Truth or Dare Episode 24 Recap
> Truth or Dare Recap
Lu Yingyao sat alone in her room, reflecting on the tumultuous events of the past few days. Her wedding dress lay draped on the table, a stark reminder that her forced marriage to Nan Batian was imminent. She clutched a dagger, prepared to end her life rather than marry him, calling out for Xiaobao. Just as she contemplated the drastic act, Xiaobao burst in, having knocked out the guards. He assured her, "I am here.
Don't worry," and she, relieved, declared, "I knew you would come. You would come to save me." Xiaobao tenderly called her a "fool," telling her, "You are my world. How could I ever leave you?" With Lu Yingyao now dressed in men's clothes, she urged him, "Then let's go find my dad now," and they quickly made their escape. Meanwhile, Mei Shiqing and Xiao Wanzi were busy creating a diversion by setting fire to the dry grass in Qinglong Stockade.
Xiaobao, along with Lu Yingyao, then rescued He Yizhi from his cell. He Yizhi, surprised to see Lu Yingyao in male attire, remarked on her beard, but they quickly urged him to leave, as time was of the essence. Unaware of the escape, Nan Batian was celebrating his impending marriage in the great hall, encouraging his men to drink to their heart's content.
When a subordinate reported a fire, Nan Batian dismissed it as a bad omen on his wedding day, ordering them to put it out quickly. After a while, he noticed the bride had not yet arrived and instructed his daughter, Nan Xiang, to fetch her. Nan Xiang, initially reluctant, eventually agreed to help her father just this once. As she went to Lu Yingyao's room, she encountered Xiaobao, who was pretending to help with the fire.
Nan Xiang asked him where he had been and why he wasn't sad about Nan Batian marrying "the busker" (Lu Yingyao's assumed identity). Xiaobao cleverly spun a tale about preparing a gift for Nan Batian and reassured Nan Xiang that no one could snatch someone from Qinglong Stockade. Nan Xiang, seemingly convinced, continued to the room, while Xiaobao, Lu Yingyao, and He Yizhi seized the opportunity to hurry away.
Upon reaching Lu Yingyao's room, Nan Xiang found it in disarray and realized the bride had fled. She rushed back to Nan Batian to report the news. Enraged, Nan Batian immediately ordered his right-hand man, Wu, to seal all exits of the stockade and conduct a thorough search. When a subordinate reported that not only the "busker" (Lu Yingyao) and He Yizhi but also Xiaobao were missing, Nan Batian realized he had been betrayed.
He cursed Xiaobao, calling him "despicable," "shameless," and a "traitor," and commanded Wu to take all the brothers down the mountain to "purge the traitors." Wu, secretly pleased at the prospect of eliminating Xiaobao, who he saw as a rival for the chieftain position, rallied the men to pursue the fugitives. Nan Xiang, however, had no desire for Lu Yingyao to become her stepmother.
She instructed her subordinates to only pretend to search for the escaped bride, then lay down in the middle of the road to rest. Meanwhile, outside the stockade, Xiao Wanzi was growing anxious as she and Mei Shiqing waited for Xiaobao, Lu Yingyao, and He Yizhi. Mei Shiqing tried to reassure her, saying Xiaobao would handle everything. Soon, the trio appeared.
When Xiaobao heard both Lu Yingyao and Xiao Wanzi call He Yizhi "Father," he mistakenly thought Xiao Wanzi and Lu Yingyao were long-lost sisters. Lu Yingyao promised to explain everything once they reached the Felicity Tavern, and Mei Shiqing led them there. At the Felicity Tavern, Lu Yingyao, surprised, asked Xiaobao how he had come to cooperate with Mei Shiqing, his supposed arch-rival.
Xiaobao explained that he had pretended to capture Mei Shiqing, but in reality, he had helped him uncover a mole within the Mei household, thus earning Mei Shiqing's trust and cooperation. Mei Shiqing added that Xiao Wanzi had also played a part in convincing him. Mei Shiqing then arranged for everyone to rest and provided He Yizhi with his favorite "daughter red" wine. Xiaobao, in high spirits, invited Mei Shiqing for a drink.
Xiao Wanzi then offered Lu Yingyao a luxurious rose petal bubble bath. While bathing, Lu Yingyao and Xiao Wanzi reflected on their swapped identities. Xiao Wanzi admired Lu Yingyao's beauty and elegance, feeling that Lu Yingyao was truly suited to be Mei Shiqing's wife, while she herself only possessed the "break the rock on chest" kind of temperament.
Lu Yingyao, in turn, wondered how she could marry Mei Shiqing if their identities were swapped back, as her heart now belonged to Xiaobao. After her bath, Lu Yingyao asked Xiao Wanzi about her experience at the Mei mansion. Xiao Wanzi described Mei Shiqing's kindness, how he taught her to read, cooked for her, tucked her in, and always appeared to protect her in times of danger.
Despite this, Xiao Wanzi reiterated her promise to Qiaoyun and Qiuhua to leave the Mei mansion and restore Lu Yingyao's true identity as soon as possible, asking only for one night to bid Mei Shiqing farewell. Lu Yingyao, however, urged her to reconsider, reminding her that their love for their respective partners was paramount. She proposed they continue the charade, hoping they would find a solution later. Xiao Wanzi, trusting Lu Yingyao, agreed.
Later, Xiaobao, having a drink with Mei Shiqing, spoke effusively about his love for "Xiao Wanzi" (unaware it was actually Lu Yingyao), describing her as a "gift from heaven" and vowing to marry no one else.
Mei Shiqing, realizing Xiaobao was still oblivious to the identity swap, listened patiently as Xiaobao continued to praise "Xiao Wanzi's" inner and outer beauty, even going so far as to compare her favorably to Mei Shiqing's "princess" (the real Xiao Wanzi), much to Mei Shiqing's silent annoyance. Meanwhile, He Yizhi, having dinner with Xiao Wanzi, teased her about her relationship with Mei Shiqing and whether he would soon be a grandfather. Xiao Wanzi playfully denied it.
Realizing the Mei family's wealth and not wanting to disgrace Xiao Wanzi, He Yizhi solemnly promised to give up gambling and excessive drinking. Soon after, Qiaoyun and Qiuhua found Lu Yingyao. They tearfully apologized for failing to protect her, but Lu Yingyao absolved them, taking responsibility for her own elopement. She then shared her experiences in Qinglong Stockade, mostly praising Xiaobao's character and multiple acts of courage.
Qiaoyun, sensing Lu Yingyao's growing affection, cautiously asked if she had fallen in love with Xiaobao. Lu Yingyao openly admitted, "Yes, I wanna marry him." When Qiaoyun lamented that a princess should not marry a bandit, Lu Yingyao firmly defended Xiaobao, stating that he was the kindest person she had ever met and that "bandits also have good and bad ones." She insisted that she had made the right choice.
Later that night, Xiaobao approached Lu Yingyao, still confused about why both she and Xiao Wanzi called He Yizhi "dad." Lu Yingyao decided it was time to reveal the full truth of the identity swap. Xiaobao was utterly stunned, repeating, "You're a princess?" He initially became nervous, feeling that a "bandit" like himself could not be worthy of the Ninth Lord's daughter. Lu Yingyao, sensing his fear, playfully threatened to break up with him.
Xiaobao quickly recovered his usual confident demeanor, declaring that he feared nothing and that her identity didn't matter as long as they were together. He emphatically stated his extreme joy and excitement at discovering she was a real princess. Lu Yingyao reassured him that her status was secondary to their love, even offering to give up her title for him.
Deeply moved by her unwavering affection and all she had sacrificed for him, Xiaobao promised to be good to her for the rest of his life. He then asked for her true name, and she replied, "Lu Yingyao." Xiaobao, charmed, asked if he could call her "Yaoyao."
