Treasures Around Episode 24 (Ending) Recap
> Treasures Around Recap
Shan Shuangshuang handed the colored blade and gold paints to Shan Dandan. As Shan Dandan was applying the gold paint, Su Jue arrived. He noted the late hour and asked why Shan Shuangshuang was not sleeping, then grew suspicious, asking if someone was there. Shan Shuangshuang denied it, which only increased his suspicion. As Su Jue moved towards the back door, Si Ruyu, who was serving Su Jue, appeared and stopped him, declaring he was there to resign.
Su Jue, shocked by Si Ruyu's unexpected defiance after years of obedient service, questioned his sanity. Si Ruyu retorted that it was Su Jue who was full of madness. He spoke of his decade of service, highlighting how Su Jue treated him as a slave, punching bag, and lackey, hitting and scolding him arbitrarily. He confessed his envy for how Pei Pei treated his attendant, A'Liu, and his wish for even a respectful glance from Su Jue.
Si Ruyu firmly stated he would no longer perform heinous tasks for Su Jue. Angered, Su Jue dismissed him, telling him to collect his pay the next day and depart. After the colored blade was brought back to Precious Pei Pavilion, everyone was greatly pleased, noting the purity and power of the color and how it made the Phoenix Crown almost identical to the original replica.
With other stages completed by Senior Sun Wu and others, only the intricate inlay and final welding remained, tasks entrusted to Pei Pei alone. He worked late into the night to finish the crown. Shan Dandan stayed behind to keep him company, worried about his health, but Pei Pei urged her to rest so she would have energy to assist him later if needed. Before she left, she gave him half of something for safekeeping.
Shan Shuangshuang knew Si Ruyu had deliberately intervened to help her. She waited for him outside the Su Residence. Si Ruyu, being skilled in martial arts, revealed that he had noticed her calm and steady breathing upon her return to the residence the other day, despite her internal injuries, knowing she had injured herself. He mentioned Su Jue had pushed him away when he tried to check on her. Shan Shuangshuang asked why he hadn't exposed her.
Si Ruyu explained that while he didn't know her specific reasons, he knew her actions targeted Su Jue. He spoke of his own exhaustion from serving Su Jue and enduring his insults, stating he would not harm Su Jue himself as he was employed, but he would not stop someone else from making Su Jue pay for his deeds.
Shan Shuangshuang praised him and advised him to find a good place to settle, as serving Su Jue was not worth it. Si Ruyu admitted to having nightmares from the bad things he had done for Su Jue and felt relief at leaving. He told her that Su Jade Pavilion's influence was gone, Su Jue was bound to lose, and she would make him pay for every evil deed.
Shan Shuangshuang stated she was already a stranger to Su Jue and he could do as he pleased. Meanwhile, Wang Jiu learned that Sun Wu was assisting Precious Pei Pavilion and hurried to inform Su Jue, expressing worry that they would lose the competition, especially since Precious Pei Pavilion had reportedly almost finished the crown. Su Jue replied that he was already aware and insisted they would not lose.
Later, Su Jue went to Shan Shuangshuang's room, noting her light was still on. He asked her if she would marry him if he won the competition. Shan Shuangshuang promised that if he won, she would wait for him there in her wedding dress. Su Jue felt it was like a dream, and they embraced. Several days passed with Pei Pei working diligently on the Phoenix Crown. Shan Dandan saw how hard he was working and decided he needed nourishment.
She went to the market to buy pigeons, selecting the best wild ones. While she was talking to the shopkeeper, men hired by Su Jue abducted her. Shortly after, Su Jue sent a message to Pei Pei via his attendant, demanding he bring the Phoenix Crown alone to the forest if he wanted to save Shan Dandan. Shan Dandan awoke to find herself tied up, furious at Su Jue for kidnapping her.
Su Jue told her to wait for her lover to rescue her. Pei Pei soon arrived with the Phoenix Crown. Shan Dandan urged him not to give it to Su Jue, asking how he would explain it to the City Lord. Pei Pei declared he didn't need to explain to anyone; his only concern was her safety. Su Jue ordered him to open the box.
Pei Pei argued that Su Jue was going insane over a mere Phoenix Crown and should have won the competition with his own ability, not by presenting a stolen crown. Su Jue retorted that he took the crown by his own ability and questioned if Pei Pei felt shame when he took away the person he loved. After giving the Phoenix Crown to Su Jue, Pei Pei moved to leave with Shan Dandan, but Su Jue reneged on his word.
He ordered his men to surround them, stating he had changed his mind and now only one of them would leave alive, demanding they decide who would die. Shan Dandan asserted that Pei Pei was not the type of person to abandon her. Unexpectedly, Pei Pei stated that he didn't want to die, claiming he hadn't lived enough and prioritizing his own life. Shan Dandan was heartbroken and devastated by his apparent selfishness.
She accused him of being despicable and realized her perception of him as loyal and true had been a delusion. She told Su Jue to kill him instead. Su Jue found their exchange amusing but then declared killing Pei Pei's lover would be more satisfying. As Su Jue prepared to strike Shan Dandan, Shan Shuangshuang arrived and intercepted his dagger.
It was revealed that upon receiving Su Jue's message, Pei Pei had immediately sent word to Shan Shuangshuang, knowing she would not stand by while her sister was in danger. Addressing Pei Pei, Shan Shuangshuang called him despicable. However, acknowledging they now had the Phoenix Crown, she told Su Jue to let Pei Pei go to avoid further complications and took Shan Dandan with her. Pei Pei then quickly left. Pei Pei and Shan Dandan hurried away from the forest.
As they went, Shan Dandan expressed her fear upon receiving the message and her worry for his safety, noting his composure during the confrontation. Pei Pei admitted his calmness was a pretense. He explained that he had anticipated Su Jue would break his word and revealing his plan to Shan Dandan earlier, their "argument" was staged to buy time until Shan Shuangshuang arrived, as he knew she would come to her sister's aid.
He added that he had to be clever to cooperate with her. Shan Dandan asked if he had hurt her feelings during the pretense, and he replied that he was used to it. Back safely, Shan Dandan worried about how they would face the City Lord the next day without the Phoenix Crown. Pei Pei comforted her, telling her not to move and assuring her their safety was the most important thing.
He confessed that after the dangerous incident, he realized her importance to him was far greater than he had imagined, asking her to promise never to risk her life or leave him. Despite the circumstances, Pei Pei appeared confident and told her to wait for his return the next day. The next morning, both Pei Pei and Su Jue went to the City Lord's hall.
Su Jue arrived first and presented his replica of the Moon Phoenix Crown, describing its elaborate craftsmanship. The City Lord was impressed, saying it was astonishing and even better than the one Su Jue's father, Su Zhiyan, had made. Su Jue anticipated Pei Pei's inability to present a crown. However, when Pei Pei arrived and presented his work, the City Lord was even more impressed.
He noted that while it resembled the Moon Phoenix Crown, it lacked the old colored gold and carving marks yet was even more exquisite. He asked how Pei Pei had achieved this without the colored blade.
Pei Pei explained that while replicating the old crown was possible, he was inspired by the principle of "green derives from, yet surpasses blue," and by advice from Senior Sun Wu and his father, Pei Chufeng, who urged him to create something that showcased the progress of Precious Pei Pavilion over the years.
Instead of merely replicating the original, he created a new design using refined natural colors and soft hues, with intricate hollow carving and filigree, and a new detachable welding method, making it pure, noble, and even more exquisite. The City Lord lauded Precious Pei Pavilion for exceeding expectations and ordered Pei Pei's crown rushed to the capital.
He promised Pei Pei that if the Emperor favored this new crown, not only would all past wrongs against Precious Pei Pavilion be absolved, but he would protect them and ensure their standing in Jade Cloud City. The City Lord also complimented Su Jade Pavilion's crown, acknowledging its improvement and innovation, but the comparison was clear. Su Jue conceded defeat, saying, "I lost. So be it." Defeated, Su Jue returned to his home.
He found Shan Shuangshuang waiting for him, dressed in a wedding gown. He reminded her of their agreement that she would only wear it if he won and told her to take it off as he had lost. Shan Shuangshuang replied she had never worn a wedding dress and would wear it a bit longer. Su Jue said seeing her in the wedding dress for him once made him feel he could die without regrets.
Shan Shuangshuang asked about "her" regrets, mentioning finding her father's killer or personally killing Pei Pei. Su Jue then confessed that he was not the clean man he pretended to be.
He began recounting the multitude of evil deeds the Su family had committed against the Pei family over the years, including tampering with the Jade Competition, framing Pei Pei for plagiarism, monopolizing raw materials, hiring someone to frame Pei Pei, bribing a servant to poison Madam Pei, and imprisoning Pei Chufeng for years in their dungeon. He admitted there were too many bad things to list.
Then, he confessed the truth she cared about: years ago, Shan Jing Tian was killed by the Su family, and the Moon Phoenix Crown was stolen by them. He revealed that he was the son of her father's killer, and she had been hating the wrong person. He felt relieved having revealed all his secrets, seeing himself as Su Jue without secrets.
He regretted that he couldn't marry her, calling the time she spent playing along with him the happiest of his life. He asked why she didn't expose him if she knew the truth. He said he didn't want to be exposed, as nothing mattered more than spending a few more days with her. He confessed he was exhausted and could not scheme anymore. As he confessed, it became clear he had poisoned himself.
He noted that the people he expected were late and he might not be able to wait. He asked Shan Shuangshuang to tell Pei Pei that he won and he was not as good as him, regretting not admitting it sooner. He reflected on a life of competition, now losing his skills, his life, and her.
Shan Shuangshuang asked what he had done and where the antidote was, but he said it was too late and told her not to cry. He said he regretted many things but never regretting loving her. In his final moments, he asked if she had ever loved him. Unable to answer, Shan Shuangshuang cried and held him as he died, a tear falling from his eye.
Following Su Jue's confession and death, the City Lord ordered a thorough investigation into the Su family's years of persecution against the Pei family, uncovering the full extent of the crimes, including the theft of the Moon Phoenix Crown. Wang Jiu was sentenced to death and executed. The Pei family's reputation was fully restored.
Because the Emperor was highly satisfied with Precious Pei Pavilion's new Phoenix Crown, he granted them 1,000 acres of land, 10,000 golden taels, and a golden signboard, appointing Pei Pei to oversee the national jade tribute. Su Jade Pavilion ceased to exist in Jade Cloud City, while Precious Pei Pavilion became renowned throughout the land as a top jade shop. In the aftermath, Shan Shuangshuang opened her own jewelry shop.
Meanwhile, Pei Pei and Shan Dandan shared a quiet moment together. Despite a light rain, Shan Dandan wanted to play. Pei Pei told her she couldn't but added that her legs could run fine, prompting her to tease that if he was concerned about her health, it meant he would pursue her again. They exchanged playful declarations of affection, each professing to love the other more.
Shan Dandan declared he had won her heart and asked him to love her eternally, to which he agreed, stating that having her by his side was all he wanted. As the rain stopped, they saw a rainbow.
