Legend of Fu Yao Episode 63 Recap, Plot

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> Legend of Fu Yao Recap

Empress Yuan, despite her noble status, bravely came forward to bid farewell to Zhangsun Jia, who was deemed a traitor. Guards protested, fearing it would shame the royal family, but Empress Yuan declared that Crown Prince Zhangsun Wuji would bear the blame. She insisted on remaining, determined to prevent Zhangsun Jiong from achieving his sinister goals, even if it meant her own demise.

Zhangsun Jia, however, understood that his death was the final move Zhangsun Jiong needed to make, and only then would he release Empress Yuan and Zhangsun Wuji. Empress Yuan desperately tried to tell Zhangsun Wuji the truth, fearing that if he took the wrong step, Zhangsun Jiong’s two-decade-long conspiracy would be complete, a sin unforgivable by heaven.

But Zhangsun Jia adamantly urged her to say nothing, believing that as a future emperor, Zhangsun Wuji’s act of killing a rebel was all that mattered. As Empress Yuan called for Zhangsun Wuji, intending to reveal his true lineage, Zhangsun Jia tragically pulled the sword from Zhangsun Wuji and impaled himself with it, sacrificing his life to protect them. Empress Yuan was devastated, calling out his name in anguish, while Zhangsun Wuji stood stunned and heartbroken.

Later, Fu Yao found Zhangsun Wuji, who, distraught, questioned if his father was responsible for these events and for separating him from his loved ones. Fu Yao, however, felt that such a profound truth should come directly from Empress Yuan. Word of Prince De’s execution reached Emperor of Tianquan Zhangsun Jiong, who expressed chilling satisfaction that his brother, Zhangsun Jia, was finally dead, believing all troubles had ended. Yet, moments later, he collapsed, requiring an imperial physician.

Meanwhile, in the military camp, Empress Yuan performed a solitary ritual, burning paper money for Zhangsun Jia. Zhangsun Wuji approached her, seeking answers. Empress Yuan revealed that Zhangsun Wuji was born on the Lantern Festival, a snowy night that reminded her of her first encounter with Zhangsun Jia. She then delivered the devastating truth: Zhangsun Jia was Zhangsun Wuji’s biological father.

She explained Zhangsun Jiong’s elaborate and cruel scheme: he had painstakingly groomed Zhangsun Wuji for the treacherous throne of Tianquan Kingdom, intending to force a tragic conflict between father and son. His ultimate goal was to eradicate all of Zhangsun Wuji’s loved ones, leaving him utterly isolated on the throne, his vengeance complete. Zhangsun Wuji, overwhelmed, questioned, “Why now?” and reacted with disbelief. Overwhelmed by this shattering revelation, Zhangsun Wuji retreated to burn paper money alone.

He confessed to Fu Yao his childhood confusion about his origins, recalling how Uncle Zhou once told him that his background was not important, but who he was truly mattered. Now, he felt lost, questioning if he was an undeserving crown prince or a shame to the royal family. Fu Yao gently assured him that he would always be himself, regardless of others' labels, and that he shouldn't care about those who valued only identity and power.

She acknowledged that even their closest family members might have had their own desperate reasons for their deceptions and machinations. Fu Yao explained that the palace, despite its splendor, was a gilded cage, and royal power was a force that easily corrupted and instilled ruthlessness. She observed that Zhangsun Wuji’s mother, his “father” Zhangsun Jiong, and Prince De had all succumbed to their lust for power and selfishness. However, she emphasized that Zhangsun Wuji was different and must remain so.

Zhangsun Wuji admitted he once only sought to be his father’s most valued son, to prove his worthiness for the Tianquan throne, and that he had not cared about the means to achieve it, believing he was not as good as Fu Yao thought. Fu Yao countered that this was the real him, and she had seen both his mask and his true heart, understanding his methods and his boundaries.

She reiterated that no matter what he became, he would always be the best person in her heart. Reminding him of their shared dream to transform the Five Kingdoms into the world they desired, Fu Yao offered a profound analogy about shadows: just as light casts a shadow, darkness exists where there is light. She then asked Zhangsun Wuji if he would be the one to face the light with her, wishing for a shared journey.

Zhangsun Wuji, feeling this was a test from heaven, wished he could bear all the pain alone, only wanting his loved ones to find peace and happiness. As Zhangsun Jiong lay dying, Zhangsun Wuji rushed to his side. Zhangsun Jiong, frail but lucid, acknowledged Wuji’s late arrival and his own impending death. He commented on Wuji's weight loss, recognizing that Wuji had always borne his burdens alone, with few trustworthy companions in the palace.

Zhangsun Wuji, having learned the truth, asked his "father" why he had orchestrated such a cruel fate. Zhangsun Jiong confirmed that Wuji now knew everything, grimly stating that Prince De was dead and that, as a rebel, his remains would be pulverized, not buried in the royal mausoleum. He then confessed that the conspiracy, the forced conflict between father and son, was the single greatest ambition of his life, now fulfilled.

Dismissing his imperial physicians, Zhangsun Jiong revealed the two people he hated most: himself, and his brother, Zhangsun Jia—Zhangsun Wuji’s biological father. He recounted a lifetime of bitterness, how Zhangsun Jia had effortlessly obtained everything Zhangsun Jiong treasured, even the throne being merely Zhangsun Jia's "leftover." He confessed that on the day he ascended, he began systematically taking everything Zhangsun Jia cared for.

Yet, even in death, Zhangsun Jiong felt Zhangsun Jia had won, leaving him with nothing but Zhangsun Wuji—who was, ironically, the illegitimate son of Zhangsun Jia and Empress Yuan. He pondered aloud why he hadn't harmed or killed Wuji, instead teaching him everything from etiquette and imperial governance to military strategies. He explained he had passed the throne to Wuji simply because Wuji had called him "father," and as the emperor, he had to be a wise ruler.

Zhangsun Jiong chillingly predicted that Zhangsun Wuji would soon become just like him—bound, ruthless, and ultimately, lonely—but would never hate him, because Zhangsun Jiong had given him "the love of my lifetime." He repeatedly questioned Wuji, asking why he wasn’t his own son. With his last breaths, he formally entrusted Zhangsun Wuji with the imperial seal, army tally, and all state affairs, along with his future honor and well-being.

He reiterated his long-held command that Zhangsun Wuji personally see to Zhangsun Jia's demise, asserting he would not rest in peace otherwise. Following Zhangsun Jiong's demise, Zhangsun Wuji was overcome with grief, weeping openly and performing the traditional kowtows before his deceased "father." The imperial court soon proclaimed Zhangsun Wuji as the new Emperor of Tianquan, acknowledging his virtues, loyalty, and wisdom as chosen by heaven and the people, destined to govern the Five Kingdoms.

Despite his ascension, Zhangsun Wuji remained immersed in mourning for several days, neglecting court affairs and causing discontent among the officials. They noted that while funeral arrangements were complete, the Emperor remained mired in sorrow and needed to address state matters, including the preparations for his enthronement ceremony. An official, sympathetic to Zhangsun Wuji’s grief, asked for more time, given the suddenness of the late emperor’s death. Fu Yao also updated Zhangsun Wuji on Empress Yuan's situation.

Empress Yuan had renounced her title and chosen to live a secluded life as Yuan Qingyi at Wanxin Nunnery on Mount Green Pearl. Unwilling to return to the palace, which she now saw as a cage, she wished only for Zhangsun Wuji’s happiness and freedom from sorrow, inviting him to visit if he ever missed her. Fu Yao diligently oversaw the settling of foreign envoys and the preparation of funeral orations. She also visited Wanxin Nunnery, confirming that Yuan Qingyi, though in a modest setting, was at peace.

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