The Wolf Episode 17 Recap
> The Wolf Recap
Princess Yelu Bao Na arrived not only with an alliance treaty but also with the Fourth Prince of the Yang Kingdom, Chu Youzhen, brought into the camp in bonds. Years had passed since their last meeting, but the animosity between Chu Youzhen and his Third Brother, the Prince of Bo, persisted. Chu Youzhen harbored a deep grudge stemming from a misunderstanding three years prior, viewing the Prince of Bo as an enemy.
Though Princess Bao Na attempted to mediate, Chu Youzhen remained unyielding and stormed out of the tent. He soon encountered Ji Chong and then sought out Commandery Princess Ma Zhaixing, seeing her as a fellow unfortunate soul and befriending her. As Ji Chong and Chu Youzhen were loudly criticizing the Prince of Bo, the prince himself appeared with new intelligence, suggesting an internal traitor might have colluded with the Jin in the recent ambush.
Meanwhile, Jing Chuchu, devastated by the loss of her child, grew completely disillusioned with her husband, Prince Chu Yougui. She penned a detailed letter to Emperor Chu Kui, exposing all of her husband's misdeeds, including the cruel act of using her father as a scapegoat. Enraged by the revelations, the Emperor summoned the Prince of Bo and others back to the capital.
In the imperial hall, Emperor Chu Kui publicly denounced Chu Yougui's crimes, stripped him of his princely title, and confined him to the imperial mausoleum for life. Heartbroken for his Second Brother, Chu Youzhen knelt and pleaded with Emperor Chu Kui, but his request was denied. He then angrily accused the Emperor of being cold-blooded and caring only for the Prince of Bo, whom he called a "bastard," while showing no concern for his own biological sons.
Watching the Prince of Bo leave the hall without a word, the Emperor felt helpless. His four sons, once close as brothers, were now fractured and distant. He hoped Ma Zhaixing could mediate between the Prince of Bo and Chu Youzhen, then slowly revealed a tragic past incident. Three years ago, First Prince Chu Youyu led an army with the Prince of Bo assisting him. The brothers worked in concert, achieving continuous victories.
Hearing the war was nearing a favorable end, Chu Youzhen secretly went to the front lines to welcome them. However, a vice-general defected and the enemy launched a surprise attack, leading to the Yang army's encirclement. In the critical moment, First Prince Chu Youyu sacrificed himself to cover the retreat and was killed. Chu Youzhen resented the Prince of Bo for seemingly abandoning the battle, believing he had fled.
When Youzhen attempted to rush back to save his brother, the Prince of Bo knocked him unconscious and brought him back to the palace. From that day on, the Prince of Bo was mistakenly believed to have intentionally caused the First Prince's death, and despite Youzhen's hostility, he tolerated the accusations without defense. Ji Chong, familiar with the rumors of the martial world, had heard that the Prince of Bo was cruel and prioritized military achievements over family ties.
Chu Youzhen remained convinced that his brother would have led a full-force breakout rather than staying behind to die. Furthermore, the fact that such a prominent prince died on the battlefield, yet Emperor Chu Kui forbade anyone from discussing it and held a simple funeral, seemed like a cover-up, fueling Youzhen's dissatisfaction. Ma Zhaixing listened silently, refraining from taking sides. She felt like a stranger to the Prince of Bo.
Returning to the Prince of Bo Manor, she hesitated at the entrance, afraid to step inside. She confessed her fears to Ma Jing, recounting her fear of remembering the Prince of Bo's kisses, his calls of "Xing'er," the warmth he once showed her like Wolf Boy, and the memory of shooting an arrow through his heart out of anger over his involvement with Princess Bao Na.
She also didn't know how to face the perfumed sachet he had hung in her room. Aware of her reluctance, the Prince of Bo announced that he would be staying at the Ministry of War for the next three months to discuss strategies for attacking Jin. He left the manor with his Fang Sword, assuring her she would be well cared for as the future Princess Consort Bo.
After the Prince of Bo moved out, he spent his days drinking and sparring ruthlessly with Mo Xiao, who noted the prince was eating less and drinking more. Hai Die and Mo Xiao realized that Zhaixing was using preparations for the First Prince's death anniversary as an excuse to avoid the Prince of Bo. They believed the prince was also avoiding her, tormented by the fear that the truth about the Ma Manor massacre would be exposed.
Convinced the two were a perfect match, Mo Xiao and Hai Die conspired to orchestrate a meeting. Having learned from Ma Jing that Zhaixing and Ji Chong planned to visit the East Market, they devised a scheme to lure the Prince of Bo there by fabricating a story about a skilled archer, knowing his appreciation for talent. The East Market buzzed with activity. As the First Prince's death anniversary approached, Ma Zhaixing was searching for his lost Dragon Tongue Sword.
While Ji Chong went to buy candied hawthorns, Zhaixing stood by a bun stall where she unexpectedly encountered the Prince of Bo. They both asked for a bun simultaneously, only to discover there was just one left. Upon returning, Ji Chong presented a theory to Zhaixing, positing that her deep feelings for the Prince of Bo were a transference of her affection for Wolf Boy.
He argued that because she was disoriented and had just undergone a life-or-death crisis when they first met, she had mistakenly projected her feelings for Wolf Boy onto the prince. Zhaixing admitted she had never considered this. Nearby, an archery stall owner offered a valuable jade butterfly as a prize for a difficult shot that required an arrow to pass through multiple bronze rings. Knowing Zhaixing's fondness for butterflies, the Prince of Bo stepped forward and flawlessly struck the bullseye, astonishing the onlookers.
