Luoyang Episode 13 Recap
> Luoyang Recap
Baili Hongyi, seeking to avenge his father, confronted Song Liang, who defiantly challenged him to strike the fatal blow. Wu Siyue intervened, stressing that Song Liang's death would sever all crucial leads and that his father wouldn't wish to see his son become a murderer. Baili Hongyi then released him. Gao Bingzhu relentlessly pursued the masked man through tunnels and onto the streets, utilizing his familiarity with the Unwelcome Well to block the man's path.
A fierce struggle ensued, but Gao Bingzhu repeatedly failed to unmask his assailant. As guards, led by Li Beiqi, closed in, shouting about a "Spring and Autumn Dao villain," the masked man seized the opportunity to escape, leaving Gao Bingzhu to be apprehended by Li Beiqi's guards.
Wu Youjue personally interrogated Gao Bingzhu, detailing his background as a "son of criminals in the Unwelcome Well" and accusing him of conspiring with Song Liang, illicitly manufacturing weapons in secret tunnels, and harboring rebels within the Unwelcome Well for a coup. Gao Bingzhu denied any involvement. Wu Youjue, deeply concerned for his sister Wu Siyue, expressed his frustration that she had repeatedly disobeyed him and even risked her life for Gao Bingzhu, whom he deemed unworthy.
Gao Bingzhu urged Wu Youjue to set aside personal grievances and focus on the larger conspiracy behind Song Liang. In response, Wu Youjue revealed he had compiled a list of all 1,403 residents of the Unwelcome Well, threatening to hold them accountable for Song Liang's rebellion if Gao Bingzhu refused to confess, effectively offering him a choice to sacrifice himself to save them all.
Wu Siyue urgently sought out Wu Youjue, presenting herself as a witness to assert Gao Bingzhu's innocence and identify Wang Dengcheng as the true conspirator with Song Liang. To her shock, Wu Youjue informed her that Gao Bingzhu had already confessed to the charges. Wu Youjue reiterated that the empress prioritizes results over truth, and their family's duty was to provide what she desired.
Distraught, Wu Siyue confronted Gao Bingzhu in his cell, demanding an explanation for his confession, but he merely stated he was Song Liang's accomplice and must pay for his crimes. Unconvinced, Wu Siyue swore to personally apprehend Wang Dengcheng and force him to confess, thereby clearing Gao Bingzhu's name, and departed against his wishes. The empress summoned the King of Jin, Wu Shenxing, to her presence, dismissing his suggestion to rename the era to Tianyou.
She pressed him for his perspective on Song Liang's rebellion. Wu Shenxing, a former Minister of War, recounted Song Liang's rise through the military ranks, emphasizing his lack of allies and his unwavering loyalty, which was why he had been promoted. He expressed his confusion over Song Liang's sudden betrayal, leading the empress to task him with a thorough investigation into everyone involved in the case.
Li Yichen knelt outside the Palace of Immortality, seeking the empress's forgiveness and expressing remorse for the chaos created by the assassination of Agent Han Dongqing of the Intelligence Services, which had served as a cover for Song Liang's rebellion. Huan, the empress's attendant, conveyed a stern message: Li Yichen's position as head of the Intelligence Services (Gongzi Chu) would be replaced if he failed to properly manage the Intelligence Services and restore the empress's trust.
Furthermore, she informed him that the King of Jin had been specifically tasked with investigating Song Liang's case, and the Intelligence Services were explicitly ordered to refrain from any further involvement. Wu Shenxing consulted with Huan, seeking guidance on his investigation into Song Liang's alleged allies. Huan advised him to thoroughly investigate Song Liang's connections, suggesting that Song Liang, facing his own demise, might reveal names.
She specifically instructed him to focus on Gao Bingzhu and his relationship with Song Liang. Later, Wu Shenxing summoned Wu Youjue, commending him and Wu Siyue for the Interior Guard Services' success in quelling Song Liang's rebellion, which had brought great honor to the Wu family. He acknowledged their past hardships and praised their remarkable achievements, promising to secure a vacant Minister position for Wu Youjue.
Wu Shenxing then hinted at a scheme: given Gao Bingzhu's presence at the Crown Prince's ambush years ago, his confession could be manipulated to implicate the Eastern Palace. To ensure credibility, he proposed transferring Gao Bingzhu to Dali Temple under Gao Sheng, who harbored deep animosity towards Gao Bingzhu. This arrangement, Wu Shenxing explained, would allow the Wu family to remain insulated from any repercussions. Wu Youjue readily consented to the plan.
Gao Sheng visited Song Liang in prison, enduring Song Liang's curses and defiant accusations of being a "lackey." Gao Sheng inquired about Song Liang's regrets, to which Song Liang responded that his only regret was not witnessing the downfall of Gao Sheng and his ilk.
When pressed about his rebellion despite the empress's past appreciation, Song Liang vehemently denounced the empress as a "hypocritical and vicious woman" who had "killed her husband and children, maltreated honorable officials, and had bodies dug out to be flogged." He recounted how Lord Lu Jing, who had once saved the empress and helped her ascend to power, had met a gruesome end, implying this injustice as a motive.
Gao Sheng attempted to uncover the true instigator, but Song Liang remained obstinate, merely stating his desire for a swift death. Despite Gao Sheng's threats of execution for his entire family, Song Liang remained defiant, proclaiming that the Wu family's dominance would soon end and vowing to await Gao Sheng and his associates in the afterlife.
Baili Hongyi informed Liu Ran that their arranged marriage, originally a family alliance, was now nullified due to his father's death and Lord Liu Xiang of Xunshan's suicide. He offered her all of the Baili family's fortune, but she questioned if he would have accepted her had her uncle not been responsible for his father's death. Baili Hongyi acknowledged her innocence but stated that remaining with him would only be a waste of her time.
Liu Ran, accepting his decision, promised not to pester him and to leave immediately upon receiving the divorce papers. Meanwhile, Wu Siyue sent for Baili Hongyi, seeking his assistance. She explained her visit to the Unwelcome Well, where she discovered Wang Dengcheng had fled, presumably with Gao Bingzhu's elderly mother.
Wu Siyue implored Baili Hongyi to help save Gao Bingzhu, arguing that Gao Bingzhu had prevented the capital from descending into chaos and saved countless lives, and thus she could not simply watch him die. Baili Hongyi surmised that Wang Dengcheng likely had Gao Bingzhu's mother, who, due to her advanced age and frailty, could not have left the city without a carriage. He then listed the four closest city gates—Shangdong, Hui'an, Anxi, and Jianchun—and proposed checking their exit records.
Wu Siyue promptly dispatched Bai Lang and Shen Fei with homing pigeons to investigate each gate for Wang Dengcheng's departure. Bai Lang successfully located Wang Dengcheng exiting Hui'an Gate with an elderly woman and immediately sent a pigeon to alert Wu Siyue. Meanwhile, an Interior Guard Services officer complained about having to cede credit for Gao Bingzhu's case to Dali Temple, but was reminded it was the King of Jin's order.
Baili Hongyi, studying a map, concluded that Wang Dengcheng had not intended to flee far from the capital but rather to hide within it. He dismissed Mount Beimang as an escape route due to its rugged terrain. Instead, he theorized Wang Dengcheng might head towards Cuiyun Peak, known for its well-maintained roads and numerous tea houses frequented by tourists, making sightings more likely.
Indeed, a tea house owner at Cuiyun Peak confirmed seeing Wang Dengcheng and an old woman ascending a nearby path. Wu Siyue then received a message from Baili, pinpointing Wang Dengcheng's last known location on a mountain road at the southeastern end of Cuiyun Peak. Analyzing the map further, Baili deduced their route was uphill.
He systematically eliminated other possible paths: a steep one unsuitable for an elderly woman, a dead-end cliff path, and a cold, humid forest trail that would aggravate Gao Bingzhu's mother's arthritis. His final deduction pointed to Zeyan Peak as their most probable destination. Shen Fei was promptly dispatched to inform Wu Siyue of this crucial update. Wu Siyue arrived at Zeyan Peak, where Wang Dengcheng, having anticipated her arrival, had settled Gao Bingzhu's mother inside after giving her medicine.
Wang Dengcheng revealed he had not intended to escape, but was reluctant to leave Gao Bingzhu's mother, who had lived her entire life in the confines of the Unwelcome Well and was now finally enjoying sunshine. He explained that since his own parents had passed early, Gao Bingzhu's mother had treated him as her son, even mistaking him for Gao Bingzhu due to her dementia. Wu Siyue pressed him to return and confess to clear Gao Bingzhu's name.
Wang Dengcheng asked if Gao Bingzhu would be freed if he complied, to which Wu Siyue admitted she was "not sure." He then recounted how Gao Bingzhu had saved his life eight years prior, emphasizing their bond as brothers, and asked Wu Siyue if she truly saw him as such. Ultimately, Wang Dengcheng agreed to return and sacrifice his life for Gao Bingzhu's, pleading with her to save his friend.
Wu Siyue assured him that Gao Bingzhu would be rescued and his mother cared for. As Wu Siyue prepared to depart, she suddenly felt disoriented, realizing she had fallen into Wang Dengcheng's trap; he had used an anesthetic. Wang Dengcheng was then seen questioning why the Unwelcome Well residents were condemned to live like rats in sewers and if he was wrong to seek a better future for them.
Two hours passed without Wu Siyue's return, prompting Baili Hongyi to realize Wu Siyue was in peril and that Wang Dengcheng had likely relocated her and Gao Bingzhu's mother. He decided to take action, instructing Shen Fei to remain there. He went to the Hong Xiao Fang, a place reserved by the King of East River. After a brief exchange with a guard, Baili Hongyi was granted entry to see the King of East River, whom he formally greeted.
The King, acknowledging Baili Hongyi's reputation as a gourmand, inquired about the purpose of his visit. Baili Hongyi revealed that Wu Siyue, in her attempt to clear Gao Bingzhu's name by apprehending Wang Dengcheng, had instead been captured by him. He implored the King of East River to ask Gongzi Chu of the Intelligence Services to facilitate Gao Bingzhu's release from Dali Temple, as only Gao Bingzhu could track Wang Dengcheng and rescue Wu Siyue.
When the King suggested consulting Wu Youjue, Baili Hongyi clarified that Wu Siyue's mission was a private endeavor, and involving Wu Youjue would only escalate the situation. He appealed to the King of East River's reputation as a "genuine and happy to help" individual, asserting that Gongzi Chu would surely not abandon Wu Siyue in her predicament.
