Royal Nirvana Episode 56 Recap, Plot

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The Emperor subjected Xiao Dingquan to ruthless torture, demanding to know why he had spread disloyal speech and defied him within the Control Crane Guard yamen. Xiao Dingquan defiantly retorted, asking why the Emperor had unjustly killed his uncle, Lu Ying, why he only taught Big Brother tea ceremony, and ultimately, why he gave birth to Xiao Dingquan at all. In response, the Emperor angrily questioned why Xiao Dingquan continued to defy him.

Just as the confrontation escalated, Gu Silin burst in, stopping the torture instruments. He rushed to Xiao Dingquan, asking if he was alright. Xiao Dingquan, recovering, assured the Emperor he was fine. The Emperor, in a cold tone, asked Gu Silin why he was there. Gu Silin declared he was there to celebrate the Crown Prince's birthday. The Emperor was surprised.

Xiao Dingtang quickly chimed in, confirming it was indeed the Crown Prince's birthday, suggesting the Emperor must have forgotten due to being occupied with state affairs. Gu Silin emphasized the importance of the Crown Prince's birthday, urging the Emperor to show caution and mercy. He reminded the Emperor of a previous case involving Xiao Duo, in which Gu Silin himself had participated in the trial.

Gu Silin then offered to send Gu Fengen to the capital, suggesting Gu Fengen could bear the punishment for the Crown Prince's transgressions, and pleaded for mercy on this significant day, the Double Ninth Festival. Xiao Dingtang, angered by Gu Silin's defense of Xiao Dingquan, accused Gu Silin of breaking into the Control Crane Guard yamen and injuring a prince, calling it a grave crime.

Gu Silin retorted that a prince breaking the law was guilty like commoners, and no one was above the law, especially before the Emperor who was investigating the case. He then declared that if he found evidence that someone else was responsible for Lu Ying's case and the disloyal words in the Mid-autumn festival, that person would also face justice. Xiao Dingtang dismissed Gu Silin's words, accusing him of acting domineeringly as if he were in Changzhou.

The Emperor, observing the scene, commented that Xiao Dingquan was truly Wu Dehou's cherished nephew. After the Emperor and Xiao Dingtang departed, Gu Silin tenderly helped Xiao Dingquan put on his shoes and socks, asking if it hurt. Xiao Dingquan, distraught, expressed his fear for Gu Fengen's future, lamenting that without civil titles and military merits, his cousin would have no means of support. He feared the Emperor's wrath and felt he needed to plead guilty himself.

Gu Silin embraced him, reassuring him that both he and Gu Fengen would be fine. Xiao Dingquan then questioned if his uncle had uncovered information indicating the disloyal speech wasn't orchestrated by the Emperor, asking what his uncle planned to do. Gu Silin hinted that Prince Qi (Xiao Dingtang) might believe he was safe, but revealed that according to recent intelligence, a large enemy army was gathering in the Yin side of Mount Huianxue, threatening Changzhou.

He explained that if he couldn't return to the front lines, the fate of Changzhou would be uncertain, and the originator of the nursery rhyme case would bear huge responsibility. Gu Silin framed his actions as helping the Emperor make a choice between the Crown Prince and Prince Qi, a choice the Emperor had made before to become ruler, and now it was Xiao Dingquan's turn to make a choice.

He firmly declared his willingness to "step through blood" for Xiao Dingquan again, just as he had for the Emperor in the past. He urged Xiao Dingquan to simply "wear it" (referring to the shoes, symbolically taking his rightful place). Xiao Dingquan, however, questioned whether his uncle's importance, despite being all he had left, superseded the teachings of saints and his respected teacher, and the dignity and duty of a monarch.

Gu Silin repeatedly called him by his full name, Xiao Dingquan, in a serious tone, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. The Emperor then turned to Xiao Dingtang, probing whether he was behind the disloyal speech, urging him to confess for leniency and warning him of Gu Silin’s investigative prowess if he didn’t. Xiao Dingtang swore his innocence, and the Emperor, seemingly relieved, accepted his denial, though he mused that someone was trying to threaten him by involving Xiao Dingtang.

Xiao Dingtang then pleaded to be allowed to go to his fief, expressing concern about making his father difficult. Suddenly, a barefoot Xiao Dingquan burst into the chamber, vehemently demanding that Xiao Dingtang return to his fief. He warned of a dire crisis unfolding in Changzhou and the danger faced by Li Ming'an. The Emperor, shocked by Xiao Dingquan's behavior and appearance, ordered shoes for him.

Xiao Dingquan insisted that Xiao Dingtang, as a married prince, should have gone to his fief long ago, and further demanded that Gu Fengen be allowed to return to Changzhou immediately, as Li Ming'an alone couldn't secure it.

The Emperor accused Xiao Dingquan of collaborating with Gu Silin, but Xiao Dingquan retorted that his surname was Xiao, not Gu, and affirmed that his duty as Crown Prince, and as a son who serves the realm, was more important than his personal affections. Meanwhile, in Changzhou, Li Ming'an faced his subordinates, who seemingly resented his command over provisions, raising concerns about potential unrest.

Li Ming'an questioned if they wanted to "do the same thing to me" as a previous incident, referring to burning. His subordinate assured him that as ministers, they would obey orders. Back in the palace, Xiao Dingtang continued to provoke Xiao Dingquan, questioning his previous confession and motives. Xiao Dingquan, frustrated and unable to fully defend himself due to the secret of protecting Wenxi and his letter to the chancellor, could only appear distraught.

The Emperor, still seeking answers, asked Xiao Dingquan why he had killed Lu Ying, and if he had written the letter and used his seal. Unable to speak, Xiao Dingquan teared up. The Emperor, exasperated by Xiao Dingquan’s conduct, declared he found it difficult to believe him and announced he would revisit the Lu Ying case later. He then ordered Xiao Dingquan to be sent back.

In a desperate plea, Xiao Dingquan knelt, asking if his requests would be granted if he were no longer the Crown Prince, and then implored his father to abolish him as Crown Prince. He tied his personal fate to the security of the realm, saying if he was abolished, Gu Fengen and Gu Silin could return to Changzhou, which Li Ming'an couldn't defend alone.

The Emperor, furious, ordered him to be locked up in a side palace, forbidden from leaving or communicating with anyone. Just as Xiao Dingquan was being forcibly removed, Lu Wenxi stepped forward, interrupting the escalating crisis. The Emperor recognized her as someone he had met before. Lu Wenxi confessed that she had written the incriminating letter, explaining that the Crown Prince had uniquely taught her his calligraphy, specifically the "Xingshi transcription."

She insisted that she wrote it of her own volition, not under duress from Xiao Dingquan. When pressed about the seal, she claimed to have stolen it a long time ago after the Crown Prince had accidentally lost it at the detached palace; she tried to return it but failed and kept it. Xiao Dingtang sarcastically interjected, commenting "Truly, like master, like servant. . ."

Lu Wenxi continued her story, stating that after many things, she harbored resentment towards the Crown Prince and betrayed him for a new master. She then added that after the Crown Prince discovered her actions, he dismissed her court registration, which only intensified her resentment. She then declared that her act of framing the Crown Prince with the letter was done under the instruction of "that person."

When the Emperor demanded to know the instigator, Xiao Dingtang questioned the Emperor's anxiousness. Finally, Lu Wenxi explicitly named "the chancellor." Meanwhile, in his prison cell, Chancellor Zhang Luzheng was in utter despair. His son, Zhang Shaoyun, secretly visited him, bringing clean clothes that his sister had prepared. Seeing his son, Zhang Luzheng broke down, calling him a "fool" for not having fled to their hometown already. Zhang Shaoyun, in tears, explained he couldn't leave his father.

Back at the palace, the Emperor pressed Lu Wenxi further, asking why Zhang Luzheng would instruct her to frame the Crown Prince. She claimed not to know, suggesting that perhaps he believed anyone could be a monarch, and then offered physical proof for her accusations. She volunteered to go to jail, requesting that the Emperor interrogate her in person.

The Emperor questioned why Xiao Dingquan would try to cover for someone who claimed to have betrayed him, to which Lu Wenxi replied she had never understood the Crown Prince, and that perhaps the Emperor didn't either. Without further ado, the Emperor ordered her to be sent to the Ministry of Justice. Xiao Dingquan cried out in protest, begging the Emperor not to send her, and demanding to go with her.

The Emperor, exasperated, ordered Xiao Dingquan to be locked in a side palace, forbidden from leaving or communicating with anyone. As she was being led away, Lu Wenxi told Xiao Dingquan that she had stayed at Daxiangguo Temple twice and had not left, and explicitly stated she would return.

Xiao Dingquan desperately tried to stop her, proclaiming that she was "his," the one he had been waiting for all this time, but his pleas were in vain as she was taken away.

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