Episode 26 recap: Jiuling sacrificed herself to save Rong Yu, but the two lovers ultimately missed their chance.
Princess Chu Chu hurriedly arrived at the Rong residence and was met with an atmosphere of mourning. Thinking that Rong Yu had passed away, she inquired and learned that it was actually Rong Jiang who had died. She found Zhan Ping and took out the vial of medicine, realizing that it was sent by Jiuling. Zhan Ping quickly brewed tea and had Rong Yu drink it.
Rong Yu gained a new lease on life, and new rumors spread through the streets, claiming that Princess Chu Chu had brought the antidote and revived Rong Yu. Rong Yu sent people to search for Jiuling, but she had vanished as if into thin air. Rong Yu went to see Atan, who blamed him for not cherishing Jiuling. Atan mentioned that Jiuling had suffered so much in her life and only smiled when talking about Rong Yu. She pleaded with Rong Yu not to fall in love with someone else and not to give up on Jiuling.
Rong Yu had no words to say and simply bowed deeply to Atan. Accompanied by He Shan and Zhan Ping, Rong Yu paid his respects to his uncle Rong Jiang and then visited the He family's graveyard. He was surprised to see offerings of food and wine placed in front of the tomb. He knew that Jiuling had been there recently, so he quickly returned in search of her. However, all he encountered on the way was an elderly woman with unsteady steps. How could he have known that this old woman had gone through a near-death experience to save him? Jiuling concealed her appearance and stood aside as Rong Yu's carriage passed by. How could they meet again in such circumstances? The young neighbor boy from the countryside, Guisheng, was going to the astrology hall to listen to Rong Yu's lecture, and Jiuling helped him prepare a gift.
Guisheng came to pay his respects to Rong Yu, and when Rong Yu saw the gift card he brought, the handwriting seemed familiar. He continued writing his wishes on the gift card. The emperor stood in front of the palace, gazing at the thousands of lights, feeling a myriad of emotions. Jiuling had dedicated herself to protecting the emperor and the prosperity of the kingdom. Now, the realm was peaceful, but Jiuling's whereabouts remained unknown.
The emperor, Xuanyuan Cheng'an, blamed Rong Yu by his side. He had once had the best woman in the world, but he had lost her. He also understood that everyone has their own aspirations, and Jiuling did what she did to ensure they wouldn't find her. Rong Yu took out the jade pendant, and the emperor's gaze lingered on it, allowing Rong Yu to keep it for himself.
Chu Chu came and asked Rong Yu to accompany her to see the lanterns. The emperor told Rong Yu that being able to be paired with Chu Chu was also a matter of fate. Chu Chu accompanied Rong Yu to the streets, where she found joy in everything. However, Rong Yu felt bored and disinterested, wearing a veil and merely going along with Chu Chu's suggestions.
Everything he saw reminded him of Jiuling. Princess Chu Chu sincerely confessed her feelings to Rong Yu, hoping to spend her life with him.
And Rong Yu politely declined the princess. Because in Rong Yu's heart, there was only the Jiuling who loved him when he was foolish, the one who treated him like a treasure, the one who risked her life to save him without hesitation when there was no chance of survival, a feat that no other woman could accomplish.
The princess knew that she could never enter Rong Yu's heart, and she left with her attendants, feeling extremely disappointed. Rong Yu told Zhan Ping and He Shan that he wanted to be alone for a while. Seeing the lonely figure of their young master, Zhan Ping and He Shan were filled with heartache, feeling that Rong Yu was only barely holding on to life.
At that moment, Jiuling also arrived at the marketplace. While eating noodles, she saw someone mistreating a small cat and paid to have it released. Rong Yu was walking down the street when he saw the cat and instinctively picked it up. He saw a mother and child holding a small rabbit lantern and felt a sense of familiarity, so he followed them while holding the cat. Jiuling was selling small rabbit lanterns by the street and was startled when she saw Rong Yu approaching with a veil on his face. She instinctively pulled her clothes to cover her face.
Rong Yu asked her how much the lanterns cost, and Jiuling, worried that he would recognize her voice, gave him one as a gesture for him to take. Rong Yu then left, leaving behind a small gold coin in the shape of a rabbit. Jiuling picked up the gold rabbit and once again remembered the moments she had spent with Rong Yu.
Meanwhile, far away in Xunnan, Ren Yin Xiao felt lonely and desolate. Recently, his master had seen him again and regretted not teaching him to let go. When his mother sent him up the mountain, it was to keep him away from the struggles for power and the killings, and to live a peaceful and calm life. But his heart was filled with nothing but imperial power and the prosperity of the kingdom. Now that he had obtained all of that, he couldn't have the heart of the person he loved the most. He raised his head and consumed the Heartless Powder that he had developed.
Rong Yu encountered Xiao Yao Zi, who used to make a living by painting his portrait. Here, he saw portraits of himself and Jiuling, and his heart was filled with emotions. He asked Xiao Yao Zi for paper and pen, saying that he wanted to write down his and Jiuling's story... (End of the drama).
In the earlier episodes, there was a scene where Rong Yu was looking at the star chart, and Jiuling was with his martial brother. If the original destined relationship was like that, then it makes sense that the He family, holding military power and far away in Nanjiang, would meet an unfortunate end due to the ministers' fear of a powerful family after four years.
However, in order to help her change her destiny, Rong Yu encountered a series of unexpected events, not only entangling herself but also making the Rong family the cause of the He family's extermination.
Many people blame Jiuling for drugging Rong Yu and making her act foolishly, but I want to say that a romantic storyline requires various entanglements for the characters to truly enter each other's hearts.
It is precisely because of this mistake that the value of Jiuling's feelings is highlighted. Just as it was mentioned in the ending, everyone loves the elegant and talented young master, but only He Jiuling, who is foolish yet kind-hearted, won't abandon the equally foolish but kind-hearted Rong Yu and deepens their relationship through their interactions.
They are both lovers who are willing to give.
In fact, considering their previous experiences, this is the best possible ending. Both of them had a deep but short-lived love. He wished that their story could have started off beautifully, without misunderstandings, biases, or national grievances.
They would have recognized each other at first sight, met the most wonderful person at the best time, and then loved each other for a lifetime. *sobs* It really made me cry.
To be honest, I really like the feeling of them being together. It's as if they are destined to be each other's other half. I've watched many TV dramas, and I've never had this kind of feeling with the main characters or any other couple.
I don't know why, but with them, I always feel like they were born to be each other's soulmates.