Secret of Three Kingdoms Episode 33 Recap
> Secret of Three Kingdoms Recap
Liu Ping and Fu Shou settled into Madam Yuan's former room. Fu Shou asked Liu Ping what he was laughing about, to which he replied that he was amused remembering how they had to go through great lengths, even involving her playing the zither, just to sneak into this very room for a stamp, and now they were living in it. Fu Shou pondered the cruel changes in dynasties and personnel, wondering who would occupy their palace in the future.
Liu Ping reassured her that as long as they were together, their dwelling place didn't matter. He noticed she was wearing the hairpin he had given her, confirming she was no longer upset with him. Fu Shou then playfully admitted she was wrong about Yuan Shao, prompting Liu Ping to quip that he wanted her to write it down as evidence, as it was a rare confession from her.
She teased him for learning to sweet-talk like Sima Yi, but Liu Ping insisted she had chosen him and must accept both the good and the bad. Fu Shou admitted she had missed him greatly, despite his preoccupation with manipulating the battle to save lives. Liu Ping responded that what's concealed in one's heart cannot be forgotten. Cao Pi invited Wang Yue to accompany him back to the capital, Xudu, promising to avenge him there.
Wang Yue expressed surprise, asking if Cao Pi was no longer afraid of exposing their relationship. Cao Pi dismissed his fear, explaining that he had realized his past efforts to gain his father's approval were futile. He declared that he must achieve his own accomplishments to redeem his sins, believing that only by transforming sins into power could he truly cleanse them.
Wang Yue, sensing Cao Pi's murderous intent, challenged him to master his sword technique if he truly wished to kill him. Despite his ambition, Cao Pi was still defeated by Wang Yue. As they rode in a carriage, Fu Shou expressed her anger over Cao Cao's ceremonial parade, which was even more extravagant than the Emperor's, highlighting his obvious ambition and comparing him to Yuan Shao.
Liu Ping gently clarified that his assistance to Cao Cao was not for such displays. Jia Xu and Guo Jia conversed about Liu Ping, with Jia Xu expressing satisfaction over the Emperor's transformation, noting that he had known Liu Ping much longer than Guo Jia.
Guo Jia then inquired about Jia Xu's previous mention of a "world-shattering deception," but Jia Xu merely smiled, stating it held no meaning now, and that some secrets were best buried with time and people, adding that the future was for Liu Ping to write. Meanwhile, Liu Ping traveled by carriage and witnessed a gruesome sight: corpses strewn across the battlefields.
He recognized one of the dead soldiers as the young boy Cao Pi had sent to join Cao Cao's army. Overwhelmed with guilt, Liu Ping lamented that despite all his efforts, he couldn't save the common people. He recalled the boy's hopes of gaining military achievements to protect his family. Fu Shou tried to comfort him, reminding him that he had already done so much and that changing a massive, chaotic world overnight was impossible.
She emphasized that the devastation was not his fault, and questioned if he could even distinguish between fallen soldiers of Yuan Shao or Cao Cao, friend or foe. However, Liu Ping remained convinced that the decline of the Han Dynasty and the suffering of the displaced populace were his personal failures. He vowed not to give up his mission to bring peace to the kingdom, despite the immense suffering he witnessed.
At the same time, Cao Pi also saw the boy's body and clenched his fists, reflecting his own inner turmoil. Cao Cao, Liu Ping, and the army returned triumphantly to the capital. Madam Cao met Cao Cao and confirmed that Emperor Liu Ping and Empress Fu Shou had indeed stayed in their residence. She told Cao Cao that the Emperor was not the unruly and sullen person he had described, but rather amiable, and had even saved Cao Pi.
Cao Cao expressed his surprise, admitting that the Emperor's drastic transformation had caught him off guard. Madam Cao then excused herself as Man Chong was seeking an audience with Cao Cao. Man Chong presented the requested dossiers concerning Dong Cheng's rebellion and Sima Yi's activities in Xudu. Reviewing the documents, Cao Cao reflected on his two-year absence on his Eastern Mountains expedition, lamenting the dramatic changes that had occurred in the capital during that time.
Sima Yi returned to the Sima family mansion in Wenxian, bringing Tang Ying with him. His elder brother, Sima Lang, warmly welcomed him home, noting their father's daily misses. Sima Yi then introduced Tang Ying to his father, Sima Fang, declaring her to be his wife and asserting that she would not be leaving this time. Sima Fang, recognizing her as the former Princess Consort, was enraged, accusing Sima Yi of abducting her and bringing calamity upon their clan.
He warned of dire consequences if Cao Cao discovered Sima Yi had taken a princess consort. Sima Yi argued that he had already resolved her identity with Guo Jia's agreement, and with her status as Princess Consort nullified, she was simply Tang Ying. He assured his father that as long as Sima Fang and Sima Lang kept her true identity a secret in Wenxian, no one would know her past. Tang Ying, witnessing Sima Fang's fury, knelt before him.
She explained that her return with Sima Yi was mutual and voluntary, driven by a desire for a peaceful life after enduring much hardship, similar to Sima Fang's own past decision to retire from court to protect his family. She emphasized that her previous identities had been shed, and both Emperor Liu Ping and Sima Yi had sacrificed much for her freedom. She pledged to bear any future troubles alongside Sima Yi and protect the Sima family.
Sima Yi further persuaded his father, reiterating that Guo Jia had sanctioned Tang Ying's departure from the imperial palace. Seeing their resolve and Tang Ying's plea, Sima Fang begrudgingly gave his implicit consent. Just then, Sima Lang announced that neighbors had come to visit upon hearing Sima Yi brought a wife home, but Sima Fang quickly ordered the doors closed, preventing anyone from seeing Tang Ying, displaying his lingering caution despite his reluctant acceptance.
Sima Yi, in turn, confidently assured his father that he would not cower. Cui Yan met with Liu Ping, apologizing for not having had a chance to speak during the return journey with Cao Cao's army. Cui Yan expressed his deep sadness over the decline of the Han Dynasty and confirmed he was unwilling to accept Cao Cao's invitation to become a "Biejia" in his Command Office.
He declared that his loyalty was to the Han Dynasty and Liu Ping, and if not for his admiration for the Emperor, he would have preferred to die for loyalty like Shen Pei, rather than suffer the ignominy of serving two masters. He even offered to resign and return to his home province if he couldn't serve the Han Dynasty directly. Liu Ping, however, urged Cui Yan to join Cao Cao's Command Office.
He presented three reasons: first, to protect the newly recovered Hebei region and its citizens, who needed someone familiar with their situation to help them recuperate; second, because serving the Han Dynasty directly would grant Cui Yan no real power, while serving under Cao Cao would allow him to exercise his abilities more effectively; and third, as Liu Ping was surrounded by Cao Cao's spies and unable to protect scholars like Liu Yi and Lu Yu in Xudu, he needed Cui Yan to be his "spy" within Cao Cao's administration, protecting scholars on his behalf.
Liu Ping acknowledged the hardship he was imposing on Cui Yan, a man of upright character, but earnestly pleaded for his help. Cui Yan, recognizing Liu Ping's sage heart and the current precarious state of the Han Dynasty, akin to a submerged dragon awaiting its moment, pledged his willingness to endure any ordeal for the Han Dynasty, dismissing any notion of grievance. Liu Ping then deeply bowed in gratitude, a gesture that prompted Cui Yan's acceptance.
Separately, Cao Cao, reflecting on the situation, remarked that with such a dedicated subject, the Han Dynasty still held hope. Later, Guo Jia sought an audience with Cao Cao, who had recovered from his illness. Cao Cao, having reviewed the Xudu Guards' records, noted the significant activities of the Han Dynasty in his and Guo Jia's absence.
While Guo Jia attempted to reassure him that everything was still under his control, Cao Cao expressed his deep concern over the extensive connections between the Sima family and the Emperor, which went beyond his expectations. He initially believed only Sima Yi had been recruited but now suspected the entire Sima family was involved. Displeased with his old friend Sima Fang's covert assistance to the Han Imperial Family, Cao Cao decided to give the Sima family one last chance.
He instructed Guo Jia to go to Sima Yi's house in Wenxian and ask him a single, pointed question: "Where is Yang Ping?" In a village cottage, Lü Ji spoke with Ren Hongchang about Guo Jia. Lü Ji admitted she had put aside her grudges after seeing the children live without worries and encouraged Ren Hongchang, who had wandered for half her life, to also release her hatred and embrace happiness with Guo Jia.
Ren Hongchang, however, confessed to feeling very exhausted. Just then, Guo Jia arrived. After some banter about Cao Cao and his own priorities of gaining beauty over the world, Guo Jia told Ren Hongchang that he had sent a letter to the Sima family in Wenxian before coming. He asked her to deliver a message to Liu Ping consisting of four words: "Where is Yang Ping?"
Meanwhile, Sima Yi presented Tang Ying with several vibrant new clothes, unlike anything she had worn before, as her usual attire. He explained that his father, adhering to traditional customs, never allowed women to wear bright fabrics, and her time in the Xiyuan Guards and the palace hadn't offered much choice. He then helped her change, teasing her about their future married life.
Upon seeing her transformed and radiant in the colorful new attire, Sima Yi was delighted, stating he had excellent taste in finding such a beautiful wife. He promised her an even more stunning wedding dress and declared they would hold a grand wedding banquet, one that would "stun eighteen provinces." Tang Ying expressed concern that someone in Wenxian might recognize her former identity as the Princess Consort of Hongnong, given the presence of many political families there.
Sima Yi led her to a mirror, assuring her that the joyful woman reflecting back, with a face like a spring lotus, bore no resemblance to the melancholic Princess Consort Tang of the past. He envisioned an elaborate wedding with esteemed guests, Heaven as their matchmaker, Earth as their witness, and even Liu Ping and Fu Shou as best man and bridesmaid, promising a lifetime of happiness, children, and a more wonderful life than anyone else.
Tang Ying, however, felt her newfound happiness was almost unreal, wondering if she had died and been reincarnated. She made Sima Yi promise that if she were to die, he would live well. Sima Yi dismissed her worries with a lighthearted vow to pursue her even into the underworld for their wedding, with the God of Death as their witness and little ghosts carrying her dowry. In their bedchamber, Liu Ping and Fu Shou finally had a chance to reunite.
Fu Shou commented on the faithful reconstruction of the room, recalling that the former Emperor had lived there, which brought a slight awkwardness to the air. Liu Ping playfully noted that Fu Shou knew he couldn't drink, yet she had prepared wine, implying she wanted to see him embarrassed. Fu Shou then proposed they celebrate Liu Ping's victorious return, raising a toast to his success in winning hearts and promoting the Han Dynasty, and another to Tang Ying's blissful future.
Liu Ping then directly addressed the elephant in the room: the former Emperor. Fu Shou admitted that living in the palace reminded her of him, and she feared that her relationship with Liu Ping would be seen as a betrayal of the former Emperor, leading her to wish to drink herself into oblivion.
She knew that if the Han Dynasty were restored and Liu Ping's true identity revealed, they could no longer be together, and tragically, the more she helped him become a true emperor, the further apart they would grow. She confessed her uncontrollable feelings for him, despite believing she shouldn't.
Liu Ping, in turn, shared his long-held plan: upon the Han Dynasty's revival, he would adopt a royal clan member as Crown Prince, abdicate by faking his death, thus allowing the former Emperor to receive his rightful posthumous recognition. Fu Shou vehemently rejected this, emphasizing that Liu Ping was the sole legitimate royal bloodline.
She then revealed her own dark thought: she had planned to commit suicide upon the Han Dynasty's restoration to prove her chastity for the former Emperor, but now, she no longer wanted to die, feeling like a coward. Liu Ping, deeply moved by her sacrifices for the imperial family, embraced her, promising to find a way for them to be together. The next morning, Ren Hongchang arrived to meet Liu Ping and Fu Shou.
Her first words were a direct question: "Where is Yang Ping?" Startled, Liu Ping and Fu Shou momentarily froze. Ren Hongchang quickly clarified that Guo Jia had asked the question and that Cao Cao had ordered him to deliver it to the Sima family in Wenxian the previous night. Realizing that Cao Cao was testing both the Sima family and his own stance, Liu Ping immediately dispatched a messenger pigeon to Sima Yi.
He then summoned Guo Jia, explaining to Fu Shou that since Guo Jia had chosen to send the message through Ren Hongchang, it indicated he didn't seek an immediate confrontation, but Liu Ping felt it was imperative to test Cao Cao's limits.
