The Love by Hypnotic | Recap and Review II

A princess from a neighboring state is sent to marry a prince for diplomatic reasons. She attempts to use hypnosis to manipulate him but accidentally triggers lost memories from his past. They agree to marriage of convenience with the condition that she help him recover those lost memories.
Notable Actors/Actresses

Fang Yi Lun: Li Qian/Prince Zi

Ling Mei Shi: Li Ming Yue/Aimaila/Princess of Xiyue/Princess Consort Zi

Director: 

Li Yang 

Scriptwriter: 

Yang Shi Ye

Chinese Title

明月照我心

The Moon Shines on My Heart

Genres: Period, Romcom, Fantasy, Period Romcom

Network: Tencent Video

Year: 2019
Episodes: 36

[Episodes 1-18 in a separate post]

Recapper: FanFanX

Recap Grade: A
First Impression: 3/5

Jump to Review

Mini Recaps

[Ep19] Si Kong Zhen suggests that he share something with her that he's never shared with anyone else - something from his heart. Song Jin Yu says that the problem is that Li Qian hasn’t made an effort to sleep with Li Ming Yue which leaves her insecure. I don't like to admit that Song Jin Yu is right but he is - and it's also Li Qian's mixed signals!

Minister Qiao is consoling his daughter that Li Qian’s refusal to marry her is a good thing. He tells her to not be obsessed with love. She has a greater responsibility as she's a descendant of the Qiao family (family from the former dynasty). He wants to see the Qiao family rise again. He also tells her that her love for Li Qian serves no purpose, and it is better for her to find another man than to wait for him. She asks him to not force her. 

Li Qian tries to please Li Ming Yue with an impromptu date at night and arranges for lanterns to be let off on their date. He is giving her the gift of stars. He took Song Jin Yu’s advice pretty literally. She is pleased with this surprise. Then she asks why he hasn't slept with her in recent days, and punches him right on his injury. He gasps and clutches his chest, and he finally tells her about his injury from dealing with the rebels. He goes on to tell her that because he didn't want her to worry and he didn't expect her to be angry because of this. She then becomes genuinely concerned for him. He tells her to not worry.

Li Ming Yue: I also heard that men will not cherish you if you are easily chased back. 

Li Qian: This is what other people have said. It’s not about me or you.

Li Ming Yue: I would like to know, what do you think of me in your heart?

Li Qian: Ming Yue. I see plants and know they'll die. I see the river and know it will dry. Because I know most things will eventually dissipate, I have never had much enthusiasm. But I now know that after all these years have passed, there are only these stars that are still as bright as before, and you. 

Li Ming Yue: So you see me as the stars?

Li Qian: No, you are the bright moon. All these stars are not as good as the bright moon by my side that can shine into my heart. (It’s a pun! Her name Ming Yue means bright moon in Chinese.) He then pulls her in close to him.

Li Ming Yue: I am also very grateful to you for chasing me back. Letting me be with the person who I want to be with.

They finally kiss. Si Kong Zhen's advice works better. lol

The next day, Li Qian is getting teased by Song Jin Yu about not having made love to Li Ming Yue yet, while Si Kong Zhen tells him it doesn't need to be rushed and to just let it be natural. 

Is it hot in here? Hehe

Later Li Qian is sitting alone in his room and reading, but ends up daydreaming of seeing his wife undressing, sharing a bed with her and her initiating the kisses, but he is confused, pulling on his collar and is really hot and bothered by how his thoughts are constantly leading to this lately. Hahaha. The shy guy needs help. 

Li Ming Yue comes to see him, as she was told he was looking for her. He pretends to be reading and asks her to knock before entering the room next time. She notices his face is flushed. She gets a closer look, and ends up tripping and falling onto his lap. He just looks at her and they awkwardly separate from each other.  Another lost opportunity.

Under the curtain kissing.

Li Ming Yue then suggests that she could help Li Qian change his wound dressing, and he eagerly agrees. He removes his top layers, and she decides to take a peek at him. She's surprised and starts backing up away from him but loses her footing. He grabs her, she grabs onto the curtain and they end up kissing in bed with the curtain falling over them. 

Minister Qiao is planning a rebellion. Li Qian and Di Wu Cheng have tracked down his subordinates and have them arrested. After getting his steward’s written confession, Li Qian confronts Minister Qiao at his home and learns that Li Xun has had knowledge of the rebels. Minister Qiao tries to attack him with his sword but Li Qian is able to evade him. Li Qian takes his sword away from him and slices the confession into pieces. Then Minister Qiao grabs the blade and pushes it into his own chest as Li Qian is holding on to the sword. Before he dies, he pleads with Li Qian to spare Qiao Hui Xin. Qiao Hui Xin comes upon this scene of Li Qian standing over her father's dead body, and she thinks Li Qian killed him. Her love turns to hatred. Li Qian also tells Qiao Hui Xin that it is better to hate him if it helps to alleviate her sufferings. Why did he allow her to think this?!

[Ep20] Li Qian informs the Emperor that the leader of rebels is the steward at Qiao House. His father asks why Minister Qiao isn’t there today and Li Qian says that when he went to visit him, he died on the spot under a rebel’s sword. Qiao Hui Xin is mourning the death of her father, and Li Xun is there to console her. She vows revenge against Li Qian. 

At home, Li Ming Yue is held hostage by assassins until Li Qian appears. He fights off the assassins and she helps tie up the rebels. Then Qian asks her to go rest as he deals with them. 

Li Qian walks in on Li Ming Yue's bath, and quietly dismisses Tan Li and takes over her duties. She becomes shy when realizes it’s him. He insists on taking a look at her - her forehead. She thinks he's going to kiss her so she closes her eyes in anticipation, but he actually tends the bruise/gash on her forehead.

Once again, he looks like he's about to kiss her but he gets up at the last second to grab her robe. (Drama, quit teasing us!) He puts the robe on her, and carries her to bed. He tucks her in, sighs and then turns around to leave but she tugs on his robe. He tells her to get some rest. She holds onto his hands and says they're already husband and wife and that it's better for them to sleep together. So his earlier daydreaming was right on point - she does take the initiative. lol

Now they laying side-by-side just barely touching with their elbows. She wants him to make the first move and wonders if he's waiting for her to, and he's wondering if she is consenting to making love since she invited him to her bed. They both go to make the first move and bump heads instead. Hahaha. Now they're looking at each other. He goes to kiss her and she jumps on top of him, but he flips her over onto her back and kisses her. Then she flips him over, and this goes on for a while until clothes fly out from the bed and eventually they make love. This is quite funny and just slightly sweet. Hahaha.

They have the semi-awkward morning-after-pillow talk. He tells her that he has a secret - his sleepwalking problem, which only started when she arrived. She just finds it interesting. Then he asks if she has any secrets to share with him. She tells him that she doesn't have any, as he already knows about her strange habits from day one. He then says that he thinks his sleepwalking must be caused by his excessively caring for her. She says that it's a possible side effect from hypnosis. She then suggests that they exchange love tokens, and he agrees to give her one later. Then he says that he has one for her right now - he pushes her down for his kiss (and more?!). 

At home, Li Ming Yue is making clay figurines for a love token while Princess Kang Le teases her about the night before and asks her why she is suddenly making love tokens. Li Ming Yue only smiles at her as she's working on the figurines. Tan Li misunderstands every question that Princess Kang Le asks though. Sweet but naive. lol

Meanwhile, Li Qian is being asked by Song Jin Yu about what happened last night after he rescued his wife and Li Qian tries to play dumb. He finally admits to having back pain, which is met with laughter. Hahaha. Si Kong Zhen knows something is really bothering him though. Song Jin Yu asks him to tell them. Li Qian tells them that he’s trying to figure out what to give Li Ming Yue for a love token. Song Jin Yu says that lingering nights are more important. Hehe. Li Qian gets up, clutches his back and limps away to figure out the answer (love token). Iol It's ridiculous. Then Si Kong Zhen asks Song Jin Yu about his lingering nights, which he doesn’t answer. Si Kong Zhen then says knowingly, that they must be reserved for Princess Kang Le.

Li Qian comes to Li Ming Yue's quarters. She excitedly goes to hug him and tells him that she missed him. He asks her to sit down and he puts a ruby hairpin in her hair. The ruby was his mother's (the most precious thing he has) which he had made into a hairpin for her, as his love token. He asks for his gift but she now feels bad about giving him the clay figurines (mud v. gem), and quietly tells him that she doesn’t have anything for him yet. He knows that she’s lying as she was so excited to see him earlier. He quickly finds the pair of clay figurines. He asks if she made them and if the figurines represent them. She doesn’t answer. He places one in her hand and keeps the other for himself. He says, from now on, they will take each other around and never be apart. Ah, he gets it. Then he sets the figurines on her vanity and carries her in his arms, and says that it's late, let’s go to sleep. Oh, it's that kind of sleep.

He wakes up the next morning with a stiff arm as she's sleeping on it. She's asleep and won't wake up so he has to wrangle himself away from her. He decides to drag her out of the bed, pulling the covers to the floor and letting her wake up that way. He tells her it's noon and to get up and go with him to his martial arts practice. She says she wants to sleep and he can go by himself. Then she proceeds to eat some snacks that she has under the bed. He is appalled and begins looking under her bed and finds more snacks. Hahaha. He says she needs to clean her room or else she won't have any meals that day. He also finds all of the other messes in her room. Uh-oh. 

[Ep21] Li Qian and Li Ming Yue are discovering that married life isn’t easy as they have different habits and interests. Li Qian is well-read, disciplined, and into the arts and literature. Li Ming Yue is disorganized, forgetful, free-spirited, and knows there’s more to life than fancy clothes, reading and analyzing poems. They're fighting over their differences.

To solve their problem, they create a contract and agree to take turns being the head of the household. The head of the household for that day will get to decide what can and cannot be done on that day. If anyone violates the rules, they will be punished.

On his day, Li Qian tries to set a routine for her, gets rid of the snacks under her bed, gets her an alarm clock (a rooster), and she has to clean up her room. She is not pleased and refuses to clean her room. As punishment, Li Qian request that she memorize the Invitation to Wine poem (the poem isn't about drinking, but about feelings of incompetence) in two hours' time. She should've just cleaned - as she hates learning literature. lol They continue fighting over this poem, as she fails to memorize the poem, or understand its meaning. She tries to bar him from her bed that night.

This sums up their personalities perfectly. xD

On her day, Li Ming Yue makes him sleep in with her, makes him stay in bed with her, and he's not allowed to wake her up. When she does wake up, she insists on eating in bed. He can't stand any of this. When she tries to get him to take a bite, but he can't do it. So she makes him suck her finger, he does it but he's so disgusted. LOL, see above pic, and it's her real reaction! Later, she requests Li Qian to dress as a commoner before they head into town. (He doesn't have any plain clothes, so she makes him switch clothes with Que Yan.) In his plain clothes, he's not allowed admittance to a restaurant, so they enjoy a meal (wontons) at a local vendor’s stand, which he finds surprisingly good. She ells him that he wants to judge a place by its food but it's better to judge a palace by the dirty bowls and fresh oil stains - meaning more people coming and going, and less waste. This gives Li Qian a different perspective of life, and a better understanding of her. (He has book smarts, she has street smarts.)

The love in her eyes. *Melt*

That evening, he's exhausted but she won't let him sleep yet. She tells him if it wasn't for her father sending her there to be married, with the two of them being so different, how would they have ended up together. He just smiles, then gives her a squeeze and closes his eyes. She traces his brow, nose and lips - but he pretends to bite her finger, and then he finally kisses her and hugs her tightly. They go to sleep with her in his arms.

The next day, it is Li Qian’s turn as head of the household again and he's asking her about the wine poem. She offers to help him get dressed, and then she touches his ear and hypnotizes him to make him forget his request for her to memorize the wine poem. Why is she fighting him on this? Oh, right, she can be so immature sometimes.

However, he is transported back to the time when his mother taught him the poem. He sees his mother's face and hears his mother's voice reciting the poem. He is presently crying from the memory.

[Ep22] In that memory, he sees his mother and the Empress. Li Ming Yue snaps him out of it and is concerned as to why he's crying. He asks her to take him back to that memory so he can remember more of his mother. He now realizes that his mother wasn't ill, even though he'd been told his mother had died due to a long-term illness. However, she is unable to bring him back to that moment. They decide to go to the palace separately to investigate his mother's death. 

Li Ming Yue is summoned before the Emperor and he will tell her truth but in exchange, she must make Li Qian forget his mother as she is not worthy of filial piety. She has no choice but to agree. Thirteen years ago, Li Qian's mother had killed people, had been in isolation for a month in the temple, but then she died in the big fire, and Li Qian was traumatized as a result. He also orders her to stop investigating the matter. (So he already knew about the hypnotism but is using it against her now. Sigh.)

Qiao Hui Xin is financially broke. Li Xun offers to help and because she has nothing else left, she offers him her body. He stops her, and says that he wants her as his wife. He asks if she'll marry him and she agrees. She cries as he kisses her. Tears for every occasion.

Li Ming Yue hypnotizes Li Qian to forget his mother as ordered. She has to use incense as well when erasing memories. She really doesn't want to but it's under the Emperor's orders. However, Li Qian wakes up halfway through the hypnosis and becomes suspicious. His mother doesn’t exist in his memories again but the Empress does appear. He gets angry with Li Ming Yue when he realizes what she's done. They argue and he leaves.

Si Kong Zhen sees them arguing and goes after Li Qian. He later advises Li Ming Yue that she shouldn’t erase Li Qian’s memory of his mother because it would also take away the good memories together with the bad ones.

She then goes to see a still very angry Li Qian. She tells him that she is worried that he will suffer more from having those memories, and that he will see his mother in a bad light. She finally tells him what the Emperor told her, and that he had ordered her to hypnotize him in exchange for the information. He is surprised that his father knew about the hypnosis. He also doesn't believe that his mother is a murderer and is still determined to find the truth. Li Ming Yue promises to help him, even if the Emperor punishes both of them.

[Ep23] Li Qian and Li Ming Yue continue investigating and find out that those who served his mother are no longer alive. However, one of the eunuchs secretly hands them the name of one survivor - Maid Deng. 

They get to Maid Deng in time, as she's now being pressured to drink poison. Li Qian promises to keep her safe by taking her out of the palace. She gives him his mother's embroidered butterfly handkerchief. She reveals that the pregnancy medicine sent by Li Qian’s mother had caused the death of Concubine Qi and her fetus. However, his mother maintained her innocence. This angered the Emperor who then banished her to the temple. The fire was apparently caused by fireworks from the palace grounds. Li Qian realizes that he was the one caused that fire and goes to pay homage to his late mother at the temple. 

The Emperor approves Li Xun’s marriage to Qiao Hui Xin (after the Empress persuades him to do so). This is now our second couple. 

Now the Emperor is furious and wants to punish both Li Qian and Li Ming Yue for the investigation but Li Qian asks to accept the punishment for both of them. Li Qian is also willing to give up his military power and title. The Emperor is outraged and orders Li Qian to be spanked. He is dragged away by the guards, as Li Ming Yue cries and begs for them to forgive him. 

After the punishment, Li Qian locks himself in his room to cope with guilt and anguish. He is pained knowing that he caused the temple fire that resulted in his mother’s death. Li Ming Yue is concerned about him but he asks for space from her. 

During this time, grains being sent to a disaster area have been stolen. Li Ming Yue is forced to handle the issue by replacing the missing food as Li Qian continues to drink and drown in his sorrows. Si Kong Zhen visits him.  

Si Kong Zhen: Pain makes people lucid. It is painful to be alive. 

Li Qian: How would you know the pain in my heart?

Si Kong Zhen: A person who can stay lucid in pain is a person whose life is meaningful. Have you thought about the food robbery and who wants to destroy the House of Zi? Li Qian doesn’t answer but tries to grab the wine bottle back from Si Kong Zhen.

Si Kong Zhen: Five-day time limit, ten thousands dan of grain. You are hopeless and want to die. But what about Ming Yue? Li Qian looks at him at the mention of his wife.

Are you torturing yourself or Ming Yue?

This finally wakes up Li Qian from his stupor and he grabs his clothes and sword to leave.

As Li Ming Yue, Di Wu Cheng and the workers are trying to navigate the grain bags on carts in difficult terrain, they are attacked by bandits. Li Qian appears in time to save his wife. He orders Di Wu Cheng to investigate where the grains have gone to, as it’s better to find the cause than to keep trying to replace the food for now.

[Ep24] The Emperor is angry with the delay in the disaster relief efforts. But Li Qian manages to settle the problem in a timely manner to his father's satisfaction. However, there is still no answer as to who stole the grains in the first place.

Pretty aerial shot of our kissing couple.

Li Qian goes home to be comforted by Li Ming Yue. He informs her about his punishment (docked salary for three years) and she gets upset on his behalf. He stops her and just smiles at her - and she realizes that he just lied to her. However, she is also still a bit mad about how he didn’t let her stay beside him before. He apologizes and thanks her for staying with him. He asks if she’ll forgive him and she responds with a kiss. 

Later, Li Xun and Qiao Hui Xin pay a visit to the Emperor and Empress. The Emperor is also worried that Li Ming Yue is a bad influence on Li Qian with her lack of knowledge towards Beixuan’s customs and etiquette. Li Xun and Qiao Hui Xin suggest to the Emperor that Li Qian needs a second wife. 

The Emperor and Empress summon Li Qian to inform him of his upcoming marriage to Pei Shu Tang, a minister’s daughter. Li Qian tries to reject the Emperor’s orders to marry another woman. But the Emperor threatens to have the demon girl (his wife) dragged to the palace and be spanked to death, as practicing witchcraft and hypnosis are forbidden, if Li Qian doesn’t comply. So he is forced to accept the marriage.

Li Qian comes home to tell his wife about the upcoming marriage and asks her to put away her bell so it won't be discovered. He only says that he wronged her before leaving. (Why wouldn’t he just tell her about the Emperor's exact words?!) 

It's Li Qian's wedding night. Li Ming Yue is drunk, and angrily stabbing a watermelon, complaining about her husband, and goes as far as to say that she'll take another husband to Tan Li. Li Qian goes to see Li Ming Yue but he overhears this and now he angrily leaves. Our poor sweet couple.

The next day, Pei Shu Tang pays Li Ming Yue a visit. Pei Shu Tang addresses her as Jie Jie. Li Ming Yue corrects her and says she looks older than her and has no right to call her something so intimate. Haha. Pei Shu Tang tries to make her uncomfortable by talking about Li Qian and how her body is sore this morning. Li Ming Yue offers to change her big, soft bed to an iron bed. Then she asks her to continue talking about the wedding night, and now Pei Shu Tang looks away and says it's inappropriate. Li Qian arrives, and glares at Li Ming Yue and then ignores her. Then he asks Pei Shu Tang to go with him to the palace and when they return, she needs to learn how to run their household. He dismisses Li Ming Yue and just tells her to get more rest. This smells like trouble for him.

She leaves and beats up a pillow in her room, as if it was her husband. Tan Li comes in and tries to hide her distress but fails as Li Ming Yue knows that something is wrong. She finds out that Tan Li is being bullied (burn on her arm, from a fight over a bowl of soup for Li Ming Yue) by one of Pei Shu Tang's maids. Tan Li begs her to not pursue it but she goes to see Pei Shu Tang. She demands an apology from the maid to Tan Li but she refuses, so she slaps the maid. Li Qian walks in and the maid immediately acts as if Li Ming Yue was bullying them and had slapped her for no reason. Li Ming Yue goes to slap her again but Li Qian physically restrains her by grabbing her arm. She jerks her arm out of his grasp and leaves angrily. Tan Li tries to explain what really happened but just leaves instead. Finally, Li Qian leaves as well. Once they're alone, Pei Shu Tang asks her maid to stop creating problems. 

Li Ming Yue is angry, throwing her stuff around and says that she wants to leave for Xiyue. Tan Li starts packing everything, and is quicker than Li Ming Yue wants it to be. Ah, of course she was bluffing.

 

Later Que Yan tells Li Ming Yue that she needs to clean up Li Qian’s study. Then she finds out that he is at Si Kong Zhen's house with Pei Shu Tang. Now she's further enraged about having to clean the room while he's away with his other wife. She declares that she'll make a bigger mess but the room is already a total mess with books, bags, scrolls strewn everywhere. Que Yan tells her that her husband said that she’s the only one allowed to clean this room. Haha, but she hates cleaning! While she’s angrily cleaning up, she finds his clay figurine of her (love token) in a cabinet by itself. She is happily surprised by this, as she thought he had thrown it out. She puts it on a higher shelf. Then she notices a fan so pulls it out and opens it, and a piece of paper falls out. It's a note from Li Qian asking her to meet him at the Luomei pavilion at 5 p.m. She appears happy to find this but says that she won't forgive him. 

She meets him at the pavilion and he asks about her packed bags.

[Ep25] Li Ming Yue replies if she needs to report everything to him. Li Qian asks her if she wants to go back to Xiyue. 

She turns away from him and he gives her a back hug and says that she's probably destroyed his study by now. (Uh, it was already in a sad state to begin with.) She removes his arms to get out of his hug. She looks at him and says that Pei Shu Tang is better suited for him. (She is definitely jealous.) Then she says that she’s leaving for Xiyue tomorrow and turns around to leave. Li Qian stops her with a hand on her arm. He gently turns her around and then places his hands on her arms and asks her to listen to him. 

Li Qian: No matter how knowledgeable and mature Pei Shu Tang is, I don't like her. I prefer the kind of princess who doesn't like to read, who likes to play with her scimitar, has a bit of a temper, and who makes a bowl of strange-tasting osmanthus cake. 

Li Ming Yue: Really? 

Li Qian: Why didn't you ask me if I did it with Pei Shu Tang that night? 

She looks at him like he's crazy to even mention it.

Li Ming Yue angrily: Did you?!?

Li Qian smiling: You don't want to go now? 

Li Ming Yue scowling: I will listen to it and then leave. Say it.

He explains that he has to put on a show to flush out a spy in their household. On their wedding night, Pei Shu Tang had a pair of scissors ready to use on him but Li Qian quickly snatched it away. He threatened to report her for trying to assassinate a prince. Pei Shu Tang is then forced to reveal that she was sent by Li Xun as a spy to create discord in his marriage and with Xiyue. She was forced to marry him as her lover’s life is being threatened. She knows that he and Li Ming Yue love each other deeply, but there is another spy lurking in his household now. She offers to help him and then hands him an ecstasy pill that Li Xun gave her to put in his tea. He accepts her offer of help and promises to set her free but they will still need to keep up appearances so as not to alert Li Xun. Li Qian also took Pei Shu Tang with him to visit Si Kong Zhen for tea so that she could reunite with her lover, who is being watched by Li Xun. He should've told her this sooner - he knows what her temperament is! lol

They’ve made up. I just love them so much.

Li Qian says that it seemed like she was going back to Xiyue. She tells him that she feels sorry for Pei Shu Tang now. He teases her by suggesting they’ll keep Pei Shu Tang to accompany her then. She throws her arms around his neck. (~10:10, She's in her glorious jealous possessiveness.)

Li Ming Yue: Never. Now you are mine. You are not allowed to look at other women. Then she stands up her tiptoes and kisses him. And then they talk about their plan of attack. Okay, now they've officially made up. lol

At home, Li Qian and Li Ming Yue pretend to be on the verge of divorce by staging various arguments behind closed doors and making sure everyone hears them. Tan Li helps them figure out who the other spy is. 

Li Ming Yue then gives the impression that she wants to kill Pei Shu Tang to the maids. She gives each maid a different task. Maid Fu, who is tasked with gunpowder, reports everything to Li Xun and Qiao Hui Xin. Being suspicious that they are just acting, Qiao Hui Xin questions Pei Shu Tang and informs her that Li Ming Yue is planning to kill her with gunpowder. Pei Shu Tang asks to be saved (but she knows who the spy is now).

Does this look like a man who's been fighting with his first wife? ;)

Li Qian and Li Ming Yue stage a huge fight in her quarters. Behind those closed doors, they are yelling at each other, throwing things, breaking things - and they’re actually holding hands and hugging each other, too. Li Qian whispers to her that Maid Fu is Li Xun’s spy, and that Qiao Hui Xin suspects that they’re only acting. He goes to kiss her but she stops him. They need make plans first. She suggests that he hit her in front of everyone later. (~20:15 This is a funny scene because of how they’re destroying things - he’s spinning her around in the room and knocking over things. lol) She insists that he needs to hit her but he says that he can't bear to do it. She tells him that for their sake, it's the only way. They are also arguing loudly in between these lines of conversation. He thanks her for her help and they share a kiss at the end of this “fight”.  

Later, Li Qian announces to both wives that he will only take Pei Shu Tang to the temple (of God of Marriage), and Li Ming Yue should stay home and reflect on her mistakes. (Di Wu Cheng, Tan Li, and Pei Shu Tang’s maids, including Maid Fu are all there.) Pei Shu Tang walks to Li Ming Yue’s table and thanks her for being understanding. Li Ming Yue gets up and threatens to beat her. Li Qian gets in between them and yells at her to stop behaving this way. She then dares him to hit her. He grabs her arm and asks if she thinks he really wouldn't dare hit her? She eggs him on to hit her. He raises his arm and stops with his arm mid-air. She realizes that he can’t bring himself to do it, so she hypnotizes him to slap her. He slaps her quite hard and then she’s clutching her face. After he slaps her, he snaps out of the trance, looks at his hand and realizes what just happened. (Aww, his heart shattered right there. Gah, I hurt for him!) He catches himself (his eyes are so red now) and angrily tells her that he taught her a lesson today, and that she should behave herself in the future. She runs out of the room clutching her face with Tan Li following her. 

Later, Tan Li is rolling a boiled egg on her swollen cheek. She asks Li Ming Yue if there really was no other way. Li Ming Yue happily replies that she didn’t want to use hypnosis but he really cares about her so much now, otherwise how could he hit her? They needed to fool the maids. 

Kink? I like Princess Kang Le's expression here. Hahaha!

Princess Kang Le shows up angry on her behalf, and wants to confront her brother. Li Ming Yue says he’s her brother, so why is she just siding with her? Her sister-in-law says it doesn’t matter why he hit her as it’s not right. And goes on to say this is enough for her to want to go destroy him. Li Ming Yue asks her how she is going to fight him? She comments that she’s like a mouse before a cat whenever she sees her brother. (I’ve never noticed it but I’m usually too busy laughing at her antics.) Then she says that she is going to go all out and beat him. Li Ming Yue grabs her arm to stop her. Princess Kang Le asks why is she stopping her? Li Ming Yue says she’s planning to beat her husband, so she naturally wants to stop her. Now Princess Kang Le asks her if this is some kink for them. LOL Maid Fu interrupts to bring her green bean cakes from Pei Shu Tang, as a way to ease her pain. Li Ming Yue instead asks her about the gunpowder, and tells her that it’s for fireworks that Princess Kang Le asked for help with, and also mentions to misunderstand anything. Princess Kang Le says when has she ever asked for that. Li Ming Yue tells her that she’s just forgotten about it already. Maid Fu notices all of this and takes her leave. As she’s leaving, Li Ming Yue mentions to Princess Kang Le to not go to the temple. Once Maid Fu leaves, Li Ming Yue fills in Princess Kang Le on the plan. 

Maid Fu informs Qiao Hui Xin that Li Ming Yue intends to use gunpowder in dealing with Pei Shu Tang and that Li Qian did hit Li Ming Yue. After Maid Fu leaves, Lu Xin comes into the room and suggests that they should kill both Li Qian and Li Ming Yue then, but Qiao Hui Xin quickly objects as she only wants Li Ming Yue dead. Her excuse is that she wants to see Li Qian suffer through loss and betrayal. Deep down, Li Xun knows that she is still unable to forget about Li Qian. Did he really think she would?

Later, Li Ming Yue visits the temple with Tan Li and she tells the palace official that she has a surprise for Prince Zi, and she wants to bury it in the incense holder, and that her husband must be the first person to light the incense. Once the official leaves, they start hiding something inside the incense holder (it’s a very large pot.) Li Ming Yue talks openly about the plan but Tan Li shushes her. They know that someone is listening to their conversation and watching them as well. The Emperor and Empress are invited by Li Xun to attend the temple.

The next day, the Emperor and family are at the temple (of God of Marriage). Li Qian lights and places the first set of incense with Pei Shu Tang. Then Li Xun asks him about the whereabouts of Li Ming Yue. Li Qian replies that there is something going on at his house so she is handling it. His father agrees that as she is the first wife that she should be there to handle it. Suddenly an official interrupts to warn the Emperor about the gunpowder. 

[Ep26] Pei Shu Tang chimes in that Li Ming Yue must be jealous of her to want her dead, and asks Li Qian to help her, but then she falls into a faint. Qiao Hui Xin insists on accompanying Pei Shu Tang to take her back to Ling House, so they leave together.

Maid Fu suddenly comes forward to say that it is Li Ming Yue who asked her to buy the gunpowder but she didn’t know that she was going to kill anyone with it. Li Xun goes forward to the incense holder and unearths a large bag. He immediately suggests going to Zi House to bring in Li Ming Yue. But Li Qian stops him and takes the bag from him to reveal some talismans for harmonious marriage rather than any gunpowder. Li Xun is confused by this. Meanwhile, Pei Shu Tang finds a way to escape from Qiao Hui Xin and reunites with her lover with the help of Si Kong Zhen. 

Li Xun asks where all the gunpowder has gone to. Suddenly the sky lights up with fireworks. Princess Kang Le comes running in with Song Jin Yu and Li Ming Yue, and asks if her father and his wife enjoyed her surprise - the fireworks. She also tells them that she learned how to make fireworks from Li Ming Yue. 

Qiao Hui Xin returns to the palace to report that Pei Shu Tang is missing, and accuses Li Qian of having her kidnapped. Li Xun accuses his brother of planning all of this.

Li Qian: Is it me who brought Father here today? Is it me who wanted to investigate this case? Is it me who was determined to send Pei Shu Tang to your house? If not, to say that this is my plan is ridiculous. Not to mention, I want to ask you and your wife for her. If you cannot get my second wife back, I will never give up. 

The Emperor is now angered by Li Xun’s lack of judgment and misinterpreting everything and Qiao Hui Xin’s incompetence. He orders a citywide search for Pei Shu Tang and fires the official who investigated the case. He orders Li Xun to be put under house arrest and to reflect on his actions and Maid Fu is now ordered to be spanked to death. The Emperor, Empress and officials leave.  

Qiao Hui Xin looking at Li Qian: Did Pei Shu Tang betray us long ago? 

Li Qian glaring: She is a person, not a tool. Naturally, she has her own ideas. Just like today, it is what you and my brother did. Do not blame others. 

At home, Li Ming Yue and Li Qian are finally alone together in her room. He confirms that he had the gunpowder replaced after Li Xun’s henchman had confirmed the gunpowder first. She then asks him what he would do if the Emperor asks him to marry again. He tells her in the future, even if the Emperor orders him to marry again, he would rather die than comply. He asks if she's satisfied with that answer. She replies how can she be satisfied with that? (Yeah, he'd be dead, what good is that?) He carries her off to bed.

At home Li Xun is defeated and just wants to live a contented life with Qiao Hui Xin. But Qiao Hui Xin is not satisfied and still wants to avenge her father’s death. She wants Li Xun to be superior to Li Qian. He continues to love her, even if she won't love him ever. Ugh.

Di Wu Cheng brings news that a group from Xiyue are coming to the palace for the Emperor’s birthday celebration. Li Qian needs to go out of town to meet the group, which includes the new Crowned Prince, Kai Er Bi and Pugu Yun Si. Si Kong Zhen says, “We just sent one away, and now there is another one coming.” (Pei Shu Tang --> Pugu Yun Si.) In the time that he’s been gone, Pugu Yun Si has now become a powerful military commander having won several wars and taking over smaller kingdoms for Xiyue. 

Li Qian is sitting in the swing in the courtyard at night, and he is depressed thinking about Pugu Yun Si's return to Beixuan. Li Ming Yue finds him there, and tells him, “It's too late. This Princess Consort cannot sleep alone, so I deliberately came to bring you back to rest.” However, his only response is that he’s said those words to her before (Ep12). He has such a sad look in his eyes.

He tells her that Pugu Yun Si is coming back with her brother, Prince Kai Er Bi. She sits next to him on the swing and then tells him that she is happy that they're coming for a visit. She also tells him that she has let go of all of her past feelings and that she only sees Pugu Yun Si as an old friend. She then goes to sit on his lap and asks if he’s going to sleep with her now. With a smile, he tells her that she’s becoming less disciplined and he’s going to teach her a lesson. She laughs and he carries her off to bed.

The next morning, Shifei (her Xiyue horse) just shows up without a rider. Li Ming Yue gets on the horse to go for a ride but the horse suddenly takes off from someone else’s cue. The horse leads her directly to Pugu Yun Si, who is waiting for her in the forest. (I truly enjoyed not hearing this man for the last 8 eps!) He presents her with a Yixue bride's crown. He still wants Li Ming Yue to be his bride. She rejects it. He looks shocked and angered by this, but he talks about all the wars, making the army stronger, especially against Beixuan, and that now even the King of Xiyue (her father) wouldn’t dare control him.

Li Qian comes back home with Kai Er Bi and is informed by Tan Li that Li Ming Yue was taken away on a horse. Kai Er Bi realizes it must have Pugu Yun Si, and promises to punish him when he finds him. They split up with Kai Er Bi looking for him and Li Qian looking for his wife.

Back in the forest, Li Ming Yue continues telling Pugu Yun Si that she made the choice for herself and that she truly loves Li Qian. She continues that she is happy to see him again, and treats him as her xiongdi. He gets enraged by this, slams the crown on the ground, and tells her that he doesn't want to be her xiongdi. (Another tantrum.) Li Ming Yue leaves with Shifei. Qiao Hui Xin comes out from her hiding spot and smirks at the discarded crown. Pugu Yun Si tells her, “I believe it now that as long as Li Qian is not dead, Aimaila will not look back.”  I seriously hate the way he says her Xiyue name.

[Ep27] Li Qian meets with Pugu Yun Si and accuses him of kidnapping his wife. Pugu Yun Si tells him that he only wanted to see her and she should be arriving home by now. Pugu Yun Si then gives him two choices: return Aimaila to him and Beixuan will remain safe (no war), or keep her and go to war. Li Qian vows that he will protect both his wife and Beixuan, much to Pugu Yun Si’s anger. Li Qian also vows to fight him until the end and then leaves. 

Back at home, Li Ming Yue is waiting for Li Qian. Li Qian runs to her and hugs her. Then he tells her that he met with Pugu Yun Si, who was deliberately waiting for him, and indicated that he was not going to give up on having Li Ming Yue. He also tells her that she must not go out alone in the future. She tells him to not worry as she will listen to him. She also mentions that she hasn’t her brother.  Now Li Qian is worried and sends out Di Wu Cheng to look for him.

In bed that night, Li Qian is hugging Li Ming Yue tightly. She tells him it’s been two hours already and asks for him to let go of her and he refuses. Poor guy, I can’t blame him. Di Wu Cheng returns to report that he was unable to locate Kai Er Bi nor his servants. He only found his horse, and his sword which was covered in blood by an abandoned house. Now Li Qian is out of the bed. Di Wu Cheng shows him the sword and suggests going with him but is told to stay and stand guard outside Li Ming Yue’s room, and he’s not allowed to leave his post. Li Qian tells his wife that she is not allowed to go outside, and to wait for his return. She looks distressed but doesn’t argue and just asks him to be careful. He leaves to look for Kai Er Bi. 

Li Qian gets to the abandoned house with Kai Er Bi’s sword and finds several slaughtered men outside the house. Pugu Yun Si shows up and is framing Li Qian for killing these men and kidnapping Kai Er Bi. The two men appear before the Emperor with Pugu Yun Si accusing Li Qian of those crimes. Li Qian explains that he was with Kai Er Bi in the city, but then they split up. Then he sent out Di Wu Cheng to look for him and only his horse and sword were found.  And when he showed up at the abandoned house, he had found the slain men. The Emperor asks him why he went to investigate alone, and Li Qian said he was very concerned and wanted to bring back Li Ming Yue’s brother. Li Qian offers the search of his home, which Pugu Yun Si refuses as he considers it useless. Pugu Yun Si wants Li Qian to admit to the crimes and stop being protected by Beixuan. Pugu Yun Si demands that they hand over Kai Er Bi in one day or Xiyue will start a war against Beixuan. 

Li Qian suspects Qiao Hui Xin is helping Pugu Yun Si with the kidnapping as the words Pugu Yun Si used were similar to what Li Qian had said to Qiao Hui Xin previously. (Ep26, All things happened due to your choices today. Do not blame others.)

Pugu Yun Si and Qiao Hui Xin are indeed behind Kai Er Bi's kidnapping. Qiao Hui Xin gave him the idea to kidnap Kai Er Bi. She advises Pugu Yun Si that keeping Kai Er Bi will create more problems. Pugu Yun Si takes an injured Kai Er Bi with him but Li Xun discovers them. Qiao Hui Xin lets them leave. Then Li Xun tells Qiao Hui Xin that her involvement in Kai Er Bi’s kidnapping is considered an act of treason. Qiao Hui Xin in turn threatens Li Xun to keep quiet as she has found out the secret concerning Li Qian’s mother’s death. (Now she wants to trample on the only person who has been on her side the entire time.) Li Xun is worried about Beixuan being in a war.

Li Qian comes home and hugs Li Ming Yue and apologizes for losing her brother. He tells her that her brother's servants are dead, and that he's being framed for Kai Er Bi's disappearance as he was the last person to see him. She is worried and knows that he didn’t do this. However, Li Qian is unable to reveal the entire truth to Li Ming Yue as the thought of losing her pains him. He is aware that Pugu Yun Si wants Li Ming Yue in exchange for Kai Er Bi, thus this war would then be avoided. 

Later, when Li Qian confronts Qiao Hui Xin at her home, she is cold and refuses to help him locate Kai Er Bi. He continues pressing her about Kai Er Bi’s location. She just accuses him of being bewitched by Li Ming Yue. She taunts him that he knows where Kai Er Bi is, what that person (Pugu Yun Si) wants, and he needs to make the right choice. And it’s none of her business. He gives her a disgusted look before he leaves.

Li Ming Yue confronts Pugu Yun Si as she suspects Pugu Yun Si to be the kidnapper (and she’s figured out why he is doing this). She knows Li Qian didn’t do any of the crimes he’s accused of. She knows that he’s trying to ruin Li Qian. She asks why he would treat Kai Er Bi this way, as they're supposed to be close like brothers. Pugu Yun Si says if they're brothers why did he take Li Ming Yue away from him. She asks him why he won’t let this go, and goes on to say that she has forgiven her brother. She wants to know what happened to him. 

Pugu Yun Si: Love is the most unpredictable magic in the world. It makes selfish people selfless. It makes cowardly people brave. It makes smart people dumb. Naturally, it will make bold and unrestrained people stubborn and despicable. If I can be so cruel earlier, maybe I won't lose you. You are mine. You were, and you will continue to be. 

He then forces a kiss on her but she shoves him off of her and slaps him on the face. Li Ming Yue tells Pugu Yun Si that she will kill him if he harms her brother and then she leaves.

Now Li Qian and Li Xun are both before the Emperor, who blames Li Qian for not handling the matter properly. Li Qian suggests that he will personally go to Xiyue to negotiate peace. Li Xun agrees and says that he can’t bring too many soldiers so as to not incite anger with Xiyue and start the war. The Emperor doesn’t want Li Qian to go and wants more options but Li Qian says there is no other way. Li Xun then requests that Li Ming Yue be placed under house arrest at Ling House The Emperor agrees to place her under house arrest at the palace. Li Qian asks that the Emperor be kind to Li Ming Yue. 

[Ep28] Li Qian is getting ready to leave for Xiyue, and it's a tearful goodbye for the couple. He has red eyes and is sniffling when he sees her helping with his packed items. She hands him a wine bag, but she's not making eye contact with him.

Li Ming Yue: Drink a little when you're cold. Drink a little when you're hurting. Drink a little when you're not sleeping. She finally looks him in the eyes, and her eyes are full of tears. And also drink a little when you miss me. 

Li Qian: If I drink a little when I miss you, before I leave the city, this wine will be already finished. When I miss you, leave it up to me. 

Li Ming Yue: But I don't need to miss you. I don't want to worry about you. I just want you to come back soon, and let me see you every day. Let me hold you every day. Sorry, it's all because of me. It's my fault. She starts crying and he kisses her. 

He tells her to wait for him to return, and he will then pick a flower for her as they will be blooming by the time he returns and will brew two cups of tea for them. She promises to wait for him, and asks him to remember that she is waiting for him. They share another kiss.

Li Qian makes arrangements to have Si Kong Zhen and Di Wu Cheng protecting the palace on the outside while Princess Kang Le will be inside with Li Ming Yue. Song Jin Yu is responsible for keeping Princess Kang Le in line. More like she keeps him in line. lol Li Qian gets ready to leave on horseback with only four soldiers. 

Li Qian’s thoughts: Ming Yue, regarding the danger of this trip, I dare not say. I'm afraid that if I say it, I won't see you before the flowers fall. I hope that I can return soon. I will not miss the flowers, and I will not miss seeing you.

At the palace, Li Ming Yue already misses Li Qian and is waiting for his return. Princess Kang Le tries to cheer her up. 

The dark couple. (I'm only offering one viewing of these two.)

Meanwhile, Qiao Hui Xian finally burns the lock of Li Qian's hair. (Still creepy.) She vows that Li Qian will die as revenge for her father’s death. Li Xun sees the lock of hair burning and consoles her.   

When Li Qian reaches Pugu Yun Si’s army camp, he goes in alone, and leaves his four soldiers outside the camp. Inside the tent, Li Qian tells Pugu Yun Si that he will repay Li Ming Yue’s debt to him to make things even. This results in Li Qian removing his armor, and then piercing himself twice with an arrow to repay Li Yun Si for the times Pugu Yun Si has saved Li Ming Yue’s life. This is not enough and Pugu Yun Si tells him that the debt can only be repaid in person by Li Ming Yue. So he kills a few of his own men and frames Li Qian for killing them and a fight breaks out. Pugu Yun Si says he won't try to kill him himself but allows his men to try to so Aimaila won’t think that he killed her husband. I'm sure she'd know who had ordered it. One of the four Beixuan soldiers rushes back to the palace to report about the threat to Li Qian’s life as planned, and the others sacrifice themselves to help Li Qian escape while Pugu Yun Si orders for his capture.

Qiao Hui Xin seeks out Li Ming Yue to gloat about Li Qian’s predicament and to tell her that she'll never see Li Qian again. The Emperor’s aide overhears their conversation as Qiao Hui Xin seems revengeful over the death of her father at Li Qian’s hands. Li Ming Yue doesn't believe it as she believes in and understands Li Qian. She asks Qiao Hui Xin how can she say that she loves him if she doesn’t understand nor believe in him? Qiao Hui Xin seems confused by this, and leaves after telling her, let’s see how long she can endure it (the waiting). 

Li Ming Yue then decides to escape the palace to look for her husband. Princess Kang Le, Si Kong Zhen, and Song Jin Yu help her escape the palace. (The palace has terrible security. And why are they going against Li Qian’s wishes?!) Li Xun tells Qiao Hui Xin that Li Ming Yue has escaped and is now considered a fugitive. He knows that she doesn’t want Li Ming Yue to come back alive. 

[Ep29] Si Kong Zhen accompanies Li Ming Yue to look for Li Qian. But Li Xun’s soldiers manage to catch up to them. Si Kong Zhen has Li Ming Yue to travel on without him as he stays to fight them off. Si Kong Zhen successfully escapes but is seriously injured. Li Ming Yue is on her way to Pugu Yun Si’s camp, while Li Qian is traveling in the opposite direction, so they miss each other on the road. (I hate this so much.)

Qiao Hui Xin wants to join Li Xun to look for Li Qian. She says that she wants to see Li Qian suffer and step on him to resolve her hatred. As the Emperor has given Li Xun command of an army to rescue Li Qian, they now have the resources to get rid of the people that she hates. Li Ming Yue reaches Pugu Yun Si’s camp and demands to see her brother and Li Qian. Pugu Yun Si insists on Li Ming Yue’s love. He offers her a bracelet that she liked from the last time they were in Xiyue together, but she keeps asking about her brother and Li Qian. He won’t answer her question and continues showing her mementos of their shared past. He tells her that her relationship with Li Qian is fake and as a result of hypnosis. He insists that theirs is the real one. She acknowledges that his love for her and her love for him, at that time, was real but they are different people now and they can’t go back. He tells her that he can take her back. She replies that she already has a home now. He replies that he doesn’t believe that she willingly agreed to that marriage but at the same time, he is afraid to believe it is true. (So he’s going to stay in total denial.) 

Li Ming Yue: Everything in the world has its own time to be born and to die. No manpower can reverse it.  He walks closer to her and holds on her arms.

Pugu Yun Si passionately: As for me, you are my world, always, from beginning to end. And everything in your world suddenly changed to Li Qian. What is my fault? Why should I accept this fate?

Li Ming Yue: You're not wrong and neither am I. Yun Si, I want to see my second brother and Li Qian. He just stares at her and then finally drops his hold on her arms and walks away.

Pugu Yun Si angrily: You have no right to request these things now. 

She tells him that she knows he wants her to be unattached and willing to stay with him. She is then taken to see Kai Er Bi, who is tied up in a chair, looking more beaten up and blindfolded. Her brother asks her why she came and tells her to hurry up and leave. Pugu Yun Si says that he’s blindfolded because he knows hypnosis. She asks that he release Kai Er Bi and she'll marry him. Kai Er Bi protests and says “No. You can't marry this despicable villain!” Pugu Yun Si then states that he needs to stay for the wedding. Li Ming Yue asks about Li Qian while removing her bracelet. Pugu Yun Si notices her fiddling with the bracelet and removes it from her hand. He then orders Kai Er Bi to hypnotize Ming Yue to make her forget Li Qian, or he'll kill him and she’ll have to painfully marry him with memories of Li Qian. Kai Er Bi agrees, is untied and takes the bracelet from Pugu Yun Si. He touches her forehead and then tells her to return to her time in Xiyue, that she’s never been to Beixuan, nor has she met Li Qian, and there is no one by the name of Li Ming Yue, and she is the Xiyue Princess, Aimaila. She faints into her brother’s arms after the session. 

Song Jin Yu has found Si Kong Zhen (apparently, they share some telepathic abilities), and have him stowed away in Princess Kang Le’s room. However, Princess Kang Le and Song Jin Yu are busy bickering as usual. Si Kong Zhen complains about the lack of medical attention - no bandages or medicine, and instead he has to listen to them quarrel by his bedside. (These two useless fools...LOL)

Aimaila and Pugu Yun Si are on a walk, and he tests her by calling her Ming Yue, which she does not respond. He calls her by Ming Yue again and she tells him to stop talking about the moon in the daytime. (It’s a pun for her Beixuan name.) He continues testing her by giving her a sachet, which she says is a love token in Beixuan. She pulls out her scimitar and says this is much better. She goes on to say that he's so kind and so he asks for a reward - a kiss. She acts shy so he hugs her instead (but he has doubts that she's really forgotten about Li Qian, and he hopes that she isn't lying to him.) Li Ming Yue recalls  how her brother touched her forehead (which is not a requirement) and wordlessly signaled for her to play along/pretend to be hypnotized. (Maybe her brother finally learned his lesson in hypnotizing her.)

They are now drinking wine and he asks if she loves him. She replies that naturally she loves him. He then starts undressing but she looks almost panicked and says that they should wait until their wedding night. 

Pugu Yun Si almost menacingly with an intense stare: You and I are so deeply in love. No matter when we do it, it will be wonderful. (It’s so revolting how he says this.) He lifts her chin to look her in the eyes and she looks away. She meets his gaze and he starts putting his clothes back on. 

Pugu Yun Si: Stop pretending Aimaila. I can't lie to you, but you can't lie to me either. You have never forgotten the past. 

Li Ming Yue: What did I lie to you about? When did I lose my memory? Why don’t I remember?

He doesn’t respond but walks away from her and pulls out her clay figurine of Li Qian from under the table. She looks at him and at the love token and doesn’t say anything but her eyes are fluttering nervously. He just throws the figurine and it breaks into pieces. She doesn’t say anything but she is looking intensely at the broken pieces on the floor. He says that Kai Er Bi lied to him and that he won’t let him go. Now Li Ming Yue looks up at him and asks him why is he making others suffer because of something between them? He replies that he can’t let go of her and just wants his Aimaila back. He then tells her that she will be locked up in this room until the wedding.

Li Ming Yue: You know that I only have Li Qian in my heart. You know that even if you force me, it can only make you and I suffer. 

Pugu Yun Si scoffs: It will not be more painful than now. 

He then orders for the room to be locked up and leaves her alone in there. 

Meanwhile, Si Kong Zhen is still asking for medical attention. Song Jin Yu and Princess Kang Le explain that they can't let the maids see him nor get a doctor. (They’re all in trouble for helping Li Ming Yue escape.) Si Kong Zhen says he’ll do it himself and asks for clean cotton and medicinal alcohol. These two are clueless about which medicine to use or or how to apply the bandages. Si Kong Zhen says that he should go back to the brothel as it’s not a good idea to die in Princess Kang Le’s bed. He also tells Song Jin Yu that the right to die in Princess Kang Le’s bed is his, and he won’t fight with him about it so please save him first. LOL This poor guy. Now Song Jin Yu and Princess Kang Le are fighting about who will tend to him. She says that looking at Si Kong Zhen’s state of undress would be akin to looking at pork and she doesn’t mind. Song Jin Yu says that he minds, and then changes it to Si Kong Zhen will mind. And they’re back to arguing and physically fighting about who will undress him and tend to his wounds, and they actually injure him further. LOL

Li Qian has arrived back at the camp and has rescued Kai Er Bi.

[Ep30] Li Xun and his soldiers arrive near Pugu Yun Si’s camp. The wedding between Pugu Yun Si and Li Ming Yue is about to take place. Qiao Hui Xin instructs one of her soldiers to infiltrate the camp and poison their food. 

Li Ming Yue is talking to herself in front of the mirror. She says that Li Qian would laugh at her if he knew about her current situation. Li Qian shows up standing behind her and says that he already knows. She's not sure that he's really there so she reaches out to the mirror. He pulls back her hand and hugs her from behind. She turns around and touches his face to make sure he’s really there. He hands her her slingshot.

Flashback: When he found her slingshot in the forest, he then knew that she wasn’t waiting in the palace. Xiyue soldiers find him but he asks one of them about Li Ming Yue and finds out that there's a big wedding with her as the bride.

Presently, she hugs him and discovers that he is injured. She asks about his injury and has roving hands on him. 

Li Qian stops her and places her hand on his heart: The injury on my body is not as painful as the injury in my heart from missing you. (So corny but I love it!)

He asks how she ended up at the camp and finds out how she escaped the palace. Then she expresses concern for Si Kong Zhen's fate. Li Qian says that his friend is able to take care of himself. (Just not by those two bickering fools.) He then teases her for getting married to someone else while he and Si Kong Zhen have both risked their lives for her. She tries to explain how she ended up being forced to be married, and he interrupts her by kissing her.  

Li Qian: As long as you are still alive, I will not give you the opportunity to remarry. You listen to me, I am your only husband, and the last man you can love.

Li Ming Yue: That's it. I am wild. You have to guard me carefully. Don't give me the chance to leave you again.

Li Qian caressing her face: I promise you.

She asks about her brother and he tells her that he’s rescued him already and he’s heading back to report to Xiyue. As they are about to leave hand-in-hand, Pugu Yun Si’s guards run in to grab Li Qian and hold him hostage with swords. Pugu Yun Si then enters the room and orders them to kill him. The two guards raise their swords to kill him but Li Ming Yue pulls out her scimitar and threatens to slash her throat if Li Qian is killed. Both men are concerned now. Pugu Yun Si asks her to put down the scimitar and she tells him to not come near her. She offers him two options: kill them both or let them go. He then asks if she really prefers to die than be with him. 

Li Ming Yue: I would not rather die than be with you, but I promised him - looking at Li Qian - that he is the only husband of my life. No matter where we go in the world, we'll follow each other till death.

Pugu Yun Si looks at Li Qian: Where did you put her heart? Why can't I get it back? 

Li Qian just looks at him and says nothing. Kai Er Bi is to blame but it doesn't resolve anything.

As they are arguing, Pugu Yun Si’s soldiers are outside dying from the poisoned food and Li Xun’s soldiers start attacking the camp. One of his men runs and reports that the Beixuan soldiers just suddenly entered the camp and that all of his men have been poisoned somehow. They have been cut off from contact with the surrounding camps and their troops have lost more than half of their full strength. Pugu Yun Si accuses Li Qian of poisoning them and having outside communication. Li Qian asks the man who is leading the Beixuan troops, and is told Prince Ling (Li Xun) and then he is shot dead with an incoming arrow.  Arrows continue coming into the room, and Pugu Yun Si ushers Li Qian and Li Ming Yue into a secret chamber that only he knows about. 

Li Qian tells Pugu Yun Si that he has been tricked and used by Qiao Hui Xin as she has been looking for an opportunity to get rid of not only Li Qian, but also Li Ming Yue. Pugu Yun Si now regrets putting Li Ming Yue in danger. He hugs her and asks for her forgiveness. Li Ming Yue tells him that she will forgive him only if they escape together. But Pugu Yun Si prefers to sacrifice himself. He returns her bracelet to her and takes Li Ming Yue’s hairpin (the one from the Empress) with him. Then he asks Li Qian to protect her. Li Ming Yue tries to stop him as she doesn't want him to go. He tells her that he’s not going for her sake but the Aimaila who treated him as her only love. He then exits the secret chamber.

In the main room, Pugu Yun Si burns two bodies and leaves the hairpin as evidence of Li Ming Yue’s identity. Pugu Yun Si walks outside, and continues fighting back, but is severely wounded. He tells Li Xun that he has killed both Li Qian and Li Ming Yue, and Li Xun orders his death. His final dying thoughts are only of Aimaila. His life is his final gift of love to her. 

Li Xun finds the burnt bodies and feels conflicted about his brother’s death. In the secret chamber, Li Qian can hear Li Xun lamenting that he is doing this for Qiao Hui Xin, that he would give up the fight for Crown Prince’s position if she even loved him, and he didn’t want his brother’s death. However, Li Xun realizes his brother is not dead when he sees that the corpse’s height does not match Li Qian's height and hopes that they don't have to meet again. 

Later Li Ming Yue finds Pugu Yun Si’s corpse and is devastated by his death. She starts sobbing hysterically, and Li Qian holds her and tries to comfort her. He tells her that he used his life to protect her and that he wouldn’t want to see her this way.  

It’s snowing while they bury Pugu Yun Si and Li Ming Yue is angry with him for sacrificing himself. Li Qian continues to patiently comfort her as she is sobbing endlessly. She buries her scimitar but she truly can't bear to part with it and ends up digging it back up.

Eventually she falls asleep at the gravesite as Li Qian holds onto her. Day becomes night and they’re both asleep at Pugu Yun Si’s gravesite. 

[Ep31] Li Xun tells Qiao Hui Xin that Li Qian and Li Ming Yue have died at the hands of Pugu Yun Si. He asks her to start over and to be happy and carefree as before. Qiao Hui Xin says that she regrets not getting to kill Li Qian herself and starts laughing and sobbing at the same time. 

Li Qian wakes up alone at the gravesite and finds a note from Li Ming Yue. In her note, she’s decided that they'll go separate ways. She doesn’t want him to keep suffering for her. (She is making him suffer now!) She wants him to be free and to be his old self. Ah, noble idiocy is here. Li Qian goes looking for her.

Qiao Hui Xin is drinking as she is depressed over Li Qian’s death and seems to regret her actions that got him killed. She is on the verge of committing suicide (drinking poison) when Li Xun finds her and stops her. To alleviate her suffering, Li Xun painfully tells her that Li Qian may still be alive. This poor tortured man, this husband who would give her his beating heart if she asked. She is incredulous about this news and so he promises to look for Li Qian with her.  

Li Qian finally tracks down Li Ming Yue at a deserted inn. At the inn, Li Ming Yue is missing him and starts drinking. She thinks she would cause Li Qian trouble and it is better for him to lead his princely life without her. Li Qian is watching her from outside her room and can hear her talking to herself. Then a still injured Li Qian has to take care of the two men running the otherwise empty inn. They were getting ready to kidnap her as they thought she had finished drinking their drugged wine; she brought her own wine bag. When Li Ming Yue tries to hypnotize herself to forget him, Li Qian appears and stops her. She thinks he’s just an illusion. He asks her if she thinks she can forget about him so easily. She still doesn’t think he’s real. So he kisses her, but she ends the kiss and repeatedly tells him to disappear. Then she asks if he’s appeared to say goodbye to her. Li Qian just looks at her sadly.  

Li Ming Yue: If I still remember you, my heart will burst into pieces from the pain, so I want to forget about you. Can't make you be like Yun Si, and be killed by me. Do not blame me. So hurry up and disappear. Then she passes out.  

Li Qian has tears in his eyes but he catches her before she falls over. He rests her head on his lap and caresses her face. 

Li Qian with tears: How can I not blame you? You want me to leave your world. My heart will burst open from the pain. Do you know that?  

The next morning, she finds breakfast waiting for her, and then she sees Li Qian walking towards her. She doesn't want to see him. She asks him to leave and go back to his prince lifestyle. Then she decides that she needs to hypnotize him to make him forget her. He sees her handling the bracelet so he grabs a piece of burning coal. She hypnotizes him into forgetting her. He then asks her who she is and she replies that they’ve only met briefly so why bother with names. Then she walks away from him. Li Qian appears to be in pain, but he gets up and goes to hug her and opens his hand to show her the burning coal and lets it fall to the ground. She becomes upset at the sight of his burned hand.  

Li Qian: You know that today's disaster is mostly caused by your second brother making you forget about Yun Si. Why are you determined to ask me to forget you? Isn't this doing the same thing? 

Li Ming Yue: But, I…

Li Qian: No matter how many times you make me forget you, I will fall in love with you again each time. You must never leave my side. And then he passes out. 

Li Ming Yue crying and holding him in her arms: Li Qian. Li Qian. I won’t go. I won’t go.

Si Kong Zhen is finally recovering and (kind of) being taken care of by a clueless Princess Kang Le. Song Jin Yu runs in with news of Li Qian and Li Ming Yue’s deaths - by Pugu Yun Si’s hands. Si Kong Zhen asks how they died, and Song Jin Yu says that their bodies were burned together. Si Kong Zhen believes that Pugu Yun Si must have helped them escape by burning two other bodies, as he believes that Pugu Yun Si would never burn Li Ming Yue to the point of being unrecognizable. So Song Jin Yu leaves to look for them.

Li Ming Yue finds him a doctor who tells her that Li Qian needs to have better care and rest or he will not be able to fully heal. She asks for medicine but he tells her that he was only seeing him for free, so she would need to figure out the treatment plan. She then goes to barter with her scimitar for medicine.

Li Ming Yue is now talking to a sleeping Li Qian. She’s complimenting his face, and saying what bad things she'd like to do to him if he was awake. She leans down to kiss him but Li Qian opens his eyes, lifts his head and he kisses her instead. Then he sits up and teases Li Ming Yue about what she was saying, so she hits him on the chest. He acts like he's in pain but it's not where his wound is - it’s just a ploy to kiss her again. 

How could she ever push him away? How he looks at her!

Li Qian hugging her: Ming Yue, don't push me away anymore. 

Li Ming Yue: Then you are willing to never return to Beixuan in this life?

Li Qian sits back to look at her: If Beixuan has no place for you, then it has no place for me. But I also have a condition. 

Li Ming Yue: What condition?

Li Qian: You're not allowed to hypnotize yourself. You're not allowed to hypnotize me. I do not want to forget you. You must not forget about me either. 

Li Ming Yue: How did you know? He just looks at her with a slight smile. She gasps in response. That's impossible! That illusion cannot be real. 

Li Qian sighing: You thought that you could forget me this easily? 

Li Ming Yue hitting him on the arm: You are a shameful and horny prince!

Li Qian smirking: But someone seems to be particularly fond of it.

Li Qian teasingly: Do you still want me to make up for your last regret? She covers her ears with her hands. He smiles at her, removes her hands and pulls her in for more kisses.

An ep that ends with them kissing! (~36:00 for beginning of this scene.)

[Ep32] 

The sweet way she looks at him.

Plenty of kissing.

Li Qian and Li Ming Yue are frolicking and laughing (and kissing) in a field full of yellow flowers. It's one of the prettiest and happiest scenes. Li Qian has recovered her scimitar, so she can remember a good friend who gave his life for her. 

Li Qian and Li Ming Yue happily spend their days around the deserted inn and have no plans to go back to Beixuan. He gifts her with a portrait of herself and then he also shows her the secret room that he found, which has access to the backyard. He then shows her the swing he’s made her. Li Qian suddenly spots Li Xun's soldiers with Li Xun and Qiao Hui Xin not far behind on their way to the inn. They hide in the secret room. While Li Xun's soldiers can't find Li Qian and Li Ming Yue, there are clues (freshly brewed tea, fresh flowers, her portrait, etc.) that they have been there recently. 

Qiao Hui Xin is emotionally unstable and stubbornly refuses to let go of Li Qian and Li Ming Yue. In the secret room, Li Qian and Li Ming Yue are able to hear their conversation. Li Qian now suspects that the Emperor doesn't know about their fake deaths. Li Qian tells her about what really happened with Minister Qiao - he killed himself with the sword that Li Qian was holding. Li Qian then tells Li Ming Yue that he will protect her while she escapes. When Li Xun rationalizes with Qiao Hui Xin that they will not be able to justify their actions if the Emperor finds out, Qiao Hui Xin shoots back that neither can he justify keeping quiet over Li Qian’s mother’s death by the Empress' hands. Her deranged evil smile here. Suddenly Li Qian recalls what had happened 13 years ago: The Empress had intentionally burned down the building that Li Qian’s mother was trapped in. She had framed Li Qian with the fireworks, and was going to let him die with the fire as well. But he had wanted to save his mother, who had urged him to leave, and Li Xun had pulled him away from the burning building. He had then begged his brother to give back his mother. Li Xunhad wanted to protect his mother, which is why he hadn't wanted Li Qian's memories to return.

Li Qian tells her to stay in the room, that he would distract them, and that she’s not to leave until it’s quiet. Li Ming Yue asks for a kiss so he kisses her, but then she hypnotizes Li Qian to not move until it’s quiet, and he passes out. She then leaves the room and goes to the backyard to be captured by Li Xun’s soldiers. When Qiao Hui Xin questions her about Li Qian, she gives the impression that he has been gone for three days leading Qiao Hui Xin and Li Xun to think that Li Qian could be making his way back to the palace. Li Ming Yue also tells her the truth about her father’s death.

When Li Qian wakes up later, it is dark out and he realizes that Li Ming Yue has already been taken away. He vows to find her and to be by her side forever. 

[Ep33] Li Ming Yue is tied up to a column. Qiao Hui Xin comes in to have a few words with Li Ming Yue but instead gets riled up by her. She’s bitter that she’s known Li Qian for over ten years and he ends up in love with Li Ming Yue, and she still thinks it’s dark magic. When Li Xun comes in next, Li Ming Yue has been able to cut through the rope. Using her bracelet, she hypnotizes Li Xun. He recalls back to his happy childhood with Li Qian and then his first meeting with Qiao Hui Xin, when she still smiled and laughed. He tells her that all that he has done is for Qiao Hui Xin, and he wants her to smile again. He’s in tears as he says that he can lose everything else but he can’t live without her. When Li Ming Yue snaps him out of the trance, he’s angry that she dared to hypnotize him. She tells him that it is not wrong to love but to indulge Qiao Hui Xin to this extent is not the way to protect her. She also tells him that even if she kills Li Qian, he would not have her heart. He says that he loves her and has no other choice. She tells him that only he can stop Qian Hui Xin, and to stop himself from going into the abyss. With his face covered in tears, he nods and agrees to stop this destructive path. 

Li Qian is back in the city to save Li Ming Yue. When Li Xun’s soldiers attack him, he is aided by Si Kong Zhen. A note on an arrow appears: Li Xun requests for a meeting outside of the city that evening. When they meet, the brothers end up with swords pointed at each other’s throats. Li Xun drops his sword first. He then reveals Li Ming Yue’s location (Qiao House). He is willing to bear full responsibility on the condition that Li Qian spares Qiao Hui Xin’s life. Li Qian agrees, as long as Li Ming Yue is fine. Li Xun also asks to see Qiao Hui Xin one last time, which Li Qian allows.  

Before he leaves, Li Xun asks him why he doesn't love Qiao Hui Xin even half as much as he loves Li Ming Yue. 

Li Qian: Since my amnesia when I was nine, my heart has been like the lost memory, split. It's Ming Yue who woke up my heart and love. She took me back to the lost memory, and taught me to face my past self. With her, my heart will be complete. These things are not what Qiao Hui Xin can give. 

Li Xun: Your memories -

Li Qian: Are all back. My life was saved by you. I remember it clearly. He bows to his brother and then Li Xun leaves. 

Li Xun goes back to meet Qiao Hui Xin. She pours him tea. He mentions how much he loves her, and remembers the happy girl that she was. Then he pleads with her to let go and move far away from the city. Qiao Hui Xin tells him that there is no turning back. She tells him that she knows he met Li Qian, and that Li Qian is a dead man. Li Xun passes out as she’s drugged the tea.

When Li Qian goes to Qiao House, he finds a tied up Li Ming Yue with a bag over her head, but when he removes the bag, he finds Qiao Hui Xin instead. She tries to stab him with a knife and fails but he is taken captive by her men instead. He is then brought to the same room as Li Ming Yue. He begs her to let his wife go and he’d give his life instead.

She lets him go to Li Ming Yue, who he unties and hugs. She then grabs a sword and dismisses her men. She orders Li Qian to kill his wife, as it would make him suffer to have her die by his hands. She wants him to know the pain of losing his love. 

Li Qian with tears: Ming Yue, I can't save you this time. Do you blame me?

Li Ming Yue consoling him: What's scary about life and death? I would like to join your hands in it.

Qiao Hui Xin is getting frustrated at this display of love. Psychopath.

Li Qian with red eyes and more tears: Okay. Then we'll go together. If you are a flower in the afterlife, I will turn into mud. If you become a fish, I will be the river and the sea. If you become a bird, I'll be a tall tree. If you are still you, then I will marry you again. We'll be an ordinary couple. Okay? 

She gives him a teary nod. He smiles tearfully. 

[Ep34] Li Xun wakes up in a weakened state with wounds on his wrists, and is barely able to move. Qiao Hui Xin has left him a letter telling him to report the following to the Emperor: For kidnapping Kai Er Bi with her co-conspirator, Pugu Yun Si, and that she caused his injuries. She will not drag him down any longer, and ends the letter telling him to not miss her. Now he's very worried about her. Li Xun struggles to write a letter before he leaves to find his wife.

Li Qian comforts Li Ming Yue by telling her to not be afraid and that he would accompany her. She knows that Qiao Hui Xin just wants her dead, and not him, so she goes in for a hug, and then hypnotizes him to kill her. Li Qian clutches his head and struggles to resist the hypnosis. Qiao Hui Xin throws a sword down onto the floor for Li Qian to use. He grabs the sword but is trying hard to fight the compulsion. Li Ming Yue continues guiding him to kill her. He still tries to stop himself from killing her with the sword. She drops her bracelet and walks closer towards him. He has the sword pointed at her, and she’s showing him where to pierce her - her heart. He refuses and roars that he will never kill his most beloved. Li Qian then swings the sword down hard onto the floor and breaks the bracelet, and finally drops the sword and collapses onto his knees. Li Ming Yue runs to him.

In that moment, Qiao Hui Xin grabs the sword and rushes forward to stab Li Qian from behind but Li Ming Yue gets up and blocks the sword with her body. The sword pierces Li Ming Yue’s stomach. Li Qian screams her name and he watches helplessly as she stumbles backwards and then she hits her head on the column next to her. She just slumps down and is no longer responsive. He is painstakingly crawling to his wife as he is still fighting the hypnosis. Altogether, a hard scene to watch. (~8:00) He cradles his wife's face in his hands and cries at her lack of response.

Qiao Hui Xin: Ming Yue. She is dead. Is she really dead?

Li Qian glaring at her and yelling: Everything has proceeded as you wish. Are you satisfied?! 

Qiao Hui Xin laughing hysterically: Yes. I am satisfied. I can't get your love, at least I can let you hate me. Unforgettable hatred for a lifetime. 

Li Qian distraughtly and painstakingly: Stop dreaming. Whether love or hatred, in my heart, there will always be only one woman, Ming Yue. He is crying as his forehead rests against his wife’s. 

Qiao Hui Xin: How is this possible? I did so much. How can I permit you to still not have me in your heart? No. No. That being the case, I will take you to hell!

She then grabs the fallen sword and lunges forward at Li Qian. But Li Xun runs in to stop her and the sword pierces his heart. Li Qian screams in pain for his brother as he cradles his wife. Qiao Hui Xun asks him why he is saving his brother. He says that he’s not saving his brother - he's saving her. He asks her again to let it all go. Li Qian is crying harder as he watches his dying brother. Li Xun pulls out the sword and collapses and Qiao Hui Xin screams his name as he falls into her arms. Li Xun happily points out that she said his name as she's never said his name before. How sad is that simple statement? He says that he's willing to die for her, not asking for her to have feelings for him but asks her to wake up and live well. She orders him to not die, as he promised to be by her side. Before Li Xun dies, he tells her to let go of her hatred. Li Xun looks over at Li Qian, and Li Qian tells him he’ll keep his promise. Li Xun dies in his wife's arms after telling her that he can't accompany her anymore. She now screams the word husband over and over. 

Di Wu Cheng and the soldiers finally arrive. Li Qian tells him that his brother died to save him, to start preparing his coffin and to report to the Emperor. Li Qian gets up with Li Ming Yue in his arms. Before leaving, he tells Qiao Hui Xin that he'll protect her in front of his father as this was his brother's last wish, and that she needs to remember to not die as she is not worthy of death. The soldiers forcibly remove Li Xun from Qiao Hu Xin's arms and she continues sobbing on the floor. I don't feel sorry for her, but I finally do for Li Xun.

The Emperor is agonizing over Li Xun’s death. He wants to kill Qiao Hui Xin but knows that it won't bring back his son. He also says that she doesn’t deserve death as that would bring disrepute to his son’s name. So he orders her to be held in solitary confinement, without sunlight or or anyone to talk to, living in fear and darkness until old age. She calmly accepts her fate. She then asks to take something to remember her husband by, and he angrily shouts that she doesn't deserve it. She also demurely accepts this. The guards take her away and the Emperor starts sobbing. 

The Empress is also devastated by her son's death. Li Xun had written a letter to her (the one he had struggled to write). She gives Li Xun's letter to the Emperor and confesses to preparing the abortion medicine for Concubine Qi, which framed Li Qian's mother (who was also her cousin) as the culprit. She also admits that she was the one who actually caused the fire, and not Li Qian. She had done all of this out of love and jealousy. For the past thirteen years, he's been blaming Li Qian's mother and Li Qian, and keeping her safe instead. She also admits to wanting to kill Li Qian but Li Xun had saved him back then. All these years, Li Xun had been estranged from her because he couldn't forgive her for what she had done to Li Qian's mother and Li Qian. She believes Li Xun's death is karma for what she did. He begs her to tell him it’s not true, but she only says that she is not worthy of his company as she is guilty and they should part ways. The Emperor is now even more heartbroken and leaves. 

Li Ming Yue is still alive and physically well but in a coma. The bracelet has been repaired but the bell is still damaged. Si Kong Zhen is trying to comfort Li Qian as he is stroking the clay figurine that his wife gave him. Princess Kang Le and Song Jin Yu come by to visit Li Ming Yue. Princess Kang Le takes the clay figurine out of Li Qian's hands, who won't let her keep it because it's the only thing he has that she made herself. The siblings continue arguing until he finally asks her to go back to the palace. Song Jin Yu quickly ushers her out. (She’s seriously a brat sometimes.) Si Kong Zhen tells him that he’s not allowed to give up. The Emperor has summoned Li Qian to the royal study.

[Ep35] Li Qian goes to see his father who admits to his past mistakes. Li Qian is still angry over how his father had treated his mother and for failing to trust her. He is very direct and coldly polite to his father. His father is outraged at his directness. Li Qian asks to leave. The Emperor then requests Li Qian to visit the Empress as she has fallen ill and she did help raise him. He asks his father why he is forcing him to visit the woman who murdered his mother. He says that only Li Qian could possibly help her with her guilt. Who cares about assuaging her guilt?! In return, Li Qian requests that the Emperor spare Qiao Hui Xin's life as this was what Li Xun wanted. The Emperor agrees.

With great reluctance, Li Qian goes to see the Empress. She regrets that her actions caused a breakdown in her relationship with Li Xun. Li Qian reminds her that Li Xun had never forgotten to be a filial son. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have kept the secret for so long on her behalf or wrote her a letter. 

Li Qian continues taking care of Li Ming Yue day and night. Si Kong Zhen tells him that he’s stayed up all night and should get some rest as it’s a new day already. Qiao Hui Xin comes by to see Li Qian but he refuses to meet her. She bids her goodbye from outside the room and thanks him for getting her her freedom. He doesn’t say anything and can only look at his comatose wife. She admits that he is still in her heart. That was obvious, no matter what she said. But she will try to love her husband as she forced him to die. She says it is best that they will never see each other again, and to forget it all. She finally leaves. Yes, she has more tears. Si Kong Zheng talks to him about forgiveness and Li Qian replies that it’s not about forgiveness but to forget it all. This is what Li Xun had repeatedly asked of his wife, and perhaps this is the only solution now for everyone to move on.

Tan Li is working hard to keep herself busy while Li Ming Yue is still in a coma. She is making endless amounts of pastries for whenever Li Ming Yue wakes up. Que Yan and Di Wu Cheng try to get her to stop working so hard. She mentions again that she wants to have Li Ming Yue’s favorite foods ready for when she wakes up and then starts sobbing on Di Wu Cheng’s chest. (Fourth Couple?)

Li Qian talks to his wife: to pick a flower for her when he returned and to brew two cups of tea for them (Ep28), and asks her to wake up so he can keep his promise. He then tells her that Kai Er Bi is fine and the misunderstanding between Beixuan and Xiyue is no more. He then begs for her to come back. He wants her to use her hands to hit him and her mouth to scold him but to stop ignoring him. His eyes are red and tears are streaming down his face. He finally lays his head on her torso and falls asleep. He sees her in a dream: They walk towards each other in the heavy snowfall, and his mask has been pulled down and they're meeting face-to-face. (Similar but not exactly the same as their first street meeting in Ep1). 

Si Kong Zhen visits Song Jin Yu and tells him that Princess Kang Le has a potential suitor who is asking for her hand in marriage. He doesn’t think it’s serious. Si Kong Zhen tries to get Song Jin Yu to take the initiative to stop the marriage. Then he even suggests that he himself would marry her himself if not the potential suitor. Since that plan failed, Si Kong Zhen is helping Princess Kang Le with another plan for a proper response from Song Jin Yu. I don’t understand why she loves him, or why he keeps resisting her. lol

In the dream, Li Qian is now looking for Li Ming Yue at their home.

[Ep36] Li Qian finds her sitting in their red swing and he notices her white hair. She says she's been looking for him for a long time. She says her house is dreamlike. She asks if they can stay here. She leads him around their courtyard where the plants are green, flowers have bloomed but it’s snowing. She seems reluctant to leave the place but Li Qian keeps trying to persuade her. She brings him to the spot where they had their bitter goodbye (Ep17). 

Li Qian: Ming Yue, do you remember that it is here that I let you leave me? I said ‘going to Xiyue this time, it's a long trip, take care’.  You said, ‘rest assured.’ But this time, I will not let you leave me again.

Li Ming Yue: We...seemed to have experienced a lot together.  

She goes back to watching the snow and catching snowflakes in her hand. He reaches over to take her hand and leads her to an open area under the heavy snowfall. 

Li Qian: The year of Gengyin, the 18th day of the tenth lunar month, the first day that we met. It was the first heavy snow in Beixuan. I met you that night. And the pavilion outside the city. I ran all the way there in the snow and finally chased you back. (Ep12).

Li Ming Yue: You seemed to have told me that before.  

Li Qian: I said that the world is full of beautiful and fancy things, but you alone is better than everything in the world. (Ep18).

Li Ming Yue: Better than everything in the world. 

A tear slips down his face.

Li Qian: During this time you are in a coma, I can't sleep at night. You don't cry to me, you don't laugh to me. The scimitar is hanging on the edge of the bed, I wipe it personally every day. Under the bed, it's all stuffed with your favorite food. Tan Li often cries softly outside your door. Ming Yue, without you, who can accompany me through bitterness and joy? Without you, who will drink wine with me? Without you, who will enjoy the moon and music with me?

Her eyes are starting to well up with tears at his words.

Li Ming Yue: Li Qian, I have been in this world too long. So long that I have forgotten what the world outside is like. Look at my hair. It's sometimes black and sometimes white. And my world, it's ridiculous. I have become used to it already. How can I go back? 

Li Qian holding onto her arms and watching her face: Ming Yue, do you know that you are obviously by my side, but it's like there are a thousand miles between us. I hope that it is just a dream. I am lost whether I'm awake or drunk. How can someone like me grow old alone? 

She starts gasping, and her eyes become more teary, and then she grabs onto his arms. 

Li Ming Yue realizes that this is not real, and he finally smiles at her and they kiss for a long time. Time seems to be going reverse as the snow is going back up into the sky. Li Qian eventually opens his eyes and notices that her hair is back to being black. They hug each other with tears. His kiss did the trick or their real love? :)

Li Ming Yue finally wakes up in bed with a sleeping Li Qian holding her and has her hand in his. She reaches over to touch his sleeve and realizes he's real. She then starts crying and says his name over and over. He wakes up hearing his name, sees her hand grabbing his sleeve and realizes that she's really awake. He just stares at her wordlessly and she touches his face. He suddenly kisses her several times with tears, and then stops to grab her hand, kisses it and then places it on his cheek and says that she finally woke up. So sweet.

Li Ming Yue tearfully: Have I slept for a long time?

Li Qian closes his eyes and softly: Too long.

Li Ming Yue: I seem to have had a very long, long dream. I dreamed about my first night in Beixuan. Li Qian is crying at this. The sky suddenly started to snow. You met me while wearing white. Then I dreamed of Talan house. His eyes get wide. You pushed me on the swing. He moves to look at her. I also dreamed of you coming to find me. You said to me that -

Li Qian: I said that, without you, how do I grow old alone? 

Li Ming Yue: We had the same dream?

Li Qian: We had the same dream. He kisses her and hugs her as they're both crying. He suddenly pinches her cheek.

Li Ming Yue: That hurts.

Li Qian very seriously: I'm ordering you to, from now on, not leave me. Don't leave me for even half a step. If you dare to have the idea of leaving again... He just glares at her.

Li Ming Yue smiling: What?

He looks at her, grabs her arm and pushes her back down onto the bed.

Li Qian sternly: I will be mean to you.

Li Ming Yue softly: I don't want to leave the house anymore. I don't want to leave Tan Li, leave Kang Le, leaving - He's staring intently at her and then he just kisses her. They kiss and kiss and kiss. 

Song Jin Yu wants to ask about Princess Kang Le’s impending marriage but hesitates. He's used to her following him everywhere. Que Yan says, "Isn't Princess Kang Le preparing for her marriage at the palace?" Song Jin Yu spits out his drink and finally believes it is real and rushes to the palace. He asks the Emperor to stop the marriage. The Emperor is confused and asks him to stop talking nonsense and dismisses him. He has been taken for a ride by Princess Kang Le (with Si Kong Zhen’s help) who heard his every word with the Emperor. She's now laughing at him as she officially caught him. She drags him away by his ear. lol The third couple is finally official.

Li Qian is now trying to learn how to hypnotize people. He tries it on Song Jin Yu and Si Kong Zhen but they merely humor him. (He’s using a huge pendant to attempt this. LOL) They both pretend to be hypnotized just to escape him. Hahaha.

Li Qian then tries the same tactic on Li Ming Yue. He sweetly instructs her to fall into his arms, to love him and kiss him. She happily complies by falling into his arms and they kiss. 

The End.

Remarks

by FanFanX

[First Impression (Ep1-8)] See the previous post.

[Actors/Actresses] I originally wanted to watch this because of Ling Mei Shi (the female lead in Sparkle Love). I read that this was her first role, and I actually like her more in this. She is quite funny, silly, sweet, and she can pull off heart-wrenching scenes as well. She is very pretty, earnest and sassy and with such a sweet smile and laugh. I just fell in love with Fang Yi Lun as Li Qian. They have some of the best kissing scenes (25+!) in this - it’s his emotional state that goes with those kisses. And his crying scenes - my heart hurt whenever I saw him crying. (No, it's not my usual cup of tea to see a man cry.) He’s also quite funny and silly - especially the sleepwalking scenes. The leads have great chemistry in this. For me, it's a toss-up between their arguments versus sweeter moments. (I just want her to win, ha!) 

I had only seen Zhou Zi Xin (Qiao Hui Xin) in Put Your Head on My Shoulders, and she was fairly level-headed there, and I almost didn’t recognize her at first. I was really surprised when I saw the duality of her character here - so perfectly pure and then so convincingly conniving. Dong Yan Lei (Si Kong Zhen) was a sleeper hit for me. I’d only seen him in Wait, My Youth and he is much better in this series in terms of character depth. His lines are memorable and meaningful. (Unfortunately, he didn’t have much of a story arc.) Ni Han Jin (Pugu Yun Si) has a terrible, terrible wig. I have no idea why it’s so floppy at the top, and it’s seriously hard for me to look at him without wanting to laugh when he’s being “serious”.  

[Behind the Scenes] I like seeing Ling Mei Shi and the rest of the cast having fun in costume. Fang Yi Lun’s reaction to his own kissing scenes, and a few bloopers. (I adore him!) Ah, the couple's "fight" scene required some coordination. The first half of this clip is the leads rehearsing for Ep34 which is a serious scene but not as much in this clip, ha.

[OST] I like most of the OST for this series. My favorites: Duet by Feng Li Yun and Ling Mei Shi (the leads) First Seen Snow (初见雪) which conjures up their loving scenes. Feng Li Yun’s Wind, Flower, Snow is uplifting and just pulls on the heartstrings. Qiu Zhi’s Not Knowing I'm a Guest in the Dream (夢裡不知身是客) is befitting for the hypnosis theme of this series. 

[Ending] Silly, happy and sweet.

[Final Review & Rating]

Actors -  B

Aesthetics - B 

Story - B

I honestly didn’t really know what the storyline was for this series before I started watching. It’s a funny (sometimes cheesy and quite absurd) series with a lot of heart and a bit of fantasy. I've laughed, cried (how could I not?!), cheered, been frustrated, and melted with this series. (If you want serious and refined, this is not the series for you.) Not the perfect plot, but I enjoy a good romance with a bit of appropriate angst sometimes. I love the dialogue for this series - witty and suggestive. (If I understood more Chinese, I’m sure there are even more details/word play that I’m missing out on. I’d like to thank Cyn Lynn for translating a few of the finer points of dialogue/text for me when English subtitles failed me. ^__^) I've watched this series at least four times now, because I just enjoy it - it's funny, sweet, can be tender and fairly easy to watch. I'm really here for the main couple. I love this series but there are flaws - my rating stands as is.

Romance. The cinematography is good for many of the scenes. Ep1-18 are predominately dedicated to the leads’ romance story and much of the latter half is comprised of the conflicts that they face together. (This couple does get sweeter!) Yes, hypnotism is used throughout this series. The backstory of Li Qian’s mother and the mystery surrounding her death - this is the linchpin for everything from beginning to end.

I love the story of Li Ming Yue and Li Qian. They go from being hilariously petty to supportive partners. I like how they don’t like each other immediately, and that it’s a gradual build-up of emotions for their relationship to blossom. They earn each other's respect. (Li Qian is more sensible and mature than her.) Eventually, she is able to help him recover his lost memories but then learns about her own past, which is a painful journey for both of them. My heart broke more than once in Ep17, so get ready to cry. [Spoilers!!!] The beginning for Ep18 is one heart-wrenching love confession. (And it gets sweeter in Ep19.) [/Sp] Our couple resolves misunderstandings with a bit of poking and prodding. Ah, another element that no series is complete without - noble idiocy. (Do we really need this though? No, but it is here. It's brief.) The ending of Ep33 is one of the sadder scenes for our leads but it’s so beautiful to see how much love they have for each other. And brace yourself for Ep34, as it gets so much more serious and dire. While I love Li Qian, I also know that Li Ming Yue is really the spirit of this series - without her, where would he be?

One of my favorite characters is Si Kong Zhen who is the epitome of Zen presence - very serene personality, thoughtful and careful with his words - with kind intentions. Without his honesty and guidance for both Li Qian and Li Ming Yue, I’m honestly not sure if they would have been together. I also like her maid, Tan Li who is not the smartest but is quite sweet and loyal.

Lan Ku is a minor character that I liked but she was only in the series for a few scenes. I loved her snarkiness. I guess after she served her purpose in helping Li Ming Yue, the show was done with her. I was disappointed that we didn’t get to see more of her. (I'm not sure why they gave her a backstory without any follow through.)

Conflicts. When our couple is finally together, they have encounter more problems - in the form of Li Xun, Qiao Hui Xin, Pugu Yun Si, and the Emperor's wrath. Jealousy, politics, disasters and death threats.

Hot-headed Pugu Yun Si is a character that I dislike from his first appearance. Is he a true villain? Yes and no. It’s complicated. I detest the way he says Aimaila. While I felt sorry about his loss; I'm not sure it excused his overall actions. [I know, I know, some netizens feel the opposite of how I do, and that's fine.]

A vengeful Qiao Hui Xin who is aided and abetted by Li Xun, and she became more cruel with time. I appreciated how they visually showed her transition from pureness to vileness in her outfits - she went from pastels and light colors to dark and vivid colors. I am quite annoyed by her copious tears - You’ll see what I mean. She is obsessed with Li Qian, and he wants nothing to do with her. But what she does to Li Xun…sigh. Don't pity her. (Or at least tell me why you did.) She was in control the whole time as she caused several unnecessary situations. Who had it worse - Li Xun, Pugu Yun Si, or her?

Flaws: Some of the scenes are a bit awkward-looking - not sure if it's the editing/cutting? e.g. fighting scenes. Ha, and the sound effects can be a bit silly. A weakness in this series lies in the underdeveloped side characters.

Beauty. If you want pretty footage of our leads, see below. (For the selected clips in Ep1-18, see the Midway Review.)

• Ep24. 11:00 When they're laying outside as she's trying to cheer him up. They’re so sweet and funny. There’s a good aerial shot, too. (~4 minutes in length.)

• Ep25. 20:15 The couple's “fight” scene. It’s pretty funny and ends with a kiss. (~2.5 minutes in length.) 

• Ep31. 38:25 Li Qian and Li Ming Yue are having a discussion about their life together. Li Qian’s (really, it’s Fang Yi Lun’s) face is so soft and loving in this. And yes, there is kissing. (~1.5 minutes in length.)
• Ep32. 1:33 Li Qian and Li Ming Yue are playing in a field of yellow flowers. (~3 minutes in length.) More kissing. :) This is one of my favorite scenes! (Anyone know what those yellow flowers are?)

• Ep36. 1:33 Dreamworld Li Ming Yue is very fairy-like here. (~10 minutes in length.)

How cumbersome and awkward is the English title, The Love by Hypnotic? Ah, but I love seeing the Chinese title of this series: 明月照我心 (The Moon Shines on My Heart), as she is the bright moon in his heart! (See Ep19.) 

Random Recommendation: Your Sensibility My Desire (A series about a prince who cannot perceive emotions or senses. And yes, he holds her hand in his sleep as well. ;)) [I'm aware of how ironic it is to recommend a 2021 series in a post about a 2019 series. lol]

Rating: 3/5 ♥♥