Under the Power Episode 39 Recap, Plot

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Zhai Lanye knelt before Yan Shifan, who slapped her and questioned why she destroyed the army rations, suggesting she wanted Yu Dayong to fail for her own benefit. Zhai Lanye claimed she acted in his favor and was willing to bear all responsibilities, but Yan Shifan grabbed her neck and warned her that if she ever defied him again, he would surely kill her. He then inquired about Lin Ling’s disappearance.

Zhai Lanye denied any knowledge, stating she had stopped investigating Lin Ling after Yan Shifan’s previous instructions to stay away from her. Yan Shifan did not believe her, but before he could press further, Yan Feng arrived, whispered something to him, and the two left. Later, Yan Feng and Yan Shifan arrived at Dong Qisheng’s residence, demanding the skilled doctor Lin Ling.

Dong Qisheng, highly deferential, immediately sold Zhai Lanye out, revealing that she had initially told him to take Lin Ling for his chief’s plan. Now that Yan Shifan wanted her, he would hand her over immediately. Outside, Lu Yi, Yuan Jinxia, Mr. Beggar, and Yang Chengwan were observing. Mr. Beggar was eager to rush in and rescue Lin Ling, but Yang Chengwan held him back, advising patience.

He argued that if they stormed the house, they wouldn't stand a chance if Yan Shifan and Dong Qisheng colluded. Yang Chengwan also reasoned that since Yan Shifan had come himself, he wouldn't easily harm Lin Ling, and they should wait for them to emerge. As Yan Shifan emerged, carrying Lin Ling tightly in his arms, she was shocked to see him.

He greeted her, commenting that after so many years, she still remembered him, and noting how difficult it was to find her, asserting he wouldn't let her go easily. He complimented her unchanging youth and beauty, and recounted how much he had missed her, especially when he looked at his injured eye (which Lin Ling had broken). Lin Ling struggled, ordering him not to touch her.

She confessed that she constantly thought of how to kill him to avenge the Lin family, regretting that the hairpin she once used didn't strike his heart. Yan Shifan remained unfazed, asserting he didn't want to kill her and believed she would eventually willingly be with him. Lin Ling scoffed at the idea. Yan Shifan then revealed he knew she was searching for someone, her elder sister's daughter, and claimed he knew where she was.

Lin Ling, agitated, demanded to know her location. Yan Shifan said he would take her to her now. Outside the house, Mr. Beggar lunged towards Yan Shifan, and the others rushed forward to help him. Yuan Jinxia aimed her hand cannon at Yan Shifan, who used Lin Ling as a shield. Lu Yi instructed Yuan Jinxia to put down her weapon and pulled Mr. Beggar back.

Addressing Yan Shifan, Lu Yi explained he was there to rescue Lin Ling, who had once saved his life and whose eye he admired. Yan Shifan called Lu Yi bold for blocking the way and trying to kill a court official. Lu Yi retorted that Yan Shifan was also bold, being the first court official to collude with pirates.

He pointed out that Dong Qisheng had long pledged allegiance to Mao Haifeng, and Yan Shifan's ease in taking Lin Ling suggested a close connection. When Yan Shifan asked for proof, Lu Yi accused him of pretending to be Sima Chang'an to open private mines and collude with the enemy. Lu Yi declared he must take Lin Ling with him.

Recognizing he was outnumbered and wouldn't gain anything from a fight, Yan Shifan yielded, telling them to take good care of Lin Ling. Before leaving, he leaned in and whispered to Lin Ling to consider what he had just told her, inviting her to come to him anytime, and then kissed her cheek, enraging Mr. Beggar, who almost attacked again. As Yuan Jinxia attempted to move, her leg injury caused her to collapse.

She complained of the pain and her inability to walk, begging Lu Yi to carry her, referencing a past incident where he left her on horseback. Yuan Jinxia quickly assured him she wasn't lying. Lu Yi then threw his sword to Cen Fu and carried Yuan Jinxia away. Yang Chengwan sighed deeply upon seeing this.

In the palace, Lan Qingxuan accompanied the Emperor when Grand Secretary Yan Song, Vice Secretary Xu, and Minister of Revenue Liao Wenhua, along with imperial censors, requested an audience to discuss the impeachment of Wu Shouxu. They reported that 10,000 "dan" of army rations, overseen by Director-General Wu Shouxu in Zhejiang, had been destroyed. Generals from Zhejiang, Fujian, and Huguang jointly impeached Wu Shouxu for failing to protect the rations.

Liao Wenhua added that Wu Shouxu had used military funds for lobbying, giving gold and silk to Xu Hai to entice Wang Zhi, without success, causing public discontent. Yan Song then stated that if there was no good news from Wu Shouxu, it would cause public confusion. Surprisingly, despite nominating Wu Shouxu, Yan Song agreed he should be strictly punished for his incapacity. Back at the official inn, Lu Yi carried Yuan Jinxia.

Lin Ling examined Yuan Jinxia’s swollen leg and instructed her to apply medicinal herbs daily and avoid moving for several days. Yuan Jinxia complained this was worse than death. Yuan Jinxia then expressed her anger at Dong Qisheng, questioning why he kidnapped Lin Ling. Lin Ling explained that Dong Qisheng intended to give her to Mao Haifeng because of her medical skills.

Yuan Jinxia condemned Dong Qisheng as an unbelievable "desperado" who had colluded with pirates, and in a fit of rage, she almost re-injured her leg. Lu Yi, feeling distressed, stopped her from moving too much. Cen Fu brought imperial ointment for her wound, which promoted blood circulation. Lu Yi offered to apply it for her. Yuan Jinxia initially refused, saying she could do it herself, remembering Mr. Beggar, Lin Ling, and Yang Chengwan were nearby.

Lu Yi then excused Yang Chengwan, Lin Ling, and Mr. Beggar, directing Cen Fu to bring food to their rooms so they could rest. He then subtly dismissed Cen Fu as well. Lu Yi gently applied the medicine to Yuan Jinxia’s leg. Yang Chengwan secretly watched from outside, feeling a bit angry. Yuan Jinxia remarked that being wounded didn’t feel so bad when he applied the medicine.

Meanwhile, Yan Feng suggested to Yan Shifan that they eliminate Zhai Lanye, as she was becoming disobedient. Yan Shifan decided to keep her, believing she was still useful. However, he admitted that Lu Yi and the little constable (Yuan Jinxia) were becoming increasingly annoying and that they could use Chunyu Min for their plans against Lu Yi and Yuan Jinxia. Separately, in the court, imperial censors jointly impeached Liao Wenhua.

Vice Secretary Xu noted that the Emperor's favor for Liao Wenhua was waning, seeing an opportunity to disrupt Yan Song's clique. He sought Lan Qingxuan's cooperation for "hot pursuit" on Liao Wenhua. Elsewhere, Yan Feng found Chunyu Min hidden in a remote Taoist temple. He informed her that Yan Shifan had sent him with a message: if she wanted to live, she must quickly kill Yuan Jinxia.

Later, Yang Chengwan confronted Yuan Jinxia, asking about her relationship with Lu Yi and observing their "weird" behavior. Yuan Jinxia, feeling helpless, admitted that Lu Yi wanted to marry her. As Yuan Jinxia secretly smiled, Yang Chengwan immediately poured cold water on her, questioning what merits she possessed to attract someone of Lu Yi's standing.

He emphasized the vast difference in their social status: Lu Yi's family had held official positions for generations, while Yuan Jinxia’s mother was merely a tofu seller. He stressed the importance of an "appropriate match" in marriage, stating that even if Lu Yi accepted her, Lu Ting (Lu Yi’s father) would not.

Yang Chengwan sternly ordered Yuan Jinxia to stay away from Lu Yi, threatening to send her back to the capital and have her mother arrange a marriage for her if he saw them being close again. Yuan Jinxia was visibly disturbed, left to ponder if she and Lu Yi were truly "not suitable." Lin Ling, alone with Mr. Beggar, wondered if Yan Shifan had been truthful about knowing her sister’s daughter’s whereabouts.

Mr. Beggar cautioned her not to trust him, calling Yan Shifan full of "devilish tricks" and capable of anything. Lin Ling mused about Yan Shifan's influence possibly helping him find her. However, Mr. Beggar reminded her that despite his power, Yan Shifan couldn’t find her when she hid in the Maple Col, where she used snakes to cover her tracks. He urged her to be wise and not fall into Yan Shifan’s trap.

Lu Yi received a letter from Lan Qingxuan, learning that Yan Song’s clique was impeaching Yu Dayong for his inability to defeat the pirates, leading the Emperor to suspect Yu Dayong of colluding with the enemy. Lu Yi expected to receive a secret letter from the Emperor soon.

He believed Yu Dayong was not affiliated with any clique, only focused on the war, and cited how Yu Dayong had been demoted despite victories due to false affiliations, suffering demotion in victory and taking blame for others in defeat. Lu Yi worried that the destruction of army rations would make it even harder to defeat Mao Haifeng.

He then met with Chunyu Min, his only relative, seeking her help with the army’s severe shortage of provisions and rations for General Yu. Chunyu Min agreed to donate all the Chunyu family’s properties, including warhorses and army rations, to resolve the emergency. She also presumptuously requested to leave the Taoist temple and return to the capital, stating she couldn’t hide there her entire life.

Lu Yi agreed, promising to have Cen Fu take her to the courier station first to stay for a few days before entering the capital. Later, Lu Yi visited Yuan Jinxia, whose leg was still injured. Remembering Yang Chengwan’s words, Yuan Jinxia pulled away from Lu Yi, apologizing for "ignoring who I am." Lu Yi pressed her to explain what was wrong. Yuan Jinxia asked if his proposal to marry her was serious, emphasizing that marriage was not a game.

She pointed out their vast differences in knowledge, martial arts skills, and family background, fearing that even if he accepted her, Lu Ting would not. She expressed that while she would be happy to marry him, she would "accept my fate" if it wasn’t possible. Lu Yi firmly declared that he, Lu Yi, only wanted to marry her for this lifetime.

He told Yuan Jinxia to remember that she had him, whatever happened, and she didn't need to worry about anything else. Her "puzzles were solved," and she smiled. Lu Yi then informed her that he had agreed for Chunyu Min to return to the capital and that Cen Fu would take her to the courier station. Yuan Jinxia commented that Chunyu Min was his relative, so he didn’t need to ask for her opinion.

Lu Yi stated that as his "future wife," he had to report everything to her to avoid any misunderstandings. Yuan Jinxia admitted that Chunyu Min had "set me up once" and she wouldn’t "care for her," but promised not to "start a fight" with her. Lu Yi expressed his satisfaction, praising her magnanimity. Wu Shouxu was troubled by the army provisions issue, fearing he would be charged with negligence, as soldiers were demoralized without food.

His assistant reminded him that "you'd never know if rescue comes when you're in desperation." Just then, Lu Yi arrived. Wu Shouxu thanked him for visiting. Lu Yi shared the good news: his cousin, Chunyu Min, whose family had been murdered, had agreed to donate all the Chunyu family’s warhorses and army rations to resolve Wu Shouxu’s emergency. Wu Shouxu was immensely grateful, calling it a "tremendous help."

Lu Yi clarified that the donation was "not for the sake of you, but for our people and empire." Lu Yi then requested permission to inspect the army to understand the pirate situation and report to the court. Wu Shouxu agreed, suggesting Lu Yi accompany a group of soldiers trained by Assistant Commander Qi Weigang, who were about to rush into Cen Harbor as reinforcement for Yu Dayong the next morning.

Yan Shifan received a letter from his father, Yan Song, informing him that Priest Lan was currently holding power in the court and the Emperor depended heavily on him, urging Yan Shifan to return to the capital quickly. Yan Shifan dismissed the urgency, believing the Emperor’s dependence on Taoists was temporary. He replied to his father that he must finish his current work before returning. Zhai Lanye then informed Yan Shifan that Mao Haifeng had repeatedly requested a meeting.

Yan Shifan decided to go to Mao Haifeng himself and instructed Zhai Lanye to accompany him. Yuan Jinxia expressed sadness that Lu Yi was leaving for the army tomorrow, unable to join him due to her leg injury. Lin Ling then informed Yuan Jinxia and Lu Yi that she and Mr. Beggar had decided to leave Hangzhou because Yan Shifan had discovered her location, and she wished to continue her search for her sister’s daughter.

Lu Yi suggested that Lin Ling join him at the army camp to treat the many wounded warriors, as there was a severe shortage of paramedics. Lin Ling readily agreed, pleased that her abilities could be of use. Mr. Beggar also volunteered, stating he needed to protect Lin Ling. Yang Chengwan offered to go as well.

Yuan Jinxia wanted to join them, but Lu Yi gently told her to rest at the inn, explaining that they would have to divert attention to her if she came along. Yuan Jinxia reluctantly agreed to wait for their return. Lu Yi then outlined the plan: he and Cen Fu, along with General Qi’s army, would transport army rations first thing tomorrow, and the other three could follow once they were ready.

In the palace, Lan Qingxuan interpreted a unique horse-tailed cloud for the Emperor, stating its red and purple colors, increasing size, and southeastern charge symbolized "the encounter of heroes," forecasting a "big turn of the table" and a "good sign" for the battle in the southeast, all attributed to the Emperor’s merit. The Emperor felt his worries disappear. He then noticed a new mansion. Li Fang, his aide, identified it as Liao Wenhua’s new residence.

The Emperor expressed annoyance that Liao Wenhua could build such a mansion in less than half a year, while his own new pavilion in Western Garden had been under construction for a year and still wasn’t complete. He commented on the mansion's good "feng shui".

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