Legend of Two Sisters in the Chaos Episode 38 Recap
> Legend of Two Sisters in the Chaos Recap
In the imperial court, ministers, influenced by Li Huaijin, openly challenged Xue Rong's rule. Zheng Sui stepped forward, reminding everyone that Xue Rong was an adopted son whose ascension to the throne occurred before the late emperor knew of his biological heir. With Jiang Shao's return, he declared, the true imperial bloodline had emerged, and Xue Rong ought to abdicate.
Xue Rong, enraged, slammed the table, proclaiming his throne was bestowed by the late emperor and anyone who defied this was a traitor. Undeterred, Zheng Sui dramatically committed suicide with a dagger before the entire court, proclaiming his death was an admonishment to Xue Rong to relinquish the throne to the rightful heir for the sake of Lingyang's future.
Furious, Xue Rong believed Zheng Sui’s suicide was a calculated move to manipulate public opinion and elevate Jiang Shao’s claim to the throne. Jiang Shao, arriving shortly after, tried to explain that he had no desire for the throne and urged Xue Rong not to misinterpret the incident. However, Xue Rong was convinced that Jiang Shao or his supporters had orchestrated Zheng Sui’s actions to legitimize his claim.
He coldly questioned if Jiang Shao still expected his trust, asserting that regardless of Jiang Shao’s status as Duke Qin or Zheng Sui’s sacrifice, he remained the Emperor of Lingyang and Jiang Shao’s sovereign. Meanwhile, Li Fang, concerned by Zheng Sui's dramatic death and Xue Rong's anger, decided he needed to speak with Duke Qin. Li Huaijin, observing these developments, expressed satisfaction with Zheng Sui's unwavering commitment.
He identified Li Fang as the last unpredictable element in his plans and instructed Yueying to ensure he was "quieted." Later, Xue Rong confided in Yuzhan, expressing his frustration and disillusionment. He felt betrayed by Jiang Shao, believing his own attempts at reconciliation had only encouraged Jiang Shao to aggressively pursue power, completely disregarding their fraternal bond. Yuzhan, in turn, urged him to maintain his composure.
Jiang Shao sought refuge in his former residence, reminiscing about the simple, joyful times he shared with Xue Rong and lamenting the drastic changes in their relationship. Li Fang, looking distraught and fearing for his life from Yueying’s pursuit, arrived to relay critical information. He revealed that the late emperor, upon learning of Jiang Shao’s true parentage, had always wished to recognize him and even intended for him to inherit the throne.
However, advanced illness and concern for Xue Rong’s position prevented him from doing so. Li Fang hinted that Jiang Shao’s destiny extended far beyond merely being Duke Qin. Shortly after leaving Jiang Shao, Li Fang was intercepted by Yueying, who, to prevent him from divulging information about a posthumous edict, fatally stabbed him. His dying words were a desperate plea to inform Duke Qin about the edict. Yuzhan's health rapidly deteriorated, culminating in her coughing up blood.
Her attendant, Lanpei, worried about the court's growing support for Jiang Shao, but Yuzhan reflected that an individual’s will is often too weak to resist the corrupting lure of power when pressured by many. A physician delivered the devastating news that Yuzhan's poison had recurred and, having deeply penetrated her bone marrow, was now incurable. He estimated she had only ten days to two months left, with the exact timing uncertain due to the complex nature of the toxins.
Yuzhan, with quiet resolve, instructed the physician not to inform Xue Rong, intending to share the news herself. Yueying reported to Li Huaijin that Li Fang had likely not had the chance to speak with Jiang Shao before his death. Li Huaijin was pleased, believing that Jiang Shao's increasing support, especially with the upcoming ancestor worship ceremony, would make Xue Rong even warier of his half-brother, thus setting the stage for the conflict he desired.
Meanwhile, Yuzhan, summoning her strength, visited Xue Rong and, over a bowl of carefully prepared soup, gently pleaded for Jinzhan's release from the cold palace, emphasizing the emotional suffering of isolation. Xue Rong agreed, and an imperial decree was promptly issued, stripping Jinzhan of her former empress title and banishing her from the palace. Overjoyed, Jinzhan met Yuzhan, thanking her for her intervention.
Yuzhan, appearing fragile, advised Jinzhan to be more thoughtful, avoid recklessness, and always consult Jiang Shao, subtly hinting at her own limited time. Unaware of the gravity of Yuzhan's condition, Jinzhan found her sister's advice a bit overbearing but cheerfully bid her farewell, assuming they would reunite soon. Jinzhan eagerly reunited with Jiang Shao outside the palace, embracing him before they returned to the Fu family residence.
There, Prince Wei instructed Jinzhan to travel to Dingzhou for her safety while he and Jiang Shao dealt with pressing matters in the capital. Jinzhan, however, stubbornly refused to leave without Jiang Shao. Prince Wei then disclosed Li Huaijin's sinister actions: he had framed Jinzhan's father for the murder of Jiang Shao’s mother and arranged an assassination attempt, cleverly using Jiang Shao’s name.
Prince Wei suggested these actions were driven by Li Huaijin’s long-standing affection for Jinzhan, which twisted into resentment after her marriage to Jiang Shao. Enraged and heartbroken, Jinzhan ordered her maid to discard all gifts from Li Huaijin, expressing her disgust at his betrayal. Jiang Shao, attempting to lighten the mood, teased her, suggesting her anger indicated she still cared for Li Huaijin. Jinzhan vehemently denied this, asserting her fury stemmed from her profound disappointment in having misjudged him.
Shortly thereafter, Guo Fu rushed to Xue Rong, reporting that Yuzhan had collapsed in Ciming Palace after vomiting blood. The Imperial Physician grimly confirmed that the poison had recurred, deeply affecting her bone marrow, and was now incurable. Xue Rong, furious at their impotence, ordered the physicians to be dragged out. Yuzhan, regaining consciousness, dismissed everyone, asking to speak with Xue Rong in private.
She calmly assured him that she had been prepared for death since her initial poisoning and found contentment in the time they had shared, even mentioning the physician's estimate of a couple more months. Xue Rong, weeping uncontrollably, refused to accept her fate, clinging to their promise of a lifetime together and vowing to find a cure.
Yuzhan, acknowledging her life would be shorter than his, gently asked him to find another companion to care for him after she was gone. Xue Rong fiercely rejected the idea, embracing her tightly and reaffirming his singular devotion, promising to find an antidote no matter the cost. That night, Li Huaijin's residence was reportedly burglarized. Jiang Shao, invited to observe the scene, noticed a peculiar book on a shelf.
Li Huaijin "discovered" a hidden box behind it containing a posthumous edict from the late emperor. The edict explicitly named Jiang Shao, the late emperor's biological son, as the rightful successor to the throne. A stunned Jiang Shao questioned its authenticity, but Li Huaijin confirmed the imperial seal. He then summoned Yueying, who elaborated that the Princess Royal had found the edict before Xue Rong's ascension but chose to conceal it, as Xue Rong's enthronement was already a certainty.
The Princess Royal later confirmed Jiang Shao’s identity through Eunuch Li Fang and had intended to support his claim, but died before she could act. Yueying claimed she did not know the edict’s whereabouts after the Princess Royal's death, which prevented her from revealing it earlier. Li Huaijin passionately argued that Jiang Shao, as the true bloodline of the Xue family, was more deserving of the throne. Overwhelmed by the revelation, Jiang Shao asked for time to process the information.
Li Huaijin graciously agreed, entrusting the important edict to Jiang Shao. Lanpei, distraught by Yuzhan's condition, angrily informed Xue Rong that Princess Shou An was involved in the poisoning. Enraged, Xue Rong summoned Shou An and forced her to kneel before Yuzhan. He confronted Shou An with bitter words, reminding her of his love and protection, and expressing his profound hurt that she had poisoned his beloved wife, an act he equated to harming himself.
Yuzhan, frail but compassionate, intervened, asking Xue Rong to let go of his anger as Shou An now understood her mistake. Xue Rong, still distraught, revealed Yuzhan’s incurable condition. Shou An, in tears, offered to atone with her life, but Yuzhan gently dismissed her, asking her to leave. Shou An then vowed to live in seclusion, observing abstinence and praying for Yuzhan's well-being.
Afterward, Xue Rong confronted Zhang Yongyao, accusing him of protecting his wife and seeking Yuzhan's forgiveness behind his back. While acknowledging Zhang Yongyao had fulfilled his marital promise to protect Shou An, Xue Rong declared him unfit to serve, demanding his official token and dismissing him from office. Li Huaijin then convened a meeting with his loyal ministers to strategize against the Tianxiong Army, which posed a significant threat.
He brought up the long-standing banditry in Chenzhou, which happened to be Prince Wei Fu Yanxin’s hometown. Li Huaijin proposed a scheme to frame Prince Wei for colluding with the bandits, suggesting he had secretly leaked information that caused repeated failures in anti-bandit campaigns. He planned to use an ambitious but incompetent Commandant Wang within the Tianxiong Army, tempting him with the promise of advancement, to formally accuse Prince Wei of maintaining his own private army. The ministers present lauded Li Huaijin’s cunning plan to undermine Prince Wei's authority.
