The Legend of Dugu Episode 26 Recap, Plot

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Dugu Banruo cared for her ailing father, Dugu Xin, weeping as she expressed her deep remorse. She lamented that if she hadn’t pursued a relationship with Yuwen Hu or married Yuwen Yu, her father would not be in his current predicament. Dugu Xin comforted her, advising her not to be foolish, as everything has its cause and effect.

He confessed that for years, the rumor of "Dugu's country" had tempted him, especially after the Emperor of Wei himself divined those words. However, whenever ambition flared, the thought of commoners suffering from war quickly extinguished it. He acknowledged this regret was why he hadn't opposed her marriage to the Emperor. Facing his impending death, Dugu Xin asked Banruo to promise that if her child was a prince, she would raise him safely and abandon the pursuit of "Dugu's country."

Banruo tearfully urged him to recover and name the child. Dugu Xin shared his clear understanding that Yuwen Yu lacked the qualities of an emperor, and perhaps giving up the throne would be a good thing for him to save his own life. He then warned Banruo that Yuwen Hu was too cruel to be defeated. He instructed her not to inform her brothers, like Shan, about his condition, reflecting that sending them to the border had been a farewell.

Banruo continued to apologize profusely. Meanwhile, Dugu Jialuo, learning of her father’s deteriorating health, prayed fervently, vowing to sacrifice thirty years of her life for three more years of her father’s peace and health. Dongqu, her maid, intervened, telling Jialuo that such prayers were useless, recalling how her own mother died despite similar pleas.

Dongqu urged Jialuo to cherish the remaining two or three months with her father, fulfilling his wishes so he could depart peacefully, unlike her mother who died with regrets. Taking Dongqu’s words to heart, Jialuo resolved to face her father with a smile. She brought him a bowl of porridge she had personally made, but Dugu Xin coughed up blood after a sip. He dismissed it, claiming the doctor said it was "useless blood" and good to cough up.

He then anxiously asked Jialuo if a pigeon with a letter had arrived and promised to explain his recent mysterious conversation with Yuwen Yong after the letter's arrival. Dugu Xin spent the entire night waiting for a reply from Yang Zhong. Upon receiving the letter, he was deeply relieved, proclaiming his lifelong trust in Yang Zhong was justified. He immediately summoned Jialuo to his study, informing her of his decision for her to marry Yang Jian.

Jialuo was shocked, reminding him of his previous promise to let her marry Yuwen Yong. Dugu Xin explained that Yuwen Yong saving their lives was one matter, but her lifelong happiness was another. He revealed a long-held secret: he had an eldest son named Dugu Luo from his first wife, Luo. During a chaotic escape from Gao Huan in Luoyang, his pregnant wife Luo took her own life to avoid implicating him.

Miraculously, her six-or-seven-month-old child, Dugu Luo, climbed out of her womb and was saved by a loyal servant who fled with him to Northern Qi. Dugu Xin only learned of his eldest son's survival years later. He recounted how, during the recent crisis at Ziji Temple, Yuwen Yong suggested sacrificing Dugu Luo's life to appease Yuwen Hu, who demanded a life for a life after his son’s death.

Yuwen Yong, aware of Dugu Xin’s need to protect the Emperor, the Dugu family, and his other children, proposed that since Dugu Luo had no emotional attachment to Dugu Xin, his life could be exchanged for Yuwen Hu's son. Yuwen Yong even offered to personally bring Dugu Luo for the sacrifice. Jialuo was horrified, asking if Dugu Xin had agreed. He vehemently denied it, expressing deep sorrow for his wife and son, whom he could never harm.

Dugu Xin then explained that to end the standoff with Yuwen Hu, he had resigned from his position as Prime Minister. While acknowledging Yuwen Yong's deep love and willingness to sacrifice everything for Jialuo, Dugu Xin stated that a man’s true nature is revealed in critical moments. He could not entrust Jialuo to someone who would sacrifice his own brother for her. He feared that if Yuwen Yong loved someone else, he might sacrifice Jialuo for other purposes.

In contrast, Dugu Xin praised Yang Jian, believing he would never act in such a way. He highlighted the reliability of the Yang family and Yang Zhong's immediate agreement to the marriage upon receiving his letter. He also noted Yang Jian's steadfast friendship with the Dugu family despite his unfulfilled engagement to Manto. Dugu Xin saw Yang Jian as the worthy protector of Jialuo's future. Jialuo, however, tearfully protested, stating she didn’t love Yang Jian and refused to marry him.

Dugu Xin expressed sorrow for her predicament but firmly stated this was his last wish. He needed to ensure her safety by entrusting her to a completely trustworthy son-in-law and securing the future of his other children before he could die in peace. He warned that Yuwen Yong would inevitably be drawn into the political turmoil once the current Emperor abdicated, and he did not want Jialuo to repeat Banruo’s fate.

Recalling Dongqu's earlier advice to fulfill her father's wishes, Jialuo reluctantly agreed to marry Yang Jian, bringing a measure of peace to Dugu Xin. The Dugu residence quickly prepared for the wedding. Servants gossiped about the rushed ceremony and the groom, Yang Jian, being absent, necessitating Jialuo to marry his clothes. Dongqu overheard them and angrily reprimanded them, with the housekeeper’s support. Dongqu then reassured Jialuo not to dwell on the rumors.

Jialuo, focused solely on her father’s happiness, declared she would even die for him without hesitation. Dongqu dismissed her morbid thoughts, pointing out Yang Jian's good looks and character. Jialuo, however, believed Yang Jian remained devoted to her second sister, Manto, and was being forced into the marriage by his father out of loyalty to Dugu Xin. She reflected on the ironic twist of fate that she was marrying her former "would-be brother-in-law."

She recalled Banruo's lament about being unable to outwit fate. Dongqu countered that destiny was in her own hands and urged her to prepare for the wedding. Jialuo vowed to be strong and marry into the Yang family with dignity, stunning those who sought to mock the Dugu family. She asked Dongqu for a moment of weakness, promising to be resolute on her wedding day.

When asked if she wanted to send a message to Yuwen Yong, Jialuo declined, believing he would already know. Meanwhile, in the palace, Yuwen Yu tried to comfort Yuwen Yong, urging him not to dwell on Dugu Xin’s decision regarding Jialuo. Yuwen Yong suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, alarming Yuwen Yu and Banruo.

Banruo blamed herself, saying if she had only listened to her father-in-law and the Queen earlier, things might have been different, explaining her failed attempts to sway Dugu Xin due to his severe illness. Yuwen Yu urged Yuwen Yong to blame him, not Jialuo. Yuwen Yong, however, stated he blamed no one but his own feelings and fate.

He concurred with Dugu Xin’s assessment of his "cold nature" and short lifespan, admitting Dugu Xin was right not to trust him with his daughter. He acknowledged his "despicable idea" to sacrifice Dugu Luo, questioning how Dugu Xin could approve of such a man. Banruo, calling herself the culprit, told him not to speak that way. Yuwen Yong lamented that he and Jialuo were simply not destined, having endured so many trials only for him to watch her marry another.

He then knelt, asking Yuwen Yu and Banruo to grant him one last wish, which Banruo immediately deduced was to see Jialuo again. On her wedding day, Dugu Xin lovingly gazed at Jialuo, remarking on her beauty, surpassing even her mother’s on her wedding day. Jialuo playfully reassured him, promising to return in three days, much to her father's amusement. The housekeeper then announced the arrival of the groom’s welcoming party.

Dugu Xin explained that since Yang Jian was still in Ganzhou, the Yang family had thoughtfully sent a distant relative to stand in as the groom for the ceremony, a tradition in their dynasty, and that the relative would depart after the ceremony. Jialuo accepted this. As the masked stand-in groom and Jialuo performed the ceremonial bows, a song played, its lyrics expressing deep, enduring love and longing despite a twist of fate.

After the bows, they shared the wedding wine. The ceremony concluded, and Jialuo was escorted to the bridal chamber. The masked figure, revealed to be Yuwen Yong, presented gifts to the officiant. Dongqu, recognizing him, questioned why he would go to such lengths. Yuwen Yong confessed he simply wanted to share the wedding wine with Jialuo, thus leaving him with no regrets in life.

As Jialuo wept inside the bridal chamber, Yuwen Yong stood outside in the pouring rain, reciting Buddhist scriptures. Jialuo, hearing his voice, joined him in recitation, her tears flowing freely. Yuwen Yong remained outside all night, only leaving after Jialuo had fallen asleep. Before departing, he entrusted Dongqu with Jialuo’s care, knowing she would face many challenges with the servants in the Yang residence. With a lingering glance at the wedding wine cups, he reluctantly departed.

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