One and Only Episode 4 Recap
> One and Only Recap
The next day, Zhou Shengchen woke up and saw Shiyi sleeping soundly beside him. He gently covered Shiyi with the quilt. At this time, in the palace in Zhongzhou, Princess Xinghua came to deliver pastries to Liu Zixing. There was no attempt to conceal her admiration for Liu Zixing in her eyes, but unfortunately, the flower had feelings while the water had none, as Liu Zixing only had Shiyi in his heart.
Third Senior Brother Xie Yun and Fourth Senior Sister Feng Qiao came to report back to Zhou Shengchen. Accompanying them were monks from White Horse Temple and refugees, who were currently housed in Jialan Temple. Hearing this, Zhou Shengchen decided to take Shiyi along for a visit to Jialan Temple. Seeing Shiyi at the military camp, Feng Qiao couldn't help but frown, worried about Shiyi's safety.
She couldn't help but scold Shiyi for her recklessness, but Zhou Shengchen only dotingly protected Shiyi. At Jialan Temple, Zhou Shengchen and his party disarmed and entered the temple. They saw the monks giving up their rooms to the refugees and meditating within the temple. Zhou Shengchen instructed Xie Yun and Feng Qiao to properly settle the refugees, escorting them to Xizhou city, and he also intended to build a new temple for the monks.
The abbot was grateful to Zhou Shengchen. He mentioned that he was going to shave the head of a refugee. Zhou Shengchen took Shiyi to watch the ceremony, but upon seeing the refugee being tonsured, Zhou Shengchen's face turned cold and he immediately pulled Shiyi away. It turned out that this refugee was none other than Xiao Wen, the second prince of Nanxiao's Liang Dynasty, now renamed Xiao Yan.
Earlier years, Xiao Wen was very much favored by the Liang Emperor and was briefly elevated to the status of Crown Prince. However, for reasons unknown later, Xiao Wen had a conflict with the Liang Emperor and thus went into seclusion, no longer meeting people. Feng Qiao finished arranging the refugees and came to see Xiao Yan, wanting to know his identity. Xiao Yan, however, told Feng Qiao to take him hostage and use him to deter the pursuing soldiers.
Feng Qiao fought with the people from Liang. With no weapons in hand, she had to control Xiao Yan. Zhou Shengchen arrived to help Feng Qiao. Seeing Zhou Shengchen fight the enemy empty-handed, Shiyi was burning with anxiety. She overcame her aphasia that had troubled her for a long time and threw her sword to Zhou Shengchen, reminding him to take the sword. Zhou Shengchen accepted Shiyi's sword and took down all the Liang pursuers.
Shiyi felt a great sense of relief and was also very surprised that she could speak. Now that Shiyi could speak, Zhou Shengchen was naturally overjoyed. He secretly reported this matter to Zhongzhou and had Feng Qiao take Xiao Yan to the Buddhist pagoda. On the other hand, Xiaoyu returned to Nanchen Royal Mansion after completing her mission. Cui Feng held a welcoming feast for Xiaoyu and personally peeled crab meat for her to eat.
In the palace in Zhongzhou, the eunuch Zhao Teng controlled Liu Hui. He wielded absolute power and dominated court politics. Cui Guang, over eighty years old, had seen through the court situation and simply requested permission to return to Qinghe County to live out his retirement. Liu Hui was unwilling to let Cui Guang leave the court, but pressured by Zhao Teng, he had to agree.
Cui Guang's departure from the court undoubtedly plunged the court into a more precarious situation. Liu Zixing wanted to persuade Cui Guang, but Cui Guang only said he was willing but powerless. At the same time, he also told Liu Zixing to quickly request a fiefdom and leave Zhongzhou, and that the marriage contract between Shiyi and Liu Zixing should be treated as a fleeting illusion, no longer worth dwelling upon.
Cui Guang resigned from his official post and returned to Qinghe County. He urgently summoned the Cui clan disciples back to compile court history, and Shiyi had to leave Xizhou next month. The day of returning home was approaching, but Shiyi could not be happy, her heart only thinking of Zhou Shengchen. Zhao Teng's power was now soaring. He controlled Liu Hui and forced Liu Hui to confine the Empress Dowager in the inner palace.
The Empress Dowager drowned her sorrows in wine all day long. Liu Zixing was ambitious. He reached an agreement with the Empress Dowager that he could help her leave this back palace cage, provided that the Empress Dowager also gave him the throne and the Crown Prince investiture ceremony that he desired. Liu Hui summoned Liu Zixing. He mentioned Zhou Shengchen's secret letter and wanted Liu Zixing to make a trip to Xizhou personally.
Liu Zixing understood Liu Hui's meaning and volunteered to go to Xizhou. Liu Hui secretly instructed Liu Zixing to convey a message to Zhou Shengchen, hoping that Zhou Shengchen could come to Zhongzhou for a gathering. This time, Liu Zixing's trip to Xizhou was naturally accompanied by Zhao Teng's informants. To reassure Zhao Teng and his vigilance, Liu Zixing also volunteered to have his mother enter the palace as a hostage.
Zhou Shengchen learned that Liu Zixing was coming to Xizhou. Besides dealing with the matter of the Nanxiao prince, he was to secretly meet Shiyi. Zhou Shengchen was unwilling to deal with Liu Zixing and simply prepared to return to the military camp with Xie Chong. Hearing that Zhou Shengchen was unwilling to stay at the mansion for the New Year, Shiyi stepped forward to ask for the reason.
Xie Chong only said that Zhou Shengchen did not want to disturb Liu Zixing and Shiyi. Hearing this, Shiyi felt disappointed and no longer inquired about the matter. Zhou Shengchen left the mansion but had already prepared a birthday gift for Shiyi. Looking at this birthday gift, Shiyi couldn't help but recall past events. Before, she had spilled a pot of tea and was punished by Zhou Shengchen to copy the names of teas. Zhou Shengchen did this to educate Shiyi about the hardship of common people and to cultivate virtue through frugality.
