The Princess's Gambit Episode 33 Recap
> The Princess's Gambit Recap
The officials all demanded that Mu Wuyin give an explanation, but Mu Wuyin gazed affectionately at Lv Yuanhua and announced that regardless of the past and regardless of who Lv Yuanhua was, she would henceforth be the Queen of Qi. Jiang Taohua angrily denounced that Lv Yuanhua had harmed the people and was unfit to be queen.
Enraged, Mu Wuyin attempted to kill Jiang Taohua, but the officials all stood in her defense, insisting that Lv Yuanhua was entirely unworthy of such a position. Jiang Taohua also exposed that Mu Wuyin, under Lv Yuanhua’s influence, had killed his own brother. The crowd firmly opposed the marriage. Furious, Mu Wuyin drew his sword and began killing the dissenting officials—blood flooded the great hall in an instant.
At that moment, Meng Zhenzhen arrived at the city gates with a command token, demanding that Meng Zhi open the gates. Fearing that something might go wrong since Meng Zhongyan could not enter the palace with her, he had given Meng Zhenzhen the token in advance just in case. When someone stepped forward to oppose the gate being opened, Meng Zhenzhen ordered the person executed and forced the gate open.
After intimidating everyone, Mu Wuyin immediately attempted to resume the wedding. Just then, Shen Zaiye entered the palace with Prince Qi. Mu Wuyin seized Jiang Taohua as a hostage, but Shen Zaiye swiftly subdued him. Taking advantage of the chaos, Mu Wuyin fled with Lv Yuanhua to the Chongde Hall. This was the place Mu Wuyin had once lived—it was where Lv Yuanhua had cared for him and won his heart.
To Mu Wuyin, it was the most beautiful memory of his life, and he wished for them to die there together. But Lv Yuanhua was not at all willing to die in such a place. Mu Wuyin spoke emotionally about every detail of the hall and how carefully he had preserved it. It had been the happiest place in his life. But Lv Yuanhua said that every day here had been a living hell for her.
She declared that Mu Wuyin was the person she hated most. She had once only wanted to be a humble palace maid, but Mu Wuyin had made her a target of everyone’s hatred. She could have achieved greatness, yet he had repeatedly ruined her plans and, arrogantly, dragged her back here. As Lv Yuanhua turned to leave, Mu Wuyin pointed his sword at her, demanding she stay. But Lv Yuanhua showed no fear.
Instead, she walked toward him as if to kiss him. Mu Wuyin dropped his sword, which Lv Yuanhua caught and ruthlessly plunged into his chest before turning and leaving. As she left, Mu Wuyin knocked over a candlestick, setting the hall ablaze. Beneath the Yellow Springs, he vowed Lv Yuanhua would forever owe him a sincere heart. The Chongde Hall was consumed by fire. Shen Zaiye and Jiang Taohua arrived to see the flames.
Jiang Taohua was filled with regret—after hating someone for over a decade, that person had died by another’s hand. Though he was dead, the hatred lingered. The pain, she thought, was something Shen Zaiye could never understand. But Shen Zaiye said he soon would. Xiang Qingying arrived at the palace and, upon hearing that there had been a massive fire and a prince had perished, cried out and rushed to go inside, thinking it was Mu Wuxia.
Just then, Mu Wuxia appeared before her. Seeing his injured hand, Xiang Qingying wept uncontrollably. She felt like an outsider, helpless, waking up to find everyone gone. Mu Wuxia promised he would never leave again and that he would always keep Xiang Qingying by his side. When he had gone to rescue Prince Qi, he was initially relieved Xiang Qingying hadn’t come due to the danger.
But when he thought he might die, he regretted not seeing her one last time. At that moment, he resolved never to leave her again and to no longer hide his feelings. Prince Qi summoned Mu Wuxia, but it was the Consort of Prince Lan who came to receive him. Although Prince Qi had been treated and no longer relied on medicine, his health had greatly declined.
The consort showed maternal affection toward Mu Wuxia and hinted that she could give him a respectable lineage. But Mu Wuxia took his leave. Shen Zaiye took Jiang Taohua to visit his father’s grave and planned to seek out the antidote with her. Once they returned, he intended to reopen the witchcraft case and clear his family’s name.
At this time, Mu Wuxia came to find Shen Zaiye and brought up what the Consort of Prince Lan had implied: if he acknowledged her as his mother, his own mother, Consort Shu, would be erased from the records. Thus, overturning the witchcraft case was imperative. Shen Zaiye agreed to act immediately and also wanted to make arrangements for Jiang Taohua. Shen Zaiye led men to search the Meng family estate.
Though the entire Meng family was to be exiled, Shen Zaiye offered Meng Zhenzhen a deal to spare them from exile. He then visited Meng Zhongyan in prison and brought up Xie Guanyu—revealing himself as Xie Guanyu’s son, Xie Jing’an. He accused Meng Zhongyan of having orchestrated the false charges. Meng Zhongyan admitted it was true but said he had no intention of letting Shen Zaiye succeed. He regretted not eliminating him back then.
Shen Zaiye told Meng Zhongyan that because Meng Zhenzhen had opened the palace gates, her merit could cancel the punishment of exile for the Meng family. Enraged, Meng Zhongyan demanded to see Meng Zhenzhen. She had been waiting outside the prison and brought him writing materials. Meng Zhongyan scolded her for ruining everything, but Meng Zhenzhen revealed the truth: the woman Mu Wuyin intended to marry was Lv Hou.
Kneeling, Meng Zhenzhen begged him to write a confession, swearing she would do anything to protect the Meng family. Meng Zhongyan wrote the confession and took his own life in prison.
