The Legend of Dugu Episode 17 Recap, Plot

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In the imperial court, Zhao Gui presented Dugu Jialuo and Captain Du, bound, before the Emperor. Dugu Xin watched his youngest daughter in distress, unsure of the situation. Zhao Gui accused Jialuo of rebellion, claiming she had gathered private soldiers and defied the Emperor, and that he and Geshu had jointly detained them. He urged the Emperor to make a judgment.

To bolster his claims, Zhao Gui revealed that a search of the Dugu family's charity house had uncovered a significant quantity of grain and weapons, enough to equip thousands. He claimed a "betrayer" had confessed that Jialuo had been recruiting and privately training soldiers for a long time, and that they had recently infiltrated the city in disguise to probe around quietly.

Dugu Xin tried to interject, stating it must be a misunderstanding, but Zhao Gui retorted that despite Dugu Xin's love for his daughter, the evidence was conclusive. He questioned Dugu Xin's true intentions, given that the soldiers were out at war and the city's defenses were weakened, yet his daughter was involved in such activities. Captain Du, also bound, bravely took all the blame, explaining that he had recruited villagers to hunt tigers in the mountains, denying any rebellion.

Zhao Gui, however, pointed out that Du was a former close aide of Dugu Xin and urged the Emperor not to believe his one-sided story. He scoffed at the idea of "villager troops" being so neatly dressed and possessing sophisticated weapons. Jialuo insisted that the incident had nothing to do with her father and that someone had deliberately set a trap for them.

Zhao Gui then pressed Dugu Xin to step aside, reminding him that as prime minister, he should not interfere when his daughter had committed such a serious offense. Feeling cornered and wanting to avoid further angering the Emperor, Dugu Xin reluctantly agreed to step aside and accept the eventual verdict. The Emperor, swayed by Zhao Gui, ordered Jialuo to be imprisoned to await trial. In the prison, Jialuo's maid, Dong Qu, managed to bribe the head guard to visit her.

Dong Qu assured Jialuo that Dugu Xin was doing everything possible to help, but was in an awkward position and found it inconvenient to intervene directly. Jialuo, however, asked Dong Qu to tell her father not to get involved. She understood the incident was a clear setup by Zhao Gui to frame her, aiming to use the accusation of rebellion to remove her father from his position and cause conflict between the Dugu family and Yuwen Hu's forces.

She resolved to bear the responsibility alone to protect the Dugu family. Dong Qu suggested putting all the blame on Captain Du, but Jialuo refused to be ungrateful, as Du was there because of her. She instructed Dong Qu to maintain the story that they were merely hunting outside the city, were attacked by arrows, and accidentally clashed with government soldiers.

As for the items found in the charity house, Jialuo insisted they were for the temple's protection, not for rebellion. Back at the Dugu mansion, Dong Qu relayed Jialuo’s message. Dugu Xin was distraught and wanted to use the death-exemption plate given by the former emperor to save Jialuo.

Banruo, arriving shortly after, blamed her father, saying he should not have intervened in the palace to save the Emperor in the first place, as it had only led to more troubles and prevented Zhao Gui's downfall. A steward advised Dugu Xin against resigning, warning that it would empower Zhao Gui, jeopardize the safety of Dugu's sons serving in other states, and even drag Banruo and Mantuo into trouble.

He emphasized that Zhao Gui, once in power, would replace Dugu Xin in the fight against Yuwen Hu, leading to chaos and suffering for the common people. Dugu Xin refused to abandon Jialuo to suffer alone in prison, but Banruo tried to reassure him, claiming she had made arrangements in the prison and that, given Jialuo’s young age and the hunting story, the punishment would not be severe, perhaps just confinement to Foqing Temple for a few years.

Outside, people from the charity house, having heard of Jialuo's arrest, gathered to protest, asserting Jialuo's kindness and innocence, claiming the "villager troops" were merely for protection against robbers. Meanwhile, in the prison, Zhao Gui subjected Jialuo to cruel tortures, including severe beating and water torture, to force her to sign a confession of rebellion.

He mocked her, saying he felt "heartache" at the thought of using such tools on her "tiny body," but pressured her to stamp the confession letter and read it to the Emperor. Jialuo defiantly spat at him, reminding him that her father had once saved his life and that her "crime" still required imperial review. She dared him to cut off her fingers and force her handprint, vowing to expose his torture during the trial.

Enraged, Zhao Gui ordered her to be beaten severely, claiming the torture would "not ruin her beautiful appearance" or "leave a trace." Despite the brutal whipping and water torture, Jialuo refused to confess. At one point, she feigned willingness to confess to be untied, then attempted to take her own life by slamming her head against a pillar. Upon learning of Jialuo’s dire condition, Banruo forced her way into the prison.

Horrified by Jialuo's bloodied and trembling state, she ordered her maid, Chunshi, to take Jialuo home immediately. The prison guard, however, staunchly refused, citing Zhao Gui's order that Jialuo was a "serious criminal" and no visitation or removal was allowed without the Emperor's explicit permission. He even threatened to commit suicide if Banruo forcibly removed Jialuo, to apologize to Yuwen Yu. Banruo, unable to help Jialuo directly, promised to return soon with a royal decree.

Banruo then went to the palace, first seeking an audience with the Empress, but was told the Empress was unwell and unable to help, having already angered the Emperor by pleading for Jialuo. The Empress's messenger suggested Banruo appeal directly to the Emperor. Banruo then knelt outside the Emperor's chambers, pleading for an audience. Dugu Xin, equally distraught, joined her. The Emperor, however, refused to see them.

He had been shown a confession letter from a servant of the Countess of Qinghe, which alleged a long-standing communication between Dugu Banruo and Yuwen Hu. The Emperor, filled with suspicion, believed Dugu Xin and Yuwen Hu were colluding to stage a performance and that alienating Zhao Gui would be falling into their trap. He recalled Dugu Xin's past obstructions to his plans against Yuwen Hu and concluded that Dugu Xin was "sinful," even wishing to "kill his whole family."

Despite the Empress's attempts to reason with him, pointing out the suspicious circumstances of Zhao Gui's "discovery" and the illogical nature of Dugu Xin's "rebellion" given his actions, the Emperor remained convinced. He ordered Jialuo to be further interrogated with force. When Dugu Xin and Banruo continued to kneel outside, the Emperor coldly declared he would not see them, even if they knelt to death, revealing his contempt for them, seeing them as "dogs," "pigs," "animals." Eventually, the Empress intervened.

She helped Dugu Xin and Banruo to their feet, attributing the Emperor's harshness to intoxication. She offered a compromise, promising to send an imperial doctor and servants to ensure Jialuo's safety in prison while awaiting the Emperor's "fair judgment." Dugu Xin, with a heavy heart, accepted, stating he would respectfully accept any verdict. Yuwen Yu arrived to pick up a heartbroken Banruo.

He tried to comfort her, but Banruo, consumed by grief and rage, dismissed his reassurances, describing Jialuo's bloody injuries and fearing for her sister's life. She begged Yuwen Yu to lead his three thousand elite soldiers from Ningdu Prince's Mansion to storm the palace, capture the Emperor Yuwen Jue, and rescue Jialuo.

Yuwen Yu, however, urged caution, reminding her that rebellion was a capital crime and proposing a more calculated approach, suggesting they leverage Zhao Gui's secrets to force him to reduce Jialuo's charges. Feeling that Yuwen Yu's plan was too slow and inadequate, Banruo declined to return home with him. Instead, Banruo secretly traveled to Yuwen Hu's mansion. She knelt in the snow, desperately pleading with him to save Jialuo, refusing to leave until he agreed.

Yuwen Hu initially responded with cynical remarks, questioning if she was begging as the Princess of Ningdu or Dugu Banruo, and teasing her about turning to him after her husband couldn't help. However, seeing her tear-stained face, he softened, apologizing for his insensitive jokes. Banruo reiterated Jialuo's critical condition, emphasizing that even imperial doctors were helpless and the harsh prison environment would kill her.

She pleaded with him to deploy his troops to attack the palace, promising her father's forces would join them, and that he would gain the world. Yuwen Hu, however, explained the strategic difficulties. He reminded her that Dugu Xin's main troops had been transferred to fight the Qi dynasty, making a direct assault now too hasty.

He acknowledged the 5,000 capital defense troops and his own 3,000, but highlighted the 3,000 imperial guards and Zhao Gui's substantial forces, deeming the odds of success too low. He also warned that even if they succeeded, their combined 8,000 soldiers would be insufficient to stabilize the dynasty against opportunistic barbarians once news of the Emperor's demise spread.

He coolly stated that achieving dominance sometimes required sacrifice, even citing his "loss" of her as a similar example, implying Jialuo's current suffering was a small price. Distraught but determined, Banruo began to disrobe. Unable to resist her, Yuwen Hu embraced her, confessing his inability to refuse her throughout his life. After their intimacy, Banruo repeated her question, "Now, can you send the troops?" Yuwen Hu, still holding her, replied, "If I come back safely, we meet every day, okay?"

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