The Four Episode 7 Recap
> The Four Recap
An Shigen has been relentlessly searching for werewolves with wolf blood. The Nine-tailed Fox, using the Qianxun Lamp gifted by An Shigen, identifies Leng Xue as one such werewolf. An Shigen instructs her to closely monitor Leng Xue, noting that he is most vulnerable during a full moon when his wolf nature is activated, a prime opportunity for her to harm him and extract wolf blood. Meanwhile, Leng Xue confronts An Shigen about the annihilation of his clan.
An Shigen points to Leng Xue's adoptive father as the perpetrator, but when Leng Xue questions his adoptive father, the latter vehemently denies the accusation. Ling Yiyi continued her determined pursuit of Tie Shou. She presented him with a document, which Zhui Ming had deceptively gotten Tie Shou to sign, proclaiming Ling Yiyi's commitment to care for Tie Shou for life. Confused and embarrassed, Tie Shou denied having any such agreement.
Ling Yiyi explained that Tie Shou had once saved her from a bully in her hometown, and after three months of arduous travel, she was now penniless and resolved to fulfill the "contract" by looking after him. Despite his initial resistance, Tie Shou eventually agreed to escort her back to Qiuyun Temple, where she was staying. Later, Tie Shou crafted a giant kite, which he and Ling Yiyi playfully flew together.
As night fell, Tie Shou gathered fireflies for an overjoyed Ling Yiyi. Seeing her, Tie Shou was reminded of his own sister, who Ling Yiyi strongly resembled, and advised her to return to her hometown for a better life. Meanwhile, Chunping’s relentless bullying of Chu Limo intensified.
She assigned Chu Limo increasingly demanding tasks, such as washing a huge pile of clothes and floorcloths within a ridiculously short time, or sweeping the vast inner hall and chopping a large stack of wood into tiny pieces with even shorter incense sticks as deadlines. When Chu Limo protested the unfairness, Chunping and other maids mocked her, accusing her of seducing Leng Xue and often denying her food if the tasks weren't completed to their impossible standards.
Chu Limo's friend, Ye'er, attempted to assist her, but Chunping would intervene, taking Ye'er away to prevent her from helping. Chu Limo, exhausted by the abuse, tried to escape Shenhou Mansion by climbing over a wall. Leng Xue intercepted her, reminding her of her true identity as Chu Yingxue, who was meant to enter the palace.
He cautioned that her escape from the palace, facilitated by the Four Constables, put them at severe risk of imperial wrath if her survival were discovered. Disregarding his warning, Chu Limo fled into the street, crying out that Leng Xue was harassing her. However, the bystanders did not believe her, and Leng Xue eventually apprehended her and brought her back to the mansion. After being denied food, Chu Limo received some savory pancakes from a compassionate Wuqing.
She vented her frustration about Leng Xue's coldness, but Wuqing defended him, explaining that Leng Xue, though seemingly aloof, was a man of deep loyalty. Chu Limo then expressed her sadness over her mother's jade pendant, the only tangible link to her past. In a candid conversation, Ye'er revealed details about her own family, explaining her mother's aversion to men and "love" due to past heartbreaks, and how she raised many girls under strict rules.
Chu Limo, in turn, confided about her childhood love for her cousin, who was rejected by her father and later betrayed her, though Chu Limo no longer blamed him, feeling their emotional debt was settled. Ye'er then revealed that she, too, harbored a deep love for a scholar, gravely injured by Ye'er's mother, for whom she was doing everything, longing to forsake her past and live an ordinary life with him.
Shortly after these conversations, it was discovered that Chunping had secretly imprisoned Ye'er; Chu Limo later found Ye'er's clothes and heard her cries from a hidden room. Later, after a night of relentless teasing about Ling Yiyi, Zhui Ming shared a drink with Wuqing, expressing his frustration with Leng Xue's emotional detachment, particularly concerning Ji Yaohua and Princess Ziluo. Wuqing explained that Leng Xue carried the heavy burden of his clan's annihilation, which left him no mind for romantic entanglements.
Wuqing also attempted to persuade Leng Xue to reconsider his harsh judgment of Chu Limo. He acknowledged Leng Xue's account of Chu Limo impersonating a masseuse and stealing his handkerchief but argued it was a misunderstanding, possibly indicating manipulation. Wuqing stated that Chu Limo could not be the Nine-tailed Fox responsible for the recent murders, as she was in Huzhou when the incidents began in the capital. He implored Leng Xue to clear Chu Limo's name.
Leng Xue, however, remained suspicious, citing a lingering "fox scent" around Chu Limo and her mysterious behavior. Despite Wuqing’s pleas, Leng Xue refused to intervene in Chu Limo's plight. However, when he later overheard maids spreading rumors of a "banning order" he supposedly issued against Chu Limo, Leng Xue confronted Chunping, explicitly forbidding her from using his name to persecute others.
Meanwhile, the Nine-tailed Fox (Jiuyuehu), whose leg was injured during her confrontation with Leng Xue and Wuqing, returned to her husband, Zhang Sheng. He discovered her wound and confronted her, accusing her of reverting to her dangerous activities despite her promise to stop. He expressed profound despair, feeling his existence was a burden, and proposed severing their ties. The Nine-tailed Fox, however, tearfully swore to remain by his side, asserting that all her actions were for his sake.
Chu Limo, who had been secretly listening from outside the room, felt a deep sense of empathy for the Nine-tailed Fox's plight. She wrestled with the dilemma of whether to reveal the truth of the Nine-tailed Fox's motives to the constables, fearing that doing so would lead to Zhang Sheng's death. Chu Limo questioned if all "demons" were inherently evil and resolved to find a way to help the Nine-tailed Fox.
Back in the Shenhou Mansion kitchen, Chu Limo accidentally caused a fire while struggling to chop firewood. Chunping, seizing the opportunity, immediately demanded Chu Limo's expulsion. However, Zhuge arrived and, recognizing that the fire was accidental, decided not to punish Chu Limo, much to Chunping's dismay. Though Zhuge had previously instructed Chunping to treat maids with respect, Chunping remained hostile, threatening Chu Limo with eviction by the end of the month.
Fearlessly, Chu Limo demanded the return of her precious jade pendant, which Chunping had forcibly confiscated. Chunping grudgingly handed it back. Later, as Chu Limo was outside playing with her recovered jade pendant, Zhuge noticed an unusual inscription on it, and Chu Limo innocently explained its origin, leading Zhuge to realize her background was far more extraordinary than he had imagined. Zhuge then coaxed Chu Limo to a great hall, where two small wolves suddenly appeared and advanced towards her.
