Nancheng Banquet Episode 14 Recap
> Nancheng Banquet Recap
Yan Changyun, also known as Qin Yan, expressed deep remorse for the Qin family members who were killed and declared that he would forever be enemies with Xiao Quan, swearing to avenge this loss. Meanwhile, Fu Xiao, formerly the eunuch Qiangzi, was showered with numerous treasures after it was announced she was carrying the Emperor's child. She was overjoyed by the rewards and eager to show them off to the Qianyu Guards. News of her transformation spread among the guards.
They were astonished to learn that "Qiangzi," whom they knew as a former comrade, had become a woman and had risen so rapidly within months – becoming a Qianyu Guard Supervisor, commanding the ten thousand Qianyu Guards under Yan Changyun, and now potentially a high-ranking consort by carrying the royal heir. Fu Xiao deliberately went to Yan Changyun's room, displaying her new riches. However, Yan Changyun was drinking alone, lost in thought over the deaths of the Qin family members.
Fu Xiao mistakenly believed he was upset because of her. She urged him to say something to keep her before her official conferral as a consort. When she asked if he cared about her and liked her, he acknowledged internally that his feelings were "more than just liking."
However, for her safety, he told her that staying by the Emperor's side was her safest option and that she was now the Emperor's woman, so she should mind her words and conduct herself appropriately. Heartbroken, Fu Xiao left crying. Left alone, Yan Changyun felt unworthy of her, blaming himself for failing to protect even the Qin family, and wondered if she might be better off without him.
Turning her sadness into eating, Fu Xiao devoured a large amount of food. Yidao, her attendant, worried she would harm the child by eating so much. Fu Xiao sought out the Queen to apologize. The Queen revealed her anger wasn't about the pregnancy itself, but because Fu Xiao had consistently deceived her and hidden her true identity, despite being considered a best friend.
Fu Xiao swore never to lie again and expressed how much she cherished their friendship, noting the Queen was the only one in the palace who called her Fu Xiao instead of Qiangzi. The Queen, noticing Fu Xiao's cold hands, instructed her maid Xueru to ensure the other consorts looked after Fu Xiao well, especially given her condition.
Following the Queen's instructions, the palace consorts began attending to Fu Xiao, but their care felt overly restrictive, controlling her diet and movements. Fu Xiao found this suffocating and pleaded with the Emperor to let her leave the palace, calling it no place for a human being. The Emperor asked if she preferred the previous neglect or the current intense attention, suggesting everyone's focus was on the child.
Worried her fake pregnancy would be exposed if her belly didn't grow, she felt she'd rather die. The Emperor presented her with padded garments designed for different months of pregnancy, suggesting they tell the imperial physician she was carrying Nezha to buy more time. Still desperate, Fu Xiao wanted to die. The Emperor then proposed they make the pregnancy real by going to his chambers. Fu Xiao rejected this, again asking him to end her life instead.
In the imperial court, Xiao Quan provocatively asked if he was a "treacherous minister," claiming Yan Changyun constantly obstructed him and searched his residence, terrifying his family. Yan Changyun countered that the Qianyu Guards were merely investigating on orders and pointed out that Xiao Quan's Ministry of Justice prison held many innocent people.
Xiao Quan then accused Yan Changyun of protecting Chu Yue, an official courtesan linked to the Guan You remnants, claiming her father was Lei Bao, the deputy of the former Duke Qin, and suggested she was connected to the assassination of his own father. Yan Changyun explained Chu Yue was implicated by the Guan You incident fifteen years ago and was a courtesan to atone for her family's crime, a matter of official record.
He accused Xiao Quan of using this to target him. Xiao Quan questioned why Yan Changyun would cause such a commotion over a courtesan if he had nothing to hide. The Emperor intervened, calling both men his trusted aides and finding justification for both of their actions, urging patience. The Emperor then announced the good news of a royal heir and his decision to elevate Fu Xiao to the status of a consort, ordering preparations to begin swiftly.
Ministers objected, citing the scandal of a eunuch pregnancy already being widespread gossip that would tarnish the state's reputation abroad. Xiao Quan remarked that although it was a significant matter, it was ultimately the Emperor's personal family affair, and since the child was his, he had no further comment. However, the Grand Empress Dowager arrived and adamantly opposed the conferral, stating it disgraced the royal family and asking how the Emperor would face his ancestors.
The Emperor reminded her that she had instructed him to care for Fu Xiao and protect the fetus. The Grand Empress Dowager clarified that she only cared for the child and had her own plans for Fu Xiao after the baby was born. In the harem, the other consorts and concubines were unexpectedly pleased about the prospect of a royal heir, as there had been none for years.
The Queen touched Fu Xiao's fake belly, expressing happiness that Nancheng finally had hope for a successor and urging Fu Xiao to take good care of the child. The Queen also genuinely seemed happy for Fu Xiao because she was now noticed by the Emperor. Fu Xiao was surprised by their apparent happiness, noting that previously the Emperor avoided the Queen, but now everyone had hope. Fu Xiao, feigning discomfort, requested to lie down and was carefully escorted.
She later met the Emperor and asked if he had seen Yan Changyun. The Emperor confirmed he had and mentioned Yan Changyun was in low spirits because his confidante Chu Yue was in trouble, having been imprisoned by Minister Xiao (Xiao Quan) on suspicion of being a Guan You remnant linked to the assassin of Chancellor Xiao (Xiao Quan's father).
The Emperor added that Yan Changyun's absence during the previous incident when Fu Xiao was in danger was because he had gone to save Chu Yue. Meanwhile, Uncle Lei was hiding and recovering from injuries in a secret room with Yan Changyun. Uncle Lei urged Yan Changyun not to forget Fu Xiao's true identity – a skilled person who knew his secret before losing her memory.
He warned that if her memory returned, especially now that she was involved with the Emperor, she could become a great danger and future trouble for their plans. They needed the Jade Ring and could only wait for her memory to return before deciding what to do, but Uncle Lei felt she couldn't be allowed to stay.
Yan Changyun deflected, stating he wouldn't be distracted by personal feelings, adding that his current status would endanger anyone he married, just as he had inadvertently harmed a farm family when he was young. Xiao Quan confided in Bai Yi about his suspicion that the person who killed his father for the Guan You rebels, Qin Yan, had not died after all. Bai Yi claimed he had personally killed Qin Yan, who then fell off a cliff.
Xiao Quan suggested he might have survived and, if so, still didn't know the full truth. He proposed they could eliminate Qin Yan again. Xiao Quan, stating his success wasn't due to luck, appealed to Bai Yi as the Prince of Ning State, suggesting they should not leave their fates to chance. He proposed they collaborate again to be invincible: Bai Yi reclaiming the Ning State throne and Xiao Quan taking control of Nancheng State.
The Queen spoke with her brother, Xiao Quan, requesting his help in persuading the Grand Empress Dowager to grant Fu Xiao the title of consort. She explained that while the pregnancy was an insult to her, she didn't care who had the child as long as the Emperor had an heir, and she was worried about Fu Xiao's safety after the birth because the Grand Empress Dowager would not let her go.
Xiao Quan called her naive, questioning why she would help Fu Xiao, whom he deemed not a good person, and how it would affect her own life in the palace. The Queen insisted she only wanted the Emperor to be happy. Reluctantly, Xiao Quan agreed because she was his cherished sister. After agreeing to speak to the Grand Empress Dowager, Xiao Quan left, stating that the Emperor must not have children and "that woman" must be eliminated.
The Queen later discussed the conferral ceremony with Fu Xiao, describing the elaborate plans. She warned Fu Xiao not to monopolize the Emperor because of the child. Fu Xiao asked if the Queen truly didn't mind. The Queen admitted she did mind, but understood the Emperor was not solely hers. She believed true love meant giving sincerely and selflessly, and that her happiness lay in his happiness.
Fu Xiao thought the Queen was too kind and couldn't understand loving someone without seeking to be together. Fu Xiao resolved to find a way to be with Yan Changyun. Later, a masked woman appeared before Fu Xiao. Fu Xiao recognized her from a previous encounter where a task given by the masked person had failed due to Yan Changyun's strength. The masked woman came closer, proposing a new task. Suddenly, she attacked Fu Xiao with a dagger.
Fu Xiao dodged and fought back, tearing off the attacker's mask to reveal Xueru, the Queen's maid. Yan Changyun arrived just as Xueru was revealed. Xueru confessed that she attacked because Fu Xiao had seduced the Emperor and become pregnant, thus shaming the Queen who had been kind to her. The Queen was brought to the scene and couldn't believe Xueru would do this.
Yan Changyun believed Xueru was acting under orders and requested the Emperor's permission to take her for interrogation to find the mastermind. The Emperor agreed. Just as she was about to be taken away, Xueru apologized to the Queen and killed herself on the spot, declaring she would pay for her crime with death. Fu Xiao was distraught, feeling responsible for Xueru's death.
Yan Changyun told her Xueru's claims were unreliable and warned her that the palace was full of hidden dangers she couldn't handle alone, reminding her of the Grand Empress Dowager's intentions only for the child. He offered to help her leave the palace, but Fu Xiao questioned why he always tried to push her away, calling him slow and annoying.
The Emperor was calmly drinking tea when Fu Xiao confronted him, asking how he could do so while the Queen was grieving Xueru. An attendant scolded Fu Xiao for her disrespect, but the Emperor referred to Fu Xiao as the "mother of the heir apparent" and told the attendant to treat her well. Hearing this, Fu Xiao immediately wanted to remove her fake belly and stop pretending.
The Emperor warned her that revealing the fake pregnancy would lead to her death and urged her to endure for ten months. Fu Xiao insisted she couldn't wait and threatened to die. The Emperor sent the others away. Fu Xiao asked what would happen after ten months, and the Emperor promised to help her get rid of "this thing" when the time was right. Fu Xiao called men unreliable and decided she would handle her own "flesh and blood" herself.
Resolved to end the fake pregnancy, Fu Xiao planned to fake a fall. She climbed onto a table, musing that it was high but would work since no one was watching, contemplating just lying down. Just then, she saw Xiao Quan approaching and thought it was a perfect opportunity, like enemies meeting on a narrow road. She deliberately walked towards him.
As they passed, Fu Xiao faked a fall, grabbing her stomach and crying out in pain, loudly blaming Xiao Quan for intentionally knocking her down and causing her to lose her child.
