Story of Yanxi Palace Episode 42 Recap
> Story of Yanxi Palace Recap
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Wei Yingluo confronted Ming Yu about the silver needles in her body, prompting Ming Yu to finally reveal the truth. For two years, Noble Consort Chun had outwardly treated Ming Yu exceptionally well, but three days prior, Ming Yu discovered that Wang Zhong, the former supervisor of the Flame Department, was the secret partner of Noble Consort Chun’s maid, Yu Hu.
This was significant because an oversight by eunuchs in the Flame Department had caused the Jixiang jar to freeze, leading to the Seventh Prince's death in a fire, and Wang Zhong had escaped punishment. Fearing exposure, a guilt-ridden Yu Hu immediately reported the discovery to Noble Consort Chun. From that moment, their treatment of Ming Yu changed drastically, and they began coercing her into silence with needles, making Ming Yu realize Noble Consort Chun was behind the Seventh Prince's death.
Wei Yingluo surmised they had not killed Ming Yu immediately because a sudden death would arouse suspicion, but they feared she would reveal their secret and never intended for her to leave Yuanming Garden alive. Ming Yu explained she could not have spoken sooner, as she lacked evidence against the highly-favored consort and feared for her family's safety. Wei Yingluo agreed they could not act recklessly without a guaranteed victory.
Ming Yu warned Wei Yingluo that with the Empress gone, no one would protect her, emphasizing that Noble Consort Chun was now too powerful to challenge heedlessly. Wei Yingluo conceded they needed a powerful backer to avenge the Empress. A flashback revealed Fu Heng's promise to wait for her for a lifetime, no matter how long it took for her to let go of her burdens. With this heavy memory, Wei Yingluo resolved her path forward.
Wei Yingluo sought out Hailancha, who, out of loyalty to Fu Heng, readily agreed to help her with whatever she needed. Later, Wei Yingluo brought food to Yuan Chunwang, an unusual gesture. He reminded her of their promise to stay together forever in Yuanming Garden. Feigning concern about a leaking roof, Wei Yingluo asked him to repair it, a subtle move to ensure he would be occupied while she enacted her plan, leaving him unaware of her true intentions.
During the Empress Dowager's mercy release ceremony, a stunning five-colored bird appeared. Wei Yingluo claimed it was a phoenix, an auspicious sign celebrating the Empress Dowager's benevolence. Noble Consort Chun accused her of deceit and demanded she be punished. The Emperor was dismissive, but Wei Yingluo confidently declared she could provide further proof of Heaven's favor. Despite Noble Consort Chun's protests, the Empress Dowager, intrigued, permitted a second test using the koi in a nearby pond.
At first, the fish seemed to scatter, and Noble Consort Chun demanded punishment. However, to everyone's astonishment, the koi then arranged themselves into the character for "longevity," delighting the Empress Dowager, who believed her years of devotion to Buddha had been rewarded. Overjoyed, the Empress Dowager asked Wei Yingluo what reward she desired. Wei Yingluo requested to return to the Forbidden City and serve the Empress Dowager.
The Emperor immediately refused, but the Empress Dowager insisted on having the clever girl at Shoukang Palace. The Emperor attempted to counter, stating he intended to bestow upon Wei Yingluo the title of Attendant, emphasizing her humble origins, his true intention being to keep her under his watch and away from the Empress Dowager. However, the Empress Dowager felt Attendant was too lowly and instead bestowed upon her the title of Noble Lady.
Leveraging this favor, Wei Yingluo boldly requested that Ming Yu accompany her. Though Noble Consort Chun objected, the Emperor granted the wish, dismissing Ming Yu as "just a palace maid." Yuan Chunwang confronted Wei Yingluo, demanding to know why she had become the Emperor's Noble Lady after promising to stay with him. Wei Yingluo claimed it was an unexpected turn of events, but Yuan Chunwang saw through her facade.
He accurately deduced her strategy: knowing the Emperor was suspicious of her, she earned the Empress Dowager's favor, compelling the Emperor to keep her by his side as the only way to control her. Wei Yingluo admitted her calculation, asserting her desire to escape a life of servitude. Enraged, Yuan Chunwang offered to help her marry anyone but the Emperor and even proposed they escape Yuanming Garden together. Wei Yingluo refused, calling him "crazy."
Heartbroken and betrayed, Yuan Chunwang warned her she would regret this. Consumed by bitterness, he declared, "You were born with everything. I was born with nothing. You have everything, and now you've seized the only thing I have! You betrayed me today. Don't blame me for my retaliation in the future." He then severed their bond, vowing they would go their separate ways.
That evening, the Emperor summoned Noble Lady Wei to serve him at Celestial Changchun Palace, the late Empress's former residence. Wei Yingluo understood his intention was to humiliate her but knew she could not defy a royal decree. After making her wait in the cold for over an hour, during which she calmly ate pastries, the Emperor ordered her to "roll in."
He then revealed his true purpose: to have the late Empress's spirit witness how the woman she once favored had shamelessly betrayed her for wealth and status. As the Emperor goaded her, Wei Yingluo removed her outer robe, revealing white mourning clothes beneath. She declared that she saw the late Empress as her teacher and sister and was observing a twenty-seven-month mourning period. Since the period was not over, she could not serve him, even under his command.
She had come only to state her intentions, knowing defiance was a capital offense, and was prepared for any punishment. The Emperor, seeing she was not the ingrate he believed her to be, dismissed her. Later, Wei Yingluo explained to a naive Ming Yu that her act was not just about respecting the late Empress.
It was a calculated risk to prevent the Emperor from seeing her as a shameless woman who would climb into his bed in her former mistress's home, thereby preserving her image and beginning the long fight against Noble Consort Chun. Later, the Emperor interrogated Hailancha about the "auspicious sign." Hailancha confessed that Wei Yingluo had anticipated the Emperor's astuteness and instructed him to tell the truth.
He explained how she used eighty nets baited with buns, held in place by guards underwater, to lure the koi into forming the "longevity" character. Hailancha added that Wei Yingluo's goal was the same as the Emperor's: to make the Empress Dowager happy. Impressed by her cunning and thoughtfulness, the Emperor dismissed Hailancha, instructing him to always address her as "my Noble Lady Wei" from that moment on.
