Treasures Around Episode 22 Recap
> Treasures Around Recap
Upon finding another confession letter in the Su family's dungeon, Shan Shuangshuang confirmed that the one the City Lord received years ago was written by Master Pei under duress. This discovery solidified their belief that the Su family was behind the scheme. Shan Shuangshuang and Pei Pei discussed the possibility that the other half of the Phoenix Crown might be with the Su family, noting the irony if the Sus possessed it but couldn't master its intricate techniques.
Pei Pei shared that his father, Pei Chu Feng, had mastered the basic skills of the Phoenix Crown, and he himself learned the techniques partly from his father. Pei Pei considered seeking justice from the City Lord but realized it was too dangerous as his father was a wanted criminal, and they lacked solid evidence proving he was held by the Su family.
He concluded that the Su family would likely remain quiet for a time to conceal their crimes, focusing on their own safety for now. Meanwhile, at the Su family's, Su Jue debated with Wang Jiu about the person who took Pei Chu Feng away without reporting to the authorities. Wang Jiu believed it was the Pei family attempting to protect him.
Su Jue considered reporting Pei Chu Feng to the City Lord at the Pei Residence but quickly realized this would expose their knowledge of his whereabouts and past imprisonment. They decided their best course of action was to pretend ignorance. A servant then reported that the thugs Su Jue hired to find Shan Shuangshuang had been found dead in an alley, leaving no clues. Su Jue expressed deep worry about Shan Shuangshuang's safety.
Shopkeeper Hao recounted the events of eighteen years prior to Shan Shuangshuang. He described how the Pei family's Phoenix Crown was ambushed en route to the City Lord's mansion, putting the City Lord and Jade Cloud City in danger. At that critical moment, Su Jade Pavilion presented a "substitute" phoenix crown, saving the city and bringing the Su family immense fame. Shopkeeper Hao argued that making such a complex crown in only a few days suggested a premeditated plan.
Now that Master Pei had been found in the Su family's dungeon, Shopkeeper Hao stated it was clear the Su family was the real mastermind. Shan Dandan offered support to her sister, assuring her she wasn't alone. Pei Pei noted that Su Jue now knew their location and would likely cause trouble. They needed to find a safer place for Pei Chu Feng. Shan Shuangshuang offered her family's quiet house in West Alley.
Pei Pei decided to move his father there, and Shopkeeper Hao would go along to care for him. A'Liu, injured while protecting Shan Shuangshuang, expressed his happiness that she was safe. Shan Shuangshuang deflected his attempt to express deeper feelings. Pei Pei brought Dr. Qu to treat A'Liu's legs, which were severely shattered. Dr. Qu explained he could set the bones manually, but the process would be excruciatingly painful, and A'Liu might still limp even after recovery.
Pei Pei trusted Dr. Qu and asked him to proceed, stepping out of the room unable to watch A'Liu suffer the intense pain of the bone setting. While waiting outside, Pei Pei examined Shan Dandan's pendant and discovered the legendary water agate amber hidden inside. Shan Dandan explained that her father, Guard Zhao, had encased the extremely precious amber in glass because prolonged exposure would cause it to oxidize and become dull.
The glass must have shattered, leading to the amber being encased in alum. They realized Guard Zhao had hidden it on her. This find led them to believe the other half of the Phoenix Crown was likely with the Su family, who had been unable to replicate or understand its techniques without the crucial amber. After treating A'Liu, Dr. Qu agreed to see Pei Chu Feng the next day. Shan Dandan asked if he could treat Master Pei's mental state.
Dr. Qu diagnosed Pei Chu Feng's condition as resulting from prolonged exposure to cold and dampness affecting his heart, combined with a major shock leading to a mental collapse. He proposed using acupuncture to expel the cold, followed by stimulating his mind intensely, like using "poison against poison," in hopes he might regain his sanity. He warned the method was risky and could worsen his condition if unsuccessful.
Pei Pei accepted the risk, believing his proud father would choose this chance over living as he was. The acupuncture was completed, and they attempted the mental stimulation. When initial attempts failed, Shan Shuangshuang brought out the half-Phoenix Crown. Upon seeing it, Pei Chu Feng reacted violently, retching and then fainting. Dr. Qu assured them he was not in danger but had simply fainted and needed careful nurturing. Pei Pei remained by his father's side.
Soon after, Pei Chu Feng woke up, calling out "Pei'er," leading to an emotional reunion between father and son. Shan Shuangshuang continued to care for A'Liu, who again tried to express his feelings, but she gently changed the subject. Suddenly, a masked person appeared near A'Liu. Shan Shuangshuang quickly confronted them, asking if they were sent by Su Jue, and easily subdued the attacker.
Before she could question them further, the assassin bit their tongue and committed suicide to prevent identification. Worried about the others, Shan Shuangshuang rushed back to find Pei Chu Feng awake and recovering. Pei Pei introduced her as Shan Jingtian's daughter.
Seeing her, Pei Chu Feng recounted the events of the past eighteen years, detailing how Su Zhi Yan had initially sought to steal the Phoenix Crown for personal gain, but after the struggle, the crown broke and scattered, leaving the Su family with nothing. He described how the Su family continued to spread rumors, saying he stole it himself, controlled Precious Pei Pavilion's business, threatened him, and forced Pei Pei out of the Jade Competition.
He revealed that Wang Jiu had eventually locked him in a room, where he was imprisoned for over ten years, wishing for death during that time. Just as he finished speaking, another group of assassins attacked, clearly sent to silence him. Shan Shuangshuang swiftly defeated them, and they also committed suicide. Realizing their location was compromised, she decided to return to the Pei Residence to ensure everyone's safety.
At Su Jade Pavilion, Su Jue was furious about the repeated failures to kill Pei Chu Feng, especially after being told a "martial arts expert" was protecting him. While he was berating his subordinates, a representative from the City Lord's office arrived, summoning him urgently. At the City Lord's mansion, the City Lord informed Su Jue that the Empress was critically ill and wished to see the original Phoenix Crown from years ago, which she regretted losing.
The Emperor's messenger had delivered an urgent decree ordering the crown to be recreated quickly based on the original blueprint. Su Jue mentioned the substitute crown they had provided years ago, but the City Lord dismissed it, stating the Empress was dissatisfied with it and had stored it away. The City Lord stressed that time was of the essence and that Su Jade Pavilion was the only hope for Jade Cloud City.
He warned that failure would result in severe consequences for the Su family and the entire city. He handed Su Jue the blueprint and ordered him to begin immediately. Back at Su Jade Pavilion, Su Jue and his artisans studied the blueprint all night. The artisans reported that recreating the extremely detailed jade carving and almost invisible hollow partitions was impossible with their current skills unless they had the finest raw stones, like those of mythical legend.
Su Jue was frustrated by their inability. They also reported difficulty with the pearl-embedding and edge-melding techniques, although they could imitate Miss Shan's inlay technique used for one third of the crown. Su Jue called them useless. The supervising official from the City Lord's office arrived, adding pressure and criticizing Su Jue, reminding him of the city's precarious situation. Su Jue became enraged and lashed out, but Wang Jiu intervened, calming him down and worrying about offending the official. Wang Jiu acknowledged Su Jue's pressure and asked about finding a replacement for the amber needed for the crown. He reported that Boss Qin had found a large, valuable pearl.
