Time Flies and You Are Here Episode 26 Recap
> Time Flies and You Are Here Recap
Minggu, the young proprietress of Su Chang Ji, gathered the shopkeepers, expressing gratitude for their loyalty and support to the Su family over the years. She announced that the Su family had decided to move to the capital to restart their business and asked if the shopkeepers were willing to follow. They enthusiastically agreed, pledging their continued service.
Xie Xiaoman's parents, having received great care in Wujiang Prefecture, also offered to move to the capital and assist Su Chang Ji in any capacity. Minggu's mother reminded everyone that the essence of Su Chang Ji's prosperity lay in their honesty and quality, not merely the physical storefronts. Meng Hanru, Minggu's father, expressed his deep thanks to all. Xie Xiaoman found Li Su to deliver Xie Ruying's letter.
Feeling emotional, Xiaoman confided in him, reflecting on the tumultuous year, the loss of her grandmother, the closure of the academy, and how everything seemed to change overnight. She admitted that meeting Zhao Xiaoqian had been the greatest upheaval, yet she missed him terribly. Separately, Zhao Xiaoqian, on his journey, pondered whether he could have kept Xiaoman if he had tried harder.
Back with Li Su, Xiaoman learned that his family was demoted and that he was leaving due to this and the academy’s closure. He revealed he was from an official’s family, but the recent events had shown him the cold realities of life, turning him into the "son of an accused official." They moved to Fengxue Pavilion to talk, where Xiaoman reminisced about roasting sweet potatoes with Li Su, feeling she had troubled him.
Li Su assured her he enjoyed their time. When Xiaoman inquired about his family's troubles, Li Su explained his past friction with his father, his perception of his father’s actions as wrong and the official world as corrupt. However, witnessing his father's rise and fall in the capital made him realize that the father-son bond was paramount. He now embraced life as a commoner, free to roam the mountains and rivers, and write his books.
Li Su then asked if Princess Consort Pu had caused trouble for Xiaoman. Xiaoman confessed that Princess Consort Pu had pressured her to leave Zhao Xiaoqian. Initially resistant, she agreed after her grandmother's passing, the ruin of Su Chang Ji, and her brother's near imprisonment. But after leaving, she realized her true feelings, acknowledging her love for Zhao Xiaoqian and the deep pain of their separation. She constantly worried about his well-being.
Li Su gently advised her to look forward if she couldn't forget him, promising his unwavering support. He also subtly hinted at his own feelings, mentioning that his true thoughts were "written in the book" he had given her. Meanwhile, officials arrived once more to seal Bailu Academy. Yan Boyang, along with other students, defiantly resisted the closure. When an officer disparaged their academy exam, Yan Boyang tore up the official document, leading to his arrest.
Students, including Xie Xiaoman, rushed to the magistrate court in protest. Inside, Yan Nengfu, the magistrate and Yan Boyang's father, chastised his son for his reckless behavior. Yan Boyang stood firm, stating his deep affection for the academy and its teachings, which he valued above his father's influence. Incensed, Yan Nengfu ordered his son to be beaten. Yan Boyang accepted the punishment, asking his father to permit the students to take their final examination.
The principal of Bailu Academy arrived and, after calming the students and subtly urging them to act with prudence, entered the magistrate's court. He appealed to Yan Nengfu, acknowledging the magistrate's official duties but also reminding him of his past as a Bailu student and the importance of compassion over rigid adherence to law. The principal championed Yan Boyang's actions as the spirited defiance of youth.
Touched by the principal's plea and his son's determination, Yan Nengfu relented, agreeing to let the students complete their exams. Students outside cheered upon hearing the news. Minggu hurried to check on Yan Boyang, who, embarrassed by his spanking, tried to hide. Minggu worriedly asked if he was in pain, but he dismissed it.
She questioned his foolishness in taking the beating, to which Yan Boyang admitted his shortcomings, his failure to help with her family's case, and how he often made her angry. Minggu reassured him that she didn't blame him and confessed her own past immaturity. She realized that her mother and grandmother had always shouldered the family's burdens. Now, with her grandmother gone and Su Chang Ji lost, she had to take responsibility.
Minggu informed him that she was leaving for the capital with her mother to rebuild Su Chang Ji. Yan Boyang, rushing out from his hiding spot, desperately pleaded for her to stay, believing they could be together forever. Minggu sadly dispelled the notion of "forever," advising him to take care, dress warmly, avoid upsetting his parents, and lead a purposeful life.
Before leaving, she told him that his brave actions had made him seem like a "great hero" and that she "seemed to have fallen" for him. Yan Nengfu overheard their tender farewell. Zhao Xiaoqian finally reached Fuweng, his childhood attendant, only to find his left arm missing. Zhao Xiaoqian immediately suspected the Empress's involvement and pressed Fuweng for the full truth behind his arm's loss and his elder brother, Duke of Yongguo's, death.
Fuweng recounted that years ago, Zhao Xiaoqian, as a young prince, flew a kite in the imperial palace hoping his parents would see it. A sudden gust of wind snapped the string, and the kite landed in Kunning Palace, startling the pregnant Empress. She went into premature labor, resulting in a stillbirth. Despite imperial physicians confirming the baby had been dead for days, the grief-stricken Empress, in her distress, blamed Zhao Xiaoqian.
To protect his younger brother, Duke of Yongguo confessed to the deed. Zhao Xiaoqian grimly realized the Empress had murdered his brother and had been manipulating and monitoring him through Prince Pu's Mansion, even sending his mother to persuade him to return to the capital, all to prevent him from seeking revenge and keep him under her control.
Fuweng tearfully implored Zhao Xiaoqian to stop asking, emphasizing that he and Duke of Yongguo only wished for Zhao Xiaoqian to live well. Later, Zhao Xiaoqian, seeking solace, shared drinks with General Xu's soldiers. He confessed to General Xu his deep regret and sense of powerlessness, lamenting his inability to protect Fuweng or his brother.
General Xu, his mentor, reminded him of the harsh realities of the world where "the strong survive, the weak perish," and that only a truly strong individual could contend with the corrupt forces in the imperial court. General Xu challenged Zhao Xiaoqian, sensing that his visit to Tengzhou was more than just seeing Fuweng and that his indignation had not faded. Zhao Xiaoqian acknowledged his desire to protect his loved ones but admitted his current efforts were futile.
He requested a place among the Xiongjie Camp soldiers heading to Baichuankou, declaring his intention to earn military merit, seize military power, and return victoriously to protect those dear to him. General Xu, recognizing his resolve, enthusiastically welcomed him to fight alongside him, greatly boosting the soldiers' morale. At Bailu Academy, students diligently completed their final examination, writing essays titled "To Each His Own Ambitions." As the examination concluded, the principal delivered his last lecture.
He reflected on Bailu Academy's thirty-year legacy, emphasizing the impermanence of time. His final lesson centered on the principle of "a gentleman respects fate, thinks twice before acting," expressing his hope that every student would become an upright and just gentleman.
He reiterated the academy's core values: "Live up to my conscience, to upkeep the promise for the people, carry forward the power of wisdom, and bring peace to the world," stressing that within this peace, they must also actively explore themselves. Though a student then announced that Magistrate Xie and his officers had arrived to officially seal the academy, the principal calmly urged them to remain composed.
He explained that physical structures are external, but their inner knowledge and character cannot be taken. He advised them to accept what cannot be changed and to prudently challenge what can, which is the path of a gentleman. He invoked the academy's esteemed legacy, urging them to maintain integrity for the prosperity of their home and country. Finally, with a profound sense of farewell, he declared them officially graduated. Teacher Liu sought out Xie Xiaoman to discuss her future.
Xiaoman shared her family's plan to move to the capital, where she would assist at her aunt's shop. Teacher Liu, revealing her intention to establish a women's academy in the capital, invited Xiaoman to join her in teaching and compiling women's historical records, a project she felt was vital after encountering so many intelligent young ladies at Bailu. Xiaoman, delighted by the opportunity to fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher, humbly accepted, promising to work hard.
Teacher Liu provided her with her capital address. Later, while looking through a book Li Su had gifted her, Xiaoman discovered a hidden letter. In the letter, Li Su expressed his gratitude to Xiaoman, admitting that he had once been lost and conflicted between seeking worldly approval and following his own path. He credited Xiaoman with making him realize that even a lone individual could find understanding and appreciation.
He confessed his deep affection for her, vowing to face any hardship with her. The letter concluded with a request for Xiaoman to meet him at the Leqiao market on New Year's Day at 5 a. m. , signed "Su."
