The Eternal Love 3 Episode 18 Recap
> The Eternal Love 3 Recap
Her Majesty issued a decree, stating that due to a severe drought in Qian Prefecture, granaries would be opened for the people in need. To ensure the nation's well-being, all noblemen in the capital were ordered to enter the palace for a month of prayer, starting the following day. However, Prince Consort Mo Yanchen was exempted from this duty because the Eldest Princess was newly wedded.
Second Princess Qu Xiaotan was dismayed to learn that her husband, Mo Lian Cheng, was not exempted. She tried to intervene, claiming Mo Lian Cheng had been ill recently and feared his condition might displease Her Majesty. Mo Lian Cheng, however, advised her not to cause trouble for Official Xiao or disobey the imperial order. Official Xiao then relayed Her Majesty's definitive message: Mo Lian Cheng must participate in the prayer.
Back at her residence, Qu Xiaotan began gathering her valuables, intending to flee. Mo Lian Cheng stopped her, explaining their need for the Soul-guarding Pearl to return to their original world. He theorized that the pearl, being the Qu family's treasure and with Her Majesty holding the most power in that family, was likely in the palace. He intended to use his time in the palace to investigate and try to leave this place sooner.
Qu Xiaotan worried about his lack of memories and martial arts, but Mo Lian Cheng assured her that "ignorance gives me courage," which would make his actions easier. He then cautioned her to be wary of Her Majesty and the Eldest Princess while he was away. Qu Xiaotan, in turn, handed him a dagger for self-protection, stressing that a man must always protect himself. Mo Lian Cheng was summoned by Her Majesty while still copying scriptures.
Despite his unfinished task, the guard insisted that Her Majesty's order must be followed at once. Later, Qu Xiaotan was plagued by nightmares about Mo Lian Cheng and dispatched Jing Xin to gather news from the palace, also asking Jing Xin to arrange for food to calm her mind. When Mo Lian Cheng met Her Majesty, he noted her unusually casual attire. She decided to address him as "Young Master Mo" and invited him to play pitch-pot.
Mo Lian Cheng initially deemed it "not appropriate," but Her Majesty playfully questioned when he started caring about decorum. She proposed a wager: the loser would answer the winner one question. Mo Lian Cheng agreed to let Her Majesty decide the rules, which involved three arrows each, with the highest score winning. After a draw, Her Majesty asked when he had learned pitch-pot and what else he could do.
Mo Lian Cheng humbly replied he knew nothing about chores or managing a household. Her Majesty then observed his resemblance to an old acquaintance who also lacked such skills, but noted that this friend was never as respectful as Mo Lian Cheng. She reminisced about their shared past, which now felt like "a distant memory."
Mo Lian Cheng respectfully stated that, as Her Majesty was the ruler of the nation, showing respect was his duty, and he would not dare to comment on her old friend. Her Majesty then brought up his "impulsive words" during a previous sparring test. Mo Lian Cheng took responsibility, explaining that after meeting the Second Princess, he had come to know love, which had changed him. Recognizing his profound transformation, Her Majesty conceded the game.
Mo Lian Cheng, as the winner, asked if she had heard of a "priceless bead" belonging to the royal Qu family that could "change destiny and reshape reality." Her Majesty denied any knowledge and questioned where he had heard such a rumor. Mo Lian Cheng dismissed it as merely a "novel's story," apologized for his foolishness, and requested to be excused to change his clothes, citing the hot weather and his sweat, which Her Majesty permitted.
Upon learning that Mo Lian Cheng had played pitch-pot with Her Majesty, Qu Xiaotan was consumed by jealousy and fury. Jing Xin tried to reason that Mo Lian Cheng likely had his reasons, as he "can't disobey her order." Unconvinced, Qu Xiaotan dramatically demanded her "40-meter great spear" to "break into the palace." Later, Qu Xiaotan staged a suicide attempt by hanging, instructing Jing Xin to "start gathering the people" to save her.
In her haste, Jing Xin accidentally kicked away the stool, genuinely almost suffocating Qu Xiaotan, who furiously blamed her for nearly getting her killed. Jing Xin was terrified, fearing she "would be blamed for it even if I die!" Qu Xiaotan, however, assured her that a convincing act was necessary and she "can handle it."
Official Xiao reported Qu Xiaotan's staged suicide attempt to Her Majesty, conveying Qu Xiaotan's supposed lament that "she's let Your Majesty down" and that "her life is pointless" if she couldn't enter the palace. Mo Lian Cheng, unfazed, reiterated his promise with Qu Xiaotan to "take care of ourselves and reunite after the prayer." After Mo Lian Cheng's departure, Her Majesty commented on his drastic change and his suspicious knowledge of the Soul-guarding Pearl.
She pondered if he was indeed Young Master Lian Cheng but, still uncertain after testing him, ordered Official Xiao to "tighten the security around my bedroom first." Still without news from the palace, Qu Xiaotan questioned if Her Majesty genuinely didn't care about her. Jing Xin warned her to speak softly, suggesting Her Majesty might have "seen through your plot." Determined, Qu Xiaotan decided to try entering the palace again.
She attempted to bribe guards with money, but they politely refused, citing orders from their superiors. Soon after, Qu Xiaotan spotted a carriage, escorted by attendants wearing veils, and disguised herself among them. Guards halted the carriage, stating that "foreign officials cannot ride on carriages inside the palace" and must be examined on foot. The carriage's attendant argued that General Pugu (Yun Xiu) would be delayed, and Yun Xiu himself declared he "will not step out of the carriage."
The head guard clarified that Her Majesty had exempted Yun Xiu from inspection but insisted that his "convoy must be examined to prevent impostors from sneaking in." Yun Xiu intervened, asserting that he "knows every member of my convoy" and that the guards "don't need to worry," effectively allowing Qu Xiaotan to pass uninspected. Inside the palace, Qu Xiaotan thanked Yun Xiu, who dismissed it as a minor favor and, judging by her aura, deduced she didn't know martial arts.
Unable to find Mo Lian Cheng, who was copying scriptures, or Her Majesty, who was meeting envoys, Qu Xiaotan decided to check Her Majesty's imperial chamber to see if Mo Lian Cheng had engaged in any "intimate experience" with Her Majesty. As she neared the Soul-guarding Pearl within the chamber, she suddenly felt weak with a throbbing headache, attributing it to low blood sugar from skipping a meal, though the sensation quickly passed.
Official Xiao burst in, catching Qu Xiaotan trespassing and demanding her purpose. Qu Xiaotan deflected, claiming she simply missed Her Majesty, and quickly fled. Official Xiao had witnessed a strange light emanating from her but noted that Qu Xiaotan herself "doesn't seem to know the truth." Meanwhile, Yun Xiu formally met Her Majesty, who inquired about his peace-making marriage.
Her Majesty then announced that she had chosen him to be "Second Princess Qu Tan Er's main prince consort," with the wedding to take place in "two days from now." Yun Xiu was taken aback by the suddenness but, realizing he "can't disobey the empress's order," reluctantly accepted. Later, Yun Xiu joyfully greeted Mo Feng Yang in the palace.
Mo Feng Yang, however, coldly dismissed him, refusing to discuss past misunderstandings on the battlefield and warning him against causing "any trouble" in Dongyue. Back at her residence, Qu Xiaotan received the imperial edict of her marriage to Yun Xiu, lamenting her fate and wondering if he had known about the arrangement all along and had deliberately helped her to curry favor.
With the date of his departure from the palace approaching, Mo Lian Cheng decided his only remaining course of action was to investigate Her Majesty's heavily guarded imperial chamber. He instructed Yu Hao to remain behind to avoid drawing suspicion. That night, Mo Lian Cheng secretly entered the imperial chamber, using sleeping incense to subdue the occupants.
He triggered a mechanism that led him to a hidden chamber where he discovered ancient texts detailing the history of the Dongyue continent: the rise of the Qu family who united the land under the Xihe regime, and the subsequent decline of the once-benevolent Mo family. Unbeknownst to Mo Lian Cheng, the entire setup was a trap; Her Majesty, feigning unconsciousness, watched as Official Xiao activated a mechanism under her instruction.
Trapped deeper within the hidden chamber, Mo Lian Cheng failed to find the Soul-guarding Pearl. Official Xiao found a dagger Mo Lian Cheng had dropped, recognizing it as belonging to the Second Princess. Later that night, Qu Xiaotan and Jing Xin attempted to scale the palace wall to find Mo Lian Cheng. Qu Xiaotan, frustrated by their failure, accused Official Xiao, who had once again intercepted them, of installing a "GPS tracker on me."
She tried to feign an urgent meeting with Her Majesty, but Official Xiao revealed that Mo Lian Cheng had "trespassed into the forbidden ground and was trapped there." He added that Mo Lian Cheng was "carrying injuries" and "might lose his life" due to the numerous deadly contraptions. Official Xiao offered to personally rescue Mo Lian Cheng, but only if Qu Xiaotan agreed to "return to your residence and await the wedding." Qu Xiaotan, suspicious, questioned why she should trust him.
