Episode Summary
Empress Zhuang Jingyuan has a breakdown after realizing the Emperor never loved her. Political scheming for the throne intensifies, with Zhuang Shen threatening Eunuch Ma over the succession edict. The biggest secret is revealed when Fu Yixiao tells Feng Suige that his friend Murong Yao is the masked man, Meng Junran. Feng Suige confronts Murong Yao, who confesses his motives stem from past injustices. The episode ends with Feng Suige shattering Murong Yao's mask and declaring their friendship finished.
Spoiler Alert
Fated Hearts: Episode 22 Recap
Well, this was the episode where everything hit the fan. Secrets are out. Friendships are over. And the Emperor is still unconscious, which is causing problems for everyone. Let's get into it.
The Empress Has a Meltdown
The episode kicks off with Empress Zhuang Jingyuan. She's been sitting by herself for hours. She hasn't even eaten dinner. She finally gets up and goes to see the comatose Emperor Feng Pingcheng. She even brings him some homemade zongzi.
She sends Eunuch Ma away so they can be alone. Then she just unloads all her feelings on the unconscious emperor. She tells him she finally understands everything. For fifteen years, he pretended to hate Feng Suige's mother. He ordered every trace of her to be erased. But it was all an act. He actually loved her. He loved her so much he was willing to fake it for a decade and a half.
She also realizes why he never told her about his terminal illness. It's simple. He just doesn't care about her. At all. So, she decides she's done caring whether he likes her or not. She takes the zongzi she brought and crushes it in her hand. Then she starts shoving it into his mouth. She completely breaks down, grabbing his clothes and screaming. The guards outside have to rush in and drag her away. It's a total mess. Her son, Feng Chengyang, sees the whole thing and just feels awful for his mom.
Political Moves and Threats
With the emperor out of commission, everyone is jockeying for position. Zhuang Shen, the empress's powerful relative, knows the deal. He figures Feng Pingcheng must have prepared a succession edict before he got this sick. So, he calls in Eunuch Ma. Ma is the emperor's most trusted attendant. If anyone has the edict, it's him.
Eunuch Ma plays dumb. He says he knows nothing. But Zhuang Shen isn't buying it. He gives Ma a smiling threat. He basically tells him not to pull out some secret edict afterthey've already chosen the next emperor. That would make things very ugly for everyone.
A New Target
Over in another palace, Empress Dowager Jing is dealing with her own problem. She confronts Emperor Xia Jingyan. He apparently just killed another dancing girl. She tells him he's being ridiculous. She can tolerate him messing with the palace women. But she draws a line at Princess Su Sha, also known as Feng Xiyang. She orders him to leave her alone. She also tells him to get his relative, Xia Jingshi, out of the city as soon as possible.
Xia Jingyan doesn't listen to a word she says. In fact, her warning just makes him more interested in Feng Xiyang. For a guy like him, taking his brother's wife is no big deal. This guy is bad news.
The Big Reveal
Fu Yixiao is making moves. She shoots an arrow with a note onto Murong Yao's property. He reads it, gets angry, but does what it says. He pulls all his spies away from Feng Suige's house.
Then, Fu Yixiao pops up near the First Prince's residence. She stops Lu Ke and gives him a small clay wolf. She tells him to give it to Feng Suige and set up a meeting. Lu Ke does, and Feng Suige goes to meet her.
This is where it all comes out. Fu Yixiao tells Feng Suige the truth. The mysterious Meng Junran is actually his best friend, Murong Yao. Feng Suige can't believe it at first. But he knows Fu Yixiao has no reason to lie to him about this.
The Brotherhood Is Over
Feng Suige goes straight to Murong Yao's house to confront him. He wants answers. Murong Yao doesn't even try to deny it. He admits everything right away.
He explains why he did it. He feels it was unfair. His family fought just as hard as the emperor's. But Feng Pingcheng got to be emperor, while his father was just a duke. He talks about a specific incident from when he was ten. His father, Murong Zhong, nearly died saving Feng Suige's life. They both almost died. But their reward was being sent by Feng Pingcheng to guard the brutal northern frontier. Murong Yao also lost half of his foot in that fight. It was chopped off by an enemy soldier.
Murong Yao says he's willing to die. He tells Feng Suige to kill him if it makes things right. But Feng Suige can't do it. He can't kill the man who was his brother for so many years.
Murong Yao then puts on his Meng Junran mask. In response, Feng Suige draws his sword. He slices the mask right in half. He tells Murong Yao that from this day forward, they are even. Their brotherhood is over.
