, confiding only in the chief eunuch, Mu Deqing. Aware of his condition, Fang Jianming told Di Xu he hoped to last long enough to resolve the gold crisis, after which he could die without regret.
Enraged, Di Xu proposed using Haishi to find a merperson for a cure, as the pearl dust was only a temporary measure. Fang Jianming adamantly refused, unwilling to endanger Haishi or cause a major disturbance for an uncertain cure, especially given the known dangers of shark-infested waters. He argued that if the cure failed, the truth of his condition would devastate Haishi. Before spring, envoys from the southwest arrived in the capital, bringing news of the turmoil in Huku.
They reported that Duoluo's attempt to annex Jiaman was met with fierce resistance, and his rival, Earlji, had aided Duohan by offering his daughter in marriage and providing troops to expel the Left Tribe from Lanzi City. Fang Jianming also received a secret letter from Duohan, who expressed his concern for his master and Haishi, hoping for a future reunion.
The next day in court, Di Xu praised Haishi and granted her the Imperial Inspector’s Seal, permitting her to participate in political debates. Ministers protested, citing a breach of ancestral rules, but Di Xu silenced them, declaring her competence beneficial to the state. An official then reported on the suicides of West Land speculators, noting that envoys from the Leizhou tribes had arrived to seek an audience. As ministers debated whether to take a hard or cautious stance, Fang Jianming advised assessing the envoys' intentions first. Di Xu agreed and ordered a meeting.
