Where the Mask Ends episode 24 recap: A summons, seven days and an eclipse

In short

A Chou's raid works: kidnapped girls' families wail at the palace gate, the Emperor makes the crown prince kneel, and he dares not chase her. Lady Shou'an gives A Chou seven days to decide about Lu Zhuo, and on the last day an eclipse brings them face to face.

What happens in episode 24

Qi Zhongkai tells Lu Zhuo that the crown prince's villa in the east of the city held many of the kidnapped girls' relatives, including a minor court clerk whose tongue and limbs had been cut off, so he can't testify. Li Wei searched the city all night and found no one. The slums are open to refugees by imperial order, so the checkpoints must come down at dawn.

Women gather outside the Duan Gate, crying that powerful men stole their daughters. The Emperor hears of it, berates the chief of justice, and the man names the crown prince. The crown prince is made to kneel outside Xuanshi Hall until he faints. That was A Chou's plan all along: with this hanging over him, he won't dare hunt for the attacker, or admit he can no longer father a child. Liu Shuo runs to help his brother and offers to plead for him, and the pale crown prince is grateful.

Wei Shu suspects A Chou was the masked intruder, but the crown prince won't believe a woman could cause all this, and he shouts at her. Sure she is missing something, Wei Shu visits the Zhuyu estate. A Chou makes sure Hong Xian walks past her, and Wei Shu knocks the teacup from Hong Xian's hand. Her guess is confirmed, but A Chou knows she has no proof.

Word that A Chou spent the night in Lu Zhuo's Songyue Hall sets the Duke's household talking. Lu Zhuo shuts down two gossiping aunts, and tells the old Duchess and his mother not to raise the marriage again. At the estate, Cheng Yu shows off to win A Chou over, until Lady Shou'an arrives, sends him off with Huo Jue's trading caravan, and gives A Chou seven days to settle things with Lu Zhuo, or the Lu family's name is ruined.

Xie Hualou begs A Chou to turn Lu Zhuo down, so she can marry him instead of Prince Fu and his many wives. A Chou refuses and has A Man follow her, but Wei Shu has already met Xie Hualou at a tavern. Xie Hualou won't stoop to murder or framing anyone; Wei Shu only asks her to speak well of the crown prince to her grandfather, the Grand Tutor. On the seventh day, a cold snap sends A Chou to check on her grandmother, and Lu Zhuo rides past her carriage toward her estate. She doesn't call out, not wanting to drag him down. Then a total eclipse darkens the sky, crowds panic, and she jumps down to look for him. He hears her, and they find each other across the crowd.

Why it matters

A Chou gets away with maiming the crown prince, but now both Wei Shu and Xie Hualou are working against her, and Lady Shou'an's deadline forces her to answer Lu Zhuo.

Based on the episode synopsis, summarized in our own words: TVmao (电视猫) episode synopses, cited by Baidu Baike Baidu Baike: official synopsis, episode synopses, cast and 追剧日历