The Love by Hypnotic Episode 1 Recap
> The Love by Hypnotic Recap
In the winter of Jinghe year twenty, the nations of Xiyue and Beixuan sought to rebuild their diplomatic relations. To solidify this new bond, Second Prince Kaierbi personally escorted Princess Aimaila to Beixuan for a diplomatic marriage. As the marriage procession arrived in Xing'an city, it was immediately surrounded by throngs of eager citizens, all hoping to catch a glimpse of the princess.
However, unbeknownst to the crowd, Princess Aimaila, who had been granted the name Li Mingyue by the Beixuan Emperor before the marriage, had already secretly slipped away. She was out exploring Xing'an city, marveling at its bustling streets. Meanwhile, it was her maid, Tanli, who rode in the marriage carriage. The procession continued its journey until it reached Anhuamen, where it suddenly came under attack by assassins.
In the midst of the danger, a veiled Beixuan prince, King Zi, appeared and rescued the delegation. As King Zi prepared to leave, another hidden assassin shot an arrow at him, which he skillfully blocked. However, his sachet was struck and fell. King Zi then pursued the assassin. At the same time, the real Princess Li Mingyue, having heard about the assassination, rushed back to the scene.
She encountered King Zi chasing the assassin and, mistaking him for one of the attackers, shouted and gave chase. Her pursuit was cut short when, due to her unrefined martial arts skills, she fell from a rooftop but was swiftly caught by King Zi. After he dropped her, King Zi continued his pursuit, eventually cornering the assassin. He demanded to know who had sent him, but the man refused to answer, choosing instead to bite his tongue and commit suicide.
Shortly after, King Zi’s subordinate, Diwu Cheng, arrived with news from the palace: the assassins had been identified as rebels. King Zi then ordered his subordinate to secretly protect the Xiyue delegation. Meanwhile, Li Mingyue finally caught up. Seeing the fallen assassin and King Zi, she stared at him, bewildered, asking who he was. King Zi remained silent. As he removed his veil, a passing carriage obscured Li Mingyue's view, and by the time it passed, he was gone.
At King Ling's residence, he received a report confirming the Xiyue princess had safely arrived at the official stop. It became clear that the assassination attempt had been orchestrated by King Ling’s ministers, who had also reported the attackers as rebels to cover their tracks.
One of them, Mister Qiao, suggested to King Ling that this was an opportunity to "go further," implying more drastic measures, but King Ling vehemently rejected the idea, warning Mister Qiao against harming siblings or parents. A subordinate then brought an arrow found at the crime scene, confirming it had hit a sachet. The arrow carried the distinct scent of Ambergris, a fragrance exclusive to sachets worn by princes.
This led King Ling to conclude that the rescuer was none other than King Zi, Li Qian. The subordinate also reported a peculiar detail: while their original plan was to assassinate the Xiyue princess, the second arrow fired had been aimed directly at King Zi. Realizing his subordinates had overstepped, King Ling sternly warned them against making independent decisions in the future.
After dismissing them, he instructed his attendant, Qin Yuan, to deliver custom-made silk and a box of gold hairpins to the Qiao residence for his beloved, Miss Qiao Huixin. However, the thoughtful gift was rejected. Qiao Huixin, the eldest daughter of the Qiao family, consistently refused any gifts from King Ling. She explained to her father, Mister Qiao, that she had instructed her servants not to accept them.
Mister Qiao advised her to face the reality of King Zi's impending marriage, but Huixin remained steadfast. Acknowledging that King Zi had to prioritize the kingdom's diplomatic marriage, she firmly stated that since her engagement to King Zi remained valid, she would always consider herself his woman, even if it meant being a concubine, as it was her mother’s dying wish for her to marry him.
Mister Qiao highlighted King Ling’s sincerity and his advantageous position as the eldest son, favored by the Emperor's beloved Consort Wang, making him the prime candidate for Crown Prince. He argued that marrying King Ling was the best choice for her and the Qiao family, but Huixin reiterated her commitment to her heart. Later, King Zi was informed that King Ling had been summoned by the Emperor to report on the assassination.
King Zi anticipated this, remarking that while he personally didn't care about Xiyue's power, others certainly did, implying King Ling was trying to gain favor after his failed attempt. Soon after, King Zi also entered the palace to meet the Emperor, where he pointed out the numerous suspicious aspects of the "rebel" attack. However, the Emperor, keen to avoid further complications, was unwilling to delve deeper, emphasizing that the Xiyue princess’s safety was now paramount.
Seizing the opportunity, King Zi proposed a solution: given King Ling’s commendable efforts in tracking the assassins and King Zi’s own busy schedule, King Ling was the ideal candidate to temporarily protect the princess. The Emperor approved, sternly warning King Ling that he would be held accountable for any harm that befell her. As they left the palace, King Ling challenged King Zi, asking why he wouldn't dissolve his engagement with Huixin.
King Zi scoffed that he had no choice but to obey the Emperor's decree and mockingly suggested King Ling should persuade Huixin to dissolve the engagement herself. As the Xiyue procession approached the palace, Li Mingyue had once again slipped away for fun. Her maid, Tanli, had to cover for her in the carriage, feigning dizziness and claiming to be looking for spices when Second Prince Kaierbi grew concerned.
Upon Li Mingyue’s return, Kaierbi warned her sternly about the grave crime of deceiving the Emperor, but she retorted that her name was now Aimaila, a name and surname bestowed by the Emperor himself. Just then, Princess Kangle, the Emperor's ninth child, approached, expressing curiosity about the Xiyue princess. She tried to lift Li Mingyue’s veil, but Li Mingyue refused, arousing Kangle's suspicion. Arriving at their designated quarters, Li Mingyue hurried to swap clothes with Tanli.
While Li Mingyue was changing behind a screen, King Zi unexpectedly entered and inadvertently saw her silhouette. Startled, Li Mingyue confronted him, accusing him of peeking. King Zi tried to ignore her, but she chased him, taunting him as a beardless and quarrelsome "eunuch." During their chase, they stumbled and fell together. Li Mingyue then employed her hypnosis skills on King Zi, convincing him he was a tree that could only cry.
He remained frozen until his subordinate arrived and snapped him out of the trance, at which point he claimed his tears were from dust blown into his eyes. Despite the quick wardrobe change, Princess Kangle deduced that Li Mingyue and Tanli had swapped identities. To ensure her silence, Li Mingyue promised to be Kangle's closest confidante, sharing all her food, fun, and secrets. As the evening banquet drew near, King Ling arrived with Qiao Huixin.
Huixin stared intently at Li Mingyue. Learning from Kangle that Huixin was King Zi's childhood sweetheart, Li Mingyue worried that King Zi would not like her. Just then, King Zi approached. Li Mingyue and King Zi recognized each other instantly from their chaotic encounters but, to avoid suspicion, both vehemently denied ever having met before.
