The Love by Hypnotic Episode 9 Recap
> The Love by Hypnotic Recap
As Li Mingyue fretted over Li Qian's anger, her maid Tanli suggested she missed him. Mingyue denied it, clarifying her real fear was that he would divorce her, which would damage the alliance between Xiyue and Beixuan. Soon after, Li Qian arrived at her residence to inform her that she was required to join him and his father, the Emperor, on a hunting expedition the next day.
Thrilled by the prospect of hunting, Li Mingyue asked if he was no longer angry and eagerly offered to showcase her riding and archery skills to bring him glory. She instructed Tanli to retrieve her cherished bows and riding attire, but before she could show them off, Li Qian abruptly ordered Diwu Cheng to confiscate them.
He sternly warned her that at the crowded hunting ground, she must act like a proper queen, even if it meant pretending, and forbade her from wearing any Xiyue clothing. Indignant, Li Mingyue declared she would not go, but Li Qian gave her a stark choice: either attend the hunt or return to Xiyue. He also demanded that she leave her Zhuxin Bell at the residence.
Observing Li Mingyue's distress, Diwu Cheng gently suggested to Li Qian that she might have misunderstood his good intentions. Though Li Qian initially denied having any, Diwu Cheng deduced that his master was worried King Ling might have planned something at the hunting ground. Li Qian then revealed his true concerns: he feared King Ling could tamper with Mingyue's bow to frame her for injuring someone, which would make him accountable.
He also explained that as Beixuan's queen, not Xiyue's princess, her native attire would make the Emperor suspicious. Diwu Cheng summarized that Li Qian was protecting Li Mingyue from being framed and from arousing the Emperor's distrust, though Li Qian stubbornly maintained his actions were "for himself." Diwu Cheng concluded by advising that if Li Mingyue appeared sullen at the hunt, it would undermine his protective efforts.
On the day of the hunt, Li Mingyue arrived at the hunting ground, visibly disheartened and lamenting that she was forced to wear "pretty but useless" attire instead of displaying her skills. Li Qian reiterated his warnings to behave, not wander off, and to wait for him in his camp. Shortly after, Qiao Huixin arrived, and King Ling immediately approached to express concern for her well-being.
Upset after seeing Li Qian with Li Mingyue, Huixin responded resentfully that she disliked riding and shooting. King Ling apologized for not considering her feelings, explaining he only wanted her to relax, and she fell silent. Inside Li Qian’s camp, Li Mingyue was surprised to find her confiscated bows and riding attire. She briefly wondered if Li Qian had prepared them for her before dismissing the thought.
Li Qian then entered and confirmed the gear was for her to use in the hunt. Feigning meek compliance, Li Mingyue reminded him of his instructions to behave, but he insisted she wear them, promising to personally "keep an eye on her." She then challenged him to stay and watch her change so as not to arouse suspicion. Li Qian turned his back, vowing not to peek, but Mingyue deliberately tossed her discarded clothes at him, including an intimate undergarment.
After declaring he wouldn't look, Li Qian stole a glance, then, flustered, handed the undergarment back and fled the tent. Emerging in her riding attire, a radiant Li Mingyue found a captivated Li Qian. She playfully teased him, asking if he looked good and if he regretted his hasty exit. Recovering, he claimed he was just checking if her attire was proper, to which she audaciously challenged him to "personally re-dress her" if it wasn't.
Flustered, Li Qian urged her to hurry so they would not keep the Emperor waiting. As the hunting party gathered, the Emperor declared that everyone must demonstrate their skills to showcase Beixuan's valor. He specifically instructed Li Mingyue to display her riding and archery, eager to compare her Xiyue abilities to Beixuan's. Announcing a grand reward for the most prey, the Emperor set the hunt in motion.
As everyone galloped off, Qiao Huixin called out to Li Qian, asking if they now needed a reason to speak privately. He dismounted to walk and talk with her. Meanwhile, Li Mingyue became separated from the group while pursuing a rabbit and unknowingly rode into an ambush, where she was struck by a poisoned arrow. Qiao Huixin expressed her concern that Li Mingyue's unrestrained nature was unsuited for Li Qian and would cause him trouble.
Li Qian firmly stated that their former engagement was a matter of fate and that he had no intention of taking a second wife, urging her to let go. Heartbroken, Huixin voiced her deepest fear, accusing Li Mingyue of being a "demon girl" who was using Xiyue sorcery to bewitch him.
Li Qian angrily dismissed her claims as slander, warning her that if she ever repeated such nonsense, he would disregard their past friendship because Li Mingyue, despite any perceived faults, was his queen. As Huixin pressed on, asking if he truly felt no suspicion, Li Qian spotted the bow he had prepared for Li Mingyue lying on the ground. Realizing she was in danger, he immediately mounted his horse and rode off in search of her.
Meanwhile, a weakened Li Mingyue struggled to fend off her attackers, urging herself to hold on for Xiyue and for her life. Just as she was about to collapse, Li Qian arrived. He fired three arrows at once, felling three assailants, then used his bow to strike down the last one. After scolding her for not listening to his warnings, he swiftly pulled the arrow from her leg.
Explaining the wound was poisoned, he ignored his own meticulousness about cleanliness and sucked the poison from the wound. As they rested by the river, Li Mingyue realized with concern that Li Qian had been infected by the poison himself while saving her. Li Qian suggested they return, offering to carry her back to camp, which she accepted. At the camp entrance, Qiao Huixin had been waiting anxiously.
She was devastated to see them return on a single horse, watching as Li Qian carried Li Mingyue into their tent. She questioned her foolishness for staying only to witness their affection. King Ling appeared behind her, draping a cloak over her shoulders and advising her to go back to her tent, assuring her that Li Qian was safe.
Inside the tent, Li Qian explained that her injury must be kept secret, so they could not call for a royal physician, and confirmed that his public display of carrying her was a deliberate act to hide the true nature of her wound. He offered to treat the injury himself, but a shy Li Mingyue tried to refuse.
Hearing her involuntary gasp of pain, Li Qian assertively took over, meticulously bandaging the wound and assuring her it would heal in a few days. As night fell, they had to share the sleeping space. Li Qian gently took her hand, and as Li Mingyue gazed at him, she felt an unexpected sense of tranquility, wondering if he had always been so handsome or if the poison was making her delirious.
