Fated Hearts Episode 38 Recap
> Fated Hearts Recap
Xia Jingshi brought a sack to Empress Dowager Jing, who, believing it contained Princess Xiyang's body, opened it with a triumphant smile. Her smile quickly turned to horror as she saw her son, Xia Jingyan, inside. Overcome with grief, she cradled his bloody body and cried hysterically. Xia Jingshi mocked her, asking if she was satisfied with his filial devotion.
As the guards announced the Emperor's death, Empress Dowager Jing realized Xia Jingshi's betrayal and ordered her remaining guards to kill him. However, Xia Jingshi's men, who were loyal to him as their "Eminence," quickly overwhelmed the Imperial Guards, proclaiming that only he could save all living beings. Empress Dowager Jing accused Xia Jingshi of treason, but he retorted that his actions were the natural outcome of her past deeds.
He reminded her how she had poisoned him and forced him to beg for an antidote monthly like a dog, which fueled his deep hatred. Empress Dowager Jing screamed that she had spared his life when others wanted him dead, and now her own son was gone because of him. Xia Jingshi responded that he had sworn to repay kindness and avenge hatred, and today, he was repaying her.
He then force-fed her a fast-acting poison, explaining that her organs would dissolve into blood, causing her agonizing pain for a quarter of an hour before death, making her "unable to live or die as she wished." Meanwhile, Fu Yixiao and Ning Fei, who were searching elsewhere, spotted the Jinxiu Royal Guards' whistling arrows, a signal used only in dire emergencies. Fu Yixiao immediately recognized it as Xia Jingshi's handiwork and hurried towards the commotion.
When Fu Yixiao arrived, Empress Dowager Jing was still alive, writhing in agony and spitting blood as the poison took its toll. Fu Yixiao shot an arrow at Xia Jingshi, but his subordinates quickly formed a defensive wall with their shields, protecting him. Xia Jingshi, overjoyed to see Fu Yixiao, invited her to witness "the most important moment of his life." Fu Yixiao questioned how many more people he would kill for his "important moment."
Xia Jingshi tried to explain his actions, claiming he had merely removed a tyrannical ruler, repaid years of suffering and humiliation, and reclaimed his rightful place as the eldest son of the late emperor. He revealed that Empress Dowager Jing had poisoned him and exiled him, forcing him to beg for an antidote every month, which fueled his deep hatred.
He admitted to shedding innocent blood but stated he had no choice, asserting that his path required him to walk through "mountains of corpses and seas of blood," and he didn't care how many he killed. He hoped Fu Yixiao would understand his hardships, explaining he hadn't told her before to spare her pain.
Fu Yixiao retorted that his suffering had twisted into an obsession, turning him into a "prisoner of that obsession" who sought to drag everyone into his personal hell. Seeing his lack of repentance, Fu Yixiao declared she would not hold back. Xia Jingshi still refused to believe Fu Yixiao would kill him, but she immediately shot another arrow at him. Xiao Weiran swiftly blocked it and escorted Xia Jingshi away.
Their original plan was for Xia Jingshi to return to Pingling City, rally the Zhennan Army, and then march back to Shengjing to claim the throne. Fu Yixiao and Feng Suige discussed this, acknowledging that Xia Jingshi was the only remaining contender for the throne after the Emperor and Empress Dowager's demise, and his return with an army would be unstoppable. However, Feng Suige, knowing Xia Jingshi's vengeful nature, predicted he would stay to kill him first.
Meanwhile, Xia Jingshi, still obsessed, declared to Xiao Weiran that he would not leave, believing that killing Feng Suige would win Fu Yixiao back. He lamented that Feng Suige had changed Fu Yixiao and prevented her from returning to his side, claiming Fu Yixiao belonged to him. Xiao Weiran pleaded with him to reconsider, emphasizing they were just one step away from the throne and could deal with Feng Suige later. But Xia Jingshi was resolute, insisting he couldn't wait.
Similarly, Feng Suige, unwilling to let Xia Jingshi escape, stated he would also stay, recognizing this as his best chance to eliminate his enemy before Xia Jingshi could gather his full strength. He declared he could not wait a single day for such an opportunity. Despite Xia Jingshi's willingness to grant Xiao Weiran leadership of the Zhennan Army should he fall, Xiao Weiran remained loyal, vowing to share life or death, success or failure with his prince.
Xia Jingshi accepted, determined that Feng Suige would die with no grave to his name. Soon after, Feng Suige's agents reported that Wang Encheng, the Minister of Revenue, had spread news of the Emperor and Empress Dowager's assassination, leading to a city-wide hunt for the culprits – a move Fu Yixiao believed Xia Jingshi orchestrated.
The agents also revealed that Xia Jingshi planned to go to the royal ancestral residence the next day to honor his ancestors as the late emperor's eldest son. Fu Yixiao and Feng Suige deduced that with Xia Jingyan dead and no other heirs, Xia Jingshi intended to claim temporary control of Jinxiu in this manner.
Though Feng Suige noted this was an unusual, potentially controversial move for Xia Jingshi, making him suspect a trap, he nonetheless commanded Yu Qi to gather all Susha agents in Shengjing to join him in eliminating Xia Jingshi. As anticipated, when Feng Suige entered the ancestral residence, he found himself ambushed and surrounded by Xia Jingshi's forces. Fu Yixiao tried to enter the ancestral residence to help Feng Suige but was intercepted by Xiao Weiran.
Xia Jingshi, concerned about Yixiao, had previously ordered his men not to harm her, but Xiao Weiran, resolute in his loyalty to Xia Jingshi, attacked Fu Yixiao fiercely, proclaiming he couldn't let her stop his prince. Seeing Fu Yixiao injured, Ning Fei appeared from behind Xiao Weiran, condemning him for trying to kill Yixiao—his own sworn brother—and then stabbed him. Almost simultaneously, Fu Yixiao, fighting for her life, shot an arrow into Xiao Weiran's throat.
Thus, the three former heroes of Jinxiu, once united, now found themselves facing each other as enemies due to divergent ideals and allegiances, culminating in their tragic mutual destruction. With his dying breath, Xiao Weiran reflected that fate had been kind for him to die at their hands, expressing a wish that they would still accept him as a brother in a next life.
Inside the ancestral residence, Feng Suige, living up to his reputation as the Killer God of Susha, fought fiercely against Xia Jingshi's numerous men while also dodging Xia Jingshi's crossbow bolts. Xia Jingshi had been waiting for Feng Suige, acknowledging that he had deliberately revealed his location to issue a challenge. Feng Suige declared he would have come even to a "tiger's den" to personally take Xia Jingshi's head.
Xia Jingshi claimed his actions were for Jinxiu and that he had no shame before his ancestors, intending to kill Feng Suige in front of them. Feng Suige countered, questioning how Xia Jingshi could face his ancestors after colluding with the enemy and betraying his own people as Susha's Prince Consort. Feng Suige's reputation was well-earned, and Xia Jingshi's forces were decimated. Xia Jingshi then engaged Feng Suige in a fierce duel.
Just as the fight reached a stalemate, and Xia Jingshi aimed a crossbow at Feng Suige, Fu Yixiao burst in and shot an arrow, knocking the weapon from his hand. Feng Suige seized the opportunity, striking Xia Jingshi with a fatal blow, declaring, "This stab. . . is for Xiyang." As he lay dying, Xia Jingshi expressed disbelief that Fu Yixiao would truly kill him. Fu Yixiao replied that she was returning the arrow he once shot at her.
Xia Jingshi, with his last breath, confessed his deepest regret: that his only mistake in life was shooting that arrow at Fu Yixiao, admitting that he had only realized she was the most important thing to him when he saw her fall off the cliff. With Xia Jingshi defeated and all his men outside killed, Feng Suige declared it was time to "go home." Although Princess Xiyang could no longer bear children, her life was no longer in danger.
Back in Yujing, Feng Chengyang sent a message to Zhuang Jingyuan, the Empress Dowager, informing her that Feng Suige would soon return to Yujing to ascend the throne and that she was to prepare to guard the imperial tomb. Zhuang Jingyuan defiantly refused, proclaiming that Feng Pingcheng (the late Emperor) had deceived her her entire life and she would not guard his tomb. She then committed suicide.
The news of Fu Yixiao, the "heroine," and Feng Suige, the "Killer God of Susha," successfully ending the war between the two nations spread far and wide. Fu Yixiao declined the new Jinxiu Emperor's offer to be crowned King of Pingling and command the Zhennan Army, instead requesting that all rewards be used to aid the needy, earning her widespread admiration.
Ning Fei, having returned from a mission to the Storm Alliance to clarify the truth about who attacked them (Zhuang Shen and Susha's Kui Battalion), was given a package from Fu Yixiao containing braised meat, wine, and candies for the children he cared for. Fu Yixiao and Feng Suige, having reunited, looked out at the tranquil world.
Feng Suige toasted Fu Yixiao, praising her decision to establish a ten-year non-aggression pact with Jinxiu for the sake of the people's recovery, despite it being a prime opportunity to conquer Jinxiu. Fu Yixiao asked if he truly didn't want to be emperor. Feng Suige explained that Feng Chengyang, having gone to Youqi Temple for seclusion, had offered the throne back to him, but he preferred to postpone the decision until the three-year mourning period ended.
During this time, Princess Xiyang would temporarily handle state affairs, hoping that focusing on governance would help her recover from her despair. If she proved capable and enjoyed the role, she would become the Empress of Susha. Feng Suige then promised Fu Yixiao the grandest wedding in the world after the mourning period. As a gift, he presented her with the Zhuixia Bow, an unparalleled divine bow, fitting for the "world's greatest archer," his wife.
Fu Yixiao accepted it, expressing her hope that she would never need to use it, wishing for peace and prosperity without the need to fight any more enemies. Feng Suige lightheartedly responded that the only person he needed to deal with now was her, and for that, he wouldn't even need a bow, just a feather duster if she misbehaved.
