Legend of Two Sisters in the Chaos Episode 33 Recap
> Legend of Two Sisters in the Chaos Recap
Princess Shou An observed that Zhang Yongyao seemed deeply preoccupied and asked if a difficult case from the Ministry of Justice was troubling him. Zhang Yongyao, having been secretly tasked by Xue Rong to investigate the empress's poisoning and apprehend the culprit, vaguely replied that he was pondering a difficult matter. He then excused himself from joining her for breakfast, stating he had official duties to attend to.
Princess Shou An noticed his evasiveness and wondered why he had avoided her gaze and offered such a vague explanation. At Baoci Palace, Yuzhan's condition had temporarily stabilized after the tripterygium treatment. Zhao Wan'er paid a visit, expressing her relief to finally see Yuzhan after being barred from the palace and playfully threatening to force her way in. Yuzhan assured her that she was recovering. During her visit, a maid delivered green plums from Princess Shou An to Yuzhan.
Zhao Wan'er, witnessing this, privately acknowledged that Princess Shou An was aware of Yuzhan's improving health. She then helped Yuzhan take her medicine, emphasizing her desire to serve, given Yuzhan's past kindness. She reflected on their plan: while the current poison's effects were still developing, another exposure to the scent of chickweed (which Zhao Wan'er was carrying close to Yuzhan, as per a previous plot point) would reactivate and intensify the toxins, rendering the illness incurable.
The following morning, as Lanpei assisted Yuzhan with her preparations, Yuzhan suddenly coughed up blood and collapsed into unconsciousness. Xue Rong rushed to her side, demanding an explanation from the imperial physician. The physician revealed that the suppressed toxins in Yuzhan’s body had inexplicably re-emerged, causing her critical condition. He regretfully informed Xue Rong that the tripterygium was no longer effective.
The palace had only a single nymphoides plant, an alternative that could suppress the poison for a mere seven days. He warned that if the developing bruises on Yuzhan's body spread, her life would be in grave danger. Xue Rong, refusing to accept this grim prognosis, swore to find a complete cure within the seven-day window, repeatedly vowing that Yuzhan would recover. In his urgency, Xue Rong summoned Jiang Shao.
He confided in Jiang Shao about Yuzhan's critical state, the seven-day deadline, and the need for nymphoides from Qinzhou in Pengze. Due to recent hostilities between Lingyang and Pengze, Xue Rong stressed the importance of Jiang Shao traveling disguised as a commoner to avoid any obstruction, entrusting Yuzhan's life to him as he trusted no one else for such a crucial mission. He admitted he hadn't told Yuzhan the full truth to spare her worry.
Yuzhan, who had inadvertently overheard their entire conversation, entered the room, feigning ignorance. She light-heartedly inquired about their secret discussion and expressed her happiness at Jiang Shao's safe return. Yuzhan then asked Jiang Shao to promise to look after her sister, Jinzhan, hinting that Jinzhan might soon leave the capital. Turning to Xue Rong, Yuzhan playfully suggested they plan a future outing to Jingxin Lake to enjoy the snow, music, and wine once she was fully recovered.
Meanwhile, Jiang Shao hastily packed for his journey. Jinzhan unexpectedly arrived, intending to discuss their marriage arrangements. Seeing his preparations, she became upset, fearing he was leaving her again. Jiang Shao quickly explained he had an urgent task to Pengze and would return in seven days, mentioning a letter he had written to her. Jinzhan, after reading the letter and confirming his destination and the seven-day duration, insisted on accompanying him.
Despite Jiang Shao’s concerns about her enduring hardship on the road, Jinzhan was resolute, stating she had traveled before and possessed sufficient funds. When Jiang Shao worried about her father’s reaction, Jinzhan snatched his letter and, with a mischievous grin, claimed to have left a message for her father, assuring him of their safe return in seven days, before urging Jiang Shao to depart immediately.
Mid-journey, Jinzhan, unaware of the true urgency of Jiang Shao's mission, playfully pushed him into a trap, intending to recreate the scene of their first meeting. Trapped and anxious, Jiang Shao was forced to reveal that Yuzhan was waiting for the herbs to save her life. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Jinzhan immediately urged them to speed up their journey. Li Huaijin received word that Jiang Shao and Jinzhan had left the capital.
Recalling a previous report about Yuzhan needing a specific herb from Pengze, he correctly deduced that Jiang Shao was on a mission to procure it. He then instructed Yueying to follow them and, upon their return, to destroy the precious herbs. When Yueying questioned this approach, Li Huaijin explained his cunning: directly intercepting Jiang Shao would only prompt Xue Rong to send another person.
By allowing Jiang Shao to retrieve the herb and then destroying it, Yuzhan's limited seven-day window would expire, leaving no time for a second attempt and thus guaranteeing her demise. Li Huaijin coldly stated his intention for Xue Rong to experience the profound pain of losing a loved one. Back at Baoci Palace, Xue Rong, still suffering from stomach pains after secretly consuming the poison to trick Yuzhan into taking her medicine, quickly drank some of his own antidote.
He then excused himself, citing urgent state affairs, promising to return later and urging Yuzhan to rest. Later, Yuzhan and Xue Rong engaged in a playful game to determine who would drink her unpleasant medicine, with Yuzhan subtly manipulating the outcome to ensure she drank it all herself. Xue Rong, aware of her deception and her desire to spare him, tried to intervene.
Yuzhan, deeply saddened, then confessed her regret for not realizing the severity of her illness sooner, which had led Xue Rong to selflessly endure the poison's effects to protect her. She implored him not to harm himself further, expressing her profound worry. Xue Rong, in turn, forbade her from blaming herself and insisted she should not "rest assured," as he would not allow it.
Yuzhan then gently reminded him that a cure had been found, urging him not to panic, and he reassured her that everything would ultimately be fine. Feeling a familiar midday drowsiness, Yuzhan drifted off to sleep, with Xue Rong tenderly watching over her. Jiang Shao and Jinzhan eventually arrived at a busy herb shop in Qinzhou, a full half-day earlier than scheduled. While Jinzhan went to purchase other supplies, Jiang Shao waited in line for the nymphoides.
He requested a month’s supply, amounting to two catties, which required the shop assistant to retrieve it from the warehouse. After obtaining the precious herb and completing the payment, Jiang Shao and Jinzhan departed, completely unaware that Yueying had secretly trailed them and was observing their movements. Overwhelmed by his imperial duties, Xue Rong summoned his sister, Chai Zhenzhen, to the palace, entrusting Yuzhan's care to her.
Zhenzhen was shocked to learn of Yuzhan's critical poisoning but was reassured by Xue Rong that a path to a cure had been identified. Taking her task seriously, Chai Zhenzhen became exceedingly protective, meticulously wrapping Yuzhan in robes and suggesting additional quilts and a hat to shield her from the slightest draft. Yuzhan, however, found this stifling, protesting that she merely wanted to relax, not be cocooned.
She gently urged Zhenzhen not to be overly anxious, reminding her that Jiang Shao was on his way with the antidote and that with loved ones nearby, she felt no fear. Chai Zhenzhen admired Yuzhan’s brave and open-minded spirit, admitting she herself would be terrified in such a situation. Princess Shou An sent another delivery of green plums to Zhao Wan'er. Zhao Wan'er immediately suspected this was a coded message regarding Yuzhan.
Her maid, Qiuyun, recalled a peculiar story from the delivery eunuch, Zhou, about a colleague who had developed severe, corpse-like bruises after ingesting something poisonous. Zhao Wan'er pieced together the clue, realizing Shou An was signaling that Yuzhan's worsening condition would soon manifest as widespread bruising. Armed with this information, Zhao Wan'er prepared to visit Yuzhan, bringing a hand balm as a pretext. Upon arriving, she found Chai Zhenzhen attending to Yuzhan.
Zhao Wan'er feigned concern about Yuzhan still taking medicine and playfully praised the hand balm Yuzhan had previously given her, claiming it had greatly improved her skin. Under the guise of returning the balm and offering to apply it, Zhao Wan'er gently took Yuzhan’s arm. Her eyes immediately landed on a cluster of prominent bruises.
Yuzhan attempted to brush them off as a mere accident from bumping into a table, but Zhao Wan'er, a sinister smile flickering across her face, offered to massage them away. This fleeting, unsettling expression was noticed by Chai Zhenzhen.
