Legend of Yun Xi Episode 37 Recap
> Legend of Yun Xi Recap
Jun Yizheng returned to Beili, escorting Gu Qishao, whom he intended to imprison in the death prison. Gu Qishao demanded to see his royal father, but Jun Yizheng scoffed, questioning his worthiness. Meanwhile, Yu Ze and Zhuyu observed from a distance, realizing they could not rescue Gu Qishao due to the heavy guard presence and decided to wait for another opportunity.
Despite promising Gu Beiyue she would not go to the southern border, Han Yunxi soon found herself concerned for its suffering civilians. Gu Beiyue reiterated his duty to protect her, but Han Yunxi argued that thousands of lives were at stake. Their journey was interrupted when they encountered a man exhibiting symptoms of a serious illness.
He claimed to have become sick after smelling a bottle he found near the border between the southern border and the capital, despite not having actually entered the southern border itself. Han Yunxi immediately recognized it as a highly contagious poison, not a natural plague. She deduced it was a man-made disaster and, fearing for Long Feiye's and the southern border's inhabitants' safety, decided to head there, convinced her poison expertise would be invaluable where imperial doctors lacked.
Gu Beiyue, true to his word, accompanied her. In the imperial palace, Emperor Tianhui, surprisingly unconcerned about the southern border, commented that Long Feiye would soon face his own troubles. Chu Qingge arrived to bring him medicine, urging him to take care of his health. Concurrently, in the southern border, Long Feiye meticulously organized the disaster relief efforts.
He established quarantine areas for the infected, isolation zones for the suspected, ordered widespread disinfection, and ensured timely distribution of relief grains, emphasizing the need for orderly actions to maintain public confidence. Long Feiye met with Minister Sun, noting Emperor Tianhui's subtle attempts to monitor his relationship with the southern border.
Minister Sun expressed his suspicion about the plague, as it lacked the usual accompanying natural disasters and, more importantly, proved resistant to all conventional medical treatments, suggesting it was a completely new type of epidemic. Long Feiye urged him to have imperial doctors research it quickly. Back in Beili, Jun Yizheng reported to the Empress, blaming Gu Qishao for his recent troubles and demanding severe punishment for his supposed betrayal and collusion.
The Empress, however, dismissed his concerns, revealing that the Emperor was gravely ill and close to death, giving Jun Yizheng free rein over such matters. She reassured him that the throne was already secured for him. In a separate chamber, the ailing Emperor lay neglected, his calls for water ignored by servants who were clearly under the Empress's threat. Jun Yizheng questioned his mother's harsh treatment of the Emperor, only for the Empress to reveal her long-held resentment.
She confessed that the Emperor had deliberately mistreated Gu Qishao and his mother to deceive her, and she now regretted allowing Gu Qishao to live, fearing he would usurp the throne. She became furious that the Emperor still refused to issue a last decree, suspecting his desire to pass the throne to Gu Qishao. Long Feiye reviewed reports detailing the escalating number of poison plague infections across various states in the southern border.
He learned that the newly developed antidote was completely ineffective and ordered continued research while requesting more medical personnel from the imperial court. Han Yunxi and Gu Beiyue then arrived. Long Feiye, enraged, immediately demanded Han Yunxi leave, scolding Gu Beiyue for failing to protect her. Gu Beiyue explained Han Yunxi's critical findings about the poison plague.
Han Yunxi insisted on staying, pointing out that she was the only one with the specialized knowledge to identify and research the antidote for this unprecedented contagion. Long Feiye, unable to deny her unique skills or ignore the escalating crisis, reluctantly allowed her to remain. Han Yunxi later noted that while her initial treatments had alleviated symptoms, they hadn't eradicated the poison, emphasizing that finding a permanent cure would be a gradual process.
The Empress visited Jun Yizheng, who had fallen ill, attributing it to his recent efforts in Tianning. She brought tonics, reminding him that he was their sole hope after the Emperor's demise. Jun Yizheng informed her that the Emperor, though unconscious, was deliriously murmuring Gu Qishao's and his mother's names.
The Empress confirmed her long-held suspicion that the Emperor's cruel treatment of Gu Qishao and his mother was merely a facade to mask his true intentions and appease her powerful family. She expressed deep regret for not eliminating Gu Qishao when she had the chance, fearing his claim to the throne. Meanwhile, Yu Ze and Zhuyu found Gu Qishao in prison and informed him of the Emperor's critical condition and the Empress's plan to execute him after the Emperor's death.
Initially hesitant to become a fugitive, Gu Qishao agreed to escape to retrieve his mother's ashes and resolve his relationship with Beili. Outside, Yu Ze and Zhuyu created a diversion to draw away the guards, allowing Gu Qishao to slip back into the palace. During the chaos, Xifeng intervened, saving Zhuyu as they split up to evade the pursuing guards. Jun Yizheng arrived, furious to learn of Gu Qishao's escape.
Long Feiye brought food to Han Yunxi, who was working tirelessly on the antidote. She explained the poison's unique and potent nature, which defied conventional remedies, only offering temporary relief. She urged Long Feiye to focus on containment and prevention while she and the imperial doctors continued their research. The next morning, Han Yunxi, exhausted from her relentless efforts, collapsed and was diagnosed with the poison plague.
Gu Beiyue urged Long Feiye to remain strong as the chief commander, but Long Feiye refused to leave Han Yunxi's side. Gu Qishao entered the Emperor's chamber. He confronted his dying father, identifying himself as the son of the "most hated petty maid" and stating he was saving him out of sympathy, not forgiveness, for the years of suffering endured by him and his mother. He then administered a medicine to ensure a swift, painless death.
The Emperor, in his final moments, offered Gu Qishao a will, confessing that his past cruelty was a result of his weakness and fear of the Empress's powerful family, a necessary evil for securing his throne. Gu Qishao dismissed his excuses, asserting that the throne held no value for him, unlike his father who chose power over family.
Gu Qishao was then confronted by Jun Yizheng, who taunted him and forced him to kneel and kowtow, asserting his dominance as the perceived future emperor. However, Jun Yizheng suddenly succumbed to the plague, collapsing and desperately begging Gu Qishao for a cure. Concurrently, the Empress frantically searched the palace for the missing imperial will. Yu Ze questioned Gu Qishao's decision to save the despicable Jun Yizheng.
Gu Qishao explained that if Beili were to be left without a monarch, the country would face collapse, and his true concern lay with the welfare of its people. He also stated that he had no interest in the throne himself, especially given the Empress's deeply entrenched power, and wished to avoid unnecessary conflict. Gu Qishao, confident in his ability to control Jun Yizheng, dismissed Yu Ze's concerns that Jun Yizheng would be ungrateful.
Jun Yizheng, recovering, offered to name conditions for his debt, but Gu Qishao scoffed at his selfish nature and unreliability. Gu Qishao then unequivocally declared his complete disinterest in the throne, reassuring Jun Yizheng he had nothing to fear. Jun Yizheng, disbelieving, continued to press him, suspecting Gu Qishao possessed the imperial will. Gu Qishao confirmed he held the will, which he considered his "amulet."
He warned Jun Yizheng that if he were to die, the will would be made public, revealing Jun Yizheng's unworthiness to rule. He advised Jun Yizheng to pray for his longevity and urged him to rule justly, considering the spreading poison plague in Beili, and to avoid allying with Chu Qingge.
Jun Yizheng, revealing his true nature, immediately attempted to have Gu Qishao captured, but Gu Qishao reminded him that his plague was only temporarily suppressed, making him indispensable for a full cure. After scattering his mother's ashes, Gu Qishao informed Yu Ze and Zhuyu that a new medicinal formula was needed to fully cure the plague and that he would personally seek the necessary ingredients. He instructed them to remain in Beili to manage the ongoing epidemic.
Meanwhile, Han Yunxi's condition showed no improvement. Long Feiye watched over her, praying for her swift recovery. Later, Long Feiye's general, Young General Mu, expressed bewilderment that the plague continued to spread to previously unaffected areas despite their efforts, particularly mentioning Haidong Village as the earliest and most severely impacted, now reduced to corpses. In Haidong Village, Gu Qishao and Gu Beiyue encountered each other, both noting the strange nature of the village.
Gu Beiyue initially expressed reluctance to work with anyone from Beili, but Gu Qishao insisted on their cooperation due to their shared goal of investigating the plague's source and his own unparalleled poison skills. Gu Qishao then urgently inquired about Han Yunxi, confirming with Gu Beiyue that she had also been infected, expressing anger and shock at her compromised safety.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, they agreed to prioritize finding the source of the poison plague to save Han Yunxi. As they observed the village, Gu Qishao noted that the water might be problematic.
