The Blooms At Ruyi Pavilion Episode 23 Recap
> The Blooms At Ruyi Pavilion Recap
As Fu Rong readied a dagger to perform a life-for-life blood exchange, Ge Chuan swiftly threw a coin, knocking the weapon from her grasp and preventing a fatal mistake. The following day, Duke Su, Xu Jin, awakened and Ge Chuan confessed the truth: it had all been a test orchestrated by Consort Shu and the Emperor to ascertain Fu Rong's true feelings.
Enraged by the deception, Xu Jin ordered Nanny Yan back to the palace and punished Ge Chuan with the task of cleaning night soil for a month. When he turned to Fu Rong, however, she expressed only joy that he was alive, showing no anger at all. Seeing her relief, Xu Jin was overcome with tenderness and pulled her into a tight embrace.
Reflecting on her recent actions—delivering tonic soup, inviting him to share their bed, and attempting to get him drunk—Xu Jin realized Fu Rong's intentions were to conceive a "Little Duke Su." Xu Jin then presented Fu Rong with the official letter lifting the ban on Ruyi Pavilion, knowing how much it would please her. True to his expectation, Fu Rong clung to his sleeve affectionately, declaring herself the most obedient and virtuous consort.
Pleased, Xu Jin assured her he would assign guards to protect her when the shop reopened. Later, Xu Jin visited Consort Shu, who acknowledged that her life-threatening test was ill-conceived but was done out of concern for his well-being. Xu Jin reassured her that he bore no resentment, and his mother wished them a blissful and enduring marriage. Ruyi Pavilion officially reopened with Fu Rong presiding as the new manager.
She delivered a heartfelt speech, vowing that her master's lifelong dedication would continue its two-decade legacy in Hengjing by crafting jewelry for all people. The reopening was a great success, with all items offered at a discount for the first three days, drawing a steady stream of noble ladies. Even the owner of the Liangpin Snack Store, a regular vendor, arrived with gifts to offer his congratulations.
Meanwhile, the Emperor summoned Xu Jin, revealing his true motive for reorganizing Huxiao Camp through the martial arts competition. The camp, responsible for guarding the capital, was riddled with corruption. His spies had uncovered a scheme to smuggle weapons out of the capital, likely linked to the previous army ration case in Guanyan Town. Xu Jin surmised that such an operation would require a contact point within the capital and that the weapons would be disguised among other metals.
Given the prevalence of copperware trade in the city, he suggested focusing their investigation on copper shops. The Emperor, pleased with his discernment, entrusted Xu Jin with this critical mission. At Duke Cheng's residence, he and Marquis Xindu discussed Wu Baiqi's exceptional performance. The marquis, known for his avarice, found Huxiao Camp's lucrative operations a significant point of interest.
Acknowledging Wu Baiqi only as an unfilial son, he gave tacit approval to take any necessary action should Wu Baiqi threaten their plans, emphasizing that their larger scheme took precedence. Elsewhere, Wu Baiqi had already sent Ge Chuan to deliver an invitation to the competition to Fu Xuan. Ge Chuan informed her that Wu Baiqi was overjoyed to hear of her new role as Ruyi Pavilion's bookkeeper and intended to personally congratulate her after the competition.
Back at Duke Su's residence, Fu Rong received a crudely made copper hairpin. Initially disdainful, her opinion changed entirely when Xu Jin revealed he had personally made it at a copperware shop, proudly telling the owner it was for his "wife." The hairpin instantly became precious in her eyes. Later, Xu Jin insisted on sleeping on the couch, explaining he had many documents to review for the competition.
Fu Rong pleaded with him to sleep in their bed, but he remained firm. They then promised to go on a vacation together after the competition concluded, with Fu Rong making him swear not to break the promise. At Ju Shui Pavilion, Gu Yuan secretly delivered information about Marquis Xindu to Duke An, confiding that she had no one else to rely on after Liu Ruyi's death. Duke An advised her to avoid visiting during the day for safety.
A flashback revealed the truth of Liu Ruyi’s demise: during a confrontation where Liu Ruyi threatened to expose Duke An, Gu Yuan desperately intervened by holding a dagger to her own throat, pleading for him to be spared. Seizing the distraction, Duke An shoved Liu Ruyi onto Gu Yuan’s dagger, fatally wounding her. He then consoled the distraught Gu Yuan, framing it as an accident that happened while she was protecting him.
Having pledged her loyalty, Gu Yuan revealed the location of Liu Ruyi’s secret room in Ruyi Pavilion, allowing Duke An to empty it before Fu Rong could discover its contents. The martial arts competition commenced in a forest encampment bustling with military fervor. The Emperor delivered a rousing speech, announcing that the victor would be named Valiant General and given command of Huxiao Camp.
For the ladies present, Consort Shu provided floral bands to present to their chosen heroes as tokens of good fortune. Princess Consort of Qingping, Qi Zhu, accidentally bumped into Duke Cheng, but Duke Huai's timely arrival eased the awkward situation. Fu Rong first wished Duke An luck in the competition before heading directly to Xu Jin to present her floral band to him.
Meanwhile, a resentful Princess of Xihe remained in the palace, vowing not to give up on Duke Su as long as Fu Rong was not his official wife. Before Fu Xuan could bestow her floral band, Wu Baiqi found her, insisting he only wanted hers. When Fu Xuan wished him a safe competition rather than victory, Wu Baiqi was pleased by her concern, promising to return safely as he had yet to marry or have children.
During the archery competition, Wu Baiqi skillfully shot a pigeon through the breast, drawing applause. Duke An then shot a thrush through its neck and, seeing its companion flying distraught, declared his intention to "unite" them. However, Xu Jin swiftly fired an arrow that struck Duke An's in mid-air before continuing on to pierce the beak of a parrotbill. The results were announced: Xu Jin placed first, Duke An second, and Wu Baiqi third.
The Emperor expressed his high regard for Wu Baiqi. Later, Wu Baiqi confronted his aunt, Consort Duan, about her management of his shop, Feng Lai Yi. He accused her of embezzlement by overriding his seal, but she dismissed his concerns over "pocket change" and called him ungrateful, reminding him of her role in the shop's success. Wu Baiqi retorted that if he cared about money, he wouldn't have neglected the business, challenging who truly coveted "pocket change."
Consort Duan sternly reminded him of his place, and he respectfully took his leave. An attendant of Duke An brought honey date cakes to Fu Rong, but Xu Jin immediately took them, forbidding her from accepting gifts from other men. He then approached a distracted Wu Baiqi, warning him that Huxiao Camp was a complex and dangerous place and that he should prioritize safety over speed.
Xu Jin then unexpectedly presented the honey date cakes to Wu Baiqi, instructing him to feed them to his horse for extra energy to win the title, leaving Wu Baiqi utterly bewildered. Later, Duke Cheng invited Princess Consort of Qingping for a walk along a secluded path and attempted to take her hand. She firmly rebuffed him, declaring that if he intended to demean her due to her origins, she would rather die by the wild beasts of the forest. She then departed, leaving Duke Cheng alone.
