Royal Nirvana Episode 29 Recap, Plot

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Xiao Dingquan had Lu Wenxi tidy his belt while Kou Zhu watched from a distance, her heart burning with jealousy. Xiao Dingquan then instructed Kou Zhu to return to the palace and send for a doctor for the Princess. He sternly warned her against speaking nonsense in front of the Princess, threatening to send her away if she dared. Kou Zhu denied it, but Xiao Dingquan insisted that she was the one talking out of turn.

In the court, Li Baizhou ordered Zhao Yong and Zhang Shaoyun to be brought forward for questioning. Zhang Luzheng questioned Zhao Yong about the bodies of horse traffickers found buried in his mansion, but Zhao Yong feigned ignorance, claiming he knew nothing. As Xiao Dingquan prepared to proceed with the interrogation, Li Chongkui arrived with an imperial decree.

The decree stated that due to Zhao Yong's age and his status as a royal relative, Xiao Dingquan was forbidden from torturing him. Zhao Yong, emboldened by the emperor's protection, laughed mockingly, reminding Xiao Dingquan of their old connection and the emperor's favor. Undeterred by the decree, Xiao Dingquan continued the trial. He declared Zhang Shaoyun guilty of colluding in military horse trafficking. According to the law, Zhang Shaoyun was to receive eighty lashes and beheaded.

Zhang Luzheng, despite his pain, accepted the verdict, acknowledging his son's actions as an unforgivable capital offense. Xiao Dingquan confirmed that this judgment would be sent to the emperor for final approval. Zhang Shaoyun was then given eighty lashes and imprisoned to await the imperial decree, crying out for his father and brother-in-law. Xiao Dingquan then turned his attention to Zhao Yong.

He admonished Zhao Yong, calling him a "dog" who avariciously accumulated wealth and dared to bark at his master, ordering him to kneel and answer. Despite Li Chongkui's renewed reminder of the emperor's prohibition on torture, Xiao Dingquan ordered Zhao Yong to be severely beaten during the interrogation, stating he would personally plead guilty to the emperor for defying the decree.

Under the heavy blows, Zhao Yong confessed that the two dead traffickers were his servants and that he had sent men to a casino to lure Zhang Shaoyun into buying horses. When pressed about the source of the warhorses, Zhao Yong initially claimed they were stolen from the Eastern Palace Guards, prompting Xiao Dingquan to order his mouth to be slapped. After more torture, Zhao Yong's mouth was full of blood and he had lost teeth.

He desperately begged for mercy, claiming he genuinely knew nothing and even tried to shift blame to Prince Qi before retracting. When asked about the total number of corrupted horses, their current location, and their intended purpose, Zhao Yong again claimed complete ignorance. Xiao Dingquan then ordered finger clamps to be applied, which caused Zhao Yong to faint from the excruciating pain.

Xiao Dingquan commanded that Zhao Yong be revived and the interrogation resumed after he received medical attention, reiterating the Emperor's concern that Xiao Dingquan might accidentally kill the criminal. Li Chongkui again reminded Xiao Dingquan not to abuse torture. After the trial, Zhang Luzheng approached Xiao Dingquan, serving him tea. He inquired about his son's condition, noting that his own subordinates would have shown leniency during the flogging. He apologized for Zhang Shaoyun's misconduct, admitting his son needed a lesson.

Zhang Luzheng then cautiously asked if the memorial submitted to the emperor, declaring Zhang Shaoyun's capital offense, was merely a formality. Xiao Dingquan affirmed its seriousness, stating it was genuine and had already been delivered to the emperor, meaning Zhang Shaoyun's fate now rested solely with imperial decision.

Zhang Luzheng pleaded for his only son's life, but Xiao Dingquan sternly reminded him of the thousands of soldiers who had died due to military horse smuggling, many of whom were also only sons. He declared his commitment to impartiality, refusing to give anyone grounds for gossip or to allow the true culprits to escape, urging Zhang Luzheng to say no more. Later, Zhang Luzheng visited his son in prison, deeply distressed by his badly beaten state.

As he left the cell, he encountered Li Baizhou, who attempted to subtly influence him, remarking on his sudden change of character to emulate Lu Ying. Zhang Luzheng, however, asserted his unwavering loyalty, proclaiming he was no betrayer and would sacrifice his own life for the country and the Crown Prince, thereby dismissing Li Baizhou's overture.

In the palace, the Princess expressed her distress to her father, Zhang Luzheng, about Zhang Shaoyun's severe condition despite Zhao Yong's arrest, but Zhang Luzheng vaguely hinted that Zhao Yong was not the Crown Prince's true objective. Later, the Princess voiced her worries about Zhang Shaoyun to Xiao Dingquan, who assured her of his well-being. Zhang Luzheng also arrived to offer his congratulations to the Princess, reiterating his son's recovery and urging her to prioritize her health.

Still concerned, the Princess asked Xiao Dingquan if Lu Wenxi could visit Zhang Shaoyun and bring him clothes and medicine. Xiao Dingquan permitted Lu Wenxi to take medicine, but suggested Zhang Shaoyun would not need clothes at that moment. Lu Wenxi visited Zhang Shaoyun in prison, finding him grievously injured and just regaining consciousness after a coma. She offered him water, which he was too weak to drink himself.

Zhang Shaoyun recognized Lu Wenxi and, noting the Princess's needlework on the clothes Lu Wenxi brought, thanked his sister. He then pleaded with Lu Wenxi not to reveal his true state to the Princess, a request Lu Wenxi confirmed the Crown Prince had also made. From an adjacent cell, Lu Wenpu, Lu Wenxi's brother, spoke to her, giving her some medicine and advising her to use it for her own injuries.

Zhang Shaoyun, still in immense pain, then asked Lu Wenxi if he would still be able to become an uncle, referring to the Princess's unborn child. Lu Wenxi quickly left the prison, careful not to let her brother see her face. As Lu Wenxi departed the prison, she was met by a eunuch offering a carriage to return to the palace, and Lady Jiang also appeared, offering her a ride.

Lady Jiang then presented Lu Wenxi with a dose of Eupatorium chinense (華澤蘭), claiming it was an ingredient mistakenly omitted from the Princess's prescription. Lu Wenxi identified Eupatorium chinense as a symbol of childbearing. Lady Jiang, however, clarified that as a medicine, it was used to stop menstrual bleeding and postpartum stasis, making it highly detrimental to pregnant women.

When Lu Wenxi questioned if this was intended for the Princess, Lady Jiang revealed that the medicine was, in fact, for Lu Wenxi herself. Lady Jiang proceeded to explain the precarious political situation: the Crown Prince was relentlessly pursuing the Chancellor, even defying the emperor. She emphasized that Lu Ying's testimony had transformed Zhang Shaoyun's foreign horse trade into military horse smuggling, which had made Zhang Luzheng desperate to save his son.

Zhang Luzheng was now fully allied with the Crown Prince, determined to force Zhao Yong to expose the Chancellor. If the Crown Prince succeeded, and an imperial grandson was born, a general amnesty would be declared, saving Zhang Shaoyun, and Zhang Luzheng would ascend to the position of the next chancellor. Lady Jiang then warned that Zhang Luzheng was narrow-minded and already bore a grudge against Lu Ying, a resentment now magnified by his son's imprisonment.

She gravely cautioned that even with an amnesty, Zhang Luzheng would ensure that Lu Ying and Lu Wenpu would not leave prison alive. She reminded Lu Wenxi that it was actually Zhang Luzheng who had attempted to kill her father and brother, and Zhang Shaoyun had accidentally witnessed the incident. Lady Jiang concluded that the only way to safeguard Lu Ying was to prevent the Princess's child from being born.

Back in Bao Ben Palace, Lu Wenxi prepared the medicine for the Princess. The Princess consumed her medicine along with some preserved apricots and then inquired about Zhang Shaoyun's condition. Lu Wenxi reassured her that he was fine, though the Princess mused that Zhang Shaoyun was foolish, which was why he found himself in such a predicament. Later, after the Princess had fallen asleep, Lu Wenxi sought out Xiao Dingquan.

She questioned him about Zhang Shaoyun's ultimate fate, noting that the "execution in the fall" was the final deadline, and pressed him on how long he could maintain the secret. Xiao Dingquan sensed her challenging tone, and Lu Wenxi quickly apologized, admitting she was merely a poor speaker. Xiao Dingquan then showed Lu Wenxi his hands, scarred from childhood beatings for poor calligraphy, and mentioned using badger fat for the wounds.

He clarified that this was not a warning but rather a "bribery." He then reiterated that a general amnesty would follow the birth of the imperial grandson, and until that time, Lu Wenxi must absolutely keep all external matters hidden from the Princess. As Lu Wenxi turned to leave, the Princess suddenly appeared behind her, having overheard their conversation. She demanded to know about the "execution in the fall" and what they were hiding from her. Immediately, she was overcome with severe abdominal pain and began to bleed, prompting Xiao Dingquan to urgently call for the doctor.

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