The Legend of Mi Yue Episode 77 Recap
> The Legend of Mi Yue Recap
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After Huang Xie’s departure from Qin, Wei Ran questioned his sister, Mi Yue, about allowing Huang Xie to leave. Wei Ran believed that with Huang Xie’s exceptional talent and learning, he should have been retained to serve Qin and would become a vital minister. Mi Yue responded that it was impossible to keep a person whose heart yearned for his homeland.
She confessed to owing Huang Xie a great deal and felt it was right to let him fulfill his desire to return to Chu. She then ordered that Huang Xie be granted safe passage through all checkpoints and be treated with generosity. Mi Yue then brought up Huang Xie’s previous comment about Shang Yang's law being overly severe.
Wei Ran agreed, recounting an incident where a child was punished with thirty days of labor for merely picking a few mulberry leaves. He reminded Mi Yue of a past injury he sustained, implying the law’s harshness, and stated that Huang Xie's words were not without merit. Mi Yue, concerned about the potential for abuse of power, instructed Wei Ran to thoroughly investigate the implementation of Shang Yang's law and rectify any instances of torture or excessive harshness.
Later, Mi Yue appointed Bai Qi as the Zuo Shuzhang, granting him the tiger tally to lead the Qin army in an attack on Chu. Qin forces, led by Bai Qi, Wei Ran, Mi Rong, and Sima Cuo, swiftly advanced, seizing fifteen cities and beheading fifty thousand Chu soldiers, bringing Chu’s government to the brink of collapse. In the Chu court, panic ensued over the King Mi Huai's capture by Qin.
Jin Daifu initially suggested trying to secure the King’s return without provoking Qin further. However, Huang Xie forcefully argued that such timidity had only emboldened Qin. He proposed establishing a new monarch to demonstrate to Qin that holding Mi Huai hostage was futile, thus creating leverage for negotiations. Jin Daifu then suggested establishing Prince Lan as the new heir, but Huang Xie protested, pointing out that a Crown Prince was already in place.
Nan Hou tried to support Prince Lan by claiming King Mi Huai had intended to depose Prince Heng, but she lacked a formal decree. Unexpectedly, Prince Heng himself appeared in the assembly. Nan Hou, accusing him of fleeing first from Qin and then from Qi, attempted to have him arrested. However, Yin Zhaoyang and Sanlv doctor intervened, revealing they had arranged Prince Heng’s return from Qi. They declared that given Chu's dire situation, Prince Heng should ascend the throne.
Sanlv doctor silenced Jin Shang and forced Nan Hou from the hall. Following this dramatic turn of events, Prince Heng was formally crowned the new King of Chu. Upon learning of the political shift in Chu, Mi Yue ordered the Qin army to withdraw. The generals were surprised, but a messenger explained that Huang Xie, along with Qu Yuan and Yin Zhaoyang, had orchestrated Prince Heng's ascension.
Qu Yuan was now consolidating defenses at Ying Du and seeking alliances against Qin. Though one general regretted letting Huang Xie return, another general pointed out Mi Yue’s respect for Huang Xie and acknowledged that with Huang Xie and Qu Yuan leading Chu, the situation was indeed more complex, making withdrawal and peace talks a pragmatic choice. Yong Rui and Chu Li Zi later discussed Mi Yue's decision.
Chu Li Zi recounted Mi Yue’s earlier statement that her goal was merely to “weaken Chu, not conquer it” and that it couldn't be achieved in one swift move. He highly praised Mi Yue's strategic foresight. Later, Mi Yue visited the former King Mi Huai, who was held in a small palace outside Xianyang. She had adorned a Chu hairstyle for the occasion.
Mi Huai did not recognize her at first, but Mi Yue reminded him of their familial ties, accusing him of having forgotten her. He eventually recognized her as Mi Yue, his sister, and immediately blamed her for his plight, complaining about the lack of royal treatment in Qin. Mi Yue calmly retorted that despite the absence of a royal retinue or concubines, he was well-fed and clothed.
Mi Huai demanded to be returned to Chu, threatening war, but Mi Yue informed him that no one in Chu would fight for him now. She revealed that Qin's attack had led Yin Zhaoyang and Qu Yuan to blame Mi Huai for his absence and install Prince Heng as the new king. Mi Huai was devastated and furious, calling Prince Heng a "rebellious son."
Desperate, he begged Mi Yue to help him regain his throne, offering half of Chu's territory, including fertile Wu County and Qianzhong County, as a reward. Mi Yue scorned his promises, stating that a deposed king’s word held no value. She harshly criticized his reign, accusing him of trusting sycophants, favoring concubines, being greedy, and lacking foresight, which had systematically destroyed Chu. She called him a "tumor" on his own people, suggesting Chu would be better off without him.
Mi Yue concluded that since he had no tangible rewards to offer, he would remain detained in Qin. She ominously declared that one day, when Chu belonged to Qin, she would return him to the ancestral temple to repent for his misdeeds, serving as a warning to all "dark rulers." Following this, Mi Yue held a ceremony to enfeoff Qin’s meritorious officials. Wei Ran was named Rang Hou, Mi Rong became Huayang Jun, and Bai Qi was made Wu Anjun.
She also bestowed the title of Jingyang Jun upon her son, Gongzi Fei, praising his character. Afterward, Tiger General expressed his dissatisfaction to Zhai Li, grumbling that these honors were for Qin, not Yiqu. Zhai Li attempted to pacify him, pointing out that Wei Ran, Mi Rong, and Bai Qi were his brothers-in-law, and Gongzi Fei was his son, and that Yiqu had allied with Qin.
But Tiger General countered by highlighting that Gongzi Fei bore the Ying surname, not Zhai, and accused Mi Yue of caring solely for Daqin’s interests, not Yiqu’s. He insisted that Yiqu warriors deserved titles and lands beyond the grasslands, leading to a heated argument that Zhai Li eventually cut short.
Meanwhile, Sima Cuo confided in Yong Rui about his concerns regarding Gongzi Fei’s enfeoffment, fearing it would cause discontent among other officials, as the young prince had no military achievements yet was ranked alongside seasoned generals. Yong Rui clarified that the title of Jingyang Jun was not a display of Mi Yue's favoritism. He explained that while Yiqu Jun and his men had rendered great services, they lacked the administrative skills for governance, making direct enfeoffment difficult for Mi Yue.
Therefore, bestowing the title on Gongzi Fei served a dual purpose: it publicly recognized his identity and appeased Yiqu Jun. Yong Rui emphasized that Mi Yue's actions, from valuing the Yiqu people for their aid in securing the throne and establishing Qin's formidable cavalry, were all carefully calculated for the enduring stability of Daqin's country. Later, Mi Yue hosted a family dinner at the Jiao Feng Hall to welcome Yiqu Jun.
Ying Ji, however, initially feigned illness, admitting to his wife Mi Yao that he felt deeply uncomfortable in the presence of the Yiqu people. Mi Yao persuaded him to attend for the sake of his mother and family harmony. At the dinner, a tense moment arose when Zhai Li told Ying Ji to sit below with Gongzi Fei. Ying Ji protested, asserting his rightful place beside his mother.
Mi Yue intervened, declaring it a casual family gathering and suggesting Ying Ji bond with Gongzi Fei while she and Yiqu Jun caught up. Throughout the feast, Mi Yue and Zhai Li displayed noticeable intimacy, further fueling Ying Ji's displeasure. After the dinner, Mi Yue tried to ease the tension, commending Ying Ji for his composure and reminding him that Yiqu Jun, having grown up on the grasslands, lacked formal etiquette and should not be taken seriously.
Ying Ji, however, argued that Yiqu Jun had behaved differently in his father's presence and questioned why Qin should tolerate such disrespect, given that Qin owed no debt to Yiqu and was not militarily inferior. He suggested either granting Yiqu more cities or addressing the problem of "barbarians on the couch." Mi Yue stressed that Yiqu Jun was a crucial ally for Qin's past, present, and future, urging Ying Ji not to let temporary anger lead to self-destructive decisions.
When Ying Ji persisted, Mi Yue, suspecting he was intoxicated, advised him to speak with her again when he was sober. Later, Mi Yue found Zhai Li with new and old battle scars, questioning why he still personally led troops instead of delegating to generals like Bai Qi and Wei Ran. Zhai Li insisted that only Yiqu people could lead Yiqu soldiers.
He also expressed his deep longing for the grasslands, stating he couldn’t live confined within palace walls, unlike Mi Yue. He then proposed taking Gongzi Fei with him on his next journey to the grasslands, to teach him warfare and governance. Mi Yue refused, asserting that Gongzi Fei was a Qin prince, already enfeoffed, and would have generals to lead his armies. She worried about raising him as a "caged bird" unfit for the Qin court.
Zhai Li criticized her, claiming Yiqu men must ride and fight, and accused her of wanting to raise Gongzi Fei to be submissive like Ying Ji. Mi Yue defended Ying Ji, calling him polite and considerate, and blamed Zhai Li for deliberately provoking him at the dinner, emphasizing that both Ying Ji and Gongzi Fei were their children. Zhai Li retorted that Ying Ji did not share his surname and had never truly accepted him as a father.
He accused Mi Yue of trying to sever his bond with Gongzi Fei by giving the prince the Ying surname, then further asserted that despite Mi Yue's power as the Queen Mother, she was an Yiqu woman, and therefore Yiqu people deserved preferential treatment and a share in Qin's realm. Faced with Zhai Li's escalating demands, Mi Yue had no immediate reply. The heated discussion was interrupted when Yong Rui and Wei Ran arrived to deliver urgent news.
They informed Mi Yue that King Mi Huai had bribed his guards and escaped from the palace during the night. Mi Yue immediately ordered a comprehensive search, with all checkpoints sealed to apprehend the runaway King.
