Sword Snow Stride Episode 27 Recap
> Sword Snow Stride Recap
As Cao Changqing confronted Xu Fengnian, Yu Youwei pleaded on Xu Fengnian's behalf. Cao Changqing immediately recognized her, recalling her mother as the head of West Chu’s three thousand swordswomen. Yu Youwei recounted how the Lord of Jing’an had used her to assassinate Xu Fengnian, yet Xu Fengnian had spared her life and treated Jiang Ni kindly.
Cao Changqing declared that Jiang Ni, the Princess, being alive was a blessing for West Chu, and he would spare Xu Xiao’s life only because Xu Xiao had allowed her to live at her father’s request. Xu Fengnian challenged Cao Changqing, asking why he had never ventured to North Liang if he was truly so powerful. Cao Changqing claimed North Liang was more perilous than Liyang Palace, to which Xu Fengnian retorted that he had already infiltrated the imperial palace.
Cao Changqing stated he would have gone to North Liang if he had known the Princess was there. Jiang Ni stated she had suffered little. Cao Changqing then declared his intention to take Jiang Ni back to West Chu, revealing that despite its fall, West Chu’s people endured, having gathered in Shu, desperate for their Princess to lead them home.
Xu Fengnian vehemently refused to let her go, asserting his claim over her, but Cao Changqing confidently stated that no one could stop him. At this tense standoff, Li Chungang suddenly appeared, unleashing a powerful, invisible qi that split the ground. Cao Changqing recognized the legendary swordsman, who confirmed his hidden presence. Li Chungang ordered Cao Changqing to step aside, claiming even Wang Xianzhi could not stop him that day.
Jiang Ni intervened, begging them not to fight, and Cao Changqing, at her request, halted his actions. Chen Xiliang, overwhelmed by the secrets he had overheard, believed his death was inevitable, stating that heaven would not tolerate him living given the chaos about to erupt in Shu. Xu Fengnian offered him an alternative: to join North Liang.
Chen Xiliang expressed concern for the little girl in his care, explaining that her paralyzed and gravely ill grandfather prevented them from leaving Yangzhou. Xu Fengnian reassured him, instructing him to use the provided money for the grandfather’s treatment and to bring both the girl and her grandfather to North Liang once the old man recovered. Deeply grateful, Chen Xiliang pledged his loyalty to Xu Fengnian as his Lord, promising to wait for him.
Xu Fengnian, believing in Chen Xiliang’s potential, noted the vast chasm between gentry and humble families in Yangzhou, asserting that North Liang offered Chen Xiliang his only true hope. The little girl, when asked, also pledged to follow Xu Fengnian wherever he went, as long as her grandfather was well. They sealed their promise to head north after the grandfather’s recovery.
Meanwhile, Han Diaosi visited Prime Minister Zhang Julu, informing him of Cao Changqing’s appearance in Yangzhou and his likely trajectory towards Yangcheng, where Xu Fengnian was also located. Han Diaosi suggested leveraging this information to stir up rumors about North Liang and Cao Changqing. Zhang Julu, however, advised caution, preferring to wait and observe if Cao Changqing and Xu Fengnian would meet and, if so, what the outcome would be.
After Han Diaosi departed, Zhang Julu reflected on his ambition, stating his preference for ostentatious displays of power to inspire ambition in scholars, even if it meant bending conventional rules for the sake of the nation. He also showed disdain for Han Diaosi. In a private room within Baoguo Temple, Cao Changqing, joined by Yu Youwei, knelt again before Jiang Ni, this time representing the people of West Chu and pleading for their Princess to return to Shu.
Cao Changqing explained that the righteous survivors of Chu, hidden in Shu, eagerly awaited their Princess. He presented a compelling argument: Xu Fengnian was destined to become the next Lord of North Liang, and Liyang’s imperial court would likely bestow a princess upon him. He reasoned that Jiang Ni’s return to Shu would rally the former Chu subjects, allowing West Chu to rise again, creating a new formidable enemy for Liyang and thereby solidifying North Liang’s own standing.
Furthermore, he argued that becoming the Queen of Chu would elevate her to Xu Fengnian’s equal. Xu Fengnian interjected, stating that North Liang would never engage in "fostering bandits to command respect" for self-gain and that their military readiness was solely for maintaining peace, not for rebellion. Cao Changqing dismissed Xu Fengnian’s "pedantic" ideals, stating such a person could not be Lord of North Liang. Jiang Ni admitted she never desired to be a "big shot."
Yu Youwei appealed to Jiang Ni’s royal bloodline and the despair of her people. Xu Fengnian again tried to intervene, offering to kill Chen Zhibao if Cao Changqing would let Jiang Ni stay, vehemently stating that Jiang Ni was not a "bargaining chip" and her fate should be her own choice.
Yu Youwei expressed her own deep longing for her homeland and the hope of reuniting with the people of Chu, but emphasized that Jiang Ni owed them nothing and had her own life, acknowledging her as a friend. After much deliberation, Jiang Ni accepted her responsibility as the Princess of West Chu.
Both Cao Changqing and Yu Youwei immediately knelt before her, though Jiang Ni, in her first command, forbade them from kneeling in the future, a command Cao Changqing reluctantly accepted. Jiang Ni agreed to accompany Cao Changqing, but not immediately. She wished to first accompany Xu Fengnian to Mount Longhu as a repayment for the Xu Family saving her life.
To avoid suspicion of an alliance between North Liang and West Chu, they devised a plan for Jiang Ni to pretend to leave openly with Cao Changqing, then secretly rejoin Xu Fengnian’s entourage. Xu Fengnian, perplexed by Jiang Ni’s years of assassination attempts, learned from Yu Youwei that these were a desperate attempt to make him hate and fear her so intensely that he would not grieve her inevitable death.
Xu Fengnian then questioned if Xu Xiao had deliberately orchestrated him overhearing crucial information and why his father had never stopped Jiang Ni’s assassination attempts. Yu Youwei suggested that Xu Xiao’s philosophy of achieving goals at any cost meant Xu Fengnian and Jiang Ni were merely pieces in his elaborate game, their supposed animosity serving to deflect suspicion from the Xu Family.
Cao Changqing revealed that he discovered Jiang Ni’s whereabouts by tracing a "Divine Token," a West Chu treasure that was lent by Li Chungang to Wei Shuyang for Xu Xiao, and which he found in a vendor’s possession, leading him to Baoguo Temple.
This grand scheme, Cao Changqing explained, was designed to reintroduce the Princess of Chu, creating a formidable enemy for Liyang and thus cementing North Liang’s indispensable position, ultimately ensuring Xu Fengnian’s succession as the Lord of North Liang. The public perception of deep enmity between Xu Fengnian and Jiang Ni, cultivated through years of assassination attempts, would further assure the imperial court that North Liang could not conspire with West Chu.
Cao Changqing, despite his reputation as a "matchless chess master," conceded that he had been a pawn since West Chu’s fall, but declared that with the Princess’s return, he would now begin a new game, ready to challenge all heroes. To further convince observers of Jiang Ni’s departure, Cao Changqing proposed creating the illusion of a fierce battle. Xu Fengnian, sensing a deeper game, requested to witness Li Chungang’s "Snakes in Sleeves." The two masters briefly clashed.
Later, when Lu Baijie awoke amidst the temple’s disarray, he was informed that Cao Changqing and Li Chungang had exchanged only a single, devastating move, a display of power akin to "immortals coming to earth." He learned that Cao Changqing had seemingly taken Jiang Ni and Yu Youwei, while Li Chungang had protected Xu Fengnian without pursuing them. Lu Baijie, having witnessed the chaos and heard the accounts, believed Jiang Ni had truly departed with Cao Changqing.
Lu Baijie, now awake, did not attack Xu Fengnian, acknowledging that the Lu Family did not wish to break ties with North Liang and attributing the prior hostility to the resentment of a specific individual. Xu Fengnian recognized the right to such hatred and was praised for his merciful nature. He asked Lu Baijie to treat Xu Zhihu well if the Lu Family wished to maintain peace with North Liang.
As Xu Fengnian prepared to leave, he mused that someone other than Wei Shuyang, who lacked contacts in Jiangnan, must have been responsible for leading Cao Changqing to Baoguo Temple by providing the clues related to the Divine Token. He also recalled Xu Zhihu’s calm demeanor when Cao Changqing attacked him earlier, realizing she knew that his life was not truly in danger due to the presence of Jiang Ni, Yu Youwei, and the hidden Li Chungang.
He then confronted Xu Zhihu, suggesting she had orchestrated the entire Jiangnan scheme. Xu Zhihu denied having complete control, admitting the female assassin’s attack had genuinely frightened her. Xu Fengnian realized Xu Zhihu had known all along that Jiang Ni was a pawn in Xu Xiao’s game, destined to be returned to Cao Changqing. He expressed his feelings of being kept in the dark by his elder sister.
Xu Zhihu, her voice strained, emphasized that Jiang Ni had accompanied him through many years, especially after she and their second sister had left North Liang. She urged him to trust her, believing it was the only way for him and Jiang Ni to have a future. After Xu Fengnian departed, Xu Zhihu, visibly weakened and coughing, told her maid, Er'qiao, not to call him back, fearing she would not live long enough to return to North Liang.
Jiang Ni and Yu Youwei traveled with Cao Changqing via the back mountain. Cao Changqing inquired if Jiang Ni ever considered that Xu Xiao deliberately kept her by Xu Fengnian’s side, questioning the authenticity of their childhood bond. Jiang Ni countered that "the heart won’t tell lies" and reaffirmed her decision to accompany Xu Fengnian to Mount Longhu.
Cao Changqing then presented Jiang Ni with a new dilemma: the trip to Mount Longhu was fraught with danger, and if Xu Fengnian were to be imperiled, saving him would reveal the alliance between the Xu Family and West Chu, leaving Xu Fengnian with no possibility of retreat. Yu Youwei, overhearing, playfully suggested that having "no way back" for Xu Fengnian might be advantageous, as Jiang Ni could then take him to West Chu.
Back with Xu Fengnian, Wei Shuyang noted his silence after Jiang Ni’s departure and instructed Li Chungang to remain close for protection. Xu Fengnian asked Yu Youwei if she, as another maid, had ever considered replacing Jiang Ni, given Xu Fengnian’s future as the powerful Lord of North Liang. Li Chungang began teaching Xu Fengnian the true meaning of "Snakes in Sleeves."
He explained that while dragons, once they become noble creatures, serve immortals, it is the un-transformed snake that harbors the true ambition to "cut through all obstacles" and conquer the world, even if it means struggling against itself. He revealed that the essence of "Snakes in Sleeves" lies in "cutting off the knot in your heart" – severing fear, despair, and self-doubt to break free from internal shackles and forge one's own path.
Meanwhile, a soldier found a wooden box near the camp, intended for Xu Fengnian, and delivered it to General Wei Shuyang. Wei Shuyang, recognizing its significance, immediately realized it contained information about the night Xu Fengnian’s mother, Wu Su, was ambushed in the capital – a mystery they had sought to unravel for years. He ordered heightened security and rushed to present the box to Xu Fengnian. Li Chungang, observing, dismissed any concern about poison in the book.
He continued to guide Xu Fengnian, demonstrating how martial arts, taken to their extreme, could influence the mind. He introduced "Open the Heaven’s Gate," the ultimate extension of "Snakes in Sleeves," which allowed him to affect Xu Fengnian’s spirit, granting him a brief, illusory glimpse of "splitting the sky." Li Chungang then delved into the concepts of "Heaven’s mandate" and "the way of heaven and man," but passionately declared his defiance.
He refused to submit to the heavens, fate, or any immortal being, asserting that his life’s purpose was to use his sword to "split Heaven’s Gate," to explore the way of heaven on his own terms, to conquer his inner fears and cross the mortal world with a clear heart. He confessed that in his legendary fight against Wang Xianzhi, he had only used "Snakes in Sleeves," holding back "Open the Heaven’s Gate" to spare Wang Xianzhi’s life.
He admitted his hesitation cost him the victory and that he never fought Wang Xianzhi again because his "life was lost" soon after, his sword intent and will to fight completely shattered by a personal tragedy – he had accidentally killed the most important person in his life. Xu Fengnian then turned his attention to the wooden box. The book inside was titled "Biography of Wu Su."
An accompanying conspirator, speaking to Zhao Kai, revealed the book's insidious purpose: to use its contents and an embedded dragon drawing to mentally disturb Xu Fengnian, forcing him to relive his mother’s death, potentially driving him mad or rendering him a cripple, which would be an ideal outcome for the royal family to ensure control over North Liang. Xu Fengnian noticed some "doodles" on the page but prioritized reading the main text.
