The Wolf Episode 8 Recap
> The Wolf Recap
Lin Guang, recovering after several doses of warming medicine, was much clearer by the following evening. The next morning, Ma Zhaixing visited him and learned he had traveled to the capital in search of a benefactor and was now penniless. Feeling compassionate, she agreed to let him stay a few more days. Soon after, Second Prince Chu Yougui and his consort, Jing Chuchu, arrived at the Prince of Bo's manor to offer their wedding congratulations.
Wishing for the princes to converse freely, Jing Chuchu gracefully excused herself to find Ma Zhaixing. In the courtyard, Lin Guang recognized Jing Chuchu and revealed that her husband, the Second Prince, was his benefactor who had saved his uncle's life during famine relief in Bozhou years ago. Overjoyed by this connection, Lin Guang offered to cook a special Bozhou meal to repay this kindness.
Jing Chuchu, pleased by the sincere offer, suggested he cook for both princes that very evening, and Ma Zhaixing readily agreed. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Lin Guang blessed the two women, wishing their descendants prosperity for generations. Jing Chuchu led Ma Zhaixing back to the main hall where Prince of Bo and the Second Prince were seated. While Prince of Bo, Chu Youwen, remained reserved, Ma Zhaixing engaged in lively conversation with the Second Prince, asking about Chu Youwen's interests.
The Second Prince revealed that aside from martial arts, Prince of Bo's unwavering hobby, taught by his elder brother, was calligraphy. Ma Zhaixing playfully guessed his preference for practicing calligraphy, adding that she had even gifted him an inkstone. This prompted Jing Chuchu to ask to see the inkstone, but both Ma Zhaixing and Prince of Bo objected simultaneously.
The sudden outcry startled Jing Chuchu, who instinctively clutched her belly, leading the Second Prince to quickly reassure her with tender words, showcasing their deep affection. As dinner approached, a cautious Prince of Bo instructed his aide, Wen Yan, to meticulously inspect all the dishes Lin Guang prepared. The group then moved to the garden to dine. In a surprisingly short time, Lin Guang had prepared a table laden with authentic Bozhou dishes.
The Second Prince, whose mother was also from Bozhou, eagerly sampled the droplet soup. His eyes widened in astonishment as he recognized the familiar taste of his mother's cooking. He immediately offered Lin Guang a position as his personal cook, but Lin Guang politely declined, stating he had to return to Bozhou the next day. He did, however, offer to share the recipe's secrets. Their pleasant meal was interrupted by a commotion outside.
Mo Xiao rushed in, announcing that Prime Minister Jing Xiang had arrived with imperial soldiers to arrest Lin Guang. Jing Xiang declared Lin Guang a wanted criminal and an assassin who had infiltrated the manor with ulterior motives. Ma Zhaixing attempted to intervene, questioning how the fragile Lin Guang could be an assassin, but Jing Xiang sternly told her to know her place.
Lin Guang, though panicked, offered no resistance and was taken away, casting a poignant, expectant glance back at the Second Prince. Unbeknownst to Ma Zhaixing, Prince of Bo had already dispatched Mo Xiao and Hai Die to investigate. Mo Xiao had discovered that the Prime Minister was secretly investigating Lin Guang, a fugitive slave. As Lin Guang was being arrested, Mo Xiao revealed to Prince of Bo that Lin Guang had claimed to be the Second Prince's biological father.
If true, this would mean the Second Prince was the son of a fugitive, not of royal blood. Understanding the gravity of this claim, Prince of Bo ordered that Lin Guang be kept alive and prevented Prime Minister Jing Xiang from handling the matter privately. News of the arrest and the harboring of a fugitive quickly reached Emperor Chu Kui, who summoned Prince of Bo and Ma Zhaixing to the palace.
In the grand hall, Prime Minister Jing Xiang reported that Lin Guang had committed suicide by hanging out of fear of punishment and presented a signed confession along with a dagger allegedly found in his boot. Second Prince Chu Yougui supported this narrative, claiming Lin Guang was a former soldier he had demoted to a slave for hoarding grain, suggesting revenge as a motive.
Ma Zhaixing, however, staunchly defended Lin Guang, arguing that his compassionate nature made him an unlikely assassin and hinted that betrayal can sometimes be a form of self-sacrifice. Chu Kui, accepting the official story, chastised them for their poor vigilance, which nearly led to an imperial prince's harm.
Despite Ma Zhaixing's attempt to take full responsibility, Chu Kui punished her to kneel for three days and three nights at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, while Prince of Bo was to reflect for three months and forfeit a year's salary. As the sun set, Ma Zhaixing knelt at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Chu Kui, speaking privately with Prince of Bo, emphasized that Ma Zhaixing still had value and instructed him to "break her spirit" to ensure her obedience.
Prince of Bo then questioned the anomalies in Lin Guang's case, pointing out the improbability of a felon committing suicide so easily in the heavily guarded Prime Minister's Manor and the absence of the dagger during his initial search. Acknowledging the inconsistencies, Chu Kui ordered Prince of Bo to uncover the truth within three days. That night, Prince of Bo sent Mo Xiao and Hai Die to stake out the Prime Minister's Manor.
They observed servants transporting Lin Guang's body to a nearby forest for burial, only to be ruthlessly killed themselves to eliminate all witnesses, confirming a cover-up. Meanwhile, Ma Jing, deeply concerned about Ma Zhaixing's old leg injury, rushed to the Imperial Ancestral Temple in the pouring rain. Prevented from reaching her by the imperial guards, Ma Jing desperately went to the Prince of Bo's manor.
She tearfully recounted how, years ago, Ma Zhaixing's leg was broken by her own brother while she was trying to save a young boy known as Wolf Boy. She revealed that Ma Zhaixing had feigned betrayal and uttered hurtful words only to force Wolf Boy to escape to safety, and that her brother had stolen her copper bell to lure Wolf Boy into a trap.
Ma Jing detailed Ma Zhaixing's valiant, near-fatal effort to prevent Wolf Boy from falling off a cliff, which resulted in her severe, permanent leg injury. As Ma Jing recounted Ma Zhaixing's sacrifice, Prince of Bo was struck by a profound realization. He recalled Ma Zhaixing's earlier words about betrayal and fragmented memories of his past with her, as Wolf Boy, flooded his mind.
Overwhelmed by shock, remorse, and regret, he ordered his horse and raced through the night to the Imperial Ancestral Temple, where he found Ma Zhaixing gravely weakened. Defying Chu Kui's imperial order and the guards, Prince of Bo declared that Ma Zhaixing was his Princess Consort and that her old injury prevented her from kneeling. He took full responsibility and, in front of hundreds of guards, carried her away, telling her, "Wolf Boy is here. Let's go home."
Ma Zhaixing received immediate medical attention at the Prince of Bo's manor and was deemed out of danger. Meanwhile, Mo Xiao reported his findings: Lin Guang had indeed claimed to be the Second Prince's biological father, a claim supported by military records showing Lin Guang was a cook in the Bozhou military camp at the same time the Second Prince's mother was there, and that the Second Prince was born prematurely.
The next morning, Chu Kui summoned Prince of Bo to the palace. With a pre-prepared excuse, Prince of Bo explained that Ma Zhaixing's old leg injury would have crippled her, rendering her useless as a "chess piece" to control the Ma Family Army. Chu Kui, seeing this as a strategic move to secure Ma Zhaixing's loyalty, accepted the explanation and praised his foresight.
Prince of Bo then presented his findings on Lin Guang's case, implicitly suggesting that Prime Minister Jing Xiang's fear of the truth being exposed led to the murder and cover-up. Soon after, Prime Minister Jing Xiang and Second Prince Chu Yougui arrived, feigning concern for Ma Zhaixing to subtly undermine Prince of Bo. Chu Kui, furious, denounced them as hypocrites.
He revealed his prior knowledge of the Second Prince's mother's "old friendship" with Lin Guang, commending her honesty in contrast to their treacherous cover-up. As punishment, Chu Kui stripped Jing Xiang of his title and transferred all of Chu Yougui's duties to Prince of Bo, consolidating the latter's power. Ma Zhaixing later awoke in the Prince of Bo's manor.
Ma Jing informed her that Prince of Bo had defied the imperial order, fought past hundreds of guards, and carried her back. Stunned by this grave offense, Ma Zhaixing immediately wanted to see him. Ma Jing told her he was at the palace, adding that his safety was not the difficult part; the true challenge now lay in how Ma Zhaixing would view the Lin Guang case.
