The Love by Hypnotic Episode 23 Recap
> The Love by Hypnotic Recap
Li Qian and Li Mingyue arrived at the palace, seeking the list of attendants who had served Li Qian's mother, Zheng. They intended to gather anecdotes for a commemorative piece on her upcoming death anniversary, but were told that all of Zheng’s former servants were no longer in the palace. As they were about to leave, a eunuch secretly slipped them a note directing them to Matron Deng in the Ye Ting, the last surviving servant.
They found Matron Deng being harassed by other palace maids, who were about to kill her. Li Qian and Li Mingyue intervened, rescuing Matron Deng and warning the maids against leaking their presence, threatening them with severe punishment for attempting to execute a palace servant. Li Qian reassured the distraught Matron Deng, promising to arrange for her safe passage out of the palace so she could live her remaining years in peace.
Matron Deng tearfully recounted that Zheng had longed to see Li Qian one last time before her death. She presented a silk handkerchief completely filled with embroidered butterfly flowers, explaining that Zheng had stitched one every time she missed her son while confined at Yongtai Temple. When Li Qian asked why his mother was confined, Matron Deng revealed that during Consort Qi's pregnancy, Zheng had sent her a tonic.
Tragically, Consort Qi was severely poisoned after taking it, dying along with her unborn child. The enraged Emperor stripped Zheng of her title and banished her to Yongtai Temple. Despite Zheng’s claims of innocence, all investigations pointed to her guilt. Shortly after, a large fire erupted at Yongtai Temple, killing Zheng. Matron Deng added that the fire was rumored to have been started by fireworks set off in the palace.
This revelation deeply unsettled Li Qian, triggering a fragmented memory of himself as a young boy holding fireworks amidst a raging fire. Overcome with guilt and convinced that his childhood actions had caused his mother's death, Li Qian visited her grave, lamenting that it was his fault. Meanwhile, Li Xun knelt before the Emperor, successfully requesting to marry Qiao Huixin, despite the Emperor's suspicions about her father.
Consort Shu’s intervention, arguing that the children’s affection shouldn't be sacrificed for their parents' history, helped sway the Emperor. Soon after, Eunuch Zhou reported that King Zi (Li Qian) had been seen paying homage to Zheng at Yongtai Temple. Li Qian arrived to confess, and when the Emperor blamed Li Mingyue for defying his decree, Li Qian took full responsibility, stating a husband is accountable for his wife's actions.
He offered to surrender his military power and titles, which so infuriated the Emperor that he ordered Li Qian to be beaten with a staff. Though pained from the beating, Li Qian was more tormented by the belief that he had caused his mother's death. He secluded himself in his study, refusing to see anyone. That night, Li Xun and Qiao Huixin were married.
In the bridal chamber, Huixin told a hesitant Li Xun that she now harbored only hatred for Li Qian. Declaring that their marriage made them an inseparable force, she initiated their consummation. Li Xun, recognizing their shared pain of unrequited love, embraced their new alliance, vowing that if he could not be her love, he would become her habit. News arrived that disaster relief grain bound for Qingzhou had been robbed by bandits.
Diwu Cheng rushed to inform Li Qian, who was still locked in his room, fearing he would be accused of dereliction of duty. Li Mingyue took charge, deciding to gather replacement grain. However, the wealthy merchants she appealed to provided only a few bags of inferior grain mixed with husks. Later, Sikong Zhen burst into Li Qian's study, rebuking him for torturing both himself and Mingyue, reminding him that a person who finds clarity in pain lives a meaningful life.
Shaken from his despair, Li Qian emerged. With less than five days to gather ten thousand dan of grain, their situation was dire. Kang Le and Song Jinyu's contributions amounted to less than a tenth of what was needed. While personally escorting a few more carts of grain, Li Mingyue was attacked by assassins. Li Qian arrived just in time to save her.
He then reasoned that instead of gathering new grain, it would be more effective to find the original shipment. He instructed Diwu Cheng to disguise himself as a grain trader and make inquiries, planning to lure out the thieves by offering a high price for a large quantity of grain.
