Dreaming Back to the Qing Dynasty Episode 31 Recap
> Dreaming Back to the Qing Dynasty Recap
Yinxiang, though still unconscious after his injury, was confirmed by Yinzhen to be out of mortal danger, with the wound being external and causing only significant blood loss. However, Kangxi was concerned about the expedition to Junggar. He swiftly decided to hand over the command to Yinti and summoned him. Yinti's allies, including Yinsi, celebrated his getting back the military power, seeing Yinxiang’s misfortune as a sign from above and a way to impede Yinzhen.
Yinti, however, dismissed the event as a coincidence. Ming Hui toasted Yinti, expressing her certainty that he would achieve immediate victory. She admired the Forbidden City and urged Yinti to be ruthless to attain the highest position, emphasizing that one must be crueler than anyone else to reach the summit. Yinti seemed to hesitate at the idea of such ruthlessness. Upon regaining consciousness, Yinxiang was examined by Imperial Doctor Chen.
While his pulse was stable, the doctor privately informed Yinzhen and Wei that the arrow that struck Yinxiang was poisoned. Although the poison would not endanger his life, it had unfortunately invaded his kneecap, meaning his leg would never fully recover, a revelation that Wei immediately recognized as a historical affliction.
Realizing this, Wei furiously concluded that Ming Hui was behind the attack and intended to confront her, but Yinzhen restrained her, instructing her to care for Yinxiang while he dealt with Ming Hui. Yinzhen angrily confronted Yinti, who brazenly offered himself for Yinzhen to strike, shielding Ming Hui. Yinzhen criticized Yinti for resorting to such underhanded tactics against his own brother, questioning whether victory achieved through such means could bring peace of mind.
Consort De, alerted by the commotion, intervened, stopping the fight and admonishing her sons for their bitter feud. Yinzhen, out of respect for his mother, apologized and left. Later, Yinti visited Yinxiang’s mansion, but Wei, her face etched with anger, refused him entry. She declared that since Yinti had chosen to be Yinxiang’s enemy, the mansion would sever all relations with him, leaving only hatred between them. Yinti seemed to acknowledge his past deception.
Returning home, Yinti lashed out at Ming Hui, likening her to an untamed animal. Ming Hui retorted, mocking her own foolishness for realizing only then that Wei was Yinti’s true bottom line. She lamented taking on all the infamy and dirty work for him, only to be a mere substitute for Wei. Yinti responded by forcibly kissing her, then asserted that she still understood nothing about him.
Meanwhile, Yinxiang, struggling with his leg, put on a brave and cheerful front for Wei, even playfully asking her to make sweet soup. Wei agreed, but later wrestled with the decision of whether to reveal the full extent of his injury, fearing it would only cause him more pain. Yinxiang, in a private attempt to walk, fell, prompting Wei and the servants to rush to his aid.
Wei quickly reassured him that his leg would heal with rest, attributing his fall to unfamiliarity. They decided on plain congee and bland dishes instead of sweet soup. The servants observed that both Yinxiang and Wei, in their mutual desire to protect each other’s feelings, were not being entirely truthful, creating an unspoken barrier between them. Wei began crafting a modern wheelchair for Yinxiang, confiding in a servant her despair over his lifelong injury.
Yinzhen visited, urging Wei to remember her former fearless and optimistic self, the qualities that first attracted Yinxiang. He stressed that her strength and happiness were crucial for Yinxiang’s spirit. Wei took his words to heart, resolving to embrace her mission in the Qing Dynasty by confronting the reality bravely and improving Yinxiang’s life, even if history's outcome couldn't be fully altered. She then surprised Yinxiang with a cleverly designed wheelchair, complete with a brake lever, which delighted him.
Wei then pushed him outside to enjoy the fresh air. Separately, Rongyue confronted Ming Hui, accusing her of manipulation. Ming Hui deflected, reminding Rongyue that she, too, had harbored ill intentions toward Wei. Rongyue expressed remorse for the horse’s crazy and hurt people behavior and Yinxiang’s severe injury, insisting she only wanted Wei to be humiliated. Ming Hui, however, pointed out that Rongyue was the one who tampered with the horse.
Rongyue maintained she was misled into believing it was a harmless prank and resolved to explain herself. She approached Wei to apologize, admitting she had been used and never intended to harm Yinxiang. Wei, unmoved, dismissed her apology as pointless, stating it could not undo the harm or heal Yinxiang’s leg. She urged Rongyue to learn to distinguish right from wrong in the future. Kangxi’s health was visibly declining, marked by a persistent cough.
Consort De brought him a medicinal soup made of tendril-leaved fritillary bulb and pear to promote salivation, relieve his cough, remove heat, and nourish his lungs. He dismissed his frailty as merely getting old, describing himself as the "setting sun shining my last brilliance," and privately informed Consort De of his intention to select a wise ruler for the Great Qing. He hoped this chosen successor would carry on his unfinished business and continue his legacy.
While Consort De refrained from openly endorsing her own sons, Kangxi revealed his favor for both Yinzhen and Yinti. He acknowledged Yinzhen’s stability, suitable for peaceful times, but also Yinti's brave and resolute demeanor, more fitting for the current external unrest. He contemplated sending one of them to lead the army, noting Yinti's high prestige in the army and Yinzhen’s greater command experience, ultimately deciding to reflect further.
Later, while Ming Hui was giving instructions to a servant, a child accidentally bumped into her. The servant began to harshly beat the child, triggering a vivid flashback in Ming Hui of her own childhood abuse. Overwhelmed, she snatched the feather duster and began striking the servant, crying hysterically. Yinti arrived and calmly appeased her. He reassured her that the child was fine and offered her his unwavering support as her husband.
Ming Hui declared that no one could ever hurt her again, to which Yinti responded by embracing her, recognizing that her extreme cruelty stemmed from her own painful past. During a later discussion of military strategy with Yinsi, Yinti was distracted by thoughts of Ming Hui. Yinsi, observing Yinti’s deep affection, commented on it, leading Yinti to realize his true feelings for her.
