Queen Dugu Episode 29 Recap, Plot

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After Mantuo deliberately fainted, Li Bing urgently summoned a doctor. To his delight, the doctor confirmed Mantuo was pregnant with a healthy fetus. At his age, the prospect of a son filled him with immense joy, and he began to treat Mantuo with extreme care. As the doctor was leaving, Mantuo, still feigning a nightmare, murmured "Dad" and "Husband," expressing her fear of being abandoned.

Li Bing gently roused her, comforting her and reminding her that her father, Dugu Xin, had indeed passed away, but she now carried his child and must protect it. Mantuo lamented that with her father gone, she and her child had no one else to rely on, to which Li Bing reassured her, "isn't there still me?"

Qiuci seized the opportunity to inform Li Bing that since the news of Prime Minister Dugu's alleged rebellion and subsequent death, the other residents of the estate had been disrespectful to Mantuo, especially Jinniang and her allies, even withholding proper food from her. Li Bing initially dismissed this as mere gossip. However, Mantuo sat up and tearfully confirmed Qiuci's words, claiming that her aunt, Officer Wang, had even fallen ill from the ill-treatment.

She dramatically stated that she and her child might as well follow her father in death. Enraged, Li Bing immediately summoned the housekeeper, severely reprimanded him for allowing such behavior, and ordered him to receive thirty whips and forfeit a year's salary. He declared that everyone in the estate must obey Mantuo and Officer Wang. Furthermore, he ordered Jinniang, the other concubines, and their children to move to another residence in the west city.

Mantuo thanked Li Bing and asked him to stay with her that night, which he readily agreed to. As Officer Wang and Qiuci observed the concubines' eviction, Qiuci remarked on Mantuo's growing cunning.

Officer Wang then confided in Qiuci that Li Bing's actions were not merely out of pity for Mantuo or their child, but stemmed from recent news from the capital that public outrage over Dugu Xin's death had forced Yuwen Hu to relinquish his military command and the four major generals had decided to follow the emperor. Officer Wang observed that Li Bing, like his family, was a shrewd politician. Meanwhile, Jialuo had moved back to the Yang residence.

She prepared a grand feast for Yang Zhong and Yang Jian. Yang Zhong praised her culinary skills and her as a daughter-in-law, even joking about Yang Jian's usual poor meals, comparing them to "dog food." Learning that Jialuo had been staying in the west wing, Yang Zhong insisted on preparing a proper room for the young couple.

However, Jialuo explained that as her mother was Han, she was observing a year of mourning and could not cohabit with her husband during that time. Yang Zhong understood and arranged for them to use separate rooms within the main wing. Later that evening, as Jialuo settled into her room, a maid named Dongqu brought water, finding the single shared door awkward.

Zheng Rong, Yang Jian's aide, teased Yang Jian about his visible discomfort, wondering how he would manage decades with Jialuo. Yang Jian reiterated his lifelong vow to Mantuo, but also expressed guilt for wronging Jialuo, acknowledging her plight as the queen's sister and prime minister's daughter, now alone and disliked by her husband. Zheng Rong recalled Yang Jian and Jialuo's good interactions in the capital, but Yang Jian dismissed him.

Unable to sleep, Yang Jian went to Jialuo's room and apologized for his recent behavior and ill-considered words. Jialuo, still in bed, calmly reciprocated, admitting her own attitude had not been ideal. She then stated she understood his heart still belonged to Mantuo and offered to move back to the Dugu estate once Yang Zhong returned to Longxi, suggesting they could find a reason to divorce peacefully in a year or two.

When Yang Jian worried about her reputation, Jialuo dismissed it, confidently stating that Yuwen Yong would not care. This angered Yang Jian, who questioned why she hadn't married Yuwen Yong then, and complained about his inability to even write to Mantuo. Jialuo retorted that she would have if she could, then pointed out that the Dugu family had initiated their marriage. She then coolly told him to leave, as she wished to rest. Yang Jian, fuming, left her room.

Still restless, Yang Jian heard Jialuo murmuring in her sleep, calling out for her father and begging him not to leave, expressing sorrow and reminiscing about past rides. He quietly approached her bed. In her dream, Jialuo reached out and grasped his arm, mistaking him for her father. Yang Jian's heart softened, and he remained by her side through the night. The next morning, Dongqu entered with a basin of water and saw Yang Jian resting by Jialuo’s bed.

Startled and embarrassed, Yang Jian frantically shushed her, instructing her not to tell Jialuo or anyone else, offering her money for her silence. Meanwhile, an assassin, disguised as a palace maid from the clothing department, attempted to infiltrate Banruo’s chambers. However, Jialuo had thoughtfully arranged for several combat-trained women, picked by Officer Du, to protect Banruo. When the assassin attempted to strike, these new protectors foiled the attempt, forcing the assassin to retreat and report the failure to Yuwen Hu.

Yuwen Hu wavered, considering to stop, but Geshu, his subordinate, urged him not to be soft and reminded him of his ambition to rule the world. Yuwen Hu hardened his resolve and ordered Geshu to continue the assassination attempts, demanding detailed reports. Back at the Yang estate, Yang Jian was still distracted, repeatedly missing targets during archery practice. He mused aloud about being "obsessed" with Jialuo after their night together.

He then penned a letter to Mantuo, explaining his marriage to Jialuo was a fulfillment of Dugu Xin's dying wish and reaffirming his unwavering oath to her, promising to divorce Jialuo soon. He instructed Zheng Rong to deliver the letter secretly to Mantuo. However, Yang Zhong discovered the letter before it could be sent and furiously confronted Yang Jian, reminding him that Mantuo was now the Duchess of Longxi County and such correspondence was immoral.

Just then, Jialuo arrived from the palace and swiftly intervened. She claimed she had written the letter to her second sister, Mantuo, to inform her of their father's death and her own marriage, and offered the letter to Yang Zhong for inspection. Mollified and touched that Jialuo had called him "Father," Yang Zhong instructed Zheng Rong to deliver the letter.

Jialuo later clarified to Yang Jian that she intervened for Mantuo's sake, emphasizing Mantuo's new status and the impropriety of their continued secret communication. Yang Jian, now more thoughtful, promised to consider Mantuo's situation carefully. Upon receiving Yang Jian's letter, Mantuo was overjoyed, seeing it as proof of his enduring love.

Qiuci suggested she focus on her pregnancy and Li Bing, but Mantuo dismissed the idea of being loyal to Li Bing, complaining that he still spent time with concubines like Jinniang. She suspected Jinniang of placing a poisonous scorpion in her room to harm her unborn child but decided against directly confronting Li Bing, believing it would be useless without solid evidence and that he wouldn't dispose of his concubines easily.

Instead, Mantuo strategically cut a lock of her hair and dictated a reply to Qiuci, expressing that since she and Yang Jian were fated not to be together, she wished him and Jialuo a happy marriage. She believed such a display of magnanimity and victimhood would evoke more guilt and heartbreak from Yang Jian. Mantuo then instructed Qiuci to arrange a meeting with Li Cheng, Li Bing's eldest son.

She met Li Cheng and feigned humility, apologizing for past events that had caused his suffering, specifically mentioning the disruption of his intended marriage to Jialuo. She assured him that her child, even if a boy, would be too young to threaten his position as heir. She subtly warned him about "small-minded people" within the household who might try to sow discord between them to gain advantage, indirectly implicating Jinniang.

Mantuo explained that if she, the legal mother, were harmed (like the incident with the poisonous scorpion), Li Cheng could be accused of disrespect, benefitting Jinniang and her son. Li Cheng, understanding her implication, promised to be more vigilant. Officer Wang later praised Mantuo's clever strategy, noting that by having Li Cheng deal with Jinniang, Mantuo avoided appearing jealous and instead seemed to be acting for the family's stability.

Mantuo confirmed her determination to protect herself and her child, citing cases of "one corpse with two lives" and Banruo's precarious situation as queen as a constant reminder of the dangers she faced.

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