The Eternal Love 2 Episode 23 Recap
> The Eternal Love 2 Recap
The Eighth Prince stood alone by the window, drinking in the chilly night, admitting he deserved this isolation for having lost a key supporter. Mo Liancheng, present with him, insisted that he had secrets he could not reveal, which was why he had deceived the Eighth Prince. The Eighth Prince pressed him, asking if he still maintained that they were one and the same person. Mo Liancheng confirmed they were, explaining that he was the Eighth Prince from the future.
The Eighth Prince recalled the day their primordial spirits interflowed, during which he witnessed a scene where he and Tan’er were compelled to separate. He questioned if this was truly their future and expressed his difficulty in believing Mo Liancheng was indeed him. Mo Liancheng acknowledged the Eighth Prince’s disbelief but promised to prove it with more time. Just then, Yu Hao arrived to announce the Fourteenth Prince.
Before letting him in, the Eighth Prince challenged Yu Hao to distinguish between the two princes. Yu Hao, unable to tell them apart by appearance, asked a question only the true Eighth Prince could answer: how Yu Hao himself had entered the palace service.
Both Mo Liancheng and the Eighth Prince recounted the exact story: when the Eighth Prince was ten, he went hunting with his father, got trapped on a mountain after being tricked by his Eldest Brother, and was guided down by Yu Hao, the son of a woodman, who had remained by his side ever since. Unable to differentiate them, Yu Hao was forgiven by the Eighth Prince. The Fourteenth Prince then entered, visibly stunned to see two Eighth Princes.
He tested them by asking about his proudest childhood achievement. Both princes perfectly recounted how he had once lagged behind the Grand Prince during a horse race but had cunningly lashed the Grand Prince’s horse, causing it to run wildly until dusk, delaying the Emperor’s birthday banquet and earning the Fourteenth Prince a severe punishment. Realizing he had been played, the Fourteenth Prince accused his brother of finding an identical double.
The Eighth Prince then revealed that the person was none other than Mister Liu Shang. The Fourteenth Prince wondered why Liu Shang looked identical to the Eighth Prince, and the Eighth Prince stated he was investigating the matter. As a reward for rescuing Tan’er, the Fourteenth Prince was granted permission to move back into the Snow Courtyard, which was to be cleared of all servants and restricted to all without the Eighth Prince’s special permission.
Qu Xiaotan and Jingxin were relieved to have survived the ordeal and escaped the Qu manor. Jingxin expressed her belief that they were destined for good fortune, even offering hers to Xiaotan. Internally, Qu Xiaotan groaned, finding one Eighth Prince troublesome enough, let alone two. The Eighth Prince and Mo Liancheng then entered. Jingxin discreetly left, sensing their need for privacy.
The Eighth Prince questioned Qu Xiaotan about when she discovered Mister Liu Shang’s true appearance and how she distinguished him from the real Eighth Prince. Qu Xiaotan replied that she found out when the Eighth Prince was searching for the "fake prince" at the palace. As for how she told them apart, she simply said the "fake prince" often engaged in flirtatious behavior.
The Eighth Prince assured her he would uncover the fake prince's true identity and prevent him from bothering her again. Later, Jingxin and the Fourteenth Prince approached Mo Liancheng, eager to learn about their future marriages. Mo Liancheng explained that while he came from the future, he had no knowledge of what specific events would unfold. Jingxin and the Fourteenth Prince expressed their confusion and disappointment, wondering what kind of "future person" he was if he didn't know the future.
Their conversation was interrupted by Yu Hao, who informed Mo Liancheng that the Eighth Prince was waiting for him in the study and all servants had been cleared from the area. The Fourteenth Prince decided to investigate the situation himself. In the study, the Eighth Prince expressed his discomfort with Mo Liancheng’s real face and requested that he wear the Liu Shang mask whenever they met.
To test Mo Liancheng’s claim, the Eighth Prince proposed three questions, stating that if all were answered correctly, he would believe him; otherwise, Mo Liancheng’s life would be at his mercy. First, he asked what he had grasped during his one-year-old catch ceremony. Mo Liancheng answered correctly: a black Go stone, which symbolized the Eighth Prince's aptitude for strategy. Next, the Eighth Prince asked about the only place he visited alone.
Mo Liancheng identified it as his mother’s grave, where he insisted on going alone to avoid being seen. Finally, the Eighth Prince inquired about his favorite food. Mo Liancheng replied that it was millet congee, lovingly made by his mother when he was a child, a taste that no other congee could replicate.
He also revealed the Eighth Prince's most detested food was steamed dumplings, which Mo Yihuai had mocked him for, calling him an orphan who deserved only such food after his mother's death. Mo Liancheng noted the irony that because of "someone," this despised food had now become a favorite, reflecting the unpredictable nature of destiny. The Eighth Prince was utterly convinced, remarking that if Mo Liancheng wasn’t another Eighth Prince, he must be a living Buddha.
He then asked Mo Liancheng the purpose of his visit from the future. Mo Liancheng explained he sought to prevent the catastrophe he had experienced: fratricide stemming from the dispute over the throne. He revealed that in his future, Mo Yihuai would die because of this conflict, and he did not want the Eighth Prince to repeat his disastrous path.
Meanwhile, the Grand Prince Mo Yihuai, having obtained the Soul-Suppressing Bead (Zhen Hun Zhu) and its accompanying secret manual, discovered an insert page with his imperial grandfather’s annotations. The text ominously stated that during times of immense astronomical change, a person from the future might emerge to alter the fate of Dongyue. This revelation deeply troubled Mo Yihuai.
A subordinate then reported having infiltrated the Eighth Prince's palace and overheard the Eighth Prince secretly conversing with a "Young Master Liancheng" from the future. This Liancheng had urged the Eighth Prince to prioritize brotherhood, warning that otherwise, the Crown Prince himself would die. Connecting this to the insert page and recent events, Mo Yihuai began to seriously question if there were indeed two Eighth Princes.
The Grand Prince Mo Yihuai reported to the Emperor about Qu Jianglin’s rebellion, subtly implying that the Eighth Prince had arrived at the Serene Soul Altar before him but had failed to stop the rebels, using sickness as an excuse. Back at his palace, the Eighth Prince received news of Mo Yihuai’s request for a meeting. He chastised Mo Liancheng, believing his impulsive actions at the Serene Soul Altar had exposed their secret.
The Eighth Prince noted that the person who saved Tan'er had weak eyesight and periodically used Xuan Power, traits that would make it obvious to a careful observer that he was not the true Eighth Prince. When Mo Yihuai arrived at the Eighth Prince’s study, the Eighth Prince deliberately instructed Qu Xiaotan to massage his shoulders, stressing that they needed to appear intimately affectionate to allay any suspicion. Though she complained internally, Qu Xiaotan dutifully complied.
After Qu Xiaotan left, the Grand Prince inquired about the source of the Eighth Prince’s Xuan Power. The Eighth Prince claimed to have recently met a highly skilled Master. Mo Yihuai then shrewdly asked if this Master was "Young Master Liancheng." The Eighth Prince feigned ignorance. Recalling that the Eighth Prince at the Serene Soul Altar had poor eyesight, Mo Yihuai tested him by abruptly pouring tea. The Eighth Prince, with perfect vision, precisely caught the stream.
This confirmed Mo Yihuai's suspicion that the person he encountered was not the Eighth Prince. As Mo Yihuai departed, he encountered Jingxin and the Fourteenth Prince. After the Fourteenth Prince accused Mo Yihuai of inappropriate behavior towards Jingxin, Mo Yihuai feigned gratitude for Jingxin's "reminder" and explicitly mentioned his intention to meet Mister Liu Shang, asking Jingxin to lead the way. The Grand Prince Mo Yihuai insisted on entering the Snow Courtyard despite the Fourteenth Prince's attempts to stop him.
Inside, the Eighth Prince was conversing with Mister Liu Shang, who was wearing his mask. The Eighth Prince, acknowledging that Mo Yihuai had likely noticed his normal eyesight, suggested Liu Shang leave to grant him and Tan’er peace. Liu Shang agreed, noting he had anticipated such a request. However, before Liu Shang could depart, Mo Yihuai and the Fourteenth Prince arrived. Mo Yihuai observed Liu Shang closely, noting his striking resemblance to the Eighth Prince.
He remarked on Qu Xiaotan’s new puddings and, to test Liu Shang, snatched a pudding from Qu Xiaotan’s hand. The Eighth Prince quickly asserted that as Tan’er's husband, he should be the first to taste it. Mo Yihuai then praised Liu Shang’s abilities, implying that if Liu Shang had been at the Serene Soul Altar, Qu Jianglin would not have survived so long—a veiled reference to the poor eyesight of the "Eighth Brother" that day.
Liu Shang claimed he had temporary poor eyesight from late-night reading but had since recovered. Mo Yihuai then presented a box and challenged Liu Shang to identify its contents solely by its external texture. Liu Shang correctly identified the object as a silver seal bearing the character "Mo," an imperial seal from the Dayu Dynasty.
He explained that in his original future, a local official discovered this seal and presented it to the Emperor, who bestowed it upon the Crown Prince. After Mo Yihuai left, both the Eighth Prince and Liu Shang acknowledged that the Grand Prince was now highly suspicious. The Eighth Prince, changing his stance, admitted his earlier suggestion for Liu Shang to leave was impulsive and earnestly requested he remain to help devise countermeasures.
Liu Shang readily agreed, but the Eighth Prince firmly added that he would never yield Qu Xiaotan. Liu Shang accepted this condition, promising to do his utmost. Qu Xiaotan, observing them, mused to herself that she must have saved the entire universe in her past life to be so fortunate.
