Fated Hearts Episode 34 Recap
> Fated Hearts Recap
Old Song met with Feng Suige, revealing that Murong Yao had taken full control of the Feng Battalion. He informed Feng Suige that all who refused to pledge loyalty to Murong Yao were killed, a fate he avoided by retiring early to remain loyal solely to Feng Suige. Old Song also shared his discovery that Shen Wu, the Minister of Rites, was secretly investigating the truth behind the late emperor's assassination.
Feng Suige deduced that Emperor Feng Chengyang, his brother, must be behind Shen Wu's investigation, as only he would desire the truth without fearing its exposure, unlike the Murong father and son or Empress Zhuang, who would only conceal it. Feng Suige then asked Old Song to arrange a meeting with Shen Wu. Later, looking at the memorial tablets for his fallen comrades, Feng Suige solemnly vowed to avenge their blood with blood.
At Shengfu Palace, Empress Dowager Jing angrily confronted Xia Jingyan. Xia Jingyan, defiant, had Imperial Military Commander Liang Pin's bloody helmet brought before her, visibly shocking her. He openly protected Feng Xiyang and declared his intention to oppose his mother. Xia Jingyan stated he was the Emperor and had the right to kill whomever he pleased, including Liang Pin, whom he called merely Empress Dowager Jing’s dog, in retaliation for her attempts on Feng Xiyang’s life.
He provocatively claimed his talent lay not in ruling but in destroying a kingdom, and that Liang Pin, who dared to try and harm his woman, was the first but hopefully the last. Enraged, Empress Dowager Jing later summoned Xia Jingshi and commanded him to eliminate Feng Xiyang, viewing it as a test of his filial devotion and a chance to regain her trust. Xia Jingshi agreed. Xia Jingshi approached Feng Xiyang, who was alone in the garden.
He acknowledged her hatred towards him due to Bai Shouzhuo's death and her view of them as lifelong enemies. He confessed he had come to kill her, but still owed her a favor. Exhibiting what he called his hypocrisy, he advised her to abandon her path of vengeance and leave Jinxiu for Susha, offering his help to facilitate her departure.
He drew parallels between her current reliance on Xia Jingyan for survival and his past dependence on the Empress Dowager, warning that she would become as cold and ruthless as he was. Feng Xiyang, however, was disgusted by his words, accusing him of feigning compassion only because her death would disrupt his plans. She fiercely rejected his sympathy, declaring he had no right to pity her after causing her so much suffering.
Before Xia Jingshi could act on his true intentions, a palace servant sent by Xia Jingyan arrived, interrupting their tense exchange and forcing Xia Jingshi to abandon his immediate plan. As orchestrated by Feng Suige, Shen Wu was covertly intercepted and brought before him. Shen Wu, startled but quick to recognize Feng Suige, immediately offered his full cooperation, pleading for his life. Shen Wu confirmed that Empress Dowager Jing had indeed planted spies within Xia Jingyan's personal guards.
Feng Suige, anticipating this, explained that Empress Dowager Jing's need for control meant she would always have her people everywhere. Shen Wu then revealed that the list of spies had been provided by Wang Encheng, who received the information from a personal guard leader named Zhang Ming, a close acquaintance.
Feng Suige instructed Shen Wu to discreetly leak this list to Xia Jingyan, ensuring it appeared to be discovered by chance rather than originating from their faction, thereby fueling the growing animosity between Xia Jingyan and his mother. Meanwhile, Empress Dowager Jing was informed that Xia Jingyan had executed all the spies she had placed within his personal guards. Astonished, she questioned how he had discovered them.
A servant reported that the list was found during the search of the deceased Imperial Military Commander Liang Pin's residence. Empress Dowager Jing dismissed this as nonsense, noting Liang Pin's lack of connection to the personal guards, but acknowledged that with Liang Pin dead, there was no way to trace the list's true origin. Realizing the gravity of the situation, she summoned Xia Jingshi.
Unaware of the intricate plotting, Xia Jingyan devoted himself to selecting a lavish new palace for Feng Xiyang, listing various opulent halls. Feng Xiyang, however, was entirely uninterested, expressing her preference to remain in the simpler Mirror Room and stating that all palaces were alike to her. She impatiently urged Xia Jingyan to focus his efforts on helping her assassinate the Murong father and son, rather than on trivial matters.
Xia Jingyan, teasing her, suggested he might delay their revenge to keep her by his side. Feng Xiyang reminded him that as an emperor, his word was law, and he could not go back on his promise. Xia Jingyan, however, retorted that as a man, lying to a woman was normal.
He quickly clarified he was joking, and promised to keep his word but needed time to devise a new plan, blaming her previous bet for preventing him from attacking Susha. When Feng Xiyang accused him of trying to make the palace her prison, he jokingly embraced the idea, promising to build her a cage-like new palace. Disgusted, Feng Xiyang walked away, ignoring his attempts to offer her a gift.
Empress Dowager Jing expressed her extreme disappointment in Xia Jingshi for his failure to eliminate Feng Xiyang, attributing it to his powerlessness outside his domain, Pingling City. Xia Jingshi, apologetically, requested her help in temporarily reassigning Xia Jingyan's personal guards, who were making it impossible for him to act. Empress Dowager Jing, after a lecture, subtly reminded him that Pingling belonged to the Emperor, not her.
She then warned him of Xia Jingyan's growing desire to kill him and her dwindling ability to protect him, especially with Feng Xiyang's influence. She articulated her need for a powerful "Prince of Zhennan" more than a filial son, emphasizing that Xia Jingyan currently viewed him as useless due to the lack of conflict.
Empress Dowager Jing then laid out her strategy: Feng Xiyang must die, and Susha must be attacked to ignite a war, which would restore Xia Jingshi's value to Xia Jingyan without directly implicating her. Xia Jingshi readily accepted this, proposing to kill Feng Xiyang outside the palace during the upcoming Qianqiu Festival and blame Susha. He then ordered Xiao Weiran to dispatch additional forces from Pingling City to assist in his plans.
Meanwhile, Feng Suige and Fu Yixiao discussed the challenges of assassinating the Murong father and son, who were heavily guarded and armored. Fu Yixiao recounted her own previous attempts, noting that a clean kill from 150 paces would require a heavy-tipped arrow and a strong bow, even though she felt she lacked the necessary skill with a bow of over two piculs.
Feng Suige, despite Fu Yixiao's protestations about his old injury and her insistence that Lord Ling had forbidden him from using strong bows, offered to use such a weapon. He asserted that his body had recovered, demonstrated his strength, and insisted he knew his limits, confident in his capabilities to assist her in their quest. Fu Yixiao remained concerned about his health, reminding him that avenging their enemies was not worth risking his well-being.
Feng Suige's scout bells alerted them to an approaching party. It was Feng Chengyang, escorted by guards. After Shen Wu discreetly took his leave, Feng Suige met his brother. Feng Suige warmly embraced Feng Chengyang, expressing his joy at seeing him alive, as Feng Chengyang had also believed him dead.
Feng Chengyang recounted how he always welcomed Feng Suige after battles and refused to believe the rumors of his death without seeing his body, referring to him as "the invincible God of War," even when Murong Yao claimed Feng Suige’s body was left in the wilderness. Feng Chengyang then confessed that ascending to the throne was not his true desire.
Feng Suige acknowledged his understanding of his brother’s past and their shared grandfather, assuring him that these past events should not create a rift between them. He then revealed the truth: the Murong father and son had forged an imperial edict to lure him into the palace, where he found their father already deceased. When Feng Chengyang pressed if their mother, Empress Zhuang, was involved, Feng Suige admitted he had no direct proof but was certain she was complicit.
Feng Suige explained that he had called his brother there to prepare him for the difficult path ahead, as he intended to personally eliminate his enemies. Overcome with grief and guilt, Feng Chengyang offered to relinquish the throne and leave Yujing with his mother to live out their remaining days, requesting only that Feng Suige spare his mother's life.
He tearfully pleaded that all her mistakes were for his sake, and her sins were his, offering to bear the burden himself. Feng Suige, reiterating that they were both pawns of circumstances and Feng Chengyang bore no guilt, agreed to spare their mother. Unbeknownst to Xia Jingshi, he was summoned by Xia Jingyan's guards. Xia Jingyan, seeing Feng Xiyang still angry, tried to cheer her up by humiliating Xia Jingshi.
Feng Xiyang, however, was furious at Xia Jingyan's antics and vehemently rejected his attempts to amuse her. When Xia Jingyan accused Xia Jingshi of attempting to kill Feng Xiyang, Xia Jingshi denied it, claiming he was merely paying respects to Empress Dowager Jing. Xia Jingyan then pressed him about his past relationship with Feng Xiyang, which Feng Xiyang herself clarified. She confronted Xia Jingshi, reminding him how she had once asked if he ever imagined a future with her.
When Xia Jingshi coldly replied, "Never," Feng Xiyang, in a fit of rage, grabbed a knife and lunged at him, intending to kill. Xia Jingyan quickly intervened, restraining her and reminding her of the severe consequences if she, a Susha native, were to kill Xia Jingshi. Feng Xiyang, still furious, warned Xia Jingyan never to toy with her revenge again, or she would not hesitate to retaliate against him.
After his poignant meeting with Feng Chengyang, Feng Suige remained visibly disheartened. Fu Yixiao gently comforted him, acknowledging his sadness. Feng Suige expressed his heavy heart, having delivered terrible news to his brother, who had already lost their father. He worried about how Feng Chengyang would now face his mother, whose involvement in their father's death had been implied.
Fu Yixiao, recognizing Feng Suige's profound compassion, marvelled at his kindness, noting that he worried for his brother's relationship with his mother, despite that same mother having caused him to lose his own. She concluded by expressing her joy that, after all the hardships he had endured, Feng Suige still had a kind brother like Feng Chengyang.
