American Perspectives: Truth and Karma ("Twisted Fate of Love" Ep. 36)

 

3rd Prince and Dong Yue are at the makeshift shrine for Lord Wen and Qing Xiao.  Feng Xi has sworn up and down that he isn't responsible for their deaths, but because of his history of compulsive lying; Dong Yue and 3rd Prince don't believe him.

"He gave his entire life to the nation," says Dong Yue, in reference to Lord Wen, "but his downfall was so full of suffering."

"I will make Feng Xi suffer the consequences," says 3rd Prince.

Dong Yue sighs. She is emotionally exhausted.  "Now that I think about it, I don't think it was Feng Xi's doing."

3rd Prince is visibly annoyed. "Dong Yue, don't you understand Feng Xi? Didn't he push the blame away from himself every time?"

"That's something else I find strange," says Dong Yue. "When Lord Wen went to the capitol, Little Wen Xin went to see him, but she's still missing."

"I also sent people to search, but there's still..."

"I believe she's alive," Dong Yue interjects. "So let's split up to search.  As long as we can find Wen Xin, we will be able to figure out the true culprit of Lord Wen's death."

Wen Xin, Dong Yue thinks.  I know you're still alive.  I can feel any pain you feel.

 

Wen Xin is at the front porch of the Royal Wind Pavilion.  She is desperately banging on 3rd Prince's doors. "Your Highness! Your Highness! Open up!  Your Highness! Your Highness! Your Highness! Open the door!" she screams. 

A maidservant in a sky blue, two piece Hanfu opens the doors. "Miss Wen Xin, are you looking for His Highness?"

"Yes, yes.  Please ask His Highness to come out.  My father was murdered by villains, and I saw it with my own eyes."

Hongzhe, the head of the Eagle Assassins, emerges from behind the doors. "Little girl, who is the villain you speak of?"

Wen Xin is frozen with terror.  This was the man she had seen murdering her father. She attempts to run away, but he grabs her arm.

"I never expected Wen Ye to actually have capability," Hongzhe says. "He actually hid you away."

"I'm begging you!" she screams to the maidservant.  "I'm begging you to call His Highness to come over.  I'm begging you!  Sister, help me bring His Highness here!"

The maidservant closes the doors, leaving Wen Xin at the mercy of her father's killer.

"Let me go, you murderer!" screams Wen Xin.  "Let go of me!"

"Is it any use for you to scream like this?" Hongzhe says calmly. "How about this? I'll take you to see your father right now."

She bites him on the hand, which takes him by surprise, and he releases her.  Wen Xin tries to run away, but he manages to grab her, and he puts his hand over her mouth and nose.  She does not stop fighting.

A sword presses up against Hongzhe's throat from behind.  He slowly turns his head to see the 3rd Prince.

"Release her!" 3rd Prince demands.

Hongzhe removes his hand from Wen Xin's mouth and nose.

Wen Xin is short of breath, and quite dizzy.  She hides behind 3rd Prince. "Your Highness, brother, it was him!  He was the one who murdered my father!"

Hongzhe stares down the 3rd Prince. 3rd Prince looks at Wen Xin in shock, as the Eagle Assassins are associated with him.

"I saw it with my own eyes," Wen Xin insists.  "It was him!"

3rd Prince looks back at Hongzhe. "Hongzhe, what exactly happened?"

Hongzhe hold up his hands, and looks at 3rd Prince defiantly. He bows. "Your Highness, I also did this under a command."

"Scoundrel!" 3rd Prince growls.  "I am your master.  Whose orders did you follow?"

"It was mine," Left Prime Minister steps onto the porch.  "I am his master."

3rd Prince points his sword at Left Prime Minister. He can't believe the blatant disrespect.  "So, it was you."

Left Prime Minister nods.

"Fang Yuan," says 3rd Prince, "do you dare rebel against the court's ruling?"

"Wen Ye already died, and the Surrender Document was already ruined," says the Left Prime Minister.  "Your Highness, just by listening to this little girl, how can you conclude that I was the one who murdered Wen Ye?"

"There's no need for you to continue playing with words," says 3rd Prince. "You committed many crimes and twisted laws to your own benefit.  I will put you in prison!"

"Really?" smirks Left Prime Minister. "Go ahead!" He laughs.  "Then we'll see if you have such capabilities."

He makes an arm gesture, and 3rd Prince and Wen Xin are surrounded by assassins.

"Who dares touch her?" asks 3rd Prince.

"When I lost my power," says Left Prime Minister, "Your Highness didn't give up and still placed me in an important position.  I am very thankful.  Now, you just need to give me this little girl, and I will not treat you as an enemy."

3rd Prince squeezes Wen Xin tighter by his side.

"Minister," Hongzhe says, "consider that he is Crown Prince."

"How would keeping this little girl benefit you?" asks Left Prime Minister.

3rd Prince looks at him coldly.

Left Prime Minister and his assassins leave.  3rd Prince is livid about being deceived and betrayed.

 

Feng Xi slides open the doors to Dong Yue's bedroom.  As expected, she isn't there. He looks around, and notices some of his illustrations on the ground.  He picks them up, and studies them carefully.  One is an illustration of her putting the tattoo on his chest.  The other is in reference to Wen Ye being Dong Yue's father, which he had known prior to losing his memory.

No wonder she thought I was Wen Ye's murder, Feng Xi thinks. It's all my fault for losing my memory.  I caused such a huge misunderstanding.

 

Dong Yue is out at the market, looking at the pond. She still doesn't know where Wen Xin is.  Feng Xi sees her from afar, but when he sees 3rd Prince approaching her, he decides to stay put.

"Dong Yue," says 3rd Prince.

She turns around to face him. "Your Highness, how did you know I was here?"

"I was worried you'd be in a bad mood, and I heard Zi Yuan say you were here, so I came to see you."

"Thanks for your care, Your Highness.  I'm fine."

"That's good.  I wanted to tell you about something.  I already figured out Lord Wen's true cause of death."

"He...How did he die?"

"It was the doing of Left Prime Minister and the Eagles," says 3rd Prince. "They killed Wen Ye to rob the Surrender Document."

"That means," says Dong Yue, "we blamed Feng Xi wrongly."

Feng Xi hears what she is saying while he is observing them.

"Outsiders didn't trust him, but I should have had faith in him," Dong Yue continues. "It's true that he and Lu Yuantong pretended to be close, but he only did it to get Mount Hao's Surrender Document."

"Feng Xi's actions were strange.  It's not our fault for being wary of him," says 3rd Prince.

"Is there proof that Left Prime Minister murdered Lord Wen?"

"Wen Xin saw it with her own eyes."

"Wen Xin?" asks Dong Yue. "Did you see her? Where is she?"

"She went to the capitol's riverside in the suburbs.  I already sent people to protect her, don't worry."

 

Wen Xin is at the river, making use of her paper boats.

Dong Yue approaches her.  Dong Yue tells the guards to leave so the two can be alone.

"Sister," Wen Xin cries.  "I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have left without a word.  I left the city that day to see my father. I saw people wanting to steal his things.  After he hid me, he just..." She gives Dong Yue a tight hug.

"There, there.  Wen Xin, don't cry." Dong Yue says awkwardly.  "Sister is here. Wen Xin, don't cry."  Dong Yue sees a yellow paper boat floating down the river.  "Wen Xin, look!" And then they see a green one.

Wen Xin picks up the yellow boat first.  She unfolds it to read the message: "Don't cry, father is still by your side." She picks up 2 other paper boats. "Father just went somewhere very far away.  Someday, we will reunite once more.  Listen to Sister Dong Yue.  Walk your path toward the future bravely.  Become a good girl, just like your sister."

Wen Xin smiles.  Dong Yue laughs, and touches Wen Xin's hair.

Feng Xi approaches them.

"Thank you," says Dong Yue.

"For what?" asks Feng Xi. "I didn't do a thing."

"Exactly!" says Wen Xin.  "Why thank him?"

"If you don't take them, the paper boats will float away," says Feng Xi.

Wen Xin scurries to collect more boats, leaving him a few minutes with Dong Yue.  She moves closer to him.

"I'm sorry," Dong Yue says.  "I know it wasn't you--"

"I understand," Feng Xi interjects.  "You don't need to say more."

She smiles at him.

 

Feng Xi is looking through his book of illustrations, putting the loose pages back where they belong.

He sees a message on his table that's labeled, "Feng Xi to open." He picks it up and slides the paper out of the envelope.  It's a letter from Lu Yuantong demanding he come to Feng Xi's private residence in Dongjiao immediately to discuss an urgent matter. At the bottom left corner, he sees his Pang Xi seal on the letter.  He wonders how Lu Yuantong could possibly have it.

Feng Xi arrives at the private residence in Dongjiao.  They make obligatory small talk.  They sit down at the table for some tea.

Lu Yuantong is buttering him up with all kinds of flattery to get Feng Xi to let his guard down.  He insists that Feng Xi could be his son in law.

Feng Xi laughs.  "Being your son in law would make me His Majesty's brother in law.  Naturally, that's something worth considering, but I heard your daughters are all still very young.  Duke Lu, you aren't thinking of matching them with me, are you?"

Lu Yuantong laughs. "Recently, I adopted a daughter.  She's very kind and considerate.  I plan to marry her off to you.  That would tie our in law relationship together.  What do you think about it?"

Feng Xi laughs and shakes his head.

"Ask her to come here," Lu Yuantong tells his guard.

The guard returns with creepy Yu Rou behind him.  Yu Rou, the gift who keeps on giving...

Feng Xi is annoyed as hell.  He was very clear to her about his feelings, and she's refusing to move on.

Lu Yuantong says to Yu Rou, "I want to marry you off to a heroic man with a position of power."

Yu Rou smiles at Lu Yuantong, and smirks at Feng Xi. "Minister, aren't you one of those?"

Feng Xi can't even fake a courtesy chuckle.

"My daughter!" says Lu Yuantong.  "You sure are fast to catch on! Minister, you have a lot of experience with women, haven't you?"

"Duke Lu, you're just joking with me, aren't you?" asks Feng Xi.  "Yu Rou was originally my woman anyway, so why would I marry her?"

"You cannot put it that way," says Lu Yuantong. "Yu Rou has served you for so long, yet you never gave her any titles!  You must marry her officially for it to count, or else..."

"Or else what?" asks Feng Xi.

"Or else you shouldn't return."

At this point, Yu Rou should be feeling some shame. Feng Xi clearly isn't interested, and she's making a (quiet) ass of herself.

Feng Xi smirks. "This Yu Rou was originally my woman anyway.  Now that she has her adopted father speaking for her, marrying her naturally wouldn't be an issue.  However, to marry her officially, we need the three letters and six rituals so that Yu Rou won't be treated badly. Duke Lu, you must let me go home to plan the wedding."

"No need!" Lu Yuantong says confidently. "I've arranged all the miscellaneous events properly.  Just live here with ease.  In three days, we will meet in the ritual hall."

"Three days?" asks Feng Xi.  He stands up.  He knows he's being held hostage.  "I am a dignified minister.  How could my wedding be planned in just three days?  No way!  I must leave."

As he walks away, Lu Yuantong asks, "Would you be able to?"

Feng Xi is pissed, and Yu Rou realizes she went way too far. Feng Xi turns around to face Lu Yuantong.

Lu Yuantong deliberately takes a sip of tea.

Feng Xi bows. "I will listen to your words, Duke Lu."

"That's more like it," says Lu Yuantong.  He laughs loudly.

Yu Rou and Lu Yuantong are walking down the corridor together.  "Yu Rou, you're getting married for me, so I will help you arrange it well."

"Thank you very much, God Father," Yu Rou says sweetly.  "Oh, right.  I want to return to the Feng Manor to get some daily necessities." (Or to torment Dong Yue).

"As you should," says Lu Yuantong. "Zang Fei, tomorrow will you accompany the lady back to her house?"

"Yes," says Zang Fei.

Yu Rou goes back to her room to make a list.

"Make sure to monitor her closely," Lu Yuantong says to Zang Fei.  "What she took, and what she didn't take.  Note it all clearly."

"Yes," says Zang Fei.

Yu Rou enters her room.  She turns around and sees Feng Xi. She jumps.

"Shh..." says Feng Xi.  He scowls at her, and grabs her by the arm.  "Collaborating with Lu Yuantong is no different from asking a tiger for its skin."

She removes her arm from his grasp.  "So what?" she snaps.  "Before the two of us get married, Lu Yuantong will not let you go."

Feng Xi sighs. "Did you steal the jade seal just to get married to me?"

Yu Rou remembers meeting up with Lu Yuantong right after she was thrown out of Feng Manor.  She hands him a sheet of paper. "I am sure you will be able to tell right away to whom this seal belongs."

"What do you want?" asks Lu Yuantong.

"I want to be together with Feng Xi and live with him for a lifetime." Yu Rou says.

 

"Duke Lu and I made a bargain," Yu Rou says to Feng Xi. "After the two of us get married, I will give him the seal."

Feng Xi is beyond irritated. "You're so muddle headed. If you give the seal to Lu Yuantong, will he really let me go?"

"Surely, he must hold up his end of the bargain," Yu Rou insists. "I already accepted him as my adopted father."

Feng Xi is floored by her single mindedness.

"He will not ruin our relationship," Yu Rou continues.

"When Consort Jia and the 7th Prince were yet in court, Lu Yuantong had already gotten this in motion.  He didn't even care about his own daughter.  An arbitrary fake daughter whom he picked up on the road like you wouldn't fare better." Feng Xi pauses.  "He knows of my situation now.  Do you think he would still keep us?"

"I won't let you suffer danger," Yu Rou insists.

"How foolish you are. You force a man who doesn't love you, to stay by your side.  Is this the life you want?"

"The life I want," says Yu Rou, "is a life with you.  Even though I know you won't truly love me, if I could be your wife for only one day, I would still be willing."

He wipes the tear from her face. "It's I who has disappointed you."

"Minister," says Yu Rou.  "Don't you blame me for forcing you into marriage?"

He shakes his head. He takes her hands.  Her heart flutters.  He gives her a hug. "Yu Rou, give me the seal.  Let's escape together."

"Give you the seal?"

"Only the seal can prove my identity.  If Lu Yuantong has it, we will never live another peaceful day in our lives." He is still in awe at her lack of foresight.

Yu Rou pushes him away and grabs his illustration book from the top part of his hanfu. She thumbs through the pages. Feng Xi tries to grab it, and Yu Rou puts it behind her back. "Was this a painting collection of you and Dong Yue?"

He looks at her coldly.  "They were just random portraits, that's all. Return them!"

Yu Rou backs away and shakes her head.  "Only if you marry me; otherwise, no one will gain the seal." She throws the book of illustrations on the floor.

As she walks away, "Yu Rou," says Feng Xi.  She stops. "If you still cannot let go of our first meeting, then remember my last words to you.  If you leave this time, never return."

She turns to look at him, tears in her eyes. "Why wouldn't I return? These years, all of the kindness you owe me, must be paid with interest."  She walks out.

Feng Xi picks up his book of illustrations.  He brushes the dust off the cover, and puts it back in his hanfu.

 

Dong Yue is walking around the Feng Manor.  She runs into Dao Le.  "Dao Le, did you see Feng Xi?"

"I've also been looking for him," says Dao Le.  "It's so strange.  I also didn't see him for several days.  Usually, he would tell me before going anywhere."

"I saw a sedan chair placed outside in the courtyard.  That's probably Li Yu Rou.  Let's ask her," suggests Dong Yue.

Yu Rou is in her old bedroom, a servant is rolling up that hideous portrait of her and Feng Xi.  The portrait he didn't want.  She takes it, and lovingly puts it in her trunk.

Dao Le and Dong Yue burst into her room. "Sister Yu Rou, did you see Uncle?" asks Dao Le.

"I came because of this exact matter," she says triumphantly. "This is a wedding invitation to the Minister's and my wedding." She hands it to Dao Le.

"A wedding invitation?" asks Dong Yue.

"The two of you are getting married?" asks Dao Le.

"That's right," Yu Rou gloats as Dong Yue opens the invitation. "That means in the future you can't call me 'Sister Yu Rou' any longer. You must call me 'Auntie' instead."

Dong Yue snaps the invitation closed. She knows there's more to it. "Where is Feng Xi?" Dong Yue asks.

Yu Rou smiles, pretending to be sweet. "In the Ritual Hall, preparing the wedding, of course.  MIss Dong Yue and Minister were acquainted.  You were originally supposed to be invited to the wedding, but sadly the amount of seats in the hall--"

"Was Feng Xi willing?" Dong Yue interrupts.

"What kind of person is Feng Xi?" retorts Yu Rou. "If he weren't willing, who could force him? Love is just a battlefield.  All this time, you've always won against me. You smile and I cry. Miss Dong Yue, it's your turn to lose today.  I hope you can afford this loss." She turns and triumphantly walks away.

Dao Le doesn't believe it either. "Sister Yu Rou, my Lord, he--"

"Dao Le!" Dong Yue interrupts.  

Dao Le drops the subject as Yu Rou and her entourage make a triumphant exit.

 

Dao Le is waiting in the Moon Garden with a letter in his hand.  He sees Dong Yue, and immediately approaches her. "Sister Dong Yue, it's good you're back.  I even thought you went to find Uncle."

"Dao Le, what are you holding in your hand?"

"This is a letter in the study that Uncle left." He hands it to Dong Yue.

It reads, "I went to the private house in Dongjiao to see Lu Yuantong.  Naturally, I have a method of stopping him. You and Zi Yuan should stay at the manor.  Without my order, you are not allowed to leave.  Also, look after them.  Do not let them look for me."

"The wedding was problematic after all," says Dong Yue. "But this didn't say what to do to stop Lu Yuantong."

"Uncle did talk about it once.  He said he would stage something at the private house's backyard.  He would make Lu Yuantong unable to back out."

"Unable to back out?" asks Dong Yue.  She tries to leave, but Dao Le blocks her.  "You are very obedient," she says sarcastically.

"Where are you going?" asks Dao Le.

"I'm returning to my room," Dong Yue says.  He lets her pass.

 

Dong Yue steps outside her room and sees guards everywhere. With Feng Xi's calculations, it's impossible for him to walk right into a trap.  It must be that some leverage against him landed in Lu Yuantong's hands, she thinks. This is an abrupt wedding. Could it be that Li Yu Rou sold out Feng Xi?

 

 

Feng Xi is looking out the window.  Guards are patrolling the grounds. Lu Yuantong laid out a dead end for me, he thinks.  However a dead end will have a dead end's solution.  Dong Yue, this time I will accomplish the task you always wanted to do.  Stay nicely at the manor.  Don't ruin my plans anymore!

The hideous portrait of Feng Xi and Yu Rou is hanging in the Ritual Hall.  Yu Ruo is gazing at it lovingly.

Lu Yuantong approaches her.  "Daughter."

Yu Rou bows. "It's already so late, but Father didn't go to sleep yet?"

"Tomorrow, Father needs to host your big wedding.  I'm too happy and can't fall asleep."

"The fact that I have tomorrow is all thanks to Father's help," says Yu Rou.  "I'm incredibly grateful."

"As long as you know, that's good. At present, Feng Xi couldn't escape even if he had wings.  Your wedding must definitely happen.  Rest assured." He turns to walk away, then pauses.  "Oh, right! Tomorrow is the big wedding.  Why don't you just give father the Imperial Jade Seal tonight?  How does that sound?"

"I'll get married first, then I'll hand over the jade seal.  My entire life's happiness rests upon this jade seal.  RIght now, I definitely cannot hand it over.  What's more, Father won't miss this just for one more day.  There's no harm in waiting a little longer."

"This also makes sense," agrees Lu Yuantong.

"I still have to decorate the assembly hall.  Father, you can go back and rest early."

"Tomorrow is your big wedding day. Daughter, you should also rest early."

Yu Rou nods in acknowledgment. Did I do something wrong? She asks herself.  She looks at the hideous portrait.  However, if I don't do this, then what's to be done?

Lu Zhengming approaches her in his wheelchair. "You must be Little Sister Yu Rou."

"You are heir apparent Lu?"

"You calling me that makes me a stranger.  You can just call me 'brother' can't you?" he grabs her hand.

Yu Rou recoils.  "Please show some self respect."

"Younger sister, you don't understand.  My future has no limits.  Who knows where that Feng Xi, whom you love so dearly, will be?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" asks Yu Rou.

"Nothing!" says Lu Zhengming. "My father already has an arrangement.  At any rate, my wanting you today," he caresses her sleeve, she snaps it back, "is just saving you and elevating you.  You should seize the opportunity."

"Thank you for teaching me this.  You are already in this condition," Yu Rou pointedly looks at his wheelchair, "you should rest early."  She quickly walks away.

"There's nothing wrong with my body!" Lu Zhengming calls after her. "Li Yu Rou, I'm giving you a chance here.  If you don't want it, you'd better not regret it."

 

"Did Sister Dong Yue go out?" Dao Le asks the guards positioned in front of her door.

"Not at all."

"Then did anyone leave the Moon Garden?"

"Yesterday night, Young Lady Zi Yuan came to deliver dinner, and didn't leave until late at night."

"Dao Le!" a voice calls from Dong Yue's room.

"Zi Yuan?" asks Dao Le.

"Dao Le, is it you Dao Le?"

"Zi Yuan, why are you in there?"

"Don't come in!"

"I..." Dao Le slides the doors open.

Zi Yuan is just wearing her undergarments, as Dong Yue has stolen her clothes.

"Zi Yuan, how did you become like this?" asks Dao Le.  "Where is Sister Dong Yue?"

"Last night, when I was delivering her the dinner, she took advantage of my not paying attention to knock me unconscious.  She even took my clothes away, too."

Dao Le and Zi Yuan decide to head over to the private residence in Dongjiao.

 

The Ritual Hall is decorated in red wedding finery, with the hideous portrait prominently on display.  

Yu Rou is in her room, beaming, dressed in full wedding attire, adding the finishing touches to her make up.

Feng Xi is in his room, looking miserable. He has not put on his wedding clothes. He is thinking of a way to get the hell out of there.

 

"Twisted Fate of Love" can be viewed on Viki or Youtube.  Dialogue adaptation from English subtitle translation by "Twisted Love Team at Viki.com"

C-Drama and K-Drama Fan Art and Clothing can be purchased here.