Eternal Love of Dream – Unhelpful Recap (Episode 18)

Lady Wan, aka Jiheng, vanishes from prison just when the Prince of Ying’s assassins attempt to kill her.  Of course, Donghua is not too happy about this, he berates General Ye and his subordinates about the lax security, saying that if they can’t even secure the prison, how can they secure the palace or the Empress Dowager’s safety. Well, it wouldn’t be the worst thing ever if your Empress Dowager disappears from the drama, Donghua.

Fengjiu comes in to calm things down, suggesting to Donghua that Lady Wan might be an immortal in disguise all this time. Donghua is confused but otherwise takes no further action; in fact, he’s happy that Jiheng is gone for good. Immortals visiting the palace’s harem must be a common thing in this world.

Jiheng wakes up in the immortal realm, finding out that it was the rash but kind-hearted demon lord Yan Zhiwu who rescued her. But she has no recollections of him or her immortal life. Hopefully he will talk some sense into her.

Back at the mortal palace, Fengjiu is feeling melancholy and conflicted, given all the things she will eventually have to do. Donghua visits and finds her sitting alone, looking quite drunk with beverages on the table. He utilizes his excellent detective skills and deduces that she has been drinking. Then he brings her back inside and attempts to get things on. However, Fengjiu falls asleep right before anything is on. Tough luck, Donghua.

As expected, the Empress Dowager comes to visit Fengjiu the next morning to warn her that she’s being watched and to remind everyone why this drama is longer than it should be.

The Prince of Ying (if you still remember that he exists) is blackmailed into stealing the map of the imperial tomb which holds the green stone. For some unknown reason, he successfully sneaks into Donghua’s study to search around and actually finds a map.

Please tell me that’s a fake map and that Donghua has the wit not to leave important documents on his BOOKSHELF.

Ye Qingti presents Donghua with a plan to enhance security. About time, don’t you think? After the discussion, Donghua feels more relaxed that their green stone problem is kind of resolved, but another problem appears when he smells something familiar on Ye Qingti. Hmm…

“That smell,” he comments.

And Qingti answers that the smell is from an ointment Fengjiu gave him a while ago to treat the scar on his face. The same ointment she used to treat Donghua’s injury once.

At Fengjiu’s place, Si Ming pays her a visit and gives her another nudge to stab Donghua in the back soon because he’s kind of getting bored of the lack of activity already. And I guess Fengjiu finally decides to take action because the next day, she invites Ye Qingti out (or maybe he invited her; either way, this ship is getting some wind in the sails). He takes her to his secret comfort place: a cliff with a beautiful view. Well, that was fast.

Like all second leads who know they have very little chance, Qingti asks Fengjiu if Donghua “treats her well”, to which she answers “yes”. He then gifts her with a jade bracelet. He also renews his offer to take her away if she ever feels mistreated in the palace. Qingti repeats this promise when he drops her off at her palace later on.

When Fengjiu is back, she finds Donghua waiting for her at her palace. He asks her all sorts of questions and lastly catches the new bracelet on her wrist. And thanks to the maid that slipped out about Fengjiu and Ye Qingti’s earlier trip, we’re probably going to have some interesting revelations next episode. Hopefully, anyway.

SOME NOTES

Donghua himself is not a bad male lead, but since the mortal arc makes him into a completely different character with no distinct traits and no trace of the serene and prank-loving Donghua we are used to, it is not easy to get behind him. Also: listen, drama, you cannot give me a queen-and-guard forbidden romance and expect me to stay on the she-knocked-me-into-a-pond-once ship.

So, there are two ways in which I believe Donghua can turn this over:

One: he gets his white hair, his purple fashion, and his former demeanour back.

And two… actually, no, there’s only one way. Get your old looks back and stop smiling all the time, Donghua!

Also, putting aside Fengjiu and Si Ming’s plan, does Fengjiu know at this point what Ye Qingti thinks? With that repeated promise and a very suggestive gift, they’re long past the “we’re buddies” phase now, but so far she has not shown any acknowledgement yet and still has mostly innocent reactions to everything.