Court Lady Episode 35 Recap, Plot

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Lu Yingying returned home and told her father, Lu Yunj, and brother, Lu Qi, that Prince Liang was treating her very well. She claimed Prince Liang even quoted a poem taught by the Grand Emperor about marital love, "Married as husband and wife, our love unwavering," and promised to treat her well as his first wife. Lu Yunj was relieved, though Lu Qi remained somewhat skeptical, noting that such behavior did not sound like Prince Liang.

Lu Yingying's wet nurse, who had been sent back from Prince Liang's Manor on the second day, tearfully pleaded to return to serve her, expressing deep worry. However, Lu Yingying refused, stating she had many palace maids and it would be against the manor's rules. Lu Qi suggested the wet nurse could at least send messages if Lu Yingying was being mistreated, but Lu Yingying insisted she would not be bullied.

In reality, Prince Liang treated Lu Yingying cruelly within his manor. Upon her return, a maid immediately informed her that Prince Liang ordered her to remove all her jewelry and fine clothes and change into a maid's attire to serve him. Lu Yingying complied. Later, while Prince Liang was enjoying wine with a beauty, Lu Yingying was made to serve them, and he angrily chastised her for serving him cold wine.

Desperate to improve Lu Yingying's situation, Lu Qi found an opportunity to meet Prince Liang privately. Under the guise of delivering a gift to the imperial grandson, Lu Qi presented Prince Liang with a rare "giant tiger," referring to a tiger penis, and a precious paperweight, which his father had obtained in the chaos of war and believed to be a treasure from the Sui Dynasty palace.

Lu Qi emphasized that his father was hoping for a grandson and that Prince Liang's good treatment of Lu Yingying would be the greatest blessing. Prince Liang accepted the gifts. The Emperor was enraged upon learning that his imperial prince, Lord Zhao, had allegedly attempted to murder his counselor, Qian Wenjing. The Crown Prince tried to temper his father's anger, pointing out that Qian Wenjing's memorial only implicated Shan Yunmo and Han Pengmao, not Lord Zhao himself.

However, the Emperor refused to listen and immediately ordered both Lord Zhao and Qian Wenjing to come to Chang'an, determined to question them personally. Upon hearing the imperial summons, Chenxin immediately suggested to Lord Zhao that Qian Wenjing must have secretly accused him to the Emperor. Panicked and fearing he would not be spared if he went to Chang'an, Lord Zhao declared he was sick to avoid the decree.

When Qian Wenjing came to visit the "ailing" Lord Zhao, he was shown a feigned display of weakness and was convinced that Lord Zhao was too ill to travel. After Qian Wenjing left, Lord Zhao had him killed. With Qian Wenjing gone, Lord Zhao released Shan Yunmo and Han Pengmao from jail. They suggested a drastic course of action: "establish your own army to strengthen yourself."

Lord Zhao initially hesitated, but Shan Yunmo and Han Pengmao argued that after killing Qian Wenjing, he had no other recourse, and the worst outcome would still be death. Chenxin further urged him, "Your Highness, there is really no other way out. Just move ahead with it, then." Swayed by their words and contemplating the "king or bandit" choice, Lord Zhao resolved to rebel. The news of Lord Zhao's rebellion and Qian Wenjing's death reached Chang'an.

The Emperor, heartbroken and furious, declared to his court that his own flesh and blood had murdered the counselor he sent to guide him, calling it "so rebellious and unfilial." Prince Zhou, overwhelmed with grief, immediately knelt and pleaded to lead the troops to avenge Qian Wenjing. However, the Crown Prince intervened, arguing that Prince Zhou's intense sorrow made him unsuitable to command a large army.

The Emperor, acknowledging that "it requires calmness to command a great army," agreed and asked the Crown Prince for a recommendation. The Crown Prince promptly put forward "General Astounding Bravery, Lu Qi," who accepted the mission. Later that night, the Emperor visited Consort Yan, explaining that he would soon visit the severely ill Empress. He confessed his deep pain and anger over Lord Zhao's actions, feeling he had raised him in vain, and almost collapsed from his emotions.

Consort Yan expressed her concern and tried to console him. The Emperor confided in her, stating that he couldn't show such weakness to the ailing Empress or his court officials, and "only when I'm with you, can I vent and say a few words." Grief-stricken by Qian Wenjing's death and unable to personally lead troops for revenge, Prince Zhou drank alone in his courtyard.

Fu Rou, also deeply saddened, joined him, stating she was there to accompany him in his sorrow, not to persuade him. She shared her admiration for Qian Wenjing, whom she considered a teacher, recalling his wise words about "women are sentimental, but they also have their own guidelines," which had cleared her confusion, and regretting the lost opportunities to learn more.

Prince Zhou then remembered Qian Wenjing singing "Song of the White Horse" on a previous night, initially perceiving it as an unlucky omen. Fu Rou corrected him, explaining it was Qian Wenjing's heartfelt declaration: "Sacrificing oneself to combat disaster in the country, viewing death as returning to home," embodying his dedication to the nation. When Prince Zhou lamented the lack of suitable generals compared to Lu Qi, Fu Rou, with great conviction, recommended Sheng Chumu.

Prince Zhou, angered, accused her of trying to exploit his position to help her "lover" return to the capital, especially on such a solemn night. Fu Rou firmly denied any current relationship with Sheng Chumu, explaining her recommendation was purely because "among all the people that I know, he is the one who really knows how to fight in battles."

Despite Prince Zhou's skepticism about her limited experience with generals, Fu Rou insisted, "I've always firmly believed that, at the most crucial moment, he would definitely not disappoint me." Following Prince Zhou's eventual recommendation, the Emperor decreed that both Sheng Chumu and Lu Qi would lead forces to Zhaozhou.

Prince Han later informed his wife, Princess Consort Sun Lingshu, that the two generals would command the eastern and western routes respectively, holding "equal status," with no single commander on the front lines. Instead, the Emperor, based on the Crown Prince's recommendation, had appointed Prince Han himself to "sit in the military camp" as the overall Commander-in-Chief, a role he described as "just for show."

Princess Consort Sun Lingshu, however, was suspicious of the Crown Prince's motives, noting his earlier concern for Prince Zhou's safety contrasted with his recommendation of his own full brother, Prince Han, for a potentially perilous position. The Crown Prince privately instructed Lu Qi on a critical personal matter before his departure. He revealed that he had previously exchanged letters with Lord Zhao.

Now that Lord Zhao had rebelled, the Crown Prince worried these letters could be discovered and used against him by "someone with a motive," implicitly Prince Zhou. He explicitly stated this was his reason for preventing Prince Zhou from leading the expedition. Lu Qi assured the Crown Prince he would handle the matter, and when asked if Prince Han should be informed, the Crown Prince insisted, "don't drag Prince Han into it."

He also noted Prince Zhou's strong recommendation of Sheng Chumu, his brother-in-law, and dismissed the thought. Lu Qi then bid farewell to his pregnant wife, Fu Yin, who expressed her fear that he might not return. Lu Qi comforted her, promising to return soon, stay safe by not going to dangerous places, and write her letters and poems daily.

Meanwhile, at Prince Han's manor, Princess Consort Sun Lingshu watched her husband depart, choosing not to speak to him to avoid crying, believing it to be unlucky for a wife to shed tears when her husband leaves for war. Consort Yan, meanwhile, was pleased to hear from her attendant, Jade, that Prince Zhou was diligently practicing swordplay, studying, and serving the Emperor, thereby earning imperial favor, a dignified response to Qian Wenjing's death.

Jade also reflected on Consort Xi's misfortune due to Lord Zhao's rebellious acts. Empress was displeased with the Crown Prince's recommendation of Prince Han as the overall commander. She summoned him and admonished him, emphasizing that as the heir apparent, he must always prioritize the Great Tang's interests, stating, "If you can suppress personal desires, then you can serve the public," and never compromise national strength for short-term gains or shake the foundation of the Great Tang.

In Prince Han's manor, Fu Rou noticed Xia Han was still there despite her contract having expired. Xia Han explained she couldn't leave because she believed "Xiong Rui's aggrieved spirit is still here." At the military camp, Sheng Chumu and Lu Qi's rivalry immediately flared up upon their meeting. Lu Qi taunted Sheng Chumu about his appearance and the rumor that Fu Rou had left him for Prince Zhou.

Enraged, Sheng Chumu initiated a fight, which Prince Han quickly broke up, urging them to maintain harmony. In Lord Zhao's camp, Chenxin dismissed Prince Han as incompetent but warned that Sheng Chumu and Lu Qi were capable generals. Chenxin advised Lord Zhao to abandon Zhaozhou and retreat to the strategically advantageous Bean Height for defense. However, Shan Yunmo and Han Pengmao strongly opposed this, arguing for the defense of the robust Zhaozhou city walls, which Lord Zhao agreed to.

Back in the imperial camp, Sheng Chumu and Lu Qi continued to argue over who should lead the assault on Zhaozhou. Prince Han intervened, assigning Lu Qi to the east route and Sheng Chumu to the west route, instructing them to "flank Zhaozhou from both sides," a command they both accepted. Later, the Crown Prince confided in Princess Consort Sun Lingshu about his true motives for recommending Prince Han.

He explained that as "brothers from the same mother," he wanted Prince Han to "experience the difficulties of a commander-in-chief." He predicted that if Lord Zhao were defeated, his stubborn nature would prevent him from surrendering, leading to his death and bestowing upon Prince Han "the blame for killing his younger brother."

This, he believed, would make Prince Han understand the complexities of leadership and become less susceptible to "groundless talk" that could affect his character, which Tang literati valued most. However, Prince Han was later surprised to learn from Sheng Chumu that the Empress had specifically "ordered that we must capture Lord Zhao alive," emphasizing that Lord Zhao was the Emperor's son and she did not wish him to die under Prince Han's command, urging "mercy on his sibling."

Prince Han then questioned Sheng Chumu about the difficulty of capturing someone alive. Ma Hainiu's flourishing business allowed her to gather extensive information. She reported to Yan Zifang about Lu Yingying's severe mistreatment in Prince Liang's Manor. Ma Hainiu revealed that Prince Liang treated Lu Yingying "as a lowly servant and often abuses and beats her," forbidding anyone to speak of it under threat of death.

She further divulged that on their wedding night, Prince Liang discovered Lu Yingying "was not a virgin," which infuriated him. Despite being "beaten half-dead," Lu Yingying stubbornly refused to name her "adulterer." Yan Zifang, furious at the term "adulterer" and the abuse, felt immense guilt, believing Lu Yingying's suffering was due to him. He gave Ma Hainiu more money and ordered her to continue gathering all possible information from Prince Liang's Manor.

Meanwhile, Sheng Chumu, leading a small scouting party, encountered a large enemy reinforcement of tens of thousands. His subordinate was hesitant due to being outnumbered, but Sheng Chumu, recognizing the enemy's exhaustion and poor formation (a "single line, like a snake"), saw a "perfect chance" to attack. He rallied his men and swiftly launched a "pit one against a hundred" charge, killing the enemy general and scattering their forces.

Back at the main camp, Prince Han, instead of congratulating Sheng Chumu, scolded him for his recklessness, fearing for his life and what he would tell Sheng Chumu's sister (his wife).

Sheng Chumu defended his actions, explaining that he intentionally drove the defeated enemy troops toward Zhaozhou to prevent them from "attacking civilians and raiding homes" in surrounding villages, thereby averting a "monstrous disaster" for the common people, even though it meant increasing Lord Zhao's forces and making his capture harder. Prince Han acknowledged Sheng Chumu's humanitarian reasoning but reiterated the increased difficulty of capturing Lord Zhao alive.

Lord Zhao, however, was oblivious to any strategic nuance, celebrating the arrival of the increased reinforcements as a sign of Prince Han's incompetence, and ordered a banquet. Chenxin, deeply suspicious of Sheng Chumu's motives, urged Lord Zhao to immediately flee to Bean Height, fearing a trick. Lord Zhao, more interested in his banquet and a "maiden girl," dismissed Chenxin's concerns but allowed him to go to Bean Height as a precaution.

Following news of Lord Zhao's rebellion, his mother, Consort Xi, fell into a deep despair, refusing to eat or drink, guarded by Yang Bai under orders from Attendant Cao, who feared she might commit suicide. Fu Rou, upon entering, found Consort Xi lamenting that she would never see her only son again. Fu Rou urged her to live, arguing that her death would only add to Lord Zhao's burdens if he returned.

Consort Xi was skeptical about Lord Zhao returning alive, given the large imperial army sent to Zhaozhou. Fu Rou then revealed that she had heard the Empress specifically "urging Prince Han that they mustn't take Lord Zhao's life." Despite this assurance, Consort Xi remained doubtful, citing her son's stubborn nature and belief that he would never surrender, even if Zhaozhou fell, making his survival uncertain. Fu Rou, however, confidently declared, "He will make it," explaining her certainty by stating, "Because Prince Han has a capable man by his side."

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