The Legend of Dugu Episode 51 Recap, Plot

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Dugu Jialuo walked with her daughter Lihua, praising her for skillfully managing the recent palace affair. Lihua had preserved the Prince's dignity while creating a rift between him and the concubine. Jialuo, however, wished Lihua didn't have to be so capable. Lihua explained that she had to act to protect both herself and the Yang family from plotters.

She admitted that while she was a little sad about the Prince having a child with another woman on their wedding day, she didn't like him much. Lihua described Yuwen Yun as grumpy, narrow-minded, and lacking in both literature and military skills, saying he would never treat her as well as her father treated Jialuo. Therefore, marrying him was simply the best of her limited choices.

Lihua then revealed her suspicion that Yuwen Hu was her biological father and Jialuo’s sister, the former Queen Dugu, was her biological mother. She explained that her unique blue eyes, which she had been told to hide since childhood, were a strong clue. When she saw Yuwen Hu’s eyes and expression that night at the station, she understood. Jialuo tried to dismiss her thoughts, insisting Lihua was the daughter of her and Yang Jian.

But Lihua reasoned that since she was born with such eyes, people would always gossip about her origins, so it was better to be a Princess and appear confidently in public. She cited the former Emperor Sun Quan, who had green eyes and a purple beard, but no one dared question his lineage. She further explained that by doing this, the Emperor would feel indebted to the Yang family, securing the future of her brothers, Yong and Guang.

Jialuo, however, insisted that her brothers had their own destinies and Lihua shouldn't sacrifice her happiness for them. Unbeknownst to them, Yuwen Yun, who had arrived with a rabbit to cheer Lihua up, overheard Lihua declare that she would steadfastly hold her position as Princess for herself and her family, aiming to become the most noble woman in the country, like the former Queen Dugu. Heartbroken, Yuwen Yun dropped the rabbit and left.

Later that night, Jialuo recounted the conversation to Yang Jian, lamenting that Lihua was truly the child of her sister and Yuwen Hu, possessing her sister's calm and arrogance, along with Yuwen Hu's cunning and aggression. She regretted treating Lihua as an innocent child, realizing her daughter had already understood her complex origins. Yang Jian, however, expressed pride, stating Lihua had become a very qualified Princess.

Jialuo still worried about the lasting emotional scar of her husband having a child with another woman on their wedding day. Yang Jian promised to teach their sons, Yang Yong and Yang Guang, to be monogamous and love only one woman throughout their lives, just like him. Jialuo playfully questioned his fidelity, to which he responded by deflecting, hinting at old memories.

Jialuo then brought up Mantuo, finding it strange that Mantuo saved her in Huaihuang City but refused to meet them after they returned to Anzhou. Yang Jian attributed it to Mantuo's stubborn temperament, assuring Jialuo that Mantuo, now managing the Li family and raising her children, was likely well and not constantly worried about her husband like Jialuo.

Shortly after, Emperor Yuwen Yong summoned Yang Jian, informing him that the Chen empire had decided to send troops against the Qi empire, and thus Zhou would also soon launch a campaign. Yang Jian and Jialuo soon joined Yuwen Yong in the campaign. Jialuo noted that the battle was surprisingly short, with Qi empire falling in just a few years, perhaps due to Lu's strategic maps or Emperor Gao Wei's incompetence.

Yuwen Yong implemented benevolent policies for the newly conquered Qi territory, reducing taxes by 20% and prohibiting Zhou soldiers from pillaging or damaging property. Jialuo, on the Emperor's orders, also set up charity houses offering daily wages and childcare for those affected by the war, particularly skilled workers in weaving, washing, and porcelain making. The Qi people lauded these policies, acknowledging that Zhou's rulers were far superior to their former Emperor.

Yang Jian teased Yuwen Yong for being overly concerned with Jialuo's presence amidst military reports. Yuwen Yong explained that Jialuo was essential for managing the newly acquired Qi palace's harem, official kilns, and dyeing departments, as he trusted no one else. Yang Jian asked why the Queen (Ashina) wasn't given these responsibilities. Yuwen Yong revealed his deep distrust of Ashina, stating she orchestrated the Prince's scandal on his wedding day to have him deposed.

Furthermore, Ashina's father, the Turkic Khan, had previously accepted bribes from Qi, unauthorized mobilizing the right wing, leading to the loss of 6,000 Zhou soldiers in a battle against Qi. Therefore, Yuwen Yong declared his intent to attack the Turks after settling Qi's affairs, though he clarified it would be a punitive measure, not total destruction.

He also decreed that the ladies of Qi's harem could either remarry or join temples, underage princes and princesses would be raised by their mother's families, and those who participated in the war would be handed over to Yang Jian's custody. During this discussion, Yuwen Yong suffered a coughing fit, spitting blood.

He quickly dismissed calling a doctor, insisting it was an old problem and he would recover with pills, stressing the importance of keeping his illness a secret to avoid alarming others. After Jialuo departed to manage the harem, Yang Jian pressed Yuwen Yong to see a doctor.

Yuwen Yong calmly stated that doctors could cure illness but not save lives, reflecting on his weak heart that doctors once said wouldn't allow him to live past thirty, yet he had reached thirty-six. He confessed that his desperate campaigns against Qi and the Turks were to secure the empire for at least another ten years, anticipating his early demise.

He admitted his mistake in making Yuwen Yun Crown Prince, describing him as lazy, unintelligent, and arbitrary, regretting even Lihua's marriage to him. Yuwen Yong then made Yang Jian promise, for the sake of their decades-long acquaintance, never to become another Yuwen Hu, regardless of Yuwen Yun's future behavior.

Yang Jian denied any such ambition, but Yuwen Yong, who claimed to know Yang Jian better than he knew himself, recalled seeing a burning desire in Yang Jian's eyes during the final attack on Ye, a desire unfitting for a Major General. Yuwen Yong implored Yang Jian to ensure the Prince's safety for Lihua's sake, reminding him that the future Emperor would be Yang Jian's grandson. Yang Jian reluctantly agreed.

Troubled by this conversation, Yang Jian shared Yuwen Yong's premonition of his impending death with Jialuo, who urged him not to dwell on it. They decided to visit a nearby temple to pray for the Emperor. Inside, Yang Jian accidentally knocked over a sign stick container. A Taoist priest appeared, declaring, "Unintentional is intentional. You came for a reason."

The priest informed Yang Jian that this was the very spot where the prophecy of "Dugu's country" was once given to an Emperor of the Wei Empire, leading to a Dugu daughter becoming Queen. Yang Jian found an inscription on the wall that read: "The Emperor's star is bright, Dugu's country."

Before he could fully process this, a messenger arrived with dire news: Emperor Yuwen Yong, while leading troops to attack the Turks, had fallen from his horse due to illness and lost consciousness, summoning Yang Jian and Jialuo to Yunyang Palace immediately. They rushed to Yunyang Palace, where Yuwen Yong, gravely ill, awaited them. He instructed them to listen to his will: Crown Prince Yuwen Yun was to succeed, guided by virtuous ministers, avoiding sycophants, and stabilizing the empire.

Yuwen Yong candidly criticized Yuwen Yun's character, urging him to change his ways. He declared Princess Yang Lihua the perpetual Queen, her son the Crown Prince, and decreed that Queen Ashina be confined to another palace, barred from politics. He also commanded Yuwen Yun to regard Mrs. Yang (Jialuo) as his mother and promoted Major General Yang Jian to Prime Minister, entrusting him with both civil and military affairs, and ordering Yuwen Yun to heed his father-in-law's counsel.

Yuwen Yong then made Yang Jian reiterate his vow to assist the new Emperor, which Yang Jian did. After dismissing everyone except Jialuo, Yuwen Yong comforted her as she wept, wiping away her tears and reminding her not to cry, lest her eyes swell. He reflected that his short life had been without regret, having avenged his brother, destroyed Qi, and attacked the Turks—deeds worthy of history.

He expressed his only worry for the Prince but believed he could die in peace with Jialuo and Yang Jian overseeing him. Yuwen Yong implored Jialuo to protect the Prince, ensuring he wouldn't provoke Yang Jian, acknowledging Yang Jian's ambitious nature and the strategy of delaying him as long as possible. Jialuo, still naive, defended Yang Jian, saying he wasn't such a person. Yuwen Yong gently chided her simplicity, admitting it was why he always loved her.

Pulling her closer, he revealed a secret kept for nearly twenty years: he was the masked man who married her on her wedding day, while Yang Jian was away. He showed her the two cups he had always carried, reiterating that he was the one who performed the wedding ceremony, chanted at her window, and spent good times with her, proclaiming, "You are my real wife." Jialuo sobbed uncontrollably.

Yuwen Yong asked her to tie something onto his hand, to be buried with him for eternity. With his last breaths, he mockingly called Yang Jian a fool for his supposed cleverness, saying he himself was more foolish. Yuwen Yong then passed away in Jialuo’s arms. In the first year of Xuanzheng, Yuwen Yong, Emperor Wu of Zhou, died, receiving the temple title Gaozu. Prince Yuwen Yun ascended the throne, adopting the reign title Dacheng. Upon his enthronement, Yuwen Yun declared Yang Lihua as Queen and promoted his birth mother, Li, to Empress Dowager. This decision immediately caused considerable debate among the court officials.

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