The Legend of Dugu Episode 41 Recap, Plot

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Yuwen Yong confided in Yang Jian about his reasons for having to let go of Jialuo. He explained that he would not only be a burden due to his poor health but also that Jialuo could never truly forgive him, as his past ill-conceived actions indirectly led to the death of her beloved father, Dugu Xin.

Worried about Yuwen Hu's unpredictable nature, Yuwen Yong believed this was his last opportunity to clarify their former relationship to Yang Jian, ensuring no lingering suspicion would affect Jialuo. Recognizing Yuwen Yong's genuine affection for Jialuo, Yang Jian extended an offer of friendship, despite their past rivalry. Yuwen Yong, while accepting, still admitted to finding Yang Jian annoying, a sentiment Yang Jian reciprocated. Back in the palace, Jialuo was frantic as Banruo went into labor.

Chunshi reported that Taishi Yuwen Hu had imposed a strict lockdown on Fengyi Hall, preventing any doctors or midwives from entering. Realizing they were on their own, Jialuo quickly instructed Chunshi to gather hot water, scissors, liquor, and cloth, preparing to deliver the baby herself. Yuwen Yu, waiting anxiously outside, expressed his frustration at the lack of medical help.

Inside, Banruo, despite her pain, remained remarkably composed, assuring Jialuo that her child was destined to be a royal prince with great fortune. She then rallied the palace maids, reminding them of historical princes born under harsh conditions and asserting that Yuwen Hu's blockade only signified greater blessings for her son. She put Jialuo in charge of the delivery, sending Yuwen Yu outside as he would only be a hindrance.

During the intense labor, Jialuo discovered the baby was in a breech position. Following the experienced maids' advice, they attempted to reposition the baby. After a prolonged struggle, Banruo successfully gave birth to a baby boy, proudly declaring him the future royal prince who would fulfill the Dugu prophecy. However, her triumph was short-lived as she suddenly began to bleed profusely.

Jialuo desperately sent a guard to inform Taishi Yuwen Hu of the Queen's critical condition, while the ominous tolling of the Jingyang bell echoed through the palace. Upon hearing the alarm, Yuwen Hu rushed to the palace. Yuwen Yu, distressed and angry, confronted Yuwen Hu at Banruo's bedside, only to be restrained by General Geshu. Yuwen Hu then approached Banruo, clutching her hand. The imperial doctor administered Ningxin pills and performed acupuncture, which successfully stopped the heavy bleeding.

Yuwen Hu then pulled the doctor aside, demanding an explanation. The doctor revealed a horrifying truth: under General Geshu's secret orders, he had been systematically increasing the dosage of drugs in Banruo's medicine, intended to cause a stillbirth. Though the prince was born alive, he was congenitally deficient and carried a fatal fetal toxicity, meaning he could only survive for about an hour. This same toxicity, due to the mother-child connection, would also prove fatal to Banruo.

Enraged, Yuwen Hu threatened the doctor's entire family, demanding he save Banruo. The terrified doctor pleaded for his life, explaining that he had warned Geshu about the dire consequences, but Geshu had insisted, claiming these were Yuwen Hu’s direct commands.

Devastated by Geshu's betrayal, Yuwen Hu, his face pale with shock, ordered the doctor to do everything possible to prolong Banruo's life and to discreetly remove the prince, fabricating an excuse about keeping the baby away from blood, ensuring Banruo remained ignorant of her child’s true condition. He also summoned Mantuo to the palace, ostensibly to care for Banruo, but in truth, to allow the sisters a final reunion.

Meanwhile, Banruo, fully aware of her impending death, shared her final wishes with Yuwen Yu. She entrusted him with finding the best teachers for their son, Xian, so he could grow into a brave, virtuous, and capable emperor, fulfilling the Dugu prophecy. Yuwen Yu, heartbroken, begged her to hold on, but Banruo tearfully insisted her end was near.

She urged him not to act foolishly after she was gone, advising him to remarry but never to crown another empress, ensuring their son remained the unique royal prince. She believed her tragic death would instill guilt in Yuwen Hu, thus guaranteeing Yuwen Yu’s safety. She instructed him to mourn her simply and revealed her plan to make a final plea to Yuwen Hu to crown their son, Xian, as the royal prince.

Amidst this emotional conversation, Chunshi discovered that the baby prince had died. Yuwen Hu quickly intervened, silencing Chunshi to prevent Banruo from learning the devastating news. Mantuo then arrived, and Banruo, understanding Yuwen Hu's true intentions for the reunion, gently sent Yuwen Yu to check on their baby, creating a private moment for her and her sisters. With Yuwen Yu gone, Banruo tearfully shared her last words with Jialuo and Mantuo.

She expressed her sadness that this sorrowful reunion was their first since their marriages, yet affirmed her deep love for them as her sisters, despite not sharing the same mother. She entrusted her child, Xian, to both of them, urging them to raise him to be skilled in both civil and martial arts.

To Jialuo, she advised maintaining a loving and respectful relationship with Yang Jian, whom she saw as a good man with a promising future, and to avoid repeating Banruo's own mistakes. Turning to Mantuo, Banruo explained that her past strictness was born from concern that Mantuo might act foolishly and detrimentally.

She advised Mantuo to remain content as the Duchess of Longxi County, reassuring her of lasting wealth and safety there, and warning her against coveting what did not belong to her. Banruo then declared that all her possessions were to be divided equally between Jialuo and Mantuo. She made them promise to always remain united, never to fight, and to work together to ensure the Dugu prophecy came true.

Mantuo, deeply moved by her sister’s words and condition, broke down in tears and admitted her past wrongs. In her final moments, Banruo requested her sisters to help her dress in a lavish red gown, explaining that she had one last "fight" with Yuwen Hu, using a woman's greatest weapon: a man's mercy. She also implored Jialuo to promise to care for Lihua, conveying her profound love for her daughter.

When Yuwen Hu entered, he found Banruo, frail yet resplendent in her red attire. She asked if she looked beautiful ruling the country, and he affirmed that she was always the queen of his heart and the most beautiful woman to him. She wished for him to remember her in this way forever. They reminisced about their first encounter at Dajue Temple during a heavy snowfall, amidst blooming plum blossoms, when Banruo was praying to marry a heroic emperor.

Yuwen Hu recalled a plum blossom falling on his head, believing it to be a divination twig indicating his future wife, and then seeing Banruo rush out in a panic. Banruo, tearfully, apologized for taking advantage of his love and being willful. Yuwen Hu, in turn, took the blame, saying his love allowed her to be so, and asserted that the throne meant nothing compared to her.

Banruo then made him promise several things: to crown their son, Xian, as the royal prince; to protect and care for Jialuo, Mantuo, and the entire Dugu family; and finally, to ensure Yuwen Yu lived a peaceful and safe life. Overwhelmed with emotion, Yuwen Hu asked her whom she truly loved between him and Yuwen Yu. Before she could answer, Banruo took her last breath and passed away in his arms.

Yuwen Hu cried out in agony, utterly devastated by Banruo's death. He clutched her lifeless body, stumbling out of the palace hall. Overcome with grief and exhaustion, he eventually collapsed to the ground, murmuring that they could no longer go home together. At court, Yuwen Yu announced his decision to spend time in Fengyi Hall praying for the late Queen.

He formally handed over all military and political authority, along with the dispatching seal, to Taishi Yuwen Hu, instructing Geshu to deliver the seal to Yuwen Hu's residence. Later, Yuwen Yong commended Yuwen Yu for his shrewd move, recognizing it as a timely display of weakness while Yuwen Hu was burdened with guilt, thus fulfilling Banruo's dying strategy.

Yuwen Yu, having reflected on his past impulsiveness, stated his new resolve to follow Yuwen Yong’s lead, endure hardships, and eventually defeat Yuwen Hu. Yuwen Yu also expressed his deep regret that Banruo, so intelligent and proficient in military and political affairs, and more like an emperor than he, was gone, lamenting that Yuwen Hu, not he, was with her in her final moments. He even considered an alliance with Li Bing and the Turkic people as a contingency plan.

Meanwhile, Yang Jian comforted Jialuo, who was concerned about his battlefield injury, reassuring her of his unwavering presence. Jialuo explained her foresight in preventing officials from outside the capital, including her father, from attending the funeral, to avoid giving Yuwen Hu a pretext for further trouble and to ensure her brothers’ safety. Suddenly, Dongqu arrived with the alarming news that Lihua had fallen ill.

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