Till the End of the Moon Episode 23 Recap
> Till the End of the Moon Recap
Pian Ran awoke to Ye Qingyu's tender care after a night of heavy drinking. She quickly clarified that her actions were merely impulsive due to alcohol and urged him not to take them seriously. Ye Qingyu, however, assured her he could discern between genuine and fleeting emotions. Pian Ran then pressed him for an antidote, stating her intent to leave the capital.
Ye Qingyu stunned her by revealing that there was no antidote; the pill Tantai Jin had forced her to consume was merely a tonic. Furious at Tantai Jin's deception, Pian Ran questioned why Ye Qingyu had revealed the truth, realizing he could have used the lie to keep her bound to him.
Ye Qingyu explained that their encounter was the most fortunate event of his life and that he was content with the joy they had already shared, thus granting her freedom. Moved by his sincerity, Pian Ran playfully announced she might stay in the capital after all, telling him their future meetings would depend on his performance. Meanwhile, Ye Xiwu returned to her family home, where her relatives noticed her relaxed demeanor and assumed she and Tantai Jin had reconciled.
Ye Xiwu downplayed the idea, claiming there were no lasting grudges between husband and wife, and even boasted about making Tantai Jin sleep on the floor. Her father expressed concern that she might be suffering humiliation due to their family's declining status. Her grandmother then inquired about Ye Bingshang, who hadn't returned home. Ye Xiwu reassured her that Tantai Jin treated Ye Bingshang well, keeping her in the palace primarily to prevent Xiao Lin from reclaiming her.
Ye Xiwu offered to visit Ye Bingshang and ask if she wished to move back. Returning to the palace, Ye Xiwu met Ye Bingshang and apologized for Tantai Jin's previous harshness. She offered to persuade Tantai Jin to allow Ye Bingshang to return home. However, Ye Bingshang politely declined, stating that the Emperor had his reasons for keeping her and that she had grown accustomed to palace life.
Privately, Ye Bingshang harbored ambitions to win Tantai Jin's favor, realizing that if she left the palace, her chances would diminish. Since Tantai Jin showed no romantic interest, she resolved to become invaluable to him. Ye Bingshang later sought out Tantai Jin, feigning distress and asking what she had done wrong to displease him.
Tantai Jin clarified that she had done nothing wrong and that her presence in the palace was a strategic move to capture Xiao Lin, after which he would facilitate her reunion with her husband. Ye Bingshang then cunningly offered to assist Tantai Jin in capturing Xiao Lin, hoping it would secure her continued place by his side.
Elsewhere, Pang Yizhi reported dire military conditions to Xiao Lin, with rations nearly depleted and no more supplies available from neighboring counties due to their status as rebels. Xiao Lin acknowledged their slim chances of victory and reflected on the suffering war inflicted on common people. He recognized that Tantai Jin's efforts to unite the world and bring peace aligned with the people's desires, and he considered leading his remaining forces southward to abandon their fight.
At that moment, a spy delivered a secret letter to Xiao Lin. Recognizing Ye Bingshang's handwriting, he initially dismissed it as Tantai Jin's attempt to persuade him to surrender. However, Xiao Lin soon deciphered hidden messages within the letter, revealing Ye Bingshang's desperate plea for help. Tantai Jin, having entrusted Ye Qingyu with disaster relief efforts for Sheng Kingdom, suggested that Ye Qingyu enjoy the Qixi Festival with Pian Ran.
Tantai Jin then took Ye Xiwu to explore the bustling festival, which marked the last day of the Water Festival and the Qixi Festival. Ye Xiwu praised his good deeds, but Tantai Jin modestly replied he was merely performing his duties as a ruler. They purchased masks to join the revelry. Unbeknownst to them, Xiao Lin and his assassins used the festive chaos to infiltrate the capital, with Xiao Lin urging his men to remain cautious in enemy territory.
During the festival's deity parade, Ye Xiwu was chosen as the Water Festival Goddess, and to her surprise, Tantai Jin was chosen as the Devil God. The ritual required the Goddess to perform a sword dance and then "kill" the Devil God. As Ye Xiwu danced, she was consumed by internal conflict, unable to distinguish whether Tantai Jin was truly the demonic entity, the heroic Ming Ye, her enemy, or her beloved.
After the ritual, Tantai Jin was recognized as the Emperor of Jing, and the crowd erupted in cheers as fireworks illuminated the night sky. Both Tantai Jin and Ye Xiwu reveled in the moment. Ye Qingyu and Pian Ran also enjoyed the Qixi Festival. Ye Qingyu, a mortal, lamented his short lifespan, fearing he wouldn't live long enough to see Pian Ran grow old.
Pian Ran recounted a fox spirit legend about eternal companionship through a blood oath, but dismissively stated she would never try it, vowing to forget him entirely if he died. This unexpected declaration, paradoxically, brought Ye Qingyu a strange sense of comfort. Later, Tantai Jin and Ye Xiwu encountered a small girl selling candy, whose parents had passed away.
Tantai Jin bought all her candy and gave her a purse, instructing her to go to the newly established orphanage at the East Palace Gate for shelter. Ye Xiwu praised his compassion, noting that it was natural for people to admire him. However, Tantai Jin expressed indifference to public opinion, stating that people's admiration could swiftly turn to hatred. He only cared about Ye Xiwu's affection.
Tantai Jin then reflected on Ye Xiwu's past act of kindness, when she had bought all the firecrackers from an old woman. He admitted that he hadn't understood her actions back then, but since his return from the Mohe River and with her by his side, he had begun to understand suffering, poverty, compassion, and the desire to do good. He confessed that Ye Xiwu had allowed him to feel more emotions and see the world's beauty.
Witnessing his profound transformation, Ye Xiwu contemplated revealing the truth about the evil bones, hoping it would prevent him from becoming the Devil God and spare her from having to use her Soul-slaying Teardrop against him. However, her confession was interrupted by Nian Baiyu, who arrived to escort Tantai Jin back to the palace, forcing Ye Xiwu to postpone her revelation. Tantai Jin, already aware of Xiao Lin's infiltration, confronted him in the palace.
Unwilling to plunge the nations back into war, Xiao Lin revealed he had no intention of killing the emperor. Instead, he presented the Imperial Seal of Sheng and demanded that Tantai Jin cease all military action. Tantai Jin mocked the gambit, revealing his vast intelligence network had informed him of Xiao Lin's every move. Accepting defeat, Xiao Lin surrendered. Meanwhile, Pang Yizhi attempted to rescue Ye Bingshang as planned, but they were intercepted by Pian Ran.
Seizing the moment, Ye Bingshang shrewdly turned on Pang Yizhi, loudly accusing him of attempting to kidnap her, thereby solidifying her position with Tantai Jin. Ye Xiwu rushed to the main hall, shocked to discover that Xiao Lin was the assassin. She wanted to plead for him but held back when she saw Tantai Jin's stern expression. Meanwhile, Pian Ran had wounded Pang Yizhi's group.
As she brought Ye Bingshang forward, Pian Ran inexplicably sensed her own love thread within Ye Bingshang. Enraged, she tried to force Ye Bingshang to explain its presence, but Ye Qingyu intervened to protect Ye Bingshang, further infuriating Pian Ran. Tantai Jin instructed Xiao Lin to hide temporarily behind the main hall. Soon after, Pian Ran, Ye Qingyu, and Ye Bingshang entered.
Tantai Jin publicly praised Ye Bingshang for her "meritorious service" in capturing the assassins, much to Ye Xiwu's confusion. He then exposed Ye Bingshang's elaborate scheme, detailing how she had used encrypted messages to lure Xiao Lin, exploiting his chivalrous nature to ensure he would come to her rescue personally. Tantai Jin then asked what her intentions would have been if Xiao Lin's assassination attempt had succeeded.
Without hesitation, Ye Bingshang declared to Tantai Jin, and to a heartbroken Xiao Lin listening from his hiding place, that she had cut off all ties with him since her return from Sheng Kingdom.
