Episode Summary
Fu Yunnuo discovers Qiao Manman's father, Qiao Yuanzhi, is alive and uses this to manipulate her, eventually imprisoning her in his mansion. The Emperor reveals he knows about Qiao Manman's true identity but won't intervene, which Hursa interprets as favoritism towards Fu Chengjin. Fu Yunnuo, undeterred, plans to eliminate Fu Chengjin and announces his intention to marry Qiao Manman. Upon hearing this, Fu Chengjin rushes back from the front lines and proposes a deal to the Imperial Concubine: he will renounce his claim to the throne if she exposes Qiao Manman and Qiao Yuanzhi's identities. The Imperial Concubine orders Fu Yunnuo to release Qiao Manman, but he refuses.
Spoiler Alert
Destiny of Love Episode 19 Recap & Spoilers
In episode 19 of "Destiny of Love," the intrigue deepens as Fu Yunnuo's schemes escalate, directly impacting Qiao Manman and the succession struggle.
Fu Yunnuo's spies quickly uncovered a crucial piece of Qiao Manman's past: her mother was the cousin of the late Empress Yan from the Xilin Kingdom. This cousin was later granted a marriage by the Xilin monarch to Qiao Yuanzhi. However, Qiao Yuanzhi was subsequently framed and used by Xilin spies, leading to charges of treason. The Emperor, mindful of old ties, spared Qiao Yuanzhi's life, opting instead to imprison him in a dungeon. Fu Yunnuo, intending to make Qiao Manman indebted to him, promptly relayed this information to her.
Qiao Manman, however, was already deeply suspicious of Fu Yunnuo, especially after he arranged for Ji Mo to be sent to the war-torn border. She cut Fu Yunnuo off, reminding him to address her with the respect due to his elder brother's potential wife, and then stormed off. Fu Yunnuo, anticipating this, had already marked the location of Qiao Yuanzhi's hideout. Qiao Manman noticed a bamboo dragonfly on the ground, distinctly different from her own creations, and curiously followed the trail of similar dragonflies. This led her to a humble thatched cottage where she found an old man engrossed in making bamboo dragonflies. When he looked up, Qiao Manman was struck by a familiar scar on his hand – identical to one her father had. She recalled how her father would often hold her on his lap as a child, teaching her to make these toys. Though aged, the man's voice and features were unmistakably those of her father, Qiao Yuanzhi.
Overjoyed upon hearing Qiao Manman’s name and confirming her identity, Qiao Yuanzhi was ecstatic. Qiao Manman urged her father to leave the desolate cottage, but Qiao Yuanzhi, terrified after years of confinement, refused. He insisted he couldn't leave, fearing it would mean death for him and endanger Qiao Manman as well.
Knowing that Qiao Manman's deepest desire was a reunion with her father, Fu Yunnuo manipulated the situation to lure her back to his princely mansion, where he promptly imprisoned her. With Fu Chengjin away at the front lines and unlikely to learn of this quickly, Fu Yunnuo confidently orchestrated his plans. Qiao Manman, with her father effectively a hostage, dared not make any rash moves.
Meanwhile, Hursa was summoned by the Emperor. The Emperor presented a list of favorable policies, revealing that he was already aware of the "fake princess consort" situation involving Qiao Manman. He declared that he wouldn't concern himself with who was who, as long as his son, Fu Chengjin, was happy. The Emperor assured Hursa he would honor his previous commitments but sternly warned Hursa to stop meddling in affairs that were not his concern.
Hursa, who had already aligned himself with Fu Yunnuo, relayed this to him. He interpreted the Emperor's leniency towards Qiao Manman as a clear sign of protection for Fu Chengjin, likely indicating the Emperor's intention to name Fu Chengjin as his heir. Fu Yunnuo, however, remained unfazed. He boasted that despite the continuous news of military victories from the front, he had methods to ensure Fu Chengjin met with an "accident." As everyone knew, the Dongzhao State had two princes; if Fu Chengjin were eliminated, Fu Yunnuo's path to the throne would be clear.
Fu Yunnuo then had Qiao Manman escorted back to Wanshifang. He informed her uncle (or guardian) that he would marry Qiao Manman with great fanfare the very next day. He pointedly remarked that Fu Chengjin was originally supposed to marry the princess from the Xilin Kingdom, highlighting Qiao Manman's different status, and declared that he, Fu Yunnuo, desired only to marry Qiao Manman.
News of this reached Fu Chengjin at the front lines, causing him great alarm. He and Ji Mo disguised themselves and rushed back overnight. Fu Chengjin secretly met with the Imperial Concubine (Fu Yunnuo's mother) and proposed a desperate bargain: if she would publicly expose the true identities of Qiao Manman and Qiao Yuanzhi in the main hall the following day, Fu Chengjin would voluntarily renounce his claim to the throne, thereby ceasing to be a threat to Fu Yunnuo. The Imperial Concubine, who naturally harbored ambitions for her own son to become Emperor, was intrigued. She summoned Fu Yunnuo late that night and commanded him to release Qiao Manman immediately. However, Fu Yunnuo adamantly refused.
