The Imperial Doctress Episode 29 Recap
> The Imperial Doctress Recap
Before embarking on the campaign, Your Majesty reassured the Empress and the little prince of his safe return, expressing his desire to showcase the Ming dynasty's might and avoid being mocked by his soldiers. Upon entering the battlefield, Your Majesty was taunted by an Oirat soldier, who claimed he couldn't even kill a chicken. In response, Your Majesty declared, "Killing you will be enough."
After a decisive victory, Your Majesty confronted the defeated Oirat, asserting, "Didn't you say I can't even kill a chicken? You're even worse than a chicken. Do you admit defeat?" The Oirat surrendered immediately. With his soldiers cheering, Your Majesty declared, "My soldiers are here! Kneel! Kneel!" After the Oirats fled, Your Majesty dismissed concerns about pursuing them further, stating, "I let him off today. I can catch him again some other day."
Wang Zhen quickly praised Your Majesty for showing the "dragon's might," an sentiment echoed by the cheering soldiers. Later, Your Majesty boasted to Yunxian about his performance, to which she replied he wasn't bad, but advised him to be more careful. Your Majesty dismissed her worries as typical of women, but Yunxian retorted that she had witnessed war with her father.
Your Majesty then promised to wage "a beautiful fight" for her to see when they arrived at Datong the next day. Wang Zhen congratulated Your Majesty again, flattering him by saying he truly showcased the Ming Dynasty's dragon might. Your Majesty agreed, lamenting that if he had come earlier, the Oirats might not have become so arrogant. In his delight, Your Majesty granted Wang Zhen the title of Knight.
Meanwhile, outside Your Majesty's tent, Yunxian spoke with General Fan Zhong, confirming their mutual dislike for Wang Zhen, whom General Fan Zhong described as scheming and knowing nothing. Yunxian then inquired about the provisions prepared by Wang Zhen. General Fan Zhong revealed that the supplies consisted of spoiled rice, at least five years old, which the soldiers were forced to eat, and he had to halt two protestors earlier that day.
Yunxian expressed her suspicion about the ease of their victory, wondering why the Oirats, known for their skill, had suddenly become so weak. She speculated that they might have purposefully lured the Ming army into a trap, explaining to General Fan Zhong that her knowledge of warfare came from her father, who was also a general. Your Majesty once again entered the battlefield, quickly breaking the siege of Datong.
He expressed his surprise at how easily Datong's defenses were broken, deeming the Oirat barbarians "just so so" and Ye Xian "nothing but a clown" who instantly fled under his leadership. Unbeknownst to Your Majesty, this was a diversion. The Oirat leaders, including Ye Xian, gloated about Your Majesty falling for their trap, mocking his immaturity. They prepared to abandon Datong and march directly to Beijing, acknowledging the long journey but confident in their scheme.
That night, while stargazing with Yunxian, Your Majesty expressed his newfound joy in battle, imagining gazing at stars from Oirat fields. Yunxian, however, still felt uneasy, sensing that their victories were too easy. At that moment, General Fan Zhong and Wang Zhen sought an audience with Your Majesty to debate strategy.
General Fan Zhong argued for resting the weary soldiers after ten days of travel, while Wang Zhen vehemently insisted on pursuing the Oirats to destroy them in one blow, fearing a loss of morale if they rested. Yunxian interjected, questioning if the Oirats had truly lost, pointing out their organized retreat and the low number of Oirat casualties. She suspected a scheme, reminding Your Majesty of Ye Xian's formidable reputation and how unusual his swift retreat was.
Wang Zhen dismissed her, stating national affairs were no place for a physician. General Fan Zhong supported Yunxian, admitting his own unease about the battle's smoothness. Your Majesty, annoyed, dismissed their concerns, asking if they would only be happy if thousands died. Wang Zhen then proposed deploying scouts to monitor Oirat movements, emphasizing Datong's proximity to Beijing, a seemingly cautious suggestion.
Their discussion was abruptly cut short by news of trouble: the army's grain supply had been set on fire by Oirat spies. An Oirat banner was left behind, bearing an insulting message about the Ming Emperor's lack of strategy. Enraged by this humiliation and the loss of all their grain, Your Majesty declared, "Damned Ye Xian. . . I won't spare you," and immediately ordered all forces to pursue the Oirats.
Yunxian expressed concern about riding, as she hadn't ridden much, but Your Majesty insisted. General Fan Zhong tried to dissuade him from a rash attack, warning of potential reverse psychology, but Your Majesty was confident with his 200,000 soldiers. He agreed to leave 10,000 troops with Guo Deng to guard Datong but pressed the main army onward, dismissing the soldiers' exhaustion. The Ming army soon fell into an Oirat ambush.
Ye Xian taunted Your Majesty directly during the chaos, calling him "even stupider than I imagined" and "the most useless Emperor of the Ming dynasty." Your Majesty was eventually wounded and forced to retreat, with Yunxian and his soldiers urging him to return. After retreating, Your Majesty, feeling remorseful, realized they had underestimated the Oirats, with over a hundred dead and many injured.
Wang Zhen, now understanding the Oirat's "lure the tiger out of its mountain lair" strategy, worried their goal was the capital. He stressed that returning defeated would empower the Empress Dowager against Your Majesty, potentially costing him his own position. He suggested intercepting the Oirats on their path to the capital, proposing Yuzhou as a strategic location with abundant resources, which would also provide troops as his nephew was in charge there.
General Fan Zhong vehemently disagreed, stating that Oirats historically only used Datong or Xuanfu routes. With Datong secured, he argued, they should guard Xuanfu to the north, accusing Wang Zhen of wanting to go home to show off his new title. Your Majesty, tired of their arguments, made no decision. That night, the Oirats launched a surprise attack on the Ming camp, causing heavy casualties. Four thousand soldiers died, and many more were injured.
Your Majesty was deeply remorseful, while Yunxian diligently tended to the wounded, refusing to rest. For immediate rest and resupply, Your Majesty adopted Wang Zhen's proposal to head for Yuzhou, despite General Fan Zhong's warnings. Your Majesty made it clear to Wang Zhen that he would be held responsible if there was no food there. The Oirat leaders, including Ye Xian and Cheng Shisan, quickly learned of this change in direction and anticipated the Ming army's movement.
On the way to Yuzhou, Wang Zhen received news from his nephew that the city was surrounded by Oirats and the grain carts had been intercepted. Wang Zhen tried to make excuses, claiming he was concerned about trampling farmlands, but Your Majesty, enraged by his lies, accused him of taking the 20,000 soldiers for fools. Wang Zhen, in turn, tried to blame General Fan Zhong for their predicament.
Your Majesty silenced them both, declaring, "Wang Zhen, you delayed the troops, I will take away your earl status, keeping your job for observation." He then ordered General Fan Zhong to lead the troops to Xuanfu and arrange matters with General Yang Hong. The Oirats continued their harassment, leaving the dwindling Ming forces exhausted and hungry. Soldiers complained about their meager rations, which an officer claimed were shared by Your Majesty and General Fan Zhong.
Yunxian, noticing Your Majesty's weariness, insisted he eat the food she brought, even though he initially refused, feeling pity for him. Your Majesty later apologized to Yunxian for his previous temper, admitting his feelings of inadequacy after the disastrous battle. Yunxian, in turn, told him he was a good Emperor but criticized his excessive trust in Wang Zhen, reminding him that she and Qian Jiejie had repeatedly warned him.
Your Majesty, however, still defended Wang Zhen, saying he was the only one who hadn't betrayed him. Yunxian urged him to be more sober when facing enemies in the future. During another Oirat attack, while tending to the wounded, Yunxian discovered that the medical pills were filled with mud. Soldiers, examining their own medicine, confirmed the fraud. Your Majesty confronted Wang Zhen, who feigned ignorance.
However, one of Wang Zhen's subordinates exposed him, revealing that he had accepted a bribe of over ten thousand dollars from the medicine vendor and urging Your Majesty to search him. Upon finding money on Wang Zhen, the soldiers erupted in fury, demanding his death for endangering them with fake medicine. General Fan Zhong further condemned Wang Zhen, calling for his immediate beheading.
At this critical moment, news arrived that Ye Xian himself was leading the Oirat army in a final assault. As the battle raged, Ye Xian and Cheng Shisan celebrated their success in making the Ming troops turn against each other. Cheng Shisan, whose true identity was now revealed, gloated about their success, declaring that the Oirats would now rule the world.
Amidst the chaos, Wang Zhen urged Your Majesty to abandon his troops and flee to Xuanfu, even suggesting they could share the country with Ye Xian, as it was "better than dying." Enraged by Wang Zhen's treachery, General Fan Zhong shouted, "What did you say? ! It's all your fault! If it wasn't for you, would I be like this? Would the Emperor be like this? You useless slave!" and summarily killed him.
General Fan Zhong then heroically fought to cover Your Majesty's escape but was ultimately killed by the enemy. With defeat certain, Your Majesty, overwhelmed with grief, attempted to take his own life but was stopped by Yunxian, who reminded him of his duty to his soldiers and to avenge them. Ye Xian then personally challenged Your Majesty to a duel. Driven by impulse, Your Majesty pursued him, with Yunxian following closely.
Ye Xian easily defeated Your Majesty, breaking his arm, beating him, and humiliatingly stepping on his head. Your Majesty, Zhu Qizhen, was captured by the Oirats. News of Your Majesty's capture sent shockwaves through the imperial court in Beijing. Duke Zhao reported the tragic event to the Empress Dowager, who, along with the other ministers, was distraught, lamenting her broken promise to her late husband.
