Weaving a Tale of Love Episode 3 Recap
> Weaving a Tale of Love Recap
Pei Xingjian, who was masked, managed to elude the Highest Judiciary officers sent by Zhuo Jinniang. An officer reported the failed pursuit to Zhuo Jinniang, who decided to abandon the chase. She reasoned that she only sought the golden needle and did not wish to offend the powerful Wu family, whose daughter, Cairen Wu, was newly ennobled and soon to enter the palace. Emperor Li Shimin also desired to downplay the ceremonial robe case, placing blame solely on An.
Zhuo Jinniang concluded that since An had been apprehended on the street, there was no need to involve the Wu Mansion further. Meanwhile, Kudi Liuli was incarcerated in the Highest Judiciary prison. Cao recognized Kudi Liuli as An's daughter, confirming Zhuo Jinniang's capture of both mother and daughter. Zhuo Jinniang pressed An to surrender the golden needle and her tailoring secrets, offering Kudi Liuli's life in exchange. An, heartbroken by her unconscious daughter's plight, vehemently refused.
She reminded Zhuo Jinniang of her oath not to involve innocent people or Kudi Liuli, condemning Zhuo Jinniang's ruthlessness and predicting her retribution. Unmoved, Zhuo Jinniang, driven by her ambition to become the head of the Wardrobe Service, gave An two hours to reconsider, making it clear that An had no choice but to beg.
In a desperate bid to save Kudi Liuli, An covertly offered a golden hairpin to a jailer, pleading with him to summon Sun Decheng from the Mortuary to arrange a proper funeral for them, hoping for a better next life. The jailer, accepting the hairpin, agreed to fetch Sun Decheng. Back at his residence, Pei Xingjian discovered the golden needle and a handkerchief Kudi Liuli had hidden in his book box.
He recognized the handkerchief as hers and realized her earlier fortune-telling attempt had been related to their current predicament. He marveled at her cleverness and composure, praying for her safe escape and hoping she would one day return to retrieve the golden needle. At the prison, Sun Decheng arrived in An's cell. An tearfully entrusted her posthumous arrangements to him, asking for good coffins and grave goods for her and her daughter.
Sun Decheng assured her he would comply, stating that the Mortuary upheld strict rules. When the jailer asked Sun to also take a recently deceased prisoner from a nearby cell, Sun Decheng, feigning adherence to Mortuary protocol, claimed the prisoner was "not completely dead yet" and that his department would not touch anyone still breathing, promising his apprentices would collect the body in an hour.
This cunning delay was a crucial part of his plan to save An and Kudi Liuli. Kudi Liuli slowly regained consciousness, scared and disoriented. An gently calmed her, urgently delivering her final instructions. She assured Liuli that Sun Decheng, despite his stern exterior, was a kind man who would save her, and that Liuli must obey him implicitly. An implored her daughter to be brave and strong, to endure all hardships, and to live well.
She instructed Liuli to leave the palace and live freely when she turned eighteen, with Sun Decheng's help. An also stressed that Liuli must never seek revenge for her, as her sole wish was for Liuli to grow up safely, happily, and freely. Kudi Liuli, distressed by these poignant words, clung to her mother, wishing only to remain with her. An then gave Kudi Liuli a fake-death pill, assuring her it would secure their survival.
Kudi Liuli swallowed the pill and lay down. An then informed Shun that she would simulate her death by hanging, emphasizing that she needed to remain suspended longer for the act to appear convincing. Shun, terrified, soon alerted the jailers, announcing that a prisoner had committed suicide. The jailers, upon seeing An hanging and Kudi Liuli seemingly lifeless, concluded that An had strangled her daughter before taking her own life.
They then instructed Shun to transport both bodies to the Mortuary, as they were no longer their responsibility. Upon learning of An and Kudi Liuli's alleged suicides, Zhuo Jinniang and Minister Lin hurried to the Mortuary to confirm the deaths. While Minister Lin was ready to accept the apparent suicide, Zhuo Jinniang, suspicious of a fake-death medicine that could allow revival, insisted on cremating the bodies to eliminate any possibility of Kudi Liuli or An returning.
Sun Decheng vehemently opposed this, citing the Mortuary's strict burial traditions. However, Zhuo Jinniang asserted her authority, reminding him that the Wardrobe Service, assisting the Highest Judiciary, was his superior, and he had no choice but to obey. Sun Decheng then realized Zhuo Jinniang's true motive: she had searched An and Liuli in prison and not found the golden needle, suspecting it was hidden within their bodies.
She intended to cremate them to retrieve the "true gold that fears no fire" for herself, abusing her power for personal gain. Zhuo Jinniang, wanting to eliminate all threats and claim the needle, ordered Kudi Liuli's body to be cast onto the pyre alongside her mother's. Just as the fire was lit, a messenger from Chamberlain Gao arrived, abruptly halting the cremation.
He announced that it was Cairen Wu's auspicious day to enter the palace, and all funeral activities and any form of "defilement" were strictly forbidden. Minister Lin seized the opportunity to persuade Zhuo Jinniang to back down, arguing that if the golden needle wasn't in An, it was highly improbable it would be in Kudi Liuli, as no mother would inflict such suffering on her own daughter. Kudi Liuli's life was thus spared.
Sun Decheng and Shun immediately rescued her from the brink of the fire and administered the antidote. Emperor Li Shimin warmly received Wu Yuanhua, who was dressed in the auspicious red garment adorned with a vibrant peach blossom embroidery. He praised her beauty and the unique, tasteful embroidery, renaming her "Meiniang," which she gratefully accepted. Back at the Mortuary, Kudi Liuli slowly revived. Sun Decheng, relieved, gave her water and comforted her.
He gently informed her of her mother's death, sending Kudi Liuli into profound grief. Sun Decheng urged her to control her sorrow, reminding her that she was still in danger and her survival depended on secrecy. He encouraged her to be strong, recalling An's last wish for her to live.
He formally adopted her as his apprentice and renamed her "Xiaodouzi," instructing her to abandon her female identity, her lineage as An's daughter, and her name Liuli, to survive the treacherous palace. Sun Decheng then handed Kudi Liuli a sachet containing her mother's will.
The letter confirmed An's sacrifice, urged Liuli to live well without seeking revenge, to trust Sun Decheng as her foster father, and to leave the palace at eighteen to live a peaceful, free life away from Chang'an. Heartbroken but resolute, Kudi Liuli embraced her new identity. From that day forward, Kudi Liuli remained in the Mortuary, disguised as Physician Dou, while Zhuo Jinniang quickly ascended to become the Head of the Wardrobe Service. Eleven years later, Cairen Di passed away.
Cairen Wu, now known as Meiniang, attended the funeral, bringing a new dress for Cairen Di as a final gesture of sisterly affection in the palace's often indifferent environment. She was deeply impressed by the exquisite fine clothes Cairen Di was wearing. Inquiring about their origin, Sun Decheng's apprentice, Shun, eagerly revealed that they were Physician Dou's work, even claiming his skills surpassed the Wardrobe Service.
Sun Decheng tried to hush Shun, but Cairen Wu was curious how a physician came to be skilled in embroidery. Sun Decheng explained that Physician Dou was responsible for disinfection in the Mortuary, a necessary but often avoided task by prestigious imperial doctors, leading the Mortuary to train its own physicians. He tried to downplay Physician Dou's exceptional tailoring, attributing it to his dexterity and willingness to help mend clothes for others in the maid-less Mortuary.
Cairen Wu, however, was more impressed by the compassion behind the act than the skill itself, noting the rarity of such benevolent hearts in the palace. She expressed her desire to meet Physician Dou to thank him in person on Cairen Di's behalf. Sun Decheng went to the Mortuary to find Kudi Liuli, who was playing a prank on Shun by hiding in a coffin and pretending to be a ghost.
Shun, terrified, fled and later wailingly reported a ghost to Sun Decheng. Sun Decheng found Kudi Liuli, scolding her for her mischievousness and for disregarding his warnings to hide her tailoring talent. Kudi Liuli admitted she simply felt pity for Cairen Di. Sun Decheng then took her to meet Cairen Wu. Cairen Wu found "Physician Dou's" face familiar but couldn't recall where they had met.
Kudi Liuli, recognizing Cairen Wu as Wu Yuanhua, her savior from years ago, was about to reveal herself but was subtly stopped by Sun Decheng, who reminded her of her place. Sun Decheng apologized for his foster son's lack of manners. Cairen Wu inquired why Physician Dou made Cairen Di's dress if they didn't know each other.
Kudi Liuli explained that she was moved by the loyalty of Cairen Di's servants and couldn't bear to see her buried in old clothes, so she made a new one out of respect. Cairen Wu was deeply touched by this kindness and offered her help should Physician Dou ever face difficulties in the palace. Afterward, Sun Decheng sternly warned Kudi Liuli about the grave danger of almost revealing her identity.
Kudi Liuli argued that Cairen Wu, her "Sister Wu," was a good person who had saved her and wouldn't harm her, believing that reuniting with Cairen Wu could help her find the masked man who had rescued her from the Wu Mansion and ultimately recover her mother's golden needle.
Sun Decheng cautioned her that people change, and the palace was a dangerous place where revealing one's true identity—her biggest weakness—could bring mortal danger not only to herself but also to all who had helped her, including Cairen Wu. Kudi Liuli understood and apologized for her impulsiveness. While overseeing her embroiderers and teaching them the art of "The Ink for Women," Zhuo Jinniang noticed Deng Qiniang with an exquisitely embroidered pouch.
She immediately recognized the unique, long-lost embroidery technique, identifying it as the signature style of her late master, An, the "best embroiderer under heaven." Zhuo Jinniang pressed Deng Qiniang about the pouch's origin, sternly reminding her of An's past crime of treason and the severe consequences of being associated with it.
A terrified Deng Qiniang confessed that she had found the pouch a few days earlier near the Mortuary after accidentally bumping into a young physician who was in a hurry. She suspected he dropped it. Zhuo Jinniang then commanded Deng Qiniang to find this physician to ascertain if the pouch belonged to him, which would absolve Deng Qiniang of any blame.
Kudi Liuli, now known as Physician Dou, was looking for her lost pouch when she encountered Deng Qiniang, who was holding it. Deng Qiniang immediately questioned Kudi Liuli about the pouch's origin, explaining that its unique embroidery technique was believed lost after An's death, and that Master Zhuo had identified it as An's work. Deng Qiniang warned that Kudi Liuli wouldn't get the pouch back without revealing its source.
