Secret of Three Kingdoms Episode 30 Recap
> Secret of Three Kingdoms Recap
Empress Fu Shou arrived at the military camp to meet Tang Ying, and seizing an opportunity, Tang Ying incapacitated their guards. As Fu Shou prepared for their escape, Pan Yang entered, challenging Tang Ying's loyalty to the "incompetent" Han Imperial Family. Tang Ying, however, declared she no longer cared about such matters, implicitly referencing Sima Yi as her reason.
Pan Yang, recognizing her change of heart, allowed them to proceed but warned Fu Shou that Tang Ying had been poisoned by Yuan Shao, and leaving the camp would lead to her death. Later that evening, Liu Ping, disguised as a soldier, attempted to sneak out of the camp. Fu Shou intercepted him, explaining that they couldn't leave because Tang Ying, poisoned by Yuan Shao, couldn't be moved.
Liu Ping immediately abandoned the escape plan, deciding instead to rescue Tang Ying. Soon after, Yuan Shao encountered Liu Ping and Fu Shou, making a sarcastic remark about their late-night excursion before inviting them to an observation area to witness the battle, to which Liu Ping agreed, noting that "the world will overturn tonight." Meanwhile, Ren Hongchang, in elaborate attire, met with Mister Fei.
She declared her unwavering resolve to kill Cao Cao to avenge Lu Bu, forging an alliance with Mister Fei. Ren Hongchang informed him that she had delivered their message but couldn't guarantee Guo Jia's arrival. Mister Fei, confident in Guo Jia's attachment to Ren Hongchang, assured her he would come.
He then dramatically stated his intention for "the most beautiful face and the ugliest face in this world" (referring to Ren Hongchang and himself) to send both Cao Cao and Guo Jia to their deaths that very night. At another location, Sima Yi and Cao Pi arrived to meet Yang Xiu and Zhang Xiu.
Yang Xiu, confidently predicting Cao Cao's downfall due to a supposed trap involving Xu You, referred to Cao Pi as "a gift we are giving Yuan Shao." Furious, Cao Pi confronted them, demanding to know the truth behind the Wancheng incident before his impending death. Yang Xiu encouraged Zhang Xiu to reveal the long-held secret.
Zhang Xiu, admitting his own confusion, explained that Jia Xu had introduced a man named Wei Wen, who instigated the Wancheng mutiny, targeting Cao Ang while ensuring Cao Cao and Cao Pi's escape. Cao Pi questioned Wei Wen's motive, and Yang Xiu revealed that "Wei Wen" was a scorpion from Kaiyang County, Lady Bian's birthplace.
He explained that Cao Pi's mother, Lady Bian, had conspired with Yuan Shao to eliminate Cao Ang, the primary heir, and estrange Madam Ding from Cao Cao, thereby securing her own sons' succession. Cao Pi was distraught by the revelation, and Sima Yi suggested that Cao Cao, despite knowing the truth, had likely directed his hidden resentment towards Cao Pi.
On a mountain, Yuan Shao proudly showed Liu Ping and Fu Shou the Wuchao battleground, claiming that a fire there would signal Cao Cao's defeat and solidify his own dominance. He praised Liu Ping's abilities but subtly implied Liu Ping was "born at the wrong time," further asserting that after eliminating Cao Cao, the Han Emperor's title would be superfluous. Liu Ping, calm, simply noted that such a situation felt familiar, reminiscent of past failures of feudal lords.
Soon after, news arrived that Wuchao was indeed on fire, which Yuan Shao mistakenly celebrated as his victory. Seizing an opportune moment, Sima Yi released Cao Pi, urging him to seek out his father and atone for his mother's actions. Yang Xiu vehemently protested Sima Yi's betrayal. Shortly thereafter, Sima Yi noticed a massive fire in the direction of Yangwu, immediately realizing it was Yuan Shao's true grain storage.
He informed Yang Xiu that Cao Cao had targeted Yangwu, not Wuchao. Yang Xiu, realizing he had been deceived, accused Sima Yi and Liu Ping of collusion. Zhang Xiu, fearing repercussions from Cao Pi, was advised by Sima Yi to join him in rescuing Cao Pi, Liu Ping, and Fu Shou, promising that capturing Yuan Shao could earn Cao Cao's gratitude and save his own life.
After much deliberation, Zhang Xiu reluctantly agreed, leaving a furious Yang Xiu to vow that he would watch their downfall and Cao Cao's eventual overthrow of the Han Dynasty. As the fire at Yangwu raged, Yuan Shao received dire reports: Cao Cao's forces had burned his grain supplies, and General Zhang He had surrendered. Yuan Shao, now realizing Liu Ping's role in his defeat, accused him of using Xu You.
Liu Ping calmly replied that the Han Imperial Family had abandoned Yuan Shao, not the other way around. Fu Shou then offered Yuan Shao a chance to save himself by handing over Tang Ying's antidote. Yuan Shao, however, hysterically claimed the antidote was with Mister Fei, who was now dead in the Wuchao fire, wishing Tang Ying to die with him.
He ordered Liu Ping and Fu Shou's arrest, but his own generals, swayed by Liu Ping's foresight and the shifting tide of war, turned against him. A bewildered Yuan Shao demanded to know why Liu Ping had chosen Cao Cao, to which Liu Ping responded that he chose the people, not a victorious family. With continuous reports of Cao Cao's overwhelming success, Yuan Shao finally accepted his complete defeat.
Meanwhile, Tang Ying, having prepared herself, was greeted by Sima Yi, who declared he had come to bring his bride home. She agreed, and he spoke of a peaceful future for them in Wenxian after Liu Ping safely descended the mountain, teasing her about his persistence. Tang Ying, however, despite her desire to return with him, expressed a somber acceptance of potentially having only "one day" with him, hinting at her hidden illness.
As Sima Yi kissed her, she suddenly collapsed, poisoned. Concurrently, at Wuchao, Ren Hongchang, seeing that Cao Cao and Guo Jia did not fall for the trap, angrily confronted Mister Fei. Mister Fei calmly revealed his true, singular motive: to lure and kill Guo Jia, believing Guo Jia's death would inevitably lead to Cao Cao's downfall. Just then, Guo Jia arrived, as Mister Fei had predicted, having come out of concern for Ren Hongchang.
Fu Shou, finding a distraught Sima Yi with the unconscious Tang Ying, explained that Tang Ying had been poisoned by Yuan Shao with Mister Fei's slow-acting concoction. She reassured Sima Yi, telling him that Liu Ping had gone to Wuchao to retrieve the antidote and urging him to trust Liu Ping. Guo Jia then confronted Mister Fei.
He told Ren Hongchang that he had always been aware of her vendetta but wished for her to abandon her hatred, urging her to live a different life. Just as Ren Hongchang seemed moved and ready to leave, Mister Fei interrupted, provocatively mentioning Guo Jia's junior, Hua Dan. Guo Jia reacted with fury, but Mister Fei continued to taunt him, inciting him to violence, and then revealed the tragic truth.
Mister Fei, who also loved Hua Dan but was unrequited, confessed that he had drugged Guo Jia, leading him to sexually assault Hua Dan, who subsequently took her own life out of humiliation. Mister Fei recounted the horrific details with sadistic pleasure, describing how he witnessed Guo Jia's "beastly" act. As Guo Jia was overcome with rage, Mister Fei triumphantly declared that Guo Jia had "lost control."
Mister Fei then revealed his ultimate plan: he had been poisoning himself for five years, making his blood a potent toxin, specifically to ensure that if Guo Jia killed him, Guo Jia would also die. Mister Fei died, relishing his revenge, and Guo Jia, poisoned, also collapsed, calling out his name in despair as Ren Hongchang watched helplessly.
