The Legend of Dugu Episode 49 Recap, Plot

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Yuwen Hu stood before young Lihua, telling her she resembled someone he knew deeply, Banruo, whose clear, pure blue eyes Lihua shared. This person, he explained, cared for everyone and had been burdened with immense responsibility, remaining in his heart as the most amazing woman in the world. When Lihua innocently asked who she was, expressing a desire to be amazing herself, Yuwen Hu imparted a somber lesson: the more one gains, the more one loses.

He urged her to care for and cherish those around her, saying this was her reason for being born into this world, and that she would understand when she grew up. As the weather was cold, he wrapped his long robe around her, gently kissed her forehead, and urged her to return to the Yang family. Lihua, however, was not easily dismissed. She recognized him, asserting, "I know who you are.

You are the one who wanted to kill my parents." When Yuwen Hu asked if she was afraid, she boldly declared she was not. She then confronted him, stating that Banruo hated him until her death because he not only killed her father, her husband, and ultimately her, but now also wanted to harm Banruo's sister and daughter. Yuwen Hu's eyes welled with tears.

He gently told her not to cry and urged her to go home, as her parents would be worried, and he too should return. After he turned to leave, Lihua defiantly dropped the robe he had given her and ran off, skipping home.

As Yuwen Hu traveled back, he wept, reflecting on the encounter and the enduring pain of Banruo's memory, thinking of the plum branches that must have bloomed outside, a poignant connection to his lost love, knowing he might never see his daughter again. Meanwhile, Galuo had returned from the Medicine King Temple and fallen gravely ill, suffering from frostbite, a foot injury, and a deep cold. Lihua sat by her side, crying for her mother.

When Galuo regained consciousness, she immediately asked about Yang Jian. Her maid reassured her that Yang Jian's fever had broken, and he was now merely asleep. The doctor offered Galuo medicine, but she refused. The maid explained that Galuo had made a solemn oath at the temple: if Yang Jian recovered safely, she would abstain from all medicine for the rest of her life.

Moved by her devotion, the doctor acknowledged her vow but offered a ginger soup, explaining it was food, not medicine, and suggested acupuncture and moxibustion, stating these would not violate her oath. Lihua tearfully pleaded with her mother to listen to the doctor, not wanting either parent to die. Galuo promised she wouldn't, then thanked the doctor. Back in the capital, Yuwen Hu was summoned by Yuwen Yong.

Yuwen Yong feigned humility and incompetence, claiming that after Yang Zhong's death, managing the court had become chaotic with ministers constantly arguing. He confessed to having been tempted by Yang Jian's military seals for troop deployment, which he had received, but now realized his own incapacity to control the seven provinces.

Expressing himself as a "useless son of a concubine" who owed his life to Yuwen Hu's generosity, Yuwen Yong returned the seals, begging Yuwen Hu to overlook his temporary lapse. Yuwen Hu accepted, stating he did not mind. Yuwen Yong then suggested they visit the Empress Dowager, who had been waiting. En route, Yuwen Yong commented on Yuwen Hu's fragrant attire, playfully asking if he had been drinking. Yuwen Hu denied it.

Yuwen Yong then confided that the Empress Dowager had a strong affection for alcohol and had recently argued with the Queen about attending her birthday banquet. He proposed that Yuwen Hu, whose authority the Empress Dowager feared, read a "wine admonition" to her. He reasoned that her boredom with the reading would make her more amenable to reducing her drinking. Yuwen Hu agreed to this seemingly simple request.

Upon reaching the palace, Geshu, Yuwen Hu's loyal general, was stopped at the entrance, as it was deemed a private banquet for the Empress Dowager. Yuwen Hu proceeded alone. Inside, Yuwen Hu presented the wine admonition as a gift, expressing concern for the Empress Dowager's health due to her drinking habits, and began to read it aloud.

As he recited the ancient warnings against excessive alcohol consumption and its role in the downfall of states, Yuwen Yong, taking him by surprise, stabbed him from behind. Immediately, He Quan declared Yuwen Hu a traitor attempting to assassinate the Empress Dowager, and guards, including archers, appeared, surrounding the wounded Yuwen Hu. Yuwen Hu turned, his eyes wide with disbelief, tears streaming down his face. Outside, Geshu heard the commotion and fought his way into the hall, shouting "My lord!"

However, He Quan swiftly escorted Yuwen Yong away, leaving Geshu to face numerous imperial guards alone. Severely outnumbered, Geshu was trapped and eventually cut down by the imperial guards. Yuwen Hu, critically wounded, stood as a defenseless target, taking countless arrows without attempting to escape. Blood overflowed from his mouth, and tears streamed down his face. As he fell, Yuwen Yong returned to confront him.

Yuwen Yong scornfully reminded Yuwen Hu of his past, stating he had killed three emperors and now faced his just desserts. Yuwen Hu, however, smiled faintly through his pain, his last thoughts on Banruo, murmuring that he could finally take her to pick plum blossoms. Yuwen Hu perished in the palace.

Following his death, Yuwen Yong, who had endured for years under his tyranny, finally seized undisputed power, eliminating hundreds of Yuwen Hu's followers and instituting sweeping reforms, including banning Buddhism and Taoism, and conscripting all able-bodied men into military service. Far away in Longxi, Mantuo endured a difficult labor, giving birth to a boy and a girl. Immediately after, she ordered her maid to kill the "substitutes" she had arranged.

Her maid suggested that for the good fortune of the newborn son, Mantuo should accumulate blessings. Mantuo relented, deciding instead to make the women dumb and send them far away. She then instructed that the baby boy be taken to Duke Li Bing to be named, asserting it was the son he wanted. Li Bing, bedridden and weakened, struggled. He saw through Mantuo's schemes, dismissing his attendant as Mantuo's "dog" and declaring he would never believe them.

He understood Mantuo's desire for him to acknowledge the child and grant him the ducal title, vowing that this would only happen over his dead body. Mantuo then entered, stating that since he was being uncooperative, she would not be polite. She insisted the child's features resembled his, mocking his refusal to acknowledge him. She then announced she would name the child herself, choosing "Yuan," reflecting on her own years of fear and anxiety.

Mantuo then forced Li Bing's hand onto a memorial, imprinting his seal. The memorial, ostensibly from Li Bing, requested that the Emperor show mercy to his "widow and children" after his death and bestow the ducal title upon his son, Li Yuan. Mantuo assured the helpless Li Bing that despite the Emperor's dislike for her, he would honor this "last wish." She then left him to his fate.

Soon after, the ailing Li Bing succumbed to his illness and passed away. Back in the capital, Yuwen Yong personally led a delegation to welcome Yang Jian and Galuo, who had returned to the city. Galuo, upon seeing Yuwen Yong, immediately expressed concern for his well-being, having heard about his actions against Yuwen Hu. Yuwen Yong assured her he was unharmed and that his actions were a carefully planned move.

Yang Jian greeted the Emperor, who playfully teased him about his delayed arrival and his closeness to Galuo and Lihua, claiming he knew Galuo from the age of three and had watched Lihua grow up, placing Yang Jian behind them in his affections. Yuwen Yong then shared news that Gao Wei, the Emperor of Qi, had begun amassing troops on the border, intending to capitalize on the recent unrest within their own court.

Yang Jian offered to lead the campaign, but Yuwen Yong declined, citing Yang Jian's unhealed injuries and playfully suggesting Galuo would blame him. Yuwen Yong noted that Gao Wei had recently weakened his own nation by destroying the Great Wall and killing his most powerful general, Hulv Guang, which would leave Qi vulnerable. He decided they would prepare supplies and horses, deferring discussions about the war until after the New Year.

Later, Galuo discretely inquired with He Quan about Yuwen Yong's health, specifically his left arm injury and his old illness. He Quan confirmed the arm injury was minor and healing, and that while Yuwen Yong had indeed experienced some blood-spitting during the difficult task of removing Yuwen Hu's loyalists, his condition had improved. Galuo urged He Quan to ensure Yuwen Yong took good care of himself.

At a subsequent banquet, Yuwen Yong officially appointed Yang Jian as the Marshal to lead the forces against Qi. Queen Asena, however, voiced her displeasure, accusing Yuwen Yong of trying to give the world to the Dugu family and sending Yang Jian to war in hopes he would die, leaving Galuo a widow for him to marry. Angered by her public outburst, Yuwen Yong ordered her to be escorted back to her hall.

He then made a sudden and unexpected announcement: he decreed his eldest son, Yuwen Yun, to be the Crown Prince and, to the surprise of Yang Jian and Galuo, appointed Yang Lihua as the Crown Princess. This decision was met with immediate opposition from Minister Wang Gui, who, in charge of Qin Tian Jian, warned Yuwen Yong based on his celestial observations.

He stated that the Crown Prince was not destined for the throne and that Yang Jian harbored ambitions of rebellion, therefore Lihua, as Yang Jian's daughter, should not be made Crown Princess. Yuwen Yong dismissed his warnings and had him removed. Noticing Galuo's distress after overhearing the exchange, Yuwen Yong invited her for a walk. He told her to disregard the rumors that had circulated ceaselessly since Yuwen Hu's death.

He candidly admitted that if Yang Jian truly possessed an imperial destiny, he could not stop it. Galuo, still wary, urged him to be less guarded. Yuwen Yong explained the queen’s outburst and his subsequent decrees. The queen, knowing his true thoughts, had questioned if he was sending Yang Jian to die so that Galuo would become a widow whom he could then marry.

When Galuo insisted he would never do such a thing, Yuwen Yong startlingly confessed, "Yes, I will. Because I am already the emperor." He then revealed the intoxicating and dreadful nature of power, admitting that since killing Yuwen Hu and witnessing the execution of thousands of his followers, the subservience of his ministers, and the destruction of the Longxing Temple he despised, he had realized he had changed.

He reminded Galuo of her past tears over Banruo's choices, now understanding that both power and love could be "demons in people's hearts." He confided that it was because the queen knew his true intentions that he had driven her away.

Yuwen Yong then confessed the real reason behind Lihua's engagement: to strengthen the bond between their families and create a barrier, preventing him from one day losing control and ensuring Yang Jian's death on the battlefield so he could marry Galuo. Galuo was deeply shaken. Yuwen Yong assured her that now, with the Yang family being the "mother of the future emperor," the safety of the Prince’s family affected the fate of the entire Zhou, making him even more cautious.

He declared that "using power to control love" was the best way, asking Galuo if she thought him clever. He admitted he was no saint and allowed her to be disappointed in him, telling her not to cry. He then brought up the "Dugu's country" prophecy, arguing that Lihua, a Dugu daughter, would bear a grandson who would be a great man and unify the world, thus fulfilling the prophecy.

Galuo questioned why everyone believed such a "fake" prophecy, but Yuwen Yong insisted on its truth, believing it would come true in an unexpected way. Later, Yang Jian noticed Galuo's red eyes and asked what Yuwen Yong had said. Galuo feigned an argument about Lihua's early marriage. Yang Jian observed that since Yuwen Hu's death, Yuwen Yong had grown increasingly powerful, with Galuo being the only one left who dared to argue with him.

Galuo then pondered whether power truly changes a person. Yang Jian responded that it mostly does, though some, like their fathers, possess an innocent heart that remains unchanged. Galuo then subtly reminded him of his own ambition, stating that he had once said he wanted to be the emperor.

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