Legend of Yun Xi Episode 41 Recap
> Legend of Yun Xi Recap
Emperor Tianhui was greatly distressed, having lost his appetite and feeling cornered by Long Feiye, who had seized control of half of Tianning. Consort Qing, Chu Qingge, encouraged him to persevere and suggested exploiting Long Feiye's vulnerability through Baili Mingxiang, who was in Xijing.
Chu Qingge acknowledged that previous attempts by others, like Li Quan, to turn Baili Mingxiang against Long Feiye had failed due to her deep affection, but she was confident in her ability to persuade Baili Mingxiang, stating that women understand each other better. With Emperor Tianhui's trust, she set off to meet Baili Mingxiang. After spending a night on Mt. Beiming, Gu Qishao and Yu Ze observed two strangers attempting to gather herbs.
They deemed these individuals foolish for not realizing the mountain's poisonous morning air. More significantly, when these strangers approached the Traceless Grass and touched it, they were immediately poisoned and corroded, highlighting the herb's extreme potency. Their objective was to collect Traceless grass, a potent herb known for its ability to absorb the efficacy of other plants, making a single leaf sufficient to combat the poison plague.
Gu Qishao warned Yu Ze that only the main stalk possessed detoxifying properties, while the attached leaves were highly poisonous, and that the grass would bury itself once the sun shone on it. Yu Ze, prioritizing the mission, decided to take the risk of collecting the Traceless grass first, instructing Gu Qishao to deliver the other stalk to Gu Beiyue should she fail. Despite Gu Qishao's protest against her rashness, she went ahead, knowing their time was limited.
As soon as she touched the plant, she was poisoned. Gu Qishao immediately intervened, sucking the poison out of her to save her life. Upon regaining consciousness, Yu Ze promptly gave Gu Qishao a piece of the Traceless grass, which she had managed to collect, to neutralize the poison he had absorbed. Both of them eventually recovered safely.
Chu Qingge visited Baili Mingxiang, feigning empathy for her devotion to Long Feiye, only to cruelly assert that Long Feiye’s true affection lay solely with Han Yunxi. She fabricated a tale, claiming Long Feiye had exposed his identity as a gu-abetted man to rescue Han Yunxi at the city wall, and had since proclaimed Han Yunxi as his Empress, vowing to take no other consorts. Chu Qingge further asserted that the Empress conferment ceremony was scheduled for that very day.
When Baili Mingxiang expressed disbelief, Chu Qingge led her to a city wall overlooking the capital, pointing to the bustling streets and magnificent fireworks as supposed evidence of the grand ceremony. She pressed Baili Mingxiang to relinquish her feelings for Long Feiye, warning of inevitable heartbreak. Overwhelmed by the emotional assault and apparent proof, Baili Mingxiang collapsed. Coincidentally, Bai Xiaochuan spotted Baili Mingxiang and intended to rescue her, but Eunuch Li intervened first and took Baili Mingxiang away.
Upon regaining consciousness, Baili Mingxiang's eyes turned bloodshot, signaling her fury. Meanwhile, Chu Qingge, recalling Emperor Tianhui's past declarations of eternal love for his late Empress, tightly clenched her fist, revealing her own complex emotions and perhaps a budding resentment. With Long Feiye’s deteriorating health, the weight of state affairs fell heavily upon Tang Li, leaving him exhausted.
Ning Jing, concerned by his constant busyness, found him asleep, and, rather than disturbing him, gently removed his shoes and covered him with a blanket. The following day, Ning Jing, wanting company, took Xifeng to the prestigious Hongfu Restaurant. Xifeng, wary of potential repercussions from Tang Li, initially tried to leave, but Ning Jing insisted he stay. Moments later, Tang Li entered the restaurant with Minister Beigong, Beigong Heze, and his daughter, assisting the daughter up the stairs.
Inside their private room, Beigong Heze and his daughter showered Tang Li with flattery, to which he responded vaguely. Overwhelmed by jealousy, Ning Jing stormed into the room, declaring herself Tang Li's fiancée. Beigong Heze's daughter dismissed Ning Jing's claim, provoking Ning Jing to impulsively splash wine on her. Tang Li, angered by the scene, chastised Ning Jing and had Xifeng escort her out.
As Beigong Heze’s daughter cried for solace, Xifeng attempted to soothe a furious Ning Jing, suggesting Tang Li’s actions were merely for appearance, given Beigong Heze's influential status. Tang Li soon followed, clarifying that he was diligently working to uncover the true intentions of Tianning's seemingly loyal but covertly scheming elder officials, specifically mentioning Beigong Heze’s past animosity towards the Prince Qin’s mansion.
Understanding his strategic motives, Ning Jing’s anger subsided, and the two reconciled, heading off hand-in-hand for their meal. Gu Qishao and Yu Ze discovered that preparing Traceless grass for medicinal use was a time-consuming process; it required months of baking to dry completely. Recognizing they could not afford to wait, Gu Qishao decided they must split up.
Yu Ze would remain behind to continue baking the remaining grass, while Gu Qishao would take one stalk directly to Gu Beiyue, emphasizing the urgency and their responsibility to help others. Despite Yu Ze's concern for his lingering ill health and the arduous journey, Gu Qishao insisted he could manage, highlighting that his success was crucial for Tianning to receive the essential herb. Yu Ze reluctantly agreed, urging him to prioritize his well-being.
Concurrently, Han Yunxi, driven by a profound sense of indebtedness to Baili Mingxiang, dedicated herself tirelessly for days to developing an antidote for Beauty Blood. She entrusted this newly formulated antidote to Gu Beiyue for delivery to Long Feiye. While doing so, she inquired about other potential cures for gu poison, recalling her father, the Poison Master, mentioning such methods.
Gu Beiyue, however, denied any knowledge, subtly hinting that Long Feiye’s own "heart's blood" was the only true cure, perhaps to spare Han Yunxi or keep certain details concealed. At the palace, Gu Beiyue delivered a new medicine he had personally developed to Long Feiye, advising him on its daily dosage. He also presented Long Feiye with the Beauty Blood antidote that Han Yunxi had painstakingly created, silently acknowledging the complex emotions between Long Feiye and Han Yunxi.
Elsewhere, Chu Qingge continued her manipulative charade, feigning care for Baili Mingxiang. Upon learning of Baili Mingxiang's fierce desire to return to the capital and kill Han Yunxi, Chu Qingge pressed her for valuable information, which could be used as leverage to persuade Emperor Tianhui to permit her return. Baili Mingxiang revealed that Han Yunxi was the daughter of Bai Yanqing, the Poison Master, and importantly, that Baili Mingxiang herself had killed the Poison Master.
Emperor Tianhui was ecstatic upon hearing this, believing that without the Poison Master, Long Feiye's poison could not be cured, ensuring his imminent demise. Subsequently, Eunuch Li, acting on the Emperor’s commands, arranged the ambush and murder of Bai Xiaochuan’s group, seizing Bai Xiaochuan’s waist token. He then dispatched Meng Kuo and others to stage a fake rescue for Baili Mingxiang, ensuring her return to the capital, with Eunuch Li himself accompanying them to oversee the entire operation.
Upon her arrival back at the palace, Baili Mingxiang spoke with Gu Beiyue and learned, to her shock, that no grand wedding or conferment ceremony had taken place between Long Feiye and Han Yunxi, realizing she had been cruelly misled by Chu Qingge. Despite the deceit, her resolve to save Long Feiye remained strong.
She entreated Gu Beiyue to assist her in formulating an antidote using her own Beauty Blood, emphasizing that Long Feiye must not be told, out of fear he would refuse to take the medicine if he knew her involvement. Gu Qishao arrived back in the capital and immediately went to Han Yunxi's residence. Han Yunxi, still harboring resentment over his past deceptions, urged him to leave, stating that trust, once shattered, was difficult to rebuild in a friendship.
Gu Qishao admitted his past mistakes and declared that he had severed all ties with Beili, asserting his newfound freedom. He refused to depart, insisting he had never merely considered her a friend, and wanted to stay by her side. To prove his sincerity and commitment, he offered to assist her in developing the antidote for Long Feiye’s gu poison, even cooking a meal for her.
Despite her continued attempts to dismiss him and her reluctance to accept his help, Gu Qishao remained resolute. He vowed to be her servant if needed and emphasized that even though he disliked Long Feiye, he was willing to do anything to ensure her happiness. Han Yunxi, however, told him not to waste his time on her, acknowledging their differing paths and choices, but Gu Qishao remained steadfast, believing that time would ultimately reveal the true nature of their connection.
Long Feiye consumed the medicine provided by Gu Beiyue, immediately remarking that its taste felt oddly familiar, as though he had encountered it before. Gu Beiyue, maintaining a neutral expression, simply stated that it was his latest developed antidote, crafted from numerous rare and valuable herbs, and observed that Long Feiye’s complexion suggested it was proving effective.
Unbeknownst to Long Feiye, this specific medicine was the Beauty Blood antidote from Baili Mingxiang, which Gu Beiyue had subtly mixed with other strong-smelling herbs to mask its true origin, honoring Baili Mingxiang’s plea to keep her involvement a secret.
