Tribes and Empires: Storm of Prophecy Episode 5 Recap
> Tribes and Empires: Storm of Prophecy Recap
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Mu Ruhanjiang, while wandering through the grand palace, unexpectedly arrived at the desolate and simple chambers of Sixth Prince Muyun Sheng. Muyun Sheng explained that his living quarters were uniquely desolate within the palace because a star prophecy foretold that if he were to hold a sword, the world would descend into chaos. As a result, no one dared to approach him, speak with him, or play with him.
Feeling a sense of shared misfortune as someone whose destiny was also dictated by the stars, Mu Ruhanjiang immediately promised to protect Muyun Sheng in the future, further dismissing the notion of easily believing in star prophecies. At the Celestial Observatory, the Yufei Star unexpectedly brightened, alarming Ling Heqing.
He urgently reported to Emperor Muyun Qin that this celestial event meant the star prophecy—that Mu Ruhanjiang and Muyun Sheng were destined for war—would occur ahead of schedule, threatening the Duan Kingdom with impending disaster. Emperor Muyun Qin questioned if Mu Ruhanjiang's appearance caused this change, but Ling Heqing clarified that the events foretold by the stars were unchangeable.
While affirming his partial belief in the prophecies, Muyun Qin resolved to break this fate by selecting a Crown Prince from among his sons the following day, hoping to avert the coming turmoil. An eavesdropping eunuch outside the chamber relayed this news to the Empress, who, greatly alarmed, immediately summoned Third Prince Mu Hege back to the palace.
The next day, Emperor Muyun Qin personally presided over a court session, posing the question of "how to secure the world" to his assembled princes. Third Prince Mu Hege arrived late and proposed that stability could be achieved through governance by law. Muyun Han suggested military force, while Muyun Lu advocated for benevolence and virtue. Muyun Qin then sternly questioned Mu Hege about the killing of Zhou Ding/Dun.
Mu Hege responded that Zhou Ding/Dun had been seduced by a Spirit tribe woman, leading him to speak nonsense and spread rumors, and that he merely enforced the law. Mu Hege continued by urging Muyun Qin to slaughter all Spirit tribe women and restrict Muyun Sheng's movements within the palace, fearing Muyun Sheng might go mad and disturb the imperial presence. Just then, Muyun Sheng arrived.
Mu Hege declared publicly that Muyun Sheng was "not of our kind and should not be treated normally," which enraged Muyun Qin, who immediately ordered Mu Hege to be expelled from the hall and kneel outside, forbidding such nonsense. Muyun Sheng then pressed Muyun Qin, asking if Mu Hege's words were true and if he truly was a monster, but Muyun Qin remained silent, unwilling to hurt his son.
In the Empress's chambers, Mu Hege expressed his frustration and regret, noting how, despite his painstaking efforts to please Emperor Muyun Qin, the Emperor never looked favorably upon him. The Empress counseled him to live for his own happiness rather than constantly seeking his father's approval.
However, Mu Hege countered that his concern for the Empress weighed heavily on him, fearing that if he failed to win Muyun Qin's favor, he might be exiled to a remote region, leaving the Empress alone in the lonely inner palace. Mu Hege then inquired about Yinrong's whereabouts, stating that he knew she was not truly dead and wished to know where she was. Later, while investigating, he saw vibrant cherry blossom trees outside the walls of Yinrong Palace.
When the palace teacher fell ill, Muyun Lu stepped in to review the female candidates' homework. He was captivated by Su Yuning's poem, "Ode to Plum," specifically by the resolute and "arrogant spirit" embedded in its verses. Muyun Lu asked Su Yuning to assist him with copying tasks. Su Yuning, wary of attracting unwanted attention, politely declined, citing her limited talent. Nanku Yueli, however, promptly offered to take on the work in Su Yuning's stead.
But Muyun Lu insisted that Su Yuning alone should undertake the task, fueling Nanku Yueli's intense jealousy and desire to harm Su Yuning. Mu Ruhanjiang, passing by the teaching area, caught sight of Su Yuning, who was seated at the end of the row, and she noticed him as well. As Muyun Sheng was returning to his palace by sedan, he encountered Mu Hege, also traveling by sedan, outside the palace walls.
Mu Hege deliberately bullied Muyun Sheng, forcing him to repeatedly give way until he had nowhere left to retreat. Emboldened by Muyun Sheng's constant yielding, Mu Hege escalated his torment, ordering his attendant, Harchin, to publicly beat Muyun Sheng. Just as Muyun Sheng was about to be struck, Mu Ruhanjiang intervened, stepping forward to save him. Knowing Muyun Sheng's deep emotional wound, Mu Hege then intentionally brought up his birth mother, Yinrong.
He gave Muyun Sheng a white flower he claimed to have picked from Yongyin Palace, telling him that finding where this flower bloomed would reveal Yinrong's true whereabouts and, consequently, Muyun Sheng's own true identity. The following day, factions within the Golden Palace fiercely debated the selection of the Crown Prince. Ling Heqing again asserted that the star prophecy designated Muyun Sheng as the destined king of this world, confirming the prophecy could not be changed.
However, he reiterated the accompanying warning that if Muyun Sheng were to wield the Emperor's sword, it would bring widespread war. Emperor Muyun Qin, as the sovereign, declared he could never allow such a thing to happen, thus removing Muyun Sheng from consideration for the Crown Prince position. Muyun Sheng, carrying the white flower, went to Yongyin Palace. There, he encountered an old wet nurse.
Initially kind and gentle, she reacted with utter horror and promptly drove him out of Yongyin Palace upon learning his identity. Meanwhile, Emperor Muyun Qin gazed at the Jujimian sword, lost in thoughts of Yinrong. He tearfully recalled past events, including naming the sword, and reflected on how he had once believed possessing worldly power would allow him to protect his beloved, yet ultimately, he had failed.
The Empress, in full regalia, approached Muyun Qin, pleading with him to keep Mu Hege in Tianqi City, even if not as Crown Prince, simply to keep him by her side. However, Muyun Qin, acutely aware of Mu Hege's ambitious nature, knew that if Mu Hege remained in Tianqi without the title of Crown Prince, he would inevitably become a source of trouble. Therefore, Muyun Qin was resolute in his decision to exile Mu Hege to a distant region.
The Empress cried out against the injustice, but Muyun Qin informed her that fairness was nonexistent in the palace, and for an emperor, personal likes or dislikes held no sway. The Empress then brought up Muyun Sheng, questioning how, if not out of affection, Muyun Qin had made an exception to allow Muyun Sheng to reside within the palace walls.
She then clearly stated her understanding that Muyun Qin's love for Yinrong ran deep, yet it was the Emperor's own imperial sword that had harmed Yinrong years ago. Hearing this, Muyun Qin's face darkened, and he seized the Empress by the throat, warning her that even as Empress, he would kill her if she dared to mention the matter again. With those words, Muyun Qin mercilessly ordered Mu Hege's immediate demotion and exile to the remote, disease-ridden lands of Lanzhou.
That night, Mu Hege brought Mo Yuchen, an elder from the Chenyue Zhongji tribe, to General Nanku. General Nanku expressed his desire to help Mu Hege seize the Crown Prince position, stating that his clan's future was indeed tied to Mu Hege.
Beyond that, he confessed an even greater ambition: to contend with the Muru clan, asserting that as long as the Muru clan held sole control of military power, he would never know peace, and if they harbored disloyal intentions, the empire would face endless turmoil. Mu Hege, equally ambitious, then informed General Nanku of Mo Yuchen's powerful connections, assuring him that the forces behind Mo Yuchen were formidable enough to fulfill all of General Nanku's aspirations.
