The Double Episode 31 Recap
> The Double Recap
Ye Shijie, stumbling and disoriented, made his way to a pharmacy to find Xiao Heng. He reported that Jiuyue had been attacked at his residence. Xiao Heng, upon hearing this, immediately instructed Lu Ji to mobilize all secret guards to apprehend the attackers. Meanwhile, Chu Lan, who had been knocked unconscious, regained consciousness and attempted to kill Jiuyue. Xiao Heng swiftly intervened, blocking Chu Lan with his fan, which allowed Chu Lan to deploy a smoke bomb and escape.
Jiuyue, the Princess of Zhao, was gravely injured and still unconscious. Xiao Heng brought her and her injured guards back to his residence for treatment, ensuring Xue Fangfei's father, Magistrate Xue, who was also at Ye's residence, was safely settled. When Xue Fangfei arrived at Duke Su's residence, she noticed Xiao Heng's tense expression. He then clarified Jiuyue's true identity, explaining the political significance of protecting her. Xue Fangfei, understanding the gravity of the situation, promised to visit Jiuyue daily.
Xiao Heng, though hiding it, was pleased by her words. Xiao Heng ordered a stringent search throughout the city for Chu Lan. His subordinates reported that Chu Lan was still at large despite the tight security. Xiao Heng speculated that with Princess Wanning still under house arrest, Chu Lan's only remaining hiding place was likely associated with the Li family.
He believed Li Zhongnan wouldn't be foolish enough to hide him at his main residence, so their immediate goal was simply to "alert them." It was time for rehearsal for the alliance banquet, but Mr. Du was absent again. He had sent a message to Shen Yurong, stating that his grandmother in Wuzhou had fallen gravely ill, requiring him to return home urgently.
With no one else available, Shen Yurong addressed the Hanlin scholars, asking who would volunteer to perform with Xue Fangfei. After a long silence, Shen Yurong declared that if no one volunteered by the end of the day, he would select someone based on their scholarly ranking. The other scholars glanced at Zhao Qi, agreeing that his talent was the only one suitable.
Zhao Qi, however, feigned humility and suggested that Shen Yurong himself was the most fitting partner for Xue Fangfei. This sparked widespread gossip among the scholars, who speculated that Shen Yurong had fallen for Xue Fangfei, especially since she resembled his deceased wife, and this was why he was avoiding her. Their gossiping ceased abruptly when Shen Ruyun suddenly appeared.
Xue Fangfei prepared a grand meal to treat Jiang Jingrui, hoping to enlist his help in a scheme involving Shen Yurong. She explained her plan to "retreat in order to advance": she would resign from the alliance banquet performance, intending for Shen Yurong to personally come to the Jiang residence to persuade her. Jiang Jingrui, though initially confused, quickly caught on.
Xue Fangfei elaborated that if she withdrew, Shen Yurong would surely inquire with the Jiang family, and that's where Jiang Jingrui would step in. He would use his persuasive skills to make Shen Yurong visit her at the Jiang residence. Jiang Jingrui, flattered that Xue Fangfei had chosen him for his skills over others, readily agreed. The next morning, Jiang Jingrui was surprised when Shen Yurong indeed arrived at the Hanlin Academy to check on the preparations.
After praising the scholars for their diligence, Shen Yurong noticed Xue Fangfei was not there. He discreetly called Jiang Jingrui aside and asked about Xue Fangfei's rumored resignation. Following Xue Fangfei's plan, Jiang Jingrui exaggerated the severity of the situation.
He claimed that Xue Fangfei had fallen ill due to the widespread rumors about her and Shen Yurong, which painted her as trying to get close to him because she resembled his deceased wife, and him as avoiding her to maintain his reputation. Jiang Jingrui emphasized that such gossip was incredibly damaging for an unmarried lady, making her wish she were dead.
He further stated that no one in the Jiang family could persuade her, implying that only Shen Yurong, as the one who "tied the bell," could resolve the issue by visiting her. At the Jiang residence, a maid reported that Xue Fangfei was upset and refused to see anyone. Feigning distress, Jiang Jingrui urged Shen Yurong to go in, citing the importance of saving a life.
Inside the garden, Shen Yurong advised Xue Fangfei not to be affected by the rumors, stressing that the alliance banquet was critical. Xue Fangfei, in turn, expressed her grievances, accusing Shen Yurong of initiating the rumors by first assigning her to the Music Affairs Division, then dismissing her before His Majesty, and continuously making it difficult for her to perform with a Hanlin scholar. She directly asked if he would treat her differently if she didn't resemble his deceased wife.
She then proposed that they perform together to dispel the rumors, proving that he wasn't deliberately avoiding her. When Shen Yurong hesitated, Xue Fangfei provoked him further, questioning whether he loved or hated his deceased wife, suggesting he hated her and was transferring that hatred onto Xue Fangfei. Angered by the insinuation, Shen Yurong slammed his hand on the table, declaring his love for his deceased wife. With his emotions stirred, Shen Yurong agreed to perform with Xue Fangfei.
Li Zhongnan confirmed with his son, Li Jin, that Chu Lan was safely hidden within the Capital Security Office. Li Zhongnan reminded Li Jin of the immense effort it took to win over Yuan Jiang, the Commissioner of the Capital Security Office, warning him not to botch the plan. Xue Fangfei visited Jiuyue at Duke Su's residence. Jiuyue, seeing the familiarity between Xue Fangfei and Xiao Heng, became visibly unhappy and stormed off, calling them "two liars."
Xiao Heng told Xue Fangfei to ignore her and had Wen Ji brew some chrysanthemum tea Xue Fangfei had brought to help with Jiuyue's "jealousy issue," prompting Wen Ji to jokingly lament that not even "two hundred beatings" could solve it. Shen Mother, hearing that Shen Yurong was performing with Xue Fangfei, angrily confronted him. She feared he was risking their entire family by angering Wanning, who viewed Xue Fangfei as an enemy.
Shen Yurong calmly assured his mother he knew what he was doing. Meanwhile, Princess Wanning was informed that Shen Yurong and Xue Fangfei had been rehearsing together. She seemed unfazed, stating that Shen Yurong needed to witness the consequences firsthand to understand his boundaries. After their rehearsal, Xue Fangfei was ambushed by a masked assassin. Before Xiao Heng's subordinate, Zhao Ke, could intervene, Shen Yurong stepped in front of Xue Fangfei, taking a sword strike for her.
Shen Yurong recognized the attacker as one of Wanning's men and subtly signaled for the assassin to leave. Zhao Ke arrived just as the assailant fled. After returning home, Xue Fangfei confirmed to Zhao Ke that the assassin was sent by Wanning. Xiao Heng then arrived, confronting Xue Fangfei for putting herself in danger to provoke Wanning. Xue Fangfei defended herself, asserting she trusted Xiao Heng's men to protect her and promising it was a one-time thing.
She then revealed that Shen Yurong had genuinely shielded her, which led her to consider a new approach that would not involve her taking such risks. Wanning saw Shen Yurong's sword wound and confronted him for protecting Xue Fangfei. Shen Yurong explained that performing with Xue Fangfei was a state affair assigned by His Majesty and that he couldn't back down.
He claimed to have moved on from the past and could perform with a clear conscience, arguing that only avoidance would indicate a guilty mind. Wanning, seemingly convinced, warned him to be truthful and declared she would personally "meet" Xue Fangfei once her house arrest ended. The next day, with the Zhao delegation set to arrive, Shen Yurong addressed the Hanlin scholars, urging them to give their full effort. Later, he reported to His Majesty that all preparations were complete.
As Shen Yurong spoke, Xiao Heng appeared, and their eyes met in a clear display of their rivalry, with Xiao Heng's gaze conveying disdain. With Chu Lan still at large, Xiao Heng informed His Majesty that intelligence suggested Chu Lan was hiding in the Capital Security Office. He proposed using this opportunity to take it down, as he couldn't allow the city gates to be controlled by their enemies. He requested the Longwu Army.
Shortly after, Xiao Heng arrived at the Capital Security Office, where Li Zhongnan and Yuan Jiang were conversing. He announced his intent to search for an assassin. Yuan Jiang tried to block him, but the Longwu Army appeared, ordered by His Majesty to search the office. Despite Yuan Jiang's resistance, Xiao Heng ordered the search, instructing his men not to show mercy to anyone who interfered.
He warned Li Zhongnan to stay clear, lest he also become a victim of the Longwu Army's "act first, report later" privilege. The Longwu Army surrounded the Capital Security Office. Chu Lan was located but managed to escape. Xiao Heng reflected that this operation allowed them to replace the entire staff of the Capital Security Office, a significant blow to their enemies. Meanwhile, Li Zhongnan furiously questioned Li Jin about the information leak.
Li Jin confessed that he had intended to use Chu Lan as bait to lure and harm Xiao Heng, underestimating him and never anticipating he would bring the Longwu Army. Enraged, Li Zhongnan slapped Li Jin, berating him as an "incompetent fool" for ruining his meticulously laid plans. The Zhao Emperor arrived in Yan. Xiao Heng greeted him and arranged for him to rest before the main banquet. The Zhao Emperor immediately inquired about his sister, Jiuyue.
Upon their emotional reunion, Jiuyue assured her brother she was fine thanks to Duke Su's help and asked him not to blame Xiao Heng. The Zhao Emperor agreed but demanded a future explanation. At the banquet, the Zhao Emperor thanked the Yan Emperor for his hospitality and for helping find his long-lost sister. Xue Fangfei and Shen Yurong performed together, stirring Shen Yurong's memories of his deceased wife.
Xiao Heng watched with a somber expression, while the Zhao Emperor seemed to discern Jiuyue's unspoken feelings for Xiao Heng. The next morning, Xiao Heng informed Xue Fangfei that he was preparing to escort the Zhao Emperor and Jiuyue to the border. Xue Fangfei asked for his opinion on her performance. He bluntly called her music "extremely unpleasant to listen to," which she agreed with, promising to play a better piece for him upon his return.
As he prepared to leave, Xiao Heng offered her a piece of advice: "Be it the previous life or the current, just live to the fullest. Never compromise yourself to become someone else just to please others, including me." This conversation was overheard by Jiuyue.
