Legend of Fu Yao Episode 19 Recap, Plot

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Changsun Wuji surprisingly pardoned Qi Zhen's crimes but immediately handed the investigation of the kidnapped palace candidates to Zhang Henian. Changsun Wuji noted that Qi Zhen's own mansion had recently been infiltrated by assassins and set on fire, implying Qi Zhen was too busy to handle the case. He then approved Zhang Henian's request for funds, stating that manpower and soldiers for the investigation would naturally require money.

Qi Zhen strongly objected, claiming catching robbers and military pay were unrelated matters. However, Changsun Wuji, abandoning his usual puppet-like demeanor, leaned close to Qi Zhen and asserted his authority, asking if Qi Zhen thought he, Qi Zhen, had put him on the throne. He reminded Qi Zhen that the court had other powerful ministers and that Qi Zhen was not the only one with military power.

A guard then reported that the palace candidate Yuwen Zi had been found outside the palace gates, unconscious. Changsun Wuji ordered her brought in, and upon approaching her, subtly confirmed she was merely feigning unconsciousness. Playing along with Fu Yao's act, Changsun Wuji feigned urgency and concern, hastily ordering Qi Zhen to return to his mansion to summon the medical sage, Zong Yue, for treatment.

After returning to his mansion, Qi Zhen was furious, unable to believe that Changsun Wuji, a king he had previously controlled, would dare to reprimand him in court and use Zhang Henian to pressure him. His adopted son, Yun Hen, attempted to calm him, reminding him that despite being a puppet, the King was still the King, and his surname was Xuanyuan. Qi Zhen acknowledged that one must endure temporary anger to achieve long-term goals.

He then reflected on the day's events, concluding that Changsun Wuji was truly cunning and rampant. He suspected Changsun Wuji had orchestrated the kidnapping of the candidates to frame him and justify the allocation of military funds to Zhang Henian. Recognizing that Changsun Wuji was becoming increasingly difficult to control, Qi Zhen ordered Yun Hen to find a better way to monitor the King, as their current informant Cao Cheng provided only indirect information.

At an inn, Yalan Zhu heard about the kidnapped palace candidate and immediately suspected Zhan Beiye was the one who had rescued her. Zhan Beiye confirmed her suspicion and informed both Yalan Zhu and Qi that Fu Yao had other plans and intended to enter the palace instead of leaving the Duke's Mansion. He added that Fu Yao was always resourceful and should be fine, especially since he had changed her face.

Zhan Beiye then prepared to secretly return to Tiansha, stating he had already fulfilled his debt to Fu Yao. He gave Yalan Zhu and Qi some gold leaves, but flatly refused to let them accompany him, explaining that the journey was extremely dangerous and they would only be a burden. He sternly warned Yalan Zhu not to let anyone from Taiyuan or Tiansha know of his departure, or she would never see him again.

Yalan Zhu expressed concern for his safety, but he suggested she return to Qiongye if she felt unsafe, given the unstable situation in Taiyuan City. Yalan Zhu, however, confidently stated that having traveled all over the Five Kingdoms with him for six years, she could handle anything. Yun Hen arrived at Zong Yue's residence to request his presence at the palace to treat Fu Yao.

Zong Yue inquired about the assassins who had broken into the Duke's Mansion, and Yun Hen calmly stated that they and their accomplices had all been caught and executed the following day. As Zong Yue walked ahead, Yun Hen recalled the night of the mansion fire. He had already suspected Zong Yue was the assassin. Zong Yue, without hesitation, admitted to being the person Yun Hen was looking for and even showed him his injury.

Yun Hen initially intended to take Zong Yue to Qi Zhen, but Zong Yue stopped him, revealing Yun Hen's true identity and the full truth about the massacre of the Prince of Wenyi's family. Zong Yue explained that Yun Hen's true birthday was the fourth day of the sixth lunar month, and that when Yun Hen was five, the old butler had falsely told Qi Zhen that Yun Hen was his nephew.

The same butler had later, before his death, told Yun Hen his true birthday and urged him to keep it secret from Qi Zhen. Zong Yue then recounted the historical truth: Prince of Wenyi's military achievements had caused King Renzong to become deeply suspicious, especially due to malicious palace rumors. Eventually, Qi Zhen, who was then the Prince of Wenyi's closest friend, conspired to frame him.

King Renzong, eager to eliminate the crown prince whose power overshadowed his own, issued a royal order to "kill everyone" in the Prince of Wenyi's Mansion, regardless of age, gender, or rank, to "cut off his family line" and "extinguish his family." Zong Yue revealed that only two descendants survived the massacre, both bearing a unique dragon tattoo on their shoulders. He then bared his own shoulder, revealing the identical tattoo, implying Yun Hen shared it.

Yun Hen was profoundly shocked and refused to believe that Qi Zhen, who had given him a new life, could be his family's murderer. Zong Yue then instructed Yun Hen to seek out Mr. Qiu, the former butler, who could be found making sugar figurines in the south of the city, to verify his claims. Zong Yue arrived at Fu Yao's quarters and immediately saw through her disguise, recognizing her by her lively demeanor.

Fu Yao admitted to suffering from headaches and dizziness. Zong Yue, feigning indifference, joked that she must have been "kicked by a donkey." When Fu Yao questioned why he had been summoned, Zong Yue claimed he was worried about her and wanted to confirm she was alive.

Their banter continued until Zong Yue, in a more serious tone, admitted he genuinely worried about her safety because she had taken an arrow for him, and they had shared life-or-death moments in the Duke's Mansion. He then proceeded to diagnose her, noting her unusually strange pulse, which felt "both energetic and lethargic," and told her she wouldn't live long.

He then produced a spiritual elixir, explaining that the black one was for saving, the white for killing, and the red required his permission before use. Meanwhile, Jiang Feng asked Changsun Wuji if he intended to visit Fu Yao, recalling how anxious Changsun Wuji had been when she was abducted.

Changsun Wuji, after Jiang Feng implied his affection for Fu Yao, replied that there was "no rush, plenty of time," and added that the Five Kingdoms would be doomed again if she was not found. Outside the inn, Yalan Zhu hung a wooden sign announcing that Prince Lie was gravely ill and had departed for the mountains to seek treatment. She explained to Qi her intention to leave Taiyuan and travel north to Tiansha to find Zhan Beiye.

She confessed that after years of accompanying him, she was simply unaccustomed to waiting alone. She tried to persuade Qi to join her, describing Tiansha as a fun land of ice and snow, with opportunities for skiing and ice-skating, plenty of mountain deer to eat, and unique ice lollies made from sugar water. However, Qi declined, explaining that he could not abandon Fu Yao, as they had left Mount Xuanyuan together, and she was now trapped in the dangerous palace.

He assured Yalan Zhu that despite the palace's heavy guards, he had a plan to find her. They made a promise to reunite, with Yalan Zhu playfully warning Qi that when she and Zhan Beiye returned, Fu Yao had better be alive and well. In the grand hall, Changsun Wuji convened his ministers for the imperial concubine selection, stating he wished for their input on choosing virtuous women. As he gave the command, the palace candidates gracefully entered.

Among them were Fu Yao (in disguise as Yuwen Zi), Jian Xue, the daughter of Hanwen Academy member Jian Shen, Tang Zhirong, the daughter of Dingyuan General Tang Bonian, and Gao Puruo, the daughter of Prince of Xiping, Gao Song. Changsun Wuji's attention was drawn to Tang Zhirong, whom he immediately called forward. After confirming her identity as General Tang Bonian's daughter, a loyal contributor to Taiyuan, Changsun Wuji turned to Qi Zhen, asking for his preference among the candidates.

Qi Zhen, however, politely declined, stating that the King should make his own decision. Changsun Wuji then directly chose Tang Zhirong as a consort. When it was Fu Yao's turn, Changsun Wuji intentionally interrupted her, remarking on the large number of candidates. He then handed jade tokens to Jiang Feng, instructing him to give them to Qi Zhen, implying Qi Zhen should choose the remaining candidates. Qi Zhen adamantly refused, calling it a joke and too flattering.

With a subtle smirk, Changsun Wuji declared that since Qi Zhen refused, he would set a new precedent. He nullified all previous selections and announced that the remaining candidates' fate would be decided by spinning a Ruyi scepter. The palace candidates withdrew from the main hall, awaiting outside. Gao Puruo was openly disdainful of Changsun Wuji's unconventional method, stating that her family, the Prince of Xiping's mansion, had produced three queens, and never had such a ridiculous method been used.

Fu Yao chuckled, catching Gao Puruo's attention. Gao Puruo confronted Fu Yao, and a heated exchange of insults ensued, with Fu Yao commenting on Gao Puruo's "donkey-kicked face." Tang Zhirong attempted to mediate, urging peace. During the argument, Fu Yao subtly tripped Gao Puruo, causing her to stumble and make a spectacle of herself.

Moments later, an inner court attendant announced the selected candidates: Tang Zhirong, Jian Xue, Yuwen Zi (Fu Yao), Fu Jiayi, Nalan Jing, Chen Xiangxie, Zhang Wanting, and Liu Yuqi. Gao Puruo was notably absent from the list. Jian Xue immediately seized the opportunity to mock Gao Puruo, expressing pity that Gao Puruo wouldn't have the chance to be sisters with Tang Zhirong. Inside the hall, Changsun Wuji feigned unfamiliarity with Fu Yao.

He approached Jian Xue, praising her appearance and demeanor as the best among all the candidates, and unilaterally conferred upon her the title of Lady Gui. The ministers promptly reminded him of Taiyuan's established custom: four consorts – Lady Gui, Lady De, Lady Shu, and Lady Xian – must be simultaneously chosen from the candidates, from whom the future queen would then be selected.

Changsun Wuji then asked Jian Xue and Yuwen Zi (Fu Yao) to state their names and their fathers' positions. Jiang Feng discreetly informed Changsun Wuji that Yuwen Zi was Qi Zhen's newly recognized sworn daughter. Changsun Wuji then proceeded to name Jian Xue as Lady De and Yuwen Zi (Fu Yao) as Lady Shu, while the remaining candidates were designated as Attendants.

He then abruptly announced that the selection for Lady Xian would be postponed, citing his fatigue, and dismissed the ministers' concerns, saying they could discuss it after he rested. Yun Hen eventually found Mr. Qiu, who was making sugar figurines in the south of the city. Mr. Qiu instantly recognized Yun Hen, remembering how he, as a child, would look at the figurines but never eat them. Yun Hen directly asked Mr. Qiu about his alleged betrayal of his master.

Mr. Qiu, with a heavy heart, revealed the truth. He explained that fifteen years prior, the royal decree was to "kill everyone" in Prince of Wenyi's Mansion, regardless of age or rank, to completely "cut off his family line." Mr. Qiu revealed that he had merely feigned betrayal and loyalty to Qi Zhen to gain his trust.

This elaborate act was Prince of Wenyi's final dying wish, entrusted to Mr. Qiu, to ensure the survival of his two young masters, Zong Yue and Yun Hen. Mr. Qiu emphasized that he had endured "eternal curses" from the world to fulfill this sacred trust. Kneeling before Yun Hen, Mr. Qiu implored him to never forget the "blood feud," to never show mercy, and most importantly, never to acknowledge his enemy as his father.

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