Time Flies and You Are Here Episode 15 Recap
> Time Flies and You Are Here Recap
Xie Xiaoman approached Zhao Xiaoqian to discuss her family's plans to return to Yuyangli Village for a wedding between her childhood friends, Cheng and Ying. She hoped he would join them, but Zhao Xiaoqian, still harboring resentment from the Ghost Festival lantern incident, rejected the idea, claiming the village was "filthy and squalid" and accusing her of wanting to "show him off as a trophy."
Angered by his words, Xie Xiaoman declared he could stay if he wished and stormed off to inform her mother. Observing the tense exchange, Zhong Ziyan questioned Zhao Xiaoqian about the source of his anger. Zhao Xiaoqian confessed his distress over the lantern Xie Xiaoman brought home, which bore the inscription "to cut all ties." He believed this reflected Xie Xiaoman's desire to end their relationship.
Zhong Ziyan urged him to clarify the situation, suggesting there might be a misunderstanding and warning him not to exacerbate it. Meanwhile, Xie Xiaoman's mother, unaware of the argument, presented her with a large rooster, intending for it to be a tonic for the Commandery Prince.
Upon returning to the mansion with the rooster, Xie Xiaoman was intercepted by Zhu Momo, who immediately reprimanded her for bringing a "filthy creature" into the household, especially with the Duke of Yongguo's death anniversary approaching. A servant, Shi Deng'er, quickly reported the incident to Zhao Xiaoqian. Initially indifferent, Zhao Xiaoqian changed his tune after Zhong Ziyan advised him not to hurt Xie Xiaoman's feelings further. Zhao Xiaoqian then intervened, defending Xie Xiaoman against Zhu Momo's accusations.
Xie Xiaoman explained that her mother had acquired the rooster from the Temple of Confucius as a symbol of good luck and nourishment for him and Xingzhou. Zhao Xiaoqian, taking the rooster, playfully named it "Zhao Shengwu," after a horse he once owned, insisting it bore his surname as "my partner." He tried to subtly bring up the lantern issue, but Xie Xiaoman, noticing his fluctuating moods, assumed his distress was related to the Duke of Yongguo's death anniversary.
She assured him he didn't have to attend the wedding if he felt unwell. Seeing her concern, Zhao Xiaoqian agreed to accompany her to the village, promising to discuss the lantern after their return. In Wujiang Prefecture, Yan Boyang had won a cricket fight against others.
When provoked by a rival who mentioned Xu Shu from the academy was organizing a cricket competition that excluded him and Zhao Xiaoqian, Yan Boyang, insulted and called a "lapdog" of the Commandery Prince, declared he would bring Zhao Xiaoqian to the competition the next day to demonstrate true brotherhood. Xie Xiaoman and Zhao Xiaoqian journeyed to Yuyangli Village, with Xie Xiaoman's mother bringing along a cart full of poultry, to which Zhao Xiaoqian surprisingly made no complaints.
The entire village turned out to welcome them, and Zhao Xiaoqian charmed the crowd by introducing himself as "Yuyangli Village's son-in-law" and agreeing to be the groom's attendant, much to the villagers' delight. Inside the bride's room, Xie Xiaoman shared with the other girls her two-year agreement with Zhao Xiaoqian, stating they would "part ways after two years" and were "not a real couple."
This conversation was overheard by an attendant who began to spread malicious gossip, claiming Xie Xiaoman was only interested in Zhao Xiaoqian's power, had been involved in a "frivolous scandal," and, most offensively, disparaging Zhao Xiaoqian's late brother by referencing his death at the Emperor's hands. Enraged, Zhao Xiaoqian attacked the attendant. Xie Xiaoman rushed out to stop him, reminding him it was a wedding.
Zhao Xiaoqian, still upset by her earlier comments about their "contract," retorted, "The wedding means nothing. You still do not admit we're husband and wife anyway. You still insisted on cutting ties with me!" He then coldly apologized to the villagers, citing his brother's death anniversary as the cause of his foul mood, before leaving. Later, the groom informed Xie Xiaoman that Zhao Xiaoqian had been wearing white mourning clothes beneath his garments, highlighting his presence despite his grief.
Learning that the attendant had spoken ill of the Duke of Yongguo, Xie Xiaoman became furious, kicked the man herself, and instructed the village chief to further punish him on behalf of the Commandery Prince's mansion. She then departed to pursue Zhao Xiaoqian.
Learning that Zhao Xiaoqian's master, General Xu, was stationed at the nearby Xiongjie Camp, Xie Xiaoman borrowed a cart and went there alone, determined to uncover the truth behind the Duke of Yongguo's death and Zhao Xiaoqian's suffering. At the camp, she introduced herself as the Commandery Prince's concubine, seeking an audience with Grand Commandant Xu. The general, unimpressed by her status as a mere concubine, initially dismissed her, scoffing at her audacity to question matters of state.
Undeterred, Xie Xiaoman declared she would not leave without answers and, to prove her worth, offered herself as bait to help capture the bandits plaguing the region. Back at the mansion, Zhao Xiaoqian, having initially decided to join Yan Boyang for a cricket fight at Xiaozhangtai, had a change of heart. He learned from his servant that Xie Xiaoman had gone to Xiongjie Camp.
Simultaneously, a notice from the local magistrate warned him to avoid leaving the city due to recent bandit activity. Fearing for Xie Xiaoman's safety, Zhao Xiaoqian immediately prepared his horse and rushed towards Xiongjie Camp. Meanwhile, at Xiaozhangtai, Yan Boyang, impatient for Zhao Xiaoqian's arrival, began his cricket match. Xu Shu, seizing the opportunity for revenge, challenged him to a high-stakes match, adding fifty strings of cash to the bet and daring Yan Boyang to participate.
Egged on by the crowd, Yan Boyang, despite his servant's warnings, accepted the challenge, confident in Zhao Xiaoqian's impending arrival with his prize cricket. However, Yan Boyang ultimately lost. Xu Shu relentlessly mocked him, calling him a "mere dog" to the Commandery Prince and suggesting he was "less than a dog." Enraged, Yan Boyang attempted to retaliate but was outnumbered and overpowered.
Xu Shu then forced him to put his thumbprint on a debt receipt, threatening to submit it to the magistrate within three days if the payment wasn't made, citing the Emperor's recent crackdown on corrupt officials. On a desolate road, Xie Xiaoman was ambushed by bandits. Just as they surrounded her, Zhao Xiaoqian arrived, shooting one of them with an arrow and quickly dispatching the rest. General Xu's troops then arrived to apprehend the captured bandits.
General Xu revealed to Zhao Xiaoqian that Xie Xiaoman had voluntarily offered herself as bait, driven by her concern for Zhao Xiaoqian's torment over the Duke of Yongguo's death and her desire to know what she could do to help him. Later, Zhao Xiaoqian took Xie Xiaoman for a quiet meal of noodles.
He reminisced about his older brother, who would always find him food when he was hungry as a child, including a delicious bowl of noodles just like the one they were eating. He then led her to a rooftop, a place his older brother would take him to when he was upset.
Zhao Xiaoqian recounted their childhood, their entry into the palace where their parents became "royal uncle" and aunt, and how their esteemed status meant they could no longer openly express their feelings, instead writing them on kites.
He shared the harrowing tale of his brother's long illness during a harsh, snowy winter, the Empress's budget cuts that left them without charcoal, and his desperate attempts to steal warmth for his brother, ultimately leading to his brother's lonely death at a young age in Wude Palace. Xie Xiaoman comforted him, urging him to move past his grief, assuring him his brother would want him to live happily.
Zhao Xiaoqian then asked Xie Xiaoman why she had gone to Xiongjie Camp, sensing it was for his sake. She admitted she had noticed his recent gloominess and irritability, believing it stemmed from the Duke of Yongguo's death. She wanted to understand what had happened so she could help him "move on." Finally, Zhao Xiaoqian asked about the lantern that had caused so much misunderstanding.
Xie Xiaoman explained that she had given the lantern to Li Su to pass to Courtesan Zhu during their emotional farewell, a desperate act to stop Courtesan Zhu's departing carriage. She admitted to buying another lantern later, fearing Zhao Xiaoqian's anger. Zhao Xiaoqian, realizing the misunderstanding, laughed, calling her "silly," and the tension between them finally dissolved.
However, their moment of reconciliation on the rooftop was interrupted by news of a noble guest arriving at the Commandery Prince's mansion: Shen Zhaowen. Servants gossiped that Shen Zhaowen, also known as Lingniang, was the daughter of a prominent capital official, a goddaughter of the Empress, and had been granted the title of County Princess Rong'an. She had grown up with Zhao Xiaoqian, and many speculated they had once shared a romantic connection. The servants worried this new arrival would challenge Xie Xiaoman's position, but Xie Xiaoman, with a new purpose, declared she had "matters to attend to" and left.
