Jun Jiu Ling Episode 31 Recap
> Jun Jiu Ling Recap
As Zhu Zan and Jun Jiuling continued their journey back to the capital, they shared a moment under the clear and tranquil starry sky. Jun Jiuling remarked that the sky remained the same, but the people beneath it had changed. She reminisced about watching the stars with her father and described how, in late summer and early autumn, the mingling of stars and shimmering ground light formed a pattern resembling the Milky Way pouring onto earth.
Zhu Zan, captivated, promised to take her to see it next summer. Then, he called her "Jun Jiuling," stating he had been searching for answers in her eyes. Jun Jiuling, slightly taken aback, confessed that she was indeed the person he had been thinking of.
Zhu Zan revealed that he had heard her words—"Jiuling, Ling Jiu, I am here, Jiuling is here," and her fear of never seeing him again if he didn't awaken—while he was delirious with pox in Qing Shan Courtyard. Though he couldn't verify it then, their shared experiences since had shown him the immense difficulties she faced, making him willing to wait for her to tell him she was Chu Jiuling.
Jun Jiuling apologized, feeling grateful that fate had brought them together, allowing her to confide everything in him and experience hardships by his side. She realized that all her past struggles had become the most precious testament to their bond. Zhu Zan, in turn, apologized for not recognizing her sooner and vowed that from now on, nothing and no one would ever separate them again. In the capital, Prime Minister Huang gathered his colleagues to strategize against Lord Cheng.
Following a proposal from the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs, they decided to announce a "donation" under the name of the Zhu family army, intending to incite public anger and address the empty treasury and the issue of rewarding Lord Cheng. They framed Lord Cheng (Zhu Shan) as overly aggressive in seeking recognition, blaming him for unpaid official salaries and new taxes on the people.
Prime Minister Huang expressed satisfaction, confirming all arrangements were complete and awaiting Lord Cheng’s arrival to settle old and new grudges. Meanwhile, Zhu Zan and Jun Jiuling were ambushed on their way to the capital. Zhu Zan protected Jun Jiuling, sustaining minor injuries himself, though he was more concerned by a secret letter from the capital. Jun Jiuling noted the adversaries' underhanded tactics and suggested that while general troublemakers were manageable, the rigid and pedantic scholars would be a challenge.
She proposed that Deshengchang could manage public sentiment. Zhu Zan then suggested that Ning Yunzhao, known for his ability, could persuade the reclusive great tutor Qi Xuan, whose students comprised most of the capital’s scholars, to intervene. Zhu Zan and Jun Jiuling agreed to split up upon reaching the capital.
In the imperial court, Prime Minister Huang advised Emperor Chu Rang to exercise strict judgment, accusing Lord Cheng of disobeying imperial decrees, refusing to return when summoned, and later entering Beiqi territory without permission, potentially posing a threat to the capital with spies.
Ning Yunzhao countered, praising the Emperor’s benevolence in welcoming refugees and asserting that the arrival of tens of thousands of people from the three counties, having traveled thousands of miles to thank the Emperor, would be a testament to His Majesty’s wisdom and compassion, cementing his image as an unprecedentedly great emperor. Faced with conflicting counsel, Emperor Chu Rang dismissed his ministers, stating he needed more time to decide.
After further consideration, the Emperor decided to have the Third Prince welcome the Zhu family army from the city gate wall on his behalf. Back in his private chambers, Prime Minister Huang reaffirmed his resolve to create "countless obstacles" for Lord Cheng (Zhu Shan). Meanwhile, in the capital, Ning Yunzhao and Fang Jinxiu prepared for unforeseen challenges to ensure Lord Cheng’s smooth entry.
Fang Jinxiu and Shopkeeper Liu discussed how their opponents had paid hundreds of people, including children, to incite unrest, revealing the shameless tactics employed. Fang Jinxiu worried about their foes, but Shopkeeper Liu assured her that Jun Jiuling was aware and prepared, with Fang Chengyu in Zezhou also having made arrangements to send large quantities of supplies to the capital.
Fang Jinxiu’s grandmother worried about Jun Jiuling's dangerous endeavors, but Fang Jinxiu affirmed her trust in Jun Jiuling’s actions, pledging the Fang family’s full support. Ning Yunzhao arrived in the capital ahead of Lord Cheng, seeking Fang Jinxiu's help to convince Qi Xuan to intervene, as he was the only one who could sway the scholars. Soon, Lord Cheng's army and the accompanying carriages with family members approached the capital.
A crowd of common people, seemingly having waited for a long time, blocked their path with expressions of scorn, not joy. Several agitators, disguised as ordinary citizens, deliberately instigated unrest, shouting for Lord Cheng to "give them a way to live." They accused him of exploiting them and profiting from war, demanding justice, and throwing vegetables at the procession.
Lord Cheng calmly ordered his soldiers to stand down, declaring that their blades were only for enemies, not their own people, and threatening military law for disobedience. Just then, Fang Jinxiu and Shopkeeper Liu arrived with carts, accompanied by Liu'er and Chen Qi, announcing that Deshengchang and Jiuling Drugstore were distributing silver and medicine in celebration of Lord Cheng's triumphant return.
This timely act of charity and praise for Lord Cheng's benevolence quelled the unrest, and the instigators, having been paid to cause trouble, seized the opportunity to slip away. Lord Cheng's army had faced difficulties at every checkpoint on their way to the capital. Near the city gate, the Third Prince grew impatient with Lord Cheng's delay, spurred on by Prime Minister Huang’s whispers about Lord Cheng's supposed undisciplined nature.
The Third Prince expressed his intent to make Lord Cheng wait. Meanwhile, a group of scholars and noble scions blocked Lord Cheng's path, led by a man who demanded Lord Cheng dismount and apologize. He vehemently accused Lord Cheng of various crimes: disobeying imperial decrees and causing chaos in the northern lands, being warlike and causing endless conflict, and demanding rewards, leading to military and political disorder.
He branded Lord Cheng (Zhu Shan) and the Zhu family army as "ministers and forces that would lead to the subjugation of our state." Lord Cheng refuted the accusations, specifically clarifying that regarding the earlier loss at Kaide Mansion, he had prioritized the greater good by guarding the most crucial areas.
When Fang Jinxiu defended Lord Cheng, arguing he had led troops to resist Beiqi and rescue the people, she was rebuked by the scholar leader for being a "woman" who didn't deserve to discuss imperial laws. It was at this critical moment that the venerable literary master Qi Xuan appeared.
He challenged the scholars, questioning if he was worthy to discuss imperial laws and condemning their failure to uphold righteousness and disregard for the people's safety, stating they had wrongly read the sages' books. He praised Lord Cheng's magnanimity for remaining calm amidst their insults and ordered them to step aside, warning that those who deliberately incited others were unworthy of scholarship or official positions. Lord Cheng thanked Qi Xuan, and his procession continued smoothly toward the city gate.
Upon reaching the city gate, Lord Cheng faced the Third Prince, who accused him of being "warlike and greedy for military merits," disregarding the pleas of the refugees from the three counties. Lord Cheng knelt, acknowledging his return with tens of thousands of refugees from the North as per His Majesty's decree, and implored the Third Prince to petition the Emperor for their proper resettlement.
The refugees themselves cried out, urging the Third Prince to blame them instead if he wished to blame Lord Cheng, describing their suffering—homelessness, starvation, and vulnerability to enemies—and defending Lord Cheng for bringing them to safety. An official standing with the Third Prince voiced concerns about the difficulty of settling tens of thousands of refugees and the potential for spies or bandits among them to cause chaos in the capital.
Lord Cheng again denied the false charges, stating that if he were truly greedy for power, he would not have returned with only a few close followers. He asked the Third Prince to investigate whether he had lost the people's support or was deliberately framed.
During this standoff, the Emperor, having been informed of Qi Xuan's presence and the vast number of refugees at the gate, and advised on the potential damage to his reputation if they were refused entry, issued an oral instruction for the Third Prince to open the gate. Qi Xuan then directly intervened, commanding the Third Prince to open the gate if he still respected him, while the refugees and their supporters chanted for the gate to be opened.
