The Imperial Doctress Episode 13 Recap
> The Imperial Doctress Recap
Hang Yunxian returned to Qinghe Bridge to wait for Zhu Qiyu. He eventually managed to shake off Duke Wang and Wang Meilin to join her. Upon their meeting, Zhu Qiyu apologized for making her wait and presented her with a ganoderma hairpin, saying it was the item best suited for her. He then helped her place it in her hair. As they admired the lanterns together, holding hands, Zhu Qiyu pledged, "With this hand I'm holding, I will grow old."
Unbeknownst to them, the Emperor, who had been traveling around, arrived at the bridge. He saw Yunxian and was about to approach her when he noticed Zhu Qiyu, realizing that Yunxian was the "heart's desire" Zhu Qiyu had spoken of, a revelation that also stirred his own emotions. Greatly displeased, he ordered his retinue to return to the palace. Back at the palace, Duke Wang, accompanied by his daughter Wang Meilin, lodged a complaint with the Empress Dowager.
They reported that Prince Cheng had snubbed Wang Meilin, choosing to meet Hang Yunxian to admire the lanterns instead. Wang Meilin further fanned the flames, calling Yunxian a "seductress" and expressing her desire to eliminate her, especially after the Emperor unexpectedly bestowed upon Yunxian the title of "xiangjun". The Empress Dowager, recognizing Yunxian as General Hang Gang's daughter, a practitioner of medicine known as the "living Bodhisattva," grew furious upon hearing these complaints and her alleged past misdeeds.
She declared Yunxian's actions an "unforgivable crime" and immediately intended to have her poisoned with arsenic. However, Duke Wang intervened, cautioning against such a direct approach. He argued that Yunxian was an official's daughter, well-regarded by the public, and had saved many patients, including the Consort Dowager. Killing her without cause would enrage imperial censors and spark public outrage, potentially causing Prince Cheng to resent the Empress Dowager.
Taking his advice, the Empress Dowager abandoned the idea of public poisoning, deciding to deal with Yunxian "secretly" instead. She then warned Concubine Wu that if Prince Cheng were ever to become Emperor, his Empress must be from the Wang family. Later that night, the Emperor, still seething, refused food and any mention of osmanthus honey, haunted by his own promises to Yunxian.
His servant Wang Zhen then sought an audience, revealing that Lady Hang and Prince Cheng had met previously at Yongqing Convent and had pre-arranged their meeting for the Lantern Festival. The Emperor, recalling Prince Cheng's earlier confession of having a "heart's desire" and their private agreement to marry, denied any personal feelings for Yunxian and forbade Wang Zhen from speaking of her again.
Wang Zhen then reported a brawl involving Zheng De'an, the Emperor's former guard, and urged the Emperor to intervene, to which the Emperor agreed, hoping to save lives. Immediately after this conversation, Wang Zhen secretly instructed someone to tell Duke Wang to "begin now." Soon after, an imperial edict was announced, ordering General Xuanwu Hang Gang to immediately transfer to the position of Commander in Zhejiang, effective immediately.
The Hang family was forced to hastily prepare for their departure to Hangzhou. On the boat at the wharf, Yunxian was distraught about leaving without informing Zhu Qiyu. She asked her maid, Zisu, to deliver a letter, but Zisu reported that Hang Gang had forbidden anyone from leaving the boat. Desperate, Yunxian noticed the boatman, Ah San, suffering from an ailment involving his uvula.
She offered to cure his ailment if he would personally deliver a letter to "Young Master Zhu Yu" (Zhu Qiyu) at Zhu Manor by Xuannan Manor, or to Xiao Ma'zi if Zhu Qiyu was unavailable, stressing the importance of discretion. Ah San agreed, and Yunxian successfully treated his uvula. Upon receiving the letter, Zhu Qiyu immediately rode to the wharf. He called out for Yunxian from the riverbank.
Hearing his shouts, Yunxian rushed to the deck and waved back, but the ship had already begun to move away from the shore. Heartbroken, Zhu Qiyu leaped onto the moving vessel. Hang Gang confronted him, leading to a physical struggle. To stop the fight and make his intentions clear, Zhu Qiyu was forced to reveal his true identity: "I am the Emperor's younger brother, Prince Cheng, Zhu Qiyu."
He then formally proposed to the Hang family, declaring his desire for Yunxian to be his Princess Consort. Stunned by his revelation, Yunxian asked for clarification, which Zhu Qiyu provided, explaining his upbringing outside the palace and apologizing for his earlier secrecy due to the complexities of his situation. Yunxian then confessed the true reason for their hasty departure: her father's fear for their lives, stemming from an incident ten years prior.
She revealed their real family name was Tan, and her grandfather, then the Imperial Medical Bureau's supervisor, was implicated when safflower found in a rogue caused Noble Consort Sun to miscarry. Zhu Qiyu reassured her, promising to protect her from any harm, even from the Empress Dowager. He then reaffirmed his desire to marry her, and Yunxian, recalling their shared promise, "With this hand I'm holding, I will grow old," accepted his proposal.
However, Hang Gang expressed his reservations, telling Yunxian about the factional struggles within the court and stating that he was not optimistic about her marriage with Qiyu. Zhu Qiyu then addressed Hang Gang, promising to use his influence with the Emperor to clear the Tan family's name regarding the old Noble Consort case if the marriage was permitted. Hang Gang, expressing gratitude, acknowledged the difficulty of the task but ultimately gave his consent.
Zhu Qiyu suggested they dock the ship while he returned to the palace to ask the Emperor to cancel the transfer order and grant the marriage, assuring them they would be back at their manor within a day. Back in the capital, Zhu Qiyu found the Emperor in a foul mood, refusing to see anyone. Eunuchs warned him that the Emperor was upset with him, even cursing him while drunk. Zhu Qiyu pressed on, trying to force his way in.
At the same time, the Queen arrived, having learned from Yu Dongyang, that Commander Hang's family had been attacked by Attendant Minister Xu's men, who posed as "bandits." She relayed the devastating news: "Lady Hang Yunxian has unfortunately passed." The attack resulted in Zisu's death while protecting Yunxian, and Yunxian herself was injured while saving her grandmother before falling into the water, her fate unknown.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor collapsed on his throne, while Zhu Qiyu, overcome by grief and rage, coughed up blood and fainted. Meanwhile, at Duke Wang's manor, a servant reported that while the body of an assassin named Xu was found, Hang Yunxian's body was not, though her survival was deemed impossible after being gravely wounded and falling into the deep, cold, and strong currents.
Duke Wang was pleased, knowing that Xu's death would allow them to frame him as solely responsible for the attack, driven by a deep hatred, thus diverting any suspicion from themselves. He then instructed Wang Meilin to seize this opportunity to comfort Prince Cheng and capitalize on his vulnerability, while ensuring their involvement remained hidden.
