The Romance of Tiger and Rose Episode 12 Recap
> The Romance of Tiger and Rose Recap
After Meng Guo was spared from a death sentence, attention turned to Su Ziying for his negligence. Chen Qianqian suggested sending him back to Pei Heng, but Chen Chuchu found a jade pendant on Su Ziying that matched a piece found in the trap that held her captive. When questioned, Su Ziying admitted it was his family heirloom, claiming he must have broken it by accident. Chen Chuchu pressed further, suggesting he broke it while setting the trap.
Su Ziying then confessed that he had arranged for the trap but insisted Chen Qianqian was not involved. Chen Qianqian tried to explain that her original intention was to trap herself to lure Meng Guo, but Su Ziying quickly interjected, stating that Chen Qianqian had arranged the trap because she knew Chen Chuchu had a crush on Han Shuo and wanted to bring them together.
Chen Qianqian was angered by Su Ziying's directness, as his story, while a lie, seemed more plausible to Chen Chuchu. Han Shuo, upset by Chen Qianqian's matchmaking attempts, accused her of being willful and heartless. Chen Qianqian attempted to explain, but Chen Chuchu dismissed her, sarcastically thanking her and suggesting she should create more such opportunities if she truly wanted Han Shuo to move on.
Chen Chuchu then went to Han Shuo to tend to his injuries with medicine she brought from Huayuan City. She told Han Shuo not to take Chen Qianqian's actions personally, explaining that in Huayuan City, women hold higher status and Chen Qianqian viewed him as a "new toy" she no longer wanted. Su Ziying echoed these sentiments, praising Chen Chuchu's thoughtfulness.
Chen Qianqian, feeling guilty, arrived with her own medicine, only to witness Chen Chuchu and Han Shuo in a seemingly intimate moment. Han Shuo even offered Chen Chuchu some fruit, asking how she knew he liked it. Chen Qianqian, seeing this and noticing Chen Chuchu's sachet on Han Shuo, became furious and left. Han Shuo then instructed Bai Ji to keep a close eye on Su Ziying, wanting to understand Pei Heng's intentions.
As a result of this surveillance, Han Shuo later taunted Chen Qianqian by having Bai Ji announce a dinner menu consisting entirely of various pigeon dishes, revealing that they had been intercepting Su Ziying's messenger pigeons to Pei Heng. Meanwhile, in Huayuan City, the City Lord hosted a banquet. Su Mu, the head musician, was seen visiting the mansion, sparking whispers among the officials.
Chen Yuanyuan, still recovering from her leg injury, publicly awarded Su Mu her personal jade pendant and declared him a guest of honor at Risheng Mansion, ensuring no one would dare disrespect him. This unexpected patronage from the Great Princess further fueled the rumors. Chen Qianqian continued her strategy of "seven captures and seven releases" with Meng Guo, having already released him six times. Meng Guo, aware of her plan, asked if she would release him again.
Chen Chuchu was frustrated by this repeated cycle, but Chen Qianqian insisted that Meng Guo, a brave but simple man, would become a loyal general if genuinely won over. She requested one final chance. A subordinate suggested letting Chen Qianqian make the final decision as the leader of the bandit suppression, to protect Chen Chuchu from any repercussions, noting that news of their actions had surely reached the City Lord's Mansion.
Chen Qianqian ordered Meng Guo's release, and he agreed to a final battle the next day, five kilometers from the camp. At the City Lord's Mansion, news arrived that Chen Qianqian had captured Meng Guo, initially leading to congratulations. However, upon hearing that she had released him again, the City Lord grew angry and questioned Chen Qianqian's repeated actions.
Despite one official's defense of Chen Qianqian as a smart leader with a purpose, the City Lord remained exasperated, wondering what her intentions truly were. For the final battle, Chen Qianqian outlined a plan: she would lure Meng Guo, while Han Shuo and Chen Chuchu would flank him from behind. Han Shuo expressed concern, reminding Chen Qianqian that Meng Guo had once boasted about capturing and possessing her, and asked what she would do if the plan went awry.
Alarmed, Chen Qianqian decided she couldn't act alone. When Han Shuo asked who she wanted to accompany her, she hesitantly suggested Chen Chuchu, who refused, fearing Chen Qianqian would release Meng Guo again. Su Ziying then suggested Chen Qianqian remain at the camp, allowing Han Shuo and Chen Chuchu to proceed separately.
Misinterpreting this as Chen Qianqian's reluctance to be with him, Han Shuo grew angry and left, but not before instructing her to use fireworks as a distress signal if she encountered danger. The next day, the camp was attacked. Zi Rui attempted to launch the signal fireworks but found them soaked and unusable, a deliberate act of sabotage by Su Ziying. Su Ziying appeared, declaring that no one would come to their rescue.
A scout reported to Han Shuo that Meng Guo and his men had bypassed Chen Chuchu's ambush and were headed directly for their camp. Han Shuo immediately realized Meng Guo's true target and soon learned that he had captured Chen Qianqian. Chen Qianqian was brought to the bandit stronghold, which was decorated for a celebration. Inside, she discovered Meng Guo's "vision board," with ambitious goals like "Occupy Huayuan City" and "Get the Dragon Bone," which she dismissed as impossible.
She also saw "Capture the Young City Lord," acknowledging that he had accomplished that much. Meng Guo's men eagerly prepared for a "ceremony." Chen Qianqian, fearing a forced wedding, vehemently resisted, threatening to take her own life. Meng Guo, however, revealed he viewed her six releases as acts of "grace and loyalty," and that she had "discovered" his potential.
He then clarified that the ceremony was for them to become sworn brothers and for her to become the leader of Weimeng Mountain. Seeing his genuine surrender, Chen Qianqian accepted.
She then established three rules for the bandits: no robbing civilian homes (the bandits clarified they only robbed merchant caravans), no kidnapping women (claiming they were often kidnapped by women themselves), and finally, she pointed to the character for "stockade" (寨, zhài) on a banner and, being illiterate, insisted it was written incorrectly. The bandits, amused but loyal, readily agreed to her 'correction' and cheered. Their celebration was cut short by news of an approaching army.
Chen Chuchu, having captured a bandit and learned of the "ceremony," concluded that Meng Guo was forcing Chen Qianqian into marriage. Han Shuo, hearing this, immediately ordered an attack. As the two sides clashed, a drunken Chen Qianqian burst onto the scene. When Chen Chuchu asked if she was alright, Chen Qianqian declared herself the "ruler of Weimeng Mountain," no longer the Young City Lord, even suggesting Chen Chuchu take her place.
In her drunken state, she flirted with Han Shuo, complimenting his looks and trying to "kidnap" him to be her "husband," even attempting to check his abs. Han Shuo embraced her, gently telling her to stop. Tearfully, Chen Qianqian recounted how he had promised to protect her but then got mad and left her alone. Han Shuo apologized profusely. Despite her drunken state, Chen Qianqian declared that Han Shuo "belonged to the heroine."
Han Shuo then commanded all of Weimeng Mountain's bandits to surrender and pledge their loyalty to Chen Qianqian, warning that any disobedience would be met with military punishment. Later, Han Shuo gently chided Chen Qianqian for her heavy drinking. Zi Rui brought a "refreshing soup" from Su Ziying, but a suspicious Chen Qianqian ordered Zi Rui to "keep a closer eye on Su Ziying."
Meanwhile, Su Ziying gave Chen Chuchu a nourishing soup, inwardly vowing to help her reclaim the Young City Lord position. To further his plan, Su Ziying bribed a cook to deliver a message to Han Shuo, ostensibly from Chen Qianqian, inviting him to the inn's storage room. Su Ziying's real plan was to lure Chen Chuchu there as well, lock them both inside, and let an aphrodisiac incense take effect.
Zi Rui overheard this plot and rushed to warn Chen Qianqian. Calling Su Ziying "black-hearted," she raced to the storage room. Han Shuo had already arrived and, noticing the unusual scent of the incense, quickly realized he had been drugged. Chen Qianqian burst in to find him collapsing in pain. As she tried to help him, he grabbed her, his desires fueled by the aphrodisiac, though he fought to restrain himself. The door was locked.
Chen Qianqian instructed Zi Rui, who was outside, not to spread the news and to find Bai Ji for help. Inside, she tried to encourage Han Shuo to endure the ordeal. Su Ziying soon arrived, and the cook informed him that both Han Shuo and Chen Qianqian were locked inside, to Su Ziying's horror, as his plan was to trap Han Shuo with Chen Chuchu.
When the cook confessed to losing the key, Chen Qianqian, still trapped with Han Shuo, mentally lamented her predicament, realizing that as the original author, she had written about aphrodisiac incense but never imagined it would be used on her own main character.
