Luoyang Episode 37 Recap
> Luoyang Recap
Wu Youjue reported to the empress that Baili Kuanren, the leader of the Four Season Clan, had been imprisoned. The empress commended Wu Youjue for his success and asked how she should reward him. Wu Youjue humbly stated that he deserved no praise, acknowledging that his past decision to spare Baili Kuanren's life had led to the current chaos in the capital city, and asked for punishment.
The empress, recognizing his recent significant contribution to the capital city, decided to punish him by deducting a year's salary, noting that the public already regarded him as a hero for destroying the Clan. Wu Youjue expressed his gratitude. When asked about the grain from Hanjia Granary, Wu Youjue confirmed that all of it had been recovered and distributed, making grain available in the market again.
He then proposed holding an opening ceremony for the granaries on an auspicious day to boost public morale and respectfully asked the empress to attend in person. The empress agreed and instructed him to arrange it as soon as possible. Back at the Intelligence Services, Gao Bingzhu learned that all records concerning the assassination of the King of East River and the explosion at Hanjia Granary had disappeared. The staff speculated about another mole within the Intelligence Services.
Wu Youjue summoned Gao Bingzhu and offered him tea, noting his sharp observation skills when Gao Bingzhu recognized the tea set wasn't from Qianmu Chamber. Wu Youjue then revealed his awareness of the deep affection between Gao Bingzhu and his sister, Wu Siyue. He expressed his intention to resolve the past animosities now that they served together in court.
Wu Youjue then declared that the Intelligence Services' rule of forfeiting love, established by Lord Chu, was unnecessary and would not strengthen the organization, urging Gao Bingzhu not to betray Wu Siyue's feelings. Additionally, Wu Youjue assigned Gao Bingzhu the crucial task of distributing the recovered grain at the Unwelcome Well that afternoon.
He explained that the empress was pleased the famine was resolved and intended to personally attend an opening ceremony in the south market soon to reassure the populace and distribute more grain. Wu Youjue stressed that no errors could occur with the grain recovered from the Four Season Clan's lair, entrusting Gao Bingzhu with its protection. Gao Bingzhu accepted the responsibility without hesitation, stating his commitment as an Intelligence Services Agent.
Wu Youjue then presented Gao Bingzhu with an Interior Guard Services token, granting him the authority to command Interior Guard forces, and reiterated his high expectations. Gao Bingzhu went to the Unwelcome Well with Interior Guard Services to distribute the grain. Crowds of people lined up, expressing profound gratitude to the empress and Gao Bingzhu as they finally received rice.
Bai Lang, accompanying Gao Bingzhu, noted the joy among the residents and praised Gao Bingzhu's efforts in saving the Unwelcome Well. However, Gao Bingzhu remained uneasy, finding the entire situation suspiciously smooth. Mr. Unsightly, representing the grateful residents, approached Gao Bingzhu, expressing immense relief and describing how they had been on the verge of starvation, surviving only on water, and that the grain arrived just in time.
As the residents cheered, hailing Gao Bingzhu as a great hero and welcoming him home as "Officer Gao of the Well," Gao Bingzhu was visibly moved to tears. Wu Siyue watched the touching scene from a distance, equally affected. Gao Bingzhu then took Wu Siyue on a tour of the Unwelcome Well, revisiting familiar spots.
As they reminisced about their first encounter there, when she was an officer tasked with catching him, Gao Bingzhu recalled how reckless he thought she was for being so bold in the Unwelcome Well. He then asked why she had grabbed him when he fell into the sluice. She playfully suggested she was worried about him damaging property, but he countered that he wouldn't be who he was today without her.
He then hugged her tightly, promising never to let her go and revealing that his prior plan of seeking revenge for his brothers and joining them in the afterlife had changed, as he now had someone he couldn't bear to leave behind. He then enthusiastically suggested they explore the capital city, mentioning the delicious grapes of Ming Jiao Fang in August, persimmons in September, and chestnuts in October, to which Wu Siyue eagerly agreed.
Meanwhile, Baili Hongyi went to the dungeon to see Baili Kuanren. Wu Youjue initially refused, stating that as a felon, Baili Kuanren could not be visited without the empress's permission, and warned Baili Hongyi that he would be implicated. Despite the warning, Baili Hongyi insisted on a visit, compelling Wu Youjue to grant access. Baili Hongyi confronted his brother, demanding to know the true purpose behind his elaborate schemes.
Baili Kuanren responded cryptically, stating that people live for their ambitions and that his own ambition, though his life was forfeit, would be inherited by someone else to complete their grand undertaking. He then dismissed Baili Hongyi, expressing his readiness to face their father and seek forgiveness. Lord Pei led a city-wide search for Yuwen Peipei, an entertainer from Hong Xiao Fang, distributing her sketch and warning officers that she was extremely dangerous.
Yuwen Peipei secretly met her sister Qingye, revealing that Hong Xiao Fang had been shut down and she was now a wanted person, forcing her to report in secret. Qingye conveyed that her lord was pleased with her actions, explaining that the King of East River's death was secondary to the critical outcome: her assassination attempt had made the empress distrust Lord Chu, thus crippling the Intelligence Services' supervisory power.
Yuwen Peipei, expressing deep gratitude for her lord's help in giving her a new life, then requested permission to leave the capital city permanently after her mission was complete, citing years of exhaustion from her life as an entertainer. Qingye agreed to relay her request to her lord, confident he would not be difficult given Yuwen Peipei's significant contribution. Separately, Liu Feng excitedly purchased cleansing mud, a royal product, for Yuwen Peipei, whom he affectionately called Chunhe.
As he approached, Yuwen Peipei saw him and was about to call out, but Qingye suddenly killed Yuwen Peipei from behind. Liu Feng, finding Yuwen Peipei gone from their lodging, sensed trouble and immediately went to search for her. Wu Youjue later visited Baili Kuanren in prison for a game of chess, recalling their last match years ago. Wu Youjue reminded Baili Kuanren that despite his chess prowess, he had suffered a crushing defeat that day.
He recounted how Baili Kuanren, as a young man with talent but a restless spirit, wrote provocative articles that angered the empress, while his father tried to shield him from the consequences. Wu Youjue, then an official, had come to investigate these writings. During their private conversation, Wu Youjue observed Baili Kuanren's raw talent but also his frustration at being unable to enter officialdom due to his six fingers, which deemed him a misfit.
Wu Youjue acknowledged Baili Kuanren's connection to Lord Freedom, the rebel who founded the Four Season Clan. He challenged Baili Kuanren's belief that mere writings could change fate, emphasizing that without power, his anger and talent would remain unnoticed. He asserted that if "weeds are all over the fields, set fire to them," then "fire" represented power, and to truly effect change, one must overthrow the empress.
Wu Youjue then revealed his true identity to Baili Kuanren, declaring that the "fire" they had set was now close to engulfing the empress and would lead to a rebirth of the old regime. Baili Kuanren immediately prostrated himself, addressing Wu Youjue as "Hidden Phoenix."
He expressed profound enlightenment from Wu Youjue's past words about winning the people's hearts to rule a country, and together, they reflected on their shared history of humiliation and cold treatment, vowing that everything would change. Baili Kuanren then reminded Wu Youjue of his promise that, in the future revision of historical records, Baili Kuanren would be listed at the top of all nobles and officials, ensuring his struggles, rage, ambition, and talent would be lauded by future generations.
Wu Youjue affirmed that this day was fast approaching. Wu Youjue's health appeared to be deteriorating, as he suffered from persistent coughing. Wu Siyue, witnessing this, was heartbroken and expressed her concern. Wu Youjue, however, dismissed her worries, reassuring her that he was fine.
Wu Siyue tearfully confessed that his ill health was a consequence of his efforts to provide for her, recalling how he became the food-testing officer, a position that required him to personally sample the empress's food for poison to gain her trust. Wu Youjue quickly interjected, telling her not to speak of it again and to banish such thoughts from her mind.
Wu Siyue then proposed that once affairs in the capital city were settled, he could relinquish his duties and go to Jiangnan to recover, offering to accompany him. However, Wu Youjue explained that his current responsibilities in both the Interior Guard Services and the Intelligence Services prevented him from leaving anytime soon. He then lightened the mood by asking if she had figured out the ring puzzle he had given her.
An official publicly announced that Baili Kuanren, the leader of the Four Season Clan and self-proclaimed Lord of Spring, had been condemned to public execution at noon in the market. The empress had declared him a vile and cruel individual, responsible for killing innocent people, destroying Hanjia Granary, and plunging the capital city into chaos, deeming him an abomination to gods and men alike.
