Resumo do episódio 32 de The Love Lasts Two Minds
> Resumos de The Love Lasts Two Minds
Lord Ye, kneeling before the Emperor in the imperial hall, pleaded for his life, likening his predicament to the stratagem of "besieging the State of Wei to relieve the State of Zhao." He claimed he was caught in a trap and needed the Emperor’s intervention. The Emperor scoffed, questioning why he should help someone who had almost manipulated him. Lord Ye then accused Mrs. Yuan, Miss Yuan's mother, and Mu Beiyan, Miss Yuan's fiancé, of conspiring against him.
He asserted that with Miss Yuan's guilt in Princess Zesheng's case seemingly proven, Mrs. Yuan couldn't exonerate her daughter and thus sought to incriminate him and Consort Qiao, hoping to implicate Mr. Qiao and halt the investigation into Princess Zesheng's death. He further declared his loyalty and modest ambitions, portraying himself as a victim of malicious schemes, and challenged his accusers for concrete evidence.
He spoke of his humble desire to serve the Emperor and contribute to the nation's prosperity, asserting his dedication to the Yong State's stability and the Emperor's well-being. The Emperor, however, saw through his defense, remarking on Lord Ye's eloquence, much like his mother, and stating he knew what Lord Ye was truly thinking. Mu Beiyan then stepped forward, challenging Lord Ye's claims of slander and Consort Qiao's denial of writing the incriminating letter.
Mu Beiyan stated that he had recently encountered a woman named Guo outside the city, who could prove Lord Ye and Consort Qiao's illicit affair and their evil intentions. Consort Qiao immediately protested, calling it a slanderous accusation. The Emperor ordered Guo to be brought in. Guo, a former maid who had served the imperial consort of the former emperor, confirmed that after leaving the palace, Lord Ye had hired her to teach etiquette to Consort Qiao.
She testified that Lord Ye and Consort Qiao frequently met, deeply in love, yet oddly, Lord Ye specifically instructed her to teach Consort Qiao about the Emperor's temperament and preferences, as well as the various tactics concubines used to win his favor. Lord Ye and Consort Qiao both vehemently denied Guo's testimony, claiming she was a liar hired by the Qiao household who was now trying to frame them.
Mrs. Yuan then revealed that she now believed Consort Qiao was indeed guilty, despite her initial reluctance to accuse her. She presented a sachet and a folding fan as physical evidence. She suggested that the embroidery on the sachet resembled Consort Qiao’s handiwork.
For the fan, she urged the Emperor to compare its calligraphy with Consort Qiao's recent family letters, pointing out that the fan's signature was dated four years ago, before Consort Qiao entered the palace, supporting Guo's claim of a long-standing affair. Enraged, the Emperor threw the items at Lord Ye and Consort Qiao, demanding what else they had to say. Meanwhile, outside the Supreme Court, A'heng waited. A guard from Mu Beiyan's residence informed A'heng that Xiao Lu had died.
Distraught, A'heng refused to believe it, threatening the guard for uttering such words, insisting Xiao Lu could not be dead. Back in the imperial hall, Consort Qiao continued to argue her innocence, claiming others were envious of her and gathering fake evidence to frame her.
Mrs. Yuan retorted by highlighting the double standard: while her daughter and maid suffered brutal torture, with any evidence against them readily accepted, valid evidence or testimony against Consort Qiao, even from Mu Beiyan or her own maids, was dismissed as fake. She angrily asked if Qiao Li, Consort Qiao's father, would apply the same harsh methods to Consort Qiao.
Overcome with despair, Mrs. Yuan declared that she had lived her entire life for the Emperor but now could not even protect her own daughter. She pulled out her hairpin and attempted to stab herself in the neck. Mu Beiyan swiftly intervened, preventing her suicide, but the hairpin still grazed her neck, drawing blood. Witnessing this, the Emperor was shocked and, realizing Yuan Qinhe’s innocence, ordered her immediate release to recover at home.
Soon after, Yuan Qinhe emerged from the Supreme Court, carrying Xiao Lu’s lifeless body. A'heng, heartbroken at the sight, could only watch as Yuan Qinhe instructed him to take Xiao Lu home. Consumed by grief and rage, Yuan Qinhe seized a sword, commandeered a horse, and rode off alone. At Jianzhang Palace, Mu Beiyan thanked Jing Ci for helping to expose Lord Ye and Consort Qiao, which led to Yuan Qinhe's rescue.
Jing Ci, however, coolly dismissed the gratitude, stating that he did not need thanks from an "outsider" for matters concerning him and Yuan Qinhe. Mu Beiyan, slightly taken aback, still expressed his eagerness to marry Yuan Qinhe. Princess Changle arrived, asking about the commotion. Just then, Xiao Xiao rushed in to report that Yuan Qinhe had stolen a horse and fled, appearing gravely ill.
Alarmed, Jing Ci immediately dispatched guards to search for her and instructed for Zuo Yanxi to be summoned to join the pursuit. Jing Ci reflected with remorse, wondering if his previous harsh words to Yuan Qinhe at Lanyue Lake were the cause of her current severe illness. Concurrently, Qiao Li and his wife were fleeing in a carriage. His wife felt nauseous from the hurried journey.
Qiao Li expressed his fears, uncertain if Lord Ye could recover from his downfall, and worried that his numerous enemies would ensure his demise if he didn't escape. As they paused in a forest, Yuan Qinhe caught up to them, her eyes blazing with fury. Just as she was about to draw her sword to exact revenge, Jiang Tan appeared behind her and struck an acupuncture point, knocking Yuan Qinhe unconscious.
Back in the imperial court, the Emperor pronounced his judgment on Consort Qiao, stripping her of her title and commanding her to drink poisonous wine for her deception. Her desperate pleas for mercy were ignored as she was dragged away. Lord Ye then admitted his guilt and begged the Emperor for his life, invoking their father-son relationship and the memory of his mother.
The Emperor spared his life but demoted him to the Administrator of Laizhou, forbidding him from returning to the capital without an imperial summons. Lord Ye furiously protested the injustice, comparing his punishment to Lord Bo’s repeated pardons, despite Lord Bo being merely an adoptive son. He lamented the discrimination he faced due to his mother's humble birth.
The Emperor, in a final scathing rebuke, detailed Lord Ye’s crimes: attacking the Elder Princess, murdering the loyal Mu Zhong, and harming Princess Zesheng and Yuan Qinhe, all for his personal ambition, thereby risking the stability and foreign relations of the Yong State. Lord Ye was then dragged out of the hall by the imperial eunuchs.
Jing Ci and Mu Beiyan rode out of the city to search for Yuan Qinhe, soon joined by Lord Qing and the Longxiang Army, sent by the Emperor to assist them. Meanwhile, Lord Ye learned that Qiao Li had fled the city and that Jiang Tan's father had been rescued by Zuo Yanxi. Concluding that Jiang Tan knew too much and would jeopardize his plans, Lord Ye ordered his men to eliminate her immediately.
Shortly after, Xiao Han entered, bringing Lord Ye a specially prepared soothing soup. Seeing her unwavering loyalty while others abandoned him, Lord Ye was deeply moved and embraced her, unaware of the murderous glint in Xiao Han’s eyes. Following a lead from an old farmer, Jing Ci, Mu Beiyan, and Zuo Yanxi learned that Yuan Qinhe had been taken by a woman wearing a jasper crested hairpin, identified by Zuo Yanxi as Jiang Tan, into a bamboo forest.
They quickly tracked them to a bamboo house. Mu Beiyan stormed inside, confronting Jiang Tan as she emerged with a basin. Zuo Yanxi calmed Mu Beiyan while Jiang Tan explained that Yuan Qinhe's clothes were dirty, so she had changed them and was washing them, adding that Yuan Qinhe was sleeping inside. Jing Ci and Mu Beiyan rushed into the house to find Yuan Qinhe unconscious.
Jiang Tan clarified that Yuan Qinhe, despite her grave illness, intended to confront Qiao Li, but given his numerous guards and her weakened state, she would have been no match. Therefore, Jiang Tan had knocked her unconscious and brought her to the secluded house for medical treatment. Zuo Yanxi examined Yuan Qinhe, confirming Jiang Tan's accurate assessment of her critical condition due to liver stagnation, accumulated injuries, and emotional distress.
He acknowledged Jiang Tan's timely medical intervention, predicting Yuan Qinhe's recovery with continued care. Zuo Yanxi then inquired about other medications Jiang Tan had administered. Jiang Tan revealed she had included mind-refreshing herbs like bamboo shavings, bile star, and ox-bezoar to calm Yuan Qinhe's restless sleep caused by her memory loss. Zuo Yanxi realized that these herbs could potentially restore Yuan Qinhe's memories. Jing Ci suddenly began to cough violently and stepped outside. Zuo Yanxi followed, concerned.
Mu Beiyan, confused, questioned why Jing Ci was more agitated about Yuan Qinhe's potential memory recovery than he was. Zuo Yanxi hushed him. Mu Beiyan then picked up a jade pendant Jing Ci had dropped and handed it to him. Noticing its unusual appearance, Zuo Yanxi requested to examine it. Jing Ci stated it was an heirloom from his mother.
Zuo Yanxi's examination revealed that the jade pendant was imbued with the exact same chronic poison that afflicted Jing Ci, confirming it as the source of his prolonged illness. He deduced that the pendant had been continuously soaked in potent poison over many years by someone intent on taking Jing Ci's life.
Jing Ci was profoundly heartbroken by this revelation, realizing that the betrayal came from a close relative, Prince Zhao, who had sent the pendant with murderous intent—an act he found far more devastating than the poison itself. Zuo Yanxi later found Jiang Tan by the river, washing clothes. He questioned why she hadn't left the Yong State after ensuring her father's escape. Jiang Tan replied that she stayed because of him, wanting to be with him forever.
Zuo Yanxi urged her to leave, explaining that once Jing Ci recovered, he would pursue her for her crimes. Jiang Tan then confessed that she had agreed to Lord Ye’s final request because she didn't want Zuo Yanxi to abandon everything in Yong State for her sake; she wished to witness his achievements. Zuo Yanxi, however, insisted that her safety and well-being were all that mattered. Suddenly, assassins dispatched by Lord Ye launched an attack.
Zuo Yanxi and Jiang Tan fought bravely. Seeing an arrow aimed at Jiang Tan, Zuo Yanxi shielded her, taking the shot himself and collapsing. Jing Ci and Mu Beiyan, alerted by the commotion, arrived swiftly and drove off the remaining assassins. On his deathbed, Zuo Yanxi made a final plea to Jing Ci, asking him to spare Jiang Tan, a request Jing Ci solemnly promised to honor. With his last breath, Zuo Yanxi died in Jiang Tan's arms.
Overwhelmed with grief, Jiang Tan remembered their vow to live and die together. She drew the jade hairpin Zuo Yanxi had given her and plunged it into her own chest, choosing to die by his side.
