Stand By Me Episode 32 Recap
> Stand By Me Recap
Cheng Xi, having recovered, revealed her calculated move to the Right Minister. She had poisoned King An's imperial robe with licorice, ensuring his death with the addition of Rottlera flowers by an accomplice (Yan Zhi). Her motive was to prevent King An, backed by his maternal clan, from ascending the throne, as he would prove a more formidable opponent than Qi Yan. She pressed the Right Minister to seize the moment and ascend the throne himself.
The Right Minister, weary of Cheng Xi's persistent urging, had her taken away. He then swiftly altered his plans, postponing the abdication ceremony and dispatching the divine doctor to prolong Qi Yan's life, as King An's sudden demise had disrupted his original strategy. Meanwhile, Qi Yan's wounds were gradually healing under Cheng Ruoyu's diligent care. When Zuoche arrived to summon Qi Yan for the grand ceremony, Cheng Ruoyu quickly instructed the emperor to feign illness.
Later, Qi Yan attended court, where he learned of King An's abrupt death. He secretly questioned Li Deyun about the cause, confirming King An had been poisoned. Qi Yan then confided in Li Deyun, stating his own health was beyond recovery and advising the minister to make his own arrangements. Yan Zhi confronted the Right Minister, knowing her joint plan with Cheng Xi to poison King An had been exposed. She proposed they continue their alliance.
The Right Minister then removed his mask, revealing himself to be Qi Chen. Yan Zhi expressed her shock and realization of his true identity, which clarified many unresolved mysteries. She pointed out all the pieces of his complex scheme that now made sense, from his refusal to kill Qi Yan or King An, to Cheng Xi's certainty of his ascension. Yan Zhi questioned if he became the Right Minister solely to find the imperial will.
Qi Chen admitted it was part of his plan, but also to weaken Chou Ziliang's powerful Shen Cai Army from within and without, a strategy that began with the Chaolu Rebellion. Yan Zhi retorted that without her, he would have been defeated long ago. She then angrily accused Qi Chen of hiding while her grandfather, Wang Yang, died protecting the imperial will meant for him, forcing her to align with Chou Ziliang for revenge.
She also condemned him for the murder of King An, who was merely a child and a descendant of the Qi family. Qi Chen remained impassive, stating he did not care, and acknowledged the lack of trust between them. Back at the palace, Cheng Ruoyu questioned Qi Yan about his conversation with Li Deyun. Qi Yan explained he was testing Li Deyun's loyalty and attempting to expose the "Third Person" still operating in the shadows.
However, he declared he would no longer passively wait; he would instead "set an inescapable trap" to ensnare his adversary. Later, Yan Zhi recounted to her servant how she pieced together Qi Chen's identity. Her suspicions were first piqued when Yuan Xing implicated his nephew, suggesting Yuan Xing might have been poisoned by the "Laughing Buddha."
Her investigation into Prince Guang's background revealed two crucial facts: Prince Guang ranked thirteenth among the imperial sons, matching the Right Minister's monastic name "Thirteen"; and Cheng Xi was Prince Guang's older half-sister, both sharing their mother, Lady Zheng, but Cheng Xi's father was Qi Qing, not Emperor Xianzong as Cheng Xi had claimed for herself. This, combined with Cheng Xi's proposal for their joint poisoning of King An, solidified her conviction that Prince Guang was the true Right Minister.
She further detailed how she and Cheng Xi had worked together to poison King An, with Yan Zhi providing the Rottlera flowers and Cheng Xi the licorice, leading to King An's swift burial due to the poison's contagious nature. In a private conversation with his subordinate, Qi Chen expressed regret that King An's death had disrupted his carefully laid plans to use a long-buried chess piece and keep Qi Yan alive.
He lamented not recognizing Yan Zhi (Wang Ruoqing) earlier during her training at the Jiangqi Camp. He also worried about the devastating truth Cheng Ruoyu would face if she discovered that Qi Yan, the emperor she diligently protected, was responsible for her family's tragedy. Cheng Ruoyu awoke from a dream, recalling a vivid memory of eating cherry pilaf with her sister in a pavilion, a treat she remembered was made by General Han Yue.
Excited, she told Qi Yan she could use this clue to uncover her past. Qi Yan, however, was troubled. He explained General Han Yue's high status, implying Cheng Ruoyu's family was not ordinary. He realized with growing dread that if Cheng Ruoyu was indeed an orphan from a prestigious family adopted by Cheng Xi after the Chaolu Rebellion, she might be a survivor of the very purges he had orchestrated.
Meanwhile, Chou Ziliang received an urgent military report: Zhang Jiang's forces from Lu Cong were attacking Daxing's borders. Faced with escalating internal and external threats, Chou Ziliang was conflicted. His subordinates suggested negotiating peace or offering a princess for a political marriage, which he dismissed with irritation. He later conferred with a servant about his fluctuating Qi Sea, a sign of cultivation breakthrough, but noted the unfortunate timing.
He suspected the coordinated attacks by Zhenwu and Lu Cong, realizing he couldn't rely on his current officials nor fully trust Li Deyun. To manage the crisis and prevent Li Deyun from influencing Qi Yan, Chou Ziliang issued a decree, falsely stating that Qi Yan was unwell and needed rest, thus prohibiting all external ministers from seeing him. Defying this order, Qi Yan secretly sent Cheng Ruoyu to meet with Li Deyun.
She returned with news that Zhang Zhongru, a military envoy of the Xiongwu Army, had offered to lead troops against Zhang Jiang. Cheng Ruoyu, recalling her past visit to Lu Cong, advocated for Zhang Zhongru, noting his strong reputation among the people for caring for refugees, in contrast to opportunistic figures like Chen Yintai and Zhang Jiang. She argued that Zhang Zhongru, deeply connected to Lu Cong, would prioritize its peace. Qi Yan acknowledged the inevitability of the war and expressed his frustration at his perceived helplessness. Cheng Ruoyu then bravely volunteered to assassinate Zhang Jiang.
