Sound of the Desert – Episode 6 Recap

This recap took me a while but I finally finished. Currently it’s the wee hours in the morning here, but hopefully this recap will hold everyone over until Tomorrow (which really is just today).

 

We get a background of the royal family – the Current Emperor is 30 and the Princess is an Elder sister. When he learned of her existence – he didn’t care what anyone said about his family (his sister’s father isn’t the Emperor before him) and made her into a princess. The Emperor is both cunning and politically astute – he can be cold and warm in a moment’s notice. And if Qin Xiang wants to enter into his attention then she has to realize that her battlefield is the Harem – where there may be no weapons but words can just be as deadly.

Qin Xiang asks why does she have to learn medicine. And Xin Yue replies taht she has to keep her beauty for as long as possible, even though she is gorgeous, age leaves no one behind so she has to find ways to slow down the process.

There’s one other thing…Xin Yue’s face reddens and she stutters about that thing b-between a man and a woman. Hong Gu smiles at the two girls who get more awkward. Hong Gu says that books that explain those things exist only in the palace, and the person who can get it for them is Wei Wu Ji.

Qin Yue, trying to save face says no problem – she can get it from Wei Wu Ji. She goes to his house but just as she’s about to enter, she walks away thinking about this rediculous request. Wei Wu Ji sees how she walks in and out at his door and tells her to come in.

Once inside she looks down awkward and mumbles that she needs a favor. Without looking at him she tells him that she needs a book about men and women…doing that…

He jumps up and asks slyly – what do you mean by that. What is she talking about, can she be clearer?

She gets agitated and says fine, if you can’t help. He pulls her back and asks who it’s for, she said its for someone else. He promises to get a copy for her. He gets closer to her with a smirk and whispers – this book is good and might help you…but if there are things you can’t understand, he can help. She elbows him and runs away.

Hong Gu observes that Wei Wu Ji got the book really fast to them. The two girls are a really quiet and Hong Gu laughs that at these two girls – who are so calm and smart are like mutes right now… and can’t get a word or two in. She tells them that she’ll invited some experienced women to give Qin Xiang lessons. Qin Yue should go and learn these things too.

Once Hong Gu leaves Qin Xiang links arms with Xin Yue and the two girls bicker a little and open the book.

In a green garden, a man in a white robe picks up the hand of a girl in green robes. He gently holds her head against his shoulder, they part to look into each others’ eyes. They leaned towards each other and just before their lips meet. Xin Yue wakes up. (Around the world Hu-Shi shippers commiserate in solidarity)

She smiles at the dream and silently asks if Jiu Ye ever dreams of her. She starts building a gold and silver flower vine support for the flower seeds she planted. Meanwhile there are still no notes from Jiu Ye (Via Pigeon Text). Xin Yue wonders if she has to keep guessing about Jiu Ye’s heart, if every time she reaches out he will turn away and leave her.

Xin Yue goes to see Qin Xiang and finds her deep into the Sex Book. She asks Qin Xiang to go with her to see Eldest Brother Qin and Qin Xiang agrees. On their way their, Qin Xiang reminds Xin Yue that she too is of age and should think about getting married, especially since she really likes that nice man from Shi Enterprises. Xin Yue retorts that just because Qin Xiang wants to get married doesn’t mean everyone wants to, she runs off while Qin Xiang smiles and says that her good intentions just went down the drain.

Eldest Brother and Ding Ling are playing the qin. Xin Yue teases them and Ding Ling leaves, a little embarrassed. Qin Xiang keeps Xin Yue from going to overboard and Xin yue teases that Ding Ling isn’t her sister in law just yet.

Li San paints a picture of him facing the sunset that the tower where he and Qin Xiang stood next to each other (without knowing). Qin Xiang goes to pick up her red qin and plays it for a while. In the painting shop – Li San hears the music and rushes over. But by the time he gets there, Qin Xiang is gone.

Qin Xiang had gone to the painting shop and saw the new Li San painting, the one where he’s facing the sunset.  She sees that this was what she saw, and the painting knew how she felt as well. She wants to buy it and the shop keeper tells her that Li San had said that whoever wants this painting can have it – if they leave something for exchange. Qin Xiang left her handkerchief with her name “Xiang” embroidered on it and later, Li San who comes back to the shop – receives the handkerchief.

In a green bamboo forest, Qin Xiang is playing her red Qin. Li San heard the music and came to investigate. Her music stops and he asks her why does her music sound so sad, angry, and bitter. Is there anything he can do to make things better?

She asks him if he had to choose between the greater good and his own happiness, what would he choose? He says that men have to choose the greater good. she scoffs taht men always choose the great good. He backtracks and said that life is long, happiness is important as well. He introduces himself and she realizes that Li San is the man who she’s been noticing but always never meeting.  He asks if she likes the qin he fixed, and that the meeting between them must be heaven’s way of hinting that they should meet. She repeats after him and wonders out loud, that rather, it must be heaven’s idea of a cruel joke. She leaves without seeing him.

Wei Wu Ji comes to bug Xin Yue again, asking her if she’s read the book. She yells that she hasn’t and grabs her into his arms and says “Hurry up and tell me, have you read it?” She smiles evil and tries to bite him, he grins at her. He tells her that seriously, if she has any thing that needs him, come find him, he’s good for it in Jian An. He smirks as he leaves and says if she has questions in the book, she can definitely come find him.

As Xin Yue practices on her flute, Hong Gu comes running to see her. Li San has come to their Dance House looking for Qin Xiang. Li San is not only the son of a famous general but going to be a famous general too.

Xin Yue goes to look for Qin Xiang and asks if she wants to meet Li San – she knows that there’s something going on between them and after Qin Xiang explain she asks if she doesn’t want happiness instead revenge. Qin Xiang determinedly says she will not meet him.  She tells Xin Yue to find a girl to replace her when seeing Li San.

Li San sees the girl and is utterly confused and sad when a different girl that he knows isn’t the girl he’s looking for. He leaves before Xin Yue tries to give him the girl.

Xin Yue goes to see Qin Xiang again and says it’s not too late to see him. Qin Xiang says that she’s envious of Xin Yue who can love who she wants but Qin Xiang can not, because she can’t let go. She burns Li San’s painting.

The next day Xin Yue and the Princess are walking in the bamboo forest. The princess asks why does XIn Yue want to show her the girl in a bamboo forrest and Xin Yue replies that women are like flowers, the need the right light and place to appear the most beautiful. They see Qin Xiang, whose back is to them as she’s playing her Qin. She stops as a dragonfly lands on her hand, stands up and gently lets it fly away. The princess sighs that Xin Yue is right,this kind of airy grace wasn’t something that can be seen in a room.

The princess indeed sees that Qin Xiang is a matchless beauty and immediately moves her to the Princess’s Household. Xin Yue and Qin Xiang say goodbye – the road ahead of Qin Xiang is long and hard, and she must rely only on herself.

After a brief montage of things that have happened between 3 characters in all 6 episodes…

A group of people bow repectfully to a figure in a carriage. They thank Jiu Ye for his help of the desert tribes, giving them sustenance during hard times. We learn that Jiu Ye has been helping the enemy survive. (His family has long since had ties to the desert)

But, one of them points out – Jiu Ye could do more, and their Desert Chief has specially come to Han to talk about have Shi help the Desert kingdoms more and make the Desert tribes stronger. Jiu Ye says that he did all he could to keep the people safe and fed, anymore is out of his control, He has no need to meet the Desert Chief, and tells them to go back.

The girl again yells at him for disrespecting the Desert Cheif who rules all the tribes in the desert, the Desert Chief is a king among kings and a powerful warrior, how could Jiu Ye be so disrespectful!

 

Thoughts

Suteki (highly recommended blog) and I just had a discussion on Eddie Pengs merits. And I’ll admit – my bias of Hu Ge is clouding my judgement and yes, Eddie Peng certainly is holding his own in this episode. I can’t help but smile at his puppy-ish face. He’s more impish in this episode and I’m warming up to him, esp the way he teases Xin Yue. All these name changes bug me since I really want to write their real names. Thank you SARFT.