Story of Yanxi Palace Episode 26 Recap
> Story of Yanxi Palace Recap
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Ming Yu angrily confronted Wei Yingluo, believing she had used cunning means to win Fu Heng's affection. Amused by Ming Yu's blunt but harmless nature, Yingluo did not take offense. Instead, she noticed Ming Yu’s injured hand and used massage techniques learned from Physician Ye to treat it, a gesture that deeply touched Ming Yu. Realizing Fu Heng would not have chosen her even without Yingluo, Ming Yu decided to give up on him.
Unbeknownst to them, Er Qing, who also harbored feelings for Fu Heng, overheard their conversation. Hearing this only deepened her own heartbreak and intensified her resentment towards Wei Yingluo. Fu Heng directly approached the Empress to confess his desire to marry Wei Yingluo. The Empress initially assumed he meant to take Yingluo as a concubine, a position she felt Yingluo's strong character would never accept.
However, Fu Heng clarified that he intended to marry Wei Yingluo as his primary wife, unwilling to slight her in any way. He was resolute, declaring he would marry no one else, even if it meant remaining single for life. The Empress was aghast, as the distinguished Fuca family would never accept a palace maid from the Imperial Household Department. Seeing his unwavering devotion, she sighed and reluctantly agreed to help persuade his parents.
Nearby, Er Qing listened with a crestfallen expression. Fu Heng later sought out Wei Yingluo, deliberately mentioning the Qixi Festival and hinting at its romantic significance, but Yingluo feigned ignorance. Meanwhile, Er Qing visited Ming Yu, hoping to instigate her against Yingluo. However, Ming Yu had already moved on, admitting that Fu Heng would not have liked her regardless. Er Qing then lamented her own fate, contrasting Yingluo’s fortune in marrying into the prestigious Fuca family with her own.
Ming Yu pointed out Er Qing's noble background, but Er Qing felt her family's status was inferior to the Fuca's Eight Banners heritage. Impulsively, Ming Yu remarked that if Er Qing gained the Emperor's favor and became a consort, her entire family could be promoted to a higher banner, planting a dangerous idea in Er Qing's mind. After feeling unwell, the Empress was discovered to be pregnant.
The Emperor, who cherished her deeply, was overjoyed by the news, bringing great honor to the Changchun Palace. When Consort Xian came to offer congratulations, Noble Consort Gao pointedly remarked that one should distinguish between true and false kindness. During her visit, Consort Xian encountered the physician who was meant to treat her late brother and learned that the physician had been recalled, delaying crucial treatment. This aroused her suspicion.
Later, the Empress confessed to Consort Chun her lingering guilt over the incident. She explained that she had recalled the physician, deeming it improper to secretly treat a prisoner and fearing accusations of currying favor, and sent gold instead. Consort Xian, who arrived just in time to hear the Empress's confession but not the full context, misinterpreted her words as hypocrisy. She came to believe the Empress had deliberately engineered the situation to appear benevolent while causing her family’s ruin.
In truth, Consort Xian did not hear that it was Consort Chun who had strongly advised the Empress to withdraw the physician, causing her to direct her hatred toward the wrong person. The Emperor, noticing Fu Heng's frequent visits to the Changchun Palace, suspected he had a crush there, which Hailan Cha confirmed without revealing a name. Fu Heng, meanwhile, was annoyed by Yingluo's feigned ignorance of his romantic overtures.
Seeing his frustration, Yingluo produced a perfume pouch she had embroidered for him. Fu Heng's mood brightened instantly, and he declared she was his beloved, vowing to wait patiently until she was ready to open her heart to him. The Emperor summoned Fu Heng to ask his opinion on Lai Bao, Er Qing's grandfather. Unaware of the Emperor's true intentions, Fu Heng defended Lai Bao's competence.
The Emperor misinterpreted this as a sign of personal interest and, assuming Fu Heng was in love with Er Qing, offered to promote her entire family to a higher banner. Horrified by the misunderstanding, Fu Heng firmly declared his love for Wei Yingluo. Enraged, the Emperor's disdain for Yingluo grew, convinced she was a vain and audacious woman who had seduced his brother-in-law. He vehemently refused to permit their marriage. Haunted by Ming Yu's words, Er Qing devised a plan.
She deliberately spilled tea on the Emperor, intending to seduce him while helping him change his robes. However, the Emperor rejected her offer and demanded that Li Yu or Wei Yingluo attend to him. A disappointed Er Qing could only watch as Yingluo was summoned. The Emperor ordered her to help him change, then angrily grabbed her hand, forbidding her relationship with Fu Heng.
When Yingluo questioned his constant animosity, the Emperor called her hateful and propositioned her, stating that if she truly wished to climb the social ladder, he could give her everything she desired. Unintimidated, Yingluo flatly refused him. Meanwhile, to further her own agenda of separating Yingluo and Fu Heng, Er Qing suggested to the Empress that she should recommend Yingluo to the Emperor, framing it as a way to secure the Empress's own favor with a loyal ally.
