Ever Night Season 2 Episode 24 Recap
> Ever Night Season 2 Recap
After the morning court session, Li Peiyan immediately confronted He Mingchi, holding him accountable for his earlier promise that West Shrine would not launch a crusade against Tang State. He expressed his dismay, fearing that the demise of Tang would shatter his dream of becoming King of Tang. He Mingchi, in turn, berated Li Peiyan as a culprit of the Li family, threatening to expose his secret collusion with West Shrine's Hall to usurp the throne.
He then revealed his allegiance as a disciple of light, committed solely to the Hierarch's will. Desperate, Li Peiyan pleaded with He Mingchi for assistance to ascend the throne, offering to render tribute to West Shrine's Hall. He Mingchi scoffed, questioning the need for a Tang King if Tang State itself ceased to exist. Enraged, Li Peiyan drew his sword, swearing vengeance and asserting his claim to the throne and Tang State.
He Mingchi calmly dismissed Li Peiyan's futile efforts, pointing to his broken Sword of the Son of Heaven and reminding him that the Sage had declared it useless, concluding that Li Peiyan had spent his life tormenting himself. Overwhelmed with despair, Li Peiyan repeatedly lamented being a culprit of the Li family and Tang State, prompting Xu Chongshan to instruct guards to escort the visibly distressed prince away.
Xu Chongshan then reported to Li Hunyuan and Li Yu on the dire war situation. He stated that the main cavalry of Golden Horde had attacked Tang State from the south, while Long Qing led a combined force of Yan and Golden Horde armies in a fierce assault on Tang’s northeast border. Following the war of Chengjing, the Yan army had invaded, leading to the breach of seven walled towns and placing Tuyang City in peril.
The Golden Horde cavalry had also exploited the situation, pushing south directly towards the Capital, leaving the northern regions in constant warfare and the populace destitute. A panicking Li Hunyuan asked for a course of action. Li Yu responded decisively, ordering the North-Defending Army to halt its advance on Tuyang City, withdraw, and, with the North Camp, form a pincer movement to establish two defense lines outside Qinghe County.
She further commanded that all 5,000 Imperial Guards from the Capital be dispatched to the northern frontier. Hua Shanyue voiced concerns that this would leave the Capital vulnerable to the Yan army. Li Yu, however, dismissed the Yan army as a lesser threat, believing Tang's vast territory and local forces could exhaust them. She identified the formidable prairie cavalry of Golden Horde and their cunning strategist, Long Qing, as the true threats.
Chang Siwei brought Chao Xiaoshu to meet Li Yu. Chao Xiaoshu explained that Tang State faced deadly danger and requested two imperial edicts. The first was to empower the Yulong Gang to suppress any chaos caused by West Shrine's spies in the Capital. The second was for temporary authority over the Armed Cavalry Battalion, which he intended to lead away from the Capital to the eastern front.
Li Yu initially questioned this, reiterating that all Tang's forces were needed against the main Golden Horde and West Shrine armies in the north, and that the Yan army would not significantly impact the overall situation even if they invaded. Chao Xiaoshu countered that such a strategy would lead to the killing, capture, and burning alive of Tang’s eastern populace.
He acknowledged the pragmatic reasoning behind allowing the invaders to exhaust themselves through looting, but stressed that Tang State encompassed all its citizens, not just the Capital. He believed the former king would have protected these people and, although the Armed Cavalry Battalion alone couldn't change the eastern situation and he might die, his action would show the people that Tang State had not forgotten them.
Moved by his unwavering resolve, Li Yu granted his requests, promising the imperial edicts would be delivered to his residence. As Chao Xiaoshu departed, Li Yu quietly acknowledged that the people of Tang State would remember his sacrifice. Meanwhile, hearing of Tang's mounting difficulties, Yang Erxi attempted to leave his home for the front lines. His wife tried to stop him, arguing that a farmer was no match for the battlefield where death awaited.
Yang Erxi, however, insisted he was a soldier and could not stand by while Yan State attacked. His father then appeared, having been informed by Yang Erxi's wife. Instead of dissuading his son, the elderly man declared his own intention to join the fight. Yang Erxi tried to deter his father, citing his advanced age, leading to a minor dispute about his exact years.
The father reminded them of his past military service and the principle that "every man has a share of responsibility for the fate of his country." Seeing their shared determination, Yang Erxi's wife tearfully conceded, allowing Yang Erxi to go in his father's stead. Before his departure, Yang Erxi's father reiterated his patriotic exhortation to his grandchildren. Yang Erxi then bade a heartfelt farewell to his wife and children.
Xu Chongshan and Hua Shanyue expressed ongoing concerns about Qinghe County, which they believed harbored ambitions of secession. Li Yu dismissed these as rumors, pointing out that the children of the warlords and Esteemed Father Cui's relatives were still in the Capital, making disloyalty unlikely. Hua Shanyue cautiously reminded her of Crown Prince Chong Ming's previous hostage status in the Capital, which had not prevented Yan's rebellion.
To secure Qinghe County's loyalty, Li Yu decided they should be rewarded with dukedom status. She announced she would write a personal letter, and Li Hunyuan would issue an imperial edict, both to be personally delivered by Hua Shanyue. During this discussion, it was reported that State-Defending General Xu Shi, concerned for the Capital's safety, had already set out to return before receiving official orders. Li Yu was relieved, believing Xu Shi's presence would stabilize both military and public morale.
However, Li Hunyuan, remembering his secret plot, rushed to He Mingchi, desperate to contact West Shrine and retract the secret decree edict to ambush General Xu Shi. He explained that he had only anticipated border harassment by Long Qing, not a full "world crusade against Tang State," and now understood that preserving Xu Shi was crucial for retaining his throne.
He Mingchi, however, declared it was too late, reminding Li Hunyuan that his own secret decree edict had set Xu Shi on his fatal path. Shortly thereafter, Hua Shanyue returned to the Capital with devastating news: Qinghe County had rebelled. With their help, West Shrine had ambushed General Xu Shi in Xiaoshan, leading to his tragic death.
Li Yu was distraught, lamenting the continuous setbacks—West Shrine's Hall and allied troops from South Jin reaching Qinghe County, and the West-Defending Army fighting the army of Yuelun State at the Pamirs with no reports yet. She cried out, questioning why the Academy, supported by Tang for a thousand years, remained silent when the state was in such peril. Since the Sage and Sangsang had ascended, Ning Que had been relentlessly searching for them without success, living like a zombie.
He eventually returned to Wei City, his old home, uttering Sangsang's name as if she were with him or in his thoughts, declaring "We're home." Wei City itself had been under a nine-day siege by Golden Horde cavalry. Ma Shixiang reported to Xia Tian that six attempts to break through had been thwarted by the High Priest's black magic, and with army provisions almost depleted, the enemy sought to starve them out.
He suggested a detour through the mountain valley to the East Badlands and then around north of Yan State to reach the Capital. Xia Tian, however, was more concerned for the Capital's safety, convinced that Golden Horde's main cavalry had invaded and that Tang faced a "world crusade." She insisted on swiftly bringing the North-Defending Army back, as Tang needed them more than ever, though Ma Shixiang noted the Golden Horde priest remained an "insurmountable barrier."
Undeterred, Xia Tian questioned whether anything was truly insurmountable. Meanwhile, Li Hupo, diligently practicing swordplay, expressed his eagerness to join the fight, hoping to emulate his father and repel the invaders. Xia Tian affirmed that his father watched from heaven and urged him to become a good King to honor his legacy, instructing him to always read the books of sages in addition to martial arts.
Later, clad in armor, Xia Tian stood atop the city wall, delivering a silent vow to protect her husband's kingdom. She then courageously leaped from the wall into the enemy camp, instructing General Ma Shixiang to hold the city gate. Ma Shixiang watched in shock as enemy soldiers reacted to her lone presence, calling for archers.
