Renascence Episode 15 Recap
> Renascence Recap
As Cai'er lay unconscious, Jun Xiu diligently watched over her. He explained to a groggy Cai'er that Consort Li, Yao Su Luan, was behind the recent scheme. Consort Wan, Yao Mowan, affirmed this, showing Cai'er a retrieved sword ornament as proof of her sincerity. Yao Mowan then advised Jun Xiu and Cai'er to avoid meeting for the time being, cautioning that Yao Su Luan would not easily give up and might exploit any misstep.
Both Jun Xiu and Cai'er thanked her for her wisdom. Meanwhile, Ye Junqing sought out Princess Han Yue, requesting to borrow special spirit bugs from her Southland region. He described how these unique insects, a male and a female, could detect saltpeter and gunpowder: the female feeds on these substances and emits signals, which the male then tracks. Princess Han Yue confirmed their existence but stated she had not brought them, as they were primarily used in battle.
Princess Chang Feng Duan Ting Ting, present at the meeting, playfully offered Ye Junqing the bugs if he would become her husband, prompting Princess Han Yue to chide her. Emphasizing the gravity of his mission, Ye Junqing implored Princess Chang Feng to assist. She relented, handing him the bugs with a jest about their return. Ye Junqing expressed his gratitude, promising a substantial reward.
As Ye Junqing departed, the female spirit bug unexpectedly latched onto Chief Eunuch An Bing Shan, whom Ye Junqing encountered outside the palace. This unusual occurrence immediately aroused Ye Junqing's suspicion regarding An Bing Shan's potential involvement in the missing gunpowder case. An Bing Shan was seen meeting privately with Yao Su Luan. He assured her that he had a potent remedy for the Emperor's current troubles.
Yao Su Luan, concerned for her dog Xiao Qi after the Emperor ordered its removal, asked An Bing Shan to ensure its safety. An Bing Shan confirmed he had temporarily arranged for the dog to be housed at Yao Residence. He then relayed Governor Dou Shiming's request for Yao Su Luan's full cooperation on a matter. Unbeknownst to them, Yin Xue was secretly listening.
She later reported to Yao Mowan that An Bing Shan was frequently meeting Consort Li and assisting her with significant affairs. Yao Mowan, recalling Yao Su Luan's repeated attempts to frame her and Ye Junqing, suspected An Bing Shan's complicity and influence over the Emperor. Yin Xue's mention of Governor Dou and phrases like "on the same boat" further solidified Yao Mowan's belief that An Bing Shan was connected to the powerful Dou family.
Realizing the depth of their ties, Yao Mowan decided to target An Bing Shan, hoping to expose and dismantle the entire Dou family. Ye Junqing covertly entered An Bing Shan's study but was ambushed by a group of black-clad assailants. Concurrently, Yao Mowan received an anonymous secret letter instructing her to go alone to the eastern side palace, or risk never seeing "this person" again. The words on the letter soon vanished.
Yin Xue identified a piece of fabric included with the letter as identical to Ye Junqing's clothing. Alarmed for Ye Junqing's safety, Yao Mowan disregarded Yin Xue's advice to wait or accompany her, rushing to the side palace alone. Upon arrival, Yao Mowan found an unconscious Ye Junqing and detected the pervasive scent of tranquilizing incense.
After she revived him, the man claiming to be Ye Junqing suffered from a throbbing headache and spoke affectionate words, even suggesting they leave the palace together. However, Yao Mowan noticed discrepancies in his attire, including a missing thumb ring and a flaw in his garment, confirming her suspicion that he was an impostor. She challenged him, demanding his true identity.
The impostor admitted his mission was to lure and eliminate her, claiming ignorance of the mastermind's identity and offering a secret letter as proof. Just as he lunged to attack, the real Ye Junqing burst in. He had pieced together the impersonation after a palace guard mentioned seeing two "Prince Sus" and hearing of An Bing Shan's movements toward the side palace. Ye Junqing wounded the impostor, who managed to escape.
Suddenly, the male spirit bug reacted violently, signaling the presence of gunpowder. Ye Junqing quickly pulled Yao Mowan away, but the ensuing explosion still knocked them unconscious. At Yao Residence, Dou Xiang Lan worried about the success of their plan, but Dou Shiming calmly reassured her. He revealed that he and An Bing Shan had meticulously orchestrated the scheme.
His "one stone, two birds" strategy aimed to both conceal the missing gunpowder and eliminate Yao Mowan and Ye Junqing, whom he considered nuisances. Yao Mowan's father, Yao Zhenting, overheard this conversation. Dou Shiming dragged him inside, where Dou Xiang Lan reminded Yao Zhenting of his daughter Yao Su Luan and how her brother was helping her become Empress. Yao Zhenting retorted bitterly that his greatest regret was marrying Dou Xiang Lan and forsaking his first wife.
Dou Shiming then threatened Yao Zhenting, reminding him of their shared dark past and warning that if the Dou family fell, Yao Zhenting would also face execution. Following the explosion, Yao Su Luan arrived at the side palace with her retinue, feigning concern and questioning why Yao Mowan and Ye Junqing were together. Yao Mowan, aware she was being framed, chose not to expose the setup.
When Emperor Ye Hongyi arrived, his anger flared at the sight of Yao Mowan and Ye Junqing together. Yao Mowan confessed to violating palace rules by secretly visiting the secluded side palace to mourn her sister, claiming she merely stumbled upon the explosion and was rescued by Ye Junqing. She feigned ignorance of Ye Junqing's presence. Yao Su Luan subtly hinted at a secret rendezvous, but Yao Mowan maintained her story of coming alone.
Ye Junqing, now recovered, candidly informed Ye Hongyi that he had been investigating the missing Shujing Camp gunpowder and had uncovered Dou Shiming and An Bing Shan as the culprits. He explained that he was tracking the gunpowder when the explosion occurred and saved Yao Mowan. An Bing Shan then emerged, appearing disheveled and injured. He claimed full responsibility for the explosion, stating he was secretly refining an elixir, the Revival Pill, for the Emperor to revive Yao Moxin.
He attributed the blast to an incorrect ratio of cinnabar, sulfur, and saltpeter—ingredients common to both alchemy and gunpowder. He pleaded for leniency, emphasizing his proximity to completing the elixir. Yao Mowan attempted to point out that An Bing Shan seemed relatively unharmed compared to Ye Junqing, but An Bing Shan insisted he had narrowly escaped.
Ye Hongyi, irked by Ye Junqing's unauthorized investigation into military affairs despite being stripped of his command, confined him to Pingle Palace to recuperate, also ensuring he remained under close watch. Although punishing An Bing Shan for his negligence, the Emperor accepted his explanation for the explosion. Later, An Bing Shan again approached Ye Hongyi, feigning deep remorse. He admitted to using military gunpowder to expedite the Revival Pill for Yao Moxin's awakening.
He subtly tried to poison Ye Hongyi's mind against Ye Junqing, implying insubordination. Yin Xue, overhearing this, reported it to Yao Mowan. Deeply concerned, Yao Mowan decided to visit Ye Junqing personally, with Yin Xue guiding her through a secret route to Pingle Palace. There, she found an unconscious Ye Junqing clutching a sachet, containing the inscription "Seems like only yesterday that we were holding hands."
Seeing this, Yao Mowan was overcome with sorrow, lamenting that she had seemingly betrayed his affection twice. Meanwhile, Consort Shu, renowned for her intelligence, surmised that Dou Shiming and An Bing Shan were the true masterminds behind the explosion, with Yao Su Luan's involvement. Her maid advised her to distance herself from Yao Mowan. However, Consort Shu viewed Yao Mowan as a crucial "chess piece" in her strategy to unite lesser powers against a greater foe. She coolly stated that Yao Mowan would be discarded whether her plan succeeded or failed. She then dispatched her maid, Cai Die, to ascertain Ye Junqing's condition.
