The Eternal Love Episode 13 Recap
> The Eternal Love Recap
Following Mo Xiaotan's recovery, the Crown Prince, Mo Yihuai, accompanied by the Crown Princess, pays a visit to Mo Liancheng’s estate. Mo Liancheng questions the purpose of their visit, and Mo Yihuai claims fraternal concern. However, Mo Liancheng retorts that Mo Yihuai’s true concern lies with someone else, prompting Mo Yihuai to mention Qu Tan'er’s bedridden state. Mo Liancheng provocatively asks if Mo Yihuai believes Qu Tan'er’s injury was his doing, asserting his ability to protect his own woman.
Mo Yihuai attempts to assert his authority as the new Crown Prince, but Mo Liancheng dismisses him, warning him to pay attention to his own precarious position. When the Crown Princess intervenes, Mo Liancheng implies Mo Yihuai has become a coward since his marriage before coolly dismissing them. Later, Mo Liancheng finds the gentle Qu Tan'er embroidering. He apologizes for not letting her see Mo Yihuai during his visit.
Qu Tan'er replies that it is no longer proper for her to meet the Crown Prince, acknowledging that he is a changed man consumed by ambition. Mo Liancheng agrees, expressing gratitude for Qu Xiaotan, whose unconventional personality makes their difficult life more bearable. Qu Tan'er confesses that her heart died when Mo Yihuai abandoned her and she only continues on because of Qu Xiaotan.
She concludes that one cannot force destiny and begins to play a melancholic tune on the guzheng. Deep within a forest, cloaked figures report to their master that Liu Qianshui, the white-haired old man, has been located in Dongyue. They reveal he miraculously saved a girl named Qu Tan'er, leading the master to deduce she is the person he seeks.
He orders his subordinates to investigate her and kill her if their suspicions are confirmed, stating that a seal is weakening and his success is imminent. Meanwhile, an edict from the Empress Dowager announces that Princess Zhao Qingyun will be married to Mo Liancheng as his side concubine within the month. Shortly after, the Fourteenth Prince, Xiaoxuan, bursts into Qu Tan'er’s room. An imperial doctor first confirms Qu Tan'er's stable recovery.
Once they are alone, Xiaoxuan reveals the marriage news, explaining that his brother had no choice but to wed Zhao Qingyun to secure the political support of her father, the Anle Marquis. Xiaoxuan laments that women are merely tools for men in their fight for power. Qu Tan'er agrees, sadly stating that the person Mo Liancheng loves isn't her. Xiaoxuan insists his brother treats her uniquely.
The commotion from the wedding preparations awakens Qu Xiaotan, who learns from Jing Xin about Zhao Qingyun’s impending marriage. Enraged, she storms to Mo Liancheng’s study, calling him a jerk and accusing him of bringing a mistress into their home. He asks if she is jealous, which she denies, but insists that if he truly loves only her, he cannot marry another woman.
As she continues her tirade, Mo Liancheng has her escorted back to her room, but not before she warns him that he will never see her again if he goes through with the marriage. In her room, Jing Xin reminds Qu Xiaotan that Liu Qianshui, the old man who saved her, left an address. Intrigued about her recovery and his connection to her time travel, Qu Xiaotan decides to visit him immediately.
At his dwelling, she bluntly asks if he is from the modern world and how she can return. The old man responds with cryptic philosophical statements before revealing that to return, she must obtain the Soul Bead, a powerful treasure he predicts will appear soon. He gifts her a Soul Wandering Flute and a music score, explaining its power will grow with her own and may help her find her way home.
Later, a troubled Qu Xiaotan confides in Jing Xin about the pain of love. She attempts to play the flute, surprised that she can play the unfamiliar notes naturally as the instrument emits a faint spiritual light. Still vexed by the marriage, she stops playing. That night, she curses Mo Liancheng, only to be startled by his sudden appearance in her room.
Qu Xiaotan confronts Mo Liancheng for being in her room with a bridal veil instead of at his own wedding. He explains the veil is for her, as he intends to hold a wedding just for them, promising a lifetime together. He reveals that Xiaoxuan performed the official ceremony in his place. Qu Xiaotan then demands to know who he truly loves: the gentle Qu Tan'er or her own careless self. Mo Liancheng states unequivocally, "I only want you."
At that moment, Qu Xiaotan feels dizzy and her personality switches to Qu Tan'er, who demands he keep his distance. As Qu Xiaotan's personality re-emerges, Mo Liancheng tells her she will never escape him, vowing to spend his entire life loving and protecting the one and only Qu Xiaotan. He asks her to stay with him forever, but she remains doubtful.
