Resumo do episódio 11 de Ashes to Crown
> Resumos de Ashes to Crown
Chu Zhao prepared to depart from Wangcheng, and the grateful local citizens gathered to bid her farewell. A local general offered a toast of victory wine to honor her, but she politely declined, explaining that they had to hasten to Yunzhong Prefecture without any delay. Zhong Changrong stepped in to assist, urging the crowd and the soldiers not to block the path so the army could proceed on its journey.
Late that night, Deng Yi paid a visit to the Xie residence to offer his congratulations. He pointed out that the triumph at Wangcheng was largely due to Xie Yanlai's valiant efforts, suggesting that the young commander might soon take over the frontier troops in Yunzhong. Xie Yanfang quickly cautioned Deng Yi against making groundless claims, asserting that the century-old foundation of the Xie clan could not be easily slandered.
Deng Yi, however, brought up Xie Yanlai's connection with the bandits of Cangmu Stronghold and questioned if he knew the truth behind the devastating fire in Wei Village five years ago. To see whose influence carried more weight, Xie Yanfang proposed a wager: both of them would plead illness and skip the imperial court the following day to observe how the Emperor and the ministers would react. Deng Yi accepted the bet.
Meanwhile, in Xiaonan, a Shuomo commander met with Xiao Xun to confront him. The commander angrily accused Xiao Xun of failing to send troops as promised, which had left their forces defeated and severely depleted within Yunzhong. Xiao Xun calmly defended himself, stating that battle conditions change rapidly and that he had already taken a massive risk just by granting them safe passage.
When the commander continued to question his sincerity, Xiao Xun brought up the fire in Wei Village from five years ago, reminding the commander that it was he, Xiao Xun, who had meticulously cleaned up the aftermath to cover up the incident. Xiao Xun declared that if the King of Shuomo still demanded an explanation, their alliance would be over. During their journey, Xie Yanlai woke up in distress from a painful nightmare.
Chu Zhao comforted him, but soon admitted her own deep-seated dread about their destination. She confessed that she was terrified of her father’s failing health. Xie Yanlai did his best to reassure her, gently suggesting that General Chu might have already recovered by the time they arrived. When they finally reached the gates of Yunzhong Prefecture, Chu Zhao saw her father, Chu Cen, waiting for her just as he had promised.
The sight of him immediately brought back a rush of painful memories. She remembered her past resentment over his constant absence, their bitter arguments over her desire to marry Xiao Xun, and the agonizing weight of her previous life, where her own actions had inadvertently led to his death. Overwhelmed with emotion, she ran forward and threw herself into his arms.
Upon returning to the military camp, Chu Zhao was devastated to discover that her father had completely lost his sight. She frantically suggested summoning an imperial physician, but Chu Cen insisted on not making a fuss, explaining that his blindness had actually brought him a sense of inner peace. He expressed deep regret for never having flown kites with her or being present for her coming-of-age ceremony.
Tearfully, Chu Zhao begged for his forgiveness for her past rebellion and her sudden departure five years ago. Chu Cen warmly assured her that he had never blamed her, declaring that his greatest pride in life was having a daughter even more stubborn than himself. He then shared a congratulatory poem that he had asked Zhong Changrong to write for her in celebration of the Wangcheng victory.
The next morning, the imperial court was thrown into confusion as both Xie Yanfang and Deng Yi were absent. When an urgent military report regarding the rewards for the Wangcheng victory arrived, Emperor Xiao Yu was left unsure of whom to consult. The ministers of opposing factions began to bicker loudly, with some insisting the document be sent to the Grand Tutor and others arguing it should go to Xie Yanfang.
Pointing out that the Xie clan of Gaoyang had produced six prime ministers since the founding of the dynasty, the Emperor ultimately directed that the report be delivered to the Xie residence. Xie Yanfang was pleased to have won the wager, but he did not bother to review the military report himself. Instead, he ordered his servant to deliver it directly to Deng Yi's manor to humiliate his rival.
Deng Yi was furious at the slight, but as he opened the report, he noticed it involved the promotion of Liang Qiang, a man whom Xie Yanfang had previously exiled. Seizing the opportunity to strengthen his own faction and spite his adversary, Deng Yi immediately approved the promotion. Back at the camp, Chu Zhao brought a small rabbit to show her father.
The sight of the animal prompted Chu Cen to fondly recount stories of her childhood, recalling how she had grasped the Tiger Tally on her first birthday, led servants with brooms and pot lids at the age of five, and captured the steward's egg-laying hens. Chu Zhao smiled and recited the congratulatory poem he had written for her.
However, as she finished the recitation, Chu Cen suddenly began coughing up blood and collapsed, leaving Chu Zhao frantically screaming for the army physician. The physician confessed that the general's health had been deteriorating for the past two years. Chu Zhao was gripped by a sense of profound helplessness.
In her previous life, she believed her father had died from the poisoned sand jujube cakes she had sent, but even though she had avoided sending them in this life, his fate remained unchanged. She tearfully confided her despair to Xie Yanlai, wondering what had gone wrong. Meanwhile, at Cangmu Stronghold, Ge Da Shen received word of Chu Cen's critical condition and resolved to see him.
The next day, Chu Zhao was in the kitchen preparing porridge for her father when Ge Da Shen suddenly intervened, warning her that Chu Cen was too weak to handle Zhuyu Powder. Chu Zhao was taken aback by how well Ge Da Shen knew her father's dietary restrictions, but Ge Da Shen merely claimed to be an old friend of the general.
Suspicious of this explanation, Chu Zhao recalled Xie Yanlai's mention of Ge Da Shen's extraordinary twin-blade technique during the battle of Wangcheng. Remembering that the former Cangmu Stronghold leader, Mu Mianhong, was famed for her twin scimitars before supposedly jumping off a cliff during Chu Cen’s suppression campaign in the first year of Tianshu, Chu Zhao began to realize that Ge Da Shen might actually be the legendary bandit leader.
Ge Da Shen entered the general's tent under the guise of a mute maidservant who had been hired to brew medicine. As she gently fed him the porridge, Chu Cen paused, seemingly sensing her presence, and softly expressed his gratitude. Later, Chu Zhao slipped into Ge Da Shen's quarters to search her belongings. Inside a wrapped bundle, she discovered a marriage contract and a longevity lock.
The items triggered faint childhood memories, leaving Chu Zhao to wonder if her father had been keeping secrets about her mother all along. As she stood there in shock, Ge Da Shen watched silently from outside the door.
