Unchained Love Episode 27 Recap
> Unchained Love Recap
Bu Yinlou warmly welcomed Tong Yun back, offering her a meticulously embroidered pouch and assuring her that their days of hardship were over now that they had money. However, Tong Yun appeared distracted and ill at ease. When Bu Yinlou gently inquired if something was troubling her, Tong Yun hastily denied it, but her mind drifted back to earlier that day. In a flashback, it was revealed that Rong'an had subtly coerced Tong Yun.
Rong'an had mentioned the fragrant Biluochun tea from Dongting, Tong Yun's hometown, leading Tong Yun to immediately fall to her knees and beg for mercy. Rong'an then escalated her veiled threats by mentioning she had already sent people to look after Tong Yun's family back home.
Tong Yun tried to feign incompetence to avoid any tasks, but Rong'an insisted she was capable of handling a "few small things," reassuring her that Bu Yinlou's life would not be in danger, but urging her to consider the matter carefully. After Tong Yun left, Bu Yinlou remained perplexed by her maid's strange behavior. Suddenly, Xiao Duo emerged from her wardrobe, explaining he had been waiting there for some time.
Bu Yinlou was amused to discover that Xiao Duo had secretly purchased the house next to Deer's Reed Residence and created a hidden passage connecting the two properties. He revealed he made the secret tunnel simply because he wanted to see her. As they navigated the passage to his private residence, Bu Yinlou playfully remarked that their clandestine meetings made them seem like an adulterous couple.
Shifting to a more serious topic, Bu Yinlou expressed concern about Xiao Duo openly confronting Rong'an, but Xiao Duo assured her they would find incriminating evidence against Rong'an without an overt confrontation, waiting for the opportune moment. Meanwhile, rumors were spreading throughout the city about a beautiful woman, believed to be a fox demon, who lured men to their deaths near Deer's Reed Residence, leaving their bodies without external wounds but with expressions of extreme joy.
Xiao Duo dismissed the supernatural claims, asserting that a human culprit was behind the murders, especially given the proximity of the deaths to the royal residence, suggesting the attacker's true target was the imperial family. He offered to investigate the case, but Murong Gaogong, reiterating his policy of transferring criminal cases to the Court of Judicial Review, instead assigned the high-profile case to Bu Yulu, subtly dismissing Xiao Duo's expertise and undermining his authority.
Though outwardly deferential, Xiao Duo cleverly highlighted Bu Yulu's perceived incompetence, implying that the Court of Judicial Review was only now receiving its due because its former chief was "good-for-nothing." Later, a small eunuch secretly instructed Tong Yun to hide a box in Bu Yinlou's room. Tong Yun, clearly conflicted, went to Bu Yinlou's room and, after much hesitation, placed the box under the bed.
When Bu Yinlou approached, Tong Yun almost confessed her distress, but upon seeing the eunuch outside, she quickly changed her mind and remained silent. Soon after, Bu Yulu, acting under imperial orders, arrived at Deer's Reed Residence for a "routine inspection." Despite his initial assurances that he would not disturb Bu Yinlou, his men discovered the hidden box under her bed.
Inside, they found a small doll covered in needles, alongside paper talismans bearing the names and birthdates of the deceased men. Bu Yulu immediately accused Bu Yinlou of witchcraft and of consorting with a fox demon to harm people and secure imperial favor. He then theatrically lamented his own fate, claiming his daughter was driving him to his death.
Bu Yulu also attempted to silence Tong Yun when she tried to explain the situation, before ordering Bu Yinlou's arrest and removal. Xiao Duo dramatically intervened, blocking Bu Yulu's men and declaring that he would not allow Bu Yinlou to be wronged. Xiao Duo challenged Bu Yulu's authority to send an imperial consort to the common prison, warning of the Emperor's wrath if Bu Yinlou was humiliated.
He then suggested that Bu Yinlou be transferred to Zhaoding Bureau's imperial prison, which was under direct imperial control, promising to inform Murong Gaogong and absolve Bu Yulu of any responsibility. Bu Yulu reluctantly agreed, and Xiao Duo took Bu Yinlou into custody. At Zhaoding Bureau's prison, a distraught Tong Yun frantically tried to explain the situation to Cao Chun'ang, but her fear made her incoherent. Just then, two large, sword-wielding men approached, seemingly intending harm.
Tong Yun, in a desperate attempt to protect her mistress, threw herself in front of Bu Yinlou. Bu Yinlou calmly acknowledged Tong Yun's protective actions, and the men, revealed to be Xiao Duo's guards following Bu Yinlou's earlier instructions, respectfully withdrew. Overwhelmed, Tong Yun broke down and confessed everything, admitting Rong'an had forced her into the act by threatening her family.
Bu Yinlou revealed she had already discovered the box soon after Tong Yun left, and Xiao Duo added that he had confirmed Rong'an's secret abduction of Tong Yun's family. With their shared understanding, they decided to seize the opportunity and turn the tables on Rong'an. Bu Yinlou gently comforted Tong Yun, reassuring her that her family had been rescued by Xiao Duo's men and playfully "punishing" her with trivial confiscations, ultimately forgiving her for her plight.
Cao Chun'ang then arrived, bringing luxurious food and offering entertainment, highlighting the surprisingly comfortable conditions of the Zhaoding Bureau prison. He too, expressed his hurt and concern for Tong Yun, emphasizing their friendship and urging her not to face hardships alone. Though Zhaoding Bureau initially attempted to suppress the news of the witchcraft accusations, the information leaked from Changqing Palace.
Soon, many court officials, having learned of the "fox demon saga" at Deer's Reed Residence, submitted a joint petition demanding Bu Yinlou's execution. Murong Gaogong, furious that his concubine was being targeted and frustrated by Bu Yulu's inability to manage the situation, pressed for a solution. Bu Yulu, in a feigned display of distress and loyalty, blamed Xiao Duo for the leak and the escalation, claiming Xiao Duo sought to regain his lost investigative authority.
At that moment, Rong'an arrived, publicly leveraging the joint petition and the Empress Dowager's concerns to pressure Murong Gaogong into executing Bu Yinlou for her alleged "evil magic" and "harm to the people." With Murong Gaogong at a loss, Xiao Duo boldly stepped forward, offering to take over the investigation from Bu Yulu and promising to uncover the truth within three days, staking his life on it.
Murong Gaogong, left with no other viable option, granted Xiao Duo full authority over the "fox demon" case. Xiao Duo immediately began his investigation. His findings revealed that the victims' true cause of death was an overdose of thorn apple, a hallucinogenic substance found in rouge discovered in their nasal cavities. This exposed the "fox demon" narrative as a fabricated cover for poisoning. Following this lead, Zhaoding Bureau agents traced the poisonous rouge to Qiongshui Pavilion.
When they raided the establishment, they found the premises cleared of evidence and many workers dead, but the owner had attempted to flee. Xiao Duo quickly apprehended the proprietor. Informed of these developments, Rong'an became enraged, realizing Xiao Duo had outmaneuvered her. Believing she had successfully destroyed all physical evidence, she remained defiant. Nevertheless, she immediately ordered her maid, Yilan, to gather all of Xiao Duo's palace records and documents from his entire career.
Later, as Xiao Duo prepared to arrest Rong'an based on the Qiongshui Pavilion owner's confession, Rong'an summoned him to her palace. There, she revealed her own investigation into his past, noting his obscure early years in the Wine and Food Bureau, and his sudden, dramatic transformation into the youngest chief of Zhaoding Bureau six years prior. She then hinted at his long-lost older brother, who bore a striking resemblance to him, suggesting a deeper, hidden truth about Xiao Duo's identity.
