Ashes to Crown Episode 21 Recap
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The officials were abuzz with discussions about the various factions within the court. Chu Zhao attended the morning court session alongside Xiao Yu. When someone presented a report regarding cases of corruption and malpractice, Chu Zhao dispatched Zhu Yong to conduct an investigation, delegating the specific arrangements to Deng Yi, who accepted the task willingly. Xie Yanfang finally saw through everything.
He realized that to prevent his faction from becoming too powerful, Chu Zhao had colluded with Deng Yi to put on a performance. Although he was not fooled, he had a backup plan; he sent a messenger to Xinggu Pass with orders to eliminate Zhong Changrong as soon as possible and have Liang Qiang take his place. At the Northern Desert camp, the Northern Desert King demanded that General Qie Bo secure more supplies.
Qie Bo presented a cooperation agreement from Xie Yanfang requesting the death of Zhong Changrong. The Northern Desert King was surprised that both Xiao Xun and Xie Yanfang wanted to recruit him. Seeing this as an opportunity, he decided to exploit their ambition to conquer the Great Chu and ordered the camp to break and march in one day.
Upon seeing the Northern Desert army, Liang Qiang prepared to report to Zhong Changrong, but a soldier informed him that the Northern Desert's mission was to kill Zhong Changrong and install Liang Qiang in his stead. Blinded by greed, Liang Qiang chose to turn a blind eye. Upon receiving the news, Xie Yanlai learned of the surprise attack on Xinggu Pass and immediately gathered troops to provide reinforcements. While patrolling the pass, Zhong Changrong was surrounded by Northern Desert forces.
Liang Qiang watched from the sidelines as soldiers instructed him to pretend to assist Zhong Changrong while personally slaughtering the nearby Northern Desert soldiers. Liang Qiang charged out to carry out the act, but just as he was finishing off the enemy, Xie Yanlai arrived with reinforcements and shot Liang Qiang with an arrow. Zhong Changrong ordered that Liang Qiang be taken into custody for investigation. Xie Yanlai brought Zhong Changrong back to the camp for medical treatment.
Just as the doctor was checking his pulse, reports arrived that Wangcheng had fallen, making Xie Yanlai realize he had fallen into a trap. The next day at court, some used the fall of Wangcheng to slander Xie Yanlai. When the Northern Desert King sent a letter seeking peace, Deng Yi argued that it was not the right time for war and that pursuing Peace was the wisest course of action, a proposal Chu Zhao firmly rejected.
After the court session, Deng Yi claimed that the fall of Wangcheng was inseparable from Xie Yanlai’s negligence. Chu Zhao pointed out that the Northern Desert army could not have advanced smoothly if the Xinggu Pass, guarded by Liang Qiang, had not been breached, implying that Deng Yi was in secret contact with Liang Qiang. Deng Yi denied the accusation, but Chu Zhao had Xiaoman bring forth all the correspondence between Deng Yi and Liang Qiang.
When Deng Yi tried to deny the evidence, Chu Zhao ordered the Guard Bureau to escort him home and place him under house arrest. Xie Yanfang visited the Grand Tutor's mansion and openly admitted that it was his doing that caused Liang Qiang to defect, even though Deng Yi took the blame. He claimed that was the extent of his involvement, stating he knew nothing about how the Northern Desert forces passed through Xiaonan.
Deng Yi rebuked Xie Yanfang for treating the lives of the people in Wangcheng like grass, but Xie Yanfang remained dismissive. Xie Yanfang later met with Chu Zhao, expressing his desire to stand with her. He claimed that while Deng Yi had developed ulterior motives, he himself could always be trusted. Chu Zhao did not say much and did not expose him on the spot.
Xiao Xun, who had not appeared at the hostage residence for days, prepared a birthday gift for Xiao Hong—a list of his own protégés—which was later quietly delivered to the Grand Tutor's mansion. Xiao Hong was secretly delighted when he learned of the turmoil at court.
He believed that the power struggle between Chu Zhao, Deng Yi, and Xie Yanfang, combined with the loss of public support from negotiating peace with the Northern Desert, would provide him with the perfect opportunity to rise up. At the Yunzhong Prefecture camp, Xie Yanlai secretly selected fifty elite guards to accompany him on a clandestine mission. Xie Yanfang told Chu Zhao that Xie Yanlai was failing to engage the enemy at Wangcheng, leading to its imminent fall.
He argued that if the Northern Desert King were killed and the eldest prince succeeded him, it would boost the enemy's morale, which would be even more detrimental to the Great Chu. Chu Zhao decided to go to Yunzhong Prefecture herself to stop Xie Yanlai, but Xie Yanfang suggested that it was inappropriate for the Princess to be seen there, offering to go in her stead.
The following day, as Xie Yanfang bade farewell to the officials at court, Mu Xiaoman suddenly arrived with news of a great victory: Xie Yanlai had killed the eldest prince in Yunzhong Prefecture and captured the Northern Desert King alive.
