A League of Nobleman Episode 21 Recap
> A League of Nobleman Recap
Zhang Ping found it difficult to sleep, troubled by Tao Zhoufeng's death. He looked at the storybooks by Mu Yesheng he treasured, recalling how when he came to the capital for the Imperial examination, he prioritized bringing these books over extra winter coats. His goal in taking the exam was to join the Court of Judicial Review, following in Mu Yesheng's footsteps.
Meanwhile, Lan Jue instructed Xu Dong to arrange for informants to be placed at Hanyuan Hall, determined to continue his pursuit of his father's case. Zhang Ping then arrived at Lan Jue's residence, stating that he had thought things through and wished to continue investigating the truth behind the Moluo Village case. A battle report arrived, detailing Nandong's invasion into Lingnan East Circuit, where they plundered three states, causing nearly ten thousand casualties and displacing at least 30,000 people.
Facing this aggression and with Grand Commandant Wang ill, Wang Yan volunteered to take his father's place and lead the troops against Nandong. Some court officials supported peace talks as a temporary solution. The Emperor empathized with the people's suffering and was reluctant to cede land, but the Empress Dowager intervened, stating that while peace talks were not ideal, they were the only viable option. Under the Empress Dowager's pressure, the Emperor had to compromise.
Xu Dong reported back to Lan Jue that a message from Hanyuan Hall indicated Eunuch Ying Xi was preparing a carriage and that personal attendants, both on and off duty, were scheduled for that night. Lan Jue deduced that the Empress Dowager was planning to leave the palace but did not know her destination.
Around the same time, a frustrated Wang Yan came to see Lan Jue, vexed by the court's decision and his inability to contribute to the country despite being from a Grand Commandant's family. He suggested they go to Banyue Pavilion for drinks to relieve their spirits but found the Peony Pavilion room they wanted was already booked, forcing them to postpone.
Lan Jue realized that the Empress Dowager was known to visit Banyue Pavilion for theatre and speculated that she might be the one who booked the room. He proposed they go to Banyue Pavilion that night to investigate, noting that the Empress Dowager had been reclusive since Mr. Jinghu's appearance, making an outing just for theatre seem peculiar.
At the pavilion, Lan Jue kept watch on the Peony Pavilion where the Empress Dowager was located, while Zhang Ping and Xu Dong searched the building for anything suspicious. Zhang Ping discovered that while the Empress Dowager had not brought her usual entourage of guards directly with her into the room, Imperial Guards were disguised among the audience.
Lan Jue observed that while the Empress Dowager appeared calm, Eunuch Ying Xi was visibly nervous, suggesting she knew she was in danger and had come prepared. They further identified a powerful crossbow aimed at her room from the stage eaves, confirming the presence of heavily-armed Imperial Guards weapons.
Lan Jue concluded the Empress Dowager was not simply watching a play but was likely planning to deal with someone, possibly Mr. Jinghu, who had targeted her and might consider her responsible for the Moluo Village case. He speculated that Mr. Jinghu might have lured her there for revenge. During the play, a male actor drew a lot designating the Peony Pavilion guest.
Through his song lyrics, he invited the Empress Dowager to meet him on the stage, hinting at a potential danger like "red mist," which Lan Jue interpreted as blood mist or poison. Prompted by the audience, the Empress Dowager eventually agreed to go onto the stage. She was led backstage by the actor and disappeared from the audience's sight. The troupe master claimed this was a designed theatrical effect, but neither the Empress Dowager nor the actor reappeared as expected.
Eunuch Ying Xi immediately ordered his subordinates to search for the Empress Dowager. Lan Jue and Zhang Ping, witnessing the disappearance, offered their assistance. Zhang Ping deduced that she was no longer in the building. They found the male actor unconscious backstage, suspecting that the culprit had impersonated him and taken the Empress Dowager away from the backstage area. They chased out of Banyue Pavilion and discovered the Empress Dowager's carriage was missing from its usual spot.
Upon finding the carriage later, the Empress Dowager was not inside. Only a paper crane was found, bearing the inscription "Department of Incantation." Lan Jue and Zhang Ping rushed to the Department of Incantation. They heard the Empress Dowager calling for help and found her trapped in a fire. General Xiong bravely entered the flames and rescued her. At the scene, a water vessel and a stele with writing left by Mr. Jinghu were found.
The inscription on the stele declared the attacker was from the Moluo tribe, dormant for twenty years and now seeking revenge. Lan Jue sketched the design of the magic formation found at the fire scene. That night, he and Zhang Ping went to the Department of Incantation, which had been sealed for twenty years after a ritual resulted in a toxic leak, killing all the incantation practitioners, to search for related texts.
Zhang Ping discovered a formation diagram that matched the one from the fire, but the explanatory text was in an unknown script. They decided to take the page back for study. However, shortly after leaving, both men collapsed, poisoned by residues on the ancient page.
