Till the End of the Moon Episode 19 Recap
> Till the End of the Moon Recap
Ye Xiwu, now serving as Emperor Tantai Jin's maid, arrived in the Capital of Jing. She complained about Tantai Jin's ruthlessness and his insistence on her serving him, but her brother Ye Qingyu reminded her not to utter the Emperor's name in public. Ye Qingyu noticed a wound on her forehead and led her home, promising a surprise. At the Ye Mansion, her grandmother was lovingly preparing Xiwu's favorite tender tea leaves, longing for her return.
When Ye Xiwu entered, both her grandmother and father, General Ye, were overjoyed. General Ye, faking injuries to avoid Tantai Jin's summons to command the Three Armies, joyfully recounted his "act" of being paralyzed and drooling to avoid serving. The family was relieved to be reunited, making Xiwu appreciate the warmth of home. General Ye, however, was vehemently against Tantai Jin's appointment, refusing to draw his sword against his former war mates from Sheng Kingdom.
He accused his son, Ye Qingyu, of being a "rebellious son" for siding with Tantai Jin and disowned him, forbidding him from entering the house. Distraught, Ye Qingyu sought solace in alcohol. Pian Ran appeared, chiding him for his despair and sharing her own story of being cast out by her parents after her transformation. She took him to the vibrant night market in the Capital of Jing, noting it was as grand as Sheng Kingdom's.
There, they observed refugees from Sheng Kingdom weaving fabric using their traditional methods. Pian Ran pointed out that many refugees willingly sought refuge in Jing due to Sheng's harsh rule, not just war. She explained that Emperor Tantai Jin, though decisive, was a benevolent ruler who had ordered fair treatment for prisoners and refugees, providing them with education and skills like weaving to sustain themselves.
Pian Ran encouraged Ye Qingyu, assuring him he hadn't made a wrong choice and that Jing's victory would ultimately lead to a better life for the people of Sheng Kingdom. Convinced, Ye Qingyu thanked her, stating he had "seen the light" and decided to accept his current circumstances. Pian Ran playfully teased him, suggesting his change of heart was due to her mention of marrying an official's daughter.
Ye Xiwu's grandmother expressed her deep desire for the younger generation, especially Ye Xiwu and Ye Bingshang, to live safely amidst the turmoil, acknowledging their difficult marital situations. Ye Xiwu felt immense relief that her family was reunited in Jing Kingdom, though she worried about Ye Bingshang still in Sheng, hoping Xiao Lin would protect her. Chuntao, the maid, found it odd that Ye Bingshang had suddenly gained so many admirers in recent years.
Ye Xiwu's older brother, Ye Zeyu, then explained that it was Emperor Tantai Jin who had dispatched guards to escort their family through the war-torn lands, saving them from the Sheng King's pursuit and certain death. He also revealed that Tantai Jin provided them with the mansion and even sent physicians for their ailing grandmother and father, although General Ye had driven the physicians away.
Ye Zeyu pondered why Tantai Jin, despite being subjected to past mistreatment from Ye Xiwu and himself, chose not to retaliate but instead showed such kindness. Moved by this revelation, Ye Xiwu resolved to visit Tantai Jin in the palace. Upon arriving at the palace, Ye Xiwu bypassed formal courtesies, directly thanking Tantai Jin.
She attributed people's loyalty to his effective governance and expressed her gratitude for the "surprise" of reuniting her family, for his kind treatment of them, and for securing a future for her brother and his men. Tantai Jin, recalling his own past as a hostage and his desire to spare others from suffering, pressed her for a more tangible expression of thanks than mere words. In response, Ye Xiwu surprised him with an impulsive kiss.
This unexpected gesture brought him a moment of genuine happiness, which caused the Soul-slaying Teardrop within him to begin transforming into a Soul-slaying Nail. Ye Xiwu, pleased to see the spikes forming, noted aloud that this was working. However, Tantai Jin, observing her joy, quickly realized her happiness stemmed from the success of her mission, not from feelings for him.
He angrily confronted her, accusing her of enduring "hardships and humiliations" to please him for her family's sake, stating it was unnecessary. As his happiness faded, the Soul-slaying Nail reverted back into a teardrop. Enraged, he ordered her to leave and never bother him again. Undeterred by her previous failure, Ye Xiwu, convinced that "men's hearts are unpredictable," vowed not to give up on making Tantai Jin love her.
Tantai Jin, meanwhile, pondered his own anger, recognizing that Ye Xiwu's joy was for her family, not him. Reflecting on the importance of family, he granted Nian Baiyu leave to visit his family or bring them to Jing, extending this privilege to all Moonshadow Guards.
Ye Xiwu, immersed in romance novels, tried various strategies: first, presenting Tantai Jin with a handmade wishing lantern and suggesting they release it together as a "romantic gesture," which he dismissed as "useless sorcery" and had her dragged out. Next, she played music for three hours, only for Tantai Jin to send Nian Baiyu to tell her she was too noisy and off-key, offering to send her out of the city to play until dawn.
Secretly, however, Tantai Jin found her antics "cute," despite openly disliking her "awful" music. Ye Xiwu then attempted a confrontational approach, directly scolding Tantai Jin for his domineering nature and asserting her dignity as a maid, but this only resulted in her being reported to the Maid of Discipline for punishment. Nian Baiyu observed that despite her silliness, Ye Xiwu was quite "cute," a sentiment Tantai Jin seemed to share.
Meanwhile, Pian Ran also confronted Tantai Jin, frustrated by his strictness and complaining that she hadn't had a day off in over eighty days. When Tantai Jin offered her only half a day off for dealing with city demons, Pian Ran, annoyed and calling him inhumane, secretly vowed to find an antidote and escape. Ye Xiwu, having exhausted her book knowledge, sought Pian Ran's help for new "tricks."
When asked about her worst skill, Ye Xiwu admitted she was "really bad at cooking." Seizing the opportunity, Pian Ran advised her to cook for Tantai Jin, emphasizing "heartfelt intention" over taste, and to personally hand-feed him every day, claiming the worse the food, the more effective it would be. Pian Ran then mused to herself about how "wickedness befalls the wicked" and hoped Ye Xiwu's cooking would "poison" Tantai Jin.
Meanwhile, Tantai Jin was engrossed in an ancient book of the Yiyue tribe. Ye Xiwu arrived, interrupting his studies, and noted the strange characters, playfully identifying one that looked like a "worm crawling out of the earth" as meaning "to sprout," and another as "to smelt." She then inquired about a symbol that, when translated, meant "love." Despite his initial dismissal, she persisted, offering him the food she had personally prepared.
When he ordered her out, she revealed her burnt fingers, explaining she made the food because she wanted him to like her. Seeing her injured hand and understanding her motive, Tantai Jin reluctantly agreed to try her cooking. Although the food was, in truth, unappetizing, he consumed it all to encourage her, even claiming it "wasn't that bad."
Ye Xiwu, noting the Soul-slaying Teardrop within him heating up, felt greatly encouraged, believing Pian Ran's unconventional advice was working, and promised to bring him more meals. Meanwhile, Tantai Minglang, struggling to refine a demonic elixir for power, wondered why Tantai Jin could do it so effortlessly. Determined to match Tantai Jin's power, he commanded his subordinate Fu Yu to seek out allies, specifically those who wished for Tantai Jin's demise.
Fu Yu approached the Sheng King, presenting a relic of Jing royalty to gain an audience. She informed the Sheng King that Tantai Minglang had found a method to create a "Puppet Army" using a "puppeteering spell," needing only men for it. The Sheng King, infuriated by Tantai Jin's expanding influence and policies that welcomed Sheng refugees, readily agreed to provide the necessary manpower, eager to see Tantai Jin pay.
Fu Yu also provided the Sheng King with Yiyue tribe occult arts to enhance his own power. Separately, Tantai Jin confided in Ye Qingyu, outlining his strategy to exacerbate the Sheng King's paranoia and war losses to further isolate and burden Xiao Lin. He asked if Ye Qingyu found him despicable for such tactics, to which Ye Qingyu replied that "all is fair in war" if it hastens peace.
Tantai Jin then sought Ye Qingyu's honest assessment of his leadership compared to the Sheng princes. Ye Qingyu conceded that while Tantai Jin's "strategy and wisdom" were unmatched, his lack of formal education in statecraft made him "inferior to Xiao Lin in terms of state affairs." Accepting this critique, Tantai Jin immediately ordered Nian Baiyu to summon all great scholars for daily lessons.
The following day, summoned scholars expressed their reluctance to teach Tantai Jin, some openly weeping for the previous king and denouncing Tantai Jin as a "vicious monster" who had "oppressed loyal commoners, murdered his brothers, and taken innocent lives." Tantai Jin, unfazed, cleverly suggested that if he was truly such a tyrant, then their success in "educating" him would be a monumental "achievement to pass on to their descendants." Under his subtle coercion, the scholars reluctantly began their lessons.
Quickly assimilating the principles of statecraft, Tantai Jin introduced numerous beneficial policies, such as "work relief" programs for disaster victims and the abolition of Tantai Minglang's harsh laws, which had previously caused widespread resentment. He also issued a decree welcoming Sheng Kingdom's refugees, assuring them peaceful resettlement in Jing, and envisioning a unified, stable realm. These popular policies, however, further incensed the Sheng King, who vowed to make Tantai Jin "pay."
Ye Xiwu, noticing Tantai Jin's increasing workload and thinning frame, and frustrated by the slow progress in cultivating the Soul-slaying Nails, sought out Pian Ran again. She lamented that despite her efforts, the number of spikes had not increased. Pian Ran found Ye Xiwu despairing and advised her that constantly being present would be ineffective. She told Ye Xiwu that from the next day, she should deliberately "stay away" from Tantai Jin, explaining that "men will naturally pursue when ignored."
Ye Xiwu hesitated, wondering if such a tactic was "mean," but Pian Ran pressed her, asking if she truly wanted to "cheat him or fall in love with him." Ye Xiwu admitted she wasn't "sincere" but needed him to "admire her, the more, the better." Pian Ran confidently assured her that this "retreat to advance" strategy would work. Taking Pian Ran's advice, Ye Xiwu began to distance herself.
Soon, Tantai Jin noticed Ye Xiwu's absence—she hadn't served him or brought food for two days. He summoned Pian Ran, troubled, wondering if Ye Xiwu no longer liked him, especially after she had previously expressed affection and brought him meals. He admitted he had thought she enjoyed being around him. Pian Ran, candidly calling him "self-absorbed," challenged him by asking what he had ever done for Ye Xiwu in return. Seeing his confusion, she then directly advised him to "pursue her" since she was no longer pursuing him. Pondering this, Tantai Jin reluctantly admitted that he "can like her."
