The Eternal Love 2 Episode 15 Recap
> The Eternal Love 2 Recap
After the Eighth Prince sustained injuries, Liu Shang assured Yu Hao that the Prince’s condition was not serious. Yu Hao then probed Liu Shang about the identity of the master who had helped him rescue the Prince from the palace. Yu Hao described the man as highly skilled in martial arts, adept at using terrain, and effective with hidden weapons to create an escape route, noting that the tactics and body movement were remarkably familiar.
Liu Shang deflected, simply stating that the Eighth Prince was known for his noble virtue, so it was no surprise that a master would assist him. As an imperial edict arrived, summoning the Prince to the palace immediately, Yu Hao worried about the Eighth Prince’s severe injuries. Liu Shang advised him that the only way to save the Prince was to find a specific person.
Later, alone, Liu Shang reflected on his own weakening condition, noting that the medicine he took was becoming less effective and he was unsure how much longer he could continue guarding the person he protected, expressing a fervent hope that nothing would go wrong. Meanwhile, Mo Liancheng, disguised as the Eighth Prince, and Qu Xiaotan entered the palace. The Emperor immediately questioned Mo Liancheng about his whereabouts during the assassination attempt four hours prior.
Mo Liancheng stated he had been with Qu Tan'er. Noble Consort DuGu interjected, dismissing Qu Tan'er as merely a maid from the Eighth Prince’s palace and claiming her testimony was insufficient. Prepared for this, Mo Liancheng requested that a witness waiting outside be brought in. The innkeeper from the previous day entered and recounted how Mo Liancheng and Qu Xiaotan had been at his inn four hours ago, where Mo Liancheng helped him resolve a dispute with a dishonest customer.
He claimed that everyone in the inn could vouch for their presence, adding that the two had been embracing tightly. The Emperor, still skeptical, challenged Mo Liancheng to remove his clothes to prove his innocence. Mo Liancheng readily complied, and as the Emperor personally examined his chest, Noble Consort DuGu watched in disbelief, wondering why there was no scar where the imposter had been stabbed. Qu Xiaotan, however, saw the familiar mark on his chest and her heart ached.
Noticing Mo Liancheng’s pale face and trembling, she grew concerned. The Emperor, finally convinced, apologized for his mistaken judgment and dismissed them. As they left, Mo Liancheng silently mused that the pain he felt was not only from his father’s touch but also from his father’s doubt. After leaving the Emperor's presence, Qu Xiaotan immediately asked Mo Liancheng if he was alright, observing that he seemed to be suffering.
He brushed it off as mere nervousness, though he expressed happiness at her concern. She then asked about the origin of the scar on his chest. Elsewhere, the Grand Prince and Qu Pan'er received news from their informant that the Eighth Prince had escaped the trap. Qu Pan'er found it impossible to believe, given Noble Consort DuGu’s elaborate plan, but the news was conclusive: the Eighth Prince had safely left the palace, accompanied by Qu Tan'er.
As rain began to fall, Mo Liancheng explained the scar to Qu Xiaotan. He revealed that in a past life, he was stabbed in the chest for his beloved, a pain so intense it felt like death. However, the thought of never seeing her again was even more agonizing, compelling him to survive for her. Hearing his emotional confession, Qu Xiaotan felt a pang in her chest, realizing that this profound love and deep-seated memory did not belong to her.
She asserted that she was not “her.” Mo Liancheng earnestly told her that the "Tan'er" he loved was a diligent, optimistic, money-loving, food-loving girl with an irritating curiosity, and that she was the exact Qu Xiaotan from the future. He emphasized that she was never a substitute, but the person he was destined to protect for all his lives.
Pressing her, he declared he would endure anything to prove his love and gave her only one choice: to love him, as he would never let her run away again. With that, he pulled her into a deep embrace and passionately kissed her. When the real Eighth Prince regained consciousness, Yu Hao informed him that someone had impersonated him, providing an alibi to the Emperor with Qu Tan'er and a witness.
Yu Hao confirmed that the witness, an innkeeper, had since disappeared and his inn had changed hands. The Eighth Prince was shocked and immediately inquired about Qu Tan'er, who Yu Hao reported was resting in her room after catching a cold. Meanwhile, Noble Consort DuGu interrogated Eunuch Hu about the aftermath of their failed plan.
Eunuch Hu, a loyal general who had served her father, reported that he had eliminated all the hired assassins who attempted to flee, leaving only one alive for interrogation. He revealed that he had found fragments of her secret letter in the assassin’s stomach, which the man confessed to swallowing to prevent its discovery. As further proof, he confirmed the testimony matched that of other tortured assassins.
Satisfied that all traces were erased, Noble Consort DuGu offered Eunuch Hu a cup of poisoned wine, framing it as a necessary sacrifice for the restoration of Dayu's glory. Eunuch Hu drank it without hesitation, declaring his death worthwhile for their cause.
Back in her room, Qu Xiaotan was troubled by the kiss in the rain, admitting to herself that she was bothered by the "Tan'er" Mo Liancheng spoke of—the woman who had shared life-and-death experiences and even had children with him. She felt that, despite his words, that "Tan'er" was not her, and she refused to be a substitute. As she was lost in thought, a black-clad Mo Liancheng entered.
Qu Xiaotan initially mistook him for the Eighth Prince, for which Mo Liancheng playfully said she deserved a "punishment." He then lifted her onto the bed and pressed his forehead against hers. Expecting another kiss, she closed her eyes, but he only teased her about having a low fever and told her to stay warm. Just then, the Eighth Prince called from outside, having heard she was ill. Mo Liancheng quickly hid as the Prince entered with a hand warmer.
The Prince then asked if she had noticed anything unusual about the person who impersonated him the previous night. Hidden, Mo Liancheng inadvertently made a sound while trying to leave. Qu Xiaotan quickly covered for him, feigning a complaint about an open window causing her cold. The Eighth Prince, however, grew suspicious and rushed outside to investigate the noise. The previous night's events fueled the Eighth Prince's suspicion of Liu Shang.
He instructed Yu Hao to set up a trap and summoned Liu Shang to his study. Upon his arrival, the Eighth Prince tested him by asking about his mother and recounting a story of saving a child from a reservoir in the south, implying it was Liu Shang. Liu Shang calmly corrected him, stating his parents died long ago and that the rescue had occurred at a reservoir in the west.
When the Prince directly asked how he had resolved the palace crisis, Liu Shang refused to answer, citing the need to protect him. He then warned the Prince not to repeat the mistake he made with General Lü Shang—a loyal general executed on false suspicions planted by an enemy. Contemplating Liu Shang’s words, the Eighth Prince realized that pushing him might be exactly what their enemies wanted and called off the trap.
Hearing of the confrontation, a frantic Qu Xiaotan rushed to Liu Shang’s room and began packing, urging him to flee. Liu Shang simply took her in his arms, playfully remarking that he only needed her. Just then, Yu Hao arrived with a token, informing them that Noble Consort DuGu had fallen and the Eighth Prince requested Liu Shang's presence at the palace to examine her. Despite Qu Xiaotan's protests, Liu Shang agreed.
At the palace, Imperial Doctor Gao had already assured the Emperor that the Consort and her fetus were fine. The Eighth Prince insisted on a second opinion from Liu Shang, a renowned "divine healer." Seizing the opportunity, Liu Shang remarked that the Consort’s sallow complexion indicated an unstable fetal condition. When asked for his advice, he bluntly stated that to ensure a stable pregnancy, the Noble Consort should not "exert herself at night." The Emperor, understanding the implicit accusation, was embarrassed but accepted the advice, instructing the Consort to rest well at night.
