The Legendary Life of Queen Lau Episode 36 (Ending) Recap
> The Legendary Life of Queen Lau Recap
Niu Dali informed Duan Yunzhang and Jinfeng that the villagers had decided to send all the children to live on the mountain for a period, with regular food deliveries, so they wouldn't have to endure the anxieties of the plague with the adults. The adults would return to the village to seek a remedy for the illness. Once back in the village, Duan Yunzhang assigned Yu Changya the task of finding a cure for the disease.
He and Jinfeng would investigate the root cause to prevent further spread, and also examine the village chronicles. Yu Changya soon observed red, seeping spots on Niu Dali's husband. Xiaoyu'er then told them that Mrs. Niu had been particularly joyous about the Emperor and Empress’s visit the previous day, hosting a Hundred Feast, an event not held for years. Men and women ate at separate tables.
The men drank liquor infused with herbs, while the women enjoyed Mrs. Niu’s sweet and fragrant osmanthus rice wine. Meanwhile, Imperial Bodyguard Su Jingtang and Imperial Chef Chai Tiezhou arrived at Xianpa Village, seeking His Majesty. Su Jingtang worried about Duan Yunzhang’s prolonged absence, stating, "His Majesty said that he would be gone for just a day. But he's still not back yet. Did something happen to him?"
However, they were blocked by villagers who had sealed off the area, shouting, "No one is allowed to enter!" That night, Jinfeng explained the Xianpa Village chronicles to Duan Yunzhang. She recounted the legend that women of Xianpa Village were cursed, causing their husbands to die on their wedding night.
She described how women would then perform offering rituals to the Gods to break the curse, but their pleas were in vain, and the men would still die after seven days. Jinfeng expressed her disbelief, pointing out that if the curse were real, there would be no men left in the village. Yet, she found it peculiar that Mrs. Niu's husband had indeed died on their wedding night.
Elsewhere, Yongfu received a letter from Liu Xie, indicating that the curse of Xianpa Village had returned and all the men were sick, fearing the "death of the husbands will begin again." Yongfu worried, "Jinfeng has just brought His Majesty there, right?" The letter confirmed that Duan Yunzhang and Jinfeng were fine but had chosen to stay and deal with the issue. Yongfu found some relief in knowing they were safe, but still worried the curse had grown more severe.
The next day in court, Official Luo criticized the Emperor for his repeated absence from morning assemblies, questioning his responsibility. Grand Chancellor Liu Xie vehemently defended Duan Yunzhang, asserting that His Majesty had worked hard to build a strong nation, securing borders and bringing peace to the people. He argued that even if the Emperor attended, the officials only presented trivial matters, causing His Majesty severe headaches. He concluded that the officials should blame themselves.
The other ministers were surprised by Liu Xie's strong defense, noting that "Everything has changed" and "This is so strange." Later, Xiaoyu'er brought collected food from a few families, intending it only for Jinfeng and Duan Yunzhang, noting that food would be tight if the village remained sealed. Jinfeng, however, insisted on equality, taking only their necessary portion and instructing Xiaoyu'er to distribute the rest.
Duan Yunzhang, amused, teased Jinfeng about her "everyone is equal" philosophy, playfully remarking that such words were "punishable by death." Jinfeng retorted that she had said many things punishable by death but was still alive, implying he agreed with her logic and couldn't bear to harm her. Just then, Yu Changya rushed in, exclaiming that he had found the cause of the illness. He explained it was a plague.
He discovered that a rat, after accidentally eating Wuyu Grass, had bitten Xiaoyu'er's husband. The husband, not thinking much of it, attended the Hundred Feast. Since men and women sat at different tables, only the men became infected. Yu Changya further explained that villagers had burned ground sorghum stalks to kill rats, and he suspected the rats had consumed both Wuyu Grass and ground sorghum simultaneously. Individually, these substances were harmless, but combined, they became highly toxic.
Yu Changya cautiously suggested that developing an antidote would typically take more than ten days, but Jinfeng, with a confident smile, praised his wisdom and predicted he could create one within half a day, to which Yu Changya gratefully replied, "You know me best." While Yu Changya worked on the cure, Duan Yunzhang, deep in thought, connected the dots.
He recalled Jinfeng's earlier account of the village chronicles and the custom of adding Wuyu Grass to the cross-cupped wine during wedding ceremonies. He realized that the ground sorghum, a local specialty often used to make liquor, when combined with Wuyu Grass, formed the deadly poison. Thus, the "curse" of men dying on their wedding night was actually poisoning.
Alarmed, Jinfeng immediately urged Duan Yunzhang to spit out any liquor he had consumed, to which he playfully reassured her that his wine was from the palace and not poisonous. He then questioned why some men died while others didn't. He deduced that ground sorghum was harvested in summer but took months to brew into liquor, typically consumed in winter. Therefore, only men who married in winter would have consumed the toxic concoction.
Jinfeng confirmed Niu Dali's wedding had indeed been held in winter. Duan Yunzhang eagerly suggested telling the villagers immediately to break the curse's hold, but Jinfeng and Yu Changya dismissed his idea as naive, stating, "You don't know the women of Xianpa Village well enough." Yu Changya successfully developed the antidote and gave it to Xiaoyu'er to administer to her husband. Upon drinking it, her husband's condition immediately improved, waking up and exclaiming, "He's awake. He's awake."
Yu Changya proudly declared, "See? I know the cure will work." Jinfeng explained to Duan Yunzhang that the women of Xianpa Village, being uneducated, did not express their emotions with eloquent words or grand theories. Instead, they simply knew how to protect the people and things important to them. Duan Yunzhang praised their sincere and profound kindness. However, Jinfeng warned him that merely reasoning with them would not convince them to abandon their belief in the picture book.
She stated, "You can't change their minds." Duan Yunzhang, having an epiphany, replied, "I can't change them. But I can change the picture book." Jinfeng gathered the villagers. Niu Dali, expecting Duan Yunzhang to declare the village chronicles fake, was surprised when he affirmed the book's authenticity, stating, "Everything inside is clearly shown. It's real." He then explained that they had simply "read the book wrongly."
Duan Yunzhang opened the first page, explaining that it didn't depict a woman cursing her husband, but rather a woman’s unwavering devotion to her husband who fell ill on their wedding night. He revealed the magical property of the Western Region paper—dropping water on it would reveal hidden text, confirming his interpretation and the story of Lian and Cui Yuan.
He then reinterpreted the second page as a testament to the equality between men and women in Xianpa Village, who, in their efforts to dispel the plague, were both equally blessed by the Gods. Finally, he clarified the third page was not about men dying after seven days, but about the beautiful and kind women of Xianpa Village ensuring generations of prosperity. Duan Yunzhang's reinterpretations deeply moved and convinced the villagers, who applauded his wisdom, with Niu Dali shedding tears.
By a serene stream, Jinfeng rested her head on Duan Yunzhang's shoulder. He explained his approach, stating, "rather than letting them believe in those bad stories, it's better to let them believe in the good stories and be happy." He added that although the words he revealed were additions, his admiration for the women of Xianpa Village was true, especially for her, his Empress.
As they leaned in for a kiss, their romantic moment was abruptly interrupted by Su Jingtang and Chai Tiezhou, who excitedly ran up, exclaiming, "Your Majesty. Finally, I found you." Back in the imperial court, Grand Chancellor Liu Xie, addressing Duan Yunzhang, requested to retire, offering to donate all his property.
Duan Yunzhang attempted to dissuade him, but Liu Xie insisted, stating that His Majesty had become a wise and capable emperor, capable of caring for both his family and the people. He felt he had fulfilled the late Emperor's promise and wished to return home to enjoy his life. Liu Xie then quietly requested Duan Yunzhang not to be too strict with his donation, as he still needed money for his wife.
Though reluctant, Duan Yunzhang granted his wish, silently acknowledging Liu Xie's hard work. After the court session, Duan Yunchong and Baiyu proudly presented their new invention, the "Heart-to-Heart Talking Machine," to Duan Yunzhang and Jinfeng. Duan Yunchong demonstrated how Baiyu could hear him from a distance. Jinfeng, however, pointed out that Baiyu could already hear him without the device, expressing mild disappointment. Duan Yunchong explained it was just a prototype, envisioning a future where people could communicate across great distances.
At that moment, Prince Longyue’s emotional broadcast began. He spoke of the imperial capital returning to its former glory after many hardships, celebrating the enduring love of the Emperor and Empress, the sweetness of the prince and his consort, the vitality of the imperial bodyguards, and the diligence of the palace staff. He emphasized that happiness was hard-earned and true love precious, urging everyone to cherish the present moment, their loved ones, and the beautiful times they shared.
Following his heartfelt message, Longyue played music, encouraging everyone to dance. In the grand palace courtyard, Duan Yunzhang and Jinfeng led the Empress Dowager, Duan Yunchong, Princess Yunyan, and all the palace staff in a joyful square dance, filling the palace with happiness and harmony.
