The Romance of Hua Rong 2 Episode 23 Recap
> The Romance of Hua Rong 2 Recap
Hua Rong and Qin Shangcheng intensified their staged quarrel to create a convincing rift between them, hoping to mislead Jin Tong. Qin Shangcheng even asked Hua Rong if she truly needed to be so drastic, to which she replied that against someone like Jin Tong, they had to demonstrate genuine conflict. Shortly after, a palace attendant reported that the Empress Dowager had suddenly fallen gravely ill and urgently summoned both Qin Shangcheng and Hua Rong.
Qin Shangcheng wondered why his grandmother, who had just returned from praying at the temple, would suddenly be so ill. The attendant explained that the Empress Dowager, known for her robust health, had fallen ill from stress upon hearing about their planned divorce. The imperial physician diagnosed it as a "heart ailment" requiring "heart medicine." Understanding the Empress Dowager's intention, Qin Shangcheng urged her to stop pretending, while she playfully admitted that they were too clever to be fooled.
She placed an ancestral bracelet on Hua Rong's wrist, declaring that she recognized Hua Rong as her granddaughter-in-law and would not permit them to separate. Qin Shangcheng assured his grandmother that Hua Rong would cherish her gift this time. Hua Rong also promised that Duanmu Bai, who was saved and being treated by her sworn sister Chi Hong, would visit the Empress Dowager as soon as he recovered. The Empress Dowager, overjoyed, then remembered their divorce and questioned it.
Hua Rong explained it was a long story, but assured her that their actions were for the peace of the two countries and would never harm South Desolation. Qin Shangcheng then requested a side room to meet Hua Rong discreetly, avoiding surveillance under the guise of visiting his grandmother. However, the Empress Dowager insisted on arranging a couple's suite in Tianchi Pavilion for them.
Meanwhile, Jin Tong had received a report that Hua Rong and Qin Shangcheng had formally divorced, witnessed by his subordinate seeing Hua Rong tearing up the marriage certificate, and that the Empress Dowager had fallen ill from grief. While Wu Ren found it strange that Qin Shangcheng hadn't confronted Jin Tong about Master Yi Fei Chi's death, Jin Tong deduced that Qin Shangcheng was playing a trick.
He believed Qin Shangcheng was pretending to possess half of the cannon drawing as leverage to entice Hua Rong to reveal her half, likely proposing an exchange. Jin Tong decided it was time to approach Hua Rong. Jin Tong met Hua Rong and tested her, asking if she was wavering due to the Empress Dowager’s illness. Hua Rong admitted feeling guilty about her grandmother but firmly stated that national interests outweighed everything, and her divorce from Qin Shangcheng was resolute.
She then brought up Qin Shangcheng’s offer to exchange and share their respective halves of the cannon drawing, questioning if it was a ploy. Jin Tong suggested accepting the exchange but giving Qin Shangcheng a subtly altered, fake drawing. He emphasized that such a slight alteration, "a miss as good as a mile," would render the drawing useless.
He proposed using his loyal lieutenant, Wu Ren, a former member of the firearms camp, for this task, as he was the most suitable person. Hua Rong feigned concern about using Jin Tong's man but he reassured her that since he didn't possess the drawing, seeing half of it would be of no use to him, and reiterated Wanjiang's willingness to share the drawing with Tianchu to collectively constrain South Desolation.
Hua Rong agreed to the plan, offering her drawing and Jin Tong providing Wu Ren, with the understanding that the complete drawing would be shared after the task. She insisted, however, that she would determine the time and place. Hua Rong and Jin Tong brought the drawing to a room where Wu Ren was to work. Wu Ren requested both of them to leave so he could concentrate fully. As they left, Hua Rong recalled Qin Shangcheng's plan.
He had anticipated Jin Tong’s cautious nature, knowing he would first combine both halves of the drawing for Wu Ren to verify before Wu Ren started copying. That moment, Qin Shangcheng had determined, would be the opportune time to obtain the complete drawing. Hua Rong mentioned she could memorize the entire drawing in a short time. However, Qin Shangcheng had already foreseen that Jin Tong, having learned of Hua Rong's photographic memory from Jin Yiwen, would be wary.
Therefore, Qin Shangcheng intended to handle the memorization himself, asserting that "memorizing drawings is a pirate's forte." Later, Qin Shangcheng, accompanied by Fuqin, burst into Wu Ren's room, snatched the combined cannon drawing, and dramatically burned it in front of everyone. Hua Rong acknowledged Qin Shangcheng’s direct and audacious method, remarking that she liked it.
Qin Shangcheng then clarified that their earlier feigned discord was a well-coordinated act, emphasizing that it was Hua Rong’s cooperation that made their plan run smoothly. Jin Tong, realizing he had been deceived by their staged marital strife, accused them of trying to make an enemy of Wanjiang and sabotaging peace talks. Qin Shangcheng retorted that their true intention was to achieve genuine peace.
He asserted that destroying the cannon drawing was the only way to create an opportunity for genuine trilateral peace talks and true peace. Hua Rong further informed Jin Tong that she had already written to Jin Yiwen, apprising him of the situation, implying that if Jin Tong continued his belligerent stance and obstructed the peace talks, he would become an "eternal sinner," unwelcome even in Wanjiang. Defeated, Jin Tong left with his men.
During a fishing outing, the Empress Dowager noticed Duanmu Qingcang’s unusual dislike for fish, a food he once loved. She offered him Roselle soup, a traditional remedy for calming nerves, but also a secret test for the Duanmu lineage; members of the family would develop a red neck upon drinking it. When Duanmu Qingcang showed no such reaction, she realized he was an imposter and called for guards.
The imposter calmly informed her that her guards were dead and pushed her into the water. In a secluded place, Kong Lin, wearing Duanmu Qingcang’s face, gloated over his victory to a spectral presence he called Mu Qing. He reminisced about his past attempts to seize the late emperor's testamentary edict at the Imperial Alliance.
He declared that it was too late for any resistance now, vowing to make Mu Qing witness South Desolation changing hands, Duanmu Qingcang’s son accepting him as father, and everything Duanmu Qingcang owned becoming his. He planned to soon send the real Duanmu Qingcang to Mu Qing, forcing him to recount how he was utterly defeated and how his son was manipulated. Meanwhile, Chi Hong was caring for Duanmu Bai, whose leg had still not recovered despite various treatments.
She expressed frustration and sought hope in a wishing bottle, her sole wish being for Duanmu Bai's swift recovery, even if it meant his departure. Duanmu Bai, who had been feigning a prolonged recovery, struggled dramatically to peel a grape, asking Chi Hong what he would do without her. He then asked if she would still care for him if his leg healed, to which she replied he wouldn't need her then.
A messenger, Crab, arrived with a letter for Hua Rong, informing them that the Empress Dowager had fallen into the water and was unconscious. Alarmed, Duanmu Bai instinctively stood up and hurried to respond, forgetting his act and revealing his fully healed leg to a surprised Chi Hong. She confronted him, asking why he lied.
He confessed his leg had recovered three days prior, prompting Chi Hong to tease him, assuming he feigned illness because he couldn't bear to leave her. He later gave her a "regenerating and beautifying ointment," claiming it was to avoid owing her. She playfully retorted that he owed her a lifetime. Qin Shangcheng confronted the fake Emperor Duanmu Qingcang, informing him that the cannon drawing was destroyed, and he now held the only copy in his memory.
He warned the imposter that if he desired the drawing, he must sign the three-country armistice agreement and ensure the safe return of Qin Shangcheng and the Tianchu mission. Qin Shangcheng then noticed a strange medicinal smell on the imposter. Investigating at the Spring-back Hall, he learned it was an ointment for burns and scalds, which was inconsistent with Duanmu Qingcang’s recent health, raising his suspicions. Concurrently, Hua Rong discovered a suicide note hidden inside a drum by Nanny Duan.
The note revealed that the Empress Dowager had long suspected Duanmu Qingcang's true identity, had arranged the fishing trip to test him with Roselle soup, and was subsequently murdered by the imposter, with all her attendants executed to cover it up. Combining their findings, Qin Shangcheng and Hua Rong confirmed that Kong Lin, who was believed dead, had survived the fire, captured the real Duanmu Qingcang, and was now impersonating him.
Qin Shangcheng then spoke with Fuqin, subtly questioning her loyalty and background. Fuqin, a Wanjiang native whose parents were executed by treacherous Wanjiang officials, revealed she was saved and protected by Duanmu Qingcang, earning her unwavering loyalty to him and South Desolation. Qin Shangcheng then subtly probed about the Emperor's recent changes. Fuqin, initially defensive, stated that the Shadow Guards only responded to the Emperor's unique handprint, which had remained consistent, thus implying the current Emperor was genuine.
Qin Shangcheng thanked her, saying her words confirmed his father was still alive. After Duanmu Bai successfully stabilized the Empress Dowager's condition, he joined Qin Shangcheng for a drink. They discussed the Empress Dowager’s fall, and Qin Shangcheng revealed that the fake Emperor had pushed her, confirming Kong Lin's impersonation. He explained Kong Lin’s strategy to sow discord between the brothers, aiming to torment their father.
Duanmu Bai, leveraging his knowledge of Kong Lin, suggested two potential locations where their father might be held: the Secluded House, Kong Lin's former residence designed with impregnable traps, or the Imperial Palace, where dangerous criminals were kept, suggesting Kong Lin might choose the "most dangerous, therefore safest" spot. They decided to launch a rescue mission during the upcoming trilateral peace talks, when military forces would be concentrated at Prince Mu's Residence, leaving other locations less guarded.
Meanwhile, the fake Emperor (Kong Lin) secretly met with Wu Ren, attempting to bribe him with the prestigious position of Great General of South Desolation in exchange for assassinating someone during the peace talks. Later, Qin Shangcheng found Hua Rong worried about the uncertainties of their upcoming plan, feeling a new "obsession with gain and loss" as a mother.
Qin Shangcheng reassured her, reminding her of his promise that she could always be herself, the fearless "Swordswoman Huahua" who fought for justice. He affirmed that their child, Daodao, would not be a burden but their greatest motivation and spiritual support. Hua Rong agreed, acknowledging that as parents, they must overcome all challenges for their child and the world's people, aiming for ultimate victory.
In a lighter moment, as they prepared for another act of their fake divorce, Qin Shangcheng struggled to list Hua Rong's shortcomings, claiming she had none because she was "too beautiful" and captivated him completely. Hua Rong playfully challenged him, and he joked that his only shortcoming was being "short of you."
