Resumo do episódio 15 de Legend of Two Sisters in the Chaos
> Resumos de Legend of Two Sisters in the Chaos
Zhang Yongyao invited Fu Yuzhan to visit Chongren Store, a renowned place for zithers crafted by various masters and antique zithers inherited from the former dynasty. Zhang Yongyao immediately recognized a zither called "Seclusion". He described its distinctive plump, round shape, noting its black and red surface with interwoven plum blossom and snake's belly satin patterns on the front, and an ox hair satin pattern on the back. The name "Seclusion" was carved above the dragon pond.
He further explained that the zither was crafted from paulownia wood for its surface and catalpa wood for its base, with Mount Moon, Ceremonial Cap, and Morning Dew all made of hardwood, resulting in its clear and melodious tone. He recounted that Wenzong had commissioned this zither for his empress, symbolizing his singular and exclusive love for her, a vow he faithfully kept throughout her life. Zhang Yongyao then asked Yuzhan if the zither suited her.
While acknowledging its beauty, Yuzhan expressed that she wasn't its fated owner and suggested it be left for someone who truly cared for it. She then excused herself, stating her lack of interest in the other zithers, and departed. Zhang Yongyao subsequently purchased the "Seclusion" zither. Princess Shou An, who had also arrived at Chongren Store, observed Zhang Yongyao and Fu Yuzhan together, which left her feeling disheartened.
Meanwhile, Jiang Shao, suspecting foul play in his mother's death, requested Li Huaijin to obtain military uniform patterns from the Ministry of War, specifically for armor he had seen fifteen years prior in the Zhaozhou countryside. Li Huaijin found this request peculiar, as the distinctive armor with heart-protecting bronze mirrors was exclusively issued to the capital city's Zuowuwei during that period.
Yueying discovered the military uniform patterns and, after clarifying the details with Li Huaijin, reported to the Princess Royal that Jiang Shao was investigating the list of soldiers from Zuowuwei who had traveled to Zhaozhou fifteen years ago. The Princess Royal, suspecting that Xue Rong might have uncovered a clue related to Jiang Shunying's apparent drowning, speculated that Jiang Shunying might have been seen falling into the water.
She instructed Yueying to covertly investigate, procure a copy of the soldier list from Li Huaijin, ensure that no one could uncover the events of fifteen years ago, and closely monitor Li Huaijin's recent contacts. Xue Rong received a letter from Fu Yuzhan, informing him that Prince Wei was trying to arrange an engagement between her and Assistant Minister Zhang Yongyao to prevent Xue Rong and Yuzhan from being together. She also expressed her intention to resolve this situation.
Xue Rong was displeased, dismissing it as a childish tactic by Prince Wei to keep him and Yuzhan apart, noting the absence of traditional engagement ceremonies. Subsequently, an eunuch informed Xue Rong that Princess Shou An had been seen crying. Xue Rong immediately went to his sister, presenting her with a jade pony.
Shou An, whose maid had suggested she ask the Emperor for a marriage decree with Zhang Yongyao, insisted she would only do so if Zhang Yongyao genuinely loved her. Although Shou An initially denied being in love, she eventually admitted to meeting Zhang Yongyao that day. Upon hearing that Zhang Yongyao had upset his sister, Xue Rong became enraged and vowed to punish him.
Shou An intervened, explaining her sadness stemmed from seeing Zhang Yongyao "hanging out arm in arm" with Fu Yuzhan. Suppressing his own irritation, Xue Rong promised Shou An he would discreetly investigate Zhang Yongyao's feelings and, if mutual, would grant their marriage. Driven by his jealousy of Zhang Yongyao and Fu Yuzhan, Xue Rong immediately issued an imperial order through an eunuch.
He commanded Zhang Yongyao, the Assistant Minister of Justice, to personally oversee the collection of all orphans and beggars from the streets and their relocation to the Care Home. This extensive task included meticulously registering each individual, tracing their origins to help locate their families, providing vocational training to the able-bodied, and ensuring proper care for the disabled.
When an eunuch expressed concerns about this task typically falling under the Ministry of Revenue, Xue Rong explained that the Minister of Revenue had already requested assistance due to being overwhelmed. Xue Rong cynically remarked on Zhang Yongyao's reputation for talent and insight, musing that this demanding assignment would surely keep him too preoccupied to spend time "hanging out arm in arm" with Yuzhan.
Later, an attendant informed Xue Rong that Zhang Yongyao and Fu Yuzhan had planned to meet in a bamboo forest, with Zhang Yongyao even preparing a zither. Furious that his previous attempts to keep Zhang Yongyao busy had failed, Xue Rong ordered a carriage to intercept the meeting himself.
Meanwhile, an official from the Ministry of Revenue urgently summoned Zhang Yongyao to the Care Home, reporting that a beggar's identity mismatched his registration and was suspected of being a spy from Pengze. Zhang Yongyao was told that Physician Huang, on duty that day, had indicated Zhang Yongyao himself had handled the beggar's registration.
Unable to attend his appointment, Zhang Yongyao dispatched an attendant to the Secluded Bamboo Garden to apologize to Fu Yuzhan for his sudden absence and promised to make amends in person at a later date. Fu Yuzhan arrived at the Secluded Bamboo Garden and heard zither music. While recognizing the tune as "Garden Tour," a song meant to evoke joy, she discerned an underlying "trace of anger" in the playing, indicating the musician's agitated state.
She and her maid then realized the player was Xue Rong. Xue Rong asked if she enjoyed his music. Yuzhan gently critiqued his playing, noting a "hint of fickleness" and a failure to convey the song's intended mood. Xue Rong admitted he had come to assess Zhang Yongyao's skill, having heard he was a master who frequently practiced there.
Yuzhan informed him that Zhang Yongyao would not be coming, explaining that she had intended to meet him to discuss "breaking off our absurd engagement arranged by my late mother," but the plan was now thwarted. Despite this, Yuzhan expressed her sincere happiness at seeing Xue Rong, remarking that while opportunities to speak with Zhang Yongyao were common, chances to meet Xue Rong were rare, particularly under her father's strict supervision.
Jiang Shao reviewed the soldier list provided by Li Huaijin. He noted that only Sun Liang, He Cheng, and Wang Gongyang still had viable leads, while all other individuals were either deceased or missing, which he found highly suspicious. He resolved to locate these three individuals first. However, when Jiang Shao arrived at Ding Er's home, he found it ravaged by fire and the entire family brutally murdered by gangsters.
A neighbor confirmed that the family of three had been killed and their house set ablaze. Jiang Shao connected this grim event to the earlier deaths of Sun Liang and He Cheng. He deduced that his investigation into the Zuowuwei's activities in Zhaozhou fifteen years ago had been exposed, leading to a systematic effort to eliminate all witnesses. Disturbed by the targeted killings, he speculated about the perpetrators and their hidden agenda.
With Wang Gongyang being the sole remaining person on his list whose fate was unknown, Jiang Shao recognized the urgent need to find him before it was too late. Unbeknownst to Jiang Shao, Wang Gongyang, his last remaining lead, had been living under the assumed name Feng Chi and was serving the Princess Royal.
Feng Chi recounted how he had once been sentenced to death for avenging his family, whose property was usurped and his mother persecuted after his father's demise. The Princess Royal had intervened, saving his life and allowing him to assume a new identity to care for his mother, a debt of gratitude he pledged to repay with his life. The Princess Royal, having already ensured the elimination of other witnesses, now tasked Feng Chi with a final, chilling act.
She instructed him to take the blame for forcing Jiang Shunying to her death by claiming he was the man in the carriage by the Zhaozhou river fifteen years ago. Despite Feng Chi's protestations of innocence regarding Jiang Shunying, the Princess Royal coldly asserted that with his life on the line, even an absurd confession would be believed.
Yueying reported a shocking discovery to the Princess Royal: after tracking Jiang Shao and speaking with Jiang Shunying's former neighbor, she learned that Jiang Shao was Jiang Shunying's son and had been raised in Zhaozhou. The Princess Royal was incredulous, recalling that she had personally witnessed Jiang Shunying jump into the river with her child, and had seen an arrow strike the boy in the back, believing he couldn't have survived even though his body was never recovered.
Yueying suggested assassinating Jiang Shao to bury the past, but the Princess Royal vehemently refused. She proclaimed that Jiang Shao's survival was a divine sign, as he was the only true blood descendant of the Xue family and the rightful heir to the throne. The Princess Royal then ordered Yueying to kill every person on Li Huaijin’s list, ensuring that Jiang Shao's mother's death would be avenged by her, and that Jiang Shao would recognize his royal lineage.
Concerned that Jiang Shao might still be upset with her, Jinzhan, having been allowed out of the palace by Stewardess Song, sought him out to reconcile. However, Jiang Shao, aware of the escalating dangers surrounding him and unwilling to implicate her further, met her with a cold demeanor. He asserted that their relationship was over, stating that their disparate social statuses meant they should go their separate ways for their own good.
Despite Jinzhan's heartbroken plea and his earlier promise to take her away, Jiang Shao maintained his harsh stance, inwardly apologizing that he couldn't involve her in the perilous path he was on after so many had already died. Back in the palace, a distraught Jinzhan lashed out at her attendants. Xue Rong, noticing Li Huaijin with chestnuts, urged him to visit Jinzhan, who was clearly upset.
Li Huaijin, finding Jinzhan staring blankly at the comb Jiang Shao had given her, tried to comfort her by peeling chestnuts. When Jinzhan tearfully asked what he would do if he lost the person he loved, Li Huaijin replied that his love for her was enough, regardless of whether she reciprocated it. Xue Rong soon learned that Fu Yuzhan was scheduled to meet Zhang Yongyao at Deyue Restaurant, an arrangement orchestrated by Prince Wei to foster a relationship between them.
Determined to thwart their meeting, Xue Rong assigned Zhang Yongyao yet another demanding task: to compile and reinvestigate all unresolved cases within the Ministry of Justice. However, Zhang Yongyao managed to delegate these duties to colleagues and still arrived at the restaurant.
Just as Yuzhan began to tell Zhang Yongyao that she wanted to break off their engagement, Eunuch Guo burst in with an urgent, fabricated report that the Empress had caught a severe cold and passed out, prompting Yuzhan to rush to the palace. There, she confronted Jinzhan, realizing it was another one of Xue Rong's schemes.
Yuzhan explained to Jinzhan that she had instructed Eunuch Guo to wait before interrupting so she could clarify her intentions to Zhang Yongyao, expressing frustration that Eunuch Guo had entered precisely as she was about to speak, thwarting her plan. The Princess Royal then met with Eunuch Li, informing him that she had discovered Jiang Shao was the true son of the late emperor.
She recounted how the late emperor had an affair with Jiang Shunying in Zhaozhou before returning to the capital, and that Jiang Shunying later gave birth to Jiang Shao. She insinuated that the late emperor had passed the throne to Xue Rong, whom she considered an "outsider," only because he was unaware of Jiang Shao's existence.
The Princess Royal asserted that the Xue family's imperial legacy should rightfully be inherited by a true blood descendant, strongly implying that if the late emperor had known, he would have chosen Jiang Shao. When Eunuch Li cautioned against her attempts to destabilize the court, the Princess Royal pressed him, suggesting that his certainty about the late emperor's hypothetical decision implied he might have known about Jiang Shao all along.
