Story of Yanxi Palace Episode 69 Recap
> Story of Yanxi Palace Recap
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Yuan Chunwang informed the Empress that local officials and merchants, while preparing entertainment for the Emperor and Empress Dowager, had also sent courtesans, known as "lean mares," onto the imperial ship. The Empress was enraged, viewing the presence of such women on the Emperor's vessel as a grave insult. On the dragon boat, as the entertainment commenced, the Empress attempted to dissuade the Emperor from enjoying the courtesans, fearing it would damage his reputation and draw public criticism.
The Emperor, however, dismissed her concerns, appearing captivated by the dancers. The Empress then turned to Wei Yingluo, asking for her opinion. Instead of issuing a warning, Wei Yingluo praised the dancers' beauty, finding them delightful. She even playfully suggested bringing handsome eunuchs into the palace for her own enjoyment and offered to find a famed and talented courtesan in Hangzhou for the Emperor.
Growing increasingly uncomfortable and fearing he would become a "laughing-stock" if censors noted such behavior, the Emperor finally put a stop to the performance. Witnessing the Emperor and Wei Yingluo's shared amusement, the Empress felt a deep sense of disappointment and left, her hopes now resting with Prince He. Prince He met privately with the Empress, urgently stressing that she could no longer hesitate and must consider the Twelfth Prince's future.
Gazing at him, the Empress assured him that for many years, only he had truly stood by her side. She affirmed her trust in him and promised to follow his plan. Despite this assurance, the Empress secretly sent a message via carrier pigeon. Zhen later expressed concern to Yuan Chunwang that the Empress might have her own agenda, fearing it would jeopardize their plan.
Unconcerned, Yuan Chunwang remarked on the Empress's cunning, stating it would be strange if she didn't have a contingency. He assured Zhen he would tell Prince He to act sooner. Physician Ye examined the Fifth Prince's injured leg, confirming it could be saved. However, he explained that the procedure involved breaking the bone and removing necrotic tissues—a tremendously painful and dangerous method with only a 40% chance of success, which could risk severing his leg nerves completely.
Determined to walk normally again, the Fifth Prince declared he was willing to endure any pain. Wei Yingluo worried that a failed procedure would be a devastating blow, but the Emperor reassured her, asserting that their son would rather die than live with a cane and that they should trust his judgment.
Before the surgery, the Fifth Prince accepted the grim risks, asking Physician Ye to convey his apologies to his father for letting him down and to thank Wei Yingluo for her care, adding a final message for the Fifteenth Prince about a wooden bow he had made. As a subordinate reported signs of rebellion in Hangzhou, Prince He suggested the Emperor check on the Fifth Prince, but the Emperor declined, stating he had more important matters to attend to.
Meanwhile, during the Fifth Prince's treatment, Wei Yingluo noticed that the saprophages Physician Ye was using had been swapped for harmful insects. She instinctively intervened to protect the Fifth Prince, only to be bitten herself. Amidst the chaos, the Empress Dowager's chamber suddenly caught fire. The Emperor rushed into the burning cabin to save his mother but became trapped when a fallen beam blocked the exit.
As the ship was attacked, Prince He prevented the Empress from attempting a rescue, ordering her to be taken to safety while he took command. He then ordered his men to kill all the attacking "rebels," ensuring no witnesses were left alive. His subordinates later reported that both the Fifth Prince and Wei Yingluo were missing from their cabin. Following the fire, Consorts Qing and Shu were found safe, but Wei Yingluo and the Fifth Prince remained unaccounted for.
Governor Liu Zhen of Hangzhou arrived with reinforcements, and Prince He falsely claimed that the Emperor and Empress Dowager had perished. To everyone's shock, the Emperor and Empress Dowager emerged unharmed from a hidden passageway, which the Emperor revealed was a secret design by Fu Heng for such emergencies. The Emperor then produced a soldier who was supposed to be on watch but fled, revealing he had been ordered by a superior to ignore the fire.
The Emperor directly accused Prince He of treason. Cornered, Prince He admitted the entire scenario was a trap set by the Emperor and Fu Heng to expose his rebellion. The Emperor then laid out the full scheme: Prince He had bribed local officials to present "lean mares" to paint the Emperor as a debauched ruler, then orchestrated the fire and attack to kill him, planning to return to the capital and install a new emperor.
Despite his defeat, Prince He tried to protect the Empress from implication. The Emperor then questioned the Empress about her involvement, suggesting the Twelfth Prince was the intended new emperor. The Empress vehemently denied any complicity, stating she remained on the burning ship out of loyalty. She claimed she had secretly alerted Governor Liu Zhen about the danger, only pretending to go along with Prince He's plot.
However, Yuan Chunwang stepped forward, accusing the Empress and Prince He of an illicit affair and masterminding the rebellion. As proof, he produced a jade pendant he claimed was a love token from the Empress to Prince He. Distraught, Zhen confessed she had stolen the pendant at Yuan Chunwang's behest, believing it was to help the Empress and the Twelfth Prince.
Yuan Chunwang countered that the Empress only leaked the information to Governor Liu to create an escape route for herself if the plot failed. Prince He defended the Empress, asserting she had risked her life to save the Emperor. At that moment, Li Yu returned with Wei Yingluo and the Fifth Prince, explaining the Emperor had arranged for their protection. Seeing her rival safe, the Empress laughed in despair.
She then confronted the Emperor, passionately declaring she had always loved him and had betrayed Prince He's devotion only to prove her unwavering loyalty. She demanded to know why he would repay her with such a humiliating and distrustful accusation. The Emperor, however, coldly dismissed her, telling her to rest and that they would speak later, leaving her utterly devastated.
