Resumo do episódio 22 de The Love Lasts Two Minds
> Resumos de The Love Lasts Two Minds
After Lord He's death, Emperor Yong ordered Zuo Yanxi to lead the Feilian Guard and protect the imperial officials. Late one night, Zuo Yanxi, dressed in black, observed from General Lu's rooftop and noticed Jiang Tan walking in the courtyard. He approached her from behind, placing a hand on her shoulder. Jiang Tan was about to draw her sword when Zuo Yanxi stated that if it were anyone else, he would not give a second chance.
Recognizing her senior's voice, she quickly turned to look at him. Zuo Yanxi questioned why she was there and if they truly intended to harm General Lu. He asked how long she would continue her evil deeds. Jiang Tan replied in a low voice that she had no other choice. Zuo Yanxi was speechless with anger, but upon seeing the jade hairpin he had given her in her hair, his heart softened slightly.
He vowed that he would bring her mysterious master to justice sooner or later and that he would never let them get away. Suddenly, hidden weapons were thrown at him, and he swiftly dodged them. A masked assassin, Feng Ting, appeared in the courtyard, telling Jiang Tan that they had succeeded and that their master would reward her for delaying Zuo Yanxi. He then grabbed Jiang Tan and quickly fled.
A group of torch-wielding guards rushed out of the courtyard and surrounded Zuo Yanxi. Emperor Yong was furious as Zuo Yanxi knelt before him. He had tasked Zuo Yanxi with protecting imperial officials, yet Lu Ci’an had been assassinated, the murderers had escaped, and now Zuo Yanxi was presented as the culprit by the Lu family's guards.
Zuo Yanxi admitted his dereliction of duty, explaining that he arrived late, was obstructed by the true culprits, and was consequently mistaken for the assassin by Lu Ci’an's guards. He accepted responsibility for failing to protect General Lu and was willing to be punished. The enraged Emperor Yong ordered him to be dragged out, given fifty blows with the stick, and confined to reflect on his misdeeds.
After receiving his punishment, Zuo Yanxi returned, and a servant attempted to apply medicine. Seeing his pain, Mu Beiyan remarked that Zuo Yanxi was not the murderer, so he shouldn't have been beaten. Zuo Yanxi insisted it was his own fault for failing his duty. Mu Beiyan, finding the servant clumsy, took over applying the medicine himself. Just then, Jing Ci arrived, having heard the news. He took the medicine from Mu Beiyan and gently treated Zuo Yanxi's wounds.
Mu Beiyan commented on Jing Ci's skilled application technique. Jing Ci explained that he once had a clumsy little maid who was always getting hurt, and he became proficient from treating her wounds so often. Zuo Yanxi then asked if Jing Ci had any other matters to discuss. Jing Ci produced a badge he found while dismantling the mastermind's hideout in Qinhe.
He suspected that the mastermind was currently in the capital and asked Zuo Yanxi, who knew much about the capital, to examine it for clues. Zuo Yanxi found nothing remarkable about the badge. Mu Beiyan took the badge, finding its texture familiar. He then remembered that Lord Ye's badges were made of similar red copper wood, from when he had gone to Qinhe to find Qingli. He blurted out "Lord Ye," surprising everyone.
Mu Beiyan clarified that while Lord Ye's badges were of red copper wood, it couldn't be him as he was too timid to be involved in such schemes. However, he suggested he could ask Lord Ye for any potential leads when he returned to the capital in a few days. Zuo Yanxi agreed, also mentioning that Lord Ye would return to the capital soon, and Yuan Qinhe had also returned. Jing Ci smiled slightly upon hearing Yuan Qinhe's name.
Later, Jing Ci and A'heng went to Palace of Yuan to find Yuan Qinhe. On their way, Jing Ci affirmed to A'heng that Yuan Qinhe was first and foremost his beloved, and only then Mrs. Yuan's daughter. He mentioned having revealed his true identity in a letter and was surprised she hadn't sought him out, deciding it was his turn to find her.
Upon arriving, the servant informed them that her young lady had given instructions not to see any gentlemen. A'heng insisted that Jing Ci was a good friend, but the servant stated that Miss Yuan had gone out with Mrs. Yuan. Jing Ci noticed someone secretly observing them, so he decided to leave with A'heng. As Jing Ci's carriage arrived at Palace of Duke Duan, he heard Yuan Qinhe call his intimate name, "A'ci." She was waiting for him there.
As he walked towards her, he noticed his secret observers had followed him. Realizing the mastermind was still at large, he decided he could not involve Yuan Qinhe and instantly masked his joy with a cold expression. Yuan Qinhe said that when he left, he only took the newer pouch she had embroidered, so she brought the older one she had made for him, hoping he would keep both.
She added that she was happy to remember they had liked each other even in times she couldn't recall. Jing Ci coolly refused, telling her to keep it herself. He added that it was getting late, and if she had no urgent business, Miss Yuan should return home promptly. He then called for his guards to escort her away.
As Jing Ci turned to leave, Yuan Qinhe grabbed his sleeve, asking him to explain himself and questioning if his coldness was intentional after his sudden departure from Qinhe. She pressed him, saying her feelings couldn't lie, he clearly liked her, and asked why he denied it. Jing Ci stated that there was nothing between him and Miss Yuan and advised her not to force it, adding that she was troubling herself and disturbing him.
He gently pushed her hand away. The pouch fell to the ground, and he stepped over it as he walked into the palace. Yuan Qinhe picked up the pouch and ran off, heartbroken. Inside, A'heng confirmed she had left and remarked on how sad she looked. Jing Ci's chest tightened, and a trace of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.
He instructed A'heng to send someone to secretly follow Yuan Qinhe to ensure her safety without revealing that she was being protected by Palace of Duke Duan, as he feared the mastermind would target her if they associated her with him. He then told A'heng to have Xiaohan clear the spies around Palace of Duke Duan, as he did not want his every move to be watched. Back at her residence, Yuan Qinhe silently wept.
Xiao Lu, seeing her distress, asked why she was unhappy after returning home. Yuan Qinhe wondered if she had misjudged Jing Ci, believing she had found her ideal husband only to realize it was an illusion. She sadly recounted how Jing Ci looked at her like a stranger. Meanwhile, Jing Ci gazed at the embroidered pouch, lost in thought. He understood that the assassins who caused trouble in Qinhe had followed him to the capital and intended to kill him.
He worried that if they saw him and Yuan Qinhe together often, they might target her. For Yuan Qinhe's safety, he decided it was best not to meet her for now. Xiaohan reported that the spy observing Palace of Duke Duan had been captured but had taken poison and committed suicide without revealing anything about the mastermind. Jing Ci admitted he already had suspicions but lacked proof.
He decided they needed to devise a plan to lure the mastermind into striking first, then trap them, but stressed that they must not act rashly and needed to plan carefully. He instructed Xiaohan and A'heng to bolster the palace's defenses, knowing Aunt Zhixia would be occupied with Princess Zesheng's arrival.
Later, a prince (implied to be the mastermind or an associate) congratulated Jiang Tan on successfully delaying Zuo Yanxi, allowing their assassin, Feng Ting, to escape after killing Lu Ci'an. He noted that Zuo Yanxi's affection for her was his weakness and toasted her for her contribution. After this, Jiang Tan secretly visited Zuo Yanxi. Zuo Yanxi implored her to stay away from such dangerous affairs.
He could help her escape once or twice, but he worried about what would happen next. Jiang Tan reluctantly explained that she had no choice, as her father's life was in her master's hands, and if she disobeyed, her father would die miserably. Zuo Yanxi was disappointed, asking if she would continue to stain her hands with blood just for her father, while innocent people suffered, and her master's schemes involved countless others.
Jiang Tan retorted that she could barely manage her own immediate problems, let alone worry about others' futures. Zuo Yanxi, disheartened, told her to take care of herself. At Palace of Yuan, Mrs. Yuan learned from Xiao Lu about Jing Ci's cold treatment of Yuan Qinhe.
Recalling how Jing Ci's birth father had forsaken her, leading to years of suffering and public ridicule, Mrs. Yuan worried that Jing Ci was even more ruthless and would not let Yuan Qinhe suffer a similar fate. She resolved that Yuan Qinhe's engagement to Mu Beiyan could not be canceled. Around this time, Princess Wang Zesheng arrived in Yong State. Aunt Zhixia informed Wang Zesheng that Yuan Qinhe was indeed Feng Mianwan.
Wang Zesheng expressed surprise, and when she noted Jing Ci hadn't come to see her, Aunt Zhixia reassured her. Aunt Zhixia explained that Jing Ci's seeming indifference was deliberate, aimed at avoiding jealousy due to Zesheng's noble status, implying his affection for her surpassed anyone else's. She promised to help Wang Zesheng. Emperor Yong hosted a flower appreciation banquet to welcome Princess Wang Zesheng. Yuan Qinhe also attended.
As she and Princess Changle took their seats, they noticed that all the imperial princes and Duke Duan were present. Princess Changle explained that Wang Zesheng, the sole daughter of the King of Zhao, had been sent to Yong State to foster good relations and seek a marriage alliance with one of the imperial princes. Princess Changle scoffed that the "flower appreciation" was merely to "appreciate this human flower of wealth and nobility."
She then pointed out several princes to Yuan Qinhe: Lord Bo, her eldest brother, whom she described as high-ranking but unapproachable; Lord Ye, her second brother; and Prince Qing, whom she described as gentle but sometimes "too nice." Princess Changle encouraged Yuan Qinhe to speak with Duke Duan after the banquet. As Princess Wang Zesheng arrived and paid her respects to Emperor Yong, Princess Changle muttered that she was not as beautiful as expected, describing her as "nothing special."
After Wang Zesheng was seated, Lord Bo approached her with a gift, a pair of golden armlets, but Wang Zesheng gracefully declined with a poem, expressing a fear of being abandoned like the woman in the verses. Lord Bo returned to his seat somewhat dejectedly. Meanwhile, Mrs. Yuan had tea with Mu Beiyan. Mrs. Yuan first apologized for the past cancellation of the engagement with Qingli, saying it was not her intention.
Mu Beiyan expressed his understanding, acknowledging that the current Yuan Qinhe was a "newly reborn" person, different from the previous Qingli. He admired Yuan Qinhe's intelligence, courage, straightforwardness, loveliness, and righteousness, even though she was not as elegant and talented as Qingli.
However, he also admitted that Yuan Qinhe had confided in him that her heart belonged to someone else, and he had promised her that he would call off their engagement anytime if it would make her happy and allow her to marry the man she loved. Mrs. Yuan then asked him what if that "true love" turned out to be a deceitful and faithless man. Mu Beiyan was surprised and asked if she was referring to Duke Duan.
Mrs. Yuan affirmed that if Jing Ci were such a person, Mu Beiyan should ensure Yuan Qinhe would not fall into such a predicament. Mrs. Yuan asserted that no one was more suitable for Yuan Qinhe than Mu Beiyan, and therefore she would not agree to cancel their engagement.
