The Legendary Life of Queen Lau Episode 21 Recap
> The Legendary Life of Queen Lau Recap
During a military formation drill, the drumbeats became chaotic because Yongfu, who was drumming while wearing Liu Xie's black clothes, got distracted watching her daughter Jinfeng. Duan Yunzhang noticed the drumbeats were off. Jinfeng, seeing the chaotic situation, rushed forward to push Yongfu aside and took over the drums herself. Duan Yunzhang immediately ordered a halt to the drill and summoned Grand Chancellor Liu Xie to the main camp for a discussion.
Inside the tent, Duan Yunzhang demanded an explanation for the disastrous display. Liu Xie, with daring candor, explained that the situation was a direct result of inadequate military funds: with a severe lack of equipment, they were forced to use defective gear; with a shortage of young, able-bodied soldiers, they resorted to using older men; and with low morale, their only option was to retreat and defend.
He stated he had already requested Duan Yunzhang three times to increase taxes for military funds since the Emperor took control, but all his proposals were rejected. Duan Yunzhang refused to be branded a "fatuous emperor" who burdened his people with increased taxes, citing his adherence to the benevolent principles of Confucius and Mencius. Duan Yunzhang then accused Liu Xie of "lying to the Emperor."
Liu Xie clarified that "lying to the Emperor" meant lying and hiding the truth, while his actions, which were a theatrical way to directly demonstrate the alarming lack of military equipment and the dire state of the army, emphasizing that the armor and weapons shown were the absolute worst available, were meant to reveal it. He then presented Jinfeng's collected data on palace staff, informing Duan Yunzhang that out of 1,388 palace staff, 90% had elderly family members.
He stressed that in the Emperor's eyes, these palace staff, and by extension soldiers, were also fathers, sons, and husbands. Every soldier's death on the battlefield meant a shattered family, and providing them with proper equipment was giving their families hope for a happy life. He then offered to take the Emperor to another place to further illustrate his point, and Jinfeng, observing Liu Xie's passionate speech, found him surprisingly "cool."
Meanwhile, in the Taihe Hall, Tai Fei joyfully announced her preparations for her son Chong's upcoming marriage to Liu Baiyu. The Empress Dowager, envying Tai Fei's good fortune, heard Tai Fei's unabashed praise of Baiyu as smart, thoughtful, and intelligent, and became annoyed, cutting her short. Liu Xie then escorted Duan Yunzhang and Jinfeng to Xianpa Village.
He recounted that decades ago, it was known as Qilian Village because a local Wu family had seven sons in a row, making the village bustling with men. However, due to successive wars, almost all able-bodied men were gone, and the village had become Xianpa Village.
He cited specific figures: 3,143 men died in the Battle of Eight Kings 70 years ago, 2,853 in the Turmoil of Jizhou 50 years ago, and 1,651 in the Rebellion of Xinan 30 years ago. Liu Xie explained that while these were just numbers to the Emperor, they represented heartbreaking pasts for every family in the village. Duan Yunzhang was shocked.
Liu Xie imparted a lesson that true benevolence and righteousness were not merely abstract ideals but profound responsibilities that impacted countless lives. After Duan Yunzhang left, Jinfeng confronted Liu Xie, questioning his exact figures for the 70 and 30-year-old wars, noticing he had concealed the actual numbers. Liu Xie argued that he merely used a "dramatic method" to directly demonstrate the harsh reality to the Emperor.
He informed Jinfeng that she and Duan Yunzhang would stay there for the night, treating it as a visit to relatives. When Jinfeng inquired about seeing her mother, Liu Xie cryptically responded that she had already met her, leaving Jinfeng puzzled. Later that evening, during dinner, Duan Yunzhang expressed his gratitude to Jinfeng.
He realized that her previous questionnaires, which he mistakenly thought were for her to understand him, were actually a nuanced way to help him understand the empire, its people, and his role as a good emperor. He affectionately held Jinfeng's hand and assured her he now knew what needed to be done. Jinfeng, unsure how to explain, could only nod repeatedly. At Liu Xie's mansion, he was gently washing Yongfu's feet.
Yongfu complained that she was asked to drum but ended up being pushed aside by her own daughter. Liu Xie, profusely apologetic, repeatedly apologized to his wife and promised a better arrangement next time, even jokingly questioning if he was seriously injured from the "pain" of the situation. Earlier, at the Imperial Academy, Grand Tutor Wei informed his students that someone intended to make the Emperor a sinner, urging them all to join him in a significant undertaking.
Later, a group of black-clad men, acting under orders to find their targets even if it meant turning the capital upside down, forcibly apprehended Grand Tutor Wei and several students who were debating military tactics. The following day in court, Liu Xie formally proposed increasing taxes to replenish military funds. However, an official immediately objected, reporting that black-clad men had stormed Grand Tutor Wei's residence the previous night, capturing him and a few dozen students, whose whereabouts remained unknown.
The official suggested public rumors implicated Liu Xie and urged the Emperor not to approve his tax proposal and to secure the release of the Grand Tutor and his students. Unable to make an immediate decision, Duan Yunzhang adjourned the court, asking to speak with Liu Xie privately. When pressed, Liu Xie readily admitted to the arrests but challenged Duan Yunzhang to first consider why so many students had gathered at Grand Tutor Wei's house.
He then offered a deal: if Duan Yunzhang could quell the public grievances in the capital within three days, he would guarantee the safe return of Grand Tutor Wei and his students. Duan Yunzhang agreed to the deal. Back at the Xuanchen Hall, Chai Tiezhou and others discussed using Su Jingtang's men to rescue Grand Tutor Wei from prison.
Duan Yunzhang, however, decided that twenty men were too many; just a few of them would be enough, and insisted on going himself. Upon reaching the prison, he identified himself as Emperor Duan Yunzhang and ordered the gate open, declaring his intention to meet Grand Tutor Wei alone, despite the protests of Su Jingtang and Chai Tiezhou. Inside, he told Grand Tutor Wei about his bet with Liu Xie.
However, Wei Taifu, lying with his back to the wall, refused to acknowledge the Emperor. A student relayed Wei Taifu's message: if his students, and by extension the Emperor, only knew how to talk about strategies without adapting to situations, he would rather die in prison. Wei Taifu also expressed his annoyance at hearing his students speak and wished not to be disturbed that night.
Returning to his residence, Liu Xie received a report that his initial list of contacts had yielded no information. He concluded that Jinfeng was the only one who could help. Soon after, he arranged for rumors to circulate in the capital, branding him as "rapacious" and Jinfeng as "Queen Lau, helper of the tyrant," with slogans like "Greedy Queen, Evil Emperor" and "A cruel government that's worse than a tiger."
Jinfeng, infuriated by these accusations, complained about being unfairly targeted alongside Liu Xie. Liu Xie then approached her, showing her the characters "Fang Yu Fu Hua Qian" and asking her to find whatever it represented in the palace. In exchange, he promised to grant her one wish. He provided a cryptic hint, saying it was "not at all" related to the people there, humorously adding that eliminating wrong options was also a hint.
At Xuanchen Hall, the widespread public discontent manifested in escalating chaos. Su Jingtang reported that butchers were posting posters, vegetable sellers were displaying banners, and prices for Imperial Kitchen supplies had tripled. Chai Tiezhou added that parents were causing trouble, and children were skipping school, with 99 incidents reported just yesterday, including a dozen children causing a century-old archway at the South Gate to collapse.
Duan Yunzhang acknowledged the severity, realizing that if public grievances were not addressed, not only Grand Tutor Wei but the entire Donghao Empire would be in peril. Jinfeng discussed the "Fang Yu Fu Hua Qian" puzzle with Su Fang. Su Fang suggested it might not be a single thing or place but two people: an old maid named Fang Yu, who served the late Emperor, and an old eunuch surnamed Fu. Jinfeng decided to seek out Fang Yu.
Su Fang advised her that these old maids had an unwavering idol: Liu Xie, whom they had watched grow up in the palace. Su Fang suggested that a personal item from Liu Xie would secure Fang Yu's cooperation. Jinfeng was surprised to learn her father was the idol of these old maids, remarking that they were all fond of pretty faces. Suddenly, they spotted Yu Changya fleeing with blood on his lips, as if he had been beaten.
Jinfeng, amused, laughed at his predicament. At the Lingxuyuan, Yu Changya grumbled that he was merely trying to earn some small money by giving facials to lonely old maids. Jinfeng seized the opportunity, drawing a picture and asking him to deliver it to her mother, threatening to expose his embarrassing situation if he refused. Yu Changya reluctantly agreed. Later, Jinfeng was humming cheerfully in the courtyard when Duan Yunzhang confronted her, questioning her whereabouts and activities.
After some banter, he admitted he was jealous. Jinfeng, misunderstanding, excitedly recounted Yu Changya's comical situation with the old women, assuming Duan Yunzhang was jealous of them. Duan Yunzhang laughed, realizing his jealousy was misplaced. Jinfeng then explained that ordinary citizens were more interested in local gossip, like who stole Granny Wang's chicken or who's marrying whom, rather than grand state affairs. This insight sparked a realization in Duan Yunzhang.
He immediately instructed Su Jingtang and Chai Tiezhou to gather trivial information about various ministers: what flowers were planted in Liu Xie's courtyard, which fabric shop Prince De's female relatives patronized, how many times the Ministry of War's Official Pi visited restaurants every month, and how many servants the Ministry of Rites' Official Wu had. Su Jingtang questioned the relevance, but Duan Yunzhang stated it was merely the first step of a greater plan.
Yu Changya delivered Jinfeng's drawing to Yongfu (referred to as Madam Fu), who immediately understood its message. Yongfu handed Yu Changya a large, heavy bundle of items to take back to Jinfeng, assuring him she was doing fine and Jinfeng shouldn't worry. Yu Changya, struggling with the weight, doubted the Queen needed such humble items, but Yongfu insisted.
As he made his way through the streets with the heavy bag, he noticed people eagerly crowding around stalls, buying a popular book titled "The Legend of Liu Xie, Jerk of the Ages," which sensationalized stories about Liu Xie's romantic exploits and characteristics.
Back at Xuanchen Hall, Su Jingtang reported to Duan Yunzhang that the "picture books" (referring to the sensationalized stories about Liu Xie and other officials) had been put on sale as ordered, causing trouble, especially for Grand Chancellor Liu, as students he found enjoyed writing stories about him. Duan Yunzhang then instructed Chai Tiezhou to investigate the monthly expenditures of all officials.
He explained that merely diverting public attention was a temporary fix; the true solution lay in uncovering whether the officials' lavish lifestyles, which often exceeded their official salaries, were funded by corruption or untaxed private enterprises. He believed that Liu Xie, despite his wisdom, must be aware of such illicit activities, and planned to "beat him at his own game." Jinfeng, having received some portraits of Liu Xie, hung them under a peach tree. She mused that despite his "bad" character, he was undeniably handsome.
