Royal Nirvana Episode 26 Recap
> Royal Nirvana Recap
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After being kicked into the water by Xiao Dingquan, Zhang Shaoyun was pulled out by Xu Changping. Grateful for the rescue, Zhang Shaoyun felt indebted to Xu Changping, saying, "I, Zhang Shaoyun, am a grateful person. I will surely reward you greatly." This fostered a trust that led him to confide in Xu Changping about his intention to buy horses. Soon after, sellers approached Zhang Shaoyun, and he, unaware of any deception, proceeded with a horse purchase.
As Zhang Shaoyun and the sellers finalized their contract with handprints, two factions of imperial guards suddenly appeared. One group, sent by Li Baizhou from Jingjidao, declared, "Caught red-handed with the evidence" and "Imperial criminal," intending to arrest Zhang Shaoyun. The other group, from Donggong Palace, targeted the horse sellers, calling them "traitors to the country." Lu Wenxi, a maid at Donggong, found the situation unsettling.
Upon inspecting the contract, she discovered that Zhang Shaoyun was listed as the seller, not the buyer. Zhang Shaoyun, who had gambled away the 300 Guan he received from the Crown Princess the previous night, confessed that he had been convinced by the sellers to resell the horses for 400 Guan, hoping to make a 100 Guan profit. Lu Wenxi, frustrated by his foolishness, called him "Idiot" and "Good for nothing," then angrily tore up her copy of the contract.
However, another copy had already been delivered to the Emperor. Meanwhile, Xiao Dingquan presented a warhorse to his father, the Emperor, questioning why a horse meant for battle had appeared in the capital. He implied this indicated a sophisticated smuggling operation, suggesting further investigation would expose the mastermind behind the sellers.
Zhang Luzheng used the opportunity to report that Lu Ying, the former Imperial Tea and Horse Censor, had narrowly escaped an assassination attempt, hinting at a major conspiracy involving Li Baizhou and Zhao Yong. The Emperor, his face dark with displeasure, angrily silenced Consort Zhao when she tried to intervene, ordering her to be sent back to her palace.
Unperturbed, Li Baizhou calmly reported that he too had heard of horse sales and had discovered that the culprit was Zhang Shaoyun, a student of the imperial college. Xiao Dingquan was inwardly startled, realizing Zhang Shaoyun had unwittingly sabotaged his plan. He silently cursed Zhang Shaoyun's incompetence. The Emperor, fully aware of the truth, was deeply disappointed that Xiao Dingquan, despite his efforts, had been outmaneuvered by Li Baizhou.
He ordered Xiao Dingquan to reflect on his failures, and had both Zhang Luzheng and Zhang Shaoyun imprisoned. Kneeling in despair, Xiao Dingquan opened a gift the Emperor had promised him for the polo match, only to find it was an imperial decree sending Gu Fengen to Changzhou. He sighed, realizing it was too late.
The Crown Princess, distressed by her brother's wrongdoing, knelt outside, pleading with Xiao Dingquan to divorce her, admitting, "I am ignorant and caused Your Highness great trouble." Disregarding the Emperor's command confining him to Donggong, Xiao Dingquan rushed out to her, shielding her from the harsh sun with his sleeve, and brought her back inside. He comforted her, assuring her that her family's status and crimes had nothing to do with her, and he would not blame her.
He told her, "You are a woman of my Xiao family, you are mine," and that her simply staying with him was enough to help him. The Crown Princess smiled and placed Xiao Dingquan's hand on her abdomen, revealing she was pregnant with his child. However, Xiao Dingquan's demeanor changed drastically. He stated, "We cannot have [it]," leaving the Crown Princess repeatedly asking, "Why?" Outside the door, Lu Wenxi overheard their conversation about the pregnancy and burst into tears.
Elsewhere, the Emperor received a military report from Changzhou, announcing Gu Fengen's death in battle. Overwhelmed by grief and rage, he cried out and collapsed unconscious. Xiao Dingquan rushed to his father's side, relieved to find the Emperor was not in critical condition thanks to Xu Changping's timely medical intervention. The Imperial Doctors confirmed that Xu Changping, with precise acupuncture, had saved the Emperor from a sudden syncope caused by phlegm obstructing his airway.
Xiao Dingquan, though initially concerned his father's collapse was due to anger at him, was then heartbroken to learn the devastating news of Gu Fengen's demise. The Emperor, now recovered, informed Xiao Dingquan that the battle was lost due to a severe shortage of horses. Xiao Dingquan then recalled Lu Wenxi's earlier report that some of the horses involved in Zhang Shaoyun's transaction were less than five years old.
He conveyed this crucial detail to his father, explaining that starting five years ago, new warhorses for the military had no longer been Fan horses, yet these young horses, clearly military stock, were supposed to be sent to the front lines. He implored the Emperor for another chance to thoroughly investigate, vowing to uncover the "nation's parasites" and honor the fallen soldiers. The Emperor, in turn, advised Xiao Dingquan on the arduous nature of being a Crown Prince.
He emphasized that the position "cannot tolerate foolish people, cannot tolerate cowardly people, and even less can it tolerate incompetent people." He warned that if the matter of the horse shortage remained uninvestigated, many, including Gu Silin, Lu Ying, Zhang Luzheng, Zhang Shaoyun, and even Xiao Dingquan himself, would be held accountable.
