The Double Episode 37 Recap
> The Double Recap
Before his confinement, Zhang Wei had met with Xu Zhi, offering him future prosperity if he kept the matter of the Imperial Guards’ Office arsenal a secret. Meanwhile, Li Zhongnan chastised his son, Li Jin, for leaving Wanning alone, emphasizing the need to protect her and her unborn child to avoid Lord Cheng's wrath. Li Jin silently resented Wanning's manipulation of his prestigious family, but dared not openly defy his father.
Wanning, intent on teaching Li Jin proper respect, summoned him. She complained of stomach pain and demanded he fulfill his duties as Prince Consort. She then ordered her maid, Meixiang, to fetch a foot-washing basin and commanded Li Jin to wash her feet, to which he reluctantly complied. She mused that some people required firm discipline to learn their place. Xue Fangfei arrived at Duke Su's Residence with pastries, only to find it surrounded.
Her brother, Xue Zhao, informed her that Xiao Heng was under house arrest, confined to his bedroom by imperial decree. Xue Fangfei, taking the pastries with her, navigated past the guards. Upon finding Xiao Heng casually sipping tea with disheveled hair, she quickly realized that his confinement was an elaborate charade orchestrated with Emperor Hong Xiao to deceive Lord Cheng's faction into believing a rift had formed between the emperor and Duke Su.
Confirming his short two-day confinement, Xue Fangfei took the pastries back, stating they were for Xue Zhao. Later, Xue Fangfei inquired with Wen Ji about the strained relationship between Xiao Heng and General Xiao Senior. Wen Ji revealed that their bond fractured over the death of Xiao Minghan, Xiao Heng's father. He recounted how Vice General Peng Guang had once disclosed the truth to General Xiao Senior, hoping for justice.
However, General Xiao Senior shockingly accepted Lord Cheng’s proposal to lead the Longwu Army, an act that effectively endorsed the official story of Xiao Minghan's battlefield death. Peng Guang, who continued to investigate, was later framed for embezzlement and executed. Young Xiao Heng had overheard these events, leading him to believe his grandfather prioritized ambition over avenging his son. General Xiao Senior subsequently confined Xiao Heng to the Duke’s Residence for five years, during which his temperament drastically changed.
Driven by a desire to understand, Xue Fangfei visited General Xiao Senior. She observed portraits of Xiao Minghan and Yu Hongye, along with various personal mementos like a helmet, a fan, and a favorite toy of young Xiao Heng, realizing the old general’s deep, unspoken grief. Presenting herself as Xiao Heng's beloved, she prompted him to share the past. General Xiao Senior then introduced her to Ms. Wang, urging Xue Fangfei to keep their conversation a secret from Xiao Heng.
Xue Fangfei brought Ms. Wang to Xiao Heng. Ms. Wang immediately knelt, confessing to poisoning him when he was a child. A surprised Xiao Heng learned she had been coerced by Lord Cheng, and his grandfather, aware of her predicament, had protected her by arranging her departure from the capital with money. Ms. Wang expressed her readiness to testify when General Xiao Senior was ready to overturn Xiao Minghan's case.
Xue Fangfei gently explained that General Xiao Senior's actions were driven by a desire to protect Xiao Heng, easing some of Xiao Heng's long-held resentment. Back at the Li residence, Li Jin served Wanning her meal. Wanning, continuing her cruel teasing, deliberately dropped a shrimp from her plate and commanded Li Jin to pick it up and eat it. Pushed past his breaking point, Li Jin complied but then erupted, declaring he was no docile "dog" like Shen Yurong.
Infuriated by the insult to Shen Yurong, Wanning engaged in a heated argument with Li Jin. As Li Jin stormed out in anger, Wanning overturned the table and suddenly collapsed in agony, experiencing severe abdominal pain. Li Zhongnan soon learned from the imperial physician that Wanning had suffered a miscarriage and there was nothing that could be done. Li Jin was overwhelmed with remorse and confusion, while his father expressed deep disappointment.
After his confinement ended, Xue Fangfei persuaded Xiao Heng to visit General Xiao Senior, cleverly creating an opportunity for them to speak alone. Xiao Heng confronted his grandfather about Xiao Minghan’s death. General Xiao Senior tearfully admitted he had been coerced by Lord Cheng to accept the official story, a desperate measure to protect young Xiao Heng from harm.
He also revealed that Xu Zhi, whom Xiao Heng had recently investigated in the Imperial Guards’ Office, was actually his spy, planted there to monitor communications between Zhang Wei and the northern border. This revelation finally cleared up years of misunderstanding between them. Xiao Heng, recognizing his grandfather's sacrifice, urged him to move into Duke Su’s Residence for safety, as Lord Cheng's arrival was imminent. General Xiao Senior, overjoyed, praised Xue Fangfei's character and Xiao Heng's discerning choice.
He repeatedly expressed happiness at returning home. Meanwhile, Shen Yurong, after consulting old medical texts, discovered a rare herb from Great Zhao that could induce symptoms mimicking pregnancy and eventual miscarriage. He realized this was the source of Wanning's fake pregnancy. He found that the medicine's effects would last about a month.
He recalled that Princess Situ Jiuyue, a skilled physician and friend of both Xiao Heng and Xue Fangfei, had gifted Wanning a special wine during Consort Li's birthday celebration. This led him to believe that Wanning had been deliberately tricked. Wanning, still reeling from the loss of her "child," furiously demanded Li Jin's life. As she lunged at him with a dagger, Li Zhongnan bravely intercepted her, pleading for his only son's life.
Just then, Shen Yurong rushed in, exposing the fake pregnancy plot and revealing they had all been ensnared in a trap. Li Jin let out a burst of laughter, and Li Zhongnan quickly escorted him away. Wanning, unable to accept that her highly anticipated pregnancy was a deception, immediately dispatched a messenger to Lord Cheng in the Northern Border. Lord Cheng, receiving Wanning's message confirming possession of the fish talisman, finalized his plan for rebellion.
He intended to lead his troops into the capital under the guise of paying respects to his ancestors. He reminisced about his old grudge against Xiao Minghan, whose Longwu Army had thwarted his attempt to assassinate the critically ill late emperor years ago. He assured his troops of rich rewards and high positions once they seized the capital and called on them to prepare for a swift, decisive strike.
As the storm gathered, Xue Fangfei, having discreetly tested the fake pregnancy medicine on herself, also experienced mild abdominal discomfort. Xiao Heng playfully chided her for such a risky endeavor, stating it was now his turn to execute their plan. Xue Fangfei, worried, only asked him not to die.
Xiao Heng advised her to remain safely within the Jiang family residence and contact Zhao Ke if any trouble arose, assuring her that he would take care of her father and brother, and he would be fine as long as she was safe.
