Novoland: The Castle in the Sky 2 Episode 25 Recap
> Novoland: The Castle in the Sky 2 Recap
Yun Muyang and Du Qian Yin returned to Silver Wings Cavalry headquarters, where Qi Zhenxian remained unconscious after surviving poison. The doctor informed them he could not cure the deep-seated poison and suggested a divine doctor named Han Qing in Tuojiang, who could heal all poisons but never left his home. Yun Muyang decided to secretly transport Qi Zhenxian to Tuojiang for treatment, accompanied only by four bodyguards, as revealing their journey could compromise military operations.
Du Qian Yin expressed concern for Yun Muyang's safety, to which he promised to take care and return. Meanwhile, Lian Yi felt disheartened by Yun Muyang and Du Qian Yin's burgeoning relationship. Feng Ruche joined her, offering wine, and Lian Yi lamented her regret at not anticipating this outcome when Du Qian Yin first appeared.
To lift Lian Yi's spirits, Feng Ruche was presented with a sword, named "Ru Che Sword," which Lian Yi had commissioned to congratulate her on becoming a general. The two women then discussed the battle of Lin Chi, agreeing that something suspicious had occurred.
Lian Yi recalled how Du Qian Yin had insisted on joining them, then feigned being poisoned before Yun Muyang departed, and Qi Zhenxian's parting words about Feng Ruche being the only one who could truly contend with Du Qian Yin. Feng Ruche added that Xue Jingkong had previously warned her about Du Qian Yin's attempt to plot against her during a test. Determined to investigate further, Feng Ruche and Xue Jingkong examined Lu Renbing's room.
They discovered his death was not accidental, deducing that wax had been deliberately dripped on the floor, and the weapon's position precisely calculated to cause his demise. This led them to suspect Du Qian Yin might have been Lu Renbing's contact. Du Qian Yin then entered Qi Zhenxian's room, intending to assassinate him. However, Qi Zhenxian was feigning unconsciousness and had anticipated her move.
He confronted her, revealing he knew of her collaboration with Wei Yuan Ting during the Lin Chi battle and her desire for Yun Muyang to take his place. He also exposed Madam Xuan Ji's plan to marry Du Qian Yin to Yun Muyang to control him. Qi Zhenxian confidently taunted Du Qian Yin, believing she couldn't harm him. To his shock, Du Qian Yin revealed she had already sprinkled a halisteretic poison on him during a brief retreat.
She then explained how she had discovered his deception by noticing mud on his shoes, despite him supposedly being bedridden. Weakened and unable to resist, Qi Zhenxian expressed regret for not eliminating her earlier. Du Qian Yin then fatally stabbed him. In his last moments, Qi Zhenxian managed to injure Du Qian Yin with a counter-attack and, before succumbing, tried to write her name, only completing the character "Mu" before dying.
Shortly after Du Qian Yin fled, Yun Muyang returned, discovering the gruesome scene. Yun Muyang concluded that Qi Zhenxian and four guards were killed by a Thin Yan Ling Knife, and the wounds indicated a left-handed assailant. Misinterpreting the dying Qi Zhenxian's "Mu" character as "Mu Qi," he deduced that Mu Qi, whose right arm Qi Zhenxian had previously severed, was seeking revenge.
Lian Yi questioned this, pointing out the improbability of Mu Qi becoming so skilled with his left hand so quickly and how he could have known about the secret trip to Tuojiang. She directly accused Du Qian Yin of knowing about the trip. Yun Muyang, however, deflected suspicion from Du Qian Yin and vowed to avenge Qi Zhenxian by killing Mu Qi, with soldiers rallying in support.
Du Qian Yin then raised the urgent issue of electing a new leader for the Silver Wings Cavalry, proposing Yun Muyang due to his prestige and achievements. Lian Yi countered by stating that Qi Zhenxian had appointed Feng Ruche as Golden Wing General, second only to himself, and therefore Feng Ruche should lead. Du Qian Yin dismissed Feng Ruche's appointment as temporary and questioned her inexperience.
Lian Yi retorted by calling Du Qian Yin an "outsider" and declaring her Golden Wings fake, causing a stir. Feng Ruche intervened, urging calm and stating that debating the authenticity of Golden Wings was meaningless at such a critical time. Acknowledging her own inexperience, Feng Ruche nominated Yun Muyang for the commander position but warned that if anyone ever plotted against the Silver Wings Cavalry, regardless of their status, they would face military justice.
With Feng Ruche's backing, Du Qian Yin urged Yun Muyang to accept the responsibility. Yun Muyang accepted the commander seal, vowing to lead the Silver Wings, punish evil, and uphold justice. Madam Xuan Ji unexpectedly visited Du Qian Yin, expressing concern about the Silver Wings Cavalry losing control and her suspicions regarding Qi Zhenxian's death.
Du Qian Yin claimed Mu Qi was the killer, but Xuan Ji pressed her, asking why Wei Yuan Ting's arrangements at Lin Chi had suddenly changed and who the informant was. Du Qian Yin admitted to leaking information to Wei Yuan Ting as part of Xuan Ji's plan to use Qi Zhenxian to suppress him, but claimed Qi Zhenxian had discovered her identity, forcing her hand.
She then justified Qi Zhenxian's death as beneficial, describing him as ambitious and greedy, a "wolf that never appreciates." Xuan Ji accused Du Qian Yin of acting for her own benefit, reminding her of the previous order to kill Yun Muyang, which Du Qian Yin had not followed, admitting she was reluctant.
Du Qian Yin argued that Yun Muyang, now the commander and loyal to her, could be persuaded to serve Xuan Ji, making him a valuable ally rather than an enemy. Xuan Ji, however, expressed cynicism about men's loyalty, citing her own past, and doubted Yun Muyang's affection if he discovered Du Qian Yin's actions. Du Qian Yin insisted on Yun Muyang's unwavering love, but Xuan Ji called her naive and obsessed.
Du Qian Yin's final argument was that Feng Ruche's power in the military was growing, and only by marrying Yun Muyang could they solidify their position and quell rumors. Convinced by the strategic necessity, Xuan Ji agreed to meet Yun Muyang personally. Du Qian Yin proposed marriage to Yun Muyang, emphasizing that a union between the Silver Wings Commander and the Golden Winged Empress would boost morale and solidify their legitimacy.
Yun Muyang initially hesitated, concerned about rumors and wanting to first defeat Wei Yuan Ting and Xuan Ji before marrying her honorably. He also expressed doubt about Mu Qi being the killer, acknowledging that Feng Ruche and Lian Yi's suspicions held some truth, causing Du Qian Yin to ask if he suspected her. He quickly reassured her he believed her, but then revealed his plan to kill both Wei Yuan Ting and Xuan Ji.
Du Qian Yin was surprised by his intent to kill Xuan Ji, but Yun Muyang insisted they were equally responsible for Lanzhou's suffering. Seeing Du Qian Yin's unhappiness, Yun Muyang softened and agreed to an immediate, simple wedding despite Qi Zhenxian's recent death, to her great delight. Meanwhile, Feng Ruche and her allies grew more suspicious of Du Qian Yin.
Xue Jingkong used his powers to investigate Qi Zhenxian's death, though his weakened state only allowed him to see that the murderer had been stabbed by Qi Zhenxian and that a halisteretic poison had been used. Feng Ruche deduced that the murderer's shoulder was wounded, strengthening her suspicion of Du Qian Yin. Lian Yi pointed out Du Qian Yin's eagerness to have Yun Muyang appointed commander and to marry him, fearing Feng Ruche would take the Empress title.
Feng Ruche explained she hadn't exposed Du Qian Yin earlier regarding Lu Renbing's death due to lack of solid proof and to avoid military chaos, but now they resolved to find concrete evidence before the wedding to expose Du Qian Yin's machinations. When the Wuling region of the Miaozhou Army was breached by the imperial court, their leader sought refuge, and one of his generals specifically requested to meet Feng Ruche. To Feng Ruche's surprise, the general was Bai Dangdang.
He attempted to take his own life to atone for his past betrayal, explaining that Madam Xuan Ji had abducted his mother and forced him to frame Feng Ruche in the palace, though she promised not to harm Feng Ruche, only to dethrone her. Feng Ruche dismissed the past, but Bai Dangdang continued to plead for death. Instead of killing him, Feng Ruche only cut a few strands of his hair, declaring all past grievances settled.
She noticed his missing finger, which he explained he had cut off as a self-punishment for breaking their pinky swear of brotherhood. Feng Ruche told him that such an act was useless and instead asked him to rejoin her on the battlefield as her General Bai, promising that their bond remained unchanged. Overwhelmed by her kindness, Bai Dangdang pledged his life to Feng Ruche, resuming his old address, "Boss."
On the day of Du Qian Yin and Yun Muyang's wedding, Du Qian Yin was greeted as the beautiful bride. Before the ceremony began, a maid accidentally bumped Du Qian Yin's shoulder. Yun Muyang noticed that Feng Ruche, Lian Yi, and her brother were absent. Despite Du Qian Yin's insistence to proceed, as Yun Muyang was taking his vows, Feng Ruche, Lian Yi, and their allies dramatically interrupted the ceremony.
Feng Ruche directly confronted Yun Muyang, asking if he would still marry Du Qian Yin if she was proven to be Qi Zhenxian's murderer. She then presented Bai Dangdang as a witness. Bai Dangdang testified that on the day Qi Zhenxian was assassinated, Mu Qi was leading his army in an assault on the Miao Army in Wuling, making it impossible for him to be hundreds of miles away committing the murder.
Yun Muyang tried to dismiss Bai Dangdang, but Feng Ruche insisted that not only could Bai Dangdang testify, but the entire Miao Army could as well. Still, Yun Muyang stated that while this might disprove Mu Qi's guilt, it didn't implicate Du Qian Yin. Feng Ruche then revealed that the character "Mu" written by Qi Zhenxian was actually intended to indicate Du Qian Yin, being interpreted as part of her name 'Qian'.
She further exposed Du Qian Yin's past lies: her confession of not being the true Winged Empress and using that identity to be with Yun Muyang, her collaboration with Lu Renbing to change the Liang City route, and her role as a betrayer of Nanyu City. Du Qian Yin vehemently denied the accusations, and Lian Yi reminded Yun Muyang of Du Qian Yin's previous attempt to harm Feng Ruche during the Wuxiang Camp test. Unmoved, Yun Muyang demanded concrete evidence.
Feng Ruche then challenged Du Qian Yin to allow them to examine the stab wound on her shoulder, which Qi Zhenxian inflicted before dying. Du Qian Yin agreed, confident in her preparations. She revealed a burn wound, not a stab wound, on her shoulder. She fabricated a detailed story about obtaining the burn while secretly preparing an elixir for Yun Muyang's old war wounds, claiming she was unfamiliar with medicine stoves and had to gather midnight dew for the remedy.
Feng Ruche countered that this was a convenient lie to cover a real wound. Growing frustrated, Yun Muyang declared it was his wedding day and ordered anyone not there to congratulate them to leave. Feng Ruche, before departing with her group, warned Yun Muyang that his unwavering defense of Du Qian Yin, despite all the doubts, risked destroying the Cavalry.
As they left, Lian Yi presented Yun Muyang with a jade pendant he had given her when they swore as siblings, reminding him of his promise to grant her one wish whenever she presented it. Her wish was for him not to marry Du Qian Yin that day.
