Renascence Episode 35 Recap
> Renascence Recap
Yao Mowan was deeply distressed, unable to eat or sleep, seeing the innocent citizens of Qi City—old and young, women and children—bound as human shields by Ye Hongyi. Wei Qi, witnessing this scene, inwardly lamented his own choices. She reflected on her choices, feeling immense guilt that her path to revenge had implicated so many and that she always made wrong choices.
Ye Junqing held her hand, reassuring her not to blame herself, as victory and defeat were common in war. He sent Ben Lei and Yin Xue to collect the bodies of the massacred civilians for a proper burial, vowing to take Qi City and avenge General Huan. Later, Ye Junqing gathered the troops, apologizing for the recent defeat and General Huan's death, taking full responsibility. He denounced Ye Hongyi as a brutal and ruthless ruler who killed innocents.
He urged his soldiers to put aside their grievances, unite, and overthrow Ye Hongyi’s tyranny to ensure the safety of their families and bring peace to the Kingdom of Chu, thus honoring General Huan's spirit. The troops responded with a thunderous cry, eager to kill Ye Hongyi and avenge their fallen general. Meanwhile, Ye Hongyi was informed that Ye Junqing's army had retreated five miles to make camp and reorganize.
Suspecting a ploy, Ye Hongyi ordered Wei Qi to be extra vigilant and not let his guard down. Ye Junqing, discussing battle strategies with his allies, acknowledged that Qi City was a strategic choke point, easy to defend but hard to attack, surrounded by cliffs, and Wei Qi was skilled in counter-attacks. He worried about heavy casualties and their dwindling provisions.
Han Jinyi, impatient with the complexities, suggested a "bandit's strategy": bypass Qi City and strike directly at the capital to capture Ye Hongyi, ending the conflict quickly. Ye Junqing agreed with the "catch the leader first" approach, believing Ye Hongyi would be complacent after the recent defeat and unprepared for a swift counterattack. He proposed a dangerous plan: Han Jinyi would stealthily infiltrate Qi City to eliminate the guards and light a fire as a signal.
Upon seeing the signal, Chu Mo Bei and Yao Mowan would lead the volunteer army to attack the city gate and hold it for an hour. While the Chu army was distracted at the gates, Ye Junqing would lead an elite force to scale the cliffs and capture Wei Qi. Despite concerns about the risk to the commander, Ye Junqing was resolved, confident they could take Qi City within one hour.
That night, Han Jinyi and his small unit swiftly eliminated the city guards and opened the city gates, while Yin Xue began evacuating the captive civilians. Outside, Chu Mo Bei and Yao Mowan saw the fire signal and immediately led the volunteer army in, shouting to kill Ye Hongyi and avenge General Huan. Inside Qi City, Wei Qi was informed of the breach and resisted fiercely, accusing Ye Junqing of treason and ambition, sacrificing Chu citizens for his personal gain.
Ye Junqing revealed that the Emperor Wei Qi so loyally served had abandoned his troops and the city's populace to save himself, not for the first time. Wei Qi was stunned by this revelation, realizing he had been kept in the dark. Ye Junqing asked if he would still remain loyal to Ye Hongyi. Wei Qi declared his lifelong devotion to Chu, its people, and his own conscience.
Ye Junqing then revealed General Huan's dying wish: to spare Wei Qi, as Huan Heng's only regret was not teaching Wei Qi the true meaning of loyalty. Ye Junqing offered Wei Qi mercy but warned him that if he were to ever serve Ye Hongyi again, he would not be spared a second time. Reflecting on General Huan's tragic death and the suffering of the people, Wei Qi made up his mind.
He produced Chu's defense map, offering his service to the volunteer army. With Wei Qi's assistance, Ye Junqing and his allies stormed the Chu imperial palace. Ye Hongyi's Iron Blood Army awaited them, leading to a fierce battle. The allied forces, their morale surging, pushed through the defenses and reached Ye Hongyi's main hall. Ye Hongyi, enraged, commanded Thousand Faces to attack Ye Junqing, but Thousand Faces was quickly dispatched.
Ye Junqing then publicly exposed Ye Hongyi's true identity, declaring he was not of royal blood but the illegitimate son of Queen Mother Zhuang and General Luo Bin. He revealed that Ye Hongyi had murdered his biological father, General Luo Bin, and deliberately set a fire to destroy all evidence of his true parentage.
Yao Mowan produced the Book of Luo Family Tree as irrefutable proof, stating that all male descendants of the Luo family bore a red birthmark on their left arm, challenging Ye Hongyi to reveal his own. Ye Hongyi furiously denied the accusations and tried to order his hesitant soldiers to attack. Ye Junqing continued, condemning Ye Hongyi's inhumane brutality, recounting how he had sacrificed kin and subjects alike to maintain his power.
Enraged, Ye Hongyi lunged at Ye Junqing with a sword, but a soldier, disgusted by Ye Hongyi's cruelty, stabbed him from behind. Ye Hongyi collapsed, spitting blood, his left arm's red birthmark visible beneath an old burn scar. Following Ye Hongyi's death, Ye Junqing declared that all those within Chu territory who voluntarily surrendered would be protected by the volunteer army. The assembled officials and soldiers immediately knelt, cheering "Long Live Prince Su!"
Afterwards, Yao Mowan visited a secret chamber where Yao Moxin's original body lay. She mused about her complex identity, wondering whether to call the dormant woman Mo Xin or Mo Wan, as her consciousness was that of Yao Moxin, currently inhabiting Yao Mowan's body. She expressed a wish for her sister (Yao Moxin's consciousness) to awaken, even if it meant facing Moxin's anger and blame.
Later that night, Ye Junqing quietly entered Yao Mowan's room, embracing her and carrying her to bed. Yao Mowan, in a moment of vulnerability, asked him whom he would choose if Yao Moxin were still alive. Ye Junqing gently dismissed her question, affirming that regardless of who she had been or who she would become, in that very moment, she was his woman. They then shared a passionate embrace and kiss.
Sometime later, Chu Mo Bei prepared to depart, bidding farewell to Ye Junqing and Han Jinyi. He stated that he had fulfilled his promise and had no reason to linger in Chu. Ye Junqing thanked him, pledging Chu's unwavering support to Shu should they ever need it. Han Jinyi asked if Chu Mo Bei would wait to say goodbye to Yao Mowan, but Chu Mo Bei chose to avoid a sorrowful parting, acknowledging the inevitability of goodbyes.
However, as he was about to leave, Yao Mowan emerged. They shared a final, meaningful embrace and bid each other farewell. At the Yao Residence, preparations were in full swing for Ting Yue's wedding to Ben Lei. Yao Mowan, treating Ting Yue like a beloved younger sister, adorned her with a delicate hairpin, wishing her and Ben Lei a lifetime of peace, happiness, and prosperity.
Ting Yue tearfully expressed her reluctance to leave, but Yao Mowan comforted her, declaring that by marrying from the Yao Residence, Ting Yue was now officially her kin. She playfully warned that if Ben Lei ever dared to bully Ting Yue, she would personally teach him a lesson. Later, Ye Junqing found Yao Mowan. He gently pulled her into his arms, telling her how he had dreamt of this peaceful scene countless times and feared it would vanish. He reassured her that it was real, promising to make their shared dreams, including a grand wedding, come true.
