Blossom Episode 18 Recap
> Blossom Recap
Ji Yong sat in the temple, watching a young monk sweeping fallen leaves under a dead tree. He advised the monk to give up and rest instead, as the tree had been lifeless for years and there were no leaves to sweep. However, the monk followed his master’s instructions and continued sweeping. Suddenly, Ji Yong noticed a flower blooming on a branch of the tree, and he recalled his master’s words: “Even dead wood can bloom in spring.
” Ji Yong was sent to the temple as a child because he had difficulty connecting emotionally, making the temple a suitable place for him. Now that he had returned to the mortal world, he had metaphorically "blossomed. " This realization brought a smile to his face. Song Mo escorted Dou Ming back home. Observing her expression, he worried that she might misunderstand his intentions and think he had ulterior motives.
To avoid leaving a bad impression, Song Mo respectfully declined to enter the residence. During their conversation, Dou Ming mentioned her fondness for the book *Spring and Autumn Annals*. Song Mo had read it before and, with his remarkable memory, later asked Lu Ming to purchase a copy for his home. Lu Ming, noticing Song Mo’s intentions, couldn’t help but laugh.
Meanwhile, Yan Chaoqing arrived to investigate the recent fireworks incident, discovering that the culprit was someone associated with Hai Changbo. Although the individual was caught, he refused to confess, but the size of the fireworks already indicated a violation of regulations. While Dou Zhao was pondering Song Mo’s recent actions toward her, Ji Yong came to visit her.
Dou Zhao expressed her wish to learn stargazing, but Ji Yong pointed out that she had the *Records of the Enlightened Age* and didn’t need to stargaze. Dou Zhao asked Ji Yong if he remembered anything from his past life. Ji Yong replied with a smile, saying he could only observe the present through stargazing and had no knowledge of past lives. Hai Changbo was suspected of privately storing fireworks to make explosives.
When he failed to report to Dou Zhao, she became furious, believing the matter was urgent. However, Song Mo was only focused on investigating trivial matters. Later, Dou Zhao inspected a magnolia tree and discovered a white paper kite hanging on it, which she immediately ordered someone to retrieve. Song Mo realized someone was following him and had the person captured for questioning. It turned out the individual was sent by Chen Qushui, who was one of Dou Zhao’s people.
Song Mo couldn’t help but laugh, amused that Dou Zhao had sent someone to spy on him. Personally untying the captive, he even gave him a gold ingot. The spy was remorseful for revealing information under pressure, but Dou Zhao didn’t blame him—she just found the situation embarrassing. Suddenly, the sound of fireworks erupted outside, followed by what seemed to be an explosion. Dou Zhao rushed to the scene, where she found flames everywhere.
Anxiously calling out Song Mo’s name, she attempted to charge into the blaze but was stopped as Song Mo picked her up and carried her out. Dou Zhao confessed that she had always strived to live according to her own will and protect herself, but she realized she was terrified—terrified of losing Song Mo. She also expressed her feelings for him. Although she couldn’t fully adhere to traditional marital roles, she vowed to face life together with him.
Song Mo, deeply moved, embraced her and promised not to let societal norms restrict her. To alleviate her fears of the “Seven Grounds for Divorce,” he promised to write “Seven Vows” for her. Dou Zhao reminded Song Mo that while Su Rian had agreed to their marriage, her father and Dou Shishu would be difficult to deal with. She pledged to face the challenges alongside him.
Song Mo understood the obstacles ahead but remained undeterred, as long as he could be with Dou Zhao. Meanwhile, Song Yichun secretly ordered people to monitor Song Mo, discovering that he had recently spent time with Princess Jingyu, accompanying her on horseback rides. Song Yichun feared the emperor might arrange a marriage between them, as he had hinted at this during a hunting trip.
To prevent this, Song Yichun decided to find a wife for Song Mo, specifying that the candidate must not be gentle or docile. When the matchmaker suggested Dou Zhao, claiming she was a fierce and untamable woman, Song Yichun was delighted. Upon hearing that Dou Zhao had a reputation as a difficult and rebellious woman, he felt she was the perfect match for Song Mo, whose relationship with the Dou family seemed antagonistic on the surface.
Song Mo deliberately invited Dou Ming to his residence, flattering him with praise. Thrilled by the attention, Dou Ming even gifted Song Mo a bottle of fine wine from the emperor. When Dou Ming discovered a rare copy of *Spring and Autumn Annals* in Song Mo’s collection, he was overjoyed. Song Mo generously offered it to him, and knowing Dou Ming’s love for literature, he had also prepared a high-quality inkstone in advance.
Pretending it was unintentional, he let Dou Ming notice it and then presented it as a gift. When Dou Shishu learned of this, he criticized Dou Ming for being reckless and worried that the Duke of England would not approve. Yet, before he could finish speaking, the duke’s visiting card had already arrived. Meanwhile, Dou Zhao and Song Mo were at a restaurant celebrating the success of their scheme.
Every step had been part of their plan, including spreading rumors about Dou Zhao’s negative reputation. Their confidants eagerly offered blessings, wishing them success and happiness. Madam Cui prepared Dou Zhao’s dowry and revealed that Dou Zhao’s mother’s bracelet was part of a matching pair, with the other one buried under a tree by Dou Ming. After so many years, it was uncertain whether it could still be found.
Dou Ming had intended to give the pair to Dou Zhao for her and her future husband to share. Dou Ming began digging under the tree with his bare hands, injuring his fingers in the process but failing to find the bracelet. Feeling guilty, he feared he had disappointed Dou Zhao. Dou Zhao arrived, distressed at seeing her father’s state. She had her people help dig, but they still couldn’t find the bracelet.
Ji Yong then arrived on horseback, but Song Mo, observing from a distance, didn’t want Ji Yong to get close to Dou Zhao. He whistled to lure the horse away. Later, Song Mo, blindfolded to abide by the custom of not seeing the bride before the wedding, came to Dou Zhao. He wanted to help find the bracelet, but Dou Zhao felt that so many people had already failed to locate it, leaving her disheartened.
Lu Ming was caught monitoring Dou Zhao’s residence and explained that Song Mo had instructed him to stay vigilant to prevent another bride-switching incident. Zhao Si, seeing this, worried that Song Mo might be overly suspicious or even tyrannical. She advised Dou Zhao to reconsider, but Dou Zhao firmly believed Song Mo was not that kind of person.
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