The Autumn Ballad Episode 34 (Ending) Recap
> The Autumn Ballad Recap
After Liu Quan's execution and the Noble Consort's suicide in the palace, Yuan Lang visited Liang Yi. He conveyed the new Emperor's admiration for Liang Yi and an offer to reinstate him as head of the Firewood Office, or any other position he desired.
Liang Yi, however, had already decided to resign from his official post, stating that the Imperial Court now had worthy officials like Yuan Lang, and a man like himself, notorious as the late Emperor's "hound," was no longer needed. He requested Yuan Lang to convey to the Emperor his wish for the Firewood Office to be disbanded entirely, hoping such an agency would no longer be necessary in the world.
Yuan Lang, deeply impressed by Liang Yi's stance, apologized for their past conflicts. Before parting, Liang Yi entrusted Yuan Lang with information about a couple, Zhao Mingli and Yueying, residing in Baxia Village in Xiuwu County. He revealed they were key witnesses to the He family's crime of murdering Zhao Mingli's daughter, evidence he had kept to settle a score.
Yuan Lang promised to bring the He family to justice and clear the deceased's name, while Liang Yi expressed his hope that Yuan Lang would assist the new Emperor in bringing peace to Dashuo. Upon learning of Liang Yi's resignation, Qiu Yan was initially shocked. However, her shock soon turned into joy as Liang Yi proposed they embark on a journey together, fulfilling her desire to explore the world and collect its myriad stories.
Liang Yi assured her he had firmly turned down the Emperor's offer and would not go back on his word. Qiu Yan expressed delight at the prospect of his company, finding him far more likable than when they first met. They playfully bickered about their personalities and decided to take Madam Jin, Liang Yi's mother, with them, confident she would enjoy the adventure. Before their departure, Qiu Yan returned to the Qiu Residence to bid farewell to her family.
Her uncle and aunt offered amulets and money for her journey. Her younger brother, speaking with newfound maturity, informed her that he was assisting the First Madam with bookkeeping and intended to study diligently to become a scholar like their father, to restore the family's honor. Qiu Yan encouraged him to become an outstanding and righteous man, reminding him that the Qiu family's future rested on his shoulders.
She then sought out Madam Liu, who initially refused to see her, complaining about having raised a daughter in vain. Qiu Yan confronted her, admitting she once hated Madam Liu for favoring her brother, but that resentment had faded as she now controlled her own destiny.
When Madam Liu asked for forgiveness, Qiu Yan simply stated it "didn't matter as much now" and thanked her for raising her and for the position she had secured for Madam Liu within the Qiu family, considering them "even." Madam Liu confessed to treating Qiu Yan unfairly but claimed she too had suffered. She implored Qiu Yan to call her "mother," but Qiu Yan only wished her "Godspeed" and urged her to take care.
Next, Qiu Yan visited her younger sister, Qiu Min. Qiu Min shared that she was recovering well and that Qin Xuan had been caring for her. She had come to understand that love meant considering the other person's well-being, not just one's own desires. She acknowledged Qin Xuan's continued care was sufficient, and she would no longer trouble him, choosing to let fate guide their relationship.
Qiu Min then revealed that her near-death experience had clarified her true affections: it was Qiu Yan, not Qin Xuan, whom she cared for most deeply. She reminisced about Qiu Yan's first arrival at their home, when she had given her a bottle of osmanthus fragrance, sincerely saying, "I like you," a sentiment Qiu Yan had dismissed at the time.
Qiu Min confessed that over the years, she had envied Qiu Yan, wanting to be like her, even while simultaneously looking down upon her. She hated herself for lacking Qiu Yan's courage and strength, and for Qiu Yan never showing her respect. Qiu Yan offered an apology, but Qiu Min brushed it off, stating she too despised that past version of herself.
Their conversation ended with Qiu Min expressing her affection for Qiu Yan and bidding her sister a heartfelt farewell. After leaving her sister, Qiu Yan told Liang Yi to return home, indicating she had a personal matter to attend to. Shortly after Liang Yi departed, Yuan Lang intercepted Qiu Yan, demanding she return the evidence she had stolen from his study concerning Lin Changzhi's embezzlement.
Yuan Lang admitted to framing Qiu Yan's father, Qiu Yi, as a means to undermine Liang Yi, though he claimed he never intended for Qiu Yi to die in a foreign land. With the new Emperor's ascension, Yuan Lang saw an opportunity to advance his ambitions and could not allow Qiu Yan to disrupt his plans. Qiu Yan fiercely vowed revenge for her father's death.
Yuan Lang then revealed a secret about Liang Yi: the true killer of Marquis Wenyuan, Liang Yi's father, was not just the Northern Liang spies but a different mastermind. Qiu Yan immediately stopped him, admitting she already knew this truth but had concealed it from Liang Yi to protect him. Yuan Lang offered to keep the secret buried if she returned the evidence, threatening to reveal it to Liang Yi and cause him lifelong pain if she refused.
To protect Liang Yi, Qiu Yan reluctantly agreed to hand over the evidence. Soon after, an imperial decree was issued, promoting Yuan Lang to Minister of Civil Service Affairs for his role in eradicating Northern Liang spies. Another decree cleared Liang Yi of the regicide charge, but stripped him of all his titles and ranks and disbanded the Firewood Office, citing his past actions of conspiring and eradicating dissidents. Liang Yi accepted the decree.
Qiu Yan returned to the Liang Residence to find Madam Jin attempting to take her own life. Qiu Yan revealed she knew Madam Jin, not Imperial Doctor Zhan, had poisoned Marquis Wenyuan, as Madam Jin was the only one trusted by Noble Consort Guo and had the opportunity. Madam Jin confessed to being the "most heartless woman" for killing her own husband and causing her son to live a life fueled by a false quest for vengeance.
She clarified that she had acted willingly, not under coercion, explaining her deep loyalty to Noble Consort Guo, with whom she had endured immense suffering within the palace walls. She had chosen to become a "vile and heartless wife and cruel mother" to protect the Noble Consort, despite her own profound pain. When Qiu Yan questioned why she had kept the truth from Liang Yi, Madam Jin explained she wanted to spare him the suffering she endured.
Despite Qiu Yan's desperate attempts to summon a physician, Madam Jin revealed she had already consumed Anling poison and died in Qiu Yan's arms, her last breath urging Qiu Yan to protect Liang Yi from suffering. Shortly after, Liang Yi returned home, seemingly relieved from his legal troubles, only to discover his mother's lifeless body. He collapsed in anguish, pleading with her not to leave him. Qiu Yan had left a letter for him, confessing to poisoning his mother.
She wrote that she had done so to avenge her father, Qiu Yi, whose death she blamed on Liang Yi for involving the Qiu family in his conflict with Yuan Lang. Her true intention was to make Liang Yi hate her, believing this hatred would allow him to live on. She left the key to his handcuff, challenging him to find her if he sought revenge.
The Liang Residence was left desolate, a stark contrast to its once vibrant past, as Liang Yi stood amidst the ruins, seeing apparitions of Song Jin, his mother, and Qiu Yan before they dissolved into thin air. Months later, Qiu Yan, accompanied by a young boy named Xiaobao, was trying to sell her manuscript at a bookstore. She noticed a highly popular book titled "Yan Yu Fu," authored by "Tian Shu Qing Ren," and purchased it.
Meanwhile, Liang Yi, the author "Tian Shu Qing Ren," found Qiu Yan's discarded manuscript and address at the same bookstore. Following the address, he located her sitting in a pavilion, tearfully reading his book. The book described a constable who, despite his perceived strength, found himself utterly alone. He remembered a girl who had escaped him, knowing she was innocent, and longed to see her again, patiently waiting for their reunion.
The book's closing lines spoke of a desire to be together "until the end of time," asserting that their intertwined fate, symbolized by the cuffs they once shared, meant they would always be together, regardless of any perils. Qiu Yan looked up and saw Liang Yi standing before her. Both raised their hands, revealing they still wore the cuffs, and a shared smile spread across their faces.
