The Blooms At Ruyi Pavilion Episode 21 Recap
> The Blooms At Ruyi Pavilion Recap
Following the tense confrontation that ended with Fu Rong suggesting divorce, Duke Su walked through the streets, carrying two jars of Lotus Stamen wine. As he passed a familiar fortune teller’s stall, he was reminded of Fu Rong, who once told him there that he was destined for great fortune and would become a marquis and a prime minister.
His thoughts then led him to Ruyi Pavilion, recalling a stormy night when he took shelter there, and Fu Rong opened her heart to him, offering advice over a shared umbrella that became a symbol of their growing affection. Now, he found himself alone at Stargazing Tower, a secret hideout he once shared with her, drinking alone.
Meanwhile, Fu Rong also left the residence, believing it best to avoid Duke Su after their talk of divorce, as their presence together would only lead to further resentment. She sought refuge at Ruyi Pavilion, a place steeped in memories of her master, Liu Ru Yi. Her gaze fell upon a peculiar pattern in a wall cabinet, and she remembered Liu Ru Yi once pressing a button at its center.
A strange feeling of a hidden secret, long unnoticed, began to surface. Pressing the button activated a mechanism, revealing a secret room. However, the numerous cabinets meant for storing archives were empty. On a table, a ledger contained a letter—Liu Ru Yi's last words. She wrote to Fu Rong, admitting that she had strayed from the pavilion's rules and embarked on a path that led to her ruin, leaving her with no choice but to end her life.
Liu Ru Yi implored Fu Rong not to investigate her suicide or grieve for her, but instead to live a peaceful and joyful life. Beside Fu Rong, Gu Yuan wept silently as she read the letter, her eyes filled with an unspoken resolve. Upon returning to the residence, Fu Rong, now aware of the truth about Liu Ru Yi's suicide, was confronted by a divorce letter Duke Su had written.
She burned the letter and found a heavily intoxicated Duke Su weeping like a child. He cried out, asking why she wouldn't trust him when he had always been sincere and had even kept his promise not to harm Liu Ru Yi. He felt she was being cruel. Fu Rong gently caressed his face as the divorce letter turned to ashes in the hearth, and she quietly stayed by his side until he drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, Fu Rong presented Liu Ru Yi's letter to Duke Su, assuring him that her suspicions were gone. However, Duke Su, feeling wronged after being doubted for so long, stated he would seriously consider the divorce she had proposed, causing Fu Rong to mutter about his pettiness. To win him back, Fu Rong decided to cook a meal for him herself.
Despite the ensuing chaos in the kitchen and her refusal of any help, she prepared a meal, scalding her hand in the process. At lunch, Duke Su noticed her injury and, despite his nonchalant words, was clearly concerned. Before they could eat, Ge Chuan arrived, informing Duke Su that he was summoned to the palace. At Shang Yang Gate, Wu Baiqi sought an audience with Consort Duan but was denied entry.
Consort Duan sent a message, citing her busyness with the autumn hunt and the impropriety of meeting an outsider man, even her nephew, without important matters. This formal rejection solidified Wu Baiqi's suspicion that Consort Duan was involved in the Feng Lai Yi affair. In Duke Su's Residence, Qiu Nan covertly informed Princess of Xihe about the strained relationship between Duke Su and Fu Rong, noting their big fight the previous night.
Princess of Xihe found it curious that Duke Su, who had once risked his life for Fu Rong, now gave her the cold shoulder. She surmised that something significant must have transpired. Qiu Nan also mentioned overhearing Duke Su discussing the selection of a legitimate consort. Princess of Xihe, keen to uncover the truth, instructed Qiu Nan to investigate further, subtly reminding her that her brother's success in the imperial examination depended on her compliance.
Fu Rong was perched on a tree in the courtyard when Duke Su walked by. She explained she was trying to return a fallen bird to its nest but couldn't get down, fearing ridicule if she called for help. Sensing an opportunity, Ge Chuan quickly led an oblivious Xu Jia away. Duke Su effortlessly climbed the tree, only for the bird's nest to have mysteriously disappeared. Shrugging it off, he offered to help her down.
As he pulled her close, Fu Rong slipped. Duke Su swiftly caught her, but in the process, his old arm wound reopened. Overwhelmed with guilt for injuring him again, she confessed that she was the one who had stabbed him on their wedding night. Unbeknownst to them, Qiu Nan overheard her words from outside the window.
Later, Wu Baiqi arrived at the Fu Residence to drink with Fu Xuan, upset by Consort Duan's apparent betrayal and how kinship could dissolve in the face of personal gain. Fu Xuan stopped him from drinking further, urging him to confront his problems and decide whether to preserve his kinship with Consort Duan or decisively sever ties. Moved, Wu Baiqi called her his guiding light. Feeling better, he playfully tricked her into taking a sip of alcohol.
The unexpected burning sensation angered Fu Xuan, but Wu Baiqi found her reaction endearing and leaned in to kiss her. Their intimate moment was abruptly interrupted by Bao Zhu calling for her lady. News of Fu Rong supposedly stabbing Duke Su reached the Emperor and Consort Shu. The Emperor immediately deemed Fu Rong ill-mannered and decided to select a stable and dignified consort for Duke Su.
Though Duke Su tried to deny the allegations, the Emperor criticized Fu Rong for causing chaos in the residence. Consort Shu agreed that a capable mistress was needed. Duke Su, unable to refuse, requested the right to select the consort himself, to which the Emperor surprisingly agreed. Fu Rong, in the midst of embroidering mandarin ducks, became agitated upon hearing that Duke Su was to choose a new consort from portraits.
Duke Su, seated at his desk, ignored the stack of portraits, preferring to read. It was only when Fu Rong brought him a bowl of soup that he began to examine them closely. Out of jealousy, Fu Rong accidentally spilled soup onto a portrait. Duke Su casually dismissed it, stating he already had someone in mind.
Feigning disinterest, Fu Rong asked who it was, and Duke Su playfully told her he had chosen He Ru Xue, Imperial Preceptor He's eldest daughter, watching with amusement as she pretended not to care. The next morning, Fu Rong noticed her embroidered mandarin ducks missing. She asked Duke Su why he had chosen He Ru Xue. He explained he heard she was virtuous, diligently caring for her half-sister who suffered from measles.
Fu Rong expressed skepticism, stating Imperial Preceptor He strictly adhered to hierarchy and would never allow his legitimate eldest daughter to care for a concubine's daughter. Duke Su only knew their medicine was from Hui Chun Medicine Hall. Later, outside Shanhe Art Studio, Wu Baiqi waited for Fu Xuan and assured her that Duke Su’s devotion to Fu Rong was unwavering. Fu Xuan remained skeptical, stating that love was fleeting.
Wu Baiqi strongly countered, asserting that Duke Su, like himself, would marry a woman he loved for life. He challenged Fu Xuan to a bet: if she was wrong about Duke Su, she would have to attend the upcoming martial arts competition to cheer him on, calling her his "lantern." In the following days, Fu Rong discovered that the He family was collecting medicine for tuberculosis, not measles.
When she reported this to Duke Su, he feigned nonchalance but promised to investigate. The next day, Duke Su himself arrived at Imperial Preceptor He's residence to deliver medicine, ensuring the truth about He Ru Xue's concealed illness would come to light. As expected, the engagement was cancelled. Fu Rong relaxed with relief, but Duke Su immediately dropped another bombshell: the Emperor had now decided on Superintendent Yao's daughter. Fu Rong deflated, lamenting her "ill-fated relationship" with the Yao family.
That evening, Fu Rong secretly followed Duke Su to the Yao Residence. There, they discovered Ms. Yao and a young man named Zhang Sheng attempting to elope. They explained that despite their mutual affection, Ms. Yao's father intended to force her to marry Duke Su. Instead of stopping them, Duke Su gave Zhang Sheng a recommendation letter to an official in Huizhou, which would secure him a position and allow him to study for the imperial examination. With Duke Su's help, Zhang Sheng and Ms. Yao could be together legitimately. Fu Rong watched them leave with a subtle smile, content that Duke Su remained hers.
