Sword Dynasty Episode 15 Recap
> Sword Dynasty Recap
The fish market, though seemingly tranquil, was a scene of fierce confrontation. Bai Shanshui and Zhao Si, who had planned to corner Liang Lian, found themselves ambushed as Queen Ye Zhen, accompanied by Maidservant Rong, blocked their escape by boat, while Liang Lian and his troops cut off their retreat. The battle quickly escalated, with Bai Shanshui forced to retreat by Liang Lian and Zhao Si sustaining severe injuries from Ye Zhen.
This sudden turn of events revealed the King of Heng's meticulous planning and determination to succeed. Chen Xuan, realizing the grave danger Ye Celeng would face if she intervened, attempted to dissuade her, stating that Bai Shanshui was trapped and even he couldn't help if Ye Celeng rushed in. Despite knowing he couldn't fully sway her, he wouldn't abandon her. He arranged to meet Ye Celeng by the Wei River three days later and then proceeded to the market.
Amidst the chaos, Bai Shanshui managed to rescue the gravely wounded Zhao Si. With the assistance of a local merchant's daughter, they escaped through a secret passage, where Wang Taixu was waiting at the port to lead them to a safe room pre-arranged by Zhangsun Qianxue. Back in their temporary refuge, Zhangsun Qianxue analyzed the dungeon map obtained from Liang Lian. She discerned that the map was partially authentic, strategically designed by the King to lure them into a trap.
Ding Ning shrewdly concluded that the King, in his cunning, would ensure the map appeared real enough to draw them into the actual underground waterways where an ambush awaited, implying that only critical sections of the map were falsified, while the rest held true, albeit with routes obscured by time. However, Zhao Si succumbed to her extensive injuries.
Before her last breath, she entrusted a fragment of the Gushan Sword Treasury to Ding Ning, expressing her sorrow that the dream of restoring her country would remain unfulfilled. Overcome with grief, Bai Shanshui lamented her own carelessness, which led to their predicament, and advised everyone to maintain a low profile and refrain from any major actions for a period. The King of Heng received reports of the operation.
Although the rebels were not entirely eradicated, Yunshui Palace was damaged and Zhao Si's natal sword destroyed, bringing a temporary peace to Fengming. The King deemed the fish market's intricate connections too complex for immediate action, remarking that "clear water has no fish, and a too-critical person has no followers." His curiosity then shifted to why Ding Ning's life was used as collateral. Chen Xuan promptly assured him that Ding Ning had no ties to Liang Jingmeng or past events.
Liang Lian, however, voiced his disdain for Ding Ning's rising prominence, finding him an irritating and pretentious individual. Liang Lian then indirectly accused the Shendu Bureau of failing to appear at the fish market, allowing Bai Shanshui and her allies to escape. Chen Xuan countered, attributing the mission's early exposure and subsequent failure to Liang Lian's overzealous pursuit of glory. Their heated exchange was secretly observed by Maidservant Rong.
Later, Yuan Zichu subtly questioned Maidservant Rong about the fish market incident, learning that while the rebels were severely wounded, they were not captured, thus ensuring the King's worry-free journey to the Lushan Alliance Meeting. Maidservant Rong also mentioned Ding Ning's past conflict with General Liang, suggesting he might have been a bait used by Bai Shanshui.
She then relayed the King's orders for Yuan Zichu and the Queen to oversee the kingdom in his absence, with the Queen managing state affairs, and advised Yuan Zichu to focus on his studies. Yuan Zichu, feeling confined and controlled, then dismissed Maidservant Rong, seeking solitude. He subsequently ventured alone to Ding Ning's wine tavern, introducing himself as Su Mu, a disciple of Yuyang Sword School, under the pretense of tasting wine.
Ding Ning, recognizing Yuan Zichu but choosing not to expose his true identity, engaged in friendly conversation. He noted how visitors often came to admire his aunt or challenge him, implying that everyone had ulterior motives. Yuan Zichu then invited Ding Ning to accompany him to the Lushan Alliance Meeting. Ding Ning, observing Yuan Zichu's unexpected presence in Fengming instead of Lushan, speculated that the Crown Prince might have fallen out of favor.
Seeing an opportunity, Ding Ning reasoned that with Ye Celeng and Wang Taixu already allied with him, befriending the Crown Prince would grant him closer access to the royal court. Zhangsun Qianxue, however, saw through Ding Ning's machinations, directly stating that he intended to exploit Yuan Zichu's status to get close to and ultimately assassinate the King of Heng.
Ding Ning acknowledged his intention to use Yuan Zichu, a good-hearted prince destined to be a wise king, believing the journey would serve as a crucial test to foster his growth. Meanwhile, the Zhou Family Ancestor, suffering from a severe internal qi blockage that rendered medicine ineffective, discovered the existence of the Manglong Rudraksha within the Misty Rain Formation near Wushan, a region adjacent to Lushan. This rare, powerful Yang medicine was essential to counter his condition.
He promptly visited Ding Ning, requesting his assistance in retrieving the elixir and promising Ding Ning unrestricted access to the Zhou family's Fragment of the Freehand Sword Manual. Ding Ning, recognizing that the ancestor had fallen into his calculated trap, feigned delight and readily agreed. Zhangsun Qianxue expressed her desire to join them, but Ding Ning instructed her to remain in Fengming.
Her task was to enlist Ye Celeng's help in scouting the underground dungeon passages, specifically to identify checkpoints and secret mechanisms, postponing any further decisions until his return. The next morning, Maidservant Rong discovered Yuan Zichu's absence, finding only a farewell note revealing his unauthorized departure for Lushan. Queen Ye Zhen, despite her vexation at his stubbornness, resigned herself to his journey, hoping it would be a character-building experience.
Soon after, Yuan Zichu, having prepared his belongings, departed with Ding Ning in a carriage provided by the Zhou Family Ancestor. Concurrently, Qi Pomo cautioned Liang Lian against the clandestine military action in Liangshan County. He explained that the King's order for a low-key deployment stemmed from the fact that attacking Liangshan County violated the Lushan Alliance Covenant and was an act of dishonor.
He warned that should Heng fail at the Lushan Alliance Meeting, Liang Lian would be held accountable as the instigator of a disastrous campaign. Liang Lian, dismissing these warnings, declared that those who undertake great deeds must disregard minor details, and ordered his troops to march and escort Prince Liling to return as a worthy person.
Upon his return, Prince Liling met with Fragrant Concubine Zhao, who offered her support for his claim to the throne under one condition: that they would co-govern the kingdom. Alarmed by this proposition, Prince Liling expressed concerns about public ridicule and how historians would record such an arrangement. He knelt, pleading for alternative terms. However, Fragrant Concubine Zhao was unyielding, threatening to throw her support behind other princes if he refused.
Left with no choice, Prince Liling reluctantly accepted her terms, secretly harboring resentment towards Sun Xing. Taking a significant risk, Zhangsun Qianxue sought out Ye Celeng, explaining the current situation and the task Ding Ning had assigned her. She emphasized that Fengming was currently at its most vulnerable. The underground water map they had acquired from Liang Lian revealed correspondences with the secret passages of the old Gongsun Mansion, which had since been absorbed into the Marquis Fang's family estate. Recognizing the potential dangers of a trap, they resolved to jointly investigate the map's authenticity and the actual state of the passages.
