Sassy Beauty Episode 18 Recap
> Sassy Beauty Recap
Qiguan Yi prepared to lead the Royal Army on an expedition, delaying their departure as he silently hoped for Si Yan to appear at the city gate. His soldiers murmured, speculating that their Highness was waiting for his beloved. After a prolonged wait, Qiguan Yi finally commanded his troops to set off, leaving with a heavy heart. After winning several battles, Qiguan Yi and Qiguan Da arrived at Redbud Pass.
Qiguan Yi gazed at the formidable pass, his thoughts drifting to his deceased second brother, Qiguan Teng, who had met his end there years ago. This memory remained a deep scar for Qiguan Yi. That evening, as they shared drinks with their officers, Qiguan Da boldly declared they would capture Redbud Pass the following day. Qiguan Yi, however, urged for a more cautious approach, stressing the need for thorough planning after their provisions, led by Qiguan Xiu, arrived.
He reminded Qiguan Da of the pass's treacherous nature, fraught with secret passages, and the harsh reality that even a victory came at a terrible price. Qiguan Da, asserting his authority as the Commander, dismissed Qiguan Yi's concerns, leading to a tense disagreement. Later, outside, Qiguan Yi looked up at the falling snow and the moon, wondering if Si Yan was looking at the same sky.
Meanwhile, back in the East City, Si Yan found herself restless and bored without Qiguan Yi, Jack, or Tong Rui, feeling utterly alone. Steward Wang, who was deemed unfit for battle, lamented his inability to join Qiguan Yi at the front, expressing deep concern for his lord’s well-being in the freezing Northland, recalling Qiguan Yi’s past frostbite. Despite publicly dismissing superstitious beliefs, Si Yan secretly sought out a temple to pray for Qiguan Yi's safe return.
Unbeknownst to her, Qiguan Yi's mother, the First Lady, was also there, worried sick for her son, noting his tendency to only share good news and fearing his old frostbite injury might have returned. She prayed that he would return safely, even if it meant letting him marry whomever he wished. Elsewhere, Tong Rui, under the alias "Yun Li," was perfecting a frostbite cream.
A flashback revealed her late father's mission for her: to find the deadly "Hook Vine" formula to sow chaos in East City and avenge him. This task of making frostbite cream was a cover for her true objective: to introduce a poisonous variant into the East City’s army. Simultaneously, Qiguan Xiu, tasked with delivering crucial provisions, faced a dire crisis.
More than ten of his grain ships overturned in a storm due to faulty construction, a flaw that was previously ignored by Manager Ruan. Immediately after, he learned that the main granary had been set ablaze. With external aid months away and unwilling to burden the common people, Qiguan Xiu was at a loss on how to secure provisions, especially from the cunning wealthy merchants and nobles. Stepping up to help, Si Yan organized a unique charity auction.
She offered her handcrafted cosmetics not for money, but in exchange for grain, framing it as a patriotic act for the war effort. With Prince Bao, Qiguan Yi's younger brother, joining her to drum up enthusiasm, Si Yan employed her livestream selling tactics. Despite accidentally underpricing an eyeshadow palette, she leveraged the ladies' eagerness to secure an impressive amount of grain.
Just as Qiguan Xiu despaired over the lack of provisions, Si Yan's collected grain arrived, saving the day for the struggling army. In the Northland, Tong Rui, who had successfully infiltrated the region, was accused by the Northland people of killing their revered wolf god. They demanded her sacrifice to appease their wolf god and ensure victory against the East City. Just as the execution was to commence, the King of Northland intervened, intrigued by Tong Rui.
He presented a token, Qiguan Da's personal badge, to the East City forces, luring Qiguan Da to Blackwater Valley to rescue his beloved. Despite warnings from his aides that it was a trap, Qiguan Da, unwilling to abandon Tong Rui, rode to Blackwater Valley and was promptly ambushed and captured.
Meanwhile, Qiguan Yi, disguised, had covertly entered Redbud Pass with a small team to investigate its defenses and locate any secret passages, just as he and his second brother Qiguan Teng had done years ago. They discovered a secret passage beneath the city's water prison but were forced to flee before they could fully explore it.
Back at his camp, Qiguan Yi received a thoughtful gift from Si Yan – a jar of frostbite cream with a hidden, tender message of love and care. His moment of reflection was abruptly cut short when a messenger delivered the devastating news: the Northland had captured Qiguan Da, their Commander, and sent a letter of surrender. Imprisoned alongside Qiguan Da, Tong Rui challenged the King of Northland’s short-sightedness.
She argued that Qiguan Da’s capture was inconsequential compared to the true threat: Qiguan Yi. She shrewdly highlighted Qiguan Yi’s superior intellect and martial arts skills over Qiguan Da, and his position as the First Lady's legitimate son, making him a strong contender for the throne. Tong Rui warned that if Qiguan Yi ascended to power, he would seek revenge for his second brother, Qiguan Teng, whom the King of Northland had killed years ago, posing a far greater danger.
She proposed exchanging Qiguan Yi for Qiguan Da, suggesting it would not only cripple the East City but also gain Qiguan Da's favor, potentially leading to an alliance. Though aware of Tong Rui's true motive to save her lover, the King of Northland recognized the merit in her plan. He declared Qiguan Yi the true threat and decided to lure him in, confident that Qiguan Yi, much like his brother Qiguan Teng, valued loyalty and camaraderie above all else.
He ensured Tong Rui was treated well, granting her two personal maids. Far away, Si Yan experienced a horrifying nightmare of Qiguan Yi falling under a hail of arrows. Waking up in a fright, she recalled Jack's past warnings about Qiguan Yi's predetermined tragic fate in the game, labeling him a "cannon fodder boss." Frustrated that the game system prevented her direct travel to Northland, she sought out Luna.
Determined to reach Qiguan Yi, Si Yan covertly arranged a meeting with the assassins who had previously targeted her. Feigning renewed loyalty, she convinced them that she now wished to kill Qiguan Yi herself in Northland, claiming it was difficult to act in the East City. As she declared her intent, the game's system mysteriously "revived," unlocking access to Northland. Si Yan realized this was her only way to reach Qiguan Yi, even if it meant playing a dangerous deception.
