Unchained Love Episode 2 Recap
> Unchained Love Recap
As Eunuch Yan Sunlang gave the command, white silken ropes descended from the Futi Tower, one by one, to the Tribute Ladies. Bu Yinlou, attempting to use a hidden gold piece to cut her rope, lacked the strength and was hoisted up by the eunuchs. Just as her life hung by a thread, the tower's great doors burst open. Xiao Duo, the Head Eunuch of the Zhaoding Bureau, strode in, demanding to know who Bu Yinlou was.
Bu Yinlou, hearing his voice, struggled to respond, her throat too constricted to utter a sound. Fortunately, she still clutched the gold piece and dropped it to indicate her location. Xiao Duo immediately ordered his men to cut her down and take her away. To satisfy the requirement for the number of sacrificial consorts, Xiao Duo presented the body of Noble Consort Shao, claiming she had insisted on accompanying the late emperor.
Yan Sunlang, seething but compromised by his past acceptance of bribes from Xiao Duo, had no choice but to comply. Xiao Duo then chastised Yan Sunlang for his corruption and ordered him back to the Zhaoding Bureau to be punished with fifty strikes of the cane. Bu Yinlou awoke in bed, disoriented. Upon seeing Xiao Duo, she tried to express her gratitude, but her injured throat remained silent. She was confused about why he had saved her.
Unbeknownst to her, Xiao Duo had agreed to Murong Gaogong's request to save Bu Yinlou, intending to use her to manipulate the prince. He had already arranged for her to be granted the posthumous title of Consort Dowager Zhenshun Duan, a rare honor for a living person. Xiao Duo had observed Bu Yinlou closely, noting the subtle tampering with the white silk used to strangle her, and deduced she was not as simple as she appeared.
He correctly surmised that Murong Gaogong's affection for her was genuine, making her a valuable pawn. One day, Xiao Duo brought Bu Yinlou a bowl of pear soup, stating it was good for her throat. Though apprehensive, she drank it. When a wolfberry clung to her lip, Xiao Duo pointed to his own mouth to alert her. Misinterpreting the gesture as a proposition for a "duishi" partnership, a formal union for eunuchs, Bu Yinlou was terrified.
She immediately knelt, frantically listing her flaws—from snoring to a lack of domestic skills—to prove her unsuitability. Exasperated by her misunderstanding, Xiao Duo left in annoyance, taking a hairpin from her as he went, noting it was from her family residence and not of palace make. After Xiao Duo left, Bu Yinlou nearly collapsed in fear, her confusion deepening.
She believed she possessed neither captivating beauty nor brilliant intellect, so she concluded that Xiao Duo's reason for saving her must be something that could ultimately cost her her life. With this grim realization, she resolved to resign herself to her fate. That night, Xiao Duo went to Murong Gaogong's residence with the hairpin.
He intended to enlist the prince's help in freeing Prince Rong from Empress Rong'an's control, arguing that since Murong Gaogong was the late emperor's only surviving brother, it was legitimate for the young prince to stay at his residence. Murong Gaogong, known as the powerless "Lantern Prince," initially refused, fearing the Empress's wrath. Xiao Duo pressured him, warning that the Empress already saw him as a threat and could eradicate the entire Murong clan.
He then used Bu Yinlou as leverage, reminding the prince how he had failed to protect his own mother, Consort Jing, from court intrigues, and how he couldn't protect the woman he loved now without real power. Faced with this choice, Murong Gaogong reluctantly agreed. Following this, Xiao Duo went to Fengyi Palace, using the pretext of measuring Prince Rong for mourning clothes to take him away. However, Empress Rong'an saw through his excuse.
She coldly reminded him of his place as her servant and denied his request, stating Prince Rong was asleep. As a chilling demonstration of her authority and a veiled warning, she ordered a new servant beaten to death for a minor infraction. Afterward, security at Fengyi Palace was significantly increased, and the Empress, claiming Prince Rong was ill, remained constantly by his side.
The night of the grand funeral ceremony presented the only opportunity to act, as Prince Rong would be moved from Fengyi Palace to Shangqiong Palace for a vigil. The window of time was short, requiring someone to delay the Empress. Xiao Duo "invited" Bu Yinlou to assist, subtly reminding her of his brutal methods to ensure her cooperation. Understanding the threat, Bu Yinlou agreed. He tasked her with detaining the Empress at Shangqiong Palace until after 9 p. m.
, convinced her will to survive would guarantee her success. At the appointed hour, Murong Gaogong launched numerous sky lanterns. Carried by the wind, they floated towards Fengyi Palace. On Xiao Duo's command, his men shot the lanterns down, causing them to fall and set the palace ablaze. Amidst the chaos and shouts of fire, Xiao Duo prepared to seize the chance to rescue Prince Rong.
