Story of Yanxi Palace Episode 60 Recap
> Story of Yanxi Palace Recap
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The Emperor hurried to see the Empress Dowager after learning she had detained Imperial Concubine Shun. To his surprise, the Empress Dowager, showing unexpected kindness, not only absolved Imperial Concubine Shun of blame but also warmly invited her to frequent the Palace of Longevity and Peace for conversation. The Emperor was puzzled by this change, as he recalled her furious reaction to a palace maid who had accidentally broken Princess He'an's doll when he was a child.
He understood then that Princess He'an was the Empress Dowager's most sensitive spot. Later, the Emperor questioned Imperial Concubine Shun about the incident. She recounted attending Princess He'an’s death anniversary, where the offerings suddenly burst into flames. The Grand Shaman then declared her ominous, pressuring the Empress Dowager to punish her, even to the point of execution. Pressed for the truth, Imperial Concubine Shun confessed that Consort Ling, Wei Yingluo, had saved her.
The Emperor's suspicion was confirmed, and he learned that Wei Yingluo had used her deep understanding of the Empress Dowager to discreetly mark Imperial Concubine Shun, staging the event to alter the Empress Dowager's perception. The Emperor was secretly pleased by Wei Yingluo's cunning intervention. Imperial Concubine Shun insightfully pointed out to the Emperor that his earlier reprimand of Wei Yingluo, despite knowing her innocence, was an attempt to provoke her.
She explained that he was frustrated by Wei Yingluo's indifference to his deliberate favoritism towards Imperial Concubine Shun. While the Emperor initially dismissed her observations, Imperial Concubine Shun then offered to help him ascertain Wei Yingluo's true feelings. She professed her deep admiration for him, hoping for his happiness. She also expressed her willingness to befriend Wei Yingluo, describing her as cold on the surface but warm at heart, and acknowledged Wei Yingluo as his true beloved.
Though the Emperor admitted to using Imperial Concubine Shun, he was touched by her unwavering devotion, which she expressed by saying he deserved her wholehearted love. He then confessed that his actions were not due to an extraordinary valuation of Wei Yingluo, but rather an inability to tolerate not being the foremost person in her heart. He made her promise to keep their conversation confidential.
The Empress confronted Wei Yingluo, accusing her of breaking their agreement by saving Imperial Concubine Shun instead of eliminating her. The Empress angrily asserted that Imperial Concubine Shun, for seducing the Emperor, deserved death, and that Wei Yingluo’s interference was unforgivable. Wei Yingluo calmly defended her actions, stating that Imperial Concubine Shun's crime did not warrant death. She argued that if the Empress Dowager were to kill Imperial Concubine Shun, the Emperor, being filial, would not blame his mother.
Instead, his wrath would fall upon Wei Yingluo herself, as the Empress Dowager’s trusted confidante, effectively making Wei Yingluo the Empress's next target in her "borrowed knife" scheme. The Empress, however, remained unconvinced, questioning Wei Yingluo's motives for saving a "seductress" and a "love rival," and warned that her misplaced kindness would eventually lead to painful consequences.
Mingyu later voiced concern that Wei Yingluo had greatly offended the Empress by making enemies with the entire harem for Imperial Concubine Shun's sake, but Wei Yingluo simply stated that her actions were to protect herself. The Empress, frustrated by Wei Yingluo's actions, lamented that Wei Yingluo had taken preemptive measures and seemed to be aligning with Imperial Concubine Shun against her.
Yuan Chunwang, having already secured the Grand Shaman, suggested a similar approach with Grand Master Guangji of Wanshou Temple. He proposed that if the Empress were to finance the remodeling of the Buddha’s golden statue and offer donations to aid the temple and its refugees, the Grand Master could be persuaded to speak words of truth to the Empress Dowager, preventing her from being deceived again. The Empress found his plan insightful.
True to the plan, Grand Master Guangji later informed the Empress Dowager that reincarnation was an exceedingly rare phenomenon, casting doubt on Imperial Concubine Shun's story. Suspicion rekindled, the Empress Dowager summoned Wei Yingluo, questioning her involvement in creating the mark on Imperial Concubine Shun's face and accusing her of deception. Despite Wei Yingluo's denials, the Empress Dowager, knowing Wei Yingluo's cunning nature, remained unconvinced.
She then summoned Imperial Concubine Shun to confront Wei Yingluo directly, threatening to punish both if the truth was not revealed. Imperial Concubine Shun, feigning a confession, admitted to lying previously out of fear. She then spun a detailed narrative of her childhood illnesses, her claims of living in a "crystal house," her dependence on "Nanny Wen," and her fascination with "dancing dolls," all of which a visiting lama had attributed to "borrowed reincarnation."
This elaborate tale, combined with her feigned remorse, completely swayed the Empress Dowager, who embraced Imperial Concubine Shun, viewing her as a divine blessing and forgiving her entirely. Wei Yingluo, astounded by the details Imperial Concubine Shun had revealed about Princess He'an, questioned who had coached her, as even she was unaware of such specifics. Imperial Concubine Shun admitted that the Emperor had supplied her with all the information to make the fabricated story more convincing.
Wei Yingluo, misinterpreting the Emperor's motives, believed he genuinely doted on Imperial Concubine Shun. Privately, Imperial Concubine Shun reflected on how Wei Yingluo had helped her, and how the Emperor had also protected her, resolving to play her part perfectly. Mingyu later remarked on the Empress Dowager's complete change of heart towards Imperial Concubine Shun, crediting Wei Yingluo's "drastic measures" as a true "life-saver." Wei Yingluo acknowledged that even the powerful Empress Dowager had weaknesses and could be swayed.
She observed that Imperial Concubine Shun was an exceptionally quick learner, picking up things swiftly and applying them flexibly, which led to her growing concern. Mingyu, noting Wei Yingluo's underlying worry, suggested she might be overthinking it. Wei Yingluo confessed her difficulty in trusting others fully and dismissed Mingyu's concern that helping Imperial Concubine Shun would make her more vulnerable in the harem without the Emperor's former protection. Wei Yingluo, anticipating good news, instructed Xiao Quanzi to make preparations.
Meanwhile, Mingyu experienced a sudden chest tightness and paleness, which she concealed from everyone. The next morning, Hailancha sent numerous gifts to Yanxi Palace. Mingyu, bewildered, was informed by Xiao Quanzi that these were for her "joyous event." Realizing Hailancha was behind it, she immediately confronted him. Hailancha revealed that the gifts were betrothal presents and that he had discussed their marriage with Wei Yingluo, intending to marry Mingyu once she turned twenty-five and left the palace in June.
Mingyu was dismayed that Wei Yingluo had kept this from her and expressed her reluctance to abandon Wei Yingluo in the Forbidden City. Hailancha, the only son in his family, earnestly pleaded with her, mentioning his mother's worry and his impending deployment to the battlefield. Despite the inherent dangers, Mingyu, confessing her love, agreed to become his wife, promising to wait for his return. After their emotional exchange, Mingyu again felt a profound sense of discomfort.
Mingyu recalled Physician Ye's grim diagnosis: multiple silver needles had been lodged in her body for years, some having potentially migrated into her lungs, making her condition incurable. She remembered his stark warning that once a needle entered the lungs, even deities could not save her. Overwhelmed by this secret burden and the cruel irony of finding love with Hailancha just as her life was threatened, Mingyu decided she could not marry.
She tearfully informed Wei Yingluo of her decision, insisting she could not leave her and wished to remain in the palace forever. Wei Yingluo, trying to reassure her, explained that Mingyu was of age to leave the palace and that Hailancha had already secured the Emperor's approval for their marriage, making it impossible to back out.
Despite Wei Yingluo's persuasion, Mingyu, unable to reveal the true reason for her refusal, distraughtly reiterated that she would never marry Hailancha before fleeing in tears. Imperial Concubine Shun observed Mingyu's distress and, sensing a deeper secret, threatened to inform Wei Yingluo. This prompted Mingyu to reveal her grave condition: a silver needle had been lodged in her body for a long time, migrating towards her heart, and Physician Ye had declared it incurable.
Mingyu confessed her fear of dying and making Hailancha witness her decline, which was why she refused to marry him. Imperial Concubine Shun, acknowledging that the marriage plans were already set in motion, coldly stated that as long as Mingyu was alive, she must proceed with the wedding.
Later, Imperial Concubine Shun confronted Wei Yingluo, suggesting her haste in marrying off Mingyu stemmed from a desire to protect her from the Empress’s retaliation, a consequence of Wei Yingluo's earlier intervention on Imperial Concubine Shun's behalf. Wei Yingluo denied this, asserting her fearlessness and dismissing the notion that Mingyu's marriage was anything but a natural progression.
Imperial Concubine Shun, however, noted that while Wei Yingluo was brave, she constantly sought to protect others, and that both she and Mingyu were secretly concerned for each other but refused to admit it. Imperial Concubine Shun then promised Wei Yingluo that she would ensure the Empress would never harm her, in gratitude for Wei Yingluo’s protection. The Emperor visited Imperial Concubine Shun and found her engrossed in Hong Chu's "Notes on Fragrances."
He inquired about her studies at Yanxi Palace, and she mentioned Wei Yingluo was teaching her various skills like rules, embroidery, and art appreciation, noting that Wei Yingluo "seems to know everything." The Emperor, however, shared his frustration, describing Wei Yingluo as a jack-of-all-trades but master of none, recalling how she stubbornly preferred to be an "eclectic" rather than an "expert" and would argue back with her "sharp tongue" whenever he criticized her lack of focus.
He then probed Imperial Concubine Shun, asking if Wei Yingluo ever mentioned him during her visits. Imperial Concubine Shun deduced his silent disappointment and, though implying Wei Yingluo had not mentioned him, tried to reassure the Emperor that Wei Yingluo's seeming indifference was merely a form of "anger" due to his perceived neglect, affirming that Wei Yingluo, as his consort, surely held him in her heart.
She promised that one day he would compel Wei Yingluo to reveal her true feelings, while reaffirming her own unwavering devotion to him. The Emperor found her words childlike. Wei Yingluo persistently urged Mingyu to try on her wedding dress, expressing concern that Mingyu would miss out on her own happiness. However, Mingyu remained adamant, refusing to marry Hailancha and running off.
That night, Imperial Concubine Shun unexpectedly entered Yanxi Palace by climbing over the wall, seeking companionship because she couldn't sleep. Though Wei Yingluo initially resisted sharing her bed, she eventually allowed Imperial Concubine Shun to stay. As the sound of gongs and drums echoed outside, signaling the moon ceremony to ward off the "heavenly dog" during the lunar eclipse, Imperial Concubine Shun explained the ritual, then turned to Wei Yingluo.
She remarked on Wei Yingluo's outwardly cold but inwardly warm nature, criticizing her tendency to push people away and her inability to reveal her true feelings to the Emperor. Imperial Concubine Shun advised Wei Yingluo that women sometimes needed to show "weakness" to attract more care.
When Wei Yingluo questioned Imperial Concubine Shun's persistent presence, Imperial Concubine Shun suggested they shared a common plight, both confined within the Forbidden City and equally lonely, hence they should find solace in each other. Wei Yingluo countered that she had Mingyu, but Imperial Concubine Shun dismissed this, stating that Mingyu, despite her obedience, did not truly understand Wei Yingluo due to their unequal standings, preventing them from being true friends.
