Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Episode 31 Recap
> Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Recap
Xin Huaishen brazenly accused Gao Zhongyi of disloyalty, which was when Gao Zhongyi realized that Xin Huaishen was actually the Princess’s trusted subordinate. Xin Huaishen further revealed that he had already put in a good word for Gao Zhongyi, as the Princess had initially intended to have him torn asunder by five carts.
However, she ultimately decided to "award" Gao Zhongyi and the others each a piece of Face Flower, exquisitely made by Resident Regent Li, to apply to their faces. Gao Zhongyi, terrified, pleaded for mercy. Su Wuming intervened, stating that the Princess was trying to "test and select" her loyal followers, and he questioned if a "storm is coming."
The Princess confirmed a storm was indeed approaching and expressed her hope that Su Wuming would stand with her, noting that he had "passed" her test, unlike Gao Zhongyi. Su Wuming countered that sacrificing "so many innocent lives of young women in Luoyang" to gauge loyalty was too cruel, arguing that "the lives of our people are not trivial." He warned her that if she truly became empress, "it will be the suffering of the world."
The Princess, angered by his words, reminded him that his teacher Di Renjie had dedicated himself to assisting her mother. Su Wuming explained that he now understood his teacher's arduous efforts more deeply. When asked if he would help her, Su Wuming firmly stated that "the Tang Dynasty can't stand any more trouble," and her current ambition for the throne "is against heaven's will."
The Princess defended her ambition, pointing out that her brother, the current Emperor, was weak, and her nephew, the Crown Prince, was too young to rule. She believed only she could make the empire prosper and argued that restoring her mother's empire was not "against heaven's will." Xin Huaishen attempted to appease the Princess, but Su Wuming accused him of plotting to assassinate the Crown Prince, noting the irony that the true assassin was calmly drinking beside them.
The Princess, confused and thinking the Crown Prince had returned to Chang'an, was skeptical. Xin Huaishen feigned ignorance, suggesting Su Wuming was speaking nonsense out of fear. Su Wuming then presented the Princess with a drawing by Pei Xijun. The Princess recognized the man in the drawing as Xin Huaishen, noting his scarf. Su Wuming explained that the drawing was based on Hu Shisi's testimony from Paradise Inn, where the depicted man "paid her a fortune to assassinate Crown Prince."
Xin Huaishen tried to deny it, but Su Wuming laid bare Xin Huaishen's "three identities": a man of Prefectural Governor Gao, a man of the Crown Prince, and a man of the Princess. Su Wuming accused him of exploiting the Crown Prince's trust to learn he had remained in Luoyang to investigate the Face Flower case, then secretly arranged the assassination "without Her Highness's permission." He added that Xin Huaishen’s stammer confirmed his identity.
Xin Huaishen claimed he was merely trying "to solve your problems in advance." Enraged, the Princess declared that her dispute with the Crown Prince was "family business" and demanded to know the Crown Prince's whereabouts. Xin Huaishen confessed he had lured the Crown Prince to the villa by falsely claiming she wished to see him "before your coming demise." The Princess was furious at Xin Huaishen's audacious manipulation. Moments later, the Crown Prince arrived and greeted the Princess.
She noted his unexpected presence in Luoyang. Su Wuming explained that the Crown Prince, worried for her safety, had returned to Luoyang and was secretly investigating the Face Flower case at Paradise Inn to save her. The Princess dismissed this as "impossible." The Crown Prince anxiously inquired if Su Wuming had secured the antidote for his aunt. Su Wuming assured him that the Princess had not been poisoned by the Face Flower.
Relieved, the Crown Prince expressed happiness for the Princess, prompting Su Wuming to praise him as a blessing to the empire. The Princess, however, scorned the Crown Prince's "hypocritical" smile, questioning his true feelings. Tired, she declared that since Gao Zhongyi and his ilk were now "his" men, he could handle their punishment. The Crown Prince insisted that there were "only people of Tang Dynasty," not his or hers.
Disregarding his words, the Princess ordered Xin Huaishen to depart with her. Suddenly, Resident Regent Li Yue mocked her, declaring she "can't leave now." The Princess was stunned, realizing Li Yue was also against her. The Crown Prince was equally surprised. The Princess defiantly stated she wouldn't leave, challenging Li Yue to do his worst. Li Yue revealed he was "not from the Tang Dynasty" and had "endured humiliation" for years awaiting this very moment.
He announced that Xin Huaishen was "his" man. Li Yue then commanded Xin Huaishen to kill both the Princess and the Crown Prince, believing that with only the "cowardly emperor" left in Chang'an, "Tang Dynasty will be doomed." He then revealed the Face Flower he had given the Princess was identical to the market variety, and in "two hours, your face will turn into a skull." He ordered his men to "kill them all."
Su Wuming instructed the Princess to hide indoors and not emerge. The Crown Prince courageously declared he would die before her, but Li Yue's forces quickly overpowered him, and he was wounded in the fight. Just then, Lu Lingfeng and his forces arrived, engaging Li Yue's men. Lu Lingfeng swiftly killed Xin Huaishen. However, Li Yue unleashed Meteorite Bear, ordering it to avenge him by killing Lu Lingfeng and the Princess. Lu Lingfeng struggled against the enormous beast.
Su Wuming, recognizing his difficulty, shouted that "the weak part of the bear lies in the nose." The Crown Prince urged Lu Lingfeng to flee with the Princess, noting the bear's immense size made it impossible to target its weak point. Su Wuming reminded Lu Lingfeng of his past victories against the "Ghost Four and bronze devil."
Taking inspiration, Lu Lingfeng called out to Xue Huan, telling him to "take the knife" and "stand on my spear" to "attack its weak part." With this coordinated effort involving Lu Lingfeng, Xue Huan, and Yingtao, they successfully brought down the Meteorite Bear. Witnessing the death of his beloved bear, Li Yue, with a sorrowful declaration, "In this case, then see you next life," drew his sword and took his own life.
The Princess, in agony, cried out about her burning face, fearing it was turning into a skull. Su Wuming urgently instructed Lu Lingfeng to rush the Princess to Chicken Fed to check if the antidote was ready. The Crown Prince also pressed for his aunt's immediate rescue. Lu Lingfeng carried the Princess to the Administrator's manor, where Chicken Fed was surprised by her arrival.
As the Princess thrashed and lamented her face, Pei Xijun tried to calm her and prevent her from scratching. Chicken Fed quickly retrieved the antidote. As Lu Lingfeng held her hand, the Princess spotted a mole on his left palm and whispered "Ji'er," before passing out, asking, "Are you really my Ji'er?" Chicken Fed administered the medicine, which successfully detoxified the Face Flower poison. The Princess gradually recovered, and peace returned to Luoyang.
The relationship between the Crown Prince and the Princess also notably improved after this harrowing experience. Yingtao approached Su Wuming, conveying a message from Pei Xijun. Pei Xijun's father, Pei Jian, had sent messengers from Chang'an, expressing how much he missed her, describing sleepless nights, headaches, and many new gray hairs. Su Wuming acknowledged Assistant Minister Pei's deep affection for his daughter. Pei Xijun then asked if Su Wuming wanted her to return to Chang'an.
Su Wuming affirmed that she would inevitably return, dispelling her worries about not seeing Lu Lingfeng again. He reassured her that Lu Lingfeng and the Crown Prince were now on good terms, and given Lu Lingfeng's recent great contribution, he would likely be recalled to Chang'an soon. Pei Xijun then expressed her concern for Xue Huan. Later, Su Wuming and Lu Lingfeng were drinking. Su Wuming hinted at Lu Lingfeng's impending return to Chang'an, though Lu Lingfeng seemed indifferent.
Su Wuming informed him that Regimental Commander Wei had delivered a message: the Princess commanded both of them to meet her at the Meditation Abode of Blessing Temple that afternoon. Su Wuming insisted that Lu Lingfeng recount his past with the Princess, as he couldn't face her without knowing the details. Lu Lingfeng insisted he had "no dealings" with her. Su Wuming then brought up the Princess's utterance of "Ji'er," suggesting Pei Xijun had informed him.
He warned Lu Lingfeng about the Princess's volatile nature, fearing she might harbor "hate out of love." Lu Lingfeng vehemently denied any affection, declaring "deep hatred" for her because his "parents were killed by her." He asserted that had it not been for the Crown Prince, he "would never have saved her life that day." He then recounted his early life: born in Luoyang, he grew up without parents, fostered in Serenity Temple (now Blessing Temple).
The Princess, disguised as a common woman, frequently visited, bringing him food and clothes, and he often saw her pay the monks. These were his earliest memories, leading him to feel a strong affinity and even suspect she might be his mother. Eventually, a man he called "father," who was actually his uncle, appeared, teaching him to read. Lu Lingfeng explained his uncle had only pretended to be a scholar studying in the temple to take him away.
Once in Fanyang, his uncle revealed the truth: the "aunt" who visited was the Princess, the murderer of his parents. He further explained that she had raised him in the temple as "bait to catch more of my father's accomplices." Su Wuming inquired about his father's identity. Lu Lingfeng recited a verse from Luo Bingwang's famous declaration for Li Jingye, confirming his father was among those "against Empress Wu Zetian."
He proudly declared that the Lu family of Fanyang had always been dedicated to "protecting the legitimate Tang" and would never tolerate the usurpation of the country. At Blessing Temple, the Princess received Su Wuming first. She confessed her lack of "courage to see him," fearing he wouldn't "recognize me." Su Wuming questioned her use of "recognize."
The Princess then spoke of her "first" child, who was not with her, and began to recount her story from "more than 20 years ago," when she was "19 years old." Doted on by her mother, she was willful. She recalled an encounter with a man by the Yi River, where her guards were about to kill him, but she pardoned him. At that moment, she "fell in love with him."
During the Mid-Autumn Festival that year, she spent the night with him, leading to the conception of "Ji'er." The man claimed to be a Caozhou native studying in Yi Gate, Luoyang, to pursue officialdom. However, she later discovered a longsword engraved with "From Li JingYe" hidden in his hut, revealing his true identity as "Li Jing Ye's subordinate." He consistently sought information about her mother's whereabouts. Knowing her mother frequently visited Longmen, the Princess realized he intended to assassinate her.
Angered by his deception, she "played along," arranging for her mother to capture him at Longmen. Upon realizing her betrayal, he did not blame her but tragically "killed himself" by biting his tongue. His name was Yang Guan, though she suspected it was not his real name. Following his death, her mother sent her to a secluded villa outside Luoyang, where she gave birth to their son, "Ji'er," whom she named Yang Ji.
The following year was the happiest period of her life. However, her mother eventually urged her not to keep the child by her side, tempting her with "power" and the prospect of becoming an Empress. Swayed by the offer, she "ruthlessly" sent Ji'er to Serenity Temple. She visited him monthly, disguised as a common woman, telling him she was his "aunt" and his mother was far away. She vividly recalled his "longing in his eyes."
She expressed profound regret for not aborting him, feeling that "God punished me," when she "lost him" at the age of five. The monks informed her that a scholar residing in the temple, who tutored the children, had left after failing his exams, and Ji'er had disappeared with him. She ordered an extensive search, but "it was like looking for a needle in a haystack."
The Princess then pointed out that the crucial detail was a mole on Ji'er's left palm, a characteristic she had also observed on Lu Lingfeng. The Princess concluded her account, stating that the mole on Lu Lingfeng’s palm convinced her he was Yang Ji. Su Wuming, recalling Lu Lingfeng's pride in his "Lu family of Fanyang" heritage and his uncle's origins from Youyan (where Fanyang is located), noted the discrepancy in age.
He suspected Lu Lingfeng intentionally misrepresented his age, manipulated by the "scholar who took him away" (his uncle), who "told Lu Lingfeng never to recognize me." Su Wuming recounted Lu Lingfeng's unwavering belief in his uncle's words, including tales of his father's ancestral tablet and his uncle raising him to uphold the family's honor.
He mentioned Lu Lingfeng's statement that his uncle had adjusted his age to protect him from enemies and had died "5 years ago," extracting a promise from Lu Lingfeng never to "trust her" (the Princess) "no matter what princess says." Su Wuming advised against the Princess's intention to recognize Ji'er. He argued that the age discrepancy suggested Lu Lingfeng might not be Yang Ji, and the mole could be "just a coincidence."
Despite the Princess's insistence on a "mother and son are connected" feeling, Su Wuming reiterated the Empress's earlier wisdom: if "the most powerful woman in Tang" suddenly revealed a hidden son, it would severely damage her reputation and that of the royal family. The Princess, in a moment of despair, declared she would "give up all my power" and "not be the princess of Tang" if Ji'er would acknowledge her. Su Wuming, however, urged her to "think for Lu Lingfeng."
He described Lu Lingfeng as "brave and resourceful, versed in both literature and martial arts," a "man of tremendous promise" who deeply cherished his Fanyang Lu family lineage. Forcing a recognition would inevitably "cause his death." When the Princess defiantly asked who would dare to kill her son, Su Wuming solemnly replied, "Himself," reminding her of Yang Guan's fate. Convinced by Su Wuming's reasoning, the Princess made a difficult decision. She brought Su Wuming to meet Lu Lingfeng.
She offered to reinstate him to an official position, but Lu Lingfeng politely refused, stating he "deserved to be punished" for past mistakes and that any reinstatement based on merit required "a formal official document." The Princess, sensing his concern about an "informal official" and his allegiance to the Crown Prince, then offered to arrange a marriage between him and Pei Jian's daughter. Lu Lingfeng again declined, explaining he was "devoted to the country" and had not considered marriage.
The Princess expressed her annoyance at his repeated rejections. Prompted by a subtle signal from Su Wuming, Lu Lingfeng then made a request: he asked the Princess to permit his disciple, Xue Huan, who had been "alone since childhood" and had learned martial arts but "hadn't studied properly," to attend Blessing Temple for proper education. The Princess readily agreed, promising to instruct the temple monks to "take care of him."
When asked if he had any other requests, Lu Lingfeng replied "No," and wished her well. Later, a tearful Xue Huan cried out, believing Lu Lingfeng, Pei Xijun, and Su Wuming "don't want me anymore." Lu Lingfeng lovingly explained that they wished for him to become a "talented scholar," a "general like your ancestors," excelling "in both literature and martial arts." Despite Xue Huan's desire to follow them, Yingtao interjected that the three would "go their separate ways soon."
Lu Lingfeng then revealed that he himself had studied at Serenity Temple (now Blessing Temple) from the age of four. He emphasized that Blessing Temple housed the "best teachers in the world," calling it a "rare opportunity." He contrasted martial arts, which was "not difficult," with Su Wuming's "knowledge," which was "hard for you to get." He concluded by telling Xue Huan that his future success and ability to become a "real man" depended entirely on "your choice today."
