Unchained Love Episode 29 Recap
> Unchained Love Recap
Yinlou confronted Bu Yulu about the death of a young man six years ago in Ruyi Alley, holding up a silk pendant her mother made, which was found with the deceased. She directly accused him of the murder. Bu Yulu, initially feigning ignorance, eventually admitted the killing, justifying it by saying the young man "saw something he shouldn't have" and dismissively calling him a "lowly person."
Yinlou was enraged, pointing out that the boy was a human life with family, not merely "grass" to be discarded for witnessing Bu Yulu's secret. She then exposed his true motive: fear of exposure as Yuwen Liangshi, the Prince of Nanyuan's "secret card" in the capital. She claimed his apparent attempts to prevent Bu Yinge's marriage to the Prince were merely a "show" for the Emperor, a pretense to conceal his ongoing work for the Prince.
Bu Yulu retorted that as his daughter, Yinlou should share his fate, and questioned her motives for digging up old secrets. Yinlou sought to know if he felt any guilt, but quickly realized he felt none, observing that human lives were like "grass" to him. Bu Yulu lamented her change from an obedient child, to which Yinlou fiercely replied that she had never been obedient and would no longer listen, accusing him of never truly seeing her.
Bu Yulu, infuriated, compared her to her mother, who was outwardly obedient but inwardly stubborn. Yinlou then directly challenged him, recounting how he forced her mother to be a mistress, then a concubine, subjecting her to abuse by his legitimate wife, and questioning if he ever treated anyone as human.
She dared him to strike her, reminding him that as an imperial concubine, she held higher status than him, a mere subject, and that striking her would be a grave offense. Bu Yulu's anger dissipated. He then adopted a softer tone, offering to compensate her for past grievances and protect her status, but pressed her to reveal who prompted her to "trick" him, specifically asking if Xiao Duo knew about his dealings with the Prince of Nanyuan.
Yinlou, however, dismissed his questions, asking instead if he had ever loved anyone or if she or her mother held any place in his heart. Without waiting for an answer, she told him to leave, ignoring his warning not to harm Xiao Duo. After Bu Yulu departed, Yinlou visibly relaxed. As she returned to her room, Xiao Duo suddenly appeared, grabbing her hand.
Yinlou asked him where he had been, and he replied he had just been out in the courtyard because the room was too stuffy, implying he had been nearby. They embraced tightly, though unspoken concerns weighed on each of them. As night fell, Murong Gaogong arrived jubilantly at Deer's Reed Residence, accompanied by an attendant who remarked on the court's increased deference towards him.
Unbeknownst to him, Xiao Duo was with Yinlou, and quickly hid under the bed as Murong Gaogong entered. Yinlou feigned illness, apologizing for her "sickly face" and admitting to being weak and poisoned, which she said caused her to sweat. Murong Gaogong expressed remorse for her suffering and declared his newfound power in court, announcing that he had convinced his mother to allow Yinlou to enter the palace once she recovered.
He passionately expressed his impatience, promising to make her his empress and true wife, to be by his side forever, and to share life and death with him. Yinlou skillfully placated him with feigned shyness and concern about her illness, successfully deflecting his advances. After Murong Gaogong finally departed, Yinlou emerged from her facade, sighing in relief. Xiao Duo then emerged from his hiding spot.
Yinlou immediately pleaded with him to take her away, to which he promised to do so once "everything is settled." Xiao Duo had confirmed that Bu Yulu was responsible for his brother's death. He recounted how Bu Yulu's alibi for the night of the murder, attending a poetry meeting six years ago, had a crucial flaw: a period of several hours when he was unaccounted for, precisely coinciding with his brother's death.
Furthermore, a dagger from the Bu Mansion matched the wound on his brother's corpse. Cao Chunang tried to dissuade Xiao Duo, warning that Bu Yulu's influential position and the Emperor's trust in him made him a dangerous target; attacking him would be seen as direct defiance of the Emperor, potentially jeopardizing Xiao Duo's own precarious standing.
Cao Chunang also appealed to Xiao Duo's relationship with Yinlou, reminding him that Bu Yulu was her biological father and questioned if killing him would ruin their relationship, fearing Yinlou would resent him. Xiao Duo, however, was resolute and dismissed their concerns. He then issued orders to gather men and set an ambush on the Imperial Main Street for the following morning, when Bu Yulu was scheduled to meet the Emperor, declaring his intention to personally "bury him."
Unknown to Xiao Duo, Yinlou had overheard his entire conversation. Distraught, she spoke silently to her deceased brother, apologizing for the difficult choice she faced and the potential betrayal of her promise to avenge him. Determined to prevent Xiao Duo from acting, Yinlou prepared a large amount of wine, intending to stall him. She feigned drunkenness, even trying to trick him into drinking more by claiming thirst and coldness.
However, Xiao Duo revealed he was aware of her deception, admitting he had also practiced his drinking and knew she was only pretending. He gently chastised her for going to such lengths just to save her father.
Yinlou then confessed her true dilemma: while she had no desire to save her father, she couldn't bear the thought of her deceased mother being saddened by his death, and most importantly, she feared the repercussions of his death would harm or even kill Xiao Duo. Despite her pleas, Xiao Duo remained resolute. He left the room and locked the secret tunnel door behind him, sealing her inside.
Yinlou then tried to exit through the main door, but several loyal maids respectfully yet firmly blocked her path, offering to tend to her needs but preventing her departure. Inside her room, Yinlou paced restlessly, consumed by worry. When Cao Chunang finally opened the secret tunnel door, she rushed through, desperate to reach Xiao Duo's private residence. She arrived to see him holding a knife and entering a room.
Fearing the worst, she slowly followed, but inside, she found no body in the coffin, only several chickens skewered by arrows. Cao Chunang explained that Xiao Duo had led them in a "chicken-killing" spree, which had replaced the intended target. Later, as Xiao Duo offered her spicy chicken, Yinlou pressed him, asking why he had not killed her father when he had the opportunity. Xiao Duo confessed that he had intended to kill Bu Yulu.
However, during her earlier confrontation with her father, Xiao Duo had overheard Bu Yulu’s warning that harming him would sever their father-daughter bond. Remembering Yinlou's distress and fear for him after that conversation, Xiao Duo admitted he was afraid; he feared her sadness, her hatred, and ultimately, that she would leave him if he killed her father. Overcome with relief and love, Yinlou embraced him, reassuring him that she would never leave him.
Unaware of Xiao Duo's leniency, Bu Yulu retaliated by presenting a damning memorial to Murong Gaogong, accusing Xiao Duo of consolidating power and controlling the court, effectively making him the true ruler. Murong Gaogong, already wary of Xiao Duo's influence, felt his authority challenged and immediately summoned Xiao Duo. Upon Xiao Duo's arrival, the Emperor ordered him to supervise the long-delayed repairs at the flood-damaged Imperial Mausoleum.
Emphasizing the urgency, Murong Gaogong specifically instructed Xiao Duo to travel without his Zhaoding Bureau guards, a clear move to strip him of his immediate support. Xiao Duo accepted the order and departed swiftly, with Sun Taiqing ordered to ensure his immediate departure. A servant later informed Yinlou of Xiao Duo's sudden and indefinite reassignment, though he had arranged for guards to protect her at Deer's Reed Residence during his absence.
Meanwhile, Bu Yulu was also sidelined by the Emperor, transferred out of the capital and facing uncooperative officials, which led him to suspect an ulterior motive behind his banishment. Despite this, he still expressed concern for Yinlou's safety, despite the guards Xiao Duo had left. Bu Yulu then approached Murong Gaogong with another proposal.
He suggested inviting Yuwen Liangshi, the Prince of Nanyuan, to the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet to "ask for his forgiveness," arguing it would demonstrate the Emperor's magnanimity and dominance, as even the previously "arrogant" Prince now bowed to him. Despite warnings from a eunuch that Yuwen Liangshi was "ambitious" and possibly feigning submission, Murong Gaogong, swayed by Bu Yulu's reassurance that the Prince was now a "tiger without claws," accepted the proposal and ordered Yuwen Liangshi's immediate return to the capital.
Yuwen Liangxu, excited to meet Princess Hede for a play, was at a tailor shop commissioning flashy new clothes, determined to outshine even the stage performers. To his surprise, his brother, Yuwen Liangshi, appeared, criticizing his ostentatious attire. Yuwen Liangxu revealed his past injury at Mount Zhong, and Yuwen Liangshi expressed regret for the suffering he endured, acknowledging his brother’s self-sacrifice for his safety.
Yuwen Liangxu questioned his brother's secretive early arrival in the capital, which Yuwen Liangshi confirmed, explaining the need for discretion in a bustling city. Yuwen Liangshi then revealed his true purpose: to reclaim the empire from the Murong family, whom he accused of betraying the Yuwen clan after benefiting from their ancestors' conquests and driving them to Western Shu.
He declared his intention to rebel, having made all necessary preparations, and urged Yuwen Liangxu to leave the capital immediately for safety, revealing he had even arranged a substitute to cover his brother's absence. Yuwen Liangxu, however, refused to leave, expressing a wish for a simple, peaceful life in West Shu and insisting on staying to help his brother.
He argued that his presence would make the Emperor less suspicious, thus facilitating Yuwen Liangshi's secret plans, and also claimed he would be safer by his brother's side due to his own perceived uselessness. As they debated, Princess Hede arrived unexpectedly. Yuwen Liangxu frantically urged his brother to flee before she could discover him, while Princess Hede pulled Yuwen Liangxu away, commenting on his flamboyant outfit and their supposed matching styles.
