The Romance of Tiger and Rose Episode 9 Recap
> The Romance of Tiger and Rose Recap
With the Crown Princess Election merely seven days away, Han Shuo takes on the task of personally training Chen Qianqian. Recognizing the tight schedule, he focuses on teaching her powerful, single-strike moves, beginning with the basic horse stance and progressing to specific punching techniques. When Qianqian initially protests, Han Shuo shifts to a serious tone, revealing a strategic maneuver for her upcoming martial arts test against Lin Qi.
He advises her to ensure her score is one point higher than Lin Qi’s. That way, even if both were to tumble off the ring simultaneously, resulting in a draw, Qianqian would still be declared the winner of the Kung Fu test. Han Shuo also dispatches his secret agent, Yang Sihu, to ensure Chen Qianqian’s victory in the election.
He explains that Qianqian's simple-minded, ignorant, and lawless nature makes her easily controllable, allowing him to exert influence over Huayuan City from Yueli Mansion. He emphasizes that Chen Qianqian "must" become the Crown Princess, and since she lacks motivation, they will secure the outcome for her.
Unbeknownst to Han Shuo, Qianqian’s true intent is not to become the Crown Princess but to win the martial arts test solely to inspire her elder sister, Chen Yuanyuan, to recover, secretly hoping that Chen Chuchu will ultimately secure the position. During the literacy test, Chen Qianqian, still aiming to lose, simply draws a stick figure on her paper. However, before it is officially submitted, Yang Sihu's agents discreetly swap her paper with a prepared one, ensuring her successful advancement.
Qianqian remains oblivious to the switch, later confidently remarking that her drawing was "beautiful." The martial arts test commences, featuring fifteen contestants. In the first round, Chen Qianqian’s opponent, secretly arranged by Han Shuo, feigns defeat by intentionally falling off the ring. Qianqian is initially bewildered but continues to win the first three rounds in similar fashion. Onlookers speculate that Lin Qi has bribed these opponents, intending to embarrass Qianqian in a later match.
The City Lord, however, seems to entertain these rumors while confidently noting that Han Shuo, due to his affection for Qianqian, will ensure her protection. In the fourth round, Qianqian faces an unexpected opponent who is neither allied with Han Shuo nor Lin Qi. This formidable opponent quickly knocks Qianqian to the ground. Concerned, Han Shuo instructs an aide to tell Qianqian to forfeit, but her own attendant, Zi Rui, encourages her to fight on.
Qianqian, now genuinely struggling, resorts to a frantic evasive strategy, running around the ring to exhaust her opponent. Once her adversary is winded, Qianqian seizes the opportunity, cunningly pushing her off the stage to secure another win and advance to the finals. The night before the final match, both Chen Qianqian and Han Shuo find themselves unable to sleep. Qianqian expresses her deep fear of facing Lin Qi, worried about severe injury or even death.
Han Shuo reassures her, reminding her of his tactical advice and asserting that Lin Qi would not dare to seriously harm a princess. He even offers her the option to withdraw from the final, acknowledging her fear of pain. However, Qianqian refuses, determined to fight for Chen Yuanyuan, feeling a sense of responsibility for her sister’s leg injury. Han Shuo then shares a custom from Xuanhu City: making wishes to the full moon can make them come true.
To be "closer" to the moon, they climb to a higher vantage point. Despite her fear of heights, Qianqian feels comforted and secure in Han Shuo's embrace. She wishes to win the next day's competition and asks if he will be there to watch; he promises he will. Han Shuo, in turn, makes a silent wish for Qianqian to remain unharmed. Meanwhile, Su Mu persistently tries to persuade Chen Yuanyuan to attend the final.
Despite having already dressed for the occasion, Yuanyuan feigns indifference and claims physical weakness, expressing a desire to stay indoors and read medical texts. Su Mu points out her preparations, but Yuanyuan, stubbornly adhering to her pretense, orders her attendant, Zi Nian, to push her to the study. In the highly anticipated final match, Chen Qianqian confronts Lin Qi, who is notorious for her lethal whip and has a history of losing to Qianqian.
Anticipating a brutal fight, Qianqian requests protective gear. She then proposes an unusual "slow-motion" fighting style, which she calls an "increase in FPS," that momentarily bewilders Lin Qi, allowing Qianqian to land a surprise punch. Following Han Shuo’s earlier advice, Qianqian then closes the distance, engaging Lin Qi in a tenacious hand-to-hand struggle to prevent Lin Qi from effectively using her whip. Enraged by Qianqian's tactics, Lin Qi unleashes her whip, tearing Qianqian's protective gear.
Undeterred, Qianqian discards the broken armor, lunges forward, and embraces Lin Qi, enduring the relentless blows but steadfastly refusing to release her grip or surrender. Witnessing Qianqian’s brutal beating, Pei Heng attempts to intervene by hitting the truce gong. However, Han Shuo’s aide, acting on a subtle signal from Han Shuo, tries to block him.
Pei Heng, invoking his fifteen-year engagement to Qianqian, argues that he has more right to intervene than Han Shuo, who has only recently entered her household. He then strikes the truce gong, urging Qianqian to concede. Qianqian, however, publicly repudiates Pei Heng’s action, declaring that he is neither her family nor her husband, rendering his intervention invalid.
She explicitly chooses Han Shuo to represent her wishes, stating that as long as Han Shuo doesn’t hit the gong, she has not surrendered. The referee, respecting Qianqian's decision, nullifies the truce gong, and the match resumes. Amidst the crowd's murmurs about Pei Heng’s public rejection and Qianqian’s surprising determination, Han Shuo, though visibly pained by Qianqian’s suffering, remains still, understanding her unwavering resolve.
Battered and bruised, Chen Qianqian stubbornly continues the fight, her eyes scanning the crowd for Chen Yuanyuan. Su Mu, having finally convinced Yuanyuan to attend, reports on Qianqian's severe injuries and unwavering refusal to yield, making Yuanyuan realize Qianqian is fighting specifically to motivate her. Despite her lingering hesitation, Yuanyuan is finally wheeled to the arena by Su Mu. Seeing Qianqian's bloodied state, Yuanyuan tearfully pleads with her to surrender, promising to finally commit to rehabilitation.
Lin Qi dismisses Yuanyuan's emotional appeal, scoffing at her as "worthless." Seizing on Lin Qi's momentary distraction, Qianqian musters her last reserves of strength, grabs Lin Qi, and pulls them both off the stage. The match is declared a draw, and according to Han Shuo's cunning strategy, Chen Qianqian is announced as the winner of the Kung Fu test. Later, as Yuanyuan meticulously tends to Qianqian's numerous wounds, Han Shuo, listening from outside the room, furiously counts twenty-seven whip marks.
Enraged, he orders his aide, Bai Ji, to exact revenge by inflicting precisely twenty-seven cuts on Lin Qi before killing her, threatening Bai Ji with the same fate if he falls short. Overhearing this, Qianqian intervenes, calling Han Shuo and Bai Ji inside. She tells them that merely killing Lin Qi would be too lenient, revealing that she has a more comprehensive and satisfying plan for revenge. Pei Heng visits Chen Qianqian to inquire about her injuries.
He expresses genuine remorse, admitting that his attempt to stop the match was purely out of concern for her well-being, a sentiment Qianqian quietly acknowledges. As Pei Heng leaves, Han Shuo intercepts him, confronting him about his sudden public assertion of an engagement he had previously neglected for years. Han Shuo questions whether Pei Heng's actions are driven by genuine concern or an ulterior motive.
He then unequivocally declares that his heart disease is fully cured and that he intends to spend his entire life with Qianqian, advising Pei Heng to abandon any lingering hopes of renewing their past engagement. Han Shuo even suggests that Lin Qi, who is clearly devoted to Pei Heng, might be a more suitable match for him.
Pei Heng counters, challenging Han Shuo's own sincerity by highlighting Qianqian's sacrifices for him, such as losing her princess status for the Dragon Bone, and Han Shuo’s perceived indifference during her brutal whipping. Pei Heng asserts his claim based on their fifteen-year engagement, refusing to be dismissed as an outsider. Han Shuo retorts that Pei Heng's past neglect invalidated the engagement, and his current interest is merely a reactive response to Han Shuo "stealing" Qianqian away.
While Pei Heng admits to his past indifference, he insists his current feelings are sincere. The two men exchange veiled threats and unspoken challenges. Later, Han Shuo's aide, Bai Ji, attempts to incite Han Shuo to conquer Huayuan City, suggesting he could then claim both Qianqian and even Pei Heng. Han Shuo, however, sarcastically dismisses the idea of ever wanting Pei Heng. Despite Han Shuo's warnings and dismissals, Pei Heng remains steadfast in his determination not to give up on Chen Qianqian.
