Nancheng Banquet Episode 13 Recap
> Nancheng Banquet Recap
Yan Changyun outlined a plan for Fu Xiao's complete withdrawal. He explained that in three days, Tianjiao would come to pick her up for a performance at the State Duke Wei's estate, and she must return by 11 pm, where their people would meet her. He mentioned that Uncle Lei was entrusted with all escape routes from the city and would escort her away.
The plan was to stage an abduction by bandits on her way back, with her body to be discovered ten days later on the city outskirts. However, Fu Xiao stated she was not leaving. Just then, Qiang arrived, bringing snacks because he thought they might be hungry from talking so long. Yan Changyun abruptly ordered Qiang out of the room. Observing Yan Changyun's reaction, Fu Xiao noted that he had a truly different regard for Qiang, unlike for others.
Yan Changyun admitted that now she knew, he would not hide it – Qiang was indeed special and different from others. In his room, Qiang was adjusting his appearance, thinking he was much prettier than the famous courtesan Fu Xiao. The Emperor arrived looking for Qiang. He accidentally saw that Qiang was a woman. While still flustered, he encountered Yan Changyun.
He began asking Yan Changyun about Qiang indirectly, asking what he thought of her and if he found Qiang different from other eunuchs. Yan Changyun found the questions suspicious, wondering why the Emperor was so concerned about a minor eunuch and sensing a hidden meaning behind his words. He wondered if the Emperor had discovered Fu Xiao's secret.
Later, Yan Changyun returned to his room and found Qiang with her hair down, dressed in a way that revealed her female identity. He immediately realized the Emperor's earlier questions were due to this. He sternly warned Qiang not to let her hair down in the room where others could see. As they argued, a small embroidered purse fell from Yan Changyun. Qiang picked it up, noticing how uptight Yan Changyun became about it.
Qiang accused Yan Changyun of valuing the purse more than her, asking if it belonged to Fu Xiao. Yan reacted strongly, suggesting it was from a childhood playmate with whom he had a marriage agreement. Qiang then revealed that her mother had insisted she learn embroidery so she wouldn't have trouble finding a husband. Qiang showed him the yam flower design she was currently embroidering, comparing it favorably to Yan Changyun's purse.
She declared she would give the finished embroidery to him as a betrothal gift, stating that if he accepted it, he would be hers. The Emperor, reflecting on Qiang's identity as a girl, felt it was inconvenient for her to stay with the Qianyu Guards.
He considered issuing an imperial edict to bring her into the harem but worried that the Grand Empress Dowager was not fond of Qiang and might not believe her being in the palace was an accident. He concluded it was safer to keep her in the Qianyu Guards for now.
He mused that a young girl like her, who went to such lengths to enter the palace as a eunuch to stay by his side, caring for him, alleviating his concerns, and silently protecting him, must be an act of love for him. The next day, the Emperor went to the Qianyu Guards, bringing Qiang food and even helping her fetch water. He specifically brought her favorites because he thought the Qianyu Guards' food was terrible.
Qiang deliberately praised the food and fed some to Cheng in front of Yan Changyun, clearly trying to provoke him. Both Yan Changyun and the Emperor showed signs of jealousy. To get back at Yan Changyun for making her stand guard for him and Fu Xiao earlier, Qiang decided to go back to the palace with the Emperor, leaving Yan Changyun to guard the gate.
The following day, Yan Changyun brought buns specifically for Qiang, something the others couldn't find in the mess hall when Cheng went to look. That night, Yan Changyun gave his comforter to Qiang, leaving himself shivering in the cold. Qiang told him he didn't need to pretend and that she clearly meant something to him. Yan Changyun initially faltered, saying she was his Qianyu Guards person, but when prompted by Qiang, he shyly admitted that she was his person.
Hearing this, Qiang was moved and covered him with the comforter. Meanwhile, Fu Xiao proceeded with the plan to go to the State Duke Wei's estate. However, Xueying, who was in the carriage with her, instead took her to Xiao Quan's residence, stating Lord Xiao requested her presence. Fu Xiao explained she was invited by the Weis and changing her schedule was improper, but Xiao Quan insisted she stay to play the zither, saying it wouldn't take much time.
Xiao Quan confessed he missed her music since he wasn't feeling well and couldn't go out. Fu Xiao politely agreed to play for him, even for three days, but reiterated that the invitation was sudden and she had promised the State Duke Wei. Xiao Quan dismissed the State Duke Wei's invitation as unimportant and asked her to examine an ancient zither whose sound was off.
Xiao Quan was using Fu Xiao, knowing she was the daughter of Lei Bao, a general under the late Qin Wenzhong, to lure the remaining Guanyou survivors into a trap. When Master Wei arrived at the State Duke Wei's estate looking for Fu Xiao, he was told she had been taken by Xiao Quan's people and realized something was wrong.
Back in the palace, the Grand Empress Dowager discovered a drawing of a woman on the Emperor's desk and was furious. At the Qianyu Guards, Qiang was secretly embroidering a purse for Yan Changyun, thinking about how he would be hers if he accepted it. At this time, Madam Xi arrived with guards, stating the Grand Empress Dowager summoned Qiang and it would be best to go willingly.
As Qiang was taken away, she told Cheng that the Grand Empress Dowager had requested her presence, asking him to inform Yan Changyun. Cheng immediately sensed trouble and rushed to find Yan Changyun. At the same time, news arrived that Fu Xiao was being held by Xiao Quan. Yan Changyun decided to go rescue Fu Xiao and instructed Cheng to quickly inform the Emperor so he could go to the Ciqing Palace to save Qiang.
Yan Changyun then took a team of Qianyu Guards to Xiao Quan's residence. Qiang was brought before the Grand Empress Dowager, where her identity as a female was verified. The Grand Empress Dowager declared her a bold imposter who had infiltrated the palace with malicious intent, calling her a "fox spirit" who deceived the Emperor, and ordered her beaten to death. Just as the guards were about to carry out the order, the Emperor arrived and stopped them.
To save Qiang's life, he claimed she was pregnant with his child. The Grand Empress Dowager called for the imperial physician, Doctor Qu, to verify the claim. Qiang subtly signaled the physician, indicating her life depended on his words. Doctor Qu, looking between the Emperor and the Grand Empress Dowager, nervously confirmed that Qiang was two months pregnant.
The Grand Empress Dowager ordered an official in charge of imperial records to check the records of the Emperor's whereabouts over the past two months. The records showed the Emperor spent fifteen nights in his study the previous month, and Qiang had been in attendance for five of those days. The Emperor corroborated this, explaining that during those five days, they were alone in the study, and he momentarily lost restraint.
He claimed it was meant to be a surprise for the Grand Empress Dowager. Seeing that Qiang was carrying a potential royal heir, the Grand Empress Dowager accepted the situation for now and allowed Qiang to stay in the palace, stating they would decide her fate after the child was born. Qiang thanked her, promising to care for the unborn child.
After leaving, Qiang worried about how she would produce a royal heir and what this lie would mean for her reputation. The Emperor dismissed her concerns, asking if she was embarrassed to be pregnant with his child. That night, a group of people arrived at Xiao Quan's residence to rescue Fu Xiao. Xueying, pretending to be Fu Xiao, was playing the zither in the courtyard as a decoy. Uncle Lei and the others were ambushed; many were killed or injured.
Uncle Lei was forced to flee by his subordinates. One captured rescuer refused to reveal the mastermind's identity, even when threatened with death. Just then, Yan Changyun arrived with the Qianyu Guards to retrieve Fu Xiao. Xiao Quan declared that Fu Xiao was a Guanyou survivor and a suspect in his father's murder, stating that if Yan Changyun took her, it would be proof of his connection to the Guanyou rebels.
One of Uncle Lei's captured subordinates, seeing this, cursed Yan Changyun, accusing him of colluding with Xiao Quan, and was killed by Xiao Quan in a fit of rage. Fu Xiao then emerged, stating she knew she was insignificant but was grateful for Yan Changyun's care. She said she couldn't bear to see him accused of favoritism or breaking the law for her sake.
Yan Changyun insisted it had nothing to do with her, but that someone was using her identity to frame him and implicate her, declaring that his woman would not be easily humiliated. Xiao Quan asserted that if Yan Changyun insisted on taking Fu Xiao, he would retaliate. Fu Xiao, however, stated she didn't know any of the dead men but was willing to cooperate with Xiao Quan to prove her innocence and trusted Yan Changyun would clear her name.
Yan Changyun then ordered the Qianyu Guards to seal off Xiao Quan's residence, declaring it the primary crime scene of the Prime Minister's murder and requiring everyone inside to cooperate with the investigation. Xiao Quan, to gain back some control, ordered his men to dump the bodies of the rebels in the mass grave to be eaten by dogs, insisting they witness the dogs consuming the bodies before returning.
Meanwhile, the Empress arrived and confronted Qiang (whom she initially addressed as Xiao Qiangzi and then Fu Xiao), believing she was pregnant with the Emperor's child. She tore a handkerchief, declaring that their friendship was over, upset about the multiple deceptions regarding her identity, gender, and name, compounded by the pregnancy. The Emperor tried to intervene, telling the Empress not to get agitated, as Qiang was pregnant. The Empress was heartbroken by the betrayal.
