Resumo do episódio 15 de Eternal Love of the Fox
> Resumos de Eternal Love of the Fox
Prince Fuying, who viewed Huo Xiangjiu as an eyesore and a persistent nuisance, tasked his Princess Consort, Song Lian, with delivering a box of pastries. He subtly suggested that her compliance would grant her some freedom outside the palace for a few days. Song Lian, who had long suffered under Prince Fuying's abuse and had previously considered ending his life herself, realized that merely killing him wouldn't secure her future.
Instead, she sought to "borrow a knife to kill," knowing that Lord Feng's influence was paramount. She intended to use Xiangjiu, who was desperately searching for her father, as that knife. If Xiangjiu were to discover Prince Fuying's connection to her father’s disappearance, Song Lian believed Xiangjiu would relentlessly pursue justice against the Prince, thereby eliminating him and securing Song Lian's own freedom. Song Lian indeed visited Xiangjiu.
On her journey back, escorted by Gongsun Hao, she was questioned about the pastries. Gongsun Hao wondered if she had delivered poisoned treats, sacrificing Xiangjiu's life for her own escape. Song Lian dismissed the notion, explaining that Prince Fuying would never dare to poison Lord Feng’s beloved, as it would be akin to "digging his own grave" and incur Lord Feng's wrath. She believed the gesture was merely a test of her loyalty.
Gongsun Hao expressed surprise at her ability to discern Prince Fuying's true intentions. Song Lian then revealed that Xiangjiu had entered the palace to find her missing father. If Xiangjiu were to discover Prince Fuying's connection to her father’s death, she would relentlessly pursue justice. When Gongsun Hao doubted Xiangjiu's ability to challenge Prince Fuying alone, Song Lian reminded him that Lord Feng stood firmly behind her.
Feng Mochen offered Xiangjiu medicine and encouraged her to rest, but she found sleep elusive. She requested a cultivation story, and Feng Mochen recounted the tale of a grateful white fox, saved by a kind girl named Qinghua. The fox spent centuries cultivating to become human and reunite with Qinghua, only to find her transformed into a formidable general. Meanwhile, Bai Yu, upon hearing of Xiangjiu's illness, rushed to her.
Seeing her frail and pale, he asked Feng Mochen what had happened and learned it was her Stomach Spirit acting up. Bai Yu summoned the Stomach Spirit, which defiantly boasted that even Feng Mochen couldn't control it and threatened to drag Xiangjiu to the underworld, accusing her of ruining its form. Bai Yu threatened to summon other organ spirits to constrain it. Xiangjiu's internal organ spirits—her kidneys, liver, pancreas, and heart—appeared, looking disfigured and weak.
Each lamented her neglect: frequent late nights, irregular meals, uncontrolled anger, and consumption of unhealthy foods. Xiangjiu herself explained that after her father's disappearance, she tirelessly worked to help the poor in Bronze County, leaving her no time for self-care. She expressed profound regret, admitting her youthful belief that illness and death were distant concerns. Apologizing to her internal organs, she vowed to lead a healthy life, managing her diet and emotions, and avoiding late nights, pleading for another chance.
Princess Ningshuang, who often summoned Bai Yu for entertainment, found him in an uncharacteristically solemn mood. He spoke passionately about the hardships of people like him, contrasting their relentless struggle with her pampered life, comparing them to swifts that fly until they die. When Princess Ningshuang pressed him, Bai Yu revealed Xiangjiu's severe illness. Concerned, Princess Ningshuang immediately arranged for precious gifts from the royal palace, including ginseng, deer antler, lingzhi mushrooms, and red coral, to be sent to Xiangjiu.
Feng Mochen, meanwhile, devotedly prepared exquisite seasonal dishes for Xiangjiu's every meal. After eating, he would gently guide her through exercises to aid digestion and uplift her spirits. He showed her a "Purple Health-Restoring Flame," symbolizing her certain recovery and continued healthy life. This period of meticulous care from Feng Mochen brought Xiangjiu some of her happiest moments. He also reassured her that she should prioritize her recovery, as her father would be delighted to see her healthy again.
As Princess Consort Song Lian returned from Fucang Palace, she was secretly followed by Prince Fuying's concubine, who later reported to Prince Fuying that Song Lian had delivered the pastries and Xiangjiu had eaten them. The concubine also maliciously claimed to have seen Song Lian and Gongsun Hao conversing while maintaining a suspicious distance, implying improper behavior. Upon entering the Eastern Palace, Song Lian confronted the concubine, striking her several times for fabricating stories.
The concubine ran to Prince Fuying for justice, but he sided with Song Lian, dismissing the concubine and asserting his wife's right to discipline her. With Xiangjiu having docilely eaten the pastries, Prince Fuying now found Song Lian trustworthy. Feigning distress, Song Lian complained that Xiangjiu had slighted her, deeming her a "female figurehead with no real power" when she couldn't help with a secret matter.
She reluctantly divulged that Xiangjiu had sought her assistance in finding her missing father, Huo Zhongren, making her swear an oath of secrecy. With a show of remorse, Song Lian then lamented that Xiangjiu had eaten the supposedly "poisoned pastries" and might not live to see her father. Prince Fuying, fooled by her feigned loyalty, believed she had become a devoted wife.
After gaining Prince Fuying's renewed trust, Song Lian brought up Xiangjiu's urgent search for her father, suggesting that providing her with clues would earn Xiangjiu's gratitude and, by extension, Lord Feng's favor. Prince Fuying found this a clever approach. Later, Gongsun Hao questioned Song Lian about her actions, noting that if Xiangjiu were to learn of Prince Fuying's involvement in her father's disappearance, she would be put in danger.
Song Lian explained her cunning strategy: if Xiangjiu remained ignorant, Prince Fuying would be in the "dark" and Xiangjiu in the "light," making Xiangjiu vulnerable. However, if Xiangjiu knew the truth but Prince Fuying did not know that she knew, then Xiangjiu would be in the "dark" and Prince Fuying in the "light," making him vulnerable. She stated that the one in the "light" is in peril, while the one in the "dark" is safe.
Gongsun Hao urged her to flee, but Song Lian refused, insisting they could not be truly safe until Prince Fuying was overthrown. Prince Fuying then conferred with Gongsun Hao, acknowledging that given his known animosity towards Xiangjiu, her death would immediately implicate him. He decided that instead of outright killing her, they should "help" her, but in a way that would lead her astray.
By guiding her "in a misleading direction," she would only stray further from the truth and eventually reach a dead end from which she could never escape. Gongsun Hao questioned the need for such elaborate schemes, stating that they were not responsible for her father's death. However, Prince Fuying chillingly retorted that his concern was whether it "might" have been one of their own men. Regardless, his priority was to avoid implication.
He instructed Gongsun Hao to "arrange a father for her," implying a fabricated identity or story to mislead Xiangjiu. Xiangjiu, meanwhile, felt useless and guilty, burdened by her father's prolonged absence and her own illness. Feng Mochen consoled her, reminding her of her many accomplishments: saving Qiaoru, reuniting Princess Ningshuang with her mother, securing fair wages and positions for the maids in the Imperial Servants Bureau, and ending compulsory overtime.
He acknowledged that only her father's situation remained unresolved, prompting her to wonder aloud about his whereabouts. Later, Feng Mochen received a report about his agents (referred to as "dogs") who had been strategically placed within the palace, exposed to datura flowers, and were operating under the supervision of Lord Howling Celestial Dog. Feng Mochen advised caution, given the sensitive nature of their operations within the palace. He then returned to Xiangjiu, urging her to cast aside her worries and prioritize her recovery, assuring her that her father would be overjoyed to see her healthy.
