Story of Yanxi Palace Episode 64 Recap
> Story of Yanxi Palace Recap
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Following her public assassination attempt, which Fu Heng courageously thwarted, a defiant Chen Bi was taken into custody. Proclaiming herself a madwoman who would not perish alone, she accused the Emperor and his court of being the ones who deserved to die. After the dramatic confrontation, the Emperor summoned Wei Yingluo. He questioned when she had discovered the truth, while she countered by asking when he had learned of Concubine Shun's deceptive nature.
Wei Yingluo accused the Emperor of suspecting Concubine Shun but intentionally keeping silent and walking into the "elopement" trap to test whether she and Fu Heng would flee together. She reasoned that an emperor who suspects a consort of disloyalty would normally detain her immediately, but he had allowed events to unfold, risking royal prestige just to test her feelings.
She revealed she had watched from a hiding place, noting his pale face and hesitation to even open the water cart's lid. The Emperor denied this, claiming he was merely enraged by a consort's infidelity. Wei Yingluo, however, asserted that he had favored Concubine Shun and gifted her jewelry specifically to provoke her jealousy.
The Emperor dismissed her as conceited, stating his favor towards Concubine Shun was a political move to appease the Niohuru clan, and that his lack of love for Concubine Shun did not equate to love for Wei Yingluo. Moments later, appearing distressed, the Emperor urgently called for Physician Ye. Observing him, Wei Yingluo wryly commented that he didn't seem worried about her at all, prompting him to finally embrace her tightly. Soon after, the Empress Dowager summoned Wei Yingluo.
Sensing trouble, Wei Yingluo confessed that the story of Princess He An's reincarnation was a fabrication she had concocted to save Concubine Shun, unintentionally bringing danger into the palace. The Empress Dowager, who had cherished the belief that her daughter had returned, was furious and ordered Wei Yingluo's punishment. The Emperor intervened, explaining that Wei Yingluo's lie was an impulsive act and that he had known about it, allowing the pretense to continue to please his mother.
The Empress Dowager, feeling mocked, refused to relent. Just as she was about to punish Wei Yingluo, Physician Ye arrived and announced that Wei Yingluo was three months pregnant. The surprising news delighted the Emperor and compelled the Empress Dowager to relent. When questioned, Wei Yingluo claimed weakness and irregular periods made her unaware of her condition. She then solemnly confirmed to the Empress Dowager that Princess He An had truly passed away.
In private, Wei Yingluo admitted her pregnancy was the reason she felt secure against the Empress Dowager's wrath. She revealed she had discovered her condition while imprisoned in Yanxi Palace and accused the servants of attempting to starve her and the Emperor's unborn child on his orders. The Emperor vehemently denied giving such a command, explaining he had confined her to protect her from the Empress Dowager.
After some playful banter, Wei Yingluo expressed her hope for a prince, explaining that a princess would one day face the "gate of hell" in childbirth. She reminded the Emperor that she had risked her life for him, yet he had treated her coldly and tested her feelings, concluding that a woman would only bear children for the man she truly loved. The Emperor ordered Supervisor Li to investigate the mistreatment at Yanxi Palace.
Li arrested the Head Eunuch, Yuan Chunwang, in full view of the Empress, making it a public warning. When Yuan Chunwang tried to justify his actions by claiming Wei Yingluo had a stomach ailment, Li revealed her pregnancy, declaring that both Yuan Chunwang and the on-duty physician would be punished. Zhen pleaded with the Empress to save Yuan Chunwang, but the Empress explained that the Emperor was using the arrest to humiliate her and that she could not intervene.
Wei Yingluo visited the now-imprisoned Chen Bi, who was feigning madness to survive. Wei Yingluo informed her that her assassination attempt had led to the execution and exile of her brothers, provoking a crazed smile from Chen Bi. Realizing Chen Bi’s true goal was her own family’s ruin, Wei Yingluo pressed for the reason. Chen Bi revealed that her father, seeking political favor, had drugged her and sent her to the palace, threatening her son’s life to ensure her compliance.
Later, a servant told her that her son had died in an animal trap while trying to run away to find her. Devastated, Chen Bi had wanted to die, but Fu Heng's intervention brought her to the Forbidden City, where she plotted her revenge. Chen Bi, in turn, accused Wei Yingluo of orchestrating her own downfall.
She theorized that after being misled at Yangxin Hall, Wei Yingluo deliberately carried a weapon to provoke an attack, get herself imprisoned, and appear as a pitiable victim. This, combined with the elopement plot, would make the Emperor feel guilty and realize his deep affection for her. Wei Yingluo corrected her, stating that Fu Heng simply understood her and that she, having chosen her path, would never turn back.
When Chen Bi guessed she had a "third card" to play, Wei Yingluo revealed her pregnancy. Asked about a husband, Chen Bi bitterly replied that a beautiful face made her a "gift," not a wife. Wei Yingluo advised her to continue feigning madness, as it was her only path to survival. Later, Xiao Quanzi informed Yuan Chunwang that Wei Yingluo, now Noble Consort Ling, had spared his life but declared their debt repaid and their connection severed.
Enraged, Yuan Chunwang refused to accept this. Meanwhile, Zhen’s constant pleading convinced the Empress to help Yuan Chunwang, though she lamented Zhen’s affection for such a manipulative man. The Empress made a condition: Yuan Chunwang must kneel before Yanxi Palace and earn Wei Yingluo’s forgiveness. When Wei Yingluo learned of this, she recognized it as a scheme by the Empress and instructed her servants to ignore him.
Wei Yingluo deliberately flaunted her favored status by having leftovers exchanged for a special dish from the Emperor's kitchen. The Empress arrived, ostensibly to congratulate her on her pregnancy. She reminded Wei Yingluo of her common birth and her own irreplaceable position. Wei Yingluo retorted that she cherished the freedom of a favored consort, unlike the constrained life of an Empress, and had no ambition unless provoked. Seeing that neither could truly defeat the other, they agreed to a truce.
Wei Yingluo's one condition was that the Empress must promise never to harm any child in the Forbidden City. The Empress agreed. Outside, she told the kneeling Yuan Chunwang that the palace would be peaceful for a long time. Realizing he had lost his chance to instigate conflict, Yuan Chunwang slumped to the ground in despair. Ten years passed. As the princes prepared for the Mulan hunt, the Fifth Prince, Yong Qi, displayed exceptional archery skill.
In contrast, the Fourth Prince struggled with an injured arm. Fu Heng admonished the Fourth Prince, reminding them that the Emperor, a skilled martial artist himself, expected diligence and accepted no excuses, as the Qing dynasty was founded on military might. Despite his immense talent, Yong Qi remained humble, believing hard work was paramount. Meanwhile, the Empress, worn down by years of managing the harem, had begun to show gray hairs.
She reflected on Wei Yingluo's carefree life over the past decade, noting how she remained youthful while she herself aged. Zhen resentfully recounted how Wei Yingluo had shrewdly used her children to secure alliances, sending the Seventh Princess to live with the Empress Dowager and the Fifteenth Prince to be raised by the newly promoted Consort Qing. Zhen complained that Yanxi Palace had become a chaotic nursery, as Wei Yingluo’s children were always there.
She lamented that even the diligent Twelfth Prince, Yongji, could not match Yong Qi's natural talent. Just then, Yongji arrived with a hand bloodied from practicing for hours under the sun, distressing the Empress.
