Shadow Love Episode 31 Recap
> Shadow Love Recap
On the day of Li Wei's birthday banquet, Li Shuang and Li Ting offered their congratulations to their father. Li Wei mentioned preparing three red envelopes, one of which was for Jin'an. Li Ting urged Jin'an to give his birthday wishes. Jin'an, however, stated that mere words couldn't fully express his sincerity and that he had prepared a special gift for Grand General Li. Li Shuang, moved, held Jin'an's hand to thank him.
As he presented it, men he had brought with him attacked Li Wei. Li Wei, having sensed something amiss, swiftly counterattacked, with Li Shuang and Li Ting rushing to his defense. Li Shuang called out to Jin'an to protect her father, but Jin'an grabbed a knife and moved to strike Li Wei. In disbelief, Li Shuang positioned herself between them.
As the Changfeng Army arrived, Jin'an's subordinates urged him to retreat, warning that Empress Dowager Qin's secret letter had likely reached the Taijin Palace. They promised to cover his escape. Jin'an then mounted his horse and fled. Li Shuang, filled with indignation, quickly pursued him. She confronted him, demanding to know why he tried to kill her father.
She reminded him of their agreement to leave Yunjing together that day and accused him of using the birthday visit as a pretext to execute his plan. Jin'an confessed that his love for her was real, but there were some things he had to do, claiming that his most cherished family member had been killed by Li Wei. Li Shuang refused to believe him, asserting that her father never indiscriminately killed innocent people, and questioned his true identity.
Jin'an insisted that Li Wei must pay his blood debt and asked if Li Shuang would come with him. Li Shuang responded with outrage, asking if he expected her to turn her sword against her own father. She then stabbed him in the shoulder, declaring that their bond was broken, and they no longer owed each other anything. Li Shuang walked away, leaving Jin'an to collapse after watching her disappear into the distance.
Following Jin'an's actions, the Taijin and Yao State armies clashed. Jin'an was taken to an inn within Yao State territory by his loyal subordinates. Upon waking, he inquired about the Battle of Lucheng and his elder brother. His subordinates informed him that a year had passed since the Battle of Lucheng, which their army lost, and that His Majesty, Jin'an's brother, had been assassinated after mysteriously leaving the palace with Consort Qin.
They also revealed that the court had announced Jin'an's death. Suspecting foul play, they had secretly investigated until tracing his whereabouts in Taijin. They further stated that Grand General Li Wei was accused of assassinating His Majesty. Jin'an, who had no memory of the past year, grew furious, concluding that Consort Qin had killed his brother and Li Wei was complicit.
His subordinates explained that Consort Qin was now Empress Dowager, controlled the court, and had purged Jin'an's former loyalists with fabricated crimes. Deciding it was time to reclaim his rightful place, Jin'an announced his intention to return to court, planning to deliver a "grand gift." Meanwhile, Empress Dowager Qin was discussing the border situation with her ministers.
She advocated for tearing up the peace treaty with Taijin, dismissing the fate of Duan Aodeng's (Jin'an's) soldiers who, even if they returned, deserved death for their defeat at Lucheng. Suddenly, Jin'an, revealing his true identity as Prince Annan Duan Aodeng, appeared in the main hall. The shocked ministers quickly rallied around him. Empress Dowager Qin, feigning delight at his return, moved to reinstate his title as Prince Annan.
Ignoring her pretense, Jin'an went to light incense, asserting that the respect he commanded came from his valor in bloody battles and his contributions to Yao State's prosperity and territorial expansion, not from her decree. He warned her to behave herself, or her life would be forfeit. He then accused her of orchestrating his brother's assassination by taking him out of the palace.
He stated he should kill her now to appease his brother's spirit but refrained due to the fragile political situation and out of pity for his young nephew, the emperor. Back in the Taijin palace, Li Shuang was brought before the Emperor. She explained that her conflict with Jin'an was a personal vendetta, not a state matter. Su Muyang, playing with a hairpin, questioned her wisdom, suggesting her intelligence had failed her when it came to matters of the heart.
He harshly informed her that Jin'an was, in fact, Duan Aodeng, Prince Annan of Yao State. Li Shuang initially dismissed this as an absurd fabrication, until Su Muyang added that Duan Aoze, Yao State's former ruler and Duan Aodeng's brother, had died by her father Li Wei's sword. Li Shuang's mind raced back to Jin'an's words about his dearest family being killed by Li Wei, and she finally grasped the immense consequences of her actions.
Su Muyang then rebuked her for jeopardizing the hard-won peace and offered her a chance to redeem herself by leading troops to attack Yao State. Li Shuang, though advocating for peace due to Taijin's heavy casualties, was met with Su Muyang's firm resolve. He argued that the former emperor was incompetent and Prince Li cruel, and only he could ensure Taijin's lasting peace.
He emphasized that Yao State was weakened after Lucheng, and striking now was crucial before Duan Aodeng could regain strength and rebuild his forces. Faced with this reality, Li Shuang reluctantly accepted the mission to lead the army against Yao State and Duan Aodeng. Li Shuang returned to Lucheng, her heart aching as she grappled with the realization that Jin'an, the man she loved, was Duan Aodeng, the enemy commander she had fought for years.
She reminded her troops that despite any past assistance from the "Black-robed stranger," Duan Aodeng was their enemy. Meanwhile, in Yao State, as Taijin mobilized its army, Jin'an mocked the idea of surrender. He declared that battles lost on the field must be reclaimed there and made a military pledge to offer his head if he failed. He was appointed General of the Cavalry.
On the battlefield, Jin'an spotted Li Shuang, the Taijin Grand General, and was informed she was Li Wei's daughter. Recalling his brother's death, he proclaimed it was time for the Li family to pay their blood debt. Li Shuang questioned if he had forgotten everything, but Jin'an, with a cold demeanor, stated that national and familial grudges could never be forgotten, and all past love and hatred between them ended there.
They clashed, Li Shuang asserting that victory was still undecided. However, Yao forces launched an ambush, catching Li Shuang's troops by surprise. Her subordinates, Luo Teng and Ji Ran, urged a retreat, but Li Shuang was captured by Jin'an. When a subordinate asked why they weren't pursuing the fleeing Taijin army, Jin'an replied that having Li Shuang "was enough."
