Bu Bu Jing Xin Scene Recap: A Destiny on Horseback with 4th Prince

Bu Bu Jing Xin is a story steeped in gray areas, where right and wrong are not painted in absolutes. The drama nevertheless is a study in contrasts, none more so than the parallel development of Ruo Xi’s relationships with 8th Prince and 4th Prince. I think the seeds were planted at the same time between her and the two men, thereby allowing her to explore a possibility with each other at different junctures in her life.

While her relationship with 8th Prince always felt very heady and tender, her every interaction with 4th Prince always felt charged and intense. I think we need to thank a horse for being a very useful third wheel for many a Ruo Xi-4th Prince interaction in the early episodes of the drama. Below I recount a series of exhilirating exchanges between 4th Prince, Ruo Xi, and some horseback related situations.

Ruo Xi ventures out of the estate of the 8th Prince for the first time since she arrived in the Qing Dynasty. She’s familiar with this old Beijing, which surprises her maid since Ruo Xi supposedly just arrived in the city from being stationed with her General father in the plains of Manchuria. Suddenly there is a commotion as soldiers descend on the streets, dividing people down two sides of the street. Word is the Emperor is returning to the Forbidden City so these people are here to welcome him.

Ruo Xi suddenly sees an official hurrying down the road and she recognizes him as the construction foreman on the night she argued with her cheating boyfriend and got hit by a car and then electrocuted. Ruo Xi hurries after him, finally catching up to him. She grabs him and demands to know where the construction site is? He’s confused and tells her that she is out-of-line.

Suddenly a horse thunders down the road and Ruo Xi turns around to find herself almost trampled. There is a frisson of energy that passes between her and the horse and rider, who manages to pull the horse up so it leaps over Ruo Xi’s head.

The rider makes a great effort to get the horse back under control. Ruo Xi stands there shocked and stunned, making direct eye contact with 4th Prince.

The official kneels and begs forgiveness from the 4th Prince. Ruo Xi continues to stand there, staring at the 4th Prince, until her maid forces her to kneel and beg forgiveness, identifying themselves as ladies from the estate of the 8th Prince.

4th Prince gives Ruo Xi one more piercing look, and then he turns and rides towards where he initially was headed. Ruo Xi raises her head and looks at his back, thinking to herself “Number 4, 4th Prince….Yongzheng.”

It’s days later when Ruo Xi ventures back out on the streets of Beijing. Since her first encounter with 4th Prince on a horse, she’s decided that perhaps getting into a similar accident as what sent her here would send her back. She hears the sound of hoofs approaching from behind her.

Ruo Xi steels herself and steps into the middle of the street, then turning around with her arms outstretched to be run over.

But the two riders manage to restrain their mounts before it runs over Ruo Xi. She finds herself face-to-nose with a horse and falls back in shock.

Immediately one rider dismounts and asks her if she’s alright. Ruo Xi looks at him, and then looks at the other rider still sitting on the horse, that person being 4th Prince. Ruo Xi rolls at her eyes upon seeing 4th Prince, muttering “oh lord, why is it YOU again?”

Ruo Xi then looks at the other man in front of her and then back at 4th Prince, who identifies him as 13th Prince. Ruo Xi is helped up by 13th Prince, but she immediately yelps in pain upon standing because she’s twisted her ankle.

4th Prince hears this, and then rides off. He stops a little ways ahead and dismounts, walking into a store. Ruo Xi and 13th Prince turn to watch him.

13th Prince asks Ruo Xi how she knows 4th Prince? Ruo Xi says she just knows him, and then explains that her sister is the second wife of the 8th Prince. 13th Prince gives her an assessing look, correctly pointing out that she doesn’t strike him as being related to 8th Prince at all.

8th Prince is refined and cultured, and everyone on his estate is similarly well-trained. Ruo Xi accepts 13th Prince’s correct but slightly insulting observation in stride.

4th Prince walks out of the store and puts a bottle into his robe. He gets back on his horse and rides back to join 13th Prince and Ruo Xi. 13th Prince offers to take Ruo Xi back to the estate of the 8th Prince. She agrees, but only if they promise not to reveal what happened today to anyone back home. The princes exchange a knowing look and then agree.

Ruo Xi limps her way back into the house, to be met by Ruo Lan and her maid. Ruo Lan thanks the two princes for assisting Ruo Xi, who gives her sister some cock-and-bull story about how she was walking near the front door and tripped and the two princes happened to arrive to visit 8th Prince.

4th Prince gives her yet another one of his patented stares, before asking Ruo Lan if 8th Prince is home now, tacitly allowing Ruo Xi’s little fib to stand.

Ruo Lan invites the two princes in to sit. Before Ruo Xi can run back to her room, 4th Prince asks to speak with her privately. After 13th Prince and Ruo Lan walk away, 4th Prince tells Ruo Xi that the first horse incident was clearly an accident, but today she clearly stepped in front of their horse. He surmises that she has a death wish and wants to die.

Ruo Xi says that’s not true, there is so much she can’t let go of, why would she want to die. It’s actually the opposite, she desperately wants to live. 4th Prince gives her a look but doesn’t press further. He takes out a bottle of medicine for her injured foot, which he clearly went to buy when he heard she hurt it.

Ruo Xi takes the medicine and thanks him. 4th Prince tells Ruo Xi that he saved her life, so now her life belongs to him. Without his permission, she is not allowed to die. He walks away to join 13th Prince and Ruo Lan, while Ruo Xi stands there and looks at his departing back.

Many episodes later after the first two horse incidents, after Ruo Xi has entered the palace and become the tea-serving maiden to the Emperor, she finds herself in the Mongolian plains on a routine trip accompanying the Emperor’s entourage.

On this trip the Emperor has brought along 1st Prince, Crown Prince, 4th Prince, and 13th Prince. Ruo Xi dazzles the Emperor with a beautiful floral tea set and some chilled tea. As her reward she asks for horseback riding lessons, which 13th Prince gladly undertakes to teach her.

One night, Ruo Xi is laying out in the Mongolian plains waiting for 13th Prince to arrive. She hears hoofs and calls out for 13th Prince to come join her for a night of stargazing and skip her lessons for the day.

Footsteps walk towards Ruo Xi and sits down next to her. A voice says “sure”, to which Ruo Xi realizes it’s not 13th Prince. She turns to stare in shock at the calm and controlled face of 4th Prince looking down at her from where he’s sat down next to her.

Ruo Xi quickly scrambles up and takes a few steps back. She courtesies to 4th Prince and then suggests they call it a night and head back since she’s tired. He suggests they stargaze like she suggested if she is tired. He sits back down and looks at her.

Ruo Xi has no choice but to continue her horseback riding lessons. 4th Prince is a stern instructor, pushing Ruo Xi rather than just taking it easy. Poor Ruo Xi finishes the night exhausted.

Days later, Ruo Xi is waiting for 13th Prince again for her lessons when once again it’s 4th Prince who arrives to teach her.

This time Ruo Xi excuses herself quickly and tries to walk past him to head back to camp.

As Ruo Xi brushes past 4th Prince, he grabs her and turns her towards him. She’s stunned and tries to extricate herself but he pulls her arms behind her and presses her right up against him.

He asks if this isn’t what she’s been angling for all along? 4th Prince kisses Ruo Xi forcefully. She struggles and bites him on the lip, which causes him to pull back.

Ruo Xi’s face is bright red as both of them stare at each other. She asks if 4th Prince wants to use force? If he wishes, she cannot deny him. He touches his lip and smiles

4th Prince pulls Ruo Xi close again, this time gently and slowly, before asking her why he ought to be using force? He lets her go and the moment is over. Ruo Xi looks completely shaken and unnerved, her face still red hot.

4th Prince continues his horseback riding lessons for the night with Ruo Xi. This moment, however unexpected and unwanted by Ruo Xi at this time, will nevertheless be an unforgettable memory between her and 4th Prince.


Comments

Bu Bu Jing Xin Scene Recap: A Destiny on Horseback with 4th Prince — 36 Comments

  1. Mrs. Koala… Thank you so much for the post!! really love it and make me understand further about each scene (I don’t understand chinese well :P)

    btw, Mrs. Koala, please recap the scene when 4th prince and Ruo Xi in the snow (the scene where Ruo xi fall down and being help by 4th prince) because i accidentally miss those episode..

    pls,pls,pls XD thx before

  2. Thank you for the horse scene recap. He’s the man…..Powhatan saying, “Why do you take by force what you can obtain by love?” He’s that confident…. 🙂

  3. BBJX is so intense that all scenes can be memorable. Ruoxi’s moments with 8th Prince made my heart swell, yet her moments with 4th Prince transmitted a passion that
    one usually feels with a young first love (fighting and making up – i.e. it’s not meant to be –
    yet one cannot help but feel an illogical and uncontrollable passion). BBJX is so stunning!
    I recommended it to my mandarin “laoshi” so she can explain it to me. The literal translation of BBJX is “step by step startling (heart)” and it really is startling, every step of the way.

  4. I’m a total 4th Prince and RX shipper!

    Would be happy if you just did recaps of their scenes 😛

    I’m surprised no one has given them nicknames yet 🙂

  5. Thanks so much.. i was waiting for what you will capture between RX and 4th. I like the very first encountered.. thought 4th prince is really cool then… actually i think it’s nicky’s made me think that 4th is cool… of course I enjoyed the kiss.. although it was force.. but I like his aggressiveness. When I was watching the 2 horse lesson scenes.. i was laughing to myself how fake the background was.. until the kiss.. it was so unexpected… but was so satisfying.

    Thanks so much for capturing these scene.. i am looking forwards to more scene captures…

  6. I really like the theme-based recaps you’re doing for BBJX. Most recaps are just details of the episode, and exploration of recurring themes is something left to the commentary so it gets somewhat forgotten. Looking forward to more!

  7. 4th prince ;). I’m sorry I don’t love you as much as 8th, but you and Ruoxi belong together.

    I love that line he says; “Without my permission, you can’t die.” It sounds so fluffy, and makes me sqee with joy. But then it becomes this poisonous line he says at the end, and it’s just so heartbreaking.

    When 4 was teaching Ruoxi how to ride a horse, I felt the awkward tension between the two. It’s so cute~ then when he grabbed her and kissed her Aaaaaah. I just love sudden kisses like that. It’s usually due to all the feelings that become unable to control. The guy just loses it and BAM. 😉 lucky horse got to see it live. Pfft. Oh what I would pay if I had $$$.

    • I bet 4th Prince would say that to anyone he saved (like a SOP of sorts) because such indebtness could benefit his quest for the throne later. One can only wonder how he managed to win over people like Longkeduo, Wangxi and the servant from 8th Prince’s household. But in RuoXi’s case, it became a lover’s request over time and another cut of sorrow, because even the Emperor cannot conquer Death

  8. I love both horseback riding lesson scenes a lot!!!
    For me it was what caused RX to be unknowingly drawn to the 4th Prince. It’s like no matter how much she wanted to stay away from him yet her subconscious mind is telling her otherwise. I mean she could have persisted that she really wanted to rest so that she can get away from his presence but she didn’t. I don’t buy the superficial reason that she didn’t insist not going ahead with the lesson ’cause he’s the 4th Prince and may punish her or whatever. I’d rather believe she was intrigued by him as he was with her at that point in time.

  9. more, more, more….

    totally 4th prince and rx. 🙂 4th has always been first with her.

    it’s hard to get over the drama huh! thanks koala for the daily goodies.

  10. Hmmm…love your recap but just want to point out a few mistakes. Ruoxi didn’t ask the eunuch/construction worker where the site was, she asked where was Huang Di (her boyfriend’s name which is also a homonym for Emperor). Also, I’m not sure whether you wrote “gladly” as sarcastic or not but 13th was not that thrilled to be teaching Ruoxi. He even said himself, “Teaching girls how to ride is not my forte.” He was just sort of roped into by Ruoxi. I’ve noticed little mistakes like that in your BBJX posts but never said anything. It’s no big deal but just wanted to let you know 🙂

  11. I, somehow, cannot connect to 4th. I laughed and cried with 8th, 13th and 14th (especially 14th and could not understand why RX is not attracted to him romantically!!! I would anyday!), but 4th and RX do not give me the shivers in their interactions (whether romatic or not). I actually ship 14th-RX, until the end!

    • I don’t think we’re in love with him cos’ of his looks are we 🙂

      I know I am not..however he is magnetic.That’s the closest word I can come up with why I love him then I love 8th Prince.Then he appears with RX and gives that intense look and just sheer charisma…then I am in love with 4th Prince again.

  12. thanks for this ockoala! I always look forward in opening my computer and stalking your website for more of BBJX. need to quench my thirst 🙂

    anyone, please tell me what RX is reading on a boat in the lotus area episode 17?

    also, what is she also reading in ep18 that made her want to do calligraphy? then later 4th went to see and asked what is she doing, then picked up the paper with chinese characters

    I do not read/speak/understand chinese. but it would be great what these letters are because there is no eng sub in these part of drama. i wish they would make a little tranlation for letters or anything being written on paper so i will know what that is.
    thanks!

  13. Mrs Koala, thanks, thanks thanks for these recaps.
    Another of my favourite scene between them is after the 2nd horse encounter, she was walking (hobbling) around with her maid and she was saying that as long as she doesn’t meet Mr Ice Cube Face, and lol behold, 4th is there…

  14. I’m in love with 4th prince from the moment he appeared in the drama the first. I just
    luv the way Nicky uses his intense glares to express his emotions, it’s very hard! I luv the slight interaction b/t 4th and Ruoxi. Thx Koala for recapping some of the memorable scenes
    in BBJX. I absolutely luv this drama ! Longshi shipper ftw!

  15. Brilliant! I love love love reading everything about BBJX written by you. “While her relationship with 8th Prince always felt very heady and tender, her every interaction with 4th Prince always felt charged and intense.” That what it is… I’m a sucker for that intensity and “his patented stares”. Your writing is so insightful and generous!

    You are so very much appreciated! Hugs!

  16. i wonder if you can also translate the song three inches in heaven?
    and thanks ms. koala for the screencaps! 😀
    i love this drama to death, havent seen an amazing dramas since LOCH ’08.
    4th-RX tears me up inside and keeps me weeping. sigh T__T

  17. More BBJX recaps/posts please OCKoala! I’m on BBJX withdrawal and it aint pretty. Please & thank you very, very, very (x infinity) much. 🙂

  18. well the story was written that way, i would love to read the novel in english, or german, it explains so many of my questions, yet the place i found is only up to chapter 8
    to me no matter what 4th and roxy did not have that exploding anytime chemistry that 8th had with roxy, but i wonder what place would she have taken in 8th household, his first wife treated roulan like crab, that was not right, because roulan was supposily have been his first love , so how could he allow the 8 consort to treat her the way she did, i am sure he was aware of it,
    8th du fin or how ever you write it, i know he married her not for love but for power , influence, and he stated that no one will ever be able to take her place, so if he loved roxy so much , where would he have placed roxy, i know roxy would have been able to defend herself against ming hu , 8 the would still had to treat her with some respect or he would have been in trouble with the family of his di fuin,
    as for 4th i respect the way his wives treated roxy as if roxy was above them, there was no fighting going on there like at 8th household,
    would 8th have made roxy his nr 1 priority , would she have been his only love, there are so many unanswered questions , i could understand that 8th could not give up on the throne, i understood why, i wished that 8th was openminded like 13th prince , than thinks could have worked out for those 2, maybe i am on 8 ship because he is one hunk of a man, good looking , polite, you could get lost in his eyes, when 8th was kissing roxy and rolling in the grass, it was so intense , yet sweet , to many emotions to express, but it looked so real,
    beyond my wildest imagination, even do she ended up with 4, nomatter what , they did not share that kind of chemistry onscreen, so maybe we need to ask 8 or kevin cheng, hey dude
    where you acting just really well, or did it come out like that because you feeled it for real.
    its a huge question mark for me. kevin cheng 8th prince is a single male 40 years old,
    so anyone , was the chemistry between those to makebelieve , or was there more to it, behind the scense

  19. magnificent put up, very informative. I ponder why the other experts of this sector don’t realize this. You should proceed your writing. I’m confident, you’ve a great readers’ base already!

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