The Legend of Xiao Chuo Episode 25 Recap
> The Legend of Xiao Chuo Recap
During a hunt, Xiao Siwen was shot by an arrow. Then, another group of assassins suddenly charged towards Yelv Xian. Nüli immediately intervened to protect Yelv Xian. The assassins eventually retreated, but Xiao Siwen was gravely wounded and in critical condition. Yelv Xian rushed to Xiao Siwen's side and, understanding his unspoken plea, promised to protect Xiao Yanyan and the Xiao family. With this assurance, Xiao Siwen passed away peacefully.
Yelv Xian was deeply saddened by the successive deaths of King Wuzhi and Xiao Siwen. Wuguli, upon learning of her father's demise, was distraught and wept uncontrollably, with Nüli attempting to console her. Fearing for the pregnant Xiao Yanyan's well-being and to prevent any opportunistic exploitation, Yelv Xian immediately ordered a city-wide lockdown and strict censorship of the news, explicitly forbidding anyone from telling Xiao Yanyan about her father's death.
Recalling his past vows to Xiao Siwen to protect the imperial family, Yelv Xian decided to return to Shangjing without delay, despite being advised to rest. After the assassination, Gao Xun confronted Nüli, suspecting him of orchestrating the second group of assassins that targeted Yelv Xian. Nüli vehemently denied this, stating he had only provided the defense map to Xiao Haizhi and Xiao Haili, who in turn hired assassins to target Xiao Siwen.
Recognizing that the group targeting Yelv Xian must be from an unknown, separate party, Gao Xun and Nüli agreed to monitor the situation cautiously. Gao Xun theorized that King Zhao (Xiyin) was the prime beneficiary, potentially hoping to eliminate both Yelv Xian and Xiao Siwen in one fell swoop. Unaware of the true culprits, King Zhao, from his mansion, similarly suspected Gao Xun and Nüli.
He began planning to secretly obtain evidence of their actions, believing that Nüli, responsible for Lushan's defenses, must have provided insider information for the attack, and Gao Xun was likely complicit. He intended to use this evidence to control them. Upon returning to the palace, Yelv Xian found Hulan with Xiao Yanyan, who was visibly distressed, having injured her hand, and confessed to unsettling premonitions.
To avoid upsetting his pregnant wife, Yelv Xian lied that Xiao Siwen had gone home due to fatigue. He then used Xiao Siwen's upcoming birthday as an excuse to take Hulan aside to help him select a gift. Once alone, Yelv Xian tearfully revealed Xiao Siwen's death to Hulan. Heartbroken, Hulan rushed to her family home to mourn.
Yelv Xian then urged Hulan to keep the tragic news from Xiao Yanyan, prioritizing the safety of her and their unborn child, even if it meant Xiao Yanyan would resent him later. Despite Yelv Xian's efforts, news of Xiao Siwen's death spread throughout the capital and reached the inner palace. Concubine Xige, resentful of Xiao Yanyan's status, subtly instigated two imperial concubine dowagers to reveal the truth to the pregnant empress.
When they confronted Xiao Yanyan, she learned of her father's death and, overcome with grief, collapsed. Upon regaining consciousness, Xiao Yanyan was distraught and confronted Yelv Xian, blaming him for her father's demise. She argued that his granting of excessive power had made Xiao Siwen a target, a danger she had warned him about. She refused his offer to accompany her to the funeral, insisting that only family members should attend.
Enraged by the deliberate disclosure, Yelv Xian banished Concubine Xige to the deserted palace and confined the two imperial concubine dowagers to a side palace, forbidding them to leave without his explicit permission. Xiao Yanyan returned to the Xiao family mansion to mourn her father. Overwhelmed by sorrow, she lamented that her father would never witness the birth of his grandchild or fulfill his promise to name the child.
She reflected on their past, regretting her childishness and the brevity of their time together. Hulan attempted to comfort her, mindful of her delicate condition. Xiao Yanyan, wishing to be alone, requested that everyone leave her with her father's coffin. Meanwhile, Han Derang, having received word of Xiao Siwen's death, immediately rode back to Shangjing to pay his respects. At the Xiao family mansion, he met Xiao Yanyan.
Maintaining a formal demeanor, he offered his condolences and vowed to meticulously investigate the murder to bring the culprits to justice. Xiao Yanyan thanked him for his resolve. Han Derang, with a hint of lingering affection, urged her to take care of herself before departing to begin his investigation. Yelv Xian, informed of Han Derang's return, promptly summoned him to the palace. After visiting his own father, Han Derang arrived and paid his respects.
Yelv Xian attempted to welcome him warmly, urging him to remain in Shangjing and emphasizing that both the Great Liao and he needed his counsel. However, Han Derang maintained a formal distance, stating his sole purpose for returning was to seek permission to thoroughly investigate Xiao Siwen's murder. Yelv Xian, expressing disappointment that Han Derang had no other intentions, recounted how he had implemented their shared political reforms, hoping to rekindle Han Derang's commitment.
When Han Derang remained resolute, suggesting Yelv Xian was capable of governing alone with the help of others like Shi Fang, Yelv Xian revealed that the assassins had also intended to kill him, pressing Han Derang with the question of who would then protect Xiao Yanyan and their child. This revelation caused Han Derang to visibly falter, leaving him deeply conflicted. Han Derang swiftly initiated his investigation by examining the bodies of the deceased assassins.
He discovered that some bore tattoos belonging to an organization known as Gyrfalcon (Haicongqing), which he recognized from a previous case in Youzhou. He observed that Gyrfalcon members typically wielded knives, indicated by thick calluses on their hands, while other assassins without tattoos used bows and arrows. He also found a unique shoe-pad woven from palm fibers, a material primarily found in the South, and dispatched his subordinate Xinning to trace its origin in Shangjing.
Further examination of Xiao Siwen's body revealed a fatal wound on his back, prompting Han Derang to investigate the type of weapon that could have caused it. Concluding the assassination was more complex than it appeared, with two distinct groups of attackers, he suspected the second group had targeted Yelv Xian. To gain further insight, Han Derang asked Yelv Xian to recount the details of the ambush. Yelv Xian confirmed that while the initial assault focused on Xiao Siwen, he had a strong sense that the assassins also intended to take his life.
