Resumo do episódio 9 de The Love Lasts Two Minds
> Resumos de The Love Lasts Two Minds
Jing Ci prepared breakfast for Yuan Qinhe, as Xiao Lu had mentioned Yuan had not eaten. Yuan, however, had come to return a medicine bottle to Mr. Li, stating her injuries had fully healed. Jing Ci encouraged her to try his cooking. As Yuan tasted the fried egg, she felt an unsettling familiarity, and a fleeting image crossed her mind.
When Jing Ci asked if something was amiss, Yuan affirmed the food was delicious but mentioned her preference for boiled eggs. Jing Ci then presented her with a bowl of medium-well boiled eggs, noting they were especially flavorful when dipped in vinegar. This remark triggered another strong memory, leading her to ask Jing Zhiwan if they had met before. She clarified it wasn't a flirtatious remark, but a genuine feeling of having tasted his food and heard his words previously.
Jing Ci dismissed her thoughts, explaining he had only arrived in Yong State a few months ago, while she had never left. Yuan then revealed that an accident had caused her amnesia, leaving her with a persistent sense of having forgotten something crucial, though she couldn't recall what it was. Their conversation was cut short when a constable arrived to report a murder at Floral House, prompting Yuan and Jing Ci to leave.
Jing Ci, watching Yuan, quietly wondered if she truly hadn't forgotten her past. Jing Ci and Yuan Qinhe, joined by Mr. Li, swiftly arrived at Floral House. Inside the room, they discovered Xiaoyu lying dead on the floor. Yuan noticed red marks on her neck, and Jing Ci determined she had been strangled by a right hand. He further observed that Xiaoyu’s right pinky finger had been removed.
To their surprise, Junior Lord He, Mu Beiyan, was found asleep on the bed. Mr. Li attempted to rouse him, eventually resorting to a slap. Waking up disoriented, Mu Beiyan initially mistook Jing Ci for his assailant. Upon seeing Xiaoyu's body, he was shocked and denied any involvement, stating he had only visited for a drink after dinner at Yufu Restaurant.
Yuan Qinhe, however, pointed out that the room was locked from the inside, with only Mu Beiyan and Xiaoyu present. Based on the evidence, Jing Ci ordered Mu Beiyan's arrest. As Yuan continued to examine the room, she found the pattern on the window curtain eerily familiar. Jing Ci then presented a piece of cloth previously recovered from Mischief's paw, which perfectly matched a missing section of the curtain.
This sparked a realization of a potential connection between the black-clad assassin who had attacked Jing Ci and Xiaoyu, particularly given Xiaoyu's missing pinky finger, a detail reminiscent of Princess Shengning's death. Mr. Li grew increasingly concerned about Prince He's reaction to his son's arrest, and his fears were confirmed by a constable reporting that Prince He was on his way to the county office.
Jing Ci attempted to calm Mr. Li by recalling Prince He's past adherence to legal procedures, suggesting he might uphold the law again in this instance. Yuan Qinhe, though momentarily affected by the mention of Lady Qingli, quickly regained her composure. Upon their rushed return to the county office, Prince He immediately ordered Mr. Li to be tied up. In the main hall, Mr. Li tried to explain that his actions were dictated by law, not by any personal grievance.
Prince He vehemently challenged Mr. Li's authority to arrest his son and demanded Mu Beiyan be brought forward. Once Mu Beiyan was present, Prince He fiercely defended him, arguing that a noble of his son's standing would have no motive to harm a brothel worker, and that his detention was unjustifiably hasty. Yuan Qinhe interjected, asserting the county office's regulations: suspects are detained to prevent their escape, and the law applies equally to all, including a prince's son.
Enraged, Prince He demanded tangible proof of Mu Beiyan's guilt, asking if she or any witness had seen the murder. Yuan retorted that the absence of a witness did not equate to innocence, and a father should be well aware of his son's character. Infuriated by her defiance, Prince He ordered his guards to seize Yuan Qinhe. Mu Beiyan immediately stepped forward to protect her.
Jing Ci intervened, explaining that Mu Beiyan's detention was a strategic move to safeguard his reputation and quell public speculation. He assured Prince He that they would conduct a swift investigation to clear Mu Beiyan's name. Mu Beiyan himself agreed to remain in custody to aid the process. Prince He, seemingly placated, gave Mr. Li three days to resolve the case, threatening severe repercussions if he failed to deliver a satisfactory outcome.
Mu Beiyan then sarcastically informed Mr. Li that he didn't need his care and was only staying willingly. Yuan Qinhe then conducted Xiaoyu's autopsy. She confirmed that Xiaoyu had been strangled to death and discovered a small, distinctive pendant in her mouth. Furthermore, she observed Xiaoyu's swollen abdomen, leading her to suspect pregnancy. Jing Ci promptly instructed Mr. Li to summon a midwife, who confirmed Xiaoyu was indeed three months pregnant.
Jing Ci noted that since Mu Beiyan had only arrived in Qinhe a month earlier, he could not be the father of the unborn child. Later, a constable reported overhearing Xiaoyu pleading with Junior Lord He, citing her pregnancy, which led Mr. Li to speculate that Mu Beiyan, in a drunken fury, had strangled her when she refused him due to her pregnancy.
Jing Ci, however, disagreed, stating it was too early to conclude and that he intended to conduct a more thorough investigation at Floral House. Mr. Li, citing propriety, suggested sending other constables in her stead. Meanwhile, in a separate conversation, Prince He expressed his frustrations about Mu Beiyan to Zuo Yanxi. Zuo Yanxi offered a more empathetic perspective, suggesting that Mu Beiyan was inherently kind and would mature with more life experience.
He pledged to look out for Mu Beiyan in the Prince's absence. Later, Jing Ci arrived at Floral House where Yuan Qinhe was still diligently searching for clues. Jing Ci inquired if she had made any discoveries. Yuan denied it, but then Jing Ci noticed a Lotus Stone bracelet in Xiaoyu's jewelry box, recognizing it as identical to the one left by the assassin who had attacked him at the Marquis' mansion.
Ling Gu, the proprietor, appeared with her face covered in glutinous rice flour, startling Yuan Qinhe, who initially mistook her for a ghost. Ling Gu identified the sachet, which was similar to the pendant recovered from Xiaoyu's mouth, as a gift from Mu Beiyan to Xiaoyu. Jing Ci decided they had gathered sufficient evidence and it was time to depart.
Noticing Xiaoyu's black cat was now without an owner, Yuan Qinhe, with Jing Ci's implicit consent, decided to adopt it to provide company for Mischief. Back at the county office, Zuo Yanxi visited Mu Beiyan and playfully teased him about being a prisoner, to which Mu Beiyan jokingly responded that he was there "to chase his fiancée."
Yuan Qinhe observed that Mu Beiyan, a suspect, was being treated with more indulgence than the constables, with Mr. Li even sharing tea with him. She expressed her belief that such familiarity with a suspect was inappropriate and could lead to gossip. Jing Ci calmly stated that closeness among a few trusted friends would not provoke idle talk, but Yuan Qinhe insisted on trusting her own judgment and observations.
Jing Ci then retorted that her eyes might be "a bit blind," as she had failed to realize that he had gone to the clinic because of her. Yuan Qinhe was visibly delighted by this revelation, later confiding in Xiao Lu that Jing Ci’s admission signified his genuine care for her. Xiao Lu, however, reminded her of her existing engagement to Mu Beiyan.
Yuan Qinhe confidently declared her intention to break off the engagement or simply remain in Qinhe as "Yuan," united with Jing Ci. Alone in his room, enduring a coughing fit, Jing Ci silently reflected that despite Zuo Yanxi's best efforts, his illness was not improving, and he might not live long. He questioned the purpose of clarifying his feelings to Yuan Qinhe if his destiny was already sealed.
Later, Jing Ci met with Xiao Han, his female aide, and showed her Xiaoyu's Lotus Stone bracelet. He explained its resemblance to the one left by the assassin. Xiao Han accompanied him to view Xiaoyu's body and confirmed that the assassin's physique did indeed resemble Xiaoyu's. Jing Ci pointed out that Xiaoyu, being a beautiful flower queen, would be an unlikely suspect for an assassin.
He also mentioned Xiaoyu's connection to Princess Shengning's death and inquired if Yong State harbored any organizations known for removing the pinky fingers of their victims. Meanwhile, Mu Beiyan, under Yuan Qinhe's watch, playfully attempted to escape, prompting Yuan to give chase.
