The Wolf Princess Episode 12 Recap
> The Wolf Princess Recap
Yan Qing constantly pondered how to break off his engagement with Yourou. He felt that as long as the engagement remained, he couldn't openly pursue Ling Long, nor did he want her to misunderstand him as a scoundrel. He wanted Yourou to initiate the breakup, as he knew that if Ling Long were perceived as the reason, her life in Western Turk, already difficult as a pawn, would become even harder.
After much thought, Yan Qing decided to make Yourou suggest the annulment. He spoke to his wolf, lamenting the difficulty of breaking the engagement without implicating Ling Long or hurting Yourou. His conversation gave him an idea: he wouldn't break it himself; he'd make Yourou do it. Later, Yan Qing tried to discuss the annulment with his father, who became furious. His father pointed out Yourou's good family background and appearance, insisting she was worthy of Yan Qing.
He warned that breaking the engagement for an "enemy princess" would publicly shame Yourou's family and jeopardize Ling Long, stating, "If you can accept this result, you can go to Mansion You to break off the engagement. I will never stop you." Yan Qing realized the heavy consequences of his actions. Meanwhile, Misa and Yan Yu were discussing Ling Long's health. Though her illness was almost cured, her body remained weak and unresponsive to tonics.
Misa explained that her condition was due to "two people tossing in the same body," causing greater-than-normal depletion of her vital energy. He proposed an "internal adjustment" by practicing martial arts to strengthen her physique and accelerate recovery, which would also help suppress Lang Yin. Ling Long readily agreed to "eat suffering" if it meant curing her polysomnia. Misa planned to find a reliable female instructor, but Ling Long had other ideas.
A servant announced Yourou's arrival with a retinue of family guards, appearing aggressive. Yan Yu worried about Ling Long's fragile state, but Ling Long decided to face Yourou. Yourou surprised everyone by kneeling before Ling Long to apologize. She explained that after hearing from Yan Yu about Ling Long's courageous act of rescuing the saints, she realized Ling Long was a person of true courage and wisdom, not a flattering schemer.
Yourou then offered to break off her engagement with Yan Qing if Ling Long genuinely loved him, promising never to contend with her again. Ling Long, however, firmly stated she had "nothing to do with Yan Qing" and encouraged Yourou to marry him, even offering a generous wedding gift. Relieved, Yourou happily left, explaining she was still under confinement and had to return. Ling Long privately admired Yourou as "a kind and righteous person who dares to be."
Yan Qing, who had been eavesdropping from the rafters, confronted Ling Long, furious that she had foiled his plan. He revealed he had orchestrated for Yan Yu to tell Yourou about Ling Long's heroism precisely to prompt Yourou to break the engagement. " I've been planning for so long. . . and you ruin it," he accused. Yan Yu interjected, reprimanding Yan Qing for using Ling Long, a vulnerable pawn, in such sensitive matters.
Misa reminded them that Ling Long's health was paramount, urging them to put their squabbles aside. Ling Long then proposed Yourou as her martial arts instructor. She reasoned that Yourou's solid foundation and their mutual familiarity made her an ideal choice, and that such an arrangement would publicly demonstrate their reconciliation, silencing ongoing gossip. General You, after considering Ling Long's persuasive argument, agreed to the proposal.
Yourou enthusiastically prepared detailed training plans, including custom-made panels visible from afar, and warned Ling Long against slacking. During their initial practice, Lang Yin dismissed the techniques as "frivolous tricks," was provoked and took over Ling Long's body, challenging Yourou to a fight. Yan Qing swiftly intervened, knocking Lang Yin unconscious before she could harm Yourou.
Ling Long, upon regaining consciousness, revealed her condition of "two people in one body" to Yourou, pleading for secrecy due to societal prejudice and the threat it posed to her life. Yourou promised absolute confidentiality. Yourou suggested finding another strong instructor to control Lang Yin, but Yan Qing argued against involving outsiders, citing concerns about security and secrecy.
He proposed himself as the instructor, asserting his superior martial arts skills to control Lang Yin and his insider status to maintain the secret. Ling Long and Yourou, convinced by his logic, reluctantly agreed. Yan Qing began training Ling Long with military-style intensity. Yourou protested, deeming the methods too harsh for Ling Long's delicate condition, but Yan Qing dismissed her, stating, "People in the army are trained like this." To prove his methods were flawed, Yourou joined the strenuous training.
By the end of the day, both were exhausted and sore. Yan Qing, maintaining his "cold-blooded instructor" persona, expressed "great disappointment" and ordered them to continue the next day. Yan Yu expressed concern to Misa about the extreme training, but Misa explained its rationale: "To fundamentally strengthen her physique, breaking the limit is a necessary step." He advised patience, and the girls agreed to endure the training for a few more days.
That night, Yan Qing was caught eavesdropping from the rafters again. This time, however, it was Lang Yin who emerged to confront him. Leaning on his shoulder, she revealed that, as the one closest to Ling Long, she could sense Ling Long’s true feelings: that she held Yan Qing in a special place, different from anyone else.
Delighted by the revelation, Yan Qing listened as Lang Yin offered to help him win her over, though he ultimately dismissed her and told her to focus on her own mission. Despite his harsh demeanor, Yan Qing secretly cared for Ling Long. He prepared medicinal plasters for her soreness and discreetly gave them to Xuanyu, instructing him to pass them to Yourou, knowing Yourou would then give them to Ling Long.
Yan Qing explained his convoluted approach by stating he was an engaged man and shouldn't approach Ling Long directly. Ling Long and Yourou applied the effective plasters while chatting in a medicinal bath, praising Xuanyu's kindness. They also learned from Yourou about a bet among the Wolf Guards on Yan Qing's "emotional belonging," with many betting against him.
Feeling indignant and seeking revenge, Ling Long and Yourou resolved to "give this boy a taste of his own medicine," devising "dirty tricks" since they couldn't defeat him directly. The next day, during Plum Blossom Stakes training, Ling Long and Yourou loosened the wooden stakes and hid sharp objects within them. However, Yan Qing effortlessly demonstrated the moves, completely unaffected by their traps. He mocked their "low-level tricks" and punished them with twenty laps.
Later, Ling Long feigned heatstroke, collapsing dramatically. Yourou, playing along, urged Yan Qing to get a doctor, exclaiming, "She could die of heat stroke." Panicked and distracted by worry, Yan Qing rushed to help Ling Long, confirming Misa's earlier observation that "caring leads to distraction." This gave Ling Long and Yourou the perfect opportunity to activate a trap, hoisting Yan Qing high into the air.
They demanded that all future training decisions—"when and how to practice"—would be "all up to us." Yan Qing initially resisted, but seeing them prepare to leave, he quickly relented, begging them to release him. Ling Long and Yourou walked away, planning to get "stewed snow pear with sugar," leaving Yan Qing suspended. Soon after, Xuanyu arrived and released Yan Qing, who admitted to having been momentarily "distracted" by concern. While Yan Qing was away, Ling Long visited his wolf.
The wolf led her to a small hut, where she discovered a table covered with medicinal ingredients. She realized with a warm heart that Yan Qing had been secretly making the healing plasters for her. Yan Qing returned to find his men chuckling and learned Ling Long had been in the hut for "half an hour." He rushed to the hut, attempting to deflect by claiming the items belonged to Xuanyu, but Ling Long's knowing gaze made it clear his thoughtful gesture had been exposed.