The First Jasmine Episode 5 Recap
> The First Jasmine Recaps
With Empress Dowager Guo Jin having approved Lu Changfu’s appointment as the Military Governor of Huaixi, the Emperor found himself powerless to block the move. Sensing an opportunity, Mo Xiuyao stepped forward and offered to clear the obstacles on the Emperor’s path to absolute rule. In return, he demanded three things. First, the Emperor had to help him clear the name of the Heiyun Cavalry, restore the honor of Prince Ding’s Mansion, and exonerate his late brother, Mo Xiuwen.
The Emperor pointed out the immense difficulty of overturning the case, noting that Mo Xiuwen had claimed to return under the late Emperor's decree but could never produce it. Mo Xiuyao revealed that Marquis Muyang had admitted to destroying the document during their time in prison. Recognizing that peace at court was impossible with the Marquis in power, the Emperor agreed to the pact.
For his second request, Mo Xiuyao secured the power of investigation, allowing him to access the archives of the Six Ministries and interrogate suspects. He also requested the power of arrest, enabling him to bypass the Dali Temple and send officials of the fifth rank or lower straight to the Imperial Prison, along with the privilege of submitting secret memorials directly to the throne. Finally, as his third request, Mo Xiuyao asked for a specific person.
To eliminate Lu Changfu, Mo Xiuyao proposed to the Emperor that since Lu had to die, he should perish under the open sky in front of all the assembled court officials. When Mo Xiuyao's allies warned him that targeting Lu would provoke fierce retaliation from Marquis Muyang, Mo Xiuyao scoffed, stating he had nothing left to fear now that the mansion was in ruins and he was crippled.
However, his ally reminded him that things were different now—he was married and had a Princess Consort to protect. Back at the mansion, Mo Xiuyao urged Ye Li to leave, proposing that he could petition the Empress Dowager for a divorce on the grounds of incompatibility. He told her she could return to the Ye Mansion or leave the capital entirely.
Ye Li was baffled by his behavior and playfully asked if he was planning a rebellion, insisting that he drink the soup she prepared before it went cold. Mo Xiuyao then brought up how she had saved his life in the desert, noting that the pastries she gave him in the prison cart had kept him alive. Ye Li was surprised he remembered her, recalling how he had treated her like a stranger on their wedding day.
To decide who would ask whom first, Ye Li proposed a coin toss. Using a Xide Tongbao coin, they agreed that if the characters faced up, they would discuss the divorce, but if the star and moon pattern landed on top, they would talk about when he recognized her. The coin landed with the star and moon pattern facing up, and they agreed to discuss the past first.
On the morning of the assassination, Mo Xiuyao and his allies analyzed the pre-dawn route from Chongren Lane to the imperial city. Although a road ambush seemed logical, Lu Changfu’s carriage was heavily reinforced with elm wood and steel, and guarded by experts. A failed attempt would only make him more cautious. Mo Xiuyao decided to strike inside the palace instead during the guard shift change.
At that point, officials were required to disarm and walk on foot from Daming Palace's Longwei Path to Danque Gate, leaving Lu Changfu without his personal guards. Feng Zhiyao and his men set up an ambush atop a nearby tall building. However, before they could even shoot, Lu Changfu was engulfed in flames and burned alive right in front of the horrified officials.
In the days that followed, several other key right-hand men of Marquis Muyang's faction were systematically murdered, forcing the terrified Marquis to excuse himself from court by claiming illness. During the subsequent court session, Gongshu Yang, the Prefect of Jingzhao, offered his resignation due to his failure to stop the high-profile murders. The Emperor and the Empress Dowager declined, praising his six years of service and his role in correcting wrongful convictions.
Murong Shen then suggested appointing Gongshu Yang as the new Military Governor of Huaixi, pointing out his past success in defeating water bandits and managing grain shipments. The Empress Dowager agreed, promoting Gongshu Yang and ordering him to depart in three days. With the Jingzhao Prefect post now vacant, Murong Shen recommended Mo Xiuyao, arguing that a man with military experience was needed to deter the rampant bandits. This sparked a fierce debate.
Zhang Hengyuan, an ally of Marquis Muyang, vehemently objected, calling Mo Xiuyao a crippled criminal unfit for such a crucial post. Just as the factions reached a deadlock, Duke Hua stepped forward to endorse Mo Xiuyao. Backed by Duke Hua's massive influence over the military, the opposition was silenced, and the Empress Dowager accepted the appointment. Meanwhile, Ye Li left the mansion early to pay respects to her deceased senior brothers who had been murdered by Lu Changfu.
Accompanied by Li Feibai, she burned incense at their graves, deciding not to pursue who was behind the deaths of Lu Zhi and the others as long as they did not stand in her way. During their meal, Li Feibai revealed he had resigned as the head of security for the Ye Mansion, complaining about the terrible living conditions there. He informed her that his new residence was the flashy Xiangqi Tower.
Though Ye Li warned him that Master Guan would be furious, Li Feibai brushed it off. He reassured her that she should worry about her husband Mo Xiuyao instead, though Ye Li confidently replied that they were getting along beautifully and that Senior Brother He had divined a harmonious marriage for them. Later, Feng Zhiyao visited Prince Ding's Mansion to borrow a horse for a polo match. Rejecting the tamer horse Jingfan, he insisted on riding the wilder Lieyun.
A servant warned him of Lieyun's dangerous nature, but Feng Zhiyao boasted of his skills and mounted the beast. Predictably, the horse went wild, throwing him off and charging directly toward Ye Li, who had just arrived to watch the commotion. Mo Xiuyao quickly blew a whistle, causing Lieyun to leap cleanly over Ye Li without harming her.
To make amends for the scare, Feng Zhiyao presented Ye Li with a highly effective Ice Toad Ointment to treat her minor scratch. He also advised her to take Mo Xiuyao out into the lively world more often to soften his cold and difficult temperament, joking that the Prince was a cuttlefish spirit with a stomach full of black ink.
Elsewhere, Empress Dowager Guo Jin and the Consort Dowager Qin Zheng listened to a performance of "Sigh over a Hundred Years," which Qin Zheng identified as originating from Lishan. This triggered memories of the past and Xu Wanzhou, Ye Li's mother. Guo Jin acknowledged that they had no choice back then and noted that Wanzhou’s character was well-suited for Lishan.
Learning that the newlywed Princess Consort had been living peacefully, and that the eldest lady of the mansion, who lived in deep seclusion, had even refused to see Ye Li on her first day, Guo Jin decided she wanted to meet her. Ye Li turned her attention to the family businesses, discovering that several stewards had been embezzling funds and cooking the books. When they attempted to resign collectively while blaming the poor economy, Ye Li easily outmaneuvered them.
She presented Steward Yang with a recommendation letter from Master Zhu to Vice Minister Zhou of the Ministry of Rites, subtly reminding him that associating with the politically delicate Lishan could ruin his son's future. She then thanked Steward Wang for secretly sending provisions to Lishan, reminding him that the teachers could testify to his generosity. Terrified of being accused of treason, the stewards quickly retracted their resignations, promising to balance the ledgers properly.
With the steward position at Shende Xuan now vacant, Ye Li offered the job to her impoverished senior brother, Wei Zhuang. Soon after, an imperial decree arrived, summoning Prince Ding and his wife, alongside Prince Li and his consort, to the palace the following day. That evening, Mo Xiuyao visited Ye Li to gauge her reaction, noting how calm she seemed despite the sudden summons from the Empress Dowager after Lishan's long isolation.
Ye Li calmly explained that her family had always held the Empress Dowager in high regard and that she had nothing to fear. The next morning, however, Ye Li overslept after a restless night, keeping Mo Xiuyao waiting. Feeling guilty, she personally assisted him by pushing his wheelchair into the carriage. At the palace, when Guo Jin asked about Lishan, Ye Li painted a picture of peace and diligence, choosing to remain silent about the academy's actual state of decay.
