Royal Nirvana Episode 28 Recap
> Royal Nirvana Recap
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As night fell and the dew thickened, Xiao Dingquan stood alone on the corridor when the Crown Princess approached and draped a cloak over him. He gently embraced her, reassuring her that there was nothing to worry about. The Crown Princess, ever virtuous, expressed her concern for him, suggesting that if he was tired, he could confide in her. He dismissed her worries, stating he was fine.
She then advised him to have Maid Gu accompany him to the Ministry of Justice, remarking that he and Maid Gu seemed more congenial. Xiao Dingquan quickly clarified that there was no private affection between him and Lu Wenxi, but the Crown Princess, undeterred, stated she wouldn't mind if he harbored feelings for Lu Wenxi. He firmly denied it. Later that night, Li Baizhou summoned Lu Ying, who was currently held as a criminal.
Li Baizhou explained that among the recently smuggled warhorses, some were less than five years old—the same batch Lu Ying had managed earlier in the year as the Censor of Tea & Horse. He alleged that these warhorses were illegally acquired by the Crown Prince to equip his personal guards and were then stolen by Zhang Shaoyun. Li Baizhou pressed Lu Ying to testify in court the next day, framing the Crown Prince as a traitor.
Lu Ying was enraged and refused to cooperate, but Li Baizhou then revealed that Lu Wenjin, Lu Ying's younger son, was under the care of Governor Li (implying Prince Qi's influence), and further threatened Lu Wenxi's safety, forcing Lu Ying to comply. Shaken from Li Baizhou's threats, Lu Ying returned to his cell, still trembling with anger at Xiao Dingquan's perceived shamelessness, and was surprised to find Xiao Dingquan waiting.
Xiao Dingquan expressed remorse for Lu Ying's suffering, asserting his duty as Crown Prince to be responsible for all people. He shared his suspicion that many horse handlers in the Xiaoji cavalry had gone missing, indicating foul play, and revealed he had sent his Donggong guards to investigate their homes.
Despite the uncertain outcome of the investigation, Xiao Dingquan asked Lu Ying to testify truthfully in court the next day—not to perjure himself on his behalf, but to report that the horses were indeed warhorses and to demand a thorough investigation into their disappearance. He emphasized that this was necessary to honor the fallen soldiers and protect the nation, even if it meant he would bear the initial blame.
Lu Ying, deeply moved by Xiao Dingquan's unwavering commitment to justice despite the severe personal consequences, agreed to his request. Lu Wenxi, disguised as a maid, tried to remain unnoticed, lowering her head to avoid being recognized by her father and brother, during their emotional exchange. As she later accompanied Xiao Dingquan out of the prison, he confessed his deep longing to see his father but also his fear of facing him and disappointing him.
He shared his emotional burden with her, admitting he couldn't show such vulnerability to the Crown Princess. Lu Wenxi, understanding his grief for his late mentor Lu Shiyu and his determination not to let his teacher down, silently pledged her support and asked to accompany him to court the next day. The following day in the imperial court, Xiao Dingquan began by apologizing to the assembled officials for his subordinates' mistakes and promised to plead guilty to the Emperor.
He revealed that some of the warhorses Zhang Shaoyun smuggled were under five years old, which was significant as such "Fan horses" had been banned from the capital for five years. Li Baizhou, confident of victory, quickly had Lu Ying summoned to identify the horses, which were waiting outside the hall. After careful inspection, Lu Ying confirmed that the horses were indeed warhorses meant for the front lines.
This revelation caused a stir, with many suggesting the matter be reported to the Emperor in the detached palace. Li Baizhou, however, urged Lu Ying to sign his statement immediately. Zhang Luzheng vehemently protested Lu Ying's testimony, questioning his ability to identify specific horses among thousands. Xiao Dingquan interjected, reminding Zhang Luzheng of Lu Ying's renowned expertise, which even the Emperor praised. Zhang Luzheng accused Lu Ying of personal revenge, but Xiao Dingquan silenced him for his misconduct.
Li Baizhou then promptly proposed that as Zhang Shaoyun's father, Zhang Luzheng was a party to the case and must recuse himself. Left without support, Zhang Luzheng angrily left the hall, and Lu Ying signed the document. Just as officials reported that the investigation into the horse handlers had yielded nothing, deepening Xiao Dingquan's predicament, and Li Baizhou's allies prepared to rush to the detached palace to inform the Emperor, one of Xiao Dingquan's men arrived with new information.
He reported that in the early morning, acting on Xiao Dingquan's decree, his men had intercepted several individuals leading thirty horses from Xishan granger, clearly attempting to frame the Crown Prince. These individuals were identified as Xiaoji cavalrymen, and the horses were confirmed to be warhorses. Xiao Dingquan immediately recognized this as a transparent attempt to consolidate the false accusation against him. Lu Ying was quickly brought to identify these new horses and confirmed they were indeed warhorses.
Li Baizhou, having just praised Lu Ying's unparalleled ability to identify horses, was caught in his own words and had no logical basis to object. Since the Xiaoji cavalry fell under Xiao Dingtang's command, Xiao Dingquan immediately ordered Youming to arrest Prince Qi and bring him to the Emperor. When officials raised concerns about arresting a prince without firm evidence, Xiao Dingquan declared this was his "awareness," challenging anyone with similar conviction to stop him.
He then sent another messenger to verify that his own Donggong guards had not been compromised. Shortly after, Xiao Dingtang was brought before the Emperor, distraught and claiming innocence, begging his father for help. Li Baizhou, seeing the Emperor's displeasure, swiftly shifted blame, announcing that An Pingbo, Zhao Yong, was responsible for everything, claiming the two horse smugglers were buried in Zhao Yong's residence.
The Emperor, enraged, quickly issued a decree for Zhao Yong's arrest, noting that Prince Qi himself wouldn't have the audacity for such a grand scheme and instructing the Crown Prince to continue the investigation. Du Heng, who had not joined Li Baizhou's faction in their hasty departure for the detached palace, approached Xiao Dingquan, expressing deep regret for his past betrayal and kneeling to beg for forgiveness.
Xiao Dingquan, acknowledging Du Heng's remorse and remembering that Du Heng, like Lu Shiyu, had watched him grow up, forgave him but warned him there would be no second chance. He told Du Heng to choose his loyalties wisely. Later, the Crown Princess, worried about her younger brother, Zhang Shaoyun, approached Xiao Dingquan, tearfully pleading for his life. She reasoned that although her brother might be reckless, he meant no harm, and soon he would be an uncle. Seeing her distress, Xiao Dingquan relented and nodded in agreement.
