Introduction
The episodic recap only covers the main topic(s) of each episode. It serves as a guide for readers who want to rewatch certain episode(s), and it doesn’t replace the thrilling watching experience or spoil the juicy details. Part 1 covers Episodes 1 to 17 of Blossom ( 九重紫 ).
Episode Recaps
Episode 1
The year was the 27th year of Cheng Ping. The sickly Dou Zhao, after divorcing her adulterer husband, returned to her hometown. By chance, she met two strangers who would intertwine with her fate: Song Mo and Ji Yong. General Song Mo, joined Prince Qing the second prince to rebel, with the hope he would clear the name of his belated uncle Duke of Ding. Ji Yong is the head monk whom they took refuge from. Unfortunately, in a fierce battle, all three met their tragic ends. Before death, Ji Yong gave Dou Zhao and Song Mo a copy of “The Record of Zhao Shi”, hoping that it could change their destinies. But Song Mo died sacrificing his life to save Dou Zhao, and his blood splattered over her. Before falling into the abyss, Dou Zhao grabbed “The Record of Zhao Shi”.
Time to rebirth. It is now the 8th year of Cheng Ping. Dou Zhao woke up in her 12-year-old body after a head injury. She thought she had a dream, but a boy standing next to her mocking her for being so immersed in reading “The Record of Zhao Shi” that she imagined things. Dou Zhao was surprised to know that his name was Yuan Tong (Ji Yong’s nickname) and that he was her cousin. At the same time, little Song Mo also wakes up after a long coma. He had a nightmare but did not remember the dream. On the way, he and Dou Zhao passed by each other—strangers, yet familiar.
Episode 2
Dou Shi Ying, Dou Zhao’s father, announced that he would take Wang Ying Xue as his concubine. She pretended to be sickly and blamed her asthma as triggered by the pollen from Zhao Gu Qiu’s (Dou Zhao’s mother) favorite purple crape myrtle tree. Dou Shi Ying ordered the tree to be cut down. That and the fact that Wang Ying Xue was already pregnant broke Zhao Gu Qiu’s heart. She hung herself on the tree. Grandma Cui, Dou Shi Ying’s mother, took Dou Zhao away and raised her in the countryside. She then grew up with her cousin Zhao Zhang Ru and her friend Miao An Su, a merchant’s daughter. Dou Zhao determined to be like the crape myrtle tree, not afraid of wind and rain, and not to become a delicate flower. From then on, Dou Zhao became a disciple of the wise teacher Chen Qu Shui, then her advisor, and learned about business. She grew into a shrewd and capable merchant.
Young Song Mo, after being beaten by his father, ran away from home to join his uncle Jiang Mei Sun and his army, the famous Ding Guo Gong army. Song Mo grew to be a fearless young general.
Episode 3
Dou Zhao returned home urged by her father. Zhao Zhang Ru and Miao An Su joined her. There was a banquet for young noblemen when they arrived. Because they wore only plain clothes, they were ridiculed by the young noblemen as being from the countryside and lacking refined attitudes. This angered Dou Zhao and she created a scene. Some men then followed Dou Zhao on the street. Feeling being followed, she put on a mask to hide. At this time, Song Mo was also wandering on the street wearing a mask. He also came home after a victory against the pirates. However, he got a cold welcome from his father and witnessed favoritism toward his younger brother. To hide his sadness, Song Mo put a mask on.
Episode 4
Dou Zhao and Song Mo ended up sitting next to each other in the opera theater. They conversed expressing their unique insights into the opera. He was honest about his family issues, and she gently comforted him. During an interactive session testing the audience, Song Mo won a reward but he left quickly, accidentally snatching Dou Zhao’s incense sachet ball.
Song Mo and Dou Zhao started having a supernatural connection. When Song Mo fainted after his head was hit by a falling box, Dou Zhao felt severe pain in her chest. While in a coma, Song Mo dreamed about the girl in a mask and a flower birthmark behind her ear. It was the Song Mo’s blood splatter on Dou Zhao in the first life. He found out that the incense inside the sachet ball is believed to make people dream of old friends. Song Mo believed that the masked girl saved his life.
Episode 5
Jiang Mei Sun was summoned to the palace, which aroused Song Mo’s suspicion that he was framed. He decided to rescue his uncle’s family. Sadly, his aunt sacrificed herself and gave her baby for him to rescue. During the night flight, Song Mo’s troops arrived at Cui Manor disguised as merchants. Chen Qu Shui happened to see Yan Cao Qing, the Ding Army advisor, and they recognized each other from a past incident. Chen Qu Shui was worried that their lives wouldn’t be spared, because the Ding Army were ruthless soldiers.
Dou Zhao bought time with Song Mo while her guards kidnapped the baby. With the baby as ransom, Dou Zhao negotiated with Song Mo. The trust was finally built when she solved the baby’s digestion issue. As much as she was able to avoid the manslaughter, Song Mo is still wary and suspicious of Dou Zhao and her family.
Episode 6
Dou Shi Shu and Wang Ying Xue planned the marriages between Wu Shan and Dou Ming, and Wei Ting Yu and Dou Zhao. Wei Ting Yu is a playboy and good-for-nothing nobleman. When Wei Ting Yu, under his sister’s order, reluctantly went to see Dou Zhao, he saw Dou Ming and fell in love with her at first sight. Dou Zhao remembered her past life married to Wei Ting Yu, so she deliberately attempted to cancel their marriage arrangement. During the marriage meeting between the four, it’s clear that Wu Shan likes everything Dou Zhao does, including the tiger charm Dou Zhao made. As a result, he was attacked by butterflies and developed rashes and difficulty breathing.
Dou Zhao attempted to give him emergency acupuncture she learned from Ji Yong. Song Mo, who was with her uncle Dou Shi Shu also rushed over to the manor because Wu Shan is his friend. Dou Zhao begged Song Mo to look into her eyes to see her sincerity. Song Mo can read faces. He chose to trust her and ordered his guards to secure the place. Time passed and finally, Wu Shan was out of danger. Song Mo respected Dou Zhao’s medical skills and courage.
Episode 7
The physician arrived and praised Dou Zhao’s timely rescue. Song Mo was suspicious about the tiger charm. Dou Zhao knew that Wang Yi Xue tampered with the tiger charm but she did not say anything. After Song Mo returned home, his mother advised that Du Zhao might conceal the truth for self-protection.
Wu Shan came to Cui Manor to thank Dou Zhao. He expressed his feelings to Dou Zhao and was willing to marry her. Dou Zhao stated that she didn’t want to marry anyone and wanted to stay free. Wu Shan understood her and bid farewell. Dou Ming also sent a letter, missing Dou Zhao. Dou Zhao felt that the present Dou Ming was different from the past Dou Ming.
The Emperor ordered the shadow guards to bring Jiang Mei Sun to the court. But before that happened, he was murdered. The emperor was furious after hearing this. It turned out that the Emperor and Duke Ding were old best friends.
Episode 8
The Emperor ordered an investigation into the death of the Duke of Ding. But before doing that he passed out. Empress Wan immediately ordered Song Mo to be arrested, accusing him of causing the Emperor’s illness. Although the emperor had woken up, he did not immediately convict Song Mo. The Emperor spent the rest of the time staring at the ruler, a token of friendship between him and Jiang Mei Sun, in a daze.
Soon, the imperial edict released Song Mo and his friend Yunyang Bo Gu Yu. When Song Mo returned home, his mother persuaded him to find a wife to take care of him. She guessed that Song Mo had a crush on Dou Zhao. His mother said that Prime Minister Wu was unwilling to marry the Dou family. But Wu Shan had a deep affection for Dou Zhao, knelt in heavy rain to show his determination and his illness flared up. A physician was summoned, but the person who got out of the car was Dou Zhao in disguise.
Episode 9
Dou Zhao met Wu Shan and tried to persuade him to stop. Wu Shan explained that he did not coerce his grandfather to take Dou Zhao to be his wife, but because Dou Zhao had asked him a life question. He feels helpless under his grandfather’s control. Dou Zhao persuaded Wu Shan to understand his grandfather, because as the Prime Minister he was already exhausted mentally and physically after mediating the court.
People from the Municipal Shipping Department had seized the ships of An Su’s family and wanted to cut off Dou Zhao and An Su’s business. Dou Zhao planned to see it in person. At the same time, Song Mo also went to Futing to investigate the cause of his uncle’s death. The general manager Ding Wei of the Municipal Shipping Department imprisoned and tortured Dou Zhao and An Su, accusing them of so-called weapons found in their ships. Just when Ding Wei was planning to continue the punishment, Song Mo arrived. Ding Wei let Song Mo, who is known to be ruthless, torture Dou Zhao. Song Mo pretended to torture Dou Zhao. He came because he wanted to ask Dou Zhao how she could predict the death of his uncle.
Episode 10
At first, Dou Zhao lied that she was only good at business, so she could analyze the situation more accurately. But because of Song Mo’s keen insight, Dou Zhao finally promised him that if she could get out of this prison alive, she would tell everything. Song Mo looked at her eyes and chose to trust her. At this moment, Ji Yong strode into the cell with a token in hand and asked to visit Miao Ansu and Dou Zhao. He knew very well that Song Mo didn’t hold any official power to release Dou Zhao. In the cell, Song Mo, Dou Zhao, and Ji Yong discussed countermeasures. Song Mo and Dou Zhao decided to sneak into the ship while Ji Yong catered to the official and stole the token from the banquet.
Episode 11
Seeing Song Mo was disheartened, Dou Zhao persuaded him to trust the Emperor. She put down a small boat carrying prayers in the water and silently saw Jiang Mei Sun off. His Majesty indeed muttered to himself in front of the ruler every day, revealing his deep guilt for his late friend. He knew full well that Duke Ding Guo had been wronged, but under pressure, he hastily closed the case. When Song Mo heard this, he began to wonder if there was some force behind the scenes that made His Majesty not hesitate to shield the real culprit.
The morale in the military camp was low, and the soldiers were angry and desperate with the death of their commander. Song Mo ordered the disbandment of the Ding Guo Army but secretly summoned his confidants to form a special army.
Dou Zhao’s family found out that she faked illness to go to Futing, so her father and uncle came to pick her up. Along the way, Song Mo had been protecting Dou Zhao secretly.
Episode 12
Wang Yingxue punished Dou Zhao to copy the book of women’s virtue, and Dou Zhao started copying without saying anything. There were a lot of people helping her by copying the book on her behalf, including Dou Ming. She brought her copy to Dou Zhao secretly in the evening. Suddenly there were footsteps outside Dou Zhao’s room. Dou Ming lay on Dou Zhao’s legs and hid. This close contact caused subtle changes in the sisterhood between the two.
Song Mo received news that his mother was very ill, but when he arrived she already passed away. His father Song Yi Chun also accused Song Mo of impregnating his mother’s maid who was three months pregnant and then killed herself. Song Mo was locked in the shed. Dou Zhao decided to save him. She admitted that he had saved her life. Song Mo guessed that she was the woman in his dream, the one with a flower mark behind her neck. Just when applying medicine to Song Mo’s wound, he discovered that a strand of white hair had appeared, which reminded her of the silver-haired Song Mo in his previous life.
Episode 13
Before Dou Zhao left, Song Mo acknowledged that his journey would bring infamy, but he must pursue truth and justice even if he died. Even if only one person in the world believed in him, he would be satisfied. Dou Zhao said affectionately that she will wait for Song Mo’s return and will unswervingly support him no matter what the future holds. He asked if she was the masked girl, but she lied. Just as he was about to set off, he noticed some white powder on his hands and instantly realized that Dou Zhao was the masked girl. She cleverly covered up the mark of the flower so as not to interfere with his decision.
Song Mo found his father and cut off their relationship. He buried his mother and his soldiers. After the burials, he finally lost control and fainted. He was in a coma for seven days.
Someone saw Dou Zhao come home with bloody men’s clothes. Dou Shi Shu and Wang Ying Xue accused her of having a secret affair with a man. Dou Shi Shu secretly arranged for someone to deliver the news to Wu Shan. He came to resolve the situation, telling them that it was his bloody clothes. Song Mo woke up from a coma seven days later and Yan Chao Qing told him what happened to Dou Zhao. Dou Zhao couldn’t bear Wu Shan being implicated, so she came to beg Dou Shi Shu to release him. She knew that Dou Shi Shu intended to destroy Prime Minister Wu.
Dou Shi Ying returned and saw that Dou Zhao was injured from punishment. He quickly visited, but Dou Zhao declined to see him. After more than ten years, Dou Zhao returned to his father but was repeatedly hurt. He blamed himself endlessly and decided to lift the ban on Dou Zhao. Dou Zhao walked on the street in pain and happened to meet Song Mo. After an emotional reunion, they discussed the current situation and the war. Prime Minister Wu Ge supported the war, but the Emperor was unwilling. Dou Shi Shu purposely dragged Wu Shan into it.
Episode 14
Dou Zhao visited Wu Shan in the prison. Wu Shan knew it was a trap by Dou Shi Shu, but he couldn’t let Dou Zhao take risks. He explained that before he met Dou Zhao, he felt like a puppet, but after meeting Dou Zhao, he wanted to be free. On the execution ground, Wu Shan insisted on his innocence. Just before he was executed, Song Mo hurried over with the emperor’s imperial edict. He and Prime Minister Wu had knelt outside the palace gate, submitted their resignations, and requested to meet the emperor in order to rescue Wu Shan. Wu Shan was freed and was sent to Yuanyou Palace for three years to build an imperial statue. When he left, Dou Zhao stood on the hillside to see him off. Song Mo handed Dou Zhao the blood letter written by Wu Shan in prison. That blood letter was Wu Shan’s desire for freedom and his struggle against fate when his life and death were uncertain.
Three months later, there was an imperial competition between the young nobles, a shooting and hunting competition for the noblemen, and a cooking competition for the noble ladies. There is an unknown conspiracy behind the cooking competition. Dou Zhao excelled in any competition and won them, but Wei Ting Zhen wanted to remove her from the first place. Fortunately, the eldest princess Shude arrived. Shude felt that Dou Zhao was like herself when she was young. She also felt that Dou Zhao and Song Mo were a perfect match.
Song Mo hunted venomous snakes during the competition and explained to the Emperor that snakes are like lurking enemies that destroy the kingdom. His words reminded the emperor of Jiang Mei Sun who also said the same thing. The emperor announced Song Mo as the winner.
The competition winners, Song Mo and Dou Zhao, were taken to the Emperor who was with Dou Shi Shu discussing the envoy meeting. The emperor wanted to hear everyone’s opinions on the current situation. Dou Zhao proposed a unique idea he liked, so he wanted to reward her. Shude used the opportunity to match Dou Zhao and Song Mo. Dou Shi Shu immediately objected because Dou Zhao and Wei Ting Yu had a marriage arrangement. The emperor promised Song Mo to give Princess Jing Yu as his wife. This made Dou Zhao uncomfortable. When she left, Song Mo stopped her and offered to help her break off the engagement, but Dou Zhao firmly stated that she would handle her own matters.
Episode 15
Dou Ming disappeared after the cooking competition and Dou Zhao suspected she was with Wei Ting Yu. She and Song Mo searched for them together. Wei Ting Yu sprained his foot and Dou Ming was reluctant to leave him in the woods. Just when they were about to leave together, an arrow was suddenly shot out. Song Mo reacted quickly, instinctively protecting Dou Zhao and grabbing the arrow tightly. Later, Dou Zhao walked along a river with a heavy feeling. Song Mo almost got shot because of her again, which made her feel even more helpless. She was absent-minded and almost fell into the water. Fortunately, Song Mo rescued her in time and hugged her tightly. Dou Zhao asked him to keep his distance from her, thinking that this was the greatest relief to her.
Dou Zhao knew that Wei Ting Yu and Dou Ming liked each other. She called him aside alone and urged him to break off the engagement. But he did not dare to disobey his sister’s wishes. Dou Zhao was very angry at Wei Ting Yu’s cowardice. Song Mo observed their conversation secretly and understood that Dou Zhao did not want to marry Wei Tingyu.
Episode 16
Taking the matter into her own hands, Dou Zhao played tricks with the marriage divination and feigning infertility. She was not the only one who tried to break the marriage agreement, though. Song Mo begged the Emperor to break the engagement. Ji Yong trapped Wei Ting Yu and Dou Ming together in a room. Wei Ting Yu told his sister that he wanted to marry Dou Ming. Dou Ming tried to commit suicide. Someone even went to snatch the bride on the wedding day! In the end, Wei Ting Yu ended up marrying Dou Ming. Whose plan succeeded?
Episode 17
The elders were not happy with the bride swap and Dou’s family had a big argument. Finally, Dou Shi Ying couldn’t bear it anymore and lost his temper for the first time defending Dou Zhao. Wei Ting Zhen was also angry because she lost the chance to snatch Dou Zhao’s huge dowry. Wang Xing Yue appeased her anger by promising to share half of her business profits. That was Wang Xin Yue’s loan shark business. Dou Zhao reported her stepmother’s illegal business to Dou Shi Ying. He then ordered the household finances to be managed by Dou Zhao.
As night fell, Song Mo visited her secretly. He confessed his feelings and proposed to her. Although the Emperor didn’t want to break the engagement, he gave Dou Zhao the freedom to marry anyone or not marry. Dou Zhao rejected him, but Song Mo could tell she was lying. Finally, she told him the truth partially about her mother’s suicide and her dream that two people were killed by an arrow. She even insisted that the flower mark behind her ear is an evidence. However, when checked, the red flower mark has disappeared! Song Mo gave Dou Zhao five days to consider his proposal. If she was willing to marry him, she would tie a red ribbon under the crape myrtle tree; otherwise, she would tie a white one. Song Mo said although the tree has a tenacious vitality and can thrive without care, it will surely grow even more vigorously if someone supports it.
Father and daughter’s relationship is mended. Dou Zhao told her father that it’s not that she doesn’t want to marry, but she wants to marry the right person. Dou Shi Ying promised that he would reject anyone who proposes marriage. Sure enough, Dou Zhao’s marriage cancellation is national news. Many single noblemen flock the Dou Manor to propose because of her huge dowry! To avoid commotion, Dou Zhao lives with Grandma Cui. While waiting for Dou Zhao’s answer, Song Mo did not stay quiet. He sent curd soup to the whole Cui Manor to win Grandma’s heart. He also had an intellectual convo about books with the scholarly Dou Shi Ying.
Conclusion
Curious to know how this drama ends? Read the second part: Blossom: Recap Part 2 (Episodes 18 to 34).
