The King's Woman Episode 29 Recap
> The King's Woman Recap
At Hangu Pass, as Li Zhong’s sword was about to strike the coffin where Yan Dan lay hidden, Jing Ke swiftly moved, catching Li Zhong off guard and almost injuring him. Han Shen intervened, deliberately allowing himself to be wounded. Jing Ke then seized Li Zhong, declaring his intent not to kill anyone, only to be allowed to leave. Li Zhong consented, securing the escape of Jing Ke and his companions.
Before departing, Jing Ke thanked Li Zhong and promised to return his horse if they were to meet again. Later, Li Zhong and Han Shen reported their failure to Ying Zheng in the solemn Great Qin Palace. Ying Zheng was not angered, recognizing that his generals were outmatched by Yan Dan’s highly skilled men. He lamented his underestimation of Yan Dan, regretting not sending the "Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain" masters from the start.
Ying Zheng noticed Han Shen’s injury and asked if his past in the Jianghu realm offered any clues about their opponents. Before Han Shen could answer, Gongsun Li interjected that the Jianghu realm was vast, filled with countless talents, and Han Shen could not possibly know them all. Li Zhong, however, grew suspicious. He sternly questioned Gongsun Li, demanding to know how she, who went to visit the prince, ended up as a hostage.
He pressed whether she was in the room when the real prince was exchanged, and if she truly saw nothing. Gongsun Li explained that the manor was chaotic, and she went out to check movements outside her room, guessing that was when the exchange happened. Li Zhong then accused Han Shen and Guard Huang of negligence for allowing Gongsun Li to fall into the bandits’ hands.
Ying Zheng, seeing Yan Dan had already escaped, decided to table the discussion, noting his weariness. He apologized to Gongsun Li for the chamberlain's bluntness, but she assured him it was just Li Zhong doing his duty. Later, Gongsun Li worried about Jing Ke's safety. Ying Zheng quietly approached her, taking her hand. He expressed his deep concern over her repeated abductions, vowing to raze any lair if the bandits dared to take her as a wife.
Gongsun Li lightly dismissed his fears, asking if he truly thought anyone would want a "tigress" like her. Ying Zheng, smiling, replied that his unique taste drew him to her. He then revealed his special gift: Tianming would return to the palace. Gongsun Li was overjoyed. Ying Zheng admitted he had kept them apart for too long and promised not to separate them again.
He even tenderly stated that Tianming was also his son, and Gongsun Li embraced him tightly, moved by his words. Meanwhile, Jing Ke and his group paused for rest near the Qin-Wei border. Jing Ke sat alone by a lake, his face darkening at the thought of Gongsun Li, yet an unconscious smile played on his lips when he thought of Gai Lan, revealing the complexity of his emotions.
Tianming soon returned to the palace, bringing joy to Ying Zheng and Gongsun Li. One day, Tianming innocently asked his father about being "free and unrestrained." Ying Zheng defined it as being able to do and acquire anything one desires. Tianming wondered if Ying Zheng himself was free. Ying Zheng replied that after he united the world and ended all wars, they would become the most free people.
He explained that even birds, despite their freedom to fly, live in constant fear of predators and struggle for food, so they are not truly free. He then connected this thought to Yan Dan, acknowledging that both he and Yan Dan were held hostage in foreign lands from a young age, leading them to similar desires.
Ying Zheng mused that one becomes truly free by making others fear them, allowing them to protect those they care for, rather than being pitied. Meanwhile, Chu Liangren was restless in the palace. Shang Yi arrived excitedly, reporting that the imperial physicians had confirmed Han Zhangshi was pregnant with Han Fei’s child, several months along. Chu Liangren failed to see the good news.
Shang Yi explained softly that outside the palace, Han Fei was considered a traitor, making his child with Han Zhangshi, a royal consort, a sensitive secret. She suggested that Chu Liangren could feign pregnancy, claim a premature birth, and take Han Zhangshi’s child as her own, sending Han Zhangshi away with money. This, Shang Yi believed, would also help Chu Liangren regain Ying Zheng’s favor. Chu Liangren pondered the idea and found it quite ingenious.
Following this, Chu Liangren visited Han Zhangshi, bringing a tonic and falsely apologizing for her previous accusations. She claimed the tonic would help stabilize the pregnancy. Han Zhangshi was startled, realizing Chu Liangren knew of her condition, but was perplexed by her sudden show of kindness, suspecting a hidden agenda. After Chu Liangren left, Han Zhangshi decided to discard the tonic, uncertain if it was a remedy or a poison.
Chu Liangren then coerced Royal Physician Lu into fabricating a pregnancy diagnosis for her. She offered him gold and subtly threatened his family in his home province, reminding him of his past involvement in Jing Liangren’s miscarriage. The physician, fearing for his family, reluctantly agreed to report Chu Liangren as pregnant and continue her monthly check-ups with "fetal preservation" medications.
Realizing her pregnancy could no longer be kept secret, Han Zhangshi sought out Gongsun Li, pleading with her to ask Ying Zheng to allow her to safely deliver Han Fei's child. She explained that Han Fei was widely believed to have betrayed Qin, making her carrying his child as Ying Zheng’s consort a matter that could not be openly acknowledged. She feared Ying Zheng might order an abortion.
Gongsun Li promptly conveyed the news to Ying Zheng, estimating Han Zhangshi was four or five months pregnant, likely conceived before Han Fei's imprisonment. Ying Zheng expressed sympathy for the child's difficult fate, acknowledging his deep debt to Han Fei, and affirmed he would never harm the child. He tasked Gongsun Li with handling the delicate situation carefully, ensuring Han Zhangshi's safe delivery while avoiding any political repercussions due to Han Fei's sensitive public image.
The very next day, news arrived that Chu Liangren was also pregnant. Ying Zheng, however, showed little interest, simply ordering Zhao Gao to prepare gifts to send to her. Zhao Gao harbored some suspicion, but Chu Liangren convincingly feigned morning sickness to dispel his doubts. During a court assembly, officials and Ying Zheng discussed strategies against Zhao.
Lord Changping proposed a temporary retreat, suggesting that Li Mu, though a formidable general, was often at odds with the current King of Zhao. A tactical withdrawal, he argued, would preserve Qin’s strength and provide an opportunity to sow discord between the Zhao king and Li Mu. Ying Zheng, who had already considered a retreat, readily accepted the advice and ordered Meng Wu to convey the command to Wang Jian to pull back from Zhao.
Li Si then raised the issue of Yan Dan's escape, inquiring whether troops should be dispatched to pursue him. Lord Changping, however, disagreed, reminding Ying Zheng that Yan Dan had been like a brother to him during his time as a hostage. He cautioned that sending troops after a prince who had been a hostage would only invite more criticism from the world. The discussion created palpable tension between the two officials.
