The Wolf Princess Episode 3 Recap
> The Wolf Princess Recap
That night, after Ling Long had fallen asleep, her alter-ego suddenly appeared in a tavern. She overheard Yan Qing speaking about her to his companions, but showed no interest, her gaze sharp as if she had become a different person. Lightly leaping, Ling Long exited the tavern, inadvertently stepping on red mud used to repair a wall, leaving a trail of footprints. In a dark, secret chamber, Lady Zhao was being interrogated by men in black.
The leader grew frustrated as the Sacred Stone in his hand failed to glow, indicating no "wolf king energy" nearby. Lady Zhao pleaded ignorance to their questions. Ling Long then awoke from a nightmare where Lady Zhao was suffering. Although her manor appeared undisturbed, Ling Long spotted a shoe covered with red mud in a corner, confirming that her alter-ego had indeed manifested and gone out. Lady Zhao's body was later discovered.
Her servant stated that Lady Zhao had sought Ling Long for a sore throat the previous night but had not met her. The two tavern patrons who found the body had eyes that suggested they had been affected by the "mystic tricks of Southern Chu," which Yan Qing immediately recognized, deepening his suspicion of Ling Long. Outside Ling Long's manor, red mud footprints were still visible.
Yan Qing spoke with an older woman nearby who recounted strange events in Ling Long's courtyard—a "weasel" causing trouble, stealing chickens, and leaving distinct "wolf paw prints" on trees. She also mentioned Ling Long falling ill shortly after, suggesting she was "under the spell of the weasel." Yan Qing, dismissive of superstitions, saw these details as further evidence linking Ling Long to the supernatural events.
He observed that the incident coincided with the presence of people from the Wolf Family in her compound. Convinced that direct interrogation would be futile, Yan Qing obtained a letter of appointment from his father, compelling Ling Long to assist him in investigating a serial homicide case as an adviser. Ling Long initially declined, citing her ongoing illness and lack of experience.
However, Yan Qing persisted, praising her intelligence and noting her previous involvement in the "Magu's Birthday Offering" play, which connected her to the victims. When Ling Long reiterated her poor health, Yan Qing produced a specially prepared vehicle, eliminating her excuse. Seeing no other option, Ling Long reluctantly agreed to join him. Before they departed, Yan Qing assigned his men to guard Ling Long's house, preventing her maid, Xiaojin, from accompanying her.
One of Yan Qing's subordinates found a red-mud-covered shoe in Ling Long's room. Later, Xiaojin offered the guards drugged wine. Once they were incapacitated, she sought out the Fourth Childe, who advised her that Yan Qing lacked concrete evidence if he was using the investigation as a pretext. He assured Xiaojin he would handle the situation. As Yan Qing and Ling Long walked through the city, Ling Long questioned his strategy of aimlessly "wandering" instead of visiting the crime scene.
Yan Qing explained he suspected the mastermind might be observing them, and that a murderer, cut off from their superior, would still risk exposure to seek information. Ling Long then asked if he considered her the mastermind, a suggestion he deflected as a mere analogy.
He further probed her, questioning if she, having grown up in the Southern Chu palace surrounded by mystic arts masters, had learned any tricks, implying she was an ambitious "daughter of a concubine" whom her father might have trained. Ling Long deflected his persistent insinuations with polite remarks. Their stroll was interrupted when Yourou spotted them together. Yan Qing, eager to avoid her, pushed Xuanyu to intercept.
Yourou, angered by Yan Qing's apparent avoidance and calling Ling Long a "pretentious woman," engaged Xuanyu in a sword fight. Xuanyu, unimpressed by her skills, easily held her off. Despite Yourou's attempts to order her guards to apprehend him, Xuanyu's calm demeanor and defiance only infuriated her further. She eventually conceded, vowing to defeat him someday, while Xuanyu welcomed the challenge. Later, Yan Qing questioned Ling Long about Lady Huang and Lady Zhao.
Ling Long confirmed they had both sought her out, but withheld the details of Lady Huang's visit, insisting she would only reveal it in Lady Su's presence. Yan Qing reluctantly agreed, bringing her to Lady Su's mansion. While waiting, Yan Qing heard screams from Lady Su's study. He rushed in, kicking down the door, only to see a man in black escaping through a window, completely unseen by Xuanyu and Bro Tong who were stationed outside.
Lady Su was deeply shaken, though her injured servant assured them his wounds were minor. Ling Long treated the servant's injuries. When Yan Qing identified the wounds as "wolf paw prints," he confronted her for not mentioning it. She deflected, explaining that as a doctor, she was not an expert in wound shapes, and the servant defended her.
Ling Long then explained the full story: Lady Huang had sought a drug from her that would cause a sore throat and voice loss without detectable toxicity, intending to replace Lady Su in the "Magu's Birthday Offering" play. Due to the Huang family's power, Ling Long provided the drug but secretly added an antidote to the "new tea from Southern Chu" she sent to Lady Su. The servant confirmed Lady Su’s appreciation for the tea.
Ling Long further revealed that Lady Huang had later confronted her because the drug was ineffective, and Ling Long had fobbed her off, indirectly leading to Lady Huang's demise. Lady Su's servant then mentioned that Lady Su's maid, Xiaotao, who was fond of eating snacks, had also suffered a sore throat recently. Lady Su realized she had given some of her pastries to Lady Zhao, who also loved them, causing Lady Zhao's subsequent sore throat and visit to Ling Long.
Yan Qing understood that Ling Long had orchestrated this meeting to use Lady Su and her servant to corroborate her story, effectively clearing her name through what appeared to be "coincidence." Despite the clarification, Yan Qing refused to release her. He reasoned that Lady Zhao, Lady Huang, and Lady Su all had a common link: their participation in "Magu's Birthday Offering." This meant Yourou, Hangshou Lu, and even Ling Long herself were still in danger.
Yan Qing proposed gathering all remaining participants at Lady Su's mansion for their protection. He insisted on replacing Lady Su's entire staff with his own guards and servants. He suspected the man in black who attacked Lady Su was one of her household staff, who had simply removed his black robe to evade detection.
He also instructed his men to maintain strict surveillance on Ling Long, convinced of her connection to the Wolf Family, regardless of her innocence in the murders. Meanwhile, the leader of the men in black received a report that they could no longer contact a certain "lady," realizing she could no longer assist them. He expressed relief that she hadn't been exposed, which would have caused significant trouble.
Attributing Ling Long's previous "loss of control" to the recent chaos, and with few targets remaining, he ordered his men to eliminate them all. That night, the men in black infiltrated Lady Su's mansion, releasing a sleeping gas that quickly incapacitated most of the guards. Although Yan Qing's acute senses alerted him, he too began to feel the effects of the gas.
Ling Long, despite Yan Qing's deep distrust, offered him a "relieving pill," arguing that their mutual trust was essential for survival. He took the pill, reviving his "wolf guards," and they launched a counterattack. During the chaotic fight, Yan Qing carried Ling Long to safety. She then tended to her own dislocated ankle as he directed Xuanyu to find Yourou, Bro Tong to find Lady Su, and Jingfeng to find Hangshou Lu, instructing them to converge in the flower hall.
Yourou, pursuing the escaping man in black, was knocked unconscious but not taken, leading Yan Qing to believe she was not the primary target. Ling Long treated Yourou's minor injuries, confirming she would soon recover. Lady Su, having regained her composure, alerted Yan Qing to a flickering light in the study, where she had previously put out the lamps.
Following her lead, Yan Qing found the leader of the men in black torturing Hangshou Lu, demanding she make a "Sacred Stone" glow. Yan Qing confronted the leader, who managed to escape. Hangshou Lu, recovering from the ordeal, confirmed she had been interrogated about making the Sacred Stone in an "iron box" glow, hinting that the previous victims suffered similar fates. The mention of "Sacred Stone" piqued Yan Qing's interest.