Royal Nirvana Episode 40 Recap
> Royal Nirvana Recap
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On the distant Changzhou battlefield, Gu Fengen and his troops found respite in a valley after being relentlessly pursued by enemy forces all day. Suddenly, a large army appeared in the distance. Gu Fengen immediately ordered his men to hide. After careful reconnaissance, he realized that this enemy force intended to bypass their main position and attack Beida camp.
Recognizing the urgency, Gu Fengen quickly led his men to report back, engaging in a fierce skirmish with the enemy along the way. Despite being outnumbered and having no clear path forward, Gu Fengen ordered an ambush, commanding his men to prepare their crossbows and fight valiantly. Back in the capital, a physician attended to Xiao Dingquan's wounds. Despite the excruciating pain, Xiao Dingquan remained silent, only expressing his frustration by angrily smashing objects.
The physician, finding himself helpless, eventually withdrew. Xiao Dingquan then retrieved a leather belt and, without explanation, firmly bound his wrist to Wenxi's. Shortly after, Li Chongkui arrived with a military order to deal with Wenxi. To his astonishment, he found Xiao Dingquan and Wenxi with their hands tightly clasped. Li Chongkui sighed, expressing his confusion over Xiao Dingquan's actions, and tried to persuade him to prioritize overall interests, as a man of resolve must endure momentary pain.
Xiao Dingquan, however, declared firmly, "No, just because of her. Tell him, tell the whole world, she is my woman. No one can harm her without my permission." Later, Kou Zhu, a palace maid from the Eastern Palace, attempted to deliver clean clothes to Xiao Dingquan, but the guards refused her entry, stating that even if she sent them in, he couldn't wear them.
Kou Zhu pleaded to see him just once, crying out to Xiao Dingquan, but the guards eventually forced her to leave. Meanwhile, Li Chongkui presented Xiao Dingquan's blood-soaked clothes to the Emperor, who merely cast a cold glance before tossing them aside. That night, the imperial city was illuminated by vibrant fireworks, a stark contrast to Xiao Dingquan's bleak mood as he rested his head on Wenxi's lap, finding his only comfort and reliance in her presence.
Xiao Dingquan then asked Wenxi why she had chosen to stay in the capital and embroiled herself in so many troubles, especially after once planning to leave. Wenxi responded with a bitter smile. Xiao Dingquan's voice was deep as he urged her to tell him the truth that night.
Wenxi gently touched Xiao Dingquan's hair, murmuring that she truly wanted to get closer to him, really wanted to obtain him, but it always felt out of reach and she could never get close enough. She confessed that those deep affections and longings had gradually faded away, worn down by the passage of time and events.
Xiao Dingquan listened and believed her, concluding that since they couldn't "live together in adversity" nor "forget each other in the deep palace," they should simply "sink together." On the Changzhou front, the battle raged, with the army, under Gu Silin's command, launching a concerted attack that completely shattered the enemy forces.
Li Ming'an's critical situation was resolved, and he expressed his profound gratitude to Gu Silin for his timely and decisive intervention, praising his formidable leadership and the awesome power and great merit of Marquis Wude. He lauded Gu Silin for seeing through the enemy's feigned attack on the city and annihilating their main force, and also thanked Yang Sheng for holding his troops and creating a pincer attack.
Li Ming'an informed Gu Silin that Consort Zhao had been officially made Empress. Gu Silin’s hand instinctively tightened on his sword hilt, but he calmly replied that it was good news and that he would submit a memorial of congratulations. Li Ming'an also lauded Yang Sheng as a capable student of Gu Silin, to which Gu Silin responded that he would convey the compliments and apologized for any offense Yang Sheng might have caused, describing him as upright.
Meanwhile, Yang Sheng apprehended Gu Fengen, who was disheveled and distraught, for acting independently without orders. Gu Fengen, upon seeing Yang Sheng, demanded to see his father. Xiao Dingquan remained bound to Wenxi, playfully trying to set up a bird trap, a method he claimed Gu Fengen taught him. He teased Wenxi about her moving her hand, while she playfully questioned the efficacy of their repeated attempts.
Eunuch Chen arrived with another imperial decree, stating that if Wenxi was not handed over, Xiao Dingquan would not be allowed to leave his courtyard. Xiao Dingquan feigned helplessness due to his bound hands, suggesting Eunuch Chen try to untie them himself. When Eunuch Chen asked what he should report to the Emperor, Xiao Dingquan impishly instructed him to report that the "offending subject" was not defying the decree but sincerely self-reflecting, which Wenxi affirmed.
Xiao Dingquan then roguishly asked Eunuch Chen to help him set up the bird trap. Exasperated, Eunuch Chen tossed the trap cover aside and left. Xiao Dingquan and Wenxi laughed together, their faces close, creating a tender and intimate moment. Xiao Dingquan reaffirmed that Wenxi was his woman and no one would harm her while he was there. Meanwhile, Du Heng was demoted to an 8th-rank sub-prefect in Zhangzhou for supporting the Crown Prince.
Upon learning of this, Xiao Dingquan was deeply distressed, believing he was responsible for Du Heng's misfortune. Du Heng visited Xiao Dingquan before his departure that very day. He reflected on his own career, admitting he wasn't a truly honest or upright official, nor an upright subject, offering no benefit to the nation but with faults towards the respected. He confessed he was truly not a gentleman, but indeed a villain.
He still felt regret over this outcome, which he called a "villain's regret" for not suffering for his own misdeeds, a sentiment he only now understood.
He expressed his profound sympathy for Xiao Dingquan’s difficult situation and, as he bade farewell, urged the Crown Prince to rally and stay strong, even for his own selfish reasons, so that Du Heng would not carry this regret, not about villain or gentleman but merely a mortal's private desires and feelings, to his grave in the distant, unfamiliar lands of Zhangzhou. After Du Heng left, Xiao Dingquan, still bound to Wenxi, playfully suggested she write his homework for him since he couldn't, and he would teach her how to write.
