The Wolf Episode 12 Recap
> The Wolf Recap
Filled with remorse, the Prince of Bo gazed at the sleeping Ma Zhaixing, regretting that he had not uncovered His Majesty Chu Kui's scheme sooner, which had led to her injury. He silently apologized, wishing he could protect her and atone for the sins of the Night Fiends.
Meanwhile, an infuriated Princess Bao Na, having had a falling out with the Prince of Bo and burned the crucial military agreement, stormed out of the city gates in the middle of the night, injuring the guards who tried to stop her. However, she and her retinue were ambushed en route. Even with skilled guards, they were no match for the elite assassins led by a bounty hunter named Ji Chong.
On his orders, the princess was captured while her guards and servants were slain. Complaining of a leg injury, Princess Bao Na was taken away. The Prince of Bo, along with his men, searched for Princess Bao Na. At the ambush site, they found the bodies of her retinue. His men noted that the killers were top-tier experts, as each victim was killed with a single, fatal blow.
Soon after, the Qitan Bodyguard Captain arrived, accusing the Prince of Bo of causing the princess's angry departure and subsequent disappearance. Tensions flared and blades were nearly drawn, but the Second Prince, Prince of Yun, arrived and calmed the situation. Meanwhile, having learned that the Prince of Bo's actions had led to Princess Bao Na burning the military aid agreement and going missing, a furious His Majesty Chu Kui worried about the alliance with the Qitan.
An official explained in court that the Prince had deeply humiliated the princess by returning her gift unopened. Chu Kui reprimanded the Prince of Bo for his insubordination. Despite the Prince accepting full responsibility, the Qitan envoy demanded his imprisonment. His Majesty ordered the Prince of Bo to be taken to the imperial prison, declaring that if Princess Bao Na was not found, he would face death for treason.
He then commanded the Prince of Yun and the Prime Minister to lead the search. Ma Zhaixing awoke the next day and saw the perfumed sachet in her hand, realizing what it meant. She soon learned from Hai Die that the Prince of Bo's manor was in turmoil and he had been imprisoned. Hai Die explained that if Princess Bao Na was not found, the Prince would be executed and the alliance with the Qitan nation would be broken.
Upset, Hai Die blamed Ma Zhaixing, arguing that the Prince had offended the princess and returned her gift solely for Ma Zhaixing's sake, accusing her of abandoning him in his time of need. Ma Zhaixing's servant, Ma Jing, fiercely defended her mistress, but Ma Zhaixing stopped their argument. Determined to rescue the Prince of Bo, she declared her intention to go to the palace and seek an audience with the Emperor.
After she left, a remorseful Hai Die admitted that Ma Zhaixing was the only one who could truly help the Prince. Ma Zhaixing met with His Majesty Chu Kui and requested permission to join the search for Princess Bao Na, acknowledging her share of the responsibility. Recalling Ma Zhaixing's intelligence, which had solved a complex case eight years prior, the Emperor granted her request, giving her one hundred imperial guards.
However, he sternly warned that if she failed, he would have no choice but to sacrifice the Prince of Bo, as he detested being manipulated. Before leaving, Ma Zhaixing asked to visit the Prince of Bo in prison, explaining that he was the first to arrive at the ambush site and might have crucial clues.
The Qitan Bodyguard Captain initially refused her entry, but Ma Zhaixing made a daring offer: if allowed to see the Prince, she guaranteed she would find Princess Bao Na by noon the next day, or she would accept any punishment. Seeing it as a worthy wager, he granted her access. Inside the prison, the Prince of Bo, knowing he could no longer protect her, vehemently opposed her risky plan.
Unfazed, Ma Zhaixing declared that while she was willing to die with him, she wanted to live with him even more. She confessed that she knew his harsh words to Princess Bao Na were a result of his concern for her. Ma Zhaixing recounted his past acts of protection—saving her from a feudal lord, taking an injury for her, defying royal orders to tend to her, and comforting her when she was alone.
The Prince of Bo embraced her tightly, admitting that no other woman had ever made him care so deeply, simply because she was Ma Zhaixing. He asked her to personally give him a "Double Seventh Festival" gift after the princess was rescued. As she prepared to leave, he cautioned her to be careful, as the kidnappers were elite warriors, and advised her to take Wen Yan, Mo Xiao, and Hai Die.
She then requested one more thing from him to serve as a talisman: his blood. After leaving the prison, Ma Zhaixing used a drop of the Prince's blood to command a warrior wolf from the Bo Army. Though the wolf was trained to obey only the Prince, she believed she could earn its allegiance. Using Princess Bao Na’s favorite rouge, which carried her scent, she set the wolf on the trail.
Meanwhile, Ji Chong was with his associates and the captive Princess Bao Na. He used his eagle, Zhui Ri—his "third eye"—to survey the area and detected their pursuers. He instructed his men to take the princess and retreat to Ling Yun Temple, while he stayed behind as a rearguard, setting traps with poisonous scorpions. Following the warrior wolf, Ma Zhaixing’s group ventured into the mountains.
They soon discovered Princess Bao Na’s horse and Zhaixing deduced the animal had been insidiously poisoned to collapse after running a certain distance. With startling insight, she concluded that the kidnapping was a meticulously planned conspiracy involving an insider, reasoning that only someone with intimate knowledge of the princess's habits and access to the palace stables could have orchestrated it. She even suspected the Second Prince's faction might be involved. Hidden nearby, Ji Chong overheard her sharp analysis.
Initially amused by her, his demeanor shifted to one of impressed caution; he found her intriguing and a formidable opponent. Unwilling to jeopardize his "big client," the Prince of Yun, Ji Chong decided to intervene. He shot an arrow, killing a scorpion that was about to attack Ma Zhaixing.
He then introduced himself, spinning a half-truth that he was a bounty hunter hired for the job but quit upon discovering the target was a Qitan lady, which went against his principles. Though suspicious, Ma Zhaixing was persuaded to let him join them after he offered to lead them to the princess at Ling Yun Temple in exchange for a reward. Upon reaching Ling Yun Temple, they found and rescued Princess Bao Na.
However, she immediately reverted to her imperious self, demanding Ma Zhaixing execute the kidnappers. Suddenly, a bandit lunged at the princess with a knife. Ma Zhaixing instinctively shielded Princess Bao Na with her own body. Just as the blade was about to strike, an arrow shot by Ji Chong struck the assailant, saving them both. Ma Zhaixing gave him a grateful smile, while a shaken Princess Bao Na clung to her and sobbed.
Afterward, a suspicious Hai Die pressed a blade to Ji Chong's throat, demanding answers. Ji Chong swiftly disarmed and subdued her. Ma Zhaixing de-escalated the confrontation, but Ji Chong artfully dodged her questions, feigning ignorance about the identity of his employer.
