Nancheng Banquet Episode 24 (Ending) Recap
> Nancheng Banquet Recap
Upon hearing that the prison had caught fire and that Yan Changyun had supposedly perished with no remains found, Xiao Quan initially dismissed it as a trick. However, when he learned that Fu Xiao was to be married to the Emperor and made an Imperial Noble Consort, he began to reconsider.
He reasoned that Fu Xiao and Yan Changyun shared a deep bond, and she would never agree to marry the Emperor if Yan Changyun were still alive, leading him to believe Yan Changyun was truly dead. He then received news that Queen Heng had been confined and was gravely ill with no one to care for her, concluding that she had been implicated because of him.
Declaring he could wait no longer, he instructed his subordinate, Xueying, to carry out her designated task. Xiao Quan also met with Bai Yi, urging him that the time was right for them to act now that Yan Changyun was dead and Fu Xiao was being ennobled.
Bai Yi, having recently lost two beloved apprentices and having personally ordered the death of his own sister, expressed doubt, questioning if everything they had done was worth it and if their actions were right or wrong, acknowledging that those he cared for and who cared for him had left him.
Xiao Quan, however, was solely focused on seizing the throne, insisting that he had waited years for this moment and demanded Bai Yi write a letter to arrange for the Ning State cavalry to pressure the borders so they could attack from within and without. He promised that once he took the throne, he would support Bai Yi in becoming the King of the Ning State, seeing it as a mutually beneficial plan.
Meanwhile, Chu Yue watched the courtyard being prepared for the wedding with lingering resentment towards Fu Xiao, angry that she was marrying the Emperor so soon after Yan Changyun's apparent death. Wei Tianjiao found Chu Yue and urged her to let go of her hate, revealing that Fu Xiao's marriage to the Emperor was a sacrifice to secure Yan Changyun's life.
Shocked to learn that Yan Changyun was still alive, Chu Yue finally understood the depth of Fu Xiao's actions and her own shortcomings in comparison. As Fu Xiao's ennoblement ceremony to Imperial Noble Consort was underway, with the Queen personally presenting her with the golden scroll and golden seal, Xiao Quan led his forces in a covert assault on the palace.
Just as the ceremony concluded and the Emperor and Fu Xiao were being invited forward, guards rushed in to report that the palace was under attack and rebel forces had breached the defenses. Fu Xiao immediately drew a sword to protect the Emperor. Xiao Quan then appeared, revealing himself as the leader of the mutiny. Queen Heng was visibly shocked to see her brother leading the rebels.
The Emperor confronted Xiao Quan, warning him that traitors like him would face a dire end. Xiao Quan retorted, claiming it was not for the Emperor to decide whether he was a traitor or chosen by fate. At that moment, Yan Changyun arrived with the Qianyu Guards to aid the Emperor. When Xiao Quan moved to attack the Emperor, Yan Changyun stepped forward. Xiao Quan turned, stunned to see Yan Changyun alive.
It was revealed that the Emperor had anticipated this and set a trap, deploying secret guards who emerged from hiding and swiftly eliminated Xiao Quan's remaining forces. Left alone, Xiao Quan put down his weapon, declaring he would accept whatever fate the Emperor decreed. However, he secretly drew a hidden dagger and lunged towards the Emperor. Seeing the danger, Queen Heng sacrificed herself, rushing towards Xiao Quan and being stabbed by him.
As she lay dying, Queen Heng told the Emperor that perhaps marrying him was a mistake from the start, but she was content to have met him in this lifetime. Xiao Quan was overcome with grief, crying out in anguish over his sister's death. Xiao Quan was apprehended, and the news of his failed coup spread rapidly among the populace.
Hearing of the events, Bai Yi and his remaining apprentice decided to leave the Nancheng State, knowing there was no longer a place for them there and choosing not to see Fu Xiao again. The Emperor went to Queen Heng's palace, where Fu Xiao presented him with orchid powder that the Queen had personally prepared, grinding her own orchids and sandalwood together to make a calming scent, having worried about his sleep.
The Emperor finally realized the depth of her unspoken care for him and was filled with regret for his past indifference. He found clothes by the bed that the Queen had sewn for him overnight, deepening his sorrow. Xiao Quan was exiled to the frontier, attempting to commit suicide multiple times along the way, but his escorts prevented him from dying so easily. Meanwhile, Chu Yue, seeking atonement, had her head shaved and became a nun.
The Emperor held a list of officials who had secretly aided Xiao Quan, causing fear among his ministers. However, the Emperor declared he would not pursue the matter further, dramatically burning the list before them. He announced decrees to reduce taxes and focus on the nation's recovery and development, assuring his officials that with united hearts, Nancheng would achieve peace and prosperity.
The Emperor issued a decree to the entire nation, clarifying that the Qin Family had been falsely accused and victimized by Xiao Quan during the Guanyou Incident. The decree exonerated all those previously implicated, posthumously elevated Qin Wenzhong, the former Duke, to First Rank Duke status, and allowed the Qin family to be enshrined in the Royal Ancestral Temple, clearing their name after fifteen years of injustice.
Yan Changyun finally visited his parents' graves, presenting the imperial decree and tearfully informing them that the Qin family's injustice had been cleared, and they were no longer branded as traitors. The Emperor summoned Yan Changyun and Fu Xiao to reward them for their crucial contributions. He asked Fu Xiao what she desired as a reward. Fu Xiao playfully listed mansions, jewels, and gold, counting on her fingers before Yan Changyun interrupted her lightly.
She then changed her answer, stating that she wanted nothing else in this life except him. Yan Changyun then made his own request, asking the Emperor for permission to go to the frontier with Wei Tianjiao to help defend the nation against the lingering threat from the Ning State cavalry, fighting alongside his friend. The Emperor, impressed by his sincerity, granted his request.
Fu Xiao readily declared that she would go with him, unwilling to be separated from him ever again. Later, the Emperor explained the elaborate plan to Fu Xiao, revealing that Yan Changyun's death was faked in the prison fire.
He explained that this design, conceived with Yan Changyun (Qin Yan), was necessary because only by making Xiao Quan believe Yan Changyun was gone would Xiao Quan feel confident enough to launch his rebellion without concern for Yan Changyun's loyal Qianyu Guards, thus walking into the Emperor's trap.
He admitted that their marriage was part of this scheme; since Fu Xiao had suggested he marry her during their earlier interactions, the Emperor had simply gone along with it, realizing it would effectively convince the suspicious Xiao Quan that Yan Changyun was dead. Afterward, Yan Changyun wryly asked the Emperor if he had perhaps planned to keep Fu Xiao for himself after faking Yan Changyun's death.
The Emperor insisted that his heart held no romantic affections and was solely focused on the well-being of the empire and its people. Yan Changyun then bid the Emperor farewell, acknowledging the uncertainty of when they might meet again. Fu Xiao linked arms with Yan Changyun as they left the vast imperial palace, acknowledging the many events they had lived through there but choosing to leave the past behind and focus on their future together.
Before departing for the frontier, Yan Changyun took Fu Xiao to visit her parents' graves. She recalled being terrified the day they were killed and being unable to find their bodies when she returned at dawn, expressing gratitude that Yan Changyun had given them a proper burial. She showed him a yam flower purse she found at the site of their demise, a reminder of the tragic event.
At the grave, Yan Changyun promised her parents that he would take good care of Fu Xiao from now on. They then revisited their dilapidated old childhood home, reminiscing about playing together as children. Yan Changyun marveled that after believing he would never see her again, they had reunited in the vast world. Fu Xiao remembered their childhood game of practicing wedding rites, speculating that perhaps they were destined to be together forever from that moment on.
