Fight For Love Episode 40 (Ending) Recap
> Fight For Love Recap
With civil unrest gripping North Qi and eleven cities rebelling, Chu Yu deduced that Zhao Yue would not remain passive. Faced with internal strife and the Great Sui army advancing, his only viable escape route lay through Baidi Valley to Dongliang. Recognizing this, Wei Yun and Chu Yu strategically positioned the Great Sui army there, anticipating Zhao Yue would walk directly into their trap. Zhao Yue's soldiers quickly realized they were surrounded, with no path left for retreat.
A surprised Zhao Yue questioned Wei Yun on how they knew his movements. Wei Yun declared that Zhao Yue's accumulated misdeeds had brought him not only public anger but also his inevitable fate, proclaiming Baidi Valley as his final resting place. Zhao Yue defiantly reminded Wei Yun that his own father, brothers, and seventy thousand Wei troops had also perished in Baidi Valley, sarcastically suggesting they awaited Wei Yun in the underworld. Zhao Yue then attempted to provoke his adversaries.
Chu Yu condemned him as a thief who had stolen blueprints, massacred Great Sui soldiers, and seized a throne with the Queen Mother's assistance, challenging him to witness the true power of the octagonal crossbow. Zhao Yue mocked Song Wenchang for his past failure to defend Qingzhou, calling him useless, but Song Wenchang, as Left General, bravely accepted the challenge, undeterred by the exposure of his past wounds.
Song Shilan, the General of the West, also stepped forward, denouncing Zhao Yue's treacherous schemes. Chu Yu, daughter of the General of the Northwest Chu Jianchang, asserted that all Great Sui citizens had the right to judge him, and her fight was for countless fallen heroes. Wei Yun echoed this, stating that the loyal spirits of his seventy thousand soldiers, who died because of Zhao Yue, stood with him.
Cornered, Zhao Yue tried to use Li Changming as a human shield, believing they would not harm her. However, Li Changming bravely declared her willingness to die for Great Sui and urged the soldiers to attack. In a last-ditch effort, Zhao Yue reminded Chu Yu of their past promise, but Chu Yu, unwavering, told Li Changming not to worry about her, as this was the final battle they had long planned.
Firm in her resolve, she commanded her army to charge, vowing not to return until North Qi was destroyed and Zhao Yue was dead. The battle raged, with Great Sui soldiers relentlessly pushing Zhao Yue's forces. His remaining loyalists desperately fought to protect him and break free, but they were overwhelmed. Zhao Yue eventually found himself cornered at the very edge of a cliff, with Wei Yun and Chu Yu in swift pursuit.
His soldiers cried out that there was no escape. From the cliff edge, Zhao Yue, despite his imminent defeat, still spoke of his vision for a unified empire achieved through bloodshed, lamenting that he would never see that day. He clutched Li Changming, reiterating that with her by his side, no one would dare kill him. However, Li Changming contradicted him, revealing that the true instrument of his demise was in her own hands.
She confessed to intentionally killing their unborn child, having known the medicine contained oleander. She explained that she had deliberately provoked him into killing his consort and imprisoning his mother to accelerate the coup. She chillingly declared that his greatest enemy had always been her, not Chu Yu or Wei Yun, because he was unworthy of being a true ruler or experiencing genuine happiness.
A heartbroken Zhao Yue asked if she had ever loved him, reminding her that he was her Xue Hanmei. Li Changming responded with a kiss, a gesture that brought a fleeting moment of joy to Zhao Yue, making him believe she loved him and promised a different life in the next. But then, Zhao Yue coughed up blood, poisoned, as Li Changming pushed him off the cliff.
Chu Yu rushed forward, offering Li Changming an antidote pill from Tuantuan to temporarily suppress the poison until they could return to Huajing. But Li Changming gently rebuffed her, apologizing for causing Chu Yu to break her word. She explained that she could not go back, having loved someone she shouldn't have.
Blaming herself for Zhao Yue's downfall and half of his sins, she stated that his death alone could not cleanse his crimes, and she intended to pay for the remaining half. With a final whisper, she declared she was coming to accompany Zhao Yue and let herself fall from the cliff. Chu Yu lunged desperately, but could not even grasp a corner of her skirt.
Thus, Wei Yun and Chu Yu were unable to bring Li Changming back to Great Sui. Following Zhao Yue's defeat, Wei Yun and Chu Yu entered North Qi. Instead of conquest, they opted for peace, negotiating a treaty with Queen Mother Yunyang. The Queen Mother, grieving Zhao Yue's demise, agreed to the terms: North Qi would return Yun City, Bai City, and Yingzhou to Great Sui and maintain peace for fifty years.
Chu Yu explained that Great Sui fought to protect its homeland, not to seize territory, acknowledging that war brings only sorrow. With the treaty ratified, Gongsun Lan's mission in Qizhou concluded, allowing him to officially return to the Arsenal Bureau under his true identity, Qi Lan. Back in Fengling City, Chu Yu reflected on the profound transformation. The city, once a critical border stronghold where her father died and her brother was wounded, was now at peace.
She rejoiced that its people would no longer face the constant threat of swords and spears, finally able to live in freedom and tranquility. As they savored their triumph, Wei Yun revealed to Chu Yu that he had pledged three years of guarding the border to the Emperor in exchange for leading the mission to North Qi. Now that she was safe, he had to fulfill his promise.
Chu Yu agreed to wait for three years but warned him that if he were late, she would take Xiaoqi and disappear to a place he could never find. Wei Yun, looking into her eyes, solemnly promised he would never break his word. Meanwhile, Qi Lan explained to Song Wenchang that while the Emperor had tacitly allowed Wei Yun's unauthorized departure, he couldn't officially withdraw defenses.
Qi Lan affirmed his loyalty, stating he could not stop Wei Yun from fighting for the country. Song Wenchang then playfully apologized to Song Shilan for past misunderstandings, rekindling their brotherly bond. Chu Yu also received joyful news that her brother, Chu Linyang, was recovering quickly and might greet her upon her return to Huajing. Soon after, the Emperor abdicated, proclaiming Crown Prince Li Huan as his successor, whose reign was named "Shunping."
Li Huan's first decree recognized Chu Yu's extraordinary achievements in securing peace with North Qi. He honored her with the title of General of Beifeng, making her the only female general in the dynasty, and notably, this led to the opening of imperial examinations for women, allowing them to serve as officials. Wei Yun was bestowed the title of Duke of Zhenguo, and in fulfilling his earlier pledge, he departed to guard the border for three years.
Three years passed swiftly. When Wei Yun finally returned to Huajing, Chu Yu, dressed in white, performed a beautiful sword dance on the city gate tower. Wei Yun, teary-eyed, met her, confirming to a subordinate that no other hardship compared to their separation. Chu Yu, with renewed certainty, stepped forward and directly asked, "Wei Yun, I've come to marry you. Will you marry me?" He replied with an emotional "I will."
As they reunited, Wei Yun reflected on their shared journey, realizing that the lands they had fought for represented more than just battlefields; they embodied the collective efforts of young generals, righteous scholars, dedicated officials, and everyday heroes who sacrificed for the people's well-being and future generations. He reaffirmed that their joint endeavors, despite immense hardships, had forged this era of peace and prosperity, and he was confident that the Great Sui realm would continue to thrive beyond their expectations.
