Unchained Love Episode 31 Recap
> Unchained Love Recap
As the moon hung clear and the breeze whispered, Xiao Duo sat alone in a pavilion, drinking away his sorrows. He reflected on the untimely death of A'duo, who perished due to power, a path that led Xiao Duo into the Imperial City, driven by a singular ambition to seize power. He observed many lives lost because of him, only to find the ultimate power—imperial authority—bearing down on him, urging him towards his own end.
He questioned what true justice he sought, wondering if "an eye for an eye, stopping killing with killing," was genuinely what he desired, or if there was another path. Though Cao Chunang was there, Xiao Duo dismissed him, ready to face what was coming. Moments later, a dozen black-clad figures descended, encircling Xiao Duo. He calmly drew his short blade, asking if they were waiting for him to strike first.
He pressed them, demanding to know who sent them, and they revealed it was Bu Yulu. Realizing that Bu Yulu dared to openly assassinate him, Xiao Duo deduced that significant events must be unfolding in the capital. Just then, Qilang's message arrived, confirming that the Emperor had gone hunting, accompanied by Prince of Nanyuan, and that Bu Yulu had taken over guarding the hunting ground.
Xiao Duo concluded something disastrous had already occurred, exacerbated by the fact that Bu Yinlou was also with the Emperor. Disregarding the imperial order that confined him to the Imperial Mausoleum, Xiao Duo immediately commanded his men to gather and head to the hunting ground to save His Majesty, ignoring warnings that this was an act of defiance.
That night, Yuwen Liangshi, the Prince of Nanyuan, and Bu Yulu led their forces to besiege the imperial palace at the hunting ground, demanding Murong Gaogong's abdication. Inside, Murong Gaogong, distraught, convened his ministers. Yuwen Liangshi tried to persuade his brother, Yuwen Liangxu, to join his rebellion, but Yuwen Liangxu refused, condemning the chaos it would bring. Yuwen Liangshi had him dragged away.
The Prince of Nanyuan then brought forth one of Murong Gaogong's concubines, who was also Bu Yulu's daughter and his own consort. He accused her of being a spy planted by himself and Bu Yulu, who had stolen the commander's seal and diverted the Imperial Army. The concubine confessed she was coerced by Bu Yulu and Prince of Nanyuan.
Murong Gaogong threatened to kill her, but Bu Yinlou interjected, warning that killing the concubine would only provide the rebels with a legitimate excuse to storm the palace. Yinlou then sharply criticized Murong Gaogong for his paranoia and arrogance, for not heeding her earlier warnings, for trusting the Prince of Nanyuan, for removing Xiao Duo, and for causing their dire predicament. As the siege intensified, some ministers turned on Murong Gaogong, urging him to abdicate.
He vehemently refused, proclaiming himself the true Emperor and denouncing them as traitors. The ministers then threatened to execute him on the spot. In a bold move, Bu Yinlou pulled out her hairpin and pressed it against Murong Gaogong's neck. She declared that if she were to kill him, the Prince of Nanyuan would instantly transform into a righteous liberator, while she would become a regicidal rebel, paving the way for the Prince's easy ascension.
She challenged anyone else who wished to bear the title of regicide to step forward. Her words resonated, silencing the agitated ministers. Following this, Wanwan quickly left to find a potential escape route. Wanwan discovered a secret door with a minimal rebel guard during a shift change, offering a narrow window for escape. However, the path was still fraught with danger, and Murong Gaogong himself was too vulnerable to risk it.
Yinlou proposed sending a messenger to the Imperial Mausoleum to summon Chief Xiao, citing the Zhaoding Bureau’s widespread network. Murong Gaogong, however, adamantly refused, revealing he had previously issued a secret edict to Yuzun, ordering Xiao Duo's immediate execution if he dared to leave the mausoleum. Yinlou fiercely defended Xiao Duo, asserting that the Great Ye Empire had elevated him because he was essential, enduring immense hardship and infamy for the realm.
She accused Murong Gaogong of orchestrating Xiao Duo’s predicament and causing their current confinement. Yinlou then stressed the critical need to deliver an imperial edict to Yuzun if Xiao Duo were to defy the order and leave the mausoleum. Wanwan revealed that all previous messengers had been captured, so Yinlou insisted on going herself, even changing into rebel clothes to blend in.
As she prepared to leave, she overheard her father, Bu Yulu, coldly stating that Murong Gaogong and his concubines (referring to the spy he had planted) could not be kept alive. Yinlou, though disheartened by her father's ruthlessness, pressed on with her plan. Outside the Imperial Mausoleum, Xiao Duo was already making his move when Yuzun and the Imperial Army intercepted him. Yuzun shot Xiao Duo with an arrow, causing him to fall.
However, as Yuzun approached, Xiao Duo sprang up, turning the tables and explaining the dire situation at the hunting ground and the Emperor's perilous state, asserting that he must go to save His Majesty. He challenged Yuzun, asking if he could afford to gamble with the Emperor's life by doubting him, and invited Yuzun to accompany him to witness the truth.
Yuzun agreed not to kill Xiao Duo immediately but insisted he couldn't let him go without an explicit imperial order. Just then, Bu Yinlou arrived, brandishing an imperial edict. She presented it to Yuzun, who, upon reading it, acknowledged the Emperor’s dire command to prioritize his rescue. Yinlou then expressed her profound fear that Xiao Duo would die.
Xiao Duo reassured her, referring to their unique bond, and suggested that the ongoing chaos presented a perfect opportunity for them to escape together, confessing his own self-interest and indifference to who sat on the throne. Yinlou, however, admitted she too was selfish and desired not to live in a world plagued by endless war and bloodshed, and declared her intention to go to the hunting ground to help.
Xiao Duo recognized her underlying resolve, playfully calling her earlier words "nonsense," and noted that the Emperor greatly misjudged Xiao Duo, believing him capable of ruining the country, when in fact, Xiao Duo, despite his complexities, still harbored a loyal heart. He instructed Qilang to leave some men to protect Yinlou at their current location, not far from the hunting ground, indicating she would not enter the dangerous area herself, but would await his return.
At the hunting ground, as noon passed, Yuwen Liangshi, finding Murong Gaogong had not abdicated, ordered his soldiers to storm the palace. He burst into Murong Gaogong’s chambers, only to find Wanwan instead of the Emperor. Enraged, he attempted to strike her down. Yuwen Liangxu bravely intervened, shielding Wanwan with his own body.
He reminded his brother that he had been taught to protect those important to him, and Wanwan was one such person, vowing to defend her even against his own brother. Yuwen Liangxu sustained grave injuries in the struggle. Just as Wanwan believed her end was near, Xiao Duo appeared, swiftly subduing Yuwen Liangshi. Defeated, Yuwen Liangshi acknowledged the imminent downfall of the Yuwen clan.
He offered his own life in exchange for Yuwen Liangxu's safety, entrusting his brother's fate to Xiao Duo before taking his own life. Meanwhile, the remaining rebels cornered Murong Gaogong in a secluded forest. Bu Yulu confronted him, mocking the Emperor’s weakness and calling him a "coward." He dismissed Murong Gaogong’s desperate attempt to bribe him with the title of Duke, stating he knew such men were deceitful and untrustworthy. Murong Gaogong, momentarily losing his footing, tumbled down a slope.
At that critical moment, Yuzun arrived with his forces and successfully captured Bu Yulu. Xiao Duo then approached the captured Bu Yulu, who desperately tried to bargain for his life by offering Bu Yinlou to Xiao Duo, claiming she was his daughter and would serve Xiao Duo as he wished. Xiao Duo, however, coolly declared that Bu Yulu did not deserve to be Yinlou's father.
Despite Bu Yulu’s pleas and threats that Yinlou would never forgive him, Xiao Duo did not kill him. Instead, he ordered Bu Yulu to be taken to the prison to await due punishment. Following Bu Yulu's capture, Xiao Duo asked Yinlou why she had not intervened, implying her trust in his character. Yinlou, however, confessed her deep distress, feeling conflicted and unworthy due to the complex situation and her own perceived manipulation of his feelings.
Xiao Duo clarified that his decision not to kill Bu Yulu was not solely for her, but also his own choice. He confessed he had been reflecting on what true justice meant, questioning whether killing could ever bring an end to killing, and how he differed from men like Bu Yulu if he continued down such a path. He aspired to a justice where no one could wield power to arbitrarily dictate the lives and deaths of others.
He expressed his desire to be "clean" in Yinlou's eyes and to start anew. Yinlou, moved yet self-conscious of their public setting, commented on his touching words amidst the crowd, but Xiao Duo, undeterred, embraced her, confident no one dared to interfere. Soon after, Yuzun returned with urgent news: Murong Gaogong was severely injured and unconscious.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Xiao Duo immediately took command, ordering Murong Gaogong to be discreetly transported to the Deer's Reed Residence for treatment, ensuring that no word of his condition leaked out to prevent further instability in the court.
