Queen Dugu Episode 27 Recap
> Queen Dugu Recap
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Newly appointed as the young Madam of the Yang household, Dugu Jialuo immediately began to assert her authority. She exchanged her youthful attire for more mature clothing and addressed the assembled servants. She appointed her personal maid, Dongqu, as the internal butler and announced that all servants must submit detailed records of their origins, character, and service history within three days, threatening punishment for any dishonesty.
When one servant, the daughter-in-law of the young master’s milkmaid, openly defied this new rule, Jialuo swiftly dismissed her from the house with a severance of forty strings of coins, stating that her decisions were final and those unwilling to adapt could resign. This decisive action quickly established her prestige, with the other servants acknowledging her as the Queen's formidable sister, capable of both generosity and strict discipline.
Jialuo’s standing continued to rise, with many guests arriving to acknowledge her influence and support from the Emperor and Queen. Dongqu also efficiently settled Jialuo’s personal guard, the Jici Army, in Chongwu Yard, clarifying that their expenses would be paid by Jialuo herself, as they were granted by the Emperor due to her title as an infanta.
The servants whispered about Jialuo’s influence, wondering who would hold more sway in the household once Yang Jian returned, given Jialuo’s impressive position and support from the Emperor and Queen. Later, Jialuo and Dongqu reviewed the account books, where Jialuo found a significant discrepancy in raw silk sales, ordering a recalculation. Dongqu praised Jialuo’s growing capabilities, though Jialuo remained reflective, mentioning Yuwen Yong and the transience of life.
She admitted feeling a deep debt to Yuwen Yong and the bittersweet nature of their parting, but accepted her father's reasons for not allowing their marriage. She found comfort in knowing they could remain friends. As the day ended, Jialuo expressed her anxiety about facing Yang Jian as her husband, to which Dongqu advised her to treat it as an ordinary matter, reminding Jialuo that she must learn to live for herself, not as a puppet.
Jialuo confessed to being pushed forward by fate, with no strength to resist. Meanwhile, Mantuo, in Longxi, erupted in a fit of rage upon hearing that Jialuo had married Yang Jian. She declared Yang Jian hers and frantically demanded to return to the capital to confront him. Wang Shi intervened, dousing Mantuo with tea and sternly reminding her that she was no longer the Dugu family's second daughter, but the Duchess of Longxi County.
Wang Shi, observing Mantuo's distressed state, checked her pulse and revealed that Mantuo was pregnant. She presented Mantuo with two stark choices: either accept her current position and live peacefully as the Duchess of Longxi County or rush to the capital to create a scene, risking her pregnancy. Mantuo, still furious, believed Jialuo had deliberately stolen Yang Jian. Wang Shi then delivered a sobering truth: the Dugu family was on the verge of collapse.
She detailed how Weichi Kang's failed rebellion, carried out in Dugu Xin's name, had implicated him, leading to the loss of his Prime Minister position and the impending abdication of Emperor Yuwen Yu. Dugu Xin’s urgent arrangement of Jialuo’s marriage to the influential Yang family was a desperate measure to secure their family’s safety, otherwise Mantuo would lose her support and be humiliated by others.
Realizing the gravity of her family's plight and her own precarious position, Mantuo vowed to use her pregnancy to solidify her standing in the Li household, asserting that she would fight anyone who dared to impede her. Wang Shi, who herself relied on Banruo's position as Queen and now saw it diminish, agreed to an alliance with Mantuo, recognizing that their fates were intertwined and declaring the household their new battlefield.
She strictly cautioned Mantuo to keep her pregnancy a secret until it was stable. On her third day of marriage, Jialuo returned home for her traditional visit. She shed her mature persona and joyfully embraced her father, Dugu Xin, who, despite his evident ill health and graying hair, tried to appear cheerful. Jialuo, noticing his decline, worriedly inquired about his well-being and offered to make him a handsome hat.
Over a quiet meal, Dugu Xin mentioned that Banruo could not join them due to a sudden disturbance in her pregnancy. Later that evening, Jialuo confessed to her father that she felt unaccustomed to the Yang residence and considered the Dugu manor her true home, where she felt free.
Dugu Xin reassured her that his home would always be hers and urged her to foster harmony with Yang Jian, especially considering the Yang family's kindness in accepting the marriage during their family's crisis. He also implored her to support her sisters, Banruo and Mantuo, explaining that Banruo had recently matured, now prioritizing her child and a peaceful life after her abdication, and acknowledging Mantuo's pride while in distant Longxi.
Jialuo promised her father that she and her sisters would always support each other. Unbeknownst to Jialuo, Dugu Xin then instructed his butler to deliver a letter to Yuwen Hu that very night. The next morning, the butler discovered Dugu Xin, dressed in his general's uniform and holding a sword, had committed suicide. Jialuo, upon finding her father's body, was overcome with grief.
She found a letter from him, in which he explained that his decision was not out of timidity but careful consideration. Suffering from severe illness and old age, he chose to sacrifice his life to save his long-lost son, Dugu Luo. He entrusted Jialuo with the family's affairs and asked her to care for Dugu Luo. With tears streaming down her face, Jialuo vowed to uphold the Dugu family and ensure it would not fall.
Shortly after, Banruo, frantic with worry, arrived at the Dugu manor and confronted Yuwen Hu, who was also present. Blaming him for her father's death, she accused him of being cruel and using her brother Dugu Luo's life as leverage. Yuwen Hu denied intentionally forcing Dugu Xin to commit suicide, stating he had only sought a life for a life as part of their deal. Overwhelmed by grief and anger, Banruo collapsed, experiencing bleeding that suggested a disturbed pregnancy.
Jialuo quickly intervened, ushering Banruo indoors for a doctor and firmly telling Yuwen Hu to leave. The doctor confirmed Banruo's bleeding was due to shock and her hurried travel, but assured that with calm rest, the child would be fine. Jialuo then gave Banruo their father's letter. In his letter to Banruo, Dugu Xin revealed that his suicide was a strategic act to "alert the world."
He believed Yuwen Hu, burdened by guilt and his debt to Banruo, would treat her and the Emperor well and grant him a ceremonious funeral. He stressed that the prince in Banruo's womb was the Dugu family's last hope for revival, urging her to protect herself and the child. Banruo, deeply moved by her father's sacrifice and foresight, pledged to protect herself and her child for the Dugu family.
Dugu Xin's funeral procession was a somber affair, attended by many, including Emperor Yuwen Yu, who wore mourning clothes as Banruo was unable to attend due to her delicate condition. Amidst the public mourning, whispers circulated, accusing Taishi Yuwen Hu of forcing the esteemed Prime Minister Dugu to his death. As Jialuo cradled her father's spirit tablet, her heart was heavy with sorrow.
