The Love Lasts Two Minds Episode 28 Recap
> The Love Lasts Two Minds Recap
Zuo Yanxi met with Jiang Tan, informing her that he had located the place where her father was imprisoned. Jiang Tan was overjoyed by the news. Zuo Yanxi assured her he would find a way to rescue her father and then arrange for both of them to leave Yong State, ensuring Jiang Tan would no longer be controlled by others.
Jiang Tan asked about his own fate after her departure, to which he promised to seek opportunities to reunite with her. She confessed her desire to see him always, recalling their solemn vow by the sun and moon, earth and heaven, to be partners for life, sharing existence and death, never abandoning each other. Zuo Yanxi reaffirmed his commitment, telling her his heart had never changed.
He pledged to find her once she was settled, and they would remain together forever. When Jiang Tan inquired about his wealth and position in Yong State, he embraced her, declaring that these things were not as important as her. He assured her that sacrificing everything in Yong State for her was "worth it," and urged her to take care of herself, as her burden would lighten once her father was rescued.
As Jiang Tan escorted Zuo Yanxi to the door, Mu Beiyan and Yuan Qinhe observed their interaction. Yuan Qinhe recognized Jiang Tan as the restaurant owner from Qinhe and one of the black-clad assassins who had attacked her at Hanqiu Slope. She recounted finding Zuo Yanxi’s sword tassel there and how he had evaded her questions, now convinced he had long been associated with Jiang Tan. Mu Beiyan, perplexed by Zuo Yanxi's seemingly muddled judgment, suggested they investigate.
Despite Mu Beiyan's concerns about her still-recovering health, Yuan Qinhe insisted on going immediately before their targets could escape. They sent Mischief, an eagle, into the dyeing workshop Jiang Tan had entered. The guards, recognizing Mischief, prepared to deal with the perceived threat. Mu Beiyan and Yuan Qinhe took advantage of the distraction, using a sedative to incapacitate two guards before entering. Inside, Yuan Qinhe peered through a window and overheard Lord Ye speaking with Jiang Tan.
She was stunned to learn that the death of old Lord He was connected to Lord Ye. Fearing that Mu Beiyan would be unable to control his rage if he heard this, she quickly led him out. They had barely exited when they encountered the group of masked men whom Mischief had lured outside. Mu Beiyan immediately shielded Yuan Qinhe, and they fled, with the masked men in hot pursuit. Meanwhile, Jing Ci and A'heng were walking through the streets.
Jing Ci heard Mischief’s distinctive cries, indicating Yuan Qinhe was in trouble nearby. He immediately directed A'heng to find Lord Qing, who was likely patrolling in the area. Jing Ci then followed Mischief to Yuan Qinhe’s location. Mu Beiyan and Yuan Qinhe were eventually cornered by their pursuers. Just as a confrontation escalated, Jing Ci arrived, joining the fight. A'heng soon returned with Lord Qing and his guards. Seeing the unfavorable turn of events, the masked men quickly retreated.
Yuan Qinhe informed Lord Qing that they had discovered the suspects behind the Qinhe serial crimes and had followed them to the dyeing workshop. Lord Qing was enraged that these culprits dared to act so brazenly in the capital, directly under the emperor’s rule, and rode off with his men to the workshop. Snow began to fall as Yuan Qinhe turned her attention to Mu Beiyan, asking if he was alright.
Despite a shoulder injury, Mu Beiyan assured her he was fine as long as she was safe. Observing this exchange, Jing Ci motioned for A'heng to leave, citing a prior appointment he couldn't delay. Yuan Qinhe, however, called out to Jing Ci, announcing that she and Mu Beiyan had set their wedding for the fifth of next month and invited him to attend. Jing Ci simply acknowledged her and continued walking away.
Feeling hurt and angry, Yuan Qinhe picked up a small stone and threw it at him. Jing Ci paused briefly, but did not turn back, continuing on his path, leaving Yuan Qinhe with tears in her eyes. A'heng, noticing Jing Ci's lack of reaction, asked why he didn't dodge. Jing Ci replied that since she harbored resentment towards him, allowing her to vent was for the best. Lord Qing’s search of the dyeing workshop yielded nothing; it was deserted.
Back at his residence, Lord Ye furiously demanded an explanation from Jiang Tan as to how Mu Beiyan and Yuan Qinhe had managed to trace them to the workshop. Jiang Tan claimed ignorance. Lord Ye, declaring that Mu Beiyan and Yuan Qinhe "knew too much" and "can’t let them live," ordered their elimination. Elsewhere, Jing Ci met with Xiaohan.
He questioned her decision to become Lord Ye’s concubine, but Xiaohan firmly stated her unwavering resolve to "bring Lord Ye down" and use his blood to avenge her parents. She explained how she had established a fabricated identity to get close to him, confident he would not suspect her as "he really needs someone like me."
Jing Ci noted that she merely adapted to become "who he needs," but Xiaohan countered that her priority was to get close and achieve her goals. At the Yuan residence, Mu Beiyan was shocked to learn from Yuan Qinhe that the Qinhe cases, his father's death, and Princess Changle's death were all connected to Lord Ye. Yuan Qinhe added that the Lanyue Lake incident was also linked to Lord Ye.
Mrs. Yuan acknowledged that Lord Ye's ascension to the throne would be highly detrimental to their family. She advised Mu Beiyan to remain calm and patient, asserting that Lord Ye's "evil mind" would eventually lead him to "give himself away." She believed that once the emperor grew suspicious, all of Lord Ye's ambitions would come to nothing. Mrs. Yuan urged Mu Beiyan to focus on recovering his health and await the opportune moment to "wreck him."
Mu Beiyan then went to confront Zuo Yanxi, questioning how long he had been involved with Jiang Tan. He accused Zuo Yanxi of protecting her in Qinhe and using their trust to cover her misdeeds, even suggesting Zuo Yanxi had secretly helped her escape. Zuo Yanxi defended Jiang Tan, insisting "she is not a spiteful gangster" but "a poor girl who’s been threatened." Mu Beiyan countered by asking who would pity Jiang Tan's victims.
He pressed Zuo Yanxi, asking if he had known Jiang Tan was Lord Ye's subordinate and suspected Lord Ye's involvement in his father's death, yet continued to shield her. Zuo Yanxi denied that Jiang Tan killed Lord He and promised a full explanation once he had handled "Jiang Tan's business." Mu Beiyan angrily grabbed his collar, calling him unworthy of being his father's godson.
Zuo Yanxi apologized but reiterated that he knew what he was doing and what he wanted, then broke free and departed. Later, Aunt Zhixia met with Zuo Yanxi, who gave her a bottle of medicine. He explained that "three pills" would restore Yuan Qinhe’s memory, questioning if they truly wanted her to remember. Aunt Zhixia explained her motivations: she wanted to help Jing Ci, who had been angry and distant since the Lanyue Lake incident.
She hoped that if Yuan Qinhe remembered Jing Ci's past kindness, she "won’t marry Mu Beiyan," and Jing Ci "won’t be upset anymore." Zuo Yanxi, however, cautioned that for Jing Ci's well-being, it would be better to "let them be together," as Yuan Qinhe was the root cause of Jing Ci's severe illness. Aunt Zhixia acknowledged his point.
In the palace, Princess Zesheng was distraught over Jing Ci’s anger and the emperor's decision to marry her to Prince of Bo instead of Jing Ci. A Noble Consort encouraged her, urging her not to let Yuan Qinhe "bully you, take away Duke Duan’s heart and be Lord He’s wife." Zesheng, fueled by resentment, declared she "can't bear with that."
Meanwhile, Lord Ye, having secured Jiang Tan's commitment to "one last thing" by promising to release her father, dismissed her, stating he no longer desired her now that he had Xiaohan. Elsewhere, Yuan Qinhe informed Mrs. Yuan that Princess Changle had invited her to "go boating in Xi River" and to come lightly equipped. Mrs. Yuan, concerned for Yuan Qinhe's fragile health, advised her to return early and not overexert herself.
Aunt Zhixia then showed Princess Zesheng the memory-restoring medicine obtained from Zuo Yanxi. Zesheng, however, instructed Aunt Zhixia to tell Jing Ci that she wished to reconcile with Yuan Qinhe and send a generous wedding gift, suggesting this would win back Jing Ci's favor. Aunt Zhixia agreed to find out Yuan Qinhe's preferences. Seizing an opportunity after sending her maids away, Princess Zesheng secretly left the palace with the memory medicine.
Yuan Qinhe and Xiao Lu arrived at the lake for the supposed "boating in Xi River." Xiao Lu recognized one of the attending maids as belonging to Princess Zesheng, immediately realizing Princess Zesheng had orchestrated the meeting. Xiao Lu urged Yuan Qinhe to flee, but Yuan Qinhe, intrigued, chose to stay. Princess Zesheng welcomed Yuan Qinhe, confessing she had feared Yuan Qinhe wouldn't dare to come.
Yuan Qinhe immediately exposed Princess Zesheng's deceit, pointing out the stupidity of luring her to the water's edge again after the Lanyue Lake incident. Princess Zesheng then offered tea, claiming it was Jing Ci’s favorite from Zhaozhou. Yuan Qinhe, having publicly severed ties with Jing Ci, refused to discuss him and prepared to leave.
Princess Zesheng then revealed that the emperor had changed his mind about her marriage to Jing Ci, now intending for her to marry Prince of Bo, lamenting that her previous efforts with Aunt Zhixia were "wasted." She insisted Yuan Qinhe drink the tea, even switching cups to feign sincerity. However, Yuan Qinhe exposed the poisoned cup, explaining how only the precise spot where a painted fish's mouth pointed was safe, a trick documented in several ancient texts.
She chastised Princess Zesheng for her foolishness and declared she was "not Feng Mianwan whom you can boss around" but "the daughter of the Yuan family," warning of severe consequences if she were harmed. Princess Zesheng, enraged, accused Yuan Qinhe of deserving death for causing Jing Ci to disregard her and forcing her into a marriage with Prince of Bo. Yuan Qinhe dismissed her claims as irrelevant and tried to leave.
Princess Zesheng stopped her, offering a "great gift"—the memory-restoring medicine. Yuan Qinhe recognized its scent from Zuo Yanxi's residence, realizing it was prepared for her. Princess Zesheng confirmed this, asking if Yuan Qinhe truly didn't want to know "what you did before that made Ci decide to let you forget."
Yuan Qinhe defiantly threw the medicine into the lake, refusing to be manipulated, stating she would not let anyone "tread on my own life anymore" after nineteen years of a muddled existence. Princess Zesheng, in a final act of malice, revealed the painful truth: as Feng Mianwan, Yuan Qinhe had severed Jing Ci's Achilles tendons and abandoned him to be eaten by wolves.
She questioned how Yuan Qinhe could expect different treatment from him or others after such an act, adding that Jing Ci, already weakened by chronic illness, "might be unable to live for long" after such a severe injury. This shocking revelation caused Yuan Qinhe to vividly recall an image of Jing Ci with severed tendons, triggering a fit of rage and causing her to cough up blood and collapse.
Xiao Lu immediately helped her back to the Yuan residence, where Mrs. Yuan was alarmed by her condition. Later that night, Zuo Yanxi successfully rescued Jiang Tan's father. He assured Mr. Jiang that Jiang Tan would soon be reunited with him. Meanwhile, Aunt Zhixia, concerned about Princess Zesheng's secret departure from the palace, went to Jing Ci. She reported that Zesheng had left with two guards and was nowhere to be found.
Jing Ci, hearing that Aunt Zhixia had given the memory-restoring medicine to Princess Zesheng, rebuked her for "crossing the line." He immediately ordered A'heng to search for Princess Zesheng at the homes of her acquaintances and to discreetly investigate if Yuan Qinhe had left her residence or met with Princess Zesheng.
