The Love By Hypnotic (明月照我心) is a costume drama that revolves around palace affairs. I have written up the episode summary below for those who are diligently chasing after each episode or looking for a recap of the drama. The Love By Hypnotic review will also provide more details of my thoughts on this production and if you should give it a go.
Episode 1
A marriage between Prince Li Qian and Princess Li Ming Yue has been arranged on imperial orders to cement better relations between the states of Beixuan and Xiyue. On the way to the Beixuan palace, assassins are sent to kill the princess but unsuccessful. Second prince Li Xun wants to stop the marriage as it will give Li Qian greater powers with the alliance with Xiyue. However, sitting in the carriage is not Ming Yue but her servant, Tan Li. Ming Yue is a playful gal who took the opportunity to look around Beixuan. During the assassination, Li Qian emerges to chase after a killer. In the process, he has a brief encounter with Ming Yue.
Qiao Hui Xin is a minister’s daughter in the Beixuan palace. She is Li Qian’s childhood friend and has feelings for him. They have a marriage contract but Hui Xin is willing to be a concubine to Li Qian since he is forced to marry Ming Yue. On the other hand, Li Xun has feelings for Hui Xin. While in the palace, Li Qian and Ming Yue have an argument after running into each other. She uses her hypnotic skills on him without knowing who he is. When they finally meet in a proper setting, both are taken aback by each other’s identity.
Episode 2
Both Li Qian and Ming Yue do not want to marry each other. Ming Yue’s brother, Kai Er Bi, persuades her by giving her the Zhuxin Bell bracelet which could help her to hypnotize people. This would prevent her from being bullied by Li Qian. Anyhow, she can’t get out of the marriage because it’s not possible to just return to Xiyue. But to be able to hypnotize Li Qian effectively, she needs to test it out on him. At the same time, Li Qian is finding a way to make her hate him so that she will break off the engagement. This results in both resorting to devious ways to best each other.
Li Qian’s friend, Si Kong Zhen approaches Ming Yue to talk her out of the marriage. They become friends and Ming Yue manages to find out that Li Qian’s most sensitive part of his body is his earlobe. Using her Zhunxin Bell, Ming Yue hypnotizes Li Qian after touching his earlobe. Li Qian is transported back to his childhood whereby he was surrounded by burning buildings. From his utterings, Ming Yue finds out that fire is Li Qian’s greatest fear. After waking him up from the hypnosis, Li Qian is furious at what Ming Yue has done to him. Ming Yue tells Li Qian that she will give him one day to decide on the marriage if he doesn’t want her to leak out his secrets.
Episode 3
Li Qian is curious about Ming Yue’s abilty to cast a spell on him to make him recall the past. There are certain things from his childhood that he still cannot understand as he has no memory of events that happened before he was 9 years old. So, Li Qian thinks that it is good to keep Ming Yue by his side to help him recall his past. He strikes a deal with Ming Yue. He will marry her on the condition that she could only hypnotize him with his permission. Li Qian also finds out that Ming Yue uses the Zhunxin Bell bracelet as a hypnosis tool and steals it. He intends to use it as his bargaining chip with Ming Yue.
Hui Xin still has hopes of marrying Li Qian. She tries to give him a handmade gift but is rejected. Li Qian tells Hui Xin that he only treats her as a sister. During the wedding between Li Qian and Ming Yue, Hui Xin feels desolate. Li Xun makes it hard for Li Qian during the wedding ceremony by tampering with his food and drugging his wine. This causes Li Qian to feel drowsy. When it is time to shoot a few arrows to complete the wedding ceremony, Li Qian is unable to do so.
Episode 4
Ming Yue saves Li Qian by declaring that it is better for a couple to shoot the arrows together to signify unity. She makes Li Qian promise to return her bracelet before she shoots the arrows with him. When Li Qian does so after the ceremony, Li Xun overhears their conversation and finds out the true nature of the bracelet.
On the wedding night, Li Qian wants Ming Yue to hypnotize him. He is brought back again to the same scene of a huge fire. He was crying. There were people who were pulling him but their faces weren’t clear. When Li Qian snaps out of it, he feels weak and doesn’t understand why he can be so fearful. They also argue and fight over the bed until they fall asleep. In the morning, Li Qian manages to grab back the bracelet from Ming Yue. She tries to retrieve it with her wily ways while they are having an audience with the Emperor and Empress but unsuccessful. After the audience, Li Xun corners Ming Yue and demands for the bracelet. Li Qian comes to protect her.
Episode 5
Li Qian keeps sleepwalking during the night. From his room, he will end up in Ming Yue’s room and sleeping next to her on her bed. Although he tries to stop himself and Ming Yue also sets traps in her room, somehow Li Qian still manages to get onto Ming Yue’s bed as he sleepwalks. As a result, Ming Yue would hit him when she finds him next to her in the morning when she awakes. This causes Li Qian to have a sore shoulder and gives his friends, Si Kong Zhen and Song Jin Yu, a good laugh. They suggested to Li Qian that he might be drawn to Ming Yue because of her ability to heal his amnesia.
Hui Xin comes by to give her greetings to Ming Yue. She presents Ming Yue with some beautiful clothes but Ming Yue asks her to save them for herself instead. Ming Yue also encourages Hui Xin to drop by more often. Princess Kang Le warns Ming Yue that Hui Xin is just looking for opportunities to see Li Qian. However, Ming Yue is encouraging Hui Xin because that would take Li Qian’s attention away from her.
Episode 6
Hui Xin waits for Li Qian with a lantern. She reminds him that she gave a lantern to him once when they were young to comfort him from being bullied. Li Qian rejects the gift and tells her to go home. He then goes to Ming Yue and relates his amnesia problem to her. They begin to have a little feel towards each other. Ming Yue hypnotizes Li Qian. He recalls that the boy who pulled him away from the fire is Li Xun. So, Li Qian instructs his subordinate, Diwu Cheng, to investigate the palace fire that happened 13 years ago. This news travels to Li Xun who passes an instruction for everyone to stay quiet. The Emperor has also given the river diversification project to Li Qian to Li Xun’s dissatisfaction.
Princess Kang Le is harassing Song Jin Yu for staying away from her. Li Qian continues to sleepwalk as he is affected by his feelings for Ming Yue. He refuses to acknowledge his attraction to her but is jealous of her friendship with Si Kong Zhen. When Ming Yue falls onto Si Kong Zhen while retrieving a kite, Li Qian rushes out to grab Si Kong Zhen’s hand and pulls him away. This gives the impression to Ming Yue that Li Qian might be gay and even dreams about it at night.
Episode 7
Ming Yue receives a note from Princess Kang Le to meet her at Baiyun Mountains for an outing to a temple. However, that note is fake. It is a plot by Li Xun to lure Ming Yue there and frame her for colluding with rebels. Li Xun’s soldiers tie Ming Yue up in a rebels’ hideout and steals her hairpin. Tan Li informs Li Qian that Ming Yue has been duped. Li Qian rushes to the mountain to see the hut burning. He overcomes his fear of fire and goes in to save Ming Yue. However, Li Qian is still unwilling to admit that he loves his wife despite his selfless act.
Li Xun tries to hint to the Emperor that Ming Yue is guilty by presenting him with the hairpin that is supposedly found at the rebels’ hideout. However, Li Qian deflects the accusation by creating the impression that Ming Yue was with Princess Kang Le on that day. Ming Yue thanks Li Qian for saving her but he still acts distant. With the pressure from her brother to foster better relations between the 2 states, Ming Yue has to deter Li Qian from divorcing her. So, she has to make him fall in love with her instead. She starts by making Li Qian his favorite dessert but he doesn’t seem interested. Princess Kang Le then suggested to Ming Yue that she should spend more time with Li Qian instead.
Episode 8
Ming Yue hypnotizes Li Qian without his permission to get him to date her. During the hypnosis, she tells him to go to the market with a woman in red the next day with a few other cues. But coincidentally, Hui Xin is also wearing red on that day. So, Li Qian ends up in the company 2 women. He begins to act a little strange on cue with Hui Xin but Ming Yue will try to get in between them. When Ming Yue goes forward to save a mother and daughter from bullies, Li Qian is impressed. He begins to show some affection towards Ming Yue which makes Hui Xin unhappy.
When Ming Yue reaches out to touch Li Qian’s face, he notices the bracelet and realizes he has been hypnotized to do what he did. Hui Xin overhears their quarrel and suspects that Ming Yue is practicing black magic. Li Qian is angry at Ming Yue as he is confused if their feelings are fake or real due to the hypnosis. However, he is still unable to let go of his feelings. He sleepwalks again at night after hurting Ming Yue’s feelings during the day due to his anger.
Hui Xin reveals her suspicion to Li Xun about Ming Yue. Li Xun tells her that he shares the same suspicion and that Li Qian could be betraying the state due to Ming Yue. The Emperor entrusts Li Xun to organize a royal hunting event. Li Xun requests that Ming Yue joins the hunt together with Hui Xin.
Episode 9
Just as they set off for the hunt, Hui Xin stops Li Qian for a talk. She reveals to him that his wife might be a demon and that he is being seduced by her. Li Qian warns her not to badmouth Ming Yue. He also asserts that he has no interest in marrying her as his second wife. As they talk, Ming Yue has raced ahead to begin her hunt. Assassins try to take her down in the forest and she is hurt by an arrow. Li Qian finds Ming Yue’s bow lying on the ground and chases after her. He saves her and helps her to tend to her wound.
When they return to the camp, Hui Xin watches Li Qian carrying Ming Yue back to their tent. She is heartbroken as Li Xun tries to show his concern. But Hui Xin has no interest in Li Xun. Li Qian helps Ming Yue to wrap up her wound. They still feel awkward around each other although their feelings are now more apparent. Being at camp, they are forced to share the same bed. Ming Yue begins to feel more accepting of Li Qian while he holds her hand as they sleep.
Episode 10
Li Xun goes to instruct the assassins not to go ahead with their plan to kill Ming Yue as Li Qian seems to be aware of the matter. Hui Xin overhears the conversation. Li Xun defends himself by telling Hui Xin that he is merely protecting Li Qian from Ming Yue who is using black magic. Hui Xin makes Li Xun promises her that he will not harm Li Qian but only deals with Ming Yue. Otherwise, she will report the matter to the Emperor.
Li Qian quietly informs the Emperor about the assassination attempt. Li Xun doesn’t know that the Emperor has been told and tries to frame Li Qian and Ming Yue. Consequently, Li Xun is the one who gets reprimanded by the Emperor instead. When they get back from the hunting trip, Ming Yue’s feelings for Li Qian is deepening but Li Qian is still confused whether his love for Ming Yue is real or fake since it all started with a hypnosis.
Ming Yue learns to boil some soup for Li Qian to thank him for saving her during the hunting trip. Hui Xin happens to come by for a visit and stops Ming Yue from serving it. She accuses Ming Yue of being a demon and that the soup is poisoned. The pot dropped as they struggle. Ming Yue drinks some of it to prove to Hui Xin that it has no poison. But Hui Xin still vows to herself that she wouldn’t let Li Qian to be seduced by Ming Yue. When Ming Yue goes to bring her soup to Li Qian again, she overhears him telling Si Kong Zhen that he still can’t trust her. She is just a chess piece for him to recover his memory and grasp Xiyue’s power.
Episode 11
Ming Yue drops the pot outside the door and runs away after hearing Li Qian’s words. Li Qian reasons that it might be best this way as they would have clarity of where their relationship stands. Feeling heartbroken, Ming Yue goes and drinks with Princess Kang Le until they are drunk. Li Qian gets her back from the princess’ residence. On the way home, she kisses him while in a drunken state in the carriage and then vomits all over him.
With Ming Yue getting angry with him, Li Qian begins to feel flustered. He wants to know what Ming Yue might be thinking. Si Kong Zhen advises Li Qian to admit his feelings and not to let Ming Yue down. Hui Xin comes to see Li Qian and assumes Ming Yue has complained to him about the broken soup pot. However, Li Qian tells Hui Xin not to look for him or bother Ming Yue anymore. But Hui Xin remains determined to snatch Li Qian from Ming Yue.
Ming Yue’s brother comes for a visit together with Yun Si, Xiyue’s general. Yun Si is her childhood friend and they seem close which causes Li Qian to feel jealous. There is tension between the 2 men and Yun Si challenges Li Qian to a duel to display their martial art skills.
Episode 12
Li Qian wins the duel against Yun Si. However, Yun Si then challenges Li Qian to a drinking bout. A drunken Li Qian ends up going to Ming Yue’s room and expresses his thoughts about their relationship before he knocks out. Ming Yue keeps wondering if Li Qian is telling the truth about his feelings or he is just mumbling in his drunken state. The next day, Ming Yue brings her brother and Yun Si to walk around the market. Diwu Cheng is trailing them and then reports back to Li Qian that Yun Si has suggested to Ming Yue that they should leave together.
Li Qian rushes to the market. When Ming Yue loses her footing and is about to fall, Yun Si reaches out to grab her but is pushed aside by Li Qian at the last minute. As a result, Ming Yue falls right down onto the floor to her chagrin. Li Xun connives to lead the army to defeat the rebels so that he will be able to earn some credit in the eyes of the Emperor. Before he leaves, he visits Hui Xin who is still feeling heartbroken by Li Qian’s rejection. Li Xun expresses his love to Hui Xin but is rejected.
Yun Si quietly approaches Ming Yue while she is sitting on a swing at night. He tries to make Ming Yue recalls the past with him but she couldn’t seem to be able to remember. Yun Si leans forward to kiss Ming Yue but she avoids it. Li Qian appears to lead his wife away. He brings Ming Yue back to her room and tells her that he can’t sleep alone.
Episode 13
Li Qian tries to be caring but Ming Yue is confused over his hot and cold attitude. He reminds her of what she did in the carriage when she was drunk by kissing her. But Ming Yue only recalls that she vomited on Li Qian. They fail to resolve their differences. Yun Si is keen to spend time alone with Ming Yue but his plan is constantly thwarted by Li Qian who feels jealous.
To prevent Ming Yue from going for a meal with Yun Si, Li Qian tells her that Si Kong Zhen is sick and that they should pay him a visit. But the ruse is exposed when Song Jin Yu arrives. Ming Yue feels annoyed for being taken for a ride and goes to bake in the kitchen to let off steam. Yun Si approaches her and tells her stories about their past. However, he is suspicious that she can’t recall the moments that she spent with him. Ming Yue puts it down to bad memory.
Yun Si’s frustrations deepen when he sees Li Qian and Ming Yue being loving. Kai Er Bi has brushed aside his suspicions and maintains that Ming Yue married Li Qian willingly while Yun Si was at war. He concludes that it must be the Zhuxin Bell bracelet that is keeping Ming Yue hypnotized and unable to remember her feelings for him.
Episode 14
Yun Si confronts Kai Er Bi about Ming Yue being secretly hypnotized. He wants the hypnosis to be undone but Kai Er Bi says that there is nothing that he can do. Yun Si vows to make Ming Yue recalls her love for him. He shows Ming Yue that the dagger she carries comes in a pair. It is a token of their love. Yun Si also mentions other incidents to convince Ming Yue that they used to be lovers. A confused Ming Yue goes to Li Qian with some wine and shares her worries about her amnesia and feelings. Having been in the same boat before, Li Qian understands her confusion and advises her to confront it head-on. Ming Yue ends up sleeping in Li Qian’s room after drunkenly falling asleep.
Li Xun has defeated the rebels in Mo City but he has also killed the civilians in the process which causes anger among the people. His excuse is that it is hard to differentiate between the rebels and civilians. Li Xun also has appointed his own confidant as the guard of the city to the Emperor’s anger. Mo City is a strategic location that helps to keep Beixuan safe which means they need to guard it closely. The Emperor is suspicious of Li Xun and seeks Li Qian’s opinion. He also thinks that it might be time to appoint a crown prince.
Yun Si takes Ming Yue to a place to remind her of the past. She recalls bits of her past with Yun Si but feels overwhelmed. Li Qian arrives after being informed by Tan Li. Ming Yue clings to him and asks to be sent home. She is pained and confused about her feelings while Li Qian feels helpless for being unable to help her.
Episode 15
Yun Si tells Li Qian that Kai Er Bi has removed Yun Si from Ming Yue’s memory. He is confident that Ming Yue will follow him once her memory is fully restored. Li Qian confronts Kai Er Bi and demands for a cure to Ming Yue’s amnesia. He promises Kai Er Bi that he will take full responsibility for the relations between Xiyue and Beixuan even if Ming Yue decides to leave him. The cure turns out to be a unique melody that few could play.
Si Kong Zhen manages to find a musician named Lan Ku to play the melody. However, she is an eccentric musician. Li Qian manages to convince her to play when he agrees to consume a cup of poisonous wine in exchange for her help. But the wine is actually just a test of Li Qian’s resolve. Ming Yue ends up staying with Lan Ku to listen and learn to play the melody. She is able to remember more of her past with Yun Si but feels very confused with all the different voices in her head.
Lan Ku is also missing someone due to forced separation. She tells Ming Yue that forgetting is not necessarily a bad thing. Lan Ku also challenges Ming Yue why is she afraid of remembering the past if she has no fear as she claims?
Episode 16
Ming Yue readies herself to delve into her past as Lan Ku plays the melody. She manages to recall all her lost memory with Yun Si. It leaves her confused as to who she should choose as she doesn’t know how to face her past. Yun Si is sure she would follow him back to Xiyue while Li Qian says he will respect her decision. Hui Xin hears about Ming Yue’s stay with Lan Ku and heads there to find out more. She sees Li Qian and Yun Si at the musician’s house and becomes curious as to Ming Yue’s relationship with Yun Si.
Li Xun is plotting a countermeasure as the Emperor is planning to appoint Li Qian as the crown prince. Minister Qiao suggests that Ming Yue is an easy target without Li Qian around. After thinking it over, Ming Yue writes a letter each to Li Qian and Yun Si. However, Li Qian didn’t manage to read the letter as he has to handle some rebels at Bodaoling. Her letter is tell him to meet her for the Lantern Festival.
Ming Yue’s decision is to stay at Beixuan. Yun Si is not satisfied with her decision and trails her. Ming Yue waits for Li Qian until dark. She is disappointed that Li Qian didn’t turn up. On her way back, she is attacked. Yun Si saves her but gets stabbed in the stomach. Ming Yue feels bad that Yun Si risks his life to save her. Meanwhile, Li Qian is also seriously injured as they were ambushed by the rebels. By the time he reads Ming Yue’s letter, it is already covered in his blood. He thinks her decision is to leave him after learning that Yun Si has followed her out.
Episode 17
Ming Yue confronts Li Qian to seek clarification as to his feelings. On the other hand, Li Qian thinks that Ming Yue has made her decision to leave. Hence, he pretends to be indifferent so as not to make it hard for her since he has promised to respect her decision. Yun Si continues to pester Ming Yue to go back to Xiyue with him by telling her that Li Qian doesn’t care for her at all. So, Ming Yue makes the decision to leave Beixuan. However, she does so with a heavy heart and feels pained at Li Qian’s coldness.
Before Ming Yue leaves with Yun Si, Song Jin Yu passes her a sachet from Si Kong Zhen. Inside the sachet is a message to let her know of a safe place to go should heavy snow blocks their journey. Instead of seeing her off, Li Qian drowns in his own sorrow. Si Kong Zhen questions his decision to let Ming Yue go. Li Qian then shows him the bloodied letter from Ming Yue. Si Kong Zhen tells Li Qian that he might have misinterpreted the letter. This pushes Li Qian to go after Ming Yue.
Episode 18
Li Qian manages to catch up with Ming Yue at a pavilion. He admits his mistake for abandoning her and soothes her feelings. They reconcile and are seen kissing under the shelter. Yun Si is angry and tells himself that he will win back Ming Yue. Rumors are circulating in the city that Ming Yue has been disloyal by having a relationship with Yun Si. Hui Xin goes to Li Qian’s residence hoping to comfort him. Instead, she witnesses Li Qian carrying and kissing Ming Yue from her carriage.
The Emperor is angry about the rumors concerning Ming Yue. He wants Li Qian to marry Hui Xin as his second wife to provide a good example to Ming Yue and to help with the affairs of his household. However, Li Qian rejects the idea. Li Xun also supports Li Qian’s rejection by claiming that it will tarnish the relationship between Beixuan and Xiyue. Hui Xin is hurt by Li Qian’s straightforward rejection and starts to think that she might have been too naive. Li Xun vows to her that he will make those who bully her pay the price later.
Li Qian is still recovering from his injuries suffered during the ambush. However, he doesn’t want Ming Yue to worry. So, while Ming Yue expects them to be intimate, Li Qian tries to avoid going further than kisses. This leaves Ming Yue confused and wonders if Li Qian is still mindful of her past relationship with Yun Si. Li Qian seeks counsel from Si Kong Zhen when Ming Yue starts to avoid him as a result. Hence, Si Kong Zhen asks Li Qian to pretend they are a couple to show him what to do. He then gets too close which makes Li Qian uncomfortable.
Episode 19
Song Jin Yu has a good laugh over Li Qian’s awkwardness. He suggests that the problem is Li Qian hasn’t made an effort to sleep with Ming Yue which leaves her insecure. Li Qian tries to please Ming Yue and arranges for lanterns to be let off on their date. They share a romantic kiss with lanterns floating in the sky.
Minister Qiao wants her daughter to forget Li Qian. He reminds her of their family background and to regain what is theirs. Ming Yue pays a visit to Lan Ku and encourages her to look for the love she lost. While she is now happy with Li Qian, both of them are still shy around each other when it comes to sleeping together. When Ming Yue suggests that she could help Li Qian change his wound dressing, he eagerly agrees. They end up kissing in bed when Li Qian grabs her when she loses her footing.
Minister Qiao is planning a rebellion. Li Qian and Diwu Cheng track his subordinates down and have them arrested. Armed with a confession, Li Qian confronts Minister Qiao who turns out to be remnant of a former dynasty and seeking to overthrow the Li family. Li Qian also finds out the Li Xun has knowledge of the rebels. Instead of killing him, Li Qian slices the confession into pieces. But Minister Qiao pushes the sword into his own chest. Before he dies, he pleads with Li Qian to let Hui Xin go. When Hui Xin sees her father dead on the ground, she thinks Li Qian killed him. Her love turns to hatred. Li Qian also tells Hui Xin that it is better to hate him if it helps to alleviate her sufferings.
Episode 20
Li Qian reports to the Emperor about the rebels but leaves out the guilt of Minister Qiao to protect Hui Xin. She is comforted by Li Xun as she mourns her father’s death and lays the blame on Li Qian. A group of assassins break into Li Qian’s residence and holds Ming Yue hostage. Li Qian appears and saves his wife. That night, Ming Yue asks Li Qian to stay with her and share her bed. Both feel awkward initially as they try to guess what the other might be thinking as they lay side by side. Then boldness takes over and they finally do the deed as a married couple.
Li Qian presents Ming Yue a hairpin decorated with a treasured gem that is passed down from his mother as his love token. In return, Ming Yue gives Li Qian a pair of clay figurines that features them as a couple. After spending the night together again, Li Qian who always needs things to be clean and tidy discovers that Ming Yue has such a messy habit.
Episode 21
Li Qian and Ming Yue discover that married life isn’t easy as both of them have different habits and interests. Li Qian is well-read, disciplined, and into arts and literature. Ming Yue is disorganized, forgetful, and free-spirited. To solve their problem, they agree to take turns being the head of the household. The head will get to decide what can and cannot be done on that day. When it is Ming Yue’s turn to be the head, she requests Li Qian to dress as a common folk and head into town. This gives Li Qian a different perspective of life from the eyes of an ordinary citizen.
The next day, it is Li Qian’s turn to have the say. He instructs Ming Yue to memorize a poem. To get out of the chore, she hypnotizes Li Qian to make him forget the instruction. However, Li Qian is transported back to the time when his mother taught him the poem and starts crying.
Episode 22
Li Qian finally has a chance to learn more about his mother. During the hypnosis, he can see that his mother is healthy and well. But since the time he lost his memory, he has been told that his mother died after a long illness. This raises his suspicions and both of them start to ask around about his mother’s death 13 years earlier. Their investigation and rumors about the hypnosis reach the ears of the Emperor. He summons Ming Yue and orders her to make Li Qian forget about his mother because it would be a painful memory. His mother had harmed others and the Emperor banished her to a temple. However, she died a month later when the temple got burnt down.
Hui Xin has to sell the house to pay off the servants after the death of her father. Li Xun offers to help Hui Xin but she has nothing that she could repay him with except her body. But Li Xun proposes that they get married instead as he kisses her.
Ming Yue decides to make Li Qian forget about his mother as ordered. But Li Qian wakes up halfway through the hypnosis and becomes suspicious. He gets angry with Ming Yue when he learns what she has done. Si Kong Zhen then advises 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. Ming Yue approaches Li Qian and tells him what the Emperor has said to her. But Li Qian is still determined to dig up the case and Ming Yue promises to help him and share the burden.
Episode 23
Li Qian and Ming Yue find out that Maid Deng could provide answers about his mother’s case. They rush to get to her. Maid Deng reveals that the pregnancy medicine sent by Li Qian’s mother has caused the death of another concubine and her fetus. This angered the Emperor who banished her to the temple. The fire was apparently caused by fireworks from the palace grounds. Later, Li Qian goes to pay homage to his late mother at the temple. The Emperor is furious and orders Li Qian to be spanked.
Li Xun marries Hui Xin. Although there is no love in her heart, Hui Xin is willing to bear the responsibility of being his wife and work as a team. She only has hatred for Li Qian now.
After the punishment, Li Qian locks himself in his room and drinks. He is pained at the thought that the temple fire that caused his mother’s death was started by himself. In the meantime, the food that is being sent to a disaster area has been robbed. Ming Yue is forced to handle the issue as Li Qian drowns in his sorrow. Si Kong Zhen reminds Li Qian that he is torturing Ming Yue if he ignores his responsibility which wakes him up from his stupor. As Ming Yue and the workers gather more grains to be sent, they are attacked by bandits. Li Qian appears and saves Ming Yue. He orders Diwu Cheng to investigate where the grains have gone to.
Episode 24
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 satisfaction. However, there is still no answer as to who robbed the grains in the first place. The Emperor is also worried that Ming Yue is being a bad influence on Li Qian with her lack of knowledge towards Beixuan customs and etiquette. Li Xun and Hui Xin wickedly suggest to the Emperor to get Li Qian a second wife as a solution.
Li Qian tries to reject the Emperor’s orders to marry another. But the Emperor indirectly threatens that he could order Ming Yue punished for her hypnotic practice if Li Qian doesn’t comply. So, he ends up marrying Pei Shu Tang, a minister’s daughter. This makes Ming Yue angry especially when Li Qian seems to care less about her. Ming Yue also can’t seem to get along with the second wife and feels that she is now being bullied. However, when Ming Yue is ordered to clean up Li Qian’s study, she finds a note to meet him at the Luomei pavilion.
Episode 25
Li Qian sweetly explains to Ming Yue that he has to put on a show to flush out a spy in their household. On the wedding night, Pei Shu Tang takes out a scissors but Li Qian quickly snatches it away. Pei Shu Tang is then forced to reveal to Li Qian that she is sent by Li Xun as a spy and there is another one lurking around. She is forced to marry him as her lover’s life is being threatened. Li Qian promises to set her free but they will still need to keep up the appearances so as not to alert Li Xun.
To uncover the spy, Li Qian and Ming Yue pretend to be on the verge of divorce after their kiss and make up meeting at the pavilion. Ming Yue then gives the impression that she wants to kill Pei Shu Tang to the maids. Maid Fu who is tasked to buy gunpowder reports it back to Li Xun and Hui Xin. Being suspicious that they are just acting, Hui Xin questions Pei Shu Tang and talks about the gunpowder being the killing method. This automatically reveals that Maid Fu is the spy.
To convince everyone, Ming Yue forces Li Qian to hit her and then pretends she will murder Pei Shu Tang during an upcoming temple visit by filling the incense burner with gunpowder. Li Xun suggests that they should kill both Li Qian and Ming Yue then but Hui Xin quickly objects as she just wants Ming Yue dead. Her excuse is that she wants to see Li Qian suffer by loss and betrayal but deep down, Li Xun knows that she is still unable to forget Li Qian. On that day, the Emperor and the family go to the temple to pray.
Episode 26
The Emperor is warned about the gunpowder when he is at the temple. Maid Fu comes forward to say that it is Ming Yue who asked her to buy the gunpowder. Pei Shu Tang chimes in that Ling Yue must be jealous of her and hence, wants her dead. Then, she pretends to faint. Hui Xin insists on accompanying Pei Shu Tang back to keep guard over her.
Li Xun goes forward to the incense burner and unearth a sachet. He immediately accuses Ming Yue. But Li Qian opens up the sachet to reveal some lucky symbols rather than any gunpowder. When Li Xun questions where all the gunpowder has gone to, the sky lit up with fireworks. Princess Kang Le comes running and excitedly says she has learned how to make fireworks from Ming Yue. Meanwhile, Pei Shu Tang escapes from Hui Xin and reunites with her lover with the help of Si Kong Zhen. The Emperor is angered over Li Xun’s lack of judgement and Hui Xin’s incompetence. He orders Li Xun to be put under house arrest and to reflect on his actions.
Li Xun feels defeated and wants to just live a contented life with Hui Xin. But Hui Xin is not satisfied and wants to avenge her father’s death. She wants Li Xun to be superior to Li Qian. When Kai Er Bi and Yun Si come to Beixuan for the Emperor’s birthday celebration, she sees a chance. Yun Si is now a powerful military commander having won several wars for Xiyue. He wants Ming Yue to be his bride but she rejects him and says that she loves Li Qian. Yun Si believes that he will need to get rid of Li Qian if he wants Ming Yue to come back to him.
Episode 27
Li Qian goes to look for Yun Si about Ming Yue. Yun Si gives him 2 choices. He wants Ming Yue back or he will declare war on Beixuan. Li Qian vows that he will protect both to Yun Si’s anger. To get back Ming Yue, Yun Si kidnaps Kai Er Bi. When Li Qian goes to look for the prince, he finds the guards have been killed. Yun Si appears and accuses Li Qian of the killing and kidnapping. The matter is brought to the Emperor’s attention. Yun Si demands Kai Er Bi back or Xiyue will start a war against Beixuan. In actual fact, Yun Si wants Ming Yue in exchange for Kai Er Bi and the war would then be avoided.
Li Qian is unable to reveal the truth to Ming Yue as it pains him to lose her. But from Li Qian’s expression, she suspects Yun Si to be the kidnapper. She confronts him. Yun Si still demands that Ming Yue returns to him. He forces a kiss on Ming Yue but she slaps him instead. Ming Yue tells Yun Si that she will kill him if he harms her brother. Li Qian suspects Hui Xin is helping Yun Si with the kidnapping as the words Yun Si has uttered are similar to what Hui Xin has said previously.
Li Xun finds out that Hui Xin is involved in Kai Er Bi’s kidnapping. Hui Xin threatens Li Xun to keep quiet as she has found out the secret concerning Li Qian’s mother’s death. When Li Qian confronts Hui Xin, she is revengeful and refuses to help him. Li Qian then proposes to the Emperor that he will personally go to Xiyue to negotiate peace. He also pleads to the Emperor to be kind to Ming Yue.
Episode 28
Li Qian leaves Beixuan for Xiyue. Ming Yue misses him but is under house arrest in the palace as hostage. When Li Qian reaches Yun Si’s army camp, he goes in alone. Li Qian tells Yun Si that he will repay Ming Yue’s debt to him to make things even. This results in Li Qian piercing himself twice with an arrow to repay Yun Si for the times Yun Si had saved Ming Yue’s life. However, Yun Si still wants to frame Li Qian for killing his guards and a fight breaks out. A soldier rushes back to report about the threat to Li Qian’s life. However, Li Qian manages to escape and Yun Si orders for his capture.
Hui Xin seeks out Ming Yue to gloat about Li Qian’s predicament. The Emperor’s aide overhears their conversation whereby Hui Xin seems revengeful over the death of her father at Li Qian’s hands. Ming Yue wants to get out of the palace to look for her husband. She hypnotizes the guard and changes into a man’s clothing. Princess Kang Le, Si Kong Zhen, and Song Jin Yu helps her to flee. Ming Yue has become a fugitive and Hui Xin doesn’t want her to come back alive.
Episode 29
Si Kong Zhen accompanies Ming Yue to go and look for Li Qian. But when the soldiers manage to catch up with them, Si Kong Zhen asks Ming Yue to travel on while he tries to fight them off. Si Kong Zhen successfully escapes but is seriously injured. Ming Yue travels all the way to Xiyue to see Yun Si. As Li Qian is traveling in the other direction, they miss each other on the road.
Hui Xin wants to join Li Xun to look for Li Qian. 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 save Li Qian, they would have the resources to get rid of the people that she hates. Ming Yue reaches Yun Si’s camp and demands to see her brother and Li Qian. Yun Si insists on Ming Yue’s love. To placate him, she promises to marry him willingly if she gets to see her brother. She is then taken to see Kai Er Bi.
Yun Si orders Kai Er Bi to hypnotize Ming Yue to make her forget Li Qian. Kai Er Bi pretends to do so and signals to Ming Yue to play along. But the ruse is exposed when Ming Yue is unwilling to sleep with Yun Si. He also found the clay figurine which is a token of her love for Li Qian. Yun Si then orders Ming Yue to be locked up. Li Qian comes back to the camp to save Kai Er Bi.
Episode 30
Li Xun and his soldiers arrive near Yun Si’s camp. The wedding between Yun Si and Ming Yue is about to take place. Hui Xin instructs a soldier to infiltrate the camp and poison their food. Li Qian is already inside the camp to try to save Ming Yue. As they are about to leave the tent, Yun Si enters. His guards hold up Li Qian. Ming Yue threatens to slash her throat with her dagger if Li Qian is killed. As they are arguing, Li Xun’s soldiers start to attack as Yun Si’s men have already been poisoned.
Yun Si ushers Li Qian and Ming Yue into a secret chamber. Li Qian tells Yun Si that he has been used by Hui Xin as she has been looking for an opportunity to get rid of not only Li Qian but also Ming Yue. Yun Si now regrets putting Ming Yue in danger. Ming Yue tells Yun Si that she will forgive him only if they escape together. But Yun Si would rather sacrifice himself. He takes Ming Yue’s hairpin and exits the secret chamber. Then he burns 2 bodies and leaves the hairpin as evidence of her identity. Li Xun’s soldiers kill Yun Si. Before he dies, he tells Li Xun that he has killed both Li Qian and Ming Yue.
Li Xun feels conflicted about his brother’s death. In the secret chamber, Li Qian could hear Li Xun lamenting that he is doing it for Hui Xin and that he just wants the crown prince’s position and not his life. However, Li Xun realizes his brother is not dead when he sees that the corpse does not match his height. Ming Yue is devastated by Yun Si’s death. Li Qian patiently comforts her.
Episode 31
Li Xun tells Hui Xin that Li Qian and Ming Yue have died at the hands of Yun Si. Upon hearing the news, Hui Xin is regretful that she didn’t get to kill Li Qian herself and yet, feels sad at the same time. Ming Yue decides to leave Li Qian after burying Yun Si. She wanders off while Li Qian is asleep. Li Qian goes after her and tracks her down to a deserted inn. News of Li Qian and Ming Yue’s death reach Song Jin Yu who reveals it to Princess Kang Le and Si Kong Zhen. However, Si Kong Zhen suspects that the news is false. So, Song Jin Yu goes off in search of them.
Hui Xin is depressed over Li Qian’s death and regrets her actions that got him killed. She is on the verge of committing suicide when Li Xun stops her. To alleviate her suffering, Li Xun tells her that Li Qian may still be alive and he promises to look for Li Qian with her.
At the inn, Ming Yue is missing Li Qian 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 watches her from outside her room. When Ming Yue tries to hypnotize herself to forget him, he appears and stops her. In her drunken state, she feels it is all unreal and falls asleep. The next morning, she sees Li Qian. She tries to hypnotize him into forgetting her but he quietly grips a burning coal to stay awake. Li Qian then faints as his body has already been weakened from previous injuries. Ming Yue trades her dagger given by Yun Si for medicine and helps Li Qian to recover.
Episode 32
Li Qian and Ming Yue happily spend their days around the deserted inn and don’t plan to go back to the palace as she is now a fugitive. Li Xun and Hui Xin continue to look for them with their soldiers. When they arrive at the inn, Li Qian and Ming Yue hide in the secret room that they have discovered earlier. They could hear Li Xun’s conversation with Hui Xin from behind the door.
While the soldiers couldn’t find Li Qian and Ming Yue, there are clues that they have been around. Li Qian has painted a picture of Ming Yue and it is hanging in the inn. Hui Xin’s emotions have become unstable and she stubbornly refuses to let go of Li Qian and Ming Yue. When Li Xun rationalizes with Hui Xin that they will not be able to justify their actions if the Emperor ever finds out, Hui Xin shoots back that neither can he justify keeping quiet over Li Qian’s mother’s death at the hands of the Empress. Form their conversation, Li Qian also suspects that the Emperor may have been deceived about what has happened.
Li Qian tells Ming Yue that he will protect her while she escapes. Ming Yue hypnotizes Li Qian instead and makes him fall asleep. She sacrifices herself to keep Li Qian safe. When Hui Xin questions her about Li Qian, she gives the impression that he has gone for a few days leading Hui Xin and Li Xun to think that Li Qian could be making his way back to the palace. Ming Yue also tells Hui Xin the truth about her father. When Li Qian wakes up, Ming Yue has already been taken away by Li Xun and Hui Xin.
Episode 33
Ming Yue is tied up. Hui Xin comes in to have a few words with Ming Yue but gets riled up by her instead. When Li Xun comes in next, Ming Yue has been able to cut through the rope. Using her bracelet, he hypnotizes Li Xun. He recalls back his childhood with Li Qian and his first meeting with Hui Xin. He says that all that he has done is for Hui Xin. When Ming Yue snaps him out of her spell, she tells him that it is not wrong to love but to indulge Hui Xin to such an extent is not the way to protect her. Moreover, she is only using him to achieve her aim of revenge.
Li Qian goes back to the city to save Ming Yue. He is helped by Si Kong Zhen when soldiers attack him. A note from Li Xun requests for a meeting. When they meet, Li Xun reveals Ming Yue’s location and that he is willing to bear full responsibility on the condition that Li Qian spares Hui Xin’s life. Li Qian agrees. He also tells Li Xun that he has regained his memory and thanks him for saving his life during the fire.
Li Xun goes back to meet Hui Xin and pleads with her to let go and move far away from the city. Hui Xin says there is no turning back. She knows Li Xun has met Li Qian. She poisons his tea to make him faint. When Li Qian comes to save Ming Yue, he discovers it is a trap. He is captured and brought to the same room as Ming Yue. As they prepare to die, Li Qian tells Ming Yue that he would be willing to be her lover again in the next life.
Episode 34
Li Xun wakes up to find himself weakened and injured. Hui Xin leaves him a letter to say that she will bear responsibility and will not bring him trouble. Li Xun struggles to write a note before he leaves his room. Ming Yue thinks that Hui Xin just wants her dead and not Li Qian. She hypnotizes Li Qian and instructs him to kill her. Hui Xin throws a sword onto the floor for Li Qian to pick up. Li Qian struggles to wake up from the hypnosis. Ming Yue drops her bracelet and walks closer to the sword. Li Qian swings it hard onto the floor and broke the bracelet.
Hui Xin rushes forward to stab Li Qian but Ming Yue blocks her. The sword pierces Ming Yue’s stomach instead. As Hui Xin tries to kill Li Qian again, Li Xun dashes in. The sword pierces his heart. Before he dies, he tells Hui Xin to let go of bitterness and revenge. Hui Xin is now full of regret and admits defeat. Li Qian tells her that he will uphold his promise to his brother to spare her life.
The Emperor is sad over Li Xun’s death. He doesn’t want to kill Hui Xin as he thinks she doesn’t deserve death and that it would bring disrepute to his son’s name. So, he orders her to be held in solitary confinement. The Empress is devastated. She believes it is karma for what she did to Li Qian’s mother because of jealousy. She confesses to the Emperor. He is heartbroken and they part ways. Ming Yue is still alive but in a coma.
Episode 35
The Emperor summons Li Qian and admits his mistake. Li Qian is still angry over how his father had treated his mother. The Emperor requests Li Qian to visit the Empress as she has fallen sick. Only Li Qian could possibly help her with her guilt. In return, Li Qian requests the Emperor to spare Hui Xin as this was what Li Xun wanted.
With reluctance, Li Qian goes to see the Empress. She regrets that her action had 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 and wrote her a letter. Hui Xin comes by to see Li Qian but he refuses to meet her. Outside the door, she bids her goodbye and thanks him for getting her freed. She says it is best to forget and that they would never meet again.
Princess Kang Le reportedly has a potential suitor who is asking for her hand in marriage. Si Kong Zhen tries to get Song Jin Yu to take the initiative to stop the marriage. Ming Yue still remains in a coma. Li Qian continues to take care of her. As he falls asleep by her bedside, he starts to dream.
Episode 36
Li Qian is dreaming that he is looking for Ming Yue. When he finds her, her hair has turned white. She seems reluctant to leave the place but Li Qian keeps persuading her. Eventually, Ming Yue relents and as they kiss, her hair turns back to black. Time seems to reverse. She wakes up in her bed with Li Qian cuddling her while asleep. As he wakes up to her calls, both are happy to have each other again. They have shared the same dream in their sleep.
The topic of Princess Kang Le’s impending marriage is brought up again. Song Jin Yu finally believes it is for real and rushes to the Emperor to stop the marriage. But it turns out that the news is fake and he has been taken for a ride by the princess who heard his every word with the Emperor. Li Qian is now trying to learn hypnosis. He tries it on Song Jin Yu and Si Kong Zhen but they merely humor him. Li Qian goes home and tries the same thing on Ming Yue. He sweetly instructs her to love him and kiss him. So, the drama ends with them sharing a loving kiss.
Images Credit: Tencent
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