The Legend of Taotie Episode 22 Recap
> The Legend of Taotie Recap
At dawn the next day, Chang Qing couldn’t help but reprimand Zhu Chengbi, warning her not to be so casual in the future. Drinking late at night with a man and nearly staying out all night would only invite trouble from unscrupulous people. His stern words upset Zhu Chengbi, who noticed that Chang Qing seemed less gentle than usual. Frustrated, she felt he was meddling in her affairs more than ever.
Zhao Heng woke up and was alarmed when his subordinates informed him that Princess Wan Er had visited the previous night while he was asleep and changing clothes. Realizing that Wan Er must have discovered his half-demon identity, he immediately ordered his men to find her. If she refused to comply, they were to deal with her on the spot. They searched for her all day, but by evening, Wan Er returned on her own.
With no one else around, Zhao Heng asked her where she had been and why she hadn’t taken the opportunity to escape. Wan Er replied that she had gone to a temple to pray for him. Not only would she not leave today, but she also vowed never to escape again. She declared that she was the imperial-appointed princess consort and would belong to Zhao Heng for this life and beyond.
Zhao Heng pressed a dagger to her neck, but seeing her unwavering determination, he softened and lowered the blade. Chang Qing visited Zhao Heng again, sharing details about Zhu Chengbi’s daily habits and food preferences, urging him to take good care of her. Zhao Heng was puzzled, wondering why Chang Qing, who seemed deeply devoted to Zhu Chengbi, was planning such a long journey away from her.
At Tianxiang Tower, Zhu Chengbi heard from Yingtao that Chang Qing’s personality had changed recently. He had assigned all his usual cleaning duties to two maidservants and repeatedly instructed them to take meticulous care of Zhu Chengbi. This wasn’t like him at all. As she was pondering this, she heard the sound of a carriage outside. Chang Qing had returned. Zhu Chengbi got up to greet him, but noticed that Zhao Heng had come along as well.
Skipping over Chang Qing, she greeted Zhao Heng directly. Chang Qing, hurt, walked quietly back to his room. Sensing his unusual behavior, Zhu Chengbi recalled their earlier argument and decided to deliberately provoke him. She agreed to go out with Zhao Heng to admire lotus flowers and enjoy fine cuisine. While they were viewing the lotus flowers, Zhao Heng confessed his feelings to Zhu Chengbi, promising to cherish her and stay with her forever.
He reached out to hold her hand, but Zhu Chengbi instinctively pulled away. Deep inside, she felt conflicted. She had often imagined Lian Deng confessing to her, yet now that it was happening, she felt no excitement. Instead, her mind kept drifting back to Chang Qing’s sorrowful expression earlier. She wondered if something had happened to him. Using an excuse, she left early and returned home. When Zhu Chengbi didn’t return on time, Chang Qing waited at the door for her.
She slipped in through the back entrance of Tianxiang Tower and saw Chang Qing still waiting. The sight filled her heart with warmth. When Chang Qing saw her, his face lit up with joy, and for a moment, the tension between them vanished. Zhu Chengbi asked if something was troubling him lately, but Chang Qing evaded her questions, insisting he was planning to leave Tianxiang Tower. Hearing this, Zhu Chengbi’s eyes reddened with tears.
She begged him to stay, saying she already saw him and Yingtao as her family. Chang Qing struggled to hold back his emotions, but tears nearly escaped his eyes. In private, Wan Er met with Zhu Chengbi and handed her a secret *demon scroll* she had quietly taken. She wanted to reveal Zhao Heng’s secret but hesitated at the last moment, only mentioning that she had seen the scroll change before.
Late at night, Chen Ze arrived at the agreed meeting place, bringing a *Hibiscus Banquet* he had treasured for years. Wan Er had initially planned to lure Chen Ze there and eliminate him to keep her secrets safe. But seeing the deep affection in Chen Ze’s eyes, she couldn’t go through with it. She realized how much she and Chen Ze were alike—both in love with someone who didn’t return their feelings.
Just as she loved Zhao Heng, who didn’t love her, Chen Ze was in love with her. Seeing Wan Er’s tears, Chen Ze immediately wiped them away and comforted her. Zhao Heng arrived with his men, originally planning to celebrate Wan Er’s birthday that evening. However, when the birthday girl went missing, they searched everywhere for her. When Wan Er saw Zhao Heng, she ate the *Hibiscus Banquet* right in front of him.
Knowing it could only be eaten once, she smiled and told Zhao Heng that she could now leave with her secrets intact. She reassured him not to worry before passing away.
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