Twelve Legends Episode 21 Recap
> Twelve Legends Recap
Commander Duan, despite years of companionship, couldn't bring himself to directly dismiss his three concubines, who, despite not being ideal partners, had been with him for years. So, he tasked Adjutant Li with the unpleasant duty of letting them go. He had earlier pondered aloud about their loyalty if he were to die in battle, a thought they quickly dismissed as inauspicious.
Adjutant Li presented each concubine with a platter of gold bars, explaining that the Commander, out of kindness, wished for them to lead comfortable lives wherever they chose to go. Far from being upset, the concubines were overjoyed, eagerly accepting the gold and promising never to trouble the Commander again. Adjutant Li reported back, noting their unexpected happiness, which only solidified Commander Duan's belief that they were "wasteful old women."
He then fondly thought of A'Wan, whom he considered superior, and went to find her. Upon entering A'Wan's room, Commander Duan found it empty and, for a moment, feared she had also left him, lamenting that "Women are unreliable these days" and even shedding tears. A'Wan soon reappeared, explaining she had gone to eat because she was hungry. Commander Duan, overjoyed, immediately began discussing marriage with her.
He jokingly asked if she was "here to beg for food," to which A'Wan frankly replied, "I'm here for a good life." She then requested that he stop being "handsy" with her. Commander Duan argued that physical intimacy was inevitable, but A'Wan, new to human form and unaware of human romance, insisted he wait until she genuinely fell in love with him.
Understanding her innocence, Commander Duan, acknowledging his own age, proposed they simply "live this way first" and "date," a suggestion A'Wan happily accepted. This was Lian Xuan's third visit to the Commander's mansion; however, he had not yet revealed himself, instead lurking outside to wait for the demon's appearance. Xiao Qing, eager to provoke action, transformed into a ghostly apparition, terrifying the guards, who screamed "A ghost!" and fled.
Lian Xuan understood Xiao Qing's intent, and seized the opportunity to formally visit, pointing out the mansion was haunted. Adjutant Li, having noted the recent disappearances of livestock from the barn, was inclined to believe in supernatural occurrences and invited Lian Xuan into the mansion to deal with the "ghost."
He discreetly asked Lian Xuan not to involve Commander Duan, explaining that the Commander "despises such claims and beliefs" and was currently deeply infatuated with A'Wan, whom he considered his "fourth concubine," possibly destined to become his legitimate wife. Lian Xuan, confident in his abilities, agreed to help. While Adjutant Li gave him a tour, Lian Xuan, sensing a strong demonic aura near Commander Duan's bedroom, discreetly noted it but chose not to reveal this immediately.
They proceeded to the backyard and the barn, where the mysterious livestock losses were occurring nightly. Later that night, Lian Xuan and Xiao Qing positioned themselves on the barn roof, waiting. Xiao Qing questioned if the demon would even appear so late, but Lian Xuan trusted his "instincts." Soon, A'Wan arrived.
Just as an old woman was about to enter the barn, Lian Xuan, fearing the snake demon would harm her, quickly used a spell to knock her to the ground, preventing A'Wan from attacking. The commotion drew Commander Duan and his soldiers. The old woman, still recovering, claimed Lian Xuan had assaulted her and A'Wan. Commander Duan, enraged and protective of A'Wan, furiously dismissed Lian Xuan's claims that A'Wan was a demon.
A'Wan, feigning hurt, offered to leave if she was deemed a demon. Commander Duan, seeing this as further proof of her innocence, ordered Lian Xuan arrested, labeling him a "pervert" and accusing him of "misbehaving." Lian Xuan was taken to the woodshed.
Xiao Qing tried to free him, but Lian Xuan opted to stay, believing that escaping would only make him a fugitive and that Commander Duan, "bewitched by the demon," would eventually realize the truth and "beg me to capture the demon." The next morning, Commander Duan ordered Lian Xuan's release, but not because he had come to his senses. He revealed it was A'Wan who had "begged me to release you."
Lian Xuan, understanding A'Wan's manipulative "feigning kindness" tactic, continued to insist she was a demon. Commander Duan, still unwilling to believe him, angrily threatened to shoot Lian Xuan if not for A'Wan's plea. However, Adjutant Li intervened, cautiously mentioning that "two chickens were lost" from the barn last night. Lian Xuan seized the opportunity to point out that the demon had now moved from livestock to chickens.
Although Commander Duan still found it hard to believe A'Wan was a demon, the continuous, inexplicable disappearances began to plant seeds of doubt. He questioned Lian Xuan about the specific type of demon A'Wan was, but Lian Xuan could only say he could "smell her demonic aura" but was "uncertain for now." Frustrated by the lack of concrete answers and Lian Xuan's persistent accusations, Commander Duan sternly warned him to leave and never return to the mansion.
Commander Duan then went to A'Wan, confirming Lian Xuan's release. He asked where she had been early that morning, and she claimed she was hungry and went to the kitchen to eat. Recalling Lian Xuan's accusations, Commander Duan teased her about being a "chicken thief" with an appetite for "two chickens at once," but quickly dismissed the idea of her being a demon.
A'Wan, in turn, joked about making him broke and offered him "two chicken drumsticks" she had supposedly saved. Despite all the strange incidents, Commander Duan, still smitten, reaffirmed his unwavering belief in her, stating he would never believe she was a demon "even if the entire world said so." Meanwhile, in a nearby village, the scholar Lu Jinzhi prepared to leave for the city.
He told Bai A'Jiu that he was putting his dream of attending university aside to find work and provide for them, as the "admission fees alone cost three silver dollars," making it an impossible dream for the poor. Bai A'Jiu was saddened by his decision, but Lu Jinzhi reassured her he wasn't abandoning his dream, merely postponing it until they were more financially stable. He instructed her to stay home while he went to earn money.
After Lu Jinzhi's departure, Night Ming, a fox spirit herself, visited Bai A'Jiu. Bai A'Jiu initially thought Night Ming had come to reclaim a chicken she had stolen. Night Ming clarified she was just passing by. Bai A'Jiu, lonely after Lu Jinzhi left, welcomed the company. She then recounted how she met Lu Jinzhi: she was caught stealing his chicken, and during their struggle, the chicken died. They decided to stew and share it.
Lu Jinzhi, an orphan himself, took her in, recognizing her plight. Bai A'Jiu, however, confessed that she hadn't told Lu Jinzhi she was a fox spirit, as her parents had warned her never to reveal her true identity to humans. She expressed a strong desire to help Lu Jinzhi achieve his dream of going to university, even suggesting she could steal money for him.
Night Ming, understanding her good intentions, gently advised against it, explaining that true happiness comes from achieving one's goals through personal effort, not through ill-gotten gains, echoing sentiments Lu Jinzhi himself had expressed. Back at the mansion, Commander Duan, A'Wan, and Adjutant Li sat down for dinner.
Commander Duan, feeling jovial, invited Adjutant Li to join them at the table, noting how quiet the mansion had become with the concubines gone, and expressed his gratitude for A'Wan always being "by my side." He then publicly declared A'Wan the "lady of the residence." A'Wan, blushing, reminded him that she hadn't agreed to marry him yet, but Commander Duan playfully insisted he would "wait until you're willing." Adjutant Li, concerned, pulled Commander Duan aside.
He voiced his reservations about A'Wan's "unknown background" and the haste of the marriage. Commander Duan dismissed his concerns, proclaiming A'Wan to be "the most reliable woman on earth" and asserting that background meant nothing to him. Adjutant Li then directly asked A'Wan if "a man called Bai Jin Gang," whom he described as having an "injured ear" and wearing a "police uniform," had brought her to the mansion.
A'Wan, genuinely perplexed, stated she had no idea who Bai Jin Gang was. Irritated by Adjutant Li's persistent questioning, Commander Duan angrily ordered him to "get out." After Adjutant Li left, Commander Duan got quite drunk, and A'Wan helped him to bed. Later that night, A'Wan's hunger returned. She went to the barn, transformed into her enormous snake form, and devoured a horse.
As she finished her meal and attempted to leave, a magically enchanted iron cage suddenly descended, trapping her inside. Lian Xuan and Adjutant Li appeared, revealing their meticulously planned trap. Commander Duan, alerted to the commotion, rushed to the barn. He was furious to find A'Wan trapped, vehemently denying that she could be a demon and scoffing at the idea of a "fragile woman" consuming an entire horse.
However, A'Wan, from inside the cage, calmly admitted, "I ate the horse," explaining she "wasn't full after dinner" and found the horse "pretty plump." Commander Duan's demeanor instantly shifted to terror. He stammered, "Are you really a demon?" A'Wan confirmed her true nature, but quickly assured him that she had never harmed him and would always be good to him because of his kindness.
When he nervously asked what kind of demon she was, she smiled and asked, "Would you like to have a look?" before transforming into her colossal serpent form, leaving Commander Duan utterly speechless and trembling, barely managing to whisper, "I wouldn't dare."
