Overlord Episode 24 Recap
> Overlord Recap
Upon his return to the imperial court, Li Qingliu met his birth father, the Emperor. The Emperor officially recognized Li Qingliu as his son and bestowed upon him the title of Prince Jun, granting him the same rights and status as other princes, along with a mansion in Chang'an.
When discussions turned to his official duties, the Minister of Personnel suggested that since Prince Jun was new to the Palace and unfamiliar with its complex affairs, he should first serve as a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Rites, overseeing diplomatic and ceremonial duties, before being reassigned later. Prime Minister Yuan Zai agreed with the suggestion, and the Emperor appointed Li Qingliu as a fifth-rank official of the Ministry of Rites.
The Emperor also rewarded Prime Minister Yuan Zai and Lyu Chenyun with five boxes of silver and treasures for their service in finding his son. Following imperial custom, a prince of age must marry to be entered into the royal genealogy. Concubine De had previously suggested Du Xiaoxian, Du Changfeng's daughter, as a suitable match, noting her grace in arts and her childhood connection with Li Qingliu.
However, Li Qingliu objected, stating he had no desire for marriage at present, as his new responsibilities and studies occupied his time. He also revealed that he already had someone he deeply admired. Disregarding Li Qingliu's wishes, the Emperor insisted on the marriage, ordering Du Xiaoxian to be summoned to the capital to be enfeoffed as the Concubine of Prince Jun.
When Pang Shizhong questioned if a commissioner's daughter was a fitting match for a prince, Du Changfeng humbly agreed that his daughter was not worthy. Instead, the Emperor, acknowledging Du Changfeng's contributions to border security and taxation, promoted him to a third-rank assistant minister of the Ministry of War, firmly stating that Li Qingliu must obey the imperial decree. Meanwhile, Long Aoyi, following Second Master Lyu's lead, disguised herself and Xiaoqin to visit Buyu Pavilion.
Posing as merchants from Jia'ermu, Long Aoyi deliberately helped several young officials win money at the gambling tables, using a white jade koi as a bet. This caught the attention of the masked owner of Buyu Pavilion, who then invited them to a private room upstairs. Once there, Long Aoyi inquired about exchanging information, but the owner clarified that only winners were privy to such privileges.
The owner then challenged Long Aoyi to "Jiàn Fèng Chā Zhēn" (Inserting a needle into the seam), a dangerous game where participants must insert a needle between their fingers based on the pluck of a zither string. Xiaoqin, knowing Long Aoyi's lack of musical aptitude, tried to dissuade her, but Long Aoyi, determined to find clues related to Feng's death, accepted the challenge, betting her "heirloom" jade koi and demanding to know the owner's interest in it if she lost.
After an intense match that ended in a draw, Long Aoyi proposed a more daring blindfolded round. The owner, hesitant to risk her hands, conceded and revealed that Long Aoyi's jade koi was actually an "imperial sakura koi," a rare breed found only in the Palace, confirming Long Aoyi's suspicion that it was not an heirloom as she claimed.
Having gained a crucial clue, Long Aoyi and Xiaoqin left Buyu Pavilion, with Long Aoyi pondering the connection between Feng and the royal family. Xiaoqin, noticing Long Aoyi's hunger after her ordeal, offered to buy some pork hock from a nearby stall. While Xiaoqin was away, several black-clad assassins, whom Long Aoyi recognized as the same group who attacked her and murdered Feng in Silver City, ambushed her.
Despite her valiant fight, Long Aoyi was gravely wounded by a dart to her chest. She managed to leap onto a passing royal carriage before collapsing, identifying her attackers as "old friends" from Silver City. One of the assassins later reported to their shadowy master that Long Aoyi was severely wounded but not dead, and they had seen her board a royal carriage, choosing not to pursue to avoid alerting the Palace.
In another part of Chang'an, Du Xiaoxian, having received the imperial decree for her marriage to Prince Jun, quickly moved her belongings to a mansion adjacent to Li Qingliu's. She instructed her servants to redecorate her new residence to resemble the familiar Silk Store, hoping to surprise Li Qingliu and discuss their wedding preparations. When Li Qingliu arrived at his mansion, he was met by Du Xiaoxian.
She expressed her longing for him since his departure from Silver City, stating that the Emperor's arranged marriage finally allowed her to openly declare her feelings. Li Qingliu, feeling awkward, struggled to find a way to refuse her, only to be embraced by Du Xiaoxian who expressed her long-awaited joy at their impending union.
As Xiaoqin frantically searched for Long Aoyi, a carriage at Prince Zhao's mansion was being unloaded by servants who discovered a gravely wounded woman wrapped in a straw mat. Upon hearing a familiar murmur from within, Li Zhao rushed over and opened the mat, revealing a blood-soaked Long Aoyi. He immediately summoned Physician Qin, who, after examining her, explained the dart was deeply embedded and had likely damaged her heart.
Physician Qin warned that extracting the dart carried immense risk, with only a 40% chance of success if Long Aoyi were conscious, and even less if she remained unconscious. Li Zhao, unwilling to risk her life prematurely, dismissed the other medical staff and sat by Long Aoyi's bedside, desperately pleading for her to wake. He promised to seek revenge against those who hurt her and Feng, and even to take her to see Li Qingliu.
Long Aoyi's condition worsened, and she coughed up blood, prompting Li Zhao to urgently recall Physician Qin. Physician Qin successfully removed the dart, but Long Aoyi's extensive blood loss left her critically weak. Physician Qin suggested that "purple ginseng from Balhae," a rare herb from the far eastern lands, could sustain her life.
He informed Li Zhao that the only two such ginsengs recently offered as tribute by Silla had been bestowed by the Emperor to the Crown Prince and Concubine De. Driven by desperation, Li Zhao visited Concubine De, pretending to pay his respects. He then asked her maid about the location of the purple ginseng. After Concubine De left to visit the Consort Dowager, he stole it, unaware that Concubine De had been observing his suspicious behavior.
Meanwhile, Du Changfeng met with Pang Shizhong, who inquired about Long Aoyi. Du Changfeng described her as a gang leader from Silver City with close ties to both Prince Jun and Prince Zhao, noting Li Qingliu's initial refusal of the imperial marriage because of her, and Li Zhao's apparent affection.
Pang Shizhong expressed alarm at Long Aoyi's influence, considering her a "fox spirit" and a "lower-class woman" who could cause discord between the princes, urging Du Changfeng to eliminate this "hidden danger." However, Pang Shizhong secretly deduced that Du Changfeng was not behind Long Aoyi's recent injury. Du Changfeng then informed Du Xiaoxian about Long Aoyi's severe injuries and her presence at Prince Zhao's mansion, angering Du Xiaoxian.
Du Changfeng advised his daughter to remain calm and avoid further complications while the situation was unclear. Li Zhao, still at his mansion, ordered Wu Lin to meticulously investigate the source of the dart and the assassins, stressing the importance of discretion regarding Long Aoyi's presence in the mansion. Despite their efforts, no significant clues were found, as the dart was of a common design. Elsewhere, while searching for Long Aoyi, Xiaoqin encountered Yan Bin at a pork hock stall.
Overcome with grief, she tearfully confessed to losing Long Aoyi and her inability to find either her or Second Master Lyu. Yan Bin, reassuring her that Long Aoyi was resilient, took Xiaoqin to Prince Jun's mansion to see Li Qingliu. Upon hearing of Long Aoyi's disappearance near Buyu Pavilion and recalling her previous assassination attempt, Li Qingliu became deeply anxious.
He immediately dispatched Yan Bin to send everyone from the mansion to search for Long Aoyi, specifically instructing them to check all nearby hospitals, brothels, taverns, and gambling houses. Later, as Xiaoqin was leaving Prince Jun's mansion, she encountered Du Xiaoxian and her maid, Yue'er. Du Xiaoxian coldly remarked on Long Aoyi's persistence in following Li Qingliu from Silver City to Chang'an, asserting that in the capital, "talking glibly" would not suffice.
Xiaoqin retorted, advising Du Xiaoxian to return home and attend to her "corrupt father." Enraged, Yue'er attempted to strike Xiaoqin but was stopped by Yan Bin. Yue'er then boasted about Du Changfeng's promotion to a third-rank official and his impending status as Prince Jun's father-in-law. Distraught, Xiaoqin turned to leave, and Yan Bin followed, attempting to explain that the Emperor had arranged Li Qingliu's marriage.
Xiaoqin, however, vehemently argued that Li Qingliu could have refused the imperial decree, accusing him of forgetting his promises to Long Aoyi. As they argued, they noticed Du Xiaoxian and Yue'er heading towards Prince Zhao's mansion, seemingly aware of Long Aoyi's whereabouts. Yan Bin quickly pulled Xiaoqin into hiding. At Prince Zhao's mansion, Du Xiaoxian confronted Li Zhao, claiming to have heard of an injured "old friend" residing there and wishing to pay a visit.
Li Zhao, impressed by her swift intelligence but cautious, denied having the person she sought. Just then, a servant reported that Xiaoqin and a man were causing a commotion outside. Li Zhao dispatched Wu Lin to investigate, then turned to Du Xiaoxian, advising her to "mind her own business" and to avoid visiting his mansion again without good reason. Du Xiaoxian accepted his counsel.
