Queen Dugu Episode 42 Recap
> Queen Dugu Recap
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When Jialuo received urgent news that the young girl Lihua was gravely ill at the Dugu residence, she immediately prepared to leave. Yang Jian, expressing concern, insisted on accompanying her, revealing he already knew about Lihua's existence and promising not to disclose anything. Jialuo thanked him, explaining her prior silence was due to the complex situation, which Yang Jian claimed to understand, assuring her he bore no blame.
Upon their arrival, the butler tearfully explained that Lihua's wet nurse had fled after Queen Banruo's death, fearing the Dugu family's downfall. Lihua was found much later, crying and feverish. Jialuo was frantic, but Yang Jian calmly suggested rubbing Lihua with strong liquor to bring down her fever, a method he had used on the battlefield. As he tried to apply it, Lihua cried and struggled, getting liquor on his clothes.
Jialuo took the child to comfort her, then offered Yang Jian her late father's clothes to change into, apologizing for Lihua's behavior. Yang Jian reassured Jialuo it was fine and generously proposed taking Lihua into the Yang household, promising to treat her as his own daughter and prepare a substantial dowry when she matured. He even offered to claim Lihua as his illegitimate daughter to avoid questions about her identity.
Jialuo hesitated, citing Lihua's unique background and the current delicate political climate, not wanting to burden him. Misinterpreting her reluctance as concern for Yuwen Yong's feelings, Yang Jian, with a touch of jealousy, suggested they discuss changing Lihua's surname from Yuwen to Yang with Yuwen Yong, assuring Jialuo he wouldn't be unreasonable about Yuwen Yong visiting his own daughter.
Confused by Yang Jian's allusions to Yuwen Yong, Jialuo soon realized he believed Lihua was her and Yuwen Yong's illegitimate child, primarily because the young girl, misled by her wet nurse, called them "mom" and "dad." Jialuo pulled Yang Jian aside to clarify, gently reminding him she was still a virgin and couldn't be Lihua's mother.
She then revealed that Lihua was, in fact, the surviving daughter of Yuwen Hu and her late sister, Banruo, born from the child Banruo almost lost at Longxing Temple. Jialuo explained that Lihua's resemblance to Banruo was why she had been kept in hiding, and that Yuwen Hu remained unaware of her existence. Lihua's innocent calling of Jialuo and Yuwen Yong "mom" and "dad" was merely a childlike misunderstanding.
Yang Jian, embarrassed but relieved, apologized for his mistaken assumptions and promised to shower Lihua with delicious food when she grew up. He agreed that bringing Lihua to the Yang residence would allow her to openly mourn Banruo. Dong Qu, Jialuo's maid, expressed relief that Jialuo could finally entrust herself to Yang Jian, while also slyly questioning who had initially spread the false rumor about Lihua's parentage. Yang Jian's expression hardened as he thought about it.
Furious, Yang Jian immediately took Jialuo to Hongbin Court to confront Mantuo. Mantuo, busily counting Banruo's assets, coldly instructed Jialuo to sell Banruo's remaining properties in the capital and send the proceeds to Longxi County, adding that she was taking Banruo's personal maids with her. Yang Jian interrupted, demanding to know why she had lied about Lihua being Jialuo and Yuwen Yong's daughter. Mantuo retorted with sneering remarks about Jialuo having many lovers and cheating on Yang Jian.
Jialuo tearfully attempted to explain Lihua's true parentage, revealing she was Banruo's child with Yuwen Hu, and pleaded with Mantuo not to reveal the secret, especially since Yuwen Hu was unaware, and Lihua would be devastated to learn her father killed her mother. Mantuo agreed to keep the secret but demanded all of Banruo's belongings as her price.
Jialuo then confronted Mantuo about her repeated attempts to frame her, recounting past incidents such as jumping into the water and creating the Duke of Longxi County's affair. Mantuo, with a cold fury, confessed her hatred for Jialuo and Banruo. She lamented her status as an illegitimate daughter, always feeling inferior despite her talents, and blamed her family for pushing her to act as she did.
She accused Jialuo of stealing Yang Jian and her happy marriage, causing her to lose her child, and forcing her return to Longxi. Mantuo dismissed Banruo's past help, like arranging her countess title, as mere "false aids," declaring she only wanted what she believed was rightfully hers, questioning why she couldn't be a princess or marry Yang Jian.
She then lamented Banruo's death, which had shattered her dreams of honor, including becoming the aunt of a future emperor and returning to Longxi with pride. Jialuo was heartbroken that Mantuo still harbored such resentment for Banruo, who had been planning for their well-being even on her deathbed. Yang Jian, having witnessed enough, sternly declared a complete severance of ties with Mantuo, stating he was Jialuo's husband, not "her Jian."
He reminded Mantuo that she had always blamed others and chased status, initially wanting to marry Yuwen Yong, then Li Bing, because he was not promising enough. He admitted his past foolishness in liking her and reiterated that, as she wished, they were now making a clean break. He wished her well as the Duchess of Longxi County but stated they would not see her off.
As Yang Jian and Jialuo left, Jialuo expressed sadness over the irreparable rift with Mantuo, recalling Banruo's dying wish for them to support each other as the last two Dugu daughters. Yang Jian, however, explained his own decisive nature, but assured Jialuo that Mantuo might eventually come to her senses, and they could still consider her a relative. Suddenly, an urgent signal from Emperor Yuwen Yu flashed in the sky.
Yang Jian and Jialuo rushed to the palace to find Yuwen Yu spitting blood. He waved off Jialuo's attempts to call a doctor, confessing he was poisoned by "duanchang herb." He explained that after Banruo's death, he had secretly taken small doses of arsenic daily to deceive Yuwen Hu. The combination of these two substances had created a fatal poison with no cure, rapidly accelerating his demise.
He realized Yuwen Hu had been waiting for his natural death to seize the throne bloodlessly. Yuwen Yu declared he no longer wished to live and saw this rapid poisoning as an opportunity to thwart Yuwen Hu's plans. He then announced his decision to pass the throne to Yuwen Yong, who was initially reluctant, asking how he could deserve it.
Yuwen Yu pressed him, reminding him of Yuwen Hu's past actions against Jue and stating that both Jue and he himself would not rest in peace if Yuwen Yong refused. He knelt, begging Yuwen Yong to accept. Yuwen Yu also revealed he had sent agents to Turkic to locate Yuwen Yong's mother, who was alive and being sent back by Khan Ashina.
He instructed Yuwen Yong to immediately bestow her the title of Empress Dowager upon ascension, ensuring his humble origins could never be used against him. Overwhelmed by the news of his mother, Yuwen Yong finally consented. Yuwen Yu then pleaded with Jialuo to further convince Yuwen Yong. With Yuwen Yong's acceptance, Yuwen Yu summoned his officials.
Before them, he solemnly declared his imminent death due to grief for the Queen and issued an imperial edict: Yuwen Yong, the Prince of Fucheng, would ascend the throne. He also decreed Yang Jian to be the governor of Suizhou, to immediately assume office in Dongjiang, with his appointment unchangeable for ten years.
Yuwen Yu explained that this remote frontier region, though considered wild, was close to Chen and Qi, and with General Yang's military presence and proximity to Jialuo's mother's hometown, it would provide them a safe retreat. He urged Yang Jian and Yuwen Yong to put aside their past differences and unite against Yuwen Hu. Yang Jian pledged to support the new emperor, assuring Yuwen Yu that their quarrels were resolved.
Yuwen Yong, in turn, swore in his dead father's name to avenge Yuwen Yu and their father by trying his best to kill Yuwen Hu. Yang Jian and Jialuo echoed the oath. As Yuwen Hu arrived, having been informed of the emperor's sudden turn for the worse, Yuwen Yu passed the imperial seal to Yuwen Yong.
In his final moments, he pulled Yuwen Hu close, whispering that he was not afraid to die because he would soon be reunited with Banruo, living and dying together, never to be separated again. He spitefully added that Yuwen Hu would never truly possess her. Enraged, Yuwen Hu clutched Yuwen Yu's collar, but the emperor died with a defiant smile.
The officials proclaimed the new emperor, Yuwen Yong, who then declared a national mourning period and placed Grand Tutor Yuwen Hu in charge of military and political affairs. Meanwhile, Jialuo had dismissed most of the Dugu household staff but allowed the loyal butler to stay and guard the empty mansion, tending to her father's ancestral altar and burning incense.
As Mantuo prepared to return to Longxi, she visited the Dugu residence one last time, remarking on the scattering of the once-famous Dugu family but vowing to return one day as long as Dugu people remained. She coldly told Jialuo's servant not to bother seeing her off, claiming she was only there to revisit her childhood home.
Despite the cold reception, Jialuo chased Mantuo's departing carriage, calling out to her sister, urging her to take care, as she was Jialuo's last remaining sibling. Inside the carriage, Mantuo wept silently, but did not reply. Jialuo then prepared to follow Yang Jian to Suizhou, their paths diverging, unsure when they would meet again. Yang Jian, seeing Jialuo's lingering sadness, playfully teased her about her soft heart, assuring her that Mantuo, being cunning and having beaten Li Cheng, would be fine in Longxi.
