The Legend of Dugu Episode 24 Recap, Plot

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Returning to the palace, Yuwen Yu directly confronted Banruo, demanding to know what she and Yuwen Hu were arguing about on the day of her miscarriage at Longxing Temple, and why Yuwen Hu pushed her down the stairs. Banruo, thinking quickly, lied and claimed the argument stemmed from Yuwen Hu's anger that her father, Dugu Xin, was returning to court as Prime Minister, which he felt went against their prior agreement.

Yuwen Yu, believing her, was incensed at the thought that Yuwen Hu was responsible for the loss of their unborn child and vowed to kill him for revenge. Banruo, however, urgently pleaded with her husband on her knees not to confront Yuwen Hu, warning that it would only lead them to repeat the tragic fate of the previous emperor, Yuwen Jue.

Yuwen Yu expressed his frustration, feeling like a powerless puppet emperor despite his title, and wished he could return to their carefree life in the princely mansion. Banruo reminded him that there was no turning back, but suggested they could pretend to be submissive to Yuwen Hu while secretly working to strengthen his position.

She believed Yuwen Hu's guilt over the miscarriage would make him concede some power in court, and she promised to enlist her father's help to slowly establish Yuwen Yu as a legitimate emperor. Yuwen Yu admitted that he cared little for the throne or power; his greatest desire was to have their child back, calling him father. Banruo reassured him that they would have children again.

Yuwen Yu began to strategize, asking his attendant Yuanfu about his private funds and treasury assets, which amounted to over 450,000 gold. He instructed Yuanfu to sell remaining items from the treasury for more gold and to gather the two thousand guards from his former mansion, now part of the imperial army, for a speech. Yuanfu questioned his intentions, reminding him of his promise to the queen.

Yuwen Yu asserted his impatience, citing the historical example of Xialei, who relied on a single Niezheng to remove traitors, and believing his guards were just as capable. He explained his plan was to lull Yuwen Hu into a false sense of security before striking. Meanwhile, Geshu, Yuwen Hu’s confidant, expressed concern about Yuwen Yu’s recent busy activities, fearing he might follow in Yuwen Jue's footsteps.

Yuwen Hu dismissed these worries, calling Yuwen Yu a fool who was still mourning a child he believed was his own, and assumed his activities were merely a way to cope with his sadness. Yuwen Hu revealed that he had removed a poison from Yuwen Yu, stating he owed Banruo and needed Yuwen Yu alive, believing that having his own bloodline on the throne through Banruo and Yuwen Yu was a more efficient way to achieve his ultimate goal.

He also asserted that as long as Banruo was alive and well, even if she hated him, he would be content. Later, during a hunting expedition, Yuwen Yu promoted Yuchi Kang to an officer and awarded him gold for catching a rabbit. He then renamed the imperial guard from his former mansion the "Yulin Army," encouraging them to emulate Yuchi Kang's bravery for future rewards. Jialuo visited Banruo, who was burning incense at Guanyin Temple, bringing Lihua with her.

Upon seeing Lihua, Banruo was deeply disturbed, overwhelmed by the painful memory of her night with Yuwen Hu, which she considered an unforgivable mistake. She abruptly told Jialuo to take Lihua away and never let her appear before her again. Jialuo tried to reason with her, reminding Banruo that Lihua was her biological daughter. Banruo adamantly refused to acknowledge Lihua, reiterating that seeing her reminded her of the mistake.

She declared that she was now pregnant with Yuwen Yu's child, a legitimate royal prince, and needed to dedicate herself entirely to raising him to secure their empire. Distressed, Jialuo recounted the incident to her father, Dugu Xin. Dugu Xin advised Jialuo not to blame Banruo, acknowledging her sister's immense burdens and understanding that Lihua's blue eyes were indeed a difficult challenge for her. Jialuo promised to care for Lihua as her own daughter.

Dugu Xin then softened his stance on Jialuo's long-held wish to marry Yuwen Yong, promising to approve their marriage if a doctor confirmed Yuwen Yong's full recovery. Dugu Xin reflected on his declining health and the unpredictable paths his daughters had taken, noting how Jialuo, once thought to be carefree, was now managing the household, Lihua's care, and even training the Jici Army.

He confided in Jialuo that Yuwen Yu was secretly struggling against Yuwen Hu, trying to expand the Yulin Army and gather loyalists. Dugu Xin felt obligated to help Yuwen Yu subtly, as he believed his family had wronged the emperor first with the Lihua incident. He urged Jialuo to talk to Banruo, asking her to persuade Yuwen Yu to act with caution. Jialuo, in turn, expressed worry about Yuwen Hu's reaction if he discovered Banruo’s new pregnancy.

Banruo intentionally sought out Yuwen Hu. He observed her weight loss and hoped her willingness to see him meant she was no longer angry. Banruo recounted her recurring nightmares of him pushing her down the stairs at Longxing Temple, killing her child. Yuwen Hu maintained he hadn't intended it. Banruo sarcastically remarked on the "coincidences": their quarrel, his son discovering their affair, and then his son oiling the stairs to eliminate a potential threat.

She then revealed she too had been secretly poisoned with the same substance Yuwen Hu used on Yuwen Yu, implying her child would have died regardless of the fall. A remorseful Yuwen Hu swore on his life to do anything if she would stop hating him. Banruo seized the moment, demanding that he stop poisoning Yuwen Yu and ensure the safety of her "family of three." Yuwen Hu was visibly shocked by "family of three."

Banruo confirmed her pregnancy with Yuwen Yu's child, vehemently asserting her right to have a child with her righteous husband, who had neither betrayed nor killed her offspring. She explained her daily prayers for a child had been answered and she would protect this one with her life. She then offered Yuwen Hu a deal: if he allowed her to give birth and let the child inherit the throne, she would make that child abdicate to him.

However, he must not harm Yuwen Yu or the child, or she would end their connection and fight him to the death. Yuwen Hu, torn between his ambition and his desperate love for Banruo, agreed to her terms, convinced it was worth it if it meant she would no longer hate him. He promised not to harm Yuwen Yu as long as the emperor stayed in his place and Dugu Xin maintained the balance in court.

Banruo held his hand in thanks. Later, Geshu questioned Yuwen Hu's promise, but Yuwen Hu reiterated his desire to avoid Banruo's hatred, tears, or a complete break between them. He reasoned he could wait a few years for his grand scheme, believing Yuwen Yu would eventually resent being a puppet once his own son was born. Meanwhile, Banruo, speaking to her maid Chunshi, acknowledged the sincerity of Yuwen Hu’s love.

She confessed to feeling foolish for constantly lying to both men to cover her mistakes and felt pity for Yuwen Hu, who genuinely believed he had harmed her and her child, unaware the child was still alive. Chunshi reminded Banruo of Yuwen Hu's ongoing threat to Yuwen Yu and urged her to fully commit to Yuwen Yu, severing emotional ties with Yuwen Hu.

Banruo affirmed that she knew the palace was her true home, where she had her husband, her child, and her Dugu empire. Back at the Dugu residence, Chunshi, with Lihua, called Jialuo for a minor concern about Lihua spitting up milk. Jialuo, observing Lihua's features, remarked on her striking resemblance to both Banruo and Yuwen Hu, lamenting that such a child was not cherished by her parents.

Chunshi quickly cautioned Jialuo to never mention Lihua's parents in front of the child and to always maintain the story that Lihua was an orphan adopted from a charity house. Simultaneously, a royal physician informed Yuwen Yu that Banruo’s pregnancy was stable and the royal son was strong, much to the emperor’s delight. The physician then asked Yuwen Yu to step out for Banruo’s moxibustion treatment, which produced a lot of smoke.

In court, Yuwen Yu announced his intention to promote Yuchi Kang as the General of Chariots, a high-ranking position, citing Yuchi Kang's skills and loyalty as a member of his "Yulin Army." Geshu immediately objected, arguing that Yuchi Kang, a mere child, had no comparable merits to his own years of service under Yuwen Hu. Dugu Xin also urged Yuwen Yu to reconsider, emphasizing that ministerial promotions should be based on merit.

Yuwen Yu, growing agitated, defended his decision by highlighting Yuchi Kang's act of saving his life during a hunt and asserting his authority over "his empire" and "his imperial court." As Dugu Xin attempted to speak further, he coughed up blood and fell silent.

Yuwen Hu, when asked for his opinion, stated he had no objection to the promotion but questioned Yuwen Yu's haste, slyly suggesting he was trying to recruit a personal troop for the prince "as soon as he is born," given that the queen was only a few months pregnant. Yuwen Yu was visibly flustered, his covert plans exposed. Shortly after, Yuwen Hu intercepted Yuwen Yu as he left Banruo’s chambers, remarking on his presence in the harem.

Yuwen Hu delivered the shocking news that the former emperor, Yuwen Jue, had committed suicide. Yuwen Yu was stunned, immediately suspecting Yuwen Hu's involvement, and accused him of breaking his promise to spare Yuwen Jue's life. Yuwen Hu calmly claimed Yuwen Jue had taken his own life and stressed that he had personally delivered the news to avoid alarming the queen.

He then sternly reminded Yuwen Yu that his position on the throne was solely due to Banruo's influence and Yuwen Hu's willingness to spare him. He warned that if Yuwen Yu remained "impenitent" and continued to challenge him, he would not hesitate to send Yuwen Yu to join Yuwen Jue in death.

Yuwen Yu's attendant offered him soothing soup, but Yuwen Yu scoffed, claiming he had only faked fear to distract Yuwen Hu and was actually much smarter than Yuwen Jue, planning to exploit Yuwen Hu's weaknesses. Meanwhile, Dugu Xin's doctor informed him that his condition was severe, and he likely had only half a year to live, implying he might not survive the winter.

Dugu Xin accepted his fate with tears, but his concern was for his children, praying that he would at least live to see the birth of his grandson. Yuwen Hu later visited Dugu Xin's residence. While there, he saw Jialuo with Lihua playing by a fish pond. Jialuo quickly greeted Yuwen Hu and then swiftly led Lihua away, instructing her maid to find another child just in case Yuwen Hu returned for a closer look.

Yuwen Hu affectionately patted Lihua's head but did not notice her blue eyes. Yuwen Hu then addressed Dugu Xin, acknowledging Dugu Xin was aware of his relationship with Banruo. He reiterated that his promise to Banruo not to harm Yuwen Yu was conditional; if Yuwen Yu remained "impenitent," he would break his word. Yuwen Hu then provocatively suggested that Dugu Xin either advise the emperor or let him self-destruct, paving the way for Yuwen Hu to become Dugu Xin's son-in-law.

Dugu Xin sharply retorted, warning Yuwen Hu that history showed that greedy and arrogant rulers, like Wang Mang and Dong Zhuo, inevitably met terrible ends, while those who understood righteousness and moderation were respected. Yuwen Hu acknowledged the warning but countered by mentioning Wei Wu (Cao Cao), who successfully controlled the emperor and ultimately seized power. He then departed, leaving Dugu Xin to lament that even in his final months, he could not find peace.

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