The King's Woman Episode 28 Recap
> The King's Woman Recap
Tian Guang, the strategist of the Crown Prince of Yan, approached Jing Ke to ask for his help. He revealed that he needed Jing Ke to go to Xianyang, the capital of Qin, and rescue the current hostaged prince, Crown Prince Dan of Yan. Though Jing Ke acknowledged the extreme danger of breaking through thousands of soldiers in Xianyang, he immediately agreed to undertake the mission.
Gai Lan wished to accompany him, but Jing Ke firmly refused, citing her recent injuries. Tian Guang assured Gai Lan that he had made preparations and secured help from numerous warriors of Yan. As Jing Ke and Tian Guang prepared to depart, Gai Lan expressed her deep concern for Jing Ke’s safety, though he confidently boasted that his martial arts skills would ensure his safe return, even from Hell.
Gongsun Li received a letter from Tian Guang informing her that Jing Ke was coming to Xianyang. When Han Shen learned of this, he questioned why she didn't seem surprised. Gongsun Li revealed that she was the one who had informed Tian Guang about Crown Prince Dan's house arrest. Han Shen, worried about the immense danger, urged her not to get involved, especially given Ying Zheng’s volatile nature.
Gongsun Li insisted that Crown Prince Dan was her friend and had sought her help, making it her duty to act. She believed Ying Zheng had placed Crown Prince Dan under house arrest against his will, driven by pride, and that helping Crown Prince Dan leave Qin would actually be a favor to Ying Zheng. Han Shen, still confused by her motives and her willingness to risk her life and Tianming's safety, offered to handle the matter himself.
However, Gongsun Li adamantly refused, asserting that her direct involvement was necessary to minimize risk, confident that Ying Zheng would not truly harm her. Suddenly, they heard a noise outside. Gongsun Li went to check but found no one there, which startled her. She felt a growing need for heightened vigilance. Later that night, Gongsun Li sat alone, gazing at the bright moon, her thoughts filled with trust for Jing Ke.
Far away, Jing Ke, on his journey, also looked up at the moon, seemingly sensing her thoughts. Simultaneously, Crown Prince Dan of Yan stood before his house, gazing at the same moon, consumed by anxiety, knowing that if the plan failed, he would surely die in Qin. The next day, Gongsun Li affectionately helped Ying Zheng organize his scrolls. Li Zhong arrived to report that Crown Prince Dan had been ill since winter and remained bedridden.
Seizing the opportunity, Gongsun Li suggested she visit Crown Prince Dan on Ying Zheng's behalf, to prevent him from being perceived as heartless and cruel. Ying Zheng, seeing no ulterior motive, readily agreed and ordered Han Shen to accompany her. At Crown Prince Dan's manor, strict guards prevented any private conversation. Gongsun Li expressed Ying Zheng’s concern for his illness. To ease Crown Prince Dan's homesickness, Gongsun Li offered to sing a Yan folk song.
Her melodious voice filled the room. Outside, in the howling wind, Tian Guang and Jing Ke, leading masked Yan warriors, stormed into the manor, feigning a robbery for treasure. A fierce battle erupted, with Jing Ke single-handedly overwhelming numerous guards. Inside, Gongsun Li, hearing the commotion, insisted on checking the situation. She then cunningly allowed Jing Ke to "take her hostage," causing the Tiger guards to hesitate their movements.
In the ensuing chaos, Tian Guang successfully rescued Crown Prince Dan, replacing him with a warrior who impersonated him. Han Shen, after instructing the remaining guards to protect the manor and inform the Chamberlain, single-handedly pursued the "bandits." Upon learning of Gongsun Li’s abduction, Ying Zheng became deeply worried and immediately ordered horses prepared so he could personally search for her. On the road, Jing Ke, Gongsun Li, and Tian Guang rendezvoused with Crown Prince Dan.
Han Shen also arrived, catching up from behind. Crown Prince Dan profusely thanked everyone for their help, acknowledging the urgency of their situation and needing to depart quickly. Despite his reluctance, Jing Ke bid farewell to Gongsun Li, the memories of their youth flashing through their minds as their paths diverged. Moments later, Ying Zheng arrived on horseback, encountering Gongsun Li returning. When he learned she had been abandoned by the "bandits," he quickly realized it was a trap.
He ordered Han Shen to escort Gongsun Li back to the palace while he rushed to Crown Prince Dan's manor. At the manor, Li Zhong observed that the fallen soldiers had suffered precise, fatal blows, indicating the perpetrators were not ordinary thieves but highly skilled martial artists. Sensing something amiss, he knocked on Crown Prince Dan's door. The imposter inside claimed to be unwell and unable to open the door, but Li Zhong detected a difference in his voice.
Suspicious, he forced his way into the room, preparing to pull back the bed curtains to confirm Crown Prince Dan's identity. Just then, Ying Zheng arrived and ripped open the curtains himself, immediately discovering that the person was not Crown Prince Dan. In a fit of rage, Ying Zheng ordered the imposter thrown into prison and tortured to death over a thousand days to extract the truth.
However, the imposter, fearless in the face of death and committed to his cause, swallowed poison and ended his own life. Ying Zheng's eyes darkened, and a chilling aura emanated from him. He declared Crown Prince Dan's audacity unforgivable and immediately dispatched the Huben army to Hangu Pass, the vital route for returning to Yan, to capture him. As night fell, Hangu Pass was heavily guarded, its sentries illuminating the darkness with their torches.
Tian Guang and his group, disguised as a funeral procession, attempted to pass through. Just as the guards were about to let them go, Li Zhong arrived with the Huben army and ordered a thorough inspection of the coffins. As Li Zhong's sword neared the coffin where Crown Prince Dan was hiding, Jing Ke seized the opportunity, swiftly eliminating several soldiers and throwing a torch at Li Zhong, whose sword barely missed Crown Prince Dan.