Secret of Three Kingdoms Episode 28 Recap
> Secret of Three Kingdoms Recap
Liu Ping, Fu Shou, and a group of scholars successfully executed their escape from Yecheng. Disguised as soldiers, they infiltrated a convoy, while Lu Yu, posing as an officer, confronted the city guards. Lu Yu fabricated a story about pursuing fugitives who had already been allowed to leave, angrily chastising the guards for their negligence and threatening them with execution on behalf of Lord Yuan. Frightened, the guards swiftly opened the city gates, allowing the entire group to exit.
The scholars rejoiced, expressing profound gratitude to "Brother Liu." Lu Yu then revealed Liu Ping's true identity, bowing and declaring his thanks to "Your Majesty." Overwhelmed, the scholars knelt, pledging their unwavering loyalty and vowing to defy all dangers for the Emperor. Liu Ping bid them to rise. Later, Fu Shou spoke privately with Liu Ping, asking for his forgiveness and reminding him of their vow to remain together through life and death, reaffirming her commitment as Empress.
Meanwhile, as Sima Yi, Cao Pi, and Zhen Fu fled, they were pursued by Yuan Xi and his soldiers. Yuan Xi confronted Zhen Fu, demanding her return. She defiantly refused, declaring she would rather die with Cao Pi than endure a tedious and hellish life with Yuan Xi. Enraged, Yuan Xi ordered the death of Cao Pi and Sima Yi. Zhen Fu intervened, offering to return with Yuan Xi if he spared them.
When Yuan Xi hesitated, she threatened to disfigure herself and commit suicide, bringing eternal shame upon the Yuan family. Unwilling to accept such a fate, Yuan Xi relented and ordered his men to withdraw. As she was taken away, Zhen Fu tearfully told Cao Pi that her sacrifice was for him and implored him not to forget her words. Liu Ping and Fu Shou discussed the challenging situation.
Liu Ping reflected on their perilous Yecheng mission, acknowledging its success in saving the scholars. His recent experiences had granted him a clearer understanding of the world. He admitted that, despite being their enemy, Cao Cao's Xudu was far more stable and prosperous than Yuan Shao's Yecheng. However, he concluded that Yuan Shao remained the only power capable of rivaling Cao Cao, making his strength essential for their cause.
Liu Ping then declared his intention to travel to Guandu to meet Yuan Shao, partly to fulfill his promise to Sima Yi to rescue Tang Ying. Fu Shou expressed concern for his safety, especially after the chaos they had created in Yecheng, and offered to accompany him. Liu Ping declined, explaining he needed her to safely lead the scholars back to the capital.
Understanding his desire to shield her from danger, Fu Shou reluctantly agreed, promising to secure the scholars' return and eagerly awaiting the day he would publicly succeed. Sima Yi, recovering from his injuries, had slept for a day and a night. Cao Pi diligently cared for him, offering water and expressing sincere gratitude for Sima Yi saving his life in the prison.
Sima Yi, however, dismissed it as merely settling their previous debt from the Yecheng Guards Office, stating they were now even. Recognizing Sima Yi's extraordinary intellect, Cao Pi formally invited him to become his advisor. Sima Yi questioned if Cao Pi feared his loyalty to the Emperor, to which Cao Pi admitted fear but declared Sima Yi's strategic genius outweighed it, envisioning great achievements with his help.
Sima Yi politely declined, citing the proverb "old clothing is better than new, a new acquaintance cannot compare to an old one," subtly reaffirming his allegiance to the Emperor. Cao Pi accepted his refusal, stating that the Emperor had made his choice, but he would patiently await Sima Yi's decision, inviting him to observe the Cao family firsthand by escorting him back to Cao Cao's camp.
Tang Ying and Pan Yang appeared before Yuan Shao, who, having lost all trust in Tang Ying, intended to execute her. Wang Yue intervened, reminding Yuan Shao of his promise that the lives of Dongfang Chun's disciples belonged to him, thus claiming Tang Ying's life as his own. Pan Yang also attempted to dissuade Yuan Shao, highlighting Tang Ying's resourcefulness. To assuage Yuan Shao's suspicions and demonstrate compliance, Tang Ying voluntarily drank a dose of poison.
Impressed by her gesture, Yuan Shao promised to provide an antidote if she remained obedient. Pan Yang watched her with a heavy heart, but remained silent. Meanwhile, Liu Ping sought an audience with Yuan Shao through General Chunyu Qiong. Liu Ping suggested that as a Han envoy, he could be a valuable asset to Chunyu Qiong.
However, Chunyu Qiong dismissed Liu Ping as a spy and had him immediately imprisoned, despite Liu Ping's protests about the disrespect shown to the Emperor. While imprisoned, Yuan Shao's guards remarked on Liu Ping's resilience. On the Guandu battlefield, Yang Xiu engaged Zhang Xiu in conversation, subtly warning him of impending danger. He pointed out that Zhang Xiu's formidable Xiliang Cavalry had been relocated by Guo Jia, leaving him vulnerable despite his previous defection to Cao Cao.
Zhang Xiu expressed unease but asserted confidence in Jia Xu's protection. Yang Xiu pressed further, questioning why Cao Cao, who had a grudge against Zhang Xiu, would have accepted him if not for the Xiliang Army. He insinuated that Jia Xu had not truly acted in Zhang Xiu's benefit, comparing him to a toothless tiger.
Despite Zhang Xiu accusing him of sowing discord, Yang Xiu stressed the shifting power dynamics and offered his alliance, promising Zhang Xiu would not suffer if he trusted him. Sima Yi escorted Cao Pi to Cao Cao's military camp at Guandu. On the way, Cao Pi, eager to see his father, spoke highly of Cao Cao's discernment and his good relationships with advisors, expecting his father to welcome Sima Yi.
Sima Yi noted Cao Pi's long absence from his father, which Cao Pi confirmed had been two years since he joined him on the battlefield. Upon entering the camp, Cao Pi was surprised to find his younger brother, Cao Zhi, handling military affairs in Guo Jia's absence, wielding Cao Cao's main seal. Cao Pi initially praised Cao Zhi's maturity but was visibly disheartened by his father's clear favoritism.
Sima Yi, observing Cao Pi, subtly fueled his insecurities by asking if he was worried about Cao Zhi's ascendance. When Cao Pi accused him of sowing discord, Sima Yi countered that if Cao Pi wished to avoid a succession struggle, he must plan ahead. He offered to help Cao Pi demonstrate his superior capabilities in managing the military camp, exploiting Cao Zhi's inexperience, asserting that he had not come to Guandu for nothing.
Unaware of the severe military provision shortages, Cao Pi, following Sima Yi's advice, ordered a public inspection of the army's rations to establish his authority. To everyone's shock, the grain sacks were found filled with sand. Cao Pi harshly interrogated the Ration Supervisor, who pleaded innocence and tried to shift blame to Cao Zhi and Guo Jia. Cao Pi, feigning outrage, accused him of stealing and daring to blame his younger brother.
Though Cao Zhi privately suspected Cao Pi's deliberate setup, he publicly accepted blame for negligence. Cao Pi then exaggerated the issue, claiming soldiers were already complaining about reduced rations, fueling anger among the troops. The soldiers, furious, demanded the Ration Supervisor's execution to restore morale. Guo Jia, understanding that the man's death was necessary to quell the unrest, quietly promised to care for the Ration Supervisor's family before ordering his immediate beheading.
After the public execution, Guo Jia privately warned Cao Pi that unchecked ambition could lead to ruin, cautioning him to conduct himself wisely. Cao Pi, though recognizing the impropriety, understood he had crossed a point of no return in his quest for power. Yang Xiu then approached Sima Yi, directly accusing him of orchestrating the military ration scandal.
He stated that Sima Yi, not content with the chaos caused in Yecheng, had deliberately used Cao Pi's ambition to expose Guo Jia's secret use of sand to stabilize morale amidst a food shortage, thereby disrupting the army's discipline. Sima Yi feigned ignorance, claiming he was too new to the camp to know about Cao Cao's provision issues.
However, Yang Xiu countered that he knew Sima Yi was behind the mysterious burning of Cao Cao's grain supply en route from Xudu, implying Sima Yi had created the very shortage he then exposed. Yang Xiu acknowledged their shared goal of protecting the Emperor, but also hinted at Sima Yi's ruthless determination. Sima Yi then admitted that for the Emperor, there was nothing he wouldn't dare to do.
Yang Xiu, having already turned Zhang Xiu to their side, warned Sima Yi that Guo Jia would soon seek him out. Shortly after, a subordinate delivered a package to Sima Yi from Guo Jia; it contained the severed head of the executed Ration Supervisor, a grim warning from Guo Jia to Sima Yi.
Imprisoned by Chunyu Qiong, Liu Ping was later confronted by Mr. Fei, who revealed he had anticipated Liu Ping's intentions to meet Yuan Shao and persuade him to ally with the Han Dynasty, primarily to reap benefits from the conflict between Yuan Shao and Cao Cao. Liu Ping inquired about Tang Ying's well-being, to which Mr. Fei confirmed she was also imprisoned.
Liu Ping denounced Yuan Shao's actions of openly humiliating a Han envoy and imprisoning a Princess Consort as rebellion against the Han Dynasty, stripping Yuan Shao of any right to claim he fought in the Emperor's name. Mr. Fei dismissively stated that "Emperor" was merely a name used by all, causing Liu Ping to clench his fists in anger. Mr. Fei then revealed his disdain for Liu Ping, saying he wanted to kill him for his resemblance to Guo Jia.
Liu Ping remained composed, observing that Mr. Fei seemed indifferent to the outcome of the Battle of Guandu, as his true aim was to use Yuan Shao's forces for personal revenge against Guo Jia. Mr. Fei admitted he had prepared a grand trap for Cao Cao, using minor losses of the Yuan Army as bait.
Liu Ping astutely deduced that Mr. Fei intended to use his own military provisions as the trap and Xu You, a trusted former classmate of Cao Cao who had recently committed a crime, as the perfect lure to defect to Cao Cao's camp. Mr. Fei, surprised by Liu Ping's intelligence, initially hesitated to kill him but then expressed intense disgust at Liu Ping's confidence, which reminded him of Guo Jia.
Liu Ping was then brought before Yuan Shao as an Embroidered Uniform Guard. Pan Yang, shocked to see Liu Ping, received a subtle warning from Liu Ping not to expose his identity. Yuan Shao, unimpressed by Liu Ping's earlier antics in Baima and Yecheng, scornfully called him a spy for Cao Cao, rather than a Han envoy.
Liu Ping retorted that Yuan Shao had squandered all his advantages in the fight against Cao Cao, and that the Emperor had sent him to help. He warned that killing him would mean losing Yuan Shao's last chance against Cao Cao. Yuan Shao's strategists arrogantly dismissed Liu Ping, boasting about their army's superior numbers and recent successes, and deriding the Han Dynasty as militarily weak. Liu Ping, scoffing at their deluded state, simply said they were still dreaming.
Cui Yan pleaded for Liu Ping's life, urging Yuan Shao to at least hear the Emperor's decree. However, Yuan Shao, having already secured his own "belt decree" from the Emperor, believed he no longer needed any legitimization from an envoy and ordered Liu Ping's execution to prevent him from disturbing military morale. Liu Ping, unfazed by his impending death, made one final request: that Pan Yang be the one to execute him.
