Royal Nirvana Episode 4 Recap
> Royal Nirvana Recap
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Emperor Xiao Ruijian grants Crown Prince Xiao Dingquan full authority to handle the recent scandal. Xiao Dingquan addresses the assembled officials, questioning their dedication and reminding them that the scandal, if fully revealed, would forever tarnish the imperial family's reputation. He states that all present, including himself, are accountable. He then names Prince Qi, Xiao Dingtang, as the primary culprit who should be confined to Zongzheng Temple for reflection and await punishment.
As royal guards move to escort Xiao Dingtang, who desperately pleads with his father, Xiao Dingquan intervenes. He points out that the maid Wu's testimony has not been fully verified and suggests an alternative possibility: Lady Zhang, who had taken all the blame, might have harbored malicious intentions, seeking revenge and sowing discord between the imperial brothers, which ultimately led to the incident.
The Chancellor, Li Baizhou, quickly agrees with the Crown Prince, condemning Lady Zhang's actions and suggesting she deserves severe punishment. While acknowledging some culpability, Xiao Dingquan commits to self-reflection and urges Prince Qi to cultivate himself and be cautious. He pointedly asks Prince Qi if he understands the conduct befitting a subject, to which Prince Qi expresses gratitude for the instruction. Emperor Xiao Ruijian commends the Crown Prince's handling of the situation.
Grand Tutor Lu Shiyu then proposes that Prince Qi, having already completed his capping ceremony, should proceed to his fief, as his prolonged presence in the capital enabled opportunists to cause trouble. The Emperor agrees, instructing the Ministry of Rites to arrange Prince Qi's departure after the Spring Exam results are announced. Xiao Dingquan also requests clemency for the rest of the Shangfu Department staff, as they were unaware of the true conspiracy, and the Emperor grants it.
Later, Emperor Xiao Ruijian confronts Xiao Dingtang with a blank scroll, causing Xiao Dingtang to realize he was tricked into exposing his own deception. The Emperor scolds Xiao Dingtang, informing him that Wu, the maid who fell, is severely injured and unable to speak, and that he has entrusted her fate to the Crown Prince. He sternly warns Xiao Dingtang to behave before leaving the capital, reminding him that the Crown Prince had just spared his life.
Meanwhile, Crown Prince Xiao Dingquan visits Wu and reveals a cruel truth: Lady Zhang, the woman Wu pushed, is her biological mother, a fact Wu had never known. Xiao Dingquan points out that even unknowingly, Lady Zhang had been Wu's teacher and guardian since childhood. He questions Wu's motivations for such an act.
He informs Wu that her mother, Lady Zhang, having taken all the blame to protect her, is now condemned to be torn apart limb from limb by five wagons on the street. Xiao Dingquan declares that Wu, for the crime of matricide, deserves the same fate and will not be pardoned or forgiven.
However, he chooses not to kill her, instead condemning her to live with the excruciating knowledge of her actions, transforming her heart into a living hell, which he deems the ultimate punishment. He then instructs a servant to ensure Wu is cared for, wishing her a long, healthy life free from illness. Gu Fengen, intrigued, asks Xiao Dingquan when he discovered the truth about Wu and Lady Zhang. Xiao Dingquan explains that often, silence speaks louder than words.
He realized the truth during the imperial interrogation when Lady Zhang chose to face dismemberment rather than name the real culprit, concluding that only a mother would make such a sacrifice. He reveals he had known about Wu's relationship with Lady Zhang, who was a close friend of his late mother, for a long time.
Gu Fengen questions why Xiao Dingquan would risk offending the Emperor for them, to which Xiao Dingquan replies that a reprimand for him is minor, but for them, it is a matter of life or death. He then sets off to "plead guilty." Later, Xiao Dingquan overhears Xiao Dingtang pleading with Emperor Xiao Ruijian, expressing his reluctance to leave the capital. The Emperor reminds Xiao Dingtang that as a prince, he must adhere to the national system.
Feeling out of place, Xiao Dingquan leaves and encounters Grand Tutor Lu Shiyu. Lu Shiyu gently scolds Xiao Dingquan for not informing the Emperor of his plans in advance, emphasizing the importance of trust between a father and son, and a monarch and his subject. Xiao Dingquan, however, laments that if he could have spoken to his teacher, he would have done so first, hinting at his deeper trust in Lu Shiyu than in his own father.
He attempts to prolong their conversation, but Lu Shiyu, mindful of his status as an external official, politely declines further unofficial visits. Emperor Xiao Ruijian's guards locate a partially burned scroll hidden in the rafters of the Shangfu Department.
Upon opening it, the Emperor reads the new inscription, which declares innocence of calumny, commitment to integrity between monarch and subject and fulfilling affection between father and son, and wishes for peace for the country and its people, concluding with a reference to the Crown Prince's capping ceremony. Pondering the rewritten scroll, Emperor Xiao Ruijian remarks that he sometimes cannot discern whether his Crown Prince is shrewd or naive.
Despite the recent tumultuous events, Xiao Dingquan successfully completes his capping ceremony. The triennial Spring Exam commences, with Grand Tutor Lu Shiyu serving as the chief examiner, assisted by Chancellor Li Baizhou and Commander Li Chongkui. As they inspect the examination rooms, Lu Shiyu discovers a broken linoleum panel on the ceiling.
Noting the impending rain and snow, he immediately orders it to be repaired and for other areas to be thoroughly checked for similar damage, demonstrating his concern for the examinees. Li Baizhou praises Lu Shiyu's dedication to the candidates, seeing them all as his students, and remarks on the nine-day ordeal of composing by day and resting by night in these small rooms. Among the candidates is Gu Fengen, who registers under his own name.
Li Chongkui greets him, playfully asking why he, an earl, would personally take the exam, to which Gu Fengen retorts that if he didn't, Li Chongkui would take his place. Lu Shiyu formally addresses the critical nature of the talent election, humbly requesting the support of Li Baizhou and Li Chongkui. Li Baizhou, in turn, defers to Lu Shiyu's extensive experience as chief examiner.
Later, Crown Prince Xiao Dingquan is jesting with Prince Zhao, Xiao Dingkai, whom he regards as a child. Xiao Dingkai enthusiastically pulls Xiao Dingquan along to see the Emperor, only to find Zhao Consort and Prince Qi, Xiao Dingtang, dining with Emperor Xiao Ruijian. The atmosphere grows tense. Zhao Consort seizes the opportunity to advocate for Prince Qi's continued stay in the capital.
She cites the need for repairs at Prince Qi's residence and suggests he remain to partake in the Crown Prince's upcoming wedding festivities, hoping to bring good fortune, especially since Prince Qi's wife has not yet conceived a child after three years of marriage. She then feigns ignorance and, with an air of well-meaning, proposes Zhang Luzheng's eldest daughter as a suitable bride for the Crown Prince, citing her virtues and readiness for marriage.
Xiao Dingquan politely acknowledges Zhao Consort's "worldly wisdom and humanity" but firmly asserts that national and family laws supersede personal desires. He emphasizes the ancestral system requiring princes to depart for their fiefs after marriage, highlighting the duties of the imperial family to serve the people in return for their support. As for the Crown Princess, he reiterates that the choice rests solely with the Emperor.
He concludes by proposing that Prince Qi temporarily reside at the courier station in Qi land until his residence is fully repaired, requesting his brother's understanding. Zhao Consort and Prince Qi are visibly chagrined. That night, Xiao Dingquan visits Lu Shiyu, bringing a new calligraphy piece for his teacher to name. He mentions Lu Shiyu's upcoming birthday, which falls during the Spring Exam, and promises a proper celebration afterward.
Lu Shiyu, however, subtly shifts the conversation, expressing a longing for his hometown dishes: Zizania latifolia, water shield thick soup, and weever, reminiscing about Zhang Jiying who resigned from office after missing these tastes. Xiao Dingquan immediately understands the hidden meaning and discovers a letter of resignation on Lu Shiyu's desk. Lu Shiyu confirms his intention to retire to his hometown after the Spring Exam, feeling his duty complete with the Crown Prince's capping and Prince Qi's impending departure.
He reassures Xiao Dingquan that he has arranged for Lu Ying, the Imperial Minister, to return to the capital to assist him. Xiao Dingquan is heartbroken. He burns the resignation letter and tearfully pleads with Lu Shiyu to stay, asserting he won't let his teacher leave. He explains his decision not to report Prince Qi's previous conspiracy earlier, admitting he wanted to gauge his father's true intentions.
He shares his realization that the Emperor's apparent favoritism towards Prince Qi is actually a political strategy to restrain the Crown Prince, especially given Wu Dehou's return to Changzhou with significant military power. Xiao Dingquan foresees a difficult path ahead and desperately asks Lu Shiyu not to abandon him. He also senses Lu Shiyu's underlying worries, despite the Emperor's attempt to use Li Baizhou to balance Lu Shiyu's influence, noting Lu Shiyu's personal presence at the exam hall.
Lu Shiyu confirms he has ordered strict searches to prevent fraud. Xiao Dingquan suggests Gu Fengen feign illness to withdraw from the exam, but Lu Shiyu rejects the idea, emphasizing Gu Fengen's youth and future opportunities. Lu Shiyu, looking out at the cold, impending weather, describes the arduous lives of scholars who, after years of study, must endure days in small, drafty examination rooms. He concludes by telling Xiao Dingquan that he, after all, is not a scholar, and thus may not fully comprehend the immense hardships faced by the exam candidates.
