The Eternal Love 2 Episode 9 Recap
> The Eternal Love 2 Recap
Following Eunuch Xue’s preparation of what was presented as alkaline water, all palace maids who had handled the imperial birthday gifts were gathered as per Liu Shang’s instructions. At Liu Shang’s signal, Qu Xiaotan stepped forward to be the first to dip her hands into the basin, and the other maids followed. After everyone had immersed their hands, Liu Shang asked them to present their palms for inspection.
To the court's surprise, only Qu Pan'er’s hands were clean, while everyone else’s were stained black. Liu Shang revealed that the basin contained walnut water, which blackens the skin on contact. He deduced that Qu Pan'er’s clean hands proved she was the culprit, as guilt had prevented her from actually putting her hands in the water. Startled by the revelation, Qu Pan'er fell to her knees, confessing that she had tampered with the painting out of jealousy toward Qu Xiaotan.
She claimed she only intended to damage the artwork to have Qu Xiaotan punished, not to harm the Emperor. Qu Xiaotan, angered by her sister's maliciousness, thanked Liu Shang for his timely intervention. Liu Shang examined the poison Qu Pan'er produced, identifying it as the eggs of the Ghost Face Blood Spirit.
He noted that the eggs are invisible to the naked eye and require time to hatch, conceding that Qu Pan'er might have been unaware of the poison's true nature. However, he pressed her, questioning how a mere palace maid could obtain such a rare and potent poison and urging her to reveal the mastermind to clear herself of attempted regicide.
Just as Liu Shang interrogated Qu Pan'er, a nearby soldier drew his blade and lunged at her in an attempt to silence her. Liu Shang swiftly intervened and subdued him. The Eighth Prince identified the soldier as Shi Jue, a trusted subordinate of General Wei, and sarcastically commented on the General's poor discipline. Shi Jue denied any involvement from General Wei, claiming his actions were motivated by a personal vendetta against the Eighth Prince.
He stated that three years prior, the Prince had humiliated his older brother, Shi Yang, driving him to suicide. Having made his statement, Shi Jue then took his own life, ensuring General Wei would not be implicated. Witnessing this, General Wei knelt and admitted to negligence, offering to die to atone for his failure. However, Noble Consort DuGu intervened, stating that further bloodshed on the Emperor's birthday would be inauspicious.
The Emperor agreed, sparing Wei Zongheng from death but stripping him of his noble title and demoting him three ranks. The Emperor then rewarded the two princes for their roles in protecting him. The Grand Prince, Mo Yihuai, received ten thousand taels of gold, while the Eighth Prince, Mo Liancheng, was given the Royal Command token.
This gesture signified the Emperor's renewed trust in Mo Liancheng, but Qu Xiaotan privately noted the disparity, feeling the token was a lesser reward than the gold. Later, the Eighth Prince expressed his gratitude to Liu Shang, acknowledging the danger of the situation. However, he remained suspicious, questioning how Liu Shang knew of the rare Ghost Face Blood Spirit. Liu Shang vaguely explained that he had traveled extensively in the southwest, hinting at a complex past.
When the Eighth Prince offered him a reward, Liu Shang requested Qu Xiaotan, clarifying that he wished for her to serve him in the Snow Courtyard. Though visibly displeased, the Eighth Prince, bound by his promise, reluctantly agreed. The next day, Qu Xiaotan animatedly recounted the banquet's events to other maids, lavishly praising Mister Liu Shang's heroism and declaring him far superior to the Eighth Prince. Overhearing her, a jealous Eighth Prince pulled her aside and confronted her.
Realizing her mistake, Qu Xiaotan launched into effusive flattery, proclaiming the Prince's strategic brilliance and unmatched handsomeness. Mollified, he offered her a choice for her part in the affair: be married to Liu Shang or receive one thousand taels of gold. Without hesitation, Qu Xiaotan chose the gold, also lamenting that the Eighth Prince had received only a token while the Grand Prince received a fortune.
Meanwhile, Eunuch Xue returned Noble Consort DuGu's gifts to her chambers, informing her that the royal kitchen would now exclusively manage the Emperor’s meals. After the eunuch’s departure, a humiliated Noble Consort DuGu despaired that her long-held plans for restoring her kingdom were now in vain. Her maid, Mixue, suggested that they could make use of Imperial Doctor Gao. Seeing an opportunity, Noble Consort DuGu immediately summoned him.
When the doctor arrived, she demanded he diagnose her with a "joyful pulse," indicating pregnancy. When he truthfully stated she was not pregnant, she threatened him with beheading for the crime of "peeping at a Royal Noble Consort." Terrified, Imperial Doctor Gao reversed his diagnosis and falsely confirmed the pregnancy, for which she "rewarded" him. Back at the Eighth Prince’s residence, Qu Xiaotan received two valuable gems as a reward.
She excitedly discussed her plan to use them as a "first pot of gold" to invest in property, delivering a spirited speech on being an "independent woman" who doesn't need a man to build her own life. Intrigued, the Eighth Prince presented her with a mission: Liu Shang had personally requested her to serve him in the Snow Courtyard, and he was offering double her pay to do so while secretly observing Liu Shang's every move.
Qu Xiaotan initially refused, citing propriety and her need for time to contact the Grand Prince about returning to her own world. The Eighth Prince clarified that she was not being "sold" but assigned a duty, ordering her to spy on Liu Shang and report anything unusual. To address her concerns about a man and woman sharing quarters, he produced a document outlining "Three Orders and Three Bans."
The orders were to maintain secrecy, stay by Liu Shang's side, and note every detail. The bans were to keep an arm's length distance, not enter his inner chambers past the screen, and to invoke the Eighth Prince's name should Liu Shang make any intimate advances. The Eighth Prince sweetened the deal further: for every suspicious detail she reported, she would receive a monetary reward and one fulfilled wish, including the possibility of leaving the residence.
She would also be promoted to Female Chief Housekeeper, a rank higher than the butler. Enticed but wary, Qu Xiaotan shrewdly insisted on a written agreement, playfully titling herself "Royal Spy." The Prince, though irked, agreed to all her terms, including her promotion, new clothes, better food, a spacious room, and having her maid Jingxin join her. Assured of the terms, the Eighth Prince prepared to sign the contract.
