Legend of the Magnate Episode 6 Recap
> Legend of the Magnate Recap
As Prince Jelme returned to his camp, he expressed his deep frustration to the Queen. His warriors, armed with traditional spears, were no match for the Western Mongolian soldiers' firearms, leading to heavy losses. The Queen urged him to calm down, warning that continued fighting would be catastrophic. Moments later, the Junior Khan of Western Mongolia, son of Abu, arrived seeking an audience.
After being searched, he entered and directly confronted Prince Jelme, accusing him of killing many of his men. The Junior Khan proposed a negotiation: if Prince Jelme would renounce his allegiance to the crumbling Qing dynasty, Western Mongolia would immediately withdraw its troops. He argued that the Qing emperor was finished and that this was a prime opportunity, supported by outside forces, to break away.
Prince Jelme, however, vehemently refused, reminding his nephew of the ancient oath sworn by their ancestors, including Abu, at the Dolon Nor assembly to the Eternal Heaven, pledging unity and loyalty to the imperial court. He condemned the Junior Khan’s actions as betraying kin and conspiring with outsiders. Unyielding, Prince Jelme declared he would not join them. The Junior Khan then sweetened his offer, promising to share half of his firearms and suggesting they expand their territory westward together.
Prince Jelme again rejected the offer, telling him to leave. At this, the Junior Khan revealed two hidden firearms, mocking Prince Jelme's ignorance of such weapons and his guards' inability to find them. He warned Prince Jelme to be wise, threatening to kill both him and the Queen right then and there, as no one would know. At this critical moment, Chang Yu'er, who had been hiding, emerged and held a dagger to the Junior Khan's throat.
He attempted to bribe her with a pouch of priceless gems, urging her to leave and ignore the situation. Unmoved, Chang Yu'er fatally stabbed him. Prince Jelme, grateful for his life being saved, immediately adopted her as his goddaughter. Meanwhile, Chang Si and Heizi successfully cornered and subdued Hanlong, ensuring the safety of the horse gang, who celebrated their freedom. Amidst the chaos of the battle and negotiations, Gu Pingyuan seized the opportunity to escape the military camp.
Exhausted from his ordeal, he eventually collapsed from his horse. He awoke some time later in Prince Jelme’s tent, bewildered to find Chang Yu'er, dressed in fine attire, at the Queen's side. The Queen confirmed that Chang Yu'er was now her daughter and that a wedding to Gu Pingyuan had been arranged, set to take place after the troops withdrew. She warned him to recover quickly and "watch his neck," hinting at the political complexities.
As Prince Jelme and the Queen returned with their army, Gu Pingyuan and Chang Yu'er were presented to the awaiting crowd. Chang Si, who was present, was both relieved to see them alive and utterly perplexed by the announcement that his adopted daughter was now a princess and that Gu Pingyuan was her consort. Gu Pingyuan admitted he was equally confused.
During the celebratory feast, Prince Jelme made a heartfelt speech, explaining that their retreat was not a victory, but a recognition that the world was changing, with new threats like firearms disrupting the peace of the grasslands. He reaffirmed his resolve never to bow to enemies and united his people in a toast.
He then formally announced Chang Yu'er as a Horqin princess and introduced Gu Pingyuan as her consort, praising him for delivering vital medicine and doing a great service by foiling Hanlong’s treachery. He asked Gu Pingyuan what reward he desired—land, herdsmen, or a military command. Gu Pingyuan, however, made a different request.
He pleaded for the release of the captured herdsmen and war prisoners, explaining that having been a slave himself, he understood their suffering and did not wish anyone to endure such a fate. He asked Prince Jelme to grant them freedom. Prince Jelme, initially angered by what he perceived as a challenge to his authority and rules, offered to gift them all to Gu Pingyuan as his personal slaves.
Gu Pingyuan reiterated his desire for their complete freedom, arguing that in these chaotic times, old rules should be re-evaluated. He pointed out that showing kindness to these people would likely gain them future allies against foreign enemies. Though displeased, Prince Jelme reluctantly agreed and ordered the immediate release of all prisoners. The freed individuals, overwhelmed with gratitude, knelt before Gu Pingyuan to thank him.
Later, in their tent, Chang Yu'er expressed her admiration for Gu Pingyuan's bravery in challenging Prince Jelme. Gu Pingyuan, downplaying his actions, joked about losing his head. Chang Yu'er told him Prince Jelme offered to keep him safe in Horqin, and she would stay with him. Gu Pingyuan admitted he would enjoy a free life on the grasslands but emphasized that he was not a free man.
He then confessed that while Chang Yu'er was a "real princess," he, as a "consort," was a fake, because he was already engaged back home. He explained that his fiancée, Bai Yimei, was the daughter of a kind teacher, Mr. Bai, who had taught him for free when he was poor. They had exchanged betrothal gifts before he left for the imperial examinations. He added that he now had no idea where she was.
Gu Pingyuan concluded by stating that as an exile with a fiancée, he was not worthy of Chang Yu'er. Heartbroken, Chang Yu'er tried to hide her pain by pretending to be drunk, declaring that the whole "princess and consort" situation was merely "play-acting." As Chang Si and the horse gang prepared for their return journey to Shanxi, Prince Jelme and the Queen came to see them off. The Queen expressed her deep reluctance to part with Chang Yu'er.
Prince Jelme presented Chang Yu'er with a jade pendant, promising that if she ever faced trouble, Horqin warriors would come to her aid, pointedly adding, "Especially the problem next to you," referring to Gu Pingyuan. He again urged Gu Pingyuan to stay, offering him protection, but Gu Pingyuan respectfully declined, citing his longing for home and his elderly mother, and thanking Prince Jelme for his hospitality.
With heavy hearts, Chang Yu'er, Gu Pingyuan, and the horse gang departed, bidding farewell to the Prince and Queen. In the capital, Li Wantang meticulously instructed his son, Li Qin, and Zhang Guangfa before their departure to Pingyao to establish a draft bank and pawnshop. He provided them with land deeds and reserve funds, emphasizing the importance of unity among merchants and warning against arrogance.
Zhang Guangfa voiced concerns about the substantial investment and the potential risks of aligning with "southerners" (revolutionaries), but Li Wantang reassured him that he had his own strategic plans. Li Wantang gave Li Qin detailed advice on the intricate balance of pawnshop and banking operations, stressing that while he was a vanguard, he would face severe consequences if he failed. Li Qin vowed to succeed.
Upon their arrival in Pingyao, Gu Pingyuan and Chang Yu'er shared a tearful farewell, with Gu Pingyuan reiterating his conviction that he should not burden her further. Moments later, a guerrilla general and his soldiers surrounded them, arresting Gu Pingyuan as a fugitive from Ningguta and Chang Si for harboring him, a capital offense. Simultaneously, Wang Tiangui was furious upon discovering fraudulent accounts at his pawnshop, a slight he believed stemmed from his childlessness.
The Pingyao county magistrate arrived, hoping to capitalize on Gu Pingyuan's capture for a promotion. However, Wang Tiangui, recognizing Gu Pingyuan's extraordinary capabilities, sharply reprimanded the magistrate, reminding him that Wang Tiangui himself had paid for his current position. He ordered the magistrate to suppress the case, claiming a mistaken identity for Gu Pingyuan and assuring him that he would personally bribe the general to avoid further trouble. Gu Pingyuan and Chang Si were subsequently imprisoned.
Chang Si, deeply regretful, blamed himself for implicating Gu Pingyuan due to the conflict over his house. Gu Pingyuan, unfazed, argued that confronting a "petty person" like Wang Tiangui was necessary, as concessions would only lead to further exploitation. Wang Tiangui later visited Gu Pingyuan in prison, mockingly informing him of his immediate execution sentence and Chang Si's impending death for harboring him. Gu Pingyuan, unperturbed, insulted Wang Tiangui, leading to a heated exchange.
Finally, Gu Pingyuan asked for Wang Tiangui's true intentions. Wang Tiangui, acknowledging Gu Pingyuan's reputation for making money for others, offered him a deal: he would ensure the safety of Chang Si's entire family if Gu Pingyuan helped him regain control of his pawnshop from his disloyal managers.
Wang Tiangui then launched into a detailed explanation of pawnshop and draft bank operations, describing them as "legal robbery" and "the greatest business in the world," where money flows in and out while the actual silver remains untouched. He needed Gu Pingyuan to "stir things up" in his "stagnant pool" of a business and restore his authority.
Gu Pingyuan, accepting the terms, asked when he should start, and Wang Tiangui gave him one month to accomplish the task before Chang Si would be released. Shortly after, Li Qin and Su Zixuan made a grand entrance into Pingyao, drawing considerable public attention. Gu Pingyuan, having been released, immediately sought out Chang Yu'er and Heizi to inform them of the situation.
He explained that Chang Si was being held by Wang Tiangui and that he had agreed to work at Wang Tiangui's pawnshop for a month to secure Chang Si's release. He would live and work at the pawnshop and asked them to look after Chang Si. Chang Yu'er, distressed, offered to give up the house and money, but Gu Pingyuan explained that money would not resolve the legal issue of harboring a fugitive.
Angered that Gu Pingyuan’s status as a fugitive had endangered Chang Si, Heizi confronted him but was held back. Gu Pingyuan affirmed that their only option was to fulfill the terms, despite the challenge of controlling the "wily old foxes" who managed the pawnshop within a mere month.
