Ashes of Love Episode 34 Recap
> Ashes of Love Recap
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
After a day and night of intense grief, Xu Feng emerged from his chambers. He instructed Qin Tong to deliver a letter to Minister Fu before carrying Jin Mi's body to the royal mausoleum. This mausoleum, originally prepared for Jin Mi's burial, now became the place where Xu Feng would join her. He held a cup of poisoned wine, intending to drink it.
Jin Mi's spirit, present but unseen, desperately tried to stop him, her attempts passing harmlessly through his form. Xu Feng spoke to Jin Mi's lifeless body, recounting how he had ordered her phoenix robe to be tailored when she first arrived at the estate, making over ten alterations to ensure a perfect fit.
He lamented that he had never applied makeup to a woman before, apologizing in advance should he make her look less beautiful, though in his heart, she was always the most stunning without any adornment. He noted the irony of preparing her for their wedding on this, their "big day," and then broke down, his words trailing off, unable to complete the sentence about their future life together.
He confirmed that the wine was initially meant for her to accompany him in death, but now their positions were reversed. Jin Mi had not kept her promise to him, but he vowed to fulfill every one of his promises to her. He drank the poison, recalling fond moments with Jin Mi, including her playfully calling him "Crow" and his proposal for her to be his queen.
He remembered telling her how she had given meaning to his otherwise humble life. Before succumbing to the poison, he lifted Jin Mi's red veil and removed her face mask, declaring her his "ugly wife," though the most beautiful he had ever seen, fulfilling his vow to unveil her only on their wedding night.
His soul then departed his body, and he rose from the coffin to embrace Jin Mi's spirit, their reunion marked by gentle words and a sense of enduring companionship. Xu Feng and Jin Mi returned to the Heavenly Realm after their mortal trial, where Immortal Jiyuan awaited them at the Southern Heavenly Gate. Jin Mi expressed her lingering sorrow over Rou Rou's death, lamenting that Qiang Huo was Rou Rou, and questioning what had caused her primordial spirit to dissipate.
Xu Feng reassured her, promising to uncover the truth. On their way to report to the Heavenly Emperor and Heavenly Empress, they encountered Moon Immortal, who was overjoyed by their return. He effusively praised Xu Feng's devotion, which he had witnessed through the Mortal Observation Mirror, and enthusiastically suggested writing an opera based on their dramatic love story. Immortal Jiyuan gently urged them to proceed, reminding them not to keep the Heavenly Emperor and Empress waiting.
Moon Immortal, before they left, warned Xu Feng that the Heavenly Emperor was displeased by his unauthorized descent to the mortal realm and advised him to conduct himself carefully in the palace. Meanwhile, the Heavenly Empress continued to harbor deep resentment towards Water God regarding Su Li's actions.
She incessantly tried to sway the Heavenly Emperor into punishing Water God, accusing him of sheltering Su Li and implying that both Water God and Night Immortal harbored treacherous intentions, using Rat Fairy as "conclusive evidence" of their collusion. The Heavenly Emperor, however, dismissed her accusations, defending Water God as a loyal pillar of the Heavenly Realm and Night Immortal as his own son, whom he trusted.
He stated that Su Li was dead, and he did not wish to dwell on old grievances, warning the Empress against making wild accusations that would make the Heavenly Family a laughingstock. Undeterred, Heavenly Empress expressed her fear that Water God's popularity and Night Immortal's growing influence posed a threat to Xu Feng's succession. She recalled Run Yu's furious reaction when she executed Su Li, feeling he was ungrateful despite her years of raising him.
She was convinced that to secure Xu Feng's future and the stability of the Heavenly Realm, she must eliminate these threats. Xu Feng and Jin Mi arrived at Zifang Cloud Palace to report. Water God and Wind God were also present. The Heavenly Emperor acknowledged Jin Mi's hardship in the mortal realm and prepared to appoint her as Floral Goddess.
However, Heavenly Empress intervened, arguing that Jin Mi had failed her trial by not experiencing the "aging sorrow" among the seven human sorrows and therefore lacked the qualifications to return to the Heavenly Realm or assume the Floral Goddess position. She insisted that Jin Mi should undergo another mortal trial. Xu Feng immediately stepped forward, taking full responsibility for disrupting Jin Mi's trial by following her to the mortal realm.
He requested that Jin Mi be promoted as previously agreed and accepted any punishment the Heavenly Emperor deemed fit for his own transgression. The Heavenly Emperor sentenced Xu Feng to confinement in Qiwu Palace for half a month. Still, Heavenly Empress continued to object to Jin Mi's promotion. Immortal Jiyuan then offered a revised assessment, explaining that although Jin Mi’s trial wasn't "complete," she had endured immense suffering, purifying her divine essence enough for promotion without causing any celestial anomalies.
The Heavenly Emperor accepted this, formally declaring Jin Mi an immortal and promoting her to High Immortal, and again offered her the position of Floral Goddess. Jin Mi respectfully declined, citing her youth, her desire to spend more time with Water God, and her need to investigate the death of her friend Rou Rou, who had died to save her.
The Heavenly Emperor, impressed by her integrity, agreed to assist in the investigation and deferred the matter of the Floral Goddess to the Floral Realm elders. He then moved to set a wedding date for Jin Mi and Run Yu. Jin Mi, however, reiterated her desire to first investigate her friend's death and requested a delay, stating she was not ready for marriage.
Despite her plea and Moon Immortal's objections, the Heavenly Emperor decreed that a propitious day for Jin Mi and Run Yu's wedding would be chosen three months hence. He then dismissed everyone, requesting Water God to stay behind, reaffirming his deep trust and long-standing friendship with Water God, emphasizing that as their children were soon to be married, they must continue to support each other.
Furious over Qi Yuan's failure to eliminate Jin Mi during her trial, Heavenly Empress met with him, dismissing his apology and ordering him to retrieve Sui He. Later, the Heavenly Empress confronted the Heavenly Emperor again, relentlessly pushing for the execution of the 30,000 Dongting water creatures associated with Su Li. She dismissed the Heavenly Emperor's reservations about the extreme nature of the punishment.
She vehemently argued that Su Li had committed heinous crimes, privately amassing an army to overthrow the Heavenly Realm, and that showing leniency to the Dongting remnants would only create 30,000 more potential threats. She further asserted that Run Yu, being Su Li's son, was a dangerous variable, especially with his impending marriage to Water God’s daughter, warning that his ambition could be cultivated and would eventually lead him to contend for the throne.
She insisted that to protect their two sons and the Heavenly Realm's foundation, the Heavenly Emperor must make a decisive choice and eliminate all potential threats. Overwhelmed by her forceful arguments, the Heavenly Emperor reluctantly acquiesced, allowing her to carry out the harsh sentence. The Heavenly Empress accepted this, inwardly vowing to eliminate all obstacles for Xu Feng.
In Xuanji Palace, Run Yu, standing before his mother's memorial tablet, instructed Kuang Lu to summon Li and Yan You for a memorial. Kuang Lu informed him that the two had been taken by Heaven guardians and that Heavenly Empress intended to carry out the Heavenly Punishment on the 30,000 Dongting water creatures. Run Yu, alarmed, rushed to the Heavenly Emperor, pleading for the lives of the innocent Dongting people.
He argued that since Su Li had already faced justice, the Heavenly Empress's actions were excessively cruel, and he offered to guarantee the Dongting people's future loyalty. However, the Heavenly Emperor, constrained by Heavenly Empress's authority and unwilling to intervene, simply reiterated that Su Li's crimes warranted punishment and that he could not refuse the Empress's resolve to carry out the sentence. He then dismissed Run Yu, admonishing him not to undermine the law.
Run Yu then went to the execution ground but found no Thunder God or Lightning Goddess there, realizing that Heavenly Empress's real target was him. He acknowledged that the Dongting remnants, though deserving of punishment, had acted on his mother's behalf, and therefore he should also share their fate. He humbly begged Heavenly Empress for mercy for the innocent, but she mockingly reminded him of his earlier defiance when he vowed to avenge his mother by killing her.
She scoffed at his current display of weakness. Run Yu admitted his mistakes and offered himself for punishment, reiterating the innocence of the Dongting water creatures. Heavenly Empress scornfully dismissed them as conspirators who deserved death.
Run Yu attempted to defend his mother, arguing that her resentment had not escalated into actual rebellion before Heavenly Empress's actions, but Heavenly Empress harshly cut him off, accusing him of plotting to kill Xu Feng and raising an army to rebel, for which he deserved to be struck down. As Yan You and Li arrived, Heavenly Empress, after confirming the legal punishment for Su Li's followers was death by heavenly thunder, ordered the execution.
Run Yu desperately interjected, again admitting his past disrespect to her but imploring her to spare the Dongting people, stating his mother was dead and they no longer posed a threat. Heavenly Empress, questioning his sincerity, forced him into an agonizing choice: either sever ties with the Dongting remnants and personally carry out their execution, or take their punishment upon himself as atonement for his mother's crimes.
Enraged by Run Yu’s apparent submission, Yan You denounced him as an ungrateful son who was betraying the memory of his mother, Su Li. He reminded Run Yu of her devotion and told him to leave. Run Yu stood speechless, faced with an impossible decision.
