Nirvana in Fire Episode 13 Recap
> Nirvana in Fire Recap
Minister of Personnel He Jingzhong was severely ill and unable to attend court due to his son's imprisonment, causing personnel matters to pile up like mountains and making Prince Yu anxious. Having no other choice, Qin Banruo presented the strategy of 'substituting the plum for the peach'. Yan Yujin and Xiao Jingrui returned from the hot springs to visit Mei Changsu, bringing several baskets of tangerines transported from Lingnan Prefecture. Everyone tasted them together.
Yujin found them as sweet as honey, but Fei Liu peeled one, sniffed it, and then threw it down without eating. Fei Liu's rejection made Mei Changsu realize the tangerines might have a strange smell. Shen Zhui reported to Prince Jing, saying he had found that the waterway transport was smuggling black powder, and it had been transported to the Crown Prince's private firework workshop. Shen Zhui decided to shut down the workshop once the evidence was complete.
Mei Changsu's health weakened day by day. He begged Doctor Yan to let him live a few more days. Prince Jing came to visit and informed Mei Changsu that Consort Jing had discovered that the Empress was poisoned with Soft Hui Grass. This grass is not highly toxic; eating it makes one's limbs weak, and the effect only lasts six or seven days.
Mei Changsu, deep in thought, unconsciously made Lin Shu's habitual gesture, making Prince Jing recall his old friend. Mei Changsu reminded Prince Jing that as the struggle for the throne intensifies, he would soon be pushed to the forefront, and to win, he needed to use sincerity and tactics together to control the situation. Consort Yue recommended to the Emperor of Liang that Consort Xu Shufei perform the Empress's duties during the year-end sacrifice ceremony, gaining the Emperor's great pleasure.
Li Gang reported that the other two ships of black powder were not transported to the private firework workshop, but their whereabouts could not be found. Mei Changsu analyzed that if the powder wasn't made into fireworks, it must be for killing people. He connected the tangerines and the Empress's poisoning to the year-end sacrifice ceremony, realizing the situation was urgent. Disregarding Doctor Yan's obstruction, he hurriedly visited Yan Que.
Yan Que had gone out and not returned, so Yujin sent someone to look for him. Mei Changsu, Yujin, and Jingrui chatted while waiting. Yujin mentioned that he most admired Lin Xiangru, believing he had the greatest demeanor as an envoy. Mei Changsu told him there was such an envoy in their own dynasty. 37 years ago, the three sides, Dayu, Beiyan, and Donghai, formed an alliance, crushing Great Liang with five times the military strength.
This envoy went alone, fearless of death, debated against a crowd of scholars, splitting the three countries and resolving the crisis. Yujin praised him repeatedly. Mei Changsu told him: That person is your father! Yujin was greatly shaken by what he heard. Prince Yu investigated the Empress poisoning case in the palace. He found out it was not the Crown Prince's doing, but the mastermind remained unknown. Yan Que returned to his residence.
Mei Changsu went straight to the point, saying he had found out that Yan Que had buried the gunpowder in the altar. When asked the reason, Yan Que said hatefully: I want to kill him! It turned out that Yan Que, Grand Marshal Lin Xie, and the Emperor of Liang grew up together since childhood, swearing an oath to "share hardship and wealth together".
But after helping the Emperor of Liang ascend the throne, the Emperor of Liang not only enjoyed imperial power alone but also completely disregarded their brotherhood. He knew that Lin Xie's sister, Leyao, and Yan Que had long been deeply in love, but forced her into the palace. Later, Leyao gave birth to Jingyu (Prince Qi), and was granted the title Consort Chen. Yan Que accepted fate and decided to let go.
Unexpectedly, the Chiyan Army case happened again—Jingyu was given death, Leyao committed suicide, and Lin Xie's family suffered misfortune! Yan Que hated the Emperor of Liang for his cold-hearted nature. He pretended to devote himself to asceticism, plotted for many years, and was determined to kill him for revenge. Mei Changsu painstakingly tried to dissuade Yan Que. He said he was merely venting personal anger, not true revenge.
Even if the Emperor died, the Crown Prince and Prince Yu factions would compete, causing unstable court politics and troubled borders; the Chiyan Army's unjust case would not be cleared, and the reputations of relatives and friends would still be tarnished; even Yujin, who had never enjoyed fatherly love, would be implicated. . . At the same time, Meng Zhi, who was patrolling in the palace, took out the fuse buried in the altar.
