The Legend of Dugu Episode 6 Recap, Plot

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> The Legend of Dugu Recap

Dugu Xin, in high spirits, allowed Jialuo, who was previously recuperating, to come out for a stroll. Jialuo, full of life, encountered her distant cousin, Li Cheng, the heir of Li Bing, Duke of Longxi County. Dugu Xin asked Jialuo to show Li Cheng around. As the two young people walked together, Li Bing observed them from afar, delighted by their appearance, noting they "are born to be a couple." He immediately proposed a marriage alliance.

Dugu Xin, impressed by Li Cheng’s character, readily agreed, stating he would be happy to have the union if Li Bing didn’t mind Jialuo being young and playful. Li Bing then declared the jade Dugu Xin had given Li Cheng earlier would serve as an engagement gift, and assured him that Jialuo would become the Duchess of Longxi County. Jialuo was surprised to be engaged to Li Cheng after only one meeting.

Dugu Xin explained that the Li family holds high office, and Li Cheng is gentle and elegant, making it a good match. He reminded her that marriages have always been arranged by parents, often between cousins. Jialuo, however, confessed that she only saw Li Cheng as a cousin and never considered marrying him, admitting she didn’t like him, though she acknowledged he was a good person who gave her a parrot.

Dugu Xin insisted that marriage was for two families and personal feelings were secondary, reiterating that the engagement gifts had been exchanged. Later, Jialuo lamented to Banruo how suddenly she was getting married. Banruo tried to reassure her, saying it was "just an engagement" and not an immediate marriage, suggesting she could stay longer if she wished. Jialuo then questioned why Banruo hadn't spoken up about her relationship with Yuwen Yong to their father.

Banruo pressed Jialuo, asking if she had truly missed Yong "day and night" while he was gone. Jialuo admitted she hadn't, only thought of him occasionally. Banruo concluded that Jialuo and Yong were merely friends, not lovers, and encouraged her to try and accept Li Cheng. Jialuo retorted, pointing out Banruo's own marriage to the Prince of Ningdu despite loving Yuwen Hu.

Banruo explained that while she would choose Yuwen Hu in a life-and-death situation, she must prioritize their family’s interests while alive. She revealed she had discussed matters with Yuwen Hu, who would not hinder her support for Yuwen Yu’s ascension to the throne. Banruo urged Jialuo to consider her responsibilities to the family and to remain safely in the capital. Despite Banruo's advice, Jialuo remained unwilling to accept the arranged marriage.

She decided to write a letter to Yuwen Yong, informing him of her engagement to Li Cheng. Unable to trust her household staff, she sought out Yang Jian late that night. She explained her predicament to him, expressing her reluctance to marry someone she barely knew, and pleaded with him to send the letter to Yuwen Yong.

Yang Jian, promising to have his trusted servant deliver it to Tongzhou within two days, readily agreed, humorously asking her to call him "brother-in-law." Jialuo later confided in her maid, Xiage, about sending the letter and her desperate thought of eloping with Yuwen Yong, feeling bound by her promise to him. Xiage was shocked to learn Jialuo had pledged to marry Yong without her father's knowledge. In Tongzhou, Yuwen Yong received the urgent letter from Yang Jian.

Upon learning of Jialuo's engagement, he was deeply distraught. He immediately declared his intention to rush back to the capital to prevent the marriage, vowing to beg, seek his brother's help, or even duel Li Cheng, as he "can't let Jialuo marry another man." His attendant reminded him that the emperor had forbidden his return without permission. Jialuo began waiting daily on the road leading from Tongzhou to the capital, hoping to intercept Yuwen Yong.

Worried about her, Yang Jian came to check on her. After some thought, Jialuo decided to take Yang Jian's suggestion and confront the Li family herself. She went to Li Bing’s residence to ask him to cancel the engagement. Jialuo candidly admitted she wasn't a good match for Li Cheng and desired to annul the betrothal. Li Bing was surprised but listened patiently. He asked why she disliked Li Cheng.

Jialuo explained that while Li Cheng was a good person, she had only met him once and couldn't marry him under such circumstances. She also expressed her desire to stay with her father for a few more years and continue managing her family’s charity house and her Ruyu Shop, which she hoped to make the best porcelain shop in the country. She wondered if he would want a daughter-in-law who worked outside.

Li Bing, however, assured her that his family had a long history of successful business, and Li Cheng, being skilled in calculations, would help her Ruyu Shop become the best within three years. He also promised his family would financially support the charity house. To ease her concerns, he offered a compromise: they could delay the marriage for two years until Jialuo turned eighteen, allowing her more time with her father.

He also emphasized Li Cheng's genuine affection for her, revealing his son had been sleepless with happiness over the engagement, and questioned if she truly wanted to hurt him with her refusal. Unable to find further objections, Jialuo reluctantly accepted. Unbeknownst to Jialuo, Li Cheng had overheard their entire conversation outside the room. Afterwards, Li Bing called his dejected son in, scolding him for his low spirits.

He asserted that the marriage must proceed, highlighting the Dugu family's noble status, Jialuo's intelligence, and especially Banruo's position as Princess of Ningdu, which would provide crucial backing for their family. He instructed Li Cheng to forget what he heard and to treat Jialuo well so she would happily marry him. On the journey back, Jialuo complained to Yang Jian about Li Bing's persuasiveness and her inability to explicitly mention her prior commitment to Yong.

Yang Jian explained he couldn't have intervened, as it would jeopardize his own marriage to Mantuo. Jialuo promised not to implicate him. Meanwhile, Yuwen Yong, despite the heavy rain and adverse conditions, continued his urgent journey to the capital. He fell from his horse, coughing up blood, but refused to rest, declaring to his attendant, He Quan, that he would rather die than watch Jialuo marry another man.

Yang Jian's servant, Zheng Rong, questioned his lord's increasing closeness with Jialuo, to which Yang Jian clarified that he was merely helping Jialuo, his prospective sister-in-law, deliver a message to Yuwen Yong. That same night, Jialuo, unable to bear her situation, packed a bag and attempted to secretly leave the manor, intending to go to Yuwen Yong. Her maid, Xiage, tried to stop her, warning of the dangers and distance to Tongzhou.

Jialuo insisted she knew martial arts and even suggested Xiage lie to their father about her going to the charity house. Xiage pleaded with Jialuo to reconsider, pointing out Li Cheng's merits, but Jialuo was adamant about keeping her promise to Yong. Before she could leave, Banruo intercepted her. Jialuo attempted to fabricate a story about an emergency at the charity house, but Banruo, enraged, saw through the lie.

Banruo sternly reprimanded Jialuo for attempting to flee her marriage and lying, accusing her of bringing dishonor to the family, and ordered her back to her room. Jialuo defiantly refused, asserting her intention to go to Yong and marry him. Banruo reminded her that marriage was a family affair, not solely for personal love.

In a moment of raw emotion, Jialuo retorted that she refused to be like Banruo, who chose to marry a man she didn't love, using her marriage as a tool. Stung by Jialuo's words, Banruo slapped her. Jialuo, realizing her hurtful words, immediately knelt, tearfully apologizing and offering to receive another slap. Banruo, softening, acknowledged Jialuo’s pain but urged her to understand the implications of such an impulsive act on their family. Jialuo, humbled, agreed to stay.

After a grueling journey, Yuwen Yong finally reached the capital. However, he was immediately apprehended for returning without imperial decree. Emperor Yuwen Jue, informed of Yong's unauthorized return with only one attendant and his weakened state, surmised that Yong had rushed back due to Jialuo's engagement. Despite recognizing Yong's passion, Yuwen Jue declared his return without permission an act of "treason" and ordered him to be thrown into prison for interrogation.

As guards attempted to drag the ailing Yuwen Yong away, Yuwen Hu dramatically intervened. He Quan, Yong's attendant, desperately pleaded with Yuwen Hu, explaining Yong's critical condition and how imprisonment would surely lead to his death, emphasizing that Yong had endured such hardship solely for Jialuo's sake. Moved by the depth of Yong's feelings, as he would rather be "no difference from a walking dead" than see Jialuo marry another, Yuwen Hu disregarded Yuwen Jue's order.

He asserted his authority, claiming he had called Yuwen Yong back himself, and commanded his subordinate, Geshu, to take Yuwen Yong to his own residence for medical treatment by court doctors. Once at Yuwen Hu’s residence, court doctors diagnosed Yuwen Yong with a critical illness, stating he would likely not live past thirty. Upon regaining consciousness, Yuwen Yong was shown the diagnosis by Yuwen Hu, which confirmed his severe condition and short life expectancy. Yuwen Hu mocked his despair.

The next night, Jialuo attempted to visit the ailing Yuwen Yong, but Mantuo stopped her, forbidding her from leaving so late and threatening to tell their father, accusing Jialuo of always obeying Banruo but not her. Xiage, however, reassured Jialuo that Yuwen Yong was under the care of two court doctors at Yuwen Hu's house and suggested visiting him with Yang Jian the following day. The next day, Jialuo, accompanied by Yang Jian, went to see Yuwen Yong.

She was surprised to find him appearing healthy, contrary to reports of his illness and blood vomiting. Yuwen Yong claimed his sickness was a ruse "fabricated to deceive His Majesty," allowing him to return to the capital without permission and escape Tongzhou. He then casually stated he could now attend her wedding and even offered to be her "best man."

When Jialuo reminded him of his promise for her to wait for him, Yuwen Yong dismissed it as "just a joke," expressing surprise she took it seriously. He explained that his promise was made in a moment of recklessness and sadness after his banishment, when he was touched by her kindness, but that he had always regarded her as a "younger sister."

When Jialuo asked why he hadn't clarified this in his letters, he claimed he considered marrying her "out of sympathy" if no one else wanted her. Quickly retracting, he said he was wrong and that she "can get married," praising Li Cheng as the "right man at the right place, right time." He confessed he was initially shocked by her engagement letter but then "relieved," having rushed back solely to prevent her from missing a good marriage over his "joke."

He assured her he would be relieved if she married Li Cheng. When Jialuo asked if he truly didn't like her romantically, Yuwen Yong reiterated his affection for her as a "younger sister and good friend," willing to do anything for her. He then clarified that during his time in Tongzhou, he had realized he desired a "feminine woman like my mother," not a "tomboy like you." Jialuo, crestfallen, silently absorbed his words.

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