The Blooms At Ruyi Pavilion Episode 4 Recap
> The Blooms At Ruyi Pavilion Recap
Red silk banners adorned the Qi Residence, heralding the joyous occasion of Qi Zhu's betrothal ceremony, with Qi Ce bustling to greet guests. Fu Rong and Fu Xuan arrived to offer their congratulations. As Qi Ce was attending to them, Qin Qing’s sudden appearance and greeting caused his face to darken instantly. Noticing this tense exchange, Fu Rong quietly followed Qi Ce.
She found Qi Ce's room, but before she could investigate, Xu Jin suddenly appeared, pulling her up to hide in the rafters. Moments later, Qi Ce entered roughly, followed by Qin Qing, forcing Fu Rong and Xu Jin to remain silent and listen intently. Qin Qing, acting on her master's orders, pressed Qi Ce about the assassination attempts on Duke Su, Xu Jin.
She pointed out his three consecutive failures since Duke Su's return to the capital—at the West Hills and Ju Shui Pavilion—and reminded him that his master wanted him to act swiftly before Xu Jin could gain the support of court officials and influential families. Qi Ce, however, refused to discuss the matter further, unwilling to spoil his sister Qi Zhu's betrothal ceremony. He promised to meet Qin Qing the next day with a satisfactory plan for their master.
Fu Rong then realized that Qi Ce's previous encounters with her sister Fu Xuan, at the cliff carvings and Ju Shui Pavilion, were merely pretexts for his assassination plots. As she reeled from the revelation, she stumbled on the rafters, but Xu Jin swiftly descended, catching her and landing gently. After a brief, close moment, they quickly separated, and Fu Rong hurried away.
Fu Rong found Qi Zhu, who remained blissfully unaware of her brother's sinister activities, still believing him to be a devoted, father-like figure. Fu Rong kept the dark secret to herself, wishing only for Qi Zhu to be happy and enter her marriage without worry. At the Imperial Guards camp, Xu Jin reviewed a list of guests who left the banquet early.
Two officials were dismissed as unsuspicious, but a woman named Qin Qing, the proprietress of Drunken Spring Court brothel, stood out. She had been seen freely entering the Zhi Yun Workshop, an establishment exclusive to nobles, raising suspicion that Qi Ce was using her and her brothel for his covert operations. For now, Xu Jin decided to observe and wait for the right moment to force their hand, as they lacked concrete evidence.
Just then, Wu Baiqi arrived, having decided on his reward for saving Xu Jin: an archery contest. He proposed his terms: if he won, he would no longer need to bow to Xu Jin, be punished for tardiness, or ask for leave. If he lost, he would undertake any dangerous mission. Xu Jin confidently accepted. Wu Baiqi shot first, impressively hitting the bullseye on his initial attempt and declaring his remaining two arrows unnecessary.
Xu Jin then drew three arrows, firing them in such quick succession that they seemed like a single shot. The final arrow landed dead center in the bullseye, having split his own two preceding arrows perfectly in half. Humbled by Xu Jin's exceptional skill, Wu Baiqi conceded defeat. Xu Jin's request, however, was not for a life-threatening task but for Wu Baiqi to cause a disruption at Drunken Spring Court.
Surprised but honored by the trust placed in him for such a critical mission, Wu Baiqi readily accepted. Meanwhile, Wen Xing arrived at Ju Shui Pavilion to summon Fu Rong, only to discover she had slipped out. Fu Rong, disguised as a man, had gone to Drunken Spring Court to gather information on Qi Ce. Inside, she was swarmed by courtesans before demanding the most expensive one, Ya Le.
However, she was plied with wine and passed out before extracting any useful information. In contrast, Wu Baiqi adeptly created a commotion by throwing money around and picking fights, providing the perfect cover for Xu Jin to investigate. Xu Jin moved discreetly through the establishment and discovered that Qin Qing used a hairpin, placed in small holes in her window frame, as a secret signal.
After his reconnaissance, Xu Jin found the heavily intoxicated Fu Rong clinging to him and rambling, calling Duke Su a "petty, annoying ghost." Xu Jin swept her into his arms and carried her out of the brothel, taking secluded paths back to the Fu Residence. During the journey, Fu Rong continued her drunken antics, declaring her intention to change the fates of her sister and Duke Su.
She then mistook Xu Jin for the courtesan Ya Le, questioning his "Adam's apple," before realizing who he was and resuming her insults, prompting Xu Jin to repeatedly threaten to drop her. Fu Xuan, having learned from Ju Shui Pavilion that her sister had gone to a brothel in disguise, rushed to Drunken Spring Court. There, she encountered Wu Baiqi in the middle of his feigned chaos. Outside, Wu Baiqi's attempt to explain himself devolved into bickering.
He teased Fu Xuan, suggesting she was there to "catch Qi Ce," but she deftly turned the tables, implying his disparaging words stemmed from jealousy, as if he harbored feelings for her. Wu Baiqi was left speechless as Fu Xuan hurried off to find her sister. On her way, Fu Xuan was startled to see a man carrying Fu Rong, but was relieved to recognize him as Duke Su.
Xu Jin gently handed the unconscious Fu Rong to her, explaining that he had used quiet paths to avoid notice and that he understood her sister's actions were born of concern for Fu Xuan's marriage. As he departed, Fu Xuan was left wondering about his unusual care for Fu Rong. Back at the camp, a still-fuming Wu Baiqi returned from his verbal defeat, but Xu Jin quickly refocused him by revealing his findings.
He explained Qin Qing's hairpin signal, which was visible from a second-floor room in the Happiness Restaurant across the street. Xu Jin ordered one guard to monitor the restaurant and follow anyone who appeared after the signal was given. He then tasked Wu Baiqi, with his familiarity of the area, to keep a close watch on Drunken Spring Court itself. Despite his earlier frustration, Wu Baiqi accepted the important assignment.
Xu Jin then invited him for a drink, but Wu Baiqi's subordinate, Ge Chuan, reminded them of his duties the next day. Wu Baiqi ultimately agreed to postpone their drink, promising to join him another time.
