The Legendary Life of Queen Lau Episode 2 Recap
> The Legendary Life of Queen Lau Recap
After a restless night, Emperor Duan Yunzhang refused alcohol, telling Su Jingtang that he needed to stay clear-headed and change his strategy to understand Liu Jinfeng's true intentions. He suspected Prime Minister Liu Xie's motive for placing Liu Jinfeng beside him went beyond mere humiliation, and he resolved to investigate her to find a way to deal with her. Meanwhile, Liu Jinfeng woke up to her palace maid, Sufang, attending her.
Sufang informed her that His Majesty was already waiting for them to pay respects to the Empress Dowager after she was ready. Liu Jinfeng referred to the Emperor as "Xuan" and asked if the Empress Dowager was "Xuan's" adoptive mother. Sufang, terrified, knelt and explained that the Empress Dowager treated His Majesty as her own son, and such questions were forbidden.
As Sufang helped Liu Jinfeng don numerous layers of imperial attire, the lengthy process caused Liu Jinfeng to drift off to sleep. Upon waking, Liu Jinfeng eagerly joined Duan Yunzhang. Despite Sufang's attempts to correct her, Duan Yunzhang permitted Liu Jinfeng to address him as "Xuan," stating he was happy as long as she was. Liu Jinfeng then lamented neglecting him the previous night, promising it wouldn't happen again.
Duan Yunzhang, keen to proceed to the Empress Dowager, was halted by Liu Jinfeng's complaint of starvation, having skipped dinner. Fearing she might faint and cause a scene, he reluctantly ordered breakfast and dispatched a messenger to inform the Empress Dowager of their delay. During the meal, Liu Jinfeng's conviction that Duan Yunzhang was "Xuan," her soulmate, grew stronger as she observed his use of ivory chopsticks and Biluochun tea, details she claimed were consistent with his letters.
Duan Yunzhang, though, was inwardly irritated. He questioned her about her past, learning she had only met her father, Liu Xie, two nights prior and grew up in Xianpa Village. He inwardly concluded that Liu Xie had indeed forced his illegitimate, countrified daughter upon him, which explained her crude behavior. When Liu Jinfeng attempted to offer Duan Yunzhang a small bun, a eunuch intervened, citing protocol, which Liu Jinfeng promptly dismissed.
Duan Yunzhang, confused and annoyed by her claims of five years of correspondence, quickly ended the meal and departed, with Liu Jinfeng excitedly skipping behind him, even attempting to shield him from the sun with an umbrella, which he refused. At the Empress Dowager's palace, she and the Consort Dowagers impatiently awaited the arrival of Liu Baiyu, rumored to be beautiful and talented.
One Consort Dowager speculated that the couple's lateness indicated the effectiveness of the medicinal liquor she had secretly provided. Duan Yunchong and Princess Duan Yunyan also arrived, eager to meet the new Empress. Their anticipation was momentarily interrupted when a palace servant announced the arrival of "Liu Baiyu."
The Empress Dowager began to scold the servant for disrespecting the Empress, only to be corrected that this Liu Baiyu was not the Queen but rather presented herself as a commoner with the Grand Chancellor's badge. Liu Baiyu then entered, paying her respects and explaining her father, Liu Xie, had sent her. Just as the Empress Dowager's confusion mounted, Duan Yunzhang and Liu Jinfeng arrived.
Liu Jinfeng's informal bow shocked everyone present, prompting the Empress Dowager to declare her refusal to acknowledge such an Empress. Duan Yunzhang quickly explained that Prime Minister Liu Xie had insisted on Liu Jinfeng as his wife, not Liu Baiyu, implying a misunderstanding. Liu Jinfeng then questioned Liu Baiyu about her supposed betrothal to the Emperor.
Liu Baiyu, with a smile, stated that Jinfeng had always been the intended bride, and her father had sent her to ensure Jinfeng's well-being, promising intervention if she faced hardship. This statement caused a swift change in the Empress Dowager's demeanor. She immediately agreed with Liu Xie, attributed her confusion to old age, and ordered lavish gifts for Liu Jinfeng: a hundred pieces of jewelry, a hundred property deeds, and ten thousand gold taels. Liu Jinfeng exclaimed at the extravagance.
The Empress Dowager then lectured Duan Yunzhang to learn from the Grand Chancellor, but Liu Jinfeng boldly defended him, telling his adoptive mother not to criticize him and declaring that she would protect him. Duan Yunzhang, mortified by Liu Jinfeng's unconventional behavior, apologized and swiftly excused himself, citing state affairs, with Liu Jinfeng eagerly following. After their departure, the Empress Dowager nearly fainted from the shock, while Liu Baiyu secretly smiled.
As they left, Duan Yunzhang instructed Sufang to escort Liu Jinfeng to Xiangluo Hall. Liu Jinfeng questioned his earlier denial of loneliness, referencing his letters. Duan Yunzhang feigned illness, claiming he was delirious with fever and remembered nothing. Liu Jinfeng then launched into a tirade against Liu Xie, calling him "mean and unreliable."
She explained how her mother initially concealed Liu Xie's identity, fearing it would make her feel inferior, only for her to discover he was truly despicable for arranging their childhood betrothal yet preventing them from meeting. She recounted his unreliability, saying he only recently revealed "Xuan" was the Emperor and challenged her to marry him without disclosing his supposed memory loss.
Duan Yunzhang chuckled, which prompted Liu Jinfeng, enchanted by his smile, to remind him of a letter where he promised to kiss her face. When he hesitated, she grabbed his face and kissed him herself, then joyfully ran off. Back in Xiangluo Hall, Liu Jinfeng was still beaming with delight. Sufang announced the arrival of the Empress Dowager's gifts and Liu Baiyu. Liu Jinfeng warmly welcomed Liu Baiyu, urging her to drop formalities and call her Jinfeng.
She praised Baiyu's beautiful smile and invited her to visit often, generously offering her any of the Empress Dowager's gifts. Liu Baiyu politely declined, explaining that such gifts were for managing household affairs and servants, emphasizing that a Queen must be a motherly model, govern the Imperial Harem, and act with grace and generosity, not fixating on "small love and affection." Liu Jinfeng considered these words seriously.
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Harem, a Consort Dowager advised the Empress Dowager to keep Liu Baiyu in the palace, extolling Baiyu's dignified beauty and suitability for Duan Yunzhang. She suggested that if Duan Yunzhang grew fond of her, Liu Xie might not object to her becoming a consort, a plan the Empress Dowager readily approved.
Duan Yunzhang, maintaining his vigilance, instructed his eunuch, Shuan, to have Sufang continue monitoring Liu Jinfeng's every move, even though her meeting with Liu Baiyu had only involved "family matters." Later, Liu Jinfeng secretly placed a box under Duan Yunzhang's pillow in Xuanchen Hall, hoping he would find it. Duan Yunzhang discovered her. Remembering Liu Baiyu's advice about rising above personal affections, Liu Jinfeng, against her true feelings, denied missing him and hastily departed, claiming she was merely passing by.
Suspicious, Duan Yunzhang ordered that the Queen be forbidden from entering Xuanchen Hall without permission. He then opened the box to find a stack of letters along with a note from Liu Jinfeng, pledging to become a good Queen and urging him to work on regaining his memories. Determined to fulfill her role, Liu Jinfeng embarked on a tour of the Imperial Palace to familiarize herself with the Imperial Harem.
She felt hot and attempted to remove her outer clothes and shoes, but Sufang quickly intervened, warning against such undignified behavior. Disregarding Sufang's admonitions, Liu Jinfeng eagerly ran off, shoes in hand. Her first stop was the Imperial Kitchen, where she met Imperial Chef Chai Tiezhou. Recognizing him as "Tie" from "Xuan's" letters, she recalled that "Xuan" had praised his cooking but found his "creative dishes" occasionally troublesome. Chai Tiezhou was disheartened to hear this.
To comfort him, Liu Jinfeng suggested making "Xuan's" favorite country dishes, such as "stir-fried cured ham," "native dishes," "Stewed Bacon with Tofu and Turnip," and "fish mint salad." Chai Tiezhou, unfamiliar with these rustic recipes, became increasingly distressed. Suddenly, a wok caught fire. In an attempt to help, Liu Jinfeng threw a bowl of water onto the oil fire, inadvertently intensifying it and showering Chai Tiezhou with smoke. She apologized, admitting her ignorance about oil fires.
Next, Liu Jinfeng visited the training ground, where Su Jingtang was leading guard drills. She praised the guards' strength, feeling reassured for "Xuan's" safety. Noticing a "Return Flying Disc" designed by Duan Yunchong for arm and eye strength, she curiously picked it up and threw it. The returning disc accidentally shattered Su Jingtang's prized "willow leaf lamellar armor," a gift from the Emperor. Liu Jinfeng, mortified, offered profuse apologies before fleeing. Her escapades continued at Lingshu Academy, the Imperial Pharmacy.
There, she encountered Shen Ao and his newly invented essential oil extractor. Insisting on helping, she added various herbs like Xueshan, but in her enthusiasm, she inadvertently broke the delicate machinery. She offered to repair it, mentioning her past experiences in Xianpa Village, but Shen Ao quickly urged her to leave. That evening, Yu Changya secretly met Liu Xie at his residence, requesting the letters "Heipang" (Liu Jinfeng) had written.
Liu Xie sternly reminded him that those letters were meant for "Xuan," not for Yu Changya, who had merely acted as a proxy, and warned him against developing inappropriate feelings. Yu Changya recalled a past conversation where Liu Jinfeng had rejected his affections, deeming him too skinny while praising "Xuan's" "handsome" thinness, accusing her of double standards.
Liu Xie reiterated that Yu Changya's position did not permit emotional indulgence, as their long-planned scheme was imminent, and he must prioritize their objectives. During dinner, Chai Tiezhou hesitantly asked Duan Yunzhang if his "creative dishes" truly caused him distress, as the Queen had claimed. Duan Yunzhang showed him the letters from the box Liu Jinfeng had left.
He explained that Liu Xie had forged these letters, but the accurate details of his life within them confirmed that Liu Xie maintained pervasive surveillance over his every move. Chai Tiezhou, along with Su Jingtang and Shen Ao, who were also present, recounted the day's "calamities" caused by Liu Jinfeng. Duan Yunzhang, amused by his trusted aides' "defeat" in half a day, inferred that Liu Xie's true aim was to undermine his close confidantes.
Suddenly, an arrow flew into the room. Duan Yunchong entered, bringing the mechanical crossbow Duan Yunzhang had requested. Duan Yunzhang asked him to produce more for the upcoming spring hunt, to which Duan Yunchong playfully teased his brother about his love for grand displays. After Duan Yunchong departed, Duan Yunzhang instructed Chai Tiezhou to accompany him to Langyin Pavilion to test the new crossbow. Meanwhile, in the Imperial Harem, Liu Baiyu attentively served tea to the Empress Dowager and Consort Dowager, who praised its exquisite taste.
