Renascence Episode 21 Recap
> Renascence Recap
Consort Li, Yao Su Luan, had been pregnant with the emperor’s child for three months, and His Majesty Ye Hongyi was delighted. He tasked Noble Consort Yao Mowan with organizing a celebration feast. However, Consort Li was clearly exhausted and unwell. Her handmaiden, Cai Ying, reported that Consort Li had been suffering from sleeplessness and a poor appetite since becoming pregnant, with no improvement.
Noticing this, Yao Mowan instructed Ting Yue to send a message to the Household Department to assign eunuchs and maids with experience in pregnancy care to look after Consort Li. Before Ting Yue could carry out the order, Consort Shu intervened, cautioning that pregnancy care was a serious matter and servants should be chosen carefully.
She subtly suggested that if anything went wrong due to carelessly chosen help, it would be dire, reminding everyone of the tragic fate of the late empress. Consort Shu advised Consort Li to personally select her attendants. At the mention of the late empress, Consort Li became visibly agitated. She suddenly erupted, shouting, "Don't hurt my baby! Don't hurt my baby!" then violently grabbed Yao Mowan by the throat, startling everyone. Fortunately, other attendants quickly pulled her away.
Consort Li, regaining some composure, apologized, claiming she didn't know what came over her. Consort Shu, observing the scene, remarked that Consort Li might be "afraid of something." Yao Mowan, however, calmly dismissed it as pregnancy-induced anxiety and sent Consort Li back to rest with Cai Ying. Later, Cai Die informed Consort Shu about a rumor circulating in the palace: Consort Li’s anxiety stemmed from her baby being tormented by hateful spirits, a result of past misdeeds.
Consort Shu dismissed the "hateful souls" as mere folklore but recognized that Consort Li’s distress was an opportunity. She pondered that if anything happened to the royal heir, Yao Mowan, as the Noble Consort, would be held responsible. Cai Die then mentioned the peculiar detail that Consort Li had conceived on the late empress’s birthday. This immediately clicked with Consort Shu, who understood why His Majesty was so protective of this child, given his deep affection for the late empress.
Meanwhile, Ting Yue breathlessly reported to Yao Mowan that Prince Su Ye Junqing’s residence had been broken into again. The thieves didn't steal valuables but seemed to target letters in Prince Su’s study. Yao Mowan noted that Yin Xue had also reported this. When asked how she knew, Ting Yue mentioned it was widely discussed in the city and palace, with people speculating that the emperor was secretly trying to undermine Prince Su.
Yao Mowan, seeing through Ting Yue's vague answers, deduced she had been secretly meeting Ben Lei, a guard under Prince Su, and warned her to be careful. Back in her chambers, Consort Li found solace only when Cai Ying combed her hair. She told Cai Ying she felt "truly at ease" during these moments, yet Cai Ying's eyes held a deep, unexpressed resentment. Elsewhere, Yao Mowan was inspecting a beautifully crafted jade ruyi scepter she intended to gift Consort Li.
Consort Shu arrived, ostensibly to apologize for her earlier conduct, acknowledging Yao Mowan's good intentions. Upon seeing the ruyi, Consort Shu suggested it would be more auspicious if paired with a qilin wooden base, symbolizing "qilin bringing children" and endless blessings. She offered an extra qilin wooden base from her own palace.
Sensing something amiss despite not fully grasping Consort Shu’s intentions, Yao Mowan discreetly instructed Ting Yue to order the Household Department to repaint their existing qilin wooden base with a fresh coat of varnish, to prevent any potential tampering or switching. That night, as Ye Junqing slept, a masked assailant crept into his chambers. Just as the attacker was about to strike, Lord Thousand Faces appeared, intercepting the intruder. A fierce battle ensued, with both demonstrating formidable martial arts skills.
Suddenly, a second masked figure emerged, scattering a cloud of white powder that obscured Lord Thousand Faces' vision. In the confusion, Ye Junqing restrained Lord Thousand Faces from behind. Mistaking Ye Junqing for an enemy, Lord Thousand Faces inadvertently stabbed him. Imperial guards, rushing in at the sound of the commotion, witnessed this, further solidifying the rumors that the Emperor was plotting to eliminate Prince Su. The entire "assassination" was a carefully orchestrated ruse by Ye Junqing and Han Jinyi.
Yin Xue later confirmed to Yao Mowan that Han Jinyi had been safely escorted out of the palace. Yao Mowan reflected on the recent fire at Pingle Palace and the thefts at Prince Su’s residence, realizing they were all part of Ye Junqing’s plan to create a false impression that his life was in danger. His goal was to pressure Ye Hongyi into releasing him from the palace.
Indeed, Ye Hongyi was deeply distressed by the public perception that he was attempting to harm his brother. Fearing the infamy of being accused of fratricide, he reluctantly agreed to let Ye Junqing leave the palace. Meanwhile, Consort Li sought out Consort Shu, hoping to form an alliance against Yao Mowan, who she felt threatened her position despite her pregnancy. Consort Shu, however, scoffed at the idea of aiding Consort Li, reminding her of her past disrespect.
She dismissed Consort Li's concerns about Yao Mowan, cryptically stating she had her own "ways" and advised Consort Li to focus on her own well-being and the safety of the royal heir. After Consort Li left, Consort Shu instructed Cai Die to retrieve a wooden base she had previously prepared. Knowing Yao Mowan's shrewdness, Consort Shu anticipated that Yao Mowan would procure another qilin wooden base from the Household Department.
She ordered Cai Die to secretly swap the Household Department's newly varnished qilin wooden base with one she had soaked in jimsonweed poison, aiming to frame Yao Mowan. At the celebration banquet, Ye Hongyi congratulated Consort Li and, as a sign of favor, granted her Yongfu Palace as her new residence. During the festivities, Consort Li suddenly felt dizzy and asked for permission to return to her chambers to change into looser clothes.
Consort Shu, feigning concern, offered to accompany her, claiming she feared the servants might be clumsy. In Consort Li’s chambers, Consort Shu seized the opportunity to further provoke her, suggesting that Consort Li's absence would allow Yao Mowan to gain more favor. She reminded Consort Li that Yao Mo Xin was trying to harm her unborn child, urging her not to "sit and wait" but to fight for her baby’s survival.
Consort Li, now in a state of mental distress, declared her intention to kill Yao Mo Xin. Consort Shu then escorted her back to the banquet hall, whispering words of incitement in her ear. Consort Li lunged at Yao Mowan, screaming, "You wicked woman! You wish to harm my child! I’ll kill you!" In the ensuing struggle, Consort Li collapsed, clutching her abdomen in severe pain. An imperial physician quickly diagnosed Consort Li as having been poisoned.
He explained that a combination of musk, found in her chambers, and jimsonweed from the qilin wooden base had caused her mental confusion and hallucinations. Eunuch Li confirmed that the wooden base was indeed part of the gift package Yao Mowan had sent. Yao Mowan immediately clarified that while the ruyi scepter was hers, the qilin wooden base had been offered by Consort Shu.
Consort Shu, attempting to deflect the blame, insisted that Yao Mowan had deliberately chosen to procure another wooden base from the Household Department, implying sinister intentions. Yao Mowan, however, exposed Consort Shu's scheme, revealing that she had ordered a fresh coat of varnish on the Household Department's wooden base to prevent tampering, a detail that Eunuch Li corroborated. Consort Shu adamantly denied ever touching the Household Department's wooden base.
To prove her innocence, Yao Mowan requested a bowl of litmus water, explaining that the varnish used on the Household Department's base would turn the water red upon contact. Yao Mowan and Consort Shu both dipped their hands, and the water remained clear. However, when Consort Shu's personal maid, Cai Die, dipped her hands, the water immediately turned red, exposing Consort Shu's plot.
Enraged, Ye Hongyi denounced Consort Shu for her wicked actions, especially for attempting to harm his unborn child. Cai Die tried to take full responsibility, but the emperor was unconvinced. Consort Shu, still unrepentant, accused Yao Mowan of framing her to eliminate rivals and seize control of the harem. As Ye Hongyi ordered Lord Thousand Faces to arrest her, Consort Shu, in a final act of defiance, pulled out a hairpin and lunged at Yao Mowan.
Lord Thousand Faces swiftly intervened, disarming her. Ye Hongyi condemned Consort Shu for her selfish desires and ordered her and Cai Die to be imprisoned and executed. Consort Shu was dragged away, still screaming threats at Yao Mowan. Later, Consort Li awoke to the devastating news that she had lost her child. Alone, she confessed that she had known all along about the poisons in the comb and the wooden base. She deliberately allowed the events to unfold.
This calculated sacrifice, she reasoned, served multiple purposes: it helped her eliminate Consort Shu, made Yao Mowan lower her guard, and, most importantly, would evoke deep guilt in His Majesty, paving the way for her to regain his favor. She expressed profound regret to her unborn child, wishing for it a life free from the treacherous imperial court in their next incarnation, hoping they could be mother and child once more.
