Princess Silver Episode 41 Recap, Plot

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Chang Jian reported to Fu Chou that Lady Fu insisted on residing in Senyan Palace for her recovery, having refused all attempts to return to the warm chambers of the inner palace. Fu Chou had already ordered the renovation of Senyan Palace to accommodate her. Chang Jian then updated him on the southern border, where Wu You and his consort, Rong Le, had been successfully implementing a new policy for the past year.

However, a secret message from Qingzhou brought troubling news: rumors were rampant in the city, labeling Rong Le a "Silver-Haired Demon." These rumors claimed she was once a general's wife in Northern Lin who had behaved wantonly and eloped with Wu You to the southern border, spreading like wildfire. Enraged by this slander against Rong Le, Fu Chou immediately ordered Chang Jian to find the source of these rumors before instructing him to follow him to Senyan Palace.

At Senyan Palace, Fu Yuan appeared composed and elegant as she drank tea, a stark contrast to her recent state of mental instability. Fu Chou greeted her warmly, expressing relief at her recovery and apologizing for his prolonged absence due to his military campaigns over the past year. Fu Yuan assured him she understood, appreciating his dedication to the country.

During their meal, Fu Chou reminisced about his childhood, recalling how his mother had always seemed distant but secretly set aside the best food for him while consuming leftovers herself. He expressed regret that he still could not openly honor her but promised a grand coronation ceremony in a few days to officially welcome her back to court. Fu Yuan dismissed her illness and the coronation as trivial.

She then subtly questioned why Fu Chou had spent the past year campaigning north, reclaiming lands from Wei, instead of moving south to conquer the southern border. Fu Chou explained that Zongzheng Wu You's army was formidable, noting that previous attempts to send special forces to the southern border had resulted in annihilation. He stated his intention to observe the enemy's strength before acting recklessly.

Fu Yuan, however, advised him to strike decisively before Wu You's forces became fully developed, though she downplayed her advice as merely a woman's opinion. Fu Chou acknowledged her concern for the country. As they conversed, a palace maid accidentally spilled wine on Fu Yuan. What followed was a sudden, violent outburst from Fu Yuan, who pushed the maid to the ground, kicking and threatening to burn her to death.

Fu Chou immediately intervened, embracing his mother and calming her, while ordering guards to take the maid away. He reassured Fu Yuan that she was safe and nobody would hurt her in his palace. The next day, Chang Jian witnessed guards carrying a body out of the palace; the visible hand of the deceased was covered in cruel injuries. That night, a celebratory feast loosened the usual strict discipline of the military camp.

As soldiers drank, they noticed something flying over General Luo Qiao's tent. Investigating, they discovered several bodies, including General Luo Qiao himself, who had been brutally murdered. In his hand, he clutched a strand of silver hair. Leng Yan reported the incident to Wu You, explaining that the three drunk soldiers who first found the bodies claimed to have seen a fleeting glimpse of a person with silver hair.

Leng Yan had placed them under supervision and emphasized the urgency of preventing the news from spreading, especially with many soldiers having been intoxicated. Wu You acknowledged the sticky situation, recognizing the perpetrator as a cunning schemer who understood how to manipulate people through rumors and mystery, leaving no clear trail. Luo Zhi burst into Wu You's tent, seeking his immediate attention.

Leng Yan, initially thinking Luo Zhi was merely distraught over his close relative Luo Qiao's death, was surprised when Luo Zhi instead requested Wu You to immediately order the Luo Army to depart for the border. Luo Zhi explained that he understood his brother's death was orchestrated by someone with ulterior motives, aiming to destabilize the military and pressure Wu You into punishing Rong Le.

He warned that if the Luo Army remained outside Qingzhou, the case would undoubtedly spiral out of control by morning, damaging both Wu You's and Rong Le's reputations. Luo Zhi expressed his unwavering belief in Rong Le's innocence, stating that despite her silver hair, she was a kind person unwilling to cause disturbance and certainly not a murderer.

Wu You, though appreciative of Luo Zhi's trust, advised him that fleeing with his soldiers would not solve the issue, as the cunning schemer would only escalate the situation. Instead, Wu You urged Luo Zhi to use his respected reputation to reassure his soldiers, promising that Luo Qiao's death would not be in vain. Luo Zhi accepted the advice and left to secure his camp.

Afterwards, Wu You instructed Leng Yan to immediately unseal the Serene Hill Inn, which he had previously ordered closed. Wu You's strategy was to restore normalcy, believing it would provoke the schemers, who thrived on panic, into revealing themselves due to their own anxiety, thereby exposing their flaws when they had no concrete evidence to work with. Cai Yanhe met with Sun Jizhou at his manor, expressing apprehension given Wu You's increased scrutiny of aristocratic clans.

Cai Yanhe admitted his fear that Wu You had discovered his embezzlement of military funds, despite not being directly accused in court. Sun Jizhou chastised Cai Yanhe for his greed, reminding him of previous warnings and the fate of the Zheng family. He pointed out Wu You's aggressive policy of elevating commoners while suppressing scholar-official families, suggesting the Cai family could be made an example.

A desperate Cai Yanhe pleaded with Sun Jizhou, appealing to their shared prominence and long-standing friendship. Sun Jizhou then subtly brought up the widespread rumors of a "Silver-Haired Demon" who had brought calamity to the country and seduced the prince, implying that Cai Yanhe should understand what action was expected of him without explicit instruction. Yali instructed her maid, Chun Ni, to deliver a tea cup to Ling Yue.

Chun Ni questioned why Yali wasn't giving it directly to Wu You, concerned Ling Yue might mistake it for Rong Le. Yali, seemingly agitated, dismissed the maid's query, stating it made no difference if it was for Wu You or Rong Le, and insisted she just deliver it to Ling Yue. Sun Jizhou observed this exchange and commended Yali for finally learning to use "tricks."

Yali admitted to her father that she now understood his insistence on her closeness to Wu You, realizing it was for her own good and the Sun family's future, as marrying Wu You could lead her to become empress and solidify the family's foundation. Sun Jizhou then revealed that despite Wu You's outwardly cordial demeanor, he had secretly become wary of the Sun family.

He emphasized that Yali must redouble her efforts to get close to Wu You, as a successful marriage alliance was now crucial to secure the Sun family's foundation. Yali questioned her father, unsure why their family's position felt insecure when he, Wu You's former teacher and now the powerful provincial governor of Qingzhou, seemingly remained loyal. Sun Jizhou confessed that despite their apparent power, the Sun family was hollow, as Wu You's reforms progressively eroded their interests.

He explained that Wu You, by centralizing authority to himself, had made closeness to him akin to being near a tiger, causing him much anxiety. Yali then worried about her ability to become Wu You's consort, given his deep mutual love with Rong Le. Sun Jizhou countered cynically, stating that marriage did not require feelings, and feelings were merely a tool for the weak. He urged Yali to treat Wu You wholeheartedly, suggesting it might still win his affections.

He presented Yali with a stark choice: either the Sun family allied with Wu You and shared power, or they would be forced to fight to their last breath against him. He emphasized that everything he did was for her sake. After Sun Jizhou departed, Yali was seen burning an embroidered sachet she had made for Fu Chou, signifying a dramatic shift in her loyalties and aspirations.

Leng Yan reported to Wu You that the bard they had captured had inexplicably died in jail, suggesting an insider within the prison. Wu You was enraged by the perpetrator's escalating boldness, audacious enough to act under his very nose. Leng Yan further explained that court ministers were now submitting petitions demanding Wu You divorce Rong Le, influenced by the "Silver-Haired Demon" rumors.

Wu You immediately recognized this as the work of Cai Yanhe, who was instigating his former disciples to make these complaints. Leng Yan speculated if Cai Yanhe was the mysterious owner of the Serene Hill Inn, a place known to be under government protection and connected to high-ranking officials.

However, Wu You dismissed Cai Yanhe as the mastermind of such a perilous plot, reasoning that those whose interests were most severely impacted by the new land distribution policy were the most likely to resort to such extreme measures. As they spoke, Yali abruptly entered the study, kneeling before Wu You and begging him to save her. Puzzled, Wu You asked for clarification.

Yali reminded him of a promise he made when he was banished to Qingzhou due to the Yun's Mausoleum incident, questioning if it still held true. Meanwhile, in another part of the manor, Rong Le had prepared a special meal and was about to personally invite Wu You for dinner.

Wu You recalled giving Yali a silver bracelet to help her avoid a forced marriage into the Zheng family, noting that the Zheng family was now gone and he had fulfilled his promise. Yali, however, confessed that her time under Wu You's protection in Qingzhou had been the most peaceful and joyful period of her life, making her wish she could have stayed by his side to avoid future hardships.

Wu You tried to dismiss her words, but Yali insisted, revealing her internal conflict about confessing her feelings. She admitted she had heard Rong Le intended to marry her off to General Luo Zhi and that her father was pressuring her into marriage. Despite feeling guilty towards Rong Le, she had decided to fight for her own happiness. This confession was overheard by Rong Le, who had arrived to invite Wu You to dinner.

Wu You remained unmoved by Yali's pleas, stating clearly that his heart belonged only to Rong Le. Yali, acknowledging his devotion to Rong Le, begged for even a small measure of his love and warmth, claiming that would be enough for her lifetime. She confessed her love for him had blossomed since he risked his life to save her in the palace. As she spoke, she embraced Wu You. Rong Le, witnessing this intimate moment, turned and left, heartbroken.

She did not see Wu You coolly pull away from Yali, telling her to "have some respect for yourself" before he too departed. Back in her room, Rong Le, despite her sadness, chose to trust Wu You and decided to let him resolve the situation, ordering the special dinner she had prepared for him to be taken away.

Later, when Wu You returned to his room, his maid informed him that Rong Le had already eaten and gone to sleep early, attributing her exhaustion to the disturbing "Silver-Haired Demon" rumors. Wu You expressed surprise, stating Rong Le was not someone easily affected by rumors, and instructed the maid to take good care of her.

A maid urgently sought help from the former empress, revealing that her sister, Lan'er, who had been transferred to serve Lady Fu in Senyan Palace, had gone missing after accidentally spilling tea on Lady Fu and suffering a violent assault. The maid pleaded with the former empress to intervene with Fu Chou. Upon hearing that Fu Chou intended to enthrone Lady Fu as Empress Dowager due to her recovery, the former empress became terrified.

She feared Fu Yuan would retaliate against her for having "taken her place" as empress. Despite her maid's reassurances, the former empress descended into a frantic state, claiming Fu Yuan had returned from hell like a demon to take their lives. She lamented her lifelong efforts at self-preservation and non-contention, feeling unfairly targeted and abandoned by those she once relied on, including the late emperor, the Crown Prince, and even Wu You.

Soon after, news of the former empress's sudden death spread through the court. Rumors of suicide circulated, but many officials found it unbelievable, citing her cautious nature and the respect she commanded, even from Fu Chou. Fu Chou convened the court to announce his intention to enthrone Empress Fu Yuan as Empress Dowager, restoring her Golden Scroll and Phoenix Seal, and bringing her back to the ancestral temple. However, his ministers were hesitant.

Several officials immediately raised objections, citing the recent death of the former empress just the day before, deeming it inappropriate to hastily enthrone a new Empress Dowager. Fu Chou dismissed their concerns, claiming the former empress died from missing the late emperor. Yang Wei, the Minister of Rites, then boldly stepped forward, questioning Fu Yuan's true identity, claiming her background was vague and unsuitable for guiding the nation.

Fu Chou angrily asserted Fu Yuan was his birth mother and the previous empress, questioning how Yang Wei, who had served the late emperor for years, could fail to recognize her. Yang Wei maintained that even if she was the Empress Fu, he knew her true character and would never support her as Empress Dowager.

Fu Chou, infuriated, accused Yang Wei of disrespect and implied he was tired of his position, reminding him of a past occasion when Yang Wei doubted his own identity. Yang Wei warned that forcing this enthronement would plunge the court into chaos, negating all of Fu Chou's merits. Despite Fu Chou's intimidation, Yang Wei held firm, resigning his post on the spot and declaring his retirement.

Faced with this defiant act, Fu Chou was forced to yield, agreeing to postpone the Empress Dowager's coronation for a later discussion. Fu Chou instructed Chang Jian to handle the late empress's funeral rites, vaguely dismissing the elaborate formalities but ordering the concealment of her body's appearance and secrecy from Fu Yuan. Before Chang Jian could fully process the instructions, Fu Yuan entered. Fu Chou informed her about Yang Wei's resignation and the resulting delay in her coronation.

Fu Yuan, feigning understanding, expressed that she bore no ill will towards Yang Wei and cared little for such "empty titles." Fu Chou, however, lamented that the incident had revealed the court officials' superficial loyalty; they served Northern Lin, not him, and remained unsubmissive despite his authority. Fu Yuan asserted that Fu Chou was not ruthless enough, calling him "soft-hearted." Fu Chou, frustrated, responded that while he did not aspire to be a sage, he also refused to become a tyrant, considering forced submission the worst approach.

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