Under the Power Episode 46 Recap, Plot

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After concluding matters with Yan Shifan, Lu Yi returned home, where his father, Lu Ting, reassured him that as long as he managed the North Bureau, all reports would be based strictly on evidence, nothing more. Meanwhile, Yuan Jinxia waited anxiously outside her home for Lu Yi, believing he wouldn't come due to the late hour. However, Lu Yi soon appeared, teasing her for denying she was waiting.

She playfully admitted her anticipation had made her hungry, and Lu Yi promised to take her for a good meal. Lu Yi brought Yuan Jinxia to see Lan Qingxuan, who had prepared a lavish spread, which Yuan Jinxia heartily enjoyed. Lan Qingxuan, now known as "Fairy Lan" due to imperial favor, observed the happy atmosphere between Lu Yi and Yuan Jinxia. He toasted to their happiness, remarking that Yuan Jinxia had clearly "mastered her own happiness."

He also alluded to a previous conversation, reminding her that "happiness, sometimes you have to fight for it," a sentiment Yuan Jinxia now fully understood. Before leaving, Lu Yi cautioned Lan Qingxuan to be extra careful with the White Deer, as the Emperor and his courtiers would be viewing it the next day. He also mentioned Yan Shifan's increasingly outrageous behavior, such as repeatedly rejecting annual grants for Prince Yu's family for three years.

Later, as a tipsy Yuan Jinxia rode on Lu Yi's back, she asked if he remembered the question she posed when he gave her the wrist strap: if he feared losing the strap or her more. Lu Yi confirmed he remembered and, after some playful evasion, admitted that at the time, he was afraid of losing her, essentially confessing his feelings. Yuan Jinxia giggled happily, expressing that her life would be perfect if she could only find her birth parents.

Lu Yi assured her that he had already sent Cen Fu to investigate, and they would soon have answers. The following day, the Emperor, accompanied by his ministers, observed the magnificent White Deer. Lan Qingxuan demonstrated the deer's perfect obedience, earning praise from the Emperor, who believed its docility was a sign of his own pre-existence as its master. Courtiers vied to flatter the Emperor, with Yan Shifan suggesting the Emperor personally write a plaque.

Grand Secretary Yan, Yan Shifan's father, proposed "Yunlong" (Cloud Dragon) as the name. This sparked a debate when another official argued that the name was disrespectful, as the White Deer was merely a servant to the Emperor, the true Dragon Incarnate. Yan Shifan tried to defend his father's suggestion, but Mr. Xu then offered "Gaoxun" (Seeking the Peak), drawing from a poem by Yangming, to signify the Emperor's earnest pursuit of Taoist enlightenment. Most ministers agreed.

Lu Ting skillfully avoided taking sides, stating both names were excellent and leaving the final decision to the Emperor, who ultimately chose "Gaoxun." At home, Yuan Jinxia woke up to find her uniforms washed and gone. Her mother, Yuan Danniang, informed her that she had arranged a day off and prepared new clothes for a blind date with Mr. Yi's third son. Yuan Jinxia, thoroughly displeased, attempted to evade the appointment with various excuses like a headache and diarrhea.

Yuan Danniang, however, was resolute, even resorting to feigning illness to emotionally manipulate Yuan Jinxia into agreeing, reminding her of the neighbors' gossip and her own sacrifices. Reluctantly, Yuan Jinxia conceded. Meanwhile, Cen Fu delivered Yuan Jinxia's orphanage records to Lu Yi, who found her childhood descriptions—"restless, resistant to losses, keen to protect the weak, prone to dozing off when reciting," and a hearty eater—amusingly accurate; she hadn't changed at all.

Cen Fu also reported a peculiar development: Yan Shifan had started investigating the Xia Ran case. Lu Yi found this suspicious, knowing Yan Shifan's prior involvement, and ordered Cen Fu to secretly track Yan Shifan and gather all information on the Xia Ran case, fearing a new conspiracy. Yuan Danniang took Yuan Jinxia to the restaurant to meet Mr. Yi, discreetly reminding her daughter to speak softly and smile without showing her teeth before quickly departing.

As soon as her mother left, Yuan Jinxia reverted to her usual self, eating ravenously. Mr. Yi, appalled by her behavior, launched into a lecture on women's virtues and proper conduct. To scare him off, Yuan Jinxia exaggerated her work as a constable, describing how her hands often touched corpses and her feet walked on secretions.

She vividly recounted finding "corpse-eating bugs" (maggots) in her bed after work, claiming she and Yang Yue had spent hours picking them out, which made them unable to eat for days. From a table above, Lu Yi, who had been observing, sent Cen Fu away. Mr. Yi, completely horrified, declared the date over and fled, refusing to pay for the meal.

Lu Yi then approached Yuan Jinxia, who was flustered but explained that none of the hundred men she had been set up with for blind dates had appealed to her. When Lu Yi asked who she "did" want to marry, she simply smiled at him. He understood, then gently wiped a bit of food from her mouth. In the imperial court, a heated debate erupted over the Emperor's desire to immediately begin construction of a Taoist temple.

Some officials argued for reallocating funds to disaster relief or military efforts against pirates, citing an empty treasury. Grand Secretary Yan supported the project, while the Left Deputy Minister of Works conceded its worthiness but insisted it be postponed until after the Lunar New Year due to ongoing projects and depleted funds. However, the Emperor was adamant about an immediate start. Lan Qingxuan presented a chosen site for the "star observation temple" and earned praise.

Yet, the Emperor, now concerned about the treasury's funds, suspected embezzlement and questioned his eunuch, Li Fang, who was too frightened to answer. Later, Lu Yi met with Mr. Xu, who implicitly acknowledged Lu Yi's prior warning about the Emperor's intentions. Lu Yi explained his involvement was driven by a shared desire to punish evil, which was why he had recommended Lan Qingxuan in the first place.

Mr. Xu, surprised by Lu Yi's departure from the Lu family's traditional neutrality and Lu Ting's close ties to the Yan family, questioned his risky path. Lu Yi asserted that his father's stance did not represent his own and declared his willingness to gamble his family's future to fight for justice, even if it meant their destruction.

Mr. Xu clarified that the Emperor's decision to build the temple was a subtle move to make the Yan family bear the cost, a sign of his growing distrust, but stressed that uprooting them entirely would be a long and delicate process, requiring careful balance. Meanwhile, Shangguan Xi received a letter from Yang Yue. Xie Xiao appeared, informing her that their father, the Wu'an Sect leader, had secured a new business deal in the capital.

To develop new transport footholds there, he needed Shangguan Xi to accompany Xie Xiao, as he didn't trust his son to handle the complex interests involved alone. Shangguan Xi agreed, acknowledging that dealing with the powerful Yan family, who held significant sway in the capital, was unavoidable. She worried about being forced to collude with Yan Shifan, but Xie Xiao reassured her and expressed excitement at the prospect of seeing Yuan Jinxia and their other friends.

Back at the Lu residence, Lu Ting admonished Lu Yi for his bold actions, particularly the White Deer gift that had attracted jealousy for associating with Wu Shouxu. Lu Ting ordered him to distance himself. Lu Yi maintained his innocence. Lu Ting then revealed the Emperor had issued an edict for him to escort Yu Dayong back to the capital.

This was due to censors impeaching Wu Shouxu for indulging Mao Haifeng's ravages in Fujian, and Wu Shouxu shifting the blame to Yu Dayong, leading the Emperor to order Yu Dayong's arrest. Lu Yi was outraged, defending Yu Dayong's unwavering dedication as a military commander against pirates, and understood this was a trap set by Yan Shifan.

Lu Ting, however, forbade Lu Yi from intervening, warning that defending Yu Dayong would lead to accusations of colluding with border generals, a grave offense that would implicate the entire Lu family. Despite his father's fury, Lu Yi insisted he had already resolved to fight the Yan family and would find a way to protect Yu Dayong without implicating his father.

Lu Yi then emotionally questioned his father's understanding of "loyalty and righteousness," reminding him of past instances where Lu Ting, out of fear of the Yan family, had abandoned friends like Shen Lian, who was banished and tragically died, and Yang Qizheng, who was imprisoned and perished after impeaching the Yan family, as well as his inaction in the Xia Ran case. Lu Ting, deeply pained, ordered him to stop.

Episode 45 Recap

Episode 47 Recap