Pursuit of Jade: Ep 22-Ep 23 Recap - Can You Swim?
Previous Recaps: Ep 1-5, Ep 6-9, Ep 10-11, Ep 12-13, Ep 14-15, Ep 16-17, Ep 18-19, Ep 20-21
Novel fan translation: Chasing Jade
Main characters:
Zhang Ling He as Yan Zheng/Xie Zheng, title: Marquis of Wu'an, courtesy name: Jiuheng
Tian Xi Wei as Fan Changyu/???
Ep 22: Sui Yuanqing is all excited to kill Xie Zheng for merit. Sui Yuanhuai doesn't tell his younger brother that Changning is actually Xie Zheng's sister-in-law, not daughter, though he has figured this out himself (I mean not that it matters, Xie Zheng is going to kill for that kid anyway, lol but it shows that the brothers aren't actually friends). At the labour camp, Fan Changyu carries baskets up the mountain for chicken,
Old Tao asks Fan Changyu to do something for him in the morning. The Nanny is running away with Bao'er. Sui Yuanhuai is so angry that Yu Qianqian who hates him is trying to escape. He locks her in the woodshed and then strangles the Nanny's son for information.
The concerned maid from before brings Yu Qianqian food. Old Tao gets very worked up by Fan Changyu's scouting and demands to see the general. He advises the general to drill different holes. Then he reveals that he is Grand Tutor Tao Yi. Yu Qianqian is working up some escape plans:
Tutor Tao offers to make Fan Changyu his disciple but she's not into it.
It turns out the general thinks that most of the labourers will die when they blow up the dam. Tutor Tao gives Fan Changyu a secret plan and begs with the general to try a different strategy that will save more lives. The labourers are told to draw lots of Go or Stay. The thug group and Fan Changyu all get Stay, Tutor Tao trades with Fan Changyu so she can Go. Seems like the Stays will die... awww, the thugs all traded for Gos to stay with her!
They learn that they've escaped death, and Tutor Tao gave Fan Changyu a note telling her to leave. So of course Fan Changyu does not listen:
Our girl has decided that she will not accept any more deaths of people she likes
Fan Changyu and the thugs chase down the enemy scouts so they can't tell the Sui family about the dam plan. On the battlefield, Sui Yuanqing charges Xie Zheng's army with Changning.
Xie Zheng saves Changning and gets stabbed for it. They fight on horseback which was very cool and Sui Yuanqing is captured.
horse eyeball reflection shot!
Fan Changyu catches a scout before he lets off the flare. Then the dam explodes!
Ep 23: The water destroys the army and the manor, Fan Changyu kills the enemy scout, and Xie Zheng has Sui Yuanqing captured. Sui Yuanhuai rides back to the manor. Xie Zheng is surrounded by 30,000 men and he only has 800. They have a plan! Which is to wait on a mountain for the main force of General He's to arrive.
Yu Qianqian almost drowns, but is saved by Medically Necessary Kissing (my favourite trope!):
but I'm not even happy about it because I hate him
The Nanny wants to align with Xie Zheng, but Sui Yuanhuai/Qi Min catches up to her. Then we see some backstory, of Sui Yuanhuai's face being burned by his mother (novel note: this was for disguise) and her death. Then the Nanny stabs him with a hairpin and I cheered
Good for her. Not smart. But good
The Nanny wants Bao'er to live and tells Sui Yuanhuai that Yu Qianqian wants him dead. We find out Yu Qianqian even tried to kill him when he was saving her from drowning (queen). Nanny dies, but her son runs away with Bao'er.
Xie Zheng is at the mountain top camp. Fan Changyu meets Uncle Zhao again! He's doing well. Uncle Zhao thinks Fan Changyu should fix her marriage because "Yan" Zheng likes her. Tutor Tao is disappointed that Fan Changyu is learning black-smithing and not hanging out with him. The old men (especially Tutor Tao) compete for her attention like toddlers.
luckily she has experience with stubborn, ridiculous men and toddlers
Li Huaian shows up. He tells Fan Changyu to use his courtesy name Wenkan. She keeps calling him "lord."
Xie Zheng sends a letter via Sunsun that Changning is okay and he'll send her back home. Fan Changyu volunteers to deliver grain to the Marquis of Wa'an's camp. Tutor Tao is all for it, Uncle Zhao thinks he's crazy. She succeeds, which means tomorrow our mains are finally back together!
Novel notes: I read up to the fake riot and Fan Changyu actually proposes kidnapping plans 4 times that day! (they are all shot down) She's the best. Xie Zheng is like, "Kidnapping will not work here." and she basically replies, "No it will, just gotta kidnap the right person."
Posted Mar 15, 2026, 11:55 AM UTC