Resumo do episódio 4 de Ashes to Crown
> Resumos de Ashes to Crown
Xiao Xun sits before a half-finished chess game, contemplating his recent setback. He realizes that despite his careful calculations, his plan was disrupted by the one he held dearest. Chu Zhao, once a crying little girl, has unexpectedly stepped up as the Grand Princess to play her own hand in this chaotic court. Though vexed, he takes it as a lesson that even the most perfect strategy cannot withstand an unforeseen variable.
He resolves not to make the same mistake twice. The day of the ancestral sacrifice arrives. While Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang oversee the rituals, Xiao Xun has secretly plotted to have a poisoned herb wreath placed near the young emperor, Xiao Yu, hoping to end Chu Zhao's reign. During the ceremony, Chu Zhao places the wreath on Xiao Yu, who promptly collapses after inhaling the toxic smoke.
Seizing the opportunity, the shaman loudly proclaims that Chu Zhao's horoscope clashes with the Emperor's star, labeling her a jinx and demanding her immediate arrest. Xie Yanlai draws his blade to shield Chu Zhao, warning anyone who approaches that they will face his sword, while Deng Yi quickly intervenes to call for the imperial physician and orders the palace gates sealed.
The imperial physician examines Xiao Yu and notes that his symptoms match those of the deceased Crown Prince, though the exact toxin remains unverified. When Chu Zhao rushes to see the unconscious emperor, she is barred from entering by Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang, who cite imperial law regarding suspects. Xiao Xun arrives, using the shaman's divination to slander Chu Zhao as a jinx who should be kept away from the court to preserve the realm.
Xie Yanfang suggests that Chu Zhao remain in her chambers to avoid suspicion until the truth is revealed. Overwhelmed by anger, Chu Zhao clenches her fists, but Xie Yanlai holds her back and escorts her away. That night, with Xie Yanlai guarding the door, Chu Zhao sneaks back into Xiao Yu's bedchamber. She wakes the young emperor, who reveals he was merely pretending to be unconscious to fool the physician.
After feeding him some pastries, Chu Zhao instructs Xiao Yu to continue his act. She plans to leak the news of his recovery to luring the real culprit into making their next move. Xiao Yu readily agrees, trusting her completely. Soon, word of the Emperor's recovery reaches Xiao Xun. He is highly skeptical, knowing that his Golden Finch Venom has no antidote.
Suspecting that the palace news is a trap, he reasons that since the Crown Prince's body was never autopsied after the coup, Chu Zhao is bluffing. To turn her trap against her, Xiao Xun has the imperial physician prepare a harmless calming soup, intending to catch Chu Zhao in her own lie. Xiao Xun arrives at the imperial chamber under the pretense of visiting his nephew.
When the guards block him, Xie Yanfang intervenes and lets him in, ignoring Deng Yi's restrictions. Once inside, Xiao Xun approaches the bed, lamenting the boy's frail condition. Xie Yanfang purposefully steps aside to let him proceed. With Xie Yanlai hiding in the shadows, Xiao Xun pours his calming soup into the medicinal bowl, intending to feed it to Xiao Yu. Xie Yanlai immediately springs from the dark, catching Xiao Xun red-handed.
Chu Zhao rushes into the room, holding the safe and sound Xiao Yu. Xiao Xun is brought before the imperial court to face charges of regicide. Unfazed, he demands proof of the poison. When the imperial physician tests the soup and declares it completely non-toxic, the trap backfires on Chu Zhao. Xiao Xun smugly reveals his counter-strategy, explaining that he knew the news of Xiao Yu's recovery was a bluff.
He accuses Chu Zhao of using the young emperor as bait, recklessly endangering his life just to frame him. The ministers, swayed by his arguments, begin condemning Chu Zhao for her ruthless ambition. Chu Zhao, however, remains composed. She presents a palace maid who confesses to poisoning the emperor's Chenshui incense under Xiao Xun's orders. Chu Zhao explains that when Xiao Yu suffered from persistent nightmares, they discovered the incense was laced with Golden Finch Venom.
Rather than raising an alarm, she had the incense replaced with a safe blend of Fuling and Yuanzhi, using the ritual as a staged event to draw Xiao Xun out. To seal her case, Chu Zhao brings in a fake attendant from the Office of the Great Supplicator, whom Xie Yanlai had caught carrying poison before the ritual. Confronted with the witness, Chu Zhao demands to know who ordered him to alter the herb wreath.
Trapped, the attendant suddenly draws a concealed weapon and lunges at Chu Zhao. Xie Yanlai blocks the blow, and Chu Zhao quickly snatches the weapon, stabbing the assassin to death on the spot. With the key witness dead, Xiao Xun aggressively points the finger at Chu Zhao, accusing her of executing a witness to cover up her manipulation of the court and the young sovereign. The other ministers loudly demand her execution for treason.
Just as Chu Zhao faces condemnation, Xiao Yu silences the court with a loud shout. The young emperor firmly defends Chu Zhao, stating that feigning the poisoning was his own plan to root out the traitors. He orders Xiao Xun to be confined to his estate, stripping him of his court duties. He then decrees that any future acts of treason will be met with immediate execution, a move swiftly supported by Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang.
Safely back in her chambers, Chu Zhao leans against the door, still trembling from the narrow escape. Xie Yanlai visits her, thanking her for saving him during the scuffle with the assassin. Chu Zhao deflects, noting that he had protected her first. Xie Yanlai promises that from now on, he will handle the dangerous blade work so she does not have to risk her life. Chu Zhao explains that her ruthless actions are solely for their survival.
Hearing this, Xie Yanlai recalls his past under General Chu Cen, who had once lectured him on the necessity of discipline and fighting to let others live. He realizes that father and daughter are remarkably alike—boring yet pragmatic. Chu Zhao regrets not taking her father's self-defense lessons seriously when she was younger, as she was too eager to seek her fortune in the Capital. Xie Yanlai offers to tutor her. They practice several sword movements together, working up a sweat.
When Chu Zhao tries to wipe the sweat from his brow, Xie Yanlai gently stops her hand. Instead, he wraps her cloak around her shoulders, warning her not to catch a cold, leaving Chu Zhao to wonder if he still dislikes the garment.
