A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College Episode 27 Recap
> A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College Recap
Sang Qi diligently prepared pastries for her father, Grand Commandant Sang, to enjoy upon his return. Yan Yunzhi, observing her efforts, offered to help, even attempting to learn the intricate art of kneading dough from her. As they worked, Yan Yunzhi expressed his hope for a future where their lives together would always be as harmonious and domestic as that moment.
Their sweet interaction was interrupted by the sudden arrival of Yan Yan, who explained that his father, Grand Preceptor Yan, wished to personally thank Grand Commandant Sang for his righteous intervention on behalf of the Yan family, but being unwell, had sent Yan Yan in his stead. Soon after, Grand Commandant Sang returned, looking visibly thinner. He warmly thanked Yan Yunzhi for tirelessly working on his case and for helping clear Sang Yu's name.
Sang Qi, however, playfully chided her father for a light pat on Yan Yunzhi's arm. Grand Commandant Sang then retired to rest, inviting them to share a drink later, while Yan Yunzhi departed with Yan San Lang. Outside the family gathering, Yan Yunzhi immediately broached the topic of Zhuo Wenyuan with Yan San Lang, noting that the incidents involving Xizhao and Qian Jiu clearly demonstrated Zhuo Wenyuan's meticulous and vicious nature.
He anticipated more trouble from Zhuo Wenyuan and resolved to continue his investigation. Yan San Lang, sharing the same concern, promised to keep a close watch on Zhuo Wenyuan and conduct a covert investigation. Crucially, they both agreed to keep Sang Qi in the dark about their efforts, vowing to immediately share any new clues and act together. Meanwhile, Noble Consort Zhuo expressed her relief that Xizhao had been eliminated, a long-standing concern of hers.
She admitted that she would have dealt with them herself, even if the Prefecture Court hadn't intervened. However, she voiced apprehension about the Prefecture Court's intention to delve deeper into the Xizhao case, fearing potential repercussions for herself. Zhuo Wenyuan calmly reassured his aunt, stating he had already handled the matter and that without solid evidence, the Prefecture Court would be unable to cause significant trouble.
Noble Consort Zhuo also mentioned His Majesty had reinstated Grand Commandant Sang to his former position and asked Zhuo Wenyuan how he planned to handle this development. Zhuo Wenyuan responded cryptically that "the show must go on." At the Imperial College, Sang Qi, Yan Yunzhi, and other scholars gathered to discuss the new enrollment regulations.
They unanimously agreed to expand admissions to students regardless of their background or status, and to establish a dedicated female class with the same curriculum and regular assessments as other classes, with results to be published alongside all other students. Their aspirations were cut short when Zhuo Wenyuan arrived with a retinue, announcing that the Ministry of Personnel had deemed the proposed new regulations inappropriate.
He argued that student enrollment should prioritize quality over quantity, that broad recruitment was unnecessary given the existing talent among Bianjing's official families, and that admitting female students was against established rules, labeling the entire proposal as whimsical. He instructed them to redraft the regulations. Though Sang Qi was visibly upset and wanted to challenge him, Zhuo Wenyuan simply stated he was merely relaying the Ministry's decision before promptly leaving. The scholars lamented the difficulty ahead.
Sang Qi and Yan Yunzhi resolved to draft a more persuasive set of regulations. Yan Yunzhi then tasked Sang Qi with compiling historical examples of successful students from humble backgrounds and accomplished female scholars by the following morning, intending to use these records to further argue their case before the Ministry of Personnel. Later, Yan San Lang informed Yan Yunzhi of a tip-off that Zhuo Wenyuan was planning to meet an important figure outside the city that night.
Yan San Lang intended to take only a few trusted men to maintain secrecy. Fearing Zhuo Wenyuan's cunning, Yan Yunzhi insisted on accompanying him to prevent any unforeseen complications. That night, as they made their way to the informant's rendezvous point, Yan Yunzhi grew increasingly suspicious. He remarked that while his informant, a mere ruffian, was usually reliable, the informant's unusual certainty about having crucial evidence regarding a mastermind behind Xizhao felt like a trap.
Before Yan Yunzhi could elaborate further, they were ambushed by a group of masked assailants. During the chaotic confrontation, both Yan San Lang and Yan Yunzhi sustained injuries. The masked attackers relentlessly pursued Yan Yunzhi, driving him towards a cliff edge. As they fought, a pouch that Sang Qi had given to Yan Yunzhi slipped from his grasp and fell. Despite his valiant efforts, Yan Yunzhi was ultimately overwhelmed and pushed off the cliff.
When the imperial officers arrived at the scene, they found an unconscious and severely poisoned Yan San Lang, but Yan Yunzhi was nowhere to be found. A thorough search of the entire mountain yielded no trace of him, only the dropped pouch found by the river.
Sang Qi, upon hearing the news, was distraught and frantically joined the search, but after days of relentless searching, she was urged by officials to return to the Prefecture Court, as the extensive search along the river required more resources than they currently had. As if the disappearance of Yan Yunzhi wasn't enough, news then broke that Wei Zhan Hong had died in the Prefecture Court's prison, a facility known for its stringent security.
With Yan San Lang still unconscious and being treated by imperial physicians, His Majesty appointed Official Xiao from the Court of Judicial Review to temporarily serve as Governor of Prefecture Court. At this critical juncture, a surviving officer from the ambush had regained consciousness and was being interrogated. Sang Qi and Yan Yan rushed to the Prefecture Court and were horrified to hear the officer testify that Yan Yunzhi had betrayed them, injuring other officers and attacking Yan San Lang.
The officer even claimed Yan Yunzhi had declared himself to be one of Xizhao, saying things like, "You're too slow. You never investigate it," and warning Yan San Lang, "You know too much." Sang Qi vehemently challenged the officer's testimony, pointing out inconsistencies and arguing that such actions were completely out of character for Yan Yunzhi, a loyal friend to Yan San Lang and a diligent investigator of her brother's death.
Faced with Sang Qi's sharp questioning, the officer feigned a severe headache, claiming his injuries had affected his memory. Just as Sang Qi seemed to gain the upper hand in the debate, Zhuo Wenyuan made a dramatic entrance, carrying a ledger. He claimed it had been found in Yan Yunzhi's study. Zhuo Wenyuan asserted that Yan Yunzhi's cooperation with Yan San Lang in investigating Xizhao was merely a ruse to monitor the investigation.
He produced a second ledger, stating that when cross-referenced with the one previously submitted by Wei Zhan Hong, it revealed a direct financial transaction where Yan Yunzhi had sold a plot of land to Official Wei. Zhuo Wenyuan claimed he uncovered this through Qian Jiu, who, despite being a Xizhao spy, had mentioned Yan Yunzhi's study multiple times during their close interactions.
He then painted a chilling picture: every time Yan Yunzhi was involved in a major case—from the Song family's tea plantation to Official Wei and the eventual Xizhao extermination—crucial clues mysteriously vanished. He argued that Yan Yunzhi's true purpose was not to eliminate Xizhao, but to help them cover their tracks and sow confusion within the imperial court.
Turning to Sang Qi, Zhuo Wenyuan cruelly suggested that all the "truth" she had learned came directly from Yan Yunzhi, implying she had been manipulated. Sang Qi adamantly dismissed his claims as mere speculation, clinging to the hope that Yan San Lang's awakening would expose the real truth. However, Official Xiao grimly informed them that Yan San Lang remained in a critical coma, his life sustained only by acupuncture and medicine, with no certainty of recovery.
With no other recourse, Official Xiao declared that they could not simply wait and decided to issue an arrest warrant for Yan Yunzhi, classifying him as a fugitive. Sang Qi protested fiercely, but her pleas fell on deaf ears as Official Xiao dismissed the court. Later, Sang Qi was found asleep in her room, clearly distressed. In her dream, Yan Yunzhi appeared, gently calling her name and whispering words of comfort.
She embraced him tightly, desperately asking where he had been. He told her not to rush, to rest well, promising he would return to her side once she recovered. Fearing it was a lie, she tightened her grip. Sang Qi awoke to find Lian Pian by her side, who told her she had been unconscious since her return the previous day due to severe exhaustion.
Sang Qi felt utterly lost, plagued by Yan Yunzhi's unknown fate, Yan San Lang's coma, and the overwhelming confusion of the situation. She yearned for guidance from her deceased brother, Sang Yu, but then suddenly fainted again. A physician, specially brought in, diagnosed Sang Qi with severe anxiety causing retrograde qi and blood flow, and unsettlingly, a "sign of toxin invading her body." Zhuo Wenyuan arrived to visit Sang Qi.
He tried to take the pouch that had been found near the cliff, reasoning that since Yan Yunzhi was gone, he would be the one to stay by her side. Sang Qi, however, remained cold towards him. After leaving her room, Zhuo Wenyuan spoke quietly with his subordinate, Jing Mu. Jing Mu confirmed that Yan San Lang had been "resolved," but Yan Yunzhi's body remained unfound after his fall from the cliff, with only the pouch recovered. Zhuo Wenyuan then instructed Jing Mu to retrieve a white porcelain bottle that Qian Jiu had left behind.
