Story of Yanxi Palace Episode 25 Recap
> Story of Yanxi Palace Recap
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Consort Dowager Yu pleaded with the Empress Dowager to intercede for Hong Zhou, but the Empress Dowager expressed her inability to help, citing the public scrutiny, widespread rumors, and pressure from the imperial clan, which had put even the Emperor in a difficult position. Meanwhile, the Emperor was struggling with how to punish Hong Zhou.
Supervisor Li suggested secretly disposing of Wei Yingluo and shelving the case for a few years until the scandal died down, effectively erasing Hong Zhou's transgression. The Emperor, however, furiously rejected the idea, declaring that Wei Yingluo was the victim and that such an unjust act was unbecoming of a wise ruler.
Consort Dowager Yu then sought out Wei Yingluo herself, apologizing on Hong Zhou's behalf and begging her to spare him, even offering to take his place in facing any consequence. Wei Yingluo remained unmoved, stating that while any mistake could be forgiven, a human life could not be repaid. She would only forgive Hong Zhou if her sister, A-Man, were brought back to life. Later, Wei Yingluo went to find Physician Ye, only to discover him bound and gagged.
Before she could react, eunuchs ambushed her from behind with ropes. As she struggled for her life, she was reminded of how her sister, Yingning, had been murdered in the same way. A powerful will to survive gave her the strength to break free. Fu Heng arrived just in time to dispatch the attackers. He admonished Wei Yingluo, telling her that this near-fatal encounter was the direct result of her insistence on revenge and warned her against further reckless actions.
Wei Yingluo initially suspected the Emperor wanted to silence her, but Fu Heng argued that if the Emperor truly wanted her dead, he would issue a direct order, not resort to a clumsy, secret attack. With this realization, Wei Yingluo understood that Consort Dowager Yu was the one who had tried to have her killed.
Having failed to sway either the Empress Dowager or Wei Yingluo, Consort Dowager Yu sent the Emperor lotus pastries, a snack the Empress Dowager had once mentioned was his childhood favorite. The sight of the pastries triggered a memory for the Emperor: as a child, his ambitious Third Brother had offered him the same treat, which was secretly poisoned. A mischievous Hong Zhou had snatched and eaten the pastry instead, nearly dying but unknowingly saving the future Emperor's life.
The Emperor knew Consort Dowager Yu was leveraging this debt. In retaliation, Wei Yingluo sent Consort Dowager Yu a box containing the severed hand of one of the eunuchs who had attacked her, terrifying the consort dowager and her maids. During a heatwave, the Empress craved watermelon juice, but Wei Yingluo, strictly following Physician Ye's orders, refused to serve it, explaining its cold nature would be detrimental to the Empress's health. As the Empress chided her, the Emperor arrived.
The Empress proudly showed him Wei Yingluo's invention, an "ice box" for keeping fruits and drinks cool. The Emperor then used the opportunity to inform the Empress of his decision regarding Hong Zhou: physicians had determined he was gravely ill and needed quiet recuperation, so any punishment would be deferred until his recovery. Deeply disappointed by the Emperor's leniency, Wei Yingluo harbored a grudge.
While Ming Yu prepared the Emperor's usual summer snack, Wei Yingluo secretly added extra iced grapes to his bowl, knowing that consuming them with hot tea would cause severe diarrhea. As planned, after eating the grapes and drinking tea back at the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the Emperor suffered intense stomach pains and made frequent trips to the commode. His eunuchs frantically summoned the imperial physicians. At the Imperial Hospital, Supervisor Li arrived to fetch Physician Ye.
Wei Yingluo intercepted them, feigning curiosity about heat-reducing remedies. She subtly mentioned the combination of iced grapes and hot tea could cause stomach upset, a conversation deliberately staged for Physician Ye to overhear. He immediately understood the cause of the Emperor's ailment but missed Wei Yingluo's hidden smirk.
Hitting a dead end with the Emperor, a desperate Consort Dowager Yu again pleaded with the Empress Dowager, who had grown weary of the matter and was now indifferent to Hong Zhou's fate. Realizing her pleas were useless, Consort Dowager Yu's demeanor hardened. Blaming Wei Yingluo for everything, she sent her maid to "borrow" Wei Yingluo from Changchun Palace. The Empress, recognizing the ill intent but unable to refuse a reasonable request, could only warn Wei Yingluo to be careful.
Upon entering Consort Dowager Yu's chambers, Wei Yingluo was immediately restrained. The consort dowager confronted her about the severed hand, and Wei Yingluo boldly replied that she was simply returning the "gift" that had been sent to her. She then laid out her deduction: Consort Dowager Yu had ordered Yingning's murder to cover up Hong Zhou's scandal.
Dropping her benevolent facade, Consort Dowager Yu confessed to the murder, calling Yingning a "wretch" who deserved to die for trying to seduce Hong Zhou. Wei Yingluo shot back that Hong Zhou was the predator. Consort Dowager Yu then threatened Wei Yingluo, acknowledging she couldn't harm her directly due to the Empress's protection but warning that she could easily destroy Wei Yingluo's family, specifically her father, Wei Qingtai.
She ordered Wei Yingluo to behave, or her entire clan would be annihilated along with her. A heavy-hearted Wei Yingluo returned to Changchun Palace to find Ming Yu and the other maids playing a game called "Beseeching Skills" for the Double Seventh Festival. Preoccupied by Consort Dowager Yu's threats, Wei Yingluo couldn't focus and repeatedly failed the simple game of floating a needle on water.
Unwilling to accept defeat, she became obsessed, practicing tirelessly from day to sunset, treating the game as a battle against her powerlessness. She seethed with anger, questioning a world where the powerful escaped justice. The Empress, observing Wei Yingluo consumed by hatred, gently advised her to be patient and wait for the right moment to seek revenge, a time when she would be powerful enough to succeed.
Meanwhile, Ming Yu, who secretly admired Fu Heng, delivered a perfume pouch she had embroidered to him. Hailan Cha saw it and assumed it was a gift from Wei Yingluo. Fu Heng, however, knew the clumsy embroidery wasn't Wei Yingluo's skillful work. Hailan Cha cheekily snatched the pouch for himself. Later, Ming Yu saw Hailan Cha wearing her pouch and, realizing Fu Heng had rejected her gift, furiously confronted him.
In the ensuing struggle to get it back, she injured her wrist. Overwhelmed by jealousy and heartbreak, Ming Yu stormed off and confronted Wei Yingluo, accusing her of shamelessly seducing Fu Heng.
