Resumo do episódio 14 de Rebirth
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Li Ce successfully obtained the passport for the King of Ximeng by leveraging his position as the reception envoy. He planned a swift departure, intending to travel thirty li east before switching to a water route, which would allow them to reach Qingluan Pass within five days.
According to his secret arrangement with Chu Qiao and Zhuge Yue, once they reached the pass, Chu Qiao and the King would head toward Lin City while the rest of the envoy group diverted south to Qiongzhou. However, their plans were interrupted by the arrival of Zhan Ziyu, the guide envoy sent by the Empress. Zhan Ziyu arrived with the official travel documents from the Ministry of Rites and questioned why the Prince was in such a hurry.
He expressed suspicion over their choice of destination, noting that Qiongzhou was a remote and barren region with no notable scenery. Li Ce, maintaining his facade as a frivolous and puppet-like prince, complained that the King of Ximeng had an eccentric temper and insisted on the trip, leaving him no choice but to follow.
Despite Li Ce's attempts to decline his company, Zhan Ziyu insisted on joining them, citing the Empress's decree to ensure the Prince did not bring shame to Biantang. Upon reaching Qingluan Pass, the group faced a choice between the rugged eastern path and the western official road. When Li Ce initially suggested the eastern route to save time, Zhan Ziyu pointed out its dangers and questioned if there were hidden intentions.
Li Ce quickly pivoted, claiming he only wanted to visit Yingchuan for its famous wine and beautiful women. To avoid further suspicion, he yielded to Zhan Ziyu’s suggestion of taking the western road. That night, while resting at the official post at Tianshui Ferry, Zhuge Yue summoned Chu Qiao under the guise of an attendant to fetch a blanket.
He whispered that they must travel under the cover of night to reach their destination before the upcoming prisoner exchange between Yong and Yanbei. Meanwhile, a suspicious Zhan Ziyu ordered his men to keep a close watch on the King's personal guards. The tension escalated when the group reached the Pingcheng Official Post. While Zhan Ziyu’s men feasted on lavish delicacies, the soldiers from Ximeng were given only dry rations and scraps.
Friction turned into violence when several Biantang soldiers began rummaging through Ximeng's luggage and discovered that one of the soldiers, a disguised Chu Qiao, was actually a woman. Before they could expose her identity further, Li Ce intervened, using the martial arts moves Chu Qiao had previously taught him to kill the two guards. Zhan Ziyu was stunned to see the Prince display such skill.
He insulted Li Ce, calling him nothing more than a male consort of the Empress, and demanded that the female soldier be seized for questioning. Zhuge Yue stepped out from his room as the King of Ximeng, calmly asserting that since the soldier was under his command, he would be the one to administer punishment according to military law. Silenced by Zhuge Yue’s logic, Zhan Ziyu could only watch as Chu Qiao was led away.
Later that night, Li Ce provided Chu Qiao with the necessary maps and the passport. He warned her that Lin City was a vital stronghold for the Yong military and that rescuing He Xiao would be perilous. He also confessed that his relationship with the Empress had been a facade for over a decade and that he was prepared for the fallout of his recent actions.
Chu Qiao set out for Lin City, while Zhuge Yue followed her from a distance. Back in the capital, Zhao Chun'er and Li Yan, the Prince of Luo, sought an audience with the Emperor to request permission for their marriage. However, the Emperor ignored them, choosing instead to spend his time with Lady Han. Head Eunuch Fang further humiliated the couple, forcing them to stand in the rain.
Realizing the Emperor would not see them, Zhao Chun'er convinced Li Yan to seek out the Empress instead. She used a precious ice jadeite pendant, originally a gift from Biantang to the Noble Consort Wei, to secure an audience. In the Empress's chambers, Zhao Chun'er presented a calculated proposal. She argued that while she was currently a deposed princess, her brother Zhao Che now held significant power in Yong.
She promised that if the Empress granted the marriage, she would write to her brother to restore her status. Zhao Chun'er convinced the Empress that a living alliance through marriage was far more valuable to Biantang than a dead, disgraced princess. Swayed by the potential political gain, the Empress granted the marriage and set the date for the following month.
Chu Qiao reached an inn near Lin City, only to find that Zhuge Yue had already arrived and made arrangements for her. While resting, they overheard rumors from the other travelers. The locals spoke of the constant warfare and the news that Yan Xun, the King of Yan, was exchanging prisoners specifically to lure out Chu Qiao.
The travelers also gossiped about the tragic deaths of Chu Qiao and Zhuge Yue in the frozen lake, unaware that both were sitting right beside them. Chu Qiao and her companions, Xiao Ran and Fang Miaomiao, located the prison camp where He Xiao was held. They planned to set a fire to force the guards to transfer the prisoners, creating an opportunity for a rescue. However, Cheng Yuan of the Black Eagle Army had anticipated her arrival.
He warned Warden Liu that the fire was a trick and instructed him to move the prisoners into reinforced wooden cells instead. When Chu Qiao infiltrated the prison, she was led into a trap where a fake He Xiao awaited her. Cheng Yuan surrounded the area with flammable materials and set it ablaze. Just as the fire threatened to consume her, Zhuge Yue rushed into the burning cell and saved Chu Qiao.
As they attempted to flee, the poison in Zhuge Yue’s system flared up, causing him to collapse. Chu Qiao refused to abandon him, promising that they would face life and death together. Chased by Cheng Yuan’s soldiers, they were cornered at the edge of a high cliff and jumped into the abyss. Below, Cheng Yuan murdered Warden Liu to ensure that his interference in the prisoner exchange remained a secret, leaving no witnesses to the night's events.
