An Oriental Odyssey Episode 9 Recap
> An Oriental Odyssey Recap
The Empress's birthday banquet commenced, where her close advisor, Meiniang, was commended for her help in governing the country. The State Preceptor arrived, presenting his meticulously refined "Moonlight Elixir" as a birthday wish for the Empress's eternal youth and the Tang Dynasty's prosperity. The Empress thanked him and encouraged everyone to enjoy the festivities. Meanwhile, Ye Yuanan's stepmother urged Mr. Ye to greet General Liu and his wife, who had recently returned victoriously.
However, the couple disregarded Mr. Ye, causing him embarrassment. Ye Yuanan's brother, Yuanning, questioned why his father was ignored, prompting the stepmother to defend Yuanning while disparaging Ye Yuanan. Later, feeling tired, the Empress retired from the banquet early. She instructed her maid to bury the State Preceptor's elixir under Emperor Taizong's laurel tree, stating she never dared to accept his kindness.
The Empress then reminisced with her maid about her youthful days at sixteen, a time free from national concerns, fear of poison, or jealousy over her husband's affections. She asked for her beloved painting, "Beneath the Shade of the Banana Tree," which she hadn't seen in days. Eunuch Li, fearing the truth would be exposed, was preparing to confess when Zhao Lanzhi timely delivered the painting.
Eunuch Li, though noting the paper's color seemed different, dismissed it as his aging eyesight due to the Empress's impatience. As the Empress gazed at the painting, she recalled young Xue Han, who had drawn it for her, promising to wait for her under a banana tree if she ever felt lonely. She pondered his current whereabouts and well-being.
Later that night, the lights flickered, and the serene painting dramatically transformed into a horrifying scene of refugees displaced from the thirteen counties. Enraged, the Empress ordered Eunuch Li, whom she called Li Cheng, to be flogged one hundred times for what she perceived as a painting swap. She then summoned Zhao Lanzhi, accusing him of exchanging her painting.
Zhao Lanzhi clarified that the painting had not been swapped but rather had another layer painted over the original using a special ink, made from East China Sea sea turtle saliva, that glows red in darkness. This added layer depicted the tragic plight of refugees from the southern thirteen counties, forced from their homes due to water conservancy projects.
He explained that while the Empress valued long-term stability, local officials prioritized immediate profits, neglecting the people's welfare, resulting in many refugees gathering in Luoyang. The Empress understood that Xue Han had used the painting to alert her to the situation. Recognizing the urgency, she instructed Zhao Lanzhi to make preparations for her to visit a certain place. Ye Yuanan, curious about Mu Le's suddenly enhanced abilities, playfully attacked him while he was feeding horses.
She questioned his past and how he became so strong, but Mu Le only reported getting headaches when trying to remember. Ye Yuanan then tested him, asking who treated him best, whose orders he obeyed, and who she was to him. Mu Le affirmed she was the one who treated him best and whose orders he would obey. She then declared, "I am your master!"
She pressed him about whether anyone had given him medicine or taught him martial arts, but Mu Le denied it all. She then asked why he could suddenly defeat Huo Yang, whom he had previously lost to. Mu Le explained that Huo Yang's moves, which once seemed quick, now appeared slow, allowing him to counter them. Ye Yuanan, though skeptical, was amazed by his sudden power. She tried to probe his past again, but he developed a headache, preventing recall.
Concerned for his recovery, Ye Yuanan insisted on checking his injuries, playfully pinning him onto a table. This scene was unfortunately witnessed by Mr. Ye and Ye Yuanan's stepmother. The stepmother accused Ye Yuanan of flirting with a servant, while Mr. Ye, misunderstanding the situation, called Mu Le a "bastard" and accused him of trying to rape his mistress, attempting to strike him with a wooden stick. Ye Yuanan quickly intervened, declaring that only she could hit her servant.
When Mr. Ye redirected his anger towards Ye Yuanan, Mu Le intervened by breaking Mr. Ye's stick, further infuriating him. Defiantly, Ye Yuanan stated that if the family could not tolerate Mu Le, she would leave with him. She also reminded her father that Mu Le had saved his son Yuanning's life and warned that no one would save him if he caused trouble again. With that, Ye Yuanan stormed out of the house with Mu Le.
After leaving the Ye manor, Ye Yuanan and Mu Le found themselves penniless and hungry. They spotted a flaky pastry vendor, and Mu Le successfully begged for a pastry, followed by Ye Yuanan, who also received one after some persistence. Realizing they couldn't return home, Ye Yuanan decided to seek help from Zhao Lanzhi. They found him arranging a carriage, preparing to escort the Empress to the banana tree orchard.
Ye Yuanan, unaware of the carriage's passenger, first asked Zhao Lanzhi for money, which he promptly gave her, then insisted he take her and Mu Le along to play. The Empress, hearing the commotion outside, invited Ye Yuanan into her carriage. Zhao Lanzhi quickly and quietly informed Ye Yuanan that the passenger was the Empress and cautioned her to be respectful. Inside, the Empress was charmed by Ye Yuanan's spirited demeanor. She asked if Ye Yuanan liked Zhao Lanzhi.
Despite Ye Yuanan's shy denial, the Empress, recalling her own youth, smiled knowingly and remarked that Zhao Lanzhi was indeed a good man. As they approached the banana tree orchard, the Empress told Zhao Lanzhi to remain behind, as she wished to walk the rest of the way alone. In the tranquil banana tree orchard, the Empress finally met Xue Han. Recognizing him, she was shocked to see his blinded eye and urgently inquired what had happened.
Xue Han, with a bitter smile, recounted how he was injured when imperial soldiers forcibly relocated villagers for water conservancy projects. He had attempted to intervene but was wounded, losing an eye, and subsequently, like countless others, became a refugee, eventually making his way to Chang'an. The Empress expressed disbelief, stating she had explicitly ordered proper relocation, realizing Xue Han intended to seek justice for himself and the displaced.
Sensing an impending threat, Mu Le, with his heightened senses, detected the distinct smells of metal, medicinal materials, tar, stones, and a large number of people. Zhao Lanzhi confirmed the presence of many. Xue Han then confronted the Empress, reminding her of their shared past before she ascended to power, and revealed his true intention was to seek justice for the refugees and himself.
He produced a pot of "blood wine," demanding she drink it and swear to be kind to all the world's people. The Empress hesitated, suspecting it was poisoned, but Xue Han, mocking her lack of courage, drank a portion himself, declaring that as an ordinary man, he didn't have the right to drink with the Empress but demonstrated its apparent safety. Convinced, the Empress reached for the wine, but Zhao Lanzhi swiftly intervened, knocking the pot away.
The spilled liquid emitted a noxious black gas. At that moment, Xue Han summoned the hidden refugees, who emerged from the banana grove, eager to exact revenge on the Empress. Zhao Lanzhi, Ye Yuanan, and Mu Le immediately sprang into action to protect the Empress, urging her to escape. Amidst the chaos, Xue Han was stabbed and suffered excessive blood loss. From the shadows, Ming Hui emerged.
She had been following Xue Han, demanding the Nine-Star Divine Bead in exchange for her assistance. Xue Han, however, refused to disclose its location, challenging her to find it. Ming Hui, frustrated by his deception, finally discovered the Divine Bead hidden within his blinded eye. Zhao Lanzhi later reported to the Empress that Xue Han's body had been found, surmising that he likely succumbed to excessive blood loss after being rescued by his allies.
Despite Xue Han's actions, the Empress acknowledged their past friendship and ordered Zhao Lanzhi to ensure he received a proper burial. Regarding the gathered refugees, she declared they were "not rebels, but at most, just homeless people forced by circumstances," instructing Zhao Lanzhi to provide them with money to help them establish new livelihoods.
Subsequently, the Empress convened her ministers, quoting Emperor Taizong's proverb that "people are water and the Emperor is a boat; water can carry a boat and capsize a boat," and challenged them on their role. When they claimed to be bridges between the Emperor and the people, she confronted them directly about the displaced refugees from the thirteen counties, accusing them of deceiving their superior and oppressing the populace. She then displayed the transformed painting as undeniable evidence of their misdeeds.
