The Love by Hypnotic Episode 25 Recap
> The Love by Hypnotic Recap
Following up on their agreement to meet, Li Qian finds Li Mingyue at Luomei Pavilion. She is still upset, but after Li Qian teases her, he earnestly states that no matter how knowledgeable and mature Pei Shutang is, he is not interested in her. He declares he only loves his foreign princess who may not be versed in literature, but enjoys playing with her scimitar, has a bit of a temper, and makes strange-tasting osmanthus cakes.
He then provocatively asks why she hasn't questioned him about what happened with Pei Shutang on their wedding night. Though threatening to return to Xiyue, Mingyue is intrigued and stays to listen. Li Qian explains that on their wedding night, he discovered scissors hidden on Pei Shutang and immediately realized she was sent by King Ling. Confronted, Pei Shutang confessed she was indeed sent by King Ling.
She revealed that she already had a beloved, Mister Baishang, an official who worked under her father, the Minister of Revenue, Pei Ling. Her father had blackmailed her by threatening Mister Baishang’s life, forcing her to marry into the prince's household with her maid, Yingting. Disheartened and seeking a quick death, she had hidden the scissors for self-immolation. Pei Shutang also disclosed that King Ling had another spy planted within the residence.
She offered to help Li Qian identify this spy if he would grant her wish to be reunited with Mister Baishang. Intrigued, Li Qian agreed, promising to help her leave the residence and be with her lover once the matter was resolved. As a sign of sincerity, she gave him an ecstasy pill that King Ling had intended for her to use on him.
Li Qian further explained that his recent displays of affection towards Pei Shutang were a deliberate act for Yingting’s benefit, intended to deceive King Ling into believing his scheme was succeeding. This charade would create an opportunity to feed false information to King Ling and expose the hidden spy. Understanding the plan, Li Mingyue feels a sense of pity for Pei Shutang, realizing they were both victims of political marriages.
Li Qian playfully suggests keeping Pei Shutang in the residence as a companion for Mingyue, which infuriates her. She immediately embraces Li Qian, possessively declaring her ownership over him and forbidding him from looking at any other woman. To fully commit to their act, Li Mingyue orchestrates a dramatic argument with Li Qian, while Tanli confirms that three specific maids—Bi'er, Zhui'er, and Fu'er—are secretly observing.
Li Mingyue then summons the three maids, instructing each to find a man named Uncle Zhong to purchase a different item: one for arsenic, one for gunpowder, and one for a potent incense. Soon after, Fu'er, the maid tasked with buying gunpowder, rushes to King Ling's residence. She reports that Li Qian and Li Mingyue are fighting fiercely over Pei Shutang, with Li Mingyue even threatening to return to Xiyue.
She adds that she overheard servants whispering that Li Qian had threatened to divorce Mingyue during their heated exchange. Upon hearing Fu'er’s report, Qiao Huixin is shocked. She questions how the deeply sentimental Li Qian could so easily consider divorcing his wife for Pei Shutang, especially after he had so firmly refused her own attempts to enter his household. Seeing Qiao Huixin's jealous anger, Li Xun grows uneasy.
He dismissively states that Li Qian is not as noble as she imagines and is susceptible to selfish desires, noting that he himself had given Pei Shutang an ecstasy pill to use. Though he believes Pei Shutang's words are only half-true, Li Xun acknowledges that the combined strategy of a beauty trap and a conflict-inducing scheme is proving effective. They agree it is time to intensify the situation.
Qiao Huixin arranges a meeting with Pei Shutang and informs her of Li Mingyue's purchase of gunpowder. Pei Shutang immediately deduces that Fu'er is the spy. Feigning intense fear, she repeatedly pleads with Qiao Huixin to save her. However, Yingting calmly voices suspicion that the prince and consort might be acting, as Li Qian had never truly punished Li Mingyue.
Reinforcing this doubt, Qiao Huixin expresses her own disbelief, pointing out how much effort she herself had expended in the past to no avail, finding it incredible that Pei Shutang could win Li Qian's favor so easily. Cornered by their combined skepticism, Pei Shutang quickly claims that Li Qian's apparent affection had momentarily blinded her. This explanation seems to secure Qiao Huixin's fragile trust, though she sternly warns that should anything go wrong, Mister Baishang would bear the consequences.
To further convince Qiao Huixin, Li Mingyue devises a plan for Li Qian to publicly strike her. Li Qian announces that in three days, for the upcoming Bird Festival, he intends to visit the Temple of the God of Marriage to pray. He explicitly states he will take Pei Shutang with him, as the temple is for lovers, leaving Li Mingyue to reflect on her misdeeds at home.
Li Mingyue reacts with feigned fury, confronting Pei Shutang and provoking Li Qian. As he moves to strike, Li Qian hesitates, unable to bring himself to hit her. Li Mingyue subtly uses hypnosis to compel him, and he finally delivers the blow. Unexpectedly, Princess Kangle arrives shortly after, outraged by the apparent abuse. She tries to drag Li Mingyue to confront Li Qian, but Mingyue quickly stops her. Just then, Fu'er arrives to deliver cakes from the side consort.
Capitalizing on the moment, Li Mingyue loudly claims she bought gunpowder because Princess Kangle wanted her to make firecrackers. Kangle promptly denies it, but Li Mingyue covers her mouth and whispers for her not to go to the Temple of the God of Marriage on the Bird Festival. Fu'er overhears this exchange and reports to Qiao Huixin, asserting that Li Mingyue’s purchase of gunpowder was indeed intended to harm the side consort. This time, Qiao Huixin is fully convinced.
Convinced by the report, Qiao Huixin proposes using the Bird Festival to eliminate Li Mingyue. Li Xun suggests they seize the chance to injure Li Qian as well, killing two birds with one stone. Qiao Huixin vehemently rejects this, not out of lingering affection, but because she desires a more agonizing fate for him; she wants him to live and witness his complete ruin and betrayal by all.
Seeing her resolute malice, Li Xun reluctantly concedes, musing inwardly about the bitter irony of wanting to believe her passionate lies despite knowing the truth. Li Mingyue and Tanli proceed to carefully hide the gunpowder within an incense burner at the temple, making sure that one of Li Xun's agents, who is observing them, clearly sees their actions.
Meanwhile, Li Xun shrewdly suggests to the Emperor that he and the Empress Dowager should also visit the Temple of the God of Marriage to burn incense. On the day of the Bird Festival, the Emperor, accompanied by Li Qian, Pei Shutang, Li Xun, and Qiao Huixin, arrives at the temple. The imperial astronomers had reported that if Prince Zi lit the first incense, it would bring blessings to all. Following this, Li Qian prepares to light the incense.
Pei Shutang steps forward to light her own first, praying for a life free of hardship with her beloved. Li Qian then offers his own prayer, reflecting on how he once didn't believe in destiny but now realizes the God of Marriage had brought his true love to him. Just as the Emperor expresses his satisfaction, and Li Xun questions the absence of Li Mingyue, Cao Fu, the Capital Governor, dramatically rushes in. He reports an urgent discovery: gunpowder is circulating in the city, and intelligence indicates that malicious individuals have planted it within the temple itself.
