Unchained Love Episode 32 Recap
> Unchained Love Recap
Murong Gaogong lay unconscious after falling down a high slope, prompting Xiao Duo to suggest he be taken to the Deer's Reed Residence to recover. While Murong Gaogong was incapacitated, Xiao Duo seized the opportunity to finalize their escape route, arranging details with his men from Zhaoding Bureau. He warned Bu Yinge that their future life together might be challenging and that they would likely face hardship.
Bu Yinge, however, light-heartedly assured him that she would happily follow him, even joking that she would provide for him with a "soft meal." They returned to their private residence to pack, where Bu Yinge was surprised to find several chests filled with gold and silver. Xiao Duo explained that he had already sent away most of their assets, and these were merely travel expenses for their light journey, apologizing for the humble circumstances.
Bu Yinge dismissed his worries, stating that as long as she was with him, any hardship was bearable. Xiao Duo then teased her for being captivated by money, urging her to hug him instead. He then asked if she wished to visit her father, Bu Yulu, in the imperial prison, noting that due to his treason, it would likely be their last meeting. Bu Yinge initially refused, believing her father wouldn't want to see her, and she felt the same.
However, when Xiao Duo inquired about the knee pads she had been rushing to make, she admitted they were for him. Xiao Duo, deeming himself too young and strong for them, insisted she take them to her father so her efforts wouldn't be wasted. Bu Yinge complied, bringing the knee pads to her father in the cold, dark imperial prison, and urged him to wear them for his legs.
Bu Yulu, however, erupted in anger, condemning her as an unfilial daughter who had ruined him and the Bu family's once illustrious standing. He explained that his alliance with the Prince of Nanyuan was solely to regain family glory, and accused her of thwarting his years of meticulous planning by helping others instead of being grateful. Bu Yinge calmly retorted that he, as a father, had also failed her, and that they were equally to blame.
She then shared a poignant "joke" about a recurring dream where her father, unlike in reality, followed her sedan on the day she entered the palace, calling her name. She acknowledged that both she and Bu Yinge were merely pawns in his quest for power, and although she once longed for a normal father's love, she knew it was a futile wish.
Accepting their distant relationship, she declared she would no longer dream and that she could only accompany him this far in life. As she prepared to leave, understanding she might never return, Bu Yulu urged her to leave the Imperial City and never look back. Outside, feeling adrift, Bu Yinge lamented that she truly had no home, but Xiao Duo appeared, reassuring her that he would take her home.
Meanwhile, Murong Gaogong regained consciousness, only to be devastated by the news that he had sustained severe lower body injuries and would be unable to have children in the future. Enraged, he ordered the beheading of the physician who delivered the news. Upon Xiao Duo's arrival, Murong Gaogong, desperate, knelt and pleaded for his help. Xiao Duo assured him he would make full arrangements to cover up the matter, preventing the news from spreading.
Feeling a surge of confidence, Murong Gaogong's suppressed fury erupted, and he declared his intention to crush Yuwen Liangshi and sentence the entire Yuwen clan to death by slow slicing for causing his plight. Xiao Duo intervened, acknowledging their guilt but cautioning against such extreme punishment. He explained that the Yuwen family commanded considerable popular support in West Shu, and their complete annihilation could trigger widespread chaos.
Instead, he suggested keeping them alive to stabilize the region, thereby preserving Murong Gaogong's reputation for benevolence and securing public support. Murong Gaogong reluctantly agreed to a compromise, declaring that while the death penalty could be avoided, severe punishment would still be meted out. As a result, Yuwen Liangxu was demoted to a commoner and sentenced to lifelong imprisonment in the capital.
Murong Gaogong thanked Xiao Duo, who, while acknowledging that he fulfilled the Prince of Nanyuan's last wish, implied that being demoted was not the worst of Yuwen Liangxu's suffering. Later, Wanwan visited Yuwen Liangxu, bringing him freshly cooked porridge. Yuwen Liangxu, however, told her to leave, explaining that he knew she didn't want to see him.
Wanwan urged him not to torment himself, and Yuwen Liangxu confessed that he only intended to stop his brother and never expected him to die, blaming himself for the death. Wanwan reassured him that it was not his fault, asserting that his brother had chosen a path of no return regardless. Despite her words, Yuwen Liangxu admitted that seeing her reminded him of his brother, making it impossible to face her, and he begged her to leave and never return.
Wanwan, understanding, promised not to bother him again, apologizing. After she left, Yuwen Liangxu reflected that he could never leave his current predicament and would not burden her further. Bu Yinge contemplated the tragic fate of Yuwen Liangxu and Wanwan, wondering if she and Xiao Duo could truly escape the Imperial City. Her thoughts were interrupted by Eunuch Sun, who urgently informed her that several palace maids had offended Murong Gaogong and he intended to have their eyes gouged out.
Bu Yinge rushed to intervene, calming Murong Gaogong and personally feeding him medicine. Just then, Xiao Duo entered, his expression clearly furious. He subtly suggested that since Bu Yinge was so eager to serve His Majesty, she should personally brew a new medicine from the Imperial Hospital. Murong Gaogong, pleased by the gesture, readily agreed.
Xiao Duo then privately scoffed at the "new prescription," realizing it was merely the old one written in reverse, a ruse to keep Bu Yinge busy. He subtly noted her quickness in attending to the emperor. As Bu Yinge prepared to deliver the freshly brewed medicine, Xiao Duo intercepted her, claiming the medicine was not adequately prepared and insisted she re-brew it.
To ensure she understood his displeasure, he imposed a new "palace rule" that she must brew ten pots as practice. Bu Yinge, realizing he was jealous, explained that she had rushed to Murong Gaogong's side because he was threatening to disfigure the maids, an act that deeply disturbed her. She promised to consult him before acting independently in the future. Xiao Duo, mollified, admitted he understood her intentions.
He then warned her to maintain her distance from Murong Gaogong, whose mood was volatile after his recent trauma, emphasizing that even a small incident could put her in danger. He told her not to return to Murong Gaogong's room after delivering the medicine and that he would handle any further issues. Despite her plea to reduce the number of medicine pots, Xiao Duo sternly refused, asserting it was a necessary lesson for her.
Later, as Bu Yinge approached Murong Gaogong's chambers with the medicine, she overheard his conversation with Eunuch Sun. Eunuch Sun was reassuring Murong Gaogong that Bu Yinge's devoted care would surely aid his recovery. Murong Gaogong sighed, declaring that he would no longer pressure Bu Yinge or make her worry. He expressed that nothing else mattered as long as she was by his side, for they had "a whole lifetime to live."
Murong Gaogong then decided to go see her himself, refusing Eunuch Sun's offer to summon her or accompany him, reiterating his desire to go alone and his profound appreciation for her presence. Overhearing his words, a flicker of alarm crossed Bu Yinge's face, and she quietly retreated. Deeply unsettled by Murong Gaogong's words, Bu Yinge sought Xiao Duo's reassurance, entering his room via a secret passage.
She embraced him tightly, pleading for him to take her away so they could finally be together openly and proudly. She confessed her inner turmoil, acknowledging that while she believed their love was not wrong, she had still deceived many, especially His Majesty, and yearned to be free of such burdens. Xiao Duo gently reassured her that in an unfair world, their actions could not be judged.
He spoke of a distant future where societal distinctions would vanish, where people like them would be free, and while some might condemn their choices, others might understand. He dismissed the opinions of others, stating he cared nothing for them, and when Bu Yinge admitted she cared somewhat, he told her he didn't fear because he had her.
He then revealed that all arrangements for their departure were complete and that he had requested an edict to take her shopping tomorrow, after which they would finally leave. Bu Yinge was overjoyed and surprised by the sudden news, to which Xiao Duo teased that he wanted to savor her "miserable" look a little longer. Meanwhile, Murong Gaogong awoke and, finding Bu Yinge absent and a cabinet door ajar, grew suspicious. He followed a hidden passage to the private residence.
There, he was horrified to witness the intimate scene between Bu Yinge and Xiao Duo. The sight confirmed his worst fears: Xiao Duo was a fake eunuch, and he was the man who had secretly been involved with Bu Yinge all along. Overwhelmed, Murong Gaogong realized he had been a fool, a "joke" from beginning to end. Tears streamed down his face, but he choked back his sobs.
His despair quickly turned to bitter rage as he vowed to make both Bu Yinge and Xiao Duo suffer a fate worse than death for having played him completely. The next day, Murong Gaogong summoned Bu Yinge to the back garden to watch an opera. To Bu Yinge's horror, the play depicted her and Xiao Duo's secret romance, with lyrics explicitly revealing their deception: "No one knows I am a real man, disguised as a eunuch hidden in the palace.
Laugh at the foolish king, who personally sent his beauty into my bed." Murong Gaogong explained that the opera was popular because Consort Duan and Chief Xiao were celebrated for their roles in suppressing the rebellion, and there were even rumors that they had watched an opera together in West Shu, sparking a trend.
He then revealed that he had found the performance lacking and had demanded the troupe add a final, damning scene, which culminated in the on-stage depiction of Bu Yinge and Xiao Duo's demise. He declared them "adulterers" and wished them to "end up together in Hell." Bu Yinge gripped her robes, her heart seizing with fear as she watched the chilling performance unfold.
