The Eternal Love Episode 15 Recap
> The Eternal Love Recap
Jing Xin, following Qu Xiaotan's instructions, brought Qu Tan'er to meet with Mo Yihuai, as Xiaotan wanted Tan'er to clarify things with him in person, knowing that Mo Liancheng was still unconscious and therefore wouldn't be jealous. Mo Yihuai questioned Tan'er's distant attitude, asserting his innocence in the assassination attempt and assuring her that he would never endanger her. He proposed remarrying as soon as possible, promising a life free from suffering.
Tan'er responded with bitter laughter, criticizing his coldness and cruelty, and dismissing his claims that his actions were for their future. She declared she was finished listening to his lies and urged him to stop deceiving himself. She told him that if he were truly acting for himself, he should keep her out of it.
Tan'er then ended their relationship, stating she was no longer the same person and that her heart belonged entirely to Mo Liancheng, vowing to follow him in death if he died. Meanwhile, the Fourteenth Prince and Yu Hao investigated Changyin Pavilion for clues about the assassination attempt, finding nothing at first. Yu Hao then noticed the owner of Changyin Pavilion hiding. Confronted, the owner initially denied seeing anything, claiming he was backstage.
However, the Fourteenth Prince exposed his lie when the owner mentioned "two Princesses" being injured, despite only one being publicly reported. Under pressure, the owner admitted to overhearing the Princesses' conversation. Qu Xiaotan considered Zhao Qingyun as the mastermind behind the attack. However, she was troubled by Mo Liancheng being hit by an arrow, as she was unfamiliar with the complex relationships in Dongyue.
Yu Hao also voiced his doubts, pointing out that while Zhao Qingyun had a feud with Xiaotan and knew her history with the Crown Prince, she also deeply loved Mo Liancheng and wouldn't intentionally harm him. Xiaotan agreed, concluding that while Zhao Qingyun was involved, the Crown Prince Mo Yihuai was not, leaving the identity of the person who targeted Mo Liancheng a mystery. Troubled, Xiaotan then intentionally brought out Qu Tan'er.
The Fourteenth Prince recounted the events of the assassination night. Tan'er, using her intellect, quickly noticed discrepancies: the assassins had similar attire but different targets. She deduced that there were two distinct groups of attackers, suggesting that someone deliberately wanted to frame Zhao Qingyun for targeting Mo Liancheng. Tan'er considered the Empress Dowager and Anle Marquis as potential influencers of Zhao Qingyun but dismissed them, as neither would risk Mo Liancheng or frame Zhao Qingyun.
Suddenly, Tan'er blurted out "Qu Pan'er!" This abrupt shift and swift deduction, along with Xiaotan and Tan'er's alternating personalities, left the Fourteenth Prince bewildered. Yu Hao covered for the Princess, explaining that she was likely disoriented from grief. They concluded that Qu Pan'er and her mother, the Grand Lady, were the most suspicious masterminds. To uncover the truth, they decided to start with Zhao Qingyun.
Qu Xiaotan confronted Zhao Qingyun, presenting her with a "signed testimony" from a prisoner and urging her to confess. Zhao Qingyun vehemently denied it, but Xiaotan manipulated her by suggesting what Mo Liancheng would think upon seeing such evidence when he awoke, and threatening that he would hate her and expel her from the palace.
Fearing Mo Liancheng's rejection, Zhao Qingyun confessed to wanting to get rid of Xiaotan and admitted she had been incited by Qu Pan'er and the Grand Lady. She became convinced it was a trap set by them. Xiaotan then asked Jing Xin to relay a question to Tan'er: if she had any incriminating information about the Grand Lady and Qu Pan'er.
Tan'er recalled that the Grand Lady had once had an affair with a guard in the Qu mansion, but she had kept it secret due to her own difficult situation at the time. Xiaotan immediately asked for the guard's description. Tan'er described him as having "broad shoulders and back" and "a huge black mole with hair between his eyebrows." Xiaotan instantly recognized these distinct features, realizing they perfectly matched the assassin who had shot Mo Liancheng.
As Xiaotan watched over the unconscious Mo Liancheng, Jing Xin rushed in with urgent news: the Empress Dowager was arriving. The Empress Dowager entered, immediately accusing Xiaotan of being responsible for Mo Liancheng's injuries and declaring her guilty. She then ordered Xiaotan's Princess title to be abolished and her immediate expulsion from the palace. Just as the Empress Dowager was about to give the order, Mo Liancheng suddenly awoke and loudly commanded them to stop.
He then fiercely warned that anyone who dared to touch Tan'er would be torn apart. Startled, the Empress Dowager quickly wished Mo Liancheng a good recovery and hastily returned to the Imperial Palace. With the Empress Dowager gone, Xiaotan affectionately tended to Mo Liancheng.
He revealed that he had heard everything she said while he was in a coma, including her confessions about not wanting to return to her world without him and her desire to take him with her if she did. Mo Liancheng quickly recovered from his arrow wound. A few days later, he and Qu Xiaotan went straight to the Qu mansion. Upon their arrival, Mo Liancheng immediately questioned the Grand Lady's actions.
The Grand Lady tried to claim she was framed, but Mo Liancheng presented a testimony, making it clear the situation was grave. Qu Tan'er, in Xiaotan's body, urged her birth mother, the Grand Lady, to confess for the sake of their family. The Grand Lady confessed to being solely responsible for the assassination attempt, after Mo Liancheng threatened further investigation that could implicate her husband, Lord Qu.
Lord Qu, terrified, begged Mo Liancheng for mercy, asking him to punish the Grand Lady severely but spare the rest of the family. Mo Liancheng reminded him that assassinating a Prince was a crime punishable by the death penalty for the entire family. Tan'er then intervened, offering to let the matter go for her mother's sake. Mo Liancheng agreed, but warned Lord Qu to behave himself, stating that Lord Qu's life was still in his hands.
Mo Liancheng then produced the guard, revealing the Grand Lady's long-held secret affair. Lord Qu, enraged by the adultery, declared he would discard his wife. Qu Pan'er arrived, attempting to defend her mother and angrily confronted Xiaotan. Seeing the escalating chaos and fearing for her daughter's safety, the Grand Lady confessed to all her sins – the attempted assassination of a Prince and her adultery with the guard.
She begged Mo Liancheng to spare her family and then, in a desperate act of self-sacrifice, she took her own life. With the Grand Lady's death, Mo Liancheng decided to close the investigation, instructing Lord Qu to plan the funeral. Qu Pan'er glared menacingly at Qu Xiaotan's retreating figure.
