Under the Power Episode 44 Recap, Plot

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After hearing Yuan Jinxia sing a nursery rhyme known as the "Big Dipper" song, Lin Ling, deeply disturbed, left Lu Yi's room. She confided in Yang Chengwan, explaining that this particular song was written by her sister, Lin He, and that they had together taught it to Lin He's child. Lin Ling firmly stated that only she and Lin He knew this specific version of the rhyme, making it highly improbable for anyone else to know it.

She pressed Yang Chengwan, directly asking if Yuan Jinxia was Lin He's daughter. Yang Chengwan, visibly uncomfortable, denied it, reiterating that Lin He's daughter had been abducted to the south of the Yangtze River. Despite his denial, Lin Ling decided that if Yang Chengwan was unwilling to reveal the truth, she would uncover it herself.

The vivid memory of Lin He teaching the child the nursery rhyme continued to haunt Lin Ling's thoughts as she pondered whether Yuan Jinxia was indeed her sister's long-lost child. Meanwhile, Mr. Xu and Priest Lan discussed Liao Wenhua's death. They noted that Liao Wenhua had died of illness on his way back home after being dismissed from office, primarily due to his fear of strict sanctions from His Majesty.

They recognized that they needed to be much more careful in their future actions to avoid detection by Yan Song's faction, especially since Liao Wenhua's trusted associates, with Wu Shouxu being the first, were likely to be implicated. The next morning, Yuan Jinxia brought Lin Ling chicken soup, explaining that she had asked Yang Yue to make it to help Lin Ling recover from exhaustion after caring for the injured soldiers.

Lin Ling then inquired about the "Big Dipper" nursery rhyme she had heard Jinxia singing. Jinxia explained she had learned it at the orphanage from which her mother had adopted her, and that all the children there knew it. This news disheartened Lin Ling, who revealed that a very important person in her life had written the rhyme, but that person was now dead. Lin Ling later prepared a bitter medicine for Xie Xiao, and Jinxia offered to deliver it.

Jinxia found Xie Xiao diligently reading a book, which he quickly hid upon her entrance. He then launched into a boastful account of his bravery in battle, claiming Lu Yi had held him back and that he had actually saved Lu Yi. Jinxia reminded him that Lu Yi had stated Xie Xiao owed him a life, to which Xie Xiao grudgingly admitted Lu Yi had saved him, but insisted Lu Yi couldn't have managed without his help.

Jinxia told him to drink the medicine. Xie Xiao grimaced, pinched his nose, and quickly swallowed it, then immediately asked for candy. After Jinxia left him to rest, Xie Xiao retrieved his book from under the bed and continued reading. The Emperor expressed his pleasure over the recovery of Cen Harbor and praised Priest Lan for his accurate predictions, further increasing his trust in Lan Qingxuan.

However, the Emperor then mentioned the numerous memorials impeaching Wu Shouxu following Liao Wenhua's downfall. When asked for his opinion, Lu Ting deferred, suggesting the matter be handled by the Grand Secretariat, specifically mentioning Mr. Yan and Mr. Xu. The Emperor then sent for Yan Song’s advice.

Yan Song initially assumed the Emperor wanted him to recommend replacements for Wu Shouxu, but Yan Shifan advised his father that the Emperor already had Wang Yi, the Touring Censorial Inspector, in mind and merely sought Yan Song's endorsement, not recommendations. Meanwhile, Lan Qingxuan wrote a secret letter to Lu Yi. At the same time, Min'er was on her deathbed. She held Yuan Jinxia’s hand, telling her how much she admired Jinxia's ability to face adversity and live freely.

Min'er apologized for the harm she had caused Jinxia before taking her last breath. Lu Yi instructed Cen Fu to give Min'er a proper burial, seeing her death as her greatest release and hoping she would find freedom in her next life. The Emperor was greatly pleased by Yan Song's reply, which stated no objection and praised the Emperor’s discernment in selecting talented officials. In the courtyard, Lu Yi practiced his martial arts despite his injuries.

Yuan Jinxia, worried, brought him medicine and insisted he drink it. Lu Yi, feigning weakness, asked her to feed him. Jinxia, sighing, blew on each spoonful to cool it before feeding it to him. Cen Fu, observing the scene, turned away in disdain before announcing that General Yu Dayong had arrived. Lu Yi busily led Jinxia to meet him. General Yu praised Yuan Jinxia, acknowledging her reputation as the "ingenious female constable" mentioned by Mrs. Qi.

He then explained that Wu Shouxu had repeatedly urged him to express gratitude to the Six Doors colleagues for their support in guarding Hangzhou. Jinxia quickly went to summon her master and other colleagues. Lu Yi then asked Yu Dayong to arrange a meeting with Dong Qisheng, which Yu Dayong agreed to.

When Yang Chengwan arrived, Yu Dayong recognized him as "Senior Brother Yang Li," revealing they were from the same sect and had been separated for years after Yang Chengwan left to seek fame and changed his name. Yu Dayong sadly recounted how their master had searched for Yang Li until his dying day. Lu Yi observed the reunion with a sense of puzzlement.

Yan Shifan was approached by Yan Shaoqiong, a supervisor from the Salt Distribution Commission, who was concerned about the widespread rumors regarding Yan Shifan's mining operations in Hangzhou, conducted under the false name of the salt merchant Sima Chang'an. Yan Shifan dismissed the supervisor's fears, assuring him that the Emperor would not dismiss an official who could secure an additional 400,000 taels in salt tax annually, especially while Yan Shifan and his father still served His Majesty.

He then pressed the supervisor for an update on the completion of a cellar he had commissioned, intended to store "treasures" from Hangzhou. Meanwhile, Wu Shouxu reported that Dong Qisheng had refused to confess to the army supplies case. Wu Shouxu planned to escort Dong Qisheng back to the capital, believing this would temporarily resolve the matter and suspend the impeachments against him.

However, Lu Yi and Xu Zhihan disagreed, arguing that simply transferring Dong Qisheng wouldn't solve the larger problem of the ongoing pirate invasion. They noted that Japan, having supported Mao Haifeng's rebellion, could easily support other rebel leaders. Lu Yi, inspecting Japanese firearms seized from pirate camps, observed that their parts seemed to match those he had found earlier in Hangzhou, and asked to take one back to research.

Elsewhere, Yuan Jinxia found Shangguan Xi diligently working on needlework for Yang Yue. Jinxia praised her effort and, knowing Yang Yue's honest but sometimes slow nature, advised Shangguan Xi to be patient with him. Shangguan Xi teased Jinxia about her relationship with Lu Yi, remarking on the unusual connection between them. Jinxia sighed, admitting that their differing social statuses—Lu Yi from a high-ranking family and she a humble constable with no eminent family background—made a carefree relationship impossible.

Yet, she expressed her trust in Lu Yi, who had stated he didn't care about family background. Lin Ling, after examining Shangguan Xi's needlework, noticed a mosquito bite on Jinxia’s neck. Jinxia explained she was particularly attractive to mosquitoes, which led Lin Ling to remark, "Just like my sister." Lin Ling offered to make Jinxia a sachet and medicinal cream to repel mosquitoes, still pondering the strange coincidences and Jinxia being an orphan.

Lu Yi continued his study of the Japanese bird-gun, confirming that its components matched those he had previously found in Hangzhou, definitively linking Yan Shifan's mining to the illegal manufacture of firearms. Soon after, Dong Qisheng was poisoned and died in the prison of the director-general’s mansion during dinner. Lu Yi received news of Dong Qisheng's death, immediately realizing it was not an accident but a poisoning, and that a spy must have been planted within the mansion.

Lu Yi also learned that Luo Wenlong had later confirmed to Yan Shifan that Dong Qisheng had not confessed before Luo Wenlong "took action in time," effectively silencing him. Yan Shifan then pressed for updates on Zhai Lanye, demanding she be found "whether she's alive or dead" since she had been missing since Mao Haifeng burnt down the fortress.

Yan Shifan then met with a painting framer who revealed that his prized "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" painting was a fake, an imitation. The framer explained that the authentic version, which was lost in a foreign tribe, did not contain a specific poem that appeared on Yan Shifan's copy. The framer presented a book meticulously detailing the true painting. Enraged, Yan Shifan cursed Huang Yu, who had presented him with the fake.

Later, Lu Yi visited Wu Shouxu, stating he was not there to investigate Dong Qisheng’s death but to warn Wu Shouxu that his position as Director-general of the Southeast was precarious despite the Cen Harbor victory. Lu Yi explained that Wu Shouxu’s removal would destabilize the army and cause further civilian suffering.

He then suggested a solution: since the Emperor valued auspicious signs and the will of Heaven, finding a "strange beast" from Tiantai Mountain in the Jiangzhe area to offer as an omen could persuade the Emperor to reconsider Wu Shouxu's dismissal. Wu Shouxu acknowledged it was a good idea but noted the difficulty in finding such a mythical creature.

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