Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Ⅲ: To Changan Episode 39 Recap
> Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty Ⅲ: To Changan Recap
As the National Polo Tournament drew near, the Emperor expressed his intention to personally lead the Tang Team against the Yenisei Kirghiz. However, Chief Minister Pei vehemently opposed this decision, engaging in a heated debate with other officials. He argued that diplomatic matters concerned the dignity of the empire and that the Emperor's presence would boost morale, citing the valor of Emperor Taizong.
When an official tried to dismiss his concerns, Chief Minister Pei silenced him, threatening to bash his own head against a pillar and accuse the Emperor of cowardice before Emperor Taizong and Emperor Gaozu if he did not attend. Moved by Chief Minister Pei’s impassioned plea, the Emperor relented and agreed to attend the tournament in person. Meanwhile, the Grand Princess, who had initially planned to attend the event, reconsidered after a late-night meeting with Chancellor Cui.
While she admired Chief Minister Pei’s spirit, Chancellor Cui suggested that with Yenisei Kirghiz spies still at large, dangers persisted. He proposed that the Emperor should face these risks alone, creating an opportunity for the Grand Princess to save the state and ascend the throne if anything unfortunate were to occur. Convinced by this reasoning, the Grand Princess canceled her attendance, secretly hoping that the Yenisei Kirghiz plot would indeed unfold.
Later that night, Lady Chong the Thirty-Sixth went alone to a dilapidated house after receiving a secret message. There, she found Nasha waiting. She immediately recognized him as the Yenisei Kirghiz Khan, not his brother Natie, who she knew was at the border with 100,000 cavalry. Lady Chong had sacrificed fourteen years of her life, serving as a spy in Chang'an to help Nasha achieve his ambitions when he was just an ordinary general.
She reminded him of his promise to marry her. Nasha, now the Khan, explained that he had married the former Khan's daughter to secure his position and that his Khatun's intense jealousy meant he could not bring Lady Chong back without risking the stability of his tribe. Instead, he presented her with a "sacred medicine," instructing her to commit suicide after completing her mission, promising a painless reincarnation and a glorious cenotaph.
Lady Chong, realizing the depth of his betrayal, quietly reflected on a simpler life she once wished for, acknowledging that ambition had transformed her beloved general into the ruthless Khan he was now.
Nasha confirmed her preparations were complete and ordered her to proceed with the plan to hide twenty-eight barrels of tung oil under the Qu River polo field stands, intending to use a specially designed polo ball containing sulfur and nitre to trigger an explosion, annihilating the Tang court. The following day, Yang Ji reported to Su Wuming that dozens of barrels of pine oil had been transported from a secret underground room at Bafang Inn, suggesting a fire attack.
Simultaneously, Lady Chong, after ingesting the poison, endured excruciating pain and sought out Tian Juren. Collapsing into his arms, she expressed her loneliness and fear of dying. Tian Juren, unwavering in his love, dismissed her worries about being bad luck, cherishing their moments together. He vowed to save her, rushing her to the sushan shop where Chicken Fei managed to save her life that night.
Upon recovering, Lady Chong, deeply grateful for her rescue and understanding true affection, revealed the entire Yenisei Kirghiz plot. Separately, Li Zhuang urgently sought out Lu Lingfeng. He recounted how, despite his vigilance, he had inexplicably fallen into a deep sleep while guarding the Imperial Polo Balls. Upon waking, he noticed a subtle but definite increase in the weight of one of the balls.
He emphasized that Chief Minister Pei must not know, given the balls’ irreplaceable materials and the impending finals. Li Zhuang also informed Lu Lingfeng that Chief Minister Pei and Chief Administrator Xiong were the only ones who had visited the room during his watch. Lu Lingfeng immediately grasped the implications of this discovery. On the day of the tournament, the Grand Princess made an unexpected appearance at the polo field, much to the Emperor's delight.
She confirmed her presence to watch, recalling his past polo victory. The Emperor, buoyed by her support, declared his intention to personally lead the Tang Team, affirming polo's role in strengthening the body and fostering international friendship while displaying Tang's might. Chief Minister Pei attempted to object again, but the Grand Princess publicly endorsed the Emperor's decision, emphasizing that the match was about displaying national power for all to see, effectively silencing Chief Minister Pei.
Lu Tong offered to accompany the Emperor on the field, but the Emperor graciously declined due to Lu Tong's age and past injuries, instead choosing Lu Lingfeng, referencing his role in the Tang Team's championship victory four years prior. Earlier, Lu Lingfeng had secretly informed the Emperor that the Yenisei Kirghiz envoy, "Natie," was none other than Nasha, the Khan himself.
This revelation strengthened the Emperor's resolve to play, intending to defeat them on the field as a warning to the distant Yenisei Kirghiz army. Lu Lingfeng had also assured the Emperor that the Grand Princess had changed her mind and would stand with him against foreign enemies, thus removing the last obstacle to his participation. The night before the finals, Lu Lingfeng and Su Wuming had visited the Grand Princess.
Su Wuming explained how he had uncovered her ownership of two Seven-Colored Beast Hides, gifted by Empress Wu Zetian, from the Court of the Imperial Treasury records. He requested these hides, not merely to borrow, for a replacement polo ball. Though initially hesitant, planning to gift them to her son for his wedding, the Grand Princess, realizing that national security outweighed personal matters, agreed.
Su Wuming assured her that Xijun had designed the ball, and Feng Tai, the Ghost Market Magistrate and an eccentric genius with a recent obsession for embroidery, would craft it. Lu Lingfeng explained that arresting the spies prematurely might disrupt the tournament and lead to even larger conspiracies, making the finals the optimal time to expose the entire plot. The Grand Princess, expressing her desire to witness her son annihilate the treacherous Yenisei Kirghiz, agreed to help.
During the opening ceremony, the Grand Princess, adhering to protocol, prepared to serve the ball. As she did, she secretly swapped the original Imperial Polo Ball with the newly crafted one, concealing the original in her sleeve. She silently affirmed that the safety of Tang superseded any personal disputes and that the ball was secure. The match commenced, with the Yenisei Kirghiz Team scoring the first goal. However, Lu Lingfeng swiftly retaliated with a masterful shot, evening the score. The Emperor, overjoyed, rode alongside Lu Lingfeng, galloping past the cheering spectators.
