Secret of Three Kingdoms Episode 48 Recap
> Secret of Three Kingdoms Recap
Empress Fu Shou confronted General Cao Ren, who had led his soldiers into the palace late at night, claiming to be in pursuit of an assassin who had fled into the royal quarters after attempting to assassinate Chancellor Cao. Fu Shou accused Cao Ren of rebellion for entering the palace without an imperial decree and disturbing the Emperor and Empress.
Cao Ren, however, declared that everyone knew who the assassin was, and he only wished to meet the Princess Consort of Hongnong. Fu Shou insisted that Princess Consort Tang Ying had been with her all day and had not left the palace, making it impossible for her to be the assassin. She cited palace gate records, but Cao Ren dismissed them as easily fabricated, stating he only believed what he saw.
He claimed the assassin had been stabbed and that Princess Consort Tang Ying could prove her innocence by showing herself. As the confrontation escalated, Tang Ying herself appeared, stating she had heard General Cao specifically wanted to see her. Fu Shou tried to assure Cao Ren that Tang Ying was uninjured and that he should retreat. However, Cao Ren suspected she had merely changed clothes and demanded that Tang Ying remove her garments for inspection.
Fu Shou was outraged, accusing Cao Ren of publicly humiliating the Princess Consort. Cao Ren retorted that if Tang Ying was innocent, he would willingly die for his mistake. Tang Ying, a widow, questioned his intent to insult her in front of so many people. When Cao Ren offered to inspect her quarters if she was too embarrassed to undress in public, Fu Shou threatened to arrest him as a rebel if he uttered another "filthy word."
Cao Ren challenged her authority, asking who the real rebel was. Liu Ping then arrived, warning Cao Ren to stop. Defiantly, Cao Ren declared he would not touch the Princess Consort's body, but would use his sword instead. He then slashed Tang Ying's clothes. Liu Ping commanded Cao Ren to put down his sword and ordered his seizure.
Before anyone could act, Tang Ying, stating she had been publicly insulted and molested by General Cao Ren, declared that for the reputation of Great Han, death was her only option. She then drew her own sword and tragically took her life. Liu Ping cried out in despair. Xun Yu subsequently imprisoned Cao Ren in the Xudu Guards Office for forcing Princess Consort Tang Ying to commit suicide.
Meanwhile, Sima Yi, in his prison cell, dreamt of Tang Ying in a wedding dress, leaving him. He woke up startled, feeling deeply uneasy. He then overheard prison guards discussing how General Cao had gone to capture an assassin, entered the palace late at night, and forced Princess Consort Tang Ying to commit suicide. Realizing Tang Ying had sacrificed herself to save him, Sima Yi broke down in tears.
Fu Shou collected Tang Ying's body, blaming herself for not being able to stop her. Liu Ping consoled her, explaining that Tang Ying had pre-arranged everything and he had arrived a step too late. Fu Shou noted that Supreme Commander Yang Biao acted for the Han Dynasty and Liu Ping, but Tang Ying had acted for Sima Yi.
Hearing this, Liu Ping expressed his profound shame, feeling he could no longer face Sima Yi, and urged Fu Shou that Tang Ying's sacrifice must not be in vain. Separately, Cao Cao ordered doctors to ensure Cao Pi's full recovery. As he waited, Xun Yu arrived, informing him that General Cao Ren had pursued the assassin, pressured the palace, offended the Empress, insulted Princess Consort Tang Ying, and tragically caused her to commit suicide on the spot.
Xun Yu described the scene as horrifying, with Cao Ren surrounding the Empress and forcefully attempting to examine Tang Ying's body before she tragically slashed herself in front of everyone. He explained he had no choice but to arrest Cao Ren and imprison him in the Xudu Guards Office, awaiting Cao Cao's decision.
Cao Cao, though acknowledging that Xun Yu knew who the true assassin was, called Tang Ying an "amazing woman" who used her life to orchestrate such a grand scheme. He lamented that one of his sons had been "bewitched" and another gravely injured because of Liu Ping. Xun Yu, without explicitly naming the assassin, emphasized that while no one could definitively identify the assassin, everyone witnessed Cao Ren's aggressive actions in the palace and his role in Tang Ying's death.
He warned that if Cao Ren was not immediately arrested, officials would surround Cao Cao by the next day, urging Cao Cao to make plans quickly. Cao Cao, realizing that arresting Cao Ren wouldn't deter the officials, pondered Liu Ping's long-accumulated strength and his readiness to use such a "fierce wind and heavy shower" (a tumultuous event).
He was also informed that Sima Lang and his sons had received a tip-off and escaped, which Cao Cao attributed to the Emperor's cleverness in making it impossible to quickly gather enough evidence against him. Cao Cao declined to send more men to capture the Sima family. Liu Ping, enraged, intended to hold court, but Man Chong informed him that Cao Cao had decreed a three-day suspension of court meetings and requested Liu Ping return to his palace.
Ignoring the request, Liu Ping rang the great bell, summoning all officials to court. He addressed the assembly about General Cao Ren's public humiliation of Princess Consort Tang Ying, leading to her suicide, stating that such an atrocious act was unforgivable. Fu Wan led the officials in demanding that Cao Ren be punished for rebellion. Liu Ping turned to Xun Yu for his opinion, who could only state that the Secretariat Office would handle the matter justly.
Cao Cao, still pondering the situation, went to confront Liu Ping. He was stopped at the palace gates, and in frustration, threw his sword away. Cao Cao accused Liu Ping of hypocritical benevolence, claiming he used Tang Ying's life as bait to conceal his true identity. Liu Ping, filled with remorse, declared that if he could bring Tang Ying back to life, he would willingly give up his emperorship.
He then questioned Cao Cao, asking who dared to give Cao Ren the audacity to publicly insult a Princess Consort and cut her dress with a sword, leading her to commit suicide and disregarding the Emperor. Cao Cao countered, asking if Liu Ping was threatening him. Liu Ping denied it, instead asking Cao Cao to consult his own heart.
He recounted Cao Cao's words from the previous night and confessed that he had never doubted Cao Cao's true intentions, even as others might suspect him of usurping the throne. However, Liu Ping lamented that Cao Cao still refused to accept his identity despite numerous testimonies and Libationer Guo's final letter, and insisted on executing the Sima father and sons. He challenged Cao Cao to question whether his persistent pressure was for public interest or private desire.
Liu Ping then proposed a trade: if Cao Cao released Sima Yi, he would release Cao Ren. Cao Cao dismissed this as a deal where Liu Ping still profited, exchanging Cao Ren's life for the entire Sima clan. Liu Ping earnestly reaffirmed his unchanging desire to support Cao Cao, despite almost dying by someone's sword the previous night (an attempt he clarified was not by his order).
He spoke of their shared dream of pacifying the world and uniting the empire, arguing that it could not be achieved by either Cao Cao or the Han Dynasty alone, and continued fighting would leave both battered. Liu Ping asked if Cao Cao still wanted to work with him.
He proposed a fair partnership: if Cao Cao's original intention remained true and he still desired this grand undertaking, then he should withdraw from Xudu, as Liu Ping would no longer be his puppet. Cao Cao watched over Cao Pi, who was finally awake. He expressed genuine concern, asking about his chest pain and whether he needed a doctor, a stark contrast to his usual cold demeanor.
Cao Pi, emotional from his father's rare display of affection, wept tears of joy, feeling his efforts had finally earned his father's favor. Cao Cao asked about the assassin. Cao Pi confirmed it was a man with superb sword technique, definitely not Princess Consort Tang. Cao Cao regretted that if Cao Pi had woken up earlier, things would not have come to this, lamenting that Sima Lang and his sons had escaped from Wenxian after being tipped off.
He then revealed that he had ordered Sima Yi's release and decided to move his office to Yecheng. He appointed Cao Pi as Heir Apparent, entrusting him with the crucial task of assisting with the relocation, stating that among his sons, only Cao Pi was capable of such an important responsibility. Cao Pi, looking at the Chancellor's order naming him Heir Apparent and instructing him to assist with the move to Yecheng, was overcome with emotion and wept.
Liu Ping went to the prison to release Sima Yi. Sima Yi immediately asked about Tang Ying, and though he had likely heard rumors, he still hoped it wasn't true. Liu Ping could only explain that Tang Ying had been forced to confess and humiliated by Cao Ren, leading to her suicide. Both men understood the deeper truth behind her actions. Sima Yi went to see Tang Ying's body one last time.
Overcome with grief, he cried bitterly, staring at her deceased form. Liu Ping approached him, apologizing for not being able to protect her and pulling at Sima Yi's sleeve in an attempt to comfort him. However, Sima Yi, consumed by pain, blamed Liu Ping for everything and dramatically severed their bond. Heartbroken, Liu Ping offered his own life for Sima Yi's forgiveness, begging only that Sima Yi would still recognize him as a brother after his death.
He grasped Sima Yi's sword until his hands bled, but Sima Yi remained resolute, stating it was "too late" and that if their paths were different, they should not make plans together. He acknowledged that if they had known this day would come, they wouldn't have bothered with all their past endeavors.
As Sima Yi prepared to leave, Cao Pi arrived and offered Sima Yi an apology, assuring him that Tang Ying's death was not his intention, but rather "the benevolence of His Majesty" (Liu Ping). Cao Pi reminded Sima Yi of his past promise to make him a high official whose name would be remembered forever if he could save his father and brothers.
He invited Sima Yi to build an "eternal grand undertaking" together, for their names to be admired by future generations, stating that his promise had never changed and it was "not yet too late." This time, Sima Yi did not refuse. He acknowledged Cao Pi as his master and left with him.
