The Eternal Love Episode 11 Recap
> The Eternal Love Recap
Qu Xiaotan returned to her room soaked, shivering from the cold. Jing Xin quickly took her wet cloak and helped her into bed. Mo Liancheng entered shortly after, rushing to her side with a concerned expression, asking what happened and if she was injured. He immediately instructed Jing Xin to prepare ginger soup. When Jing Xin brought the soup, Mo Liancheng took it to personally feed Qu Xiaotan. She grimaced after a sip, declaring it "dark cuisine" and unbearable.
However, she quickly reconsidered, fearing that if she fell ill, this handsome and attentive man might be snatched away by other women. Steeling herself, she took the bowl and drank it down. Mo Liancheng then asked why she had visited the Qu mansion that day. Qu Xiaotan vaguely explained that an unpleasant old woman had summoned her for a lecture, adding that she was used to her parents not loving her and had always relied on herself.
Mo Liancheng then tenderly told her that as his woman, he would take care of, love, and protect her for the rest of her life. The next morning, while Qu Xiaotan was doing her makeup, Jing Xin teased her about falling in love with the Eighth Prince, which Qu Xiaotan quickly dismissed, reminding her she was the Eighth Princess.
She then questioned Jing Xin about how she had ended up back at the Qu mansion the previous day, considering Qu Tan'er had intended to meet Mo Yihuai. Jing Xin admitted she didn't know the specifics but revealed that Mo Yihuai, the Grand Prince, had already become the Crown Prince, a fact now known throughout the city.
Startled, Qu Xiaotan immediately wondered if this development was connected to the previous night's events and ordered Jing Xin to summon Yu Hao for an explanation, suspecting that Mo Yihuai's intention was not merely to meet Qu Tan'er but served another purpose. Upon Yu Hao's arrival, Qu Xiaotan pressed him to reveal everything that transpired. Yu Hao explained that the Emperor had tested the princes to decide on the Crown Prince, and Mo Liancheng's intelligence had earned him praise.
Later, Mo Yihuai suggested that Qu Xiaotan might be in danger, prompting Mo Liancheng to leave the imperial palace midway through the selection process out of concern for her safety, only to be summoned by the Emperor immediately thereafter. Realizing that Mo Liancheng had sacrificed his chance at the Crown Prince position for her, Qu Xiaotan was overcome with guilt. She dismissed both Jing Xin and Yu Hao, left alone to agonize over her unintentional impact.
Later, while speaking with Mo Liancheng, Qu Xiaotan, feeling frustrated, blurted out that she no longer loved him. Immediately, her consciousness shifted, and Qu Tan'er took over. Qu Tan'er, feeling distressed, sat alone in the stone pavilion, remembering Qu Pan'er's words from the day before, lamenting that Mo Yihuai's affection was fake and he was merely using her. Jing Xin, noticing her lady's sadness, asked what was wrong.
Qu Tan'er declared that Mo Yihuai had been ruthless and she would never see him again, resolving to lead separate lives and harbor no more affection for him. As she uttered these words, her consciousness shifted back to Qu Xiaotan, who, confused, asked Jing Xin why she was there. Qu Xiaotan quickly realized the pattern in their consciousness shifts. She recounted how she had told Mo Liancheng she didn't love him, causing Qu Tan'er to appear.
Then Qu Tan'er declared she had no affection for Mo Yihuai, leading to Qu Xiaotan's return. They deduced that the commonality was telling a lie or speaking against their true thoughts. Qu Xiaotan, who loved Mo Liancheng, had lied by saying she didn't love him. Similarly, Qu Tan'er, who was deeply in love with Mo Yihuai, had lied by saying she had no affection for him.
To verify this theory, they devised a plan: Jing Xin would ask Qu Xiaotan if she loved Mo Liancheng, and Qu Xiaotan dramatically claimed she did not love him at all. This indeed triggered a switch to Qu Tan'er. Jing Xin then informed Qu Tan'er that Qu Xiaotan had discovered the switch mechanism, and they needed to test it further by having Qu Tan'er lie.
When Jing Xin asked Qu Tan'er if she truly had no affection for Mo Yihuai, Qu Tan'er asserted that she had made up her mind and would never see him again. The switch occurred once more, bringing Qu Xiaotan back. They celebrated their breakthrough, confirming that lying was the key to their consciousness shifts. However, controlling the switch proved more difficult than anticipated. Butler Zhou announced that Mo Liancheng would be taking her to the Crown Prince's canonization ceremony.
Qu Xiaotan eagerly wished for Qu Tan'er to attend so she wouldn't continue to mourn alone. Despite Qu Tan'er's profound sadness and unwillingness to see Mo Yihuai, Qu Xiaotan felt she should confront her emotions. Qu Xiaotan attempted to trigger the switch by repeatedly making false statements, such as declaring she didn't love money or that Mo Liancheng was bad in bed. Yet, the switch wouldn't occur.
Mo Liancheng then arrived, finding Qu Xiaotan exasperated with her attempts to control the transfer. Meanwhile, at the imperial palace, Mo Yihuai, now the Crown Prince, convened with Mo Liancheng and the Fourteenth Prince. The three engaged in a tense exchange. Mo Yihuai declared Mo Liancheng and the Fourteenth Prince his right and left hands, intending to work together to build a prosperous Dongyue Empire.
Mo Liancheng responded with thinly veiled sarcasm, acknowledging Mo Yihuai's ambition but also hinting at the unpredictability of who would ultimately ascend the throne. Their tense exchange was cut short as Mo Yihuai suggested it was time to visit the Emperor. Shortly after, the Empress Dowager summoned Qu Xiaotan, her demeanor cold and accusatory. She directly blamed Qu Xiaotan for Mo Liancheng's loss of the Crown Prince position, accusing her of being Mo Yihuai's spy.
Qu Xiaotan vehemently denied the accusations, proclaiming her deep love for Mo Liancheng and asserting her innocence. The Empress Dowager, unconvinced, demanded Qu Xiaotan leave the Eighth Prince's palace. Qu Xiaotan refused, citing her marriage as decreed by the late Emperor. Infuriated, the Empress Dowager ordered her attendants to slap Qu Xiaotan. Just as they were about to strike, Mo Yihuai arrived to pay his respects, subtly trying to intervene on Qu Xiaotan's behalf, suggesting she merely lacked palace etiquette.
The Empress Dowager retorted that they should avoid meeting, fearing it would jeopardize his new position. It was then that Mo Liancheng arrived, kneeling before his Royal Grandmother and pleading for her to cease tormenting Qu Tan'er. He declared that the throne was insignificant compared to her, and vowed to protect his woman from anyone who dared to harm her. With that, he led Qu Xiaotan away, leaving the Empress Dowager fuming.
Unbeknownst to Mo Liancheng, an informant from the Eighth Prince's mansion had already given the Empress Dowager a painting found in the mansion, which she believed to be evidence against Qu Tan'er. She summoned Mo Liancheng, who initially resisted, citing official duties. However, her eunuch insisted it was an urgent matter. Upon his arrival, the Empress Dowager confronted Mo Liancheng, asking if he had indeed gone to the Qu mansion on the day of the Crown Prince designation.
She accused Qu Tan'er of conspiring with Mo Yihuai and Qu Jianglin to set a trap for him. Mo Liancheng defended Qu Tan'er, insisting on her innocence. The Empress Dowager dismissed his words, claiming he was blinded by Qu Tan'er and showed him the painting as proof of Qu Tan'er's collusion with Mo Yihuai and her alleged deceit. She urged him to divorce Qu Tan'er and marry Yun'er, whose family's power could aid him in the battle for the throne.
Mo Liancheng firmly reiterated that Qu Tan'er was the only Princess in his palace. The Empress Dowager stopped him as he attempted to leave, proposing a bet to prove Qu Tan'er's alleged collusion with Mo Yihuai. The next morning, Jing Xin showed Qu Xiaotan a similar painting, explaining it was Mo Yihuai's way of communicating with Qu Tan'er. The inscription on the painting indicated a meeting between Mo Yihuai and Qu Tan'er that afternoon at Maoer Hutong.
Enraged by Mo Yihuai's audacity to still pursue Qu Tan'er, Qu Xiaotan decided to go in Qu Tan'er's stead and confront the "scumbag." As she was about to leave, Mo Liancheng appeared, inquiring about her destination. Qu Xiaotan, feigning boredom and a desire to shop for cosmetics, resisted his offer to accompany her. She promised to return that night, ultimately convincing him to let her go alone.
Upon arriving at Maoer Hutong, Qu Xiaotan fumed over Mo Yihuai's tardiness, questioning his sincerity and lamenting Qu Tan'er's supposed blindness to his true nature. Suddenly, Mo Liancheng appeared. Stunned, Qu Xiaotan asked why he was there. Mo Liancheng retorted, asking why he shouldn't be, sarcastically remarking that he was interrupting her private meeting with the Grand Prince. Qu Xiaotan desperately tried to explain that she was there on behalf of someone else, implying Qu Tan'er.
However, Mo Liancheng accused her of being a master manipulator, claiming she had successfully fooled him and that her appearance at the Qu mansion on the day of the designation was an elaborate act to gain his sympathy. He held up the painting, accusing her, as Qu Tan'er, of using his feelings to secure the Crown Prince position for Mo Yihuai. Qu Xiaotan insisted it was a misunderstanding and that the painting was not hers.
Mo Liancheng, refusing to believe her, declared he would not trust her anymore and that she no longer needed to return to the Eighth Prince's palace, offering her a divorce letter. In a desperate attempt to make him understand, Qu Xiaotan asked if he would still love her if she were not Qu Tan'er. When he pressed her to speak, she blurted out the truth: she was not the real Qu Tan'er but shared a body with her.
She acknowledged it might sound unbelievable but insisted it was true, and that she was there for Qu Tan'er. Mo Liancheng scoffed, calling her explanation childish and still addressing her as Qu Tan'er, dismissing her claims as mere acting. With tears in her eyes, Qu Xiaotan pleaded that she could prove it, as a heavy rain began to fall, leaving her standing alone, weeping in the downpour.
