The Wolf Episode 20 Recap
> The Wolf Recap
Following their reconciliation, Prince of Bo stays awake with Ma Zhaixing all night. At dawn, he agrees to her request to tour Kuizhou City, both disguised in cloaks. At the city gate, they are confronted by the demoted Feudal Lord Li, now a low-grade garrison soldier. Mistaking the cloaked Prince of Bo for a stranger, Li accuses Ma Zhaixing of infidelity and attempts to arrest them, hoping to redeem himself and reclaim his former position.
Ma Zhaixing playfully deceives Li, claiming Prince of Bo never loved her and she is seeking a new romance. Prince of Bo then reveals his identity to the terrified Li, mockingly confirming they are in Kuizhou for an "affair" and warning him against leaking the news on pain of banishment. Later, Ma Zhaixing learns from Prince of Bo that Li was demoted for mistreating her, an act of secret retribution on her behalf.
During their walk, they encounter Mr. Fang and his daughter, Hong'er. Ma Zhaixing is surprised by Hong'er's now rebellious and rude behavior. The girl has become hostile after being taunted by other children for the scar on her face, adopting a philosophy of bullying others before they can bully her. Feeling responsible for having previously shattered her belief in the story of Wolf Boy and Xing'er, Prince of Bo regrets his role in her transformation.
Ma Zhaixing devises a plan to help. She introduces the still-cloaked Prince of Bo as "Brother Wolf Boy," a kindred spirit who was also once misunderstood as a "monster" and felt isolated. They invite Hong'er to a game of pitch-pot, where Prince of Bo intentionally performs poorly. Hong'er's skill at the game impresses the other children, helping her reconnect with them.
Ma Zhaixing explains to Prince of Bo that children are drawn to talent, and she knew Hong'er would be an expert at a one-player game due to her loneliness. She reassures both him and Hong'er that they are not monsters but the kindest people she knows. Later, Hong'er apologizes to her father for her past behavior. After Prince of Bo and Ma Zhaixing depart, Hong'er reveals to her father that she recognized the cloaked man.
Having caught glimpses of his face, she identifies him as the same "scary man" who had rented out their entire restaurant on the day of the Ma family massacre. Concerned, Mr. Fang rushes to Ma Manor and reports his suspicions to General Ma Fengcheng. He recounts how the man and his suspicious black-clad companions rented his restaurant instead of staying at the Feudal Lord's Mansion, only to disappear on the very night of the murders.
Though Ma Fengcheng is skeptical, he agrees to have a portrait of Prince of Bo drawn for identification the next day. Unbeknownst to them, a spy planted by Emperor Chu Kui in Ma Fengcheng's retinue overhears the conversation and immediately sends a report. Mo Xiao, a Night Fiend, finds Prince of Bo and Ma Zhaixing, warning them that the Emperor is infuriated about the revelation of the Wolf Boy identity.
Undeterred, Prince of Bo resolves to confess everything upon his return, and Ma Zhaixing insists on facing the Emperor with him. Back in the capital, Prince of Bo kneels before a furious Chu Kui and confesses his long-standing bond with Ma Zhaixing, admitting his love for her is real and not just a political maneuver. Enraged, Chu Kui tests his loyalty, asking if he would kill Ma Zhaixing if ordered.
Prince of Bo reluctantly agrees, which seems to placate the Emperor. Acting on the spy's letter, Chu Kui explains that the Night Fiends were recognized at the restaurant. To protect the truth behind the Ma family's slaughter, he orders Prince of Bo to personally eliminate Mr. Fang and his daughter, stressing they must not see Ma Fengcheng again. Prince of Bo returns to his manor and lies to a worried Ma Zhaixing, claiming his only punishment is a heavy workload.
He then secretly instructs his subordinates, Wen Yan and Mo Xiao, to prepare for a mission to Kuizhou to kill Mr. Fang and Hong'er. Mo Xiao hesitates, pointing out the targets are acquaintances of Ma Zhaixing, but Prince of Bo insists the task cannot fail. Meanwhile, still suspicious of his adoptive son's loyalty, Chu Kui decides to release Yao Ji from the dungeon.
He believes she is the only person who knows Prince of Bo well enough to test his allegiance. Yao Ji, who trained with Prince of Bo for eight years and was imprisoned for trying to kill him after losing the leadership of the Night Fiends to him five years prior, confidently states that no woman could make him lose himself. The next morning, Ma Zhaixing finds Prince of Bo wiping his sword with a murderous look in his eyes.
She deduces he is on a mission to kill someone and pleads with him to remember his true nature, reminding him that as Wolf Boy, his humanity overcame his desire for revenge against Commandant Xiahou. Prince of Bo sternly dismisses her, stating that he is no longer Wolf Boy and his mission is confidential.
As he leaves, she calls out that the sound of her bell still affects him, proving the kind Wolf Boy still exists inside him, and she promises to wait for his return. Shortly after, a eunuch arrives to summon Ma Zhaixing to the palace alone. Inside the palace, Chu Kui feigns regret over their long separation and promises to help her.
He tells her he has found the best physician to finally cure her leg injury so she can one day avenge her father. He warns that the doctor is "odd" but assures her that he has promised to succeed.
