The Legend of Dugu Episode 40 Recap, Plot

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Yang Jian was deeply troubled and, seeking solace in wine, asked Jialuo if Yuwen Yong still held a place in her heart. Jialuo smiled, assuring him that her youthful affections had long passed, and now she only loved Yang Jian. She explained that the love she experienced when she was young and the deliberate choices she made today were entirely different, and that from now on, she would only regard Yuwen Yong as her brother.

Moved by her words, Yang Jian embraced Jialuo, vowing that he would never fall in love with anyone else again and would forget Mantuo. He asked Jialuo to forget Yuwen Yong and everything else from their past, both good and bad, so they could begin anew together, cuddling together for a lifetime. Jialuo promised to do so.

The next day, Yang Jian met with Mantuo, instructing her not to speak about Lihua to anyone, including her trusted followers, Jialuo, or her husband Li Bing, the Duke of Longxi County. Mantuo, believing Yang Jian had finally seen Jialuo's "true nature," was delighted and thought Yang Jian was reconsidering their relationship. She then suggested that Yang Jian lock Jialuo in their mansion for the rest of her life, reasoning that divorcing her was impossible due to her Dugu surname.

If Empress Banruo inquired, he could reveal Lihua's secret, which would force Banruo to consider ancestral discipline. Yang Jian, feigning interest, asked how that would benefit him and if his own life wouldn't also be ruined. Mantuo then proposed that before she returned to Longxi, she and Yang Jian should conceive a child. Once back in Longxi, she would bribe a doctor to claim the child was Li Bing's.

After the child's birth, she would arrange Li Bing's death, allowing them to effortlessly gain control of the Duke of Longxi County's estate. She imagined that after Jialuo "died of severe diseases" in confinement, the emperor might even offer her to Yang Jian as his wife. Yang Jian, his face hardening, stepped away, stating he didn't need her help and calling her a witch.

He fiercely rebuked her, highlighting the vast difference between her cruel heart and Jialuo's character, stating Jialuo was like heaven and Mantuo like hell. He then threatened Mantuo, warning that if he heard any gossip about his wife, he would reveal the truth about their swapped marriages to Li Bing. Mantuo angrily questioned how he could ignore Jialuo's "betrayal." Yang Jian calmly replied that as long as Jialuo loved him now, he would forget all past transgressions.

Later, Yang Jian visited Yuwen Yong (Prince of Fucheng) to discuss Lihua. He offered to raise Lihua as the Yang family's oldest daughter, promising to treat her well and not object if Yuwen Yong took her to Puzhou. Yuwen Yong was surprised by Yang Jian's willingness to accept Jialuo's "illegitimate daughter" and their past relationship.

Yang Jian clarified he was doing this for Jialuo, not for Yuwen Yong, and reiterated that past matters between them were not to be brought up. Yuwen Yong, who had already married a concubine and accepted his posting to Puzhou, said he had moved on, admitting he had underestimated Yang Jian and that Yang Jian was "so nice that I can never be better than him."

Yuwen Yong then suggested that Yang Jian should have an open conversation with Jialuo about Lihua with full disclosure, confident in Jialuo's honesty. Meanwhile, Jialuo was with her sister Banruo, who was pregnant again after a recent miscarriage and was visibly weaker and more ill-tempered. They shared lighthearted banter about Jialuo's future pregnancy and Banruo's plans to raise her son to conquer the world, asking Jialuo to teach him martial arts.

Jialuo promised to help, even mentioning Yang Jian's future involvement. Banruo also expressed her desire for her son to meet his "little sister," Lihua. When Jialuo confirmed the child's name was Lihua, Banruo wished her a life as comfortable and beloved as Queen Yin Lihua, acknowledging that she owed Lihua too much. Jialuo vowed to protect Lihua. Suddenly, Chunshi rushed in with alarming news from the court.

Emperor Yuwen Yu, without consulting Taishi Yuwen Hu, had issued a decree to recall Yang Zhong (old major general Yang) to the capital and reassign Yuwen Yong (Prince of Fucheng) to Puzhou. Enraged by this blatant disregard for his authority, Yuwen Hu openly defied the decree. In a fit of anger, Yuwen Yu threw an ink stone, injuring Yuwen Hu.

Yuwen Hu immediately declared the emperor "crazy and incapable to be the emperor" and led his army to storm the palace gates. Yang Jian and Yuwen Yong were currently fighting to protect the emperor. Despite her condition, Banruo insisted on going to save Yuwen Yu, believing she was the only one who could stop Yuwen Hu. She instructed Chunshi to send a secret letter to Yang Zhong via pigeons.

At the main hall, Yuwen Hu's soldiers had overwhelmed the guards, capturing Yang Jian, Yuwen Yong, and Emperor Yuwen Yu. Yuwen Hu (with Geshu) intended to send Yuwen Yu away for "treatment." Yuwen Yong quickly advised Yuwen Yu against this, warning that Yuwen Hu would then claim he died of illness and seize the throne without blame. Instead, Yuwen Yong urged Yuwen Yu to commit suicide publicly, exposing Yuwen Hu as a regicide, which would provoke widespread rebellion.

Yuwen Yu, holding a sword to his own neck, defiantly declared himself healthy and condemned Yuwen Hu as a treacherous rebel, comparing him to ancient usurpers like Wang Mang and Cao Cao. Yuwen Hu, however, remained unmoved, mockingly telling his soldiers to chant "May Your Majesty rest in peace." Just as Yuwen Hu moved to further his plan, a heavily pregnant Banruo arrived.

She pleaded with Yuwen Hu to forgive the emperor and spare his life, appealing to his noble reputation and her deceased father. When Yuwen Hu dismissed her, Banruo abruptly pulled out a dagger and held it to his throat, stating she didn't want her child to be born without a father. Yuwen Hu, however, called her bluff, challenging her to strike him and declaring he would not be easily fooled again. Banruo, intimidated, dropped the dagger.

As Yuwen Hu advanced on Yuwen Yu, Jialuo, from a vantage point, shot an arrow, wounding Yuwen Hu. Banruo desperately threatened to kill herself with the emperor if he dared harm Yuwen Yu, proclaiming that if they could not live together, they would die together. Seeing Banruo's resolve, Yuwen Hu cursed her for making him soft and declared, "You win."

Yuwen Hu ordered Yuwen Yu, Banruo, and Jialuo to be confined to the inner palace for "recovery," sealing all palace gates. Yang Jian and Yuwen Yong were taken as "guests" to his mansion. He instructed them to persuade Yuwen Yu to abdicate the throne, citing mental illness and incapability as a king, to avoid any bloodshed. In his mansion, Geshu attended to Yuwen Hu's wound, complaining about his master's recurring softness.

Yuwen Hu admitted that Banruo was a woman he loved "to the bones" and he could not bear to see her die. Geshu argued that Banruo merely exploited him, but Yuwen Hu, gritting his teeth, vowed this was his final act of tolerance towards her, asserting that he would not be moved even if she died in front of him in the future. Meanwhile, Banruo went into premature labor in the sealed palace.

Jialuo desperately tried to summon a royal doctor and midwife, but the palace guards refused, strictly adhering to Yuwen Hu's orders. Jialuo managed to persuade one guard to report the Queen's critical condition to Yuwen Hu, highlighting the severe consequences if she died. However, when the guard delivered the message, Yuwen Hu, still seething from Banruo's defiance and influenced by Geshu's continued remonstrations, dismissed it.

He ordered the guard to keep the palace locked for three days to "break their pride." Geshu, wishing to fully eliminate Banruo as a factor, further ensured that no news from Fengyi Hall reached Yuwen Hu, effectively sealing Banruo's fate without his full knowledge of her worsening condition.

Alone in his study, Yuwen Hu furiously slashed at the characters "Banruo" with his sword, still intending to release her after two days to give birth and care for her, keeping Yuwen Yu away. Yang Jian and Yuwen Yong, now confined in Yuwen Hu's mansion, discussed their next move. Yang Jian had written the letter to his father as instructed by Yuwen Hu.

Yuwen Yong, reflecting on the situation and expressing worry for the Emperor and Jialuo, revealed to Yang Jian that he was largely responsible for Prime Minister Dugu's death. This, in addition to his prophecy of not surviving past 40, was the true reason he had to distance himself from Jialuo, as he knew she could never forgive someone who murdered her beloved father.

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