The Moon Brightens for You Episode 16 Recap
> The Moon Brightens for You Recap
Lin Fang and Zhan Qinghong, accompanied by Xiao Lan and Huo Yang, arrived at the Zhou Manor for their meeting. Zhou Bo expressed his surprise that the head of the Zhan Family was not Zhan Podi himself. He then reiterated his request to have Zhan Qinghong, but Lin Fang firmly declined, stating that Zhan Qinghong was his most cherished subordinate and he would not force her into anything she didn't want.
Xiao Lan then offered herself, but Huo Yang's expression darkened at her words, clearly showing jealousy. Meanwhile, Zhan family disciples who remained at the inn inquired about Wen You from Shen Yanzhi, who subtly indicated that Zhan Qinghong's parents seemed to favor Lin Fang over Wen You. Later, Zhou Bo again proposed a collaboration, contingent on Lin Fang handing over Zhan Qinghong. Lin Fang, seeing through Zhou Bo's intention to subtly imprison them, outwardly agreed to stay the night.
That evening, Lin Fang questioned Zhan Qinghong about her thoughts on the strange atmosphere at the Zhou Manor. Zhan Qinghong detailed several suspicious points: Zhou Bo's lack of reaction to Lin Fang's token, his excessively warm demeanor, and his expectation for Zhan Podi to be the one attending the meeting. They concluded that these oddities were likely linked to a significant event from ten years ago.
Zhan Qinghong wanted to investigate personally, but Lin Fang, concerned for her safety, instructed her to remain by his side as his personal guard, dispatching Xiao Lan and Huo Yang to conduct the investigation instead. Unbeknownst to them, Zhong Buming, disguised as a butler, was the true mastermind controlling Zhou Bo. He had instructed Feng Bufei to lure Zhan Podi to the Zhou Manor, confident that with Zhan Podi there, he could acquire the Seven-star swordsmanship.
Despite Lin Fang's instructions, Zhan Qinghong asked Huo Yang to protect Lin Fang, while she secretly slipped into Zhou Bo's study to search for a hidden room. After a thorough but fruitless search for a secret switch, she unexpectedly found a military report. The contents of the report visibly shocked Zhan Qinghong. Back in Lin Fang's room, a stern-faced Lin Fang and Huo Yang created a tense atmosphere.
Xiao Lan, misinterpreting the situation, believed Huo Yang had made a grave mistake and immediately knelt to apologize to Lin Fang, unaware that Lin Fang was actually upset about Zhan Qinghong's reckless actions. Upon her return, Zhan Qinghong handed the military report to Lin Fang. The report explicitly stated that Zhan Podi had murdered Lin Xiaotian ten years prior to seize the Seven-star swordsmanship.
Witnessing Lin Fang's doubts, Zhan Qinghong adamantly declared her father's innocence and resolved to find evidence to prove the report was a fabrication. She returned to the study for further investigation and overheard a conversation between Zhong Buming and Zhou Bo, discovering that Zhou Bo was being controlled by Zhong Buming through poison and was acting as an intelligence hub for Xi Yan.
When Zhou Bo discovered her presence, Zhan Qinghong quickly fled, unaware that her discovery was merely part of Zhong Buming and Zhou Bo's elaborate scheme. Fleeing the study, Zhan Qinghong encountered Lin Fang. Seeing Zhou Bo approaching, Lin Fang pulled Zhan Qinghong close by a tree and began a dramatic declaration of love. However, the straightforward Zhan Qinghong immediately stated her affection for Wen You.
At that moment, Zhou Bo stepped forward, revealing Zhong Buming's true identity as the "Thousand-hand poison king" of Xi Yan and his own plight of being poisoned and controlled. He desperately pleaded with Lin Fang for help, revealing that Zhong Buming intended to control Lin Fang to seize power over Jiangdong. Lin Fang then questioned Zhou Bo about the true circumstances of his father's death.
Zhou Bo confirmed that it was Zhan Podi who killed Lin Xiaotian for the Seven-star swordsmanship, elaborating that the evidence, a military report, was hidden in a flowerpot in his study and bore General Wei Wu Xiao Daoran's military stamp. This revelation led to a heated argument between Zhan Qinghong and Lin Fang.
Zhan Qinghong dismissed the report as a Xi Yan fabrication designed to frame her father, questioning the credibility of Zhou Bo's claims given the manor was a Xi Yan intelligence outpost. Lin Fang, however, pressed on, asking why Zhan Podi would be framed if he already had a tarnished reputation. The two parted ways in disagreement. Zhou Bo later reported to Zhong Buming that Lin Fang had "taken the bait."
Zhong Buming instructed Zhou Bo to proceed with the plan to lure Zhan Podi to the manor. Separately, Zhou Bo met with Lin Fang to finalize their "deal": Zhou Bo would help Lin Fang eliminate Zhan Podi, his father's murderer, and in return, Lin Fang would help Zhou Bo escape Zhong Buming's control. Lin Fang agreed to the terms, expressing a chilling indifference to his personal vendetta.
The next morning, Zhou Bo found Zhan Podi and tricked him into entering the Zhou Manor under the pretense of Zhan Qinghong and Lin Fang being in danger, specifically directing him to the west corner gate. Separately, Zhan Qinghong, noticing Zhou Bo's Xi Yan tattoo, confronted him. He revealed his true identity as A-Liu, a Xi Yan assassin.
A-Liu explained that he was tasked with impersonating the real Zhou Bo (whom they had killed) and marrying his fiancée, Xiu, to take over the Zhou family's existing escort business and use it as an intelligence network for Xi Yan's Valiant Hall. However, A-Liu fell genuinely in love with Xiu, wishing to abandon his identity as a dead soldier and live as Zhou Bo. Fearing exposure, Zhong Buming murdered Xiu in A-Liu's absence.
Despite Xiu knowing his true identity, she professed her love for him before she died. A-Liu, though remorseful, remained committed to his mission, claiming he was indeed a bad guy. Meanwhile, Huo Yang and Xiao Lan were incapacitated by tranquilizing smoke. Zhan Podi, having been lured to the study, found Lin Fang waiting for him. Lin Fang confronted Zhan Podi, accusing him of killing Lin Xiaotian.
Zhan Podi, realizing it was a setup, vehemently denied the accusations, only then noticing he had been poisoned. Zhou Bo then joined in, reiterating the false claims and implicating Zhan Podi in a plot to steal the Seven-star swordsmanship. As Zhan Podi succumbed to the poison, Zhong Buming appeared, demanding the Seven-star swordsmanship and threatening Zhan Qinghong's life to coerce Zhan Podi. He then ordered his guards to bring Zhan Qinghong out.
