Sword Snow Stride Episode 23 Recap
> Sword Snow Stride Recap
News of Xu Fengnian's audacious kidnapping of the Consort of Jing'an spread from Qingzhou to the capital, inciting the Lord of Jing'an's fury and causing him to smash his Buddhist Hall. He even sought the assistance of Wang Mingyin, the eleventh-ranked martial artist, for an assassination attempt.
This news delighted the Emperor, who saw it as a means to deepen the feud between North Liang and Qingzhou, unaware that this played right into the hands of those he sought to control. Meanwhile, in the capital, Xu Xiao remained unperturbed. When Yang Taisui suggested North Liang was doomed because of Xu Zhihu's scandalous reputation, Xu Xiao countered by asking what the most formidable type of chess player was.
He answered his own question: not one who calculates ten steps ahead, but one who can disrupt the entire game and start anew. He declared he was prepared to do just that, before playfully refusing to let Yang Taisui leave until he secured three straight wins in their game of Go. Xu Fengnian's group continued their journey, crossing Qingzhou and Yuzhou and finally arriving in Yangcheng, Yangzhou.
This southern city, known for its tranquil and scholarly demeanor, starkly contrasted with the martial culture of North Liang, making Xu Zhihu's unrestrained nature stand out. In the Lu family, where she had married, news of her alleged affair with a man surnamed Liu was public knowledge. Only her loyal maid, Er'qiao, remained by her side, while even the lowliest servants openly disrespected her.
Xu Zhihu, however, met their disdain with a sharp wit, her spirits lifted by the impending arrival of her younger brother, whom she expected within days. Upon reaching Yangcheng, Xu Fengnian planned to go directly to the Lu family, but Li Chungang's declaration of hunger prompted them to find a restaurant first.
While dining, they overheard patrons gossiping about Xu Zhihu, calling her shameless for repeatedly trying to seduce Liu Liting, only to be publicly slapped and insulted by his wife at Baoguo Temple. The gossip escalated, revealing that Liu Liting's wife was related to a palace concubine, amplifying the scandal. Enraged, Xu Fengnian plunged his dagger into an adjacent table, silencing the terrified patrons.
Meanwhile, in Li Chungang's carriage, Jiang Ni learned from Yu Youwei that the Lu family's heir had been captured and forced to commit suicide by her father, the late King of West Chu. Jiang Ni remained calm, knowing her identity as the Princess of West Chu was a secret, protecting her from potential retribution. After the carriages converged, Xu Fengnian borrowed Li Chungang's "Divine Token" dagger.
He instructed Wei Shuyang and Li Chungang to take the female companions to the Lu family, emphasizing that Jiang Ni's true identity must be kept secret. Xu Fengnian then headed to Jiangxin County to find Liu Liting and uncover the truth. Shu Xiu quickly discovered that the Liu family was merely a minor gentry family in Yangzhou, with Liu Liting being their only notable scholar.
At the Lu mansion, Wei Shuyang and the others were met by Lu Dongyang, the family's arrogant housekeeper. Citing a "No Guests" sign, he rudely refused them entry and insulted Xu Zhihu, declaring she had disgraced the family. Inside the carriage, Jiang Ni bristled, but Yu Youwei restrained her. Qing Niao, however, strode forward, kicked Lu Dongyang to the ground, and after striking the gate with her blade, ordered her subordinates to dismantle the main entrance.
The commotion drew Lu Baijie, the "Sword Immortal of Tangxi," who respectfully challenged the "Sword God" Li Chungang to a duel. The tense standoff was diffused only by the timely arrival of Xu Zhihu herself, who greeted her family and calmed the situation. From the rooftop of Liu Liting's residence, Xu Fengnian observed the scholar and immediately concluded his sister would never be attracted to such a man.
He knew her marriage to the Lu family's son, who had passed away from illness, was a political arrangement, and that her heart truly belonged to someone on Mount Wudang. He also noted Liu Liting fawning over his wife, likely because of her connection to a palace concubine, hinting at the man's opportunism. As Liu Liting flattered his wife, Shu Xiu burst into the room.
She bluntly stated she had a vendetta against North Liang and intended to kill Liu Liting, the supposed "adulterer" of North Liang's daughter. Petrified, Liu Liting frantically tried to disavow any connection to Xu Zhihu. Seizing a moment when his wife was distracted, he struck her unconscious with an inkstone to speak freely. Liu Liting confessed that he had been the one persistently pursuing Xu Zhihu, orchestrating "chance encounters" and sending her poems, but she had consistently rebuffed him.
Xu Zhihu never defended herself against the rumors because she considered it futile. Her marriage was a political arrangement, and though she was worried by news of Xu Fengnian's recent assassination attempt and concerned for her younger brother, Xu Longxiang, at Mount Longhu, she had learned to endure her fate in the south. To gain his full trust, Shu Xiu revealed the "Divine Token" dagger and falsely claimed to be a princess of West Chu.
Believing her, Liu Liting retrieved letters from Jin Lanting, a scholar in the capital. The letters exposed a conspiracy: the imperial court, wary of North Liang, had instructed Liu Liting to deliberately tarnish Xu Zhihu's reputation. This included arranging for his wife to confront Xu Zhihu at Baoguo Temple and leveraging his wife's palace connections to spread the rumors, all to sow discord between the Lu family and North Liang in exchange for a promising future in the capital.
Having overheard the entire confession, Xu Fengnian entered, confiscated the letters, and ordered Ning Emei to bind Liu Liting. He then had the man dragged by horse through Yangcheng toward the Lu mansion. As Liu Liting screamed for mercy, Xu Fengnian declared his own identity to the onlookers, stating that his actions were simple justice: returning the blade to those who drew one on his family. Concurrently, Zhao Kai arrived at Mount Longhu and encountered Xu Longxiang.
Remarking on the twists of fate, Zhao Kai ordered his Golden-armor guards to attack. Back in Yangcheng, Xu Zhihu expressed her deep concern for Xu Longxiang, who, despite his immense strength, was alone and vulnerable. Oblivious to the impending danger, Xu Longxiang was focused on finding hawthorns to save for his brother.
