Resumo do episódio 17 de Heart of Loyalty
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While Zhao Yu was held hostage in the tent, Xiao Guan Yin attempted to lash out at her with a whip. Yelv Pusanu, however, swiftly intervened and stopped the whip. Annoyed, Xiao Guan Yin remarked, "Darned lackey, let go of her!" She continued, "Don't think that you can do whatever you want just because Yelv Chongguang has your back. You're just a lackey." Yelv Pusanu responded, "I suggest you stay calm, Princess.
Otherwise, you won't be able to face His Royal Highness." He added, "No need for you to remind me, Princess." Xiao Guan Yin left in a huff. Yelv Pusanu then left a meal box for Zhao Yu, telling her, "Eat now." Zhao Yu, in turn, challenged Yelv Pusanu about his mask, saying, "Deputy Commissioner, although you are thorough in your etiquette, you have never taken off your mask."
Yelv Pusanu replied, "My appearance is just like a Yaksha from the Song empire. If I take off my mask, Princess, are you sure you won't be afraid of me?" Zhao Yu retorted, "If so, I wish to see how hideous you look beneath the mask." Yelv Pusanu avoided her attempt to remove his mask, telling her, "Don't starve to death in my place."
Inside the meal box, Zhao Yu discovered the jade hairpin that Xiao Guan Yin had broken, now meticulously repaired with gold. Zhan Zhao and Ning Jin investigated Queen Dowager Xiao's body, and Zhan Zhao concluded she had died from poison, observing the state of her neck and lips, and a festered wound on her right index finger. He stated, "Judging from her neck and lips, I think she died from poison. Her right hand is swollen and purplish.
The index finger of her right hand has a festered wound. I think she was poisoned due to the infection. And, it attacked her heart." Mo Yan, waiting outside, asked Zhan Zhao if the Ten-Thousand-Year Turtle was still alive. The turtle was indeed alive but had a white spot on its snout. Ning Jin, curious, reached out to touch it but was stopped by Zhan Zhao who warned, "Don't touch!"
Zhan Zhao deduced that the poison had been applied to the turtle, with the white spot serving as a lure for Queen Dowager Xiao to touch it. Ning Jin realized he almost got poisoned, but Zhan Zhao clarified that the poison was harmless to the turtle. Mo Yan concluded that the culprit had orchestrated the poisoning to frame them, suggesting the killer had been disguised as a servant, operating unnoticed within the tent.
Their attempt to find the duty rosters was futile, as the records had been burned, and the person in charge was found dead in the Baigou Canal, leaving no witnesses or evidence. With all leads exhausted, Mo Yan decided that since they couldn't find the culprit, they should provoke the killer to strike again. As Yelv Hongji's deadline expired, Mo Yan was brought into the tent, bound.
Ning Jin, executing their plan, falsely accused Mo Yan of being a Western Xia scout. He claimed she used "Guisuishou" poison, derived from turtles that specifically consume poisonous insects in the northernmost region, which is harmless to turtles but fatal to humans, to assassinate Queen Dowager Xiao and thus disrupt the Song-Liao alliance for Western Xia's benefit. Yelv Hongji, though initially suspicious, conceded that Ning Jin's explanation of Western Xia's motive for sowing discord between Song and Liao had merit.
Yelv Hongji ordered Mo Yan's execution the next day, and Ning Jin, to maintain the deception, charged Zhan Zhao with negligence and had him imprisoned alongside Mo Yan, to be executed on the same day. Later, Ning Jin explained their true plan to Yelv Hongji. He revealed that their earlier ploy was to shift the blame to Western Xia, and because the culprit's goal to sabotage the marriage alliance had not yet succeeded, they would certainly attempt another assassination.
He reasoned that the next target would be a high-ranking Liao official, not ordinary people or Song envoys, to ensure maximum impact and instigate war. He predicted the targets would be from the Xiao clan, specifically Xiao Guan Yin or Xiao Xin, recommending Yelv Hongji protect Xiao Guan Yin to narrow down the target.
Yelv Hongji agreed to their strategy but set a condition: Ning Jin must help him eliminate Yelv Chongguang, his uncle, to secure his ascension to the throne. Ning Jin hesitated, stating he needed time to consider the grave matter. Yelv Hongji then ordered Xiao Guan Yin to be brought in, regardless of her willingness. During dinner, Xiao Xin was approached by a servant girl who attempted to drug his wine with Bone-Melting Powder.
Zhan Zhao, who had been hiding nearby, intervened just as Xiao Xin was falling unconscious. The servant girl fought Zhan Zhao, trying to throw a potent poison at him. Zhan Zhao skillfully kicked the poison container, causing its contents to spill onto the servant girl, killing her instantly. Yelv Pusanu, arriving at the scene, identified the deceased servant as Queen Dowager Xiao's personal attendant for the past three years.
Yelv Hongji ordered the Court of Judicial Review to thoroughly investigate her true identity and her instigator. Smiling, Yelv Chongguang suggested that the wedding could now proceed on schedule. However, Yelv Hongji, expressing his filial piety, announced a year of mourning for Queen Dowager Xiao, postponing the marriage with Zhao Yu until after his mourning period. Zhao Yu gracefully accepted the new terms. Yelv Hongji praised Mo Yan for her intelligence and offered her a reward.
Mo Yan proudly introduced herself as Mo Yan, the "Divine Dog," the seventh disciple of The Six Evils of Shuzhong, which visibly startled Yelv Pusanu. Yelv Chongguang noticed Yelv Pusanu's unusual reaction. Ning Jin declined Yelv Hongji's offer of a reward, requesting instead that Yelv Hongji publicly declare their innocence in Queen Dowager Xiao's death.
Yelv Hongji complied, issuing a decree stating that Queen Dowager Xiao's death was caused by a rogue agent aiming to disrupt Song-Liao relations, and warned that any future attempts to trouble Song envoys would be met with severe punishment. With matters resolved, the entourage prepared to return to the capital. Upon their arrival at the Liao palace, Mo Yan expressed her hunger, wishing for pork trotters.
Zhan Zhao offered to have them prepared, but Mo Yan remembered she still needed to prepare Zhao Yu's bathwater. Later, Zhao Yu, who had been struggling to eat, offered Mo Yan a chicken drumstick. Mo Yan playfully pretended to be poisoned after a bite, causing Zhao Yu to panic and call for help. Mo Yan's prank broke Zhao Yu's somber mood, and she finally found an appetite.
They shared the chicken drumsticks, bonding over complaints about Xiao Guan Yin's fiery temper and Yelv Pusanu's perpetually sour expression. Zhao Yu, feeling more comfortable, asked Mo Yan to share tales of Shuzhong, finding them far more engaging than her palace life. Meanwhile, Zhan Zhao met with Su Zui, who revealed his true identity as "Gyrfalcon" and was actually Yelv Pusanu, a Song informant who had been undercover in Liao for ten years, the sole survivor of a dozen agents.
Su Zui warned Zhan Zhao about Yelv Chongguang's collusion with Song traitors, specifically Pang Ji, to provoke war between the two nations. Su Zui informed Zhan Zhao that Yelv Chongguang had hidden the leader of Anhua, making him unreachable even for Su Zui. Zhan Zhao offered to arrange Su Zui's return to Song, but Su Zui declined, expressing his commitment to continue serving Song in Liao while he still could.
Before parting, Su Zui removed his mask to reveal his face to Zhan Zhao, to avoid future misunderstandings between them. Ning Jin confided in Mo Yan about Yelv Hongji's demand to eliminate Yelv Chongguang, a condition he felt compelled to accept to avoid creating another enemy for them in Liao. At Queen Dowager Xiao's funeral, Mo Yan was horrified to learn that many servant girls were to be buried alive with her.
During the ceremony, Anhua assassins, acting on Yelv Chongguang's orders, attempted to assassinate Zhao Yu, but Su Zui intervened and eliminated them all. The gruesome sight caused Mo Yan to faint. Zhan Zhao was deeply worried about Mo Yan. Ning Jin explained that while the seven-leaf sophora flower could detoxify the ptomaine, Mo Yan's recurring fainting spells were due to psychological trauma, which she would need to overcome herself.
When Mo Yan awoke, she confirmed that the assassins were indeed from Anhua, realizing Pang Ji's influence now extended to Liao. Ning Jin advised caution with the Xiao clan to avoid exacerbating their already precarious situation. Soon after, Xiao Guan Yin visited Zhao Yu, presenting her with a drink of Tianshan Snow Camel blood, sent by Chala. Despite their revulsion, Ning Jin and Zhao Yu, pressured by Xiao Guan Yin's intimidating presence, forced themselves to drink it.
They both vomited once Xiao Guan Yin departed. Mo Yan sensed Zhan Zhao was hiding something, but when she gently probed, he remained evasive, insisting he was fine. Seeking advice, Mo Yan confided in Zhao Yu, who suggested discreetly following Zhan Zhao to uncover the truth, though Mo Yan initially resisted the idea, valuing the trust between them.
Separately, Yelv Chongguang was seen enjoying a bowl of gyrfalcon soup, a bird that had been gifted to Ning Jin by Yelv Hongji, then released by Ning Jin, only to be recaptured by Yelv Chongguang. He questioned Su Zui (Yelv Pusanu) about why he had killed the Anhua assassins who attacked Zhao Yu (referring to the maidservant who tried to drug Xiao Xin).
Su Zui explained that he had acted to prevent them from being captured and potentially revealing Yelv Chongguang's involvement. Yelv Chongguang then tasked Su Zui with identifying the Song informant within his inner circle, hinting that Zhan Zhao might be the contact. He also revealed the location of Anhua's hidden leader to Su Zui and specified that Anhua's contact point was located in Zhongjing's The Classics Pavilion, instructing Su Zui to ensure Zhan Zhao never found it. He ominously commented on the nourishing qualities of gyrfalcon, subtly threatening Su Zui (Gyrfalcon) and demonstrating his control.
