Resumo do episódio 10 de Love & Crown
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Xiao Huan sought to reconcile with Ling Cangcang, hoping she would give him another chance to clear their misunderstandings and begin anew. He promised to always remain by her side until she willingly came to him. As they spoke, fireworks illuminated the night sky, captivating Ling Cangcang's attention. She looked at Xiao Huan, and a subtle shift in their relationship seemed to occur.
Upon returning to Linghe Hall, Ling Cangcang felt a warmth in her heart when she remembered the osmanthus pastry Xiao Huan had given her earlier. She then asked him why he didn't question who she had met at the tavern that day. Xiao Huan simply replied that he trusted his Empress. Later, Xiao Huan instructed Hongqing to closely monitor Ling Cangcang's surroundings, ensuring no further incidents would endanger her.
He learned that agents of the Empress Dowager were intercepting Ling Cangcang's carrier pigeons outside Linghe Hall. Xiao Huan emphasized his determination to prevent such occurrences and ordered a handsome reward for a guard in the Empress Dowager's palace who had provided a tip-off. He also received news from his ninth brother, Xiao Qianqing, that things were progressing smoothly, noting that Xiao Qianqing was proving to be far more dependable than their mother, the Empress Dowager.
During the final imperial exam, Ling Xuefeng, the Grand Tutor, expressed doubts about one of the candidates, Song Lanxi, claiming the person was a woman in disguise. Ministers echoed his outrage, calling it a deception of the Emperor. Xiao Huan swiftly clarified that Song Lanxi was indeed a woman, but kept a low profile, dressed in men's clothing, and rarely appeared in public, leading many to mistakenly believe she was a man.
To quash further doubts, Xiao Qianqing presented Li Chengtian, Song Lanxi's esteemed teacher, who confirmed her identity. The long-retired Li Chengtian, now returned to court due to its "cleaner" state, openly challenged Ling Xuefeng, asserting his disciple's integrity. With the witness's testimony, Xiao Huan declared the matter settled and called for the results of the exam to be awaited. Feeling unappreciated, Xiao Qianqing privately grumbled that Xiao Huan had offered no praise for his crucial intervention.
Meanwhile, Du Tingxin, the Imperial Preceptor, eagerly informed Xiao Huan that Imperial Physician Li had finally located the rare Frost Reed, a potent herb capable of curing his chronic cold sickness. She had prepared a banquet to celebrate, but Xiao Huan, preoccupied, dismissed the offer, stating he had other matters to attend to, specifically hinting at sharing the good news with Ling Cangcang.
Du Tingxin, harboring deep feelings for Xiao Huan that he did not reciprocate, felt a pang of disappointment. Confined to her palace, Princess Xiao Ying caused a disturbance, threatening her guards with poisons that could "burst into flame at night" or be "deadly with just a touch." Hongqing intervened, calmly persuading her to return to her chambers. Xiao Ying surprisingly complied after biting Hongqing, saying that finding him made her happy.
Worried, Hongqing's subordinates immediately checked if he had been poisoned. Later, Ling Cangcang's maid brought her some pear blossom honey that Ling Xuefeng had sent. Ling Cangcang fondly recalled how her father always brought her such treats. Xiao Huan arrived at Ling Cangcang’s palace, brimming with joy. He announced that his cold sickness finally had a cure, ensuring he wouldn't suddenly leave her. However, Ling Cangcang suddenly felt dizzy and unwell.
Xiao Huan, noticing she was burning up, grew deeply concerned and offered to call an imperial physician, but she insisted she was fine. The next morning, Ling Cangcang woke with regret, pondering whether she could truly trust Xiao Huan again. Overwhelmed, she fainted once more.
An imperial physician was urgently summoned and reported that Ling Cangcang had been poisoned by a "vicious, rare toxin" called Frostflower, which was rapidly lowering her body temperature and suppressing her heartbeat, leaving her only a few hours to live. The physician also mentioned she had ingested Lovesickness Powder and recalled seeing similar poisons at Princess Xiao Ying's palace. Enraged, Xiao Huan immediately confronted Xiao Ying, demanding the antidote.
Xiao Ying vehemently denied poisoning Ling Cangcang, stating she had been confined to her palace. Xiao Qianqing arrived and defended her, pointing out that Xiao Ying had not left her residence, a fact corroborated by her guards. Xiao Ying confirmed her knowledge of Frostflower but stated she had no antidote, explaining that she only created poisons to harm Xiao Huan, not cures. She grimly added that even if an antidote existed, Ling Cangcang wouldn't survive long enough to receive it.
Desperate to save Ling Cangcang, Xiao Huan made the agonizing decision to use the recently acquired Frost Reed, his only hope for curing his own cold sickness, as an antidote for her. Despite Hongqing's pleas to reconsider, Xiao Huan was resolute, stating that his decision could not be changed. He ordered the Frost Reed to be ground into a powder and prepared for Ling Cangcang.
Du Tingxin, learning that the precious Frost Reed had been taken to Linghe Hall, rushed there, only to be stopped by guards. She confronted Xiao Huan, distraught that he had sacrificed his own life-saving medicine. Xiao Huan then revealed the true mastermind behind the poisoning: Ling Xuefeng. He explained that Ling Xuefeng had laced the pear blossom honey with Frostflower poison, stolen from Xiao Ying's palace, along with Lovesickness Powder.
Ling Xuefeng's elaborate scheme aimed to force Xiao Huan to use his only cure, frame Xiao Ying, sow discord between Xiao Huan and the Empress Dowager, and eventually use a potential heir to seize power. Xiao Huan shockingly admitted he had uncovered this plot even before administering the Frost Reed to Ling Cangcang.
Du Tingxin, furious at Ling Xuefeng's audacity, urged Xiao Huan to retaliate, warning him that Ling Xuefeng was now resorting to desperate measures and would surely rebel if Ling Cangcang bore an heir. When Ling Cangcang finally regained consciousness, Xiao Huan was relieved but chose to conceal the painful truth about Ling Xuefeng's plot, simply telling her she had been poisoned and that the danger had passed.
He then presented her with a bowl of birth-control tea, a prescription from Du Tingxin that he claimed would prevent "a great deal of trouble" for them both. Ling Cangcang was heartbroken and confused, questioning if everything they had shared was merely a façade. Believing that only three days had passed since their intimate moment, she accused him of being fickle, of discarding his love as easily as a fleeting whim. Xiao Huan, enduring immense inner pain, remained silent, allowing her to believe the worst.
