The Moon Brightens for You Episode 4 Recap
> The Moon Brightens for You Recap
After the incident at the White Tiger Clan, Wen You found himself restless and sleepless at night, suffering from what his sister, Wen Rou, soon identified as lovesickness. Wen Rou playfully interrogated him about his symptoms, asking if he tossed and turned, felt uneasy, or dreamt of a particular person. Wen You initially denied it but eventually conceded to her accurate description, though he tried to dismiss it as residual poison from the White Tiger Clan.
Their discussion was interrupted by the sudden arrival of Princess Hua Yao, who affectionately greeted Wen You as "Brother Zisu," his courtesy name. She chided him for not informing her of his return for the Wulin assembly and presented him with a roster of martial artists she had painstakingly compiled. Hua Yao then insisted Wen You take her to see the lanterns on the Qinhuai River.
Despite Wen You’s concerns about the crowds, Hua Yao persisted, and Wen Rou suggested they all go, understanding her brother’s predicament. Meanwhile, at Fort Gu, Zhan Qinghong felt bored, lamenting the absence of her martial siblings and the excitement of home. Her maid, Xiao Lan, sympathized, prompting Zhan Qinghong to consider writing a letter home, filled with exaggerated tales of her adventures.
Lin Fang, realizing Zhan Qinghong's boredom, arrived with Gu Yan, proposing to take Zhan Qinghong and Xiao Lan to enjoy the lantern festival. Zhan Qinghong readily agreed, expressing her excitement for an outing where no one would recognize them. At the lively Qinhuai River, the four enjoyed the festive atmosphere, wearing masks to conceal their identities. Zhan Qinghong and Lin Fang went to light lanterns by the river, leaving Gu Yan and Xiao Lan behind.
Soon, a confrontation arose when both Zhan Qinghong and Princess Hua Yao simultaneously reached for a unique sugar man wielding a sword. Hua Yao, accustomed to getting what she wanted, offered to pay ten times the price, but Zhan Qinghong refused to yield. Their struggle caused Hua Yao to stumble, and Wen You, stepping in to protect her, began to fight Zhan Qinghong. In the skirmish, their masks fell off, revealing their identities to each other.
Wen You quickly intervened, reminding Hua Yao that Zhan Qinghong had saved his life and Wen Rou's at the White Tiger Clan. Though appeased for the moment, Hua Yao remained furious and ordered her guards to investigate Zhan Qinghong. Shortly after, General Xiahou Ying called out to them from a nearby water pavilion, inviting everyone for drinks. Lin Fang subtly prompted Xiahou Ying to gauge Wen You's character.
Xiahou Ying engaged them in a discussion about the Wulin world, and Wen You's ambitious and strategic views, prioritizing loyalty and strategy over mere martial skill for a leader, greatly impressed him. The evening took a surprising turn when a tipsy Wen Rou openly declared her love for General Xiahou Ying, offering to marry him as repayment for saving her life. The bold proposal shocked everyone, especially Xiahou Ying, who awkwardly excused himself.
Wen You, mortified by his sister's forwardness, chastised her for her lack of family education and for proposing to a mere military general, stressing that their aristocratic family would never permit such a union due to Xiahou Ying's "bad background." His words deeply stung Zhan Qinghong, who, feeling that he looked down upon her own "commoner" background, furiously challenged Wen You to a martial arts duel on the spot.
Their contest led them to tread lightly on the Qinhuai River, showcasing impressive light-body skills. However, Zhan Qinghong suddenly fell into the water. Wen You immediately dove in to pull her out. On shore, it became clear that her old wound had reopened. Seeing Wen You's genuine concern, Zhan Qinghong felt a surge of unexpected warmth despite her injury.
Lin Fang and Gu Yan stepped in, insisting they would take Zhan Qinghong back to Fort Gu for treatment, as she was already staying there. Later, Lin Fang met secretly with General Xiahou Ying. They discussed the upcoming Wulin assembly, agreeing it would be treacherous. Lin Fang revealed his plan to "muddle the waters" by leveraging Wen You's feelings for Zhan Qinghong.
Xiahou Ying reminded Lin Fang of his past suspicions regarding the Zhan family and the death of his parents, but Lin Fang clarified his grudge was against Zhan Podi, not Zhan Qinghong, who was just a child at the time. He asserted that controlling Zhan Qinghong would give them the advantage, and he had chosen Wen You as his "sharp sword" to achieve his goals.
Xiahou Ying warned him to use Wen You carefully, lest the "sword" turn against him, but Lin Fang remained confident in his arrangements. As the Wulin assembly approached, Jun'an City's long street was bustling with people and martial artists. Zhan Qinghong, feeling the excitement, declared her intention to win the leadership. Wen You found Zhan Qinghong and apologized for their earlier altercation, and they agreed to compete fairly, each vowing to win.
Lin Fang then appeared, explaining his participation despite lacking martial arts, stating he "yearns for Wulin." Zhan Qinghong reminded Wen You of her promise to protect Lin Fang, declaring that the three of them would advance together. Wen You regarded Lin Fang with suspicion, perceiving him as calculating. Lin Fang, sensing this, proposed an alliance for the initial rounds, but Wen You, preferring to work alone, only agreed to fair competition.
The assembly commenced with Gu Yue, General Xiahou Ying, and Yuanhui, the abbot of Jiming Temple, presiding. Gu Yue delivered a speech lamenting the vacant leadership since Jiangdong's former Wulin clan director, Lin Xiaotian, died for the country. He expressed his desire for a new, virtuous, and powerful leader. Xiahou Ying then outlined the first challenge, "Difficulty of Kungfu," which would see only forty participants advance.
Contestants had to traverse dense forests, face wild beasts, and navigate steep cliffs from Jun'an Gate to Luoyan Mountain. Due to the large number of participants, they would depart in groups based on "family background" and had to protect their explosive firecrackers, as losing them meant disqualification. This rule immediately drew protests, with Zhan Qinghong vehemently arguing against the class-based grouping, proclaiming that all martial artists were equals.
Shen Yanzhi, the leader of Shuanghua Clan, was impressed by Zhan Qinghong's outspoken nature and gifted her a "soul capture pearl by flowers" for self-defense, explaining its function in an emergency. As the competition began, Lin Fang suggested a shortcut, knowing Zhan Qinghong's exceptional light-body skills would allow them to bypass the chaotic main route.
While navigating the dense forest, they encountered Sun Chuang of the Feiying Clan, a bald man who was indiscriminately destroying other participants' firecrackers to reduce competition. Zhan Qinghong confronted him, leading to a fight where Lin Fang also became involved. Sun Chuang resorted to using "Thousands insects thousands poisons powder," causing Zhan Qinghong and Lin Fang to fall off a cliff.
Wen You, having gone back to search for Zhan Qinghong after not seeing her, witnessed their fall and immediately leaped down after them. Miraculously, all three landed safely, and to their surprise, discovered that the opposite cliff was the finish line for the first round. However, getting across the chasm posed a new challenge. Wen You doubted they could carry Lin Fang, who lacked martial arts, across.
Lin Fang argued that returning would guarantee their elimination, as time was running out. He proposed risking a jump using their light-body skills and asked Zhan Qinghong if she trusted him.
