The Eternal Love 3 Episode 16 Recap
> The Eternal Love 3 Recap
Mo Lian Cheng sighed as he and Qu Xiaotan were about to become intimate. Qu Xiaotan jested about him enjoying ordering her around, then quickly apologized, promising not to make him serve her tea again. She warned that Su Yue La would not forgive her. Mo Lian Cheng dismissed the thought, wanting to enjoy the moment, but their intimacy was interrupted by Su Yue La's arrival.
Su Yue La reminded them of the strict rule that the Princess and Prince Consort could only sleep together once every seven days, and they must restrain their urges. She declared she would wait outside until Qu Xiaotan returned to her own room. Qu Xiaotan, frustrated, tried to make Mo Lian Cheng tell Su Yue La she wasn't there, but he insisted it would be useless as Su Yue La would surely barge in.
Qu Xiaotan confided in Jing Xin about her predicament. Jing Xin, offering her help, agreed to distract Su Yue La. Su Yue La, meanwhile, asserted that she would stand guard outside Qu Xiaotan's room, ensuring no "evildoer" could approach. Jing Xin initiated a conversation with Su Yue La about the full moon, lamenting her own solitude on such nights and expressing how touched she felt by Su Yue La's company.
Su Yue La, finding a kindred spirit, reciprocated that everyone misses old friends on quiet nights and wishes for a soulmate by their side. While Su Yue La was engrossed in this conversation, Qu Xiaotan seized the opportunity to quietly slip back into Mo Lian Cheng's room. The next day, Su Yue La brought Mo Yuan Long to Qu Xiaotan's residence, praising his virtuous character and his steadfastness as a widower.
She then accused Mo Lian Cheng of seducing Qu Xiaotan, preventing the Princess from sleeping alone, and urged Mo Yuan Long to strictly supervise his son and teach him not to use his charm to tempt the Princess. Qu Xiaotan immediately countered, clarifying that she had insisted on staying in Mo Lian Cheng’s room and there was no seduction involved.
Su Yue La then shifted her attack, arguing that Qu Xiaotan and Mo Yanchen were childhood sweethearts, and Mo Yanchen's love for her was unwavering; therefore, Qu Xiaotan wouldn't have repudiated Mo Yanchen if Mo Lian Cheng hadn't used his charm. This angered Qu Xiaotan, but Su Yue La quickly ushered her away, claiming Her Majesty had orders for her.
Afterward, Mo Lian Cheng advised his father to be cautious of Su Yue La, but Mo Yuan Long dismissed his concern, stating that he was not foolish and didn't need Mo Lian Cheng's lecture. To appease Su Yue La, Mo Yuan Long simply instructed Mo Lian Cheng to copy moral codes for men as a superficial gesture.
Su Yue La reported to Xiao Zhen, explaining that while Mo Yuan Long and Mo Lian Cheng presented a public image of a loving father and son, they had no private communication, merely going through the motions of copying moral codes. She inferred that the repudiation of Mo Yanchen had created an irreconcilable rift between them. Xiao Zhen instructed her to continue observing their interactions and to employ additional tactics if necessary, assuring her of his full assistance.
That night, Mo Lian Cheng received a letter, bearing his father’s distinctive handwriting, urging him to come to Black Cloak Alley at 3 AM to discuss potential troubles with military supplies. Mo Lian Cheng, knowing his father had already withdrawn from the rebellion, suspected that Su Yue La had forged the letter to test if he and his father were secretly conspiring. He also deduced that his father must have received a similar forged letter in his own handwriting.
Indeed, Xiao Zhen had set an ambush with guards at Black Cloak Alley. Fortunately, Yu Hao intercepted Mo Yuan Long en route, informing him of Su Yue La's trap. Mo Yuan Long and Yu Hao quickly left, thus foiling Su Yue La and Xiao Zhen’s scheme, who were left to interrogate an innocent passerby and realized their plot had been exposed.
Mo Lian Cheng recounted the events of the foiled ambush to Qu Xiaotan, who then realized that Her Majesty had sent Su Yue La not to impart moral teachings, but to uncover any secret conspiracy between Qu Xiaotan's residence and Mo Yuan Long. Mo Lian Cheng emphasized that Su Yue La's cunning nature and her collaboration with Qu Meier meant they needed to swiftly find leverage against her.
Qu Xiaotan, observing that Su Yue La was past her youth and still unmarried, suggested that her "lonely heart" might be her weakness. She then instructed Jing Xin to find out about Su Yue La’s first love, a man whom Su Yue La reportedly could not forget, which was why she remained single. Upon seeing a portrait of this man, both Mo Lian Cheng and Qu Xiaotan were struck by his uncanny resemblance to Yu Hao.
Qu Xiaotan, with some makeup, transformed Yu Hao, even suggesting a beard to complete the look. Despite Yu Hao's strong reluctance to seduce Su Yue La, emphasizing his honor over money, Qu Xiaotan and Mo Lian Cheng pressed him, reminding him that their safety depended on this plan. Yu Hao, left with no choice, reluctantly agreed. Yu Hao positioned himself under a tree and began to recite poetry.
Su Yue La, drawn by his voice and presence, approached him and was visibly stunned by his striking resemblance to her first love. She inquired about his identity, and Yu Hao introduced himself as Mo Lian Cheng’s attendant, humbly attributing his poetic skills to his elder sister's teachings. Su Yue La expressed surprise at never having noticed him before, to which Yu Hao politely responded that her busy schedule prevented her from noticing a mere servant.
Over subsequent days, Su Yue La sought out Yu Hao frequently, eventually asking him if he had considered marriage. Yu Hao, adhering to the plan, replied that he would rather remain unmarried than fail to find a woman as dignified and graceful as herself. Later, Su Yue La discovered a perfume sachet that Yu Hao had "accidentally" dropped. Believing it was a deliberate gesture, she concluded that Yu Hao had fallen deeply in love with her.
The following day, feeling confident of Yu Hao's affection, Su Yue La donned special attire and went to "favor" him. She told Yu Hao she would grant his "wish" as he had taken the initiative. Yu Hao, feigning resistance, cried out dramatically that Su Yue La was attempting to defile his innocence. Su Yue La dismissed his pleas, claiming no one would come to his aid. At that precise moment, Qu Xiaotan and Mo Lian Cheng arrived.
Qu Xiaotan publicly chastised Su Yue La for brazenly defiling a man in her residence. Yu Hao, seizing the moment, dramatically accused Su Yue La of stealing his perfume sachet and attempting to tarnish his reputation. Su Yue La stammered that it was a misunderstanding, but Qu Xiaotan threatened to report her to the administrative office. Panicked, Su Yue La desperately apologized, promising to stop causing trouble and to behave respectfully, begging for their mercy.
Mo Lian Cheng, appearing to be magnanimous, suggested they could overlook the incident if Su Yue La truly ceased her disruptive behavior. Su Yue La profusely agreed to "behave at all times" and quickly left. Later, she discovered that Yu Hao's elaborate makeup had come off, revealing his true appearance, and realized she had been thoroughly tricked.
Humiliated and distraught, she rushed to Qu Meier's residence to complain, lamenting Qu Xiaotan's blackmail and Her Majesty's growing dissatisfaction with her lack of results, feeling caught in an impossible situation. Qu Meier, however, was preoccupied with her own frustrations, having just been informed that Mo Yanchen had once again refused her ginseng soup. She advised Su Yue La to be cautious about her frequent visits, as they could attract unwanted suspicion.
Xiao Zhen reported to Her Majesty, confirming that Su Yue La's interactions with Qu Meier had indeed become increasingly frequent, just as Her Majesty had suspected. Her Majesty, expressing her past tolerance for Su Yue La's collusion with Qu Meier, condemned her recent "inspection on the operation progress" as a brazen act. Convinced that Su Yue La's allegiance had shifted and she had betrayed her trust, Her Majesty deemed her unforgivable.
She then commanded Xiao Zhen to deliver an imperial edict to Qu Xiaotan's residence the following day, appointing Su Yue La as the Governor of Yu Prefecture, effective immediately. Her underlying intent was to send Su Yue La to that distant and desolate region to "nip the evil in the bud." When Xiao Zhen announced the decree, Su Yue La was terrified, knowing Yu Prefecture was a remote and dangerous place where a previous official had met a grim end.
She frantically pleaded with Qu Xiaotan to intercede on her behalf, promising unyielding loyalty, but Qu Xiaotan, with feigned sympathy, refused, sarcastically congratulating her on her "promotion" and stating she could not defy an imperial decree. Enraged, Su Yue La drew a dagger and lunged at Qu Xiaotan, vowing to kill her for her misfortune. Mo Lian Cheng, seeing the imminent danger, quickly stepped in front of Qu Xiaotan, taking the stab himself.
The intense shock of the injury instantly triggered his full memory recall. As Qu Xiaotan tended to his wound, he tenderly called her "Tan Er," confirming his true identity had returned. Overwhelmed with relief and emotion, Qu Xiaotan embraced him, confessing how difficult her time had been and her deep longing to return home and protect their son, Yu'er.
Mo Lian Cheng explained that his memories returned whenever he experienced intense emotions—such as worry, fear, or jealousy—for her, especially when those feelings were coupled with flashes of similar past dialogues or memories. He specifically noted a powerful "palpitation" he felt during these moments, particularly when Su Yue La attacked Qu Xiaotan, causing his heart to race dramatically.
Qu Xiaotan elaborated on his observation, theorizing that memory recall occurs when his current emotional state strongly matches past experiences, and his heart rate rapidly accelerates to a critical "value." She acknowledged the lack of modern medical tools like electrocardiograms or MRI to measure this value, but concluded that extreme emotional peaks were the key to unlocking his memories.
While Mo Lian Cheng's full power had not yet returned, Qu Xiaotan was content, as long as he was "her Cheng Cheng," and they still had many important matters to plan. Under the pretense of returning a gift, Mo Yanchen visited Qu Xiaotan's residence, hoping for an opportunity to see her. He instructed his attendant not to announce his presence, believing he still held a place within the household.
However, as he approached, he witnessed Mo Lian Cheng and Qu Xiaotan intimately kissing in the courtyard. Qu Xiaotan, celebrating the newfound understanding of Mo Lian Cheng's memory recovery mechanism—which she humorously attributed to Su Yue La's unwitting contribution—suggested they commemorate this "double delight" with a kiss. Mo Lian Cheng playfully reminded her that a kiss might revert his memories, but he affirmed that he remained himself, regardless of his past memories, and would never tire of kissing her.
Witnessing their passionate embrace, Mo Yanchen was utterly heartbroken. He concluded that there was truly no place for him in this home, and all his sacrifices had been nothing but a "joke." Disheartened, he returned to his own residence and drowned his sorrows in alcohol. Qu Meier entered his room, and though he initially told her to leave, she refused.
She offered him unwavering support, promising to stand by him in anything he wished to pursue, even if it meant facing the world's condemnation and public scorn. Mo Yanchen questioned why he was not worthy of even the slightest attention or affection. Qu Meier insisted that he was not at fault; rather, it was "their" mistake, the fault of the restrictive societal customs that forced him into compliance.
Mo Yanchen lamented that these customs were a knife in his heart, slowly draining his lifeblood. Embracing him, Qu Meier pledged that he would live a life better and freer than any other man, truly becoming his authentic self.
