Resumo do episódio 17 de Eternal Love of the Fox
> Resumos de Eternal Love of the Fox
While bringing soup to Prince Fuying, Princess Consort Song Lian overheard him discussing his plan to kill Huo Xiangjiu and stage it as a suicide, framing it as an act of filial piety. Gongsun Hao confirmed that everything was arranged. Prince Fuying, realizing Song Lian had been eavesdropping, confined her to her room, instructing her maid Yuan Xiang to stay with her at all times, under the pretense of keeping her from falling ill in the chilly weather.
Soon after, news spread throughout the palace that a habitual thief, Zhang Jia, had been caught in the Eastern Palace. Under severe interrogation, Zhang Jia confessed to having beaten an elderly palace servant to death two years prior. As the victim had secretly entered the palace and possessed no official identity, his death had gone unnoticed until now. Prince Fuying sent Gongsun Hao to inform Huo Xiangjiu of these developments.
Feng Mochen observed Gongsun Hao attempting to tell Huo Xiangjiu something urgent about Princess Consort Song Lian's life and death. That night, Huo Xiangjiu was restless with the newfound lead about her father. Feng Mochen comforted her, urging her to rest as her health was just improving, and promised that Mao Jin would investigate. Concerned she might secretly try to leave, he stayed by her side.
The next morning, Huo Xiangjiu persuaded Feng Mochen to accompany her to the Eastern Palace. There, Prince Fuying presented the bloodied Zhang Jia. Feng Mochen took over the interrogation, warning Zhang Jia that for every lie, he would lose a limb, and observed Zhang Jia's fearful glances towards Prince Fuying.
Zhang Jia then confessed that two years ago, while stealing in Ganquan Palace, he encountered an unfamiliar, thin, approximately 50-year-old man and killed him to silence him, throwing his body into a well in the Imperial Garden. Huo Xiangjiu, recognizing the description of her father, broke down in tears and anxiously wanted to search for the body.
Feng Mochen restrained her, assuring her that Mao Jin and Le Ning were already sent to the Imperial Garden, and explained that the well connected to the city's moat and then to the river, making finding the body impossible after so much time.
Feng Mochen also pointed out that Prince Fuying seemed anxious during Zhang Jia's interrogation, suggesting that this whole confession was arranged to mislead Huo Xiangjiu, implying Prince Fuying knew the truth about her father and wanted her to stop investigating. Huo Xiangjiu deduced that Prince Fuying was involved in her father's death and intended to confront him. Meanwhile, Princess Consort Song Lian, still confined, heard of Huo Xiangjiu's arrival and desperately sought a way to convey information.
Claiming an earlier promise, she subtly instructed Yuan Xiang to deliver a purple-gold hairpin to Huo Xiangjiu via Gao Wei. Upon receiving the hairpin, Huo Xiangjiu was puzzled, as she had never expressed a liking for it. Le Ning noted that "purple-gold" (zǐjīn) sounded like "suicide" (zìjìn), leading Huo Xiangjiu to realize the hairpin was a warning from Song Lian, indicating that someone intended to force her to commit suicide.
Realizing Song Lian held crucial clues but was under strict watch, Feng Mochen suggested using an intermediary to get her out. Huo Xiangjiu discussed her findings with Bai Yu, who was initially unaware of Song Lian's identity. She recounted how Song Lian, a commoner, was forced to marry Prince Fuying after saving the Emperor from a hunting accident. Feng Mochen added that Song Lian had also suffered a miscarriage, suggesting further complications with Prince Fuying.
Huo Xiangjiu then pleaded with Princess Ningshuang to help her see Song Lian. Princess Ningshuang, still resentful over Bai Yu's past perceived slight against her when Huo Xiangjiu was ill, demanded he first plead with her to "pay it back." Bai Yu, aiming to please Ningshuang for Huo Xiangjiu's sake, offered a theatrical apology, philosophically arguing that noble birth and being pampered did not preclude compassion, unlike humble origins leading to theft.
Ningshuang, finding his words "deep," decided to spare him and announced her intention to visit Song Lian at the Eastern Palace, dismissing Feng Mochen's warning that her sudden visit might arouse Prince Fuying's suspicion. Princess Ningshuang then playfully asked Bai Yu if he would ever like her, to which he bluntly replied "No," prompting her to declare, "I'll teach you slowly."
Earlier, Song Lian's brother, Song Yicheng, a guard for Prince Fuying, was advised by Gongsun Hao not to cause trouble for his sister, given her sacrifices for him. Song Yicheng, however, cynically argued that marriage always involved suffering, so it was better to marry into power for financial compensation. He even boasted that he was a more suitable match for Princess Ningshuang than Gongsun Hao, claiming they were of "equal standing."
Observing Song Yicheng, Princess Ningshuang orchestrated a fake encounter, inviting him into her carriage. As he entered, Ningshuang feigned assault, screaming for help. Her guards immediately seized and bound Song Yicheng, taking him to Ningshuang Palace. News of Song Yicheng harassing Princess Ningshuang quickly reached Prince Fuying.
Infuriated by Song Yicheng's recklessness and Princess Ningshuang's notorious temper, Prince Fuying learned that Ningshuang threatened to cripple Song Yicheng, present him before the Emperor, and accuse the Eastern Palace of poor governance if Prince Fuying did not personally apologize. Cleverly, Prince Fuying decided to send Princess Consort Song Lian to resolve the matter, stating it was her brother and she should handle it, while still ordering Yuan Xiang to accompany her at all times.
This forced Prince Fuying to lift Song Lian's confinement. Upon seeing his sister, Song Yicheng, battered, pleaded with Lian to save him, claiming he was the sole heir of the Song family and that Princess Ningshuang threatened to castrate him. As Song Lian entered Princess Ningshuang's private chambers, Yuan Xiang attempted to follow but was stopped by Ningshuang's maid, who warned her against disrespect in Ningshuang Palace.
Separately, Prince Fuying confided in Gongsun Hao, reiterating his desire for Gongsun Hao to "stain his hands with blood" to ensure his loyalty and control. He then revealed the true motive for Huo Xiangjiu's planned death: her father's death was directly tied to Gongsun Hao's own father.
