Stand By Me Episode 23 Recap
> Stand By Me Recap
Cheng Ruoyu returned to the court just in time to announce that Chen Yintai had been killed by Commander Zhang Jiang, bringing relief to Qi Yan and leaving the civil and military officials in quiet contemplation. Chou Ziliang, disbelieving the news, insisted on verifying it himself. Upon confirming the report, Chou Ziliang sarcastically remarked on Minister Li Deyun’s detailed knowledge of the situation in Hebei.
Li Deyun retorted, pointing out that chaos would inevitably ensue if no military seal was granted, attributing Chen Yintai's death to Qi Yan's divine fortune and warning those who opposed it would meet a bad end. This infuriated Chou Ziliang. Later, Cheng Ruoyu quietly informed Qi Yan that Xia Ziyuan was trapped in the Xiangqi Camp.
Qi Yan, recalling Ziyuan's brave words that she acted not for the emperor but for the people, reassured Cheng Ruoyu that Yan Zhi would keep Ziyuan alive, promising to find a way to rescue her. Qi Yan publicly rewarded Li Deyun for his contributions by appointing him Assistant Minister of the Department of State Affairs and Chancellor, tasking him with assisting in administration. Chou Ziliang offered feigned congratulations, hinting he had "good news" of his own to report.
Meanwhile, Yan Xiu, reporting to Yan Zhi, listed Chou Ziliang's recent visitors. A mysterious veiled woman, whose identity remained unknown despite Yan Xiu's investigation, piqued Yan Zhi's curiosity. Yan Xiu confirmed Chou Ziliang had visited her lodging twice, including the previous night, and a cricket was found there. Chou Ziliang then summoned An Wang and, in front of the court, demanded Qi Yan declare An Wang as Crown Prince Regent.
Li Deyun vehemently protested, questioning why Qi Yan, in his prime, needed to appoint a successor. Chou Ziliang, angered, overturned a tea table, stating the matter of a Crown Prince Regent deserved solemnity. Outside the palace, three thousand Shen Cai Army troops, mobilized by Wang Lin, surrounded the palace, a scene observed by Yan Zhi and Yan Xiu.
Chou Ziliang used rumors of unrest in Heng'an City as justification, claiming the appointment would bring peace, and forced Qi Yan to sign the memorial. Unable to bear it any longer, Cheng Ruoyu loudly summoned the Ziyi Bureau. Cheng Xi and her forces arrived swiftly, creating a tense standoff with the Shen Cai Army. Cheng Ruoyu, acting on behalf of Qi Yan, rejected Chou Ziliang's demand.
Seeing the resistance, Chou Ziliang reluctantly decided to leave, but An Wang glared at Qi Yan. Despite the coercion, Qi Yan formally declared An Wang as the Crown Prince Regent. Chou Ziliang, pleased, urged An Wang to thank Qi Yan. Upon learning of Chou Ziliang's success in using An Wang to turn the tide, Yan Zhi was furious.
Yan Xiu deduced that the mysterious woman was responsible for An Wang's return, leading Yan Zhi to realize Chou Ziliang had strategically allowed Li Deyun a minor victory before deploying An Wang as a major trump card. Realizing Liu Misha was likely also in Chou Ziliang's hands, Yan Zhi instructed Yan Xiu to find her, hoping her return (to Zhenwu) could still allow them to contend in this situation.
Qi Yan, seeing An Wang seemingly align with Chou Ziliang, was reminded of his own past when he had to feign loyalty to Chou Ziliang, who had resisted calls to exile him. He recalled his late elder brother's dying wish to protect their younger siblings. Although Cheng Ruoyu questioned if he would still save An Wang after repeated betrayals, Qi Yan confessed Chou Ziliang knew his weaknesses too well.
Cheng Ruoyu reassured him that with Li Deyun and the strengthened Ziyi Bureau, they could rescue An Wang again. Qi Yan expressed concern about how Liu Misha and An Wang's locations were leaked, suspecting a betrayal from within his trusted circle. He further lamented that his plan to use Zhenwu's power to punish Chou Ziliang after the Lu Cong affair was now complicated by An Wang and Liu Misha's capture.
Cheng Ruoyu strongly defended Cheng Xi, suggesting an accidental slip-up or Chou Ziliang's foresight. Qi Yan agreed to focus on the rescue first. That night, Cheng Ruoyu and Qi Yan secretly entered the Xiangqi Camp to search for Liu Misha. They arrived at Yan Zhi's residence, which was empty. Inside, Cheng Ruoyu noticed a painting of the Chess Progenitor, Shennong. The image triggered a vague childhood memory, causing her a sudden, splitting headache.
As guards passed nearby, Qi Yan quickly pulled her away. Qi Yan and Cheng Ruoyu decided to split up. Qi Yan created a diversion while Cheng Ruoyu slipped into An Wang's chamber. There, she found Yan Zhi questioning An Wang about his return. An Wang, initially reluctant, revealed that Cheng Xi had brought him back, and had told Chou Ziliang to use Liu Misha as a bargaining chip while Cheng Xi took control of the Ziyi Bureau.
Cheng Ruoyu, overhearing this, was aghast and confronted An Wang, vehemently denying her aunt's betrayal and attempting to summon guards before Yan Zhi stopped her. An Wang, however, insisted on the truth of his words. Yan Zhi advised Cheng Ruoyu to ask Cheng Xi directly but warned her to keep the information secret for now.
After Cheng Ruoyu left, An Wang further revealed that Cheng Xi viewed Cheng Ruoyu as a "dagger specially prepared for His Majesty, to carve out his heart." Distraught by this revelation, Cheng Ruoyu abruptly left Qi Yan, promising to report everything after verifying the information. Back at the Ziyi Bureau, Cheng Xi was confronted by the Right Official, who angrily accused her of sabotaging the Right Chancellor's plans by handing An Wang to Chou Ziliang.
Cheng Xi explained her actions were to force the indecisive Right Chancellor's hand. She revealed that the Right Chancellor had been using Chou Ziliang's influence to build his own power, and she herself had worked to rebuild the Ziyi Bureau, train Yuzhen Workshop assassins, and escalate the conflict between Qi Yan and Chou Ziliang. However, the Right Chancellor had recently become soft, shifting his support to Qi Yan.
Cheng Xi further explained the Right Chancellor's plan to recall Li Deyun during the Lu Cong rebellion, unite with Zhenwu's forces to eliminate Chou Ziliang's eunuch clique, and allow Li Deyun to seize military power. This plan, however, would be foiled if Qi Yan married Li Zening, as Li Deyun would then be loyal only to Qi Yan, preventing the Right Chancellor's ultimate goal of usurpation. The Right Official, having no counter-argument, returned to report to the Right Chancellor.
Knowing Cheng Ruoyu was listening outside, Cheng Xi called her in. Cheng Ruoyu, still reeling, asked about the Right Chancellor's true identity. Cheng Xi confessed that the Right Chancellor was her younger half-brother, a secret she had kept for years, having come to the capital and joined the palace solely to find him and then to help him achieve his ambition: the empire. Cheng Ruoyu was shocked by their plot for rebellion.
Cheng Xi, defending her actions, claimed the Daxing dynasty was doomed and only the capable should rule. She asked Cheng Ruoyu to join them, but Cheng Ruoyu steadfastly refused, asserting that the throne belonged to the virtuous, not merely the capable, and she would remain loyal to Qi Yan.
Enraged by her defiance, Cheng Xi, calling Cheng Ruoyu's loyalty misplaced, wounded her with a dagger, then cursed her, vowing that both Cheng Ruoyu and Qi Yan would ultimately suffer and die together. Torn between loyalty to Qi Yan and filial piety to Cheng Xi, Cheng Ruoyu hesitated outside Qi Yan's sleeping quarters, unable to bring herself to expose her aunt. She left, her distress noticed by Cheng Huaizhi, who reported it to Qi Yan.
Overwhelmed, Cheng Ruoyu sought out Yan Zhi. She revealed that Cheng Xi and the Right Chancellor were siblings, and detailed their scheme to usurp the throne by leveraging the Xiangqi Camp's power to seize military authority. She explained their current disagreement, with Cheng Xi wanting Qi Yan dead while the Right Chancellor wavered, leading Cheng Xi to betray both by handing An Wang to Chou Ziliang.
Yan Zhi found it strange that they would act prematurely, noting that Cheng Xi's intense hatred for Qi Yan, despite Qi Yan's reliance on her, suggested a deeper, possibly generational, grudge against the royal family. Cheng Ruoyu then revealed her childhood amnesia and her suspicion that Cheng Xi's betrayal might be linked to her own unknown origins. She asked Yan Zhi to investigate her, Cheng Xi, and the Right Chancellor's backgrounds.
In return, Cheng Ruoyu promised to fulfill three tasks for Yan Zhi. Yan Zhi, acknowledging Cheng Ruoyu's insight into her own ambitions within the Xiangqi Camp, readily agreed to the alliance.
