The Princess's Gambit Episode 32 Recap
> The Princess's Gambit Recap
Prince Mu Wuxia expressed outrage upon receiving a court bulletin detailing floods in the south and drought in the northwest, while his elder brother, Prince Mu Wuyin, seemed oblivious, focused only on colluding with Empress Lv of Beiyuan to usurp power, which Wuxia feared would turn their state into another Beiyuan. Li Dian arrived with the bulletin from the palace, noting the suspicious news that His Majesty would suddenly move to Qingxiu Temple for meditation.
Realizing something was wrong, Wuxia quickly ordered Wang Xi summoned for discussion. Xiang Qingying also arrived, asking what was happening. Wuxia explained their father, His Majesty, was scheduled to relocate to Qingxiu Temple that day. Wuxia was certain His Majesty would not go willingly, as despite taking medicine, he never truly believed in Daoist practices and would never abandon court affairs. Wuxia resolved to find a way to see His Majesty immediately.
Xiang Qingying worried about guards, but Li Dian mentioned he knew of a hole near the temple wall, large enough to crawl through. Wuxia immediately dubbed it a "dog hole." They decided to use it to enter. Entering the temple through the hole, Wuxia and the others reached His Majesty's room. They witnessed Mu Wuyin with His Majesty, who was desperate for medicine.
Wuyin, commenting on his father's un-kinglike state, offered an unlimited supply of medicine if His Majesty would abdicate and remain in seclusion at the temple, leaving court affairs behind. His Majesty initially refused but eventually agreed to write an abdication decree under duress, pleading for the medicine. Wuyin took the decree, instructing his father to focus on meditation, and left. Wuxia then entered the room from the back. His Majesty was relieved to see him, lamenting his suffering.
He called Wuyin a beast and accused him of trying to poison him, urgently asking Wuxia to rescue him. Wuxia promised to get him out safely and ensure his recovery at the palace's imperial hospital. Asking for His Majesty's trust, Wuxia requested a decree, clarifying that it was not for the throne, but to authorize him to call for rescue forces from the Capital Garrison. His Majesty agreed.
Mu Wuyin later presented the abdication decree to Empress Lv, whom he addressed as "Ah Hua," offering it as a betrothal gift. He announced he would read it before the court the next day and declare her his empress. Empress Lv commented that he had truly matured into a man she could rely on. She stated that since he offered the empire as his betrothal gift, she would offer her life to him, addressing him intimately as "San Lang."
He reaffirmed his commitment and stated he would take her to the palace to prepare for their wedding. (Plot summary notes that Wuyin unlocked her shackles, implying she was held captive). Shen Zaiye, Wuxia, Jiang Taohua, and Xiang Qingying subsequently met to exchange information. Xiang Qingying expressed surprise they had returned and managed to enter the city despite the search. Shen Zaiye explained the Palace Guard's authority was limited to the palace and royal family's safety, not city gates.
Xiang Qingying inquired about events since Wuyin's return. Wuxia explained Wuyin had controlled His Majesty with medicine and allied with Meng Zhongyan, who commanded the Palace Guard. He added Wuyin planned to marry Meng Zhenzhen the next day. Jiang Taohua immediately questioned this, finding it improbable. Wuxia revealed Wuyin had soft-imprisoned His Majesty under the pretext of meditation and forced the abdication decree, showing the deployment decree he received from His Majesty, noting it lacked the imperial seal.
They discussed Empress Lv; while she had arrived with Wuyin, they reasoned she would not have abandoned her power in Beiyuan willingly and must have been forced. This led them to believe her hiding place might be evident. Shen Zaiye suggested he and Jiang Taohua search Wuyin's residence for Empress Lv to use her as leverage. Jiang Taohua recalled having been there before.
Wuxia asked if she had seen shackles, which she hadn't, confirming their theory that Empress Lv was held captive. Jiang Taohua remembered finding a marriage contract in Wuyin's secret chamber, revealing his true intended bride was a woman named A Hua, his former personal maid whom he was especially attached to since his sister's early death, and that this A Hua was also Empress Lv of Beiyuan.
They deduced Wuyin's plan was to marry Empress Lv during the abdication ceremony the next day, calling him insane for planning such a public union with the Beiyuan Empress. Xiang Qingying noted Wuyin's known abnormal obsession with Empress Lv and questioned if he might even hand over their state to her, a possibility Shen Zaiye confirmed was very likely.
They agreed the timing of the supposed wedding and abdication was their best chance to expose him, but they lacked sufficient forces to storm the main hall. They decided to go to the Capital Garrison with the deployment decree. Wuxia worried about the long journey, estimating it would take over ten hours round trip, but Shen Zaiye insisted there was no time to lose and they should leave immediately.
Jiang Taohua offered to buy them time by going to Meng Zhenzhen. Shen Zaiye cautioned against the risk if Meng Zhenzhen didn't believe her, as she would be in great danger, but Jiang Taohua was confident she could manage it. Shen Zaiye promised he would return with reinforcements in time. To avoid alerting Wuyin's potential allies within the Capital Garrison, Shen Zaiye and Wuxia planned to enter disguised.
They identified the Capital Garrison's Cavalry General Zhou Chonghu as a shrewd man, good at opportunism, likely to remain neutral given the current situation, meaning they would need to persuade him. They sent someone ahead, pretending to be Wuyin's envoy discussing troop rotation arrangements. Shen Zaiye tasked Wuxia with persuading General Zhou while he gathered and rallied the lower-level officers, many of whom were his former subordinates and directly commanded the frontline troops.
Upon meeting his old officers, including Generals Yao Jing and Yuan Qin, Shen Zaiye pointed out their stagnant careers and the scars they bore, contrasting their difficult paths from common or military households with the privileged lives of aristocratic families who never faced such hardships and wouldn't care about their struggles. When General Zhou arrived, Wuxia presented His Majesty's decree.
General Zhou claimed to be a coarse, uneducated man who only recognized the imperial seal, not handwriting, effectively refusing to acknowledge the decree's legitimacy. Shen Zaiye then addressed General Zhou, analyzing the current situation where Wuyin had imprisoned His Majesty, taken over the Palace Guard, and was poised to seize the throne.
He laid out three choices for the general: neutrality (which would lead to a bad end regardless of the outcome), siding with Wuyin (having missed the opportune time for timely support), or helping to defend the throne (which would earn him the highest merit). Shen Zaiye argued to the assembled officers that if Wuyin and the aristocratic families came to power, their children would still have to risk their lives for any chance of advancement.
He rallied them to join him in defending the rightful ruler and killing their way to a bright future, to which the officers voiced their agreement. However, General Zhou admitted he commanded the troops but lacked the deployment authority and was unsure if the men would follow him. Shen Zaiye suggested General Zhou accompany him to the training grounds.
At the training grounds, Wuxia and General Zhou were impressed to find Shen Zaiye had successfully persuaded all the lower-level officers to mobilize the soldiers. General Zhou expressed admiration for Shen Zaiye's skill in rallying them. Despite this, he maintained one concern: the troops were weary from marching, and their morale was low. He stated that if His Majesty could appear in person, it would greatly boost their spirits for the attack on the palace.
Shen Zaiye interpreted this as General Zhou needing a fallback plan, requiring seeing His Majesty before committing the troops. Shen Zaiye agreed to General Zhou's condition. With this assurance, General Zhou issued the order for the troops to march to Yujing to defend the Emperor. As the grand bridal procession for the Meng family's daughter, Meng Zhenzhen, made its way through the city, people commented on the lavish display.
Jiang Taohua and Qingtai observed the procession, noting it was heading to the Meng residence to pick up the bride. Meanwhile, in the palace, Mu Wuyin prepared Empress Lv for the ceremony, calling her the most beautiful bride he had ever seen as someone reminded him the time for the grand ceremony was approaching. At Qingxiu Temple, Meng Zhongyan arrived with medicine for His Majesty, reveling in seeing him reduced to begging at his feet.
When a loyal eunuch tried to seize the medicine and denounced him as a traitor, Meng Zhongyan killed him without hesitation. Tossing the medicine towards the suffering monarch, Meng Zhongyan informed His Majesty that Wuyin would be ascending the throne in just three hours, leaving His Majesty furious but powerless. Suddenly, Shen Zaiye arrived with his army and captured Meng Zhongyan. Wuxia entered from the back and found His Majesty, instructing Wang Xi to immediately escort him to safety.
Even in capture, Meng Zhongyan remained defiant, claiming he had not lost because Wuyin had obtained the abdication decree, and once the coronation was complete, Wuyin would be the legitimate king, a position even His Majesty himself could not undo if he were present. As Wuxia exited the room, he was ambushed and captured by Meng Zhongyan's remaining guards, who threatened his life, demanding Shen Zaiye stand down.
Shen Zaiye offered himself as a hostage exchange, asserting his value by claiming to be Wuxia's cousin, Xie Jing'an, capable of providing similar leverage. He produced a handkerchief, asking a guard if he remembered it, and while the guard was distracted, Shen Zaiye swiftly used a hidden dart to strike and kill him. Shen Zaiye checked Wuxia's hand, and Wuxia acknowledged him as his cousin.
Wuxia wished to join Shen Zaiye in going to the palace, but Shen Zaiye refused, stating it was too dangerous and he couldn't protect him fully. He insisted Wuxia was needed to stay with His Majesty. Shen Zaiye then left with others towards the palace. Jiang Taohua and Qingtai hid inside Meng Zhenzhen's bridal sedan. Jiang Taohua addressed Meng Zhenzhen directly, warning her that she was in grave danger and had crucial information regarding her life.
After securing Meng Zhenzhen's promise not to scream, Jiang Taohua revealed that another woman was also preparing for a wedding in the palace at that very moment. When Meng Zhenzhen dismissed this, caring only about securing the position of empress for herself, Jiang Taohua informed her that this central palace position would also belong to the other woman, and Wuyin planned to kill her for a political substitution.
Meng Zhenzhen found this impossible to believe, questioning why Wuyin would turn on the powerful Meng family. Jiang Taohua revealed she had discovered a marriage contract in Wuyin's secret chamber, showing his intended bride was a woman named A Hua, his former personal maid whom he was deeply attached to since his sister's early death, and that this A Hua was also Empress Lv of Beiyuan.
She speculated that Wuyin's alliance with the Meng family was not willing, and they were merely obstacles he intended to remove later. Meng Zhenzhen remained skeptical and questioned Jiang Taohua's motives. Jiang Taohua proposed a wager: Meng Zhenzhen would take them into the palace in her sedan. If Wuyin indeed attempted to harm her as predicted, Qingtai would ensure her safety. If Jiang Taohua's claims proved false, then both she and Qingtai would forfeit their lives to Meng Zhenzhen.
Meng Zhenzhen, though hesitant, agreed to the high-stakes bet. In the palace, Mu Wuyin led Empress Lv into the great hall for the ceremony. As the ceremony began, Wuyin read the abdication decree from His Majesty, proclaiming that because His Majesty was old and tired, he was passing the throne to Wuyin, who was virtuous and popular, by ancient rites, and would retire as Supreme Emperor. He called upon the officials, Heaven, Earth, and the gods as witnesses.
Simultaneously, in the back palace where Meng Zhenzhen had arrived, a maid suddenly attacked her, attempting to strangle her, but Qingtai swiftly intervened and killed the maid, saving Meng Zhenzhen's life. Shaken, Meng Zhenzhen expressed gratitude to Jiang Taohua. Jiang Taohua told her that the Capital Garrison forces were now outside the city and Wuyin's plans, his "Yellow Millet Dream," would not succeed. She then asked Meng Zhenzhen if she was willing to cooperate with them to mend the situation.
As the ceremony continued in the great hall, with guards forcing hesitant officials to kneel and acknowledge the new ruler despite His Majesty's absence and the sudden change from a wedding to an abdication ceremony, and just as the ritual was reaching the point of accepting the imperial seal, Jiang Taohua arrived dramatically. Announcing herself as Princess Chengping of Beiyuan, she offered congratulations on Wuyin's succession, though her uninvited arrival was questioned.
Jiang Taohua calmly stated she had a question: after taking the throne, would Wuyin be establishing the woman beside him as his empress? She pointed out that the woman was not the Meng family daughter and demanded to know her identity, directing the question to the Third Prince. Cornered, Mu Wuyin was forced to reveal that the woman was Empress Lv of Beiyuan. The revelation sent a wave of shock through the assembled officials.
