Story of Yanxi Palace Episode 22 Recap
> Story of Yanxi Palace Recap
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After a palace maid falls to her death from Yanhui Pavilion, Wei Yingluo explains to her fellow maids how she thwarted a plot against the Empress. She had deduced the incident was a setup connected to a recent cosplay trend after observing the victim's elaborate makeup and overhearing whispers about the Empress. Seeing Zhi Lan's eagerness to involve the Empress Dowager confirmed her suspicion that Noble Consort Gao was behind it.
To protect the Empress, Wei Yingluo preemptively framed Noble Consort Gao, claiming the fallen maid was impersonating an opera character using berry and balsam juice for makeup, which her bloody injuries conveniently masked. Wei Yingluo also implicated Noble Lady Shu in the plot. While Ming Yu expresses relief at having evaded the trap, the Empress is deeply disappointed in her attendants, feeling they are too cavalier about the loss of a life.
Upon returning to Chuxiu Palace, Noble Consort Gao discovers imperial servants dismantling her opera stage and burning her beloved opera costumes on the Empress Dowager's orders. Aunt Liu explains the Empress Dowager believes consorts should be virtuous, not "seduce His Majesty" with makeup, and ordered the destruction to stop Gao from corrupting palace morale.
Gao pleads to keep one self-embroidered costume, but Liu refuses, stating that Gao's imitation of opera performers has corrupted palace morale and led to a death, angering the Empress Dowager. She warns that anyone else daring to cosplay will risk "playing with fire." Nalan Chun Xue, having failed in her part of the plot, goes to Chuxiu Palace to seek forgiveness. Rejected by Zhi Lan, she kneels outside for hours.
Meanwhile, Wei Yingluo playfully appeases the Empress, who reveals her anger is directed at herself. She laments that her momentary indulgence in dancing in the Goddess Luo's dress set a bad example, giving Noble Consort Gao an opportunity to act. The Empress takes full responsibility, acknowledging the Empress Dowager was not truly deceived but chose to preserve her dignity. She emphasizes that her duty as Empress to manage the harem is far more important than winning imperial favor.
She thanks Wei Yingluo but reminds her that she is the Empress of Great Qing. Still kneeling, Nalan Chun Xue advises Noble Consort Gao that to defeat an "attack dog" like Wei Yingluo, one must find their weakness. Convinced, Noble Consort Gao has Madam Zhang brought before them. Noble Lady Shu interrogates Madam Zhang, revealing her knowledge of Wei Yingluo’s sister, Wei Ying Ning, whose name Madam Zhang had changed to A'Man to avoid clashing with Noble Consort Gao’s name.
Shu recounts A'Man's expulsion from the palace and subsequent suicide. When Madam Zhang feigns ignorance of any leverage, Shu reveals she knows about Zhang’s young nephew, whose upbringing depends entirely on Zhang's savings. Desperate, Madam Zhang pleads for his safety, and Gao promises to be lenient if she reveals everything she knows. The next day, Wei Yingluo delivers a dress to the Embroidery House and finds Madam Zhang's absence unusual.
When she finds her, Madam Zhang acts evasively and hurries her away, making Yingluo suspicious. Later, Zhi Lan approaches Wei Yingluo, telling her to come to Chuxiu Palace alone at midnight if she wants to know the truth about A'Man's death. Driven to find answers, Wei Yingluo goes to Chuxiu Palace. She reveals she has left a letter with the Empress as a precaution, to be retrieved if she doesn't return within two hours.
Noble Consort Gao then presents a eunuch, Xiao Zhang Zi, who claims to have witnessed Fu Heng assaulting A'Man near the rockery. Wei Yingluo scoffs, correctly guessing they used information from a coerced Madam Zhang to fabricate the story. To counter this, Xiao Zhang Zi produces a court band he claims to have found at the scene. Noble Lady Shu argues that a court band, a personal item of a first-class imperial guard, is damning evidence.
The combination of a witness and physical evidence visibly shakes Wei Yingluo. Noble Lady Shu further alleges that the Empress, to protect her brother, had A'Man expelled and then strangled to silence her. Trembling with rage, Yingluo is taunted for unknowingly serving her sister's murderers. When she demands to know what they want, Noble Consort Gao urges her to poison the Empress for revenge. Overwhelmed by this new "truth," Yingluo accepts the poison.
Later, she recalls Fu Heng’s earnest claim that he has never done anything wrong, and she is torn over who to believe. The next day, Fu Heng arrives at Changchun Palace, and Yingluo is noticeably cool towards him. While preparing tea, she impresses a junior maid with her detailed knowledge of the royal family's tea preferences, which she learned by observing their used teacups.
After sending the other maid away, Yingluo subtly adds the poison to the teapot meant for the Empress and Fu Heng. Consort Chun arrives and, as she leaves, notices Noble Consort Gao's unique, exclusive perfume on Wei Yingluo. Immediately suspicious, she deduces Yingluo must have spent a significant amount of time at Chuxiu Palace.
She stops Fu Heng from drinking the tea and reveals that she had her maid search Wei Yingluo's room, where an empty pouch that had contained a deadly poison was found. She declares that the tea was poisoned and would have been instantly fatal. Devastated, Fu Heng turns to Wei Yingluo and, ignoring all others, asks her to tell him herself if she truly intended to kill him.
